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High defiberization chip pretreatment |
A chip pretreatment process which comprises conveying the feed material through a compression screw device having an atmosphere of saturated steam at a pressure above about 5 psig, decompressing and discharging the compressed material from the screw device into a decompression region, feeding the decompressed material from the decompression region into a fiberizing device, such as a low intensity disc refiner, where at least about 30 percent of the fiber bundles and fibers are axially separated, without substantial fibrillation of the fibers. In a more specific form the invention is directed to a process for producing mechanical pulp, including the steps of fiberizing wood chip feed material in a low intensity disc refiner until at least about 30 percent of the fibers are axially separated with less than about 5 percent fibrillation, and subsequently refining the fiberized material in a high intensity disc refiner until at least about 90 percent of the fibers are fibrillated. In another form the invention combines chip fiberizing with chemical treatments, for improving the pulp property versus energy relationships. |
1. A process for producing paper making pulp from wood chip feed material, comprising: (a) conveying said feed material through a compression screw device having an atmosphere of saturated steam at a pressure above about 5 psig; (b) decompressing and discharging the compressed material from the screw device into a decompression region; (c) feeding the decompressed material from the decompression region into a fiberizing device having an atmosphere of saturated steam, wherein at least about 30 per cent of the fiber bundles and fibers are axially separated without substantial fibrillation of the fibers; and (d) feeding the fiberized material into at least a primary fibrillating device to produce papermaking pulp. 2. The process of claim 1, wherein in step (c) the decompressed material is conveyed from the decompression region to an inlet of the fiberizing device. 3. The process of claim 1, wherein in step (c) the fiberizing is performed in a disc refiner. 4. The process of claim 1, wherein in step (d), the fibrillating is performed in at least one disc refiner. 5. The process of claim 1, wherein in step (d) the fibrillating is performed in a chemi-mechanical pulping process. 6. The process of claim 1, wherein between steps (b) and (c), a chemical liquor is introduced into the decompressed material. 7. The process of claim 1, wherein between the feeding of step (c) and the feeding of step (d), a chemical liquor is introduced into the fiberized material. 8. The process of claim 1, wherein in step (c) the fiberizing is performed with relatively low intensity in a first disc refiner; and in step (d), the fibrillating is performed with relatively high intensity in a second disc refiner and optionally fibrillation is continued in a third disc refiner. 9. The process of claim 1, wherein in step (c) the fiberizing is performed in a low intensity disc refiner; and in step (d) the fibrillating is performed in chemi-mechanical process. 10. The process of claim 6, wherein between the feeding of step (c) and the feeding of step (d) chemical liquor is introduced into the fiberized material. 11. The process of claim 10, wherein the chemical liquor concentration introduced between steps (b) and (c) is greater than the chemical liquor concentration introduced between steps (c) and (d). 12. The process of claim 1, wherein the fiberizing device is a disc refiner operating at a pressure between about 15 and 30 psig and imparting a specific energy to the decompressed material in the range of about 100-200 kWh/MT. 13. The process of claim 1, wherein the fiberizing device is a mechanical refiner imparting a specific energy to the decompressed material in the range of about 100-200 kWh/MT. 14. The process of claim 1, wherein the feed material is fed to the compression screw at a consistency in the range of about 30-50%, the decompressed material is fed to the fiberizing device at a consistency in the range of about 30-50%, and the decompressed material is fiberized at a consistency in the range of about 30-40%. 15. A process for pre-treating wood chip feed material prior to preheating and mechanical refining, comprising: (a) conveying said feed material through a compression screw device having an atmosphere of saturated steam at a pressure above about 5 psig; (b) decompressing and discharging the compressed material from the screw device; (c) feeding the decompressed material into a low intensity mechanical refiner operating in an atmosphere of saturated steam at a pressure above about 5 psig to defibrate the material without substantial fibrillation; and (d) feeding the defibrated material into a high intensity mechanical refiner to fibrillate the material into pulp. 16. The process according to claim 15, wherein the low intensity refiner imparts a specific energy between about 100-200 kWh/MT to the decompressed material. 17. The process according to claim 15, wherein between steps (c) and (d), the defibrated material is conveyed to a storage bin from which the material is fed to the high intensity refiner according to step (d). 18. The process according to claim 17, wherein a chemical liquor is introduced to the defibrated material between steps (b) and (c). 19. A process for producing mechanical pulp comprising: defibrating wood chip feed material in a low intensity mechanical refiner until at least about 30 per cent of the fibers are axially separated with less than about 5 per cent fibrillation; and refining the defibrated material in a high intensity mechanical refiner until at least about 90 per cent of the fibers are fibrillated. 20. The process according to claim 19, wherein the low intensity refiner imparts a specific energy between about 100-200 kWh/MT to the wood chip feed material. 21. The process according to claim 20, wherein the refining at high intensity imparts a specific energy of at least about 800 kWh/MT. 22. The process according to claim 21, wherein the defibrating is preceded by exposing the wood chip feed material to an environment of steam at a saturated pressure of at least about 5 psig for at least about 5 seconds and mechanically macerating the wood chip feed material in an environment of steam at a saturation pressure of at least about 5 psig. 23. A method for producing mechanical pulp from wood chips stored in a bin at atmospheric pressure, comprising: (a) feeding the chips from the storage bin into a transfer conveyor device having a user-controlled variable conveyance time period during which the chips are exposed to an environment of saturated steam at a pressure above 5 psig; (b) compressing and then decompressing the chips in an environment of saturated steam at a pressure above 5 psig; (c) defibrating the decompressed chips until at least about 30% of the fibers are axially separated; and (d) fibrillating the defibrated fibers in a high intensity refiner to produce mechanical pulp. 24. The process of claim 23, wherein step (c) is performed in a mechanical refiner which imparts a specific energy between about 100-200 kWh/MT to the chips. 25. The process of claim 23, wherein the variable conveyance time period is in the range of about 5-60 seconds. 26. Apparatus for pre-treating wood chip material comprising: a pressure housing having an inlet at an inlet end and a discharge at a discharge end; a screw press formed in the housing, wherein the screw press receives material from the housing inlet, and has a shaft that is rotatable about a screw shaft axis to convey and compress material along the screw axis toward the discharge end; a mechanical refining rotor within the housing, wherein the refining rotor receives material from the screw press, has a rotor shaft that is co-axial with the screw shaft axis, and fiberizes the material between one refining surface on the rotor and another refining surface spaced from the rotor within the housing before discharging from the discharge end. 27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the screw shaft rotates at a lower speed than rotor shaft. 28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the screw shaft rotates at a speed in the range of about 70-100 rpm and the rotor shaft operates at a speed in the range of about 800-1800 rpm. 29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the rotor shaft operates at a speed that is at least about ten times the screw shaft rotation speed. 30. The apparatus of claim 26, including a steam line in fluid communication with the housing, for maintaining the housing at a saturated steam pressure above about 5 psig. 31. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the screw discharges into a region where the chips decompress and said region is also the inlet for the refiner. 32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the screw shaft is joined to the rotor shaft. 33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the screw shaft has an extension portion that is joined to the rotor shaft in said region, the extension having means for conveying decompressed chips to the rotor. 34. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the rotor shaft has an extension in said region, and means thereon for conveying material from the region to the rotor. 35. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein a first motor drives the screw shaft and a second motor drives the rotor shaft. 36. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the rotor is a disc. 37. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the rotor is a cone. 38. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the housing includes a refiner casing having a stationary plate defining said other refining surface. 39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the housing is maintained at a saturated steam pressure in the range of about 5-30 psig. 40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the screw shaft rotates at a speed in the range of about 70-100 rpm and the rotor shaft operates at a speed in the range of about 800-1800 rpm. 41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the screw discharges into a region where the chips decompress and said region is also the inlet for the refiner. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention relates to the production of papermaking pulp from wood chip feed material, and particularly to mechanical refining and chemi-mechanical refining. Efforts have been ongoing for decades to improve mechanical refining techniques (including chemi-mechanical refining) for producing papermaking pulp from wood chip feed material with decreasing specific energy requirements. A significant advance toward this objective was achieved by the present inventor in the mid 1990's, by the development of the “RTS” process, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,776,305, granted on Jul. 7, 1998, for “Low-Resident, High-Temperature, High-Speed Chip Refining. This development was directed to the relationship between chip pre-heat environment and high consistency primary refiner conditions, whereby a window of pre-heat residence time, pre-heat saturated steam temperature (pressure) and high disc refining speed produced a noteworthy reduction in specific energy required to achieve commercial strength properties, while retaining satisfactory optical properties. A significant further development by the present inventor is the “RT Pressafiner” pretreatment, upstream of preheating and primary refining, as described in International Patent Application No. PCT/US98/14710, filed Jul. 16, 1998, for “Method of Pretreating Lignocellulose-Containing Feed Material”. According to the RT Pressafiner development, chip feed material received, for example, from an atmospheric pre-steaming bin, is first conditioned at elevated temperature and pressure for a controlled period of time, and then highly compressed at elevated temperature and pressure, whereupon the pretreated Ln chips may be conveyed directly into the preheater portion of a primary refiner, or retained in an atmospheric bin until subsequent feeding to the preheater of a primary refiner. The combination of the RT Pressafiner pretreatment with the RTS primary refining, produces an exceptionally energy efficient mechanical refining system, due largely to the significant extent of axial separation of the fibers in the chips fed to the primary refiner. Although the RT Pressafiner pretreatment method and apparatus has been highly effective in producing axially separated fibers (i.e., separated along the grain), there appears to be an upper limit on axial separation of about 25-30 percent of the total chip mass. |
<SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>It is thus an object of the present invention to provide apparatus and method for producing at least about 30 percent axially separated fibers in the chip feed material during pretreatment upstream of the preheating section of a mechanical refining system. It is a further object that this high degree of axially separated fibers be achieved while retaining the benefits of the apparatus and method described in International Application PCT/US98/14710, i.e., maceration of chip structure with minimal damage under pressurized inlet conditions, reduction in refiner energy consumption, good extractives removal, improved chip size distribution for refiner stability, and improved impregnation of chemicals, while achieving significant further reduction in required specific energy for producing satisfactory quality papermaking pulp. This object is achieved in a chip pretreatment process which comprises conveying the feed material through a compression screw device having an atmosphere of saturated steam at a pressure above about 5 psig, decompressing and discharging the compressed material from the screw device into a decompression region, feeding the decompressed material from the decompression region into a fiberizing device, such as a low intensity disc refiner, where at least about 30 percent of the fiber bundles and fibers are axially separated, without substantial fibrillation of the fibers. In a more specific form the invention is directed to a process for producing mechanical pulp, including the steps of defibrating or fiberizing wood chip feed material in a low intensity disc refiner until at least about 30 percent of the fibers are axially separated with less than about 5 percent fibrillation, and subsequently refining the fibrated material in a high intensity disc refiner until at least about 90 percent of the fibers are fibrillated. The preferred apparatus for pretreating wood chips according to the invention, includes a pressure housing having an inlet end and a discharge end, a screw press formed in the housing such that the screw press receives material from the housing inlet and advances the material along a rotating screw shaft to compress the material, and a fiberizing device such as a mechanical refiner rotor, optionally within the same housing, which receives material from the screw press and fiberizes the material. Preferably, the screw shaft is axially aligned with the rotor shaft and the screw shaft rotates at a lower speed than the rotor shaft. For example, the screw shaft can rotate at a speed in the range of about 70-100 rpm with the rotor shaft operating at a speed in the range of about 800-1800 rpm. In an alternative embodiment, the screw shaft and the rotor shaft need not be coaxial, or even in the same horizontal plane. Moreover, the screw and the rotor can be in distinct housings, such that the chips in the decompression region are directed through a chute or the like or conveyed into the inlet of the fiberizing refiner. Preferably, the single or plural housings are maintained at a saturated steam pressure in the range of about 5-30 psig. The material discharged from the fiberizing device has, in effect, been “resized” from chips to short, grass-like strands that have been separated along their grain axes into smaller fibrous particles. It can be appreciated that, although the use of a pressurized pretreatment device, such as a pressurized screw, is known from the RT Pressafiner method, and certainly fibrillating chip material in a primary or secondary refiner is known, a novel and significant aspect of the present invention is the inter-positioning of a highly effective but low energy consuming fiberizing device in the pretreatment process, e.g., in the form of a mechanical refiner, which achieves high fibration without expending the energy required for substantial fibrillation. A premise of the invention is to maximize separation of the fibration and fibrillation steps of the thermomechanical refining process. The latter step., is the most energy consuming, and requires efficient energy transfer at high intensity conditions to minimize total energy consumption. The present invention is highly effective in achieving energy reduction. If one ultimately desires essentially 100 percent fibrillation via conventional mechanical refining, and the feed material is pretreated according to the known, e.g., RT Pressafiner method, the primary mechanical refining must first fiberize the chip material and then initiate fibrillation of the fibers, using design parameters that are especially adapted for the more difficult fibrillation of the fibers. With the present invention, well over 30% of the fibers, and in most instances, at least about 75% of the fibers, are axially separated (fiberized) with, preferably, a low intensity refiner or the like that is highly efficient in fiberizing (but not fibrillating). The fiberized material thus has no measurable freeness. When the fiberized material is then processed by the high intensity refiner, the higher intensity (and thus high energy level) is not wasted on the fiberizing, but rather can all be directed to fibrillating the fibers. The present invention achieves a much higher level of axial fiber separation as compared with conventional chip presses, even as improved by the RT Pressafiner pretreatment. Fiberizing in a pretreatment fiberizing device permits fiber orientation while the fibers experience the stress-strain cycles necessary to axially separate the fibers. Pressurization permits chip size reduction in the pressing and fiberizing zones with minimal damage to the chip structure. There is a gradual transition from the pressing zone to primary refining, and this achieves axial fiber separation in a controlled manner. Moreover, higher levels of extractive removal can be achieved due to both the pressurized environment and a reduced size distribution. Furthermore, water or chemical liquor impregnation is improved. Primary refining (fibrillating) in the production subsystem is improved, in that significantly lower specific energy is required for a given freeness, due to the high level of axially separated fibers feeding the primary refiner. This permits the lowest installed energy requirement for a given plant capacity. Moreover, increased primary refiner capacity can result from higher available plate surface area, i.e., the breaker bar zone can be substantially reduced or eliminated because a fiber material rather than chip material is sent to the primary refiner. In addition, the primary refiner load stability is improved due to the reduction in the bulk density of the feed material. The pulp property/specific energy relationships can be adjusted by the level of chip fibration achieved in the pretreatment. Finally, the parameter windows for the RTS primary refining process can be further adjusted to optimize refining for fibrated inlet material rather than merely size reduced or intact wood chips. In general, the present invention may be alternatively formulated to comprise, consist of, or consist essentially of, any appropriate steps or components herein disclosed. The present invention may additionally, or alternatively, be formulated so as to be devoid, or substantially free, of any steps, components, materials, ingredients or species used in the prior art compositions or that are otherwise not necessary to the achievement of the function and/or objectives of the present invention. |
Conjugate |
The present invention relates to a polypeptide comprising at least one alpha-helix having synthetically attached thereto a plurality of therapeutic or diagnostic moieties, wherein said therapeutic or diagnostic moieties may be the same or different and are spatially oriented on the polypeptide so as to minimise interactions between said moieties. Further aspects of the invention relate to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the polypeptide; a polynucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide; an expression vector comprising said polynucleotide sequence; and a host cell transformed with said expression vector. The invention also provides a method of treatment comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of said polypeptide. |
1. A polypeptide comprising at least one alpha-helix having synthetically attached thereto a plurality of therapeutic or diagnostic moieties, wherein said therapeutic or diagnostic moieties may be the same or different and are spatially oriented on the polypeptide so as to minimise interactions between said moieties. 2. A polypeptide according to claim 1 which comprises one or more specific amino acid residues for the purpose of site-specific conjugation to said therapeutic or diagnostic moieties. 3. A polypeptide according to claim 2 wherein said specific amino acid residues comprise one or more basic amino acids. 4. A polypeptide according to claim 2 wherein said specific amino acid residues comprise one or more acidic amino acids. 5. A polypeptide according to claim 2 wherein said specific amino acid residues comprise one or more hydroxyl-containing amino acids. 6. A polypeptide according to claim 2 wherein said specific amino acid residues comprise one or more thiol-containing amino acids. 7. A polypeptide according to claim 2 wherein said specific amino acid residues comprise one or more hydrophobic amino acids. 8. A polypeptide according to claim 1 wherein said alpha-helix comprises at least two functional amino acid residues positioned so as to protrude externally from said alpha-helix so that each functional amino acid residue does not hinder another. 9. A polypeptide according to claim 1 wherein said alpha-helix is a 19 residue helix with functional amino acid residues at positions 2, 8, 10, 14 and 16. 10. A polypeptide according to claim 1 which comprises two alpha-helices. 11. A polypeptide according to claim 1 which comprises three alpha-helices. 12. A polypeptide according to claim 1 which comprises four alpha-helices. 13. A polypeptide according to claim 1 which comprises a natural or synthetic four helix bundle. 14. A polypeptide according to claim 1 wherein said polypeptide is the wild-type or mutant form of ‘rop’ (repressor of primer). 15. A polypeptide according to claim 1 which further comprises a targeting element. 16. A polypeptide according to claim 15 wherein said targeting element is selected from a recombinant antibody, a Fab fragment, a F(ab′)2 fragment, a single chain Fv, a diabody, a disulfide linked Fv, a single antibody domain and a CDR. 17. A polypeptide according to claim 15 wherein said targeting element is a synthetic or natural peptide, a growth factor, a hormone, a peptide ligand, a carbohydrate or a lipid. 18. A polypeptide according to claim 1 which further comprises one or more additional amino acid sequences selected from a sub-cellular targeting peptide and a membrane active peptide. 19. A polypeptide according to claim 18 wherein said sub-cellular targeting peptide targets the nucleus and comprises a sequence selected from KKKKRPR (SEQIDNO:1) and KRPMNAFIVWSRDQRRK (SEQIDNO:2). 20. A polypeptide according to claim 18 wherein said sub-cellular targeting peptide targets the mitochondria and comprises the sequence MLVHLFRVGIRGGPFP GRLLPPLRFQTFSAVRYSDGYRSSSLLRAVAHLPSQLWA (SEQIDNO:3). 21. 2 LA polypeptide according to claim 18 wherein said sub-cellular targeting peptide targets lysosomes and comprises the sequence KCPL (SEQIDNO:4). 22. A polypeptide according to claim 18 wherein said sub-cellular targeting peptide allows proteins to traffic back to the endoplasmic reticulum and comprises the sequence KDEL (SEQIDNO:5). 23. A polypeptide according to claim 18 wherein said membrane active peptide targets the membrane and comprises a sequence selected from the following: (i) GLFGAIAGFIENGWEGMIDGWYQ; (SEQ ID NO:6) (ii) GIEDLISEVAQGALTLVP; (SEQ ID NO:7) (iii) ACYCRIPACIAGERRYGTCIYQGRLWAFCC; (SEQ ID NO:8) and (iv) FFGAVIGTIALGVATSAQITAGIALAEAR. (SEQ ID NO:9) 24. (A polypeptide according to claim 1 wherein said polypeptide comprises a glycosylated protein. 25. A polypeptide according to claim 1 wherein said polypeptide comprises a protein having one or more N- or O-linked carbohydrate residues spatially oriented so as to minimise interactions between said carbohydrates or therapeutic or diagnostic moieties attached thereto. 26. A polypeptide according to claim 1 wherein said therapeutic agent is a chemotherapeutic agent or an anti-infectious agent. 27. A polypeptide according to claim 1 wherein said therapeutic agent is a photosensitising agent. 28. A polypeptide according to claim 27 wherein said photosensitising agent is selected from meta-tetrahydroxyphenyl chorin, 5-aminolaevulanic acid, BPD-benzoporphyrin derivative, meso-tetrahydrophenyl bacteriochlorin, chlorin e6, pyropheophorbide-a, bacteriochlorin-a and sulfonated aluminium phthalocyanine. 29. A polypeptide according to claim 1 wherein said therapeutic agent is a therapeutic peptide or protein. 30. A polypeptide according to claim 1 wherein said therapeutic agent is a nucleic acid. 31. Use of a polypeptide according to claim 1 in the preparation of a medicament for the prevention and/or treatment of disease. 32. A polynucleotide sequence encoding all or part of the polypeptide of claim 1. 33. An expression vector comprising the polynucleotide sequence of claim 32. 34. A host cell transformed with the expression vector of claim 33. 35. A method for preparing a polypeptide according to claim 1 comprising expressing the polynucleotide of claim 32. 36. A method of transporting a therapeutic or diagnostic agent into a cell comprising exposing a cell to a polypeptide according to claim 1. 37. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a polypeptide according claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable diluent, excipient or carrier. 38. A method of treatment comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a polypeptide according to claim 1. 39. A diagnostic method comprising administering to a subject a diagnostically effective amount of a polypeptide according to claim 1. 40. A method of preparing a polypeptide according to claim 1, said method comprising conjugating a therapeutic or diagnostic agent to an alpha-helical polypeptide. 41. A method according to claim 40 which further comprise the step of placing the polypeptide so prepared in a container for subsequent therapeutic or diagnostic use. 42. A method according to claim 41 wherein said container has attached thereto a label indicating regulatory approval for said therapeutic or diagnostic application. 43. A host cell transformed with the polynucleotide sequence of claim 32. 44. A method for preparing a polypeptide according to claim 1 comprising culturing the host cell of claim 34 under conditions which provide for expression of the polypeptide. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND TO INVENTION <EOH>Current treatment of disease is predominantly non-targeted. Drugs are administered systemically, e.g. orally, which exposes many other tissues as well as the tissues which are diseased. In cancer therapy, chemotherapeutic drugs are specific for cells which are growing and dividing rapidly, as they work mainly by a mechanism which interferes with DNA replication [1]. However, other cells may take up the drug and also become intoxicated, such as rapidly dividing bone marrow stem cells, resulting in immunosupression. In infectious diseases, anti-bacterial drugs are introduced into the blood (orally or by injection) and interfere with a particular bacterial metabolic pathway. Again, exposure to other tissues can result in side effects. Virally-infected cells are difficult to treat as their metabolism is nearly identical to uninfected cells. It is widely acknowledged that the future of medicine lies in the tailoring of drugs to the disease. This means delivering the therapeutic agent to the correct target tissue, rather than the non-selective hit and miss approach of most of the conventional drug treatments used today. This approach may result in the administration of lower doses, lower side effects and toxicities and overall better responses. Advances in genomics may one day mean that drugs can be tailored to the individual, as one individual's cancer may differ from another's. There are many drugs used clinically today that are effective at destroying or treating diseased cells, once they have accumulated in the correct tissue. The problem therefore lies with the specific targeting of drugs, rather than the effector mechanism. Examples of targeting include targeted ionising radiation as opposed to external beam radiotherapy [2], targeted chemotherapy drugs (e.g. methotrexate or doxorubicin) as opposed to free drugs [3] and toxins [4]. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a particularly good example as it is already well established in many treatments. However, it is becoming apparent that a better therapeutic outcome may result from pre-targeting a photosensitizing (PS) drug to the correct tissues in addition to targeting the light source, which is not accurate at a cellular level [5]. Targeting drugs or other effectors to the desired cells has been previously proposed. One of the main approaches to targeting is to use antibodies as the targeting element of a multifunctional molecule [6]. The ideal design for such a multifunctional molecule would be one which is highly specific for diseased cells, able to carry many drugs with high capacity without compromising their function, and able to deposit the drug in the sub-cellular compartment which would primarily be affected. Antibody Targeting Antibodies have naturally evolved to act as the first line of defence in the mammalian immune system. They are complex glycoproteins which have exquisite diversity and specificity. This diversity arises from programmed gene shuffling and targeted mutagenesis, resulting in probably a trillion different antibody sequences [7]. Consequently, this diversity means that antibodies can bind to practically any target molecule. It is now possible to mimic antibody selection and production in vitro, selecting for recombinant human antibodies against virtually any desired target [8]. A significant number of biotechnological drugs in development are based on antibody targeting [6]. The most popular in vitro selection technique is antibody phage display, where antibodies are displayed and manipulated on the surface of viruses [8]. There are many therapeutic antibodies being developed for a range of diseases, primarily cancer. Table 1 lists some of these antibodies. Antibodies can bind with a high degree of specificity to target cells expressing the appropriate receptor. The affinity of an antibody is a measure of how well an antibody binds to the target (antigen). It is usually described by an equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd). Technology exists to select and manipulate antibodies which have the desired kinetic binding properties. For antibodies that need to be internalised, the association rate is more important, as the dissociation rate does not function if the antibody is taken into the cell. As with all biological molecules, the size of the antibody affects its pharmacokinetics in vivo [12]. Larger molecules persist longer in the circulation due to slow clearance (large glycoproteins are cleared through specific uptake by the liver). For whole antibodies (molecular weight approx. 150 KDa) which recognise a cancer cell antigen in a mouse model system, 30-40% can be taken up by the tumour, but because they persist longer in the circulation, it takes 1-2 days for a tumour:blood ratio of more than one to be reached. Typical tumour:blood ratios are 5-10 by about day 3 [13]. With smaller fragments of antibodies, which have been produced by in vitro techniques and recombinant DNA technology, the clearance from the circulation is faster (molecules smaller that about 50 KDa are excreted through the kidneys, as well as the liver). Single-chain Fvs (about 30 KDa) are artificial binding molecules derived from whole antibodies, but contain the minimal part required to recognise antigen [14]. Again in mouse model systems, scFvs can deliver 1-2% of the injected dose, but with tumour:blood ratios better than 25:1, with some tumour:organ ratios even higher [15]. As scFvs have only been developed over the last 10 years, there are not many examples in late clinical trials. From clinical trials of whole antibodies, the amount actually delivered to tumours is about 0.1 to 1% of that seen in mouse models, but with similar tumour:organ ratios [16]. If another molecule is attached to the antibody, then the new size determines the altered pharmacokinetic properties. Other properties such as net charge and hydrophilicity have effects on the targeting kinetics [17]. Some cell surface antigens are static or very slowly internalise when bound by a ligand such as an antibody. There are some which have a function that requires internalisation, such as cell signalling or uptake of metals and lipids. Antibodies can be used to deliver agents intracellularly. These agents can be therapeutic—repairing or destroying diseased cells. Examples include gene delivery [18], the intracellular delivery of toxins (e.g. Pseudomonas exotoxin [4]), enzymes (e.g. ribonuclease [19]) and drugs (e.g. methotrexate [3]). Some of these agents need targeting to particular sub-cellular organelles in order to exert their effects. Advances in cell biology have uncovered ‘codes’—amino acid sequences which direct intracellular proteins to certain sub-cellular compartments. There are specific sequences to target to the nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, golgi, lysosomes and mitochondria (Table 2). There has been much research into targetable therapeutic drugs where novel effector functions have been linked to antibodies or other targeting ligands. Some of these need to be internalised to successfully deliver a toxic agent. Many of these have shown good results in vitro and in vivo in animal models, but have been disappointing in the clinic. Immunotoxins have shown problems such as immune reactions and liver/kidney toxicity [25]. There have been developments with new ‘humanised’ immunotoxins based on enzymes such as ribonuclease [19] and deoxyribonuclease [26]. These potentially have lower side effects and are more tolerable, but still do not have a bystander killing effect. Chemotherapy drugs tend to be much less active when linked to proteins as they are not released effectively and radioimmunotherapy tends to irradiate other tissues en route to the tumour, giving rise to bone marrow and liver toxicity. Photosensitising (PS) drugs are particularly attractive agents to link to proteins, as the cytotoxic elements are the singlet oxygen species generated from them and not the PS drugs themselves [5]. Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) Photodynamic therapy is a minimally invasive treatment for a range of conditions where diseased cells and tissues need to be removed [27]. Unlike ionising radiation, it can be administered repeatedly at the same site. Its use in cancer treatment is attractive because conventional modalities such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery do not preclude the use of PDT and vice versa. Photodynamic therapy is also finding other applications where specific cell populations must be destroyed, such as blood vessels (in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or in cancer), the treatment of immune disorders, cardiovascular disease, and microbial infections. PDT is a two-step or binary process starting with the administration of the PS drug, by intravenous injection, or topical application for skin cancer. The physico-chemical nature of the drug causes it to be preferentially taken up by cancer cells or other target cells [28]. Once a favourable tumour (or other target):normal organ ratio is obtained, the second step is the activation of the PS drug with a specific dose of light, at a particular wavelength. This ultimately causes the conversion of molecular oxygen found in the cellular environment into reactive oxygen species (ROS) primarily singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ), although reactions of intermediate photochemically produced species also generate hydroxyl radicals (OH.) and superoxide (O 2 − .). These molecular species cause damage to cellular components such as DNA, proteins and lipids [29]. PDT is a cold photochemical reaction, i.e. the laser light used is not ionising and the PS drugs have very low systemic toxicity. The combination of PS drug and light result in low morbidity and insignificant functional disturbance and offers many advantages in the treatment of diseases. There is growing evidence that PDT response rates and durability of responses are as good as or even superior to standard locoregional therapies [27]. The light activation of ROS is highly cytotoxic. In fact some natural processes in the immune system utilise ROS as a way of destroying unwanted cells. These species have a short lifetime (<0.04 μs) and act over a short radius (<0.04 μm) from their point of origin. The destruction of cells leads to a necrotic area of tissue which eventually sloughs away or is resorbed. The remaining tissue heals naturally, usually without scarring. There is no tissue heating and connective tissue such as collagen and elastin are unaffected, resulting in less risk to the underlying structures compared to thermal laser techniques, surgery or external beam radiotherapy. More detailed research has shown that PDT induces apoptosis (non-inflammatory cell death), and the resulting necrosis (inflammatory cell lysis) seen is due to the mass of dying cells which are not cleared away by the immune system [30]. Generally PS drugs are administered systemically, with some topical applications for skin lesions. When the PS drug has accumulated in the target tissue, with ratios typically 2-5:1 compared with normal surrounding tissues (except in the brain where the ratio can be up to 50:1), low power light of a particular wavelength is directed onto the tumour (or the eye in AMD treatment [31]). Because human tissue can transmit light most effectively in the red region of the visible light spectrum, PS drugs which can absorb red light (630 nm or above) can be activated up to a depth of about 1 cm. Patients must avoid sunlight until systemically administered PS drugs clear from the body, otherwise they may have skin photosensitivity, resulting in skin burn. The treatment scheme is attractive to the clinician in that superficial diseases can usually be treated with local anaesthesia and sedation. The generally low toxicity (with the possible exception of skin photosensitivity) limits the need for other medication. Topical treatments do not require sterile conditions and can be given in an outpatient clinic. Research on a number of PS drugs including silicon phthalocyanines has shown that PDT induces apoptosis-programmed cell death [32]. Apoptosis is the highly orchestrated and evolutionary conserved form of cell death in which cells neatly commit suicide by chopping themselves into membrane-packaged pieces [33]. These apoptotic bodies are marked for phagocytosis by the immune system. Usually, too much apoptosis in a small area ‘overloads’ the immune system and the area eventually becomes necrotic, with inflammatory consequences. Photofrin (porfimer sodium), 5-aminolaevulanic acid (ALA) and Verteporfin (BPD-benzoporphyrin derivative) are three PS drugs which have regulatory approval. A promising, potent second generation PS drug, Foscan (temoporfin; meta-tetrahydroxyphenyl chlorin) is encountering problems in acquiring approval from the FDA and MCA. Porfimer sodium, the first PS drug to be approved, is licensed for use in bladder, stomach, oesophagus, cervix and lung cancer. Its performance is moderate due to poor light absorption characteristics in the red end of the spectrum (activated at 630 nm), meaning it can only penetrate about 5 mm into tissues. It also persists in the body for weeks, leading to skin photosensitivity. However it has been effective in the treatment of the above cancers [27]. ALA is applied topically in the treatment of skin lesions and is converted endogenously to protoporphyrin IX, a naturally-occurring PS molecule. This can be activated at many wavelengths and its depth of effect is less than 2 mm. ‘Visudyne’ (Verteporfin) also performs well in AMD [31], without the issues of tissue penetration found in tumour applications. The newer generation of PS drugs have longer activation wavelengths thus allowing deeper tissue penetration by red light, higher quantum yield and better pharmacokinetics in terms of tumour selectivity and residual skin photosensitivity. These classes of PS drugs include the phthalocyanines, chlorins, texaphyrins and purpurins. The synthetic chlorin, Foscan is a very potent PS drug with a wavelength of activation of 652 nm, good quantum yield of singlet oxygen and skin photosensitivity of about 2 weeks. There have been many clinical trials for a variety of cancers, with good results [27]. There are other PS drugs which have been developed and are in trials which can adsorb at 740 nm, such as meso-tetrahydrophenyl bacteriochlorin (m-THPBC). Clinical PDT PDT can achieve disease control rates similar to conventional techniques with lower morbidity rates, simplicity of use and improved functional and cosmetic outcome. PDT has mainly been used where conventional approaches have failed or are unsuitable. These include pre-malignant dysplastic lesions and non-invasive cancers which are commonly found in the mucosa of aerodigestive and urinary tracts (e.g. oral cavity, oesophagus and bladder). Current treatments for cancer at this stage are not very successful and good responses here would prevent larger solid tumours or metastatic spreads occurring. Treatment for Barrett's oesophagus usually involves an oesophagectomy, which requires general anaesthesia, has a risk of morbidity and loss of function and disfigurement. PDT is being seen as an attractive option because of the large area which can be treated superficially with less risk. Photofrin, ALA and Foscan have produced good responses in these types of cancers in clinical trials (Table 3). Due to easy light accessibility, the treatment of cutaneous disease such as skin cancer has produced good results with systemic and topical PS drugs (Table 3). Head, neck and oral lesions have also produced good results and are well suited due to the good cosmetic outcome of the treatment (Table 3). Treatment of other cancers are being tested as advances are being made in laser and light delivery technology. Endoscopes can be used to deliver the activating light dose to any hollow structure such as the oesophagus and bronchial cavity, thus expanding the treatment range to gastrointestinal and lung cancers (Table 3) with minimal surgery. Large areas such as the pleura and peritoneum can be treated, where radiotherapy would not be able to give a high enough curative dose. PDT has great promise in the treatment of these surface serosal cancers, in combination with debulking surgery. Light can be delivered to these large surfaces in a short time, through hollow cavities. The limited depth of activity would be an advantage, as the critical underlying organs would be spared (Table 3). Adjuvant therapy is also an option being investigated, where the solid tumour is surgically removed and any remaining tumour cells are destroyed by one round of PDT in the cavity formed. Although surface cancers may be the most amenable to PDT, solid tumours may also be able to undergo interstitial treatment, where the PS drug is administered systemically or by intra-tumour injection, followed by the insertion of laser fibres through needles equally spread throughout the tumour. This can result in necrosis of very large tumours (Table 3). To summarise, there are several advantages of PDT therapy. It offers non-invasive, low toxicity treatments which can be targeted by the light activation. The target cells cannot develop resistance to the cytotoxic species (ROS). Following treatment, little tissue scarring exists. However, PS drugs are not very selective for the target cells with target:blood ratios typically in single figures. Because PS drugs “piggy-back” on blood proteins, they persist longer in the circulation than is desired, leaving the patient photosensitive for 2 weeks in the best of cases. It is becoming increasingly clear that PS drugs need to accumulate inside cells as the generated ROS have a short pathlength. This may not be achieved effectively with current PS drugs. Targetable PDT Photosensitiser drugs can still be active and functional while attached to carriers, as the cytotoxic effect is a secondary effect resulting from light activation. This makes them very amenable to specific drug delivery mechanisms. Currently, the approaches used to link PS drugs to targetable elements include direct conjugation of derivatised PS drugs to whole monoclonal antibodies or other ligands [34-37]. However, this often results in a heterogeneous mixture of antibody-PS drug molecules as the chemistry is not accurate. Whole antibodies have a molecular weight of 150 KDa, resulting in very large immunoconjugates with unfavourable pharmacokinetics, such as poor tumour:organ ratios [36] which take a long time to achieve. It is also likely that PS drugs linked to large adjacent residues of a protein can have a detrimental effect on PS photophysics, with quenching of the desired PS excited states occurring due to adverse PS-protein interactions. The non-specific attachment of PS drugs onto antibodies or other ligands can result in a severe compromise in binding ability of the ligand. The antibody binding site may be hindered by such reactions, dramatically lowering the affinity and specificity of the antibody. Too many PS drugs attached can also affect the hydrophobicity of a protein and may have an adverse effect on the structure and pharmacokinetics [36]. Some researchers have tried to circumvent these problems by attempting to link PS drugs to designated ‘carriers’ such as chemically synthesised branched carbohydrate chains and poly-lysine chains. These approaches all require additional conjugation steps as the ligand-carriers cannot be made entirely recombinantly. Using chains of pure poly-lysine may also give rise to problems, for example, proteolyic instability in vivo, or the concentration of hydrophobic PS drugs in one part of the molecule leading to aggregation and quenching of adjacent PS drugs-excited states. The present invention seeks to alleviate some of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, thereby providing an improved system for targeting and delivery of therapeutic and/or diagnostic agents. |
Method for performing power diffraction analysis |
A method for successively performing a powder diffraction analysis of at least two powder samples being contained in sample holding means. Use is made of an apparatus comprising:—a source of radiation being adapted to direct a radiation beam to a power sample,—a detector for detecting diffraction radiation of a powder sample,—a drive means associated with said sample holding means for effecting a movement of an irradiated powder sample during irradiation and detection. The method comprises the steps of irradiating a powder sample and detecting the diffraction radiation of the powder sample, arranging a further powder sample such that said radiation beam is directed to said further powder sample, and irradiating said further powder sample and detecting the diffraction radiation of said further sample. During irradiation and detecting of each sample the drive means effect a movement of the irradiated sample with respect to the radiation beam for the purpose of improving particle statistics. The sample holding means comprise a common multiple samples holder holding said at least two powder samples. Said drive means effect, during irradiation and detection of a sample contained in said common multiple samples holder, a movement of said common multiple samples holder with respect to the radiation beam. |
1. A method for successively performing a powder diffraction analysis of at least two powder samples being contained in sample holding means, wherein use is made of an apparatus comprising: a source of radiation being adapted to direct a radiation beam to a powder sample, a detector for detecting diffraction radiation of a powder sample, a drive means for effecting a movement of an irradiated powder sample during irradiation and detection with respect to the radiation beam, wherein the method comprises the steps of: irradiating a powder sample and detecting the diffraction radiation of the powder sample, arranging a further powder sample such that said radiation beam is directed to said further powder sample, and irradiating said further powder sample and detecting the diffraction radiation of said further sample, wherein during irradiation and detection of each sample the drive means effect a movement of the irradiated sample with respect to the radiation beam for the purpose of improving particle statistics, and wherein the sample holding means comprise a common multiple samples holder holding said at least two powder samples. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the drive means are connected to said common multiple samples holder and wherein said drive means effect, during irradiation and detection of a sample contained in said common multiple samples holder, a movement of said common multiple samples holder with respect to the radiation beam. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said drive means are connected to radiation source and detector for the purpose of effecting the movement of the common multiple samples holder with respect to the radiation beam. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said irradiated sample has a centre and wherein said movement of said common multiple samples holder with respect to the radiation beam includes a predetermined variation of the orientation of an axis perpendicular to a sample plane and intersecting the centre of the irradiated sample with respect to the radiation beam. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the movement of said common multiple samples holder with respect to the radiation beam includes at least of the following movements: a precession movement, a translation, or a tilting of said common multiple samples holder with respect to the radiation beam. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the drive means cause the common multiple samples holder to perform a precession movement with respect to the radiation beam during the step of irradiation and detection of a powder sample. 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the drive means cause the common multiple samples holder to perform a combination of a precession movement and a translation with respect to the radiation beam during the step of irradiation and detection of a powder sample. 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the source of radiation is an X-ray source. 9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the diffraction analysis is a transmission diffraction analysis. 10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detector is a 2D-detector. 11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said common multiple samples holder is a plate having an array of wells, each being well adapted to contain a powder sample. 12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said wells are arranged at a centre to centre distance of between 2 and 10 millimetres. 13. In combination an apparatus for performing a powder diffraction analysis of a powder sample and a sample holding means, wherein said apparatus comprises: a source of radiation being adapted to direct a radiation beam to a powder sample in said sample holding means, a detector for detecting diffraction radiation of a powder sample, a drive means for effecting a movement of an irradiated powder sample held in said sample holding means during irradiation and detection with respect to the radiation beam, wherein the sample holding means comprise a common multiple samples holder holding said at least two powder samples. 14. The combination of claim 13, wherein the drive means are connected to said common multiple samples holder and wherein said drive means are adapted to effect, during irradiation and detection of a sample contained in said common multiple samples holder, a movement of said common multiple samples holder with respect to the radiation beam. |
Package for products to be sterlised with a high-temperature sterilising fluid |
The invention concerns a plastic package, having a content capable of being sterilised at high temperature, said package comprising at least a fluid communication member (16) between the inside and the outside of said package consisting of at least a frame circumscribing an opening and an inner seal (18) closing the opening, and whereof the peripheral edge (18a, 22a) is continuously linked to said frame, said inner seal including, a selectively sealing material sheet whereof the cutoff threshold from outside inwards, stops contaminating particles and allows through the thermal sterilising fluid, said selectively sealing material being deformable in the plane of said sheet at said high temperature. The invention is characterised in that it comprises means compensating the planar deformation of the selectively sealing material sheet, when said inner seal (18) is in contact with the thermal sterilising fluid, said compensating means being designed to release at least part of the load in the direction opening the fluid communication member (16) applied on the frame as a result of said deformation. |
1. Packaging made of plastic containing content which can be or has been sterilized by contact with a high-temperature thermal sterilizing fluid, the said packaging comprising at least one member (16) for fluidic communication between the inside and the outside of the said packaging and consisting in a tub (2) and at least one surround circumscribing an opening and a film (18) closing the opening, and the peripheral border (18a, 22a) of which is constantly connected in sealed fashion to the said surround, the said film (18) comprising a sheet of a selectively impervious material of which the cutoff threshold from the outside to the inside stops contaminating particles and allows the passage of the thermal sterilizing fluid, the said selectively impervious material being capable of deforming mainly in the plane of the said sheet at the said high temperature, characterized in that it comprises a means for compensating for the stresses and deformations of the tub and of the selectively impervious material when the said film (18) is in contact with the thermal sterilizing fluid, the said compensation means being defined so that it at least partially relaxes the stress in the direction of the opening of the fluidic communication member (16) applied to the surround as a result of the said planar deformation. 2. Packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection between the peripheral border (18a) of the film (18) and the surround of the fluidic communication member (16) is mechanically able to withstand the stress resulting from the planar deformation of the sheet of selectively impervious material of which the film (18) is made. 3. Packaging according to claim 2, characterized in that the wall (2a) of the packaging is mechanically able to withstand the stress resulting from the planar deformation of the sheet of selectively impervious material of which the film (18) is made. 4. Packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that the compensation means is of the passive type and is capable of being obtained by thermal pretreatment of the selectively impervious material, definitively shrinking it in a planar way. 5. Packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that the compensation means is of the active type. 6. Packaging according to claim 5, characterized in that the compensation means consists, in a shaping as a relief (18b) of the sheet of selectively impervious material, the developed surface area of which exceeds the visible surface area of the said sheet to such a point that, as it deploys, it cancels the stress associated with the planar deformation of the said sheet. 7. Packaging according to claim 6, characterized in that the shaping as a relief (18b) is of the pleating, folding, embossing, corrugating or goffering type. 8. Packaging according to claim 5, characterized in that the film (18) comprises an edging (22) of a material which may or may not be impervious to the thermal sterilizing fluid, the outer border (22a) of which is continuously connected in sealed manner to the surround of the fluidic communication member (16), and the inner border (22b) of which is continuously connected in sealed manner to a central sheet (19) of selectively impervious material, the said edging (22) comprising the said compensation means. 9. Packaging according to claim 8, characterized in that the compensation means consists in another shaping as a relief (22c), for example folded, corrugated or pleated on itself, about one or more continuous lines circumscribing the central sheet (19) of selectively impervious material, the developed surface area of which exceeds the visible surface area of the said edging to such a point that, as it deploys, it cancels the stress associated with the planar deformation of the said sheet. 10. Packaging according to claim 9, characterized in that the impervious material of the edging (22) is transparent to sterilizing or decontaminating ultraviolet radiation. 11. Packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that the selectively impervious material is a nonwoven web of fibres or filaments which are entangled and joined together. 12. Packaging according to claim 11, characterized in that the filters or filaments are from a plastics material, for example HDPE or some other polymer, connected, for example, by thermofusion. 13. Film (18) for packaging sterile products or products intended to be sterilized, comprising at least one sheet of a selectively impervious material of which the cutoff threshold from the outside toward the inside of the packaging stops contaminating particles and allows the passage of a high-temperature thermal sterilizing fluid, the said selectively impervious material being capable of deforming in the plane of the sheet at the said high temperature, characterized in that it comprises a planar compensation means for the sheet of selectively impervious material when the said film (18) is in contact with the high-temperature thermal sterilizing fluid. 14. Film (18) according to claim 13, characterized in that it is associated with a screen (26) against electron irradiation and/or light radiation, for example ultraviolet radiation. 15. Film (18) according to claim 14, characterized in that the screen (26) is attached thereto by any means, in particular by bonding. 16. Film (18) according to claim 14, characterized in that the screen (26) is deposited onto the products (10) inside the tub (2) prior to the sealing of the latter. |
Fluoroalkyl-modified organosilanes and their use in coating compositions |
Fluoroalkyl-modified organosilanes, processes for preparing them, and their use, particularly in coating compositions for the purpose of reducing the soiling tendency of said compositions The present invention relates to organosilanes of the general formula (I) where R is a fluorinated or partly fluorinated alkyl radical of the formula CnZ2n+1(CH2)m—, with n≧1, m≧1, and Z either a hydrogen atom or a fluorine atom, with the proviso that at least one Z is a fluorine atom, Y is a hydrogen atom or alkyl radical having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, X is alternatively a hydrogen atom, a linear or branched alkyl radical having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, a radical of the formula ROC(O)(CHY)(CH2)—, a phenyl radical or a benzyl radical, R1 is a linear or branched alkylene radical having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and R2, R3, and R4 are linear or branched alkyl radicals having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or linear or branched alkoxy radicals having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, which are attached via the oxygen atom to the silicon atom, processes for preparing them, and their use, particularly in coating compositions for the purpose of reducing the soiling tendency of said compositions. |
1. An organosilane of the formula wherein R is a fluorinated or partly fluorinated alkyl of the formula CnZ2n+1(CH2)m—, with n≧1, m≧1, and Z is hydrogen or a fluorine with the proviso that at least one Z is a fluorine, Y is hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, X is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, ROC(O)(CHY)(CH2)—, phenyl and benzyl, R1 is alkylene of 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and R2, R3 and R4 are alkyl of 1 to 10 carbon atoms or alkoxy of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, which are attached via the oxygen atom to the silicon atom. 2. An organosilane of claim 1, wherein R is CnF2n+1(CH2)m—. 3. An organosilane of claim 1, wherein n=1 to 30 and m=1 to 4. 4. An organosilane of claim 1 wherein X is selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl, phenyl and benzyl, Y is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen or methyl, R1 is selected from the group consisting of —(CH2)3—, —CH2CH(CH3)CH2— and —C2H4, and R2, R3, and R4 are selected from the group consisting of CH3O—, C2H5O— and CH(CH3)2O— 5. An organosilane of claim 1 wherein n=6 and m=2. 6. An organosilane of claim 4, wherein X is ethyl, R1 is —CH2CH(CH3)CH2—, and R2, R3, and R4 are CH3O—. 7. An organosilane of claim 4, wherein X is methyl, R1 is —(CH2)3, and R2, R3 and R4 are CH3O—. 8. A process for preparing an organosilane of claim 1 comprising reacting a (mety)acrylic ester of the formula with an ω-aminoalkylsilane of the formula where R is CnZ2n +1(CH2)m—, with n≧1, m≧1, and Z is hydrogen or fluorine, with the proviso that at least one Z is a fluorine, Y is a hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, X is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, ROC(O)(CHY)(CH2)—, a phenyl and benzyl, R1 is alkylene of 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and R2, R3, and R4 are alkyl of 1 to 10 carbon atoms or of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, which are attached via the oxygen atom to the silicon atom. 9-11. (cancelled) 12. A method of coating surfaces, which comprises spraying an organosilane of claim 1 as it is, in solution or in dispersion onto the surfaces to be treated, immersing the surface into the solution or dispersion of the additives, or applying it with a brush or by roller, or adding it to a coating composition to be applied, as it is, in solution or in dispersion, and applying the coating composition to the surface. 13. An organosilane of claim 1 in a coating composition for reducing the soiling tendency of surfaces. 14. An organosilane of claim 1 as an antiblocking agent in a coating composition for the treatment of surfaces. 15. An organosilane of claim 1 in a coating composition for the hydrophobicization and oleophobicization of surfaces. 16. A coating composition comprising: a) at least one polymeric binder, b) at least one organosilane of claim 1, and c) optionally, at least one member of the group consisting of pigments, fillers, dispersants, thickeners, protective colloids, wetting agents, preservatives, algicides, anticorrosion pigments, UV filter substances, UV initiators and further auxiliaries. 17. A coating composition of claim 16, comprising at least one UV initiator. 18. A coating composition of claim 16, wherein the at least one polymeric binder comprises at least one ω-hydroxyalkyl (meth)acrylate as monomeric building block (comonomer) and at least one epoxyalkylsilane of the formula BSiR3, B being an organic having at least one oxirane functionally and the Rs being —CnH2n+1 or —OCnH2n+1 respectively, in which n=1 to 10. 19. A coating composition of claim 18, wherein ω-hydroxyalkyl (meth)acrylate 2- hydroxyethyl methacrylate is used. 20. A coating composition of claim 18, wherein the epoxyalkylsilane is β-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)ethyltriethoxysilane or γ-glycidyl-oxypropyltrimethoxysilane. 21. In a method of reducing the soiling tendency of a surface, the improvement comprising using a composition containing an organosilane of claim 1. 22. In a method of treating a surface with an antiblocking agent, the improvement comprising using an organosilane of claim 1 as the said agent. 23. In a method of providing a surface with hydrophobicization or oleophobicization coating, the improvement comprising an organosilane of claim 1 in the coating. |
Photolytic oxygenator with carbon dioxide fixation and separation |
Apparatus for oxygenating an enclosed space as well as removing carbon dioxide from the enclosed space. |
1. A photolytic apparatus for oxygenating and removing carbon dioxide from a confined volume area comprising: a photolytic cell having an anode compartment with a photo-active surface having the ability to convert water to oxygen; and, a cathode compartment having the ability to convert carbon dioxide to a solid or liquid medium; and a light source for providing light photons to said photolytic cell and activating the photo-reactive surface. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said photo-reactive surface comprises a light-activated catalyst. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said light activated catalyst is a metal oxide catalyst comprising anatase (TiO2), WO3 or ZnO, combinations thereof, with or without performance enhancing dopants. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said light source is an ultraviolet light at 350-500 nm. 5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said light-activated catalyst converts, when photolytically irradiated, water to hydrogen ions, electrons and active oxygen. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said active oxygen formed during photolysis is hydrogen peroxide or other forms of oxygen gas precursors. 7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said electrons generated during photolysis are then electrically conducted away to avoid reversal of the reaction. 8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said active oxygen formed during photolysis is converted by a disproportionation catalyst into dissolved oxygen. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said disproportionation catalyst is MnO2. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carbon dioxide is converted to a carbonate solid. 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carbon dioxide is reacted with C5 pentose to produce C6 hexose. 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carbon dioxide is converted to a C3 compound and then catalyzed to form C6 hexose. 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the photo-reactive surface comprises a light transparent substrate and a photolytic coating. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said photolytic coating comprises a layer of a light activated catalyst which converts, when photolytically irradiated, water to hydrogen ions, electrons and active oxygen. 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said photolytic coating further comprises a disproportionation catalyst which converts active oxygen to dissolved oxygen. 16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the anode compartment and the cathode compartment are separated by a membrane. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said membrane allows for the flow of hydrogen ions from the anode compartment to the cathode compartment. 18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the photolytic cell comprises a mesoporous material. 19. A photolytic apparatus for oxygenating and removing carbon dioxide in order to maintain a proper physiological environment comprising: a photolytic cell having an anode compartment and a cathode compartment, a) said anode compartment having an inlet for receiving an aqueous solution, an anode conductor, a photo-reactive surface, and an outlet for transporting a dissolved oxygenated solution out of said anode compartment, wherein said photo-reactive surface has the ability, upon photo-activation, to convert water in an aqueous solution to dissolved oxygen, hydrogen ions and electrons upon light activation; b) said cathode compartment having an inlet for receiving carbon dioxide, C5 pentose, and a catalyst, a cathode conductor for converting hydrogen ions, carbon dioxide, C5 pentose and catalyst to C6 pentose, and an outlet for removing the C6 pentose from the cell and any remaining reactants; and, a light source for providing light photons to said photo-reactive surface to initiate a series of chemical reactions that results in dissolved oxygen generation in the anode compartment and C6 pentose formation in the cathode compartment. 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said light photo-reactive surface comprises a layer of a light activated photolytic catalyst. 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said light activated photolytic catalyst is a metal oxide comprises TiO2 (anatase), WO3 or ZnO, or combination thereof. 22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said light source is an ultraviolet light at 350-500 nm. 23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said photo-reactive surface further comprises a disproportionation catalyst. 24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said photolytic cell comprises a transparent substrate and a photolytic coating comprising a first disposed layer of TiO2 (anatase) and a second disposed layer of MnO2. 25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said cell is constructed from mesoporous materials. 26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said disproportionation catalyst includes at least one of FeII, FeIII, CuI, CuII, CoII, CoIII, MnII, MIII, MnIV, and MnO2. 27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said catalyst is MnO2. 28. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said light-activated photolytic catalyst converts water into active oxygen. 29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said disproportionation catalyst converts active oxygen to dissolved oxygen. 30. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said cell is constructed from mesoporous materials. 31. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said cell is constructed of SAMMS. 32. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the anode compartment and the cathode compartment are separated by a cationic membrane. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Oxygen depletion in confined spaces has always been a problem. Human beings need a constant supply of oxygen and the concomitant removal of carbon dioxide to live and function. When humans, microorganisms or other animals are in confined spaces where the flow of gases from the atmosphere is impeded, the aforementioned supply of oxygen and removal of carbon dioxide are critical to maintaining a proper physiological environment. Known methods for providing oxygen generation and/or carbon dioxide removal include the electrolytic production of oxygen using KOH in water. While hydrogen and oxygen are produced, the simultaneous production of hydrogen results in problems concerning its safe capture, storage and disposal. An organic amine liquid carbon dioxide process has also been used to capture carbon dioxide. Moreover, on an emergency basis, lithium candles have been used to produce oxygen and lithium hydroxide to absorb carbon dioxide. Other devices and processes for providing oxygen and removing carbon dioxide are briefly described below: Chlorate Candles—These are heated to cause the decomposition of the chlorate into oxygen gas and salt. In this operation the high heat required and sudden release of large amounts of pure oxygen gas are highly hazardous and limits the usefulness of this technology. Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) Electrolysis—This technology is also hazardous as it emits explosive mixtures of O 2 and H 2 gases, since KOH is strongly caustic and corrosive. Lithium Hydroxide (LiOH) is used for CO 2 capture. However, this material is hazardous due to it being a caustic fine powder. It is spread over the floor to generate a high surface area whereupon it leads to possible contact and/or ingestion by the crew causing illness and potential lung damage. CO 2 is also removed by large devices using liquid organic amines. These units are complicated processes and so are difficult to control. They also require large amounts of space and are heavy. In addition, the first and third of the above listed technologies are “once use” technologies and so are spent after one use. Therefore, a need exists for new technology and approaches that have the potential to provide long term life support in confined environments. |
<SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The enclosed invention uses photolytic energy to drive the production of O 2 gas and electrochemical fixation of CO 2 gas as a means to convert used, “stale” air, i.e. air low in O 2 and/or rich in CO 2 relative to atmospheric breathing into breathable air for humans, animals, and aerobic or facultative aerobic microorganisms. More particularly, the present invention relates to a photolytically driven electrochemical (PDEC) oxygenation and carbon dioxide removal apparatus. The apparatus includes a photo-electro chemical cell (“photolytic cell” or “photolytic module”) that, in part, operates similar to the photosynthesis process that takes place in green plants. In the anode compartment, the apparatus utilizes the photolytic cell to convert light energy in order to simultaneously generate oxygen and electrical energy. The photolytic cell also removes carbon dioxide from the environment and converts it to a carbonate solid in the cathode compartment. One or more photolytic cells can be included in the apparatus of the present invention depending on the quantity, quality, etc. of desired gas exchange. The light energy utilized in the present invention is ultraviolet (“UV”) light or visible light, with the laser form being the most preferred. However, the light energy can also be broad-band, received by the way of a “light pipe” fiber optic cable or by the way of an attenuated total reflectance (ATR) link. In the apparatus, dissolved oxygen is generated in the anode compartment from an aqueous solution by means of the light dependent chemical reactions, photolysis and disproportionation. This is followed by the removal or clearing of carbon dioxide in the cathode compartment by the formation of higher carbon compositions such as hexose sugar. In this regard, photolysis is the initiation of a chemical reaction that results from the absorbance of one or more quanta of radiation. Here, water from an aqueous solution is converted into oxygen by a light-activated catalyst, such as a semiconducting metal oxide. The metal oxide is utilized as a photo-absorbent material or a photo-absorption element. It is photolytically irradiated to form, from water, hydrogen ions, hydrogen peroxide or other forms of oxygen gas precursor (active oxygen, “AO”) and electrons by the absorption of one or more quantra of electromagnetic radiation. The free electrons generated are then electrically conducted away to avoid reversal of the reaction and optionally utilized to drive various electrical devices, such as a pump. For example, it has been found that active oxygen can be generated in one embodiment of the present invention by the use of the anatase form of titania (TiO 2(a) ) as the light absorbent material in the anode compartment. The photo energy of light, such as ultraviolet laser light (about 350 nm), selectively excites TiO 2 semiconductor transition (about 350-390 nm band, or about 3.1 eV) with minimal material radiation or transmission. The ultraviolet energy produces charge separation in the anatase form of TiO 2 , which then produces active oxygen (AO) and free electrons. The free electrons are then subsequently electrically conducted away due to the semi-conducting property of the anatase. Alternatively, other suitable light absorbent materials can also be utilized in the present invention at various wavelengths provided that the energy is sufficient to produce active oxygen. Moreover, the active oxygen produced during photolysis can be converted by means of manganese dioxide (MnO 2 ), or other disproportionation catalytic agents and/or processes, into dissolved oxygen (DO) and water. Additionally, in the artificial lung of the present invention, carbon dioxide can also be removed from the environment by the means of a series of carbon molecule building reactions. These reactions occur in the cathode compartment of the apparatus to produce removable and/or recyclable carbonate solids. Consequently, the apparatus of the present invention produces oxygen directly from an aqueous solution. At the same time, the apparatus also utilizes the hydrogen ions produced from the aqueous solution to remove the carbon dioxide to produce a carbonate solid such as hexose sugar. A brief description of the pertinent reactions involved in the embodiment of the present invention utilizing anatase as the light absorbent material (i.e. as the photolytic catalyst and MnO 2 as the disproportionation catalyst) is provided below: Photolysis: 2 H 2 O + hv ⟶ TiO 2 ( s ) ( anatase ) “ H 2 O 2 ” + 2 H + + 2 e - where H 2 O 2 is used to illustrate “active oxygen” intermediate. Disproportionation: “ H 2 O 2 ” ⟶ MnO 2 ( s ) 1 2 O 2 ( DO ) + H 2 O DO=dissolved oxygen, which is readily converted to gaseous oxygen, O 2 (g), for breathable air maintenance applications. The above information shows the general chemical reactions involved in the anode compartment of the photolytic cell to produce dissolved oxygen. Subsequent to this production, the electrons are conducted away, and the dissolved oxygen diffuses from the film surface to be collected and/or channeled to a confined environment. Additionally, the hydrogen ions generated flow from the anode compartment to the cathode compartment. There they react with carbon dioxide and other compositions to form solid, higher carbon materials. In a further aspect, the present invention is also directed to a photolytic cell. The photolytic cell includes a transparent substrate or window. An anode (such as a metal film) is adjacent to the transparent window. A photolytic coating containing a light-activated catalyst and a disproportionation catalyst abuts the anode. An anolyte cell flow through area is adjacent to the light activated catalyst. An optional cation exchange membrane borders the anolyte cell flow through area. A catholyte cell flow area abuts the cation exchange membrane. A cathode is present adjacent to the catholyte and is connected to the anode. In an additional aspect, the present invention is further directed to a method for delivering oxygen to an enclosed or restricted environment. The method comprises moving an aqueous solution, such as an electrolyte solution, into a photolytic cell wherein light is utilized by a light-activated catalyst to produce oxygen from water and moving the oxygen generated out of the photolytic cell into the enclosed environment. The free hydrogen ions generated by this process can be optionally utilized to convert carbon dioxide to a carbonate solid. In a further aspect, the present invention relates to the direct photolytic conversion of water to liquid phase oxygen (dissolved oxygen), with commensurate clearance of carbon dioxide. A test flow cell is provided comprising a conductive coating of vacuum-deposited titanium (Ti) metal, adherent TiO 2 (anatase), and MnO 2 , applied as a laminant to a glass substrate. Long wavelength (low energy) UV laser light, directed to the transparent glass substrate, reproducibly resulted in the generation of H 2 O 2 , an active form of oxygen (active oxygen), which was subsequently converted, by the catalytic action of MnO 2 , to dissolved oxygen. Oxygen gas is then extracted from the dissolved oxygen through an oxygen gas separator and collected or channeled to a closed or constricted living environment. Additionally, carbon dioxide present in the closed or constricted living environment is removed by reacting the carbon dioxide with other carbon sources and catalysts to form carbonate solids. Based on these results and others, the photolytic cell or module may be used, employing multiple parallel photolytic surfaces to improve O 2 yield and CO 2 clearance. These and other objets and features of te invention will be apparent from the descriptions set forth below. |
Blow mold device |
The shifting of the parting line between split molds due to mold clamping force is prevented. A blow mold device (11) wherein a pair of split molds forming a blow cavity (12) are a set of molds, and a plurality of such sets are attached in parallel to mold-attaching plates (15, 16) with a clearance defined between adjacent sets. One split mold (13) is attached by bolts (17) inserted in bolt holes (23) in the form of loose holes in the mold-attaching plate (15) in such a manner as to allow relative lateral shifting of the split mold (13) and mold-attaching plate (15). The other split mold (14) is fixedly attached to the mold-attaching plate (16) by locating pins (18) and bolts (17). A joint is installed that integrally connects the two split molds to their parting surface and that is composed of a taper pin (19) and a socket (21) for preventing the shifting of the parting line. |
1. A blow mold device attaching a plurality of sets of molds in parallel on and between a pair of mold-attaching plates with a clearance defined between adjacent sets of molds, each such one set of molds constituting a pair of split molds forming a blow cavity, wherein; one split mold of the pair is attached with a bolt inserted in a loose bolt hole perforated in one mold-attaching plate so that the split mold and the mold-attaching plate can shift laterally and relatively in molds closing as far as within a space formed between the loose bolt hole and the bolt inserted therein, the other split mold of the pair is fixedly attached to the other mold-attaching plate with a locating pin implanted in the mold-attaching plate and a bolt, and in molds closing both split molds are connected integrally and closely on both parting faces of them, and both of a taper pin and a socket provided with the pair of molds as a joint operate to secure both the molds mutually so as for a parting line not to fluctuating. 2. The blow mold device of claim 1, wherein: the pair of split molds as one set of molds forms a plurality of blow cavities, and the joint is buried between the blow cavities or on the parting faces of both sides. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND ART <EOH>In an ordinary blow mold device, as shown in FIG. 6 , split molds 1 a, 1 b where a blow cavity 2 is formed in the parting face are served as a set of molds, a blow mold device 1 is composed of a plurality of sets thereof by arranging in parallel on mold-attaching plates 3 , 3 by a locating pin 4 and a bolt 5 spacing with a clearance between the plural sets, and the blow mold device is attached by making the mold-attaching plates 3 , 3 into contact with the opposed faces of movable platens 6 , 7 inside and outside a mold clamping apparatus. The inside movable platen 6 has a plunger 8 coupled to the back center, and an outside movable platen 7 has rods 9 , 9 coupled to both sides passing through the inside movable platen 6 , so that both of the aforementioned movable platens 6 , 7 move simultaneously facing to each other, and the mold close of the blow mold 1 is executed in the middle between the platens, allowing the mold to open, close, and clamping by hydraulically operating the plunger 8 and rods 9 , 9 simultaneously. In such mold clamping apparatus, mold clamping force by the plunger 8 acts on the central section of the inside movable platen 6 as pressing force, while mold clamping force by the rods 9 , 9 comes to acts on both sides of the outside movable platen 7 as tensile force. Consequently, the distribution of opposed mold clamping forces is differently applied on both platens, and both movable platens 6 , 7 are deflected inwardly (chain line direction) and bent backward. According to this deflection, the aforementioned mold-attaching plates 3 , 3 also finish up by deflecting similarly; however, as there is a space between adjacent molds for split molds 1 a, 1 b, the split mold la where the mold-attaching plate 3 is attached on the outside movable platen 6 finishes up by tilting inward, and on the contrary, the split mold 1 b where the mold-attaching plate 3 is attached on the outside movable platen 7 finishes up by tilting outward. The shift due to this inclination in the opposite directions increases gradually from the central section to both sides, and in the split molds 1 a, 1 b places at both sides, as shown enlarged in the drawing, it becomes a considerable shifting of the parting line PL, and finishes up by creating a longitudinal shoulder on the side of the blow cavity 2 . If an injection molded preform (not shown) is pinched by the neck and inserted in the blow cavity 2 of such state, stretch blow molded full in the cavity, the trace of the parting line is transferred on the middle of the side body section of a molded product therein, and left there as a considerably protruded stripe. The parting line mark on the body is undesirable for labeling or others processes, and is rejected as defective for the packaging container of contents of high added value. |
<SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a plane cross-section of a blow mold device according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is a partial magnified view of the same; FIG. 3 is a vertical view of the blow mold device as above; FIG. 4 is a plane cross-section of the blow mold device as above during the deflection; FIG. 5 is a partial magnified plane cross-section of another embodiment; FIG. 6 is a plane view illustrating the deflection in a mold clamping apparatus where a conventional mold apparatus is attached; and FIG. 7 is a plane cross-section of a conventional mold apparatus during the deflection. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? |
Method for the devitalisation of natural organs and/or for the preparation of extracellular matrices for tissue engineering |
74. Culture medium according to any one of claims 48 to 73, characterized in that, that autologous growth factors are gained through chemical and/or biochemical destruction of body-own tissues. 75. Culture medium according to any one of claims 48 to 74, characterized in that, that autologous growth factors are gained through apoptosis of body-own tissues. 76. Culture medium according to claim 74, characterized by the fact that tissue destruction is done by ultrasound. Summary The invention provides new procedures for the devitalization and preserving of human and animal organs and tissues, preferably however natural hollow organs and all of their components, in particular from blood vessels and cardiac valves. Furthermore the invention provides procedures for the production of matrices for construction of organs and tissues in part or in toto. In addition the invention concerns organs and tissues, in particular natural and artificial hollow organs which can be achieved according to invention-appropriate procedures. Furthermore the invention concerns the clinical use of these organs and tissues an the application in the human and veterinarian medicine, preferably in the cardiac and vascular surgery. Furthermore the invention concerns new culture media. |
1. Procedure or process for devitalization and preservation of organs and/or tissues, comprising the following steps: a. sterile harvest and storage of the organ or the tissue in a liquid selected from the group consisting of: sterile water, a crystalloid liquid, a colloidal liquid, a lipid-containing liquid or a combination of the mentioned liquids, until the devitalization is achieved, b. the outwash of cell-fragments, cellular decomposition products (debris) as well as soluble substances under pressure with a liquid, selected from the group consisting of: sterile water, a crystalloid liquid, a colloidal liquid, a lipid-containing liquid and a combination of the mentioned liquids. 2. The procedure or process of claim 1 wherein the sterile harvest of the organ and/or tissue is performed from dead people (multi organ donors). 3. The procedure or process of claim 1 wherein the storage occurs for at least 2 weeks, preferably for 6 weeks, in particular preferred however for 6 months in the dark. 4. The procedure or process of claim 1 wherein the storage occurs under sterile conditions. 5. The procedure or process of claim 1 to 4, wherein the storage liquid is a crystalloid liquid. 6. The procedure or process of claim 5 wherein the crystalloid liquid is Medium 199 (Seromed). 7. The procedure or process of claim 5 wherein the crystalloid liquid is cardioplegic solution (Bretschneider solution). 8. The procedure or process of claim 5 wherein the crystalloid liquid is supplemented with antibiotics. 9. The procedure or process of claim 1 to 7 wherein the procedure contains a multiple rinsing of the organs and/or tissues before the storage in the same liquid in which the storage occurs. 10. The procedure or process of claim 1 to 8 wherein the storage and the outwash of the organs and/or tissues occurres with the same liquid. 11. The procedure or process of claim 1 to 9 wherein the storage is done at a pH-value from 3 to 9. 12. The procedure or process of claim 10 wherein the storage is done at a pH-value from 6.9 to 7.8. 13. The procedure or process of claim 10 wherein the storage is done at a pH-value from 7.0 to 7.5. 14. The procedure or process of claim 1 to 12 wherein the storage is done at a temperature of 0 to 55° C. 15. The procedure or process of claim 13 wherein the storage is done at a temperature of 0 to 37° C. 16. The procedure or process of claim 13 wherein the storage is done at a temperature of 4° C. 17. The procedure or process of claim 1 to 15 wherein the storage is done under reduced oxygen pressure. 18. The procedure or process of claim 16 wherein the storage is done under anaerobe conditions. 19. The procedure or process of claim 1 to 15 wherein the storage is done with gases (in the fluid or gaseous stage). 20. The procedure or process of claim 18 wherein the gas is a rare gas. 21. The procedure or process of claim 1 to 20 wherein the washing out occurs pulsating. 22. The procedure or process of claim 21 wherein the washing out of cellular particles, cellular decomposition products, as well as soluble substances is done repeatedly. 23. The procedure or process of claim 22 wherein the washing out is done at least twice, preferably at intervals of 6 weeks. 24. The procedure or process of claim 1 wherein invention-appropriately treated organs and tissues are dried after devitalization and preservation. 25. The procedure or process of claim 1 wherein the organs are hollow organs. 26. The procedure or process of claim 1 wherein the washing out is performed by use of a cultivation apparatus comprising a culture vessel which is filled with a liquid (1), two adapters (3) that are connected with the two outflows of the culture vessel, a hose, that is connected with a pump and a further hose that ends at a stock or dump vessel (5) wherein the pressure gradient Δp is dependent on the riser tube (4) and pressure transducer (8). 27. The procedure or process of claim 1 wherein the washing out is done by use of a cultivation apparatus in accordance with FIG. 1. 28. The procedure or process of claim 1 wherein the organs and tissues are selected from the group consisting of: Blood vessels, blood vessel valves, lymphatic vessels, lymphatic vessel valves, ureters, bladders, spermatic ducts, bronchial tubes, livers, kidneys, hearts and cardiac valves. 29. Organs and tissues produced by the procedure or process of claim 1 to 27. 30. The procedures or processes for the production of matrices for the partial or denovo synthesis of organs and/or tissues comprising the following steps: a. devitalization and preservation of organs and/or tissues according to the procedures or processes of one of the claims 1 to 27, b. cell-repopulation of the organs and tissues, preferably through re-endothelialization. 31. The procedure or process of claim 29 wherein the organs are hollow organs. 32. The procedure or process of caim 30 wherein the hollow organs are selected from the group consisting of: allogenic vessels, to xenogenic vessels and ureter. 33. Organs produced which are produced according to one of the claims 29 to 31. 34. The procedure or process of claim 29 wherein the cells used for re-population are autologous cells, for example endothelial cells. 35. The procedure or process of claim 29 wherein the re-endothelialization is done by the seeding of cells on the intraluminal surface of the hollow organs. 36. The procedure or process of claim 29 wherein a precoating of the hollow organs with adhesion molecules is performed before cell seeding. 37. The procedure or process according to claim 29, characterized in that the hollow organ is precoated with autologous serum before seeding of the cells. 38. The procedure or process according to claim 30, characterized in that the hollow organ is precoated with autologous growth and adhesion factor rich serum before seeding of the cells. 39. The procedure or process according to claim 30, further comprising natural and artificial hollow organs selected from the group consisting from: blood vessels, blood vessel valves, lymphatic vessels, lymphatic vessel valves, ureters, bladders, spermatic ducts, bronchial tubes, hearts and cardiac valves. 40. Use of the tissues or organs, available through the procedure or process according to one of the claims 1 to 28 in the medicine and veterinarian medicine. 41. Use of the vessels, available through the procedure or process according to one of the claims 1 to 28 in the cardiac and vascular surgery. 42. Use of the vessels, available through the procedure or process according to one of the claims 1 to 28 as an aortocoronary bypass or as a vascular transplant in vascular reconstructions. 43. Use of the vessels, available through the procedure or process according to one of the claims 1 to 28 in peripheral arterial disease, aneurysms, redooperations in cardiac and vascular surgery and in the case of innate deformations of the vascular system. 44. Tissues and organs, available through the procedure or process according to one of the claims 1 to 28, characterized in that the tissue and organ is in addition surrounded by a coat of a synthetic material. 45. Tissues and organs, available through the procedure or process according to one of the claims 1 to 29, characterized in that the tissue and organ is in addition surrounded by a coat of a synthetic resorbable material. 46. Tissues and organs, available through the procedure or process according to one of the claims 1 to 28, characterized in that the tissue and organ is in addition surrounded by a coat of a synthetic resorbable material, comprising polyglycon acide. 47. Cultivation device (bioreactor) for the use in a procedure or process according to claim 1, comprising a culture vessel filled with a solution (1), two adapters (3) which are connected with the two outflows of the culture vessel, a hose, that is connected with a computer controlled peristaltic pump and a further hose that ends at an stock or dump vessel (5). The pressure gradient Δp is dependent on the riser tube (4) and pressure transducer (8). 48. Culture medium for the increase of growth, remodeling processes and reduction of dedifferenziation of vascular cells in tissue culture, characterized in that autologous growth factors and/or adhesion molecules are added to a basal chemically defined medium or to a full medium. 49. Culture medium according to claim 48, characterized in that the growth factors and/or adhesion molecules are added in autologous, not heat inactivated serum. 50. Culture medium according to claim 48, comprising 5-30% of autologous serum. 51. Culture medium according to claim 48, comprising 5-20% autologous serum. 52. Culture medium according to claim 48, comprising 10-15% autologous serum. 53. Culture medium according to any of the claims 48 to 52, characterized in that additionally recombinant growth factors are added. 54. Culture medium according to claim 48, characterized in that autologous growth factors and adhesion molecules are produced from platelets. 55. Culture medium according to claim 48, characterized in that autologous growth factors and adhesion molecules are produced from leucocytes. 56. Culture medium according to claim 48, characterized in that autologous growth factors and adhesion molecules are produced from platelets leucocytes. 57. Culture medium according to claim 48, characterized in that autologous growth factors and adhesion molecules are processed from autologous clotted whole blood by centrifugation technique. 58. Culture medium according to claim 57, characterized in that the autologous whole blood is stored for at least 1 hour at 37° C. 59. Culture medium according to claim 57, characterized in that the autologous whole blood is stored for at least for 6 hours at 4° C. 60. Culture medium according to claim 54 and 57, characterized in that the autologous growth factors and adhesion molecules are gained from enriched (concentrated) platelets. 61. Culture medium according to claim 53, characterized in that the recombinant growth factor is bFGF, VEGF, EGF, TGF, Scatter-factor, PDGF or the combination of these growth factors. 62. Culture medium according to any of claims 48 to 61, further comprising glycosaminoglycane. 63. Culture medium according to claim 62, characterized in that the glycosaminoglycane is heparine, heparinsulfae, chondroitin, chondroitinsulfate, dermatin or dermatinsulfate. 64. Culture medium according to any of claims 48 to 63, further comprising transferrin. 65. Culture medium according to any of claims 48 to 63, further comprising hydrocortisone. 66. Culture medium according to any of claims 48 to 63, further comprising insuline. 67. Culture medium according to any of claims 48 to 63, further comprising albumine. 68. Culture medium according to any of claims 48 to 63, characterized in that the culture medium is used for the culture of vascular cells, in particular endothelial cells, pericytes, pericyte-like-cells and smooth muscle cells. 69. Culture medium according to any of claims 47 to 63, characterized in that the culture medium is used for the culture of non-vascular cells, in particular from hepatocytes. 70. Culture medium according to any of claims 48 to 69, characterized in that the culture medium is used for the precoating of vascular prostheses, cardiac valves and bypasses in tissue engineering. 71. Culture medium according to any of claims 48 to 70, characterized in that the culture medium is used within the framework of tissue engineering. 72. Culture medium according to any of claims 48 to 71, characterized in that the culture medium is used as a preservation solution in tissue banking. 73. Culture medium according to any one of claims 48 to 72, characterized in that, that autologous growth factors are gained through mechanical destruction of body-own tissues. |
Frozen non-water-washed or water-washed at low level minced fish meat |
Providing a frozen non-water-washed or water-washed at low level fish meat with suppressed freezing denaturation, from a fish species generally never used without water-wash. Biological iron, iron-containing substances and/or biological reducing substances in the fish meat are oxidized. A frozen non-water-washed or water-washed at low level fish meat made from minced fish meat or the dehydrated minced fish meat, where one or more cryoprotectants have been added and the decomposition of trimethylamine-N-oxide is suppressed through oxidation. Preferably, the fish meat is put in contact to oxygen under agitation of the fish meat, to thereby suppress trimethylamine-N-oxide decomposition, to which are added cryoprotectants for freezing. A frozen product of non-water-washed or water-washed at low level fish meat, where salts have been added for such agitation, followed by agitation. A fish paste product from the frozen product as the raw material. |
1. A frozen non-water-washed or water-washed at low level fish meat made from minced fish meat or the dehydrated meat of minced fish meat, to which have been added one or more cryoprotectants and in which the decomposition of trimethylamine-N-oxide is suppressed through oxidation. 2. A frozen non-water-washed or water-washed at low level fish meat according to claim 1, where the oxidation method includes agitation of fish meat to put the fish meat in contact to air or oxygen. 3. A frozen non-water-washed or water-washed at low level fish meat according to claim 2, where salts are added during agitation. 4. A frozen non-water-washed or water-washed at low level fish meat according to claim 1, where sugar and/or sugar alcohol is used as the cryoprotectants. 5. A frozen non-water-washed or water-washed at low level fish meat according to claim 1, where sugar and/or sugar alcohol and sweet sake are used as the cryoprotectants. 6. A frozen non-water-washed or water-washed at low level fish meat according to claim 1, where an agent suppressing the decomposition of trimethylamine-N-oxide is used as the cryoprotectants. 7. A frozen non-water-washed or water-washed at low level fish meat according to claim 1, where water or a food material is additionally added to dilute the fish meat, thereby suppressing the freezing denaturation. 8. A fish paste product made from a frozen non-water-washed or water-washed at low level fish meat according to claim 1 as the raw material. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Various modes of fish meat storage and marketing exist, including storage in ice, freezing and drying. From the respect of the possibility of long-term storage and long-distance transfer, freezing is excellent. Fish meat products which can be stored under freezing include raw material forms at low processed levels, such as round, fillet, and fish meat with shell. These are processed into steak shapes, stick shapes, slice shapes, or stripped shapes, and are then coated with batter and the like, for use as frozen foods. The quality deterioration of such raw material fish meat at a low processed level can be delayed during storage under freezing, when the meat is freezing processed while the meat is still highly fresh. Alternatively, most of fish species which can be caught at a large scale and involve much difficulty when used as they are, are currently used as frozen surimi (water-washed fish meat paste). In other words, fish meat prepared into minced form is then twice or three times water-washed in water, followed by filtration and dehydration with a screw press, to which is added an agent preventing freezing modification to freeze the fish meat to prepare frozen surimi for marketing under freezing for worldwide use as a raw material of fish paste products such as crab meat-like fish paste meat, grilled or boiled fish paste cake in the form of bamboo shoot, deep-fried fish paste cake, boiled fish paste cake, fish meat sausage and hamburger, and fish ball. Simple minced fish meat without any process of water-wash is referred to as minced fish meat (otoshimi) or non-water-washed fish meat and is at very poor storability under freezing. This is ascribed to nuisance components contained in the muscle, for example components accelerating lipid oxidation and protein deterioration, such as lipid and blood, and TMAO generating formaldehyde (referred to as “FA” hereinafter) and dimethylamine (referred to as “DMA” hereinafter) Therefore, non-water-washed fish meat as a frozen raw material for paste products has not yet been on market. In the Surimi (water-washed fish paste) industry, water-soluble protein discharged from the process of water-wash and dehydration is not yet sufficiently used despite the considerable amount thereof, resulting in the loss of animal protein and the consumption of various energies such as power energy required for water disposal, power energy required for water-wash process, and production energy for pure water to be used therefor. A technique overcoming such loss of animal protein and energy waste has been demanded strongly so far. However, disappointedly, no satisfactory outcome has been yielded yet. When fish species containing a high content of TMAO, such as Theragra chalcogram (Pollack), Micromesistius australis (Southern blue whiting) and Macruronus magellanicus (Hoki), are used in the form of non-water-washed fish meat, the hardening of the meat and the insolubility of the protein in salt rapidly progress during storage under freezing, even when cryoprotectants is added to the fish species followed by rapid freezing process. Due to the -generation of fishy smell, furthermore, the commercial value is completely lost. The main cause thereof is that FA generated from the decomposition of TMAO contained in fish meat promotes the crosslinking reaction among proteins, causing the hardening of the meat and the insolubility thereof in salt and that DMA generated at an equal molar amount to that of FA via TMAO decomposition has fishy smell. For storage of these fish species at high TMAO contents under freezing, there is no other way, except for TMAO removal with water-wash to prepare frozen fish paste. Generally, about 80% of the original content of TMAO in fish species can be removed by water-wash. |
<SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>FIG. 1 shows graph depicting that myoglobin as a biological iron-containing substance decomposed TMAO while oxymyoglobin in the oxygenized form never decomposed TMAO. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? |
Suspension screen raking system |
A screen raking system having two or more rakes spaced along the length or height of the screen having longitudinal slots therein. The rakes are commonly displaceable along the length of the screen by a ram such as a single hydraulic, double acting, cylinder. The tines of each rake are displaceable between an extended position where they intedigertate with the bars of the screen, and a retracted position. The rakes are moved up and down the screen and the tines are extended and retracted so that solids deposited on the screen as a lower rake begins to descend are collected by a next-above rake as the latter begins to rise. |
1. A screen raking system including a screen having longitudinal slots therein, a plurality of rakes spaced along the screen, the rakes being displaceable along the screen by at least one driving means, each rake having one or more tines and displacement means to displace the tines of between an inoperative position retracted relative to the screen as the rake moves towards a first end of the screen, and an operative position whereby the tines extend through the slots of the screen as the rake moves toward a second end of the screen, the construction and arrangement being such that solids deposited on the screen by a first rake as the first rake begins to move toward the first end of the screen will be collected by a second rake as the second rake moves toward a second end of the screen. 2. A screen raking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the screen is arranged so that the longitudinal slots are substantially vertically orientated and the first end of the screen comprises a lower end of the screen, the second end of the screen comprises an upper end of the screen, the first rake is a lower rake and the second rake is an upper rake. 3. A screen raking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the longitudinal slots are arranged substantially horizontally. 4. A screen raking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein displacement means comprise a mechanical linkage acting between the rakes and the screen or apparatus dependent from the screen. 5. A screen raking system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the rakes are mounted on a sub-assembly which is moveable relative to the screen. 6. A screen raking system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the displacement means comprise an actuator mounted between one or more of the rakes and the sub-assembly. 7. A screen raking system as claimed in claim 5 wherein a plurality of sub-assemblies are provided, the sub-assemblies being linked together. 8. A screen raking system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the sub-assemblies are capable of being displaced relative to the screen between two positions so that each rake may be moved between its two positions. 9. A screen raking system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the displacement distance of the sub-assembly by the driving means is the same as or slightly longer than mutual spacing between adjacent rakes. 10. A method of raking a water screen, the method including the steps of (a) providing a screen having slots therein, (b) providing a first rake and a second rake spaced along the screen, each rake being displaceable along the screen and having one or more tines capable of being displaced in an inoperative position in which the tines do not move solids collected on the screen along the screen, and in an operative position where the tines move solid material collected on the screen along the screen, (c) displacing the tines in the operative position, (d) moving the rakes toward a second end of the screen opposite to a first end of the screen, (e) displacing the tines in the inoperative position, (f) moving the rakes toward the first end of the screen until the second rake is located in a position adjacent to solids accumulated by the first rake in step (d), and repeating steps (c) and (d). 11. A water screen raking system including a plurality of rakes spaced along the height of a screen which comprises substantially upright, horizontally spaced bars, all of the rakes being commonly displaceable upwardly and downwardly with respect to the screen by at least one or more ram means, each rake having one or more tines and means being provided to displace the tines of each rake from an operative position extending between the bars of the screen as the rake moves upwardly to an inoperative position retracted relative to the screen as the rake moves downwardly, the construction and arrangement being such that solids deposited on the screen as a lower rake begins to descend will be collected by a next-above rake as the latter begins to rise. 12-14. (cancelled). |
<SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>It is known to utilise a rake, the tines of which interdigitate with bars of a screen, to lift solids collecting on the bars to prevent the screen from becoming clogged. The rake lifts the solids to the top of the screen where they are tipped into a removal channel or bin or otherwise disposed of. Such rakes are usually driven by a motor through a system of gears or chains and sprockets. This is not an ideal arrangement. It is complex and prone to jamming and failure. The use of an hydraulic or pneumatic ram would be preferable but because of the height of such screens it must have an unacceptably long stroke. It has therefore been proposed to use a telescopic ram but this also is a less than ideal arrangement because of its relative complexity and length. |
<SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Accordingly in one aspect the invention may consist in a screen raking system including a screen having longitudinal slots therein, a plurality of rakes spaced along the screen the rakes being displaceable along the screen by at least one driving means, each rake having one or more tines and displacement means to displace the tines of between an inoperative position retracted relative to the screen as the rake moves towards a first end of the screen, and an operative position whereby the tines extend through the slots of the screen as the rake moves toward a second end of the screen, the construction and arrangement being such that solids deposited on the screen by a first rake as the first rake begins to move toward the first end of the screen will be collected by a second rake as the second rake moves toward a second end of the screen. Preferably the screen is arranged so that the longitudinal slots are substantially vertically orientated and the first end of the screen comprises a lower end of the screen, the second end or the screen comprises an upper end of the screen, the first rake is a lower rake and the second rake is an upper rake. Alternatively the longitudinal slots are arranged substantially horizontally. Preferably displacement means comprise a mechanical linkage acting between the rakes and the screen or apparatus dependent from the screen. Preferably the rakes are mounted on a sub-assembly which is moveable relative to the screen. Alternatively the displacement means comprise an actuator mounted between one or more of the rakes and the sub-assembly. Preferably a plurality of sub-assemblies are provided, the sub-assemblies being linked together. Preferably the sub-assemblies are capable of being displaced relative to the screen between two positions so that each rake may be moved between its two positions. Preferably the displacement distance of each sub-assembly is the same as or slightly longer than mutual spacing between adjacent rakes. Preferably the actuator comprises a hydraulic cylinder. Preferably the ram means comprises a hydraulic cylinder. Alternatively, the actuator and/or ram means comprises a rack and pinion arrangement, or a pneumatic ram. Preferably the sub-assembly includes element support means to support the screen elements. Preferably the element support means comprises a slotted lateral member. Preferably the lateral member comprises a roller having a plurality of recessed slots therein, each slot being adapted to receive a rear edge of a screen element. In another aspect the invention comprises a method of raking a water screen, the method including the steps of (a) providing a screen having slots therein, (b) providing a first rake and a second rake spaced along the screen, each rake being displaceable along the screen and having one or more tines capable of being displaced in an inoperative position in which the tines do not move solids collected on the screen along the screen, and in an operative position where the tines move solid material collected on the screen along the screen. (c) displacing the tines in the operative position, (d) moving the rakes toward a second end of the screen opposite to a first end of the screen, (e) displacing the tines in the inoperative position, (f) moving the rakes toward the first end of the screen until the second rake is located in a position adjacent to solids accumulated by the first rake in step (d), and repeating steps (c) and (d). In a further aspect the invention provides a water screen raking system which includes a plurality of rakes spaced along the height of a screen which comprises substantially upright horizontally spaced bars, all the rakes being commonly displaceable upwardly and downwardly with respect to the screen by at least one or more ram means, each rake having one or more tines and a means being provided to displace the tines of each rake from an operative position extending between the bars of the screen as the rake moves upwardly to an inoperative position retracted relative to the screen as the rake moves downwardly. the construction and arrangement being such that solids deposited on the screen as a lower rake begins to descend will be collected by the next-above rake as the latter begins to rise. Preferably each rake is mounted on an actuating rod or arm which is turn journalled between a pair of bearings which run in channels or rails parallel with and on opposite sides of the screen. Preferably carriages are provided to carry at least two consecutive rakes. Conveniently, the carriages can be mounted on or behind the screen. The invention consists of the forgoing and also envisages constructions of which the following gives examples. |
Suspension screen raking system |
A screen raking system has a screen and a rake which is driven by a single hydraulic cylinder to move the rake up and down a length of a screen and also move the screening away from the screen, compress the screenings and move them through a waste pipe to an area remote from the screen for disposal. |
1. Apparatus for the removal of solids from a suspension in which the solids are provided, the apparatus including a screen having a plurality of apertures therein, a rake provided on or adjacent to the screen, driving means to cyclically drive the rake in two opposing directions relative to the screen to move solids captured on the screen toward one end of the screen. 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the flow of solids from the screen through to discharge is in substantially one direction or axis. 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the screen comprises a trough. 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the driving means comprises a single prime mover. 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the screen is substantially concave. 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the driving means moves the rake periodically back and forth along the screen. 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the time taken for the rake to traverse the screen in a direction toward one end is longer than the time taken on the downward stroke is less than the time taken for the rake on the upward stroke. 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including accumulator means to accumulate the solids, the accumulator means comprising a transition element through which the solids are compressed before reaching an outlet for disposal. 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the screen is substantially semi circular and extends across an arc of approximately 210° to 260°. 10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the screen elements run longitudinally with slots which are kept clear by a rake positioned and installed having teeth radiating from a disk member. Preferably the slots are greater than or equal to 3 mm. 11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the rake has tines which are capable of being disposed in an operative position and in an inoperative position. 12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the tines are displaced in the operative position when the rake travels in at upward direction, and disposed in the inoperative position when the rake travels in the downward direction. 13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a waste conduit is provided, and the driving means includes a shaft provided through the waste conduit. 14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the shaft includes a wedge to facilitate movement of screenings through the waste conduit. 15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the rake includes a baffle means to facilitate movement of solids toward the one end of the screen. 16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the rake includes a plough means to facilitate movement of solids off the screen. 17. Apparatus for the removal of solids from the suspension in which the solids are provided substantially as herein described. 18. Apparatus for the removal of solids from the suspension in which the solids are provided substantially as herein described with reference to accompanying drawings. 19. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Suspension or water screen raking systems usually have screens composed of horizontally spaced upright bars which are placed across channels or across an entrance or exit to a pool or reservoir. The screens are usually placed at an angle to the vertical and are provided to act as a filter. It is well known that the screens become blocked due to suspended matter in the water, or other liquid which is being filtered, collecting across the bars and eventually providing a substantial impediment to liquid flow through the screen. It is known to utilise a rake or brush having teeth or brush elements which interdigitate with the screen bars to lift solids collecting on the bars and thus prevent the screen becoming clogged. The rake usually lifts the solids to the top of the screen where they are tipped into a removal channel or otherwise disposed of. Such rakes are usually driven by a motor through a system of gears or chains and sprockets. This is not an ideal arrangement. It is complex and prone to jamming and failure. The use of an hydraulic or pneumatic ram would be preferable. Existing systems also have problems with transferring the captured solids (commonly referred to as “screenings”) to a position where they can be further processed. Usually, such further processing includes pressing the screenings to reduce bulk prior to transporting to a location where they can be disposed of. Existing designs for washing and reducing screenings are maintenance intensive with many moving parts. Others are limited by their ability to cope with the large rise and fall in liquid levels within the channel, that is, peak loadings or flows. The inability of prior art constructions to cope with the larger rises and falls in liquid levels can create further problems associated with head loss. It would therefore be desirable to have a system which is capable of drawing screenings together to reduce their bulk for disposal in a manner, which is simple, effective and substantially maintenance free. There is a considerable requirement in the water supply and waste water disposal and treatment industries for the supply of small to medium screening systems such as those, which could al most, screen a flow of up to 1 or perhaps 2 cubic meters per second, and which are conveniently located in the water channel. |
<SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Accordingly in one aspect the invention consists in a system for the removal of solids from a suspension in which the solids are provided, the system including a screen having a plurality of apertures therein, a rake provided on or adjacent to the screen, driving means to cyclically drive the rake in two opposing directions relative to the screen to move solids captured on the screen toward one end of the screen. Preferably the screen comprises a trough. Preferably the flow of solids from the screen through to discharge is in substantially one direction or axis. Preferably the driving means comprises a single prime mover. Preferably the screen is concave. In this documents reference to “concave” means that the screen has edges which are nearer 10 the direction from which the water or other suspension is flowing than a part of the screen between the edges. Therefore, the screen may be a “V” shape or a “U” shape in cross-section. It may also have a substantially flat mid section with vertical or angled sides. Preferably the driving means moves the rake periodically back and forth along the screen. Preferably the time taken for the rake to traverse the screen in a direction toward one end is longer than the time taken on the downward stroke is less than the time taken for the rake on the upward stroke, Preferably the accumulator means comprises a transition, preferably a cone transition element through which the solids are compressed before reaching an outlet like for disposal. Preferably the screen is substantially semi circular. Preferably the screen extends across approximately 60%-70% of the circumference or though an arc of approximately 210° to 260°. Preferably the screen sits at an operating angle which is suited to the application requirement, and may for example be from 20 to 45 degrees from the horizontal. Alternatively, the screen is substantially triangular in cross-section. Alternatively, the screen is substantially square in cross-section. Preferably the screen elements run longitudinally with slots which are kept clear by a rake positioned and installed having teeth radiating from a disk member. Preferably the slots are greater than or equal to 3 mm. Preferably the screening elements have a profile comprising a vertical section with a small section al right angles thereto. Preferably the screening elements have a profile corresponding to an inverted “L”. Alternatively, the screening elements in profile comprise a T-section or alternatively a Y-section or have a vertical section which tapers from a wide cross-section to a narrow cross-section towards the base thereof. Alternatively, the screen comprises a perforated member. Preferably the perforated member has tapered apertures. Preferably rake guide slots are also provided. Alternatively, the drive means comprises a worm drive or other speed reducer, for example a speed reducer operating through a rack and pinion arrangement. Preferably a bin or collector is provided to collect the screenings discharged from the accumulator means. Preferably a wedge means is provided for moving screenings to a discharge location. Preferably a plough means is provided for moving screenings through the accumulator means. Preferably the bin may be up to 6 metres from the screen and 2-3 metres above the screen. In a further aspect the invention consists in apparatus for the removal of solids from a screen, the solids having been separated from a suspension by the screen, the apparatus including a rake means to, in use, lie adjacent to or in contact with the screen, a driving means for moving the take means relative to the screen to move solids collecting on the screen, in use, to one end of the screen, and an accumulator means provided at one end of the screen, the accumulator means reducing in cross-sectional area with distance from the screen whereby solids delivered to the one end of the screen by the rake means are pressed into close proximity with each other. In a further aspect the invention consists in a system for removal of solids from a liquid suspension in which the solids are provided, a system including a screen comprising horizontally spaced bars, a rake provided on or adjacent to the screen, a driving means to move the rake relative to the screen to thereby rake solids captured on the screen toward one end of the screen the driving means comprising a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder which directly drives the rake. In a further aspect the invention consists in apparatus for removal of solids from a screen, the solids having been separated from a suspension by the screen, the apparatus including a rake means to, in use, lie adjacent to or in contact with the screen a driving means for moving the rake means relative to the screen to move solids collecting on the screen to one end of the screen, and the rake means including retraction means whereby the rake means may be moved between an operative position for moving solids and an inoperative position whereby the rake means may be moved relative to the screen by retraction means without substantially moving solids on the screen. |
Method for producing beverage having chlorophyll |
A method for producing a beverage containing chlorophyll which has water and, dispersed therein, a material 16 containing chlorophyll and an oil and/or fat component having been extracted from a mixture 10 of excreta of silkworms (main component), leaves of a mulberry tree, and the like, characterized in that it comprises the steps of admixing the chlorophyll containing material 16 and a treating water at a given ratio and of subjecting the resulting mixture to an ultrasonic emulsification treatment, wherein the treating water 17 is substantially free of (1) fine solid particles dispersed therein, (2) a bacterium or a virus putrefying the chlorophyll containing material 16, (3) a substance reacting with the chlorophyll containing material 16 and (4) a substance coagulating a dispersion of the chlorophyll containing material 16. The method can be employed for taking out chlorophyll with good efficiency and for producing a chlorophyll containing beverage which can be stored without losing the freshness of chlorophyll. |
1. A method for producing beverage having chlorophyll including a process of dispersing a chlorophyll-containing compound containing an oil and/or fat component, extracted from excreta of silkworms in a treating water, characterized in that the process comprises steps of: putting the chlorophyll-containing compound and the treating water into a first tank, the treating water being substantially free of: (1) fine solid particles dispersed therein, (2) a bacterium or a virus putrefying the chlorophyll-containing compound, (3) a substance reacting with the chlorophyll-containing compound, and (4) a substance aggregating a dispersion of the chlorophyll-containing compound, transferring a liquid mixture (A) of the chlorophyll-containing compound and the treating water from the first tank to a second tank through a first connection pipe, the liquid mixture (A) being stirred and mingled in the first tank, the first connection pipe having a first ultrasonic-emulsification device halfway, the liquid mixture (A) being dispersed by an ultrasonic wave with the device, and returning the liquid mixture (A) in the second tank from the second tank to the first tank through a second connection pipe, the liquid mixture (A) being stirred and mingled in the second tank, the second connection pipe having a second ultrasonic-emulsification device halfway, the liquid mixture (A) being dispersed by the ultrasonic wave with the device, wherein the chlorophyll-containing compound is blended and dispersed in the treating water to be in an emulsion state by repeating the transferring step and the returning step. 2. A method for producing beverage having chlorophyll according to claim 1, characterized in that the treating water is a pure water. 3. A method for producing beverage having chlorophyll according to claim 1, wherein a mixing ratio of the chlorophyll-containing compound to the treating water is between 1:20 and 1:1000 by weight for using as an ingredient of food besides the beverage. 4. A method for producing beverage having chlorophyll according to claim 1, wherein a mixing ratio of the chlorophyll-containing compound to the treating water is between 1:20 and 1:1000 by weight for using as an ingredient of cosmetics besides the beverage. 5. A method for producing beverage having chlorophyll according to claim 1, wherein a mixing ratio of the chlorophyll-containing compound to the treating water is between 1:30 and 1:1000 by weight for using as a beverage for medicinal purpose. 6. A method for producing beverage having chlorophyll according to claim 1, wherein a mixing ratio of the chlorophyll-containing compound to the treating water is between 1:30 and 1:1000 by weight for using as a health-promoting beverage. 7. A method for producing beverage having chlorophyll according to claim 1 characterized in that: both end sides of the first and the second connection pipes are comprised of a first to a fourth branch pipes respectively, the first to the fourth branch pipes being connected with liquid inlets and liquid outlets of the first tank and the second tank respectively through a first to a fourth valves, middle portions of the first and the second connection pipes are comprised of a common pipe whereon an ultrasonic vibrator working as not only the first ultrasonic-emulsification device but also the second ultrasonic-emulsification device, and a pump providing the liquid mixture (A) to the ultrasonic vibrator are arranged in series, and treatments in the transferring step and the returning step are carried out by switching of the first to the fourth valves with operation of the pump. 8. A method for producing beverage having chlorophyll according to claim 1, characterized in that the chlorophyll-containing compound is obtained by steps of: extracting the chlorophyll-containing compound from the excreta of silkworms by dissolving the excreta of silkworms containing chlorophyll in a volatile solvent with ultrasonication, separating unnecessary residues from a liquid produced in the extracting step by a means of filtering or centrifugation, and evaporating the solvent from a chlorophyll-containing liquid produced in the separating step. 9. A method for producing beverage having chlorophyll according to claim 8, characterized in that: in the extracting step, a liquid mixture (B) of the volatile solvent and the excreta of silkworms being transferred alternately between a third and a fourth tanks, the third and the fourth tanks being connected with a connection pipe having an ultrasonic-solution device halfway, the liquid mixture (B) being stirred and mingled in the third and the fourth tanks, extraction of chlorophyll contained in the excreta of silkworms is facilitated by the ultrasonic-solution device. 10. A method for producing beverage having chlorophyll according to claim 8, characterized in that tablets are made from the residues produced in the separating step by kneading the residues with the chlorophyll-containing compound or an emulsion including the chlorophyll-containing compound dispersed in the treating water after removing the solvent from the residues by drying. 11. (Canceled). |
<SOH> BACKGROUND ART <EOH>Leaf green which is called chlorophyll is a green pigment existing in a stroma of a vegetable's chlorophyllose cell with carotene, lutein, xanthophyll and the like. The chlorophyll is applied to healthy foods processed in the form of beverages, powders, tablets or the like because chlorophyll has effects such as facilitating recovery of a burn or a skin disease and preventing an offensive odor or the like. Above all beverages drunk as healthy foods are conventionally produced by steps of washing vegetable leaves or stems, pulverizing the materials in scraps by a mechanical pulverizing means such as a juicer, a blender or the like, as needed, and squeezing the pulverized materials. However, by the conventional method, a large amount of chlorophyll could not be extracted for the reason that chlorophyll exists in a hard cell membrane of the vegetable. Therefore, a beverage produced by the conventional method did not contain enough amount of chlorophyll to have the above-mentioned effects. To solve this problem, there was another method for extracting chlorophyll from natural vegetable leaves or stems comprising steps of immersing the vegetable leaves or stems in an organic solvent like acetone which is harmful to humans, taking out chlorophyll by a mechanical extraction method, and processing the organic solvent for removal. However, the method had difficulty in removing the organic solvent perfectly and incapability of obtaining a chlorophyll-containing compound having highly purified chlorophyll. For example, in published Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.S56-67501, a method for extracting chlorophyll contained in vegetable's leaves or stems efficiently by an extraction device utilizing ultrasonication was proposed. Another method for extraction of chlorophyll by utilizing a device described in published Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.S59-33231 comprises steps of charging a liquid-like ingredient containing excreta of silkworms or seaweed which are chlorophyll-containing materials with the alcoholic solvent in a tank, generating a circulation flow by pumping up the liquid-like ingredient from the tank and returning it to the tank again, and destroying vegetable cell walls and membranes of the ingredient by exposing the circulating liquid-like ingredient to an ultrasonic wave at outside of the tank. However, the chlorophyll-containing compound was undrinkable with the alcoholic solvent. Moreover, since the extracted chlorophyll-containing compound contains a lot of fat besides the chlorophyll, the compound was difficult to be dissolved in water. The chlorophyll-containing compound being made to be dispersed in water, dispersing was not carried out perfectly, so that the water and the chlorophyll-containing compound separate into layers. As a result, the chlorophyll-containing compound was usually decomposed in a short term. Since said beverage for sale such as green juice produced by squeezing pulverized vegetable leaves or stems decayed in a day because of separation into the layers of green cell components and the water, the beverage was refrigerated to keep its freshness. However the beverage has little effect because the beverage has not sufficient chlorophyll whose cell membrane is destroyed. Thus, the prior arts had difficulties to dilute the chlorophyll-containing compound with water evenly and efficiently in case of using the chlorophyll-containing compound as a material of food or cosmetics besides the beverage because an extracted chlorophyll-containing compound contains a lot of fat. For producing a healthy food by processing the extracted chlorophyll-containing compound in a state of easily consumption, a method has been also proposed in accordance with a manner of chlorophyll pharmaceuticals described in published Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.H2-83329, the method comprising steps of removing residues from liquid-like ingredient whose vegetable cell walls and membranes are destroyed, kneading the residues with a protein-containing compound, and forming the residues into a granular or powdery product. However, emulsifying water could not be made from the product because the product was not dispersed in water. Therefore, when the formed product is blended with the water, a protein which is solid content in a protein-containing compound connecting with a chlorophyll component in the chlorophyll-containing compound, the blended product and the water being separated, the product decomposing in 3 days, and commercial values of the product would be lost. The product cannot be used in products needing no protein, e.g. cosmetic essences, because the formed product contains a lot of protein. In addition, children or the elderly who have difficulty to take in solid food cannot have the product with ease, and they cannot acquire the advantages of the chlorophyll. Moreover, when the chlorophyll-containing compound is used for a tasty food whose taste and flavor are regarded as important, the chlorophyll-containing compound is premixed with an enzyme in accordance with a method described in published Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.S59-25694, for the purpose of removing a particular scent of the chlorophyll-containing compound. In the case of adding the mixture to the tasty food, the mixture must be further mixed with other ingredients of the tasty food. The conventional method of mixing has a problem that, by adding the enzyme, purity of the chlorophyll decreases and oxidization of the chlorophyll is accelerated, which results in deterioration and short-life of the product. In addition, as the chlorophyll-containing compound in the mixture contains a lot of fat, the compound cannot be dispersed in water as it is. Since the chlorophyll becomes unstable by mixing with the enzyme, the chlorophyll-containing compound is hard to be preserved for a long term because of being subject to chemical modification. As mentioned above, a chemical structure (porphyrin core) of chlorophyll existing in the vegetable cell walls and membranes, is well known to have a property to connect with various substances easily, and to have a superior particularity to act on only harmful substances selectively even if those substances are harmless to other substances. Therefore, when chlorophyll is extracted from the vegetable cell walls and membranes, the chlorophyll becomes so unstable that a molecular modification of the chlorophyll is caused by oxygen in the air, heat or a solvent. As a result, the chlorophyll produces a derivative which is similar to the chlorophyll in molecular structure, so that it is impossible to commercialize chlorophyll products without damaging effective substances of the chlorophyll or to preserve its freshness. The present invention has been achieved in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a method for efficiently producing a beverage having chlorophyll by extracting chlorophyll from the excreta of silkworms, and for preserving the beverage having chlorophyll to stay fresh. |
<SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS <EOH>FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a method for producing the beverage having chlorophyll in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an illustration of an apparatus used in the method. FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an ultrasonic vibrator used in the apparatus. FIG. 4 is an explanatory graph of a medical case (1) wherein a patient drank the beverage for a medicinal use, the beverage being produced by a method for producing the beverage having chlorophyll in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is an explanatory graph of a medical case (2) wherein a patient drank the beverage produced by the method for a medicinal use. FIG. 6 is an explanatory graph of a medical case (3) wherein a patient drank the beverage produced by the method for a medicinal use. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? |
Imaging apparatus and method |
A method of monitoring a surgical procedure, the method comprising exposing a region of interest to a static magnetic field with sufficient uniformity to carry out a magnetic resonance process; exposing the region of interest to a RF magnetic field having at least one gradient and detecting magnetic resonance signals emitted from the region of interest; and generating an image of at least one feature in the region of interest from the received signals. |
1. A method of monitoring a surgical procedure, the method comprising: exposing a region of interest to a static magnetic field with sufficient uniformity to carry out a magnetic resonance process; exposing the region of interest to a RF magnetic field having at least one gradient and detecting magnetic resonance signals emitted from the region of interest; and generating an image of at least one feature in the region of interest from the received signals. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein generating an image comprises performing a rotating frame imaging process. 3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the rotating frame imaging process comprises using a RF gradient in a first direction to selectively excite the resonances in a plane (slice) perpendicular to the gradient, then applying a series of refocusing pulses with a RF gradient in a second direction, orthogonal to the first direction, acquiring the resultant spin-echoes in the presence of a gradient in the static field, in a direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, and processing the data to produce an image. 4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the processing the data uses a two dimensional Fourier transform. 5. A method according to claim 3, wherein the processing the data uses a maximum entropy method. 6. A method according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein the feature includes a catheter. 7. A method according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, further comprising repeatedly exposing the region of interest to said RF magnetic field with the RF magnetic field at different rotational angles with respect to the static magnetic field. 8. An imaging apparatus for carrying out a method according to claim 1, the apparatus comprising: a magnetic field generating system for generating a static magnetic field in the region of interest with sufficient uniformity to perform a magnetic resonance process; a RF transmitter and RF receiving system for transmitting a RF magnetic field having at least one gradient into the region of interest and for detecting magnetic resonance signals emitted from the region of interest; and a system responsive to the received signals to generate an image of at least one feature in the region of interest. 9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the RF transmitting and receiving system generates a RF magnetic field with at least two orthogonal gradients. 10. The apparatus according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the RF transmitter and receiver system include a pair of coaxial coils which can be energized in the same sense or in opposite senses so as to produce an RF field which has a gradient or is relatively uniform, respectively. 11. The apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the system is adapted to carry out a rotating frame imaging process. 12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the system is adapted to carry out a rotating frame imaging process. 13. A method according to claim 6, further comprising repeatedly exposing the region of interest to said RF magnetic field with the RF magnetic field at different rotational angles with respect to the static magnetic field. |
Electrical apparatus and a limiting method |
An electrical apparatus for limiting the peak voltage across a recttifying member (23) of a current valve arranged in a circuit having a substantial inductance (24) and having at least one controllable semiconductor device (22) and at least one said rectifying member (23) connected in anti-parallel therewith when the rectifying member is turning off, comprises means (28, 29) adapted to control the semiconductor device so as to increase the conductivity thereof during turning off of the rectifying member. |
1. An electrical apparatus for limiting the peak voltage across a rectifying member of a current valve arranged in a circuit having a substantial inductance and having at least one controllable semiconductor device and at least one said rectifying member connected in anti-parallel therewith when turning off the rectifying member, characterized in that it comprises means adapted to control the semiconductor device so that the conductivity thereof is increased during the turning off of the rectifying member. 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means are adapted to control the degree of conductivity of the semiconductor device when the rectifying member is turning off in dependence of the instantaneous magnitude of the voltage across the rectifying member. 3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein means are adapted to control the voltage across the rectifying member according to a predetermined reference voltage wave shape through controlling the degree of conductivity of the semiconductor device when the rectifying member is turning off. 4. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein it comprises members adapted to measure the voltage across the rectifying member and said means are adapted to consider voltage values so measured when controlling the semiconductor device. 5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein it comprises members adapted to compare the voltage measured across the rectifying member with a reference voltage, and that said means are adapted to control the semiconductor device in dependence of the result of this comparison. 6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said means are adapted to control the semiconductor device towards an increasing conductivity when the voltage measured is higher than the reference voltage and control the semiconductor device towards a lower conductivity when the voltage measured is lower than the reference voltage. 7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein it is designed to limit the peak voltage across a rectifying member of a current valve having an IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) as semiconductor device. 8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said means comprise a series connection of a capacitive and a resistive member between the gate and the collector of the IGBT and a negative current source connected to the gate and adapted to drain a predetermined current as soon as the voltage between the gate and the emitter of the IGBT exceeds a determined value and when this value is exceeded divert the share of the current above this predetermined current to the gate of the IGBT so as to increase this gate-emitter voltage and bring the IGBT towards a state of a higher conductivity. 9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the current source is controllable, and that the apparatus comprises members adapted to control said predetermined level of the current drained by the current source so as to control the time derivative of the voltage increase across the IGBT when the rectifying member is turning off. 10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said members for controlling the predetermined current level of the current source is adapted to achieve such controlling between at least two discrete values and at voltages across the rectifying member below a predetermined level to have a first higher current value of the current source and when exceeding the predetermined level of the voltage across the rectifying member change to a second lower value of the current which the current source is adapted to drain. 11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first higher current value is substantially higher than the second lower current value, preferably at least five times higher. 12. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the current control members comprise a transistor adapted to be controlled for controlling the current of the current source. 13. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the current control members comprise a resistor with a variable resistance and members adapted to vary the resistance of the resistor for varying the current of the current source. 14. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said control member is adapted to control the current of the current source to have a high level until the voltage across the rectifying member has exceeded a value above which it will effect a reduction of the current through said inductance. 15. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a capacitor is arranged between the collector and the gate of the IGBT and in series with the collector and the current source. 16. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a RC-snubber member is connected in parallel with the rectifying member of the current valve. 17. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein it is adapted to limit the peak voltage across the rectifying member of a current valve having a series connection of semiconductor devices and rectifying members connected in anti-parallel therewith, and that the apparatus comprises said means adapted to individually control the semiconductor device belonging to each individual rectifying member to turn on at least slightly when the rectifying member is turning off. 18. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein it is adapted to limit the peak voltage across a rectifying member in the form of a diode when the latter is turned off. 19. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein it is adapted to limit the peak voltage across a rectifying member of a said current valve included in a converter. 20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the current valve is a part of a voltage stiff converter adapted to convert alternating voltage into direct voltage and conversely. 21. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said converter is a part of a plant for transmitting electric power in the form of high voltage direct current (HVDC). 22. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said current valve is a part of a resonance circuit for recharging snubber capacitors of other main current valves located on both sides of a phase output of the converter so as to thereby enable turning on of semiconductor devices of turn-off type of the main current valves at a low voltage thereacross. 23. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the resonance circuit is constituted by an ARCP-circuit (Auxiliary Resonant Commutation Pole). 24. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said current valve, in which the peak voltage across a rectifying member shall be limited when the rectifying member is turning off, is a part of a so called auxiliary valve circuit in the ARCP-circuit. 25. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the converter has an auxiliary valve comprising at least one set of two said auxiliary valve circuits connected in series, each of which comprises a semiconductor device of turn-off type and a rectifying member connected in anti-parallel therewith, said semiconductor devices of turn-off type of the two auxiliary valve circuits being arranged in opposite polarity with respect to each other, and that the ARCP-circuit also comprises an inductor connected in series with said set of auxiliary valve circuits. 26. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein it is adapted to limit the peak voltage across a rectifying member of a said current valve being a part of a converter belonging to an arrangement for driving an electric motor. 27. A method for limiting the peak voltage across a rectifying member of a current valve arranged in a circuit having a substantial inductance and having at least one controllable semiconductor device and at least one said rectifying member connected in anti-parallel therewith when turning off the rectifying member, characterized in that the semiconductor device is during the turning off of the rectifying member controlled towards an increased conductivity for limiting the voltage increase across the rectifying member. 28. A method according to claim 27, wherein the degree of turning on of the semiconductor device at turning off of the rectifying member is controlled in dependence of the instantaneous magnitude of the voltage across the rectifying member. 29. A method according to claim 28, wherein the voltage across the rectifying member of the current valve is controlled according to a predetermined reference voltage wave shape when the rectifying member is turning off. 30. A method according to claim 27, wherein it is the peak voltage across a rectifying member of a current valve having an IGBT as semiconductor device that is limited, and that the current limitation takes place by diverting a current from the collector of the IGBT until a predetermined level has been reached for the current and when this level is exceeded the share of the current above this level is diverted to the gate of the IGBT so as to increase the gate-emitter voltage thereof and influence the IGBT towards an increased conductivity. 31. A method according to claim 30, wherein said predetermined level of the current is controlled so as to control the time derivative of the voltage increase across the IGBT when the rectifying member is turning off. 32. A computer program product adapted to be loaded directly into the internal memory of a computer and comprising software code portions for instructing a processor to carry out the steps according to claim 27, when the product is run on a computer. 33. A computer program product according to claim 32, provided at least partially over a network as the Internet. 34. A computer readable medium having a program recorded thereon adapted to make a computer control the steps according to claim 27. |
<SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The object of the present invention is to provide an electrical apparatus for peak voltage limitation of the type defined in the introduction, which at least partially finds a remedy to the inconveniences mentioned above of such apparatuses already known. This object is according to the invention obtained by providing such an apparatus with means adapted to control the semiconductor device during the turning-off of the rectifying member so that the conductivity thereof increases. A number of advantages may hereby be obtained. The semiconductor device being present in any case is in this way used as snubber member, so that no large snubber members in parallel with the rectifying member are needed anymore and thereby costs may be saved. It will also be possible to obtain a lower peak voltage across the rectifying member when turning it off. Since there is principally no problems to control the semiconductor device connected in anti-parallel with the rectifying member a controllable snubber member enabling a determination of the peak voltage across the rectifying member less dependent upon for example the pole voltage is in this way obtained for a converter of the type according to FIG. 1 . It will hereby be possible to use a less expensive or alternatively another type of diode having a lower voltage blocking capability than otherwise would be the case, without any risk that this will be destroyed by said peak voltage. It has also turned out that it is possible to control the semiconductor device so that the maximum return current through the current valve gets low and also the losses when turning off (commutation for turning off) of the diode gets lower. The reliability of the function of the current valve is at the same time increased, since the turning off method of the rectifying member may in this way be controlled. To control the semiconductor device so that the conductivity thereof is increased may often be put equal to control it to turn on slightly. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention said means are adapted to control the degree of conductivity of the semiconductor device when the rectifying member is turning on in dependence of the instantaneous magnitude of the voltage across the rectifying member. It may hereby be ensured that the time derivative of the voltage increase across the rectifying member gets as desired and for example a predetermined reference voltage wave shape is followed, which is the subject matter of another preferred embodiment of the invention. The apparatus comprises advantageously members adapted to measure the voltage across the rectifying member and said means are adapted to consider voltage values so measured when controlling the semiconductor device. According to another preferred embodiment of the invention the apparatus comprises members adapted to compare the voltage measured across the rectifying member with a reference voltage, and said means are adapted to control the semiconductor device in dependence of the result of this comparison. The voltage increase and also the final peak voltage across the rectifying member may in this way be controlled according to predetermined goals. According to another preferred embodiment of the invention the apparatus is designed to limit the peak voltage across a rectifying member of a current valve with an IGBT as semiconductor device. This is particularly advantageous, since the turning on and the turning off of an IGBT are well controllable and IGBT is the semiconductor device presently mostly used in such current valves. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention said means comprises a series connection of a capacitive and a resistive member between the gate and the collector of the IGBT and a negative current source connected to the gate, which is adapted to drain a predetermined current as soon as the voltage between the gate and the emitter of the IGBT exceeds a determined value, for example 0 V, and when this value is exceeded divert the share of the current above this predetermined current to the gate of the IGBT so as to increase the gate-emitter voltage thereof and bring the IGBT towards a state with a higher conductivity. A current will start to flow through the capacitive and the resistive member, such as a capacitor and a resistor, connected between the collector and the gate of the IGBT when the collector voltage of the IGBT increases. The amplitude of the current is determined by the time derivative of the collector voltage and the value of the capacitor, under the condition that the voltage drop across said resistance is small and may be neglected. This current is divided to flow to the negative current source and to flow into the gate. The charge flowing into the gate will raise the gate-emitter voltage until it reaches the threshold value at which the conductivity of the IGBT starts to increase. The time derivative of the increase of the collector voltage will then automatically be adjusted to a value determined in accordance with: ⅆ u ce ⅆ t = i neg . str C gc Accordingly, by controlling the value of the negative current source during the over-voltage progress a desired voltage curve shape may be obtained. When the inductive over-voltage is terminated the voltage across the semiconductor device will return to the pole voltage in FIG. 1 . This results in a current flowing in the opposite direction through the link between the gate and the collector and it will thereby discharge the gate, since the current source cannot deliver this current. This means that the conductivity of the IGBT will decrease, so that the semiconductor device gets a low leakage current in the resting position thereof. According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, which constitutes a further development of the embodiment last mentioned, said members for controlling the predetermined current level of the current source is adapted to achieve such controlling between at least two discrete values and at voltages across the rectifying member below a predetermined level to have a first higher current value of the current source and when exceeding the predetermined level of the voltage across the rectifying member change to a second lower value of the current which the current source is adapted to drain. At lower voltages across the rectifying member a more rapid voltage increase will in this way take place, while at higher voltages the voltage increase will be slower and even in principle nearly zero. This is desired in many applications (see below). According to another preferred embodiment of the invention said control member is adapted to control the current of the current source to have a high level until the voltage across the rectifying member has exceeded a predetermined value. The fact is that it is advantageous to wait to in a substantial degree limit the time derivative of the voltage across the rectifying member until a certain voltage value has been obtained, since such a limitation before said value of the voltage has been obtained will mean that the current through the inductor increases and thereby the total losses in the valve increase. This means that it is advantageous to let a more powerful limitation of the time derivative of the voltage across the rectifying member wait until said voltage value has been exceeded. According to another preferred embodiment of the invention the apparatus comprises a RC-snubber member connected in parallel with the rectifying member of the current valve. Such a RC-snubber member may be made with a comparatively small capacitor and arranged for rapidly suppressing high frequency oscillations of the circuit. According to another preferred embodiment of the invention the apparatus is adapted to limit the peak voltage across the rectifying members of a current valve with a series connection of semiconductor devices and rectifying members connected in anti-parallel therewith, and the apparatus comprises said means adapted to individually control the semiconductor device belonging to each individual rectifying member to turn on at least slightly when the rectifying member is turning off. By the fact that the invention in this way enables an active control of the peak voltage at each position and the peak voltage is not controlled by for example stray capacitances to ground, by differences in the maximum reverse current through the diodes or by tolerances of the snubber capacitors, a protection of each semiconductor device against high peak voltages may reliably and safely be obtained. Furthermore, the losses get lower than when using the RC- or RCD-circuits already known as snubber members, since in a RC-circuit the capacitor is charged and the energy is converted into heat each time, while in a RCD-circuit at such a series connection differently much energy will be stored in the capacitors for different rectifying members, and this energy has also to be converted into heat and causes losses when the valve switches. According to another preferred embodiment of the invention the current valve is a part of a voltage stiff converter adapted to convert alternating voltage into direct voltage and conversely by being a part of a converter circuit of ARCP-type for recharging snubber capacitors of other main current valves located on both sides of a phase output for enabling turning on of semiconductor devices of turn-off type of the main current valves at a low voltage thereacross by that. This constitutes a particularly advantageous application of the apparatus according to the invention, since in such a case a comparatively large inductance is arranged in series with the rectifying member and in the same circuit as this when turning that off. Another advantageous use is for limiting the peak voltage across a rectifying member of a said current valve being a part of a converter belonging to an arrangement for driving an electric motor. A comparatively high inductance in series with a rectifying member (diode) when this is to be turned off is also present in converters in such motor driving assemblies, and an apparatus according to the invention is then very advantageous. The invention relates to a method for limiting the peak voltage across the rectifying member of a current valve arranged in a circuit with a substantial inductance and having at least one controllable semiconductor device and at least one said rectifying member connected in anti-parallel therewith when the rectifying member is turning off according to the appended independent method claim. The advantages of this method and the embodiments of the method defined in the appended dependent claims appear without any doubt from the discussion above of preferred embodiments of the apparatus according to the invention. The invention also relates to a computer program product as well as a computer readable medium according to the corresponding appended claims. It is easily understood that a method according to the invention defined in the appended set of method claims is well suited to be carried out through program instructions from a processor which may be influenced by a computer program provided with the program step in question. Further advantages as well as advantageous features of the invention appear from the other dependent claims. |
Stator and method for manufacturing stator |
In the field of stators including divided tooth-shaped iron cores and core back iron cores, a stator is provided in which the tooth-shaped iron cores and the core back iron cores can be easily connected to each other, and the tooth-shaped iron cores and the core back iron cores can be prevented from coming off in the radial direction. In the stator of the present invention, a yoke (24) is formed such that the circumferential width thereof is greater at a radial-outer region than at a radial-inner region, i.e., such that the distance (a) between yoke side faces (24A, 24A) gradually increases from a radial-inner region to a radial-outer region, and the distance (b) between two yoke side faces (24A, 24A) opposing each other and facing a space between the tooth-shaped iron cores (11, 11) that are disposed along a predetermined circumference with a predetermined interval is set to be a predetermined value over a range from a radial-inner region to a radial-outer region, or alternatively, is set so as to slightly decrease from a radial-inner region to a radial-outer region. A stator (10) is formed by inserting each of the core back iron cores (12) into a space between the tooth-shaped iron cores (11, 11) adjacent to each other. The present invention also provides a stator in which a packing factor can be increased and the magnetic flux can be made smooth, and a manufacturing method therefor. |
1. A stator comprising: tooth-shaped iron cores disposed along a predetermined circumference at predetermined intervals, each of which is formed so that the circumferential width thereof is greater at a radial-outer region than at a radial-inner region; stator windings formed on the tooth-shaped iron cores by being supplied from an radial-outer area using plural nozzles that simultaneously supply plural stator windings; and core back iron cores, each of which is inserted between the tooth-shaped iron cores adjacent to each other from an radial-outer area. 2. A stator comprising: tooth-shaped iron cores disposed along a predetermined circumference at predetermined intervals; core back iron cores, each of which is disposed between the tooth-shaped iron cores at a radial-outer region; and stator windings formed by connecting, in a parallel a manner, bundles of wires, each of which includes plural wires inserted between the tooth-shaped iron cores, wherein the bundles of wires for plural phases are wound plural times in a concentric manner while skipping a predetermined number of slots, and wherein a braided portion is formed by alternately braiding circumferential end portions of windings of one bundle of wires for one phase and circumferential beginning portions of windings of another bundle of wires for another phase. 3. A stator according to claim 2, wherein the bundles of wires comprises plural bundle units that are wound plural times in a concentric manner, and, in the bundle units adjacent to each other for one phase, the beginning portions of the winding are separated from each other by an amount corresponding to a predetermined number of slots, and the winding directions are set opposite with respect to each other. 4. A stator according to claim 2, wherein the number of wires of the bundle of wires is set greater at a radial-outer region of the tooth-shaped iron cores than that at a radial-inner region of the tooth-shaped iron cores. 5. A stator according to claim 2, wherein the diameter of the wires of the bundle of wires is set greater at a radial-outer region of the tooth-shaped iron cores than that at a radial-inner region of the tooth-shaped iron cores. 6. A stator according to claim 2, wherein each of the tooth-shaped iron cores is formed in a tapered shape such that the circumferential width thereof is greater at a radial-outer region than at a radial-inner region. 7. A stator according to claim 1, wherein each of the core back iron core comprises an extending portion extending from the radially outermost end thereof. 8. A stator according to claim 7, wherein each of the tooth-shaped iron cores comprises a recess at the radially outermost end thereof, with each of which one the extending portion of the core back iron core is engageable. 9. A stator according to claim 1, wherein each of the tooth-shaped iron cores comprises a projecting portion projecting from a radial-middle region thereof, which is capable of abutting against a radial-inner end of one of the core back iron cores. 10. A method for manufacturing a stator comprising: a first step of disposing tooth-shaped iron cores, each of which is formed so that the circumferential width thereof is greater at a radial-outer region than at a radial-inner region, along a predetermined circumference at predetermined intervals; a second step of forming stator windings on the tooth-shaped iron cores by supplying the stator windings from an radial-outer area using plural nozzles that simultaneously supply plural stator windings; and a third step of inserting core back iron cores from an radial-outer area into spaces between the tooth-shaped iron cores adjacent to each other. 11. A method for manufacturing a stator which comprises: tooth-shaped iron cores disposed along a predetermined circumference at predetermined intervals; core back iron cores, each of which is disposed between the tooth-shaped iron cores at a radial-outer region; and stator windings formed by connecting, in a parallel a manner, bundles of wires, each of which includes plural wires inserted between the tooth-shaped iron cores, the method comprising the steps of: winding the bundles of wires for plural phases plural times in a concentric manner while skipping a predetermined number of slots; and forming a braided portion by alternately braiding circumferential end portions of windings of one bundle of wires for one phase and circumferential beginning portions of windings of another bundle of wires for another phase. |
<SOH> FIELD OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention relates to a stator for a motor-generator and to a manufacturing method therefor. |
<SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a stator according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the stator shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a tooth-shaped iron core of the stator shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a core back iron core of the stator shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the main portion of the stator shown in FIG. 2 . FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a process for winding stator windings on the tooth-shaped iron cores that are disposed at predetermined intervals therebetween. FIG. 7 is a process diagram showing a method for manufacturing the stator shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a tooth-shaped iron core and a core back iron core of a stator according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing tooth-shaped iron cores and core back iron cores of a stator according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a stator in a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the stator shown in FIG. 10 . FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a process for winding the stator windings on the tooth-shaped iron cores that are disposed so as to have predetermined gaps therebetween. FIG. 13 is a partial deployment view showing, as viewed in the radial direction, a method for manufacturing the stator according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 14 is a partial deployment view showing, as viewed in a direction perpendicular to FIG. 13 , a method for manufacturing the stator. FIG. 15 is an enlarged view showing a braided portion shown in FIG. 14 . FIG. 16 is a partial deployment view showing the stator having windings that are formed using the method shown in FIG. 13 . FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view showing the main portion of the stator shown in FIG. 12 . FIG. 18 is a diagram showing, as viewed from the outside in the radial direction, the main portion of the stator shown in FIG. 12 . FIG. 19 is a plan view showing the main portion of a stator as an example of prior art. FIG. 20 is a plan view showing the main portion of a stator as another example of prior art. FIG. 21 is a plan view showing the main portion of a stator as another example of prior art. FIG. 22 is a deployment view showing a stator in prior art. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? |
Method for supporting variable data rates in a cdma system |
An improved method (10) is provided for supporting variable data rates between a transmitter and a receiver in a code division multiple access (CDMA) data communication system. The method includes: providing a control channel (12) and at least one application data channel between the transmitter and the receiver, transmitting user data (14) from the transmitter via the application data channel to the receiver; transmitting a data rate indicator (16) from the transmitter via the control channel to the receiver; where the data rate indicator is indicative of the data rate at which the user data is transmitted by the transmitter; and using the data rate indicator to decode the user data (18) at the receiver. |
1. A method for supporting variable data rates between a transmitter and a receiver in a data communication system, comprising: providing a control channel and at least one application data channel between the transmitter and the receiver, the control channel having a fixed data rate; transmitting user data from the transmitter via the application data channel to the receiver, where the user data is embodied in a spread-spectrum data signal; transmitting a data rate indicator from the transmitter via the control channel to the receiver, where the data rate indicator is indicative of the data rate at which the user data is transmitted by the transmitter; and decoding the user data based in part on the data rate indicator received at the receiver. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting user data further comprises varying the data rate at which the user data is transmitted to the receiver. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting a data rate indicator occurs simultaneously to the step of transmitting user data. 4. The method of claim 3 wherein the data rate indicator is transmitted via a data packet having a fixed length that is less than the fixed length of a data packet used to transmit the user data. 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of decoding the user data further comprises retrieving a data rate associated with the user data, the data rate being stored in a memory space residing on the receiver, and using the date rate to decode the user data. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting a data rate indicator further comprises using a dedicated control channel as defined by the CDMA2000 standard. 7. A method for supporting variable data rates in a data communication system employing a wideband code division multiple access (CDMA) scheme, comprising: transmitting user data via an application data channel, the user data embodied in a spread-spectrum data signal; transmitting a data rate indicator via a control channel, where the data rate indicator is indicative of the data rate at which the user data is being transmitted; and decoding the user data based in part on the data rate indicator received at the receiver. 8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of transmitting user data further comprises using at least one of a dedicated fundamental channel and a dedicated supplemental channel as defined by the CDMA2000 standard. 9. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of transmitting a data rate indicator further comprises using a dedicated control channel as defined by the CDMA2000 standard. 10. The method of claim 7 wherein the wideband CDMA scheme is selected from the group comprising: CDMA2000 standard proposed by TIA, WCDMA standard proposed by ARIB and ETSI, and TTA I and TTA II standards proposed by ETRI. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Wireless telecommunication systems have grown dramatically in the last decade as the reliability and capacity of such systems have improved. Wireless communication systems are being utilized in a variety of applications where land line based systems are impractical or impossible to use. Wireless communication systems have also become an economically viable alternative to replacing aging telephone lines and outdated telephone equipment. Unfortunately, the portion of the RF spectrum available for use by wireless communication systems is a limited critical resource which must be shared amongst a variety of service providers. Thus, there is a constant desire to improve the efficiency and capacity of wireless communication systems. Code division multiple access (CDMA) has shown particular promise for improving the efficiency and capacity of wireless communication systems. CDMA is a data communications technology based on the principals of spread spectrum communication. In a CDMA system, the same portion of the frequency spectrum is used for communication by all of the system subscriber units. Each subscriber unit's baseband data signal is multiplied by a code sequence which has a much higher rate than the data rate and is commonly referred to as a “spreading code”. This coding results in a much wider transmission spectrum than the spectrum of the baseband data signal, and hence this technique is called “spread spectrum”. Subscriber units and their communications can be discriminated by assigning a unique spreading code to each communication link. Since communications from different subscriber units are sent over the same frequency band, CDMA allows more users to access wireless networks simultaneously than with other conventional data communication techniques, such as time division multiple access or frequency division multiple access. From time to time, users may have the need to transmit data at different data rates in a CDMA system. Variable rate service may vary the data rate from frame to frame depending on the application. In one known approach, blind-rate detection is used to determine the data rate for a given frame received at a receiver. In this approach, the receiver must make a determination of the data rate of the received frame before processing the frame. Each frame must be separately processed at each possible data rate before a determination is made regarding which data rate was utilized by the transmitter. The greater the number of data rates supported by the service, the more processing power and more complex the receiver. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a less complicated and highly reliable method for supporting variable data rates in CDMA system. |
<SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>In accordance with the present invention, an improved method is provided for supporting variable data rates between a transmitter and a receiver in a code division multiple access (CDMA) data communication system. The method includes: providing a control channel and at least one application data channel between the transmitter and the receiver; transmitting user data from the transmitter via the application data channel to the receiver; transmitting a data rate indicator from the transmitter via the control channel to the receiver, where the data rate indicator is indicative of the data rate at which the user data is transmitted by the transmitter; and using the data rate indicator to decode the user data at the receiver. For a more complete understanding of the invention, its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following specification and to the accompanying drawings. |
Method for synchronising a gearbox and device for damping the vibrations in gearbox, especially during synchronisation |
A method for synchronizing a gearbox in a vehicle, whereby the engine and/or the clutch are controlled in a suitable manner during synchronization. In addition, a device for damping the vibrations in a gearbox, especially during synchronization, wherein at least one torsion damper is provided. |
1-50: (canceled) 51: A method for operating a transmission of a vehicle having an engine and a clutch, the method comprising: synchronizing the transmission; and suitably controlling at least one of the engine and the clutch during the synchronizing. 52: The method as recited in claim 51, wherein in the transmission is a seamless transmission and the clutch is a power-shift clutch, and wherein the controlling includes controlling the engine so as to transfer a constant torque from the power-shift clutch to the vehicle. 53: The method as recited in claim 52, wherein the controlling includes switching a set point of an engine torque in a quick manner. 54: The method as recited in claim 51, wherein the synchronizing includes synchronizing a gear to be shifted using an engine control. 55: The method as recited in claim 53, wherein the synchronizing includes a first phase, in the set point is set so as to have a large difference from an initial engine torque, and a second phase, in which the set point returns to the initial engine torque. 56: The method as recited in claim 54, further comprising setting the set point to zero using the engine control during an upshifting of the transmission wherein a drag torque acts independently of the engine control. 57: The method as recited in claim 54, further comprising setting the set point to be equal to a maximum engine torque in the engine control during a downshifting of the transmission. 58: The method as recited in claim 54, wherein the set point is switched by the engine control at a point in time, the point in time of the switching being a function of at least one of an rpm difference to be synchronized and an applied load. 59: The method as recited in claim 58, wherein the point in time is determined from an engine characteristics map. 60: The method as recited in claim 58, wherein the point in time of the switching for an upshifting of the transmission is determined using the formula: t u = J mot · Δ ω mot M 0 wherein tu=point in time of the switching, Jmot=inertia of the engine, Δωmot=rpm difference to be synchronized, and M0=initial torque of the engine. 61: The method as recited in claim 58, wherein the point in time of the switching for a downshifting of the transmission is determined using the formula: t u = J mot · Δ ω mot M 0 - M max wherein tu=point in time of the switching, Jmot=inertia of the engine, Δωmot=rpm difference to be synchronized, and M0=initial torque of the engine. 62: The method as recited in claim 60, wherein the formula is used when a time constant of the engine for an increase in torque and a time constant of the engine for a decrease in torque are identical. 63: The method as recited in claim 61, wherein the formula is used when a time constant of the engine for an increase in torque and a time constant of the engine for a decrease in torque are identical. 64: The method as recited in claim 58, wherein, up to the point in time of the switching, the engine torque changes according to the following equation: (Mmot−Mdrag)=−Mdrag+(Mdrag+M0)exp(−t/Tmot) M0=Mmot—0−Mdrag=MLSK—0 wherein Mmot=engine torque, Mdrag=drag torque, M0=initial engine torque, and Tmot=time constant of the engine torque. 65: The method as recited in claim 58, wherein, at the point in time of the switching, the engine torque is determined by the following equation: (Mmot−Mdrag)=−Mdrag+(Mdrag+M0)exp(−tu/Tmot) wherein Mmot=engine torque, Mdrag=drag torque, M0=initial engine torque, tu=point in time of the switching, and Tmot=time constant of the engine torque. 66: The method as recited in claim 58, wherein after the point in time of the switching, the engine torque changes according to the equation: (Mmot−Mdrag)=M0−(M0−Mu)exp(−(t−tu)/Tmot) wherein Mmot=engine torque, Mdrag=drag torque, M0=initial engine torque, Mu=engine torque at the point in time of the switching, tu=point in time of the switching, and Tmot=time constant of the engine torque. 67: The method as recited in claim 58, wherein a change in kinetic torque is derived using the equation: S=S1+S2=(M0+Mdrag)tu where it holds that S 1 = M 0 t u - ∫ 0 t u M mot ⅆ t = ( M 0 + M drag ) t u + T mot ( M drag + M 0 ) ( exp ( - t u / T mot ) - 1 ) S 2 = ( M 0 - M u ) ∫ 0 ∞ exp ( - t / T mot ) ⅆ t = - T mot ( M drag + M 0 ) ( exp ( - t u / T mot ) - 1 ) wherein S=change in kinetic torque S1=change in kinetic torque prior to tu S2=change in kinetic torque after tu M0=initial engine torque, Mdrag=drag torque Mu=engine torque at the point in time of the switching, tu=point in time of the switching, and Tmot=time constant of the engine torque. 68: The method as recited in claim 67, wherein the point in time of the switching is determined by an rpm difference to be synchronized according to the equation: t u = J mot Δ ω mot M 0 + M drag = J mot Δ ω mot M mot_ 0 wherein Jmot=inertia of the engine, and Δωmot=rpm difference to be synchronized. 69: The method as recited in claim 58, wherein, when a time constant of the engine for an increase in torque and a time constant of the engine for a decrease in torque are different and a rpm difference is small, the point in time of switching is defined by the following equations: τ + exp ( - τ ) - α exp ( - α τ ) = c τ = t u / T mot - , α = T mot + / T mot - , c = J mot Δ ω mot M 0 T mot - + 1 - α wherein tu=point in time of the switching, and Tmot−=time constant of the engine for a decrease in torque Tmot+=time constant of the engine for an increase in torque Jmot=inertia of the engine, and Δωmot=rpm difference to be synchronized. 70: The method as recited in claim 69, wherein, when a time constant of the engine for an increase in torque and a time constant of the engine for a decrease in torque are different, the areas S1 and S2 are calculated as follows: S1=(M0+Mdrag)tu+Tmot−(M0+Mdrag)(exp(−tu/Tmot−)−1) S2=Tmot+(M0+Mdrag)(exp(−tu/Tmot+)−1) wherein M0=Mset point−Mdrag M0=torque on the engine shaft Mset point=engine set point torque Mdrag=engine drag torque. 71: The method as recited in claim 69, wherein for the point in time (tu) of switching, the following equations hold: S 1 + S 2 = J mot Δ ω mot and / or t u / T mot - + exp ( - t u / T mot - ) - 1 - T mot + / T mot - ( exp ( - t u / T mot + ) - 1 ) = J mot Δ ω mot ( M 0 + M drag ) T mot - wherein τ = t u / T mot - , α = T mot + / T mot - , c = J mot Δ ω mot ( M 0 + M drag ) T mot - + 1 - α and for parameter τ it holds that: τ+exp(−τ)−αexp(−ατ)=c and for parameter α it holds that 1≦α≦2. 72: The method as recited in claim 71, wherein at values of α=1 and τ=c, the point in time (tu) is calculated using the following equation: t u = J mot Δ ω mot M 0 + M drag = J mot Δ ω mot M mot_ 0 73: The method as recited in claim 72, wherein at values of c>4 the point in time (tu) of the switching is calculated using the following equation: t u = J mot Δ ω mot ( M 0 - M sync ) 74: The method as recited in claim 73, further comprising calculating and storing an engine characteristics map for the function exp(−c). 75: The method as recited in claim 51 wherein the transmission is a seamless transmission and the clutch is a power-shift clutch, and wherein the controlling includes controlling the power-shift clutch and the engine. 76: The method as recited in claim 75, wherein the synchronizing includes a implementing a simple control during a first phase of the synchronizing, and during a second phase of the synchronizing, setting a set point of the engine torque to an initial value and adjusting the set point at the power-shift clutch. 77: The method as recited in claim 76, further comprising switching the set point of the engine torque at least twice during the first phase. 78: The method as recited in claim 77, wherein a first switching is performed at the beginning of the synchronizing. 79: The method as recited in claim 78, wherein during an upshifting of the transmission, the set point is switched to zero and a clutch torque is increased quickly. 80: The method as recited in claim 78, wherein during a downshifting of the transmission, the set point value is switched to a maximum engine torque and a clutch torque is reduced quickly. 81: The method as recited in claim 77, further comprising performing additional switching of the set point of the engine torque at different times, the engine torque being switched to a maximum value during upshifting and to a value of zero during downshifting and reducing a clutch torque on the power-shift clutch during upshifting and rapidly increasing the clutch torque during downshifting. 82: The method as recited in claim 77, wherein a point in time of the switching is determined from at least one of a value stored in memory and a characteristics map, wherein the characteristics map depends on at least one of an initial load and an rpm difference to be synchronized. 83: The method as recited in claim 77, wherein a point in time of the switching is determined using a computation model. 84: The method as recited in claim 83, the computation model uses the following motion equations: Jmotωmot*=Mmot−MLSK−Mdrag JFzgωFzg*=MLSKiLSK−MFW wherein Mmot=controllable engine torque; MLSK=controllable clutch torque of the power-shift clutch; iLSK=transmission ratio of the power-shift clutch; Mdrag=uncontrollable drag torque; MFW=rolling resistance converted into torque; JFzg=moment of inertia of the vehicle; Jmot=moment of inertia of the engine. 85: The method as recited in claim 83, wherein the engine and the power-shift clutch are each described as being a PT1 element in the computation model. 86: The method as recited in claims 83, wherein equations of the computation model depend on at least one of a first and a second switching time and a total time such that, at a predetermined total time, the equations of the computation model are solved explicitly for the first and second switching times. 87: The method as recited in one of claim 82, wherein an applied rpm difference and the initial load have an influence on the point of time of switching, the influence being taken into account through the following equation: Jmotω*=−|Mdrag|−MLSK 88: The method as recited in claim 87, wherein under an assumption that an rpm of the vehicle does not change during a shifting operation, the following equation is obtained: Δ t = π n 30 · ( 1 - i 2 i 1 ) · J mot M drag + M mot_ 0 89: The method as recited in claim 88, wherein a time for synchronization is determined using the following equation, taking into account a time constant of the engine control: Δ t = π n 30 · ( 1 - i 2 i 1 ) · J mot M drag + M mot_ 0 + 2 T mot 90: The method as recited in claim 89, wherein a second phase of synchronization is begun as soon as a set point/actual rpm difference has dropped below a threshold. 91: The method as recited in claim 90, wherein the engine torque is asymptotically altered to the initial value in the second phase and the power-shift clutch is influenced by a simple regulation so that a remaining rpm difference is smoothed out. 92: The method as recited in claim 91, wherein one of a PI regulator or a PID regulator is used for the regulation. 93: The method as recited in claim 90, wherein the threshold is determined from the engine characteristics map which depends on the initial load and the rpm difference to be synchronized and wherein the threshold is stored. 94: A device for damping vibrations in a transmission, comprising: at least one torsion damper. 95: The device as recited in claim 94, wherein the transmission is one of a seamless transmission and an electric transmission. 96: The device as recited in claim 94, wherein the torsion damper includes an arc-spring damper functioning according to the principle of a dual-mass flywheel. 97: The device as recited in claim 96, further comprising a power-shift clutch, and wherein an additional mass of the power-shift clutch is used as a secondary mass of the damper so as to reduce engine-excited vibrations. 98: The device as recited in claim 94, further comprising a plurality of clutch disks, the torsion damper being disposed in an area of the clutch disks. 99: The device as recited in claim 94, wherein the torsion damper is disposed upstream from a low-gear clutch and a power-shift clutch. 100: The device as recited in one claim 94, wherein the torsion damper is disposed between a low-gear clutch and a power-shift clutch. 101: The device as recited in claim 94, wherein the torsion damper is disposed downstream from a low-gear clutch and a power-shift clutch. 102: The device as recited in claim 94, wherein the torsion damper is configured to dampen vibrations in the transmission during a synchronization. |
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