The present invention relates to a novel method for treating organic wastes, and more specifically relates to a method for producing a feed by using organic wastes and oils as the raw materials to form a koji-fermented feed.
Additionally, the present invention relates to a method for treating highly concentrated organic wastes with a BOD of at least 10,000 ppm such as sake lees and food scraps, and further relates to a crude fiber feed comprising a ligneous matrix obtained by treatment with the above-described treatment method.
In recent years, the problem of how to treat waste from the food processing industry or highly concentrated organic waste such as food scraps has become one which has bearings on the public health. This is because they contain large amounts of water and are perishable, generating malodorous fumes in the process. While this type of waste is usually simply discarded, the burial of these substances results in their decay in the soil, producing large amounts of nitrate-nitrogen which can contaminate ground water. Additionally, if incinerated, they can generate dioxins and NOX, which can pollute the atmosphere. Moreover, the amount of such organic waste is increasing annually at an alarming pace.
Therefore, many methods of fermenting organic waste to make fertilizer or methods for treating waste for decomposition in order to enable larger amounts of waste to be collected and recycled have been proposed in recent years, but with conventional methods, the treatments can take months, and their utility has been limited due to the risk of saline pollution when used in large amounts because of the salt content in the resulting fertilizers. Furthermore, such waste often has a high water content, making storage and transport difficult. As a result, this type of waste has not been able to be used effectively.
On the other hand, there are methods for making such raw garbage into fertilizer using microbes, but such microbes are not very compatible with garbage having a high oil content, so that there are limits to the range of raw waste that can be treated in this manner.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described circumstances, and has a first object of offering a novel means for making effective use of the above-described organic wastes.
The present invention has the further object of offering a method for producing a feed by efficiently processing the above-described organic wastes.
The present invention also has the object of offering a feed produced by the above method.
The second object of the present invention is to offer a method for treating organic wastes such as sake lees and food scraps, especially highly concentrated organic wastes with a BOD of at least 10,000 ppm, with extreme efficiency in a short period of time.
Another object of the present invention is to offer a method for treating an organic waste capable of converting a large amount of waste into a readily disposable form, and use of a substances treated in this way.
As a result of diligent research towards achieving these objects, the present applicant discovered that if oils are added when treating organic waste with certain molds, the molds can transform the oils into fuel and efficiently convert them into the heat of fermentation. That is, they found that by employing oils as energy sources for the molds to dramatically improve the decomposition and drying speed of the organic matter due to the mold, it is possible to efficiently treat organic wastes. Additionally, more surprisingly, they discovered that when ammonia gas and acetic acid are generated, the generation thereof can be prevented by mixing in some oils, that is, the addition of oils can inhibit the proliferation of putrefying bacteria such as acetic bacteria.
The present invention offers a method for treating organic wastes, comprising steps of mixing said organic wastes with a mold to obtain a mixture, and allowing said mixture to ferment and dry, wherein the oil content of said mixture is at least 2 wt %, preferably at least 5 wt %, more preferably at least 10 wt % with respect to the water content of said mixture. In this way, the heat of fermentation of the mold can be used to efficiently dry the wastes.
According to a first object of the present invention, a feed is produced by adjusting the oil content of a mixture of organic wastes and koji mold or koji to at least 3 wt %, preferably at least 5 wt %, more preferably at least 10 wt %, and allowing said mixture to ferment and dry. Preferably, the feed is produced by mixing together organic wastes, oils, koji mold or koji, and allowing the koji mold to ferment and dry the waste.
By adding oils as nutrients in this way, the processing speed of organic wastes, in particular highly concentrated organic wastes can be highly improved.
Furthermore, according to this type of method, raw garbage, livestock excrement and the like which has conventionally been discarded can be effectively used.
Furthermore, since the method of the present invention makes use of koji mold instead of treatments using high temperature microbes, so that while a portion of the organic matter is decomposed into carbon dioxide and water, the most part is synthesized into microbial proteins, while large amounts of digestive enzymes are secreted for digestive consumption. As a result, a feed of high nutritional value which is suitable for feeding to livestock and the like is obtained. That is, while the treatment of organic waste by microbes has conventionally been for the purpose of breaking down wastes, the method according to the present invention enables the generation of active ingredients by the koji mold, thereby changing the organic waste into feed which can then be put to effective use.
In the present invention, oils are used in order to produce a feed fermented by koji mold from organic wastes. Conventionally, the fermentation and heat generation due to koji mold has been mainly used for decomposition of starches, but in the present invention, the oils are used to assist largely in the fermentation and heat generation. Since the koji mold can consume the oils and efficiently convert them to the heat of fermentation, there is no particular need to add nutrients for growth of the koji mold, and the oils act as an energy source to dramatically increase the speed of decomposition and drying of the wastes. Therefore, there is no need to specially add starchy materials even to wastes such as raw garbage with a low starch equivalent. Furthermore, since there are few microbes that can consume oils in nature, the koji mold, which is relatively susceptible to contamination with other microbes, can be grown with dominance. The adjustment of the oil content should preferably be done by intermixing oils, the amount of oils normally added being preferably at least 1.5 wt %, more preferably at least 5 wt %, and most preferably at least 10 wt % of the water content of the mixed organic waste.
The oils used in the present invention can be of any type as long as they are able to achieve the object of the present invention, and can be chosen from among animal, vegetable or mineral oils, or combinations thereof. Some examples are those which are readily available, including edible oils such as frying oil, lard, soy oil, waste oil from meat processing or olive oil, or cutting oils, with those having a boiling point of at least 100xc2x0 C. being most preferable. When preparing a feed, edible oils are preferable.
Additionally, the mold in the present invention refers to filamentous eukaryotic microbes (molds), particularly Aspergillus, Monascus, Mucor and Rhizopus, of which Aspergillus and/or Monascus are chosen with preference for having amylase and lipase activity, further among which Aspergillus oryzze kawachii and Aspergillus awamori kawachii (available from Kirishima Kogen Beer KK) have a high oil-decomposing ability and can be used effectively. Normally, oils are avoided due to the inability of conventional fertilizer plants to process them. However, by using this type of koji mold, which has a high oil decomposing ability, a waste with a high oil content can be effectively treated. Additionally, they can be used in combination with other molds which can suitably assist in the decomposition process.
According to a second object of the present invention, an organic waste and oils are preferably added to a matrix material to form a mixture, and a mold is grown in the mixture to treat the organic waste by fermentation thereof.
In this case, the organic waste should preferably be provided in an amount such that the water content is 20-70 wt %, preferably 20-40 wt % with respect to the matrix material.
Additionally, the matrix material used in the treatment method of the present invention can be of any type as long as it is capable of achieving the object of the present invention, but should preferably be a pulverized ligneous material. For example, sawdust, wood shavings, and their mixtures are suitable for use.
Additionally, the mold can be allowed to occur naturally in the mixture, or positively added to the mixture. The amount added should be in the range of about 0.01% to 0.1% of the total dry weight of the mixture.
According to the present invention, the treatment process is usually a continuous process such that as the organic waste is being treated, new batches of the organic waste and oils can be added as needed. Here, the matrix material can also be supplemented if necessary.
In the processing method according to the present invention, the mixture is preferably adjusted to 50xc2x0 C. or less, preferably about 40-50xc2x0 C. This temperature regulation should preferably be performed by ventilation, and it is especially convenient to blow warm dry air which is available from the exhaust heat from the generator of the ventilator.
Additionally, once the koji mold begins to grow and fermentation begins, the heat of fermentation causes the waste to dry so as to result in a feed with a water content below a desired level, and this can be improved by making proper adjustments to the speed and level of drying due to the ventilation of warm air. The final water content of the feed should preferably be about 30 wt % or less, preferably 20 wt % or less, and most preferably about 15 wt % or less.
Furthermore, in the present invention, a feed obtained by the above-described processing method is offered. This feed has an extremely high nutritional value, and is suitable for feeding to livestock such as cattle, swine and fowl. Furthermore, when using a matrix material, a matrix material obtained by treating organic waste can be used as a crude fibrous feed. Since the koji mold uses oils as an energy source, the oils are consumed and reduced. Moreover, the feed will contain lipases from the koji mold. While oils can cause diarrhea in livestock, this problem can be completely overcome due to the presence of lipases, so that the oils can actually be used to raise the nutritional value of the feed and promote the growth of the livestock. Furthermore, the action of the koji mold also leaves large amounts of other enzymes such as amylase, protease and active oxygen-decomposing enzymes in the feed, which can then largely assist in digestion by livestock to which the feed has been fed, thereby relieving stress. Additionally, it also has the effect of suppressing the foul odor of livestock excrement.
Furthermore, while livestock fed feeds containing unsaturated fatty acids can have reduced meat quality due to yellowing or the like, treatment with koji mold reduces the amount of unsaturated fatty acids, thus giving the livestock fed the feed of the present invention good meat quality.


This invention relates to trans(.+-.) or trans(-)-octahydropyrimido[4,5-g]quinolines of the formulas ##STR1## wherein R is H, CN and C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl or allyl; R.sup.1 is H, OH, SH, O--C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl, S--C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl or NH.sub.2 ; R.sup.2 is H, OH or NH.sub.2 with the proviso that R.sup.1 can only be NH.sub.2 when R.sup.2 is OH or NH.sub.2 ; and acid addition salts thereof made from non-toxic acids. Formula I is named as a trans-(.+-.)-6-substituted-2,4-permissibly-substituted-5,5a,6,7,8,9,9a,10- octahydroyrimido[4,5-g]quinoline and formula II is the corresponding trans-(-)-enantiomer.
Preferred subgroups of compounds represented by I or II above include:
(a) compounds in which R is C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl;
(b) compounds in which R is n-propyl;
(c) compounds in which R.sup.2 is H; and
(d) compounds in which R.sup.1 is SH or S--C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl.
The compounds represented by formulas I and II absorb ultraviolet light with absorption peaks in the range 265-350 mu, (which range encompasses the UVA--280-300 mu range--) and are therefore potentially useful as sunscreen agents. The compounds are also useful as intermediates, as will be more fully developed hereinafter.
Compounds according to I or II in which R.sup.1 is SH or S--C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl and R.sup.2 is H are prepared by reacting thiourea or an S--C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl isothiourea with a compound of the formula III or IV ##STR2##
Compounds according to I and II wherein R.sup.2 is H and R.sup.1 is OH are prepared by acidic hydrolysis of a trans-(.+-.) or trans-(-)-2--C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkylthio-6--C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl or allyl-5,5a,6,7,8,9,9a,10-octahydropyrimido[4,5-g]quinoline. The product of this reaction, a 2-OH derivative, can be readily alkylated by standard etherification reactions; e.g., dimethylsulfate and base, to yield the 2--C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkoxy derivatives; e.g., a 2-methoxy derivative, according to I or II.
Compounds according to I or II in which R.sup.1 is NH.sub.2 and R.sup.2 is OH are prepared by reacting a 1-alkyl or allyl-6-oxo-7-alkoxycarbonyldecahydroquinoline (furnished by the procedure of Schaus, Huser and Booher, Ser. No. 535,519, filed this even day, whereby a trans-.+-. or trans---6-oxo-1--C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl or allyldecahydroquinoline is reacted with a dialkyl carbonate in the presence of sodium hydride in an inert mutual solvent, with a guanidine salt. After work-up of the reaction mixture, the 2-amino-4-hydroxy derivative thus formed is isolated by standard means.
Compounds according to I or II in which both R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are NH.sub.2 are prepared by cyclizing the usual trans-(.+-.) or trans-(-)-1-substituted-6-oxodecahydroquinoline with cyanoguanidine in a high boiling mutual inert solvent such as CARBITOL--see Modest et al., J. Org. Chem., 30, 1837 (1965). When R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are H, a different cyclization reaction is employed to join the pyrimidine ring to a 1--C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl or allyl decahydroquinoline nucleus. The procedure of Boger et al. J. Org. Chem., 47, 2673 (1982) was adapted to the specific synthetic goal. This procedure involves the reaction of a cyclic ketone with pyrrolidine to form an enamine (Formula V or VI below), reaction of which with 1,3,5-triazine yields an unsubstituted pyrimidine ring fused to the decahydroquinoline. ##STR3## wherein R is C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl or allyl.
An illustrative reaction from Boger is that of cyclohexanone with pyrrolidine to form a 1-pyrrolidino-1-cyclohexene which, on treatment with 1,3,5-triazine yields tetrahydroquinazoline. In our reaction, the trans-(.+-.) or trans-(-)-1--C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl or allyl-6-oxodecahydroquinoline is the starting ketone which forms the enamine with pyrrolidine.
While compounds according to I and II in which R is C.sub.1-C.sub.3 alkyl or allyl are the primary products of this invention, those compounds in which R is H or CN are not only UV absorbers but are also intermediates for the preparation of compounds carrying a different alkyl group (from that of the 6-oxodecahydroquinoline starting material) or an allyl group. For example, if it is desired to prepare a compound according to I or II in which R is allyl, it is possible (depending on the nature of the R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 substituents) to replace the R alkyl group with CN (using CNBr), and then to remove the CN group by hydrolysis to yield compounds wherein R is H. This secondary amine derivative can then be allylated as with allyl chloride or can be reductively alkylated with an aldehyde or can be alkylated with a C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl halide to yield a compound according to I or II having an allyl group or a different alkyl at N-6. Incidentally, it is not necessary to replace an N-methyl with a different alkyl group in order for the above process to be useful. For example, it is possible to replace a CH.sub.3 group with a .sup.13 CH.sub. 3 containing an isotopically-tagged carbon. Preferably, however, because of the reactivity of SH and OH groups at C-2 in I or II to CNBr, the interchange of groups on the quinoline nitrogen should take place prior to ring closure; i.e., at the 6-oxodecahydroquinoline stage. In this procedure, a trans-(.+-.) or trans-(-)-1-methyl-6-oxodecahydroquinoline, for example, is transformed to the 1-cyano compound--see Bach et al., J. Med. Chem., 23, 481 (1980) or U.S. Pat. No. 4,198,415. Acidic hydrolysis or hydrogenolysis of this compound by the methods of Titus and Bach, Ser. No. 535,522, filed this even day, yields trans-(.+-.) or trans-(-)-6-oxodecahydroquinoline. This secondary amine can then be allylated or realkylated possibly with a tagged alkyl, using allyl or alkyl halides to prepare the desired intermediate trans-(.+-.) or trans-(-)-1-allyl or alkyl-6-oxodecahydroquinoline. The above procedures are clearly extremely useful in preparing the difficult-to-obtain N-allyl derivatives because the best procedures for obtaining the 2-alkyl-6-oxodecahydroquinolines involves multiple reduction or hydrogenation procedures, and an allyl group would not survive all of these synthetic steps.


In general, there are two kinds of standards to ensure the performance of an audio transducer and associated holding device (e.g., telephone handsets, telecommunication system handsets, etc.) on the audio receiving path. One such standard is based on acoustic performance, the conventional manner of using the handset by acoustic coupling to normal human ears. The other standard is the electromagnetic performance for a human who is hearing impaired or otherwise disabled, and that needs to use a hearing aid. Passing the compliance for both acoustic performance and electromagnetic performance simultaneously is very challenging. This is especially true for passing the acoustic compliance standards with an artificial ear (e.g., a “Type 3.3” standard), which is the closest representation to a human ear currently used that can reflect the way people use a listening device (e.g., handset, etc.).


Semiconductor components of this type, be they thyristors or diodes, for example, are generally known. The semiconductor body of a thyristor generally possesses four zones of alternate opposite conductivity type, and a pn-junction in each case lies between these zones. The pn-junction located between the outer and the inner anode-side zone is referred to as a blocking-pn-junction, since the greatest part of the blocking voltage occurs across it. The semiconductor body of a power diode basically possesses two zones of opposite conductivity type. The semiconductor bodies of such semiconductor components generally possess a specific content of recombination centers, which decisively influence their electric properties, for example the turn-off time. The aforementioned recombination centers are generally heavy metal atoms, such as gold, platinum or manganese.
The processes which are employed in the production of the above-mentioned semiconductor components involve the gettering of a specific part of the introduced recombination centers into regions close to the surface. The gettering layers are, for example, highly doped zones, in particular zones doped with boron or phosphorus, or also zones close to the surface, whose crystal lattice structure is heavily disturbed by mechanical processing. As a result of the gettering, there is a reduction in the concentration of the recombination centers beneath the gettering layer close to the surface. If uniformly gettered layers are present both at the anode side and at the cathode side, the curve of the concentration of the recombination centers over the thickness of the semiconductor body has a U-shaped, symmetrical profile. If, on the other hand, a weaker gettering effect exists at the anode side than at the cathode side, for example, due to less disturbance of the surface, the concentration of the recombination centers is higher at the anode side than at the cathode side.
The absolute degree of the concentration of the recombination centers can be set by the quantity of the diffused-in recombination centers, for example, of gold atoms. The symmetry of the profile of the concentration of the recombination centers cannot in practice be effectively influenced either by controlling the quantity of the recombination centers or by controlling the diffusion parameters during the diffusing-in of the recombination centers.


The present invention relates to a system for surveying rails, in particular running rails for cranes, shelf handling units, running wheel blocks.
A measuring arrangement for monitoring railway tracks is known from DD 212 931 and includes a transmitter unit arranged on the track and having a laser alignment unit. The laser beam is so aligned hereby as to serve as measuring axis, fixed in space, for the track rail. The measuring arrangement includes a measuring vehicle having a traveling mechanism which has two horizontal running rollers as well as two side guide rollers on the right side and two side guide rollers on the left side. The position of the measuring vehicle in relation to the measuring axis is determined by providing a photosensor which confronts the laser beam and is configured as four-quadrant photodiode. Upon incident laser beam, the photodiode generates an electric signal which is delivered to an electronic evaluation device which controls a vertical tracing device as well as a horizontal rotary mechanism for shifting and turning the photodiode. The control is so implemented that each of the four-quadrants of the photodiode occupies in relation to the laser beam the same position. In view of the high sensibility of the photodiode, the positional determination is limited in such a measuring arrangement only by the accuracy of the mechanical adjustment.
The drawback of this conventional measuring arrangement resides in the mechanical tracing of the photodiode, which is determinative for the accuracy with respect to positional determination of the rail, i.e. in particular the positional change of the running surface of the rail. Moreover, the long measuring times as a result of the mechanical readjustment of the photodiode in the measuring plane (X-direction and Z-direction) are disadvantageous.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an improved system for surveying rails, obviating the afore-stated drawbacks.
In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved system for surveying rails, which is capable of approaching individual positions at great accuracy in order to determine the positional change of the running surface of the rail relative to the laser beam, without requiring a shift of the photosensor.
These objects, and others which will become apparent hereinafter, are attained in accordance with the present invention by providing a transmitter unit arranged on the rail and emitting a laser beam which is aligned longitudinally in the direction of a rail and is incident on a measuring surface; a detector unit designed for mobility along the rail and having a photodetector which confronts the laser beam and has a matrix in the form of a plurality of neighboring optical sensor elements for generating electric output signals in response to the incident laser beam on the measuring surface; an electronic evaluation unit receiving the output signals from the sensor elements for determining the point of impact and thereby the position of the laser beam on the measuring surface; and a proximity sensor for determining a change in distance between the transmitter unit and the detector unit.
In accordance with the present invention, the photodetector may include a matrix of rectangular configuration with a plurality of immediately neighboring pixels (optical sensor elements) for generating the electric output signals which are delivered to the electronic evaluation unit by which the point of impact of the spatially, positionally stabilized laser beam in the measuring surface is determined solely through electronic means by evaluating the output signals of the pixels. The photodetector may be an opto-electronic camera which has arranged in front thereof a transparent diffusion screen as measuring surface which is optically projected onto the matrix of the camera. In this fashion, it is possible to determine for each spot in relation to the length of the rail the positional change of the running surface with respect to the laser beam which is fixed in space. The configuration of the photodetector in the form of a rectangular matrix permits a two-dimensional measurement of the intensity distribution (Gaussian distribution) of the laser beam, thereby realizing a precise determination of the point of impact of the principal beam direction or of the laser beam axis upon the preset measuring surface. Thus, there is no longer any need to shift the measuring surface. The adjustment of the zero point (point of reference) is necessary only once, thereby shortening the duration of the measurements and, moreover, enhancing the measuring accuracy.
Suitably, the photodetector may be configured as CCD camera. This results in a rail surveying system which is very easy to compile.
A more precise determination of the point of impact of the laser beam upon the measuring surface can be realized by a so-called subpixel resolution, through determination of the point of impact of the laser beam upon the diffusion screen by conforming the measured subpixel position of the beam image of the diffusion screen upon the matrix. This is attained by initially evaluating each image line and each image column separately in a square zone about the beam image, and subsequently averaging the outcomes. The result provides the precise position (subpixel position) of the beam within the camera image. The difference between the inputted starting position (reference point) is thus a measure for the deviation of the mobile detector unit from the ideal line. Suitably, the conformation is implemented by a computer program.
According to another feature of the present invention, the electronic evaluation unit includes a microprocessor to implement in a simple manner complex computations and control processes.
In order to determine the position of the running surface of the rail in dependence on distance, the proximity sensor may include a friction wheel which rolls on the running surface of the rail. Suitably, the friction wheel is connected with an incremental shaft encoder for determination of the travel distance of the detector unit, thereby realizing a high distance precision. The friction wheel may also be utilized to register a state of motion of the detector unit to thereby ensure a correct execution of the survey.
Suitably, the detector unit can be remote-controlled so that rails which are difficult to access can be surveyed even under adverse conditions of visibility and unfavorable conditions of the surrounding (toxic gases, vapors etc.).
The positional stabilization of the laser can be realized by an electronic level which accomplishes a high positional stability in a fairly simple manner. Suitably, the positional stability amounts to +/xe2x88x921 mm deviation over 100 m rail length.
The precise approach of the measuring positions can be realized for a running rail cross section composed of flange parts and web parts, by providing at least two vertically rotatably supported guide rollers which are arranged in spaced-apart relation longitudinally in the direction of the rail, and which are forced against both side surfaces of the rail for guiding the detector unit, and by providing at least two running rollers which are arranged in spaced-apart relation longitudinally in the direction of the rail and rolling on the running surface of the rail and which are horizontally supported for rotation about pivot axes aligned transversely to the longitudinal rail direction, with at least one of the running rollers being driven.
Suitably, the vertical height of each of the guide rollers can be individually adjusted so that a survey of heavily worn rails can be implemented.
The traveling behavior of the detector unit on the rail can be enhanced, when, as viewed in longitudinal rail direction, the leading running roller is arranged behind the leading guide rollers. Also, the stability of travel can be improved, when the distance between the axis of the running roller and the axis of the immediately neighboring guide roller is one time to three times the guide roller diameter.
In order to ensure a precise movement of the detector unit, the guide rollers on one side of the rail have a fixed pivot axis and the guide rollers on the other side of the rail are forced, e.g. by a spring force, upon the side surface of the rail. The guide rollers may be supported in ball bearing, in particular, self-aligning ball bearings, to better conform the guide rollers to inclined rails.
In order to be able to travel over expansion joints and cracked rails, the guide rollers are arranged in pairs on a common transverse carrier which extends longitudinally in the direction of the rail and is articulated to the detector unit. At the same time, horizontal forces, which act during acceleration and deceleration, are thereby spread over more contact points so that a more stable guiding behavior is realized.
According to another feature of the present invention, the running rollers have a running surface which is formed in mid-section with a radial groove to realize a better stability with respect to lateral inclination as a consequence of the attained two-point contact upon the rail surface.
A safeguard of the detector unit can be implemented by providing a safety system. Defective rails or rail sections, which can lead to a crash of the detector unit, are registered in particular by providing the safety system with at least one proximity sensor for determining the distance of a reference point of the detector unit relative to the rail.
A survey of at least two rails extending in one plane can be realized by splitting the laser beam into two horizontal partial laser beams extending perpendicular to one another, for determination of the height difference of both rails with respect to a horizontal straight line extending in a vertical plane. This enables a precise measurement of the parallelism of both rails relative to one another in space in a simple manner. Suitably, the partial laser beam, which extends transversely to both rails, is positioned in the vertical plane, i.e. the vertical plane is unambiguously defined by this partial laser beam. Advantageously, one of the options for defining the reference line permits the use of the partial laser beam, which extends transversely to both rails, for formation of the horizontal straight line which is oriented in a vertical plane.


In the art of arc welding, particularly in the area using inert gas as a shield, (commonly known in the art as metal inert gas or xe2x80x9cMIGxe2x80x9d systems), generated heat is extensive, being in excess of 10,000 to 12,000 degrees Fahrenheit, at the arc point. It is not uncommon for heat to be transferred to metal parts of the welding apparatus in excess of 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. There have been multiple ongoing efforts to remove generated heat from these type of welding units and similar units. Excessive heat makes workers uncomfortable, but it also degrades the working apparatus much more quickly during high temperature heat exposure. Replacement of the arc welding apparatus parts that degrade is an expensive and time-consuming process.
When robotic welding units are used, the loss of time required for maintenance becomes significant. For this reason and others, efforts to remove the built-up heat generated during the welding process has been ongoing, but thus far no system has realized a truly efficient process.
Some of the earlier attempts at cooling the welding apparatus is exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,099 (Cusick), entitled xe2x80x9cWater cooled semi-automatic welding gunxe2x80x9d. This invention utilized a liquid cooled welding gun assembly. Power, gas and cooling liquid hoses were contained within the cable assembly and intercommunicated the connector block of the welding gun assembly with the rear connector block. This welding gun assembly included a liquid cooled nozzle assembly, with internal cooling passages. Although liquids showed a great propensity for cooling, the amount of water to be used in removing the heat because burdensome, and further improvements were needed.
Referring now also to U.S. Pat. No. 5,670,073 (Kiilunen), entitled xe2x80x9cWater cooled gas metal arc welding gunxe2x80x9d, a water cooled gas metal arc welding (MIG) gun was disclosed in which a water cooling system for the gun barrel introduced coolant water at the bottom of the barrel to create a coolant water flow through the gun. One of the goals and benefits of this invention was that it did not allow the coolant water to stagnate and heat up. Again, the amount of water and burden of maintenance made this particular welding apparatus problematic for heavy use. Another dangerous use of water in the TIG and MIG welding systems was the significant levels of electricity used in the welding process, which made a water leak extremely hazardous, due to electrical shock.
Water generally presents other problems to the welding processes, beyond increasing the danger of electrical shock. Water intrusion into the welding process often degrades the welding quality of the finished product. There have been numerous patents directed to avoiding the use of water exposure to the welding process. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,153,847 (Nakatani et al.), entitled xe2x80x9cWelding member and welding methodxe2x80x9d a water-repellent film was applied directly onto the surface of a welding member between two mating welding bevels, a welding bevel of a base member to be welded, and a coated welding rod formed by coating a metallic core wire with a flux. The water-repellent film was formed of a hydrophobic material having a contact angle of 90.degree. or above and providing minute concavities and convexities. Thus, in a highly humid environment, during rainfall or even in water, welding could be effected without weld defects such as blow holes, cracks and the like.
In a effort to avoid the problems associated with water cooled systems, further improvements were made. Referring now to U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,868 (Cusick), entitled xe2x80x9cMelding gunxe2x80x9d (corrected title is xe2x80x9cWelding gunxe2x80x9d) Cooling in this instance was accomplished through a plurality of open recesses or channels whereby pressurized air was conveyed. This welding gun assembly also included a pressurized air cooled nozzle assembly. In this invention, pressurized and refrigerated air cooled non-insulated conductor wires along with cooling a rear connector assembly, a cable assembly, a front connector assembly or handle assembly, a conductor tube assembly, and a nozzle assembly.
Further improvements were made in which air was used as a heat exchanger. Referring now to U.S. Pat. No. 6,005,221 (Cusick), entitled xe2x80x9cPressurized air cooled tungsten inert gas welding apparatusxe2x80x9d. This invention was directed toward an improved tungsten insert gas (TIG) arc welding process, having a means to remove heat energy using pressurized air, and a method for removing the heat away from the torch head area. A source of pressurized air was delivered though a hose to the torch head, and directed through heat conductive air tube coils within the torch head. As the air moved through the coils, it acquired some of the heat energy within the welding head. The heated air was then vented into an outer jacket, which contains the electrically conductive cables, and an airspace surrounding the cables. As the heated air moved toward a rear connector block, it contacted the length of the cables, and was further able to transfer some of the heat to the cables. This allowed some of the heat energy contained within the pressurized air to be transferred through physical contact to the metal cable, so that as the air moved farther along the length of the metal cable, it transferred more of its heat energy.
Use of heat exchanging/removal substances directly on surfaces being welded was shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,843 (Hallo), entitled xe2x80x9cMethod for dissipating heatxe2x80x9d. In this invention, a method was shown for increasing the dissipation of heat from one portion of a surface when heat was applied to another portion of the same surface. A composition of a gel or paste with high water content and a thickener of a mineral clay in a colloidal suspension was used. This system had problems associated with the need to make all of the various applications of the gel or paste, and due to the time constraint requirements, was virtually unworkable in a robotic setting.
This invention and method process combines the benefits of heat extraction, using not only water, but also with the use of air supplying a volume area usable as a means to transport water that has undergone conversion to steam away from the welding head. This invention avoids problems of the risk of electrical shock, while still using water, or any liquid capable of undergoing a phase change from liquid to gas when absorbing a significant amount of heat energy per unit of liquid during the phase change, as compared to heat absorption per unit without any phase change, to absorb vast quantities of heat.
Water is a cheap and readily available heat transfer means, which is undoubtedly why it was originally used in the inventions cited above. The problems with water usage, however, drove the inventive ideas of people using these products to turn to air as a means to remove heat. It is clear that a greater quantity of air is required to achieve the same heat removal properties that a much smaller quantity of water is capable of doing, and thus volumes of air needed to be pumped through the system. While remaining a better alternative than liquid water, it still could only provide reasonable cooling.
What was not considered in any of the above inventions, was the incredible heat absorption capacity of water during an evaporation process. The absorption of heat by a substance always produces some change. In addition to thermal expansion, its temperature may rise or it may undergo a phase change in which its physical characteristics are altered without a change in temperature. This is the difference between xe2x80x9cspecific heatxe2x80x9d, which considers the number of calories or heat energy units required to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance one degree Celsius. The amount of heat transferred during changes of phase is called xe2x80x9clatent heatxe2x80x9d. The heat of vaporization for water is extremely large because of the strong attraction between water molecules and the consequently large amounts of energy that must be expended to separate then into the vapor state. For water, the latent heat of vaporization to convert water to steam, where both remain at 100 degrees Celsius is 540 cal/g.
Steam, by its very nature of being in an excited state, requires a great deal more volume then it""s a previous liquid state. None of the above inventions provide for the transfer of latent heat energy, and are thus restricted to much lower levels of heat energy transfer, since they must rely solely on xe2x80x9cspecific heatxe2x80x9d transfers.
This invention takes advantage of the xe2x80x9clatent heatxe2x80x9d transfer, by providing a small quantity of water which is directed through a common atomizer, and then directed into the welding head unit so it can contact those parts of a welding head that absorb great quantities of heat. The atomized water, being presented in a mist form, is able to fill the airspace provided, contact a heated nozzle, and quickly convert into steam which is then able to be injected directly out of the rear of the arc welding nozzle, away from the user. The amount of water used, and thus the amount of steam generated, is extremely small, especially when used in conjunction with other cooling methods. Typically, the user will not even see any appreciable amount of steam exiting the apparatus.
Using only liquid water in the prior art forms shown above, are vastly inefficient as compared with the present invention. For example, a cubic centimeter of water, introduced to absorb heat, where the water is 25 degrees Celsius, is only able to absorb 75 calories of heat, before being expelled for cooling. Then, there is the problem of cooling the water, if it is going to be recycled through the system. Contrast the same cubic centimeter of water with the atomizer steam process, and the ability to absorb heat, has the same cubic centimeter of water absorbing the 75 calories, plus an additional 540 calories that is required to convert the water to steam, for a total of 615 calories. This is over eight times as efficient as the liquid water transfer. The efficiency is further enhanced, since the atomized water, having such a small diameter size, is able to undergo the steam conversion virtually immediately when contacting an extremely hot welding head. This makes quicker use of the latent energy transfer, since only small amounts of atomized water are contacting the hot surfaces at any given time, so that they are raised to 100 degrees Celsius almost immediately, and then undergo the acquisition of latent heat, which is the actual efficient energy transfer. By using an atomizer, the efficiency of the system is virtually always using latent heat exchange.
Using atomized water allows a mist to be introduced to the heated portions of the welding apparatus. This does not cause temperature gradient stress on the parts of the apparatus, that would otherwise occur if a quantity of liquid were simply splashed onto the part. The instantaneous boiling would produce a problem with the rapid expansion of steam, as well as cause the parts themselves to be subject to cracking and other degradations.
The advantages of this innovative system, being able to rely on latent heat transfer is quickly realized when the welding itself is ceased, and the welding apparatus is able to be touched with unprotected human hands within seconds of the termination of the welding. Interchanging parts is able to be done immediately, with the chief benefit, however, being that the parts do not absorb significant amounts heat that causes them to degrade. Therefore, repairs to a welding apparatus are minimized. This system does not produce vast quantities of steam that put other workers at risk, or introduce undesirable amounts of water vapor against other objects.
It is therefore the object of this invention to provide an improved welding apparatus that is able to remove undesired quantities of heat energy from a welding apparatus, with the heat transfer being done virtually immediately through use of latent energy transfer.
It is also a further object of this invention to provide an improved method of removing undesired quantities of heat energy from a welding apparatus, with the heat transfer being done virtually immediately through use of latent energy transfer with atomizer water vapor converted to steam.
It is also a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus and method suitable for robotic, semi-automatic and automatic welding apparatus, that allows continuous use of a welding apparatus with only minimal repairs necessary to the welding apparatus due to heat degradation.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to methods and systems for telecommunications, and in particular, to methods and systems for processing calls.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional corporate enterprise switching systems, such as PBX systems, offer features to make the calling process more convenient. One such feature, termed a callback or campon feature, is used when a caller calls a telephone station that is busy. The callback process determines when the called telephone station is no longer busy and then calls the caller and the called party. In particular, if the called party's telephone line is busy when called, the caller can, via a keypad command, instruct the enterprise telephone system to automatically call the called party's telephone when the called party's telephone line is idle. The telephone system notifies the caller that the called party's telephone is idle by ringing the caller's telephone in a unique manner. If the caller then answers the telephone, the called party's telephone is automatically called and connected to the caller's telephone.
The callback feature relieves the caller from the aggravation and wasted time resulting from repeated attempts to place a call to a busy line, hoping that the line will free up. Unfortunately, the techniques used to accomplish the callback feature within an enterprise switching system, such as a PBX system, are not applicable to other telephone systems, such as cellular phone systems. Further, many conventional systems that do provide callback features outside of an enterprise system are very limited in where they can be located. For example, these conventional systems may need be located at a local exchange of the calling party or between the calling party and the local exchange, and typically also are burdened with having to intercept all the callers calls at the point of origination. Further, these types of conventional systems require that the caller be a callback feature subscriber. Other conventional systems simply repeatedly retry the called number in order to determine when the called line is idle, which is an inefficient use of telephony resources. In addition, in order to perform a callback, many conventional systems are burdened with having to perform a call bridging operation. Hence, conventional telecommunications systems fail to offer the callback feature for many telephony applications.


1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for notifying presence of a vehicle to a periphery of the vehicle appropriately.
2) Description of the Related Art
In recent years, in place of automobiles that use a gasoline engine (an internal combustion engine) as a power source, hybrid automobiles that include both a gasoline engine and an electric motor as power sources, fuel-cell-powered automobiles that travel while generating electric power with a fuel cell using a hydrogen gas as a fuel, electric automobiles that use a battery (an electric motor), which is charged by a charger, as a power source, and the like have started to be widely used.
An advantage in driving a vehicle with such an electric motor is that a traveling sound is small (a silence characteristic is high). However, a pedestrian or a bicycle rider may judge whether an automobile (a vehicle) is present around the pedestrian or the bicycle rider or assume a distance between the vehicle and the pedestrian or the bicycle rider according to an engine sound emitted from the vehicle.
Since the pedestrian or the bicycle rider makes his/her judgment based on a traveling sound of an engine driven vehicle, which has been generally used in the past, there is a problem in that the pedestrian or the bicycle rider may be slow in noticing presence of an electric motor driven vehicle (or a hybrid automobile or a fuel-cell-powered automobile) with a high silence characteristic or may make an error in assumption of a distance.
Usually, a pedestrian walking on a street or a bicycle rider can recognize approach or the like of an automobile (a vehicle) according to an engine sound or the like of the vehicle. However, in the case of the hybrid automobile, since the hybrid automobile is in a mode of traveling by an electric motor rather than traveling by an engine at the time of low-speed traveling, no engine sound is emitted, which causes a near collision or the like. Similarly, in the case of the electric automobile or the fuel-cell-powered automobile, the automobile is always in a mode of traveling by an electric motor. Thus, since a pedestrian cannot recognize approach of the electric automobile or the fuel-cell-powered automobile, which causes a near collision as in the case of the hybrid automobile.
Therefore, vehicle-presence notifying apparatuses for solving the problems caused by the silence characteristic provided in the hybrid automobiles, the fuel-cell-powered automobiles, the electric automobiles, and the like have been disclosed in patent documents.
Concerning this type of a conventional technique, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H11-27810 discloses a technique for an electric automobile that gives an alarm by voice using a speaker or the like to a pedestrian and a driver around its vehicle when the vehicle detects a human body (a pedestrian) with a photographing camera or a radar provided in the vehicle. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H7-322403 discloses a technique for notifying a driving state of an electric automobile to a pedestrian or a driver with sound. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H10-83187 discloses a technique for a hybrid automobile that emits different artificial sounds according to a driving mode at the time of traveling. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H10-178704 discloses a technique for a hybrid automobile that reduces an engine sound When a road, on which a vehicle is traveling, is congested.
However, vehicle-presence notifying apparatuses according to the conventional techniques have problems as described below. In the case of the conventional technique disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H11-27810, it is necessary to provide a sound source for the speaker or the like anew in the electric automobile, which causes an increase in cost. In the case of the conventional techniques disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H7-322403 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H10-83187, an artificial sound for notifying a driving state of the vehicle to a pedestrian or a driver is simply emitted or an artificial sound is emitted according to a driving mode, which only prevents a silence characteristic originally provided in the hybrid automobile and the fuel-cell-powered automobile. In addition, in the case of such conventional techniques, it is possible to notify approach of a vehicle to a pedestrian with an artificial sound or the like emitted from the speaker. However, in the notifying by such an artificial sound, since a pedestrian not in a traveling direction of the vehicle can also hear an alarm sound, the technologies are contrary to the silence characteristic originally provided in the hybrid automobile and the fuel-cell-powered automobile. In residential areas in the suburbs rather than a city where there is heavy traffic of pedestrians, noise caused by automobiles is a problem. Thus, notifying by an alarm sound using the speaker or the like is not so preferable in terms of the environment.


1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a metal foil for an electrolytic capacitor, which is used for an anode foil or a cathode foil, and an electrolytic capacitor using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the modern society, automobiles and electric appliances such as televisions and personal computers have been so widely spread as to be indispensable for daily lives. High performance of electronic parts such as electrolytic capacitors greatly contributes to high functionalization of these products.
In a general electrolytic capacitor, a metal foil made of a valve metal such as aluminum, tantalum, titanium and the like is used for an electrode foil. For example, an electrolytic capacitor, produced by forming a capacitor element in which a rectangular anode foil and a rectangular cathode foil are wound, impregnating a driving electrolytic solution between the rectangular anode foil and the rectangular cathode foil and housing the capacitor element in a casing, has been commercialized. Also, a solid electrolytic capacitor containing a solid electrolyte excellent in electric conductivity such as polythiophene and polypyrrole, instead of the driving electrolytic solution, has been commercialized.
A metal foil for use in such electrolytic capacitors, for example, is manufactured by following method. First, a wide metal strip is subjected to etching treatment to widen the surface area. Next, a wide metal strip for an anode foil having an anodic oxide film which is formed by anodizing the surface of the etched wide metal strip and a wide metal strip for a cathode foil which is only performed the etching treatment are prepared. Thereafter, in a slitting step, these respective wide metal strips are slit in predetermined width with a cutting blade. Further, in a cutting step, the slit metal sheets are cut in pieces by a cutting apparatus to produce rectangular metal foils. (See, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-152436)
Recently, a variety of electronic parts tend to be installed in automobiles and the like for high functionalization. Therefore, electrolytic capacitors with high withstanding voltage having a rated voltage as high as 25 V or 35 V have been required.
However, such electrolytic capacitors with high withstanding voltage have a problem that a short circuit is likely to be caused at the time of manufacture. According to investigations of the present inventor, it is supposed that burrs and cracks produced at a slit edge surface of an anode foil or a cathode foil to be used for manufacturing an electrolytic capacitor with high withstanding voltage are causes of the problem. Specifically, in the case where the anode foil and the cathode foil of an electrolytic capacitor are produced, as described above, by carrying out the slitting step of slitting the wide metal strip subjected to etching treatment in predetermined width, it is required to use metal foils with large etching pits as the anode foil and the cathode foil to produce the electrolytic capacitor with high withstanding voltage. Therefore, when the wide metal strip is slit, the unevenness of the slit edge surface becomes large and accordingly, burrs and cracks tend to be formed at the slit edge surface. Particularly, because the hard anodic oxide film is formed on the surface of the wide metal strip for the anode foil, the cutting blade becomes dull and whereby, burrs and cracks are easy to be formed at the slit edge surface.
In the case where the metal foil having burrs and cracks at the slit edge surface is used to manufacture an electrolytic capacitor, both electrode foils are electrically conducted with the burrs and whereby, a leak current tends to be increased or a short circuit tends to be occur. Further, due to progression of cracks, the leak current tends to be further increased and the capacity tends to be lowered. Therefore, in the industrial manufacture, there is a problem that defective products causing the short circuit and the like tend to be increased and the production yield tends to be lowered.


The present invention relates generally to satellite maneuvering systems, and more particularly, to a magnetic dipole tractor beam control system.
Spacecraft are directed through various maneuvers to guide them along a variety of celestial paths (e.g., interplanetary voyages and orbits around astronomical bodies such as the Earth) to perform a variety of functions (e.g., weather or planet surface monitoring, commercial communications and scientific observations). These spacecraft maneuvers include ones which initially place a spacecraft in a predetermined celestial path, ones which maintain a desired spacecraft station in the celestial path and ones which maintain a desired spacecraft attitude in the celestial path. In an exemplary case in which the celestial path is a geosynchronous Earth orbit, these spacecraft maneuvers are typically referred to as orbital transferring, stationkeeping and attitude controlling.
Spacecraft maneuvers are accomplished by the application of forces and torques to the spacecraft. Typically, orbital transferring and stationkeeeping are achieved by directing force vectors through the center of mass of spacecraft so as to obtain changes in spacecraft position without disturbing spacecraft attitude. In contrast, attitude controlling is typically achieved by spacing force vectors from the center of mass to thereby generate torque vectors which realize attitude changes.
Conventional spacecraft structures for application of spacecraft forces and torques include thrusters, momentum and reaction wheels, surfaces which receive solar pressure (e.g., solar cell arrays), extended masses which interact with ambient gravity gradients, mechanical inter-spacecraft control structures (e.g., mechanical arms) and magnetic torquing coils which interact with ambient magnetic fields (e.g., the Earth""s magnetic field).
Although all of these control structures have been used to effect spacecraft maneuvers, each has characteristics that limit their usefulness. Thruster systems are typically bulky, heavy and expel propellant products which can coat and degrade sensitive spacecraft structures (e.g., electro-optical instruments and solar cell arrays). In addition, fuel is an expendable substance of limited supply and, hence, its lack routinely produces the effective end of useful spacecraft life. Momentum and reaction wheels are restricted to the application of torques and their momentum must be periodically xe2x80x9cdumpedxe2x80x9d with other control structures (e.g., limited-fuel thrusters) when it approaches the design limit of the wheels.
Generation of spacecraft forces and spacecraft torques by use of solar pressure and ambient gravity gradients typically requires the arrangement or deployment of mechanical structures (e.g., selective rotation of solar cell arrays or extension of gravitational masses from the spacecraft on booms or tethers). Alternatively, generation of spacecraft forces and spacecraft torques can be effected with the limited quantity of thruster fuel.
Inter-spacecraft mechanical control structures are typically bulky and heavy which means they use a significant amount of spacecraft volume and weight (quantities which are always in short supply). Such structures can only be applied when the spacecraft spacing is less than the maximum reach of the control structures. In addition, direct-contact mechanical control may initiate a damaging electrostatic discharge because of spacecraft potential differences, may cause mechanical damage and may respond to electrical or mechanical failure by failing to uncouple the spacecrafts.
The application of magnetic fields to spacecraft maneuvers has typically been directed to the use of ambient magnetic fields (e.g., the Earth""s magnetic field) or to the theoretical use of magnetic structures that have been previously distributed in orbit about a celestial body (e.g., see Lebon, Benoit A., xe2x80x9cMagnetic Propulsion along an Orbiting Grain Streamxe2x80x9d, Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 23, March-April, 1986, pp. 141-143).
The forces and torques generated in magnetic structures by an ambient magnetic field have been generally described by many investigators (e.g., see Boyer, Timothy H., xe2x80x9cThe Force on a Magnetic Dipolexe2x80x9d, American Journal of Physics, August 1988, Vol. 56, No. 8, pp. 688-692; Brownstein, K. R., xe2x80x9cForce Exerted on a Magnetic Dipolexe2x80x9d, American Journal of Physics, October 1993, Vol. 61, No. 10, pp. 940-941); Greene, Jack B., et al., xe2x80x9cForce on a Magnetic Dipolexe2x80x9d, American Journal of Physics, February 1971, Vol. 39, pp. 172-175; Hnizdo, V., xe2x80x9cHidden Momentum and the Force on a Magnetic Dipolexe2x80x9d, Magnetic and Electrical Separation, 1992, Vol. 3, pp. 259-265; and Vaidman, Lev, xe2x80x9cTorque and Force on a Magnetic Dipolexe2x80x9d, American Journal of Physics, October 1990, Vol. 58, No. 10, pp. 978-983).
Magnetic forces on neutrally charged objects are not induced by uniform magnetic fields. Accordingly, ambient magnetic fields cannot be used to generate forces on spacecraft because they are essentially uniform at the spatial scale of spacecraft. In addition, the generation of torques with an ambient magnetic field is limited in application because the direction of the ambient magnetic field gradient cannot be selected.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,510 teaches using a magnetic dipole for spacecraft maneuvers. In the ""510 patent, spacecraft maneuvers of a first spacecraft are realized with conventional force and torque generators. Spacecraft maneuvers of a second spacecraft are realized through magnetic interaction between the first and second spacecraft. In particular, a magnetic moment vector m1 of a magnetic system of the first spacecraft and a magnetic moment vector m2 of a magnetic system of the second spacecraft are adjusted to apply selected force vectors and torque vectors to the first and second spacecraft. Unfortunately, the system described in the ""510 patent uses open loop control.
The disadvantages associated with these conventional magnetic maneuvering techniques have made it apparent that a new technique for control of a magnetic dipole tractor beam is needed. Preferably, the new technique would provide closed loop control of a magnetic dipole tractor beam. The present invention is directed to these ends.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an improved and reliable magnetic dipole tractor beam control system. Another object of the invention is to provide closed loop control of a magnetic dipole tractor beam.
In accordance with the objects of this invention, a magnetic dipole tractor beam control system is provided. In one embodiment of the invention, spacecraft maneuvers (e.g., orbit transferring, stationkeeping and attitude controlling) of a first spacecraft are realized with conventional force and torque generators (e.g., thrusters and momentum wheels). Spacecraft maneuvers of a second spacecraft are realized through magnetic interaction between the first and second spacecraft using a closed loop control system. In particular, a magnetic moment vector m1 of a magnetic system of the first spacecraft and a magnetic moment vector m2 of a magnetic system of the second spacecraft are adjusted to apply selected force vectors and torque vectors to the first and second spacecraft using a closed loop control system.
The present invention thus achieves an improved magnetic dipole tractor beam control system. The present invention is advantageous in that it is capable of providing closed loop control of a magnetic dipole tractor beam.
Additional advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the description that follows and may be realized by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


The present invention relates in general to semiconductor memories and in particular to a non-volatile memory array architecture and a method of operation of the same.
The most common variety of non-volatile memories, such as EPROM, flash memory, and some EEPROMs, today employs channel hot electron (CHE) for programming and negative gated Fowler-Nordheim (FN) tunneling for erase. FIG. 1 shows a conventional n-channel stack gate flash memory cell 100. Memory cell 100 includes N+ source 102 and drain 103 regions spaced apart in a P-type silicon substrate 101 to form a channel region 104 therebetween. A floating gate 105 of polycrystalline silicon material is laid on top of a tunneling dielectric 106, which extends over the channel region 104 and overlaps the source 102 and drain 103 regions. Stacked on top of, but insulated from, floating gate 105 is a gate 107 of polycrystalline material. Junction 102 is made deeper than normal in order to minimize the adverse reliability effects of tunnel oxide hot hole trapping during erase operation.
Cell 100 is programmed, i.e., its threshold voltage is raised higher, by applying 10V to gate 107, 5V to drain 103, and grounding source 102. The memory cell is thus strongly turned on, and the cell""s threshold voltage is raised due to injection of hot electrons from the channel region near the drain 103 to floating gate 106, as indicated by the arrow labeled as xe2x80x9cPxe2x80x9d. Cell 100 is erased, i.e., its threshold voltage is lowered, by applying xe2x88x9210V to gate 107, 5V to source 102, and floating drain 103. The cell""s threshold voltage is thus lowered due to tunneling of electrons from the floating gate 105 to source 102, as indicated by the arrow labeled as xe2x80x9cExe2x80x9d.
Conventional memory arrays include a matrix of memory cells arranged along rows and columns. The gates of the cells along each row are connected together forming a wordline. In one array architecture, the cells along each column are grouped in a number of segments, and the drains of the cells in each segment are coupled to a corresponding segment line. The segment lines along each column are coupled to a corresponding data line through one or more segment select transistors. The segmentation of the cells in each column helps reduce the bitline capacitance to that of the metal bitline plus the small capacitance of a selected segment line. Performance of the memory is thus improved.
During programming or read operations, one or more bitlines are selected through a column select circuit for transferring data to or from the selected memory cells. The column select circuit typically has a multiplexer configuration in that a group of serially-connected NMOS pass transistors controlled by column decoding signals selectively couple one or more bitlines to either sense amplifiers (read operation) or data-in buffers (programming operation). Depending on the total number of bitlines in the array and the number of bitlines to be selected, two or more levels of column selection need to be implemented in the column select circuit. The number of levels of column selection correspond to the number of serially-connected pass transistors that couple the selected bitlines to the sense amplifier or data-in buffer. For example, if two levels of column selection are implemented, a selected bitline will be coupled to the sense amplifier or data-in buffer through two serially-connected column select transistors.
The sizes of the column select transistors and the segment select transistors need to be made large enough so that the required cell programming voltage and current can be provided to the selected cell. Because of the programming biasing conditions, the serially connected segment select transistor and column select transistors result in a rather resistive path, which can be compensated for by increasing the transistor sizes. This can be more clearly understood with the help of FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 shows a portion 201 of an array along with a portion 202 of a column select circuit. The array portion 201 includes a memory cell 100 with its gate coupled to wordline WL and its drain coupled to a segment line S0. The source of cell 100 is shown as being connected to ground for simplicity, although, the source is typically connected to a source line which may be decoded to provide ground only to selected memory cells. A segment select transistor MS is coupled between segment line S0 and bitline BL, with its gate coupled to segment select signal SS. Bit line BL is coupled to the data-in block 204 through two serially connected column select transistors MYa and MYb. Column select transistors MYa and MYb are controlled by column decode signals Ya and Yb, respectively. As indicated in FIG. 2, the deeper source junction 102 of the FIG. 1 cell is connected to ground, while the shallower drain junction 103 is connected to segment line S0.
As can be seen, cell 100, and transistors MS, MYa, and MYb are serially-connected to data-in block 204. To program cell 100, 10V is supplied to wordline WL, while 5V needs to be supplied to its drain, i.e., to segment line S0. To supply 5V to segment line S0, data-in block 204 outputs 5V on line 206, and column select signals Ya and Yb as well as segment select signal SS are raised to 10V. Thus, the 5V on line 206 is transferred through transistors MYa, MYb, and MS to segment line S0. The drive capability of each transistor MYa, MYb, MS is, to a first order approximation, equal to its Vgsxe2x88x92Vt, wherein Vgs represents the transistor gate to source voltage, and Vt represents the transistor threshold voltage. For each of transistors MYa, MYb, MS, Vgs=Vgxe2x88x92Vs=10Vxe2x88x925V=5V, and the Vt is approximately 2V because of the back bias effect. Thus, for each transistor MYa, MYb, MS, Vgsxe2x88x92Vt=5Vxe2x88x922V=3V. Because of the small Vgsxe2x88x92Vt of 3V, the sizes of these transistors need to be made large so that sufficient current can be supplied to the cell during programming.
In higher density memories, where the number of levels in the column select circuit increases, the sizes of the column select transistors increase proportionally. This increases the die size. More importantly, as higher performance is required of memory devices, the need for further segmentation of the bitlines increases, resulting in a larger number of segment select transistors in the array. The adverse impact of a larger size segment select transistor and a larger number of segment select transistors on the overall die size can be rather substantial.
FIG. 3 illustrates another draw back of conventional memory arrays, namely, the non-uniform programming characteristic of memory cells in the array due to the source resistance. A portion 300 of a memory array is shown as including 16 memory cells 100-0 to 100-15 along a row. The drain of each cell is coupled to a corresponding segment line S0 to S15, and the gates of the cells are connected to a wordline WL. The sources of the cells are connected together and to metal source lines SLn and SLn+1 through a diffusion strip 310. Resistors R0 to R16 depict the resistance associated with the diffusion strip 310. The cell configuration of FIG. 3 is repeated as many times as required to form the entire array.
For the above-indicated cell biasing during programming, the cell programming performance is dependent primarily upon the gate to source voltage Vgs of the cell. For example, with the wordline WL at 10V, and the source fully grounded, the cell Vgs equals a full 10V. However, because of the presence of the resistive diffusion strip 310, depending on the location of the cells along the diffusion strip 310, the effective Vgs of the cells vary. For example, of the 16 cells, the cells closest to the center of the diffusion strip will have the maximum source resistance, and thus poorer programming characteristics, while the cells closest to the ends of the diffusion strip 310 have minimum source resistance, and thus the best programming characteristics. This leads to the undesirable non-uniform programming characteristics of the cells across the array.
Thus, an array architecture and method of operation are needed whereby the adverse effect of column select and segment select transistor sizes on the die size can be minimized, while a more uniform programming characteristic across the array cells can be obtained.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an array of non-volatile memory cells are arranged along rows and columns. Each memory cell has a drain region spaced apart from a source region to form a channel region therebetween. The drain region has a greater depth than the source region. Each memory cell further has a stack of floating gate and select gate extending over the channel region, the select gate of the cells along each row being connected together to form a wordline. Each of a plurality of data lines is coupled to the drain region of at least a portion of a column of cells. Each of a plurality of source lines is coupled to a source region of a plurality of cells along at least a portion of a row of cells, wherein injection of hot electrons from a portion of the channel region near the source region to the floating gate is induced in a selected memory cell in the array by applying a first voltage to a selected data line to which the drain of the selected memory cell is coupled, a second positive voltage to a word line to which the selected gate of the selected memory cell is coupled, and a third positive voltage to a source line to which the source of the selected memory cell is coupled, wherein the injection of hot electrons increases a threshold voltage of the selected cell.
In one embodiment, the first voltage is in the range of xe2x88x920.5 to +0.5V, the second positive voltage is in the range of 8V to 12V, and the third positive voltage is in the range of 4.0V to 6.0V.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method of operating a memory array is provided. The memory array has a plurality of memory cells arranged along rows and columns. Each memory cell has a source region spaced apart from a drain region to form a channel region therebetween, and a floating gate and select gate stack extending over the channel region. The select gates of the memory cells along each row are coupled together to form a plurality of wordlines. Each of a plurality of data lines is coupled to a drain region of each of a plurality of non-volatile memory cells along a column. Each of a plurality of source lines is coupled to a source region of each of a plurality of memory cells along a row. The method of operation of the memory array is as follows. A first voltage is applied to a selected data line coupled to the selected cell. A second positive voltage is applied to a selected word line coupled to the selected cell. A third positive voltage is applied to a source line coupled to the selected cell, wherein upon applying the first voltage and the second and third positive voltages an injection of hot electrons from a portion of the selected cell""s channel region substantially near the source region to the selected cell""s floating gate is induced whereby a threshold voltage of the selected memory cell is increased.
In one embodiment, the first voltage is in the range of xe2x88x920.5 to +0.5V, the second positive voltage is in the range of 8V to 12V, and the third positive voltage is in the range of 4.0V to 6.0V.
Other advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and the description thereof.


The advent of hearing aids which are inserted directly into the user's ear canal has highlighted the problem of ear wax (cerumen) build up. Cerumen produced in the ear canal can damage hearing aids in several ways. Firstly, the wax can build up in the sound spout of the hearing aid and reduce the sound output by a significant amount. When cerumen totally blocks the sound spout the sound output is nil and the hearing aid appears dead.
Secondly, cerumen may migrate through the sound spout and into the hearing aid receiver thereby causing irreparable damage to the transducer and necessitating extensive repair work.
In addition, wax accumulation presents a problem even if the sound spout is only partly blocked because removing the wax from the hearing aid during cleaning may result in wax inadvertently falling down the sound spout into the receiver port.
As a result of the wax build-up and migration problem, various attempts have been made to delay the progress of the wax into the sound spout and receiver port of the hearing aid. Such attempts are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,627 filed Oct. 22, 1984, European Patent Application No. 0287315 filed Dec. 4, 1988, and U.K. Patent Application GB2155276A filed Jun. 18, 1984. The above patents show various approaches which have been taken to provide a wax guard for the sound spout of a hearing aid. However these proposals have had only limited success in delaying the progress of wax into the sound spout and receiver port or the hearing aid. The ease of removal and cleaning of the guard is very important given the advanced age of many hearing aid users.


Industrial computer systems commonly used for process control purposes are typically made up by combining a plurality of system components made by different manufacturers to meet the performance requirements of different system applications. While it is frequently possible to adapt each individual component for use in a harsh factory environment by providing sealing means in each compartment for excluding dust, moisture, chemical fumes and the like, the provision of such sealing means on an individual component basis is expensive and typically results in components which are characterized by the difficulties encountered in servicing the components. More important, the need for providing system components which are individually sealed seriously limits the variety of systems which can be set up using commercially available components. It has been found that the provision of sealed compartments for such systems has resulted in similar difficulties with respect to permitting free use of various components in the harsh factory environments while also permitting easy servicing of system components in a system console which facilitates operation of a system by a system operator.
In an effort to resolve these problems, factory floor operator interface consoles have been proposed, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,439. While this console provides a sealed compartment chamber for a plurality of process control or computer system components including a central processing unit of a computer, a video display unit having a screen at one end for displaying data provided by the computer, and typically a recorder unit or the like, it does not provide protection for the keyboard when not in use, or a sealed enclosure for a printer, or means to access printer output from a position external to the sealed enclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,121 discloses a space-efficient cabinet for housing a computer workstation. This patent discloses a space-efficient cabinet for housing a computer workstation which can include a video display monitor, a central processing unit with disk drive and a keypad. This cabinet has two generally opposed sidewalls and generally opposed front and back walls, which extend between the sidewalls. At least one horizontal surface is provided extending between the front, back and opposed sidewalls to carry the video display monitor. An inner angled shelf is also present, and is affixed between the sidewalls, to carry the central processing unit and disk drive. The shelf is angled downwardly from front to back relative to the horizontal allowing access to the central processing unit and disk drive whereby disks can be readily inserted into or removed from the central processing unit and disk drive. The angle of the shelf carrying the central processing unit and disk drive ensures a minimal footprint of the cabinet on the floor thus saving floor space. A movable partition is also provided to support the keypad. However, this device does not provide for any sealed environment to protect the computer system from a harsh industrial environment, and does not provide a printer enclosure or means to have access to the printer output from externally of the cabinet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,740 discloses a housing and storage mechanism for a terminal keyboard and display panel. This patent discloses a rectangular housing mounted vertically on a wall having a front face hinged along the lower edge for opening to a horizontal position. A keyboard is mounted on the upper portion of the housing face interiorly of the housing. A data display panel is pivotally suspended from the lower edge of the keyboard. A mechanism activated by the front face engages the lower edge of the display panel and elevates the panel to an angle inclined for convenient viewing when the front face is lowered to a horizontal position. This device is similar to U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,604 which provides for the secure positioning of the keyboard adjacent to the video display unit in either a lowered, use position or a raised, stored position. In the use position, the keyboard is maintained in a stable horizontal orientation immediately below and forward of the face plates of the video display unit. In the stored position, the keyboard is securely maintained in a generally vertical orientation immediately forward of the video display unit's face plate so as to provide protection therefore and enhance the portability of the computer terminal. While these devices provide for the protection of the keyboard and the video display terminal, there is no provision for enclosing and protecting the central processing unit and a printer, or for providing access to printer output external to the enclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,917 discloses construction for a sound reducing printer box. However, this soundproof box construction is not designed to protect the printer from damage in an industrial environment, and has no provision for enclosing the other components of the computer system, or for providing access to printer output external to the enclosure.


The search for novel anti-cancer drugs is a never ending story, since cancer is becoming a more and more important cause of death amongst humans. More than 80% of all anti-cancer drugs are directed towards the apoptosis pathway of tumour cells and are cytotoxic upon activating said pathway.
A large number of cancer cells such as glioblastomas (brain cancers), brain metastases, melanomas, pancreatic cancers, lung cancers of the NSCLC-type, refractory prostate cancers (HRPC), breast cancers such as triple negatives and other types are naturally resistant to apoptosis and cannot be treated by the many known drugs and chemotherapeutics. Development of new compounds having cytotoxic and/or cytostatic effects in tumour or cancer cells, and particularly in tumour or cancer cells which are resistant to apoptosis, is of considerable importance.
A naturally-occurring beta carboline, harmine, has been previously isolated from plants such as the Middle Eastern plant harmal or Syrian rue (Peganum harmala) and the South American vine (Banisteriopsis caapi) and shown to exhibit anti-cancer properties. However, previous reports demonstrated that harmine and its derivatives caused remarkable acute neurotoxicity characterized by tremble, twitch, and jumping in experimental mice model. Results of investigation on the in vitro anti-tumour activity of harmine and certain of its derivatives showed that these compounds had significant inhibition effect on several cultured tumour cell lines, such as HeLa cells (cervical carcinoma), S-180 cells (sarcoma), BEL-7402 cells (hepatoma), MGC-803 cells (gastric carcinoma), CNE2 cells (nasopharyngeal carcinoma), MA782/5S cells (breast cancer) and K562 cells (leucocythemia) (Wu, US 20090227619). EP 0357122 showed cytostatic properties of certain beta-carbolines.
Moreover, harmine and certain of its derivatives exhibited DNA intercalation capacity and topoisomerase I inhibition, which was related to their anti-tumour activity (Cao et al., 2005, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Com. 338: 1557-63).
Additionally, harmine was repeatedly shown to inhibit the protein kinase DYRK1A (Göckler, 2009, FEBS J. 276(21): 6324-37; Seifert, 2008, FEBS J. 275(24): 6268-80; Bain et al., 2007, Biochem J 408: 297-315). Over-expression of the DYRK1A kinase (dual specificity tyrosine-phosphorylated and regulated kinase 1a) has been implicated in multiple diseases or disorders or syndromes prominently including cancer, tumorigenesis and uncontrolled cell proliferation (Laguna et al., 2008, Dev Cell. 15(6): 841-53), but also Alzheimer disease, Pick disease (Ferrer et al., 2005, Neurobiol Dis. 20(2): 392-400) and Down Syndrome (Lepagnol-Bestel et al., 2009, Hum Mol Genet. 18(8): 1405-14).
Moreover, caspase-9 is a substrate of DYRK1A: inhibition of DYRK1A, by, e.g., harmine, induces the activation of caspase-9 and leads to massive apoptosis in different human cell types (Seifert et al., supra). It was also shown that melanomas are intrinsically resistant to pro-apoptosis stimuli and over-express DYRK1A (de Wit et al., 2002, Melanoma Res 12: 57-69). Recently, it was shown that harmine could reverse resistance to anticancer drugs by inhibiting BCRP (Ma et al., 2010, Phytother. Res. 24(1): 146-9).
There is therefore a continuous need in the art for identifying novel anti-proliferative drugs and for improving the efficacy of existing anti-proliferative treatments by combining the latter with novel anti-proliferative drugs.


More recently, drilling tools as well as milling tools have been developed, which, contrary to integral solid tools, are composed of two parts, viz. a basic body and a head detachably connected with the same and thereby being replaceable, in which head the requisite cutting edges are included. In such a way, the major part of the tool can be manufactured from a comparatively inexpensive material having a moderate modulus of elasticity, such as steel, while a smaller part, viz. the head, can be manufactured from a harder and more expensive material, such as cemented carbide, cermet, ceramics and the like, which gives the cutting edges a good chip-removing capacity, good machining precision and long service life. In other words, the head forms a wear part, which can be discarded after wear-out, while the basic body can be re-used several times. A now recognized denomination of such, cutting edge-carrying heads is “loose tops”, which henceforth will be used herein together with the concept “loose top tools”.
On rotatable tools of the loose top type, several requirements are made, one of which is that the loose top should be held centered in an exact and reliable way in relation to the basic body. Accordingly, each unintentional eccentricity between the center axis of the loose top and the center axis of the basic body should not be more than 0.01 mm. Another requirement or desire from the users' side is that the loose top should be mountable and dismountable in a rapid and convenient way without risk of incorrect mounting. Most preferably, mounting and dismounting should be possible to be carried out without the basic body necessarily having to be removed from the driving machine.
Drilling tools as well as milling tools (shank-end mills) of the loose top type are widely described in the patent literature and may be divided into a number of different categories depending on the ideas on which the designs are based. Thus, certain tools use loose tops having rear pins that entirely or partly (together with other coupling details) fulfill the task of centering the loose top in relation to the basic body. To this category belongs among others the tool disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,881, which discloses a loose top drill in which a rear coupling part of the loose top is axially inserted in a jaw between two non-compliant drivers, the insides of which include axially extending, torque-transferring ridges that engage the corresponding chutes in the coupling part included in the loose top, besides which a centric pin protruding rearward from the coupling part is inserted in a center hole mouthing in the bottom of the jaw. With the pin, a screw mounted in a radial, threaded hole in the basic body co-operates, which has the purpose of locking the loose top in relation to the basic body. In that connection, the center pin is cylindrical and insertable at a close (form fitting) fit in a likewise cylindrical center hole, in order to, together with concave and convex contact surfaces of the drivers and the coupling part, respectively, fulfill the purpose of centering the loose top. However, the concurrent requirements of fit not only between the center pin and the hole, but also between the drivers and the coupling part, impose extreme, not to say unattainable, requirements of manufacturing precision. In addition, a conflicting problem will arise if good precision peradventure would be achieved, viz. that the mounting and dismounting of the loose top become difficult to carry out as a consequence of the centering pin requiring great force to be pushed into and pulled out of, respectively, the hole.
With the purpose of obviating the above-mentioned disadvantages of the tool according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,881, it has by EP 2266736 and EP 2266734 been proposed to form the centering pin of the loose top with, on one hand, an essentially semi-cylindrical contact surface concentric with the center axis of the loose top, and on the other hand a diametrically opposite clearance surface, the first-mentioned one of which can—by means of the screw of the tool—be pressed against the inside of a cylindrical centering hole in the basic body. In such a way, the centering pin can be given a cross-sectional area that is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the hole, the mounting and dismounting of the loose top being facilitated without the exact centering of the loose top being jeopardized. However, in this case, a 50% risk arises of incorrect mounting of the loose top in connection with the centering pin being inserted into the hole, in that the contact surface of the pin can be turned toward any half of the internal, cylindrical hole wall.
The present invention aims at obviating not only the serious disadvantages inherent in the loose top tool according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,881, but also the practical mounting inconveniences that have turned out to be associated with the tools and loose tops that are objects of EP 2266736 and EP 2266734.
An object of the invention to provide a loose top tool the loose top of which can, on one hand, be centered in an accurate way in relation to the basic body of the tool, and on the other hand be mounted in a simple way without risk of incorrect mounting. In other words, the operator should without mental effort be able to, in a foolproof way, mount the loose top in only one predetermined position.
Another object of the invention is to provide a loose top tool, the two main components of which, i.e., the basic body and the loose top, respectively, should be manufacturable in an effective and economical way while achieving the desired simplicity of the mounting.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a loose top the centering pin of which is strong and robust.


This invention relates to an improved oxidant and more in particular to an acidic, aqueous, oxidizing agent containing bromate and iodate ions.
Dying of various fabrics to impart a color to the fiber has been practiced for many centuries. The color must generally be permanently and uniformly distributed throughout the fiber and not merely superficially applied to the fiber as in painting. Many different types of natural and regenerated cellulosic fibers have been dyed to impart a color. For example, natural fibers, such as the vegetable fibers cotton, linen, jute, and flax have been dyed. Regenerated cellulosic fibers, such as viscose rayon and cellulose acetate, are those produced from natural materials which were altered by man to produce a desired textile material.
It has become accepted, and common, practice to color these materials with well-known sulfur and vat dyes. These dyes are water insoluble substances which are readily converted to a water soluble or leuco form by reducing the sulfur or vat dye in, for example, a solution containing an alkali and sodium sulfide or hydrosulfite.
The leuco forms of sulfur and vat dyes are water soluble and well known to be substantive to cellulosic fibers. After application to the fiber, the leuco dye must be oxidized to permanently color the fabric. The process of U.S. Pat. No. 3,775,047 oxidized the dye with an aqueous oxidizing solution including acetic acid and sodium or potassium iodate. U.S. Pat. No. 4,042,319 disclosed similar oxidation with an aqueous oxidant containing acetic or formic acid, an alkali bromate and an alkali iodate. Such oxidizing solutions are operable; however, it is desired to provide an improved material suitable to oxidize leuco forms of sulfur and vat dyes.