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null | referring now specifically to the drawings , in which identical or similar parts are designated by the same reference numerals throughout , and first referring to fig1 a convertible automobile seat in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 . the seat 10 provides for the seating of two adults , each of the adult seats being shown to be convertible into an infant seat . it will be clear , however , from the discussion that follows , that the seat 10 can be provided with only one child seat and , therefore , accommodate only one child on one or the other side of the seat 10 . since each of the two seats of the seat 10 are identically constructed , only one will be described in detail , it being understood that the other seat has like construction . the convertible automobile seat 10 in fig1 shows one of the infant seats extended to receive a child , while the other infant seat is in the retracted position to accommodate an adult , as will be more fully described below . each convertible automobile seat in accordance with the present invention includes a back rest section 12 which includes a fixed portion 13 which generally consists of fixed side or lateral portions , and a central movable portion 14 . a conventional seat section 16 is provided which may be fixed relative to the automobile , although the back rest section 12 and the seat section 16 may be adjustably moved relative to each other to accommodate the comfort of a passenger in accordance with well known techniques . the present invention does not relate to the means used to adjust the general positions or orientations of the back rest section 12 and / or the seat section 16 . similarly , while the fixed portion 13 is shown as a smooth surface while the movable and seat portions 14 , 16 are shown tufted , the specific materials or upholstering methods used for the adult seat sections is not critical for purposes of the present invention . an important feature of the present invention is the provision of a head rest 18 which is pivotally mounted for movements between an upper position generally above the back rest section 12 when the seat is to be used by an adult as shown at the right - hand or far view of fig1 and in a lower position generally in front of the back rest section 12 when the seat is to be used by a child as shown at the left - hand or near view of fig1 . when in the upper position , the surface of the head rest 18 facing the seat section 16 is advantageously suitably padded so as to provide a soft surface for the head of the adult . the entire head rest 18 is advantageously padded so as to provide soft surfaces for the child when used in the lower position as a restraint . however , the specific design or material used for the head rest 18 is not critical , except as hereinbelow noted . the head rest 18 is connected at each end or side thereof to two levers or arms 20 which extend between the head rest 18 and pivot pins 22 for pivotally mounting the head rest 18 between the aforementioned positions as shown in fig1 . the arms 20 have substantially equal lengths selected to clear the back rest section 12 when the seat 10 is used by an adult and to engage a child seat 24 , to be described , and restrain a child received in the child seat when the seat is used by a child . the child seat 24 , in the embodiment being described , is of unitary construction and includes side restraining walls 26 which are pivotally mounted on pivot pins 28 . the restraining walls 26 include an upper wall portion 30 , at the rear of the restraining wall 26 , and a lower wall portion 32 at the front of the restraining wall 26 in the extended position of the child seat 24 . in the child seat 24 , being of unitary construction , the back rest 33 and lower seat section 34 are rigidly connected to each other and move together as a single unit between the extended and retracted positions . referring to fig2 and 4 , there is provided a space or storage compartment c behind the back rest section 12 , in the retracted position of the child seat 24 , which receives same as shown in fig4 when the seat 10 is used by an adult . the compartment c may be a space within the seat 10 or may , when the seat 10 is a rear passenger seat , extend into the trunk space . referring to fig5 a head rest lock 35 is provided which includes a loop or retainer 36 which defines an opening for receiving a latch or pin 38 mounted on the head rest 18 for movement between a locking position wherein the head rest is locked in the lower position as shown in fig2 and an unlocked position which permits the head rest to be moved to the upper position shown in fig4 . according to one possible arrangement , the latch 38 consists of a pin mounted for slideable movement into and out of the loop or retainer 36 . advantageously , biasing means in the nature of a spring 40 is provided to resiliently urge the latch or pin 38 to the locking position of the lock 34 . a release member 42 ( as shown in fig1 ) is provided which is attached to the pin 38 which permits the application of an external force to the pin to move same to the unlocked position against the action of the spring 40 . the spring 40 may be in the nature of a compression or a tension spring , depending on which side of the pin 38 or release member 42 it is situated . once the head rest 18 is locked to the lower wall portions 32 , the head rest provides the desired restraint on the child and advantageously cannot be inadvertently unlocked by the child . since the child seat 24 is pivotally mounted , it is important to fix its positions in either the extended or retracted positions thereof . although this can be accomplished in a number of different ways , including a design which maintains the desired positions due to forces of gravity and / or friction , the approach shown in the drawings includes the use of a seat belt 46 which is attached to the forward end of the child seat 24 provided with a male buckle 48 . attached to the top of the seats 10 is a belt 50 provided with a female buckle 52 adapted to receive the male buckle 48 in the retracted position of the seat 24 , as shown in fig4 . when the child seat 24 is in the extended or open position , it may be retained in that position by engaging the male buckle 48 to a female buckle 56 attached to a belt 54 connected to the seat section 16 . connection of the buckle 48 , therefore , to the buckle 52 will maintain the child seat 24 in the closed or retracted position , while connection with the buckle 56 will maintain the child seat 24 in the open or extended position . within the child seat 24 , there is advantageously provided a conventional seat belt restraint 58 of the type commonly used in infant seats , although the nature or construction of the restraint 58 is not critical and any such restraint may be used . another embodiment 10 &# 39 ; of the invention is illustrated in fig6 . here , while the central movable portion 14 &# 39 ; forms part of a child seat 24 &# 39 ;, only the lower seat section 34 is pivotally mounted together with modified side restraining walls 26 &# 39 ;. the child seat 24 &# 39 ; is not of unitary construction as the previously described seat 10 , and the back rest 33 &# 39 ; remains fixed in all positions of the seat 10 &# 39 ;. the lowering of the seat section 34 converts the seat 10 &# 39 ; to a children &# 39 ; s seat and exposes the back rest 33 &# 39 ;. there is no need , therefore , to provide a separate storage compartment similar to the compartment c shown in fig2 and 4 . while the invention is described with reference to specific embodiments thereof and with respect to the incorporation therein of certain combinations of features , it is to be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms , many of which do not incorporate all of the features present in this specific embodiment of this invention which has been described . for this reason , the invention is to be taken and limited only as defined by the claims that follow . | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Performing Operations; Transporting'? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Human Necessities'? | 0.25 | 05479a5abd0240a88e107bb9a75eddee14019d469ee1653c29cf49c0f5b880f0 | 0.084961 | 0.055908 | 0.140625 | 0.006897 | 0.128906 | 0.030273 |
null | referring now specifically to the drawings , in which identical or similar parts are designated by the same reference numerals throughout , and first referring to fig1 a convertible automobile seat in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 . the seat 10 provides for the seating of two adults , each of the adult seats being shown to be convertible into an infant seat . it will be clear , however , from the discussion that follows , that the seat 10 can be provided with only one child seat and , therefore , accommodate only one child on one or the other side of the seat 10 . since each of the two seats of the seat 10 are identically constructed , only one will be described in detail , it being understood that the other seat has like construction . the convertible automobile seat 10 in fig1 shows one of the infant seats extended to receive a child , while the other infant seat is in the retracted position to accommodate an adult , as will be more fully described below . each convertible automobile seat in accordance with the present invention includes a back rest section 12 which includes a fixed portion 13 which generally consists of fixed side or lateral portions , and a central movable portion 14 . a conventional seat section 16 is provided which may be fixed relative to the automobile , although the back rest section 12 and the seat section 16 may be adjustably moved relative to each other to accommodate the comfort of a passenger in accordance with well known techniques . the present invention does not relate to the means used to adjust the general positions or orientations of the back rest section 12 and / or the seat section 16 . similarly , while the fixed portion 13 is shown as a smooth surface while the movable and seat portions 14 , 16 are shown tufted , the specific materials or upholstering methods used for the adult seat sections is not critical for purposes of the present invention . an important feature of the present invention is the provision of a head rest 18 which is pivotally mounted for movements between an upper position generally above the back rest section 12 when the seat is to be used by an adult as shown at the right - hand or far view of fig1 and in a lower position generally in front of the back rest section 12 when the seat is to be used by a child as shown at the left - hand or near view of fig1 . when in the upper position , the surface of the head rest 18 facing the seat section 16 is advantageously suitably padded so as to provide a soft surface for the head of the adult . the entire head rest 18 is advantageously padded so as to provide soft surfaces for the child when used in the lower position as a restraint . however , the specific design or material used for the head rest 18 is not critical , except as hereinbelow noted . the head rest 18 is connected at each end or side thereof to two levers or arms 20 which extend between the head rest 18 and pivot pins 22 for pivotally mounting the head rest 18 between the aforementioned positions as shown in fig1 . the arms 20 have substantially equal lengths selected to clear the back rest section 12 when the seat 10 is used by an adult and to engage a child seat 24 , to be described , and restrain a child received in the child seat when the seat is used by a child . the child seat 24 , in the embodiment being described , is of unitary construction and includes side restraining walls 26 which are pivotally mounted on pivot pins 28 . the restraining walls 26 include an upper wall portion 30 , at the rear of the restraining wall 26 , and a lower wall portion 32 at the front of the restraining wall 26 in the extended position of the child seat 24 . in the child seat 24 , being of unitary construction , the back rest 33 and lower seat section 34 are rigidly connected to each other and move together as a single unit between the extended and retracted positions . referring to fig2 and 4 , there is provided a space or storage compartment c behind the back rest section 12 , in the retracted position of the child seat 24 , which receives same as shown in fig4 when the seat 10 is used by an adult . the compartment c may be a space within the seat 10 or may , when the seat 10 is a rear passenger seat , extend into the trunk space . referring to fig5 a head rest lock 35 is provided which includes a loop or retainer 36 which defines an opening for receiving a latch or pin 38 mounted on the head rest 18 for movement between a locking position wherein the head rest is locked in the lower position as shown in fig2 and an unlocked position which permits the head rest to be moved to the upper position shown in fig4 . according to one possible arrangement , the latch 38 consists of a pin mounted for slideable movement into and out of the loop or retainer 36 . advantageously , biasing means in the nature of a spring 40 is provided to resiliently urge the latch or pin 38 to the locking position of the lock 34 . a release member 42 ( as shown in fig1 ) is provided which is attached to the pin 38 which permits the application of an external force to the pin to move same to the unlocked position against the action of the spring 40 . the spring 40 may be in the nature of a compression or a tension spring , depending on which side of the pin 38 or release member 42 it is situated . once the head rest 18 is locked to the lower wall portions 32 , the head rest provides the desired restraint on the child and advantageously cannot be inadvertently unlocked by the child . since the child seat 24 is pivotally mounted , it is important to fix its positions in either the extended or retracted positions thereof . although this can be accomplished in a number of different ways , including a design which maintains the desired positions due to forces of gravity and / or friction , the approach shown in the drawings includes the use of a seat belt 46 which is attached to the forward end of the child seat 24 provided with a male buckle 48 . attached to the top of the seats 10 is a belt 50 provided with a female buckle 52 adapted to receive the male buckle 48 in the retracted position of the seat 24 , as shown in fig4 . when the child seat 24 is in the extended or open position , it may be retained in that position by engaging the male buckle 48 to a female buckle 56 attached to a belt 54 connected to the seat section 16 . connection of the buckle 48 , therefore , to the buckle 52 will maintain the child seat 24 in the closed or retracted position , while connection with the buckle 56 will maintain the child seat 24 in the open or extended position . within the child seat 24 , there is advantageously provided a conventional seat belt restraint 58 of the type commonly used in infant seats , although the nature or construction of the restraint 58 is not critical and any such restraint may be used . another embodiment 10 &# 39 ; of the invention is illustrated in fig6 . here , while the central movable portion 14 &# 39 ; forms part of a child seat 24 &# 39 ;, only the lower seat section 34 is pivotally mounted together with modified side restraining walls 26 &# 39 ;. the child seat 24 &# 39 ; is not of unitary construction as the previously described seat 10 , and the back rest 33 &# 39 ; remains fixed in all positions of the seat 10 &# 39 ;. the lowering of the seat section 34 converts the seat 10 &# 39 ; to a children &# 39 ; s seat and exposes the back rest 33 &# 39 ;. there is no need , therefore , to provide a separate storage compartment similar to the compartment c shown in fig2 and 4 . while the invention is described with reference to specific embodiments thereof and with respect to the incorporation therein of certain combinations of features , it is to be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms , many of which do not incorporate all of the features present in this specific embodiment of this invention which has been described . for this reason , the invention is to be taken and limited only as defined by the claims that follow . | Should this patent be classified under 'Performing Operations; Transporting'? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Chemistry; Metallurgy'? | 0.25 | 05479a5abd0240a88e107bb9a75eddee14019d469ee1653c29cf49c0f5b880f0 | 0.092773 | 0.000103 | 0.123535 | 0.000019 | 0.126953 | 0.001099 |
null | referring now specifically to the drawings , in which identical or similar parts are designated by the same reference numerals throughout , and first referring to fig1 a convertible automobile seat in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 . the seat 10 provides for the seating of two adults , each of the adult seats being shown to be convertible into an infant seat . it will be clear , however , from the discussion that follows , that the seat 10 can be provided with only one child seat and , therefore , accommodate only one child on one or the other side of the seat 10 . since each of the two seats of the seat 10 are identically constructed , only one will be described in detail , it being understood that the other seat has like construction . the convertible automobile seat 10 in fig1 shows one of the infant seats extended to receive a child , while the other infant seat is in the retracted position to accommodate an adult , as will be more fully described below . each convertible automobile seat in accordance with the present invention includes a back rest section 12 which includes a fixed portion 13 which generally consists of fixed side or lateral portions , and a central movable portion 14 . a conventional seat section 16 is provided which may be fixed relative to the automobile , although the back rest section 12 and the seat section 16 may be adjustably moved relative to each other to accommodate the comfort of a passenger in accordance with well known techniques . the present invention does not relate to the means used to adjust the general positions or orientations of the back rest section 12 and / or the seat section 16 . similarly , while the fixed portion 13 is shown as a smooth surface while the movable and seat portions 14 , 16 are shown tufted , the specific materials or upholstering methods used for the adult seat sections is not critical for purposes of the present invention . an important feature of the present invention is the provision of a head rest 18 which is pivotally mounted for movements between an upper position generally above the back rest section 12 when the seat is to be used by an adult as shown at the right - hand or far view of fig1 and in a lower position generally in front of the back rest section 12 when the seat is to be used by a child as shown at the left - hand or near view of fig1 . when in the upper position , the surface of the head rest 18 facing the seat section 16 is advantageously suitably padded so as to provide a soft surface for the head of the adult . the entire head rest 18 is advantageously padded so as to provide soft surfaces for the child when used in the lower position as a restraint . however , the specific design or material used for the head rest 18 is not critical , except as hereinbelow noted . the head rest 18 is connected at each end or side thereof to two levers or arms 20 which extend between the head rest 18 and pivot pins 22 for pivotally mounting the head rest 18 between the aforementioned positions as shown in fig1 . the arms 20 have substantially equal lengths selected to clear the back rest section 12 when the seat 10 is used by an adult and to engage a child seat 24 , to be described , and restrain a child received in the child seat when the seat is used by a child . the child seat 24 , in the embodiment being described , is of unitary construction and includes side restraining walls 26 which are pivotally mounted on pivot pins 28 . the restraining walls 26 include an upper wall portion 30 , at the rear of the restraining wall 26 , and a lower wall portion 32 at the front of the restraining wall 26 in the extended position of the child seat 24 . in the child seat 24 , being of unitary construction , the back rest 33 and lower seat section 34 are rigidly connected to each other and move together as a single unit between the extended and retracted positions . referring to fig2 and 4 , there is provided a space or storage compartment c behind the back rest section 12 , in the retracted position of the child seat 24 , which receives same as shown in fig4 when the seat 10 is used by an adult . the compartment c may be a space within the seat 10 or may , when the seat 10 is a rear passenger seat , extend into the trunk space . referring to fig5 a head rest lock 35 is provided which includes a loop or retainer 36 which defines an opening for receiving a latch or pin 38 mounted on the head rest 18 for movement between a locking position wherein the head rest is locked in the lower position as shown in fig2 and an unlocked position which permits the head rest to be moved to the upper position shown in fig4 . according to one possible arrangement , the latch 38 consists of a pin mounted for slideable movement into and out of the loop or retainer 36 . advantageously , biasing means in the nature of a spring 40 is provided to resiliently urge the latch or pin 38 to the locking position of the lock 34 . a release member 42 ( as shown in fig1 ) is provided which is attached to the pin 38 which permits the application of an external force to the pin to move same to the unlocked position against the action of the spring 40 . the spring 40 may be in the nature of a compression or a tension spring , depending on which side of the pin 38 or release member 42 it is situated . once the head rest 18 is locked to the lower wall portions 32 , the head rest provides the desired restraint on the child and advantageously cannot be inadvertently unlocked by the child . since the child seat 24 is pivotally mounted , it is important to fix its positions in either the extended or retracted positions thereof . although this can be accomplished in a number of different ways , including a design which maintains the desired positions due to forces of gravity and / or friction , the approach shown in the drawings includes the use of a seat belt 46 which is attached to the forward end of the child seat 24 provided with a male buckle 48 . attached to the top of the seats 10 is a belt 50 provided with a female buckle 52 adapted to receive the male buckle 48 in the retracted position of the seat 24 , as shown in fig4 . when the child seat 24 is in the extended or open position , it may be retained in that position by engaging the male buckle 48 to a female buckle 56 attached to a belt 54 connected to the seat section 16 . connection of the buckle 48 , therefore , to the buckle 52 will maintain the child seat 24 in the closed or retracted position , while connection with the buckle 56 will maintain the child seat 24 in the open or extended position . within the child seat 24 , there is advantageously provided a conventional seat belt restraint 58 of the type commonly used in infant seats , although the nature or construction of the restraint 58 is not critical and any such restraint may be used . another embodiment 10 &# 39 ; of the invention is illustrated in fig6 . here , while the central movable portion 14 &# 39 ; forms part of a child seat 24 &# 39 ;, only the lower seat section 34 is pivotally mounted together with modified side restraining walls 26 &# 39 ;. the child seat 24 &# 39 ; is not of unitary construction as the previously described seat 10 , and the back rest 33 &# 39 ; remains fixed in all positions of the seat 10 &# 39 ;. the lowering of the seat section 34 converts the seat 10 &# 39 ; to a children &# 39 ; s seat and exposes the back rest 33 &# 39 ;. there is no need , therefore , to provide a separate storage compartment similar to the compartment c shown in fig2 and 4 . while the invention is described with reference to specific embodiments thereof and with respect to the incorporation therein of certain combinations of features , it is to be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms , many of which do not incorporate all of the features present in this specific embodiment of this invention which has been described . for this reason , the invention is to be taken and limited only as defined by the claims that follow . | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Performing Operations; Transporting'? | Is 'Textiles; Paper' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | 05479a5abd0240a88e107bb9a75eddee14019d469ee1653c29cf49c0f5b880f0 | 0.088867 | 0.000805 | 0.140625 | 0.000075 | 0.128906 | 0.001869 |
null | referring now specifically to the drawings , in which identical or similar parts are designated by the same reference numerals throughout , and first referring to fig1 a convertible automobile seat in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 . the seat 10 provides for the seating of two adults , each of the adult seats being shown to be convertible into an infant seat . it will be clear , however , from the discussion that follows , that the seat 10 can be provided with only one child seat and , therefore , accommodate only one child on one or the other side of the seat 10 . since each of the two seats of the seat 10 are identically constructed , only one will be described in detail , it being understood that the other seat has like construction . the convertible automobile seat 10 in fig1 shows one of the infant seats extended to receive a child , while the other infant seat is in the retracted position to accommodate an adult , as will be more fully described below . each convertible automobile seat in accordance with the present invention includes a back rest section 12 which includes a fixed portion 13 which generally consists of fixed side or lateral portions , and a central movable portion 14 . a conventional seat section 16 is provided which may be fixed relative to the automobile , although the back rest section 12 and the seat section 16 may be adjustably moved relative to each other to accommodate the comfort of a passenger in accordance with well known techniques . the present invention does not relate to the means used to adjust the general positions or orientations of the back rest section 12 and / or the seat section 16 . similarly , while the fixed portion 13 is shown as a smooth surface while the movable and seat portions 14 , 16 are shown tufted , the specific materials or upholstering methods used for the adult seat sections is not critical for purposes of the present invention . an important feature of the present invention is the provision of a head rest 18 which is pivotally mounted for movements between an upper position generally above the back rest section 12 when the seat is to be used by an adult as shown at the right - hand or far view of fig1 and in a lower position generally in front of the back rest section 12 when the seat is to be used by a child as shown at the left - hand or near view of fig1 . when in the upper position , the surface of the head rest 18 facing the seat section 16 is advantageously suitably padded so as to provide a soft surface for the head of the adult . the entire head rest 18 is advantageously padded so as to provide soft surfaces for the child when used in the lower position as a restraint . however , the specific design or material used for the head rest 18 is not critical , except as hereinbelow noted . the head rest 18 is connected at each end or side thereof to two levers or arms 20 which extend between the head rest 18 and pivot pins 22 for pivotally mounting the head rest 18 between the aforementioned positions as shown in fig1 . the arms 20 have substantially equal lengths selected to clear the back rest section 12 when the seat 10 is used by an adult and to engage a child seat 24 , to be described , and restrain a child received in the child seat when the seat is used by a child . the child seat 24 , in the embodiment being described , is of unitary construction and includes side restraining walls 26 which are pivotally mounted on pivot pins 28 . the restraining walls 26 include an upper wall portion 30 , at the rear of the restraining wall 26 , and a lower wall portion 32 at the front of the restraining wall 26 in the extended position of the child seat 24 . in the child seat 24 , being of unitary construction , the back rest 33 and lower seat section 34 are rigidly connected to each other and move together as a single unit between the extended and retracted positions . referring to fig2 and 4 , there is provided a space or storage compartment c behind the back rest section 12 , in the retracted position of the child seat 24 , which receives same as shown in fig4 when the seat 10 is used by an adult . the compartment c may be a space within the seat 10 or may , when the seat 10 is a rear passenger seat , extend into the trunk space . referring to fig5 a head rest lock 35 is provided which includes a loop or retainer 36 which defines an opening for receiving a latch or pin 38 mounted on the head rest 18 for movement between a locking position wherein the head rest is locked in the lower position as shown in fig2 and an unlocked position which permits the head rest to be moved to the upper position shown in fig4 . according to one possible arrangement , the latch 38 consists of a pin mounted for slideable movement into and out of the loop or retainer 36 . advantageously , biasing means in the nature of a spring 40 is provided to resiliently urge the latch or pin 38 to the locking position of the lock 34 . a release member 42 ( as shown in fig1 ) is provided which is attached to the pin 38 which permits the application of an external force to the pin to move same to the unlocked position against the action of the spring 40 . the spring 40 may be in the nature of a compression or a tension spring , depending on which side of the pin 38 or release member 42 it is situated . once the head rest 18 is locked to the lower wall portions 32 , the head rest provides the desired restraint on the child and advantageously cannot be inadvertently unlocked by the child . since the child seat 24 is pivotally mounted , it is important to fix its positions in either the extended or retracted positions thereof . although this can be accomplished in a number of different ways , including a design which maintains the desired positions due to forces of gravity and / or friction , the approach shown in the drawings includes the use of a seat belt 46 which is attached to the forward end of the child seat 24 provided with a male buckle 48 . attached to the top of the seats 10 is a belt 50 provided with a female buckle 52 adapted to receive the male buckle 48 in the retracted position of the seat 24 , as shown in fig4 . when the child seat 24 is in the extended or open position , it may be retained in that position by engaging the male buckle 48 to a female buckle 56 attached to a belt 54 connected to the seat section 16 . connection of the buckle 48 , therefore , to the buckle 52 will maintain the child seat 24 in the closed or retracted position , while connection with the buckle 56 will maintain the child seat 24 in the open or extended position . within the child seat 24 , there is advantageously provided a conventional seat belt restraint 58 of the type commonly used in infant seats , although the nature or construction of the restraint 58 is not critical and any such restraint may be used . another embodiment 10 &# 39 ; of the invention is illustrated in fig6 . here , while the central movable portion 14 &# 39 ; forms part of a child seat 24 &# 39 ;, only the lower seat section 34 is pivotally mounted together with modified side restraining walls 26 &# 39 ;. the child seat 24 &# 39 ; is not of unitary construction as the previously described seat 10 , and the back rest 33 &# 39 ; remains fixed in all positions of the seat 10 &# 39 ;. the lowering of the seat section 34 converts the seat 10 &# 39 ; to a children &# 39 ; s seat and exposes the back rest 33 &# 39 ;. there is no need , therefore , to provide a separate storage compartment similar to the compartment c shown in fig2 and 4 . while the invention is described with reference to specific embodiments thereof and with respect to the incorporation therein of certain combinations of features , it is to be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms , many of which do not incorporate all of the features present in this specific embodiment of this invention which has been described . for this reason , the invention is to be taken and limited only as defined by the claims that follow . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Performing Operations; Transporting'? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Fixed Constructions'? | 0.25 | 05479a5abd0240a88e107bb9a75eddee14019d469ee1653c29cf49c0f5b880f0 | 0.09668 | 0.014038 | 0.083984 | 0.032471 | 0.129883 | 0.017456 |
null | referring now specifically to the drawings , in which identical or similar parts are designated by the same reference numerals throughout , and first referring to fig1 a convertible automobile seat in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 . the seat 10 provides for the seating of two adults , each of the adult seats being shown to be convertible into an infant seat . it will be clear , however , from the discussion that follows , that the seat 10 can be provided with only one child seat and , therefore , accommodate only one child on one or the other side of the seat 10 . since each of the two seats of the seat 10 are identically constructed , only one will be described in detail , it being understood that the other seat has like construction . the convertible automobile seat 10 in fig1 shows one of the infant seats extended to receive a child , while the other infant seat is in the retracted position to accommodate an adult , as will be more fully described below . each convertible automobile seat in accordance with the present invention includes a back rest section 12 which includes a fixed portion 13 which generally consists of fixed side or lateral portions , and a central movable portion 14 . a conventional seat section 16 is provided which may be fixed relative to the automobile , although the back rest section 12 and the seat section 16 may be adjustably moved relative to each other to accommodate the comfort of a passenger in accordance with well known techniques . the present invention does not relate to the means used to adjust the general positions or orientations of the back rest section 12 and / or the seat section 16 . similarly , while the fixed portion 13 is shown as a smooth surface while the movable and seat portions 14 , 16 are shown tufted , the specific materials or upholstering methods used for the adult seat sections is not critical for purposes of the present invention . an important feature of the present invention is the provision of a head rest 18 which is pivotally mounted for movements between an upper position generally above the back rest section 12 when the seat is to be used by an adult as shown at the right - hand or far view of fig1 and in a lower position generally in front of the back rest section 12 when the seat is to be used by a child as shown at the left - hand or near view of fig1 . when in the upper position , the surface of the head rest 18 facing the seat section 16 is advantageously suitably padded so as to provide a soft surface for the head of the adult . the entire head rest 18 is advantageously padded so as to provide soft surfaces for the child when used in the lower position as a restraint . however , the specific design or material used for the head rest 18 is not critical , except as hereinbelow noted . the head rest 18 is connected at each end or side thereof to two levers or arms 20 which extend between the head rest 18 and pivot pins 22 for pivotally mounting the head rest 18 between the aforementioned positions as shown in fig1 . the arms 20 have substantially equal lengths selected to clear the back rest section 12 when the seat 10 is used by an adult and to engage a child seat 24 , to be described , and restrain a child received in the child seat when the seat is used by a child . the child seat 24 , in the embodiment being described , is of unitary construction and includes side restraining walls 26 which are pivotally mounted on pivot pins 28 . the restraining walls 26 include an upper wall portion 30 , at the rear of the restraining wall 26 , and a lower wall portion 32 at the front of the restraining wall 26 in the extended position of the child seat 24 . in the child seat 24 , being of unitary construction , the back rest 33 and lower seat section 34 are rigidly connected to each other and move together as a single unit between the extended and retracted positions . referring to fig2 and 4 , there is provided a space or storage compartment c behind the back rest section 12 , in the retracted position of the child seat 24 , which receives same as shown in fig4 when the seat 10 is used by an adult . the compartment c may be a space within the seat 10 or may , when the seat 10 is a rear passenger seat , extend into the trunk space . referring to fig5 a head rest lock 35 is provided which includes a loop or retainer 36 which defines an opening for receiving a latch or pin 38 mounted on the head rest 18 for movement between a locking position wherein the head rest is locked in the lower position as shown in fig2 and an unlocked position which permits the head rest to be moved to the upper position shown in fig4 . according to one possible arrangement , the latch 38 consists of a pin mounted for slideable movement into and out of the loop or retainer 36 . advantageously , biasing means in the nature of a spring 40 is provided to resiliently urge the latch or pin 38 to the locking position of the lock 34 . a release member 42 ( as shown in fig1 ) is provided which is attached to the pin 38 which permits the application of an external force to the pin to move same to the unlocked position against the action of the spring 40 . the spring 40 may be in the nature of a compression or a tension spring , depending on which side of the pin 38 or release member 42 it is situated . once the head rest 18 is locked to the lower wall portions 32 , the head rest provides the desired restraint on the child and advantageously cannot be inadvertently unlocked by the child . since the child seat 24 is pivotally mounted , it is important to fix its positions in either the extended or retracted positions thereof . although this can be accomplished in a number of different ways , including a design which maintains the desired positions due to forces of gravity and / or friction , the approach shown in the drawings includes the use of a seat belt 46 which is attached to the forward end of the child seat 24 provided with a male buckle 48 . attached to the top of the seats 10 is a belt 50 provided with a female buckle 52 adapted to receive the male buckle 48 in the retracted position of the seat 24 , as shown in fig4 . when the child seat 24 is in the extended or open position , it may be retained in that position by engaging the male buckle 48 to a female buckle 56 attached to a belt 54 connected to the seat section 16 . connection of the buckle 48 , therefore , to the buckle 52 will maintain the child seat 24 in the closed or retracted position , while connection with the buckle 56 will maintain the child seat 24 in the open or extended position . within the child seat 24 , there is advantageously provided a conventional seat belt restraint 58 of the type commonly used in infant seats , although the nature or construction of the restraint 58 is not critical and any such restraint may be used . another embodiment 10 &# 39 ; of the invention is illustrated in fig6 . here , while the central movable portion 14 &# 39 ; forms part of a child seat 24 &# 39 ;, only the lower seat section 34 is pivotally mounted together with modified side restraining walls 26 &# 39 ;. the child seat 24 &# 39 ; is not of unitary construction as the previously described seat 10 , and the back rest 33 &# 39 ; remains fixed in all positions of the seat 10 &# 39 ;. the lowering of the seat section 34 converts the seat 10 &# 39 ; to a children &# 39 ; s seat and exposes the back rest 33 &# 39 ;. there is no need , therefore , to provide a separate storage compartment similar to the compartment c shown in fig2 and 4 . while the invention is described with reference to specific embodiments thereof and with respect to the incorporation therein of certain combinations of features , it is to be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms , many of which do not incorporate all of the features present in this specific embodiment of this invention which has been described . for this reason , the invention is to be taken and limited only as defined by the claims that follow . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Performing Operations; Transporting'? | Should this patent be classified under 'Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting'? | 0.25 | 05479a5abd0240a88e107bb9a75eddee14019d469ee1653c29cf49c0f5b880f0 | 0.09668 | 0.000075 | 0.083984 | 0.00014 | 0.129883 | 0.001549 |
null | referring now specifically to the drawings , in which identical or similar parts are designated by the same reference numerals throughout , and first referring to fig1 a convertible automobile seat in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 . the seat 10 provides for the seating of two adults , each of the adult seats being shown to be convertible into an infant seat . it will be clear , however , from the discussion that follows , that the seat 10 can be provided with only one child seat and , therefore , accommodate only one child on one or the other side of the seat 10 . since each of the two seats of the seat 10 are identically constructed , only one will be described in detail , it being understood that the other seat has like construction . the convertible automobile seat 10 in fig1 shows one of the infant seats extended to receive a child , while the other infant seat is in the retracted position to accommodate an adult , as will be more fully described below . each convertible automobile seat in accordance with the present invention includes a back rest section 12 which includes a fixed portion 13 which generally consists of fixed side or lateral portions , and a central movable portion 14 . a conventional seat section 16 is provided which may be fixed relative to the automobile , although the back rest section 12 and the seat section 16 may be adjustably moved relative to each other to accommodate the comfort of a passenger in accordance with well known techniques . the present invention does not relate to the means used to adjust the general positions or orientations of the back rest section 12 and / or the seat section 16 . similarly , while the fixed portion 13 is shown as a smooth surface while the movable and seat portions 14 , 16 are shown tufted , the specific materials or upholstering methods used for the adult seat sections is not critical for purposes of the present invention . an important feature of the present invention is the provision of a head rest 18 which is pivotally mounted for movements between an upper position generally above the back rest section 12 when the seat is to be used by an adult as shown at the right - hand or far view of fig1 and in a lower position generally in front of the back rest section 12 when the seat is to be used by a child as shown at the left - hand or near view of fig1 . when in the upper position , the surface of the head rest 18 facing the seat section 16 is advantageously suitably padded so as to provide a soft surface for the head of the adult . the entire head rest 18 is advantageously padded so as to provide soft surfaces for the child when used in the lower position as a restraint . however , the specific design or material used for the head rest 18 is not critical , except as hereinbelow noted . the head rest 18 is connected at each end or side thereof to two levers or arms 20 which extend between the head rest 18 and pivot pins 22 for pivotally mounting the head rest 18 between the aforementioned positions as shown in fig1 . the arms 20 have substantially equal lengths selected to clear the back rest section 12 when the seat 10 is used by an adult and to engage a child seat 24 , to be described , and restrain a child received in the child seat when the seat is used by a child . the child seat 24 , in the embodiment being described , is of unitary construction and includes side restraining walls 26 which are pivotally mounted on pivot pins 28 . the restraining walls 26 include an upper wall portion 30 , at the rear of the restraining wall 26 , and a lower wall portion 32 at the front of the restraining wall 26 in the extended position of the child seat 24 . in the child seat 24 , being of unitary construction , the back rest 33 and lower seat section 34 are rigidly connected to each other and move together as a single unit between the extended and retracted positions . referring to fig2 and 4 , there is provided a space or storage compartment c behind the back rest section 12 , in the retracted position of the child seat 24 , which receives same as shown in fig4 when the seat 10 is used by an adult . the compartment c may be a space within the seat 10 or may , when the seat 10 is a rear passenger seat , extend into the trunk space . referring to fig5 a head rest lock 35 is provided which includes a loop or retainer 36 which defines an opening for receiving a latch or pin 38 mounted on the head rest 18 for movement between a locking position wherein the head rest is locked in the lower position as shown in fig2 and an unlocked position which permits the head rest to be moved to the upper position shown in fig4 . according to one possible arrangement , the latch 38 consists of a pin mounted for slideable movement into and out of the loop or retainer 36 . advantageously , biasing means in the nature of a spring 40 is provided to resiliently urge the latch or pin 38 to the locking position of the lock 34 . a release member 42 ( as shown in fig1 ) is provided which is attached to the pin 38 which permits the application of an external force to the pin to move same to the unlocked position against the action of the spring 40 . the spring 40 may be in the nature of a compression or a tension spring , depending on which side of the pin 38 or release member 42 it is situated . once the head rest 18 is locked to the lower wall portions 32 , the head rest provides the desired restraint on the child and advantageously cannot be inadvertently unlocked by the child . since the child seat 24 is pivotally mounted , it is important to fix its positions in either the extended or retracted positions thereof . although this can be accomplished in a number of different ways , including a design which maintains the desired positions due to forces of gravity and / or friction , the approach shown in the drawings includes the use of a seat belt 46 which is attached to the forward end of the child seat 24 provided with a male buckle 48 . attached to the top of the seats 10 is a belt 50 provided with a female buckle 52 adapted to receive the male buckle 48 in the retracted position of the seat 24 , as shown in fig4 . when the child seat 24 is in the extended or open position , it may be retained in that position by engaging the male buckle 48 to a female buckle 56 attached to a belt 54 connected to the seat section 16 . connection of the buckle 48 , therefore , to the buckle 52 will maintain the child seat 24 in the closed or retracted position , while connection with the buckle 56 will maintain the child seat 24 in the open or extended position . within the child seat 24 , there is advantageously provided a conventional seat belt restraint 58 of the type commonly used in infant seats , although the nature or construction of the restraint 58 is not critical and any such restraint may be used . another embodiment 10 &# 39 ; of the invention is illustrated in fig6 . here , while the central movable portion 14 &# 39 ; forms part of a child seat 24 &# 39 ;, only the lower seat section 34 is pivotally mounted together with modified side restraining walls 26 &# 39 ;. the child seat 24 &# 39 ; is not of unitary construction as the previously described seat 10 , and the back rest 33 &# 39 ; remains fixed in all positions of the seat 10 &# 39 ;. the lowering of the seat section 34 converts the seat 10 &# 39 ; to a children &# 39 ; s seat and exposes the back rest 33 &# 39 ;. there is no need , therefore , to provide a separate storage compartment similar to the compartment c shown in fig2 and 4 . while the invention is described with reference to specific embodiments thereof and with respect to the incorporation therein of certain combinations of features , it is to be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms , many of which do not incorporate all of the features present in this specific embodiment of this invention which has been described . for this reason , the invention is to be taken and limited only as defined by the claims that follow . | Is 'Performing Operations; Transporting' the correct technical category for the patent? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Physics'? | 0.25 | 05479a5abd0240a88e107bb9a75eddee14019d469ee1653c29cf49c0f5b880f0 | 0.040771 | 0.027222 | 0.15625 | 0.003174 | 0.05835 | 0.03418 |
null | referring now specifically to the drawings , in which identical or similar parts are designated by the same reference numerals throughout , and first referring to fig1 a convertible automobile seat in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 . the seat 10 provides for the seating of two adults , each of the adult seats being shown to be convertible into an infant seat . it will be clear , however , from the discussion that follows , that the seat 10 can be provided with only one child seat and , therefore , accommodate only one child on one or the other side of the seat 10 . since each of the two seats of the seat 10 are identically constructed , only one will be described in detail , it being understood that the other seat has like construction . the convertible automobile seat 10 in fig1 shows one of the infant seats extended to receive a child , while the other infant seat is in the retracted position to accommodate an adult , as will be more fully described below . each convertible automobile seat in accordance with the present invention includes a back rest section 12 which includes a fixed portion 13 which generally consists of fixed side or lateral portions , and a central movable portion 14 . a conventional seat section 16 is provided which may be fixed relative to the automobile , although the back rest section 12 and the seat section 16 may be adjustably moved relative to each other to accommodate the comfort of a passenger in accordance with well known techniques . the present invention does not relate to the means used to adjust the general positions or orientations of the back rest section 12 and / or the seat section 16 . similarly , while the fixed portion 13 is shown as a smooth surface while the movable and seat portions 14 , 16 are shown tufted , the specific materials or upholstering methods used for the adult seat sections is not critical for purposes of the present invention . an important feature of the present invention is the provision of a head rest 18 which is pivotally mounted for movements between an upper position generally above the back rest section 12 when the seat is to be used by an adult as shown at the right - hand or far view of fig1 and in a lower position generally in front of the back rest section 12 when the seat is to be used by a child as shown at the left - hand or near view of fig1 . when in the upper position , the surface of the head rest 18 facing the seat section 16 is advantageously suitably padded so as to provide a soft surface for the head of the adult . the entire head rest 18 is advantageously padded so as to provide soft surfaces for the child when used in the lower position as a restraint . however , the specific design or material used for the head rest 18 is not critical , except as hereinbelow noted . the head rest 18 is connected at each end or side thereof to two levers or arms 20 which extend between the head rest 18 and pivot pins 22 for pivotally mounting the head rest 18 between the aforementioned positions as shown in fig1 . the arms 20 have substantially equal lengths selected to clear the back rest section 12 when the seat 10 is used by an adult and to engage a child seat 24 , to be described , and restrain a child received in the child seat when the seat is used by a child . the child seat 24 , in the embodiment being described , is of unitary construction and includes side restraining walls 26 which are pivotally mounted on pivot pins 28 . the restraining walls 26 include an upper wall portion 30 , at the rear of the restraining wall 26 , and a lower wall portion 32 at the front of the restraining wall 26 in the extended position of the child seat 24 . in the child seat 24 , being of unitary construction , the back rest 33 and lower seat section 34 are rigidly connected to each other and move together as a single unit between the extended and retracted positions . referring to fig2 and 4 , there is provided a space or storage compartment c behind the back rest section 12 , in the retracted position of the child seat 24 , which receives same as shown in fig4 when the seat 10 is used by an adult . the compartment c may be a space within the seat 10 or may , when the seat 10 is a rear passenger seat , extend into the trunk space . referring to fig5 a head rest lock 35 is provided which includes a loop or retainer 36 which defines an opening for receiving a latch or pin 38 mounted on the head rest 18 for movement between a locking position wherein the head rest is locked in the lower position as shown in fig2 and an unlocked position which permits the head rest to be moved to the upper position shown in fig4 . according to one possible arrangement , the latch 38 consists of a pin mounted for slideable movement into and out of the loop or retainer 36 . advantageously , biasing means in the nature of a spring 40 is provided to resiliently urge the latch or pin 38 to the locking position of the lock 34 . a release member 42 ( as shown in fig1 ) is provided which is attached to the pin 38 which permits the application of an external force to the pin to move same to the unlocked position against the action of the spring 40 . the spring 40 may be in the nature of a compression or a tension spring , depending on which side of the pin 38 or release member 42 it is situated . once the head rest 18 is locked to the lower wall portions 32 , the head rest provides the desired restraint on the child and advantageously cannot be inadvertently unlocked by the child . since the child seat 24 is pivotally mounted , it is important to fix its positions in either the extended or retracted positions thereof . although this can be accomplished in a number of different ways , including a design which maintains the desired positions due to forces of gravity and / or friction , the approach shown in the drawings includes the use of a seat belt 46 which is attached to the forward end of the child seat 24 provided with a male buckle 48 . attached to the top of the seats 10 is a belt 50 provided with a female buckle 52 adapted to receive the male buckle 48 in the retracted position of the seat 24 , as shown in fig4 . when the child seat 24 is in the extended or open position , it may be retained in that position by engaging the male buckle 48 to a female buckle 56 attached to a belt 54 connected to the seat section 16 . connection of the buckle 48 , therefore , to the buckle 52 will maintain the child seat 24 in the closed or retracted position , while connection with the buckle 56 will maintain the child seat 24 in the open or extended position . within the child seat 24 , there is advantageously provided a conventional seat belt restraint 58 of the type commonly used in infant seats , although the nature or construction of the restraint 58 is not critical and any such restraint may be used . another embodiment 10 &# 39 ; of the invention is illustrated in fig6 . here , while the central movable portion 14 &# 39 ; forms part of a child seat 24 &# 39 ;, only the lower seat section 34 is pivotally mounted together with modified side restraining walls 26 &# 39 ;. the child seat 24 &# 39 ; is not of unitary construction as the previously described seat 10 , and the back rest 33 &# 39 ; remains fixed in all positions of the seat 10 &# 39 ;. the lowering of the seat section 34 converts the seat 10 &# 39 ; to a children &# 39 ; s seat and exposes the back rest 33 &# 39 ;. there is no need , therefore , to provide a separate storage compartment similar to the compartment c shown in fig2 and 4 . while the invention is described with reference to specific embodiments thereof and with respect to the incorporation therein of certain combinations of features , it is to be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms , many of which do not incorporate all of the features present in this specific embodiment of this invention which has been described . for this reason , the invention is to be taken and limited only as defined by the claims that follow . | Should this patent be classified under 'Performing Operations; Transporting'? | Is 'Electricity' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | 05479a5abd0240a88e107bb9a75eddee14019d469ee1653c29cf49c0f5b880f0 | 0.094238 | 0.000062 | 0.123535 | 0.000158 | 0.126953 | 0.00008 |
null | referring now specifically to the drawings , in which identical or similar parts are designated by the same reference numerals throughout , and first referring to fig1 a convertible automobile seat in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 . the seat 10 provides for the seating of two adults , each of the adult seats being shown to be convertible into an infant seat . it will be clear , however , from the discussion that follows , that the seat 10 can be provided with only one child seat and , therefore , accommodate only one child on one or the other side of the seat 10 . since each of the two seats of the seat 10 are identically constructed , only one will be described in detail , it being understood that the other seat has like construction . the convertible automobile seat 10 in fig1 shows one of the infant seats extended to receive a child , while the other infant seat is in the retracted position to accommodate an adult , as will be more fully described below . each convertible automobile seat in accordance with the present invention includes a back rest section 12 which includes a fixed portion 13 which generally consists of fixed side or lateral portions , and a central movable portion 14 . a conventional seat section 16 is provided which may be fixed relative to the automobile , although the back rest section 12 and the seat section 16 may be adjustably moved relative to each other to accommodate the comfort of a passenger in accordance with well known techniques . the present invention does not relate to the means used to adjust the general positions or orientations of the back rest section 12 and / or the seat section 16 . similarly , while the fixed portion 13 is shown as a smooth surface while the movable and seat portions 14 , 16 are shown tufted , the specific materials or upholstering methods used for the adult seat sections is not critical for purposes of the present invention . an important feature of the present invention is the provision of a head rest 18 which is pivotally mounted for movements between an upper position generally above the back rest section 12 when the seat is to be used by an adult as shown at the right - hand or far view of fig1 and in a lower position generally in front of the back rest section 12 when the seat is to be used by a child as shown at the left - hand or near view of fig1 . when in the upper position , the surface of the head rest 18 facing the seat section 16 is advantageously suitably padded so as to provide a soft surface for the head of the adult . the entire head rest 18 is advantageously padded so as to provide soft surfaces for the child when used in the lower position as a restraint . however , the specific design or material used for the head rest 18 is not critical , except as hereinbelow noted . the head rest 18 is connected at each end or side thereof to two levers or arms 20 which extend between the head rest 18 and pivot pins 22 for pivotally mounting the head rest 18 between the aforementioned positions as shown in fig1 . the arms 20 have substantially equal lengths selected to clear the back rest section 12 when the seat 10 is used by an adult and to engage a child seat 24 , to be described , and restrain a child received in the child seat when the seat is used by a child . the child seat 24 , in the embodiment being described , is of unitary construction and includes side restraining walls 26 which are pivotally mounted on pivot pins 28 . the restraining walls 26 include an upper wall portion 30 , at the rear of the restraining wall 26 , and a lower wall portion 32 at the front of the restraining wall 26 in the extended position of the child seat 24 . in the child seat 24 , being of unitary construction , the back rest 33 and lower seat section 34 are rigidly connected to each other and move together as a single unit between the extended and retracted positions . referring to fig2 and 4 , there is provided a space or storage compartment c behind the back rest section 12 , in the retracted position of the child seat 24 , which receives same as shown in fig4 when the seat 10 is used by an adult . the compartment c may be a space within the seat 10 or may , when the seat 10 is a rear passenger seat , extend into the trunk space . referring to fig5 a head rest lock 35 is provided which includes a loop or retainer 36 which defines an opening for receiving a latch or pin 38 mounted on the head rest 18 for movement between a locking position wherein the head rest is locked in the lower position as shown in fig2 and an unlocked position which permits the head rest to be moved to the upper position shown in fig4 . according to one possible arrangement , the latch 38 consists of a pin mounted for slideable movement into and out of the loop or retainer 36 . advantageously , biasing means in the nature of a spring 40 is provided to resiliently urge the latch or pin 38 to the locking position of the lock 34 . a release member 42 ( as shown in fig1 ) is provided which is attached to the pin 38 which permits the application of an external force to the pin to move same to the unlocked position against the action of the spring 40 . the spring 40 may be in the nature of a compression or a tension spring , depending on which side of the pin 38 or release member 42 it is situated . once the head rest 18 is locked to the lower wall portions 32 , the head rest provides the desired restraint on the child and advantageously cannot be inadvertently unlocked by the child . since the child seat 24 is pivotally mounted , it is important to fix its positions in either the extended or retracted positions thereof . although this can be accomplished in a number of different ways , including a design which maintains the desired positions due to forces of gravity and / or friction , the approach shown in the drawings includes the use of a seat belt 46 which is attached to the forward end of the child seat 24 provided with a male buckle 48 . attached to the top of the seats 10 is a belt 50 provided with a female buckle 52 adapted to receive the male buckle 48 in the retracted position of the seat 24 , as shown in fig4 . when the child seat 24 is in the extended or open position , it may be retained in that position by engaging the male buckle 48 to a female buckle 56 attached to a belt 54 connected to the seat section 16 . connection of the buckle 48 , therefore , to the buckle 52 will maintain the child seat 24 in the closed or retracted position , while connection with the buckle 56 will maintain the child seat 24 in the open or extended position . within the child seat 24 , there is advantageously provided a conventional seat belt restraint 58 of the type commonly used in infant seats , although the nature or construction of the restraint 58 is not critical and any such restraint may be used . another embodiment 10 &# 39 ; of the invention is illustrated in fig6 . here , while the central movable portion 14 &# 39 ; forms part of a child seat 24 &# 39 ;, only the lower seat section 34 is pivotally mounted together with modified side restraining walls 26 &# 39 ;. the child seat 24 &# 39 ; is not of unitary construction as the previously described seat 10 , and the back rest 33 &# 39 ; remains fixed in all positions of the seat 10 &# 39 ;. the lowering of the seat section 34 converts the seat 10 &# 39 ; to a children &# 39 ; s seat and exposes the back rest 33 &# 39 ;. there is no need , therefore , to provide a separate storage compartment similar to the compartment c shown in fig2 and 4 . while the invention is described with reference to specific embodiments thereof and with respect to the incorporation therein of certain combinations of features , it is to be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms , many of which do not incorporate all of the features present in this specific embodiment of this invention which has been described . for this reason , the invention is to be taken and limited only as defined by the claims that follow . | Is 'Performing Operations; Transporting' the correct technical category for the patent? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology'? | 0.25 | 05479a5abd0240a88e107bb9a75eddee14019d469ee1653c29cf49c0f5b880f0 | 0.041992 | 0.061768 | 0.15625 | 0.114258 | 0.05835 | 0.052734 |
null | the present invention is directed to the roasting of foodstuff and , in particular , to a coffee bean roasting method and apparatus having an internal air cleaning system that eliminates the need for exhausting roasting air to the exterior of buildings as well as for an afterburner to clean the roasting air before it is exhausted , that discharges clean air at or near room temperature that can be vented interiorly , and that assures consistent and uniform bean flavor , aroma and quality without the need for an attending roastmaster . as a result , roasting machines made in accordance with this invention can be placed inside stores and can be operated to provide daily roasted coffee beans that have consistent and uniform flavor . all this is achieved at a cost that is typically less than the cost of centrally roasting beans and distributing the roasted beans to retailers as is presently done . although this application makes reference primarily to the roasting of coffee beans , the invention can be applied to roasting other foodstuffs such as other types of beans , seeds , nuts , kernels , and the like . one aspect of the present invention is an automated method of roasting by computer monitoring and control without the need for subjective judgment . applicants have determined that the darkness or color of roasted beans is a reliable indicator of the development of the beans during roasting and the finish of coffee when brewed with such beans . a reflectometer ( or spectrometer ) is used to monitor the change in darkness ( or color ) of the beans during roasting . when the beans have reached a predetermined darkness , the reflectometer sends a signal to the computer to terminate the roasting . to enhance the quality and consistency of the roasted beans , other parameters that affect the ultimate finish can and should also be monitored and input into the computer to control roasting . for instance , the roasting speed , or the time over which the beans are roasted , the color or darkness development during the prescribed roasting time , the prevailing pressure in the roasting chamber , the roasting temperature , and the like can be monitored and used to determine when roasting should cease and / or what roasting parameters , such as heat , air flow or pressure , need to be adjusted . fig1 schematically illustrates a centrally controlled multi - station coffee roasting system 10 constructed and operated in accordance with the invention . it has a central control station 11 that includes a computer or master control server 12 and a plurality of , typically many , geographically dispersed individual roasting machines 14 networked with computer 12 . each of the individual roasting machines 14 includes an on - board computer with programmable logic controllers ( plcs ) and / or a central processing unit ( cpu ) with on - board memory that is networked ( telephonically or by wireless techniques ) with the control server . the control station includes a sample roasting machine 11 a that is constructed substantially identical to the individual roasting machines 14 and with which a roastmaster performs sample roasts of different types of coffee beans to establish for each bean type one or more desired coffee roast profiles and finishes . recordable parameters of relevant characteristics , primarily the darkness of the beans being sample - roasted and , secondarily , the roasting time , roasting pressure , roasting temperature , and the like , are monitored and recorded . when the roastmaster has attained a specific darkness that he or she wish to replicate with the roasting machines 14 installed at the retail establishments , the corresponding roasting parameters 11 b are stored in the memory of master control server 12 . the roastmaster will normally select a number of , say twelve , fifteen , or the like , different types of beans for which the needed roasting parameters are established and stored in the memory of the central processor . all parameters , or at least those for beans that are to be roasted on one or more of the individual roasting machines that form part of the system , are then downloaded to a memory that forms part of the computer contained in each of the individual roasting machines . the stored parameters are then available to control and terminate bean roasting on each individual machine , as is described in more detail below . alternatively , as already mentioned above , each individual roasting machine can be directly controlled with a mainframe computer at the central control station , thereby eliminating the need for on - board computers on the individual roasting machines . in addition to controlling the roasting of the beans by the individual roasting machines , master control server 12 can advantageously be used to monitor and assist in the management of the individual machines . for example , the inventory of green beans at the individual machines may be monitored , and fresh beans can then be automatically reordered from a suitable supplier to assure that sufficient beans are always available when a low - inventory signal is received to assure an adequate bean supply at each individual machine . in addition , the machines , computers and the central computer can be used to monitor and record machine usage ( for example on the basis of processed bean weight , roasting time , or the like ) as well as for billing , establishing profiles of bean types and / or aroma selection systemwide and at each individual roasting machine , and the like . along the same lines , the machines &# 39 ; computers and the central control server can be used for diagnostic purposes , for example to determine malfunctions or needed adjustments and the like for each individual machine , by providing access to the various roasting process monitors and sensors that form part of the roasting machines . a major advantage of the centralized system 10 is that consistent , uniform , high quality bean roasts are assured . further , since each roasting machine is on - site and can be activated whenever needed , the retailer can limit each roast so that no more than one - day &# 39 ; s requirements for the beans are roasted , thereby assuring freshness and the best possible product for the consumer . referring to fig2 , 4 and 6 , an individual roasting machine 14 made according to this invention has a rotary storage hopper 22 for storing and dispensing the foodstuff ( e . g . the beans ) to be roasted . the hopper is on top of and supported by a housing 24 , and a roasting drum 44 is located inside of the housing . a bean handling system directs a selected bean type from hopper 22 into the drum and , after roasting , discharges the roasted beans onto a cooling tray 26 that protrudes horizontally from the housing . also disposed on the inside of housing 24 is an air supply system that heats intake air to the desired roasting temperature , directs the heated air into the roasting drum , and from the drum directs the used or exhaust air through air cooling and air cleaning systems for the subsequent discharge of the used air at about room temperature into the atmosphere immediately surrounding the roasting machine . thus , when installed in a supermarket , for example , the used air will be discharged into the interior of the surrounding building . to be acceptable for complete indoor installation and operation , the used air cleaning system removes all pollutants , such as white plume smoke , oily smoke , particulate matter , including chaff , volatiles , hydrocarbons , and the like , that are generated during roasting before the air is discharged from the machine . referring to fig2 and 3 , rotary hopper 22 has a cylindrical exterior , comprises , for example , sixteen sector - shaped , upright compartments 30 arranged about the center of the hopper , and is rotatable about an upright shaft 30 . a drive ( not separately shown ) incrementally advances the hopper about the upright shaft for indexing a bean discharge opening 36 at the bottom of each compartment with a green bean scale 42 of the roasting machine . a gate 116 keeps the compartment discharge openings 36 normally closed . when the opening of a given compartment is aligned with the scale and beans are to be transferred to the roasting drum , an actuator 117 under the control of the on - board computer of the roasting machine opens the gate so that the beans gravitationally flow onto the scale . when the desired quantity of beans has been transferred to the scale , the compartment gate is closed again . in one preferred embodiment of the invention , appropriate electronics 42 a of the scale generate a weight - responsive electrical signal that is used to close the compartment gate when the preselected quantity of beans has been received on the scale . the hopper 22 includes a removable lid or cover 34 ( fig2 ) to protect the beans and provide access to the hopper compartment , for example for replenishing the beans in the compartments . referring to fig5 , 5 a and 5 b , the roasting of the beans takes place in a roasting drum 44 formed by concentric inner and outer drums 82 , 84 . the outer drum is cylindrical , stationary , sealed and has an upright front plate that is fixed , e . g . bolted to the frame . the outer drum forms a horizontal tubular chamber that extends rearwardly and , at the aft end of the outer drum , mounts an aft end plate 102 that defines a downwardly extending exhaust air outlet 90 . in a presently preferred embodiment , the aft end of the outer drum and the forward end of the aft plate 102 form mating flanges that are held together with a conventional , schematically illustrated flange clamp 103 that permits quick removal of the clamp and disassembly of the drum . the inner drum is perforated and has a rear wall 83 and a spider 85 with preferably three equally - spaced , radial legs that project inwardly from the inner drum , or two spiders 85 ( the second being substituted for the rear wall 83 ). at the axial center of the drum , the rear wall and spider ( s ) are fixed to a drum shaft 87 that is rotatable in shaft bearings 87 a and 87 b of front plate 104 and aft plate 103 of the outer drum . a pulley 89 driven by a motor ( not separately shown ) via a belt 89 a rotates shaft 87 and therewith the inner drum in a given , say clockwise , direction ( as viewed in fig5 a ). the inner drum further includes a plurality of elongated , generally longitudinally extending vanes 94 that project perpendicular to the inner drum wall and extend along a thread - like or helical line over the length of the inner drum . in the presently preferred embodiment , four such vanes are equally spaced about the inside of the inner drum , and the vanes extend through the sector - shaped openings formed by the radial legs of the spiders 85 . to remove beans that may become trapped in the annular space between the inner and outer drums , a spiral bean removal brush 91 can optionally be provided . it is made of heat - resistant material , e . g . stainless steel , extends helically over the length of the inner drum , and projects from the periphery thereof into the annular space to a point close to but slightly spaced from the inner surface of the outer drum 84 . when the drum rotates , beans in the annular space between the drums are moved rearwardly by brush 91 and are ultimately discharged into the downwardly extending exhaust air outlet 90 ( or into a bean collection receptacle or a separately provided bean removal conduit ( not shown )). front plate 104 of roasting drum 44 has a tubular bean intake conduit 86 the open end of which is positioned immediately below a scale discharge opening 43 so that a fresh batch of green beans that has been weighed on the scale flows gravitationally into the drum for roasting by opening gate 43 a following the weighing of the beans by the scale . roasted beans are removed from drum 44 via a bean outlet 88 in front plate 104 and via a discharge chute 110 onto cooling tray 26 by opening a drum discharge gate 122 . during roasting , the pressure inside the roasting drum exceeds atmospheric pressure , in a presently preferred embodiment by about 1 . 5 psi . to prevent the escape of the hot roasting air , a gate — in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention , a butterfly disc 86 a — is placed in the tubular conduit 86 between scale 42 and the interior of the drum . the butterfly disc includes a heat - resistant seal ( not separately shown ) that prevents the hot , pressurized air in the drum from escaping through the bean intake conduit . the butterfly disc remains closed at all times except when a fresh batch of green beans is to be gravitationally transferred from the scale to the drum interior . it is operated by a suitable drive ( not separately shown ) that is under the control of the computer of the roasting machine and is preferably synchronized with the activator ( not shown ) for scale gate 43 a . similarly , bean discharge gate 122 is provided with a seal formed by a high temperature seal ring ( not separately shown ) that prevents the escape of hot , pressurized air from the interior of the drum when the gate is in its closed position . in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention , discharge gate 122 is hinged to the front plate 104 along its upper edge and a linear drive ( not separately shown ) is provided for opening and closing the discharge gate . the drive for the discharge gate is also under the control of the computer of the roasting machine . as is described in more detail below , the roasting of the beans is monitored with a reflectometer 108 ( or a spectrometer for monitoring color ) suitably mounted adjacent to front plate 104 with a holder 108 a . the reflectometer directs a laser beam 109 through a window 98 in the front plate into the interior of the roasting drum . finally , rear plate 104 includes a hot roasting air inlet 92 that receives hot roasting air from an air intake conduit 92 a . turning now to the manner in which fresh or green coffee beans are roasted in accordance with the invention , different types of green beans are placed into the hopper compartment 30 and an appropriate command is entered into an on - board computer 40 of the roasting machine which of the bean types is to be roasted . its computer selects the appropriate hopper compartment and activates the hopper drive ( not shown in the drawings ) to rotationally advance the hopper until the discharge opening 36 of the selected compartment is immediately above scale 42 . actuator 117 opens hopper gate 116 and green beans gravitationally drop onto the scale where they are weighed . when the desired weight of beans that is to be roasted has been received on the scale , the actuator , preferably via a signal from scale electronics 42 a , closes the hopper gate and therewith terminates the transfer of beans . the computer next activates the drive for bean inlet closure disc 86 a to open it and also opens gate 43 a in scale discharge opening 43 , thereby permitting the beans to gravitationally flow from the scale via bean inlet 86 into the interior of inner drum 82 . thereafter intake disc gate 86 a , as well as bean discharge gate 122 , are closed , or maintained closed , to form a seal and prevent the escape of pressurized air from the interior of the drum through the bean intake or outlet . the drum drive ( not separately shown ) is energized , to rotate in a drum 82 via pulley 89 , and the air circulation system is activated to flow hot roasting air through hot air inlet 92 and the interior of the drum for discharge through exhaust or used air outlet 90 , thereby bringing the beans to the roasting temperature . the green beans introduced into the drum at the beginning of roasting initially rest at the bottom of the inner drum 82 . when rotation commences , the radially inwardly extending vanes 94 pick up quantities of beans in a pocket defined by each vane and the portion of the inner drum adjoining the vane . as rotation of the drum continues , the beans in the pocket are lifted upwardly until the vane rises above the axis of shaft 87 , at which point the side of the vane facing the pocket becomes downwardly inclined and the beans roll off the vane under the influence of gravity . the vanes are helically curved so that the sides thereof that form the pocket slope downwardly towards front plate 104 of the roasting drum . as a result , as the inner drum rotates , the beans in the pocket are also urged towards the front plate . thus , a stream of beans 95 from the elevated vane is intermittently formed in the vicinity of window 98 each time one of the vanes ( with beans in the pocket ) rises above the shaft centerline . in the process , the beans become heated to the roasting temperature and as roasting time continues they undergo a gradual color change and darkening , which , for coffee beans , progresses from an initial gray - green color of the green beans to a light color giving the beans a bleached appearance and then to increasingly dark shades of brown . the laser ( not separately shown ) of the reflectometer 108 is continuously or intermittently activated to direct laser light onto the stream of beans 95 on the inside of the drum . laser light impinging on the beans is reflected and the reflected light is sensed and analyzed by the reflectometer , for example by determining its wavelength . the desired darkness of the finished roasted beans ( which was previously downloaded from the computer at the central control station ) is stored in the memory of the on - board computer 40 of the roasting machine and compared with an output signal generated by the reflectometer that indicates the darkness of the beans in real time . when the signal from the reflectometer matches the stored signal in the on - board computer , roasting is terminated . in a preferred embodiment , roasting is terminated by initially ceasing the heating of the roasting air flowing into the drum while continuing to rotate the inner drum ( with bean outlet gate 122 closed ) for about 30 to 45 seconds in a gradually cooling environment that enhances the finish that can be obtained with many types of beans . in addition , while full heat roasting of the beans continues , the light / dark development of the beans inside the drum is monitored by reflectometer 108 , which generates corresponding signals that are fed to the on - board computer . in a preferred embodiment , the memory of the on - board computer includes light / dark level data that was generated during sample roasting at the central control station , typically as a function of roasting time and / or roasting temperature . whenever the darkness level of the beans being roasted deviates from the corresponding stored darkness level data , operating parameters , such as the roasting air temperature and / or roasting air flow rate , are adjusted to bring the darkness level of the beans being roasted in compliance with the stored darkness information in the memory of the on - board computer . in this manner , the test roast , which was performed to establish optimal roasting parameters for a given type of bean and / or roasting profile , is precisely replicated at each and every roasting operation on any and all of the individual roasting machines that are networked with the central computer at the central computer 12 at control station 11 . once the beans are ready for discharge , the on - board computer activates the drive ( not shown ) for bean discharge gate 122 by moving it into its open position shown in fig6 . the continued rotation of inner drum 83 , coupled with the helical shape of vanes 94 therein , gradually moves the beans in the direction of bean discharge opening 88 , from where the roasted beans gravitationally drop onto cooling tray 26 . the cooling tray is preferably circular in shape ( see fig2 ) and includes one or more wiper arms 27 that slowly rotate with upright shaft 27 a protruding from the tray . the arms gradually move the beans over the tray to facilitate their cooling , and , upon completion of the cooling , push the beans through a finish roasted bean discharge opening 124 to a suitable collection point or into a canister ( not shown ). the discharge opening is preferably located adjacent the periphery of the cooling tray , and the wiper arms are shaped so that they slowly direct the beans towards the periphery of the tray . the discharge opening is normally closed by a gate 125 that is opened via a suitable actuator ( not shown ) that is manually or automatically ( by the on - board computer ) opened after the beans have been sufficiently cooled . the cooling tray preferably includes perforations 26 a ( not shown and of a sufficiently small size to prevent beans from dropping through or becoming lodged in them ) so that cooling air can be flowed over the beans on the tray to accelerate their cooling and , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention , to use the heat of the cooling beans for preheating fresh air before it is heated for roasting a new batch of green beans that was placed into the drum . referring to fig4 and 7 - 10 , each individual roasting machine 14 includes an air supply or circulation system that comprises a blower 48 for generating an air flow through roasting drum 44 for the eventual discharge of the air from the machine . in a presently preferred embodiment of the roasting machine in which 6 - lb . batches of green beans are roasted in about twelve minutes , the blower has a 2½ hp motor , generates a pressure rise of about 1 . 5 psi at about 50 cfm through the air circulation system , and heats the air , as a result of the compression of the air , by about 30 ° f .- 50 ° f . ( about 17 ° c .- 28 ° c .). as is best seen in fig8 , the air circulation system preferably receives fresh intake air that was preheated by flowing it over just - roasted , still - hot beans on cooling tray 26 and through perforations 26 a therein to thereby reduce the overall energy consumption of the machine . since the intake air may pick up particulates and white plume smoke as it passes over the roasted beans on the cooling tray , a prefilter 50 is provided to remove such smoke and debris before the air enters fan 48 . filter 50 preferably comprises a 0 . 3 - micron hepa filter with a relatively low pressure drop so that it can remove the white plume smoke and smoke particulates from the intake air . fan 48 is coupled to a heat exchanger 54 , which preheats the air from the fan . the structure and operation of the heat exchanger is discussed in more detail below . the preheated air flows from the heat exchanger 54 to a heater 56 for heating it to the desired roasting temperature . the heater 56 is preferably a flow - through electric duct ( tubular ) heater 56 capable of heating the incoming air from about 120 ° f . ( about 49 ° c .) and at 50 cfm to the roasting temperature , e . g . about 500 ° f . ( about 260 ° c .). from the heater the roasting air flows via a conduit 92 a and past roasting air inlet 92 into and through the roasting drum from which it exits via used air exit 90 . in the drum , the green beans give off particulates , including chaff , as well as white plume smoke , oily smoke , volatiles , hydrocarbons , and the like , which are carried out of the roasting drum by the air . to enable the discharge of the air into the indoor environment surrounding each individual roasting machine 14 , the used roasting air must be cleaned and cooled before it can be discharged . chaff , an onionskin - like husk byproduct that is flaked off the beans in the roasting drum , is removed in a chaff collector 60 located downstream of and coupled to roasting drum 44 . the chaff collector 60 comprises a vortex particulate separator ( not shown ) that captures the chaff and lets the air through . the chaff collecting tray is periodically removed and cleaned as needed . a primary filter 64 is coupled to the chaff collector 60 via a conduit ( not shown ) for the removal of tars and chaff fines . in one embodiment , the primary filter 64 is made of superfine steel wool media . in another embodiment , a prefilter 62 made from superfine 30 micron media is positioned upstream of the primary filter to remove fines from the air flow and prevent a premature plugging of the filter by the fines . from the primary filter 64 , the used air flows to heat exchanger 54 for cooling . in the presently preferred embodiment , the heat exchanger is formed of a plurality of heat pipes ( not shown ) coupled to cooling fins . the relatively cool intake air flows in one direction over one end of the heat pipe array and the relatively hot exhaust air , separated from the cool air by a wall , is conveyed in the opposite direction over the other end of the heat pipe array . heat from the hot exhaust air is transferred via the heat pipe array to the cool intake air flowing from the blower 48 to preheat it before it enters heater 56 and thereby improve the energy efficiency of the roasting machine . the heat exchanger is about 80 % efficient and typically cools the air exhaust air from about 350 ° ( about 177 ° c .) to 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .). alternatively , the heat exchanger can also be formed of double concentric counterflow hoses or pipes . in that case , an outer tube 66 conveys the relatively cool intake air in one direction and an inner tube 68 conveys the relatively hot exhaust air in the opposite direction , or vice versa . heat from the exhaust air is transferred via inner tube 68 to the cool intake air flowing towards fan 48 to thereby preheat it before it enters heater 56 to thereby improve the energy efficiency of the roasting machine . the air is then cooled to about 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .) in an aftercooler 72 disposed downstream of and receiving the air from the heat exchanger 54 . it typically cools the air from about 350 ° f . ( about 177 ° c . ), the exit temperature at the main heat exchanger , to about 100 ° f . ( 38 ° c .). in the illustrated alternative embodiment , aftercooler 72 employs a finned - tube heat sink of a serpentine configuration with sufficient length to achieve the desired temperature drop . a high efficiency particulate accumulator (“ hepa ”) filter 74 is coupled to the heat exchanger and a carbon filter 76 is coupled to the hepa filter 74 . the hepa filter 74 is preferably a 0 . 3 - micron media that captures white plume smoke and particles as small as ½ micron with a 99 +% efficiency . the carbon filter 76 employs activated carbon that filters vocs and hydrocarbons ( so 2 , no 2 , etc .) in the used air stream before it is discharged from the machine . the carbon filter 76 can be used to control the amount of vocs , and therewith the coffee aroma that emanates from the roasting machine . thus , and as is illustrated in fig8 , the intake air enters the prefilter 50 , which filters out smoke and / or debris in the air . the fan 48 produces a flow of the air that traverses the entire roasting machine in no more than about 1 second and , preferably , in as little as about ¼ second while the air is heated from ambient at intake to about 500 ° f . ( about 260 ° c .) for roasting and is then cooled again to about room temperature ( approximately 100 ° f ., 38 ° c .) at discharge . the hot air therefore flows through the roasting drum 44 in a continuous , high temperature flow to thereby effectively roast the beans . referring to fig9 , sensors are employed throughout each individual roasting machine 14 for monitoring and controlling the roasting of the beans . for example , a temperature gauge or thermometer 132 and a pressure gauge 134 are disposed at the inlet of the prefilter 50 to measure the inlet air temperature and pressure . a pressure gauge 136 measures the inlet pressure of the fan 48 and another pressure gauge 138 measures the outlet pressure of the fan . the temperature of the air at the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger 54 is measured with temperature gauges 142 and 144 . a further temperature gauge 146 at the outlet of the heater 56 measures the roasting temperature of the air . a thermometer 150 and a pressure gauge 152 can be provided to measure the temperature and pressure in the roasting chamber 44 . a pair of pressure gauges 154 , 156 at the inlet and outlet of the smoke filter 64 measure the pressure drop across it . the exhaust air temperature drop across the heat exchanger 54 is measured with a pair of thermometers 158 , 162 disposed at the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger . another thermometer 164 provided at the outlet of the aftercooler 72 measures the temperature drop caused by it . a pressure gauge 168 at the inlet of the hepa filter 74 measures the inlet pressure . a pressure gauge 170 at the outlet of the hepa filter 74 measures the outlet pressure of the hepa filter 74 and the inlet pressure of the carbon filter 76 . a pressure gauge 172 at the outlet of the carbon filter 76 measures the outlet pressure . if desired , flow rates at various points of the system may be measured with appropriate flow gauges . as discussed above , while it is preferred to use a reflectometer to monitor the darkness of the beans during roasting , spectrometers can be used instead for measuring the color of the beans . spectrometers or calorimeters capable of detecting colors that can be used with the present invention are known . for example , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 684 , 582 issued nov . 4 , 1997 to eastman et al . and u . s . pat . no . 5 , 504 , 575 issued apr . 2 , 1996 to stafford , which are incorporated by reference herein , disclose useable spectrometers . the patent to stafford specifically discusses the use of a spectrometer to monitor the color of food products to ensure a uniform color for the consumer . on - board roasting computer software of the roasting machine 14 serves , among others , the following functions : 1 . receiving in - store operator roasting requests and initiating roasting sequence , including preheating system check , upon request . 2 . rotating the rotary hopper to the desired green beans position and releasing a correct quantity of the beans into the scale funnel 42 . 3 . releasing the beans from the scale funnel 42 into a the roasting chamber 44 . 4 . roasting the beans to the appropriate recipe established at central control station 11 and , if desired , modifying the recipe with real - time barometric input . 5 . guiding roasting development and final roast degree ( darkness ) by real - time input from the laser reflectometer 108 . 6 . starting the cooling tray sweep arm and discharging the roasted beans from the roasting chamber 44 to the cooling tray 26 when the spectrometer 108 determines that roasting is complete . 7 . stirring / cooling the finished beans on the cooling tray 26 and discharging them into the discharge container when ready . 8 . starting loading / roasting the next batch upon discharge of the previous batch to the cooling tray 26 . the block diagram in fig1 illustrates a roasting system that comprises the combined configuration of the bean handling system of fig7 and the internal air control system of fig8 . the arrows illustrate the bean flow and the air flow . the point of intersection between the two flows is located at the roasting chamber 44 , in which the heated air is used to roast the beans . in this embodiment , the intake air comes from and the exhaust air is released into the surrounding environment at a temperature that is close to room temperature . by circulating air taken from outside surroundings of the roasting apparatus 20 and releasing it back into the surroundings , the internal air control system is an open - loop system . an alternative is a closed - loop air circulation system that comprises substantially the same components as the open - loop system . the primary difference is that only a small proportion , e . g . 20 % of the used air , is discharged to the atmosphere , while the remainder , after thorough cleaning , is recirculated through the roasting machine . the earlier discussed hepa and charcoal filters 74 , 76 are effective only at relatively low temperatures of about 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .). to prevent the need for cooling the used air to such low temperatures in a closed - loop air circulation system while still removing white plume smoke , vocs , hydrocarbons , and the like , a catalytic converter ( not shown ) may be used instead of such filters . with a catalytic converter the cleaned air can be recirculated to the fan of the machine at significantly higher temperatures , which , in turn , reduces the energy consumption of the machine . water removed from the green beans during roasting and entrained in the recirculating used roasting air is discharged from the system with the earlier mentioned release of a small , e . g . 20 %, proportion of the used air . | Should this patent be classified under 'Human Necessities'? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Performing Operations; Transporting'? | 0.25 | 5a562e0729c99b60b2f728819899174aad5bbd4a7f466a6192701fdb30da1f84 | 0.043945 | 0.078125 | 0.000805 | 0.013245 | 0.040771 | 0.094238 |
null | the present invention is directed to the roasting of foodstuff and , in particular , to a coffee bean roasting method and apparatus having an internal air cleaning system that eliminates the need for exhausting roasting air to the exterior of buildings as well as for an afterburner to clean the roasting air before it is exhausted , that discharges clean air at or near room temperature that can be vented interiorly , and that assures consistent and uniform bean flavor , aroma and quality without the need for an attending roastmaster . as a result , roasting machines made in accordance with this invention can be placed inside stores and can be operated to provide daily roasted coffee beans that have consistent and uniform flavor . all this is achieved at a cost that is typically less than the cost of centrally roasting beans and distributing the roasted beans to retailers as is presently done . although this application makes reference primarily to the roasting of coffee beans , the invention can be applied to roasting other foodstuffs such as other types of beans , seeds , nuts , kernels , and the like . one aspect of the present invention is an automated method of roasting by computer monitoring and control without the need for subjective judgment . applicants have determined that the darkness or color of roasted beans is a reliable indicator of the development of the beans during roasting and the finish of coffee when brewed with such beans . a reflectometer ( or spectrometer ) is used to monitor the change in darkness ( or color ) of the beans during roasting . when the beans have reached a predetermined darkness , the reflectometer sends a signal to the computer to terminate the roasting . to enhance the quality and consistency of the roasted beans , other parameters that affect the ultimate finish can and should also be monitored and input into the computer to control roasting . for instance , the roasting speed , or the time over which the beans are roasted , the color or darkness development during the prescribed roasting time , the prevailing pressure in the roasting chamber , the roasting temperature , and the like can be monitored and used to determine when roasting should cease and / or what roasting parameters , such as heat , air flow or pressure , need to be adjusted . fig1 schematically illustrates a centrally controlled multi - station coffee roasting system 10 constructed and operated in accordance with the invention . it has a central control station 11 that includes a computer or master control server 12 and a plurality of , typically many , geographically dispersed individual roasting machines 14 networked with computer 12 . each of the individual roasting machines 14 includes an on - board computer with programmable logic controllers ( plcs ) and / or a central processing unit ( cpu ) with on - board memory that is networked ( telephonically or by wireless techniques ) with the control server . the control station includes a sample roasting machine 11 a that is constructed substantially identical to the individual roasting machines 14 and with which a roastmaster performs sample roasts of different types of coffee beans to establish for each bean type one or more desired coffee roast profiles and finishes . recordable parameters of relevant characteristics , primarily the darkness of the beans being sample - roasted and , secondarily , the roasting time , roasting pressure , roasting temperature , and the like , are monitored and recorded . when the roastmaster has attained a specific darkness that he or she wish to replicate with the roasting machines 14 installed at the retail establishments , the corresponding roasting parameters 11 b are stored in the memory of master control server 12 . the roastmaster will normally select a number of , say twelve , fifteen , or the like , different types of beans for which the needed roasting parameters are established and stored in the memory of the central processor . all parameters , or at least those for beans that are to be roasted on one or more of the individual roasting machines that form part of the system , are then downloaded to a memory that forms part of the computer contained in each of the individual roasting machines . the stored parameters are then available to control and terminate bean roasting on each individual machine , as is described in more detail below . alternatively , as already mentioned above , each individual roasting machine can be directly controlled with a mainframe computer at the central control station , thereby eliminating the need for on - board computers on the individual roasting machines . in addition to controlling the roasting of the beans by the individual roasting machines , master control server 12 can advantageously be used to monitor and assist in the management of the individual machines . for example , the inventory of green beans at the individual machines may be monitored , and fresh beans can then be automatically reordered from a suitable supplier to assure that sufficient beans are always available when a low - inventory signal is received to assure an adequate bean supply at each individual machine . in addition , the machines , computers and the central computer can be used to monitor and record machine usage ( for example on the basis of processed bean weight , roasting time , or the like ) as well as for billing , establishing profiles of bean types and / or aroma selection systemwide and at each individual roasting machine , and the like . along the same lines , the machines &# 39 ; computers and the central control server can be used for diagnostic purposes , for example to determine malfunctions or needed adjustments and the like for each individual machine , by providing access to the various roasting process monitors and sensors that form part of the roasting machines . a major advantage of the centralized system 10 is that consistent , uniform , high quality bean roasts are assured . further , since each roasting machine is on - site and can be activated whenever needed , the retailer can limit each roast so that no more than one - day &# 39 ; s requirements for the beans are roasted , thereby assuring freshness and the best possible product for the consumer . referring to fig2 , 4 and 6 , an individual roasting machine 14 made according to this invention has a rotary storage hopper 22 for storing and dispensing the foodstuff ( e . g . the beans ) to be roasted . the hopper is on top of and supported by a housing 24 , and a roasting drum 44 is located inside of the housing . a bean handling system directs a selected bean type from hopper 22 into the drum and , after roasting , discharges the roasted beans onto a cooling tray 26 that protrudes horizontally from the housing . also disposed on the inside of housing 24 is an air supply system that heats intake air to the desired roasting temperature , directs the heated air into the roasting drum , and from the drum directs the used or exhaust air through air cooling and air cleaning systems for the subsequent discharge of the used air at about room temperature into the atmosphere immediately surrounding the roasting machine . thus , when installed in a supermarket , for example , the used air will be discharged into the interior of the surrounding building . to be acceptable for complete indoor installation and operation , the used air cleaning system removes all pollutants , such as white plume smoke , oily smoke , particulate matter , including chaff , volatiles , hydrocarbons , and the like , that are generated during roasting before the air is discharged from the machine . referring to fig2 and 3 , rotary hopper 22 has a cylindrical exterior , comprises , for example , sixteen sector - shaped , upright compartments 30 arranged about the center of the hopper , and is rotatable about an upright shaft 30 . a drive ( not separately shown ) incrementally advances the hopper about the upright shaft for indexing a bean discharge opening 36 at the bottom of each compartment with a green bean scale 42 of the roasting machine . a gate 116 keeps the compartment discharge openings 36 normally closed . when the opening of a given compartment is aligned with the scale and beans are to be transferred to the roasting drum , an actuator 117 under the control of the on - board computer of the roasting machine opens the gate so that the beans gravitationally flow onto the scale . when the desired quantity of beans has been transferred to the scale , the compartment gate is closed again . in one preferred embodiment of the invention , appropriate electronics 42 a of the scale generate a weight - responsive electrical signal that is used to close the compartment gate when the preselected quantity of beans has been received on the scale . the hopper 22 includes a removable lid or cover 34 ( fig2 ) to protect the beans and provide access to the hopper compartment , for example for replenishing the beans in the compartments . referring to fig5 , 5 a and 5 b , the roasting of the beans takes place in a roasting drum 44 formed by concentric inner and outer drums 82 , 84 . the outer drum is cylindrical , stationary , sealed and has an upright front plate that is fixed , e . g . bolted to the frame . the outer drum forms a horizontal tubular chamber that extends rearwardly and , at the aft end of the outer drum , mounts an aft end plate 102 that defines a downwardly extending exhaust air outlet 90 . in a presently preferred embodiment , the aft end of the outer drum and the forward end of the aft plate 102 form mating flanges that are held together with a conventional , schematically illustrated flange clamp 103 that permits quick removal of the clamp and disassembly of the drum . the inner drum is perforated and has a rear wall 83 and a spider 85 with preferably three equally - spaced , radial legs that project inwardly from the inner drum , or two spiders 85 ( the second being substituted for the rear wall 83 ). at the axial center of the drum , the rear wall and spider ( s ) are fixed to a drum shaft 87 that is rotatable in shaft bearings 87 a and 87 b of front plate 104 and aft plate 103 of the outer drum . a pulley 89 driven by a motor ( not separately shown ) via a belt 89 a rotates shaft 87 and therewith the inner drum in a given , say clockwise , direction ( as viewed in fig5 a ). the inner drum further includes a plurality of elongated , generally longitudinally extending vanes 94 that project perpendicular to the inner drum wall and extend along a thread - like or helical line over the length of the inner drum . in the presently preferred embodiment , four such vanes are equally spaced about the inside of the inner drum , and the vanes extend through the sector - shaped openings formed by the radial legs of the spiders 85 . to remove beans that may become trapped in the annular space between the inner and outer drums , a spiral bean removal brush 91 can optionally be provided . it is made of heat - resistant material , e . g . stainless steel , extends helically over the length of the inner drum , and projects from the periphery thereof into the annular space to a point close to but slightly spaced from the inner surface of the outer drum 84 . when the drum rotates , beans in the annular space between the drums are moved rearwardly by brush 91 and are ultimately discharged into the downwardly extending exhaust air outlet 90 ( or into a bean collection receptacle or a separately provided bean removal conduit ( not shown )). front plate 104 of roasting drum 44 has a tubular bean intake conduit 86 the open end of which is positioned immediately below a scale discharge opening 43 so that a fresh batch of green beans that has been weighed on the scale flows gravitationally into the drum for roasting by opening gate 43 a following the weighing of the beans by the scale . roasted beans are removed from drum 44 via a bean outlet 88 in front plate 104 and via a discharge chute 110 onto cooling tray 26 by opening a drum discharge gate 122 . during roasting , the pressure inside the roasting drum exceeds atmospheric pressure , in a presently preferred embodiment by about 1 . 5 psi . to prevent the escape of the hot roasting air , a gate — in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention , a butterfly disc 86 a — is placed in the tubular conduit 86 between scale 42 and the interior of the drum . the butterfly disc includes a heat - resistant seal ( not separately shown ) that prevents the hot , pressurized air in the drum from escaping through the bean intake conduit . the butterfly disc remains closed at all times except when a fresh batch of green beans is to be gravitationally transferred from the scale to the drum interior . it is operated by a suitable drive ( not separately shown ) that is under the control of the computer of the roasting machine and is preferably synchronized with the activator ( not shown ) for scale gate 43 a . similarly , bean discharge gate 122 is provided with a seal formed by a high temperature seal ring ( not separately shown ) that prevents the escape of hot , pressurized air from the interior of the drum when the gate is in its closed position . in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention , discharge gate 122 is hinged to the front plate 104 along its upper edge and a linear drive ( not separately shown ) is provided for opening and closing the discharge gate . the drive for the discharge gate is also under the control of the computer of the roasting machine . as is described in more detail below , the roasting of the beans is monitored with a reflectometer 108 ( or a spectrometer for monitoring color ) suitably mounted adjacent to front plate 104 with a holder 108 a . the reflectometer directs a laser beam 109 through a window 98 in the front plate into the interior of the roasting drum . finally , rear plate 104 includes a hot roasting air inlet 92 that receives hot roasting air from an air intake conduit 92 a . turning now to the manner in which fresh or green coffee beans are roasted in accordance with the invention , different types of green beans are placed into the hopper compartment 30 and an appropriate command is entered into an on - board computer 40 of the roasting machine which of the bean types is to be roasted . its computer selects the appropriate hopper compartment and activates the hopper drive ( not shown in the drawings ) to rotationally advance the hopper until the discharge opening 36 of the selected compartment is immediately above scale 42 . actuator 117 opens hopper gate 116 and green beans gravitationally drop onto the scale where they are weighed . when the desired weight of beans that is to be roasted has been received on the scale , the actuator , preferably via a signal from scale electronics 42 a , closes the hopper gate and therewith terminates the transfer of beans . the computer next activates the drive for bean inlet closure disc 86 a to open it and also opens gate 43 a in scale discharge opening 43 , thereby permitting the beans to gravitationally flow from the scale via bean inlet 86 into the interior of inner drum 82 . thereafter intake disc gate 86 a , as well as bean discharge gate 122 , are closed , or maintained closed , to form a seal and prevent the escape of pressurized air from the interior of the drum through the bean intake or outlet . the drum drive ( not separately shown ) is energized , to rotate in a drum 82 via pulley 89 , and the air circulation system is activated to flow hot roasting air through hot air inlet 92 and the interior of the drum for discharge through exhaust or used air outlet 90 , thereby bringing the beans to the roasting temperature . the green beans introduced into the drum at the beginning of roasting initially rest at the bottom of the inner drum 82 . when rotation commences , the radially inwardly extending vanes 94 pick up quantities of beans in a pocket defined by each vane and the portion of the inner drum adjoining the vane . as rotation of the drum continues , the beans in the pocket are lifted upwardly until the vane rises above the axis of shaft 87 , at which point the side of the vane facing the pocket becomes downwardly inclined and the beans roll off the vane under the influence of gravity . the vanes are helically curved so that the sides thereof that form the pocket slope downwardly towards front plate 104 of the roasting drum . as a result , as the inner drum rotates , the beans in the pocket are also urged towards the front plate . thus , a stream of beans 95 from the elevated vane is intermittently formed in the vicinity of window 98 each time one of the vanes ( with beans in the pocket ) rises above the shaft centerline . in the process , the beans become heated to the roasting temperature and as roasting time continues they undergo a gradual color change and darkening , which , for coffee beans , progresses from an initial gray - green color of the green beans to a light color giving the beans a bleached appearance and then to increasingly dark shades of brown . the laser ( not separately shown ) of the reflectometer 108 is continuously or intermittently activated to direct laser light onto the stream of beans 95 on the inside of the drum . laser light impinging on the beans is reflected and the reflected light is sensed and analyzed by the reflectometer , for example by determining its wavelength . the desired darkness of the finished roasted beans ( which was previously downloaded from the computer at the central control station ) is stored in the memory of the on - board computer 40 of the roasting machine and compared with an output signal generated by the reflectometer that indicates the darkness of the beans in real time . when the signal from the reflectometer matches the stored signal in the on - board computer , roasting is terminated . in a preferred embodiment , roasting is terminated by initially ceasing the heating of the roasting air flowing into the drum while continuing to rotate the inner drum ( with bean outlet gate 122 closed ) for about 30 to 45 seconds in a gradually cooling environment that enhances the finish that can be obtained with many types of beans . in addition , while full heat roasting of the beans continues , the light / dark development of the beans inside the drum is monitored by reflectometer 108 , which generates corresponding signals that are fed to the on - board computer . in a preferred embodiment , the memory of the on - board computer includes light / dark level data that was generated during sample roasting at the central control station , typically as a function of roasting time and / or roasting temperature . whenever the darkness level of the beans being roasted deviates from the corresponding stored darkness level data , operating parameters , such as the roasting air temperature and / or roasting air flow rate , are adjusted to bring the darkness level of the beans being roasted in compliance with the stored darkness information in the memory of the on - board computer . in this manner , the test roast , which was performed to establish optimal roasting parameters for a given type of bean and / or roasting profile , is precisely replicated at each and every roasting operation on any and all of the individual roasting machines that are networked with the central computer at the central computer 12 at control station 11 . once the beans are ready for discharge , the on - board computer activates the drive ( not shown ) for bean discharge gate 122 by moving it into its open position shown in fig6 . the continued rotation of inner drum 83 , coupled with the helical shape of vanes 94 therein , gradually moves the beans in the direction of bean discharge opening 88 , from where the roasted beans gravitationally drop onto cooling tray 26 . the cooling tray is preferably circular in shape ( see fig2 ) and includes one or more wiper arms 27 that slowly rotate with upright shaft 27 a protruding from the tray . the arms gradually move the beans over the tray to facilitate their cooling , and , upon completion of the cooling , push the beans through a finish roasted bean discharge opening 124 to a suitable collection point or into a canister ( not shown ). the discharge opening is preferably located adjacent the periphery of the cooling tray , and the wiper arms are shaped so that they slowly direct the beans towards the periphery of the tray . the discharge opening is normally closed by a gate 125 that is opened via a suitable actuator ( not shown ) that is manually or automatically ( by the on - board computer ) opened after the beans have been sufficiently cooled . the cooling tray preferably includes perforations 26 a ( not shown and of a sufficiently small size to prevent beans from dropping through or becoming lodged in them ) so that cooling air can be flowed over the beans on the tray to accelerate their cooling and , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention , to use the heat of the cooling beans for preheating fresh air before it is heated for roasting a new batch of green beans that was placed into the drum . referring to fig4 and 7 - 10 , each individual roasting machine 14 includes an air supply or circulation system that comprises a blower 48 for generating an air flow through roasting drum 44 for the eventual discharge of the air from the machine . in a presently preferred embodiment of the roasting machine in which 6 - lb . batches of green beans are roasted in about twelve minutes , the blower has a 2½ hp motor , generates a pressure rise of about 1 . 5 psi at about 50 cfm through the air circulation system , and heats the air , as a result of the compression of the air , by about 30 ° f .- 50 ° f . ( about 17 ° c .- 28 ° c .). as is best seen in fig8 , the air circulation system preferably receives fresh intake air that was preheated by flowing it over just - roasted , still - hot beans on cooling tray 26 and through perforations 26 a therein to thereby reduce the overall energy consumption of the machine . since the intake air may pick up particulates and white plume smoke as it passes over the roasted beans on the cooling tray , a prefilter 50 is provided to remove such smoke and debris before the air enters fan 48 . filter 50 preferably comprises a 0 . 3 - micron hepa filter with a relatively low pressure drop so that it can remove the white plume smoke and smoke particulates from the intake air . fan 48 is coupled to a heat exchanger 54 , which preheats the air from the fan . the structure and operation of the heat exchanger is discussed in more detail below . the preheated air flows from the heat exchanger 54 to a heater 56 for heating it to the desired roasting temperature . the heater 56 is preferably a flow - through electric duct ( tubular ) heater 56 capable of heating the incoming air from about 120 ° f . ( about 49 ° c .) and at 50 cfm to the roasting temperature , e . g . about 500 ° f . ( about 260 ° c .). from the heater the roasting air flows via a conduit 92 a and past roasting air inlet 92 into and through the roasting drum from which it exits via used air exit 90 . in the drum , the green beans give off particulates , including chaff , as well as white plume smoke , oily smoke , volatiles , hydrocarbons , and the like , which are carried out of the roasting drum by the air . to enable the discharge of the air into the indoor environment surrounding each individual roasting machine 14 , the used roasting air must be cleaned and cooled before it can be discharged . chaff , an onionskin - like husk byproduct that is flaked off the beans in the roasting drum , is removed in a chaff collector 60 located downstream of and coupled to roasting drum 44 . the chaff collector 60 comprises a vortex particulate separator ( not shown ) that captures the chaff and lets the air through . the chaff collecting tray is periodically removed and cleaned as needed . a primary filter 64 is coupled to the chaff collector 60 via a conduit ( not shown ) for the removal of tars and chaff fines . in one embodiment , the primary filter 64 is made of superfine steel wool media . in another embodiment , a prefilter 62 made from superfine 30 micron media is positioned upstream of the primary filter to remove fines from the air flow and prevent a premature plugging of the filter by the fines . from the primary filter 64 , the used air flows to heat exchanger 54 for cooling . in the presently preferred embodiment , the heat exchanger is formed of a plurality of heat pipes ( not shown ) coupled to cooling fins . the relatively cool intake air flows in one direction over one end of the heat pipe array and the relatively hot exhaust air , separated from the cool air by a wall , is conveyed in the opposite direction over the other end of the heat pipe array . heat from the hot exhaust air is transferred via the heat pipe array to the cool intake air flowing from the blower 48 to preheat it before it enters heater 56 and thereby improve the energy efficiency of the roasting machine . the heat exchanger is about 80 % efficient and typically cools the air exhaust air from about 350 ° ( about 177 ° c .) to 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .). alternatively , the heat exchanger can also be formed of double concentric counterflow hoses or pipes . in that case , an outer tube 66 conveys the relatively cool intake air in one direction and an inner tube 68 conveys the relatively hot exhaust air in the opposite direction , or vice versa . heat from the exhaust air is transferred via inner tube 68 to the cool intake air flowing towards fan 48 to thereby preheat it before it enters heater 56 to thereby improve the energy efficiency of the roasting machine . the air is then cooled to about 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .) in an aftercooler 72 disposed downstream of and receiving the air from the heat exchanger 54 . it typically cools the air from about 350 ° f . ( about 177 ° c . ), the exit temperature at the main heat exchanger , to about 100 ° f . ( 38 ° c .). in the illustrated alternative embodiment , aftercooler 72 employs a finned - tube heat sink of a serpentine configuration with sufficient length to achieve the desired temperature drop . a high efficiency particulate accumulator (“ hepa ”) filter 74 is coupled to the heat exchanger and a carbon filter 76 is coupled to the hepa filter 74 . the hepa filter 74 is preferably a 0 . 3 - micron media that captures white plume smoke and particles as small as ½ micron with a 99 +% efficiency . the carbon filter 76 employs activated carbon that filters vocs and hydrocarbons ( so 2 , no 2 , etc .) in the used air stream before it is discharged from the machine . the carbon filter 76 can be used to control the amount of vocs , and therewith the coffee aroma that emanates from the roasting machine . thus , and as is illustrated in fig8 , the intake air enters the prefilter 50 , which filters out smoke and / or debris in the air . the fan 48 produces a flow of the air that traverses the entire roasting machine in no more than about 1 second and , preferably , in as little as about ¼ second while the air is heated from ambient at intake to about 500 ° f . ( about 260 ° c .) for roasting and is then cooled again to about room temperature ( approximately 100 ° f ., 38 ° c .) at discharge . the hot air therefore flows through the roasting drum 44 in a continuous , high temperature flow to thereby effectively roast the beans . referring to fig9 , sensors are employed throughout each individual roasting machine 14 for monitoring and controlling the roasting of the beans . for example , a temperature gauge or thermometer 132 and a pressure gauge 134 are disposed at the inlet of the prefilter 50 to measure the inlet air temperature and pressure . a pressure gauge 136 measures the inlet pressure of the fan 48 and another pressure gauge 138 measures the outlet pressure of the fan . the temperature of the air at the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger 54 is measured with temperature gauges 142 and 144 . a further temperature gauge 146 at the outlet of the heater 56 measures the roasting temperature of the air . a thermometer 150 and a pressure gauge 152 can be provided to measure the temperature and pressure in the roasting chamber 44 . a pair of pressure gauges 154 , 156 at the inlet and outlet of the smoke filter 64 measure the pressure drop across it . the exhaust air temperature drop across the heat exchanger 54 is measured with a pair of thermometers 158 , 162 disposed at the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger . another thermometer 164 provided at the outlet of the aftercooler 72 measures the temperature drop caused by it . a pressure gauge 168 at the inlet of the hepa filter 74 measures the inlet pressure . a pressure gauge 170 at the outlet of the hepa filter 74 measures the outlet pressure of the hepa filter 74 and the inlet pressure of the carbon filter 76 . a pressure gauge 172 at the outlet of the carbon filter 76 measures the outlet pressure . if desired , flow rates at various points of the system may be measured with appropriate flow gauges . as discussed above , while it is preferred to use a reflectometer to monitor the darkness of the beans during roasting , spectrometers can be used instead for measuring the color of the beans . spectrometers or calorimeters capable of detecting colors that can be used with the present invention are known . for example , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 684 , 582 issued nov . 4 , 1997 to eastman et al . and u . s . pat . no . 5 , 504 , 575 issued apr . 2 , 1996 to stafford , which are incorporated by reference herein , disclose useable spectrometers . the patent to stafford specifically discusses the use of a spectrometer to monitor the color of food products to ensure a uniform color for the consumer . on - board roasting computer software of the roasting machine 14 serves , among others , the following functions : 1 . receiving in - store operator roasting requests and initiating roasting sequence , including preheating system check , upon request . 2 . rotating the rotary hopper to the desired green beans position and releasing a correct quantity of the beans into the scale funnel 42 . 3 . releasing the beans from the scale funnel 42 into a the roasting chamber 44 . 4 . roasting the beans to the appropriate recipe established at central control station 11 and , if desired , modifying the recipe with real - time barometric input . 5 . guiding roasting development and final roast degree ( darkness ) by real - time input from the laser reflectometer 108 . 6 . starting the cooling tray sweep arm and discharging the roasted beans from the roasting chamber 44 to the cooling tray 26 when the spectrometer 108 determines that roasting is complete . 7 . stirring / cooling the finished beans on the cooling tray 26 and discharging them into the discharge container when ready . 8 . starting loading / roasting the next batch upon discharge of the previous batch to the cooling tray 26 . the block diagram in fig1 illustrates a roasting system that comprises the combined configuration of the bean handling system of fig7 and the internal air control system of fig8 . the arrows illustrate the bean flow and the air flow . the point of intersection between the two flows is located at the roasting chamber 44 , in which the heated air is used to roast the beans . in this embodiment , the intake air comes from and the exhaust air is released into the surrounding environment at a temperature that is close to room temperature . by circulating air taken from outside surroundings of the roasting apparatus 20 and releasing it back into the surroundings , the internal air control system is an open - loop system . an alternative is a closed - loop air circulation system that comprises substantially the same components as the open - loop system . the primary difference is that only a small proportion , e . g . 20 % of the used air , is discharged to the atmosphere , while the remainder , after thorough cleaning , is recirculated through the roasting machine . the earlier discussed hepa and charcoal filters 74 , 76 are effective only at relatively low temperatures of about 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .). to prevent the need for cooling the used air to such low temperatures in a closed - loop air circulation system while still removing white plume smoke , vocs , hydrocarbons , and the like , a catalytic converter ( not shown ) may be used instead of such filters . with a catalytic converter the cleaned air can be recirculated to the fan of the machine at significantly higher temperatures , which , in turn , reduces the energy consumption of the machine . water removed from the green beans during roasting and entrained in the recirculating used roasting air is discharged from the system with the earlier mentioned release of a small , e . g . 20 %, proportion of the used air . | Should this patent be classified under 'Human Necessities'? | Is 'Chemistry; Metallurgy' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | 5a562e0729c99b60b2f728819899174aad5bbd4a7f466a6192701fdb30da1f84 | 0.043945 | 0.007111 | 0.000805 | 0.001167 | 0.040771 | 0.009705 |
null | the present invention is directed to the roasting of foodstuff and , in particular , to a coffee bean roasting method and apparatus having an internal air cleaning system that eliminates the need for exhausting roasting air to the exterior of buildings as well as for an afterburner to clean the roasting air before it is exhausted , that discharges clean air at or near room temperature that can be vented interiorly , and that assures consistent and uniform bean flavor , aroma and quality without the need for an attending roastmaster . as a result , roasting machines made in accordance with this invention can be placed inside stores and can be operated to provide daily roasted coffee beans that have consistent and uniform flavor . all this is achieved at a cost that is typically less than the cost of centrally roasting beans and distributing the roasted beans to retailers as is presently done . although this application makes reference primarily to the roasting of coffee beans , the invention can be applied to roasting other foodstuffs such as other types of beans , seeds , nuts , kernels , and the like . one aspect of the present invention is an automated method of roasting by computer monitoring and control without the need for subjective judgment . applicants have determined that the darkness or color of roasted beans is a reliable indicator of the development of the beans during roasting and the finish of coffee when brewed with such beans . a reflectometer ( or spectrometer ) is used to monitor the change in darkness ( or color ) of the beans during roasting . when the beans have reached a predetermined darkness , the reflectometer sends a signal to the computer to terminate the roasting . to enhance the quality and consistency of the roasted beans , other parameters that affect the ultimate finish can and should also be monitored and input into the computer to control roasting . for instance , the roasting speed , or the time over which the beans are roasted , the color or darkness development during the prescribed roasting time , the prevailing pressure in the roasting chamber , the roasting temperature , and the like can be monitored and used to determine when roasting should cease and / or what roasting parameters , such as heat , air flow or pressure , need to be adjusted . fig1 schematically illustrates a centrally controlled multi - station coffee roasting system 10 constructed and operated in accordance with the invention . it has a central control station 11 that includes a computer or master control server 12 and a plurality of , typically many , geographically dispersed individual roasting machines 14 networked with computer 12 . each of the individual roasting machines 14 includes an on - board computer with programmable logic controllers ( plcs ) and / or a central processing unit ( cpu ) with on - board memory that is networked ( telephonically or by wireless techniques ) with the control server . the control station includes a sample roasting machine 11 a that is constructed substantially identical to the individual roasting machines 14 and with which a roastmaster performs sample roasts of different types of coffee beans to establish for each bean type one or more desired coffee roast profiles and finishes . recordable parameters of relevant characteristics , primarily the darkness of the beans being sample - roasted and , secondarily , the roasting time , roasting pressure , roasting temperature , and the like , are monitored and recorded . when the roastmaster has attained a specific darkness that he or she wish to replicate with the roasting machines 14 installed at the retail establishments , the corresponding roasting parameters 11 b are stored in the memory of master control server 12 . the roastmaster will normally select a number of , say twelve , fifteen , or the like , different types of beans for which the needed roasting parameters are established and stored in the memory of the central processor . all parameters , or at least those for beans that are to be roasted on one or more of the individual roasting machines that form part of the system , are then downloaded to a memory that forms part of the computer contained in each of the individual roasting machines . the stored parameters are then available to control and terminate bean roasting on each individual machine , as is described in more detail below . alternatively , as already mentioned above , each individual roasting machine can be directly controlled with a mainframe computer at the central control station , thereby eliminating the need for on - board computers on the individual roasting machines . in addition to controlling the roasting of the beans by the individual roasting machines , master control server 12 can advantageously be used to monitor and assist in the management of the individual machines . for example , the inventory of green beans at the individual machines may be monitored , and fresh beans can then be automatically reordered from a suitable supplier to assure that sufficient beans are always available when a low - inventory signal is received to assure an adequate bean supply at each individual machine . in addition , the machines , computers and the central computer can be used to monitor and record machine usage ( for example on the basis of processed bean weight , roasting time , or the like ) as well as for billing , establishing profiles of bean types and / or aroma selection systemwide and at each individual roasting machine , and the like . along the same lines , the machines &# 39 ; computers and the central control server can be used for diagnostic purposes , for example to determine malfunctions or needed adjustments and the like for each individual machine , by providing access to the various roasting process monitors and sensors that form part of the roasting machines . a major advantage of the centralized system 10 is that consistent , uniform , high quality bean roasts are assured . further , since each roasting machine is on - site and can be activated whenever needed , the retailer can limit each roast so that no more than one - day &# 39 ; s requirements for the beans are roasted , thereby assuring freshness and the best possible product for the consumer . referring to fig2 , 4 and 6 , an individual roasting machine 14 made according to this invention has a rotary storage hopper 22 for storing and dispensing the foodstuff ( e . g . the beans ) to be roasted . the hopper is on top of and supported by a housing 24 , and a roasting drum 44 is located inside of the housing . a bean handling system directs a selected bean type from hopper 22 into the drum and , after roasting , discharges the roasted beans onto a cooling tray 26 that protrudes horizontally from the housing . also disposed on the inside of housing 24 is an air supply system that heats intake air to the desired roasting temperature , directs the heated air into the roasting drum , and from the drum directs the used or exhaust air through air cooling and air cleaning systems for the subsequent discharge of the used air at about room temperature into the atmosphere immediately surrounding the roasting machine . thus , when installed in a supermarket , for example , the used air will be discharged into the interior of the surrounding building . to be acceptable for complete indoor installation and operation , the used air cleaning system removes all pollutants , such as white plume smoke , oily smoke , particulate matter , including chaff , volatiles , hydrocarbons , and the like , that are generated during roasting before the air is discharged from the machine . referring to fig2 and 3 , rotary hopper 22 has a cylindrical exterior , comprises , for example , sixteen sector - shaped , upright compartments 30 arranged about the center of the hopper , and is rotatable about an upright shaft 30 . a drive ( not separately shown ) incrementally advances the hopper about the upright shaft for indexing a bean discharge opening 36 at the bottom of each compartment with a green bean scale 42 of the roasting machine . a gate 116 keeps the compartment discharge openings 36 normally closed . when the opening of a given compartment is aligned with the scale and beans are to be transferred to the roasting drum , an actuator 117 under the control of the on - board computer of the roasting machine opens the gate so that the beans gravitationally flow onto the scale . when the desired quantity of beans has been transferred to the scale , the compartment gate is closed again . in one preferred embodiment of the invention , appropriate electronics 42 a of the scale generate a weight - responsive electrical signal that is used to close the compartment gate when the preselected quantity of beans has been received on the scale . the hopper 22 includes a removable lid or cover 34 ( fig2 ) to protect the beans and provide access to the hopper compartment , for example for replenishing the beans in the compartments . referring to fig5 , 5 a and 5 b , the roasting of the beans takes place in a roasting drum 44 formed by concentric inner and outer drums 82 , 84 . the outer drum is cylindrical , stationary , sealed and has an upright front plate that is fixed , e . g . bolted to the frame . the outer drum forms a horizontal tubular chamber that extends rearwardly and , at the aft end of the outer drum , mounts an aft end plate 102 that defines a downwardly extending exhaust air outlet 90 . in a presently preferred embodiment , the aft end of the outer drum and the forward end of the aft plate 102 form mating flanges that are held together with a conventional , schematically illustrated flange clamp 103 that permits quick removal of the clamp and disassembly of the drum . the inner drum is perforated and has a rear wall 83 and a spider 85 with preferably three equally - spaced , radial legs that project inwardly from the inner drum , or two spiders 85 ( the second being substituted for the rear wall 83 ). at the axial center of the drum , the rear wall and spider ( s ) are fixed to a drum shaft 87 that is rotatable in shaft bearings 87 a and 87 b of front plate 104 and aft plate 103 of the outer drum . a pulley 89 driven by a motor ( not separately shown ) via a belt 89 a rotates shaft 87 and therewith the inner drum in a given , say clockwise , direction ( as viewed in fig5 a ). the inner drum further includes a plurality of elongated , generally longitudinally extending vanes 94 that project perpendicular to the inner drum wall and extend along a thread - like or helical line over the length of the inner drum . in the presently preferred embodiment , four such vanes are equally spaced about the inside of the inner drum , and the vanes extend through the sector - shaped openings formed by the radial legs of the spiders 85 . to remove beans that may become trapped in the annular space between the inner and outer drums , a spiral bean removal brush 91 can optionally be provided . it is made of heat - resistant material , e . g . stainless steel , extends helically over the length of the inner drum , and projects from the periphery thereof into the annular space to a point close to but slightly spaced from the inner surface of the outer drum 84 . when the drum rotates , beans in the annular space between the drums are moved rearwardly by brush 91 and are ultimately discharged into the downwardly extending exhaust air outlet 90 ( or into a bean collection receptacle or a separately provided bean removal conduit ( not shown )). front plate 104 of roasting drum 44 has a tubular bean intake conduit 86 the open end of which is positioned immediately below a scale discharge opening 43 so that a fresh batch of green beans that has been weighed on the scale flows gravitationally into the drum for roasting by opening gate 43 a following the weighing of the beans by the scale . roasted beans are removed from drum 44 via a bean outlet 88 in front plate 104 and via a discharge chute 110 onto cooling tray 26 by opening a drum discharge gate 122 . during roasting , the pressure inside the roasting drum exceeds atmospheric pressure , in a presently preferred embodiment by about 1 . 5 psi . to prevent the escape of the hot roasting air , a gate — in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention , a butterfly disc 86 a — is placed in the tubular conduit 86 between scale 42 and the interior of the drum . the butterfly disc includes a heat - resistant seal ( not separately shown ) that prevents the hot , pressurized air in the drum from escaping through the bean intake conduit . the butterfly disc remains closed at all times except when a fresh batch of green beans is to be gravitationally transferred from the scale to the drum interior . it is operated by a suitable drive ( not separately shown ) that is under the control of the computer of the roasting machine and is preferably synchronized with the activator ( not shown ) for scale gate 43 a . similarly , bean discharge gate 122 is provided with a seal formed by a high temperature seal ring ( not separately shown ) that prevents the escape of hot , pressurized air from the interior of the drum when the gate is in its closed position . in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention , discharge gate 122 is hinged to the front plate 104 along its upper edge and a linear drive ( not separately shown ) is provided for opening and closing the discharge gate . the drive for the discharge gate is also under the control of the computer of the roasting machine . as is described in more detail below , the roasting of the beans is monitored with a reflectometer 108 ( or a spectrometer for monitoring color ) suitably mounted adjacent to front plate 104 with a holder 108 a . the reflectometer directs a laser beam 109 through a window 98 in the front plate into the interior of the roasting drum . finally , rear plate 104 includes a hot roasting air inlet 92 that receives hot roasting air from an air intake conduit 92 a . turning now to the manner in which fresh or green coffee beans are roasted in accordance with the invention , different types of green beans are placed into the hopper compartment 30 and an appropriate command is entered into an on - board computer 40 of the roasting machine which of the bean types is to be roasted . its computer selects the appropriate hopper compartment and activates the hopper drive ( not shown in the drawings ) to rotationally advance the hopper until the discharge opening 36 of the selected compartment is immediately above scale 42 . actuator 117 opens hopper gate 116 and green beans gravitationally drop onto the scale where they are weighed . when the desired weight of beans that is to be roasted has been received on the scale , the actuator , preferably via a signal from scale electronics 42 a , closes the hopper gate and therewith terminates the transfer of beans . the computer next activates the drive for bean inlet closure disc 86 a to open it and also opens gate 43 a in scale discharge opening 43 , thereby permitting the beans to gravitationally flow from the scale via bean inlet 86 into the interior of inner drum 82 . thereafter intake disc gate 86 a , as well as bean discharge gate 122 , are closed , or maintained closed , to form a seal and prevent the escape of pressurized air from the interior of the drum through the bean intake or outlet . the drum drive ( not separately shown ) is energized , to rotate in a drum 82 via pulley 89 , and the air circulation system is activated to flow hot roasting air through hot air inlet 92 and the interior of the drum for discharge through exhaust or used air outlet 90 , thereby bringing the beans to the roasting temperature . the green beans introduced into the drum at the beginning of roasting initially rest at the bottom of the inner drum 82 . when rotation commences , the radially inwardly extending vanes 94 pick up quantities of beans in a pocket defined by each vane and the portion of the inner drum adjoining the vane . as rotation of the drum continues , the beans in the pocket are lifted upwardly until the vane rises above the axis of shaft 87 , at which point the side of the vane facing the pocket becomes downwardly inclined and the beans roll off the vane under the influence of gravity . the vanes are helically curved so that the sides thereof that form the pocket slope downwardly towards front plate 104 of the roasting drum . as a result , as the inner drum rotates , the beans in the pocket are also urged towards the front plate . thus , a stream of beans 95 from the elevated vane is intermittently formed in the vicinity of window 98 each time one of the vanes ( with beans in the pocket ) rises above the shaft centerline . in the process , the beans become heated to the roasting temperature and as roasting time continues they undergo a gradual color change and darkening , which , for coffee beans , progresses from an initial gray - green color of the green beans to a light color giving the beans a bleached appearance and then to increasingly dark shades of brown . the laser ( not separately shown ) of the reflectometer 108 is continuously or intermittently activated to direct laser light onto the stream of beans 95 on the inside of the drum . laser light impinging on the beans is reflected and the reflected light is sensed and analyzed by the reflectometer , for example by determining its wavelength . the desired darkness of the finished roasted beans ( which was previously downloaded from the computer at the central control station ) is stored in the memory of the on - board computer 40 of the roasting machine and compared with an output signal generated by the reflectometer that indicates the darkness of the beans in real time . when the signal from the reflectometer matches the stored signal in the on - board computer , roasting is terminated . in a preferred embodiment , roasting is terminated by initially ceasing the heating of the roasting air flowing into the drum while continuing to rotate the inner drum ( with bean outlet gate 122 closed ) for about 30 to 45 seconds in a gradually cooling environment that enhances the finish that can be obtained with many types of beans . in addition , while full heat roasting of the beans continues , the light / dark development of the beans inside the drum is monitored by reflectometer 108 , which generates corresponding signals that are fed to the on - board computer . in a preferred embodiment , the memory of the on - board computer includes light / dark level data that was generated during sample roasting at the central control station , typically as a function of roasting time and / or roasting temperature . whenever the darkness level of the beans being roasted deviates from the corresponding stored darkness level data , operating parameters , such as the roasting air temperature and / or roasting air flow rate , are adjusted to bring the darkness level of the beans being roasted in compliance with the stored darkness information in the memory of the on - board computer . in this manner , the test roast , which was performed to establish optimal roasting parameters for a given type of bean and / or roasting profile , is precisely replicated at each and every roasting operation on any and all of the individual roasting machines that are networked with the central computer at the central computer 12 at control station 11 . once the beans are ready for discharge , the on - board computer activates the drive ( not shown ) for bean discharge gate 122 by moving it into its open position shown in fig6 . the continued rotation of inner drum 83 , coupled with the helical shape of vanes 94 therein , gradually moves the beans in the direction of bean discharge opening 88 , from where the roasted beans gravitationally drop onto cooling tray 26 . the cooling tray is preferably circular in shape ( see fig2 ) and includes one or more wiper arms 27 that slowly rotate with upright shaft 27 a protruding from the tray . the arms gradually move the beans over the tray to facilitate their cooling , and , upon completion of the cooling , push the beans through a finish roasted bean discharge opening 124 to a suitable collection point or into a canister ( not shown ). the discharge opening is preferably located adjacent the periphery of the cooling tray , and the wiper arms are shaped so that they slowly direct the beans towards the periphery of the tray . the discharge opening is normally closed by a gate 125 that is opened via a suitable actuator ( not shown ) that is manually or automatically ( by the on - board computer ) opened after the beans have been sufficiently cooled . the cooling tray preferably includes perforations 26 a ( not shown and of a sufficiently small size to prevent beans from dropping through or becoming lodged in them ) so that cooling air can be flowed over the beans on the tray to accelerate their cooling and , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention , to use the heat of the cooling beans for preheating fresh air before it is heated for roasting a new batch of green beans that was placed into the drum . referring to fig4 and 7 - 10 , each individual roasting machine 14 includes an air supply or circulation system that comprises a blower 48 for generating an air flow through roasting drum 44 for the eventual discharge of the air from the machine . in a presently preferred embodiment of the roasting machine in which 6 - lb . batches of green beans are roasted in about twelve minutes , the blower has a 2½ hp motor , generates a pressure rise of about 1 . 5 psi at about 50 cfm through the air circulation system , and heats the air , as a result of the compression of the air , by about 30 ° f .- 50 ° f . ( about 17 ° c .- 28 ° c .). as is best seen in fig8 , the air circulation system preferably receives fresh intake air that was preheated by flowing it over just - roasted , still - hot beans on cooling tray 26 and through perforations 26 a therein to thereby reduce the overall energy consumption of the machine . since the intake air may pick up particulates and white plume smoke as it passes over the roasted beans on the cooling tray , a prefilter 50 is provided to remove such smoke and debris before the air enters fan 48 . filter 50 preferably comprises a 0 . 3 - micron hepa filter with a relatively low pressure drop so that it can remove the white plume smoke and smoke particulates from the intake air . fan 48 is coupled to a heat exchanger 54 , which preheats the air from the fan . the structure and operation of the heat exchanger is discussed in more detail below . the preheated air flows from the heat exchanger 54 to a heater 56 for heating it to the desired roasting temperature . the heater 56 is preferably a flow - through electric duct ( tubular ) heater 56 capable of heating the incoming air from about 120 ° f . ( about 49 ° c .) and at 50 cfm to the roasting temperature , e . g . about 500 ° f . ( about 260 ° c .). from the heater the roasting air flows via a conduit 92 a and past roasting air inlet 92 into and through the roasting drum from which it exits via used air exit 90 . in the drum , the green beans give off particulates , including chaff , as well as white plume smoke , oily smoke , volatiles , hydrocarbons , and the like , which are carried out of the roasting drum by the air . to enable the discharge of the air into the indoor environment surrounding each individual roasting machine 14 , the used roasting air must be cleaned and cooled before it can be discharged . chaff , an onionskin - like husk byproduct that is flaked off the beans in the roasting drum , is removed in a chaff collector 60 located downstream of and coupled to roasting drum 44 . the chaff collector 60 comprises a vortex particulate separator ( not shown ) that captures the chaff and lets the air through . the chaff collecting tray is periodically removed and cleaned as needed . a primary filter 64 is coupled to the chaff collector 60 via a conduit ( not shown ) for the removal of tars and chaff fines . in one embodiment , the primary filter 64 is made of superfine steel wool media . in another embodiment , a prefilter 62 made from superfine 30 micron media is positioned upstream of the primary filter to remove fines from the air flow and prevent a premature plugging of the filter by the fines . from the primary filter 64 , the used air flows to heat exchanger 54 for cooling . in the presently preferred embodiment , the heat exchanger is formed of a plurality of heat pipes ( not shown ) coupled to cooling fins . the relatively cool intake air flows in one direction over one end of the heat pipe array and the relatively hot exhaust air , separated from the cool air by a wall , is conveyed in the opposite direction over the other end of the heat pipe array . heat from the hot exhaust air is transferred via the heat pipe array to the cool intake air flowing from the blower 48 to preheat it before it enters heater 56 and thereby improve the energy efficiency of the roasting machine . the heat exchanger is about 80 % efficient and typically cools the air exhaust air from about 350 ° ( about 177 ° c .) to 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .). alternatively , the heat exchanger can also be formed of double concentric counterflow hoses or pipes . in that case , an outer tube 66 conveys the relatively cool intake air in one direction and an inner tube 68 conveys the relatively hot exhaust air in the opposite direction , or vice versa . heat from the exhaust air is transferred via inner tube 68 to the cool intake air flowing towards fan 48 to thereby preheat it before it enters heater 56 to thereby improve the energy efficiency of the roasting machine . the air is then cooled to about 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .) in an aftercooler 72 disposed downstream of and receiving the air from the heat exchanger 54 . it typically cools the air from about 350 ° f . ( about 177 ° c . ), the exit temperature at the main heat exchanger , to about 100 ° f . ( 38 ° c .). in the illustrated alternative embodiment , aftercooler 72 employs a finned - tube heat sink of a serpentine configuration with sufficient length to achieve the desired temperature drop . a high efficiency particulate accumulator (“ hepa ”) filter 74 is coupled to the heat exchanger and a carbon filter 76 is coupled to the hepa filter 74 . the hepa filter 74 is preferably a 0 . 3 - micron media that captures white plume smoke and particles as small as ½ micron with a 99 +% efficiency . the carbon filter 76 employs activated carbon that filters vocs and hydrocarbons ( so 2 , no 2 , etc .) in the used air stream before it is discharged from the machine . the carbon filter 76 can be used to control the amount of vocs , and therewith the coffee aroma that emanates from the roasting machine . thus , and as is illustrated in fig8 , the intake air enters the prefilter 50 , which filters out smoke and / or debris in the air . the fan 48 produces a flow of the air that traverses the entire roasting machine in no more than about 1 second and , preferably , in as little as about ¼ second while the air is heated from ambient at intake to about 500 ° f . ( about 260 ° c .) for roasting and is then cooled again to about room temperature ( approximately 100 ° f ., 38 ° c .) at discharge . the hot air therefore flows through the roasting drum 44 in a continuous , high temperature flow to thereby effectively roast the beans . referring to fig9 , sensors are employed throughout each individual roasting machine 14 for monitoring and controlling the roasting of the beans . for example , a temperature gauge or thermometer 132 and a pressure gauge 134 are disposed at the inlet of the prefilter 50 to measure the inlet air temperature and pressure . a pressure gauge 136 measures the inlet pressure of the fan 48 and another pressure gauge 138 measures the outlet pressure of the fan . the temperature of the air at the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger 54 is measured with temperature gauges 142 and 144 . a further temperature gauge 146 at the outlet of the heater 56 measures the roasting temperature of the air . a thermometer 150 and a pressure gauge 152 can be provided to measure the temperature and pressure in the roasting chamber 44 . a pair of pressure gauges 154 , 156 at the inlet and outlet of the smoke filter 64 measure the pressure drop across it . the exhaust air temperature drop across the heat exchanger 54 is measured with a pair of thermometers 158 , 162 disposed at the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger . another thermometer 164 provided at the outlet of the aftercooler 72 measures the temperature drop caused by it . a pressure gauge 168 at the inlet of the hepa filter 74 measures the inlet pressure . a pressure gauge 170 at the outlet of the hepa filter 74 measures the outlet pressure of the hepa filter 74 and the inlet pressure of the carbon filter 76 . a pressure gauge 172 at the outlet of the carbon filter 76 measures the outlet pressure . if desired , flow rates at various points of the system may be measured with appropriate flow gauges . as discussed above , while it is preferred to use a reflectometer to monitor the darkness of the beans during roasting , spectrometers can be used instead for measuring the color of the beans . spectrometers or calorimeters capable of detecting colors that can be used with the present invention are known . for example , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 684 , 582 issued nov . 4 , 1997 to eastman et al . and u . s . pat . no . 5 , 504 , 575 issued apr . 2 , 1996 to stafford , which are incorporated by reference herein , disclose useable spectrometers . the patent to stafford specifically discusses the use of a spectrometer to monitor the color of food products to ensure a uniform color for the consumer . on - board roasting computer software of the roasting machine 14 serves , among others , the following functions : 1 . receiving in - store operator roasting requests and initiating roasting sequence , including preheating system check , upon request . 2 . rotating the rotary hopper to the desired green beans position and releasing a correct quantity of the beans into the scale funnel 42 . 3 . releasing the beans from the scale funnel 42 into a the roasting chamber 44 . 4 . roasting the beans to the appropriate recipe established at central control station 11 and , if desired , modifying the recipe with real - time barometric input . 5 . guiding roasting development and final roast degree ( darkness ) by real - time input from the laser reflectometer 108 . 6 . starting the cooling tray sweep arm and discharging the roasted beans from the roasting chamber 44 to the cooling tray 26 when the spectrometer 108 determines that roasting is complete . 7 . stirring / cooling the finished beans on the cooling tray 26 and discharging them into the discharge container when ready . 8 . starting loading / roasting the next batch upon discharge of the previous batch to the cooling tray 26 . the block diagram in fig1 illustrates a roasting system that comprises the combined configuration of the bean handling system of fig7 and the internal air control system of fig8 . the arrows illustrate the bean flow and the air flow . the point of intersection between the two flows is located at the roasting chamber 44 , in which the heated air is used to roast the beans . in this embodiment , the intake air comes from and the exhaust air is released into the surrounding environment at a temperature that is close to room temperature . by circulating air taken from outside surroundings of the roasting apparatus 20 and releasing it back into the surroundings , the internal air control system is an open - loop system . an alternative is a closed - loop air circulation system that comprises substantially the same components as the open - loop system . the primary difference is that only a small proportion , e . g . 20 % of the used air , is discharged to the atmosphere , while the remainder , after thorough cleaning , is recirculated through the roasting machine . the earlier discussed hepa and charcoal filters 74 , 76 are effective only at relatively low temperatures of about 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .). to prevent the need for cooling the used air to such low temperatures in a closed - loop air circulation system while still removing white plume smoke , vocs , hydrocarbons , and the like , a catalytic converter ( not shown ) may be used instead of such filters . with a catalytic converter the cleaned air can be recirculated to the fan of the machine at significantly higher temperatures , which , in turn , reduces the energy consumption of the machine . water removed from the green beans during roasting and entrained in the recirculating used roasting air is discharged from the system with the earlier mentioned release of a small , e . g . 20 %, proportion of the used air . | Should this patent be classified under 'Human Necessities'? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Textiles; Paper'? | 0.25 | 5a562e0729c99b60b2f728819899174aad5bbd4a7f466a6192701fdb30da1f84 | 0.043945 | 0.004333 | 0.000805 | 0.000116 | 0.040771 | 0.010681 |
null | the present invention is directed to the roasting of foodstuff and , in particular , to a coffee bean roasting method and apparatus having an internal air cleaning system that eliminates the need for exhausting roasting air to the exterior of buildings as well as for an afterburner to clean the roasting air before it is exhausted , that discharges clean air at or near room temperature that can be vented interiorly , and that assures consistent and uniform bean flavor , aroma and quality without the need for an attending roastmaster . as a result , roasting machines made in accordance with this invention can be placed inside stores and can be operated to provide daily roasted coffee beans that have consistent and uniform flavor . all this is achieved at a cost that is typically less than the cost of centrally roasting beans and distributing the roasted beans to retailers as is presently done . although this application makes reference primarily to the roasting of coffee beans , the invention can be applied to roasting other foodstuffs such as other types of beans , seeds , nuts , kernels , and the like . one aspect of the present invention is an automated method of roasting by computer monitoring and control without the need for subjective judgment . applicants have determined that the darkness or color of roasted beans is a reliable indicator of the development of the beans during roasting and the finish of coffee when brewed with such beans . a reflectometer ( or spectrometer ) is used to monitor the change in darkness ( or color ) of the beans during roasting . when the beans have reached a predetermined darkness , the reflectometer sends a signal to the computer to terminate the roasting . to enhance the quality and consistency of the roasted beans , other parameters that affect the ultimate finish can and should also be monitored and input into the computer to control roasting . for instance , the roasting speed , or the time over which the beans are roasted , the color or darkness development during the prescribed roasting time , the prevailing pressure in the roasting chamber , the roasting temperature , and the like can be monitored and used to determine when roasting should cease and / or what roasting parameters , such as heat , air flow or pressure , need to be adjusted . fig1 schematically illustrates a centrally controlled multi - station coffee roasting system 10 constructed and operated in accordance with the invention . it has a central control station 11 that includes a computer or master control server 12 and a plurality of , typically many , geographically dispersed individual roasting machines 14 networked with computer 12 . each of the individual roasting machines 14 includes an on - board computer with programmable logic controllers ( plcs ) and / or a central processing unit ( cpu ) with on - board memory that is networked ( telephonically or by wireless techniques ) with the control server . the control station includes a sample roasting machine 11 a that is constructed substantially identical to the individual roasting machines 14 and with which a roastmaster performs sample roasts of different types of coffee beans to establish for each bean type one or more desired coffee roast profiles and finishes . recordable parameters of relevant characteristics , primarily the darkness of the beans being sample - roasted and , secondarily , the roasting time , roasting pressure , roasting temperature , and the like , are monitored and recorded . when the roastmaster has attained a specific darkness that he or she wish to replicate with the roasting machines 14 installed at the retail establishments , the corresponding roasting parameters 11 b are stored in the memory of master control server 12 . the roastmaster will normally select a number of , say twelve , fifteen , or the like , different types of beans for which the needed roasting parameters are established and stored in the memory of the central processor . all parameters , or at least those for beans that are to be roasted on one or more of the individual roasting machines that form part of the system , are then downloaded to a memory that forms part of the computer contained in each of the individual roasting machines . the stored parameters are then available to control and terminate bean roasting on each individual machine , as is described in more detail below . alternatively , as already mentioned above , each individual roasting machine can be directly controlled with a mainframe computer at the central control station , thereby eliminating the need for on - board computers on the individual roasting machines . in addition to controlling the roasting of the beans by the individual roasting machines , master control server 12 can advantageously be used to monitor and assist in the management of the individual machines . for example , the inventory of green beans at the individual machines may be monitored , and fresh beans can then be automatically reordered from a suitable supplier to assure that sufficient beans are always available when a low - inventory signal is received to assure an adequate bean supply at each individual machine . in addition , the machines , computers and the central computer can be used to monitor and record machine usage ( for example on the basis of processed bean weight , roasting time , or the like ) as well as for billing , establishing profiles of bean types and / or aroma selection systemwide and at each individual roasting machine , and the like . along the same lines , the machines &# 39 ; computers and the central control server can be used for diagnostic purposes , for example to determine malfunctions or needed adjustments and the like for each individual machine , by providing access to the various roasting process monitors and sensors that form part of the roasting machines . a major advantage of the centralized system 10 is that consistent , uniform , high quality bean roasts are assured . further , since each roasting machine is on - site and can be activated whenever needed , the retailer can limit each roast so that no more than one - day &# 39 ; s requirements for the beans are roasted , thereby assuring freshness and the best possible product for the consumer . referring to fig2 , 4 and 6 , an individual roasting machine 14 made according to this invention has a rotary storage hopper 22 for storing and dispensing the foodstuff ( e . g . the beans ) to be roasted . the hopper is on top of and supported by a housing 24 , and a roasting drum 44 is located inside of the housing . a bean handling system directs a selected bean type from hopper 22 into the drum and , after roasting , discharges the roasted beans onto a cooling tray 26 that protrudes horizontally from the housing . also disposed on the inside of housing 24 is an air supply system that heats intake air to the desired roasting temperature , directs the heated air into the roasting drum , and from the drum directs the used or exhaust air through air cooling and air cleaning systems for the subsequent discharge of the used air at about room temperature into the atmosphere immediately surrounding the roasting machine . thus , when installed in a supermarket , for example , the used air will be discharged into the interior of the surrounding building . to be acceptable for complete indoor installation and operation , the used air cleaning system removes all pollutants , such as white plume smoke , oily smoke , particulate matter , including chaff , volatiles , hydrocarbons , and the like , that are generated during roasting before the air is discharged from the machine . referring to fig2 and 3 , rotary hopper 22 has a cylindrical exterior , comprises , for example , sixteen sector - shaped , upright compartments 30 arranged about the center of the hopper , and is rotatable about an upright shaft 30 . a drive ( not separately shown ) incrementally advances the hopper about the upright shaft for indexing a bean discharge opening 36 at the bottom of each compartment with a green bean scale 42 of the roasting machine . a gate 116 keeps the compartment discharge openings 36 normally closed . when the opening of a given compartment is aligned with the scale and beans are to be transferred to the roasting drum , an actuator 117 under the control of the on - board computer of the roasting machine opens the gate so that the beans gravitationally flow onto the scale . when the desired quantity of beans has been transferred to the scale , the compartment gate is closed again . in one preferred embodiment of the invention , appropriate electronics 42 a of the scale generate a weight - responsive electrical signal that is used to close the compartment gate when the preselected quantity of beans has been received on the scale . the hopper 22 includes a removable lid or cover 34 ( fig2 ) to protect the beans and provide access to the hopper compartment , for example for replenishing the beans in the compartments . referring to fig5 , 5 a and 5 b , the roasting of the beans takes place in a roasting drum 44 formed by concentric inner and outer drums 82 , 84 . the outer drum is cylindrical , stationary , sealed and has an upright front plate that is fixed , e . g . bolted to the frame . the outer drum forms a horizontal tubular chamber that extends rearwardly and , at the aft end of the outer drum , mounts an aft end plate 102 that defines a downwardly extending exhaust air outlet 90 . in a presently preferred embodiment , the aft end of the outer drum and the forward end of the aft plate 102 form mating flanges that are held together with a conventional , schematically illustrated flange clamp 103 that permits quick removal of the clamp and disassembly of the drum . the inner drum is perforated and has a rear wall 83 and a spider 85 with preferably three equally - spaced , radial legs that project inwardly from the inner drum , or two spiders 85 ( the second being substituted for the rear wall 83 ). at the axial center of the drum , the rear wall and spider ( s ) are fixed to a drum shaft 87 that is rotatable in shaft bearings 87 a and 87 b of front plate 104 and aft plate 103 of the outer drum . a pulley 89 driven by a motor ( not separately shown ) via a belt 89 a rotates shaft 87 and therewith the inner drum in a given , say clockwise , direction ( as viewed in fig5 a ). the inner drum further includes a plurality of elongated , generally longitudinally extending vanes 94 that project perpendicular to the inner drum wall and extend along a thread - like or helical line over the length of the inner drum . in the presently preferred embodiment , four such vanes are equally spaced about the inside of the inner drum , and the vanes extend through the sector - shaped openings formed by the radial legs of the spiders 85 . to remove beans that may become trapped in the annular space between the inner and outer drums , a spiral bean removal brush 91 can optionally be provided . it is made of heat - resistant material , e . g . stainless steel , extends helically over the length of the inner drum , and projects from the periphery thereof into the annular space to a point close to but slightly spaced from the inner surface of the outer drum 84 . when the drum rotates , beans in the annular space between the drums are moved rearwardly by brush 91 and are ultimately discharged into the downwardly extending exhaust air outlet 90 ( or into a bean collection receptacle or a separately provided bean removal conduit ( not shown )). front plate 104 of roasting drum 44 has a tubular bean intake conduit 86 the open end of which is positioned immediately below a scale discharge opening 43 so that a fresh batch of green beans that has been weighed on the scale flows gravitationally into the drum for roasting by opening gate 43 a following the weighing of the beans by the scale . roasted beans are removed from drum 44 via a bean outlet 88 in front plate 104 and via a discharge chute 110 onto cooling tray 26 by opening a drum discharge gate 122 . during roasting , the pressure inside the roasting drum exceeds atmospheric pressure , in a presently preferred embodiment by about 1 . 5 psi . to prevent the escape of the hot roasting air , a gate — in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention , a butterfly disc 86 a — is placed in the tubular conduit 86 between scale 42 and the interior of the drum . the butterfly disc includes a heat - resistant seal ( not separately shown ) that prevents the hot , pressurized air in the drum from escaping through the bean intake conduit . the butterfly disc remains closed at all times except when a fresh batch of green beans is to be gravitationally transferred from the scale to the drum interior . it is operated by a suitable drive ( not separately shown ) that is under the control of the computer of the roasting machine and is preferably synchronized with the activator ( not shown ) for scale gate 43 a . similarly , bean discharge gate 122 is provided with a seal formed by a high temperature seal ring ( not separately shown ) that prevents the escape of hot , pressurized air from the interior of the drum when the gate is in its closed position . in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention , discharge gate 122 is hinged to the front plate 104 along its upper edge and a linear drive ( not separately shown ) is provided for opening and closing the discharge gate . the drive for the discharge gate is also under the control of the computer of the roasting machine . as is described in more detail below , the roasting of the beans is monitored with a reflectometer 108 ( or a spectrometer for monitoring color ) suitably mounted adjacent to front plate 104 with a holder 108 a . the reflectometer directs a laser beam 109 through a window 98 in the front plate into the interior of the roasting drum . finally , rear plate 104 includes a hot roasting air inlet 92 that receives hot roasting air from an air intake conduit 92 a . turning now to the manner in which fresh or green coffee beans are roasted in accordance with the invention , different types of green beans are placed into the hopper compartment 30 and an appropriate command is entered into an on - board computer 40 of the roasting machine which of the bean types is to be roasted . its computer selects the appropriate hopper compartment and activates the hopper drive ( not shown in the drawings ) to rotationally advance the hopper until the discharge opening 36 of the selected compartment is immediately above scale 42 . actuator 117 opens hopper gate 116 and green beans gravitationally drop onto the scale where they are weighed . when the desired weight of beans that is to be roasted has been received on the scale , the actuator , preferably via a signal from scale electronics 42 a , closes the hopper gate and therewith terminates the transfer of beans . the computer next activates the drive for bean inlet closure disc 86 a to open it and also opens gate 43 a in scale discharge opening 43 , thereby permitting the beans to gravitationally flow from the scale via bean inlet 86 into the interior of inner drum 82 . thereafter intake disc gate 86 a , as well as bean discharge gate 122 , are closed , or maintained closed , to form a seal and prevent the escape of pressurized air from the interior of the drum through the bean intake or outlet . the drum drive ( not separately shown ) is energized , to rotate in a drum 82 via pulley 89 , and the air circulation system is activated to flow hot roasting air through hot air inlet 92 and the interior of the drum for discharge through exhaust or used air outlet 90 , thereby bringing the beans to the roasting temperature . the green beans introduced into the drum at the beginning of roasting initially rest at the bottom of the inner drum 82 . when rotation commences , the radially inwardly extending vanes 94 pick up quantities of beans in a pocket defined by each vane and the portion of the inner drum adjoining the vane . as rotation of the drum continues , the beans in the pocket are lifted upwardly until the vane rises above the axis of shaft 87 , at which point the side of the vane facing the pocket becomes downwardly inclined and the beans roll off the vane under the influence of gravity . the vanes are helically curved so that the sides thereof that form the pocket slope downwardly towards front plate 104 of the roasting drum . as a result , as the inner drum rotates , the beans in the pocket are also urged towards the front plate . thus , a stream of beans 95 from the elevated vane is intermittently formed in the vicinity of window 98 each time one of the vanes ( with beans in the pocket ) rises above the shaft centerline . in the process , the beans become heated to the roasting temperature and as roasting time continues they undergo a gradual color change and darkening , which , for coffee beans , progresses from an initial gray - green color of the green beans to a light color giving the beans a bleached appearance and then to increasingly dark shades of brown . the laser ( not separately shown ) of the reflectometer 108 is continuously or intermittently activated to direct laser light onto the stream of beans 95 on the inside of the drum . laser light impinging on the beans is reflected and the reflected light is sensed and analyzed by the reflectometer , for example by determining its wavelength . the desired darkness of the finished roasted beans ( which was previously downloaded from the computer at the central control station ) is stored in the memory of the on - board computer 40 of the roasting machine and compared with an output signal generated by the reflectometer that indicates the darkness of the beans in real time . when the signal from the reflectometer matches the stored signal in the on - board computer , roasting is terminated . in a preferred embodiment , roasting is terminated by initially ceasing the heating of the roasting air flowing into the drum while continuing to rotate the inner drum ( with bean outlet gate 122 closed ) for about 30 to 45 seconds in a gradually cooling environment that enhances the finish that can be obtained with many types of beans . in addition , while full heat roasting of the beans continues , the light / dark development of the beans inside the drum is monitored by reflectometer 108 , which generates corresponding signals that are fed to the on - board computer . in a preferred embodiment , the memory of the on - board computer includes light / dark level data that was generated during sample roasting at the central control station , typically as a function of roasting time and / or roasting temperature . whenever the darkness level of the beans being roasted deviates from the corresponding stored darkness level data , operating parameters , such as the roasting air temperature and / or roasting air flow rate , are adjusted to bring the darkness level of the beans being roasted in compliance with the stored darkness information in the memory of the on - board computer . in this manner , the test roast , which was performed to establish optimal roasting parameters for a given type of bean and / or roasting profile , is precisely replicated at each and every roasting operation on any and all of the individual roasting machines that are networked with the central computer at the central computer 12 at control station 11 . once the beans are ready for discharge , the on - board computer activates the drive ( not shown ) for bean discharge gate 122 by moving it into its open position shown in fig6 . the continued rotation of inner drum 83 , coupled with the helical shape of vanes 94 therein , gradually moves the beans in the direction of bean discharge opening 88 , from where the roasted beans gravitationally drop onto cooling tray 26 . the cooling tray is preferably circular in shape ( see fig2 ) and includes one or more wiper arms 27 that slowly rotate with upright shaft 27 a protruding from the tray . the arms gradually move the beans over the tray to facilitate their cooling , and , upon completion of the cooling , push the beans through a finish roasted bean discharge opening 124 to a suitable collection point or into a canister ( not shown ). the discharge opening is preferably located adjacent the periphery of the cooling tray , and the wiper arms are shaped so that they slowly direct the beans towards the periphery of the tray . the discharge opening is normally closed by a gate 125 that is opened via a suitable actuator ( not shown ) that is manually or automatically ( by the on - board computer ) opened after the beans have been sufficiently cooled . the cooling tray preferably includes perforations 26 a ( not shown and of a sufficiently small size to prevent beans from dropping through or becoming lodged in them ) so that cooling air can be flowed over the beans on the tray to accelerate their cooling and , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention , to use the heat of the cooling beans for preheating fresh air before it is heated for roasting a new batch of green beans that was placed into the drum . referring to fig4 and 7 - 10 , each individual roasting machine 14 includes an air supply or circulation system that comprises a blower 48 for generating an air flow through roasting drum 44 for the eventual discharge of the air from the machine . in a presently preferred embodiment of the roasting machine in which 6 - lb . batches of green beans are roasted in about twelve minutes , the blower has a 2½ hp motor , generates a pressure rise of about 1 . 5 psi at about 50 cfm through the air circulation system , and heats the air , as a result of the compression of the air , by about 30 ° f .- 50 ° f . ( about 17 ° c .- 28 ° c .). as is best seen in fig8 , the air circulation system preferably receives fresh intake air that was preheated by flowing it over just - roasted , still - hot beans on cooling tray 26 and through perforations 26 a therein to thereby reduce the overall energy consumption of the machine . since the intake air may pick up particulates and white plume smoke as it passes over the roasted beans on the cooling tray , a prefilter 50 is provided to remove such smoke and debris before the air enters fan 48 . filter 50 preferably comprises a 0 . 3 - micron hepa filter with a relatively low pressure drop so that it can remove the white plume smoke and smoke particulates from the intake air . fan 48 is coupled to a heat exchanger 54 , which preheats the air from the fan . the structure and operation of the heat exchanger is discussed in more detail below . the preheated air flows from the heat exchanger 54 to a heater 56 for heating it to the desired roasting temperature . the heater 56 is preferably a flow - through electric duct ( tubular ) heater 56 capable of heating the incoming air from about 120 ° f . ( about 49 ° c .) and at 50 cfm to the roasting temperature , e . g . about 500 ° f . ( about 260 ° c .). from the heater the roasting air flows via a conduit 92 a and past roasting air inlet 92 into and through the roasting drum from which it exits via used air exit 90 . in the drum , the green beans give off particulates , including chaff , as well as white plume smoke , oily smoke , volatiles , hydrocarbons , and the like , which are carried out of the roasting drum by the air . to enable the discharge of the air into the indoor environment surrounding each individual roasting machine 14 , the used roasting air must be cleaned and cooled before it can be discharged . chaff , an onionskin - like husk byproduct that is flaked off the beans in the roasting drum , is removed in a chaff collector 60 located downstream of and coupled to roasting drum 44 . the chaff collector 60 comprises a vortex particulate separator ( not shown ) that captures the chaff and lets the air through . the chaff collecting tray is periodically removed and cleaned as needed . a primary filter 64 is coupled to the chaff collector 60 via a conduit ( not shown ) for the removal of tars and chaff fines . in one embodiment , the primary filter 64 is made of superfine steel wool media . in another embodiment , a prefilter 62 made from superfine 30 micron media is positioned upstream of the primary filter to remove fines from the air flow and prevent a premature plugging of the filter by the fines . from the primary filter 64 , the used air flows to heat exchanger 54 for cooling . in the presently preferred embodiment , the heat exchanger is formed of a plurality of heat pipes ( not shown ) coupled to cooling fins . the relatively cool intake air flows in one direction over one end of the heat pipe array and the relatively hot exhaust air , separated from the cool air by a wall , is conveyed in the opposite direction over the other end of the heat pipe array . heat from the hot exhaust air is transferred via the heat pipe array to the cool intake air flowing from the blower 48 to preheat it before it enters heater 56 and thereby improve the energy efficiency of the roasting machine . the heat exchanger is about 80 % efficient and typically cools the air exhaust air from about 350 ° ( about 177 ° c .) to 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .). alternatively , the heat exchanger can also be formed of double concentric counterflow hoses or pipes . in that case , an outer tube 66 conveys the relatively cool intake air in one direction and an inner tube 68 conveys the relatively hot exhaust air in the opposite direction , or vice versa . heat from the exhaust air is transferred via inner tube 68 to the cool intake air flowing towards fan 48 to thereby preheat it before it enters heater 56 to thereby improve the energy efficiency of the roasting machine . the air is then cooled to about 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .) in an aftercooler 72 disposed downstream of and receiving the air from the heat exchanger 54 . it typically cools the air from about 350 ° f . ( about 177 ° c . ), the exit temperature at the main heat exchanger , to about 100 ° f . ( 38 ° c .). in the illustrated alternative embodiment , aftercooler 72 employs a finned - tube heat sink of a serpentine configuration with sufficient length to achieve the desired temperature drop . a high efficiency particulate accumulator (“ hepa ”) filter 74 is coupled to the heat exchanger and a carbon filter 76 is coupled to the hepa filter 74 . the hepa filter 74 is preferably a 0 . 3 - micron media that captures white plume smoke and particles as small as ½ micron with a 99 +% efficiency . the carbon filter 76 employs activated carbon that filters vocs and hydrocarbons ( so 2 , no 2 , etc .) in the used air stream before it is discharged from the machine . the carbon filter 76 can be used to control the amount of vocs , and therewith the coffee aroma that emanates from the roasting machine . thus , and as is illustrated in fig8 , the intake air enters the prefilter 50 , which filters out smoke and / or debris in the air . the fan 48 produces a flow of the air that traverses the entire roasting machine in no more than about 1 second and , preferably , in as little as about ¼ second while the air is heated from ambient at intake to about 500 ° f . ( about 260 ° c .) for roasting and is then cooled again to about room temperature ( approximately 100 ° f ., 38 ° c .) at discharge . the hot air therefore flows through the roasting drum 44 in a continuous , high temperature flow to thereby effectively roast the beans . referring to fig9 , sensors are employed throughout each individual roasting machine 14 for monitoring and controlling the roasting of the beans . for example , a temperature gauge or thermometer 132 and a pressure gauge 134 are disposed at the inlet of the prefilter 50 to measure the inlet air temperature and pressure . a pressure gauge 136 measures the inlet pressure of the fan 48 and another pressure gauge 138 measures the outlet pressure of the fan . the temperature of the air at the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger 54 is measured with temperature gauges 142 and 144 . a further temperature gauge 146 at the outlet of the heater 56 measures the roasting temperature of the air . a thermometer 150 and a pressure gauge 152 can be provided to measure the temperature and pressure in the roasting chamber 44 . a pair of pressure gauges 154 , 156 at the inlet and outlet of the smoke filter 64 measure the pressure drop across it . the exhaust air temperature drop across the heat exchanger 54 is measured with a pair of thermometers 158 , 162 disposed at the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger . another thermometer 164 provided at the outlet of the aftercooler 72 measures the temperature drop caused by it . a pressure gauge 168 at the inlet of the hepa filter 74 measures the inlet pressure . a pressure gauge 170 at the outlet of the hepa filter 74 measures the outlet pressure of the hepa filter 74 and the inlet pressure of the carbon filter 76 . a pressure gauge 172 at the outlet of the carbon filter 76 measures the outlet pressure . if desired , flow rates at various points of the system may be measured with appropriate flow gauges . as discussed above , while it is preferred to use a reflectometer to monitor the darkness of the beans during roasting , spectrometers can be used instead for measuring the color of the beans . spectrometers or calorimeters capable of detecting colors that can be used with the present invention are known . for example , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 684 , 582 issued nov . 4 , 1997 to eastman et al . and u . s . pat . no . 5 , 504 , 575 issued apr . 2 , 1996 to stafford , which are incorporated by reference herein , disclose useable spectrometers . the patent to stafford specifically discusses the use of a spectrometer to monitor the color of food products to ensure a uniform color for the consumer . on - board roasting computer software of the roasting machine 14 serves , among others , the following functions : 1 . receiving in - store operator roasting requests and initiating roasting sequence , including preheating system check , upon request . 2 . rotating the rotary hopper to the desired green beans position and releasing a correct quantity of the beans into the scale funnel 42 . 3 . releasing the beans from the scale funnel 42 into a the roasting chamber 44 . 4 . roasting the beans to the appropriate recipe established at central control station 11 and , if desired , modifying the recipe with real - time barometric input . 5 . guiding roasting development and final roast degree ( darkness ) by real - time input from the laser reflectometer 108 . 6 . starting the cooling tray sweep arm and discharging the roasted beans from the roasting chamber 44 to the cooling tray 26 when the spectrometer 108 determines that roasting is complete . 7 . stirring / cooling the finished beans on the cooling tray 26 and discharging them into the discharge container when ready . 8 . starting loading / roasting the next batch upon discharge of the previous batch to the cooling tray 26 . the block diagram in fig1 illustrates a roasting system that comprises the combined configuration of the bean handling system of fig7 and the internal air control system of fig8 . the arrows illustrate the bean flow and the air flow . the point of intersection between the two flows is located at the roasting chamber 44 , in which the heated air is used to roast the beans . in this embodiment , the intake air comes from and the exhaust air is released into the surrounding environment at a temperature that is close to room temperature . by circulating air taken from outside surroundings of the roasting apparatus 20 and releasing it back into the surroundings , the internal air control system is an open - loop system . an alternative is a closed - loop air circulation system that comprises substantially the same components as the open - loop system . the primary difference is that only a small proportion , e . g . 20 % of the used air , is discharged to the atmosphere , while the remainder , after thorough cleaning , is recirculated through the roasting machine . the earlier discussed hepa and charcoal filters 74 , 76 are effective only at relatively low temperatures of about 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .). to prevent the need for cooling the used air to such low temperatures in a closed - loop air circulation system while still removing white plume smoke , vocs , hydrocarbons , and the like , a catalytic converter ( not shown ) may be used instead of such filters . with a catalytic converter the cleaned air can be recirculated to the fan of the machine at significantly higher temperatures , which , in turn , reduces the energy consumption of the machine . water removed from the green beans during roasting and entrained in the recirculating used roasting air is discharged from the system with the earlier mentioned release of a small , e . g . 20 %, proportion of the used air . | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Human Necessities'? | Should this patent be classified under 'Fixed Constructions'? | 0.25 | 5a562e0729c99b60b2f728819899174aad5bbd4a7f466a6192701fdb30da1f84 | 0.061035 | 0.015442 | 0.003708 | 0.010315 | 0.064453 | 0.016968 |
null | the present invention is directed to the roasting of foodstuff and , in particular , to a coffee bean roasting method and apparatus having an internal air cleaning system that eliminates the need for exhausting roasting air to the exterior of buildings as well as for an afterburner to clean the roasting air before it is exhausted , that discharges clean air at or near room temperature that can be vented interiorly , and that assures consistent and uniform bean flavor , aroma and quality without the need for an attending roastmaster . as a result , roasting machines made in accordance with this invention can be placed inside stores and can be operated to provide daily roasted coffee beans that have consistent and uniform flavor . all this is achieved at a cost that is typically less than the cost of centrally roasting beans and distributing the roasted beans to retailers as is presently done . although this application makes reference primarily to the roasting of coffee beans , the invention can be applied to roasting other foodstuffs such as other types of beans , seeds , nuts , kernels , and the like . one aspect of the present invention is an automated method of roasting by computer monitoring and control without the need for subjective judgment . applicants have determined that the darkness or color of roasted beans is a reliable indicator of the development of the beans during roasting and the finish of coffee when brewed with such beans . a reflectometer ( or spectrometer ) is used to monitor the change in darkness ( or color ) of the beans during roasting . when the beans have reached a predetermined darkness , the reflectometer sends a signal to the computer to terminate the roasting . to enhance the quality and consistency of the roasted beans , other parameters that affect the ultimate finish can and should also be monitored and input into the computer to control roasting . for instance , the roasting speed , or the time over which the beans are roasted , the color or darkness development during the prescribed roasting time , the prevailing pressure in the roasting chamber , the roasting temperature , and the like can be monitored and used to determine when roasting should cease and / or what roasting parameters , such as heat , air flow or pressure , need to be adjusted . fig1 schematically illustrates a centrally controlled multi - station coffee roasting system 10 constructed and operated in accordance with the invention . it has a central control station 11 that includes a computer or master control server 12 and a plurality of , typically many , geographically dispersed individual roasting machines 14 networked with computer 12 . each of the individual roasting machines 14 includes an on - board computer with programmable logic controllers ( plcs ) and / or a central processing unit ( cpu ) with on - board memory that is networked ( telephonically or by wireless techniques ) with the control server . the control station includes a sample roasting machine 11 a that is constructed substantially identical to the individual roasting machines 14 and with which a roastmaster performs sample roasts of different types of coffee beans to establish for each bean type one or more desired coffee roast profiles and finishes . recordable parameters of relevant characteristics , primarily the darkness of the beans being sample - roasted and , secondarily , the roasting time , roasting pressure , roasting temperature , and the like , are monitored and recorded . when the roastmaster has attained a specific darkness that he or she wish to replicate with the roasting machines 14 installed at the retail establishments , the corresponding roasting parameters 11 b are stored in the memory of master control server 12 . the roastmaster will normally select a number of , say twelve , fifteen , or the like , different types of beans for which the needed roasting parameters are established and stored in the memory of the central processor . all parameters , or at least those for beans that are to be roasted on one or more of the individual roasting machines that form part of the system , are then downloaded to a memory that forms part of the computer contained in each of the individual roasting machines . the stored parameters are then available to control and terminate bean roasting on each individual machine , as is described in more detail below . alternatively , as already mentioned above , each individual roasting machine can be directly controlled with a mainframe computer at the central control station , thereby eliminating the need for on - board computers on the individual roasting machines . in addition to controlling the roasting of the beans by the individual roasting machines , master control server 12 can advantageously be used to monitor and assist in the management of the individual machines . for example , the inventory of green beans at the individual machines may be monitored , and fresh beans can then be automatically reordered from a suitable supplier to assure that sufficient beans are always available when a low - inventory signal is received to assure an adequate bean supply at each individual machine . in addition , the machines , computers and the central computer can be used to monitor and record machine usage ( for example on the basis of processed bean weight , roasting time , or the like ) as well as for billing , establishing profiles of bean types and / or aroma selection systemwide and at each individual roasting machine , and the like . along the same lines , the machines &# 39 ; computers and the central control server can be used for diagnostic purposes , for example to determine malfunctions or needed adjustments and the like for each individual machine , by providing access to the various roasting process monitors and sensors that form part of the roasting machines . a major advantage of the centralized system 10 is that consistent , uniform , high quality bean roasts are assured . further , since each roasting machine is on - site and can be activated whenever needed , the retailer can limit each roast so that no more than one - day &# 39 ; s requirements for the beans are roasted , thereby assuring freshness and the best possible product for the consumer . referring to fig2 , 4 and 6 , an individual roasting machine 14 made according to this invention has a rotary storage hopper 22 for storing and dispensing the foodstuff ( e . g . the beans ) to be roasted . the hopper is on top of and supported by a housing 24 , and a roasting drum 44 is located inside of the housing . a bean handling system directs a selected bean type from hopper 22 into the drum and , after roasting , discharges the roasted beans onto a cooling tray 26 that protrudes horizontally from the housing . also disposed on the inside of housing 24 is an air supply system that heats intake air to the desired roasting temperature , directs the heated air into the roasting drum , and from the drum directs the used or exhaust air through air cooling and air cleaning systems for the subsequent discharge of the used air at about room temperature into the atmosphere immediately surrounding the roasting machine . thus , when installed in a supermarket , for example , the used air will be discharged into the interior of the surrounding building . to be acceptable for complete indoor installation and operation , the used air cleaning system removes all pollutants , such as white plume smoke , oily smoke , particulate matter , including chaff , volatiles , hydrocarbons , and the like , that are generated during roasting before the air is discharged from the machine . referring to fig2 and 3 , rotary hopper 22 has a cylindrical exterior , comprises , for example , sixteen sector - shaped , upright compartments 30 arranged about the center of the hopper , and is rotatable about an upright shaft 30 . a drive ( not separately shown ) incrementally advances the hopper about the upright shaft for indexing a bean discharge opening 36 at the bottom of each compartment with a green bean scale 42 of the roasting machine . a gate 116 keeps the compartment discharge openings 36 normally closed . when the opening of a given compartment is aligned with the scale and beans are to be transferred to the roasting drum , an actuator 117 under the control of the on - board computer of the roasting machine opens the gate so that the beans gravitationally flow onto the scale . when the desired quantity of beans has been transferred to the scale , the compartment gate is closed again . in one preferred embodiment of the invention , appropriate electronics 42 a of the scale generate a weight - responsive electrical signal that is used to close the compartment gate when the preselected quantity of beans has been received on the scale . the hopper 22 includes a removable lid or cover 34 ( fig2 ) to protect the beans and provide access to the hopper compartment , for example for replenishing the beans in the compartments . referring to fig5 , 5 a and 5 b , the roasting of the beans takes place in a roasting drum 44 formed by concentric inner and outer drums 82 , 84 . the outer drum is cylindrical , stationary , sealed and has an upright front plate that is fixed , e . g . bolted to the frame . the outer drum forms a horizontal tubular chamber that extends rearwardly and , at the aft end of the outer drum , mounts an aft end plate 102 that defines a downwardly extending exhaust air outlet 90 . in a presently preferred embodiment , the aft end of the outer drum and the forward end of the aft plate 102 form mating flanges that are held together with a conventional , schematically illustrated flange clamp 103 that permits quick removal of the clamp and disassembly of the drum . the inner drum is perforated and has a rear wall 83 and a spider 85 with preferably three equally - spaced , radial legs that project inwardly from the inner drum , or two spiders 85 ( the second being substituted for the rear wall 83 ). at the axial center of the drum , the rear wall and spider ( s ) are fixed to a drum shaft 87 that is rotatable in shaft bearings 87 a and 87 b of front plate 104 and aft plate 103 of the outer drum . a pulley 89 driven by a motor ( not separately shown ) via a belt 89 a rotates shaft 87 and therewith the inner drum in a given , say clockwise , direction ( as viewed in fig5 a ). the inner drum further includes a plurality of elongated , generally longitudinally extending vanes 94 that project perpendicular to the inner drum wall and extend along a thread - like or helical line over the length of the inner drum . in the presently preferred embodiment , four such vanes are equally spaced about the inside of the inner drum , and the vanes extend through the sector - shaped openings formed by the radial legs of the spiders 85 . to remove beans that may become trapped in the annular space between the inner and outer drums , a spiral bean removal brush 91 can optionally be provided . it is made of heat - resistant material , e . g . stainless steel , extends helically over the length of the inner drum , and projects from the periphery thereof into the annular space to a point close to but slightly spaced from the inner surface of the outer drum 84 . when the drum rotates , beans in the annular space between the drums are moved rearwardly by brush 91 and are ultimately discharged into the downwardly extending exhaust air outlet 90 ( or into a bean collection receptacle or a separately provided bean removal conduit ( not shown )). front plate 104 of roasting drum 44 has a tubular bean intake conduit 86 the open end of which is positioned immediately below a scale discharge opening 43 so that a fresh batch of green beans that has been weighed on the scale flows gravitationally into the drum for roasting by opening gate 43 a following the weighing of the beans by the scale . roasted beans are removed from drum 44 via a bean outlet 88 in front plate 104 and via a discharge chute 110 onto cooling tray 26 by opening a drum discharge gate 122 . during roasting , the pressure inside the roasting drum exceeds atmospheric pressure , in a presently preferred embodiment by about 1 . 5 psi . to prevent the escape of the hot roasting air , a gate — in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention , a butterfly disc 86 a — is placed in the tubular conduit 86 between scale 42 and the interior of the drum . the butterfly disc includes a heat - resistant seal ( not separately shown ) that prevents the hot , pressurized air in the drum from escaping through the bean intake conduit . the butterfly disc remains closed at all times except when a fresh batch of green beans is to be gravitationally transferred from the scale to the drum interior . it is operated by a suitable drive ( not separately shown ) that is under the control of the computer of the roasting machine and is preferably synchronized with the activator ( not shown ) for scale gate 43 a . similarly , bean discharge gate 122 is provided with a seal formed by a high temperature seal ring ( not separately shown ) that prevents the escape of hot , pressurized air from the interior of the drum when the gate is in its closed position . in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention , discharge gate 122 is hinged to the front plate 104 along its upper edge and a linear drive ( not separately shown ) is provided for opening and closing the discharge gate . the drive for the discharge gate is also under the control of the computer of the roasting machine . as is described in more detail below , the roasting of the beans is monitored with a reflectometer 108 ( or a spectrometer for monitoring color ) suitably mounted adjacent to front plate 104 with a holder 108 a . the reflectometer directs a laser beam 109 through a window 98 in the front plate into the interior of the roasting drum . finally , rear plate 104 includes a hot roasting air inlet 92 that receives hot roasting air from an air intake conduit 92 a . turning now to the manner in which fresh or green coffee beans are roasted in accordance with the invention , different types of green beans are placed into the hopper compartment 30 and an appropriate command is entered into an on - board computer 40 of the roasting machine which of the bean types is to be roasted . its computer selects the appropriate hopper compartment and activates the hopper drive ( not shown in the drawings ) to rotationally advance the hopper until the discharge opening 36 of the selected compartment is immediately above scale 42 . actuator 117 opens hopper gate 116 and green beans gravitationally drop onto the scale where they are weighed . when the desired weight of beans that is to be roasted has been received on the scale , the actuator , preferably via a signal from scale electronics 42 a , closes the hopper gate and therewith terminates the transfer of beans . the computer next activates the drive for bean inlet closure disc 86 a to open it and also opens gate 43 a in scale discharge opening 43 , thereby permitting the beans to gravitationally flow from the scale via bean inlet 86 into the interior of inner drum 82 . thereafter intake disc gate 86 a , as well as bean discharge gate 122 , are closed , or maintained closed , to form a seal and prevent the escape of pressurized air from the interior of the drum through the bean intake or outlet . the drum drive ( not separately shown ) is energized , to rotate in a drum 82 via pulley 89 , and the air circulation system is activated to flow hot roasting air through hot air inlet 92 and the interior of the drum for discharge through exhaust or used air outlet 90 , thereby bringing the beans to the roasting temperature . the green beans introduced into the drum at the beginning of roasting initially rest at the bottom of the inner drum 82 . when rotation commences , the radially inwardly extending vanes 94 pick up quantities of beans in a pocket defined by each vane and the portion of the inner drum adjoining the vane . as rotation of the drum continues , the beans in the pocket are lifted upwardly until the vane rises above the axis of shaft 87 , at which point the side of the vane facing the pocket becomes downwardly inclined and the beans roll off the vane under the influence of gravity . the vanes are helically curved so that the sides thereof that form the pocket slope downwardly towards front plate 104 of the roasting drum . as a result , as the inner drum rotates , the beans in the pocket are also urged towards the front plate . thus , a stream of beans 95 from the elevated vane is intermittently formed in the vicinity of window 98 each time one of the vanes ( with beans in the pocket ) rises above the shaft centerline . in the process , the beans become heated to the roasting temperature and as roasting time continues they undergo a gradual color change and darkening , which , for coffee beans , progresses from an initial gray - green color of the green beans to a light color giving the beans a bleached appearance and then to increasingly dark shades of brown . the laser ( not separately shown ) of the reflectometer 108 is continuously or intermittently activated to direct laser light onto the stream of beans 95 on the inside of the drum . laser light impinging on the beans is reflected and the reflected light is sensed and analyzed by the reflectometer , for example by determining its wavelength . the desired darkness of the finished roasted beans ( which was previously downloaded from the computer at the central control station ) is stored in the memory of the on - board computer 40 of the roasting machine and compared with an output signal generated by the reflectometer that indicates the darkness of the beans in real time . when the signal from the reflectometer matches the stored signal in the on - board computer , roasting is terminated . in a preferred embodiment , roasting is terminated by initially ceasing the heating of the roasting air flowing into the drum while continuing to rotate the inner drum ( with bean outlet gate 122 closed ) for about 30 to 45 seconds in a gradually cooling environment that enhances the finish that can be obtained with many types of beans . in addition , while full heat roasting of the beans continues , the light / dark development of the beans inside the drum is monitored by reflectometer 108 , which generates corresponding signals that are fed to the on - board computer . in a preferred embodiment , the memory of the on - board computer includes light / dark level data that was generated during sample roasting at the central control station , typically as a function of roasting time and / or roasting temperature . whenever the darkness level of the beans being roasted deviates from the corresponding stored darkness level data , operating parameters , such as the roasting air temperature and / or roasting air flow rate , are adjusted to bring the darkness level of the beans being roasted in compliance with the stored darkness information in the memory of the on - board computer . in this manner , the test roast , which was performed to establish optimal roasting parameters for a given type of bean and / or roasting profile , is precisely replicated at each and every roasting operation on any and all of the individual roasting machines that are networked with the central computer at the central computer 12 at control station 11 . once the beans are ready for discharge , the on - board computer activates the drive ( not shown ) for bean discharge gate 122 by moving it into its open position shown in fig6 . the continued rotation of inner drum 83 , coupled with the helical shape of vanes 94 therein , gradually moves the beans in the direction of bean discharge opening 88 , from where the roasted beans gravitationally drop onto cooling tray 26 . the cooling tray is preferably circular in shape ( see fig2 ) and includes one or more wiper arms 27 that slowly rotate with upright shaft 27 a protruding from the tray . the arms gradually move the beans over the tray to facilitate their cooling , and , upon completion of the cooling , push the beans through a finish roasted bean discharge opening 124 to a suitable collection point or into a canister ( not shown ). the discharge opening is preferably located adjacent the periphery of the cooling tray , and the wiper arms are shaped so that they slowly direct the beans towards the periphery of the tray . the discharge opening is normally closed by a gate 125 that is opened via a suitable actuator ( not shown ) that is manually or automatically ( by the on - board computer ) opened after the beans have been sufficiently cooled . the cooling tray preferably includes perforations 26 a ( not shown and of a sufficiently small size to prevent beans from dropping through or becoming lodged in them ) so that cooling air can be flowed over the beans on the tray to accelerate their cooling and , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention , to use the heat of the cooling beans for preheating fresh air before it is heated for roasting a new batch of green beans that was placed into the drum . referring to fig4 and 7 - 10 , each individual roasting machine 14 includes an air supply or circulation system that comprises a blower 48 for generating an air flow through roasting drum 44 for the eventual discharge of the air from the machine . in a presently preferred embodiment of the roasting machine in which 6 - lb . batches of green beans are roasted in about twelve minutes , the blower has a 2½ hp motor , generates a pressure rise of about 1 . 5 psi at about 50 cfm through the air circulation system , and heats the air , as a result of the compression of the air , by about 30 ° f .- 50 ° f . ( about 17 ° c .- 28 ° c .). as is best seen in fig8 , the air circulation system preferably receives fresh intake air that was preheated by flowing it over just - roasted , still - hot beans on cooling tray 26 and through perforations 26 a therein to thereby reduce the overall energy consumption of the machine . since the intake air may pick up particulates and white plume smoke as it passes over the roasted beans on the cooling tray , a prefilter 50 is provided to remove such smoke and debris before the air enters fan 48 . filter 50 preferably comprises a 0 . 3 - micron hepa filter with a relatively low pressure drop so that it can remove the white plume smoke and smoke particulates from the intake air . fan 48 is coupled to a heat exchanger 54 , which preheats the air from the fan . the structure and operation of the heat exchanger is discussed in more detail below . the preheated air flows from the heat exchanger 54 to a heater 56 for heating it to the desired roasting temperature . the heater 56 is preferably a flow - through electric duct ( tubular ) heater 56 capable of heating the incoming air from about 120 ° f . ( about 49 ° c .) and at 50 cfm to the roasting temperature , e . g . about 500 ° f . ( about 260 ° c .). from the heater the roasting air flows via a conduit 92 a and past roasting air inlet 92 into and through the roasting drum from which it exits via used air exit 90 . in the drum , the green beans give off particulates , including chaff , as well as white plume smoke , oily smoke , volatiles , hydrocarbons , and the like , which are carried out of the roasting drum by the air . to enable the discharge of the air into the indoor environment surrounding each individual roasting machine 14 , the used roasting air must be cleaned and cooled before it can be discharged . chaff , an onionskin - like husk byproduct that is flaked off the beans in the roasting drum , is removed in a chaff collector 60 located downstream of and coupled to roasting drum 44 . the chaff collector 60 comprises a vortex particulate separator ( not shown ) that captures the chaff and lets the air through . the chaff collecting tray is periodically removed and cleaned as needed . a primary filter 64 is coupled to the chaff collector 60 via a conduit ( not shown ) for the removal of tars and chaff fines . in one embodiment , the primary filter 64 is made of superfine steel wool media . in another embodiment , a prefilter 62 made from superfine 30 micron media is positioned upstream of the primary filter to remove fines from the air flow and prevent a premature plugging of the filter by the fines . from the primary filter 64 , the used air flows to heat exchanger 54 for cooling . in the presently preferred embodiment , the heat exchanger is formed of a plurality of heat pipes ( not shown ) coupled to cooling fins . the relatively cool intake air flows in one direction over one end of the heat pipe array and the relatively hot exhaust air , separated from the cool air by a wall , is conveyed in the opposite direction over the other end of the heat pipe array . heat from the hot exhaust air is transferred via the heat pipe array to the cool intake air flowing from the blower 48 to preheat it before it enters heater 56 and thereby improve the energy efficiency of the roasting machine . the heat exchanger is about 80 % efficient and typically cools the air exhaust air from about 350 ° ( about 177 ° c .) to 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .). alternatively , the heat exchanger can also be formed of double concentric counterflow hoses or pipes . in that case , an outer tube 66 conveys the relatively cool intake air in one direction and an inner tube 68 conveys the relatively hot exhaust air in the opposite direction , or vice versa . heat from the exhaust air is transferred via inner tube 68 to the cool intake air flowing towards fan 48 to thereby preheat it before it enters heater 56 to thereby improve the energy efficiency of the roasting machine . the air is then cooled to about 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .) in an aftercooler 72 disposed downstream of and receiving the air from the heat exchanger 54 . it typically cools the air from about 350 ° f . ( about 177 ° c . ), the exit temperature at the main heat exchanger , to about 100 ° f . ( 38 ° c .). in the illustrated alternative embodiment , aftercooler 72 employs a finned - tube heat sink of a serpentine configuration with sufficient length to achieve the desired temperature drop . a high efficiency particulate accumulator (“ hepa ”) filter 74 is coupled to the heat exchanger and a carbon filter 76 is coupled to the hepa filter 74 . the hepa filter 74 is preferably a 0 . 3 - micron media that captures white plume smoke and particles as small as ½ micron with a 99 +% efficiency . the carbon filter 76 employs activated carbon that filters vocs and hydrocarbons ( so 2 , no 2 , etc .) in the used air stream before it is discharged from the machine . the carbon filter 76 can be used to control the amount of vocs , and therewith the coffee aroma that emanates from the roasting machine . thus , and as is illustrated in fig8 , the intake air enters the prefilter 50 , which filters out smoke and / or debris in the air . the fan 48 produces a flow of the air that traverses the entire roasting machine in no more than about 1 second and , preferably , in as little as about ¼ second while the air is heated from ambient at intake to about 500 ° f . ( about 260 ° c .) for roasting and is then cooled again to about room temperature ( approximately 100 ° f ., 38 ° c .) at discharge . the hot air therefore flows through the roasting drum 44 in a continuous , high temperature flow to thereby effectively roast the beans . referring to fig9 , sensors are employed throughout each individual roasting machine 14 for monitoring and controlling the roasting of the beans . for example , a temperature gauge or thermometer 132 and a pressure gauge 134 are disposed at the inlet of the prefilter 50 to measure the inlet air temperature and pressure . a pressure gauge 136 measures the inlet pressure of the fan 48 and another pressure gauge 138 measures the outlet pressure of the fan . the temperature of the air at the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger 54 is measured with temperature gauges 142 and 144 . a further temperature gauge 146 at the outlet of the heater 56 measures the roasting temperature of the air . a thermometer 150 and a pressure gauge 152 can be provided to measure the temperature and pressure in the roasting chamber 44 . a pair of pressure gauges 154 , 156 at the inlet and outlet of the smoke filter 64 measure the pressure drop across it . the exhaust air temperature drop across the heat exchanger 54 is measured with a pair of thermometers 158 , 162 disposed at the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger . another thermometer 164 provided at the outlet of the aftercooler 72 measures the temperature drop caused by it . a pressure gauge 168 at the inlet of the hepa filter 74 measures the inlet pressure . a pressure gauge 170 at the outlet of the hepa filter 74 measures the outlet pressure of the hepa filter 74 and the inlet pressure of the carbon filter 76 . a pressure gauge 172 at the outlet of the carbon filter 76 measures the outlet pressure . if desired , flow rates at various points of the system may be measured with appropriate flow gauges . as discussed above , while it is preferred to use a reflectometer to monitor the darkness of the beans during roasting , spectrometers can be used instead for measuring the color of the beans . spectrometers or calorimeters capable of detecting colors that can be used with the present invention are known . for example , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 684 , 582 issued nov . 4 , 1997 to eastman et al . and u . s . pat . no . 5 , 504 , 575 issued apr . 2 , 1996 to stafford , which are incorporated by reference herein , disclose useable spectrometers . the patent to stafford specifically discusses the use of a spectrometer to monitor the color of food products to ensure a uniform color for the consumer . on - board roasting computer software of the roasting machine 14 serves , among others , the following functions : 1 . receiving in - store operator roasting requests and initiating roasting sequence , including preheating system check , upon request . 2 . rotating the rotary hopper to the desired green beans position and releasing a correct quantity of the beans into the scale funnel 42 . 3 . releasing the beans from the scale funnel 42 into a the roasting chamber 44 . 4 . roasting the beans to the appropriate recipe established at central control station 11 and , if desired , modifying the recipe with real - time barometric input . 5 . guiding roasting development and final roast degree ( darkness ) by real - time input from the laser reflectometer 108 . 6 . starting the cooling tray sweep arm and discharging the roasted beans from the roasting chamber 44 to the cooling tray 26 when the spectrometer 108 determines that roasting is complete . 7 . stirring / cooling the finished beans on the cooling tray 26 and discharging them into the discharge container when ready . 8 . starting loading / roasting the next batch upon discharge of the previous batch to the cooling tray 26 . the block diagram in fig1 illustrates a roasting system that comprises the combined configuration of the bean handling system of fig7 and the internal air control system of fig8 . the arrows illustrate the bean flow and the air flow . the point of intersection between the two flows is located at the roasting chamber 44 , in which the heated air is used to roast the beans . in this embodiment , the intake air comes from and the exhaust air is released into the surrounding environment at a temperature that is close to room temperature . by circulating air taken from outside surroundings of the roasting apparatus 20 and releasing it back into the surroundings , the internal air control system is an open - loop system . an alternative is a closed - loop air circulation system that comprises substantially the same components as the open - loop system . the primary difference is that only a small proportion , e . g . 20 % of the used air , is discharged to the atmosphere , while the remainder , after thorough cleaning , is recirculated through the roasting machine . the earlier discussed hepa and charcoal filters 74 , 76 are effective only at relatively low temperatures of about 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .). to prevent the need for cooling the used air to such low temperatures in a closed - loop air circulation system while still removing white plume smoke , vocs , hydrocarbons , and the like , a catalytic converter ( not shown ) may be used instead of such filters . with a catalytic converter the cleaned air can be recirculated to the fan of the machine at significantly higher temperatures , which , in turn , reduces the energy consumption of the machine . water removed from the green beans during roasting and entrained in the recirculating used roasting air is discharged from the system with the earlier mentioned release of a small , e . g . 20 %, proportion of the used air . | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Human Necessities'? | Should this patent be classified under 'Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting'? | 0.25 | 5a562e0729c99b60b2f728819899174aad5bbd4a7f466a6192701fdb30da1f84 | 0.061035 | 0.016357 | 0.003708 | 0.000969 | 0.064453 | 0.017456 |
null | the present invention is directed to the roasting of foodstuff and , in particular , to a coffee bean roasting method and apparatus having an internal air cleaning system that eliminates the need for exhausting roasting air to the exterior of buildings as well as for an afterburner to clean the roasting air before it is exhausted , that discharges clean air at or near room temperature that can be vented interiorly , and that assures consistent and uniform bean flavor , aroma and quality without the need for an attending roastmaster . as a result , roasting machines made in accordance with this invention can be placed inside stores and can be operated to provide daily roasted coffee beans that have consistent and uniform flavor . all this is achieved at a cost that is typically less than the cost of centrally roasting beans and distributing the roasted beans to retailers as is presently done . although this application makes reference primarily to the roasting of coffee beans , the invention can be applied to roasting other foodstuffs such as other types of beans , seeds , nuts , kernels , and the like . one aspect of the present invention is an automated method of roasting by computer monitoring and control without the need for subjective judgment . applicants have determined that the darkness or color of roasted beans is a reliable indicator of the development of the beans during roasting and the finish of coffee when brewed with such beans . a reflectometer ( or spectrometer ) is used to monitor the change in darkness ( or color ) of the beans during roasting . when the beans have reached a predetermined darkness , the reflectometer sends a signal to the computer to terminate the roasting . to enhance the quality and consistency of the roasted beans , other parameters that affect the ultimate finish can and should also be monitored and input into the computer to control roasting . for instance , the roasting speed , or the time over which the beans are roasted , the color or darkness development during the prescribed roasting time , the prevailing pressure in the roasting chamber , the roasting temperature , and the like can be monitored and used to determine when roasting should cease and / or what roasting parameters , such as heat , air flow or pressure , need to be adjusted . fig1 schematically illustrates a centrally controlled multi - station coffee roasting system 10 constructed and operated in accordance with the invention . it has a central control station 11 that includes a computer or master control server 12 and a plurality of , typically many , geographically dispersed individual roasting machines 14 networked with computer 12 . each of the individual roasting machines 14 includes an on - board computer with programmable logic controllers ( plcs ) and / or a central processing unit ( cpu ) with on - board memory that is networked ( telephonically or by wireless techniques ) with the control server . the control station includes a sample roasting machine 11 a that is constructed substantially identical to the individual roasting machines 14 and with which a roastmaster performs sample roasts of different types of coffee beans to establish for each bean type one or more desired coffee roast profiles and finishes . recordable parameters of relevant characteristics , primarily the darkness of the beans being sample - roasted and , secondarily , the roasting time , roasting pressure , roasting temperature , and the like , are monitored and recorded . when the roastmaster has attained a specific darkness that he or she wish to replicate with the roasting machines 14 installed at the retail establishments , the corresponding roasting parameters 11 b are stored in the memory of master control server 12 . the roastmaster will normally select a number of , say twelve , fifteen , or the like , different types of beans for which the needed roasting parameters are established and stored in the memory of the central processor . all parameters , or at least those for beans that are to be roasted on one or more of the individual roasting machines that form part of the system , are then downloaded to a memory that forms part of the computer contained in each of the individual roasting machines . the stored parameters are then available to control and terminate bean roasting on each individual machine , as is described in more detail below . alternatively , as already mentioned above , each individual roasting machine can be directly controlled with a mainframe computer at the central control station , thereby eliminating the need for on - board computers on the individual roasting machines . in addition to controlling the roasting of the beans by the individual roasting machines , master control server 12 can advantageously be used to monitor and assist in the management of the individual machines . for example , the inventory of green beans at the individual machines may be monitored , and fresh beans can then be automatically reordered from a suitable supplier to assure that sufficient beans are always available when a low - inventory signal is received to assure an adequate bean supply at each individual machine . in addition , the machines , computers and the central computer can be used to monitor and record machine usage ( for example on the basis of processed bean weight , roasting time , or the like ) as well as for billing , establishing profiles of bean types and / or aroma selection systemwide and at each individual roasting machine , and the like . along the same lines , the machines &# 39 ; computers and the central control server can be used for diagnostic purposes , for example to determine malfunctions or needed adjustments and the like for each individual machine , by providing access to the various roasting process monitors and sensors that form part of the roasting machines . a major advantage of the centralized system 10 is that consistent , uniform , high quality bean roasts are assured . further , since each roasting machine is on - site and can be activated whenever needed , the retailer can limit each roast so that no more than one - day &# 39 ; s requirements for the beans are roasted , thereby assuring freshness and the best possible product for the consumer . referring to fig2 , 4 and 6 , an individual roasting machine 14 made according to this invention has a rotary storage hopper 22 for storing and dispensing the foodstuff ( e . g . the beans ) to be roasted . the hopper is on top of and supported by a housing 24 , and a roasting drum 44 is located inside of the housing . a bean handling system directs a selected bean type from hopper 22 into the drum and , after roasting , discharges the roasted beans onto a cooling tray 26 that protrudes horizontally from the housing . also disposed on the inside of housing 24 is an air supply system that heats intake air to the desired roasting temperature , directs the heated air into the roasting drum , and from the drum directs the used or exhaust air through air cooling and air cleaning systems for the subsequent discharge of the used air at about room temperature into the atmosphere immediately surrounding the roasting machine . thus , when installed in a supermarket , for example , the used air will be discharged into the interior of the surrounding building . to be acceptable for complete indoor installation and operation , the used air cleaning system removes all pollutants , such as white plume smoke , oily smoke , particulate matter , including chaff , volatiles , hydrocarbons , and the like , that are generated during roasting before the air is discharged from the machine . referring to fig2 and 3 , rotary hopper 22 has a cylindrical exterior , comprises , for example , sixteen sector - shaped , upright compartments 30 arranged about the center of the hopper , and is rotatable about an upright shaft 30 . a drive ( not separately shown ) incrementally advances the hopper about the upright shaft for indexing a bean discharge opening 36 at the bottom of each compartment with a green bean scale 42 of the roasting machine . a gate 116 keeps the compartment discharge openings 36 normally closed . when the opening of a given compartment is aligned with the scale and beans are to be transferred to the roasting drum , an actuator 117 under the control of the on - board computer of the roasting machine opens the gate so that the beans gravitationally flow onto the scale . when the desired quantity of beans has been transferred to the scale , the compartment gate is closed again . in one preferred embodiment of the invention , appropriate electronics 42 a of the scale generate a weight - responsive electrical signal that is used to close the compartment gate when the preselected quantity of beans has been received on the scale . the hopper 22 includes a removable lid or cover 34 ( fig2 ) to protect the beans and provide access to the hopper compartment , for example for replenishing the beans in the compartments . referring to fig5 , 5 a and 5 b , the roasting of the beans takes place in a roasting drum 44 formed by concentric inner and outer drums 82 , 84 . the outer drum is cylindrical , stationary , sealed and has an upright front plate that is fixed , e . g . bolted to the frame . the outer drum forms a horizontal tubular chamber that extends rearwardly and , at the aft end of the outer drum , mounts an aft end plate 102 that defines a downwardly extending exhaust air outlet 90 . in a presently preferred embodiment , the aft end of the outer drum and the forward end of the aft plate 102 form mating flanges that are held together with a conventional , schematically illustrated flange clamp 103 that permits quick removal of the clamp and disassembly of the drum . the inner drum is perforated and has a rear wall 83 and a spider 85 with preferably three equally - spaced , radial legs that project inwardly from the inner drum , or two spiders 85 ( the second being substituted for the rear wall 83 ). at the axial center of the drum , the rear wall and spider ( s ) are fixed to a drum shaft 87 that is rotatable in shaft bearings 87 a and 87 b of front plate 104 and aft plate 103 of the outer drum . a pulley 89 driven by a motor ( not separately shown ) via a belt 89 a rotates shaft 87 and therewith the inner drum in a given , say clockwise , direction ( as viewed in fig5 a ). the inner drum further includes a plurality of elongated , generally longitudinally extending vanes 94 that project perpendicular to the inner drum wall and extend along a thread - like or helical line over the length of the inner drum . in the presently preferred embodiment , four such vanes are equally spaced about the inside of the inner drum , and the vanes extend through the sector - shaped openings formed by the radial legs of the spiders 85 . to remove beans that may become trapped in the annular space between the inner and outer drums , a spiral bean removal brush 91 can optionally be provided . it is made of heat - resistant material , e . g . stainless steel , extends helically over the length of the inner drum , and projects from the periphery thereof into the annular space to a point close to but slightly spaced from the inner surface of the outer drum 84 . when the drum rotates , beans in the annular space between the drums are moved rearwardly by brush 91 and are ultimately discharged into the downwardly extending exhaust air outlet 90 ( or into a bean collection receptacle or a separately provided bean removal conduit ( not shown )). front plate 104 of roasting drum 44 has a tubular bean intake conduit 86 the open end of which is positioned immediately below a scale discharge opening 43 so that a fresh batch of green beans that has been weighed on the scale flows gravitationally into the drum for roasting by opening gate 43 a following the weighing of the beans by the scale . roasted beans are removed from drum 44 via a bean outlet 88 in front plate 104 and via a discharge chute 110 onto cooling tray 26 by opening a drum discharge gate 122 . during roasting , the pressure inside the roasting drum exceeds atmospheric pressure , in a presently preferred embodiment by about 1 . 5 psi . to prevent the escape of the hot roasting air , a gate — in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention , a butterfly disc 86 a — is placed in the tubular conduit 86 between scale 42 and the interior of the drum . the butterfly disc includes a heat - resistant seal ( not separately shown ) that prevents the hot , pressurized air in the drum from escaping through the bean intake conduit . the butterfly disc remains closed at all times except when a fresh batch of green beans is to be gravitationally transferred from the scale to the drum interior . it is operated by a suitable drive ( not separately shown ) that is under the control of the computer of the roasting machine and is preferably synchronized with the activator ( not shown ) for scale gate 43 a . similarly , bean discharge gate 122 is provided with a seal formed by a high temperature seal ring ( not separately shown ) that prevents the escape of hot , pressurized air from the interior of the drum when the gate is in its closed position . in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention , discharge gate 122 is hinged to the front plate 104 along its upper edge and a linear drive ( not separately shown ) is provided for opening and closing the discharge gate . the drive for the discharge gate is also under the control of the computer of the roasting machine . as is described in more detail below , the roasting of the beans is monitored with a reflectometer 108 ( or a spectrometer for monitoring color ) suitably mounted adjacent to front plate 104 with a holder 108 a . the reflectometer directs a laser beam 109 through a window 98 in the front plate into the interior of the roasting drum . finally , rear plate 104 includes a hot roasting air inlet 92 that receives hot roasting air from an air intake conduit 92 a . turning now to the manner in which fresh or green coffee beans are roasted in accordance with the invention , different types of green beans are placed into the hopper compartment 30 and an appropriate command is entered into an on - board computer 40 of the roasting machine which of the bean types is to be roasted . its computer selects the appropriate hopper compartment and activates the hopper drive ( not shown in the drawings ) to rotationally advance the hopper until the discharge opening 36 of the selected compartment is immediately above scale 42 . actuator 117 opens hopper gate 116 and green beans gravitationally drop onto the scale where they are weighed . when the desired weight of beans that is to be roasted has been received on the scale , the actuator , preferably via a signal from scale electronics 42 a , closes the hopper gate and therewith terminates the transfer of beans . the computer next activates the drive for bean inlet closure disc 86 a to open it and also opens gate 43 a in scale discharge opening 43 , thereby permitting the beans to gravitationally flow from the scale via bean inlet 86 into the interior of inner drum 82 . thereafter intake disc gate 86 a , as well as bean discharge gate 122 , are closed , or maintained closed , to form a seal and prevent the escape of pressurized air from the interior of the drum through the bean intake or outlet . the drum drive ( not separately shown ) is energized , to rotate in a drum 82 via pulley 89 , and the air circulation system is activated to flow hot roasting air through hot air inlet 92 and the interior of the drum for discharge through exhaust or used air outlet 90 , thereby bringing the beans to the roasting temperature . the green beans introduced into the drum at the beginning of roasting initially rest at the bottom of the inner drum 82 . when rotation commences , the radially inwardly extending vanes 94 pick up quantities of beans in a pocket defined by each vane and the portion of the inner drum adjoining the vane . as rotation of the drum continues , the beans in the pocket are lifted upwardly until the vane rises above the axis of shaft 87 , at which point the side of the vane facing the pocket becomes downwardly inclined and the beans roll off the vane under the influence of gravity . the vanes are helically curved so that the sides thereof that form the pocket slope downwardly towards front plate 104 of the roasting drum . as a result , as the inner drum rotates , the beans in the pocket are also urged towards the front plate . thus , a stream of beans 95 from the elevated vane is intermittently formed in the vicinity of window 98 each time one of the vanes ( with beans in the pocket ) rises above the shaft centerline . in the process , the beans become heated to the roasting temperature and as roasting time continues they undergo a gradual color change and darkening , which , for coffee beans , progresses from an initial gray - green color of the green beans to a light color giving the beans a bleached appearance and then to increasingly dark shades of brown . the laser ( not separately shown ) of the reflectometer 108 is continuously or intermittently activated to direct laser light onto the stream of beans 95 on the inside of the drum . laser light impinging on the beans is reflected and the reflected light is sensed and analyzed by the reflectometer , for example by determining its wavelength . the desired darkness of the finished roasted beans ( which was previously downloaded from the computer at the central control station ) is stored in the memory of the on - board computer 40 of the roasting machine and compared with an output signal generated by the reflectometer that indicates the darkness of the beans in real time . when the signal from the reflectometer matches the stored signal in the on - board computer , roasting is terminated . in a preferred embodiment , roasting is terminated by initially ceasing the heating of the roasting air flowing into the drum while continuing to rotate the inner drum ( with bean outlet gate 122 closed ) for about 30 to 45 seconds in a gradually cooling environment that enhances the finish that can be obtained with many types of beans . in addition , while full heat roasting of the beans continues , the light / dark development of the beans inside the drum is monitored by reflectometer 108 , which generates corresponding signals that are fed to the on - board computer . in a preferred embodiment , the memory of the on - board computer includes light / dark level data that was generated during sample roasting at the central control station , typically as a function of roasting time and / or roasting temperature . whenever the darkness level of the beans being roasted deviates from the corresponding stored darkness level data , operating parameters , such as the roasting air temperature and / or roasting air flow rate , are adjusted to bring the darkness level of the beans being roasted in compliance with the stored darkness information in the memory of the on - board computer . in this manner , the test roast , which was performed to establish optimal roasting parameters for a given type of bean and / or roasting profile , is precisely replicated at each and every roasting operation on any and all of the individual roasting machines that are networked with the central computer at the central computer 12 at control station 11 . once the beans are ready for discharge , the on - board computer activates the drive ( not shown ) for bean discharge gate 122 by moving it into its open position shown in fig6 . the continued rotation of inner drum 83 , coupled with the helical shape of vanes 94 therein , gradually moves the beans in the direction of bean discharge opening 88 , from where the roasted beans gravitationally drop onto cooling tray 26 . the cooling tray is preferably circular in shape ( see fig2 ) and includes one or more wiper arms 27 that slowly rotate with upright shaft 27 a protruding from the tray . the arms gradually move the beans over the tray to facilitate their cooling , and , upon completion of the cooling , push the beans through a finish roasted bean discharge opening 124 to a suitable collection point or into a canister ( not shown ). the discharge opening is preferably located adjacent the periphery of the cooling tray , and the wiper arms are shaped so that they slowly direct the beans towards the periphery of the tray . the discharge opening is normally closed by a gate 125 that is opened via a suitable actuator ( not shown ) that is manually or automatically ( by the on - board computer ) opened after the beans have been sufficiently cooled . the cooling tray preferably includes perforations 26 a ( not shown and of a sufficiently small size to prevent beans from dropping through or becoming lodged in them ) so that cooling air can be flowed over the beans on the tray to accelerate their cooling and , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention , to use the heat of the cooling beans for preheating fresh air before it is heated for roasting a new batch of green beans that was placed into the drum . referring to fig4 and 7 - 10 , each individual roasting machine 14 includes an air supply or circulation system that comprises a blower 48 for generating an air flow through roasting drum 44 for the eventual discharge of the air from the machine . in a presently preferred embodiment of the roasting machine in which 6 - lb . batches of green beans are roasted in about twelve minutes , the blower has a 2½ hp motor , generates a pressure rise of about 1 . 5 psi at about 50 cfm through the air circulation system , and heats the air , as a result of the compression of the air , by about 30 ° f .- 50 ° f . ( about 17 ° c .- 28 ° c .). as is best seen in fig8 , the air circulation system preferably receives fresh intake air that was preheated by flowing it over just - roasted , still - hot beans on cooling tray 26 and through perforations 26 a therein to thereby reduce the overall energy consumption of the machine . since the intake air may pick up particulates and white plume smoke as it passes over the roasted beans on the cooling tray , a prefilter 50 is provided to remove such smoke and debris before the air enters fan 48 . filter 50 preferably comprises a 0 . 3 - micron hepa filter with a relatively low pressure drop so that it can remove the white plume smoke and smoke particulates from the intake air . fan 48 is coupled to a heat exchanger 54 , which preheats the air from the fan . the structure and operation of the heat exchanger is discussed in more detail below . the preheated air flows from the heat exchanger 54 to a heater 56 for heating it to the desired roasting temperature . the heater 56 is preferably a flow - through electric duct ( tubular ) heater 56 capable of heating the incoming air from about 120 ° f . ( about 49 ° c .) and at 50 cfm to the roasting temperature , e . g . about 500 ° f . ( about 260 ° c .). from the heater the roasting air flows via a conduit 92 a and past roasting air inlet 92 into and through the roasting drum from which it exits via used air exit 90 . in the drum , the green beans give off particulates , including chaff , as well as white plume smoke , oily smoke , volatiles , hydrocarbons , and the like , which are carried out of the roasting drum by the air . to enable the discharge of the air into the indoor environment surrounding each individual roasting machine 14 , the used roasting air must be cleaned and cooled before it can be discharged . chaff , an onionskin - like husk byproduct that is flaked off the beans in the roasting drum , is removed in a chaff collector 60 located downstream of and coupled to roasting drum 44 . the chaff collector 60 comprises a vortex particulate separator ( not shown ) that captures the chaff and lets the air through . the chaff collecting tray is periodically removed and cleaned as needed . a primary filter 64 is coupled to the chaff collector 60 via a conduit ( not shown ) for the removal of tars and chaff fines . in one embodiment , the primary filter 64 is made of superfine steel wool media . in another embodiment , a prefilter 62 made from superfine 30 micron media is positioned upstream of the primary filter to remove fines from the air flow and prevent a premature plugging of the filter by the fines . from the primary filter 64 , the used air flows to heat exchanger 54 for cooling . in the presently preferred embodiment , the heat exchanger is formed of a plurality of heat pipes ( not shown ) coupled to cooling fins . the relatively cool intake air flows in one direction over one end of the heat pipe array and the relatively hot exhaust air , separated from the cool air by a wall , is conveyed in the opposite direction over the other end of the heat pipe array . heat from the hot exhaust air is transferred via the heat pipe array to the cool intake air flowing from the blower 48 to preheat it before it enters heater 56 and thereby improve the energy efficiency of the roasting machine . the heat exchanger is about 80 % efficient and typically cools the air exhaust air from about 350 ° ( about 177 ° c .) to 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .). alternatively , the heat exchanger can also be formed of double concentric counterflow hoses or pipes . in that case , an outer tube 66 conveys the relatively cool intake air in one direction and an inner tube 68 conveys the relatively hot exhaust air in the opposite direction , or vice versa . heat from the exhaust air is transferred via inner tube 68 to the cool intake air flowing towards fan 48 to thereby preheat it before it enters heater 56 to thereby improve the energy efficiency of the roasting machine . the air is then cooled to about 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .) in an aftercooler 72 disposed downstream of and receiving the air from the heat exchanger 54 . it typically cools the air from about 350 ° f . ( about 177 ° c . ), the exit temperature at the main heat exchanger , to about 100 ° f . ( 38 ° c .). in the illustrated alternative embodiment , aftercooler 72 employs a finned - tube heat sink of a serpentine configuration with sufficient length to achieve the desired temperature drop . a high efficiency particulate accumulator (“ hepa ”) filter 74 is coupled to the heat exchanger and a carbon filter 76 is coupled to the hepa filter 74 . the hepa filter 74 is preferably a 0 . 3 - micron media that captures white plume smoke and particles as small as ½ micron with a 99 +% efficiency . the carbon filter 76 employs activated carbon that filters vocs and hydrocarbons ( so 2 , no 2 , etc .) in the used air stream before it is discharged from the machine . the carbon filter 76 can be used to control the amount of vocs , and therewith the coffee aroma that emanates from the roasting machine . thus , and as is illustrated in fig8 , the intake air enters the prefilter 50 , which filters out smoke and / or debris in the air . the fan 48 produces a flow of the air that traverses the entire roasting machine in no more than about 1 second and , preferably , in as little as about ¼ second while the air is heated from ambient at intake to about 500 ° f . ( about 260 ° c .) for roasting and is then cooled again to about room temperature ( approximately 100 ° f ., 38 ° c .) at discharge . the hot air therefore flows through the roasting drum 44 in a continuous , high temperature flow to thereby effectively roast the beans . referring to fig9 , sensors are employed throughout each individual roasting machine 14 for monitoring and controlling the roasting of the beans . for example , a temperature gauge or thermometer 132 and a pressure gauge 134 are disposed at the inlet of the prefilter 50 to measure the inlet air temperature and pressure . a pressure gauge 136 measures the inlet pressure of the fan 48 and another pressure gauge 138 measures the outlet pressure of the fan . the temperature of the air at the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger 54 is measured with temperature gauges 142 and 144 . a further temperature gauge 146 at the outlet of the heater 56 measures the roasting temperature of the air . a thermometer 150 and a pressure gauge 152 can be provided to measure the temperature and pressure in the roasting chamber 44 . a pair of pressure gauges 154 , 156 at the inlet and outlet of the smoke filter 64 measure the pressure drop across it . the exhaust air temperature drop across the heat exchanger 54 is measured with a pair of thermometers 158 , 162 disposed at the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger . another thermometer 164 provided at the outlet of the aftercooler 72 measures the temperature drop caused by it . a pressure gauge 168 at the inlet of the hepa filter 74 measures the inlet pressure . a pressure gauge 170 at the outlet of the hepa filter 74 measures the outlet pressure of the hepa filter 74 and the inlet pressure of the carbon filter 76 . a pressure gauge 172 at the outlet of the carbon filter 76 measures the outlet pressure . if desired , flow rates at various points of the system may be measured with appropriate flow gauges . as discussed above , while it is preferred to use a reflectometer to monitor the darkness of the beans during roasting , spectrometers can be used instead for measuring the color of the beans . spectrometers or calorimeters capable of detecting colors that can be used with the present invention are known . for example , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 684 , 582 issued nov . 4 , 1997 to eastman et al . and u . s . pat . no . 5 , 504 , 575 issued apr . 2 , 1996 to stafford , which are incorporated by reference herein , disclose useable spectrometers . the patent to stafford specifically discusses the use of a spectrometer to monitor the color of food products to ensure a uniform color for the consumer . on - board roasting computer software of the roasting machine 14 serves , among others , the following functions : 1 . receiving in - store operator roasting requests and initiating roasting sequence , including preheating system check , upon request . 2 . rotating the rotary hopper to the desired green beans position and releasing a correct quantity of the beans into the scale funnel 42 . 3 . releasing the beans from the scale funnel 42 into a the roasting chamber 44 . 4 . roasting the beans to the appropriate recipe established at central control station 11 and , if desired , modifying the recipe with real - time barometric input . 5 . guiding roasting development and final roast degree ( darkness ) by real - time input from the laser reflectometer 108 . 6 . starting the cooling tray sweep arm and discharging the roasted beans from the roasting chamber 44 to the cooling tray 26 when the spectrometer 108 determines that roasting is complete . 7 . stirring / cooling the finished beans on the cooling tray 26 and discharging them into the discharge container when ready . 8 . starting loading / roasting the next batch upon discharge of the previous batch to the cooling tray 26 . the block diagram in fig1 illustrates a roasting system that comprises the combined configuration of the bean handling system of fig7 and the internal air control system of fig8 . the arrows illustrate the bean flow and the air flow . the point of intersection between the two flows is located at the roasting chamber 44 , in which the heated air is used to roast the beans . in this embodiment , the intake air comes from and the exhaust air is released into the surrounding environment at a temperature that is close to room temperature . by circulating air taken from outside surroundings of the roasting apparatus 20 and releasing it back into the surroundings , the internal air control system is an open - loop system . an alternative is a closed - loop air circulation system that comprises substantially the same components as the open - loop system . the primary difference is that only a small proportion , e . g . 20 % of the used air , is discharged to the atmosphere , while the remainder , after thorough cleaning , is recirculated through the roasting machine . the earlier discussed hepa and charcoal filters 74 , 76 are effective only at relatively low temperatures of about 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .). to prevent the need for cooling the used air to such low temperatures in a closed - loop air circulation system while still removing white plume smoke , vocs , hydrocarbons , and the like , a catalytic converter ( not shown ) may be used instead of such filters . with a catalytic converter the cleaned air can be recirculated to the fan of the machine at significantly higher temperatures , which , in turn , reduces the energy consumption of the machine . water removed from the green beans during roasting and entrained in the recirculating used roasting air is discharged from the system with the earlier mentioned release of a small , e . g . 20 %, proportion of the used air . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Human Necessities'? | Is 'Physics' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | 5a562e0729c99b60b2f728819899174aad5bbd4a7f466a6192701fdb30da1f84 | 0.095215 | 0.027954 | 0.001869 | 0.018311 | 0.071777 | 0.046631 |
null | the present invention is directed to the roasting of foodstuff and , in particular , to a coffee bean roasting method and apparatus having an internal air cleaning system that eliminates the need for exhausting roasting air to the exterior of buildings as well as for an afterburner to clean the roasting air before it is exhausted , that discharges clean air at or near room temperature that can be vented interiorly , and that assures consistent and uniform bean flavor , aroma and quality without the need for an attending roastmaster . as a result , roasting machines made in accordance with this invention can be placed inside stores and can be operated to provide daily roasted coffee beans that have consistent and uniform flavor . all this is achieved at a cost that is typically less than the cost of centrally roasting beans and distributing the roasted beans to retailers as is presently done . although this application makes reference primarily to the roasting of coffee beans , the invention can be applied to roasting other foodstuffs such as other types of beans , seeds , nuts , kernels , and the like . one aspect of the present invention is an automated method of roasting by computer monitoring and control without the need for subjective judgment . applicants have determined that the darkness or color of roasted beans is a reliable indicator of the development of the beans during roasting and the finish of coffee when brewed with such beans . a reflectometer ( or spectrometer ) is used to monitor the change in darkness ( or color ) of the beans during roasting . when the beans have reached a predetermined darkness , the reflectometer sends a signal to the computer to terminate the roasting . to enhance the quality and consistency of the roasted beans , other parameters that affect the ultimate finish can and should also be monitored and input into the computer to control roasting . for instance , the roasting speed , or the time over which the beans are roasted , the color or darkness development during the prescribed roasting time , the prevailing pressure in the roasting chamber , the roasting temperature , and the like can be monitored and used to determine when roasting should cease and / or what roasting parameters , such as heat , air flow or pressure , need to be adjusted . fig1 schematically illustrates a centrally controlled multi - station coffee roasting system 10 constructed and operated in accordance with the invention . it has a central control station 11 that includes a computer or master control server 12 and a plurality of , typically many , geographically dispersed individual roasting machines 14 networked with computer 12 . each of the individual roasting machines 14 includes an on - board computer with programmable logic controllers ( plcs ) and / or a central processing unit ( cpu ) with on - board memory that is networked ( telephonically or by wireless techniques ) with the control server . the control station includes a sample roasting machine 11 a that is constructed substantially identical to the individual roasting machines 14 and with which a roastmaster performs sample roasts of different types of coffee beans to establish for each bean type one or more desired coffee roast profiles and finishes . recordable parameters of relevant characteristics , primarily the darkness of the beans being sample - roasted and , secondarily , the roasting time , roasting pressure , roasting temperature , and the like , are monitored and recorded . when the roastmaster has attained a specific darkness that he or she wish to replicate with the roasting machines 14 installed at the retail establishments , the corresponding roasting parameters 11 b are stored in the memory of master control server 12 . the roastmaster will normally select a number of , say twelve , fifteen , or the like , different types of beans for which the needed roasting parameters are established and stored in the memory of the central processor . all parameters , or at least those for beans that are to be roasted on one or more of the individual roasting machines that form part of the system , are then downloaded to a memory that forms part of the computer contained in each of the individual roasting machines . the stored parameters are then available to control and terminate bean roasting on each individual machine , as is described in more detail below . alternatively , as already mentioned above , each individual roasting machine can be directly controlled with a mainframe computer at the central control station , thereby eliminating the need for on - board computers on the individual roasting machines . in addition to controlling the roasting of the beans by the individual roasting machines , master control server 12 can advantageously be used to monitor and assist in the management of the individual machines . for example , the inventory of green beans at the individual machines may be monitored , and fresh beans can then be automatically reordered from a suitable supplier to assure that sufficient beans are always available when a low - inventory signal is received to assure an adequate bean supply at each individual machine . in addition , the machines , computers and the central computer can be used to monitor and record machine usage ( for example on the basis of processed bean weight , roasting time , or the like ) as well as for billing , establishing profiles of bean types and / or aroma selection systemwide and at each individual roasting machine , and the like . along the same lines , the machines &# 39 ; computers and the central control server can be used for diagnostic purposes , for example to determine malfunctions or needed adjustments and the like for each individual machine , by providing access to the various roasting process monitors and sensors that form part of the roasting machines . a major advantage of the centralized system 10 is that consistent , uniform , high quality bean roasts are assured . further , since each roasting machine is on - site and can be activated whenever needed , the retailer can limit each roast so that no more than one - day &# 39 ; s requirements for the beans are roasted , thereby assuring freshness and the best possible product for the consumer . referring to fig2 , 4 and 6 , an individual roasting machine 14 made according to this invention has a rotary storage hopper 22 for storing and dispensing the foodstuff ( e . g . the beans ) to be roasted . the hopper is on top of and supported by a housing 24 , and a roasting drum 44 is located inside of the housing . a bean handling system directs a selected bean type from hopper 22 into the drum and , after roasting , discharges the roasted beans onto a cooling tray 26 that protrudes horizontally from the housing . also disposed on the inside of housing 24 is an air supply system that heats intake air to the desired roasting temperature , directs the heated air into the roasting drum , and from the drum directs the used or exhaust air through air cooling and air cleaning systems for the subsequent discharge of the used air at about room temperature into the atmosphere immediately surrounding the roasting machine . thus , when installed in a supermarket , for example , the used air will be discharged into the interior of the surrounding building . to be acceptable for complete indoor installation and operation , the used air cleaning system removes all pollutants , such as white plume smoke , oily smoke , particulate matter , including chaff , volatiles , hydrocarbons , and the like , that are generated during roasting before the air is discharged from the machine . referring to fig2 and 3 , rotary hopper 22 has a cylindrical exterior , comprises , for example , sixteen sector - shaped , upright compartments 30 arranged about the center of the hopper , and is rotatable about an upright shaft 30 . a drive ( not separately shown ) incrementally advances the hopper about the upright shaft for indexing a bean discharge opening 36 at the bottom of each compartment with a green bean scale 42 of the roasting machine . a gate 116 keeps the compartment discharge openings 36 normally closed . when the opening of a given compartment is aligned with the scale and beans are to be transferred to the roasting drum , an actuator 117 under the control of the on - board computer of the roasting machine opens the gate so that the beans gravitationally flow onto the scale . when the desired quantity of beans has been transferred to the scale , the compartment gate is closed again . in one preferred embodiment of the invention , appropriate electronics 42 a of the scale generate a weight - responsive electrical signal that is used to close the compartment gate when the preselected quantity of beans has been received on the scale . the hopper 22 includes a removable lid or cover 34 ( fig2 ) to protect the beans and provide access to the hopper compartment , for example for replenishing the beans in the compartments . referring to fig5 , 5 a and 5 b , the roasting of the beans takes place in a roasting drum 44 formed by concentric inner and outer drums 82 , 84 . the outer drum is cylindrical , stationary , sealed and has an upright front plate that is fixed , e . g . bolted to the frame . the outer drum forms a horizontal tubular chamber that extends rearwardly and , at the aft end of the outer drum , mounts an aft end plate 102 that defines a downwardly extending exhaust air outlet 90 . in a presently preferred embodiment , the aft end of the outer drum and the forward end of the aft plate 102 form mating flanges that are held together with a conventional , schematically illustrated flange clamp 103 that permits quick removal of the clamp and disassembly of the drum . the inner drum is perforated and has a rear wall 83 and a spider 85 with preferably three equally - spaced , radial legs that project inwardly from the inner drum , or two spiders 85 ( the second being substituted for the rear wall 83 ). at the axial center of the drum , the rear wall and spider ( s ) are fixed to a drum shaft 87 that is rotatable in shaft bearings 87 a and 87 b of front plate 104 and aft plate 103 of the outer drum . a pulley 89 driven by a motor ( not separately shown ) via a belt 89 a rotates shaft 87 and therewith the inner drum in a given , say clockwise , direction ( as viewed in fig5 a ). the inner drum further includes a plurality of elongated , generally longitudinally extending vanes 94 that project perpendicular to the inner drum wall and extend along a thread - like or helical line over the length of the inner drum . in the presently preferred embodiment , four such vanes are equally spaced about the inside of the inner drum , and the vanes extend through the sector - shaped openings formed by the radial legs of the spiders 85 . to remove beans that may become trapped in the annular space between the inner and outer drums , a spiral bean removal brush 91 can optionally be provided . it is made of heat - resistant material , e . g . stainless steel , extends helically over the length of the inner drum , and projects from the periphery thereof into the annular space to a point close to but slightly spaced from the inner surface of the outer drum 84 . when the drum rotates , beans in the annular space between the drums are moved rearwardly by brush 91 and are ultimately discharged into the downwardly extending exhaust air outlet 90 ( or into a bean collection receptacle or a separately provided bean removal conduit ( not shown )). front plate 104 of roasting drum 44 has a tubular bean intake conduit 86 the open end of which is positioned immediately below a scale discharge opening 43 so that a fresh batch of green beans that has been weighed on the scale flows gravitationally into the drum for roasting by opening gate 43 a following the weighing of the beans by the scale . roasted beans are removed from drum 44 via a bean outlet 88 in front plate 104 and via a discharge chute 110 onto cooling tray 26 by opening a drum discharge gate 122 . during roasting , the pressure inside the roasting drum exceeds atmospheric pressure , in a presently preferred embodiment by about 1 . 5 psi . to prevent the escape of the hot roasting air , a gate — in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention , a butterfly disc 86 a — is placed in the tubular conduit 86 between scale 42 and the interior of the drum . the butterfly disc includes a heat - resistant seal ( not separately shown ) that prevents the hot , pressurized air in the drum from escaping through the bean intake conduit . the butterfly disc remains closed at all times except when a fresh batch of green beans is to be gravitationally transferred from the scale to the drum interior . it is operated by a suitable drive ( not separately shown ) that is under the control of the computer of the roasting machine and is preferably synchronized with the activator ( not shown ) for scale gate 43 a . similarly , bean discharge gate 122 is provided with a seal formed by a high temperature seal ring ( not separately shown ) that prevents the escape of hot , pressurized air from the interior of the drum when the gate is in its closed position . in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention , discharge gate 122 is hinged to the front plate 104 along its upper edge and a linear drive ( not separately shown ) is provided for opening and closing the discharge gate . the drive for the discharge gate is also under the control of the computer of the roasting machine . as is described in more detail below , the roasting of the beans is monitored with a reflectometer 108 ( or a spectrometer for monitoring color ) suitably mounted adjacent to front plate 104 with a holder 108 a . the reflectometer directs a laser beam 109 through a window 98 in the front plate into the interior of the roasting drum . finally , rear plate 104 includes a hot roasting air inlet 92 that receives hot roasting air from an air intake conduit 92 a . turning now to the manner in which fresh or green coffee beans are roasted in accordance with the invention , different types of green beans are placed into the hopper compartment 30 and an appropriate command is entered into an on - board computer 40 of the roasting machine which of the bean types is to be roasted . its computer selects the appropriate hopper compartment and activates the hopper drive ( not shown in the drawings ) to rotationally advance the hopper until the discharge opening 36 of the selected compartment is immediately above scale 42 . actuator 117 opens hopper gate 116 and green beans gravitationally drop onto the scale where they are weighed . when the desired weight of beans that is to be roasted has been received on the scale , the actuator , preferably via a signal from scale electronics 42 a , closes the hopper gate and therewith terminates the transfer of beans . the computer next activates the drive for bean inlet closure disc 86 a to open it and also opens gate 43 a in scale discharge opening 43 , thereby permitting the beans to gravitationally flow from the scale via bean inlet 86 into the interior of inner drum 82 . thereafter intake disc gate 86 a , as well as bean discharge gate 122 , are closed , or maintained closed , to form a seal and prevent the escape of pressurized air from the interior of the drum through the bean intake or outlet . the drum drive ( not separately shown ) is energized , to rotate in a drum 82 via pulley 89 , and the air circulation system is activated to flow hot roasting air through hot air inlet 92 and the interior of the drum for discharge through exhaust or used air outlet 90 , thereby bringing the beans to the roasting temperature . the green beans introduced into the drum at the beginning of roasting initially rest at the bottom of the inner drum 82 . when rotation commences , the radially inwardly extending vanes 94 pick up quantities of beans in a pocket defined by each vane and the portion of the inner drum adjoining the vane . as rotation of the drum continues , the beans in the pocket are lifted upwardly until the vane rises above the axis of shaft 87 , at which point the side of the vane facing the pocket becomes downwardly inclined and the beans roll off the vane under the influence of gravity . the vanes are helically curved so that the sides thereof that form the pocket slope downwardly towards front plate 104 of the roasting drum . as a result , as the inner drum rotates , the beans in the pocket are also urged towards the front plate . thus , a stream of beans 95 from the elevated vane is intermittently formed in the vicinity of window 98 each time one of the vanes ( with beans in the pocket ) rises above the shaft centerline . in the process , the beans become heated to the roasting temperature and as roasting time continues they undergo a gradual color change and darkening , which , for coffee beans , progresses from an initial gray - green color of the green beans to a light color giving the beans a bleached appearance and then to increasingly dark shades of brown . the laser ( not separately shown ) of the reflectometer 108 is continuously or intermittently activated to direct laser light onto the stream of beans 95 on the inside of the drum . laser light impinging on the beans is reflected and the reflected light is sensed and analyzed by the reflectometer , for example by determining its wavelength . the desired darkness of the finished roasted beans ( which was previously downloaded from the computer at the central control station ) is stored in the memory of the on - board computer 40 of the roasting machine and compared with an output signal generated by the reflectometer that indicates the darkness of the beans in real time . when the signal from the reflectometer matches the stored signal in the on - board computer , roasting is terminated . in a preferred embodiment , roasting is terminated by initially ceasing the heating of the roasting air flowing into the drum while continuing to rotate the inner drum ( with bean outlet gate 122 closed ) for about 30 to 45 seconds in a gradually cooling environment that enhances the finish that can be obtained with many types of beans . in addition , while full heat roasting of the beans continues , the light / dark development of the beans inside the drum is monitored by reflectometer 108 , which generates corresponding signals that are fed to the on - board computer . in a preferred embodiment , the memory of the on - board computer includes light / dark level data that was generated during sample roasting at the central control station , typically as a function of roasting time and / or roasting temperature . whenever the darkness level of the beans being roasted deviates from the corresponding stored darkness level data , operating parameters , such as the roasting air temperature and / or roasting air flow rate , are adjusted to bring the darkness level of the beans being roasted in compliance with the stored darkness information in the memory of the on - board computer . in this manner , the test roast , which was performed to establish optimal roasting parameters for a given type of bean and / or roasting profile , is precisely replicated at each and every roasting operation on any and all of the individual roasting machines that are networked with the central computer at the central computer 12 at control station 11 . once the beans are ready for discharge , the on - board computer activates the drive ( not shown ) for bean discharge gate 122 by moving it into its open position shown in fig6 . the continued rotation of inner drum 83 , coupled with the helical shape of vanes 94 therein , gradually moves the beans in the direction of bean discharge opening 88 , from where the roasted beans gravitationally drop onto cooling tray 26 . the cooling tray is preferably circular in shape ( see fig2 ) and includes one or more wiper arms 27 that slowly rotate with upright shaft 27 a protruding from the tray . the arms gradually move the beans over the tray to facilitate their cooling , and , upon completion of the cooling , push the beans through a finish roasted bean discharge opening 124 to a suitable collection point or into a canister ( not shown ). the discharge opening is preferably located adjacent the periphery of the cooling tray , and the wiper arms are shaped so that they slowly direct the beans towards the periphery of the tray . the discharge opening is normally closed by a gate 125 that is opened via a suitable actuator ( not shown ) that is manually or automatically ( by the on - board computer ) opened after the beans have been sufficiently cooled . the cooling tray preferably includes perforations 26 a ( not shown and of a sufficiently small size to prevent beans from dropping through or becoming lodged in them ) so that cooling air can be flowed over the beans on the tray to accelerate their cooling and , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention , to use the heat of the cooling beans for preheating fresh air before it is heated for roasting a new batch of green beans that was placed into the drum . referring to fig4 and 7 - 10 , each individual roasting machine 14 includes an air supply or circulation system that comprises a blower 48 for generating an air flow through roasting drum 44 for the eventual discharge of the air from the machine . in a presently preferred embodiment of the roasting machine in which 6 - lb . batches of green beans are roasted in about twelve minutes , the blower has a 2½ hp motor , generates a pressure rise of about 1 . 5 psi at about 50 cfm through the air circulation system , and heats the air , as a result of the compression of the air , by about 30 ° f .- 50 ° f . ( about 17 ° c .- 28 ° c .). as is best seen in fig8 , the air circulation system preferably receives fresh intake air that was preheated by flowing it over just - roasted , still - hot beans on cooling tray 26 and through perforations 26 a therein to thereby reduce the overall energy consumption of the machine . since the intake air may pick up particulates and white plume smoke as it passes over the roasted beans on the cooling tray , a prefilter 50 is provided to remove such smoke and debris before the air enters fan 48 . filter 50 preferably comprises a 0 . 3 - micron hepa filter with a relatively low pressure drop so that it can remove the white plume smoke and smoke particulates from the intake air . fan 48 is coupled to a heat exchanger 54 , which preheats the air from the fan . the structure and operation of the heat exchanger is discussed in more detail below . the preheated air flows from the heat exchanger 54 to a heater 56 for heating it to the desired roasting temperature . the heater 56 is preferably a flow - through electric duct ( tubular ) heater 56 capable of heating the incoming air from about 120 ° f . ( about 49 ° c .) and at 50 cfm to the roasting temperature , e . g . about 500 ° f . ( about 260 ° c .). from the heater the roasting air flows via a conduit 92 a and past roasting air inlet 92 into and through the roasting drum from which it exits via used air exit 90 . in the drum , the green beans give off particulates , including chaff , as well as white plume smoke , oily smoke , volatiles , hydrocarbons , and the like , which are carried out of the roasting drum by the air . to enable the discharge of the air into the indoor environment surrounding each individual roasting machine 14 , the used roasting air must be cleaned and cooled before it can be discharged . chaff , an onionskin - like husk byproduct that is flaked off the beans in the roasting drum , is removed in a chaff collector 60 located downstream of and coupled to roasting drum 44 . the chaff collector 60 comprises a vortex particulate separator ( not shown ) that captures the chaff and lets the air through . the chaff collecting tray is periodically removed and cleaned as needed . a primary filter 64 is coupled to the chaff collector 60 via a conduit ( not shown ) for the removal of tars and chaff fines . in one embodiment , the primary filter 64 is made of superfine steel wool media . in another embodiment , a prefilter 62 made from superfine 30 micron media is positioned upstream of the primary filter to remove fines from the air flow and prevent a premature plugging of the filter by the fines . from the primary filter 64 , the used air flows to heat exchanger 54 for cooling . in the presently preferred embodiment , the heat exchanger is formed of a plurality of heat pipes ( not shown ) coupled to cooling fins . the relatively cool intake air flows in one direction over one end of the heat pipe array and the relatively hot exhaust air , separated from the cool air by a wall , is conveyed in the opposite direction over the other end of the heat pipe array . heat from the hot exhaust air is transferred via the heat pipe array to the cool intake air flowing from the blower 48 to preheat it before it enters heater 56 and thereby improve the energy efficiency of the roasting machine . the heat exchanger is about 80 % efficient and typically cools the air exhaust air from about 350 ° ( about 177 ° c .) to 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .). alternatively , the heat exchanger can also be formed of double concentric counterflow hoses or pipes . in that case , an outer tube 66 conveys the relatively cool intake air in one direction and an inner tube 68 conveys the relatively hot exhaust air in the opposite direction , or vice versa . heat from the exhaust air is transferred via inner tube 68 to the cool intake air flowing towards fan 48 to thereby preheat it before it enters heater 56 to thereby improve the energy efficiency of the roasting machine . the air is then cooled to about 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .) in an aftercooler 72 disposed downstream of and receiving the air from the heat exchanger 54 . it typically cools the air from about 350 ° f . ( about 177 ° c . ), the exit temperature at the main heat exchanger , to about 100 ° f . ( 38 ° c .). in the illustrated alternative embodiment , aftercooler 72 employs a finned - tube heat sink of a serpentine configuration with sufficient length to achieve the desired temperature drop . a high efficiency particulate accumulator (“ hepa ”) filter 74 is coupled to the heat exchanger and a carbon filter 76 is coupled to the hepa filter 74 . the hepa filter 74 is preferably a 0 . 3 - micron media that captures white plume smoke and particles as small as ½ micron with a 99 +% efficiency . the carbon filter 76 employs activated carbon that filters vocs and hydrocarbons ( so 2 , no 2 , etc .) in the used air stream before it is discharged from the machine . the carbon filter 76 can be used to control the amount of vocs , and therewith the coffee aroma that emanates from the roasting machine . thus , and as is illustrated in fig8 , the intake air enters the prefilter 50 , which filters out smoke and / or debris in the air . the fan 48 produces a flow of the air that traverses the entire roasting machine in no more than about 1 second and , preferably , in as little as about ¼ second while the air is heated from ambient at intake to about 500 ° f . ( about 260 ° c .) for roasting and is then cooled again to about room temperature ( approximately 100 ° f ., 38 ° c .) at discharge . the hot air therefore flows through the roasting drum 44 in a continuous , high temperature flow to thereby effectively roast the beans . referring to fig9 , sensors are employed throughout each individual roasting machine 14 for monitoring and controlling the roasting of the beans . for example , a temperature gauge or thermometer 132 and a pressure gauge 134 are disposed at the inlet of the prefilter 50 to measure the inlet air temperature and pressure . a pressure gauge 136 measures the inlet pressure of the fan 48 and another pressure gauge 138 measures the outlet pressure of the fan . the temperature of the air at the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger 54 is measured with temperature gauges 142 and 144 . a further temperature gauge 146 at the outlet of the heater 56 measures the roasting temperature of the air . a thermometer 150 and a pressure gauge 152 can be provided to measure the temperature and pressure in the roasting chamber 44 . a pair of pressure gauges 154 , 156 at the inlet and outlet of the smoke filter 64 measure the pressure drop across it . the exhaust air temperature drop across the heat exchanger 54 is measured with a pair of thermometers 158 , 162 disposed at the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger . another thermometer 164 provided at the outlet of the aftercooler 72 measures the temperature drop caused by it . a pressure gauge 168 at the inlet of the hepa filter 74 measures the inlet pressure . a pressure gauge 170 at the outlet of the hepa filter 74 measures the outlet pressure of the hepa filter 74 and the inlet pressure of the carbon filter 76 . a pressure gauge 172 at the outlet of the carbon filter 76 measures the outlet pressure . if desired , flow rates at various points of the system may be measured with appropriate flow gauges . as discussed above , while it is preferred to use a reflectometer to monitor the darkness of the beans during roasting , spectrometers can be used instead for measuring the color of the beans . spectrometers or calorimeters capable of detecting colors that can be used with the present invention are known . for example , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 684 , 582 issued nov . 4 , 1997 to eastman et al . and u . s . pat . no . 5 , 504 , 575 issued apr . 2 , 1996 to stafford , which are incorporated by reference herein , disclose useable spectrometers . the patent to stafford specifically discusses the use of a spectrometer to monitor the color of food products to ensure a uniform color for the consumer . on - board roasting computer software of the roasting machine 14 serves , among others , the following functions : 1 . receiving in - store operator roasting requests and initiating roasting sequence , including preheating system check , upon request . 2 . rotating the rotary hopper to the desired green beans position and releasing a correct quantity of the beans into the scale funnel 42 . 3 . releasing the beans from the scale funnel 42 into a the roasting chamber 44 . 4 . roasting the beans to the appropriate recipe established at central control station 11 and , if desired , modifying the recipe with real - time barometric input . 5 . guiding roasting development and final roast degree ( darkness ) by real - time input from the laser reflectometer 108 . 6 . starting the cooling tray sweep arm and discharging the roasted beans from the roasting chamber 44 to the cooling tray 26 when the spectrometer 108 determines that roasting is complete . 7 . stirring / cooling the finished beans on the cooling tray 26 and discharging them into the discharge container when ready . 8 . starting loading / roasting the next batch upon discharge of the previous batch to the cooling tray 26 . the block diagram in fig1 illustrates a roasting system that comprises the combined configuration of the bean handling system of fig7 and the internal air control system of fig8 . the arrows illustrate the bean flow and the air flow . the point of intersection between the two flows is located at the roasting chamber 44 , in which the heated air is used to roast the beans . in this embodiment , the intake air comes from and the exhaust air is released into the surrounding environment at a temperature that is close to room temperature . by circulating air taken from outside surroundings of the roasting apparatus 20 and releasing it back into the surroundings , the internal air control system is an open - loop system . an alternative is a closed - loop air circulation system that comprises substantially the same components as the open - loop system . the primary difference is that only a small proportion , e . g . 20 % of the used air , is discharged to the atmosphere , while the remainder , after thorough cleaning , is recirculated through the roasting machine . the earlier discussed hepa and charcoal filters 74 , 76 are effective only at relatively low temperatures of about 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .). to prevent the need for cooling the used air to such low temperatures in a closed - loop air circulation system while still removing white plume smoke , vocs , hydrocarbons , and the like , a catalytic converter ( not shown ) may be used instead of such filters . with a catalytic converter the cleaned air can be recirculated to the fan of the machine at significantly higher temperatures , which , in turn , reduces the energy consumption of the machine . water removed from the green beans during roasting and entrained in the recirculating used roasting air is discharged from the system with the earlier mentioned release of a small , e . g . 20 %, proportion of the used air . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Human Necessities'? | Is 'Electricity' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | 5a562e0729c99b60b2f728819899174aad5bbd4a7f466a6192701fdb30da1f84 | 0.091309 | 0.006897 | 0.001869 | 0.002625 | 0.069336 | 0.002548 |
null | the present invention is directed to the roasting of foodstuff and , in particular , to a coffee bean roasting method and apparatus having an internal air cleaning system that eliminates the need for exhausting roasting air to the exterior of buildings as well as for an afterburner to clean the roasting air before it is exhausted , that discharges clean air at or near room temperature that can be vented interiorly , and that assures consistent and uniform bean flavor , aroma and quality without the need for an attending roastmaster . as a result , roasting machines made in accordance with this invention can be placed inside stores and can be operated to provide daily roasted coffee beans that have consistent and uniform flavor . all this is achieved at a cost that is typically less than the cost of centrally roasting beans and distributing the roasted beans to retailers as is presently done . although this application makes reference primarily to the roasting of coffee beans , the invention can be applied to roasting other foodstuffs such as other types of beans , seeds , nuts , kernels , and the like . one aspect of the present invention is an automated method of roasting by computer monitoring and control without the need for subjective judgment . applicants have determined that the darkness or color of roasted beans is a reliable indicator of the development of the beans during roasting and the finish of coffee when brewed with such beans . a reflectometer ( or spectrometer ) is used to monitor the change in darkness ( or color ) of the beans during roasting . when the beans have reached a predetermined darkness , the reflectometer sends a signal to the computer to terminate the roasting . to enhance the quality and consistency of the roasted beans , other parameters that affect the ultimate finish can and should also be monitored and input into the computer to control roasting . for instance , the roasting speed , or the time over which the beans are roasted , the color or darkness development during the prescribed roasting time , the prevailing pressure in the roasting chamber , the roasting temperature , and the like can be monitored and used to determine when roasting should cease and / or what roasting parameters , such as heat , air flow or pressure , need to be adjusted . fig1 schematically illustrates a centrally controlled multi - station coffee roasting system 10 constructed and operated in accordance with the invention . it has a central control station 11 that includes a computer or master control server 12 and a plurality of , typically many , geographically dispersed individual roasting machines 14 networked with computer 12 . each of the individual roasting machines 14 includes an on - board computer with programmable logic controllers ( plcs ) and / or a central processing unit ( cpu ) with on - board memory that is networked ( telephonically or by wireless techniques ) with the control server . the control station includes a sample roasting machine 11 a that is constructed substantially identical to the individual roasting machines 14 and with which a roastmaster performs sample roasts of different types of coffee beans to establish for each bean type one or more desired coffee roast profiles and finishes . recordable parameters of relevant characteristics , primarily the darkness of the beans being sample - roasted and , secondarily , the roasting time , roasting pressure , roasting temperature , and the like , are monitored and recorded . when the roastmaster has attained a specific darkness that he or she wish to replicate with the roasting machines 14 installed at the retail establishments , the corresponding roasting parameters 11 b are stored in the memory of master control server 12 . the roastmaster will normally select a number of , say twelve , fifteen , or the like , different types of beans for which the needed roasting parameters are established and stored in the memory of the central processor . all parameters , or at least those for beans that are to be roasted on one or more of the individual roasting machines that form part of the system , are then downloaded to a memory that forms part of the computer contained in each of the individual roasting machines . the stored parameters are then available to control and terminate bean roasting on each individual machine , as is described in more detail below . alternatively , as already mentioned above , each individual roasting machine can be directly controlled with a mainframe computer at the central control station , thereby eliminating the need for on - board computers on the individual roasting machines . in addition to controlling the roasting of the beans by the individual roasting machines , master control server 12 can advantageously be used to monitor and assist in the management of the individual machines . for example , the inventory of green beans at the individual machines may be monitored , and fresh beans can then be automatically reordered from a suitable supplier to assure that sufficient beans are always available when a low - inventory signal is received to assure an adequate bean supply at each individual machine . in addition , the machines , computers and the central computer can be used to monitor and record machine usage ( for example on the basis of processed bean weight , roasting time , or the like ) as well as for billing , establishing profiles of bean types and / or aroma selection systemwide and at each individual roasting machine , and the like . along the same lines , the machines &# 39 ; computers and the central control server can be used for diagnostic purposes , for example to determine malfunctions or needed adjustments and the like for each individual machine , by providing access to the various roasting process monitors and sensors that form part of the roasting machines . a major advantage of the centralized system 10 is that consistent , uniform , high quality bean roasts are assured . further , since each roasting machine is on - site and can be activated whenever needed , the retailer can limit each roast so that no more than one - day &# 39 ; s requirements for the beans are roasted , thereby assuring freshness and the best possible product for the consumer . referring to fig2 , 4 and 6 , an individual roasting machine 14 made according to this invention has a rotary storage hopper 22 for storing and dispensing the foodstuff ( e . g . the beans ) to be roasted . the hopper is on top of and supported by a housing 24 , and a roasting drum 44 is located inside of the housing . a bean handling system directs a selected bean type from hopper 22 into the drum and , after roasting , discharges the roasted beans onto a cooling tray 26 that protrudes horizontally from the housing . also disposed on the inside of housing 24 is an air supply system that heats intake air to the desired roasting temperature , directs the heated air into the roasting drum , and from the drum directs the used or exhaust air through air cooling and air cleaning systems for the subsequent discharge of the used air at about room temperature into the atmosphere immediately surrounding the roasting machine . thus , when installed in a supermarket , for example , the used air will be discharged into the interior of the surrounding building . to be acceptable for complete indoor installation and operation , the used air cleaning system removes all pollutants , such as white plume smoke , oily smoke , particulate matter , including chaff , volatiles , hydrocarbons , and the like , that are generated during roasting before the air is discharged from the machine . referring to fig2 and 3 , rotary hopper 22 has a cylindrical exterior , comprises , for example , sixteen sector - shaped , upright compartments 30 arranged about the center of the hopper , and is rotatable about an upright shaft 30 . a drive ( not separately shown ) incrementally advances the hopper about the upright shaft for indexing a bean discharge opening 36 at the bottom of each compartment with a green bean scale 42 of the roasting machine . a gate 116 keeps the compartment discharge openings 36 normally closed . when the opening of a given compartment is aligned with the scale and beans are to be transferred to the roasting drum , an actuator 117 under the control of the on - board computer of the roasting machine opens the gate so that the beans gravitationally flow onto the scale . when the desired quantity of beans has been transferred to the scale , the compartment gate is closed again . in one preferred embodiment of the invention , appropriate electronics 42 a of the scale generate a weight - responsive electrical signal that is used to close the compartment gate when the preselected quantity of beans has been received on the scale . the hopper 22 includes a removable lid or cover 34 ( fig2 ) to protect the beans and provide access to the hopper compartment , for example for replenishing the beans in the compartments . referring to fig5 , 5 a and 5 b , the roasting of the beans takes place in a roasting drum 44 formed by concentric inner and outer drums 82 , 84 . the outer drum is cylindrical , stationary , sealed and has an upright front plate that is fixed , e . g . bolted to the frame . the outer drum forms a horizontal tubular chamber that extends rearwardly and , at the aft end of the outer drum , mounts an aft end plate 102 that defines a downwardly extending exhaust air outlet 90 . in a presently preferred embodiment , the aft end of the outer drum and the forward end of the aft plate 102 form mating flanges that are held together with a conventional , schematically illustrated flange clamp 103 that permits quick removal of the clamp and disassembly of the drum . the inner drum is perforated and has a rear wall 83 and a spider 85 with preferably three equally - spaced , radial legs that project inwardly from the inner drum , or two spiders 85 ( the second being substituted for the rear wall 83 ). at the axial center of the drum , the rear wall and spider ( s ) are fixed to a drum shaft 87 that is rotatable in shaft bearings 87 a and 87 b of front plate 104 and aft plate 103 of the outer drum . a pulley 89 driven by a motor ( not separately shown ) via a belt 89 a rotates shaft 87 and therewith the inner drum in a given , say clockwise , direction ( as viewed in fig5 a ). the inner drum further includes a plurality of elongated , generally longitudinally extending vanes 94 that project perpendicular to the inner drum wall and extend along a thread - like or helical line over the length of the inner drum . in the presently preferred embodiment , four such vanes are equally spaced about the inside of the inner drum , and the vanes extend through the sector - shaped openings formed by the radial legs of the spiders 85 . to remove beans that may become trapped in the annular space between the inner and outer drums , a spiral bean removal brush 91 can optionally be provided . it is made of heat - resistant material , e . g . stainless steel , extends helically over the length of the inner drum , and projects from the periphery thereof into the annular space to a point close to but slightly spaced from the inner surface of the outer drum 84 . when the drum rotates , beans in the annular space between the drums are moved rearwardly by brush 91 and are ultimately discharged into the downwardly extending exhaust air outlet 90 ( or into a bean collection receptacle or a separately provided bean removal conduit ( not shown )). front plate 104 of roasting drum 44 has a tubular bean intake conduit 86 the open end of which is positioned immediately below a scale discharge opening 43 so that a fresh batch of green beans that has been weighed on the scale flows gravitationally into the drum for roasting by opening gate 43 a following the weighing of the beans by the scale . roasted beans are removed from drum 44 via a bean outlet 88 in front plate 104 and via a discharge chute 110 onto cooling tray 26 by opening a drum discharge gate 122 . during roasting , the pressure inside the roasting drum exceeds atmospheric pressure , in a presently preferred embodiment by about 1 . 5 psi . to prevent the escape of the hot roasting air , a gate — in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention , a butterfly disc 86 a — is placed in the tubular conduit 86 between scale 42 and the interior of the drum . the butterfly disc includes a heat - resistant seal ( not separately shown ) that prevents the hot , pressurized air in the drum from escaping through the bean intake conduit . the butterfly disc remains closed at all times except when a fresh batch of green beans is to be gravitationally transferred from the scale to the drum interior . it is operated by a suitable drive ( not separately shown ) that is under the control of the computer of the roasting machine and is preferably synchronized with the activator ( not shown ) for scale gate 43 a . similarly , bean discharge gate 122 is provided with a seal formed by a high temperature seal ring ( not separately shown ) that prevents the escape of hot , pressurized air from the interior of the drum when the gate is in its closed position . in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention , discharge gate 122 is hinged to the front plate 104 along its upper edge and a linear drive ( not separately shown ) is provided for opening and closing the discharge gate . the drive for the discharge gate is also under the control of the computer of the roasting machine . as is described in more detail below , the roasting of the beans is monitored with a reflectometer 108 ( or a spectrometer for monitoring color ) suitably mounted adjacent to front plate 104 with a holder 108 a . the reflectometer directs a laser beam 109 through a window 98 in the front plate into the interior of the roasting drum . finally , rear plate 104 includes a hot roasting air inlet 92 that receives hot roasting air from an air intake conduit 92 a . turning now to the manner in which fresh or green coffee beans are roasted in accordance with the invention , different types of green beans are placed into the hopper compartment 30 and an appropriate command is entered into an on - board computer 40 of the roasting machine which of the bean types is to be roasted . its computer selects the appropriate hopper compartment and activates the hopper drive ( not shown in the drawings ) to rotationally advance the hopper until the discharge opening 36 of the selected compartment is immediately above scale 42 . actuator 117 opens hopper gate 116 and green beans gravitationally drop onto the scale where they are weighed . when the desired weight of beans that is to be roasted has been received on the scale , the actuator , preferably via a signal from scale electronics 42 a , closes the hopper gate and therewith terminates the transfer of beans . the computer next activates the drive for bean inlet closure disc 86 a to open it and also opens gate 43 a in scale discharge opening 43 , thereby permitting the beans to gravitationally flow from the scale via bean inlet 86 into the interior of inner drum 82 . thereafter intake disc gate 86 a , as well as bean discharge gate 122 , are closed , or maintained closed , to form a seal and prevent the escape of pressurized air from the interior of the drum through the bean intake or outlet . the drum drive ( not separately shown ) is energized , to rotate in a drum 82 via pulley 89 , and the air circulation system is activated to flow hot roasting air through hot air inlet 92 and the interior of the drum for discharge through exhaust or used air outlet 90 , thereby bringing the beans to the roasting temperature . the green beans introduced into the drum at the beginning of roasting initially rest at the bottom of the inner drum 82 . when rotation commences , the radially inwardly extending vanes 94 pick up quantities of beans in a pocket defined by each vane and the portion of the inner drum adjoining the vane . as rotation of the drum continues , the beans in the pocket are lifted upwardly until the vane rises above the axis of shaft 87 , at which point the side of the vane facing the pocket becomes downwardly inclined and the beans roll off the vane under the influence of gravity . the vanes are helically curved so that the sides thereof that form the pocket slope downwardly towards front plate 104 of the roasting drum . as a result , as the inner drum rotates , the beans in the pocket are also urged towards the front plate . thus , a stream of beans 95 from the elevated vane is intermittently formed in the vicinity of window 98 each time one of the vanes ( with beans in the pocket ) rises above the shaft centerline . in the process , the beans become heated to the roasting temperature and as roasting time continues they undergo a gradual color change and darkening , which , for coffee beans , progresses from an initial gray - green color of the green beans to a light color giving the beans a bleached appearance and then to increasingly dark shades of brown . the laser ( not separately shown ) of the reflectometer 108 is continuously or intermittently activated to direct laser light onto the stream of beans 95 on the inside of the drum . laser light impinging on the beans is reflected and the reflected light is sensed and analyzed by the reflectometer , for example by determining its wavelength . the desired darkness of the finished roasted beans ( which was previously downloaded from the computer at the central control station ) is stored in the memory of the on - board computer 40 of the roasting machine and compared with an output signal generated by the reflectometer that indicates the darkness of the beans in real time . when the signal from the reflectometer matches the stored signal in the on - board computer , roasting is terminated . in a preferred embodiment , roasting is terminated by initially ceasing the heating of the roasting air flowing into the drum while continuing to rotate the inner drum ( with bean outlet gate 122 closed ) for about 30 to 45 seconds in a gradually cooling environment that enhances the finish that can be obtained with many types of beans . in addition , while full heat roasting of the beans continues , the light / dark development of the beans inside the drum is monitored by reflectometer 108 , which generates corresponding signals that are fed to the on - board computer . in a preferred embodiment , the memory of the on - board computer includes light / dark level data that was generated during sample roasting at the central control station , typically as a function of roasting time and / or roasting temperature . whenever the darkness level of the beans being roasted deviates from the corresponding stored darkness level data , operating parameters , such as the roasting air temperature and / or roasting air flow rate , are adjusted to bring the darkness level of the beans being roasted in compliance with the stored darkness information in the memory of the on - board computer . in this manner , the test roast , which was performed to establish optimal roasting parameters for a given type of bean and / or roasting profile , is precisely replicated at each and every roasting operation on any and all of the individual roasting machines that are networked with the central computer at the central computer 12 at control station 11 . once the beans are ready for discharge , the on - board computer activates the drive ( not shown ) for bean discharge gate 122 by moving it into its open position shown in fig6 . the continued rotation of inner drum 83 , coupled with the helical shape of vanes 94 therein , gradually moves the beans in the direction of bean discharge opening 88 , from where the roasted beans gravitationally drop onto cooling tray 26 . the cooling tray is preferably circular in shape ( see fig2 ) and includes one or more wiper arms 27 that slowly rotate with upright shaft 27 a protruding from the tray . the arms gradually move the beans over the tray to facilitate their cooling , and , upon completion of the cooling , push the beans through a finish roasted bean discharge opening 124 to a suitable collection point or into a canister ( not shown ). the discharge opening is preferably located adjacent the periphery of the cooling tray , and the wiper arms are shaped so that they slowly direct the beans towards the periphery of the tray . the discharge opening is normally closed by a gate 125 that is opened via a suitable actuator ( not shown ) that is manually or automatically ( by the on - board computer ) opened after the beans have been sufficiently cooled . the cooling tray preferably includes perforations 26 a ( not shown and of a sufficiently small size to prevent beans from dropping through or becoming lodged in them ) so that cooling air can be flowed over the beans on the tray to accelerate their cooling and , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention , to use the heat of the cooling beans for preheating fresh air before it is heated for roasting a new batch of green beans that was placed into the drum . referring to fig4 and 7 - 10 , each individual roasting machine 14 includes an air supply or circulation system that comprises a blower 48 for generating an air flow through roasting drum 44 for the eventual discharge of the air from the machine . in a presently preferred embodiment of the roasting machine in which 6 - lb . batches of green beans are roasted in about twelve minutes , the blower has a 2½ hp motor , generates a pressure rise of about 1 . 5 psi at about 50 cfm through the air circulation system , and heats the air , as a result of the compression of the air , by about 30 ° f .- 50 ° f . ( about 17 ° c .- 28 ° c .). as is best seen in fig8 , the air circulation system preferably receives fresh intake air that was preheated by flowing it over just - roasted , still - hot beans on cooling tray 26 and through perforations 26 a therein to thereby reduce the overall energy consumption of the machine . since the intake air may pick up particulates and white plume smoke as it passes over the roasted beans on the cooling tray , a prefilter 50 is provided to remove such smoke and debris before the air enters fan 48 . filter 50 preferably comprises a 0 . 3 - micron hepa filter with a relatively low pressure drop so that it can remove the white plume smoke and smoke particulates from the intake air . fan 48 is coupled to a heat exchanger 54 , which preheats the air from the fan . the structure and operation of the heat exchanger is discussed in more detail below . the preheated air flows from the heat exchanger 54 to a heater 56 for heating it to the desired roasting temperature . the heater 56 is preferably a flow - through electric duct ( tubular ) heater 56 capable of heating the incoming air from about 120 ° f . ( about 49 ° c .) and at 50 cfm to the roasting temperature , e . g . about 500 ° f . ( about 260 ° c .). from the heater the roasting air flows via a conduit 92 a and past roasting air inlet 92 into and through the roasting drum from which it exits via used air exit 90 . in the drum , the green beans give off particulates , including chaff , as well as white plume smoke , oily smoke , volatiles , hydrocarbons , and the like , which are carried out of the roasting drum by the air . to enable the discharge of the air into the indoor environment surrounding each individual roasting machine 14 , the used roasting air must be cleaned and cooled before it can be discharged . chaff , an onionskin - like husk byproduct that is flaked off the beans in the roasting drum , is removed in a chaff collector 60 located downstream of and coupled to roasting drum 44 . the chaff collector 60 comprises a vortex particulate separator ( not shown ) that captures the chaff and lets the air through . the chaff collecting tray is periodically removed and cleaned as needed . a primary filter 64 is coupled to the chaff collector 60 via a conduit ( not shown ) for the removal of tars and chaff fines . in one embodiment , the primary filter 64 is made of superfine steel wool media . in another embodiment , a prefilter 62 made from superfine 30 micron media is positioned upstream of the primary filter to remove fines from the air flow and prevent a premature plugging of the filter by the fines . from the primary filter 64 , the used air flows to heat exchanger 54 for cooling . in the presently preferred embodiment , the heat exchanger is formed of a plurality of heat pipes ( not shown ) coupled to cooling fins . the relatively cool intake air flows in one direction over one end of the heat pipe array and the relatively hot exhaust air , separated from the cool air by a wall , is conveyed in the opposite direction over the other end of the heat pipe array . heat from the hot exhaust air is transferred via the heat pipe array to the cool intake air flowing from the blower 48 to preheat it before it enters heater 56 and thereby improve the energy efficiency of the roasting machine . the heat exchanger is about 80 % efficient and typically cools the air exhaust air from about 350 ° ( about 177 ° c .) to 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .). alternatively , the heat exchanger can also be formed of double concentric counterflow hoses or pipes . in that case , an outer tube 66 conveys the relatively cool intake air in one direction and an inner tube 68 conveys the relatively hot exhaust air in the opposite direction , or vice versa . heat from the exhaust air is transferred via inner tube 68 to the cool intake air flowing towards fan 48 to thereby preheat it before it enters heater 56 to thereby improve the energy efficiency of the roasting machine . the air is then cooled to about 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .) in an aftercooler 72 disposed downstream of and receiving the air from the heat exchanger 54 . it typically cools the air from about 350 ° f . ( about 177 ° c . ), the exit temperature at the main heat exchanger , to about 100 ° f . ( 38 ° c .). in the illustrated alternative embodiment , aftercooler 72 employs a finned - tube heat sink of a serpentine configuration with sufficient length to achieve the desired temperature drop . a high efficiency particulate accumulator (“ hepa ”) filter 74 is coupled to the heat exchanger and a carbon filter 76 is coupled to the hepa filter 74 . the hepa filter 74 is preferably a 0 . 3 - micron media that captures white plume smoke and particles as small as ½ micron with a 99 +% efficiency . the carbon filter 76 employs activated carbon that filters vocs and hydrocarbons ( so 2 , no 2 , etc .) in the used air stream before it is discharged from the machine . the carbon filter 76 can be used to control the amount of vocs , and therewith the coffee aroma that emanates from the roasting machine . thus , and as is illustrated in fig8 , the intake air enters the prefilter 50 , which filters out smoke and / or debris in the air . the fan 48 produces a flow of the air that traverses the entire roasting machine in no more than about 1 second and , preferably , in as little as about ¼ second while the air is heated from ambient at intake to about 500 ° f . ( about 260 ° c .) for roasting and is then cooled again to about room temperature ( approximately 100 ° f ., 38 ° c .) at discharge . the hot air therefore flows through the roasting drum 44 in a continuous , high temperature flow to thereby effectively roast the beans . referring to fig9 , sensors are employed throughout each individual roasting machine 14 for monitoring and controlling the roasting of the beans . for example , a temperature gauge or thermometer 132 and a pressure gauge 134 are disposed at the inlet of the prefilter 50 to measure the inlet air temperature and pressure . a pressure gauge 136 measures the inlet pressure of the fan 48 and another pressure gauge 138 measures the outlet pressure of the fan . the temperature of the air at the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger 54 is measured with temperature gauges 142 and 144 . a further temperature gauge 146 at the outlet of the heater 56 measures the roasting temperature of the air . a thermometer 150 and a pressure gauge 152 can be provided to measure the temperature and pressure in the roasting chamber 44 . a pair of pressure gauges 154 , 156 at the inlet and outlet of the smoke filter 64 measure the pressure drop across it . the exhaust air temperature drop across the heat exchanger 54 is measured with a pair of thermometers 158 , 162 disposed at the inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger . another thermometer 164 provided at the outlet of the aftercooler 72 measures the temperature drop caused by it . a pressure gauge 168 at the inlet of the hepa filter 74 measures the inlet pressure . a pressure gauge 170 at the outlet of the hepa filter 74 measures the outlet pressure of the hepa filter 74 and the inlet pressure of the carbon filter 76 . a pressure gauge 172 at the outlet of the carbon filter 76 measures the outlet pressure . if desired , flow rates at various points of the system may be measured with appropriate flow gauges . as discussed above , while it is preferred to use a reflectometer to monitor the darkness of the beans during roasting , spectrometers can be used instead for measuring the color of the beans . spectrometers or calorimeters capable of detecting colors that can be used with the present invention are known . for example , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 684 , 582 issued nov . 4 , 1997 to eastman et al . and u . s . pat . no . 5 , 504 , 575 issued apr . 2 , 1996 to stafford , which are incorporated by reference herein , disclose useable spectrometers . the patent to stafford specifically discusses the use of a spectrometer to monitor the color of food products to ensure a uniform color for the consumer . on - board roasting computer software of the roasting machine 14 serves , among others , the following functions : 1 . receiving in - store operator roasting requests and initiating roasting sequence , including preheating system check , upon request . 2 . rotating the rotary hopper to the desired green beans position and releasing a correct quantity of the beans into the scale funnel 42 . 3 . releasing the beans from the scale funnel 42 into a the roasting chamber 44 . 4 . roasting the beans to the appropriate recipe established at central control station 11 and , if desired , modifying the recipe with real - time barometric input . 5 . guiding roasting development and final roast degree ( darkness ) by real - time input from the laser reflectometer 108 . 6 . starting the cooling tray sweep arm and discharging the roasted beans from the roasting chamber 44 to the cooling tray 26 when the spectrometer 108 determines that roasting is complete . 7 . stirring / cooling the finished beans on the cooling tray 26 and discharging them into the discharge container when ready . 8 . starting loading / roasting the next batch upon discharge of the previous batch to the cooling tray 26 . the block diagram in fig1 illustrates a roasting system that comprises the combined configuration of the bean handling system of fig7 and the internal air control system of fig8 . the arrows illustrate the bean flow and the air flow . the point of intersection between the two flows is located at the roasting chamber 44 , in which the heated air is used to roast the beans . in this embodiment , the intake air comes from and the exhaust air is released into the surrounding environment at a temperature that is close to room temperature . by circulating air taken from outside surroundings of the roasting apparatus 20 and releasing it back into the surroundings , the internal air control system is an open - loop system . an alternative is a closed - loop air circulation system that comprises substantially the same components as the open - loop system . the primary difference is that only a small proportion , e . g . 20 % of the used air , is discharged to the atmosphere , while the remainder , after thorough cleaning , is recirculated through the roasting machine . the earlier discussed hepa and charcoal filters 74 , 76 are effective only at relatively low temperatures of about 100 ° f . ( about 38 ° c .). to prevent the need for cooling the used air to such low temperatures in a closed - loop air circulation system while still removing white plume smoke , vocs , hydrocarbons , and the like , a catalytic converter ( not shown ) may be used instead of such filters . with a catalytic converter the cleaned air can be recirculated to the fan of the machine at significantly higher temperatures , which , in turn , reduces the energy consumption of the machine . water removed from the green beans during roasting and entrained in the recirculating used roasting air is discharged from the system with the earlier mentioned release of a small , e . g . 20 %, proportion of the used air . | Should this patent be classified under 'Human Necessities'? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology'? | 0.25 | 5a562e0729c99b60b2f728819899174aad5bbd4a7f466a6192701fdb30da1f84 | 0.043945 | 0.263672 | 0.000805 | 0.287109 | 0.040771 | 0.149414 |
null | preferred embodiments of the present invention provide significant advantages over previous memory array architectures using single polycrystalline silicon eeprom memory cells as will become evident from the following detailed description . the present inventors have disclosed a single polycrystalline silicon eeprom cell in u . s . patent application ser . no . 12 / 462 , 076 , filed jul . 28 , 2009 , and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . the following discussion briefly describes that eeprom memory cell to provide a more complete understanding of the present invention . in the following discussion , p and n are used to indicate semiconductor conductivity type . a “+” or “−” sign after the conductivity type indicates a relatively high or low doping concentration , respectively , of the semiconductor region . furthermore , the same reference numerals are used in the drawing figures to indicate common circuit elements . referring to fig1 , there is a top view of a single polycrystalline silicon gate ( poly ) eeprom memory cell that may be used with the present invention . the cell includes n − isolation regions 120 and 126 . these n − isolation regions serve to electrically isolate p − well regions 160 and 162 , respectively , from a p type substrate . in operation , they are preferably biased to a positive supply voltage at terminals 100 and 102 . a control gate terminal 104 contacts p + region 140 as well as n + region 122 , both of which are formed within p − well region 160 . a tunnel gate terminal 106 contacts p + region 142 as well as n + region 130 , both of which are formed within p − well region 162 . a single polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 overlies a part of both p − well regions and is self aligned with n + regions 122 and 130 . an n - channel sense transistor is formed between the p − well regions 160 and 162 . the sense transistor includes drain terminal 108 , source terminal 110 , and control gate 152 . the sense transistor operates to indicate the data state of the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 as will be explained in detail . the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 is often referred to as a floating gate , since it is only capacitively coupled and not directly connected to other elements of the memory cell . the polycrystalline silicon gate forms one terminal of a control gate capacitor 150 as well as one terminal of a tunnel gate capacitor 154 . referring now to fig2 , there is a cross sectional view of the eeprom cell of fig1 at the plane a - a ′. an n + buried layer 202 together with n − isolation region 120 electrically isolates p − well region 160 from p substrate 210 . likewise , another n + buried layer 204 together with n − isolation region 126 electrically isolates p − well region 162 from p substrate 210 . shallow trench isolation regions 200 isolate active regions such as control gate capacitor 150 , sense transistor 152 , and tunnel gate capacitor 154 . an upper plate of the control gate capacitor is formed by a first part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . a lower plate of the control gate capacitor to is formed adjacent the upper plate by p − well region 160 . the upper and lower plates are separated by a dielectric region to form the control gate capacitor 150 . in a similar manner , an upper plate of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 is formed by a second part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . a lower plate of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 is formed adjacent the upper plate by p − well region 162 . the upper and lower plates are separated by a dielectric region to form the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . referring now to fig3 and 4 , a programming operation of the control gate layer of the memory cell will be explained in detail . numeric voltage values in the following discussion and throughout the instant specification are given by way of example for the purpose of illustration and may vary with different manufacturing processes . fig3 is a schematic diagram of the memory cell of fig1 - 2 . n − isolation regions 120 and 126 as well as n + buried layers 202 and 204 are biased at 5 v throughout the operation . a 5 v signal is applied to control gate terminal 104 . p + region 140 is electrically connected to p − well region 160 . thus , p − well region 160 is also at 5 v . the capacitance of control gate capacitor 150 ( c cg ) is much larger than the total capacitance ( c t ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 , sense transistor gate 152 ( c xtr ), and associated parasitic capacitance . the coupling ratio c cg /( c cg + c t c xtr ) is at least 0 . 8 and preferably 0 . 9 or greater . the polycrystalline silicon gate layer voltage , therefore , is approximately 4 v to 4 . 5 v . a − 5 v signal is also applied to the tunnel gate terminal 106 . p + region 142 is electrically connected to p − well region 162 which is , therefore , also at − 5 v . an inversion layer is formed adjacent a second part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 at the tunnel gate capacitor 154 below the intervening dielectric region . this dielectric region is preferably silicon dioxide or other suitable dielectric material as is known in the art . n + region 130 provides a source of electrons for the inversion layer and remains in conductive contact with the inversion layer . thus , a high electric field is generated across the relatively thin dielectric region sufficient to induce fowler - nordheim tunneling of electrons from the inversion layer to the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . this relatively higher concentration of electrons significantly increases the threshold voltage of sense transistor 152 and renders it nonconductive in a subsequent read operation . this eeprom memory cell offers several advantages over memory cells of the prior art . first , the critical electric field necessary for fowler - nordheim tunneling is developed by positive and negative voltages of comparable magnitudes . this avoids the need to generate a high voltage power supply or to incorporate special high voltage transistors in the manufacturing process . second , programming by fowler - nordheim tunneling greatly reduces the power requirement compared to prior art hot carrier generation methods such as avalanche multiplication and band - to - band tunneling . third , fowler - nordheim tunneling from the inversion layer to the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 provides uniform current density over the entire area of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . thus , current density is much less than with methods of the prior art where current flow was through a much smaller area . such areas were edge - dependent and determined by overlapping gate and underlying implant regions . the reduced programming current density of the present invention greatly increases program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . referring now to fig4 , an erase operation of the control gate layer of the memory cell will be explained in detail . fig4 is a schematic diagram of the memory cell of fig1 - 2 . as previously discussed , n − isolation regions 120 and 126 as well as n + buried layers 202 and 204 are biased at 5 v throughout the operation . a − 5 v signal is applied to control gate terminal 104 . p + region 140 is electrically connected to p − well region 160 . thus , p − well region 160 is also at − 5 v . due to the coupling ratio of control gate capacitor 150 ( c cg ) and the total capacitance ( c t ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 , sense transistor gate 152 , and associated parasitic capacitance the polycrystalline silicon gate layer voltage is approximately − 4 v to − 4 . 5 v . the voltage difference across control gate capacitor 150 forms an inversion layer adjacent a first part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 below the intervening dielectric region . the inversion layer is electrically connected to n + region 122 and , therefore , maintains the high coupling ratio between c cg and c t . a 5 v signal is also applied to the tunnel gate terminal 106 . p + region 142 is electrically connected to p − well region 162 which is , therefore , also at 5 v . the voltage difference between the polycrystalline silicon gate 156 and the p − well region 162 forms an accumulation region at the lower plate ( p − well region 162 ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 . the resulting high electric field generated across the relatively thin dielectric region is sufficient to induce fowler - nordheim tunneling of electrons from polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 to the accumulation region . thus , a relatively lower concentration of electrons significantly decreases the threshold voltage of sense transistor 152 and renders it conductive in a subsequent read operation . the previously discussed advantages of the eeprom memory cell are also present during an erase operation . the critical electric field necessary for fowler - nordheim tunneling is developed by positive and negative voltages of comparable magnitudes . this avoids the need to generate a high voltage power supply or to incorporate special high voltage transistors in the manufacturing process . programming by fowler - nordheim tunneling greatly reduces the power requirement compared to prior art hot carrier generation methods such as avalanche multiplication and band - to - band tunneling . finally , fowler - nordheim tunneling from the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 to the accumulation region provides uniform current density over the entire area of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . thus , current density is much less than with methods of the prior art where current flow was through a much smaller area . such areas were edge - dependent and determined by overlapping gate and underlying implant regions . the reduced programming current density of the present invention greatly increases program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . turning now to fig5 a - 5d , stress on unselected memory cells as in fig1 - 2 of a memory array during programming of selected memory cells will be discussed in detail . voltage stress on these unselected memory cells is due to the coupling ratio as previously discussed with regard to fig3 and 4 . in the following discussion it should be understood that this stress may degrade data stored on the unselected memory cells after many programming ( or erase ) operations are performed on nearby selected memory cells . in particular , fig5 a is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical one for v cg = 0 v and v tg =− 5 v . by way of example , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical one is 4 v . when v tg =− 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 a has approximately − 8 . 5 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress causes positive charge loss 500 over many programming or erase operations , which greatly reduces the number of memory program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . referring to fig5 b , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical one for v cg =+ 5 v and v tg = 0 v . as previously discussed , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical one is 4 v . when v cg =+ 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 b has approximately − 8 . 0 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress will also cause positive charge loss 502 over many programming or erase operations . referring next to fig5 c , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical zero for v cg = 0 v and v tg =+ 5 v . here , however , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical zero is − 4 v . when v tg =+ 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 c again has approximately + 8 . 5 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress causes negative charge loss 504 over many programming or erase operations , which greatly reduces the number of memory program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . finally , referring to fig5 d , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical zero for v cg =− 5 v and v tg = 0 v . as previously discussed , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical zero is − 4 v . when v cg =− 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 d has approximately 9 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress will also cause negative charge loss 506 over many programming or erase operations . turning now to fig6 , there is a schematic diagram of an eeprom memory cell with surrounding circuitry that forms an element of the array architecture of the present invention . recall from the previous discussion regarding fig5 a - 5d that stress on unselected memory cells occurs when a selected memory cell on the same tunnel gate lead or the same control gate lead is programmed . this stress depends on the voltage applied to the tunnel gate lead or control gate lead as well as the data state of the unselected memory cell . according to the present invention , program data lead 606 is selectively connected to tunnel gate lead 106 by switch 602 . likewise , complementary program data lead 608 is selectively connected to control gate lead 104 by switch 604 . both switches 602 and 604 are controlled by row select signal ( rowsel ) applied to lead 600 . both program data leads 606 and 608 are generally perpendicular to the row select signal in the memory array . only a selected cell , therefore , will have programming voltages applied to leads 606 and 608 when switches 602 and 604 are turned on by an active row select signal on lead 600 . this advantageously eliminates any stress to unselected memory cells that might degrade stored data states . referring now to fig7 , there is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the array architecture of the present invention . for the purpose of illustration , the memory array includes selected memory cells 730 and 740 , which are already programmed to logical zero and one , respectively . the memory array also includes unselected memory cells 750 , 760 , and 770 . memory cells 730 and 740 are connected to row select leads 700 and 702 , which are oriented horizontally through the memory array . memory cell 730 is connected to program data lines 704 and 706 via switches 712 and 714 , respectively . program data lines 704 and 706 are oriented vertically through the memory array and generally perpendicular to row select leads 700 and 702 . memory cell 740 is connected to program data lines 708 and 710 , via switches 722 and 724 , respectively . program data lines 708 and 710 are also oriented vertically through the memory array and generally perpendicular to row select leads 700 and 702 . finally , memory cells 730 and 740 include respective access transistors 716 and 726 to couple their stored data states to respective read bit leads 718 and 728 . unselected memory cells 750 and 760 share the same program data leads as selected memory cells 730 and 740 , respectively . the switches of unselected memory cells 750 and 760 , however , share different row select leads from selected memory cells 730 and 740 . thus , the switches of unselected memory cells remain off when selected memory cells 730 and 740 are programmed and are not stressed as previously described with regard to fig5 a - 5d . moreover , the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 750 are connected to ground or a suitable reference voltage by equalization transistors 752 and 754 . likewise , the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 760 are connected to ground or the suitable reference voltage by equalization transistors 762 and 764 . unselected memory cells 750 and 760 , therefore , are not stressed and their respective data states remain intact when memory cells 730 and 740 are programmed . unselected memory cell 770 shares the same row select leads as selected memory cells 730 and 740 . the switches of unselected memory cell 770 , therefore , are on when the switches of selected memory cells 730 and 740 are on . the program data leads of unselected memory cell 770 , however , remain at zero volts or a suitable reference voltage . the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 770 , therefore , are not stressed as previously described with regard to fig5 a - 5d . in a first embodiment of fig7 , the switches of each memory cell are formed from complementary metal oxide semiconductor ( cmos ) pass gates . each cmos pass gate is formed from an n - channel transistor in parallel with a p - channel transistor . furthermore , in this first embodiment of the present invention , the voltage swing of the control gates of the switches is the same as the voltage swing on the program data leads (+ v p to − v p ), so that the switches of unselected cells are completely off when selected memory cells in the same column are programmed . the maximum voltage across the control gate dielectric of the n - channel and p - channel transistors is generally the same as the programming voltage across the tunnel gate dielectric . this may be acceptable in some applications where programming time of the memory cells is not critical and some fowler - nordheim tunneling through the switch transistors is acceptable . in a second embodiment of the present invention , the switch transistors are separately ion implanted to preferentially grow a slightly thicker gate dielectric than that of the tunnel gate capacitors . in this second embodiment , programming voltage across tunnel gate capacitors may be safely increased and programming time decreased without damage to the switch transistors . turning now to fig8 a , there is a modified memory cell that may be used in a third embodiment of the memory array of fig7 . the modified memory cell of fig8 a differs from the previously described memory cells of fig7 in three respects . first , each cmos pass gate or switch now includes series - connected voltage divider transistors such as transistors 800 and 804 as well as switching transistors 802 and 806 . second , row select signal rowsel operates at a reduced voltage swing of 0v to 5v (+ v p ). complementary row select signal rowsel_operates at a reduced voltage swing of 0v to − 5v (− v p ). third , n - channel transistors 811 and 813 are added to the equalization circuit to hold control gate lead 104 and tunnel gate lead 106 to ground ( 0 v ) when the memory cell is unselected . operation of the modified memory cell of fig8 a will now be explained in detail with reference to the program / erase timing diagram of fig8 b . the left half of the timing diagram ( fig8 b ) illustrates operation when the memory cell is on a selected row . the memory cell row is selected at time t 0 when rowsel is high ( 0 v ), rowsel_ is low ( 0 v ), and eq is low (− 5 v ). in this case , leads tg 106 and cg 104 are driven to − v tn as illustrated by voltage levels 830 and 840 , respectively , by n - channel transistors of the cmos switches . at time t 1 program data leads pgmdata and pgmdata_ of the to memory cell column are driven high and low , respectively , to program a positive charge on floating gate 156 . at time t 2 , pgmdata and pgmdata_ return to 0 v . however , tg is pulled down to + v tp 832 by the p - channel transistor of the cmos switch . correspondingly , cg is pulled up to − v tn by the n - channel transistor of the cmos switch . thus , tg and cg follow pgmdata and pgmdata_ , respectively , but will only reach + v tp or − v tn depending on the previous voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . at time t 3 program data leads pgmdata and pgmdata_ of the memory cell column are driven low and high , respectively , to erase the positive charge on floating gate 156 . at time t 4 , pgmdata and pgmdata_ return to 0 v . however , tg is pulled up to − v tn 834 by the n - channel transistor of the cmos switch . correspondingly , cg is pulled down to + v tp 844 by the p - channel transistor of the cmos switch . when any cell is on a selected row and pgmdata and pgmdata_ are 0 v , therefore , tg and cg will only reach + v tp or − v tn depending on the previous voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . this produces a total cell stress equal to a sum of the magnitude of v tp + v tn across the floating gate 156 . for normal operating parameters , this is approximately 2 . 5 v compared to a programming voltage of 10 v . at this level , there is negligible effect on the programmed or erased data state . since rowsel and rowsel_ are both at 0 v , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the cmos switch . furthermore , the gates of n - channel transistors 810 and 812 are at 0 v while the gates of n - channel transistors 811 and 813 are at − 5 v . in this state , if v tg is + 5 v , transistor 810 acts as a voltage divider so that the common terminal between transistors 810 and 811 is − v tn . likewise , if v cg is + 5 v , transistor 812 acts as a voltage divider so that the common terminal between transistors 812 and 813 is − v tn . therefore , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the equalization circuit . time t 5 and beyond represents a cell on an unselected row and a selected column . here , eq is high (+ 5 v ), rowsel is low (− 5 v ), and rowsel_ is high (+ 5 v ). both cmos switches are off . n - channel transistors 810 - 813 of the equalization circuit are on and drive tg and cg to ground . thus , voltage levels of pgmdata and pgmdata_ have no effect on any memory cell in an unselected row . in this state , transistors 800 and 804 act as voltage dividers for either a positive or negative voltage of pgmdata . thus , common terminals between p - channel transistors 800 and 802 or between n - channel transistors 804 and 806 do not exceed a magnitude of v tn or v tp . therefore , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the cmos switch for any voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . still further , while numerous examples have thus been provided , one skilled in the art should recognize that various modifications , substitutions , or alterations may be made to the described embodiments while still falling with the inventive scope as defined by the following claims . for example , inventive concepts of the present invention are readily adapted to alternative switch designs and voltage levels as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art having access to the instant specification . for example , each cmos pass gate might be replaced by a single n - channel or p - channel transistor with suitable gate voltage levels . additionally , programming voltages might range from 0 v to 10 v or from 0 v to − 10v rather than from − 5v to 5 v . other combinations will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art having access to the instant specification . | Is 'Physics' the correct technical category for the patent? | Is 'Human Necessities' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | 5adc4714d2fec1035ca16d484f09ba0bf16389858c195cc17f379785a9257cc5 | 0.079102 | 0.001137 | 0.05835 | 0.00009 | 0.131836 | 0.002121 |
null | preferred embodiments of the present invention provide significant advantages over previous memory array architectures using single polycrystalline silicon eeprom memory cells as will become evident from the following detailed description . the present inventors have disclosed a single polycrystalline silicon eeprom cell in u . s . patent application ser . no . 12 / 462 , 076 , filed jul . 28 , 2009 , and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . the following discussion briefly describes that eeprom memory cell to provide a more complete understanding of the present invention . in the following discussion , p and n are used to indicate semiconductor conductivity type . a “+” or “−” sign after the conductivity type indicates a relatively high or low doping concentration , respectively , of the semiconductor region . furthermore , the same reference numerals are used in the drawing figures to indicate common circuit elements . referring to fig1 , there is a top view of a single polycrystalline silicon gate ( poly ) eeprom memory cell that may be used with the present invention . the cell includes n − isolation regions 120 and 126 . these n − isolation regions serve to electrically isolate p − well regions 160 and 162 , respectively , from a p type substrate . in operation , they are preferably biased to a positive supply voltage at terminals 100 and 102 . a control gate terminal 104 contacts p + region 140 as well as n + region 122 , both of which are formed within p − well region 160 . a tunnel gate terminal 106 contacts p + region 142 as well as n + region 130 , both of which are formed within p − well region 162 . a single polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 overlies a part of both p − well regions and is self aligned with n + regions 122 and 130 . an n - channel sense transistor is formed between the p − well regions 160 and 162 . the sense transistor includes drain terminal 108 , source terminal 110 , and control gate 152 . the sense transistor operates to indicate the data state of the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 as will be explained in detail . the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 is often referred to as a floating gate , since it is only capacitively coupled and not directly connected to other elements of the memory cell . the polycrystalline silicon gate forms one terminal of a control gate capacitor 150 as well as one terminal of a tunnel gate capacitor 154 . referring now to fig2 , there is a cross sectional view of the eeprom cell of fig1 at the plane a - a ′. an n + buried layer 202 together with n − isolation region 120 electrically isolates p − well region 160 from p substrate 210 . likewise , another n + buried layer 204 together with n − isolation region 126 electrically isolates p − well region 162 from p substrate 210 . shallow trench isolation regions 200 isolate active regions such as control gate capacitor 150 , sense transistor 152 , and tunnel gate capacitor 154 . an upper plate of the control gate capacitor is formed by a first part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . a lower plate of the control gate capacitor to is formed adjacent the upper plate by p − well region 160 . the upper and lower plates are separated by a dielectric region to form the control gate capacitor 150 . in a similar manner , an upper plate of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 is formed by a second part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . a lower plate of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 is formed adjacent the upper plate by p − well region 162 . the upper and lower plates are separated by a dielectric region to form the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . referring now to fig3 and 4 , a programming operation of the control gate layer of the memory cell will be explained in detail . numeric voltage values in the following discussion and throughout the instant specification are given by way of example for the purpose of illustration and may vary with different manufacturing processes . fig3 is a schematic diagram of the memory cell of fig1 - 2 . n − isolation regions 120 and 126 as well as n + buried layers 202 and 204 are biased at 5 v throughout the operation . a 5 v signal is applied to control gate terminal 104 . p + region 140 is electrically connected to p − well region 160 . thus , p − well region 160 is also at 5 v . the capacitance of control gate capacitor 150 ( c cg ) is much larger than the total capacitance ( c t ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 , sense transistor gate 152 ( c xtr ), and associated parasitic capacitance . the coupling ratio c cg /( c cg + c t c xtr ) is at least 0 . 8 and preferably 0 . 9 or greater . the polycrystalline silicon gate layer voltage , therefore , is approximately 4 v to 4 . 5 v . a − 5 v signal is also applied to the tunnel gate terminal 106 . p + region 142 is electrically connected to p − well region 162 which is , therefore , also at − 5 v . an inversion layer is formed adjacent a second part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 at the tunnel gate capacitor 154 below the intervening dielectric region . this dielectric region is preferably silicon dioxide or other suitable dielectric material as is known in the art . n + region 130 provides a source of electrons for the inversion layer and remains in conductive contact with the inversion layer . thus , a high electric field is generated across the relatively thin dielectric region sufficient to induce fowler - nordheim tunneling of electrons from the inversion layer to the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . this relatively higher concentration of electrons significantly increases the threshold voltage of sense transistor 152 and renders it nonconductive in a subsequent read operation . this eeprom memory cell offers several advantages over memory cells of the prior art . first , the critical electric field necessary for fowler - nordheim tunneling is developed by positive and negative voltages of comparable magnitudes . this avoids the need to generate a high voltage power supply or to incorporate special high voltage transistors in the manufacturing process . second , programming by fowler - nordheim tunneling greatly reduces the power requirement compared to prior art hot carrier generation methods such as avalanche multiplication and band - to - band tunneling . third , fowler - nordheim tunneling from the inversion layer to the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 provides uniform current density over the entire area of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . thus , current density is much less than with methods of the prior art where current flow was through a much smaller area . such areas were edge - dependent and determined by overlapping gate and underlying implant regions . the reduced programming current density of the present invention greatly increases program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . referring now to fig4 , an erase operation of the control gate layer of the memory cell will be explained in detail . fig4 is a schematic diagram of the memory cell of fig1 - 2 . as previously discussed , n − isolation regions 120 and 126 as well as n + buried layers 202 and 204 are biased at 5 v throughout the operation . a − 5 v signal is applied to control gate terminal 104 . p + region 140 is electrically connected to p − well region 160 . thus , p − well region 160 is also at − 5 v . due to the coupling ratio of control gate capacitor 150 ( c cg ) and the total capacitance ( c t ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 , sense transistor gate 152 , and associated parasitic capacitance the polycrystalline silicon gate layer voltage is approximately − 4 v to − 4 . 5 v . the voltage difference across control gate capacitor 150 forms an inversion layer adjacent a first part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 below the intervening dielectric region . the inversion layer is electrically connected to n + region 122 and , therefore , maintains the high coupling ratio between c cg and c t . a 5 v signal is also applied to the tunnel gate terminal 106 . p + region 142 is electrically connected to p − well region 162 which is , therefore , also at 5 v . the voltage difference between the polycrystalline silicon gate 156 and the p − well region 162 forms an accumulation region at the lower plate ( p − well region 162 ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 . the resulting high electric field generated across the relatively thin dielectric region is sufficient to induce fowler - nordheim tunneling of electrons from polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 to the accumulation region . thus , a relatively lower concentration of electrons significantly decreases the threshold voltage of sense transistor 152 and renders it conductive in a subsequent read operation . the previously discussed advantages of the eeprom memory cell are also present during an erase operation . the critical electric field necessary for fowler - nordheim tunneling is developed by positive and negative voltages of comparable magnitudes . this avoids the need to generate a high voltage power supply or to incorporate special high voltage transistors in the manufacturing process . programming by fowler - nordheim tunneling greatly reduces the power requirement compared to prior art hot carrier generation methods such as avalanche multiplication and band - to - band tunneling . finally , fowler - nordheim tunneling from the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 to the accumulation region provides uniform current density over the entire area of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . thus , current density is much less than with methods of the prior art where current flow was through a much smaller area . such areas were edge - dependent and determined by overlapping gate and underlying implant regions . the reduced programming current density of the present invention greatly increases program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . turning now to fig5 a - 5d , stress on unselected memory cells as in fig1 - 2 of a memory array during programming of selected memory cells will be discussed in detail . voltage stress on these unselected memory cells is due to the coupling ratio as previously discussed with regard to fig3 and 4 . in the following discussion it should be understood that this stress may degrade data stored on the unselected memory cells after many programming ( or erase ) operations are performed on nearby selected memory cells . in particular , fig5 a is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical one for v cg = 0 v and v tg =− 5 v . by way of example , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical one is 4 v . when v tg =− 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 a has approximately − 8 . 5 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress causes positive charge loss 500 over many programming or erase operations , which greatly reduces the number of memory program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . referring to fig5 b , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical one for v cg =+ 5 v and v tg = 0 v . as previously discussed , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical one is 4 v . when v cg =+ 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 b has approximately − 8 . 0 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress will also cause positive charge loss 502 over many programming or erase operations . referring next to fig5 c , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical zero for v cg = 0 v and v tg =+ 5 v . here , however , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical zero is − 4 v . when v tg =+ 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 c again has approximately + 8 . 5 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress causes negative charge loss 504 over many programming or erase operations , which greatly reduces the number of memory program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . finally , referring to fig5 d , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical zero for v cg =− 5 v and v tg = 0 v . as previously discussed , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical zero is − 4 v . when v cg =− 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 d has approximately 9 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress will also cause negative charge loss 506 over many programming or erase operations . turning now to fig6 , there is a schematic diagram of an eeprom memory cell with surrounding circuitry that forms an element of the array architecture of the present invention . recall from the previous discussion regarding fig5 a - 5d that stress on unselected memory cells occurs when a selected memory cell on the same tunnel gate lead or the same control gate lead is programmed . this stress depends on the voltage applied to the tunnel gate lead or control gate lead as well as the data state of the unselected memory cell . according to the present invention , program data lead 606 is selectively connected to tunnel gate lead 106 by switch 602 . likewise , complementary program data lead 608 is selectively connected to control gate lead 104 by switch 604 . both switches 602 and 604 are controlled by row select signal ( rowsel ) applied to lead 600 . both program data leads 606 and 608 are generally perpendicular to the row select signal in the memory array . only a selected cell , therefore , will have programming voltages applied to leads 606 and 608 when switches 602 and 604 are turned on by an active row select signal on lead 600 . this advantageously eliminates any stress to unselected memory cells that might degrade stored data states . referring now to fig7 , there is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the array architecture of the present invention . for the purpose of illustration , the memory array includes selected memory cells 730 and 740 , which are already programmed to logical zero and one , respectively . the memory array also includes unselected memory cells 750 , 760 , and 770 . memory cells 730 and 740 are connected to row select leads 700 and 702 , which are oriented horizontally through the memory array . memory cell 730 is connected to program data lines 704 and 706 via switches 712 and 714 , respectively . program data lines 704 and 706 are oriented vertically through the memory array and generally perpendicular to row select leads 700 and 702 . memory cell 740 is connected to program data lines 708 and 710 , via switches 722 and 724 , respectively . program data lines 708 and 710 are also oriented vertically through the memory array and generally perpendicular to row select leads 700 and 702 . finally , memory cells 730 and 740 include respective access transistors 716 and 726 to couple their stored data states to respective read bit leads 718 and 728 . unselected memory cells 750 and 760 share the same program data leads as selected memory cells 730 and 740 , respectively . the switches of unselected memory cells 750 and 760 , however , share different row select leads from selected memory cells 730 and 740 . thus , the switches of unselected memory cells remain off when selected memory cells 730 and 740 are programmed and are not stressed as previously described with regard to fig5 a - 5d . moreover , the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 750 are connected to ground or a suitable reference voltage by equalization transistors 752 and 754 . likewise , the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 760 are connected to ground or the suitable reference voltage by equalization transistors 762 and 764 . unselected memory cells 750 and 760 , therefore , are not stressed and their respective data states remain intact when memory cells 730 and 740 are programmed . unselected memory cell 770 shares the same row select leads as selected memory cells 730 and 740 . the switches of unselected memory cell 770 , therefore , are on when the switches of selected memory cells 730 and 740 are on . the program data leads of unselected memory cell 770 , however , remain at zero volts or a suitable reference voltage . the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 770 , therefore , are not stressed as previously described with regard to fig5 a - 5d . in a first embodiment of fig7 , the switches of each memory cell are formed from complementary metal oxide semiconductor ( cmos ) pass gates . each cmos pass gate is formed from an n - channel transistor in parallel with a p - channel transistor . furthermore , in this first embodiment of the present invention , the voltage swing of the control gates of the switches is the same as the voltage swing on the program data leads (+ v p to − v p ), so that the switches of unselected cells are completely off when selected memory cells in the same column are programmed . the maximum voltage across the control gate dielectric of the n - channel and p - channel transistors is generally the same as the programming voltage across the tunnel gate dielectric . this may be acceptable in some applications where programming time of the memory cells is not critical and some fowler - nordheim tunneling through the switch transistors is acceptable . in a second embodiment of the present invention , the switch transistors are separately ion implanted to preferentially grow a slightly thicker gate dielectric than that of the tunnel gate capacitors . in this second embodiment , programming voltage across tunnel gate capacitors may be safely increased and programming time decreased without damage to the switch transistors . turning now to fig8 a , there is a modified memory cell that may be used in a third embodiment of the memory array of fig7 . the modified memory cell of fig8 a differs from the previously described memory cells of fig7 in three respects . first , each cmos pass gate or switch now includes series - connected voltage divider transistors such as transistors 800 and 804 as well as switching transistors 802 and 806 . second , row select signal rowsel operates at a reduced voltage swing of 0v to 5v (+ v p ). complementary row select signal rowsel_operates at a reduced voltage swing of 0v to − 5v (− v p ). third , n - channel transistors 811 and 813 are added to the equalization circuit to hold control gate lead 104 and tunnel gate lead 106 to ground ( 0 v ) when the memory cell is unselected . operation of the modified memory cell of fig8 a will now be explained in detail with reference to the program / erase timing diagram of fig8 b . the left half of the timing diagram ( fig8 b ) illustrates operation when the memory cell is on a selected row . the memory cell row is selected at time t 0 when rowsel is high ( 0 v ), rowsel_ is low ( 0 v ), and eq is low (− 5 v ). in this case , leads tg 106 and cg 104 are driven to − v tn as illustrated by voltage levels 830 and 840 , respectively , by n - channel transistors of the cmos switches . at time t 1 program data leads pgmdata and pgmdata_ of the to memory cell column are driven high and low , respectively , to program a positive charge on floating gate 156 . at time t 2 , pgmdata and pgmdata_ return to 0 v . however , tg is pulled down to + v tp 832 by the p - channel transistor of the cmos switch . correspondingly , cg is pulled up to − v tn by the n - channel transistor of the cmos switch . thus , tg and cg follow pgmdata and pgmdata_ , respectively , but will only reach + v tp or − v tn depending on the previous voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . at time t 3 program data leads pgmdata and pgmdata_ of the memory cell column are driven low and high , respectively , to erase the positive charge on floating gate 156 . at time t 4 , pgmdata and pgmdata_ return to 0 v . however , tg is pulled up to − v tn 834 by the n - channel transistor of the cmos switch . correspondingly , cg is pulled down to + v tp 844 by the p - channel transistor of the cmos switch . when any cell is on a selected row and pgmdata and pgmdata_ are 0 v , therefore , tg and cg will only reach + v tp or − v tn depending on the previous voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . this produces a total cell stress equal to a sum of the magnitude of v tp + v tn across the floating gate 156 . for normal operating parameters , this is approximately 2 . 5 v compared to a programming voltage of 10 v . at this level , there is negligible effect on the programmed or erased data state . since rowsel and rowsel_ are both at 0 v , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the cmos switch . furthermore , the gates of n - channel transistors 810 and 812 are at 0 v while the gates of n - channel transistors 811 and 813 are at − 5 v . in this state , if v tg is + 5 v , transistor 810 acts as a voltage divider so that the common terminal between transistors 810 and 811 is − v tn . likewise , if v cg is + 5 v , transistor 812 acts as a voltage divider so that the common terminal between transistors 812 and 813 is − v tn . therefore , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the equalization circuit . time t 5 and beyond represents a cell on an unselected row and a selected column . here , eq is high (+ 5 v ), rowsel is low (− 5 v ), and rowsel_ is high (+ 5 v ). both cmos switches are off . n - channel transistors 810 - 813 of the equalization circuit are on and drive tg and cg to ground . thus , voltage levels of pgmdata and pgmdata_ have no effect on any memory cell in an unselected row . in this state , transistors 800 and 804 act as voltage dividers for either a positive or negative voltage of pgmdata . thus , common terminals between p - channel transistors 800 and 802 or between n - channel transistors 804 and 806 do not exceed a magnitude of v tn or v tp . therefore , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the cmos switch for any voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . still further , while numerous examples have thus been provided , one skilled in the art should recognize that various modifications , substitutions , or alterations may be made to the described embodiments while still falling with the inventive scope as defined by the following claims . for example , inventive concepts of the present invention are readily adapted to alternative switch designs and voltage levels as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art having access to the instant specification . for example , each cmos pass gate might be replaced by a single n - channel or p - channel transistor with suitable gate voltage levels . additionally , programming voltages might range from 0 v to 10 v or from 0 v to − 10v rather than from − 5v to 5 v . other combinations will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art having access to the instant specification . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Physics'? | Should this patent be classified under 'Performing Operations; Transporting'? | 0.25 | 5adc4714d2fec1035ca16d484f09ba0bf16389858c195cc17f379785a9257cc5 | 0.132813 | 0.002884 | 0.070801 | 0.000519 | 0.21582 | 0.017456 |
null | preferred embodiments of the present invention provide significant advantages over previous memory array architectures using single polycrystalline silicon eeprom memory cells as will become evident from the following detailed description . the present inventors have disclosed a single polycrystalline silicon eeprom cell in u . s . patent application ser . no . 12 / 462 , 076 , filed jul . 28 , 2009 , and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . the following discussion briefly describes that eeprom memory cell to provide a more complete understanding of the present invention . in the following discussion , p and n are used to indicate semiconductor conductivity type . a “+” or “−” sign after the conductivity type indicates a relatively high or low doping concentration , respectively , of the semiconductor region . furthermore , the same reference numerals are used in the drawing figures to indicate common circuit elements . referring to fig1 , there is a top view of a single polycrystalline silicon gate ( poly ) eeprom memory cell that may be used with the present invention . the cell includes n − isolation regions 120 and 126 . these n − isolation regions serve to electrically isolate p − well regions 160 and 162 , respectively , from a p type substrate . in operation , they are preferably biased to a positive supply voltage at terminals 100 and 102 . a control gate terminal 104 contacts p + region 140 as well as n + region 122 , both of which are formed within p − well region 160 . a tunnel gate terminal 106 contacts p + region 142 as well as n + region 130 , both of which are formed within p − well region 162 . a single polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 overlies a part of both p − well regions and is self aligned with n + regions 122 and 130 . an n - channel sense transistor is formed between the p − well regions 160 and 162 . the sense transistor includes drain terminal 108 , source terminal 110 , and control gate 152 . the sense transistor operates to indicate the data state of the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 as will be explained in detail . the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 is often referred to as a floating gate , since it is only capacitively coupled and not directly connected to other elements of the memory cell . the polycrystalline silicon gate forms one terminal of a control gate capacitor 150 as well as one terminal of a tunnel gate capacitor 154 . referring now to fig2 , there is a cross sectional view of the eeprom cell of fig1 at the plane a - a ′. an n + buried layer 202 together with n − isolation region 120 electrically isolates p − well region 160 from p substrate 210 . likewise , another n + buried layer 204 together with n − isolation region 126 electrically isolates p − well region 162 from p substrate 210 . shallow trench isolation regions 200 isolate active regions such as control gate capacitor 150 , sense transistor 152 , and tunnel gate capacitor 154 . an upper plate of the control gate capacitor is formed by a first part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . a lower plate of the control gate capacitor to is formed adjacent the upper plate by p − well region 160 . the upper and lower plates are separated by a dielectric region to form the control gate capacitor 150 . in a similar manner , an upper plate of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 is formed by a second part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . a lower plate of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 is formed adjacent the upper plate by p − well region 162 . the upper and lower plates are separated by a dielectric region to form the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . referring now to fig3 and 4 , a programming operation of the control gate layer of the memory cell will be explained in detail . numeric voltage values in the following discussion and throughout the instant specification are given by way of example for the purpose of illustration and may vary with different manufacturing processes . fig3 is a schematic diagram of the memory cell of fig1 - 2 . n − isolation regions 120 and 126 as well as n + buried layers 202 and 204 are biased at 5 v throughout the operation . a 5 v signal is applied to control gate terminal 104 . p + region 140 is electrically connected to p − well region 160 . thus , p − well region 160 is also at 5 v . the capacitance of control gate capacitor 150 ( c cg ) is much larger than the total capacitance ( c t ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 , sense transistor gate 152 ( c xtr ), and associated parasitic capacitance . the coupling ratio c cg /( c cg + c t c xtr ) is at least 0 . 8 and preferably 0 . 9 or greater . the polycrystalline silicon gate layer voltage , therefore , is approximately 4 v to 4 . 5 v . a − 5 v signal is also applied to the tunnel gate terminal 106 . p + region 142 is electrically connected to p − well region 162 which is , therefore , also at − 5 v . an inversion layer is formed adjacent a second part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 at the tunnel gate capacitor 154 below the intervening dielectric region . this dielectric region is preferably silicon dioxide or other suitable dielectric material as is known in the art . n + region 130 provides a source of electrons for the inversion layer and remains in conductive contact with the inversion layer . thus , a high electric field is generated across the relatively thin dielectric region sufficient to induce fowler - nordheim tunneling of electrons from the inversion layer to the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . this relatively higher concentration of electrons significantly increases the threshold voltage of sense transistor 152 and renders it nonconductive in a subsequent read operation . this eeprom memory cell offers several advantages over memory cells of the prior art . first , the critical electric field necessary for fowler - nordheim tunneling is developed by positive and negative voltages of comparable magnitudes . this avoids the need to generate a high voltage power supply or to incorporate special high voltage transistors in the manufacturing process . second , programming by fowler - nordheim tunneling greatly reduces the power requirement compared to prior art hot carrier generation methods such as avalanche multiplication and band - to - band tunneling . third , fowler - nordheim tunneling from the inversion layer to the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 provides uniform current density over the entire area of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . thus , current density is much less than with methods of the prior art where current flow was through a much smaller area . such areas were edge - dependent and determined by overlapping gate and underlying implant regions . the reduced programming current density of the present invention greatly increases program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . referring now to fig4 , an erase operation of the control gate layer of the memory cell will be explained in detail . fig4 is a schematic diagram of the memory cell of fig1 - 2 . as previously discussed , n − isolation regions 120 and 126 as well as n + buried layers 202 and 204 are biased at 5 v throughout the operation . a − 5 v signal is applied to control gate terminal 104 . p + region 140 is electrically connected to p − well region 160 . thus , p − well region 160 is also at − 5 v . due to the coupling ratio of control gate capacitor 150 ( c cg ) and the total capacitance ( c t ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 , sense transistor gate 152 , and associated parasitic capacitance the polycrystalline silicon gate layer voltage is approximately − 4 v to − 4 . 5 v . the voltage difference across control gate capacitor 150 forms an inversion layer adjacent a first part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 below the intervening dielectric region . the inversion layer is electrically connected to n + region 122 and , therefore , maintains the high coupling ratio between c cg and c t . a 5 v signal is also applied to the tunnel gate terminal 106 . p + region 142 is electrically connected to p − well region 162 which is , therefore , also at 5 v . the voltage difference between the polycrystalline silicon gate 156 and the p − well region 162 forms an accumulation region at the lower plate ( p − well region 162 ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 . the resulting high electric field generated across the relatively thin dielectric region is sufficient to induce fowler - nordheim tunneling of electrons from polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 to the accumulation region . thus , a relatively lower concentration of electrons significantly decreases the threshold voltage of sense transistor 152 and renders it conductive in a subsequent read operation . the previously discussed advantages of the eeprom memory cell are also present during an erase operation . the critical electric field necessary for fowler - nordheim tunneling is developed by positive and negative voltages of comparable magnitudes . this avoids the need to generate a high voltage power supply or to incorporate special high voltage transistors in the manufacturing process . programming by fowler - nordheim tunneling greatly reduces the power requirement compared to prior art hot carrier generation methods such as avalanche multiplication and band - to - band tunneling . finally , fowler - nordheim tunneling from the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 to the accumulation region provides uniform current density over the entire area of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . thus , current density is much less than with methods of the prior art where current flow was through a much smaller area . such areas were edge - dependent and determined by overlapping gate and underlying implant regions . the reduced programming current density of the present invention greatly increases program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . turning now to fig5 a - 5d , stress on unselected memory cells as in fig1 - 2 of a memory array during programming of selected memory cells will be discussed in detail . voltage stress on these unselected memory cells is due to the coupling ratio as previously discussed with regard to fig3 and 4 . in the following discussion it should be understood that this stress may degrade data stored on the unselected memory cells after many programming ( or erase ) operations are performed on nearby selected memory cells . in particular , fig5 a is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical one for v cg = 0 v and v tg =− 5 v . by way of example , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical one is 4 v . when v tg =− 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 a has approximately − 8 . 5 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress causes positive charge loss 500 over many programming or erase operations , which greatly reduces the number of memory program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . referring to fig5 b , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical one for v cg =+ 5 v and v tg = 0 v . as previously discussed , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical one is 4 v . when v cg =+ 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 b has approximately − 8 . 0 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress will also cause positive charge loss 502 over many programming or erase operations . referring next to fig5 c , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical zero for v cg = 0 v and v tg =+ 5 v . here , however , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical zero is − 4 v . when v tg =+ 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 c again has approximately + 8 . 5 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress causes negative charge loss 504 over many programming or erase operations , which greatly reduces the number of memory program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . finally , referring to fig5 d , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical zero for v cg =− 5 v and v tg = 0 v . as previously discussed , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical zero is − 4 v . when v cg =− 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 d has approximately 9 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress will also cause negative charge loss 506 over many programming or erase operations . turning now to fig6 , there is a schematic diagram of an eeprom memory cell with surrounding circuitry that forms an element of the array architecture of the present invention . recall from the previous discussion regarding fig5 a - 5d that stress on unselected memory cells occurs when a selected memory cell on the same tunnel gate lead or the same control gate lead is programmed . this stress depends on the voltage applied to the tunnel gate lead or control gate lead as well as the data state of the unselected memory cell . according to the present invention , program data lead 606 is selectively connected to tunnel gate lead 106 by switch 602 . likewise , complementary program data lead 608 is selectively connected to control gate lead 104 by switch 604 . both switches 602 and 604 are controlled by row select signal ( rowsel ) applied to lead 600 . both program data leads 606 and 608 are generally perpendicular to the row select signal in the memory array . only a selected cell , therefore , will have programming voltages applied to leads 606 and 608 when switches 602 and 604 are turned on by an active row select signal on lead 600 . this advantageously eliminates any stress to unselected memory cells that might degrade stored data states . referring now to fig7 , there is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the array architecture of the present invention . for the purpose of illustration , the memory array includes selected memory cells 730 and 740 , which are already programmed to logical zero and one , respectively . the memory array also includes unselected memory cells 750 , 760 , and 770 . memory cells 730 and 740 are connected to row select leads 700 and 702 , which are oriented horizontally through the memory array . memory cell 730 is connected to program data lines 704 and 706 via switches 712 and 714 , respectively . program data lines 704 and 706 are oriented vertically through the memory array and generally perpendicular to row select leads 700 and 702 . memory cell 740 is connected to program data lines 708 and 710 , via switches 722 and 724 , respectively . program data lines 708 and 710 are also oriented vertically through the memory array and generally perpendicular to row select leads 700 and 702 . finally , memory cells 730 and 740 include respective access transistors 716 and 726 to couple their stored data states to respective read bit leads 718 and 728 . unselected memory cells 750 and 760 share the same program data leads as selected memory cells 730 and 740 , respectively . the switches of unselected memory cells 750 and 760 , however , share different row select leads from selected memory cells 730 and 740 . thus , the switches of unselected memory cells remain off when selected memory cells 730 and 740 are programmed and are not stressed as previously described with regard to fig5 a - 5d . moreover , the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 750 are connected to ground or a suitable reference voltage by equalization transistors 752 and 754 . likewise , the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 760 are connected to ground or the suitable reference voltage by equalization transistors 762 and 764 . unselected memory cells 750 and 760 , therefore , are not stressed and their respective data states remain intact when memory cells 730 and 740 are programmed . unselected memory cell 770 shares the same row select leads as selected memory cells 730 and 740 . the switches of unselected memory cell 770 , therefore , are on when the switches of selected memory cells 730 and 740 are on . the program data leads of unselected memory cell 770 , however , remain at zero volts or a suitable reference voltage . the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 770 , therefore , are not stressed as previously described with regard to fig5 a - 5d . in a first embodiment of fig7 , the switches of each memory cell are formed from complementary metal oxide semiconductor ( cmos ) pass gates . each cmos pass gate is formed from an n - channel transistor in parallel with a p - channel transistor . furthermore , in this first embodiment of the present invention , the voltage swing of the control gates of the switches is the same as the voltage swing on the program data leads (+ v p to − v p ), so that the switches of unselected cells are completely off when selected memory cells in the same column are programmed . the maximum voltage across the control gate dielectric of the n - channel and p - channel transistors is generally the same as the programming voltage across the tunnel gate dielectric . this may be acceptable in some applications where programming time of the memory cells is not critical and some fowler - nordheim tunneling through the switch transistors is acceptable . in a second embodiment of the present invention , the switch transistors are separately ion implanted to preferentially grow a slightly thicker gate dielectric than that of the tunnel gate capacitors . in this second embodiment , programming voltage across tunnel gate capacitors may be safely increased and programming time decreased without damage to the switch transistors . turning now to fig8 a , there is a modified memory cell that may be used in a third embodiment of the memory array of fig7 . the modified memory cell of fig8 a differs from the previously described memory cells of fig7 in three respects . first , each cmos pass gate or switch now includes series - connected voltage divider transistors such as transistors 800 and 804 as well as switching transistors 802 and 806 . second , row select signal rowsel operates at a reduced voltage swing of 0v to 5v (+ v p ). complementary row select signal rowsel_operates at a reduced voltage swing of 0v to − 5v (− v p ). third , n - channel transistors 811 and 813 are added to the equalization circuit to hold control gate lead 104 and tunnel gate lead 106 to ground ( 0 v ) when the memory cell is unselected . operation of the modified memory cell of fig8 a will now be explained in detail with reference to the program / erase timing diagram of fig8 b . the left half of the timing diagram ( fig8 b ) illustrates operation when the memory cell is on a selected row . the memory cell row is selected at time t 0 when rowsel is high ( 0 v ), rowsel_ is low ( 0 v ), and eq is low (− 5 v ). in this case , leads tg 106 and cg 104 are driven to − v tn as illustrated by voltage levels 830 and 840 , respectively , by n - channel transistors of the cmos switches . at time t 1 program data leads pgmdata and pgmdata_ of the to memory cell column are driven high and low , respectively , to program a positive charge on floating gate 156 . at time t 2 , pgmdata and pgmdata_ return to 0 v . however , tg is pulled down to + v tp 832 by the p - channel transistor of the cmos switch . correspondingly , cg is pulled up to − v tn by the n - channel transistor of the cmos switch . thus , tg and cg follow pgmdata and pgmdata_ , respectively , but will only reach + v tp or − v tn depending on the previous voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . at time t 3 program data leads pgmdata and pgmdata_ of the memory cell column are driven low and high , respectively , to erase the positive charge on floating gate 156 . at time t 4 , pgmdata and pgmdata_ return to 0 v . however , tg is pulled up to − v tn 834 by the n - channel transistor of the cmos switch . correspondingly , cg is pulled down to + v tp 844 by the p - channel transistor of the cmos switch . when any cell is on a selected row and pgmdata and pgmdata_ are 0 v , therefore , tg and cg will only reach + v tp or − v tn depending on the previous voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . this produces a total cell stress equal to a sum of the magnitude of v tp + v tn across the floating gate 156 . for normal operating parameters , this is approximately 2 . 5 v compared to a programming voltage of 10 v . at this level , there is negligible effect on the programmed or erased data state . since rowsel and rowsel_ are both at 0 v , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the cmos switch . furthermore , the gates of n - channel transistors 810 and 812 are at 0 v while the gates of n - channel transistors 811 and 813 are at − 5 v . in this state , if v tg is + 5 v , transistor 810 acts as a voltage divider so that the common terminal between transistors 810 and 811 is − v tn . likewise , if v cg is + 5 v , transistor 812 acts as a voltage divider so that the common terminal between transistors 812 and 813 is − v tn . therefore , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the equalization circuit . time t 5 and beyond represents a cell on an unselected row and a selected column . here , eq is high (+ 5 v ), rowsel is low (− 5 v ), and rowsel_ is high (+ 5 v ). both cmos switches are off . n - channel transistors 810 - 813 of the equalization circuit are on and drive tg and cg to ground . thus , voltage levels of pgmdata and pgmdata_ have no effect on any memory cell in an unselected row . in this state , transistors 800 and 804 act as voltage dividers for either a positive or negative voltage of pgmdata . thus , common terminals between p - channel transistors 800 and 802 or between n - channel transistors 804 and 806 do not exceed a magnitude of v tn or v tp . therefore , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the cmos switch for any voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . still further , while numerous examples have thus been provided , one skilled in the art should recognize that various modifications , substitutions , or alterations may be made to the described embodiments while still falling with the inventive scope as defined by the following claims . for example , inventive concepts of the present invention are readily adapted to alternative switch designs and voltage levels as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art having access to the instant specification . for example , each cmos pass gate might be replaced by a single n - channel or p - channel transistor with suitable gate voltage levels . additionally , programming voltages might range from 0 v to 10 v or from 0 v to − 10v rather than from − 5v to 5 v . other combinations will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art having access to the instant specification . | Is 'Physics' the correct technical category for the patent? | Is 'Chemistry; Metallurgy' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | 5adc4714d2fec1035ca16d484f09ba0bf16389858c195cc17f379785a9257cc5 | 0.079102 | 0.002975 | 0.05835 | 0.000357 | 0.131836 | 0.005554 |
null | preferred embodiments of the present invention provide significant advantages over previous memory array architectures using single polycrystalline silicon eeprom memory cells as will become evident from the following detailed description . the present inventors have disclosed a single polycrystalline silicon eeprom cell in u . s . patent application ser . no . 12 / 462 , 076 , filed jul . 28 , 2009 , and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . the following discussion briefly describes that eeprom memory cell to provide a more complete understanding of the present invention . in the following discussion , p and n are used to indicate semiconductor conductivity type . a “+” or “−” sign after the conductivity type indicates a relatively high or low doping concentration , respectively , of the semiconductor region . furthermore , the same reference numerals are used in the drawing figures to indicate common circuit elements . referring to fig1 , there is a top view of a single polycrystalline silicon gate ( poly ) eeprom memory cell that may be used with the present invention . the cell includes n − isolation regions 120 and 126 . these n − isolation regions serve to electrically isolate p − well regions 160 and 162 , respectively , from a p type substrate . in operation , they are preferably biased to a positive supply voltage at terminals 100 and 102 . a control gate terminal 104 contacts p + region 140 as well as n + region 122 , both of which are formed within p − well region 160 . a tunnel gate terminal 106 contacts p + region 142 as well as n + region 130 , both of which are formed within p − well region 162 . a single polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 overlies a part of both p − well regions and is self aligned with n + regions 122 and 130 . an n - channel sense transistor is formed between the p − well regions 160 and 162 . the sense transistor includes drain terminal 108 , source terminal 110 , and control gate 152 . the sense transistor operates to indicate the data state of the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 as will be explained in detail . the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 is often referred to as a floating gate , since it is only capacitively coupled and not directly connected to other elements of the memory cell . the polycrystalline silicon gate forms one terminal of a control gate capacitor 150 as well as one terminal of a tunnel gate capacitor 154 . referring now to fig2 , there is a cross sectional view of the eeprom cell of fig1 at the plane a - a ′. an n + buried layer 202 together with n − isolation region 120 electrically isolates p − well region 160 from p substrate 210 . likewise , another n + buried layer 204 together with n − isolation region 126 electrically isolates p − well region 162 from p substrate 210 . shallow trench isolation regions 200 isolate active regions such as control gate capacitor 150 , sense transistor 152 , and tunnel gate capacitor 154 . an upper plate of the control gate capacitor is formed by a first part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . a lower plate of the control gate capacitor to is formed adjacent the upper plate by p − well region 160 . the upper and lower plates are separated by a dielectric region to form the control gate capacitor 150 . in a similar manner , an upper plate of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 is formed by a second part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . a lower plate of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 is formed adjacent the upper plate by p − well region 162 . the upper and lower plates are separated by a dielectric region to form the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . referring now to fig3 and 4 , a programming operation of the control gate layer of the memory cell will be explained in detail . numeric voltage values in the following discussion and throughout the instant specification are given by way of example for the purpose of illustration and may vary with different manufacturing processes . fig3 is a schematic diagram of the memory cell of fig1 - 2 . n − isolation regions 120 and 126 as well as n + buried layers 202 and 204 are biased at 5 v throughout the operation . a 5 v signal is applied to control gate terminal 104 . p + region 140 is electrically connected to p − well region 160 . thus , p − well region 160 is also at 5 v . the capacitance of control gate capacitor 150 ( c cg ) is much larger than the total capacitance ( c t ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 , sense transistor gate 152 ( c xtr ), and associated parasitic capacitance . the coupling ratio c cg /( c cg + c t c xtr ) is at least 0 . 8 and preferably 0 . 9 or greater . the polycrystalline silicon gate layer voltage , therefore , is approximately 4 v to 4 . 5 v . a − 5 v signal is also applied to the tunnel gate terminal 106 . p + region 142 is electrically connected to p − well region 162 which is , therefore , also at − 5 v . an inversion layer is formed adjacent a second part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 at the tunnel gate capacitor 154 below the intervening dielectric region . this dielectric region is preferably silicon dioxide or other suitable dielectric material as is known in the art . n + region 130 provides a source of electrons for the inversion layer and remains in conductive contact with the inversion layer . thus , a high electric field is generated across the relatively thin dielectric region sufficient to induce fowler - nordheim tunneling of electrons from the inversion layer to the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . this relatively higher concentration of electrons significantly increases the threshold voltage of sense transistor 152 and renders it nonconductive in a subsequent read operation . this eeprom memory cell offers several advantages over memory cells of the prior art . first , the critical electric field necessary for fowler - nordheim tunneling is developed by positive and negative voltages of comparable magnitudes . this avoids the need to generate a high voltage power supply or to incorporate special high voltage transistors in the manufacturing process . second , programming by fowler - nordheim tunneling greatly reduces the power requirement compared to prior art hot carrier generation methods such as avalanche multiplication and band - to - band tunneling . third , fowler - nordheim tunneling from the inversion layer to the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 provides uniform current density over the entire area of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . thus , current density is much less than with methods of the prior art where current flow was through a much smaller area . such areas were edge - dependent and determined by overlapping gate and underlying implant regions . the reduced programming current density of the present invention greatly increases program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . referring now to fig4 , an erase operation of the control gate layer of the memory cell will be explained in detail . fig4 is a schematic diagram of the memory cell of fig1 - 2 . as previously discussed , n − isolation regions 120 and 126 as well as n + buried layers 202 and 204 are biased at 5 v throughout the operation . a − 5 v signal is applied to control gate terminal 104 . p + region 140 is electrically connected to p − well region 160 . thus , p − well region 160 is also at − 5 v . due to the coupling ratio of control gate capacitor 150 ( c cg ) and the total capacitance ( c t ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 , sense transistor gate 152 , and associated parasitic capacitance the polycrystalline silicon gate layer voltage is approximately − 4 v to − 4 . 5 v . the voltage difference across control gate capacitor 150 forms an inversion layer adjacent a first part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 below the intervening dielectric region . the inversion layer is electrically connected to n + region 122 and , therefore , maintains the high coupling ratio between c cg and c t . a 5 v signal is also applied to the tunnel gate terminal 106 . p + region 142 is electrically connected to p − well region 162 which is , therefore , also at 5 v . the voltage difference between the polycrystalline silicon gate 156 and the p − well region 162 forms an accumulation region at the lower plate ( p − well region 162 ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 . the resulting high electric field generated across the relatively thin dielectric region is sufficient to induce fowler - nordheim tunneling of electrons from polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 to the accumulation region . thus , a relatively lower concentration of electrons significantly decreases the threshold voltage of sense transistor 152 and renders it conductive in a subsequent read operation . the previously discussed advantages of the eeprom memory cell are also present during an erase operation . the critical electric field necessary for fowler - nordheim tunneling is developed by positive and negative voltages of comparable magnitudes . this avoids the need to generate a high voltage power supply or to incorporate special high voltage transistors in the manufacturing process . programming by fowler - nordheim tunneling greatly reduces the power requirement compared to prior art hot carrier generation methods such as avalanche multiplication and band - to - band tunneling . finally , fowler - nordheim tunneling from the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 to the accumulation region provides uniform current density over the entire area of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . thus , current density is much less than with methods of the prior art where current flow was through a much smaller area . such areas were edge - dependent and determined by overlapping gate and underlying implant regions . the reduced programming current density of the present invention greatly increases program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . turning now to fig5 a - 5d , stress on unselected memory cells as in fig1 - 2 of a memory array during programming of selected memory cells will be discussed in detail . voltage stress on these unselected memory cells is due to the coupling ratio as previously discussed with regard to fig3 and 4 . in the following discussion it should be understood that this stress may degrade data stored on the unselected memory cells after many programming ( or erase ) operations are performed on nearby selected memory cells . in particular , fig5 a is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical one for v cg = 0 v and v tg =− 5 v . by way of example , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical one is 4 v . when v tg =− 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 a has approximately − 8 . 5 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress causes positive charge loss 500 over many programming or erase operations , which greatly reduces the number of memory program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . referring to fig5 b , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical one for v cg =+ 5 v and v tg = 0 v . as previously discussed , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical one is 4 v . when v cg =+ 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 b has approximately − 8 . 0 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress will also cause positive charge loss 502 over many programming or erase operations . referring next to fig5 c , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical zero for v cg = 0 v and v tg =+ 5 v . here , however , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical zero is − 4 v . when v tg =+ 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 c again has approximately + 8 . 5 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress causes negative charge loss 504 over many programming or erase operations , which greatly reduces the number of memory program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . finally , referring to fig5 d , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical zero for v cg =− 5 v and v tg = 0 v . as previously discussed , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical zero is − 4 v . when v cg =− 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 d has approximately 9 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress will also cause negative charge loss 506 over many programming or erase operations . turning now to fig6 , there is a schematic diagram of an eeprom memory cell with surrounding circuitry that forms an element of the array architecture of the present invention . recall from the previous discussion regarding fig5 a - 5d that stress on unselected memory cells occurs when a selected memory cell on the same tunnel gate lead or the same control gate lead is programmed . this stress depends on the voltage applied to the tunnel gate lead or control gate lead as well as the data state of the unselected memory cell . according to the present invention , program data lead 606 is selectively connected to tunnel gate lead 106 by switch 602 . likewise , complementary program data lead 608 is selectively connected to control gate lead 104 by switch 604 . both switches 602 and 604 are controlled by row select signal ( rowsel ) applied to lead 600 . both program data leads 606 and 608 are generally perpendicular to the row select signal in the memory array . only a selected cell , therefore , will have programming voltages applied to leads 606 and 608 when switches 602 and 604 are turned on by an active row select signal on lead 600 . this advantageously eliminates any stress to unselected memory cells that might degrade stored data states . referring now to fig7 , there is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the array architecture of the present invention . for the purpose of illustration , the memory array includes selected memory cells 730 and 740 , which are already programmed to logical zero and one , respectively . the memory array also includes unselected memory cells 750 , 760 , and 770 . memory cells 730 and 740 are connected to row select leads 700 and 702 , which are oriented horizontally through the memory array . memory cell 730 is connected to program data lines 704 and 706 via switches 712 and 714 , respectively . program data lines 704 and 706 are oriented vertically through the memory array and generally perpendicular to row select leads 700 and 702 . memory cell 740 is connected to program data lines 708 and 710 , via switches 722 and 724 , respectively . program data lines 708 and 710 are also oriented vertically through the memory array and generally perpendicular to row select leads 700 and 702 . finally , memory cells 730 and 740 include respective access transistors 716 and 726 to couple their stored data states to respective read bit leads 718 and 728 . unselected memory cells 750 and 760 share the same program data leads as selected memory cells 730 and 740 , respectively . the switches of unselected memory cells 750 and 760 , however , share different row select leads from selected memory cells 730 and 740 . thus , the switches of unselected memory cells remain off when selected memory cells 730 and 740 are programmed and are not stressed as previously described with regard to fig5 a - 5d . moreover , the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 750 are connected to ground or a suitable reference voltage by equalization transistors 752 and 754 . likewise , the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 760 are connected to ground or the suitable reference voltage by equalization transistors 762 and 764 . unselected memory cells 750 and 760 , therefore , are not stressed and their respective data states remain intact when memory cells 730 and 740 are programmed . unselected memory cell 770 shares the same row select leads as selected memory cells 730 and 740 . the switches of unselected memory cell 770 , therefore , are on when the switches of selected memory cells 730 and 740 are on . the program data leads of unselected memory cell 770 , however , remain at zero volts or a suitable reference voltage . the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 770 , therefore , are not stressed as previously described with regard to fig5 a - 5d . in a first embodiment of fig7 , the switches of each memory cell are formed from complementary metal oxide semiconductor ( cmos ) pass gates . each cmos pass gate is formed from an n - channel transistor in parallel with a p - channel transistor . furthermore , in this first embodiment of the present invention , the voltage swing of the control gates of the switches is the same as the voltage swing on the program data leads (+ v p to − v p ), so that the switches of unselected cells are completely off when selected memory cells in the same column are programmed . the maximum voltage across the control gate dielectric of the n - channel and p - channel transistors is generally the same as the programming voltage across the tunnel gate dielectric . this may be acceptable in some applications where programming time of the memory cells is not critical and some fowler - nordheim tunneling through the switch transistors is acceptable . in a second embodiment of the present invention , the switch transistors are separately ion implanted to preferentially grow a slightly thicker gate dielectric than that of the tunnel gate capacitors . in this second embodiment , programming voltage across tunnel gate capacitors may be safely increased and programming time decreased without damage to the switch transistors . turning now to fig8 a , there is a modified memory cell that may be used in a third embodiment of the memory array of fig7 . the modified memory cell of fig8 a differs from the previously described memory cells of fig7 in three respects . first , each cmos pass gate or switch now includes series - connected voltage divider transistors such as transistors 800 and 804 as well as switching transistors 802 and 806 . second , row select signal rowsel operates at a reduced voltage swing of 0v to 5v (+ v p ). complementary row select signal rowsel_operates at a reduced voltage swing of 0v to − 5v (− v p ). third , n - channel transistors 811 and 813 are added to the equalization circuit to hold control gate lead 104 and tunnel gate lead 106 to ground ( 0 v ) when the memory cell is unselected . operation of the modified memory cell of fig8 a will now be explained in detail with reference to the program / erase timing diagram of fig8 b . the left half of the timing diagram ( fig8 b ) illustrates operation when the memory cell is on a selected row . the memory cell row is selected at time t 0 when rowsel is high ( 0 v ), rowsel_ is low ( 0 v ), and eq is low (− 5 v ). in this case , leads tg 106 and cg 104 are driven to − v tn as illustrated by voltage levels 830 and 840 , respectively , by n - channel transistors of the cmos switches . at time t 1 program data leads pgmdata and pgmdata_ of the to memory cell column are driven high and low , respectively , to program a positive charge on floating gate 156 . at time t 2 , pgmdata and pgmdata_ return to 0 v . however , tg is pulled down to + v tp 832 by the p - channel transistor of the cmos switch . correspondingly , cg is pulled up to − v tn by the n - channel transistor of the cmos switch . thus , tg and cg follow pgmdata and pgmdata_ , respectively , but will only reach + v tp or − v tn depending on the previous voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . at time t 3 program data leads pgmdata and pgmdata_ of the memory cell column are driven low and high , respectively , to erase the positive charge on floating gate 156 . at time t 4 , pgmdata and pgmdata_ return to 0 v . however , tg is pulled up to − v tn 834 by the n - channel transistor of the cmos switch . correspondingly , cg is pulled down to + v tp 844 by the p - channel transistor of the cmos switch . when any cell is on a selected row and pgmdata and pgmdata_ are 0 v , therefore , tg and cg will only reach + v tp or − v tn depending on the previous voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . this produces a total cell stress equal to a sum of the magnitude of v tp + v tn across the floating gate 156 . for normal operating parameters , this is approximately 2 . 5 v compared to a programming voltage of 10 v . at this level , there is negligible effect on the programmed or erased data state . since rowsel and rowsel_ are both at 0 v , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the cmos switch . furthermore , the gates of n - channel transistors 810 and 812 are at 0 v while the gates of n - channel transistors 811 and 813 are at − 5 v . in this state , if v tg is + 5 v , transistor 810 acts as a voltage divider so that the common terminal between transistors 810 and 811 is − v tn . likewise , if v cg is + 5 v , transistor 812 acts as a voltage divider so that the common terminal between transistors 812 and 813 is − v tn . therefore , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the equalization circuit . time t 5 and beyond represents a cell on an unselected row and a selected column . here , eq is high (+ 5 v ), rowsel is low (− 5 v ), and rowsel_ is high (+ 5 v ). both cmos switches are off . n - channel transistors 810 - 813 of the equalization circuit are on and drive tg and cg to ground . thus , voltage levels of pgmdata and pgmdata_ have no effect on any memory cell in an unselected row . in this state , transistors 800 and 804 act as voltage dividers for either a positive or negative voltage of pgmdata . thus , common terminals between p - channel transistors 800 and 802 or between n - channel transistors 804 and 806 do not exceed a magnitude of v tn or v tp . therefore , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the cmos switch for any voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . still further , while numerous examples have thus been provided , one skilled in the art should recognize that various modifications , substitutions , or alterations may be made to the described embodiments while still falling with the inventive scope as defined by the following claims . for example , inventive concepts of the present invention are readily adapted to alternative switch designs and voltage levels as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art having access to the instant specification . for example , each cmos pass gate might be replaced by a single n - channel or p - channel transistor with suitable gate voltage levels . additionally , programming voltages might range from 0 v to 10 v or from 0 v to − 10v rather than from − 5v to 5 v . other combinations will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art having access to the instant specification . | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Physics'? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Textiles; Paper'? | 0.25 | 5adc4714d2fec1035ca16d484f09ba0bf16389858c195cc17f379785a9257cc5 | 0.142578 | 0.000854 | 0.150391 | 0.000085 | 0.174805 | 0.02002 |
null | preferred embodiments of the present invention provide significant advantages over previous memory array architectures using single polycrystalline silicon eeprom memory cells as will become evident from the following detailed description . the present inventors have disclosed a single polycrystalline silicon eeprom cell in u . s . patent application ser . no . 12 / 462 , 076 , filed jul . 28 , 2009 , and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . the following discussion briefly describes that eeprom memory cell to provide a more complete understanding of the present invention . in the following discussion , p and n are used to indicate semiconductor conductivity type . a “+” or “−” sign after the conductivity type indicates a relatively high or low doping concentration , respectively , of the semiconductor region . furthermore , the same reference numerals are used in the drawing figures to indicate common circuit elements . referring to fig1 , there is a top view of a single polycrystalline silicon gate ( poly ) eeprom memory cell that may be used with the present invention . the cell includes n − isolation regions 120 and 126 . these n − isolation regions serve to electrically isolate p − well regions 160 and 162 , respectively , from a p type substrate . in operation , they are preferably biased to a positive supply voltage at terminals 100 and 102 . a control gate terminal 104 contacts p + region 140 as well as n + region 122 , both of which are formed within p − well region 160 . a tunnel gate terminal 106 contacts p + region 142 as well as n + region 130 , both of which are formed within p − well region 162 . a single polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 overlies a part of both p − well regions and is self aligned with n + regions 122 and 130 . an n - channel sense transistor is formed between the p − well regions 160 and 162 . the sense transistor includes drain terminal 108 , source terminal 110 , and control gate 152 . the sense transistor operates to indicate the data state of the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 as will be explained in detail . the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 is often referred to as a floating gate , since it is only capacitively coupled and not directly connected to other elements of the memory cell . the polycrystalline silicon gate forms one terminal of a control gate capacitor 150 as well as one terminal of a tunnel gate capacitor 154 . referring now to fig2 , there is a cross sectional view of the eeprom cell of fig1 at the plane a - a ′. an n + buried layer 202 together with n − isolation region 120 electrically isolates p − well region 160 from p substrate 210 . likewise , another n + buried layer 204 together with n − isolation region 126 electrically isolates p − well region 162 from p substrate 210 . shallow trench isolation regions 200 isolate active regions such as control gate capacitor 150 , sense transistor 152 , and tunnel gate capacitor 154 . an upper plate of the control gate capacitor is formed by a first part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . a lower plate of the control gate capacitor to is formed adjacent the upper plate by p − well region 160 . the upper and lower plates are separated by a dielectric region to form the control gate capacitor 150 . in a similar manner , an upper plate of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 is formed by a second part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . a lower plate of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 is formed adjacent the upper plate by p − well region 162 . the upper and lower plates are separated by a dielectric region to form the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . referring now to fig3 and 4 , a programming operation of the control gate layer of the memory cell will be explained in detail . numeric voltage values in the following discussion and throughout the instant specification are given by way of example for the purpose of illustration and may vary with different manufacturing processes . fig3 is a schematic diagram of the memory cell of fig1 - 2 . n − isolation regions 120 and 126 as well as n + buried layers 202 and 204 are biased at 5 v throughout the operation . a 5 v signal is applied to control gate terminal 104 . p + region 140 is electrically connected to p − well region 160 . thus , p − well region 160 is also at 5 v . the capacitance of control gate capacitor 150 ( c cg ) is much larger than the total capacitance ( c t ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 , sense transistor gate 152 ( c xtr ), and associated parasitic capacitance . the coupling ratio c cg /( c cg + c t c xtr ) is at least 0 . 8 and preferably 0 . 9 or greater . the polycrystalline silicon gate layer voltage , therefore , is approximately 4 v to 4 . 5 v . a − 5 v signal is also applied to the tunnel gate terminal 106 . p + region 142 is electrically connected to p − well region 162 which is , therefore , also at − 5 v . an inversion layer is formed adjacent a second part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 at the tunnel gate capacitor 154 below the intervening dielectric region . this dielectric region is preferably silicon dioxide or other suitable dielectric material as is known in the art . n + region 130 provides a source of electrons for the inversion layer and remains in conductive contact with the inversion layer . thus , a high electric field is generated across the relatively thin dielectric region sufficient to induce fowler - nordheim tunneling of electrons from the inversion layer to the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . this relatively higher concentration of electrons significantly increases the threshold voltage of sense transistor 152 and renders it nonconductive in a subsequent read operation . this eeprom memory cell offers several advantages over memory cells of the prior art . first , the critical electric field necessary for fowler - nordheim tunneling is developed by positive and negative voltages of comparable magnitudes . this avoids the need to generate a high voltage power supply or to incorporate special high voltage transistors in the manufacturing process . second , programming by fowler - nordheim tunneling greatly reduces the power requirement compared to prior art hot carrier generation methods such as avalanche multiplication and band - to - band tunneling . third , fowler - nordheim tunneling from the inversion layer to the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 provides uniform current density over the entire area of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . thus , current density is much less than with methods of the prior art where current flow was through a much smaller area . such areas were edge - dependent and determined by overlapping gate and underlying implant regions . the reduced programming current density of the present invention greatly increases program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . referring now to fig4 , an erase operation of the control gate layer of the memory cell will be explained in detail . fig4 is a schematic diagram of the memory cell of fig1 - 2 . as previously discussed , n − isolation regions 120 and 126 as well as n + buried layers 202 and 204 are biased at 5 v throughout the operation . a − 5 v signal is applied to control gate terminal 104 . p + region 140 is electrically connected to p − well region 160 . thus , p − well region 160 is also at − 5 v . due to the coupling ratio of control gate capacitor 150 ( c cg ) and the total capacitance ( c t ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 , sense transistor gate 152 , and associated parasitic capacitance the polycrystalline silicon gate layer voltage is approximately − 4 v to − 4 . 5 v . the voltage difference across control gate capacitor 150 forms an inversion layer adjacent a first part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 below the intervening dielectric region . the inversion layer is electrically connected to n + region 122 and , therefore , maintains the high coupling ratio between c cg and c t . a 5 v signal is also applied to the tunnel gate terminal 106 . p + region 142 is electrically connected to p − well region 162 which is , therefore , also at 5 v . the voltage difference between the polycrystalline silicon gate 156 and the p − well region 162 forms an accumulation region at the lower plate ( p − well region 162 ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 . the resulting high electric field generated across the relatively thin dielectric region is sufficient to induce fowler - nordheim tunneling of electrons from polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 to the accumulation region . thus , a relatively lower concentration of electrons significantly decreases the threshold voltage of sense transistor 152 and renders it conductive in a subsequent read operation . the previously discussed advantages of the eeprom memory cell are also present during an erase operation . the critical electric field necessary for fowler - nordheim tunneling is developed by positive and negative voltages of comparable magnitudes . this avoids the need to generate a high voltage power supply or to incorporate special high voltage transistors in the manufacturing process . programming by fowler - nordheim tunneling greatly reduces the power requirement compared to prior art hot carrier generation methods such as avalanche multiplication and band - to - band tunneling . finally , fowler - nordheim tunneling from the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 to the accumulation region provides uniform current density over the entire area of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . thus , current density is much less than with methods of the prior art where current flow was through a much smaller area . such areas were edge - dependent and determined by overlapping gate and underlying implant regions . the reduced programming current density of the present invention greatly increases program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . turning now to fig5 a - 5d , stress on unselected memory cells as in fig1 - 2 of a memory array during programming of selected memory cells will be discussed in detail . voltage stress on these unselected memory cells is due to the coupling ratio as previously discussed with regard to fig3 and 4 . in the following discussion it should be understood that this stress may degrade data stored on the unselected memory cells after many programming ( or erase ) operations are performed on nearby selected memory cells . in particular , fig5 a is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical one for v cg = 0 v and v tg =− 5 v . by way of example , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical one is 4 v . when v tg =− 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 a has approximately − 8 . 5 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress causes positive charge loss 500 over many programming or erase operations , which greatly reduces the number of memory program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . referring to fig5 b , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical one for v cg =+ 5 v and v tg = 0 v . as previously discussed , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical one is 4 v . when v cg =+ 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 b has approximately − 8 . 0 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress will also cause positive charge loss 502 over many programming or erase operations . referring next to fig5 c , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical zero for v cg = 0 v and v tg =+ 5 v . here , however , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical zero is − 4 v . when v tg =+ 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 c again has approximately + 8 . 5 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress causes negative charge loss 504 over many programming or erase operations , which greatly reduces the number of memory program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . finally , referring to fig5 d , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical zero for v cg =− 5 v and v tg = 0 v . as previously discussed , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical zero is − 4 v . when v cg =− 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 d has approximately 9 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress will also cause negative charge loss 506 over many programming or erase operations . turning now to fig6 , there is a schematic diagram of an eeprom memory cell with surrounding circuitry that forms an element of the array architecture of the present invention . recall from the previous discussion regarding fig5 a - 5d that stress on unselected memory cells occurs when a selected memory cell on the same tunnel gate lead or the same control gate lead is programmed . this stress depends on the voltage applied to the tunnel gate lead or control gate lead as well as the data state of the unselected memory cell . according to the present invention , program data lead 606 is selectively connected to tunnel gate lead 106 by switch 602 . likewise , complementary program data lead 608 is selectively connected to control gate lead 104 by switch 604 . both switches 602 and 604 are controlled by row select signal ( rowsel ) applied to lead 600 . both program data leads 606 and 608 are generally perpendicular to the row select signal in the memory array . only a selected cell , therefore , will have programming voltages applied to leads 606 and 608 when switches 602 and 604 are turned on by an active row select signal on lead 600 . this advantageously eliminates any stress to unselected memory cells that might degrade stored data states . referring now to fig7 , there is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the array architecture of the present invention . for the purpose of illustration , the memory array includes selected memory cells 730 and 740 , which are already programmed to logical zero and one , respectively . the memory array also includes unselected memory cells 750 , 760 , and 770 . memory cells 730 and 740 are connected to row select leads 700 and 702 , which are oriented horizontally through the memory array . memory cell 730 is connected to program data lines 704 and 706 via switches 712 and 714 , respectively . program data lines 704 and 706 are oriented vertically through the memory array and generally perpendicular to row select leads 700 and 702 . memory cell 740 is connected to program data lines 708 and 710 , via switches 722 and 724 , respectively . program data lines 708 and 710 are also oriented vertically through the memory array and generally perpendicular to row select leads 700 and 702 . finally , memory cells 730 and 740 include respective access transistors 716 and 726 to couple their stored data states to respective read bit leads 718 and 728 . unselected memory cells 750 and 760 share the same program data leads as selected memory cells 730 and 740 , respectively . the switches of unselected memory cells 750 and 760 , however , share different row select leads from selected memory cells 730 and 740 . thus , the switches of unselected memory cells remain off when selected memory cells 730 and 740 are programmed and are not stressed as previously described with regard to fig5 a - 5d . moreover , the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 750 are connected to ground or a suitable reference voltage by equalization transistors 752 and 754 . likewise , the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 760 are connected to ground or the suitable reference voltage by equalization transistors 762 and 764 . unselected memory cells 750 and 760 , therefore , are not stressed and their respective data states remain intact when memory cells 730 and 740 are programmed . unselected memory cell 770 shares the same row select leads as selected memory cells 730 and 740 . the switches of unselected memory cell 770 , therefore , are on when the switches of selected memory cells 730 and 740 are on . the program data leads of unselected memory cell 770 , however , remain at zero volts or a suitable reference voltage . the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 770 , therefore , are not stressed as previously described with regard to fig5 a - 5d . in a first embodiment of fig7 , the switches of each memory cell are formed from complementary metal oxide semiconductor ( cmos ) pass gates . each cmos pass gate is formed from an n - channel transistor in parallel with a p - channel transistor . furthermore , in this first embodiment of the present invention , the voltage swing of the control gates of the switches is the same as the voltage swing on the program data leads (+ v p to − v p ), so that the switches of unselected cells are completely off when selected memory cells in the same column are programmed . the maximum voltage across the control gate dielectric of the n - channel and p - channel transistors is generally the same as the programming voltage across the tunnel gate dielectric . this may be acceptable in some applications where programming time of the memory cells is not critical and some fowler - nordheim tunneling through the switch transistors is acceptable . in a second embodiment of the present invention , the switch transistors are separately ion implanted to preferentially grow a slightly thicker gate dielectric than that of the tunnel gate capacitors . in this second embodiment , programming voltage across tunnel gate capacitors may be safely increased and programming time decreased without damage to the switch transistors . turning now to fig8 a , there is a modified memory cell that may be used in a third embodiment of the memory array of fig7 . the modified memory cell of fig8 a differs from the previously described memory cells of fig7 in three respects . first , each cmos pass gate or switch now includes series - connected voltage divider transistors such as transistors 800 and 804 as well as switching transistors 802 and 806 . second , row select signal rowsel operates at a reduced voltage swing of 0v to 5v (+ v p ). complementary row select signal rowsel_operates at a reduced voltage swing of 0v to − 5v (− v p ). third , n - channel transistors 811 and 813 are added to the equalization circuit to hold control gate lead 104 and tunnel gate lead 106 to ground ( 0 v ) when the memory cell is unselected . operation of the modified memory cell of fig8 a will now be explained in detail with reference to the program / erase timing diagram of fig8 b . the left half of the timing diagram ( fig8 b ) illustrates operation when the memory cell is on a selected row . the memory cell row is selected at time t 0 when rowsel is high ( 0 v ), rowsel_ is low ( 0 v ), and eq is low (− 5 v ). in this case , leads tg 106 and cg 104 are driven to − v tn as illustrated by voltage levels 830 and 840 , respectively , by n - channel transistors of the cmos switches . at time t 1 program data leads pgmdata and pgmdata_ of the to memory cell column are driven high and low , respectively , to program a positive charge on floating gate 156 . at time t 2 , pgmdata and pgmdata_ return to 0 v . however , tg is pulled down to + v tp 832 by the p - channel transistor of the cmos switch . correspondingly , cg is pulled up to − v tn by the n - channel transistor of the cmos switch . thus , tg and cg follow pgmdata and pgmdata_ , respectively , but will only reach + v tp or − v tn depending on the previous voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . at time t 3 program data leads pgmdata and pgmdata_ of the memory cell column are driven low and high , respectively , to erase the positive charge on floating gate 156 . at time t 4 , pgmdata and pgmdata_ return to 0 v . however , tg is pulled up to − v tn 834 by the n - channel transistor of the cmos switch . correspondingly , cg is pulled down to + v tp 844 by the p - channel transistor of the cmos switch . when any cell is on a selected row and pgmdata and pgmdata_ are 0 v , therefore , tg and cg will only reach + v tp or − v tn depending on the previous voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . this produces a total cell stress equal to a sum of the magnitude of v tp + v tn across the floating gate 156 . for normal operating parameters , this is approximately 2 . 5 v compared to a programming voltage of 10 v . at this level , there is negligible effect on the programmed or erased data state . since rowsel and rowsel_ are both at 0 v , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the cmos switch . furthermore , the gates of n - channel transistors 810 and 812 are at 0 v while the gates of n - channel transistors 811 and 813 are at − 5 v . in this state , if v tg is + 5 v , transistor 810 acts as a voltage divider so that the common terminal between transistors 810 and 811 is − v tn . likewise , if v cg is + 5 v , transistor 812 acts as a voltage divider so that the common terminal between transistors 812 and 813 is − v tn . therefore , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the equalization circuit . time t 5 and beyond represents a cell on an unselected row and a selected column . here , eq is high (+ 5 v ), rowsel is low (− 5 v ), and rowsel_ is high (+ 5 v ). both cmos switches are off . n - channel transistors 810 - 813 of the equalization circuit are on and drive tg and cg to ground . thus , voltage levels of pgmdata and pgmdata_ have no effect on any memory cell in an unselected row . in this state , transistors 800 and 804 act as voltage dividers for either a positive or negative voltage of pgmdata . thus , common terminals between p - channel transistors 800 and 802 or between n - channel transistors 804 and 806 do not exceed a magnitude of v tn or v tp . therefore , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the cmos switch for any voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . still further , while numerous examples have thus been provided , one skilled in the art should recognize that various modifications , substitutions , or alterations may be made to the described embodiments while still falling with the inventive scope as defined by the following claims . for example , inventive concepts of the present invention are readily adapted to alternative switch designs and voltage levels as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art having access to the instant specification . for example , each cmos pass gate might be replaced by a single n - channel or p - channel transistor with suitable gate voltage levels . additionally , programming voltages might range from 0 v to 10 v or from 0 v to − 10v rather than from − 5v to 5 v . other combinations will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art having access to the instant specification . | Should this patent be classified under 'Physics'? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Fixed Constructions'? | 0.25 | 5adc4714d2fec1035ca16d484f09ba0bf16389858c195cc17f379785a9257cc5 | 0.098145 | 0.053467 | 0.044678 | 0.103516 | 0.115723 | 0.193359 |
null | preferred embodiments of the present invention provide significant advantages over previous memory array architectures using single polycrystalline silicon eeprom memory cells as will become evident from the following detailed description . the present inventors have disclosed a single polycrystalline silicon eeprom cell in u . s . patent application ser . no . 12 / 462 , 076 , filed jul . 28 , 2009 , and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . the following discussion briefly describes that eeprom memory cell to provide a more complete understanding of the present invention . in the following discussion , p and n are used to indicate semiconductor conductivity type . a “+” or “−” sign after the conductivity type indicates a relatively high or low doping concentration , respectively , of the semiconductor region . furthermore , the same reference numerals are used in the drawing figures to indicate common circuit elements . referring to fig1 , there is a top view of a single polycrystalline silicon gate ( poly ) eeprom memory cell that may be used with the present invention . the cell includes n − isolation regions 120 and 126 . these n − isolation regions serve to electrically isolate p − well regions 160 and 162 , respectively , from a p type substrate . in operation , they are preferably biased to a positive supply voltage at terminals 100 and 102 . a control gate terminal 104 contacts p + region 140 as well as n + region 122 , both of which are formed within p − well region 160 . a tunnel gate terminal 106 contacts p + region 142 as well as n + region 130 , both of which are formed within p − well region 162 . a single polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 overlies a part of both p − well regions and is self aligned with n + regions 122 and 130 . an n - channel sense transistor is formed between the p − well regions 160 and 162 . the sense transistor includes drain terminal 108 , source terminal 110 , and control gate 152 . the sense transistor operates to indicate the data state of the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 as will be explained in detail . the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 is often referred to as a floating gate , since it is only capacitively coupled and not directly connected to other elements of the memory cell . the polycrystalline silicon gate forms one terminal of a control gate capacitor 150 as well as one terminal of a tunnel gate capacitor 154 . referring now to fig2 , there is a cross sectional view of the eeprom cell of fig1 at the plane a - a ′. an n + buried layer 202 together with n − isolation region 120 electrically isolates p − well region 160 from p substrate 210 . likewise , another n + buried layer 204 together with n − isolation region 126 electrically isolates p − well region 162 from p substrate 210 . shallow trench isolation regions 200 isolate active regions such as control gate capacitor 150 , sense transistor 152 , and tunnel gate capacitor 154 . an upper plate of the control gate capacitor is formed by a first part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . a lower plate of the control gate capacitor to is formed adjacent the upper plate by p − well region 160 . the upper and lower plates are separated by a dielectric region to form the control gate capacitor 150 . in a similar manner , an upper plate of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 is formed by a second part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . a lower plate of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 is formed adjacent the upper plate by p − well region 162 . the upper and lower plates are separated by a dielectric region to form the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . referring now to fig3 and 4 , a programming operation of the control gate layer of the memory cell will be explained in detail . numeric voltage values in the following discussion and throughout the instant specification are given by way of example for the purpose of illustration and may vary with different manufacturing processes . fig3 is a schematic diagram of the memory cell of fig1 - 2 . n − isolation regions 120 and 126 as well as n + buried layers 202 and 204 are biased at 5 v throughout the operation . a 5 v signal is applied to control gate terminal 104 . p + region 140 is electrically connected to p − well region 160 . thus , p − well region 160 is also at 5 v . the capacitance of control gate capacitor 150 ( c cg ) is much larger than the total capacitance ( c t ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 , sense transistor gate 152 ( c xtr ), and associated parasitic capacitance . the coupling ratio c cg /( c cg + c t c xtr ) is at least 0 . 8 and preferably 0 . 9 or greater . the polycrystalline silicon gate layer voltage , therefore , is approximately 4 v to 4 . 5 v . a − 5 v signal is also applied to the tunnel gate terminal 106 . p + region 142 is electrically connected to p − well region 162 which is , therefore , also at − 5 v . an inversion layer is formed adjacent a second part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 at the tunnel gate capacitor 154 below the intervening dielectric region . this dielectric region is preferably silicon dioxide or other suitable dielectric material as is known in the art . n + region 130 provides a source of electrons for the inversion layer and remains in conductive contact with the inversion layer . thus , a high electric field is generated across the relatively thin dielectric region sufficient to induce fowler - nordheim tunneling of electrons from the inversion layer to the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . this relatively higher concentration of electrons significantly increases the threshold voltage of sense transistor 152 and renders it nonconductive in a subsequent read operation . this eeprom memory cell offers several advantages over memory cells of the prior art . first , the critical electric field necessary for fowler - nordheim tunneling is developed by positive and negative voltages of comparable magnitudes . this avoids the need to generate a high voltage power supply or to incorporate special high voltage transistors in the manufacturing process . second , programming by fowler - nordheim tunneling greatly reduces the power requirement compared to prior art hot carrier generation methods such as avalanche multiplication and band - to - band tunneling . third , fowler - nordheim tunneling from the inversion layer to the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 provides uniform current density over the entire area of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . thus , current density is much less than with methods of the prior art where current flow was through a much smaller area . such areas were edge - dependent and determined by overlapping gate and underlying implant regions . the reduced programming current density of the present invention greatly increases program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . referring now to fig4 , an erase operation of the control gate layer of the memory cell will be explained in detail . fig4 is a schematic diagram of the memory cell of fig1 - 2 . as previously discussed , n − isolation regions 120 and 126 as well as n + buried layers 202 and 204 are biased at 5 v throughout the operation . a − 5 v signal is applied to control gate terminal 104 . p + region 140 is electrically connected to p − well region 160 . thus , p − well region 160 is also at − 5 v . due to the coupling ratio of control gate capacitor 150 ( c cg ) and the total capacitance ( c t ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 , sense transistor gate 152 , and associated parasitic capacitance the polycrystalline silicon gate layer voltage is approximately − 4 v to − 4 . 5 v . the voltage difference across control gate capacitor 150 forms an inversion layer adjacent a first part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 below the intervening dielectric region . the inversion layer is electrically connected to n + region 122 and , therefore , maintains the high coupling ratio between c cg and c t . a 5 v signal is also applied to the tunnel gate terminal 106 . p + region 142 is electrically connected to p − well region 162 which is , therefore , also at 5 v . the voltage difference between the polycrystalline silicon gate 156 and the p − well region 162 forms an accumulation region at the lower plate ( p − well region 162 ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 . the resulting high electric field generated across the relatively thin dielectric region is sufficient to induce fowler - nordheim tunneling of electrons from polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 to the accumulation region . thus , a relatively lower concentration of electrons significantly decreases the threshold voltage of sense transistor 152 and renders it conductive in a subsequent read operation . the previously discussed advantages of the eeprom memory cell are also present during an erase operation . the critical electric field necessary for fowler - nordheim tunneling is developed by positive and negative voltages of comparable magnitudes . this avoids the need to generate a high voltage power supply or to incorporate special high voltage transistors in the manufacturing process . programming by fowler - nordheim tunneling greatly reduces the power requirement compared to prior art hot carrier generation methods such as avalanche multiplication and band - to - band tunneling . finally , fowler - nordheim tunneling from the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 to the accumulation region provides uniform current density over the entire area of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . thus , current density is much less than with methods of the prior art where current flow was through a much smaller area . such areas were edge - dependent and determined by overlapping gate and underlying implant regions . the reduced programming current density of the present invention greatly increases program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . turning now to fig5 a - 5d , stress on unselected memory cells as in fig1 - 2 of a memory array during programming of selected memory cells will be discussed in detail . voltage stress on these unselected memory cells is due to the coupling ratio as previously discussed with regard to fig3 and 4 . in the following discussion it should be understood that this stress may degrade data stored on the unselected memory cells after many programming ( or erase ) operations are performed on nearby selected memory cells . in particular , fig5 a is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical one for v cg = 0 v and v tg =− 5 v . by way of example , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical one is 4 v . when v tg =− 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 a has approximately − 8 . 5 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress causes positive charge loss 500 over many programming or erase operations , which greatly reduces the number of memory program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . referring to fig5 b , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical one for v cg =+ 5 v and v tg = 0 v . as previously discussed , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical one is 4 v . when v cg =+ 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 b has approximately − 8 . 0 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress will also cause positive charge loss 502 over many programming or erase operations . referring next to fig5 c , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical zero for v cg = 0 v and v tg =+ 5 v . here , however , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical zero is − 4 v . when v tg =+ 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 c again has approximately + 8 . 5 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress causes negative charge loss 504 over many programming or erase operations , which greatly reduces the number of memory program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . finally , referring to fig5 d , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical zero for v cg =− 5 v and v tg = 0 v . as previously discussed , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical zero is − 4 v . when v cg =− 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 d has approximately 9 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress will also cause negative charge loss 506 over many programming or erase operations . turning now to fig6 , there is a schematic diagram of an eeprom memory cell with surrounding circuitry that forms an element of the array architecture of the present invention . recall from the previous discussion regarding fig5 a - 5d that stress on unselected memory cells occurs when a selected memory cell on the same tunnel gate lead or the same control gate lead is programmed . this stress depends on the voltage applied to the tunnel gate lead or control gate lead as well as the data state of the unselected memory cell . according to the present invention , program data lead 606 is selectively connected to tunnel gate lead 106 by switch 602 . likewise , complementary program data lead 608 is selectively connected to control gate lead 104 by switch 604 . both switches 602 and 604 are controlled by row select signal ( rowsel ) applied to lead 600 . both program data leads 606 and 608 are generally perpendicular to the row select signal in the memory array . only a selected cell , therefore , will have programming voltages applied to leads 606 and 608 when switches 602 and 604 are turned on by an active row select signal on lead 600 . this advantageously eliminates any stress to unselected memory cells that might degrade stored data states . referring now to fig7 , there is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the array architecture of the present invention . for the purpose of illustration , the memory array includes selected memory cells 730 and 740 , which are already programmed to logical zero and one , respectively . the memory array also includes unselected memory cells 750 , 760 , and 770 . memory cells 730 and 740 are connected to row select leads 700 and 702 , which are oriented horizontally through the memory array . memory cell 730 is connected to program data lines 704 and 706 via switches 712 and 714 , respectively . program data lines 704 and 706 are oriented vertically through the memory array and generally perpendicular to row select leads 700 and 702 . memory cell 740 is connected to program data lines 708 and 710 , via switches 722 and 724 , respectively . program data lines 708 and 710 are also oriented vertically through the memory array and generally perpendicular to row select leads 700 and 702 . finally , memory cells 730 and 740 include respective access transistors 716 and 726 to couple their stored data states to respective read bit leads 718 and 728 . unselected memory cells 750 and 760 share the same program data leads as selected memory cells 730 and 740 , respectively . the switches of unselected memory cells 750 and 760 , however , share different row select leads from selected memory cells 730 and 740 . thus , the switches of unselected memory cells remain off when selected memory cells 730 and 740 are programmed and are not stressed as previously described with regard to fig5 a - 5d . moreover , the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 750 are connected to ground or a suitable reference voltage by equalization transistors 752 and 754 . likewise , the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 760 are connected to ground or the suitable reference voltage by equalization transistors 762 and 764 . unselected memory cells 750 and 760 , therefore , are not stressed and their respective data states remain intact when memory cells 730 and 740 are programmed . unselected memory cell 770 shares the same row select leads as selected memory cells 730 and 740 . the switches of unselected memory cell 770 , therefore , are on when the switches of selected memory cells 730 and 740 are on . the program data leads of unselected memory cell 770 , however , remain at zero volts or a suitable reference voltage . the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 770 , therefore , are not stressed as previously described with regard to fig5 a - 5d . in a first embodiment of fig7 , the switches of each memory cell are formed from complementary metal oxide semiconductor ( cmos ) pass gates . each cmos pass gate is formed from an n - channel transistor in parallel with a p - channel transistor . furthermore , in this first embodiment of the present invention , the voltage swing of the control gates of the switches is the same as the voltage swing on the program data leads (+ v p to − v p ), so that the switches of unselected cells are completely off when selected memory cells in the same column are programmed . the maximum voltage across the control gate dielectric of the n - channel and p - channel transistors is generally the same as the programming voltage across the tunnel gate dielectric . this may be acceptable in some applications where programming time of the memory cells is not critical and some fowler - nordheim tunneling through the switch transistors is acceptable . in a second embodiment of the present invention , the switch transistors are separately ion implanted to preferentially grow a slightly thicker gate dielectric than that of the tunnel gate capacitors . in this second embodiment , programming voltage across tunnel gate capacitors may be safely increased and programming time decreased without damage to the switch transistors . turning now to fig8 a , there is a modified memory cell that may be used in a third embodiment of the memory array of fig7 . the modified memory cell of fig8 a differs from the previously described memory cells of fig7 in three respects . first , each cmos pass gate or switch now includes series - connected voltage divider transistors such as transistors 800 and 804 as well as switching transistors 802 and 806 . second , row select signal rowsel operates at a reduced voltage swing of 0v to 5v (+ v p ). complementary row select signal rowsel_operates at a reduced voltage swing of 0v to − 5v (− v p ). third , n - channel transistors 811 and 813 are added to the equalization circuit to hold control gate lead 104 and tunnel gate lead 106 to ground ( 0 v ) when the memory cell is unselected . operation of the modified memory cell of fig8 a will now be explained in detail with reference to the program / erase timing diagram of fig8 b . the left half of the timing diagram ( fig8 b ) illustrates operation when the memory cell is on a selected row . the memory cell row is selected at time t 0 when rowsel is high ( 0 v ), rowsel_ is low ( 0 v ), and eq is low (− 5 v ). in this case , leads tg 106 and cg 104 are driven to − v tn as illustrated by voltage levels 830 and 840 , respectively , by n - channel transistors of the cmos switches . at time t 1 program data leads pgmdata and pgmdata_ of the to memory cell column are driven high and low , respectively , to program a positive charge on floating gate 156 . at time t 2 , pgmdata and pgmdata_ return to 0 v . however , tg is pulled down to + v tp 832 by the p - channel transistor of the cmos switch . correspondingly , cg is pulled up to − v tn by the n - channel transistor of the cmos switch . thus , tg and cg follow pgmdata and pgmdata_ , respectively , but will only reach + v tp or − v tn depending on the previous voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . at time t 3 program data leads pgmdata and pgmdata_ of the memory cell column are driven low and high , respectively , to erase the positive charge on floating gate 156 . at time t 4 , pgmdata and pgmdata_ return to 0 v . however , tg is pulled up to − v tn 834 by the n - channel transistor of the cmos switch . correspondingly , cg is pulled down to + v tp 844 by the p - channel transistor of the cmos switch . when any cell is on a selected row and pgmdata and pgmdata_ are 0 v , therefore , tg and cg will only reach + v tp or − v tn depending on the previous voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . this produces a total cell stress equal to a sum of the magnitude of v tp + v tn across the floating gate 156 . for normal operating parameters , this is approximately 2 . 5 v compared to a programming voltage of 10 v . at this level , there is negligible effect on the programmed or erased data state . since rowsel and rowsel_ are both at 0 v , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the cmos switch . furthermore , the gates of n - channel transistors 810 and 812 are at 0 v while the gates of n - channel transistors 811 and 813 are at − 5 v . in this state , if v tg is + 5 v , transistor 810 acts as a voltage divider so that the common terminal between transistors 810 and 811 is − v tn . likewise , if v cg is + 5 v , transistor 812 acts as a voltage divider so that the common terminal between transistors 812 and 813 is − v tn . therefore , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the equalization circuit . time t 5 and beyond represents a cell on an unselected row and a selected column . here , eq is high (+ 5 v ), rowsel is low (− 5 v ), and rowsel_ is high (+ 5 v ). both cmos switches are off . n - channel transistors 810 - 813 of the equalization circuit are on and drive tg and cg to ground . thus , voltage levels of pgmdata and pgmdata_ have no effect on any memory cell in an unselected row . in this state , transistors 800 and 804 act as voltage dividers for either a positive or negative voltage of pgmdata . thus , common terminals between p - channel transistors 800 and 802 or between n - channel transistors 804 and 806 do not exceed a magnitude of v tn or v tp . therefore , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the cmos switch for any voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . still further , while numerous examples have thus been provided , one skilled in the art should recognize that various modifications , substitutions , or alterations may be made to the described embodiments while still falling with the inventive scope as defined by the following claims . for example , inventive concepts of the present invention are readily adapted to alternative switch designs and voltage levels as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art having access to the instant specification . for example , each cmos pass gate might be replaced by a single n - channel or p - channel transistor with suitable gate voltage levels . additionally , programming voltages might range from 0 v to 10 v or from 0 v to − 10v rather than from − 5v to 5 v . other combinations will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art having access to the instant specification . | Should this patent be classified under 'Physics'? | Is 'Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | 5adc4714d2fec1035ca16d484f09ba0bf16389858c195cc17f379785a9257cc5 | 0.098145 | 0.001503 | 0.044678 | 0.000169 | 0.115723 | 0.026001 |
null | preferred embodiments of the present invention provide significant advantages over previous memory array architectures using single polycrystalline silicon eeprom memory cells as will become evident from the following detailed description . the present inventors have disclosed a single polycrystalline silicon eeprom cell in u . s . patent application ser . no . 12 / 462 , 076 , filed jul . 28 , 2009 , and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . the following discussion briefly describes that eeprom memory cell to provide a more complete understanding of the present invention . in the following discussion , p and n are used to indicate semiconductor conductivity type . a “+” or “−” sign after the conductivity type indicates a relatively high or low doping concentration , respectively , of the semiconductor region . furthermore , the same reference numerals are used in the drawing figures to indicate common circuit elements . referring to fig1 , there is a top view of a single polycrystalline silicon gate ( poly ) eeprom memory cell that may be used with the present invention . the cell includes n − isolation regions 120 and 126 . these n − isolation regions serve to electrically isolate p − well regions 160 and 162 , respectively , from a p type substrate . in operation , they are preferably biased to a positive supply voltage at terminals 100 and 102 . a control gate terminal 104 contacts p + region 140 as well as n + region 122 , both of which are formed within p − well region 160 . a tunnel gate terminal 106 contacts p + region 142 as well as n + region 130 , both of which are formed within p − well region 162 . a single polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 overlies a part of both p − well regions and is self aligned with n + regions 122 and 130 . an n - channel sense transistor is formed between the p − well regions 160 and 162 . the sense transistor includes drain terminal 108 , source terminal 110 , and control gate 152 . the sense transistor operates to indicate the data state of the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 as will be explained in detail . the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 is often referred to as a floating gate , since it is only capacitively coupled and not directly connected to other elements of the memory cell . the polycrystalline silicon gate forms one terminal of a control gate capacitor 150 as well as one terminal of a tunnel gate capacitor 154 . referring now to fig2 , there is a cross sectional view of the eeprom cell of fig1 at the plane a - a ′. an n + buried layer 202 together with n − isolation region 120 electrically isolates p − well region 160 from p substrate 210 . likewise , another n + buried layer 204 together with n − isolation region 126 electrically isolates p − well region 162 from p substrate 210 . shallow trench isolation regions 200 isolate active regions such as control gate capacitor 150 , sense transistor 152 , and tunnel gate capacitor 154 . an upper plate of the control gate capacitor is formed by a first part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . a lower plate of the control gate capacitor to is formed adjacent the upper plate by p − well region 160 . the upper and lower plates are separated by a dielectric region to form the control gate capacitor 150 . in a similar manner , an upper plate of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 is formed by a second part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . a lower plate of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 is formed adjacent the upper plate by p − well region 162 . the upper and lower plates are separated by a dielectric region to form the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . referring now to fig3 and 4 , a programming operation of the control gate layer of the memory cell will be explained in detail . numeric voltage values in the following discussion and throughout the instant specification are given by way of example for the purpose of illustration and may vary with different manufacturing processes . fig3 is a schematic diagram of the memory cell of fig1 - 2 . n − isolation regions 120 and 126 as well as n + buried layers 202 and 204 are biased at 5 v throughout the operation . a 5 v signal is applied to control gate terminal 104 . p + region 140 is electrically connected to p − well region 160 . thus , p − well region 160 is also at 5 v . the capacitance of control gate capacitor 150 ( c cg ) is much larger than the total capacitance ( c t ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 , sense transistor gate 152 ( c xtr ), and associated parasitic capacitance . the coupling ratio c cg /( c cg + c t c xtr ) is at least 0 . 8 and preferably 0 . 9 or greater . the polycrystalline silicon gate layer voltage , therefore , is approximately 4 v to 4 . 5 v . a − 5 v signal is also applied to the tunnel gate terminal 106 . p + region 142 is electrically connected to p − well region 162 which is , therefore , also at − 5 v . an inversion layer is formed adjacent a second part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 at the tunnel gate capacitor 154 below the intervening dielectric region . this dielectric region is preferably silicon dioxide or other suitable dielectric material as is known in the art . n + region 130 provides a source of electrons for the inversion layer and remains in conductive contact with the inversion layer . thus , a high electric field is generated across the relatively thin dielectric region sufficient to induce fowler - nordheim tunneling of electrons from the inversion layer to the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . this relatively higher concentration of electrons significantly increases the threshold voltage of sense transistor 152 and renders it nonconductive in a subsequent read operation . this eeprom memory cell offers several advantages over memory cells of the prior art . first , the critical electric field necessary for fowler - nordheim tunneling is developed by positive and negative voltages of comparable magnitudes . this avoids the need to generate a high voltage power supply or to incorporate special high voltage transistors in the manufacturing process . second , programming by fowler - nordheim tunneling greatly reduces the power requirement compared to prior art hot carrier generation methods such as avalanche multiplication and band - to - band tunneling . third , fowler - nordheim tunneling from the inversion layer to the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 provides uniform current density over the entire area of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . thus , current density is much less than with methods of the prior art where current flow was through a much smaller area . such areas were edge - dependent and determined by overlapping gate and underlying implant regions . the reduced programming current density of the present invention greatly increases program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . referring now to fig4 , an erase operation of the control gate layer of the memory cell will be explained in detail . fig4 is a schematic diagram of the memory cell of fig1 - 2 . as previously discussed , n − isolation regions 120 and 126 as well as n + buried layers 202 and 204 are biased at 5 v throughout the operation . a − 5 v signal is applied to control gate terminal 104 . p + region 140 is electrically connected to p − well region 160 . thus , p − well region 160 is also at − 5 v . due to the coupling ratio of control gate capacitor 150 ( c cg ) and the total capacitance ( c t ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 , sense transistor gate 152 , and associated parasitic capacitance the polycrystalline silicon gate layer voltage is approximately − 4 v to − 4 . 5 v . the voltage difference across control gate capacitor 150 forms an inversion layer adjacent a first part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 below the intervening dielectric region . the inversion layer is electrically connected to n + region 122 and , therefore , maintains the high coupling ratio between c cg and c t . a 5 v signal is also applied to the tunnel gate terminal 106 . p + region 142 is electrically connected to p − well region 162 which is , therefore , also at 5 v . the voltage difference between the polycrystalline silicon gate 156 and the p − well region 162 forms an accumulation region at the lower plate ( p − well region 162 ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 . the resulting high electric field generated across the relatively thin dielectric region is sufficient to induce fowler - nordheim tunneling of electrons from polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 to the accumulation region . thus , a relatively lower concentration of electrons significantly decreases the threshold voltage of sense transistor 152 and renders it conductive in a subsequent read operation . the previously discussed advantages of the eeprom memory cell are also present during an erase operation . the critical electric field necessary for fowler - nordheim tunneling is developed by positive and negative voltages of comparable magnitudes . this avoids the need to generate a high voltage power supply or to incorporate special high voltage transistors in the manufacturing process . programming by fowler - nordheim tunneling greatly reduces the power requirement compared to prior art hot carrier generation methods such as avalanche multiplication and band - to - band tunneling . finally , fowler - nordheim tunneling from the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 to the accumulation region provides uniform current density over the entire area of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . thus , current density is much less than with methods of the prior art where current flow was through a much smaller area . such areas were edge - dependent and determined by overlapping gate and underlying implant regions . the reduced programming current density of the present invention greatly increases program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . turning now to fig5 a - 5d , stress on unselected memory cells as in fig1 - 2 of a memory array during programming of selected memory cells will be discussed in detail . voltage stress on these unselected memory cells is due to the coupling ratio as previously discussed with regard to fig3 and 4 . in the following discussion it should be understood that this stress may degrade data stored on the unselected memory cells after many programming ( or erase ) operations are performed on nearby selected memory cells . in particular , fig5 a is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical one for v cg = 0 v and v tg =− 5 v . by way of example , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical one is 4 v . when v tg =− 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 a has approximately − 8 . 5 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress causes positive charge loss 500 over many programming or erase operations , which greatly reduces the number of memory program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . referring to fig5 b , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical one for v cg =+ 5 v and v tg = 0 v . as previously discussed , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical one is 4 v . when v cg =+ 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 b has approximately − 8 . 0 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress will also cause positive charge loss 502 over many programming or erase operations . referring next to fig5 c , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical zero for v cg = 0 v and v tg =+ 5 v . here , however , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical zero is − 4 v . when v tg =+ 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 c again has approximately + 8 . 5 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress causes negative charge loss 504 over many programming or erase operations , which greatly reduces the number of memory program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . finally , referring to fig5 d , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical zero for v cg =− 5 v and v tg = 0 v . as previously discussed , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical zero is − 4 v . when v cg =− 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 d has approximately 9 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress will also cause negative charge loss 506 over many programming or erase operations . turning now to fig6 , there is a schematic diagram of an eeprom memory cell with surrounding circuitry that forms an element of the array architecture of the present invention . recall from the previous discussion regarding fig5 a - 5d that stress on unselected memory cells occurs when a selected memory cell on the same tunnel gate lead or the same control gate lead is programmed . this stress depends on the voltage applied to the tunnel gate lead or control gate lead as well as the data state of the unselected memory cell . according to the present invention , program data lead 606 is selectively connected to tunnel gate lead 106 by switch 602 . likewise , complementary program data lead 608 is selectively connected to control gate lead 104 by switch 604 . both switches 602 and 604 are controlled by row select signal ( rowsel ) applied to lead 600 . both program data leads 606 and 608 are generally perpendicular to the row select signal in the memory array . only a selected cell , therefore , will have programming voltages applied to leads 606 and 608 when switches 602 and 604 are turned on by an active row select signal on lead 600 . this advantageously eliminates any stress to unselected memory cells that might degrade stored data states . referring now to fig7 , there is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the array architecture of the present invention . for the purpose of illustration , the memory array includes selected memory cells 730 and 740 , which are already programmed to logical zero and one , respectively . the memory array also includes unselected memory cells 750 , 760 , and 770 . memory cells 730 and 740 are connected to row select leads 700 and 702 , which are oriented horizontally through the memory array . memory cell 730 is connected to program data lines 704 and 706 via switches 712 and 714 , respectively . program data lines 704 and 706 are oriented vertically through the memory array and generally perpendicular to row select leads 700 and 702 . memory cell 740 is connected to program data lines 708 and 710 , via switches 722 and 724 , respectively . program data lines 708 and 710 are also oriented vertically through the memory array and generally perpendicular to row select leads 700 and 702 . finally , memory cells 730 and 740 include respective access transistors 716 and 726 to couple their stored data states to respective read bit leads 718 and 728 . unselected memory cells 750 and 760 share the same program data leads as selected memory cells 730 and 740 , respectively . the switches of unselected memory cells 750 and 760 , however , share different row select leads from selected memory cells 730 and 740 . thus , the switches of unselected memory cells remain off when selected memory cells 730 and 740 are programmed and are not stressed as previously described with regard to fig5 a - 5d . moreover , the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 750 are connected to ground or a suitable reference voltage by equalization transistors 752 and 754 . likewise , the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 760 are connected to ground or the suitable reference voltage by equalization transistors 762 and 764 . unselected memory cells 750 and 760 , therefore , are not stressed and their respective data states remain intact when memory cells 730 and 740 are programmed . unselected memory cell 770 shares the same row select leads as selected memory cells 730 and 740 . the switches of unselected memory cell 770 , therefore , are on when the switches of selected memory cells 730 and 740 are on . the program data leads of unselected memory cell 770 , however , remain at zero volts or a suitable reference voltage . the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 770 , therefore , are not stressed as previously described with regard to fig5 a - 5d . in a first embodiment of fig7 , the switches of each memory cell are formed from complementary metal oxide semiconductor ( cmos ) pass gates . each cmos pass gate is formed from an n - channel transistor in parallel with a p - channel transistor . furthermore , in this first embodiment of the present invention , the voltage swing of the control gates of the switches is the same as the voltage swing on the program data leads (+ v p to − v p ), so that the switches of unselected cells are completely off when selected memory cells in the same column are programmed . the maximum voltage across the control gate dielectric of the n - channel and p - channel transistors is generally the same as the programming voltage across the tunnel gate dielectric . this may be acceptable in some applications where programming time of the memory cells is not critical and some fowler - nordheim tunneling through the switch transistors is acceptable . in a second embodiment of the present invention , the switch transistors are separately ion implanted to preferentially grow a slightly thicker gate dielectric than that of the tunnel gate capacitors . in this second embodiment , programming voltage across tunnel gate capacitors may be safely increased and programming time decreased without damage to the switch transistors . turning now to fig8 a , there is a modified memory cell that may be used in a third embodiment of the memory array of fig7 . the modified memory cell of fig8 a differs from the previously described memory cells of fig7 in three respects . first , each cmos pass gate or switch now includes series - connected voltage divider transistors such as transistors 800 and 804 as well as switching transistors 802 and 806 . second , row select signal rowsel operates at a reduced voltage swing of 0v to 5v (+ v p ). complementary row select signal rowsel_operates at a reduced voltage swing of 0v to − 5v (− v p ). third , n - channel transistors 811 and 813 are added to the equalization circuit to hold control gate lead 104 and tunnel gate lead 106 to ground ( 0 v ) when the memory cell is unselected . operation of the modified memory cell of fig8 a will now be explained in detail with reference to the program / erase timing diagram of fig8 b . the left half of the timing diagram ( fig8 b ) illustrates operation when the memory cell is on a selected row . the memory cell row is selected at time t 0 when rowsel is high ( 0 v ), rowsel_ is low ( 0 v ), and eq is low (− 5 v ). in this case , leads tg 106 and cg 104 are driven to − v tn as illustrated by voltage levels 830 and 840 , respectively , by n - channel transistors of the cmos switches . at time t 1 program data leads pgmdata and pgmdata_ of the to memory cell column are driven high and low , respectively , to program a positive charge on floating gate 156 . at time t 2 , pgmdata and pgmdata_ return to 0 v . however , tg is pulled down to + v tp 832 by the p - channel transistor of the cmos switch . correspondingly , cg is pulled up to − v tn by the n - channel transistor of the cmos switch . thus , tg and cg follow pgmdata and pgmdata_ , respectively , but will only reach + v tp or − v tn depending on the previous voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . at time t 3 program data leads pgmdata and pgmdata_ of the memory cell column are driven low and high , respectively , to erase the positive charge on floating gate 156 . at time t 4 , pgmdata and pgmdata_ return to 0 v . however , tg is pulled up to − v tn 834 by the n - channel transistor of the cmos switch . correspondingly , cg is pulled down to + v tp 844 by the p - channel transistor of the cmos switch . when any cell is on a selected row and pgmdata and pgmdata_ are 0 v , therefore , tg and cg will only reach + v tp or − v tn depending on the previous voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . this produces a total cell stress equal to a sum of the magnitude of v tp + v tn across the floating gate 156 . for normal operating parameters , this is approximately 2 . 5 v compared to a programming voltage of 10 v . at this level , there is negligible effect on the programmed or erased data state . since rowsel and rowsel_ are both at 0 v , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the cmos switch . furthermore , the gates of n - channel transistors 810 and 812 are at 0 v while the gates of n - channel transistors 811 and 813 are at − 5 v . in this state , if v tg is + 5 v , transistor 810 acts as a voltage divider so that the common terminal between transistors 810 and 811 is − v tn . likewise , if v cg is + 5 v , transistor 812 acts as a voltage divider so that the common terminal between transistors 812 and 813 is − v tn . therefore , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the equalization circuit . time t 5 and beyond represents a cell on an unselected row and a selected column . here , eq is high (+ 5 v ), rowsel is low (− 5 v ), and rowsel_ is high (+ 5 v ). both cmos switches are off . n - channel transistors 810 - 813 of the equalization circuit are on and drive tg and cg to ground . thus , voltage levels of pgmdata and pgmdata_ have no effect on any memory cell in an unselected row . in this state , transistors 800 and 804 act as voltage dividers for either a positive or negative voltage of pgmdata . thus , common terminals between p - channel transistors 800 and 802 or between n - channel transistors 804 and 806 do not exceed a magnitude of v tn or v tp . therefore , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the cmos switch for any voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . still further , while numerous examples have thus been provided , one skilled in the art should recognize that various modifications , substitutions , or alterations may be made to the described embodiments while still falling with the inventive scope as defined by the following claims . for example , inventive concepts of the present invention are readily adapted to alternative switch designs and voltage levels as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art having access to the instant specification . for example , each cmos pass gate might be replaced by a single n - channel or p - channel transistor with suitable gate voltage levels . additionally , programming voltages might range from 0 v to 10 v or from 0 v to − 10v rather than from − 5v to 5 v . other combinations will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art having access to the instant specification . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Physics'? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Electricity'? | 0.25 | 5adc4714d2fec1035ca16d484f09ba0bf16389858c195cc17f379785a9257cc5 | 0.132813 | 0.429688 | 0.070801 | 0.341797 | 0.21582 | 0.128906 |
null | preferred embodiments of the present invention provide significant advantages over previous memory array architectures using single polycrystalline silicon eeprom memory cells as will become evident from the following detailed description . the present inventors have disclosed a single polycrystalline silicon eeprom cell in u . s . patent application ser . no . 12 / 462 , 076 , filed jul . 28 , 2009 , and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . the following discussion briefly describes that eeprom memory cell to provide a more complete understanding of the present invention . in the following discussion , p and n are used to indicate semiconductor conductivity type . a “+” or “−” sign after the conductivity type indicates a relatively high or low doping concentration , respectively , of the semiconductor region . furthermore , the same reference numerals are used in the drawing figures to indicate common circuit elements . referring to fig1 , there is a top view of a single polycrystalline silicon gate ( poly ) eeprom memory cell that may be used with the present invention . the cell includes n − isolation regions 120 and 126 . these n − isolation regions serve to electrically isolate p − well regions 160 and 162 , respectively , from a p type substrate . in operation , they are preferably biased to a positive supply voltage at terminals 100 and 102 . a control gate terminal 104 contacts p + region 140 as well as n + region 122 , both of which are formed within p − well region 160 . a tunnel gate terminal 106 contacts p + region 142 as well as n + region 130 , both of which are formed within p − well region 162 . a single polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 overlies a part of both p − well regions and is self aligned with n + regions 122 and 130 . an n - channel sense transistor is formed between the p − well regions 160 and 162 . the sense transistor includes drain terminal 108 , source terminal 110 , and control gate 152 . the sense transistor operates to indicate the data state of the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 as will be explained in detail . the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 is often referred to as a floating gate , since it is only capacitively coupled and not directly connected to other elements of the memory cell . the polycrystalline silicon gate forms one terminal of a control gate capacitor 150 as well as one terminal of a tunnel gate capacitor 154 . referring now to fig2 , there is a cross sectional view of the eeprom cell of fig1 at the plane a - a ′. an n + buried layer 202 together with n − isolation region 120 electrically isolates p − well region 160 from p substrate 210 . likewise , another n + buried layer 204 together with n − isolation region 126 electrically isolates p − well region 162 from p substrate 210 . shallow trench isolation regions 200 isolate active regions such as control gate capacitor 150 , sense transistor 152 , and tunnel gate capacitor 154 . an upper plate of the control gate capacitor is formed by a first part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . a lower plate of the control gate capacitor to is formed adjacent the upper plate by p − well region 160 . the upper and lower plates are separated by a dielectric region to form the control gate capacitor 150 . in a similar manner , an upper plate of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 is formed by a second part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . a lower plate of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 is formed adjacent the upper plate by p − well region 162 . the upper and lower plates are separated by a dielectric region to form the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . referring now to fig3 and 4 , a programming operation of the control gate layer of the memory cell will be explained in detail . numeric voltage values in the following discussion and throughout the instant specification are given by way of example for the purpose of illustration and may vary with different manufacturing processes . fig3 is a schematic diagram of the memory cell of fig1 - 2 . n − isolation regions 120 and 126 as well as n + buried layers 202 and 204 are biased at 5 v throughout the operation . a 5 v signal is applied to control gate terminal 104 . p + region 140 is electrically connected to p − well region 160 . thus , p − well region 160 is also at 5 v . the capacitance of control gate capacitor 150 ( c cg ) is much larger than the total capacitance ( c t ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 , sense transistor gate 152 ( c xtr ), and associated parasitic capacitance . the coupling ratio c cg /( c cg + c t c xtr ) is at least 0 . 8 and preferably 0 . 9 or greater . the polycrystalline silicon gate layer voltage , therefore , is approximately 4 v to 4 . 5 v . a − 5 v signal is also applied to the tunnel gate terminal 106 . p + region 142 is electrically connected to p − well region 162 which is , therefore , also at − 5 v . an inversion layer is formed adjacent a second part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 at the tunnel gate capacitor 154 below the intervening dielectric region . this dielectric region is preferably silicon dioxide or other suitable dielectric material as is known in the art . n + region 130 provides a source of electrons for the inversion layer and remains in conductive contact with the inversion layer . thus , a high electric field is generated across the relatively thin dielectric region sufficient to induce fowler - nordheim tunneling of electrons from the inversion layer to the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 . this relatively higher concentration of electrons significantly increases the threshold voltage of sense transistor 152 and renders it nonconductive in a subsequent read operation . this eeprom memory cell offers several advantages over memory cells of the prior art . first , the critical electric field necessary for fowler - nordheim tunneling is developed by positive and negative voltages of comparable magnitudes . this avoids the need to generate a high voltage power supply or to incorporate special high voltage transistors in the manufacturing process . second , programming by fowler - nordheim tunneling greatly reduces the power requirement compared to prior art hot carrier generation methods such as avalanche multiplication and band - to - band tunneling . third , fowler - nordheim tunneling from the inversion layer to the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 provides uniform current density over the entire area of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . thus , current density is much less than with methods of the prior art where current flow was through a much smaller area . such areas were edge - dependent and determined by overlapping gate and underlying implant regions . the reduced programming current density of the present invention greatly increases program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . referring now to fig4 , an erase operation of the control gate layer of the memory cell will be explained in detail . fig4 is a schematic diagram of the memory cell of fig1 - 2 . as previously discussed , n − isolation regions 120 and 126 as well as n + buried layers 202 and 204 are biased at 5 v throughout the operation . a − 5 v signal is applied to control gate terminal 104 . p + region 140 is electrically connected to p − well region 160 . thus , p − well region 160 is also at − 5 v . due to the coupling ratio of control gate capacitor 150 ( c cg ) and the total capacitance ( c t ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 , sense transistor gate 152 , and associated parasitic capacitance the polycrystalline silicon gate layer voltage is approximately − 4 v to − 4 . 5 v . the voltage difference across control gate capacitor 150 forms an inversion layer adjacent a first part of polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 below the intervening dielectric region . the inversion layer is electrically connected to n + region 122 and , therefore , maintains the high coupling ratio between c cg and c t . a 5 v signal is also applied to the tunnel gate terminal 106 . p + region 142 is electrically connected to p − well region 162 which is , therefore , also at 5 v . the voltage difference between the polycrystalline silicon gate 156 and the p − well region 162 forms an accumulation region at the lower plate ( p − well region 162 ) of tunnel gate capacitor 154 . the resulting high electric field generated across the relatively thin dielectric region is sufficient to induce fowler - nordheim tunneling of electrons from polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 to the accumulation region . thus , a relatively lower concentration of electrons significantly decreases the threshold voltage of sense transistor 152 and renders it conductive in a subsequent read operation . the previously discussed advantages of the eeprom memory cell are also present during an erase operation . the critical electric field necessary for fowler - nordheim tunneling is developed by positive and negative voltages of comparable magnitudes . this avoids the need to generate a high voltage power supply or to incorporate special high voltage transistors in the manufacturing process . programming by fowler - nordheim tunneling greatly reduces the power requirement compared to prior art hot carrier generation methods such as avalanche multiplication and band - to - band tunneling . finally , fowler - nordheim tunneling from the polycrystalline silicon gate layer 156 to the accumulation region provides uniform current density over the entire area of the tunnel gate capacitor 154 . thus , current density is much less than with methods of the prior art where current flow was through a much smaller area . such areas were edge - dependent and determined by overlapping gate and underlying implant regions . the reduced programming current density of the present invention greatly increases program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . turning now to fig5 a - 5d , stress on unselected memory cells as in fig1 - 2 of a memory array during programming of selected memory cells will be discussed in detail . voltage stress on these unselected memory cells is due to the coupling ratio as previously discussed with regard to fig3 and 4 . in the following discussion it should be understood that this stress may degrade data stored on the unselected memory cells after many programming ( or erase ) operations are performed on nearby selected memory cells . in particular , fig5 a is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical one for v cg = 0 v and v tg =− 5 v . by way of example , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical one is 4 v . when v tg =− 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 a has approximately − 8 . 5 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress causes positive charge loss 500 over many programming or erase operations , which greatly reduces the number of memory program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . referring to fig5 b , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical one for v cg =+ 5 v and v tg = 0 v . as previously discussed , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical one is 4 v . when v cg =+ 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 b has approximately − 8 . 0 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress will also cause positive charge loss 502 over many programming or erase operations . referring next to fig5 c , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical zero for v cg = 0 v and v tg =+ 5 v . here , however , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical zero is − 4 v . when v tg =+ 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 c again has approximately + 8 . 5 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress causes negative charge loss 504 over many programming or erase operations , which greatly reduces the number of memory program / erase cycles and corresponding reliability of the memory cell . finally , referring to fig5 d , there is a schematic diagram showing stress on an unselected eeprom cell storing a logical zero for v cg =− 5 v and v tg = 0 v . as previously discussed , the floating gate voltage ( v fg ) for a logical zero is − 4 v . when v cg =− 5 v for programming a selected memory cell , the unselected memory cell of fig5 d has approximately 9 v across tunnel gate capacitor 154 . this stress will also cause negative charge loss 506 over many programming or erase operations . turning now to fig6 , there is a schematic diagram of an eeprom memory cell with surrounding circuitry that forms an element of the array architecture of the present invention . recall from the previous discussion regarding fig5 a - 5d that stress on unselected memory cells occurs when a selected memory cell on the same tunnel gate lead or the same control gate lead is programmed . this stress depends on the voltage applied to the tunnel gate lead or control gate lead as well as the data state of the unselected memory cell . according to the present invention , program data lead 606 is selectively connected to tunnel gate lead 106 by switch 602 . likewise , complementary program data lead 608 is selectively connected to control gate lead 104 by switch 604 . both switches 602 and 604 are controlled by row select signal ( rowsel ) applied to lead 600 . both program data leads 606 and 608 are generally perpendicular to the row select signal in the memory array . only a selected cell , therefore , will have programming voltages applied to leads 606 and 608 when switches 602 and 604 are turned on by an active row select signal on lead 600 . this advantageously eliminates any stress to unselected memory cells that might degrade stored data states . referring now to fig7 , there is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the array architecture of the present invention . for the purpose of illustration , the memory array includes selected memory cells 730 and 740 , which are already programmed to logical zero and one , respectively . the memory array also includes unselected memory cells 750 , 760 , and 770 . memory cells 730 and 740 are connected to row select leads 700 and 702 , which are oriented horizontally through the memory array . memory cell 730 is connected to program data lines 704 and 706 via switches 712 and 714 , respectively . program data lines 704 and 706 are oriented vertically through the memory array and generally perpendicular to row select leads 700 and 702 . memory cell 740 is connected to program data lines 708 and 710 , via switches 722 and 724 , respectively . program data lines 708 and 710 are also oriented vertically through the memory array and generally perpendicular to row select leads 700 and 702 . finally , memory cells 730 and 740 include respective access transistors 716 and 726 to couple their stored data states to respective read bit leads 718 and 728 . unselected memory cells 750 and 760 share the same program data leads as selected memory cells 730 and 740 , respectively . the switches of unselected memory cells 750 and 760 , however , share different row select leads from selected memory cells 730 and 740 . thus , the switches of unselected memory cells remain off when selected memory cells 730 and 740 are programmed and are not stressed as previously described with regard to fig5 a - 5d . moreover , the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 750 are connected to ground or a suitable reference voltage by equalization transistors 752 and 754 . likewise , the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 760 are connected to ground or the suitable reference voltage by equalization transistors 762 and 764 . unselected memory cells 750 and 760 , therefore , are not stressed and their respective data states remain intact when memory cells 730 and 740 are programmed . unselected memory cell 770 shares the same row select leads as selected memory cells 730 and 740 . the switches of unselected memory cell 770 , therefore , are on when the switches of selected memory cells 730 and 740 are on . the program data leads of unselected memory cell 770 , however , remain at zero volts or a suitable reference voltage . the control gate and tunnel gate leads of memory cell 770 , therefore , are not stressed as previously described with regard to fig5 a - 5d . in a first embodiment of fig7 , the switches of each memory cell are formed from complementary metal oxide semiconductor ( cmos ) pass gates . each cmos pass gate is formed from an n - channel transistor in parallel with a p - channel transistor . furthermore , in this first embodiment of the present invention , the voltage swing of the control gates of the switches is the same as the voltage swing on the program data leads (+ v p to − v p ), so that the switches of unselected cells are completely off when selected memory cells in the same column are programmed . the maximum voltage across the control gate dielectric of the n - channel and p - channel transistors is generally the same as the programming voltage across the tunnel gate dielectric . this may be acceptable in some applications where programming time of the memory cells is not critical and some fowler - nordheim tunneling through the switch transistors is acceptable . in a second embodiment of the present invention , the switch transistors are separately ion implanted to preferentially grow a slightly thicker gate dielectric than that of the tunnel gate capacitors . in this second embodiment , programming voltage across tunnel gate capacitors may be safely increased and programming time decreased without damage to the switch transistors . turning now to fig8 a , there is a modified memory cell that may be used in a third embodiment of the memory array of fig7 . the modified memory cell of fig8 a differs from the previously described memory cells of fig7 in three respects . first , each cmos pass gate or switch now includes series - connected voltage divider transistors such as transistors 800 and 804 as well as switching transistors 802 and 806 . second , row select signal rowsel operates at a reduced voltage swing of 0v to 5v (+ v p ). complementary row select signal rowsel_operates at a reduced voltage swing of 0v to − 5v (− v p ). third , n - channel transistors 811 and 813 are added to the equalization circuit to hold control gate lead 104 and tunnel gate lead 106 to ground ( 0 v ) when the memory cell is unselected . operation of the modified memory cell of fig8 a will now be explained in detail with reference to the program / erase timing diagram of fig8 b . the left half of the timing diagram ( fig8 b ) illustrates operation when the memory cell is on a selected row . the memory cell row is selected at time t 0 when rowsel is high ( 0 v ), rowsel_ is low ( 0 v ), and eq is low (− 5 v ). in this case , leads tg 106 and cg 104 are driven to − v tn as illustrated by voltage levels 830 and 840 , respectively , by n - channel transistors of the cmos switches . at time t 1 program data leads pgmdata and pgmdata_ of the to memory cell column are driven high and low , respectively , to program a positive charge on floating gate 156 . at time t 2 , pgmdata and pgmdata_ return to 0 v . however , tg is pulled down to + v tp 832 by the p - channel transistor of the cmos switch . correspondingly , cg is pulled up to − v tn by the n - channel transistor of the cmos switch . thus , tg and cg follow pgmdata and pgmdata_ , respectively , but will only reach + v tp or − v tn depending on the previous voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . at time t 3 program data leads pgmdata and pgmdata_ of the memory cell column are driven low and high , respectively , to erase the positive charge on floating gate 156 . at time t 4 , pgmdata and pgmdata_ return to 0 v . however , tg is pulled up to − v tn 834 by the n - channel transistor of the cmos switch . correspondingly , cg is pulled down to + v tp 844 by the p - channel transistor of the cmos switch . when any cell is on a selected row and pgmdata and pgmdata_ are 0 v , therefore , tg and cg will only reach + v tp or − v tn depending on the previous voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . this produces a total cell stress equal to a sum of the magnitude of v tp + v tn across the floating gate 156 . for normal operating parameters , this is approximately 2 . 5 v compared to a programming voltage of 10 v . at this level , there is negligible effect on the programmed or erased data state . since rowsel and rowsel_ are both at 0 v , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the cmos switch . furthermore , the gates of n - channel transistors 810 and 812 are at 0 v while the gates of n - channel transistors 811 and 813 are at − 5 v . in this state , if v tg is + 5 v , transistor 810 acts as a voltage divider so that the common terminal between transistors 810 and 811 is − v tn . likewise , if v cg is + 5 v , transistor 812 acts as a voltage divider so that the common terminal between transistors 812 and 813 is − v tn . therefore , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the equalization circuit . time t 5 and beyond represents a cell on an unselected row and a selected column . here , eq is high (+ 5 v ), rowsel is low (− 5 v ), and rowsel_ is high (+ 5 v ). both cmos switches are off . n - channel transistors 810 - 813 of the equalization circuit are on and drive tg and cg to ground . thus , voltage levels of pgmdata and pgmdata_ have no effect on any memory cell in an unselected row . in this state , transistors 800 and 804 act as voltage dividers for either a positive or negative voltage of pgmdata . thus , common terminals between p - channel transistors 800 and 802 or between n - channel transistors 804 and 806 do not exceed a magnitude of v tn or v tp . therefore , no more than 5 v appears across any transistor gate oxide of the cmos switch for any voltage level of pgmdata and pgmdata_ . still further , while numerous examples have thus been provided , one skilled in the art should recognize that various modifications , substitutions , or alterations may be made to the described embodiments while still falling with the inventive scope as defined by the following claims . for example , inventive concepts of the present invention are readily adapted to alternative switch designs and voltage levels as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art having access to the instant specification . for example , each cmos pass gate might be replaced by a single n - channel or p - channel transistor with suitable gate voltage levels . additionally , programming voltages might range from 0 v to 10 v or from 0 v to − 10v rather than from − 5v to 5 v . other combinations will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art having access to the instant specification . | Is 'Physics' the correct technical category for the patent? | Should this patent be classified under 'General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology'? | 0.25 | 5adc4714d2fec1035ca16d484f09ba0bf16389858c195cc17f379785a9257cc5 | 0.079102 | 0.111328 | 0.05835 | 0.090332 | 0.131836 | 0.155273 |
null | turning now to the drawings , and particularly to fig2 , there is shown the components of a constant velocity joint used in practicing the present invention . like fig1 , an input shaft 21 is coupled to an output shaft 32 by means of the constant velocity joint . in the fig2 embodiment an outer housing or body 50 of particular configuration encloses the remaining conventional elements of the constant velocity joint . the body has races 23 , and the joint also includes an inner race 25 , also having races , drive balls 26 and a cage 28 . the inner race 25 has a splined opening to receive the splined end 31 of the output shaft 32 . thus , the shaft 32 can flex at any angle with respect to the input shaft 21 . the maximum angle which can be accommodated without interference is on the order of 40 degrees . the outer surface 52 of the body 50 is formed as a smooth spherical surface for purposes now to be described . in practicing the invention a semi - rigid plastic boot 60 is provided . the boot has a smooth internal spherical surface 62 which is sized to match the spherical outer surface of the body . by matching the outer surface is meant that when the boot 60 is snapped into place over the body 50 , a sliding fit is provided between the mating spherical surfaces so that one shaft can move angularly with respect to the other while the boot simply slides over the spherical surface of the body to maintain a seal . it can be appreciated from fig2 that the boot 62 is larger than a half sphere . if the boot were simply a half sphere , it would be truncated at about the phantom line 64 shown dashed in fig2 . however , it extends beyond that such that where truncated at 65 , the inner diameter of the opening 66 is smaller than the inner diameter of the boot . as a result , the boot itself will simply not fit onto the outside of the spherical body without being forced thereon . thus , after the joint is assembled , the boot is forced downwardly over the spherical housing which causes the opening 66 to expand sufficiently to fit over the outer diameter of the spherical housing . the boot is sufficiently elastic that the opening momentarily expands to allow the boot to actually pop or snap into place , to assume a rest position in which the surfaces of the two spheres match as shown in fig2 . it is locked fairly firmly in this position by the resilience of the plastic material which creates a force which tends to close the opening 66 and thus maintain the locked and conformed condition between the two elements . this sliding fit which is thus provided between the two spherical surfaces is adequate to maintain the internal workings of the joint clean . to enhance the sealing effect , wiper grooves 70 are provided near the open end 66 which tend to wipe debris off exposed portions of the body 50 as the boot moves over those portions during angular movement of the two shafts . we have found that over time plastic creep of the material of the boot tends to relax the gripping action at the opening 66 . to counteract the plastic creep from opening a gap between the end 65 of the boot and the spherical surface 52 of the housing , we position a retaining ring 72 over the plastic boot , near the truncated end . the retaining ring can be , for example , a simple steel ring which is heat treated , then split , then put into the position shown in fig2 . the original diameter of the ring 72 before heat treatment is smaller than the diameter shown in ring 72 , such that when it is split and forced into place a gap is provided between the ends of the steel ring which causes a continued compressive force around the end of the plastic boot , tending to continually resist the effects of plastic creep . other forms of mechanical retainer can also be used , but we currently prefer the snap ring because of its simplicity and rugged reliability . the shaft end of the boot is provided with a sliding fit over the outside of shaft 32 . the end portion of the shaft 32 which mates with the boot is a relatively smooth shaft section , and the boot has a cylindrical flange 80 having an inner surface 82 which closely fits over the shaft 32 . a series of grooves 84 are formed on the inside of the cylindrical surface to provide a series of wipers 85 which tend to scrape collected debris from the shaft , upon relative movement , thereby to prevent the introduction of contaminants into the housing via the shaft . referring briefly to fig3 and 4 , fig3 is similar to fig2 and is provided for reference . fig4 shows the condition when the output shaft 32 is flexed by about 40 degrees with respect to the input shaft 21 . it will be seen that the inside spherical surface 62 of the boot 60 continues to conform to the outer spherical surface 52 of the housing 50 during the entire angular movement of one shaft with respect to the other . the upper portion of the boot 62 covers a greater and greater section of the upper spherical portion , whereas the lower section of the boot slides to very near the tip . it is also noted that the angle of the internal cage has flexed to accommodate the angular motion of the shafts and keep the balls in the constant velocity plane . however , the important thing to note with respect to the present invention is the continued ability of the arrangement to prevent debris from entering . the close fitting nature of the boot , the fact it is of much harder and less flexible material than flexible boots of the past , and its close fitting nature all contribute to the extreme reliability of the arrangement , even in environmentally adverse conditions . while a variety of materials can be used for molding the plastic boot 50 , at this point we continue to prefer oil filled nylon . oil filled nylon resists moisture absorption , which is a significant characteristic for some applications . nylon of thicknesses approximately those illustrated in the drawings , on the order of 0 . 125 inches , can be formed with sufficient elasticity and flexibility to allow the boot to pop over the spherical surface of the housing . the nylon also retains its shape and thus has sufficient resilience to close the gap and closely fit about the spherical surface . the material is subject to plastic creep over time , and this is resisted by the snap ring or other external mechanical restraint . other forms of plastic , known to those skilled in the art , will also be found suitable for providing these characteristics . all references , including publications , patent applications , and patents , cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein . the use of the terms “ a ” and “ an ” and “ the ” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention ( especially in the context of the following claims ) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural , unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context . the terms “ comprising ,” “ having ,” “ including ,” and “ containing ” are to be construed as open - ended terms ( i . e ., meaning “ including , but not limited to ,”) unless otherwise noted . recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range , unless otherwise indicated herein , and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein . all methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context . the use of any and all examples , or exemplary language ( e . g ., “ such as ”) provided herein , is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed . no language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non - claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention . preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein , including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention . variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description . the inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate , and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein . accordingly , this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law . moreover , any combination of the above - described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context . | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology'? | Is 'Human Necessities' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | cd2749ae87106103d2cf8507c72c3e9d400907d9deff31ca1b402ea7382f9ea8 | 0.072754 | 0.001328 | 0.075684 | 0.000109 | 0.067383 | 0.001366 |
null | turning now to the drawings , and particularly to fig2 , there is shown the components of a constant velocity joint used in practicing the present invention . like fig1 , an input shaft 21 is coupled to an output shaft 32 by means of the constant velocity joint . in the fig2 embodiment an outer housing or body 50 of particular configuration encloses the remaining conventional elements of the constant velocity joint . the body has races 23 , and the joint also includes an inner race 25 , also having races , drive balls 26 and a cage 28 . the inner race 25 has a splined opening to receive the splined end 31 of the output shaft 32 . thus , the shaft 32 can flex at any angle with respect to the input shaft 21 . the maximum angle which can be accommodated without interference is on the order of 40 degrees . the outer surface 52 of the body 50 is formed as a smooth spherical surface for purposes now to be described . in practicing the invention a semi - rigid plastic boot 60 is provided . the boot has a smooth internal spherical surface 62 which is sized to match the spherical outer surface of the body . by matching the outer surface is meant that when the boot 60 is snapped into place over the body 50 , a sliding fit is provided between the mating spherical surfaces so that one shaft can move angularly with respect to the other while the boot simply slides over the spherical surface of the body to maintain a seal . it can be appreciated from fig2 that the boot 62 is larger than a half sphere . if the boot were simply a half sphere , it would be truncated at about the phantom line 64 shown dashed in fig2 . however , it extends beyond that such that where truncated at 65 , the inner diameter of the opening 66 is smaller than the inner diameter of the boot . as a result , the boot itself will simply not fit onto the outside of the spherical body without being forced thereon . thus , after the joint is assembled , the boot is forced downwardly over the spherical housing which causes the opening 66 to expand sufficiently to fit over the outer diameter of the spherical housing . the boot is sufficiently elastic that the opening momentarily expands to allow the boot to actually pop or snap into place , to assume a rest position in which the surfaces of the two spheres match as shown in fig2 . it is locked fairly firmly in this position by the resilience of the plastic material which creates a force which tends to close the opening 66 and thus maintain the locked and conformed condition between the two elements . this sliding fit which is thus provided between the two spherical surfaces is adequate to maintain the internal workings of the joint clean . to enhance the sealing effect , wiper grooves 70 are provided near the open end 66 which tend to wipe debris off exposed portions of the body 50 as the boot moves over those portions during angular movement of the two shafts . we have found that over time plastic creep of the material of the boot tends to relax the gripping action at the opening 66 . to counteract the plastic creep from opening a gap between the end 65 of the boot and the spherical surface 52 of the housing , we position a retaining ring 72 over the plastic boot , near the truncated end . the retaining ring can be , for example , a simple steel ring which is heat treated , then split , then put into the position shown in fig2 . the original diameter of the ring 72 before heat treatment is smaller than the diameter shown in ring 72 , such that when it is split and forced into place a gap is provided between the ends of the steel ring which causes a continued compressive force around the end of the plastic boot , tending to continually resist the effects of plastic creep . other forms of mechanical retainer can also be used , but we currently prefer the snap ring because of its simplicity and rugged reliability . the shaft end of the boot is provided with a sliding fit over the outside of shaft 32 . the end portion of the shaft 32 which mates with the boot is a relatively smooth shaft section , and the boot has a cylindrical flange 80 having an inner surface 82 which closely fits over the shaft 32 . a series of grooves 84 are formed on the inside of the cylindrical surface to provide a series of wipers 85 which tend to scrape collected debris from the shaft , upon relative movement , thereby to prevent the introduction of contaminants into the housing via the shaft . referring briefly to fig3 and 4 , fig3 is similar to fig2 and is provided for reference . fig4 shows the condition when the output shaft 32 is flexed by about 40 degrees with respect to the input shaft 21 . it will be seen that the inside spherical surface 62 of the boot 60 continues to conform to the outer spherical surface 52 of the housing 50 during the entire angular movement of one shaft with respect to the other . the upper portion of the boot 62 covers a greater and greater section of the upper spherical portion , whereas the lower section of the boot slides to very near the tip . it is also noted that the angle of the internal cage has flexed to accommodate the angular motion of the shafts and keep the balls in the constant velocity plane . however , the important thing to note with respect to the present invention is the continued ability of the arrangement to prevent debris from entering . the close fitting nature of the boot , the fact it is of much harder and less flexible material than flexible boots of the past , and its close fitting nature all contribute to the extreme reliability of the arrangement , even in environmentally adverse conditions . while a variety of materials can be used for molding the plastic boot 50 , at this point we continue to prefer oil filled nylon . oil filled nylon resists moisture absorption , which is a significant characteristic for some applications . nylon of thicknesses approximately those illustrated in the drawings , on the order of 0 . 125 inches , can be formed with sufficient elasticity and flexibility to allow the boot to pop over the spherical surface of the housing . the nylon also retains its shape and thus has sufficient resilience to close the gap and closely fit about the spherical surface . the material is subject to plastic creep over time , and this is resisted by the snap ring or other external mechanical restraint . other forms of plastic , known to those skilled in the art , will also be found suitable for providing these characteristics . all references , including publications , patent applications , and patents , cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein . the use of the terms “ a ” and “ an ” and “ the ” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention ( especially in the context of the following claims ) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural , unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context . the terms “ comprising ,” “ having ,” “ including ,” and “ containing ” are to be construed as open - ended terms ( i . e ., meaning “ including , but not limited to ,”) unless otherwise noted . recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range , unless otherwise indicated herein , and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein . all methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context . the use of any and all examples , or exemplary language ( e . g ., “ such as ”) provided herein , is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed . no language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non - claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention . preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein , including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention . variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description . the inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate , and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein . accordingly , this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law . moreover , any combination of the above - described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology'? | Is 'Performing Operations; Transporting' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | cd2749ae87106103d2cf8507c72c3e9d400907d9deff31ca1b402ea7382f9ea8 | 0.029297 | 0.014954 | 0.002548 | 0.014526 | 0.048096 | 0.021973 |
null | turning now to the drawings , and particularly to fig2 , there is shown the components of a constant velocity joint used in practicing the present invention . like fig1 , an input shaft 21 is coupled to an output shaft 32 by means of the constant velocity joint . in the fig2 embodiment an outer housing or body 50 of particular configuration encloses the remaining conventional elements of the constant velocity joint . the body has races 23 , and the joint also includes an inner race 25 , also having races , drive balls 26 and a cage 28 . the inner race 25 has a splined opening to receive the splined end 31 of the output shaft 32 . thus , the shaft 32 can flex at any angle with respect to the input shaft 21 . the maximum angle which can be accommodated without interference is on the order of 40 degrees . the outer surface 52 of the body 50 is formed as a smooth spherical surface for purposes now to be described . in practicing the invention a semi - rigid plastic boot 60 is provided . the boot has a smooth internal spherical surface 62 which is sized to match the spherical outer surface of the body . by matching the outer surface is meant that when the boot 60 is snapped into place over the body 50 , a sliding fit is provided between the mating spherical surfaces so that one shaft can move angularly with respect to the other while the boot simply slides over the spherical surface of the body to maintain a seal . it can be appreciated from fig2 that the boot 62 is larger than a half sphere . if the boot were simply a half sphere , it would be truncated at about the phantom line 64 shown dashed in fig2 . however , it extends beyond that such that where truncated at 65 , the inner diameter of the opening 66 is smaller than the inner diameter of the boot . as a result , the boot itself will simply not fit onto the outside of the spherical body without being forced thereon . thus , after the joint is assembled , the boot is forced downwardly over the spherical housing which causes the opening 66 to expand sufficiently to fit over the outer diameter of the spherical housing . the boot is sufficiently elastic that the opening momentarily expands to allow the boot to actually pop or snap into place , to assume a rest position in which the surfaces of the two spheres match as shown in fig2 . it is locked fairly firmly in this position by the resilience of the plastic material which creates a force which tends to close the opening 66 and thus maintain the locked and conformed condition between the two elements . this sliding fit which is thus provided between the two spherical surfaces is adequate to maintain the internal workings of the joint clean . to enhance the sealing effect , wiper grooves 70 are provided near the open end 66 which tend to wipe debris off exposed portions of the body 50 as the boot moves over those portions during angular movement of the two shafts . we have found that over time plastic creep of the material of the boot tends to relax the gripping action at the opening 66 . to counteract the plastic creep from opening a gap between the end 65 of the boot and the spherical surface 52 of the housing , we position a retaining ring 72 over the plastic boot , near the truncated end . the retaining ring can be , for example , a simple steel ring which is heat treated , then split , then put into the position shown in fig2 . the original diameter of the ring 72 before heat treatment is smaller than the diameter shown in ring 72 , such that when it is split and forced into place a gap is provided between the ends of the steel ring which causes a continued compressive force around the end of the plastic boot , tending to continually resist the effects of plastic creep . other forms of mechanical retainer can also be used , but we currently prefer the snap ring because of its simplicity and rugged reliability . the shaft end of the boot is provided with a sliding fit over the outside of shaft 32 . the end portion of the shaft 32 which mates with the boot is a relatively smooth shaft section , and the boot has a cylindrical flange 80 having an inner surface 82 which closely fits over the shaft 32 . a series of grooves 84 are formed on the inside of the cylindrical surface to provide a series of wipers 85 which tend to scrape collected debris from the shaft , upon relative movement , thereby to prevent the introduction of contaminants into the housing via the shaft . referring briefly to fig3 and 4 , fig3 is similar to fig2 and is provided for reference . fig4 shows the condition when the output shaft 32 is flexed by about 40 degrees with respect to the input shaft 21 . it will be seen that the inside spherical surface 62 of the boot 60 continues to conform to the outer spherical surface 52 of the housing 50 during the entire angular movement of one shaft with respect to the other . the upper portion of the boot 62 covers a greater and greater section of the upper spherical portion , whereas the lower section of the boot slides to very near the tip . it is also noted that the angle of the internal cage has flexed to accommodate the angular motion of the shafts and keep the balls in the constant velocity plane . however , the important thing to note with respect to the present invention is the continued ability of the arrangement to prevent debris from entering . the close fitting nature of the boot , the fact it is of much harder and less flexible material than flexible boots of the past , and its close fitting nature all contribute to the extreme reliability of the arrangement , even in environmentally adverse conditions . while a variety of materials can be used for molding the plastic boot 50 , at this point we continue to prefer oil filled nylon . oil filled nylon resists moisture absorption , which is a significant characteristic for some applications . nylon of thicknesses approximately those illustrated in the drawings , on the order of 0 . 125 inches , can be formed with sufficient elasticity and flexibility to allow the boot to pop over the spherical surface of the housing . the nylon also retains its shape and thus has sufficient resilience to close the gap and closely fit about the spherical surface . the material is subject to plastic creep over time , and this is resisted by the snap ring or other external mechanical restraint . other forms of plastic , known to those skilled in the art , will also be found suitable for providing these characteristics . all references , including publications , patent applications , and patents , cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein . the use of the terms “ a ” and “ an ” and “ the ” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention ( especially in the context of the following claims ) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural , unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context . the terms “ comprising ,” “ having ,” “ including ,” and “ containing ” are to be construed as open - ended terms ( i . e ., meaning “ including , but not limited to ,”) unless otherwise noted . recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range , unless otherwise indicated herein , and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein . all methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context . the use of any and all examples , or exemplary language ( e . g ., “ such as ”) provided herein , is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed . no language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non - claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention . preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein , including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention . variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description . the inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate , and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein . accordingly , this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law . moreover , any combination of the above - described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology'? | Is 'Chemistry; Metallurgy' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | cd2749ae87106103d2cf8507c72c3e9d400907d9deff31ca1b402ea7382f9ea8 | 0.029297 | 0.001099 | 0.002548 | 0.000278 | 0.048096 | 0.000881 |
null | turning now to the drawings , and particularly to fig2 , there is shown the components of a constant velocity joint used in practicing the present invention . like fig1 , an input shaft 21 is coupled to an output shaft 32 by means of the constant velocity joint . in the fig2 embodiment an outer housing or body 50 of particular configuration encloses the remaining conventional elements of the constant velocity joint . the body has races 23 , and the joint also includes an inner race 25 , also having races , drive balls 26 and a cage 28 . the inner race 25 has a splined opening to receive the splined end 31 of the output shaft 32 . thus , the shaft 32 can flex at any angle with respect to the input shaft 21 . the maximum angle which can be accommodated without interference is on the order of 40 degrees . the outer surface 52 of the body 50 is formed as a smooth spherical surface for purposes now to be described . in practicing the invention a semi - rigid plastic boot 60 is provided . the boot has a smooth internal spherical surface 62 which is sized to match the spherical outer surface of the body . by matching the outer surface is meant that when the boot 60 is snapped into place over the body 50 , a sliding fit is provided between the mating spherical surfaces so that one shaft can move angularly with respect to the other while the boot simply slides over the spherical surface of the body to maintain a seal . it can be appreciated from fig2 that the boot 62 is larger than a half sphere . if the boot were simply a half sphere , it would be truncated at about the phantom line 64 shown dashed in fig2 . however , it extends beyond that such that where truncated at 65 , the inner diameter of the opening 66 is smaller than the inner diameter of the boot . as a result , the boot itself will simply not fit onto the outside of the spherical body without being forced thereon . thus , after the joint is assembled , the boot is forced downwardly over the spherical housing which causes the opening 66 to expand sufficiently to fit over the outer diameter of the spherical housing . the boot is sufficiently elastic that the opening momentarily expands to allow the boot to actually pop or snap into place , to assume a rest position in which the surfaces of the two spheres match as shown in fig2 . it is locked fairly firmly in this position by the resilience of the plastic material which creates a force which tends to close the opening 66 and thus maintain the locked and conformed condition between the two elements . this sliding fit which is thus provided between the two spherical surfaces is adequate to maintain the internal workings of the joint clean . to enhance the sealing effect , wiper grooves 70 are provided near the open end 66 which tend to wipe debris off exposed portions of the body 50 as the boot moves over those portions during angular movement of the two shafts . we have found that over time plastic creep of the material of the boot tends to relax the gripping action at the opening 66 . to counteract the plastic creep from opening a gap between the end 65 of the boot and the spherical surface 52 of the housing , we position a retaining ring 72 over the plastic boot , near the truncated end . the retaining ring can be , for example , a simple steel ring which is heat treated , then split , then put into the position shown in fig2 . the original diameter of the ring 72 before heat treatment is smaller than the diameter shown in ring 72 , such that when it is split and forced into place a gap is provided between the ends of the steel ring which causes a continued compressive force around the end of the plastic boot , tending to continually resist the effects of plastic creep . other forms of mechanical retainer can also be used , but we currently prefer the snap ring because of its simplicity and rugged reliability . the shaft end of the boot is provided with a sliding fit over the outside of shaft 32 . the end portion of the shaft 32 which mates with the boot is a relatively smooth shaft section , and the boot has a cylindrical flange 80 having an inner surface 82 which closely fits over the shaft 32 . a series of grooves 84 are formed on the inside of the cylindrical surface to provide a series of wipers 85 which tend to scrape collected debris from the shaft , upon relative movement , thereby to prevent the introduction of contaminants into the housing via the shaft . referring briefly to fig3 and 4 , fig3 is similar to fig2 and is provided for reference . fig4 shows the condition when the output shaft 32 is flexed by about 40 degrees with respect to the input shaft 21 . it will be seen that the inside spherical surface 62 of the boot 60 continues to conform to the outer spherical surface 52 of the housing 50 during the entire angular movement of one shaft with respect to the other . the upper portion of the boot 62 covers a greater and greater section of the upper spherical portion , whereas the lower section of the boot slides to very near the tip . it is also noted that the angle of the internal cage has flexed to accommodate the angular motion of the shafts and keep the balls in the constant velocity plane . however , the important thing to note with respect to the present invention is the continued ability of the arrangement to prevent debris from entering . the close fitting nature of the boot , the fact it is of much harder and less flexible material than flexible boots of the past , and its close fitting nature all contribute to the extreme reliability of the arrangement , even in environmentally adverse conditions . while a variety of materials can be used for molding the plastic boot 50 , at this point we continue to prefer oil filled nylon . oil filled nylon resists moisture absorption , which is a significant characteristic for some applications . nylon of thicknesses approximately those illustrated in the drawings , on the order of 0 . 125 inches , can be formed with sufficient elasticity and flexibility to allow the boot to pop over the spherical surface of the housing . the nylon also retains its shape and thus has sufficient resilience to close the gap and closely fit about the spherical surface . the material is subject to plastic creep over time , and this is resisted by the snap ring or other external mechanical restraint . other forms of plastic , known to those skilled in the art , will also be found suitable for providing these characteristics . all references , including publications , patent applications , and patents , cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein . the use of the terms “ a ” and “ an ” and “ the ” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention ( especially in the context of the following claims ) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural , unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context . the terms “ comprising ,” “ having ,” “ including ,” and “ containing ” are to be construed as open - ended terms ( i . e ., meaning “ including , but not limited to ,”) unless otherwise noted . recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range , unless otherwise indicated herein , and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein . all methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context . the use of any and all examples , or exemplary language ( e . g ., “ such as ”) provided herein , is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed . no language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non - claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention . preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein , including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention . variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description . the inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate , and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein . accordingly , this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law . moreover , any combination of the above - described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology'? | Is 'Textiles; Paper' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | cd2749ae87106103d2cf8507c72c3e9d400907d9deff31ca1b402ea7382f9ea8 | 0.029297 | 0.001701 | 0.002548 | 0.000045 | 0.048096 | 0.005219 |
null | turning now to the drawings , and particularly to fig2 , there is shown the components of a constant velocity joint used in practicing the present invention . like fig1 , an input shaft 21 is coupled to an output shaft 32 by means of the constant velocity joint . in the fig2 embodiment an outer housing or body 50 of particular configuration encloses the remaining conventional elements of the constant velocity joint . the body has races 23 , and the joint also includes an inner race 25 , also having races , drive balls 26 and a cage 28 . the inner race 25 has a splined opening to receive the splined end 31 of the output shaft 32 . thus , the shaft 32 can flex at any angle with respect to the input shaft 21 . the maximum angle which can be accommodated without interference is on the order of 40 degrees . the outer surface 52 of the body 50 is formed as a smooth spherical surface for purposes now to be described . in practicing the invention a semi - rigid plastic boot 60 is provided . the boot has a smooth internal spherical surface 62 which is sized to match the spherical outer surface of the body . by matching the outer surface is meant that when the boot 60 is snapped into place over the body 50 , a sliding fit is provided between the mating spherical surfaces so that one shaft can move angularly with respect to the other while the boot simply slides over the spherical surface of the body to maintain a seal . it can be appreciated from fig2 that the boot 62 is larger than a half sphere . if the boot were simply a half sphere , it would be truncated at about the phantom line 64 shown dashed in fig2 . however , it extends beyond that such that where truncated at 65 , the inner diameter of the opening 66 is smaller than the inner diameter of the boot . as a result , the boot itself will simply not fit onto the outside of the spherical body without being forced thereon . thus , after the joint is assembled , the boot is forced downwardly over the spherical housing which causes the opening 66 to expand sufficiently to fit over the outer diameter of the spherical housing . the boot is sufficiently elastic that the opening momentarily expands to allow the boot to actually pop or snap into place , to assume a rest position in which the surfaces of the two spheres match as shown in fig2 . it is locked fairly firmly in this position by the resilience of the plastic material which creates a force which tends to close the opening 66 and thus maintain the locked and conformed condition between the two elements . this sliding fit which is thus provided between the two spherical surfaces is adequate to maintain the internal workings of the joint clean . to enhance the sealing effect , wiper grooves 70 are provided near the open end 66 which tend to wipe debris off exposed portions of the body 50 as the boot moves over those portions during angular movement of the two shafts . we have found that over time plastic creep of the material of the boot tends to relax the gripping action at the opening 66 . to counteract the plastic creep from opening a gap between the end 65 of the boot and the spherical surface 52 of the housing , we position a retaining ring 72 over the plastic boot , near the truncated end . the retaining ring can be , for example , a simple steel ring which is heat treated , then split , then put into the position shown in fig2 . the original diameter of the ring 72 before heat treatment is smaller than the diameter shown in ring 72 , such that when it is split and forced into place a gap is provided between the ends of the steel ring which causes a continued compressive force around the end of the plastic boot , tending to continually resist the effects of plastic creep . other forms of mechanical retainer can also be used , but we currently prefer the snap ring because of its simplicity and rugged reliability . the shaft end of the boot is provided with a sliding fit over the outside of shaft 32 . the end portion of the shaft 32 which mates with the boot is a relatively smooth shaft section , and the boot has a cylindrical flange 80 having an inner surface 82 which closely fits over the shaft 32 . a series of grooves 84 are formed on the inside of the cylindrical surface to provide a series of wipers 85 which tend to scrape collected debris from the shaft , upon relative movement , thereby to prevent the introduction of contaminants into the housing via the shaft . referring briefly to fig3 and 4 , fig3 is similar to fig2 and is provided for reference . fig4 shows the condition when the output shaft 32 is flexed by about 40 degrees with respect to the input shaft 21 . it will be seen that the inside spherical surface 62 of the boot 60 continues to conform to the outer spherical surface 52 of the housing 50 during the entire angular movement of one shaft with respect to the other . the upper portion of the boot 62 covers a greater and greater section of the upper spherical portion , whereas the lower section of the boot slides to very near the tip . it is also noted that the angle of the internal cage has flexed to accommodate the angular motion of the shafts and keep the balls in the constant velocity plane . however , the important thing to note with respect to the present invention is the continued ability of the arrangement to prevent debris from entering . the close fitting nature of the boot , the fact it is of much harder and less flexible material than flexible boots of the past , and its close fitting nature all contribute to the extreme reliability of the arrangement , even in environmentally adverse conditions . while a variety of materials can be used for molding the plastic boot 50 , at this point we continue to prefer oil filled nylon . oil filled nylon resists moisture absorption , which is a significant characteristic for some applications . nylon of thicknesses approximately those illustrated in the drawings , on the order of 0 . 125 inches , can be formed with sufficient elasticity and flexibility to allow the boot to pop over the spherical surface of the housing . the nylon also retains its shape and thus has sufficient resilience to close the gap and closely fit about the spherical surface . the material is subject to plastic creep over time , and this is resisted by the snap ring or other external mechanical restraint . other forms of plastic , known to those skilled in the art , will also be found suitable for providing these characteristics . all references , including publications , patent applications , and patents , cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein . the use of the terms “ a ” and “ an ” and “ the ” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention ( especially in the context of the following claims ) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural , unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context . the terms “ comprising ,” “ having ,” “ including ,” and “ containing ” are to be construed as open - ended terms ( i . e ., meaning “ including , but not limited to ,”) unless otherwise noted . recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range , unless otherwise indicated herein , and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein . all methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context . the use of any and all examples , or exemplary language ( e . g ., “ such as ”) provided herein , is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed . no language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non - claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention . preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein , including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention . variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description . the inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate , and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein . accordingly , this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law . moreover , any combination of the above - described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology'? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Fixed Constructions'? | 0.25 | cd2749ae87106103d2cf8507c72c3e9d400907d9deff31ca1b402ea7382f9ea8 | 0.029297 | 0.0065 | 0.002548 | 0.003937 | 0.049561 | 0.008057 |
null | turning now to the drawings , and particularly to fig2 , there is shown the components of a constant velocity joint used in practicing the present invention . like fig1 , an input shaft 21 is coupled to an output shaft 32 by means of the constant velocity joint . in the fig2 embodiment an outer housing or body 50 of particular configuration encloses the remaining conventional elements of the constant velocity joint . the body has races 23 , and the joint also includes an inner race 25 , also having races , drive balls 26 and a cage 28 . the inner race 25 has a splined opening to receive the splined end 31 of the output shaft 32 . thus , the shaft 32 can flex at any angle with respect to the input shaft 21 . the maximum angle which can be accommodated without interference is on the order of 40 degrees . the outer surface 52 of the body 50 is formed as a smooth spherical surface for purposes now to be described . in practicing the invention a semi - rigid plastic boot 60 is provided . the boot has a smooth internal spherical surface 62 which is sized to match the spherical outer surface of the body . by matching the outer surface is meant that when the boot 60 is snapped into place over the body 50 , a sliding fit is provided between the mating spherical surfaces so that one shaft can move angularly with respect to the other while the boot simply slides over the spherical surface of the body to maintain a seal . it can be appreciated from fig2 that the boot 62 is larger than a half sphere . if the boot were simply a half sphere , it would be truncated at about the phantom line 64 shown dashed in fig2 . however , it extends beyond that such that where truncated at 65 , the inner diameter of the opening 66 is smaller than the inner diameter of the boot . as a result , the boot itself will simply not fit onto the outside of the spherical body without being forced thereon . thus , after the joint is assembled , the boot is forced downwardly over the spherical housing which causes the opening 66 to expand sufficiently to fit over the outer diameter of the spherical housing . the boot is sufficiently elastic that the opening momentarily expands to allow the boot to actually pop or snap into place , to assume a rest position in which the surfaces of the two spheres match as shown in fig2 . it is locked fairly firmly in this position by the resilience of the plastic material which creates a force which tends to close the opening 66 and thus maintain the locked and conformed condition between the two elements . this sliding fit which is thus provided between the two spherical surfaces is adequate to maintain the internal workings of the joint clean . to enhance the sealing effect , wiper grooves 70 are provided near the open end 66 which tend to wipe debris off exposed portions of the body 50 as the boot moves over those portions during angular movement of the two shafts . we have found that over time plastic creep of the material of the boot tends to relax the gripping action at the opening 66 . to counteract the plastic creep from opening a gap between the end 65 of the boot and the spherical surface 52 of the housing , we position a retaining ring 72 over the plastic boot , near the truncated end . the retaining ring can be , for example , a simple steel ring which is heat treated , then split , then put into the position shown in fig2 . the original diameter of the ring 72 before heat treatment is smaller than the diameter shown in ring 72 , such that when it is split and forced into place a gap is provided between the ends of the steel ring which causes a continued compressive force around the end of the plastic boot , tending to continually resist the effects of plastic creep . other forms of mechanical retainer can also be used , but we currently prefer the snap ring because of its simplicity and rugged reliability . the shaft end of the boot is provided with a sliding fit over the outside of shaft 32 . the end portion of the shaft 32 which mates with the boot is a relatively smooth shaft section , and the boot has a cylindrical flange 80 having an inner surface 82 which closely fits over the shaft 32 . a series of grooves 84 are formed on the inside of the cylindrical surface to provide a series of wipers 85 which tend to scrape collected debris from the shaft , upon relative movement , thereby to prevent the introduction of contaminants into the housing via the shaft . referring briefly to fig3 and 4 , fig3 is similar to fig2 and is provided for reference . fig4 shows the condition when the output shaft 32 is flexed by about 40 degrees with respect to the input shaft 21 . it will be seen that the inside spherical surface 62 of the boot 60 continues to conform to the outer spherical surface 52 of the housing 50 during the entire angular movement of one shaft with respect to the other . the upper portion of the boot 62 covers a greater and greater section of the upper spherical portion , whereas the lower section of the boot slides to very near the tip . it is also noted that the angle of the internal cage has flexed to accommodate the angular motion of the shafts and keep the balls in the constant velocity plane . however , the important thing to note with respect to the present invention is the continued ability of the arrangement to prevent debris from entering . the close fitting nature of the boot , the fact it is of much harder and less flexible material than flexible boots of the past , and its close fitting nature all contribute to the extreme reliability of the arrangement , even in environmentally adverse conditions . while a variety of materials can be used for molding the plastic boot 50 , at this point we continue to prefer oil filled nylon . oil filled nylon resists moisture absorption , which is a significant characteristic for some applications . nylon of thicknesses approximately those illustrated in the drawings , on the order of 0 . 125 inches , can be formed with sufficient elasticity and flexibility to allow the boot to pop over the spherical surface of the housing . the nylon also retains its shape and thus has sufficient resilience to close the gap and closely fit about the spherical surface . the material is subject to plastic creep over time , and this is resisted by the snap ring or other external mechanical restraint . other forms of plastic , known to those skilled in the art , will also be found suitable for providing these characteristics . all references , including publications , patent applications , and patents , cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein . the use of the terms “ a ” and “ an ” and “ the ” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention ( especially in the context of the following claims ) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural , unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context . the terms “ comprising ,” “ having ,” “ including ,” and “ containing ” are to be construed as open - ended terms ( i . e ., meaning “ including , but not limited to ,”) unless otherwise noted . recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range , unless otherwise indicated herein , and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein . all methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context . the use of any and all examples , or exemplary language ( e . g ., “ such as ”) provided herein , is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed . no language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non - claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention . preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein , including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention . variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description . the inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate , and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein . accordingly , this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law . moreover , any combination of the above - described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context . | Is 'General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology' the correct technical category for the patent? | Should this patent be classified under 'Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting'? | 0.25 | cd2749ae87106103d2cf8507c72c3e9d400907d9deff31ca1b402ea7382f9ea8 | 0.047363 | 0.000246 | 0.031982 | 0.000296 | 0.046631 | 0.002625 |
null | turning now to the drawings , and particularly to fig2 , there is shown the components of a constant velocity joint used in practicing the present invention . like fig1 , an input shaft 21 is coupled to an output shaft 32 by means of the constant velocity joint . in the fig2 embodiment an outer housing or body 50 of particular configuration encloses the remaining conventional elements of the constant velocity joint . the body has races 23 , and the joint also includes an inner race 25 , also having races , drive balls 26 and a cage 28 . the inner race 25 has a splined opening to receive the splined end 31 of the output shaft 32 . thus , the shaft 32 can flex at any angle with respect to the input shaft 21 . the maximum angle which can be accommodated without interference is on the order of 40 degrees . the outer surface 52 of the body 50 is formed as a smooth spherical surface for purposes now to be described . in practicing the invention a semi - rigid plastic boot 60 is provided . the boot has a smooth internal spherical surface 62 which is sized to match the spherical outer surface of the body . by matching the outer surface is meant that when the boot 60 is snapped into place over the body 50 , a sliding fit is provided between the mating spherical surfaces so that one shaft can move angularly with respect to the other while the boot simply slides over the spherical surface of the body to maintain a seal . it can be appreciated from fig2 that the boot 62 is larger than a half sphere . if the boot were simply a half sphere , it would be truncated at about the phantom line 64 shown dashed in fig2 . however , it extends beyond that such that where truncated at 65 , the inner diameter of the opening 66 is smaller than the inner diameter of the boot . as a result , the boot itself will simply not fit onto the outside of the spherical body without being forced thereon . thus , after the joint is assembled , the boot is forced downwardly over the spherical housing which causes the opening 66 to expand sufficiently to fit over the outer diameter of the spherical housing . the boot is sufficiently elastic that the opening momentarily expands to allow the boot to actually pop or snap into place , to assume a rest position in which the surfaces of the two spheres match as shown in fig2 . it is locked fairly firmly in this position by the resilience of the plastic material which creates a force which tends to close the opening 66 and thus maintain the locked and conformed condition between the two elements . this sliding fit which is thus provided between the two spherical surfaces is adequate to maintain the internal workings of the joint clean . to enhance the sealing effect , wiper grooves 70 are provided near the open end 66 which tend to wipe debris off exposed portions of the body 50 as the boot moves over those portions during angular movement of the two shafts . we have found that over time plastic creep of the material of the boot tends to relax the gripping action at the opening 66 . to counteract the plastic creep from opening a gap between the end 65 of the boot and the spherical surface 52 of the housing , we position a retaining ring 72 over the plastic boot , near the truncated end . the retaining ring can be , for example , a simple steel ring which is heat treated , then split , then put into the position shown in fig2 . the original diameter of the ring 72 before heat treatment is smaller than the diameter shown in ring 72 , such that when it is split and forced into place a gap is provided between the ends of the steel ring which causes a continued compressive force around the end of the plastic boot , tending to continually resist the effects of plastic creep . other forms of mechanical retainer can also be used , but we currently prefer the snap ring because of its simplicity and rugged reliability . the shaft end of the boot is provided with a sliding fit over the outside of shaft 32 . the end portion of the shaft 32 which mates with the boot is a relatively smooth shaft section , and the boot has a cylindrical flange 80 having an inner surface 82 which closely fits over the shaft 32 . a series of grooves 84 are formed on the inside of the cylindrical surface to provide a series of wipers 85 which tend to scrape collected debris from the shaft , upon relative movement , thereby to prevent the introduction of contaminants into the housing via the shaft . referring briefly to fig3 and 4 , fig3 is similar to fig2 and is provided for reference . fig4 shows the condition when the output shaft 32 is flexed by about 40 degrees with respect to the input shaft 21 . it will be seen that the inside spherical surface 62 of the boot 60 continues to conform to the outer spherical surface 52 of the housing 50 during the entire angular movement of one shaft with respect to the other . the upper portion of the boot 62 covers a greater and greater section of the upper spherical portion , whereas the lower section of the boot slides to very near the tip . it is also noted that the angle of the internal cage has flexed to accommodate the angular motion of the shafts and keep the balls in the constant velocity plane . however , the important thing to note with respect to the present invention is the continued ability of the arrangement to prevent debris from entering . the close fitting nature of the boot , the fact it is of much harder and less flexible material than flexible boots of the past , and its close fitting nature all contribute to the extreme reliability of the arrangement , even in environmentally adverse conditions . while a variety of materials can be used for molding the plastic boot 50 , at this point we continue to prefer oil filled nylon . oil filled nylon resists moisture absorption , which is a significant characteristic for some applications . nylon of thicknesses approximately those illustrated in the drawings , on the order of 0 . 125 inches , can be formed with sufficient elasticity and flexibility to allow the boot to pop over the spherical surface of the housing . the nylon also retains its shape and thus has sufficient resilience to close the gap and closely fit about the spherical surface . the material is subject to plastic creep over time , and this is resisted by the snap ring or other external mechanical restraint . other forms of plastic , known to those skilled in the art , will also be found suitable for providing these characteristics . all references , including publications , patent applications , and patents , cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein . the use of the terms “ a ” and “ an ” and “ the ” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention ( especially in the context of the following claims ) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural , unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context . the terms “ comprising ,” “ having ,” “ including ,” and “ containing ” are to be construed as open - ended terms ( i . e ., meaning “ including , but not limited to ,”) unless otherwise noted . recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range , unless otherwise indicated herein , and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein . all methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context . the use of any and all examples , or exemplary language ( e . g ., “ such as ”) provided herein , is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed . no language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non - claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention . preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein , including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention . variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description . the inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate , and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein . accordingly , this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law . moreover , any combination of the above - described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context . | Should this patent be classified under 'General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology'? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Physics'? | 0.25 | cd2749ae87106103d2cf8507c72c3e9d400907d9deff31ca1b402ea7382f9ea8 | 0.051025 | 0.095215 | 0.055908 | 0.0065 | 0.050293 | 0.087402 |
null | turning now to the drawings , and particularly to fig2 , there is shown the components of a constant velocity joint used in practicing the present invention . like fig1 , an input shaft 21 is coupled to an output shaft 32 by means of the constant velocity joint . in the fig2 embodiment an outer housing or body 50 of particular configuration encloses the remaining conventional elements of the constant velocity joint . the body has races 23 , and the joint also includes an inner race 25 , also having races , drive balls 26 and a cage 28 . the inner race 25 has a splined opening to receive the splined end 31 of the output shaft 32 . thus , the shaft 32 can flex at any angle with respect to the input shaft 21 . the maximum angle which can be accommodated without interference is on the order of 40 degrees . the outer surface 52 of the body 50 is formed as a smooth spherical surface for purposes now to be described . in practicing the invention a semi - rigid plastic boot 60 is provided . the boot has a smooth internal spherical surface 62 which is sized to match the spherical outer surface of the body . by matching the outer surface is meant that when the boot 60 is snapped into place over the body 50 , a sliding fit is provided between the mating spherical surfaces so that one shaft can move angularly with respect to the other while the boot simply slides over the spherical surface of the body to maintain a seal . it can be appreciated from fig2 that the boot 62 is larger than a half sphere . if the boot were simply a half sphere , it would be truncated at about the phantom line 64 shown dashed in fig2 . however , it extends beyond that such that where truncated at 65 , the inner diameter of the opening 66 is smaller than the inner diameter of the boot . as a result , the boot itself will simply not fit onto the outside of the spherical body without being forced thereon . thus , after the joint is assembled , the boot is forced downwardly over the spherical housing which causes the opening 66 to expand sufficiently to fit over the outer diameter of the spherical housing . the boot is sufficiently elastic that the opening momentarily expands to allow the boot to actually pop or snap into place , to assume a rest position in which the surfaces of the two spheres match as shown in fig2 . it is locked fairly firmly in this position by the resilience of the plastic material which creates a force which tends to close the opening 66 and thus maintain the locked and conformed condition between the two elements . this sliding fit which is thus provided between the two spherical surfaces is adequate to maintain the internal workings of the joint clean . to enhance the sealing effect , wiper grooves 70 are provided near the open end 66 which tend to wipe debris off exposed portions of the body 50 as the boot moves over those portions during angular movement of the two shafts . we have found that over time plastic creep of the material of the boot tends to relax the gripping action at the opening 66 . to counteract the plastic creep from opening a gap between the end 65 of the boot and the spherical surface 52 of the housing , we position a retaining ring 72 over the plastic boot , near the truncated end . the retaining ring can be , for example , a simple steel ring which is heat treated , then split , then put into the position shown in fig2 . the original diameter of the ring 72 before heat treatment is smaller than the diameter shown in ring 72 , such that when it is split and forced into place a gap is provided between the ends of the steel ring which causes a continued compressive force around the end of the plastic boot , tending to continually resist the effects of plastic creep . other forms of mechanical retainer can also be used , but we currently prefer the snap ring because of its simplicity and rugged reliability . the shaft end of the boot is provided with a sliding fit over the outside of shaft 32 . the end portion of the shaft 32 which mates with the boot is a relatively smooth shaft section , and the boot has a cylindrical flange 80 having an inner surface 82 which closely fits over the shaft 32 . a series of grooves 84 are formed on the inside of the cylindrical surface to provide a series of wipers 85 which tend to scrape collected debris from the shaft , upon relative movement , thereby to prevent the introduction of contaminants into the housing via the shaft . referring briefly to fig3 and 4 , fig3 is similar to fig2 and is provided for reference . fig4 shows the condition when the output shaft 32 is flexed by about 40 degrees with respect to the input shaft 21 . it will be seen that the inside spherical surface 62 of the boot 60 continues to conform to the outer spherical surface 52 of the housing 50 during the entire angular movement of one shaft with respect to the other . the upper portion of the boot 62 covers a greater and greater section of the upper spherical portion , whereas the lower section of the boot slides to very near the tip . it is also noted that the angle of the internal cage has flexed to accommodate the angular motion of the shafts and keep the balls in the constant velocity plane . however , the important thing to note with respect to the present invention is the continued ability of the arrangement to prevent debris from entering . the close fitting nature of the boot , the fact it is of much harder and less flexible material than flexible boots of the past , and its close fitting nature all contribute to the extreme reliability of the arrangement , even in environmentally adverse conditions . while a variety of materials can be used for molding the plastic boot 50 , at this point we continue to prefer oil filled nylon . oil filled nylon resists moisture absorption , which is a significant characteristic for some applications . nylon of thicknesses approximately those illustrated in the drawings , on the order of 0 . 125 inches , can be formed with sufficient elasticity and flexibility to allow the boot to pop over the spherical surface of the housing . the nylon also retains its shape and thus has sufficient resilience to close the gap and closely fit about the spherical surface . the material is subject to plastic creep over time , and this is resisted by the snap ring or other external mechanical restraint . other forms of plastic , known to those skilled in the art , will also be found suitable for providing these characteristics . all references , including publications , patent applications , and patents , cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein . the use of the terms “ a ” and “ an ” and “ the ” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention ( especially in the context of the following claims ) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural , unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context . the terms “ comprising ,” “ having ,” “ including ,” and “ containing ” are to be construed as open - ended terms ( i . e ., meaning “ including , but not limited to ,”) unless otherwise noted . recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range , unless otherwise indicated herein , and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein . all methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context . the use of any and all examples , or exemplary language ( e . g ., “ such as ”) provided herein , is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed . no language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non - claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention . preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein , including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention . variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description . the inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate , and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein . accordingly , this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law . moreover , any combination of the above - described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context . | Is 'General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology' the correct technical category for the patent? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Electricity'? | 0.25 | cd2749ae87106103d2cf8507c72c3e9d400907d9deff31ca1b402ea7382f9ea8 | 0.047363 | 0.000216 | 0.032471 | 0.000024 | 0.046631 | 0.000031 |
null | this invention pertains to pigment micro - agglomerate coloring systems for coloring synthetic fibers and textile materials , either permanently or temporarily . in the invention certain starch and cellulosic derivatives are softened with poly hydric alcohols to form glycolate modified derivatives ( gmd ). the gmd &# 39 ; s serve as thickener which encapsulates pigment particles to form a pigment - gmd agglomerate which in itself can be used for the temporary coloring of synthetic textile materials . the pigment - gmd agglomerate may be colloidally combined with a latex binder to form a complex pigment - gmd - binder agglomerate . this pigment micro - agglomerate complex may be deposited on textile materials from print rolls or pad rolls to yield a coloring system which is soft , durable and fast to washing and dry cleaning . referring now to the drawings , the three figures illustrate in a diagrammatic way the steps in the formation of the pigment micro - agglomerate complex of the present invention . fig1 illustrates the first or modification step . non - colloidial , hydrophilic molecules of poly hydric compounds , such as glycerin , 1 , 3 butylene glycol , 1 , 4 butylene glycol and 1 , 2 propylene glycol are solvated into hydrophilic colloidal molecules or particles by heating the components for 60 to 90 minues between 100 ° and 140 ° f . with an acid added to maintain a ph between 4 and 6 . the resultant particles are permanently modified and are called glycolate modified derivatives , gmd . the next step is the pigment sensitization step , as illustrated in fig2 . the glycolate modified derivatives are combined colloidally with pigment particles by heating between 100 °- 140 ° f . for 60 to 90 minutes maintaining a ph of 6 . 5 to 7 . 5 . the resultant pigment sensitive particles , psp , may be used for temporary coloring , as described hereinafter . the third step is the pigment agglomeration step , as illustrated in fig3 . in this step the psp are agglomerated with lyophilic colloidal molecules or particles by mixing under mild agitation for 60 to 90 minutes while maintaining a ph of 6 . 5 to 7 . 5 . the resulting pigment agglomerate particles , pap , are very hydrophilic , complexing numerous water molecules , such that a thickening action still prevails of the required viscosity for effective application by print rolls or pad rolls to textile materials . this resultant pap , when deposited on the surface of the textile materials will be firmly affixed by the function of the binder which bonds the whole complex in place . the glycolate modified derivative , gmd , as part of this complex is also affixed , and is soft , and contributes to providing good properties of color yield , comfort , hand , and wet crock . the inventon includes a very effective means to form soft , flexible starch and cellulose derivatives . the ability to make these soft , thickener type derivatives is crucial to this invention . the glycolate modified derivatives , as we have termed them , are made by the acid reaction of low molecular weight glycols with starch or cellulosic derivatives . the starch or cellulosic derivatives are reacted under acid conditions with the glycols . we believe the mechanism of reaction to be the formation of hydrocellulose by the hydrolysis attack of the acid of the 1 , 4 ether linkage of the cellulose and starch chains , of course cellulose chains being composed of beta - glucose molecules , and starch of alpha - glucose molecules . the beta - glucose molecules of cellulose we can represent by r b and the alpha glucose molecules of starch as r s . therefore , the structured formula for cellulose and starch can be represented as such : ## str1 ## we must understand that the r b unit of cellulose -- ## str2 ## can form various derivatives with the available hydroxy groups being reacted . the same for the r s unit of starch -- ## str3 ## hence , in this specification , we will represent the various derivatives as they are reacted with the available hydroxyl groups . for hydroxy ethyl cellulose , we have ## str4 ## for acetylated starch , we have -- ## str5 ## in the making of the glycolate modified derivative -- gmd , hydroxy ethyl cellulose and acetylated starch are reacted with glycerine , 1 , 3 propylene glycol , 1 , 4 butylene glycol , or 1 , 3 butylene glycol . the reaction is carried out at an acid ph . for hydroxy ethyl cellulose and 1 , 3 propylene glycol -- ## str6 ## for acetylated starch and 1 , 3 propylene glycol -- ## str7 ## the essential result of the above reactions is that the unmodified hydroxy ethyl cellulose , and acetylated starch derivatives give films that are clear , but brittle and stiff . after reaction or modification with the propylene glycol , they give films that are clear , but flexible , not brittle . the reacton conditions are to dissolve the hydroxy ethyl cellulose , or acetylated starch , in water at a concentration of anywhere from 0 . 05 - 20 %, add formic acid to adjust the ph to 4 - 5 , add the 1 , 3 propylene glycol at a concentration of 0 . 01 - 10 %, and react at a temperature of 160 °- 180 ° for 30 - 90 minutes . as the reaction proceeds , a definite change can be noted . at first , the viscosity of the reacting solution will drop , and become increasingly clear , but then begins to increase and take on a haze . we theorize that the derivatives are first hydrolzed , and then crosslinked with the glycols to form glycolates . the kinds of products that can be made are numerous , by varying the reaction conditions and the reactants . many different acids besides formic can be used , such as acetic , oxalic , tartaric , citric , i . e ., the organic acids , not the mineral acids . different glycols besides propylene glycol can be used such as glycerin , 1 , 2 and , 1 , 4 butylene glycol , dihydroxy acetone and others , as long as there are two hydroxy groups in terminal reactive positions , and the molecular weight is not to high to lose solubility in water . after the formation of the glycolate modified derivative , gmd , the next step is pigment sensitization . the pigment color is added to the gmd solution , at a concentration of 0 . 25 - 15 % dependent on the depth of shade required , and the corresponding concentration of the gmd . the ph is adjusted with ammonia to 6 . 5 - 7 . 5 . the temperature is brought to 120 °- 140 ° f ., and the solution is held under mild agitation for 60 to 90 minutes . the gmd will migrate and encapsulate , colloidally , the pigment particles . the viscosity of the solution will adjust at this point , becoming lower . the pigment is completely encapsulated , and we refer to this as sensitizing the pigment particles . interestingly enough , if pigment sensitized particles , psp &# 39 ; s in solution form , colloidally suspended , are cast onto a surface and dried , they are completely redispersible with water upon subsequent rewetting . in fact , the cleanup , either off the hands or off various surfaces , is easy and total . this property illustrates the complete encapsulation of the pigment , and this feature can be utilized to good purpose when it is desired to only temporarily color a substance , and then be able to remove said coloring without staining . the gmd &# 39 ; s of this invention are uniquely capable of sensitizing pigment particles , or encapsulating them . this action will work equally well on non - colored pigments or fillers as they are called . in fact , sensitized filler particles are easily incorporated into foam systems , so that they do not destabilize the foam , and in foam printing or coating , it is a distinct advantage to incorporate a high level of filler . after the sensitizing step , the next step is to form what we term the pigment agglomerate . to the psp solution , as made above , we now add binder which is in latex form . the binder is usually a film forming elastomer , and can be of any composition . this does not matter , nor does it restrict or confine the workings of this invention . what is important is that the polymeric binder be a latex or colloidal dispersion . this is added to a concentration of 0 . 25 - 20 %, and held at room ambient temperature , under mild agitation for 60 - 120 minutes . after awhile , it is apparent that the colloidal nature of the solution or mix has changed . the viscosity drops even lower , and a clear layer of liquid will form at the top of mix when agitation is stopped and the suspended particles begin to show signs of settling . this is typical of the situation of forming a larger agglomerate particle . instead of being in the particle size range of less than one micron , the particles now , if examined under a microscope and measured , are in the particle size range of 1 to 8 microns , more normally around 2 - 3 microns . the sensitized pigment - binder agglomerate is now formed . the pigment agglomerate particles , pap , so formed , are now very intimately admixed in a very unique and permanent manner . the efficiency of intermixing is intermolecular , such that secondary valence forces are holding the particles intermolecularly together , and much more effectively , or efficiently than could be accomplished by simple dispersion mixing . in this agglomerate form the glycolate derivatives , the pigment colors and the binders are so tightly bound up intermolecularly together , that they cannot now be separately extracted fron one another . upon subsequent application of this coloring system to textile substrates , and driving off the water , and heat curing to further adhesion , the system is very durable , and fast to washing and drycleaning . surprisingly , even the wet and dry crock resistance , or rub off of color , is markedly improved , and what is so important , the hand is soft and supple , due to the flexible nature of the glycolate derivatives , as opposed to other thickeners that are non - flexible and brittle . ______________________________________i making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10202 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 100 - acetylated starch3 . formic acid , 90 % 44 . diethylene glycol 20______________________________________ the kofilm 80 is an acetylated starch made by national starch company , plainfield , n . j ., which is dissolved in the water first by adding it slowly to the water , cold , under adequate agitation until completely dispersed . formic acid is added , followed by the diethylene glycol . the ph is checked to make certain it is in the range of 4 - 5 . the temperature is gradually raised to 180 ° f ., and held at this temperature , under mild agitation , for 90 minutes . the heat is removed , and the batch is allowed to drop in temperature to 120 ° f . the viscosity of the solution prior to the cook was 25 , 000 cps . ; after the cook 18 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 10 % 11442 . cu phythocayamine bluedispersion , 40 % 553 . ammonia to ph 6 . 5______________________________________ the blue pigment concentrate is added to the gmd solution , and then the solution adjusted with ammonia to a ph of 6 . 5 . the temperature of the solution is held at 120 ° f . for 60 minutes under mild agitation . the temperature is allowed to drop to ambient room temperature . the viscosity of the psp solution as made is 9 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii making the pap . formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 11 % 11992 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 100 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at ambient temperatures . the hycar 1561 is an elastomeric copolymer composed of about 55 % butadiene , and 45 % acrylonitrile , in the form of a latex , made by b . f . goodrich company , akron , ohio . the above solution is mildly agitated for 120 minutes , at which time distinct 3 - 8 micron agglomerate particles have formed . ______________________________________iv . print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 13 % 12992 . carbopol k - 934 - 5 % solution 13 . triton x100 14 . dodecyl alcohol . 55 . defoamer . 2______________________________________ additional chemicals are added to form the final print mix . the carbopol k - 934 is a thickener which is a copolymer of acrylic acid and acrylonitrile , made by b . f . goodrich company , added to adjust the print mix to a viscosity of 20 , 000 cps . the triton x - 100 is a nonionic wetting agent which is a condensation product of nonophenol and ethylene oxide , made by rohm and haas company , philadelphia , pa ., which is added to provide better print mix penetration and wetting of the textile goods . do decyl alcohol is added to give smoothness , and further wetting . a defoamer is added to control or prevent foaming during printing . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 50 - acetylated starch3 . formic acid , 90 % 44 . diethylene glycol 10______________________________________ the above is cooked at 160 ° f . for 70 minutes , under mild agitation . the viscosity of this gmd solution is 2800 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 5 . 5 % 10642 . cu phthocyanine bluedispersion 40 % 373 . ammonia to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ this solution is cooked for 40 minutes at 135 ° f . under mild agitation then dropped to ambient temperatures . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 6 . 7 % 11002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 50 - polyacrylic polymer3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 12 . 5 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation , for 120 ° f . minutes , after which time a distinct 3 - 8 micron agglomerate particles form . after this time interval , the pad dye solution is prepared as follows : ______________________________________iv . pad dyeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution 9 % 11602 . triton x100 0 . 53 . methocel , 15 cps . 0 . 94 . cymel 303 , 80 % ( mf resin ) 1 . 2 - butylated mela - mine resin5 . defoamer 0 . 3______________________________________ the gmd solution is made the same as example i , and so also the psp solution . the pigment agglomerate particles were made as follows : ______________________________________pap solutionformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 1 10002 . rhoplex ha - 8 , 46 % 32 - polyacrylic resin3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 37 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ this solution is held at ambient temperatures , under mild agitation , for 120 minutes . rhoplex ha - 8 is a self crosslinking polyethyl acrylate polymer in latex form from the rohm & amp ; haas company , philadelphia , pa . after the pigment agglomerate particles have formed , at from 3 - 10 microns , in size , the following print formula is made . ______________________________________print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . above pap solution , 13 % 10002 . alcogum l - 11 , 30 % 1 - polyacrylic acid3 . butylated melamine - formaldehyde resin 50 % 34 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ the viscosity of the print paste is 18 , 000 cps . this formula is particularly good on rayon or cotton goods . the gmd and psp solutions are made the same as example ii . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap solution formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 2 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 47 - polyacrylic resin3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 10 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ this is stirred at room temperature for 100 minutes , after which time the desired pigment agglomerate particles are formed at a particle size range of 2 - 8 microns . from this is made the following pigment pad formula . ______________________________________pad dye formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution from above8 . 7 % 10002 . methocel , 4000 cps . 0 . 93 . keltex 0 . 45 - protein gum4 . urea 0 . 45 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % 2 . 76 . trimethyol melamineresin , 80 % 3 . 07 . triton x100 0 . 48 . ammonium stearate , 30 % 0 . 129 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ this formula had a viscosity of 600 - 800 cps . this pigment pad formula is particularly good on polyester / cotton goods , giving a soft hand with good wash performance . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp 5200h , 90 % 10 - hydroxy ethyl cellulose3 . formic acid , 90 % 24 . diethylene glycol 4______________________________________ the cellosize qp5200 h , is an hydroxy ethyl cellulose made by union carbide corp ., new york , n . y ., which is dissolved in the water by first adding it to cold water to disperse it under adequate agitation , then adding the formic acid , followed by diethylene glycol . the temperature is gradually raised to 160 ° f . and held for 60 minutes under mild agitation . the heat is removed , and the batch let cool to 120 ° f . the viscosity of the batch prior to the cook was 50 , 000 cps . and after the cook 30 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts______________________________________1 . gmd solution 1 . 47 % 10002 . calcium phthocyanineblue dispersion , 40 % 503 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % to ph 6 . 7______________________________________ the blue pigment dispersion is added to the gmd solution , and then this solution is adjusted with ammonia to a ph of 6 . 7 . the temperature of the solution is held at 120 ° f . for 60 minutes under mild agitation . after the 60 minute interval , the temperature is dropped to room temperature . the viscosity of the psp solution is 20 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 3 . 5 % 10002 . hycar , 1561 , 40 % 100 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation for 120 minutes , after which time agglomerated particles are formed range in size from 2 - 10 microns . this is now made up in a print formula . the solution viscosity is 12 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iv print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 7 . 5 % 10002 . carbopol k - 934 , 5 % solution 33 . triton x - 100 14 . xylene 1 . 55 . defoamer 0 . 2______________________________________ this print mix has a viscosity of 20 , 000 cps . it prints very well from engraved rolls . the resultant prints are soft , and display excellent sharpness of print definition . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp5200h 73 . formic acid 24 . diethylene glycol 3______________________________________ the above is cooked for 90 minutes at 180 ° f ., under mild agitation . the viscosity of this solution is 25 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________gmd solution , 1 . 2 % 10002 . cuphthocyanine bluedispersion 40 % 353 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % to ph 6 . 7______________________________________ this solution is cooked for 60 minutes at 160 ° f ., under mild agitation , then dropped to room temperature . viscosity is 17 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 3 . 0 % 10002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 393 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 21______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation , for 120 minutes . after this time interval , a distinct range of agglomerate particles from 3 - 8 microns form . from this is now prepared the dye solution . viscosity 300 cps . ______________________________________iv . pad dyeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution 5 . 8 % 10002 . triton x100 0 . 53 . methocel , 15 cps . 0 . 94 . cymel 303 , 80 % ( mf resin ) 1 . 95 . defoamer 0 . 3______________________________________ the viscosity of the pad dye solution is 700 - 900 cps . this pad dye solution goes on very well , with excellent color yield and uniformity , with no migration of pigment upon drying . the gmd solution is made the same as cited in example v ., and so also for the psp solution . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap solutionformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 5 ( 3 . 5 %) 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 483 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 14______________________________________ this solution is mildly agitated at room temperature for 120 minutes to form the pigment agglomerate particles of size of 2 - 8 microns . this is now made up into the following print formula . ______________________________________print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . above pap solution , 6 % 10002 . alcogum l - 11 , 30 % 33 . butylated melamine - formal - dehyde resin , 50 % 3 . 04 . defoamer 0 . 2______________________________________ viscosity of this print paste is 22 , 000 cps . this print paste gives good definition of color , and a soft feel . the color yield was excellent . the gmd and psp solutions are made the same as example vi . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 6 , 3 . 0 % 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 243 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 7______________________________________ this solution is stirred at room temperature for 120 minutes , the pigment agglomerate particles form at a size of 2 - 8 microns . from this is made the following pigment pad formula . ______________________________________pad dye formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution from above , 4 . 5 % 10002 . keltex 1 . 23 . triton x100 0 . 44 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % 2 . 45 . ammonnium stearate , 30 % 3 . 06 . trimethylol melamineresin , 80 % 2 . 47 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ this formula had a viscosity of 400 - 600 cps . it padded on very well , gave a pleasing soft hand and excellent uniform coloring . the wash fastness is very good . at this point it is important to present comparative test data of the above pigment print and padding mixes as made by this invention versus conventional pigment print and padding systems . the evaluation data is presented in the following tables : ______________________________________ ratings wash lightprint color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example i 5 4 4 3 - 2 4 4example iii 4 4 4 4 - 3 4 - 3 4example v 4 4 4 3 - 2 5 - 4 4______________________________________ ______________________________________ ratings wash lightprint color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example vii 5 4 4 4 - 3 4 - 3 4conventionalphthlo blue 4 4 4 2 3 4conventional2phthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 4______________________________________ ratings : 5excellent , 4good , 3mod . good , 2fair , 1poor from the above table it can be seen that this invention has a desirable effect on hand and color yield . the wet crock is also improved over two conventional phthlo blue pigment print formulas supplied to the textile industry . the washfastness and dry crock are equivalent . ______________________________________ ratings wash lightpad dye color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example ii 4 4 4 3 3 - 4 4example iv 3 - 4 4 4 3 - 4 3 4example vi 4 4 4 3 3 - 4 4example 3 - 4 4 4 3 - 4 3 4viiiconventionalphthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 - 1 4conventional2phthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 - 1 4______________________________________ for pigment pad dyeing the examples of this invention are superior to conventional systems , the wet crock is improved , and the hand is dramatically better . the improvement in hand is very important for pigment pad dyeing , because the thickening agents that are currently used , even in very small amounts of actual deposition on the textile goods , cause stiffening . this has always been a drawback to pigment pad dyeing . also , in conventional systems to obtain washfastness , a substantial level of binding resin has to be employed . hence pigment pad dyeings that have good washfastness , have firm hands . by using the glycolate derivatives of this invention , and forming the pigment agglomerate with the binder , much less binder has to be used to achieve an equivalent level of washfastness , and coupled with glycolate derivative as a thickener , is softer in hand . this double effect now allows one to design pigment dye systems that are pleasing in hand and washfast . the glycolate derivatives are good as foam stabilizers , so as such are useful in foam print systems . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 1403 . formic acid , 90 % 64 . citric acid , 90 % 25 . diethylene glycol 30______________________________________ this cooked in the usual manner at 160 ° f . for 90 minutes , under mild agitation . the viscosity at the end of the cook is 40 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 15 % 10002 . itr red , 25 % 783 . ammonium hydroxide to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ this is cooked for 60 minutes at 160 ° f ., with mild agitation . the viscosity at the end of this cook is 30 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 15 % 10002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 623 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 19______________________________________ this solution is held at room temperature for 35 minutes , under mild agitation . the pigment agglomerate particle range in size from 1 . 5 - 4 . 0 microns . the viscosity of the pap solution is 8000 cps . ______________________________________iv . foam print compoundformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 15 % 20002 . dupanol me , 20 % 12 - lauryl sulfate3 . melamine formaldehyderesin , 50 % 84 . ammonium stearate , 30 % 1 . 5______________________________________ the above mix can be shipped into a foam with the use of a high speed mixer to give a foam of a density of 0 . 43 . this foam print compound is very stable , applys well with excellent pore structure and once applied yields a soft , flexible print . an interesting property of the pigment sensitized particle ( psp ) is that the pigment is completely encapsulated by the glycolate modified derivative . this means that if the psps are deposited upon a textile substrate , they can later be removed completely by water . this property can be used to advantage for the making of fugitive or nonstaining tints . there are times when it is desirable to tint a kind , or lot of fiber to identify it during the processing . after the processing is complete , then it is desirable to remove the tint completely without any staining . with dyes or pigments that are selected to have no affinity to a certain kind of fiber , staining still results ; and the wash procedure is quite involved to try to remove all of the dyestuff or pigment completely . however , the pigment sensitized particles ( psp ) will not stain the fiber regardless of composition and will wash out completely and easily with hot water , or mild soaping , hot or cold . this property has proved most effective in creating a craft for children , permitting them to color the hair of dolls . the hair coloring of dolls was not possible with prior art dyestuffs and pigments , since they would stain the doll &# 39 ; s hair no matter what fiber was used -- polypropylene , nylon , polyester , etc . in fact , the search to find dyestuffs or pigments that would easily wash out without staining has been long and unfruitful . the psp concept was tested and worked perfectly with a full range of colors . so the invention of micro - encapsulation of pigment particles with glycolate modified derivatives provides the development of a fugitive , non - staining hair coloring system , that can be used as a child &# 39 ; s activity . the making of this doll hair coloring system is as follows : ______________________________________i . making the glycolate modified derivativeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp100m , 90 % 153 . citric acid , 90 % 34 . glycerin 20______________________________________ this solution is cooked under mild agitation for 90 minutes at a temperature of 180 ° f . the viscosity of this cook is 36000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pigment sensitized particles______________________________________formula for redingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , above , 4 % 10002 . hercules red t . 10dispersion3 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 to ph 7 . 0______________________________________formula for violetingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution above , 4 % 10002 . carbizol violet 25dispersion3 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 % to ph 7 . 0______________________________________formula for browningredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , above 4 % 10002 . burnt umber dispersion 303 . black dispersion 34 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 % to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ the above solutions are cooked under mild agitation for 60 - 70 minutes at a temperature of 120 ° f . after this cook , the viscosity of this solution drops to range from 6 - 9000 cps . this makes for an excellent hair coloring mix or solution . it has just the right coverage viscosity to give an excellent comb thru application or coverage . the coloring mix is allowed to dry , whereby the artificial hair , usually nylon fiber , is uniformly colored . this coloring can be very easily and completely removed by washing in warm water , or a mild , cold water soap solution . this feature is essential to the haircoloring activity for children , whereby they can change the color of the hair on the doll at will , without staining or hurting the condition of the hair fiber . the glycolate derivative has added features of being soft , and flexible with dry surface feel , and acts like a hair conditioner to add high lite , suppleness and smoothness of feel . without the ability of the glycolate modified deriviative to act as a soft hair conditioner , and also , able to form a micro agglomerate and encapsulation of the coloring pigment , the hair coloring activity for dolls for children would not be a commercial reality . | Is 'Textiles; Paper' the correct technical category for the patent? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Human Necessities'? | 0.25 | 627d48b24c9f69dea758a360506f2024eeff3d197ee5a5216f89b314e115d951 | 0.133789 | 0.125 | 0.036865 | 0.015442 | 0.206055 | 0.115723 |
null | this invention pertains to pigment micro - agglomerate coloring systems for coloring synthetic fibers and textile materials , either permanently or temporarily . in the invention certain starch and cellulosic derivatives are softened with poly hydric alcohols to form glycolate modified derivatives ( gmd ). the gmd &# 39 ; s serve as thickener which encapsulates pigment particles to form a pigment - gmd agglomerate which in itself can be used for the temporary coloring of synthetic textile materials . the pigment - gmd agglomerate may be colloidally combined with a latex binder to form a complex pigment - gmd - binder agglomerate . this pigment micro - agglomerate complex may be deposited on textile materials from print rolls or pad rolls to yield a coloring system which is soft , durable and fast to washing and dry cleaning . referring now to the drawings , the three figures illustrate in a diagrammatic way the steps in the formation of the pigment micro - agglomerate complex of the present invention . fig1 illustrates the first or modification step . non - colloidial , hydrophilic molecules of poly hydric compounds , such as glycerin , 1 , 3 butylene glycol , 1 , 4 butylene glycol and 1 , 2 propylene glycol are solvated into hydrophilic colloidal molecules or particles by heating the components for 60 to 90 minues between 100 ° and 140 ° f . with an acid added to maintain a ph between 4 and 6 . the resultant particles are permanently modified and are called glycolate modified derivatives , gmd . the next step is the pigment sensitization step , as illustrated in fig2 . the glycolate modified derivatives are combined colloidally with pigment particles by heating between 100 °- 140 ° f . for 60 to 90 minutes maintaining a ph of 6 . 5 to 7 . 5 . the resultant pigment sensitive particles , psp , may be used for temporary coloring , as described hereinafter . the third step is the pigment agglomeration step , as illustrated in fig3 . in this step the psp are agglomerated with lyophilic colloidal molecules or particles by mixing under mild agitation for 60 to 90 minutes while maintaining a ph of 6 . 5 to 7 . 5 . the resulting pigment agglomerate particles , pap , are very hydrophilic , complexing numerous water molecules , such that a thickening action still prevails of the required viscosity for effective application by print rolls or pad rolls to textile materials . this resultant pap , when deposited on the surface of the textile materials will be firmly affixed by the function of the binder which bonds the whole complex in place . the glycolate modified derivative , gmd , as part of this complex is also affixed , and is soft , and contributes to providing good properties of color yield , comfort , hand , and wet crock . the inventon includes a very effective means to form soft , flexible starch and cellulose derivatives . the ability to make these soft , thickener type derivatives is crucial to this invention . the glycolate modified derivatives , as we have termed them , are made by the acid reaction of low molecular weight glycols with starch or cellulosic derivatives . the starch or cellulosic derivatives are reacted under acid conditions with the glycols . we believe the mechanism of reaction to be the formation of hydrocellulose by the hydrolysis attack of the acid of the 1 , 4 ether linkage of the cellulose and starch chains , of course cellulose chains being composed of beta - glucose molecules , and starch of alpha - glucose molecules . the beta - glucose molecules of cellulose we can represent by r b and the alpha glucose molecules of starch as r s . therefore , the structured formula for cellulose and starch can be represented as such : ## str1 ## we must understand that the r b unit of cellulose -- ## str2 ## can form various derivatives with the available hydroxy groups being reacted . the same for the r s unit of starch -- ## str3 ## hence , in this specification , we will represent the various derivatives as they are reacted with the available hydroxyl groups . for hydroxy ethyl cellulose , we have ## str4 ## for acetylated starch , we have -- ## str5 ## in the making of the glycolate modified derivative -- gmd , hydroxy ethyl cellulose and acetylated starch are reacted with glycerine , 1 , 3 propylene glycol , 1 , 4 butylene glycol , or 1 , 3 butylene glycol . the reaction is carried out at an acid ph . for hydroxy ethyl cellulose and 1 , 3 propylene glycol -- ## str6 ## for acetylated starch and 1 , 3 propylene glycol -- ## str7 ## the essential result of the above reactions is that the unmodified hydroxy ethyl cellulose , and acetylated starch derivatives give films that are clear , but brittle and stiff . after reaction or modification with the propylene glycol , they give films that are clear , but flexible , not brittle . the reacton conditions are to dissolve the hydroxy ethyl cellulose , or acetylated starch , in water at a concentration of anywhere from 0 . 05 - 20 %, add formic acid to adjust the ph to 4 - 5 , add the 1 , 3 propylene glycol at a concentration of 0 . 01 - 10 %, and react at a temperature of 160 °- 180 ° for 30 - 90 minutes . as the reaction proceeds , a definite change can be noted . at first , the viscosity of the reacting solution will drop , and become increasingly clear , but then begins to increase and take on a haze . we theorize that the derivatives are first hydrolzed , and then crosslinked with the glycols to form glycolates . the kinds of products that can be made are numerous , by varying the reaction conditions and the reactants . many different acids besides formic can be used , such as acetic , oxalic , tartaric , citric , i . e ., the organic acids , not the mineral acids . different glycols besides propylene glycol can be used such as glycerin , 1 , 2 and , 1 , 4 butylene glycol , dihydroxy acetone and others , as long as there are two hydroxy groups in terminal reactive positions , and the molecular weight is not to high to lose solubility in water . after the formation of the glycolate modified derivative , gmd , the next step is pigment sensitization . the pigment color is added to the gmd solution , at a concentration of 0 . 25 - 15 % dependent on the depth of shade required , and the corresponding concentration of the gmd . the ph is adjusted with ammonia to 6 . 5 - 7 . 5 . the temperature is brought to 120 °- 140 ° f ., and the solution is held under mild agitation for 60 to 90 minutes . the gmd will migrate and encapsulate , colloidally , the pigment particles . the viscosity of the solution will adjust at this point , becoming lower . the pigment is completely encapsulated , and we refer to this as sensitizing the pigment particles . interestingly enough , if pigment sensitized particles , psp &# 39 ; s in solution form , colloidally suspended , are cast onto a surface and dried , they are completely redispersible with water upon subsequent rewetting . in fact , the cleanup , either off the hands or off various surfaces , is easy and total . this property illustrates the complete encapsulation of the pigment , and this feature can be utilized to good purpose when it is desired to only temporarily color a substance , and then be able to remove said coloring without staining . the gmd &# 39 ; s of this invention are uniquely capable of sensitizing pigment particles , or encapsulating them . this action will work equally well on non - colored pigments or fillers as they are called . in fact , sensitized filler particles are easily incorporated into foam systems , so that they do not destabilize the foam , and in foam printing or coating , it is a distinct advantage to incorporate a high level of filler . after the sensitizing step , the next step is to form what we term the pigment agglomerate . to the psp solution , as made above , we now add binder which is in latex form . the binder is usually a film forming elastomer , and can be of any composition . this does not matter , nor does it restrict or confine the workings of this invention . what is important is that the polymeric binder be a latex or colloidal dispersion . this is added to a concentration of 0 . 25 - 20 %, and held at room ambient temperature , under mild agitation for 60 - 120 minutes . after awhile , it is apparent that the colloidal nature of the solution or mix has changed . the viscosity drops even lower , and a clear layer of liquid will form at the top of mix when agitation is stopped and the suspended particles begin to show signs of settling . this is typical of the situation of forming a larger agglomerate particle . instead of being in the particle size range of less than one micron , the particles now , if examined under a microscope and measured , are in the particle size range of 1 to 8 microns , more normally around 2 - 3 microns . the sensitized pigment - binder agglomerate is now formed . the pigment agglomerate particles , pap , so formed , are now very intimately admixed in a very unique and permanent manner . the efficiency of intermixing is intermolecular , such that secondary valence forces are holding the particles intermolecularly together , and much more effectively , or efficiently than could be accomplished by simple dispersion mixing . in this agglomerate form the glycolate derivatives , the pigment colors and the binders are so tightly bound up intermolecularly together , that they cannot now be separately extracted fron one another . upon subsequent application of this coloring system to textile substrates , and driving off the water , and heat curing to further adhesion , the system is very durable , and fast to washing and drycleaning . surprisingly , even the wet and dry crock resistance , or rub off of color , is markedly improved , and what is so important , the hand is soft and supple , due to the flexible nature of the glycolate derivatives , as opposed to other thickeners that are non - flexible and brittle . ______________________________________i making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10202 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 100 - acetylated starch3 . formic acid , 90 % 44 . diethylene glycol 20______________________________________ the kofilm 80 is an acetylated starch made by national starch company , plainfield , n . j ., which is dissolved in the water first by adding it slowly to the water , cold , under adequate agitation until completely dispersed . formic acid is added , followed by the diethylene glycol . the ph is checked to make certain it is in the range of 4 - 5 . the temperature is gradually raised to 180 ° f ., and held at this temperature , under mild agitation , for 90 minutes . the heat is removed , and the batch is allowed to drop in temperature to 120 ° f . the viscosity of the solution prior to the cook was 25 , 000 cps . ; after the cook 18 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 10 % 11442 . cu phythocayamine bluedispersion , 40 % 553 . ammonia to ph 6 . 5______________________________________ the blue pigment concentrate is added to the gmd solution , and then the solution adjusted with ammonia to a ph of 6 . 5 . the temperature of the solution is held at 120 ° f . for 60 minutes under mild agitation . the temperature is allowed to drop to ambient room temperature . the viscosity of the psp solution as made is 9 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii making the pap . formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 11 % 11992 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 100 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at ambient temperatures . the hycar 1561 is an elastomeric copolymer composed of about 55 % butadiene , and 45 % acrylonitrile , in the form of a latex , made by b . f . goodrich company , akron , ohio . the above solution is mildly agitated for 120 minutes , at which time distinct 3 - 8 micron agglomerate particles have formed . ______________________________________iv . print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 13 % 12992 . carbopol k - 934 - 5 % solution 13 . triton x100 14 . dodecyl alcohol . 55 . defoamer . 2______________________________________ additional chemicals are added to form the final print mix . the carbopol k - 934 is a thickener which is a copolymer of acrylic acid and acrylonitrile , made by b . f . goodrich company , added to adjust the print mix to a viscosity of 20 , 000 cps . the triton x - 100 is a nonionic wetting agent which is a condensation product of nonophenol and ethylene oxide , made by rohm and haas company , philadelphia , pa ., which is added to provide better print mix penetration and wetting of the textile goods . do decyl alcohol is added to give smoothness , and further wetting . a defoamer is added to control or prevent foaming during printing . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 50 - acetylated starch3 . formic acid , 90 % 44 . diethylene glycol 10______________________________________ the above is cooked at 160 ° f . for 70 minutes , under mild agitation . the viscosity of this gmd solution is 2800 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 5 . 5 % 10642 . cu phthocyanine bluedispersion 40 % 373 . ammonia to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ this solution is cooked for 40 minutes at 135 ° f . under mild agitation then dropped to ambient temperatures . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 6 . 7 % 11002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 50 - polyacrylic polymer3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 12 . 5 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation , for 120 ° f . minutes , after which time a distinct 3 - 8 micron agglomerate particles form . after this time interval , the pad dye solution is prepared as follows : ______________________________________iv . pad dyeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution 9 % 11602 . triton x100 0 . 53 . methocel , 15 cps . 0 . 94 . cymel 303 , 80 % ( mf resin ) 1 . 2 - butylated mela - mine resin5 . defoamer 0 . 3______________________________________ the gmd solution is made the same as example i , and so also the psp solution . the pigment agglomerate particles were made as follows : ______________________________________pap solutionformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 1 10002 . rhoplex ha - 8 , 46 % 32 - polyacrylic resin3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 37 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ this solution is held at ambient temperatures , under mild agitation , for 120 minutes . rhoplex ha - 8 is a self crosslinking polyethyl acrylate polymer in latex form from the rohm & amp ; haas company , philadelphia , pa . after the pigment agglomerate particles have formed , at from 3 - 10 microns , in size , the following print formula is made . ______________________________________print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . above pap solution , 13 % 10002 . alcogum l - 11 , 30 % 1 - polyacrylic acid3 . butylated melamine - formaldehyde resin 50 % 34 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ the viscosity of the print paste is 18 , 000 cps . this formula is particularly good on rayon or cotton goods . the gmd and psp solutions are made the same as example ii . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap solution formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 2 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 47 - polyacrylic resin3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 10 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ this is stirred at room temperature for 100 minutes , after which time the desired pigment agglomerate particles are formed at a particle size range of 2 - 8 microns . from this is made the following pigment pad formula . ______________________________________pad dye formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution from above8 . 7 % 10002 . methocel , 4000 cps . 0 . 93 . keltex 0 . 45 - protein gum4 . urea 0 . 45 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % 2 . 76 . trimethyol melamineresin , 80 % 3 . 07 . triton x100 0 . 48 . ammonium stearate , 30 % 0 . 129 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ this formula had a viscosity of 600 - 800 cps . this pigment pad formula is particularly good on polyester / cotton goods , giving a soft hand with good wash performance . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp 5200h , 90 % 10 - hydroxy ethyl cellulose3 . formic acid , 90 % 24 . diethylene glycol 4______________________________________ the cellosize qp5200 h , is an hydroxy ethyl cellulose made by union carbide corp ., new york , n . y ., which is dissolved in the water by first adding it to cold water to disperse it under adequate agitation , then adding the formic acid , followed by diethylene glycol . the temperature is gradually raised to 160 ° f . and held for 60 minutes under mild agitation . the heat is removed , and the batch let cool to 120 ° f . the viscosity of the batch prior to the cook was 50 , 000 cps . and after the cook 30 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts______________________________________1 . gmd solution 1 . 47 % 10002 . calcium phthocyanineblue dispersion , 40 % 503 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % to ph 6 . 7______________________________________ the blue pigment dispersion is added to the gmd solution , and then this solution is adjusted with ammonia to a ph of 6 . 7 . the temperature of the solution is held at 120 ° f . for 60 minutes under mild agitation . after the 60 minute interval , the temperature is dropped to room temperature . the viscosity of the psp solution is 20 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 3 . 5 % 10002 . hycar , 1561 , 40 % 100 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation for 120 minutes , after which time agglomerated particles are formed range in size from 2 - 10 microns . this is now made up in a print formula . the solution viscosity is 12 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iv print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 7 . 5 % 10002 . carbopol k - 934 , 5 % solution 33 . triton x - 100 14 . xylene 1 . 55 . defoamer 0 . 2______________________________________ this print mix has a viscosity of 20 , 000 cps . it prints very well from engraved rolls . the resultant prints are soft , and display excellent sharpness of print definition . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp5200h 73 . formic acid 24 . diethylene glycol 3______________________________________ the above is cooked for 90 minutes at 180 ° f ., under mild agitation . the viscosity of this solution is 25 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________gmd solution , 1 . 2 % 10002 . cuphthocyanine bluedispersion 40 % 353 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % to ph 6 . 7______________________________________ this solution is cooked for 60 minutes at 160 ° f ., under mild agitation , then dropped to room temperature . viscosity is 17 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 3 . 0 % 10002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 393 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 21______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation , for 120 minutes . after this time interval , a distinct range of agglomerate particles from 3 - 8 microns form . from this is now prepared the dye solution . viscosity 300 cps . ______________________________________iv . pad dyeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution 5 . 8 % 10002 . triton x100 0 . 53 . methocel , 15 cps . 0 . 94 . cymel 303 , 80 % ( mf resin ) 1 . 95 . defoamer 0 . 3______________________________________ the viscosity of the pad dye solution is 700 - 900 cps . this pad dye solution goes on very well , with excellent color yield and uniformity , with no migration of pigment upon drying . the gmd solution is made the same as cited in example v ., and so also for the psp solution . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap solutionformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 5 ( 3 . 5 %) 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 483 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 14______________________________________ this solution is mildly agitated at room temperature for 120 minutes to form the pigment agglomerate particles of size of 2 - 8 microns . this is now made up into the following print formula . ______________________________________print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . above pap solution , 6 % 10002 . alcogum l - 11 , 30 % 33 . butylated melamine - formal - dehyde resin , 50 % 3 . 04 . defoamer 0 . 2______________________________________ viscosity of this print paste is 22 , 000 cps . this print paste gives good definition of color , and a soft feel . the color yield was excellent . the gmd and psp solutions are made the same as example vi . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 6 , 3 . 0 % 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 243 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 7______________________________________ this solution is stirred at room temperature for 120 minutes , the pigment agglomerate particles form at a size of 2 - 8 microns . from this is made the following pigment pad formula . ______________________________________pad dye formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution from above , 4 . 5 % 10002 . keltex 1 . 23 . triton x100 0 . 44 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % 2 . 45 . ammonnium stearate , 30 % 3 . 06 . trimethylol melamineresin , 80 % 2 . 47 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ this formula had a viscosity of 400 - 600 cps . it padded on very well , gave a pleasing soft hand and excellent uniform coloring . the wash fastness is very good . at this point it is important to present comparative test data of the above pigment print and padding mixes as made by this invention versus conventional pigment print and padding systems . the evaluation data is presented in the following tables : ______________________________________ ratings wash lightprint color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example i 5 4 4 3 - 2 4 4example iii 4 4 4 4 - 3 4 - 3 4example v 4 4 4 3 - 2 5 - 4 4______________________________________ ______________________________________ ratings wash lightprint color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example vii 5 4 4 4 - 3 4 - 3 4conventionalphthlo blue 4 4 4 2 3 4conventional2phthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 4______________________________________ ratings : 5excellent , 4good , 3mod . good , 2fair , 1poor from the above table it can be seen that this invention has a desirable effect on hand and color yield . the wet crock is also improved over two conventional phthlo blue pigment print formulas supplied to the textile industry . the washfastness and dry crock are equivalent . ______________________________________ ratings wash lightpad dye color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example ii 4 4 4 3 3 - 4 4example iv 3 - 4 4 4 3 - 4 3 4example vi 4 4 4 3 3 - 4 4example 3 - 4 4 4 3 - 4 3 4viiiconventionalphthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 - 1 4conventional2phthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 - 1 4______________________________________ for pigment pad dyeing the examples of this invention are superior to conventional systems , the wet crock is improved , and the hand is dramatically better . the improvement in hand is very important for pigment pad dyeing , because the thickening agents that are currently used , even in very small amounts of actual deposition on the textile goods , cause stiffening . this has always been a drawback to pigment pad dyeing . also , in conventional systems to obtain washfastness , a substantial level of binding resin has to be employed . hence pigment pad dyeings that have good washfastness , have firm hands . by using the glycolate derivatives of this invention , and forming the pigment agglomerate with the binder , much less binder has to be used to achieve an equivalent level of washfastness , and coupled with glycolate derivative as a thickener , is softer in hand . this double effect now allows one to design pigment dye systems that are pleasing in hand and washfast . the glycolate derivatives are good as foam stabilizers , so as such are useful in foam print systems . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 1403 . formic acid , 90 % 64 . citric acid , 90 % 25 . diethylene glycol 30______________________________________ this cooked in the usual manner at 160 ° f . for 90 minutes , under mild agitation . the viscosity at the end of the cook is 40 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 15 % 10002 . itr red , 25 % 783 . ammonium hydroxide to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ this is cooked for 60 minutes at 160 ° f ., with mild agitation . the viscosity at the end of this cook is 30 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 15 % 10002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 623 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 19______________________________________ this solution is held at room temperature for 35 minutes , under mild agitation . the pigment agglomerate particle range in size from 1 . 5 - 4 . 0 microns . the viscosity of the pap solution is 8000 cps . ______________________________________iv . foam print compoundformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 15 % 20002 . dupanol me , 20 % 12 - lauryl sulfate3 . melamine formaldehyderesin , 50 % 84 . ammonium stearate , 30 % 1 . 5______________________________________ the above mix can be shipped into a foam with the use of a high speed mixer to give a foam of a density of 0 . 43 . this foam print compound is very stable , applys well with excellent pore structure and once applied yields a soft , flexible print . an interesting property of the pigment sensitized particle ( psp ) is that the pigment is completely encapsulated by the glycolate modified derivative . this means that if the psps are deposited upon a textile substrate , they can later be removed completely by water . this property can be used to advantage for the making of fugitive or nonstaining tints . there are times when it is desirable to tint a kind , or lot of fiber to identify it during the processing . after the processing is complete , then it is desirable to remove the tint completely without any staining . with dyes or pigments that are selected to have no affinity to a certain kind of fiber , staining still results ; and the wash procedure is quite involved to try to remove all of the dyestuff or pigment completely . however , the pigment sensitized particles ( psp ) will not stain the fiber regardless of composition and will wash out completely and easily with hot water , or mild soaping , hot or cold . this property has proved most effective in creating a craft for children , permitting them to color the hair of dolls . the hair coloring of dolls was not possible with prior art dyestuffs and pigments , since they would stain the doll &# 39 ; s hair no matter what fiber was used -- polypropylene , nylon , polyester , etc . in fact , the search to find dyestuffs or pigments that would easily wash out without staining has been long and unfruitful . the psp concept was tested and worked perfectly with a full range of colors . so the invention of micro - encapsulation of pigment particles with glycolate modified derivatives provides the development of a fugitive , non - staining hair coloring system , that can be used as a child &# 39 ; s activity . the making of this doll hair coloring system is as follows : ______________________________________i . making the glycolate modified derivativeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp100m , 90 % 153 . citric acid , 90 % 34 . glycerin 20______________________________________ this solution is cooked under mild agitation for 90 minutes at a temperature of 180 ° f . the viscosity of this cook is 36000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pigment sensitized particles______________________________________formula for redingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , above , 4 % 10002 . hercules red t . 10dispersion3 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 to ph 7 . 0______________________________________formula for violetingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution above , 4 % 10002 . carbizol violet 25dispersion3 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 % to ph 7 . 0______________________________________formula for browningredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , above 4 % 10002 . burnt umber dispersion 303 . black dispersion 34 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 % to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ the above solutions are cooked under mild agitation for 60 - 70 minutes at a temperature of 120 ° f . after this cook , the viscosity of this solution drops to range from 6 - 9000 cps . this makes for an excellent hair coloring mix or solution . it has just the right coverage viscosity to give an excellent comb thru application or coverage . the coloring mix is allowed to dry , whereby the artificial hair , usually nylon fiber , is uniformly colored . this coloring can be very easily and completely removed by washing in warm water , or a mild , cold water soap solution . this feature is essential to the haircoloring activity for children , whereby they can change the color of the hair on the doll at will , without staining or hurting the condition of the hair fiber . the glycolate derivative has added features of being soft , and flexible with dry surface feel , and acts like a hair conditioner to add high lite , suppleness and smoothness of feel . without the ability of the glycolate modified deriviative to act as a soft hair conditioner , and also , able to form a micro agglomerate and encapsulation of the coloring pigment , the hair coloring activity for dolls for children would not be a commercial reality . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Textiles; Paper'? | Should this patent be classified under 'Performing Operations; Transporting'? | 0.25 | 627d48b24c9f69dea758a360506f2024eeff3d197ee5a5216f89b314e115d951 | 0.306641 | 0.003601 | 0.078125 | 0.000315 | 0.210938 | 0.005066 |
null | this invention pertains to pigment micro - agglomerate coloring systems for coloring synthetic fibers and textile materials , either permanently or temporarily . in the invention certain starch and cellulosic derivatives are softened with poly hydric alcohols to form glycolate modified derivatives ( gmd ). the gmd &# 39 ; s serve as thickener which encapsulates pigment particles to form a pigment - gmd agglomerate which in itself can be used for the temporary coloring of synthetic textile materials . the pigment - gmd agglomerate may be colloidally combined with a latex binder to form a complex pigment - gmd - binder agglomerate . this pigment micro - agglomerate complex may be deposited on textile materials from print rolls or pad rolls to yield a coloring system which is soft , durable and fast to washing and dry cleaning . referring now to the drawings , the three figures illustrate in a diagrammatic way the steps in the formation of the pigment micro - agglomerate complex of the present invention . fig1 illustrates the first or modification step . non - colloidial , hydrophilic molecules of poly hydric compounds , such as glycerin , 1 , 3 butylene glycol , 1 , 4 butylene glycol and 1 , 2 propylene glycol are solvated into hydrophilic colloidal molecules or particles by heating the components for 60 to 90 minues between 100 ° and 140 ° f . with an acid added to maintain a ph between 4 and 6 . the resultant particles are permanently modified and are called glycolate modified derivatives , gmd . the next step is the pigment sensitization step , as illustrated in fig2 . the glycolate modified derivatives are combined colloidally with pigment particles by heating between 100 °- 140 ° f . for 60 to 90 minutes maintaining a ph of 6 . 5 to 7 . 5 . the resultant pigment sensitive particles , psp , may be used for temporary coloring , as described hereinafter . the third step is the pigment agglomeration step , as illustrated in fig3 . in this step the psp are agglomerated with lyophilic colloidal molecules or particles by mixing under mild agitation for 60 to 90 minutes while maintaining a ph of 6 . 5 to 7 . 5 . the resulting pigment agglomerate particles , pap , are very hydrophilic , complexing numerous water molecules , such that a thickening action still prevails of the required viscosity for effective application by print rolls or pad rolls to textile materials . this resultant pap , when deposited on the surface of the textile materials will be firmly affixed by the function of the binder which bonds the whole complex in place . the glycolate modified derivative , gmd , as part of this complex is also affixed , and is soft , and contributes to providing good properties of color yield , comfort , hand , and wet crock . the inventon includes a very effective means to form soft , flexible starch and cellulose derivatives . the ability to make these soft , thickener type derivatives is crucial to this invention . the glycolate modified derivatives , as we have termed them , are made by the acid reaction of low molecular weight glycols with starch or cellulosic derivatives . the starch or cellulosic derivatives are reacted under acid conditions with the glycols . we believe the mechanism of reaction to be the formation of hydrocellulose by the hydrolysis attack of the acid of the 1 , 4 ether linkage of the cellulose and starch chains , of course cellulose chains being composed of beta - glucose molecules , and starch of alpha - glucose molecules . the beta - glucose molecules of cellulose we can represent by r b and the alpha glucose molecules of starch as r s . therefore , the structured formula for cellulose and starch can be represented as such : ## str1 ## we must understand that the r b unit of cellulose -- ## str2 ## can form various derivatives with the available hydroxy groups being reacted . the same for the r s unit of starch -- ## str3 ## hence , in this specification , we will represent the various derivatives as they are reacted with the available hydroxyl groups . for hydroxy ethyl cellulose , we have ## str4 ## for acetylated starch , we have -- ## str5 ## in the making of the glycolate modified derivative -- gmd , hydroxy ethyl cellulose and acetylated starch are reacted with glycerine , 1 , 3 propylene glycol , 1 , 4 butylene glycol , or 1 , 3 butylene glycol . the reaction is carried out at an acid ph . for hydroxy ethyl cellulose and 1 , 3 propylene glycol -- ## str6 ## for acetylated starch and 1 , 3 propylene glycol -- ## str7 ## the essential result of the above reactions is that the unmodified hydroxy ethyl cellulose , and acetylated starch derivatives give films that are clear , but brittle and stiff . after reaction or modification with the propylene glycol , they give films that are clear , but flexible , not brittle . the reacton conditions are to dissolve the hydroxy ethyl cellulose , or acetylated starch , in water at a concentration of anywhere from 0 . 05 - 20 %, add formic acid to adjust the ph to 4 - 5 , add the 1 , 3 propylene glycol at a concentration of 0 . 01 - 10 %, and react at a temperature of 160 °- 180 ° for 30 - 90 minutes . as the reaction proceeds , a definite change can be noted . at first , the viscosity of the reacting solution will drop , and become increasingly clear , but then begins to increase and take on a haze . we theorize that the derivatives are first hydrolzed , and then crosslinked with the glycols to form glycolates . the kinds of products that can be made are numerous , by varying the reaction conditions and the reactants . many different acids besides formic can be used , such as acetic , oxalic , tartaric , citric , i . e ., the organic acids , not the mineral acids . different glycols besides propylene glycol can be used such as glycerin , 1 , 2 and , 1 , 4 butylene glycol , dihydroxy acetone and others , as long as there are two hydroxy groups in terminal reactive positions , and the molecular weight is not to high to lose solubility in water . after the formation of the glycolate modified derivative , gmd , the next step is pigment sensitization . the pigment color is added to the gmd solution , at a concentration of 0 . 25 - 15 % dependent on the depth of shade required , and the corresponding concentration of the gmd . the ph is adjusted with ammonia to 6 . 5 - 7 . 5 . the temperature is brought to 120 °- 140 ° f ., and the solution is held under mild agitation for 60 to 90 minutes . the gmd will migrate and encapsulate , colloidally , the pigment particles . the viscosity of the solution will adjust at this point , becoming lower . the pigment is completely encapsulated , and we refer to this as sensitizing the pigment particles . interestingly enough , if pigment sensitized particles , psp &# 39 ; s in solution form , colloidally suspended , are cast onto a surface and dried , they are completely redispersible with water upon subsequent rewetting . in fact , the cleanup , either off the hands or off various surfaces , is easy and total . this property illustrates the complete encapsulation of the pigment , and this feature can be utilized to good purpose when it is desired to only temporarily color a substance , and then be able to remove said coloring without staining . the gmd &# 39 ; s of this invention are uniquely capable of sensitizing pigment particles , or encapsulating them . this action will work equally well on non - colored pigments or fillers as they are called . in fact , sensitized filler particles are easily incorporated into foam systems , so that they do not destabilize the foam , and in foam printing or coating , it is a distinct advantage to incorporate a high level of filler . after the sensitizing step , the next step is to form what we term the pigment agglomerate . to the psp solution , as made above , we now add binder which is in latex form . the binder is usually a film forming elastomer , and can be of any composition . this does not matter , nor does it restrict or confine the workings of this invention . what is important is that the polymeric binder be a latex or colloidal dispersion . this is added to a concentration of 0 . 25 - 20 %, and held at room ambient temperature , under mild agitation for 60 - 120 minutes . after awhile , it is apparent that the colloidal nature of the solution or mix has changed . the viscosity drops even lower , and a clear layer of liquid will form at the top of mix when agitation is stopped and the suspended particles begin to show signs of settling . this is typical of the situation of forming a larger agglomerate particle . instead of being in the particle size range of less than one micron , the particles now , if examined under a microscope and measured , are in the particle size range of 1 to 8 microns , more normally around 2 - 3 microns . the sensitized pigment - binder agglomerate is now formed . the pigment agglomerate particles , pap , so formed , are now very intimately admixed in a very unique and permanent manner . the efficiency of intermixing is intermolecular , such that secondary valence forces are holding the particles intermolecularly together , and much more effectively , or efficiently than could be accomplished by simple dispersion mixing . in this agglomerate form the glycolate derivatives , the pigment colors and the binders are so tightly bound up intermolecularly together , that they cannot now be separately extracted fron one another . upon subsequent application of this coloring system to textile substrates , and driving off the water , and heat curing to further adhesion , the system is very durable , and fast to washing and drycleaning . surprisingly , even the wet and dry crock resistance , or rub off of color , is markedly improved , and what is so important , the hand is soft and supple , due to the flexible nature of the glycolate derivatives , as opposed to other thickeners that are non - flexible and brittle . ______________________________________i making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10202 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 100 - acetylated starch3 . formic acid , 90 % 44 . diethylene glycol 20______________________________________ the kofilm 80 is an acetylated starch made by national starch company , plainfield , n . j ., which is dissolved in the water first by adding it slowly to the water , cold , under adequate agitation until completely dispersed . formic acid is added , followed by the diethylene glycol . the ph is checked to make certain it is in the range of 4 - 5 . the temperature is gradually raised to 180 ° f ., and held at this temperature , under mild agitation , for 90 minutes . the heat is removed , and the batch is allowed to drop in temperature to 120 ° f . the viscosity of the solution prior to the cook was 25 , 000 cps . ; after the cook 18 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 10 % 11442 . cu phythocayamine bluedispersion , 40 % 553 . ammonia to ph 6 . 5______________________________________ the blue pigment concentrate is added to the gmd solution , and then the solution adjusted with ammonia to a ph of 6 . 5 . the temperature of the solution is held at 120 ° f . for 60 minutes under mild agitation . the temperature is allowed to drop to ambient room temperature . the viscosity of the psp solution as made is 9 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii making the pap . formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 11 % 11992 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 100 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at ambient temperatures . the hycar 1561 is an elastomeric copolymer composed of about 55 % butadiene , and 45 % acrylonitrile , in the form of a latex , made by b . f . goodrich company , akron , ohio . the above solution is mildly agitated for 120 minutes , at which time distinct 3 - 8 micron agglomerate particles have formed . ______________________________________iv . print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 13 % 12992 . carbopol k - 934 - 5 % solution 13 . triton x100 14 . dodecyl alcohol . 55 . defoamer . 2______________________________________ additional chemicals are added to form the final print mix . the carbopol k - 934 is a thickener which is a copolymer of acrylic acid and acrylonitrile , made by b . f . goodrich company , added to adjust the print mix to a viscosity of 20 , 000 cps . the triton x - 100 is a nonionic wetting agent which is a condensation product of nonophenol and ethylene oxide , made by rohm and haas company , philadelphia , pa ., which is added to provide better print mix penetration and wetting of the textile goods . do decyl alcohol is added to give smoothness , and further wetting . a defoamer is added to control or prevent foaming during printing . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 50 - acetylated starch3 . formic acid , 90 % 44 . diethylene glycol 10______________________________________ the above is cooked at 160 ° f . for 70 minutes , under mild agitation . the viscosity of this gmd solution is 2800 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 5 . 5 % 10642 . cu phthocyanine bluedispersion 40 % 373 . ammonia to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ this solution is cooked for 40 minutes at 135 ° f . under mild agitation then dropped to ambient temperatures . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 6 . 7 % 11002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 50 - polyacrylic polymer3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 12 . 5 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation , for 120 ° f . minutes , after which time a distinct 3 - 8 micron agglomerate particles form . after this time interval , the pad dye solution is prepared as follows : ______________________________________iv . pad dyeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution 9 % 11602 . triton x100 0 . 53 . methocel , 15 cps . 0 . 94 . cymel 303 , 80 % ( mf resin ) 1 . 2 - butylated mela - mine resin5 . defoamer 0 . 3______________________________________ the gmd solution is made the same as example i , and so also the psp solution . the pigment agglomerate particles were made as follows : ______________________________________pap solutionformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 1 10002 . rhoplex ha - 8 , 46 % 32 - polyacrylic resin3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 37 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ this solution is held at ambient temperatures , under mild agitation , for 120 minutes . rhoplex ha - 8 is a self crosslinking polyethyl acrylate polymer in latex form from the rohm & amp ; haas company , philadelphia , pa . after the pigment agglomerate particles have formed , at from 3 - 10 microns , in size , the following print formula is made . ______________________________________print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . above pap solution , 13 % 10002 . alcogum l - 11 , 30 % 1 - polyacrylic acid3 . butylated melamine - formaldehyde resin 50 % 34 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ the viscosity of the print paste is 18 , 000 cps . this formula is particularly good on rayon or cotton goods . the gmd and psp solutions are made the same as example ii . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap solution formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 2 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 47 - polyacrylic resin3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 10 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ this is stirred at room temperature for 100 minutes , after which time the desired pigment agglomerate particles are formed at a particle size range of 2 - 8 microns . from this is made the following pigment pad formula . ______________________________________pad dye formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution from above8 . 7 % 10002 . methocel , 4000 cps . 0 . 93 . keltex 0 . 45 - protein gum4 . urea 0 . 45 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % 2 . 76 . trimethyol melamineresin , 80 % 3 . 07 . triton x100 0 . 48 . ammonium stearate , 30 % 0 . 129 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ this formula had a viscosity of 600 - 800 cps . this pigment pad formula is particularly good on polyester / cotton goods , giving a soft hand with good wash performance . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp 5200h , 90 % 10 - hydroxy ethyl cellulose3 . formic acid , 90 % 24 . diethylene glycol 4______________________________________ the cellosize qp5200 h , is an hydroxy ethyl cellulose made by union carbide corp ., new york , n . y ., which is dissolved in the water by first adding it to cold water to disperse it under adequate agitation , then adding the formic acid , followed by diethylene glycol . the temperature is gradually raised to 160 ° f . and held for 60 minutes under mild agitation . the heat is removed , and the batch let cool to 120 ° f . the viscosity of the batch prior to the cook was 50 , 000 cps . and after the cook 30 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts______________________________________1 . gmd solution 1 . 47 % 10002 . calcium phthocyanineblue dispersion , 40 % 503 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % to ph 6 . 7______________________________________ the blue pigment dispersion is added to the gmd solution , and then this solution is adjusted with ammonia to a ph of 6 . 7 . the temperature of the solution is held at 120 ° f . for 60 minutes under mild agitation . after the 60 minute interval , the temperature is dropped to room temperature . the viscosity of the psp solution is 20 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 3 . 5 % 10002 . hycar , 1561 , 40 % 100 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation for 120 minutes , after which time agglomerated particles are formed range in size from 2 - 10 microns . this is now made up in a print formula . the solution viscosity is 12 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iv print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 7 . 5 % 10002 . carbopol k - 934 , 5 % solution 33 . triton x - 100 14 . xylene 1 . 55 . defoamer 0 . 2______________________________________ this print mix has a viscosity of 20 , 000 cps . it prints very well from engraved rolls . the resultant prints are soft , and display excellent sharpness of print definition . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp5200h 73 . formic acid 24 . diethylene glycol 3______________________________________ the above is cooked for 90 minutes at 180 ° f ., under mild agitation . the viscosity of this solution is 25 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________gmd solution , 1 . 2 % 10002 . cuphthocyanine bluedispersion 40 % 353 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % to ph 6 . 7______________________________________ this solution is cooked for 60 minutes at 160 ° f ., under mild agitation , then dropped to room temperature . viscosity is 17 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 3 . 0 % 10002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 393 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 21______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation , for 120 minutes . after this time interval , a distinct range of agglomerate particles from 3 - 8 microns form . from this is now prepared the dye solution . viscosity 300 cps . ______________________________________iv . pad dyeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution 5 . 8 % 10002 . triton x100 0 . 53 . methocel , 15 cps . 0 . 94 . cymel 303 , 80 % ( mf resin ) 1 . 95 . defoamer 0 . 3______________________________________ the viscosity of the pad dye solution is 700 - 900 cps . this pad dye solution goes on very well , with excellent color yield and uniformity , with no migration of pigment upon drying . the gmd solution is made the same as cited in example v ., and so also for the psp solution . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap solutionformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 5 ( 3 . 5 %) 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 483 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 14______________________________________ this solution is mildly agitated at room temperature for 120 minutes to form the pigment agglomerate particles of size of 2 - 8 microns . this is now made up into the following print formula . ______________________________________print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . above pap solution , 6 % 10002 . alcogum l - 11 , 30 % 33 . butylated melamine - formal - dehyde resin , 50 % 3 . 04 . defoamer 0 . 2______________________________________ viscosity of this print paste is 22 , 000 cps . this print paste gives good definition of color , and a soft feel . the color yield was excellent . the gmd and psp solutions are made the same as example vi . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 6 , 3 . 0 % 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 243 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 7______________________________________ this solution is stirred at room temperature for 120 minutes , the pigment agglomerate particles form at a size of 2 - 8 microns . from this is made the following pigment pad formula . ______________________________________pad dye formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution from above , 4 . 5 % 10002 . keltex 1 . 23 . triton x100 0 . 44 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % 2 . 45 . ammonnium stearate , 30 % 3 . 06 . trimethylol melamineresin , 80 % 2 . 47 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ this formula had a viscosity of 400 - 600 cps . it padded on very well , gave a pleasing soft hand and excellent uniform coloring . the wash fastness is very good . at this point it is important to present comparative test data of the above pigment print and padding mixes as made by this invention versus conventional pigment print and padding systems . the evaluation data is presented in the following tables : ______________________________________ ratings wash lightprint color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example i 5 4 4 3 - 2 4 4example iii 4 4 4 4 - 3 4 - 3 4example v 4 4 4 3 - 2 5 - 4 4______________________________________ ______________________________________ ratings wash lightprint color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example vii 5 4 4 4 - 3 4 - 3 4conventionalphthlo blue 4 4 4 2 3 4conventional2phthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 4______________________________________ ratings : 5excellent , 4good , 3mod . good , 2fair , 1poor from the above table it can be seen that this invention has a desirable effect on hand and color yield . the wet crock is also improved over two conventional phthlo blue pigment print formulas supplied to the textile industry . the washfastness and dry crock are equivalent . ______________________________________ ratings wash lightpad dye color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example ii 4 4 4 3 3 - 4 4example iv 3 - 4 4 4 3 - 4 3 4example vi 4 4 4 3 3 - 4 4example 3 - 4 4 4 3 - 4 3 4viiiconventionalphthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 - 1 4conventional2phthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 - 1 4______________________________________ for pigment pad dyeing the examples of this invention are superior to conventional systems , the wet crock is improved , and the hand is dramatically better . the improvement in hand is very important for pigment pad dyeing , because the thickening agents that are currently used , even in very small amounts of actual deposition on the textile goods , cause stiffening . this has always been a drawback to pigment pad dyeing . also , in conventional systems to obtain washfastness , a substantial level of binding resin has to be employed . hence pigment pad dyeings that have good washfastness , have firm hands . by using the glycolate derivatives of this invention , and forming the pigment agglomerate with the binder , much less binder has to be used to achieve an equivalent level of washfastness , and coupled with glycolate derivative as a thickener , is softer in hand . this double effect now allows one to design pigment dye systems that are pleasing in hand and washfast . the glycolate derivatives are good as foam stabilizers , so as such are useful in foam print systems . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 1403 . formic acid , 90 % 64 . citric acid , 90 % 25 . diethylene glycol 30______________________________________ this cooked in the usual manner at 160 ° f . for 90 minutes , under mild agitation . the viscosity at the end of the cook is 40 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 15 % 10002 . itr red , 25 % 783 . ammonium hydroxide to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ this is cooked for 60 minutes at 160 ° f ., with mild agitation . the viscosity at the end of this cook is 30 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 15 % 10002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 623 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 19______________________________________ this solution is held at room temperature for 35 minutes , under mild agitation . the pigment agglomerate particle range in size from 1 . 5 - 4 . 0 microns . the viscosity of the pap solution is 8000 cps . ______________________________________iv . foam print compoundformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 15 % 20002 . dupanol me , 20 % 12 - lauryl sulfate3 . melamine formaldehyderesin , 50 % 84 . ammonium stearate , 30 % 1 . 5______________________________________ the above mix can be shipped into a foam with the use of a high speed mixer to give a foam of a density of 0 . 43 . this foam print compound is very stable , applys well with excellent pore structure and once applied yields a soft , flexible print . an interesting property of the pigment sensitized particle ( psp ) is that the pigment is completely encapsulated by the glycolate modified derivative . this means that if the psps are deposited upon a textile substrate , they can later be removed completely by water . this property can be used to advantage for the making of fugitive or nonstaining tints . there are times when it is desirable to tint a kind , or lot of fiber to identify it during the processing . after the processing is complete , then it is desirable to remove the tint completely without any staining . with dyes or pigments that are selected to have no affinity to a certain kind of fiber , staining still results ; and the wash procedure is quite involved to try to remove all of the dyestuff or pigment completely . however , the pigment sensitized particles ( psp ) will not stain the fiber regardless of composition and will wash out completely and easily with hot water , or mild soaping , hot or cold . this property has proved most effective in creating a craft for children , permitting them to color the hair of dolls . the hair coloring of dolls was not possible with prior art dyestuffs and pigments , since they would stain the doll &# 39 ; s hair no matter what fiber was used -- polypropylene , nylon , polyester , etc . in fact , the search to find dyestuffs or pigments that would easily wash out without staining has been long and unfruitful . the psp concept was tested and worked perfectly with a full range of colors . so the invention of micro - encapsulation of pigment particles with glycolate modified derivatives provides the development of a fugitive , non - staining hair coloring system , that can be used as a child &# 39 ; s activity . the making of this doll hair coloring system is as follows : ______________________________________i . making the glycolate modified derivativeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp100m , 90 % 153 . citric acid , 90 % 34 . glycerin 20______________________________________ this solution is cooked under mild agitation for 90 minutes at a temperature of 180 ° f . the viscosity of this cook is 36000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pigment sensitized particles______________________________________formula for redingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , above , 4 % 10002 . hercules red t . 10dispersion3 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 to ph 7 . 0______________________________________formula for violetingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution above , 4 % 10002 . carbizol violet 25dispersion3 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 % to ph 7 . 0______________________________________formula for browningredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , above 4 % 10002 . burnt umber dispersion 303 . black dispersion 34 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 % to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ the above solutions are cooked under mild agitation for 60 - 70 minutes at a temperature of 120 ° f . after this cook , the viscosity of this solution drops to range from 6 - 9000 cps . this makes for an excellent hair coloring mix or solution . it has just the right coverage viscosity to give an excellent comb thru application or coverage . the coloring mix is allowed to dry , whereby the artificial hair , usually nylon fiber , is uniformly colored . this coloring can be very easily and completely removed by washing in warm water , or a mild , cold water soap solution . this feature is essential to the haircoloring activity for children , whereby they can change the color of the hair on the doll at will , without staining or hurting the condition of the hair fiber . the glycolate derivative has added features of being soft , and flexible with dry surface feel , and acts like a hair conditioner to add high lite , suppleness and smoothness of feel . without the ability of the glycolate modified deriviative to act as a soft hair conditioner , and also , able to form a micro agglomerate and encapsulation of the coloring pigment , the hair coloring activity for dolls for children would not be a commercial reality . | Should this patent be classified under 'Textiles; Paper'? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Chemistry; Metallurgy'? | 0.25 | 627d48b24c9f69dea758a360506f2024eeff3d197ee5a5216f89b314e115d951 | 0.255859 | 0.339844 | 0.043945 | 0.160156 | 0.094238 | 0.241211 |
null | this invention pertains to pigment micro - agglomerate coloring systems for coloring synthetic fibers and textile materials , either permanently or temporarily . in the invention certain starch and cellulosic derivatives are softened with poly hydric alcohols to form glycolate modified derivatives ( gmd ). the gmd &# 39 ; s serve as thickener which encapsulates pigment particles to form a pigment - gmd agglomerate which in itself can be used for the temporary coloring of synthetic textile materials . the pigment - gmd agglomerate may be colloidally combined with a latex binder to form a complex pigment - gmd - binder agglomerate . this pigment micro - agglomerate complex may be deposited on textile materials from print rolls or pad rolls to yield a coloring system which is soft , durable and fast to washing and dry cleaning . referring now to the drawings , the three figures illustrate in a diagrammatic way the steps in the formation of the pigment micro - agglomerate complex of the present invention . fig1 illustrates the first or modification step . non - colloidial , hydrophilic molecules of poly hydric compounds , such as glycerin , 1 , 3 butylene glycol , 1 , 4 butylene glycol and 1 , 2 propylene glycol are solvated into hydrophilic colloidal molecules or particles by heating the components for 60 to 90 minues between 100 ° and 140 ° f . with an acid added to maintain a ph between 4 and 6 . the resultant particles are permanently modified and are called glycolate modified derivatives , gmd . the next step is the pigment sensitization step , as illustrated in fig2 . the glycolate modified derivatives are combined colloidally with pigment particles by heating between 100 °- 140 ° f . for 60 to 90 minutes maintaining a ph of 6 . 5 to 7 . 5 . the resultant pigment sensitive particles , psp , may be used for temporary coloring , as described hereinafter . the third step is the pigment agglomeration step , as illustrated in fig3 . in this step the psp are agglomerated with lyophilic colloidal molecules or particles by mixing under mild agitation for 60 to 90 minutes while maintaining a ph of 6 . 5 to 7 . 5 . the resulting pigment agglomerate particles , pap , are very hydrophilic , complexing numerous water molecules , such that a thickening action still prevails of the required viscosity for effective application by print rolls or pad rolls to textile materials . this resultant pap , when deposited on the surface of the textile materials will be firmly affixed by the function of the binder which bonds the whole complex in place . the glycolate modified derivative , gmd , as part of this complex is also affixed , and is soft , and contributes to providing good properties of color yield , comfort , hand , and wet crock . the inventon includes a very effective means to form soft , flexible starch and cellulose derivatives . the ability to make these soft , thickener type derivatives is crucial to this invention . the glycolate modified derivatives , as we have termed them , are made by the acid reaction of low molecular weight glycols with starch or cellulosic derivatives . the starch or cellulosic derivatives are reacted under acid conditions with the glycols . we believe the mechanism of reaction to be the formation of hydrocellulose by the hydrolysis attack of the acid of the 1 , 4 ether linkage of the cellulose and starch chains , of course cellulose chains being composed of beta - glucose molecules , and starch of alpha - glucose molecules . the beta - glucose molecules of cellulose we can represent by r b and the alpha glucose molecules of starch as r s . therefore , the structured formula for cellulose and starch can be represented as such : ## str1 ## we must understand that the r b unit of cellulose -- ## str2 ## can form various derivatives with the available hydroxy groups being reacted . the same for the r s unit of starch -- ## str3 ## hence , in this specification , we will represent the various derivatives as they are reacted with the available hydroxyl groups . for hydroxy ethyl cellulose , we have ## str4 ## for acetylated starch , we have -- ## str5 ## in the making of the glycolate modified derivative -- gmd , hydroxy ethyl cellulose and acetylated starch are reacted with glycerine , 1 , 3 propylene glycol , 1 , 4 butylene glycol , or 1 , 3 butylene glycol . the reaction is carried out at an acid ph . for hydroxy ethyl cellulose and 1 , 3 propylene glycol -- ## str6 ## for acetylated starch and 1 , 3 propylene glycol -- ## str7 ## the essential result of the above reactions is that the unmodified hydroxy ethyl cellulose , and acetylated starch derivatives give films that are clear , but brittle and stiff . after reaction or modification with the propylene glycol , they give films that are clear , but flexible , not brittle . the reacton conditions are to dissolve the hydroxy ethyl cellulose , or acetylated starch , in water at a concentration of anywhere from 0 . 05 - 20 %, add formic acid to adjust the ph to 4 - 5 , add the 1 , 3 propylene glycol at a concentration of 0 . 01 - 10 %, and react at a temperature of 160 °- 180 ° for 30 - 90 minutes . as the reaction proceeds , a definite change can be noted . at first , the viscosity of the reacting solution will drop , and become increasingly clear , but then begins to increase and take on a haze . we theorize that the derivatives are first hydrolzed , and then crosslinked with the glycols to form glycolates . the kinds of products that can be made are numerous , by varying the reaction conditions and the reactants . many different acids besides formic can be used , such as acetic , oxalic , tartaric , citric , i . e ., the organic acids , not the mineral acids . different glycols besides propylene glycol can be used such as glycerin , 1 , 2 and , 1 , 4 butylene glycol , dihydroxy acetone and others , as long as there are two hydroxy groups in terminal reactive positions , and the molecular weight is not to high to lose solubility in water . after the formation of the glycolate modified derivative , gmd , the next step is pigment sensitization . the pigment color is added to the gmd solution , at a concentration of 0 . 25 - 15 % dependent on the depth of shade required , and the corresponding concentration of the gmd . the ph is adjusted with ammonia to 6 . 5 - 7 . 5 . the temperature is brought to 120 °- 140 ° f ., and the solution is held under mild agitation for 60 to 90 minutes . the gmd will migrate and encapsulate , colloidally , the pigment particles . the viscosity of the solution will adjust at this point , becoming lower . the pigment is completely encapsulated , and we refer to this as sensitizing the pigment particles . interestingly enough , if pigment sensitized particles , psp &# 39 ; s in solution form , colloidally suspended , are cast onto a surface and dried , they are completely redispersible with water upon subsequent rewetting . in fact , the cleanup , either off the hands or off various surfaces , is easy and total . this property illustrates the complete encapsulation of the pigment , and this feature can be utilized to good purpose when it is desired to only temporarily color a substance , and then be able to remove said coloring without staining . the gmd &# 39 ; s of this invention are uniquely capable of sensitizing pigment particles , or encapsulating them . this action will work equally well on non - colored pigments or fillers as they are called . in fact , sensitized filler particles are easily incorporated into foam systems , so that they do not destabilize the foam , and in foam printing or coating , it is a distinct advantage to incorporate a high level of filler . after the sensitizing step , the next step is to form what we term the pigment agglomerate . to the psp solution , as made above , we now add binder which is in latex form . the binder is usually a film forming elastomer , and can be of any composition . this does not matter , nor does it restrict or confine the workings of this invention . what is important is that the polymeric binder be a latex or colloidal dispersion . this is added to a concentration of 0 . 25 - 20 %, and held at room ambient temperature , under mild agitation for 60 - 120 minutes . after awhile , it is apparent that the colloidal nature of the solution or mix has changed . the viscosity drops even lower , and a clear layer of liquid will form at the top of mix when agitation is stopped and the suspended particles begin to show signs of settling . this is typical of the situation of forming a larger agglomerate particle . instead of being in the particle size range of less than one micron , the particles now , if examined under a microscope and measured , are in the particle size range of 1 to 8 microns , more normally around 2 - 3 microns . the sensitized pigment - binder agglomerate is now formed . the pigment agglomerate particles , pap , so formed , are now very intimately admixed in a very unique and permanent manner . the efficiency of intermixing is intermolecular , such that secondary valence forces are holding the particles intermolecularly together , and much more effectively , or efficiently than could be accomplished by simple dispersion mixing . in this agglomerate form the glycolate derivatives , the pigment colors and the binders are so tightly bound up intermolecularly together , that they cannot now be separately extracted fron one another . upon subsequent application of this coloring system to textile substrates , and driving off the water , and heat curing to further adhesion , the system is very durable , and fast to washing and drycleaning . surprisingly , even the wet and dry crock resistance , or rub off of color , is markedly improved , and what is so important , the hand is soft and supple , due to the flexible nature of the glycolate derivatives , as opposed to other thickeners that are non - flexible and brittle . ______________________________________i making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10202 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 100 - acetylated starch3 . formic acid , 90 % 44 . diethylene glycol 20______________________________________ the kofilm 80 is an acetylated starch made by national starch company , plainfield , n . j ., which is dissolved in the water first by adding it slowly to the water , cold , under adequate agitation until completely dispersed . formic acid is added , followed by the diethylene glycol . the ph is checked to make certain it is in the range of 4 - 5 . the temperature is gradually raised to 180 ° f ., and held at this temperature , under mild agitation , for 90 minutes . the heat is removed , and the batch is allowed to drop in temperature to 120 ° f . the viscosity of the solution prior to the cook was 25 , 000 cps . ; after the cook 18 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 10 % 11442 . cu phythocayamine bluedispersion , 40 % 553 . ammonia to ph 6 . 5______________________________________ the blue pigment concentrate is added to the gmd solution , and then the solution adjusted with ammonia to a ph of 6 . 5 . the temperature of the solution is held at 120 ° f . for 60 minutes under mild agitation . the temperature is allowed to drop to ambient room temperature . the viscosity of the psp solution as made is 9 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii making the pap . formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 11 % 11992 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 100 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at ambient temperatures . the hycar 1561 is an elastomeric copolymer composed of about 55 % butadiene , and 45 % acrylonitrile , in the form of a latex , made by b . f . goodrich company , akron , ohio . the above solution is mildly agitated for 120 minutes , at which time distinct 3 - 8 micron agglomerate particles have formed . ______________________________________iv . print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 13 % 12992 . carbopol k - 934 - 5 % solution 13 . triton x100 14 . dodecyl alcohol . 55 . defoamer . 2______________________________________ additional chemicals are added to form the final print mix . the carbopol k - 934 is a thickener which is a copolymer of acrylic acid and acrylonitrile , made by b . f . goodrich company , added to adjust the print mix to a viscosity of 20 , 000 cps . the triton x - 100 is a nonionic wetting agent which is a condensation product of nonophenol and ethylene oxide , made by rohm and haas company , philadelphia , pa ., which is added to provide better print mix penetration and wetting of the textile goods . do decyl alcohol is added to give smoothness , and further wetting . a defoamer is added to control or prevent foaming during printing . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 50 - acetylated starch3 . formic acid , 90 % 44 . diethylene glycol 10______________________________________ the above is cooked at 160 ° f . for 70 minutes , under mild agitation . the viscosity of this gmd solution is 2800 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 5 . 5 % 10642 . cu phthocyanine bluedispersion 40 % 373 . ammonia to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ this solution is cooked for 40 minutes at 135 ° f . under mild agitation then dropped to ambient temperatures . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 6 . 7 % 11002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 50 - polyacrylic polymer3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 12 . 5 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation , for 120 ° f . minutes , after which time a distinct 3 - 8 micron agglomerate particles form . after this time interval , the pad dye solution is prepared as follows : ______________________________________iv . pad dyeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution 9 % 11602 . triton x100 0 . 53 . methocel , 15 cps . 0 . 94 . cymel 303 , 80 % ( mf resin ) 1 . 2 - butylated mela - mine resin5 . defoamer 0 . 3______________________________________ the gmd solution is made the same as example i , and so also the psp solution . the pigment agglomerate particles were made as follows : ______________________________________pap solutionformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 1 10002 . rhoplex ha - 8 , 46 % 32 - polyacrylic resin3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 37 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ this solution is held at ambient temperatures , under mild agitation , for 120 minutes . rhoplex ha - 8 is a self crosslinking polyethyl acrylate polymer in latex form from the rohm & amp ; haas company , philadelphia , pa . after the pigment agglomerate particles have formed , at from 3 - 10 microns , in size , the following print formula is made . ______________________________________print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . above pap solution , 13 % 10002 . alcogum l - 11 , 30 % 1 - polyacrylic acid3 . butylated melamine - formaldehyde resin 50 % 34 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ the viscosity of the print paste is 18 , 000 cps . this formula is particularly good on rayon or cotton goods . the gmd and psp solutions are made the same as example ii . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap solution formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 2 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 47 - polyacrylic resin3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 10 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ this is stirred at room temperature for 100 minutes , after which time the desired pigment agglomerate particles are formed at a particle size range of 2 - 8 microns . from this is made the following pigment pad formula . ______________________________________pad dye formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution from above8 . 7 % 10002 . methocel , 4000 cps . 0 . 93 . keltex 0 . 45 - protein gum4 . urea 0 . 45 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % 2 . 76 . trimethyol melamineresin , 80 % 3 . 07 . triton x100 0 . 48 . ammonium stearate , 30 % 0 . 129 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ this formula had a viscosity of 600 - 800 cps . this pigment pad formula is particularly good on polyester / cotton goods , giving a soft hand with good wash performance . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp 5200h , 90 % 10 - hydroxy ethyl cellulose3 . formic acid , 90 % 24 . diethylene glycol 4______________________________________ the cellosize qp5200 h , is an hydroxy ethyl cellulose made by union carbide corp ., new york , n . y ., which is dissolved in the water by first adding it to cold water to disperse it under adequate agitation , then adding the formic acid , followed by diethylene glycol . the temperature is gradually raised to 160 ° f . and held for 60 minutes under mild agitation . the heat is removed , and the batch let cool to 120 ° f . the viscosity of the batch prior to the cook was 50 , 000 cps . and after the cook 30 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts______________________________________1 . gmd solution 1 . 47 % 10002 . calcium phthocyanineblue dispersion , 40 % 503 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % to ph 6 . 7______________________________________ the blue pigment dispersion is added to the gmd solution , and then this solution is adjusted with ammonia to a ph of 6 . 7 . the temperature of the solution is held at 120 ° f . for 60 minutes under mild agitation . after the 60 minute interval , the temperature is dropped to room temperature . the viscosity of the psp solution is 20 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 3 . 5 % 10002 . hycar , 1561 , 40 % 100 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation for 120 minutes , after which time agglomerated particles are formed range in size from 2 - 10 microns . this is now made up in a print formula . the solution viscosity is 12 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iv print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 7 . 5 % 10002 . carbopol k - 934 , 5 % solution 33 . triton x - 100 14 . xylene 1 . 55 . defoamer 0 . 2______________________________________ this print mix has a viscosity of 20 , 000 cps . it prints very well from engraved rolls . the resultant prints are soft , and display excellent sharpness of print definition . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp5200h 73 . formic acid 24 . diethylene glycol 3______________________________________ the above is cooked for 90 minutes at 180 ° f ., under mild agitation . the viscosity of this solution is 25 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________gmd solution , 1 . 2 % 10002 . cuphthocyanine bluedispersion 40 % 353 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % to ph 6 . 7______________________________________ this solution is cooked for 60 minutes at 160 ° f ., under mild agitation , then dropped to room temperature . viscosity is 17 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 3 . 0 % 10002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 393 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 21______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation , for 120 minutes . after this time interval , a distinct range of agglomerate particles from 3 - 8 microns form . from this is now prepared the dye solution . viscosity 300 cps . ______________________________________iv . pad dyeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution 5 . 8 % 10002 . triton x100 0 . 53 . methocel , 15 cps . 0 . 94 . cymel 303 , 80 % ( mf resin ) 1 . 95 . defoamer 0 . 3______________________________________ the viscosity of the pad dye solution is 700 - 900 cps . this pad dye solution goes on very well , with excellent color yield and uniformity , with no migration of pigment upon drying . the gmd solution is made the same as cited in example v ., and so also for the psp solution . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap solutionformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 5 ( 3 . 5 %) 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 483 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 14______________________________________ this solution is mildly agitated at room temperature for 120 minutes to form the pigment agglomerate particles of size of 2 - 8 microns . this is now made up into the following print formula . ______________________________________print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . above pap solution , 6 % 10002 . alcogum l - 11 , 30 % 33 . butylated melamine - formal - dehyde resin , 50 % 3 . 04 . defoamer 0 . 2______________________________________ viscosity of this print paste is 22 , 000 cps . this print paste gives good definition of color , and a soft feel . the color yield was excellent . the gmd and psp solutions are made the same as example vi . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 6 , 3 . 0 % 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 243 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 7______________________________________ this solution is stirred at room temperature for 120 minutes , the pigment agglomerate particles form at a size of 2 - 8 microns . from this is made the following pigment pad formula . ______________________________________pad dye formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution from above , 4 . 5 % 10002 . keltex 1 . 23 . triton x100 0 . 44 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % 2 . 45 . ammonnium stearate , 30 % 3 . 06 . trimethylol melamineresin , 80 % 2 . 47 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ this formula had a viscosity of 400 - 600 cps . it padded on very well , gave a pleasing soft hand and excellent uniform coloring . the wash fastness is very good . at this point it is important to present comparative test data of the above pigment print and padding mixes as made by this invention versus conventional pigment print and padding systems . the evaluation data is presented in the following tables : ______________________________________ ratings wash lightprint color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example i 5 4 4 3 - 2 4 4example iii 4 4 4 4 - 3 4 - 3 4example v 4 4 4 3 - 2 5 - 4 4______________________________________ ______________________________________ ratings wash lightprint color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example vii 5 4 4 4 - 3 4 - 3 4conventionalphthlo blue 4 4 4 2 3 4conventional2phthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 4______________________________________ ratings : 5excellent , 4good , 3mod . good , 2fair , 1poor from the above table it can be seen that this invention has a desirable effect on hand and color yield . the wet crock is also improved over two conventional phthlo blue pigment print formulas supplied to the textile industry . the washfastness and dry crock are equivalent . ______________________________________ ratings wash lightpad dye color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example ii 4 4 4 3 3 - 4 4example iv 3 - 4 4 4 3 - 4 3 4example vi 4 4 4 3 3 - 4 4example 3 - 4 4 4 3 - 4 3 4viiiconventionalphthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 - 1 4conventional2phthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 - 1 4______________________________________ for pigment pad dyeing the examples of this invention are superior to conventional systems , the wet crock is improved , and the hand is dramatically better . the improvement in hand is very important for pigment pad dyeing , because the thickening agents that are currently used , even in very small amounts of actual deposition on the textile goods , cause stiffening . this has always been a drawback to pigment pad dyeing . also , in conventional systems to obtain washfastness , a substantial level of binding resin has to be employed . hence pigment pad dyeings that have good washfastness , have firm hands . by using the glycolate derivatives of this invention , and forming the pigment agglomerate with the binder , much less binder has to be used to achieve an equivalent level of washfastness , and coupled with glycolate derivative as a thickener , is softer in hand . this double effect now allows one to design pigment dye systems that are pleasing in hand and washfast . the glycolate derivatives are good as foam stabilizers , so as such are useful in foam print systems . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 1403 . formic acid , 90 % 64 . citric acid , 90 % 25 . diethylene glycol 30______________________________________ this cooked in the usual manner at 160 ° f . for 90 minutes , under mild agitation . the viscosity at the end of the cook is 40 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 15 % 10002 . itr red , 25 % 783 . ammonium hydroxide to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ this is cooked for 60 minutes at 160 ° f ., with mild agitation . the viscosity at the end of this cook is 30 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 15 % 10002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 623 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 19______________________________________ this solution is held at room temperature for 35 minutes , under mild agitation . the pigment agglomerate particle range in size from 1 . 5 - 4 . 0 microns . the viscosity of the pap solution is 8000 cps . ______________________________________iv . foam print compoundformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 15 % 20002 . dupanol me , 20 % 12 - lauryl sulfate3 . melamine formaldehyderesin , 50 % 84 . ammonium stearate , 30 % 1 . 5______________________________________ the above mix can be shipped into a foam with the use of a high speed mixer to give a foam of a density of 0 . 43 . this foam print compound is very stable , applys well with excellent pore structure and once applied yields a soft , flexible print . an interesting property of the pigment sensitized particle ( psp ) is that the pigment is completely encapsulated by the glycolate modified derivative . this means that if the psps are deposited upon a textile substrate , they can later be removed completely by water . this property can be used to advantage for the making of fugitive or nonstaining tints . there are times when it is desirable to tint a kind , or lot of fiber to identify it during the processing . after the processing is complete , then it is desirable to remove the tint completely without any staining . with dyes or pigments that are selected to have no affinity to a certain kind of fiber , staining still results ; and the wash procedure is quite involved to try to remove all of the dyestuff or pigment completely . however , the pigment sensitized particles ( psp ) will not stain the fiber regardless of composition and will wash out completely and easily with hot water , or mild soaping , hot or cold . this property has proved most effective in creating a craft for children , permitting them to color the hair of dolls . the hair coloring of dolls was not possible with prior art dyestuffs and pigments , since they would stain the doll &# 39 ; s hair no matter what fiber was used -- polypropylene , nylon , polyester , etc . in fact , the search to find dyestuffs or pigments that would easily wash out without staining has been long and unfruitful . the psp concept was tested and worked perfectly with a full range of colors . so the invention of micro - encapsulation of pigment particles with glycolate modified derivatives provides the development of a fugitive , non - staining hair coloring system , that can be used as a child &# 39 ; s activity . the making of this doll hair coloring system is as follows : ______________________________________i . making the glycolate modified derivativeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp100m , 90 % 153 . citric acid , 90 % 34 . glycerin 20______________________________________ this solution is cooked under mild agitation for 90 minutes at a temperature of 180 ° f . the viscosity of this cook is 36000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pigment sensitized particles______________________________________formula for redingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , above , 4 % 10002 . hercules red t . 10dispersion3 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 to ph 7 . 0______________________________________formula for violetingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution above , 4 % 10002 . carbizol violet 25dispersion3 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 % to ph 7 . 0______________________________________formula for browningredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , above 4 % 10002 . burnt umber dispersion 303 . black dispersion 34 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 % to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ the above solutions are cooked under mild agitation for 60 - 70 minutes at a temperature of 120 ° f . after this cook , the viscosity of this solution drops to range from 6 - 9000 cps . this makes for an excellent hair coloring mix or solution . it has just the right coverage viscosity to give an excellent comb thru application or coverage . the coloring mix is allowed to dry , whereby the artificial hair , usually nylon fiber , is uniformly colored . this coloring can be very easily and completely removed by washing in warm water , or a mild , cold water soap solution . this feature is essential to the haircoloring activity for children , whereby they can change the color of the hair on the doll at will , without staining or hurting the condition of the hair fiber . the glycolate derivative has added features of being soft , and flexible with dry surface feel , and acts like a hair conditioner to add high lite , suppleness and smoothness of feel . without the ability of the glycolate modified deriviative to act as a soft hair conditioner , and also , able to form a micro agglomerate and encapsulation of the coloring pigment , the hair coloring activity for dolls for children would not be a commercial reality . | Should this patent be classified under 'Textiles; Paper'? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Fixed Constructions'? | 0.25 | 627d48b24c9f69dea758a360506f2024eeff3d197ee5a5216f89b314e115d951 | 0.255859 | 0.027954 | 0.043945 | 0.031128 | 0.094238 | 0.090332 |
null | this invention pertains to pigment micro - agglomerate coloring systems for coloring synthetic fibers and textile materials , either permanently or temporarily . in the invention certain starch and cellulosic derivatives are softened with poly hydric alcohols to form glycolate modified derivatives ( gmd ). the gmd &# 39 ; s serve as thickener which encapsulates pigment particles to form a pigment - gmd agglomerate which in itself can be used for the temporary coloring of synthetic textile materials . the pigment - gmd agglomerate may be colloidally combined with a latex binder to form a complex pigment - gmd - binder agglomerate . this pigment micro - agglomerate complex may be deposited on textile materials from print rolls or pad rolls to yield a coloring system which is soft , durable and fast to washing and dry cleaning . referring now to the drawings , the three figures illustrate in a diagrammatic way the steps in the formation of the pigment micro - agglomerate complex of the present invention . fig1 illustrates the first or modification step . non - colloidial , hydrophilic molecules of poly hydric compounds , such as glycerin , 1 , 3 butylene glycol , 1 , 4 butylene glycol and 1 , 2 propylene glycol are solvated into hydrophilic colloidal molecules or particles by heating the components for 60 to 90 minues between 100 ° and 140 ° f . with an acid added to maintain a ph between 4 and 6 . the resultant particles are permanently modified and are called glycolate modified derivatives , gmd . the next step is the pigment sensitization step , as illustrated in fig2 . the glycolate modified derivatives are combined colloidally with pigment particles by heating between 100 °- 140 ° f . for 60 to 90 minutes maintaining a ph of 6 . 5 to 7 . 5 . the resultant pigment sensitive particles , psp , may be used for temporary coloring , as described hereinafter . the third step is the pigment agglomeration step , as illustrated in fig3 . in this step the psp are agglomerated with lyophilic colloidal molecules or particles by mixing under mild agitation for 60 to 90 minutes while maintaining a ph of 6 . 5 to 7 . 5 . the resulting pigment agglomerate particles , pap , are very hydrophilic , complexing numerous water molecules , such that a thickening action still prevails of the required viscosity for effective application by print rolls or pad rolls to textile materials . this resultant pap , when deposited on the surface of the textile materials will be firmly affixed by the function of the binder which bonds the whole complex in place . the glycolate modified derivative , gmd , as part of this complex is also affixed , and is soft , and contributes to providing good properties of color yield , comfort , hand , and wet crock . the inventon includes a very effective means to form soft , flexible starch and cellulose derivatives . the ability to make these soft , thickener type derivatives is crucial to this invention . the glycolate modified derivatives , as we have termed them , are made by the acid reaction of low molecular weight glycols with starch or cellulosic derivatives . the starch or cellulosic derivatives are reacted under acid conditions with the glycols . we believe the mechanism of reaction to be the formation of hydrocellulose by the hydrolysis attack of the acid of the 1 , 4 ether linkage of the cellulose and starch chains , of course cellulose chains being composed of beta - glucose molecules , and starch of alpha - glucose molecules . the beta - glucose molecules of cellulose we can represent by r b and the alpha glucose molecules of starch as r s . therefore , the structured formula for cellulose and starch can be represented as such : ## str1 ## we must understand that the r b unit of cellulose -- ## str2 ## can form various derivatives with the available hydroxy groups being reacted . the same for the r s unit of starch -- ## str3 ## hence , in this specification , we will represent the various derivatives as they are reacted with the available hydroxyl groups . for hydroxy ethyl cellulose , we have ## str4 ## for acetylated starch , we have -- ## str5 ## in the making of the glycolate modified derivative -- gmd , hydroxy ethyl cellulose and acetylated starch are reacted with glycerine , 1 , 3 propylene glycol , 1 , 4 butylene glycol , or 1 , 3 butylene glycol . the reaction is carried out at an acid ph . for hydroxy ethyl cellulose and 1 , 3 propylene glycol -- ## str6 ## for acetylated starch and 1 , 3 propylene glycol -- ## str7 ## the essential result of the above reactions is that the unmodified hydroxy ethyl cellulose , and acetylated starch derivatives give films that are clear , but brittle and stiff . after reaction or modification with the propylene glycol , they give films that are clear , but flexible , not brittle . the reacton conditions are to dissolve the hydroxy ethyl cellulose , or acetylated starch , in water at a concentration of anywhere from 0 . 05 - 20 %, add formic acid to adjust the ph to 4 - 5 , add the 1 , 3 propylene glycol at a concentration of 0 . 01 - 10 %, and react at a temperature of 160 °- 180 ° for 30 - 90 minutes . as the reaction proceeds , a definite change can be noted . at first , the viscosity of the reacting solution will drop , and become increasingly clear , but then begins to increase and take on a haze . we theorize that the derivatives are first hydrolzed , and then crosslinked with the glycols to form glycolates . the kinds of products that can be made are numerous , by varying the reaction conditions and the reactants . many different acids besides formic can be used , such as acetic , oxalic , tartaric , citric , i . e ., the organic acids , not the mineral acids . different glycols besides propylene glycol can be used such as glycerin , 1 , 2 and , 1 , 4 butylene glycol , dihydroxy acetone and others , as long as there are two hydroxy groups in terminal reactive positions , and the molecular weight is not to high to lose solubility in water . after the formation of the glycolate modified derivative , gmd , the next step is pigment sensitization . the pigment color is added to the gmd solution , at a concentration of 0 . 25 - 15 % dependent on the depth of shade required , and the corresponding concentration of the gmd . the ph is adjusted with ammonia to 6 . 5 - 7 . 5 . the temperature is brought to 120 °- 140 ° f ., and the solution is held under mild agitation for 60 to 90 minutes . the gmd will migrate and encapsulate , colloidally , the pigment particles . the viscosity of the solution will adjust at this point , becoming lower . the pigment is completely encapsulated , and we refer to this as sensitizing the pigment particles . interestingly enough , if pigment sensitized particles , psp &# 39 ; s in solution form , colloidally suspended , are cast onto a surface and dried , they are completely redispersible with water upon subsequent rewetting . in fact , the cleanup , either off the hands or off various surfaces , is easy and total . this property illustrates the complete encapsulation of the pigment , and this feature can be utilized to good purpose when it is desired to only temporarily color a substance , and then be able to remove said coloring without staining . the gmd &# 39 ; s of this invention are uniquely capable of sensitizing pigment particles , or encapsulating them . this action will work equally well on non - colored pigments or fillers as they are called . in fact , sensitized filler particles are easily incorporated into foam systems , so that they do not destabilize the foam , and in foam printing or coating , it is a distinct advantage to incorporate a high level of filler . after the sensitizing step , the next step is to form what we term the pigment agglomerate . to the psp solution , as made above , we now add binder which is in latex form . the binder is usually a film forming elastomer , and can be of any composition . this does not matter , nor does it restrict or confine the workings of this invention . what is important is that the polymeric binder be a latex or colloidal dispersion . this is added to a concentration of 0 . 25 - 20 %, and held at room ambient temperature , under mild agitation for 60 - 120 minutes . after awhile , it is apparent that the colloidal nature of the solution or mix has changed . the viscosity drops even lower , and a clear layer of liquid will form at the top of mix when agitation is stopped and the suspended particles begin to show signs of settling . this is typical of the situation of forming a larger agglomerate particle . instead of being in the particle size range of less than one micron , the particles now , if examined under a microscope and measured , are in the particle size range of 1 to 8 microns , more normally around 2 - 3 microns . the sensitized pigment - binder agglomerate is now formed . the pigment agglomerate particles , pap , so formed , are now very intimately admixed in a very unique and permanent manner . the efficiency of intermixing is intermolecular , such that secondary valence forces are holding the particles intermolecularly together , and much more effectively , or efficiently than could be accomplished by simple dispersion mixing . in this agglomerate form the glycolate derivatives , the pigment colors and the binders are so tightly bound up intermolecularly together , that they cannot now be separately extracted fron one another . upon subsequent application of this coloring system to textile substrates , and driving off the water , and heat curing to further adhesion , the system is very durable , and fast to washing and drycleaning . surprisingly , even the wet and dry crock resistance , or rub off of color , is markedly improved , and what is so important , the hand is soft and supple , due to the flexible nature of the glycolate derivatives , as opposed to other thickeners that are non - flexible and brittle . ______________________________________i making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10202 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 100 - acetylated starch3 . formic acid , 90 % 44 . diethylene glycol 20______________________________________ the kofilm 80 is an acetylated starch made by national starch company , plainfield , n . j ., which is dissolved in the water first by adding it slowly to the water , cold , under adequate agitation until completely dispersed . formic acid is added , followed by the diethylene glycol . the ph is checked to make certain it is in the range of 4 - 5 . the temperature is gradually raised to 180 ° f ., and held at this temperature , under mild agitation , for 90 minutes . the heat is removed , and the batch is allowed to drop in temperature to 120 ° f . the viscosity of the solution prior to the cook was 25 , 000 cps . ; after the cook 18 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 10 % 11442 . cu phythocayamine bluedispersion , 40 % 553 . ammonia to ph 6 . 5______________________________________ the blue pigment concentrate is added to the gmd solution , and then the solution adjusted with ammonia to a ph of 6 . 5 . the temperature of the solution is held at 120 ° f . for 60 minutes under mild agitation . the temperature is allowed to drop to ambient room temperature . the viscosity of the psp solution as made is 9 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii making the pap . formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 11 % 11992 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 100 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at ambient temperatures . the hycar 1561 is an elastomeric copolymer composed of about 55 % butadiene , and 45 % acrylonitrile , in the form of a latex , made by b . f . goodrich company , akron , ohio . the above solution is mildly agitated for 120 minutes , at which time distinct 3 - 8 micron agglomerate particles have formed . ______________________________________iv . print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 13 % 12992 . carbopol k - 934 - 5 % solution 13 . triton x100 14 . dodecyl alcohol . 55 . defoamer . 2______________________________________ additional chemicals are added to form the final print mix . the carbopol k - 934 is a thickener which is a copolymer of acrylic acid and acrylonitrile , made by b . f . goodrich company , added to adjust the print mix to a viscosity of 20 , 000 cps . the triton x - 100 is a nonionic wetting agent which is a condensation product of nonophenol and ethylene oxide , made by rohm and haas company , philadelphia , pa ., which is added to provide better print mix penetration and wetting of the textile goods . do decyl alcohol is added to give smoothness , and further wetting . a defoamer is added to control or prevent foaming during printing . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 50 - acetylated starch3 . formic acid , 90 % 44 . diethylene glycol 10______________________________________ the above is cooked at 160 ° f . for 70 minutes , under mild agitation . the viscosity of this gmd solution is 2800 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 5 . 5 % 10642 . cu phthocyanine bluedispersion 40 % 373 . ammonia to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ this solution is cooked for 40 minutes at 135 ° f . under mild agitation then dropped to ambient temperatures . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 6 . 7 % 11002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 50 - polyacrylic polymer3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 12 . 5 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation , for 120 ° f . minutes , after which time a distinct 3 - 8 micron agglomerate particles form . after this time interval , the pad dye solution is prepared as follows : ______________________________________iv . pad dyeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution 9 % 11602 . triton x100 0 . 53 . methocel , 15 cps . 0 . 94 . cymel 303 , 80 % ( mf resin ) 1 . 2 - butylated mela - mine resin5 . defoamer 0 . 3______________________________________ the gmd solution is made the same as example i , and so also the psp solution . the pigment agglomerate particles were made as follows : ______________________________________pap solutionformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 1 10002 . rhoplex ha - 8 , 46 % 32 - polyacrylic resin3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 37 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ this solution is held at ambient temperatures , under mild agitation , for 120 minutes . rhoplex ha - 8 is a self crosslinking polyethyl acrylate polymer in latex form from the rohm & amp ; haas company , philadelphia , pa . after the pigment agglomerate particles have formed , at from 3 - 10 microns , in size , the following print formula is made . ______________________________________print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . above pap solution , 13 % 10002 . alcogum l - 11 , 30 % 1 - polyacrylic acid3 . butylated melamine - formaldehyde resin 50 % 34 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ the viscosity of the print paste is 18 , 000 cps . this formula is particularly good on rayon or cotton goods . the gmd and psp solutions are made the same as example ii . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap solution formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 2 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 47 - polyacrylic resin3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 10 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ this is stirred at room temperature for 100 minutes , after which time the desired pigment agglomerate particles are formed at a particle size range of 2 - 8 microns . from this is made the following pigment pad formula . ______________________________________pad dye formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution from above8 . 7 % 10002 . methocel , 4000 cps . 0 . 93 . keltex 0 . 45 - protein gum4 . urea 0 . 45 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % 2 . 76 . trimethyol melamineresin , 80 % 3 . 07 . triton x100 0 . 48 . ammonium stearate , 30 % 0 . 129 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ this formula had a viscosity of 600 - 800 cps . this pigment pad formula is particularly good on polyester / cotton goods , giving a soft hand with good wash performance . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp 5200h , 90 % 10 - hydroxy ethyl cellulose3 . formic acid , 90 % 24 . diethylene glycol 4______________________________________ the cellosize qp5200 h , is an hydroxy ethyl cellulose made by union carbide corp ., new york , n . y ., which is dissolved in the water by first adding it to cold water to disperse it under adequate agitation , then adding the formic acid , followed by diethylene glycol . the temperature is gradually raised to 160 ° f . and held for 60 minutes under mild agitation . the heat is removed , and the batch let cool to 120 ° f . the viscosity of the batch prior to the cook was 50 , 000 cps . and after the cook 30 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts______________________________________1 . gmd solution 1 . 47 % 10002 . calcium phthocyanineblue dispersion , 40 % 503 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % to ph 6 . 7______________________________________ the blue pigment dispersion is added to the gmd solution , and then this solution is adjusted with ammonia to a ph of 6 . 7 . the temperature of the solution is held at 120 ° f . for 60 minutes under mild agitation . after the 60 minute interval , the temperature is dropped to room temperature . the viscosity of the psp solution is 20 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 3 . 5 % 10002 . hycar , 1561 , 40 % 100 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation for 120 minutes , after which time agglomerated particles are formed range in size from 2 - 10 microns . this is now made up in a print formula . the solution viscosity is 12 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iv print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 7 . 5 % 10002 . carbopol k - 934 , 5 % solution 33 . triton x - 100 14 . xylene 1 . 55 . defoamer 0 . 2______________________________________ this print mix has a viscosity of 20 , 000 cps . it prints very well from engraved rolls . the resultant prints are soft , and display excellent sharpness of print definition . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp5200h 73 . formic acid 24 . diethylene glycol 3______________________________________ the above is cooked for 90 minutes at 180 ° f ., under mild agitation . the viscosity of this solution is 25 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________gmd solution , 1 . 2 % 10002 . cuphthocyanine bluedispersion 40 % 353 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % to ph 6 . 7______________________________________ this solution is cooked for 60 minutes at 160 ° f ., under mild agitation , then dropped to room temperature . viscosity is 17 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 3 . 0 % 10002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 393 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 21______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation , for 120 minutes . after this time interval , a distinct range of agglomerate particles from 3 - 8 microns form . from this is now prepared the dye solution . viscosity 300 cps . ______________________________________iv . pad dyeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution 5 . 8 % 10002 . triton x100 0 . 53 . methocel , 15 cps . 0 . 94 . cymel 303 , 80 % ( mf resin ) 1 . 95 . defoamer 0 . 3______________________________________ the viscosity of the pad dye solution is 700 - 900 cps . this pad dye solution goes on very well , with excellent color yield and uniformity , with no migration of pigment upon drying . the gmd solution is made the same as cited in example v ., and so also for the psp solution . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap solutionformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 5 ( 3 . 5 %) 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 483 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 14______________________________________ this solution is mildly agitated at room temperature for 120 minutes to form the pigment agglomerate particles of size of 2 - 8 microns . this is now made up into the following print formula . ______________________________________print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . above pap solution , 6 % 10002 . alcogum l - 11 , 30 % 33 . butylated melamine - formal - dehyde resin , 50 % 3 . 04 . defoamer 0 . 2______________________________________ viscosity of this print paste is 22 , 000 cps . this print paste gives good definition of color , and a soft feel . the color yield was excellent . the gmd and psp solutions are made the same as example vi . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 6 , 3 . 0 % 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 243 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 7______________________________________ this solution is stirred at room temperature for 120 minutes , the pigment agglomerate particles form at a size of 2 - 8 microns . from this is made the following pigment pad formula . ______________________________________pad dye formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution from above , 4 . 5 % 10002 . keltex 1 . 23 . triton x100 0 . 44 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % 2 . 45 . ammonnium stearate , 30 % 3 . 06 . trimethylol melamineresin , 80 % 2 . 47 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ this formula had a viscosity of 400 - 600 cps . it padded on very well , gave a pleasing soft hand and excellent uniform coloring . the wash fastness is very good . at this point it is important to present comparative test data of the above pigment print and padding mixes as made by this invention versus conventional pigment print and padding systems . the evaluation data is presented in the following tables : ______________________________________ ratings wash lightprint color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example i 5 4 4 3 - 2 4 4example iii 4 4 4 4 - 3 4 - 3 4example v 4 4 4 3 - 2 5 - 4 4______________________________________ ______________________________________ ratings wash lightprint color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example vii 5 4 4 4 - 3 4 - 3 4conventionalphthlo blue 4 4 4 2 3 4conventional2phthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 4______________________________________ ratings : 5excellent , 4good , 3mod . good , 2fair , 1poor from the above table it can be seen that this invention has a desirable effect on hand and color yield . the wet crock is also improved over two conventional phthlo blue pigment print formulas supplied to the textile industry . the washfastness and dry crock are equivalent . ______________________________________ ratings wash lightpad dye color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example ii 4 4 4 3 3 - 4 4example iv 3 - 4 4 4 3 - 4 3 4example vi 4 4 4 3 3 - 4 4example 3 - 4 4 4 3 - 4 3 4viiiconventionalphthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 - 1 4conventional2phthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 - 1 4______________________________________ for pigment pad dyeing the examples of this invention are superior to conventional systems , the wet crock is improved , and the hand is dramatically better . the improvement in hand is very important for pigment pad dyeing , because the thickening agents that are currently used , even in very small amounts of actual deposition on the textile goods , cause stiffening . this has always been a drawback to pigment pad dyeing . also , in conventional systems to obtain washfastness , a substantial level of binding resin has to be employed . hence pigment pad dyeings that have good washfastness , have firm hands . by using the glycolate derivatives of this invention , and forming the pigment agglomerate with the binder , much less binder has to be used to achieve an equivalent level of washfastness , and coupled with glycolate derivative as a thickener , is softer in hand . this double effect now allows one to design pigment dye systems that are pleasing in hand and washfast . the glycolate derivatives are good as foam stabilizers , so as such are useful in foam print systems . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 1403 . formic acid , 90 % 64 . citric acid , 90 % 25 . diethylene glycol 30______________________________________ this cooked in the usual manner at 160 ° f . for 90 minutes , under mild agitation . the viscosity at the end of the cook is 40 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 15 % 10002 . itr red , 25 % 783 . ammonium hydroxide to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ this is cooked for 60 minutes at 160 ° f ., with mild agitation . the viscosity at the end of this cook is 30 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 15 % 10002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 623 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 19______________________________________ this solution is held at room temperature for 35 minutes , under mild agitation . the pigment agglomerate particle range in size from 1 . 5 - 4 . 0 microns . the viscosity of the pap solution is 8000 cps . ______________________________________iv . foam print compoundformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 15 % 20002 . dupanol me , 20 % 12 - lauryl sulfate3 . melamine formaldehyderesin , 50 % 84 . ammonium stearate , 30 % 1 . 5______________________________________ the above mix can be shipped into a foam with the use of a high speed mixer to give a foam of a density of 0 . 43 . this foam print compound is very stable , applys well with excellent pore structure and once applied yields a soft , flexible print . an interesting property of the pigment sensitized particle ( psp ) is that the pigment is completely encapsulated by the glycolate modified derivative . this means that if the psps are deposited upon a textile substrate , they can later be removed completely by water . this property can be used to advantage for the making of fugitive or nonstaining tints . there are times when it is desirable to tint a kind , or lot of fiber to identify it during the processing . after the processing is complete , then it is desirable to remove the tint completely without any staining . with dyes or pigments that are selected to have no affinity to a certain kind of fiber , staining still results ; and the wash procedure is quite involved to try to remove all of the dyestuff or pigment completely . however , the pigment sensitized particles ( psp ) will not stain the fiber regardless of composition and will wash out completely and easily with hot water , or mild soaping , hot or cold . this property has proved most effective in creating a craft for children , permitting them to color the hair of dolls . the hair coloring of dolls was not possible with prior art dyestuffs and pigments , since they would stain the doll &# 39 ; s hair no matter what fiber was used -- polypropylene , nylon , polyester , etc . in fact , the search to find dyestuffs or pigments that would easily wash out without staining has been long and unfruitful . the psp concept was tested and worked perfectly with a full range of colors . so the invention of micro - encapsulation of pigment particles with glycolate modified derivatives provides the development of a fugitive , non - staining hair coloring system , that can be used as a child &# 39 ; s activity . the making of this doll hair coloring system is as follows : ______________________________________i . making the glycolate modified derivativeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp100m , 90 % 153 . citric acid , 90 % 34 . glycerin 20______________________________________ this solution is cooked under mild agitation for 90 minutes at a temperature of 180 ° f . the viscosity of this cook is 36000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pigment sensitized particles______________________________________formula for redingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , above , 4 % 10002 . hercules red t . 10dispersion3 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 to ph 7 . 0______________________________________formula for violetingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution above , 4 % 10002 . carbizol violet 25dispersion3 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 % to ph 7 . 0______________________________________formula for browningredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , above 4 % 10002 . burnt umber dispersion 303 . black dispersion 34 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 % to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ the above solutions are cooked under mild agitation for 60 - 70 minutes at a temperature of 120 ° f . after this cook , the viscosity of this solution drops to range from 6 - 9000 cps . this makes for an excellent hair coloring mix or solution . it has just the right coverage viscosity to give an excellent comb thru application or coverage . the coloring mix is allowed to dry , whereby the artificial hair , usually nylon fiber , is uniformly colored . this coloring can be very easily and completely removed by washing in warm water , or a mild , cold water soap solution . this feature is essential to the haircoloring activity for children , whereby they can change the color of the hair on the doll at will , without staining or hurting the condition of the hair fiber . the glycolate derivative has added features of being soft , and flexible with dry surface feel , and acts like a hair conditioner to add high lite , suppleness and smoothness of feel . without the ability of the glycolate modified deriviative to act as a soft hair conditioner , and also , able to form a micro agglomerate and encapsulation of the coloring pigment , the hair coloring activity for dolls for children would not be a commercial reality . | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Textiles; Paper'? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting'? | 0.25 | 627d48b24c9f69dea758a360506f2024eeff3d197ee5a5216f89b314e115d951 | 0.304688 | 0.002045 | 0.098145 | 0.000062 | 0.225586 | 0.002258 |
null | this invention pertains to pigment micro - agglomerate coloring systems for coloring synthetic fibers and textile materials , either permanently or temporarily . in the invention certain starch and cellulosic derivatives are softened with poly hydric alcohols to form glycolate modified derivatives ( gmd ). the gmd &# 39 ; s serve as thickener which encapsulates pigment particles to form a pigment - gmd agglomerate which in itself can be used for the temporary coloring of synthetic textile materials . the pigment - gmd agglomerate may be colloidally combined with a latex binder to form a complex pigment - gmd - binder agglomerate . this pigment micro - agglomerate complex may be deposited on textile materials from print rolls or pad rolls to yield a coloring system which is soft , durable and fast to washing and dry cleaning . referring now to the drawings , the three figures illustrate in a diagrammatic way the steps in the formation of the pigment micro - agglomerate complex of the present invention . fig1 illustrates the first or modification step . non - colloidial , hydrophilic molecules of poly hydric compounds , such as glycerin , 1 , 3 butylene glycol , 1 , 4 butylene glycol and 1 , 2 propylene glycol are solvated into hydrophilic colloidal molecules or particles by heating the components for 60 to 90 minues between 100 ° and 140 ° f . with an acid added to maintain a ph between 4 and 6 . the resultant particles are permanently modified and are called glycolate modified derivatives , gmd . the next step is the pigment sensitization step , as illustrated in fig2 . the glycolate modified derivatives are combined colloidally with pigment particles by heating between 100 °- 140 ° f . for 60 to 90 minutes maintaining a ph of 6 . 5 to 7 . 5 . the resultant pigment sensitive particles , psp , may be used for temporary coloring , as described hereinafter . the third step is the pigment agglomeration step , as illustrated in fig3 . in this step the psp are agglomerated with lyophilic colloidal molecules or particles by mixing under mild agitation for 60 to 90 minutes while maintaining a ph of 6 . 5 to 7 . 5 . the resulting pigment agglomerate particles , pap , are very hydrophilic , complexing numerous water molecules , such that a thickening action still prevails of the required viscosity for effective application by print rolls or pad rolls to textile materials . this resultant pap , when deposited on the surface of the textile materials will be firmly affixed by the function of the binder which bonds the whole complex in place . the glycolate modified derivative , gmd , as part of this complex is also affixed , and is soft , and contributes to providing good properties of color yield , comfort , hand , and wet crock . the inventon includes a very effective means to form soft , flexible starch and cellulose derivatives . the ability to make these soft , thickener type derivatives is crucial to this invention . the glycolate modified derivatives , as we have termed them , are made by the acid reaction of low molecular weight glycols with starch or cellulosic derivatives . the starch or cellulosic derivatives are reacted under acid conditions with the glycols . we believe the mechanism of reaction to be the formation of hydrocellulose by the hydrolysis attack of the acid of the 1 , 4 ether linkage of the cellulose and starch chains , of course cellulose chains being composed of beta - glucose molecules , and starch of alpha - glucose molecules . the beta - glucose molecules of cellulose we can represent by r b and the alpha glucose molecules of starch as r s . therefore , the structured formula for cellulose and starch can be represented as such : ## str1 ## we must understand that the r b unit of cellulose -- ## str2 ## can form various derivatives with the available hydroxy groups being reacted . the same for the r s unit of starch -- ## str3 ## hence , in this specification , we will represent the various derivatives as they are reacted with the available hydroxyl groups . for hydroxy ethyl cellulose , we have ## str4 ## for acetylated starch , we have -- ## str5 ## in the making of the glycolate modified derivative -- gmd , hydroxy ethyl cellulose and acetylated starch are reacted with glycerine , 1 , 3 propylene glycol , 1 , 4 butylene glycol , or 1 , 3 butylene glycol . the reaction is carried out at an acid ph . for hydroxy ethyl cellulose and 1 , 3 propylene glycol -- ## str6 ## for acetylated starch and 1 , 3 propylene glycol -- ## str7 ## the essential result of the above reactions is that the unmodified hydroxy ethyl cellulose , and acetylated starch derivatives give films that are clear , but brittle and stiff . after reaction or modification with the propylene glycol , they give films that are clear , but flexible , not brittle . the reacton conditions are to dissolve the hydroxy ethyl cellulose , or acetylated starch , in water at a concentration of anywhere from 0 . 05 - 20 %, add formic acid to adjust the ph to 4 - 5 , add the 1 , 3 propylene glycol at a concentration of 0 . 01 - 10 %, and react at a temperature of 160 °- 180 ° for 30 - 90 minutes . as the reaction proceeds , a definite change can be noted . at first , the viscosity of the reacting solution will drop , and become increasingly clear , but then begins to increase and take on a haze . we theorize that the derivatives are first hydrolzed , and then crosslinked with the glycols to form glycolates . the kinds of products that can be made are numerous , by varying the reaction conditions and the reactants . many different acids besides formic can be used , such as acetic , oxalic , tartaric , citric , i . e ., the organic acids , not the mineral acids . different glycols besides propylene glycol can be used such as glycerin , 1 , 2 and , 1 , 4 butylene glycol , dihydroxy acetone and others , as long as there are two hydroxy groups in terminal reactive positions , and the molecular weight is not to high to lose solubility in water . after the formation of the glycolate modified derivative , gmd , the next step is pigment sensitization . the pigment color is added to the gmd solution , at a concentration of 0 . 25 - 15 % dependent on the depth of shade required , and the corresponding concentration of the gmd . the ph is adjusted with ammonia to 6 . 5 - 7 . 5 . the temperature is brought to 120 °- 140 ° f ., and the solution is held under mild agitation for 60 to 90 minutes . the gmd will migrate and encapsulate , colloidally , the pigment particles . the viscosity of the solution will adjust at this point , becoming lower . the pigment is completely encapsulated , and we refer to this as sensitizing the pigment particles . interestingly enough , if pigment sensitized particles , psp &# 39 ; s in solution form , colloidally suspended , are cast onto a surface and dried , they are completely redispersible with water upon subsequent rewetting . in fact , the cleanup , either off the hands or off various surfaces , is easy and total . this property illustrates the complete encapsulation of the pigment , and this feature can be utilized to good purpose when it is desired to only temporarily color a substance , and then be able to remove said coloring without staining . the gmd &# 39 ; s of this invention are uniquely capable of sensitizing pigment particles , or encapsulating them . this action will work equally well on non - colored pigments or fillers as they are called . in fact , sensitized filler particles are easily incorporated into foam systems , so that they do not destabilize the foam , and in foam printing or coating , it is a distinct advantage to incorporate a high level of filler . after the sensitizing step , the next step is to form what we term the pigment agglomerate . to the psp solution , as made above , we now add binder which is in latex form . the binder is usually a film forming elastomer , and can be of any composition . this does not matter , nor does it restrict or confine the workings of this invention . what is important is that the polymeric binder be a latex or colloidal dispersion . this is added to a concentration of 0 . 25 - 20 %, and held at room ambient temperature , under mild agitation for 60 - 120 minutes . after awhile , it is apparent that the colloidal nature of the solution or mix has changed . the viscosity drops even lower , and a clear layer of liquid will form at the top of mix when agitation is stopped and the suspended particles begin to show signs of settling . this is typical of the situation of forming a larger agglomerate particle . instead of being in the particle size range of less than one micron , the particles now , if examined under a microscope and measured , are in the particle size range of 1 to 8 microns , more normally around 2 - 3 microns . the sensitized pigment - binder agglomerate is now formed . the pigment agglomerate particles , pap , so formed , are now very intimately admixed in a very unique and permanent manner . the efficiency of intermixing is intermolecular , such that secondary valence forces are holding the particles intermolecularly together , and much more effectively , or efficiently than could be accomplished by simple dispersion mixing . in this agglomerate form the glycolate derivatives , the pigment colors and the binders are so tightly bound up intermolecularly together , that they cannot now be separately extracted fron one another . upon subsequent application of this coloring system to textile substrates , and driving off the water , and heat curing to further adhesion , the system is very durable , and fast to washing and drycleaning . surprisingly , even the wet and dry crock resistance , or rub off of color , is markedly improved , and what is so important , the hand is soft and supple , due to the flexible nature of the glycolate derivatives , as opposed to other thickeners that are non - flexible and brittle . ______________________________________i making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10202 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 100 - acetylated starch3 . formic acid , 90 % 44 . diethylene glycol 20______________________________________ the kofilm 80 is an acetylated starch made by national starch company , plainfield , n . j ., which is dissolved in the water first by adding it slowly to the water , cold , under adequate agitation until completely dispersed . formic acid is added , followed by the diethylene glycol . the ph is checked to make certain it is in the range of 4 - 5 . the temperature is gradually raised to 180 ° f ., and held at this temperature , under mild agitation , for 90 minutes . the heat is removed , and the batch is allowed to drop in temperature to 120 ° f . the viscosity of the solution prior to the cook was 25 , 000 cps . ; after the cook 18 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 10 % 11442 . cu phythocayamine bluedispersion , 40 % 553 . ammonia to ph 6 . 5______________________________________ the blue pigment concentrate is added to the gmd solution , and then the solution adjusted with ammonia to a ph of 6 . 5 . the temperature of the solution is held at 120 ° f . for 60 minutes under mild agitation . the temperature is allowed to drop to ambient room temperature . the viscosity of the psp solution as made is 9 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii making the pap . formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 11 % 11992 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 100 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at ambient temperatures . the hycar 1561 is an elastomeric copolymer composed of about 55 % butadiene , and 45 % acrylonitrile , in the form of a latex , made by b . f . goodrich company , akron , ohio . the above solution is mildly agitated for 120 minutes , at which time distinct 3 - 8 micron agglomerate particles have formed . ______________________________________iv . print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 13 % 12992 . carbopol k - 934 - 5 % solution 13 . triton x100 14 . dodecyl alcohol . 55 . defoamer . 2______________________________________ additional chemicals are added to form the final print mix . the carbopol k - 934 is a thickener which is a copolymer of acrylic acid and acrylonitrile , made by b . f . goodrich company , added to adjust the print mix to a viscosity of 20 , 000 cps . the triton x - 100 is a nonionic wetting agent which is a condensation product of nonophenol and ethylene oxide , made by rohm and haas company , philadelphia , pa ., which is added to provide better print mix penetration and wetting of the textile goods . do decyl alcohol is added to give smoothness , and further wetting . a defoamer is added to control or prevent foaming during printing . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 50 - acetylated starch3 . formic acid , 90 % 44 . diethylene glycol 10______________________________________ the above is cooked at 160 ° f . for 70 minutes , under mild agitation . the viscosity of this gmd solution is 2800 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 5 . 5 % 10642 . cu phthocyanine bluedispersion 40 % 373 . ammonia to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ this solution is cooked for 40 minutes at 135 ° f . under mild agitation then dropped to ambient temperatures . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 6 . 7 % 11002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 50 - polyacrylic polymer3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 12 . 5 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation , for 120 ° f . minutes , after which time a distinct 3 - 8 micron agglomerate particles form . after this time interval , the pad dye solution is prepared as follows : ______________________________________iv . pad dyeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution 9 % 11602 . triton x100 0 . 53 . methocel , 15 cps . 0 . 94 . cymel 303 , 80 % ( mf resin ) 1 . 2 - butylated mela - mine resin5 . defoamer 0 . 3______________________________________ the gmd solution is made the same as example i , and so also the psp solution . the pigment agglomerate particles were made as follows : ______________________________________pap solutionformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 1 10002 . rhoplex ha - 8 , 46 % 32 - polyacrylic resin3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 37 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ this solution is held at ambient temperatures , under mild agitation , for 120 minutes . rhoplex ha - 8 is a self crosslinking polyethyl acrylate polymer in latex form from the rohm & amp ; haas company , philadelphia , pa . after the pigment agglomerate particles have formed , at from 3 - 10 microns , in size , the following print formula is made . ______________________________________print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . above pap solution , 13 % 10002 . alcogum l - 11 , 30 % 1 - polyacrylic acid3 . butylated melamine - formaldehyde resin 50 % 34 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ the viscosity of the print paste is 18 , 000 cps . this formula is particularly good on rayon or cotton goods . the gmd and psp solutions are made the same as example ii . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap solution formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 2 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 47 - polyacrylic resin3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 10 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ this is stirred at room temperature for 100 minutes , after which time the desired pigment agglomerate particles are formed at a particle size range of 2 - 8 microns . from this is made the following pigment pad formula . ______________________________________pad dye formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution from above8 . 7 % 10002 . methocel , 4000 cps . 0 . 93 . keltex 0 . 45 - protein gum4 . urea 0 . 45 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % 2 . 76 . trimethyol melamineresin , 80 % 3 . 07 . triton x100 0 . 48 . ammonium stearate , 30 % 0 . 129 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ this formula had a viscosity of 600 - 800 cps . this pigment pad formula is particularly good on polyester / cotton goods , giving a soft hand with good wash performance . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp 5200h , 90 % 10 - hydroxy ethyl cellulose3 . formic acid , 90 % 24 . diethylene glycol 4______________________________________ the cellosize qp5200 h , is an hydroxy ethyl cellulose made by union carbide corp ., new york , n . y ., which is dissolved in the water by first adding it to cold water to disperse it under adequate agitation , then adding the formic acid , followed by diethylene glycol . the temperature is gradually raised to 160 ° f . and held for 60 minutes under mild agitation . the heat is removed , and the batch let cool to 120 ° f . the viscosity of the batch prior to the cook was 50 , 000 cps . and after the cook 30 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts______________________________________1 . gmd solution 1 . 47 % 10002 . calcium phthocyanineblue dispersion , 40 % 503 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % to ph 6 . 7______________________________________ the blue pigment dispersion is added to the gmd solution , and then this solution is adjusted with ammonia to a ph of 6 . 7 . the temperature of the solution is held at 120 ° f . for 60 minutes under mild agitation . after the 60 minute interval , the temperature is dropped to room temperature . the viscosity of the psp solution is 20 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 3 . 5 % 10002 . hycar , 1561 , 40 % 100 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation for 120 minutes , after which time agglomerated particles are formed range in size from 2 - 10 microns . this is now made up in a print formula . the solution viscosity is 12 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iv print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 7 . 5 % 10002 . carbopol k - 934 , 5 % solution 33 . triton x - 100 14 . xylene 1 . 55 . defoamer 0 . 2______________________________________ this print mix has a viscosity of 20 , 000 cps . it prints very well from engraved rolls . the resultant prints are soft , and display excellent sharpness of print definition . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp5200h 73 . formic acid 24 . diethylene glycol 3______________________________________ the above is cooked for 90 minutes at 180 ° f ., under mild agitation . the viscosity of this solution is 25 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________gmd solution , 1 . 2 % 10002 . cuphthocyanine bluedispersion 40 % 353 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % to ph 6 . 7______________________________________ this solution is cooked for 60 minutes at 160 ° f ., under mild agitation , then dropped to room temperature . viscosity is 17 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 3 . 0 % 10002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 393 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 21______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation , for 120 minutes . after this time interval , a distinct range of agglomerate particles from 3 - 8 microns form . from this is now prepared the dye solution . viscosity 300 cps . ______________________________________iv . pad dyeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution 5 . 8 % 10002 . triton x100 0 . 53 . methocel , 15 cps . 0 . 94 . cymel 303 , 80 % ( mf resin ) 1 . 95 . defoamer 0 . 3______________________________________ the viscosity of the pad dye solution is 700 - 900 cps . this pad dye solution goes on very well , with excellent color yield and uniformity , with no migration of pigment upon drying . the gmd solution is made the same as cited in example v ., and so also for the psp solution . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap solutionformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 5 ( 3 . 5 %) 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 483 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 14______________________________________ this solution is mildly agitated at room temperature for 120 minutes to form the pigment agglomerate particles of size of 2 - 8 microns . this is now made up into the following print formula . ______________________________________print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . above pap solution , 6 % 10002 . alcogum l - 11 , 30 % 33 . butylated melamine - formal - dehyde resin , 50 % 3 . 04 . defoamer 0 . 2______________________________________ viscosity of this print paste is 22 , 000 cps . this print paste gives good definition of color , and a soft feel . the color yield was excellent . the gmd and psp solutions are made the same as example vi . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 6 , 3 . 0 % 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 243 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 7______________________________________ this solution is stirred at room temperature for 120 minutes , the pigment agglomerate particles form at a size of 2 - 8 microns . from this is made the following pigment pad formula . ______________________________________pad dye formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution from above , 4 . 5 % 10002 . keltex 1 . 23 . triton x100 0 . 44 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % 2 . 45 . ammonnium stearate , 30 % 3 . 06 . trimethylol melamineresin , 80 % 2 . 47 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ this formula had a viscosity of 400 - 600 cps . it padded on very well , gave a pleasing soft hand and excellent uniform coloring . the wash fastness is very good . at this point it is important to present comparative test data of the above pigment print and padding mixes as made by this invention versus conventional pigment print and padding systems . the evaluation data is presented in the following tables : ______________________________________ ratings wash lightprint color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example i 5 4 4 3 - 2 4 4example iii 4 4 4 4 - 3 4 - 3 4example v 4 4 4 3 - 2 5 - 4 4______________________________________ ______________________________________ ratings wash lightprint color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example vii 5 4 4 4 - 3 4 - 3 4conventionalphthlo blue 4 4 4 2 3 4conventional2phthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 4______________________________________ ratings : 5excellent , 4good , 3mod . good , 2fair , 1poor from the above table it can be seen that this invention has a desirable effect on hand and color yield . the wet crock is also improved over two conventional phthlo blue pigment print formulas supplied to the textile industry . the washfastness and dry crock are equivalent . ______________________________________ ratings wash lightpad dye color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example ii 4 4 4 3 3 - 4 4example iv 3 - 4 4 4 3 - 4 3 4example vi 4 4 4 3 3 - 4 4example 3 - 4 4 4 3 - 4 3 4viiiconventionalphthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 - 1 4conventional2phthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 - 1 4______________________________________ for pigment pad dyeing the examples of this invention are superior to conventional systems , the wet crock is improved , and the hand is dramatically better . the improvement in hand is very important for pigment pad dyeing , because the thickening agents that are currently used , even in very small amounts of actual deposition on the textile goods , cause stiffening . this has always been a drawback to pigment pad dyeing . also , in conventional systems to obtain washfastness , a substantial level of binding resin has to be employed . hence pigment pad dyeings that have good washfastness , have firm hands . by using the glycolate derivatives of this invention , and forming the pigment agglomerate with the binder , much less binder has to be used to achieve an equivalent level of washfastness , and coupled with glycolate derivative as a thickener , is softer in hand . this double effect now allows one to design pigment dye systems that are pleasing in hand and washfast . the glycolate derivatives are good as foam stabilizers , so as such are useful in foam print systems . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 1403 . formic acid , 90 % 64 . citric acid , 90 % 25 . diethylene glycol 30______________________________________ this cooked in the usual manner at 160 ° f . for 90 minutes , under mild agitation . the viscosity at the end of the cook is 40 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 15 % 10002 . itr red , 25 % 783 . ammonium hydroxide to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ this is cooked for 60 minutes at 160 ° f ., with mild agitation . the viscosity at the end of this cook is 30 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 15 % 10002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 623 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 19______________________________________ this solution is held at room temperature for 35 minutes , under mild agitation . the pigment agglomerate particle range in size from 1 . 5 - 4 . 0 microns . the viscosity of the pap solution is 8000 cps . ______________________________________iv . foam print compoundformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 15 % 20002 . dupanol me , 20 % 12 - lauryl sulfate3 . melamine formaldehyderesin , 50 % 84 . ammonium stearate , 30 % 1 . 5______________________________________ the above mix can be shipped into a foam with the use of a high speed mixer to give a foam of a density of 0 . 43 . this foam print compound is very stable , applys well with excellent pore structure and once applied yields a soft , flexible print . an interesting property of the pigment sensitized particle ( psp ) is that the pigment is completely encapsulated by the glycolate modified derivative . this means that if the psps are deposited upon a textile substrate , they can later be removed completely by water . this property can be used to advantage for the making of fugitive or nonstaining tints . there are times when it is desirable to tint a kind , or lot of fiber to identify it during the processing . after the processing is complete , then it is desirable to remove the tint completely without any staining . with dyes or pigments that are selected to have no affinity to a certain kind of fiber , staining still results ; and the wash procedure is quite involved to try to remove all of the dyestuff or pigment completely . however , the pigment sensitized particles ( psp ) will not stain the fiber regardless of composition and will wash out completely and easily with hot water , or mild soaping , hot or cold . this property has proved most effective in creating a craft for children , permitting them to color the hair of dolls . the hair coloring of dolls was not possible with prior art dyestuffs and pigments , since they would stain the doll &# 39 ; s hair no matter what fiber was used -- polypropylene , nylon , polyester , etc . in fact , the search to find dyestuffs or pigments that would easily wash out without staining has been long and unfruitful . the psp concept was tested and worked perfectly with a full range of colors . so the invention of micro - encapsulation of pigment particles with glycolate modified derivatives provides the development of a fugitive , non - staining hair coloring system , that can be used as a child &# 39 ; s activity . the making of this doll hair coloring system is as follows : ______________________________________i . making the glycolate modified derivativeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp100m , 90 % 153 . citric acid , 90 % 34 . glycerin 20______________________________________ this solution is cooked under mild agitation for 90 minutes at a temperature of 180 ° f . the viscosity of this cook is 36000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pigment sensitized particles______________________________________formula for redingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , above , 4 % 10002 . hercules red t . 10dispersion3 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 to ph 7 . 0______________________________________formula for violetingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution above , 4 % 10002 . carbizol violet 25dispersion3 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 % to ph 7 . 0______________________________________formula for browningredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , above 4 % 10002 . burnt umber dispersion 303 . black dispersion 34 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 % to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ the above solutions are cooked under mild agitation for 60 - 70 minutes at a temperature of 120 ° f . after this cook , the viscosity of this solution drops to range from 6 - 9000 cps . this makes for an excellent hair coloring mix or solution . it has just the right coverage viscosity to give an excellent comb thru application or coverage . the coloring mix is allowed to dry , whereby the artificial hair , usually nylon fiber , is uniformly colored . this coloring can be very easily and completely removed by washing in warm water , or a mild , cold water soap solution . this feature is essential to the haircoloring activity for children , whereby they can change the color of the hair on the doll at will , without staining or hurting the condition of the hair fiber . the glycolate derivative has added features of being soft , and flexible with dry surface feel , and acts like a hair conditioner to add high lite , suppleness and smoothness of feel . without the ability of the glycolate modified deriviative to act as a soft hair conditioner , and also , able to form a micro agglomerate and encapsulation of the coloring pigment , the hair coloring activity for dolls for children would not be a commercial reality . | Should this patent be classified under 'Textiles; Paper'? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Physics'? | 0.25 | 627d48b24c9f69dea758a360506f2024eeff3d197ee5a5216f89b314e115d951 | 0.255859 | 0.129883 | 0.043945 | 0.088867 | 0.094238 | 0.207031 |
null | this invention pertains to pigment micro - agglomerate coloring systems for coloring synthetic fibers and textile materials , either permanently or temporarily . in the invention certain starch and cellulosic derivatives are softened with poly hydric alcohols to form glycolate modified derivatives ( gmd ). the gmd &# 39 ; s serve as thickener which encapsulates pigment particles to form a pigment - gmd agglomerate which in itself can be used for the temporary coloring of synthetic textile materials . the pigment - gmd agglomerate may be colloidally combined with a latex binder to form a complex pigment - gmd - binder agglomerate . this pigment micro - agglomerate complex may be deposited on textile materials from print rolls or pad rolls to yield a coloring system which is soft , durable and fast to washing and dry cleaning . referring now to the drawings , the three figures illustrate in a diagrammatic way the steps in the formation of the pigment micro - agglomerate complex of the present invention . fig1 illustrates the first or modification step . non - colloidial , hydrophilic molecules of poly hydric compounds , such as glycerin , 1 , 3 butylene glycol , 1 , 4 butylene glycol and 1 , 2 propylene glycol are solvated into hydrophilic colloidal molecules or particles by heating the components for 60 to 90 minues between 100 ° and 140 ° f . with an acid added to maintain a ph between 4 and 6 . the resultant particles are permanently modified and are called glycolate modified derivatives , gmd . the next step is the pigment sensitization step , as illustrated in fig2 . the glycolate modified derivatives are combined colloidally with pigment particles by heating between 100 °- 140 ° f . for 60 to 90 minutes maintaining a ph of 6 . 5 to 7 . 5 . the resultant pigment sensitive particles , psp , may be used for temporary coloring , as described hereinafter . the third step is the pigment agglomeration step , as illustrated in fig3 . in this step the psp are agglomerated with lyophilic colloidal molecules or particles by mixing under mild agitation for 60 to 90 minutes while maintaining a ph of 6 . 5 to 7 . 5 . the resulting pigment agglomerate particles , pap , are very hydrophilic , complexing numerous water molecules , such that a thickening action still prevails of the required viscosity for effective application by print rolls or pad rolls to textile materials . this resultant pap , when deposited on the surface of the textile materials will be firmly affixed by the function of the binder which bonds the whole complex in place . the glycolate modified derivative , gmd , as part of this complex is also affixed , and is soft , and contributes to providing good properties of color yield , comfort , hand , and wet crock . the inventon includes a very effective means to form soft , flexible starch and cellulose derivatives . the ability to make these soft , thickener type derivatives is crucial to this invention . the glycolate modified derivatives , as we have termed them , are made by the acid reaction of low molecular weight glycols with starch or cellulosic derivatives . the starch or cellulosic derivatives are reacted under acid conditions with the glycols . we believe the mechanism of reaction to be the formation of hydrocellulose by the hydrolysis attack of the acid of the 1 , 4 ether linkage of the cellulose and starch chains , of course cellulose chains being composed of beta - glucose molecules , and starch of alpha - glucose molecules . the beta - glucose molecules of cellulose we can represent by r b and the alpha glucose molecules of starch as r s . therefore , the structured formula for cellulose and starch can be represented as such : ## str1 ## we must understand that the r b unit of cellulose -- ## str2 ## can form various derivatives with the available hydroxy groups being reacted . the same for the r s unit of starch -- ## str3 ## hence , in this specification , we will represent the various derivatives as they are reacted with the available hydroxyl groups . for hydroxy ethyl cellulose , we have ## str4 ## for acetylated starch , we have -- ## str5 ## in the making of the glycolate modified derivative -- gmd , hydroxy ethyl cellulose and acetylated starch are reacted with glycerine , 1 , 3 propylene glycol , 1 , 4 butylene glycol , or 1 , 3 butylene glycol . the reaction is carried out at an acid ph . for hydroxy ethyl cellulose and 1 , 3 propylene glycol -- ## str6 ## for acetylated starch and 1 , 3 propylene glycol -- ## str7 ## the essential result of the above reactions is that the unmodified hydroxy ethyl cellulose , and acetylated starch derivatives give films that are clear , but brittle and stiff . after reaction or modification with the propylene glycol , they give films that are clear , but flexible , not brittle . the reacton conditions are to dissolve the hydroxy ethyl cellulose , or acetylated starch , in water at a concentration of anywhere from 0 . 05 - 20 %, add formic acid to adjust the ph to 4 - 5 , add the 1 , 3 propylene glycol at a concentration of 0 . 01 - 10 %, and react at a temperature of 160 °- 180 ° for 30 - 90 minutes . as the reaction proceeds , a definite change can be noted . at first , the viscosity of the reacting solution will drop , and become increasingly clear , but then begins to increase and take on a haze . we theorize that the derivatives are first hydrolzed , and then crosslinked with the glycols to form glycolates . the kinds of products that can be made are numerous , by varying the reaction conditions and the reactants . many different acids besides formic can be used , such as acetic , oxalic , tartaric , citric , i . e ., the organic acids , not the mineral acids . different glycols besides propylene glycol can be used such as glycerin , 1 , 2 and , 1 , 4 butylene glycol , dihydroxy acetone and others , as long as there are two hydroxy groups in terminal reactive positions , and the molecular weight is not to high to lose solubility in water . after the formation of the glycolate modified derivative , gmd , the next step is pigment sensitization . the pigment color is added to the gmd solution , at a concentration of 0 . 25 - 15 % dependent on the depth of shade required , and the corresponding concentration of the gmd . the ph is adjusted with ammonia to 6 . 5 - 7 . 5 . the temperature is brought to 120 °- 140 ° f ., and the solution is held under mild agitation for 60 to 90 minutes . the gmd will migrate and encapsulate , colloidally , the pigment particles . the viscosity of the solution will adjust at this point , becoming lower . the pigment is completely encapsulated , and we refer to this as sensitizing the pigment particles . interestingly enough , if pigment sensitized particles , psp &# 39 ; s in solution form , colloidally suspended , are cast onto a surface and dried , they are completely redispersible with water upon subsequent rewetting . in fact , the cleanup , either off the hands or off various surfaces , is easy and total . this property illustrates the complete encapsulation of the pigment , and this feature can be utilized to good purpose when it is desired to only temporarily color a substance , and then be able to remove said coloring without staining . the gmd &# 39 ; s of this invention are uniquely capable of sensitizing pigment particles , or encapsulating them . this action will work equally well on non - colored pigments or fillers as they are called . in fact , sensitized filler particles are easily incorporated into foam systems , so that they do not destabilize the foam , and in foam printing or coating , it is a distinct advantage to incorporate a high level of filler . after the sensitizing step , the next step is to form what we term the pigment agglomerate . to the psp solution , as made above , we now add binder which is in latex form . the binder is usually a film forming elastomer , and can be of any composition . this does not matter , nor does it restrict or confine the workings of this invention . what is important is that the polymeric binder be a latex or colloidal dispersion . this is added to a concentration of 0 . 25 - 20 %, and held at room ambient temperature , under mild agitation for 60 - 120 minutes . after awhile , it is apparent that the colloidal nature of the solution or mix has changed . the viscosity drops even lower , and a clear layer of liquid will form at the top of mix when agitation is stopped and the suspended particles begin to show signs of settling . this is typical of the situation of forming a larger agglomerate particle . instead of being in the particle size range of less than one micron , the particles now , if examined under a microscope and measured , are in the particle size range of 1 to 8 microns , more normally around 2 - 3 microns . the sensitized pigment - binder agglomerate is now formed . the pigment agglomerate particles , pap , so formed , are now very intimately admixed in a very unique and permanent manner . the efficiency of intermixing is intermolecular , such that secondary valence forces are holding the particles intermolecularly together , and much more effectively , or efficiently than could be accomplished by simple dispersion mixing . in this agglomerate form the glycolate derivatives , the pigment colors and the binders are so tightly bound up intermolecularly together , that they cannot now be separately extracted fron one another . upon subsequent application of this coloring system to textile substrates , and driving off the water , and heat curing to further adhesion , the system is very durable , and fast to washing and drycleaning . surprisingly , even the wet and dry crock resistance , or rub off of color , is markedly improved , and what is so important , the hand is soft and supple , due to the flexible nature of the glycolate derivatives , as opposed to other thickeners that are non - flexible and brittle . ______________________________________i making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10202 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 100 - acetylated starch3 . formic acid , 90 % 44 . diethylene glycol 20______________________________________ the kofilm 80 is an acetylated starch made by national starch company , plainfield , n . j ., which is dissolved in the water first by adding it slowly to the water , cold , under adequate agitation until completely dispersed . formic acid is added , followed by the diethylene glycol . the ph is checked to make certain it is in the range of 4 - 5 . the temperature is gradually raised to 180 ° f ., and held at this temperature , under mild agitation , for 90 minutes . the heat is removed , and the batch is allowed to drop in temperature to 120 ° f . the viscosity of the solution prior to the cook was 25 , 000 cps . ; after the cook 18 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 10 % 11442 . cu phythocayamine bluedispersion , 40 % 553 . ammonia to ph 6 . 5______________________________________ the blue pigment concentrate is added to the gmd solution , and then the solution adjusted with ammonia to a ph of 6 . 5 . the temperature of the solution is held at 120 ° f . for 60 minutes under mild agitation . the temperature is allowed to drop to ambient room temperature . the viscosity of the psp solution as made is 9 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii making the pap . formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 11 % 11992 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 100 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at ambient temperatures . the hycar 1561 is an elastomeric copolymer composed of about 55 % butadiene , and 45 % acrylonitrile , in the form of a latex , made by b . f . goodrich company , akron , ohio . the above solution is mildly agitated for 120 minutes , at which time distinct 3 - 8 micron agglomerate particles have formed . ______________________________________iv . print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 13 % 12992 . carbopol k - 934 - 5 % solution 13 . triton x100 14 . dodecyl alcohol . 55 . defoamer . 2______________________________________ additional chemicals are added to form the final print mix . the carbopol k - 934 is a thickener which is a copolymer of acrylic acid and acrylonitrile , made by b . f . goodrich company , added to adjust the print mix to a viscosity of 20 , 000 cps . the triton x - 100 is a nonionic wetting agent which is a condensation product of nonophenol and ethylene oxide , made by rohm and haas company , philadelphia , pa ., which is added to provide better print mix penetration and wetting of the textile goods . do decyl alcohol is added to give smoothness , and further wetting . a defoamer is added to control or prevent foaming during printing . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 50 - acetylated starch3 . formic acid , 90 % 44 . diethylene glycol 10______________________________________ the above is cooked at 160 ° f . for 70 minutes , under mild agitation . the viscosity of this gmd solution is 2800 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 5 . 5 % 10642 . cu phthocyanine bluedispersion 40 % 373 . ammonia to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ this solution is cooked for 40 minutes at 135 ° f . under mild agitation then dropped to ambient temperatures . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 6 . 7 % 11002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 50 - polyacrylic polymer3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 12 . 5 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation , for 120 ° f . minutes , after which time a distinct 3 - 8 micron agglomerate particles form . after this time interval , the pad dye solution is prepared as follows : ______________________________________iv . pad dyeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution 9 % 11602 . triton x100 0 . 53 . methocel , 15 cps . 0 . 94 . cymel 303 , 80 % ( mf resin ) 1 . 2 - butylated mela - mine resin5 . defoamer 0 . 3______________________________________ the gmd solution is made the same as example i , and so also the psp solution . the pigment agglomerate particles were made as follows : ______________________________________pap solutionformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 1 10002 . rhoplex ha - 8 , 46 % 32 - polyacrylic resin3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 37 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ this solution is held at ambient temperatures , under mild agitation , for 120 minutes . rhoplex ha - 8 is a self crosslinking polyethyl acrylate polymer in latex form from the rohm & amp ; haas company , philadelphia , pa . after the pigment agglomerate particles have formed , at from 3 - 10 microns , in size , the following print formula is made . ______________________________________print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . above pap solution , 13 % 10002 . alcogum l - 11 , 30 % 1 - polyacrylic acid3 . butylated melamine - formaldehyde resin 50 % 34 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ the viscosity of the print paste is 18 , 000 cps . this formula is particularly good on rayon or cotton goods . the gmd and psp solutions are made the same as example ii . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap solution formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 2 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 47 - polyacrylic resin3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 10 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ this is stirred at room temperature for 100 minutes , after which time the desired pigment agglomerate particles are formed at a particle size range of 2 - 8 microns . from this is made the following pigment pad formula . ______________________________________pad dye formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution from above8 . 7 % 10002 . methocel , 4000 cps . 0 . 93 . keltex 0 . 45 - protein gum4 . urea 0 . 45 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % 2 . 76 . trimethyol melamineresin , 80 % 3 . 07 . triton x100 0 . 48 . ammonium stearate , 30 % 0 . 129 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ this formula had a viscosity of 600 - 800 cps . this pigment pad formula is particularly good on polyester / cotton goods , giving a soft hand with good wash performance . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp 5200h , 90 % 10 - hydroxy ethyl cellulose3 . formic acid , 90 % 24 . diethylene glycol 4______________________________________ the cellosize qp5200 h , is an hydroxy ethyl cellulose made by union carbide corp ., new york , n . y ., which is dissolved in the water by first adding it to cold water to disperse it under adequate agitation , then adding the formic acid , followed by diethylene glycol . the temperature is gradually raised to 160 ° f . and held for 60 minutes under mild agitation . the heat is removed , and the batch let cool to 120 ° f . the viscosity of the batch prior to the cook was 50 , 000 cps . and after the cook 30 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts______________________________________1 . gmd solution 1 . 47 % 10002 . calcium phthocyanineblue dispersion , 40 % 503 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % to ph 6 . 7______________________________________ the blue pigment dispersion is added to the gmd solution , and then this solution is adjusted with ammonia to a ph of 6 . 7 . the temperature of the solution is held at 120 ° f . for 60 minutes under mild agitation . after the 60 minute interval , the temperature is dropped to room temperature . the viscosity of the psp solution is 20 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 3 . 5 % 10002 . hycar , 1561 , 40 % 100 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation for 120 minutes , after which time agglomerated particles are formed range in size from 2 - 10 microns . this is now made up in a print formula . the solution viscosity is 12 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iv print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 7 . 5 % 10002 . carbopol k - 934 , 5 % solution 33 . triton x - 100 14 . xylene 1 . 55 . defoamer 0 . 2______________________________________ this print mix has a viscosity of 20 , 000 cps . it prints very well from engraved rolls . the resultant prints are soft , and display excellent sharpness of print definition . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp5200h 73 . formic acid 24 . diethylene glycol 3______________________________________ the above is cooked for 90 minutes at 180 ° f ., under mild agitation . the viscosity of this solution is 25 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________gmd solution , 1 . 2 % 10002 . cuphthocyanine bluedispersion 40 % 353 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % to ph 6 . 7______________________________________ this solution is cooked for 60 minutes at 160 ° f ., under mild agitation , then dropped to room temperature . viscosity is 17 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 3 . 0 % 10002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 393 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 21______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation , for 120 minutes . after this time interval , a distinct range of agglomerate particles from 3 - 8 microns form . from this is now prepared the dye solution . viscosity 300 cps . ______________________________________iv . pad dyeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution 5 . 8 % 10002 . triton x100 0 . 53 . methocel , 15 cps . 0 . 94 . cymel 303 , 80 % ( mf resin ) 1 . 95 . defoamer 0 . 3______________________________________ the viscosity of the pad dye solution is 700 - 900 cps . this pad dye solution goes on very well , with excellent color yield and uniformity , with no migration of pigment upon drying . the gmd solution is made the same as cited in example v ., and so also for the psp solution . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap solutionformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 5 ( 3 . 5 %) 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 483 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 14______________________________________ this solution is mildly agitated at room temperature for 120 minutes to form the pigment agglomerate particles of size of 2 - 8 microns . this is now made up into the following print formula . ______________________________________print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . above pap solution , 6 % 10002 . alcogum l - 11 , 30 % 33 . butylated melamine - formal - dehyde resin , 50 % 3 . 04 . defoamer 0 . 2______________________________________ viscosity of this print paste is 22 , 000 cps . this print paste gives good definition of color , and a soft feel . the color yield was excellent . the gmd and psp solutions are made the same as example vi . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 6 , 3 . 0 % 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 243 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 7______________________________________ this solution is stirred at room temperature for 120 minutes , the pigment agglomerate particles form at a size of 2 - 8 microns . from this is made the following pigment pad formula . ______________________________________pad dye formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution from above , 4 . 5 % 10002 . keltex 1 . 23 . triton x100 0 . 44 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % 2 . 45 . ammonnium stearate , 30 % 3 . 06 . trimethylol melamineresin , 80 % 2 . 47 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ this formula had a viscosity of 400 - 600 cps . it padded on very well , gave a pleasing soft hand and excellent uniform coloring . the wash fastness is very good . at this point it is important to present comparative test data of the above pigment print and padding mixes as made by this invention versus conventional pigment print and padding systems . the evaluation data is presented in the following tables : ______________________________________ ratings wash lightprint color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example i 5 4 4 3 - 2 4 4example iii 4 4 4 4 - 3 4 - 3 4example v 4 4 4 3 - 2 5 - 4 4______________________________________ ______________________________________ ratings wash lightprint color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example vii 5 4 4 4 - 3 4 - 3 4conventionalphthlo blue 4 4 4 2 3 4conventional2phthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 4______________________________________ ratings : 5excellent , 4good , 3mod . good , 2fair , 1poor from the above table it can be seen that this invention has a desirable effect on hand and color yield . the wet crock is also improved over two conventional phthlo blue pigment print formulas supplied to the textile industry . the washfastness and dry crock are equivalent . ______________________________________ ratings wash lightpad dye color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example ii 4 4 4 3 3 - 4 4example iv 3 - 4 4 4 3 - 4 3 4example vi 4 4 4 3 3 - 4 4example 3 - 4 4 4 3 - 4 3 4viiiconventionalphthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 - 1 4conventional2phthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 - 1 4______________________________________ for pigment pad dyeing the examples of this invention are superior to conventional systems , the wet crock is improved , and the hand is dramatically better . the improvement in hand is very important for pigment pad dyeing , because the thickening agents that are currently used , even in very small amounts of actual deposition on the textile goods , cause stiffening . this has always been a drawback to pigment pad dyeing . also , in conventional systems to obtain washfastness , a substantial level of binding resin has to be employed . hence pigment pad dyeings that have good washfastness , have firm hands . by using the glycolate derivatives of this invention , and forming the pigment agglomerate with the binder , much less binder has to be used to achieve an equivalent level of washfastness , and coupled with glycolate derivative as a thickener , is softer in hand . this double effect now allows one to design pigment dye systems that are pleasing in hand and washfast . the glycolate derivatives are good as foam stabilizers , so as such are useful in foam print systems . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 1403 . formic acid , 90 % 64 . citric acid , 90 % 25 . diethylene glycol 30______________________________________ this cooked in the usual manner at 160 ° f . for 90 minutes , under mild agitation . the viscosity at the end of the cook is 40 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 15 % 10002 . itr red , 25 % 783 . ammonium hydroxide to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ this is cooked for 60 minutes at 160 ° f ., with mild agitation . the viscosity at the end of this cook is 30 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 15 % 10002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 623 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 19______________________________________ this solution is held at room temperature for 35 minutes , under mild agitation . the pigment agglomerate particle range in size from 1 . 5 - 4 . 0 microns . the viscosity of the pap solution is 8000 cps . ______________________________________iv . foam print compoundformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 15 % 20002 . dupanol me , 20 % 12 - lauryl sulfate3 . melamine formaldehyderesin , 50 % 84 . ammonium stearate , 30 % 1 . 5______________________________________ the above mix can be shipped into a foam with the use of a high speed mixer to give a foam of a density of 0 . 43 . this foam print compound is very stable , applys well with excellent pore structure and once applied yields a soft , flexible print . an interesting property of the pigment sensitized particle ( psp ) is that the pigment is completely encapsulated by the glycolate modified derivative . this means that if the psps are deposited upon a textile substrate , they can later be removed completely by water . this property can be used to advantage for the making of fugitive or nonstaining tints . there are times when it is desirable to tint a kind , or lot of fiber to identify it during the processing . after the processing is complete , then it is desirable to remove the tint completely without any staining . with dyes or pigments that are selected to have no affinity to a certain kind of fiber , staining still results ; and the wash procedure is quite involved to try to remove all of the dyestuff or pigment completely . however , the pigment sensitized particles ( psp ) will not stain the fiber regardless of composition and will wash out completely and easily with hot water , or mild soaping , hot or cold . this property has proved most effective in creating a craft for children , permitting them to color the hair of dolls . the hair coloring of dolls was not possible with prior art dyestuffs and pigments , since they would stain the doll &# 39 ; s hair no matter what fiber was used -- polypropylene , nylon , polyester , etc . in fact , the search to find dyestuffs or pigments that would easily wash out without staining has been long and unfruitful . the psp concept was tested and worked perfectly with a full range of colors . so the invention of micro - encapsulation of pigment particles with glycolate modified derivatives provides the development of a fugitive , non - staining hair coloring system , that can be used as a child &# 39 ; s activity . the making of this doll hair coloring system is as follows : ______________________________________i . making the glycolate modified derivativeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp100m , 90 % 153 . citric acid , 90 % 34 . glycerin 20______________________________________ this solution is cooked under mild agitation for 90 minutes at a temperature of 180 ° f . the viscosity of this cook is 36000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pigment sensitized particles______________________________________formula for redingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , above , 4 % 10002 . hercules red t . 10dispersion3 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 to ph 7 . 0______________________________________formula for violetingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution above , 4 % 10002 . carbizol violet 25dispersion3 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 % to ph 7 . 0______________________________________formula for browningredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , above 4 % 10002 . burnt umber dispersion 303 . black dispersion 34 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 % to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ the above solutions are cooked under mild agitation for 60 - 70 minutes at a temperature of 120 ° f . after this cook , the viscosity of this solution drops to range from 6 - 9000 cps . this makes for an excellent hair coloring mix or solution . it has just the right coverage viscosity to give an excellent comb thru application or coverage . the coloring mix is allowed to dry , whereby the artificial hair , usually nylon fiber , is uniformly colored . this coloring can be very easily and completely removed by washing in warm water , or a mild , cold water soap solution . this feature is essential to the haircoloring activity for children , whereby they can change the color of the hair on the doll at will , without staining or hurting the condition of the hair fiber . the glycolate derivative has added features of being soft , and flexible with dry surface feel , and acts like a hair conditioner to add high lite , suppleness and smoothness of feel . without the ability of the glycolate modified deriviative to act as a soft hair conditioner , and also , able to form a micro agglomerate and encapsulation of the coloring pigment , the hair coloring activity for dolls for children would not be a commercial reality . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Textiles; Paper'? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Electricity'? | 0.25 | 627d48b24c9f69dea758a360506f2024eeff3d197ee5a5216f89b314e115d951 | 0.294922 | 0.002319 | 0.078125 | 0.00009 | 0.210938 | 0.000732 |
null | this invention pertains to pigment micro - agglomerate coloring systems for coloring synthetic fibers and textile materials , either permanently or temporarily . in the invention certain starch and cellulosic derivatives are softened with poly hydric alcohols to form glycolate modified derivatives ( gmd ). the gmd &# 39 ; s serve as thickener which encapsulates pigment particles to form a pigment - gmd agglomerate which in itself can be used for the temporary coloring of synthetic textile materials . the pigment - gmd agglomerate may be colloidally combined with a latex binder to form a complex pigment - gmd - binder agglomerate . this pigment micro - agglomerate complex may be deposited on textile materials from print rolls or pad rolls to yield a coloring system which is soft , durable and fast to washing and dry cleaning . referring now to the drawings , the three figures illustrate in a diagrammatic way the steps in the formation of the pigment micro - agglomerate complex of the present invention . fig1 illustrates the first or modification step . non - colloidial , hydrophilic molecules of poly hydric compounds , such as glycerin , 1 , 3 butylene glycol , 1 , 4 butylene glycol and 1 , 2 propylene glycol are solvated into hydrophilic colloidal molecules or particles by heating the components for 60 to 90 minues between 100 ° and 140 ° f . with an acid added to maintain a ph between 4 and 6 . the resultant particles are permanently modified and are called glycolate modified derivatives , gmd . the next step is the pigment sensitization step , as illustrated in fig2 . the glycolate modified derivatives are combined colloidally with pigment particles by heating between 100 °- 140 ° f . for 60 to 90 minutes maintaining a ph of 6 . 5 to 7 . 5 . the resultant pigment sensitive particles , psp , may be used for temporary coloring , as described hereinafter . the third step is the pigment agglomeration step , as illustrated in fig3 . in this step the psp are agglomerated with lyophilic colloidal molecules or particles by mixing under mild agitation for 60 to 90 minutes while maintaining a ph of 6 . 5 to 7 . 5 . the resulting pigment agglomerate particles , pap , are very hydrophilic , complexing numerous water molecules , such that a thickening action still prevails of the required viscosity for effective application by print rolls or pad rolls to textile materials . this resultant pap , when deposited on the surface of the textile materials will be firmly affixed by the function of the binder which bonds the whole complex in place . the glycolate modified derivative , gmd , as part of this complex is also affixed , and is soft , and contributes to providing good properties of color yield , comfort , hand , and wet crock . the inventon includes a very effective means to form soft , flexible starch and cellulose derivatives . the ability to make these soft , thickener type derivatives is crucial to this invention . the glycolate modified derivatives , as we have termed them , are made by the acid reaction of low molecular weight glycols with starch or cellulosic derivatives . the starch or cellulosic derivatives are reacted under acid conditions with the glycols . we believe the mechanism of reaction to be the formation of hydrocellulose by the hydrolysis attack of the acid of the 1 , 4 ether linkage of the cellulose and starch chains , of course cellulose chains being composed of beta - glucose molecules , and starch of alpha - glucose molecules . the beta - glucose molecules of cellulose we can represent by r b and the alpha glucose molecules of starch as r s . therefore , the structured formula for cellulose and starch can be represented as such : ## str1 ## we must understand that the r b unit of cellulose -- ## str2 ## can form various derivatives with the available hydroxy groups being reacted . the same for the r s unit of starch -- ## str3 ## hence , in this specification , we will represent the various derivatives as they are reacted with the available hydroxyl groups . for hydroxy ethyl cellulose , we have ## str4 ## for acetylated starch , we have -- ## str5 ## in the making of the glycolate modified derivative -- gmd , hydroxy ethyl cellulose and acetylated starch are reacted with glycerine , 1 , 3 propylene glycol , 1 , 4 butylene glycol , or 1 , 3 butylene glycol . the reaction is carried out at an acid ph . for hydroxy ethyl cellulose and 1 , 3 propylene glycol -- ## str6 ## for acetylated starch and 1 , 3 propylene glycol -- ## str7 ## the essential result of the above reactions is that the unmodified hydroxy ethyl cellulose , and acetylated starch derivatives give films that are clear , but brittle and stiff . after reaction or modification with the propylene glycol , they give films that are clear , but flexible , not brittle . the reacton conditions are to dissolve the hydroxy ethyl cellulose , or acetylated starch , in water at a concentration of anywhere from 0 . 05 - 20 %, add formic acid to adjust the ph to 4 - 5 , add the 1 , 3 propylene glycol at a concentration of 0 . 01 - 10 %, and react at a temperature of 160 °- 180 ° for 30 - 90 minutes . as the reaction proceeds , a definite change can be noted . at first , the viscosity of the reacting solution will drop , and become increasingly clear , but then begins to increase and take on a haze . we theorize that the derivatives are first hydrolzed , and then crosslinked with the glycols to form glycolates . the kinds of products that can be made are numerous , by varying the reaction conditions and the reactants . many different acids besides formic can be used , such as acetic , oxalic , tartaric , citric , i . e ., the organic acids , not the mineral acids . different glycols besides propylene glycol can be used such as glycerin , 1 , 2 and , 1 , 4 butylene glycol , dihydroxy acetone and others , as long as there are two hydroxy groups in terminal reactive positions , and the molecular weight is not to high to lose solubility in water . after the formation of the glycolate modified derivative , gmd , the next step is pigment sensitization . the pigment color is added to the gmd solution , at a concentration of 0 . 25 - 15 % dependent on the depth of shade required , and the corresponding concentration of the gmd . the ph is adjusted with ammonia to 6 . 5 - 7 . 5 . the temperature is brought to 120 °- 140 ° f ., and the solution is held under mild agitation for 60 to 90 minutes . the gmd will migrate and encapsulate , colloidally , the pigment particles . the viscosity of the solution will adjust at this point , becoming lower . the pigment is completely encapsulated , and we refer to this as sensitizing the pigment particles . interestingly enough , if pigment sensitized particles , psp &# 39 ; s in solution form , colloidally suspended , are cast onto a surface and dried , they are completely redispersible with water upon subsequent rewetting . in fact , the cleanup , either off the hands or off various surfaces , is easy and total . this property illustrates the complete encapsulation of the pigment , and this feature can be utilized to good purpose when it is desired to only temporarily color a substance , and then be able to remove said coloring without staining . the gmd &# 39 ; s of this invention are uniquely capable of sensitizing pigment particles , or encapsulating them . this action will work equally well on non - colored pigments or fillers as they are called . in fact , sensitized filler particles are easily incorporated into foam systems , so that they do not destabilize the foam , and in foam printing or coating , it is a distinct advantage to incorporate a high level of filler . after the sensitizing step , the next step is to form what we term the pigment agglomerate . to the psp solution , as made above , we now add binder which is in latex form . the binder is usually a film forming elastomer , and can be of any composition . this does not matter , nor does it restrict or confine the workings of this invention . what is important is that the polymeric binder be a latex or colloidal dispersion . this is added to a concentration of 0 . 25 - 20 %, and held at room ambient temperature , under mild agitation for 60 - 120 minutes . after awhile , it is apparent that the colloidal nature of the solution or mix has changed . the viscosity drops even lower , and a clear layer of liquid will form at the top of mix when agitation is stopped and the suspended particles begin to show signs of settling . this is typical of the situation of forming a larger agglomerate particle . instead of being in the particle size range of less than one micron , the particles now , if examined under a microscope and measured , are in the particle size range of 1 to 8 microns , more normally around 2 - 3 microns . the sensitized pigment - binder agglomerate is now formed . the pigment agglomerate particles , pap , so formed , are now very intimately admixed in a very unique and permanent manner . the efficiency of intermixing is intermolecular , such that secondary valence forces are holding the particles intermolecularly together , and much more effectively , or efficiently than could be accomplished by simple dispersion mixing . in this agglomerate form the glycolate derivatives , the pigment colors and the binders are so tightly bound up intermolecularly together , that they cannot now be separately extracted fron one another . upon subsequent application of this coloring system to textile substrates , and driving off the water , and heat curing to further adhesion , the system is very durable , and fast to washing and drycleaning . surprisingly , even the wet and dry crock resistance , or rub off of color , is markedly improved , and what is so important , the hand is soft and supple , due to the flexible nature of the glycolate derivatives , as opposed to other thickeners that are non - flexible and brittle . ______________________________________i making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10202 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 100 - acetylated starch3 . formic acid , 90 % 44 . diethylene glycol 20______________________________________ the kofilm 80 is an acetylated starch made by national starch company , plainfield , n . j ., which is dissolved in the water first by adding it slowly to the water , cold , under adequate agitation until completely dispersed . formic acid is added , followed by the diethylene glycol . the ph is checked to make certain it is in the range of 4 - 5 . the temperature is gradually raised to 180 ° f ., and held at this temperature , under mild agitation , for 90 minutes . the heat is removed , and the batch is allowed to drop in temperature to 120 ° f . the viscosity of the solution prior to the cook was 25 , 000 cps . ; after the cook 18 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 10 % 11442 . cu phythocayamine bluedispersion , 40 % 553 . ammonia to ph 6 . 5______________________________________ the blue pigment concentrate is added to the gmd solution , and then the solution adjusted with ammonia to a ph of 6 . 5 . the temperature of the solution is held at 120 ° f . for 60 minutes under mild agitation . the temperature is allowed to drop to ambient room temperature . the viscosity of the psp solution as made is 9 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii making the pap . formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 11 % 11992 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 100 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at ambient temperatures . the hycar 1561 is an elastomeric copolymer composed of about 55 % butadiene , and 45 % acrylonitrile , in the form of a latex , made by b . f . goodrich company , akron , ohio . the above solution is mildly agitated for 120 minutes , at which time distinct 3 - 8 micron agglomerate particles have formed . ______________________________________iv . print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 13 % 12992 . carbopol k - 934 - 5 % solution 13 . triton x100 14 . dodecyl alcohol . 55 . defoamer . 2______________________________________ additional chemicals are added to form the final print mix . the carbopol k - 934 is a thickener which is a copolymer of acrylic acid and acrylonitrile , made by b . f . goodrich company , added to adjust the print mix to a viscosity of 20 , 000 cps . the triton x - 100 is a nonionic wetting agent which is a condensation product of nonophenol and ethylene oxide , made by rohm and haas company , philadelphia , pa ., which is added to provide better print mix penetration and wetting of the textile goods . do decyl alcohol is added to give smoothness , and further wetting . a defoamer is added to control or prevent foaming during printing . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 50 - acetylated starch3 . formic acid , 90 % 44 . diethylene glycol 10______________________________________ the above is cooked at 160 ° f . for 70 minutes , under mild agitation . the viscosity of this gmd solution is 2800 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 5 . 5 % 10642 . cu phthocyanine bluedispersion 40 % 373 . ammonia to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ this solution is cooked for 40 minutes at 135 ° f . under mild agitation then dropped to ambient temperatures . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 6 . 7 % 11002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 50 - polyacrylic polymer3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 12 . 5 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation , for 120 ° f . minutes , after which time a distinct 3 - 8 micron agglomerate particles form . after this time interval , the pad dye solution is prepared as follows : ______________________________________iv . pad dyeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution 9 % 11602 . triton x100 0 . 53 . methocel , 15 cps . 0 . 94 . cymel 303 , 80 % ( mf resin ) 1 . 2 - butylated mela - mine resin5 . defoamer 0 . 3______________________________________ the gmd solution is made the same as example i , and so also the psp solution . the pigment agglomerate particles were made as follows : ______________________________________pap solutionformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 1 10002 . rhoplex ha - 8 , 46 % 32 - polyacrylic resin3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 37 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ this solution is held at ambient temperatures , under mild agitation , for 120 minutes . rhoplex ha - 8 is a self crosslinking polyethyl acrylate polymer in latex form from the rohm & amp ; haas company , philadelphia , pa . after the pigment agglomerate particles have formed , at from 3 - 10 microns , in size , the following print formula is made . ______________________________________print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . above pap solution , 13 % 10002 . alcogum l - 11 , 30 % 1 - polyacrylic acid3 . butylated melamine - formaldehyde resin 50 % 34 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ the viscosity of the print paste is 18 , 000 cps . this formula is particularly good on rayon or cotton goods . the gmd and psp solutions are made the same as example ii . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap solution formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 2 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 47 - polyacrylic resin3 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 10 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ this is stirred at room temperature for 100 minutes , after which time the desired pigment agglomerate particles are formed at a particle size range of 2 - 8 microns . from this is made the following pigment pad formula . ______________________________________pad dye formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution from above8 . 7 % 10002 . methocel , 4000 cps . 0 . 93 . keltex 0 . 45 - protein gum4 . urea 0 . 45 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % 2 . 76 . trimethyol melamineresin , 80 % 3 . 07 . triton x100 0 . 48 . ammonium stearate , 30 % 0 . 129 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ this formula had a viscosity of 600 - 800 cps . this pigment pad formula is particularly good on polyester / cotton goods , giving a soft hand with good wash performance . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp 5200h , 90 % 10 - hydroxy ethyl cellulose3 . formic acid , 90 % 24 . diethylene glycol 4______________________________________ the cellosize qp5200 h , is an hydroxy ethyl cellulose made by union carbide corp ., new york , n . y ., which is dissolved in the water by first adding it to cold water to disperse it under adequate agitation , then adding the formic acid , followed by diethylene glycol . the temperature is gradually raised to 160 ° f . and held for 60 minutes under mild agitation . the heat is removed , and the batch let cool to 120 ° f . the viscosity of the batch prior to the cook was 50 , 000 cps . and after the cook 30 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts______________________________________1 . gmd solution 1 . 47 % 10002 . calcium phthocyanineblue dispersion , 40 % 503 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % to ph 6 . 7______________________________________ the blue pigment dispersion is added to the gmd solution , and then this solution is adjusted with ammonia to a ph of 6 . 7 . the temperature of the solution is held at 120 ° f . for 60 minutes under mild agitation . after the 60 minute interval , the temperature is dropped to room temperature . the viscosity of the psp solution is 20 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 3 . 5 % 10002 . hycar , 1561 , 40 % 100 - nitryl rubber______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation for 120 minutes , after which time agglomerated particles are formed range in size from 2 - 10 microns . this is now made up in a print formula . the solution viscosity is 12 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iv print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 7 . 5 % 10002 . carbopol k - 934 , 5 % solution 33 . triton x - 100 14 . xylene 1 . 55 . defoamer 0 . 2______________________________________ this print mix has a viscosity of 20 , 000 cps . it prints very well from engraved rolls . the resultant prints are soft , and display excellent sharpness of print definition . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp5200h 73 . formic acid 24 . diethylene glycol 3______________________________________ the above is cooked for 90 minutes at 180 ° f ., under mild agitation . the viscosity of this solution is 25 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________gmd solution , 1 . 2 % 10002 . cuphthocyanine bluedispersion 40 % 353 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % to ph 6 . 7______________________________________ this solution is cooked for 60 minutes at 160 ° f ., under mild agitation , then dropped to room temperature . viscosity is 17 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 3 . 0 % 10002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 393 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 21______________________________________ the above solution is held at room temperature , under mild agitation , for 120 minutes . after this time interval , a distinct range of agglomerate particles from 3 - 8 microns form . from this is now prepared the dye solution . viscosity 300 cps . ______________________________________iv . pad dyeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution 5 . 8 % 10002 . triton x100 0 . 53 . methocel , 15 cps . 0 . 94 . cymel 303 , 80 % ( mf resin ) 1 . 95 . defoamer 0 . 3______________________________________ the viscosity of the pad dye solution is 700 - 900 cps . this pad dye solution goes on very well , with excellent color yield and uniformity , with no migration of pigment upon drying . the gmd solution is made the same as cited in example v ., and so also for the psp solution . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap solutionformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 5 ( 3 . 5 %) 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 483 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 14______________________________________ this solution is mildly agitated at room temperature for 120 minutes to form the pigment agglomerate particles of size of 2 - 8 microns . this is now made up into the following print formula . ______________________________________print formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . above pap solution , 6 % 10002 . alcogum l - 11 , 30 % 33 . butylated melamine - formal - dehyde resin , 50 % 3 . 04 . defoamer 0 . 2______________________________________ viscosity of this print paste is 22 , 000 cps . this print paste gives good definition of color , and a soft feel . the color yield was excellent . the gmd and psp solutions are made the same as example vi . the pap solution is made as follows : ______________________________________pap formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution of ex . 6 , 3 . 0 % 10002 . darex 410 , 46 % 243 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 7______________________________________ this solution is stirred at room temperature for 120 minutes , the pigment agglomerate particles form at a size of 2 - 8 microns . from this is made the following pigment pad formula . ______________________________________pad dye formulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution from above , 4 . 5 % 10002 . keltex 1 . 23 . triton x100 0 . 44 . ammonium hydroxide , 28 % 2 . 45 . ammonnium stearate , 30 % 3 . 06 . trimethylol melamineresin , 80 % 2 . 47 . defoamer 0 . 4______________________________________ this formula had a viscosity of 400 - 600 cps . it padded on very well , gave a pleasing soft hand and excellent uniform coloring . the wash fastness is very good . at this point it is important to present comparative test data of the above pigment print and padding mixes as made by this invention versus conventional pigment print and padding systems . the evaluation data is presented in the following tables : ______________________________________ ratings wash lightprint color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example i 5 4 4 3 - 2 4 4example iii 4 4 4 4 - 3 4 - 3 4example v 4 4 4 3 - 2 5 - 4 4______________________________________ ______________________________________ ratings wash lightprint color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example vii 5 4 4 4 - 3 4 - 3 4conventionalphthlo blue 4 4 4 2 3 4conventional2phthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 4______________________________________ ratings : 5excellent , 4good , 3mod . good , 2fair , 1poor from the above table it can be seen that this invention has a desirable effect on hand and color yield . the wet crock is also improved over two conventional phthlo blue pigment print formulas supplied to the textile industry . the washfastness and dry crock are equivalent . ______________________________________ ratings wash lightpad dye color fast - dry wet fast - systems yield ness crock crock hand ness______________________________________example ii 4 4 4 3 3 - 4 4example iv 3 - 4 4 4 3 - 4 3 4example vi 4 4 4 3 3 - 4 4example 3 - 4 4 4 3 - 4 3 4viiiconventionalphthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 - 1 4conventional2phthlo blue 3 - 4 4 4 2 2 - 1 4______________________________________ for pigment pad dyeing the examples of this invention are superior to conventional systems , the wet crock is improved , and the hand is dramatically better . the improvement in hand is very important for pigment pad dyeing , because the thickening agents that are currently used , even in very small amounts of actual deposition on the textile goods , cause stiffening . this has always been a drawback to pigment pad dyeing . also , in conventional systems to obtain washfastness , a substantial level of binding resin has to be employed . hence pigment pad dyeings that have good washfastness , have firm hands . by using the glycolate derivatives of this invention , and forming the pigment agglomerate with the binder , much less binder has to be used to achieve an equivalent level of washfastness , and coupled with glycolate derivative as a thickener , is softer in hand . this double effect now allows one to design pigment dye systems that are pleasing in hand and washfast . the glycolate derivatives are good as foam stabilizers , so as such are useful in foam print systems . ______________________________________i . making the gmdformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . kofilm 80 , 90 % 1403 . formic acid , 90 % 64 . citric acid , 90 % 25 . diethylene glycol 30______________________________________ this cooked in the usual manner at 160 ° f . for 90 minutes , under mild agitation . the viscosity at the end of the cook is 40 , 000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pspformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , 15 % 10002 . itr red , 25 % 783 . ammonium hydroxide to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ this is cooked for 60 minutes at 160 ° f ., with mild agitation . the viscosity at the end of this cook is 30 , 000 cps . ______________________________________iii . making the papformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . psp solution , 15 % 10002 . hycar 2679 , 50 % 623 . hycar 1561 , 40 % 19______________________________________ this solution is held at room temperature for 35 minutes , under mild agitation . the pigment agglomerate particle range in size from 1 . 5 - 4 . 0 microns . the viscosity of the pap solution is 8000 cps . ______________________________________iv . foam print compoundformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . pap solution , 15 % 20002 . dupanol me , 20 % 12 - lauryl sulfate3 . melamine formaldehyderesin , 50 % 84 . ammonium stearate , 30 % 1 . 5______________________________________ the above mix can be shipped into a foam with the use of a high speed mixer to give a foam of a density of 0 . 43 . this foam print compound is very stable , applys well with excellent pore structure and once applied yields a soft , flexible print . an interesting property of the pigment sensitized particle ( psp ) is that the pigment is completely encapsulated by the glycolate modified derivative . this means that if the psps are deposited upon a textile substrate , they can later be removed completely by water . this property can be used to advantage for the making of fugitive or nonstaining tints . there are times when it is desirable to tint a kind , or lot of fiber to identify it during the processing . after the processing is complete , then it is desirable to remove the tint completely without any staining . with dyes or pigments that are selected to have no affinity to a certain kind of fiber , staining still results ; and the wash procedure is quite involved to try to remove all of the dyestuff or pigment completely . however , the pigment sensitized particles ( psp ) will not stain the fiber regardless of composition and will wash out completely and easily with hot water , or mild soaping , hot or cold . this property has proved most effective in creating a craft for children , permitting them to color the hair of dolls . the hair coloring of dolls was not possible with prior art dyestuffs and pigments , since they would stain the doll &# 39 ; s hair no matter what fiber was used -- polypropylene , nylon , polyester , etc . in fact , the search to find dyestuffs or pigments that would easily wash out without staining has been long and unfruitful . the psp concept was tested and worked perfectly with a full range of colors . so the invention of micro - encapsulation of pigment particles with glycolate modified derivatives provides the development of a fugitive , non - staining hair coloring system , that can be used as a child &# 39 ; s activity . the making of this doll hair coloring system is as follows : ______________________________________i . making the glycolate modified derivativeformulaingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . water 10002 . cellosize qp100m , 90 % 153 . citric acid , 90 % 34 . glycerin 20______________________________________ this solution is cooked under mild agitation for 90 minutes at a temperature of 180 ° f . the viscosity of this cook is 36000 cps . ______________________________________ii . making the pigment sensitized particles______________________________________formula for redingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , above , 4 % 10002 . hercules red t . 10dispersion3 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 to ph 7 . 0______________________________________formula for violetingredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution above , 4 % 10002 . carbizol violet 25dispersion3 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 % to ph 7 . 0______________________________________formula for browningredients parts by weight______________________________________1 . gmd solution , above 4 % 10002 . burnt umber dispersion 303 . black dispersion 34 . ammonium hydroxide , 20 % to ph 7 . 0______________________________________ the above solutions are cooked under mild agitation for 60 - 70 minutes at a temperature of 120 ° f . after this cook , the viscosity of this solution drops to range from 6 - 9000 cps . this makes for an excellent hair coloring mix or solution . it has just the right coverage viscosity to give an excellent comb thru application or coverage . the coloring mix is allowed to dry , whereby the artificial hair , usually nylon fiber , is uniformly colored . this coloring can be very easily and completely removed by washing in warm water , or a mild , cold water soap solution . this feature is essential to the haircoloring activity for children , whereby they can change the color of the hair on the doll at will , without staining or hurting the condition of the hair fiber . the glycolate derivative has added features of being soft , and flexible with dry surface feel , and acts like a hair conditioner to add high lite , suppleness and smoothness of feel . without the ability of the glycolate modified deriviative to act as a soft hair conditioner , and also , able to form a micro agglomerate and encapsulation of the coloring pigment , the hair coloring activity for dolls for children would not be a commercial reality . | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Textiles; Paper'? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology'? | 0.25 | 627d48b24c9f69dea758a360506f2024eeff3d197ee5a5216f89b314e115d951 | 0.304688 | 0.10498 | 0.098145 | 0.098145 | 0.225586 | 0.094238 |
null | while the present teachings are described in conjunction with various embodiments and examples , it is not intended that the present teachings be limited to such embodiments . on the contrary , the present teachings encompass various alternatives , modifications and equivalents , as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art . referring now to fig1 , an optical beam 12 having a spatial intensity distribution 11 impinges on a conventional flat mems mirror 10 having a substrate 18 supporting a reflective coating 13 . the optical beam 12 reflects from the reflective coating 13 , as shown at 14 . the mems mirror 10 has a torsional hinge 15 for tilting the mems mirror 10 as shown by arrows 16 , thus steering the reflected optical beam 14 . the mems mirror 10 has a uniform thickness . the reflective coating 13 of the mems mirror 10 typically has a non - zero curvature due to residual stresses , or thermally induced stresses in the reflective coating 13 due to thermal mismatch with the substrate 18 . when the mems mirror 10 is used in an optical switch , the curvature of the reflective coating 13 of the mems mirror 10 has an adverse effect on the optical insertion loss and the extinction ratio of the optical switch . the magnitude of these adverse effects is approximately proportional to the fourth power of the mirror size or optical beam size . high port count wavelength selective switch ( wss ) devices require relatively large optical beams . thus , the flatness of the mems mirror 10 is of a considerable concern , especially for high port count wss devices . as noted above , one traditional solution to ensuring flatness of the mems mirror 10 is to increase the thickness of the substrate 18 . however , increased thickness of the substrate 18 worsens dynamic performance of the mems mirror 10 . due to a requirement for the mems mirror 10 to withstand shock and vibration , the mems mirror 10 should have a resonance frequency of rotational oscillations above a certain threshold . the resonance frequency is proportional to a ratio of the spring constant of the torsional hinge 15 to the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 10 , which depends on the thickness of the substrate 18 . the spring constant of the torsional hinge 15 is limited by a maximum torque created by an actuator , not shown , which depends on a maximum voltage applied to the actuator . therefore , the moment of inertia and the maximum thickness of the substrate 18 are limited in case of the mems mirror 10 by the maximum driving voltage available , and by the resonance frequency requirement . the present invention overcomes this limitation by providing a mems mirror having a laterally varying thickness , which preferably matches laterally varying optical beam intensity . referring now to fig2 , a mems mirror 20 has a top reflective surface 23 and a bottom surface 29 . the bottom surface 29 is profiled ( non - flat ), so that the mems mirror 20 has a laterally varying thickness . to simplify the mirror structure , no voids or ribs are present in the mems mirror 20 . the mems mirror 20 has a hinge 25 defining a tilt axis 25 ′ of the mems mirror 20 for tilting as shown with arrows 26 . a longitudinal axis 21 is perpendicular to the tilt axis 25 ′ and is crossing the tilt axis 25 ′ at a point 1 . the thickness of the mems mirror 20 decreases in going from the point 1 towards ends 2 and 3 of the mems mirror 20 . the ends 2 and 3 are disposed on the longitudinal axis 21 . as noted above , thinning down the mems mirror 20 at its ends 2 and 3 , where the optical beam intensity is reduced , facilitates reducing the moment of inertia without a significant reduction of the quality of the reflected optical beam 14 . preferably , the lateral profile of the thickness variation of the mems mirror 20 correlates with the optical intensity profile 11 of the incoming optical beam 12 . in this way , the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 20 can be lessened while keeping a pre - defined quality of the reflected optical beam 14 . note that the moment of inertia is proportional to square of a distance to the pivot axis ; therefore the moment of inertia can be reduced dramatically by having less mass farther from the pivot , as is the case in the present invention . the mems mirror 20 is the thickest at the point 1 , where the intensity profile 11 of the impinging optical beam 12 is at maximum . at or near the point 1 , the undesired curvature of the reflective layer 23 of the mems mirror 20 is at minimum , which lessens the optical losses upon subsequent fiber coupling , and also improves switching ratio ( extinction ratio ) of a mems optical switch the mems mirror 20 is used in . preferably , the thickness profile t ( x , y ) of the mems mirror 20 varies as wherein i ( x , y ) is the intensity profile 11 of the impinging optical beam 12 , the plane ( x , y ) is a plane of the reflective layer 23 , n & gt ;= 0 . 5 , and c is a constant . it follows from eq . ( 1 ) that when the function i ( x , y ) is exponential , as is commonly the case , the function t ( x , y ) is also exponential . the thickness of the mems mirror 20 decreases smoothly and monotonically in going from the point 1 toward the ends 2 and 3 . however , it may be difficult to realize such a smoothly varying thickness profile using existing mems fabrication methods . other , simpler forms of the thickness profile can be more practical . referring now to fig3 , a bottom surface 39 of a mems mirror 30 is profiled so that the mems mirror 30 has a linearly varying thickness profile . this thickness profile is an approximation of a “ desired ” gaussian thickness profile , corresponding to the bottom surface 29 shown in fig3 in a dashed line for comparison purposes . the linearly varying thickness profile due to the bottom surface 39 can be obtained using a linearly graded etching mask . another practical form of a thickness profile is a stepped profile . turning to fig4 , a mems mirror 40 has a bottom surface 49 having a stepped profile . the total number of steps is four , two for each end of the mems mirror 40 . this “ stepped ” profile is also an approximation of the “ desired ” gaussian thickness profile 29 shown in fig4 in a dashed line . more steps can be used if desired , for a better approximation of the gaussian profile 29 . the step location is preferably correlated with a location where a local beam intensity decreases to a pre - determined percentage of a peak beam intensity . referring now to fig5 , a mems mirror 50 has a bottom surface 59 having only one step . one advantage of the mems mirror 50 is manufacturability . only two masks are required to manufacture a step in the mems mirror 50 . by way of example , the silicon mems mirror 50 having a length of 1300 um , thickness of 30 um in the middle and 15 um at the ends , a step location half - way to the mirror center , that is 750 um from each edge , has an optical performance comparable to that of the mirror 10 of fig1 of the same length and uniform thickness of 30 um , while having only 33 % of the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 10 of fig1 . when a “ polarization diversity ” arrangement is used in an optical switch to achieve a polarization independent functionality , two beams of light , corresponding to two orthogonal polarization components of the original optical beam , co - propagate in an optical switch . to ensure low polarization sensitivity , a mems mirror must be able to steer the two beams in a nearly identical fashion . turning to fig6 , a mems mirror 60 is shown having two rigidly connected halves 68 a and 68 b and a torsional hinge structure 65 for tilting the mems mirror 60 about a tilt axis 65 ′. the two halves 68 a and 68 b are coated with a reflective coating 63 . in operation , two optical beams 62 a and 62 b , having intensity profiles 61 a and 61 b , impinge on the reflective coating of the two halves 68 a and 68 b , forming reflected optical beams 64 a and 64 b , respectively . although in this case the mirror thickness of the mirror halves 68 a and 68 b does not correspond directly to the local intensity of the impinging optical beams 64 and 65 , nonetheless , spatially varying the thickness of the mems mirror 60 also helps reduce the mirror &# 39 ; s moment of inertia . furthermore , it is possible to customize the mirror 60 for the two - beam application ( that is , for steering the two beams 62 a and 62 b ) by thinning down sections 67 a and 67 b of the two halves 68 a and 68 b , respectively , because the sections 67 a and 67 b correspond to low power density of the optical beams 62 a and 62 b . turning now to fig7 , a mems mirror 70 having a “ hidden - hinge ” configuration is shown . in the mems mirror 70 , the hinge structure 65 is “ hidden ” beneath a mirror layer 77 disposed over the mirror halves 68 a and 68 b . in this case , the thickness of the mems mirror 70 can also be correlated to an intensity profile 71 of an impinging optical beam 72 , so that optical quality of a reflected optical beam 74 can be preserved . referring to fig8 a and 8b , a mems mirror 80 has a tilt axis 85 ′, a longitudinal , e . g . central , axis 81 perpendicular to the tilt axis 85 ′ and crossing the tilt axis 85 ′ at the point 1 . the mems mirror 80 has the two ends 2 and 3 disposed on the longitudinal axis 81 , and two more ends 4 and 5 disposed on the tilt axis 85 ′. the thickness of the mems mirror 80 decreases in going from the point 1 towards the points 2 and 3 ; and towards the points 4 and 5 . in the mems mirror 80 , the thickness decreases in stepwise fashion . the location and the magnitude of steps are correlated with the intensity distribution of an impinging optical beam , not shown in fig8 a and 8b . the steps are formed by three rectangular layers 87 , 88 , and 89 , and a pair of torsional hinges 85 for tilting the mems mirror 80 about the tilt axis 85 ′. a reflective layer 83 is disposed on the top rectangular layer 87 . preferably , the torsional hinges 85 are associated with the thinnest top layer 87 . the stepped mems mirror 80 can be formed using etching through a succession of generally rectangular etch masks ; the mask for the layer 87 can include hinge structures . during etching the layer 87 , the torsional hinges 85 can also be formed . instead of stepped shape as shown in fig8 a and 8b , the mems mirror 80 can have a shape of a cone or a pyramid , or a stepped cone or a pyramid . referring to fig9 a and 9b , the pyramid - shaped and cone - shaped mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b are shown , respectively . in fig1 a and 10b , truncated ( frusto - conical ) pyramid - shaped and cone - shaped mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b are presented , respectively . in the mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b , the thickness decreases in going from a centrally located generally flat section 102 a and 102 b , respectively , to the ends of the mems mirror . in fig9 a , 9 b , 10 a , and 10 b , the vertical scale is exaggerated for clarity of presentation . the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b can be manufactured using micromachining methods known to one of skill in the art . generally , at a first step , a continuous mirror wafer , having no voids or ribs therein , is provided . at a second step , the bottom surface is profiled , so as to have its thickness decrease in going from the middle of the mirror towards its edges . the bottom surface profiling is preferably achieved by etching . a graded etch mask can be used to manufacture the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b ; or a plurality of uniform etch masks can be used to manufacture the mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 . the thickness of the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b is preferably correlated with the beam intensity variation , so that the moment of inertia of the manufactured mems mirrors can be lessened while keeping a pre - defined quality of the optical beam , which is important in ensuring a good extinction ratio and insertion loss of the mems optical switch the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , or 100 b are used in . for the stepped mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 , height and position of the steps are correlated with the beam intensity variation to achieve the effect of reducing moment of inertia of the mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 , while keeping a pre - defined optical quality of the reflected optical beam . the reduced moment of inertia helps increase a frequency of a mechanical resonance of the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b . the foregoing description of one or more embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed . many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching . it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description , but rather by the claims appended hereto . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Physics'? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Human Necessities'? | 0.25 | ee5daec3ff79a5958d84b523fcc17afe8be82499c988c243518d3306d74e21b7 | 0.157227 | 0.003708 | 0.121582 | 0.00002 | 0.207031 | 0.003372 |
null | while the present teachings are described in conjunction with various embodiments and examples , it is not intended that the present teachings be limited to such embodiments . on the contrary , the present teachings encompass various alternatives , modifications and equivalents , as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art . referring now to fig1 , an optical beam 12 having a spatial intensity distribution 11 impinges on a conventional flat mems mirror 10 having a substrate 18 supporting a reflective coating 13 . the optical beam 12 reflects from the reflective coating 13 , as shown at 14 . the mems mirror 10 has a torsional hinge 15 for tilting the mems mirror 10 as shown by arrows 16 , thus steering the reflected optical beam 14 . the mems mirror 10 has a uniform thickness . the reflective coating 13 of the mems mirror 10 typically has a non - zero curvature due to residual stresses , or thermally induced stresses in the reflective coating 13 due to thermal mismatch with the substrate 18 . when the mems mirror 10 is used in an optical switch , the curvature of the reflective coating 13 of the mems mirror 10 has an adverse effect on the optical insertion loss and the extinction ratio of the optical switch . the magnitude of these adverse effects is approximately proportional to the fourth power of the mirror size or optical beam size . high port count wavelength selective switch ( wss ) devices require relatively large optical beams . thus , the flatness of the mems mirror 10 is of a considerable concern , especially for high port count wss devices . as noted above , one traditional solution to ensuring flatness of the mems mirror 10 is to increase the thickness of the substrate 18 . however , increased thickness of the substrate 18 worsens dynamic performance of the mems mirror 10 . due to a requirement for the mems mirror 10 to withstand shock and vibration , the mems mirror 10 should have a resonance frequency of rotational oscillations above a certain threshold . the resonance frequency is proportional to a ratio of the spring constant of the torsional hinge 15 to the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 10 , which depends on the thickness of the substrate 18 . the spring constant of the torsional hinge 15 is limited by a maximum torque created by an actuator , not shown , which depends on a maximum voltage applied to the actuator . therefore , the moment of inertia and the maximum thickness of the substrate 18 are limited in case of the mems mirror 10 by the maximum driving voltage available , and by the resonance frequency requirement . the present invention overcomes this limitation by providing a mems mirror having a laterally varying thickness , which preferably matches laterally varying optical beam intensity . referring now to fig2 , a mems mirror 20 has a top reflective surface 23 and a bottom surface 29 . the bottom surface 29 is profiled ( non - flat ), so that the mems mirror 20 has a laterally varying thickness . to simplify the mirror structure , no voids or ribs are present in the mems mirror 20 . the mems mirror 20 has a hinge 25 defining a tilt axis 25 ′ of the mems mirror 20 for tilting as shown with arrows 26 . a longitudinal axis 21 is perpendicular to the tilt axis 25 ′ and is crossing the tilt axis 25 ′ at a point 1 . the thickness of the mems mirror 20 decreases in going from the point 1 towards ends 2 and 3 of the mems mirror 20 . the ends 2 and 3 are disposed on the longitudinal axis 21 . as noted above , thinning down the mems mirror 20 at its ends 2 and 3 , where the optical beam intensity is reduced , facilitates reducing the moment of inertia without a significant reduction of the quality of the reflected optical beam 14 . preferably , the lateral profile of the thickness variation of the mems mirror 20 correlates with the optical intensity profile 11 of the incoming optical beam 12 . in this way , the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 20 can be lessened while keeping a pre - defined quality of the reflected optical beam 14 . note that the moment of inertia is proportional to square of a distance to the pivot axis ; therefore the moment of inertia can be reduced dramatically by having less mass farther from the pivot , as is the case in the present invention . the mems mirror 20 is the thickest at the point 1 , where the intensity profile 11 of the impinging optical beam 12 is at maximum . at or near the point 1 , the undesired curvature of the reflective layer 23 of the mems mirror 20 is at minimum , which lessens the optical losses upon subsequent fiber coupling , and also improves switching ratio ( extinction ratio ) of a mems optical switch the mems mirror 20 is used in . preferably , the thickness profile t ( x , y ) of the mems mirror 20 varies as wherein i ( x , y ) is the intensity profile 11 of the impinging optical beam 12 , the plane ( x , y ) is a plane of the reflective layer 23 , n & gt ;= 0 . 5 , and c is a constant . it follows from eq . ( 1 ) that when the function i ( x , y ) is exponential , as is commonly the case , the function t ( x , y ) is also exponential . the thickness of the mems mirror 20 decreases smoothly and monotonically in going from the point 1 toward the ends 2 and 3 . however , it may be difficult to realize such a smoothly varying thickness profile using existing mems fabrication methods . other , simpler forms of the thickness profile can be more practical . referring now to fig3 , a bottom surface 39 of a mems mirror 30 is profiled so that the mems mirror 30 has a linearly varying thickness profile . this thickness profile is an approximation of a “ desired ” gaussian thickness profile , corresponding to the bottom surface 29 shown in fig3 in a dashed line for comparison purposes . the linearly varying thickness profile due to the bottom surface 39 can be obtained using a linearly graded etching mask . another practical form of a thickness profile is a stepped profile . turning to fig4 , a mems mirror 40 has a bottom surface 49 having a stepped profile . the total number of steps is four , two for each end of the mems mirror 40 . this “ stepped ” profile is also an approximation of the “ desired ” gaussian thickness profile 29 shown in fig4 in a dashed line . more steps can be used if desired , for a better approximation of the gaussian profile 29 . the step location is preferably correlated with a location where a local beam intensity decreases to a pre - determined percentage of a peak beam intensity . referring now to fig5 , a mems mirror 50 has a bottom surface 59 having only one step . one advantage of the mems mirror 50 is manufacturability . only two masks are required to manufacture a step in the mems mirror 50 . by way of example , the silicon mems mirror 50 having a length of 1300 um , thickness of 30 um in the middle and 15 um at the ends , a step location half - way to the mirror center , that is 750 um from each edge , has an optical performance comparable to that of the mirror 10 of fig1 of the same length and uniform thickness of 30 um , while having only 33 % of the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 10 of fig1 . when a “ polarization diversity ” arrangement is used in an optical switch to achieve a polarization independent functionality , two beams of light , corresponding to two orthogonal polarization components of the original optical beam , co - propagate in an optical switch . to ensure low polarization sensitivity , a mems mirror must be able to steer the two beams in a nearly identical fashion . turning to fig6 , a mems mirror 60 is shown having two rigidly connected halves 68 a and 68 b and a torsional hinge structure 65 for tilting the mems mirror 60 about a tilt axis 65 ′. the two halves 68 a and 68 b are coated with a reflective coating 63 . in operation , two optical beams 62 a and 62 b , having intensity profiles 61 a and 61 b , impinge on the reflective coating of the two halves 68 a and 68 b , forming reflected optical beams 64 a and 64 b , respectively . although in this case the mirror thickness of the mirror halves 68 a and 68 b does not correspond directly to the local intensity of the impinging optical beams 64 and 65 , nonetheless , spatially varying the thickness of the mems mirror 60 also helps reduce the mirror &# 39 ; s moment of inertia . furthermore , it is possible to customize the mirror 60 for the two - beam application ( that is , for steering the two beams 62 a and 62 b ) by thinning down sections 67 a and 67 b of the two halves 68 a and 68 b , respectively , because the sections 67 a and 67 b correspond to low power density of the optical beams 62 a and 62 b . turning now to fig7 , a mems mirror 70 having a “ hidden - hinge ” configuration is shown . in the mems mirror 70 , the hinge structure 65 is “ hidden ” beneath a mirror layer 77 disposed over the mirror halves 68 a and 68 b . in this case , the thickness of the mems mirror 70 can also be correlated to an intensity profile 71 of an impinging optical beam 72 , so that optical quality of a reflected optical beam 74 can be preserved . referring to fig8 a and 8b , a mems mirror 80 has a tilt axis 85 ′, a longitudinal , e . g . central , axis 81 perpendicular to the tilt axis 85 ′ and crossing the tilt axis 85 ′ at the point 1 . the mems mirror 80 has the two ends 2 and 3 disposed on the longitudinal axis 81 , and two more ends 4 and 5 disposed on the tilt axis 85 ′. the thickness of the mems mirror 80 decreases in going from the point 1 towards the points 2 and 3 ; and towards the points 4 and 5 . in the mems mirror 80 , the thickness decreases in stepwise fashion . the location and the magnitude of steps are correlated with the intensity distribution of an impinging optical beam , not shown in fig8 a and 8b . the steps are formed by three rectangular layers 87 , 88 , and 89 , and a pair of torsional hinges 85 for tilting the mems mirror 80 about the tilt axis 85 ′. a reflective layer 83 is disposed on the top rectangular layer 87 . preferably , the torsional hinges 85 are associated with the thinnest top layer 87 . the stepped mems mirror 80 can be formed using etching through a succession of generally rectangular etch masks ; the mask for the layer 87 can include hinge structures . during etching the layer 87 , the torsional hinges 85 can also be formed . instead of stepped shape as shown in fig8 a and 8b , the mems mirror 80 can have a shape of a cone or a pyramid , or a stepped cone or a pyramid . referring to fig9 a and 9b , the pyramid - shaped and cone - shaped mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b are shown , respectively . in fig1 a and 10b , truncated ( frusto - conical ) pyramid - shaped and cone - shaped mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b are presented , respectively . in the mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b , the thickness decreases in going from a centrally located generally flat section 102 a and 102 b , respectively , to the ends of the mems mirror . in fig9 a , 9 b , 10 a , and 10 b , the vertical scale is exaggerated for clarity of presentation . the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b can be manufactured using micromachining methods known to one of skill in the art . generally , at a first step , a continuous mirror wafer , having no voids or ribs therein , is provided . at a second step , the bottom surface is profiled , so as to have its thickness decrease in going from the middle of the mirror towards its edges . the bottom surface profiling is preferably achieved by etching . a graded etch mask can be used to manufacture the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b ; or a plurality of uniform etch masks can be used to manufacture the mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 . the thickness of the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b is preferably correlated with the beam intensity variation , so that the moment of inertia of the manufactured mems mirrors can be lessened while keeping a pre - defined quality of the optical beam , which is important in ensuring a good extinction ratio and insertion loss of the mems optical switch the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , or 100 b are used in . for the stepped mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 , height and position of the steps are correlated with the beam intensity variation to achieve the effect of reducing moment of inertia of the mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 , while keeping a pre - defined optical quality of the reflected optical beam . the reduced moment of inertia helps increase a frequency of a mechanical resonance of the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b . the foregoing description of one or more embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed . many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching . it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description , but rather by the claims appended hereto . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Physics'? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Performing Operations; Transporting'? | 0.25 | ee5daec3ff79a5958d84b523fcc17afe8be82499c988c243518d3306d74e21b7 | 0.157227 | 0.024048 | 0.121582 | 0.006104 | 0.192383 | 0.036133 |
null | while the present teachings are described in conjunction with various embodiments and examples , it is not intended that the present teachings be limited to such embodiments . on the contrary , the present teachings encompass various alternatives , modifications and equivalents , as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art . referring now to fig1 , an optical beam 12 having a spatial intensity distribution 11 impinges on a conventional flat mems mirror 10 having a substrate 18 supporting a reflective coating 13 . the optical beam 12 reflects from the reflective coating 13 , as shown at 14 . the mems mirror 10 has a torsional hinge 15 for tilting the mems mirror 10 as shown by arrows 16 , thus steering the reflected optical beam 14 . the mems mirror 10 has a uniform thickness . the reflective coating 13 of the mems mirror 10 typically has a non - zero curvature due to residual stresses , or thermally induced stresses in the reflective coating 13 due to thermal mismatch with the substrate 18 . when the mems mirror 10 is used in an optical switch , the curvature of the reflective coating 13 of the mems mirror 10 has an adverse effect on the optical insertion loss and the extinction ratio of the optical switch . the magnitude of these adverse effects is approximately proportional to the fourth power of the mirror size or optical beam size . high port count wavelength selective switch ( wss ) devices require relatively large optical beams . thus , the flatness of the mems mirror 10 is of a considerable concern , especially for high port count wss devices . as noted above , one traditional solution to ensuring flatness of the mems mirror 10 is to increase the thickness of the substrate 18 . however , increased thickness of the substrate 18 worsens dynamic performance of the mems mirror 10 . due to a requirement for the mems mirror 10 to withstand shock and vibration , the mems mirror 10 should have a resonance frequency of rotational oscillations above a certain threshold . the resonance frequency is proportional to a ratio of the spring constant of the torsional hinge 15 to the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 10 , which depends on the thickness of the substrate 18 . the spring constant of the torsional hinge 15 is limited by a maximum torque created by an actuator , not shown , which depends on a maximum voltage applied to the actuator . therefore , the moment of inertia and the maximum thickness of the substrate 18 are limited in case of the mems mirror 10 by the maximum driving voltage available , and by the resonance frequency requirement . the present invention overcomes this limitation by providing a mems mirror having a laterally varying thickness , which preferably matches laterally varying optical beam intensity . referring now to fig2 , a mems mirror 20 has a top reflective surface 23 and a bottom surface 29 . the bottom surface 29 is profiled ( non - flat ), so that the mems mirror 20 has a laterally varying thickness . to simplify the mirror structure , no voids or ribs are present in the mems mirror 20 . the mems mirror 20 has a hinge 25 defining a tilt axis 25 ′ of the mems mirror 20 for tilting as shown with arrows 26 . a longitudinal axis 21 is perpendicular to the tilt axis 25 ′ and is crossing the tilt axis 25 ′ at a point 1 . the thickness of the mems mirror 20 decreases in going from the point 1 towards ends 2 and 3 of the mems mirror 20 . the ends 2 and 3 are disposed on the longitudinal axis 21 . as noted above , thinning down the mems mirror 20 at its ends 2 and 3 , where the optical beam intensity is reduced , facilitates reducing the moment of inertia without a significant reduction of the quality of the reflected optical beam 14 . preferably , the lateral profile of the thickness variation of the mems mirror 20 correlates with the optical intensity profile 11 of the incoming optical beam 12 . in this way , the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 20 can be lessened while keeping a pre - defined quality of the reflected optical beam 14 . note that the moment of inertia is proportional to square of a distance to the pivot axis ; therefore the moment of inertia can be reduced dramatically by having less mass farther from the pivot , as is the case in the present invention . the mems mirror 20 is the thickest at the point 1 , where the intensity profile 11 of the impinging optical beam 12 is at maximum . at or near the point 1 , the undesired curvature of the reflective layer 23 of the mems mirror 20 is at minimum , which lessens the optical losses upon subsequent fiber coupling , and also improves switching ratio ( extinction ratio ) of a mems optical switch the mems mirror 20 is used in . preferably , the thickness profile t ( x , y ) of the mems mirror 20 varies as wherein i ( x , y ) is the intensity profile 11 of the impinging optical beam 12 , the plane ( x , y ) is a plane of the reflective layer 23 , n & gt ;= 0 . 5 , and c is a constant . it follows from eq . ( 1 ) that when the function i ( x , y ) is exponential , as is commonly the case , the function t ( x , y ) is also exponential . the thickness of the mems mirror 20 decreases smoothly and monotonically in going from the point 1 toward the ends 2 and 3 . however , it may be difficult to realize such a smoothly varying thickness profile using existing mems fabrication methods . other , simpler forms of the thickness profile can be more practical . referring now to fig3 , a bottom surface 39 of a mems mirror 30 is profiled so that the mems mirror 30 has a linearly varying thickness profile . this thickness profile is an approximation of a “ desired ” gaussian thickness profile , corresponding to the bottom surface 29 shown in fig3 in a dashed line for comparison purposes . the linearly varying thickness profile due to the bottom surface 39 can be obtained using a linearly graded etching mask . another practical form of a thickness profile is a stepped profile . turning to fig4 , a mems mirror 40 has a bottom surface 49 having a stepped profile . the total number of steps is four , two for each end of the mems mirror 40 . this “ stepped ” profile is also an approximation of the “ desired ” gaussian thickness profile 29 shown in fig4 in a dashed line . more steps can be used if desired , for a better approximation of the gaussian profile 29 . the step location is preferably correlated with a location where a local beam intensity decreases to a pre - determined percentage of a peak beam intensity . referring now to fig5 , a mems mirror 50 has a bottom surface 59 having only one step . one advantage of the mems mirror 50 is manufacturability . only two masks are required to manufacture a step in the mems mirror 50 . by way of example , the silicon mems mirror 50 having a length of 1300 um , thickness of 30 um in the middle and 15 um at the ends , a step location half - way to the mirror center , that is 750 um from each edge , has an optical performance comparable to that of the mirror 10 of fig1 of the same length and uniform thickness of 30 um , while having only 33 % of the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 10 of fig1 . when a “ polarization diversity ” arrangement is used in an optical switch to achieve a polarization independent functionality , two beams of light , corresponding to two orthogonal polarization components of the original optical beam , co - propagate in an optical switch . to ensure low polarization sensitivity , a mems mirror must be able to steer the two beams in a nearly identical fashion . turning to fig6 , a mems mirror 60 is shown having two rigidly connected halves 68 a and 68 b and a torsional hinge structure 65 for tilting the mems mirror 60 about a tilt axis 65 ′. the two halves 68 a and 68 b are coated with a reflective coating 63 . in operation , two optical beams 62 a and 62 b , having intensity profiles 61 a and 61 b , impinge on the reflective coating of the two halves 68 a and 68 b , forming reflected optical beams 64 a and 64 b , respectively . although in this case the mirror thickness of the mirror halves 68 a and 68 b does not correspond directly to the local intensity of the impinging optical beams 64 and 65 , nonetheless , spatially varying the thickness of the mems mirror 60 also helps reduce the mirror &# 39 ; s moment of inertia . furthermore , it is possible to customize the mirror 60 for the two - beam application ( that is , for steering the two beams 62 a and 62 b ) by thinning down sections 67 a and 67 b of the two halves 68 a and 68 b , respectively , because the sections 67 a and 67 b correspond to low power density of the optical beams 62 a and 62 b . turning now to fig7 , a mems mirror 70 having a “ hidden - hinge ” configuration is shown . in the mems mirror 70 , the hinge structure 65 is “ hidden ” beneath a mirror layer 77 disposed over the mirror halves 68 a and 68 b . in this case , the thickness of the mems mirror 70 can also be correlated to an intensity profile 71 of an impinging optical beam 72 , so that optical quality of a reflected optical beam 74 can be preserved . referring to fig8 a and 8b , a mems mirror 80 has a tilt axis 85 ′, a longitudinal , e . g . central , axis 81 perpendicular to the tilt axis 85 ′ and crossing the tilt axis 85 ′ at the point 1 . the mems mirror 80 has the two ends 2 and 3 disposed on the longitudinal axis 81 , and two more ends 4 and 5 disposed on the tilt axis 85 ′. the thickness of the mems mirror 80 decreases in going from the point 1 towards the points 2 and 3 ; and towards the points 4 and 5 . in the mems mirror 80 , the thickness decreases in stepwise fashion . the location and the magnitude of steps are correlated with the intensity distribution of an impinging optical beam , not shown in fig8 a and 8b . the steps are formed by three rectangular layers 87 , 88 , and 89 , and a pair of torsional hinges 85 for tilting the mems mirror 80 about the tilt axis 85 ′. a reflective layer 83 is disposed on the top rectangular layer 87 . preferably , the torsional hinges 85 are associated with the thinnest top layer 87 . the stepped mems mirror 80 can be formed using etching through a succession of generally rectangular etch masks ; the mask for the layer 87 can include hinge structures . during etching the layer 87 , the torsional hinges 85 can also be formed . instead of stepped shape as shown in fig8 a and 8b , the mems mirror 80 can have a shape of a cone or a pyramid , or a stepped cone or a pyramid . referring to fig9 a and 9b , the pyramid - shaped and cone - shaped mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b are shown , respectively . in fig1 a and 10b , truncated ( frusto - conical ) pyramid - shaped and cone - shaped mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b are presented , respectively . in the mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b , the thickness decreases in going from a centrally located generally flat section 102 a and 102 b , respectively , to the ends of the mems mirror . in fig9 a , 9 b , 10 a , and 10 b , the vertical scale is exaggerated for clarity of presentation . the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b can be manufactured using micromachining methods known to one of skill in the art . generally , at a first step , a continuous mirror wafer , having no voids or ribs therein , is provided . at a second step , the bottom surface is profiled , so as to have its thickness decrease in going from the middle of the mirror towards its edges . the bottom surface profiling is preferably achieved by etching . a graded etch mask can be used to manufacture the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b ; or a plurality of uniform etch masks can be used to manufacture the mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 . the thickness of the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b is preferably correlated with the beam intensity variation , so that the moment of inertia of the manufactured mems mirrors can be lessened while keeping a pre - defined quality of the optical beam , which is important in ensuring a good extinction ratio and insertion loss of the mems optical switch the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , or 100 b are used in . for the stepped mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 , height and position of the steps are correlated with the beam intensity variation to achieve the effect of reducing moment of inertia of the mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 , while keeping a pre - defined optical quality of the reflected optical beam . the reduced moment of inertia helps increase a frequency of a mechanical resonance of the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b . the foregoing description of one or more embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed . many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching . it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description , but rather by the claims appended hereto . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Physics'? | Is 'Chemistry; Metallurgy' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | ee5daec3ff79a5958d84b523fcc17afe8be82499c988c243518d3306d74e21b7 | 0.157227 | 0.003708 | 0.121582 | 0.000828 | 0.207031 | 0.002975 |
null | while the present teachings are described in conjunction with various embodiments and examples , it is not intended that the present teachings be limited to such embodiments . on the contrary , the present teachings encompass various alternatives , modifications and equivalents , as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art . referring now to fig1 , an optical beam 12 having a spatial intensity distribution 11 impinges on a conventional flat mems mirror 10 having a substrate 18 supporting a reflective coating 13 . the optical beam 12 reflects from the reflective coating 13 , as shown at 14 . the mems mirror 10 has a torsional hinge 15 for tilting the mems mirror 10 as shown by arrows 16 , thus steering the reflected optical beam 14 . the mems mirror 10 has a uniform thickness . the reflective coating 13 of the mems mirror 10 typically has a non - zero curvature due to residual stresses , or thermally induced stresses in the reflective coating 13 due to thermal mismatch with the substrate 18 . when the mems mirror 10 is used in an optical switch , the curvature of the reflective coating 13 of the mems mirror 10 has an adverse effect on the optical insertion loss and the extinction ratio of the optical switch . the magnitude of these adverse effects is approximately proportional to the fourth power of the mirror size or optical beam size . high port count wavelength selective switch ( wss ) devices require relatively large optical beams . thus , the flatness of the mems mirror 10 is of a considerable concern , especially for high port count wss devices . as noted above , one traditional solution to ensuring flatness of the mems mirror 10 is to increase the thickness of the substrate 18 . however , increased thickness of the substrate 18 worsens dynamic performance of the mems mirror 10 . due to a requirement for the mems mirror 10 to withstand shock and vibration , the mems mirror 10 should have a resonance frequency of rotational oscillations above a certain threshold . the resonance frequency is proportional to a ratio of the spring constant of the torsional hinge 15 to the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 10 , which depends on the thickness of the substrate 18 . the spring constant of the torsional hinge 15 is limited by a maximum torque created by an actuator , not shown , which depends on a maximum voltage applied to the actuator . therefore , the moment of inertia and the maximum thickness of the substrate 18 are limited in case of the mems mirror 10 by the maximum driving voltage available , and by the resonance frequency requirement . the present invention overcomes this limitation by providing a mems mirror having a laterally varying thickness , which preferably matches laterally varying optical beam intensity . referring now to fig2 , a mems mirror 20 has a top reflective surface 23 and a bottom surface 29 . the bottom surface 29 is profiled ( non - flat ), so that the mems mirror 20 has a laterally varying thickness . to simplify the mirror structure , no voids or ribs are present in the mems mirror 20 . the mems mirror 20 has a hinge 25 defining a tilt axis 25 ′ of the mems mirror 20 for tilting as shown with arrows 26 . a longitudinal axis 21 is perpendicular to the tilt axis 25 ′ and is crossing the tilt axis 25 ′ at a point 1 . the thickness of the mems mirror 20 decreases in going from the point 1 towards ends 2 and 3 of the mems mirror 20 . the ends 2 and 3 are disposed on the longitudinal axis 21 . as noted above , thinning down the mems mirror 20 at its ends 2 and 3 , where the optical beam intensity is reduced , facilitates reducing the moment of inertia without a significant reduction of the quality of the reflected optical beam 14 . preferably , the lateral profile of the thickness variation of the mems mirror 20 correlates with the optical intensity profile 11 of the incoming optical beam 12 . in this way , the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 20 can be lessened while keeping a pre - defined quality of the reflected optical beam 14 . note that the moment of inertia is proportional to square of a distance to the pivot axis ; therefore the moment of inertia can be reduced dramatically by having less mass farther from the pivot , as is the case in the present invention . the mems mirror 20 is the thickest at the point 1 , where the intensity profile 11 of the impinging optical beam 12 is at maximum . at or near the point 1 , the undesired curvature of the reflective layer 23 of the mems mirror 20 is at minimum , which lessens the optical losses upon subsequent fiber coupling , and also improves switching ratio ( extinction ratio ) of a mems optical switch the mems mirror 20 is used in . preferably , the thickness profile t ( x , y ) of the mems mirror 20 varies as wherein i ( x , y ) is the intensity profile 11 of the impinging optical beam 12 , the plane ( x , y ) is a plane of the reflective layer 23 , n & gt ;= 0 . 5 , and c is a constant . it follows from eq . ( 1 ) that when the function i ( x , y ) is exponential , as is commonly the case , the function t ( x , y ) is also exponential . the thickness of the mems mirror 20 decreases smoothly and monotonically in going from the point 1 toward the ends 2 and 3 . however , it may be difficult to realize such a smoothly varying thickness profile using existing mems fabrication methods . other , simpler forms of the thickness profile can be more practical . referring now to fig3 , a bottom surface 39 of a mems mirror 30 is profiled so that the mems mirror 30 has a linearly varying thickness profile . this thickness profile is an approximation of a “ desired ” gaussian thickness profile , corresponding to the bottom surface 29 shown in fig3 in a dashed line for comparison purposes . the linearly varying thickness profile due to the bottom surface 39 can be obtained using a linearly graded etching mask . another practical form of a thickness profile is a stepped profile . turning to fig4 , a mems mirror 40 has a bottom surface 49 having a stepped profile . the total number of steps is four , two for each end of the mems mirror 40 . this “ stepped ” profile is also an approximation of the “ desired ” gaussian thickness profile 29 shown in fig4 in a dashed line . more steps can be used if desired , for a better approximation of the gaussian profile 29 . the step location is preferably correlated with a location where a local beam intensity decreases to a pre - determined percentage of a peak beam intensity . referring now to fig5 , a mems mirror 50 has a bottom surface 59 having only one step . one advantage of the mems mirror 50 is manufacturability . only two masks are required to manufacture a step in the mems mirror 50 . by way of example , the silicon mems mirror 50 having a length of 1300 um , thickness of 30 um in the middle and 15 um at the ends , a step location half - way to the mirror center , that is 750 um from each edge , has an optical performance comparable to that of the mirror 10 of fig1 of the same length and uniform thickness of 30 um , while having only 33 % of the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 10 of fig1 . when a “ polarization diversity ” arrangement is used in an optical switch to achieve a polarization independent functionality , two beams of light , corresponding to two orthogonal polarization components of the original optical beam , co - propagate in an optical switch . to ensure low polarization sensitivity , a mems mirror must be able to steer the two beams in a nearly identical fashion . turning to fig6 , a mems mirror 60 is shown having two rigidly connected halves 68 a and 68 b and a torsional hinge structure 65 for tilting the mems mirror 60 about a tilt axis 65 ′. the two halves 68 a and 68 b are coated with a reflective coating 63 . in operation , two optical beams 62 a and 62 b , having intensity profiles 61 a and 61 b , impinge on the reflective coating of the two halves 68 a and 68 b , forming reflected optical beams 64 a and 64 b , respectively . although in this case the mirror thickness of the mirror halves 68 a and 68 b does not correspond directly to the local intensity of the impinging optical beams 64 and 65 , nonetheless , spatially varying the thickness of the mems mirror 60 also helps reduce the mirror &# 39 ; s moment of inertia . furthermore , it is possible to customize the mirror 60 for the two - beam application ( that is , for steering the two beams 62 a and 62 b ) by thinning down sections 67 a and 67 b of the two halves 68 a and 68 b , respectively , because the sections 67 a and 67 b correspond to low power density of the optical beams 62 a and 62 b . turning now to fig7 , a mems mirror 70 having a “ hidden - hinge ” configuration is shown . in the mems mirror 70 , the hinge structure 65 is “ hidden ” beneath a mirror layer 77 disposed over the mirror halves 68 a and 68 b . in this case , the thickness of the mems mirror 70 can also be correlated to an intensity profile 71 of an impinging optical beam 72 , so that optical quality of a reflected optical beam 74 can be preserved . referring to fig8 a and 8b , a mems mirror 80 has a tilt axis 85 ′, a longitudinal , e . g . central , axis 81 perpendicular to the tilt axis 85 ′ and crossing the tilt axis 85 ′ at the point 1 . the mems mirror 80 has the two ends 2 and 3 disposed on the longitudinal axis 81 , and two more ends 4 and 5 disposed on the tilt axis 85 ′. the thickness of the mems mirror 80 decreases in going from the point 1 towards the points 2 and 3 ; and towards the points 4 and 5 . in the mems mirror 80 , the thickness decreases in stepwise fashion . the location and the magnitude of steps are correlated with the intensity distribution of an impinging optical beam , not shown in fig8 a and 8b . the steps are formed by three rectangular layers 87 , 88 , and 89 , and a pair of torsional hinges 85 for tilting the mems mirror 80 about the tilt axis 85 ′. a reflective layer 83 is disposed on the top rectangular layer 87 . preferably , the torsional hinges 85 are associated with the thinnest top layer 87 . the stepped mems mirror 80 can be formed using etching through a succession of generally rectangular etch masks ; the mask for the layer 87 can include hinge structures . during etching the layer 87 , the torsional hinges 85 can also be formed . instead of stepped shape as shown in fig8 a and 8b , the mems mirror 80 can have a shape of a cone or a pyramid , or a stepped cone or a pyramid . referring to fig9 a and 9b , the pyramid - shaped and cone - shaped mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b are shown , respectively . in fig1 a and 10b , truncated ( frusto - conical ) pyramid - shaped and cone - shaped mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b are presented , respectively . in the mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b , the thickness decreases in going from a centrally located generally flat section 102 a and 102 b , respectively , to the ends of the mems mirror . in fig9 a , 9 b , 10 a , and 10 b , the vertical scale is exaggerated for clarity of presentation . the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b can be manufactured using micromachining methods known to one of skill in the art . generally , at a first step , a continuous mirror wafer , having no voids or ribs therein , is provided . at a second step , the bottom surface is profiled , so as to have its thickness decrease in going from the middle of the mirror towards its edges . the bottom surface profiling is preferably achieved by etching . a graded etch mask can be used to manufacture the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b ; or a plurality of uniform etch masks can be used to manufacture the mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 . the thickness of the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b is preferably correlated with the beam intensity variation , so that the moment of inertia of the manufactured mems mirrors can be lessened while keeping a pre - defined quality of the optical beam , which is important in ensuring a good extinction ratio and insertion loss of the mems optical switch the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , or 100 b are used in . for the stepped mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 , height and position of the steps are correlated with the beam intensity variation to achieve the effect of reducing moment of inertia of the mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 , while keeping a pre - defined optical quality of the reflected optical beam . the reduced moment of inertia helps increase a frequency of a mechanical resonance of the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b . the foregoing description of one or more embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed . many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching . it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description , but rather by the claims appended hereto . | Should this patent be classified under 'Physics'? | Should this patent be classified under 'Textiles; Paper'? | 0.25 | ee5daec3ff79a5958d84b523fcc17afe8be82499c988c243518d3306d74e21b7 | 0.095215 | 0.000519 | 0.092773 | 0.000014 | 0.079102 | 0.003174 |
null | while the present teachings are described in conjunction with various embodiments and examples , it is not intended that the present teachings be limited to such embodiments . on the contrary , the present teachings encompass various alternatives , modifications and equivalents , as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art . referring now to fig1 , an optical beam 12 having a spatial intensity distribution 11 impinges on a conventional flat mems mirror 10 having a substrate 18 supporting a reflective coating 13 . the optical beam 12 reflects from the reflective coating 13 , as shown at 14 . the mems mirror 10 has a torsional hinge 15 for tilting the mems mirror 10 as shown by arrows 16 , thus steering the reflected optical beam 14 . the mems mirror 10 has a uniform thickness . the reflective coating 13 of the mems mirror 10 typically has a non - zero curvature due to residual stresses , or thermally induced stresses in the reflective coating 13 due to thermal mismatch with the substrate 18 . when the mems mirror 10 is used in an optical switch , the curvature of the reflective coating 13 of the mems mirror 10 has an adverse effect on the optical insertion loss and the extinction ratio of the optical switch . the magnitude of these adverse effects is approximately proportional to the fourth power of the mirror size or optical beam size . high port count wavelength selective switch ( wss ) devices require relatively large optical beams . thus , the flatness of the mems mirror 10 is of a considerable concern , especially for high port count wss devices . as noted above , one traditional solution to ensuring flatness of the mems mirror 10 is to increase the thickness of the substrate 18 . however , increased thickness of the substrate 18 worsens dynamic performance of the mems mirror 10 . due to a requirement for the mems mirror 10 to withstand shock and vibration , the mems mirror 10 should have a resonance frequency of rotational oscillations above a certain threshold . the resonance frequency is proportional to a ratio of the spring constant of the torsional hinge 15 to the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 10 , which depends on the thickness of the substrate 18 . the spring constant of the torsional hinge 15 is limited by a maximum torque created by an actuator , not shown , which depends on a maximum voltage applied to the actuator . therefore , the moment of inertia and the maximum thickness of the substrate 18 are limited in case of the mems mirror 10 by the maximum driving voltage available , and by the resonance frequency requirement . the present invention overcomes this limitation by providing a mems mirror having a laterally varying thickness , which preferably matches laterally varying optical beam intensity . referring now to fig2 , a mems mirror 20 has a top reflective surface 23 and a bottom surface 29 . the bottom surface 29 is profiled ( non - flat ), so that the mems mirror 20 has a laterally varying thickness . to simplify the mirror structure , no voids or ribs are present in the mems mirror 20 . the mems mirror 20 has a hinge 25 defining a tilt axis 25 ′ of the mems mirror 20 for tilting as shown with arrows 26 . a longitudinal axis 21 is perpendicular to the tilt axis 25 ′ and is crossing the tilt axis 25 ′ at a point 1 . the thickness of the mems mirror 20 decreases in going from the point 1 towards ends 2 and 3 of the mems mirror 20 . the ends 2 and 3 are disposed on the longitudinal axis 21 . as noted above , thinning down the mems mirror 20 at its ends 2 and 3 , where the optical beam intensity is reduced , facilitates reducing the moment of inertia without a significant reduction of the quality of the reflected optical beam 14 . preferably , the lateral profile of the thickness variation of the mems mirror 20 correlates with the optical intensity profile 11 of the incoming optical beam 12 . in this way , the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 20 can be lessened while keeping a pre - defined quality of the reflected optical beam 14 . note that the moment of inertia is proportional to square of a distance to the pivot axis ; therefore the moment of inertia can be reduced dramatically by having less mass farther from the pivot , as is the case in the present invention . the mems mirror 20 is the thickest at the point 1 , where the intensity profile 11 of the impinging optical beam 12 is at maximum . at or near the point 1 , the undesired curvature of the reflective layer 23 of the mems mirror 20 is at minimum , which lessens the optical losses upon subsequent fiber coupling , and also improves switching ratio ( extinction ratio ) of a mems optical switch the mems mirror 20 is used in . preferably , the thickness profile t ( x , y ) of the mems mirror 20 varies as wherein i ( x , y ) is the intensity profile 11 of the impinging optical beam 12 , the plane ( x , y ) is a plane of the reflective layer 23 , n & gt ;= 0 . 5 , and c is a constant . it follows from eq . ( 1 ) that when the function i ( x , y ) is exponential , as is commonly the case , the function t ( x , y ) is also exponential . the thickness of the mems mirror 20 decreases smoothly and monotonically in going from the point 1 toward the ends 2 and 3 . however , it may be difficult to realize such a smoothly varying thickness profile using existing mems fabrication methods . other , simpler forms of the thickness profile can be more practical . referring now to fig3 , a bottom surface 39 of a mems mirror 30 is profiled so that the mems mirror 30 has a linearly varying thickness profile . this thickness profile is an approximation of a “ desired ” gaussian thickness profile , corresponding to the bottom surface 29 shown in fig3 in a dashed line for comparison purposes . the linearly varying thickness profile due to the bottom surface 39 can be obtained using a linearly graded etching mask . another practical form of a thickness profile is a stepped profile . turning to fig4 , a mems mirror 40 has a bottom surface 49 having a stepped profile . the total number of steps is four , two for each end of the mems mirror 40 . this “ stepped ” profile is also an approximation of the “ desired ” gaussian thickness profile 29 shown in fig4 in a dashed line . more steps can be used if desired , for a better approximation of the gaussian profile 29 . the step location is preferably correlated with a location where a local beam intensity decreases to a pre - determined percentage of a peak beam intensity . referring now to fig5 , a mems mirror 50 has a bottom surface 59 having only one step . one advantage of the mems mirror 50 is manufacturability . only two masks are required to manufacture a step in the mems mirror 50 . by way of example , the silicon mems mirror 50 having a length of 1300 um , thickness of 30 um in the middle and 15 um at the ends , a step location half - way to the mirror center , that is 750 um from each edge , has an optical performance comparable to that of the mirror 10 of fig1 of the same length and uniform thickness of 30 um , while having only 33 % of the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 10 of fig1 . when a “ polarization diversity ” arrangement is used in an optical switch to achieve a polarization independent functionality , two beams of light , corresponding to two orthogonal polarization components of the original optical beam , co - propagate in an optical switch . to ensure low polarization sensitivity , a mems mirror must be able to steer the two beams in a nearly identical fashion . turning to fig6 , a mems mirror 60 is shown having two rigidly connected halves 68 a and 68 b and a torsional hinge structure 65 for tilting the mems mirror 60 about a tilt axis 65 ′. the two halves 68 a and 68 b are coated with a reflective coating 63 . in operation , two optical beams 62 a and 62 b , having intensity profiles 61 a and 61 b , impinge on the reflective coating of the two halves 68 a and 68 b , forming reflected optical beams 64 a and 64 b , respectively . although in this case the mirror thickness of the mirror halves 68 a and 68 b does not correspond directly to the local intensity of the impinging optical beams 64 and 65 , nonetheless , spatially varying the thickness of the mems mirror 60 also helps reduce the mirror &# 39 ; s moment of inertia . furthermore , it is possible to customize the mirror 60 for the two - beam application ( that is , for steering the two beams 62 a and 62 b ) by thinning down sections 67 a and 67 b of the two halves 68 a and 68 b , respectively , because the sections 67 a and 67 b correspond to low power density of the optical beams 62 a and 62 b . turning now to fig7 , a mems mirror 70 having a “ hidden - hinge ” configuration is shown . in the mems mirror 70 , the hinge structure 65 is “ hidden ” beneath a mirror layer 77 disposed over the mirror halves 68 a and 68 b . in this case , the thickness of the mems mirror 70 can also be correlated to an intensity profile 71 of an impinging optical beam 72 , so that optical quality of a reflected optical beam 74 can be preserved . referring to fig8 a and 8b , a mems mirror 80 has a tilt axis 85 ′, a longitudinal , e . g . central , axis 81 perpendicular to the tilt axis 85 ′ and crossing the tilt axis 85 ′ at the point 1 . the mems mirror 80 has the two ends 2 and 3 disposed on the longitudinal axis 81 , and two more ends 4 and 5 disposed on the tilt axis 85 ′. the thickness of the mems mirror 80 decreases in going from the point 1 towards the points 2 and 3 ; and towards the points 4 and 5 . in the mems mirror 80 , the thickness decreases in stepwise fashion . the location and the magnitude of steps are correlated with the intensity distribution of an impinging optical beam , not shown in fig8 a and 8b . the steps are formed by three rectangular layers 87 , 88 , and 89 , and a pair of torsional hinges 85 for tilting the mems mirror 80 about the tilt axis 85 ′. a reflective layer 83 is disposed on the top rectangular layer 87 . preferably , the torsional hinges 85 are associated with the thinnest top layer 87 . the stepped mems mirror 80 can be formed using etching through a succession of generally rectangular etch masks ; the mask for the layer 87 can include hinge structures . during etching the layer 87 , the torsional hinges 85 can also be formed . instead of stepped shape as shown in fig8 a and 8b , the mems mirror 80 can have a shape of a cone or a pyramid , or a stepped cone or a pyramid . referring to fig9 a and 9b , the pyramid - shaped and cone - shaped mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b are shown , respectively . in fig1 a and 10b , truncated ( frusto - conical ) pyramid - shaped and cone - shaped mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b are presented , respectively . in the mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b , the thickness decreases in going from a centrally located generally flat section 102 a and 102 b , respectively , to the ends of the mems mirror . in fig9 a , 9 b , 10 a , and 10 b , the vertical scale is exaggerated for clarity of presentation . the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b can be manufactured using micromachining methods known to one of skill in the art . generally , at a first step , a continuous mirror wafer , having no voids or ribs therein , is provided . at a second step , the bottom surface is profiled , so as to have its thickness decrease in going from the middle of the mirror towards its edges . the bottom surface profiling is preferably achieved by etching . a graded etch mask can be used to manufacture the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b ; or a plurality of uniform etch masks can be used to manufacture the mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 . the thickness of the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b is preferably correlated with the beam intensity variation , so that the moment of inertia of the manufactured mems mirrors can be lessened while keeping a pre - defined quality of the optical beam , which is important in ensuring a good extinction ratio and insertion loss of the mems optical switch the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , or 100 b are used in . for the stepped mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 , height and position of the steps are correlated with the beam intensity variation to achieve the effect of reducing moment of inertia of the mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 , while keeping a pre - defined optical quality of the reflected optical beam . the reduced moment of inertia helps increase a frequency of a mechanical resonance of the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b . the foregoing description of one or more embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed . many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching . it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description , but rather by the claims appended hereto . | Is 'Physics' the correct technical category for the patent? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Fixed Constructions'? | 0.25 | ee5daec3ff79a5958d84b523fcc17afe8be82499c988c243518d3306d74e21b7 | 0.12793 | 0.016968 | 0.198242 | 0.026733 | 0.178711 | 0.049561 |
null | while the present teachings are described in conjunction with various embodiments and examples , it is not intended that the present teachings be limited to such embodiments . on the contrary , the present teachings encompass various alternatives , modifications and equivalents , as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art . referring now to fig1 , an optical beam 12 having a spatial intensity distribution 11 impinges on a conventional flat mems mirror 10 having a substrate 18 supporting a reflective coating 13 . the optical beam 12 reflects from the reflective coating 13 , as shown at 14 . the mems mirror 10 has a torsional hinge 15 for tilting the mems mirror 10 as shown by arrows 16 , thus steering the reflected optical beam 14 . the mems mirror 10 has a uniform thickness . the reflective coating 13 of the mems mirror 10 typically has a non - zero curvature due to residual stresses , or thermally induced stresses in the reflective coating 13 due to thermal mismatch with the substrate 18 . when the mems mirror 10 is used in an optical switch , the curvature of the reflective coating 13 of the mems mirror 10 has an adverse effect on the optical insertion loss and the extinction ratio of the optical switch . the magnitude of these adverse effects is approximately proportional to the fourth power of the mirror size or optical beam size . high port count wavelength selective switch ( wss ) devices require relatively large optical beams . thus , the flatness of the mems mirror 10 is of a considerable concern , especially for high port count wss devices . as noted above , one traditional solution to ensuring flatness of the mems mirror 10 is to increase the thickness of the substrate 18 . however , increased thickness of the substrate 18 worsens dynamic performance of the mems mirror 10 . due to a requirement for the mems mirror 10 to withstand shock and vibration , the mems mirror 10 should have a resonance frequency of rotational oscillations above a certain threshold . the resonance frequency is proportional to a ratio of the spring constant of the torsional hinge 15 to the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 10 , which depends on the thickness of the substrate 18 . the spring constant of the torsional hinge 15 is limited by a maximum torque created by an actuator , not shown , which depends on a maximum voltage applied to the actuator . therefore , the moment of inertia and the maximum thickness of the substrate 18 are limited in case of the mems mirror 10 by the maximum driving voltage available , and by the resonance frequency requirement . the present invention overcomes this limitation by providing a mems mirror having a laterally varying thickness , which preferably matches laterally varying optical beam intensity . referring now to fig2 , a mems mirror 20 has a top reflective surface 23 and a bottom surface 29 . the bottom surface 29 is profiled ( non - flat ), so that the mems mirror 20 has a laterally varying thickness . to simplify the mirror structure , no voids or ribs are present in the mems mirror 20 . the mems mirror 20 has a hinge 25 defining a tilt axis 25 ′ of the mems mirror 20 for tilting as shown with arrows 26 . a longitudinal axis 21 is perpendicular to the tilt axis 25 ′ and is crossing the tilt axis 25 ′ at a point 1 . the thickness of the mems mirror 20 decreases in going from the point 1 towards ends 2 and 3 of the mems mirror 20 . the ends 2 and 3 are disposed on the longitudinal axis 21 . as noted above , thinning down the mems mirror 20 at its ends 2 and 3 , where the optical beam intensity is reduced , facilitates reducing the moment of inertia without a significant reduction of the quality of the reflected optical beam 14 . preferably , the lateral profile of the thickness variation of the mems mirror 20 correlates with the optical intensity profile 11 of the incoming optical beam 12 . in this way , the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 20 can be lessened while keeping a pre - defined quality of the reflected optical beam 14 . note that the moment of inertia is proportional to square of a distance to the pivot axis ; therefore the moment of inertia can be reduced dramatically by having less mass farther from the pivot , as is the case in the present invention . the mems mirror 20 is the thickest at the point 1 , where the intensity profile 11 of the impinging optical beam 12 is at maximum . at or near the point 1 , the undesired curvature of the reflective layer 23 of the mems mirror 20 is at minimum , which lessens the optical losses upon subsequent fiber coupling , and also improves switching ratio ( extinction ratio ) of a mems optical switch the mems mirror 20 is used in . preferably , the thickness profile t ( x , y ) of the mems mirror 20 varies as wherein i ( x , y ) is the intensity profile 11 of the impinging optical beam 12 , the plane ( x , y ) is a plane of the reflective layer 23 , n & gt ;= 0 . 5 , and c is a constant . it follows from eq . ( 1 ) that when the function i ( x , y ) is exponential , as is commonly the case , the function t ( x , y ) is also exponential . the thickness of the mems mirror 20 decreases smoothly and monotonically in going from the point 1 toward the ends 2 and 3 . however , it may be difficult to realize such a smoothly varying thickness profile using existing mems fabrication methods . other , simpler forms of the thickness profile can be more practical . referring now to fig3 , a bottom surface 39 of a mems mirror 30 is profiled so that the mems mirror 30 has a linearly varying thickness profile . this thickness profile is an approximation of a “ desired ” gaussian thickness profile , corresponding to the bottom surface 29 shown in fig3 in a dashed line for comparison purposes . the linearly varying thickness profile due to the bottom surface 39 can be obtained using a linearly graded etching mask . another practical form of a thickness profile is a stepped profile . turning to fig4 , a mems mirror 40 has a bottom surface 49 having a stepped profile . the total number of steps is four , two for each end of the mems mirror 40 . this “ stepped ” profile is also an approximation of the “ desired ” gaussian thickness profile 29 shown in fig4 in a dashed line . more steps can be used if desired , for a better approximation of the gaussian profile 29 . the step location is preferably correlated with a location where a local beam intensity decreases to a pre - determined percentage of a peak beam intensity . referring now to fig5 , a mems mirror 50 has a bottom surface 59 having only one step . one advantage of the mems mirror 50 is manufacturability . only two masks are required to manufacture a step in the mems mirror 50 . by way of example , the silicon mems mirror 50 having a length of 1300 um , thickness of 30 um in the middle and 15 um at the ends , a step location half - way to the mirror center , that is 750 um from each edge , has an optical performance comparable to that of the mirror 10 of fig1 of the same length and uniform thickness of 30 um , while having only 33 % of the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 10 of fig1 . when a “ polarization diversity ” arrangement is used in an optical switch to achieve a polarization independent functionality , two beams of light , corresponding to two orthogonal polarization components of the original optical beam , co - propagate in an optical switch . to ensure low polarization sensitivity , a mems mirror must be able to steer the two beams in a nearly identical fashion . turning to fig6 , a mems mirror 60 is shown having two rigidly connected halves 68 a and 68 b and a torsional hinge structure 65 for tilting the mems mirror 60 about a tilt axis 65 ′. the two halves 68 a and 68 b are coated with a reflective coating 63 . in operation , two optical beams 62 a and 62 b , having intensity profiles 61 a and 61 b , impinge on the reflective coating of the two halves 68 a and 68 b , forming reflected optical beams 64 a and 64 b , respectively . although in this case the mirror thickness of the mirror halves 68 a and 68 b does not correspond directly to the local intensity of the impinging optical beams 64 and 65 , nonetheless , spatially varying the thickness of the mems mirror 60 also helps reduce the mirror &# 39 ; s moment of inertia . furthermore , it is possible to customize the mirror 60 for the two - beam application ( that is , for steering the two beams 62 a and 62 b ) by thinning down sections 67 a and 67 b of the two halves 68 a and 68 b , respectively , because the sections 67 a and 67 b correspond to low power density of the optical beams 62 a and 62 b . turning now to fig7 , a mems mirror 70 having a “ hidden - hinge ” configuration is shown . in the mems mirror 70 , the hinge structure 65 is “ hidden ” beneath a mirror layer 77 disposed over the mirror halves 68 a and 68 b . in this case , the thickness of the mems mirror 70 can also be correlated to an intensity profile 71 of an impinging optical beam 72 , so that optical quality of a reflected optical beam 74 can be preserved . referring to fig8 a and 8b , a mems mirror 80 has a tilt axis 85 ′, a longitudinal , e . g . central , axis 81 perpendicular to the tilt axis 85 ′ and crossing the tilt axis 85 ′ at the point 1 . the mems mirror 80 has the two ends 2 and 3 disposed on the longitudinal axis 81 , and two more ends 4 and 5 disposed on the tilt axis 85 ′. the thickness of the mems mirror 80 decreases in going from the point 1 towards the points 2 and 3 ; and towards the points 4 and 5 . in the mems mirror 80 , the thickness decreases in stepwise fashion . the location and the magnitude of steps are correlated with the intensity distribution of an impinging optical beam , not shown in fig8 a and 8b . the steps are formed by three rectangular layers 87 , 88 , and 89 , and a pair of torsional hinges 85 for tilting the mems mirror 80 about the tilt axis 85 ′. a reflective layer 83 is disposed on the top rectangular layer 87 . preferably , the torsional hinges 85 are associated with the thinnest top layer 87 . the stepped mems mirror 80 can be formed using etching through a succession of generally rectangular etch masks ; the mask for the layer 87 can include hinge structures . during etching the layer 87 , the torsional hinges 85 can also be formed . instead of stepped shape as shown in fig8 a and 8b , the mems mirror 80 can have a shape of a cone or a pyramid , or a stepped cone or a pyramid . referring to fig9 a and 9b , the pyramid - shaped and cone - shaped mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b are shown , respectively . in fig1 a and 10b , truncated ( frusto - conical ) pyramid - shaped and cone - shaped mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b are presented , respectively . in the mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b , the thickness decreases in going from a centrally located generally flat section 102 a and 102 b , respectively , to the ends of the mems mirror . in fig9 a , 9 b , 10 a , and 10 b , the vertical scale is exaggerated for clarity of presentation . the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b can be manufactured using micromachining methods known to one of skill in the art . generally , at a first step , a continuous mirror wafer , having no voids or ribs therein , is provided . at a second step , the bottom surface is profiled , so as to have its thickness decrease in going from the middle of the mirror towards its edges . the bottom surface profiling is preferably achieved by etching . a graded etch mask can be used to manufacture the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b ; or a plurality of uniform etch masks can be used to manufacture the mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 . the thickness of the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b is preferably correlated with the beam intensity variation , so that the moment of inertia of the manufactured mems mirrors can be lessened while keeping a pre - defined quality of the optical beam , which is important in ensuring a good extinction ratio and insertion loss of the mems optical switch the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , or 100 b are used in . for the stepped mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 , height and position of the steps are correlated with the beam intensity variation to achieve the effect of reducing moment of inertia of the mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 , while keeping a pre - defined optical quality of the reflected optical beam . the reduced moment of inertia helps increase a frequency of a mechanical resonance of the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b . the foregoing description of one or more embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed . many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching . it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description , but rather by the claims appended hereto . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Physics'? | Is 'Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | ee5daec3ff79a5958d84b523fcc17afe8be82499c988c243518d3306d74e21b7 | 0.157227 | 0.007568 | 0.121582 | 0.000278 | 0.207031 | 0.019409 |
null | while the present teachings are described in conjunction with various embodiments and examples , it is not intended that the present teachings be limited to such embodiments . on the contrary , the present teachings encompass various alternatives , modifications and equivalents , as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art . referring now to fig1 , an optical beam 12 having a spatial intensity distribution 11 impinges on a conventional flat mems mirror 10 having a substrate 18 supporting a reflective coating 13 . the optical beam 12 reflects from the reflective coating 13 , as shown at 14 . the mems mirror 10 has a torsional hinge 15 for tilting the mems mirror 10 as shown by arrows 16 , thus steering the reflected optical beam 14 . the mems mirror 10 has a uniform thickness . the reflective coating 13 of the mems mirror 10 typically has a non - zero curvature due to residual stresses , or thermally induced stresses in the reflective coating 13 due to thermal mismatch with the substrate 18 . when the mems mirror 10 is used in an optical switch , the curvature of the reflective coating 13 of the mems mirror 10 has an adverse effect on the optical insertion loss and the extinction ratio of the optical switch . the magnitude of these adverse effects is approximately proportional to the fourth power of the mirror size or optical beam size . high port count wavelength selective switch ( wss ) devices require relatively large optical beams . thus , the flatness of the mems mirror 10 is of a considerable concern , especially for high port count wss devices . as noted above , one traditional solution to ensuring flatness of the mems mirror 10 is to increase the thickness of the substrate 18 . however , increased thickness of the substrate 18 worsens dynamic performance of the mems mirror 10 . due to a requirement for the mems mirror 10 to withstand shock and vibration , the mems mirror 10 should have a resonance frequency of rotational oscillations above a certain threshold . the resonance frequency is proportional to a ratio of the spring constant of the torsional hinge 15 to the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 10 , which depends on the thickness of the substrate 18 . the spring constant of the torsional hinge 15 is limited by a maximum torque created by an actuator , not shown , which depends on a maximum voltage applied to the actuator . therefore , the moment of inertia and the maximum thickness of the substrate 18 are limited in case of the mems mirror 10 by the maximum driving voltage available , and by the resonance frequency requirement . the present invention overcomes this limitation by providing a mems mirror having a laterally varying thickness , which preferably matches laterally varying optical beam intensity . referring now to fig2 , a mems mirror 20 has a top reflective surface 23 and a bottom surface 29 . the bottom surface 29 is profiled ( non - flat ), so that the mems mirror 20 has a laterally varying thickness . to simplify the mirror structure , no voids or ribs are present in the mems mirror 20 . the mems mirror 20 has a hinge 25 defining a tilt axis 25 ′ of the mems mirror 20 for tilting as shown with arrows 26 . a longitudinal axis 21 is perpendicular to the tilt axis 25 ′ and is crossing the tilt axis 25 ′ at a point 1 . the thickness of the mems mirror 20 decreases in going from the point 1 towards ends 2 and 3 of the mems mirror 20 . the ends 2 and 3 are disposed on the longitudinal axis 21 . as noted above , thinning down the mems mirror 20 at its ends 2 and 3 , where the optical beam intensity is reduced , facilitates reducing the moment of inertia without a significant reduction of the quality of the reflected optical beam 14 . preferably , the lateral profile of the thickness variation of the mems mirror 20 correlates with the optical intensity profile 11 of the incoming optical beam 12 . in this way , the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 20 can be lessened while keeping a pre - defined quality of the reflected optical beam 14 . note that the moment of inertia is proportional to square of a distance to the pivot axis ; therefore the moment of inertia can be reduced dramatically by having less mass farther from the pivot , as is the case in the present invention . the mems mirror 20 is the thickest at the point 1 , where the intensity profile 11 of the impinging optical beam 12 is at maximum . at or near the point 1 , the undesired curvature of the reflective layer 23 of the mems mirror 20 is at minimum , which lessens the optical losses upon subsequent fiber coupling , and also improves switching ratio ( extinction ratio ) of a mems optical switch the mems mirror 20 is used in . preferably , the thickness profile t ( x , y ) of the mems mirror 20 varies as wherein i ( x , y ) is the intensity profile 11 of the impinging optical beam 12 , the plane ( x , y ) is a plane of the reflective layer 23 , n & gt ;= 0 . 5 , and c is a constant . it follows from eq . ( 1 ) that when the function i ( x , y ) is exponential , as is commonly the case , the function t ( x , y ) is also exponential . the thickness of the mems mirror 20 decreases smoothly and monotonically in going from the point 1 toward the ends 2 and 3 . however , it may be difficult to realize such a smoothly varying thickness profile using existing mems fabrication methods . other , simpler forms of the thickness profile can be more practical . referring now to fig3 , a bottom surface 39 of a mems mirror 30 is profiled so that the mems mirror 30 has a linearly varying thickness profile . this thickness profile is an approximation of a “ desired ” gaussian thickness profile , corresponding to the bottom surface 29 shown in fig3 in a dashed line for comparison purposes . the linearly varying thickness profile due to the bottom surface 39 can be obtained using a linearly graded etching mask . another practical form of a thickness profile is a stepped profile . turning to fig4 , a mems mirror 40 has a bottom surface 49 having a stepped profile . the total number of steps is four , two for each end of the mems mirror 40 . this “ stepped ” profile is also an approximation of the “ desired ” gaussian thickness profile 29 shown in fig4 in a dashed line . more steps can be used if desired , for a better approximation of the gaussian profile 29 . the step location is preferably correlated with a location where a local beam intensity decreases to a pre - determined percentage of a peak beam intensity . referring now to fig5 , a mems mirror 50 has a bottom surface 59 having only one step . one advantage of the mems mirror 50 is manufacturability . only two masks are required to manufacture a step in the mems mirror 50 . by way of example , the silicon mems mirror 50 having a length of 1300 um , thickness of 30 um in the middle and 15 um at the ends , a step location half - way to the mirror center , that is 750 um from each edge , has an optical performance comparable to that of the mirror 10 of fig1 of the same length and uniform thickness of 30 um , while having only 33 % of the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 10 of fig1 . when a “ polarization diversity ” arrangement is used in an optical switch to achieve a polarization independent functionality , two beams of light , corresponding to two orthogonal polarization components of the original optical beam , co - propagate in an optical switch . to ensure low polarization sensitivity , a mems mirror must be able to steer the two beams in a nearly identical fashion . turning to fig6 , a mems mirror 60 is shown having two rigidly connected halves 68 a and 68 b and a torsional hinge structure 65 for tilting the mems mirror 60 about a tilt axis 65 ′. the two halves 68 a and 68 b are coated with a reflective coating 63 . in operation , two optical beams 62 a and 62 b , having intensity profiles 61 a and 61 b , impinge on the reflective coating of the two halves 68 a and 68 b , forming reflected optical beams 64 a and 64 b , respectively . although in this case the mirror thickness of the mirror halves 68 a and 68 b does not correspond directly to the local intensity of the impinging optical beams 64 and 65 , nonetheless , spatially varying the thickness of the mems mirror 60 also helps reduce the mirror &# 39 ; s moment of inertia . furthermore , it is possible to customize the mirror 60 for the two - beam application ( that is , for steering the two beams 62 a and 62 b ) by thinning down sections 67 a and 67 b of the two halves 68 a and 68 b , respectively , because the sections 67 a and 67 b correspond to low power density of the optical beams 62 a and 62 b . turning now to fig7 , a mems mirror 70 having a “ hidden - hinge ” configuration is shown . in the mems mirror 70 , the hinge structure 65 is “ hidden ” beneath a mirror layer 77 disposed over the mirror halves 68 a and 68 b . in this case , the thickness of the mems mirror 70 can also be correlated to an intensity profile 71 of an impinging optical beam 72 , so that optical quality of a reflected optical beam 74 can be preserved . referring to fig8 a and 8b , a mems mirror 80 has a tilt axis 85 ′, a longitudinal , e . g . central , axis 81 perpendicular to the tilt axis 85 ′ and crossing the tilt axis 85 ′ at the point 1 . the mems mirror 80 has the two ends 2 and 3 disposed on the longitudinal axis 81 , and two more ends 4 and 5 disposed on the tilt axis 85 ′. the thickness of the mems mirror 80 decreases in going from the point 1 towards the points 2 and 3 ; and towards the points 4 and 5 . in the mems mirror 80 , the thickness decreases in stepwise fashion . the location and the magnitude of steps are correlated with the intensity distribution of an impinging optical beam , not shown in fig8 a and 8b . the steps are formed by three rectangular layers 87 , 88 , and 89 , and a pair of torsional hinges 85 for tilting the mems mirror 80 about the tilt axis 85 ′. a reflective layer 83 is disposed on the top rectangular layer 87 . preferably , the torsional hinges 85 are associated with the thinnest top layer 87 . the stepped mems mirror 80 can be formed using etching through a succession of generally rectangular etch masks ; the mask for the layer 87 can include hinge structures . during etching the layer 87 , the torsional hinges 85 can also be formed . instead of stepped shape as shown in fig8 a and 8b , the mems mirror 80 can have a shape of a cone or a pyramid , or a stepped cone or a pyramid . referring to fig9 a and 9b , the pyramid - shaped and cone - shaped mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b are shown , respectively . in fig1 a and 10b , truncated ( frusto - conical ) pyramid - shaped and cone - shaped mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b are presented , respectively . in the mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b , the thickness decreases in going from a centrally located generally flat section 102 a and 102 b , respectively , to the ends of the mems mirror . in fig9 a , 9 b , 10 a , and 10 b , the vertical scale is exaggerated for clarity of presentation . the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b can be manufactured using micromachining methods known to one of skill in the art . generally , at a first step , a continuous mirror wafer , having no voids or ribs therein , is provided . at a second step , the bottom surface is profiled , so as to have its thickness decrease in going from the middle of the mirror towards its edges . the bottom surface profiling is preferably achieved by etching . a graded etch mask can be used to manufacture the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b ; or a plurality of uniform etch masks can be used to manufacture the mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 . the thickness of the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b is preferably correlated with the beam intensity variation , so that the moment of inertia of the manufactured mems mirrors can be lessened while keeping a pre - defined quality of the optical beam , which is important in ensuring a good extinction ratio and insertion loss of the mems optical switch the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , or 100 b are used in . for the stepped mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 , height and position of the steps are correlated with the beam intensity variation to achieve the effect of reducing moment of inertia of the mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 , while keeping a pre - defined optical quality of the reflected optical beam . the reduced moment of inertia helps increase a frequency of a mechanical resonance of the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b . the foregoing description of one or more embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed . many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching . it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description , but rather by the claims appended hereto . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Physics'? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Electricity'? | 0.25 | ee5daec3ff79a5958d84b523fcc17afe8be82499c988c243518d3306d74e21b7 | 0.157227 | 0.010681 | 0.121582 | 0.000805 | 0.207031 | 0.000881 |
null | while the present teachings are described in conjunction with various embodiments and examples , it is not intended that the present teachings be limited to such embodiments . on the contrary , the present teachings encompass various alternatives , modifications and equivalents , as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art . referring now to fig1 , an optical beam 12 having a spatial intensity distribution 11 impinges on a conventional flat mems mirror 10 having a substrate 18 supporting a reflective coating 13 . the optical beam 12 reflects from the reflective coating 13 , as shown at 14 . the mems mirror 10 has a torsional hinge 15 for tilting the mems mirror 10 as shown by arrows 16 , thus steering the reflected optical beam 14 . the mems mirror 10 has a uniform thickness . the reflective coating 13 of the mems mirror 10 typically has a non - zero curvature due to residual stresses , or thermally induced stresses in the reflective coating 13 due to thermal mismatch with the substrate 18 . when the mems mirror 10 is used in an optical switch , the curvature of the reflective coating 13 of the mems mirror 10 has an adverse effect on the optical insertion loss and the extinction ratio of the optical switch . the magnitude of these adverse effects is approximately proportional to the fourth power of the mirror size or optical beam size . high port count wavelength selective switch ( wss ) devices require relatively large optical beams . thus , the flatness of the mems mirror 10 is of a considerable concern , especially for high port count wss devices . as noted above , one traditional solution to ensuring flatness of the mems mirror 10 is to increase the thickness of the substrate 18 . however , increased thickness of the substrate 18 worsens dynamic performance of the mems mirror 10 . due to a requirement for the mems mirror 10 to withstand shock and vibration , the mems mirror 10 should have a resonance frequency of rotational oscillations above a certain threshold . the resonance frequency is proportional to a ratio of the spring constant of the torsional hinge 15 to the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 10 , which depends on the thickness of the substrate 18 . the spring constant of the torsional hinge 15 is limited by a maximum torque created by an actuator , not shown , which depends on a maximum voltage applied to the actuator . therefore , the moment of inertia and the maximum thickness of the substrate 18 are limited in case of the mems mirror 10 by the maximum driving voltage available , and by the resonance frequency requirement . the present invention overcomes this limitation by providing a mems mirror having a laterally varying thickness , which preferably matches laterally varying optical beam intensity . referring now to fig2 , a mems mirror 20 has a top reflective surface 23 and a bottom surface 29 . the bottom surface 29 is profiled ( non - flat ), so that the mems mirror 20 has a laterally varying thickness . to simplify the mirror structure , no voids or ribs are present in the mems mirror 20 . the mems mirror 20 has a hinge 25 defining a tilt axis 25 ′ of the mems mirror 20 for tilting as shown with arrows 26 . a longitudinal axis 21 is perpendicular to the tilt axis 25 ′ and is crossing the tilt axis 25 ′ at a point 1 . the thickness of the mems mirror 20 decreases in going from the point 1 towards ends 2 and 3 of the mems mirror 20 . the ends 2 and 3 are disposed on the longitudinal axis 21 . as noted above , thinning down the mems mirror 20 at its ends 2 and 3 , where the optical beam intensity is reduced , facilitates reducing the moment of inertia without a significant reduction of the quality of the reflected optical beam 14 . preferably , the lateral profile of the thickness variation of the mems mirror 20 correlates with the optical intensity profile 11 of the incoming optical beam 12 . in this way , the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 20 can be lessened while keeping a pre - defined quality of the reflected optical beam 14 . note that the moment of inertia is proportional to square of a distance to the pivot axis ; therefore the moment of inertia can be reduced dramatically by having less mass farther from the pivot , as is the case in the present invention . the mems mirror 20 is the thickest at the point 1 , where the intensity profile 11 of the impinging optical beam 12 is at maximum . at or near the point 1 , the undesired curvature of the reflective layer 23 of the mems mirror 20 is at minimum , which lessens the optical losses upon subsequent fiber coupling , and also improves switching ratio ( extinction ratio ) of a mems optical switch the mems mirror 20 is used in . preferably , the thickness profile t ( x , y ) of the mems mirror 20 varies as wherein i ( x , y ) is the intensity profile 11 of the impinging optical beam 12 , the plane ( x , y ) is a plane of the reflective layer 23 , n & gt ;= 0 . 5 , and c is a constant . it follows from eq . ( 1 ) that when the function i ( x , y ) is exponential , as is commonly the case , the function t ( x , y ) is also exponential . the thickness of the mems mirror 20 decreases smoothly and monotonically in going from the point 1 toward the ends 2 and 3 . however , it may be difficult to realize such a smoothly varying thickness profile using existing mems fabrication methods . other , simpler forms of the thickness profile can be more practical . referring now to fig3 , a bottom surface 39 of a mems mirror 30 is profiled so that the mems mirror 30 has a linearly varying thickness profile . this thickness profile is an approximation of a “ desired ” gaussian thickness profile , corresponding to the bottom surface 29 shown in fig3 in a dashed line for comparison purposes . the linearly varying thickness profile due to the bottom surface 39 can be obtained using a linearly graded etching mask . another practical form of a thickness profile is a stepped profile . turning to fig4 , a mems mirror 40 has a bottom surface 49 having a stepped profile . the total number of steps is four , two for each end of the mems mirror 40 . this “ stepped ” profile is also an approximation of the “ desired ” gaussian thickness profile 29 shown in fig4 in a dashed line . more steps can be used if desired , for a better approximation of the gaussian profile 29 . the step location is preferably correlated with a location where a local beam intensity decreases to a pre - determined percentage of a peak beam intensity . referring now to fig5 , a mems mirror 50 has a bottom surface 59 having only one step . one advantage of the mems mirror 50 is manufacturability . only two masks are required to manufacture a step in the mems mirror 50 . by way of example , the silicon mems mirror 50 having a length of 1300 um , thickness of 30 um in the middle and 15 um at the ends , a step location half - way to the mirror center , that is 750 um from each edge , has an optical performance comparable to that of the mirror 10 of fig1 of the same length and uniform thickness of 30 um , while having only 33 % of the moment of inertia of the mems mirror 10 of fig1 . when a “ polarization diversity ” arrangement is used in an optical switch to achieve a polarization independent functionality , two beams of light , corresponding to two orthogonal polarization components of the original optical beam , co - propagate in an optical switch . to ensure low polarization sensitivity , a mems mirror must be able to steer the two beams in a nearly identical fashion . turning to fig6 , a mems mirror 60 is shown having two rigidly connected halves 68 a and 68 b and a torsional hinge structure 65 for tilting the mems mirror 60 about a tilt axis 65 ′. the two halves 68 a and 68 b are coated with a reflective coating 63 . in operation , two optical beams 62 a and 62 b , having intensity profiles 61 a and 61 b , impinge on the reflective coating of the two halves 68 a and 68 b , forming reflected optical beams 64 a and 64 b , respectively . although in this case the mirror thickness of the mirror halves 68 a and 68 b does not correspond directly to the local intensity of the impinging optical beams 64 and 65 , nonetheless , spatially varying the thickness of the mems mirror 60 also helps reduce the mirror &# 39 ; s moment of inertia . furthermore , it is possible to customize the mirror 60 for the two - beam application ( that is , for steering the two beams 62 a and 62 b ) by thinning down sections 67 a and 67 b of the two halves 68 a and 68 b , respectively , because the sections 67 a and 67 b correspond to low power density of the optical beams 62 a and 62 b . turning now to fig7 , a mems mirror 70 having a “ hidden - hinge ” configuration is shown . in the mems mirror 70 , the hinge structure 65 is “ hidden ” beneath a mirror layer 77 disposed over the mirror halves 68 a and 68 b . in this case , the thickness of the mems mirror 70 can also be correlated to an intensity profile 71 of an impinging optical beam 72 , so that optical quality of a reflected optical beam 74 can be preserved . referring to fig8 a and 8b , a mems mirror 80 has a tilt axis 85 ′, a longitudinal , e . g . central , axis 81 perpendicular to the tilt axis 85 ′ and crossing the tilt axis 85 ′ at the point 1 . the mems mirror 80 has the two ends 2 and 3 disposed on the longitudinal axis 81 , and two more ends 4 and 5 disposed on the tilt axis 85 ′. the thickness of the mems mirror 80 decreases in going from the point 1 towards the points 2 and 3 ; and towards the points 4 and 5 . in the mems mirror 80 , the thickness decreases in stepwise fashion . the location and the magnitude of steps are correlated with the intensity distribution of an impinging optical beam , not shown in fig8 a and 8b . the steps are formed by three rectangular layers 87 , 88 , and 89 , and a pair of torsional hinges 85 for tilting the mems mirror 80 about the tilt axis 85 ′. a reflective layer 83 is disposed on the top rectangular layer 87 . preferably , the torsional hinges 85 are associated with the thinnest top layer 87 . the stepped mems mirror 80 can be formed using etching through a succession of generally rectangular etch masks ; the mask for the layer 87 can include hinge structures . during etching the layer 87 , the torsional hinges 85 can also be formed . instead of stepped shape as shown in fig8 a and 8b , the mems mirror 80 can have a shape of a cone or a pyramid , or a stepped cone or a pyramid . referring to fig9 a and 9b , the pyramid - shaped and cone - shaped mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b are shown , respectively . in fig1 a and 10b , truncated ( frusto - conical ) pyramid - shaped and cone - shaped mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b are presented , respectively . in the mems mirrors 90 a and 90 b , the thickness decreases in going from a centrally located generally flat section 102 a and 102 b , respectively , to the ends of the mems mirror . in fig9 a , 9 b , 10 a , and 10 b , the vertical scale is exaggerated for clarity of presentation . the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b can be manufactured using micromachining methods known to one of skill in the art . generally , at a first step , a continuous mirror wafer , having no voids or ribs therein , is provided . at a second step , the bottom surface is profiled , so as to have its thickness decrease in going from the middle of the mirror towards its edges . the bottom surface profiling is preferably achieved by etching . a graded etch mask can be used to manufacture the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b ; or a plurality of uniform etch masks can be used to manufacture the mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 . the thickness of the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b is preferably correlated with the beam intensity variation , so that the moment of inertia of the manufactured mems mirrors can be lessened while keeping a pre - defined quality of the optical beam , which is important in ensuring a good extinction ratio and insertion loss of the mems optical switch the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , or 100 b are used in . for the stepped mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 , height and position of the steps are correlated with the beam intensity variation to achieve the effect of reducing moment of inertia of the mems mirrors 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , and 80 , while keeping a pre - defined optical quality of the reflected optical beam . the reduced moment of inertia helps increase a frequency of a mechanical resonance of the mems mirrors 20 , 30 , 40 , 50 , 60 , 70 , 80 , 90 a , 90 b , 100 a , and 100 b . the foregoing description of one or more embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed . many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching . it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description , but rather by the claims appended hereto . | Is 'Physics' the correct technical category for the patent? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology'? | 0.25 | ee5daec3ff79a5958d84b523fcc17afe8be82499c988c243518d3306d74e21b7 | 0.12793 | 0.09668 | 0.198242 | 0.051025 | 0.172852 | 0.129883 |
null | fig1 illustrates one embodiment of an automated capacity provisioning system for a computer system 100 . the provisioning system includes a recommendation tool 300 , a provisioning tool 160 , a data collection tool 170 , and a data repository 180 . in general , computer system 100 can be a network system , an enterprise system , or the like and can include various system components , such as workstations , computer servers , applications , storage devices , network connections , and other conventional components . for the sake of illustration , computer system 100 is schematically illustrated in fig1 as having a controller 110 relative to a plurality of servers 112 and applications 114 . controller 110 can comprise one or more servers or other computing devices and can execute one or more of recommendation tool 300 , provisioning tool 160 , and data collection tool 170 . as discussed below , recommendation tool 300 automatically provides provisioning policies 304 to automatically manage and provision the computer system 100 . in general , recommendation tool 300 can be a standalone software tool implemented and deployed as a web service capable of operating in conjunction with other tools . in addition , recommendation tool 300 can function automatically , implying that it does not rely on user intervention via a user interface . preferably , an application programming interface ( api ) allows recommendation tool 300 to use scripts and command line instructions to automate the run - time operation of the tool . provisioning tool 160 receives the provisioning policies 304 from recommendation tool 300 and automatically provisions the computer system 100 accordingly . provisioning tool 160 is capable of physically and / or logically provisioning system components into nodes of a physical or virtual system . for a virtual system , provisioning tool 160 can add a virtual layer to the computer system 100 using virtualization features . as will be appreciated , provisioning the computer system 100 as a virtual system requires that the system hardware ( e . g ., servers , applications , etc .) have sufficient processing power to support a specified number of virtual partitions ( not shown ). in addition , each virtual partition requires its own or shared operating system and applications that run on the operating system . the data collection tool 170 collects performance data about system components from data collectors 172 distributed throughout computer system 100 . for example , the data collectors 172 can be monitoring agents to collect performance data about processing nodes ( e . g ., servers 112 ) and provide the collected performance data to the data collection tool 170 . in turn , a data repository 180 stores the collected data for use by recommendation tool 300 . data repository 180 can be any database , data source , or file system known in the art for storing the collected data . ultimately , recommendation tool 300 in conjunction with the provisioning tool 160 and data collection tool 170 manages the computer system &# 39 ; s capacity using an automated capacity provisioning process , such as discussed below with reference to fig2 a . as shown in automated process 200 of fig2 a , data collectors 172 collect performance data of computer system 100 , and data collection tool ( 170 ) stores the performance data in data repository 180 ( block 205 ). the performance data can include various metrics known and used in the art . as an example , bmc ® performance manager or bmc ® performance assurance suite for servers can be used to collect performance data and store it in a database or a file system . other data collection tools can also be used , as long as the data is stored or can be retrieved in a predefined common format , such as csv , ascii , xml , or through a predefined api ( application programming interface ). with the performance data collected , recommendation tool 300 analyzes the collected data and generates a system operational profile 302 ( block 210 ). in one embodiment , operational profile 302 can characterize resource usage of computer system 100 or partitions thereof over one or more time periods . in alternative embodiments , operational profile 302 can characterize service levels in computer system 100 . such service levels can represent response times of servers when subjected to given workloads or can represent the ability of servers to process given workloads or throughputs . in creating operational profile 302 , recommendation tool 300 may focus on the collected data from system components , such as server processors and cpus , and on fixed attachments , such as cache , memory , and onboard disks , as well as service level information above . during the normal course of operation , recommendation tool 300 also receives a set of service level objectives ( slos ) 102 ( block 215 ). the slos 102 can come from any conventional source in computer system ( 100 ), such as from controller 110 . in addition , the slos 102 can be received or obtained from a workload manager , computing device , or other source having management and compliance information for one or more service level objectives ( slo ) or service level agreements ( sla ). as is known in the art , an sla defines static and dynamic attributes that the system &# 39 ; s services must satisfy between a consumer and a provider . the slas dynamic attributes relate to variables that may change in real - time and may depend on how the services are actually performing . some examples of attributes include response times for transactions , expected time to finish tasks , sla violation rates of a service , reliability of a service , availability of a service , etc . as is also known in the art , an slo defines specific attributes of a given service associated with an sla . based on the operational profile 302 and the received slos 102 , recommendation tool 300 generates a set of provisioning policies 304 for use in provisioning the computer system &# 39 ; s resources ( block 220 ). depending on the implementation , these provisioning policies 304 can be used to directly provision the computer system 100 or can be used at times when certain total workloads are expected , when such workloads are encountered in practice , or when certain performance characteristics are encountered . preferably , the generated provisioning policies 304 factor in performance of the system components over a period of time that is long enough to account for variances in business cycles . in general , the generated provisioning policies 304 define plans of action for guiding provisioning decisions to produce desired outcomes . the plans of action can be characterized as one or more statements , a set or collection of rules , and / or a set of “ if . . . then , . . . else . . . ” predicates . for example , a given sla may state that business application response time must be less than 1 second 95 % of the time . to achieve this , analysis of the historical performance data is used to identify resource usage patterns for ( near future ) resource provisioning and allocation . furthermore , the analysis can be used to generate provisioning policies 304 as a developed set of rules or the like to implement desired outcomes based on predictive analysis and what - if scenarios . the policies 304 can then be used to provision the computer system &# 39 ; s resources in terms of what , how , and when available servers 112 and / or other resources are needed to support applications 114 associated with the various slos 102 . to generate policies , recommendation tool 300 can use time - dependent information , utilization levels , response times , transaction arrival rates , and other resource usage information . additionally , recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis , predictive analysis , what - if scenarios , and user input to the resource usage information to generate the policies . for example , recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis of predicted resource requirements to generate policies that match current / past application performance . moreover , to generate policies , recommendation tool 300 can perform predictive analysis on application performance requirements and can use “ what - if ” scenarios and user input . as it operates , recommendation tool 300 can continually and automatically generate the policies ( and modify existing policies ) based on the historical and current information that has been collected and analyzed . in turn , the generated policies can provide different levels of reactivity and proactivity for provisioning computer system 100 . for example , one type of policy can correlate time - dependent information ( such as historical resource utilization ) and needed servers and can state , for example , “ every monday at 7 : 55 am allocate x servers .” another type of policy can correlate utilization and needed servers and can state , for example , “ if the average utilization of the servers is more than x % then allocate y additional servers with performance rating z .” yet another type of policy can correlate response time and needed servers and can state , for example , “ if and when average response time for transactions is measured over x minutes to be more than y seconds and existing server utilization is more than z %, then immediately allocate n additional servers then and there .” another type of policy can correlate arrival rate and needed servers and can state , for example , “ as soon as transaction arrival rate exceeds x transactions per minute for more than y minutes , allocate z additional servers . once generated , provisioning policies 304 can be used for look up by provisioning tool 160 when determining provisioning actions to perform to computer system 100 . alternatively , recommendation tool 300 can send the policy rules as provisioning decisions to provisioning tool 160 to be acted on directly . in the end , provisioning policies 304 may result in an indication of candidate servers 112 and other resources that can be repurposed or that can be physically or virtually consolidated to handle various applications and tasks . besides focusing on servers 112 , recommendation tool 300 may also take into consideration other features of a computer system 100 , such as network connections and detached storage devices to ensure overall system performance . using the generated provisioning policies 304 , provisioning tool 160 dynamically provisions a proper number of servers 112 of a certain computing power ( or other resources ) when needed so that the provisioned result ensures that the requirements of the received slos 102 are met ( block 225 ). as an example , the run book automation software from realops or a product similar to the previously available bmc ® virtualizer for capacity on demand product can be used for dynamic provisioning based on the generated provisioning policies . alternatively , provisioning mechanisms in vmware ® can be used . as shown in fig2 a , the automated process 200 of blocks 205 through 225 can be implemented as an ongoing process so that collecting and analyzing performance data ( including resource utilization , workload , and service levels ), generating policies 304 , and executing those policies 304 can be repeated as needed . the process 200 can also monitor and modify its performance as it continues . in this way , the process 200 can update policies 304 and validate slos 102 on a continuous basis . if the probability of meeting a given slo 102 is below a certain level , for example , a policy 304 generated at block 220 may need to be updated using more recently collected performance data from data repository 180 . alternatively , the attributes defined by an slo 102 may need to be modified . in the end , the frequency with which provisioning policies 304 are updated may depend on the rate of change in resource demands and may also depend on updates to slos 102 by users and business applications . by using performance data for long - term capacity provisioning , the process 200 may be less manually intensive and , as a result , require less specific performance modeling and capacity planning efforts than prior art provisioning techniques . moreover , because the process 200 is automated in real - time , provisioning policies 304 can be quickly updated based on feedback of how applications 114 perform against the attributes of the slos 102 . further details related to the automated system and process are shown in fig2 b . as schematically shown by a graph , performance data 250 collected and stored in data repository ( 180 ) can include historical as well as real - time cpu utilization data for each of the various servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ) and may have been collected for weeks or months from computer system ( 100 ). as discussed previously , recommendation tool ( 300 ) analyzes this performance data 250 and generates an operational profile . in embodiments discussed previously , the operational profile can characterize service levels in computer system ( 100 ) in a certain configuration and having a certain capacity , such as response times of servers when subjected to given workloads or the ability of servers to process given workloads or throughputs . in the present embodiment , operational profile characterizes resource usage of computer system ( 100 ) over time so that it can be termed a resource usage profile , such as schematically shown by graph 260 . this resource usage profile 260 captures workload - oriented information related to resource usage and history of computer system ( 100 ) that can be used in its capacity management . in this example , resource usage profile 260 encompasses a one - week interval ( 7 days × 24 hours ) with data points for each hour so that the profile 260 has 168 data points . alternatively , resource usage profile 260 can encompass one or more one - week intervals , two - week intervals , monthly intervals , particular business seasons , or any other desirable time periods . based on the operational profile 260 , recommendation tool ( 300 ) automatically generates several current and scheduled provisioning policies ( 304 ). details of how recommendation tool ( 300 ) automatically generates various provisioning policies ( 304 ) are discussed later . in general , the generated policies ( 304 ) can include a collection of rules for provisioning computer system ( 100 ), and recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis , predictive analysis , what - if scenarios , and user input to generate the policy rules from the information in the operational profile 260 . moreover , the generated policies ( 304 ) can be based on time - dependent information , utilization levels , response times , transaction arrival rates , and other information . once generated , provisioning tool ( 160 ) can automatically use the provisioning policies ( 304 ) to provision the system components ( e . g ., servers 112 ) of computer system ( 100 ). in addition to straight automation , the automated provisioning system can include a user interface having a summary screen 270 to display generated provisioning policies 272 for user intervention and control . in the present example , each policy 272 can have a name , a start ( date , time , etc . ), and a recurrence interval ( e . g ., every number of days or months with or without a particular end date ). using summary screen 270 , users can manually change , add , and delete the automatically generated provisioning policies 272 as desired . in addition , an additional screen 275 can allow a user to set up dynamic rules for adjusting the load balancing associated with a given provisioning policy 272 . as shown in this additional screen 275 , a user can indicate a priority for a service ( e . g ., loadgenerator ) and can assign a range of servers to that service . then , the user can assign dynamic rules to the service . as one example , an assigned dynamic rule may stop one server of the service if the cpu utilization falls below 30 % for 15 - min . or add one server to the service if the cpu utilization exceeds 60 % for 20 - min . other types of rules discussed herein could also be assigned . after generating provisioning policies 272 , a controller or computing device 280 executing provisioning tool ( 160 ) implements provisioning policies 272 among partitioned servers 284 in the computer system &# 39 ; s virtual environment 282 so that servers 284 can efficiently handle various slos . controller 280 , in turn , monitors results from implementing provisioning policies 272 by collecting additional performance data that is subsequently used to create a current resource usage profile 250 . in this way , the entire process can be repeated to account for new loads , changes in resources , workloads , new service level objectives , etc . fig3 illustrates additional features of recommendation tool 300 , which will be discussed with reference to notations in table 1 below . as indicated , table 1 includes notations for arrival rate and mean ( average ) response time at the server level ( e . g ., server i ) and for the entire system . in a steady state environment for a non - saturated system , throughput essentially equals arrival . based on the context , either the term “ response time ” or “ service time ” may be used . as used herein , response time can be defined for one or more of transactions , workloads , job , tasks , applications , threads , etc ., and service time can also be defined for one or more of transactions , workloads , job , tasks , applications , threads , etc . as shown in further detail in fig3 , recommendation tool 300 includes an assessment module 400 , a policy generating module 500 , and a migrating module 600 . briefly , assessment module 400 analyzes performance data collected by data collection tool ( 170 ) and generates a system resource usage profile 402 , such as discussed previously . in turn , policy generating module 500 uses resource usage profile 402 and received slo information to generate provisioning policies 304 discussed previously that provisioning tool ( 160 ) can then directly execute or look up to provision servers ( 112 ) of computer system ( 100 ). independently , migrating module 600 also receives a copy of provisioning policies 304 and estimates a number of homogenous servers ( 112 ) needed to support the applications ( 114 ) currently running on heterogeneous servers ( 112 ) before migration . each of these modules 400 , 500 , and 600 are discussed individually in more detail with reference to fig4 through 6 . currently , however , discussion focuses on the overall operational details of recommendation tool 300 . during operation , recommendation tool 300 obtains input data 310 that includes the number n of available servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ). for each available server i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n , the input data 310 also includes the server &# 39 ; s performance rating p i and the performance rating type , the server &# 39 ; s slo value ( slo i ) and the slo type ( e . g ., utilization or mean response time ), and the server &# 39 ; s current measured utilization u i . the performance rating p i can be characterized by any commonly used performance rating system . based upon the input data 310 , recommendation tool 300 produces output data 380 that determines ( a ) the number n of servers ( 112 ) required to meet the slos ( 102 ), ( b ) the recommended arrival rate of transactions or service requests to each of the servers ( 112 ) used for load balancing , and ( c ) whether the overall service goal can be achieved ( and provide a best possible solution if the service goal cannot be achieved ). in general , output data 380 represents analytical information that provisioning tool ( 160 ) can use to perform “ bounded scale - out ” provisioning in the virtual environment of computer system ( 100 ). the solution is bounded or limited in the sense that the virtual environment actually has a maximum number of physical servers ( n ) of given processing power more particularly , output data 380 indicates how many servers ( 112 ) need to be active to drive a load balancer ( 162 ) of provisioning tool ( 160 ) to achieve the slos for applications ( 114 ) running in the virtual system . as shown , in one embodiment , output data 380 includes a number n of required servers ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ) from available servers ( 112 ) and an indication whether the requisite processing goal can be achieved ( e . g . where “ 0 ” means not achievable and “ 1 ” means achievable ). for each required server ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ), the output data 380 also includes a recommended arrival rate λ i and a potential service level ( psl i ) at the given server . the arrival rate , λ i , defines the recommended rate of arrival of transactions or service requests to a given server . by definition , the arrival rate , λ i , is greater than 0 and less or equal to 1 and is characterized by calculations performed by recommendation tool 300 can be based on various statistical assumptions . using assumptions associated with an m / m / 1 type queuing system , recommendation tool 300 can use the following set of computations to generate the illustrative output data 380 . for a given server processing power , p i ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ), the optimal arrival rate of transactions made to a given server i can be defined by : if the load is heavy , i . e ., the total arrival rate to be distributed among servers λ → p /( s i p i ), then the arrival rate to each server ( 112 ) should approach the service rate of the server ; under this transaction distribution , each server 112 &# 39 ; s utilization can be characterized as : if the slo type is a utilization value , then recommendation tool 300 tries to find a solution such that the utilization of a given server is less than or equal to the value of its slo ( i . e ., u i ≦ slo i ) for all active n servers . if the slo type is a mean response time , recommendation tool 300 tries to find a solution such that the mean response time at a given server is less than or equal to the value of its slo ( i . e ., r i ≦ slo i ) for all active n servers . consequently , the mean response time r at server i can be computed as : in this case , the average response time r to the virtual system is characterized as : if not all the slos can be achieved , then recommendation tool 300 will provide the best possible load balancing to distribute transactions based on the various recommended arrival rates λ i of the available servers ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ). fig4 shows features of recommendation tool &# 39 ; s assessment module 400 . as noted previously , assessment module 400 analyzes performance data and generates an operational profile , such as a resource usage profile discussed previously . to do this , assessment module 400 receives input 410 , performs calculations on the input 410 with a statistical analysis algorithm 420 , and provides output 480 to be used for later processing by policy generating module 500 . in its operation , assessment module 400 analyzes one node of computer system ( 100 ) ( e . g ., one server 112 ) at a time and can handle information for multiple nodes at a time through multiple calls . alternatively , assessment module 400 can be designed to handle simultaneous analysis for multiple nodes of computer system ( 100 ). for a given node ( i . e ., server ) and in one embodiment , the input 410 includes node name , performance rating type , performance rating ( i . e ., processing power ) ( p ), utilization service level objective ( slo ), number of desired time intervals to be assessed ( t ′), and cpu utilization data for t ′ intervals x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t . for each interval of the time period ( e . g ., each hour of the 7 × 24 period ), statistical analysis algorithm 420 computes the following statistical values : a measured average utilization ( x m ), a weighted average utilization for the hour ( x ), a weighted average normalized utilization for the hour ( wanu ), a minimum utilization for the hour ( x min ), a maximum utilization for the hour ( x max ), a coefficient of variation of cpu utilization for the hour ( c ), and a probability of exceeding the slo for the hour ( p slo ). these statistical values over the current time period of interest forms the resource usage profile discussed previously that is used to generate provisioning policies . details of the calculations performed by assessment module 400 are as follows . for the t data points in the current time period , assessment module 400 computes a weighted average for the data points that places more emphasis on more recent data . to do this , it is assumed that the importance of a particular interval is an importance factor α times more important than the previous interval so that weights w i for the t data points are assigned in the following fashion ; in addition to the weights w i , the assessment module 400 computes the measured average utilization ( x m ) for the t data points , x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t , as follows : x _ m = 1 t ∑ t = 1 t x t ( 6 ) using the measured average utilization ( x m ) and the weights w i , assessment module 400 computes the weighted average utilization for the hour ( x ) as follows : x _ = ∑ t = 1 t w t x t ( 7 ) from this , the weighted average normalized utilization for the hour ( wanu ) is calculated as follows : as a corollary , the minimum utilization for the hour ( x min ) is calculated as follows : x min = min ( x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t ) ( 9 ) as well , the maximum utilization for the hour ( x max ) is calculated as follows : x min = max ( x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t ) ( 10 ) the coefficient of variation of cpu utilization for the hour ( c ) is calculated as follows : σ = 1 n ( ∑ i = 1 t x i 2 ) 2 - x _ 2 ( 11 ) c = σ / x _ , the probability of exceeding the slo for the hour ( p slo ) is calculated as follows : after statistical analysis algorithm 420 computes the above statistical values , assessment module 400 generates output data 480 for each server that includes the node name ( e . g . server ), performance rating type , performance rating ( p ), and the above computed statistical values representing the resource usage profile of computer system ( 100 ). this output data 480 is then made available to policy generating module ( 500 ) as described below . in fig5 a , illustrative policy generating module 500 includes a capacity module 510 , a predictive module 520 , and a what - if module 530 , although other implementations may have only one such module or any combination thereof . policy generating module 500 receives input 502 and generates one or more policies 504 for provisioning computer system . as mentioned previously , the policies 504 can be characterized as a collection of rules to be looked up by provisioning tool ( 160 ) when making provisioning decisions or can be characterized as provisioning decisions or commands sent to provisioning tool ( 160 ) to act on directly . capacity module 510 receives attributes defined in slos , server information , and historical information pertaining to resource utilization ( e . g ., the resource usage profile from assessment module ) as its input 502 . using analysis described in more detail with reference to fig5 b , capacity module 510 then generates policies 514 to match resources to the application demand “ just - in - time ”. as detailed below , predictive module 520 and what - if module 530 generate policies based on a combination of information pertaining to resources , workloads , service levels , and time . for example , the time information can be any given time interval , the workload information can be an average arrival rate of x transactions or jobs , the resource information can be the number of allocated servers , and the service level information can be average response times or throughput . what - if module 530 can further produce different combinations of workloads and resources to determine what the resulting performance would be in each of the different combinations and whether the system will be saturated or not . illustrative predictive module 520 receives various types of information as its input 502 such as an operational profile characterizing server utilization , actual workloads , actual service levels , and time - related information . predictive module 520 applies historical trending and predictive analysis to the input information and generates policies 524 that can then match current / past application performance based on predicted resource requirements . therefore , predictive module 520 can use a form of curve matching analysis based on forecasted demand ( i . e . expected workload ). in other words , predictive module 520 can predict that at a given time a given number of x more servers may be needed , where this prediction is partly based on what workload the system may be required to handle at that time or based on the expected utilization at the time . in one example , information about server utilization can be provided by the operational profile from assessment module , and module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that high utilization levels will drive allocation of more servers based on analysis of server utilization information . in another example , information about actual workloads can characterize what an application is attempting to do and can indicate , for example , transaction throughput ( e . g ., how many transactions arrived each second or minute ) or job throughput ( e . g ., how many batch jobs were submitted per day ). based on an analysis of such workload information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that high workload requests will drive resource allocation before servers are utilized or before service levels deteriorate . in general , high workload requests are the same as a high workload arrival rate , which is the throughput in a steady state , non - saturated system . in yet another example , information about actual service levels can indicate what was the response time for the transactions , how long it took to process batch jobs , what was the throughput , was the system able to execute all the workload , etc . in addition , service level agreements and objectives ( slas and slos ) can define such information as response time , throughput , and utilization . based on an analysis of such service level information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that certain levels of near - poor service will drive certain resource allocation . finally , the time - related information can indicate when the information pertaining to server utilization , workload , and service level occurred . based on an analysis of this time - related information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that resources will be pre - allocated at certain times . what - if module 530 receives information as its input 502 similar to that received by predictive module 520 , and what - if module 530 applies historical trending and predictive analysis to that information . however , what - if module 530 further applies what - if scenarios in its analysis to generate policies . in this way , what - if module 530 can allow users to vary input of demand to produce what - if scenarios so the module 530 can then generate policies 534 that match resource requirements to the demand input by the user . in one example , what - if module 530 accepts as user input a list of workload scenarios and desired service levels . the input may indicate , for example , that a response time of 1 second is expected at 100 transactions per second and that a response time of 2 seconds is expected at 1000 transactions per second . after analyzing the characteristics of the application , what - if module 530 runs a series of what - if scenarios to discover the desired amount of resources . in other words , in a scenario for 100 transactions per second , the module 530 may predict what would be the response time if 2 servers , 4 servers , 8 servers , 10 servers , and 20 servers were used . after analysis , what - if module 530 then determines the smallest number of servers required to meet the desired service objective at the given workload level . in turn , this determined information is used to generate a policy 534 that can state a predicate , such as “ if transaction rate is 100 transactions per second for application having stated characteristics is encountered , then provision x servers with y processing power .” even if these conditions are not met , the generated policy 534 is still created to handle such an eventuality in a particular business scenario . if and when the eventuality does occur in the future , then the provisioning tool can implement the generated policy 534 , and there would be no need to first experience and then detect poor performance . as shown in fig5 , illustrative capacity module 510 receives input data 552 , performs operations of the provisioning algorithm 560 , and generates output data 554 to be used to provision the servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ). in the illustrated embodiment , the input data 552 includes a performance rating type , performance ratings of nm servers available for provisioning ( p 1 , p 2 , . . . , p m ), service level objectives of each of the m servers ( slo 1 , slo 2 , . . . , slo m ), and a headroom value added for the required servers ( h ). in addition , input data 552 includes weighted average normalized unitization values ( wanu ( i , j )) from assessment module ( 400 ; fig4 ) for each hour i of the time period ( e . g ., 7 × 24 ) and for each server j . this information essentially corresponds to the current historical performance data in the resource usage profile of the computer system ( 100 ). using the input data 552 , capacity module 510 begins operations of provisioning algorithm 560 by calculating server requirements for every hour of the 7 × 24 time period ( block 562 ). for example , for each hour i of the 7 × 24 time period , capacity module 510 calculates a weighted average normalized unitization total ( wanut ) using the weighted average normalized unitization values ( wanu ( i , j )) as follows : wanut ( i ) = ∑ j = 1 m wanu ( i , j ) ≡ a [ 0 ] ( 15 ) from this total , capacity module 510 determines the number of servers needed for a given hour ( m ′( i )) as follows a [ m ′ ( i ) ] ≡ wanut ( i ) - ∑ k = 1 m ′ ( i ) slo k p k - h ≤ 0 , ( 16 ) where h is the headroom added for the required servers . in the above calculation , a [ m ′( i )− 1 ]& gt ; 0 . if desirable , the headroom value h can also be particularized as h ( k ) to include system overhead for a given server k . with the above calculations , illustrative capacity module 510 calculates a list of 168 numbers , denoted as m ′( 1 ), m ′( 2 ), . . . , m ′( 168 ). this list represents server requirements for every hour of the 7 × 24 time period ( i . e ., 168 data points ). preferably , capacity module 510 determines server demands based a “ sensitivity ” variable and divides the list of server demands into a plurality of segments so that the sensitivity variable can control how frequently policies should be updated to reflect the demands on servers ( block 564 ). moreover , capacity module 510 preferably consolidates the list of server demands by combining together those adjacent segments having identical server demands ( block 566 ). in other words , capacity module 510 does not need to set a policy for every segment if two adjacent segments have the same server demand . in such a case , the later identical demand could be removed from the list , and such consolidation can continue until capacity module 510 obtains a list without identical adjacent server demands . after obtaining the consolidated list of server demands , capacity module 510 sets policies for each listed server demand ( block 568 ). to do this , capacity module 510 computes transaction weights w k to supply to load balancer ( 162 ; fig1 ) of provisioning tool ( 160 ) to control the arrival rate of transactions to the servers ( 112 ). based on the processing power p k of a given server k , the slo for that server slo k , and the total server requirements , the transaction weight w k for a given server k is calculated as follows : w k = p k slo k ∑ i = 1 m p i slo i . ( 17 ) the transaction weights we are generated as output data 554 of one or more server provisioning policies that specify the number of servers needed at hour h . based on the provisioning policies , provisioning tool &# 39 ; s load balancer ( 162 ) then distributes arriving transactions to a given server k using the calculated transaction weight w k for that given server . fig6 shows features of migrating module 600 in fig3 . as noted previously , migrating module 600 determines how to migrate operation of servers ( 112 ) between partitions of the computer system ( 100 ) by estimating the number of homogeneous servers ( 112 ) needed to support applications ( 114 ) currently running on heterogeneous servers ( 112 ) before migration . illustrative migrating module 600 receives input data 610 including a performance rating type , a total number of available servers to be consolidated or migrated ( n ), and performance ratings of the n available servers to be migrated ( p 1 , p 2 , . . . , p n ). in addition to information on available servers , the input data 610 includes information on currently consolidated servers , including a performance rating ( p ) of the consolidated servers , a number of virtual partitions ( vn ) over the consolidated servers , a utilization service level objective ( slo ) of the consolidated servers , a utilization overhead ( h ) introduced for each required server with a performance rating , and a utilization overhead ( h ) introduced for each virtual partition . moreover , input data 610 includes information from assessment module ( 400 ; fig4 ), including a maximum utilization u ( i , j ) for each hour i of the 7 × 24 time period and each available server j . using input data 610 , migrating module 600 performs a migrating algorithm 620 to determine how to migrate or consolidate available servers . first , migrating algorithm 620 calculates a maximum normalized unitization total ( mnut ) for all of the available servers n over the 7 × 24 time period ( block 622 ). the calculation is as follows : migrating module 600 then determines whether the server overhead is grater than the partition overhead by determining if h + h × vn & gt ; slo ( decision 624 ). if there is too much overhead , migrating module 600 sends out an error message , such as “ the overheads are greater than the utilization slo ” ( block 626 ). if there is not too much overhead , migrating module 600 determines the number ( n ) of required servers with performance rating p ( block 628 ) using the calculation : migrating module 600 produces output data 680 that includes the performance rating type , the performance rating ( p ), the maximum normalized utilization total ( mnut ), and the number ( n ) of required servers with performance rating p . this output 680 can then be used by the provisioning tool ( 160 ) to migrate the various servers ( 112 ) among the virtual partitions . the foregoing description of preferred and other embodiments is not intended to limit or restrict the scope or applicability of the inventive concepts conceived of by the applicants . for example , the various modules disclosed herein can comprise one or more software tools executable on one or more independent computing devices operatively coupled to the computer system . in exchange for disclosing the inventive concepts contained herein , the applicants desire all patent rights afforded by the appended claims . therefore , it is intended that the appended claims include all modifications and alterations to the full extent that they come within the scope of the following claims or the equivalents thereof . | Is 'Electricity' the correct technical category for the patent? | Should this patent be classified under 'Human Necessities'? | 0.25 | dc0b66f4b9d4bd8eb372f7eaf7aacbe5fdc9dd12866233f93a8af7b26d4a7ad9 | 0.001984 | 0.019165 | 0.000261 | 0.000404 | 0.001244 | 0.012451 |
null | fig1 illustrates one embodiment of an automated capacity provisioning system for a computer system 100 . the provisioning system includes a recommendation tool 300 , a provisioning tool 160 , a data collection tool 170 , and a data repository 180 . in general , computer system 100 can be a network system , an enterprise system , or the like and can include various system components , such as workstations , computer servers , applications , storage devices , network connections , and other conventional components . for the sake of illustration , computer system 100 is schematically illustrated in fig1 as having a controller 110 relative to a plurality of servers 112 and applications 114 . controller 110 can comprise one or more servers or other computing devices and can execute one or more of recommendation tool 300 , provisioning tool 160 , and data collection tool 170 . as discussed below , recommendation tool 300 automatically provides provisioning policies 304 to automatically manage and provision the computer system 100 . in general , recommendation tool 300 can be a standalone software tool implemented and deployed as a web service capable of operating in conjunction with other tools . in addition , recommendation tool 300 can function automatically , implying that it does not rely on user intervention via a user interface . preferably , an application programming interface ( api ) allows recommendation tool 300 to use scripts and command line instructions to automate the run - time operation of the tool . provisioning tool 160 receives the provisioning policies 304 from recommendation tool 300 and automatically provisions the computer system 100 accordingly . provisioning tool 160 is capable of physically and / or logically provisioning system components into nodes of a physical or virtual system . for a virtual system , provisioning tool 160 can add a virtual layer to the computer system 100 using virtualization features . as will be appreciated , provisioning the computer system 100 as a virtual system requires that the system hardware ( e . g ., servers , applications , etc .) have sufficient processing power to support a specified number of virtual partitions ( not shown ). in addition , each virtual partition requires its own or shared operating system and applications that run on the operating system . the data collection tool 170 collects performance data about system components from data collectors 172 distributed throughout computer system 100 . for example , the data collectors 172 can be monitoring agents to collect performance data about processing nodes ( e . g ., servers 112 ) and provide the collected performance data to the data collection tool 170 . in turn , a data repository 180 stores the collected data for use by recommendation tool 300 . data repository 180 can be any database , data source , or file system known in the art for storing the collected data . ultimately , recommendation tool 300 in conjunction with the provisioning tool 160 and data collection tool 170 manages the computer system &# 39 ; s capacity using an automated capacity provisioning process , such as discussed below with reference to fig2 a . as shown in automated process 200 of fig2 a , data collectors 172 collect performance data of computer system 100 , and data collection tool ( 170 ) stores the performance data in data repository 180 ( block 205 ). the performance data can include various metrics known and used in the art . as an example , bmc ® performance manager or bmc ® performance assurance suite for servers can be used to collect performance data and store it in a database or a file system . other data collection tools can also be used , as long as the data is stored or can be retrieved in a predefined common format , such as csv , ascii , xml , or through a predefined api ( application programming interface ). with the performance data collected , recommendation tool 300 analyzes the collected data and generates a system operational profile 302 ( block 210 ). in one embodiment , operational profile 302 can characterize resource usage of computer system 100 or partitions thereof over one or more time periods . in alternative embodiments , operational profile 302 can characterize service levels in computer system 100 . such service levels can represent response times of servers when subjected to given workloads or can represent the ability of servers to process given workloads or throughputs . in creating operational profile 302 , recommendation tool 300 may focus on the collected data from system components , such as server processors and cpus , and on fixed attachments , such as cache , memory , and onboard disks , as well as service level information above . during the normal course of operation , recommendation tool 300 also receives a set of service level objectives ( slos ) 102 ( block 215 ). the slos 102 can come from any conventional source in computer system ( 100 ), such as from controller 110 . in addition , the slos 102 can be received or obtained from a workload manager , computing device , or other source having management and compliance information for one or more service level objectives ( slo ) or service level agreements ( sla ). as is known in the art , an sla defines static and dynamic attributes that the system &# 39 ; s services must satisfy between a consumer and a provider . the slas dynamic attributes relate to variables that may change in real - time and may depend on how the services are actually performing . some examples of attributes include response times for transactions , expected time to finish tasks , sla violation rates of a service , reliability of a service , availability of a service , etc . as is also known in the art , an slo defines specific attributes of a given service associated with an sla . based on the operational profile 302 and the received slos 102 , recommendation tool 300 generates a set of provisioning policies 304 for use in provisioning the computer system &# 39 ; s resources ( block 220 ). depending on the implementation , these provisioning policies 304 can be used to directly provision the computer system 100 or can be used at times when certain total workloads are expected , when such workloads are encountered in practice , or when certain performance characteristics are encountered . preferably , the generated provisioning policies 304 factor in performance of the system components over a period of time that is long enough to account for variances in business cycles . in general , the generated provisioning policies 304 define plans of action for guiding provisioning decisions to produce desired outcomes . the plans of action can be characterized as one or more statements , a set or collection of rules , and / or a set of “ if . . . then , . . . else . . . ” predicates . for example , a given sla may state that business application response time must be less than 1 second 95 % of the time . to achieve this , analysis of the historical performance data is used to identify resource usage patterns for ( near future ) resource provisioning and allocation . furthermore , the analysis can be used to generate provisioning policies 304 as a developed set of rules or the like to implement desired outcomes based on predictive analysis and what - if scenarios . the policies 304 can then be used to provision the computer system &# 39 ; s resources in terms of what , how , and when available servers 112 and / or other resources are needed to support applications 114 associated with the various slos 102 . to generate policies , recommendation tool 300 can use time - dependent information , utilization levels , response times , transaction arrival rates , and other resource usage information . additionally , recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis , predictive analysis , what - if scenarios , and user input to the resource usage information to generate the policies . for example , recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis of predicted resource requirements to generate policies that match current / past application performance . moreover , to generate policies , recommendation tool 300 can perform predictive analysis on application performance requirements and can use “ what - if ” scenarios and user input . as it operates , recommendation tool 300 can continually and automatically generate the policies ( and modify existing policies ) based on the historical and current information that has been collected and analyzed . in turn , the generated policies can provide different levels of reactivity and proactivity for provisioning computer system 100 . for example , one type of policy can correlate time - dependent information ( such as historical resource utilization ) and needed servers and can state , for example , “ every monday at 7 : 55 am allocate x servers .” another type of policy can correlate utilization and needed servers and can state , for example , “ if the average utilization of the servers is more than x % then allocate y additional servers with performance rating z .” yet another type of policy can correlate response time and needed servers and can state , for example , “ if and when average response time for transactions is measured over x minutes to be more than y seconds and existing server utilization is more than z %, then immediately allocate n additional servers then and there .” another type of policy can correlate arrival rate and needed servers and can state , for example , “ as soon as transaction arrival rate exceeds x transactions per minute for more than y minutes , allocate z additional servers . once generated , provisioning policies 304 can be used for look up by provisioning tool 160 when determining provisioning actions to perform to computer system 100 . alternatively , recommendation tool 300 can send the policy rules as provisioning decisions to provisioning tool 160 to be acted on directly . in the end , provisioning policies 304 may result in an indication of candidate servers 112 and other resources that can be repurposed or that can be physically or virtually consolidated to handle various applications and tasks . besides focusing on servers 112 , recommendation tool 300 may also take into consideration other features of a computer system 100 , such as network connections and detached storage devices to ensure overall system performance . using the generated provisioning policies 304 , provisioning tool 160 dynamically provisions a proper number of servers 112 of a certain computing power ( or other resources ) when needed so that the provisioned result ensures that the requirements of the received slos 102 are met ( block 225 ). as an example , the run book automation software from realops or a product similar to the previously available bmc ® virtualizer for capacity on demand product can be used for dynamic provisioning based on the generated provisioning policies . alternatively , provisioning mechanisms in vmware ® can be used . as shown in fig2 a , the automated process 200 of blocks 205 through 225 can be implemented as an ongoing process so that collecting and analyzing performance data ( including resource utilization , workload , and service levels ), generating policies 304 , and executing those policies 304 can be repeated as needed . the process 200 can also monitor and modify its performance as it continues . in this way , the process 200 can update policies 304 and validate slos 102 on a continuous basis . if the probability of meeting a given slo 102 is below a certain level , for example , a policy 304 generated at block 220 may need to be updated using more recently collected performance data from data repository 180 . alternatively , the attributes defined by an slo 102 may need to be modified . in the end , the frequency with which provisioning policies 304 are updated may depend on the rate of change in resource demands and may also depend on updates to slos 102 by users and business applications . by using performance data for long - term capacity provisioning , the process 200 may be less manually intensive and , as a result , require less specific performance modeling and capacity planning efforts than prior art provisioning techniques . moreover , because the process 200 is automated in real - time , provisioning policies 304 can be quickly updated based on feedback of how applications 114 perform against the attributes of the slos 102 . further details related to the automated system and process are shown in fig2 b . as schematically shown by a graph , performance data 250 collected and stored in data repository ( 180 ) can include historical as well as real - time cpu utilization data for each of the various servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ) and may have been collected for weeks or months from computer system ( 100 ). as discussed previously , recommendation tool ( 300 ) analyzes this performance data 250 and generates an operational profile . in embodiments discussed previously , the operational profile can characterize service levels in computer system ( 100 ) in a certain configuration and having a certain capacity , such as response times of servers when subjected to given workloads or the ability of servers to process given workloads or throughputs . in the present embodiment , operational profile characterizes resource usage of computer system ( 100 ) over time so that it can be termed a resource usage profile , such as schematically shown by graph 260 . this resource usage profile 260 captures workload - oriented information related to resource usage and history of computer system ( 100 ) that can be used in its capacity management . in this example , resource usage profile 260 encompasses a one - week interval ( 7 days × 24 hours ) with data points for each hour so that the profile 260 has 168 data points . alternatively , resource usage profile 260 can encompass one or more one - week intervals , two - week intervals , monthly intervals , particular business seasons , or any other desirable time periods . based on the operational profile 260 , recommendation tool ( 300 ) automatically generates several current and scheduled provisioning policies ( 304 ). details of how recommendation tool ( 300 ) automatically generates various provisioning policies ( 304 ) are discussed later . in general , the generated policies ( 304 ) can include a collection of rules for provisioning computer system ( 100 ), and recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis , predictive analysis , what - if scenarios , and user input to generate the policy rules from the information in the operational profile 260 . moreover , the generated policies ( 304 ) can be based on time - dependent information , utilization levels , response times , transaction arrival rates , and other information . once generated , provisioning tool ( 160 ) can automatically use the provisioning policies ( 304 ) to provision the system components ( e . g ., servers 112 ) of computer system ( 100 ). in addition to straight automation , the automated provisioning system can include a user interface having a summary screen 270 to display generated provisioning policies 272 for user intervention and control . in the present example , each policy 272 can have a name , a start ( date , time , etc . ), and a recurrence interval ( e . g ., every number of days or months with or without a particular end date ). using summary screen 270 , users can manually change , add , and delete the automatically generated provisioning policies 272 as desired . in addition , an additional screen 275 can allow a user to set up dynamic rules for adjusting the load balancing associated with a given provisioning policy 272 . as shown in this additional screen 275 , a user can indicate a priority for a service ( e . g ., loadgenerator ) and can assign a range of servers to that service . then , the user can assign dynamic rules to the service . as one example , an assigned dynamic rule may stop one server of the service if the cpu utilization falls below 30 % for 15 - min . or add one server to the service if the cpu utilization exceeds 60 % for 20 - min . other types of rules discussed herein could also be assigned . after generating provisioning policies 272 , a controller or computing device 280 executing provisioning tool ( 160 ) implements provisioning policies 272 among partitioned servers 284 in the computer system &# 39 ; s virtual environment 282 so that servers 284 can efficiently handle various slos . controller 280 , in turn , monitors results from implementing provisioning policies 272 by collecting additional performance data that is subsequently used to create a current resource usage profile 250 . in this way , the entire process can be repeated to account for new loads , changes in resources , workloads , new service level objectives , etc . fig3 illustrates additional features of recommendation tool 300 , which will be discussed with reference to notations in table 1 below . as indicated , table 1 includes notations for arrival rate and mean ( average ) response time at the server level ( e . g ., server i ) and for the entire system . in a steady state environment for a non - saturated system , throughput essentially equals arrival . based on the context , either the term “ response time ” or “ service time ” may be used . as used herein , response time can be defined for one or more of transactions , workloads , job , tasks , applications , threads , etc ., and service time can also be defined for one or more of transactions , workloads , job , tasks , applications , threads , etc . as shown in further detail in fig3 , recommendation tool 300 includes an assessment module 400 , a policy generating module 500 , and a migrating module 600 . briefly , assessment module 400 analyzes performance data collected by data collection tool ( 170 ) and generates a system resource usage profile 402 , such as discussed previously . in turn , policy generating module 500 uses resource usage profile 402 and received slo information to generate provisioning policies 304 discussed previously that provisioning tool ( 160 ) can then directly execute or look up to provision servers ( 112 ) of computer system ( 100 ). independently , migrating module 600 also receives a copy of provisioning policies 304 and estimates a number of homogenous servers ( 112 ) needed to support the applications ( 114 ) currently running on heterogeneous servers ( 112 ) before migration . each of these modules 400 , 500 , and 600 are discussed individually in more detail with reference to fig4 through 6 . currently , however , discussion focuses on the overall operational details of recommendation tool 300 . during operation , recommendation tool 300 obtains input data 310 that includes the number n of available servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ). for each available server i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n , the input data 310 also includes the server &# 39 ; s performance rating p i and the performance rating type , the server &# 39 ; s slo value ( slo i ) and the slo type ( e . g ., utilization or mean response time ), and the server &# 39 ; s current measured utilization u i . the performance rating p i can be characterized by any commonly used performance rating system . based upon the input data 310 , recommendation tool 300 produces output data 380 that determines ( a ) the number n of servers ( 112 ) required to meet the slos ( 102 ), ( b ) the recommended arrival rate of transactions or service requests to each of the servers ( 112 ) used for load balancing , and ( c ) whether the overall service goal can be achieved ( and provide a best possible solution if the service goal cannot be achieved ). in general , output data 380 represents analytical information that provisioning tool ( 160 ) can use to perform “ bounded scale - out ” provisioning in the virtual environment of computer system ( 100 ). the solution is bounded or limited in the sense that the virtual environment actually has a maximum number of physical servers ( n ) of given processing power more particularly , output data 380 indicates how many servers ( 112 ) need to be active to drive a load balancer ( 162 ) of provisioning tool ( 160 ) to achieve the slos for applications ( 114 ) running in the virtual system . as shown , in one embodiment , output data 380 includes a number n of required servers ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ) from available servers ( 112 ) and an indication whether the requisite processing goal can be achieved ( e . g . where “ 0 ” means not achievable and “ 1 ” means achievable ). for each required server ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ), the output data 380 also includes a recommended arrival rate λ i and a potential service level ( psl i ) at the given server . the arrival rate , λ i , defines the recommended rate of arrival of transactions or service requests to a given server . by definition , the arrival rate , λ i , is greater than 0 and less or equal to 1 and is characterized by calculations performed by recommendation tool 300 can be based on various statistical assumptions . using assumptions associated with an m / m / 1 type queuing system , recommendation tool 300 can use the following set of computations to generate the illustrative output data 380 . for a given server processing power , p i ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ), the optimal arrival rate of transactions made to a given server i can be defined by : if the load is heavy , i . e ., the total arrival rate to be distributed among servers λ → p /( s i p i ), then the arrival rate to each server ( 112 ) should approach the service rate of the server ; under this transaction distribution , each server 112 &# 39 ; s utilization can be characterized as : if the slo type is a utilization value , then recommendation tool 300 tries to find a solution such that the utilization of a given server is less than or equal to the value of its slo ( i . e ., u i ≦ slo i ) for all active n servers . if the slo type is a mean response time , recommendation tool 300 tries to find a solution such that the mean response time at a given server is less than or equal to the value of its slo ( i . e ., r i ≦ slo i ) for all active n servers . consequently , the mean response time r at server i can be computed as : in this case , the average response time r to the virtual system is characterized as : if not all the slos can be achieved , then recommendation tool 300 will provide the best possible load balancing to distribute transactions based on the various recommended arrival rates λ i of the available servers ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ). fig4 shows features of recommendation tool &# 39 ; s assessment module 400 . as noted previously , assessment module 400 analyzes performance data and generates an operational profile , such as a resource usage profile discussed previously . to do this , assessment module 400 receives input 410 , performs calculations on the input 410 with a statistical analysis algorithm 420 , and provides output 480 to be used for later processing by policy generating module 500 . in its operation , assessment module 400 analyzes one node of computer system ( 100 ) ( e . g ., one server 112 ) at a time and can handle information for multiple nodes at a time through multiple calls . alternatively , assessment module 400 can be designed to handle simultaneous analysis for multiple nodes of computer system ( 100 ). for a given node ( i . e ., server ) and in one embodiment , the input 410 includes node name , performance rating type , performance rating ( i . e ., processing power ) ( p ), utilization service level objective ( slo ), number of desired time intervals to be assessed ( t ′), and cpu utilization data for t ′ intervals x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t . for each interval of the time period ( e . g ., each hour of the 7 × 24 period ), statistical analysis algorithm 420 computes the following statistical values : a measured average utilization ( x m ), a weighted average utilization for the hour ( x ), a weighted average normalized utilization for the hour ( wanu ), a minimum utilization for the hour ( x min ), a maximum utilization for the hour ( x max ), a coefficient of variation of cpu utilization for the hour ( c ), and a probability of exceeding the slo for the hour ( p slo ). these statistical values over the current time period of interest forms the resource usage profile discussed previously that is used to generate provisioning policies . details of the calculations performed by assessment module 400 are as follows . for the t data points in the current time period , assessment module 400 computes a weighted average for the data points that places more emphasis on more recent data . to do this , it is assumed that the importance of a particular interval is an importance factor α times more important than the previous interval so that weights w i for the t data points are assigned in the following fashion ; in addition to the weights w i , the assessment module 400 computes the measured average utilization ( x m ) for the t data points , x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t , as follows : x _ m = 1 t ∑ t = 1 t x t ( 6 ) using the measured average utilization ( x m ) and the weights w i , assessment module 400 computes the weighted average utilization for the hour ( x ) as follows : x _ = ∑ t = 1 t w t x t ( 7 ) from this , the weighted average normalized utilization for the hour ( wanu ) is calculated as follows : as a corollary , the minimum utilization for the hour ( x min ) is calculated as follows : x min = min ( x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t ) ( 9 ) as well , the maximum utilization for the hour ( x max ) is calculated as follows : x min = max ( x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t ) ( 10 ) the coefficient of variation of cpu utilization for the hour ( c ) is calculated as follows : σ = 1 n ( ∑ i = 1 t x i 2 ) 2 - x _ 2 ( 11 ) c = σ / x _ , the probability of exceeding the slo for the hour ( p slo ) is calculated as follows : after statistical analysis algorithm 420 computes the above statistical values , assessment module 400 generates output data 480 for each server that includes the node name ( e . g . server ), performance rating type , performance rating ( p ), and the above computed statistical values representing the resource usage profile of computer system ( 100 ). this output data 480 is then made available to policy generating module ( 500 ) as described below . in fig5 a , illustrative policy generating module 500 includes a capacity module 510 , a predictive module 520 , and a what - if module 530 , although other implementations may have only one such module or any combination thereof . policy generating module 500 receives input 502 and generates one or more policies 504 for provisioning computer system . as mentioned previously , the policies 504 can be characterized as a collection of rules to be looked up by provisioning tool ( 160 ) when making provisioning decisions or can be characterized as provisioning decisions or commands sent to provisioning tool ( 160 ) to act on directly . capacity module 510 receives attributes defined in slos , server information , and historical information pertaining to resource utilization ( e . g ., the resource usage profile from assessment module ) as its input 502 . using analysis described in more detail with reference to fig5 b , capacity module 510 then generates policies 514 to match resources to the application demand “ just - in - time ”. as detailed below , predictive module 520 and what - if module 530 generate policies based on a combination of information pertaining to resources , workloads , service levels , and time . for example , the time information can be any given time interval , the workload information can be an average arrival rate of x transactions or jobs , the resource information can be the number of allocated servers , and the service level information can be average response times or throughput . what - if module 530 can further produce different combinations of workloads and resources to determine what the resulting performance would be in each of the different combinations and whether the system will be saturated or not . illustrative predictive module 520 receives various types of information as its input 502 such as an operational profile characterizing server utilization , actual workloads , actual service levels , and time - related information . predictive module 520 applies historical trending and predictive analysis to the input information and generates policies 524 that can then match current / past application performance based on predicted resource requirements . therefore , predictive module 520 can use a form of curve matching analysis based on forecasted demand ( i . e . expected workload ). in other words , predictive module 520 can predict that at a given time a given number of x more servers may be needed , where this prediction is partly based on what workload the system may be required to handle at that time or based on the expected utilization at the time . in one example , information about server utilization can be provided by the operational profile from assessment module , and module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that high utilization levels will drive allocation of more servers based on analysis of server utilization information . in another example , information about actual workloads can characterize what an application is attempting to do and can indicate , for example , transaction throughput ( e . g ., how many transactions arrived each second or minute ) or job throughput ( e . g ., how many batch jobs were submitted per day ). based on an analysis of such workload information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that high workload requests will drive resource allocation before servers are utilized or before service levels deteriorate . in general , high workload requests are the same as a high workload arrival rate , which is the throughput in a steady state , non - saturated system . in yet another example , information about actual service levels can indicate what was the response time for the transactions , how long it took to process batch jobs , what was the throughput , was the system able to execute all the workload , etc . in addition , service level agreements and objectives ( slas and slos ) can define such information as response time , throughput , and utilization . based on an analysis of such service level information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that certain levels of near - poor service will drive certain resource allocation . finally , the time - related information can indicate when the information pertaining to server utilization , workload , and service level occurred . based on an analysis of this time - related information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that resources will be pre - allocated at certain times . what - if module 530 receives information as its input 502 similar to that received by predictive module 520 , and what - if module 530 applies historical trending and predictive analysis to that information . however , what - if module 530 further applies what - if scenarios in its analysis to generate policies . in this way , what - if module 530 can allow users to vary input of demand to produce what - if scenarios so the module 530 can then generate policies 534 that match resource requirements to the demand input by the user . in one example , what - if module 530 accepts as user input a list of workload scenarios and desired service levels . the input may indicate , for example , that a response time of 1 second is expected at 100 transactions per second and that a response time of 2 seconds is expected at 1000 transactions per second . after analyzing the characteristics of the application , what - if module 530 runs a series of what - if scenarios to discover the desired amount of resources . in other words , in a scenario for 100 transactions per second , the module 530 may predict what would be the response time if 2 servers , 4 servers , 8 servers , 10 servers , and 20 servers were used . after analysis , what - if module 530 then determines the smallest number of servers required to meet the desired service objective at the given workload level . in turn , this determined information is used to generate a policy 534 that can state a predicate , such as “ if transaction rate is 100 transactions per second for application having stated characteristics is encountered , then provision x servers with y processing power .” even if these conditions are not met , the generated policy 534 is still created to handle such an eventuality in a particular business scenario . if and when the eventuality does occur in the future , then the provisioning tool can implement the generated policy 534 , and there would be no need to first experience and then detect poor performance . as shown in fig5 , illustrative capacity module 510 receives input data 552 , performs operations of the provisioning algorithm 560 , and generates output data 554 to be used to provision the servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ). in the illustrated embodiment , the input data 552 includes a performance rating type , performance ratings of nm servers available for provisioning ( p 1 , p 2 , . . . , p m ), service level objectives of each of the m servers ( slo 1 , slo 2 , . . . , slo m ), and a headroom value added for the required servers ( h ). in addition , input data 552 includes weighted average normalized unitization values ( wanu ( i , j )) from assessment module ( 400 ; fig4 ) for each hour i of the time period ( e . g ., 7 × 24 ) and for each server j . this information essentially corresponds to the current historical performance data in the resource usage profile of the computer system ( 100 ). using the input data 552 , capacity module 510 begins operations of provisioning algorithm 560 by calculating server requirements for every hour of the 7 × 24 time period ( block 562 ). for example , for each hour i of the 7 × 24 time period , capacity module 510 calculates a weighted average normalized unitization total ( wanut ) using the weighted average normalized unitization values ( wanu ( i , j )) as follows : wanut ( i ) = ∑ j = 1 m wanu ( i , j ) ≡ a [ 0 ] ( 15 ) from this total , capacity module 510 determines the number of servers needed for a given hour ( m ′( i )) as follows a [ m ′ ( i ) ] ≡ wanut ( i ) - ∑ k = 1 m ′ ( i ) slo k p k - h ≤ 0 , ( 16 ) where h is the headroom added for the required servers . in the above calculation , a [ m ′( i )− 1 ]& gt ; 0 . if desirable , the headroom value h can also be particularized as h ( k ) to include system overhead for a given server k . with the above calculations , illustrative capacity module 510 calculates a list of 168 numbers , denoted as m ′( 1 ), m ′( 2 ), . . . , m ′( 168 ). this list represents server requirements for every hour of the 7 × 24 time period ( i . e ., 168 data points ). preferably , capacity module 510 determines server demands based a “ sensitivity ” variable and divides the list of server demands into a plurality of segments so that the sensitivity variable can control how frequently policies should be updated to reflect the demands on servers ( block 564 ). moreover , capacity module 510 preferably consolidates the list of server demands by combining together those adjacent segments having identical server demands ( block 566 ). in other words , capacity module 510 does not need to set a policy for every segment if two adjacent segments have the same server demand . in such a case , the later identical demand could be removed from the list , and such consolidation can continue until capacity module 510 obtains a list without identical adjacent server demands . after obtaining the consolidated list of server demands , capacity module 510 sets policies for each listed server demand ( block 568 ). to do this , capacity module 510 computes transaction weights w k to supply to load balancer ( 162 ; fig1 ) of provisioning tool ( 160 ) to control the arrival rate of transactions to the servers ( 112 ). based on the processing power p k of a given server k , the slo for that server slo k , and the total server requirements , the transaction weight w k for a given server k is calculated as follows : w k = p k slo k ∑ i = 1 m p i slo i . ( 17 ) the transaction weights we are generated as output data 554 of one or more server provisioning policies that specify the number of servers needed at hour h . based on the provisioning policies , provisioning tool &# 39 ; s load balancer ( 162 ) then distributes arriving transactions to a given server k using the calculated transaction weight w k for that given server . fig6 shows features of migrating module 600 in fig3 . as noted previously , migrating module 600 determines how to migrate operation of servers ( 112 ) between partitions of the computer system ( 100 ) by estimating the number of homogeneous servers ( 112 ) needed to support applications ( 114 ) currently running on heterogeneous servers ( 112 ) before migration . illustrative migrating module 600 receives input data 610 including a performance rating type , a total number of available servers to be consolidated or migrated ( n ), and performance ratings of the n available servers to be migrated ( p 1 , p 2 , . . . , p n ). in addition to information on available servers , the input data 610 includes information on currently consolidated servers , including a performance rating ( p ) of the consolidated servers , a number of virtual partitions ( vn ) over the consolidated servers , a utilization service level objective ( slo ) of the consolidated servers , a utilization overhead ( h ) introduced for each required server with a performance rating , and a utilization overhead ( h ) introduced for each virtual partition . moreover , input data 610 includes information from assessment module ( 400 ; fig4 ), including a maximum utilization u ( i , j ) for each hour i of the 7 × 24 time period and each available server j . using input data 610 , migrating module 600 performs a migrating algorithm 620 to determine how to migrate or consolidate available servers . first , migrating algorithm 620 calculates a maximum normalized unitization total ( mnut ) for all of the available servers n over the 7 × 24 time period ( block 622 ). the calculation is as follows : migrating module 600 then determines whether the server overhead is grater than the partition overhead by determining if h + h × vn & gt ; slo ( decision 624 ). if there is too much overhead , migrating module 600 sends out an error message , such as “ the overheads are greater than the utilization slo ” ( block 626 ). if there is not too much overhead , migrating module 600 determines the number ( n ) of required servers with performance rating p ( block 628 ) using the calculation : migrating module 600 produces output data 680 that includes the performance rating type , the performance rating ( p ), the maximum normalized utilization total ( mnut ), and the number ( n ) of required servers with performance rating p . this output 680 can then be used by the provisioning tool ( 160 ) to migrate the various servers ( 112 ) among the virtual partitions . the foregoing description of preferred and other embodiments is not intended to limit or restrict the scope or applicability of the inventive concepts conceived of by the applicants . for example , the various modules disclosed herein can comprise one or more software tools executable on one or more independent computing devices operatively coupled to the computer system . in exchange for disclosing the inventive concepts contained herein , the applicants desire all patent rights afforded by the appended claims . therefore , it is intended that the appended claims include all modifications and alterations to the full extent that they come within the scope of the following claims or the equivalents thereof . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Electricity'? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Performing Operations; Transporting'? | 0.25 | dc0b66f4b9d4bd8eb372f7eaf7aacbe5fdc9dd12866233f93a8af7b26d4a7ad9 | 0.004333 | 0.149414 | 0.000085 | 0.145508 | 0.001701 | 0.090332 |
null | fig1 illustrates one embodiment of an automated capacity provisioning system for a computer system 100 . the provisioning system includes a recommendation tool 300 , a provisioning tool 160 , a data collection tool 170 , and a data repository 180 . in general , computer system 100 can be a network system , an enterprise system , or the like and can include various system components , such as workstations , computer servers , applications , storage devices , network connections , and other conventional components . for the sake of illustration , computer system 100 is schematically illustrated in fig1 as having a controller 110 relative to a plurality of servers 112 and applications 114 . controller 110 can comprise one or more servers or other computing devices and can execute one or more of recommendation tool 300 , provisioning tool 160 , and data collection tool 170 . as discussed below , recommendation tool 300 automatically provides provisioning policies 304 to automatically manage and provision the computer system 100 . in general , recommendation tool 300 can be a standalone software tool implemented and deployed as a web service capable of operating in conjunction with other tools . in addition , recommendation tool 300 can function automatically , implying that it does not rely on user intervention via a user interface . preferably , an application programming interface ( api ) allows recommendation tool 300 to use scripts and command line instructions to automate the run - time operation of the tool . provisioning tool 160 receives the provisioning policies 304 from recommendation tool 300 and automatically provisions the computer system 100 accordingly . provisioning tool 160 is capable of physically and / or logically provisioning system components into nodes of a physical or virtual system . for a virtual system , provisioning tool 160 can add a virtual layer to the computer system 100 using virtualization features . as will be appreciated , provisioning the computer system 100 as a virtual system requires that the system hardware ( e . g ., servers , applications , etc .) have sufficient processing power to support a specified number of virtual partitions ( not shown ). in addition , each virtual partition requires its own or shared operating system and applications that run on the operating system . the data collection tool 170 collects performance data about system components from data collectors 172 distributed throughout computer system 100 . for example , the data collectors 172 can be monitoring agents to collect performance data about processing nodes ( e . g ., servers 112 ) and provide the collected performance data to the data collection tool 170 . in turn , a data repository 180 stores the collected data for use by recommendation tool 300 . data repository 180 can be any database , data source , or file system known in the art for storing the collected data . ultimately , recommendation tool 300 in conjunction with the provisioning tool 160 and data collection tool 170 manages the computer system &# 39 ; s capacity using an automated capacity provisioning process , such as discussed below with reference to fig2 a . as shown in automated process 200 of fig2 a , data collectors 172 collect performance data of computer system 100 , and data collection tool ( 170 ) stores the performance data in data repository 180 ( block 205 ). the performance data can include various metrics known and used in the art . as an example , bmc ® performance manager or bmc ® performance assurance suite for servers can be used to collect performance data and store it in a database or a file system . other data collection tools can also be used , as long as the data is stored or can be retrieved in a predefined common format , such as csv , ascii , xml , or through a predefined api ( application programming interface ). with the performance data collected , recommendation tool 300 analyzes the collected data and generates a system operational profile 302 ( block 210 ). in one embodiment , operational profile 302 can characterize resource usage of computer system 100 or partitions thereof over one or more time periods . in alternative embodiments , operational profile 302 can characterize service levels in computer system 100 . such service levels can represent response times of servers when subjected to given workloads or can represent the ability of servers to process given workloads or throughputs . in creating operational profile 302 , recommendation tool 300 may focus on the collected data from system components , such as server processors and cpus , and on fixed attachments , such as cache , memory , and onboard disks , as well as service level information above . during the normal course of operation , recommendation tool 300 also receives a set of service level objectives ( slos ) 102 ( block 215 ). the slos 102 can come from any conventional source in computer system ( 100 ), such as from controller 110 . in addition , the slos 102 can be received or obtained from a workload manager , computing device , or other source having management and compliance information for one or more service level objectives ( slo ) or service level agreements ( sla ). as is known in the art , an sla defines static and dynamic attributes that the system &# 39 ; s services must satisfy between a consumer and a provider . the slas dynamic attributes relate to variables that may change in real - time and may depend on how the services are actually performing . some examples of attributes include response times for transactions , expected time to finish tasks , sla violation rates of a service , reliability of a service , availability of a service , etc . as is also known in the art , an slo defines specific attributes of a given service associated with an sla . based on the operational profile 302 and the received slos 102 , recommendation tool 300 generates a set of provisioning policies 304 for use in provisioning the computer system &# 39 ; s resources ( block 220 ). depending on the implementation , these provisioning policies 304 can be used to directly provision the computer system 100 or can be used at times when certain total workloads are expected , when such workloads are encountered in practice , or when certain performance characteristics are encountered . preferably , the generated provisioning policies 304 factor in performance of the system components over a period of time that is long enough to account for variances in business cycles . in general , the generated provisioning policies 304 define plans of action for guiding provisioning decisions to produce desired outcomes . the plans of action can be characterized as one or more statements , a set or collection of rules , and / or a set of “ if . . . then , . . . else . . . ” predicates . for example , a given sla may state that business application response time must be less than 1 second 95 % of the time . to achieve this , analysis of the historical performance data is used to identify resource usage patterns for ( near future ) resource provisioning and allocation . furthermore , the analysis can be used to generate provisioning policies 304 as a developed set of rules or the like to implement desired outcomes based on predictive analysis and what - if scenarios . the policies 304 can then be used to provision the computer system &# 39 ; s resources in terms of what , how , and when available servers 112 and / or other resources are needed to support applications 114 associated with the various slos 102 . to generate policies , recommendation tool 300 can use time - dependent information , utilization levels , response times , transaction arrival rates , and other resource usage information . additionally , recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis , predictive analysis , what - if scenarios , and user input to the resource usage information to generate the policies . for example , recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis of predicted resource requirements to generate policies that match current / past application performance . moreover , to generate policies , recommendation tool 300 can perform predictive analysis on application performance requirements and can use “ what - if ” scenarios and user input . as it operates , recommendation tool 300 can continually and automatically generate the policies ( and modify existing policies ) based on the historical and current information that has been collected and analyzed . in turn , the generated policies can provide different levels of reactivity and proactivity for provisioning computer system 100 . for example , one type of policy can correlate time - dependent information ( such as historical resource utilization ) and needed servers and can state , for example , “ every monday at 7 : 55 am allocate x servers .” another type of policy can correlate utilization and needed servers and can state , for example , “ if the average utilization of the servers is more than x % then allocate y additional servers with performance rating z .” yet another type of policy can correlate response time and needed servers and can state , for example , “ if and when average response time for transactions is measured over x minutes to be more than y seconds and existing server utilization is more than z %, then immediately allocate n additional servers then and there .” another type of policy can correlate arrival rate and needed servers and can state , for example , “ as soon as transaction arrival rate exceeds x transactions per minute for more than y minutes , allocate z additional servers . once generated , provisioning policies 304 can be used for look up by provisioning tool 160 when determining provisioning actions to perform to computer system 100 . alternatively , recommendation tool 300 can send the policy rules as provisioning decisions to provisioning tool 160 to be acted on directly . in the end , provisioning policies 304 may result in an indication of candidate servers 112 and other resources that can be repurposed or that can be physically or virtually consolidated to handle various applications and tasks . besides focusing on servers 112 , recommendation tool 300 may also take into consideration other features of a computer system 100 , such as network connections and detached storage devices to ensure overall system performance . using the generated provisioning policies 304 , provisioning tool 160 dynamically provisions a proper number of servers 112 of a certain computing power ( or other resources ) when needed so that the provisioned result ensures that the requirements of the received slos 102 are met ( block 225 ). as an example , the run book automation software from realops or a product similar to the previously available bmc ® virtualizer for capacity on demand product can be used for dynamic provisioning based on the generated provisioning policies . alternatively , provisioning mechanisms in vmware ® can be used . as shown in fig2 a , the automated process 200 of blocks 205 through 225 can be implemented as an ongoing process so that collecting and analyzing performance data ( including resource utilization , workload , and service levels ), generating policies 304 , and executing those policies 304 can be repeated as needed . the process 200 can also monitor and modify its performance as it continues . in this way , the process 200 can update policies 304 and validate slos 102 on a continuous basis . if the probability of meeting a given slo 102 is below a certain level , for example , a policy 304 generated at block 220 may need to be updated using more recently collected performance data from data repository 180 . alternatively , the attributes defined by an slo 102 may need to be modified . in the end , the frequency with which provisioning policies 304 are updated may depend on the rate of change in resource demands and may also depend on updates to slos 102 by users and business applications . by using performance data for long - term capacity provisioning , the process 200 may be less manually intensive and , as a result , require less specific performance modeling and capacity planning efforts than prior art provisioning techniques . moreover , because the process 200 is automated in real - time , provisioning policies 304 can be quickly updated based on feedback of how applications 114 perform against the attributes of the slos 102 . further details related to the automated system and process are shown in fig2 b . as schematically shown by a graph , performance data 250 collected and stored in data repository ( 180 ) can include historical as well as real - time cpu utilization data for each of the various servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ) and may have been collected for weeks or months from computer system ( 100 ). as discussed previously , recommendation tool ( 300 ) analyzes this performance data 250 and generates an operational profile . in embodiments discussed previously , the operational profile can characterize service levels in computer system ( 100 ) in a certain configuration and having a certain capacity , such as response times of servers when subjected to given workloads or the ability of servers to process given workloads or throughputs . in the present embodiment , operational profile characterizes resource usage of computer system ( 100 ) over time so that it can be termed a resource usage profile , such as schematically shown by graph 260 . this resource usage profile 260 captures workload - oriented information related to resource usage and history of computer system ( 100 ) that can be used in its capacity management . in this example , resource usage profile 260 encompasses a one - week interval ( 7 days × 24 hours ) with data points for each hour so that the profile 260 has 168 data points . alternatively , resource usage profile 260 can encompass one or more one - week intervals , two - week intervals , monthly intervals , particular business seasons , or any other desirable time periods . based on the operational profile 260 , recommendation tool ( 300 ) automatically generates several current and scheduled provisioning policies ( 304 ). details of how recommendation tool ( 300 ) automatically generates various provisioning policies ( 304 ) are discussed later . in general , the generated policies ( 304 ) can include a collection of rules for provisioning computer system ( 100 ), and recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis , predictive analysis , what - if scenarios , and user input to generate the policy rules from the information in the operational profile 260 . moreover , the generated policies ( 304 ) can be based on time - dependent information , utilization levels , response times , transaction arrival rates , and other information . once generated , provisioning tool ( 160 ) can automatically use the provisioning policies ( 304 ) to provision the system components ( e . g ., servers 112 ) of computer system ( 100 ). in addition to straight automation , the automated provisioning system can include a user interface having a summary screen 270 to display generated provisioning policies 272 for user intervention and control . in the present example , each policy 272 can have a name , a start ( date , time , etc . ), and a recurrence interval ( e . g ., every number of days or months with or without a particular end date ). using summary screen 270 , users can manually change , add , and delete the automatically generated provisioning policies 272 as desired . in addition , an additional screen 275 can allow a user to set up dynamic rules for adjusting the load balancing associated with a given provisioning policy 272 . as shown in this additional screen 275 , a user can indicate a priority for a service ( e . g ., loadgenerator ) and can assign a range of servers to that service . then , the user can assign dynamic rules to the service . as one example , an assigned dynamic rule may stop one server of the service if the cpu utilization falls below 30 % for 15 - min . or add one server to the service if the cpu utilization exceeds 60 % for 20 - min . other types of rules discussed herein could also be assigned . after generating provisioning policies 272 , a controller or computing device 280 executing provisioning tool ( 160 ) implements provisioning policies 272 among partitioned servers 284 in the computer system &# 39 ; s virtual environment 282 so that servers 284 can efficiently handle various slos . controller 280 , in turn , monitors results from implementing provisioning policies 272 by collecting additional performance data that is subsequently used to create a current resource usage profile 250 . in this way , the entire process can be repeated to account for new loads , changes in resources , workloads , new service level objectives , etc . fig3 illustrates additional features of recommendation tool 300 , which will be discussed with reference to notations in table 1 below . as indicated , table 1 includes notations for arrival rate and mean ( average ) response time at the server level ( e . g ., server i ) and for the entire system . in a steady state environment for a non - saturated system , throughput essentially equals arrival . based on the context , either the term “ response time ” or “ service time ” may be used . as used herein , response time can be defined for one or more of transactions , workloads , job , tasks , applications , threads , etc ., and service time can also be defined for one or more of transactions , workloads , job , tasks , applications , threads , etc . as shown in further detail in fig3 , recommendation tool 300 includes an assessment module 400 , a policy generating module 500 , and a migrating module 600 . briefly , assessment module 400 analyzes performance data collected by data collection tool ( 170 ) and generates a system resource usage profile 402 , such as discussed previously . in turn , policy generating module 500 uses resource usage profile 402 and received slo information to generate provisioning policies 304 discussed previously that provisioning tool ( 160 ) can then directly execute or look up to provision servers ( 112 ) of computer system ( 100 ). independently , migrating module 600 also receives a copy of provisioning policies 304 and estimates a number of homogenous servers ( 112 ) needed to support the applications ( 114 ) currently running on heterogeneous servers ( 112 ) before migration . each of these modules 400 , 500 , and 600 are discussed individually in more detail with reference to fig4 through 6 . currently , however , discussion focuses on the overall operational details of recommendation tool 300 . during operation , recommendation tool 300 obtains input data 310 that includes the number n of available servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ). for each available server i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n , the input data 310 also includes the server &# 39 ; s performance rating p i and the performance rating type , the server &# 39 ; s slo value ( slo i ) and the slo type ( e . g ., utilization or mean response time ), and the server &# 39 ; s current measured utilization u i . the performance rating p i can be characterized by any commonly used performance rating system . based upon the input data 310 , recommendation tool 300 produces output data 380 that determines ( a ) the number n of servers ( 112 ) required to meet the slos ( 102 ), ( b ) the recommended arrival rate of transactions or service requests to each of the servers ( 112 ) used for load balancing , and ( c ) whether the overall service goal can be achieved ( and provide a best possible solution if the service goal cannot be achieved ). in general , output data 380 represents analytical information that provisioning tool ( 160 ) can use to perform “ bounded scale - out ” provisioning in the virtual environment of computer system ( 100 ). the solution is bounded or limited in the sense that the virtual environment actually has a maximum number of physical servers ( n ) of given processing power more particularly , output data 380 indicates how many servers ( 112 ) need to be active to drive a load balancer ( 162 ) of provisioning tool ( 160 ) to achieve the slos for applications ( 114 ) running in the virtual system . as shown , in one embodiment , output data 380 includes a number n of required servers ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ) from available servers ( 112 ) and an indication whether the requisite processing goal can be achieved ( e . g . where “ 0 ” means not achievable and “ 1 ” means achievable ). for each required server ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ), the output data 380 also includes a recommended arrival rate λ i and a potential service level ( psl i ) at the given server . the arrival rate , λ i , defines the recommended rate of arrival of transactions or service requests to a given server . by definition , the arrival rate , λ i , is greater than 0 and less or equal to 1 and is characterized by calculations performed by recommendation tool 300 can be based on various statistical assumptions . using assumptions associated with an m / m / 1 type queuing system , recommendation tool 300 can use the following set of computations to generate the illustrative output data 380 . for a given server processing power , p i ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ), the optimal arrival rate of transactions made to a given server i can be defined by : if the load is heavy , i . e ., the total arrival rate to be distributed among servers λ → p /( s i p i ), then the arrival rate to each server ( 112 ) should approach the service rate of the server ; under this transaction distribution , each server 112 &# 39 ; s utilization can be characterized as : if the slo type is a utilization value , then recommendation tool 300 tries to find a solution such that the utilization of a given server is less than or equal to the value of its slo ( i . e ., u i ≦ slo i ) for all active n servers . if the slo type is a mean response time , recommendation tool 300 tries to find a solution such that the mean response time at a given server is less than or equal to the value of its slo ( i . e ., r i ≦ slo i ) for all active n servers . consequently , the mean response time r at server i can be computed as : in this case , the average response time r to the virtual system is characterized as : if not all the slos can be achieved , then recommendation tool 300 will provide the best possible load balancing to distribute transactions based on the various recommended arrival rates λ i of the available servers ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ). fig4 shows features of recommendation tool &# 39 ; s assessment module 400 . as noted previously , assessment module 400 analyzes performance data and generates an operational profile , such as a resource usage profile discussed previously . to do this , assessment module 400 receives input 410 , performs calculations on the input 410 with a statistical analysis algorithm 420 , and provides output 480 to be used for later processing by policy generating module 500 . in its operation , assessment module 400 analyzes one node of computer system ( 100 ) ( e . g ., one server 112 ) at a time and can handle information for multiple nodes at a time through multiple calls . alternatively , assessment module 400 can be designed to handle simultaneous analysis for multiple nodes of computer system ( 100 ). for a given node ( i . e ., server ) and in one embodiment , the input 410 includes node name , performance rating type , performance rating ( i . e ., processing power ) ( p ), utilization service level objective ( slo ), number of desired time intervals to be assessed ( t ′), and cpu utilization data for t ′ intervals x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t . for each interval of the time period ( e . g ., each hour of the 7 × 24 period ), statistical analysis algorithm 420 computes the following statistical values : a measured average utilization ( x m ), a weighted average utilization for the hour ( x ), a weighted average normalized utilization for the hour ( wanu ), a minimum utilization for the hour ( x min ), a maximum utilization for the hour ( x max ), a coefficient of variation of cpu utilization for the hour ( c ), and a probability of exceeding the slo for the hour ( p slo ). these statistical values over the current time period of interest forms the resource usage profile discussed previously that is used to generate provisioning policies . details of the calculations performed by assessment module 400 are as follows . for the t data points in the current time period , assessment module 400 computes a weighted average for the data points that places more emphasis on more recent data . to do this , it is assumed that the importance of a particular interval is an importance factor α times more important than the previous interval so that weights w i for the t data points are assigned in the following fashion ; in addition to the weights w i , the assessment module 400 computes the measured average utilization ( x m ) for the t data points , x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t , as follows : x _ m = 1 t ∑ t = 1 t x t ( 6 ) using the measured average utilization ( x m ) and the weights w i , assessment module 400 computes the weighted average utilization for the hour ( x ) as follows : x _ = ∑ t = 1 t w t x t ( 7 ) from this , the weighted average normalized utilization for the hour ( wanu ) is calculated as follows : as a corollary , the minimum utilization for the hour ( x min ) is calculated as follows : x min = min ( x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t ) ( 9 ) as well , the maximum utilization for the hour ( x max ) is calculated as follows : x min = max ( x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t ) ( 10 ) the coefficient of variation of cpu utilization for the hour ( c ) is calculated as follows : σ = 1 n ( ∑ i = 1 t x i 2 ) 2 - x _ 2 ( 11 ) c = σ / x _ , the probability of exceeding the slo for the hour ( p slo ) is calculated as follows : after statistical analysis algorithm 420 computes the above statistical values , assessment module 400 generates output data 480 for each server that includes the node name ( e . g . server ), performance rating type , performance rating ( p ), and the above computed statistical values representing the resource usage profile of computer system ( 100 ). this output data 480 is then made available to policy generating module ( 500 ) as described below . in fig5 a , illustrative policy generating module 500 includes a capacity module 510 , a predictive module 520 , and a what - if module 530 , although other implementations may have only one such module or any combination thereof . policy generating module 500 receives input 502 and generates one or more policies 504 for provisioning computer system . as mentioned previously , the policies 504 can be characterized as a collection of rules to be looked up by provisioning tool ( 160 ) when making provisioning decisions or can be characterized as provisioning decisions or commands sent to provisioning tool ( 160 ) to act on directly . capacity module 510 receives attributes defined in slos , server information , and historical information pertaining to resource utilization ( e . g ., the resource usage profile from assessment module ) as its input 502 . using analysis described in more detail with reference to fig5 b , capacity module 510 then generates policies 514 to match resources to the application demand “ just - in - time ”. as detailed below , predictive module 520 and what - if module 530 generate policies based on a combination of information pertaining to resources , workloads , service levels , and time . for example , the time information can be any given time interval , the workload information can be an average arrival rate of x transactions or jobs , the resource information can be the number of allocated servers , and the service level information can be average response times or throughput . what - if module 530 can further produce different combinations of workloads and resources to determine what the resulting performance would be in each of the different combinations and whether the system will be saturated or not . illustrative predictive module 520 receives various types of information as its input 502 such as an operational profile characterizing server utilization , actual workloads , actual service levels , and time - related information . predictive module 520 applies historical trending and predictive analysis to the input information and generates policies 524 that can then match current / past application performance based on predicted resource requirements . therefore , predictive module 520 can use a form of curve matching analysis based on forecasted demand ( i . e . expected workload ). in other words , predictive module 520 can predict that at a given time a given number of x more servers may be needed , where this prediction is partly based on what workload the system may be required to handle at that time or based on the expected utilization at the time . in one example , information about server utilization can be provided by the operational profile from assessment module , and module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that high utilization levels will drive allocation of more servers based on analysis of server utilization information . in another example , information about actual workloads can characterize what an application is attempting to do and can indicate , for example , transaction throughput ( e . g ., how many transactions arrived each second or minute ) or job throughput ( e . g ., how many batch jobs were submitted per day ). based on an analysis of such workload information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that high workload requests will drive resource allocation before servers are utilized or before service levels deteriorate . in general , high workload requests are the same as a high workload arrival rate , which is the throughput in a steady state , non - saturated system . in yet another example , information about actual service levels can indicate what was the response time for the transactions , how long it took to process batch jobs , what was the throughput , was the system able to execute all the workload , etc . in addition , service level agreements and objectives ( slas and slos ) can define such information as response time , throughput , and utilization . based on an analysis of such service level information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that certain levels of near - poor service will drive certain resource allocation . finally , the time - related information can indicate when the information pertaining to server utilization , workload , and service level occurred . based on an analysis of this time - related information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that resources will be pre - allocated at certain times . what - if module 530 receives information as its input 502 similar to that received by predictive module 520 , and what - if module 530 applies historical trending and predictive analysis to that information . however , what - if module 530 further applies what - if scenarios in its analysis to generate policies . in this way , what - if module 530 can allow users to vary input of demand to produce what - if scenarios so the module 530 can then generate policies 534 that match resource requirements to the demand input by the user . in one example , what - if module 530 accepts as user input a list of workload scenarios and desired service levels . the input may indicate , for example , that a response time of 1 second is expected at 100 transactions per second and that a response time of 2 seconds is expected at 1000 transactions per second . after analyzing the characteristics of the application , what - if module 530 runs a series of what - if scenarios to discover the desired amount of resources . in other words , in a scenario for 100 transactions per second , the module 530 may predict what would be the response time if 2 servers , 4 servers , 8 servers , 10 servers , and 20 servers were used . after analysis , what - if module 530 then determines the smallest number of servers required to meet the desired service objective at the given workload level . in turn , this determined information is used to generate a policy 534 that can state a predicate , such as “ if transaction rate is 100 transactions per second for application having stated characteristics is encountered , then provision x servers with y processing power .” even if these conditions are not met , the generated policy 534 is still created to handle such an eventuality in a particular business scenario . if and when the eventuality does occur in the future , then the provisioning tool can implement the generated policy 534 , and there would be no need to first experience and then detect poor performance . as shown in fig5 , illustrative capacity module 510 receives input data 552 , performs operations of the provisioning algorithm 560 , and generates output data 554 to be used to provision the servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ). in the illustrated embodiment , the input data 552 includes a performance rating type , performance ratings of nm servers available for provisioning ( p 1 , p 2 , . . . , p m ), service level objectives of each of the m servers ( slo 1 , slo 2 , . . . , slo m ), and a headroom value added for the required servers ( h ). in addition , input data 552 includes weighted average normalized unitization values ( wanu ( i , j )) from assessment module ( 400 ; fig4 ) for each hour i of the time period ( e . g ., 7 × 24 ) and for each server j . this information essentially corresponds to the current historical performance data in the resource usage profile of the computer system ( 100 ). using the input data 552 , capacity module 510 begins operations of provisioning algorithm 560 by calculating server requirements for every hour of the 7 × 24 time period ( block 562 ). for example , for each hour i of the 7 × 24 time period , capacity module 510 calculates a weighted average normalized unitization total ( wanut ) using the weighted average normalized unitization values ( wanu ( i , j )) as follows : wanut ( i ) = ∑ j = 1 m wanu ( i , j ) ≡ a [ 0 ] ( 15 ) from this total , capacity module 510 determines the number of servers needed for a given hour ( m ′( i )) as follows a [ m ′ ( i ) ] ≡ wanut ( i ) - ∑ k = 1 m ′ ( i ) slo k p k - h ≤ 0 , ( 16 ) where h is the headroom added for the required servers . in the above calculation , a [ m ′( i )− 1 ]& gt ; 0 . if desirable , the headroom value h can also be particularized as h ( k ) to include system overhead for a given server k . with the above calculations , illustrative capacity module 510 calculates a list of 168 numbers , denoted as m ′( 1 ), m ′( 2 ), . . . , m ′( 168 ). this list represents server requirements for every hour of the 7 × 24 time period ( i . e ., 168 data points ). preferably , capacity module 510 determines server demands based a “ sensitivity ” variable and divides the list of server demands into a plurality of segments so that the sensitivity variable can control how frequently policies should be updated to reflect the demands on servers ( block 564 ). moreover , capacity module 510 preferably consolidates the list of server demands by combining together those adjacent segments having identical server demands ( block 566 ). in other words , capacity module 510 does not need to set a policy for every segment if two adjacent segments have the same server demand . in such a case , the later identical demand could be removed from the list , and such consolidation can continue until capacity module 510 obtains a list without identical adjacent server demands . after obtaining the consolidated list of server demands , capacity module 510 sets policies for each listed server demand ( block 568 ). to do this , capacity module 510 computes transaction weights w k to supply to load balancer ( 162 ; fig1 ) of provisioning tool ( 160 ) to control the arrival rate of transactions to the servers ( 112 ). based on the processing power p k of a given server k , the slo for that server slo k , and the total server requirements , the transaction weight w k for a given server k is calculated as follows : w k = p k slo k ∑ i = 1 m p i slo i . ( 17 ) the transaction weights we are generated as output data 554 of one or more server provisioning policies that specify the number of servers needed at hour h . based on the provisioning policies , provisioning tool &# 39 ; s load balancer ( 162 ) then distributes arriving transactions to a given server k using the calculated transaction weight w k for that given server . fig6 shows features of migrating module 600 in fig3 . as noted previously , migrating module 600 determines how to migrate operation of servers ( 112 ) between partitions of the computer system ( 100 ) by estimating the number of homogeneous servers ( 112 ) needed to support applications ( 114 ) currently running on heterogeneous servers ( 112 ) before migration . illustrative migrating module 600 receives input data 610 including a performance rating type , a total number of available servers to be consolidated or migrated ( n ), and performance ratings of the n available servers to be migrated ( p 1 , p 2 , . . . , p n ). in addition to information on available servers , the input data 610 includes information on currently consolidated servers , including a performance rating ( p ) of the consolidated servers , a number of virtual partitions ( vn ) over the consolidated servers , a utilization service level objective ( slo ) of the consolidated servers , a utilization overhead ( h ) introduced for each required server with a performance rating , and a utilization overhead ( h ) introduced for each virtual partition . moreover , input data 610 includes information from assessment module ( 400 ; fig4 ), including a maximum utilization u ( i , j ) for each hour i of the 7 × 24 time period and each available server j . using input data 610 , migrating module 600 performs a migrating algorithm 620 to determine how to migrate or consolidate available servers . first , migrating algorithm 620 calculates a maximum normalized unitization total ( mnut ) for all of the available servers n over the 7 × 24 time period ( block 622 ). the calculation is as follows : migrating module 600 then determines whether the server overhead is grater than the partition overhead by determining if h + h × vn & gt ; slo ( decision 624 ). if there is too much overhead , migrating module 600 sends out an error message , such as “ the overheads are greater than the utilization slo ” ( block 626 ). if there is not too much overhead , migrating module 600 determines the number ( n ) of required servers with performance rating p ( block 628 ) using the calculation : migrating module 600 produces output data 680 that includes the performance rating type , the performance rating ( p ), the maximum normalized utilization total ( mnut ), and the number ( n ) of required servers with performance rating p . this output 680 can then be used by the provisioning tool ( 160 ) to migrate the various servers ( 112 ) among the virtual partitions . the foregoing description of preferred and other embodiments is not intended to limit or restrict the scope or applicability of the inventive concepts conceived of by the applicants . for example , the various modules disclosed herein can comprise one or more software tools executable on one or more independent computing devices operatively coupled to the computer system . in exchange for disclosing the inventive concepts contained herein , the applicants desire all patent rights afforded by the appended claims . therefore , it is intended that the appended claims include all modifications and alterations to the full extent that they come within the scope of the following claims or the equivalents thereof . | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Electricity'? | Is 'Chemistry; Metallurgy' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | dc0b66f4b9d4bd8eb372f7eaf7aacbe5fdc9dd12866233f93a8af7b26d4a7ad9 | 0.008301 | 0.00103 | 0.000315 | 0.000116 | 0.001411 | 0.001808 |
null | fig1 illustrates one embodiment of an automated capacity provisioning system for a computer system 100 . the provisioning system includes a recommendation tool 300 , a provisioning tool 160 , a data collection tool 170 , and a data repository 180 . in general , computer system 100 can be a network system , an enterprise system , or the like and can include various system components , such as workstations , computer servers , applications , storage devices , network connections , and other conventional components . for the sake of illustration , computer system 100 is schematically illustrated in fig1 as having a controller 110 relative to a plurality of servers 112 and applications 114 . controller 110 can comprise one or more servers or other computing devices and can execute one or more of recommendation tool 300 , provisioning tool 160 , and data collection tool 170 . as discussed below , recommendation tool 300 automatically provides provisioning policies 304 to automatically manage and provision the computer system 100 . in general , recommendation tool 300 can be a standalone software tool implemented and deployed as a web service capable of operating in conjunction with other tools . in addition , recommendation tool 300 can function automatically , implying that it does not rely on user intervention via a user interface . preferably , an application programming interface ( api ) allows recommendation tool 300 to use scripts and command line instructions to automate the run - time operation of the tool . provisioning tool 160 receives the provisioning policies 304 from recommendation tool 300 and automatically provisions the computer system 100 accordingly . provisioning tool 160 is capable of physically and / or logically provisioning system components into nodes of a physical or virtual system . for a virtual system , provisioning tool 160 can add a virtual layer to the computer system 100 using virtualization features . as will be appreciated , provisioning the computer system 100 as a virtual system requires that the system hardware ( e . g ., servers , applications , etc .) have sufficient processing power to support a specified number of virtual partitions ( not shown ). in addition , each virtual partition requires its own or shared operating system and applications that run on the operating system . the data collection tool 170 collects performance data about system components from data collectors 172 distributed throughout computer system 100 . for example , the data collectors 172 can be monitoring agents to collect performance data about processing nodes ( e . g ., servers 112 ) and provide the collected performance data to the data collection tool 170 . in turn , a data repository 180 stores the collected data for use by recommendation tool 300 . data repository 180 can be any database , data source , or file system known in the art for storing the collected data . ultimately , recommendation tool 300 in conjunction with the provisioning tool 160 and data collection tool 170 manages the computer system &# 39 ; s capacity using an automated capacity provisioning process , such as discussed below with reference to fig2 a . as shown in automated process 200 of fig2 a , data collectors 172 collect performance data of computer system 100 , and data collection tool ( 170 ) stores the performance data in data repository 180 ( block 205 ). the performance data can include various metrics known and used in the art . as an example , bmc ® performance manager or bmc ® performance assurance suite for servers can be used to collect performance data and store it in a database or a file system . other data collection tools can also be used , as long as the data is stored or can be retrieved in a predefined common format , such as csv , ascii , xml , or through a predefined api ( application programming interface ). with the performance data collected , recommendation tool 300 analyzes the collected data and generates a system operational profile 302 ( block 210 ). in one embodiment , operational profile 302 can characterize resource usage of computer system 100 or partitions thereof over one or more time periods . in alternative embodiments , operational profile 302 can characterize service levels in computer system 100 . such service levels can represent response times of servers when subjected to given workloads or can represent the ability of servers to process given workloads or throughputs . in creating operational profile 302 , recommendation tool 300 may focus on the collected data from system components , such as server processors and cpus , and on fixed attachments , such as cache , memory , and onboard disks , as well as service level information above . during the normal course of operation , recommendation tool 300 also receives a set of service level objectives ( slos ) 102 ( block 215 ). the slos 102 can come from any conventional source in computer system ( 100 ), such as from controller 110 . in addition , the slos 102 can be received or obtained from a workload manager , computing device , or other source having management and compliance information for one or more service level objectives ( slo ) or service level agreements ( sla ). as is known in the art , an sla defines static and dynamic attributes that the system &# 39 ; s services must satisfy between a consumer and a provider . the slas dynamic attributes relate to variables that may change in real - time and may depend on how the services are actually performing . some examples of attributes include response times for transactions , expected time to finish tasks , sla violation rates of a service , reliability of a service , availability of a service , etc . as is also known in the art , an slo defines specific attributes of a given service associated with an sla . based on the operational profile 302 and the received slos 102 , recommendation tool 300 generates a set of provisioning policies 304 for use in provisioning the computer system &# 39 ; s resources ( block 220 ). depending on the implementation , these provisioning policies 304 can be used to directly provision the computer system 100 or can be used at times when certain total workloads are expected , when such workloads are encountered in practice , or when certain performance characteristics are encountered . preferably , the generated provisioning policies 304 factor in performance of the system components over a period of time that is long enough to account for variances in business cycles . in general , the generated provisioning policies 304 define plans of action for guiding provisioning decisions to produce desired outcomes . the plans of action can be characterized as one or more statements , a set or collection of rules , and / or a set of “ if . . . then , . . . else . . . ” predicates . for example , a given sla may state that business application response time must be less than 1 second 95 % of the time . to achieve this , analysis of the historical performance data is used to identify resource usage patterns for ( near future ) resource provisioning and allocation . furthermore , the analysis can be used to generate provisioning policies 304 as a developed set of rules or the like to implement desired outcomes based on predictive analysis and what - if scenarios . the policies 304 can then be used to provision the computer system &# 39 ; s resources in terms of what , how , and when available servers 112 and / or other resources are needed to support applications 114 associated with the various slos 102 . to generate policies , recommendation tool 300 can use time - dependent information , utilization levels , response times , transaction arrival rates , and other resource usage information . additionally , recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis , predictive analysis , what - if scenarios , and user input to the resource usage information to generate the policies . for example , recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis of predicted resource requirements to generate policies that match current / past application performance . moreover , to generate policies , recommendation tool 300 can perform predictive analysis on application performance requirements and can use “ what - if ” scenarios and user input . as it operates , recommendation tool 300 can continually and automatically generate the policies ( and modify existing policies ) based on the historical and current information that has been collected and analyzed . in turn , the generated policies can provide different levels of reactivity and proactivity for provisioning computer system 100 . for example , one type of policy can correlate time - dependent information ( such as historical resource utilization ) and needed servers and can state , for example , “ every monday at 7 : 55 am allocate x servers .” another type of policy can correlate utilization and needed servers and can state , for example , “ if the average utilization of the servers is more than x % then allocate y additional servers with performance rating z .” yet another type of policy can correlate response time and needed servers and can state , for example , “ if and when average response time for transactions is measured over x minutes to be more than y seconds and existing server utilization is more than z %, then immediately allocate n additional servers then and there .” another type of policy can correlate arrival rate and needed servers and can state , for example , “ as soon as transaction arrival rate exceeds x transactions per minute for more than y minutes , allocate z additional servers . once generated , provisioning policies 304 can be used for look up by provisioning tool 160 when determining provisioning actions to perform to computer system 100 . alternatively , recommendation tool 300 can send the policy rules as provisioning decisions to provisioning tool 160 to be acted on directly . in the end , provisioning policies 304 may result in an indication of candidate servers 112 and other resources that can be repurposed or that can be physically or virtually consolidated to handle various applications and tasks . besides focusing on servers 112 , recommendation tool 300 may also take into consideration other features of a computer system 100 , such as network connections and detached storage devices to ensure overall system performance . using the generated provisioning policies 304 , provisioning tool 160 dynamically provisions a proper number of servers 112 of a certain computing power ( or other resources ) when needed so that the provisioned result ensures that the requirements of the received slos 102 are met ( block 225 ). as an example , the run book automation software from realops or a product similar to the previously available bmc ® virtualizer for capacity on demand product can be used for dynamic provisioning based on the generated provisioning policies . alternatively , provisioning mechanisms in vmware ® can be used . as shown in fig2 a , the automated process 200 of blocks 205 through 225 can be implemented as an ongoing process so that collecting and analyzing performance data ( including resource utilization , workload , and service levels ), generating policies 304 , and executing those policies 304 can be repeated as needed . the process 200 can also monitor and modify its performance as it continues . in this way , the process 200 can update policies 304 and validate slos 102 on a continuous basis . if the probability of meeting a given slo 102 is below a certain level , for example , a policy 304 generated at block 220 may need to be updated using more recently collected performance data from data repository 180 . alternatively , the attributes defined by an slo 102 may need to be modified . in the end , the frequency with which provisioning policies 304 are updated may depend on the rate of change in resource demands and may also depend on updates to slos 102 by users and business applications . by using performance data for long - term capacity provisioning , the process 200 may be less manually intensive and , as a result , require less specific performance modeling and capacity planning efforts than prior art provisioning techniques . moreover , because the process 200 is automated in real - time , provisioning policies 304 can be quickly updated based on feedback of how applications 114 perform against the attributes of the slos 102 . further details related to the automated system and process are shown in fig2 b . as schematically shown by a graph , performance data 250 collected and stored in data repository ( 180 ) can include historical as well as real - time cpu utilization data for each of the various servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ) and may have been collected for weeks or months from computer system ( 100 ). as discussed previously , recommendation tool ( 300 ) analyzes this performance data 250 and generates an operational profile . in embodiments discussed previously , the operational profile can characterize service levels in computer system ( 100 ) in a certain configuration and having a certain capacity , such as response times of servers when subjected to given workloads or the ability of servers to process given workloads or throughputs . in the present embodiment , operational profile characterizes resource usage of computer system ( 100 ) over time so that it can be termed a resource usage profile , such as schematically shown by graph 260 . this resource usage profile 260 captures workload - oriented information related to resource usage and history of computer system ( 100 ) that can be used in its capacity management . in this example , resource usage profile 260 encompasses a one - week interval ( 7 days × 24 hours ) with data points for each hour so that the profile 260 has 168 data points . alternatively , resource usage profile 260 can encompass one or more one - week intervals , two - week intervals , monthly intervals , particular business seasons , or any other desirable time periods . based on the operational profile 260 , recommendation tool ( 300 ) automatically generates several current and scheduled provisioning policies ( 304 ). details of how recommendation tool ( 300 ) automatically generates various provisioning policies ( 304 ) are discussed later . in general , the generated policies ( 304 ) can include a collection of rules for provisioning computer system ( 100 ), and recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis , predictive analysis , what - if scenarios , and user input to generate the policy rules from the information in the operational profile 260 . moreover , the generated policies ( 304 ) can be based on time - dependent information , utilization levels , response times , transaction arrival rates , and other information . once generated , provisioning tool ( 160 ) can automatically use the provisioning policies ( 304 ) to provision the system components ( e . g ., servers 112 ) of computer system ( 100 ). in addition to straight automation , the automated provisioning system can include a user interface having a summary screen 270 to display generated provisioning policies 272 for user intervention and control . in the present example , each policy 272 can have a name , a start ( date , time , etc . ), and a recurrence interval ( e . g ., every number of days or months with or without a particular end date ). using summary screen 270 , users can manually change , add , and delete the automatically generated provisioning policies 272 as desired . in addition , an additional screen 275 can allow a user to set up dynamic rules for adjusting the load balancing associated with a given provisioning policy 272 . as shown in this additional screen 275 , a user can indicate a priority for a service ( e . g ., loadgenerator ) and can assign a range of servers to that service . then , the user can assign dynamic rules to the service . as one example , an assigned dynamic rule may stop one server of the service if the cpu utilization falls below 30 % for 15 - min . or add one server to the service if the cpu utilization exceeds 60 % for 20 - min . other types of rules discussed herein could also be assigned . after generating provisioning policies 272 , a controller or computing device 280 executing provisioning tool ( 160 ) implements provisioning policies 272 among partitioned servers 284 in the computer system &# 39 ; s virtual environment 282 so that servers 284 can efficiently handle various slos . controller 280 , in turn , monitors results from implementing provisioning policies 272 by collecting additional performance data that is subsequently used to create a current resource usage profile 250 . in this way , the entire process can be repeated to account for new loads , changes in resources , workloads , new service level objectives , etc . fig3 illustrates additional features of recommendation tool 300 , which will be discussed with reference to notations in table 1 below . as indicated , table 1 includes notations for arrival rate and mean ( average ) response time at the server level ( e . g ., server i ) and for the entire system . in a steady state environment for a non - saturated system , throughput essentially equals arrival . based on the context , either the term “ response time ” or “ service time ” may be used . as used herein , response time can be defined for one or more of transactions , workloads , job , tasks , applications , threads , etc ., and service time can also be defined for one or more of transactions , workloads , job , tasks , applications , threads , etc . as shown in further detail in fig3 , recommendation tool 300 includes an assessment module 400 , a policy generating module 500 , and a migrating module 600 . briefly , assessment module 400 analyzes performance data collected by data collection tool ( 170 ) and generates a system resource usage profile 402 , such as discussed previously . in turn , policy generating module 500 uses resource usage profile 402 and received slo information to generate provisioning policies 304 discussed previously that provisioning tool ( 160 ) can then directly execute or look up to provision servers ( 112 ) of computer system ( 100 ). independently , migrating module 600 also receives a copy of provisioning policies 304 and estimates a number of homogenous servers ( 112 ) needed to support the applications ( 114 ) currently running on heterogeneous servers ( 112 ) before migration . each of these modules 400 , 500 , and 600 are discussed individually in more detail with reference to fig4 through 6 . currently , however , discussion focuses on the overall operational details of recommendation tool 300 . during operation , recommendation tool 300 obtains input data 310 that includes the number n of available servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ). for each available server i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n , the input data 310 also includes the server &# 39 ; s performance rating p i and the performance rating type , the server &# 39 ; s slo value ( slo i ) and the slo type ( e . g ., utilization or mean response time ), and the server &# 39 ; s current measured utilization u i . the performance rating p i can be characterized by any commonly used performance rating system . based upon the input data 310 , recommendation tool 300 produces output data 380 that determines ( a ) the number n of servers ( 112 ) required to meet the slos ( 102 ), ( b ) the recommended arrival rate of transactions or service requests to each of the servers ( 112 ) used for load balancing , and ( c ) whether the overall service goal can be achieved ( and provide a best possible solution if the service goal cannot be achieved ). in general , output data 380 represents analytical information that provisioning tool ( 160 ) can use to perform “ bounded scale - out ” provisioning in the virtual environment of computer system ( 100 ). the solution is bounded or limited in the sense that the virtual environment actually has a maximum number of physical servers ( n ) of given processing power more particularly , output data 380 indicates how many servers ( 112 ) need to be active to drive a load balancer ( 162 ) of provisioning tool ( 160 ) to achieve the slos for applications ( 114 ) running in the virtual system . as shown , in one embodiment , output data 380 includes a number n of required servers ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ) from available servers ( 112 ) and an indication whether the requisite processing goal can be achieved ( e . g . where “ 0 ” means not achievable and “ 1 ” means achievable ). for each required server ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ), the output data 380 also includes a recommended arrival rate λ i and a potential service level ( psl i ) at the given server . the arrival rate , λ i , defines the recommended rate of arrival of transactions or service requests to a given server . by definition , the arrival rate , λ i , is greater than 0 and less or equal to 1 and is characterized by calculations performed by recommendation tool 300 can be based on various statistical assumptions . using assumptions associated with an m / m / 1 type queuing system , recommendation tool 300 can use the following set of computations to generate the illustrative output data 380 . for a given server processing power , p i ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ), the optimal arrival rate of transactions made to a given server i can be defined by : if the load is heavy , i . e ., the total arrival rate to be distributed among servers λ → p /( s i p i ), then the arrival rate to each server ( 112 ) should approach the service rate of the server ; under this transaction distribution , each server 112 &# 39 ; s utilization can be characterized as : if the slo type is a utilization value , then recommendation tool 300 tries to find a solution such that the utilization of a given server is less than or equal to the value of its slo ( i . e ., u i ≦ slo i ) for all active n servers . if the slo type is a mean response time , recommendation tool 300 tries to find a solution such that the mean response time at a given server is less than or equal to the value of its slo ( i . e ., r i ≦ slo i ) for all active n servers . consequently , the mean response time r at server i can be computed as : in this case , the average response time r to the virtual system is characterized as : if not all the slos can be achieved , then recommendation tool 300 will provide the best possible load balancing to distribute transactions based on the various recommended arrival rates λ i of the available servers ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ). fig4 shows features of recommendation tool &# 39 ; s assessment module 400 . as noted previously , assessment module 400 analyzes performance data and generates an operational profile , such as a resource usage profile discussed previously . to do this , assessment module 400 receives input 410 , performs calculations on the input 410 with a statistical analysis algorithm 420 , and provides output 480 to be used for later processing by policy generating module 500 . in its operation , assessment module 400 analyzes one node of computer system ( 100 ) ( e . g ., one server 112 ) at a time and can handle information for multiple nodes at a time through multiple calls . alternatively , assessment module 400 can be designed to handle simultaneous analysis for multiple nodes of computer system ( 100 ). for a given node ( i . e ., server ) and in one embodiment , the input 410 includes node name , performance rating type , performance rating ( i . e ., processing power ) ( p ), utilization service level objective ( slo ), number of desired time intervals to be assessed ( t ′), and cpu utilization data for t ′ intervals x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t . for each interval of the time period ( e . g ., each hour of the 7 × 24 period ), statistical analysis algorithm 420 computes the following statistical values : a measured average utilization ( x m ), a weighted average utilization for the hour ( x ), a weighted average normalized utilization for the hour ( wanu ), a minimum utilization for the hour ( x min ), a maximum utilization for the hour ( x max ), a coefficient of variation of cpu utilization for the hour ( c ), and a probability of exceeding the slo for the hour ( p slo ). these statistical values over the current time period of interest forms the resource usage profile discussed previously that is used to generate provisioning policies . details of the calculations performed by assessment module 400 are as follows . for the t data points in the current time period , assessment module 400 computes a weighted average for the data points that places more emphasis on more recent data . to do this , it is assumed that the importance of a particular interval is an importance factor α times more important than the previous interval so that weights w i for the t data points are assigned in the following fashion ; in addition to the weights w i , the assessment module 400 computes the measured average utilization ( x m ) for the t data points , x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t , as follows : x _ m = 1 t ∑ t = 1 t x t ( 6 ) using the measured average utilization ( x m ) and the weights w i , assessment module 400 computes the weighted average utilization for the hour ( x ) as follows : x _ = ∑ t = 1 t w t x t ( 7 ) from this , the weighted average normalized utilization for the hour ( wanu ) is calculated as follows : as a corollary , the minimum utilization for the hour ( x min ) is calculated as follows : x min = min ( x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t ) ( 9 ) as well , the maximum utilization for the hour ( x max ) is calculated as follows : x min = max ( x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t ) ( 10 ) the coefficient of variation of cpu utilization for the hour ( c ) is calculated as follows : σ = 1 n ( ∑ i = 1 t x i 2 ) 2 - x _ 2 ( 11 ) c = σ / x _ , the probability of exceeding the slo for the hour ( p slo ) is calculated as follows : after statistical analysis algorithm 420 computes the above statistical values , assessment module 400 generates output data 480 for each server that includes the node name ( e . g . server ), performance rating type , performance rating ( p ), and the above computed statistical values representing the resource usage profile of computer system ( 100 ). this output data 480 is then made available to policy generating module ( 500 ) as described below . in fig5 a , illustrative policy generating module 500 includes a capacity module 510 , a predictive module 520 , and a what - if module 530 , although other implementations may have only one such module or any combination thereof . policy generating module 500 receives input 502 and generates one or more policies 504 for provisioning computer system . as mentioned previously , the policies 504 can be characterized as a collection of rules to be looked up by provisioning tool ( 160 ) when making provisioning decisions or can be characterized as provisioning decisions or commands sent to provisioning tool ( 160 ) to act on directly . capacity module 510 receives attributes defined in slos , server information , and historical information pertaining to resource utilization ( e . g ., the resource usage profile from assessment module ) as its input 502 . using analysis described in more detail with reference to fig5 b , capacity module 510 then generates policies 514 to match resources to the application demand “ just - in - time ”. as detailed below , predictive module 520 and what - if module 530 generate policies based on a combination of information pertaining to resources , workloads , service levels , and time . for example , the time information can be any given time interval , the workload information can be an average arrival rate of x transactions or jobs , the resource information can be the number of allocated servers , and the service level information can be average response times or throughput . what - if module 530 can further produce different combinations of workloads and resources to determine what the resulting performance would be in each of the different combinations and whether the system will be saturated or not . illustrative predictive module 520 receives various types of information as its input 502 such as an operational profile characterizing server utilization , actual workloads , actual service levels , and time - related information . predictive module 520 applies historical trending and predictive analysis to the input information and generates policies 524 that can then match current / past application performance based on predicted resource requirements . therefore , predictive module 520 can use a form of curve matching analysis based on forecasted demand ( i . e . expected workload ). in other words , predictive module 520 can predict that at a given time a given number of x more servers may be needed , where this prediction is partly based on what workload the system may be required to handle at that time or based on the expected utilization at the time . in one example , information about server utilization can be provided by the operational profile from assessment module , and module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that high utilization levels will drive allocation of more servers based on analysis of server utilization information . in another example , information about actual workloads can characterize what an application is attempting to do and can indicate , for example , transaction throughput ( e . g ., how many transactions arrived each second or minute ) or job throughput ( e . g ., how many batch jobs were submitted per day ). based on an analysis of such workload information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that high workload requests will drive resource allocation before servers are utilized or before service levels deteriorate . in general , high workload requests are the same as a high workload arrival rate , which is the throughput in a steady state , non - saturated system . in yet another example , information about actual service levels can indicate what was the response time for the transactions , how long it took to process batch jobs , what was the throughput , was the system able to execute all the workload , etc . in addition , service level agreements and objectives ( slas and slos ) can define such information as response time , throughput , and utilization . based on an analysis of such service level information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that certain levels of near - poor service will drive certain resource allocation . finally , the time - related information can indicate when the information pertaining to server utilization , workload , and service level occurred . based on an analysis of this time - related information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that resources will be pre - allocated at certain times . what - if module 530 receives information as its input 502 similar to that received by predictive module 520 , and what - if module 530 applies historical trending and predictive analysis to that information . however , what - if module 530 further applies what - if scenarios in its analysis to generate policies . in this way , what - if module 530 can allow users to vary input of demand to produce what - if scenarios so the module 530 can then generate policies 534 that match resource requirements to the demand input by the user . in one example , what - if module 530 accepts as user input a list of workload scenarios and desired service levels . the input may indicate , for example , that a response time of 1 second is expected at 100 transactions per second and that a response time of 2 seconds is expected at 1000 transactions per second . after analyzing the characteristics of the application , what - if module 530 runs a series of what - if scenarios to discover the desired amount of resources . in other words , in a scenario for 100 transactions per second , the module 530 may predict what would be the response time if 2 servers , 4 servers , 8 servers , 10 servers , and 20 servers were used . after analysis , what - if module 530 then determines the smallest number of servers required to meet the desired service objective at the given workload level . in turn , this determined information is used to generate a policy 534 that can state a predicate , such as “ if transaction rate is 100 transactions per second for application having stated characteristics is encountered , then provision x servers with y processing power .” even if these conditions are not met , the generated policy 534 is still created to handle such an eventuality in a particular business scenario . if and when the eventuality does occur in the future , then the provisioning tool can implement the generated policy 534 , and there would be no need to first experience and then detect poor performance . as shown in fig5 , illustrative capacity module 510 receives input data 552 , performs operations of the provisioning algorithm 560 , and generates output data 554 to be used to provision the servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ). in the illustrated embodiment , the input data 552 includes a performance rating type , performance ratings of nm servers available for provisioning ( p 1 , p 2 , . . . , p m ), service level objectives of each of the m servers ( slo 1 , slo 2 , . . . , slo m ), and a headroom value added for the required servers ( h ). in addition , input data 552 includes weighted average normalized unitization values ( wanu ( i , j )) from assessment module ( 400 ; fig4 ) for each hour i of the time period ( e . g ., 7 × 24 ) and for each server j . this information essentially corresponds to the current historical performance data in the resource usage profile of the computer system ( 100 ). using the input data 552 , capacity module 510 begins operations of provisioning algorithm 560 by calculating server requirements for every hour of the 7 × 24 time period ( block 562 ). for example , for each hour i of the 7 × 24 time period , capacity module 510 calculates a weighted average normalized unitization total ( wanut ) using the weighted average normalized unitization values ( wanu ( i , j )) as follows : wanut ( i ) = ∑ j = 1 m wanu ( i , j ) ≡ a [ 0 ] ( 15 ) from this total , capacity module 510 determines the number of servers needed for a given hour ( m ′( i )) as follows a [ m ′ ( i ) ] ≡ wanut ( i ) - ∑ k = 1 m ′ ( i ) slo k p k - h ≤ 0 , ( 16 ) where h is the headroom added for the required servers . in the above calculation , a [ m ′( i )− 1 ]& gt ; 0 . if desirable , the headroom value h can also be particularized as h ( k ) to include system overhead for a given server k . with the above calculations , illustrative capacity module 510 calculates a list of 168 numbers , denoted as m ′( 1 ), m ′( 2 ), . . . , m ′( 168 ). this list represents server requirements for every hour of the 7 × 24 time period ( i . e ., 168 data points ). preferably , capacity module 510 determines server demands based a “ sensitivity ” variable and divides the list of server demands into a plurality of segments so that the sensitivity variable can control how frequently policies should be updated to reflect the demands on servers ( block 564 ). moreover , capacity module 510 preferably consolidates the list of server demands by combining together those adjacent segments having identical server demands ( block 566 ). in other words , capacity module 510 does not need to set a policy for every segment if two adjacent segments have the same server demand . in such a case , the later identical demand could be removed from the list , and such consolidation can continue until capacity module 510 obtains a list without identical adjacent server demands . after obtaining the consolidated list of server demands , capacity module 510 sets policies for each listed server demand ( block 568 ). to do this , capacity module 510 computes transaction weights w k to supply to load balancer ( 162 ; fig1 ) of provisioning tool ( 160 ) to control the arrival rate of transactions to the servers ( 112 ). based on the processing power p k of a given server k , the slo for that server slo k , and the total server requirements , the transaction weight w k for a given server k is calculated as follows : w k = p k slo k ∑ i = 1 m p i slo i . ( 17 ) the transaction weights we are generated as output data 554 of one or more server provisioning policies that specify the number of servers needed at hour h . based on the provisioning policies , provisioning tool &# 39 ; s load balancer ( 162 ) then distributes arriving transactions to a given server k using the calculated transaction weight w k for that given server . fig6 shows features of migrating module 600 in fig3 . as noted previously , migrating module 600 determines how to migrate operation of servers ( 112 ) between partitions of the computer system ( 100 ) by estimating the number of homogeneous servers ( 112 ) needed to support applications ( 114 ) currently running on heterogeneous servers ( 112 ) before migration . illustrative migrating module 600 receives input data 610 including a performance rating type , a total number of available servers to be consolidated or migrated ( n ), and performance ratings of the n available servers to be migrated ( p 1 , p 2 , . . . , p n ). in addition to information on available servers , the input data 610 includes information on currently consolidated servers , including a performance rating ( p ) of the consolidated servers , a number of virtual partitions ( vn ) over the consolidated servers , a utilization service level objective ( slo ) of the consolidated servers , a utilization overhead ( h ) introduced for each required server with a performance rating , and a utilization overhead ( h ) introduced for each virtual partition . moreover , input data 610 includes information from assessment module ( 400 ; fig4 ), including a maximum utilization u ( i , j ) for each hour i of the 7 × 24 time period and each available server j . using input data 610 , migrating module 600 performs a migrating algorithm 620 to determine how to migrate or consolidate available servers . first , migrating algorithm 620 calculates a maximum normalized unitization total ( mnut ) for all of the available servers n over the 7 × 24 time period ( block 622 ). the calculation is as follows : migrating module 600 then determines whether the server overhead is grater than the partition overhead by determining if h + h × vn & gt ; slo ( decision 624 ). if there is too much overhead , migrating module 600 sends out an error message , such as “ the overheads are greater than the utilization slo ” ( block 626 ). if there is not too much overhead , migrating module 600 determines the number ( n ) of required servers with performance rating p ( block 628 ) using the calculation : migrating module 600 produces output data 680 that includes the performance rating type , the performance rating ( p ), the maximum normalized utilization total ( mnut ), and the number ( n ) of required servers with performance rating p . this output 680 can then be used by the provisioning tool ( 160 ) to migrate the various servers ( 112 ) among the virtual partitions . the foregoing description of preferred and other embodiments is not intended to limit or restrict the scope or applicability of the inventive concepts conceived of by the applicants . for example , the various modules disclosed herein can comprise one or more software tools executable on one or more independent computing devices operatively coupled to the computer system . in exchange for disclosing the inventive concepts contained herein , the applicants desire all patent rights afforded by the appended claims . therefore , it is intended that the appended claims include all modifications and alterations to the full extent that they come within the scope of the following claims or the equivalents thereof . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Electricity'? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Textiles; Paper'? | 0.25 | dc0b66f4b9d4bd8eb372f7eaf7aacbe5fdc9dd12866233f93a8af7b26d4a7ad9 | 0.004456 | 0.004333 | 0.000085 | 0.000216 | 0.001701 | 0.02478 |
null | fig1 illustrates one embodiment of an automated capacity provisioning system for a computer system 100 . the provisioning system includes a recommendation tool 300 , a provisioning tool 160 , a data collection tool 170 , and a data repository 180 . in general , computer system 100 can be a network system , an enterprise system , or the like and can include various system components , such as workstations , computer servers , applications , storage devices , network connections , and other conventional components . for the sake of illustration , computer system 100 is schematically illustrated in fig1 as having a controller 110 relative to a plurality of servers 112 and applications 114 . controller 110 can comprise one or more servers or other computing devices and can execute one or more of recommendation tool 300 , provisioning tool 160 , and data collection tool 170 . as discussed below , recommendation tool 300 automatically provides provisioning policies 304 to automatically manage and provision the computer system 100 . in general , recommendation tool 300 can be a standalone software tool implemented and deployed as a web service capable of operating in conjunction with other tools . in addition , recommendation tool 300 can function automatically , implying that it does not rely on user intervention via a user interface . preferably , an application programming interface ( api ) allows recommendation tool 300 to use scripts and command line instructions to automate the run - time operation of the tool . provisioning tool 160 receives the provisioning policies 304 from recommendation tool 300 and automatically provisions the computer system 100 accordingly . provisioning tool 160 is capable of physically and / or logically provisioning system components into nodes of a physical or virtual system . for a virtual system , provisioning tool 160 can add a virtual layer to the computer system 100 using virtualization features . as will be appreciated , provisioning the computer system 100 as a virtual system requires that the system hardware ( e . g ., servers , applications , etc .) have sufficient processing power to support a specified number of virtual partitions ( not shown ). in addition , each virtual partition requires its own or shared operating system and applications that run on the operating system . the data collection tool 170 collects performance data about system components from data collectors 172 distributed throughout computer system 100 . for example , the data collectors 172 can be monitoring agents to collect performance data about processing nodes ( e . g ., servers 112 ) and provide the collected performance data to the data collection tool 170 . in turn , a data repository 180 stores the collected data for use by recommendation tool 300 . data repository 180 can be any database , data source , or file system known in the art for storing the collected data . ultimately , recommendation tool 300 in conjunction with the provisioning tool 160 and data collection tool 170 manages the computer system &# 39 ; s capacity using an automated capacity provisioning process , such as discussed below with reference to fig2 a . as shown in automated process 200 of fig2 a , data collectors 172 collect performance data of computer system 100 , and data collection tool ( 170 ) stores the performance data in data repository 180 ( block 205 ). the performance data can include various metrics known and used in the art . as an example , bmc ® performance manager or bmc ® performance assurance suite for servers can be used to collect performance data and store it in a database or a file system . other data collection tools can also be used , as long as the data is stored or can be retrieved in a predefined common format , such as csv , ascii , xml , or through a predefined api ( application programming interface ). with the performance data collected , recommendation tool 300 analyzes the collected data and generates a system operational profile 302 ( block 210 ). in one embodiment , operational profile 302 can characterize resource usage of computer system 100 or partitions thereof over one or more time periods . in alternative embodiments , operational profile 302 can characterize service levels in computer system 100 . such service levels can represent response times of servers when subjected to given workloads or can represent the ability of servers to process given workloads or throughputs . in creating operational profile 302 , recommendation tool 300 may focus on the collected data from system components , such as server processors and cpus , and on fixed attachments , such as cache , memory , and onboard disks , as well as service level information above . during the normal course of operation , recommendation tool 300 also receives a set of service level objectives ( slos ) 102 ( block 215 ). the slos 102 can come from any conventional source in computer system ( 100 ), such as from controller 110 . in addition , the slos 102 can be received or obtained from a workload manager , computing device , or other source having management and compliance information for one or more service level objectives ( slo ) or service level agreements ( sla ). as is known in the art , an sla defines static and dynamic attributes that the system &# 39 ; s services must satisfy between a consumer and a provider . the slas dynamic attributes relate to variables that may change in real - time and may depend on how the services are actually performing . some examples of attributes include response times for transactions , expected time to finish tasks , sla violation rates of a service , reliability of a service , availability of a service , etc . as is also known in the art , an slo defines specific attributes of a given service associated with an sla . based on the operational profile 302 and the received slos 102 , recommendation tool 300 generates a set of provisioning policies 304 for use in provisioning the computer system &# 39 ; s resources ( block 220 ). depending on the implementation , these provisioning policies 304 can be used to directly provision the computer system 100 or can be used at times when certain total workloads are expected , when such workloads are encountered in practice , or when certain performance characteristics are encountered . preferably , the generated provisioning policies 304 factor in performance of the system components over a period of time that is long enough to account for variances in business cycles . in general , the generated provisioning policies 304 define plans of action for guiding provisioning decisions to produce desired outcomes . the plans of action can be characterized as one or more statements , a set or collection of rules , and / or a set of “ if . . . then , . . . else . . . ” predicates . for example , a given sla may state that business application response time must be less than 1 second 95 % of the time . to achieve this , analysis of the historical performance data is used to identify resource usage patterns for ( near future ) resource provisioning and allocation . furthermore , the analysis can be used to generate provisioning policies 304 as a developed set of rules or the like to implement desired outcomes based on predictive analysis and what - if scenarios . the policies 304 can then be used to provision the computer system &# 39 ; s resources in terms of what , how , and when available servers 112 and / or other resources are needed to support applications 114 associated with the various slos 102 . to generate policies , recommendation tool 300 can use time - dependent information , utilization levels , response times , transaction arrival rates , and other resource usage information . additionally , recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis , predictive analysis , what - if scenarios , and user input to the resource usage information to generate the policies . for example , recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis of predicted resource requirements to generate policies that match current / past application performance . moreover , to generate policies , recommendation tool 300 can perform predictive analysis on application performance requirements and can use “ what - if ” scenarios and user input . as it operates , recommendation tool 300 can continually and automatically generate the policies ( and modify existing policies ) based on the historical and current information that has been collected and analyzed . in turn , the generated policies can provide different levels of reactivity and proactivity for provisioning computer system 100 . for example , one type of policy can correlate time - dependent information ( such as historical resource utilization ) and needed servers and can state , for example , “ every monday at 7 : 55 am allocate x servers .” another type of policy can correlate utilization and needed servers and can state , for example , “ if the average utilization of the servers is more than x % then allocate y additional servers with performance rating z .” yet another type of policy can correlate response time and needed servers and can state , for example , “ if and when average response time for transactions is measured over x minutes to be more than y seconds and existing server utilization is more than z %, then immediately allocate n additional servers then and there .” another type of policy can correlate arrival rate and needed servers and can state , for example , “ as soon as transaction arrival rate exceeds x transactions per minute for more than y minutes , allocate z additional servers . once generated , provisioning policies 304 can be used for look up by provisioning tool 160 when determining provisioning actions to perform to computer system 100 . alternatively , recommendation tool 300 can send the policy rules as provisioning decisions to provisioning tool 160 to be acted on directly . in the end , provisioning policies 304 may result in an indication of candidate servers 112 and other resources that can be repurposed or that can be physically or virtually consolidated to handle various applications and tasks . besides focusing on servers 112 , recommendation tool 300 may also take into consideration other features of a computer system 100 , such as network connections and detached storage devices to ensure overall system performance . using the generated provisioning policies 304 , provisioning tool 160 dynamically provisions a proper number of servers 112 of a certain computing power ( or other resources ) when needed so that the provisioned result ensures that the requirements of the received slos 102 are met ( block 225 ). as an example , the run book automation software from realops or a product similar to the previously available bmc ® virtualizer for capacity on demand product can be used for dynamic provisioning based on the generated provisioning policies . alternatively , provisioning mechanisms in vmware ® can be used . as shown in fig2 a , the automated process 200 of blocks 205 through 225 can be implemented as an ongoing process so that collecting and analyzing performance data ( including resource utilization , workload , and service levels ), generating policies 304 , and executing those policies 304 can be repeated as needed . the process 200 can also monitor and modify its performance as it continues . in this way , the process 200 can update policies 304 and validate slos 102 on a continuous basis . if the probability of meeting a given slo 102 is below a certain level , for example , a policy 304 generated at block 220 may need to be updated using more recently collected performance data from data repository 180 . alternatively , the attributes defined by an slo 102 may need to be modified . in the end , the frequency with which provisioning policies 304 are updated may depend on the rate of change in resource demands and may also depend on updates to slos 102 by users and business applications . by using performance data for long - term capacity provisioning , the process 200 may be less manually intensive and , as a result , require less specific performance modeling and capacity planning efforts than prior art provisioning techniques . moreover , because the process 200 is automated in real - time , provisioning policies 304 can be quickly updated based on feedback of how applications 114 perform against the attributes of the slos 102 . further details related to the automated system and process are shown in fig2 b . as schematically shown by a graph , performance data 250 collected and stored in data repository ( 180 ) can include historical as well as real - time cpu utilization data for each of the various servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ) and may have been collected for weeks or months from computer system ( 100 ). as discussed previously , recommendation tool ( 300 ) analyzes this performance data 250 and generates an operational profile . in embodiments discussed previously , the operational profile can characterize service levels in computer system ( 100 ) in a certain configuration and having a certain capacity , such as response times of servers when subjected to given workloads or the ability of servers to process given workloads or throughputs . in the present embodiment , operational profile characterizes resource usage of computer system ( 100 ) over time so that it can be termed a resource usage profile , such as schematically shown by graph 260 . this resource usage profile 260 captures workload - oriented information related to resource usage and history of computer system ( 100 ) that can be used in its capacity management . in this example , resource usage profile 260 encompasses a one - week interval ( 7 days × 24 hours ) with data points for each hour so that the profile 260 has 168 data points . alternatively , resource usage profile 260 can encompass one or more one - week intervals , two - week intervals , monthly intervals , particular business seasons , or any other desirable time periods . based on the operational profile 260 , recommendation tool ( 300 ) automatically generates several current and scheduled provisioning policies ( 304 ). details of how recommendation tool ( 300 ) automatically generates various provisioning policies ( 304 ) are discussed later . in general , the generated policies ( 304 ) can include a collection of rules for provisioning computer system ( 100 ), and recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis , predictive analysis , what - if scenarios , and user input to generate the policy rules from the information in the operational profile 260 . moreover , the generated policies ( 304 ) can be based on time - dependent information , utilization levels , response times , transaction arrival rates , and other information . once generated , provisioning tool ( 160 ) can automatically use the provisioning policies ( 304 ) to provision the system components ( e . g ., servers 112 ) of computer system ( 100 ). in addition to straight automation , the automated provisioning system can include a user interface having a summary screen 270 to display generated provisioning policies 272 for user intervention and control . in the present example , each policy 272 can have a name , a start ( date , time , etc . ), and a recurrence interval ( e . g ., every number of days or months with or without a particular end date ). using summary screen 270 , users can manually change , add , and delete the automatically generated provisioning policies 272 as desired . in addition , an additional screen 275 can allow a user to set up dynamic rules for adjusting the load balancing associated with a given provisioning policy 272 . as shown in this additional screen 275 , a user can indicate a priority for a service ( e . g ., loadgenerator ) and can assign a range of servers to that service . then , the user can assign dynamic rules to the service . as one example , an assigned dynamic rule may stop one server of the service if the cpu utilization falls below 30 % for 15 - min . or add one server to the service if the cpu utilization exceeds 60 % for 20 - min . other types of rules discussed herein could also be assigned . after generating provisioning policies 272 , a controller or computing device 280 executing provisioning tool ( 160 ) implements provisioning policies 272 among partitioned servers 284 in the computer system &# 39 ; s virtual environment 282 so that servers 284 can efficiently handle various slos . controller 280 , in turn , monitors results from implementing provisioning policies 272 by collecting additional performance data that is subsequently used to create a current resource usage profile 250 . in this way , the entire process can be repeated to account for new loads , changes in resources , workloads , new service level objectives , etc . fig3 illustrates additional features of recommendation tool 300 , which will be discussed with reference to notations in table 1 below . as indicated , table 1 includes notations for arrival rate and mean ( average ) response time at the server level ( e . g ., server i ) and for the entire system . in a steady state environment for a non - saturated system , throughput essentially equals arrival . based on the context , either the term “ response time ” or “ service time ” may be used . as used herein , response time can be defined for one or more of transactions , workloads , job , tasks , applications , threads , etc ., and service time can also be defined for one or more of transactions , workloads , job , tasks , applications , threads , etc . as shown in further detail in fig3 , recommendation tool 300 includes an assessment module 400 , a policy generating module 500 , and a migrating module 600 . briefly , assessment module 400 analyzes performance data collected by data collection tool ( 170 ) and generates a system resource usage profile 402 , such as discussed previously . in turn , policy generating module 500 uses resource usage profile 402 and received slo information to generate provisioning policies 304 discussed previously that provisioning tool ( 160 ) can then directly execute or look up to provision servers ( 112 ) of computer system ( 100 ). independently , migrating module 600 also receives a copy of provisioning policies 304 and estimates a number of homogenous servers ( 112 ) needed to support the applications ( 114 ) currently running on heterogeneous servers ( 112 ) before migration . each of these modules 400 , 500 , and 600 are discussed individually in more detail with reference to fig4 through 6 . currently , however , discussion focuses on the overall operational details of recommendation tool 300 . during operation , recommendation tool 300 obtains input data 310 that includes the number n of available servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ). for each available server i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n , the input data 310 also includes the server &# 39 ; s performance rating p i and the performance rating type , the server &# 39 ; s slo value ( slo i ) and the slo type ( e . g ., utilization or mean response time ), and the server &# 39 ; s current measured utilization u i . the performance rating p i can be characterized by any commonly used performance rating system . based upon the input data 310 , recommendation tool 300 produces output data 380 that determines ( a ) the number n of servers ( 112 ) required to meet the slos ( 102 ), ( b ) the recommended arrival rate of transactions or service requests to each of the servers ( 112 ) used for load balancing , and ( c ) whether the overall service goal can be achieved ( and provide a best possible solution if the service goal cannot be achieved ). in general , output data 380 represents analytical information that provisioning tool ( 160 ) can use to perform “ bounded scale - out ” provisioning in the virtual environment of computer system ( 100 ). the solution is bounded or limited in the sense that the virtual environment actually has a maximum number of physical servers ( n ) of given processing power more particularly , output data 380 indicates how many servers ( 112 ) need to be active to drive a load balancer ( 162 ) of provisioning tool ( 160 ) to achieve the slos for applications ( 114 ) running in the virtual system . as shown , in one embodiment , output data 380 includes a number n of required servers ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ) from available servers ( 112 ) and an indication whether the requisite processing goal can be achieved ( e . g . where “ 0 ” means not achievable and “ 1 ” means achievable ). for each required server ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ), the output data 380 also includes a recommended arrival rate λ i and a potential service level ( psl i ) at the given server . the arrival rate , λ i , defines the recommended rate of arrival of transactions or service requests to a given server . by definition , the arrival rate , λ i , is greater than 0 and less or equal to 1 and is characterized by calculations performed by recommendation tool 300 can be based on various statistical assumptions . using assumptions associated with an m / m / 1 type queuing system , recommendation tool 300 can use the following set of computations to generate the illustrative output data 380 . for a given server processing power , p i ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ), the optimal arrival rate of transactions made to a given server i can be defined by : if the load is heavy , i . e ., the total arrival rate to be distributed among servers λ → p /( s i p i ), then the arrival rate to each server ( 112 ) should approach the service rate of the server ; under this transaction distribution , each server 112 &# 39 ; s utilization can be characterized as : if the slo type is a utilization value , then recommendation tool 300 tries to find a solution such that the utilization of a given server is less than or equal to the value of its slo ( i . e ., u i ≦ slo i ) for all active n servers . if the slo type is a mean response time , recommendation tool 300 tries to find a solution such that the mean response time at a given server is less than or equal to the value of its slo ( i . e ., r i ≦ slo i ) for all active n servers . consequently , the mean response time r at server i can be computed as : in this case , the average response time r to the virtual system is characterized as : if not all the slos can be achieved , then recommendation tool 300 will provide the best possible load balancing to distribute transactions based on the various recommended arrival rates λ i of the available servers ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ). fig4 shows features of recommendation tool &# 39 ; s assessment module 400 . as noted previously , assessment module 400 analyzes performance data and generates an operational profile , such as a resource usage profile discussed previously . to do this , assessment module 400 receives input 410 , performs calculations on the input 410 with a statistical analysis algorithm 420 , and provides output 480 to be used for later processing by policy generating module 500 . in its operation , assessment module 400 analyzes one node of computer system ( 100 ) ( e . g ., one server 112 ) at a time and can handle information for multiple nodes at a time through multiple calls . alternatively , assessment module 400 can be designed to handle simultaneous analysis for multiple nodes of computer system ( 100 ). for a given node ( i . e ., server ) and in one embodiment , the input 410 includes node name , performance rating type , performance rating ( i . e ., processing power ) ( p ), utilization service level objective ( slo ), number of desired time intervals to be assessed ( t ′), and cpu utilization data for t ′ intervals x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t . for each interval of the time period ( e . g ., each hour of the 7 × 24 period ), statistical analysis algorithm 420 computes the following statistical values : a measured average utilization ( x m ), a weighted average utilization for the hour ( x ), a weighted average normalized utilization for the hour ( wanu ), a minimum utilization for the hour ( x min ), a maximum utilization for the hour ( x max ), a coefficient of variation of cpu utilization for the hour ( c ), and a probability of exceeding the slo for the hour ( p slo ). these statistical values over the current time period of interest forms the resource usage profile discussed previously that is used to generate provisioning policies . details of the calculations performed by assessment module 400 are as follows . for the t data points in the current time period , assessment module 400 computes a weighted average for the data points that places more emphasis on more recent data . to do this , it is assumed that the importance of a particular interval is an importance factor α times more important than the previous interval so that weights w i for the t data points are assigned in the following fashion ; in addition to the weights w i , the assessment module 400 computes the measured average utilization ( x m ) for the t data points , x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t , as follows : x _ m = 1 t ∑ t = 1 t x t ( 6 ) using the measured average utilization ( x m ) and the weights w i , assessment module 400 computes the weighted average utilization for the hour ( x ) as follows : x _ = ∑ t = 1 t w t x t ( 7 ) from this , the weighted average normalized utilization for the hour ( wanu ) is calculated as follows : as a corollary , the minimum utilization for the hour ( x min ) is calculated as follows : x min = min ( x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t ) ( 9 ) as well , the maximum utilization for the hour ( x max ) is calculated as follows : x min = max ( x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t ) ( 10 ) the coefficient of variation of cpu utilization for the hour ( c ) is calculated as follows : σ = 1 n ( ∑ i = 1 t x i 2 ) 2 - x _ 2 ( 11 ) c = σ / x _ , the probability of exceeding the slo for the hour ( p slo ) is calculated as follows : after statistical analysis algorithm 420 computes the above statistical values , assessment module 400 generates output data 480 for each server that includes the node name ( e . g . server ), performance rating type , performance rating ( p ), and the above computed statistical values representing the resource usage profile of computer system ( 100 ). this output data 480 is then made available to policy generating module ( 500 ) as described below . in fig5 a , illustrative policy generating module 500 includes a capacity module 510 , a predictive module 520 , and a what - if module 530 , although other implementations may have only one such module or any combination thereof . policy generating module 500 receives input 502 and generates one or more policies 504 for provisioning computer system . as mentioned previously , the policies 504 can be characterized as a collection of rules to be looked up by provisioning tool ( 160 ) when making provisioning decisions or can be characterized as provisioning decisions or commands sent to provisioning tool ( 160 ) to act on directly . capacity module 510 receives attributes defined in slos , server information , and historical information pertaining to resource utilization ( e . g ., the resource usage profile from assessment module ) as its input 502 . using analysis described in more detail with reference to fig5 b , capacity module 510 then generates policies 514 to match resources to the application demand “ just - in - time ”. as detailed below , predictive module 520 and what - if module 530 generate policies based on a combination of information pertaining to resources , workloads , service levels , and time . for example , the time information can be any given time interval , the workload information can be an average arrival rate of x transactions or jobs , the resource information can be the number of allocated servers , and the service level information can be average response times or throughput . what - if module 530 can further produce different combinations of workloads and resources to determine what the resulting performance would be in each of the different combinations and whether the system will be saturated or not . illustrative predictive module 520 receives various types of information as its input 502 such as an operational profile characterizing server utilization , actual workloads , actual service levels , and time - related information . predictive module 520 applies historical trending and predictive analysis to the input information and generates policies 524 that can then match current / past application performance based on predicted resource requirements . therefore , predictive module 520 can use a form of curve matching analysis based on forecasted demand ( i . e . expected workload ). in other words , predictive module 520 can predict that at a given time a given number of x more servers may be needed , where this prediction is partly based on what workload the system may be required to handle at that time or based on the expected utilization at the time . in one example , information about server utilization can be provided by the operational profile from assessment module , and module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that high utilization levels will drive allocation of more servers based on analysis of server utilization information . in another example , information about actual workloads can characterize what an application is attempting to do and can indicate , for example , transaction throughput ( e . g ., how many transactions arrived each second or minute ) or job throughput ( e . g ., how many batch jobs were submitted per day ). based on an analysis of such workload information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that high workload requests will drive resource allocation before servers are utilized or before service levels deteriorate . in general , high workload requests are the same as a high workload arrival rate , which is the throughput in a steady state , non - saturated system . in yet another example , information about actual service levels can indicate what was the response time for the transactions , how long it took to process batch jobs , what was the throughput , was the system able to execute all the workload , etc . in addition , service level agreements and objectives ( slas and slos ) can define such information as response time , throughput , and utilization . based on an analysis of such service level information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that certain levels of near - poor service will drive certain resource allocation . finally , the time - related information can indicate when the information pertaining to server utilization , workload , and service level occurred . based on an analysis of this time - related information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that resources will be pre - allocated at certain times . what - if module 530 receives information as its input 502 similar to that received by predictive module 520 , and what - if module 530 applies historical trending and predictive analysis to that information . however , what - if module 530 further applies what - if scenarios in its analysis to generate policies . in this way , what - if module 530 can allow users to vary input of demand to produce what - if scenarios so the module 530 can then generate policies 534 that match resource requirements to the demand input by the user . in one example , what - if module 530 accepts as user input a list of workload scenarios and desired service levels . the input may indicate , for example , that a response time of 1 second is expected at 100 transactions per second and that a response time of 2 seconds is expected at 1000 transactions per second . after analyzing the characteristics of the application , what - if module 530 runs a series of what - if scenarios to discover the desired amount of resources . in other words , in a scenario for 100 transactions per second , the module 530 may predict what would be the response time if 2 servers , 4 servers , 8 servers , 10 servers , and 20 servers were used . after analysis , what - if module 530 then determines the smallest number of servers required to meet the desired service objective at the given workload level . in turn , this determined information is used to generate a policy 534 that can state a predicate , such as “ if transaction rate is 100 transactions per second for application having stated characteristics is encountered , then provision x servers with y processing power .” even if these conditions are not met , the generated policy 534 is still created to handle such an eventuality in a particular business scenario . if and when the eventuality does occur in the future , then the provisioning tool can implement the generated policy 534 , and there would be no need to first experience and then detect poor performance . as shown in fig5 , illustrative capacity module 510 receives input data 552 , performs operations of the provisioning algorithm 560 , and generates output data 554 to be used to provision the servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ). in the illustrated embodiment , the input data 552 includes a performance rating type , performance ratings of nm servers available for provisioning ( p 1 , p 2 , . . . , p m ), service level objectives of each of the m servers ( slo 1 , slo 2 , . . . , slo m ), and a headroom value added for the required servers ( h ). in addition , input data 552 includes weighted average normalized unitization values ( wanu ( i , j )) from assessment module ( 400 ; fig4 ) for each hour i of the time period ( e . g ., 7 × 24 ) and for each server j . this information essentially corresponds to the current historical performance data in the resource usage profile of the computer system ( 100 ). using the input data 552 , capacity module 510 begins operations of provisioning algorithm 560 by calculating server requirements for every hour of the 7 × 24 time period ( block 562 ). for example , for each hour i of the 7 × 24 time period , capacity module 510 calculates a weighted average normalized unitization total ( wanut ) using the weighted average normalized unitization values ( wanu ( i , j )) as follows : wanut ( i ) = ∑ j = 1 m wanu ( i , j ) ≡ a [ 0 ] ( 15 ) from this total , capacity module 510 determines the number of servers needed for a given hour ( m ′( i )) as follows a [ m ′ ( i ) ] ≡ wanut ( i ) - ∑ k = 1 m ′ ( i ) slo k p k - h ≤ 0 , ( 16 ) where h is the headroom added for the required servers . in the above calculation , a [ m ′( i )− 1 ]& gt ; 0 . if desirable , the headroom value h can also be particularized as h ( k ) to include system overhead for a given server k . with the above calculations , illustrative capacity module 510 calculates a list of 168 numbers , denoted as m ′( 1 ), m ′( 2 ), . . . , m ′( 168 ). this list represents server requirements for every hour of the 7 × 24 time period ( i . e ., 168 data points ). preferably , capacity module 510 determines server demands based a “ sensitivity ” variable and divides the list of server demands into a plurality of segments so that the sensitivity variable can control how frequently policies should be updated to reflect the demands on servers ( block 564 ). moreover , capacity module 510 preferably consolidates the list of server demands by combining together those adjacent segments having identical server demands ( block 566 ). in other words , capacity module 510 does not need to set a policy for every segment if two adjacent segments have the same server demand . in such a case , the later identical demand could be removed from the list , and such consolidation can continue until capacity module 510 obtains a list without identical adjacent server demands . after obtaining the consolidated list of server demands , capacity module 510 sets policies for each listed server demand ( block 568 ). to do this , capacity module 510 computes transaction weights w k to supply to load balancer ( 162 ; fig1 ) of provisioning tool ( 160 ) to control the arrival rate of transactions to the servers ( 112 ). based on the processing power p k of a given server k , the slo for that server slo k , and the total server requirements , the transaction weight w k for a given server k is calculated as follows : w k = p k slo k ∑ i = 1 m p i slo i . ( 17 ) the transaction weights we are generated as output data 554 of one or more server provisioning policies that specify the number of servers needed at hour h . based on the provisioning policies , provisioning tool &# 39 ; s load balancer ( 162 ) then distributes arriving transactions to a given server k using the calculated transaction weight w k for that given server . fig6 shows features of migrating module 600 in fig3 . as noted previously , migrating module 600 determines how to migrate operation of servers ( 112 ) between partitions of the computer system ( 100 ) by estimating the number of homogeneous servers ( 112 ) needed to support applications ( 114 ) currently running on heterogeneous servers ( 112 ) before migration . illustrative migrating module 600 receives input data 610 including a performance rating type , a total number of available servers to be consolidated or migrated ( n ), and performance ratings of the n available servers to be migrated ( p 1 , p 2 , . . . , p n ). in addition to information on available servers , the input data 610 includes information on currently consolidated servers , including a performance rating ( p ) of the consolidated servers , a number of virtual partitions ( vn ) over the consolidated servers , a utilization service level objective ( slo ) of the consolidated servers , a utilization overhead ( h ) introduced for each required server with a performance rating , and a utilization overhead ( h ) introduced for each virtual partition . moreover , input data 610 includes information from assessment module ( 400 ; fig4 ), including a maximum utilization u ( i , j ) for each hour i of the 7 × 24 time period and each available server j . using input data 610 , migrating module 600 performs a migrating algorithm 620 to determine how to migrate or consolidate available servers . first , migrating algorithm 620 calculates a maximum normalized unitization total ( mnut ) for all of the available servers n over the 7 × 24 time period ( block 622 ). the calculation is as follows : migrating module 600 then determines whether the server overhead is grater than the partition overhead by determining if h + h × vn & gt ; slo ( decision 624 ). if there is too much overhead , migrating module 600 sends out an error message , such as “ the overheads are greater than the utilization slo ” ( block 626 ). if there is not too much overhead , migrating module 600 determines the number ( n ) of required servers with performance rating p ( block 628 ) using the calculation : migrating module 600 produces output data 680 that includes the performance rating type , the performance rating ( p ), the maximum normalized utilization total ( mnut ), and the number ( n ) of required servers with performance rating p . this output 680 can then be used by the provisioning tool ( 160 ) to migrate the various servers ( 112 ) among the virtual partitions . the foregoing description of preferred and other embodiments is not intended to limit or restrict the scope or applicability of the inventive concepts conceived of by the applicants . for example , the various modules disclosed herein can comprise one or more software tools executable on one or more independent computing devices operatively coupled to the computer system . in exchange for disclosing the inventive concepts contained herein , the applicants desire all patent rights afforded by the appended claims . therefore , it is intended that the appended claims include all modifications and alterations to the full extent that they come within the scope of the following claims or the equivalents thereof . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Electricity'? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Fixed Constructions'? | 0.25 | dc0b66f4b9d4bd8eb372f7eaf7aacbe5fdc9dd12866233f93a8af7b26d4a7ad9 | 0.004333 | 0.059326 | 0.000085 | 0.006897 | 0.001701 | 0.129883 |
null | fig1 illustrates one embodiment of an automated capacity provisioning system for a computer system 100 . the provisioning system includes a recommendation tool 300 , a provisioning tool 160 , a data collection tool 170 , and a data repository 180 . in general , computer system 100 can be a network system , an enterprise system , or the like and can include various system components , such as workstations , computer servers , applications , storage devices , network connections , and other conventional components . for the sake of illustration , computer system 100 is schematically illustrated in fig1 as having a controller 110 relative to a plurality of servers 112 and applications 114 . controller 110 can comprise one or more servers or other computing devices and can execute one or more of recommendation tool 300 , provisioning tool 160 , and data collection tool 170 . as discussed below , recommendation tool 300 automatically provides provisioning policies 304 to automatically manage and provision the computer system 100 . in general , recommendation tool 300 can be a standalone software tool implemented and deployed as a web service capable of operating in conjunction with other tools . in addition , recommendation tool 300 can function automatically , implying that it does not rely on user intervention via a user interface . preferably , an application programming interface ( api ) allows recommendation tool 300 to use scripts and command line instructions to automate the run - time operation of the tool . provisioning tool 160 receives the provisioning policies 304 from recommendation tool 300 and automatically provisions the computer system 100 accordingly . provisioning tool 160 is capable of physically and / or logically provisioning system components into nodes of a physical or virtual system . for a virtual system , provisioning tool 160 can add a virtual layer to the computer system 100 using virtualization features . as will be appreciated , provisioning the computer system 100 as a virtual system requires that the system hardware ( e . g ., servers , applications , etc .) have sufficient processing power to support a specified number of virtual partitions ( not shown ). in addition , each virtual partition requires its own or shared operating system and applications that run on the operating system . the data collection tool 170 collects performance data about system components from data collectors 172 distributed throughout computer system 100 . for example , the data collectors 172 can be monitoring agents to collect performance data about processing nodes ( e . g ., servers 112 ) and provide the collected performance data to the data collection tool 170 . in turn , a data repository 180 stores the collected data for use by recommendation tool 300 . data repository 180 can be any database , data source , or file system known in the art for storing the collected data . ultimately , recommendation tool 300 in conjunction with the provisioning tool 160 and data collection tool 170 manages the computer system &# 39 ; s capacity using an automated capacity provisioning process , such as discussed below with reference to fig2 a . as shown in automated process 200 of fig2 a , data collectors 172 collect performance data of computer system 100 , and data collection tool ( 170 ) stores the performance data in data repository 180 ( block 205 ). the performance data can include various metrics known and used in the art . as an example , bmc ® performance manager or bmc ® performance assurance suite for servers can be used to collect performance data and store it in a database or a file system . other data collection tools can also be used , as long as the data is stored or can be retrieved in a predefined common format , such as csv , ascii , xml , or through a predefined api ( application programming interface ). with the performance data collected , recommendation tool 300 analyzes the collected data and generates a system operational profile 302 ( block 210 ). in one embodiment , operational profile 302 can characterize resource usage of computer system 100 or partitions thereof over one or more time periods . in alternative embodiments , operational profile 302 can characterize service levels in computer system 100 . such service levels can represent response times of servers when subjected to given workloads or can represent the ability of servers to process given workloads or throughputs . in creating operational profile 302 , recommendation tool 300 may focus on the collected data from system components , such as server processors and cpus , and on fixed attachments , such as cache , memory , and onboard disks , as well as service level information above . during the normal course of operation , recommendation tool 300 also receives a set of service level objectives ( slos ) 102 ( block 215 ). the slos 102 can come from any conventional source in computer system ( 100 ), such as from controller 110 . in addition , the slos 102 can be received or obtained from a workload manager , computing device , or other source having management and compliance information for one or more service level objectives ( slo ) or service level agreements ( sla ). as is known in the art , an sla defines static and dynamic attributes that the system &# 39 ; s services must satisfy between a consumer and a provider . the slas dynamic attributes relate to variables that may change in real - time and may depend on how the services are actually performing . some examples of attributes include response times for transactions , expected time to finish tasks , sla violation rates of a service , reliability of a service , availability of a service , etc . as is also known in the art , an slo defines specific attributes of a given service associated with an sla . based on the operational profile 302 and the received slos 102 , recommendation tool 300 generates a set of provisioning policies 304 for use in provisioning the computer system &# 39 ; s resources ( block 220 ). depending on the implementation , these provisioning policies 304 can be used to directly provision the computer system 100 or can be used at times when certain total workloads are expected , when such workloads are encountered in practice , or when certain performance characteristics are encountered . preferably , the generated provisioning policies 304 factor in performance of the system components over a period of time that is long enough to account for variances in business cycles . in general , the generated provisioning policies 304 define plans of action for guiding provisioning decisions to produce desired outcomes . the plans of action can be characterized as one or more statements , a set or collection of rules , and / or a set of “ if . . . then , . . . else . . . ” predicates . for example , a given sla may state that business application response time must be less than 1 second 95 % of the time . to achieve this , analysis of the historical performance data is used to identify resource usage patterns for ( near future ) resource provisioning and allocation . furthermore , the analysis can be used to generate provisioning policies 304 as a developed set of rules or the like to implement desired outcomes based on predictive analysis and what - if scenarios . the policies 304 can then be used to provision the computer system &# 39 ; s resources in terms of what , how , and when available servers 112 and / or other resources are needed to support applications 114 associated with the various slos 102 . to generate policies , recommendation tool 300 can use time - dependent information , utilization levels , response times , transaction arrival rates , and other resource usage information . additionally , recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis , predictive analysis , what - if scenarios , and user input to the resource usage information to generate the policies . for example , recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis of predicted resource requirements to generate policies that match current / past application performance . moreover , to generate policies , recommendation tool 300 can perform predictive analysis on application performance requirements and can use “ what - if ” scenarios and user input . as it operates , recommendation tool 300 can continually and automatically generate the policies ( and modify existing policies ) based on the historical and current information that has been collected and analyzed . in turn , the generated policies can provide different levels of reactivity and proactivity for provisioning computer system 100 . for example , one type of policy can correlate time - dependent information ( such as historical resource utilization ) and needed servers and can state , for example , “ every monday at 7 : 55 am allocate x servers .” another type of policy can correlate utilization and needed servers and can state , for example , “ if the average utilization of the servers is more than x % then allocate y additional servers with performance rating z .” yet another type of policy can correlate response time and needed servers and can state , for example , “ if and when average response time for transactions is measured over x minutes to be more than y seconds and existing server utilization is more than z %, then immediately allocate n additional servers then and there .” another type of policy can correlate arrival rate and needed servers and can state , for example , “ as soon as transaction arrival rate exceeds x transactions per minute for more than y minutes , allocate z additional servers . once generated , provisioning policies 304 can be used for look up by provisioning tool 160 when determining provisioning actions to perform to computer system 100 . alternatively , recommendation tool 300 can send the policy rules as provisioning decisions to provisioning tool 160 to be acted on directly . in the end , provisioning policies 304 may result in an indication of candidate servers 112 and other resources that can be repurposed or that can be physically or virtually consolidated to handle various applications and tasks . besides focusing on servers 112 , recommendation tool 300 may also take into consideration other features of a computer system 100 , such as network connections and detached storage devices to ensure overall system performance . using the generated provisioning policies 304 , provisioning tool 160 dynamically provisions a proper number of servers 112 of a certain computing power ( or other resources ) when needed so that the provisioned result ensures that the requirements of the received slos 102 are met ( block 225 ). as an example , the run book automation software from realops or a product similar to the previously available bmc ® virtualizer for capacity on demand product can be used for dynamic provisioning based on the generated provisioning policies . alternatively , provisioning mechanisms in vmware ® can be used . as shown in fig2 a , the automated process 200 of blocks 205 through 225 can be implemented as an ongoing process so that collecting and analyzing performance data ( including resource utilization , workload , and service levels ), generating policies 304 , and executing those policies 304 can be repeated as needed . the process 200 can also monitor and modify its performance as it continues . in this way , the process 200 can update policies 304 and validate slos 102 on a continuous basis . if the probability of meeting a given slo 102 is below a certain level , for example , a policy 304 generated at block 220 may need to be updated using more recently collected performance data from data repository 180 . alternatively , the attributes defined by an slo 102 may need to be modified . in the end , the frequency with which provisioning policies 304 are updated may depend on the rate of change in resource demands and may also depend on updates to slos 102 by users and business applications . by using performance data for long - term capacity provisioning , the process 200 may be less manually intensive and , as a result , require less specific performance modeling and capacity planning efforts than prior art provisioning techniques . moreover , because the process 200 is automated in real - time , provisioning policies 304 can be quickly updated based on feedback of how applications 114 perform against the attributes of the slos 102 . further details related to the automated system and process are shown in fig2 b . as schematically shown by a graph , performance data 250 collected and stored in data repository ( 180 ) can include historical as well as real - time cpu utilization data for each of the various servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ) and may have been collected for weeks or months from computer system ( 100 ). as discussed previously , recommendation tool ( 300 ) analyzes this performance data 250 and generates an operational profile . in embodiments discussed previously , the operational profile can characterize service levels in computer system ( 100 ) in a certain configuration and having a certain capacity , such as response times of servers when subjected to given workloads or the ability of servers to process given workloads or throughputs . in the present embodiment , operational profile characterizes resource usage of computer system ( 100 ) over time so that it can be termed a resource usage profile , such as schematically shown by graph 260 . this resource usage profile 260 captures workload - oriented information related to resource usage and history of computer system ( 100 ) that can be used in its capacity management . in this example , resource usage profile 260 encompasses a one - week interval ( 7 days × 24 hours ) with data points for each hour so that the profile 260 has 168 data points . alternatively , resource usage profile 260 can encompass one or more one - week intervals , two - week intervals , monthly intervals , particular business seasons , or any other desirable time periods . based on the operational profile 260 , recommendation tool ( 300 ) automatically generates several current and scheduled provisioning policies ( 304 ). details of how recommendation tool ( 300 ) automatically generates various provisioning policies ( 304 ) are discussed later . in general , the generated policies ( 304 ) can include a collection of rules for provisioning computer system ( 100 ), and recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis , predictive analysis , what - if scenarios , and user input to generate the policy rules from the information in the operational profile 260 . moreover , the generated policies ( 304 ) can be based on time - dependent information , utilization levels , response times , transaction arrival rates , and other information . once generated , provisioning tool ( 160 ) can automatically use the provisioning policies ( 304 ) to provision the system components ( e . g ., servers 112 ) of computer system ( 100 ). in addition to straight automation , the automated provisioning system can include a user interface having a summary screen 270 to display generated provisioning policies 272 for user intervention and control . in the present example , each policy 272 can have a name , a start ( date , time , etc . ), and a recurrence interval ( e . g ., every number of days or months with or without a particular end date ). using summary screen 270 , users can manually change , add , and delete the automatically generated provisioning policies 272 as desired . in addition , an additional screen 275 can allow a user to set up dynamic rules for adjusting the load balancing associated with a given provisioning policy 272 . as shown in this additional screen 275 , a user can indicate a priority for a service ( e . g ., loadgenerator ) and can assign a range of servers to that service . then , the user can assign dynamic rules to the service . as one example , an assigned dynamic rule may stop one server of the service if the cpu utilization falls below 30 % for 15 - min . or add one server to the service if the cpu utilization exceeds 60 % for 20 - min . other types of rules discussed herein could also be assigned . after generating provisioning policies 272 , a controller or computing device 280 executing provisioning tool ( 160 ) implements provisioning policies 272 among partitioned servers 284 in the computer system &# 39 ; s virtual environment 282 so that servers 284 can efficiently handle various slos . controller 280 , in turn , monitors results from implementing provisioning policies 272 by collecting additional performance data that is subsequently used to create a current resource usage profile 250 . in this way , the entire process can be repeated to account for new loads , changes in resources , workloads , new service level objectives , etc . fig3 illustrates additional features of recommendation tool 300 , which will be discussed with reference to notations in table 1 below . as indicated , table 1 includes notations for arrival rate and mean ( average ) response time at the server level ( e . g ., server i ) and for the entire system . in a steady state environment for a non - saturated system , throughput essentially equals arrival . based on the context , either the term “ response time ” or “ service time ” may be used . as used herein , response time can be defined for one or more of transactions , workloads , job , tasks , applications , threads , etc ., and service time can also be defined for one or more of transactions , workloads , job , tasks , applications , threads , etc . as shown in further detail in fig3 , recommendation tool 300 includes an assessment module 400 , a policy generating module 500 , and a migrating module 600 . briefly , assessment module 400 analyzes performance data collected by data collection tool ( 170 ) and generates a system resource usage profile 402 , such as discussed previously . in turn , policy generating module 500 uses resource usage profile 402 and received slo information to generate provisioning policies 304 discussed previously that provisioning tool ( 160 ) can then directly execute or look up to provision servers ( 112 ) of computer system ( 100 ). independently , migrating module 600 also receives a copy of provisioning policies 304 and estimates a number of homogenous servers ( 112 ) needed to support the applications ( 114 ) currently running on heterogeneous servers ( 112 ) before migration . each of these modules 400 , 500 , and 600 are discussed individually in more detail with reference to fig4 through 6 . currently , however , discussion focuses on the overall operational details of recommendation tool 300 . during operation , recommendation tool 300 obtains input data 310 that includes the number n of available servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ). for each available server i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n , the input data 310 also includes the server &# 39 ; s performance rating p i and the performance rating type , the server &# 39 ; s slo value ( slo i ) and the slo type ( e . g ., utilization or mean response time ), and the server &# 39 ; s current measured utilization u i . the performance rating p i can be characterized by any commonly used performance rating system . based upon the input data 310 , recommendation tool 300 produces output data 380 that determines ( a ) the number n of servers ( 112 ) required to meet the slos ( 102 ), ( b ) the recommended arrival rate of transactions or service requests to each of the servers ( 112 ) used for load balancing , and ( c ) whether the overall service goal can be achieved ( and provide a best possible solution if the service goal cannot be achieved ). in general , output data 380 represents analytical information that provisioning tool ( 160 ) can use to perform “ bounded scale - out ” provisioning in the virtual environment of computer system ( 100 ). the solution is bounded or limited in the sense that the virtual environment actually has a maximum number of physical servers ( n ) of given processing power more particularly , output data 380 indicates how many servers ( 112 ) need to be active to drive a load balancer ( 162 ) of provisioning tool ( 160 ) to achieve the slos for applications ( 114 ) running in the virtual system . as shown , in one embodiment , output data 380 includes a number n of required servers ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ) from available servers ( 112 ) and an indication whether the requisite processing goal can be achieved ( e . g . where “ 0 ” means not achievable and “ 1 ” means achievable ). for each required server ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ), the output data 380 also includes a recommended arrival rate λ i and a potential service level ( psl i ) at the given server . the arrival rate , λ i , defines the recommended rate of arrival of transactions or service requests to a given server . by definition , the arrival rate , λ i , is greater than 0 and less or equal to 1 and is characterized by calculations performed by recommendation tool 300 can be based on various statistical assumptions . using assumptions associated with an m / m / 1 type queuing system , recommendation tool 300 can use the following set of computations to generate the illustrative output data 380 . for a given server processing power , p i ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ), the optimal arrival rate of transactions made to a given server i can be defined by : if the load is heavy , i . e ., the total arrival rate to be distributed among servers λ → p /( s i p i ), then the arrival rate to each server ( 112 ) should approach the service rate of the server ; under this transaction distribution , each server 112 &# 39 ; s utilization can be characterized as : if the slo type is a utilization value , then recommendation tool 300 tries to find a solution such that the utilization of a given server is less than or equal to the value of its slo ( i . e ., u i ≦ slo i ) for all active n servers . if the slo type is a mean response time , recommendation tool 300 tries to find a solution such that the mean response time at a given server is less than or equal to the value of its slo ( i . e ., r i ≦ slo i ) for all active n servers . consequently , the mean response time r at server i can be computed as : in this case , the average response time r to the virtual system is characterized as : if not all the slos can be achieved , then recommendation tool 300 will provide the best possible load balancing to distribute transactions based on the various recommended arrival rates λ i of the available servers ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ). fig4 shows features of recommendation tool &# 39 ; s assessment module 400 . as noted previously , assessment module 400 analyzes performance data and generates an operational profile , such as a resource usage profile discussed previously . to do this , assessment module 400 receives input 410 , performs calculations on the input 410 with a statistical analysis algorithm 420 , and provides output 480 to be used for later processing by policy generating module 500 . in its operation , assessment module 400 analyzes one node of computer system ( 100 ) ( e . g ., one server 112 ) at a time and can handle information for multiple nodes at a time through multiple calls . alternatively , assessment module 400 can be designed to handle simultaneous analysis for multiple nodes of computer system ( 100 ). for a given node ( i . e ., server ) and in one embodiment , the input 410 includes node name , performance rating type , performance rating ( i . e ., processing power ) ( p ), utilization service level objective ( slo ), number of desired time intervals to be assessed ( t ′), and cpu utilization data for t ′ intervals x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t . for each interval of the time period ( e . g ., each hour of the 7 × 24 period ), statistical analysis algorithm 420 computes the following statistical values : a measured average utilization ( x m ), a weighted average utilization for the hour ( x ), a weighted average normalized utilization for the hour ( wanu ), a minimum utilization for the hour ( x min ), a maximum utilization for the hour ( x max ), a coefficient of variation of cpu utilization for the hour ( c ), and a probability of exceeding the slo for the hour ( p slo ). these statistical values over the current time period of interest forms the resource usage profile discussed previously that is used to generate provisioning policies . details of the calculations performed by assessment module 400 are as follows . for the t data points in the current time period , assessment module 400 computes a weighted average for the data points that places more emphasis on more recent data . to do this , it is assumed that the importance of a particular interval is an importance factor α times more important than the previous interval so that weights w i for the t data points are assigned in the following fashion ; in addition to the weights w i , the assessment module 400 computes the measured average utilization ( x m ) for the t data points , x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t , as follows : x _ m = 1 t ∑ t = 1 t x t ( 6 ) using the measured average utilization ( x m ) and the weights w i , assessment module 400 computes the weighted average utilization for the hour ( x ) as follows : x _ = ∑ t = 1 t w t x t ( 7 ) from this , the weighted average normalized utilization for the hour ( wanu ) is calculated as follows : as a corollary , the minimum utilization for the hour ( x min ) is calculated as follows : x min = min ( x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t ) ( 9 ) as well , the maximum utilization for the hour ( x max ) is calculated as follows : x min = max ( x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t ) ( 10 ) the coefficient of variation of cpu utilization for the hour ( c ) is calculated as follows : σ = 1 n ( ∑ i = 1 t x i 2 ) 2 - x _ 2 ( 11 ) c = σ / x _ , the probability of exceeding the slo for the hour ( p slo ) is calculated as follows : after statistical analysis algorithm 420 computes the above statistical values , assessment module 400 generates output data 480 for each server that includes the node name ( e . g . server ), performance rating type , performance rating ( p ), and the above computed statistical values representing the resource usage profile of computer system ( 100 ). this output data 480 is then made available to policy generating module ( 500 ) as described below . in fig5 a , illustrative policy generating module 500 includes a capacity module 510 , a predictive module 520 , and a what - if module 530 , although other implementations may have only one such module or any combination thereof . policy generating module 500 receives input 502 and generates one or more policies 504 for provisioning computer system . as mentioned previously , the policies 504 can be characterized as a collection of rules to be looked up by provisioning tool ( 160 ) when making provisioning decisions or can be characterized as provisioning decisions or commands sent to provisioning tool ( 160 ) to act on directly . capacity module 510 receives attributes defined in slos , server information , and historical information pertaining to resource utilization ( e . g ., the resource usage profile from assessment module ) as its input 502 . using analysis described in more detail with reference to fig5 b , capacity module 510 then generates policies 514 to match resources to the application demand “ just - in - time ”. as detailed below , predictive module 520 and what - if module 530 generate policies based on a combination of information pertaining to resources , workloads , service levels , and time . for example , the time information can be any given time interval , the workload information can be an average arrival rate of x transactions or jobs , the resource information can be the number of allocated servers , and the service level information can be average response times or throughput . what - if module 530 can further produce different combinations of workloads and resources to determine what the resulting performance would be in each of the different combinations and whether the system will be saturated or not . illustrative predictive module 520 receives various types of information as its input 502 such as an operational profile characterizing server utilization , actual workloads , actual service levels , and time - related information . predictive module 520 applies historical trending and predictive analysis to the input information and generates policies 524 that can then match current / past application performance based on predicted resource requirements . therefore , predictive module 520 can use a form of curve matching analysis based on forecasted demand ( i . e . expected workload ). in other words , predictive module 520 can predict that at a given time a given number of x more servers may be needed , where this prediction is partly based on what workload the system may be required to handle at that time or based on the expected utilization at the time . in one example , information about server utilization can be provided by the operational profile from assessment module , and module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that high utilization levels will drive allocation of more servers based on analysis of server utilization information . in another example , information about actual workloads can characterize what an application is attempting to do and can indicate , for example , transaction throughput ( e . g ., how many transactions arrived each second or minute ) or job throughput ( e . g ., how many batch jobs were submitted per day ). based on an analysis of such workload information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that high workload requests will drive resource allocation before servers are utilized or before service levels deteriorate . in general , high workload requests are the same as a high workload arrival rate , which is the throughput in a steady state , non - saturated system . in yet another example , information about actual service levels can indicate what was the response time for the transactions , how long it took to process batch jobs , what was the throughput , was the system able to execute all the workload , etc . in addition , service level agreements and objectives ( slas and slos ) can define such information as response time , throughput , and utilization . based on an analysis of such service level information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that certain levels of near - poor service will drive certain resource allocation . finally , the time - related information can indicate when the information pertaining to server utilization , workload , and service level occurred . based on an analysis of this time - related information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that resources will be pre - allocated at certain times . what - if module 530 receives information as its input 502 similar to that received by predictive module 520 , and what - if module 530 applies historical trending and predictive analysis to that information . however , what - if module 530 further applies what - if scenarios in its analysis to generate policies . in this way , what - if module 530 can allow users to vary input of demand to produce what - if scenarios so the module 530 can then generate policies 534 that match resource requirements to the demand input by the user . in one example , what - if module 530 accepts as user input a list of workload scenarios and desired service levels . the input may indicate , for example , that a response time of 1 second is expected at 100 transactions per second and that a response time of 2 seconds is expected at 1000 transactions per second . after analyzing the characteristics of the application , what - if module 530 runs a series of what - if scenarios to discover the desired amount of resources . in other words , in a scenario for 100 transactions per second , the module 530 may predict what would be the response time if 2 servers , 4 servers , 8 servers , 10 servers , and 20 servers were used . after analysis , what - if module 530 then determines the smallest number of servers required to meet the desired service objective at the given workload level . in turn , this determined information is used to generate a policy 534 that can state a predicate , such as “ if transaction rate is 100 transactions per second for application having stated characteristics is encountered , then provision x servers with y processing power .” even if these conditions are not met , the generated policy 534 is still created to handle such an eventuality in a particular business scenario . if and when the eventuality does occur in the future , then the provisioning tool can implement the generated policy 534 , and there would be no need to first experience and then detect poor performance . as shown in fig5 , illustrative capacity module 510 receives input data 552 , performs operations of the provisioning algorithm 560 , and generates output data 554 to be used to provision the servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ). in the illustrated embodiment , the input data 552 includes a performance rating type , performance ratings of nm servers available for provisioning ( p 1 , p 2 , . . . , p m ), service level objectives of each of the m servers ( slo 1 , slo 2 , . . . , slo m ), and a headroom value added for the required servers ( h ). in addition , input data 552 includes weighted average normalized unitization values ( wanu ( i , j )) from assessment module ( 400 ; fig4 ) for each hour i of the time period ( e . g ., 7 × 24 ) and for each server j . this information essentially corresponds to the current historical performance data in the resource usage profile of the computer system ( 100 ). using the input data 552 , capacity module 510 begins operations of provisioning algorithm 560 by calculating server requirements for every hour of the 7 × 24 time period ( block 562 ). for example , for each hour i of the 7 × 24 time period , capacity module 510 calculates a weighted average normalized unitization total ( wanut ) using the weighted average normalized unitization values ( wanu ( i , j )) as follows : wanut ( i ) = ∑ j = 1 m wanu ( i , j ) ≡ a [ 0 ] ( 15 ) from this total , capacity module 510 determines the number of servers needed for a given hour ( m ′( i )) as follows a [ m ′ ( i ) ] ≡ wanut ( i ) - ∑ k = 1 m ′ ( i ) slo k p k - h ≤ 0 , ( 16 ) where h is the headroom added for the required servers . in the above calculation , a [ m ′( i )− 1 ]& gt ; 0 . if desirable , the headroom value h can also be particularized as h ( k ) to include system overhead for a given server k . with the above calculations , illustrative capacity module 510 calculates a list of 168 numbers , denoted as m ′( 1 ), m ′( 2 ), . . . , m ′( 168 ). this list represents server requirements for every hour of the 7 × 24 time period ( i . e ., 168 data points ). preferably , capacity module 510 determines server demands based a “ sensitivity ” variable and divides the list of server demands into a plurality of segments so that the sensitivity variable can control how frequently policies should be updated to reflect the demands on servers ( block 564 ). moreover , capacity module 510 preferably consolidates the list of server demands by combining together those adjacent segments having identical server demands ( block 566 ). in other words , capacity module 510 does not need to set a policy for every segment if two adjacent segments have the same server demand . in such a case , the later identical demand could be removed from the list , and such consolidation can continue until capacity module 510 obtains a list without identical adjacent server demands . after obtaining the consolidated list of server demands , capacity module 510 sets policies for each listed server demand ( block 568 ). to do this , capacity module 510 computes transaction weights w k to supply to load balancer ( 162 ; fig1 ) of provisioning tool ( 160 ) to control the arrival rate of transactions to the servers ( 112 ). based on the processing power p k of a given server k , the slo for that server slo k , and the total server requirements , the transaction weight w k for a given server k is calculated as follows : w k = p k slo k ∑ i = 1 m p i slo i . ( 17 ) the transaction weights we are generated as output data 554 of one or more server provisioning policies that specify the number of servers needed at hour h . based on the provisioning policies , provisioning tool &# 39 ; s load balancer ( 162 ) then distributes arriving transactions to a given server k using the calculated transaction weight w k for that given server . fig6 shows features of migrating module 600 in fig3 . as noted previously , migrating module 600 determines how to migrate operation of servers ( 112 ) between partitions of the computer system ( 100 ) by estimating the number of homogeneous servers ( 112 ) needed to support applications ( 114 ) currently running on heterogeneous servers ( 112 ) before migration . illustrative migrating module 600 receives input data 610 including a performance rating type , a total number of available servers to be consolidated or migrated ( n ), and performance ratings of the n available servers to be migrated ( p 1 , p 2 , . . . , p n ). in addition to information on available servers , the input data 610 includes information on currently consolidated servers , including a performance rating ( p ) of the consolidated servers , a number of virtual partitions ( vn ) over the consolidated servers , a utilization service level objective ( slo ) of the consolidated servers , a utilization overhead ( h ) introduced for each required server with a performance rating , and a utilization overhead ( h ) introduced for each virtual partition . moreover , input data 610 includes information from assessment module ( 400 ; fig4 ), including a maximum utilization u ( i , j ) for each hour i of the 7 × 24 time period and each available server j . using input data 610 , migrating module 600 performs a migrating algorithm 620 to determine how to migrate or consolidate available servers . first , migrating algorithm 620 calculates a maximum normalized unitization total ( mnut ) for all of the available servers n over the 7 × 24 time period ( block 622 ). the calculation is as follows : migrating module 600 then determines whether the server overhead is grater than the partition overhead by determining if h + h × vn & gt ; slo ( decision 624 ). if there is too much overhead , migrating module 600 sends out an error message , such as “ the overheads are greater than the utilization slo ” ( block 626 ). if there is not too much overhead , migrating module 600 determines the number ( n ) of required servers with performance rating p ( block 628 ) using the calculation : migrating module 600 produces output data 680 that includes the performance rating type , the performance rating ( p ), the maximum normalized utilization total ( mnut ), and the number ( n ) of required servers with performance rating p . this output 680 can then be used by the provisioning tool ( 160 ) to migrate the various servers ( 112 ) among the virtual partitions . the foregoing description of preferred and other embodiments is not intended to limit or restrict the scope or applicability of the inventive concepts conceived of by the applicants . for example , the various modules disclosed herein can comprise one or more software tools executable on one or more independent computing devices operatively coupled to the computer system . in exchange for disclosing the inventive concepts contained herein , the applicants desire all patent rights afforded by the appended claims . therefore , it is intended that the appended claims include all modifications and alterations to the full extent that they come within the scope of the following claims or the equivalents thereof . | Is 'Electricity' the correct technical category for the patent? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting'? | 0.25 | dc0b66f4b9d4bd8eb372f7eaf7aacbe5fdc9dd12866233f93a8af7b26d4a7ad9 | 0.001984 | 0.001099 | 0.000261 | 0.000203 | 0.001244 | 0.004608 |
null | fig1 illustrates one embodiment of an automated capacity provisioning system for a computer system 100 . the provisioning system includes a recommendation tool 300 , a provisioning tool 160 , a data collection tool 170 , and a data repository 180 . in general , computer system 100 can be a network system , an enterprise system , or the like and can include various system components , such as workstations , computer servers , applications , storage devices , network connections , and other conventional components . for the sake of illustration , computer system 100 is schematically illustrated in fig1 as having a controller 110 relative to a plurality of servers 112 and applications 114 . controller 110 can comprise one or more servers or other computing devices and can execute one or more of recommendation tool 300 , provisioning tool 160 , and data collection tool 170 . as discussed below , recommendation tool 300 automatically provides provisioning policies 304 to automatically manage and provision the computer system 100 . in general , recommendation tool 300 can be a standalone software tool implemented and deployed as a web service capable of operating in conjunction with other tools . in addition , recommendation tool 300 can function automatically , implying that it does not rely on user intervention via a user interface . preferably , an application programming interface ( api ) allows recommendation tool 300 to use scripts and command line instructions to automate the run - time operation of the tool . provisioning tool 160 receives the provisioning policies 304 from recommendation tool 300 and automatically provisions the computer system 100 accordingly . provisioning tool 160 is capable of physically and / or logically provisioning system components into nodes of a physical or virtual system . for a virtual system , provisioning tool 160 can add a virtual layer to the computer system 100 using virtualization features . as will be appreciated , provisioning the computer system 100 as a virtual system requires that the system hardware ( e . g ., servers , applications , etc .) have sufficient processing power to support a specified number of virtual partitions ( not shown ). in addition , each virtual partition requires its own or shared operating system and applications that run on the operating system . the data collection tool 170 collects performance data about system components from data collectors 172 distributed throughout computer system 100 . for example , the data collectors 172 can be monitoring agents to collect performance data about processing nodes ( e . g ., servers 112 ) and provide the collected performance data to the data collection tool 170 . in turn , a data repository 180 stores the collected data for use by recommendation tool 300 . data repository 180 can be any database , data source , or file system known in the art for storing the collected data . ultimately , recommendation tool 300 in conjunction with the provisioning tool 160 and data collection tool 170 manages the computer system &# 39 ; s capacity using an automated capacity provisioning process , such as discussed below with reference to fig2 a . as shown in automated process 200 of fig2 a , data collectors 172 collect performance data of computer system 100 , and data collection tool ( 170 ) stores the performance data in data repository 180 ( block 205 ). the performance data can include various metrics known and used in the art . as an example , bmc ® performance manager or bmc ® performance assurance suite for servers can be used to collect performance data and store it in a database or a file system . other data collection tools can also be used , as long as the data is stored or can be retrieved in a predefined common format , such as csv , ascii , xml , or through a predefined api ( application programming interface ). with the performance data collected , recommendation tool 300 analyzes the collected data and generates a system operational profile 302 ( block 210 ). in one embodiment , operational profile 302 can characterize resource usage of computer system 100 or partitions thereof over one or more time periods . in alternative embodiments , operational profile 302 can characterize service levels in computer system 100 . such service levels can represent response times of servers when subjected to given workloads or can represent the ability of servers to process given workloads or throughputs . in creating operational profile 302 , recommendation tool 300 may focus on the collected data from system components , such as server processors and cpus , and on fixed attachments , such as cache , memory , and onboard disks , as well as service level information above . during the normal course of operation , recommendation tool 300 also receives a set of service level objectives ( slos ) 102 ( block 215 ). the slos 102 can come from any conventional source in computer system ( 100 ), such as from controller 110 . in addition , the slos 102 can be received or obtained from a workload manager , computing device , or other source having management and compliance information for one or more service level objectives ( slo ) or service level agreements ( sla ). as is known in the art , an sla defines static and dynamic attributes that the system &# 39 ; s services must satisfy between a consumer and a provider . the slas dynamic attributes relate to variables that may change in real - time and may depend on how the services are actually performing . some examples of attributes include response times for transactions , expected time to finish tasks , sla violation rates of a service , reliability of a service , availability of a service , etc . as is also known in the art , an slo defines specific attributes of a given service associated with an sla . based on the operational profile 302 and the received slos 102 , recommendation tool 300 generates a set of provisioning policies 304 for use in provisioning the computer system &# 39 ; s resources ( block 220 ). depending on the implementation , these provisioning policies 304 can be used to directly provision the computer system 100 or can be used at times when certain total workloads are expected , when such workloads are encountered in practice , or when certain performance characteristics are encountered . preferably , the generated provisioning policies 304 factor in performance of the system components over a period of time that is long enough to account for variances in business cycles . in general , the generated provisioning policies 304 define plans of action for guiding provisioning decisions to produce desired outcomes . the plans of action can be characterized as one or more statements , a set or collection of rules , and / or a set of “ if . . . then , . . . else . . . ” predicates . for example , a given sla may state that business application response time must be less than 1 second 95 % of the time . to achieve this , analysis of the historical performance data is used to identify resource usage patterns for ( near future ) resource provisioning and allocation . furthermore , the analysis can be used to generate provisioning policies 304 as a developed set of rules or the like to implement desired outcomes based on predictive analysis and what - if scenarios . the policies 304 can then be used to provision the computer system &# 39 ; s resources in terms of what , how , and when available servers 112 and / or other resources are needed to support applications 114 associated with the various slos 102 . to generate policies , recommendation tool 300 can use time - dependent information , utilization levels , response times , transaction arrival rates , and other resource usage information . additionally , recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis , predictive analysis , what - if scenarios , and user input to the resource usage information to generate the policies . for example , recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis of predicted resource requirements to generate policies that match current / past application performance . moreover , to generate policies , recommendation tool 300 can perform predictive analysis on application performance requirements and can use “ what - if ” scenarios and user input . as it operates , recommendation tool 300 can continually and automatically generate the policies ( and modify existing policies ) based on the historical and current information that has been collected and analyzed . in turn , the generated policies can provide different levels of reactivity and proactivity for provisioning computer system 100 . for example , one type of policy can correlate time - dependent information ( such as historical resource utilization ) and needed servers and can state , for example , “ every monday at 7 : 55 am allocate x servers .” another type of policy can correlate utilization and needed servers and can state , for example , “ if the average utilization of the servers is more than x % then allocate y additional servers with performance rating z .” yet another type of policy can correlate response time and needed servers and can state , for example , “ if and when average response time for transactions is measured over x minutes to be more than y seconds and existing server utilization is more than z %, then immediately allocate n additional servers then and there .” another type of policy can correlate arrival rate and needed servers and can state , for example , “ as soon as transaction arrival rate exceeds x transactions per minute for more than y minutes , allocate z additional servers . once generated , provisioning policies 304 can be used for look up by provisioning tool 160 when determining provisioning actions to perform to computer system 100 . alternatively , recommendation tool 300 can send the policy rules as provisioning decisions to provisioning tool 160 to be acted on directly . in the end , provisioning policies 304 may result in an indication of candidate servers 112 and other resources that can be repurposed or that can be physically or virtually consolidated to handle various applications and tasks . besides focusing on servers 112 , recommendation tool 300 may also take into consideration other features of a computer system 100 , such as network connections and detached storage devices to ensure overall system performance . using the generated provisioning policies 304 , provisioning tool 160 dynamically provisions a proper number of servers 112 of a certain computing power ( or other resources ) when needed so that the provisioned result ensures that the requirements of the received slos 102 are met ( block 225 ). as an example , the run book automation software from realops or a product similar to the previously available bmc ® virtualizer for capacity on demand product can be used for dynamic provisioning based on the generated provisioning policies . alternatively , provisioning mechanisms in vmware ® can be used . as shown in fig2 a , the automated process 200 of blocks 205 through 225 can be implemented as an ongoing process so that collecting and analyzing performance data ( including resource utilization , workload , and service levels ), generating policies 304 , and executing those policies 304 can be repeated as needed . the process 200 can also monitor and modify its performance as it continues . in this way , the process 200 can update policies 304 and validate slos 102 on a continuous basis . if the probability of meeting a given slo 102 is below a certain level , for example , a policy 304 generated at block 220 may need to be updated using more recently collected performance data from data repository 180 . alternatively , the attributes defined by an slo 102 may need to be modified . in the end , the frequency with which provisioning policies 304 are updated may depend on the rate of change in resource demands and may also depend on updates to slos 102 by users and business applications . by using performance data for long - term capacity provisioning , the process 200 may be less manually intensive and , as a result , require less specific performance modeling and capacity planning efforts than prior art provisioning techniques . moreover , because the process 200 is automated in real - time , provisioning policies 304 can be quickly updated based on feedback of how applications 114 perform against the attributes of the slos 102 . further details related to the automated system and process are shown in fig2 b . as schematically shown by a graph , performance data 250 collected and stored in data repository ( 180 ) can include historical as well as real - time cpu utilization data for each of the various servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ) and may have been collected for weeks or months from computer system ( 100 ). as discussed previously , recommendation tool ( 300 ) analyzes this performance data 250 and generates an operational profile . in embodiments discussed previously , the operational profile can characterize service levels in computer system ( 100 ) in a certain configuration and having a certain capacity , such as response times of servers when subjected to given workloads or the ability of servers to process given workloads or throughputs . in the present embodiment , operational profile characterizes resource usage of computer system ( 100 ) over time so that it can be termed a resource usage profile , such as schematically shown by graph 260 . this resource usage profile 260 captures workload - oriented information related to resource usage and history of computer system ( 100 ) that can be used in its capacity management . in this example , resource usage profile 260 encompasses a one - week interval ( 7 days × 24 hours ) with data points for each hour so that the profile 260 has 168 data points . alternatively , resource usage profile 260 can encompass one or more one - week intervals , two - week intervals , monthly intervals , particular business seasons , or any other desirable time periods . based on the operational profile 260 , recommendation tool ( 300 ) automatically generates several current and scheduled provisioning policies ( 304 ). details of how recommendation tool ( 300 ) automatically generates various provisioning policies ( 304 ) are discussed later . in general , the generated policies ( 304 ) can include a collection of rules for provisioning computer system ( 100 ), and recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis , predictive analysis , what - if scenarios , and user input to generate the policy rules from the information in the operational profile 260 . moreover , the generated policies ( 304 ) can be based on time - dependent information , utilization levels , response times , transaction arrival rates , and other information . once generated , provisioning tool ( 160 ) can automatically use the provisioning policies ( 304 ) to provision the system components ( e . g ., servers 112 ) of computer system ( 100 ). in addition to straight automation , the automated provisioning system can include a user interface having a summary screen 270 to display generated provisioning policies 272 for user intervention and control . in the present example , each policy 272 can have a name , a start ( date , time , etc . ), and a recurrence interval ( e . g ., every number of days or months with or without a particular end date ). using summary screen 270 , users can manually change , add , and delete the automatically generated provisioning policies 272 as desired . in addition , an additional screen 275 can allow a user to set up dynamic rules for adjusting the load balancing associated with a given provisioning policy 272 . as shown in this additional screen 275 , a user can indicate a priority for a service ( e . g ., loadgenerator ) and can assign a range of servers to that service . then , the user can assign dynamic rules to the service . as one example , an assigned dynamic rule may stop one server of the service if the cpu utilization falls below 30 % for 15 - min . or add one server to the service if the cpu utilization exceeds 60 % for 20 - min . other types of rules discussed herein could also be assigned . after generating provisioning policies 272 , a controller or computing device 280 executing provisioning tool ( 160 ) implements provisioning policies 272 among partitioned servers 284 in the computer system &# 39 ; s virtual environment 282 so that servers 284 can efficiently handle various slos . controller 280 , in turn , monitors results from implementing provisioning policies 272 by collecting additional performance data that is subsequently used to create a current resource usage profile 250 . in this way , the entire process can be repeated to account for new loads , changes in resources , workloads , new service level objectives , etc . fig3 illustrates additional features of recommendation tool 300 , which will be discussed with reference to notations in table 1 below . as indicated , table 1 includes notations for arrival rate and mean ( average ) response time at the server level ( e . g ., server i ) and for the entire system . in a steady state environment for a non - saturated system , throughput essentially equals arrival . based on the context , either the term “ response time ” or “ service time ” may be used . as used herein , response time can be defined for one or more of transactions , workloads , job , tasks , applications , threads , etc ., and service time can also be defined for one or more of transactions , workloads , job , tasks , applications , threads , etc . as shown in further detail in fig3 , recommendation tool 300 includes an assessment module 400 , a policy generating module 500 , and a migrating module 600 . briefly , assessment module 400 analyzes performance data collected by data collection tool ( 170 ) and generates a system resource usage profile 402 , such as discussed previously . in turn , policy generating module 500 uses resource usage profile 402 and received slo information to generate provisioning policies 304 discussed previously that provisioning tool ( 160 ) can then directly execute or look up to provision servers ( 112 ) of computer system ( 100 ). independently , migrating module 600 also receives a copy of provisioning policies 304 and estimates a number of homogenous servers ( 112 ) needed to support the applications ( 114 ) currently running on heterogeneous servers ( 112 ) before migration . each of these modules 400 , 500 , and 600 are discussed individually in more detail with reference to fig4 through 6 . currently , however , discussion focuses on the overall operational details of recommendation tool 300 . during operation , recommendation tool 300 obtains input data 310 that includes the number n of available servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ). for each available server i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n , the input data 310 also includes the server &# 39 ; s performance rating p i and the performance rating type , the server &# 39 ; s slo value ( slo i ) and the slo type ( e . g ., utilization or mean response time ), and the server &# 39 ; s current measured utilization u i . the performance rating p i can be characterized by any commonly used performance rating system . based upon the input data 310 , recommendation tool 300 produces output data 380 that determines ( a ) the number n of servers ( 112 ) required to meet the slos ( 102 ), ( b ) the recommended arrival rate of transactions or service requests to each of the servers ( 112 ) used for load balancing , and ( c ) whether the overall service goal can be achieved ( and provide a best possible solution if the service goal cannot be achieved ). in general , output data 380 represents analytical information that provisioning tool ( 160 ) can use to perform “ bounded scale - out ” provisioning in the virtual environment of computer system ( 100 ). the solution is bounded or limited in the sense that the virtual environment actually has a maximum number of physical servers ( n ) of given processing power more particularly , output data 380 indicates how many servers ( 112 ) need to be active to drive a load balancer ( 162 ) of provisioning tool ( 160 ) to achieve the slos for applications ( 114 ) running in the virtual system . as shown , in one embodiment , output data 380 includes a number n of required servers ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ) from available servers ( 112 ) and an indication whether the requisite processing goal can be achieved ( e . g . where “ 0 ” means not achievable and “ 1 ” means achievable ). for each required server ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ), the output data 380 also includes a recommended arrival rate λ i and a potential service level ( psl i ) at the given server . the arrival rate , λ i , defines the recommended rate of arrival of transactions or service requests to a given server . by definition , the arrival rate , λ i , is greater than 0 and less or equal to 1 and is characterized by calculations performed by recommendation tool 300 can be based on various statistical assumptions . using assumptions associated with an m / m / 1 type queuing system , recommendation tool 300 can use the following set of computations to generate the illustrative output data 380 . for a given server processing power , p i ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ), the optimal arrival rate of transactions made to a given server i can be defined by : if the load is heavy , i . e ., the total arrival rate to be distributed among servers λ → p /( s i p i ), then the arrival rate to each server ( 112 ) should approach the service rate of the server ; under this transaction distribution , each server 112 &# 39 ; s utilization can be characterized as : if the slo type is a utilization value , then recommendation tool 300 tries to find a solution such that the utilization of a given server is less than or equal to the value of its slo ( i . e ., u i ≦ slo i ) for all active n servers . if the slo type is a mean response time , recommendation tool 300 tries to find a solution such that the mean response time at a given server is less than or equal to the value of its slo ( i . e ., r i ≦ slo i ) for all active n servers . consequently , the mean response time r at server i can be computed as : in this case , the average response time r to the virtual system is characterized as : if not all the slos can be achieved , then recommendation tool 300 will provide the best possible load balancing to distribute transactions based on the various recommended arrival rates λ i of the available servers ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ). fig4 shows features of recommendation tool &# 39 ; s assessment module 400 . as noted previously , assessment module 400 analyzes performance data and generates an operational profile , such as a resource usage profile discussed previously . to do this , assessment module 400 receives input 410 , performs calculations on the input 410 with a statistical analysis algorithm 420 , and provides output 480 to be used for later processing by policy generating module 500 . in its operation , assessment module 400 analyzes one node of computer system ( 100 ) ( e . g ., one server 112 ) at a time and can handle information for multiple nodes at a time through multiple calls . alternatively , assessment module 400 can be designed to handle simultaneous analysis for multiple nodes of computer system ( 100 ). for a given node ( i . e ., server ) and in one embodiment , the input 410 includes node name , performance rating type , performance rating ( i . e ., processing power ) ( p ), utilization service level objective ( slo ), number of desired time intervals to be assessed ( t ′), and cpu utilization data for t ′ intervals x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t . for each interval of the time period ( e . g ., each hour of the 7 × 24 period ), statistical analysis algorithm 420 computes the following statistical values : a measured average utilization ( x m ), a weighted average utilization for the hour ( x ), a weighted average normalized utilization for the hour ( wanu ), a minimum utilization for the hour ( x min ), a maximum utilization for the hour ( x max ), a coefficient of variation of cpu utilization for the hour ( c ), and a probability of exceeding the slo for the hour ( p slo ). these statistical values over the current time period of interest forms the resource usage profile discussed previously that is used to generate provisioning policies . details of the calculations performed by assessment module 400 are as follows . for the t data points in the current time period , assessment module 400 computes a weighted average for the data points that places more emphasis on more recent data . to do this , it is assumed that the importance of a particular interval is an importance factor α times more important than the previous interval so that weights w i for the t data points are assigned in the following fashion ; in addition to the weights w i , the assessment module 400 computes the measured average utilization ( x m ) for the t data points , x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t , as follows : x _ m = 1 t ∑ t = 1 t x t ( 6 ) using the measured average utilization ( x m ) and the weights w i , assessment module 400 computes the weighted average utilization for the hour ( x ) as follows : x _ = ∑ t = 1 t w t x t ( 7 ) from this , the weighted average normalized utilization for the hour ( wanu ) is calculated as follows : as a corollary , the minimum utilization for the hour ( x min ) is calculated as follows : x min = min ( x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t ) ( 9 ) as well , the maximum utilization for the hour ( x max ) is calculated as follows : x min = max ( x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t ) ( 10 ) the coefficient of variation of cpu utilization for the hour ( c ) is calculated as follows : σ = 1 n ( ∑ i = 1 t x i 2 ) 2 - x _ 2 ( 11 ) c = σ / x _ , the probability of exceeding the slo for the hour ( p slo ) is calculated as follows : after statistical analysis algorithm 420 computes the above statistical values , assessment module 400 generates output data 480 for each server that includes the node name ( e . g . server ), performance rating type , performance rating ( p ), and the above computed statistical values representing the resource usage profile of computer system ( 100 ). this output data 480 is then made available to policy generating module ( 500 ) as described below . in fig5 a , illustrative policy generating module 500 includes a capacity module 510 , a predictive module 520 , and a what - if module 530 , although other implementations may have only one such module or any combination thereof . policy generating module 500 receives input 502 and generates one or more policies 504 for provisioning computer system . as mentioned previously , the policies 504 can be characterized as a collection of rules to be looked up by provisioning tool ( 160 ) when making provisioning decisions or can be characterized as provisioning decisions or commands sent to provisioning tool ( 160 ) to act on directly . capacity module 510 receives attributes defined in slos , server information , and historical information pertaining to resource utilization ( e . g ., the resource usage profile from assessment module ) as its input 502 . using analysis described in more detail with reference to fig5 b , capacity module 510 then generates policies 514 to match resources to the application demand “ just - in - time ”. as detailed below , predictive module 520 and what - if module 530 generate policies based on a combination of information pertaining to resources , workloads , service levels , and time . for example , the time information can be any given time interval , the workload information can be an average arrival rate of x transactions or jobs , the resource information can be the number of allocated servers , and the service level information can be average response times or throughput . what - if module 530 can further produce different combinations of workloads and resources to determine what the resulting performance would be in each of the different combinations and whether the system will be saturated or not . illustrative predictive module 520 receives various types of information as its input 502 such as an operational profile characterizing server utilization , actual workloads , actual service levels , and time - related information . predictive module 520 applies historical trending and predictive analysis to the input information and generates policies 524 that can then match current / past application performance based on predicted resource requirements . therefore , predictive module 520 can use a form of curve matching analysis based on forecasted demand ( i . e . expected workload ). in other words , predictive module 520 can predict that at a given time a given number of x more servers may be needed , where this prediction is partly based on what workload the system may be required to handle at that time or based on the expected utilization at the time . in one example , information about server utilization can be provided by the operational profile from assessment module , and module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that high utilization levels will drive allocation of more servers based on analysis of server utilization information . in another example , information about actual workloads can characterize what an application is attempting to do and can indicate , for example , transaction throughput ( e . g ., how many transactions arrived each second or minute ) or job throughput ( e . g ., how many batch jobs were submitted per day ). based on an analysis of such workload information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that high workload requests will drive resource allocation before servers are utilized or before service levels deteriorate . in general , high workload requests are the same as a high workload arrival rate , which is the throughput in a steady state , non - saturated system . in yet another example , information about actual service levels can indicate what was the response time for the transactions , how long it took to process batch jobs , what was the throughput , was the system able to execute all the workload , etc . in addition , service level agreements and objectives ( slas and slos ) can define such information as response time , throughput , and utilization . based on an analysis of such service level information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that certain levels of near - poor service will drive certain resource allocation . finally , the time - related information can indicate when the information pertaining to server utilization , workload , and service level occurred . based on an analysis of this time - related information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that resources will be pre - allocated at certain times . what - if module 530 receives information as its input 502 similar to that received by predictive module 520 , and what - if module 530 applies historical trending and predictive analysis to that information . however , what - if module 530 further applies what - if scenarios in its analysis to generate policies . in this way , what - if module 530 can allow users to vary input of demand to produce what - if scenarios so the module 530 can then generate policies 534 that match resource requirements to the demand input by the user . in one example , what - if module 530 accepts as user input a list of workload scenarios and desired service levels . the input may indicate , for example , that a response time of 1 second is expected at 100 transactions per second and that a response time of 2 seconds is expected at 1000 transactions per second . after analyzing the characteristics of the application , what - if module 530 runs a series of what - if scenarios to discover the desired amount of resources . in other words , in a scenario for 100 transactions per second , the module 530 may predict what would be the response time if 2 servers , 4 servers , 8 servers , 10 servers , and 20 servers were used . after analysis , what - if module 530 then determines the smallest number of servers required to meet the desired service objective at the given workload level . in turn , this determined information is used to generate a policy 534 that can state a predicate , such as “ if transaction rate is 100 transactions per second for application having stated characteristics is encountered , then provision x servers with y processing power .” even if these conditions are not met , the generated policy 534 is still created to handle such an eventuality in a particular business scenario . if and when the eventuality does occur in the future , then the provisioning tool can implement the generated policy 534 , and there would be no need to first experience and then detect poor performance . as shown in fig5 , illustrative capacity module 510 receives input data 552 , performs operations of the provisioning algorithm 560 , and generates output data 554 to be used to provision the servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ). in the illustrated embodiment , the input data 552 includes a performance rating type , performance ratings of nm servers available for provisioning ( p 1 , p 2 , . . . , p m ), service level objectives of each of the m servers ( slo 1 , slo 2 , . . . , slo m ), and a headroom value added for the required servers ( h ). in addition , input data 552 includes weighted average normalized unitization values ( wanu ( i , j )) from assessment module ( 400 ; fig4 ) for each hour i of the time period ( e . g ., 7 × 24 ) and for each server j . this information essentially corresponds to the current historical performance data in the resource usage profile of the computer system ( 100 ). using the input data 552 , capacity module 510 begins operations of provisioning algorithm 560 by calculating server requirements for every hour of the 7 × 24 time period ( block 562 ). for example , for each hour i of the 7 × 24 time period , capacity module 510 calculates a weighted average normalized unitization total ( wanut ) using the weighted average normalized unitization values ( wanu ( i , j )) as follows : wanut ( i ) = ∑ j = 1 m wanu ( i , j ) ≡ a [ 0 ] ( 15 ) from this total , capacity module 510 determines the number of servers needed for a given hour ( m ′( i )) as follows a [ m ′ ( i ) ] ≡ wanut ( i ) - ∑ k = 1 m ′ ( i ) slo k p k - h ≤ 0 , ( 16 ) where h is the headroom added for the required servers . in the above calculation , a [ m ′( i )− 1 ]& gt ; 0 . if desirable , the headroom value h can also be particularized as h ( k ) to include system overhead for a given server k . with the above calculations , illustrative capacity module 510 calculates a list of 168 numbers , denoted as m ′( 1 ), m ′( 2 ), . . . , m ′( 168 ). this list represents server requirements for every hour of the 7 × 24 time period ( i . e ., 168 data points ). preferably , capacity module 510 determines server demands based a “ sensitivity ” variable and divides the list of server demands into a plurality of segments so that the sensitivity variable can control how frequently policies should be updated to reflect the demands on servers ( block 564 ). moreover , capacity module 510 preferably consolidates the list of server demands by combining together those adjacent segments having identical server demands ( block 566 ). in other words , capacity module 510 does not need to set a policy for every segment if two adjacent segments have the same server demand . in such a case , the later identical demand could be removed from the list , and such consolidation can continue until capacity module 510 obtains a list without identical adjacent server demands . after obtaining the consolidated list of server demands , capacity module 510 sets policies for each listed server demand ( block 568 ). to do this , capacity module 510 computes transaction weights w k to supply to load balancer ( 162 ; fig1 ) of provisioning tool ( 160 ) to control the arrival rate of transactions to the servers ( 112 ). based on the processing power p k of a given server k , the slo for that server slo k , and the total server requirements , the transaction weight w k for a given server k is calculated as follows : w k = p k slo k ∑ i = 1 m p i slo i . ( 17 ) the transaction weights we are generated as output data 554 of one or more server provisioning policies that specify the number of servers needed at hour h . based on the provisioning policies , provisioning tool &# 39 ; s load balancer ( 162 ) then distributes arriving transactions to a given server k using the calculated transaction weight w k for that given server . fig6 shows features of migrating module 600 in fig3 . as noted previously , migrating module 600 determines how to migrate operation of servers ( 112 ) between partitions of the computer system ( 100 ) by estimating the number of homogeneous servers ( 112 ) needed to support applications ( 114 ) currently running on heterogeneous servers ( 112 ) before migration . illustrative migrating module 600 receives input data 610 including a performance rating type , a total number of available servers to be consolidated or migrated ( n ), and performance ratings of the n available servers to be migrated ( p 1 , p 2 , . . . , p n ). in addition to information on available servers , the input data 610 includes information on currently consolidated servers , including a performance rating ( p ) of the consolidated servers , a number of virtual partitions ( vn ) over the consolidated servers , a utilization service level objective ( slo ) of the consolidated servers , a utilization overhead ( h ) introduced for each required server with a performance rating , and a utilization overhead ( h ) introduced for each virtual partition . moreover , input data 610 includes information from assessment module ( 400 ; fig4 ), including a maximum utilization u ( i , j ) for each hour i of the 7 × 24 time period and each available server j . using input data 610 , migrating module 600 performs a migrating algorithm 620 to determine how to migrate or consolidate available servers . first , migrating algorithm 620 calculates a maximum normalized unitization total ( mnut ) for all of the available servers n over the 7 × 24 time period ( block 622 ). the calculation is as follows : migrating module 600 then determines whether the server overhead is grater than the partition overhead by determining if h + h × vn & gt ; slo ( decision 624 ). if there is too much overhead , migrating module 600 sends out an error message , such as “ the overheads are greater than the utilization slo ” ( block 626 ). if there is not too much overhead , migrating module 600 determines the number ( n ) of required servers with performance rating p ( block 628 ) using the calculation : migrating module 600 produces output data 680 that includes the performance rating type , the performance rating ( p ), the maximum normalized utilization total ( mnut ), and the number ( n ) of required servers with performance rating p . this output 680 can then be used by the provisioning tool ( 160 ) to migrate the various servers ( 112 ) among the virtual partitions . the foregoing description of preferred and other embodiments is not intended to limit or restrict the scope or applicability of the inventive concepts conceived of by the applicants . for example , the various modules disclosed herein can comprise one or more software tools executable on one or more independent computing devices operatively coupled to the computer system . in exchange for disclosing the inventive concepts contained herein , the applicants desire all patent rights afforded by the appended claims . therefore , it is intended that the appended claims include all modifications and alterations to the full extent that they come within the scope of the following claims or the equivalents thereof . | Is 'Electricity' the correct technical category for the patent? | Is 'Physics' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | dc0b66f4b9d4bd8eb372f7eaf7aacbe5fdc9dd12866233f93a8af7b26d4a7ad9 | 0.001984 | 0.164063 | 0.000261 | 0.285156 | 0.001244 | 0.212891 |
null | fig1 illustrates one embodiment of an automated capacity provisioning system for a computer system 100 . the provisioning system includes a recommendation tool 300 , a provisioning tool 160 , a data collection tool 170 , and a data repository 180 . in general , computer system 100 can be a network system , an enterprise system , or the like and can include various system components , such as workstations , computer servers , applications , storage devices , network connections , and other conventional components . for the sake of illustration , computer system 100 is schematically illustrated in fig1 as having a controller 110 relative to a plurality of servers 112 and applications 114 . controller 110 can comprise one or more servers or other computing devices and can execute one or more of recommendation tool 300 , provisioning tool 160 , and data collection tool 170 . as discussed below , recommendation tool 300 automatically provides provisioning policies 304 to automatically manage and provision the computer system 100 . in general , recommendation tool 300 can be a standalone software tool implemented and deployed as a web service capable of operating in conjunction with other tools . in addition , recommendation tool 300 can function automatically , implying that it does not rely on user intervention via a user interface . preferably , an application programming interface ( api ) allows recommendation tool 300 to use scripts and command line instructions to automate the run - time operation of the tool . provisioning tool 160 receives the provisioning policies 304 from recommendation tool 300 and automatically provisions the computer system 100 accordingly . provisioning tool 160 is capable of physically and / or logically provisioning system components into nodes of a physical or virtual system . for a virtual system , provisioning tool 160 can add a virtual layer to the computer system 100 using virtualization features . as will be appreciated , provisioning the computer system 100 as a virtual system requires that the system hardware ( e . g ., servers , applications , etc .) have sufficient processing power to support a specified number of virtual partitions ( not shown ). in addition , each virtual partition requires its own or shared operating system and applications that run on the operating system . the data collection tool 170 collects performance data about system components from data collectors 172 distributed throughout computer system 100 . for example , the data collectors 172 can be monitoring agents to collect performance data about processing nodes ( e . g ., servers 112 ) and provide the collected performance data to the data collection tool 170 . in turn , a data repository 180 stores the collected data for use by recommendation tool 300 . data repository 180 can be any database , data source , or file system known in the art for storing the collected data . ultimately , recommendation tool 300 in conjunction with the provisioning tool 160 and data collection tool 170 manages the computer system &# 39 ; s capacity using an automated capacity provisioning process , such as discussed below with reference to fig2 a . as shown in automated process 200 of fig2 a , data collectors 172 collect performance data of computer system 100 , and data collection tool ( 170 ) stores the performance data in data repository 180 ( block 205 ). the performance data can include various metrics known and used in the art . as an example , bmc ® performance manager or bmc ® performance assurance suite for servers can be used to collect performance data and store it in a database or a file system . other data collection tools can also be used , as long as the data is stored or can be retrieved in a predefined common format , such as csv , ascii , xml , or through a predefined api ( application programming interface ). with the performance data collected , recommendation tool 300 analyzes the collected data and generates a system operational profile 302 ( block 210 ). in one embodiment , operational profile 302 can characterize resource usage of computer system 100 or partitions thereof over one or more time periods . in alternative embodiments , operational profile 302 can characterize service levels in computer system 100 . such service levels can represent response times of servers when subjected to given workloads or can represent the ability of servers to process given workloads or throughputs . in creating operational profile 302 , recommendation tool 300 may focus on the collected data from system components , such as server processors and cpus , and on fixed attachments , such as cache , memory , and onboard disks , as well as service level information above . during the normal course of operation , recommendation tool 300 also receives a set of service level objectives ( slos ) 102 ( block 215 ). the slos 102 can come from any conventional source in computer system ( 100 ), such as from controller 110 . in addition , the slos 102 can be received or obtained from a workload manager , computing device , or other source having management and compliance information for one or more service level objectives ( slo ) or service level agreements ( sla ). as is known in the art , an sla defines static and dynamic attributes that the system &# 39 ; s services must satisfy between a consumer and a provider . the slas dynamic attributes relate to variables that may change in real - time and may depend on how the services are actually performing . some examples of attributes include response times for transactions , expected time to finish tasks , sla violation rates of a service , reliability of a service , availability of a service , etc . as is also known in the art , an slo defines specific attributes of a given service associated with an sla . based on the operational profile 302 and the received slos 102 , recommendation tool 300 generates a set of provisioning policies 304 for use in provisioning the computer system &# 39 ; s resources ( block 220 ). depending on the implementation , these provisioning policies 304 can be used to directly provision the computer system 100 or can be used at times when certain total workloads are expected , when such workloads are encountered in practice , or when certain performance characteristics are encountered . preferably , the generated provisioning policies 304 factor in performance of the system components over a period of time that is long enough to account for variances in business cycles . in general , the generated provisioning policies 304 define plans of action for guiding provisioning decisions to produce desired outcomes . the plans of action can be characterized as one or more statements , a set or collection of rules , and / or a set of “ if . . . then , . . . else . . . ” predicates . for example , a given sla may state that business application response time must be less than 1 second 95 % of the time . to achieve this , analysis of the historical performance data is used to identify resource usage patterns for ( near future ) resource provisioning and allocation . furthermore , the analysis can be used to generate provisioning policies 304 as a developed set of rules or the like to implement desired outcomes based on predictive analysis and what - if scenarios . the policies 304 can then be used to provision the computer system &# 39 ; s resources in terms of what , how , and when available servers 112 and / or other resources are needed to support applications 114 associated with the various slos 102 . to generate policies , recommendation tool 300 can use time - dependent information , utilization levels , response times , transaction arrival rates , and other resource usage information . additionally , recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis , predictive analysis , what - if scenarios , and user input to the resource usage information to generate the policies . for example , recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis of predicted resource requirements to generate policies that match current / past application performance . moreover , to generate policies , recommendation tool 300 can perform predictive analysis on application performance requirements and can use “ what - if ” scenarios and user input . as it operates , recommendation tool 300 can continually and automatically generate the policies ( and modify existing policies ) based on the historical and current information that has been collected and analyzed . in turn , the generated policies can provide different levels of reactivity and proactivity for provisioning computer system 100 . for example , one type of policy can correlate time - dependent information ( such as historical resource utilization ) and needed servers and can state , for example , “ every monday at 7 : 55 am allocate x servers .” another type of policy can correlate utilization and needed servers and can state , for example , “ if the average utilization of the servers is more than x % then allocate y additional servers with performance rating z .” yet another type of policy can correlate response time and needed servers and can state , for example , “ if and when average response time for transactions is measured over x minutes to be more than y seconds and existing server utilization is more than z %, then immediately allocate n additional servers then and there .” another type of policy can correlate arrival rate and needed servers and can state , for example , “ as soon as transaction arrival rate exceeds x transactions per minute for more than y minutes , allocate z additional servers . once generated , provisioning policies 304 can be used for look up by provisioning tool 160 when determining provisioning actions to perform to computer system 100 . alternatively , recommendation tool 300 can send the policy rules as provisioning decisions to provisioning tool 160 to be acted on directly . in the end , provisioning policies 304 may result in an indication of candidate servers 112 and other resources that can be repurposed or that can be physically or virtually consolidated to handle various applications and tasks . besides focusing on servers 112 , recommendation tool 300 may also take into consideration other features of a computer system 100 , such as network connections and detached storage devices to ensure overall system performance . using the generated provisioning policies 304 , provisioning tool 160 dynamically provisions a proper number of servers 112 of a certain computing power ( or other resources ) when needed so that the provisioned result ensures that the requirements of the received slos 102 are met ( block 225 ). as an example , the run book automation software from realops or a product similar to the previously available bmc ® virtualizer for capacity on demand product can be used for dynamic provisioning based on the generated provisioning policies . alternatively , provisioning mechanisms in vmware ® can be used . as shown in fig2 a , the automated process 200 of blocks 205 through 225 can be implemented as an ongoing process so that collecting and analyzing performance data ( including resource utilization , workload , and service levels ), generating policies 304 , and executing those policies 304 can be repeated as needed . the process 200 can also monitor and modify its performance as it continues . in this way , the process 200 can update policies 304 and validate slos 102 on a continuous basis . if the probability of meeting a given slo 102 is below a certain level , for example , a policy 304 generated at block 220 may need to be updated using more recently collected performance data from data repository 180 . alternatively , the attributes defined by an slo 102 may need to be modified . in the end , the frequency with which provisioning policies 304 are updated may depend on the rate of change in resource demands and may also depend on updates to slos 102 by users and business applications . by using performance data for long - term capacity provisioning , the process 200 may be less manually intensive and , as a result , require less specific performance modeling and capacity planning efforts than prior art provisioning techniques . moreover , because the process 200 is automated in real - time , provisioning policies 304 can be quickly updated based on feedback of how applications 114 perform against the attributes of the slos 102 . further details related to the automated system and process are shown in fig2 b . as schematically shown by a graph , performance data 250 collected and stored in data repository ( 180 ) can include historical as well as real - time cpu utilization data for each of the various servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ) and may have been collected for weeks or months from computer system ( 100 ). as discussed previously , recommendation tool ( 300 ) analyzes this performance data 250 and generates an operational profile . in embodiments discussed previously , the operational profile can characterize service levels in computer system ( 100 ) in a certain configuration and having a certain capacity , such as response times of servers when subjected to given workloads or the ability of servers to process given workloads or throughputs . in the present embodiment , operational profile characterizes resource usage of computer system ( 100 ) over time so that it can be termed a resource usage profile , such as schematically shown by graph 260 . this resource usage profile 260 captures workload - oriented information related to resource usage and history of computer system ( 100 ) that can be used in its capacity management . in this example , resource usage profile 260 encompasses a one - week interval ( 7 days × 24 hours ) with data points for each hour so that the profile 260 has 168 data points . alternatively , resource usage profile 260 can encompass one or more one - week intervals , two - week intervals , monthly intervals , particular business seasons , or any other desirable time periods . based on the operational profile 260 , recommendation tool ( 300 ) automatically generates several current and scheduled provisioning policies ( 304 ). details of how recommendation tool ( 300 ) automatically generates various provisioning policies ( 304 ) are discussed later . in general , the generated policies ( 304 ) can include a collection of rules for provisioning computer system ( 100 ), and recommendation tool 300 can use trending analysis , predictive analysis , what - if scenarios , and user input to generate the policy rules from the information in the operational profile 260 . moreover , the generated policies ( 304 ) can be based on time - dependent information , utilization levels , response times , transaction arrival rates , and other information . once generated , provisioning tool ( 160 ) can automatically use the provisioning policies ( 304 ) to provision the system components ( e . g ., servers 112 ) of computer system ( 100 ). in addition to straight automation , the automated provisioning system can include a user interface having a summary screen 270 to display generated provisioning policies 272 for user intervention and control . in the present example , each policy 272 can have a name , a start ( date , time , etc . ), and a recurrence interval ( e . g ., every number of days or months with or without a particular end date ). using summary screen 270 , users can manually change , add , and delete the automatically generated provisioning policies 272 as desired . in addition , an additional screen 275 can allow a user to set up dynamic rules for adjusting the load balancing associated with a given provisioning policy 272 . as shown in this additional screen 275 , a user can indicate a priority for a service ( e . g ., loadgenerator ) and can assign a range of servers to that service . then , the user can assign dynamic rules to the service . as one example , an assigned dynamic rule may stop one server of the service if the cpu utilization falls below 30 % for 15 - min . or add one server to the service if the cpu utilization exceeds 60 % for 20 - min . other types of rules discussed herein could also be assigned . after generating provisioning policies 272 , a controller or computing device 280 executing provisioning tool ( 160 ) implements provisioning policies 272 among partitioned servers 284 in the computer system &# 39 ; s virtual environment 282 so that servers 284 can efficiently handle various slos . controller 280 , in turn , monitors results from implementing provisioning policies 272 by collecting additional performance data that is subsequently used to create a current resource usage profile 250 . in this way , the entire process can be repeated to account for new loads , changes in resources , workloads , new service level objectives , etc . fig3 illustrates additional features of recommendation tool 300 , which will be discussed with reference to notations in table 1 below . as indicated , table 1 includes notations for arrival rate and mean ( average ) response time at the server level ( e . g ., server i ) and for the entire system . in a steady state environment for a non - saturated system , throughput essentially equals arrival . based on the context , either the term “ response time ” or “ service time ” may be used . as used herein , response time can be defined for one or more of transactions , workloads , job , tasks , applications , threads , etc ., and service time can also be defined for one or more of transactions , workloads , job , tasks , applications , threads , etc . as shown in further detail in fig3 , recommendation tool 300 includes an assessment module 400 , a policy generating module 500 , and a migrating module 600 . briefly , assessment module 400 analyzes performance data collected by data collection tool ( 170 ) and generates a system resource usage profile 402 , such as discussed previously . in turn , policy generating module 500 uses resource usage profile 402 and received slo information to generate provisioning policies 304 discussed previously that provisioning tool ( 160 ) can then directly execute or look up to provision servers ( 112 ) of computer system ( 100 ). independently , migrating module 600 also receives a copy of provisioning policies 304 and estimates a number of homogenous servers ( 112 ) needed to support the applications ( 114 ) currently running on heterogeneous servers ( 112 ) before migration . each of these modules 400 , 500 , and 600 are discussed individually in more detail with reference to fig4 through 6 . currently , however , discussion focuses on the overall operational details of recommendation tool 300 . during operation , recommendation tool 300 obtains input data 310 that includes the number n of available servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ). for each available server i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n , the input data 310 also includes the server &# 39 ; s performance rating p i and the performance rating type , the server &# 39 ; s slo value ( slo i ) and the slo type ( e . g ., utilization or mean response time ), and the server &# 39 ; s current measured utilization u i . the performance rating p i can be characterized by any commonly used performance rating system . based upon the input data 310 , recommendation tool 300 produces output data 380 that determines ( a ) the number n of servers ( 112 ) required to meet the slos ( 102 ), ( b ) the recommended arrival rate of transactions or service requests to each of the servers ( 112 ) used for load balancing , and ( c ) whether the overall service goal can be achieved ( and provide a best possible solution if the service goal cannot be achieved ). in general , output data 380 represents analytical information that provisioning tool ( 160 ) can use to perform “ bounded scale - out ” provisioning in the virtual environment of computer system ( 100 ). the solution is bounded or limited in the sense that the virtual environment actually has a maximum number of physical servers ( n ) of given processing power more particularly , output data 380 indicates how many servers ( 112 ) need to be active to drive a load balancer ( 162 ) of provisioning tool ( 160 ) to achieve the slos for applications ( 114 ) running in the virtual system . as shown , in one embodiment , output data 380 includes a number n of required servers ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ) from available servers ( 112 ) and an indication whether the requisite processing goal can be achieved ( e . g . where “ 0 ” means not achievable and “ 1 ” means achievable ). for each required server ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ), the output data 380 also includes a recommended arrival rate λ i and a potential service level ( psl i ) at the given server . the arrival rate , λ i , defines the recommended rate of arrival of transactions or service requests to a given server . by definition , the arrival rate , λ i , is greater than 0 and less or equal to 1 and is characterized by calculations performed by recommendation tool 300 can be based on various statistical assumptions . using assumptions associated with an m / m / 1 type queuing system , recommendation tool 300 can use the following set of computations to generate the illustrative output data 380 . for a given server processing power , p i ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ), the optimal arrival rate of transactions made to a given server i can be defined by : if the load is heavy , i . e ., the total arrival rate to be distributed among servers λ → p /( s i p i ), then the arrival rate to each server ( 112 ) should approach the service rate of the server ; under this transaction distribution , each server 112 &# 39 ; s utilization can be characterized as : if the slo type is a utilization value , then recommendation tool 300 tries to find a solution such that the utilization of a given server is less than or equal to the value of its slo ( i . e ., u i ≦ slo i ) for all active n servers . if the slo type is a mean response time , recommendation tool 300 tries to find a solution such that the mean response time at a given server is less than or equal to the value of its slo ( i . e ., r i ≦ slo i ) for all active n servers . consequently , the mean response time r at server i can be computed as : in this case , the average response time r to the virtual system is characterized as : if not all the slos can be achieved , then recommendation tool 300 will provide the best possible load balancing to distribute transactions based on the various recommended arrival rates λ i of the available servers ( i = 1 , 2 , . . . , n ). fig4 shows features of recommendation tool &# 39 ; s assessment module 400 . as noted previously , assessment module 400 analyzes performance data and generates an operational profile , such as a resource usage profile discussed previously . to do this , assessment module 400 receives input 410 , performs calculations on the input 410 with a statistical analysis algorithm 420 , and provides output 480 to be used for later processing by policy generating module 500 . in its operation , assessment module 400 analyzes one node of computer system ( 100 ) ( e . g ., one server 112 ) at a time and can handle information for multiple nodes at a time through multiple calls . alternatively , assessment module 400 can be designed to handle simultaneous analysis for multiple nodes of computer system ( 100 ). for a given node ( i . e ., server ) and in one embodiment , the input 410 includes node name , performance rating type , performance rating ( i . e ., processing power ) ( p ), utilization service level objective ( slo ), number of desired time intervals to be assessed ( t ′), and cpu utilization data for t ′ intervals x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t . for each interval of the time period ( e . g ., each hour of the 7 × 24 period ), statistical analysis algorithm 420 computes the following statistical values : a measured average utilization ( x m ), a weighted average utilization for the hour ( x ), a weighted average normalized utilization for the hour ( wanu ), a minimum utilization for the hour ( x min ), a maximum utilization for the hour ( x max ), a coefficient of variation of cpu utilization for the hour ( c ), and a probability of exceeding the slo for the hour ( p slo ). these statistical values over the current time period of interest forms the resource usage profile discussed previously that is used to generate provisioning policies . details of the calculations performed by assessment module 400 are as follows . for the t data points in the current time period , assessment module 400 computes a weighted average for the data points that places more emphasis on more recent data . to do this , it is assumed that the importance of a particular interval is an importance factor α times more important than the previous interval so that weights w i for the t data points are assigned in the following fashion ; in addition to the weights w i , the assessment module 400 computes the measured average utilization ( x m ) for the t data points , x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t , as follows : x _ m = 1 t ∑ t = 1 t x t ( 6 ) using the measured average utilization ( x m ) and the weights w i , assessment module 400 computes the weighted average utilization for the hour ( x ) as follows : x _ = ∑ t = 1 t w t x t ( 7 ) from this , the weighted average normalized utilization for the hour ( wanu ) is calculated as follows : as a corollary , the minimum utilization for the hour ( x min ) is calculated as follows : x min = min ( x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t ) ( 9 ) as well , the maximum utilization for the hour ( x max ) is calculated as follows : x min = max ( x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x t ) ( 10 ) the coefficient of variation of cpu utilization for the hour ( c ) is calculated as follows : σ = 1 n ( ∑ i = 1 t x i 2 ) 2 - x _ 2 ( 11 ) c = σ / x _ , the probability of exceeding the slo for the hour ( p slo ) is calculated as follows : after statistical analysis algorithm 420 computes the above statistical values , assessment module 400 generates output data 480 for each server that includes the node name ( e . g . server ), performance rating type , performance rating ( p ), and the above computed statistical values representing the resource usage profile of computer system ( 100 ). this output data 480 is then made available to policy generating module ( 500 ) as described below . in fig5 a , illustrative policy generating module 500 includes a capacity module 510 , a predictive module 520 , and a what - if module 530 , although other implementations may have only one such module or any combination thereof . policy generating module 500 receives input 502 and generates one or more policies 504 for provisioning computer system . as mentioned previously , the policies 504 can be characterized as a collection of rules to be looked up by provisioning tool ( 160 ) when making provisioning decisions or can be characterized as provisioning decisions or commands sent to provisioning tool ( 160 ) to act on directly . capacity module 510 receives attributes defined in slos , server information , and historical information pertaining to resource utilization ( e . g ., the resource usage profile from assessment module ) as its input 502 . using analysis described in more detail with reference to fig5 b , capacity module 510 then generates policies 514 to match resources to the application demand “ just - in - time ”. as detailed below , predictive module 520 and what - if module 530 generate policies based on a combination of information pertaining to resources , workloads , service levels , and time . for example , the time information can be any given time interval , the workload information can be an average arrival rate of x transactions or jobs , the resource information can be the number of allocated servers , and the service level information can be average response times or throughput . what - if module 530 can further produce different combinations of workloads and resources to determine what the resulting performance would be in each of the different combinations and whether the system will be saturated or not . illustrative predictive module 520 receives various types of information as its input 502 such as an operational profile characterizing server utilization , actual workloads , actual service levels , and time - related information . predictive module 520 applies historical trending and predictive analysis to the input information and generates policies 524 that can then match current / past application performance based on predicted resource requirements . therefore , predictive module 520 can use a form of curve matching analysis based on forecasted demand ( i . e . expected workload ). in other words , predictive module 520 can predict that at a given time a given number of x more servers may be needed , where this prediction is partly based on what workload the system may be required to handle at that time or based on the expected utilization at the time . in one example , information about server utilization can be provided by the operational profile from assessment module , and module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that high utilization levels will drive allocation of more servers based on analysis of server utilization information . in another example , information about actual workloads can characterize what an application is attempting to do and can indicate , for example , transaction throughput ( e . g ., how many transactions arrived each second or minute ) or job throughput ( e . g ., how many batch jobs were submitted per day ). based on an analysis of such workload information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that high workload requests will drive resource allocation before servers are utilized or before service levels deteriorate . in general , high workload requests are the same as a high workload arrival rate , which is the throughput in a steady state , non - saturated system . in yet another example , information about actual service levels can indicate what was the response time for the transactions , how long it took to process batch jobs , what was the throughput , was the system able to execute all the workload , etc . in addition , service level agreements and objectives ( slas and slos ) can define such information as response time , throughput , and utilization . based on an analysis of such service level information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that certain levels of near - poor service will drive certain resource allocation . finally , the time - related information can indicate when the information pertaining to server utilization , workload , and service level occurred . based on an analysis of this time - related information , module 520 can generate a policy 524 indicating that resources will be pre - allocated at certain times . what - if module 530 receives information as its input 502 similar to that received by predictive module 520 , and what - if module 530 applies historical trending and predictive analysis to that information . however , what - if module 530 further applies what - if scenarios in its analysis to generate policies . in this way , what - if module 530 can allow users to vary input of demand to produce what - if scenarios so the module 530 can then generate policies 534 that match resource requirements to the demand input by the user . in one example , what - if module 530 accepts as user input a list of workload scenarios and desired service levels . the input may indicate , for example , that a response time of 1 second is expected at 100 transactions per second and that a response time of 2 seconds is expected at 1000 transactions per second . after analyzing the characteristics of the application , what - if module 530 runs a series of what - if scenarios to discover the desired amount of resources . in other words , in a scenario for 100 transactions per second , the module 530 may predict what would be the response time if 2 servers , 4 servers , 8 servers , 10 servers , and 20 servers were used . after analysis , what - if module 530 then determines the smallest number of servers required to meet the desired service objective at the given workload level . in turn , this determined information is used to generate a policy 534 that can state a predicate , such as “ if transaction rate is 100 transactions per second for application having stated characteristics is encountered , then provision x servers with y processing power .” even if these conditions are not met , the generated policy 534 is still created to handle such an eventuality in a particular business scenario . if and when the eventuality does occur in the future , then the provisioning tool can implement the generated policy 534 , and there would be no need to first experience and then detect poor performance . as shown in fig5 , illustrative capacity module 510 receives input data 552 , performs operations of the provisioning algorithm 560 , and generates output data 554 to be used to provision the servers ( 112 ) of the computer system ( 100 ). in the illustrated embodiment , the input data 552 includes a performance rating type , performance ratings of nm servers available for provisioning ( p 1 , p 2 , . . . , p m ), service level objectives of each of the m servers ( slo 1 , slo 2 , . . . , slo m ), and a headroom value added for the required servers ( h ). in addition , input data 552 includes weighted average normalized unitization values ( wanu ( i , j )) from assessment module ( 400 ; fig4 ) for each hour i of the time period ( e . g ., 7 × 24 ) and for each server j . this information essentially corresponds to the current historical performance data in the resource usage profile of the computer system ( 100 ). using the input data 552 , capacity module 510 begins operations of provisioning algorithm 560 by calculating server requirements for every hour of the 7 × 24 time period ( block 562 ). for example , for each hour i of the 7 × 24 time period , capacity module 510 calculates a weighted average normalized unitization total ( wanut ) using the weighted average normalized unitization values ( wanu ( i , j )) as follows : wanut ( i ) = ∑ j = 1 m wanu ( i , j ) ≡ a [ 0 ] ( 15 ) from this total , capacity module 510 determines the number of servers needed for a given hour ( m ′( i )) as follows a [ m ′ ( i ) ] ≡ wanut ( i ) - ∑ k = 1 m ′ ( i ) slo k p k - h ≤ 0 , ( 16 ) where h is the headroom added for the required servers . in the above calculation , a [ m ′( i )− 1 ]& gt ; 0 . if desirable , the headroom value h can also be particularized as h ( k ) to include system overhead for a given server k . with the above calculations , illustrative capacity module 510 calculates a list of 168 numbers , denoted as m ′( 1 ), m ′( 2 ), . . . , m ′( 168 ). this list represents server requirements for every hour of the 7 × 24 time period ( i . e ., 168 data points ). preferably , capacity module 510 determines server demands based a “ sensitivity ” variable and divides the list of server demands into a plurality of segments so that the sensitivity variable can control how frequently policies should be updated to reflect the demands on servers ( block 564 ). moreover , capacity module 510 preferably consolidates the list of server demands by combining together those adjacent segments having identical server demands ( block 566 ). in other words , capacity module 510 does not need to set a policy for every segment if two adjacent segments have the same server demand . in such a case , the later identical demand could be removed from the list , and such consolidation can continue until capacity module 510 obtains a list without identical adjacent server demands . after obtaining the consolidated list of server demands , capacity module 510 sets policies for each listed server demand ( block 568 ). to do this , capacity module 510 computes transaction weights w k to supply to load balancer ( 162 ; fig1 ) of provisioning tool ( 160 ) to control the arrival rate of transactions to the servers ( 112 ). based on the processing power p k of a given server k , the slo for that server slo k , and the total server requirements , the transaction weight w k for a given server k is calculated as follows : w k = p k slo k ∑ i = 1 m p i slo i . ( 17 ) the transaction weights we are generated as output data 554 of one or more server provisioning policies that specify the number of servers needed at hour h . based on the provisioning policies , provisioning tool &# 39 ; s load balancer ( 162 ) then distributes arriving transactions to a given server k using the calculated transaction weight w k for that given server . fig6 shows features of migrating module 600 in fig3 . as noted previously , migrating module 600 determines how to migrate operation of servers ( 112 ) between partitions of the computer system ( 100 ) by estimating the number of homogeneous servers ( 112 ) needed to support applications ( 114 ) currently running on heterogeneous servers ( 112 ) before migration . illustrative migrating module 600 receives input data 610 including a performance rating type , a total number of available servers to be consolidated or migrated ( n ), and performance ratings of the n available servers to be migrated ( p 1 , p 2 , . . . , p n ). in addition to information on available servers , the input data 610 includes information on currently consolidated servers , including a performance rating ( p ) of the consolidated servers , a number of virtual partitions ( vn ) over the consolidated servers , a utilization service level objective ( slo ) of the consolidated servers , a utilization overhead ( h ) introduced for each required server with a performance rating , and a utilization overhead ( h ) introduced for each virtual partition . moreover , input data 610 includes information from assessment module ( 400 ; fig4 ), including a maximum utilization u ( i , j ) for each hour i of the 7 × 24 time period and each available server j . using input data 610 , migrating module 600 performs a migrating algorithm 620 to determine how to migrate or consolidate available servers . first , migrating algorithm 620 calculates a maximum normalized unitization total ( mnut ) for all of the available servers n over the 7 × 24 time period ( block 622 ). the calculation is as follows : migrating module 600 then determines whether the server overhead is grater than the partition overhead by determining if h + h × vn & gt ; slo ( decision 624 ). if there is too much overhead , migrating module 600 sends out an error message , such as “ the overheads are greater than the utilization slo ” ( block 626 ). if there is not too much overhead , migrating module 600 determines the number ( n ) of required servers with performance rating p ( block 628 ) using the calculation : migrating module 600 produces output data 680 that includes the performance rating type , the performance rating ( p ), the maximum normalized utilization total ( mnut ), and the number ( n ) of required servers with performance rating p . this output 680 can then be used by the provisioning tool ( 160 ) to migrate the various servers ( 112 ) among the virtual partitions . the foregoing description of preferred and other embodiments is not intended to limit or restrict the scope or applicability of the inventive concepts conceived of by the applicants . for example , the various modules disclosed herein can comprise one or more software tools executable on one or more independent computing devices operatively coupled to the computer system . in exchange for disclosing the inventive concepts contained herein , the applicants desire all patent rights afforded by the appended claims . therefore , it is intended that the appended claims include all modifications and alterations to the full extent that they come within the scope of the following claims or the equivalents thereof . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Electricity'? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology'? | 0.25 | dc0b66f4b9d4bd8eb372f7eaf7aacbe5fdc9dd12866233f93a8af7b26d4a7ad9 | 0.004333 | 0.119141 | 0.000085 | 0.002472 | 0.001701 | 0.088867 |
null | fig3 is an illustration of the double - spiral element 300 of the instant invention having end contact portions 301 , 302 which are divergent from the next adjacent spiral . by increasing the radius of the outer windings of the double - spiral , the inner windings are allowed to decoil while not contacting the outer windings or tabs so that the short path is less likely for a particular operating voltage . the net result is to allow more stable light output for a longer lifetime at a higher operating point for the filament . end contact portions 301 , 302 of the double - spiral filament contact ledge 405 of leadless chip carrier package 400 and are in electrical communication therewith . see , fig4 and 4a , which generally represent a commercially available leadless chip carrier package such as the one illustrated and made by kyocera corporation of kyoto , japan , kyocera drawing number pb - c88231 - jmi . it will be noted that the leadless chip carrier package includes a plurality of gold contacts which are embedded in or deposited on the surface of the ledge . any oppositely oriented pair of contacts may be used as they will position the double - spiral filament centrally within the chip carrier package . the double - spiral filament 300 is centrally mounted as this will maximize the light output through a correspondingly oriented window 602 in a lid 600 as illustrated in fig6 and 7 . a braze preform available from morgan ceramics / wesgo metals incusil - aba having 59 % ag , 27 . 25 % cu , 12 . 5 % in and 1 . 25 % ti having a liquidus temp = 715 ° c . covers the contacts of the leadless chip carrier . the leadless chip carrier with the filament engaging the braze preform and the contacts are then heated under a desired vacuum at approximately 800 ° c . until the filament is secured in place . a transitional portion 303 of the filament interconnects end contact portion 301 and outer spiral portion 306 of the first spiral and a transitional portion 304 interconnects the end contact portion 302 and outer spiral portion 305 of the second spiral . it will be noticed that the end contact portions 301 and 302 are significantly larger in cross - sectional area than the transitional portions 303 , 304 . the filament is 0 . 025 mm ( 25 μm ) thick everywhere and the end contacts are approximately 0 . 50 mm ( 500 μm ) wide as represented by reference numeral 354 in fig3 a . also see , fig3 c , reference numeral 388 , illustrating the thickness 388 of the filament . shoulders 330 , 331 reduce the width of the end contact portions to the width of the transition portions 303 , 304 . fig3 a is an illustration 300 a of the double - spiral filament 300 of the instant invention similar to fig3 with additional reference numerals employed to indicate dimensions and radii of the filament . referring still to fig3 , the beginning 305 a of the outer - most winding 307 of the second spiral 305 is illustrated . reference numeral 307 represents the outer - most winding of the second spiral . reference numeral 305 a represents the beginning of the outer - most winding 307 of the second spiral 305 . reference numeral 306 a represents the beginning of the outer - most winding 308 of the first spiral 306 . reference numeral 308 represents the outer - most winding of the first spiral 308 . arrow 340 is indicated in fig3 as pointing to the gap 316 ( sometimes referred herein as “ the second gap ”) between second spiral 305 and first spiral 306 and arrow 341 is pointing toward the beginning of the gap 314 ( sometimes referred herein as “ the first gap ”) between first spiral 306 and second spiral 305 . these arrows signify the relatively large gaps at the entrances to the interleaved first 306 and second spiral 305 . fig3 d illustrates the gaps 314 , 316 of the filament after energization ( i . e ., after the application of appropriate voltage across the end contacts 301 , 302 ) of the tungsten or tungsten alloy filament . the inner windings as discussed hereinbelow are expanded radially outward and lengthened slightly . the filament , as illustrated in fig3 , accommodates the joule heating of the filament such that the unwanted contact in the region , defined generally by reference numerals 260 , 261 , 262 and 263 in fig2 a , is avoided and does not occur . referring to fig3 d , the fill factor may change with joule heating , but the filament should unspool evenly so the fill factor should remain mostly the same even though the output disk should grow or shrink as the filament heats or cools . referring to fig3 - 3d , fill factors for the filament disclosed herein will vary depending on desired temperature of the particular filament used ; however , the filament illustrated in fig3 is 25 μm thick ( reference numeral 388 , fig3 c ) everywhere , has a 50 % fill factor using a 50 μm spacing between spirals 305 , 306 , and has a 50 μm winding width . the filament of fig3 operates at approximately 2200 ° k . for 1000 hours . the importance of the fill factor or aspect ratio has to do with the fact that the closer the windings are together the more light you can output per unit area . the spacing is determined by the amount that the filament expands due to thermal effects during operation . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the inner windings are approximately about the same cross - section , and are the smallest in cross - sectional area of the filament components . this makes the hot spot of the filament generally in the middle ( central portion 313 ) of the filament away from the walls of the package . since the light comes from the middle of the package it can be easily coupled to the optical fiber attached to the window of the light source . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the outer windings are tapered like a sickle as a transition from the strong end contacts 301 / 303 and 302 / 304 to the inner windings of the interleaved spirals 305 , 306 . the outer windings 305 , 306 are shaped like a sickle with the arc being fairly wide and sturdy to provide a strong gradual transition to the inner windings instead of going right from the end contacts directly to a narrow winding as does the structure of fig2 and 2a . the arc supports the inner windings encouraging them to uncoil as they heat instead of just twisting off in a torquing motion at the end contact connection point . the arc distributes the stress during temperature changes and thus increases the service life . the arc also provides for the inner windings of the coil to grow outwardly . the end contacts have the greatest cross - section of the filament . in this way the end contacts create a stable base for damping filament vibration and have a lot of adhesion surface area to bind the filament to the leadless chip carrier package . the large end contact portions also provide a relatively large place to handle the filament during the assembly process . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the narrower inner windings ( intermediate windings 309 , 310 , 311 , 312 ) have the same current as the end contact portions because the current is the same throughout all portions of the filament . the narrower inner windings have the same thickness as the end contact portions 301 , 302 and as the inner windings &# 39 ; cross - sectional area is smaller ( than the arc , transition portions and end contacts ) their relative resistance per incremental unit length is relatively higher and they joule heat more since the same current is squeezed through essentially a smaller volume which means the same number of electrons per second interact with fewer atoms generating more photons and different energy photons than are generated at the end contact portions . still referring to fig3 - 3d , having the arc and designing the filament such that the outer windings are spaced apart from the inner windings ( intermediate windings 309 , 310 , 311 , 312 ) may decrease the fill factor somewhat but most of the light is from the inner windings so the optical fiber will couple effectively to the filament . in this arrangement the fill factor is about 50 %. filaments having fill factors greater than 50 % may be used . the inner windings are approximately 50 μm wide and are spaced apart approximately 50 μm from winding to winding . the second spiral 305 includes intermediate winding portions 309 , 311 which terminate in a central portion 313 which joins second and first spirals 305 , 306 together . the first spiral includes intermediate winding portions 310 , 312 which also terminate in the central portion 313 . generally the windings of the spirals 305 , 306 are widest at the arc which comprises outer - most winding and gradually tapers to the width of the inner winding which is approximately 50 μm . referring to fig3 a , the overall length 350 of the filament is approximately 8 mm ( 8000 μm ). the radii 355 of the outer - most windings 307 , 308 of the second and first spirals 305 , 306 , respectively , are approximately 0 . 89 mm ( 890 μm ). the radii 356 of the outer - most windings 307 , 308 of both spirals 306 , 305 are reduced gradually to approximately 0 . 68 mm ( 680 μm ) through an arc of about 90 ° and the radii 357 are further reduced to 0 . 58 mm ( 580 μm ) through an arc of 180 °. thereafter , the radii are further reduced . the approximate length 351 between transition portions 303 , 304 is 4 . 84 mm ( 4840 μm ) for the example illustrated in fig3 a . the outer diameter 352 of the filament is approximately 1 . 50 mm ( 1 , 500 μm ) and is also illustrated in fig3 a . the diameter 353 of the tungsten or tungsten alloy filament is approximately 1 . 15 mm ( 1 , 150 μm ) at the point where the outer - most windings have swept an arc of approximately 180 ° from the entrance . the filament employs end contact portions 301 , 302 which are then reduced in cross - section in transition portions 303 , 304 . the distance 358 between the contact portions ( i . e ., where they are reduced by shoulders 330 , 331 to become transition portions 303 , 304 ) is approximately 4 . 84 mm ( 4 , 840 μm ). the contact end portions are 1 . 43 mm ( 1 , 430 μm ) in length as indicated by reference numeral 359 . the invention is disclosed herein by way of example only and those skilled in the art will readily recognize after reading the specification that many of the dimensions stated herein may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention . fig3 b is an enlargement 300 b of a portion of the double - spiral filament illustrated in fig3 a . reference numeral 314 represents the first gap between the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 at the beginning of the outer - most winding 308 . reference numeral 315 represents the first gap between the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 after an arc of about 90 ° of the outer - most winding 308 . reference numeral 317 represents the first gap between intermediate portions of the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 . reference numeral 323 represents the termination of the first gap between the intermediate portions of the first and second spirals . the gap terminates where the spirals are joined as indicated by reference numeral 313 . still referring to fig3 b , second gap 320 between intermediate portions of the second 305 and first 306 spirals is illustrated and that second gap which began as 316 , 316 a terminates as indicated by reference numeral 324 . fig3 c is a perspective view 300 c of the double - spiral filament illustrated in fig3 and which illustrates the thickness 388 of 0 . 025 mm ( 25 μm ) and the generally planar form of the filament which is generally represented by the reference numeral 300 in fig3 . in the future it is contemplated that a thickness of 0 . 050 ( 50 μm ) may be used . fig4 is an illustration of the ceramic housing or base 400 illustrating a bottom 400 , a ledge 405 having contact pairs 405 a , 406 which engage the end contact portions 301 , 302 of the spiral filament 300 , and an upper perimeter or lip 402 which is metal coated 402 b , 402 a . the ceramic housing has a metallized upper lip 402 a consisting of a base coating of nickel plating 402 b with a top coating of 0 . 0015 mm ( 1 . 5 μm ) of gold plating 402 a . the bottom 404 of the housing may be polished . alternatively , a reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , or nitride 404 a may be deposited on the bottom 404 . the bottom reflector layer provides a reflective surface 404 a to improve transmission through the transmission window 602 above , see fig7 . alternatively , the bottom reflector layer may include a reflective metal layer 404 a which may be a ti 200 å / pt 1000 å reflective film . silver may also be used as a reflective material . still referring to fig4 , grooves 401 , 412 , 409 , 410 , are cut vertically into the sides of the leadless chip carrier 400 to allow for interconnections directly to metal contacts 411 , 414 within the grooves from outside the leadless chip carrier . metal contact 405 a is in electrical communication ( not shown ) with contact 411 within the leadless chip carrier 400 . similarly metal contact 408 is in electrical communication ( not shown ) with contact 414 within the leadless chip carrier 400 . contact pairs 407 , 408 and 406 , 405 a are the preferred contacts over which braze preform is placed prior to placing end contact portions 301 , 302 therein for heating to secure the filament within . any of the contact pairs may be used as they all result in the centering of the filament within the housing and for its alignment with the window in the lid . fig4 a is a quarter - sectional view 400 a of the ceramic base or housing 400 illustrating the reflective bottom portion 404 a , the ledge 405 and the upper perimeter or lip 402 . fig4 a provides a good illustration of outer surface contacts 411 , 414 for interconnection to outside devices . fig4 b is an enlarged portion 400 b of the quarter - sectional view 400 a of the ceramic base or housing illustrating the reflective layer 404 a covering the bottom of the leadless chip carrier , the nickel plating 402 b on the perimeter and the gold plating 402 a on the nickel plating 402 b . reference numeral 405 b indicates a braze preform on top of contact 405 a in which end contact 301 , 302 may be placed . the end contacts of the tungsten filament may be bonded to contacts of the chip carrier package by a suitable process such as brazing , electron beam welding , spot welding or laser welding . fig5 is a view 500 similar to fig4 with the double - spiral filament 300 placed in the ceramic base or housing 400 straddling the ledge 405 with the end contact portions 301 , 302 mating with a respective pair 405 a , 406 of the contact pairs of the ledge 405 . fig5 a is a quarter sectional view 500 a of fig5 illustrating the braze preform securing the end contact portion 301 to contact 405 a on ledge 405 of housing 400 . end contact portion 301 is fused to the contact 405 a upon sufficient heating and subsequent cooling . fig6 is a view 600 of the bottom side of the lid 601 illustrating the transparent window 602 and the lip 603 a which mates with and is secured to the upper surface 402 a of the ceramic base . the lid is commercially available from spectrum semiconductor materials of san jose , calif . part no . c - 731 - 21 - 50mk100mnd - gkl . the material of the lid is kovar and includes the gold plating on top of nickel with a 80 % au / 20 % sn solder preform . fig6 a is a side view 600 a of the lid 601 illustrating the lip 603 a with solder preform 603 applied over the lip . at least one notch , nick or groove 608 is cut into the solder preform 603 such that when it is secured or held into sealing engagement with gold plated surface 402 a and placed in a furnace under vacuum conditions the contents of the ceramic housing 400 and the lid 601 are evacuated . alternatively , the ceramic housing and lid may be placed in an environment of halogen gas . fig6 b is an enlarged portion of fig6 a illustrating nick 608 in more detail . the heat of the furnace remelts and reflows the solder preform eliminating the nick and securing the lid and the chip carrier package together . fig7 is a top view 700 of the ultraminiature light source assembled . fig8 is a schematic 800 of the steps to manufacture the ultraminiature light source . the steps include fabricating a double - spiral ultraminiature tungsten filament from tungsten foil - 801 ; placing braze preform over two metal contacts of a suitable chip carrier package - 802 ; positioning end contacts of the tungsten filament into engagement with the braze preform covering the contacts of the chip carrier package - 803 ; placing the chip carrier package with the filament positioned therein into a vacuum furnace , the chip carrier package having a base plated with a material selected from the group of reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , and nitride - 804 ; heating , under desired vacuum , the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the braze preform 805 at approximately 800 ° c . to melt the braze preform and bond the filament to the chip package ; cooling the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the brazing while increasing pressure to atmospheric pressure - 806 ; applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion - 807 ; nicking the solder preform to create a discontinuity therein - 808 ; applying the lid having a transparent portion and having a solder preform tack welded over the perimeter of the lid to the chip carrier package , the chip carrier includes an upper lip having a gold plating which resides over a nickel plating ; holding the lid with the solder affixed thereto into engagement with the chip carrier package - 810 ; placing the chip carrier package with the lid held in place into the furnace under desired vacuum - 811 ; heating , under desired vacuum , the chip package to the eutectic temperature of solder to remelt and reflow the solder to seal the chip carrier package under the desired vacuum to create an air tight seal between the package and the lid - 812 ; and , cooling to room temperature and restoring atmospheric pressure within the furnace - 813 . alternatively , the step of placing braze preform on the contacts may be substituted with any suitable process of bonding the contacts to the chip carrier by brazing , electron beam welding , spot welding or laser welding . the eutectic point referred to in the step denoted by reference numeral 812 is the point at which the liquid phase borders directly on the solid phase . the temperature that corresponds to this point is known as the eutectic temperature . the step of applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion - 807 — includes the solder preform being tack welded to the window lid . the attachment of the solder preform to the lid prior to the sealing process avoids potential handling damage to the delicate 0 . 510 mm ( 510 μm ) thick gold preform and reduces alignment offsets of the gold preform to the sealing surfaces . the ceramic housing has a metallized upper lip consisting of a base coating of nickel plating with a top coating of 0 . 0015 mm ( 1 . 5 μm ) of gold plating . the light source disclosed herein was successfully tested at 3 . 125 vdc at 0 . 40 a yielding approximately 1 . 250 w at 2200 ° k . for approximately 1000 hours . different filament materials operating at different voltages will produces different values . fig9 is a top view 900 of the ultraminiature light source with a fiber optic guide 901 secured to the transparent window 602 with optical adhesive 902 . fig9 a is an enlarged cross - sectional view 900 a taken along the lines 9 a - 9 a of fig9 . a gap 903 of approximately 0 . 58 mm ( 580 μm ) is illustrated in fig9 a between the filament and the window 602 . the advantage of the tungsten light source disclosed herein includes the fact that it provides a broad optical spectrum . this broad spectrum is accompanied by a short coherence length . it is key , therefore , to couple the light source into an optical fiber in an efficient manner . this becomes increasingly problematic when the core size of the optical fiber is small . fibers used in optical fiber sensors may be 50 microns or smaller . such fibers usually have a small numerical aperture number ( na ) such as 0 . 22 . this means that either the light entering the fiber must be fairly collimated or that the fiber must be close to the source if the light is not highly collimated . the tungsten light source disclosed herein radiates light in all directions although the dual spiral coils tend to concentrate the light source . in order to maximize coupling a small filament light source with dimensions approaching that of the fiber , close spacing of the fiber to the filament is required to achieve any sort of efficiency in getting the tungsten light spectrum into the fiber . fig1 is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1000 similar to fig9 a illustrating another fiber optic guide coupling arrangement . connector housing 1001 fits over the packaged tungsten filament light source and the connector female receptacle 1002 is in engagement with the package . male connector 1003 is insertable within the female connector 1002 . male connector 1003 includes a housing portion 1004 and a resilient portion 1005 for receiving the fiber 901 . the fiber 901 is positioned in proximity to the window for good coupling to the tungsten filament . resilient material 1005 is used to grip the fiber optic guide 901 and enables the replacement of the optic fiber 901 if necessary . fig1 is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1100 of another connector arrangement wherein the fiber is held in a male connector 1110 , which in turn is coupled to a female connector receptacle 1112 affixed to a lamp package mount 1113 . optionally a lens 1120 may be used . fig1 a is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1100 a of another connector similar to fig1 with a lens integrally affixed 1121 with the lamp package window . fig1 b is an enlarged cross - sectional view 100 b of a connector similar to fig1 a with the connector directly engaging and attached to the lens by adhesive , solder , braze , or glass frit 1130 . alternatively the lens 1120 may be welded to the package lid . 1100 - cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with an optional lens 1100 a - cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with a lens integral with the transparent window 100 — schematic of related art device in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 796 , 866 . 214 — top nitride layer of middle filament mounting substrate 106 301 — end contact portion which sits on ledge of leadless chip carrier package 302 — end contact portion which sits on ledge of leadless chip carrier package 303 — transitional portion interconnecting end contact portion 301 and outer spiral portion 306 of the first spiral 304 — transitional portion interconnecting end contact portion 302 and outer spiral portion 305 of the second spiral 315 — gap between beginning portion of first spiral and second spiral where they begin to converge 316 a — gap between beginning portion of second spiral and first spiral where they begin to converge 323 — termination of gap between intermediate portions of first and second spirals 324 — termination of gap between intermediate portions of second and first spirals 340 — arrow to beginning of gap between second spiral 305 and first spiral 306 341 — arrow to beginning of gap between first spiral 306 and second spiral 305 350 — overall length of approximately 8 . 00 mm of the filament of the example illustrated 351 — approximate length of 4 . 84 mm between transition portions 303 , 340 of the example illustrated 352 — outer diameter of approximately 1 . 50 mm of the filament of the example illustrated 353 — diameter of filament after approximately 180 ° arc of the example illustrated 354 — approximate width of 0 . 500 mm of the contact portions 302 , 301 of the example illustrated 355 — approximate radii of 0 . 89 mm of the first and second spirals at the beginning of the spirals of the example of the example illustrated 356 — approximate radii of 0 . 68 mm of the first and second spirals after an approximate 90 ° arc of the example illustrated 357 — approximate radii of 0 . 58 mm of the first and second spirals after an approximate 180 ° arc of the example illustrated 358 — approximate distance of 4 . 84 mm between the contact portion of the example illustrated 400 a — quarter - sectional view of the leadless chip carrier illustrated in fig4 taken along the lines 4 a - 4 a 400 b — quarter - sectional view of the leadless chip carrier illustrated in fig4 further illustrating the braze preform and the reflective bottom 500 — top plan view of a leadless chip carrier similar to view of fig4 with the filament placed therein 500 a — quarter - sectional view taken along the lines 5 a - 5 a of fig5 — placing braze preform over two metal contacts of a suitable chip carrier package or electron welding , spot welding or laser welding 803 — positioning end contacts of the tungsten filament into engagement with the braze preform covering the contacts of the chip carrier package 804 — placing the chip carrier package with the filament positioned therein into a vacuum furnace , the chip carrier package having a base plated with a material selected from the group of reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , and nitride 805 — heating , under desired vacuum , the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the braze preform at approximately 800 ° c . 806 — cooling the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the brazing while increasing pressure to atmospheric pressure 807 — applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion 809 — applying the lid having a transparent portion and having a solder preform tack welded over the perimeter of the lid to the chip carrier package , the chip carrier includes an upper lip having a gold plating which resides over a nickel plating 810 — holding the lid with the solder affixed thereto into engagement with the chip carrier package 811 — placing the chip carrier package with the lid held in place into the furnace under desired vacuum 812 — heating , under desired vacuum , the chip package to the eutectic temperature of solder to remelt and reflow the solder to seal the chip carrier package under the desired vacuum 813 — cooling to room temperature and restoring atmospheric pressure within the furnace 900 — top view of filament within the assembled package coupled to a fiber optic guide 900 a — cross - sectional view taken along the lines 9 a - 9 a 1000 — cross - sectional view of a connector for coupling a fiber optic guide to the assembled package 1100 — cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with an optional lens 1100 a — cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with a lens integral with the transparent window those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the invention has been set forth by way of examples only and that many changes may be made to the structure of the examples and to the process set forth by way of examples without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims attached hereto . | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Electricity'? | Is 'Human Necessities' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | 3597bfabdea6b115dac28a8f381f8d2b1f1c71505028276aac5677aa58586d78 | 0.09668 | 0.004333 | 0.012817 | 0.000179 | 0.01001 | 0.002121 |
null | fig3 is an illustration of the double - spiral element 300 of the instant invention having end contact portions 301 , 302 which are divergent from the next adjacent spiral . by increasing the radius of the outer windings of the double - spiral , the inner windings are allowed to decoil while not contacting the outer windings or tabs so that the short path is less likely for a particular operating voltage . the net result is to allow more stable light output for a longer lifetime at a higher operating point for the filament . end contact portions 301 , 302 of the double - spiral filament contact ledge 405 of leadless chip carrier package 400 and are in electrical communication therewith . see , fig4 and 4a , which generally represent a commercially available leadless chip carrier package such as the one illustrated and made by kyocera corporation of kyoto , japan , kyocera drawing number pb - c88231 - jmi . it will be noted that the leadless chip carrier package includes a plurality of gold contacts which are embedded in or deposited on the surface of the ledge . any oppositely oriented pair of contacts may be used as they will position the double - spiral filament centrally within the chip carrier package . the double - spiral filament 300 is centrally mounted as this will maximize the light output through a correspondingly oriented window 602 in a lid 600 as illustrated in fig6 and 7 . a braze preform available from morgan ceramics / wesgo metals incusil - aba having 59 % ag , 27 . 25 % cu , 12 . 5 % in and 1 . 25 % ti having a liquidus temp = 715 ° c . covers the contacts of the leadless chip carrier . the leadless chip carrier with the filament engaging the braze preform and the contacts are then heated under a desired vacuum at approximately 800 ° c . until the filament is secured in place . a transitional portion 303 of the filament interconnects end contact portion 301 and outer spiral portion 306 of the first spiral and a transitional portion 304 interconnects the end contact portion 302 and outer spiral portion 305 of the second spiral . it will be noticed that the end contact portions 301 and 302 are significantly larger in cross - sectional area than the transitional portions 303 , 304 . the filament is 0 . 025 mm ( 25 μm ) thick everywhere and the end contacts are approximately 0 . 50 mm ( 500 μm ) wide as represented by reference numeral 354 in fig3 a . also see , fig3 c , reference numeral 388 , illustrating the thickness 388 of the filament . shoulders 330 , 331 reduce the width of the end contact portions to the width of the transition portions 303 , 304 . fig3 a is an illustration 300 a of the double - spiral filament 300 of the instant invention similar to fig3 with additional reference numerals employed to indicate dimensions and radii of the filament . referring still to fig3 , the beginning 305 a of the outer - most winding 307 of the second spiral 305 is illustrated . reference numeral 307 represents the outer - most winding of the second spiral . reference numeral 305 a represents the beginning of the outer - most winding 307 of the second spiral 305 . reference numeral 306 a represents the beginning of the outer - most winding 308 of the first spiral 306 . reference numeral 308 represents the outer - most winding of the first spiral 308 . arrow 340 is indicated in fig3 as pointing to the gap 316 ( sometimes referred herein as “ the second gap ”) between second spiral 305 and first spiral 306 and arrow 341 is pointing toward the beginning of the gap 314 ( sometimes referred herein as “ the first gap ”) between first spiral 306 and second spiral 305 . these arrows signify the relatively large gaps at the entrances to the interleaved first 306 and second spiral 305 . fig3 d illustrates the gaps 314 , 316 of the filament after energization ( i . e ., after the application of appropriate voltage across the end contacts 301 , 302 ) of the tungsten or tungsten alloy filament . the inner windings as discussed hereinbelow are expanded radially outward and lengthened slightly . the filament , as illustrated in fig3 , accommodates the joule heating of the filament such that the unwanted contact in the region , defined generally by reference numerals 260 , 261 , 262 and 263 in fig2 a , is avoided and does not occur . referring to fig3 d , the fill factor may change with joule heating , but the filament should unspool evenly so the fill factor should remain mostly the same even though the output disk should grow or shrink as the filament heats or cools . referring to fig3 - 3d , fill factors for the filament disclosed herein will vary depending on desired temperature of the particular filament used ; however , the filament illustrated in fig3 is 25 μm thick ( reference numeral 388 , fig3 c ) everywhere , has a 50 % fill factor using a 50 μm spacing between spirals 305 , 306 , and has a 50 μm winding width . the filament of fig3 operates at approximately 2200 ° k . for 1000 hours . the importance of the fill factor or aspect ratio has to do with the fact that the closer the windings are together the more light you can output per unit area . the spacing is determined by the amount that the filament expands due to thermal effects during operation . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the inner windings are approximately about the same cross - section , and are the smallest in cross - sectional area of the filament components . this makes the hot spot of the filament generally in the middle ( central portion 313 ) of the filament away from the walls of the package . since the light comes from the middle of the package it can be easily coupled to the optical fiber attached to the window of the light source . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the outer windings are tapered like a sickle as a transition from the strong end contacts 301 / 303 and 302 / 304 to the inner windings of the interleaved spirals 305 , 306 . the outer windings 305 , 306 are shaped like a sickle with the arc being fairly wide and sturdy to provide a strong gradual transition to the inner windings instead of going right from the end contacts directly to a narrow winding as does the structure of fig2 and 2a . the arc supports the inner windings encouraging them to uncoil as they heat instead of just twisting off in a torquing motion at the end contact connection point . the arc distributes the stress during temperature changes and thus increases the service life . the arc also provides for the inner windings of the coil to grow outwardly . the end contacts have the greatest cross - section of the filament . in this way the end contacts create a stable base for damping filament vibration and have a lot of adhesion surface area to bind the filament to the leadless chip carrier package . the large end contact portions also provide a relatively large place to handle the filament during the assembly process . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the narrower inner windings ( intermediate windings 309 , 310 , 311 , 312 ) have the same current as the end contact portions because the current is the same throughout all portions of the filament . the narrower inner windings have the same thickness as the end contact portions 301 , 302 and as the inner windings &# 39 ; cross - sectional area is smaller ( than the arc , transition portions and end contacts ) their relative resistance per incremental unit length is relatively higher and they joule heat more since the same current is squeezed through essentially a smaller volume which means the same number of electrons per second interact with fewer atoms generating more photons and different energy photons than are generated at the end contact portions . still referring to fig3 - 3d , having the arc and designing the filament such that the outer windings are spaced apart from the inner windings ( intermediate windings 309 , 310 , 311 , 312 ) may decrease the fill factor somewhat but most of the light is from the inner windings so the optical fiber will couple effectively to the filament . in this arrangement the fill factor is about 50 %. filaments having fill factors greater than 50 % may be used . the inner windings are approximately 50 μm wide and are spaced apart approximately 50 μm from winding to winding . the second spiral 305 includes intermediate winding portions 309 , 311 which terminate in a central portion 313 which joins second and first spirals 305 , 306 together . the first spiral includes intermediate winding portions 310 , 312 which also terminate in the central portion 313 . generally the windings of the spirals 305 , 306 are widest at the arc which comprises outer - most winding and gradually tapers to the width of the inner winding which is approximately 50 μm . referring to fig3 a , the overall length 350 of the filament is approximately 8 mm ( 8000 μm ). the radii 355 of the outer - most windings 307 , 308 of the second and first spirals 305 , 306 , respectively , are approximately 0 . 89 mm ( 890 μm ). the radii 356 of the outer - most windings 307 , 308 of both spirals 306 , 305 are reduced gradually to approximately 0 . 68 mm ( 680 μm ) through an arc of about 90 ° and the radii 357 are further reduced to 0 . 58 mm ( 580 μm ) through an arc of 180 °. thereafter , the radii are further reduced . the approximate length 351 between transition portions 303 , 304 is 4 . 84 mm ( 4840 μm ) for the example illustrated in fig3 a . the outer diameter 352 of the filament is approximately 1 . 50 mm ( 1 , 500 μm ) and is also illustrated in fig3 a . the diameter 353 of the tungsten or tungsten alloy filament is approximately 1 . 15 mm ( 1 , 150 μm ) at the point where the outer - most windings have swept an arc of approximately 180 ° from the entrance . the filament employs end contact portions 301 , 302 which are then reduced in cross - section in transition portions 303 , 304 . the distance 358 between the contact portions ( i . e ., where they are reduced by shoulders 330 , 331 to become transition portions 303 , 304 ) is approximately 4 . 84 mm ( 4 , 840 μm ). the contact end portions are 1 . 43 mm ( 1 , 430 μm ) in length as indicated by reference numeral 359 . the invention is disclosed herein by way of example only and those skilled in the art will readily recognize after reading the specification that many of the dimensions stated herein may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention . fig3 b is an enlargement 300 b of a portion of the double - spiral filament illustrated in fig3 a . reference numeral 314 represents the first gap between the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 at the beginning of the outer - most winding 308 . reference numeral 315 represents the first gap between the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 after an arc of about 90 ° of the outer - most winding 308 . reference numeral 317 represents the first gap between intermediate portions of the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 . reference numeral 323 represents the termination of the first gap between the intermediate portions of the first and second spirals . the gap terminates where the spirals are joined as indicated by reference numeral 313 . still referring to fig3 b , second gap 320 between intermediate portions of the second 305 and first 306 spirals is illustrated and that second gap which began as 316 , 316 a terminates as indicated by reference numeral 324 . fig3 c is a perspective view 300 c of the double - spiral filament illustrated in fig3 and which illustrates the thickness 388 of 0 . 025 mm ( 25 μm ) and the generally planar form of the filament which is generally represented by the reference numeral 300 in fig3 . in the future it is contemplated that a thickness of 0 . 050 ( 50 μm ) may be used . fig4 is an illustration of the ceramic housing or base 400 illustrating a bottom 400 , a ledge 405 having contact pairs 405 a , 406 which engage the end contact portions 301 , 302 of the spiral filament 300 , and an upper perimeter or lip 402 which is metal coated 402 b , 402 a . the ceramic housing has a metallized upper lip 402 a consisting of a base coating of nickel plating 402 b with a top coating of 0 . 0015 mm ( 1 . 5 μm ) of gold plating 402 a . the bottom 404 of the housing may be polished . alternatively , a reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , or nitride 404 a may be deposited on the bottom 404 . the bottom reflector layer provides a reflective surface 404 a to improve transmission through the transmission window 602 above , see fig7 . alternatively , the bottom reflector layer may include a reflective metal layer 404 a which may be a ti 200 å / pt 1000 å reflective film . silver may also be used as a reflective material . still referring to fig4 , grooves 401 , 412 , 409 , 410 , are cut vertically into the sides of the leadless chip carrier 400 to allow for interconnections directly to metal contacts 411 , 414 within the grooves from outside the leadless chip carrier . metal contact 405 a is in electrical communication ( not shown ) with contact 411 within the leadless chip carrier 400 . similarly metal contact 408 is in electrical communication ( not shown ) with contact 414 within the leadless chip carrier 400 . contact pairs 407 , 408 and 406 , 405 a are the preferred contacts over which braze preform is placed prior to placing end contact portions 301 , 302 therein for heating to secure the filament within . any of the contact pairs may be used as they all result in the centering of the filament within the housing and for its alignment with the window in the lid . fig4 a is a quarter - sectional view 400 a of the ceramic base or housing 400 illustrating the reflective bottom portion 404 a , the ledge 405 and the upper perimeter or lip 402 . fig4 a provides a good illustration of outer surface contacts 411 , 414 for interconnection to outside devices . fig4 b is an enlarged portion 400 b of the quarter - sectional view 400 a of the ceramic base or housing illustrating the reflective layer 404 a covering the bottom of the leadless chip carrier , the nickel plating 402 b on the perimeter and the gold plating 402 a on the nickel plating 402 b . reference numeral 405 b indicates a braze preform on top of contact 405 a in which end contact 301 , 302 may be placed . the end contacts of the tungsten filament may be bonded to contacts of the chip carrier package by a suitable process such as brazing , electron beam welding , spot welding or laser welding . fig5 is a view 500 similar to fig4 with the double - spiral filament 300 placed in the ceramic base or housing 400 straddling the ledge 405 with the end contact portions 301 , 302 mating with a respective pair 405 a , 406 of the contact pairs of the ledge 405 . fig5 a is a quarter sectional view 500 a of fig5 illustrating the braze preform securing the end contact portion 301 to contact 405 a on ledge 405 of housing 400 . end contact portion 301 is fused to the contact 405 a upon sufficient heating and subsequent cooling . fig6 is a view 600 of the bottom side of the lid 601 illustrating the transparent window 602 and the lip 603 a which mates with and is secured to the upper surface 402 a of the ceramic base . the lid is commercially available from spectrum semiconductor materials of san jose , calif . part no . c - 731 - 21 - 50mk100mnd - gkl . the material of the lid is kovar and includes the gold plating on top of nickel with a 80 % au / 20 % sn solder preform . fig6 a is a side view 600 a of the lid 601 illustrating the lip 603 a with solder preform 603 applied over the lip . at least one notch , nick or groove 608 is cut into the solder preform 603 such that when it is secured or held into sealing engagement with gold plated surface 402 a and placed in a furnace under vacuum conditions the contents of the ceramic housing 400 and the lid 601 are evacuated . alternatively , the ceramic housing and lid may be placed in an environment of halogen gas . fig6 b is an enlarged portion of fig6 a illustrating nick 608 in more detail . the heat of the furnace remelts and reflows the solder preform eliminating the nick and securing the lid and the chip carrier package together . fig7 is a top view 700 of the ultraminiature light source assembled . fig8 is a schematic 800 of the steps to manufacture the ultraminiature light source . the steps include fabricating a double - spiral ultraminiature tungsten filament from tungsten foil - 801 ; placing braze preform over two metal contacts of a suitable chip carrier package - 802 ; positioning end contacts of the tungsten filament into engagement with the braze preform covering the contacts of the chip carrier package - 803 ; placing the chip carrier package with the filament positioned therein into a vacuum furnace , the chip carrier package having a base plated with a material selected from the group of reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , and nitride - 804 ; heating , under desired vacuum , the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the braze preform 805 at approximately 800 ° c . to melt the braze preform and bond the filament to the chip package ; cooling the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the brazing while increasing pressure to atmospheric pressure - 806 ; applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion - 807 ; nicking the solder preform to create a discontinuity therein - 808 ; applying the lid having a transparent portion and having a solder preform tack welded over the perimeter of the lid to the chip carrier package , the chip carrier includes an upper lip having a gold plating which resides over a nickel plating ; holding the lid with the solder affixed thereto into engagement with the chip carrier package - 810 ; placing the chip carrier package with the lid held in place into the furnace under desired vacuum - 811 ; heating , under desired vacuum , the chip package to the eutectic temperature of solder to remelt and reflow the solder to seal the chip carrier package under the desired vacuum to create an air tight seal between the package and the lid - 812 ; and , cooling to room temperature and restoring atmospheric pressure within the furnace - 813 . alternatively , the step of placing braze preform on the contacts may be substituted with any suitable process of bonding the contacts to the chip carrier by brazing , electron beam welding , spot welding or laser welding . the eutectic point referred to in the step denoted by reference numeral 812 is the point at which the liquid phase borders directly on the solid phase . the temperature that corresponds to this point is known as the eutectic temperature . the step of applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion - 807 — includes the solder preform being tack welded to the window lid . the attachment of the solder preform to the lid prior to the sealing process avoids potential handling damage to the delicate 0 . 510 mm ( 510 μm ) thick gold preform and reduces alignment offsets of the gold preform to the sealing surfaces . the ceramic housing has a metallized upper lip consisting of a base coating of nickel plating with a top coating of 0 . 0015 mm ( 1 . 5 μm ) of gold plating . the light source disclosed herein was successfully tested at 3 . 125 vdc at 0 . 40 a yielding approximately 1 . 250 w at 2200 ° k . for approximately 1000 hours . different filament materials operating at different voltages will produces different values . fig9 is a top view 900 of the ultraminiature light source with a fiber optic guide 901 secured to the transparent window 602 with optical adhesive 902 . fig9 a is an enlarged cross - sectional view 900 a taken along the lines 9 a - 9 a of fig9 . a gap 903 of approximately 0 . 58 mm ( 580 μm ) is illustrated in fig9 a between the filament and the window 602 . the advantage of the tungsten light source disclosed herein includes the fact that it provides a broad optical spectrum . this broad spectrum is accompanied by a short coherence length . it is key , therefore , to couple the light source into an optical fiber in an efficient manner . this becomes increasingly problematic when the core size of the optical fiber is small . fibers used in optical fiber sensors may be 50 microns or smaller . such fibers usually have a small numerical aperture number ( na ) such as 0 . 22 . this means that either the light entering the fiber must be fairly collimated or that the fiber must be close to the source if the light is not highly collimated . the tungsten light source disclosed herein radiates light in all directions although the dual spiral coils tend to concentrate the light source . in order to maximize coupling a small filament light source with dimensions approaching that of the fiber , close spacing of the fiber to the filament is required to achieve any sort of efficiency in getting the tungsten light spectrum into the fiber . fig1 is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1000 similar to fig9 a illustrating another fiber optic guide coupling arrangement . connector housing 1001 fits over the packaged tungsten filament light source and the connector female receptacle 1002 is in engagement with the package . male connector 1003 is insertable within the female connector 1002 . male connector 1003 includes a housing portion 1004 and a resilient portion 1005 for receiving the fiber 901 . the fiber 901 is positioned in proximity to the window for good coupling to the tungsten filament . resilient material 1005 is used to grip the fiber optic guide 901 and enables the replacement of the optic fiber 901 if necessary . fig1 is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1100 of another connector arrangement wherein the fiber is held in a male connector 1110 , which in turn is coupled to a female connector receptacle 1112 affixed to a lamp package mount 1113 . optionally a lens 1120 may be used . fig1 a is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1100 a of another connector similar to fig1 with a lens integrally affixed 1121 with the lamp package window . fig1 b is an enlarged cross - sectional view 100 b of a connector similar to fig1 a with the connector directly engaging and attached to the lens by adhesive , solder , braze , or glass frit 1130 . alternatively the lens 1120 may be welded to the package lid . 1100 - cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with an optional lens 1100 a - cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with a lens integral with the transparent window 100 — schematic of related art device in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 796 , 866 . 214 — top nitride layer of middle filament mounting substrate 106 301 — end contact portion which sits on ledge of leadless chip carrier package 302 — end contact portion which sits on ledge of leadless chip carrier package 303 — transitional portion interconnecting end contact portion 301 and outer spiral portion 306 of the first spiral 304 — transitional portion interconnecting end contact portion 302 and outer spiral portion 305 of the second spiral 315 — gap between beginning portion of first spiral and second spiral where they begin to converge 316 a — gap between beginning portion of second spiral and first spiral where they begin to converge 323 — termination of gap between intermediate portions of first and second spirals 324 — termination of gap between intermediate portions of second and first spirals 340 — arrow to beginning of gap between second spiral 305 and first spiral 306 341 — arrow to beginning of gap between first spiral 306 and second spiral 305 350 — overall length of approximately 8 . 00 mm of the filament of the example illustrated 351 — approximate length of 4 . 84 mm between transition portions 303 , 340 of the example illustrated 352 — outer diameter of approximately 1 . 50 mm of the filament of the example illustrated 353 — diameter of filament after approximately 180 ° arc of the example illustrated 354 — approximate width of 0 . 500 mm of the contact portions 302 , 301 of the example illustrated 355 — approximate radii of 0 . 89 mm of the first and second spirals at the beginning of the spirals of the example of the example illustrated 356 — approximate radii of 0 . 68 mm of the first and second spirals after an approximate 90 ° arc of the example illustrated 357 — approximate radii of 0 . 58 mm of the first and second spirals after an approximate 180 ° arc of the example illustrated 358 — approximate distance of 4 . 84 mm between the contact portion of the example illustrated 400 a — quarter - sectional view of the leadless chip carrier illustrated in fig4 taken along the lines 4 a - 4 a 400 b — quarter - sectional view of the leadless chip carrier illustrated in fig4 further illustrating the braze preform and the reflective bottom 500 — top plan view of a leadless chip carrier similar to view of fig4 with the filament placed therein 500 a — quarter - sectional view taken along the lines 5 a - 5 a of fig5 — placing braze preform over two metal contacts of a suitable chip carrier package or electron welding , spot welding or laser welding 803 — positioning end contacts of the tungsten filament into engagement with the braze preform covering the contacts of the chip carrier package 804 — placing the chip carrier package with the filament positioned therein into a vacuum furnace , the chip carrier package having a base plated with a material selected from the group of reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , and nitride 805 — heating , under desired vacuum , the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the braze preform at approximately 800 ° c . 806 — cooling the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the brazing while increasing pressure to atmospheric pressure 807 — applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion 809 — applying the lid having a transparent portion and having a solder preform tack welded over the perimeter of the lid to the chip carrier package , the chip carrier includes an upper lip having a gold plating which resides over a nickel plating 810 — holding the lid with the solder affixed thereto into engagement with the chip carrier package 811 — placing the chip carrier package with the lid held in place into the furnace under desired vacuum 812 — heating , under desired vacuum , the chip package to the eutectic temperature of solder to remelt and reflow the solder to seal the chip carrier package under the desired vacuum 813 — cooling to room temperature and restoring atmospheric pressure within the furnace 900 — top view of filament within the assembled package coupled to a fiber optic guide 900 a — cross - sectional view taken along the lines 9 a - 9 a 1000 — cross - sectional view of a connector for coupling a fiber optic guide to the assembled package 1100 — cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with an optional lens 1100 a — cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with a lens integral with the transparent window those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the invention has been set forth by way of examples only and that many changes may be made to the structure of the examples and to the process set forth by way of examples without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims attached hereto . | Should this patent be classified under 'Electricity'? | Is 'Performing Operations; Transporting' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | 3597bfabdea6b115dac28a8f381f8d2b1f1c71505028276aac5677aa58586d78 | 0.083984 | 0.036133 | 0.012024 | 0.018799 | 0.009705 | 0.049561 |
null | fig3 is an illustration of the double - spiral element 300 of the instant invention having end contact portions 301 , 302 which are divergent from the next adjacent spiral . by increasing the radius of the outer windings of the double - spiral , the inner windings are allowed to decoil while not contacting the outer windings or tabs so that the short path is less likely for a particular operating voltage . the net result is to allow more stable light output for a longer lifetime at a higher operating point for the filament . end contact portions 301 , 302 of the double - spiral filament contact ledge 405 of leadless chip carrier package 400 and are in electrical communication therewith . see , fig4 and 4a , which generally represent a commercially available leadless chip carrier package such as the one illustrated and made by kyocera corporation of kyoto , japan , kyocera drawing number pb - c88231 - jmi . it will be noted that the leadless chip carrier package includes a plurality of gold contacts which are embedded in or deposited on the surface of the ledge . any oppositely oriented pair of contacts may be used as they will position the double - spiral filament centrally within the chip carrier package . the double - spiral filament 300 is centrally mounted as this will maximize the light output through a correspondingly oriented window 602 in a lid 600 as illustrated in fig6 and 7 . a braze preform available from morgan ceramics / wesgo metals incusil - aba having 59 % ag , 27 . 25 % cu , 12 . 5 % in and 1 . 25 % ti having a liquidus temp = 715 ° c . covers the contacts of the leadless chip carrier . the leadless chip carrier with the filament engaging the braze preform and the contacts are then heated under a desired vacuum at approximately 800 ° c . until the filament is secured in place . a transitional portion 303 of the filament interconnects end contact portion 301 and outer spiral portion 306 of the first spiral and a transitional portion 304 interconnects the end contact portion 302 and outer spiral portion 305 of the second spiral . it will be noticed that the end contact portions 301 and 302 are significantly larger in cross - sectional area than the transitional portions 303 , 304 . the filament is 0 . 025 mm ( 25 μm ) thick everywhere and the end contacts are approximately 0 . 50 mm ( 500 μm ) wide as represented by reference numeral 354 in fig3 a . also see , fig3 c , reference numeral 388 , illustrating the thickness 388 of the filament . shoulders 330 , 331 reduce the width of the end contact portions to the width of the transition portions 303 , 304 . fig3 a is an illustration 300 a of the double - spiral filament 300 of the instant invention similar to fig3 with additional reference numerals employed to indicate dimensions and radii of the filament . referring still to fig3 , the beginning 305 a of the outer - most winding 307 of the second spiral 305 is illustrated . reference numeral 307 represents the outer - most winding of the second spiral . reference numeral 305 a represents the beginning of the outer - most winding 307 of the second spiral 305 . reference numeral 306 a represents the beginning of the outer - most winding 308 of the first spiral 306 . reference numeral 308 represents the outer - most winding of the first spiral 308 . arrow 340 is indicated in fig3 as pointing to the gap 316 ( sometimes referred herein as “ the second gap ”) between second spiral 305 and first spiral 306 and arrow 341 is pointing toward the beginning of the gap 314 ( sometimes referred herein as “ the first gap ”) between first spiral 306 and second spiral 305 . these arrows signify the relatively large gaps at the entrances to the interleaved first 306 and second spiral 305 . fig3 d illustrates the gaps 314 , 316 of the filament after energization ( i . e ., after the application of appropriate voltage across the end contacts 301 , 302 ) of the tungsten or tungsten alloy filament . the inner windings as discussed hereinbelow are expanded radially outward and lengthened slightly . the filament , as illustrated in fig3 , accommodates the joule heating of the filament such that the unwanted contact in the region , defined generally by reference numerals 260 , 261 , 262 and 263 in fig2 a , is avoided and does not occur . referring to fig3 d , the fill factor may change with joule heating , but the filament should unspool evenly so the fill factor should remain mostly the same even though the output disk should grow or shrink as the filament heats or cools . referring to fig3 - 3d , fill factors for the filament disclosed herein will vary depending on desired temperature of the particular filament used ; however , the filament illustrated in fig3 is 25 μm thick ( reference numeral 388 , fig3 c ) everywhere , has a 50 % fill factor using a 50 μm spacing between spirals 305 , 306 , and has a 50 μm winding width . the filament of fig3 operates at approximately 2200 ° k . for 1000 hours . the importance of the fill factor or aspect ratio has to do with the fact that the closer the windings are together the more light you can output per unit area . the spacing is determined by the amount that the filament expands due to thermal effects during operation . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the inner windings are approximately about the same cross - section , and are the smallest in cross - sectional area of the filament components . this makes the hot spot of the filament generally in the middle ( central portion 313 ) of the filament away from the walls of the package . since the light comes from the middle of the package it can be easily coupled to the optical fiber attached to the window of the light source . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the outer windings are tapered like a sickle as a transition from the strong end contacts 301 / 303 and 302 / 304 to the inner windings of the interleaved spirals 305 , 306 . the outer windings 305 , 306 are shaped like a sickle with the arc being fairly wide and sturdy to provide a strong gradual transition to the inner windings instead of going right from the end contacts directly to a narrow winding as does the structure of fig2 and 2a . the arc supports the inner windings encouraging them to uncoil as they heat instead of just twisting off in a torquing motion at the end contact connection point . the arc distributes the stress during temperature changes and thus increases the service life . the arc also provides for the inner windings of the coil to grow outwardly . the end contacts have the greatest cross - section of the filament . in this way the end contacts create a stable base for damping filament vibration and have a lot of adhesion surface area to bind the filament to the leadless chip carrier package . the large end contact portions also provide a relatively large place to handle the filament during the assembly process . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the narrower inner windings ( intermediate windings 309 , 310 , 311 , 312 ) have the same current as the end contact portions because the current is the same throughout all portions of the filament . the narrower inner windings have the same thickness as the end contact portions 301 , 302 and as the inner windings &# 39 ; cross - sectional area is smaller ( than the arc , transition portions and end contacts ) their relative resistance per incremental unit length is relatively higher and they joule heat more since the same current is squeezed through essentially a smaller volume which means the same number of electrons per second interact with fewer atoms generating more photons and different energy photons than are generated at the end contact portions . still referring to fig3 - 3d , having the arc and designing the filament such that the outer windings are spaced apart from the inner windings ( intermediate windings 309 , 310 , 311 , 312 ) may decrease the fill factor somewhat but most of the light is from the inner windings so the optical fiber will couple effectively to the filament . in this arrangement the fill factor is about 50 %. filaments having fill factors greater than 50 % may be used . the inner windings are approximately 50 μm wide and are spaced apart approximately 50 μm from winding to winding . the second spiral 305 includes intermediate winding portions 309 , 311 which terminate in a central portion 313 which joins second and first spirals 305 , 306 together . the first spiral includes intermediate winding portions 310 , 312 which also terminate in the central portion 313 . generally the windings of the spirals 305 , 306 are widest at the arc which comprises outer - most winding and gradually tapers to the width of the inner winding which is approximately 50 μm . referring to fig3 a , the overall length 350 of the filament is approximately 8 mm ( 8000 μm ). the radii 355 of the outer - most windings 307 , 308 of the second and first spirals 305 , 306 , respectively , are approximately 0 . 89 mm ( 890 μm ). the radii 356 of the outer - most windings 307 , 308 of both spirals 306 , 305 are reduced gradually to approximately 0 . 68 mm ( 680 μm ) through an arc of about 90 ° and the radii 357 are further reduced to 0 . 58 mm ( 580 μm ) through an arc of 180 °. thereafter , the radii are further reduced . the approximate length 351 between transition portions 303 , 304 is 4 . 84 mm ( 4840 μm ) for the example illustrated in fig3 a . the outer diameter 352 of the filament is approximately 1 . 50 mm ( 1 , 500 μm ) and is also illustrated in fig3 a . the diameter 353 of the tungsten or tungsten alloy filament is approximately 1 . 15 mm ( 1 , 150 μm ) at the point where the outer - most windings have swept an arc of approximately 180 ° from the entrance . the filament employs end contact portions 301 , 302 which are then reduced in cross - section in transition portions 303 , 304 . the distance 358 between the contact portions ( i . e ., where they are reduced by shoulders 330 , 331 to become transition portions 303 , 304 ) is approximately 4 . 84 mm ( 4 , 840 μm ). the contact end portions are 1 . 43 mm ( 1 , 430 μm ) in length as indicated by reference numeral 359 . the invention is disclosed herein by way of example only and those skilled in the art will readily recognize after reading the specification that many of the dimensions stated herein may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention . fig3 b is an enlargement 300 b of a portion of the double - spiral filament illustrated in fig3 a . reference numeral 314 represents the first gap between the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 at the beginning of the outer - most winding 308 . reference numeral 315 represents the first gap between the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 after an arc of about 90 ° of the outer - most winding 308 . reference numeral 317 represents the first gap between intermediate portions of the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 . reference numeral 323 represents the termination of the first gap between the intermediate portions of the first and second spirals . the gap terminates where the spirals are joined as indicated by reference numeral 313 . still referring to fig3 b , second gap 320 between intermediate portions of the second 305 and first 306 spirals is illustrated and that second gap which began as 316 , 316 a terminates as indicated by reference numeral 324 . fig3 c is a perspective view 300 c of the double - spiral filament illustrated in fig3 and which illustrates the thickness 388 of 0 . 025 mm ( 25 μm ) and the generally planar form of the filament which is generally represented by the reference numeral 300 in fig3 . in the future it is contemplated that a thickness of 0 . 050 ( 50 μm ) may be used . fig4 is an illustration of the ceramic housing or base 400 illustrating a bottom 400 , a ledge 405 having contact pairs 405 a , 406 which engage the end contact portions 301 , 302 of the spiral filament 300 , and an upper perimeter or lip 402 which is metal coated 402 b , 402 a . the ceramic housing has a metallized upper lip 402 a consisting of a base coating of nickel plating 402 b with a top coating of 0 . 0015 mm ( 1 . 5 μm ) of gold plating 402 a . the bottom 404 of the housing may be polished . alternatively , a reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , or nitride 404 a may be deposited on the bottom 404 . the bottom reflector layer provides a reflective surface 404 a to improve transmission through the transmission window 602 above , see fig7 . alternatively , the bottom reflector layer may include a reflective metal layer 404 a which may be a ti 200 å / pt 1000 å reflective film . silver may also be used as a reflective material . still referring to fig4 , grooves 401 , 412 , 409 , 410 , are cut vertically into the sides of the leadless chip carrier 400 to allow for interconnections directly to metal contacts 411 , 414 within the grooves from outside the leadless chip carrier . metal contact 405 a is in electrical communication ( not shown ) with contact 411 within the leadless chip carrier 400 . similarly metal contact 408 is in electrical communication ( not shown ) with contact 414 within the leadless chip carrier 400 . contact pairs 407 , 408 and 406 , 405 a are the preferred contacts over which braze preform is placed prior to placing end contact portions 301 , 302 therein for heating to secure the filament within . any of the contact pairs may be used as they all result in the centering of the filament within the housing and for its alignment with the window in the lid . fig4 a is a quarter - sectional view 400 a of the ceramic base or housing 400 illustrating the reflective bottom portion 404 a , the ledge 405 and the upper perimeter or lip 402 . fig4 a provides a good illustration of outer surface contacts 411 , 414 for interconnection to outside devices . fig4 b is an enlarged portion 400 b of the quarter - sectional view 400 a of the ceramic base or housing illustrating the reflective layer 404 a covering the bottom of the leadless chip carrier , the nickel plating 402 b on the perimeter and the gold plating 402 a on the nickel plating 402 b . reference numeral 405 b indicates a braze preform on top of contact 405 a in which end contact 301 , 302 may be placed . the end contacts of the tungsten filament may be bonded to contacts of the chip carrier package by a suitable process such as brazing , electron beam welding , spot welding or laser welding . fig5 is a view 500 similar to fig4 with the double - spiral filament 300 placed in the ceramic base or housing 400 straddling the ledge 405 with the end contact portions 301 , 302 mating with a respective pair 405 a , 406 of the contact pairs of the ledge 405 . fig5 a is a quarter sectional view 500 a of fig5 illustrating the braze preform securing the end contact portion 301 to contact 405 a on ledge 405 of housing 400 . end contact portion 301 is fused to the contact 405 a upon sufficient heating and subsequent cooling . fig6 is a view 600 of the bottom side of the lid 601 illustrating the transparent window 602 and the lip 603 a which mates with and is secured to the upper surface 402 a of the ceramic base . the lid is commercially available from spectrum semiconductor materials of san jose , calif . part no . c - 731 - 21 - 50mk100mnd - gkl . the material of the lid is kovar and includes the gold plating on top of nickel with a 80 % au / 20 % sn solder preform . fig6 a is a side view 600 a of the lid 601 illustrating the lip 603 a with solder preform 603 applied over the lip . at least one notch , nick or groove 608 is cut into the solder preform 603 such that when it is secured or held into sealing engagement with gold plated surface 402 a and placed in a furnace under vacuum conditions the contents of the ceramic housing 400 and the lid 601 are evacuated . alternatively , the ceramic housing and lid may be placed in an environment of halogen gas . fig6 b is an enlarged portion of fig6 a illustrating nick 608 in more detail . the heat of the furnace remelts and reflows the solder preform eliminating the nick and securing the lid and the chip carrier package together . fig7 is a top view 700 of the ultraminiature light source assembled . fig8 is a schematic 800 of the steps to manufacture the ultraminiature light source . the steps include fabricating a double - spiral ultraminiature tungsten filament from tungsten foil - 801 ; placing braze preform over two metal contacts of a suitable chip carrier package - 802 ; positioning end contacts of the tungsten filament into engagement with the braze preform covering the contacts of the chip carrier package - 803 ; placing the chip carrier package with the filament positioned therein into a vacuum furnace , the chip carrier package having a base plated with a material selected from the group of reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , and nitride - 804 ; heating , under desired vacuum , the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the braze preform 805 at approximately 800 ° c . to melt the braze preform and bond the filament to the chip package ; cooling the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the brazing while increasing pressure to atmospheric pressure - 806 ; applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion - 807 ; nicking the solder preform to create a discontinuity therein - 808 ; applying the lid having a transparent portion and having a solder preform tack welded over the perimeter of the lid to the chip carrier package , the chip carrier includes an upper lip having a gold plating which resides over a nickel plating ; holding the lid with the solder affixed thereto into engagement with the chip carrier package - 810 ; placing the chip carrier package with the lid held in place into the furnace under desired vacuum - 811 ; heating , under desired vacuum , the chip package to the eutectic temperature of solder to remelt and reflow the solder to seal the chip carrier package under the desired vacuum to create an air tight seal between the package and the lid - 812 ; and , cooling to room temperature and restoring atmospheric pressure within the furnace - 813 . alternatively , the step of placing braze preform on the contacts may be substituted with any suitable process of bonding the contacts to the chip carrier by brazing , electron beam welding , spot welding or laser welding . the eutectic point referred to in the step denoted by reference numeral 812 is the point at which the liquid phase borders directly on the solid phase . the temperature that corresponds to this point is known as the eutectic temperature . the step of applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion - 807 — includes the solder preform being tack welded to the window lid . the attachment of the solder preform to the lid prior to the sealing process avoids potential handling damage to the delicate 0 . 510 mm ( 510 μm ) thick gold preform and reduces alignment offsets of the gold preform to the sealing surfaces . the ceramic housing has a metallized upper lip consisting of a base coating of nickel plating with a top coating of 0 . 0015 mm ( 1 . 5 μm ) of gold plating . the light source disclosed herein was successfully tested at 3 . 125 vdc at 0 . 40 a yielding approximately 1 . 250 w at 2200 ° k . for approximately 1000 hours . different filament materials operating at different voltages will produces different values . fig9 is a top view 900 of the ultraminiature light source with a fiber optic guide 901 secured to the transparent window 602 with optical adhesive 902 . fig9 a is an enlarged cross - sectional view 900 a taken along the lines 9 a - 9 a of fig9 . a gap 903 of approximately 0 . 58 mm ( 580 μm ) is illustrated in fig9 a between the filament and the window 602 . the advantage of the tungsten light source disclosed herein includes the fact that it provides a broad optical spectrum . this broad spectrum is accompanied by a short coherence length . it is key , therefore , to couple the light source into an optical fiber in an efficient manner . this becomes increasingly problematic when the core size of the optical fiber is small . fibers used in optical fiber sensors may be 50 microns or smaller . such fibers usually have a small numerical aperture number ( na ) such as 0 . 22 . this means that either the light entering the fiber must be fairly collimated or that the fiber must be close to the source if the light is not highly collimated . the tungsten light source disclosed herein radiates light in all directions although the dual spiral coils tend to concentrate the light source . in order to maximize coupling a small filament light source with dimensions approaching that of the fiber , close spacing of the fiber to the filament is required to achieve any sort of efficiency in getting the tungsten light spectrum into the fiber . fig1 is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1000 similar to fig9 a illustrating another fiber optic guide coupling arrangement . connector housing 1001 fits over the packaged tungsten filament light source and the connector female receptacle 1002 is in engagement with the package . male connector 1003 is insertable within the female connector 1002 . male connector 1003 includes a housing portion 1004 and a resilient portion 1005 for receiving the fiber 901 . the fiber 901 is positioned in proximity to the window for good coupling to the tungsten filament . resilient material 1005 is used to grip the fiber optic guide 901 and enables the replacement of the optic fiber 901 if necessary . fig1 is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1100 of another connector arrangement wherein the fiber is held in a male connector 1110 , which in turn is coupled to a female connector receptacle 1112 affixed to a lamp package mount 1113 . optionally a lens 1120 may be used . fig1 a is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1100 a of another connector similar to fig1 with a lens integrally affixed 1121 with the lamp package window . fig1 b is an enlarged cross - sectional view 100 b of a connector similar to fig1 a with the connector directly engaging and attached to the lens by adhesive , solder , braze , or glass frit 1130 . alternatively the lens 1120 may be welded to the package lid . 1100 - cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with an optional lens 1100 a - cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with a lens integral with the transparent window 100 — schematic of related art device in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 796 , 866 . 214 — top nitride layer of middle filament mounting substrate 106 301 — end contact portion which sits on ledge of leadless chip carrier package 302 — end contact portion which sits on ledge of leadless chip carrier package 303 — transitional portion interconnecting end contact portion 301 and outer spiral portion 306 of the first spiral 304 — transitional portion interconnecting end contact portion 302 and outer spiral portion 305 of the second spiral 315 — gap between beginning portion of first spiral and second spiral where they begin to converge 316 a — gap between beginning portion of second spiral and first spiral where they begin to converge 323 — termination of gap between intermediate portions of first and second spirals 324 — termination of gap between intermediate portions of second and first spirals 340 — arrow to beginning of gap between second spiral 305 and first spiral 306 341 — arrow to beginning of gap between first spiral 306 and second spiral 305 350 — overall length of approximately 8 . 00 mm of the filament of the example illustrated 351 — approximate length of 4 . 84 mm between transition portions 303 , 340 of the example illustrated 352 — outer diameter of approximately 1 . 50 mm of the filament of the example illustrated 353 — diameter of filament after approximately 180 ° arc of the example illustrated 354 — approximate width of 0 . 500 mm of the contact portions 302 , 301 of the example illustrated 355 — approximate radii of 0 . 89 mm of the first and second spirals at the beginning of the spirals of the example of the example illustrated 356 — approximate radii of 0 . 68 mm of the first and second spirals after an approximate 90 ° arc of the example illustrated 357 — approximate radii of 0 . 58 mm of the first and second spirals after an approximate 180 ° arc of the example illustrated 358 — approximate distance of 4 . 84 mm between the contact portion of the example illustrated 400 a — quarter - sectional view of the leadless chip carrier illustrated in fig4 taken along the lines 4 a - 4 a 400 b — quarter - sectional view of the leadless chip carrier illustrated in fig4 further illustrating the braze preform and the reflective bottom 500 — top plan view of a leadless chip carrier similar to view of fig4 with the filament placed therein 500 a — quarter - sectional view taken along the lines 5 a - 5 a of fig5 — placing braze preform over two metal contacts of a suitable chip carrier package or electron welding , spot welding or laser welding 803 — positioning end contacts of the tungsten filament into engagement with the braze preform covering the contacts of the chip carrier package 804 — placing the chip carrier package with the filament positioned therein into a vacuum furnace , the chip carrier package having a base plated with a material selected from the group of reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , and nitride 805 — heating , under desired vacuum , the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the braze preform at approximately 800 ° c . 806 — cooling the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the brazing while increasing pressure to atmospheric pressure 807 — applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion 809 — applying the lid having a transparent portion and having a solder preform tack welded over the perimeter of the lid to the chip carrier package , the chip carrier includes an upper lip having a gold plating which resides over a nickel plating 810 — holding the lid with the solder affixed thereto into engagement with the chip carrier package 811 — placing the chip carrier package with the lid held in place into the furnace under desired vacuum 812 — heating , under desired vacuum , the chip package to the eutectic temperature of solder to remelt and reflow the solder to seal the chip carrier package under the desired vacuum 813 — cooling to room temperature and restoring atmospheric pressure within the furnace 900 — top view of filament within the assembled package coupled to a fiber optic guide 900 a — cross - sectional view taken along the lines 9 a - 9 a 1000 — cross - sectional view of a connector for coupling a fiber optic guide to the assembled package 1100 — cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with an optional lens 1100 a — cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with a lens integral with the transparent window those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the invention has been set forth by way of examples only and that many changes may be made to the structure of the examples and to the process set forth by way of examples without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims attached hereto . | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Electricity'? | Is 'Chemistry; Metallurgy' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | 3597bfabdea6b115dac28a8f381f8d2b1f1c71505028276aac5677aa58586d78 | 0.09668 | 0.011658 | 0.012817 | 0.001099 | 0.010315 | 0.015869 |
null | fig3 is an illustration of the double - spiral element 300 of the instant invention having end contact portions 301 , 302 which are divergent from the next adjacent spiral . by increasing the radius of the outer windings of the double - spiral , the inner windings are allowed to decoil while not contacting the outer windings or tabs so that the short path is less likely for a particular operating voltage . the net result is to allow more stable light output for a longer lifetime at a higher operating point for the filament . end contact portions 301 , 302 of the double - spiral filament contact ledge 405 of leadless chip carrier package 400 and are in electrical communication therewith . see , fig4 and 4a , which generally represent a commercially available leadless chip carrier package such as the one illustrated and made by kyocera corporation of kyoto , japan , kyocera drawing number pb - c88231 - jmi . it will be noted that the leadless chip carrier package includes a plurality of gold contacts which are embedded in or deposited on the surface of the ledge . any oppositely oriented pair of contacts may be used as they will position the double - spiral filament centrally within the chip carrier package . the double - spiral filament 300 is centrally mounted as this will maximize the light output through a correspondingly oriented window 602 in a lid 600 as illustrated in fig6 and 7 . a braze preform available from morgan ceramics / wesgo metals incusil - aba having 59 % ag , 27 . 25 % cu , 12 . 5 % in and 1 . 25 % ti having a liquidus temp = 715 ° c . covers the contacts of the leadless chip carrier . the leadless chip carrier with the filament engaging the braze preform and the contacts are then heated under a desired vacuum at approximately 800 ° c . until the filament is secured in place . a transitional portion 303 of the filament interconnects end contact portion 301 and outer spiral portion 306 of the first spiral and a transitional portion 304 interconnects the end contact portion 302 and outer spiral portion 305 of the second spiral . it will be noticed that the end contact portions 301 and 302 are significantly larger in cross - sectional area than the transitional portions 303 , 304 . the filament is 0 . 025 mm ( 25 μm ) thick everywhere and the end contacts are approximately 0 . 50 mm ( 500 μm ) wide as represented by reference numeral 354 in fig3 a . also see , fig3 c , reference numeral 388 , illustrating the thickness 388 of the filament . shoulders 330 , 331 reduce the width of the end contact portions to the width of the transition portions 303 , 304 . fig3 a is an illustration 300 a of the double - spiral filament 300 of the instant invention similar to fig3 with additional reference numerals employed to indicate dimensions and radii of the filament . referring still to fig3 , the beginning 305 a of the outer - most winding 307 of the second spiral 305 is illustrated . reference numeral 307 represents the outer - most winding of the second spiral . reference numeral 305 a represents the beginning of the outer - most winding 307 of the second spiral 305 . reference numeral 306 a represents the beginning of the outer - most winding 308 of the first spiral 306 . reference numeral 308 represents the outer - most winding of the first spiral 308 . arrow 340 is indicated in fig3 as pointing to the gap 316 ( sometimes referred herein as “ the second gap ”) between second spiral 305 and first spiral 306 and arrow 341 is pointing toward the beginning of the gap 314 ( sometimes referred herein as “ the first gap ”) between first spiral 306 and second spiral 305 . these arrows signify the relatively large gaps at the entrances to the interleaved first 306 and second spiral 305 . fig3 d illustrates the gaps 314 , 316 of the filament after energization ( i . e ., after the application of appropriate voltage across the end contacts 301 , 302 ) of the tungsten or tungsten alloy filament . the inner windings as discussed hereinbelow are expanded radially outward and lengthened slightly . the filament , as illustrated in fig3 , accommodates the joule heating of the filament such that the unwanted contact in the region , defined generally by reference numerals 260 , 261 , 262 and 263 in fig2 a , is avoided and does not occur . referring to fig3 d , the fill factor may change with joule heating , but the filament should unspool evenly so the fill factor should remain mostly the same even though the output disk should grow or shrink as the filament heats or cools . referring to fig3 - 3d , fill factors for the filament disclosed herein will vary depending on desired temperature of the particular filament used ; however , the filament illustrated in fig3 is 25 μm thick ( reference numeral 388 , fig3 c ) everywhere , has a 50 % fill factor using a 50 μm spacing between spirals 305 , 306 , and has a 50 μm winding width . the filament of fig3 operates at approximately 2200 ° k . for 1000 hours . the importance of the fill factor or aspect ratio has to do with the fact that the closer the windings are together the more light you can output per unit area . the spacing is determined by the amount that the filament expands due to thermal effects during operation . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the inner windings are approximately about the same cross - section , and are the smallest in cross - sectional area of the filament components . this makes the hot spot of the filament generally in the middle ( central portion 313 ) of the filament away from the walls of the package . since the light comes from the middle of the package it can be easily coupled to the optical fiber attached to the window of the light source . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the outer windings are tapered like a sickle as a transition from the strong end contacts 301 / 303 and 302 / 304 to the inner windings of the interleaved spirals 305 , 306 . the outer windings 305 , 306 are shaped like a sickle with the arc being fairly wide and sturdy to provide a strong gradual transition to the inner windings instead of going right from the end contacts directly to a narrow winding as does the structure of fig2 and 2a . the arc supports the inner windings encouraging them to uncoil as they heat instead of just twisting off in a torquing motion at the end contact connection point . the arc distributes the stress during temperature changes and thus increases the service life . the arc also provides for the inner windings of the coil to grow outwardly . the end contacts have the greatest cross - section of the filament . in this way the end contacts create a stable base for damping filament vibration and have a lot of adhesion surface area to bind the filament to the leadless chip carrier package . the large end contact portions also provide a relatively large place to handle the filament during the assembly process . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the narrower inner windings ( intermediate windings 309 , 310 , 311 , 312 ) have the same current as the end contact portions because the current is the same throughout all portions of the filament . the narrower inner windings have the same thickness as the end contact portions 301 , 302 and as the inner windings &# 39 ; cross - sectional area is smaller ( than the arc , transition portions and end contacts ) their relative resistance per incremental unit length is relatively higher and they joule heat more since the same current is squeezed through essentially a smaller volume which means the same number of electrons per second interact with fewer atoms generating more photons and different energy photons than are generated at the end contact portions . still referring to fig3 - 3d , having the arc and designing the filament such that the outer windings are spaced apart from the inner windings ( intermediate windings 309 , 310 , 311 , 312 ) may decrease the fill factor somewhat but most of the light is from the inner windings so the optical fiber will couple effectively to the filament . in this arrangement the fill factor is about 50 %. filaments having fill factors greater than 50 % may be used . the inner windings are approximately 50 μm wide and are spaced apart approximately 50 μm from winding to winding . the second spiral 305 includes intermediate winding portions 309 , 311 which terminate in a central portion 313 which joins second and first spirals 305 , 306 together . the first spiral includes intermediate winding portions 310 , 312 which also terminate in the central portion 313 . generally the windings of the spirals 305 , 306 are widest at the arc which comprises outer - most winding and gradually tapers to the width of the inner winding which is approximately 50 μm . referring to fig3 a , the overall length 350 of the filament is approximately 8 mm ( 8000 μm ). the radii 355 of the outer - most windings 307 , 308 of the second and first spirals 305 , 306 , respectively , are approximately 0 . 89 mm ( 890 μm ). the radii 356 of the outer - most windings 307 , 308 of both spirals 306 , 305 are reduced gradually to approximately 0 . 68 mm ( 680 μm ) through an arc of about 90 ° and the radii 357 are further reduced to 0 . 58 mm ( 580 μm ) through an arc of 180 °. thereafter , the radii are further reduced . the approximate length 351 between transition portions 303 , 304 is 4 . 84 mm ( 4840 μm ) for the example illustrated in fig3 a . the outer diameter 352 of the filament is approximately 1 . 50 mm ( 1 , 500 μm ) and is also illustrated in fig3 a . the diameter 353 of the tungsten or tungsten alloy filament is approximately 1 . 15 mm ( 1 , 150 μm ) at the point where the outer - most windings have swept an arc of approximately 180 ° from the entrance . the filament employs end contact portions 301 , 302 which are then reduced in cross - section in transition portions 303 , 304 . the distance 358 between the contact portions ( i . e ., where they are reduced by shoulders 330 , 331 to become transition portions 303 , 304 ) is approximately 4 . 84 mm ( 4 , 840 μm ). the contact end portions are 1 . 43 mm ( 1 , 430 μm ) in length as indicated by reference numeral 359 . the invention is disclosed herein by way of example only and those skilled in the art will readily recognize after reading the specification that many of the dimensions stated herein may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention . fig3 b is an enlargement 300 b of a portion of the double - spiral filament illustrated in fig3 a . reference numeral 314 represents the first gap between the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 at the beginning of the outer - most winding 308 . reference numeral 315 represents the first gap between the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 after an arc of about 90 ° of the outer - most winding 308 . reference numeral 317 represents the first gap between intermediate portions of the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 . reference numeral 323 represents the termination of the first gap between the intermediate portions of the first and second spirals . the gap terminates where the spirals are joined as indicated by reference numeral 313 . still referring to fig3 b , second gap 320 between intermediate portions of the second 305 and first 306 spirals is illustrated and that second gap which began as 316 , 316 a terminates as indicated by reference numeral 324 . fig3 c is a perspective view 300 c of the double - spiral filament illustrated in fig3 and which illustrates the thickness 388 of 0 . 025 mm ( 25 μm ) and the generally planar form of the filament which is generally represented by the reference numeral 300 in fig3 . in the future it is contemplated that a thickness of 0 . 050 ( 50 μm ) may be used . fig4 is an illustration of the ceramic housing or base 400 illustrating a bottom 400 , a ledge 405 having contact pairs 405 a , 406 which engage the end contact portions 301 , 302 of the spiral filament 300 , and an upper perimeter or lip 402 which is metal coated 402 b , 402 a . the ceramic housing has a metallized upper lip 402 a consisting of a base coating of nickel plating 402 b with a top coating of 0 . 0015 mm ( 1 . 5 μm ) of gold plating 402 a . the bottom 404 of the housing may be polished . alternatively , a reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , or nitride 404 a may be deposited on the bottom 404 . the bottom reflector layer provides a reflective surface 404 a to improve transmission through the transmission window 602 above , see fig7 . alternatively , the bottom reflector layer may include a reflective metal layer 404 a which may be a ti 200 å / pt 1000 å reflective film . silver may also be used as a reflective material . still referring to fig4 , grooves 401 , 412 , 409 , 410 , are cut vertically into the sides of the leadless chip carrier 400 to allow for interconnections directly to metal contacts 411 , 414 within the grooves from outside the leadless chip carrier . metal contact 405 a is in electrical communication ( not shown ) with contact 411 within the leadless chip carrier 400 . similarly metal contact 408 is in electrical communication ( not shown ) with contact 414 within the leadless chip carrier 400 . contact pairs 407 , 408 and 406 , 405 a are the preferred contacts over which braze preform is placed prior to placing end contact portions 301 , 302 therein for heating to secure the filament within . any of the contact pairs may be used as they all result in the centering of the filament within the housing and for its alignment with the window in the lid . fig4 a is a quarter - sectional view 400 a of the ceramic base or housing 400 illustrating the reflective bottom portion 404 a , the ledge 405 and the upper perimeter or lip 402 . fig4 a provides a good illustration of outer surface contacts 411 , 414 for interconnection to outside devices . fig4 b is an enlarged portion 400 b of the quarter - sectional view 400 a of the ceramic base or housing illustrating the reflective layer 404 a covering the bottom of the leadless chip carrier , the nickel plating 402 b on the perimeter and the gold plating 402 a on the nickel plating 402 b . reference numeral 405 b indicates a braze preform on top of contact 405 a in which end contact 301 , 302 may be placed . the end contacts of the tungsten filament may be bonded to contacts of the chip carrier package by a suitable process such as brazing , electron beam welding , spot welding or laser welding . fig5 is a view 500 similar to fig4 with the double - spiral filament 300 placed in the ceramic base or housing 400 straddling the ledge 405 with the end contact portions 301 , 302 mating with a respective pair 405 a , 406 of the contact pairs of the ledge 405 . fig5 a is a quarter sectional view 500 a of fig5 illustrating the braze preform securing the end contact portion 301 to contact 405 a on ledge 405 of housing 400 . end contact portion 301 is fused to the contact 405 a upon sufficient heating and subsequent cooling . fig6 is a view 600 of the bottom side of the lid 601 illustrating the transparent window 602 and the lip 603 a which mates with and is secured to the upper surface 402 a of the ceramic base . the lid is commercially available from spectrum semiconductor materials of san jose , calif . part no . c - 731 - 21 - 50mk100mnd - gkl . the material of the lid is kovar and includes the gold plating on top of nickel with a 80 % au / 20 % sn solder preform . fig6 a is a side view 600 a of the lid 601 illustrating the lip 603 a with solder preform 603 applied over the lip . at least one notch , nick or groove 608 is cut into the solder preform 603 such that when it is secured or held into sealing engagement with gold plated surface 402 a and placed in a furnace under vacuum conditions the contents of the ceramic housing 400 and the lid 601 are evacuated . alternatively , the ceramic housing and lid may be placed in an environment of halogen gas . fig6 b is an enlarged portion of fig6 a illustrating nick 608 in more detail . the heat of the furnace remelts and reflows the solder preform eliminating the nick and securing the lid and the chip carrier package together . fig7 is a top view 700 of the ultraminiature light source assembled . fig8 is a schematic 800 of the steps to manufacture the ultraminiature light source . the steps include fabricating a double - spiral ultraminiature tungsten filament from tungsten foil - 801 ; placing braze preform over two metal contacts of a suitable chip carrier package - 802 ; positioning end contacts of the tungsten filament into engagement with the braze preform covering the contacts of the chip carrier package - 803 ; placing the chip carrier package with the filament positioned therein into a vacuum furnace , the chip carrier package having a base plated with a material selected from the group of reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , and nitride - 804 ; heating , under desired vacuum , the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the braze preform 805 at approximately 800 ° c . to melt the braze preform and bond the filament to the chip package ; cooling the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the brazing while increasing pressure to atmospheric pressure - 806 ; applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion - 807 ; nicking the solder preform to create a discontinuity therein - 808 ; applying the lid having a transparent portion and having a solder preform tack welded over the perimeter of the lid to the chip carrier package , the chip carrier includes an upper lip having a gold plating which resides over a nickel plating ; holding the lid with the solder affixed thereto into engagement with the chip carrier package - 810 ; placing the chip carrier package with the lid held in place into the furnace under desired vacuum - 811 ; heating , under desired vacuum , the chip package to the eutectic temperature of solder to remelt and reflow the solder to seal the chip carrier package under the desired vacuum to create an air tight seal between the package and the lid - 812 ; and , cooling to room temperature and restoring atmospheric pressure within the furnace - 813 . alternatively , the step of placing braze preform on the contacts may be substituted with any suitable process of bonding the contacts to the chip carrier by brazing , electron beam welding , spot welding or laser welding . the eutectic point referred to in the step denoted by reference numeral 812 is the point at which the liquid phase borders directly on the solid phase . the temperature that corresponds to this point is known as the eutectic temperature . the step of applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion - 807 — includes the solder preform being tack welded to the window lid . the attachment of the solder preform to the lid prior to the sealing process avoids potential handling damage to the delicate 0 . 510 mm ( 510 μm ) thick gold preform and reduces alignment offsets of the gold preform to the sealing surfaces . the ceramic housing has a metallized upper lip consisting of a base coating of nickel plating with a top coating of 0 . 0015 mm ( 1 . 5 μm ) of gold plating . the light source disclosed herein was successfully tested at 3 . 125 vdc at 0 . 40 a yielding approximately 1 . 250 w at 2200 ° k . for approximately 1000 hours . different filament materials operating at different voltages will produces different values . fig9 is a top view 900 of the ultraminiature light source with a fiber optic guide 901 secured to the transparent window 602 with optical adhesive 902 . fig9 a is an enlarged cross - sectional view 900 a taken along the lines 9 a - 9 a of fig9 . a gap 903 of approximately 0 . 58 mm ( 580 μm ) is illustrated in fig9 a between the filament and the window 602 . the advantage of the tungsten light source disclosed herein includes the fact that it provides a broad optical spectrum . this broad spectrum is accompanied by a short coherence length . it is key , therefore , to couple the light source into an optical fiber in an efficient manner . this becomes increasingly problematic when the core size of the optical fiber is small . fibers used in optical fiber sensors may be 50 microns or smaller . such fibers usually have a small numerical aperture number ( na ) such as 0 . 22 . this means that either the light entering the fiber must be fairly collimated or that the fiber must be close to the source if the light is not highly collimated . the tungsten light source disclosed herein radiates light in all directions although the dual spiral coils tend to concentrate the light source . in order to maximize coupling a small filament light source with dimensions approaching that of the fiber , close spacing of the fiber to the filament is required to achieve any sort of efficiency in getting the tungsten light spectrum into the fiber . fig1 is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1000 similar to fig9 a illustrating another fiber optic guide coupling arrangement . connector housing 1001 fits over the packaged tungsten filament light source and the connector female receptacle 1002 is in engagement with the package . male connector 1003 is insertable within the female connector 1002 . male connector 1003 includes a housing portion 1004 and a resilient portion 1005 for receiving the fiber 901 . the fiber 901 is positioned in proximity to the window for good coupling to the tungsten filament . resilient material 1005 is used to grip the fiber optic guide 901 and enables the replacement of the optic fiber 901 if necessary . fig1 is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1100 of another connector arrangement wherein the fiber is held in a male connector 1110 , which in turn is coupled to a female connector receptacle 1112 affixed to a lamp package mount 1113 . optionally a lens 1120 may be used . fig1 a is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1100 a of another connector similar to fig1 with a lens integrally affixed 1121 with the lamp package window . fig1 b is an enlarged cross - sectional view 100 b of a connector similar to fig1 a with the connector directly engaging and attached to the lens by adhesive , solder , braze , or glass frit 1130 . alternatively the lens 1120 may be welded to the package lid . 1100 - cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with an optional lens 1100 a - cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with a lens integral with the transparent window 100 — schematic of related art device in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 796 , 866 . 214 — top nitride layer of middle filament mounting substrate 106 301 — end contact portion which sits on ledge of leadless chip carrier package 302 — end contact portion which sits on ledge of leadless chip carrier package 303 — transitional portion interconnecting end contact portion 301 and outer spiral portion 306 of the first spiral 304 — transitional portion interconnecting end contact portion 302 and outer spiral portion 305 of the second spiral 315 — gap between beginning portion of first spiral and second spiral where they begin to converge 316 a — gap between beginning portion of second spiral and first spiral where they begin to converge 323 — termination of gap between intermediate portions of first and second spirals 324 — termination of gap between intermediate portions of second and first spirals 340 — arrow to beginning of gap between second spiral 305 and first spiral 306 341 — arrow to beginning of gap between first spiral 306 and second spiral 305 350 — overall length of approximately 8 . 00 mm of the filament of the example illustrated 351 — approximate length of 4 . 84 mm between transition portions 303 , 340 of the example illustrated 352 — outer diameter of approximately 1 . 50 mm of the filament of the example illustrated 353 — diameter of filament after approximately 180 ° arc of the example illustrated 354 — approximate width of 0 . 500 mm of the contact portions 302 , 301 of the example illustrated 355 — approximate radii of 0 . 89 mm of the first and second spirals at the beginning of the spirals of the example of the example illustrated 356 — approximate radii of 0 . 68 mm of the first and second spirals after an approximate 90 ° arc of the example illustrated 357 — approximate radii of 0 . 58 mm of the first and second spirals after an approximate 180 ° arc of the example illustrated 358 — approximate distance of 4 . 84 mm between the contact portion of the example illustrated 400 a — quarter - sectional view of the leadless chip carrier illustrated in fig4 taken along the lines 4 a - 4 a 400 b — quarter - sectional view of the leadless chip carrier illustrated in fig4 further illustrating the braze preform and the reflective bottom 500 — top plan view of a leadless chip carrier similar to view of fig4 with the filament placed therein 500 a — quarter - sectional view taken along the lines 5 a - 5 a of fig5 — placing braze preform over two metal contacts of a suitable chip carrier package or electron welding , spot welding or laser welding 803 — positioning end contacts of the tungsten filament into engagement with the braze preform covering the contacts of the chip carrier package 804 — placing the chip carrier package with the filament positioned therein into a vacuum furnace , the chip carrier package having a base plated with a material selected from the group of reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , and nitride 805 — heating , under desired vacuum , the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the braze preform at approximately 800 ° c . 806 — cooling the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the brazing while increasing pressure to atmospheric pressure 807 — applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion 809 — applying the lid having a transparent portion and having a solder preform tack welded over the perimeter of the lid to the chip carrier package , the chip carrier includes an upper lip having a gold plating which resides over a nickel plating 810 — holding the lid with the solder affixed thereto into engagement with the chip carrier package 811 — placing the chip carrier package with the lid held in place into the furnace under desired vacuum 812 — heating , under desired vacuum , the chip package to the eutectic temperature of solder to remelt and reflow the solder to seal the chip carrier package under the desired vacuum 813 — cooling to room temperature and restoring atmospheric pressure within the furnace 900 — top view of filament within the assembled package coupled to a fiber optic guide 900 a — cross - sectional view taken along the lines 9 a - 9 a 1000 — cross - sectional view of a connector for coupling a fiber optic guide to the assembled package 1100 — cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with an optional lens 1100 a — cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with a lens integral with the transparent window those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the invention has been set forth by way of examples only and that many changes may be made to the structure of the examples and to the process set forth by way of examples without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims attached hereto . | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Electricity'? | Should this patent be classified under 'Textiles; Paper'? | 0.25 | 3597bfabdea6b115dac28a8f381f8d2b1f1c71505028276aac5677aa58586d78 | 0.09668 | 0.000969 | 0.012817 | 0.000096 | 0.010315 | 0.014954 |
null | fig3 is an illustration of the double - spiral element 300 of the instant invention having end contact portions 301 , 302 which are divergent from the next adjacent spiral . by increasing the radius of the outer windings of the double - spiral , the inner windings are allowed to decoil while not contacting the outer windings or tabs so that the short path is less likely for a particular operating voltage . the net result is to allow more stable light output for a longer lifetime at a higher operating point for the filament . end contact portions 301 , 302 of the double - spiral filament contact ledge 405 of leadless chip carrier package 400 and are in electrical communication therewith . see , fig4 and 4a , which generally represent a commercially available leadless chip carrier package such as the one illustrated and made by kyocera corporation of kyoto , japan , kyocera drawing number pb - c88231 - jmi . it will be noted that the leadless chip carrier package includes a plurality of gold contacts which are embedded in or deposited on the surface of the ledge . any oppositely oriented pair of contacts may be used as they will position the double - spiral filament centrally within the chip carrier package . the double - spiral filament 300 is centrally mounted as this will maximize the light output through a correspondingly oriented window 602 in a lid 600 as illustrated in fig6 and 7 . a braze preform available from morgan ceramics / wesgo metals incusil - aba having 59 % ag , 27 . 25 % cu , 12 . 5 % in and 1 . 25 % ti having a liquidus temp = 715 ° c . covers the contacts of the leadless chip carrier . the leadless chip carrier with the filament engaging the braze preform and the contacts are then heated under a desired vacuum at approximately 800 ° c . until the filament is secured in place . a transitional portion 303 of the filament interconnects end contact portion 301 and outer spiral portion 306 of the first spiral and a transitional portion 304 interconnects the end contact portion 302 and outer spiral portion 305 of the second spiral . it will be noticed that the end contact portions 301 and 302 are significantly larger in cross - sectional area than the transitional portions 303 , 304 . the filament is 0 . 025 mm ( 25 μm ) thick everywhere and the end contacts are approximately 0 . 50 mm ( 500 μm ) wide as represented by reference numeral 354 in fig3 a . also see , fig3 c , reference numeral 388 , illustrating the thickness 388 of the filament . shoulders 330 , 331 reduce the width of the end contact portions to the width of the transition portions 303 , 304 . fig3 a is an illustration 300 a of the double - spiral filament 300 of the instant invention similar to fig3 with additional reference numerals employed to indicate dimensions and radii of the filament . referring still to fig3 , the beginning 305 a of the outer - most winding 307 of the second spiral 305 is illustrated . reference numeral 307 represents the outer - most winding of the second spiral . reference numeral 305 a represents the beginning of the outer - most winding 307 of the second spiral 305 . reference numeral 306 a represents the beginning of the outer - most winding 308 of the first spiral 306 . reference numeral 308 represents the outer - most winding of the first spiral 308 . arrow 340 is indicated in fig3 as pointing to the gap 316 ( sometimes referred herein as “ the second gap ”) between second spiral 305 and first spiral 306 and arrow 341 is pointing toward the beginning of the gap 314 ( sometimes referred herein as “ the first gap ”) between first spiral 306 and second spiral 305 . these arrows signify the relatively large gaps at the entrances to the interleaved first 306 and second spiral 305 . fig3 d illustrates the gaps 314 , 316 of the filament after energization ( i . e ., after the application of appropriate voltage across the end contacts 301 , 302 ) of the tungsten or tungsten alloy filament . the inner windings as discussed hereinbelow are expanded radially outward and lengthened slightly . the filament , as illustrated in fig3 , accommodates the joule heating of the filament such that the unwanted contact in the region , defined generally by reference numerals 260 , 261 , 262 and 263 in fig2 a , is avoided and does not occur . referring to fig3 d , the fill factor may change with joule heating , but the filament should unspool evenly so the fill factor should remain mostly the same even though the output disk should grow or shrink as the filament heats or cools . referring to fig3 - 3d , fill factors for the filament disclosed herein will vary depending on desired temperature of the particular filament used ; however , the filament illustrated in fig3 is 25 μm thick ( reference numeral 388 , fig3 c ) everywhere , has a 50 % fill factor using a 50 μm spacing between spirals 305 , 306 , and has a 50 μm winding width . the filament of fig3 operates at approximately 2200 ° k . for 1000 hours . the importance of the fill factor or aspect ratio has to do with the fact that the closer the windings are together the more light you can output per unit area . the spacing is determined by the amount that the filament expands due to thermal effects during operation . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the inner windings are approximately about the same cross - section , and are the smallest in cross - sectional area of the filament components . this makes the hot spot of the filament generally in the middle ( central portion 313 ) of the filament away from the walls of the package . since the light comes from the middle of the package it can be easily coupled to the optical fiber attached to the window of the light source . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the outer windings are tapered like a sickle as a transition from the strong end contacts 301 / 303 and 302 / 304 to the inner windings of the interleaved spirals 305 , 306 . the outer windings 305 , 306 are shaped like a sickle with the arc being fairly wide and sturdy to provide a strong gradual transition to the inner windings instead of going right from the end contacts directly to a narrow winding as does the structure of fig2 and 2a . the arc supports the inner windings encouraging them to uncoil as they heat instead of just twisting off in a torquing motion at the end contact connection point . the arc distributes the stress during temperature changes and thus increases the service life . the arc also provides for the inner windings of the coil to grow outwardly . the end contacts have the greatest cross - section of the filament . in this way the end contacts create a stable base for damping filament vibration and have a lot of adhesion surface area to bind the filament to the leadless chip carrier package . the large end contact portions also provide a relatively large place to handle the filament during the assembly process . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the narrower inner windings ( intermediate windings 309 , 310 , 311 , 312 ) have the same current as the end contact portions because the current is the same throughout all portions of the filament . the narrower inner windings have the same thickness as the end contact portions 301 , 302 and as the inner windings &# 39 ; cross - sectional area is smaller ( than the arc , transition portions and end contacts ) their relative resistance per incremental unit length is relatively higher and they joule heat more since the same current is squeezed through essentially a smaller volume which means the same number of electrons per second interact with fewer atoms generating more photons and different energy photons than are generated at the end contact portions . still referring to fig3 - 3d , having the arc and designing the filament such that the outer windings are spaced apart from the inner windings ( intermediate windings 309 , 310 , 311 , 312 ) may decrease the fill factor somewhat but most of the light is from the inner windings so the optical fiber will couple effectively to the filament . in this arrangement the fill factor is about 50 %. filaments having fill factors greater than 50 % may be used . the inner windings are approximately 50 μm wide and are spaced apart approximately 50 μm from winding to winding . the second spiral 305 includes intermediate winding portions 309 , 311 which terminate in a central portion 313 which joins second and first spirals 305 , 306 together . the first spiral includes intermediate winding portions 310 , 312 which also terminate in the central portion 313 . generally the windings of the spirals 305 , 306 are widest at the arc which comprises outer - most winding and gradually tapers to the width of the inner winding which is approximately 50 μm . referring to fig3 a , the overall length 350 of the filament is approximately 8 mm ( 8000 μm ). the radii 355 of the outer - most windings 307 , 308 of the second and first spirals 305 , 306 , respectively , are approximately 0 . 89 mm ( 890 μm ). the radii 356 of the outer - most windings 307 , 308 of both spirals 306 , 305 are reduced gradually to approximately 0 . 68 mm ( 680 μm ) through an arc of about 90 ° and the radii 357 are further reduced to 0 . 58 mm ( 580 μm ) through an arc of 180 °. thereafter , the radii are further reduced . the approximate length 351 between transition portions 303 , 304 is 4 . 84 mm ( 4840 μm ) for the example illustrated in fig3 a . the outer diameter 352 of the filament is approximately 1 . 50 mm ( 1 , 500 μm ) and is also illustrated in fig3 a . the diameter 353 of the tungsten or tungsten alloy filament is approximately 1 . 15 mm ( 1 , 150 μm ) at the point where the outer - most windings have swept an arc of approximately 180 ° from the entrance . the filament employs end contact portions 301 , 302 which are then reduced in cross - section in transition portions 303 , 304 . the distance 358 between the contact portions ( i . e ., where they are reduced by shoulders 330 , 331 to become transition portions 303 , 304 ) is approximately 4 . 84 mm ( 4 , 840 μm ). the contact end portions are 1 . 43 mm ( 1 , 430 μm ) in length as indicated by reference numeral 359 . the invention is disclosed herein by way of example only and those skilled in the art will readily recognize after reading the specification that many of the dimensions stated herein may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention . fig3 b is an enlargement 300 b of a portion of the double - spiral filament illustrated in fig3 a . reference numeral 314 represents the first gap between the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 at the beginning of the outer - most winding 308 . reference numeral 315 represents the first gap between the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 after an arc of about 90 ° of the outer - most winding 308 . reference numeral 317 represents the first gap between intermediate portions of the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 . reference numeral 323 represents the termination of the first gap between the intermediate portions of the first and second spirals . the gap terminates where the spirals are joined as indicated by reference numeral 313 . still referring to fig3 b , second gap 320 between intermediate portions of the second 305 and first 306 spirals is illustrated and that second gap which began as 316 , 316 a terminates as indicated by reference numeral 324 . fig3 c is a perspective view 300 c of the double - spiral filament illustrated in fig3 and which illustrates the thickness 388 of 0 . 025 mm ( 25 μm ) and the generally planar form of the filament which is generally represented by the reference numeral 300 in fig3 . in the future it is contemplated that a thickness of 0 . 050 ( 50 μm ) may be used . fig4 is an illustration of the ceramic housing or base 400 illustrating a bottom 400 , a ledge 405 having contact pairs 405 a , 406 which engage the end contact portions 301 , 302 of the spiral filament 300 , and an upper perimeter or lip 402 which is metal coated 402 b , 402 a . the ceramic housing has a metallized upper lip 402 a consisting of a base coating of nickel plating 402 b with a top coating of 0 . 0015 mm ( 1 . 5 μm ) of gold plating 402 a . the bottom 404 of the housing may be polished . alternatively , a reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , or nitride 404 a may be deposited on the bottom 404 . the bottom reflector layer provides a reflective surface 404 a to improve transmission through the transmission window 602 above , see fig7 . alternatively , the bottom reflector layer may include a reflective metal layer 404 a which may be a ti 200 å / pt 1000 å reflective film . silver may also be used as a reflective material . still referring to fig4 , grooves 401 , 412 , 409 , 410 , are cut vertically into the sides of the leadless chip carrier 400 to allow for interconnections directly to metal contacts 411 , 414 within the grooves from outside the leadless chip carrier . metal contact 405 a is in electrical communication ( not shown ) with contact 411 within the leadless chip carrier 400 . similarly metal contact 408 is in electrical communication ( not shown ) with contact 414 within the leadless chip carrier 400 . contact pairs 407 , 408 and 406 , 405 a are the preferred contacts over which braze preform is placed prior to placing end contact portions 301 , 302 therein for heating to secure the filament within . any of the contact pairs may be used as they all result in the centering of the filament within the housing and for its alignment with the window in the lid . fig4 a is a quarter - sectional view 400 a of the ceramic base or housing 400 illustrating the reflective bottom portion 404 a , the ledge 405 and the upper perimeter or lip 402 . fig4 a provides a good illustration of outer surface contacts 411 , 414 for interconnection to outside devices . fig4 b is an enlarged portion 400 b of the quarter - sectional view 400 a of the ceramic base or housing illustrating the reflective layer 404 a covering the bottom of the leadless chip carrier , the nickel plating 402 b on the perimeter and the gold plating 402 a on the nickel plating 402 b . reference numeral 405 b indicates a braze preform on top of contact 405 a in which end contact 301 , 302 may be placed . the end contacts of the tungsten filament may be bonded to contacts of the chip carrier package by a suitable process such as brazing , electron beam welding , spot welding or laser welding . fig5 is a view 500 similar to fig4 with the double - spiral filament 300 placed in the ceramic base or housing 400 straddling the ledge 405 with the end contact portions 301 , 302 mating with a respective pair 405 a , 406 of the contact pairs of the ledge 405 . fig5 a is a quarter sectional view 500 a of fig5 illustrating the braze preform securing the end contact portion 301 to contact 405 a on ledge 405 of housing 400 . end contact portion 301 is fused to the contact 405 a upon sufficient heating and subsequent cooling . fig6 is a view 600 of the bottom side of the lid 601 illustrating the transparent window 602 and the lip 603 a which mates with and is secured to the upper surface 402 a of the ceramic base . the lid is commercially available from spectrum semiconductor materials of san jose , calif . part no . c - 731 - 21 - 50mk100mnd - gkl . the material of the lid is kovar and includes the gold plating on top of nickel with a 80 % au / 20 % sn solder preform . fig6 a is a side view 600 a of the lid 601 illustrating the lip 603 a with solder preform 603 applied over the lip . at least one notch , nick or groove 608 is cut into the solder preform 603 such that when it is secured or held into sealing engagement with gold plated surface 402 a and placed in a furnace under vacuum conditions the contents of the ceramic housing 400 and the lid 601 are evacuated . alternatively , the ceramic housing and lid may be placed in an environment of halogen gas . fig6 b is an enlarged portion of fig6 a illustrating nick 608 in more detail . the heat of the furnace remelts and reflows the solder preform eliminating the nick and securing the lid and the chip carrier package together . fig7 is a top view 700 of the ultraminiature light source assembled . fig8 is a schematic 800 of the steps to manufacture the ultraminiature light source . the steps include fabricating a double - spiral ultraminiature tungsten filament from tungsten foil - 801 ; placing braze preform over two metal contacts of a suitable chip carrier package - 802 ; positioning end contacts of the tungsten filament into engagement with the braze preform covering the contacts of the chip carrier package - 803 ; placing the chip carrier package with the filament positioned therein into a vacuum furnace , the chip carrier package having a base plated with a material selected from the group of reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , and nitride - 804 ; heating , under desired vacuum , the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the braze preform 805 at approximately 800 ° c . to melt the braze preform and bond the filament to the chip package ; cooling the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the brazing while increasing pressure to atmospheric pressure - 806 ; applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion - 807 ; nicking the solder preform to create a discontinuity therein - 808 ; applying the lid having a transparent portion and having a solder preform tack welded over the perimeter of the lid to the chip carrier package , the chip carrier includes an upper lip having a gold plating which resides over a nickel plating ; holding the lid with the solder affixed thereto into engagement with the chip carrier package - 810 ; placing the chip carrier package with the lid held in place into the furnace under desired vacuum - 811 ; heating , under desired vacuum , the chip package to the eutectic temperature of solder to remelt and reflow the solder to seal the chip carrier package under the desired vacuum to create an air tight seal between the package and the lid - 812 ; and , cooling to room temperature and restoring atmospheric pressure within the furnace - 813 . alternatively , the step of placing braze preform on the contacts may be substituted with any suitable process of bonding the contacts to the chip carrier by brazing , electron beam welding , spot welding or laser welding . the eutectic point referred to in the step denoted by reference numeral 812 is the point at which the liquid phase borders directly on the solid phase . the temperature that corresponds to this point is known as the eutectic temperature . the step of applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion - 807 — includes the solder preform being tack welded to the window lid . the attachment of the solder preform to the lid prior to the sealing process avoids potential handling damage to the delicate 0 . 510 mm ( 510 μm ) thick gold preform and reduces alignment offsets of the gold preform to the sealing surfaces . the ceramic housing has a metallized upper lip consisting of a base coating of nickel plating with a top coating of 0 . 0015 mm ( 1 . 5 μm ) of gold plating . the light source disclosed herein was successfully tested at 3 . 125 vdc at 0 . 40 a yielding approximately 1 . 250 w at 2200 ° k . for approximately 1000 hours . different filament materials operating at different voltages will produces different values . fig9 is a top view 900 of the ultraminiature light source with a fiber optic guide 901 secured to the transparent window 602 with optical adhesive 902 . fig9 a is an enlarged cross - sectional view 900 a taken along the lines 9 a - 9 a of fig9 . a gap 903 of approximately 0 . 58 mm ( 580 μm ) is illustrated in fig9 a between the filament and the window 602 . the advantage of the tungsten light source disclosed herein includes the fact that it provides a broad optical spectrum . this broad spectrum is accompanied by a short coherence length . it is key , therefore , to couple the light source into an optical fiber in an efficient manner . this becomes increasingly problematic when the core size of the optical fiber is small . fibers used in optical fiber sensors may be 50 microns or smaller . such fibers usually have a small numerical aperture number ( na ) such as 0 . 22 . this means that either the light entering the fiber must be fairly collimated or that the fiber must be close to the source if the light is not highly collimated . the tungsten light source disclosed herein radiates light in all directions although the dual spiral coils tend to concentrate the light source . in order to maximize coupling a small filament light source with dimensions approaching that of the fiber , close spacing of the fiber to the filament is required to achieve any sort of efficiency in getting the tungsten light spectrum into the fiber . fig1 is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1000 similar to fig9 a illustrating another fiber optic guide coupling arrangement . connector housing 1001 fits over the packaged tungsten filament light source and the connector female receptacle 1002 is in engagement with the package . male connector 1003 is insertable within the female connector 1002 . male connector 1003 includes a housing portion 1004 and a resilient portion 1005 for receiving the fiber 901 . the fiber 901 is positioned in proximity to the window for good coupling to the tungsten filament . resilient material 1005 is used to grip the fiber optic guide 901 and enables the replacement of the optic fiber 901 if necessary . fig1 is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1100 of another connector arrangement wherein the fiber is held in a male connector 1110 , which in turn is coupled to a female connector receptacle 1112 affixed to a lamp package mount 1113 . optionally a lens 1120 may be used . fig1 a is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1100 a of another connector similar to fig1 with a lens integrally affixed 1121 with the lamp package window . fig1 b is an enlarged cross - sectional view 100 b of a connector similar to fig1 a with the connector directly engaging and attached to the lens by adhesive , solder , braze , or glass frit 1130 . alternatively the lens 1120 may be welded to the package lid . 1100 - cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with an optional lens 1100 a - cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with a lens integral with the transparent window 100 — schematic of related art device in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 796 , 866 . 214 — top nitride layer of middle filament mounting substrate 106 301 — end contact portion which sits on ledge of leadless chip carrier package 302 — end contact portion which sits on ledge of leadless chip carrier package 303 — transitional portion interconnecting end contact portion 301 and outer spiral portion 306 of the first spiral 304 — transitional portion interconnecting end contact portion 302 and outer spiral portion 305 of the second spiral 315 — gap between beginning portion of first spiral and second spiral where they begin to converge 316 a — gap between beginning portion of second spiral and first spiral where they begin to converge 323 — termination of gap between intermediate portions of first and second spirals 324 — termination of gap between intermediate portions of second and first spirals 340 — arrow to beginning of gap between second spiral 305 and first spiral 306 341 — arrow to beginning of gap between first spiral 306 and second spiral 305 350 — overall length of approximately 8 . 00 mm of the filament of the example illustrated 351 — approximate length of 4 . 84 mm between transition portions 303 , 340 of the example illustrated 352 — outer diameter of approximately 1 . 50 mm of the filament of the example illustrated 353 — diameter of filament after approximately 180 ° arc of the example illustrated 354 — approximate width of 0 . 500 mm of the contact portions 302 , 301 of the example illustrated 355 — approximate radii of 0 . 89 mm of the first and second spirals at the beginning of the spirals of the example of the example illustrated 356 — approximate radii of 0 . 68 mm of the first and second spirals after an approximate 90 ° arc of the example illustrated 357 — approximate radii of 0 . 58 mm of the first and second spirals after an approximate 180 ° arc of the example illustrated 358 — approximate distance of 4 . 84 mm between the contact portion of the example illustrated 400 a — quarter - sectional view of the leadless chip carrier illustrated in fig4 taken along the lines 4 a - 4 a 400 b — quarter - sectional view of the leadless chip carrier illustrated in fig4 further illustrating the braze preform and the reflective bottom 500 — top plan view of a leadless chip carrier similar to view of fig4 with the filament placed therein 500 a — quarter - sectional view taken along the lines 5 a - 5 a of fig5 — placing braze preform over two metal contacts of a suitable chip carrier package or electron welding , spot welding or laser welding 803 — positioning end contacts of the tungsten filament into engagement with the braze preform covering the contacts of the chip carrier package 804 — placing the chip carrier package with the filament positioned therein into a vacuum furnace , the chip carrier package having a base plated with a material selected from the group of reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , and nitride 805 — heating , under desired vacuum , the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the braze preform at approximately 800 ° c . 806 — cooling the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the brazing while increasing pressure to atmospheric pressure 807 — applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion 809 — applying the lid having a transparent portion and having a solder preform tack welded over the perimeter of the lid to the chip carrier package , the chip carrier includes an upper lip having a gold plating which resides over a nickel plating 810 — holding the lid with the solder affixed thereto into engagement with the chip carrier package 811 — placing the chip carrier package with the lid held in place into the furnace under desired vacuum 812 — heating , under desired vacuum , the chip package to the eutectic temperature of solder to remelt and reflow the solder to seal the chip carrier package under the desired vacuum 813 — cooling to room temperature and restoring atmospheric pressure within the furnace 900 — top view of filament within the assembled package coupled to a fiber optic guide 900 a — cross - sectional view taken along the lines 9 a - 9 a 1000 — cross - sectional view of a connector for coupling a fiber optic guide to the assembled package 1100 — cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with an optional lens 1100 a — cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with a lens integral with the transparent window those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the invention has been set forth by way of examples only and that many changes may be made to the structure of the examples and to the process set forth by way of examples without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims attached hereto . | Is 'Electricity' the correct technical category for the patent? | Is 'Fixed Constructions' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | 3597bfabdea6b115dac28a8f381f8d2b1f1c71505028276aac5677aa58586d78 | 0.169922 | 0.03064 | 0.028442 | 0.009399 | 0.009155 | 0.027954 |
null | fig3 is an illustration of the double - spiral element 300 of the instant invention having end contact portions 301 , 302 which are divergent from the next adjacent spiral . by increasing the radius of the outer windings of the double - spiral , the inner windings are allowed to decoil while not contacting the outer windings or tabs so that the short path is less likely for a particular operating voltage . the net result is to allow more stable light output for a longer lifetime at a higher operating point for the filament . end contact portions 301 , 302 of the double - spiral filament contact ledge 405 of leadless chip carrier package 400 and are in electrical communication therewith . see , fig4 and 4a , which generally represent a commercially available leadless chip carrier package such as the one illustrated and made by kyocera corporation of kyoto , japan , kyocera drawing number pb - c88231 - jmi . it will be noted that the leadless chip carrier package includes a plurality of gold contacts which are embedded in or deposited on the surface of the ledge . any oppositely oriented pair of contacts may be used as they will position the double - spiral filament centrally within the chip carrier package . the double - spiral filament 300 is centrally mounted as this will maximize the light output through a correspondingly oriented window 602 in a lid 600 as illustrated in fig6 and 7 . a braze preform available from morgan ceramics / wesgo metals incusil - aba having 59 % ag , 27 . 25 % cu , 12 . 5 % in and 1 . 25 % ti having a liquidus temp = 715 ° c . covers the contacts of the leadless chip carrier . the leadless chip carrier with the filament engaging the braze preform and the contacts are then heated under a desired vacuum at approximately 800 ° c . until the filament is secured in place . a transitional portion 303 of the filament interconnects end contact portion 301 and outer spiral portion 306 of the first spiral and a transitional portion 304 interconnects the end contact portion 302 and outer spiral portion 305 of the second spiral . it will be noticed that the end contact portions 301 and 302 are significantly larger in cross - sectional area than the transitional portions 303 , 304 . the filament is 0 . 025 mm ( 25 μm ) thick everywhere and the end contacts are approximately 0 . 50 mm ( 500 μm ) wide as represented by reference numeral 354 in fig3 a . also see , fig3 c , reference numeral 388 , illustrating the thickness 388 of the filament . shoulders 330 , 331 reduce the width of the end contact portions to the width of the transition portions 303 , 304 . fig3 a is an illustration 300 a of the double - spiral filament 300 of the instant invention similar to fig3 with additional reference numerals employed to indicate dimensions and radii of the filament . referring still to fig3 , the beginning 305 a of the outer - most winding 307 of the second spiral 305 is illustrated . reference numeral 307 represents the outer - most winding of the second spiral . reference numeral 305 a represents the beginning of the outer - most winding 307 of the second spiral 305 . reference numeral 306 a represents the beginning of the outer - most winding 308 of the first spiral 306 . reference numeral 308 represents the outer - most winding of the first spiral 308 . arrow 340 is indicated in fig3 as pointing to the gap 316 ( sometimes referred herein as “ the second gap ”) between second spiral 305 and first spiral 306 and arrow 341 is pointing toward the beginning of the gap 314 ( sometimes referred herein as “ the first gap ”) between first spiral 306 and second spiral 305 . these arrows signify the relatively large gaps at the entrances to the interleaved first 306 and second spiral 305 . fig3 d illustrates the gaps 314 , 316 of the filament after energization ( i . e ., after the application of appropriate voltage across the end contacts 301 , 302 ) of the tungsten or tungsten alloy filament . the inner windings as discussed hereinbelow are expanded radially outward and lengthened slightly . the filament , as illustrated in fig3 , accommodates the joule heating of the filament such that the unwanted contact in the region , defined generally by reference numerals 260 , 261 , 262 and 263 in fig2 a , is avoided and does not occur . referring to fig3 d , the fill factor may change with joule heating , but the filament should unspool evenly so the fill factor should remain mostly the same even though the output disk should grow or shrink as the filament heats or cools . referring to fig3 - 3d , fill factors for the filament disclosed herein will vary depending on desired temperature of the particular filament used ; however , the filament illustrated in fig3 is 25 μm thick ( reference numeral 388 , fig3 c ) everywhere , has a 50 % fill factor using a 50 μm spacing between spirals 305 , 306 , and has a 50 μm winding width . the filament of fig3 operates at approximately 2200 ° k . for 1000 hours . the importance of the fill factor or aspect ratio has to do with the fact that the closer the windings are together the more light you can output per unit area . the spacing is determined by the amount that the filament expands due to thermal effects during operation . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the inner windings are approximately about the same cross - section , and are the smallest in cross - sectional area of the filament components . this makes the hot spot of the filament generally in the middle ( central portion 313 ) of the filament away from the walls of the package . since the light comes from the middle of the package it can be easily coupled to the optical fiber attached to the window of the light source . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the outer windings are tapered like a sickle as a transition from the strong end contacts 301 / 303 and 302 / 304 to the inner windings of the interleaved spirals 305 , 306 . the outer windings 305 , 306 are shaped like a sickle with the arc being fairly wide and sturdy to provide a strong gradual transition to the inner windings instead of going right from the end contacts directly to a narrow winding as does the structure of fig2 and 2a . the arc supports the inner windings encouraging them to uncoil as they heat instead of just twisting off in a torquing motion at the end contact connection point . the arc distributes the stress during temperature changes and thus increases the service life . the arc also provides for the inner windings of the coil to grow outwardly . the end contacts have the greatest cross - section of the filament . in this way the end contacts create a stable base for damping filament vibration and have a lot of adhesion surface area to bind the filament to the leadless chip carrier package . the large end contact portions also provide a relatively large place to handle the filament during the assembly process . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the narrower inner windings ( intermediate windings 309 , 310 , 311 , 312 ) have the same current as the end contact portions because the current is the same throughout all portions of the filament . the narrower inner windings have the same thickness as the end contact portions 301 , 302 and as the inner windings &# 39 ; cross - sectional area is smaller ( than the arc , transition portions and end contacts ) their relative resistance per incremental unit length is relatively higher and they joule heat more since the same current is squeezed through essentially a smaller volume which means the same number of electrons per second interact with fewer atoms generating more photons and different energy photons than are generated at the end contact portions . still referring to fig3 - 3d , having the arc and designing the filament such that the outer windings are spaced apart from the inner windings ( intermediate windings 309 , 310 , 311 , 312 ) may decrease the fill factor somewhat but most of the light is from the inner windings so the optical fiber will couple effectively to the filament . in this arrangement the fill factor is about 50 %. filaments having fill factors greater than 50 % may be used . the inner windings are approximately 50 μm wide and are spaced apart approximately 50 μm from winding to winding . the second spiral 305 includes intermediate winding portions 309 , 311 which terminate in a central portion 313 which joins second and first spirals 305 , 306 together . the first spiral includes intermediate winding portions 310 , 312 which also terminate in the central portion 313 . generally the windings of the spirals 305 , 306 are widest at the arc which comprises outer - most winding and gradually tapers to the width of the inner winding which is approximately 50 μm . referring to fig3 a , the overall length 350 of the filament is approximately 8 mm ( 8000 μm ). the radii 355 of the outer - most windings 307 , 308 of the second and first spirals 305 , 306 , respectively , are approximately 0 . 89 mm ( 890 μm ). the radii 356 of the outer - most windings 307 , 308 of both spirals 306 , 305 are reduced gradually to approximately 0 . 68 mm ( 680 μm ) through an arc of about 90 ° and the radii 357 are further reduced to 0 . 58 mm ( 580 μm ) through an arc of 180 °. thereafter , the radii are further reduced . the approximate length 351 between transition portions 303 , 304 is 4 . 84 mm ( 4840 μm ) for the example illustrated in fig3 a . the outer diameter 352 of the filament is approximately 1 . 50 mm ( 1 , 500 μm ) and is also illustrated in fig3 a . the diameter 353 of the tungsten or tungsten alloy filament is approximately 1 . 15 mm ( 1 , 150 μm ) at the point where the outer - most windings have swept an arc of approximately 180 ° from the entrance . the filament employs end contact portions 301 , 302 which are then reduced in cross - section in transition portions 303 , 304 . the distance 358 between the contact portions ( i . e ., where they are reduced by shoulders 330 , 331 to become transition portions 303 , 304 ) is approximately 4 . 84 mm ( 4 , 840 μm ). the contact end portions are 1 . 43 mm ( 1 , 430 μm ) in length as indicated by reference numeral 359 . the invention is disclosed herein by way of example only and those skilled in the art will readily recognize after reading the specification that many of the dimensions stated herein may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention . fig3 b is an enlargement 300 b of a portion of the double - spiral filament illustrated in fig3 a . reference numeral 314 represents the first gap between the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 at the beginning of the outer - most winding 308 . reference numeral 315 represents the first gap between the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 after an arc of about 90 ° of the outer - most winding 308 . reference numeral 317 represents the first gap between intermediate portions of the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 . reference numeral 323 represents the termination of the first gap between the intermediate portions of the first and second spirals . the gap terminates where the spirals are joined as indicated by reference numeral 313 . still referring to fig3 b , second gap 320 between intermediate portions of the second 305 and first 306 spirals is illustrated and that second gap which began as 316 , 316 a terminates as indicated by reference numeral 324 . fig3 c is a perspective view 300 c of the double - spiral filament illustrated in fig3 and which illustrates the thickness 388 of 0 . 025 mm ( 25 μm ) and the generally planar form of the filament which is generally represented by the reference numeral 300 in fig3 . in the future it is contemplated that a thickness of 0 . 050 ( 50 μm ) may be used . fig4 is an illustration of the ceramic housing or base 400 illustrating a bottom 400 , a ledge 405 having contact pairs 405 a , 406 which engage the end contact portions 301 , 302 of the spiral filament 300 , and an upper perimeter or lip 402 which is metal coated 402 b , 402 a . the ceramic housing has a metallized upper lip 402 a consisting of a base coating of nickel plating 402 b with a top coating of 0 . 0015 mm ( 1 . 5 μm ) of gold plating 402 a . the bottom 404 of the housing may be polished . alternatively , a reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , or nitride 404 a may be deposited on the bottom 404 . the bottom reflector layer provides a reflective surface 404 a to improve transmission through the transmission window 602 above , see fig7 . alternatively , the bottom reflector layer may include a reflective metal layer 404 a which may be a ti 200 å / pt 1000 å reflective film . silver may also be used as a reflective material . still referring to fig4 , grooves 401 , 412 , 409 , 410 , are cut vertically into the sides of the leadless chip carrier 400 to allow for interconnections directly to metal contacts 411 , 414 within the grooves from outside the leadless chip carrier . metal contact 405 a is in electrical communication ( not shown ) with contact 411 within the leadless chip carrier 400 . similarly metal contact 408 is in electrical communication ( not shown ) with contact 414 within the leadless chip carrier 400 . contact pairs 407 , 408 and 406 , 405 a are the preferred contacts over which braze preform is placed prior to placing end contact portions 301 , 302 therein for heating to secure the filament within . any of the contact pairs may be used as they all result in the centering of the filament within the housing and for its alignment with the window in the lid . fig4 a is a quarter - sectional view 400 a of the ceramic base or housing 400 illustrating the reflective bottom portion 404 a , the ledge 405 and the upper perimeter or lip 402 . fig4 a provides a good illustration of outer surface contacts 411 , 414 for interconnection to outside devices . fig4 b is an enlarged portion 400 b of the quarter - sectional view 400 a of the ceramic base or housing illustrating the reflective layer 404 a covering the bottom of the leadless chip carrier , the nickel plating 402 b on the perimeter and the gold plating 402 a on the nickel plating 402 b . reference numeral 405 b indicates a braze preform on top of contact 405 a in which end contact 301 , 302 may be placed . the end contacts of the tungsten filament may be bonded to contacts of the chip carrier package by a suitable process such as brazing , electron beam welding , spot welding or laser welding . fig5 is a view 500 similar to fig4 with the double - spiral filament 300 placed in the ceramic base or housing 400 straddling the ledge 405 with the end contact portions 301 , 302 mating with a respective pair 405 a , 406 of the contact pairs of the ledge 405 . fig5 a is a quarter sectional view 500 a of fig5 illustrating the braze preform securing the end contact portion 301 to contact 405 a on ledge 405 of housing 400 . end contact portion 301 is fused to the contact 405 a upon sufficient heating and subsequent cooling . fig6 is a view 600 of the bottom side of the lid 601 illustrating the transparent window 602 and the lip 603 a which mates with and is secured to the upper surface 402 a of the ceramic base . the lid is commercially available from spectrum semiconductor materials of san jose , calif . part no . c - 731 - 21 - 50mk100mnd - gkl . the material of the lid is kovar and includes the gold plating on top of nickel with a 80 % au / 20 % sn solder preform . fig6 a is a side view 600 a of the lid 601 illustrating the lip 603 a with solder preform 603 applied over the lip . at least one notch , nick or groove 608 is cut into the solder preform 603 such that when it is secured or held into sealing engagement with gold plated surface 402 a and placed in a furnace under vacuum conditions the contents of the ceramic housing 400 and the lid 601 are evacuated . alternatively , the ceramic housing and lid may be placed in an environment of halogen gas . fig6 b is an enlarged portion of fig6 a illustrating nick 608 in more detail . the heat of the furnace remelts and reflows the solder preform eliminating the nick and securing the lid and the chip carrier package together . fig7 is a top view 700 of the ultraminiature light source assembled . fig8 is a schematic 800 of the steps to manufacture the ultraminiature light source . the steps include fabricating a double - spiral ultraminiature tungsten filament from tungsten foil - 801 ; placing braze preform over two metal contacts of a suitable chip carrier package - 802 ; positioning end contacts of the tungsten filament into engagement with the braze preform covering the contacts of the chip carrier package - 803 ; placing the chip carrier package with the filament positioned therein into a vacuum furnace , the chip carrier package having a base plated with a material selected from the group of reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , and nitride - 804 ; heating , under desired vacuum , the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the braze preform 805 at approximately 800 ° c . to melt the braze preform and bond the filament to the chip package ; cooling the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the brazing while increasing pressure to atmospheric pressure - 806 ; applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion - 807 ; nicking the solder preform to create a discontinuity therein - 808 ; applying the lid having a transparent portion and having a solder preform tack welded over the perimeter of the lid to the chip carrier package , the chip carrier includes an upper lip having a gold plating which resides over a nickel plating ; holding the lid with the solder affixed thereto into engagement with the chip carrier package - 810 ; placing the chip carrier package with the lid held in place into the furnace under desired vacuum - 811 ; heating , under desired vacuum , the chip package to the eutectic temperature of solder to remelt and reflow the solder to seal the chip carrier package under the desired vacuum to create an air tight seal between the package and the lid - 812 ; and , cooling to room temperature and restoring atmospheric pressure within the furnace - 813 . alternatively , the step of placing braze preform on the contacts may be substituted with any suitable process of bonding the contacts to the chip carrier by brazing , electron beam welding , spot welding or laser welding . the eutectic point referred to in the step denoted by reference numeral 812 is the point at which the liquid phase borders directly on the solid phase . the temperature that corresponds to this point is known as the eutectic temperature . the step of applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion - 807 — includes the solder preform being tack welded to the window lid . the attachment of the solder preform to the lid prior to the sealing process avoids potential handling damage to the delicate 0 . 510 mm ( 510 μm ) thick gold preform and reduces alignment offsets of the gold preform to the sealing surfaces . the ceramic housing has a metallized upper lip consisting of a base coating of nickel plating with a top coating of 0 . 0015 mm ( 1 . 5 μm ) of gold plating . the light source disclosed herein was successfully tested at 3 . 125 vdc at 0 . 40 a yielding approximately 1 . 250 w at 2200 ° k . for approximately 1000 hours . different filament materials operating at different voltages will produces different values . fig9 is a top view 900 of the ultraminiature light source with a fiber optic guide 901 secured to the transparent window 602 with optical adhesive 902 . fig9 a is an enlarged cross - sectional view 900 a taken along the lines 9 a - 9 a of fig9 . a gap 903 of approximately 0 . 58 mm ( 580 μm ) is illustrated in fig9 a between the filament and the window 602 . the advantage of the tungsten light source disclosed herein includes the fact that it provides a broad optical spectrum . this broad spectrum is accompanied by a short coherence length . it is key , therefore , to couple the light source into an optical fiber in an efficient manner . this becomes increasingly problematic when the core size of the optical fiber is small . fibers used in optical fiber sensors may be 50 microns or smaller . such fibers usually have a small numerical aperture number ( na ) such as 0 . 22 . this means that either the light entering the fiber must be fairly collimated or that the fiber must be close to the source if the light is not highly collimated . the tungsten light source disclosed herein radiates light in all directions although the dual spiral coils tend to concentrate the light source . in order to maximize coupling a small filament light source with dimensions approaching that of the fiber , close spacing of the fiber to the filament is required to achieve any sort of efficiency in getting the tungsten light spectrum into the fiber . fig1 is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1000 similar to fig9 a illustrating another fiber optic guide coupling arrangement . connector housing 1001 fits over the packaged tungsten filament light source and the connector female receptacle 1002 is in engagement with the package . male connector 1003 is insertable within the female connector 1002 . male connector 1003 includes a housing portion 1004 and a resilient portion 1005 for receiving the fiber 901 . the fiber 901 is positioned in proximity to the window for good coupling to the tungsten filament . resilient material 1005 is used to grip the fiber optic guide 901 and enables the replacement of the optic fiber 901 if necessary . fig1 is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1100 of another connector arrangement wherein the fiber is held in a male connector 1110 , which in turn is coupled to a female connector receptacle 1112 affixed to a lamp package mount 1113 . optionally a lens 1120 may be used . fig1 a is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1100 a of another connector similar to fig1 with a lens integrally affixed 1121 with the lamp package window . fig1 b is an enlarged cross - sectional view 100 b of a connector similar to fig1 a with the connector directly engaging and attached to the lens by adhesive , solder , braze , or glass frit 1130 . alternatively the lens 1120 may be welded to the package lid . 1100 - cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with an optional lens 1100 a - cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with a lens integral with the transparent window 100 — schematic of related art device in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 796 , 866 . 214 — top nitride layer of middle filament mounting substrate 106 301 — end contact portion which sits on ledge of leadless chip carrier package 302 — end contact portion which sits on ledge of leadless chip carrier package 303 — transitional portion interconnecting end contact portion 301 and outer spiral portion 306 of the first spiral 304 — transitional portion interconnecting end contact portion 302 and outer spiral portion 305 of the second spiral 315 — gap between beginning portion of first spiral and second spiral where they begin to converge 316 a — gap between beginning portion of second spiral and first spiral where they begin to converge 323 — termination of gap between intermediate portions of first and second spirals 324 — termination of gap between intermediate portions of second and first spirals 340 — arrow to beginning of gap between second spiral 305 and first spiral 306 341 — arrow to beginning of gap between first spiral 306 and second spiral 305 350 — overall length of approximately 8 . 00 mm of the filament of the example illustrated 351 — approximate length of 4 . 84 mm between transition portions 303 , 340 of the example illustrated 352 — outer diameter of approximately 1 . 50 mm of the filament of the example illustrated 353 — diameter of filament after approximately 180 ° arc of the example illustrated 354 — approximate width of 0 . 500 mm of the contact portions 302 , 301 of the example illustrated 355 — approximate radii of 0 . 89 mm of the first and second spirals at the beginning of the spirals of the example of the example illustrated 356 — approximate radii of 0 . 68 mm of the first and second spirals after an approximate 90 ° arc of the example illustrated 357 — approximate radii of 0 . 58 mm of the first and second spirals after an approximate 180 ° arc of the example illustrated 358 — approximate distance of 4 . 84 mm between the contact portion of the example illustrated 400 a — quarter - sectional view of the leadless chip carrier illustrated in fig4 taken along the lines 4 a - 4 a 400 b — quarter - sectional view of the leadless chip carrier illustrated in fig4 further illustrating the braze preform and the reflective bottom 500 — top plan view of a leadless chip carrier similar to view of fig4 with the filament placed therein 500 a — quarter - sectional view taken along the lines 5 a - 5 a of fig5 — placing braze preform over two metal contacts of a suitable chip carrier package or electron welding , spot welding or laser welding 803 — positioning end contacts of the tungsten filament into engagement with the braze preform covering the contacts of the chip carrier package 804 — placing the chip carrier package with the filament positioned therein into a vacuum furnace , the chip carrier package having a base plated with a material selected from the group of reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , and nitride 805 — heating , under desired vacuum , the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the braze preform at approximately 800 ° c . 806 — cooling the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the brazing while increasing pressure to atmospheric pressure 807 — applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion 809 — applying the lid having a transparent portion and having a solder preform tack welded over the perimeter of the lid to the chip carrier package , the chip carrier includes an upper lip having a gold plating which resides over a nickel plating 810 — holding the lid with the solder affixed thereto into engagement with the chip carrier package 811 — placing the chip carrier package with the lid held in place into the furnace under desired vacuum 812 — heating , under desired vacuum , the chip package to the eutectic temperature of solder to remelt and reflow the solder to seal the chip carrier package under the desired vacuum 813 — cooling to room temperature and restoring atmospheric pressure within the furnace 900 — top view of filament within the assembled package coupled to a fiber optic guide 900 a — cross - sectional view taken along the lines 9 a - 9 a 1000 — cross - sectional view of a connector for coupling a fiber optic guide to the assembled package 1100 — cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with an optional lens 1100 a — cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with a lens integral with the transparent window those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the invention has been set forth by way of examples only and that many changes may be made to the structure of the examples and to the process set forth by way of examples without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims attached hereto . | Is 'Electricity' the correct technical category for the patent? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting'? | 0.25 | 3597bfabdea6b115dac28a8f381f8d2b1f1c71505028276aac5677aa58586d78 | 0.176758 | 0.033203 | 0.028442 | 0.00383 | 0.009155 | 0.15918 |
null | fig3 is an illustration of the double - spiral element 300 of the instant invention having end contact portions 301 , 302 which are divergent from the next adjacent spiral . by increasing the radius of the outer windings of the double - spiral , the inner windings are allowed to decoil while not contacting the outer windings or tabs so that the short path is less likely for a particular operating voltage . the net result is to allow more stable light output for a longer lifetime at a higher operating point for the filament . end contact portions 301 , 302 of the double - spiral filament contact ledge 405 of leadless chip carrier package 400 and are in electrical communication therewith . see , fig4 and 4a , which generally represent a commercially available leadless chip carrier package such as the one illustrated and made by kyocera corporation of kyoto , japan , kyocera drawing number pb - c88231 - jmi . it will be noted that the leadless chip carrier package includes a plurality of gold contacts which are embedded in or deposited on the surface of the ledge . any oppositely oriented pair of contacts may be used as they will position the double - spiral filament centrally within the chip carrier package . the double - spiral filament 300 is centrally mounted as this will maximize the light output through a correspondingly oriented window 602 in a lid 600 as illustrated in fig6 and 7 . a braze preform available from morgan ceramics / wesgo metals incusil - aba having 59 % ag , 27 . 25 % cu , 12 . 5 % in and 1 . 25 % ti having a liquidus temp = 715 ° c . covers the contacts of the leadless chip carrier . the leadless chip carrier with the filament engaging the braze preform and the contacts are then heated under a desired vacuum at approximately 800 ° c . until the filament is secured in place . a transitional portion 303 of the filament interconnects end contact portion 301 and outer spiral portion 306 of the first spiral and a transitional portion 304 interconnects the end contact portion 302 and outer spiral portion 305 of the second spiral . it will be noticed that the end contact portions 301 and 302 are significantly larger in cross - sectional area than the transitional portions 303 , 304 . the filament is 0 . 025 mm ( 25 μm ) thick everywhere and the end contacts are approximately 0 . 50 mm ( 500 μm ) wide as represented by reference numeral 354 in fig3 a . also see , fig3 c , reference numeral 388 , illustrating the thickness 388 of the filament . shoulders 330 , 331 reduce the width of the end contact portions to the width of the transition portions 303 , 304 . fig3 a is an illustration 300 a of the double - spiral filament 300 of the instant invention similar to fig3 with additional reference numerals employed to indicate dimensions and radii of the filament . referring still to fig3 , the beginning 305 a of the outer - most winding 307 of the second spiral 305 is illustrated . reference numeral 307 represents the outer - most winding of the second spiral . reference numeral 305 a represents the beginning of the outer - most winding 307 of the second spiral 305 . reference numeral 306 a represents the beginning of the outer - most winding 308 of the first spiral 306 . reference numeral 308 represents the outer - most winding of the first spiral 308 . arrow 340 is indicated in fig3 as pointing to the gap 316 ( sometimes referred herein as “ the second gap ”) between second spiral 305 and first spiral 306 and arrow 341 is pointing toward the beginning of the gap 314 ( sometimes referred herein as “ the first gap ”) between first spiral 306 and second spiral 305 . these arrows signify the relatively large gaps at the entrances to the interleaved first 306 and second spiral 305 . fig3 d illustrates the gaps 314 , 316 of the filament after energization ( i . e ., after the application of appropriate voltage across the end contacts 301 , 302 ) of the tungsten or tungsten alloy filament . the inner windings as discussed hereinbelow are expanded radially outward and lengthened slightly . the filament , as illustrated in fig3 , accommodates the joule heating of the filament such that the unwanted contact in the region , defined generally by reference numerals 260 , 261 , 262 and 263 in fig2 a , is avoided and does not occur . referring to fig3 d , the fill factor may change with joule heating , but the filament should unspool evenly so the fill factor should remain mostly the same even though the output disk should grow or shrink as the filament heats or cools . referring to fig3 - 3d , fill factors for the filament disclosed herein will vary depending on desired temperature of the particular filament used ; however , the filament illustrated in fig3 is 25 μm thick ( reference numeral 388 , fig3 c ) everywhere , has a 50 % fill factor using a 50 μm spacing between spirals 305 , 306 , and has a 50 μm winding width . the filament of fig3 operates at approximately 2200 ° k . for 1000 hours . the importance of the fill factor or aspect ratio has to do with the fact that the closer the windings are together the more light you can output per unit area . the spacing is determined by the amount that the filament expands due to thermal effects during operation . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the inner windings are approximately about the same cross - section , and are the smallest in cross - sectional area of the filament components . this makes the hot spot of the filament generally in the middle ( central portion 313 ) of the filament away from the walls of the package . since the light comes from the middle of the package it can be easily coupled to the optical fiber attached to the window of the light source . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the outer windings are tapered like a sickle as a transition from the strong end contacts 301 / 303 and 302 / 304 to the inner windings of the interleaved spirals 305 , 306 . the outer windings 305 , 306 are shaped like a sickle with the arc being fairly wide and sturdy to provide a strong gradual transition to the inner windings instead of going right from the end contacts directly to a narrow winding as does the structure of fig2 and 2a . the arc supports the inner windings encouraging them to uncoil as they heat instead of just twisting off in a torquing motion at the end contact connection point . the arc distributes the stress during temperature changes and thus increases the service life . the arc also provides for the inner windings of the coil to grow outwardly . the end contacts have the greatest cross - section of the filament . in this way the end contacts create a stable base for damping filament vibration and have a lot of adhesion surface area to bind the filament to the leadless chip carrier package . the large end contact portions also provide a relatively large place to handle the filament during the assembly process . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the narrower inner windings ( intermediate windings 309 , 310 , 311 , 312 ) have the same current as the end contact portions because the current is the same throughout all portions of the filament . the narrower inner windings have the same thickness as the end contact portions 301 , 302 and as the inner windings &# 39 ; cross - sectional area is smaller ( than the arc , transition portions and end contacts ) their relative resistance per incremental unit length is relatively higher and they joule heat more since the same current is squeezed through essentially a smaller volume which means the same number of electrons per second interact with fewer atoms generating more photons and different energy photons than are generated at the end contact portions . still referring to fig3 - 3d , having the arc and designing the filament such that the outer windings are spaced apart from the inner windings ( intermediate windings 309 , 310 , 311 , 312 ) may decrease the fill factor somewhat but most of the light is from the inner windings so the optical fiber will couple effectively to the filament . in this arrangement the fill factor is about 50 %. filaments having fill factors greater than 50 % may be used . the inner windings are approximately 50 μm wide and are spaced apart approximately 50 μm from winding to winding . the second spiral 305 includes intermediate winding portions 309 , 311 which terminate in a central portion 313 which joins second and first spirals 305 , 306 together . the first spiral includes intermediate winding portions 310 , 312 which also terminate in the central portion 313 . generally the windings of the spirals 305 , 306 are widest at the arc which comprises outer - most winding and gradually tapers to the width of the inner winding which is approximately 50 μm . referring to fig3 a , the overall length 350 of the filament is approximately 8 mm ( 8000 μm ). the radii 355 of the outer - most windings 307 , 308 of the second and first spirals 305 , 306 , respectively , are approximately 0 . 89 mm ( 890 μm ). the radii 356 of the outer - most windings 307 , 308 of both spirals 306 , 305 are reduced gradually to approximately 0 . 68 mm ( 680 μm ) through an arc of about 90 ° and the radii 357 are further reduced to 0 . 58 mm ( 580 μm ) through an arc of 180 °. thereafter , the radii are further reduced . the approximate length 351 between transition portions 303 , 304 is 4 . 84 mm ( 4840 μm ) for the example illustrated in fig3 a . the outer diameter 352 of the filament is approximately 1 . 50 mm ( 1 , 500 μm ) and is also illustrated in fig3 a . the diameter 353 of the tungsten or tungsten alloy filament is approximately 1 . 15 mm ( 1 , 150 μm ) at the point where the outer - most windings have swept an arc of approximately 180 ° from the entrance . the filament employs end contact portions 301 , 302 which are then reduced in cross - section in transition portions 303 , 304 . the distance 358 between the contact portions ( i . e ., where they are reduced by shoulders 330 , 331 to become transition portions 303 , 304 ) is approximately 4 . 84 mm ( 4 , 840 μm ). the contact end portions are 1 . 43 mm ( 1 , 430 μm ) in length as indicated by reference numeral 359 . the invention is disclosed herein by way of example only and those skilled in the art will readily recognize after reading the specification that many of the dimensions stated herein may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention . fig3 b is an enlargement 300 b of a portion of the double - spiral filament illustrated in fig3 a . reference numeral 314 represents the first gap between the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 at the beginning of the outer - most winding 308 . reference numeral 315 represents the first gap between the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 after an arc of about 90 ° of the outer - most winding 308 . reference numeral 317 represents the first gap between intermediate portions of the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 . reference numeral 323 represents the termination of the first gap between the intermediate portions of the first and second spirals . the gap terminates where the spirals are joined as indicated by reference numeral 313 . still referring to fig3 b , second gap 320 between intermediate portions of the second 305 and first 306 spirals is illustrated and that second gap which began as 316 , 316 a terminates as indicated by reference numeral 324 . fig3 c is a perspective view 300 c of the double - spiral filament illustrated in fig3 and which illustrates the thickness 388 of 0 . 025 mm ( 25 μm ) and the generally planar form of the filament which is generally represented by the reference numeral 300 in fig3 . in the future it is contemplated that a thickness of 0 . 050 ( 50 μm ) may be used . fig4 is an illustration of the ceramic housing or base 400 illustrating a bottom 400 , a ledge 405 having contact pairs 405 a , 406 which engage the end contact portions 301 , 302 of the spiral filament 300 , and an upper perimeter or lip 402 which is metal coated 402 b , 402 a . the ceramic housing has a metallized upper lip 402 a consisting of a base coating of nickel plating 402 b with a top coating of 0 . 0015 mm ( 1 . 5 μm ) of gold plating 402 a . the bottom 404 of the housing may be polished . alternatively , a reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , or nitride 404 a may be deposited on the bottom 404 . the bottom reflector layer provides a reflective surface 404 a to improve transmission through the transmission window 602 above , see fig7 . alternatively , the bottom reflector layer may include a reflective metal layer 404 a which may be a ti 200 å / pt 1000 å reflective film . silver may also be used as a reflective material . still referring to fig4 , grooves 401 , 412 , 409 , 410 , are cut vertically into the sides of the leadless chip carrier 400 to allow for interconnections directly to metal contacts 411 , 414 within the grooves from outside the leadless chip carrier . metal contact 405 a is in electrical communication ( not shown ) with contact 411 within the leadless chip carrier 400 . similarly metal contact 408 is in electrical communication ( not shown ) with contact 414 within the leadless chip carrier 400 . contact pairs 407 , 408 and 406 , 405 a are the preferred contacts over which braze preform is placed prior to placing end contact portions 301 , 302 therein for heating to secure the filament within . any of the contact pairs may be used as they all result in the centering of the filament within the housing and for its alignment with the window in the lid . fig4 a is a quarter - sectional view 400 a of the ceramic base or housing 400 illustrating the reflective bottom portion 404 a , the ledge 405 and the upper perimeter or lip 402 . fig4 a provides a good illustration of outer surface contacts 411 , 414 for interconnection to outside devices . fig4 b is an enlarged portion 400 b of the quarter - sectional view 400 a of the ceramic base or housing illustrating the reflective layer 404 a covering the bottom of the leadless chip carrier , the nickel plating 402 b on the perimeter and the gold plating 402 a on the nickel plating 402 b . reference numeral 405 b indicates a braze preform on top of contact 405 a in which end contact 301 , 302 may be placed . the end contacts of the tungsten filament may be bonded to contacts of the chip carrier package by a suitable process such as brazing , electron beam welding , spot welding or laser welding . fig5 is a view 500 similar to fig4 with the double - spiral filament 300 placed in the ceramic base or housing 400 straddling the ledge 405 with the end contact portions 301 , 302 mating with a respective pair 405 a , 406 of the contact pairs of the ledge 405 . fig5 a is a quarter sectional view 500 a of fig5 illustrating the braze preform securing the end contact portion 301 to contact 405 a on ledge 405 of housing 400 . end contact portion 301 is fused to the contact 405 a upon sufficient heating and subsequent cooling . fig6 is a view 600 of the bottom side of the lid 601 illustrating the transparent window 602 and the lip 603 a which mates with and is secured to the upper surface 402 a of the ceramic base . the lid is commercially available from spectrum semiconductor materials of san jose , calif . part no . c - 731 - 21 - 50mk100mnd - gkl . the material of the lid is kovar and includes the gold plating on top of nickel with a 80 % au / 20 % sn solder preform . fig6 a is a side view 600 a of the lid 601 illustrating the lip 603 a with solder preform 603 applied over the lip . at least one notch , nick or groove 608 is cut into the solder preform 603 such that when it is secured or held into sealing engagement with gold plated surface 402 a and placed in a furnace under vacuum conditions the contents of the ceramic housing 400 and the lid 601 are evacuated . alternatively , the ceramic housing and lid may be placed in an environment of halogen gas . fig6 b is an enlarged portion of fig6 a illustrating nick 608 in more detail . the heat of the furnace remelts and reflows the solder preform eliminating the nick and securing the lid and the chip carrier package together . fig7 is a top view 700 of the ultraminiature light source assembled . fig8 is a schematic 800 of the steps to manufacture the ultraminiature light source . the steps include fabricating a double - spiral ultraminiature tungsten filament from tungsten foil - 801 ; placing braze preform over two metal contacts of a suitable chip carrier package - 802 ; positioning end contacts of the tungsten filament into engagement with the braze preform covering the contacts of the chip carrier package - 803 ; placing the chip carrier package with the filament positioned therein into a vacuum furnace , the chip carrier package having a base plated with a material selected from the group of reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , and nitride - 804 ; heating , under desired vacuum , the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the braze preform 805 at approximately 800 ° c . to melt the braze preform and bond the filament to the chip package ; cooling the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the brazing while increasing pressure to atmospheric pressure - 806 ; applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion - 807 ; nicking the solder preform to create a discontinuity therein - 808 ; applying the lid having a transparent portion and having a solder preform tack welded over the perimeter of the lid to the chip carrier package , the chip carrier includes an upper lip having a gold plating which resides over a nickel plating ; holding the lid with the solder affixed thereto into engagement with the chip carrier package - 810 ; placing the chip carrier package with the lid held in place into the furnace under desired vacuum - 811 ; heating , under desired vacuum , the chip package to the eutectic temperature of solder to remelt and reflow the solder to seal the chip carrier package under the desired vacuum to create an air tight seal between the package and the lid - 812 ; and , cooling to room temperature and restoring atmospheric pressure within the furnace - 813 . alternatively , the step of placing braze preform on the contacts may be substituted with any suitable process of bonding the contacts to the chip carrier by brazing , electron beam welding , spot welding or laser welding . the eutectic point referred to in the step denoted by reference numeral 812 is the point at which the liquid phase borders directly on the solid phase . the temperature that corresponds to this point is known as the eutectic temperature . the step of applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion - 807 — includes the solder preform being tack welded to the window lid . the attachment of the solder preform to the lid prior to the sealing process avoids potential handling damage to the delicate 0 . 510 mm ( 510 μm ) thick gold preform and reduces alignment offsets of the gold preform to the sealing surfaces . the ceramic housing has a metallized upper lip consisting of a base coating of nickel plating with a top coating of 0 . 0015 mm ( 1 . 5 μm ) of gold plating . the light source disclosed herein was successfully tested at 3 . 125 vdc at 0 . 40 a yielding approximately 1 . 250 w at 2200 ° k . for approximately 1000 hours . different filament materials operating at different voltages will produces different values . fig9 is a top view 900 of the ultraminiature light source with a fiber optic guide 901 secured to the transparent window 602 with optical adhesive 902 . fig9 a is an enlarged cross - sectional view 900 a taken along the lines 9 a - 9 a of fig9 . a gap 903 of approximately 0 . 58 mm ( 580 μm ) is illustrated in fig9 a between the filament and the window 602 . the advantage of the tungsten light source disclosed herein includes the fact that it provides a broad optical spectrum . this broad spectrum is accompanied by a short coherence length . it is key , therefore , to couple the light source into an optical fiber in an efficient manner . this becomes increasingly problematic when the core size of the optical fiber is small . fibers used in optical fiber sensors may be 50 microns or smaller . such fibers usually have a small numerical aperture number ( na ) such as 0 . 22 . this means that either the light entering the fiber must be fairly collimated or that the fiber must be close to the source if the light is not highly collimated . the tungsten light source disclosed herein radiates light in all directions although the dual spiral coils tend to concentrate the light source . in order to maximize coupling a small filament light source with dimensions approaching that of the fiber , close spacing of the fiber to the filament is required to achieve any sort of efficiency in getting the tungsten light spectrum into the fiber . fig1 is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1000 similar to fig9 a illustrating another fiber optic guide coupling arrangement . connector housing 1001 fits over the packaged tungsten filament light source and the connector female receptacle 1002 is in engagement with the package . male connector 1003 is insertable within the female connector 1002 . male connector 1003 includes a housing portion 1004 and a resilient portion 1005 for receiving the fiber 901 . the fiber 901 is positioned in proximity to the window for good coupling to the tungsten filament . resilient material 1005 is used to grip the fiber optic guide 901 and enables the replacement of the optic fiber 901 if necessary . fig1 is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1100 of another connector arrangement wherein the fiber is held in a male connector 1110 , which in turn is coupled to a female connector receptacle 1112 affixed to a lamp package mount 1113 . optionally a lens 1120 may be used . fig1 a is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1100 a of another connector similar to fig1 with a lens integrally affixed 1121 with the lamp package window . fig1 b is an enlarged cross - sectional view 100 b of a connector similar to fig1 a with the connector directly engaging and attached to the lens by adhesive , solder , braze , or glass frit 1130 . alternatively the lens 1120 may be welded to the package lid . 1100 - cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with an optional lens 1100 a - cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with a lens integral with the transparent window 100 — schematic of related art device in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 796 , 866 . 214 — top nitride layer of middle filament mounting substrate 106 301 — end contact portion which sits on ledge of leadless chip carrier package 302 — end contact portion which sits on ledge of leadless chip carrier package 303 — transitional portion interconnecting end contact portion 301 and outer spiral portion 306 of the first spiral 304 — transitional portion interconnecting end contact portion 302 and outer spiral portion 305 of the second spiral 315 — gap between beginning portion of first spiral and second spiral where they begin to converge 316 a — gap between beginning portion of second spiral and first spiral where they begin to converge 323 — termination of gap between intermediate portions of first and second spirals 324 — termination of gap between intermediate portions of second and first spirals 340 — arrow to beginning of gap between second spiral 305 and first spiral 306 341 — arrow to beginning of gap between first spiral 306 and second spiral 305 350 — overall length of approximately 8 . 00 mm of the filament of the example illustrated 351 — approximate length of 4 . 84 mm between transition portions 303 , 340 of the example illustrated 352 — outer diameter of approximately 1 . 50 mm of the filament of the example illustrated 353 — diameter of filament after approximately 180 ° arc of the example illustrated 354 — approximate width of 0 . 500 mm of the contact portions 302 , 301 of the example illustrated 355 — approximate radii of 0 . 89 mm of the first and second spirals at the beginning of the spirals of the example of the example illustrated 356 — approximate radii of 0 . 68 mm of the first and second spirals after an approximate 90 ° arc of the example illustrated 357 — approximate radii of 0 . 58 mm of the first and second spirals after an approximate 180 ° arc of the example illustrated 358 — approximate distance of 4 . 84 mm between the contact portion of the example illustrated 400 a — quarter - sectional view of the leadless chip carrier illustrated in fig4 taken along the lines 4 a - 4 a 400 b — quarter - sectional view of the leadless chip carrier illustrated in fig4 further illustrating the braze preform and the reflective bottom 500 — top plan view of a leadless chip carrier similar to view of fig4 with the filament placed therein 500 a — quarter - sectional view taken along the lines 5 a - 5 a of fig5 — placing braze preform over two metal contacts of a suitable chip carrier package or electron welding , spot welding or laser welding 803 — positioning end contacts of the tungsten filament into engagement with the braze preform covering the contacts of the chip carrier package 804 — placing the chip carrier package with the filament positioned therein into a vacuum furnace , the chip carrier package having a base plated with a material selected from the group of reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , and nitride 805 — heating , under desired vacuum , the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the braze preform at approximately 800 ° c . 806 — cooling the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the brazing while increasing pressure to atmospheric pressure 807 — applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion 809 — applying the lid having a transparent portion and having a solder preform tack welded over the perimeter of the lid to the chip carrier package , the chip carrier includes an upper lip having a gold plating which resides over a nickel plating 810 — holding the lid with the solder affixed thereto into engagement with the chip carrier package 811 — placing the chip carrier package with the lid held in place into the furnace under desired vacuum 812 — heating , under desired vacuum , the chip package to the eutectic temperature of solder to remelt and reflow the solder to seal the chip carrier package under the desired vacuum 813 — cooling to room temperature and restoring atmospheric pressure within the furnace 900 — top view of filament within the assembled package coupled to a fiber optic guide 900 a — cross - sectional view taken along the lines 9 a - 9 a 1000 — cross - sectional view of a connector for coupling a fiber optic guide to the assembled package 1100 — cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with an optional lens 1100 a — cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with a lens integral with the transparent window those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the invention has been set forth by way of examples only and that many changes may be made to the structure of the examples and to the process set forth by way of examples without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims attached hereto . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Electricity'? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Physics'? | 0.25 | 3597bfabdea6b115dac28a8f381f8d2b1f1c71505028276aac5677aa58586d78 | 0.279297 | 0.330078 | 0.019165 | 0.130859 | 0.032471 | 0.462891 |
null | fig3 is an illustration of the double - spiral element 300 of the instant invention having end contact portions 301 , 302 which are divergent from the next adjacent spiral . by increasing the radius of the outer windings of the double - spiral , the inner windings are allowed to decoil while not contacting the outer windings or tabs so that the short path is less likely for a particular operating voltage . the net result is to allow more stable light output for a longer lifetime at a higher operating point for the filament . end contact portions 301 , 302 of the double - spiral filament contact ledge 405 of leadless chip carrier package 400 and are in electrical communication therewith . see , fig4 and 4a , which generally represent a commercially available leadless chip carrier package such as the one illustrated and made by kyocera corporation of kyoto , japan , kyocera drawing number pb - c88231 - jmi . it will be noted that the leadless chip carrier package includes a plurality of gold contacts which are embedded in or deposited on the surface of the ledge . any oppositely oriented pair of contacts may be used as they will position the double - spiral filament centrally within the chip carrier package . the double - spiral filament 300 is centrally mounted as this will maximize the light output through a correspondingly oriented window 602 in a lid 600 as illustrated in fig6 and 7 . a braze preform available from morgan ceramics / wesgo metals incusil - aba having 59 % ag , 27 . 25 % cu , 12 . 5 % in and 1 . 25 % ti having a liquidus temp = 715 ° c . covers the contacts of the leadless chip carrier . the leadless chip carrier with the filament engaging the braze preform and the contacts are then heated under a desired vacuum at approximately 800 ° c . until the filament is secured in place . a transitional portion 303 of the filament interconnects end contact portion 301 and outer spiral portion 306 of the first spiral and a transitional portion 304 interconnects the end contact portion 302 and outer spiral portion 305 of the second spiral . it will be noticed that the end contact portions 301 and 302 are significantly larger in cross - sectional area than the transitional portions 303 , 304 . the filament is 0 . 025 mm ( 25 μm ) thick everywhere and the end contacts are approximately 0 . 50 mm ( 500 μm ) wide as represented by reference numeral 354 in fig3 a . also see , fig3 c , reference numeral 388 , illustrating the thickness 388 of the filament . shoulders 330 , 331 reduce the width of the end contact portions to the width of the transition portions 303 , 304 . fig3 a is an illustration 300 a of the double - spiral filament 300 of the instant invention similar to fig3 with additional reference numerals employed to indicate dimensions and radii of the filament . referring still to fig3 , the beginning 305 a of the outer - most winding 307 of the second spiral 305 is illustrated . reference numeral 307 represents the outer - most winding of the second spiral . reference numeral 305 a represents the beginning of the outer - most winding 307 of the second spiral 305 . reference numeral 306 a represents the beginning of the outer - most winding 308 of the first spiral 306 . reference numeral 308 represents the outer - most winding of the first spiral 308 . arrow 340 is indicated in fig3 as pointing to the gap 316 ( sometimes referred herein as “ the second gap ”) between second spiral 305 and first spiral 306 and arrow 341 is pointing toward the beginning of the gap 314 ( sometimes referred herein as “ the first gap ”) between first spiral 306 and second spiral 305 . these arrows signify the relatively large gaps at the entrances to the interleaved first 306 and second spiral 305 . fig3 d illustrates the gaps 314 , 316 of the filament after energization ( i . e ., after the application of appropriate voltage across the end contacts 301 , 302 ) of the tungsten or tungsten alloy filament . the inner windings as discussed hereinbelow are expanded radially outward and lengthened slightly . the filament , as illustrated in fig3 , accommodates the joule heating of the filament such that the unwanted contact in the region , defined generally by reference numerals 260 , 261 , 262 and 263 in fig2 a , is avoided and does not occur . referring to fig3 d , the fill factor may change with joule heating , but the filament should unspool evenly so the fill factor should remain mostly the same even though the output disk should grow or shrink as the filament heats or cools . referring to fig3 - 3d , fill factors for the filament disclosed herein will vary depending on desired temperature of the particular filament used ; however , the filament illustrated in fig3 is 25 μm thick ( reference numeral 388 , fig3 c ) everywhere , has a 50 % fill factor using a 50 μm spacing between spirals 305 , 306 , and has a 50 μm winding width . the filament of fig3 operates at approximately 2200 ° k . for 1000 hours . the importance of the fill factor or aspect ratio has to do with the fact that the closer the windings are together the more light you can output per unit area . the spacing is determined by the amount that the filament expands due to thermal effects during operation . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the inner windings are approximately about the same cross - section , and are the smallest in cross - sectional area of the filament components . this makes the hot spot of the filament generally in the middle ( central portion 313 ) of the filament away from the walls of the package . since the light comes from the middle of the package it can be easily coupled to the optical fiber attached to the window of the light source . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the outer windings are tapered like a sickle as a transition from the strong end contacts 301 / 303 and 302 / 304 to the inner windings of the interleaved spirals 305 , 306 . the outer windings 305 , 306 are shaped like a sickle with the arc being fairly wide and sturdy to provide a strong gradual transition to the inner windings instead of going right from the end contacts directly to a narrow winding as does the structure of fig2 and 2a . the arc supports the inner windings encouraging them to uncoil as they heat instead of just twisting off in a torquing motion at the end contact connection point . the arc distributes the stress during temperature changes and thus increases the service life . the arc also provides for the inner windings of the coil to grow outwardly . the end contacts have the greatest cross - section of the filament . in this way the end contacts create a stable base for damping filament vibration and have a lot of adhesion surface area to bind the filament to the leadless chip carrier package . the large end contact portions also provide a relatively large place to handle the filament during the assembly process . still referring to fig3 - 3d , the narrower inner windings ( intermediate windings 309 , 310 , 311 , 312 ) have the same current as the end contact portions because the current is the same throughout all portions of the filament . the narrower inner windings have the same thickness as the end contact portions 301 , 302 and as the inner windings &# 39 ; cross - sectional area is smaller ( than the arc , transition portions and end contacts ) their relative resistance per incremental unit length is relatively higher and they joule heat more since the same current is squeezed through essentially a smaller volume which means the same number of electrons per second interact with fewer atoms generating more photons and different energy photons than are generated at the end contact portions . still referring to fig3 - 3d , having the arc and designing the filament such that the outer windings are spaced apart from the inner windings ( intermediate windings 309 , 310 , 311 , 312 ) may decrease the fill factor somewhat but most of the light is from the inner windings so the optical fiber will couple effectively to the filament . in this arrangement the fill factor is about 50 %. filaments having fill factors greater than 50 % may be used . the inner windings are approximately 50 μm wide and are spaced apart approximately 50 μm from winding to winding . the second spiral 305 includes intermediate winding portions 309 , 311 which terminate in a central portion 313 which joins second and first spirals 305 , 306 together . the first spiral includes intermediate winding portions 310 , 312 which also terminate in the central portion 313 . generally the windings of the spirals 305 , 306 are widest at the arc which comprises outer - most winding and gradually tapers to the width of the inner winding which is approximately 50 μm . referring to fig3 a , the overall length 350 of the filament is approximately 8 mm ( 8000 μm ). the radii 355 of the outer - most windings 307 , 308 of the second and first spirals 305 , 306 , respectively , are approximately 0 . 89 mm ( 890 μm ). the radii 356 of the outer - most windings 307 , 308 of both spirals 306 , 305 are reduced gradually to approximately 0 . 68 mm ( 680 μm ) through an arc of about 90 ° and the radii 357 are further reduced to 0 . 58 mm ( 580 μm ) through an arc of 180 °. thereafter , the radii are further reduced . the approximate length 351 between transition portions 303 , 304 is 4 . 84 mm ( 4840 μm ) for the example illustrated in fig3 a . the outer diameter 352 of the filament is approximately 1 . 50 mm ( 1 , 500 μm ) and is also illustrated in fig3 a . the diameter 353 of the tungsten or tungsten alloy filament is approximately 1 . 15 mm ( 1 , 150 μm ) at the point where the outer - most windings have swept an arc of approximately 180 ° from the entrance . the filament employs end contact portions 301 , 302 which are then reduced in cross - section in transition portions 303 , 304 . the distance 358 between the contact portions ( i . e ., where they are reduced by shoulders 330 , 331 to become transition portions 303 , 304 ) is approximately 4 . 84 mm ( 4 , 840 μm ). the contact end portions are 1 . 43 mm ( 1 , 430 μm ) in length as indicated by reference numeral 359 . the invention is disclosed herein by way of example only and those skilled in the art will readily recognize after reading the specification that many of the dimensions stated herein may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention . fig3 b is an enlargement 300 b of a portion of the double - spiral filament illustrated in fig3 a . reference numeral 314 represents the first gap between the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 at the beginning of the outer - most winding 308 . reference numeral 315 represents the first gap between the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 after an arc of about 90 ° of the outer - most winding 308 . reference numeral 317 represents the first gap between intermediate portions of the first spiral 306 and the second spiral 305 . reference numeral 323 represents the termination of the first gap between the intermediate portions of the first and second spirals . the gap terminates where the spirals are joined as indicated by reference numeral 313 . still referring to fig3 b , second gap 320 between intermediate portions of the second 305 and first 306 spirals is illustrated and that second gap which began as 316 , 316 a terminates as indicated by reference numeral 324 . fig3 c is a perspective view 300 c of the double - spiral filament illustrated in fig3 and which illustrates the thickness 388 of 0 . 025 mm ( 25 μm ) and the generally planar form of the filament which is generally represented by the reference numeral 300 in fig3 . in the future it is contemplated that a thickness of 0 . 050 ( 50 μm ) may be used . fig4 is an illustration of the ceramic housing or base 400 illustrating a bottom 400 , a ledge 405 having contact pairs 405 a , 406 which engage the end contact portions 301 , 302 of the spiral filament 300 , and an upper perimeter or lip 402 which is metal coated 402 b , 402 a . the ceramic housing has a metallized upper lip 402 a consisting of a base coating of nickel plating 402 b with a top coating of 0 . 0015 mm ( 1 . 5 μm ) of gold plating 402 a . the bottom 404 of the housing may be polished . alternatively , a reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , or nitride 404 a may be deposited on the bottom 404 . the bottom reflector layer provides a reflective surface 404 a to improve transmission through the transmission window 602 above , see fig7 . alternatively , the bottom reflector layer may include a reflective metal layer 404 a which may be a ti 200 å / pt 1000 å reflective film . silver may also be used as a reflective material . still referring to fig4 , grooves 401 , 412 , 409 , 410 , are cut vertically into the sides of the leadless chip carrier 400 to allow for interconnections directly to metal contacts 411 , 414 within the grooves from outside the leadless chip carrier . metal contact 405 a is in electrical communication ( not shown ) with contact 411 within the leadless chip carrier 400 . similarly metal contact 408 is in electrical communication ( not shown ) with contact 414 within the leadless chip carrier 400 . contact pairs 407 , 408 and 406 , 405 a are the preferred contacts over which braze preform is placed prior to placing end contact portions 301 , 302 therein for heating to secure the filament within . any of the contact pairs may be used as they all result in the centering of the filament within the housing and for its alignment with the window in the lid . fig4 a is a quarter - sectional view 400 a of the ceramic base or housing 400 illustrating the reflective bottom portion 404 a , the ledge 405 and the upper perimeter or lip 402 . fig4 a provides a good illustration of outer surface contacts 411 , 414 for interconnection to outside devices . fig4 b is an enlarged portion 400 b of the quarter - sectional view 400 a of the ceramic base or housing illustrating the reflective layer 404 a covering the bottom of the leadless chip carrier , the nickel plating 402 b on the perimeter and the gold plating 402 a on the nickel plating 402 b . reference numeral 405 b indicates a braze preform on top of contact 405 a in which end contact 301 , 302 may be placed . the end contacts of the tungsten filament may be bonded to contacts of the chip carrier package by a suitable process such as brazing , electron beam welding , spot welding or laser welding . fig5 is a view 500 similar to fig4 with the double - spiral filament 300 placed in the ceramic base or housing 400 straddling the ledge 405 with the end contact portions 301 , 302 mating with a respective pair 405 a , 406 of the contact pairs of the ledge 405 . fig5 a is a quarter sectional view 500 a of fig5 illustrating the braze preform securing the end contact portion 301 to contact 405 a on ledge 405 of housing 400 . end contact portion 301 is fused to the contact 405 a upon sufficient heating and subsequent cooling . fig6 is a view 600 of the bottom side of the lid 601 illustrating the transparent window 602 and the lip 603 a which mates with and is secured to the upper surface 402 a of the ceramic base . the lid is commercially available from spectrum semiconductor materials of san jose , calif . part no . c - 731 - 21 - 50mk100mnd - gkl . the material of the lid is kovar and includes the gold plating on top of nickel with a 80 % au / 20 % sn solder preform . fig6 a is a side view 600 a of the lid 601 illustrating the lip 603 a with solder preform 603 applied over the lip . at least one notch , nick or groove 608 is cut into the solder preform 603 such that when it is secured or held into sealing engagement with gold plated surface 402 a and placed in a furnace under vacuum conditions the contents of the ceramic housing 400 and the lid 601 are evacuated . alternatively , the ceramic housing and lid may be placed in an environment of halogen gas . fig6 b is an enlarged portion of fig6 a illustrating nick 608 in more detail . the heat of the furnace remelts and reflows the solder preform eliminating the nick and securing the lid and the chip carrier package together . fig7 is a top view 700 of the ultraminiature light source assembled . fig8 is a schematic 800 of the steps to manufacture the ultraminiature light source . the steps include fabricating a double - spiral ultraminiature tungsten filament from tungsten foil - 801 ; placing braze preform over two metal contacts of a suitable chip carrier package - 802 ; positioning end contacts of the tungsten filament into engagement with the braze preform covering the contacts of the chip carrier package - 803 ; placing the chip carrier package with the filament positioned therein into a vacuum furnace , the chip carrier package having a base plated with a material selected from the group of reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , and nitride - 804 ; heating , under desired vacuum , the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the braze preform 805 at approximately 800 ° c . to melt the braze preform and bond the filament to the chip package ; cooling the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the brazing while increasing pressure to atmospheric pressure - 806 ; applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion - 807 ; nicking the solder preform to create a discontinuity therein - 808 ; applying the lid having a transparent portion and having a solder preform tack welded over the perimeter of the lid to the chip carrier package , the chip carrier includes an upper lip having a gold plating which resides over a nickel plating ; holding the lid with the solder affixed thereto into engagement with the chip carrier package - 810 ; placing the chip carrier package with the lid held in place into the furnace under desired vacuum - 811 ; heating , under desired vacuum , the chip package to the eutectic temperature of solder to remelt and reflow the solder to seal the chip carrier package under the desired vacuum to create an air tight seal between the package and the lid - 812 ; and , cooling to room temperature and restoring atmospheric pressure within the furnace - 813 . alternatively , the step of placing braze preform on the contacts may be substituted with any suitable process of bonding the contacts to the chip carrier by brazing , electron beam welding , spot welding or laser welding . the eutectic point referred to in the step denoted by reference numeral 812 is the point at which the liquid phase borders directly on the solid phase . the temperature that corresponds to this point is known as the eutectic temperature . the step of applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion - 807 — includes the solder preform being tack welded to the window lid . the attachment of the solder preform to the lid prior to the sealing process avoids potential handling damage to the delicate 0 . 510 mm ( 510 μm ) thick gold preform and reduces alignment offsets of the gold preform to the sealing surfaces . the ceramic housing has a metallized upper lip consisting of a base coating of nickel plating with a top coating of 0 . 0015 mm ( 1 . 5 μm ) of gold plating . the light source disclosed herein was successfully tested at 3 . 125 vdc at 0 . 40 a yielding approximately 1 . 250 w at 2200 ° k . for approximately 1000 hours . different filament materials operating at different voltages will produces different values . fig9 is a top view 900 of the ultraminiature light source with a fiber optic guide 901 secured to the transparent window 602 with optical adhesive 902 . fig9 a is an enlarged cross - sectional view 900 a taken along the lines 9 a - 9 a of fig9 . a gap 903 of approximately 0 . 58 mm ( 580 μm ) is illustrated in fig9 a between the filament and the window 602 . the advantage of the tungsten light source disclosed herein includes the fact that it provides a broad optical spectrum . this broad spectrum is accompanied by a short coherence length . it is key , therefore , to couple the light source into an optical fiber in an efficient manner . this becomes increasingly problematic when the core size of the optical fiber is small . fibers used in optical fiber sensors may be 50 microns or smaller . such fibers usually have a small numerical aperture number ( na ) such as 0 . 22 . this means that either the light entering the fiber must be fairly collimated or that the fiber must be close to the source if the light is not highly collimated . the tungsten light source disclosed herein radiates light in all directions although the dual spiral coils tend to concentrate the light source . in order to maximize coupling a small filament light source with dimensions approaching that of the fiber , close spacing of the fiber to the filament is required to achieve any sort of efficiency in getting the tungsten light spectrum into the fiber . fig1 is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1000 similar to fig9 a illustrating another fiber optic guide coupling arrangement . connector housing 1001 fits over the packaged tungsten filament light source and the connector female receptacle 1002 is in engagement with the package . male connector 1003 is insertable within the female connector 1002 . male connector 1003 includes a housing portion 1004 and a resilient portion 1005 for receiving the fiber 901 . the fiber 901 is positioned in proximity to the window for good coupling to the tungsten filament . resilient material 1005 is used to grip the fiber optic guide 901 and enables the replacement of the optic fiber 901 if necessary . fig1 is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1100 of another connector arrangement wherein the fiber is held in a male connector 1110 , which in turn is coupled to a female connector receptacle 1112 affixed to a lamp package mount 1113 . optionally a lens 1120 may be used . fig1 a is an enlarged cross - sectional view 1100 a of another connector similar to fig1 with a lens integrally affixed 1121 with the lamp package window . fig1 b is an enlarged cross - sectional view 100 b of a connector similar to fig1 a with the connector directly engaging and attached to the lens by adhesive , solder , braze , or glass frit 1130 . alternatively the lens 1120 may be welded to the package lid . 1100 - cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with an optional lens 1100 a - cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with a lens integral with the transparent window 100 — schematic of related art device in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 796 , 866 . 214 — top nitride layer of middle filament mounting substrate 106 301 — end contact portion which sits on ledge of leadless chip carrier package 302 — end contact portion which sits on ledge of leadless chip carrier package 303 — transitional portion interconnecting end contact portion 301 and outer spiral portion 306 of the first spiral 304 — transitional portion interconnecting end contact portion 302 and outer spiral portion 305 of the second spiral 315 — gap between beginning portion of first spiral and second spiral where they begin to converge 316 a — gap between beginning portion of second spiral and first spiral where they begin to converge 323 — termination of gap between intermediate portions of first and second spirals 324 — termination of gap between intermediate portions of second and first spirals 340 — arrow to beginning of gap between second spiral 305 and first spiral 306 341 — arrow to beginning of gap between first spiral 306 and second spiral 305 350 — overall length of approximately 8 . 00 mm of the filament of the example illustrated 351 — approximate length of 4 . 84 mm between transition portions 303 , 340 of the example illustrated 352 — outer diameter of approximately 1 . 50 mm of the filament of the example illustrated 353 — diameter of filament after approximately 180 ° arc of the example illustrated 354 — approximate width of 0 . 500 mm of the contact portions 302 , 301 of the example illustrated 355 — approximate radii of 0 . 89 mm of the first and second spirals at the beginning of the spirals of the example of the example illustrated 356 — approximate radii of 0 . 68 mm of the first and second spirals after an approximate 90 ° arc of the example illustrated 357 — approximate radii of 0 . 58 mm of the first and second spirals after an approximate 180 ° arc of the example illustrated 358 — approximate distance of 4 . 84 mm between the contact portion of the example illustrated 400 a — quarter - sectional view of the leadless chip carrier illustrated in fig4 taken along the lines 4 a - 4 a 400 b — quarter - sectional view of the leadless chip carrier illustrated in fig4 further illustrating the braze preform and the reflective bottom 500 — top plan view of a leadless chip carrier similar to view of fig4 with the filament placed therein 500 a — quarter - sectional view taken along the lines 5 a - 5 a of fig5 — placing braze preform over two metal contacts of a suitable chip carrier package or electron welding , spot welding or laser welding 803 — positioning end contacts of the tungsten filament into engagement with the braze preform covering the contacts of the chip carrier package 804 — placing the chip carrier package with the filament positioned therein into a vacuum furnace , the chip carrier package having a base plated with a material selected from the group of reflective refractory metal , refractory ceramic carbide , boride , and nitride 805 — heating , under desired vacuum , the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the braze preform at approximately 800 ° c . 806 — cooling the chip carrier package , the tungsten filament , and the brazing while increasing pressure to atmospheric pressure 807 — applying solder preform to the perimeter of a lid having a transparent portion 809 — applying the lid having a transparent portion and having a solder preform tack welded over the perimeter of the lid to the chip carrier package , the chip carrier includes an upper lip having a gold plating which resides over a nickel plating 810 — holding the lid with the solder affixed thereto into engagement with the chip carrier package 811 — placing the chip carrier package with the lid held in place into the furnace under desired vacuum 812 — heating , under desired vacuum , the chip package to the eutectic temperature of solder to remelt and reflow the solder to seal the chip carrier package under the desired vacuum 813 — cooling to room temperature and restoring atmospheric pressure within the furnace 900 — top view of filament within the assembled package coupled to a fiber optic guide 900 a — cross - sectional view taken along the lines 9 a - 9 a 1000 — cross - sectional view of a connector for coupling a fiber optic guide to the assembled package 1100 — cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with an optional lens 1100 a — cross - sectional view of a coupling arrangement with a lens integral with the transparent window those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the invention has been set forth by way of examples only and that many changes may be made to the structure of the examples and to the process set forth by way of examples without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims attached hereto . | Should this patent be classified under 'Electricity'? | Should this patent be classified under 'General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology'? | 0.25 | 3597bfabdea6b115dac28a8f381f8d2b1f1c71505028276aac5677aa58586d78 | 0.083984 | 0.125977 | 0.012024 | 0.168945 | 0.009705 | 0.066406 |
null | fig1 shows a therapeutic device 1 for improving the respiration of a patient which , in accordance with fig2 a and 2 b , can be used simultaneously for inhalation and exhalation , and thus for a combined airway therapy . fig1 , 3 a , 3 b and 3 c are intended to explain the design and structure of the therapeutic device 1 , and fig2 a and 2 b to explain the mode of function of the therapeutic device 1 . the therapeutic device 1 initially comprises a first pipe section 2 which is curved or kinked . a second pipe section 22 is provided in parallel to the first pipe section 2 . a first end 3 of the first pipe section 2 is provided with a mouthpiece 6 inserted in it or placed on it , by means of which the two pipe section 2 and 22 are connected together . this is because the mouthpiece 6 has a channel branch 21 provided in it , by means of which two air channels 7 or 7 ′ of the mouthpiece 6 which communicate with the two pipe sections 2 and 22 are combined into one output or input channel 21 ′. the first pipe section 2 is provided with an inlet opening 10 provided in its second end 4 facing away from the mouthpiece 6 , and a holding peg 11 can be attached to the inlet opening 10 in such a way that the holding peg 11 can be positioned in various positions in relation to the second end 4 of the first pipe section 2 . this is because the holding peg 11 is provided with a first hose 13 attached to it which is firmly attached to the holding peg 11 . the holding peg 11 is provided with a passage channel 12 disposed therein which is in a communicating active connection with the first hose 13 in such a way that the air flowing in through the inlet opening 10 enters the first hose 13 , causing it to expand and , given an adequate air flow , leading to oscillating vibrations of the hose 13 , with the effect that the hose 13 positioned inside the first pipe section 2 , and in this case in particular its free end 24 facing towards the mouthpiece 6 , is moved back and forth in between an inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 . furthermore , it is disclosed in fig1 and 3 a that a ring element 17 is inserted in the first pipe section 2 , between the free end 24 of the first hose 13 and the mouthpiece 6 , in which case this ring element 17 has , on the one hand , four passage openings 18 , or slots , disposed therein in the peripheral direction and , on the other hand , a baffle plate 20 aligned at right angles to the axis of symmetry of the pipe , by means of which baffle plate 20 the air flow inside the first pipe section 2 is deflected in the direction of the inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 , and thus in the direction of the passage openings 18 . moreover , an adjustable sleeve 19 is provided which has a mesh 30 in its inside on which a filter 28 is placed . as a result , the filter 28 is held by the adjustable sleeve 19 . the adjustable sleeve 19 faces towards the mouthpiece 6 and is held and supported within it in a friction - locking arrangement . the mesh 30 can also be provided in the mouthpiece 6 for holding the filter 28 . the adjustable sleeve 19 allows the passage openings 18 to be fully or partially closed or fully opened , because the adjustable sleeve 19 has a circumferential collar 19 ′ formed onto it which is provided with one or more openings 35 disposed therein with diameters of different sizes , and the inside contours of which can be configured in different ways in relation to one another . the passage openings 18 of the ring element 17 can be closed or partially opened by the collar 19 ′, or else it is possible to provide a setting in which the passage openings 18 are fully opened when the openings 35 in the collar 19 ′ are flush with the adjustable sleeve 19 and aligned with one or more of the passage openings 18 of the ring element 17 . the filter 28 serves to clean the air which flows through it , and to capture and hold back suspended matter or microparticles . furthermore , the therapeutic device 1 consists of an air distribution element 23 arranged in the second pipe section 22 , the air distribution element 23 being positioned in the area of the mouthpiece 6 . the air distribution element 23 is shown in particular in fig3 c and is provided with a ring - shaped configuration , with the effect that it corresponds to the inside contour of the mouthpiece 6 and the second pipe section 22 , and can be inserted into them . the air distribution element 23 has passage openings disposed therein with differently sized diameters , as is shown in fig3 b in cross section . starting from the smallest size d 1 , the geometrical relationships increase to the largest diameter d 4 . it is possible for a plurality of differently sized passage openings 26 to be provided in the air distribution element 23 . the air distribution element 23 also has the baffle plate 20 located at right angles to the axis of symmetry of the second pipe section 22 . the opposite side of the baffle plate 20 has the mesh 30 provided on it on the air distribution element , and a second filter 29 is held on the mesh 30 . the mesh 30 and the filter 29 can be installed optionally for exhalation . in accordance with fig3 c , the second pipe section 22 is provided with a second hose 14 inserted in it by means of a holding ring 15 . the holding ring 15 is arranged at a distance from the air distribution element 23 , with the effect that a sufficiently large intermediate space is provided between these two components inside the second pipe section 22 . the air distribution element 23 has a setting ring 27 allocated to it which is held on it in a rotating arrangement , and into which the openings 35 are disposed with differently sized diameters or opening widths . as a result , when the setting ring 27 is turned , it is possible for the openings 35 in the setting ring 27 to be set to different flow cross sections with the passage openings 18 provided in the air distribution element 23 , with the effect that the air flowing through is partially obstructed . this is because the air flowing in should flow through them out of the air distribution element 23 into an intermediate space 36 located between an inner wall 16 of the second pipe section 22 and the air distribution element 23 or the outer circumference of the setting ring 27 . fig1 shows that the second pipe section 22 has a second end 33 which can be sealed using a stopper 37 in which an opening 37 ′ is disposed . fig2 a firstly shows the inhalation procedure schematically . the flow direction established for the drawn - in air is indicated by the reference number 8 . as a result , the patient uses his or her respiratory musculature to breathe in air through the first pipe section 2 which flows into the pipe section 2 in the area of the second end 4 through the inlet opening 10 , and enters the first hose 13 through the passage channel 12 of the holding peg 11 . as shown by the schematic vibration arrows 8 ′, the free end 24 of the first hose 13 is moved back and forth between the inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 . the vibratory behaviour of the first hose 13 can be variably adjusted as a result of the different curvature of the pipe section 2 and the adjustable position of the first hose 13 relative to it . the holding peg 11 is held in a moveable arrangement in the second end 4 of the first pipe section 2 , which means the length of the first hose 13 which protrudes into the first pipe section 2 can have different lengths , as a result of which the hose 13 can be kinked or bend at different points . the air flowing in , or drawn in , causes the flexible hose 13 to expand , with the effect that the air passes through it and enters the inside of the first pipe section 2 . the baffle plate 20 of the ring element 17 redirects the air outwards , i . e . in the direction of the inner wall 5 , and from the baffle plate 20 the air is guided sideways in the direction of the passage opening 18 or openings 35 in the ring element 17 or the adjustable sleeve 19 . the cross sectional area set between the passage openings 18 and the openings 35 means the air resistance prevailing there is increased or reduced according to the cross sectional area through which the air flow can pass . as soon as the air flow leaves the ring element 17 in the direction of the mouthpiece 6 , it flows through the first passage channel 7 in the direction of the shared channel 21 ′ of the channel branch 21 into the patient &# 39 ; s mouth cavity . as a result of the air pressure situation prevailing inside the two pipe sections 2 and 22 , a negative pressure is formed in the second pipe section 22 , because air is drawn out of this in accordance with the air flow direction 8 . this negative pressure is communicated to the second hose 14 due to the air pressure situation prevailing between the air distribution element 23 and the inside of the second pipe section 22 , as a result of which a negative pressure results inside the second hose 14 , causing the flexible side wall of the hose 14 to enter into contact , thereby preventing air flow through the second hose 14 . as a result , the second hose 14 acts in this operating status as a kind of valve preventing air from entering through the second pipe section 22 in the direction of the mouthpiece 6 . as a result of the vibratory behaviour of the first hose 13 , the patient can hear and detect that the necessary negative pressure preset by the opening width has been achieved . fig2 b shows the operating status during exhalation . the flow direction of the exhaled air out of the patient &# 39 ; s pulmonary space is identified by the reference number 9 . the air flow is initially forced into the mouthpiece 6 and , there , it is distributed in the area of the air channel branch 21 . the air flow which enters the second pipe section 22 is forced through the passage openings 26 into the intermediate space 36 and , from there , it enters the inside of the second pipe section 22 , and thus into the second hose 14 which is now expanded by the air flow and is , in its turn , induced to adopt an oscillating vibratory behaviour if a sufficiently high air pressure is generated by the air that is forced in . the air flowing out through the second hose 14 is evacuated into the atmosphere through the second end 33 and the opening 37 ′ in the stopper 37 . the other portion of the exhaled air flow enters the first pipe section 2 and , there , it initially exits the ring element 17 through the passage openings 18 and enters the inside of the first pipe section 2 . there is a positive pressure in this pipe section 2 due to the air flowing in , as a result of which the first hose 13 is compressed and thereby closes like a kind of valve , with the effect that no air can escape from the inside of the first pipe section 2 . the positive pressure prevailing in the first pipe section 2 therefore leads to the situation that a correspondingly formed cushion of air prevails immediately after exhalation , by means of which the exhaled air is directed into the second pipe section 22 after a certain period of time , at least in its entirety . the first and second pipe sections 2 and 22 can be provided with separate mouthpieces 6 and consequently can be used independently of one another . | Should this patent be classified under 'Human Necessities'? | Should this patent be classified under 'Performing Operations; Transporting'? | 0.25 | 1ca33a99c54218c49bc14114320e4345c60c371ac1cef2af28e53c8ef6a0e28b | 0.114258 | 0.010315 | 0.023315 | 0.010315 | 0.031128 | 0.027222 |
null | fig1 shows a therapeutic device 1 for improving the respiration of a patient which , in accordance with fig2 a and 2 b , can be used simultaneously for inhalation and exhalation , and thus for a combined airway therapy . fig1 , 3 a , 3 b and 3 c are intended to explain the design and structure of the therapeutic device 1 , and fig2 a and 2 b to explain the mode of function of the therapeutic device 1 . the therapeutic device 1 initially comprises a first pipe section 2 which is curved or kinked . a second pipe section 22 is provided in parallel to the first pipe section 2 . a first end 3 of the first pipe section 2 is provided with a mouthpiece 6 inserted in it or placed on it , by means of which the two pipe section 2 and 22 are connected together . this is because the mouthpiece 6 has a channel branch 21 provided in it , by means of which two air channels 7 or 7 ′ of the mouthpiece 6 which communicate with the two pipe sections 2 and 22 are combined into one output or input channel 21 ′. the first pipe section 2 is provided with an inlet opening 10 provided in its second end 4 facing away from the mouthpiece 6 , and a holding peg 11 can be attached to the inlet opening 10 in such a way that the holding peg 11 can be positioned in various positions in relation to the second end 4 of the first pipe section 2 . this is because the holding peg 11 is provided with a first hose 13 attached to it which is firmly attached to the holding peg 11 . the holding peg 11 is provided with a passage channel 12 disposed therein which is in a communicating active connection with the first hose 13 in such a way that the air flowing in through the inlet opening 10 enters the first hose 13 , causing it to expand and , given an adequate air flow , leading to oscillating vibrations of the hose 13 , with the effect that the hose 13 positioned inside the first pipe section 2 , and in this case in particular its free end 24 facing towards the mouthpiece 6 , is moved back and forth in between an inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 . furthermore , it is disclosed in fig1 and 3 a that a ring element 17 is inserted in the first pipe section 2 , between the free end 24 of the first hose 13 and the mouthpiece 6 , in which case this ring element 17 has , on the one hand , four passage openings 18 , or slots , disposed therein in the peripheral direction and , on the other hand , a baffle plate 20 aligned at right angles to the axis of symmetry of the pipe , by means of which baffle plate 20 the air flow inside the first pipe section 2 is deflected in the direction of the inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 , and thus in the direction of the passage openings 18 . moreover , an adjustable sleeve 19 is provided which has a mesh 30 in its inside on which a filter 28 is placed . as a result , the filter 28 is held by the adjustable sleeve 19 . the adjustable sleeve 19 faces towards the mouthpiece 6 and is held and supported within it in a friction - locking arrangement . the mesh 30 can also be provided in the mouthpiece 6 for holding the filter 28 . the adjustable sleeve 19 allows the passage openings 18 to be fully or partially closed or fully opened , because the adjustable sleeve 19 has a circumferential collar 19 ′ formed onto it which is provided with one or more openings 35 disposed therein with diameters of different sizes , and the inside contours of which can be configured in different ways in relation to one another . the passage openings 18 of the ring element 17 can be closed or partially opened by the collar 19 ′, or else it is possible to provide a setting in which the passage openings 18 are fully opened when the openings 35 in the collar 19 ′ are flush with the adjustable sleeve 19 and aligned with one or more of the passage openings 18 of the ring element 17 . the filter 28 serves to clean the air which flows through it , and to capture and hold back suspended matter or microparticles . furthermore , the therapeutic device 1 consists of an air distribution element 23 arranged in the second pipe section 22 , the air distribution element 23 being positioned in the area of the mouthpiece 6 . the air distribution element 23 is shown in particular in fig3 c and is provided with a ring - shaped configuration , with the effect that it corresponds to the inside contour of the mouthpiece 6 and the second pipe section 22 , and can be inserted into them . the air distribution element 23 has passage openings disposed therein with differently sized diameters , as is shown in fig3 b in cross section . starting from the smallest size d 1 , the geometrical relationships increase to the largest diameter d 4 . it is possible for a plurality of differently sized passage openings 26 to be provided in the air distribution element 23 . the air distribution element 23 also has the baffle plate 20 located at right angles to the axis of symmetry of the second pipe section 22 . the opposite side of the baffle plate 20 has the mesh 30 provided on it on the air distribution element , and a second filter 29 is held on the mesh 30 . the mesh 30 and the filter 29 can be installed optionally for exhalation . in accordance with fig3 c , the second pipe section 22 is provided with a second hose 14 inserted in it by means of a holding ring 15 . the holding ring 15 is arranged at a distance from the air distribution element 23 , with the effect that a sufficiently large intermediate space is provided between these two components inside the second pipe section 22 . the air distribution element 23 has a setting ring 27 allocated to it which is held on it in a rotating arrangement , and into which the openings 35 are disposed with differently sized diameters or opening widths . as a result , when the setting ring 27 is turned , it is possible for the openings 35 in the setting ring 27 to be set to different flow cross sections with the passage openings 18 provided in the air distribution element 23 , with the effect that the air flowing through is partially obstructed . this is because the air flowing in should flow through them out of the air distribution element 23 into an intermediate space 36 located between an inner wall 16 of the second pipe section 22 and the air distribution element 23 or the outer circumference of the setting ring 27 . fig1 shows that the second pipe section 22 has a second end 33 which can be sealed using a stopper 37 in which an opening 37 ′ is disposed . fig2 a firstly shows the inhalation procedure schematically . the flow direction established for the drawn - in air is indicated by the reference number 8 . as a result , the patient uses his or her respiratory musculature to breathe in air through the first pipe section 2 which flows into the pipe section 2 in the area of the second end 4 through the inlet opening 10 , and enters the first hose 13 through the passage channel 12 of the holding peg 11 . as shown by the schematic vibration arrows 8 ′, the free end 24 of the first hose 13 is moved back and forth between the inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 . the vibratory behaviour of the first hose 13 can be variably adjusted as a result of the different curvature of the pipe section 2 and the adjustable position of the first hose 13 relative to it . the holding peg 11 is held in a moveable arrangement in the second end 4 of the first pipe section 2 , which means the length of the first hose 13 which protrudes into the first pipe section 2 can have different lengths , as a result of which the hose 13 can be kinked or bend at different points . the air flowing in , or drawn in , causes the flexible hose 13 to expand , with the effect that the air passes through it and enters the inside of the first pipe section 2 . the baffle plate 20 of the ring element 17 redirects the air outwards , i . e . in the direction of the inner wall 5 , and from the baffle plate 20 the air is guided sideways in the direction of the passage opening 18 or openings 35 in the ring element 17 or the adjustable sleeve 19 . the cross sectional area set between the passage openings 18 and the openings 35 means the air resistance prevailing there is increased or reduced according to the cross sectional area through which the air flow can pass . as soon as the air flow leaves the ring element 17 in the direction of the mouthpiece 6 , it flows through the first passage channel 7 in the direction of the shared channel 21 ′ of the channel branch 21 into the patient &# 39 ; s mouth cavity . as a result of the air pressure situation prevailing inside the two pipe sections 2 and 22 , a negative pressure is formed in the second pipe section 22 , because air is drawn out of this in accordance with the air flow direction 8 . this negative pressure is communicated to the second hose 14 due to the air pressure situation prevailing between the air distribution element 23 and the inside of the second pipe section 22 , as a result of which a negative pressure results inside the second hose 14 , causing the flexible side wall of the hose 14 to enter into contact , thereby preventing air flow through the second hose 14 . as a result , the second hose 14 acts in this operating status as a kind of valve preventing air from entering through the second pipe section 22 in the direction of the mouthpiece 6 . as a result of the vibratory behaviour of the first hose 13 , the patient can hear and detect that the necessary negative pressure preset by the opening width has been achieved . fig2 b shows the operating status during exhalation . the flow direction of the exhaled air out of the patient &# 39 ; s pulmonary space is identified by the reference number 9 . the air flow is initially forced into the mouthpiece 6 and , there , it is distributed in the area of the air channel branch 21 . the air flow which enters the second pipe section 22 is forced through the passage openings 26 into the intermediate space 36 and , from there , it enters the inside of the second pipe section 22 , and thus into the second hose 14 which is now expanded by the air flow and is , in its turn , induced to adopt an oscillating vibratory behaviour if a sufficiently high air pressure is generated by the air that is forced in . the air flowing out through the second hose 14 is evacuated into the atmosphere through the second end 33 and the opening 37 ′ in the stopper 37 . the other portion of the exhaled air flow enters the first pipe section 2 and , there , it initially exits the ring element 17 through the passage openings 18 and enters the inside of the first pipe section 2 . there is a positive pressure in this pipe section 2 due to the air flowing in , as a result of which the first hose 13 is compressed and thereby closes like a kind of valve , with the effect that no air can escape from the inside of the first pipe section 2 . the positive pressure prevailing in the first pipe section 2 therefore leads to the situation that a correspondingly formed cushion of air prevails immediately after exhalation , by means of which the exhaled air is directed into the second pipe section 22 after a certain period of time , at least in its entirety . the first and second pipe sections 2 and 22 can be provided with separate mouthpieces 6 and consequently can be used independently of one another . | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Human Necessities'? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Chemistry; Metallurgy'? | 0.25 | 1ca33a99c54218c49bc14114320e4345c60c371ac1cef2af28e53c8ef6a0e28b | 0.128906 | 0.014526 | 0.053467 | 0.000881 | 0.08252 | 0.003708 |
null | fig1 shows a therapeutic device 1 for improving the respiration of a patient which , in accordance with fig2 a and 2 b , can be used simultaneously for inhalation and exhalation , and thus for a combined airway therapy . fig1 , 3 a , 3 b and 3 c are intended to explain the design and structure of the therapeutic device 1 , and fig2 a and 2 b to explain the mode of function of the therapeutic device 1 . the therapeutic device 1 initially comprises a first pipe section 2 which is curved or kinked . a second pipe section 22 is provided in parallel to the first pipe section 2 . a first end 3 of the first pipe section 2 is provided with a mouthpiece 6 inserted in it or placed on it , by means of which the two pipe section 2 and 22 are connected together . this is because the mouthpiece 6 has a channel branch 21 provided in it , by means of which two air channels 7 or 7 ′ of the mouthpiece 6 which communicate with the two pipe sections 2 and 22 are combined into one output or input channel 21 ′. the first pipe section 2 is provided with an inlet opening 10 provided in its second end 4 facing away from the mouthpiece 6 , and a holding peg 11 can be attached to the inlet opening 10 in such a way that the holding peg 11 can be positioned in various positions in relation to the second end 4 of the first pipe section 2 . this is because the holding peg 11 is provided with a first hose 13 attached to it which is firmly attached to the holding peg 11 . the holding peg 11 is provided with a passage channel 12 disposed therein which is in a communicating active connection with the first hose 13 in such a way that the air flowing in through the inlet opening 10 enters the first hose 13 , causing it to expand and , given an adequate air flow , leading to oscillating vibrations of the hose 13 , with the effect that the hose 13 positioned inside the first pipe section 2 , and in this case in particular its free end 24 facing towards the mouthpiece 6 , is moved back and forth in between an inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 . furthermore , it is disclosed in fig1 and 3 a that a ring element 17 is inserted in the first pipe section 2 , between the free end 24 of the first hose 13 and the mouthpiece 6 , in which case this ring element 17 has , on the one hand , four passage openings 18 , or slots , disposed therein in the peripheral direction and , on the other hand , a baffle plate 20 aligned at right angles to the axis of symmetry of the pipe , by means of which baffle plate 20 the air flow inside the first pipe section 2 is deflected in the direction of the inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 , and thus in the direction of the passage openings 18 . moreover , an adjustable sleeve 19 is provided which has a mesh 30 in its inside on which a filter 28 is placed . as a result , the filter 28 is held by the adjustable sleeve 19 . the adjustable sleeve 19 faces towards the mouthpiece 6 and is held and supported within it in a friction - locking arrangement . the mesh 30 can also be provided in the mouthpiece 6 for holding the filter 28 . the adjustable sleeve 19 allows the passage openings 18 to be fully or partially closed or fully opened , because the adjustable sleeve 19 has a circumferential collar 19 ′ formed onto it which is provided with one or more openings 35 disposed therein with diameters of different sizes , and the inside contours of which can be configured in different ways in relation to one another . the passage openings 18 of the ring element 17 can be closed or partially opened by the collar 19 ′, or else it is possible to provide a setting in which the passage openings 18 are fully opened when the openings 35 in the collar 19 ′ are flush with the adjustable sleeve 19 and aligned with one or more of the passage openings 18 of the ring element 17 . the filter 28 serves to clean the air which flows through it , and to capture and hold back suspended matter or microparticles . furthermore , the therapeutic device 1 consists of an air distribution element 23 arranged in the second pipe section 22 , the air distribution element 23 being positioned in the area of the mouthpiece 6 . the air distribution element 23 is shown in particular in fig3 c and is provided with a ring - shaped configuration , with the effect that it corresponds to the inside contour of the mouthpiece 6 and the second pipe section 22 , and can be inserted into them . the air distribution element 23 has passage openings disposed therein with differently sized diameters , as is shown in fig3 b in cross section . starting from the smallest size d 1 , the geometrical relationships increase to the largest diameter d 4 . it is possible for a plurality of differently sized passage openings 26 to be provided in the air distribution element 23 . the air distribution element 23 also has the baffle plate 20 located at right angles to the axis of symmetry of the second pipe section 22 . the opposite side of the baffle plate 20 has the mesh 30 provided on it on the air distribution element , and a second filter 29 is held on the mesh 30 . the mesh 30 and the filter 29 can be installed optionally for exhalation . in accordance with fig3 c , the second pipe section 22 is provided with a second hose 14 inserted in it by means of a holding ring 15 . the holding ring 15 is arranged at a distance from the air distribution element 23 , with the effect that a sufficiently large intermediate space is provided between these two components inside the second pipe section 22 . the air distribution element 23 has a setting ring 27 allocated to it which is held on it in a rotating arrangement , and into which the openings 35 are disposed with differently sized diameters or opening widths . as a result , when the setting ring 27 is turned , it is possible for the openings 35 in the setting ring 27 to be set to different flow cross sections with the passage openings 18 provided in the air distribution element 23 , with the effect that the air flowing through is partially obstructed . this is because the air flowing in should flow through them out of the air distribution element 23 into an intermediate space 36 located between an inner wall 16 of the second pipe section 22 and the air distribution element 23 or the outer circumference of the setting ring 27 . fig1 shows that the second pipe section 22 has a second end 33 which can be sealed using a stopper 37 in which an opening 37 ′ is disposed . fig2 a firstly shows the inhalation procedure schematically . the flow direction established for the drawn - in air is indicated by the reference number 8 . as a result , the patient uses his or her respiratory musculature to breathe in air through the first pipe section 2 which flows into the pipe section 2 in the area of the second end 4 through the inlet opening 10 , and enters the first hose 13 through the passage channel 12 of the holding peg 11 . as shown by the schematic vibration arrows 8 ′, the free end 24 of the first hose 13 is moved back and forth between the inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 . the vibratory behaviour of the first hose 13 can be variably adjusted as a result of the different curvature of the pipe section 2 and the adjustable position of the first hose 13 relative to it . the holding peg 11 is held in a moveable arrangement in the second end 4 of the first pipe section 2 , which means the length of the first hose 13 which protrudes into the first pipe section 2 can have different lengths , as a result of which the hose 13 can be kinked or bend at different points . the air flowing in , or drawn in , causes the flexible hose 13 to expand , with the effect that the air passes through it and enters the inside of the first pipe section 2 . the baffle plate 20 of the ring element 17 redirects the air outwards , i . e . in the direction of the inner wall 5 , and from the baffle plate 20 the air is guided sideways in the direction of the passage opening 18 or openings 35 in the ring element 17 or the adjustable sleeve 19 . the cross sectional area set between the passage openings 18 and the openings 35 means the air resistance prevailing there is increased or reduced according to the cross sectional area through which the air flow can pass . as soon as the air flow leaves the ring element 17 in the direction of the mouthpiece 6 , it flows through the first passage channel 7 in the direction of the shared channel 21 ′ of the channel branch 21 into the patient &# 39 ; s mouth cavity . as a result of the air pressure situation prevailing inside the two pipe sections 2 and 22 , a negative pressure is formed in the second pipe section 22 , because air is drawn out of this in accordance with the air flow direction 8 . this negative pressure is communicated to the second hose 14 due to the air pressure situation prevailing between the air distribution element 23 and the inside of the second pipe section 22 , as a result of which a negative pressure results inside the second hose 14 , causing the flexible side wall of the hose 14 to enter into contact , thereby preventing air flow through the second hose 14 . as a result , the second hose 14 acts in this operating status as a kind of valve preventing air from entering through the second pipe section 22 in the direction of the mouthpiece 6 . as a result of the vibratory behaviour of the first hose 13 , the patient can hear and detect that the necessary negative pressure preset by the opening width has been achieved . fig2 b shows the operating status during exhalation . the flow direction of the exhaled air out of the patient &# 39 ; s pulmonary space is identified by the reference number 9 . the air flow is initially forced into the mouthpiece 6 and , there , it is distributed in the area of the air channel branch 21 . the air flow which enters the second pipe section 22 is forced through the passage openings 26 into the intermediate space 36 and , from there , it enters the inside of the second pipe section 22 , and thus into the second hose 14 which is now expanded by the air flow and is , in its turn , induced to adopt an oscillating vibratory behaviour if a sufficiently high air pressure is generated by the air that is forced in . the air flowing out through the second hose 14 is evacuated into the atmosphere through the second end 33 and the opening 37 ′ in the stopper 37 . the other portion of the exhaled air flow enters the first pipe section 2 and , there , it initially exits the ring element 17 through the passage openings 18 and enters the inside of the first pipe section 2 . there is a positive pressure in this pipe section 2 due to the air flowing in , as a result of which the first hose 13 is compressed and thereby closes like a kind of valve , with the effect that no air can escape from the inside of the first pipe section 2 . the positive pressure prevailing in the first pipe section 2 therefore leads to the situation that a correspondingly formed cushion of air prevails immediately after exhalation , by means of which the exhaled air is directed into the second pipe section 22 after a certain period of time , at least in its entirety . the first and second pipe sections 2 and 22 can be provided with separate mouthpieces 6 and consequently can be used independently of one another . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Human Necessities'? | Is 'Textiles; Paper' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | 1ca33a99c54218c49bc14114320e4345c60c371ac1cef2af28e53c8ef6a0e28b | 0.147461 | 0.001595 | 0.010986 | 0.000132 | 0.051758 | 0.011353 |
null | fig1 shows a therapeutic device 1 for improving the respiration of a patient which , in accordance with fig2 a and 2 b , can be used simultaneously for inhalation and exhalation , and thus for a combined airway therapy . fig1 , 3 a , 3 b and 3 c are intended to explain the design and structure of the therapeutic device 1 , and fig2 a and 2 b to explain the mode of function of the therapeutic device 1 . the therapeutic device 1 initially comprises a first pipe section 2 which is curved or kinked . a second pipe section 22 is provided in parallel to the first pipe section 2 . a first end 3 of the first pipe section 2 is provided with a mouthpiece 6 inserted in it or placed on it , by means of which the two pipe section 2 and 22 are connected together . this is because the mouthpiece 6 has a channel branch 21 provided in it , by means of which two air channels 7 or 7 ′ of the mouthpiece 6 which communicate with the two pipe sections 2 and 22 are combined into one output or input channel 21 ′. the first pipe section 2 is provided with an inlet opening 10 provided in its second end 4 facing away from the mouthpiece 6 , and a holding peg 11 can be attached to the inlet opening 10 in such a way that the holding peg 11 can be positioned in various positions in relation to the second end 4 of the first pipe section 2 . this is because the holding peg 11 is provided with a first hose 13 attached to it which is firmly attached to the holding peg 11 . the holding peg 11 is provided with a passage channel 12 disposed therein which is in a communicating active connection with the first hose 13 in such a way that the air flowing in through the inlet opening 10 enters the first hose 13 , causing it to expand and , given an adequate air flow , leading to oscillating vibrations of the hose 13 , with the effect that the hose 13 positioned inside the first pipe section 2 , and in this case in particular its free end 24 facing towards the mouthpiece 6 , is moved back and forth in between an inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 . furthermore , it is disclosed in fig1 and 3 a that a ring element 17 is inserted in the first pipe section 2 , between the free end 24 of the first hose 13 and the mouthpiece 6 , in which case this ring element 17 has , on the one hand , four passage openings 18 , or slots , disposed therein in the peripheral direction and , on the other hand , a baffle plate 20 aligned at right angles to the axis of symmetry of the pipe , by means of which baffle plate 20 the air flow inside the first pipe section 2 is deflected in the direction of the inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 , and thus in the direction of the passage openings 18 . moreover , an adjustable sleeve 19 is provided which has a mesh 30 in its inside on which a filter 28 is placed . as a result , the filter 28 is held by the adjustable sleeve 19 . the adjustable sleeve 19 faces towards the mouthpiece 6 and is held and supported within it in a friction - locking arrangement . the mesh 30 can also be provided in the mouthpiece 6 for holding the filter 28 . the adjustable sleeve 19 allows the passage openings 18 to be fully or partially closed or fully opened , because the adjustable sleeve 19 has a circumferential collar 19 ′ formed onto it which is provided with one or more openings 35 disposed therein with diameters of different sizes , and the inside contours of which can be configured in different ways in relation to one another . the passage openings 18 of the ring element 17 can be closed or partially opened by the collar 19 ′, or else it is possible to provide a setting in which the passage openings 18 are fully opened when the openings 35 in the collar 19 ′ are flush with the adjustable sleeve 19 and aligned with one or more of the passage openings 18 of the ring element 17 . the filter 28 serves to clean the air which flows through it , and to capture and hold back suspended matter or microparticles . furthermore , the therapeutic device 1 consists of an air distribution element 23 arranged in the second pipe section 22 , the air distribution element 23 being positioned in the area of the mouthpiece 6 . the air distribution element 23 is shown in particular in fig3 c and is provided with a ring - shaped configuration , with the effect that it corresponds to the inside contour of the mouthpiece 6 and the second pipe section 22 , and can be inserted into them . the air distribution element 23 has passage openings disposed therein with differently sized diameters , as is shown in fig3 b in cross section . starting from the smallest size d 1 , the geometrical relationships increase to the largest diameter d 4 . it is possible for a plurality of differently sized passage openings 26 to be provided in the air distribution element 23 . the air distribution element 23 also has the baffle plate 20 located at right angles to the axis of symmetry of the second pipe section 22 . the opposite side of the baffle plate 20 has the mesh 30 provided on it on the air distribution element , and a second filter 29 is held on the mesh 30 . the mesh 30 and the filter 29 can be installed optionally for exhalation . in accordance with fig3 c , the second pipe section 22 is provided with a second hose 14 inserted in it by means of a holding ring 15 . the holding ring 15 is arranged at a distance from the air distribution element 23 , with the effect that a sufficiently large intermediate space is provided between these two components inside the second pipe section 22 . the air distribution element 23 has a setting ring 27 allocated to it which is held on it in a rotating arrangement , and into which the openings 35 are disposed with differently sized diameters or opening widths . as a result , when the setting ring 27 is turned , it is possible for the openings 35 in the setting ring 27 to be set to different flow cross sections with the passage openings 18 provided in the air distribution element 23 , with the effect that the air flowing through is partially obstructed . this is because the air flowing in should flow through them out of the air distribution element 23 into an intermediate space 36 located between an inner wall 16 of the second pipe section 22 and the air distribution element 23 or the outer circumference of the setting ring 27 . fig1 shows that the second pipe section 22 has a second end 33 which can be sealed using a stopper 37 in which an opening 37 ′ is disposed . fig2 a firstly shows the inhalation procedure schematically . the flow direction established for the drawn - in air is indicated by the reference number 8 . as a result , the patient uses his or her respiratory musculature to breathe in air through the first pipe section 2 which flows into the pipe section 2 in the area of the second end 4 through the inlet opening 10 , and enters the first hose 13 through the passage channel 12 of the holding peg 11 . as shown by the schematic vibration arrows 8 ′, the free end 24 of the first hose 13 is moved back and forth between the inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 . the vibratory behaviour of the first hose 13 can be variably adjusted as a result of the different curvature of the pipe section 2 and the adjustable position of the first hose 13 relative to it . the holding peg 11 is held in a moveable arrangement in the second end 4 of the first pipe section 2 , which means the length of the first hose 13 which protrudes into the first pipe section 2 can have different lengths , as a result of which the hose 13 can be kinked or bend at different points . the air flowing in , or drawn in , causes the flexible hose 13 to expand , with the effect that the air passes through it and enters the inside of the first pipe section 2 . the baffle plate 20 of the ring element 17 redirects the air outwards , i . e . in the direction of the inner wall 5 , and from the baffle plate 20 the air is guided sideways in the direction of the passage opening 18 or openings 35 in the ring element 17 or the adjustable sleeve 19 . the cross sectional area set between the passage openings 18 and the openings 35 means the air resistance prevailing there is increased or reduced according to the cross sectional area through which the air flow can pass . as soon as the air flow leaves the ring element 17 in the direction of the mouthpiece 6 , it flows through the first passage channel 7 in the direction of the shared channel 21 ′ of the channel branch 21 into the patient &# 39 ; s mouth cavity . as a result of the air pressure situation prevailing inside the two pipe sections 2 and 22 , a negative pressure is formed in the second pipe section 22 , because air is drawn out of this in accordance with the air flow direction 8 . this negative pressure is communicated to the second hose 14 due to the air pressure situation prevailing between the air distribution element 23 and the inside of the second pipe section 22 , as a result of which a negative pressure results inside the second hose 14 , causing the flexible side wall of the hose 14 to enter into contact , thereby preventing air flow through the second hose 14 . as a result , the second hose 14 acts in this operating status as a kind of valve preventing air from entering through the second pipe section 22 in the direction of the mouthpiece 6 . as a result of the vibratory behaviour of the first hose 13 , the patient can hear and detect that the necessary negative pressure preset by the opening width has been achieved . fig2 b shows the operating status during exhalation . the flow direction of the exhaled air out of the patient &# 39 ; s pulmonary space is identified by the reference number 9 . the air flow is initially forced into the mouthpiece 6 and , there , it is distributed in the area of the air channel branch 21 . the air flow which enters the second pipe section 22 is forced through the passage openings 26 into the intermediate space 36 and , from there , it enters the inside of the second pipe section 22 , and thus into the second hose 14 which is now expanded by the air flow and is , in its turn , induced to adopt an oscillating vibratory behaviour if a sufficiently high air pressure is generated by the air that is forced in . the air flowing out through the second hose 14 is evacuated into the atmosphere through the second end 33 and the opening 37 ′ in the stopper 37 . the other portion of the exhaled air flow enters the first pipe section 2 and , there , it initially exits the ring element 17 through the passage openings 18 and enters the inside of the first pipe section 2 . there is a positive pressure in this pipe section 2 due to the air flowing in , as a result of which the first hose 13 is compressed and thereby closes like a kind of valve , with the effect that no air can escape from the inside of the first pipe section 2 . the positive pressure prevailing in the first pipe section 2 therefore leads to the situation that a correspondingly formed cushion of air prevails immediately after exhalation , by means of which the exhaled air is directed into the second pipe section 22 after a certain period of time , at least in its entirety . the first and second pipe sections 2 and 22 can be provided with separate mouthpieces 6 and consequently can be used independently of one another . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Human Necessities'? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Fixed Constructions'? | 0.25 | 1ca33a99c54218c49bc14114320e4345c60c371ac1cef2af28e53c8ef6a0e28b | 0.137695 | 0.010315 | 0.010986 | 0.079102 | 0.051758 | 0.059326 |
null | fig1 shows a therapeutic device 1 for improving the respiration of a patient which , in accordance with fig2 a and 2 b , can be used simultaneously for inhalation and exhalation , and thus for a combined airway therapy . fig1 , 3 a , 3 b and 3 c are intended to explain the design and structure of the therapeutic device 1 , and fig2 a and 2 b to explain the mode of function of the therapeutic device 1 . the therapeutic device 1 initially comprises a first pipe section 2 which is curved or kinked . a second pipe section 22 is provided in parallel to the first pipe section 2 . a first end 3 of the first pipe section 2 is provided with a mouthpiece 6 inserted in it or placed on it , by means of which the two pipe section 2 and 22 are connected together . this is because the mouthpiece 6 has a channel branch 21 provided in it , by means of which two air channels 7 or 7 ′ of the mouthpiece 6 which communicate with the two pipe sections 2 and 22 are combined into one output or input channel 21 ′. the first pipe section 2 is provided with an inlet opening 10 provided in its second end 4 facing away from the mouthpiece 6 , and a holding peg 11 can be attached to the inlet opening 10 in such a way that the holding peg 11 can be positioned in various positions in relation to the second end 4 of the first pipe section 2 . this is because the holding peg 11 is provided with a first hose 13 attached to it which is firmly attached to the holding peg 11 . the holding peg 11 is provided with a passage channel 12 disposed therein which is in a communicating active connection with the first hose 13 in such a way that the air flowing in through the inlet opening 10 enters the first hose 13 , causing it to expand and , given an adequate air flow , leading to oscillating vibrations of the hose 13 , with the effect that the hose 13 positioned inside the first pipe section 2 , and in this case in particular its free end 24 facing towards the mouthpiece 6 , is moved back and forth in between an inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 . furthermore , it is disclosed in fig1 and 3 a that a ring element 17 is inserted in the first pipe section 2 , between the free end 24 of the first hose 13 and the mouthpiece 6 , in which case this ring element 17 has , on the one hand , four passage openings 18 , or slots , disposed therein in the peripheral direction and , on the other hand , a baffle plate 20 aligned at right angles to the axis of symmetry of the pipe , by means of which baffle plate 20 the air flow inside the first pipe section 2 is deflected in the direction of the inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 , and thus in the direction of the passage openings 18 . moreover , an adjustable sleeve 19 is provided which has a mesh 30 in its inside on which a filter 28 is placed . as a result , the filter 28 is held by the adjustable sleeve 19 . the adjustable sleeve 19 faces towards the mouthpiece 6 and is held and supported within it in a friction - locking arrangement . the mesh 30 can also be provided in the mouthpiece 6 for holding the filter 28 . the adjustable sleeve 19 allows the passage openings 18 to be fully or partially closed or fully opened , because the adjustable sleeve 19 has a circumferential collar 19 ′ formed onto it which is provided with one or more openings 35 disposed therein with diameters of different sizes , and the inside contours of which can be configured in different ways in relation to one another . the passage openings 18 of the ring element 17 can be closed or partially opened by the collar 19 ′, or else it is possible to provide a setting in which the passage openings 18 are fully opened when the openings 35 in the collar 19 ′ are flush with the adjustable sleeve 19 and aligned with one or more of the passage openings 18 of the ring element 17 . the filter 28 serves to clean the air which flows through it , and to capture and hold back suspended matter or microparticles . furthermore , the therapeutic device 1 consists of an air distribution element 23 arranged in the second pipe section 22 , the air distribution element 23 being positioned in the area of the mouthpiece 6 . the air distribution element 23 is shown in particular in fig3 c and is provided with a ring - shaped configuration , with the effect that it corresponds to the inside contour of the mouthpiece 6 and the second pipe section 22 , and can be inserted into them . the air distribution element 23 has passage openings disposed therein with differently sized diameters , as is shown in fig3 b in cross section . starting from the smallest size d 1 , the geometrical relationships increase to the largest diameter d 4 . it is possible for a plurality of differently sized passage openings 26 to be provided in the air distribution element 23 . the air distribution element 23 also has the baffle plate 20 located at right angles to the axis of symmetry of the second pipe section 22 . the opposite side of the baffle plate 20 has the mesh 30 provided on it on the air distribution element , and a second filter 29 is held on the mesh 30 . the mesh 30 and the filter 29 can be installed optionally for exhalation . in accordance with fig3 c , the second pipe section 22 is provided with a second hose 14 inserted in it by means of a holding ring 15 . the holding ring 15 is arranged at a distance from the air distribution element 23 , with the effect that a sufficiently large intermediate space is provided between these two components inside the second pipe section 22 . the air distribution element 23 has a setting ring 27 allocated to it which is held on it in a rotating arrangement , and into which the openings 35 are disposed with differently sized diameters or opening widths . as a result , when the setting ring 27 is turned , it is possible for the openings 35 in the setting ring 27 to be set to different flow cross sections with the passage openings 18 provided in the air distribution element 23 , with the effect that the air flowing through is partially obstructed . this is because the air flowing in should flow through them out of the air distribution element 23 into an intermediate space 36 located between an inner wall 16 of the second pipe section 22 and the air distribution element 23 or the outer circumference of the setting ring 27 . fig1 shows that the second pipe section 22 has a second end 33 which can be sealed using a stopper 37 in which an opening 37 ′ is disposed . fig2 a firstly shows the inhalation procedure schematically . the flow direction established for the drawn - in air is indicated by the reference number 8 . as a result , the patient uses his or her respiratory musculature to breathe in air through the first pipe section 2 which flows into the pipe section 2 in the area of the second end 4 through the inlet opening 10 , and enters the first hose 13 through the passage channel 12 of the holding peg 11 . as shown by the schematic vibration arrows 8 ′, the free end 24 of the first hose 13 is moved back and forth between the inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 . the vibratory behaviour of the first hose 13 can be variably adjusted as a result of the different curvature of the pipe section 2 and the adjustable position of the first hose 13 relative to it . the holding peg 11 is held in a moveable arrangement in the second end 4 of the first pipe section 2 , which means the length of the first hose 13 which protrudes into the first pipe section 2 can have different lengths , as a result of which the hose 13 can be kinked or bend at different points . the air flowing in , or drawn in , causes the flexible hose 13 to expand , with the effect that the air passes through it and enters the inside of the first pipe section 2 . the baffle plate 20 of the ring element 17 redirects the air outwards , i . e . in the direction of the inner wall 5 , and from the baffle plate 20 the air is guided sideways in the direction of the passage opening 18 or openings 35 in the ring element 17 or the adjustable sleeve 19 . the cross sectional area set between the passage openings 18 and the openings 35 means the air resistance prevailing there is increased or reduced according to the cross sectional area through which the air flow can pass . as soon as the air flow leaves the ring element 17 in the direction of the mouthpiece 6 , it flows through the first passage channel 7 in the direction of the shared channel 21 ′ of the channel branch 21 into the patient &# 39 ; s mouth cavity . as a result of the air pressure situation prevailing inside the two pipe sections 2 and 22 , a negative pressure is formed in the second pipe section 22 , because air is drawn out of this in accordance with the air flow direction 8 . this negative pressure is communicated to the second hose 14 due to the air pressure situation prevailing between the air distribution element 23 and the inside of the second pipe section 22 , as a result of which a negative pressure results inside the second hose 14 , causing the flexible side wall of the hose 14 to enter into contact , thereby preventing air flow through the second hose 14 . as a result , the second hose 14 acts in this operating status as a kind of valve preventing air from entering through the second pipe section 22 in the direction of the mouthpiece 6 . as a result of the vibratory behaviour of the first hose 13 , the patient can hear and detect that the necessary negative pressure preset by the opening width has been achieved . fig2 b shows the operating status during exhalation . the flow direction of the exhaled air out of the patient &# 39 ; s pulmonary space is identified by the reference number 9 . the air flow is initially forced into the mouthpiece 6 and , there , it is distributed in the area of the air channel branch 21 . the air flow which enters the second pipe section 22 is forced through the passage openings 26 into the intermediate space 36 and , from there , it enters the inside of the second pipe section 22 , and thus into the second hose 14 which is now expanded by the air flow and is , in its turn , induced to adopt an oscillating vibratory behaviour if a sufficiently high air pressure is generated by the air that is forced in . the air flowing out through the second hose 14 is evacuated into the atmosphere through the second end 33 and the opening 37 ′ in the stopper 37 . the other portion of the exhaled air flow enters the first pipe section 2 and , there , it initially exits the ring element 17 through the passage openings 18 and enters the inside of the first pipe section 2 . there is a positive pressure in this pipe section 2 due to the air flowing in , as a result of which the first hose 13 is compressed and thereby closes like a kind of valve , with the effect that no air can escape from the inside of the first pipe section 2 . the positive pressure prevailing in the first pipe section 2 therefore leads to the situation that a correspondingly formed cushion of air prevails immediately after exhalation , by means of which the exhaled air is directed into the second pipe section 22 after a certain period of time , at least in its entirety . the first and second pipe sections 2 and 22 can be provided with separate mouthpieces 6 and consequently can be used independently of one another . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Human Necessities'? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting'? | 0.25 | 1ca33a99c54218c49bc14114320e4345c60c371ac1cef2af28e53c8ef6a0e28b | 0.147461 | 0.000572 | 0.010986 | 0.000881 | 0.048828 | 0.009399 |
null | fig1 shows a therapeutic device 1 for improving the respiration of a patient which , in accordance with fig2 a and 2 b , can be used simultaneously for inhalation and exhalation , and thus for a combined airway therapy . fig1 , 3 a , 3 b and 3 c are intended to explain the design and structure of the therapeutic device 1 , and fig2 a and 2 b to explain the mode of function of the therapeutic device 1 . the therapeutic device 1 initially comprises a first pipe section 2 which is curved or kinked . a second pipe section 22 is provided in parallel to the first pipe section 2 . a first end 3 of the first pipe section 2 is provided with a mouthpiece 6 inserted in it or placed on it , by means of which the two pipe section 2 and 22 are connected together . this is because the mouthpiece 6 has a channel branch 21 provided in it , by means of which two air channels 7 or 7 ′ of the mouthpiece 6 which communicate with the two pipe sections 2 and 22 are combined into one output or input channel 21 ′. the first pipe section 2 is provided with an inlet opening 10 provided in its second end 4 facing away from the mouthpiece 6 , and a holding peg 11 can be attached to the inlet opening 10 in such a way that the holding peg 11 can be positioned in various positions in relation to the second end 4 of the first pipe section 2 . this is because the holding peg 11 is provided with a first hose 13 attached to it which is firmly attached to the holding peg 11 . the holding peg 11 is provided with a passage channel 12 disposed therein which is in a communicating active connection with the first hose 13 in such a way that the air flowing in through the inlet opening 10 enters the first hose 13 , causing it to expand and , given an adequate air flow , leading to oscillating vibrations of the hose 13 , with the effect that the hose 13 positioned inside the first pipe section 2 , and in this case in particular its free end 24 facing towards the mouthpiece 6 , is moved back and forth in between an inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 . furthermore , it is disclosed in fig1 and 3 a that a ring element 17 is inserted in the first pipe section 2 , between the free end 24 of the first hose 13 and the mouthpiece 6 , in which case this ring element 17 has , on the one hand , four passage openings 18 , or slots , disposed therein in the peripheral direction and , on the other hand , a baffle plate 20 aligned at right angles to the axis of symmetry of the pipe , by means of which baffle plate 20 the air flow inside the first pipe section 2 is deflected in the direction of the inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 , and thus in the direction of the passage openings 18 . moreover , an adjustable sleeve 19 is provided which has a mesh 30 in its inside on which a filter 28 is placed . as a result , the filter 28 is held by the adjustable sleeve 19 . the adjustable sleeve 19 faces towards the mouthpiece 6 and is held and supported within it in a friction - locking arrangement . the mesh 30 can also be provided in the mouthpiece 6 for holding the filter 28 . the adjustable sleeve 19 allows the passage openings 18 to be fully or partially closed or fully opened , because the adjustable sleeve 19 has a circumferential collar 19 ′ formed onto it which is provided with one or more openings 35 disposed therein with diameters of different sizes , and the inside contours of which can be configured in different ways in relation to one another . the passage openings 18 of the ring element 17 can be closed or partially opened by the collar 19 ′, or else it is possible to provide a setting in which the passage openings 18 are fully opened when the openings 35 in the collar 19 ′ are flush with the adjustable sleeve 19 and aligned with one or more of the passage openings 18 of the ring element 17 . the filter 28 serves to clean the air which flows through it , and to capture and hold back suspended matter or microparticles . furthermore , the therapeutic device 1 consists of an air distribution element 23 arranged in the second pipe section 22 , the air distribution element 23 being positioned in the area of the mouthpiece 6 . the air distribution element 23 is shown in particular in fig3 c and is provided with a ring - shaped configuration , with the effect that it corresponds to the inside contour of the mouthpiece 6 and the second pipe section 22 , and can be inserted into them . the air distribution element 23 has passage openings disposed therein with differently sized diameters , as is shown in fig3 b in cross section . starting from the smallest size d 1 , the geometrical relationships increase to the largest diameter d 4 . it is possible for a plurality of differently sized passage openings 26 to be provided in the air distribution element 23 . the air distribution element 23 also has the baffle plate 20 located at right angles to the axis of symmetry of the second pipe section 22 . the opposite side of the baffle plate 20 has the mesh 30 provided on it on the air distribution element , and a second filter 29 is held on the mesh 30 . the mesh 30 and the filter 29 can be installed optionally for exhalation . in accordance with fig3 c , the second pipe section 22 is provided with a second hose 14 inserted in it by means of a holding ring 15 . the holding ring 15 is arranged at a distance from the air distribution element 23 , with the effect that a sufficiently large intermediate space is provided between these two components inside the second pipe section 22 . the air distribution element 23 has a setting ring 27 allocated to it which is held on it in a rotating arrangement , and into which the openings 35 are disposed with differently sized diameters or opening widths . as a result , when the setting ring 27 is turned , it is possible for the openings 35 in the setting ring 27 to be set to different flow cross sections with the passage openings 18 provided in the air distribution element 23 , with the effect that the air flowing through is partially obstructed . this is because the air flowing in should flow through them out of the air distribution element 23 into an intermediate space 36 located between an inner wall 16 of the second pipe section 22 and the air distribution element 23 or the outer circumference of the setting ring 27 . fig1 shows that the second pipe section 22 has a second end 33 which can be sealed using a stopper 37 in which an opening 37 ′ is disposed . fig2 a firstly shows the inhalation procedure schematically . the flow direction established for the drawn - in air is indicated by the reference number 8 . as a result , the patient uses his or her respiratory musculature to breathe in air through the first pipe section 2 which flows into the pipe section 2 in the area of the second end 4 through the inlet opening 10 , and enters the first hose 13 through the passage channel 12 of the holding peg 11 . as shown by the schematic vibration arrows 8 ′, the free end 24 of the first hose 13 is moved back and forth between the inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 . the vibratory behaviour of the first hose 13 can be variably adjusted as a result of the different curvature of the pipe section 2 and the adjustable position of the first hose 13 relative to it . the holding peg 11 is held in a moveable arrangement in the second end 4 of the first pipe section 2 , which means the length of the first hose 13 which protrudes into the first pipe section 2 can have different lengths , as a result of which the hose 13 can be kinked or bend at different points . the air flowing in , or drawn in , causes the flexible hose 13 to expand , with the effect that the air passes through it and enters the inside of the first pipe section 2 . the baffle plate 20 of the ring element 17 redirects the air outwards , i . e . in the direction of the inner wall 5 , and from the baffle plate 20 the air is guided sideways in the direction of the passage opening 18 or openings 35 in the ring element 17 or the adjustable sleeve 19 . the cross sectional area set between the passage openings 18 and the openings 35 means the air resistance prevailing there is increased or reduced according to the cross sectional area through which the air flow can pass . as soon as the air flow leaves the ring element 17 in the direction of the mouthpiece 6 , it flows through the first passage channel 7 in the direction of the shared channel 21 ′ of the channel branch 21 into the patient &# 39 ; s mouth cavity . as a result of the air pressure situation prevailing inside the two pipe sections 2 and 22 , a negative pressure is formed in the second pipe section 22 , because air is drawn out of this in accordance with the air flow direction 8 . this negative pressure is communicated to the second hose 14 due to the air pressure situation prevailing between the air distribution element 23 and the inside of the second pipe section 22 , as a result of which a negative pressure results inside the second hose 14 , causing the flexible side wall of the hose 14 to enter into contact , thereby preventing air flow through the second hose 14 . as a result , the second hose 14 acts in this operating status as a kind of valve preventing air from entering through the second pipe section 22 in the direction of the mouthpiece 6 . as a result of the vibratory behaviour of the first hose 13 , the patient can hear and detect that the necessary negative pressure preset by the opening width has been achieved . fig2 b shows the operating status during exhalation . the flow direction of the exhaled air out of the patient &# 39 ; s pulmonary space is identified by the reference number 9 . the air flow is initially forced into the mouthpiece 6 and , there , it is distributed in the area of the air channel branch 21 . the air flow which enters the second pipe section 22 is forced through the passage openings 26 into the intermediate space 36 and , from there , it enters the inside of the second pipe section 22 , and thus into the second hose 14 which is now expanded by the air flow and is , in its turn , induced to adopt an oscillating vibratory behaviour if a sufficiently high air pressure is generated by the air that is forced in . the air flowing out through the second hose 14 is evacuated into the atmosphere through the second end 33 and the opening 37 ′ in the stopper 37 . the other portion of the exhaled air flow enters the first pipe section 2 and , there , it initially exits the ring element 17 through the passage openings 18 and enters the inside of the first pipe section 2 . there is a positive pressure in this pipe section 2 due to the air flowing in , as a result of which the first hose 13 is compressed and thereby closes like a kind of valve , with the effect that no air can escape from the inside of the first pipe section 2 . the positive pressure prevailing in the first pipe section 2 therefore leads to the situation that a correspondingly formed cushion of air prevails immediately after exhalation , by means of which the exhaled air is directed into the second pipe section 22 after a certain period of time , at least in its entirety . the first and second pipe sections 2 and 22 can be provided with separate mouthpieces 6 and consequently can be used independently of one another . | Should this patent be classified under 'Human Necessities'? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Physics'? | 0.25 | 1ca33a99c54218c49bc14114320e4345c60c371ac1cef2af28e53c8ef6a0e28b | 0.114258 | 0.233398 | 0.023315 | 0.382813 | 0.031128 | 0.318359 |
null | fig1 shows a therapeutic device 1 for improving the respiration of a patient which , in accordance with fig2 a and 2 b , can be used simultaneously for inhalation and exhalation , and thus for a combined airway therapy . fig1 , 3 a , 3 b and 3 c are intended to explain the design and structure of the therapeutic device 1 , and fig2 a and 2 b to explain the mode of function of the therapeutic device 1 . the therapeutic device 1 initially comprises a first pipe section 2 which is curved or kinked . a second pipe section 22 is provided in parallel to the first pipe section 2 . a first end 3 of the first pipe section 2 is provided with a mouthpiece 6 inserted in it or placed on it , by means of which the two pipe section 2 and 22 are connected together . this is because the mouthpiece 6 has a channel branch 21 provided in it , by means of which two air channels 7 or 7 ′ of the mouthpiece 6 which communicate with the two pipe sections 2 and 22 are combined into one output or input channel 21 ′. the first pipe section 2 is provided with an inlet opening 10 provided in its second end 4 facing away from the mouthpiece 6 , and a holding peg 11 can be attached to the inlet opening 10 in such a way that the holding peg 11 can be positioned in various positions in relation to the second end 4 of the first pipe section 2 . this is because the holding peg 11 is provided with a first hose 13 attached to it which is firmly attached to the holding peg 11 . the holding peg 11 is provided with a passage channel 12 disposed therein which is in a communicating active connection with the first hose 13 in such a way that the air flowing in through the inlet opening 10 enters the first hose 13 , causing it to expand and , given an adequate air flow , leading to oscillating vibrations of the hose 13 , with the effect that the hose 13 positioned inside the first pipe section 2 , and in this case in particular its free end 24 facing towards the mouthpiece 6 , is moved back and forth in between an inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 . furthermore , it is disclosed in fig1 and 3 a that a ring element 17 is inserted in the first pipe section 2 , between the free end 24 of the first hose 13 and the mouthpiece 6 , in which case this ring element 17 has , on the one hand , four passage openings 18 , or slots , disposed therein in the peripheral direction and , on the other hand , a baffle plate 20 aligned at right angles to the axis of symmetry of the pipe , by means of which baffle plate 20 the air flow inside the first pipe section 2 is deflected in the direction of the inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 , and thus in the direction of the passage openings 18 . moreover , an adjustable sleeve 19 is provided which has a mesh 30 in its inside on which a filter 28 is placed . as a result , the filter 28 is held by the adjustable sleeve 19 . the adjustable sleeve 19 faces towards the mouthpiece 6 and is held and supported within it in a friction - locking arrangement . the mesh 30 can also be provided in the mouthpiece 6 for holding the filter 28 . the adjustable sleeve 19 allows the passage openings 18 to be fully or partially closed or fully opened , because the adjustable sleeve 19 has a circumferential collar 19 ′ formed onto it which is provided with one or more openings 35 disposed therein with diameters of different sizes , and the inside contours of which can be configured in different ways in relation to one another . the passage openings 18 of the ring element 17 can be closed or partially opened by the collar 19 ′, or else it is possible to provide a setting in which the passage openings 18 are fully opened when the openings 35 in the collar 19 ′ are flush with the adjustable sleeve 19 and aligned with one or more of the passage openings 18 of the ring element 17 . the filter 28 serves to clean the air which flows through it , and to capture and hold back suspended matter or microparticles . furthermore , the therapeutic device 1 consists of an air distribution element 23 arranged in the second pipe section 22 , the air distribution element 23 being positioned in the area of the mouthpiece 6 . the air distribution element 23 is shown in particular in fig3 c and is provided with a ring - shaped configuration , with the effect that it corresponds to the inside contour of the mouthpiece 6 and the second pipe section 22 , and can be inserted into them . the air distribution element 23 has passage openings disposed therein with differently sized diameters , as is shown in fig3 b in cross section . starting from the smallest size d 1 , the geometrical relationships increase to the largest diameter d 4 . it is possible for a plurality of differently sized passage openings 26 to be provided in the air distribution element 23 . the air distribution element 23 also has the baffle plate 20 located at right angles to the axis of symmetry of the second pipe section 22 . the opposite side of the baffle plate 20 has the mesh 30 provided on it on the air distribution element , and a second filter 29 is held on the mesh 30 . the mesh 30 and the filter 29 can be installed optionally for exhalation . in accordance with fig3 c , the second pipe section 22 is provided with a second hose 14 inserted in it by means of a holding ring 15 . the holding ring 15 is arranged at a distance from the air distribution element 23 , with the effect that a sufficiently large intermediate space is provided between these two components inside the second pipe section 22 . the air distribution element 23 has a setting ring 27 allocated to it which is held on it in a rotating arrangement , and into which the openings 35 are disposed with differently sized diameters or opening widths . as a result , when the setting ring 27 is turned , it is possible for the openings 35 in the setting ring 27 to be set to different flow cross sections with the passage openings 18 provided in the air distribution element 23 , with the effect that the air flowing through is partially obstructed . this is because the air flowing in should flow through them out of the air distribution element 23 into an intermediate space 36 located between an inner wall 16 of the second pipe section 22 and the air distribution element 23 or the outer circumference of the setting ring 27 . fig1 shows that the second pipe section 22 has a second end 33 which can be sealed using a stopper 37 in which an opening 37 ′ is disposed . fig2 a firstly shows the inhalation procedure schematically . the flow direction established for the drawn - in air is indicated by the reference number 8 . as a result , the patient uses his or her respiratory musculature to breathe in air through the first pipe section 2 which flows into the pipe section 2 in the area of the second end 4 through the inlet opening 10 , and enters the first hose 13 through the passage channel 12 of the holding peg 11 . as shown by the schematic vibration arrows 8 ′, the free end 24 of the first hose 13 is moved back and forth between the inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 . the vibratory behaviour of the first hose 13 can be variably adjusted as a result of the different curvature of the pipe section 2 and the adjustable position of the first hose 13 relative to it . the holding peg 11 is held in a moveable arrangement in the second end 4 of the first pipe section 2 , which means the length of the first hose 13 which protrudes into the first pipe section 2 can have different lengths , as a result of which the hose 13 can be kinked or bend at different points . the air flowing in , or drawn in , causes the flexible hose 13 to expand , with the effect that the air passes through it and enters the inside of the first pipe section 2 . the baffle plate 20 of the ring element 17 redirects the air outwards , i . e . in the direction of the inner wall 5 , and from the baffle plate 20 the air is guided sideways in the direction of the passage opening 18 or openings 35 in the ring element 17 or the adjustable sleeve 19 . the cross sectional area set between the passage openings 18 and the openings 35 means the air resistance prevailing there is increased or reduced according to the cross sectional area through which the air flow can pass . as soon as the air flow leaves the ring element 17 in the direction of the mouthpiece 6 , it flows through the first passage channel 7 in the direction of the shared channel 21 ′ of the channel branch 21 into the patient &# 39 ; s mouth cavity . as a result of the air pressure situation prevailing inside the two pipe sections 2 and 22 , a negative pressure is formed in the second pipe section 22 , because air is drawn out of this in accordance with the air flow direction 8 . this negative pressure is communicated to the second hose 14 due to the air pressure situation prevailing between the air distribution element 23 and the inside of the second pipe section 22 , as a result of which a negative pressure results inside the second hose 14 , causing the flexible side wall of the hose 14 to enter into contact , thereby preventing air flow through the second hose 14 . as a result , the second hose 14 acts in this operating status as a kind of valve preventing air from entering through the second pipe section 22 in the direction of the mouthpiece 6 . as a result of the vibratory behaviour of the first hose 13 , the patient can hear and detect that the necessary negative pressure preset by the opening width has been achieved . fig2 b shows the operating status during exhalation . the flow direction of the exhaled air out of the patient &# 39 ; s pulmonary space is identified by the reference number 9 . the air flow is initially forced into the mouthpiece 6 and , there , it is distributed in the area of the air channel branch 21 . the air flow which enters the second pipe section 22 is forced through the passage openings 26 into the intermediate space 36 and , from there , it enters the inside of the second pipe section 22 , and thus into the second hose 14 which is now expanded by the air flow and is , in its turn , induced to adopt an oscillating vibratory behaviour if a sufficiently high air pressure is generated by the air that is forced in . the air flowing out through the second hose 14 is evacuated into the atmosphere through the second end 33 and the opening 37 ′ in the stopper 37 . the other portion of the exhaled air flow enters the first pipe section 2 and , there , it initially exits the ring element 17 through the passage openings 18 and enters the inside of the first pipe section 2 . there is a positive pressure in this pipe section 2 due to the air flowing in , as a result of which the first hose 13 is compressed and thereby closes like a kind of valve , with the effect that no air can escape from the inside of the first pipe section 2 . the positive pressure prevailing in the first pipe section 2 therefore leads to the situation that a correspondingly formed cushion of air prevails immediately after exhalation , by means of which the exhaled air is directed into the second pipe section 22 after a certain period of time , at least in its entirety . the first and second pipe sections 2 and 22 can be provided with separate mouthpieces 6 and consequently can be used independently of one another . | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Human Necessities'? | Is 'Electricity' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | 1ca33a99c54218c49bc14114320e4345c60c371ac1cef2af28e53c8ef6a0e28b | 0.135742 | 0.000393 | 0.053467 | 0.000336 | 0.08252 | 0.000191 |
null | fig1 shows a therapeutic device 1 for improving the respiration of a patient which , in accordance with fig2 a and 2 b , can be used simultaneously for inhalation and exhalation , and thus for a combined airway therapy . fig1 , 3 a , 3 b and 3 c are intended to explain the design and structure of the therapeutic device 1 , and fig2 a and 2 b to explain the mode of function of the therapeutic device 1 . the therapeutic device 1 initially comprises a first pipe section 2 which is curved or kinked . a second pipe section 22 is provided in parallel to the first pipe section 2 . a first end 3 of the first pipe section 2 is provided with a mouthpiece 6 inserted in it or placed on it , by means of which the two pipe section 2 and 22 are connected together . this is because the mouthpiece 6 has a channel branch 21 provided in it , by means of which two air channels 7 or 7 ′ of the mouthpiece 6 which communicate with the two pipe sections 2 and 22 are combined into one output or input channel 21 ′. the first pipe section 2 is provided with an inlet opening 10 provided in its second end 4 facing away from the mouthpiece 6 , and a holding peg 11 can be attached to the inlet opening 10 in such a way that the holding peg 11 can be positioned in various positions in relation to the second end 4 of the first pipe section 2 . this is because the holding peg 11 is provided with a first hose 13 attached to it which is firmly attached to the holding peg 11 . the holding peg 11 is provided with a passage channel 12 disposed therein which is in a communicating active connection with the first hose 13 in such a way that the air flowing in through the inlet opening 10 enters the first hose 13 , causing it to expand and , given an adequate air flow , leading to oscillating vibrations of the hose 13 , with the effect that the hose 13 positioned inside the first pipe section 2 , and in this case in particular its free end 24 facing towards the mouthpiece 6 , is moved back and forth in between an inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 . furthermore , it is disclosed in fig1 and 3 a that a ring element 17 is inserted in the first pipe section 2 , between the free end 24 of the first hose 13 and the mouthpiece 6 , in which case this ring element 17 has , on the one hand , four passage openings 18 , or slots , disposed therein in the peripheral direction and , on the other hand , a baffle plate 20 aligned at right angles to the axis of symmetry of the pipe , by means of which baffle plate 20 the air flow inside the first pipe section 2 is deflected in the direction of the inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 , and thus in the direction of the passage openings 18 . moreover , an adjustable sleeve 19 is provided which has a mesh 30 in its inside on which a filter 28 is placed . as a result , the filter 28 is held by the adjustable sleeve 19 . the adjustable sleeve 19 faces towards the mouthpiece 6 and is held and supported within it in a friction - locking arrangement . the mesh 30 can also be provided in the mouthpiece 6 for holding the filter 28 . the adjustable sleeve 19 allows the passage openings 18 to be fully or partially closed or fully opened , because the adjustable sleeve 19 has a circumferential collar 19 ′ formed onto it which is provided with one or more openings 35 disposed therein with diameters of different sizes , and the inside contours of which can be configured in different ways in relation to one another . the passage openings 18 of the ring element 17 can be closed or partially opened by the collar 19 ′, or else it is possible to provide a setting in which the passage openings 18 are fully opened when the openings 35 in the collar 19 ′ are flush with the adjustable sleeve 19 and aligned with one or more of the passage openings 18 of the ring element 17 . the filter 28 serves to clean the air which flows through it , and to capture and hold back suspended matter or microparticles . furthermore , the therapeutic device 1 consists of an air distribution element 23 arranged in the second pipe section 22 , the air distribution element 23 being positioned in the area of the mouthpiece 6 . the air distribution element 23 is shown in particular in fig3 c and is provided with a ring - shaped configuration , with the effect that it corresponds to the inside contour of the mouthpiece 6 and the second pipe section 22 , and can be inserted into them . the air distribution element 23 has passage openings disposed therein with differently sized diameters , as is shown in fig3 b in cross section . starting from the smallest size d 1 , the geometrical relationships increase to the largest diameter d 4 . it is possible for a plurality of differently sized passage openings 26 to be provided in the air distribution element 23 . the air distribution element 23 also has the baffle plate 20 located at right angles to the axis of symmetry of the second pipe section 22 . the opposite side of the baffle plate 20 has the mesh 30 provided on it on the air distribution element , and a second filter 29 is held on the mesh 30 . the mesh 30 and the filter 29 can be installed optionally for exhalation . in accordance with fig3 c , the second pipe section 22 is provided with a second hose 14 inserted in it by means of a holding ring 15 . the holding ring 15 is arranged at a distance from the air distribution element 23 , with the effect that a sufficiently large intermediate space is provided between these two components inside the second pipe section 22 . the air distribution element 23 has a setting ring 27 allocated to it which is held on it in a rotating arrangement , and into which the openings 35 are disposed with differently sized diameters or opening widths . as a result , when the setting ring 27 is turned , it is possible for the openings 35 in the setting ring 27 to be set to different flow cross sections with the passage openings 18 provided in the air distribution element 23 , with the effect that the air flowing through is partially obstructed . this is because the air flowing in should flow through them out of the air distribution element 23 into an intermediate space 36 located between an inner wall 16 of the second pipe section 22 and the air distribution element 23 or the outer circumference of the setting ring 27 . fig1 shows that the second pipe section 22 has a second end 33 which can be sealed using a stopper 37 in which an opening 37 ′ is disposed . fig2 a firstly shows the inhalation procedure schematically . the flow direction established for the drawn - in air is indicated by the reference number 8 . as a result , the patient uses his or her respiratory musculature to breathe in air through the first pipe section 2 which flows into the pipe section 2 in the area of the second end 4 through the inlet opening 10 , and enters the first hose 13 through the passage channel 12 of the holding peg 11 . as shown by the schematic vibration arrows 8 ′, the free end 24 of the first hose 13 is moved back and forth between the inner wall 5 of the first pipe section 2 . the vibratory behaviour of the first hose 13 can be variably adjusted as a result of the different curvature of the pipe section 2 and the adjustable position of the first hose 13 relative to it . the holding peg 11 is held in a moveable arrangement in the second end 4 of the first pipe section 2 , which means the length of the first hose 13 which protrudes into the first pipe section 2 can have different lengths , as a result of which the hose 13 can be kinked or bend at different points . the air flowing in , or drawn in , causes the flexible hose 13 to expand , with the effect that the air passes through it and enters the inside of the first pipe section 2 . the baffle plate 20 of the ring element 17 redirects the air outwards , i . e . in the direction of the inner wall 5 , and from the baffle plate 20 the air is guided sideways in the direction of the passage opening 18 or openings 35 in the ring element 17 or the adjustable sleeve 19 . the cross sectional area set between the passage openings 18 and the openings 35 means the air resistance prevailing there is increased or reduced according to the cross sectional area through which the air flow can pass . as soon as the air flow leaves the ring element 17 in the direction of the mouthpiece 6 , it flows through the first passage channel 7 in the direction of the shared channel 21 ′ of the channel branch 21 into the patient &# 39 ; s mouth cavity . as a result of the air pressure situation prevailing inside the two pipe sections 2 and 22 , a negative pressure is formed in the second pipe section 22 , because air is drawn out of this in accordance with the air flow direction 8 . this negative pressure is communicated to the second hose 14 due to the air pressure situation prevailing between the air distribution element 23 and the inside of the second pipe section 22 , as a result of which a negative pressure results inside the second hose 14 , causing the flexible side wall of the hose 14 to enter into contact , thereby preventing air flow through the second hose 14 . as a result , the second hose 14 acts in this operating status as a kind of valve preventing air from entering through the second pipe section 22 in the direction of the mouthpiece 6 . as a result of the vibratory behaviour of the first hose 13 , the patient can hear and detect that the necessary negative pressure preset by the opening width has been achieved . fig2 b shows the operating status during exhalation . the flow direction of the exhaled air out of the patient &# 39 ; s pulmonary space is identified by the reference number 9 . the air flow is initially forced into the mouthpiece 6 and , there , it is distributed in the area of the air channel branch 21 . the air flow which enters the second pipe section 22 is forced through the passage openings 26 into the intermediate space 36 and , from there , it enters the inside of the second pipe section 22 , and thus into the second hose 14 which is now expanded by the air flow and is , in its turn , induced to adopt an oscillating vibratory behaviour if a sufficiently high air pressure is generated by the air that is forced in . the air flowing out through the second hose 14 is evacuated into the atmosphere through the second end 33 and the opening 37 ′ in the stopper 37 . the other portion of the exhaled air flow enters the first pipe section 2 and , there , it initially exits the ring element 17 through the passage openings 18 and enters the inside of the first pipe section 2 . there is a positive pressure in this pipe section 2 due to the air flowing in , as a result of which the first hose 13 is compressed and thereby closes like a kind of valve , with the effect that no air can escape from the inside of the first pipe section 2 . the positive pressure prevailing in the first pipe section 2 therefore leads to the situation that a correspondingly formed cushion of air prevails immediately after exhalation , by means of which the exhaled air is directed into the second pipe section 22 after a certain period of time , at least in its entirety . the first and second pipe sections 2 and 22 can be provided with separate mouthpieces 6 and consequently can be used independently of one another . | Should this patent be classified under 'Human Necessities'? | Should this patent be classified under 'General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology'? | 0.25 | 1ca33a99c54218c49bc14114320e4345c60c371ac1cef2af28e53c8ef6a0e28b | 0.114258 | 0.233398 | 0.023315 | 0.431641 | 0.029785 | 0.137695 |
null | fig1 and 2 illustrate the form of the horseshoe blank 10 prior to being bent into the conventional c shape shown in fig7 and 8 . typically , horseshoe blanks are forged while in a linear configuration on die sets such as described in u . s . pat . no . 2 , 679 , 906 , and it is appreciated that the particular method for forming a horseshoe in accord with the invention should not be construed to limit the inventive concepts . a horseshoe utilizing the inventive concepts may be made by casting techniques as well as forging , swaging , or by other conventional metalworking processes . the blank 10 is of an elongated linear configuration usually formed of steel , or an aluminum alloy , having excellent wear characteristics . the blank 10 comprises the body 12 which includes a hoof engaging face 14 which is of a generally planar configuration , and remains planar after forming the blank into the finished c shaped configuration . the ground engaging face 16 of the body 12 is oppositely disposed to the face 14 , and the body 12 also includes an outer side 18 which becomes the convex front side of the finished horseshoe , and an inner side 20 which becomes the inner or rear side of the finished shoe . the ends 22 of the body 12 are preferably radiused as illustrated . a front central portion of the blank 10 is defined at 24 , and a rear central portion is formed at 26 . a line substantially bisecting the portions 24 and 26 defines the horseshoe longitudinal axis 28 represented in fig7 . the primary frictional engagement between the horseshoe and the earth is due to the presence of four ribs 30 , 32 , 34 and 36 , fig3 . these ribs extend the length of the body 12 , fig1 and are spaced across the width of the ground engaging face 16 between sides 18 and 20 . the rib 30 is of the greatest vertical or height dimension and constitutes a &# 34 ; grab &# 34 ; defined at the periphery of the shaped horseshoe . the apices of the ribs 30 , 32 , 34 and 36 are indicated by numerals 38 , 40 , 42 and 44 , respectively , and as will be appreciated from the drawings the rib apices are sharp for ease of ground and earth penetration . with particular reference to fig3 - 6 , the grab rib 30 is defined by the body outer side 18 which intersects the surface 46 at the apex 38 . rib 32 is formed by intersecting converging surfaces 48 and 50 , while rib 34 is defined by converging surfaces 52 and 54 and rib 36 is formed by converging and intersecting surfaces 56 and 58 . the surfaces 46 and 48 , and 54 and 56 , intersect to define a valley , and the included angle defined by these intersecting surfaces is , preferably , greater than 50 ° to facilitate self - cleaning of dirt entering these valleys . a flat dividing surface 60 is centrally formed between the body sides 18 and 20 , and is of a planar configuration parallel to the hoof engaging face 14 . the dividing surface 60 separates the ribs 32 and 34 , is not prone to trap dirt between these spaced ribs , and a plurality of nail holes 61 extend through the dividing surface 60 for receiving the nails for attaching the horseshoe to the horse &# 39 ; s hoof in the known manner . in order to reduce the weight of the blank 10 the spacing between the faces 14 and 16 is relatively small , and this reduction in mass of the body 12 weakens the strength of the horseshoe body 12 with respect to lateral forces . as the horseshoe body 12 is primarily subjected to the compressive forces resulting from the weight of the horse and rider such compressive forces perpendicular to the plane of the hoof engaging face 14 are not inclined to deform the shoe . however , lateral forces imposed upon the shoe during rapid and tight turns by the horse during barrel racing , for instance , impose such forces as to &# 34 ; open &# 34 ; the c shaped configuration of the horseshoe nailed upon the hoof . to resist such lateral deformation the horseshoe of the invention includes homogeneous reinforcing bars 62 and 64 defined upon the ground engaging face 16 . as will be apparent from fig7 the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 are located upon opposite sides of the longitudinal axis 28 , and define the termination of the front central portion 24 and the rear central portion 26 . the bars 62 and 64 are obliquely related to each other when the horseshoe is in the form of the blank 10 , fig1 in order that the reinforcing bars will be properly related to each other in the finished horseshoe c shaped configuration of fig7 . each reinforcing bar includes a front end 66 which intersects the body outer or front side 18 , and each reinforcing bar includes a rear end 68 which intersects the blank rear or inner side 20 . the free or lowermost surface 70 of the reinforcing bars is parallel to the face 14 and the surfaces 70 define the vertical dimension or height of the reinforcing bars . as will be appreciated from fig2 and 6 , the height of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 is less than the height of the outer sides 18 as defined by the face 18 and the apex 38 . the lateral sides of the reinforcing bars are represented at 71 . the oblique angles of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 as defined upon the blank 10 , fig1 are such that when the blank 10 is formed into the c configuration of fig7 the bars 62 and 64 are almost parallel to each other and the longitudinal axis 28 . this locating of the mass of the bars 62 and 64 upon opposite sides of the axis 28 , and at the region of the horseshoe wherein lateral bending and deformation are most likely to occur , reinforces the formed horseshoe at the most critical locations to prevent the &# 34 ; spreading &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; opening &# 34 ; of the horseshoe and prevents damage from being inflicted upon the horse , s hoof without adding significant mass and weight to the horseshoe . as the dirt and soil will be forced against the reinforcing bar lateral sides 71 during turning there is a tendency for the dirt to pack against the reinforcing bars . however , it has been discovered that by slotting the front outer side 18 as will be appreciated from fig2 and 8 , wherein a major slot 72 is formed on the outside of the associated reinforcing bar , and a minor slot 74 is located inside of the reinforcing bar that the presence of these slots permits the soil trapped against the reinforcing bars to fall free and render the horseshoe configuration self - cleaning adjacent the bars . the slot surfaces 76 have a height from the hoof engaging face 14 less than the height of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 as defined by the surfaces 70 , and the slots 72 are outwardly defined by the slot ends 78 while the inner slots 74 are inwardly defined by the terminating slot ends 80 . by way of example , the relationships of the various components described above , dimensionally , may be appreciated . for instance , when forging the blank 10 to form a size 2 horseshoe the overall length of the blank 10 will be approximately 13 inches , while the width of the body 12 is approximately 3 / 4 of an inch . the height dimension of the grab rib 30 as defined between the apex 38 and the face 14 is 3 / 8 of an inch , and this is the maximum height dimension of the shoe . the apices 40 , 42 and 44 lie within a common plane which is 1 / 4 of an inch from the face 14 , and the surface 70 of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 is 5 / 16 of an inch from the face 14 . the dividing surface 60 is located 1 / 8 of an inch from the face 14 as is the intersection of the surfaces 46 and 48 , and 54 and 56 . accordingly , it will be appreciated from the above dimensions that the vertical height of the grab rib 38 is 50 % greater than the vertical height of the ribs 32 , 34 and 36 . as will be appreciated from fig3 and 6 , the surface 58 which forms the apex 44 of rib 36 also intersects the body inner side 20 , and the dimensions of the body 12 are such that the surface 58 provides additional mass &# 34 ; behind &# 34 ; the rib 36 to support the rib and strengthen the same against deformation . forming the blank 10 from its elongated configuration to the c shaped configuration of fig7 is readily accomplished within bending dies , and it will be understood that various sizes of horseshoes will use longer or shorter blanks depending on the desired final configuration . by making the shoe 3 / 4 of an inch wide between sides 18 and 20 the shoe tends to float on soft sandy surfaces , and by using sharp apices on the ribs excellent traction is provided on harder ground . as the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 divide the ground engaging face 16 into three portions , and as the presence of the slots 72 and 74 discourages accumulation of soil adjacent the reinforcing bars , the self - cleaning aspects of the horseshoe assure reduced weight at the horse &# 39 ; s hoof , and by maintaining at least a 50 ° included angle between the ribs the tendency for soil to accumulate between the ribs is reduced . of course , the spacing provided by the dividing surface 60 is also helpful in this respect . as described above , locating the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 at those locations most likely to deform the horseshoe under lateral forces permits the horseshoe to be strengthened at the most efficient locations without adding significant weight to the shoe . it is appreciated that various modifications to the inventive concepts may be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Human Necessities'? | Is 'Performing Operations; Transporting' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | c43e66066077c78a1a181b632f03d571b83be9fd36b7e5deec19f32dc8b4c63f | 0.005371 | 0.036865 | 0.000805 | 0.021606 | 0.001701 | 0.040771 |
null | fig1 and 2 illustrate the form of the horseshoe blank 10 prior to being bent into the conventional c shape shown in fig7 and 8 . typically , horseshoe blanks are forged while in a linear configuration on die sets such as described in u . s . pat . no . 2 , 679 , 906 , and it is appreciated that the particular method for forming a horseshoe in accord with the invention should not be construed to limit the inventive concepts . a horseshoe utilizing the inventive concepts may be made by casting techniques as well as forging , swaging , or by other conventional metalworking processes . the blank 10 is of an elongated linear configuration usually formed of steel , or an aluminum alloy , having excellent wear characteristics . the blank 10 comprises the body 12 which includes a hoof engaging face 14 which is of a generally planar configuration , and remains planar after forming the blank into the finished c shaped configuration . the ground engaging face 16 of the body 12 is oppositely disposed to the face 14 , and the body 12 also includes an outer side 18 which becomes the convex front side of the finished horseshoe , and an inner side 20 which becomes the inner or rear side of the finished shoe . the ends 22 of the body 12 are preferably radiused as illustrated . a front central portion of the blank 10 is defined at 24 , and a rear central portion is formed at 26 . a line substantially bisecting the portions 24 and 26 defines the horseshoe longitudinal axis 28 represented in fig7 . the primary frictional engagement between the horseshoe and the earth is due to the presence of four ribs 30 , 32 , 34 and 36 , fig3 . these ribs extend the length of the body 12 , fig1 and are spaced across the width of the ground engaging face 16 between sides 18 and 20 . the rib 30 is of the greatest vertical or height dimension and constitutes a &# 34 ; grab &# 34 ; defined at the periphery of the shaped horseshoe . the apices of the ribs 30 , 32 , 34 and 36 are indicated by numerals 38 , 40 , 42 and 44 , respectively , and as will be appreciated from the drawings the rib apices are sharp for ease of ground and earth penetration . with particular reference to fig3 - 6 , the grab rib 30 is defined by the body outer side 18 which intersects the surface 46 at the apex 38 . rib 32 is formed by intersecting converging surfaces 48 and 50 , while rib 34 is defined by converging surfaces 52 and 54 and rib 36 is formed by converging and intersecting surfaces 56 and 58 . the surfaces 46 and 48 , and 54 and 56 , intersect to define a valley , and the included angle defined by these intersecting surfaces is , preferably , greater than 50 ° to facilitate self - cleaning of dirt entering these valleys . a flat dividing surface 60 is centrally formed between the body sides 18 and 20 , and is of a planar configuration parallel to the hoof engaging face 14 . the dividing surface 60 separates the ribs 32 and 34 , is not prone to trap dirt between these spaced ribs , and a plurality of nail holes 61 extend through the dividing surface 60 for receiving the nails for attaching the horseshoe to the horse &# 39 ; s hoof in the known manner . in order to reduce the weight of the blank 10 the spacing between the faces 14 and 16 is relatively small , and this reduction in mass of the body 12 weakens the strength of the horseshoe body 12 with respect to lateral forces . as the horseshoe body 12 is primarily subjected to the compressive forces resulting from the weight of the horse and rider such compressive forces perpendicular to the plane of the hoof engaging face 14 are not inclined to deform the shoe . however , lateral forces imposed upon the shoe during rapid and tight turns by the horse during barrel racing , for instance , impose such forces as to &# 34 ; open &# 34 ; the c shaped configuration of the horseshoe nailed upon the hoof . to resist such lateral deformation the horseshoe of the invention includes homogeneous reinforcing bars 62 and 64 defined upon the ground engaging face 16 . as will be apparent from fig7 the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 are located upon opposite sides of the longitudinal axis 28 , and define the termination of the front central portion 24 and the rear central portion 26 . the bars 62 and 64 are obliquely related to each other when the horseshoe is in the form of the blank 10 , fig1 in order that the reinforcing bars will be properly related to each other in the finished horseshoe c shaped configuration of fig7 . each reinforcing bar includes a front end 66 which intersects the body outer or front side 18 , and each reinforcing bar includes a rear end 68 which intersects the blank rear or inner side 20 . the free or lowermost surface 70 of the reinforcing bars is parallel to the face 14 and the surfaces 70 define the vertical dimension or height of the reinforcing bars . as will be appreciated from fig2 and 6 , the height of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 is less than the height of the outer sides 18 as defined by the face 18 and the apex 38 . the lateral sides of the reinforcing bars are represented at 71 . the oblique angles of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 as defined upon the blank 10 , fig1 are such that when the blank 10 is formed into the c configuration of fig7 the bars 62 and 64 are almost parallel to each other and the longitudinal axis 28 . this locating of the mass of the bars 62 and 64 upon opposite sides of the axis 28 , and at the region of the horseshoe wherein lateral bending and deformation are most likely to occur , reinforces the formed horseshoe at the most critical locations to prevent the &# 34 ; spreading &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; opening &# 34 ; of the horseshoe and prevents damage from being inflicted upon the horse , s hoof without adding significant mass and weight to the horseshoe . as the dirt and soil will be forced against the reinforcing bar lateral sides 71 during turning there is a tendency for the dirt to pack against the reinforcing bars . however , it has been discovered that by slotting the front outer side 18 as will be appreciated from fig2 and 8 , wherein a major slot 72 is formed on the outside of the associated reinforcing bar , and a minor slot 74 is located inside of the reinforcing bar that the presence of these slots permits the soil trapped against the reinforcing bars to fall free and render the horseshoe configuration self - cleaning adjacent the bars . the slot surfaces 76 have a height from the hoof engaging face 14 less than the height of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 as defined by the surfaces 70 , and the slots 72 are outwardly defined by the slot ends 78 while the inner slots 74 are inwardly defined by the terminating slot ends 80 . by way of example , the relationships of the various components described above , dimensionally , may be appreciated . for instance , when forging the blank 10 to form a size 2 horseshoe the overall length of the blank 10 will be approximately 13 inches , while the width of the body 12 is approximately 3 / 4 of an inch . the height dimension of the grab rib 30 as defined between the apex 38 and the face 14 is 3 / 8 of an inch , and this is the maximum height dimension of the shoe . the apices 40 , 42 and 44 lie within a common plane which is 1 / 4 of an inch from the face 14 , and the surface 70 of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 is 5 / 16 of an inch from the face 14 . the dividing surface 60 is located 1 / 8 of an inch from the face 14 as is the intersection of the surfaces 46 and 48 , and 54 and 56 . accordingly , it will be appreciated from the above dimensions that the vertical height of the grab rib 38 is 50 % greater than the vertical height of the ribs 32 , 34 and 36 . as will be appreciated from fig3 and 6 , the surface 58 which forms the apex 44 of rib 36 also intersects the body inner side 20 , and the dimensions of the body 12 are such that the surface 58 provides additional mass &# 34 ; behind &# 34 ; the rib 36 to support the rib and strengthen the same against deformation . forming the blank 10 from its elongated configuration to the c shaped configuration of fig7 is readily accomplished within bending dies , and it will be understood that various sizes of horseshoes will use longer or shorter blanks depending on the desired final configuration . by making the shoe 3 / 4 of an inch wide between sides 18 and 20 the shoe tends to float on soft sandy surfaces , and by using sharp apices on the ribs excellent traction is provided on harder ground . as the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 divide the ground engaging face 16 into three portions , and as the presence of the slots 72 and 74 discourages accumulation of soil adjacent the reinforcing bars , the self - cleaning aspects of the horseshoe assure reduced weight at the horse &# 39 ; s hoof , and by maintaining at least a 50 ° included angle between the ribs the tendency for soil to accumulate between the ribs is reduced . of course , the spacing provided by the dividing surface 60 is also helpful in this respect . as described above , locating the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 at those locations most likely to deform the horseshoe under lateral forces permits the horseshoe to be strengthened at the most efficient locations without adding significant weight to the shoe . it is appreciated that various modifications to the inventive concepts may be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Human Necessities'? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Chemistry; Metallurgy'? | 0.25 | c43e66066077c78a1a181b632f03d571b83be9fd36b7e5deec19f32dc8b4c63f | 0.005371 | 0.023682 | 0.000805 | 0.008606 | 0.001701 | 0.007111 |
null | fig1 and 2 illustrate the form of the horseshoe blank 10 prior to being bent into the conventional c shape shown in fig7 and 8 . typically , horseshoe blanks are forged while in a linear configuration on die sets such as described in u . s . pat . no . 2 , 679 , 906 , and it is appreciated that the particular method for forming a horseshoe in accord with the invention should not be construed to limit the inventive concepts . a horseshoe utilizing the inventive concepts may be made by casting techniques as well as forging , swaging , or by other conventional metalworking processes . the blank 10 is of an elongated linear configuration usually formed of steel , or an aluminum alloy , having excellent wear characteristics . the blank 10 comprises the body 12 which includes a hoof engaging face 14 which is of a generally planar configuration , and remains planar after forming the blank into the finished c shaped configuration . the ground engaging face 16 of the body 12 is oppositely disposed to the face 14 , and the body 12 also includes an outer side 18 which becomes the convex front side of the finished horseshoe , and an inner side 20 which becomes the inner or rear side of the finished shoe . the ends 22 of the body 12 are preferably radiused as illustrated . a front central portion of the blank 10 is defined at 24 , and a rear central portion is formed at 26 . a line substantially bisecting the portions 24 and 26 defines the horseshoe longitudinal axis 28 represented in fig7 . the primary frictional engagement between the horseshoe and the earth is due to the presence of four ribs 30 , 32 , 34 and 36 , fig3 . these ribs extend the length of the body 12 , fig1 and are spaced across the width of the ground engaging face 16 between sides 18 and 20 . the rib 30 is of the greatest vertical or height dimension and constitutes a &# 34 ; grab &# 34 ; defined at the periphery of the shaped horseshoe . the apices of the ribs 30 , 32 , 34 and 36 are indicated by numerals 38 , 40 , 42 and 44 , respectively , and as will be appreciated from the drawings the rib apices are sharp for ease of ground and earth penetration . with particular reference to fig3 - 6 , the grab rib 30 is defined by the body outer side 18 which intersects the surface 46 at the apex 38 . rib 32 is formed by intersecting converging surfaces 48 and 50 , while rib 34 is defined by converging surfaces 52 and 54 and rib 36 is formed by converging and intersecting surfaces 56 and 58 . the surfaces 46 and 48 , and 54 and 56 , intersect to define a valley , and the included angle defined by these intersecting surfaces is , preferably , greater than 50 ° to facilitate self - cleaning of dirt entering these valleys . a flat dividing surface 60 is centrally formed between the body sides 18 and 20 , and is of a planar configuration parallel to the hoof engaging face 14 . the dividing surface 60 separates the ribs 32 and 34 , is not prone to trap dirt between these spaced ribs , and a plurality of nail holes 61 extend through the dividing surface 60 for receiving the nails for attaching the horseshoe to the horse &# 39 ; s hoof in the known manner . in order to reduce the weight of the blank 10 the spacing between the faces 14 and 16 is relatively small , and this reduction in mass of the body 12 weakens the strength of the horseshoe body 12 with respect to lateral forces . as the horseshoe body 12 is primarily subjected to the compressive forces resulting from the weight of the horse and rider such compressive forces perpendicular to the plane of the hoof engaging face 14 are not inclined to deform the shoe . however , lateral forces imposed upon the shoe during rapid and tight turns by the horse during barrel racing , for instance , impose such forces as to &# 34 ; open &# 34 ; the c shaped configuration of the horseshoe nailed upon the hoof . to resist such lateral deformation the horseshoe of the invention includes homogeneous reinforcing bars 62 and 64 defined upon the ground engaging face 16 . as will be apparent from fig7 the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 are located upon opposite sides of the longitudinal axis 28 , and define the termination of the front central portion 24 and the rear central portion 26 . the bars 62 and 64 are obliquely related to each other when the horseshoe is in the form of the blank 10 , fig1 in order that the reinforcing bars will be properly related to each other in the finished horseshoe c shaped configuration of fig7 . each reinforcing bar includes a front end 66 which intersects the body outer or front side 18 , and each reinforcing bar includes a rear end 68 which intersects the blank rear or inner side 20 . the free or lowermost surface 70 of the reinforcing bars is parallel to the face 14 and the surfaces 70 define the vertical dimension or height of the reinforcing bars . as will be appreciated from fig2 and 6 , the height of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 is less than the height of the outer sides 18 as defined by the face 18 and the apex 38 . the lateral sides of the reinforcing bars are represented at 71 . the oblique angles of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 as defined upon the blank 10 , fig1 are such that when the blank 10 is formed into the c configuration of fig7 the bars 62 and 64 are almost parallel to each other and the longitudinal axis 28 . this locating of the mass of the bars 62 and 64 upon opposite sides of the axis 28 , and at the region of the horseshoe wherein lateral bending and deformation are most likely to occur , reinforces the formed horseshoe at the most critical locations to prevent the &# 34 ; spreading &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; opening &# 34 ; of the horseshoe and prevents damage from being inflicted upon the horse , s hoof without adding significant mass and weight to the horseshoe . as the dirt and soil will be forced against the reinforcing bar lateral sides 71 during turning there is a tendency for the dirt to pack against the reinforcing bars . however , it has been discovered that by slotting the front outer side 18 as will be appreciated from fig2 and 8 , wherein a major slot 72 is formed on the outside of the associated reinforcing bar , and a minor slot 74 is located inside of the reinforcing bar that the presence of these slots permits the soil trapped against the reinforcing bars to fall free and render the horseshoe configuration self - cleaning adjacent the bars . the slot surfaces 76 have a height from the hoof engaging face 14 less than the height of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 as defined by the surfaces 70 , and the slots 72 are outwardly defined by the slot ends 78 while the inner slots 74 are inwardly defined by the terminating slot ends 80 . by way of example , the relationships of the various components described above , dimensionally , may be appreciated . for instance , when forging the blank 10 to form a size 2 horseshoe the overall length of the blank 10 will be approximately 13 inches , while the width of the body 12 is approximately 3 / 4 of an inch . the height dimension of the grab rib 30 as defined between the apex 38 and the face 14 is 3 / 8 of an inch , and this is the maximum height dimension of the shoe . the apices 40 , 42 and 44 lie within a common plane which is 1 / 4 of an inch from the face 14 , and the surface 70 of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 is 5 / 16 of an inch from the face 14 . the dividing surface 60 is located 1 / 8 of an inch from the face 14 as is the intersection of the surfaces 46 and 48 , and 54 and 56 . accordingly , it will be appreciated from the above dimensions that the vertical height of the grab rib 38 is 50 % greater than the vertical height of the ribs 32 , 34 and 36 . as will be appreciated from fig3 and 6 , the surface 58 which forms the apex 44 of rib 36 also intersects the body inner side 20 , and the dimensions of the body 12 are such that the surface 58 provides additional mass &# 34 ; behind &# 34 ; the rib 36 to support the rib and strengthen the same against deformation . forming the blank 10 from its elongated configuration to the c shaped configuration of fig7 is readily accomplished within bending dies , and it will be understood that various sizes of horseshoes will use longer or shorter blanks depending on the desired final configuration . by making the shoe 3 / 4 of an inch wide between sides 18 and 20 the shoe tends to float on soft sandy surfaces , and by using sharp apices on the ribs excellent traction is provided on harder ground . as the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 divide the ground engaging face 16 into three portions , and as the presence of the slots 72 and 74 discourages accumulation of soil adjacent the reinforcing bars , the self - cleaning aspects of the horseshoe assure reduced weight at the horse &# 39 ; s hoof , and by maintaining at least a 50 ° included angle between the ribs the tendency for soil to accumulate between the ribs is reduced . of course , the spacing provided by the dividing surface 60 is also helpful in this respect . as described above , locating the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 at those locations most likely to deform the horseshoe under lateral forces permits the horseshoe to be strengthened at the most efficient locations without adding significant weight to the shoe . it is appreciated that various modifications to the inventive concepts may be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . | Should this patent be classified under 'Human Necessities'? | Should this patent be classified under 'Textiles; Paper'? | 0.25 | c43e66066077c78a1a181b632f03d571b83be9fd36b7e5deec19f32dc8b4c63f | 0.003281 | 0.000009 | 0.000216 | 0.000013 | 0.001282 | 0.000393 |
null | fig1 and 2 illustrate the form of the horseshoe blank 10 prior to being bent into the conventional c shape shown in fig7 and 8 . typically , horseshoe blanks are forged while in a linear configuration on die sets such as described in u . s . pat . no . 2 , 679 , 906 , and it is appreciated that the particular method for forming a horseshoe in accord with the invention should not be construed to limit the inventive concepts . a horseshoe utilizing the inventive concepts may be made by casting techniques as well as forging , swaging , or by other conventional metalworking processes . the blank 10 is of an elongated linear configuration usually formed of steel , or an aluminum alloy , having excellent wear characteristics . the blank 10 comprises the body 12 which includes a hoof engaging face 14 which is of a generally planar configuration , and remains planar after forming the blank into the finished c shaped configuration . the ground engaging face 16 of the body 12 is oppositely disposed to the face 14 , and the body 12 also includes an outer side 18 which becomes the convex front side of the finished horseshoe , and an inner side 20 which becomes the inner or rear side of the finished shoe . the ends 22 of the body 12 are preferably radiused as illustrated . a front central portion of the blank 10 is defined at 24 , and a rear central portion is formed at 26 . a line substantially bisecting the portions 24 and 26 defines the horseshoe longitudinal axis 28 represented in fig7 . the primary frictional engagement between the horseshoe and the earth is due to the presence of four ribs 30 , 32 , 34 and 36 , fig3 . these ribs extend the length of the body 12 , fig1 and are spaced across the width of the ground engaging face 16 between sides 18 and 20 . the rib 30 is of the greatest vertical or height dimension and constitutes a &# 34 ; grab &# 34 ; defined at the periphery of the shaped horseshoe . the apices of the ribs 30 , 32 , 34 and 36 are indicated by numerals 38 , 40 , 42 and 44 , respectively , and as will be appreciated from the drawings the rib apices are sharp for ease of ground and earth penetration . with particular reference to fig3 - 6 , the grab rib 30 is defined by the body outer side 18 which intersects the surface 46 at the apex 38 . rib 32 is formed by intersecting converging surfaces 48 and 50 , while rib 34 is defined by converging surfaces 52 and 54 and rib 36 is formed by converging and intersecting surfaces 56 and 58 . the surfaces 46 and 48 , and 54 and 56 , intersect to define a valley , and the included angle defined by these intersecting surfaces is , preferably , greater than 50 ° to facilitate self - cleaning of dirt entering these valleys . a flat dividing surface 60 is centrally formed between the body sides 18 and 20 , and is of a planar configuration parallel to the hoof engaging face 14 . the dividing surface 60 separates the ribs 32 and 34 , is not prone to trap dirt between these spaced ribs , and a plurality of nail holes 61 extend through the dividing surface 60 for receiving the nails for attaching the horseshoe to the horse &# 39 ; s hoof in the known manner . in order to reduce the weight of the blank 10 the spacing between the faces 14 and 16 is relatively small , and this reduction in mass of the body 12 weakens the strength of the horseshoe body 12 with respect to lateral forces . as the horseshoe body 12 is primarily subjected to the compressive forces resulting from the weight of the horse and rider such compressive forces perpendicular to the plane of the hoof engaging face 14 are not inclined to deform the shoe . however , lateral forces imposed upon the shoe during rapid and tight turns by the horse during barrel racing , for instance , impose such forces as to &# 34 ; open &# 34 ; the c shaped configuration of the horseshoe nailed upon the hoof . to resist such lateral deformation the horseshoe of the invention includes homogeneous reinforcing bars 62 and 64 defined upon the ground engaging face 16 . as will be apparent from fig7 the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 are located upon opposite sides of the longitudinal axis 28 , and define the termination of the front central portion 24 and the rear central portion 26 . the bars 62 and 64 are obliquely related to each other when the horseshoe is in the form of the blank 10 , fig1 in order that the reinforcing bars will be properly related to each other in the finished horseshoe c shaped configuration of fig7 . each reinforcing bar includes a front end 66 which intersects the body outer or front side 18 , and each reinforcing bar includes a rear end 68 which intersects the blank rear or inner side 20 . the free or lowermost surface 70 of the reinforcing bars is parallel to the face 14 and the surfaces 70 define the vertical dimension or height of the reinforcing bars . as will be appreciated from fig2 and 6 , the height of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 is less than the height of the outer sides 18 as defined by the face 18 and the apex 38 . the lateral sides of the reinforcing bars are represented at 71 . the oblique angles of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 as defined upon the blank 10 , fig1 are such that when the blank 10 is formed into the c configuration of fig7 the bars 62 and 64 are almost parallel to each other and the longitudinal axis 28 . this locating of the mass of the bars 62 and 64 upon opposite sides of the axis 28 , and at the region of the horseshoe wherein lateral bending and deformation are most likely to occur , reinforces the formed horseshoe at the most critical locations to prevent the &# 34 ; spreading &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; opening &# 34 ; of the horseshoe and prevents damage from being inflicted upon the horse , s hoof without adding significant mass and weight to the horseshoe . as the dirt and soil will be forced against the reinforcing bar lateral sides 71 during turning there is a tendency for the dirt to pack against the reinforcing bars . however , it has been discovered that by slotting the front outer side 18 as will be appreciated from fig2 and 8 , wherein a major slot 72 is formed on the outside of the associated reinforcing bar , and a minor slot 74 is located inside of the reinforcing bar that the presence of these slots permits the soil trapped against the reinforcing bars to fall free and render the horseshoe configuration self - cleaning adjacent the bars . the slot surfaces 76 have a height from the hoof engaging face 14 less than the height of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 as defined by the surfaces 70 , and the slots 72 are outwardly defined by the slot ends 78 while the inner slots 74 are inwardly defined by the terminating slot ends 80 . by way of example , the relationships of the various components described above , dimensionally , may be appreciated . for instance , when forging the blank 10 to form a size 2 horseshoe the overall length of the blank 10 will be approximately 13 inches , while the width of the body 12 is approximately 3 / 4 of an inch . the height dimension of the grab rib 30 as defined between the apex 38 and the face 14 is 3 / 8 of an inch , and this is the maximum height dimension of the shoe . the apices 40 , 42 and 44 lie within a common plane which is 1 / 4 of an inch from the face 14 , and the surface 70 of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 is 5 / 16 of an inch from the face 14 . the dividing surface 60 is located 1 / 8 of an inch from the face 14 as is the intersection of the surfaces 46 and 48 , and 54 and 56 . accordingly , it will be appreciated from the above dimensions that the vertical height of the grab rib 38 is 50 % greater than the vertical height of the ribs 32 , 34 and 36 . as will be appreciated from fig3 and 6 , the surface 58 which forms the apex 44 of rib 36 also intersects the body inner side 20 , and the dimensions of the body 12 are such that the surface 58 provides additional mass &# 34 ; behind &# 34 ; the rib 36 to support the rib and strengthen the same against deformation . forming the blank 10 from its elongated configuration to the c shaped configuration of fig7 is readily accomplished within bending dies , and it will be understood that various sizes of horseshoes will use longer or shorter blanks depending on the desired final configuration . by making the shoe 3 / 4 of an inch wide between sides 18 and 20 the shoe tends to float on soft sandy surfaces , and by using sharp apices on the ribs excellent traction is provided on harder ground . as the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 divide the ground engaging face 16 into three portions , and as the presence of the slots 72 and 74 discourages accumulation of soil adjacent the reinforcing bars , the self - cleaning aspects of the horseshoe assure reduced weight at the horse &# 39 ; s hoof , and by maintaining at least a 50 ° included angle between the ribs the tendency for soil to accumulate between the ribs is reduced . of course , the spacing provided by the dividing surface 60 is also helpful in this respect . as described above , locating the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 at those locations most likely to deform the horseshoe under lateral forces permits the horseshoe to be strengthened at the most efficient locations without adding significant weight to the shoe . it is appreciated that various modifications to the inventive concepts may be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . | Should this patent be classified under 'Human Necessities'? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Fixed Constructions'? | 0.25 | c43e66066077c78a1a181b632f03d571b83be9fd36b7e5deec19f32dc8b4c63f | 0.003281 | 0.022583 | 0.000216 | 0.122559 | 0.001282 | 0.054932 |
null | fig1 and 2 illustrate the form of the horseshoe blank 10 prior to being bent into the conventional c shape shown in fig7 and 8 . typically , horseshoe blanks are forged while in a linear configuration on die sets such as described in u . s . pat . no . 2 , 679 , 906 , and it is appreciated that the particular method for forming a horseshoe in accord with the invention should not be construed to limit the inventive concepts . a horseshoe utilizing the inventive concepts may be made by casting techniques as well as forging , swaging , or by other conventional metalworking processes . the blank 10 is of an elongated linear configuration usually formed of steel , or an aluminum alloy , having excellent wear characteristics . the blank 10 comprises the body 12 which includes a hoof engaging face 14 which is of a generally planar configuration , and remains planar after forming the blank into the finished c shaped configuration . the ground engaging face 16 of the body 12 is oppositely disposed to the face 14 , and the body 12 also includes an outer side 18 which becomes the convex front side of the finished horseshoe , and an inner side 20 which becomes the inner or rear side of the finished shoe . the ends 22 of the body 12 are preferably radiused as illustrated . a front central portion of the blank 10 is defined at 24 , and a rear central portion is formed at 26 . a line substantially bisecting the portions 24 and 26 defines the horseshoe longitudinal axis 28 represented in fig7 . the primary frictional engagement between the horseshoe and the earth is due to the presence of four ribs 30 , 32 , 34 and 36 , fig3 . these ribs extend the length of the body 12 , fig1 and are spaced across the width of the ground engaging face 16 between sides 18 and 20 . the rib 30 is of the greatest vertical or height dimension and constitutes a &# 34 ; grab &# 34 ; defined at the periphery of the shaped horseshoe . the apices of the ribs 30 , 32 , 34 and 36 are indicated by numerals 38 , 40 , 42 and 44 , respectively , and as will be appreciated from the drawings the rib apices are sharp for ease of ground and earth penetration . with particular reference to fig3 - 6 , the grab rib 30 is defined by the body outer side 18 which intersects the surface 46 at the apex 38 . rib 32 is formed by intersecting converging surfaces 48 and 50 , while rib 34 is defined by converging surfaces 52 and 54 and rib 36 is formed by converging and intersecting surfaces 56 and 58 . the surfaces 46 and 48 , and 54 and 56 , intersect to define a valley , and the included angle defined by these intersecting surfaces is , preferably , greater than 50 ° to facilitate self - cleaning of dirt entering these valleys . a flat dividing surface 60 is centrally formed between the body sides 18 and 20 , and is of a planar configuration parallel to the hoof engaging face 14 . the dividing surface 60 separates the ribs 32 and 34 , is not prone to trap dirt between these spaced ribs , and a plurality of nail holes 61 extend through the dividing surface 60 for receiving the nails for attaching the horseshoe to the horse &# 39 ; s hoof in the known manner . in order to reduce the weight of the blank 10 the spacing between the faces 14 and 16 is relatively small , and this reduction in mass of the body 12 weakens the strength of the horseshoe body 12 with respect to lateral forces . as the horseshoe body 12 is primarily subjected to the compressive forces resulting from the weight of the horse and rider such compressive forces perpendicular to the plane of the hoof engaging face 14 are not inclined to deform the shoe . however , lateral forces imposed upon the shoe during rapid and tight turns by the horse during barrel racing , for instance , impose such forces as to &# 34 ; open &# 34 ; the c shaped configuration of the horseshoe nailed upon the hoof . to resist such lateral deformation the horseshoe of the invention includes homogeneous reinforcing bars 62 and 64 defined upon the ground engaging face 16 . as will be apparent from fig7 the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 are located upon opposite sides of the longitudinal axis 28 , and define the termination of the front central portion 24 and the rear central portion 26 . the bars 62 and 64 are obliquely related to each other when the horseshoe is in the form of the blank 10 , fig1 in order that the reinforcing bars will be properly related to each other in the finished horseshoe c shaped configuration of fig7 . each reinforcing bar includes a front end 66 which intersects the body outer or front side 18 , and each reinforcing bar includes a rear end 68 which intersects the blank rear or inner side 20 . the free or lowermost surface 70 of the reinforcing bars is parallel to the face 14 and the surfaces 70 define the vertical dimension or height of the reinforcing bars . as will be appreciated from fig2 and 6 , the height of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 is less than the height of the outer sides 18 as defined by the face 18 and the apex 38 . the lateral sides of the reinforcing bars are represented at 71 . the oblique angles of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 as defined upon the blank 10 , fig1 are such that when the blank 10 is formed into the c configuration of fig7 the bars 62 and 64 are almost parallel to each other and the longitudinal axis 28 . this locating of the mass of the bars 62 and 64 upon opposite sides of the axis 28 , and at the region of the horseshoe wherein lateral bending and deformation are most likely to occur , reinforces the formed horseshoe at the most critical locations to prevent the &# 34 ; spreading &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; opening &# 34 ; of the horseshoe and prevents damage from being inflicted upon the horse , s hoof without adding significant mass and weight to the horseshoe . as the dirt and soil will be forced against the reinforcing bar lateral sides 71 during turning there is a tendency for the dirt to pack against the reinforcing bars . however , it has been discovered that by slotting the front outer side 18 as will be appreciated from fig2 and 8 , wherein a major slot 72 is formed on the outside of the associated reinforcing bar , and a minor slot 74 is located inside of the reinforcing bar that the presence of these slots permits the soil trapped against the reinforcing bars to fall free and render the horseshoe configuration self - cleaning adjacent the bars . the slot surfaces 76 have a height from the hoof engaging face 14 less than the height of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 as defined by the surfaces 70 , and the slots 72 are outwardly defined by the slot ends 78 while the inner slots 74 are inwardly defined by the terminating slot ends 80 . by way of example , the relationships of the various components described above , dimensionally , may be appreciated . for instance , when forging the blank 10 to form a size 2 horseshoe the overall length of the blank 10 will be approximately 13 inches , while the width of the body 12 is approximately 3 / 4 of an inch . the height dimension of the grab rib 30 as defined between the apex 38 and the face 14 is 3 / 8 of an inch , and this is the maximum height dimension of the shoe . the apices 40 , 42 and 44 lie within a common plane which is 1 / 4 of an inch from the face 14 , and the surface 70 of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 is 5 / 16 of an inch from the face 14 . the dividing surface 60 is located 1 / 8 of an inch from the face 14 as is the intersection of the surfaces 46 and 48 , and 54 and 56 . accordingly , it will be appreciated from the above dimensions that the vertical height of the grab rib 38 is 50 % greater than the vertical height of the ribs 32 , 34 and 36 . as will be appreciated from fig3 and 6 , the surface 58 which forms the apex 44 of rib 36 also intersects the body inner side 20 , and the dimensions of the body 12 are such that the surface 58 provides additional mass &# 34 ; behind &# 34 ; the rib 36 to support the rib and strengthen the same against deformation . forming the blank 10 from its elongated configuration to the c shaped configuration of fig7 is readily accomplished within bending dies , and it will be understood that various sizes of horseshoes will use longer or shorter blanks depending on the desired final configuration . by making the shoe 3 / 4 of an inch wide between sides 18 and 20 the shoe tends to float on soft sandy surfaces , and by using sharp apices on the ribs excellent traction is provided on harder ground . as the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 divide the ground engaging face 16 into three portions , and as the presence of the slots 72 and 74 discourages accumulation of soil adjacent the reinforcing bars , the self - cleaning aspects of the horseshoe assure reduced weight at the horse &# 39 ; s hoof , and by maintaining at least a 50 ° included angle between the ribs the tendency for soil to accumulate between the ribs is reduced . of course , the spacing provided by the dividing surface 60 is also helpful in this respect . as described above , locating the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 at those locations most likely to deform the horseshoe under lateral forces permits the horseshoe to be strengthened at the most efficient locations without adding significant weight to the shoe . it is appreciated that various modifications to the inventive concepts may be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Human Necessities'? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting'? | 0.25 | c43e66066077c78a1a181b632f03d571b83be9fd36b7e5deec19f32dc8b4c63f | 0.005371 | 0.005737 | 0.000805 | 0.008301 | 0.001595 | 0.020996 |
null | fig1 and 2 illustrate the form of the horseshoe blank 10 prior to being bent into the conventional c shape shown in fig7 and 8 . typically , horseshoe blanks are forged while in a linear configuration on die sets such as described in u . s . pat . no . 2 , 679 , 906 , and it is appreciated that the particular method for forming a horseshoe in accord with the invention should not be construed to limit the inventive concepts . a horseshoe utilizing the inventive concepts may be made by casting techniques as well as forging , swaging , or by other conventional metalworking processes . the blank 10 is of an elongated linear configuration usually formed of steel , or an aluminum alloy , having excellent wear characteristics . the blank 10 comprises the body 12 which includes a hoof engaging face 14 which is of a generally planar configuration , and remains planar after forming the blank into the finished c shaped configuration . the ground engaging face 16 of the body 12 is oppositely disposed to the face 14 , and the body 12 also includes an outer side 18 which becomes the convex front side of the finished horseshoe , and an inner side 20 which becomes the inner or rear side of the finished shoe . the ends 22 of the body 12 are preferably radiused as illustrated . a front central portion of the blank 10 is defined at 24 , and a rear central portion is formed at 26 . a line substantially bisecting the portions 24 and 26 defines the horseshoe longitudinal axis 28 represented in fig7 . the primary frictional engagement between the horseshoe and the earth is due to the presence of four ribs 30 , 32 , 34 and 36 , fig3 . these ribs extend the length of the body 12 , fig1 and are spaced across the width of the ground engaging face 16 between sides 18 and 20 . the rib 30 is of the greatest vertical or height dimension and constitutes a &# 34 ; grab &# 34 ; defined at the periphery of the shaped horseshoe . the apices of the ribs 30 , 32 , 34 and 36 are indicated by numerals 38 , 40 , 42 and 44 , respectively , and as will be appreciated from the drawings the rib apices are sharp for ease of ground and earth penetration . with particular reference to fig3 - 6 , the grab rib 30 is defined by the body outer side 18 which intersects the surface 46 at the apex 38 . rib 32 is formed by intersecting converging surfaces 48 and 50 , while rib 34 is defined by converging surfaces 52 and 54 and rib 36 is formed by converging and intersecting surfaces 56 and 58 . the surfaces 46 and 48 , and 54 and 56 , intersect to define a valley , and the included angle defined by these intersecting surfaces is , preferably , greater than 50 ° to facilitate self - cleaning of dirt entering these valleys . a flat dividing surface 60 is centrally formed between the body sides 18 and 20 , and is of a planar configuration parallel to the hoof engaging face 14 . the dividing surface 60 separates the ribs 32 and 34 , is not prone to trap dirt between these spaced ribs , and a plurality of nail holes 61 extend through the dividing surface 60 for receiving the nails for attaching the horseshoe to the horse &# 39 ; s hoof in the known manner . in order to reduce the weight of the blank 10 the spacing between the faces 14 and 16 is relatively small , and this reduction in mass of the body 12 weakens the strength of the horseshoe body 12 with respect to lateral forces . as the horseshoe body 12 is primarily subjected to the compressive forces resulting from the weight of the horse and rider such compressive forces perpendicular to the plane of the hoof engaging face 14 are not inclined to deform the shoe . however , lateral forces imposed upon the shoe during rapid and tight turns by the horse during barrel racing , for instance , impose such forces as to &# 34 ; open &# 34 ; the c shaped configuration of the horseshoe nailed upon the hoof . to resist such lateral deformation the horseshoe of the invention includes homogeneous reinforcing bars 62 and 64 defined upon the ground engaging face 16 . as will be apparent from fig7 the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 are located upon opposite sides of the longitudinal axis 28 , and define the termination of the front central portion 24 and the rear central portion 26 . the bars 62 and 64 are obliquely related to each other when the horseshoe is in the form of the blank 10 , fig1 in order that the reinforcing bars will be properly related to each other in the finished horseshoe c shaped configuration of fig7 . each reinforcing bar includes a front end 66 which intersects the body outer or front side 18 , and each reinforcing bar includes a rear end 68 which intersects the blank rear or inner side 20 . the free or lowermost surface 70 of the reinforcing bars is parallel to the face 14 and the surfaces 70 define the vertical dimension or height of the reinforcing bars . as will be appreciated from fig2 and 6 , the height of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 is less than the height of the outer sides 18 as defined by the face 18 and the apex 38 . the lateral sides of the reinforcing bars are represented at 71 . the oblique angles of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 as defined upon the blank 10 , fig1 are such that when the blank 10 is formed into the c configuration of fig7 the bars 62 and 64 are almost parallel to each other and the longitudinal axis 28 . this locating of the mass of the bars 62 and 64 upon opposite sides of the axis 28 , and at the region of the horseshoe wherein lateral bending and deformation are most likely to occur , reinforces the formed horseshoe at the most critical locations to prevent the &# 34 ; spreading &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; opening &# 34 ; of the horseshoe and prevents damage from being inflicted upon the horse , s hoof without adding significant mass and weight to the horseshoe . as the dirt and soil will be forced against the reinforcing bar lateral sides 71 during turning there is a tendency for the dirt to pack against the reinforcing bars . however , it has been discovered that by slotting the front outer side 18 as will be appreciated from fig2 and 8 , wherein a major slot 72 is formed on the outside of the associated reinforcing bar , and a minor slot 74 is located inside of the reinforcing bar that the presence of these slots permits the soil trapped against the reinforcing bars to fall free and render the horseshoe configuration self - cleaning adjacent the bars . the slot surfaces 76 have a height from the hoof engaging face 14 less than the height of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 as defined by the surfaces 70 , and the slots 72 are outwardly defined by the slot ends 78 while the inner slots 74 are inwardly defined by the terminating slot ends 80 . by way of example , the relationships of the various components described above , dimensionally , may be appreciated . for instance , when forging the blank 10 to form a size 2 horseshoe the overall length of the blank 10 will be approximately 13 inches , while the width of the body 12 is approximately 3 / 4 of an inch . the height dimension of the grab rib 30 as defined between the apex 38 and the face 14 is 3 / 8 of an inch , and this is the maximum height dimension of the shoe . the apices 40 , 42 and 44 lie within a common plane which is 1 / 4 of an inch from the face 14 , and the surface 70 of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 is 5 / 16 of an inch from the face 14 . the dividing surface 60 is located 1 / 8 of an inch from the face 14 as is the intersection of the surfaces 46 and 48 , and 54 and 56 . accordingly , it will be appreciated from the above dimensions that the vertical height of the grab rib 38 is 50 % greater than the vertical height of the ribs 32 , 34 and 36 . as will be appreciated from fig3 and 6 , the surface 58 which forms the apex 44 of rib 36 also intersects the body inner side 20 , and the dimensions of the body 12 are such that the surface 58 provides additional mass &# 34 ; behind &# 34 ; the rib 36 to support the rib and strengthen the same against deformation . forming the blank 10 from its elongated configuration to the c shaped configuration of fig7 is readily accomplished within bending dies , and it will be understood that various sizes of horseshoes will use longer or shorter blanks depending on the desired final configuration . by making the shoe 3 / 4 of an inch wide between sides 18 and 20 the shoe tends to float on soft sandy surfaces , and by using sharp apices on the ribs excellent traction is provided on harder ground . as the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 divide the ground engaging face 16 into three portions , and as the presence of the slots 72 and 74 discourages accumulation of soil adjacent the reinforcing bars , the self - cleaning aspects of the horseshoe assure reduced weight at the horse &# 39 ; s hoof , and by maintaining at least a 50 ° included angle between the ribs the tendency for soil to accumulate between the ribs is reduced . of course , the spacing provided by the dividing surface 60 is also helpful in this respect . as described above , locating the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 at those locations most likely to deform the horseshoe under lateral forces permits the horseshoe to be strengthened at the most efficient locations without adding significant weight to the shoe . it is appreciated that various modifications to the inventive concepts may be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . | Is 'Human Necessities' the correct technical category for the patent? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Physics'? | 0.25 | c43e66066077c78a1a181b632f03d571b83be9fd36b7e5deec19f32dc8b4c63f | 0.002975 | 0.143555 | 0.000458 | 0.167969 | 0.000912 | 0.081543 |
null | fig1 and 2 illustrate the form of the horseshoe blank 10 prior to being bent into the conventional c shape shown in fig7 and 8 . typically , horseshoe blanks are forged while in a linear configuration on die sets such as described in u . s . pat . no . 2 , 679 , 906 , and it is appreciated that the particular method for forming a horseshoe in accord with the invention should not be construed to limit the inventive concepts . a horseshoe utilizing the inventive concepts may be made by casting techniques as well as forging , swaging , or by other conventional metalworking processes . the blank 10 is of an elongated linear configuration usually formed of steel , or an aluminum alloy , having excellent wear characteristics . the blank 10 comprises the body 12 which includes a hoof engaging face 14 which is of a generally planar configuration , and remains planar after forming the blank into the finished c shaped configuration . the ground engaging face 16 of the body 12 is oppositely disposed to the face 14 , and the body 12 also includes an outer side 18 which becomes the convex front side of the finished horseshoe , and an inner side 20 which becomes the inner or rear side of the finished shoe . the ends 22 of the body 12 are preferably radiused as illustrated . a front central portion of the blank 10 is defined at 24 , and a rear central portion is formed at 26 . a line substantially bisecting the portions 24 and 26 defines the horseshoe longitudinal axis 28 represented in fig7 . the primary frictional engagement between the horseshoe and the earth is due to the presence of four ribs 30 , 32 , 34 and 36 , fig3 . these ribs extend the length of the body 12 , fig1 and are spaced across the width of the ground engaging face 16 between sides 18 and 20 . the rib 30 is of the greatest vertical or height dimension and constitutes a &# 34 ; grab &# 34 ; defined at the periphery of the shaped horseshoe . the apices of the ribs 30 , 32 , 34 and 36 are indicated by numerals 38 , 40 , 42 and 44 , respectively , and as will be appreciated from the drawings the rib apices are sharp for ease of ground and earth penetration . with particular reference to fig3 - 6 , the grab rib 30 is defined by the body outer side 18 which intersects the surface 46 at the apex 38 . rib 32 is formed by intersecting converging surfaces 48 and 50 , while rib 34 is defined by converging surfaces 52 and 54 and rib 36 is formed by converging and intersecting surfaces 56 and 58 . the surfaces 46 and 48 , and 54 and 56 , intersect to define a valley , and the included angle defined by these intersecting surfaces is , preferably , greater than 50 ° to facilitate self - cleaning of dirt entering these valleys . a flat dividing surface 60 is centrally formed between the body sides 18 and 20 , and is of a planar configuration parallel to the hoof engaging face 14 . the dividing surface 60 separates the ribs 32 and 34 , is not prone to trap dirt between these spaced ribs , and a plurality of nail holes 61 extend through the dividing surface 60 for receiving the nails for attaching the horseshoe to the horse &# 39 ; s hoof in the known manner . in order to reduce the weight of the blank 10 the spacing between the faces 14 and 16 is relatively small , and this reduction in mass of the body 12 weakens the strength of the horseshoe body 12 with respect to lateral forces . as the horseshoe body 12 is primarily subjected to the compressive forces resulting from the weight of the horse and rider such compressive forces perpendicular to the plane of the hoof engaging face 14 are not inclined to deform the shoe . however , lateral forces imposed upon the shoe during rapid and tight turns by the horse during barrel racing , for instance , impose such forces as to &# 34 ; open &# 34 ; the c shaped configuration of the horseshoe nailed upon the hoof . to resist such lateral deformation the horseshoe of the invention includes homogeneous reinforcing bars 62 and 64 defined upon the ground engaging face 16 . as will be apparent from fig7 the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 are located upon opposite sides of the longitudinal axis 28 , and define the termination of the front central portion 24 and the rear central portion 26 . the bars 62 and 64 are obliquely related to each other when the horseshoe is in the form of the blank 10 , fig1 in order that the reinforcing bars will be properly related to each other in the finished horseshoe c shaped configuration of fig7 . each reinforcing bar includes a front end 66 which intersects the body outer or front side 18 , and each reinforcing bar includes a rear end 68 which intersects the blank rear or inner side 20 . the free or lowermost surface 70 of the reinforcing bars is parallel to the face 14 and the surfaces 70 define the vertical dimension or height of the reinforcing bars . as will be appreciated from fig2 and 6 , the height of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 is less than the height of the outer sides 18 as defined by the face 18 and the apex 38 . the lateral sides of the reinforcing bars are represented at 71 . the oblique angles of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 as defined upon the blank 10 , fig1 are such that when the blank 10 is formed into the c configuration of fig7 the bars 62 and 64 are almost parallel to each other and the longitudinal axis 28 . this locating of the mass of the bars 62 and 64 upon opposite sides of the axis 28 , and at the region of the horseshoe wherein lateral bending and deformation are most likely to occur , reinforces the formed horseshoe at the most critical locations to prevent the &# 34 ; spreading &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; opening &# 34 ; of the horseshoe and prevents damage from being inflicted upon the horse , s hoof without adding significant mass and weight to the horseshoe . as the dirt and soil will be forced against the reinforcing bar lateral sides 71 during turning there is a tendency for the dirt to pack against the reinforcing bars . however , it has been discovered that by slotting the front outer side 18 as will be appreciated from fig2 and 8 , wherein a major slot 72 is formed on the outside of the associated reinforcing bar , and a minor slot 74 is located inside of the reinforcing bar that the presence of these slots permits the soil trapped against the reinforcing bars to fall free and render the horseshoe configuration self - cleaning adjacent the bars . the slot surfaces 76 have a height from the hoof engaging face 14 less than the height of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 as defined by the surfaces 70 , and the slots 72 are outwardly defined by the slot ends 78 while the inner slots 74 are inwardly defined by the terminating slot ends 80 . by way of example , the relationships of the various components described above , dimensionally , may be appreciated . for instance , when forging the blank 10 to form a size 2 horseshoe the overall length of the blank 10 will be approximately 13 inches , while the width of the body 12 is approximately 3 / 4 of an inch . the height dimension of the grab rib 30 as defined between the apex 38 and the face 14 is 3 / 8 of an inch , and this is the maximum height dimension of the shoe . the apices 40 , 42 and 44 lie within a common plane which is 1 / 4 of an inch from the face 14 , and the surface 70 of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 is 5 / 16 of an inch from the face 14 . the dividing surface 60 is located 1 / 8 of an inch from the face 14 as is the intersection of the surfaces 46 and 48 , and 54 and 56 . accordingly , it will be appreciated from the above dimensions that the vertical height of the grab rib 38 is 50 % greater than the vertical height of the ribs 32 , 34 and 36 . as will be appreciated from fig3 and 6 , the surface 58 which forms the apex 44 of rib 36 also intersects the body inner side 20 , and the dimensions of the body 12 are such that the surface 58 provides additional mass &# 34 ; behind &# 34 ; the rib 36 to support the rib and strengthen the same against deformation . forming the blank 10 from its elongated configuration to the c shaped configuration of fig7 is readily accomplished within bending dies , and it will be understood that various sizes of horseshoes will use longer or shorter blanks depending on the desired final configuration . by making the shoe 3 / 4 of an inch wide between sides 18 and 20 the shoe tends to float on soft sandy surfaces , and by using sharp apices on the ribs excellent traction is provided on harder ground . as the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 divide the ground engaging face 16 into three portions , and as the presence of the slots 72 and 74 discourages accumulation of soil adjacent the reinforcing bars , the self - cleaning aspects of the horseshoe assure reduced weight at the horse &# 39 ; s hoof , and by maintaining at least a 50 ° included angle between the ribs the tendency for soil to accumulate between the ribs is reduced . of course , the spacing provided by the dividing surface 60 is also helpful in this respect . as described above , locating the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 at those locations most likely to deform the horseshoe under lateral forces permits the horseshoe to be strengthened at the most efficient locations without adding significant weight to the shoe . it is appreciated that various modifications to the inventive concepts may be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Human Necessities'? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Electricity'? | 0.25 | c43e66066077c78a1a181b632f03d571b83be9fd36b7e5deec19f32dc8b4c63f | 0.008057 | 0.00004 | 0.000261 | 0.000045 | 0.005066 | 0.000029 |
null | fig1 and 2 illustrate the form of the horseshoe blank 10 prior to being bent into the conventional c shape shown in fig7 and 8 . typically , horseshoe blanks are forged while in a linear configuration on die sets such as described in u . s . pat . no . 2 , 679 , 906 , and it is appreciated that the particular method for forming a horseshoe in accord with the invention should not be construed to limit the inventive concepts . a horseshoe utilizing the inventive concepts may be made by casting techniques as well as forging , swaging , or by other conventional metalworking processes . the blank 10 is of an elongated linear configuration usually formed of steel , or an aluminum alloy , having excellent wear characteristics . the blank 10 comprises the body 12 which includes a hoof engaging face 14 which is of a generally planar configuration , and remains planar after forming the blank into the finished c shaped configuration . the ground engaging face 16 of the body 12 is oppositely disposed to the face 14 , and the body 12 also includes an outer side 18 which becomes the convex front side of the finished horseshoe , and an inner side 20 which becomes the inner or rear side of the finished shoe . the ends 22 of the body 12 are preferably radiused as illustrated . a front central portion of the blank 10 is defined at 24 , and a rear central portion is formed at 26 . a line substantially bisecting the portions 24 and 26 defines the horseshoe longitudinal axis 28 represented in fig7 . the primary frictional engagement between the horseshoe and the earth is due to the presence of four ribs 30 , 32 , 34 and 36 , fig3 . these ribs extend the length of the body 12 , fig1 and are spaced across the width of the ground engaging face 16 between sides 18 and 20 . the rib 30 is of the greatest vertical or height dimension and constitutes a &# 34 ; grab &# 34 ; defined at the periphery of the shaped horseshoe . the apices of the ribs 30 , 32 , 34 and 36 are indicated by numerals 38 , 40 , 42 and 44 , respectively , and as will be appreciated from the drawings the rib apices are sharp for ease of ground and earth penetration . with particular reference to fig3 - 6 , the grab rib 30 is defined by the body outer side 18 which intersects the surface 46 at the apex 38 . rib 32 is formed by intersecting converging surfaces 48 and 50 , while rib 34 is defined by converging surfaces 52 and 54 and rib 36 is formed by converging and intersecting surfaces 56 and 58 . the surfaces 46 and 48 , and 54 and 56 , intersect to define a valley , and the included angle defined by these intersecting surfaces is , preferably , greater than 50 ° to facilitate self - cleaning of dirt entering these valleys . a flat dividing surface 60 is centrally formed between the body sides 18 and 20 , and is of a planar configuration parallel to the hoof engaging face 14 . the dividing surface 60 separates the ribs 32 and 34 , is not prone to trap dirt between these spaced ribs , and a plurality of nail holes 61 extend through the dividing surface 60 for receiving the nails for attaching the horseshoe to the horse &# 39 ; s hoof in the known manner . in order to reduce the weight of the blank 10 the spacing between the faces 14 and 16 is relatively small , and this reduction in mass of the body 12 weakens the strength of the horseshoe body 12 with respect to lateral forces . as the horseshoe body 12 is primarily subjected to the compressive forces resulting from the weight of the horse and rider such compressive forces perpendicular to the plane of the hoof engaging face 14 are not inclined to deform the shoe . however , lateral forces imposed upon the shoe during rapid and tight turns by the horse during barrel racing , for instance , impose such forces as to &# 34 ; open &# 34 ; the c shaped configuration of the horseshoe nailed upon the hoof . to resist such lateral deformation the horseshoe of the invention includes homogeneous reinforcing bars 62 and 64 defined upon the ground engaging face 16 . as will be apparent from fig7 the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 are located upon opposite sides of the longitudinal axis 28 , and define the termination of the front central portion 24 and the rear central portion 26 . the bars 62 and 64 are obliquely related to each other when the horseshoe is in the form of the blank 10 , fig1 in order that the reinforcing bars will be properly related to each other in the finished horseshoe c shaped configuration of fig7 . each reinforcing bar includes a front end 66 which intersects the body outer or front side 18 , and each reinforcing bar includes a rear end 68 which intersects the blank rear or inner side 20 . the free or lowermost surface 70 of the reinforcing bars is parallel to the face 14 and the surfaces 70 define the vertical dimension or height of the reinforcing bars . as will be appreciated from fig2 and 6 , the height of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 is less than the height of the outer sides 18 as defined by the face 18 and the apex 38 . the lateral sides of the reinforcing bars are represented at 71 . the oblique angles of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 as defined upon the blank 10 , fig1 are such that when the blank 10 is formed into the c configuration of fig7 the bars 62 and 64 are almost parallel to each other and the longitudinal axis 28 . this locating of the mass of the bars 62 and 64 upon opposite sides of the axis 28 , and at the region of the horseshoe wherein lateral bending and deformation are most likely to occur , reinforces the formed horseshoe at the most critical locations to prevent the &# 34 ; spreading &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; opening &# 34 ; of the horseshoe and prevents damage from being inflicted upon the horse , s hoof without adding significant mass and weight to the horseshoe . as the dirt and soil will be forced against the reinforcing bar lateral sides 71 during turning there is a tendency for the dirt to pack against the reinforcing bars . however , it has been discovered that by slotting the front outer side 18 as will be appreciated from fig2 and 8 , wherein a major slot 72 is formed on the outside of the associated reinforcing bar , and a minor slot 74 is located inside of the reinforcing bar that the presence of these slots permits the soil trapped against the reinforcing bars to fall free and render the horseshoe configuration self - cleaning adjacent the bars . the slot surfaces 76 have a height from the hoof engaging face 14 less than the height of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 as defined by the surfaces 70 , and the slots 72 are outwardly defined by the slot ends 78 while the inner slots 74 are inwardly defined by the terminating slot ends 80 . by way of example , the relationships of the various components described above , dimensionally , may be appreciated . for instance , when forging the blank 10 to form a size 2 horseshoe the overall length of the blank 10 will be approximately 13 inches , while the width of the body 12 is approximately 3 / 4 of an inch . the height dimension of the grab rib 30 as defined between the apex 38 and the face 14 is 3 / 8 of an inch , and this is the maximum height dimension of the shoe . the apices 40 , 42 and 44 lie within a common plane which is 1 / 4 of an inch from the face 14 , and the surface 70 of the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 is 5 / 16 of an inch from the face 14 . the dividing surface 60 is located 1 / 8 of an inch from the face 14 as is the intersection of the surfaces 46 and 48 , and 54 and 56 . accordingly , it will be appreciated from the above dimensions that the vertical height of the grab rib 38 is 50 % greater than the vertical height of the ribs 32 , 34 and 36 . as will be appreciated from fig3 and 6 , the surface 58 which forms the apex 44 of rib 36 also intersects the body inner side 20 , and the dimensions of the body 12 are such that the surface 58 provides additional mass &# 34 ; behind &# 34 ; the rib 36 to support the rib and strengthen the same against deformation . forming the blank 10 from its elongated configuration to the c shaped configuration of fig7 is readily accomplished within bending dies , and it will be understood that various sizes of horseshoes will use longer or shorter blanks depending on the desired final configuration . by making the shoe 3 / 4 of an inch wide between sides 18 and 20 the shoe tends to float on soft sandy surfaces , and by using sharp apices on the ribs excellent traction is provided on harder ground . as the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 divide the ground engaging face 16 into three portions , and as the presence of the slots 72 and 74 discourages accumulation of soil adjacent the reinforcing bars , the self - cleaning aspects of the horseshoe assure reduced weight at the horse &# 39 ; s hoof , and by maintaining at least a 50 ° included angle between the ribs the tendency for soil to accumulate between the ribs is reduced . of course , the spacing provided by the dividing surface 60 is also helpful in this respect . as described above , locating the reinforcing bars 62 and 64 at those locations most likely to deform the horseshoe under lateral forces permits the horseshoe to be strengthened at the most efficient locations without adding significant weight to the shoe . it is appreciated that various modifications to the inventive concepts may be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Human Necessities'? | Is 'General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | c43e66066077c78a1a181b632f03d571b83be9fd36b7e5deec19f32dc8b4c63f | 0.005554 | 0.115723 | 0.000805 | 0.136719 | 0.001701 | 0.106934 |
null | this description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings , which are to be considered part of the entire written description . in the description , relative terms such as “ lower ,” “ upper ,” “ horizontal ,” “ vertical ,” “ above ,” “ below ,” “ up ,” “ down ,” “ top ” and “ bottom ” as well as derivatives thereof ( e . g ., “ horizontally ,” “ downwardly ,” “ upwardly ,” etc .) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion . these relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation . terms concerning attachments , coupling and the like , such as “ connected ” and “ interconnected ,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures , as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships , unless expressly described otherwise . reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings , wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout . the present folding stock adapter can be used to modify a military - style assault rifle using only the folding stock adapter , along with the rifle &# 39 ; s standard stock , receiver , buffer , bolt carrier and action spring so that its stock can be configured to fold against the rifle &# 39 ; s receiver , reducing the length of the weapon by nearly the full length of the stock . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter can comprise a non - moving ( in relation to the receiver ) section , ( referred to hereinafter as the “ dead hinge section ”) connected by a hinged joint to a moving section ( in relation to the receiver ), ( referred to hereinafter as the “ live hinge section ”). the dead hinge section can be connected to the receiver of a typical military - style assault rifle by placing a threaded flange through the dead hinge section and screwing the threaded flange into a rear threaded section comprising many receivers . similarly , the live hinge section can be connected to the stock of the assault rifle by screwing a receiver extension , such as those that typically comprise the stocks of most military - style assault weapons , into a threaded opening comprising the live hinge section . when the dead hinge section comprising the present folding stock adapter is connected to the receiver and the live hinge section is connected to the rifle &# 39 ; s stock , the stock can be folded flat against the receiver when the folding stock adapter is in an open position . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter can comprise a button or latch , which can be pressed in order to release the dead hinge section from the live hinge section , allowing the folding stock adapter to be moved from a closed position to an open position in order to fold the stock . additionally , the present folding stock adapter also comprises a bolt carrier extension , which can compensate for the additional length added by the live hinge section and the dead hinge section buffer and bolt carrier can maintain proper contact and communication between them . the present folding stock adapter can be configured for use with multiple types of military - style assault rifles , including , but not limited to the m - 16 , m - 4 , ar - 15 , sr - 25 , m - 110 , ar - 10 and hk - 416 , among others . the present folding stock adapter can be composed in full or in part of various metals , including , but not limited to , aluminum , steel , or any other alloys , plastics , carbon fiber , composites , or any other suitable materials known to those of ordinary skill in the art of firearm manufacturing . fig1 a is an exploded rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 and a receiver 101 , such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . ( the receiver 101 shown in fig1 a , 2 , 3 , 4 , and 5 represents prior art , which is not part of the present folding stock adapter , but is shown only to provide a familiar point of reference .) in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 , as depicted in fig1 a , can be comprised of a dead hinge section 102 and a live hinge section 112 , wherein the dead hinge section 102 can be connected to the receiver 101 and the live hinge section 112 can be connected to a receiver extension ( not shown in fig1 a ) comprising the stock of the rifle . ( neither the receiver extension nor the stock comprise any part of the present folding stock adapter , but are standard parts comprising many military - style assault rifles .) in an embodiment , the dead hinge section tube 103 can comprise a first dead hinge section side 121 , a second dead hinge section side 122 , and a circular dead hinge section opening 123 within a dead hinge section tube 103 . the first dead hinge section side 121 can be configured to be secured to the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 . the second dead hinge section side 122 can be configured to be connected to the live hinge section 112 and abut against the live hinge section 112 when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed configuration . in an embodiment , the second dead hinge section side 122 can comprise an indentation 127 configured to accept a connecting tab ( not visible in fig1 ) comprising the live hinge section 112 , which can be used to secure the present folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position . in an embodiment , the dead hinge section 102 can comprise a circular dead hinge section opening 123 configured to allow a threaded flange 104 to pass mostly through the circular dead hinge section opening 123 . the threaded flange 104 can comprise a threaded body 145 which can be configured to be screwed into the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 , where a receiver extension ( not shown in fig1 a ) would typically connect to the receiver 101 . the threaded flange 104 can also comprise a head 114 , which can be configured to abut up against a raised lip 146 located within the dead hinge section opening 123 . when the threaded flange 104 is screwed into the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 , the dead hinge section 102 can be placed against , and connected to the receiver 101 . the threaded flange 104 can also comprise slots 107 , which can be used to facilitate turning the threaded flange 104 , in order to screw it into the rear threaded section of the receiver 101 . the force of the head 114 against the raised lip 146 can securely connect the dead hinge side 102 to the receiver 101 , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the dead hinge section 102 can also comprise a slot 125 configured to receive a locking button assembly 105 that can extend through the dead hinge section 102 . a button 150 , comprising the locking button assembly 105 can extend through the slot 125 comprising the dead hinge section 102 and pass out of the opposite side ( not shown in fig1 a ) of the dead hinge section 102 so that it can be pushed by a user &# 39 ; s thumb or finger . pressing the button 150 into the slot 125 , can thus actuate the locking button assembly 105 . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can be spring - loaded through use of a locking button spring 115 in order to hold the button 150 in a locked position until the button 150 is pressed into the slot 125 and into an unlocked position . in an embodiment , the button 150 can be pressed in order to allow the live hinge section 112 to pivot about the dead hinge section 102 between an open position and a closed position using a hinged joint comprised of a hinge pivot 138 and two hinge tabs 134 joined by a hinge pin 139 . in an embodiment , the hinged joint can comprise one or more stays configure to hold the stock in either an open position or a closed position until a force sufficient to overcome the stay is applied to the hinged joint . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can further comprise a button cover 151 , which can be used to retain the remaining parts of the locking button assembly 105 through the use of a setscrew 118 , which can connect the locking button assembly 105 to the dead hinge section 102 . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can comprise a tab 108 , which can extend through the slot 125 and into the dead hinge section opening 123 comprising the dead hinge section 102 . this tab 108 can act as a stay , which can be configured to prevent the bolt carrier assembly 180 from falling out of the receiver 101 when the folding stock adapter 100 is in an open ( folded ) position . this tab 108 can be configured to move into the slot when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position thus allowing the action spring and buffer unobstructed access to the bolt carrier extension 170 and bolt carrier assembly 180 . in an embodiment , the live hinge section 112 can comprise a first live hinge side 130 and a second live hinge side 131 . when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position , the first live hinge side 130 of the live hinge section 112 can be placed against the second dead hinge side 122 of the dead hinge section 102 . the live hinge section 112 can further comprise two hinge tabs 134 , which can be connected to the hinge pivot 138 comprising the dead hinge section 102 . in an embodiment , the live hinge section 112 can also comprise an aligning indentation 133 which can match the aligning indentation 163 located on the rear section of the receiver 101 . this aligning indentation 133 can be used to align the stock ( not shown in fig1 a ) against the second live hinge side 131 by using an aligning tab on the stock ( not shown in fig1 a ), which can be configured to fit within the aligning indentation 133 . a rifle can be connected to the live hinge section 112 by screwing a standard receiver extension comprising the rifle stock into a threaded circular receiver hole 132 , which can be configured to allow an action spring and buffer ( not pictured ) to contact the bolt carrier extension 170 . ( note that although threaded connections are used to connect the dead hinge 102 to the receiver 101 and the stock of the weapon to the live hinge section 112 , various alternative types of connectors could be used to facilitate these connections .) the folding stock adapter can be configured so that when the dead hinge side 102 is connected to rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 by the threaded flange 104 , and the live hinge section 112 is abutted against the dead hinge section 102 , thus forming a continuous opening from the receiver 101 to the receiver extension , which can allow the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 a ) to contact the bolt carrier extension 170 in order to actuate the bolt carrier assembly 180 . the bolt carrier assembly 180 , comprising typical military - style assault rifles is actuated by the action spring and buffer , which are pushed backward by gas pressure produced by a cartridge when it is fired then moves forward when the gas pressure subsides . this back and forth , reciprocating motion allows the weapon to eject spent cartridges and chamber new ones thus preparing the weapon to re - fire with each cycle . fig1 b is an exploded rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a bolt carrier assembly 180 , including a bolt carrier extension 170 , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can also comprise a bolt carrier extension 170 , which can be connected to the bolt carrier assembly 180 thus extending its length . this extension in length can compensate for the length added to the rifle by the addition of the folding stock adapter 100 ensuring that the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 b ) can still properly actuate the bolt carrier assembly 180 . in an embodiment , the bolt carrier extension 170 can comprise a tapered end 172 configured to fit within an opening 182 comprising the bolt carrier assembly 180 . the bolt carrier extension 170 can also comprise a head end 171 configured to contact , and be actuated by the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 b ). the head end 171 can comprise one or more cutout sections 174 , the purpose and function of which will be described below . fig1 c is a rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a bolt carrier assembly 180 connected to a bolt carrier extension 170 according to an embodiment . this view shows how the bolt carrier assembly 180 would appear if the tapered end 172 ( not shown in fig1 c ) of the bolt carrier extension 170 was to be placed into the opening 182 comprising the bolt carrier assembly 180 shown in fig1 b . fig2 is an exploded front , top and side perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 and a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the first live hinge side 130 of the live hinge section 112 can comprise a locking tab 135 which can be configured to be received by the indentation 120 ( shown in fig1 a ) comprising the dead hinge section side 122 . when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position , the locking tab 135 can be inserted into the indentation 120 and the tab retainer 520 ( not shown in fig2 , but shown in fig5 ) comprising the locking button assembly 105 can be inserted into the locking tab hole 136 in order to lock the folding stock adapter 100 into a closed position likewise , the tab retainer 520 comprising the button 150 can be removed from the locking tab hole 136 , by pressing in the button 150 , in order to allow the folding stock adapter 100 to be placed into an open position thus allowing the stock to be folded against the receiver 101 . in an embodiment , the threaded circular receiver hole 132 can comprise a threaded hole 225 , configured to be connected to a buffer retaining pin 220 , which can prevent the buffer and action spring ( not shown in fig2 ) from being accidentally removed from the receiver extension ( not shown in fig2 ). the cutout sections 174 ( shown in fig1 b ) comprising the head end 171 of the bolt carrier extension 170 can be configured to allow the bolt carrier extension 170 to pass over the buffer retaining pin 220 so as to facilitate contact with the buffer and action spring . fig3 is a perspective rear , side , and bottom view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be placed into a closed position wherein two hinge tabs 134 can be rotated about the hinge pivot 138 , connected by a hinge pin 139 ( not visible in fig3 ), in order to place the live hinge section 112 against the dead hinge section 102 . in this closed position , the receiver 101 can be placed into alignment with the stock ( not pictured in fig3 ) allowing the bolt carrier extension 170 to pass through the threaded circular receiver hole 132 , the circular flange hole 141 ( see fig1 a ), and the circular dead hinge section opening 123 ( see fig1 a ). when the folding stock adapter 100 is in this closed position , the receiver 101 and stock are lined up in a functional position and the weapon can be fired normally . fig4 is a perspective rear , side , and top view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be in a closed position wherein the locking tab 135 ( not pictured in fig4 ) comprising the live hinge section 112 can be inserted into the indentation 120 ( not pictured in fig4 ) comprising the dead hinge section 102 so that the dead hinge section 102 and the live hinge section 112 can be held together to allow the weapon to be fired . the button 150 can be pressed to release the live hinge section 112 and allow the stock ( not viewable in fig4 ) to be folded against the receiver 101 . the dead hinge section 102 can comprise a raised shroud 126 which can help prevent the accidental activation of the button 150 . fig5 is a perspective rear , side , and top view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be in an open position wherein the button 150 has been pressed and the locking tab 135 on the live hinge section 112 has been released from the dead hinge section 102 . the dead hinge section 102 remains attached to the receiver 101 while the live hinge section 112 is free to rotate about the hinge assembly 505 . as the live hinge section 112 is attached to the stock ( not shown in fig5 ), the stock can also rotate around to one side of the receiver 101 , allowing the overall length of the weapon to be reduced by nearly the entire length of the stock . fig6 a is a top and side perspective view drawing of a military - style assault rifle 600 comprising a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed ( fully functional ) position , according to an embodiment . the buffer and action spring can be located within the receiver extension 610 comprising the stock 620 . fig6 b is a top and side perspective view drawing of a military - style assault rifle 600 , comprising a folding stock adapter 100 , in an open ( folded ) position , according to an embodiment . this drawing , when viewed in comparison to fig6 a , clearly illustrates the reduction of the rifle &# 39 ; s 600 overall length , when the stock is in the folded position allowed by the folding stock adapter 100 . fig7 a is a side , bottom and rear perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position , according to an embodiment . fig7 b is a side , top and rear perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 , in an open position , according to an embodiment . fig7 a and 7b clearly depict the parts that comprise the present folding stock adapter 100 absent any rifle parts to be connected to the adapter . in particular , fig7 b clearly shows the tab retainer 520 located within the indentation 120 , which can retain the locking tab 135 . fig8 is an exploded side and rear perspective view drawing of a standard rifle stock 820 ( prior art ), receiver extension 810 ( prior art ), action spring 840 ( prior art ), buffer 830 ( prior art ), bolt carrier extension 170 , and live hinge section 112 , according to an embodiment . although the invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments , it is not limited thereto . rather , the appended claims should be construed broadly , to include other variants and embodiments of the invention , which may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and range of equivalents of the invention . | Is 'Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting' the correct technical category for the patent? | Is 'Human Necessities' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | 28344a03c0e7561ec24422d8985a1477f7ec53a3c784e29025ff2452bb28d1d4 | 0.00885 | 0.005066 | 0.002548 | 0.000075 | 0.03418 | 0.001549 |
null | this description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings , which are to be considered part of the entire written description . in the description , relative terms such as “ lower ,” “ upper ,” “ horizontal ,” “ vertical ,” “ above ,” “ below ,” “ up ,” “ down ,” “ top ” and “ bottom ” as well as derivatives thereof ( e . g ., “ horizontally ,” “ downwardly ,” “ upwardly ,” etc .) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion . these relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation . terms concerning attachments , coupling and the like , such as “ connected ” and “ interconnected ,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures , as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships , unless expressly described otherwise . reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings , wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout . the present folding stock adapter can be used to modify a military - style assault rifle using only the folding stock adapter , along with the rifle &# 39 ; s standard stock , receiver , buffer , bolt carrier and action spring so that its stock can be configured to fold against the rifle &# 39 ; s receiver , reducing the length of the weapon by nearly the full length of the stock . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter can comprise a non - moving ( in relation to the receiver ) section , ( referred to hereinafter as the “ dead hinge section ”) connected by a hinged joint to a moving section ( in relation to the receiver ), ( referred to hereinafter as the “ live hinge section ”). the dead hinge section can be connected to the receiver of a typical military - style assault rifle by placing a threaded flange through the dead hinge section and screwing the threaded flange into a rear threaded section comprising many receivers . similarly , the live hinge section can be connected to the stock of the assault rifle by screwing a receiver extension , such as those that typically comprise the stocks of most military - style assault weapons , into a threaded opening comprising the live hinge section . when the dead hinge section comprising the present folding stock adapter is connected to the receiver and the live hinge section is connected to the rifle &# 39 ; s stock , the stock can be folded flat against the receiver when the folding stock adapter is in an open position . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter can comprise a button or latch , which can be pressed in order to release the dead hinge section from the live hinge section , allowing the folding stock adapter to be moved from a closed position to an open position in order to fold the stock . additionally , the present folding stock adapter also comprises a bolt carrier extension , which can compensate for the additional length added by the live hinge section and the dead hinge section buffer and bolt carrier can maintain proper contact and communication between them . the present folding stock adapter can be configured for use with multiple types of military - style assault rifles , including , but not limited to the m - 16 , m - 4 , ar - 15 , sr - 25 , m - 110 , ar - 10 and hk - 416 , among others . the present folding stock adapter can be composed in full or in part of various metals , including , but not limited to , aluminum , steel , or any other alloys , plastics , carbon fiber , composites , or any other suitable materials known to those of ordinary skill in the art of firearm manufacturing . fig1 a is an exploded rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 and a receiver 101 , such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . ( the receiver 101 shown in fig1 a , 2 , 3 , 4 , and 5 represents prior art , which is not part of the present folding stock adapter , but is shown only to provide a familiar point of reference .) in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 , as depicted in fig1 a , can be comprised of a dead hinge section 102 and a live hinge section 112 , wherein the dead hinge section 102 can be connected to the receiver 101 and the live hinge section 112 can be connected to a receiver extension ( not shown in fig1 a ) comprising the stock of the rifle . ( neither the receiver extension nor the stock comprise any part of the present folding stock adapter , but are standard parts comprising many military - style assault rifles .) in an embodiment , the dead hinge section tube 103 can comprise a first dead hinge section side 121 , a second dead hinge section side 122 , and a circular dead hinge section opening 123 within a dead hinge section tube 103 . the first dead hinge section side 121 can be configured to be secured to the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 . the second dead hinge section side 122 can be configured to be connected to the live hinge section 112 and abut against the live hinge section 112 when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed configuration . in an embodiment , the second dead hinge section side 122 can comprise an indentation 127 configured to accept a connecting tab ( not visible in fig1 ) comprising the live hinge section 112 , which can be used to secure the present folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position . in an embodiment , the dead hinge section 102 can comprise a circular dead hinge section opening 123 configured to allow a threaded flange 104 to pass mostly through the circular dead hinge section opening 123 . the threaded flange 104 can comprise a threaded body 145 which can be configured to be screwed into the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 , where a receiver extension ( not shown in fig1 a ) would typically connect to the receiver 101 . the threaded flange 104 can also comprise a head 114 , which can be configured to abut up against a raised lip 146 located within the dead hinge section opening 123 . when the threaded flange 104 is screwed into the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 , the dead hinge section 102 can be placed against , and connected to the receiver 101 . the threaded flange 104 can also comprise slots 107 , which can be used to facilitate turning the threaded flange 104 , in order to screw it into the rear threaded section of the receiver 101 . the force of the head 114 against the raised lip 146 can securely connect the dead hinge side 102 to the receiver 101 , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the dead hinge section 102 can also comprise a slot 125 configured to receive a locking button assembly 105 that can extend through the dead hinge section 102 . a button 150 , comprising the locking button assembly 105 can extend through the slot 125 comprising the dead hinge section 102 and pass out of the opposite side ( not shown in fig1 a ) of the dead hinge section 102 so that it can be pushed by a user &# 39 ; s thumb or finger . pressing the button 150 into the slot 125 , can thus actuate the locking button assembly 105 . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can be spring - loaded through use of a locking button spring 115 in order to hold the button 150 in a locked position until the button 150 is pressed into the slot 125 and into an unlocked position . in an embodiment , the button 150 can be pressed in order to allow the live hinge section 112 to pivot about the dead hinge section 102 between an open position and a closed position using a hinged joint comprised of a hinge pivot 138 and two hinge tabs 134 joined by a hinge pin 139 . in an embodiment , the hinged joint can comprise one or more stays configure to hold the stock in either an open position or a closed position until a force sufficient to overcome the stay is applied to the hinged joint . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can further comprise a button cover 151 , which can be used to retain the remaining parts of the locking button assembly 105 through the use of a setscrew 118 , which can connect the locking button assembly 105 to the dead hinge section 102 . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can comprise a tab 108 , which can extend through the slot 125 and into the dead hinge section opening 123 comprising the dead hinge section 102 . this tab 108 can act as a stay , which can be configured to prevent the bolt carrier assembly 180 from falling out of the receiver 101 when the folding stock adapter 100 is in an open ( folded ) position . this tab 108 can be configured to move into the slot when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position thus allowing the action spring and buffer unobstructed access to the bolt carrier extension 170 and bolt carrier assembly 180 . in an embodiment , the live hinge section 112 can comprise a first live hinge side 130 and a second live hinge side 131 . when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position , the first live hinge side 130 of the live hinge section 112 can be placed against the second dead hinge side 122 of the dead hinge section 102 . the live hinge section 112 can further comprise two hinge tabs 134 , which can be connected to the hinge pivot 138 comprising the dead hinge section 102 . in an embodiment , the live hinge section 112 can also comprise an aligning indentation 133 which can match the aligning indentation 163 located on the rear section of the receiver 101 . this aligning indentation 133 can be used to align the stock ( not shown in fig1 a ) against the second live hinge side 131 by using an aligning tab on the stock ( not shown in fig1 a ), which can be configured to fit within the aligning indentation 133 . a rifle can be connected to the live hinge section 112 by screwing a standard receiver extension comprising the rifle stock into a threaded circular receiver hole 132 , which can be configured to allow an action spring and buffer ( not pictured ) to contact the bolt carrier extension 170 . ( note that although threaded connections are used to connect the dead hinge 102 to the receiver 101 and the stock of the weapon to the live hinge section 112 , various alternative types of connectors could be used to facilitate these connections .) the folding stock adapter can be configured so that when the dead hinge side 102 is connected to rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 by the threaded flange 104 , and the live hinge section 112 is abutted against the dead hinge section 102 , thus forming a continuous opening from the receiver 101 to the receiver extension , which can allow the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 a ) to contact the bolt carrier extension 170 in order to actuate the bolt carrier assembly 180 . the bolt carrier assembly 180 , comprising typical military - style assault rifles is actuated by the action spring and buffer , which are pushed backward by gas pressure produced by a cartridge when it is fired then moves forward when the gas pressure subsides . this back and forth , reciprocating motion allows the weapon to eject spent cartridges and chamber new ones thus preparing the weapon to re - fire with each cycle . fig1 b is an exploded rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a bolt carrier assembly 180 , including a bolt carrier extension 170 , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can also comprise a bolt carrier extension 170 , which can be connected to the bolt carrier assembly 180 thus extending its length . this extension in length can compensate for the length added to the rifle by the addition of the folding stock adapter 100 ensuring that the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 b ) can still properly actuate the bolt carrier assembly 180 . in an embodiment , the bolt carrier extension 170 can comprise a tapered end 172 configured to fit within an opening 182 comprising the bolt carrier assembly 180 . the bolt carrier extension 170 can also comprise a head end 171 configured to contact , and be actuated by the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 b ). the head end 171 can comprise one or more cutout sections 174 , the purpose and function of which will be described below . fig1 c is a rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a bolt carrier assembly 180 connected to a bolt carrier extension 170 according to an embodiment . this view shows how the bolt carrier assembly 180 would appear if the tapered end 172 ( not shown in fig1 c ) of the bolt carrier extension 170 was to be placed into the opening 182 comprising the bolt carrier assembly 180 shown in fig1 b . fig2 is an exploded front , top and side perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 and a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the first live hinge side 130 of the live hinge section 112 can comprise a locking tab 135 which can be configured to be received by the indentation 120 ( shown in fig1 a ) comprising the dead hinge section side 122 . when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position , the locking tab 135 can be inserted into the indentation 120 and the tab retainer 520 ( not shown in fig2 , but shown in fig5 ) comprising the locking button assembly 105 can be inserted into the locking tab hole 136 in order to lock the folding stock adapter 100 into a closed position likewise , the tab retainer 520 comprising the button 150 can be removed from the locking tab hole 136 , by pressing in the button 150 , in order to allow the folding stock adapter 100 to be placed into an open position thus allowing the stock to be folded against the receiver 101 . in an embodiment , the threaded circular receiver hole 132 can comprise a threaded hole 225 , configured to be connected to a buffer retaining pin 220 , which can prevent the buffer and action spring ( not shown in fig2 ) from being accidentally removed from the receiver extension ( not shown in fig2 ). the cutout sections 174 ( shown in fig1 b ) comprising the head end 171 of the bolt carrier extension 170 can be configured to allow the bolt carrier extension 170 to pass over the buffer retaining pin 220 so as to facilitate contact with the buffer and action spring . fig3 is a perspective rear , side , and bottom view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be placed into a closed position wherein two hinge tabs 134 can be rotated about the hinge pivot 138 , connected by a hinge pin 139 ( not visible in fig3 ), in order to place the live hinge section 112 against the dead hinge section 102 . in this closed position , the receiver 101 can be placed into alignment with the stock ( not pictured in fig3 ) allowing the bolt carrier extension 170 to pass through the threaded circular receiver hole 132 , the circular flange hole 141 ( see fig1 a ), and the circular dead hinge section opening 123 ( see fig1 a ). when the folding stock adapter 100 is in this closed position , the receiver 101 and stock are lined up in a functional position and the weapon can be fired normally . fig4 is a perspective rear , side , and top view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be in a closed position wherein the locking tab 135 ( not pictured in fig4 ) comprising the live hinge section 112 can be inserted into the indentation 120 ( not pictured in fig4 ) comprising the dead hinge section 102 so that the dead hinge section 102 and the live hinge section 112 can be held together to allow the weapon to be fired . the button 150 can be pressed to release the live hinge section 112 and allow the stock ( not viewable in fig4 ) to be folded against the receiver 101 . the dead hinge section 102 can comprise a raised shroud 126 which can help prevent the accidental activation of the button 150 . fig5 is a perspective rear , side , and top view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be in an open position wherein the button 150 has been pressed and the locking tab 135 on the live hinge section 112 has been released from the dead hinge section 102 . the dead hinge section 102 remains attached to the receiver 101 while the live hinge section 112 is free to rotate about the hinge assembly 505 . as the live hinge section 112 is attached to the stock ( not shown in fig5 ), the stock can also rotate around to one side of the receiver 101 , allowing the overall length of the weapon to be reduced by nearly the entire length of the stock . fig6 a is a top and side perspective view drawing of a military - style assault rifle 600 comprising a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed ( fully functional ) position , according to an embodiment . the buffer and action spring can be located within the receiver extension 610 comprising the stock 620 . fig6 b is a top and side perspective view drawing of a military - style assault rifle 600 , comprising a folding stock adapter 100 , in an open ( folded ) position , according to an embodiment . this drawing , when viewed in comparison to fig6 a , clearly illustrates the reduction of the rifle &# 39 ; s 600 overall length , when the stock is in the folded position allowed by the folding stock adapter 100 . fig7 a is a side , bottom and rear perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position , according to an embodiment . fig7 b is a side , top and rear perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 , in an open position , according to an embodiment . fig7 a and 7b clearly depict the parts that comprise the present folding stock adapter 100 absent any rifle parts to be connected to the adapter . in particular , fig7 b clearly shows the tab retainer 520 located within the indentation 120 , which can retain the locking tab 135 . fig8 is an exploded side and rear perspective view drawing of a standard rifle stock 820 ( prior art ), receiver extension 810 ( prior art ), action spring 840 ( prior art ), buffer 830 ( prior art ), bolt carrier extension 170 , and live hinge section 112 , according to an embodiment . although the invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments , it is not limited thereto . rather , the appended claims should be construed broadly , to include other variants and embodiments of the invention , which may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and range of equivalents of the invention . | Is 'Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting' the correct technical category for the patent? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Performing Operations; Transporting'? | 0.25 | 28344a03c0e7561ec24422d8985a1477f7ec53a3c784e29025ff2452bb28d1d4 | 0.00885 | 0.022583 | 0.002548 | 0.005066 | 0.03418 | 0.026001 |
null | this description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings , which are to be considered part of the entire written description . in the description , relative terms such as “ lower ,” “ upper ,” “ horizontal ,” “ vertical ,” “ above ,” “ below ,” “ up ,” “ down ,” “ top ” and “ bottom ” as well as derivatives thereof ( e . g ., “ horizontally ,” “ downwardly ,” “ upwardly ,” etc .) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion . these relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation . terms concerning attachments , coupling and the like , such as “ connected ” and “ interconnected ,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures , as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships , unless expressly described otherwise . reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings , wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout . the present folding stock adapter can be used to modify a military - style assault rifle using only the folding stock adapter , along with the rifle &# 39 ; s standard stock , receiver , buffer , bolt carrier and action spring so that its stock can be configured to fold against the rifle &# 39 ; s receiver , reducing the length of the weapon by nearly the full length of the stock . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter can comprise a non - moving ( in relation to the receiver ) section , ( referred to hereinafter as the “ dead hinge section ”) connected by a hinged joint to a moving section ( in relation to the receiver ), ( referred to hereinafter as the “ live hinge section ”). the dead hinge section can be connected to the receiver of a typical military - style assault rifle by placing a threaded flange through the dead hinge section and screwing the threaded flange into a rear threaded section comprising many receivers . similarly , the live hinge section can be connected to the stock of the assault rifle by screwing a receiver extension , such as those that typically comprise the stocks of most military - style assault weapons , into a threaded opening comprising the live hinge section . when the dead hinge section comprising the present folding stock adapter is connected to the receiver and the live hinge section is connected to the rifle &# 39 ; s stock , the stock can be folded flat against the receiver when the folding stock adapter is in an open position . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter can comprise a button or latch , which can be pressed in order to release the dead hinge section from the live hinge section , allowing the folding stock adapter to be moved from a closed position to an open position in order to fold the stock . additionally , the present folding stock adapter also comprises a bolt carrier extension , which can compensate for the additional length added by the live hinge section and the dead hinge section buffer and bolt carrier can maintain proper contact and communication between them . the present folding stock adapter can be configured for use with multiple types of military - style assault rifles , including , but not limited to the m - 16 , m - 4 , ar - 15 , sr - 25 , m - 110 , ar - 10 and hk - 416 , among others . the present folding stock adapter can be composed in full or in part of various metals , including , but not limited to , aluminum , steel , or any other alloys , plastics , carbon fiber , composites , or any other suitable materials known to those of ordinary skill in the art of firearm manufacturing . fig1 a is an exploded rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 and a receiver 101 , such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . ( the receiver 101 shown in fig1 a , 2 , 3 , 4 , and 5 represents prior art , which is not part of the present folding stock adapter , but is shown only to provide a familiar point of reference .) in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 , as depicted in fig1 a , can be comprised of a dead hinge section 102 and a live hinge section 112 , wherein the dead hinge section 102 can be connected to the receiver 101 and the live hinge section 112 can be connected to a receiver extension ( not shown in fig1 a ) comprising the stock of the rifle . ( neither the receiver extension nor the stock comprise any part of the present folding stock adapter , but are standard parts comprising many military - style assault rifles .) in an embodiment , the dead hinge section tube 103 can comprise a first dead hinge section side 121 , a second dead hinge section side 122 , and a circular dead hinge section opening 123 within a dead hinge section tube 103 . the first dead hinge section side 121 can be configured to be secured to the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 . the second dead hinge section side 122 can be configured to be connected to the live hinge section 112 and abut against the live hinge section 112 when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed configuration . in an embodiment , the second dead hinge section side 122 can comprise an indentation 127 configured to accept a connecting tab ( not visible in fig1 ) comprising the live hinge section 112 , which can be used to secure the present folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position . in an embodiment , the dead hinge section 102 can comprise a circular dead hinge section opening 123 configured to allow a threaded flange 104 to pass mostly through the circular dead hinge section opening 123 . the threaded flange 104 can comprise a threaded body 145 which can be configured to be screwed into the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 , where a receiver extension ( not shown in fig1 a ) would typically connect to the receiver 101 . the threaded flange 104 can also comprise a head 114 , which can be configured to abut up against a raised lip 146 located within the dead hinge section opening 123 . when the threaded flange 104 is screwed into the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 , the dead hinge section 102 can be placed against , and connected to the receiver 101 . the threaded flange 104 can also comprise slots 107 , which can be used to facilitate turning the threaded flange 104 , in order to screw it into the rear threaded section of the receiver 101 . the force of the head 114 against the raised lip 146 can securely connect the dead hinge side 102 to the receiver 101 , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the dead hinge section 102 can also comprise a slot 125 configured to receive a locking button assembly 105 that can extend through the dead hinge section 102 . a button 150 , comprising the locking button assembly 105 can extend through the slot 125 comprising the dead hinge section 102 and pass out of the opposite side ( not shown in fig1 a ) of the dead hinge section 102 so that it can be pushed by a user &# 39 ; s thumb or finger . pressing the button 150 into the slot 125 , can thus actuate the locking button assembly 105 . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can be spring - loaded through use of a locking button spring 115 in order to hold the button 150 in a locked position until the button 150 is pressed into the slot 125 and into an unlocked position . in an embodiment , the button 150 can be pressed in order to allow the live hinge section 112 to pivot about the dead hinge section 102 between an open position and a closed position using a hinged joint comprised of a hinge pivot 138 and two hinge tabs 134 joined by a hinge pin 139 . in an embodiment , the hinged joint can comprise one or more stays configure to hold the stock in either an open position or a closed position until a force sufficient to overcome the stay is applied to the hinged joint . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can further comprise a button cover 151 , which can be used to retain the remaining parts of the locking button assembly 105 through the use of a setscrew 118 , which can connect the locking button assembly 105 to the dead hinge section 102 . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can comprise a tab 108 , which can extend through the slot 125 and into the dead hinge section opening 123 comprising the dead hinge section 102 . this tab 108 can act as a stay , which can be configured to prevent the bolt carrier assembly 180 from falling out of the receiver 101 when the folding stock adapter 100 is in an open ( folded ) position . this tab 108 can be configured to move into the slot when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position thus allowing the action spring and buffer unobstructed access to the bolt carrier extension 170 and bolt carrier assembly 180 . in an embodiment , the live hinge section 112 can comprise a first live hinge side 130 and a second live hinge side 131 . when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position , the first live hinge side 130 of the live hinge section 112 can be placed against the second dead hinge side 122 of the dead hinge section 102 . the live hinge section 112 can further comprise two hinge tabs 134 , which can be connected to the hinge pivot 138 comprising the dead hinge section 102 . in an embodiment , the live hinge section 112 can also comprise an aligning indentation 133 which can match the aligning indentation 163 located on the rear section of the receiver 101 . this aligning indentation 133 can be used to align the stock ( not shown in fig1 a ) against the second live hinge side 131 by using an aligning tab on the stock ( not shown in fig1 a ), which can be configured to fit within the aligning indentation 133 . a rifle can be connected to the live hinge section 112 by screwing a standard receiver extension comprising the rifle stock into a threaded circular receiver hole 132 , which can be configured to allow an action spring and buffer ( not pictured ) to contact the bolt carrier extension 170 . ( note that although threaded connections are used to connect the dead hinge 102 to the receiver 101 and the stock of the weapon to the live hinge section 112 , various alternative types of connectors could be used to facilitate these connections .) the folding stock adapter can be configured so that when the dead hinge side 102 is connected to rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 by the threaded flange 104 , and the live hinge section 112 is abutted against the dead hinge section 102 , thus forming a continuous opening from the receiver 101 to the receiver extension , which can allow the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 a ) to contact the bolt carrier extension 170 in order to actuate the bolt carrier assembly 180 . the bolt carrier assembly 180 , comprising typical military - style assault rifles is actuated by the action spring and buffer , which are pushed backward by gas pressure produced by a cartridge when it is fired then moves forward when the gas pressure subsides . this back and forth , reciprocating motion allows the weapon to eject spent cartridges and chamber new ones thus preparing the weapon to re - fire with each cycle . fig1 b is an exploded rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a bolt carrier assembly 180 , including a bolt carrier extension 170 , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can also comprise a bolt carrier extension 170 , which can be connected to the bolt carrier assembly 180 thus extending its length . this extension in length can compensate for the length added to the rifle by the addition of the folding stock adapter 100 ensuring that the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 b ) can still properly actuate the bolt carrier assembly 180 . in an embodiment , the bolt carrier extension 170 can comprise a tapered end 172 configured to fit within an opening 182 comprising the bolt carrier assembly 180 . the bolt carrier extension 170 can also comprise a head end 171 configured to contact , and be actuated by the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 b ). the head end 171 can comprise one or more cutout sections 174 , the purpose and function of which will be described below . fig1 c is a rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a bolt carrier assembly 180 connected to a bolt carrier extension 170 according to an embodiment . this view shows how the bolt carrier assembly 180 would appear if the tapered end 172 ( not shown in fig1 c ) of the bolt carrier extension 170 was to be placed into the opening 182 comprising the bolt carrier assembly 180 shown in fig1 b . fig2 is an exploded front , top and side perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 and a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the first live hinge side 130 of the live hinge section 112 can comprise a locking tab 135 which can be configured to be received by the indentation 120 ( shown in fig1 a ) comprising the dead hinge section side 122 . when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position , the locking tab 135 can be inserted into the indentation 120 and the tab retainer 520 ( not shown in fig2 , but shown in fig5 ) comprising the locking button assembly 105 can be inserted into the locking tab hole 136 in order to lock the folding stock adapter 100 into a closed position likewise , the tab retainer 520 comprising the button 150 can be removed from the locking tab hole 136 , by pressing in the button 150 , in order to allow the folding stock adapter 100 to be placed into an open position thus allowing the stock to be folded against the receiver 101 . in an embodiment , the threaded circular receiver hole 132 can comprise a threaded hole 225 , configured to be connected to a buffer retaining pin 220 , which can prevent the buffer and action spring ( not shown in fig2 ) from being accidentally removed from the receiver extension ( not shown in fig2 ). the cutout sections 174 ( shown in fig1 b ) comprising the head end 171 of the bolt carrier extension 170 can be configured to allow the bolt carrier extension 170 to pass over the buffer retaining pin 220 so as to facilitate contact with the buffer and action spring . fig3 is a perspective rear , side , and bottom view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be placed into a closed position wherein two hinge tabs 134 can be rotated about the hinge pivot 138 , connected by a hinge pin 139 ( not visible in fig3 ), in order to place the live hinge section 112 against the dead hinge section 102 . in this closed position , the receiver 101 can be placed into alignment with the stock ( not pictured in fig3 ) allowing the bolt carrier extension 170 to pass through the threaded circular receiver hole 132 , the circular flange hole 141 ( see fig1 a ), and the circular dead hinge section opening 123 ( see fig1 a ). when the folding stock adapter 100 is in this closed position , the receiver 101 and stock are lined up in a functional position and the weapon can be fired normally . fig4 is a perspective rear , side , and top view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be in a closed position wherein the locking tab 135 ( not pictured in fig4 ) comprising the live hinge section 112 can be inserted into the indentation 120 ( not pictured in fig4 ) comprising the dead hinge section 102 so that the dead hinge section 102 and the live hinge section 112 can be held together to allow the weapon to be fired . the button 150 can be pressed to release the live hinge section 112 and allow the stock ( not viewable in fig4 ) to be folded against the receiver 101 . the dead hinge section 102 can comprise a raised shroud 126 which can help prevent the accidental activation of the button 150 . fig5 is a perspective rear , side , and top view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be in an open position wherein the button 150 has been pressed and the locking tab 135 on the live hinge section 112 has been released from the dead hinge section 102 . the dead hinge section 102 remains attached to the receiver 101 while the live hinge section 112 is free to rotate about the hinge assembly 505 . as the live hinge section 112 is attached to the stock ( not shown in fig5 ), the stock can also rotate around to one side of the receiver 101 , allowing the overall length of the weapon to be reduced by nearly the entire length of the stock . fig6 a is a top and side perspective view drawing of a military - style assault rifle 600 comprising a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed ( fully functional ) position , according to an embodiment . the buffer and action spring can be located within the receiver extension 610 comprising the stock 620 . fig6 b is a top and side perspective view drawing of a military - style assault rifle 600 , comprising a folding stock adapter 100 , in an open ( folded ) position , according to an embodiment . this drawing , when viewed in comparison to fig6 a , clearly illustrates the reduction of the rifle &# 39 ; s 600 overall length , when the stock is in the folded position allowed by the folding stock adapter 100 . fig7 a is a side , bottom and rear perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position , according to an embodiment . fig7 b is a side , top and rear perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 , in an open position , according to an embodiment . fig7 a and 7b clearly depict the parts that comprise the present folding stock adapter 100 absent any rifle parts to be connected to the adapter . in particular , fig7 b clearly shows the tab retainer 520 located within the indentation 120 , which can retain the locking tab 135 . fig8 is an exploded side and rear perspective view drawing of a standard rifle stock 820 ( prior art ), receiver extension 810 ( prior art ), action spring 840 ( prior art ), buffer 830 ( prior art ), bolt carrier extension 170 , and live hinge section 112 , according to an embodiment . although the invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments , it is not limited thereto . rather , the appended claims should be construed broadly , to include other variants and embodiments of the invention , which may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and range of equivalents of the invention . | Should this patent be classified under 'Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting'? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Chemistry; Metallurgy'? | 0.25 | 28344a03c0e7561ec24422d8985a1477f7ec53a3c784e29025ff2452bb28d1d4 | 0.001984 | 0.004333 | 0.000805 | 0.000132 | 0.006683 | 0.001755 |
null | this description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings , which are to be considered part of the entire written description . in the description , relative terms such as “ lower ,” “ upper ,” “ horizontal ,” “ vertical ,” “ above ,” “ below ,” “ up ,” “ down ,” “ top ” and “ bottom ” as well as derivatives thereof ( e . g ., “ horizontally ,” “ downwardly ,” “ upwardly ,” etc .) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion . these relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation . terms concerning attachments , coupling and the like , such as “ connected ” and “ interconnected ,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures , as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships , unless expressly described otherwise . reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings , wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout . the present folding stock adapter can be used to modify a military - style assault rifle using only the folding stock adapter , along with the rifle &# 39 ; s standard stock , receiver , buffer , bolt carrier and action spring so that its stock can be configured to fold against the rifle &# 39 ; s receiver , reducing the length of the weapon by nearly the full length of the stock . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter can comprise a non - moving ( in relation to the receiver ) section , ( referred to hereinafter as the “ dead hinge section ”) connected by a hinged joint to a moving section ( in relation to the receiver ), ( referred to hereinafter as the “ live hinge section ”). the dead hinge section can be connected to the receiver of a typical military - style assault rifle by placing a threaded flange through the dead hinge section and screwing the threaded flange into a rear threaded section comprising many receivers . similarly , the live hinge section can be connected to the stock of the assault rifle by screwing a receiver extension , such as those that typically comprise the stocks of most military - style assault weapons , into a threaded opening comprising the live hinge section . when the dead hinge section comprising the present folding stock adapter is connected to the receiver and the live hinge section is connected to the rifle &# 39 ; s stock , the stock can be folded flat against the receiver when the folding stock adapter is in an open position . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter can comprise a button or latch , which can be pressed in order to release the dead hinge section from the live hinge section , allowing the folding stock adapter to be moved from a closed position to an open position in order to fold the stock . additionally , the present folding stock adapter also comprises a bolt carrier extension , which can compensate for the additional length added by the live hinge section and the dead hinge section buffer and bolt carrier can maintain proper contact and communication between them . the present folding stock adapter can be configured for use with multiple types of military - style assault rifles , including , but not limited to the m - 16 , m - 4 , ar - 15 , sr - 25 , m - 110 , ar - 10 and hk - 416 , among others . the present folding stock adapter can be composed in full or in part of various metals , including , but not limited to , aluminum , steel , or any other alloys , plastics , carbon fiber , composites , or any other suitable materials known to those of ordinary skill in the art of firearm manufacturing . fig1 a is an exploded rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 and a receiver 101 , such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . ( the receiver 101 shown in fig1 a , 2 , 3 , 4 , and 5 represents prior art , which is not part of the present folding stock adapter , but is shown only to provide a familiar point of reference .) in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 , as depicted in fig1 a , can be comprised of a dead hinge section 102 and a live hinge section 112 , wherein the dead hinge section 102 can be connected to the receiver 101 and the live hinge section 112 can be connected to a receiver extension ( not shown in fig1 a ) comprising the stock of the rifle . ( neither the receiver extension nor the stock comprise any part of the present folding stock adapter , but are standard parts comprising many military - style assault rifles .) in an embodiment , the dead hinge section tube 103 can comprise a first dead hinge section side 121 , a second dead hinge section side 122 , and a circular dead hinge section opening 123 within a dead hinge section tube 103 . the first dead hinge section side 121 can be configured to be secured to the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 . the second dead hinge section side 122 can be configured to be connected to the live hinge section 112 and abut against the live hinge section 112 when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed configuration . in an embodiment , the second dead hinge section side 122 can comprise an indentation 127 configured to accept a connecting tab ( not visible in fig1 ) comprising the live hinge section 112 , which can be used to secure the present folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position . in an embodiment , the dead hinge section 102 can comprise a circular dead hinge section opening 123 configured to allow a threaded flange 104 to pass mostly through the circular dead hinge section opening 123 . the threaded flange 104 can comprise a threaded body 145 which can be configured to be screwed into the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 , where a receiver extension ( not shown in fig1 a ) would typically connect to the receiver 101 . the threaded flange 104 can also comprise a head 114 , which can be configured to abut up against a raised lip 146 located within the dead hinge section opening 123 . when the threaded flange 104 is screwed into the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 , the dead hinge section 102 can be placed against , and connected to the receiver 101 . the threaded flange 104 can also comprise slots 107 , which can be used to facilitate turning the threaded flange 104 , in order to screw it into the rear threaded section of the receiver 101 . the force of the head 114 against the raised lip 146 can securely connect the dead hinge side 102 to the receiver 101 , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the dead hinge section 102 can also comprise a slot 125 configured to receive a locking button assembly 105 that can extend through the dead hinge section 102 . a button 150 , comprising the locking button assembly 105 can extend through the slot 125 comprising the dead hinge section 102 and pass out of the opposite side ( not shown in fig1 a ) of the dead hinge section 102 so that it can be pushed by a user &# 39 ; s thumb or finger . pressing the button 150 into the slot 125 , can thus actuate the locking button assembly 105 . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can be spring - loaded through use of a locking button spring 115 in order to hold the button 150 in a locked position until the button 150 is pressed into the slot 125 and into an unlocked position . in an embodiment , the button 150 can be pressed in order to allow the live hinge section 112 to pivot about the dead hinge section 102 between an open position and a closed position using a hinged joint comprised of a hinge pivot 138 and two hinge tabs 134 joined by a hinge pin 139 . in an embodiment , the hinged joint can comprise one or more stays configure to hold the stock in either an open position or a closed position until a force sufficient to overcome the stay is applied to the hinged joint . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can further comprise a button cover 151 , which can be used to retain the remaining parts of the locking button assembly 105 through the use of a setscrew 118 , which can connect the locking button assembly 105 to the dead hinge section 102 . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can comprise a tab 108 , which can extend through the slot 125 and into the dead hinge section opening 123 comprising the dead hinge section 102 . this tab 108 can act as a stay , which can be configured to prevent the bolt carrier assembly 180 from falling out of the receiver 101 when the folding stock adapter 100 is in an open ( folded ) position . this tab 108 can be configured to move into the slot when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position thus allowing the action spring and buffer unobstructed access to the bolt carrier extension 170 and bolt carrier assembly 180 . in an embodiment , the live hinge section 112 can comprise a first live hinge side 130 and a second live hinge side 131 . when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position , the first live hinge side 130 of the live hinge section 112 can be placed against the second dead hinge side 122 of the dead hinge section 102 . the live hinge section 112 can further comprise two hinge tabs 134 , which can be connected to the hinge pivot 138 comprising the dead hinge section 102 . in an embodiment , the live hinge section 112 can also comprise an aligning indentation 133 which can match the aligning indentation 163 located on the rear section of the receiver 101 . this aligning indentation 133 can be used to align the stock ( not shown in fig1 a ) against the second live hinge side 131 by using an aligning tab on the stock ( not shown in fig1 a ), which can be configured to fit within the aligning indentation 133 . a rifle can be connected to the live hinge section 112 by screwing a standard receiver extension comprising the rifle stock into a threaded circular receiver hole 132 , which can be configured to allow an action spring and buffer ( not pictured ) to contact the bolt carrier extension 170 . ( note that although threaded connections are used to connect the dead hinge 102 to the receiver 101 and the stock of the weapon to the live hinge section 112 , various alternative types of connectors could be used to facilitate these connections .) the folding stock adapter can be configured so that when the dead hinge side 102 is connected to rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 by the threaded flange 104 , and the live hinge section 112 is abutted against the dead hinge section 102 , thus forming a continuous opening from the receiver 101 to the receiver extension , which can allow the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 a ) to contact the bolt carrier extension 170 in order to actuate the bolt carrier assembly 180 . the bolt carrier assembly 180 , comprising typical military - style assault rifles is actuated by the action spring and buffer , which are pushed backward by gas pressure produced by a cartridge when it is fired then moves forward when the gas pressure subsides . this back and forth , reciprocating motion allows the weapon to eject spent cartridges and chamber new ones thus preparing the weapon to re - fire with each cycle . fig1 b is an exploded rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a bolt carrier assembly 180 , including a bolt carrier extension 170 , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can also comprise a bolt carrier extension 170 , which can be connected to the bolt carrier assembly 180 thus extending its length . this extension in length can compensate for the length added to the rifle by the addition of the folding stock adapter 100 ensuring that the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 b ) can still properly actuate the bolt carrier assembly 180 . in an embodiment , the bolt carrier extension 170 can comprise a tapered end 172 configured to fit within an opening 182 comprising the bolt carrier assembly 180 . the bolt carrier extension 170 can also comprise a head end 171 configured to contact , and be actuated by the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 b ). the head end 171 can comprise one or more cutout sections 174 , the purpose and function of which will be described below . fig1 c is a rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a bolt carrier assembly 180 connected to a bolt carrier extension 170 according to an embodiment . this view shows how the bolt carrier assembly 180 would appear if the tapered end 172 ( not shown in fig1 c ) of the bolt carrier extension 170 was to be placed into the opening 182 comprising the bolt carrier assembly 180 shown in fig1 b . fig2 is an exploded front , top and side perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 and a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the first live hinge side 130 of the live hinge section 112 can comprise a locking tab 135 which can be configured to be received by the indentation 120 ( shown in fig1 a ) comprising the dead hinge section side 122 . when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position , the locking tab 135 can be inserted into the indentation 120 and the tab retainer 520 ( not shown in fig2 , but shown in fig5 ) comprising the locking button assembly 105 can be inserted into the locking tab hole 136 in order to lock the folding stock adapter 100 into a closed position likewise , the tab retainer 520 comprising the button 150 can be removed from the locking tab hole 136 , by pressing in the button 150 , in order to allow the folding stock adapter 100 to be placed into an open position thus allowing the stock to be folded against the receiver 101 . in an embodiment , the threaded circular receiver hole 132 can comprise a threaded hole 225 , configured to be connected to a buffer retaining pin 220 , which can prevent the buffer and action spring ( not shown in fig2 ) from being accidentally removed from the receiver extension ( not shown in fig2 ). the cutout sections 174 ( shown in fig1 b ) comprising the head end 171 of the bolt carrier extension 170 can be configured to allow the bolt carrier extension 170 to pass over the buffer retaining pin 220 so as to facilitate contact with the buffer and action spring . fig3 is a perspective rear , side , and bottom view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be placed into a closed position wherein two hinge tabs 134 can be rotated about the hinge pivot 138 , connected by a hinge pin 139 ( not visible in fig3 ), in order to place the live hinge section 112 against the dead hinge section 102 . in this closed position , the receiver 101 can be placed into alignment with the stock ( not pictured in fig3 ) allowing the bolt carrier extension 170 to pass through the threaded circular receiver hole 132 , the circular flange hole 141 ( see fig1 a ), and the circular dead hinge section opening 123 ( see fig1 a ). when the folding stock adapter 100 is in this closed position , the receiver 101 and stock are lined up in a functional position and the weapon can be fired normally . fig4 is a perspective rear , side , and top view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be in a closed position wherein the locking tab 135 ( not pictured in fig4 ) comprising the live hinge section 112 can be inserted into the indentation 120 ( not pictured in fig4 ) comprising the dead hinge section 102 so that the dead hinge section 102 and the live hinge section 112 can be held together to allow the weapon to be fired . the button 150 can be pressed to release the live hinge section 112 and allow the stock ( not viewable in fig4 ) to be folded against the receiver 101 . the dead hinge section 102 can comprise a raised shroud 126 which can help prevent the accidental activation of the button 150 . fig5 is a perspective rear , side , and top view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be in an open position wherein the button 150 has been pressed and the locking tab 135 on the live hinge section 112 has been released from the dead hinge section 102 . the dead hinge section 102 remains attached to the receiver 101 while the live hinge section 112 is free to rotate about the hinge assembly 505 . as the live hinge section 112 is attached to the stock ( not shown in fig5 ), the stock can also rotate around to one side of the receiver 101 , allowing the overall length of the weapon to be reduced by nearly the entire length of the stock . fig6 a is a top and side perspective view drawing of a military - style assault rifle 600 comprising a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed ( fully functional ) position , according to an embodiment . the buffer and action spring can be located within the receiver extension 610 comprising the stock 620 . fig6 b is a top and side perspective view drawing of a military - style assault rifle 600 , comprising a folding stock adapter 100 , in an open ( folded ) position , according to an embodiment . this drawing , when viewed in comparison to fig6 a , clearly illustrates the reduction of the rifle &# 39 ; s 600 overall length , when the stock is in the folded position allowed by the folding stock adapter 100 . fig7 a is a side , bottom and rear perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position , according to an embodiment . fig7 b is a side , top and rear perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 , in an open position , according to an embodiment . fig7 a and 7b clearly depict the parts that comprise the present folding stock adapter 100 absent any rifle parts to be connected to the adapter . in particular , fig7 b clearly shows the tab retainer 520 located within the indentation 120 , which can retain the locking tab 135 . fig8 is an exploded side and rear perspective view drawing of a standard rifle stock 820 ( prior art ), receiver extension 810 ( prior art ), action spring 840 ( prior art ), buffer 830 ( prior art ), bolt carrier extension 170 , and live hinge section 112 , according to an embodiment . although the invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments , it is not limited thereto . rather , the appended claims should be construed broadly , to include other variants and embodiments of the invention , which may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and range of equivalents of the invention . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting'? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Textiles; Paper'? | 0.25 | 28344a03c0e7561ec24422d8985a1477f7ec53a3c784e29025ff2452bb28d1d4 | 0.009705 | 0.00103 | 0.000938 | 0 | 0.012451 | 0.004913 |
null | this description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings , which are to be considered part of the entire written description . in the description , relative terms such as “ lower ,” “ upper ,” “ horizontal ,” “ vertical ,” “ above ,” “ below ,” “ up ,” “ down ,” “ top ” and “ bottom ” as well as derivatives thereof ( e . g ., “ horizontally ,” “ downwardly ,” “ upwardly ,” etc .) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion . these relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation . terms concerning attachments , coupling and the like , such as “ connected ” and “ interconnected ,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures , as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships , unless expressly described otherwise . reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings , wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout . the present folding stock adapter can be used to modify a military - style assault rifle using only the folding stock adapter , along with the rifle &# 39 ; s standard stock , receiver , buffer , bolt carrier and action spring so that its stock can be configured to fold against the rifle &# 39 ; s receiver , reducing the length of the weapon by nearly the full length of the stock . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter can comprise a non - moving ( in relation to the receiver ) section , ( referred to hereinafter as the “ dead hinge section ”) connected by a hinged joint to a moving section ( in relation to the receiver ), ( referred to hereinafter as the “ live hinge section ”). the dead hinge section can be connected to the receiver of a typical military - style assault rifle by placing a threaded flange through the dead hinge section and screwing the threaded flange into a rear threaded section comprising many receivers . similarly , the live hinge section can be connected to the stock of the assault rifle by screwing a receiver extension , such as those that typically comprise the stocks of most military - style assault weapons , into a threaded opening comprising the live hinge section . when the dead hinge section comprising the present folding stock adapter is connected to the receiver and the live hinge section is connected to the rifle &# 39 ; s stock , the stock can be folded flat against the receiver when the folding stock adapter is in an open position . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter can comprise a button or latch , which can be pressed in order to release the dead hinge section from the live hinge section , allowing the folding stock adapter to be moved from a closed position to an open position in order to fold the stock . additionally , the present folding stock adapter also comprises a bolt carrier extension , which can compensate for the additional length added by the live hinge section and the dead hinge section buffer and bolt carrier can maintain proper contact and communication between them . the present folding stock adapter can be configured for use with multiple types of military - style assault rifles , including , but not limited to the m - 16 , m - 4 , ar - 15 , sr - 25 , m - 110 , ar - 10 and hk - 416 , among others . the present folding stock adapter can be composed in full or in part of various metals , including , but not limited to , aluminum , steel , or any other alloys , plastics , carbon fiber , composites , or any other suitable materials known to those of ordinary skill in the art of firearm manufacturing . fig1 a is an exploded rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 and a receiver 101 , such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . ( the receiver 101 shown in fig1 a , 2 , 3 , 4 , and 5 represents prior art , which is not part of the present folding stock adapter , but is shown only to provide a familiar point of reference .) in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 , as depicted in fig1 a , can be comprised of a dead hinge section 102 and a live hinge section 112 , wherein the dead hinge section 102 can be connected to the receiver 101 and the live hinge section 112 can be connected to a receiver extension ( not shown in fig1 a ) comprising the stock of the rifle . ( neither the receiver extension nor the stock comprise any part of the present folding stock adapter , but are standard parts comprising many military - style assault rifles .) in an embodiment , the dead hinge section tube 103 can comprise a first dead hinge section side 121 , a second dead hinge section side 122 , and a circular dead hinge section opening 123 within a dead hinge section tube 103 . the first dead hinge section side 121 can be configured to be secured to the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 . the second dead hinge section side 122 can be configured to be connected to the live hinge section 112 and abut against the live hinge section 112 when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed configuration . in an embodiment , the second dead hinge section side 122 can comprise an indentation 127 configured to accept a connecting tab ( not visible in fig1 ) comprising the live hinge section 112 , which can be used to secure the present folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position . in an embodiment , the dead hinge section 102 can comprise a circular dead hinge section opening 123 configured to allow a threaded flange 104 to pass mostly through the circular dead hinge section opening 123 . the threaded flange 104 can comprise a threaded body 145 which can be configured to be screwed into the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 , where a receiver extension ( not shown in fig1 a ) would typically connect to the receiver 101 . the threaded flange 104 can also comprise a head 114 , which can be configured to abut up against a raised lip 146 located within the dead hinge section opening 123 . when the threaded flange 104 is screwed into the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 , the dead hinge section 102 can be placed against , and connected to the receiver 101 . the threaded flange 104 can also comprise slots 107 , which can be used to facilitate turning the threaded flange 104 , in order to screw it into the rear threaded section of the receiver 101 . the force of the head 114 against the raised lip 146 can securely connect the dead hinge side 102 to the receiver 101 , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the dead hinge section 102 can also comprise a slot 125 configured to receive a locking button assembly 105 that can extend through the dead hinge section 102 . a button 150 , comprising the locking button assembly 105 can extend through the slot 125 comprising the dead hinge section 102 and pass out of the opposite side ( not shown in fig1 a ) of the dead hinge section 102 so that it can be pushed by a user &# 39 ; s thumb or finger . pressing the button 150 into the slot 125 , can thus actuate the locking button assembly 105 . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can be spring - loaded through use of a locking button spring 115 in order to hold the button 150 in a locked position until the button 150 is pressed into the slot 125 and into an unlocked position . in an embodiment , the button 150 can be pressed in order to allow the live hinge section 112 to pivot about the dead hinge section 102 between an open position and a closed position using a hinged joint comprised of a hinge pivot 138 and two hinge tabs 134 joined by a hinge pin 139 . in an embodiment , the hinged joint can comprise one or more stays configure to hold the stock in either an open position or a closed position until a force sufficient to overcome the stay is applied to the hinged joint . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can further comprise a button cover 151 , which can be used to retain the remaining parts of the locking button assembly 105 through the use of a setscrew 118 , which can connect the locking button assembly 105 to the dead hinge section 102 . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can comprise a tab 108 , which can extend through the slot 125 and into the dead hinge section opening 123 comprising the dead hinge section 102 . this tab 108 can act as a stay , which can be configured to prevent the bolt carrier assembly 180 from falling out of the receiver 101 when the folding stock adapter 100 is in an open ( folded ) position . this tab 108 can be configured to move into the slot when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position thus allowing the action spring and buffer unobstructed access to the bolt carrier extension 170 and bolt carrier assembly 180 . in an embodiment , the live hinge section 112 can comprise a first live hinge side 130 and a second live hinge side 131 . when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position , the first live hinge side 130 of the live hinge section 112 can be placed against the second dead hinge side 122 of the dead hinge section 102 . the live hinge section 112 can further comprise two hinge tabs 134 , which can be connected to the hinge pivot 138 comprising the dead hinge section 102 . in an embodiment , the live hinge section 112 can also comprise an aligning indentation 133 which can match the aligning indentation 163 located on the rear section of the receiver 101 . this aligning indentation 133 can be used to align the stock ( not shown in fig1 a ) against the second live hinge side 131 by using an aligning tab on the stock ( not shown in fig1 a ), which can be configured to fit within the aligning indentation 133 . a rifle can be connected to the live hinge section 112 by screwing a standard receiver extension comprising the rifle stock into a threaded circular receiver hole 132 , which can be configured to allow an action spring and buffer ( not pictured ) to contact the bolt carrier extension 170 . ( note that although threaded connections are used to connect the dead hinge 102 to the receiver 101 and the stock of the weapon to the live hinge section 112 , various alternative types of connectors could be used to facilitate these connections .) the folding stock adapter can be configured so that when the dead hinge side 102 is connected to rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 by the threaded flange 104 , and the live hinge section 112 is abutted against the dead hinge section 102 , thus forming a continuous opening from the receiver 101 to the receiver extension , which can allow the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 a ) to contact the bolt carrier extension 170 in order to actuate the bolt carrier assembly 180 . the bolt carrier assembly 180 , comprising typical military - style assault rifles is actuated by the action spring and buffer , which are pushed backward by gas pressure produced by a cartridge when it is fired then moves forward when the gas pressure subsides . this back and forth , reciprocating motion allows the weapon to eject spent cartridges and chamber new ones thus preparing the weapon to re - fire with each cycle . fig1 b is an exploded rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a bolt carrier assembly 180 , including a bolt carrier extension 170 , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can also comprise a bolt carrier extension 170 , which can be connected to the bolt carrier assembly 180 thus extending its length . this extension in length can compensate for the length added to the rifle by the addition of the folding stock adapter 100 ensuring that the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 b ) can still properly actuate the bolt carrier assembly 180 . in an embodiment , the bolt carrier extension 170 can comprise a tapered end 172 configured to fit within an opening 182 comprising the bolt carrier assembly 180 . the bolt carrier extension 170 can also comprise a head end 171 configured to contact , and be actuated by the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 b ). the head end 171 can comprise one or more cutout sections 174 , the purpose and function of which will be described below . fig1 c is a rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a bolt carrier assembly 180 connected to a bolt carrier extension 170 according to an embodiment . this view shows how the bolt carrier assembly 180 would appear if the tapered end 172 ( not shown in fig1 c ) of the bolt carrier extension 170 was to be placed into the opening 182 comprising the bolt carrier assembly 180 shown in fig1 b . fig2 is an exploded front , top and side perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 and a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the first live hinge side 130 of the live hinge section 112 can comprise a locking tab 135 which can be configured to be received by the indentation 120 ( shown in fig1 a ) comprising the dead hinge section side 122 . when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position , the locking tab 135 can be inserted into the indentation 120 and the tab retainer 520 ( not shown in fig2 , but shown in fig5 ) comprising the locking button assembly 105 can be inserted into the locking tab hole 136 in order to lock the folding stock adapter 100 into a closed position likewise , the tab retainer 520 comprising the button 150 can be removed from the locking tab hole 136 , by pressing in the button 150 , in order to allow the folding stock adapter 100 to be placed into an open position thus allowing the stock to be folded against the receiver 101 . in an embodiment , the threaded circular receiver hole 132 can comprise a threaded hole 225 , configured to be connected to a buffer retaining pin 220 , which can prevent the buffer and action spring ( not shown in fig2 ) from being accidentally removed from the receiver extension ( not shown in fig2 ). the cutout sections 174 ( shown in fig1 b ) comprising the head end 171 of the bolt carrier extension 170 can be configured to allow the bolt carrier extension 170 to pass over the buffer retaining pin 220 so as to facilitate contact with the buffer and action spring . fig3 is a perspective rear , side , and bottom view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be placed into a closed position wherein two hinge tabs 134 can be rotated about the hinge pivot 138 , connected by a hinge pin 139 ( not visible in fig3 ), in order to place the live hinge section 112 against the dead hinge section 102 . in this closed position , the receiver 101 can be placed into alignment with the stock ( not pictured in fig3 ) allowing the bolt carrier extension 170 to pass through the threaded circular receiver hole 132 , the circular flange hole 141 ( see fig1 a ), and the circular dead hinge section opening 123 ( see fig1 a ). when the folding stock adapter 100 is in this closed position , the receiver 101 and stock are lined up in a functional position and the weapon can be fired normally . fig4 is a perspective rear , side , and top view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be in a closed position wherein the locking tab 135 ( not pictured in fig4 ) comprising the live hinge section 112 can be inserted into the indentation 120 ( not pictured in fig4 ) comprising the dead hinge section 102 so that the dead hinge section 102 and the live hinge section 112 can be held together to allow the weapon to be fired . the button 150 can be pressed to release the live hinge section 112 and allow the stock ( not viewable in fig4 ) to be folded against the receiver 101 . the dead hinge section 102 can comprise a raised shroud 126 which can help prevent the accidental activation of the button 150 . fig5 is a perspective rear , side , and top view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be in an open position wherein the button 150 has been pressed and the locking tab 135 on the live hinge section 112 has been released from the dead hinge section 102 . the dead hinge section 102 remains attached to the receiver 101 while the live hinge section 112 is free to rotate about the hinge assembly 505 . as the live hinge section 112 is attached to the stock ( not shown in fig5 ), the stock can also rotate around to one side of the receiver 101 , allowing the overall length of the weapon to be reduced by nearly the entire length of the stock . fig6 a is a top and side perspective view drawing of a military - style assault rifle 600 comprising a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed ( fully functional ) position , according to an embodiment . the buffer and action spring can be located within the receiver extension 610 comprising the stock 620 . fig6 b is a top and side perspective view drawing of a military - style assault rifle 600 , comprising a folding stock adapter 100 , in an open ( folded ) position , according to an embodiment . this drawing , when viewed in comparison to fig6 a , clearly illustrates the reduction of the rifle &# 39 ; s 600 overall length , when the stock is in the folded position allowed by the folding stock adapter 100 . fig7 a is a side , bottom and rear perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position , according to an embodiment . fig7 b is a side , top and rear perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 , in an open position , according to an embodiment . fig7 a and 7b clearly depict the parts that comprise the present folding stock adapter 100 absent any rifle parts to be connected to the adapter . in particular , fig7 b clearly shows the tab retainer 520 located within the indentation 120 , which can retain the locking tab 135 . fig8 is an exploded side and rear perspective view drawing of a standard rifle stock 820 ( prior art ), receiver extension 810 ( prior art ), action spring 840 ( prior art ), buffer 830 ( prior art ), bolt carrier extension 170 , and live hinge section 112 , according to an embodiment . although the invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments , it is not limited thereto . rather , the appended claims should be construed broadly , to include other variants and embodiments of the invention , which may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and range of equivalents of the invention . | Is 'Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting' the correct technical category for the patent? | Is 'Fixed Constructions' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | 28344a03c0e7561ec24422d8985a1477f7ec53a3c784e29025ff2452bb28d1d4 | 0.00885 | 0.020386 | 0.002548 | 0.006287 | 0.03418 | 0.016357 |
null | this description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings , which are to be considered part of the entire written description . in the description , relative terms such as “ lower ,” “ upper ,” “ horizontal ,” “ vertical ,” “ above ,” “ below ,” “ up ,” “ down ,” “ top ” and “ bottom ” as well as derivatives thereof ( e . g ., “ horizontally ,” “ downwardly ,” “ upwardly ,” etc .) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion . these relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation . terms concerning attachments , coupling and the like , such as “ connected ” and “ interconnected ,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures , as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships , unless expressly described otherwise . reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings , wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout . the present folding stock adapter can be used to modify a military - style assault rifle using only the folding stock adapter , along with the rifle &# 39 ; s standard stock , receiver , buffer , bolt carrier and action spring so that its stock can be configured to fold against the rifle &# 39 ; s receiver , reducing the length of the weapon by nearly the full length of the stock . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter can comprise a non - moving ( in relation to the receiver ) section , ( referred to hereinafter as the “ dead hinge section ”) connected by a hinged joint to a moving section ( in relation to the receiver ), ( referred to hereinafter as the “ live hinge section ”). the dead hinge section can be connected to the receiver of a typical military - style assault rifle by placing a threaded flange through the dead hinge section and screwing the threaded flange into a rear threaded section comprising many receivers . similarly , the live hinge section can be connected to the stock of the assault rifle by screwing a receiver extension , such as those that typically comprise the stocks of most military - style assault weapons , into a threaded opening comprising the live hinge section . when the dead hinge section comprising the present folding stock adapter is connected to the receiver and the live hinge section is connected to the rifle &# 39 ; s stock , the stock can be folded flat against the receiver when the folding stock adapter is in an open position . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter can comprise a button or latch , which can be pressed in order to release the dead hinge section from the live hinge section , allowing the folding stock adapter to be moved from a closed position to an open position in order to fold the stock . additionally , the present folding stock adapter also comprises a bolt carrier extension , which can compensate for the additional length added by the live hinge section and the dead hinge section buffer and bolt carrier can maintain proper contact and communication between them . the present folding stock adapter can be configured for use with multiple types of military - style assault rifles , including , but not limited to the m - 16 , m - 4 , ar - 15 , sr - 25 , m - 110 , ar - 10 and hk - 416 , among others . the present folding stock adapter can be composed in full or in part of various metals , including , but not limited to , aluminum , steel , or any other alloys , plastics , carbon fiber , composites , or any other suitable materials known to those of ordinary skill in the art of firearm manufacturing . fig1 a is an exploded rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 and a receiver 101 , such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . ( the receiver 101 shown in fig1 a , 2 , 3 , 4 , and 5 represents prior art , which is not part of the present folding stock adapter , but is shown only to provide a familiar point of reference .) in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 , as depicted in fig1 a , can be comprised of a dead hinge section 102 and a live hinge section 112 , wherein the dead hinge section 102 can be connected to the receiver 101 and the live hinge section 112 can be connected to a receiver extension ( not shown in fig1 a ) comprising the stock of the rifle . ( neither the receiver extension nor the stock comprise any part of the present folding stock adapter , but are standard parts comprising many military - style assault rifles .) in an embodiment , the dead hinge section tube 103 can comprise a first dead hinge section side 121 , a second dead hinge section side 122 , and a circular dead hinge section opening 123 within a dead hinge section tube 103 . the first dead hinge section side 121 can be configured to be secured to the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 . the second dead hinge section side 122 can be configured to be connected to the live hinge section 112 and abut against the live hinge section 112 when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed configuration . in an embodiment , the second dead hinge section side 122 can comprise an indentation 127 configured to accept a connecting tab ( not visible in fig1 ) comprising the live hinge section 112 , which can be used to secure the present folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position . in an embodiment , the dead hinge section 102 can comprise a circular dead hinge section opening 123 configured to allow a threaded flange 104 to pass mostly through the circular dead hinge section opening 123 . the threaded flange 104 can comprise a threaded body 145 which can be configured to be screwed into the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 , where a receiver extension ( not shown in fig1 a ) would typically connect to the receiver 101 . the threaded flange 104 can also comprise a head 114 , which can be configured to abut up against a raised lip 146 located within the dead hinge section opening 123 . when the threaded flange 104 is screwed into the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 , the dead hinge section 102 can be placed against , and connected to the receiver 101 . the threaded flange 104 can also comprise slots 107 , which can be used to facilitate turning the threaded flange 104 , in order to screw it into the rear threaded section of the receiver 101 . the force of the head 114 against the raised lip 146 can securely connect the dead hinge side 102 to the receiver 101 , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the dead hinge section 102 can also comprise a slot 125 configured to receive a locking button assembly 105 that can extend through the dead hinge section 102 . a button 150 , comprising the locking button assembly 105 can extend through the slot 125 comprising the dead hinge section 102 and pass out of the opposite side ( not shown in fig1 a ) of the dead hinge section 102 so that it can be pushed by a user &# 39 ; s thumb or finger . pressing the button 150 into the slot 125 , can thus actuate the locking button assembly 105 . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can be spring - loaded through use of a locking button spring 115 in order to hold the button 150 in a locked position until the button 150 is pressed into the slot 125 and into an unlocked position . in an embodiment , the button 150 can be pressed in order to allow the live hinge section 112 to pivot about the dead hinge section 102 between an open position and a closed position using a hinged joint comprised of a hinge pivot 138 and two hinge tabs 134 joined by a hinge pin 139 . in an embodiment , the hinged joint can comprise one or more stays configure to hold the stock in either an open position or a closed position until a force sufficient to overcome the stay is applied to the hinged joint . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can further comprise a button cover 151 , which can be used to retain the remaining parts of the locking button assembly 105 through the use of a setscrew 118 , which can connect the locking button assembly 105 to the dead hinge section 102 . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can comprise a tab 108 , which can extend through the slot 125 and into the dead hinge section opening 123 comprising the dead hinge section 102 . this tab 108 can act as a stay , which can be configured to prevent the bolt carrier assembly 180 from falling out of the receiver 101 when the folding stock adapter 100 is in an open ( folded ) position . this tab 108 can be configured to move into the slot when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position thus allowing the action spring and buffer unobstructed access to the bolt carrier extension 170 and bolt carrier assembly 180 . in an embodiment , the live hinge section 112 can comprise a first live hinge side 130 and a second live hinge side 131 . when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position , the first live hinge side 130 of the live hinge section 112 can be placed against the second dead hinge side 122 of the dead hinge section 102 . the live hinge section 112 can further comprise two hinge tabs 134 , which can be connected to the hinge pivot 138 comprising the dead hinge section 102 . in an embodiment , the live hinge section 112 can also comprise an aligning indentation 133 which can match the aligning indentation 163 located on the rear section of the receiver 101 . this aligning indentation 133 can be used to align the stock ( not shown in fig1 a ) against the second live hinge side 131 by using an aligning tab on the stock ( not shown in fig1 a ), which can be configured to fit within the aligning indentation 133 . a rifle can be connected to the live hinge section 112 by screwing a standard receiver extension comprising the rifle stock into a threaded circular receiver hole 132 , which can be configured to allow an action spring and buffer ( not pictured ) to contact the bolt carrier extension 170 . ( note that although threaded connections are used to connect the dead hinge 102 to the receiver 101 and the stock of the weapon to the live hinge section 112 , various alternative types of connectors could be used to facilitate these connections .) the folding stock adapter can be configured so that when the dead hinge side 102 is connected to rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 by the threaded flange 104 , and the live hinge section 112 is abutted against the dead hinge section 102 , thus forming a continuous opening from the receiver 101 to the receiver extension , which can allow the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 a ) to contact the bolt carrier extension 170 in order to actuate the bolt carrier assembly 180 . the bolt carrier assembly 180 , comprising typical military - style assault rifles is actuated by the action spring and buffer , which are pushed backward by gas pressure produced by a cartridge when it is fired then moves forward when the gas pressure subsides . this back and forth , reciprocating motion allows the weapon to eject spent cartridges and chamber new ones thus preparing the weapon to re - fire with each cycle . fig1 b is an exploded rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a bolt carrier assembly 180 , including a bolt carrier extension 170 , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can also comprise a bolt carrier extension 170 , which can be connected to the bolt carrier assembly 180 thus extending its length . this extension in length can compensate for the length added to the rifle by the addition of the folding stock adapter 100 ensuring that the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 b ) can still properly actuate the bolt carrier assembly 180 . in an embodiment , the bolt carrier extension 170 can comprise a tapered end 172 configured to fit within an opening 182 comprising the bolt carrier assembly 180 . the bolt carrier extension 170 can also comprise a head end 171 configured to contact , and be actuated by the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 b ). the head end 171 can comprise one or more cutout sections 174 , the purpose and function of which will be described below . fig1 c is a rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a bolt carrier assembly 180 connected to a bolt carrier extension 170 according to an embodiment . this view shows how the bolt carrier assembly 180 would appear if the tapered end 172 ( not shown in fig1 c ) of the bolt carrier extension 170 was to be placed into the opening 182 comprising the bolt carrier assembly 180 shown in fig1 b . fig2 is an exploded front , top and side perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 and a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the first live hinge side 130 of the live hinge section 112 can comprise a locking tab 135 which can be configured to be received by the indentation 120 ( shown in fig1 a ) comprising the dead hinge section side 122 . when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position , the locking tab 135 can be inserted into the indentation 120 and the tab retainer 520 ( not shown in fig2 , but shown in fig5 ) comprising the locking button assembly 105 can be inserted into the locking tab hole 136 in order to lock the folding stock adapter 100 into a closed position likewise , the tab retainer 520 comprising the button 150 can be removed from the locking tab hole 136 , by pressing in the button 150 , in order to allow the folding stock adapter 100 to be placed into an open position thus allowing the stock to be folded against the receiver 101 . in an embodiment , the threaded circular receiver hole 132 can comprise a threaded hole 225 , configured to be connected to a buffer retaining pin 220 , which can prevent the buffer and action spring ( not shown in fig2 ) from being accidentally removed from the receiver extension ( not shown in fig2 ). the cutout sections 174 ( shown in fig1 b ) comprising the head end 171 of the bolt carrier extension 170 can be configured to allow the bolt carrier extension 170 to pass over the buffer retaining pin 220 so as to facilitate contact with the buffer and action spring . fig3 is a perspective rear , side , and bottom view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be placed into a closed position wherein two hinge tabs 134 can be rotated about the hinge pivot 138 , connected by a hinge pin 139 ( not visible in fig3 ), in order to place the live hinge section 112 against the dead hinge section 102 . in this closed position , the receiver 101 can be placed into alignment with the stock ( not pictured in fig3 ) allowing the bolt carrier extension 170 to pass through the threaded circular receiver hole 132 , the circular flange hole 141 ( see fig1 a ), and the circular dead hinge section opening 123 ( see fig1 a ). when the folding stock adapter 100 is in this closed position , the receiver 101 and stock are lined up in a functional position and the weapon can be fired normally . fig4 is a perspective rear , side , and top view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be in a closed position wherein the locking tab 135 ( not pictured in fig4 ) comprising the live hinge section 112 can be inserted into the indentation 120 ( not pictured in fig4 ) comprising the dead hinge section 102 so that the dead hinge section 102 and the live hinge section 112 can be held together to allow the weapon to be fired . the button 150 can be pressed to release the live hinge section 112 and allow the stock ( not viewable in fig4 ) to be folded against the receiver 101 . the dead hinge section 102 can comprise a raised shroud 126 which can help prevent the accidental activation of the button 150 . fig5 is a perspective rear , side , and top view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be in an open position wherein the button 150 has been pressed and the locking tab 135 on the live hinge section 112 has been released from the dead hinge section 102 . the dead hinge section 102 remains attached to the receiver 101 while the live hinge section 112 is free to rotate about the hinge assembly 505 . as the live hinge section 112 is attached to the stock ( not shown in fig5 ), the stock can also rotate around to one side of the receiver 101 , allowing the overall length of the weapon to be reduced by nearly the entire length of the stock . fig6 a is a top and side perspective view drawing of a military - style assault rifle 600 comprising a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed ( fully functional ) position , according to an embodiment . the buffer and action spring can be located within the receiver extension 610 comprising the stock 620 . fig6 b is a top and side perspective view drawing of a military - style assault rifle 600 , comprising a folding stock adapter 100 , in an open ( folded ) position , according to an embodiment . this drawing , when viewed in comparison to fig6 a , clearly illustrates the reduction of the rifle &# 39 ; s 600 overall length , when the stock is in the folded position allowed by the folding stock adapter 100 . fig7 a is a side , bottom and rear perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position , according to an embodiment . fig7 b is a side , top and rear perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 , in an open position , according to an embodiment . fig7 a and 7b clearly depict the parts that comprise the present folding stock adapter 100 absent any rifle parts to be connected to the adapter . in particular , fig7 b clearly shows the tab retainer 520 located within the indentation 120 , which can retain the locking tab 135 . fig8 is an exploded side and rear perspective view drawing of a standard rifle stock 820 ( prior art ), receiver extension 810 ( prior art ), action spring 840 ( prior art ), buffer 830 ( prior art ), bolt carrier extension 170 , and live hinge section 112 , according to an embodiment . although the invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments , it is not limited thereto . rather , the appended claims should be construed broadly , to include other variants and embodiments of the invention , which may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and range of equivalents of the invention . | Is 'Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting' the correct technical category for the patent? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Physics'? | 0.25 | 28344a03c0e7561ec24422d8985a1477f7ec53a3c784e29025ff2452bb28d1d4 | 0.00885 | 0.109863 | 0.002548 | 0.014954 | 0.03418 | 0.069336 |
null | this description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings , which are to be considered part of the entire written description . in the description , relative terms such as “ lower ,” “ upper ,” “ horizontal ,” “ vertical ,” “ above ,” “ below ,” “ up ,” “ down ,” “ top ” and “ bottom ” as well as derivatives thereof ( e . g ., “ horizontally ,” “ downwardly ,” “ upwardly ,” etc .) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion . these relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation . terms concerning attachments , coupling and the like , such as “ connected ” and “ interconnected ,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures , as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships , unless expressly described otherwise . reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings , wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout . the present folding stock adapter can be used to modify a military - style assault rifle using only the folding stock adapter , along with the rifle &# 39 ; s standard stock , receiver , buffer , bolt carrier and action spring so that its stock can be configured to fold against the rifle &# 39 ; s receiver , reducing the length of the weapon by nearly the full length of the stock . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter can comprise a non - moving ( in relation to the receiver ) section , ( referred to hereinafter as the “ dead hinge section ”) connected by a hinged joint to a moving section ( in relation to the receiver ), ( referred to hereinafter as the “ live hinge section ”). the dead hinge section can be connected to the receiver of a typical military - style assault rifle by placing a threaded flange through the dead hinge section and screwing the threaded flange into a rear threaded section comprising many receivers . similarly , the live hinge section can be connected to the stock of the assault rifle by screwing a receiver extension , such as those that typically comprise the stocks of most military - style assault weapons , into a threaded opening comprising the live hinge section . when the dead hinge section comprising the present folding stock adapter is connected to the receiver and the live hinge section is connected to the rifle &# 39 ; s stock , the stock can be folded flat against the receiver when the folding stock adapter is in an open position . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter can comprise a button or latch , which can be pressed in order to release the dead hinge section from the live hinge section , allowing the folding stock adapter to be moved from a closed position to an open position in order to fold the stock . additionally , the present folding stock adapter also comprises a bolt carrier extension , which can compensate for the additional length added by the live hinge section and the dead hinge section buffer and bolt carrier can maintain proper contact and communication between them . the present folding stock adapter can be configured for use with multiple types of military - style assault rifles , including , but not limited to the m - 16 , m - 4 , ar - 15 , sr - 25 , m - 110 , ar - 10 and hk - 416 , among others . the present folding stock adapter can be composed in full or in part of various metals , including , but not limited to , aluminum , steel , or any other alloys , plastics , carbon fiber , composites , or any other suitable materials known to those of ordinary skill in the art of firearm manufacturing . fig1 a is an exploded rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 and a receiver 101 , such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . ( the receiver 101 shown in fig1 a , 2 , 3 , 4 , and 5 represents prior art , which is not part of the present folding stock adapter , but is shown only to provide a familiar point of reference .) in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 , as depicted in fig1 a , can be comprised of a dead hinge section 102 and a live hinge section 112 , wherein the dead hinge section 102 can be connected to the receiver 101 and the live hinge section 112 can be connected to a receiver extension ( not shown in fig1 a ) comprising the stock of the rifle . ( neither the receiver extension nor the stock comprise any part of the present folding stock adapter , but are standard parts comprising many military - style assault rifles .) in an embodiment , the dead hinge section tube 103 can comprise a first dead hinge section side 121 , a second dead hinge section side 122 , and a circular dead hinge section opening 123 within a dead hinge section tube 103 . the first dead hinge section side 121 can be configured to be secured to the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 . the second dead hinge section side 122 can be configured to be connected to the live hinge section 112 and abut against the live hinge section 112 when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed configuration . in an embodiment , the second dead hinge section side 122 can comprise an indentation 127 configured to accept a connecting tab ( not visible in fig1 ) comprising the live hinge section 112 , which can be used to secure the present folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position . in an embodiment , the dead hinge section 102 can comprise a circular dead hinge section opening 123 configured to allow a threaded flange 104 to pass mostly through the circular dead hinge section opening 123 . the threaded flange 104 can comprise a threaded body 145 which can be configured to be screwed into the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 , where a receiver extension ( not shown in fig1 a ) would typically connect to the receiver 101 . the threaded flange 104 can also comprise a head 114 , which can be configured to abut up against a raised lip 146 located within the dead hinge section opening 123 . when the threaded flange 104 is screwed into the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 , the dead hinge section 102 can be placed against , and connected to the receiver 101 . the threaded flange 104 can also comprise slots 107 , which can be used to facilitate turning the threaded flange 104 , in order to screw it into the rear threaded section of the receiver 101 . the force of the head 114 against the raised lip 146 can securely connect the dead hinge side 102 to the receiver 101 , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the dead hinge section 102 can also comprise a slot 125 configured to receive a locking button assembly 105 that can extend through the dead hinge section 102 . a button 150 , comprising the locking button assembly 105 can extend through the slot 125 comprising the dead hinge section 102 and pass out of the opposite side ( not shown in fig1 a ) of the dead hinge section 102 so that it can be pushed by a user &# 39 ; s thumb or finger . pressing the button 150 into the slot 125 , can thus actuate the locking button assembly 105 . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can be spring - loaded through use of a locking button spring 115 in order to hold the button 150 in a locked position until the button 150 is pressed into the slot 125 and into an unlocked position . in an embodiment , the button 150 can be pressed in order to allow the live hinge section 112 to pivot about the dead hinge section 102 between an open position and a closed position using a hinged joint comprised of a hinge pivot 138 and two hinge tabs 134 joined by a hinge pin 139 . in an embodiment , the hinged joint can comprise one or more stays configure to hold the stock in either an open position or a closed position until a force sufficient to overcome the stay is applied to the hinged joint . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can further comprise a button cover 151 , which can be used to retain the remaining parts of the locking button assembly 105 through the use of a setscrew 118 , which can connect the locking button assembly 105 to the dead hinge section 102 . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can comprise a tab 108 , which can extend through the slot 125 and into the dead hinge section opening 123 comprising the dead hinge section 102 . this tab 108 can act as a stay , which can be configured to prevent the bolt carrier assembly 180 from falling out of the receiver 101 when the folding stock adapter 100 is in an open ( folded ) position . this tab 108 can be configured to move into the slot when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position thus allowing the action spring and buffer unobstructed access to the bolt carrier extension 170 and bolt carrier assembly 180 . in an embodiment , the live hinge section 112 can comprise a first live hinge side 130 and a second live hinge side 131 . when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position , the first live hinge side 130 of the live hinge section 112 can be placed against the second dead hinge side 122 of the dead hinge section 102 . the live hinge section 112 can further comprise two hinge tabs 134 , which can be connected to the hinge pivot 138 comprising the dead hinge section 102 . in an embodiment , the live hinge section 112 can also comprise an aligning indentation 133 which can match the aligning indentation 163 located on the rear section of the receiver 101 . this aligning indentation 133 can be used to align the stock ( not shown in fig1 a ) against the second live hinge side 131 by using an aligning tab on the stock ( not shown in fig1 a ), which can be configured to fit within the aligning indentation 133 . a rifle can be connected to the live hinge section 112 by screwing a standard receiver extension comprising the rifle stock into a threaded circular receiver hole 132 , which can be configured to allow an action spring and buffer ( not pictured ) to contact the bolt carrier extension 170 . ( note that although threaded connections are used to connect the dead hinge 102 to the receiver 101 and the stock of the weapon to the live hinge section 112 , various alternative types of connectors could be used to facilitate these connections .) the folding stock adapter can be configured so that when the dead hinge side 102 is connected to rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 by the threaded flange 104 , and the live hinge section 112 is abutted against the dead hinge section 102 , thus forming a continuous opening from the receiver 101 to the receiver extension , which can allow the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 a ) to contact the bolt carrier extension 170 in order to actuate the bolt carrier assembly 180 . the bolt carrier assembly 180 , comprising typical military - style assault rifles is actuated by the action spring and buffer , which are pushed backward by gas pressure produced by a cartridge when it is fired then moves forward when the gas pressure subsides . this back and forth , reciprocating motion allows the weapon to eject spent cartridges and chamber new ones thus preparing the weapon to re - fire with each cycle . fig1 b is an exploded rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a bolt carrier assembly 180 , including a bolt carrier extension 170 , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can also comprise a bolt carrier extension 170 , which can be connected to the bolt carrier assembly 180 thus extending its length . this extension in length can compensate for the length added to the rifle by the addition of the folding stock adapter 100 ensuring that the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 b ) can still properly actuate the bolt carrier assembly 180 . in an embodiment , the bolt carrier extension 170 can comprise a tapered end 172 configured to fit within an opening 182 comprising the bolt carrier assembly 180 . the bolt carrier extension 170 can also comprise a head end 171 configured to contact , and be actuated by the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 b ). the head end 171 can comprise one or more cutout sections 174 , the purpose and function of which will be described below . fig1 c is a rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a bolt carrier assembly 180 connected to a bolt carrier extension 170 according to an embodiment . this view shows how the bolt carrier assembly 180 would appear if the tapered end 172 ( not shown in fig1 c ) of the bolt carrier extension 170 was to be placed into the opening 182 comprising the bolt carrier assembly 180 shown in fig1 b . fig2 is an exploded front , top and side perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 and a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the first live hinge side 130 of the live hinge section 112 can comprise a locking tab 135 which can be configured to be received by the indentation 120 ( shown in fig1 a ) comprising the dead hinge section side 122 . when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position , the locking tab 135 can be inserted into the indentation 120 and the tab retainer 520 ( not shown in fig2 , but shown in fig5 ) comprising the locking button assembly 105 can be inserted into the locking tab hole 136 in order to lock the folding stock adapter 100 into a closed position likewise , the tab retainer 520 comprising the button 150 can be removed from the locking tab hole 136 , by pressing in the button 150 , in order to allow the folding stock adapter 100 to be placed into an open position thus allowing the stock to be folded against the receiver 101 . in an embodiment , the threaded circular receiver hole 132 can comprise a threaded hole 225 , configured to be connected to a buffer retaining pin 220 , which can prevent the buffer and action spring ( not shown in fig2 ) from being accidentally removed from the receiver extension ( not shown in fig2 ). the cutout sections 174 ( shown in fig1 b ) comprising the head end 171 of the bolt carrier extension 170 can be configured to allow the bolt carrier extension 170 to pass over the buffer retaining pin 220 so as to facilitate contact with the buffer and action spring . fig3 is a perspective rear , side , and bottom view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be placed into a closed position wherein two hinge tabs 134 can be rotated about the hinge pivot 138 , connected by a hinge pin 139 ( not visible in fig3 ), in order to place the live hinge section 112 against the dead hinge section 102 . in this closed position , the receiver 101 can be placed into alignment with the stock ( not pictured in fig3 ) allowing the bolt carrier extension 170 to pass through the threaded circular receiver hole 132 , the circular flange hole 141 ( see fig1 a ), and the circular dead hinge section opening 123 ( see fig1 a ). when the folding stock adapter 100 is in this closed position , the receiver 101 and stock are lined up in a functional position and the weapon can be fired normally . fig4 is a perspective rear , side , and top view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be in a closed position wherein the locking tab 135 ( not pictured in fig4 ) comprising the live hinge section 112 can be inserted into the indentation 120 ( not pictured in fig4 ) comprising the dead hinge section 102 so that the dead hinge section 102 and the live hinge section 112 can be held together to allow the weapon to be fired . the button 150 can be pressed to release the live hinge section 112 and allow the stock ( not viewable in fig4 ) to be folded against the receiver 101 . the dead hinge section 102 can comprise a raised shroud 126 which can help prevent the accidental activation of the button 150 . fig5 is a perspective rear , side , and top view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be in an open position wherein the button 150 has been pressed and the locking tab 135 on the live hinge section 112 has been released from the dead hinge section 102 . the dead hinge section 102 remains attached to the receiver 101 while the live hinge section 112 is free to rotate about the hinge assembly 505 . as the live hinge section 112 is attached to the stock ( not shown in fig5 ), the stock can also rotate around to one side of the receiver 101 , allowing the overall length of the weapon to be reduced by nearly the entire length of the stock . fig6 a is a top and side perspective view drawing of a military - style assault rifle 600 comprising a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed ( fully functional ) position , according to an embodiment . the buffer and action spring can be located within the receiver extension 610 comprising the stock 620 . fig6 b is a top and side perspective view drawing of a military - style assault rifle 600 , comprising a folding stock adapter 100 , in an open ( folded ) position , according to an embodiment . this drawing , when viewed in comparison to fig6 a , clearly illustrates the reduction of the rifle &# 39 ; s 600 overall length , when the stock is in the folded position allowed by the folding stock adapter 100 . fig7 a is a side , bottom and rear perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position , according to an embodiment . fig7 b is a side , top and rear perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 , in an open position , according to an embodiment . fig7 a and 7b clearly depict the parts that comprise the present folding stock adapter 100 absent any rifle parts to be connected to the adapter . in particular , fig7 b clearly shows the tab retainer 520 located within the indentation 120 , which can retain the locking tab 135 . fig8 is an exploded side and rear perspective view drawing of a standard rifle stock 820 ( prior art ), receiver extension 810 ( prior art ), action spring 840 ( prior art ), buffer 830 ( prior art ), bolt carrier extension 170 , and live hinge section 112 , according to an embodiment . although the invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments , it is not limited thereto . rather , the appended claims should be construed broadly , to include other variants and embodiments of the invention , which may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and range of equivalents of the invention . | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting'? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Electricity'? | 0.25 | 28344a03c0e7561ec24422d8985a1477f7ec53a3c784e29025ff2452bb28d1d4 | 0.009399 | 0.002975 | 0.002472 | 0.001282 | 0.021973 | 0.001137 |
null | this description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings , which are to be considered part of the entire written description . in the description , relative terms such as “ lower ,” “ upper ,” “ horizontal ,” “ vertical ,” “ above ,” “ below ,” “ up ,” “ down ,” “ top ” and “ bottom ” as well as derivatives thereof ( e . g ., “ horizontally ,” “ downwardly ,” “ upwardly ,” etc .) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion . these relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation . terms concerning attachments , coupling and the like , such as “ connected ” and “ interconnected ,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures , as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships , unless expressly described otherwise . reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings , wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout . the present folding stock adapter can be used to modify a military - style assault rifle using only the folding stock adapter , along with the rifle &# 39 ; s standard stock , receiver , buffer , bolt carrier and action spring so that its stock can be configured to fold against the rifle &# 39 ; s receiver , reducing the length of the weapon by nearly the full length of the stock . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter can comprise a non - moving ( in relation to the receiver ) section , ( referred to hereinafter as the “ dead hinge section ”) connected by a hinged joint to a moving section ( in relation to the receiver ), ( referred to hereinafter as the “ live hinge section ”). the dead hinge section can be connected to the receiver of a typical military - style assault rifle by placing a threaded flange through the dead hinge section and screwing the threaded flange into a rear threaded section comprising many receivers . similarly , the live hinge section can be connected to the stock of the assault rifle by screwing a receiver extension , such as those that typically comprise the stocks of most military - style assault weapons , into a threaded opening comprising the live hinge section . when the dead hinge section comprising the present folding stock adapter is connected to the receiver and the live hinge section is connected to the rifle &# 39 ; s stock , the stock can be folded flat against the receiver when the folding stock adapter is in an open position . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter can comprise a button or latch , which can be pressed in order to release the dead hinge section from the live hinge section , allowing the folding stock adapter to be moved from a closed position to an open position in order to fold the stock . additionally , the present folding stock adapter also comprises a bolt carrier extension , which can compensate for the additional length added by the live hinge section and the dead hinge section buffer and bolt carrier can maintain proper contact and communication between them . the present folding stock adapter can be configured for use with multiple types of military - style assault rifles , including , but not limited to the m - 16 , m - 4 , ar - 15 , sr - 25 , m - 110 , ar - 10 and hk - 416 , among others . the present folding stock adapter can be composed in full or in part of various metals , including , but not limited to , aluminum , steel , or any other alloys , plastics , carbon fiber , composites , or any other suitable materials known to those of ordinary skill in the art of firearm manufacturing . fig1 a is an exploded rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 and a receiver 101 , such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . ( the receiver 101 shown in fig1 a , 2 , 3 , 4 , and 5 represents prior art , which is not part of the present folding stock adapter , but is shown only to provide a familiar point of reference .) in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 , as depicted in fig1 a , can be comprised of a dead hinge section 102 and a live hinge section 112 , wherein the dead hinge section 102 can be connected to the receiver 101 and the live hinge section 112 can be connected to a receiver extension ( not shown in fig1 a ) comprising the stock of the rifle . ( neither the receiver extension nor the stock comprise any part of the present folding stock adapter , but are standard parts comprising many military - style assault rifles .) in an embodiment , the dead hinge section tube 103 can comprise a first dead hinge section side 121 , a second dead hinge section side 122 , and a circular dead hinge section opening 123 within a dead hinge section tube 103 . the first dead hinge section side 121 can be configured to be secured to the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 . the second dead hinge section side 122 can be configured to be connected to the live hinge section 112 and abut against the live hinge section 112 when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed configuration . in an embodiment , the second dead hinge section side 122 can comprise an indentation 127 configured to accept a connecting tab ( not visible in fig1 ) comprising the live hinge section 112 , which can be used to secure the present folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position . in an embodiment , the dead hinge section 102 can comprise a circular dead hinge section opening 123 configured to allow a threaded flange 104 to pass mostly through the circular dead hinge section opening 123 . the threaded flange 104 can comprise a threaded body 145 which can be configured to be screwed into the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 , where a receiver extension ( not shown in fig1 a ) would typically connect to the receiver 101 . the threaded flange 104 can also comprise a head 114 , which can be configured to abut up against a raised lip 146 located within the dead hinge section opening 123 . when the threaded flange 104 is screwed into the rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 , the dead hinge section 102 can be placed against , and connected to the receiver 101 . the threaded flange 104 can also comprise slots 107 , which can be used to facilitate turning the threaded flange 104 , in order to screw it into the rear threaded section of the receiver 101 . the force of the head 114 against the raised lip 146 can securely connect the dead hinge side 102 to the receiver 101 , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the dead hinge section 102 can also comprise a slot 125 configured to receive a locking button assembly 105 that can extend through the dead hinge section 102 . a button 150 , comprising the locking button assembly 105 can extend through the slot 125 comprising the dead hinge section 102 and pass out of the opposite side ( not shown in fig1 a ) of the dead hinge section 102 so that it can be pushed by a user &# 39 ; s thumb or finger . pressing the button 150 into the slot 125 , can thus actuate the locking button assembly 105 . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can be spring - loaded through use of a locking button spring 115 in order to hold the button 150 in a locked position until the button 150 is pressed into the slot 125 and into an unlocked position . in an embodiment , the button 150 can be pressed in order to allow the live hinge section 112 to pivot about the dead hinge section 102 between an open position and a closed position using a hinged joint comprised of a hinge pivot 138 and two hinge tabs 134 joined by a hinge pin 139 . in an embodiment , the hinged joint can comprise one or more stays configure to hold the stock in either an open position or a closed position until a force sufficient to overcome the stay is applied to the hinged joint . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can further comprise a button cover 151 , which can be used to retain the remaining parts of the locking button assembly 105 through the use of a setscrew 118 , which can connect the locking button assembly 105 to the dead hinge section 102 . in an embodiment , the locking button assembly 105 can comprise a tab 108 , which can extend through the slot 125 and into the dead hinge section opening 123 comprising the dead hinge section 102 . this tab 108 can act as a stay , which can be configured to prevent the bolt carrier assembly 180 from falling out of the receiver 101 when the folding stock adapter 100 is in an open ( folded ) position . this tab 108 can be configured to move into the slot when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position thus allowing the action spring and buffer unobstructed access to the bolt carrier extension 170 and bolt carrier assembly 180 . in an embodiment , the live hinge section 112 can comprise a first live hinge side 130 and a second live hinge side 131 . when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position , the first live hinge side 130 of the live hinge section 112 can be placed against the second dead hinge side 122 of the dead hinge section 102 . the live hinge section 112 can further comprise two hinge tabs 134 , which can be connected to the hinge pivot 138 comprising the dead hinge section 102 . in an embodiment , the live hinge section 112 can also comprise an aligning indentation 133 which can match the aligning indentation 163 located on the rear section of the receiver 101 . this aligning indentation 133 can be used to align the stock ( not shown in fig1 a ) against the second live hinge side 131 by using an aligning tab on the stock ( not shown in fig1 a ), which can be configured to fit within the aligning indentation 133 . a rifle can be connected to the live hinge section 112 by screwing a standard receiver extension comprising the rifle stock into a threaded circular receiver hole 132 , which can be configured to allow an action spring and buffer ( not pictured ) to contact the bolt carrier extension 170 . ( note that although threaded connections are used to connect the dead hinge 102 to the receiver 101 and the stock of the weapon to the live hinge section 112 , various alternative types of connectors could be used to facilitate these connections .) the folding stock adapter can be configured so that when the dead hinge side 102 is connected to rear threaded section 106 of the receiver 101 by the threaded flange 104 , and the live hinge section 112 is abutted against the dead hinge section 102 , thus forming a continuous opening from the receiver 101 to the receiver extension , which can allow the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 a ) to contact the bolt carrier extension 170 in order to actuate the bolt carrier assembly 180 . the bolt carrier assembly 180 , comprising typical military - style assault rifles is actuated by the action spring and buffer , which are pushed backward by gas pressure produced by a cartridge when it is fired then moves forward when the gas pressure subsides . this back and forth , reciprocating motion allows the weapon to eject spent cartridges and chamber new ones thus preparing the weapon to re - fire with each cycle . fig1 b is an exploded rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a bolt carrier assembly 180 , including a bolt carrier extension 170 , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can also comprise a bolt carrier extension 170 , which can be connected to the bolt carrier assembly 180 thus extending its length . this extension in length can compensate for the length added to the rifle by the addition of the folding stock adapter 100 ensuring that the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 b ) can still properly actuate the bolt carrier assembly 180 . in an embodiment , the bolt carrier extension 170 can comprise a tapered end 172 configured to fit within an opening 182 comprising the bolt carrier assembly 180 . the bolt carrier extension 170 can also comprise a head end 171 configured to contact , and be actuated by the action spring and buffer ( not shown in fig1 b ). the head end 171 can comprise one or more cutout sections 174 , the purpose and function of which will be described below . fig1 c is a rear , top and side perspective view drawing of a bolt carrier assembly 180 connected to a bolt carrier extension 170 according to an embodiment . this view shows how the bolt carrier assembly 180 would appear if the tapered end 172 ( not shown in fig1 c ) of the bolt carrier extension 170 was to be placed into the opening 182 comprising the bolt carrier assembly 180 shown in fig1 b . fig2 is an exploded front , top and side perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 and a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the first live hinge side 130 of the live hinge section 112 can comprise a locking tab 135 which can be configured to be received by the indentation 120 ( shown in fig1 a ) comprising the dead hinge section side 122 . when the folding stock adapter 100 is in a closed position , the locking tab 135 can be inserted into the indentation 120 and the tab retainer 520 ( not shown in fig2 , but shown in fig5 ) comprising the locking button assembly 105 can be inserted into the locking tab hole 136 in order to lock the folding stock adapter 100 into a closed position likewise , the tab retainer 520 comprising the button 150 can be removed from the locking tab hole 136 , by pressing in the button 150 , in order to allow the folding stock adapter 100 to be placed into an open position thus allowing the stock to be folded against the receiver 101 . in an embodiment , the threaded circular receiver hole 132 can comprise a threaded hole 225 , configured to be connected to a buffer retaining pin 220 , which can prevent the buffer and action spring ( not shown in fig2 ) from being accidentally removed from the receiver extension ( not shown in fig2 ). the cutout sections 174 ( shown in fig1 b ) comprising the head end 171 of the bolt carrier extension 170 can be configured to allow the bolt carrier extension 170 to pass over the buffer retaining pin 220 so as to facilitate contact with the buffer and action spring . fig3 is a perspective rear , side , and bottom view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be placed into a closed position wherein two hinge tabs 134 can be rotated about the hinge pivot 138 , connected by a hinge pin 139 ( not visible in fig3 ), in order to place the live hinge section 112 against the dead hinge section 102 . in this closed position , the receiver 101 can be placed into alignment with the stock ( not pictured in fig3 ) allowing the bolt carrier extension 170 to pass through the threaded circular receiver hole 132 , the circular flange hole 141 ( see fig1 a ), and the circular dead hinge section opening 123 ( see fig1 a ). when the folding stock adapter 100 is in this closed position , the receiver 101 and stock are lined up in a functional position and the weapon can be fired normally . fig4 is a perspective rear , side , and top view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be in a closed position wherein the locking tab 135 ( not pictured in fig4 ) comprising the live hinge section 112 can be inserted into the indentation 120 ( not pictured in fig4 ) comprising the dead hinge section 102 so that the dead hinge section 102 and the live hinge section 112 can be held together to allow the weapon to be fired . the button 150 can be pressed to release the live hinge section 112 and allow the stock ( not viewable in fig4 ) to be folded against the receiver 101 . the dead hinge section 102 can comprise a raised shroud 126 which can help prevent the accidental activation of the button 150 . fig5 is a perspective rear , side , and top view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 connected to a receiver 101 such as those commonly comprising many military - style assault rifles , according to an embodiment . in an embodiment , the folding stock adapter 100 can be in an open position wherein the button 150 has been pressed and the locking tab 135 on the live hinge section 112 has been released from the dead hinge section 102 . the dead hinge section 102 remains attached to the receiver 101 while the live hinge section 112 is free to rotate about the hinge assembly 505 . as the live hinge section 112 is attached to the stock ( not shown in fig5 ), the stock can also rotate around to one side of the receiver 101 , allowing the overall length of the weapon to be reduced by nearly the entire length of the stock . fig6 a is a top and side perspective view drawing of a military - style assault rifle 600 comprising a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed ( fully functional ) position , according to an embodiment . the buffer and action spring can be located within the receiver extension 610 comprising the stock 620 . fig6 b is a top and side perspective view drawing of a military - style assault rifle 600 , comprising a folding stock adapter 100 , in an open ( folded ) position , according to an embodiment . this drawing , when viewed in comparison to fig6 a , clearly illustrates the reduction of the rifle &# 39 ; s 600 overall length , when the stock is in the folded position allowed by the folding stock adapter 100 . fig7 a is a side , bottom and rear perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 in a closed position , according to an embodiment . fig7 b is a side , top and rear perspective view drawing of a folding stock adapter 100 , in an open position , according to an embodiment . fig7 a and 7b clearly depict the parts that comprise the present folding stock adapter 100 absent any rifle parts to be connected to the adapter . in particular , fig7 b clearly shows the tab retainer 520 located within the indentation 120 , which can retain the locking tab 135 . fig8 is an exploded side and rear perspective view drawing of a standard rifle stock 820 ( prior art ), receiver extension 810 ( prior art ), action spring 840 ( prior art ), buffer 830 ( prior art ), bolt carrier extension 170 , and live hinge section 112 , according to an embodiment . although the invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments , it is not limited thereto . rather , the appended claims should be construed broadly , to include other variants and embodiments of the invention , which may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and range of equivalents of the invention . | Should this patent be classified under 'Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting'? | Is 'General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | 28344a03c0e7561ec24422d8985a1477f7ec53a3c784e29025ff2452bb28d1d4 | 0.001984 | 0.095215 | 0.000805 | 0.075684 | 0.006683 | 0.074707 |
null | fig1 shows a medical examination device 1 , suitable for executing the inventive method . a c - arm - x - ray system 2 , comprising a radiographic source 3 and a radiation detector 4 , as indicated by the arrow a , is supported to allow rotation , so that fluoroscopy images can be recorded from different angles . a biplanar x - ray device can also be used as an alternative . a patient 6 is arranged on a bed 5 . the ecg value of the patient is measured using suitable recording means 7 , processed in an ecg control unit 8 and assigned to an ecg phase . the connection with the x - ray control unit 9 enables two fluoroscopy images at an angle to each other to be recorded using triggering in the same ecg phase with the aid of the x - ray system 2 . a catheter 10 with an image recording device arranged at its tip , not shown in any greater detail here , is introduced into a hollow organ of the patient 6 . the catheter control unit 11 monitors the catheter 10 and is also embodied to perform an even withdrawal of the catheter through the hollow organ while precisely recording the withdrawal length . in addition a possibly further control unit 12 is provided for the image recording device of the catheter 10 . the control unit 12 has a communication connection to the ecg control unit 8 , so that an ecg triggering or recording can be undertaken . all control units 8 , 9 , 11 and 12 also communicate with a central processing unit 13 . a monitor 14 can be assigned to this unit , on which images , models and reconstructions can be displayed . the processing unit 13 is embodied in this case to execute the inventive method . within the framework of the present invention two types of catheter 10 can be used , these being shown in greater detail in fig2 and 3 . fig2 shows the catheter tip 15 of a first catheter 10 a . an annular window 17 is provided which runs around the circumference of the catheter shell 16 in the area of the catheter tip 15 , through which the images can be recorded with the aid of the image recording device 18 . the image recording device 18 records two - dimensional sectional images of the hollow organ . it is connected via suitable signal lines 19 , which run within the catheter shell 16 , to the control unit 12 in which the images are detected and buffered . a further catheter 10 b is shown in fig3 . as a sleeve catheter it comprises an outer sleeve 12 which remains in position in the patient 6 during withdrawal , which is transparent is and serves as a catheter guide for the inner catheter 21 , which in its turn comprises an image recording device 22 with assigned signal lines 23 . the image recording devices 18 or 22 recording sectional images of the hollow organ can be oct , ivus or ofdi devices in this case . the diameter of the catheter 10 is smaller in this case than the diameter of the hollow organ , mostly even considerably smaller . therefore the catheter 10 mostly does not align itself within the hollow organ 24 , cf . fig4 , along a central path 25 , but in the example shown follows a shortest path , even lying against the vessel wall 26 in some sections . in the example shown not even the start position 27 lies on the central path 25 . if the catheter 10 is now withdrawn in the direction of the arrow b , its catheter tip 28 will not move along the central path 25 , but will take another withdrawal path which essentially depends on the physical characteristics of the catheter 10 and of the hollow organ 24 . the effects of the behavior on the catheter images recorded are explained in greater detail by fig5 . this once more shows the hollow organ 24 and also its central path 25 . a sectional image recorded at point 29 with an orientation of the catheter tip along the local direction of the central path 25 would represent a section through the plane 30 at right angles to the direction of the central path 25 , with the catheter 10 lying precisely in the middle of the sectional image . such a catheter image is shown at 48 . the solid line represents the real withdrawal path 31 which the catheter 10 takes . in this case an image is recorded at point 32 . the catheter tip of the catheter 10 is not located here in the center of the hollow organ 24 and is oriented along the direction of the real withdrawal path 31 . this produces a slightly distorted catheter image 33 , in which the catheter 10 is not arranged in the middle of the lumen . it should be pointed out here that the hollow organ is obviously generally not round and the orientation of the catheter can thus also not be determined with reference to the elliptic shape of the recorded lumen . to reconstruct from the two - dimensional catheter images a 3d presentation of the hollow organ , to achieve the most correct possible presentation the orientation and the deviation of the position of the catheter tip from the central path must consequently be known for each of these catheter images . fig6 shows a flowchart of the method in accordance with the invention , as can be executed in the examination apparatus depicted in fig1 . at the start , step 34 , the catheter 10 is moved to its start position in the hollow organ . however the catheter 10 , since it was pushed in must not necessarily have followed the shortest path to the start position . so that this is adopted , in step 35 the catheter 10 is automatically advanced a slight distance distally by the catheter control unit 11 , in order to be withdrawn into the start position thereafter . this stiffens the catheter 10 and it assumes approximately the shortest path . then , in step 36 , two two - dimensional fluoroscopy images are recorded at an angle to each other with the aid of the x - ray system 2 . if the heartbeat , that is the phase of the heart cycle or the breathing cycle of the patient 6 , effects the hollow organ to be examined , two options are conceivable . one is that only two images are recorded for the same ecg phase , triggered via the ecg control device 8 . the catheter images are then triggered with the same ecg phase later during automatic withdrawal . it is however also possible to record two fluoroscopy images for each ecg phase of the heart cycle . the instantaneous ecg phase is then stored with the images . since this also occurs later when the catheter images are recorded , the images of the same ecg phases can be assigned to each other . the same obviously applies to the breathing cycle of the patient 6 , provided this is relevant . the three - dimensional model is then created in step 37 . in this case a sleeve catheter is not used as then starting point , but rather a normal catheter 10 a . the lumen of the hollow organ can now be reconstructed from the two - dimensional fluoroscopy images , where necessary for each ecg phase . if previously recorded image data sets are available , from which , if necessary more exactly , a model of the hollow organ can be derived , for example magnetic resonance images or computer tomography images , then , as shown in 38 , this image data can serve as a basis for creating the three - dimensional model . the fluoroscopy images recorded in step 36 are then used for registration of the two coordinate systems . here too ecg or breathing phase should be noted where necessary . in step 39 the three - dimensional start position of the catheter 10 is then determined in the three - dimensional model . if the three - dimensional model has been created from the fluoroscopy images recorded in step 36 , in which the catheter tip is also to be seen , the position of the catheter tip can be determined directly in the three - dimensional model . otherwise there must be reference back to the registration which links the coordinate systems . then the catheter 10 is automatically withdrawn in step 40 by the catheter control unit 11 while recording the two - dimensional catheter images , here sectional images , and while detecting a withdrawal length automatically assigned to the catheter image . in addition the associated ecg phase for each catheter image can be determined via the ecg control unit 8 if necessary and stored assigned to this image . alternatively it is possible for the catheter images to be recorded ecg - triggered . then , in step 41 the most probable withdrawal path of the catheter 10 from the start position is determined on the basis of the three - dimensional model . this is done with the aid of the processing unit 13 and a simulation which takes account both of the geometrical conditions of the lumen which are contained in the three - dimensional model and also physical principles as well as physical characteristics of the real or virtual catheter as well as of the hollow organ . the catheter &# 39 ; s diameter , specific weight , elasticity , rigidity and / or surface properties can be used for example as physical parameters which describe the catheter . these parameters can be both measured characteristics of the real catheter 10 and also assumed characteristics of the virtual catheter . the characteristics of the hollow organ are taken into account by a model for hollow organ deformations which occur . in addition possible discontinuous movements of the catheter 10 are taken into account in the simulation . examples of this are jumping across to another wall of the hollow organ or jumping further along the wall . after the most probable withdrawal path has been determined by the simulation by means of the processing unit 13 , in step 42 the deviation of the position of the catheter 10 from a central path leading through the middle of the hollow organ and the orientation of the catheter 10 can be determined for each catheter image . this is possible using the detected and recorded withdrawal length . the withdrawal length of the real catheter 10 corresponds to a withdrawal length of the virtual catheter along of the most probable withdrawal path . each catheter image is consequently assigned the deviation from the central path and the orientation to the corresponding position of the withdrawal path determined . in step 43 the deviation from the central path is additionally determined from the catheter image . now the difference between the deviation from the most probable withdrawal path determined and the deviation determined from the catheter image can be formed . this difference is compared in step 44 with a threshold value . if the difference is greater than the threshold value , the catheter 10 has evidently not followed the predicted withdrawal path but another path . in this case in step 45 the current position of the catheter 10 is set during image recording as the start position and the probable withdrawal path is determined once again in step 41 with this start position . if the difference is less than the threshold value in step 44 , then , step 46 , either the next catheter image is processed or , if this was the last catheter image , in step 47 the 3d presentation is reconstructed . at this point a general remark is included about the sequence of the method steps . the three - dimensional model , the start position determined within it and the withdrawal path determined from it are only linked to each other in step 42 . steps 37 , 39 and 41 must always be performed in the order shown . when however the withdrawal of the catheter 10 is performed precisely in step 40 , it is not decisive for the success of the inventive method , provided this lies after step 36 , the detection of two fluoroscopy images , and before step 42 , in which the three - dimensional model and the detected catheter images are related to each other . there can however be provision for the steps 42 , 43 and 44 to be performed in parallel with step 40 , that is directly after each recording of a catheter image . if a deviation from the withdrawal path is established , provided there is a difference exceeding the threshold value , is established in step 44 , the withdrawal can be interrupted if necessary and new two - dimensional fluoroscopy images can be recorded , from which the new start position inclusive orientation can be determined exactly . for the reconstruction of the 3d presentation in step 47 , the ecg phases or breath phases can again be taken into account if necessary . thus for each ecg phase a separate 3d presentation is determined if there has been no ecg triggering . the different 3d presentations can then either be fused into a single 3d presentation or appended to each other for forming a complete heart cycle as a film . it is important however that in step 47 for the deviation from the central path and orientation assigned to each image in step 42 to be taken into account in the reconstruction , which means that the errors arising from this will be corrected as much as possible . this means that in the final analysis a more correct 3d presentation of the hollow organ is obtained . finally it remains to be pointed out that , for reconstruction of the 3d presentation , images derived from the catheter images , such as elastography images for example , can be used . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Human Necessities'? | Is 'Performing Operations; Transporting' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | a10bfcf79be8b10281be35124fc5ed0b7c7329ba26bdad64d84cd97c3a099d05 | 0.077148 | 0.008057 | 0.000969 | 0.009705 | 0.013245 | 0.024414 |
null | fig1 shows a medical examination device 1 , suitable for executing the inventive method . a c - arm - x - ray system 2 , comprising a radiographic source 3 and a radiation detector 4 , as indicated by the arrow a , is supported to allow rotation , so that fluoroscopy images can be recorded from different angles . a biplanar x - ray device can also be used as an alternative . a patient 6 is arranged on a bed 5 . the ecg value of the patient is measured using suitable recording means 7 , processed in an ecg control unit 8 and assigned to an ecg phase . the connection with the x - ray control unit 9 enables two fluoroscopy images at an angle to each other to be recorded using triggering in the same ecg phase with the aid of the x - ray system 2 . a catheter 10 with an image recording device arranged at its tip , not shown in any greater detail here , is introduced into a hollow organ of the patient 6 . the catheter control unit 11 monitors the catheter 10 and is also embodied to perform an even withdrawal of the catheter through the hollow organ while precisely recording the withdrawal length . in addition a possibly further control unit 12 is provided for the image recording device of the catheter 10 . the control unit 12 has a communication connection to the ecg control unit 8 , so that an ecg triggering or recording can be undertaken . all control units 8 , 9 , 11 and 12 also communicate with a central processing unit 13 . a monitor 14 can be assigned to this unit , on which images , models and reconstructions can be displayed . the processing unit 13 is embodied in this case to execute the inventive method . within the framework of the present invention two types of catheter 10 can be used , these being shown in greater detail in fig2 and 3 . fig2 shows the catheter tip 15 of a first catheter 10 a . an annular window 17 is provided which runs around the circumference of the catheter shell 16 in the area of the catheter tip 15 , through which the images can be recorded with the aid of the image recording device 18 . the image recording device 18 records two - dimensional sectional images of the hollow organ . it is connected via suitable signal lines 19 , which run within the catheter shell 16 , to the control unit 12 in which the images are detected and buffered . a further catheter 10 b is shown in fig3 . as a sleeve catheter it comprises an outer sleeve 12 which remains in position in the patient 6 during withdrawal , which is transparent is and serves as a catheter guide for the inner catheter 21 , which in its turn comprises an image recording device 22 with assigned signal lines 23 . the image recording devices 18 or 22 recording sectional images of the hollow organ can be oct , ivus or ofdi devices in this case . the diameter of the catheter 10 is smaller in this case than the diameter of the hollow organ , mostly even considerably smaller . therefore the catheter 10 mostly does not align itself within the hollow organ 24 , cf . fig4 , along a central path 25 , but in the example shown follows a shortest path , even lying against the vessel wall 26 in some sections . in the example shown not even the start position 27 lies on the central path 25 . if the catheter 10 is now withdrawn in the direction of the arrow b , its catheter tip 28 will not move along the central path 25 , but will take another withdrawal path which essentially depends on the physical characteristics of the catheter 10 and of the hollow organ 24 . the effects of the behavior on the catheter images recorded are explained in greater detail by fig5 . this once more shows the hollow organ 24 and also its central path 25 . a sectional image recorded at point 29 with an orientation of the catheter tip along the local direction of the central path 25 would represent a section through the plane 30 at right angles to the direction of the central path 25 , with the catheter 10 lying precisely in the middle of the sectional image . such a catheter image is shown at 48 . the solid line represents the real withdrawal path 31 which the catheter 10 takes . in this case an image is recorded at point 32 . the catheter tip of the catheter 10 is not located here in the center of the hollow organ 24 and is oriented along the direction of the real withdrawal path 31 . this produces a slightly distorted catheter image 33 , in which the catheter 10 is not arranged in the middle of the lumen . it should be pointed out here that the hollow organ is obviously generally not round and the orientation of the catheter can thus also not be determined with reference to the elliptic shape of the recorded lumen . to reconstruct from the two - dimensional catheter images a 3d presentation of the hollow organ , to achieve the most correct possible presentation the orientation and the deviation of the position of the catheter tip from the central path must consequently be known for each of these catheter images . fig6 shows a flowchart of the method in accordance with the invention , as can be executed in the examination apparatus depicted in fig1 . at the start , step 34 , the catheter 10 is moved to its start position in the hollow organ . however the catheter 10 , since it was pushed in must not necessarily have followed the shortest path to the start position . so that this is adopted , in step 35 the catheter 10 is automatically advanced a slight distance distally by the catheter control unit 11 , in order to be withdrawn into the start position thereafter . this stiffens the catheter 10 and it assumes approximately the shortest path . then , in step 36 , two two - dimensional fluoroscopy images are recorded at an angle to each other with the aid of the x - ray system 2 . if the heartbeat , that is the phase of the heart cycle or the breathing cycle of the patient 6 , effects the hollow organ to be examined , two options are conceivable . one is that only two images are recorded for the same ecg phase , triggered via the ecg control device 8 . the catheter images are then triggered with the same ecg phase later during automatic withdrawal . it is however also possible to record two fluoroscopy images for each ecg phase of the heart cycle . the instantaneous ecg phase is then stored with the images . since this also occurs later when the catheter images are recorded , the images of the same ecg phases can be assigned to each other . the same obviously applies to the breathing cycle of the patient 6 , provided this is relevant . the three - dimensional model is then created in step 37 . in this case a sleeve catheter is not used as then starting point , but rather a normal catheter 10 a . the lumen of the hollow organ can now be reconstructed from the two - dimensional fluoroscopy images , where necessary for each ecg phase . if previously recorded image data sets are available , from which , if necessary more exactly , a model of the hollow organ can be derived , for example magnetic resonance images or computer tomography images , then , as shown in 38 , this image data can serve as a basis for creating the three - dimensional model . the fluoroscopy images recorded in step 36 are then used for registration of the two coordinate systems . here too ecg or breathing phase should be noted where necessary . in step 39 the three - dimensional start position of the catheter 10 is then determined in the three - dimensional model . if the three - dimensional model has been created from the fluoroscopy images recorded in step 36 , in which the catheter tip is also to be seen , the position of the catheter tip can be determined directly in the three - dimensional model . otherwise there must be reference back to the registration which links the coordinate systems . then the catheter 10 is automatically withdrawn in step 40 by the catheter control unit 11 while recording the two - dimensional catheter images , here sectional images , and while detecting a withdrawal length automatically assigned to the catheter image . in addition the associated ecg phase for each catheter image can be determined via the ecg control unit 8 if necessary and stored assigned to this image . alternatively it is possible for the catheter images to be recorded ecg - triggered . then , in step 41 the most probable withdrawal path of the catheter 10 from the start position is determined on the basis of the three - dimensional model . this is done with the aid of the processing unit 13 and a simulation which takes account both of the geometrical conditions of the lumen which are contained in the three - dimensional model and also physical principles as well as physical characteristics of the real or virtual catheter as well as of the hollow organ . the catheter &# 39 ; s diameter , specific weight , elasticity , rigidity and / or surface properties can be used for example as physical parameters which describe the catheter . these parameters can be both measured characteristics of the real catheter 10 and also assumed characteristics of the virtual catheter . the characteristics of the hollow organ are taken into account by a model for hollow organ deformations which occur . in addition possible discontinuous movements of the catheter 10 are taken into account in the simulation . examples of this are jumping across to another wall of the hollow organ or jumping further along the wall . after the most probable withdrawal path has been determined by the simulation by means of the processing unit 13 , in step 42 the deviation of the position of the catheter 10 from a central path leading through the middle of the hollow organ and the orientation of the catheter 10 can be determined for each catheter image . this is possible using the detected and recorded withdrawal length . the withdrawal length of the real catheter 10 corresponds to a withdrawal length of the virtual catheter along of the most probable withdrawal path . each catheter image is consequently assigned the deviation from the central path and the orientation to the corresponding position of the withdrawal path determined . in step 43 the deviation from the central path is additionally determined from the catheter image . now the difference between the deviation from the most probable withdrawal path determined and the deviation determined from the catheter image can be formed . this difference is compared in step 44 with a threshold value . if the difference is greater than the threshold value , the catheter 10 has evidently not followed the predicted withdrawal path but another path . in this case in step 45 the current position of the catheter 10 is set during image recording as the start position and the probable withdrawal path is determined once again in step 41 with this start position . if the difference is less than the threshold value in step 44 , then , step 46 , either the next catheter image is processed or , if this was the last catheter image , in step 47 the 3d presentation is reconstructed . at this point a general remark is included about the sequence of the method steps . the three - dimensional model , the start position determined within it and the withdrawal path determined from it are only linked to each other in step 42 . steps 37 , 39 and 41 must always be performed in the order shown . when however the withdrawal of the catheter 10 is performed precisely in step 40 , it is not decisive for the success of the inventive method , provided this lies after step 36 , the detection of two fluoroscopy images , and before step 42 , in which the three - dimensional model and the detected catheter images are related to each other . there can however be provision for the steps 42 , 43 and 44 to be performed in parallel with step 40 , that is directly after each recording of a catheter image . if a deviation from the withdrawal path is established , provided there is a difference exceeding the threshold value , is established in step 44 , the withdrawal can be interrupted if necessary and new two - dimensional fluoroscopy images can be recorded , from which the new start position inclusive orientation can be determined exactly . for the reconstruction of the 3d presentation in step 47 , the ecg phases or breath phases can again be taken into account if necessary . thus for each ecg phase a separate 3d presentation is determined if there has been no ecg triggering . the different 3d presentations can then either be fused into a single 3d presentation or appended to each other for forming a complete heart cycle as a film . it is important however that in step 47 for the deviation from the central path and orientation assigned to each image in step 42 to be taken into account in the reconstruction , which means that the errors arising from this will be corrected as much as possible . this means that in the final analysis a more correct 3d presentation of the hollow organ is obtained . finally it remains to be pointed out that , for reconstruction of the 3d presentation , images derived from the catheter images , such as elastography images for example , can be used . | Is 'Human Necessities' the correct technical category for the patent? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Chemistry; Metallurgy'? | 0.25 | a10bfcf79be8b10281be35124fc5ed0b7c7329ba26bdad64d84cd97c3a099d05 | 0.010681 | 0.000336 | 0.000881 | 0.000058 | 0.00103 | 0.000969 |
null | fig1 shows a medical examination device 1 , suitable for executing the inventive method . a c - arm - x - ray system 2 , comprising a radiographic source 3 and a radiation detector 4 , as indicated by the arrow a , is supported to allow rotation , so that fluoroscopy images can be recorded from different angles . a biplanar x - ray device can also be used as an alternative . a patient 6 is arranged on a bed 5 . the ecg value of the patient is measured using suitable recording means 7 , processed in an ecg control unit 8 and assigned to an ecg phase . the connection with the x - ray control unit 9 enables two fluoroscopy images at an angle to each other to be recorded using triggering in the same ecg phase with the aid of the x - ray system 2 . a catheter 10 with an image recording device arranged at its tip , not shown in any greater detail here , is introduced into a hollow organ of the patient 6 . the catheter control unit 11 monitors the catheter 10 and is also embodied to perform an even withdrawal of the catheter through the hollow organ while precisely recording the withdrawal length . in addition a possibly further control unit 12 is provided for the image recording device of the catheter 10 . the control unit 12 has a communication connection to the ecg control unit 8 , so that an ecg triggering or recording can be undertaken . all control units 8 , 9 , 11 and 12 also communicate with a central processing unit 13 . a monitor 14 can be assigned to this unit , on which images , models and reconstructions can be displayed . the processing unit 13 is embodied in this case to execute the inventive method . within the framework of the present invention two types of catheter 10 can be used , these being shown in greater detail in fig2 and 3 . fig2 shows the catheter tip 15 of a first catheter 10 a . an annular window 17 is provided which runs around the circumference of the catheter shell 16 in the area of the catheter tip 15 , through which the images can be recorded with the aid of the image recording device 18 . the image recording device 18 records two - dimensional sectional images of the hollow organ . it is connected via suitable signal lines 19 , which run within the catheter shell 16 , to the control unit 12 in which the images are detected and buffered . a further catheter 10 b is shown in fig3 . as a sleeve catheter it comprises an outer sleeve 12 which remains in position in the patient 6 during withdrawal , which is transparent is and serves as a catheter guide for the inner catheter 21 , which in its turn comprises an image recording device 22 with assigned signal lines 23 . the image recording devices 18 or 22 recording sectional images of the hollow organ can be oct , ivus or ofdi devices in this case . the diameter of the catheter 10 is smaller in this case than the diameter of the hollow organ , mostly even considerably smaller . therefore the catheter 10 mostly does not align itself within the hollow organ 24 , cf . fig4 , along a central path 25 , but in the example shown follows a shortest path , even lying against the vessel wall 26 in some sections . in the example shown not even the start position 27 lies on the central path 25 . if the catheter 10 is now withdrawn in the direction of the arrow b , its catheter tip 28 will not move along the central path 25 , but will take another withdrawal path which essentially depends on the physical characteristics of the catheter 10 and of the hollow organ 24 . the effects of the behavior on the catheter images recorded are explained in greater detail by fig5 . this once more shows the hollow organ 24 and also its central path 25 . a sectional image recorded at point 29 with an orientation of the catheter tip along the local direction of the central path 25 would represent a section through the plane 30 at right angles to the direction of the central path 25 , with the catheter 10 lying precisely in the middle of the sectional image . such a catheter image is shown at 48 . the solid line represents the real withdrawal path 31 which the catheter 10 takes . in this case an image is recorded at point 32 . the catheter tip of the catheter 10 is not located here in the center of the hollow organ 24 and is oriented along the direction of the real withdrawal path 31 . this produces a slightly distorted catheter image 33 , in which the catheter 10 is not arranged in the middle of the lumen . it should be pointed out here that the hollow organ is obviously generally not round and the orientation of the catheter can thus also not be determined with reference to the elliptic shape of the recorded lumen . to reconstruct from the two - dimensional catheter images a 3d presentation of the hollow organ , to achieve the most correct possible presentation the orientation and the deviation of the position of the catheter tip from the central path must consequently be known for each of these catheter images . fig6 shows a flowchart of the method in accordance with the invention , as can be executed in the examination apparatus depicted in fig1 . at the start , step 34 , the catheter 10 is moved to its start position in the hollow organ . however the catheter 10 , since it was pushed in must not necessarily have followed the shortest path to the start position . so that this is adopted , in step 35 the catheter 10 is automatically advanced a slight distance distally by the catheter control unit 11 , in order to be withdrawn into the start position thereafter . this stiffens the catheter 10 and it assumes approximately the shortest path . then , in step 36 , two two - dimensional fluoroscopy images are recorded at an angle to each other with the aid of the x - ray system 2 . if the heartbeat , that is the phase of the heart cycle or the breathing cycle of the patient 6 , effects the hollow organ to be examined , two options are conceivable . one is that only two images are recorded for the same ecg phase , triggered via the ecg control device 8 . the catheter images are then triggered with the same ecg phase later during automatic withdrawal . it is however also possible to record two fluoroscopy images for each ecg phase of the heart cycle . the instantaneous ecg phase is then stored with the images . since this also occurs later when the catheter images are recorded , the images of the same ecg phases can be assigned to each other . the same obviously applies to the breathing cycle of the patient 6 , provided this is relevant . the three - dimensional model is then created in step 37 . in this case a sleeve catheter is not used as then starting point , but rather a normal catheter 10 a . the lumen of the hollow organ can now be reconstructed from the two - dimensional fluoroscopy images , where necessary for each ecg phase . if previously recorded image data sets are available , from which , if necessary more exactly , a model of the hollow organ can be derived , for example magnetic resonance images or computer tomography images , then , as shown in 38 , this image data can serve as a basis for creating the three - dimensional model . the fluoroscopy images recorded in step 36 are then used for registration of the two coordinate systems . here too ecg or breathing phase should be noted where necessary . in step 39 the three - dimensional start position of the catheter 10 is then determined in the three - dimensional model . if the three - dimensional model has been created from the fluoroscopy images recorded in step 36 , in which the catheter tip is also to be seen , the position of the catheter tip can be determined directly in the three - dimensional model . otherwise there must be reference back to the registration which links the coordinate systems . then the catheter 10 is automatically withdrawn in step 40 by the catheter control unit 11 while recording the two - dimensional catheter images , here sectional images , and while detecting a withdrawal length automatically assigned to the catheter image . in addition the associated ecg phase for each catheter image can be determined via the ecg control unit 8 if necessary and stored assigned to this image . alternatively it is possible for the catheter images to be recorded ecg - triggered . then , in step 41 the most probable withdrawal path of the catheter 10 from the start position is determined on the basis of the three - dimensional model . this is done with the aid of the processing unit 13 and a simulation which takes account both of the geometrical conditions of the lumen which are contained in the three - dimensional model and also physical principles as well as physical characteristics of the real or virtual catheter as well as of the hollow organ . the catheter &# 39 ; s diameter , specific weight , elasticity , rigidity and / or surface properties can be used for example as physical parameters which describe the catheter . these parameters can be both measured characteristics of the real catheter 10 and also assumed characteristics of the virtual catheter . the characteristics of the hollow organ are taken into account by a model for hollow organ deformations which occur . in addition possible discontinuous movements of the catheter 10 are taken into account in the simulation . examples of this are jumping across to another wall of the hollow organ or jumping further along the wall . after the most probable withdrawal path has been determined by the simulation by means of the processing unit 13 , in step 42 the deviation of the position of the catheter 10 from a central path leading through the middle of the hollow organ and the orientation of the catheter 10 can be determined for each catheter image . this is possible using the detected and recorded withdrawal length . the withdrawal length of the real catheter 10 corresponds to a withdrawal length of the virtual catheter along of the most probable withdrawal path . each catheter image is consequently assigned the deviation from the central path and the orientation to the corresponding position of the withdrawal path determined . in step 43 the deviation from the central path is additionally determined from the catheter image . now the difference between the deviation from the most probable withdrawal path determined and the deviation determined from the catheter image can be formed . this difference is compared in step 44 with a threshold value . if the difference is greater than the threshold value , the catheter 10 has evidently not followed the predicted withdrawal path but another path . in this case in step 45 the current position of the catheter 10 is set during image recording as the start position and the probable withdrawal path is determined once again in step 41 with this start position . if the difference is less than the threshold value in step 44 , then , step 46 , either the next catheter image is processed or , if this was the last catheter image , in step 47 the 3d presentation is reconstructed . at this point a general remark is included about the sequence of the method steps . the three - dimensional model , the start position determined within it and the withdrawal path determined from it are only linked to each other in step 42 . steps 37 , 39 and 41 must always be performed in the order shown . when however the withdrawal of the catheter 10 is performed precisely in step 40 , it is not decisive for the success of the inventive method , provided this lies after step 36 , the detection of two fluoroscopy images , and before step 42 , in which the three - dimensional model and the detected catheter images are related to each other . there can however be provision for the steps 42 , 43 and 44 to be performed in parallel with step 40 , that is directly after each recording of a catheter image . if a deviation from the withdrawal path is established , provided there is a difference exceeding the threshold value , is established in step 44 , the withdrawal can be interrupted if necessary and new two - dimensional fluoroscopy images can be recorded , from which the new start position inclusive orientation can be determined exactly . for the reconstruction of the 3d presentation in step 47 , the ecg phases or breath phases can again be taken into account if necessary . thus for each ecg phase a separate 3d presentation is determined if there has been no ecg triggering . the different 3d presentations can then either be fused into a single 3d presentation or appended to each other for forming a complete heart cycle as a film . it is important however that in step 47 for the deviation from the central path and orientation assigned to each image in step 42 to be taken into account in the reconstruction , which means that the errors arising from this will be corrected as much as possible . this means that in the final analysis a more correct 3d presentation of the hollow organ is obtained . finally it remains to be pointed out that , for reconstruction of the 3d presentation , images derived from the catheter images , such as elastography images for example , can be used . | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Human Necessities'? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Textiles; Paper'? | 0.25 | a10bfcf79be8b10281be35124fc5ed0b7c7329ba26bdad64d84cd97c3a099d05 | 0.051758 | 0.000191 | 0.002625 | 0.000051 | 0.010315 | 0.005554 |
null | fig1 shows a medical examination device 1 , suitable for executing the inventive method . a c - arm - x - ray system 2 , comprising a radiographic source 3 and a radiation detector 4 , as indicated by the arrow a , is supported to allow rotation , so that fluoroscopy images can be recorded from different angles . a biplanar x - ray device can also be used as an alternative . a patient 6 is arranged on a bed 5 . the ecg value of the patient is measured using suitable recording means 7 , processed in an ecg control unit 8 and assigned to an ecg phase . the connection with the x - ray control unit 9 enables two fluoroscopy images at an angle to each other to be recorded using triggering in the same ecg phase with the aid of the x - ray system 2 . a catheter 10 with an image recording device arranged at its tip , not shown in any greater detail here , is introduced into a hollow organ of the patient 6 . the catheter control unit 11 monitors the catheter 10 and is also embodied to perform an even withdrawal of the catheter through the hollow organ while precisely recording the withdrawal length . in addition a possibly further control unit 12 is provided for the image recording device of the catheter 10 . the control unit 12 has a communication connection to the ecg control unit 8 , so that an ecg triggering or recording can be undertaken . all control units 8 , 9 , 11 and 12 also communicate with a central processing unit 13 . a monitor 14 can be assigned to this unit , on which images , models and reconstructions can be displayed . the processing unit 13 is embodied in this case to execute the inventive method . within the framework of the present invention two types of catheter 10 can be used , these being shown in greater detail in fig2 and 3 . fig2 shows the catheter tip 15 of a first catheter 10 a . an annular window 17 is provided which runs around the circumference of the catheter shell 16 in the area of the catheter tip 15 , through which the images can be recorded with the aid of the image recording device 18 . the image recording device 18 records two - dimensional sectional images of the hollow organ . it is connected via suitable signal lines 19 , which run within the catheter shell 16 , to the control unit 12 in which the images are detected and buffered . a further catheter 10 b is shown in fig3 . as a sleeve catheter it comprises an outer sleeve 12 which remains in position in the patient 6 during withdrawal , which is transparent is and serves as a catheter guide for the inner catheter 21 , which in its turn comprises an image recording device 22 with assigned signal lines 23 . the image recording devices 18 or 22 recording sectional images of the hollow organ can be oct , ivus or ofdi devices in this case . the diameter of the catheter 10 is smaller in this case than the diameter of the hollow organ , mostly even considerably smaller . therefore the catheter 10 mostly does not align itself within the hollow organ 24 , cf . fig4 , along a central path 25 , but in the example shown follows a shortest path , even lying against the vessel wall 26 in some sections . in the example shown not even the start position 27 lies on the central path 25 . if the catheter 10 is now withdrawn in the direction of the arrow b , its catheter tip 28 will not move along the central path 25 , but will take another withdrawal path which essentially depends on the physical characteristics of the catheter 10 and of the hollow organ 24 . the effects of the behavior on the catheter images recorded are explained in greater detail by fig5 . this once more shows the hollow organ 24 and also its central path 25 . a sectional image recorded at point 29 with an orientation of the catheter tip along the local direction of the central path 25 would represent a section through the plane 30 at right angles to the direction of the central path 25 , with the catheter 10 lying precisely in the middle of the sectional image . such a catheter image is shown at 48 . the solid line represents the real withdrawal path 31 which the catheter 10 takes . in this case an image is recorded at point 32 . the catheter tip of the catheter 10 is not located here in the center of the hollow organ 24 and is oriented along the direction of the real withdrawal path 31 . this produces a slightly distorted catheter image 33 , in which the catheter 10 is not arranged in the middle of the lumen . it should be pointed out here that the hollow organ is obviously generally not round and the orientation of the catheter can thus also not be determined with reference to the elliptic shape of the recorded lumen . to reconstruct from the two - dimensional catheter images a 3d presentation of the hollow organ , to achieve the most correct possible presentation the orientation and the deviation of the position of the catheter tip from the central path must consequently be known for each of these catheter images . fig6 shows a flowchart of the method in accordance with the invention , as can be executed in the examination apparatus depicted in fig1 . at the start , step 34 , the catheter 10 is moved to its start position in the hollow organ . however the catheter 10 , since it was pushed in must not necessarily have followed the shortest path to the start position . so that this is adopted , in step 35 the catheter 10 is automatically advanced a slight distance distally by the catheter control unit 11 , in order to be withdrawn into the start position thereafter . this stiffens the catheter 10 and it assumes approximately the shortest path . then , in step 36 , two two - dimensional fluoroscopy images are recorded at an angle to each other with the aid of the x - ray system 2 . if the heartbeat , that is the phase of the heart cycle or the breathing cycle of the patient 6 , effects the hollow organ to be examined , two options are conceivable . one is that only two images are recorded for the same ecg phase , triggered via the ecg control device 8 . the catheter images are then triggered with the same ecg phase later during automatic withdrawal . it is however also possible to record two fluoroscopy images for each ecg phase of the heart cycle . the instantaneous ecg phase is then stored with the images . since this also occurs later when the catheter images are recorded , the images of the same ecg phases can be assigned to each other . the same obviously applies to the breathing cycle of the patient 6 , provided this is relevant . the three - dimensional model is then created in step 37 . in this case a sleeve catheter is not used as then starting point , but rather a normal catheter 10 a . the lumen of the hollow organ can now be reconstructed from the two - dimensional fluoroscopy images , where necessary for each ecg phase . if previously recorded image data sets are available , from which , if necessary more exactly , a model of the hollow organ can be derived , for example magnetic resonance images or computer tomography images , then , as shown in 38 , this image data can serve as a basis for creating the three - dimensional model . the fluoroscopy images recorded in step 36 are then used for registration of the two coordinate systems . here too ecg or breathing phase should be noted where necessary . in step 39 the three - dimensional start position of the catheter 10 is then determined in the three - dimensional model . if the three - dimensional model has been created from the fluoroscopy images recorded in step 36 , in which the catheter tip is also to be seen , the position of the catheter tip can be determined directly in the three - dimensional model . otherwise there must be reference back to the registration which links the coordinate systems . then the catheter 10 is automatically withdrawn in step 40 by the catheter control unit 11 while recording the two - dimensional catheter images , here sectional images , and while detecting a withdrawal length automatically assigned to the catheter image . in addition the associated ecg phase for each catheter image can be determined via the ecg control unit 8 if necessary and stored assigned to this image . alternatively it is possible for the catheter images to be recorded ecg - triggered . then , in step 41 the most probable withdrawal path of the catheter 10 from the start position is determined on the basis of the three - dimensional model . this is done with the aid of the processing unit 13 and a simulation which takes account both of the geometrical conditions of the lumen which are contained in the three - dimensional model and also physical principles as well as physical characteristics of the real or virtual catheter as well as of the hollow organ . the catheter &# 39 ; s diameter , specific weight , elasticity , rigidity and / or surface properties can be used for example as physical parameters which describe the catheter . these parameters can be both measured characteristics of the real catheter 10 and also assumed characteristics of the virtual catheter . the characteristics of the hollow organ are taken into account by a model for hollow organ deformations which occur . in addition possible discontinuous movements of the catheter 10 are taken into account in the simulation . examples of this are jumping across to another wall of the hollow organ or jumping further along the wall . after the most probable withdrawal path has been determined by the simulation by means of the processing unit 13 , in step 42 the deviation of the position of the catheter 10 from a central path leading through the middle of the hollow organ and the orientation of the catheter 10 can be determined for each catheter image . this is possible using the detected and recorded withdrawal length . the withdrawal length of the real catheter 10 corresponds to a withdrawal length of the virtual catheter along of the most probable withdrawal path . each catheter image is consequently assigned the deviation from the central path and the orientation to the corresponding position of the withdrawal path determined . in step 43 the deviation from the central path is additionally determined from the catheter image . now the difference between the deviation from the most probable withdrawal path determined and the deviation determined from the catheter image can be formed . this difference is compared in step 44 with a threshold value . if the difference is greater than the threshold value , the catheter 10 has evidently not followed the predicted withdrawal path but another path . in this case in step 45 the current position of the catheter 10 is set during image recording as the start position and the probable withdrawal path is determined once again in step 41 with this start position . if the difference is less than the threshold value in step 44 , then , step 46 , either the next catheter image is processed or , if this was the last catheter image , in step 47 the 3d presentation is reconstructed . at this point a general remark is included about the sequence of the method steps . the three - dimensional model , the start position determined within it and the withdrawal path determined from it are only linked to each other in step 42 . steps 37 , 39 and 41 must always be performed in the order shown . when however the withdrawal of the catheter 10 is performed precisely in step 40 , it is not decisive for the success of the inventive method , provided this lies after step 36 , the detection of two fluoroscopy images , and before step 42 , in which the three - dimensional model and the detected catheter images are related to each other . there can however be provision for the steps 42 , 43 and 44 to be performed in parallel with step 40 , that is directly after each recording of a catheter image . if a deviation from the withdrawal path is established , provided there is a difference exceeding the threshold value , is established in step 44 , the withdrawal can be interrupted if necessary and new two - dimensional fluoroscopy images can be recorded , from which the new start position inclusive orientation can be determined exactly . for the reconstruction of the 3d presentation in step 47 , the ecg phases or breath phases can again be taken into account if necessary . thus for each ecg phase a separate 3d presentation is determined if there has been no ecg triggering . the different 3d presentations can then either be fused into a single 3d presentation or appended to each other for forming a complete heart cycle as a film . it is important however that in step 47 for the deviation from the central path and orientation assigned to each image in step 42 to be taken into account in the reconstruction , which means that the errors arising from this will be corrected as much as possible . this means that in the final analysis a more correct 3d presentation of the hollow organ is obtained . finally it remains to be pointed out that , for reconstruction of the 3d presentation , images derived from the catheter images , such as elastography images for example , can be used . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Human Necessities'? | Should this patent be classified under 'Fixed Constructions'? | 0.25 | a10bfcf79be8b10281be35124fc5ed0b7c7329ba26bdad64d84cd97c3a099d05 | 0.079102 | 0.008606 | 0.000969 | 0.014038 | 0.013245 | 0.012451 |
null | fig1 shows a medical examination device 1 , suitable for executing the inventive method . a c - arm - x - ray system 2 , comprising a radiographic source 3 and a radiation detector 4 , as indicated by the arrow a , is supported to allow rotation , so that fluoroscopy images can be recorded from different angles . a biplanar x - ray device can also be used as an alternative . a patient 6 is arranged on a bed 5 . the ecg value of the patient is measured using suitable recording means 7 , processed in an ecg control unit 8 and assigned to an ecg phase . the connection with the x - ray control unit 9 enables two fluoroscopy images at an angle to each other to be recorded using triggering in the same ecg phase with the aid of the x - ray system 2 . a catheter 10 with an image recording device arranged at its tip , not shown in any greater detail here , is introduced into a hollow organ of the patient 6 . the catheter control unit 11 monitors the catheter 10 and is also embodied to perform an even withdrawal of the catheter through the hollow organ while precisely recording the withdrawal length . in addition a possibly further control unit 12 is provided for the image recording device of the catheter 10 . the control unit 12 has a communication connection to the ecg control unit 8 , so that an ecg triggering or recording can be undertaken . all control units 8 , 9 , 11 and 12 also communicate with a central processing unit 13 . a monitor 14 can be assigned to this unit , on which images , models and reconstructions can be displayed . the processing unit 13 is embodied in this case to execute the inventive method . within the framework of the present invention two types of catheter 10 can be used , these being shown in greater detail in fig2 and 3 . fig2 shows the catheter tip 15 of a first catheter 10 a . an annular window 17 is provided which runs around the circumference of the catheter shell 16 in the area of the catheter tip 15 , through which the images can be recorded with the aid of the image recording device 18 . the image recording device 18 records two - dimensional sectional images of the hollow organ . it is connected via suitable signal lines 19 , which run within the catheter shell 16 , to the control unit 12 in which the images are detected and buffered . a further catheter 10 b is shown in fig3 . as a sleeve catheter it comprises an outer sleeve 12 which remains in position in the patient 6 during withdrawal , which is transparent is and serves as a catheter guide for the inner catheter 21 , which in its turn comprises an image recording device 22 with assigned signal lines 23 . the image recording devices 18 or 22 recording sectional images of the hollow organ can be oct , ivus or ofdi devices in this case . the diameter of the catheter 10 is smaller in this case than the diameter of the hollow organ , mostly even considerably smaller . therefore the catheter 10 mostly does not align itself within the hollow organ 24 , cf . fig4 , along a central path 25 , but in the example shown follows a shortest path , even lying against the vessel wall 26 in some sections . in the example shown not even the start position 27 lies on the central path 25 . if the catheter 10 is now withdrawn in the direction of the arrow b , its catheter tip 28 will not move along the central path 25 , but will take another withdrawal path which essentially depends on the physical characteristics of the catheter 10 and of the hollow organ 24 . the effects of the behavior on the catheter images recorded are explained in greater detail by fig5 . this once more shows the hollow organ 24 and also its central path 25 . a sectional image recorded at point 29 with an orientation of the catheter tip along the local direction of the central path 25 would represent a section through the plane 30 at right angles to the direction of the central path 25 , with the catheter 10 lying precisely in the middle of the sectional image . such a catheter image is shown at 48 . the solid line represents the real withdrawal path 31 which the catheter 10 takes . in this case an image is recorded at point 32 . the catheter tip of the catheter 10 is not located here in the center of the hollow organ 24 and is oriented along the direction of the real withdrawal path 31 . this produces a slightly distorted catheter image 33 , in which the catheter 10 is not arranged in the middle of the lumen . it should be pointed out here that the hollow organ is obviously generally not round and the orientation of the catheter can thus also not be determined with reference to the elliptic shape of the recorded lumen . to reconstruct from the two - dimensional catheter images a 3d presentation of the hollow organ , to achieve the most correct possible presentation the orientation and the deviation of the position of the catheter tip from the central path must consequently be known for each of these catheter images . fig6 shows a flowchart of the method in accordance with the invention , as can be executed in the examination apparatus depicted in fig1 . at the start , step 34 , the catheter 10 is moved to its start position in the hollow organ . however the catheter 10 , since it was pushed in must not necessarily have followed the shortest path to the start position . so that this is adopted , in step 35 the catheter 10 is automatically advanced a slight distance distally by the catheter control unit 11 , in order to be withdrawn into the start position thereafter . this stiffens the catheter 10 and it assumes approximately the shortest path . then , in step 36 , two two - dimensional fluoroscopy images are recorded at an angle to each other with the aid of the x - ray system 2 . if the heartbeat , that is the phase of the heart cycle or the breathing cycle of the patient 6 , effects the hollow organ to be examined , two options are conceivable . one is that only two images are recorded for the same ecg phase , triggered via the ecg control device 8 . the catheter images are then triggered with the same ecg phase later during automatic withdrawal . it is however also possible to record two fluoroscopy images for each ecg phase of the heart cycle . the instantaneous ecg phase is then stored with the images . since this also occurs later when the catheter images are recorded , the images of the same ecg phases can be assigned to each other . the same obviously applies to the breathing cycle of the patient 6 , provided this is relevant . the three - dimensional model is then created in step 37 . in this case a sleeve catheter is not used as then starting point , but rather a normal catheter 10 a . the lumen of the hollow organ can now be reconstructed from the two - dimensional fluoroscopy images , where necessary for each ecg phase . if previously recorded image data sets are available , from which , if necessary more exactly , a model of the hollow organ can be derived , for example magnetic resonance images or computer tomography images , then , as shown in 38 , this image data can serve as a basis for creating the three - dimensional model . the fluoroscopy images recorded in step 36 are then used for registration of the two coordinate systems . here too ecg or breathing phase should be noted where necessary . in step 39 the three - dimensional start position of the catheter 10 is then determined in the three - dimensional model . if the three - dimensional model has been created from the fluoroscopy images recorded in step 36 , in which the catheter tip is also to be seen , the position of the catheter tip can be determined directly in the three - dimensional model . otherwise there must be reference back to the registration which links the coordinate systems . then the catheter 10 is automatically withdrawn in step 40 by the catheter control unit 11 while recording the two - dimensional catheter images , here sectional images , and while detecting a withdrawal length automatically assigned to the catheter image . in addition the associated ecg phase for each catheter image can be determined via the ecg control unit 8 if necessary and stored assigned to this image . alternatively it is possible for the catheter images to be recorded ecg - triggered . then , in step 41 the most probable withdrawal path of the catheter 10 from the start position is determined on the basis of the three - dimensional model . this is done with the aid of the processing unit 13 and a simulation which takes account both of the geometrical conditions of the lumen which are contained in the three - dimensional model and also physical principles as well as physical characteristics of the real or virtual catheter as well as of the hollow organ . the catheter &# 39 ; s diameter , specific weight , elasticity , rigidity and / or surface properties can be used for example as physical parameters which describe the catheter . these parameters can be both measured characteristics of the real catheter 10 and also assumed characteristics of the virtual catheter . the characteristics of the hollow organ are taken into account by a model for hollow organ deformations which occur . in addition possible discontinuous movements of the catheter 10 are taken into account in the simulation . examples of this are jumping across to another wall of the hollow organ or jumping further along the wall . after the most probable withdrawal path has been determined by the simulation by means of the processing unit 13 , in step 42 the deviation of the position of the catheter 10 from a central path leading through the middle of the hollow organ and the orientation of the catheter 10 can be determined for each catheter image . this is possible using the detected and recorded withdrawal length . the withdrawal length of the real catheter 10 corresponds to a withdrawal length of the virtual catheter along of the most probable withdrawal path . each catheter image is consequently assigned the deviation from the central path and the orientation to the corresponding position of the withdrawal path determined . in step 43 the deviation from the central path is additionally determined from the catheter image . now the difference between the deviation from the most probable withdrawal path determined and the deviation determined from the catheter image can be formed . this difference is compared in step 44 with a threshold value . if the difference is greater than the threshold value , the catheter 10 has evidently not followed the predicted withdrawal path but another path . in this case in step 45 the current position of the catheter 10 is set during image recording as the start position and the probable withdrawal path is determined once again in step 41 with this start position . if the difference is less than the threshold value in step 44 , then , step 46 , either the next catheter image is processed or , if this was the last catheter image , in step 47 the 3d presentation is reconstructed . at this point a general remark is included about the sequence of the method steps . the three - dimensional model , the start position determined within it and the withdrawal path determined from it are only linked to each other in step 42 . steps 37 , 39 and 41 must always be performed in the order shown . when however the withdrawal of the catheter 10 is performed precisely in step 40 , it is not decisive for the success of the inventive method , provided this lies after step 36 , the detection of two fluoroscopy images , and before step 42 , in which the three - dimensional model and the detected catheter images are related to each other . there can however be provision for the steps 42 , 43 and 44 to be performed in parallel with step 40 , that is directly after each recording of a catheter image . if a deviation from the withdrawal path is established , provided there is a difference exceeding the threshold value , is established in step 44 , the withdrawal can be interrupted if necessary and new two - dimensional fluoroscopy images can be recorded , from which the new start position inclusive orientation can be determined exactly . for the reconstruction of the 3d presentation in step 47 , the ecg phases or breath phases can again be taken into account if necessary . thus for each ecg phase a separate 3d presentation is determined if there has been no ecg triggering . the different 3d presentations can then either be fused into a single 3d presentation or appended to each other for forming a complete heart cycle as a film . it is important however that in step 47 for the deviation from the central path and orientation assigned to each image in step 42 to be taken into account in the reconstruction , which means that the errors arising from this will be corrected as much as possible . this means that in the final analysis a more correct 3d presentation of the hollow organ is obtained . finally it remains to be pointed out that , for reconstruction of the 3d presentation , images derived from the catheter images , such as elastography images for example , can be used . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Human Necessities'? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Mechanical Engineering; Lightning; Heating; Weapons; Blasting'? | 0.25 | a10bfcf79be8b10281be35124fc5ed0b7c7329ba26bdad64d84cd97c3a099d05 | 0.077148 | 0.000345 | 0.000969 | 0.000158 | 0.013245 | 0.001411 |
null | fig1 shows a medical examination device 1 , suitable for executing the inventive method . a c - arm - x - ray system 2 , comprising a radiographic source 3 and a radiation detector 4 , as indicated by the arrow a , is supported to allow rotation , so that fluoroscopy images can be recorded from different angles . a biplanar x - ray device can also be used as an alternative . a patient 6 is arranged on a bed 5 . the ecg value of the patient is measured using suitable recording means 7 , processed in an ecg control unit 8 and assigned to an ecg phase . the connection with the x - ray control unit 9 enables two fluoroscopy images at an angle to each other to be recorded using triggering in the same ecg phase with the aid of the x - ray system 2 . a catheter 10 with an image recording device arranged at its tip , not shown in any greater detail here , is introduced into a hollow organ of the patient 6 . the catheter control unit 11 monitors the catheter 10 and is also embodied to perform an even withdrawal of the catheter through the hollow organ while precisely recording the withdrawal length . in addition a possibly further control unit 12 is provided for the image recording device of the catheter 10 . the control unit 12 has a communication connection to the ecg control unit 8 , so that an ecg triggering or recording can be undertaken . all control units 8 , 9 , 11 and 12 also communicate with a central processing unit 13 . a monitor 14 can be assigned to this unit , on which images , models and reconstructions can be displayed . the processing unit 13 is embodied in this case to execute the inventive method . within the framework of the present invention two types of catheter 10 can be used , these being shown in greater detail in fig2 and 3 . fig2 shows the catheter tip 15 of a first catheter 10 a . an annular window 17 is provided which runs around the circumference of the catheter shell 16 in the area of the catheter tip 15 , through which the images can be recorded with the aid of the image recording device 18 . the image recording device 18 records two - dimensional sectional images of the hollow organ . it is connected via suitable signal lines 19 , which run within the catheter shell 16 , to the control unit 12 in which the images are detected and buffered . a further catheter 10 b is shown in fig3 . as a sleeve catheter it comprises an outer sleeve 12 which remains in position in the patient 6 during withdrawal , which is transparent is and serves as a catheter guide for the inner catheter 21 , which in its turn comprises an image recording device 22 with assigned signal lines 23 . the image recording devices 18 or 22 recording sectional images of the hollow organ can be oct , ivus or ofdi devices in this case . the diameter of the catheter 10 is smaller in this case than the diameter of the hollow organ , mostly even considerably smaller . therefore the catheter 10 mostly does not align itself within the hollow organ 24 , cf . fig4 , along a central path 25 , but in the example shown follows a shortest path , even lying against the vessel wall 26 in some sections . in the example shown not even the start position 27 lies on the central path 25 . if the catheter 10 is now withdrawn in the direction of the arrow b , its catheter tip 28 will not move along the central path 25 , but will take another withdrawal path which essentially depends on the physical characteristics of the catheter 10 and of the hollow organ 24 . the effects of the behavior on the catheter images recorded are explained in greater detail by fig5 . this once more shows the hollow organ 24 and also its central path 25 . a sectional image recorded at point 29 with an orientation of the catheter tip along the local direction of the central path 25 would represent a section through the plane 30 at right angles to the direction of the central path 25 , with the catheter 10 lying precisely in the middle of the sectional image . such a catheter image is shown at 48 . the solid line represents the real withdrawal path 31 which the catheter 10 takes . in this case an image is recorded at point 32 . the catheter tip of the catheter 10 is not located here in the center of the hollow organ 24 and is oriented along the direction of the real withdrawal path 31 . this produces a slightly distorted catheter image 33 , in which the catheter 10 is not arranged in the middle of the lumen . it should be pointed out here that the hollow organ is obviously generally not round and the orientation of the catheter can thus also not be determined with reference to the elliptic shape of the recorded lumen . to reconstruct from the two - dimensional catheter images a 3d presentation of the hollow organ , to achieve the most correct possible presentation the orientation and the deviation of the position of the catheter tip from the central path must consequently be known for each of these catheter images . fig6 shows a flowchart of the method in accordance with the invention , as can be executed in the examination apparatus depicted in fig1 . at the start , step 34 , the catheter 10 is moved to its start position in the hollow organ . however the catheter 10 , since it was pushed in must not necessarily have followed the shortest path to the start position . so that this is adopted , in step 35 the catheter 10 is automatically advanced a slight distance distally by the catheter control unit 11 , in order to be withdrawn into the start position thereafter . this stiffens the catheter 10 and it assumes approximately the shortest path . then , in step 36 , two two - dimensional fluoroscopy images are recorded at an angle to each other with the aid of the x - ray system 2 . if the heartbeat , that is the phase of the heart cycle or the breathing cycle of the patient 6 , effects the hollow organ to be examined , two options are conceivable . one is that only two images are recorded for the same ecg phase , triggered via the ecg control device 8 . the catheter images are then triggered with the same ecg phase later during automatic withdrawal . it is however also possible to record two fluoroscopy images for each ecg phase of the heart cycle . the instantaneous ecg phase is then stored with the images . since this also occurs later when the catheter images are recorded , the images of the same ecg phases can be assigned to each other . the same obviously applies to the breathing cycle of the patient 6 , provided this is relevant . the three - dimensional model is then created in step 37 . in this case a sleeve catheter is not used as then starting point , but rather a normal catheter 10 a . the lumen of the hollow organ can now be reconstructed from the two - dimensional fluoroscopy images , where necessary for each ecg phase . if previously recorded image data sets are available , from which , if necessary more exactly , a model of the hollow organ can be derived , for example magnetic resonance images or computer tomography images , then , as shown in 38 , this image data can serve as a basis for creating the three - dimensional model . the fluoroscopy images recorded in step 36 are then used for registration of the two coordinate systems . here too ecg or breathing phase should be noted where necessary . in step 39 the three - dimensional start position of the catheter 10 is then determined in the three - dimensional model . if the three - dimensional model has been created from the fluoroscopy images recorded in step 36 , in which the catheter tip is also to be seen , the position of the catheter tip can be determined directly in the three - dimensional model . otherwise there must be reference back to the registration which links the coordinate systems . then the catheter 10 is automatically withdrawn in step 40 by the catheter control unit 11 while recording the two - dimensional catheter images , here sectional images , and while detecting a withdrawal length automatically assigned to the catheter image . in addition the associated ecg phase for each catheter image can be determined via the ecg control unit 8 if necessary and stored assigned to this image . alternatively it is possible for the catheter images to be recorded ecg - triggered . then , in step 41 the most probable withdrawal path of the catheter 10 from the start position is determined on the basis of the three - dimensional model . this is done with the aid of the processing unit 13 and a simulation which takes account both of the geometrical conditions of the lumen which are contained in the three - dimensional model and also physical principles as well as physical characteristics of the real or virtual catheter as well as of the hollow organ . the catheter &# 39 ; s diameter , specific weight , elasticity , rigidity and / or surface properties can be used for example as physical parameters which describe the catheter . these parameters can be both measured characteristics of the real catheter 10 and also assumed characteristics of the virtual catheter . the characteristics of the hollow organ are taken into account by a model for hollow organ deformations which occur . in addition possible discontinuous movements of the catheter 10 are taken into account in the simulation . examples of this are jumping across to another wall of the hollow organ or jumping further along the wall . after the most probable withdrawal path has been determined by the simulation by means of the processing unit 13 , in step 42 the deviation of the position of the catheter 10 from a central path leading through the middle of the hollow organ and the orientation of the catheter 10 can be determined for each catheter image . this is possible using the detected and recorded withdrawal length . the withdrawal length of the real catheter 10 corresponds to a withdrawal length of the virtual catheter along of the most probable withdrawal path . each catheter image is consequently assigned the deviation from the central path and the orientation to the corresponding position of the withdrawal path determined . in step 43 the deviation from the central path is additionally determined from the catheter image . now the difference between the deviation from the most probable withdrawal path determined and the deviation determined from the catheter image can be formed . this difference is compared in step 44 with a threshold value . if the difference is greater than the threshold value , the catheter 10 has evidently not followed the predicted withdrawal path but another path . in this case in step 45 the current position of the catheter 10 is set during image recording as the start position and the probable withdrawal path is determined once again in step 41 with this start position . if the difference is less than the threshold value in step 44 , then , step 46 , either the next catheter image is processed or , if this was the last catheter image , in step 47 the 3d presentation is reconstructed . at this point a general remark is included about the sequence of the method steps . the three - dimensional model , the start position determined within it and the withdrawal path determined from it are only linked to each other in step 42 . steps 37 , 39 and 41 must always be performed in the order shown . when however the withdrawal of the catheter 10 is performed precisely in step 40 , it is not decisive for the success of the inventive method , provided this lies after step 36 , the detection of two fluoroscopy images , and before step 42 , in which the three - dimensional model and the detected catheter images are related to each other . there can however be provision for the steps 42 , 43 and 44 to be performed in parallel with step 40 , that is directly after each recording of a catheter image . if a deviation from the withdrawal path is established , provided there is a difference exceeding the threshold value , is established in step 44 , the withdrawal can be interrupted if necessary and new two - dimensional fluoroscopy images can be recorded , from which the new start position inclusive orientation can be determined exactly . for the reconstruction of the 3d presentation in step 47 , the ecg phases or breath phases can again be taken into account if necessary . thus for each ecg phase a separate 3d presentation is determined if there has been no ecg triggering . the different 3d presentations can then either be fused into a single 3d presentation or appended to each other for forming a complete heart cycle as a film . it is important however that in step 47 for the deviation from the central path and orientation assigned to each image in step 42 to be taken into account in the reconstruction , which means that the errors arising from this will be corrected as much as possible . this means that in the final analysis a more correct 3d presentation of the hollow organ is obtained . finally it remains to be pointed out that , for reconstruction of the 3d presentation , images derived from the catheter images , such as elastography images for example , can be used . | Is 'Human Necessities' the correct technical category for the patent? | Should this patent be classified under 'Physics'? | 0.25 | a10bfcf79be8b10281be35124fc5ed0b7c7329ba26bdad64d84cd97c3a099d05 | 0.010986 | 0.109863 | 0.000881 | 0.114258 | 0.00103 | 0.088867 |
null | fig1 shows a medical examination device 1 , suitable for executing the inventive method . a c - arm - x - ray system 2 , comprising a radiographic source 3 and a radiation detector 4 , as indicated by the arrow a , is supported to allow rotation , so that fluoroscopy images can be recorded from different angles . a biplanar x - ray device can also be used as an alternative . a patient 6 is arranged on a bed 5 . the ecg value of the patient is measured using suitable recording means 7 , processed in an ecg control unit 8 and assigned to an ecg phase . the connection with the x - ray control unit 9 enables two fluoroscopy images at an angle to each other to be recorded using triggering in the same ecg phase with the aid of the x - ray system 2 . a catheter 10 with an image recording device arranged at its tip , not shown in any greater detail here , is introduced into a hollow organ of the patient 6 . the catheter control unit 11 monitors the catheter 10 and is also embodied to perform an even withdrawal of the catheter through the hollow organ while precisely recording the withdrawal length . in addition a possibly further control unit 12 is provided for the image recording device of the catheter 10 . the control unit 12 has a communication connection to the ecg control unit 8 , so that an ecg triggering or recording can be undertaken . all control units 8 , 9 , 11 and 12 also communicate with a central processing unit 13 . a monitor 14 can be assigned to this unit , on which images , models and reconstructions can be displayed . the processing unit 13 is embodied in this case to execute the inventive method . within the framework of the present invention two types of catheter 10 can be used , these being shown in greater detail in fig2 and 3 . fig2 shows the catheter tip 15 of a first catheter 10 a . an annular window 17 is provided which runs around the circumference of the catheter shell 16 in the area of the catheter tip 15 , through which the images can be recorded with the aid of the image recording device 18 . the image recording device 18 records two - dimensional sectional images of the hollow organ . it is connected via suitable signal lines 19 , which run within the catheter shell 16 , to the control unit 12 in which the images are detected and buffered . a further catheter 10 b is shown in fig3 . as a sleeve catheter it comprises an outer sleeve 12 which remains in position in the patient 6 during withdrawal , which is transparent is and serves as a catheter guide for the inner catheter 21 , which in its turn comprises an image recording device 22 with assigned signal lines 23 . the image recording devices 18 or 22 recording sectional images of the hollow organ can be oct , ivus or ofdi devices in this case . the diameter of the catheter 10 is smaller in this case than the diameter of the hollow organ , mostly even considerably smaller . therefore the catheter 10 mostly does not align itself within the hollow organ 24 , cf . fig4 , along a central path 25 , but in the example shown follows a shortest path , even lying against the vessel wall 26 in some sections . in the example shown not even the start position 27 lies on the central path 25 . if the catheter 10 is now withdrawn in the direction of the arrow b , its catheter tip 28 will not move along the central path 25 , but will take another withdrawal path which essentially depends on the physical characteristics of the catheter 10 and of the hollow organ 24 . the effects of the behavior on the catheter images recorded are explained in greater detail by fig5 . this once more shows the hollow organ 24 and also its central path 25 . a sectional image recorded at point 29 with an orientation of the catheter tip along the local direction of the central path 25 would represent a section through the plane 30 at right angles to the direction of the central path 25 , with the catheter 10 lying precisely in the middle of the sectional image . such a catheter image is shown at 48 . the solid line represents the real withdrawal path 31 which the catheter 10 takes . in this case an image is recorded at point 32 . the catheter tip of the catheter 10 is not located here in the center of the hollow organ 24 and is oriented along the direction of the real withdrawal path 31 . this produces a slightly distorted catheter image 33 , in which the catheter 10 is not arranged in the middle of the lumen . it should be pointed out here that the hollow organ is obviously generally not round and the orientation of the catheter can thus also not be determined with reference to the elliptic shape of the recorded lumen . to reconstruct from the two - dimensional catheter images a 3d presentation of the hollow organ , to achieve the most correct possible presentation the orientation and the deviation of the position of the catheter tip from the central path must consequently be known for each of these catheter images . fig6 shows a flowchart of the method in accordance with the invention , as can be executed in the examination apparatus depicted in fig1 . at the start , step 34 , the catheter 10 is moved to its start position in the hollow organ . however the catheter 10 , since it was pushed in must not necessarily have followed the shortest path to the start position . so that this is adopted , in step 35 the catheter 10 is automatically advanced a slight distance distally by the catheter control unit 11 , in order to be withdrawn into the start position thereafter . this stiffens the catheter 10 and it assumes approximately the shortest path . then , in step 36 , two two - dimensional fluoroscopy images are recorded at an angle to each other with the aid of the x - ray system 2 . if the heartbeat , that is the phase of the heart cycle or the breathing cycle of the patient 6 , effects the hollow organ to be examined , two options are conceivable . one is that only two images are recorded for the same ecg phase , triggered via the ecg control device 8 . the catheter images are then triggered with the same ecg phase later during automatic withdrawal . it is however also possible to record two fluoroscopy images for each ecg phase of the heart cycle . the instantaneous ecg phase is then stored with the images . since this also occurs later when the catheter images are recorded , the images of the same ecg phases can be assigned to each other . the same obviously applies to the breathing cycle of the patient 6 , provided this is relevant . the three - dimensional model is then created in step 37 . in this case a sleeve catheter is not used as then starting point , but rather a normal catheter 10 a . the lumen of the hollow organ can now be reconstructed from the two - dimensional fluoroscopy images , where necessary for each ecg phase . if previously recorded image data sets are available , from which , if necessary more exactly , a model of the hollow organ can be derived , for example magnetic resonance images or computer tomography images , then , as shown in 38 , this image data can serve as a basis for creating the three - dimensional model . the fluoroscopy images recorded in step 36 are then used for registration of the two coordinate systems . here too ecg or breathing phase should be noted where necessary . in step 39 the three - dimensional start position of the catheter 10 is then determined in the three - dimensional model . if the three - dimensional model has been created from the fluoroscopy images recorded in step 36 , in which the catheter tip is also to be seen , the position of the catheter tip can be determined directly in the three - dimensional model . otherwise there must be reference back to the registration which links the coordinate systems . then the catheter 10 is automatically withdrawn in step 40 by the catheter control unit 11 while recording the two - dimensional catheter images , here sectional images , and while detecting a withdrawal length automatically assigned to the catheter image . in addition the associated ecg phase for each catheter image can be determined via the ecg control unit 8 if necessary and stored assigned to this image . alternatively it is possible for the catheter images to be recorded ecg - triggered . then , in step 41 the most probable withdrawal path of the catheter 10 from the start position is determined on the basis of the three - dimensional model . this is done with the aid of the processing unit 13 and a simulation which takes account both of the geometrical conditions of the lumen which are contained in the three - dimensional model and also physical principles as well as physical characteristics of the real or virtual catheter as well as of the hollow organ . the catheter &# 39 ; s diameter , specific weight , elasticity , rigidity and / or surface properties can be used for example as physical parameters which describe the catheter . these parameters can be both measured characteristics of the real catheter 10 and also assumed characteristics of the virtual catheter . the characteristics of the hollow organ are taken into account by a model for hollow organ deformations which occur . in addition possible discontinuous movements of the catheter 10 are taken into account in the simulation . examples of this are jumping across to another wall of the hollow organ or jumping further along the wall . after the most probable withdrawal path has been determined by the simulation by means of the processing unit 13 , in step 42 the deviation of the position of the catheter 10 from a central path leading through the middle of the hollow organ and the orientation of the catheter 10 can be determined for each catheter image . this is possible using the detected and recorded withdrawal length . the withdrawal length of the real catheter 10 corresponds to a withdrawal length of the virtual catheter along of the most probable withdrawal path . each catheter image is consequently assigned the deviation from the central path and the orientation to the corresponding position of the withdrawal path determined . in step 43 the deviation from the central path is additionally determined from the catheter image . now the difference between the deviation from the most probable withdrawal path determined and the deviation determined from the catheter image can be formed . this difference is compared in step 44 with a threshold value . if the difference is greater than the threshold value , the catheter 10 has evidently not followed the predicted withdrawal path but another path . in this case in step 45 the current position of the catheter 10 is set during image recording as the start position and the probable withdrawal path is determined once again in step 41 with this start position . if the difference is less than the threshold value in step 44 , then , step 46 , either the next catheter image is processed or , if this was the last catheter image , in step 47 the 3d presentation is reconstructed . at this point a general remark is included about the sequence of the method steps . the three - dimensional model , the start position determined within it and the withdrawal path determined from it are only linked to each other in step 42 . steps 37 , 39 and 41 must always be performed in the order shown . when however the withdrawal of the catheter 10 is performed precisely in step 40 , it is not decisive for the success of the inventive method , provided this lies after step 36 , the detection of two fluoroscopy images , and before step 42 , in which the three - dimensional model and the detected catheter images are related to each other . there can however be provision for the steps 42 , 43 and 44 to be performed in parallel with step 40 , that is directly after each recording of a catheter image . if a deviation from the withdrawal path is established , provided there is a difference exceeding the threshold value , is established in step 44 , the withdrawal can be interrupted if necessary and new two - dimensional fluoroscopy images can be recorded , from which the new start position inclusive orientation can be determined exactly . for the reconstruction of the 3d presentation in step 47 , the ecg phases or breath phases can again be taken into account if necessary . thus for each ecg phase a separate 3d presentation is determined if there has been no ecg triggering . the different 3d presentations can then either be fused into a single 3d presentation or appended to each other for forming a complete heart cycle as a film . it is important however that in step 47 for the deviation from the central path and orientation assigned to each image in step 42 to be taken into account in the reconstruction , which means that the errors arising from this will be corrected as much as possible . this means that in the final analysis a more correct 3d presentation of the hollow organ is obtained . finally it remains to be pointed out that , for reconstruction of the 3d presentation , images derived from the catheter images , such as elastography images for example , can be used . | Is 'Human Necessities' the correct technical category for the patent? | Should this patent be classified under 'Electricity'? | 0.25 | a10bfcf79be8b10281be35124fc5ed0b7c7329ba26bdad64d84cd97c3a099d05 | 0.010986 | 0.002258 | 0.000881 | 0.000066 | 0.00103 | 0.000587 |
null | fig1 shows a medical examination device 1 , suitable for executing the inventive method . a c - arm - x - ray system 2 , comprising a radiographic source 3 and a radiation detector 4 , as indicated by the arrow a , is supported to allow rotation , so that fluoroscopy images can be recorded from different angles . a biplanar x - ray device can also be used as an alternative . a patient 6 is arranged on a bed 5 . the ecg value of the patient is measured using suitable recording means 7 , processed in an ecg control unit 8 and assigned to an ecg phase . the connection with the x - ray control unit 9 enables two fluoroscopy images at an angle to each other to be recorded using triggering in the same ecg phase with the aid of the x - ray system 2 . a catheter 10 with an image recording device arranged at its tip , not shown in any greater detail here , is introduced into a hollow organ of the patient 6 . the catheter control unit 11 monitors the catheter 10 and is also embodied to perform an even withdrawal of the catheter through the hollow organ while precisely recording the withdrawal length . in addition a possibly further control unit 12 is provided for the image recording device of the catheter 10 . the control unit 12 has a communication connection to the ecg control unit 8 , so that an ecg triggering or recording can be undertaken . all control units 8 , 9 , 11 and 12 also communicate with a central processing unit 13 . a monitor 14 can be assigned to this unit , on which images , models and reconstructions can be displayed . the processing unit 13 is embodied in this case to execute the inventive method . within the framework of the present invention two types of catheter 10 can be used , these being shown in greater detail in fig2 and 3 . fig2 shows the catheter tip 15 of a first catheter 10 a . an annular window 17 is provided which runs around the circumference of the catheter shell 16 in the area of the catheter tip 15 , through which the images can be recorded with the aid of the image recording device 18 . the image recording device 18 records two - dimensional sectional images of the hollow organ . it is connected via suitable signal lines 19 , which run within the catheter shell 16 , to the control unit 12 in which the images are detected and buffered . a further catheter 10 b is shown in fig3 . as a sleeve catheter it comprises an outer sleeve 12 which remains in position in the patient 6 during withdrawal , which is transparent is and serves as a catheter guide for the inner catheter 21 , which in its turn comprises an image recording device 22 with assigned signal lines 23 . the image recording devices 18 or 22 recording sectional images of the hollow organ can be oct , ivus or ofdi devices in this case . the diameter of the catheter 10 is smaller in this case than the diameter of the hollow organ , mostly even considerably smaller . therefore the catheter 10 mostly does not align itself within the hollow organ 24 , cf . fig4 , along a central path 25 , but in the example shown follows a shortest path , even lying against the vessel wall 26 in some sections . in the example shown not even the start position 27 lies on the central path 25 . if the catheter 10 is now withdrawn in the direction of the arrow b , its catheter tip 28 will not move along the central path 25 , but will take another withdrawal path which essentially depends on the physical characteristics of the catheter 10 and of the hollow organ 24 . the effects of the behavior on the catheter images recorded are explained in greater detail by fig5 . this once more shows the hollow organ 24 and also its central path 25 . a sectional image recorded at point 29 with an orientation of the catheter tip along the local direction of the central path 25 would represent a section through the plane 30 at right angles to the direction of the central path 25 , with the catheter 10 lying precisely in the middle of the sectional image . such a catheter image is shown at 48 . the solid line represents the real withdrawal path 31 which the catheter 10 takes . in this case an image is recorded at point 32 . the catheter tip of the catheter 10 is not located here in the center of the hollow organ 24 and is oriented along the direction of the real withdrawal path 31 . this produces a slightly distorted catheter image 33 , in which the catheter 10 is not arranged in the middle of the lumen . it should be pointed out here that the hollow organ is obviously generally not round and the orientation of the catheter can thus also not be determined with reference to the elliptic shape of the recorded lumen . to reconstruct from the two - dimensional catheter images a 3d presentation of the hollow organ , to achieve the most correct possible presentation the orientation and the deviation of the position of the catheter tip from the central path must consequently be known for each of these catheter images . fig6 shows a flowchart of the method in accordance with the invention , as can be executed in the examination apparatus depicted in fig1 . at the start , step 34 , the catheter 10 is moved to its start position in the hollow organ . however the catheter 10 , since it was pushed in must not necessarily have followed the shortest path to the start position . so that this is adopted , in step 35 the catheter 10 is automatically advanced a slight distance distally by the catheter control unit 11 , in order to be withdrawn into the start position thereafter . this stiffens the catheter 10 and it assumes approximately the shortest path . then , in step 36 , two two - dimensional fluoroscopy images are recorded at an angle to each other with the aid of the x - ray system 2 . if the heartbeat , that is the phase of the heart cycle or the breathing cycle of the patient 6 , effects the hollow organ to be examined , two options are conceivable . one is that only two images are recorded for the same ecg phase , triggered via the ecg control device 8 . the catheter images are then triggered with the same ecg phase later during automatic withdrawal . it is however also possible to record two fluoroscopy images for each ecg phase of the heart cycle . the instantaneous ecg phase is then stored with the images . since this also occurs later when the catheter images are recorded , the images of the same ecg phases can be assigned to each other . the same obviously applies to the breathing cycle of the patient 6 , provided this is relevant . the three - dimensional model is then created in step 37 . in this case a sleeve catheter is not used as then starting point , but rather a normal catheter 10 a . the lumen of the hollow organ can now be reconstructed from the two - dimensional fluoroscopy images , where necessary for each ecg phase . if previously recorded image data sets are available , from which , if necessary more exactly , a model of the hollow organ can be derived , for example magnetic resonance images or computer tomography images , then , as shown in 38 , this image data can serve as a basis for creating the three - dimensional model . the fluoroscopy images recorded in step 36 are then used for registration of the two coordinate systems . here too ecg or breathing phase should be noted where necessary . in step 39 the three - dimensional start position of the catheter 10 is then determined in the three - dimensional model . if the three - dimensional model has been created from the fluoroscopy images recorded in step 36 , in which the catheter tip is also to be seen , the position of the catheter tip can be determined directly in the three - dimensional model . otherwise there must be reference back to the registration which links the coordinate systems . then the catheter 10 is automatically withdrawn in step 40 by the catheter control unit 11 while recording the two - dimensional catheter images , here sectional images , and while detecting a withdrawal length automatically assigned to the catheter image . in addition the associated ecg phase for each catheter image can be determined via the ecg control unit 8 if necessary and stored assigned to this image . alternatively it is possible for the catheter images to be recorded ecg - triggered . then , in step 41 the most probable withdrawal path of the catheter 10 from the start position is determined on the basis of the three - dimensional model . this is done with the aid of the processing unit 13 and a simulation which takes account both of the geometrical conditions of the lumen which are contained in the three - dimensional model and also physical principles as well as physical characteristics of the real or virtual catheter as well as of the hollow organ . the catheter &# 39 ; s diameter , specific weight , elasticity , rigidity and / or surface properties can be used for example as physical parameters which describe the catheter . these parameters can be both measured characteristics of the real catheter 10 and also assumed characteristics of the virtual catheter . the characteristics of the hollow organ are taken into account by a model for hollow organ deformations which occur . in addition possible discontinuous movements of the catheter 10 are taken into account in the simulation . examples of this are jumping across to another wall of the hollow organ or jumping further along the wall . after the most probable withdrawal path has been determined by the simulation by means of the processing unit 13 , in step 42 the deviation of the position of the catheter 10 from a central path leading through the middle of the hollow organ and the orientation of the catheter 10 can be determined for each catheter image . this is possible using the detected and recorded withdrawal length . the withdrawal length of the real catheter 10 corresponds to a withdrawal length of the virtual catheter along of the most probable withdrawal path . each catheter image is consequently assigned the deviation from the central path and the orientation to the corresponding position of the withdrawal path determined . in step 43 the deviation from the central path is additionally determined from the catheter image . now the difference between the deviation from the most probable withdrawal path determined and the deviation determined from the catheter image can be formed . this difference is compared in step 44 with a threshold value . if the difference is greater than the threshold value , the catheter 10 has evidently not followed the predicted withdrawal path but another path . in this case in step 45 the current position of the catheter 10 is set during image recording as the start position and the probable withdrawal path is determined once again in step 41 with this start position . if the difference is less than the threshold value in step 44 , then , step 46 , either the next catheter image is processed or , if this was the last catheter image , in step 47 the 3d presentation is reconstructed . at this point a general remark is included about the sequence of the method steps . the three - dimensional model , the start position determined within it and the withdrawal path determined from it are only linked to each other in step 42 . steps 37 , 39 and 41 must always be performed in the order shown . when however the withdrawal of the catheter 10 is performed precisely in step 40 , it is not decisive for the success of the inventive method , provided this lies after step 36 , the detection of two fluoroscopy images , and before step 42 , in which the three - dimensional model and the detected catheter images are related to each other . there can however be provision for the steps 42 , 43 and 44 to be performed in parallel with step 40 , that is directly after each recording of a catheter image . if a deviation from the withdrawal path is established , provided there is a difference exceeding the threshold value , is established in step 44 , the withdrawal can be interrupted if necessary and new two - dimensional fluoroscopy images can be recorded , from which the new start position inclusive orientation can be determined exactly . for the reconstruction of the 3d presentation in step 47 , the ecg phases or breath phases can again be taken into account if necessary . thus for each ecg phase a separate 3d presentation is determined if there has been no ecg triggering . the different 3d presentations can then either be fused into a single 3d presentation or appended to each other for forming a complete heart cycle as a film . it is important however that in step 47 for the deviation from the central path and orientation assigned to each image in step 42 to be taken into account in the reconstruction , which means that the errors arising from this will be corrected as much as possible . this means that in the final analysis a more correct 3d presentation of the hollow organ is obtained . finally it remains to be pointed out that , for reconstruction of the 3d presentation , images derived from the catheter images , such as elastography images for example , can be used . | Is 'Human Necessities' the correct technical category for the patent? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'General tagging of new or cross-sectional technology'? | 0.25 | a10bfcf79be8b10281be35124fc5ed0b7c7329ba26bdad64d84cd97c3a099d05 | 0.010986 | 0.198242 | 0.000881 | 0.351563 | 0.00103 | 0.185547 |
null | we have developed a strategy for endosomal release of membrane impermeable molecules . this strategy involves the reversible inactivation of a membrane active or membrane lysing agent . the reversible inactivation of the membrane active agent is accomplished by attaching an inhibitor or plurality of inhibitors to the membrane active agent by a bond or plurality of bonds that cleave in the environment of an endosome . the inhibitor prevents the agent from lysing the cytoplasmic membrane and thereby causing cell death . the inhibitor is removed from the agent in the acidic environment of the endosome by cleavage of a labile bond , thereby allowing the membrane active agent to disrupt the endosomal membrane to effect release of endosomal contents into the cytoplasm . a key component to limiting membrane activity to the endosome is the labile bond , which must be stable under extracellular conditions , but very unstable in the endosomal vesicle . in particular , we have focused on the identification of bonds that are cleaved in an acidic environment . acidification is a characteristic of the endosome environment that is commonly exploited by viral and non - viral delivery vehicles . agents which rely on protonation to become membrane active , such as polypropylacrylic acid and peptide derivatives of the viral coat protein hemagluttinin , have a serious flaw . activation of the agent causes partial disruption of the endosome , thus destroying the ph gradient and leading to inactivation of the membrane active agent . this cycle can limit the effectiveness of the membrane active agent in delivery of macromolecules to the cell cytoplasm . in contrast , the invention as described herein , results in essentially irreversible reactivation on membrane active agents upon exposure to an acidic ph environment . an important consideration in selecting labile bonds for use in cellular delivery systems is the kinetics of bond cleavage upon exposure of the bond to acidic ph . the kinetics of endosome acidification and maturation of the endosome to a lysosome are very rapid compared to the rates of cleavage for most of the acid - labile bonds reported in the literature . once endocytosis occurs , the ph drops from the extracellular ph ( about 7 . 4 ) to ph about 5 in roughly 10 min . endosomal contents are quickly exposed to active lysosomal enzymes and degradation of the molecule to be delivered may occur . therefore , bonds that are cleaved in within minutes in the ph range 5 - 7 are preferred . a well - studied ph - labile bond is the maleamate bond , which is derived from the reaction of an amine and a maleic anhydride or maleic anhydride derivative ( fig1 ). the rate of maleamate cleavage is dependent upon the structure of the maleic anhydride used to form the maleamate . in general , disubstituted maleamates are more labile than monosubstituted maleamates , which are more labile than unsubstituted maleamates . the monosubstituted maleamates are the most studied members of this family , and have half - lives of hours at ph & lt ; 5 . according to literature , disubstitution of the maleamate results in about two orders of magnitude increase in the rate of cleavage . we have found that the disubstituted maleamate bond derived from dimethylmaleic anhydride ( r 1 and r 2 = ch 3 in fig1 ) has a half - life of about 2 min at ph 5 . this rate is on the same order as endosome maturation . in contrast , we have found that monosubstituted maleamate bonds derived from methylmaleic anhydride ( r 1or2 = h and r 2or1 = ch 3 in fig1 ) have a half - life of cleavage of about 300 min ( 5 hours ) at ph 5 . to increase charge and solubility , derivatives of dimethyl maleic anhydrides , such as 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride (( naganawa et al . 1994 ; carboxylated dimethylmaleic anhydride or cdm ) may be used ( fig2 ). the ability of a disubstituted maleic anhydride to reversibly inhibit membrane activity of the peptide melittin until reaching the acidic environment of the endosome was reported by us ( rozema et al . 2003 ). we demonstrated the ability of the reversibly inhibited melittin to deliver the membrane impermeable molecules polyethyleneglycol and an oligonucleotide to the cell cytoplasm . in these examples of delivery , the delivery reagent ( cdm - modified melittin ) and compound were not connected or associated with each other , but independently delivered to common endocytic compartments in the cell . for delivery of membrane impermeable molecules to the cytoplasm of cells in vivo , there must be an association between the molecule and the delivery agent . we now provide membrane active agents that may be noncovalently associated with or covalently linked to the membrane impermeable molecule for delivery of the molecule to the cytoplasm of a cell . dna can be condensed with an excess of polycation in aqueous solutions to form nanoparticles with positive surface charge . this phenomenon is critical not only to chromatin and viral assembly , but also is important in the construction of gene delivery vehicles . the positive charge surplus contained in polycation - condensed dna complex can be used to deposit a layer of polyanions on the surface dna / polycation complex resulting in negatively charge particles ( or complexes ) in a process termed recharging ( u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 328 , 975 ). negatively charged particles may reduce nonspecific interactions that cationic particles have with serum proteins , cell surfaces , and the extracellular matrix . recharging is a two - step process . in step one , the dna or other polynucleotide is condensed by addition of an excess of polycation to form a positively - charged polynucleotide nanoparticle . typical polynucleotide delivery formulations stop at this point and add the nanoparticle to the cell . in the recharging process , a third polyion ( a polyanion ) is added to the positively - charged polycation / polynucleotide particle to make a ternary complex that has a neutral to negative surface charge . under proper formulation conditions , the particles are small (& lt ; 150 nm ), and are termed nanoparticles . negatively charged complexes should be better able to circulate and target specific cells in vivo by reducing non - specific interactions with negatively charged cells surfaces , serum proteins , and the extracellular matrix . in order for the reversibly - masked membrane active agent to facilitate the delivery polynucleotides or other membrane impermeable molecules to cells , the masked membrane active agent must be associated with the molecule . small membrane active agents with low overall charge , such as the membrane lytic peptide melittin , can form particles with polynucleotides . however , these particles are large (& gt ; 150 nm ) and unstable ( i . e ., they increase in size in the presence of physiological concentrations of salt ). larger membrane active polymers can be used to form small , stable particles with polynucleotides . we have previously synthesized membrane active polymers composed of amines and alkyl groups via copolymerization of various alkyl vinyl ethers with an amine - protected monomer ( amphiphilic polyvinylether polycations ; fig3 and u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 772 , 502 , incorporated herein by reference ). as an example , a 50 : 50 mixture of alkyl groups and amines yields polymers containing ethyl ( peave ), propyl ( ppave ), and butyl ( pbave ) groups using trifluoride etherate as an initiator . deprotection of the amine - protecting phthalimide groups results in water soluble polymers with molecular weight about 20 , 000 daltons . the butyl - containing polymer pbave was found to be about 60 % as hemolytic as melittin when assayed for red blood cell lytic activity . reversible inhibition of pbave can be accomplished by cdm modification . incubation of the modified polymer at ph 5 restored lytic ability with a half - life of about 10 min . therefore , the membrane activity of the polymer pbave can be controlled by modification of the polymer with cdm . under basic conditions the polymer is not membrane lytic . upon acidification , the cdm inhibitor is cleaved from the polymer and membrane activity of the polymer is restored ( fig4 ). the endosomolytic activity of cdm - pbave is demonstrated by its ability to deliver a polynucleotide to cells ( see example 5 below ). cdm and cdm derivatives can be used to modify any amine - containing membrane active polymer . in addition to masking the membrane activity of an amine - containing polymer , modification of a polymer with the cdm maleic anhydride derivative further reversibly converts positive charges on the polymer to negatively charged carboxyl groups . thus , a polycation can be converted to a polyanion . following condensation of a polynucleotide with a first polycation to form a small binary complex or particle , a polyanion may then be used to recharge the binary complex and form a ternary complex or particle which has a less positive or more negative surface charge than the binary complex . in recharging a polynucleotide - containing particle with a cdm - modified second polycation , the recharging layer is acid - labile . exposure of this recharged nanoparticle to acidic conditions results in cleavage of the cdm groups from the polyanion with concomitant loss of negative charge from the recharging polymer . reversion of the polyanion to a membrane active polycation ( second polycation ) can have several effects including : destabilization of the particle , release of membrane active agent in the endocytic vesicle , and increased interaction of the first polycation with the endocytic vesicle membrane . the first polycation can also be a membrane active polymer and may further be of the same species as the membrane active second polycation . disruption of the endosome by the membrane active polymer ( s ) results in cytoplasmic delivery of the polynucleotide or other molecule present originally present in the recharged particle . we have shown that endosomolysis can be achieved by reversibly modifying a membrane active peptide such as melittin with maleic anhydride derivatives ( rozema et al . 2003 ; u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 444 , 662 ). cdm - melittin &# 39 ; s ability to delivery macromolecules polyethylene glycol and an uncharged oligonucleotide analog has been shown . however , in order to incorporate masked membrane active agents into polynucleotide - delivery vectors we synthesized polymers of sufficient size and charge to be formulated into stable polynucleotide - containing nanoparticles . as an example , the polycation pbave was synthesized and demonstrated to have both membrane activity and the ability to form small , stable particles with dna . masking of pbave &# 39 ; s membrane activity by reaction with cdm resulted in a polyanion that can be used to recharge dna / polycation particles to make small , negatively - charged , acid - labile nanoparticles . nanoparticles composed of dna : pbave : cdm - pbave were formulated at a 10 : 20 : 80 weight ratio and applied to cultured mouse liver cells ( hepa - 1clc7 ) in tissue culture in the presence of dmem and 10 % serum . the dna used in the delivery formulations was pciluc , which contains a gene encoding luciferase . the transfection ability of the complexes was determined by measuring the relative light units of luciferase produced by cells that had been treated with pciluc - containing nanoparticles . as a control for the reversibly inhibited membrane active polymer ( cdm - pbave ), particles were also constructed using succinylated - pbave ( s - pbave ) and cis - aconitylated - pbave ( a - pbave ). cis - aconitic anhydride is a monosubstituted maleic anhydride derivative that has a carboxylate ( ch 2 co 2 h ) substituent on the maleic anhydride . succinylation is irreversible and cis - aconitylation cleaves with a half - life of about 300 min at ph 5 . there is a dependence of transfection on the liability of the group used to modify / inhibit the membrane active agent pbave . the reversibly - masked , membrane active polymers cdm - pbave and a - pbave were able to transfect cells while the irreversibly modified polymer ( s - pbave ) was inactive . in addition , the nanoparticles containing cdm - pbave ( disubstituted maleamate bonds ) had 30 - fold more transfection activity than nanoparticles formed with a - pbave ( monosubstituted maleamate bonds ). the increase in transfection ability of the cdm - pbave containing particles is most likely related to the greater lability of the cdm disubstituted maleic anhydride derivative relative to the cis - aconitic monosubstituted maleic anhydride derivative . similar results are expected for other amine - containing membrane active polymers . in addition to the stability of particles due to the electrostatic forces between polycation and polyanion , the stability of the particle may also be enhanced by the formation of the covalent bonds , i . e . crossslinking , between the polymers . however , irreversible crosslinking of the polycation and polyanion results in particles that are ineffective for delivery of biologically active nucleic acids . in order to give the particles the stability of crosslinking while still providing the particles with intracellular instability , the polycation and polyanion of a nanoparticle can covalently linked via a plurality of acid labile maleamate bonds . in order to couple a cdm - based polyanion with a polyamine , it is necessary to use a crosslinking group that can react with amines only after the anhydride has reacted to form the cdm - based maleamate group . this selectivity in reaction is required because both formation of the maleamate and crosslinking between polyanion and polycation involve reactions with amines . as a consequence , in order to selectively couple a cdm - based polyanion and polyamine , there must be selectivity of the amine reactions . a method to accomplish this selectivity is to provide , on a cdm derivative , a functional group for crosslinking that is less reactive than the anhydride group involved in maleamate formation . such a functional group is a thioester . a thioester is moderately amine - reactive relative to an anhydride . using a thioester derivative of cdm , it is possible to link two amines together via a ph - labile maleamate bond ( fig5 ). in addition to the maleamate bond , other ph labile bonds may be incorporated into crosslinking reagents including acetals , enol ethers , and hydrazones . in particular , acetals derived from benzaldehyde and benzaldehyde derivatives are very ph labile . in addition to increasing stability in the presence of salt , targeting of particles in vivo requires that nonspecific interactions , with serum component and non - targeted cells , be reduced . in order to reduce such interactions with delivery vehicles , many researchers have attached polyethylene glycol ( peg ) ( kircheis et al . 2001 ; woodle et al . 1992 ), an uncharged water - soluble polymer , to nucleic acid containing particles . however , peg also decreases the transfection competency of particles . in order to gain the benefits of pegylation while maintaining transfection ability , we have synthesized a variety of dimethylmaleic anhydride - derived pegylation reagents . attachment of a plurality of dimethylmaleic anhydride groups to a single peg group allows for the formation of a plurality of reversible covalent bonds with the particle thereby increasing the stability of a particle ( fig6 ). a plurality of peg groups can be covalently attached to a particle . membrane active — membrane active polymers or compounds are molecules that are able to alter membrane structure . this change in structure can be shown by the compound inducing one or more of the following effects upon a membrane : an alteration that allows small molecule permeability , pore formation in the membrane , a fusion and / or fission of membranes , an alteration that allows large molecule permeability , or a dissolving of the membrane . this alteration can be functionally defined by the compound &# 39 ; s activity in at least one the following assays : red blood cell lysis ( hemolysis ), liposome leakage , liposome fusion , cell fusion , cell lysis and endosomal release . polymer — a polymer is a molecule built up by repetitive bonding together of smaller units called monomers . a polymer can be linear , branched network , star , comb , or ladder types of polymer . a polymer can be a homopolymer in which a single monomer is used or can be copolymer in which two or more monomers are used . the main chain of a polymer is composed of the atoms whose bonds are required for propagation of polymer length . for example in poly - l - lysine , the carbonyl carbon , α - carbon , and α - amine groups are required for the length of the polymer and are therefore main chain atoms . the side chain of a polymer is composed of the atoms whose bonds are not required for propagation of polymer length . for example in poly - l - lysine , the β , γ , δ and ε - carbons , an ε - nitrogen are not required for the propagation of the polymer and are therefore side chain atoms . polycation — a polycation can be a polymer possessing net positive charge , for example poly - l - lysine hydrobromide or a histone . the polymeric polycation can contain monomer units that are charge positive , charge neutral , or charge negative , however , the net charge of the polymer must be positive . a polycation also can be a non - polymeric molecule that contains two or more positive charges . polyanion — a polyanion can be a polymer containing a net negative charge , for example polyglutamic acid . the polymeric polyanion can contain monomer units that are charge negative , charge neutral , or charge positive , however , the net charge on the polymer must be negative . a polyanion can also be a non - polymeric molecule that contains two or more negative charges . other components of the monomers and polymers : polymers may have functional groups that enhance their utility . these groups can be incorporated into monomers prior to polymer formation or attached to the polymer after its formation . functional groups may be selected from the list consisting of : targeting groups , interaction modifiers , steric stabilizers , and membrane active compounds , affinity groups and reactive groups . targeting groups — targeting groups , or ligands , are used for targeting the polymer or polymer complex to cells , to specific cells , to tissues or to specific locations in a cell . targeting groups enhance the association of molecules with a cell . examples of targeting groups include those that target to the asialoglycoprotein receptor by using asialoglycoproteins or galactose residues . other proteins such as insulin , egf , or transferrin can be used for targeting . other targeting groups include molecules that interact with membranes such as fatty acids , cholesterol , dansyl compounds , and amphotericin derivatives . a variety of ligands have been used to target drugs and genes to cells and to specific cellular receptors . the ligand may seek a target within the cell membrane , on the cell membrane or near a cell . binding of a ligand to a receptor may initiate endocytosis . steric stabilizer — a steric stabilizer is a long chain hydrophilic group that prevents aggregation of final polymer by sterically hindering particle to particle electrostatic interactions . examples include : alkyl groups , peg chains , polysaccharides , hydrogen molecules , alkyl amines . interaction modifier — an interaction modifier changes the way that a molecule interacts with itself or other molecules , relative to molecule containing no interaction modifier . the result of this modification is that self - interactions or interactions with other molecules are either increased or decreased . for example cell targeting signals are interaction modifiers with change the interaction between a molecule and a cell or cellular component . polyethylene glycol is an interaction modifier that decreases interactions between molecules and themselves and with other molecules . a labile linkage is a chemical compound that contains a labile bond and provides a link or spacer between two other groups . the groups that are linked may be chosen from compounds such as biologically active compounds , membrane active compounds , compounds that inhibit membrane activity , functional reactive groups , monomers , and cell targeting signals . the spacer group may contain chemical moieties chosen from a group that includes alkanes , alkenes , esters , ethers , glycerol , amide , saccharides , polysaccharides , and heteroatoms such as oxygen , sulfur , or nitrogen . the spacer may be electronically neutral , may bear a positive or negative charge , or may bear both positive and negative charges with an overall charge of neutral , positive or negative . ph - labile refers to the selective breakage of a covalent bond under acidic conditions ( ph & lt ; 7 ). that is , the ph - labile bond may be broken under acidic conditions in the presence of other covalent bonds without their breakage . the term ph - labile includes both linkages and bonds that are ph - labile , very ph - labile , and extremely ph - labile . ph - labile refers to the selective breakage of a covalent bond under acidic conditions ( ph & lt ; 7 ). a ph - labile bond may be broken under acidic conditions in the presence of other covalent bonds without their breakage . for the purposes of the present invention , a bond is considered very ph - labile if the half - life for cleavage at ph 5 is less than 45 minutes . for the purposes of the present invention , a bond is considered extremely ph - labile if the half - life for cleavage at ph 5 is less than 15 minutes . targeting groups — targeting groups , or ligands , are used for targeting the polymer or polymer complex to cells , to specific cells , to tissues or to specific locations in a cell . targeting groups enhance the association of molecules with a cell . examples of targeting groups include those that target to the asialoglycoprotein receptor by using asialoglycoproteins or galactose residues . other proteins such as insulin , egf , or transferrin can be used for targeting . other targeting groups include molecules that interact with membranes such as fatty acids , cholesterol , dansyl compounds , and amphotericin derivatives . a variety of ligands have been used to target drugs and genes to cells and to specific cellular receptors . the ligand may seek a target within the cell membrane , on the cell membrane or near a cell . binding of a ligand to a receptor may initiate endocytosis . polynucleotide — the term polynucleotide , or nucleic acid or polynucleic acid , is a term of art that refers to a polymer containing at least two nucleotides . nucleotides are the monomeric units of polynucleotide polymers . polynucleotides with less than 120 monomeric units are often called oligonucleotides . natural nucleic acids have a deoxyribose - or ribose - phosphate backbone . an artificial or synthetic polynucleotide is any polynucleotide that is polymerized in vitro or in a cell free system and contains the same or similar bases but may contain a backbone of a type other than the natural ribose - phosphate backbone . these backbones include : pnas ( peptide nucleic acids ), phosphorothioates , phosphorodiamidates , morpholinos , and other variants of the phosphate backbone of native nucleic acids . bases include purines and pyrimidines , which further include the natural compounds adenine , thymine , guanine , cytosine , uracil , inosine , and natural analogs . synthetic derivatives of purines and pyrimidines include , but are not limited to , modifications which place new reactive groups such as , but not limited to , amines , alcohols , thiols , carboxylates , and alkylhalides . the term base encompasses any of the known base analogs of dna and rna . the term polynucleotide includes deoxyribonucleic acid ( dna ) and ribonucleic acid ( rna ) and combinations of dna , rna and other natural and synthetic nucleotides . a polynucleotide can be delivered to a cell to express an exogenous nucleotide sequence , to inhibit , eliminate , augment , or alter expression of an endogenous nucleotide sequence , or to affect a specific physiological characteristic not naturally associated with the cell . a polynucleotide - based gene expression inhibitor comprises any polynucleotide containing a sequence whose presence or expression in a cell causes the degradation of or inhibits the function , transcription , or translation of a gene in a sequence - specific manner . polynucleotide - based expression inhibitors may be selected from the group comprising : sirna , microrna , interfering rna or rnai , dsrna , ribozymes , antisense polynucleotides , and dna expression cassettes encoding sirna , microrna , dsrna , ribozymes or antisense nucleic acids . sirna comprises a double stranded structure typically containing 15 - 50 base pairs and preferably 19 - 25 base pairs and having a nucleotide sequence identical or nearly identical to an expressed target gene or rna within the cell . an sirna may be composed of two annealed polynucleotides or a single polynucleotide that forms a hairpin structure . micrornas ( mrnas ) are small noncoding polynucleotides , about 22 nucleotides long , that direct destruction or translational repression of their mrna targets . antisense polynucleotides comprise sequence that is complimentary to an gene or mrna . antisense polynucleotides include , but are not limited to : morpholinos , 2 ′- o - methyl polynucleotides , dna , rna and the like . the polynucleotide - based expression inhibitor may be polymerized in vitro , recombinant , contain chimeric sequences , or derivatives of these groups . the polynucleotide - based expression inhibitor may contain ribonucleotides , deoxyribonucleotides , synthetic nucleotides , or any suitable combination such that the target rna and / or gene is inhibited . transfection — the process of delivering a polynucleotide to a cell has been commonly termed transfection or the process of transfecting and also it has been termed transformation . the term transfecting as used herein refers to the introduction of a polynucleotide or other biologically active compound into cells . the polynucleotide may be used for research purposes or to produce a change in a cell that can be therapeutic . the delivery of a polynucleotide can lead to modification of the genetic material present in the target cell . a transfection reagent or delivery vehicle is a compound or compounds that bind ( s ) to or complex ( es ) with oligonucleotides and polynucleotides , and mediates their entry into cells . application ser . nos . 10 / 619 , 778 and 10 / 816 , 081 are incorporated herein by reference . synthesis of 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride ( carboxydimethylmaleic anhydride or cdm ). to a suspension of sodium hydride ( 0 . 58 g , 25 mmol ) in 50 ml anhydrous tetrahydrofuran was added triethyl - 2 - phosphonopropionate ( 7 . 1 g , 30 mmol ). after evolution of hydrogen gas had stopped , dimethyl - 2 - oxoglutarate ( 3 . 5 g , 20 mmol ) in 10 ml anhydrous tetrahydrofuran was added and stirred for 30 minutes . water , 10 ml , was then added and the tetrahydrofuran was removed by rotary evaporation . the resulting solid and water mixture was extracted with 3 × 50 ml ethyl ether . the ether extractions were combined , dried with magnesium sulfate , and concentrated to a light yellow oil . the oil was purified by silica gel chromatography elution with 2 : 1 ether : hexane to yield 4 g ( 82 % yield ) of pure triester . the 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride was then formed by dissolving of this triester into 50 ml of a 50 / 50 mixture of water and ethanol containing 4 . 5 g ( 5 equivalents ) of potassium hydroxide . this solution was heated to reflux for 1 hour . the ethanol was then removed by rotary evaporation and the solution was acidified to ph 2 with hydrochloric acid . this aqueous solution was then extracted with 200 ml ethyl acetate , which was isolated , dried with magnesium sulfate , and concentrated to a white solid . this solid was then recrystallized from dichloromethane and hexane to yield 2 g ( 80 % yield ) of 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride . synthesis of cdm thioester . to a solution of 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride ( 30 mg , 0 . 16 mmol ) in 5 ml methylene chloride was added oxalyl chloride ( 200 mg , 10 eq ) and dimethylformamide ( 1 μl ). the reaction was allowed to proceed overnight at which time the excess oxalyl chloride and methylene chloride were removed by rotary evaporation to yield the acid chloride , a clear oil . the acid chloride was dissolved in 1 ml of methylene chloride . to this solution was added 2 equivalents thioglycolic acid , and pyridine ( 20 μl , 1 . 5 eq ) in 10 ml of methylene chloride . the solution was then stirred overnight . the solvent was then removed and the resulting solid was dissolved into 5 ml of water and purified using reverse - phase hplc using a 0 . 1 % tfa water / acetonitrile gradient . synthesis of polyvinylethers . 2 - vinyloxy ethyl phathalimide ( 1 g , 4 . 6 mmol ) was added to a oven dried round bottom flask under a blanket of nitrogen in anhydrous dichloromethane to this solution was added ethyl vinyl ether ( 0 . 332 g , 4 . 6 mmol ), propyl vinyl ether ( 0 . 396 g , 4 . 6 mmol ) or butyl vinyl ether ( 0 . 460 g , 4 . 6 mmol ). these solutions were then brought to − 78 ° c . and bf 3 — oet 2 ( 0 . 065 g , 0 . 46 mmol ) is added and the reaction is allowed to proceed for 2 hours at − 78 ° c . the polymerization is then stopped by the addition of 50 / 50 mixture of ammonium hydroxide in methanol . the solvents are then removed by rotary evaporation . the polymer is then dissolved in 30 ml of 1 , 4 - dioxane / methanol ( 2 / 1 ). to this solution was added hydrazine ( 0 . 147 g , 46 mmol ) and the mixture was heated to reflux for 3 hours . the solvents are then removed by rotary evaporation and the resulting solid was then brought up in 20 ml of 0 . 5m hcl and refluxed for 15 minutes , diluted with 20 ml distilled water , and refluxed for additional hour . this solution was then neutralized with naoh cooled to room temperature and transfer to 3 , 500 molecular cellulose tubing and dialyzed for 24 h ( 2 × 20 l ) against distilled water , and freeze dried . hemolysis by melittin , pea ve , ppave , pbave , and cdm - modified pbave . the membrane activity of the amphiphilic cation polymers was tested according to published procedure . 10 8 red blood cells were added to 500 μl of phosphate buffer . to this solution was added 20 μg of melittin , peave , ppave , pbave , or cdm - pbave , which was made by acylation of pbave with 2 eq . of cdm relative to amines . the samples were incubated for 15 min at 37 ° c ., then spun for 1 min at 15 , 000 rcf . lysis was be determined by measuring the absorbance of the supernatant at 541 nm . percent hemolysis was calculated assuming 100 % lysis to be the absorbance of hemoglobin released upon addition of deionized water . all of the polymers were determined to be hemolytic , with pbave and melittin being the most lytic . cdm - modified polymer pbave was not hemolytic until acidification . induction of luciferase upon delivery of oligonucleotide . hela luc / 705 cells ( gene tools , philomath oreg .) were grown under conditions used for hela cells . the cells were plated in 24 - well culture dishes at a density of 3 × 10 6 cells / well and incubated for 24 hours . media was replaced with 1 . 0 ml dmem containing 10 % fetal bovine serum and 2 . 5 nmol pmo ( cct ctt acc tca gtt aca att tat a , seq id 1 , gene tools , philomath , oreg .) either with or without 20 μg of cdm - modified pbave . the cells were then incubated for 48 hours in a humidified , 5 % co 2 incubator at 37 ° c . the cells were harvested and the lysates assayed for luciferase expression using a lumat lb 9507 ( eg & amp ; g berthold , bad - wildbad , germany ) luminometer . addition of cdm - modified pbave resulted in a 2 - 3 fold increase in luciferase activity . transfection with acid - labile dna particles : hepa cells ( a mouse hepatocyte cell line ) were cultured in 1 ml dulbecco &# 39 ; s modified eagle media containing 10 % fetal bovine serum using 12 - well plates . pbave nanoparticles were formulated according the reported ratios with plasmid dna pciiuc ( 10 μg / ml , pciiuc ; prepared according to published procedure in 0 . 5 ml of 5 mm hepes ph 7 . 5 . as controls for the ph - labile cdm modification , polyanions were generated from the polyamines using succinic anhydride , which irreversibly modifies the amine , and aconitic anhydride , which reversibly modifies the amine but is much slower to cleave than cdm , to form s - pbave and a - pbave respectively . the nanoparticles , 2 μg of dna , were then added ( 200 μl ) to the cells . the cells were incubated for 48 h . the cells were harvested and assayed for luciferase expression as previously reported . a lumat lb 9507 ( eg & amp ; g berthold , bad - wildbad , germany ) luminometer was used . the amount of transfection is average transfection for two separate wells of cells . amount of luciferase in picograms = 5 . 1 × 10 − 5 ( rlu )+ 3 . 683 . formulation relative light units dna : pbve : cdm - pbave 1 , 875 , 801 10 : 20 : 80 μg / ml dna : pbve : s - pbave 195 10 : 20 : 80 μg / ml dna : pbve : a - pbave 68 , 549 10 : 20 : 80 μg / ml naked dna 200 transfection with recharged acid - labile particles in vivo . pbave nanoparticles were formulated according the reported ratios with plasmid dna pciiuc ( 30 μg / ml , pciiuc ; prepared according to published procedure in 0 . 5 ml of 5 mm hepes ph 7 . 5 . the nanoparticles , 9 μg of dna , were then injected into the tail vein ( 300 μl ) of mice . 24 hours postinjection , the mice were sacrificed , their livers harvested and assayed for luciferase expression as previously reported . a lumat lb 9507 ( eg & amp ; g berthold , bad - wildbad , germany ) luminometer was used . the amount of transfection is average transfection for a group of three mice . amount of luciferase in picograms = 5 . 1 × 10 − 5 ( rlu )+ 3 . 683 . formulation relative light units dna : pbve : cdm - pbave 30 , 123 30 : 60 : 240 μg / ml naked dna 1 , 021 particle sizing in the absence and presence of salt and ζ - potential measurement . nanoparticles between dna and peave and cdm / cdm - thioester - modified peave were formulated in 20 mm hepes buffer ph 7 . 5 according to the weight ratios presented above at a dna concentration of 10 μg / ml . for the cdm / cdm - thioester modified polymers , cdm - thioester was mixed was cdm at a 9 : 1 weight ratio before mixing with the polymer . the size of the nanoparticles and the z - potential were determined by light scattering at 532 nm using a brookhaven instruments corporation , zetaplus particle sizer , i90 . the salt stability of the nanoparticles was assessed by addition of sodium chloride to 150 mm and measurement of size after 10 min . particles size ( nm ) in size ( nm ) in polymer wt . ratios ( μg / ml ) 20 mm hepes ph 7 . 5 150 mm nacl dna : peave : cdm - peave 10 : 20 : 100 90 - 110 & gt ; 1000 5 : 10 : 100 90 - 130 & gt ; 1000 dna : peave : cdm / cdmthioester - peave 10 : 20 : 100 90 - 110 114 5 : 10 : 100 90 - 130 118 transfection of cdm - thioester crosslinked dna particles . hepa cells ( a mouse hepatocyte cell line ) were cultured in 1 ml dulbecco &# 39 ; s modified eagle media containing 10 % fetal bovine serum using 12 - well plates . pbave nanoparticles were formulated according the reported ratios with plasmid dna pciiuc ( 10 μg / ml , pciiuc ; prepared according to published procedure in 0 . 5 ml of 5 mm hepes ph 7 . 5 . for the cdm / cdm - thioester modified polymers , cdm - thioester was mixed was cdm at a 9 : 1 weight ratio before mixing with the polymer . the nanoparticles , 2 μg of dna , were then added ( 200 μl ) to the cells . the cells were incubated for 48 h . the cells were harvested and assayed for luciferase expression as previously reported . a lumat lb 9507 ( eg & amp ; g berthold , bad - wildbad , germany ) luminometer was used . the amount of transfection is average transfection for two separate wells of cells . amount of luciferase in picograms = 5 . 1 × 10 − 5 ( rlu )+ 3 . 683 . formulation relative light units ( rlu ) dna : pbave : cdm - pbave 774 , 432 10 : 40 : 100 μg / ml dna : pbave : cdm - pbave 4 , 967 , 879 10 : 20 : 50 μg / ml dna : pbave : cdm / cdm - thioester - pbave 1 , 040 , 076 10 : 40 : 100 μg / ml dna : pbave : cdm / cdm - thioester - pbave 2 , 276 , 733 10 : 20 : 50 μg / ml synthesis of amino polyethylene glycol monomethyl ethers . to a 10 wt % solution of monomethyl ether peg of various molecular weights in methylene chloride is added 3 equivalents of mesyl chloride and triethylamine . after stirring overnight , the solution is washed with an equal volume of nahco 3 saturated water . the organic layer is then dried with sodium sulfate and the peg is precipitated out of solution by the addition of 9 volume equivalents of diethyl ether . the peg mesylate is allowed to precipitate out overnight at − 78 ° c . the peg mesylate is then dissolved to 15 wt % in water and 10 equivalents of amine ( ethylene diamine or tris ( 2 - aminoethyl ) amine ). the reaction is allowed to proceed for 48 hours and the amine - modified peg is purified using reverse - phase hplc using a 0 . 1 % tfa water / acetonitrile gradient . synthesis of cdm - peg derivatives . to a solution of 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride ( 30 mg , 0 . 16 mmol ) in 5 ml methylene chloride was added oxalyl chloride ( 200 mg , 10 eq ) and dimethylformamide ( 1 μl ). the reaction was allowed to proceed overnight at which time the excess oxalyl chloride and methylene chloride were removed by rotary evaporation to yield the acid chloride , a clear oil . the acid chloride was dissolved in 1 ml of methylene chloride . to this solution was added 2 equivalents amino polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether of various molecular weights , and pyridine ( 20 μl , 1 . 5 eq ) in 10 ml of methylene chloride . the solution was then stirred overnight . the solvent was then removed and the resulting solid was dissolved into 5 ml of water and purified using reverse - phase hplc using a 0 . 1 % tfa water / acetonitrile gradient . particle size in the absence and presence of salt and ζ - potential measurement . nanoparticles between 10 μg / ml dna and 20 μg / ml pbave were formulated in 20 mm hepes buffer ph 7 . 5 . to this solution was added nothing or 100 μg cdm - peg 2 ( the molecular weight of the peg was 1100 ). the size of the nanoparticles and was determined by light scattering at 532 nm using a brookhaven instruments corporation , zetaplus particle sizer , i90 . the salt stability of the nanoparticles was assessed by addition of sodium chloride to 150 mm and measurement of size after 10 min . without addition of cdm - peg 2 the dna / polycation particles grew from 100 to & gt ; 1000 nm upon addition of sodium chloride . upon modification with cdm - peg2 , this increase in particle size did not occur in the presence of salt . condensation and decondensation of dna upon addition of salt and polyacrylic acid . dna was labeled with tetramethylrhodamine labelit dna labeling reagent ( mirus corporation ) at a 1 : 1 dna : labelit weight ratio according to manufacturer &# 39 ; s protocol . a solution of 1 μg / ml of tetramethylrhodamine - labeled dna was condensed by the addition of 10 μg / ml of pbave in the presence of taps buffer ph 9 . to this solution was added various amounts of cdm - peg 2 and cdm - peg 3 . to the solution was then added nacl bring the concentration to 150 mm . finally polyacrylic acid was added to 100 μg / ml . after the addition of each reagent , the fluorescence of the rhodamine was measured using a varian spectrofluorometer exciting at 555 nm and measure emission at 575 nm . a decrease in fluorescence is indicative of dna condensation , while an increase indicates a decondensation of dna . fluorescence sample relative dna alone 1 . 0 + pbave 0 . 2 + 40 μg peg ( 1100 )- cdm 2 0 . 3 + 150 mm nacl 0 . 3 + 100 μg / ml pacac 0 . 75 dna alone 1 . 0 + pbave 0 . 2 + 40 μg peg ( 1100 )- cdm 3 0 . 3 + 150 mm nacl 0 . 3 + 100 μg / ml pacac 0 . 79 dna alone 1 . 0 + pbave 0 . 2 + 150 μg peg ( 1100 )- cdm 3 0 . 3 + 150 mm nacl 0 . 3 + 100 μg / ml pacac 0 . 56 dna alone 1 . 0 + pbave 0 . 2 + 150 mm nacl 0 . 3 + 100 μg / ml pacac 0 . 95 the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention . furthermore , since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art , it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described . therefore , all suitable modifications and equivalents fall within the scope of the invention . | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Chemistry; Metallurgy'? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Human Necessities'? | 0.25 | 9a26c957d7b5ce01dd4c12362aee3a9329f76d5073f5679ade4a3381eba2e801 | 0.404297 | 0.075684 | 0.476563 | 0.009155 | 0.243164 | 0.053467 |
null | we have developed a strategy for endosomal release of membrane impermeable molecules . this strategy involves the reversible inactivation of a membrane active or membrane lysing agent . the reversible inactivation of the membrane active agent is accomplished by attaching an inhibitor or plurality of inhibitors to the membrane active agent by a bond or plurality of bonds that cleave in the environment of an endosome . the inhibitor prevents the agent from lysing the cytoplasmic membrane and thereby causing cell death . the inhibitor is removed from the agent in the acidic environment of the endosome by cleavage of a labile bond , thereby allowing the membrane active agent to disrupt the endosomal membrane to effect release of endosomal contents into the cytoplasm . a key component to limiting membrane activity to the endosome is the labile bond , which must be stable under extracellular conditions , but very unstable in the endosomal vesicle . in particular , we have focused on the identification of bonds that are cleaved in an acidic environment . acidification is a characteristic of the endosome environment that is commonly exploited by viral and non - viral delivery vehicles . agents which rely on protonation to become membrane active , such as polypropylacrylic acid and peptide derivatives of the viral coat protein hemagluttinin , have a serious flaw . activation of the agent causes partial disruption of the endosome , thus destroying the ph gradient and leading to inactivation of the membrane active agent . this cycle can limit the effectiveness of the membrane active agent in delivery of macromolecules to the cell cytoplasm . in contrast , the invention as described herein , results in essentially irreversible reactivation on membrane active agents upon exposure to an acidic ph environment . an important consideration in selecting labile bonds for use in cellular delivery systems is the kinetics of bond cleavage upon exposure of the bond to acidic ph . the kinetics of endosome acidification and maturation of the endosome to a lysosome are very rapid compared to the rates of cleavage for most of the acid - labile bonds reported in the literature . once endocytosis occurs , the ph drops from the extracellular ph ( about 7 . 4 ) to ph about 5 in roughly 10 min . endosomal contents are quickly exposed to active lysosomal enzymes and degradation of the molecule to be delivered may occur . therefore , bonds that are cleaved in within minutes in the ph range 5 - 7 are preferred . a well - studied ph - labile bond is the maleamate bond , which is derived from the reaction of an amine and a maleic anhydride or maleic anhydride derivative ( fig1 ). the rate of maleamate cleavage is dependent upon the structure of the maleic anhydride used to form the maleamate . in general , disubstituted maleamates are more labile than monosubstituted maleamates , which are more labile than unsubstituted maleamates . the monosubstituted maleamates are the most studied members of this family , and have half - lives of hours at ph & lt ; 5 . according to literature , disubstitution of the maleamate results in about two orders of magnitude increase in the rate of cleavage . we have found that the disubstituted maleamate bond derived from dimethylmaleic anhydride ( r 1 and r 2 = ch 3 in fig1 ) has a half - life of about 2 min at ph 5 . this rate is on the same order as endosome maturation . in contrast , we have found that monosubstituted maleamate bonds derived from methylmaleic anhydride ( r 1or2 = h and r 2or1 = ch 3 in fig1 ) have a half - life of cleavage of about 300 min ( 5 hours ) at ph 5 . to increase charge and solubility , derivatives of dimethyl maleic anhydrides , such as 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride (( naganawa et al . 1994 ; carboxylated dimethylmaleic anhydride or cdm ) may be used ( fig2 ). the ability of a disubstituted maleic anhydride to reversibly inhibit membrane activity of the peptide melittin until reaching the acidic environment of the endosome was reported by us ( rozema et al . 2003 ). we demonstrated the ability of the reversibly inhibited melittin to deliver the membrane impermeable molecules polyethyleneglycol and an oligonucleotide to the cell cytoplasm . in these examples of delivery , the delivery reagent ( cdm - modified melittin ) and compound were not connected or associated with each other , but independently delivered to common endocytic compartments in the cell . for delivery of membrane impermeable molecules to the cytoplasm of cells in vivo , there must be an association between the molecule and the delivery agent . we now provide membrane active agents that may be noncovalently associated with or covalently linked to the membrane impermeable molecule for delivery of the molecule to the cytoplasm of a cell . dna can be condensed with an excess of polycation in aqueous solutions to form nanoparticles with positive surface charge . this phenomenon is critical not only to chromatin and viral assembly , but also is important in the construction of gene delivery vehicles . the positive charge surplus contained in polycation - condensed dna complex can be used to deposit a layer of polyanions on the surface dna / polycation complex resulting in negatively charge particles ( or complexes ) in a process termed recharging ( u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 328 , 975 ). negatively charged particles may reduce nonspecific interactions that cationic particles have with serum proteins , cell surfaces , and the extracellular matrix . recharging is a two - step process . in step one , the dna or other polynucleotide is condensed by addition of an excess of polycation to form a positively - charged polynucleotide nanoparticle . typical polynucleotide delivery formulations stop at this point and add the nanoparticle to the cell . in the recharging process , a third polyion ( a polyanion ) is added to the positively - charged polycation / polynucleotide particle to make a ternary complex that has a neutral to negative surface charge . under proper formulation conditions , the particles are small (& lt ; 150 nm ), and are termed nanoparticles . negatively charged complexes should be better able to circulate and target specific cells in vivo by reducing non - specific interactions with negatively charged cells surfaces , serum proteins , and the extracellular matrix . in order for the reversibly - masked membrane active agent to facilitate the delivery polynucleotides or other membrane impermeable molecules to cells , the masked membrane active agent must be associated with the molecule . small membrane active agents with low overall charge , such as the membrane lytic peptide melittin , can form particles with polynucleotides . however , these particles are large (& gt ; 150 nm ) and unstable ( i . e ., they increase in size in the presence of physiological concentrations of salt ). larger membrane active polymers can be used to form small , stable particles with polynucleotides . we have previously synthesized membrane active polymers composed of amines and alkyl groups via copolymerization of various alkyl vinyl ethers with an amine - protected monomer ( amphiphilic polyvinylether polycations ; fig3 and u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 772 , 502 , incorporated herein by reference ). as an example , a 50 : 50 mixture of alkyl groups and amines yields polymers containing ethyl ( peave ), propyl ( ppave ), and butyl ( pbave ) groups using trifluoride etherate as an initiator . deprotection of the amine - protecting phthalimide groups results in water soluble polymers with molecular weight about 20 , 000 daltons . the butyl - containing polymer pbave was found to be about 60 % as hemolytic as melittin when assayed for red blood cell lytic activity . reversible inhibition of pbave can be accomplished by cdm modification . incubation of the modified polymer at ph 5 restored lytic ability with a half - life of about 10 min . therefore , the membrane activity of the polymer pbave can be controlled by modification of the polymer with cdm . under basic conditions the polymer is not membrane lytic . upon acidification , the cdm inhibitor is cleaved from the polymer and membrane activity of the polymer is restored ( fig4 ). the endosomolytic activity of cdm - pbave is demonstrated by its ability to deliver a polynucleotide to cells ( see example 5 below ). cdm and cdm derivatives can be used to modify any amine - containing membrane active polymer . in addition to masking the membrane activity of an amine - containing polymer , modification of a polymer with the cdm maleic anhydride derivative further reversibly converts positive charges on the polymer to negatively charged carboxyl groups . thus , a polycation can be converted to a polyanion . following condensation of a polynucleotide with a first polycation to form a small binary complex or particle , a polyanion may then be used to recharge the binary complex and form a ternary complex or particle which has a less positive or more negative surface charge than the binary complex . in recharging a polynucleotide - containing particle with a cdm - modified second polycation , the recharging layer is acid - labile . exposure of this recharged nanoparticle to acidic conditions results in cleavage of the cdm groups from the polyanion with concomitant loss of negative charge from the recharging polymer . reversion of the polyanion to a membrane active polycation ( second polycation ) can have several effects including : destabilization of the particle , release of membrane active agent in the endocytic vesicle , and increased interaction of the first polycation with the endocytic vesicle membrane . the first polycation can also be a membrane active polymer and may further be of the same species as the membrane active second polycation . disruption of the endosome by the membrane active polymer ( s ) results in cytoplasmic delivery of the polynucleotide or other molecule present originally present in the recharged particle . we have shown that endosomolysis can be achieved by reversibly modifying a membrane active peptide such as melittin with maleic anhydride derivatives ( rozema et al . 2003 ; u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 444 , 662 ). cdm - melittin &# 39 ; s ability to delivery macromolecules polyethylene glycol and an uncharged oligonucleotide analog has been shown . however , in order to incorporate masked membrane active agents into polynucleotide - delivery vectors we synthesized polymers of sufficient size and charge to be formulated into stable polynucleotide - containing nanoparticles . as an example , the polycation pbave was synthesized and demonstrated to have both membrane activity and the ability to form small , stable particles with dna . masking of pbave &# 39 ; s membrane activity by reaction with cdm resulted in a polyanion that can be used to recharge dna / polycation particles to make small , negatively - charged , acid - labile nanoparticles . nanoparticles composed of dna : pbave : cdm - pbave were formulated at a 10 : 20 : 80 weight ratio and applied to cultured mouse liver cells ( hepa - 1clc7 ) in tissue culture in the presence of dmem and 10 % serum . the dna used in the delivery formulations was pciluc , which contains a gene encoding luciferase . the transfection ability of the complexes was determined by measuring the relative light units of luciferase produced by cells that had been treated with pciluc - containing nanoparticles . as a control for the reversibly inhibited membrane active polymer ( cdm - pbave ), particles were also constructed using succinylated - pbave ( s - pbave ) and cis - aconitylated - pbave ( a - pbave ). cis - aconitic anhydride is a monosubstituted maleic anhydride derivative that has a carboxylate ( ch 2 co 2 h ) substituent on the maleic anhydride . succinylation is irreversible and cis - aconitylation cleaves with a half - life of about 300 min at ph 5 . there is a dependence of transfection on the liability of the group used to modify / inhibit the membrane active agent pbave . the reversibly - masked , membrane active polymers cdm - pbave and a - pbave were able to transfect cells while the irreversibly modified polymer ( s - pbave ) was inactive . in addition , the nanoparticles containing cdm - pbave ( disubstituted maleamate bonds ) had 30 - fold more transfection activity than nanoparticles formed with a - pbave ( monosubstituted maleamate bonds ). the increase in transfection ability of the cdm - pbave containing particles is most likely related to the greater lability of the cdm disubstituted maleic anhydride derivative relative to the cis - aconitic monosubstituted maleic anhydride derivative . similar results are expected for other amine - containing membrane active polymers . in addition to the stability of particles due to the electrostatic forces between polycation and polyanion , the stability of the particle may also be enhanced by the formation of the covalent bonds , i . e . crossslinking , between the polymers . however , irreversible crosslinking of the polycation and polyanion results in particles that are ineffective for delivery of biologically active nucleic acids . in order to give the particles the stability of crosslinking while still providing the particles with intracellular instability , the polycation and polyanion of a nanoparticle can covalently linked via a plurality of acid labile maleamate bonds . in order to couple a cdm - based polyanion with a polyamine , it is necessary to use a crosslinking group that can react with amines only after the anhydride has reacted to form the cdm - based maleamate group . this selectivity in reaction is required because both formation of the maleamate and crosslinking between polyanion and polycation involve reactions with amines . as a consequence , in order to selectively couple a cdm - based polyanion and polyamine , there must be selectivity of the amine reactions . a method to accomplish this selectivity is to provide , on a cdm derivative , a functional group for crosslinking that is less reactive than the anhydride group involved in maleamate formation . such a functional group is a thioester . a thioester is moderately amine - reactive relative to an anhydride . using a thioester derivative of cdm , it is possible to link two amines together via a ph - labile maleamate bond ( fig5 ). in addition to the maleamate bond , other ph labile bonds may be incorporated into crosslinking reagents including acetals , enol ethers , and hydrazones . in particular , acetals derived from benzaldehyde and benzaldehyde derivatives are very ph labile . in addition to increasing stability in the presence of salt , targeting of particles in vivo requires that nonspecific interactions , with serum component and non - targeted cells , be reduced . in order to reduce such interactions with delivery vehicles , many researchers have attached polyethylene glycol ( peg ) ( kircheis et al . 2001 ; woodle et al . 1992 ), an uncharged water - soluble polymer , to nucleic acid containing particles . however , peg also decreases the transfection competency of particles . in order to gain the benefits of pegylation while maintaining transfection ability , we have synthesized a variety of dimethylmaleic anhydride - derived pegylation reagents . attachment of a plurality of dimethylmaleic anhydride groups to a single peg group allows for the formation of a plurality of reversible covalent bonds with the particle thereby increasing the stability of a particle ( fig6 ). a plurality of peg groups can be covalently attached to a particle . membrane active — membrane active polymers or compounds are molecules that are able to alter membrane structure . this change in structure can be shown by the compound inducing one or more of the following effects upon a membrane : an alteration that allows small molecule permeability , pore formation in the membrane , a fusion and / or fission of membranes , an alteration that allows large molecule permeability , or a dissolving of the membrane . this alteration can be functionally defined by the compound &# 39 ; s activity in at least one the following assays : red blood cell lysis ( hemolysis ), liposome leakage , liposome fusion , cell fusion , cell lysis and endosomal release . polymer — a polymer is a molecule built up by repetitive bonding together of smaller units called monomers . a polymer can be linear , branched network , star , comb , or ladder types of polymer . a polymer can be a homopolymer in which a single monomer is used or can be copolymer in which two or more monomers are used . the main chain of a polymer is composed of the atoms whose bonds are required for propagation of polymer length . for example in poly - l - lysine , the carbonyl carbon , α - carbon , and α - amine groups are required for the length of the polymer and are therefore main chain atoms . the side chain of a polymer is composed of the atoms whose bonds are not required for propagation of polymer length . for example in poly - l - lysine , the β , γ , δ and ε - carbons , an ε - nitrogen are not required for the propagation of the polymer and are therefore side chain atoms . polycation — a polycation can be a polymer possessing net positive charge , for example poly - l - lysine hydrobromide or a histone . the polymeric polycation can contain monomer units that are charge positive , charge neutral , or charge negative , however , the net charge of the polymer must be positive . a polycation also can be a non - polymeric molecule that contains two or more positive charges . polyanion — a polyanion can be a polymer containing a net negative charge , for example polyglutamic acid . the polymeric polyanion can contain monomer units that are charge negative , charge neutral , or charge positive , however , the net charge on the polymer must be negative . a polyanion can also be a non - polymeric molecule that contains two or more negative charges . other components of the monomers and polymers : polymers may have functional groups that enhance their utility . these groups can be incorporated into monomers prior to polymer formation or attached to the polymer after its formation . functional groups may be selected from the list consisting of : targeting groups , interaction modifiers , steric stabilizers , and membrane active compounds , affinity groups and reactive groups . targeting groups — targeting groups , or ligands , are used for targeting the polymer or polymer complex to cells , to specific cells , to tissues or to specific locations in a cell . targeting groups enhance the association of molecules with a cell . examples of targeting groups include those that target to the asialoglycoprotein receptor by using asialoglycoproteins or galactose residues . other proteins such as insulin , egf , or transferrin can be used for targeting . other targeting groups include molecules that interact with membranes such as fatty acids , cholesterol , dansyl compounds , and amphotericin derivatives . a variety of ligands have been used to target drugs and genes to cells and to specific cellular receptors . the ligand may seek a target within the cell membrane , on the cell membrane or near a cell . binding of a ligand to a receptor may initiate endocytosis . steric stabilizer — a steric stabilizer is a long chain hydrophilic group that prevents aggregation of final polymer by sterically hindering particle to particle electrostatic interactions . examples include : alkyl groups , peg chains , polysaccharides , hydrogen molecules , alkyl amines . interaction modifier — an interaction modifier changes the way that a molecule interacts with itself or other molecules , relative to molecule containing no interaction modifier . the result of this modification is that self - interactions or interactions with other molecules are either increased or decreased . for example cell targeting signals are interaction modifiers with change the interaction between a molecule and a cell or cellular component . polyethylene glycol is an interaction modifier that decreases interactions between molecules and themselves and with other molecules . a labile linkage is a chemical compound that contains a labile bond and provides a link or spacer between two other groups . the groups that are linked may be chosen from compounds such as biologically active compounds , membrane active compounds , compounds that inhibit membrane activity , functional reactive groups , monomers , and cell targeting signals . the spacer group may contain chemical moieties chosen from a group that includes alkanes , alkenes , esters , ethers , glycerol , amide , saccharides , polysaccharides , and heteroatoms such as oxygen , sulfur , or nitrogen . the spacer may be electronically neutral , may bear a positive or negative charge , or may bear both positive and negative charges with an overall charge of neutral , positive or negative . ph - labile refers to the selective breakage of a covalent bond under acidic conditions ( ph & lt ; 7 ). that is , the ph - labile bond may be broken under acidic conditions in the presence of other covalent bonds without their breakage . the term ph - labile includes both linkages and bonds that are ph - labile , very ph - labile , and extremely ph - labile . ph - labile refers to the selective breakage of a covalent bond under acidic conditions ( ph & lt ; 7 ). a ph - labile bond may be broken under acidic conditions in the presence of other covalent bonds without their breakage . for the purposes of the present invention , a bond is considered very ph - labile if the half - life for cleavage at ph 5 is less than 45 minutes . for the purposes of the present invention , a bond is considered extremely ph - labile if the half - life for cleavage at ph 5 is less than 15 minutes . targeting groups — targeting groups , or ligands , are used for targeting the polymer or polymer complex to cells , to specific cells , to tissues or to specific locations in a cell . targeting groups enhance the association of molecules with a cell . examples of targeting groups include those that target to the asialoglycoprotein receptor by using asialoglycoproteins or galactose residues . other proteins such as insulin , egf , or transferrin can be used for targeting . other targeting groups include molecules that interact with membranes such as fatty acids , cholesterol , dansyl compounds , and amphotericin derivatives . a variety of ligands have been used to target drugs and genes to cells and to specific cellular receptors . the ligand may seek a target within the cell membrane , on the cell membrane or near a cell . binding of a ligand to a receptor may initiate endocytosis . polynucleotide — the term polynucleotide , or nucleic acid or polynucleic acid , is a term of art that refers to a polymer containing at least two nucleotides . nucleotides are the monomeric units of polynucleotide polymers . polynucleotides with less than 120 monomeric units are often called oligonucleotides . natural nucleic acids have a deoxyribose - or ribose - phosphate backbone . an artificial or synthetic polynucleotide is any polynucleotide that is polymerized in vitro or in a cell free system and contains the same or similar bases but may contain a backbone of a type other than the natural ribose - phosphate backbone . these backbones include : pnas ( peptide nucleic acids ), phosphorothioates , phosphorodiamidates , morpholinos , and other variants of the phosphate backbone of native nucleic acids . bases include purines and pyrimidines , which further include the natural compounds adenine , thymine , guanine , cytosine , uracil , inosine , and natural analogs . synthetic derivatives of purines and pyrimidines include , but are not limited to , modifications which place new reactive groups such as , but not limited to , amines , alcohols , thiols , carboxylates , and alkylhalides . the term base encompasses any of the known base analogs of dna and rna . the term polynucleotide includes deoxyribonucleic acid ( dna ) and ribonucleic acid ( rna ) and combinations of dna , rna and other natural and synthetic nucleotides . a polynucleotide can be delivered to a cell to express an exogenous nucleotide sequence , to inhibit , eliminate , augment , or alter expression of an endogenous nucleotide sequence , or to affect a specific physiological characteristic not naturally associated with the cell . a polynucleotide - based gene expression inhibitor comprises any polynucleotide containing a sequence whose presence or expression in a cell causes the degradation of or inhibits the function , transcription , or translation of a gene in a sequence - specific manner . polynucleotide - based expression inhibitors may be selected from the group comprising : sirna , microrna , interfering rna or rnai , dsrna , ribozymes , antisense polynucleotides , and dna expression cassettes encoding sirna , microrna , dsrna , ribozymes or antisense nucleic acids . sirna comprises a double stranded structure typically containing 15 - 50 base pairs and preferably 19 - 25 base pairs and having a nucleotide sequence identical or nearly identical to an expressed target gene or rna within the cell . an sirna may be composed of two annealed polynucleotides or a single polynucleotide that forms a hairpin structure . micrornas ( mrnas ) are small noncoding polynucleotides , about 22 nucleotides long , that direct destruction or translational repression of their mrna targets . antisense polynucleotides comprise sequence that is complimentary to an gene or mrna . antisense polynucleotides include , but are not limited to : morpholinos , 2 ′- o - methyl polynucleotides , dna , rna and the like . the polynucleotide - based expression inhibitor may be polymerized in vitro , recombinant , contain chimeric sequences , or derivatives of these groups . the polynucleotide - based expression inhibitor may contain ribonucleotides , deoxyribonucleotides , synthetic nucleotides , or any suitable combination such that the target rna and / or gene is inhibited . transfection — the process of delivering a polynucleotide to a cell has been commonly termed transfection or the process of transfecting and also it has been termed transformation . the term transfecting as used herein refers to the introduction of a polynucleotide or other biologically active compound into cells . the polynucleotide may be used for research purposes or to produce a change in a cell that can be therapeutic . the delivery of a polynucleotide can lead to modification of the genetic material present in the target cell . a transfection reagent or delivery vehicle is a compound or compounds that bind ( s ) to or complex ( es ) with oligonucleotides and polynucleotides , and mediates their entry into cells . application ser . nos . 10 / 619 , 778 and 10 / 816 , 081 are incorporated herein by reference . synthesis of 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride ( carboxydimethylmaleic anhydride or cdm ). to a suspension of sodium hydride ( 0 . 58 g , 25 mmol ) in 50 ml anhydrous tetrahydrofuran was added triethyl - 2 - phosphonopropionate ( 7 . 1 g , 30 mmol ). after evolution of hydrogen gas had stopped , dimethyl - 2 - oxoglutarate ( 3 . 5 g , 20 mmol ) in 10 ml anhydrous tetrahydrofuran was added and stirred for 30 minutes . water , 10 ml , was then added and the tetrahydrofuran was removed by rotary evaporation . the resulting solid and water mixture was extracted with 3 × 50 ml ethyl ether . the ether extractions were combined , dried with magnesium sulfate , and concentrated to a light yellow oil . the oil was purified by silica gel chromatography elution with 2 : 1 ether : hexane to yield 4 g ( 82 % yield ) of pure triester . the 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride was then formed by dissolving of this triester into 50 ml of a 50 / 50 mixture of water and ethanol containing 4 . 5 g ( 5 equivalents ) of potassium hydroxide . this solution was heated to reflux for 1 hour . the ethanol was then removed by rotary evaporation and the solution was acidified to ph 2 with hydrochloric acid . this aqueous solution was then extracted with 200 ml ethyl acetate , which was isolated , dried with magnesium sulfate , and concentrated to a white solid . this solid was then recrystallized from dichloromethane and hexane to yield 2 g ( 80 % yield ) of 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride . synthesis of cdm thioester . to a solution of 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride ( 30 mg , 0 . 16 mmol ) in 5 ml methylene chloride was added oxalyl chloride ( 200 mg , 10 eq ) and dimethylformamide ( 1 μl ). the reaction was allowed to proceed overnight at which time the excess oxalyl chloride and methylene chloride were removed by rotary evaporation to yield the acid chloride , a clear oil . the acid chloride was dissolved in 1 ml of methylene chloride . to this solution was added 2 equivalents thioglycolic acid , and pyridine ( 20 μl , 1 . 5 eq ) in 10 ml of methylene chloride . the solution was then stirred overnight . the solvent was then removed and the resulting solid was dissolved into 5 ml of water and purified using reverse - phase hplc using a 0 . 1 % tfa water / acetonitrile gradient . synthesis of polyvinylethers . 2 - vinyloxy ethyl phathalimide ( 1 g , 4 . 6 mmol ) was added to a oven dried round bottom flask under a blanket of nitrogen in anhydrous dichloromethane to this solution was added ethyl vinyl ether ( 0 . 332 g , 4 . 6 mmol ), propyl vinyl ether ( 0 . 396 g , 4 . 6 mmol ) or butyl vinyl ether ( 0 . 460 g , 4 . 6 mmol ). these solutions were then brought to − 78 ° c . and bf 3 — oet 2 ( 0 . 065 g , 0 . 46 mmol ) is added and the reaction is allowed to proceed for 2 hours at − 78 ° c . the polymerization is then stopped by the addition of 50 / 50 mixture of ammonium hydroxide in methanol . the solvents are then removed by rotary evaporation . the polymer is then dissolved in 30 ml of 1 , 4 - dioxane / methanol ( 2 / 1 ). to this solution was added hydrazine ( 0 . 147 g , 46 mmol ) and the mixture was heated to reflux for 3 hours . the solvents are then removed by rotary evaporation and the resulting solid was then brought up in 20 ml of 0 . 5m hcl and refluxed for 15 minutes , diluted with 20 ml distilled water , and refluxed for additional hour . this solution was then neutralized with naoh cooled to room temperature and transfer to 3 , 500 molecular cellulose tubing and dialyzed for 24 h ( 2 × 20 l ) against distilled water , and freeze dried . hemolysis by melittin , pea ve , ppave , pbave , and cdm - modified pbave . the membrane activity of the amphiphilic cation polymers was tested according to published procedure . 10 8 red blood cells were added to 500 μl of phosphate buffer . to this solution was added 20 μg of melittin , peave , ppave , pbave , or cdm - pbave , which was made by acylation of pbave with 2 eq . of cdm relative to amines . the samples were incubated for 15 min at 37 ° c ., then spun for 1 min at 15 , 000 rcf . lysis was be determined by measuring the absorbance of the supernatant at 541 nm . percent hemolysis was calculated assuming 100 % lysis to be the absorbance of hemoglobin released upon addition of deionized water . all of the polymers were determined to be hemolytic , with pbave and melittin being the most lytic . cdm - modified polymer pbave was not hemolytic until acidification . induction of luciferase upon delivery of oligonucleotide . hela luc / 705 cells ( gene tools , philomath oreg .) were grown under conditions used for hela cells . the cells were plated in 24 - well culture dishes at a density of 3 × 10 6 cells / well and incubated for 24 hours . media was replaced with 1 . 0 ml dmem containing 10 % fetal bovine serum and 2 . 5 nmol pmo ( cct ctt acc tca gtt aca att tat a , seq id 1 , gene tools , philomath , oreg .) either with or without 20 μg of cdm - modified pbave . the cells were then incubated for 48 hours in a humidified , 5 % co 2 incubator at 37 ° c . the cells were harvested and the lysates assayed for luciferase expression using a lumat lb 9507 ( eg & amp ; g berthold , bad - wildbad , germany ) luminometer . addition of cdm - modified pbave resulted in a 2 - 3 fold increase in luciferase activity . transfection with acid - labile dna particles : hepa cells ( a mouse hepatocyte cell line ) were cultured in 1 ml dulbecco &# 39 ; s modified eagle media containing 10 % fetal bovine serum using 12 - well plates . pbave nanoparticles were formulated according the reported ratios with plasmid dna pciiuc ( 10 μg / ml , pciiuc ; prepared according to published procedure in 0 . 5 ml of 5 mm hepes ph 7 . 5 . as controls for the ph - labile cdm modification , polyanions were generated from the polyamines using succinic anhydride , which irreversibly modifies the amine , and aconitic anhydride , which reversibly modifies the amine but is much slower to cleave than cdm , to form s - pbave and a - pbave respectively . the nanoparticles , 2 μg of dna , were then added ( 200 μl ) to the cells . the cells were incubated for 48 h . the cells were harvested and assayed for luciferase expression as previously reported . a lumat lb 9507 ( eg & amp ; g berthold , bad - wildbad , germany ) luminometer was used . the amount of transfection is average transfection for two separate wells of cells . amount of luciferase in picograms = 5 . 1 × 10 − 5 ( rlu )+ 3 . 683 . formulation relative light units dna : pbve : cdm - pbave 1 , 875 , 801 10 : 20 : 80 μg / ml dna : pbve : s - pbave 195 10 : 20 : 80 μg / ml dna : pbve : a - pbave 68 , 549 10 : 20 : 80 μg / ml naked dna 200 transfection with recharged acid - labile particles in vivo . pbave nanoparticles were formulated according the reported ratios with plasmid dna pciiuc ( 30 μg / ml , pciiuc ; prepared according to published procedure in 0 . 5 ml of 5 mm hepes ph 7 . 5 . the nanoparticles , 9 μg of dna , were then injected into the tail vein ( 300 μl ) of mice . 24 hours postinjection , the mice were sacrificed , their livers harvested and assayed for luciferase expression as previously reported . a lumat lb 9507 ( eg & amp ; g berthold , bad - wildbad , germany ) luminometer was used . the amount of transfection is average transfection for a group of three mice . amount of luciferase in picograms = 5 . 1 × 10 − 5 ( rlu )+ 3 . 683 . formulation relative light units dna : pbve : cdm - pbave 30 , 123 30 : 60 : 240 μg / ml naked dna 1 , 021 particle sizing in the absence and presence of salt and ζ - potential measurement . nanoparticles between dna and peave and cdm / cdm - thioester - modified peave were formulated in 20 mm hepes buffer ph 7 . 5 according to the weight ratios presented above at a dna concentration of 10 μg / ml . for the cdm / cdm - thioester modified polymers , cdm - thioester was mixed was cdm at a 9 : 1 weight ratio before mixing with the polymer . the size of the nanoparticles and the z - potential were determined by light scattering at 532 nm using a brookhaven instruments corporation , zetaplus particle sizer , i90 . the salt stability of the nanoparticles was assessed by addition of sodium chloride to 150 mm and measurement of size after 10 min . particles size ( nm ) in size ( nm ) in polymer wt . ratios ( μg / ml ) 20 mm hepes ph 7 . 5 150 mm nacl dna : peave : cdm - peave 10 : 20 : 100 90 - 110 & gt ; 1000 5 : 10 : 100 90 - 130 & gt ; 1000 dna : peave : cdm / cdmthioester - peave 10 : 20 : 100 90 - 110 114 5 : 10 : 100 90 - 130 118 transfection of cdm - thioester crosslinked dna particles . hepa cells ( a mouse hepatocyte cell line ) were cultured in 1 ml dulbecco &# 39 ; s modified eagle media containing 10 % fetal bovine serum using 12 - well plates . pbave nanoparticles were formulated according the reported ratios with plasmid dna pciiuc ( 10 μg / ml , pciiuc ; prepared according to published procedure in 0 . 5 ml of 5 mm hepes ph 7 . 5 . for the cdm / cdm - thioester modified polymers , cdm - thioester was mixed was cdm at a 9 : 1 weight ratio before mixing with the polymer . the nanoparticles , 2 μg of dna , were then added ( 200 μl ) to the cells . the cells were incubated for 48 h . the cells were harvested and assayed for luciferase expression as previously reported . a lumat lb 9507 ( eg & amp ; g berthold , bad - wildbad , germany ) luminometer was used . the amount of transfection is average transfection for two separate wells of cells . amount of luciferase in picograms = 5 . 1 × 10 − 5 ( rlu )+ 3 . 683 . formulation relative light units ( rlu ) dna : pbave : cdm - pbave 774 , 432 10 : 40 : 100 μg / ml dna : pbave : cdm - pbave 4 , 967 , 879 10 : 20 : 50 μg / ml dna : pbave : cdm / cdm - thioester - pbave 1 , 040 , 076 10 : 40 : 100 μg / ml dna : pbave : cdm / cdm - thioester - pbave 2 , 276 , 733 10 : 20 : 50 μg / ml synthesis of amino polyethylene glycol monomethyl ethers . to a 10 wt % solution of monomethyl ether peg of various molecular weights in methylene chloride is added 3 equivalents of mesyl chloride and triethylamine . after stirring overnight , the solution is washed with an equal volume of nahco 3 saturated water . the organic layer is then dried with sodium sulfate and the peg is precipitated out of solution by the addition of 9 volume equivalents of diethyl ether . the peg mesylate is allowed to precipitate out overnight at − 78 ° c . the peg mesylate is then dissolved to 15 wt % in water and 10 equivalents of amine ( ethylene diamine or tris ( 2 - aminoethyl ) amine ). the reaction is allowed to proceed for 48 hours and the amine - modified peg is purified using reverse - phase hplc using a 0 . 1 % tfa water / acetonitrile gradient . synthesis of cdm - peg derivatives . to a solution of 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride ( 30 mg , 0 . 16 mmol ) in 5 ml methylene chloride was added oxalyl chloride ( 200 mg , 10 eq ) and dimethylformamide ( 1 μl ). the reaction was allowed to proceed overnight at which time the excess oxalyl chloride and methylene chloride were removed by rotary evaporation to yield the acid chloride , a clear oil . the acid chloride was dissolved in 1 ml of methylene chloride . to this solution was added 2 equivalents amino polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether of various molecular weights , and pyridine ( 20 μl , 1 . 5 eq ) in 10 ml of methylene chloride . the solution was then stirred overnight . the solvent was then removed and the resulting solid was dissolved into 5 ml of water and purified using reverse - phase hplc using a 0 . 1 % tfa water / acetonitrile gradient . particle size in the absence and presence of salt and ζ - potential measurement . nanoparticles between 10 μg / ml dna and 20 μg / ml pbave were formulated in 20 mm hepes buffer ph 7 . 5 . to this solution was added nothing or 100 μg cdm - peg 2 ( the molecular weight of the peg was 1100 ). the size of the nanoparticles and was determined by light scattering at 532 nm using a brookhaven instruments corporation , zetaplus particle sizer , i90 . the salt stability of the nanoparticles was assessed by addition of sodium chloride to 150 mm and measurement of size after 10 min . without addition of cdm - peg 2 the dna / polycation particles grew from 100 to & gt ; 1000 nm upon addition of sodium chloride . upon modification with cdm - peg2 , this increase in particle size did not occur in the presence of salt . condensation and decondensation of dna upon addition of salt and polyacrylic acid . dna was labeled with tetramethylrhodamine labelit dna labeling reagent ( mirus corporation ) at a 1 : 1 dna : labelit weight ratio according to manufacturer &# 39 ; s protocol . a solution of 1 μg / ml of tetramethylrhodamine - labeled dna was condensed by the addition of 10 μg / ml of pbave in the presence of taps buffer ph 9 . to this solution was added various amounts of cdm - peg 2 and cdm - peg 3 . to the solution was then added nacl bring the concentration to 150 mm . finally polyacrylic acid was added to 100 μg / ml . after the addition of each reagent , the fluorescence of the rhodamine was measured using a varian spectrofluorometer exciting at 555 nm and measure emission at 575 nm . a decrease in fluorescence is indicative of dna condensation , while an increase indicates a decondensation of dna . fluorescence sample relative dna alone 1 . 0 + pbave 0 . 2 + 40 μg peg ( 1100 )- cdm 2 0 . 3 + 150 mm nacl 0 . 3 + 100 μg / ml pacac 0 . 75 dna alone 1 . 0 + pbave 0 . 2 + 40 μg peg ( 1100 )- cdm 3 0 . 3 + 150 mm nacl 0 . 3 + 100 μg / ml pacac 0 . 79 dna alone 1 . 0 + pbave 0 . 2 + 150 μg peg ( 1100 )- cdm 3 0 . 3 + 150 mm nacl 0 . 3 + 100 μg / ml pacac 0 . 56 dna alone 1 . 0 + pbave 0 . 2 + 150 mm nacl 0 . 3 + 100 μg / ml pacac 0 . 95 the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention . furthermore , since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art , it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described . therefore , all suitable modifications and equivalents fall within the scope of the invention . | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Chemistry; Metallurgy'? | Is 'Performing Operations; Transporting' the correct technical category for the patent? | 0.25 | 9a26c957d7b5ce01dd4c12362aee3a9329f76d5073f5679ade4a3381eba2e801 | 0.5 | 0.079102 | 0.539063 | 0.011658 | 0.243164 | 0.154297 |
null | we have developed a strategy for endosomal release of membrane impermeable molecules . this strategy involves the reversible inactivation of a membrane active or membrane lysing agent . the reversible inactivation of the membrane active agent is accomplished by attaching an inhibitor or plurality of inhibitors to the membrane active agent by a bond or plurality of bonds that cleave in the environment of an endosome . the inhibitor prevents the agent from lysing the cytoplasmic membrane and thereby causing cell death . the inhibitor is removed from the agent in the acidic environment of the endosome by cleavage of a labile bond , thereby allowing the membrane active agent to disrupt the endosomal membrane to effect release of endosomal contents into the cytoplasm . a key component to limiting membrane activity to the endosome is the labile bond , which must be stable under extracellular conditions , but very unstable in the endosomal vesicle . in particular , we have focused on the identification of bonds that are cleaved in an acidic environment . acidification is a characteristic of the endosome environment that is commonly exploited by viral and non - viral delivery vehicles . agents which rely on protonation to become membrane active , such as polypropylacrylic acid and peptide derivatives of the viral coat protein hemagluttinin , have a serious flaw . activation of the agent causes partial disruption of the endosome , thus destroying the ph gradient and leading to inactivation of the membrane active agent . this cycle can limit the effectiveness of the membrane active agent in delivery of macromolecules to the cell cytoplasm . in contrast , the invention as described herein , results in essentially irreversible reactivation on membrane active agents upon exposure to an acidic ph environment . an important consideration in selecting labile bonds for use in cellular delivery systems is the kinetics of bond cleavage upon exposure of the bond to acidic ph . the kinetics of endosome acidification and maturation of the endosome to a lysosome are very rapid compared to the rates of cleavage for most of the acid - labile bonds reported in the literature . once endocytosis occurs , the ph drops from the extracellular ph ( about 7 . 4 ) to ph about 5 in roughly 10 min . endosomal contents are quickly exposed to active lysosomal enzymes and degradation of the molecule to be delivered may occur . therefore , bonds that are cleaved in within minutes in the ph range 5 - 7 are preferred . a well - studied ph - labile bond is the maleamate bond , which is derived from the reaction of an amine and a maleic anhydride or maleic anhydride derivative ( fig1 ). the rate of maleamate cleavage is dependent upon the structure of the maleic anhydride used to form the maleamate . in general , disubstituted maleamates are more labile than monosubstituted maleamates , which are more labile than unsubstituted maleamates . the monosubstituted maleamates are the most studied members of this family , and have half - lives of hours at ph & lt ; 5 . according to literature , disubstitution of the maleamate results in about two orders of magnitude increase in the rate of cleavage . we have found that the disubstituted maleamate bond derived from dimethylmaleic anhydride ( r 1 and r 2 = ch 3 in fig1 ) has a half - life of about 2 min at ph 5 . this rate is on the same order as endosome maturation . in contrast , we have found that monosubstituted maleamate bonds derived from methylmaleic anhydride ( r 1or2 = h and r 2or1 = ch 3 in fig1 ) have a half - life of cleavage of about 300 min ( 5 hours ) at ph 5 . to increase charge and solubility , derivatives of dimethyl maleic anhydrides , such as 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride (( naganawa et al . 1994 ; carboxylated dimethylmaleic anhydride or cdm ) may be used ( fig2 ). the ability of a disubstituted maleic anhydride to reversibly inhibit membrane activity of the peptide melittin until reaching the acidic environment of the endosome was reported by us ( rozema et al . 2003 ). we demonstrated the ability of the reversibly inhibited melittin to deliver the membrane impermeable molecules polyethyleneglycol and an oligonucleotide to the cell cytoplasm . in these examples of delivery , the delivery reagent ( cdm - modified melittin ) and compound were not connected or associated with each other , but independently delivered to common endocytic compartments in the cell . for delivery of membrane impermeable molecules to the cytoplasm of cells in vivo , there must be an association between the molecule and the delivery agent . we now provide membrane active agents that may be noncovalently associated with or covalently linked to the membrane impermeable molecule for delivery of the molecule to the cytoplasm of a cell . dna can be condensed with an excess of polycation in aqueous solutions to form nanoparticles with positive surface charge . this phenomenon is critical not only to chromatin and viral assembly , but also is important in the construction of gene delivery vehicles . the positive charge surplus contained in polycation - condensed dna complex can be used to deposit a layer of polyanions on the surface dna / polycation complex resulting in negatively charge particles ( or complexes ) in a process termed recharging ( u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 328 , 975 ). negatively charged particles may reduce nonspecific interactions that cationic particles have with serum proteins , cell surfaces , and the extracellular matrix . recharging is a two - step process . in step one , the dna or other polynucleotide is condensed by addition of an excess of polycation to form a positively - charged polynucleotide nanoparticle . typical polynucleotide delivery formulations stop at this point and add the nanoparticle to the cell . in the recharging process , a third polyion ( a polyanion ) is added to the positively - charged polycation / polynucleotide particle to make a ternary complex that has a neutral to negative surface charge . under proper formulation conditions , the particles are small (& lt ; 150 nm ), and are termed nanoparticles . negatively charged complexes should be better able to circulate and target specific cells in vivo by reducing non - specific interactions with negatively charged cells surfaces , serum proteins , and the extracellular matrix . in order for the reversibly - masked membrane active agent to facilitate the delivery polynucleotides or other membrane impermeable molecules to cells , the masked membrane active agent must be associated with the molecule . small membrane active agents with low overall charge , such as the membrane lytic peptide melittin , can form particles with polynucleotides . however , these particles are large (& gt ; 150 nm ) and unstable ( i . e ., they increase in size in the presence of physiological concentrations of salt ). larger membrane active polymers can be used to form small , stable particles with polynucleotides . we have previously synthesized membrane active polymers composed of amines and alkyl groups via copolymerization of various alkyl vinyl ethers with an amine - protected monomer ( amphiphilic polyvinylether polycations ; fig3 and u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 772 , 502 , incorporated herein by reference ). as an example , a 50 : 50 mixture of alkyl groups and amines yields polymers containing ethyl ( peave ), propyl ( ppave ), and butyl ( pbave ) groups using trifluoride etherate as an initiator . deprotection of the amine - protecting phthalimide groups results in water soluble polymers with molecular weight about 20 , 000 daltons . the butyl - containing polymer pbave was found to be about 60 % as hemolytic as melittin when assayed for red blood cell lytic activity . reversible inhibition of pbave can be accomplished by cdm modification . incubation of the modified polymer at ph 5 restored lytic ability with a half - life of about 10 min . therefore , the membrane activity of the polymer pbave can be controlled by modification of the polymer with cdm . under basic conditions the polymer is not membrane lytic . upon acidification , the cdm inhibitor is cleaved from the polymer and membrane activity of the polymer is restored ( fig4 ). the endosomolytic activity of cdm - pbave is demonstrated by its ability to deliver a polynucleotide to cells ( see example 5 below ). cdm and cdm derivatives can be used to modify any amine - containing membrane active polymer . in addition to masking the membrane activity of an amine - containing polymer , modification of a polymer with the cdm maleic anhydride derivative further reversibly converts positive charges on the polymer to negatively charged carboxyl groups . thus , a polycation can be converted to a polyanion . following condensation of a polynucleotide with a first polycation to form a small binary complex or particle , a polyanion may then be used to recharge the binary complex and form a ternary complex or particle which has a less positive or more negative surface charge than the binary complex . in recharging a polynucleotide - containing particle with a cdm - modified second polycation , the recharging layer is acid - labile . exposure of this recharged nanoparticle to acidic conditions results in cleavage of the cdm groups from the polyanion with concomitant loss of negative charge from the recharging polymer . reversion of the polyanion to a membrane active polycation ( second polycation ) can have several effects including : destabilization of the particle , release of membrane active agent in the endocytic vesicle , and increased interaction of the first polycation with the endocytic vesicle membrane . the first polycation can also be a membrane active polymer and may further be of the same species as the membrane active second polycation . disruption of the endosome by the membrane active polymer ( s ) results in cytoplasmic delivery of the polynucleotide or other molecule present originally present in the recharged particle . we have shown that endosomolysis can be achieved by reversibly modifying a membrane active peptide such as melittin with maleic anhydride derivatives ( rozema et al . 2003 ; u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 444 , 662 ). cdm - melittin &# 39 ; s ability to delivery macromolecules polyethylene glycol and an uncharged oligonucleotide analog has been shown . however , in order to incorporate masked membrane active agents into polynucleotide - delivery vectors we synthesized polymers of sufficient size and charge to be formulated into stable polynucleotide - containing nanoparticles . as an example , the polycation pbave was synthesized and demonstrated to have both membrane activity and the ability to form small , stable particles with dna . masking of pbave &# 39 ; s membrane activity by reaction with cdm resulted in a polyanion that can be used to recharge dna / polycation particles to make small , negatively - charged , acid - labile nanoparticles . nanoparticles composed of dna : pbave : cdm - pbave were formulated at a 10 : 20 : 80 weight ratio and applied to cultured mouse liver cells ( hepa - 1clc7 ) in tissue culture in the presence of dmem and 10 % serum . the dna used in the delivery formulations was pciluc , which contains a gene encoding luciferase . the transfection ability of the complexes was determined by measuring the relative light units of luciferase produced by cells that had been treated with pciluc - containing nanoparticles . as a control for the reversibly inhibited membrane active polymer ( cdm - pbave ), particles were also constructed using succinylated - pbave ( s - pbave ) and cis - aconitylated - pbave ( a - pbave ). cis - aconitic anhydride is a monosubstituted maleic anhydride derivative that has a carboxylate ( ch 2 co 2 h ) substituent on the maleic anhydride . succinylation is irreversible and cis - aconitylation cleaves with a half - life of about 300 min at ph 5 . there is a dependence of transfection on the liability of the group used to modify / inhibit the membrane active agent pbave . the reversibly - masked , membrane active polymers cdm - pbave and a - pbave were able to transfect cells while the irreversibly modified polymer ( s - pbave ) was inactive . in addition , the nanoparticles containing cdm - pbave ( disubstituted maleamate bonds ) had 30 - fold more transfection activity than nanoparticles formed with a - pbave ( monosubstituted maleamate bonds ). the increase in transfection ability of the cdm - pbave containing particles is most likely related to the greater lability of the cdm disubstituted maleic anhydride derivative relative to the cis - aconitic monosubstituted maleic anhydride derivative . similar results are expected for other amine - containing membrane active polymers . in addition to the stability of particles due to the electrostatic forces between polycation and polyanion , the stability of the particle may also be enhanced by the formation of the covalent bonds , i . e . crossslinking , between the polymers . however , irreversible crosslinking of the polycation and polyanion results in particles that are ineffective for delivery of biologically active nucleic acids . in order to give the particles the stability of crosslinking while still providing the particles with intracellular instability , the polycation and polyanion of a nanoparticle can covalently linked via a plurality of acid labile maleamate bonds . in order to couple a cdm - based polyanion with a polyamine , it is necessary to use a crosslinking group that can react with amines only after the anhydride has reacted to form the cdm - based maleamate group . this selectivity in reaction is required because both formation of the maleamate and crosslinking between polyanion and polycation involve reactions with amines . as a consequence , in order to selectively couple a cdm - based polyanion and polyamine , there must be selectivity of the amine reactions . a method to accomplish this selectivity is to provide , on a cdm derivative , a functional group for crosslinking that is less reactive than the anhydride group involved in maleamate formation . such a functional group is a thioester . a thioester is moderately amine - reactive relative to an anhydride . using a thioester derivative of cdm , it is possible to link two amines together via a ph - labile maleamate bond ( fig5 ). in addition to the maleamate bond , other ph labile bonds may be incorporated into crosslinking reagents including acetals , enol ethers , and hydrazones . in particular , acetals derived from benzaldehyde and benzaldehyde derivatives are very ph labile . in addition to increasing stability in the presence of salt , targeting of particles in vivo requires that nonspecific interactions , with serum component and non - targeted cells , be reduced . in order to reduce such interactions with delivery vehicles , many researchers have attached polyethylene glycol ( peg ) ( kircheis et al . 2001 ; woodle et al . 1992 ), an uncharged water - soluble polymer , to nucleic acid containing particles . however , peg also decreases the transfection competency of particles . in order to gain the benefits of pegylation while maintaining transfection ability , we have synthesized a variety of dimethylmaleic anhydride - derived pegylation reagents . attachment of a plurality of dimethylmaleic anhydride groups to a single peg group allows for the formation of a plurality of reversible covalent bonds with the particle thereby increasing the stability of a particle ( fig6 ). a plurality of peg groups can be covalently attached to a particle . membrane active — membrane active polymers or compounds are molecules that are able to alter membrane structure . this change in structure can be shown by the compound inducing one or more of the following effects upon a membrane : an alteration that allows small molecule permeability , pore formation in the membrane , a fusion and / or fission of membranes , an alteration that allows large molecule permeability , or a dissolving of the membrane . this alteration can be functionally defined by the compound &# 39 ; s activity in at least one the following assays : red blood cell lysis ( hemolysis ), liposome leakage , liposome fusion , cell fusion , cell lysis and endosomal release . polymer — a polymer is a molecule built up by repetitive bonding together of smaller units called monomers . a polymer can be linear , branched network , star , comb , or ladder types of polymer . a polymer can be a homopolymer in which a single monomer is used or can be copolymer in which two or more monomers are used . the main chain of a polymer is composed of the atoms whose bonds are required for propagation of polymer length . for example in poly - l - lysine , the carbonyl carbon , α - carbon , and α - amine groups are required for the length of the polymer and are therefore main chain atoms . the side chain of a polymer is composed of the atoms whose bonds are not required for propagation of polymer length . for example in poly - l - lysine , the β , γ , δ and ε - carbons , an ε - nitrogen are not required for the propagation of the polymer and are therefore side chain atoms . polycation — a polycation can be a polymer possessing net positive charge , for example poly - l - lysine hydrobromide or a histone . the polymeric polycation can contain monomer units that are charge positive , charge neutral , or charge negative , however , the net charge of the polymer must be positive . a polycation also can be a non - polymeric molecule that contains two or more positive charges . polyanion — a polyanion can be a polymer containing a net negative charge , for example polyglutamic acid . the polymeric polyanion can contain monomer units that are charge negative , charge neutral , or charge positive , however , the net charge on the polymer must be negative . a polyanion can also be a non - polymeric molecule that contains two or more negative charges . other components of the monomers and polymers : polymers may have functional groups that enhance their utility . these groups can be incorporated into monomers prior to polymer formation or attached to the polymer after its formation . functional groups may be selected from the list consisting of : targeting groups , interaction modifiers , steric stabilizers , and membrane active compounds , affinity groups and reactive groups . targeting groups — targeting groups , or ligands , are used for targeting the polymer or polymer complex to cells , to specific cells , to tissues or to specific locations in a cell . targeting groups enhance the association of molecules with a cell . examples of targeting groups include those that target to the asialoglycoprotein receptor by using asialoglycoproteins or galactose residues . other proteins such as insulin , egf , or transferrin can be used for targeting . other targeting groups include molecules that interact with membranes such as fatty acids , cholesterol , dansyl compounds , and amphotericin derivatives . a variety of ligands have been used to target drugs and genes to cells and to specific cellular receptors . the ligand may seek a target within the cell membrane , on the cell membrane or near a cell . binding of a ligand to a receptor may initiate endocytosis . steric stabilizer — a steric stabilizer is a long chain hydrophilic group that prevents aggregation of final polymer by sterically hindering particle to particle electrostatic interactions . examples include : alkyl groups , peg chains , polysaccharides , hydrogen molecules , alkyl amines . interaction modifier — an interaction modifier changes the way that a molecule interacts with itself or other molecules , relative to molecule containing no interaction modifier . the result of this modification is that self - interactions or interactions with other molecules are either increased or decreased . for example cell targeting signals are interaction modifiers with change the interaction between a molecule and a cell or cellular component . polyethylene glycol is an interaction modifier that decreases interactions between molecules and themselves and with other molecules . a labile linkage is a chemical compound that contains a labile bond and provides a link or spacer between two other groups . the groups that are linked may be chosen from compounds such as biologically active compounds , membrane active compounds , compounds that inhibit membrane activity , functional reactive groups , monomers , and cell targeting signals . the spacer group may contain chemical moieties chosen from a group that includes alkanes , alkenes , esters , ethers , glycerol , amide , saccharides , polysaccharides , and heteroatoms such as oxygen , sulfur , or nitrogen . the spacer may be electronically neutral , may bear a positive or negative charge , or may bear both positive and negative charges with an overall charge of neutral , positive or negative . ph - labile refers to the selective breakage of a covalent bond under acidic conditions ( ph & lt ; 7 ). that is , the ph - labile bond may be broken under acidic conditions in the presence of other covalent bonds without their breakage . the term ph - labile includes both linkages and bonds that are ph - labile , very ph - labile , and extremely ph - labile . ph - labile refers to the selective breakage of a covalent bond under acidic conditions ( ph & lt ; 7 ). a ph - labile bond may be broken under acidic conditions in the presence of other covalent bonds without their breakage . for the purposes of the present invention , a bond is considered very ph - labile if the half - life for cleavage at ph 5 is less than 45 minutes . for the purposes of the present invention , a bond is considered extremely ph - labile if the half - life for cleavage at ph 5 is less than 15 minutes . targeting groups — targeting groups , or ligands , are used for targeting the polymer or polymer complex to cells , to specific cells , to tissues or to specific locations in a cell . targeting groups enhance the association of molecules with a cell . examples of targeting groups include those that target to the asialoglycoprotein receptor by using asialoglycoproteins or galactose residues . other proteins such as insulin , egf , or transferrin can be used for targeting . other targeting groups include molecules that interact with membranes such as fatty acids , cholesterol , dansyl compounds , and amphotericin derivatives . a variety of ligands have been used to target drugs and genes to cells and to specific cellular receptors . the ligand may seek a target within the cell membrane , on the cell membrane or near a cell . binding of a ligand to a receptor may initiate endocytosis . polynucleotide — the term polynucleotide , or nucleic acid or polynucleic acid , is a term of art that refers to a polymer containing at least two nucleotides . nucleotides are the monomeric units of polynucleotide polymers . polynucleotides with less than 120 monomeric units are often called oligonucleotides . natural nucleic acids have a deoxyribose - or ribose - phosphate backbone . an artificial or synthetic polynucleotide is any polynucleotide that is polymerized in vitro or in a cell free system and contains the same or similar bases but may contain a backbone of a type other than the natural ribose - phosphate backbone . these backbones include : pnas ( peptide nucleic acids ), phosphorothioates , phosphorodiamidates , morpholinos , and other variants of the phosphate backbone of native nucleic acids . bases include purines and pyrimidines , which further include the natural compounds adenine , thymine , guanine , cytosine , uracil , inosine , and natural analogs . synthetic derivatives of purines and pyrimidines include , but are not limited to , modifications which place new reactive groups such as , but not limited to , amines , alcohols , thiols , carboxylates , and alkylhalides . the term base encompasses any of the known base analogs of dna and rna . the term polynucleotide includes deoxyribonucleic acid ( dna ) and ribonucleic acid ( rna ) and combinations of dna , rna and other natural and synthetic nucleotides . a polynucleotide can be delivered to a cell to express an exogenous nucleotide sequence , to inhibit , eliminate , augment , or alter expression of an endogenous nucleotide sequence , or to affect a specific physiological characteristic not naturally associated with the cell . a polynucleotide - based gene expression inhibitor comprises any polynucleotide containing a sequence whose presence or expression in a cell causes the degradation of or inhibits the function , transcription , or translation of a gene in a sequence - specific manner . polynucleotide - based expression inhibitors may be selected from the group comprising : sirna , microrna , interfering rna or rnai , dsrna , ribozymes , antisense polynucleotides , and dna expression cassettes encoding sirna , microrna , dsrna , ribozymes or antisense nucleic acids . sirna comprises a double stranded structure typically containing 15 - 50 base pairs and preferably 19 - 25 base pairs and having a nucleotide sequence identical or nearly identical to an expressed target gene or rna within the cell . an sirna may be composed of two annealed polynucleotides or a single polynucleotide that forms a hairpin structure . micrornas ( mrnas ) are small noncoding polynucleotides , about 22 nucleotides long , that direct destruction or translational repression of their mrna targets . antisense polynucleotides comprise sequence that is complimentary to an gene or mrna . antisense polynucleotides include , but are not limited to : morpholinos , 2 ′- o - methyl polynucleotides , dna , rna and the like . the polynucleotide - based expression inhibitor may be polymerized in vitro , recombinant , contain chimeric sequences , or derivatives of these groups . the polynucleotide - based expression inhibitor may contain ribonucleotides , deoxyribonucleotides , synthetic nucleotides , or any suitable combination such that the target rna and / or gene is inhibited . transfection — the process of delivering a polynucleotide to a cell has been commonly termed transfection or the process of transfecting and also it has been termed transformation . the term transfecting as used herein refers to the introduction of a polynucleotide or other biologically active compound into cells . the polynucleotide may be used for research purposes or to produce a change in a cell that can be therapeutic . the delivery of a polynucleotide can lead to modification of the genetic material present in the target cell . a transfection reagent or delivery vehicle is a compound or compounds that bind ( s ) to or complex ( es ) with oligonucleotides and polynucleotides , and mediates their entry into cells . application ser . nos . 10 / 619 , 778 and 10 / 816 , 081 are incorporated herein by reference . synthesis of 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride ( carboxydimethylmaleic anhydride or cdm ). to a suspension of sodium hydride ( 0 . 58 g , 25 mmol ) in 50 ml anhydrous tetrahydrofuran was added triethyl - 2 - phosphonopropionate ( 7 . 1 g , 30 mmol ). after evolution of hydrogen gas had stopped , dimethyl - 2 - oxoglutarate ( 3 . 5 g , 20 mmol ) in 10 ml anhydrous tetrahydrofuran was added and stirred for 30 minutes . water , 10 ml , was then added and the tetrahydrofuran was removed by rotary evaporation . the resulting solid and water mixture was extracted with 3 × 50 ml ethyl ether . the ether extractions were combined , dried with magnesium sulfate , and concentrated to a light yellow oil . the oil was purified by silica gel chromatography elution with 2 : 1 ether : hexane to yield 4 g ( 82 % yield ) of pure triester . the 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride was then formed by dissolving of this triester into 50 ml of a 50 / 50 mixture of water and ethanol containing 4 . 5 g ( 5 equivalents ) of potassium hydroxide . this solution was heated to reflux for 1 hour . the ethanol was then removed by rotary evaporation and the solution was acidified to ph 2 with hydrochloric acid . this aqueous solution was then extracted with 200 ml ethyl acetate , which was isolated , dried with magnesium sulfate , and concentrated to a white solid . this solid was then recrystallized from dichloromethane and hexane to yield 2 g ( 80 % yield ) of 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride . synthesis of cdm thioester . to a solution of 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride ( 30 mg , 0 . 16 mmol ) in 5 ml methylene chloride was added oxalyl chloride ( 200 mg , 10 eq ) and dimethylformamide ( 1 μl ). the reaction was allowed to proceed overnight at which time the excess oxalyl chloride and methylene chloride were removed by rotary evaporation to yield the acid chloride , a clear oil . the acid chloride was dissolved in 1 ml of methylene chloride . to this solution was added 2 equivalents thioglycolic acid , and pyridine ( 20 μl , 1 . 5 eq ) in 10 ml of methylene chloride . the solution was then stirred overnight . the solvent was then removed and the resulting solid was dissolved into 5 ml of water and purified using reverse - phase hplc using a 0 . 1 % tfa water / acetonitrile gradient . synthesis of polyvinylethers . 2 - vinyloxy ethyl phathalimide ( 1 g , 4 . 6 mmol ) was added to a oven dried round bottom flask under a blanket of nitrogen in anhydrous dichloromethane to this solution was added ethyl vinyl ether ( 0 . 332 g , 4 . 6 mmol ), propyl vinyl ether ( 0 . 396 g , 4 . 6 mmol ) or butyl vinyl ether ( 0 . 460 g , 4 . 6 mmol ). these solutions were then brought to − 78 ° c . and bf 3 — oet 2 ( 0 . 065 g , 0 . 46 mmol ) is added and the reaction is allowed to proceed for 2 hours at − 78 ° c . the polymerization is then stopped by the addition of 50 / 50 mixture of ammonium hydroxide in methanol . the solvents are then removed by rotary evaporation . the polymer is then dissolved in 30 ml of 1 , 4 - dioxane / methanol ( 2 / 1 ). to this solution was added hydrazine ( 0 . 147 g , 46 mmol ) and the mixture was heated to reflux for 3 hours . the solvents are then removed by rotary evaporation and the resulting solid was then brought up in 20 ml of 0 . 5m hcl and refluxed for 15 minutes , diluted with 20 ml distilled water , and refluxed for additional hour . this solution was then neutralized with naoh cooled to room temperature and transfer to 3 , 500 molecular cellulose tubing and dialyzed for 24 h ( 2 × 20 l ) against distilled water , and freeze dried . hemolysis by melittin , pea ve , ppave , pbave , and cdm - modified pbave . the membrane activity of the amphiphilic cation polymers was tested according to published procedure . 10 8 red blood cells were added to 500 μl of phosphate buffer . to this solution was added 20 μg of melittin , peave , ppave , pbave , or cdm - pbave , which was made by acylation of pbave with 2 eq . of cdm relative to amines . the samples were incubated for 15 min at 37 ° c ., then spun for 1 min at 15 , 000 rcf . lysis was be determined by measuring the absorbance of the supernatant at 541 nm . percent hemolysis was calculated assuming 100 % lysis to be the absorbance of hemoglobin released upon addition of deionized water . all of the polymers were determined to be hemolytic , with pbave and melittin being the most lytic . cdm - modified polymer pbave was not hemolytic until acidification . induction of luciferase upon delivery of oligonucleotide . hela luc / 705 cells ( gene tools , philomath oreg .) were grown under conditions used for hela cells . the cells were plated in 24 - well culture dishes at a density of 3 × 10 6 cells / well and incubated for 24 hours . media was replaced with 1 . 0 ml dmem containing 10 % fetal bovine serum and 2 . 5 nmol pmo ( cct ctt acc tca gtt aca att tat a , seq id 1 , gene tools , philomath , oreg .) either with or without 20 μg of cdm - modified pbave . the cells were then incubated for 48 hours in a humidified , 5 % co 2 incubator at 37 ° c . the cells were harvested and the lysates assayed for luciferase expression using a lumat lb 9507 ( eg & amp ; g berthold , bad - wildbad , germany ) luminometer . addition of cdm - modified pbave resulted in a 2 - 3 fold increase in luciferase activity . transfection with acid - labile dna particles : hepa cells ( a mouse hepatocyte cell line ) were cultured in 1 ml dulbecco &# 39 ; s modified eagle media containing 10 % fetal bovine serum using 12 - well plates . pbave nanoparticles were formulated according the reported ratios with plasmid dna pciiuc ( 10 μg / ml , pciiuc ; prepared according to published procedure in 0 . 5 ml of 5 mm hepes ph 7 . 5 . as controls for the ph - labile cdm modification , polyanions were generated from the polyamines using succinic anhydride , which irreversibly modifies the amine , and aconitic anhydride , which reversibly modifies the amine but is much slower to cleave than cdm , to form s - pbave and a - pbave respectively . the nanoparticles , 2 μg of dna , were then added ( 200 μl ) to the cells . the cells were incubated for 48 h . the cells were harvested and assayed for luciferase expression as previously reported . a lumat lb 9507 ( eg & amp ; g berthold , bad - wildbad , germany ) luminometer was used . the amount of transfection is average transfection for two separate wells of cells . amount of luciferase in picograms = 5 . 1 × 10 − 5 ( rlu )+ 3 . 683 . formulation relative light units dna : pbve : cdm - pbave 1 , 875 , 801 10 : 20 : 80 μg / ml dna : pbve : s - pbave 195 10 : 20 : 80 μg / ml dna : pbve : a - pbave 68 , 549 10 : 20 : 80 μg / ml naked dna 200 transfection with recharged acid - labile particles in vivo . pbave nanoparticles were formulated according the reported ratios with plasmid dna pciiuc ( 30 μg / ml , pciiuc ; prepared according to published procedure in 0 . 5 ml of 5 mm hepes ph 7 . 5 . the nanoparticles , 9 μg of dna , were then injected into the tail vein ( 300 μl ) of mice . 24 hours postinjection , the mice were sacrificed , their livers harvested and assayed for luciferase expression as previously reported . a lumat lb 9507 ( eg & amp ; g berthold , bad - wildbad , germany ) luminometer was used . the amount of transfection is average transfection for a group of three mice . amount of luciferase in picograms = 5 . 1 × 10 − 5 ( rlu )+ 3 . 683 . formulation relative light units dna : pbve : cdm - pbave 30 , 123 30 : 60 : 240 μg / ml naked dna 1 , 021 particle sizing in the absence and presence of salt and ζ - potential measurement . nanoparticles between dna and peave and cdm / cdm - thioester - modified peave were formulated in 20 mm hepes buffer ph 7 . 5 according to the weight ratios presented above at a dna concentration of 10 μg / ml . for the cdm / cdm - thioester modified polymers , cdm - thioester was mixed was cdm at a 9 : 1 weight ratio before mixing with the polymer . the size of the nanoparticles and the z - potential were determined by light scattering at 532 nm using a brookhaven instruments corporation , zetaplus particle sizer , i90 . the salt stability of the nanoparticles was assessed by addition of sodium chloride to 150 mm and measurement of size after 10 min . particles size ( nm ) in size ( nm ) in polymer wt . ratios ( μg / ml ) 20 mm hepes ph 7 . 5 150 mm nacl dna : peave : cdm - peave 10 : 20 : 100 90 - 110 & gt ; 1000 5 : 10 : 100 90 - 130 & gt ; 1000 dna : peave : cdm / cdmthioester - peave 10 : 20 : 100 90 - 110 114 5 : 10 : 100 90 - 130 118 transfection of cdm - thioester crosslinked dna particles . hepa cells ( a mouse hepatocyte cell line ) were cultured in 1 ml dulbecco &# 39 ; s modified eagle media containing 10 % fetal bovine serum using 12 - well plates . pbave nanoparticles were formulated according the reported ratios with plasmid dna pciiuc ( 10 μg / ml , pciiuc ; prepared according to published procedure in 0 . 5 ml of 5 mm hepes ph 7 . 5 . for the cdm / cdm - thioester modified polymers , cdm - thioester was mixed was cdm at a 9 : 1 weight ratio before mixing with the polymer . the nanoparticles , 2 μg of dna , were then added ( 200 μl ) to the cells . the cells were incubated for 48 h . the cells were harvested and assayed for luciferase expression as previously reported . a lumat lb 9507 ( eg & amp ; g berthold , bad - wildbad , germany ) luminometer was used . the amount of transfection is average transfection for two separate wells of cells . amount of luciferase in picograms = 5 . 1 × 10 − 5 ( rlu )+ 3 . 683 . formulation relative light units ( rlu ) dna : pbave : cdm - pbave 774 , 432 10 : 40 : 100 μg / ml dna : pbave : cdm - pbave 4 , 967 , 879 10 : 20 : 50 μg / ml dna : pbave : cdm / cdm - thioester - pbave 1 , 040 , 076 10 : 40 : 100 μg / ml dna : pbave : cdm / cdm - thioester - pbave 2 , 276 , 733 10 : 20 : 50 μg / ml synthesis of amino polyethylene glycol monomethyl ethers . to a 10 wt % solution of monomethyl ether peg of various molecular weights in methylene chloride is added 3 equivalents of mesyl chloride and triethylamine . after stirring overnight , the solution is washed with an equal volume of nahco 3 saturated water . the organic layer is then dried with sodium sulfate and the peg is precipitated out of solution by the addition of 9 volume equivalents of diethyl ether . the peg mesylate is allowed to precipitate out overnight at − 78 ° c . the peg mesylate is then dissolved to 15 wt % in water and 10 equivalents of amine ( ethylene diamine or tris ( 2 - aminoethyl ) amine ). the reaction is allowed to proceed for 48 hours and the amine - modified peg is purified using reverse - phase hplc using a 0 . 1 % tfa water / acetonitrile gradient . synthesis of cdm - peg derivatives . to a solution of 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride ( 30 mg , 0 . 16 mmol ) in 5 ml methylene chloride was added oxalyl chloride ( 200 mg , 10 eq ) and dimethylformamide ( 1 μl ). the reaction was allowed to proceed overnight at which time the excess oxalyl chloride and methylene chloride were removed by rotary evaporation to yield the acid chloride , a clear oil . the acid chloride was dissolved in 1 ml of methylene chloride . to this solution was added 2 equivalents amino polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether of various molecular weights , and pyridine ( 20 μl , 1 . 5 eq ) in 10 ml of methylene chloride . the solution was then stirred overnight . the solvent was then removed and the resulting solid was dissolved into 5 ml of water and purified using reverse - phase hplc using a 0 . 1 % tfa water / acetonitrile gradient . particle size in the absence and presence of salt and ζ - potential measurement . nanoparticles between 10 μg / ml dna and 20 μg / ml pbave were formulated in 20 mm hepes buffer ph 7 . 5 . to this solution was added nothing or 100 μg cdm - peg 2 ( the molecular weight of the peg was 1100 ). the size of the nanoparticles and was determined by light scattering at 532 nm using a brookhaven instruments corporation , zetaplus particle sizer , i90 . the salt stability of the nanoparticles was assessed by addition of sodium chloride to 150 mm and measurement of size after 10 min . without addition of cdm - peg 2 the dna / polycation particles grew from 100 to & gt ; 1000 nm upon addition of sodium chloride . upon modification with cdm - peg2 , this increase in particle size did not occur in the presence of salt . condensation and decondensation of dna upon addition of salt and polyacrylic acid . dna was labeled with tetramethylrhodamine labelit dna labeling reagent ( mirus corporation ) at a 1 : 1 dna : labelit weight ratio according to manufacturer &# 39 ; s protocol . a solution of 1 μg / ml of tetramethylrhodamine - labeled dna was condensed by the addition of 10 μg / ml of pbave in the presence of taps buffer ph 9 . to this solution was added various amounts of cdm - peg 2 and cdm - peg 3 . to the solution was then added nacl bring the concentration to 150 mm . finally polyacrylic acid was added to 100 μg / ml . after the addition of each reagent , the fluorescence of the rhodamine was measured using a varian spectrofluorometer exciting at 555 nm and measure emission at 575 nm . a decrease in fluorescence is indicative of dna condensation , while an increase indicates a decondensation of dna . fluorescence sample relative dna alone 1 . 0 + pbave 0 . 2 + 40 μg peg ( 1100 )- cdm 2 0 . 3 + 150 mm nacl 0 . 3 + 100 μg / ml pacac 0 . 75 dna alone 1 . 0 + pbave 0 . 2 + 40 μg peg ( 1100 )- cdm 3 0 . 3 + 150 mm nacl 0 . 3 + 100 μg / ml pacac 0 . 79 dna alone 1 . 0 + pbave 0 . 2 + 150 μg peg ( 1100 )- cdm 3 0 . 3 + 150 mm nacl 0 . 3 + 100 μg / ml pacac 0 . 56 dna alone 1 . 0 + pbave 0 . 2 + 150 mm nacl 0 . 3 + 100 μg / ml pacac 0 . 95 the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention . furthermore , since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art , it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described . therefore , all suitable modifications and equivalents fall within the scope of the invention . | Is 'Chemistry; Metallurgy' the correct technical category for the patent? | Does the content of this patent fall under the category of 'Textiles; Paper'? | 0.25 | 9a26c957d7b5ce01dd4c12362aee3a9329f76d5073f5679ade4a3381eba2e801 | 0.219727 | 0.012451 | 0.193359 | 0.014526 | 0.129883 | 0.048828 |
null | we have developed a strategy for endosomal release of membrane impermeable molecules . this strategy involves the reversible inactivation of a membrane active or membrane lysing agent . the reversible inactivation of the membrane active agent is accomplished by attaching an inhibitor or plurality of inhibitors to the membrane active agent by a bond or plurality of bonds that cleave in the environment of an endosome . the inhibitor prevents the agent from lysing the cytoplasmic membrane and thereby causing cell death . the inhibitor is removed from the agent in the acidic environment of the endosome by cleavage of a labile bond , thereby allowing the membrane active agent to disrupt the endosomal membrane to effect release of endosomal contents into the cytoplasm . a key component to limiting membrane activity to the endosome is the labile bond , which must be stable under extracellular conditions , but very unstable in the endosomal vesicle . in particular , we have focused on the identification of bonds that are cleaved in an acidic environment . acidification is a characteristic of the endosome environment that is commonly exploited by viral and non - viral delivery vehicles . agents which rely on protonation to become membrane active , such as polypropylacrylic acid and peptide derivatives of the viral coat protein hemagluttinin , have a serious flaw . activation of the agent causes partial disruption of the endosome , thus destroying the ph gradient and leading to inactivation of the membrane active agent . this cycle can limit the effectiveness of the membrane active agent in delivery of macromolecules to the cell cytoplasm . in contrast , the invention as described herein , results in essentially irreversible reactivation on membrane active agents upon exposure to an acidic ph environment . an important consideration in selecting labile bonds for use in cellular delivery systems is the kinetics of bond cleavage upon exposure of the bond to acidic ph . the kinetics of endosome acidification and maturation of the endosome to a lysosome are very rapid compared to the rates of cleavage for most of the acid - labile bonds reported in the literature . once endocytosis occurs , the ph drops from the extracellular ph ( about 7 . 4 ) to ph about 5 in roughly 10 min . endosomal contents are quickly exposed to active lysosomal enzymes and degradation of the molecule to be delivered may occur . therefore , bonds that are cleaved in within minutes in the ph range 5 - 7 are preferred . a well - studied ph - labile bond is the maleamate bond , which is derived from the reaction of an amine and a maleic anhydride or maleic anhydride derivative ( fig1 ). the rate of maleamate cleavage is dependent upon the structure of the maleic anhydride used to form the maleamate . in general , disubstituted maleamates are more labile than monosubstituted maleamates , which are more labile than unsubstituted maleamates . the monosubstituted maleamates are the most studied members of this family , and have half - lives of hours at ph & lt ; 5 . according to literature , disubstitution of the maleamate results in about two orders of magnitude increase in the rate of cleavage . we have found that the disubstituted maleamate bond derived from dimethylmaleic anhydride ( r 1 and r 2 = ch 3 in fig1 ) has a half - life of about 2 min at ph 5 . this rate is on the same order as endosome maturation . in contrast , we have found that monosubstituted maleamate bonds derived from methylmaleic anhydride ( r 1or2 = h and r 2or1 = ch 3 in fig1 ) have a half - life of cleavage of about 300 min ( 5 hours ) at ph 5 . to increase charge and solubility , derivatives of dimethyl maleic anhydrides , such as 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride (( naganawa et al . 1994 ; carboxylated dimethylmaleic anhydride or cdm ) may be used ( fig2 ). the ability of a disubstituted maleic anhydride to reversibly inhibit membrane activity of the peptide melittin until reaching the acidic environment of the endosome was reported by us ( rozema et al . 2003 ). we demonstrated the ability of the reversibly inhibited melittin to deliver the membrane impermeable molecules polyethyleneglycol and an oligonucleotide to the cell cytoplasm . in these examples of delivery , the delivery reagent ( cdm - modified melittin ) and compound were not connected or associated with each other , but independently delivered to common endocytic compartments in the cell . for delivery of membrane impermeable molecules to the cytoplasm of cells in vivo , there must be an association between the molecule and the delivery agent . we now provide membrane active agents that may be noncovalently associated with or covalently linked to the membrane impermeable molecule for delivery of the molecule to the cytoplasm of a cell . dna can be condensed with an excess of polycation in aqueous solutions to form nanoparticles with positive surface charge . this phenomenon is critical not only to chromatin and viral assembly , but also is important in the construction of gene delivery vehicles . the positive charge surplus contained in polycation - condensed dna complex can be used to deposit a layer of polyanions on the surface dna / polycation complex resulting in negatively charge particles ( or complexes ) in a process termed recharging ( u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 328 , 975 ). negatively charged particles may reduce nonspecific interactions that cationic particles have with serum proteins , cell surfaces , and the extracellular matrix . recharging is a two - step process . in step one , the dna or other polynucleotide is condensed by addition of an excess of polycation to form a positively - charged polynucleotide nanoparticle . typical polynucleotide delivery formulations stop at this point and add the nanoparticle to the cell . in the recharging process , a third polyion ( a polyanion ) is added to the positively - charged polycation / polynucleotide particle to make a ternary complex that has a neutral to negative surface charge . under proper formulation conditions , the particles are small (& lt ; 150 nm ), and are termed nanoparticles . negatively charged complexes should be better able to circulate and target specific cells in vivo by reducing non - specific interactions with negatively charged cells surfaces , serum proteins , and the extracellular matrix . in order for the reversibly - masked membrane active agent to facilitate the delivery polynucleotides or other membrane impermeable molecules to cells , the masked membrane active agent must be associated with the molecule . small membrane active agents with low overall charge , such as the membrane lytic peptide melittin , can form particles with polynucleotides . however , these particles are large (& gt ; 150 nm ) and unstable ( i . e ., they increase in size in the presence of physiological concentrations of salt ). larger membrane active polymers can be used to form small , stable particles with polynucleotides . we have previously synthesized membrane active polymers composed of amines and alkyl groups via copolymerization of various alkyl vinyl ethers with an amine - protected monomer ( amphiphilic polyvinylether polycations ; fig3 and u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 772 , 502 , incorporated herein by reference ). as an example , a 50 : 50 mixture of alkyl groups and amines yields polymers containing ethyl ( peave ), propyl ( ppave ), and butyl ( pbave ) groups using trifluoride etherate as an initiator . deprotection of the amine - protecting phthalimide groups results in water soluble polymers with molecular weight about 20 , 000 daltons . the butyl - containing polymer pbave was found to be about 60 % as hemolytic as melittin when assayed for red blood cell lytic activity . reversible inhibition of pbave can be accomplished by cdm modification . incubation of the modified polymer at ph 5 restored lytic ability with a half - life of about 10 min . therefore , the membrane activity of the polymer pbave can be controlled by modification of the polymer with cdm . under basic conditions the polymer is not membrane lytic . upon acidification , the cdm inhibitor is cleaved from the polymer and membrane activity of the polymer is restored ( fig4 ). the endosomolytic activity of cdm - pbave is demonstrated by its ability to deliver a polynucleotide to cells ( see example 5 below ). cdm and cdm derivatives can be used to modify any amine - containing membrane active polymer . in addition to masking the membrane activity of an amine - containing polymer , modification of a polymer with the cdm maleic anhydride derivative further reversibly converts positive charges on the polymer to negatively charged carboxyl groups . thus , a polycation can be converted to a polyanion . following condensation of a polynucleotide with a first polycation to form a small binary complex or particle , a polyanion may then be used to recharge the binary complex and form a ternary complex or particle which has a less positive or more negative surface charge than the binary complex . in recharging a polynucleotide - containing particle with a cdm - modified second polycation , the recharging layer is acid - labile . exposure of this recharged nanoparticle to acidic conditions results in cleavage of the cdm groups from the polyanion with concomitant loss of negative charge from the recharging polymer . reversion of the polyanion to a membrane active polycation ( second polycation ) can have several effects including : destabilization of the particle , release of membrane active agent in the endocytic vesicle , and increased interaction of the first polycation with the endocytic vesicle membrane . the first polycation can also be a membrane active polymer and may further be of the same species as the membrane active second polycation . disruption of the endosome by the membrane active polymer ( s ) results in cytoplasmic delivery of the polynucleotide or other molecule present originally present in the recharged particle . we have shown that endosomolysis can be achieved by reversibly modifying a membrane active peptide such as melittin with maleic anhydride derivatives ( rozema et al . 2003 ; u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 444 , 662 ). cdm - melittin &# 39 ; s ability to delivery macromolecules polyethylene glycol and an uncharged oligonucleotide analog has been shown . however , in order to incorporate masked membrane active agents into polynucleotide - delivery vectors we synthesized polymers of sufficient size and charge to be formulated into stable polynucleotide - containing nanoparticles . as an example , the polycation pbave was synthesized and demonstrated to have both membrane activity and the ability to form small , stable particles with dna . masking of pbave &# 39 ; s membrane activity by reaction with cdm resulted in a polyanion that can be used to recharge dna / polycation particles to make small , negatively - charged , acid - labile nanoparticles . nanoparticles composed of dna : pbave : cdm - pbave were formulated at a 10 : 20 : 80 weight ratio and applied to cultured mouse liver cells ( hepa - 1clc7 ) in tissue culture in the presence of dmem and 10 % serum . the dna used in the delivery formulations was pciluc , which contains a gene encoding luciferase . the transfection ability of the complexes was determined by measuring the relative light units of luciferase produced by cells that had been treated with pciluc - containing nanoparticles . as a control for the reversibly inhibited membrane active polymer ( cdm - pbave ), particles were also constructed using succinylated - pbave ( s - pbave ) and cis - aconitylated - pbave ( a - pbave ). cis - aconitic anhydride is a monosubstituted maleic anhydride derivative that has a carboxylate ( ch 2 co 2 h ) substituent on the maleic anhydride . succinylation is irreversible and cis - aconitylation cleaves with a half - life of about 300 min at ph 5 . there is a dependence of transfection on the liability of the group used to modify / inhibit the membrane active agent pbave . the reversibly - masked , membrane active polymers cdm - pbave and a - pbave were able to transfect cells while the irreversibly modified polymer ( s - pbave ) was inactive . in addition , the nanoparticles containing cdm - pbave ( disubstituted maleamate bonds ) had 30 - fold more transfection activity than nanoparticles formed with a - pbave ( monosubstituted maleamate bonds ). the increase in transfection ability of the cdm - pbave containing particles is most likely related to the greater lability of the cdm disubstituted maleic anhydride derivative relative to the cis - aconitic monosubstituted maleic anhydride derivative . similar results are expected for other amine - containing membrane active polymers . in addition to the stability of particles due to the electrostatic forces between polycation and polyanion , the stability of the particle may also be enhanced by the formation of the covalent bonds , i . e . crossslinking , between the polymers . however , irreversible crosslinking of the polycation and polyanion results in particles that are ineffective for delivery of biologically active nucleic acids . in order to give the particles the stability of crosslinking while still providing the particles with intracellular instability , the polycation and polyanion of a nanoparticle can covalently linked via a plurality of acid labile maleamate bonds . in order to couple a cdm - based polyanion with a polyamine , it is necessary to use a crosslinking group that can react with amines only after the anhydride has reacted to form the cdm - based maleamate group . this selectivity in reaction is required because both formation of the maleamate and crosslinking between polyanion and polycation involve reactions with amines . as a consequence , in order to selectively couple a cdm - based polyanion and polyamine , there must be selectivity of the amine reactions . a method to accomplish this selectivity is to provide , on a cdm derivative , a functional group for crosslinking that is less reactive than the anhydride group involved in maleamate formation . such a functional group is a thioester . a thioester is moderately amine - reactive relative to an anhydride . using a thioester derivative of cdm , it is possible to link two amines together via a ph - labile maleamate bond ( fig5 ). in addition to the maleamate bond , other ph labile bonds may be incorporated into crosslinking reagents including acetals , enol ethers , and hydrazones . in particular , acetals derived from benzaldehyde and benzaldehyde derivatives are very ph labile . in addition to increasing stability in the presence of salt , targeting of particles in vivo requires that nonspecific interactions , with serum component and non - targeted cells , be reduced . in order to reduce such interactions with delivery vehicles , many researchers have attached polyethylene glycol ( peg ) ( kircheis et al . 2001 ; woodle et al . 1992 ), an uncharged water - soluble polymer , to nucleic acid containing particles . however , peg also decreases the transfection competency of particles . in order to gain the benefits of pegylation while maintaining transfection ability , we have synthesized a variety of dimethylmaleic anhydride - derived pegylation reagents . attachment of a plurality of dimethylmaleic anhydride groups to a single peg group allows for the formation of a plurality of reversible covalent bonds with the particle thereby increasing the stability of a particle ( fig6 ). a plurality of peg groups can be covalently attached to a particle . membrane active — membrane active polymers or compounds are molecules that are able to alter membrane structure . this change in structure can be shown by the compound inducing one or more of the following effects upon a membrane : an alteration that allows small molecule permeability , pore formation in the membrane , a fusion and / or fission of membranes , an alteration that allows large molecule permeability , or a dissolving of the membrane . this alteration can be functionally defined by the compound &# 39 ; s activity in at least one the following assays : red blood cell lysis ( hemolysis ), liposome leakage , liposome fusion , cell fusion , cell lysis and endosomal release . polymer — a polymer is a molecule built up by repetitive bonding together of smaller units called monomers . a polymer can be linear , branched network , star , comb , or ladder types of polymer . a polymer can be a homopolymer in which a single monomer is used or can be copolymer in which two or more monomers are used . the main chain of a polymer is composed of the atoms whose bonds are required for propagation of polymer length . for example in poly - l - lysine , the carbonyl carbon , α - carbon , and α - amine groups are required for the length of the polymer and are therefore main chain atoms . the side chain of a polymer is composed of the atoms whose bonds are not required for propagation of polymer length . for example in poly - l - lysine , the β , γ , δ and ε - carbons , an ε - nitrogen are not required for the propagation of the polymer and are therefore side chain atoms . polycation — a polycation can be a polymer possessing net positive charge , for example poly - l - lysine hydrobromide or a histone . the polymeric polycation can contain monomer units that are charge positive , charge neutral , or charge negative , however , the net charge of the polymer must be positive . a polycation also can be a non - polymeric molecule that contains two or more positive charges . polyanion — a polyanion can be a polymer containing a net negative charge , for example polyglutamic acid . the polymeric polyanion can contain monomer units that are charge negative , charge neutral , or charge positive , however , the net charge on the polymer must be negative . a polyanion can also be a non - polymeric molecule that contains two or more negative charges . other components of the monomers and polymers : polymers may have functional groups that enhance their utility . these groups can be incorporated into monomers prior to polymer formation or attached to the polymer after its formation . functional groups may be selected from the list consisting of : targeting groups , interaction modifiers , steric stabilizers , and membrane active compounds , affinity groups and reactive groups . targeting groups — targeting groups , or ligands , are used for targeting the polymer or polymer complex to cells , to specific cells , to tissues or to specific locations in a cell . targeting groups enhance the association of molecules with a cell . examples of targeting groups include those that target to the asialoglycoprotein receptor by using asialoglycoproteins or galactose residues . other proteins such as insulin , egf , or transferrin can be used for targeting . other targeting groups include molecules that interact with membranes such as fatty acids , cholesterol , dansyl compounds , and amphotericin derivatives . a variety of ligands have been used to target drugs and genes to cells and to specific cellular receptors . the ligand may seek a target within the cell membrane , on the cell membrane or near a cell . binding of a ligand to a receptor may initiate endocytosis . steric stabilizer — a steric stabilizer is a long chain hydrophilic group that prevents aggregation of final polymer by sterically hindering particle to particle electrostatic interactions . examples include : alkyl groups , peg chains , polysaccharides , hydrogen molecules , alkyl amines . interaction modifier — an interaction modifier changes the way that a molecule interacts with itself or other molecules , relative to molecule containing no interaction modifier . the result of this modification is that self - interactions or interactions with other molecules are either increased or decreased . for example cell targeting signals are interaction modifiers with change the interaction between a molecule and a cell or cellular component . polyethylene glycol is an interaction modifier that decreases interactions between molecules and themselves and with other molecules . a labile linkage is a chemical compound that contains a labile bond and provides a link or spacer between two other groups . the groups that are linked may be chosen from compounds such as biologically active compounds , membrane active compounds , compounds that inhibit membrane activity , functional reactive groups , monomers , and cell targeting signals . the spacer group may contain chemical moieties chosen from a group that includes alkanes , alkenes , esters , ethers , glycerol , amide , saccharides , polysaccharides , and heteroatoms such as oxygen , sulfur , or nitrogen . the spacer may be electronically neutral , may bear a positive or negative charge , or may bear both positive and negative charges with an overall charge of neutral , positive or negative . ph - labile refers to the selective breakage of a covalent bond under acidic conditions ( ph & lt ; 7 ). that is , the ph - labile bond may be broken under acidic conditions in the presence of other covalent bonds without their breakage . the term ph - labile includes both linkages and bonds that are ph - labile , very ph - labile , and extremely ph - labile . ph - labile refers to the selective breakage of a covalent bond under acidic conditions ( ph & lt ; 7 ). a ph - labile bond may be broken under acidic conditions in the presence of other covalent bonds without their breakage . for the purposes of the present invention , a bond is considered very ph - labile if the half - life for cleavage at ph 5 is less than 45 minutes . for the purposes of the present invention , a bond is considered extremely ph - labile if the half - life for cleavage at ph 5 is less than 15 minutes . targeting groups — targeting groups , or ligands , are used for targeting the polymer or polymer complex to cells , to specific cells , to tissues or to specific locations in a cell . targeting groups enhance the association of molecules with a cell . examples of targeting groups include those that target to the asialoglycoprotein receptor by using asialoglycoproteins or galactose residues . other proteins such as insulin , egf , or transferrin can be used for targeting . other targeting groups include molecules that interact with membranes such as fatty acids , cholesterol , dansyl compounds , and amphotericin derivatives . a variety of ligands have been used to target drugs and genes to cells and to specific cellular receptors . the ligand may seek a target within the cell membrane , on the cell membrane or near a cell . binding of a ligand to a receptor may initiate endocytosis . polynucleotide — the term polynucleotide , or nucleic acid or polynucleic acid , is a term of art that refers to a polymer containing at least two nucleotides . nucleotides are the monomeric units of polynucleotide polymers . polynucleotides with less than 120 monomeric units are often called oligonucleotides . natural nucleic acids have a deoxyribose - or ribose - phosphate backbone . an artificial or synthetic polynucleotide is any polynucleotide that is polymerized in vitro or in a cell free system and contains the same or similar bases but may contain a backbone of a type other than the natural ribose - phosphate backbone . these backbones include : pnas ( peptide nucleic acids ), phosphorothioates , phosphorodiamidates , morpholinos , and other variants of the phosphate backbone of native nucleic acids . bases include purines and pyrimidines , which further include the natural compounds adenine , thymine , guanine , cytosine , uracil , inosine , and natural analogs . synthetic derivatives of purines and pyrimidines include , but are not limited to , modifications which place new reactive groups such as , but not limited to , amines , alcohols , thiols , carboxylates , and alkylhalides . the term base encompasses any of the known base analogs of dna and rna . the term polynucleotide includes deoxyribonucleic acid ( dna ) and ribonucleic acid ( rna ) and combinations of dna , rna and other natural and synthetic nucleotides . a polynucleotide can be delivered to a cell to express an exogenous nucleotide sequence , to inhibit , eliminate , augment , or alter expression of an endogenous nucleotide sequence , or to affect a specific physiological characteristic not naturally associated with the cell . a polynucleotide - based gene expression inhibitor comprises any polynucleotide containing a sequence whose presence or expression in a cell causes the degradation of or inhibits the function , transcription , or translation of a gene in a sequence - specific manner . polynucleotide - based expression inhibitors may be selected from the group comprising : sirna , microrna , interfering rna or rnai , dsrna , ribozymes , antisense polynucleotides , and dna expression cassettes encoding sirna , microrna , dsrna , ribozymes or antisense nucleic acids . sirna comprises a double stranded structure typically containing 15 - 50 base pairs and preferably 19 - 25 base pairs and having a nucleotide sequence identical or nearly identical to an expressed target gene or rna within the cell . an sirna may be composed of two annealed polynucleotides or a single polynucleotide that forms a hairpin structure . micrornas ( mrnas ) are small noncoding polynucleotides , about 22 nucleotides long , that direct destruction or translational repression of their mrna targets . antisense polynucleotides comprise sequence that is complimentary to an gene or mrna . antisense polynucleotides include , but are not limited to : morpholinos , 2 ′- o - methyl polynucleotides , dna , rna and the like . the polynucleotide - based expression inhibitor may be polymerized in vitro , recombinant , contain chimeric sequences , or derivatives of these groups . the polynucleotide - based expression inhibitor may contain ribonucleotides , deoxyribonucleotides , synthetic nucleotides , or any suitable combination such that the target rna and / or gene is inhibited . transfection — the process of delivering a polynucleotide to a cell has been commonly termed transfection or the process of transfecting and also it has been termed transformation . the term transfecting as used herein refers to the introduction of a polynucleotide or other biologically active compound into cells . the polynucleotide may be used for research purposes or to produce a change in a cell that can be therapeutic . the delivery of a polynucleotide can lead to modification of the genetic material present in the target cell . a transfection reagent or delivery vehicle is a compound or compounds that bind ( s ) to or complex ( es ) with oligonucleotides and polynucleotides , and mediates their entry into cells . application ser . nos . 10 / 619 , 778 and 10 / 816 , 081 are incorporated herein by reference . synthesis of 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride ( carboxydimethylmaleic anhydride or cdm ). to a suspension of sodium hydride ( 0 . 58 g , 25 mmol ) in 50 ml anhydrous tetrahydrofuran was added triethyl - 2 - phosphonopropionate ( 7 . 1 g , 30 mmol ). after evolution of hydrogen gas had stopped , dimethyl - 2 - oxoglutarate ( 3 . 5 g , 20 mmol ) in 10 ml anhydrous tetrahydrofuran was added and stirred for 30 minutes . water , 10 ml , was then added and the tetrahydrofuran was removed by rotary evaporation . the resulting solid and water mixture was extracted with 3 × 50 ml ethyl ether . the ether extractions were combined , dried with magnesium sulfate , and concentrated to a light yellow oil . the oil was purified by silica gel chromatography elution with 2 : 1 ether : hexane to yield 4 g ( 82 % yield ) of pure triester . the 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride was then formed by dissolving of this triester into 50 ml of a 50 / 50 mixture of water and ethanol containing 4 . 5 g ( 5 equivalents ) of potassium hydroxide . this solution was heated to reflux for 1 hour . the ethanol was then removed by rotary evaporation and the solution was acidified to ph 2 with hydrochloric acid . this aqueous solution was then extracted with 200 ml ethyl acetate , which was isolated , dried with magnesium sulfate , and concentrated to a white solid . this solid was then recrystallized from dichloromethane and hexane to yield 2 g ( 80 % yield ) of 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride . synthesis of cdm thioester . to a solution of 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride ( 30 mg , 0 . 16 mmol ) in 5 ml methylene chloride was added oxalyl chloride ( 200 mg , 10 eq ) and dimethylformamide ( 1 μl ). the reaction was allowed to proceed overnight at which time the excess oxalyl chloride and methylene chloride were removed by rotary evaporation to yield the acid chloride , a clear oil . the acid chloride was dissolved in 1 ml of methylene chloride . to this solution was added 2 equivalents thioglycolic acid , and pyridine ( 20 μl , 1 . 5 eq ) in 10 ml of methylene chloride . the solution was then stirred overnight . the solvent was then removed and the resulting solid was dissolved into 5 ml of water and purified using reverse - phase hplc using a 0 . 1 % tfa water / acetonitrile gradient . synthesis of polyvinylethers . 2 - vinyloxy ethyl phathalimide ( 1 g , 4 . 6 mmol ) was added to a oven dried round bottom flask under a blanket of nitrogen in anhydrous dichloromethane to this solution was added ethyl vinyl ether ( 0 . 332 g , 4 . 6 mmol ), propyl vinyl ether ( 0 . 396 g , 4 . 6 mmol ) or butyl vinyl ether ( 0 . 460 g , 4 . 6 mmol ). these solutions were then brought to − 78 ° c . and bf 3 — oet 2 ( 0 . 065 g , 0 . 46 mmol ) is added and the reaction is allowed to proceed for 2 hours at − 78 ° c . the polymerization is then stopped by the addition of 50 / 50 mixture of ammonium hydroxide in methanol . the solvents are then removed by rotary evaporation . the polymer is then dissolved in 30 ml of 1 , 4 - dioxane / methanol ( 2 / 1 ). to this solution was added hydrazine ( 0 . 147 g , 46 mmol ) and the mixture was heated to reflux for 3 hours . the solvents are then removed by rotary evaporation and the resulting solid was then brought up in 20 ml of 0 . 5m hcl and refluxed for 15 minutes , diluted with 20 ml distilled water , and refluxed for additional hour . this solution was then neutralized with naoh cooled to room temperature and transfer to 3 , 500 molecular cellulose tubing and dialyzed for 24 h ( 2 × 20 l ) against distilled water , and freeze dried . hemolysis by melittin , pea ve , ppave , pbave , and cdm - modified pbave . the membrane activity of the amphiphilic cation polymers was tested according to published procedure . 10 8 red blood cells were added to 500 μl of phosphate buffer . to this solution was added 20 μg of melittin , peave , ppave , pbave , or cdm - pbave , which was made by acylation of pbave with 2 eq . of cdm relative to amines . the samples were incubated for 15 min at 37 ° c ., then spun for 1 min at 15 , 000 rcf . lysis was be determined by measuring the absorbance of the supernatant at 541 nm . percent hemolysis was calculated assuming 100 % lysis to be the absorbance of hemoglobin released upon addition of deionized water . all of the polymers were determined to be hemolytic , with pbave and melittin being the most lytic . cdm - modified polymer pbave was not hemolytic until acidification . induction of luciferase upon delivery of oligonucleotide . hela luc / 705 cells ( gene tools , philomath oreg .) were grown under conditions used for hela cells . the cells were plated in 24 - well culture dishes at a density of 3 × 10 6 cells / well and incubated for 24 hours . media was replaced with 1 . 0 ml dmem containing 10 % fetal bovine serum and 2 . 5 nmol pmo ( cct ctt acc tca gtt aca att tat a , seq id 1 , gene tools , philomath , oreg .) either with or without 20 μg of cdm - modified pbave . the cells were then incubated for 48 hours in a humidified , 5 % co 2 incubator at 37 ° c . the cells were harvested and the lysates assayed for luciferase expression using a lumat lb 9507 ( eg & amp ; g berthold , bad - wildbad , germany ) luminometer . addition of cdm - modified pbave resulted in a 2 - 3 fold increase in luciferase activity . transfection with acid - labile dna particles : hepa cells ( a mouse hepatocyte cell line ) were cultured in 1 ml dulbecco &# 39 ; s modified eagle media containing 10 % fetal bovine serum using 12 - well plates . pbave nanoparticles were formulated according the reported ratios with plasmid dna pciiuc ( 10 μg / ml , pciiuc ; prepared according to published procedure in 0 . 5 ml of 5 mm hepes ph 7 . 5 . as controls for the ph - labile cdm modification , polyanions were generated from the polyamines using succinic anhydride , which irreversibly modifies the amine , and aconitic anhydride , which reversibly modifies the amine but is much slower to cleave than cdm , to form s - pbave and a - pbave respectively . the nanoparticles , 2 μg of dna , were then added ( 200 μl ) to the cells . the cells were incubated for 48 h . the cells were harvested and assayed for luciferase expression as previously reported . a lumat lb 9507 ( eg & amp ; g berthold , bad - wildbad , germany ) luminometer was used . the amount of transfection is average transfection for two separate wells of cells . amount of luciferase in picograms = 5 . 1 × 10 − 5 ( rlu )+ 3 . 683 . formulation relative light units dna : pbve : cdm - pbave 1 , 875 , 801 10 : 20 : 80 μg / ml dna : pbve : s - pbave 195 10 : 20 : 80 μg / ml dna : pbve : a - pbave 68 , 549 10 : 20 : 80 μg / ml naked dna 200 transfection with recharged acid - labile particles in vivo . pbave nanoparticles were formulated according the reported ratios with plasmid dna pciiuc ( 30 μg / ml , pciiuc ; prepared according to published procedure in 0 . 5 ml of 5 mm hepes ph 7 . 5 . the nanoparticles , 9 μg of dna , were then injected into the tail vein ( 300 μl ) of mice . 24 hours postinjection , the mice were sacrificed , their livers harvested and assayed for luciferase expression as previously reported . a lumat lb 9507 ( eg & amp ; g berthold , bad - wildbad , germany ) luminometer was used . the amount of transfection is average transfection for a group of three mice . amount of luciferase in picograms = 5 . 1 × 10 − 5 ( rlu )+ 3 . 683 . formulation relative light units dna : pbve : cdm - pbave 30 , 123 30 : 60 : 240 μg / ml naked dna 1 , 021 particle sizing in the absence and presence of salt and ζ - potential measurement . nanoparticles between dna and peave and cdm / cdm - thioester - modified peave were formulated in 20 mm hepes buffer ph 7 . 5 according to the weight ratios presented above at a dna concentration of 10 μg / ml . for the cdm / cdm - thioester modified polymers , cdm - thioester was mixed was cdm at a 9 : 1 weight ratio before mixing with the polymer . the size of the nanoparticles and the z - potential were determined by light scattering at 532 nm using a brookhaven instruments corporation , zetaplus particle sizer , i90 . the salt stability of the nanoparticles was assessed by addition of sodium chloride to 150 mm and measurement of size after 10 min . particles size ( nm ) in size ( nm ) in polymer wt . ratios ( μg / ml ) 20 mm hepes ph 7 . 5 150 mm nacl dna : peave : cdm - peave 10 : 20 : 100 90 - 110 & gt ; 1000 5 : 10 : 100 90 - 130 & gt ; 1000 dna : peave : cdm / cdmthioester - peave 10 : 20 : 100 90 - 110 114 5 : 10 : 100 90 - 130 118 transfection of cdm - thioester crosslinked dna particles . hepa cells ( a mouse hepatocyte cell line ) were cultured in 1 ml dulbecco &# 39 ; s modified eagle media containing 10 % fetal bovine serum using 12 - well plates . pbave nanoparticles were formulated according the reported ratios with plasmid dna pciiuc ( 10 μg / ml , pciiuc ; prepared according to published procedure in 0 . 5 ml of 5 mm hepes ph 7 . 5 . for the cdm / cdm - thioester modified polymers , cdm - thioester was mixed was cdm at a 9 : 1 weight ratio before mixing with the polymer . the nanoparticles , 2 μg of dna , were then added ( 200 μl ) to the cells . the cells were incubated for 48 h . the cells were harvested and assayed for luciferase expression as previously reported . a lumat lb 9507 ( eg & amp ; g berthold , bad - wildbad , germany ) luminometer was used . the amount of transfection is average transfection for two separate wells of cells . amount of luciferase in picograms = 5 . 1 × 10 − 5 ( rlu )+ 3 . 683 . formulation relative light units ( rlu ) dna : pbave : cdm - pbave 774 , 432 10 : 40 : 100 μg / ml dna : pbave : cdm - pbave 4 , 967 , 879 10 : 20 : 50 μg / ml dna : pbave : cdm / cdm - thioester - pbave 1 , 040 , 076 10 : 40 : 100 μg / ml dna : pbave : cdm / cdm - thioester - pbave 2 , 276 , 733 10 : 20 : 50 μg / ml synthesis of amino polyethylene glycol monomethyl ethers . to a 10 wt % solution of monomethyl ether peg of various molecular weights in methylene chloride is added 3 equivalents of mesyl chloride and triethylamine . after stirring overnight , the solution is washed with an equal volume of nahco 3 saturated water . the organic layer is then dried with sodium sulfate and the peg is precipitated out of solution by the addition of 9 volume equivalents of diethyl ether . the peg mesylate is allowed to precipitate out overnight at − 78 ° c . the peg mesylate is then dissolved to 15 wt % in water and 10 equivalents of amine ( ethylene diamine or tris ( 2 - aminoethyl ) amine ). the reaction is allowed to proceed for 48 hours and the amine - modified peg is purified using reverse - phase hplc using a 0 . 1 % tfa water / acetonitrile gradient . synthesis of cdm - peg derivatives . to a solution of 2 - propionic - 3 - methylmaleic anhydride ( 30 mg , 0 . 16 mmol ) in 5 ml methylene chloride was added oxalyl chloride ( 200 mg , 10 eq ) and dimethylformamide ( 1 μl ). the reaction was allowed to proceed overnight at which time the excess oxalyl chloride and methylene chloride were removed by rotary evaporation to yield the acid chloride , a clear oil . the acid chloride was dissolved in 1 ml of methylene chloride . to this solution was added 2 equivalents amino polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether of various molecular weights , and pyridine ( 20 μl , 1 . 5 eq ) in 10 ml of methylene chloride . the solution was then stirred overnight . the solvent was then removed and the resulting solid was dissolved into 5 ml of water and purified using reverse - phase hplc using a 0 . 1 % tfa water / acetonitrile gradient . particle size in the absence and presence of salt and ζ - potential measurement . nanoparticles between 10 μg / ml dna and 20 μg / ml pbave were formulated in 20 mm hepes buffer ph 7 . 5 . to this solution was added nothing or 100 μg cdm - peg 2 ( the molecular weight of the peg was 1100 ). the size of the nanoparticles and was determined by light scattering at 532 nm using a brookhaven instruments corporation , zetaplus particle sizer , i90 . the salt stability of the nanoparticles was assessed by addition of sodium chloride to 150 mm and measurement of size after 10 min . without addition of cdm - peg 2 the dna / polycation particles grew from 100 to & gt ; 1000 nm upon addition of sodium chloride . upon modification with cdm - peg2 , this increase in particle size did not occur in the presence of salt . condensation and decondensation of dna upon addition of salt and polyacrylic acid . dna was labeled with tetramethylrhodamine labelit dna labeling reagent ( mirus corporation ) at a 1 : 1 dna : labelit weight ratio according to manufacturer &# 39 ; s protocol . a solution of 1 μg / ml of tetramethylrhodamine - labeled dna was condensed by the addition of 10 μg / ml of pbave in the presence of taps buffer ph 9 . to this solution was added various amounts of cdm - peg 2 and cdm - peg 3 . to the solution was then added nacl bring the concentration to 150 mm . finally polyacrylic acid was added to 100 μg / ml . after the addition of each reagent , the fluorescence of the rhodamine was measured using a varian spectrofluorometer exciting at 555 nm and measure emission at 575 nm . a decrease in fluorescence is indicative of dna condensation , while an increase indicates a decondensation of dna . fluorescence sample relative dna alone 1 . 0 + pbave 0 . 2 + 40 μg peg ( 1100 )- cdm 2 0 . 3 + 150 mm nacl 0 . 3 + 100 μg / ml pacac 0 . 75 dna alone 1 . 0 + pbave 0 . 2 + 40 μg peg ( 1100 )- cdm 3 0 . 3 + 150 mm nacl 0 . 3 + 100 μg / ml pacac 0 . 79 dna alone 1 . 0 + pbave 0 . 2 + 150 μg peg ( 1100 )- cdm 3 0 . 3 + 150 mm nacl 0 . 3 + 100 μg / ml pacac 0 . 56 dna alone 1 . 0 + pbave 0 . 2 + 150 mm nacl 0 . 3 + 100 μg / ml pacac 0 . 95 the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention . furthermore , since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art , it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described . therefore , all suitable modifications and equivalents fall within the scope of the invention . | Is 'Chemistry; Metallurgy' the correct technical category for the patent? | Is this patent appropriately categorized as 'Fixed Constructions'? | 0.25 | 9a26c957d7b5ce01dd4c12362aee3a9329f76d5073f5679ade4a3381eba2e801 | 0.219727 | 0.087402 | 0.193359 | 0.084961 | 0.129883 | 0.273438 |
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