What is claimed is:
1. A process for the continuous production of a mat which is a preform for sheets, made from a mixture composed of fibers andor pellets made from cellulose or from wood and at least one hot-curing resin, comprising the steps of
(a) mixing from about 50 to about 90% by weight of fibers andor pellets with from about 10 to about 50% by weight of hot-curing resin, where each of the percentages by weight is based on the total weight of the mixture,
(b) kneading and homogenizing the mixture made from fibers andor pellets which break down to give fibers, and from at least one hot-curing resin, and passing the mixture onward to an extruder,
(c) heating the mixture in the extruder to an extruder exit temperature at which the resin begins to cure,
(d) extruding the mixture, which has not entirely cured, as a homogeneous composition and distributing the homogeneous composition within a calender line,
(e) exerting pressure onto the homogeneous composition in the calender line, to an extent which gives a mat which is a preform, and
(f) removing the preform and stabilizing its desired shape.
2. A process for the continuous production of a mat which is a preform for sheets, made from a mixture composed of fibers andor pellets made from cellulose or from wood and at least one hot-curing resin, comprising the steps of
(a) mixing and kneading from about 50 to about 90% by weight of fibers andor pellets which break down to give fibers, with from about 10 to about 50% by weight of hot-curing resin in an extruder,
(b) varying extents of heating in the extruder of the mixture made from fibers and from at least one hot-curing resin,
(c) heating the mixture in the extruder to an extruder exit temperature at which the resin begins to cure,
(d) extruding the mixture, which has not entirely cured, as a homogeneous composition and distributing the homogeneous composition within a calender line,
(e) exerting pressure onto the homogeneous composition in the calender line, to an extent which gives a mat which is a preform, and
(f) removing the preform and stabilizing its desired shape.
3. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fibers are wood fibers whose moisture level is in the range from about 2 to about 50% by weight, in particular from about 10 to about 20% by weight.
4. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resins and the fibers andor pellets are predried to a moisture level of from about 2 to about 5% by weight prior to extrusion.
5. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mixture is kneaded in a mixer and is then passed onward to an extruder from which the mixture is extruded without any back-pressure being exerted on the extruder screw.
6. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein use is made of hot-curing resins with different extents of condensation, or of different types, or of mixtures of two or more of these resins.
7. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein fibers of one, two or more types, with different densities and different ratios of fiber lengths to fiber diameters, andor pellets, are fed to the mixer.
8. The process as claimed in claim 6, wherein the introduction of the resins to the mixer is separate from that of the fibers andor pellets.
9. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the maximum temperature of the mixture, arising at the exit from the extruder, does not exceed about 120 C.
10. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hot-curing resins have been selected from the group consisting of phenolic resins, melamine resins, and epoxy resins.
11. The process as claimed in claim 10, wherein the hot-curing resins have a viscosity of at least about 0.05 Pa.s.
12. The process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the resins have a viscosity in the range from about 0.05 to about 100 Pa.s.
13. The process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the resins are free from water andor solvent.
14. The process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the resins comprise water or a solvent and these are removed during the extrusion or after the calendering.
15. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein additives selected from the group consisting of mineral particles, radiation stabilizers, catalysts and color pigments are added to the mixture made from fibers andor pellets and from hot-curing resin(s).
16. The process as claimed in claim 15, wherein use is made of fibers with a bulk density of from about 50 to about 300 kgm3 and of pellets with a bulk density of from about 400 to about 500 kgm3.
17. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the curing procedure for the resin(s) is terminated by cooling via the calender zone andor via the belt conveyor.
18. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when the transport of the preform mat begins, pressure is exerted onto the preform in order to stabilize the shape and the handling of the preform.
19. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the temperatures and pressures applied to the mixture made from fibers and from hot-curing resin(s) and to the preform mat are selected so as to give the finished preform a density of from about 250 to about 1250 kgm3.
20. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the width of the preform mat is in the range from about 100 to about 4000 mm.
21. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lengthwidth ratio of the fibers is in the range from about 2 to about 20.
22. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lengthwidth ratio of the fibers is in the range from about 21 to about 40.
23. A preform for hot-pressed, fully cured sheet sections or sheets made from a mixture made from fibers and from at least one hot-curing resin, wherein the mixture is composed of from about 50 to about 90% by weight of fibers and from about 10 to about 50% by weight of at least one hot-curing resin, where the percentages by weight are based on the total weight of the mixture, and wherein the resin of the preform has not entirely cured.
24. The preform as claimed in claim 23, wherein the fibers are wood fibers with a bulk density of from about 50 to about 300 kgm3.
25. The preform as claimed in claim 23, whose density is from about 250 to about 1250 kgm3.
26. The preform as claimed in claim 23, wherein the hot-curing resin is a resin selected from the group consisting of phenolic resins, melamine resins, and epoxy resins, and wherein the resin is a single resin or a mixture of two or more resins selected from the group.
27. The preform as claimed in claim 23, which comprises additives, such as mineral particles, radiation stabilizers, catalysts andor color pigments at from about 1 to about 20% by weight.
28. A process for the continuous production of a mat comprising:
(a) forming a mixture of from about 50 to about 90% cellulose or wood fibers andor pellets by total weight of the mixture and from about 10 to about 50% of at least one thermosetting polymer composition by total weight of the mixture;
(b) kneading the mixture until substantially uniform;
(c) heating the mixture in an extruder to a temperature at which the thermosetting polymer composition of the mixture begins to at least partially polymerize, thereby forming a partially polymerized mixture;
(d) extruding the partially polymerized mixture as a homogeneous composition, and distributing the homogeneous composition within a calender line;
(e) exerting pressure on the homogeneous composition in the calender line, to thereby form mat which is a perform; and
(f) removing the perform from the calender line.
29. A process for the continuous production of a mat comprising:
(a) forming and kneading a mixture of from about 50 to about 90% cellulose or wood fibers andor pellets by total weight of the mixture and from about 10 to about 50% of at least one thermosetting polymer composition by total weight of the mixture in an extruder until the mixture is substantially uniform;
(b) heating the mixture to various temperatures in the extruder to thereby modify and control the density of the mixture;
(c) heating the mixture in the extruder to a temperature at which the thermosetting polymer composition of the mixture begins to at least partially polymerize, thereby forming a partially polymerized mixture;
(d) extruding the partially polymerized mixture as a homogeneous composition and distributing the homogeneous composition within a calender line;
(e) exerting pressure on the homogeneous composition in the calender line to thereby form a mat which is a perform; and
(f) removing the perform from the calender line.
30. A preform for sheets formed from a mixture comprising cellulose or wood fibers andor pellets and from at least one thermosetting polymer composition, wherein the mixture comprises from about 50 to about 90% cellulose or wood fibers andor pellets by total weight of the mixture and from about 10 to about 50% of at least one thermosetting polymer composition by total weight of the mixture, and wherein the thermosetting polymer composition of the preform has at least partially polymerized.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for remotely enhancing a picture archiving and communication system, said method comprising:
establishing, by a remote terminal, a network connection with a web-based server;
remotely connecting, by said web-based server, to a plurality of picture archiving and communication system workstations;
reporting a detected error at one or more of said plurality of picture archiving and communication system workstations, to the web-based server;
periodically providing software for installation, by said remote terminal, to said plurality of picture archiving and communication system workstations in response to said detected error;
directing, by said remote terminal, the web-based server to simultaneously install the software to said plurality of picture archiving and communication system workstations in communication with said web-based server; and
simultaneously installing software to said plurality of picture archiving and communication system workstations.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said directing step comprises instructing the server to install at least one software update to the plurality of workstations.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said establishing step comprises logging on to a web server and authenticating a user.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending an indication message to the remote terminal to indicate whether the software installation was successful.
5. A method for remotely monitoring a picture archiving and communication system, said method comprising:
establishing a network connection with a web-based server from a remote terminal;
directing, by said remote terminal said web-based server to retrieve data from at least one file, from at least one of a plurality of picture archiving and communication system workstations in communication with said web-based server, said data including a log containing an error indicator;
retrieving, by said web-based server, said data from said at least one file;
transmitting, by said web-based server, said data to a remote terminal;
identifying, by said remote terminal, an error occurring at at least one of said plurality of picture archiving and communication system workstations based on said error indicator in said data; and
directing, by said remote terminal, said web-based server in updating software stored on at least one of said plurality of picture archiving and communication system workstations to correct said error.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein said retrieving step comprises extracting the at least one file for analysis at the remote terminal.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein said extracting step comprises extracting at least one log file.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein said extracting step comprises extracting at least one image file.
9. The method of claim 5 wherein said directing step comprises directing a search of files for a predetermined message in at least one of the plurality of workstations, and said retrieving step comprises retrieving files that include said predetermined message.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein said directing step comprises directing a search of files for an error indicator in at least one of the plurality of workstations, and said retrieving step comprises retrieving files that include said error indicator.
11. An apparatus for remotely enhancing a picture archiving and communication system comprising:
a remote first terminal in communication with a web-based server via an Internet connection, said remote first terminal remotely monitoring a picture archiving and communication system workstation to generate a remote signal requesting installation of software in response to an error reported by the workstation;
a plurality of picture archiving and communication system workstations connected to said web-based server; and
said web-based server comprising an installer for simultaneously installing software to said plurality of picture archiving and communication system workstations responsive to said remote signal.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein a first workstation generates the remote signal for instructing said web-based server to install software to said plurality of workstations.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said web-based server comprises an installer for simultaneously installing software updates for pre-existing software to said plurality of picture archiving and communication system workstations.
14. An apparatus for remotely monitoring a picture archiving and communication system comprising:
a remote first terminal in communication with a web-based server via a network connection, said remote first terminal comprising a remote signal generated in response to an error detected by a picture archiving and communication system workstation;
a plurality of picture archiving and communication system workstations connected to said web-based server; and
said web-based server comprising a data retriever for retrieving data from at least one of said plurality of picture archiving and communication system workstations responsive to said remote signal;
said web-based server, responsive to a signal generated by said remote terminal, providing remote identification and correction of an error at at least one of said plurality of picture archiving and communication system workstations, by updating software stored on at least one of said plurality of picture archiving and communication system workstations.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said web-based server comprises said data retriever for retrieving log files from at least one of said plurality of picture archiving and communication system workstations responsive to said remote signal.
16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said web-based server comprises said data retriever for retrieving image files from at least one of said plurality of picture archiving and communication system workstations responsive to said remote signal.
17. A method for remotely monitoring a picture archiving and communication system, said method comprising:
connecting, by a remote terminal, to a web-based server on a network;
instructing, by said remote terminal, said web-based server to extract log data from each of a plurality of picture archiving and communication system workstations in communication with said web-based server, wherein said log data indicates an error occurring at one or more of said plurality of picture archiving and communication system workstations;
transmitting, by said web-based server, said log data to said remote terminal for analysis of said error; and
remotely correcting said error at said plurality of picture archiving and communication system workstations from said remote terminal using said web-based server.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising extracting at least one image file from at least one of the plurality of picture archiving and communication system workstations.
19. A method for remotely enhancing a picture archiving and communication system, said method comprising:
connecting to a web-based server from a remote terminal on the Internet;
instructing, by said remote terminal said web-based server to update pre-existing software on a plurality of picture archiving and communication system workstations in communication with said web-based server;
simultaneously updating by said web-based server said pre-existing software on said plurality of picture archiving and communication system workstations.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising logging on to the web-based server and authenticating a user.