Author: claimsbot

What is claimed is:

1. A method of preparing a test article having an array of inorganic compositions comprising the steps of:
a. casting a substrate slurry in a mold of a selected shape, said substrate slurry containing at least an inorganic powder, a solvent, and a polymerizable monomer;
b. polymerizing said monomer so that said substrate slurry forms a hydrogel;
c. drying said hydrogel to form a substantially solid ceramic green substrate;
d. machining a plurality of cavities into at least one surface of said green substrate;
e. rehydrating said green substrate by reintroducing said solvent;
f. depositing test slurries into at least two of said cavities, each of said test slurries comprising at least a powder, a solvent, and a polymerizable monomer, at least two of said test slurries differing from said substrate slurry in at least one compositional characteristic, said two test slurries differing from each other in at least one compositional characteristic; and
g. polymerizing said monomer in said test slurries in said cavities to form a plurality of test materials in said cavities, at least two of said test materials differing from said substrate in at least one compositional characteristic, said two test materials differing from each other in at least one compositional characteristic.
2. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising the additional step of drying said shape to form a dried green body.
3. A method in accordance with claim 2 further comprising the additional step of sintering said green body to form a sintered body.
4. A method in accordance with claim 2 further comprising the additional step of machining at least one secondary cavity into said at least one surface of dried said green body.
5. A method in accordance with claim 4 further comprising the additional steps of:
a. depositing a secondary test slurry into said secondary cavity, said secondary test slurry comprising at least a powder, a solvent, and a polymerizable monomer, said secondary test slurry differing from said substrate slurry in at least one compositional characteristic; and
b. polymerizing said monomer in said secondary test slurry in said cavity to form a secondary test material in said cavity, said secondary test material differing from said substrate in at least one compositional characteristic.
6. A method in accordance with claim 5 wherein said secondary test material has an interface with at least one of said test materials.
7. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cavities comprise individual wells and spacing of said wells is sufficiently large to substantially prevent undesired interdiffusion of test materials.
8. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cavities comprise individual wells and spacing of said wells is sufficiently small to allow desired interdiffusion of test materials.
9. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cavities comprise channels.
10. A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein the concentration of at least one modifying element in at least one of said test slurries is varied along the length of at least one of said channels.
11. A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein at least two of said channels intersect with each other.
12. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least two of said test materials overlap.
13. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said test materials extend completely through said body in one dimension.
14. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one of said test material comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of: structural ceramics; silicon nitride; solid electrolytes and oxygen membranes; emissive materials; refractories; ferrites; dielectrics; varistors; catalytic materials; zirconia; high temperature superconductors; scintillators; phosphors; dosimeter materials; radiation resistant ceramics; and luminescent materials.
15. A method of preparing a test article having an array of inorganic compositions comprising the steps of:
a. casting a substrate slurry in a mold of a selected shape, said substrate slurry containing at least an inorganic powder, a solvent, and a polymerizable monomer, said selected shape including a plurality of cavities in at least one surface of said green substrate;
b. polymerizing said monomer so that said substrate slurry forms a hydrogel;
c. depositing test slurries into at least two of said cavities, each of said test slurries comprising at least a powder, a solvent, and a polymerizable monomer, at least two of said test slurries differing from said substrate slurry in at least one compositional characteristic, said two test slurries differing from each other in at least one compositional characteristic; and
d. polymerizing said monomer in said test slurries in said cavities to form a plurality of test materials in said cavities, at least two of said test materials differing from said substrate in at least one compositional characteristic, said two test materials differing from each other in at least one compositional characteristic.
16. A method in accordance with claim 15 further comprising the additional step of drying said shape to form a dried green body.
17. A method in accordance with claim 16 further comprising the additional step of sintering said green body to form a sintered body.
18. A method in accordance with claim 16 further comprising the additional step of forming at least one secondary cavity into said at least one surface of dried said green body.
19. A method in accordance with claim 18 further comprising the additional steps of:
a. depositing a secondary test slurry into said secondary cavity, said secondary test slurry comprising at least a powder, a solvent, and a polymerizable monomer, said secondary test slurry differing from said substrate slurry in at least one compositional characteristic; and
b. polymerizing said monomer in said secondary test slurry in said cavity to form a secondary test material in said cavity, said secondary test material differing from said substrate in at least one compositional characteristic.
20. A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein said secondary test material has an interface with at least one of said test materials.
21. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said cavities comprise individual wells and spacing of said wells is sufficiently large to substantially prevent undesired interdiffusion of test materials.
22. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said cavities comprise individual wells and spacing of said wells is sufficiently small to allow desired interdiffusion of test materials.
23. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said cavities comprise channels.
24. A method in accordance with claim 23 wherein the concentration of at least one modifying element in at least one of said test slurries is varied along the length of at least one of said channels.
25. A method in accordance with claim 23 wherein at least two of said channels intersect with each other.
26. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said test materials extend completely through said body in one dimension.
27. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein at least two of said test materials overlap.
28. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein at least one of said test material comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of: structural ceramics; silicon nitride; solid electrolytes and oxygen membranes; emissive materials; refractories; ferrites; dielectrics; varistors; catalytic materials; zirconia; high temperature superconductors; scintillators; phosphors; dosimeter materials; radiation resistant ceramics; and luminescent materials.
29. A method of preparing a test article having an array of inorganic compositions comprising the steps of:
a. providing a green gelcast substrate defining a plurality of cavities in at least one surface thereof;
b. depositing test slurries into at least two of said cavities, each of said test slurries comprising at least a powder, a solvent, and a polymerizable monomer, at least two of said test slurries differing from said substrate slurry in at least one compositional characteristic, said two test slurries differing from each other in at least one compositional characteristic; and
c. polymerizing said monomer in said test slurries in said cavities to form a plurality of test materials in said cavities, at least two of said test materials differing from said substrate in at least one compositional characteristic, said two test materials differing from each other in at least one compositional characteristic.
30. A method in accordance with claim 29 further comprising the additional step of drying said shape to form a dried green body.
31. A method in accordance with claim 30 further comprising the additional step of sintering said green body to form a sintered body.
32. A method in accordance with claim 29 further comprising the additional step of forming at least one secondary cavity into said at least one surface of dried said green body.
33. A method in accordance with claim 32 further comprising the additional steps of:
a. depositing a secondary test slurry into said secondary cavity, said secondary test slurry comprising at least a powder, a solvent, and a polymerizable monomer, said secondary test slurry differing from said substrate slurry in at least one compositional characteristic; and
b. polymerizing said monomer in said secondary test slurry in said cavity to form a secondary test material in said cavity, said secondary test material differing from said substrate in at least one compositional characteristic.
34. A method in accordance with claim 33 wherein said secondary test material has an interface with at least one of said test materials.
35. A method in accordance with claim 29 wherein said cavities comprise individual wells and spacing of said wells is sufficiently large to substantially prevent undesired interdiffusion of test materials.
36. A method in accordance with claim 29 wherein said cavities comprise individual wells and spacing of said wells is sufficiently small to allow desired interdiffusion test materials.
37. A method in accordance with claim 29 wherein said cavities comprise channels.
38. A method in accordance with claim 37 wherein the concentration of at least one modifying element in at least one of said test slurries is varied along the length of at least one of said channels.
39. A method in accordance with claim 37 wherein at least two of said channels intersect with each other.
40. A method in accordance with claim 29 wherein at least two of said test materials overlap.
41. A method in accordance with claim 29 wherein said test materials extend completely through said body in one dimension.
42. A method in accordance with claim 29 wherein at least one of said test material comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of: structural ceramics; silicon nitride; solid electrolytes and oxygen membranes; emissive materials; refractories; ferrites; dielectrics; varistors; catalytic materials; zirconia; high temperature superconductors; scintillators; phosphors; dosimeter materials; radiation resistant ceramics; and luminescent materials.
43. A method in accordance with any of the preceding claims further comprising the additional step of evaluating at least one physical property of at least one of said test materials.
44. A method in accordance with claim 43 wherein said evaluating step comprises testing for at least one property from the group consisting of: optical properties; magnetic permeability; dielectric permittivity; loss tangent; microstructural features; microhardness; surface catalytic activity; biological activity; corrosion resistance; oxidation resistance; luminescence, cathodoluminescence; and scintillation.
45. A combinatorial library comprising a gelcast substrate defining a plurality of cavities in at least one surface thereof; and a plurality of gelcast test materials in said cavities, at least two of said test materials differing from said substrate in at least one compositional characteristic, said two test materials differing from each other in at least one compositional characteristic.
46. A combinatorial library in accordance with claim 45 wherein said gelcast substrate further defines at least one secondary cavity.
47. A combinatorial library in accordance with claim 46 wherein said secondary cavity contains a secondary test material that differs from said substrate in at least one compositional characteristic.
48. A combinatorial library in accordance with claim 47 wherein said secondary test material has an interface with at least one of said test materials.
49. A combinatorial library in accordance with claim 45 wherein said test materials are not significantly interdiffused.
50. A combinatorial library in accordance with claim 45 wherein said test materials are interdiffused.
51. A combinatorial library in accordance with claim 45 wherein said cavities comprise channels.
52. A combinatorial library in accordance with claim 51 wherein the concentration of at least one modifying element in at least one of said test slurries is varied along the length of at least one of said channels.
53. A combinatorial library in accordance with claim 51 wherein at least two of said channels intersect with each other.
54. A combinatorial library in accordance with claim 45 wherein at least two of said test materials overlap.
55. A combinatorial library in accordance with claim 45 wherein said test materials extend completely through said body in one dimension.
56. A combinatorial library in accordance with claim 45 wherein at least one of said test material comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of: structural ceramics; silicon nitride; solid electrolytes and oxygen membranes; emissive materials; refractories; ferrites; dielectrics; varistors; catalytic materials; zirconia; high temperature superconductors; scintillators; phosphors; dosimeter materials; radiation resistant ceramics; and luminescent materials.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

I claim:

1. A progressive pull-tab card game system, comprising:
a pull-tab dispenser adapted to dispense pull-tab cards including indicia of redemption value, wherein the pull-tab cards include at least one jackpot card, wherein said at least one jackpot card is designated as a jackpot card by indicia on the jackpot card prior to the play of the progressive pull-tab game, wherein said indicia on the jackpot card have an undetermined total value, and further wherein each of the pull-tab cards includes a bar code corresponding to the indicia of redemption value of the pull-tab card;
a control system operatively connected to the dispenser to monitor the dispensing of pull-tab cards and configured to compute a jackpot value dependent on the dispensing of pull-tab cards; and
an electronic display associated with the control system and configured to present a display of the indicia of redemption value on the pull-tab cards, wherein the electronic display includes a reader adapted to read the bar code of a pull-tab card and to present the display of the indicia of redemption value based at least partially thereupon.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the reader is adapted to automatically read the bar code of a pull-tab card upon dispensing of the pull-tab card.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the reader is adapted to read the bar code of a pull-tab card that is manually inserted into the reader.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic display is further configured to present a display of the jackpot value.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the pull-tab cards are preprinted.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the displayed indicia of redemption value mimics the appearance of a slot machine.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to compute the jackpot value by periodically incrementing a selectable initial value by a predetermined value every time a predetermined number of pull-tab cards is dispensed.
8. The system of claim 1, further including a plurality of pull-tab dispensers, where the control system is operatively connected to each dispenser to monitor the quantity of pull-tab cards dispensed.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein the control system computes the jackpot value dependent on the quantity of pull-tab cards dispensed from all of the dispensers.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the pull-tab cards includes a plurality of jackpot cards.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein the pull-tab cards further include non-jackpot cards having a predetermined value, and further wherein the non-jackpot cards are designated as non-jackpot cards by indicia of redemption on the cards prior to the play of the progressive pull-tab game.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the non-jackpot cards include a plurality of winner cards having predetermined non-zero values, and further wherein the winner cards are designated as winner cards by indicia of redemption on the cards prior to the play of the progressive pull-tab game.
13. The system of claim 11, wherein the non-jackpot cards include a plurality of loser cards having a predetermined zero value, and further wherein the loser cards are designated as loser cards by indicia of redemption on the cards prior to the play of the progressive pull-tab game.
14. A method of operating a progressive pull-tab game, comprising:
providing a set of pull-tab cards having indicia of redemption value, wherein the set of pull-tab cards includes at least one jackpot card without a predetermined total value and a plurality of non-jackpot cards having predetermined values, wherein said at least one jackpot card is designated as a jackpot card by indicia of redemption on the jackpot card prior to the play of the progressive pull-tab game, and further wherein said indicia of redemption on the jackpot card have an undetermined total value;
setting a progressive jackpot to a predetermined value;
selling one of the pull-tab cards to a player;
selectively increasing the value of the progressive jackpot; and
presenting to the player, by way of an electronic display, an image indicative of the value of the pull-tab card.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the method includes displaying the progressive jackpot.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein the selling step includes manually dispensing the card to a player.
17. The method of claim 14, wherein the selling step includes dispensing the card from a dispensing machine.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the dispensing machine includes a plurality of racks containing pull-tab cards and from which a player may select a pull-tab card to be dispensed.
19. The method of claim 14, wherein the selling step is preceded by the step of allowing a player to choose a particular pull-tab dispensing unit from a plurality of pull-tab dispensing units.
20. The method of claim 19, further including the steps of distributing the set of pull-tab cards among the plurality of pull-tab dispensing units and operatively connecting the plurality of pull-tab dispensing units to a single progressive jackpot.
21. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of providing includes the step of selecting a set of pull-tab cards in which each pull-tab card has a front portion, a back portion and a selectively revealable gaming section which contains indicia of a redemption value of the pull-tab card, the redemption value being unascertainable until the gaming section is revealed and where the set includes at least two classes of pull-tab cards in the form of winners having indicia of a fixed non-zero value and the at least one jackpot card.
22. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of selectively increasing is repeated every time a pull-tab card is sold in the step of selling.
23. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of displaying is repeated every time a pull-tab card is sold.

1. A linear actuator with a dustproof mechanism, comprising:
a ball screw;
a movable stage including a ball screw nut that engages the ball screw, the movable stage capable of making linear reciprocating motion in an axial direction of the ball screw in response to a rotary motion of the ball screw;
a housing member disposed to cover at least the ball screw;
an opening formed in the housing member along a path along which the movable stage travels; and
a dustproof belt disposed inside the housing member to block the opening,
the movable stage including a detouring device that allows a portion of the dustproof belt that overlaps with the movable stage to detour in order to move the movable stage along the opening with the opening remaining blocked with the dustproof belt; and
end plate covers covering the ends of the housing member, each of the end plate covers being shaped to cover areas of the housing member where the dustproof belt is disposed, each of the end plate covers including a flange disposed in a position facing the location where the dustproof belt is disposed in the housing member.
2. The linear actuator with a dustproof mechanism according to claim 1,
wherein each of the end plate covers includes an elastic member at the location where the end plate cover comes into contact with the housing member.
3. The linear actuator with a dustproof mechanism according to claim 2,
wherein the dustproof belt has attachment holes for fixing the dustproof belt to the housing member, the attachment holes being formed of four attachment holes, two of said attachment holes at each end of the dustproof belt, and formed in a periphery of the dustproof belt.
4. The linear actuator with a dustproof mechanism according to claim 2,
wherein the detouring device provided on the movable stage includes a plurality of rotatable rollers that engage the dustproof belt, and
at least the surface of each of the plurality of rollers is made of a resin material.
5. The linear actuator with a dustproof mechanism according to claim 1,
wherein the dustproof belt has attachment holes for fixing the dustproof belt to the housing member, the attachment holes being formed of four attachment holes, two of said attachment holes at each end of the dustproof belt, and formed in a periphery of the dustproof belt.
6. The linear actuator with a dustproof mechanism according to claim 1,
wherein the detouring device provided on the movable stage includes a plurality of rotatable rollers that engage the dustproof belt, and
at least the surface of each of the plurality of rollers is made of a resin material.
7. A linear actuator with a dustproof mechanism, comprising:
a ball screw;
a movable stage including a ball screw nut that engages the ball screw, the movable stage capable of making linear reciprocating motion in the axial direction of the ball screw in response to rotary motion of the ball screw;
a housing member disposed to cover at least the ball screw;
an opening formed in the housing member along the path along which the movable stage travels; and
a dustproof belt disposed inside the housing member to block the opening,
the movable stage including a detouring device that allows the portion of the dustproof belt that overlaps with the movable stage to detour in order to move the movable stage along the opening with the opening remaining blocked with the dustproof belt; and
a dust collection device for confining dust in the housing member located at an end of the housing member, the dust collection device including a dust collection compartment having an airtight connection to an end of the housing member, a communication hole that allows the interior of the dust collection compartment to communicate with the interior of the housing member, and a sucking port through which dust in the dust collection compartment is discharged.
8. The linear actuator with a dustproof mechanism according to claim 7,
wherein an exhaust device is formed at the communication hole.
9. The linear actuator with a dustproof mechanism according to claim 8,
wherein the exhaust device is a fan.
10. The linear actuator with a dustproof mechanism according to claim 8,
wherein the dustproof belt has attachment holes for fixing the dustproof belt to the housing member, the attachment holes being formed of four attachment holes, two of said attachment holes at each end of the dustproof belt, and formed in a periphery of the dustproof belt.
11. The linear actuator with a dustproof mechanism according to claim 9,
wherein the dustproof belt has attachment holes for fixing the dustproof belt to the housing member, the attachment holes being formed of four attachment holes, two of said attachment holes at each end of the dustproof belt, and formed in a periphery of the dustproof belt.
12. The linear actuator with a dustproof mechanism according to claim 7,
wherein the dustproof belt has attachment holes for fixing the dustproof belt to the housing member, the attachment holes being formed of four attachment holes, two of said attachment holes at each end of the dustproof belt, and formed in a periphery of the dustproof belt.
13. The linear actuator with a dustproof mechanism according to claim 11,
wherein the dustproof belt has attachment holes for fixing the dustproof belt to the housing member, the attachment holes being formed of four attachment holes, two of said attachment holes at each end of the dustproof belt, and formed in a periphery of the dustproof belt.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A process for extracting secoisolariciresinol diglycoside (SDG) from de-fatted flaxseed comprising:
(a) contacting defatted flaxseed with an extraction solvent comprising acetone and water;
(b) extracting said de-fatted flaxseed with the extraction solvent to extract SDG into said extraction solvent; and
(c) separating residual solids from the SDG-containing extract.
2. The process of claim 1 wherein the extraction solvent comprises acetone and water at proportions ranging from about 35% acetone65% water to about 65% acetone to about 35% water.
3. The process of claim 1 wherein the weight the of extraction solvent to the weight of the de-fatted flaxseed is at least about 6:1.
4. The process of claim 3 wherein the weight the of extraction solvent to the weight of the de-fatted flaxseed is in the range of about 12:1 to about 16:1.
5. The process of claim 1 further comprising:
(d) removing acetone from said extract;
(e) subjecting said SDG-containing extract to hydrolysis to liberate free SDG; and
(f) recovering said free SDG.
6. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of extracting the de-fatted flaxseed is carried out at an elevated temperature.
7. The process of claim 6 wherein the step of extracting the de-fatted flaxseed is carried out at acetone reflux.
8. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of separating the residual solids from the SDG-containing containing extract is carried out at an elevated temperature to retain the SDG in solution.
9. The process of claim 1 further comprising:
(d) removing acetone from said extract;
(e) lowering the pH of said extract to precipitate SDG;
(f) subjecting said precipitated SDG to hydrolysis to liberate free SDG; and
(g) recovering said free SDG.
10. The process of claim 9 wherein step (f) comprises alkaline hydrolysis.
11. The process of claim 10 wherein said alkaline hydrolysis comprises adding calcium hydroxide to an aqueous slurry containing said precipitated SDG to provide an alkaline mixture having a pH of about 10 to about 13.
12. The process of claim 11 wherein said alkaline hydrolysis is carried out at an elevated temperature.
13. The process of claim 9 wherein said step of recovering free SDG comprises removing water by lyophilization, spray drying, vacuum drying, or other evaporative means.
14. The process of claim 1 wherein SDG in said SDG-containing extract is obtained in a yield of at least about 70%.
15. A process for preparing a secoisolariciresinol diglycoside (SDG) concentrate from de-fatted flaxseed comprising:
(a) extracting de-fatted flaxseed with an extraction solvent comprising acetone and water to obtain an SDG-containing extract;
(b) separating residual solids from the SDG-containing extract;
(c) removing acetone to provide an acetone stripped extract;
(d) lowering the pH of the acetone stripped extract to precipitate SDG;
(e) separating precipitated SDG from the acetone stripped extract;
(f) subjecting the precipitated SDG in an aqueous slurry to hydrolysis to liberate free SDG; and
(g) recovering the free SDG from the aqueous slurry.
16. The process of claim 15 wherein said recovering step comprises adjusting the pH of the aqueous slurry and removing water by lyophilization, spray drying, vacuum drying, or other evaporative means.
17. The process of claim 15 wherein said hydrolysis comprises adding calcium hydroxide to the aqueous slurry containing said precipitated SDG to provide an alkaline mixture having a pH of about 10 to about 13.
18. The process of claim 17 wherein:
hydrolysis is carried out at an elevated temperature; then
insolubles in the aqueous slurry are separated from the aqueous slurry by filtration or centrifugation at an elevated temperature; and
phosphoric acid is added to the filtrate or centrate to lower the pH.
19. The process of claim 18 wherein said recovering step comprises removing water by lyophilization, spray drying, vacuum drying, or other evaporative means to provide an SDG concentrate in a yield of at least about 70%.
20. An SDG concentrate produced by the process of claim 19.