1461122508-72bdd848-458a-466f-ab78-416c5cc89904

1-15. (canceled)
16. A device for dispensing one or more jets of high-pressure fluid at cryogenic temperature, comprising a nozzle-bearing tool comprising one or more fluid distribution nozzles, and a movement system for moving said nozzle bearing tool, further comprising at least one flexible protection casing arranged around all or part of the movement system that moves said nozzle bearing tool.
17. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the flexible protection casing is also arranged around the nozzle bearing tool.
18. The device as claimed claim 16, further comprising a fluid supply pipe comprising an upstream portion of an axis (XX) and a downstream portion fluidically connected to the nozzle bearing tool, the movement system that moves the nozzle bearing tool being arranged between the upstream portion and the downstream portion of pipe and acting on said downstream portion so as to confer upon it a determined movement about the axis (XX).
19. The device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the at least one flexible protection casing is also arranged around all or part of the downstream portion of pipe.
20. The device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the at least one flexible protection casing comprises a first open end situated level with the nozzle bearing tool or with the downstream portion of pipe and a second open end situated level with the movement system that moves said nozzle bearing tool or with the downstream portion of pipe.
21. The device as claimed in claim 19, further comprising securing means that fix the first end of the at least one flexible protection casing to the nozzle bearing tool or to the downstream portion of pipe and that fix the second end of the at least one protection casing to the movement system that moves said nozzle bearing tool or to the downstream portion of pipe, said securing means allowing at least one end of the flexible protection casing to be detached.
22. The device as claimed in claim 16, further comprising several superposed flexible protection casings.
23. The device as claimed in claim 16, further comprising at least one flexible protection casing that comprises a network of interlaced links forming chain-mail.
24. The device as claimed in claim 23, wherein the links are of annular or oval shape, with external dimensions of between 3 and 4 mm and inside dimensions of between 2 and 3 mm.
25. The device as claimed in claim 16, further comprising at least one flexible protection casing comprising a weave of filaments.
26. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said at least one flexible protection casing is formed completely or partly of a material that has a hardness of at least 7 Mohs.
27. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein a woven or nonwoven material is arranged in bulk between the flexible protective sleeve, the movement system and the downstream portion of pipe.
28. A method for scouring or de-scaling a surface that is to be treated, employing one or more jets of high-pressure fluid at cryogenic temperature which are distributed by means of a device as claimed in claim 16.
29. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the jet or jets of high-pressure fluid at cryogenic temperature are at a pressure of at least 300 bar, and at a temperature of below \u2212100\xb0 C.
30. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the fluid employed is liquid nitrogen.

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. An apparatus for conveying bags containing a product, the said apparatus comprising means defining a flow path for air, the said means comprising an elongate flexible tube, means for causing air to flow along the said flow path, means for introducing the said bags into the flow path at a first location so that they are carried along by the air flow from the first location to a second location, and means for removing the bags from the flow path at the second location.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means defining the flow path are constituted substantially wholly by the flexible tube.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the flexible tube is formed of a plurality of segments joined end to end.
4. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the flexible tube comprises a fabric.
5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the fabric is a woven fabric.
6. An apparatus according to claim 4 or 5 wherein the fabric is lined with a web of air-impervious material.
7. An apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein at least one rigid support is provided for the tube, and the tube is provided with a plurality of tags arranged along the length thereof, by which the tube is supported by the said at least one rigid support.
8. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the means for introducing the bags into the flow path comprises a blower for generating an air flow though a venturi section, and an introduction chute for enabling the bags to enter the venturi section.
9. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the means for removing the bags from the flow path comprises a chamber having a generally circular cross-section defined by a wall surrounding a central axis, with an entry port for allowing air and bags carried thereby to enter in a direction generally tangential to the said wall, a first exit for bags having product therein, the said first exit being in one direction along the central axis, and a second exit for lighter objects, the said second exit being in the opposite direction along the central axis.
10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the said second exit communicates with a filter which retains lighter objects but allows air to pass therethrough.
11. An apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the said second exit includes an openable lid which, when opened, allows the removal of lighter objects retained by the filter.
12. An apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the chamber comprises a cylindrical portion into which the entry port opens, and a frustoconical portion having a larger diameter end connected to the cylindrical portion, and a smaller diameter end defining the said first exit.
13. An apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the said central axis is substantially vertical, with the said first exit being downwards and the second exit being upwards.
14. A method of conveying bags containing a product from a first location to a second location, wherein an apparatus is employed which is according to any preceding claim.
15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the product in the bags is a food product.
16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the food product is a snack food product.

1461122497-bedf2ae5-f74d-43a2-8053-df435330b2ff

1. A dispersing agent for pigments or extenders based on acrylic acid alkyl ester polymers, wherein at least part of the ester groups of the polymers is reacted to form acid amides, characterised in that the dispersing agent is obtainable by the aminolysis of ester groups of the polymer by means of amines, wherein, for the aminolysis, at least one amine can be used from the group comprising a) amines of general formula NH2R1NR2R3, wherein R1 is a divalent alkylene radical comprising 2-4 carbon atoms and R2 and R3 are aliphatic andor alicyclic alkyl radicals which comprise 1-12, preferably 1-6 carbon atoms and which can be the same or different, and b) amines of general formula NH2R1-Z, wherein R1 is a divalent alkylene radical comprising 2-4 carbon atoms and Z is a 5- or 6-membered N-containing heterocycle which can comprise up to 2 nitrogen atoms or which can additionally comprise oxygen.
2. A dispersing agent of claim 1, characterised in that for the aminolysis of the ester groups of the polymer by means of amines one or more amines can also be used from the group comprising c) saturated or unsaturated aliphatic amines comprising 6-22 carbon atoms, d) alicyclic amines comprising up to 6 carbon atoms, e) aryl-substituted alkylamines and f) polyoxyalkylene amines NH2R1(OR2)xOR3, wherein R1 is a divalent alkylene radical comprising 2-3 carbon atoms, R2 is a divalent alkylene radical comprising 2-4 carbon atoms and R3 is an alkyl radical comprising 1-4 carbon atoms.
3. A dispersing agent of claim 1, wherein the polymer contains, as a comonomer, at least one further, different monomer comprising vinyl double bonds, preferably a monomer from the group comprising itaconic acid esters, maleic acid esters, methacrylic acid esters, (meth)acrylic acid, styrene, alkyl vinyl ethers, vinyl acetate or mixtures of monomers from this group.
4. A dispersing agent of claim 1, wherein the alkyl radical of the acrylic acid ester contains 1-4 C-atoms.
5. A dispersing agent of claim 1, wherein a catalyst is used for aminolysis.
6. A dispersing agent of claim 1, wherein the agent the polymer has a weight average molecular weight of 1000-50,000, preferably of 2000-20,000.
7. A dispersing agent of claim 1, wherein the product which is obtained by aminolysis with an amine of general formula NH2R1NR2R3 andor NH2R1-Z is reacted to form a salt.
8. The use of a dispersing agent of claim 1 for the production of pigment concentrates, wherein the dispersing agent is homogenised together with the pigments andor extenders to be dispersed optionally in the presence of organic solvents andor water, optionally with binder vehicles and optionally with customary lacquer adjuvant substances.
9. The use of a dispersing agent of claim 1 for the production of a coating medium, wherein a binder vehicle, optionally a solvent, pigments andor extenders, the dispersing agent and optionally adjuvant substances are dispersed together.
10. A process for producing a dispersing agent of claim 1, wherein an acrylic acid ester polymer is aminolysed with an amine, wherein at least part of the ester groups of the polymer is reacted to form acid amides and wherein for the aminolysis at least one amine can be used from the group comprising a) amines of general formula NH2R1NR2R3, wherein R1 is a divalent alkylene radical comprising 2-4 carbon atoms and R2 and R3 are aliphatic andor alicyclic alkyl radicals comprising 1-12, preferably 1-6 carbon atoms which can be the same or different, and b) amines of general formula NH2R1-Z, wherein R1 is a divalent alkylene radical comprising 2-4 carbon atoms is and Z is a 5- or 6-membered N-containing heterocycle which can comprise up to 2 nitrogen atoms or which can additionally comprise oxygen.
11. A process for producing a dispersing agent according to claim 10, characterized in that for the aminolysis one or more amines can also be used from the group comprising c) saturated or unsaturated aliphatic amines comprising 6-22 carbon atoms, d) alicyclic amines comprising up to 6 carbon atoms, e) aryl-substituted alkylamines and f) polyoxyalkylene amines NH2-R1(OR2)xOR3, wherein R1 is a divalent alkylene radical comprising 2-3 carbon atoms, R2 is a divalent alkylene radical comprising 2-4 carbon atoms and R3 is an alkyl radical comprising 1-4 carbon atoms.

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 drive circuit for a display apparatus, comprising:
a shift register; and
a pulse generation circuit for generating a drive pulse signal using an output pulse signal generated in the shift register, wherein the pulse generation circuit forms a pulse-starting edge and a pulse-termination edge of the drive pulse signal using a rise or a fall of pulse resulting from activation of the output pulse signal,
the shift register is structured to generate pulses so that a rise of a pulse resulting from activation of the output pulse signal is sharper than a return fall of the pulse, or a fall of the pulse resulting from activation of the output pulse signal is sharper than a return rise of the pulse,
the pulse-starting edge of the drive pulse signal is formed of a rise or a fall of a pulse resulting from activation of a first output pulse signal, and
the pulse-termination edge of the drive pulse signal is formed of a rise or a fall of a pulse resulting from activation of a second output pulse signal.
2. The drive circuit for a display apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the drive pulse signal is generated for each stage of the shift register, the first output pulse signal forming the pulse-starting edge of the drive pulse signal for a given stage is generated within the same stage or a preceding stage, and the second output pulse signal forming the pulse-termination edge of the drive pulse signal for a given stage is generated within the same stage or a later stage.
3. The drive circuit for a display apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the drive pulse signal is a pre-charge pulse signal, and the first output pulse signal forming the pulse-starting edge of the pre-charge pulse signal is generated in a stage preceding to the given stage, and the second output pulse signal forming the pulse-starting edge of the pre-charge pulse signal is generated within the same stage.
4. The drive circuit for a display apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the drive pulse signal is a sampling pulse signal, and the first output pulse signal forming the pulse-starting edge of the sampling pulse signal is generated within the same stage, and the second output pulse signal forming the pulse-starting edge of the sampling pulse signal is generated in a stage later than the given stage.
5. The drive circuit for a display apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pulse generation circuit includes a level shifter having an input terminal and a control terminal, when the control terminal has a first potential, the level shifter carries out level shift of a pulse signal fetched through the input terminal before outputting the pulse signal, and when the control terminal has a second potential, the level shifter outputs a signal of a certain potential, the first output pulse signal is supplied to the input terminal and the second output pulse signal is supplied to the control terminal.
6. The drive circuit for a display apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the first and second output pulse signals are respectively supplied to the input terminal and the control terminal via a level shift circuit which carries out level shift of a signal supplied thereto before outputting the signal.
7. The drive circuit for a display apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the first and second output pulse signals are respectively supplied to the input terminal and the control terminal via a delay circuit.
8. The drive circuit for a display apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pulse generation circuit includes a logic circuit, and the first and second output pulse signals are supplied to the logic circuit.
9. The drive circuit for a display apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein the first and second output pulse signals are supplied to the logic circuit via respective level shift circuits which carry out level shift of signals supplied thereto before outputting the signals.
10. The drive circuit for a display apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein the first and second output pulse signals are respectively supplied to the logic circuit via a delay circuit.
11. A display apparatus comprising the drive circuit for a display apparatus as set forth in claim 1.
12. A drive circuit for a display apparatus, comprising:
a shift register;
a pre-charge pulse generation circuit for generating a pre-charge pulse signal using an output pulse signal generated in the shift register; and
a sampling pulse generation circuit for generating a sampling pulse signal using an output pulse signal generated in the shift register, wherein: the pre-charge pulse generation circuit forms a pulse-starting edge and a pulse-termination edge of the pre-charge pulse signal using a rise or a fall of pulse resulting from activation of the output pulse signal, and the sampling pulse generation circuit forms a pulse-starting edge and a pulse-termination edge of the sampling pulse signal using a rise or a fall of pulse resulting from activation of the output pulse signal,
the shift register is structured to generate pulses so that a rise of a pulse resulting from activation of the output pulse signal is sharper than a return fall of the pulse, or a fall of the pulse resulting from activation of the output pulse signal is sharper than a return rise of the pulse,
the pre-charge pulse signal is generated from two output pulse signals, one of which forms the pulse-starting edge of the pre-charge pulse signal while the other forms the pulse-termination edge of the pre-charge pulse signal, and
the sampling pulse signal is also generated from two output pulse signals, one of which forms the pulse-starting edge of the sampling pulse signal while the other forms the pulse-termination edge of the sampling pulse signal.
13. The drive circuit for a display apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein the pre-charge pulse generation circuit includes either a logic circuit, or a level shifter, the level shifter carrying out level shift of a pulse signal fetched through an input terminal before outputting the pulse signal when a control terminal has a first potential, and outputting a signal of a certain potential when the control terminal has a second potential,
the sampling pulse generation circuit includes either a logic circuit, or a level shifter, the level shifter carrying out level shift of a pulse signal fetched through an input terminal before outputting the pulse signal when a control terminal has a first potential, and outputting a signal of a certain potential when the control terminal has a second potential.
14. The drive circuit for a display apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein the pre-charge pulse signal and the sampling pulse signal are generated for each stage of the shift register, the output pulse signal forming the pulse-starting edge of the pre-charge pulse signal for a given stage is generated in a stage preceding to the given stage, and the output pulse signal forming the pulse-termination edge of the pre-charge pulse signal for a given stage is generated within the same stage,
the output pulse signal forming the pulse-starting edge of the sampling pulse signal for a given stage is generated within the same stage, and the output pulse signal forming the pulse-termination edge of the sampling pulse signal for a given stage is generated in a stage later than the given stage.
15. The drive circuit for a display apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein the pre-charge pulse generation circuit includes a first NOR circuit supplied with an output pulse signal generated in a stage preceding to the given stage and an output pulse signal generated in the given stage,
the sampling pulse generation circuit includes (i) a NAND circuit supplied with an inversion pulse signal of an output of the first NOR circuit and an output pulse signal generated in the given stage, and (ii) a second NOR circuit supplied with an output of the NAND circuit and an output pulse signal generated in a stage later than the given stage.
16. A drive circuit for a display apparatus comprising:
a shift register; and
a pulse generation circuit for generating a drive pulse signal using an output pulse signal from the shift register, wherein the pulse generation circuit forms a pulse-starting edge and a pulse-termination edge of the drive pulse signal using a return fall of a risen pulse resulted from activation of the output pulse signal or a return rise of a fallen pulse resulted from activation of the output pulse signal,
the shift register is structured to generate pulses so that a rise of a pulse resulting from activation of the output pulse signal is blunter than a return fall of the pulse, or a fall of the pulse resulting from activation of the output pulse signal is blunter than a return rise of the pulse,
the pulse-starting edge of the drive pulse signal is formed of a return fall following a rise of a pulse resulting from activation of a first output pulse signal or formed of a return rise following a fall of the pulse resulting from activation of the first output pulse signal, and
the pulse-termination edge of the drive pulse signal is formed of a return fall following a rise of a pulse resulting from activation of a second output pulse signal or formed of a return rise following a fall of the pulse resulting from activation of the second output pulse signal.
17. A drive circuit for a display apparatus comprising:
a shift register of plural stages, for driving a display apparatus which carries out writing of data into a data signal line and pre-charging of a predetermined data signal line at a stage later than said data signal line, wherein each stage of the shift register outputs a pulse signal,
the shift register generates a rise of a pre-charge pulse for pre-charging an n-th data signal line which corresponds to an n-th stage of the shift register, in response to a fall of a pulse signal outputted from a stage preceding to the n-th stage of the shift register as a result of activation of the pulse signal, and generates a return fall of the pre-charge pulse in response to a rise of a pulse signal outputted from the n-th stage of the shift register as a result of activation of the pulse signal,
the shift register is structured to generate pulses so that a rise of a pulse resulting from activation of the output pulse signal is blunter than a return fall of the pre-charge pulse, or a fall of the pulse resulting from activation of the output pulse signal is blunter than a return rise of the pre-charge pulse,
a pulse-starting edge of the pre-charge pulse is formed of a return fall following a rise of a pulse resulting from activation of a first output pulse signal or formed of a return rise following a fall of the pulse resulting from activation of the first output pulse signal, and
a pulse-termination edge of the pre-charge pulse is formed of a return fall following a rise of a pulse resulting from activation of a second output pulse signal or formed of a return rise following a fall of the pulse resulting from activation of the second output pulse signal.
18. The drive circuit for a display apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein the drive circuit generates a rise of a sampling pulse for writing data into an n-th data signal line, in response to the return fall of the pre-charge pulse.
19. A pulse generation method for generating a drive pulse signal using an output pulse signal generated in a shift register,
wherein a pulse-starting edge and a pulse-termination edge of the drive pulse signal are formed of a rise or a fall of pulse resulting from activation of the output pulse signal, and
when a rise of a pulse resulting from activation of the output pulse signal is sharper than a return fall of the pulse or when a fall of the pulse resulting from activation of the output pulse signal is sharper than a return rise of the pulse, a pulse-starting edge of the drive pulse signal is formed of a rise or a fall of a pulse resulting from activation of a first output pulse signal, and a pulse-termination edge of the drive pulse signal is formed of a rise or a fall of a pulse resulting from activation of a second output pulse signal.