Author: claimsbot

1. A process for the preparation of a latex comprising the steps of:
a) radical aqueous emulsion polymerization of a reaction mixture, to obtain a latex, said reaction mixture comprising at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer, at least one radical polymerization initiator and at least an effective amount of a surface-active block copolymer comprising at least one hydrophilic block and at least one hydrophobic block which is prepared by a living preparation process using a transfer agent, the said copolymer exhibiting:
a number-average molecular mass of between 2 000 and 20 000 gmol,
a glass transition temperature of the hydrophobic block of less than 30 C., and greater than -100 C., and
a surface tension of less than 60 millinewtons per metre (mNm), measured at a concentration in demineralized water of less than or equal to 104 moll at 20 C. and under one atmosphere,
the transfer agent having been rendered inert with respect to the said radical polymerization, and

b) recovery of the latex thus obtained.
2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the copolymer exhibits:
a number-average molecular mass of between 4 000 and 16 000 gmol,
a glass transition temperature of the hydrophobic block of less than 25 C., and
a surface tension of less than 50 millinewtons per metre.
3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the transfer agent is selected from the group consisting of dithioesters, thioethers-thiones, dithiocarbamates and xanthates.
4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the block copolymer is prepared by a process comprising the following steps:
aa) as a first implementation, bringing into contact to obtain a polymer:
at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer,
at least one source of free radicals, and
at least one transfer agent of formula (I):
3
wherein:
R represents an R20-, R2R2N- or R3- group with:
R2 and R2, which are identical or different, representing:
(i) an alkyl, acyl, aryl, alkene or alkyne group,
(ii) an optionally aromatic, saturated or unsaturated carbonaceous ring, or
(iii) a saturated or unsaturated heterocycle, groups and rings (i), (ii) and (iii) being optionally substituted,

R3 representing H, Cl, an alkyl, aryl, alkene or alkyne group, an optionally substituted, saturated or unsaturated (hetero)cycle, an alkylthio, alkoxycarbonyl, aryloxycarbonyl, carboxyl, acyloxy, carbamoyl, cyano, dialkyl- or diarylphosphonato, dialkyl- or diarylphosphinato group, or a polymer chain,

R1 represents
(i) an optionally substituted alkyl, acyl, aryl, alkene or alkyne group
(ii) a carbonaceous ring which is saturated or unsaturated and which is optionally substituted or aromatic, or
(iii) an optionally substituted, saturated or unsaturated heterocycle or a polymer chain,
bb) repeating, at least once, the above operation of bringing into contact using:
different monomers from the preceding implementation, and
instead of the precursor compound of formula (I), the polymer resulting from the preceding implementation, and

cc) rendering the transfer agent inert at the end of the polymerization.
5. The process according to claim 4, wherein the transfer agent of formula (I) is a dithiocarbonate selected from the group consisting of the compounds of following formulae (IA), (IB) and (IC):
4
wherein:
R2 and R2represent
(i) an alkyl, acyl, aryl, alkene or alkyne group,
(ii) an optionally aromatic, saturated or unsaturated carbonaceous ring, or
(iii) a saturated or unsaturated heterocycle, groups and rings (i), (ii) and (iii) being optionally substituted,

R1 and R1 represent
(i) an optionally substituted alkyl, acyl, aryl, alkene or alkyne group,
(ii) a carbonaceous ring which is saturated or unsaturated and which is optionally substituted or aromatic, or
(iii) an optionally substituted, saturated or unsaturated heterocycle or a polymer chain, and

p is between 2 and 10.
6. The process according to claim 4, wherein step cc) comprises masking of active chemical functional groups of the transfer agent by means of a masking agent or destruction of the transfer agent by a hydrolysis or oxidation reaction by metal catalysis or by use of primary radicals.
7. The process according to claim 4, wherein the hydrophilic block derives from hydrophilic monomers selected from the group consisting of:
unsaturated ethylenic mono- and dicarboxylic acids,
monoalkyl esters of the dicarboxylic acids of the type mentioned with alkanols preferably having 1 to 4 carbon atoms and their N-substituted derivatives,
amides of unsaturated carboxylic acids, and
ethylenic monomers comprising a sulphonic acid group and its alkali metal or ammonium salts.
8. The process according to claim 7, wherein the hydrophilic block derives from hydrophilic monomers selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, itaconic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate or methacrylate, acrylamide, methacrylamide, vinylsulphonic acid, vinylbenzenesulphonic acid, alpha-acrylamidomethylpropanesulphonic acid, 2-sulphoethyl methacrylate, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulphonic acid and styrenesulphonate.
9. The process according to claim 4, wherein the hydrophobic block derives hydrophobic monomers selected from the group consisting of:
esters of acrylic acid and of methacrylic acid with hydrogenated or fluorinated C1-C12 alcohols,
vinyl nitriles having from 3 to 12 carbon atoms,
carboxylic acid vinyl esters,
vinyl halides,
vinylamine amides, and
unsaturated ethylenic monomers comprising a secondary, tertiary or quaternary amino group, or a heterocyclic group comprising nitrogen.
10. The process according to claim 9, wherein the hydrophobic block derives hydrophobic monomers selected from the group consisting of methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, propyl acrylate, n-butyl acrylate, isobutyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, t-butyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, n-butyl methacrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, vinyl acetate, vinyl versatate, vinyl propionate,-vinylformamide, vinylacetamide, vinylpyridines, vinylimidazole, dimethylaminoethyl acrylate or methacrylate, di-tert-butylaminoethyl acrylate or methacrylate, and dimethylaminomethylacrylamide or -methacrylamide.
11. The process according to claim 10, wherein the polymerization of the copolymer is carried out in tetrahydrofuran or in a linear, cyclic or branched C1-C8 aliphatic alcohol.
12. The process according to claim 11, wherein the alcohol is methanol, ethanol, cyclohexanol or ethylene glycol, and wherein the hydrophilic monomer is acrylic acid (AA), acrylamide (AM), 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulphonic acid (AMPS) or styrenesulphonate (SS).
13. The process according to claim 1, wherein said process comprises the following steps:
aaa) a stable aqueous preemulsion comprising starting ethylenically unsaturated monomers and the surface-active block copolymer is prepared,
bbb) a reaction mixture comprising a conventional surfactant, an initiator and water is introduced into a radical polymerization reactor comprising two openings and from 1 to 10% by weight of preemulsion prepared in step aaa) is added to the said mixture,
ccc) the reaction mixture obtained at the end of stage bbb) is heated to a temperature of between 40 and 90 C., for the purpose of generating a seed formed of latex particles in dispersion in the water,
ddd) the preemulsion obtained in stage aaa) is added with an additional amount of initiator via the two separate openings of the reactor to produce the latex, and
eee) optionally, the latex obtained in stage ddd) is heated at a temperature of between 40 and 90 C.
14. The process according to claim 13, wherein:
in step bbb) of preemulsion prepared is of between 3 and 7%,
in step ccc), the temperature is of between 60 and 80 C, and
in optional step eee), the temperature is of between 60 and 80 C.
15. The process according to claim 1, wherein the ethylenically unsaturated monomer or monomers are selected from the group consisting of styrene, styrene derivatives, butadiene, chloroprene, (meth)acrylic esters and vinyl nitrites.
16. The process according to claim 1, wherein use is made of 0.5to 5% by weight of the surface-active block copolymer with respect to the total weight of water employed during the polymerization of the latex, or of 1to 8% by weight of the surface-active block copolymer copolymer with respect to the total weight of the monomers employed during the polymerization of the latex.
17. The process according to claim 16, wherein use is made of 1to 4% by weight of the surface-active block copolymer with respect to the total weight of water employed during the polymerization of the latex, and of 2to 5% by weight of the surface-active block copolymer with respect to the total weight of the monomers employed during the polymerization of the latex.
18. The process according to claim 13, wherein use is made of 0.5to 5% by weight of the surface-active block copolymer with respect to the total weight of water employed during the polymerization of the latex, or of 1to 8% by weight of the surface-active block copolymer copolymer with respect to the total weight of the monomers employed during the polymerization of the latex.
19. The process according to claim 18, wherein use is made of 1to 4% by weight of the surface-active block copolymer with respect to the total weight of water employed during the polymerization of the latex, and of 2to 5% by weight of the surface-active block copolymer with respect to the total weight of the monomers employed during the polymerization of the latex.
20. Formulations intended for applications in the field of building materials, of paper, of paints or of adhesives, comprising the latex prepared according to the process of claim 1.

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 circular saw blade, comprising:
a circular body having a peripheral edge;
a plurality of curved slots spaced along the peripheral edge, each slot having an open outer end connecting with the peripheral edge, and defined by essentially parallel, continuously-curved sidewalls leading away from the peripheral edge; and
a cutting segment fixed to the peripheral edge between at least some of the adjacent slots.
2. The circular saw blade of claim 1, wherein the slots are essentially parallel to one another.
3. The circular saw blade of claim 1, wherein the slots extend inward from the peripheral edge by from about 0.5 inches to about 2 inches.
4. The circular saw blade of claim 1, wherein the outer ends of the slots lie along radii of the body.
5. The circular saw blade of claim 1, wherein the outer ends of the slots are at an angle to radii of the body.
6. The circular saw blade of claim 5, wherein the angle is up to about 30 degrees.
7. The circular saw blade of claim 1, wherein there are from 4 to 75 segments.
8. The circular saw blade of claim 7, where each segment is from about 1 inch to about 2 inches long in the peripheral direction.
9. The circular saw blade of claim 1, wherein the slots all have essentially the same radius of curvature.
10. The circular saw blade of claim 9, wherein the slot radius of curvature is from about 1 inch to about 3 inches.
11. The circular saw blade of claim 1, wherein the slots have a width of from about 0.125 inches to about 0.250 inches.
12. The circular saw blade of claim 1, wherein the circular body has a nominal diameter of from about 4 inches to about 36 inches.
13. The circular saw blade of claim 1, wherein the segments comprise diamond particles in a metal matrix.
14. The circular saw blade of claim 1, wherein the segments have a peripheral length essentially the same as the peripheral distance between the open outer ends of adjacent slots.
15. The circular saw blade of claim 1, wherein the segments have ends that are essentially parallel to a radius of the body.
16. The circular saw blade of claim 1, wherein the segments have curved ends.
17. The circular saw blade of claim 16, wherein the radius of curvature of the segment ends in substantially the same as the radius of curvature of the adjacent slots.
18. The circular saw blade of claim 1, wherein the center of curvature of the slot is behind its open outer end in the direction of blade rotation.
19. The circular saw blade of claim 1, wherein the center of curvature of the slot is ahead of its open outer end in the direction of blade rotation.
20. A circular saw blade, comprising:
a circular body having a peripheral edge;
a plurality of curved slots spaced along the peripheral edge, each slot having an open outer end connecting with the peripheral edge, and defined by essentially parallel, continuously-curved sidewalls leading away from the peripheral edge, the slots all having essentially the same radius of curvature and being essentially parallel to one another; and
a cutting segment fixed to the peripheral edge between each pair of adjacent slots.

1. A turkey call device, comprising:
a housing having an open front, an open back, a top, a bottom, and first and second sides extending therebetween;
an acoustic chamber positioned within the housing and extending vertically between the open front and open back of the housing;
a first recessed groove located on the top of the housing and a first striker plate positioned within the first recessed groove, the first recessed groove extending vertically between the open front and open back of the housing; and
a second recessed groove located on the bottom of the housing and a second striker plate positioned within the second recessed groove, the second recessed groove extending vertically between the open front and open back of the housing.
2. The turkey call device of claim 1, further comprising a third recessed groove located on the top of the housing and a third striker plate positioned within the third recessed groove, the third recessed groove extending vertically between the open front and open back of the housing and positioned parallel to the first recessed groove.
3. The turkey call device of claim 2, further comprising a fourth recessed groove located on the top of the housing and a fourth striker plate positioned within the fourth recessed groove, the fourth recessed groove extending vertically between the open front and open back of the housing and positioned parallel to the first and second recessed groove.
4. The turkey call device of claim 3, wherein the first striker plate is formed from acrylic slate.
5. The turkey call device of claim 3, wherein the second striker plate is formed from aluminum slate.
6. The turkey call device of claim 3, wherein the third striker plate is formed from stone slate.
7. The turkey call device of claim 3, wherein the fourth striker plate is formed from wood.
8. The turkey call device of claim 1, wherein the housing is formed from maple wood.
9. The turkey call device of claim 1, wherein the housing is formed from plastic.
10. The turkey call device of claim 1, wherein the housing is formed from metal.
11. The turkey call device of claim 3, wherein the first recessed groove, second recessed groove, third recessed groove, and fourth recessed groove are of different dimensions.
12. The turkey call device of claim 1, wherein the open front and open back of the housing are tapered from the top of the housing to the bottom of the housing, so that the top of the housing is more narrow than the bottom of the housing.
13. A turkey call assembly comprising:
a housing having an open front, an open back, a top, a bottom, and first and second sides extending therebetween;
an acoustic chamber positioned within the housing and extending vertically between the open front and open back of the housing;
a first recessed groove located on the top of the housing and extending vertically between the open front and open back of the housing and an aluminum slate first striker plate positioned within the first recessed groove;
a second recessed groove centrally located on the bottom of the housing and extending vertically between the open front and open back of the housing and an aluminum slate second striker plate positioned within the second recessed groove;
a third recessed groove located on the top of the housing and extending vertically between the open front and open back of the housing and positioned parallel to the first recessed groove and an acrylic slate third striker plate positioned within the third recessed groove; and
a striker member having a first section having a proximal end and a distal end and a second section having an upper end and a lower end, the proximal end of the striker member attached to the upper end of the second section;
wherein the distal end of the striker member is rubbed across the aluminum slate first striker plate, the aluminum slate second striker plate, and the acrylic slate third striker plate, so as to produce three different turkey call sounds.
14. The turkey call assembly of claim 13, wherein the striker member is formed from cherry wood.
15. The turkey call assembly of claim 13, wherein the striker member is formed from walnut wood.

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 system to determine and illustrate a location of an instrument using a registration between two tracking systems, comprising:
a first tracking device operable with a first tracking system to determine a location of the first tracking device in a first navigational domain, said first tracking system is an electromagnetic tracking system and the first navigational domain is defined by an electromagnetic field generated by an electromagnetic localizer of the first tracking system;
a second tracking device operable with a second tracking system to determine a location of the second tracking device in a second navigational domain, said second tracking system is an electro-potential tracking system and the second navigational domain is defined by a current injected into a volume between at least a first injection electrode and a second injection electrode;
an instrument including a first portion and a second portion, the first tracking device is associated with the first portion of the instrument and the second tracking device is associated with the second portion of the instrument;
wherein the second portion of the instrument surrounds at least a selected portion of the first portion of the instrument and is moveable relative to the first portion of the instrument; and
a calibration jig having an exterior indication module associated with a fixed base;
wherein the exterior indication module is operable to illuminate a target associated with the first tracking system to indicate a location of the first tracking device relative to the calibration jig.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the calibration jig further includes:
a holding member to hold the first tracking device relative to the fixed base;
wherein the second portion of the instrument associated with the second tracking device is moveable relative to the first tracking device held relative to the fixed base.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the instrument is a stylet having a first exterior diameter and the second portion of the instrument is a catheter having an internal diameter greater than the exterior diameter of the stylet;
wherein the first tracking device is fixed relative to the stylet and the second tracking device is fixed relative to the catheter.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein a target signal is received by the exterior indication module when the first tracking device is at a location relative to the calibration jig to be targeted with the exterior indication module.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the exterior indication module includes an optical module operable to emit a selected energy at the target;
wherein the signal is received by the exterior indication module when the target associated with the first tracking system is positioned at a location on the calibration jig;
wherein the signal is operable to indicate the location of the target relative to the second portion of the instrument.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the optical module includes a visible laser device or non-laser illumination source.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein the laser device includes a laser system tracking device to track the first tracking device relative to the exterior indication module.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first portion of the instrument is fixed relative to the fixed base of the calibration jig and the laser device is actuated to indicate the position of the first tracking device;
wherein the second portion of the instrument is moved relative to the first portion of the instrument and laser light is reflected off of the second portion of the instrument.
9. The system of claim 4, wherein the exterior indication module emits a user signal to a user after the exterior indication module receives the target signal;
wherein the user signal includes a sound signal, a visual signal, a tactical signal, or combinations thereof.
10. The system of claim 4, wherein the exterior indication module is fixed to the fixture.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein the exterior indication module indicates when the first and second tracking devices are aligned.
12. A system to determine and illustrate a location of a tracking device using a registration between two tracking systems, comprising:
a stylet having a first tracking device having a coil of conductive material extending between two ends and over a length of a first instrument and operable with a first tracking system to determine a position and an orientation of the first tracking device in a first navigational domain, the first tracking system is an electromagnetic tracking system and the first navigational domain is defined by an electromagnetic field generated by an electromagnetic localizer of the first tracking system;
a catheter having a second tracking device having a first trackable electrode near a first end of the first tracking device and a second trackable electrode near a second end of the first tracking device, wherein the second tracking device is operable with a second tracking system to determine a position and orientation of the second tracking device in a second navigational domain, the second tracking system is an electro-potential tracking system and the second navigational domain is defined by a current injected into a volume between at least a first injection electrode and a second injection electrode, wherein the catheter surrounds at least a selected portion of the stylet and is moveable relative to the stylet;
a navigation system associated with at least the second tracking system to determine at least one of an orientation and a position of the first instrument stylet based on a determined position of the two trackable electrodes of the second tracking device second tracking device; and
a calibration jig having an exterior indication module associated with a fixed base;
wherein the exterior indication module is operable to illuminate the coil of conductive material and use the first tracking system to indicate a location of the coil of conductive material relative to the calibration jig.
13. The system of claim 12,
wherein the navigation system is operable to determine a registration between the first navigational domain and the second navigational domain.
14. The system of claim 12, wherein the second tracking system includes three pairs of injection electrodes operable to inject a current between each of the pair of electrodes into a volume.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the navigation system is operable to determine a position of the first trackable electrode and a position of the second trackable electrode fixed relative to the stylet and determine an orientation of the stylet based upon the determined position of the first trackable electrode and the second trackable electrode.
16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:
a display device operable to display image data of a volume;
wherein the navigation system is operable to register the first navigational domain with the displayed image data at least by executing instructions with a processor to register similar points in the first navigational domain with points in the image data;
wherein the navigation system is operable to illustrate a position of the stylet based upon the determined position and orientation of the first tracking device.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the navigation system is operable to register the first navigational domain and the second navigational domain such that the determined orientation of the stylet based upon the determined position of the first trackable electrode and the second trackable electrode is registered relative to the orientation of the first tracking device or vice versa;
wherein the three pairs of injection electrodes are positioned substantially orthogonal to one another to intersect at a single origin operable to determine the orientation of the first instrument based upon the position of the two trackable electrodes.
18. A system to determine and illustrate a location of a tracking device using a registration between two tracking systems, comprising:
an instrument including a first portion moveable relative to a second portion;
a first tracking coil associated with the first portion of the instrument and operable with a first electromagnetic tracking system to determine a location of the first tracking coil in a first navigational domain;
a second tracking electrode associated with the second portion of the instrument and operable with a second electro-potential tracking system to determine a location of the second tracking device in a second navigational domain; and
a calibration jig having an exterior indication module associated with a fixed base;
wherein the exterior indication module is operable to illuminate the first tracking coil and use the first electromagnetic tracking system to indicate a location of the first tracking coil relative to the calibration jig.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein the calibration jig further includes:
a holding member to hold the first portion of the instrument having the first tracking device relative to the fixed base;
wherein the second portion of the instrument associated with the second tracking device is moveable relative to the first portion held relative to the fixed base.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein the second portion of the instrument surrounds at least a selected portion of the first portion of the instrument and is moveable relative to the first portion of the instrument.
21. The system of claim 20, wherein the first portion of the instrument is a stylet having a first exterior diameter and the second portion of the instrument is a catheter having an internal diameter greater than the exterior diameter of the stylet;
wherein the first tracking device is fixed relative to the stylet and the second tracking device is fixed relative to the catheter.
22. The system of claim 19, wherein a target signal is received by the exterior indication module when the first tracking device is at a location relative to the calibration jig to be targeted with the exterior indication module;
wherein the exterior indication module includes an optical module operable to emit a selected energy at the target;
wherein the target signal is received by the exterior indication module when the first tracking device is positioned at a location on the calibration jig that is the target; and
wherein a beam is operable to indicate the target relative to the second portion of the instrument associated with the second tracking device relative to the first portion of the instrument associated with the first tracking device.
23. The system of claim 22, wherein the optical module includes a visible laser system,
wherein the laser system includes a laser system tracking device to be tracked with the first electromagnetic tracking system relative to the first tracking coil,
wherein the first portion of the instrument is fixed relative to the fixed base of the calibration jig and the laser system is actuated to illuminate the position of the first tracking coil;
wherein the second portion of the instrument is moved relative to the first portion of the instrument and laser light is reflected with the second portion of the instrument.