All The Claims

What is claimed is:

1. Use of a laundry detergent that includes at least one optical brightener from the class of the stilbene compounds for the antimicrobial finishing of textile fibre materials, which comprises washing the fibre materials with this laundry detergent and subsequently exposing the washed textile material to a light source.
2. Use according to claim 1, wherein the washed textile materials are irradiated with UV light or in daylight in the moist state.
3. Use according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an optical brightener used is a compound of the formula
29
wherein
R1 is a radical of the formula
30
R3 is substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or aryl;
R4 is M or substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or aryl;
R5 is hydrogen; substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or aryl; or NR7R8, wherein R7 and R8 are independently hydrogen; substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or aryl; or R7 and R8 combine with the joining nitrogen atom to form a heterocyclic radical, especially morpholino or piperidino radical;
R6 is hydrogen or substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or aryl,
R2 is hydrogen; substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or aryl; a radical of the formula
31
OH; NH2; N(CH2CH2OH)2; NCH2CH(OH)CH32, NHR4, N(R4)2 or OR4; or
R1 and R2 are independently OH, Cl; NH2, O C1-C4alkyl, O-aryl, NHC1-C4alkyl, N(C1-C4alkyl)2, N(C1-C4alkyl)(C1-C4hydroxyalkyl), N(C1-C4hydroxyalky)2, or NH-aryl, morpholino, SC1-C4alkyl(aryl),
M is hydrogen, Na, K, Ca, Mg, ammonium, mono-, di-, tri- or tetra-C1-C4alkylammonium, mono-, di- or tri-C1-C4hydroxyalkylammonium or ammonium that is di- or trisubstituted with a mixture of C1-C4alkyl and C1-C4hydroxyalkyl groups; and
n1 and n2, are independently 0 or 1.
4. Use according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an optical brightener used is a compound of the formula
32
wherein
R9 and R10 are independently hydrogen, C1-C4alkyl, phenyl or a radical of the formula
33
and
M is as defined in claim 3.
5. Use according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an optical brightener used is a compound of the formula
34
wherein
R11 is hydrogen, Cl or SO3M;
R12 is CN, SO3M, S(C1-C4alkyl)2 or S(aryl)2 and
M is as defined in claim 3.
6. Use according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an optical brightener used is a compound of the formula
35
wherein
R13 is hydrogen, SO3M, OC1-C4alkyl, CN, Cl, COOC1-C4alkyl, or CON(C1-C4alkyl)2; and
n3 is 0 or 1, and
M is as defined in claim 31.
7. Use according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an optical brightener used is a compound of the formula
36
wherein
R14 is hydrogen, C1-C4alkyl, Cl or SO3M;
R15 and R16 are independently hydrogen, C1-C4alkyl, SO3M, Cl or OC1-C4alkyl and
M is as defined in claim 3.
8. Use according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an optical brightener used is a compound of the formula
37
9. Use according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an optical brightener used is a compound of the formula
38
10. Use according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an optical brightener used is a compound of the formula
39
wherein
R17 is hydrogen or C1-C4alkyl;
R18 is hydrogen, C1-C4alkyl, CN, Cl, COOC1-C4alkyl, CON(C1-C4alkyl)2, aryl or O-aryl.
11. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the textile fibre materials used are natural cellulose fibres
12. Use of optical brighteners from the class of the stilbene compounds as antimicrobially active substances against microorganisms.
13. Use according to claim 12, wherein the microorganisms are Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

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 process for producing a polyolefin-based resin composition which comprises:
in a first polymerization stage, polymerizing or copolymerizing at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, an \u03b1-olefin comprising 4 to 20 carbon atoms, a styrene and a cyclic olefin, in the presence of a catalyst comprising a combination of a catalyst component (A) comprising at least one compound selected from compounds of transition metals of Group 4 of the Periodic Table comprising a cyclopentadienyl skeleton structure and a promoter component (B), thereby obtaining a homopolymer or copolymer; and
in a second polymerization stage, copolymerizing the homopolymer or the copolymer obtained in the first polymerization stage with at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of propylene, an \u03b1-olefin comprising 4 to 20 carbon atoms, a styrene and a cyclic olefin, in a presence of a polyene having at least two polymerizable double bonds in one molecule, wherein the polyene is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a polyene of a styrene-compound, a styrene\u03b1-olefin polyene which comprises a residue group of styrene and a residue group of an \u03b1-olefin in the same molecule, a compound of formula (VI)
wherein n is 0, 1, or 2,
a compound of formula (VII)
wherein n is 0, 1, or 2, and m is an integer of from 1 to 11,
and a compound of formula (VIII)
wherein n is an integer of from 0 to 6;
the polyene being used in an amount of 1.0\xd710\u22127 to 1.0\xd710\u22123 moles per 1 g of the homopolymer or the copolymer obtained in the first polymerization stage, with the proviso that, in the second polymerization stage, the homopolymer or the copolymer obtained in the first polymerization stage is not polymerized with ethylene,
wherein the composition produced by the process satisfies the following requirements (a) to (c);
(a) the intrinsic viscosity \u03b72 of a polyolefin obtained in the second polymerization stage is greater than the intrinsic viscosity \u03b71 of a polyolefin obtained in the first polymerization stage,
(b) a ratio \u03b72\u03b71=1.05 to 10, and
(c) a content of the polyolefin obtained in the second polymerization stage in the polyolefin-based resin composition is 0.00 1 to 80% by weight.
2. A process for producing a polyolefin-based resin composition which comprises:
in a first polymerization stage, polymerizing or copolymerizing at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, an \u03b1-olefin comprising 4 to 20 carbon atoms, a styrene and a cyclic olefin in a presence of a catalyst comprising a catalyst component (A) comprising at least one compound selected from compounds of transition metals of Group 4 of the Periodic Table having a cyclopentadienyl skeleton structure and a promoter component (B); and
in a second polymerization stage, copolymerizing the homopolymer or the copolymer obtained in the first polymerization stage with at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of, an \u03b1-olefin comprising 4 to 20 carbon atoms, a styrene and a cyclic olefin in a presence of a polyene having at least two polymerizable carbon-carbon double bonds in one molecule,
wherein the polyene is at least one compound selected from a polyene of a styrene-compound, a styrene\u03b1-olefin polyene which comprises a residue group of styrene and a residue group of an \u03b1-olefin in the same molecule, a compound of formula (VI)
wherein n is, 0, 1, or 2,
a compound of formula (VII)
wherein n is 0, 1, or 2, and m is an integer of from 1 to 11,
and a compound of formula (VIII)
wherein n is an integer of from 0 to 6 and with the proviso that, in the second polymerization stage, the homopolymer or the copolymer obtained in the first polymerization stage is not polymerized with ethylene,
wherein the composition produced by the process satisfies the following requirements (a) to (c);
(a) the intrinsic viscosity \u03b72 of a polyolefin obtained in the second polymerization stage is greater than the intrinsic viscosity \u03b71 of a polyolefin obtained in the first polymerization stage,
(b) a ratio \u03b72\u03b71=1.05 to 10, and
(c) a content of the polyolefin obtained in the second polymerization stage in the polyolefin-based resin composition is 0.001 to 80% by weight.
3. A process for producing a polyolefin-based resin composition which comprises:
in a first polymerization stage, polymerizing or copolymerizing at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, an \u03b1-olefin comprising 4 to 20 carbon atoms, a styrene and a cyclic olefin, in the presence of a catalyst comprising a combination of a catalytic component (A) comprising at least one compound selected from compounds of transitions metals of Group 4 of the Periodic Table comprising a cyclopentadienyl skeleton structure and a promoter component (B), thereby obtaining a homopolymer or a copolymer; and in a second polymerization stage, copolymerizing the homopolymer or the copolymer obtained in the first polymerization stage with at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of ethylene, an \u03b1-olefin comprising 4 to 20 carbon atoms, a styrene and a cyclic olefin, in the presence of a polyene having at least two polymerizable carbon-carbon double bonds in one molecule,
wherein the polyene is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a polyene of a styrene-compound, a styrene\u03b1-olefin polyene which comprises a residue group of styrene and a residue group of an \u03b1-olefin in the same molecule, a compound of formula (VI)
wherein n is 0, 1, or 2,
a compound of formula (VII)
wherein n is 0, 1, or 2, and m is an integer of from 1 to 11,
and a compound of formula (VIII)
wherein n is an integer of from 0 to 6;
the polyene being used in an amount of 1.0\xd710\u22127 to 1.0\xd710\u22123 moles per 1 g of the homopolymer or the copolymer obtained in the first polymerization stage, with the proviso that, in the second polymerization stage, the homopolymer or the copolymer obtained in the first polymerization stage is not polymerized with propylene, and
wherein the composition produced by the process satisfies the following requirements (a) to (c);
(a) the intrinsic viscosity \u03b72 of a polyolefin obtained in the second polymerization stage is greater than the intrinsic viscosity \u03b71 of a polyolefin obtained in the first polymerization stage,
(b) a ratio \u03b72\u03b71=1.05 to 10, and
(c) a content of the polyolefin obtained in the second polymerization stage in the polyolefin-based resin composition is 0.00 1 to 80% by weight.
4. The process according to any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein said catalyst component (A) is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a transition metal compound as component (A-1) represented by general formula (I):
CpM1R1aR2bR3c\u2003\u2003(I);

a transition metal compound as component (A-2) represented by general formula (II):
Cp2M1R1 aR2e\u2003\u2003(II);
a transition metal compound as component (A-3) represented by general formula (III):
(Cp-A-Cp)M1R1dR2e\u2003\u2003(III);
wherein M1 represents a transition metal of Group 4 of the Periodic Table, Cp represents a group selected from the group consisting of a cyclopentadienyl group, a substituted cyclopentadienyl group, an indenyl group, a substituted indenyl group, a tetrahydroindenyl group, a substituted tetrahydroindenyl group, a fluorenyl group and a substituted fluorenyl group, wherein R1, R2 and R3 each independently represent a ligand, wherein A represents a crosslinking with a covalent bond, wherein a, b and c each represent an integer of 0 to 3, wherein d and e each represent an integer of 0 to 2, wherein two or more ligands represented by R1, R2 and R3 may be bonded with each other and form a ring, and wherein two Cp in general formula (II) and (III) may represent a same group or different groups;
a transition metal compound as component (A-4) represented by general formula (IV):
wherein M2 represents a titanium atom, a zirconium atom or a hafnium atom, wherein E1 and E2 each represent a ligand selected from the group consisting of a cyclopentadienyl group, a substituted cyclopentadienyl group, an indenyl group, a substituted indenyl group, a heterocyclopentadienyl group, a substituted heterocyclopentadienyl group, an amide group, a phosphide group, a hydrocarbon group and a group having a silicon atom, wherein E1 and E2 form crosslinking structures via groups represented by A1 and A2, wherein E1 and E2 may represent a same group or different groups, wherein X1 represents a ligand forming a \u03c3-bond, wherein a plurality of X1 may represent a same ligand or different ligands when the plurality of X1 are present, the ligand represented by X1 may form a crosslinking structure in combination with another ligand represented by X1, a ligand represented by E1 or E2 or a Lewis base represented by Y1, wherein Y1 represents a Lewis base, wherein a plurality of Y1 may represent a same Lewis base or different Lewis bases when the plurality of Y1 are present, the Lewis base represented by Y1 may form a crosslinking structure in combination with another Lewis base represented by Y1 or a ligand represented by E1, E2 or X1, wherein A1 and A2 each represent a divalent crosslinking group which bonds two ligands and is a hydrocarbon group comprising 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a hydrocarbon group comprising 1 to 20 carbon atoms and at least one halogen atom, a group comprising a silicon atom, a group comprising a germanium atom, a group comprising a tin atom, \u2014O\u2014, \u2014CO\u2014, \u2014S\u2014, \u2014SO2\u2014, \u2014Se\u2014, \u2014NR4\u2014, \u2014PR4\u2014, \u2014P(O)R4\u2014, \u2014BR4\u2014 or \u2014AlR4\u2014, wherein R4 is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group comprising 1 to 20 carbon atoms or a hydrocarbon group comprising 1 to 20 carbon atoms and at least one halogen atom, and atoms and groups represented by a plurality of R4 being a same with or different from each other, q represents an integer of 1 to 5 which is (a valence of the atom represented by M2)-2 and r represents an integer of 0 to 3; and
a transition metal compound as component (A-5) represented by general formula (V):
wherein M3 represents a titanium atom, a zirconium atom or a hafnium atom, Cp represents a cyclic unsaturated hydrocarbon group, wherein X2 represents hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group comprising 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group comprising 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkylaryl group comprising 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an arylalkyl group comprising 6 to 20 carbon atoms or an alkoxyl group comprising 1 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein Z represents SiR52, CR52, SiR52SiR52, CR52CR52, CR52CR52CR52, CR5\u2550CR5, CR52SiR52 or GeR52, Y2 represents \u2014N(R6)\u2014, \u2014O\u2014, \u2014S\u2014 or \u2014P(R6)\u2014, wherein R5 represents an alkyl group, an aryl group, a silyl group, a halogenated alkyl group or a halogenated aryl group each comprising hydrogen atom or 20 or less atoms which are not hydrogen atom or a group comprising a combination of these groups, and wherein R6 represents an alkyl group comprising 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an aryl group comprising 6 to 10 carbon atoms or a cyclic system comprising at least one R5 group and 30 or less atoms which are not hydrogen atom, and s represents a number of 1 or 2; and wherein
said promoter component (B) is at least one substance selected from the group consisting of aluminoxanes as component (B-1), ionic compounds as component (B-2) which can be converted into a cation by a reaction with the transition metal compound and clay, and as component (B-3) clay minerals and ion exchageable lamellar compounds.
5. The process according to any one of claims 1, 2, or 3, wherein said polyene is a polyene of a styrene\u03b1-olefin polyene which comprises a residue group of styrene and a residue group of an \u03b1-olefin in a same molecule.
6. A process for producing a polyolefin-based resin composition,
the process comprising:
in a first polymerization stage, polymerizing or copolymerizing at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene and an \u03b1-olefin comprising 4 to 20 carbon atoms, in a presence of a catalyst comprising a combination of a catalyst component (X-2) comprising (i) a titanium compound, (ii) a magnesium compound, (iii) an electron-donating compound (a), an organoaluminum compound (Y), and an electron-donating compound (b), wherein a halogen element presents in at least one of (i) the titanium compound, (ii) the magnesium compound, and the organoaluminum compound (Y), and
in a second polymerization stage, copolymerizing the homopolymer or the copolymer obtained in the first polymerization stage with at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of propylene and an \u03b1-olefin consisting of 4 to 20 carbon atoms, in a presence of a polyene comprising at least two polymerizable carbon-carbon double bonds in one molecule; with the proviso that, in the second polymerization stage, the homopolymer or the copolymer obtained in the first polymerization stage is not polymerized with ethylene, and wherein

the produced composition satisfying following requirements (a) to (c):
(a) a ratio \u03b72\u03b71=1.05 to 10, wherein \u03b71 represents an intrinsic viscosity of a polyolefin obtained in the first polymerization stage and \u03b72 represents an intrinsic viscosity of a polyolefin obtained in the second polymerization stage,
(b) a content of the polyolefin obtained in the second polymerization stage in the polyolefin-based resin composition is 0.01 to 80% by weight, and
(c) no insoluble components are present in a dissolution test of the polyolefin-based resin composition using decalin at 135\xb0 C. as a solvent.
7. The process according to claim 6, wherein the at least one monomer polymerized in said second polymerization stage comprises propylene.

1. An imaging target for use in a multimodal imaging system, the target comprising:
an optically clear, X-ray transparent substrate; and
at least one pattern formed on the substrate for testing at least one of:
the quality of image focus of one or more modalities of operation of the imaging system for a range of magnifications and illumination wavelengths, and
the quality of image co-registration of one or more modalities of operation of the imaging system for a range of magnifications and illumination wavelengths,
wherein the at least one pattern is formed from material which is:
X-ray opaque, and
optically reflective or optically absorptive, or both.
2. The imaging target according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pattern comprises:
at least one layer of the material, the material forming a pattern which provides imaging contrast for one or more of the modalities of operation of an imaging system, with respect to the areas where the patterned material is absent; the pattern comprising features used for testing at least one of the quality of image focus or the quality of image co-registration.
3. The imaging target according to claim 2, further comprising:
at least one alignment feature positioned corresponding to the at least one pattern for registering the imaging target to a feature of the imaging system to locate the at least one pattern in a field of view of the imaging system; and
at least one identification mark corresponding to the at least one pattern for providing information regarding the identity of the pattern.
4. The imaging target according to claim 3 wherein the at least one pattern includes:
a pattern of a recursively nested geometric shapes, the center of the pattern being suited to be aligned to a center of the field of view of the imaging system by the registration of the at least one alignment feature to a feature of the imaging system, and
the pattern of geometric shapes having a nesting pitch graded to lower pitch toward the center of the pattern to provide sufficient pattern content to test quality of focus for multiple magnifications of the imaging system.
5. The imaging target according to claim 4, wherein the geometric shape is rectangular.
6. The imaging target according to claim 3 wherein the at least one pattern includes:
a pattern of an array of a geometric shape, the center of the pattern of an array being suited to be aligned to a center of the field of view of the imaging system by the registration of at least one alignment feature to a feature of the imaging system, and
the array pitch of the geometric shape being graded to lower pitch toward the center of the pattern to provide sufficient pattern content to test imaging system co-registration quality for multiple magnifications of the imaging system.
7. The imaging target according to claim 6, wherein the geometric shape is circular.
8. The imaging target according to claim 1 wherein the modalities of operation of the imaging system include bright-field optical imaging at various wavelengths, fluorescence optical imaging at various wavelengths, and radiographic imaging at various energies.
9. The imaging target according to claim 1 wherein the at least one pattern is formed from a copper film.
10. The imaging target according to claim 1 wherein the at least one pattern is formed from silver ink.
11. The imaging target according to claim 1 wherein the substrate is optically clear polyester.
12. The imaging target according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pattern is formed on a first side of the substrate, further comprising an optically white, X-ray transparent coating formed on a second side of the substrate opposite to the at least one pattern.
13. A method for testing the quality of image focus of an imaging system, the method comprising:
positioning an imaging target in the multimodal imaging system, the target comprising:
an optically clear, X-ray transparent substrate; and
at least one pattern formed on the substrate for testing the quality of image focus of one or more modalities of operation of the imaging system for a range of magnifications,
wherein the at least one pattern is formed from material which is: (a) X-ray opaque, and (b) optically reflective or optically absorptive, or both;
selecting a magnification of interest of the multimodal imaging system;
selecting a modality from the group comprising: optical modality and x-ray modality;
acquiring one or more images of the target at the selected magnification and selected modality;
evaluating the acquired images for a focus quality; and
adjusting the imaging system in response to the focus quality.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the imaging target comprises two patterns.
15. A method for testing the quality of image focus of an imaging system, the method comprising:
positioning an imaging target in the multimodal imaging system, the target comprising:
an optically clear, X-ray transparent substrate; and
at least one pattern formed on the substrate for testing the quality of image co-registration of two modalities of operation of the imaging system for a range of magnifications,
wherein the at least one pattern is formed from material which is: (a) X-ray opaque, and (b) optically reflective or optically absorptive, or both;
selecting a field of view of the multimodal imaging system;
selecting a first modality from the group comprising: optical modality and x-ray modality;
acquiring one or more images of the target at the selected magnification and first modality;
selecting a second modality different from the first modality;
acquiring one or more images of the target at the selected magnification and second modality;
evaluating the acquired images for a focus quality; and
adjusting the imaging system in response to the focus quality.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the imaging target comprises two patterns.
17. A method for testing the quality of image co-registration of an imaging system, the method comprising:
placing an imaging target in the multimodal imaging system, the target comprising:
an optically clear, X-ray transparent substrate; and
at least one pattern formed on the substrate for testing the quality of image co-registration of one or more modalities of operation of the imaging system for a range of magnifications and illumination wavelengths,
wherein the at least one pattern is formed from material which is: (a) X-ray opaque, and (b) optically reflective or optically absorptive, or both;
selecting a magnification of interest of the multimodal imaging system;
selecting the illumination wavelength or energy for the modality of interest;
acquiring two or more images of the target;
evaluating the co-registration quality of the acquired images; and
adjusting the imaging system in response to the co-registration quality.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the imaging target comprises two patterns.

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 powder spray apparatus comprising a powder spray booth (2) having a floor, side walls and end walls, one or more powder spray devices (8) positioned with respect to the side walls to spray articles passed through the booth (2) via openings in the end walls, a powder recovery module comprising at least one cyclone separator (24) having an intake disposed close to, or towards, the ceiling of the powder spray booth, an overspray intake (18) at each end of the booth, each overspray intake (18) being positioned close, or adjacent, to the floor of the powder spray booth (2) and the end wall and a feed channel (22) connecting each intake with the cyclone separator (24), and a scraper bar (14) for continuously reciprocating across the booth floor between the end walls to collect powder on the booth floor and move the collected powder towards the end walls of the spray booth adjacent to which the overspray intakes (18) are provided.
2. A powder spray apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the scraper bar (14) is magnetically coupled to a drive positioned externally of the powder booth (2).
3. A powder spray apparatus as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein each feed channel (22) includes a vertical section (28) between the respective intake (18) and the inlet of the cyclone separator (24) and wherein the vertical section (28) is formed in two parts, one (62) of which is removable such as to provide access to the interior of the vertical section (28).
4. A powder spray apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the powder recovery module includes suction means (20) for removing overspray powder from the booth and at least one exhaust duct ( 28) connected to the suction means (20) and communicating with the booth for passage of air-borne overspray powder.
5. A powder spray apparatus comprising a powder spray booth (2) having a floor, side walls and end walls, one or more powder spray devices (18) positioned with respect to the side walls to spray articles passed through the booth via openings in the end walls and a powder recovery module comprising separation means (24) for separating powder from a powder-air mixture, suction means (20) for removing overspray powder from the booth, an exhaust duct (28) connected to the suction means (20) and communicating with the booth (2) for passage of air-borne overspray powder, collection means (14) for collecting deposited air-borne overspray powder from the booth floor and a feed channel (22) connected to the suction means (20), wherein the collection means (14) moves the collected deposited overspray powder to the feed channel (22) through which it is passed under the action of the suction means (20) to the separation means (24) characterised in that the exhaust duct (28) forms part of the feed channel and in that means (62) is provided for adjusting the relative amounts of suction provided by the suction means (20) to respectively the air-borne overspray powder and the deposited overspray powder.
6. A powder spray apparatus as claimed in either claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the exhaust duct comprises a pipe with an aperture (64) providing for communication between the booth interior and the pipe interior.
7. A powder spray apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the pipe has an opening and a cover (62) is positioned across the opening spaced from the pipe to define therebetween the aperture (64).
8. A powder spray apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the position of the cover (62) relative to the pipe opening can be varied thereby to vary the size of the aperture (64).
9. A powder spray apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein two cyclone separators (24) are provided, one adjacent each end wall of the powder spray booth.
10. A powder spray apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the powder recovery module further comprises a filter module (52) for removal of fine powder particles entrained in air exhausted from the booth.
11. A powder spray apparatus as claimed in claim 10 when dependent in claim 10 wherein the two cyclone separators (24) are connected to the filter module (52).
12. A powder spray apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the booth walls, floor and ceiling are formed from non-conductive material.
13. A powder spray apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, 9 or 11 wherein the cyclone separator(s) (24) is formed from non-conductive material.
14. A method of operating a powder spray apparatus having a powder spray booth (2) including at least one powder spray device (8) for spraying articles passed through the booth, the method comprising-exhausting air from the booth by suction at a first extraction location (64) to withdraw air borne overspray powder via the first extraction location (64), collecting deposited overspray powder from the interior of the booth, transferring the collected deposited overspray powder to a second extraction location (18), withdrawing the collected deposited overspray powder in an air current by suction at the second extraction location (18), and separating the overspray powder from the air characterised in that the method includes varying the relative amounts of suction applied at the first and second extraction locations (64, 18) and therefore the relative amounts of suction applied to the air-borne overspray powder and the deposited overspray powder.
15. A method as claimed in claim 14 comprising spraying powder of different colours, wherein the amount of suction at the second extraction location (18 is made relatively greater towards completion of spraying with one colour and prior to changing to another colour.