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the compositions of the invention are the in - situ prepared spray coated beneficial insects , which may be the beneficial insect alone , or within the confines of a host . the method of making the compositions of this invention relates to the mixing of a binder solution with a predertermined quantity of a beneficial pest for either direct delivery onto a plant or the collection thereof onto a substrate for strategic relocation in futuro . all of these activities can be carried out by introducing the beneficial insects into a hopper , metering the addition thereof into an airstream using a spur gear or other limiting device , introducing mucilage or some other non - lethal binder onto the moving insects and ejecting the binder coated insects into an airstream for delivery to a target , a specific plant , or to a piece of paper or other stratum . | the desired trichogramma wasp is a natural enemy of various lepidoptera ( moths and butterflies ). in order to propogate the trichogramma wasp are propagated as follows . eggs of the grain moth are collected from nature by individuals and companies called insectories . while the grain moth is a pest to wheat , rye , etcetera , it is not a pest to the walnut tree . from these eggs , large numbers of the grain moth are raised under controlled conditons and the eggs are again collected . the eggs are put into areas known as stinging chambers . female tgs are introduced and permitted over a one to three day period to sting or oviposit the eggs of the wheat moth with their own eggs . the eggs of the tg hatch first and the larvae of the tg feed on the nutrients found in the egg of the grain moth . the trichogramma larvae then goes into the pupae stage , ready to emerge as adults . it is these pupae within the eggs of the host grain moth that are to be delivered according to this invention to the walnut trees , such that when the trichogrammas emerge , as fully developed parasitic wasps , they can then attack the eggs of the pest lepidoptera , which in this case is the codling moth which is highly detrimental to the walnut crop . while there may be some nectar or dew available from certain plants or aphids , to serve as food for the tgs usually such is not the case . either way the life cycle of the adult tg is between 1 and about 3 days , so it is important to introduce the pupae of the tg into the &# 34 ; infected area &# 34 ; at the right time . it is to be understood , that even if every egg of the host lepidoptera ; namely , the grain moth is not oviposited , whereby a small amount of the grain moths actually become born , this phenomenon is not considered to be a problem as the grain moth is not a pest of the walnut tree . it is seen therefore that the product to be delivered here is a within b . that is , the pupae of the tg within the egg of the host , the grain moth . this combination , however , is not the inventive composition used in the process of this invention . my new composition , which can arise during the carrying out of the process of this invention , can also be prepared by other methods to be discussed . it is also to be noted that while most of my research has been carried out using trichogramma parasitized eggs , my compositon invention is not limited thereto . thus i have found as will be discussed , that lace wings and other beneficial insects in their egg stage can be similarly treated with a binder solution according to my method for delivery to a specific plant or other target such as sheets of paper . the method of delivery of the sprayed beneficial insects and an apparatus for doing so are disclosed and claimed in my copending patent application ( attorney docket no . 1525a ) u . s . ser . no . 08 / 738 , 415 filed concurrently herewith . the discussion now turns to fig1 . in this figure the basic apparatus of this invention is shown in a somewhat sectional view . apparatus 10 is a multi - component article that includes a metering device for the introduction of solids , here beneficial insects , into an airstream , where the insects are coated with a binder solution for delivery by high speed air to a target . apparatus 10 comprises a hopper 26 , which may be funnel shaped as depicted or it may be any other shaped bowl having a depressed central bottom exit 40 for easy unloading , and which is open at the top for the loading of material such as parasitized eggs 48 , therein . hopper 27 is retained in position by hopper mount 27 which may be made of any suitable material such as plastic or metal , as can be the hopper itself . a motor 21 is mounted on a suitable support 22 , which in turn is attached by means not seen to chassis 28 . motor 21 includes a shaft 23 connected thereto and high shaft passes through aperture 26a of the hopper . the shaft 23 is connected at its opposite end in a conventional manner to a gear box 24 which is suspended within the confines of the hopper 26 . also connected to the gear box 24 is the shaft 25 of a stirrer 20 . this stirrer is a wire member preferably having one upward depending and one downward depending paddle - like member thereon to agitate the hopper cotents to prevent clogging . other configurations for the stirrer are also contemplated . mounted diretly beneath the opening 40 of the hopper 26 , is a metering device , 29 , for periodically dispensing a finite amount of the contents of the hopper into the collection bin , 30 for a gravity feed through the spout 31 into the j - tube , also called the delivery tube , 39 . the metering device here is a spur gear 29 attached to a shaft 49 connected to the motor 45 . note that the side wall of the collection bin 30 is angled , to force the contents to fall toward the spout 31 . other metering devices can also be used . for example the spur gear oriented horizontally as shown in fig8 would serve in like fashion to open and close the opening 40 of the hopper 26 . the rotating disk of fig9 serves the same purpose . deviating momentarily , it is seen in fig8 that the motor 45 is similarly supported by legs 46 as in fig1 and also has a shaft 47 . the shaft 47 is connected to a gear box 90 to which in turn is connected the horizontally oriented spur gear 91 . as the gear moves past the opening 40 , the opening is alternatively opened - closed - opened - closed . note that the collection bin has been reshaped and enlarged to accomodate the gear box 90 . accordingly the bin has been renumbered as 30 &# 34 ;. note also the absence of the optional optical sensor . in fig9 an apertured disk 92 having at least one aperture 93 engages a driving disk , 94 , either frictionally , or by the engagement of gear teeth on each , to rotate the aperture past the opening 40 . the shaft 95 of the driving disk would be connected to a motor unseen . the mounting of such a metering system is within the skill of the art . the discussion returns now to fig1 . seen here circumscribing the spout 31 , and abutting the hopper is j - tube 39 which preferably has a flared front edge , 44 to ensure dispersion . the j - tube may be entirely clear , but if the otional sensor 36 is employed , then the area passing through the annular optical sensor should be clear in order for the sensor to recognize movement of material from the spout into the j - tube 39 . the sensor is a powered electonic indicator to verify flow no - flow of material from the spout . optical sensors of this nature are well known in the art and are readily available in the marketplace from several manufacturers . the sensor is activated if employed from the panel of the cockpit of the plane . reference is made to fig7 to be discussed infra . the j - tube 39 is glued or otherwise attached to the j - tube retainer 37 which is mounted to the body of the delivery chamber 32 . this chamber has a main portion 33 and a reverse venturi front portion 34 to slow down the incoming airstream 38 . chamber 32 may be round tubular or square tubular as may be desired . note also that the motor supports 46 which are attached to the motor 45 are also attached as by screws , glue or otherwise to the main portion of the chamber 33 . chamber 33 may be made of plastic such as abs ( acrylonitrile - butadiene - styrene ) or metal such as aluminum or steel as may be desired . while shown as an integral unit , the front portion 34 may be a separate piece threadedly or otherwise engaged to the main portion 33 . this junction would take place between the two imaginary dashed lines 333 and 334 . since such is so readily understood , no separate illustration of that fact is deemed necessary . disposed through suitable openings 42 in the wall of the main portion 33 of the chamber are a pair of opposed injectors 43 . each of these includes a nozzle 43n thereon . as seen in fig1 these nozzles enter from the top and bottom of the chamber , but there is no criticality to such entry . side entry as illustrated in fig3 is also contemplated . note too that the injectors 42 are shown to terminate on the end opposite the injector , in a coupling 43c . reference is now made to fig2 wherein like parts bear like numbers , and as such need not be again discussed . prior to discussing the proximal end of the injector at the coupling 43c , it is to be noted that there is a slight structural change or variant in the disposition of the motor to operate the stirrer . here the shaft 25 is connected directly to a top mounted motor 21 &# 34 ; with the elimination of the gear box 24 . a wire retainer means 96 encircles the motor and is secured to the hopper to prevent vibration of motor 21 and to provide stability thereto . in fig2 each coupling is seen to be connected to a hose 50 , which in turn is connected to a tee 51 . since for ease of illustration one such hose is discontinuous , the segment attached to the coupler is designated 50b , while the segment attached to the tee is designated 50a . in reality 50a and 50 are attached to each other . the tee 51 is seen to have two outlets , each connected to one hose 50 . the inlet side of the tee is fluidly connected to line 53 which has an optional pressure gauge 54 connected in line thereto . this conventional adjustable pressure gauge is used to set and to check the spray pressure of the fluid being introduced through the injectors . the proximal end of line 53 is connected to a regulator - pump 55 fluidly connected via fluid line 56 to a source such as any vessel of fluid binder , not seen . the unit seen in this figure is adapted for attachment to a personal hand carried blower . the attachment to convert from a basic unit for mounting on a plane or a tractor consists of the the extension 70 which attaches as by a a threaded connection or friction fit as may be desired to the inlet end of the venturi . tee mount 52 may be bolted , clamped or otherwise attached to the extension . a bellows coupling 71 is secured to the extension , and said coupling 71 includes a bayonet connector adapted to engage the bayonet connector 74 of the blower coupling 72 . while bayonet connections are shown , and which are well known to those in the interchangeable lens for camera art , other types of connections of a releaseable nature may be employed to join a blower , such as made by paramount , toro and other garden hardware product manufacturers . such blowers are readily available in the marketplace . in fig6 an apparatus according to the invention , but modified for a commercial blower unit is seen . again like numbers refer to like parts , and like parts will not be repeatedly discussed . in this figure , the chamber is designated 32 &# 39 ; as it is entirely of one cross - section . thus the embodiment of the invention is designated 11 . no reverse venturi to slow down the incoming air is employed , because the exit speed of air emanating from commercial blowers can be regulated to a desired speed such as to not to injure the eggs being discharged into the airstream through the j - tube . thus coupling 71 &# 39 ; is attached in a conventional fashion to the inlet end of the chamber . this coupling has a similar bayonet 73 for mating engagement of the bayonet mount 74 of coupler 72 . as is seen coupling 72 and coupling 72 &# 39 ; of the respective blowers , each have a slightly larger cross section to fit over the coupling attached to the chamber . refer again to fig2 . whether the metered dispensing apparatus is to be mounted on a plane , tractor or hand blower , the direction of the airstream is always the same . the air moves from the inlet , past the j - tube and then past the injectors . but note that when mounted on a plane or tractor , the inlet 34 faces forward , as air rushes in and throught the inlet 34 , is slowed down and then moves out the main portion 33 . but when mounted on a hand blower , the inlet faces the operator , as the source of air is from behind , i . e ., in the blower unit carried by the operator . but the airstream movement stays the same . the discussion moves to fig3 . here the apparatus 20 is seen . the injector 43 is seen to be disposed within a side opening 42s , such that the second and opposed injector is not visible in this view . this slightly different location is required due to the employement of a housing for the balance of the apparatus . this housing 75 is seen to be a box , having side walls , a bottom wall with suitable cutouts 75c for the motor supports 46 and the j - tube 39 , as well as an aperture 75a for the electrical leads of the optical sensor 36 in the front wall . the top wall thereof has an opening 84 therein for access to the hopper 26 . this opening is covered over by a hinged optionally lockable hatch 76 , which is pivotally mounted by hinges 77 . the housing 75 provides enhanced cosmetic appeal , as well as preventing possible tampering with any of the componets or the contents of the hopper . the apparatus when housed can be mounted on a tractor , on an airplane or to a hand blower . the leads of the sensor are connected to a power source . in fig4 there is depicted a mount plate 78 which is shown bolted to the housing by self - tapping bolts 79 , one of which is disposed in each bore 79 &# 39 ;. at least one bolt hole 80 is provided for the bolting of the mount plate 78 to a suitable part of the airplane or tractor by which the apparatus is to be carried . in order to provide additional security to the chamber 32 , one or more , here two straps 81 are disposed around the chamber 32 and attached by a bolt and nut 82 to the mount plate 78 through aperture 83 of the strap which communictes with an aligned throughbore in the mount plate , not seen . in fig1 , there is shown an alternate configuration for the mixing chamber . none of the other components such as the hopper or its input into the chamber are shown . this alternate generally rectangular version is designted 132 with the main portion being 133 and the integrated inlet being 134 . note that the forward divergining panels 134a and b still create the reverse venturi effect to slow down the speed of the incoming air . the discussion now moves to fig5 this figure is a diagrammatic depiction of the process making the new compositions of this invention . an electrical air pump 62 which has a corded plug 63 is fluidly connected to vessel 59 to via fluid line 61 for the input of air . a solution of binder agent 60 , of a nature to be described infra is pumped out line 58 by the air which displaces the binder solution in the closed vessel . a combination inline regulator and on - off valve 57 ensures a steady flow of liquid . the binder 60 moves past a pressure gauge through line 53 to tee 51 &# 39 ;. this tee is a 3 - way ball valve that can split the solution such that part of it is fed to each line 50 or to only one of the lines 50 for fluid delivery to the respective injector 43 in communication with that specific line 50 . thus the equivalent of single line operation can be achieved by using this type of ball valve tee . an air blower 65 delivers air 66 ( represented by the double arrow ) into a mix chamber 67 , in the same direction as the fluid is being injected from injectors 42 . from an input hoper 68 , beneficial insects 69 are introduced into the chamber by gravity or other means known to the art . these beneficial insects are impacted by the spray 60 from the injectors 43 and the air 66 from the blower 65 moves the coated insects in the direction of the air flow 38 toward a collection target 85 . this target can be a cardboard stratum or it can be a tree , or a plant , or the interior surface of a box , or even simple butcher paper as may be desired where the binder coated beneficial insects that constitute the product of this invention are collected . the reader &# 39 ; s attention is drawn to the comparison of fig5 to fig1 . while fig5 is a general illustration of the operative procedure and fig1 pertains to a specific apparatus , it is seen that the point of input of the beneficial insects is different in these two drawings . in fig1 the injectors are rearward of the j - tube , ( relative to airflow input ) while in fig5 the input hopper delivers the insects in front of the injectors . while either location for delivery will work for the creation of the compositions of this invention , there is less chance that the hopper input into the mixing chamber will clog with binder , if the input point is to the rear of the flow of binder - the mode of fig1 . note also that the instrumentation such as the various gauges shown in the apparatus have been omitted , since they are only beneficial , not mandatory to carry out the process . among the beneficial insects that can be coated in this manner are lacewing eggs , parasitized eggs , wherein the parasite is one of several varieties of the trichogramma wasp . these include t . platneri and t . pretiosum . the host eggs can be either of sitotroga or ephestia . such parasitized eggs are available from insectaries ( vendors of bugs ) including rincon - vitova of ventura california among others . it is believed that any currently available or future available beneficial insect in the egg , pupa or larva stage can be coated for collection or delivery according to the process of this invention . it is further believed that adult insects such as lady bugs would be impeded in their attempt to eat aphids , if they were coated with the binders of this invention . suffice it to say , however , that the binders of this invention do not have the adhesive capability of an epoxy or urethane glue . thus the force necessary to move collected coated insects from a stratum for placement as by hand or otherwise to a different location can easily be accomplished by hand . of course , it would be difficult to move just one such coated insect no matter what stage of life the insect is in , due to the tiny size of these beneficial insects . among the binders that can be employed in this process are gum arabic , yes ™ glue made by gane bros & amp ; lane , inc . elk grove village , ill ., elmer &# 39 ; s white glue or equal , pectin , gelatin and mucilage , polyvinylpyrollidone ( pvpd ) and mixtures thereof solutions generally range from about 7 % to about 50 % by volume , with 10 to 12 . 5 % being the preferred range . mucilage , the fluid that comes in little bottles to adhere papers together is available from several sources including carter in cambridge , mass . and the borden company . biocarrier , a pectin - based material made by smuckers mfg . of harrisburg , ore . was used favorably with lacewing eggs . both by aerial ( plane and tractor ) as well as by backpack sprayer units . however biocarrier did not work very well with trichogramma , as the adhesion was poor . cloud cover ™ a polymeric solution used to retain moisture in christmas trees and indoor ornamentsl plants , and made by easy gardner of waco , tex . was also found to work satisfactorily with lacewings . the following table illustrates the results of using three different concentrations of the same binder agent for impact upontg parasitized eggs , which were delivered to a paper target using the apparatus of this invention . ______________________________________pvpd 5 % 10 % 20 % survival rate 73 % 88 % 82 % stick rating 3 . sup . 3 . sup . 3 . sup . cloudcover 5 % 10 % 20 % survival rate 86 % 84 % 74 % stick rating 1 . sup . 2 . sup . 2 . sup . mucilage 5 % 10 % 20 % survival rate 82 % 97 % 90 % stick rating 3 . sup . 4 . sup . 4 . sup . biocarrier 5 % 10 % 20 % survival rate 73 % 72 % 70 % stick rating 1 . sup . 1 . sup . 1 . sup . ______________________________________ the ratings as noted herein are based upon personal observations of the target papers . the adhesion to a paper target is an indicator of the expected adhesion of the binder coated beneficial insect to the desired substrate , e . g ., walnut tree leaves . survival rate means the percentage of delivered insects that &# 34 ; survived &# 34 ; the trauma of the delivery system to the target . stick rate is an indication of the relative adhesion of the coated insects to a target surface . as has been noted previously , the primary intended purpose of the apparatus of this invention is to use it for the aerial delivery of the coated insects to walnut trees primarily and to other trees as well . once the apparatus of this invention is mounted to a plane , such as but not limited to the mount plate shown in fig4 the apparatus needs to be actuated . thus a control panel needs to be in place in the plane which will carry the apparatus . reference is now made to fig7 which depicts such a panel . all of the instrumentation and switches to be discussed are conventional in the industry . the discussion centers therefore upon the use of the instruments and switches , of control panel 100 rather than upon their individual novelty . switch 101 of the panel 100 is the master on - off switch . this is used just as the name implies , to turn on the apparatus , which has two motors therein , and permits the meter switch and spray switch to each operate . switch 102 is the meter switch . it turns on the dispensing system , while switch 103 is the spray switch which permits the fluid to be pumped from the vessel out into the injectors as described elsewhere herein . switch 103 controls the injectors to turn the delivery of binder on or off . meter 104 is a volt meter which serves as an rpm gauge of the dispensing apparatus motor . the exact speed of the stirrer is of no importantance so long as the hopper does not clog up or bridge . the rheostat 105 is used to regulate the speed of the motor , i . e ., the rpm which controls the speed of the dispensing device , i . e ., the amount of beneficial insect being delivered to the chamber per unit of time . the rheostat ties in with the meter , in that the meter 104 provides the read out of the variations created by the rheostat &# 39 ; s operation . pressure gauge 106 is optional and can be used alone or it can be used in conjunction with another such gauge to determine binder spray force . the optical sensor control 107 has two lights , one to confirm the presence of power since the sensor is electrical and the other to confirm the passage of material from the hopper . the apparatus of this invention can also be mounted outboard on a tractor or other field vehicle such as an air blaster . in such an instance substantially the same control panel 100 would be employed . since it is easy to stop a tractor to verify hopper delivery visually , the optical sensor can be omitted . previously i have related the details of the apparatus and the several changes or variants appliable thereto . the discussion is now directed to the procedure to be employed for the actual delivery of the in - situ prepared binder coated insects by an airplane or tractor mounted apparatus . the reader &# 39 ; s attention is drawn to the fact that the apparatus of this invention is generally used in pairs on both tractors and planes , but used singly in conjunction with a hand blower . on a plane , even weight distribution is the reason for tandem usage , while on a tractor , time saving is the prime reason . in order to assess the effectiveness of the apparatus of this invention , under actual use conditions , for the delivery of trichogramma parasitized ephestia eggs , a collection line was set up using a 15 meter strip of butcher paper , which was marked off into fifteen 1 meter increments ( sites ), and stapled to sheets of plywood . butcher paper tents were constructed and stapled to card stock . the tents were carried to the target zone in plastic bins and were stapled to each site , 180 cm apart and 2 . 5 cm from either edge of the site , and labeled with test site numbers . fresh branches of walnut leaves ( 5 to 7 leaves each ) were placed midway between the tents to simulate the leaves of the orchard canopy . it was necessary to simulate an orchard since this test program was carried out off - season . the target 85 , was located perpendicular to the wind as is customary . the apparatus was attached to the aircraft using a conventional mounting plate . a plastic spray tank fluidly connected to a 12 volt diaphragm pump was placed in the cockpit of the aircraft under the pilot &# 39 ; s seat and fluidly connected to a pair of injectors positioned at 45 degrees adjacent to the j - tube disposed in the mixing chamber . this combination was used to transfer a 10 % mucilage solution at a pump pressure set at 20 psi , and controlled with a separate on / off switch . the pressure was monitored by a separate pressure gauge located adjacent to the mixing chamber . the nozzles were positioned at two locations to maximize the likelihood of parasitized eggs coming into contact with the adhesive particles . the flow rate of the adhesive delivery system was set at 3 . 76 gal / min . as the parasitized eggs were set to be metered into the mixing chamber at a rate of about 72 . 5 mil / min . the aircraft then took off and made about 7 runs over the target with the eggs being exposed to the mucilage and then delivered by the moving air to the target zone . after each 3run was made , the sheets were examined with a 7 × hand lens for parasitized eggs adhered to the sheet , the locations marked , parasitized eggs counted , and data recorded for each sheet . at the same time , the paper tents and walnut foliage also were collected and taken to the laboratory for incubation for seven days or until all controls had emerged and died . after incubation , locations with parasitized eggs were cut from the sheet with a razor blade and labeled with sheet number . the paper cut - outs then were examined under a nikon dissecting scope for evidence of the presence of parasitized eggs . a viewing of these eggs determine the existence of little holes where the wasp had emerged . the number of holes serves as an indication of the survival rate of the wasp pupae subsequent to delivery . it is these trichogramma wasps that are now in the position to attack the eggs of the codling moth . it was found that the distribution of the mucilage covered parasitized eggs yielded a bell shaped curve . a substantially similar bell curve was obtained when a 50 % solution of mucilage was employed . the center of the curves lay closest to the plane with distribution falling off as the distance from the apparatus increased . an analysis of the data yielded the result when compared to control procedures , without the use of a binder agent to adhere the beneficial insects to the target area , that the survival rate of the pupae of the trichocraimna was substantially the same . that is , the binder created no deleterious effect upon the parasitized eggs , while concentrating their location in the target zone . the test just discussed is one that as noted simulates walnut orchard conditions . since the codlinc , moth is in the trees and not on the ground , the structures as described were utilized . the application rate of beneficial insect can be modified as needed to meet the requirements of different conditions , such as different type of tree , or even different variety of the same tree , different wind conditions , different airplane , and even different personal desires of the grower as to the volume of beneficial insect ( compositions of this invention ) per acre . it has already been pointed out that the binder can range from about a 10 % solution to about a 50 % solution when mucilage is utilized . the concentration of beneficial insects can be altered by changing the speed of the metering device , be it the spur gear , or apertured disk or any other dosimeter . the speed of the plane , or the speed of the ground tractor will directly influence the coverage of delivery of the compositions of this invention , given that everything else stays constant . all of these adjustments are within the skill of the artisan . in the process for the in - situ preparation of the coated beneficial insects of this invention one thing to be calculated , once the known delivery concentration of beneficial insect is known , is the desired flow rate of the binder from the injectors . since 2 injectors are present per apparatus , per plane or per tractor , the calculation pertains to 4 injectors . in my efforts , i used teejet nozzles # 6503 which operate at about 0 . 3 gallons per minute under 40 psi pressure each . thus using a flow rate of 1 . 2 gallons / min divided by the desired coverage rate of 14 . 5 acres / min .= 0 . 08 gallons / acre of the binder . in conclusion it has been found that the aerial delivery of trichogramma within ephestia eggs , is indeed quite satisfactory , and a sound financial practice . the viability of the beneficial insect is not injured by a through the air delivery , whether aerial by plane or on land by tractor , as well as by use of a hand blower attached to the apparatus . it was further found that the impact of the binder agent upon the beneficial insect had little or no deleterious effect upon the survival rate of the beneficial insect in both the lacewing delivery and the trichogramma delivery . what was further found is that the use of the binder did increase the destruction of the pest in the target area as more of the predator were present to do the job than under current practices utilizing hand placed squares of paper with the beneficial insect thereupon within the target area , but on or near the ground , not up in the trees where the pests are and the damage is caused . while the discussion heretofore has been primarily dealing with the trichogramma as a beneficial insect to control codling moth in walnut orchards , it is to be understood that the trichogramma can be delivered in the same manner to control other detrimental insects with respect to specific crops . whereas the trichogramma has been delivered in the format of parasitized eggs of the ephsetia or other insect , i have found that lacewing flies , ( chrysopidae ) can be delivered using the process and apparatus of this invention . the larvae of the lacewing are called aphis lions , and are voracious eaters . they feed on aphids , thrips , mites , young corn earworms , and other small soft - bodied insects or eggs . the larvae of the lacewing have sickle - like mandibles which puncture and extract bodily fluids from their prey . delivery of the lacewing is in the egg stage of the insect itself , rather than parasitized in another insect &# 39 ; s eggs . several binders have been utilized in the apparatus of this invention in conjunction with lacewing egg delivery , the best one being mucilage . lacewings can be used to fight aphids most anywhere . mention may be made of the acreage of commercial rose growers , vegetable crops , tree crops such as apples , and other crops attacked by detrimental insects ; namely , corn by the corn worm . while not specifically tested , there is no reason to believe that it would not also be possible to utilize parasitized eggs of the codling moth , to deliver trichogramma to an area infested with the grain moth , such as grain bins . it is to be noted from a review of the drawings of this patent application , that in some instances a reverse venturi was employed at the inlet end of the apparatus . in one variant of the apparatus , the reverse venturi was not employed . the reverse venturi serves merely to slow down the incoming air , such that when the beneficial insects are introduced into the airstream they will not be as adversely impacted if the air is moving at a slower speed . it is beneficial to employ the reverse venturi if the apparatus is to be mounted on a tractor or airplane . whereas the airspeed of the air from a backpack blower is significantly slower , the use of the reverse venturi for a backpack blower unit , while considered to be within the scope of the invention , is not suggested . thus other apparatuses that would achieve the desired result of having metered dosages of the beneficial insect be coated in an airstream of binder agent , would not employ the venturi . it is believed that the insects can be introduced into the chamber in the airstream , either forward of the introduction of the binder or rearward of the introduction of the binder solution . since certain changes can be made in the above compositions and the method of making these compositions , without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved , it is intended that al matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense . | US-73841496-A |
the present disclosure involves a system for monitoring patients , and more specifically post - operative patients receiving narcotics , and a novel apparatus for automatically delivering a narcotic - reversing agent , including but not limited to the agent commonly known as naloxone , in response to dangerous respiratory conditions such as respiratory depression or other undesired consequences caused by reaction to narcotic dosage . | the present invention provides its benefits across a broad spectrum of endeavors . it is applicant &# 39 ; s intent that this specification and the claims appended hereto be accorded a breadth in keeping with the scope and spirit of the invention being disclosed despite what might appear to be limiting language imposed by the requirements of referring to the specific examples disclosed . to acquaint persons skilled in the pertinent arts most closely related to the present invention , a preferred embodiment of the method that illustrates the best mode now contemplated for putting the invention into practice is described herein by , and with reference to , the annexed drawings that form a part of the specification . the exemplary method is described in detail without attempting to describe all of the various forms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied . as such , the embodiments described herein are illustrative , and as will become apparent to those skilled in the arts , can be modified in numerous ways within the scope and spirit of the invention , the invention being measured by the appended claims and not by the details of the specification . although the following text sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments , it should be understood that the legal scope of the description is defined by the words of the claims set forth at the end of this disclosure . the detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment since describing every possible embodiment would be impractical , if not impossible . numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented , using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent , which would still fall within the scope of the claims . it should also be understood that , unless a term is expressly defined in this patent using the sentence “ as used herein , the term ‘ ______ ’ is hereby defined to mean . . . ” or a similar sentence , there is no intent to limit the meaning of that term , either expressly or by implication , beyond its plain or ordinary meaning , and such term should not be interpreted to be limited in scope based on any statement made in any section of this patent ( other than the language of the claims ) to the extent that any term recited in the claims at the end of this patent is referred to in this patent in a manner consistent with a single meaning , that is done for sake of clarity only so as to not confuse the reader , and it is not intended that such claim term by limited , by implication or otherwise , to that single meaning . finally , unless a claim element is defined by reciting the word “ means ” and a function without the recital of any structure , it is not intended that the scope of any claim element be interpreted based on the application of 35 u . s . c . § 112 , sixth paragraph . reference is now made to the drawing figures , and in particular fig1 - 3 . according to one embodiment of the present invention , a software - based system can provide the decision making capability to operate syringe pumps , which have been available for many years . in a preferred embodiment , all these devices ( shown in fig1 - 3 ) can be combined in one device to provide a safer alternative for these patients . in one embodiment , the system operates in conjunction with a pca pump apparatus . in an alternate embodiment , the system replaces the obsolete pca pump apparatus . referring to fig1 , a representation of the three components provided in a preferred embodiment would comprise : ( 1 ) an end - tidal co 2 monitor 2 sampling exhaled co 2 next to the nose through a small tube alongside the nasal cannula delivering oxygen inside the nose , with the sampled exhaled co 2 generating a wave form and respiratory rate that is displayed , recorded and sent to ( 2 ) a computer 4 or equivalent structure programmed to detect alarm conditions that sends a signal to ( 3 ) one or more existing syringe pumps 6 that respond by injecting the life - saving naloxone or other drug - reversal agent in the patient &# 39 ; s intravenous line . in another embodiment , the same naloxone reversal agent is separately and / or simultaneously delivered through a oxygen - supplying nasal cannula tube , as a nasal spray to be absorbed , either as the sole method of supplying the antidote , or as a fail - safe back - up mode in the event the intravenous line does not exist or is faulty . all these components could further be connected and made to function with the well - known rs - 232 interface , for example . fig2 is a schematic view of the system components discussed above , wherein a series of steps is provided that typically occurs in a system according to a preferred embodiment . according to this embodiment , the naloxone is delivered by a syringe pump 14 or by way of a nasal cannula 20 , or both . the nasal cannula 20 , which delivers oxygen to the patient , also applies slight suction through a separate tube near the patient &# 39 ; s nose , for monitoring exhaled co 2 from the patient . although the pca pump is shown in fig4 , it is expressly understood that the system may operate in conjunction with such an apparatus , or in the complete absence of such an apparatus . as shown , a patient monitoring unit 2 is provided in communication with a patient 26 and various system components . the patient monitoring unit 2 may be connected to a source of oxygen 8 for transmitting oxygen to a patient 26 through a nasal cannula 20 . the patient monitoring unit 2 may further be connected to and adapted for transmitting patient related data to an interface unit 4 , such as a laptop computer . in various embodiments , one or more interface units 4 are connected to and in communication with additional system components via known rs - 232 cable ( s ). the interface unit 4 may comprise an output 10 , such as a wireless signal and / or usb port for transmitting data to , for example , a nurse &# 39 ; s station . one of skill in the art will recognize that the type of information that may be transmitted through an output 10 is not limited to any particular patient information or distress signal . rather , the output 10 is adapted to convey any desired information that may be obtained from the patient monitoring unit 2 . in one embodiment , the interface unit 4 performs a detection step 12 wherein data received from the patient interface unit 2 is analyzed to determine whether or not respiratory depression may be occurring . in various embodiments , the step 12 is performed continuously . in one particular embodiments , the step 12 may be performed at predetermined intervals , the predetermined intervals being suitably short to be able to recognize a respiratory depression condition quickly ( e . g . at least approximately every 15 seconds ). the interface unit 4 is further connected to and in communication with an auto - syringe 14 or pump . in one embodiment , this connection / communication is accomplished through rs - 232 cable or similar devices including , for example , wireless devices . upon a determination of patient condition in step 12 requiring action , such as respiratory depression , the auto - syringe pump automatically dispenses a predetermined quantity of naloxone to the patient through a nasal cannula 20 and / or an intravenous line 22 . a patient 26 may additionally be provided with or connected to a pca pump 24 . in various embodiments , the interface unit 4 is further adapted for communication with and activation of additional stimulating means . for example , in one embodiment the interface unit 4 is in communication with a device 16 for providing an audible signal to a patient , such as an ear piece adapted for producing a spoken and / or pre - recorded command to the patient 26 . furthermore , the interface unit 4 may be additional adapted for prompting or initiating additional patient stimulation including , but not limited to activation of a finger - clip electrode 18 and / or dispensing of smelling salts or similar stimulating means . in one embodiment , features and devices of the present invention as described herein are packaged into a single unitary device . in an alternative embodiment , components are provided individually such that existing patient care facilities can be modified or updated with features of the present invention . fig2 depicts various embodiments , systems , and features which may be used alone or in combination with one another . accordingly , the present invention is not limited to any particular arrangement ( s ) as shown in fig2 . for example , where fig2 depicts an auto - syringe pump 14 , an audible output feature 16 , an optional patient stimulator 18 , a nasal cannula 20 , and an intravenous line 22 for dosing a patient , these and various other features may exist alone or in combination with one another in various embodiments of the present invention . the flow chart shown in fig3 indicates that in one embodiment of the present disclosure , labeled “ apnea rescue - bot ,” is connected by one or more input devices , which in turn are capable of receiving inputs from a post - operative patient receiving narcotics in order to detect alarm conditions 28 , 30 , 32 . alarm conditions might be , for example , a respiratory rate less than 4 for more than 60 seconds 28 , an end - tidal co 2 absolute level less than 10 ( normal 25 ), apnea ( no breathing ) for greater than 30 seconds 30 , or pulse oximetry less than 85 percent for greater than 15 seconds 32 . these or similar alarm conditions may first trigger the computer to request the patient audibly to take a deep breath 34 . in one embodiment , a response detection step 36 is provided . if no first response improved or changed the alarm state , step 40 is initiated wherein hospital staff would be notified to check the patient in any or all of various ways , depending on the alarm conditions initiated actions by the “ apnea rescue - bot .” either accompanying or following the audible command attempt to encourage breathing , a weak electrical stimulus may also be delivered by , for example , a separate 9 - volt battery via wires connected to ordinary adhesive ekg pads . if the patient did not breathe normally in response to audible or electrical stimulus , the computer , according to this embodiment , would elevate the severity of the alarm condition and command the syringe pump to inject naloxone to reverse respiratory depression systems before cardio - pulmonary arrest , brain injury or death . in one embodiment , an additional monitoring step 42 is provided wherein , in the absence of detection of satisfactory patient conditions , overhead paging for “ code blue ” 44 is accomplished by hard - wired , usb , or wireless connection to the paging system at the hospital . nurses responding immediately to check would often find the patient waking up and breathing again because of the short time naloxone takes to reverse narcotic effects on breathing and consciousness . alternatively , if the patient had not responded by the time the nurse reached the patient a “ code blue ” would already have been called , summoning all available help to resuscitate the patient . in one embodiment , wherein the patient does respond favorably to prompts contemplated at step 34 , the system provides a notification 38 to nurse , staff , or care - givers to verify the patient &# 39 ; s status and take any appropriate actions . in one embodiment , where appropriate patient conditions are detected at step 42 , narcotic delivery is suspended at step 46 and care - givers are notified of the incident . in a particular embodiment , notification is provided via a written report produced by the interface or computer . the written report may comprise various vital information , such as time of incident , patient conditions which triggered action , actions taken , and advice regarding subsequent patient monitoring and / or treatment . the invention described above may come in a number of various configurations . it could be conceived of as a sophisticated pca infusion pump , such that it would have self - correcting “ reverse capability ” or narcotic effect reversal , with or without “ braking ” or stopping of the narcotic delivery itself . these benefits would make stand - alone narcotic infusion pump technology without narcotic reversal capability obsolete , because the invention would include not only the best available monitoring capability to detect respiratory threats , but it would include the first and only automated rescue delivery system to provide emergency administration of the remedy . it is also contemplated that the present invention could include multiple monitoring modalities , such as blood pressure , ekg monitoring , or it could be used in the emergency department or anywhere patients are given sedatives for , by way of example but not limitation , colonoscopies , procedures in radiology , heart cath labs , and any place outside the operating room where they are continuously watched by anesthesiologists , the ultimate experts and inventors of critical care medicine . even though one of the invention uses would be for addressing problems with patients receiving narcotics , it is to be expressly understood that the invention could also be used in sleep apnea patients not being given narcotics . in various embodiments , the present invention provides an audible or electrical encouragement to breathe upon detecting the relevant patient condition , and simultaneously employs high - flow oxygen , which is known to provide beneficial and stimulating results . in one embodiment , the invention receives high - flow oxygen directly from the hospital wall source or a portable oxygen supply , and comprises its own internally adjustable valve . thus , in at least one embodiment , in response to alarm conditions , the present invention immediately administers high - flow oxygen both as a stimulus to breath and as a way to deliver the naloxone reversal in spray form through the nasal oxygen supply cannula . according to one embodiment , the invention comprises approximately 6 - 10 different resuscitation drugs together in a multi - compartment cassette , for use in critical cardiac arrest situations or very unstable patients . in a particular embodiment , the cassette contains naloxone , d50 glucose , epinephrine , atropine , phenylephrine , vasopressin , esmolol , cardizem , and adenosine . such a multi - compartment cassette could address chaotic scenarios in ers and other places where nurses are scrambling to locate these drugs , potentially rummaging through carts for these drugs , tearing open boxes , assembling syringe cartridge / injectors , looking for needles and syringes to suck drugs out of vials , etc . prior to the patient actually getting the needed drug . according to one particular embodiment , drugs could come pre - loaded in a manually or automatic multi - injector that could be overridden by physicians , or used before the arrival of higher - level personnel trained in resuscitation . there are several commonly used drugs in resuscitation scenarios , and much time and effort could be saved by having such drugs pre - packaged , so that a staff member could simply press one button , and the device , which is already plugged into the patient &# 39 ; s iv , could deliver the intended resuscitation drug . possible drugs include but are not limited to naloxone ( reverse narcotic ), d 50 ( sugar to reverse insulin overdose ), nahco 3 / bicarb ( to reverse high potassium and acidosis ), romazicon / flumazenil ( to reverse versed and valium ), glycopyrrolate ( robinul ) or atropine ( to speed up a slow heart ), phenylephrine ( to safely increase blood pressure without speeding up the heart ), epinephrine / adrenalin ( to raise the blood pressure and speed up the heart , facilitate defibrillation , treat shock and severe allergic reaction and shock ), esmolol ( safe short acting drug to slow down the heart ), vasopressin ( powerful drug for severe shock ), and cardizem and adenosine to slow rapid heart rhythms , in the event of a failed or unobtainable intravenous access , the device could also permit some or all of the drugs to be delivered intra - nasally . for example , in various embodiments , naloxone and other drugs are provided through a nasal cannula , either in addition to or in lieu of intravenous delivery . as it is known that naloxone presents little to no risk of adverse effects or overdose , a particular embodiment contemplates administering naloxone or similar agents through an intravenous and intra - nasally . according to a preferred embodiment , naloxone is pre - loaded in a proprietary tamper - proof cassette or syringe - injector . the preferred way to use the injector would be with the proprietary naloxone loads , to avoid it being used for any other purpose ( naloxone is harmless if injected rapidly , and other medications could be harmful if delivered fast in a non - proprietary user - accessible device ). the injector could deliver intravenously and / or intra - nasally through nasal oxygen cannula plugged into the apnea rescue - bot in response to apnea condition . the device could provide further an assessment of pain control based on respiratory rate or quality of end - tidal co 2 tracing , and advise whether the patient could safely tolerate more narcotic without respiratory depression , thus improving both comfort and the safety of patients . for example , respiratory rates greater than 20 with a high quality capnograph tracing would allow an increase in narcotic dosing , and could advise the nurse , or alternately allow the patient more frequent opportunities to self - medicate safely , without demanding more of nursing personnel . voice - activated patient requests could be evaluated and decided upon by the device if respiratory parameters were reasonable and no alarm conditions were being approached . according to this embodiment , all actions , alarms , and adjustments would be recorded , displayed , automatically entered into the emr ( electronic medical record ) or wirelessly relayed to the nursing station if desired . in another embodiment of the device , other therapeutic medications besides naloxone could be given intravenously or intra - nasally . for example , phenylephrine , used commonly as a vaso - constrictor to relieve nasal congestion is well known to have the side - effect of elevating blood pressure . this side effect could be exploited as a remedy for dangerously low blood pressure with nasal administration of the antidote , at least until an intravenous line could be established for the best support of low blood pressure . in addition , dangerously slow heart rates could be safely raised with dosages of glycopyrollate or atropine , dangerously fast heart rates could be slowed with esmolol ( which is metabolized in several minutes ), and dangerously high blood pressure could be lowered with any number of medications intra - nasally in judicious amounts . thus , the invention has another embodiment as a “ critical care rescue - bot ,” which may supply the necessary dosages either intravenously or intra - nasally ( in the event of intravenous line failure or prior to establishing an intravenous line , which occurs commonly ). according to varying embodiments described herein , the system and apparatus described above may all be controlled by a control system , such as a programmable logic controller or relay - based control system , with accompanying algorithms to govern the relationship between the monitoring inputs , the events or conditions and subsequent reporting or alarming for notification to hospital staff or other caregivers , as well as the actual automation of the various drugs being supplied to the patient . such control systems that are now known or developed in the future are contemplated with and considered within the scope of the present disclosure . it is to be expressly understood that uses for capnography monitoring devices and its rescue - oriented technology , other than the uses described above , are contemplated for use with the apparatus and method of the present disclosure . the device could easily be used in home health scenarios , for example . as described above , there could be a very basic device for patients with sleep apnea . currently , patients use cpap machines ( continuous positive airway pressure machines ) with tightly fitting masks to force oxygen through obstructed and collapsed airways , and it would be advantageous to have a monitoring capability on these machines that could stimulate them audibly or electrically . in various embodiments , features of the present invention including , but not limited to naloxone delivery , may be provided through known cpap machines . in various embodiments , less severe types of sleep apnea are treated with extra oxygen by nasal cannula , and built - in monitoring is provided with presently available co 2 , monitoring nasal cannula . in this embodiment , there is generally no need for naloxone reversal injection or nasal spray capability , with the possible exception of smelling salts . in various embodiments of the present invention , home health systems and features are provided . for example , patients who may generally qualify for discharge from a primary care facility ( e . g . hospital ), yet mat still be at risk for over - sedation with prescribed narcotic - opiate pain pills , and chronic pain or cancer patients requiring administration of narcotics could be monitored and / or treated in situations outside of a hospital or primary care facility with various embodiments of the present invention . for example , it is contemplated that a scaled - down version of the invention may be provided wherein an oxygen source comprises a portable oxygen tank rather than a wall - source , and various additional system components as shown and described herein are provided in sizes and formats adapted for home use . in various embodiments , a system is provided comprising the ability to meter , monitor , and / or detect the amount of a narcotic dispensed to a patient . in one embodiment , data related to the amount of a narcotic or pain - relieving drug provided to a patient ( e . g . through a pca pump ) is continuously monitored and automatically compared with relevant patient information such as age , weight , gender , etc . relevant patient information may be manually input into the system , such as through manual data entry at a terminal or interface upon check - in or admittance to a hospital . alternatively , relevant patient information may be automatically obtained from pre - existing medical records . in one embodiment , a system is provided with predetermined limits for various types of dispensed drugs and related patient information . in this embodiment , when the predetermined limits are exceeded , dispensing of drugs is at least temporarily prevented and / or naloxone or other reversal agents are dispensed to the patient . while various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail , it is apparent that modifications and alterations of those embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art . however , it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and alterations are within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure , as set forth in the following claims . the foregoing discussion of the disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description . the foregoing is not intended to limit the disclosure to the form or forms disclosed herein . in the foregoing detailed description for example , various features of the disclosure are grouped together in one or more embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure . this method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed disclosure requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim . rather , as the following claims reflect , inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment . thus , the following claims are hereby incorporated into this detailed description , with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of the disclosure . moreover , though the present disclosure has included description of one or more embodiments and certain variations and modifications , other variations and modifications are within the scope of the disclosure , e . g . the use of a certain component described above alone or in conjunction with other components may comprise a system , while in other aspects the system may be the combination of all of the components described herein , and in different order than that employed for the purpose of communicating the novel aspects of the present disclosure . other variations and modifications may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art , after understanding the present disclosure . this method of disclosure is intended to obtain rights which include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted , including alternate , interchangeable and / or equivalent structures , functions , ranges or steps to those claimed , whether or not such alternate , interchangeable and / or equivalent structures , functions , ranges or steps are disclosed herein , and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter . | US-94669810-A |
insects are combatted by treating the insects with a pyrogenically produced and hydrophobic silica . the insects can be sprayed with an aqueous dispersion of the pyrogenically produced and hydrophobic silica . alternatively , the insects can be dusted with the silica in powdery form . | so - called &# 34 ; dry water &# 34 ; with an aerosil content of 20 by weight was prepared with aerosil r 972 and water as a supply . this means that water is dispersed into the powdery silica . the bulk of the silica is so great that the water forms the discontinuous phase and stays dispersed in droplets in the silica . up to 90 % water can be dispersed into the silica in this way . low concentrations , e . g . 15 % by weight aerosil r 972 , suspended in water result in a paste . this paste forms a thick , broken layer after drying and a thin film of powdery material thereunder . the 15 % paste can be diluted with water to a concentration of 4 %, or lower , by weight . this suspension is sprayed onto the bottom of a petri dish with a known spraying device , dried in the course of 24 hours and tested for insecticidal action . the insects were placed into the petri dish . first , a 15 % dispersion and therefrom a 4 % suspension were produced in the same manner with aerosil r 974 . table 1 shows the results of the investigation of the insecticidal action in 14 examples . table 1__________________________________________________________________________continuous exposure of tribolium confusum duv . ( flour bettle ) to aerosilr 972 and r 974 dosage no . of cumulative mortality in days in % examplematerial tested mg insects 1 2 3 4 5 6 7__________________________________________________________________________1 aerosil r 972 100 10 50 80 1002 aerosil r 972 100 30 0 53 1003 aerosil r 972 15 30 0 70 97 97 97 97 1004 % susp . dehydrated4 like no . 3 15 30 0 70 97 97 1005 like no . 3 15 30 0 57 93 93 97 1006 untreated reference -- 30 0 0 0 0 0 07 aerosil r 972 300 30 0 97 10015 % susp . dehydrated8 like no . 7 100 30 0 90 97 1009 aerosil r 974 100 10 10010 aerosil r 974 100 30 80 10011 aerosil r 974 15 30 80 1004 % susp . dehydrated12 like no . 11 15 30 80 10013 like no . 11 15 30 70 10014 untreated reference -- 30 0 0 0 0 0 0__________________________________________________________________________ the hydrophobic silica as described herein after sufficient exposure of insect is insecticidal to the entire class of insecta ( hexapoda ) including their developmental stages but excepting eggs . after a limited exposure of insects to hydrophobic silica , a generally deterring to partially insecticidal action is obtained , depending on the time of exposure . the hydrophobic silica also is detrimental to some other classes of arthropods like e . g . crustacea -- sowbugs ; arachnida -- mites , ticks , spiders and some other economically less important arthropods . generally no insects resistant to inert sorptive dusts have been discovered and reported within last 35 years . the hydrophobic silica can be used in veterinary ( human ) medicine in the treatment of the following ectoparasitic conditions : 12 . lice , mites , fleas in domestic pigeons , lapwing plover , red jungle fowl , western red shafted flicker , yokohama chicken , golden pheasant , mocking bird , quail , peacock , ring necked pheasant , white turkey , canaries , parrots , parakeets , ducks , geese , condors . generally , dosages are not critical , sufficient silicas being used to contact the insect . if greater amounts are used the effect is essentially the same . there is no progressive effect beyond the minimum needed to obtain the necessary effect . thus for flour beetles an amount of 1 mg per 15 beetle was sufficient , where each beetle weighed about 1 mg . this is equal to about 0 . 06 mg silica / mg insect weight . further modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing and are intended to be encompassed by the appended claims . | US-42250589-A |
method for making a dual - textured food substrate having large seasoning bits whereby the bits are substantially adhered to the food substrate , or chip . a first topping comprising large seasoning bits and a dry adhesive is applied to a cooked chip having a first texture . the topped , cooked chip is then heated to a temperature such that the dry adhesive undergoes a glass transition and flows down around the bit to the bit and food substrate contact point . the topped , cooked chip is then subjected to changed process conditions , such as cooling , the adhesive hardens , and a bond is formed between the chip and the seasoning bits . a second topping having a second texture is then placed and melted onto the chip . the food ingredient properties are optimized to provide a shelf - stable dual - textured food product . | an embodiment of the innovative invention will now be described with reference to fig1 . seasoning , flavoring or illustrative bits 12 and an adhesive 14 are mixed together in a 30 - inch diameter mixer or tumbler 10 . as used herein , large seasoning bits 12 are food grade seasonings wherein at least 5 % of the bits , by weight , have a diameter exceeding 1 . 7 millimeters and are substantially between 1 . 7 and 17 . 0 millimeters diameter . in a preferred embodiment , vegetable oil 16 , preferably at a temperature of about 23 to 32 ° c . ( 74 to 90 ° f . ), is sprayed into the tumbler 10 to coat the seasoning bits 12 to function as a temporary liquid adhesive 16 and promote bonding between the dry adhesive 14 and the seasoning bits 12 . in an alternative embodiment , the temporary liquid adhesive 16 is heated to a temperature of about 43 to 60 ° c . ( 109 to 140 ° f .) prior to being sprayed in the tumbler 10 . the temporary adhesive 16 used can be any prior art adhesive oil including , but not limited to , olestra ®, corn oil , soybean oil , cottonseed oil , or palm oil . alternatively , an oil substitute can be used as a temporary liquid adhesive 16 . the objective is to coat the seasoning bits 12 to promote bonding with the dry adhesive 14 during mixing and until the dry adhesive 14 undergoes a glass transition phase . any temporary liquid adhesive 16 that meets this objective can be used . examples of an oil substitute that could be used as a temporary adhesive includes , but is not limited to glycerol , propylene glycol , alcohol , and mixtures thereof . a temporary liquid adhesive 16 may not be needed if the particle size of the dry adhesive 14 is small enough , and / or the individual bits 12 are porous enough , and / or the bit has a moist hydroscopic or oily exterior . the tumbler 10 is a cylindrical device that rotates and is typically used to add seasoning to a substrate &# 39 ; s total circumference . in this invention , however , the tumbler is used to admix adhesive 14 to the seasoning bit 12 . thus , although a tumbler 10 is described in this embodiment , any equivalent device including but not limited to , a mixer , a tumbler including a batch tumbler or a continuous tumbler , or a blender such as a batch blender , continuous blender , or ribbon blender may be used to admix the adhesive 14 to the seasoning bit . as used in this invention , a substrate is substantially cooked and can be a fried or baked snack food chip made from a dough , such as masa or other starch based dough . as used in this invention the terms substrate and chip are used interchangeably and refer to any wide variety of snack food items that are commonly commercially available including , but not limited to , potato chips , crackers , multigrain chips , corn chips , and tortilla chips . in one embodiment of the present invention , the substrate comprises a first texture that is crispy . seasoning bits 12 comprising textured vegetable protein , flavored vegetable bits , or colored bits are commercially available . for example , bac &# 39 ; n pieces ™ bacon flavored bits can be purchased from mccormick ® of sparks , md . in many local grocery stores . the bits can also comprise corn flour or wheat flour , independently or in combination . hence , the bits can consist of textured vegetable protein , corn flour , wheat flour , and combinations thereof . in one embodiment , the bits have a moisture content preferably less than about 5 %. following admixing in the tumbler 10 , the seasoning bits 12 and adhesive 14 are then transferred 22 to a first topping unit 20 . a topping unit 20 manufactured by raque , of louisville , ky . can be used . corn syrup solids are defined by the fda as dried glucose syrups in which the reducing sugar content is 20 dextrose equivalent or higher . in one embodiment , the dry adhesive 14 used preferably comprises corn syrup solids with a dextrose equivalent more than 20 and most preferably between about 20 and 50 . this dextrose equivalent range can result in reduced chewiness , shininess , and sweetness . dextrose equivalents higher than about 50 can be used , but result in a sweeter , as opposed to savory flavor . numerous other carbohydrate adhesives can also be used including , but not limited to dextrose , dextrin , maltodextrose , sucrose , polydextrose , and combinations thereof . these carbohydrates can be purchased from various suppliers including national starch and chemical company of bridgewater , n . j ., danisco cultor of new century , kans ., and tate & amp ; lyle plc located in london , england . in an alternative embodiment , maltodextrin , defined by the fda as dried glucose syrups in which the reducing sugar content is less than 20 dextrose equivalent can be used . use of maltodextrin , however , can require the use of steam to activate the adhesive . by using corn syrup solids instead of a water - based or steam requiring adhesive , a crisp chip texture is preserved because hydration and subsequent thermal drying is greatly reduced . thus , use of corn syrup solids or other acceptable carbohydrate results in a preferable dry adhesive application . again , although this invention is described with reference to a fried tortilla chip , any food substrate including , but not limited to , a chip , a cracker , a baked chip , an extruded snack , or a puffed snack , can be used . prior to the chip entering the fryer 30 , the dough is made by any one of a number of standard methods well known in the art . a novel and unique combination of modifications , however , can be made to the prior art dough and / or the dough ingredients to enhance the crispiness of the underlying topped substrate . for example , in a tortilla chip embodiment , a coarser corn grind , preferably made from the corn mill having a gap between about 0 . 0020 and about 0 . 0030 millimeters , and more preferably having a gap between about 0 . 0023 and about 0 . 0026 millimeters can be used . a coarser grind requires less shear when corn is ground into masa , decreasing the amount of starch gelatinization and increasing the amount of larger ground corn particles in the masa . larger particles cause the chip texture to remain more coarse which conveys a heartier , crunchier , and crispier chip . less gelatinization provides thinner surface film formation during frying . in addition , larger ground corn particle sizes cause more disruptions , even more so in a thinner surface film . when the dough is fried , water within the dough can more easily escape through these disruptions as steam , resulting in a chip with a lower moisture content . a lower moisture content chip results in a crispier texture . further , the product will contain less steam build - up within the chip during frying , which in turn reduces the amount and size of surface blisters produced , further resulting in a crispier texture . starch , preferably between about 2 % and about 10 % by weight of the dough , can be added to the dough to absorb more water during masa production . in one embodiment , waxy corn starch is used . again , when this water is subsequently released during frying , smaller and more numerous surface blisters are created resulting in a crisper texture . a low gluten flour , preferably between about 2 % and about 35 % by weight of the dough , can be used in the dough for organoleptic properties . in one embodiment , wheat flour is used . typically , a dough product is compressed between a pair of counter rotating sheeter rollers that are located closely together , thereby providing a pinch point through which the dough is formed into sheets . the dough can then be cut by , for example , a cutting roller to form the shape of the product desired . alternatively , the dough or masa is extruded and cut into a desired chip shape . after the dough or masa is cut , the chips are transported towards and through a toast oven . the chips should be toasted to achieve a pre - cook moisture content between about 22 % and about 30 %. for this , the chips are deposited onto a moving belt . after toasting , the shaped chips have increased stiffness for insertion into a fryer 30 . in one embodiment , the toasted chips , prior to being fried , are passed through a proofing stage where the chips are exposed to ambient air for a specified amount of time to equilibrate moisture . after proofing , chips are transferred to a fryer 30 . to convey the chips into the fryer 30 , the chips are removed from the toasting belt or conveyor and placed onto the fryer conveyer 32 . because flat substrate facilitates even application of the seasoning bits 12 , in the preferred embodiment , a monolayer fryer 30 is utilized to help ensure a flat substrate and minimize chip curl . the monolayer fryer 30 has two belts ; an upper belt and a lower belt . the substrate is positioned between the two belts as it moves through the fryer 30 . the two - belt system minimizes chip curl and keeps the chip flat as it moves through the fryer . the chip , in the example of a tortilla chip , is in the monolayer fryer for a dwell time of about 52 to 56 seconds at a temperature of about 170 - 207 ° c . ( 338 - 404 ° f .). a monolayer fryer also provides for more uniform frying and thus allows the chips to produce consistent blisters and a more uniform , lower exit moisture content . as used herein , an exit moisture content is the moisture content following the cooking of the food substrate . in one embodiment , the exit moisture content of a chip fried in a monolayer is preferably between about 0 . 5 and about 1 . 0 %. batch frying , on the other hand , results in variable moisture content , blister formation and finished oil contents . moreover , prior art exit moisture contents typically exceed 1 . 0 %. a lower exit moisture content results in a crispier chip . in addition , a drier , lower moisture content chip comprises more surface oil than interior oil . this surface oil helps to protect the chips from absorbing excess moisture during the topping process ( discussed below ). in an alternative embodiment , any fryer 30 known in the art can be used . after exiting the fryer 30 , the substrate proceeds along an open mesh conveyer belt 42 and cools to approximately 100 ° f . to 150 ° f . because this temperature is still above ambient , moisture migration onto the chip substrate is retarded . although numerous modifications are disclosed to illustrate a preferred embodiment , the essence of the invention can be achieved with fewer than all of the dough ingredient and processing modifications disclosed , as those skilled in the art are likely to recognize . after the chip has been fried , the seasoning bits 12 and adhesive 14 are then applied 24 to the chip via a topping unit 20 or other topping means . the chip is then sent to a first oven 40 . an impingement oven such as model imdj - 45as - 1 , manufactured by heat and control , inc ., of hayward , calif . can be used as the first oven . the chip is transported through the first oven 40 on an open mesh conveyer belt for approximately 17 seconds . the elevated oven temperature , preferably about 190 to 232 ° c . ( 374 to 450 ° f . ), serves to trigger the glass transition phase of the dry adhesive 14 onto the substrate . in one embodiment , steam 44 between 6 . 9 and 34 . 5 kpa ( 1 and 5 psi ) is injected into the first oven 40 to expedite activation of the dry adhesive 14 by lowering the glass transition temperature of the adhesive via the addition of water vapor . in this embodiment , the chip then proceeds out of the first oven 40 along the open mesh conveyer belt 52 into a second oven 50 to drive off the moisture added in the first oven as steam . in the second oven 50 , the chip proceeds on an open mesh conveyer belt for approximately 17 seconds at an elevated temperature range of about 190 to 232 ° c . ( 374 to 450 ° f .). the second oven 50 can be a make and model identical to the first oven 40 . in an alternative embodiment , only one oven , without steam , is used to trigger the glass transition phase of the dry adhesive . in such an embodiment , the oven temperature remains the same about 190 to 232 ° c . ( 374 to 450 ° f .). in addition , the total dwell time also remains the same at about 34 seconds . in alternative embodiments , longer or shorter dwell times and higher or lower temperatures could be used . the dwell time and temperature need only be sufficient to promote a glass transition change in the dry adhesive 14 . an airforce ® impingement oven , manufactured by heat & amp ; control , inc . of hayward , calif . can be used as in the single - oven embodiment . as used herein , an adhering means for adhering a seasoning bit to a substrate is meant to include any edible carbohydrate blend that undergoes a glass transition change at an adhesive ( as opposed to oven ) temperature between 40 and 60 ° c . when the adhesive has a moisture content of between about 4 to 8 %. as those skilled in the art are aware , the glass transition temperature range of the dry adhesive 14 changes relative to the moisture content . the higher the moisture content , the lower the glass transition temperature range . conversely , the lower the moisture content , the higher the glass transition temperature range . thus , if the moisture content of the adhesive is raised above or below 4 to 8 %, then the corresponding glass transition temperature range will change as well . however , such changes should be construed to be within the spirit and scope of the claimed invention . the chip then proceeds out of the second oven 50 along the open mesh conveyer belt 72 where it begins to cool . in one embodiment , the chip cools for approximately 30 seconds . the dry adhesive 14 hardens on cooling to affect a strong bond between the seasoning bits 12 topping and the substrate . in one embodiment , the steps of adding and heating the seasoning bits 12 above the glass transition temperature of the dry adhesive 14 and then allowing the seasoning bit 12 , adhesive 14 , and substrate to cool below the adhesive &# 39 ; s 14 glass transition temperature could be repeated to form a multi - layered chip . by repeating these steps , two or more layers of seasoning bits 12 could be added to a single substrate or chip . in a preferred embodiment of the invention , a second topping , preferably , but not necessarily , in the form of cheese shreds , a cheese - like topping , or a cheese topping is then applied to the bit - topped substrate via a second topping unit 60 . unlike the first topping comprising the bits , the second topping has a lower melting temperature than the seasoning bits 12 of the first topping and no additional adhesive is required to adhere the second topping to the substrate . in one embodiment , the second topping having a second texture comprises a softer texture than the first texture of the crispy substrate . a shelf - stable cheese analog as disclosed in u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 649 , 825 and assigned to kerry specialty ingredients of beloit , wis . can be used as the second topping . fig2 is a graph representation depicting the moisture sorption or desorption isotherms for the major ingredients in one embodiment of the invention . a moisture sorption isotherm is a graphical representation of the relationship between the moisture content of a food ingredient that absorbs moisture and the aw of that food ingredient at a particular , constant temperature . the x - axis represents the aw and the y - axis represents the moisture percentage of the main food components . an example of a chip moisture sorption isotherm 202 and adhesive sorption isotherm 204 is depicted in fig2 . a desorption isotherm is a graphical representation of the relationship between the moisture content of a food ingredient that loses moisture and the aw of that food ingredient at a particular , constant temperature . a shelf - stable cheese analog moisture desorption isotherm 206 is depicted in fig2 . as used herein , sorption slope is defined as the slope of the sorption or desorption curve of a particular water activity value . the steeper the sorption slope , the higher the propensity to absorb water . conversely , the more level the slope , the lower the propensity of a food ingredient to absorb water . thus , it is advantageous for the chewy , softer texture food ingredients to comprise a steeper sorption slope than the crispy food ingredients to control moisture migration . for example , in one embodiment , the adhesive sorption slope 204 is steeper than the chip sorption slope 202 . because of the adhesive &# 39 ; s steeper sorption slope 204 , the adhesive helps buffer moisture uptake by the substrate . hence , in one embodiment , the crispy chip substrate sorption slope 206 is always less steep than the cheese sorption slope 202 and often less steep than the adhesive sorption slope 204 . the second topping cheese analog comprises a fresh aw between about 0 . 40 and about 0 . 50 and a heated aw between about 0 . 30 and about 0 . 40 and comprises a desorption slope steeper than the sorption slope of the crispy base as illustrated by fig2 . a fresh aw is the aw of the cheese prior to the cheese being melted . the heated aw is the aw of the cheese after the cheese has been melted on the crispy substrate ( discussed below ). moreover , at least one humectant can be used in the second topping to further inhibit moisture migration from the second , soft topping . a humectant is an ingredient that promotes the absorption and retention of moisture . humetectants that can be used include , but are not limited to , glycerin , propylene glycol , sodium lactate and sodium acetate . in addition , other water binding systems such as cellulose can also be used in the second topping . the second topping can comprise at least one humectant between about 10 percent to about 40 percent , cellulose between about 1 percent to about 5 percent , or combinations thereof based on the weight of the second topping . referring back to fig1 , the second topping unit 60 can be the same model and type as first topping unit 20 . following application of the second topping , the chip is then routed to a third oven 70 . the third oven 70 is preferably an infrared raymax 1525 , manufactured by watlow electric manufacturing company , of st . louis , mo . the chip is routed to a third oven 70 on an open mesh conveyer belt 72 . the chip proceeds through the third oven 70 for a dwell time of approximately 60 seconds with an oven temperature about 82 to 138 ° c . ( 180 to 280 ° f .). in alternative embodiments , shorter or longer dwell times and higher or lower temperatures could be used . the dwell time and temperature need only be sufficient to melt the second set of toppings . the chip then proceeds out of the third oven 70 on an open mesh conveyer belt 92 where it is sprayed with an atomized oil or other liquid adhesive from both the top and the bottom . unlike the temporary adhesive 16 , the objective with this liquid adhesive is to provide a more permanent adhesive to bind a seasoning with the chip and the toppings . an oil spray applicator 80 manufactured by goe - avins of amherst , n . y ., model # osm - 5000 - bp - 3065 can be used . although many types of liquid adhesives including lard , other animal - based oils , and vegetable - based oils can be used as the atomized spray , a preferred embodiment uses corn or soybean oil . the liquid adhesive or oil should be sprayed at an elevated temperature , preferably about 43 to 60 ° c . ( 109 to 140 ° f .). following oil atomization , the chip passes through a seasoning applicator 90 where a particulate flavored seasoning 94 is applied to both sides of the chip . the seasoning applicator 90 first applies seasoning 94 to the topside of the chip on an open mesh conveyer belt . the chip is then flipped onto another open mesh conveyer belt and the other side is then seasoned . a seasoning applicator manufactured by arbo of toronto , ontario , canada model number kdc - vv 12 ″× 20 ″× 45 ″ can be used . the chip may then be further cooled and sent to be packaged 96 . while this invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . | US-75557704-A |
a peel - apart edible pet treat and method for preparing same is disclosed in the present invention . the peel - apart edible pet treat described is characterized by a plurality of longitudinally oriented individual strands conjoined within in a compressed bundle of conjoined strands . individual strands may be removed one - by - one in a substantially intact form from the compressed bundle of conjoined strands by pulling one of the individual strands starting at either end of the compressed bundle of individual conjoined strands . when one or more individual strands are removed , the remaining strands are still conjoined to in the bundle to provide protection from drying and flaking . | as required , detailed embodiments of the process for manufacturing peel apart pet treats are disclosed herein ; however , it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the process and the treats , which may be embodied in various forms . therefore , specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting , but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the apparatus in virtually any appropriately detailed structure . referring now to the drawing figures , the subject peel - apart pet treat 1 is illustrated in fig1 where both the bundle of compressed strands 2 is shown and an illustration showing of two of the strands 3 partially pulled or separated from the bundle of compressed strands 2 . fig2 shows a process for manufacturing peel apart pet treats 1 including the step of providing a quantity of dry ingredients . the dry ingredients include quantities of both primary and secondary ingredients 4 and 5 . the primary ingredients 4 , include various types of flour , such as wheat flour , corn flour , soy flour , gelatin , salt , wheat gluten , potassium chloride and potassium sorbate , and any other suitable major ingredient commonly found in pet food products , and combinations thereof . the secondary dry ingredients 5 include one or more of cheese powder , antioxidants , dyes , and bleaching agents , including calcium sulfate , titanium dioxide , alphadim and pet - ox plus , and combinations thereof . the dry ingredients may be preblended or mixed and ground by a hammer mill . they may be shipped and delivered by pneumatic tanker truck for storage in bins at the manufacturing facility or they may be prepared at the manufacturing facility starting from individual ingredients . the primary and secondary dry ingredients 4 and 5 may be transferred into the manufacturing plant from the storage bins via a pneumatic conveying system or any other suitable method . a predetermined quantity of each of the primary dry ingredients is conveyed to a hopper , which is located on or equipped with a scale for weighing the primary dry material 4 . the weighed material is then discharged into a mixer 6 where the material is next mixed . while in the mixer 6 , predetermined quantities of each of the secondary dry ingredients 5 are conveyed , either pneumatically or by other suitable means , to the mixer 6 , and blended with the primary ingredients 4 . at the conclusion of the mixing cycle , the blended dry ingredients are transferred via a pneumatic conveying system or other suitable means to the cooker extrusion system . the cooker extrusion system includes a feed bin and feeder 7 , conditioner 8 , and a cooker / extruder 9 . the dry material is held in the feed bin , which acts a surge for the cooker extrusion system . from the feed bin , the mixed dry material is metered into the conditioner 8 via the feeder 7 . the feeder 7 is arranged on a variable speed system in order to control the mass flow of the material into ( and out of ) the cooker extruder system . the conditioner 8 is a twin shaft , continuous mixer . a quantity of liquid slurry 10 is provided for mixing with the dry ingredients . the slurry 10 includes a mixture of corn syrup , chicken meat , water , propylene glycol , glycerin , phosphoric acid , cheese flavor , and poultry fat . the slurry 10 is prepared in a mixing tank , where the temperature is maintained at about 140 ° f . the slurry 10 is metered from the slurry tank into the conditioner 8 via a pump and flow meter system . in the conditioner 8 , the dry material , and the slurry 10 are mixed together . saturated steam 11 is injected into the conditioner 8 to start the cooking process . preselected quantities of other ingredients may be added to the material in the conditioner 8 , including , for example , quantities of dye , water , fat , and combinations thereof . the fat may be provided , for example , in the form of an oil , such as canola oil . the temperature of the material exiting the conditioner 8 may be controlled by the quantity of steam 11 added to the conditioner 8 . in this application , the temperature of the product at the discharge of the conditioner 8 is about 212 ° f . in the next step , the material discharged from the conditioner 8 enters the barrel of the cooker / extruder 9 . an exemplary cooker / extruder 9 is available from extru - tech , incl , model e525 , some specifications for which are available at www . extru - techinc . com . the exemplary cooker / extruder 9 is a high speed screw conveyor designed to tranform electrical energy into mechanical energy . the extruder screw configuration may be altered , depending on process requirements . the cooker / extruder 9 includes a die plate adjacent to the exit port that restricts the flow of extrudate . such restriction causes the pressure of the material inside the extruder to increase . one exemplary die plate includes 5 extruder inserts , with each insert having 16 openings , each opening having a diameter of 3 . 2 mm . since the material is heated in the cooker / extruder to at least about 212 ° f ., the boiling point of water , and the material contains a certain quantity of water , and the material is pressurized to above atmospheric pressure within the cooker / extruder , the homogenous extrudate in the cooker / extruder will expand as it exits through the cooker / extruder die as the super - heated water in the extrudate flashes to steam and water vapor at the cooker / extruder exit . the cooked or semi - cooked product exits the extruder die via the previously mentioned extruder inserts . the multiplicity of extrudate streams formed from each insert facilitates reduction of the product mass to enable flash - off of the maximum quantity of water vapor . however , those skilled in the art will appreciate that the extruder exit die may include a greater or lesser number of apertures to accomplish water vapor flash off and cooling of the cooked or partially cooked extrudate . the streams of extrudate fall onto a conveyor belt 12 where they are exposed to atmospheric pressure and ambient temperature . the product is next permitted to cool on the conveyor belt 12 until it reaches a temperature below 212 ° f . or the boiling point of water . the belt conveyor 12 next transports the partially cooked product to the feed port of the product densification unit 13 . an exemplary product densification unit is available from extru - tech inc ., model e750 , some specifications for which are available at www . extru - techinc . com . the product densification unit 13 is an extrusion device having a low speed , larger diameter extruder barrel . this apparatus is designed for low shear operation , whereby minimal mechanical energy will be transmitted to the extrudate . if the product temperature in the product densification unit is maintained below about 212 ° f ., expansion at the exit port die plate attributable to water vapor flash will be minimized . the product densification unit includes a die plate 14 ( illustrated in 3 ) having two dividing extrusion die inserts 15 ( also further illustrated in fig4 ) each having an exemplary diameter of about 1 . 25 inches , and an exemplary thickness of about 0 . 125 inch . the dividing die inserts 15 divide the flow of material into a plurality of discrete streams , such as , for example , about 12 streams . after the material passes through the dividing inserts 15 , the different streams or strands are compressed or conjoined back together via a compressor die orifice 16 ( also further illustrated in fig5 ) which is a circular orifice having a tapered inlet section . an exemplary exit compressor orifice 16 has a diameter of about 0 . 625 inch . the material exits the compressor die orifice 16 in a rope like fashion , and is , for example , approximately 0 . 700 inch in diameter . the illustrated die 14 produces two such ropes . the ropes are transferred continuously to a cutting mechanism 17 which cuts them into treats 1 having a predetermined length , such as , for example , about 3 inches . following cutting the treats are cooled in a two pass belt cooler and boxed for finished packaging . while the peel - apart pet treat 1 product may present a generally cylindrical appearance , the cylindrical shape contains conjoined individual strands 3 and these individual strands 3 may be peeled off one by one by a user starting from either end of the compressed bundle 2 of conjoined strands 3 of the peel - apart pet treat 1 for providing a treat to a pet as desired . advantageously , the remaining unpeeled strands remain conjoined in a compressed bundle 2 and are thereby protected from drying and flaking and provide the user with the additional experience of removing additional individual strands 3 from the compressed bundle of conjoined strands 2 . the preferred embodiment of the present invention is further expressed by the following example . dry ingredients were prepared by mixing the following ingredients in the ratios indicated below : 29 . 4 % wheat flour 21 . 2 % corn flour 16 . 3 % soy flour 10 . 6 % pregelatinized corn flour 7 . 3 % gelatin 4 . 9 % cheese powder 2 . 9 % vital wheat gluten 2 . 4 % calcium sulfate 1 . 6 % titanium dioxide 1 . 2 % salt 0 . 9 % potassium chloride 0 . 8 % emulsifier 0 . 5 % potassium sorbate 0 . 05 % antioxidant liquid ingredients were prepared by mixing the following in the ratios indicated below to create a liquid slurry : 36 . 3 % corn syrup 30 . 2 % chicken meat 12 . 1 % water 9 . 1 % propylene glycol 9 . 1 % glycerin 3 % phosphoric acid 0 . 3 % cheese flavor the liquid and dry ingredients were metered into a twin - shaft conditioner where steam and poultry fat were added . the conditioner discharged into a extru - tech e525 single screw cooking extruder where the ingredients were partially cooked . the cooking extruder die had 5 inserts , each with 16 openings at 3 . 2 mm diameter each . the partially cooked material traveled on a conveyor belt where it was cooled , then delivered into a extru - tech e750 product densification extruder . the discharge of the product densification extruder was capped with a die having two compressing orifices each preceded by one product separation insert . each product separation insert had 12 product separation orifices . after exiting the compressing orifices , the product was cut to length , cooled , and packaged . dry feed rate : 1225 lbs / hr slurry rate : 660 . 38 lbs / hr poultry fat rate : 30 lbs / hr process water ( steam ): 80 lbs / hr conditioner discharge temperature : 215 f extruder rpm : 400 extruder amps : 61 cooling all barrel jackets product densification unit rpm : 57 moisture : 21 . 74 %- 22 . 15 % protein : 17 . 3 %- 17 . 6 % fat : 6 . 16 %- 6 . 35 % glycerin : 2 . 9 %- 3 . 1 % propylene glycol : 2 . 9 %- 3 . 1 % starch : 29 %- 32 % number of conjoined strands : 12 cut length : 3 . 5 to 3 . 8 inches product diameter : 0 . 7 inches it is to be understood that while certain forms of the peel - apart pet treat have been illustrated and described herein , it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown . | US-33481308-A |
a surgical instrument is provided . the surgical instrument includes : a handle assembly ; a jaw assembly comprising a staple cartridge containing a plurality of staples and an anvil to form the plurality of staples upon firing ; a drive assembly at least partially located within the handle and connected to the jaw assembly and the lockout mechanism ; a motor disposed within the handle assembly and operatively coupled to the drive assembly ; and a controller operatively coupled to the motor , the controller configured to control supply of electrical current to the motor and to monitor a current draw of the motor , wherein the controller is further configured to terminate the supply of electrical current to the motor in response to a rate of change of the current draw indicative of a mechanical limit of at least one of the jaw assembly , the drive assembly , or the motor . | a surgical system , in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure , is generally designated as 10 , and is in the form of a powered hand held electromechanical instrument configured for selective attachment thereto of a plurality of different end effectors that are each configured for actuation and manipulation by the powered hand held electromechanical surgical instrument . as illustrated in fig1 , surgical instrument 100 is configured for selective connection with an adapter 200 , and , in turn , adapter 200 is configured for selective connection with an end effector or single use loading unit 300 . as illustrated in fig1 - 3 , surgical instrument 100 includes a handle housing 102 having a lower housing portion 104 , an intermediate housing portion 106 extending from and / or supported on lower housing portion 104 , and an upper housing portion 108 extending from and / or supported on intermediate housing portion 106 . intermediate housing portion 106 and upper housing portion 108 are separated into a distal half - section 110 a that is integrally formed with and extending from the lower portion 104 , and a proximal half - section 110 b connectable to distal half - section 110 a by a plurality of fasteners . when joined , distal and proximal half - sections 110 a , 110 b define a handle housing 102 having a cavity 102 a therein in which a circuit board 150 and a drive mechanism 160 is situated . distal and proximal half - sections 110 a , 110 b are divided along a plane that traverses a longitudinal axis “ x ” of upper housing portion 108 , as seen in fig2 and 3 . handle housing 102 includes a gasket 112 extending completely around a rim of distal half - section and / or proximal half - section 110 a , 110 b and being interposed between distal half - section 110 a and proximal half - section 110 b . gasket 112 seals the perimeter of distal half - section 110 a and proximal half - section 110 b . gasket 112 functions to establish an air - tight seal between distal half - section 110 a and proximal half - section 110 b such that circuit board 150 and drive mechanism 160 are protected from sterilization and / or cleaning procedures . in this manner , the cavity 102 a of handle housing 102 is sealed along the perimeter of distal half - section 110 a and proximal half - section 110 b yet is configured to enable easier , more efficient assembly of circuit board 150 and a drive mechanism 160 in handle housing 102 . intermediate housing portion 106 of handle housing 102 provides a housing in which circuit board 150 is situated . circuit board 150 is configured to control the various operations of surgical instrument 100 , as will be set forth in additional detail below . lower housing portion 104 of surgical instrument 100 defines an aperture ( not shown ) formed in an upper surface thereof and which is located beneath or within intermediate housing portion 106 . the aperture of lower housing portion 104 provides a passage through which wires 152 pass to electrically interconnect electrical components ( a battery 156 , as illustrated in fig4 , a circuit board 154 , as illustrated in fig3 , etc .) situated in lower housing portion 104 with electrical components ( circuit board 150 , drive mechanism 160 , etc .) situated in intermediate housing portion 106 and / or upper housing portion 108 . handle housing 102 includes a gasket 103 disposed within the aperture of lower housing portion 104 ( not shown ) thereby plugging or sealing the aperture of lower housing portion 104 while allowing wires 152 to pass therethrough . gasket 103 functions to establish an air - tight seal between lower housing portion 106 and intermediate housing portion 108 such that circuit board 150 and drive mechanism 160 are protected from sterilization and / or cleaning procedures . as shown , lower housing portion 104 of handle housing 102 provides a housing in which a rechargeable battery 156 , is removably situated . battery 156 is configured to supply power to any of the electrical components of surgical instrument 100 . lower housing portion 104 defines a cavity ( not shown ) into which battery 156 is inserted . lower housing portion 104 includes a door 105 pivotally connected thereto for closing cavity of lower housing portion 104 and retaining battery 156 therein . with reference to fig3 and 5 , distal half - section 110 a of upper housing portion 108 defines a nose or connecting portion 108 a . a nose cone 114 is supported on nose portion 108 a of upper housing portion 108 . nose cone 114 is fabricated from a transparent material . an illumination member 116 is disposed within nose cone 114 such that illumination member 116 is visible therethrough . illumination member 116 is may be a light emitting diode printed circuit board ( led pcb ). illumination member 116 is configured to illuminate multiple colors with a specific color pattern being associated with a unique discrete event . upper housing portion 108 of handle housing 102 provides a housing in which drive mechanism 160 is situated . as illustrated in fig5 , drive mechanism 160 is configured to drive shafts and / or gear components in order to perform the various operations of surgical instrument 100 . in particular , drive mechanism 160 is configured to drive shafts and / or gear components in order to selectively move tool assembly 304 of end effector 300 ( see fig1 and 9 ) relative to proximal body portion 302 of end effector 300 , to rotate end effector 300 about a longitudinal axis “ x ” ( see fig2 ) relative to handle housing 102 , to move anvil assembly 306 relative to cartridge assembly 308 of end effector 300 , and / or to fire a stapling and cutting cartridge within cartridge assembly 308 of end effector 300 . the drive mechanism 160 includes a selector gearbox assembly 162 that is located immediately proximal relative to adapter 200 . proximal to the selector gearbox assembly 162 is a function selection module 163 having a first motor 164 that functions to selectively move gear elements within the selector gearbox assembly 162 into engagement with an input drive component 165 having a second motor 166 . as illustrated in fig1 - 4 , and as mentioned above , distal half - section 110 a of upper housing portion 108 defines a connecting portion 108 a configured to accept a corresponding drive coupling assembly 210 of adapter 200 . as illustrated in fig6 - 8 , connecting portion 108 a of surgical instrument 100 has a cylindrical recess 108 b that receives a drive coupling assembly 210 of adapter 200 when adapter 200 is mated to surgical instrument 100 . connecting portion 108 a houses three rotatable drive connectors 118 , 120 , 122 . when adapter 200 is mated to surgical instrument 100 , each of rotatable drive connectors 118 , 120 , 122 of surgical instrument 100 couples with a corresponding rotatable connector sleeve 218 , 220 , 222 of adapter 200 as shown in fig6 . in this regard , the interface between corresponding first drive connector 118 and first connector sleeve 218 , the interface between corresponding second drive connector 120 and second connector sleeve 220 , and the interface between corresponding third drive connector 122 and third connector sleeve 222 are keyed such that rotation of each of drive connectors 118 , 120 , 122 of surgical instrument 100 causes a corresponding rotation of the corresponding connector sleeve 218 , 220 , 222 of adapter 200 . the mating of drive connectors 118 , 120 , 122 of surgical instrument 100 with connector sleeves 218 , 220 , 222 of adapter 200 allows rotational forces to be independently transmitted via each of the three respective connector interfaces . the drive connectors 118 , 120 , 122 of surgical instrument 100 are configured to be independently rotated by drive mechanism 160 . in this regard , the function selection module 163 of drive mechanism 160 selects which drive connector or connectors 118 , 120 , 122 of surgical instrument 100 is to be driven by the input drive component 165 of drive mechanism 160 . since each of drive connectors 118 , 120 , 122 of surgical instrument 100 has a keyed and / or substantially non - rotatable interface with respective connector sleeves 218 , 220 , 222 of adapter 200 , when adapter 200 is coupled to surgical instrument 100 , rotational force ( s ) are selectively transferred from drive mechanism 160 of surgical instrument 100 to adapter 200 . the selective rotation of drive connector ( s ) 118 , 120 and / or 122 of surgical instrument 100 allows surgical instrument 100 to selectively actuate different functions of end effector 300 . as will be discussed in greater detail below , selective and independent rotation of first drive connector 118 of surgical instrument 100 corresponds to the selective and independent opening and closing of tool assembly 304 of end effector 300 , and driving of a stapling / cutting component of tool assembly 304 of end effector 300 . also , the selective and independent rotation of second drive connector 120 of surgical instrument 100 corresponds to the selective and independent articulation of tool assembly 304 of end effector 300 transverse to longitudinal axis “ x ” ( see fig2 ). additionally , the selective and independent rotation of third drive connector 122 of surgical instrument 100 corresponds to the selective and independent rotation of end effector 300 about longitudinal axis “ x ” ( see fig2 ) relative to handle housing 102 of surgical instrument 100 . as mentioned above and as illustrated in fig5 and 8 , drive mechanism 160 includes a selector gearbox assembly 162 ; and a function selection module 163 , located proximal to the selector gearbox assembly 162 , that functions to selectively move gear elements within the selector gearbox assembly 162 into engagement with second motor 166 . thus , drive mechanism 160 selectively drives one of drive connectors 118 , 120 , 122 of surgical instrument 100 at a given time . as illustrated in fig1 - 3 , handle housing 102 supports a control assembly 107 on a distal surface or side of intermediate housing portion 108 . the control assembly 107 is a fully - functional mechanical subassembly that can be assembled and tested separately from the rest of the instrument 100 prior to coupling thereto . control assembly 107 , in cooperation with intermediate housing portion 108 , supports a pair of finger - actuated control buttons 124 , 126 and a pair rocker devices 128 , 130 within a housing 107 a . the control buttons 124 , 126 are coupled to extension shafts 125 , 127 respectively . in particular , control assembly 107 defines an upper aperture 124 a for slidably receiving the extension shaft 125 , and a lower aperture 126 a for slidably receiving the extension shaft 127 . reference may be made to a commonly - owned u . s . patent application ser . no . 13 / 331 , 047 , the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein , for a detailed discussion of the construction and operation of the surgical instrument 100 . referring to fig9 , drive assembly 360 of end effector 300 includes a flexible drive shaft 364 having a distal end which is secured to a dynamic drive beam 365 , and a proximal engagement section 368 . engagement section 368 includes a stepped portion defining a shoulder 370 . a proximal end of engagement section 368 includes diametrically opposed inwardly extending fingers 372 . fingers 372 engage a hollow drive member 374 to fixedly secure drive member 374 to the proximal end of shaft 364 . drive member 374 defines a proximal porthole which receives a connection member of drive tube 246 ( fig1 ) of adapter 200 when end effector 300 is attached to distal coupling 230 of adapter 200 . when drive assembly 360 is advanced distally within tool assembly 304 , an upper beam of drive beam 365 moves within a channel defined between anvil plate 312 and anvil cover 310 and a lower beam moves within a channel of the staple cartridge 305 and over the exterior surface of carrier 316 to close tool assembly 304 and fire staples therefrom . proximal body portion 302 of end effector 300 includes a sheath or outer tube 301 enclosing an upper housing portion 301 a and a lower housing portion 301 b . the housing portions 301 a and 301 b enclose an articulation link 366 having a hooked proximal end 366 a which extends from a proximal end of end effector 300 . hooked proximal end 366 a of articulation link 366 engages a coupling hook ( not shown ) of adapter 200 when end effector 300 is secured to distal housing 232 of adapter 200 . when drive bar ( not shown ) of adapter 200 is advanced or retracted as described above , articulation link 366 of end effector 300 is advanced or retracted within end effector 300 to pivot tool assembly 304 in relation to a distal end of proximal body portion 302 . as illustrated in fig9 above , cartridge assembly 308 of tool assembly 304 includes a staple cartridge 305 supportable in carrier 316 . staple cartridge 305 defines a central longitudinal slot 305 a , and three linear rows of staple retention slots 305 b positioned on each side of longitudinal slot 305 a . each of staple retention slots 305 b receives a single staple 307 and a portion of a staple pusher 309 . during operation of instrument 100 , drive assembly 360 abuts an actuation sled 350 and pushes actuation sled 350 through cartridge 305 . as the actuation sled moves through cartridge 305 , cam wedges of the actuation sled 350 sequentially engage staple pushers 309 to move staple pushers 309 vertically within staple retention slots 305 b and sequentially eject a single staple 307 therefrom for formation against anvil plate 312 . the end effector 300 may also include one or more mechanical lockout mechanisms , such as those described in commonly - owned u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 071 , 052 , 5 , 397 , 046 , 5413 , 267 , 5 , 415 , 335 , 5 , 715 , 988 , 5 , 718 , 359 , 6 , 109 , 500 , the entire contents of all of which are incorporated by reference herein . another embodiment of the instrument 100 is shown in fig1 . the instrument 100 includes the motor 164 . the motor 164 may be any electrical motor configured to actuate one or more drives ( e . g ., rotatable drive connectors 118 , 120 , 122 of fig6 ). the motor 164 is coupled to the battery 156 , which may be a dc battery ( e . g ., rechargeable lead - based , nickel - based , lithium - ion based , battery etc . ), an ac / dc transformer , or any other power source suitable for providing electrical energy to the motor 164 . the battery 156 and the motor 164 are coupled to a motor driver circuit 404 disposed on the circuit board 154 which controls the operation of the motor 164 including the flow of electrical energy from the battery 156 to the motor 164 . the driver circuit 404 includes a plurality of sensors 408 a , 408 b , . . . 408 n configured to measure operational states of the motor 164 and the battery 156 . the sensors 408 a - n may include voltage sensors , current sensors , temperature sensors , telemetry sensors , optical sensors , and combinations thereof . the sensors 408 a - 408 n may measure voltage , current , and other electrical properties of the electrical energy supplied by the battery 156 . the sensors 408 a - 408 n may also measure rotational speed as revolutions per minute ( rpm ), torque , temperature , current draw , and other operational properties of the motor 164 . rpm may be determined by measuring the rotation of the motor 164 . position of various drive shafts ( e . g ., rotatable drive connectors 118 , 120 , 122 of fig6 ) may be determined by using various linear sensors disposed in or in proximity to the shafts or extrapolated from the rpm measurements . in embodiments , torque may be calculated based on the regulated current draw of the motor 164 at a constant rpm . in further embodiments , the driver circuit 404 and / or the controller 406 may measure time and process the above - described values as a function thereof , including integration and / or differentiation , e . g ., to determine the change in the measured values and the like . the driver circuit 404 is also coupled to a controller 406 , which may be any suitable logic control circuit adapted to perform the calculations and / or operate according to a set of instructions described in further detail below . the controller 406 may include a central processing unit operably connected to a memory which may include transitory type memory ( e . g ., ram ) and / or non - transitory type memory ( e . g ., flash media , disk media , etc .). the controller 406 includes a plurality of inputs and outputs for interfacing with the driver circuit 404 . in particular , the controller 406 receives measured sensor signals from the driver circuit 404 regarding operational status of the motor 164 and the battery 156 and , in turn , outputs control signals to the driver circuit 404 to control the operation of the motor 164 based on the sensor readings and specific algorithm instructions , which are discussed in more detail below . the controller 406 is also configured to accept a plurality of user inputs from a user interface ( e . g ., switches , buttons , touch screen , etc . of the control assembly 107 coupled to the controller 406 ). the present disclosure provides for an apparatus and method for controlling the instrument 100 or any other powered surgical instrument , including , but not limited to , linear powered staplers , circular or arcuate powered staplers , graspers , electrosurgical sealing forceps , rotary tissue blending devices , and the like . in particular , torque , rpm , position , and acceleration of drive shafts of the instrument 100 can be correlated to motor characteristics ( e . g ., current draw ). current drawn by the motor 164 may be used for detecting mechanical limits since the current drawn by the motor 164 changes with the load and speed of the motor 164 . thus , analysis of the amount of change ( e . g ., rate of change ) of current draw allows for distinguishing between different types of load conditions , e . g ., load exerted by tissue versus load exerted by a mechanical stop . during normal operation of the motor 164 the current draw generally does not fall outside a predetermined range ( e . g ., first range ). during clamping and stapling , the load exerted on the motor 164 by the tissue varies within a second range , encompassed by the first range . in particular , as the motor 164 encounters an increased load due to the tissue being clamped by the anvil and cartridge assemblies 306 , 308 the current draw increases and is within the second range for a second period of time ( e . g ., increase in the current draw occurs for a predetermined period of time ). if the motor 164 encounters a mechanical limit there is also a corresponding increase in current draw in a relatively short time that is larger than the current draw associated with tissue clamping . in particular , the current draw due to a mechanical stop is within a third range that is higher than the second range for a third period of time . in comparison , startup of the motor 164 draws more current than either clamping / fastening or the mechanical stop and the duration of the increased current draw is the shortest of the two current draws described above . in embodiments , mechanical stops may be detected by comparing motor current with a predetermined threshold since the current drawn by the motor 164 upon encountering a mechanical stop is usually much higher than the normal operating current . the controller 406 may use the satisfaction of this condition to shut off the motor 164 . this approach presents some challenges when the motor 164 encounters high momentary loads during normal operation ( e . g ., clamping tissue ). the current draw associated with tissue clamping can reach the threshold , thus causing the controller 406 to shut off the motor 164 prematurely . in embodiments , the premature shutoff may be prevented by analyzing normal current draw of the motor 164 and construct a normal motor load profile . the controller 406 may then be programmed to adjust the shutoff threshold in accordance with that profile . this configuration is well - suited to motors 164 having little variation in the load profile . however , large variations can produce false positives if the load profile deviates from the current draw associated with normal use . efficiency of the motor 164 and drive mechanism also have an effect in calculating the motor current limit . since mechanical efficiencies can vary from one instrument to another , each instrument needs to be individually calibrated during assembly . further , mechanical efficiencies change with wear and tear of the instrument and can also affect performance of the software . the algorithm according to the present disclosure overcomes the issues of using single - threshold or profile - based algorithms . an advantage of the algorithm according to the present disclosure is that the algorithm utilizes rate of change / current over time rather than comparing amplitude of the motor current to a predetermined threshold . the rate of change of the motor current associated with different loads , e . g ., normal load , heavy loads , mechanical stops , load spikes , etc . may be classified into different ranges , in which each range is associated with a specific load . the classification into ranges may then be used to identify distinct loads on the motor 164 and filtering out spikes caused by starting and stopping of the motor 164 . since the identification of the mechanical loads is based on the rate of change in motor current rather than its amplitude , deviation from the load profiles do not affect load identification . in addition , mechanical efficiencies do not affect load identification based on rate of change in motor current . less efficient instruments draw more current to attain the same speed , however , the slopes ( e . g ., rate of change in current draw ) for reaching those speeds remains similar to those of more efficient systems . this eliminates the need for load profiling and calibration operation during assembly of the instrument 100 . another advantage of the algorithm according to the present disclosure is the low computational overhead . the algorithm relies on calculating the rate of change of the motor current and as such can be determined by taking the difference between two values , allowing for implementation of the algorithm in an 8 - bit microcontroller . the change in motor current can be measured by sampling current periodically . in embodiments , the sampling rate may be from about 100 per second to about 10 , 000 per second , in embodiments from about 500 per second to about 1 , 000 per second . the samples may then be used by the controller 406 to calculate the change in the motor current ( e . g ., current draw ). the controller 406 may then use the change in motor current to determine the operating condition of the instrument 100 and take appropriate action . the present disclosure also provides a feedback system and method for controlling the instrument 100 based on external operating conditions such as firing difficulty encountered by the instrument 100 due to tissue thickness and / or mechanical stop ( e . g ., the drive beam 365 reaching the distal end of the channel defined in the anvil plate 312 and the staple cartridge 305 . in addition , the present disclosure provides for modeling of different usages of the instrument 100 in response to the external operating conditions ( e . g ., specific failures ) to derive internal system feedback . the sensor information from the sensors 408 a - n is used by the controller 406 to alter operating characteristics of the instrument 100 and / or notify users of specific operational conditions . in embodiments , the controller 406 controls ( e . g ., limits ) the current supplied to the motor 164 . the controller 406 includes a computer - readable memory 406 a and / or non - transitory medium for storing software instructions ( e . g ., algorithm ) for detecting mechanical limits of the instrument 100 based on the measured current draw . as used herein , the term “ mechanical limit ” denotes any of the electromechanical components reaching end - of - travel positions including , but not limited to , e . g ., the drive beam 365 reaching the distal end of the channel defined in the anvil plate 312 and the staple cartridge 305 , actuation of mechanical safety lockout mechanisms preventing travel of the shaft 364 , articulation link 366 reaching articulation limits of the end effector 300 , and the like . the change in motor current associated with the onset of certain load conditions ( e . g ., tissue clamping or mechanical limits ) falls within predefined ranges and persists for a certain duration . these conditions are used by the algorithm to identify operating properties of the motor 164 and react accordingly in response thereto . with reference to fig1 , the memory 406 a stores a plurality of current draw values . the memory 406 a includes look - up table 500 or any other suitable data structure having values “ i - v .” the first value i and the fifth value “ v ” define a first range encompassing a stable current draw signal indicative of normal ( e . g ., load - bearing ) operation of the motor 164 . the second and third values “ ii ” and “ iii ” define a second range corresponding to the current draw associated with current draw of the motor 164 during tissue clamping and fourth and fifth values “ iv ” and “ v ” defining a third range corresponding to the current draw associated with a mechanical stop . in embodiments , the first value “ i ” may be the same as the second value “ ii .” the controller 406 also includes a condition - of - interest counter which counts the number of samples during which the slope ( e . g ., rate of change ) of the motor current lies within the desired range ( e . g ., either first , second or third ranges ). the controller 406 also includes a signal stability counter , which counts the number of samples for which the slope lies within the second range . the controller 406 determines if the measured rate of change current draw signal is stable using the values of the table 500 . the signal is considered to be unstable if a predetermined number of current draw samples are outside the first range and stable if a predetermined number of samples are within the second range . fig1 shows a method according to the present disclosure for determining if the motor 164 encounters a mechanical stop . the method may be implemented as software instructions ( e . g ., algorithm ) stored in the controller 406 as described above . initially , the controller 406 calculates a moving average of the measured motor current ( e . g ., current draw ). as used herein , the term “ moving average ” denotes an average of a predetermined subset of samples that is updated every time a new sample is obtained . the moving average may include from about 2 plurality of samples to about 256 plurality of samples , and in embodiments , from about plurality of samples 16 about plurality of samples 64 , depending on the sampling rate described above . the controller 406 stores the first moving average and calculates the second moving average for the subsequent sample set . the controller 406 then determines the difference between the moving averages to calculate the sample - to - sample change . as shown in fig1 - 13 , the moving average of the samples may be graphed as plots 700 , 800 , 900 , with the sample - to - sample change being represented as the slope of the plots 700 , 800 , 900 . the plots 700 , 800 , 900 may be generated and outputted on a display allowing the user to view the current draw of the motor 164 . in embodiments , the plots 700 , 800 , 900 may be stored in the memory 406 a as a series of values , without reproducing the sample values as a plot . the change in the monitored motor current , also defined as the slope is used to differentiate between different types of loads encountered by motor 164 . the controller 406 initially determines if the signal is stable by determining whether the calculated slope / change is outside the first range ( e . g ., the slope is larger than fifth value “ v ” or less than first value “ i ”). if the slope lies outside the first range for a predefined number of samples , the controller 406 initializes or resets the condition - of - interest and signal stability counters by setting them to zero , 0 . in addition , the controller 406 also sets the signal status as “ unstable .” with reference to fig1 and 15 , the samples below first value “ i ,” as shown in fig1 , and above the fifth value “ v ,” as shown in fig1 , are filtered out since they represent abnormal negative and positive spikes in current draw . these spikes may be caused by starting and stopping of the motor 164 and may result false positives in threshold - based decision making algorithms . after determining if the slope is outside the first range , the controller 406 determines if the slope is within the second range ( value ii ≦ slope ≦ value iii ). if so , the stability counter is incremented . the controller 406 checks if the stability counter has reached a predetermined threshold before changing the signal status to “ stable .” this ensures that the sample has been within the second range for a sufficient period of time . any deviation , e . g ., the slope being outside the first range , resets the condition - of - interest and signal stability counters and sets the signal status as “ unstable ” as described above . with reference to fig1 - 15 , the signal is considered to be stable if the slope is within the second range , irrelevant of the actual amplitude of the motor current samples . thus , the higher amplitude of the samples within the second range of fig1 and lower amplitude of the samples within the second range of fig1 and 14 is treated similarly by the algorithm of the present disclosure as the attribute of interest is the rate of change of slope of the motor current samples . the controller 406 also determines if the sample is within the third range . for each sample within the third range , while the signal is deemed stable , the condition - of - interest counter is incremented . every time the sample falls below second value “ ii ,” the condition - of - interest counter is decremented . the condition - of - interest counter is used to identify a mechanical stop , as described in further detail below . if the condition - of - interest counter is above a predetermined threshold , then the controller 406 determines that a mechanical stop has been reached . with reference to fig1 , a plurality of samples have a slope that falls within the third range , this increments the condition - of - interest counter and upon reaching the predetermined count triggers the indication that the mechanical stop has been reached . once the controller 406 determines that the mechanical limit has been reached the supply of current to the motor 164 may be terminated to prevent further operation of the instrument 100 and / or the instrument 100 may issue an alarm . fig1 shows a method according another embodiment of to the present disclosure for determining if the motor 164 encounters a mechanical stop . the controller 406 includes the stability and condition - of - interest counters , as described above . the controller 406 further includes a positive spike counter and a negative spike counter . these counters maintain a number of times a current ( e . g ., slope ) has spiked outside the first range . more specifically , the positive spike counter is incremented when the motor current is above the value “ v ” and the negative spike counter is incremented when the motor current is below the value “ i .” the controller 406 determines if the measured rate of change current draw signal is stable using the values of the table 500 . the signal is considered to be unstable if a predetermined number of current draw samples are outside the first range ( e . g ., is the number of positive and negative spikes is above a predetermined positive and negative spike threshold ) and stable if a predetermined number of samples are within the second range . the method of fig1 may also be implemented as software instructions ( e . g ., algorithm ) stored in the controller 406 as described above . initially , the controller 406 calculates a moving average of the measured motor current ( e . g ., current draw ). as used herein , the term “ moving average ” denotes an average of a predetermined subset of samples that is updated every time a new sample is obtained . the moving average may include from about 2 samples to about 256 samples , and in embodiments , from about 16 to about 64 samples , depending on the sampling rate described above . the controller 406 stores the first moving average and calculates the second moving average for the subsequent sample set . the controller 406 then determines the difference between the moving averages to calculate the sample - to - sample change ( e . g ., slope ). the change in the monitored motor current , also defined as the slope , is used to differentiate between different types of loads encountered by motor 164 . the controller 406 initially determines if the slope is larger than fifth value “ v ” and updated the previous moving average to the presently calculated moving average . if the slope is above the fifth value “ v ,” the positive spike counter is incremented while the negative spike counter is decremented . in addition , the controller 406 verifies if the positive spike counter is above a predetermined positive spike counter threshold . if so , the controller 406 initializes or resets the condition - of - interest and signal stability counters by setting them to zero , 0 . in addition , the controller 406 also sets the signal status as “ unstable .” if the positive spike counter is below the predetermined positive spike counter threshold , the stability counter is decremented . after determining if the slope is above the fifth value “ v ,” the controller 406 determines if the sample falls below second value “ ii ,” the condition - of - interest counter is decremented . the controller 406 also determines if the slope is smaller than the first value “ i ” and updated the previous moving average to the presently calculated moving average . if the slope is above the first value “ i ,” the negative spike counter is incremented while the positive spike counter is decremented . in addition , the controller 406 verifies if the negative spike counter is above a predetermined negative spike counter threshold . if so , the controller 406 initializes or resets the condition - of - interest and signal stability counters by setting them to zero , 0 . in addition , the controller 406 also sets the signal status as “ unstable .” if the negative spike counter is below the predetermined negative spike counter threshold , the stability counter is decremented . with reference to fig1 and 15 , the samples below first value “ i ,” as shown in fig1 , and above the fifth value “ v ,” as shown in fig1 , are filtered out since they represent abnormal negative and positive spikes in current draw . these spikes may be caused by starting and stopping of the motor 164 and may result false positives in threshold - based decision making algorithms . the controller 406 also determines if the slope is within the second range ( e . g ., value “ ii ”≦ slope ≦ value “ iii ”). if so , the stability counter is incremented . the controller 406 also checks if the stability counter has reached a predetermined threshold before changing the signal status to “ stable .” this ensures that the sample has been within the second range for a sufficient period of time . in addition , the controller 406 initializes or resets the positive and negative spike counters by setting them to zero , 0 . regardless whether the stability counter is below or above the predetermined threshold , the previous moving average is updated to the presently calculated moving average . any deviation , e . g ., the slope being outside the first range , also resets the condition - of - interest and signal stability counters and sets the signal status as “ unstable ” as described above . the controller 406 also determines if the sample is within the third range . for each sample within the third range , while the signal is deemed stable , the condition - of - interest counter is incremented . the condition - of - interest counter is used to identify a mechanical stop , as described in further detail below . if the condition - of - interest counter is above a predetermined threshold , then the controller 406 determines that a mechanical stop has been reached . with reference to fig1 , a plurality of samples have a slope that falls within the third range , this increments the condition - of - interest counter and upon reaching the predetermined count triggers the indication that the mechanical stop has been reached . once the controller 406 determines that the mechanical limit has been reached the supply of current to the motor 164 may be terminated to prevent further operation of the instrument 100 and / or the instrument 100 may issue an alarm . in addition to basic feedback about device performance the present disclosure also provides a method for powered devices to detect and discern other external factors , e . g ., thicker tissue , which previously were difficult to detect . as a result , improved cutoffs and values for limits can be implemented , greatly improving the safety of powered devices in use . using the feedback mechanisms discussed above , users may make intelligent decisions about what settings and techniques should be used when operating the instrument 100 . this intelligence can range from choosing a different reload to fire with a linear stapler , deciding to fire at a different articulation angle , to choosing to use a completely different surgical technique . it should be understood that the foregoing description is only illustrative of the present disclosure . various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the disclosure . accordingly , the present disclosure is intended to embrace all such alternatives , modifications and variances . the embodiments described with reference to the attached drawing figures are presented only to demonstrate certain examples of the disclosure . other elements , steps , methods and techniques that are insubstantially different from those described above and / or in the appended claims are also intended to be within the scope of the disclosure . | US-201414463134-A |
the present invention relates to a nasolacrimal duct tube . a nasolacrimal duct tube , according to one embodiment of the present invention , comprises a lachrymal passage enabling lachrymal fluid to move between the inside and outside of the tube . according to the present invention , since lachrymal fluid can easily be discharged even while the tube is inserted into a human body , it is possible to decrease the possibility of inflammation occurring and the risk of infection , and it is possible to permanently leave the tube in the body without removing the tube after the operation . | hereinafter , embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . here , it is noted that in the accompanying drawings , the same reference numerals denote the same elements . further , a detailed description of known functions and configurations that may make the essence of the present invention unclear will be omitted . referring to fig2 a , the nasolacrimal duct tube according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a lachrymal passage 210 that is formed in a tube 200 such that lachrymal fluid is introduced and discharged between the inside and the outside of the tube . due to the lachrymal passage 210 , lachrymal fluid may be introduced into the interior of the tube 200 through the lachrymal passage 210 formed in the tube 200 and may flow along the tube 200 to the inside of a nose ( nasal meatus ) even while the tube 200 is inserted into the human body . accordingly , because tears may be smoothly discharged to the inside of the nose ( nasal meatus ) through the interior of the tube 200 , as well as a narrow passage between the tube 200 and a fistula even while the tube 200 is inserted , the possibility of inflammation and the risk of infection can be reduced . according to the embodiment of the present invention , the lachrymal passage 210 may include one or more openings 211 . the number , shape , and size of the openings 211 may be variously selected . fig2 b illustrates a cross - section of the nasolacrimal duct tube and a tear passage according to the embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig2 b , lachrymal fluid may pass through the openings 211 along a tear path 250 and may flow into the interior of the tube 200 . the openings 211 may pass through the tube 200 from the outside to the inside of the tube 200 in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the tube 200 , or may pass through the tube 200 in an inclined fashion . according to the embodiment of the present invention , the lachrymal passage 210 may include a lachrymal fluid introduction part 220 that is formed at a point corresponding to a lachrymal point when the nasolacrimal duct tube is mounted . that is , lachrymal fluid produced at the lachrymal point may be smoothly introduced through the lachrymal fluid introduction part 220 , by forming the lachrymal fluid introduction part 220 near the lachrymal point when the nasolacrimal duct tube is mounted on the human body . the lachrymal fluid introduced into the lachrymal fluid introduction part 220 may be smoothly discharged through the interior of the tube 200 . according to the embodiment of the present invention , the lachrymal passage 210 may further include a lachrymal fluid discharge part 230 that is formed at a point corresponding to the fistula when the nasolacrimal duct tube is mounted . that is , the lachrymal fluid introduced into the lachrymal fluid introduction part 220 may be smoothly discharged through the lachrymal fluid discharge part 230 situated near the inside of the nose ( nasal meatus ) through the interior of the tube , by forming the lachrymal fluid discharge part 230 near the inside of the nose ( nasal meatus ) when the nasolacrimal duct tube is mounted on the human body . furthermore , the lachrymal fluid may be more smoothly introduced through the lachrymal fluid introduction part 220 , by forming a negative pressure in the interior of the tube 200 while the lachrymal fluid is discharged . according to the embodiment of the present invention , the lachrymal fluid discharge part 230 may be formed at a location or locations spaced apart from the lachrymal fluid introduction part 220 by a predetermined distance towards one or opposite sides of the lachrymal fluid introduction part 220 . the lachrymal fluid discharge part 230 may be formed at one point spaced apart from the lachrymal fluid introduction part 220 towards one side of the lachrymal fluid introduction part 220 by a predetermined distance , or a pair of lachrymal fluid discharge parts 230 may be formed at points spaced apart from the lachrymal fluid introduction part 220 towards opposite sides of the lachrymal fluid introduction part 220 . the lachrymal fluid discharge part 230 may be formed in the inside of the nose ( nasal meatus ) spaced apart from the lachrymal fluid introduction part 220 by a predetermined distance situated near the lachrymal point to discharge tears into the inside of the nose ( nasal meatus ). accordingly , the predetermined distance may be a distance between the lachrymal point and the inside of the nose ( nasal meatus ). according to the embodiment of the present invention , the predetermined distance may be 3 cm to 10 cm , preferably , 4 cm to 6 cm . this is because the distance between a lachrymal point and the inside of a nose ( nasal meatus ) of a person is generally 3 cm to 10 cm , more specifically , 4 cm to 6 cm although it is somewhat different according to the person . referring to fig3 , the nasolacrimal duct tube 300 according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a length adjusting part 330 by which the distance between a lachrymal fluid introduction part 310 and a lachrymal fluid discharge part 320 may be adjusted . that is , the operator can conveniently select the distance between the lachrymal fluid introduction part 310 and the lachrymal fluid discharge part 320 through the length adjusting part 330 according to the body shape of the patient . the length adjusting part 330 may be implemented by various means . for example , a portion of the tube may be configured in a slidable form such that the upper and lower ends of the tube may be fitted with each other after the tube extends in opposite directions , or a bellows may be formed in the tube such that the length of the tube may be adjusted by the resilient force and the restoring force of the bellows . in the present invention , the length adjusting part 330 is a concept including any structure that functions to adjust the distance between the lachrymal fluid introduction part 310 and the lachrymal fluid discharge part 320 , and is not limited in forms . fig4 is a view illustrating a state in which a nasolacrimal duct tube according to an embodiment of the present invention is inserted into a human body . fig4 a illustrates a state in which a tube is inserted into a natural fistula of the human body , and fig4 b illustrates a state in which a new fistula is created through a nose / lacrimal sac connection operation ( dacyocystohinostomy ) and the tube is inserted into the new fistula . the tube according to the embodiment of the present invention may be inserted in the following method . first , after the probes are inserted through upper and lower lachrymal point 1 a and 1 b and are extracted to the outside , the tube 200 is inserted from the lachrymal points 1 a and 1 b to a lower nasal meatus 2 through a guide operation of the probes . thereafter , when a length adjusting part is present , the location of the tube 200 may be adjusted such that the lachrymal fluid discharge part 230 is located at a portion of the nasal meatus 2 by using the length adjusting part . if necessary , the tube 200 may be fixed so as to be left in the interior of the human body in order to maintain a fluid - communication state of the nasal meatus , by separating the probes from the tube 200 and binding the tip ends of the tube 200 such that a node is formed . the method of mounting a device for insertion of a nasolacrimal duct may also be variously performed in a range that is apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains . according to the present invention , the lachrymal fluid introduction part 220 is formed at a point corresponding to the lachrymal points 1 a and 1 b such that the lachrymal fluid is introduced into the interior of the tube 200 through the lachrymal fluid introduction part 220 , and the lachrymal fluid introduced into the tube 200 flows down through the interior of the tube 200 and then is discharged through the lachrymal fluid discharge part 230 . accordingly , even while the tube 200 is inserted into the human body , the lachrymal fluid can be easily discharged , decreasing the possibility of inflammation and the risk of infection , and can be permanently left in the interior of the human body without separately removing the tube 200 after the surgery . the material of the flexible tube according to the embodiment of the present invention may be silicon . furthermore , when a probe or a guide is provided , it is preferable to use a stiff material rather than to use a silicon tube such that the tube may be easily inserted into a lachrymal meatus . for example , the tube may be formed of a material selected from polyolefin , polyamide , polyurethane , or a group thereof . the device for insertion of a nasolacrimal duct according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a tube that is flexible and is inserted along a nasolacrimal duct , and a lachrymal passage that is formed in the tube such that lachrymal fluid is introduced and discharged between the inside and the outside of the tube . the device for insertion of a nasolacrimal duct according to the embodiment of the present invention may further include a pair of probes or guides that are flexible and are inserted along the nasolacrimal duct . the tube , the probes , or guide that are flexible and are inserted along the nasolacrimal duct may have various forms in a range that is apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains . the embodiments of the present invention disclosed in the specification and the drawings merely suggest specific examples to easily describe the technical contents of the present invention and help understanding of the present invention , but are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains that other modifications may be made based on the technical spirit of the present invention . | US-201414902178-A |
an appliance for holding food items , such as marshmallows and hot dogs , for roasting against the face of an open fire includes food carrying skewers that are rotatably mounted on an axis generally perpendicular to the elongated frame of the device . a drive linkage , manually operated from the opposite end of the frame , rotates the skewers such that the food products are uniformly exposed to the same heating , resulting in uniformly cooked food items without burning . | referring first to fig1 , a roaster 10 for marshmallows , hot dogs and the like , is shown in a presently preferred embodiment . the roaster may be conveniently made almost entirely of wire or small diameter rod stock , preferably steel . the steel may be plated and , if so , nickel plating is presently preferred . the roaster 10 includes an elongate frame 11 including a main frame member 12 and u - shaped supports 13 . one support 13 is attached to the end of the main frame member 12 and the other u - shaped support is attached near but spaced from the opposite end of the main frame member 12 . the free end of the main frame member 12 is bent slightly and a user handle 14 is attached to the bent end . the handle 14 may be made of any suitable material that provides a suitable grip . in the embodiment shown , the frame 11 may be about 3 - ½ ft . long , but smaller or larger versions may also be suitably adapted for the intended use . referring also to fig2 and 3 , the u - shaped support 13 at the distal end of the roaster 10 carries a rotatable crank and skewer body 15 . the crank and skewer body includes a pair of oppositely extending coaxial skewers 16 that are interconnected by a double - armed crank 17 . one end of each crank arm 18 is attached to a skewer 16 and the opposite ends of the crank arms 18 are interconnected by a common arm 20 . each crank arm 18 , at its connection to a skewer 16 , is rotationally carried in a wrapped wire swivel joint 22 formed at the end of one of the legs 23 of the u - shaped support 13 . the skewers 16 are thereby held for rotation on their common axis which is generally perpendicular to the frame 11 . the opposite end of each crank arm 18 is integrally connected to the common arm 20 by a short crank axle 24 to each of which is rotatably attached a swivel joint 25 formed by a bent wire end 26 of a connecting rod 27 of an operating drive linkage which will be described in detail hereinafter . at the opposite end of the frame 11 , a manually rotatable cranking body 28 is rotatably attached to the ends of the u - shaped support 13 . the cranking body 28 includes a pair of hand cranks 30 interconnected for rotation on a common axis by a double - armed crank 31 that is identical in size and shape to the double armed crank 17 on the skewer end of the frame 11 . thus , the double - armed crank 31 includes a pair of crank arms 32 one end of each of which is connected to one of the hand cranks 30 by a short stub axle 33 . the stub axles 33 lie on a common axis and are rotatably supported by swivel joints 34 formed in the ends of the legs 35 of the u - shaped support 13 . the opposite ends of the crank arms 32 are connected by a common arm 36 with short crank axles 37 at opposite ends of the common arm . each crank axle 37 is rotatably connected to a proximal end of a connecting rod 27 via a wrapped wire swivel joint 38 . when viewed from the side , as shown in fig3 , each crank arm 18 or 32 is displaced rotationally from the end of the interconnecting common arm 20 or 36 by an acute angle of about 45 °. also , the swivel connections 25 ( or 34 ) of the connecting rods 27 to the common arm 20 ( or 36 ) are displaced rotationally with respect to the skewer axis ( or the crank axis ) by about 90 °. the connecting rods 27 are of equal length and , at any point in the arc of rotation of the hand cranks 30 , the cranking body 28 on the drive end of the linkage and the crank and skewer body 15 on the skewer end of the linkage are identically positioned rotationally . the radial offset of the crank axle swivel joints 38 from the common axes of the crank stub axles 33 , along with the identical radial offset of the crank axle swivel joints 25 on the skewer end of the frame , provides a moment arm for transferring the rotational force from the hand cranks 30 to the ends of the connecting rods 27 . the identical shape and orientation of crank and skewer body 15 and the cranking body 28 cause the connecting rods to reciprocate and translate the rotational movement of the crank directly into rotational movement of the skewer 16 . angular offset of the crank arms 18 and 32 assures positive transfer of driving force from the drive end double - armed crank 31 to the skewer end double - armed crank 17 at all rotational positions thereof . as mentioned above , with the roaster 10 held generally perpendicular to the face of an open fire , the skewers 16 rotate the food items such that the outside surfaces of the food are uniformly heated both axially and circumferentially . in the embodiment shown in the drawings , main frame member 12 extends along the underside of the frame 11 , permitting the user to rest the roaster 10 on an object that surrounds the open fire , such as a rock , fire ring or log . this helps support the weight of the roaster and the food item being cooked thereon . however , the roaster 10 may be inverted , with the main frame member 12 on top , and operated in an identical manner , but without the ability to provide the supplemental support . there are two hand cranks 30 in the embodiment shown . this facilitates use by either right - handed or left - handed users , but a single crank 30 would be adequate . if a crank 30 is eliminated , the associated stub axle 33 would have to be suitably capped to prevent it from being dislodged axially from its associated swivel joint 34 . as shown in the drawings , the oppositely extending coaxial skewers have a staggered or rippled shape to help prevent the attached food product from falling off or becoming inadvertently dislodged . however , many shapes of skewers may be utilized including two - pronged forks of shorter or longer length . other constructions of the swivel joints 22 , 25 , 34 and 38 are possible . for example , the ends of the connecting rods 27 and the ends of the u - shaped supports 13 could be swaged or coined flat and bent to form cylindrical bushings with greater bearing surfaces . alternately , split bushings could be welded to the ends of the connecting rods and u - shaped supports and closed around the associated stub axles 21 and 33 and crank axles 24 and 37 . although wire or rod stock is presently believed to be best suited for ease of manufacture , cost and operation of the roaster 10 , steel or other metals having suitable heat resistance in other cross sectional shapes could be used as well . in the embodiment shown , all of the members are made of the same gauge wire , except the main frame member 12 which is made of a heavier gauge material . steel wire , plated after assembly , is the preferred material for making the subject roaster . however , stainless steel is also suitable , as would be other metals of suitable heat resistance and strength . the ends of the hand cranks 30 are preferably provided with rotatable sleeves 40 to facilitate cranking . the sleeves 40 , like the handle 14 , may be made of any suitable material , including wood , plastic , rubber or metal . a significant aspect of the present invention is the orientation of the skewers 16 generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the frame 1 1 . food items , such as hot dogs and marshmallows , attached to the skewers rotate uniformly against and generally equally spaced from the face of an open fire . the result is uniform roasting , through cooking of the food product and little likelihood that the product will be burned . rotary motion could be imparted to the skewers 16 with the use of other drive arrangements than the crank and connecting rod drive disclosed above . for example , the drive could comprise bevel gear arrangements on opposite ends of a rotary driveshaft . a chain and sprocket drive could also be used , but such an arrangement would require a more robust and rigid frame , all adding to the cost of manufacturer . also , although for simplicity and low cost , a manual drive arrangement is most desirable , the drive could be powered by a small electric motor . | US-78201907-A |
a live insect habitat that also serves as a retail receptacle for point of sale display of the insects . in particular , the invention comprises a cricket habitat and point of sale display receptacle for the sale of live crickets primarily for fishing bait and pet food purposes . the habitat / receptacle includes a housing having side walls with a sight window formed therein for purposes of permitting viewing of the inside of the housing and insect habitat from the outside . a habitat insert is located inside the housing and includes a multiple - sided member that partitions the interior space of the housing into discrete subspaces connected by passages giving the crickets ample room in which to crawl about . the housing and the habitat insert can be made of a moisture absorbent material in order to reduce the moisture content of the cricket environment . an item of cricket food is located in the housing whereby the retail habitat / receptacle has a prolonged shelf life while maintaining healthy live crickets . | referring to fig1 through 4 , there is shown an insect habitat and retail package indicated generally at 10 . as described herein habitat 10 houses crickets although habitat 10 could house other species of insect as well . habitat 10 includes a housing 12 . housing 12 can be formed of a moisture absorbent material such as a paperboard material . the term paperboard is used comprehensively to include , without limitation , cardboard , fiberboard , and similar products made from cellulose fiber and having a thickness greater than normal paper . housing 12 can be fabricated of other material fabricated to permit the escape of moisture from the interior of the housing . this could include , for example , a perforated plastic . housing 12 has an interior space or room for habitation by crickets . housing 12 has a front wall 14 , a back wall 16 , a top wall 18 and a bottom wall 20 which define the interior habitat space for insects . the various walls are opaque . housing 12 has end openings closed by end walls 22 , 24 formed of end wall panels as will be more fully described . the end walls can be glued or constructed to fold together in such a way as to seal the package . the box can be of varying dimensions such as 1 ″ to 3 ″ high , 3 ″ to 5 ″ wide and 2 ″ to 4 ″ deep . by way of example , the box can typically be 3 ″× 4 ″× 2 ″ and house 25 to 50 crickets . housing 12 has a sight window 27 for viewing crickets . sight window 27 is a corner window . the sight window 27 is comprised of a first cutout opening 28 in the top wall 18 and an adjoining second cutout opening 30 in the front wall 14 . a transparent material 32 covers the opening . the transparent material can be a continuous clear transparent paper or plastic material covering the cutout openings and traversing the corner formed at top wall 18 and front wall 14 . alternatively the covering material can be a tightly woven screen . the sight window 27 admits light and enables viewing of a portion of the interior of the housing 12 from the outside . the sight window can by way of example be 2 ″ to 4 ″ wide and have a dimension of 1 ″ to 2 ″ on the front wall of the housing , and 1½ ″ to 2½ ″ on the top wall . in certain environments moisture accumulation in the air inside of housing 12 can be problematic . crickets do not like moisture . the moisture can collect on an impermeable sight window covering material made of transparent plastic . debris in the housing can adhere to this condensation . when the condensation dries , the debris is stuck to the window covering rendering it unsightly . one way to address this problem is through a window covering formed of a tightly woven mesh . another way is through the use of a transparent covering material 32 formed of a plastic or plastic - like micro - pore material having micro - perforations of a size suitable to permit the escape of moisture from the interior of housing 12 . such a material can have micro - perforations in the order of magnitude of 70 micron to 300 micron . the micro - perforations serve to let moisture out of the housing 12 . at the same time condensation of moisture on the inside of the window is avoided . a cricket habitat environment is provided by a multisided habitat insert located inside the housing 12 . the purpose of the habitat insert is to divide the space inside housing 12 into habitat spaces or compartments that are connected but separated from one another so as to provide multiple nesting areas for the crickets as well as areas of escape for the crickets from other crickets and from the light . the compartments are divided in such a manner that at least one compartment is shielded from direct light entering through the window 27 to provide at least one subdued lighting environment for the crickets . as shown in fig1 through 3 , housing 12 has a habitat insert 34 . insert 34 substantially fills housing 12 from side - to - side , end - to - end and top - to - bottom . insert 34 is a multi - sided partition of thin walls that can have flat , curved or convoluted surfaces or combinations thereof insert 34 can have a surface roughness 35 . in the embodiment of fig1 through 3 insert 34 has a convoluted or egg carton shape structure . habitat insert 34 formed this way has top and bottom surfaces characterized by peaks or ridges 36 , 40 separated by valleys 38 . housing 12 with insert 34 provides an ideal environment for crickets . the insert can be loosely disposed inside the housing 12 or can be constructed in such a way with formed holes or cutout openings as to provide access passages such as the passage 44 ( fig3 ) for crickets 43 to move from one surface area to another . the insert 34 offers a large surface area for the crickets 43 to crawl about . crickets are known to be omnivorous whereby more dominant crickets will eat more vulnerable ones . the various surfaces of habitat insert 34 and the access passages 44 permit the more vulnerable crickets to escape to other areas . the insert partitions the interior of housing 12 into a multiple of subspaces or separate but connected compartments 42 for the crickets . some compartments are more shielded than others from light entering the window opening . the various areas of insert 34 provide dark areas for live crickets 43 as well as areas of subdued light , both of which are preferred by crickets . the material of the insert 34 can be moisture absorbent to absorb condensation that may develop in the package during shipping or otherwise . the insert 34 adds a measure of rigidity to the housing 12 by spanning the interior volume thereof this is useful in terms of shipping the item and inventorying and dispensing the item in a store . insert 34 can be manufactured from a nutritious edible material such as a heavy gauge rice paper or wafer paper . as crickets are prone to chew the insert material , the provision of nutritious material is beneficial to the insects and consequently to animals they feed . food and water are provided in the housing 12 . these can take the form of a high moisture food item such as a piece of carrot or such as the cricket food item indicated at 46 in fig3 . crickets with such a food supply can survive for a period of at least seven days . the food supply can be periodically replenished . this prolongs the shelf - life of the product . food item 46 provides nourishment in the form of food and moisture . water can evaporate from the exposed food item which can leave it dry and unappetizing to the cricket as well as depriving the cricket of needed water . as shown in fig3 a wrap 47 can partially cover the food item 46 but leave portions exposed and accessible to the crickets . the wrap 47 can extend around the food item but leave the ends exposed . wrap 47 can be formed of a suitable material such as a thin plastic sheet . wrap 47 alternatively can be applied to the food and water supplement in the form of a suitable impermeable spray , or by dipping or by painted coating . wrap 47 retards moisture loss from the food item through evaporation . this results in a longer lasting food item and extends the shelf life of the insect habitat / retail package . it is desirable to eliminate pin - point light spots in housing 12 of the type that occurs at closure corners . crickets are attracted to such light spots and tend to chew there and then escape through the chewed opening . the end walls of housing 12 and insert 34 contained in housing 12 address this problem . as shown in fig4 , end wall 22 closes an end opening 23 to housing 12 . end wall 22 includes opposing end panels 50 , 52 that are pivotally attached to the edges of front and back walls 14 , 16 adjacent end opening 23 and are positioned to fold over the end opening 23 . each of the end panels 50 , 52 has a sufficient length and width to cover the end opening 23 when folded over it . top and bottom panels 54 , 56 are connected to the edges of the top and bottom walls 18 , 20 of housing 12 adjacent the end opening 23 and are foldable over the end panels . bottom panel 56 has a length and width to substantially cover the end opening 23 when folded over the end panels 50 , 52 . bottom panel 56 has an outer lip 58 that is inserted between the edges of the end panels in the closed position and the adjacent part of top wall 18 . top panel 54 has tapered edges ending in a tongue 60 and is adapted to be folded over the end panels 50 , 52 and bottom panel 56 . a slot 62 is located at the intersection of the bottom panel 56 and the bottom wall 20 . when the top panel 54 is folded over the end opening 23 , the tongue 60 can be inserted into the slot 62 in order to secure closure 22 in the closed position . when closed light leakage is substantially eliminated . fig5 shows a dispenser indicated generally at 61 for the cricket habitat / retail package of fig1 . the dispenser 61 includes a long , upright dispenser carton 62 having a rectangular cross - section with interior dimensions sufficient to accommodate the cricket habitat / retail packages 10 . dispenser carton 62 has a front wall 64 , side walls 66 connected to a back wall ( not shown ). a hinged lid 68 closes the top opening formed at the top of the front , side and back walls . opening the hinged lid 68 permits loading the dispenser carton 62 with packages 10 to be displayed for resale . a bottom wall 70 supports packages 10 held in the dispenser . front wall 64 has sight slots 72 for viewing packages 10 stored in the dispenser 61 . slots 72 also allow direct air exchange to vent air onto and moisture away from packages 10 stored in the dispenser . a dispensing opening 74 is located at the lower end of front wall 64 . dispensing opening 74 is large enough to permit packages 10 to be withdrawn or dispensed one at a time from the dispenser housing 62 . as a package is removed from the dispensing opening 74 the next package drops down to the position of the previously withdrawn one . there is a continual rotation of stock . the carton 62 can be hung on a wall or placed in a stand and used as a self - service display . the carton covers the corners of the boxes that might otherwise permit light seepage . darkened corners provide no incentive for crickets to chew isolated points . this reduces the likelihood of escape by way of chewing out of the box . fig6 through 9 show a further embodiment of a cricket habitat / retail package according to the invention indicated generally at 80 . cricket habitat 80 includes a cylindrical box or housing 82 formed of fiber board or a material having properties similar to fiber board . housing 82 is moisture absorbent and has opaque cylindrical sidewalls 84 . a habitat insert 86 is located inside housing 82 . habitat insert 86 is a convoluted sheet material extending from side - to - side across the interior of housing 82 and is formed with openings or in such a way as to allow insects to crawl from one surface to another . insert 86 has convolutions 88 providing a large surface area on which the live crickets 90 can crawl about . the ends of insert 86 are spaced from the ends of housing 80 permitting crickets 90 to crawl from one surface of the habitat insert 86 to the other . a food item 92 is lodged in the habitat insert 86 . sidewalls 84 and habitat insert 86 are a moisture absorbent material for purposes previously described . cricket habitat 80 includes a removable cover 94 secured in a first end of housing 82 . cover 94 is circular and frictionally fits in the open end of housing 82 . cover 94 includes a rim 96 that frictionally engages the interior walls of housing 82 at the end thereof rim 96 surrounds a cover base 98 . cover base 98 is a sight window formed of a transparent material such as a transparent plastic or tightly woven screen so as to permit viewing of crickets inside the housing 82 from the exterior thereof cover rim 96 and cover base 98 can be formed of a single piece of transparent material . the second end of housing 82 is closed . it can be closed by a second friction - fit removable cover 102 . second cover 102 can be transparent or opaque . alternatively the second end of housing 82 can be closed by a permanent closure means . fig1 and 12 show a modification of the insect habitat and retail package of fig1 indicated generally at 10 a . in fig1 the habitat insert is removed for purposes of clarity . the package 10 a includes a housing 12 a with an interior space for habitation by the insects . the housing 12 a has a front wall 14 , a top wall 18 and a sight window 27 . an end of the housing or box 12 a is closable by opposing end panels 50 , 52 attached to the edges of the front and back walls of the housing 12 a for folding between open and closed positions . top and bottom panels 54 , 56 a are connected to the edges of the top and bottom walls 18 , 20 of housing 12 and are foldable over the end panels as previously described . a perforated pattern for a punch - out egress opening is formed in a wall of the housing 12 a . the purpose of an egress opening is to allow the crickets to exit the housing 12 a one at a time in a contained pet environment as opposed to simply broadcasting the crickets about the pet environment . reptile pets such as lizards enjoy stalking food prey . an egress opening from the habitat housing will provide amusement to the reptile that will excitedly monitor the opening waiting for prey . alternatively the egress opening permits a user to shake the housing 12 a in salt - shaker like fashion to distribute crickets in a desired amount and location . a punch - out egress opening pattern can be located on any convenient wall of housing 12 a . as shown in fig1 , a punch - out egress opening pattern 108 is formed in the bottom panel 56 a of one of the end closures of the housing 12 a . the punch - out pattern includes a perforation line 109 that describes an intended opening , and a linear fold line 110 . the ends of perforation line 109 connect to the ends of fold line 110 . the perforation line 109 describes a closed pattern with the fold line 110 in the shape of the intended egress opening . until use the area described by the perforation line 109 is intact with the rest of the bottom panel 56 a . at the time of use , pressure is applied to the area bordered by the perforation line 109 . referring to fig1 , under the influence of pressure applied , the perforation line gives way to form a door 112 which can be pivoted about the fold line 110 to create an egress opening 113 . alternatively the perforation line 109 could describe the entire intended egress opening whereby the door 112 would simply be completely punched out and removed . as shown in fig1 , the bottom panel 56 a is moved to covering relationship over the open end of housing 12 a with the remaining end panels 50 , 52 , 54 out of the way . crickets 115 can randomly exit the housing 12 a by wandering through the egress opening 113 . crickets can also be distributed by shaking the housing 12 a with the egress opening 113 facing down so that the crickets fall out . insects including crickets generate a considerable amount of debris in the form of shed skin and organic waste . in the confined space of housing 12 a such debris can accumulate and become undesirable particularly upon dispensing the crickets from the box . the housing 12 a includes one or more collector surfaces or panels to collect and accumulate the debris . as shown in fig1 , the housing 12 a includes a first collector surface or panel 118 installed on the interior surface of an end panel 52 which will face the interior of housing 12 a when closed . a second collector panel 119 is located on the bottom wall 20 of housing 12 a and is exposed to the interior thereof a collector panel can be located on any convenient exposed interior surface including exposed interior walls or the surfaces of the habitat insert . each collector panel includes a cold or light adhesive layer to attach and collect insect debris . the adhesive is a low tack adhesive that does not stick very strongly . the adhesive is tacky enough to adhere to and collect the insect debris , but not so adherent as to unduly impede the movement of the crickets in the housing . as shown in fig1 and 11 , the collector panel 118 includes a substrate or carrier 121 fixed to the interior surface of the end panel 52 . the carrier 121 carries an adhesive layer 120 of the type described above . the adhesive layer is effective to collect insect debris 122 so that it will not tumble about and out of the interior of housing 12 a while not unduly inhibiting insect movement about the housing 12 a . a low tack adhesive approximately as tacky as that used on post - it note ® brand note pads has been found to be satisfactory . alternatively a collector panel can be comprised of an adhesive layer applied directly to a surface in lieu of being applied to a substrate fixed surface . the adhesive of collector panel 119 is applied directly to the surface of the housing wall 20 by suitable means such as brushing or spraying . fig1 shows a further embodiment of a cricket habitat and retail receptacle indicated generally at 10 b . package 10 b has a housing 12 b that contains a habitat insert 124 . habitat insert 124 is comprised of insert panels 125 , 126 . a first panel 125 extends from an upper rear corner of the housing 12 b to a lower forward corner . the second panel 126 extends from the upper forward corner of the housing 12 b to the lower rear corner . the panels centrally intersect . the panels can intersect by engagement of centrally located mutually aligned slots 128 . together the panels 125 , 126 substantially fill the interior of the housing 12 b and partition it into separate habitat compartments , one or more being shielded from direct light entering the window 27 . openings 129 are formed at various locations in the panels 125 , 126 in order to provide passages from one compartment to another . the habitat insert panels 125 , 126 can be formed of a moisture absorbent paperboard product as previously described , or an edible material that is nutritious for the crickets . the partitions can have a thickness that is approximately equal to that of the thickness of the sidewalls of the housing 12 b . fig1 and 15 show another embodiment of a cricket habitat and retail receptacle . habitat 10 c includes a box - like housing 12 c with a sight window 27 . a habitat insert 131 is located in the housing 12 c . habitat insert 131 includes a partition panel 132 that spans the width of housing 12 c and extends from the upper rear corner to the lower forward corner . a rear leg 134 extends from the upper edge of the partition panel 132 horizontally to the lower rear corner of housing 12 c . foot 135 extends forward from the lower edge of the leg 134 . the leg 134 and foot 135 serve to support partition panel 132 in place in the housing 12 c . a passage opening 138 is provided to permit the cricket to travel from one partitioned area of housing 12 c to another . the front face of the partition panel 132 can carry a design such as the camouflage design shown in fig1 for viewing through the window 27 . the camouflage design can take the form of foliage such as leaves along with crickets crawling among the leaves . the camouflage design is aesthetically pleasing and conveys to the prospective customer the nature of the habitat / retail package 10 c . an alternative end closure for the cricket habitat / retail receptacle is shown in fig1 - 18 . a housing 12 d has an outer end panel 140 . the lower edge 143 of panel 140 is glued to the next adjacent panel 148 to securely close the end of the box . panel 140 includes a tear strip 141 that extends horizontally across the width of the end panel 140 . an upper perforation line 142 and a lower perforation line 144 define tear strip 141 . the upper perforation line 142 is indented to define a closure tab 145 . the next adjacent panel 148 has a horizontal slot 147 . the slot 147 is positioned to receive the closure tab 145 . in use , the retail receptacle package initially has the tear strip 141 intact on the outer panel 140 . in lieu of having to rip the panels apart against the glue , the tear strip 141 is simply torn away from the outer panel 140 . the upper portion of the panel 140 can be pivoted away from the box end . the remaining end panels can be folded open for access to the interior of the housing 12 d . the housing 12 d is closed by folding the upper panel on 140 to a position where the closure tab 145 is poised over and inserted into the closure slot 147 . | US-93080907-A |
a thermoacoustic imaging device is provided having a transmitter configured to provide an electromagnetic transmit signal to an object being imaged . the transmit signal is a modulated continuous - wave signal based on a carrier frequency signal f c modulated at a modulation frequency at or near f m . the detector is further configured to receive an acoustic signal from the object being imaged , and is responsive to acoustic frequencies at or near 2f m . a non - linear thermoacoustic effect in the object being imaged generates the acoustic signal from the object being imaged . spectroscopic maps could be generated and imaged object could be analyzed . the device enhances signal - to - noise ratio of the reconstructed image and reduces the requirement of peak power in thermoacoustic imaging systems . in addition , the generated pressure of the imaged object is separated from microwave leakage and feedthrough in frequency through the nonlinear thermoacoustic effect . | the thermoacoustic ( ta ) effect was first demonstrated by using a pulse light source incident on a sample to generate acoustic waves . using microwave ( mw ) excitation , the microwave - induced thermoacoustic technique combines the contrast of microwave imaging , which is based on dielectric properties of different materials , with the high resolution of ultrasound ( us ) detection . it has the potential to achieve penetration depth in excess of 5 cm even in dispersive tissue . with this technique , the target tissue generates stress wave due to thermal expansion after the absorption of the microwave energy . photoacoustic imaging , which employs laser as the excitation source , shares the same physical principles . however , it is only suitable for superficial applications because of the limited penetration depth . conventional microwave - induced thermoacoustic uses a high power source to generate a short pulse . the stress confinement condition limits the maximum pulse width . to achieve the required signal to noise ( snr ) levels a higher pulse energy is required , and therefore , with a limited pulse width , the peak transmit power is increased and usually exceeds several kw in the microwave regime . in addition to requiring bulky and expensive vacuum sources ( klystron or magnetron ), this may also cause safety issues . in this invention , we provide and successfully demonstrate coherent frequency domain signaling and provide examples in the form of microwave - induced thermoacoustic stepped - frequency continuous - wave ( sfcw ) and frequency - modulated continuous - wave ( fmcw ) approaches . the fmcw technique reduces the requirement for peak power by increasing pulse duration and takes advantage of a match - filtering receiver to achieve significant snr improvement . exemplary embodiments of the invention could be fully implemented with solid - state electronics and opens the way to a new generation of portable hand - held and even battery - operated medical imaging devices . the small capture time also enables the possibility of real - time imaging with a transducer array . sfcw and fmcw signaling techniques are commonly used in radar . instead of sending a short pulse , the sfcw technique embodied in this invention sends continues wave signals in several discrete frequencies and synthesizes the frequency spectrum of the target impulse response . the sfcw system is inherently narrowband , which reduces the cost of the system implementation . fmcw uses linear frequency modulation ( lfm ) microwave to excite the tissue . a matched filter algorithm could be used for post processing and greatly improves snr levels . the snr improvement is proportional to √{ square root over ( m )} with m =( f 2 − f 2 )× τ being the time - bandwidth product . here , f 1 and f 2 are the starting and ending frequency of the lfm signal and τ is the pulse width . the interrupted version of fmcw uses short microwave pulses to avoid the overlap and leakage between tx and rx . this approach has a large “ blind range ”, which equals to the overall tx pulse width multiplied by speed of sound in tissue . also , the small time - bandwidth product limits the snr improvement level . in our approach , we use the long - pulse cw by reducing the leakage signal in the front - end and through that we achieve a significantly higher snr improvement . here , p ( r , t ) is the stress at position r and time t , ν s is the speed of sound , β is the thermal expansion coefficient , c is the specific heat capacity , and q ( r , t ) is the heating function , defined as thermal energy absorbed per unit time and unit mass . eq . ( 1 ) describes the generation of pressure waves from a heat source . q ( r , t ) can be written as q ( r , t )= σ e 2 ( r , t )+ 2π f ∈ 0 ∈′ e 2 ( r , t )+ 2π fμ 0 μ ′ h 2 ( r , t ) ( 2 ) the first term is the conductivity loss , which is the dominant component in thermal energy generation in tissue . in tissue , permeability can be neglected . so heating function is proportional to e 2 ( r , t ). to achieve frequency - domain imaging two problems need to be addressed . first , we need to show that signals remain fully coherent across the input ( microwave ) and output ( us ) domains . radar works in a single microwave domain and this is automatically achieved whereas this is less trivial for our imager . second , microwave excitation is in the ghz frequency range and us is in mhz . to apply coherent processing techniques we need the same modulation frequencies on both sides . this problem can be solved by applying the modulation to an envelope signal , which is later placed on the microwave carrier ( 2 . 1 ghz in this example , but could be anywhere in the rf to millimeter - wave frequency range , as shown in fig1 . the microwave signal is a single tone envelope ( e 0 cos ( 2πf m t )) modulated with carrier frequency f c . therefore , q ( r , t )∝ e 0 2 cos 2 ( 2π f m t ) cos ( 2π f c t )= 0 . 25 e 0 2 ( 1 + cos ( 4π f m t ))( 1 + cos ( 4π f c t )) ( 3 ) therefore the ta signal will have the response at the frequency 2f m . the carrier frequency is in ghz range , which is beyond the transducer response and cannot be detected . in general , if the envelope signal has a frequency of f m , the ta signal will have a frequency response at 2f m . for fmcw , the excitation envelope signal is a lfm signal sin ( 2π ( f 0 + bt ) t ), with b the frequency sweep rate and f 0 the starting frequency . the heating function and the ta signal will follow sin ( 4π ( f 0 + bt ) t ) and the frequency of the matched - filter response is at twice the lfm frequency . for comparison , the experiments have been performed with an incoherent pulse method as well as a coherent frequency domain method . the schematic is shown in fig1 . an arbitrary wave generator ( awg ) generates the low frequency envelope signal that modulates a 2 . 1 ghz carrier . a gan pa is designed to bring peak power up to 120 w ( for pulse operation ). the average power remains below 12 w . this power is then coupled to the container without direct contact . the tissue sample is placed in the oil - filled container . in this experiment , for detection , an immersion piezoelectric transducer at 0 . 5 mhz was used . a low noise amplifier ( lna ) was employed for conditioning . after the low pass filter , the signal was averaged and sampled by the oscilloscope . a linear stage setup is used to perform a b - scan to get the image . a piece of chicken breast was used as the imaging sample . in the sfcw experiment , the envelope frequency is stepped from 50 khz to 0 . 5 mhz in 5 khz increments . the resulting ta signal has a doubled frequency of this envelope , with frequency steps of 10 khz . consequently the synthesized time window is 1 / 10 khz = 100 μs , corresponding to a maximum range of 15 cm . at each frequency step , the complex frequency response at the doubled envelope frequency is extracted . an inverse fast fourier transform ( fft ) was performed to synthesize the time / spatial response . fig2 a shows the spectrum of output ta signal with varying the excitation envelope frequency . we can see the peak at twice the envelope frequency . fig2 b shows the synthesized frequency response and time response . the arrows indicate the valleys of frequency response , which correspond to the destructive interference of the ta signals from top and bottom surfaces of the tissue sample . the generated stress wave from top and bottom boundaries will be in opposite directions and consequently destructive interference takes place if the tissue thickness is an integer multiple of the ta signal wavelength . therefore , the valleys occur at f = nν s / thickness , corresponding to 270 khz , 405 khz , and 540 khz in this exemplary experiment . the thickness of the tissue can be calculated by 1500 m · s − 1 / 135 khz = 11 . 1 mm . the constructive interference occurs at frequencies f =( 2n + 1 ) ν s / 2 / thickness , which could also be observed as the peaks in the synthesized frequency response . in the fmcw experiment , the transmitter sends out 200 μs long lfm signal with a repetition rate of 500 hz . depending on the type of application , the pulse length could be extended to several milliseconds or even longer . the envelope signal frequency sweeps from 0 . 1 mhz to 0 . 4 mhz shown in fig3 a . the matched filter response is a chirp with frequency sweep from 0 . 2 mhz to 0 . 8 mhz , as shown in fig3 b . the figure only shows the lfm signal and matched filter response within 100 μs for clarity . fig3 c shows the measured ta signal . fig3 d shows the correlation signal after the matched filter . a window function was applied to reduce side lobes . we can see there are two big peaks . they are from the top and bottom surfaces of the sample . we performed a linear scan to get the cross section image of the tissue . the reconstructed images are shown in fig4 . the snr was calculated by the peak value of ta signals divided by the standard deviation of the background noise signal . the calculated snr for pulse ta with pulse width of 1 μs is 16 db . for fmcw ta , the snr of the received signal is 24 . 4 db . the calculated snr of fmcw correlation signal is 42 . 9 db . compared to the pulsed ta , the fmcw approach has a 26 . 9 db snr improvement . the sfcw ta method has an snr of 33 . 2 db , which is mainly limited by the available bandwidth . embodiments of the invention could be varied is different ways . for example , the microwave carrier f c and the modulation signal f m could both be swept in frequency . in another example , the acoustic pressures of an imaged object to different transmit signals could be recorded . in yet another example , the different responses could form a two - dimensional spectroscopic map , which could be used to analyze the composition and other properties of the imaged object . in still another example , frequency selective behavior ( e . g . resonances ) could occur in either the rf domain ( due to complex dielectric response ) or in the acoustic domain ( e . g . from various absorption windows , resonances from boundaries , or other forms of standing waves ). this approach could capture a two - dimensional plot of the response and fully characterize the target sample . this two - dimensional spectrogram could capture the following properties of the sample under test : rf / microwave characteristics , acoustic properties , thermoacoustic generation properties of various material and boundaries which itself depends on absorption , heating and heat capacity , expansion coefficients , which reveals mechanical and other characteristics of the target . | US-201514636412-A |
the present invention relates to a closed system and method for selectively infusing anesthetics into a peripheral nerve or plexus . a method of providing long term pain management is disclosed herein . in the method , a catheter is surgically implanted to create an infusion site at a peripheral neural structure . an implantable pump and reservoir are surgically implanted in subcutaneous tissue . the pump is then operated to deliver a predetermined dosage of medication through the catheter into the infusion site , whereby pain management is provided . | the present invention provides a closed , implantable system that administers analgesic medication to peripheral nerves and plexi . one embodiment of the present invention therefore provides long - term analgesia for localized chronic pain . to implant the system , an anesthetic reservoir / pump is implanted in the subcutaneous tissue of a patient with a connecting catheter that is implanted adjacent to a nerve or plexus , rather than in the spinal canal and central nervous system ( cns ), for the purpose of administration of an anesthetic . as may be appreciated , the danger of meningitis , hematoma and systemic effects is decreased as compared to a cns catheter location . as may also be appreciated , an embodiment &# 39 ; s use of pharmacotherapy enables the treatment of a broader range of pain issues than conventional , electricity - based mononeuropathy treatments . in addition , the delivery of anesthetics to peripheral nerves and plexi enables decreased side - effects as compared to intrathecally - implemented treatments which may require higher doses of anesthetic than is required for peripheral nerves . also , and according to another embodiment , an implanted system that delivers analgesic medication to peripheral nerves and plexi enables long - term independence and less - frequent patient visits to medical personnel . one embodiment of the present invention provides that the implanted system be closed , which provides for long term analgesia with decreased risk of infection . as may be appreciated , the present invention provides power analgesia not conventionally available on an outpatient basis . fig1 a - 1g illustrate exemplary locations for an implanted , closed anesthetic reservoir / pump and catheter for delivering analgesic medications to peripheral nerves and plexi according to one embodiment of the invention . turning now to fig1 a , a diagram illustrating an intercortal or interparietal block in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is shown . within a patient 100 is implanted an anesthetic reservoir / pump 110 at location a . exemplary methods for such an implantation are discussed below in connection with fig2 and 3 . as may be appreciated , while location a is in the chest cavity of the patient 100 , any viable location for the anesthetic reservoir / pump 110 may be used such as , for example , the buttocks or abdomen . in addition , the anesthetic reservoir / pump 110 may be implanted on the patient &# 39 ; s 100 left or right side . characteristics of the anesthetic reservoir / pump 110 will be discussed in greater detail below . a catheter 120 extends from the anesthetic reservoir / pump 110 , through the subcutaneous tissue of the patient 100 and ends adjacent to an intercostal or interparietal nerve — as indicated by location b — to effectuate an intercortal or interparietal block , respectively . according to one embodiment , location a — at which the anesthetic reservoir / pump 110 is implanted — is determined by , for example , the availability of locations within the body that are able to both house the anesthetic reservoir / pump 110 and minimize the amount of subcutaneous tissue through which the catheter 120 must travel . fig1 b is a diagram illustrating a radial or ulnar block in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . as was the case with fig1 a , discussed above , the patient 100 has received the anesthetic reservoir / pump 110 as indicated at location a . the catheter 120 extends from the anesthetic reservoir / pump 110 and terminates at location b , which indicates the radial and / or ulnar area . fig1 c is a diagram illustrating a scalene block in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . as can be seen , the catheter 120 extends from the anesthetic reservoir / pump 110 at location a to location b , which is located to achieve a scalene block . fig1 d is a diagram illustrating a tibial block in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . in fig1 d , the anesthetic reservoir / pump 110 is implanted at location a , which is now at a lower abdominal area of the patient 100 . the catheter 120 extends therefrom to location b , which is placed to effectuate a tibial block . fig1 e is a diagram illustrating a femoral block in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . again from location a in a lower abdominal area of the patient 100 , the catheter 120 extends from the anesthetic reservoir / pump 110 to location b , which is positioned to effectuate a femoral block . fig1 f is a diagram illustrating an ilioinguinal block in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention . from location a in a lower abdominal area of the patient 100 , the catheter 120 extends from the anesthetic reservoir / pump 110 to location b , which is positioned to effectuate a ilioinguinal block . fig1 g is a diagram illustrating a paravertebral block in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention ; from location a in a chest area of the patient 100 , the catheter 120 extends from the anesthetic reservoir / pump 110 under the subcutaneous tissue on the front of the patient 100 ( the solid line portion ) around to the back of the patient 100 ( the dotted line portion ) to location b , which is positioned to effectuate a paravertebral block . as may be appreciated from fig1 a - g , catheter 120 is placed adjacent to the peripheral nerves or plexi at which an analgesic effect is desired . although fig1 a - g illustrate several locations for the catheter 120 to deliver analgesic medication , numerous other locations may be used as well , and any such location is equally consistent with the present invention . for example , targets in the head region may include the gasserian gangion , the nasociliary , long ciliary , anterior ethmoidal , subraorbital , supratrochlear , maxillary , infraorbital , spbenopalantine , mandibular , inferior alveolar , lingual , auriculotemporal , masseter and mental nerves . targets in the neck may include , for example , the cervical plexus , greater and lesser occipital nerves , greater auricular nerve , stellate ganglion and glassopharyngeal nerves . targets in the upper extremity may include , for example , the brachial plexus : interscalene , supraclavicular , infraclavicular and axillary approach , and the radial , median , ulnar and digital nerves . targets in the thorax may include , for example , splanchnic nerves , thoracic sympathetic ganglion and intercostals nerves . targets in the abdomen may include , for example , lumbar sympathetic ganglion , celiac plexus , and ilioinguinal , iliohypogastric and genitofemoral nerves . targets in the pelvis may include , for example , the sciatic , femoral , lateral femoral cutaneous , obturator , common peroncal , saphanous , tibial , deep peroneal , superficial peroneal and saphaneous and sural nerves . in one embodiment of the present invention , the catheter 120 is flexible and suitably strong for its intended application . the catheter 120 can be fabricated from a nonreactive material such as , for example , a material such as silicon or polyvinyl plastic . the catheter 120 may be similar to catheters used for intrathecal catheters , or may be a specialized catheter specifically designed for long - term implantation adjacent to a peripheral nerve or plexus . additionally , an implanted catheter 120 may be lined by a flexible metal strip which would be conducive to electrical conduction . such a strip could be stimulated to verify catheter placement adjacent to the plexus . as may be appreciated , other embodiments may not have a metal strip . regarding the anesthetic reservoir / pump 110 , such a pump 110 is , in one embodiment , an implantable fixed or programmable subcutaneous pump or the like . components designed for epidural or intrathecal delivery may require modification for use in the present invention , depending on the location of infusion and placement of the pump . for example , a reduction in size of the pump 110 may be required in the case of juvenile patients , whereby an adult patient may require a larger pump 110 . also , if one or more anesthetics contained within the pump 110 are particularly potent , the size of the pump 110 may be reduced , while a pump 110 containing more diluted concentrations of anesthetic may need to be increased to contain a sufficient amount of such anesthetic to achieve the desired analgesic effect . exemplary pumps 110 that may be used in connection with the present invention , in modified or unmodified form , are the algomed ® and syncromed ® pumps , manufactured by medtronic , inc ., and arrow model 3000 pumps , manufactured by arrow international , inc . as may be appreciated , such a listing of commercially - available pumps 110 is not all - inclusive as other , general - use or specialized pumps 110 or the like may be implemented in connection with the present invention . such pumps 110 may be programmable to deliver analgesic medication at a constant rate , boluses , patient controlled boluses and the like . using radio frequency ( rf ) circuitry , a pump 110 may be programmed from an office or another remote location . in addition , such pumps 110 may contain a reservoir fill port that enables refill of the pump 110 by way of injection . in addition to the catheter 120 and the pump 110 , a bore needle , such as , for example , a crawford needle may be required for implantation of the catheter 120 . one exemplary needle that may be used in connection with an embodiment of the present invention is discussed below in connection with fig4 . other embodiments of the present invention can involve other needles for initial injection of a nerve or plexus . to illustrate an exemplary implantation according to one embodiment of the present invention , two exemplary methods of peripheral nerve analgesia are disclosed herein : a brachial plexus placement through an axillary approach ( discussed below in connection with fig2 ), and a thoracic nerve block ( discussed below in connection with fig3 ). as may be appreciated , the disclosed methods of peripheral nerve analgesia are in no way all - inclusive , as methods of implanting a system in accordance with the present invention may be used to implant , for example , a pump and catheter in any bodily peripheral nerve or plexus , such as the locations discussed above in connection with fig1 a - g . one of skill in the art would be familiar with general surgery techniques , so detail pertaining to each technique is therefore omitted herein for brevity . turning now to fig2 , a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method of peripheral nerve analgesia by using brachial plexus placement through an axillary approach in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is shown . at step 205 , the patient &# 39 ; s elbow is extended and arm abducted to create a substantially 90 ° angle between the arm and the patient &# 39 ; s 110 ( not shown in fig2 for clarity ) side . at step 210 , the axilla and chest wall are prepared and draped in a sterile manner . at step 215 , the patient 110 is given general anesthesia with , for example , endotracheal intubation . at step 220 , the axillary artery is palpated in the anterior wall of the axilla and , at step 225 , a spinal needle is attached to a bore needle , such as a beveled “ block needle ” or the like , and the grounding wire of a nerve stimulator . the spinal needle is used , here , to provide electrical conductivity between the bore needle and the nerve stimulator . the bore needle is inserted substantially parallel to or tangentially to the axillary artery until penetrating the facial sheath of the brachial plexus . a stimulator technique is then used such as , for example , a stimulator technique disclosed in chapter 57 of steven d . waldman , ed ., interventional pain management , 2nd ed . ( w . b . saunders co . 2001 ), which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety . the bore needle should be advanced approximately 5 mm to ensure such needle is within the sheath . local anesthetic is injected with frequent aspiration to ensure the tip is not within a vessel . at step 230 , an arterial line wire is inserted through the bore needle . the arterial line wire is grounded with the surrounding tissue and stimulation applied to verify location adjacent to the plexus . as will be discussed below in connection with fig4 , a protrusion may be formed on the needle so as to expedite the stimulation process by obviating the need for a spinal needle to serve as an electrical conductor . at step 235 , incisions are made . for example , an approximately 1 cm incision is made in the skin and subcutaneous tissue at the entry site of the arterial line wire . the arterial line wire is left in place and can be stimulated to verify a location next to the nerve plexus . a horizontal incision is then made in the anterior chest wall . then dissection such as , for example , blunt / sharp dissection , is utilized to create a subcutaneous pocket . the dissection may take place in a conventional or specialized surgical fashion , as any such method is equally consistent with the present invention . the pump 110 ( not shown in fig2 for clarity ) is then inserted into the pocket and sutured in place with , for example , nylon sutures or the like . at step 240 , a subcutaneous tunnel is created between the pocket formed above in connection with block 235 and the axillary incision . at step 245 , the catheter 120 ( not shown in fig2 for clarity ) is placed over the arterial line wire using , for example , the seldinger technique . the wire is then removed . in some embodiments , the wire is impregnated with metal to allow verification of a nerve plexus . the catheter is then thread through the subcutaneous tunnel to the site of the pump 110 , and excess catheter 120 length is cut away . the catheter 120 is aspirated to ensure that it is not within a vessel , and then the catheter 120 is attached to the pump 110 . at step 250 verification of the placement of the catheter 120 is made using , for example , stimulation or fluoroscopy . finally , at step 255 , the incision sites are sutured closed . the aforementioned technique can be utilized with any of the brachial plexus approaches , such as interscalene , subclavian and infraclavicular . the only modification of the above procedure for such approaches may involve the respective initial injection site for accessing the nerve plexus . as may be appreciated , the present invention may be implanted to provide analgesic medication to any bodily peripheral nerves or plexi , such as those listed above in connection with fig1 a - 1g . background information concerning variations and / or modifications to the method illustrated in fig2 , as well as to the method of fig3 , to be discussed below , to access the different nerves and plexi may be found in garber j . e ., hassenbusch , s . j . iii , spinal administration of nonopiate analgesics for pain management , 2nd ed ., ( w . b . saunders co . 2001 ); david l . brown , ed ., regional anesthesia and analgesia , 1 st ed . ( w . b . saunders co . 1996 ); jordan katz , ed ., atlas of regional anesthesia , 2nd ed . ( appleton and lange 1994 ); chan v . w . s ., continuous intercostal nerve block in postoperative pain management ( churchill livingston 1993 ); chan v . w . s ., ferrante f . m ., continuous thoracic paravertebral block in postoperative pain management ( churchill livingston 1993 ); vadeboncouer t . r ., interpleural regional analgesia in postoperative pain management ( churchill livingston 1993 ), all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety . additional reference to brachial plexus catheter techniques is included in concepcion m ., continuous brachial plexus catheter techniques in postoperative pain management ( churchill livingston . 1993 ) which is also incorporated by reference in its entirety . additionally , intercolstal , interpleural and paravertebral approaches may follow the above procedure with the exception of initial injection and the use of electrical stimulation . as may be appreciated to one of skill in the art , electrical stimulation should not be utilized in paravertebral , intercostal or interpleural blockades . turning now to fig3 , a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method of peripheral nerve analgesia by way of a thoracic nerve block in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is shown . at step 305 , the patient 100 ( not shown in fig3 for clarity ) is placed in , for example , the lateral decubitus position with the affected side of the thorax facing up . at step 310 , chest and back of the patient 100 are prepared and draped in a sterile manner . at step 315 , the patient 100 is given general anesthesia with , for example , endotracheal intubation or the like . at step 320 , the spinous process and transverse process of the desired level of the thorax is palpated . at step 325 , a finder needle such as , for example , a 22 gauge finder needle , is inserted substantially perpendicular to the skin and contact is made with the transverse process . then a spinal needle or the like such as , for example , a 16 - 18 gauge spinal needle , is inserted in the same location . the spinal needle is walked cephalad off the transverse process &# 39 ; superior border . the needle is angled superiorly and inserted through the superior costotransverse ligament and into the paravertebral space . aspiration is then performed to check for blood or spinal fluid . at step 330 , a catheter 120 such as , for example , a 20 gauge epidural catheter , is advanced through the bore needle and approximately 2 to 3 em into the paravertebral space . at step 335 , an approximately 1 cm incision is made in the skin and subcutaneous tissue at the site of the catheter 120 . a substantially horizontal incision is then made in the subcutaneous tissue and skin of the anterior chest wall , abdomen , buttocks or back . then dissection such as , for example , blunt / sharp dissection is utilized to create a subcutaneous pocket as was discussed above in connection with step 235 of fig2 , above . the pump 110 is then inserted into the pocket and sutured in place with , for example , nylon sutures or the like . at step 340 , a subcutaneous tunnel is created between the pocket created in step 335 and the site of the catheter 120 . at step 345 , the catheter 120 is threaded through the subcutaneous tunnel to the site of the pump 110 . excess catheter 120 length is cut away , and then the catheter 120 is aspirated to ensure that it is not within a vessel . the catheter 120 is then attached to the pump 110 . at step 350 , verification of catheter 120 placement takes place using , for example , stimulation or fluoroscopy . finally , at step 355 the incision sites are sutured closed . as may be appreciated , intercostals and interpleural insertion can be achieved by using the method of fig3 . the initial site of insertion should be modified as indicated . surgical placement of infusion catheters , such as the catheter 120 , may follow the basic technique dictated in the placement of implantable peripheral nerve stimulation . this technique is mown in the art of anesthesia and neurosurgery , and is discussed in heavner et al ., peripheral nerve stimulation : current concepts in interventional pain management , 2nd ed ., ( w . b . saunders co . 2001 ), which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety . as may be appreciated , the site of afferent pain stimulation should be determined by history and examination . through surgical technique , the site of mononeuropathy or plexus site should be exposed . the catheter 120 is sutured in place adjacent to the aforementioned nerve or plexus . the catheter 120 may be anchored to , for example , bone , fascia or ligament adjacent to the targeted peripheral nerve or plexi . in such an embodiment of the present invention , an open dissection may be required . regardless , once the catheter 120 is in place , a track is created in the subcutaneous tissue of the patient 100 . a tunnel and connecting pocket is then created as discussed above in connection with the methods of fig2 and 3 . referring now to fig4 , a perspective drawing of an exemplary bore needle 400 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is shown . the needle 400 includes a protrusion 410 , a base 420 and a bored metal shaft 430 . the protrusion 410 is electrically conductive and extends from the base 420 to create a corner therebetween . the protrusion could , in an alternative embodiment , extend from the metal shaft 430 . the protrusion 410 could also be substantially perpendicular to the base 420 , and / or the metal shaft 430 . further , the protrusion is conductively continuous with and to the metal shaft 430 . the protrusion 410 serves as a contact point for an electrical connector used to stimulate a peripheral nerve or plexus in accordance , for example , with the method discussed above in connection with fig2 . such a connector may be , for example , a “ banana ” clip or the like . in addition , a metal impregnated catheter 120 ( not shown in fig4 for clarity ) may be used to conduct an electrical signal to the peripheral nerve or plexus being stimulated . thus , in one embodiment of the present invention , the needle 400 , when connected to an electrical power source by way of the protrusion 410 and in conjunction with a metal impregnated catheter 120 , obviates the need for a spinal needle to serve as an electrical conductor . in such an embodiment , therefore , time may be saved in the surgical procedure because of the consolidation of equipment . the present invention involves novel drug dosing and utilization . for example , one embodiment requires long term and continuous dosing of analgesics at a peripheral nerve site . such a chronic dosing schedule is not currently employed in conventional analgesic delivery methods . an embodiment of the present invention may require long - term dosing of analgesics at a peripheral nerve site for days , weeks , months or even years . additionally , the analgesics employed by certain embodiments of the present invention may be of diverse types . bupivacaine is a typical peripheral nerve analgesic , as are similar drugs such as tetracaine and lidocaine . the present invention , however , advocates the use of opioids , antispasmodics , alpha 2 agonists and local anesthetics independently and in combination to promote analgesia . in one exemplary embodiment , a 42 year old patient with a history of ulnar neuropathy had a catheter surgically implanted adjacent to the symptomatic nerve . a combination of tetracaine , clonidine and baclofen was administered to the peripheral nerve site via an implanted pump system . the patient received doses of 10 - 25 mg / day of tetracaine , 50 - 100 mcg / day of clonidine and 50 - 100 mcg / day of baclofen in combination to achieve analgesia . as may be appreciated , the above disclosed dosing method is in no way all - inclusive , as similar types of drug combinations are possible for peripheral nerves and plexi pain treatment in accordance with the present invention . thus , a method and system for using a closed and implanted system for selective infusion of analgesic medicine to peripheral nerves and plexi has been provided . while the present invention has been described in connection with the exemplary embodiments of the various figures , it is to be understood that other similar embodiments may be used or modifications and additions may be made to the described embodiment for performing the same function of the present invention without deviating therefrom . for example , while one skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention as described in the present application refers to specific nerves and plexi , an embodiment of the present invention extends to any peripheral nerve or plexus . therefore , the present invention should not be limited to any single embodiment , but rather should be construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the appended claims . | US-54370009-A |
a fishing rod with its own fishing line drag and line recovery functions , which interacts with a standard fishing reel with line drag and recovery functions . | the rigid fishing rod - 1 - is designed for trolling and bottom type fishing . the length of the rod is kept to a minimum . by keeping the rod length short , many advantages are gained . some of the advantages are : storage , less leverage gain by the fish , not as awkward to use , increased rod strength and human safety . to emulate the flexing action of a longer flexing rod , two multi vertical roller assemblies are used within the groove - 12 - of the rod . each roller assembly has three vertically mounted rollers - 9 - and does not allow the fishing line to cross paths . when the end of the line - 6 - is pulled by the fish the sliding multi vertical roller assembly - 5 - starts to move forward . the rollers - 9 - turn as line - 7 - is released to the fish . as the fish increases pull on the end of the line - 6 - the spring - 3 - tension increases . when the sliding multi vertical roller assembly - 5 - slides close to the stop point - 19 -, the pre - set drag of the fishing reel releases and the spool - 15 -, which releases the line - 7 -. when the reel - 8 - releases the line - 7 - or the fish decreases pull , the sliding multi vertical roller assembly fig . - 5 - starts returning to stop point - 20 -. the stationary multi vertical roller assembly fig . - 4 - does not slide . the rollers - 9 - are the only parts that move in the stationary roller assembly fig . - 4 -. the interaction of the spring - 3 -, stationary multi vertical roller assembly fig . - 4 -, sliding multi vertical roller assembly fig . - 5 -, reel - 8 - and line - 7 - emulate the flexing action of a much longer flexing fishing rod . as shown in the drawings , the short one piece , nonflexing fishing rod - 1 - is machined from a hollow metal tube or a rigid tube type material . a groove - 12 - is cut in the rod - 1 - from reference point - 20 - to the end tip portion of the rod - 1 -. with the groove - 12 - cut in the rod - 1 - a sliding track area - 21 - is provided for the multi vertical sliding roller assembly fig . - 5 -. the groove - 12 - also provides an insertion area for the stationary multi vertical roller assembly fig . - 4 -. the sliding multi vertical roller assembly fig . - 5 - is machined from a metal or rigid material . the sliding multi vertical roller assembly fig . - 5 - consists of a metal sliding cylinder - 24 - which is designed to slide inside the groove - 21 - of the rod - 1 -. the metal roller guide plates - 2 - are welded to the metal sliding cylinder - 24 -. the rollers - 9 - are machined from metal and are pinned by pins - 18 - to the guide plates - 2 -. the sliding cylinder swivel - 17 - is pinned by pin - 23 -. the stationary multi vertial roller assembly fig . - 4 - is machined from metal or a rigid material . the solid cylinder - 25 - is machined to fit inside the groove - 21 - of the rod - 1 -. the metal roller guide plates - 5 - are welded to the solid cylinder - 25 -. the rollers - 9 - are machined from metal and are pinned by pins - 18 - to the guide plates - 5 -. the solid cylinder - 25 - is pinned by pins - 22 - to the rod - 1 - which keeps the stationary multi vertical roller assembly fig . - 4 - in a stationary position . two anti line tangle devices - 16 - are used . the first one is welded or pinned to the sliding multi vertical roller assembly guide plates - 2 - and the second one is welded or pinned to the stationary guide plates - 5 -. each anti line tangle device - 16 - is a hollow metal cylinder . the fishing line - 7 - is threaded inside the hollow metal cylinders . groment or packing material is packed around the line - 7 - inside the hollow cylinder and used to keep pressure on the line - 7 - which prevents the line from tangling . the alignment of each anti line tangle device - 16 allows the line to travel freely . the spring device - 3 - is inserted inside the hollow rod - 1 -. one end of the spring device - 3 - is connected to the swivel - 17 - and the other end is connected to the spring device adjustment screw - 4 -. the tension of the spring device - 3 - can be adjusted by the spring device adjustment screw - 4 -. a butt cap - 10 - is removed to gain access for adjustment of spring - 3 -. the reel mount - 11 - is welded or screw fastened to rod - 1 - to hold the reel - 8 - in place . to fish with the fishing rod a conventional trolling reel is fastened to the reel mount of the rod . the line is fed from the reel and sequenced under and over the rollers - 9 -, as shown in fig . - 2 -. a lure or hooked bait is tied to the end of the line . the functions of the conventional reel are used to pay out line and retrieve line plus line drag operation . while the preferered embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described , it should be apparent that variations will be apparent to one skilled in the art without departing from the principles herein ( example increasing the number of vertical rollers ). accordingly , the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiment shown in the drawings . | US-83230792-A |
stained glass golf course markers comprised of concrete and stained glass which show the layout of each hole on a golf course , including the hole number , par , handicap , and tee to green yardage from each tee box . the concrete and glass construction provide a durable marker which will withstand exposure to the elements well . these markers are also very unique and beautiful and thus will add greatly to the appearance of any golf course . | fig1 illustrates a golf course tee box marker which is round in shape . said marker is constructed of a mixture of portland cement and an aggregate . the aggregate may consist of sand , gravel , ground or pulverized stone , and gypsum . this concrete mixture is inlaid with stained glass which has been cut and ground to match a particular pattern of the graphic layout of a golf course hole . the number four ( 20 ) on the face of the marker indicates that this is the marker for the number four hole on a particular course . this number is stained glass which has been cut and ground to match the graphic design for the numeral four . the graphic layout of the green is illustrated at ( 21 ). the green is cut and ground out of a green glass that visually stands out from the fairway green . the graphic layout of the fairway is illustrated by ( 22 ). the fairway is composed of stained glass which has been cut and ground to match the graphic layout of the number four hole on a particular golf course . the location of trees is indicated by ( 23 ). these trees are cut from green stained glass in sizes and shapes which illustrate the location of a tree or a group of trees on a particular fairway . the sand trap ( 24 ) is cut and ground to match the graphic shape and location of the sand trap or traps on a particular fairway . the stained glass used for the sand traps is white or off - white in color . the location of the ladies tee box ( 25 ) is indicated by a small piece of red glass . the location of the men &# 39 ; s tee box ( 26 ) is indicated by a small piece of white glass , while the expert tee box ( 27 ) is indicated by a small piece of black glass . the par 3 ( 28 ) indicates that this particular hole requires that a golfer get his ball from the tee box to the hole in three strokes in order to achieve a par for that particular hole . the letters and numerals are cut and ground stained glass . a small piece of red stained glass , illustrated at ( 29 ) is used to indicate that the distance from the ladies tee box to the green is 200 yards . the 225 is marked by a small piece of white glass to indicate that the distance from the men &# 39 ; s tee box to the green is 225 yards ( 30 ). a small piece of black glass ( 31 ) is used to mark the 235 which indicates the yardage from the expert tee box to the green . the hcp 9 ( 32 ) indicates that the number four hole on this golf course is the ninth most difficult hole on the course . the arrowhead ( 33 ) is used to illustrate a sample of a course &# 39 ; s particular logo . other examples of logo &# 39 ; s may include names , animals , trees , ect . for example , a course named panther &# 39 ; s run may have a panther as it &# 39 ; s logo , willowbrook may have a willow tree , cherry springs may have a cluster of cherries , or the logo may consist of the course &# 39 ; s name such as flint ridge . a stained glass border is illustrated at ( 34 ). this will be in a color desired by a particular course . each course will have color preferences for all stained glass contained within a said marker . a course may have specific colors which they desire to mark their tee boxes . ( 35 ) indicates the depth of said marker from front to back . this depth being 1 3 / 4 &# 34 ; to 2 &# 34 ;. fig2 shows a tee box marker with an alternate shape . while the marker in fig2 is square , i have also made a rectangular marker constructed according to the teachings of the present invention . the number nine ( 20 ) indicates that this is the marker for the number nine hole on a particular course . this number is stained glass which has been cut and ground to match the graphic design of the numeral nine . the graphic layout of the fairway is illustrated at ( 22 ). the fairway is composed of stained glass which has been cut and ground to illustrate the layout of the fairway on the number nine hole of a particular golf course . ( 23 ) illustrates the location of trees . these trees are cut in sizes and shapes to match the location of a tree or a group of trees on a particular fairway or adjacent to the fairway . the location of sand traps on a particular fairway are illustrated by ( 24 ). the location of the ladies tee box ( 25 ) is indicated by a small piece of red glass . the location of the men &# 39 ; s tee box ( 26 ) is indicated by a small piece of white glass . the expert tee box ( 27 ) is indicated by a piece of black glass . the par 4 ( 28 ) illustrates that this number nine hole requires that a golfer get his ball from the tee box to the hole in four strokes in order to achieve a par . all letters and numerals consist of accurately cut and ground glass . a small piece of red glass ( 29 ) is used to indicate that the distance from the ladies tee to the green is 205 yards , whereas white glass ( 30 ) is used to indicate a yardage of 245 yards from the men &# 39 ; s tee to the green . a piece of black glass ( 31 ) is used to indicate a distance of 253 yards from the expert tee box to the green . the hcp 5 ( 32 ) indicates that this number nine hole is the fifth most difficult hole on the course . the glass border is indicated by ( 34 ). the depth ( 35 ) of said marker from front to back is 1 3 / 4 &# 34 ; to 2 &# 34 ;. fig3 illustrates a triangular shaped marker constructed according to the teachings of the present invention . the number six ( 20 ) indicates a marker for the number six hole on a particular golf course . this number consists of stained glass which has been cut and ground to match the graphic design of the numeral six . the graphic layout of the fairway ( 22 ) is composed of stained glass which has been cut and ground to match the graphic layout of the fairway on the number six hole of a particular golf course . the location of a tree is indicated by ( 23 ). as previously mentioned , the location and quantity of trees will match the actual trees on or adjacent to a particular fairway . the ladies tee box location ( 25 ) is marked by a piece of red glass , while the men &# 39 ; s tee box ( 26 ) is marked by white glass and the expert tee box is indicated by a piece of black glass . while these markers illustrate only three tee boxes , many courses contain up to five tee boxes which will all require a different color of glass for marking the location of each individual tee box . the par 3 illustrated by ( 28 ) conveys that this particular hole requires a golfer to get his ball from the tee box to the green in three strokes in order to achieve a par for the hole . the hcp 8 ( 32 ) indicates that this number six hole is the eighth most difficult hole on the course . again , all letters and numbers consist of accurately cut and ground stain glass . a small piece of red glass ( 29 ) is used to indicate that the distance from the ladies tee box to the green is 83 yards , while white glass ( 30 ) indicates the yardage distance from the men &# 39 ; s tee box to the green is 127 yards . the yardage of the expert tee box ( 31 ) is marked by a small piece of black glass . a stained glass border is indicated by ( 34 ). the front to back depth of said marker is indicated by ( 35 ) and is 1 3 / 4 &# 34 ; to 2 &# 34 ;. the first step in making a stained glass marker is to sketch the layout of the hole . a pattern is then made and transferred to the glass . the glass is cut and ground to match the pattern . the glass is then positioned in the bottom of a mold . the mold used for fig1 is round and twenty - five inches in diameter with a depth of two inches , however , different sizes and shapes of molds may be used , without departing from the teachings of the present invention . next , sifted concrete is poured over the glass to a depth of one - half to three - fourths inch . re - enforcing wire is added next and then the form is filled with concrete . after the concrete has set , the marker is removed from the mold and the exposed glass is cleaned . when the concrete marker has completely cured , it is sealed with a concrete sealer on the top and sides . although the present invention of stained glass and concrete golf course markers has been described in detail , it should be understood that various changes , modifications , substitutions and alterations may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is solely defined by the following claim . | US-76214197-A |
an improved structure of brewing chamber of a coffee machine is disclosed by setting an intercepting device in an extracting pipe of a traditional brewing chamber of a coffee machine and two draining through - holes into the bottom of the traditional brewing chamber . due to the intercepting device , the extracted coffee liquid coming from the brewing chamber can be drained off the extracting pipe with a stable speed and the coffee grain in the brewing chamber can be extracted in the conditions with an average extracting time and an average extracting pressure , and all that promote the extracting and tasting quality of the coffee . besides , by the two draining through - holes , after all the extracted coffee liquid has been drained off the extracting pipe , the residual liquid in the brewing chamber can be drained off the brewing chamber smoothly to keep the next time extracted coffee liquid fresh . | an improved structure of brewing chamber of a coffee machine is disclosed in the present invention . fig3 a is the cross - section view illustrating the brewing chamber in the preferred embodiment of the present invention . the brewing chamber 300 is a cylinder structure with a hollow room 316 used to provide space for coffee powder and be the brewing space . the two sides of the top of the brewing chamber 300 have two slide boards 302 , which are used to let the filter piston release the coffee residue to successfully flow out by the slide board 302 . the bottom of the brewing chamber 300 has an extracting pipe 304 , a first draining through - hole 312 , a second draining through - hole 324 , and a draft through - hole 306 . the extracting pipe 304 is formed in the bottom of the brewing chamber 300 and is inclined and exposed to the outside of the cylinder . and one side of the extracting pipe 304 is connected to the releasing pipe used to let the extracting coffee liquid slow out to the cup . the internal extracting pipe has a spring 308 and a magnetic ball 310 , which are used to be a throttle . the magnetic ball 310 is called an intercepting piece . the one side of the spring 308 is fixed in the exit of the extracting pipe 304 . the other side of the spring 308 is fixed with the magnetic ball 310 . in addition , the diameter of the magnetic ball 308 is less than the bore diameter of the extracting pipe 304 . in other embodiments , the intercepting piece can be replaced by some cylinders &# 39 ; or other shapes &# 39 ; materials , which are able to endure high temperature and high pressure . the first draining through - hole 312 and the second draining through - hole 324 are passed through the bottom of the brewing chamber 300 and connected to the external air . both of them are used to successfully release the water or coffee , which are left within the brewing chamber 300 . the position of these two draining through - holes is closed to the circle of brewing chamber . fig3 b is the vertical view of fig3 a , the draft through - hole 306 is passed through the center of the bottom of the cylinder . as shown in fig3 c , the draft through - hole 306 is used for the draft 326 of the filter piston 314 to pass through . the filter piston 314 can be used to move in and out within the brewing chamber by pushing and pulling the draft 316 . in the present embodiment , the shape of the filter piston of the brewing chamber 300 is shown in fig3 d . the filter piston 314 comprises a plurality of filter holes 3144 and a circular rubber ring 3142 . the shape design of the circular rubber ring 3142 in the bottom of the brewing chamber is used to close the opening of the top of the first draining through - hole 312 or the second draining through - hole 324 , and the extracting coffee liquid can be flowed out from the filter hole 3144 to the center of the circular rubber ring 3142 and finally entered to the extracting pipe instead of flowing out to the first draining through - hole or second draining through - hole . the procedure of brewing coffee in the present invention is no big different to the procedure of brewing coffee in the prior art . the following is the detail description regarding the operation of the brewing chamber in the present embodiment . referring to fig1 a , when the brewing chamber 300 is in the first step , the coffee powder is entered to the brewing chamber from the funnel 114 until the brewing chamber is full of coffee powder . when the brewing chamber is in the second step of fig1 b , as shown in fig3 c , the water piston 320 , the brewing chamber 300 and the filter piston 314 are formed a closed brewing space . and the closed brewing space is full of coffee powder . the high pressure hot water is from the water piston flowed into the closed brewing space and melted the coffee powder . then , the water is entered the filter hole 3144 and flowed out from the extracting pipe 304 . however , as the previous description , the high pressure hot water is kept flowing into the closed brewing space , melted the coffee powder and then flowed out from the extracting pipe . during the procedure of passing in and out , the speed of passing in and out is different and the coffee powder will be expanded during brewing , the pressure of the closed brewing space will be changed to let the average speed of the coffee liquid be different . therefore , the extracting time and the pressure environment can not be stable when the coffee powder is in the brewing time and the concentration of the caffeine in the coffee is not all the same and affect the taste and quality of the coffee . the different of operating the brewing chamber between the present invention and the convention is when the extracting coffee liquid is entered to the extracting pipe 304 from the brewing chamber 300 , the coffee liquid will collide with the magnetic ball 310 of the extracting pipe 304 and flow along with the wall of the magnetic ball 310 , and the flowing surface of the coffee liquid is smaller than the surface of opening of the extracting pipe at that time . the magnetic ball 310 is pushed the spring 308 and the portion of momentum or power of the coffee liquid will be absorbed by the spring 308 and have the effect of intercepting control . and the size of the magnetic ball 310 and the spring 308 can be changed by the need and have the different results . therefore , the average speed of the extracting coffee liquid and the coffee liquid of the extracting environment within the brewing chamber can be stable to maintain the taste and quality of the coffee . after extracting the coffee liquid , the brewing chamber is from the position of the second step back to the position of the first step . at the moment , referring to fig3 e , the filter piston 314 is used to push up and do the extracting process . as the previous description , when the coffee liquid is flowed out from the extracting pipe 304 , there is some water left in the brewing chamber 300 . moreover , in the movement of releasing residue of the filter piston 314 , the edge of the circle rubber ring 3144 of the filter piston 314 is closely connected to the wall of the brewing chamber 300 , and the filter hole 3144 of the top of the filter piston 314 is closed by the coffee residue 318 . when the filter piston is pushed up , the operating mode is like the vacuum pumper to pump the portion of the coffee liquid back to the brewing chamber 300 and then the liquid 322 is left inside the brewing chamber 300 . comparing to the conventional brewing chamber , there are two draining through - holes in the bottom of the brewing chamber , the first draining through - hole and the second through - hole , and both of them are connected to the air . as shown in fig3 e , when the brewing chamber 300 is the position of the second step moving to the position of the first step and the liquid is left in the bottom of the brewing chamber , and the brewing chamber is in slide position and the air pressure is entered to the second draining through - hole 324 ( the real arrow ), which is in the higher position . the liquid within the brewing chamber 300 is flowed out from the first draining through - hole 312 ( the dotted arrow ), which is in the lower position . wherein the liquid left in the brewing chamber is flowed out and put in the container disposed inside the coffee machine . when the position of the brewing chamber 300 is closely moving to vertical , as shown in fig3 f , there is still some liquid inside the brewing chamber . the air is entered from one of two draining through - holes and the water is flowed out from the other of two draining through - holes . in a fast and alternative way to switch , once the air is entered from the first draining through - hole and flowed out from the second draining through - hole , and the air is entered from the second draining through - hole and flowed out from the first draining through - hole . the internal of the brewing chamber 300 will have pressure changed because of air . the purpose of designing two draining through - holes is to utilize a draining through - hole to connect to the air and cause the pressure different , and let the liquid can be flowed out at the other draining through - hole . on the other hand , in other embodiments , there are more than two draining through - holes can be added in the bottom of the brewing chamber and the water releasing result can be the same . in other embodiments , the designing position of putting the draining through - holes can be changed , as shown in fig3 g , the first draining through - hole 312 can be put in the bottom of the brewing chamber 300 and the second draining through - hole can be put in one side of the brewing chamber 300 , the water releasing result can also be the same . it should be noted that no matter where the designing position of the draining through - hole is , the opening of the draining through - hole can be closed by the circle rubber ring of the filter piston when the filter piston is in the bottom of the brewing chamber . besides , although there is only one extracting pipe in the embodiment of the present invention , more than one extracting pipes can be added in other embodiments of the present invention . as the previous description , a releasing method of the extracting coffee liquid and the residual liquid is provided in the present invention , the releasing method of the extracting coffee liquid and the residual liquid is to change the conventional brewing chamber structure by the physics operating theory . the method comprises : installing an intercepting device within said extracting pipe , just like installing a spring and an intercepting piece within said extracting pipe ; and when said extracting liquid is flowed into said extracting pipe from said brewing chamber , said intercepting piece will be the stop for the liquid flowing out from said brewing chamber . said extracting liquid is flowed in the interval of said intercepting device and the side wall of said extracting pipe and flowed out said extracting pipe . and the portion energy of the liquid flowed out from said brewing chamber was absorbed by said spring . because of previous description , an improved structure of brewing structure of the coffee machine is disclosed . the brewing device of the coffee machine can maintain the taste quality of the coffee and release the coffee residue and water within the brewing chamber , and avoid the coffee residue blowing off from the brewing chamber after the coffee brewing and cause the cleaning problem within the machine . the present invention provides an improve structure of the brewing chamber of the coffee machine . there are two draining through - holes added in the conventional brewing chamber and a throttle added in the extracting pipe of the brewing chamber . by adding a throttle structure , the flowing speed of the coffee liquid can be stable and average the extracting pressure and the time in the coffee powder of the brewing chamber during the brewing process . the taste quality of the coffee can be enhanced . by adding two draining through - holes , the water or the coffee residue left in the brewing chamber can be successfully released after the coffee brewing . the coffee brewing from the machine can keep fresh . in addition , the two draining through - holes can adjust the pressure to prevent the coffee residue blow off from the brewing chamber . besides , the structure of the present invention does not need to make a big change of the conventional brewing chamber . although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described , it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention , which is intended to be limited solely by the appended claims . | US-23357905-A |
a medical device for processing physiological signals such as electrocardiograms . the processing includes : sampling a physiologic signal in a first channel with a first sampling rate , simultaneously sampling the physiologic signal in a second channel with a higher sampling rate to thus generate pairs of sampling values , forming the difference between two sampling values of each pair , comparing said difference with a threshold , and generating a noise detection indicator whenever said threshold is exceeded . | the following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention . this description is not to be taken in a limiting sense , but is made merely for the purpose of describing the general principles of the invention . the scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims . fig1 shows an implantable medical device 10 connected to electrode leads 14 and 16 having electrodes placed in a heart . as will be more apparent from the following description of the implantable medical device 10 , the implantable medical device 10 is capable of making up intracardiac electrograms that represent electrical activity of the myocardium of either a right atrium or a right ventricle of a heart . according to further embodiments not represented in detail within this disclosure , the implantable medical device could also be capable of picking up intracardiac electrograms from the left atrium and / or or the left ventricle . further , the implantable medical device can be made capable of creating a far field electrogram signal from intracardiac electrogram signals picked up via electrodes located at the implantable medical device 10 . in order to be capable to pick up electric potentials of the myocardium , the implantable medical device 10 ( dual chamber pacemaker 10 ) of fig1 is connected to electrode leads 14 and 16 , comprising stimulation and sensing electrodes 18 and 20 and 22 and 24 , respectively . electrodes 18 and 20 are placed in the right atrium 26 of the heart whereas electrodes 22 and 24 are placed in the right ventricle 28 of the art . fig2 shows the schematic block diagram of the implantable medical device 10 . atrial electrode lead 14 is connected to an atrial stimulation unit 60 and an atrial sensing unit 62 . ventricular electrode lead 16 is connected to a ventricular stimulation unit 64 and a ventricular sensing unit 66 . both the atrial stimulation unit 60 and the ventricular stimulation unit 64 are adapted to generate atrial or ventricular stimulation pulses , respectively , for stimulation of the respective heart chamber . the atrial sensing unit 62 and the ventricular sensing unit 66 are adapted to process electric potentials picked up via a pair of atrial electrodes 18 and 20 or the pair of ventricular electrodes 22 and 24 , respectively . atrial electrode 18 and atrial electrode 20 is a right atrial ventricular electrode . similarly , ventricular electrode 22 is a right ventricular tip electrode and electrode 24 is a right ventricular ring electrode . atrial stimulation unit 60 , atrial sensing unit 62 , ventricular stimulation unit 64 and ventricular sensing unit 66 are connected to a control unit 70 of the implantable medical device 10 . control unit 70 is further connected to an activity sensor 72 which , for example , can be an accelerometer . further , control unit 70 is connected to a timer 78 providing a time signal . control unit 70 is also connected to a memory 74 that can serve for storing data , such as data representing electrograms or programs controlling control unit 70 . finally , control unit 70 is connected to a telemetry unit 76 that is adapted to allow wireless data communication between implantable medical device 10 and the external device 30 ( see fig1 ). the ventricular sensing unit 66 features two processing channels 66 . 1 and 66 . 2 . the first processing channel comprises sampling stage 80 that is adapted to sample a picked up myocardial electric signal at a fixed sampling rate that has been determined from the frequency content of the cardiac signal , e . g . 256 hz . the first processing channel is further adapted to process picked - up electric potentials , so as to generate an electrogram signal in a conventional manner . this signal is fed to control unit 70 . the second processing channel comprises a high frequency sampling stage 82 for sampling the picked - up myocardial electric signals with a second sampling rate , e . g . 4 - 30 khz , that is higher than the first sampling rate . in particular , for each sampled myocardial electric signal value sampled by the first channel , a pair of sampled myocardial electric signal values are sampled by the high frequency sampling stage with an interval of 30 - 240 microseconds , corresponding to a sampling rate of 4 - 30 khz . the second channel further comprises a differential stage 84 connected to the high frequency sampling stage and being adapted to generate a high frequency sampling output signal , representing the difference between the two values of each pair of sampled myocardial electric signal values . a comparator 86 is connected to the differential stage and is adapted to compare the high frequency sampled signal with a threshold and to generate a noise detection indicator whenever the threshold is exceeded . this signal is fed to control unit 70 in addition to the output signal of the first channel representing an ecg . it should be appreciated that no continuous sampling of the picked - up myocardial electric signal by the high frequency sampling stage 82 is required for performing the invention . it is sufficient if the high frequency sampling stage 82 generates a pair of high frequency sampled signal values . control unit 70 provides a timer ( not shown ) that is started whenever control unit 70 receives a noise detection indicator from the second channel 66 . 2 of ventricular sensing unit 66 . the timer times a noise detection period . during such noise detection period , the ecg signal received from the first channel 66 . 1 of ventricular sensing unit 66 is considered to be affected by noise and , thus , treated differently by control 70 than an ecg signal considered being free of noise . the timer and further means for evaluating the ecg signal could also be part of ventricular sensing unit 66 instead of control unit 70 . thus the ventricular sensing unit 66 itself would be capable to generate marker signals for each detected ventricular event based on a comparison of the noise - free portions of the ecg signal with a detection threshold . portions of the ecg signal falling into a noise detection period would be excluded from event detection . the implantable medical device 10 is a hermetically sealed electronic device that can be implanted under the patient &# 39 ; s skin to act as a subcutaneous ecg monitor . the ecg is detected using a pair of sensing electrodes , e . g . electrodes 22 and 24 , which — in the disclosed example — are intracardiac electrodes . the invention , however , is also applicable to heart monitoring implants that do require electrode leads and that has electrodes , which have no direct contact to the myocardium . in such devices the invention would be particularly beneficial since it allows reliable processing of signals having a low amplitude in environment exhibiting high noise levels . the latter is usually not the case in intracardiac signals . the picked up myocardial electric signal is fed to the first channel 66 . 1 and the second channel 66 . 2 of the ventricular sensing stage 66 simultaneously . in the second channel , measurements are made from the same pair of electrodes but with a different electronic circuit ( including sampling stage 82 , differential stage 84 and comparator 86 ), providing what is called the “ high frequency sampling output ”. these measurements ( samplings ) are made at a repetition rate that is comparable to or less than the sampling rate of the ecg measurements in the first channel . the measurement is carried out using a pair of sampling points with a short interval between them , such as 30 - 240 microseconds and renders a pair of sampled values . the difference between these values corresponding to a pair of sampling points may then be calculated in order to measure the change of the sensor potential ( myocardial potential ) over the short interval . in this way , rapidly changing potentials result in a higher number at the output of the high frequency sampling output . the high frequency sampling output signal is used to determine whether noise is present by assessing whether its value surpasses a pre - defined threshold or not . if the absolute value of the output exceeds the threshold , noise is considered present and a timer is started , which must expire before the noise detection is reset . based on the value of this noise detection signal quality metric , the subcutaneous ecg data is classified as valid or invalid . sensed events in valid data are then used to classify arrhythmias without the interference commonly encountered in data that has not been properly validated . the results of the preceding analyses are accurate measurements of brady / tachycardia episodes , asystolic episodes , periods of invalid data , and episodes of ventricular instability resulting , for instance , from atrial fibrillation . these data are stored in the device &# 39 ; s memory 74 and transmitted wirelessly via telemetry unit 76 at programmed intervals to a data collection station for patient monitoring by the physician . thus , the physician is provided with a regularly scheduled set of data with which to make an accurate assessment of cardiac activity and arrhythmias . these data may be used to schedule office visits for the patient or to change pharmacologic therapies . one example of a processed picked - up myocardial signal is illustrated in fig3 . the numbers indicated in this example are provided in order to provide a comparative illustration only . in the first row of fig3 , cardiac cycles are denoted with a , b , c , d , e and f . in the second line , sampling points are indicated . sampling points are points in time , where sampling of the input signal — the myocardial electric signal — is performed in the first channel . the third row of fig3 represents an intracardiac electrogram ( ecg ) that is acquired by the first channel 66 . 1 of the sensing unit 66 . the fourth line of fig3 depicts the high - frequency sampling output signal generated in the second channel 66 . 2 of ventricular sensing unit 66 . the signal depicted in line 4 of fig3 represents the difference between two sampling values for each sampling point of line 2 of fig3 . these two sampling values forming a pair of high - frequency sampled myocardial electric signal values are sampled in an interval of 30 to 240 μs duration . these pairs of sampling values are taken at a frequency comparable to the first sampling rate , corresponding to the sampling points in line 2 fig3 . the detailed illustration at the bottom of fig3 illustrates that the sampling points in line 2 of fig3 are spaced apart in time by 4 ms ( corresponding to a sampling rate of 256 hz ). the detail given at the bottom of fig3 further shows that for each of the sampling points in line 1 corresponding to the sampling rate of the first channel , two sampling points corresponding to a much higher sampling rate of 4 to 30 khz are provided in the second channel . the fifth line of fig3 illustrates time windows corresponding to noise detection . in the example given in fig3 , cardiac cycles a , b , and c are of sufficient amplitude to be detected easily , using only ecg data , and there is no noise present in the signal . however , the ecg signal corresponding to cycle d is corrupted by noise that could be due to myopotentials or transient and intermittent loss of contact with the sensing electrodes of the implanted device . this could result in over - sensing of the ecg signal and classification as tachycardia or arrhythmia . however , the high frequency sampling output signal ( line 4 of fig3 ) captures this noise , and when it crosses a programmed threshold , it provides a noise detection indicator . when this noise detection occurs , subsequent interpretation of qrs complexes within the ecg is either suspended or is subject to increased scrutiny until noise is no longer detected and a preset timer ( noise detection period ) has expired . after the noise episode , small amplitude qrs complexes ( e and f ) could be detected with a low programmed threshold and without fear of incorrectly sensing noise . although an exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described , it should be apparent to those of ordinary skill that a number of changes and modifications to the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . in particular , it is possible to apply the concept of noise detection to other signals than ventricular signal or myocardial signal in general . this invention can readily be adapted to a number of different kinds of medical devices by following the present teachings . all such changes , modifications and alterations should therefore be recognized as falling within the scope of the present invention . | US-39120809-A |
aspects of the present invention pertain to men &# 39 ; s apparel , and specifically , men &# 39 ; s undergarments . aspects of the present invention pertain to an adjustable supporter . | the embodiments of the present invention are described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings , which form a part hereof , and which show , by way of illustration , specific exemplary embodiments by which the invention may be practiced . this invention may , however , be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein . rather , the disclosed embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete , and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art . throughout the specification and claims , the following terms take the meanings explicitly associated herein , unless the context clearly dictates otherwise . the phrase “ in one embodiment ” as used herein does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment , though it may . furthermore , the phrase “ in another embodiment ” as used herein does not necessarily refer to a different embodiment , although it may . thus , as described below , various embodiments of the invention may be readily combined , without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention . fig1 depicts an exemplary embodiment of the present invention . in one embodiment , athletic supporter 100 includes a waistband 105 . waistband 105 may be made of any material , such as , for example , cotton , spandex , etc . in one embodiment , waistband 105 is made of elastic . in another embodiment , waistband 105 may be stitched in one - piece , or may be assembled from multiple pieces . in another embodiment , waistband 105 may be adjustably secured by hook - and - loop fasteners 107 a ( not shown ) and 107 b such as velcro , or any other adjustable means , to allow for additional comfort to accommodate to the expanding or contracting waistlines of the user . support pouch 110 adapted to house the user &# 39 ; s genitalia is secured to the front of waistband 105 . support pouch 110 may be made of any suitable material and may be designed in any shape or size . in one embodiment , support pouch 110 is formed as an envelope with an aperture ( not shown ) to receive an optional cup to further protect the genitalia . in one embodiment , support pouch 110 may be detachably and adjustably secured to waistband 105 , such as , for example , by way of hook - and - loop fasteners such as velcro , or any other adjustably secured form . straps 120 and 125 may be secured to the base 130 of support pouch 110 . in one embodiment , the opposite ends 120 b and 125 b of straps 120 and 125 may be detachably and adjustably secured to left 105 a and right 105 b sides of waistband 105 , by for example , hook - and - loop fasteners 115 such as velcro , or any other adjustably secured form , such as buttons . in another embodiment , a single strap is used and is secured to the base of support pouch 130 , at , for example , the strap &# 39 ; s midpoint . in another embodiment , suspenders may be detachably and adjustably secured to waistband 105 . fig2 depicts an exemplary embodiment of the present invention where the ends of straps 120 and 125 are detachably and adjustably secured to the left 105 a and right 105 b sides of waistband 105 , by for example , hook - and - loop fasteners 115 such as velcro , or any other adjustably secured form . fig3 depicts an exemplary embodiment of the present invention . in one embodiment , waistband 105 may be stitched in one - piece , or may be assembled from multiple pieces . in another embodiment , waistband 105 may be adjustably secured by hook - and - loop fasteners 107 a and 107 b such as velcro , or any other adjustable means , to allow for additional comfort to accommodate to the expanding or contracting waistlines of the user . fig4 depicts a magnified left frontal view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention . in one embodiment , athletic supporter 100 includes a waistband 105 . in one embodiment , waistband 105 may be adjustably secured by hook - and - loop fasteners 107 a ( not shown ) and 107 b such as velcro , or any other adjustable means , to allow for additional comfort to accommodate to the expanding or contracting waistlines of the user . support pouch 110 adapted to house the user &# 39 ; s genitalia is secured to the front of waistband 105 . in one embodiment , the opposite end 120 b of strap 120 may be detachably and adjustably secured to the left 105 a side of waistband 105 , by for example , hook - and - loop fasteners 115 such as velcro , or any other adjustably secured form , such as buttons . although a specific embodiment of the present invention has been described , it will be understood by those of skill in the art they are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings , including equivalents . accordingly , it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the specific illustrated embodiments , but only by the scope of the appended claims . | US-201414290918-A |
a mitral annuloplasty ring with an inner core and an outer band located therearound is disclosed . the ring has an anterior region , a posterior region opposite the anterior region , and two side regions therebetween . a cross - sectional width dimension of the outer band is greater in the posterior region of the ring than in the anterior region . a cross - sectional width dimension of a semi - flexible core is thinner in the anterior and posterior regions than in the side regions so that the mitral ring is more rigid in the anterior - posterior direction . a tricuspid annuloplasty ring of the invention has an inner core and an outer band located therearound . the inner core has an anterior region separated across a gap from a septal region , and a posterior region . a cross - sectional width dimension of the outer band is greater in the septal region than either the anterior or posterior regions . | while this invention may be susceptible to embodiments in different forms , there are shown in the drawings and will be described herein in detail , specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention , and is not intended to limit the invention to that as illustrated . fig1 is a top plan view of a mitral annuloplasty ring 10 which is in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention , while fig2 is a side view . the ring 10 is configured to minimize the likelihood of dehiscence while maintaining the shape of a healthy valve annulus . the ring 10 is a saddle - shaped ring ( described below ) with a 4 : 3 ratio between a transverse dimension ( identified with reference numeral 12 in fig1 ) and vertical dimension ( identified with reference numeral 14 in fig1 ). the reader will note that the vertical dimension is as viewed in plan view with an anterior side 28 up , though it is not oriented in this way in the drawings . the ring 10 is shaped and configured such that it closely mimics the geometry of a healthy mitral annulus . preferably , an exterior surface 16 of the ring 10 includes trigone markings 18 , 20 to aid the surgeon with regard to correct positioning . the trigone markings 18 , are located at the junction of the anterior region 28 and the side regions 32 , 33 . preferably , the range of ring sizes varies from a transverse internal diameter of 24 - 36 mm . the size needed is determined by measuring the area of the anterior leaflet with templates corresponding to the various ring sizes . fig3 a , 3 b and 3 c are cross - sectional views of the ring 10 taken along lines a - a , b - b and c - c , respectively , of fig1 . as shown , the ring 10 consists of a core 22 , an outer band 24 and a cover 26 . in a first embodiment of the present invention , the core 22 is formed of titanium which provides that the ring 10 is rigid . alternatively , the core 22 may be formed of a more flexible metal which would provide that the ring 10 is semi - flexible rather than rigid . in this sense , the term “ semi - flexible ” refers to annuloplasty ring materials that are somewhat rigid but do flex due to the natural forces after implant . semi - flexible means not as rigid as titanium , but more rigid than “ fully flexible ” rings made of , for example , silicone . specifically , in a second embodiment of the present invention the core 22 is made of elgiloy , and in a third embodiment of the present invention the core 22 is made of nitinol . regardless of what the core 22 is comprised of , preferably the outer band 24 comprises silicon rubber , and the cover 26 comprises polyester cloth . although not specifically shown , the ring 10 may also include a barium impregnated string to render the ring radiopaque . fig3 a provides a cross - sectional view of an anterior region 28 of the ring 10 , while fig3 b provides a cross - sectional view of a posterior region 30 , and fig3 c provides a cross - sectional view of side regions 32 and 33 , which are identical in cross - section . in a “ saddle - shaped ” ring , the ring periphery describes a three - dimensional path that gradually curves up at the anterior and posterior regions 28 , 30 , and down at the side regions 32 and 33 , as seen in fig2 and 2 ′. in the illustrated embodiment , the anterior and posterior regions 28 , 30 rise to about the same height , though they may be at different heights as desired . as identified by comparing fig3 a to fig3 b , the width ( dimension 34 in fig3 a , 3 b , and 3 c ) of the outer band 24 is greater , such as 30 % greater , in the posterior region 30 of the ring 10 than at the anterior region 28 . this facilitates the placement of overlapping sutures of the posterior annulus to provide extra security against ring dehiscence . preferably , the width 34 of the band 24 begins to change at the trigone markings 18 , 20 on the ring 10 , gradually becoming thicker until a maximum at the mid - point of the posterior region 30 . it should also be noted that the width of the outer band 24 at the posterior region 30 is equal to or greater than the width of the band at both the side regions 32 , 33 . for example , as seen by comparing fig4 a ′ and 5 a ′, and 4 b ′ and 5 b ′, the width of the outer band 24 at the posterior region 30 ranges between 1 . 3 mm ( with a titanium core 22 ) to 2 . 2 mm ( with a semi - flexible core ), while the width of the outer band 24 at the side regions is a maximum of 1 . 3 mm ( same with all core materials ). in contrast , depending on the form and material of the inner core 22 , the width of the outer band 24 at the anterior region 28 is less than , equal to , or greater than the width at the side regions 32 , 33 , as seen by comparing fig3 a ′ and 5 a ′, and 3 b ′ and 5 b ′. as discussed above , the core 22 can be provided as being formed of titanium which would tend to make ring 10 rigid . alternatively , the core 22 may be formed of a more flexible metal , such as elgiloy or nitinol , which would make the ring semi - flexible rather than rigid . this semi - flexible alloy allows the ring 10 to flex during the cardiac cycle without losing its shape . hopefully , the flexibility will minimize local annular stresses likely to produce dehiscence . if elgiloy or nitinol is used for the core 22 , the core 22 may be shaped somewhat differently than if titanium is used . this change in cross - sectional shape is identified in fig3 a , 3 b , 4 a , 4 b , 3 a ′, 3 b ′, 4 a ′ and 4 b ′ using a dotted line 36 . the dotted line 36 represents the outer surface of a titanium core 22 , in contrast to the solid cross - section of a semi - flexible ( e . g ., nitinol or elgiloy ) core . in the illustrated embodiment , the solid cross - section includes an axially - oriented surface that defines the outer surface of a semi - flexible core 22 , in contrast to the dotted line 36 which represents the outer surface of a titanium core and has a concave outer profile in radial section as shown . if elgiloy or nitinol is used for the core 22 , the ring 10 is preferably configured such that it is 20 % more rigid in the vertical dimension 14 ( the anterior - posterior direction ) as compared to the transverse dimension 12 . in other words , it is harder to squeeze the ring 10 between the anterior and posterior regions 28 , 30 in fig1 than it is to squeeze the ring 10 between the side regions 32 , 33 . this difference in rigidity / flexibility derives from a particular cross - sectional shape of the core 22 which overcomes the natural inclination for the ring to be more flexible in the vertical dimension . that is , if the ring 10 were the same cross section all the way around its periphery , the longer moment arm in bending when squeezing the anterior and posterior regions 28 , 30 would naturally permit greater flexing or inward movement than when squeezing the side regions . in an exemplary embodiment , the width ( dimension 35 in fig3 a - 3c and 4 a - 4 c ) of the core 22 may be thinner in the anterior and posterior regions ( 28 and 30 ) than in side regions 32 and 33 . more specifically , the width dimension 35 is shown measuring the extent of the core 22 as seen in dotted line 36 , but the width for cores of semi - flexible material such as elgiloy or nitinol would only extend to the solid line cross - section . there is thus a difference in the width dimension at the anterior and posterior regions for rings made of a semi - flexible material versus a ring made of a rigid material , such as titanium . however , the core width 35 of both semi - flexible and rigid rings remains the same at the side regions 32 , 33 because it is desirable to maintain in semi - flexible rings the resistance to bending from squeezing the ring 10 in the transverse dimension ( vertical in fig1 ). preferably , the width 35 of the core 22 begins to change at the trigone markings 18 , 20 on the ring 10 , and most preferably reduces gradually from the trigones to the mid - point of the anterior and posterior regions 28 , 30 . in particular , the cross - section of the core 22 of semi - flexible rings desirably attains a maximum at the side regions 32 , 33 , as seen in fig3 c and 4c , and gradually reduces toward the anterior and posterior regions 28 , 30 , as seen in solid line in fig3 a - 3b and 4 a - 4 b . alternatively , an abrupt change in cross - section or one which while not abrupt is sharp or non - linear may be utilized . for instance , from a maximum at the side regions 32 , 33 , the width 35 may decrease smoothly but rapidly over an arc of , say , 10 ° to the lesser width of the anterior and posterior regions 28 , 30 . it is also worth mentioning that the reduced width 35 at the anterior and posterior regions 28 , 30 may be equal or not as desired . if nitinol is used as the core 22 of the ring 10 , the ring 10 could be used in association with a method which is in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . specifically , the design would be uniquely well suited for minimally invasive valve cases with working ports too small to accommodate currently available rigid rings . at present , only fully flexible prostheses , such as the duran ring or the cosgrove band , can traverse these 20 mm working ports . these fully flexible prostheses do nothing to decrease the vertical dimension , which has been increasingly recognized as important in maintaining a durable valve repair . by immersing the nitinol core ring in iced saline , the ring would be readily deformable ( martensite phase ). this would facilitate passage of the ring through 20 mm working ports used in robotic valve repair . as the ring warmed up in the chest , it would resume its saddle shape ( austensite phase ). the silicon rubber band would facilitate anchoring the band to the annulus with coalescent nitinol clips . until now , these clips could only be used with fully flexible prostheses . regardless of whether the core 22 is made of titanium , elgiloy or nitinol , the core 22 can be formed of a round wire , in which case the cross - sectional views taken along lines a - a , b - b and c - c of fig1 would appear as shown fig3 a , 4 a and 5 a , respectively . alternatively , the core 22 can be a formed metal ring , in which case the cross - sectional views taken along lines a - a , b - b and c - c of fig1 would appear as shown fig3 b , 4 b and 5 b , respectively . a dotted line 36 is also used in fig3 b , 4 b and 5 b to show the situation where the core 22 is an elgiloy or nitinol formed metal ring . as shown in fig2 , the ring 10 may be provided as being slightly asymmetric , with the portion at the left trigone 20 one mm deeper than the right trigone 18 . in other words , the side regions 32 , 33 drop to different heights , with the left side 32 ( as viewed from above with the anterior side 28 up ) lying on a reference line seen in fig2 while the right side 33 is slightly spaced therefrom . this more closely reproduces the true natural shape of the healthy mitral annulus . even if the ring 10 is provided as being slightly asymmetric , the core 22 can be titanium , elgiloy , or nitinol , for example . fig1 ′, 2 ′, 3 a ′, 4 a ′, 3 a ′, 3 b ′, 4 b ′ and 5 b ′ correspond to fig1 , 2 , 3 a , 4 a , 5 a , 3 b , 4 b and 5 b , respectively , but show preferred dimensions , in millimeters . it should be noted that the dimensions shown are only one example , intended to provide the desired properties described herein , and other dimensions may be used while staying fully within the scope of the present invention . for instance , the magnitudes shown may represent dimensionless ratios of the various dimensions . in one example , as seen in fig2 ′, the left side 32 ( see fig2 ) has a height of 5 mm from the summit of the anterior side 28 , while the right side 33 has an equivalent height of 4 mm . the downward drop of the left side 32 may be more or less , but desirably is about 20 % more than the downward drop of the right side 33 . fig6 is a top plan view of a tricuspid ring 40 which is in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention , while fig7 is a side view . the ring 40 is configured to minimize the likelihood of dehiscence while maintaining the shape of a healthy valve annulus . preferably , the ring 40 comes in different sizes with an internal diameter being between 24 - 36 mm . regardless of the size , the ring 40 is not complete in 10 % of the circumference around the anteroseptal commissure ( i . e ., area 42 in fig6 and 7 ). this prevents suture injury to the conduction system . the ring 40 has a somewhat spiral shape that mimics the shape of the healthy tricuspid annulus . the anterior annulus 44 and anterior half 46 of the posterior annulus 48 are in the same plane ( identified with line 50 in fig7 ). the posterior half 52 of the posterior annulus 48 as well as the septal annulus 54 slope down , preferably 4 mm ( identified with dimension 56 in fig7 ). fig8 a and 9a are cross - sectional views of the ring 40 taken along lines a - a and b - b , respectively , of fig1 . as shown , like the ring 20 described hereinabove , the ring 40 includes a core 58 , an outer band 60 and a cover 62 . preferably , the core 58 is formed of a semi - flexible material . specifically , in one embodiment , the core 58 is provided as being formed of elgiloy . in another embodiment , the core is provided as being formed of nitinol . regardless , using a semi - flexible material for the core 58 provides that the ring 40 is semi - flexible rather than rigid , which should decrease the odds of dehiscence . currently , only rigid rings have been specifically constructed for tricuspid repair . regardless of what the core 58 is comprised , preferably the outer band 60 is formed of a silastic material , such as silicone , and the cover 62 is comprised of polyester cloth . fig8 a is a cross - sectional view taken along line a - a of fig6 and provides a cross - sectional view of the anterior region of the ring 40 . this view also applies to the posterior region . in contrast , fig9 a provides a cross - sectional view taken along line b - b of fig6 and corresponds to the septal region of the ring . as recognized by comparing fig8 a to fig9 a , the width ( dimension 64 in fig8 a and 9a ) of the outer band 60 is greater ( such as 1 . 3 times greater ) in the septal region 54 than either the anterior region 44 or posterior region 48 . this allows overlapping sutures at the septal annulus 54 to allow better anchoring of the ring 40 . as discussed above , an embodiment of the present invention provides that the core 58 of the ring 40 is provided as being formed of nitinol . this allows further flexibility and further minimizes the likelihood of dehiscence . if nitinol is used as the core 58 of the ring 40 , the ring 40 could be used in association with a method which is in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . specifically , cooling the ring 40 in iced saline will facilitate passage of the ring 40 through small working ports for minimal access valve surgery . additionally , the diameter 64 of the silicone rubber band 60 will facilitate attachment of the ring 40 to the annulus with coalescent nitinol clips . regardless of whether the core 58 is made of elgiloy or nitinol , the core 58 can be formed of a round wire , in which case the cross - sectional views taken along lines a - a and b - b of fig6 would appear as shown fig8 a and 9a , respectively . alternatively , the core 58 can be a formed metal ring , in which case the cross - sectional views taken along lines a - a and b - b of fig6 would appear as shown fig8 b and 9b , respectively . fig8 a ′, 9 a ′, 8 b ′ and 9 b ′ correspond to fig8 a , 9 a , 8 b and 9 b , respectively , but show preferred dimensions , in millimeters . it should be noted that the dimensions shown are only one example , intended to provide the desired properties described herein , and other dimensions may be used while staying fully within the scope of the present invention . for instance , the magnitudes shown may represent dimensionless ratios of the various dimensions . disclosed herein are several embodiments of mitral and tricuspid rings , each of which is configured to minimize the likelihood of dehiscence while maintaining the shape of a healthy valve annulus . while preferred embodiments of the invention are shown and described , it is envisioned that those skilled in the art may devise various modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the foregoing description . | US-86841207-A |
a high capacity gravity feed filter for filtering blood and blood products or the like includes a body having an inlet port , an outlet port , two filter wells , at least one filter element disposed in each of said filter wells , between the inlet port and outlet port so as to filter liquid which flows into the filtration device via the inlet port . the filter elements divide each of said filter wells into a first chamber and a second chamber . the device allows gases to vent the filtration device through the outlet port . the means may include a vertical channel within each of said second chambers . the filtration device allows air therein to be purged downstream into a receiving blood bag without the manipulation of the height of the filtration device or the receiving blood bag . | although various embodiments of the filtration device constructed in accordance with the present invention are disclosed herein , each embodiment enables the filtration device to filter more than one unit of blood . one embodiment of the filtration device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention , is shown in fig1 a through fig8 . referring to fig6 this embodiment includes the following major components : front cover 20 , body 1 , back cover 30 , filter elements 80 , 81 , 82 , 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a , and hydrophobic vent filter element 41 . [ 0047 ] fig1 a , fig2 and fig3 a show the front part of body 1 . the front part of body 1 contains a first filter well 13 , defined by front flat surface 2 of partition wall 300 and cylindrical surface 14 . the front face of partition wall 300 contains side vertical channels 4 , circular channel 3 , and center vertical channel 5 . preferably circular channel 3 is wider and deeper than side vertical channels 4 , and center vertical channel 5 is wider than circular channel 3 , and the same depth as circular channel 3 . the upper and lower ends of side vertical channels 4 are in fluid flow relation with circular channel 3 , and circular channel 3 is in fluid flow relation with center vertical channel 5 . center vertical channel 5 is in fluid flow relation with front outlet port 6 . the upper central part of body 1 contains inlet tube socket 17 , and cross protrusion 19 . inlet tube socket 17 contains inlet port 9 , and cross protrusion 19 contains a cross port , with the front half of the cross port labeled front cross port 7 , and the back half of the cross port labeled back cross port 7 a . the outer end of cross port 7 contains front inlet channel 8 , bounded by side walls 15 and wall 16 . the lower central part of body 1 contains outlet tube socket 18 . outlet tube socket 18 contains outlet port 10 . front outlet port 6 is in fluid flow relation with outlet port 10 through link port 11 . [ 0048 ] fig1 b , and fig3 b show the back part of body 1 . the back part of body 1 contains a second filter well 13 a , defined by back flat surface 2 a of partition wall 300 and cylindrical surface 14 a . the back face of partition wall 300 contains side vertical channels 4 a , circular channel 3 a , and center vertical channel 5 a . preferably circular channel 3 a is wider and deeper than side vertical channels 4 a , and center vertical channel 5 a is wider than circular channel 3 a , and the same depth as circular channel 3 a . the upper and lower ends of side vertical channels 4 a are in fluid flow relation with circular channel 3 a , and circular channel 3 a is in fluid flow relation with center vertical channel 5 a . center vertical channel 5 a is in fluid flow relation with back outlet port 6 a . the upper central part of body 1 contains inlet tube socket 17 , and cross protrusion 19 . inlet tube socket 17 contains inlet port 9 , and cross protrusion 19 contains a cross port , with the front half of the cross port labeled front cross port 7 , and the back half of the cross port labeled back cross port 7 a . the outer end of cross port 7 a contains back inlet channel 8 a , bounded by side walls 15 a and wall 16 a . the lower central part of body 1 contains outlet tube socket 18 . outlet tube socket 18 contains outlet port 10 . back outlet port 6 a is in fluid flow relation with outlet port 10 through link port 11 . front outlet port 6 may be a through hole as shown with the front half labeled front outlet port 6 , and the back half labeled back outlet port 6 a . as shown in fig1 a through 3b the back part of body 1 is a mirror image of the front part of body 1 . body 1 is preferably made from an injection moldable medical grade plastic such acrylic , polycarbonate , polysulfone , polypropylene , polyethylene , but is not limited to these materials . [ 0049 ] fig4 a , fig4 b , and fig2 show front cover 20 . front cover 20 is round in shape to match the shape of body 1 , ( if body 1 was square , then front cover 20 would also be square ) and contains boss 29 at its upper end . the interior of front cover 20 contains flat surface 23 . vertical filter support ribs 24 protrude from flat surface 23 . the vertical filter support ribs 24 could be replaced with ribs oriented in a direction other than vertical , or with a pattern of round pins , or with a pattern or rectangular pins , or with a pattern of concentric rings with gaps in the rings , or with any other filter support means that does not contain a closed loop . outer rib 27 also protrudes from flat surface 23 and follows the outer periphery of front cover 20 . although it is not necessary for front cover 20 to contain outer rib 27 , outer rib 27 acts as an alignment rib during assembly , and as a flash trap to contain flash when front cover 20 is assembled to body 1 . front cover 20 also contains round filter support rib 25 . round filter support rib 25 contains gap 26 located at the upper end of front cover 20 , below boss 29 . front cover 20 also contains through slots 21 , and vent filter bonding area 28 . although filter bonding area 28 is shown round for bonding a round vent filter , the vent filter could be square or any other shape , and then the filter bonding area 28 would conform to the shape of the vent filter . through slots 21 are shown as vertical slots , but could be replaced by a pattern of round holes , or a pattern of square holes , or any other pattern of through holes that provide adequate filter support , and also provide air flow communication between the face of the vent filter that is bonded to flat surface 23 , and to the outside atmosphere of front cover 20 . fig7 shows vent filter element 41 bonded to front cover 20 . the outside of front cover 20 contains flat surface 22 . referring to fig2 , centerline 70 shows the center of the seal between front cover 20 and body 1 . the seal could be an ultrasonic weld , a glue bond , a heat bond , a solvent bond , or any other type of leak tight bond . front cover 20 is preferably made from an injection moldable medical grade plastic such acrylic , polycarbonate , polysulfone , polypropylene , polyethylene , but is not limited to these materials . [ 0050 ] fig5 a , fig5 b , and fig2 show back cover 30 . back cover 30 is round in shape to match the shape of body 1 , ( if body 1 was square , then back cover 30 would also be square ) and contains boss 39 at its upper end . the interior of back cover 30 contains flat surface 33 . vertical filter support ribs 34 protrude from flat surface 33 . the vertical filter support ribs 34 could be replaced with ribs oriented in a direction other than vertical , or with a pattern of round pins , or with a pattern of rectangular pins , or with a pattern of concentric rings with gaps in the rings , or with any other filter support means that does not contain a closed loop . outer rib 37 also protrudes from flat surface 33 and follows the outer periphery of back cover 30 . although it is not necessary for back cover 30 to contain outer rib 37 , outer rib 37 acts as an alignment rib during assembly , and as a flash trap to contain flash when back cover 30 is assembled to body 1 . back cover 30 also contains round filter support rib 35 . round filter support rib 35 contains gap 36 located at the upper end of back cover 30 , below boss 39 . the outside of back cover 30 contains flat surface 32 . back cover 30 is identical to front cover 20 with the exception that back cover 30 does not contain a vent filter . referring to fig2 , centerline 70 shows the center of the seal between back cover 30 and body 1 . back cover 30 is preferably made from an injection moldable medical grade plastic such acrylic , polycarbonate , polysulfone , polypropylene , polyethylene , but is not limited to these materials . [ 0051 ] fig6 shows an exploded view of the components that comprise filter device 40 . the components are body 1 , front cover 20 , back cover 30 , vent filter element 41 , and filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 , and filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a . fig7 and fig8 show filter device 40 in the assembled state . referring to fig1 a , fig1 b , fig2 fig4 b , fig5 b , fig6 fig7 fig8 and fig2 , the components that comprise filter device 40 are assembled as follows . the outer periphery of vent filter element 41 is sealed to front cover 20 at filter bonding area 28 . the seal is preferably a heat seal but could be an ultrasonic seal , a glue bond , a solvent bond , or any other type of bond that will produce a leak tight seal capable of maintaining sterility . filter element 41 is a hydrophobic filter with a pore size of 0 . 2μ or smaller to maintain sterility . filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 are placed into first filter well 13 . front cover 20 is then bonded to body 1 so that edge 12 of body 1 is bonded to front cover 20 along centerline 70 shown in fig2 . outer rib 27 of front cover 20 aligns front cover 20 to body 1 during the assembly procedure and also acts as a flash trap . the bond between front cover 20 and body 1 is preferably an ultrasonic seal but could be a glue bond , a heat bond , a solvent bond or any other type of bond that creates a leak tight seal . filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 are sealed to body 1 with a compression seal between the outer edges 84 , 85 , and 86 of filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 respectively , and cylindrical surface 14 of body 1 in the filter device 40 shown . however , filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 could be sealed to body 1 with a glue seal , a heat seal , a compression seal , or any other type of seal that eliminates bypass around filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 . filter device 40 is shown with 3 filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 in first filter well 13 . however any number of filter elements greater than or equal to one could be used . the number of filter elements used is determined by the filter type and the fluid being filtered . the same number of filter elements that were placed into first filter well 13 of body 1 are now placed into second filter well 13 a of body 1 , and are designated as filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a . these filter elements are sealed to body 1 using the same method that was used to seal filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 to first filter well 13 . back cover 30 is then bonded to body 1 so that edge 12 a of body 1 is bonded to back cover 30 along the same path as centerline 70 shown in fig2 . outer rib 37 of back cover 30 aligns back cover 30 to body 1 during the assembly procedure and also acts as a flash trap . the bond between back cover 30 and body 1 is preferably an ultrasonic seal but could be a glue bond , a heat bond , a solvent bond or any other type of bond that creates a leak tight seal . referring to fig4 b , fig6 fig7 and fig8 the assembled filter device 40 contains first chamber 44 of first filter well 13 bounded by flat surface 23 of front cover 20 , inner surface 70 of round rib 25 of front cover 20 , and the upstream surface 46 of the first filter element 80 in first filter well 13 of body 1 . referring to fig5 b , fig6 and fig7 the assembled filter device 40 also contains first chamber 45 of second filter well 13 a bounded by flat surface 33 of back cover 30 , inner surface 71 of round rib 35 of back cover 30 , and the upstream surface 46 a of the first filter element 80 a in second filter well 13 a of body 1 . referring to fig3 a and fig7 in the assembled filter device 40 , front feed channel 8 becomes a closed channel bounded by side walls 15 and wall 16 of body 1 , and by flat surface 23 of front cover 20 . referring to fig7 front feed channel 8 places first chamber 44 in fluid flow communication , and in air flow communication with front cross port 7 . referring to fig3 b and fig7 in the assembled filter device 40 , back feed channel 8 a becomes a closed channel bounded by side walls 15 a and wall 16 a of body 1 , and by flat surface 33 of back cover 30 . referring to fig7 back feed channel 8 a places first chamber 45 in fluid flow communication , and in air flow communication with back cross port 7 a . referring to fig1 a , fig2 fig6 and fig7 the assembled filter device 40 contains second chamber 47 of first filter well 13 bounded by the downstream surface 48 of the last filter element 82 in first filter well 13 of body 1 , and by center vertical channel 5 , circular channel 3 , and side vertical channels 4 . second chamber 47 of first filter well 13 contains front outlet port 6 . referring to fig1 b , fig6 and fig7 the assembled filter device 40 contains second chamber 47 a of second filter well 13 a bounded by the downstream surface 48 a of the last filter element 82 a in second filter well 13 a of body 1 , and by center vertical channel 5 a , circular channel 3 a , and side vertical channels 4 a . second chamber 47 a of second filter well 13 a contains back outlet port 6 a . referring to fig9 one end of a length of outlet tubing 53 is bonded to outlet tube socket 18 of body 1 , with the other end of said outlet tubing bonded to an empty blood bag 55 . another length of inlet tubing 52 is bonded to inlet tube socket 17 of body 1 . the end user will preferably purchase the assembly of filter device 40 , inlet tubing 52 , outlet tubing 53 , and receiving blood bag 55 , assembled and sterile . the assembly will also contain an inlet tubing clamp 74 on inlet tubing 52 , and an outlet tubing clamp 75 on outlet tubing 53 . in fig9 the filter device 40 is in an operational assembly with inlet tubing 52 , outlet tubing 53 , feed blood bag 54 , receiving blood bag 55 , inlet tube clamp 76 , and outlet tube clamp 75 . preferably , the user will purchase the assembly of fig9 sterilized without feed blood bag 54 with the inlet end of inlet tubing 52 sealed to maintain system sterility . for performing filtration the user will first close inlet tube clamp 74 close to the inlet end of inlet tubing 52 . next the user will make sure that outlet tube clamp 75 is open . inlet tubing 52 is now bonded by the user to a pigtail on feed blood bag 54 using a sterile docking device as is well known in the art . once the sterile docking connection is made the user will hang feed blood bag 54 from hook 57 on blood bag pole 56 . receiving blood bag 55 should be placed on a surface such as a table top or the like . the complete assembly 60 ready for filtration is illustrated in fig9 . referring to fig1 a , fig4 b , fig5 b , fig7 fig8 and fig9 the filtration is performed as follows . the user opens inlet tube clamp 74 . gravity now forces blood to flow from feed blood bag 54 , through inlet tubing 52 , through inlet port 9 of body 1 . after passing through inlet port 9 , a portion of the blood passes through front cross port 7 , while the remainder of the blood passes through back cross port 7 a . the portion of the blood that passes through front cross port 7 , then passes through front inlet channel 8 , through gap 26 of front cover 20 , into first chamber 44 . the portion of the blood that passes through back cross port 7 a , then passes through back inlet channel 8 a , through gap 36 of back cover 30 , into first chamber 45 . a portion of the air that was in inlet tubing 52 and inlet port 9 before blood flow started will be pushed ahead of the blood , through front cross port 7 , through front inlet channel 8 , through gap 26 of front cover 20 , into first chamber 44 . the remainder of the air that was in inlet tubing 52 and inlet port 9 before blood flow started will be pushed ahead of the blood , through back cross port 7 a , through back inlet channel 8 a , through gap 36 of back cover 30 , into first chamber 45 . because the usable surface area of hydrophobic filter 41 is much smaller than the usable surface area of filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 ; and because the pressure drop across sterilizing grade hydrophobic filter 41 is much greater per unit volume of air flow per unit surface area of filter material than the combined pressure drop across filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 per unit volume of air flow per unit surface area of filter material , only a very small portion of the air that was in inlet tubing 52 , inlet port 9 , front cross port 7 , and front inlet channel 8 before blood flow started , will pass through hydrophobic filter 41 , and then through slots 21 of front cover 20 to atmosphere . as first chamber 44 fills from the bottom up most of the air in first chamber 44 will be forced through filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 , for the same reasons described in the previous paragraph . this initial air will flow into vertical channels 4 , circular channel 3 , and center vertical channel 5 , and then flow through front outlet port 6 , through link port 11 , through outlet port 10 , into outlet tubing 53 , into receiving blood bag 55 . filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 will also wet from the bottom up . the air that is initially in filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 will be displaced by blood and flow into vertical channels 4 , circular channel 3 , and center vertical channel 5 , and then flow through front outlet port 6 , through link port 11 , through outlet port 10 , into outlet tubing 53 , into receiving blood bag 55 . because the volume of first chamber 44 is small , and the flow rate of blood entering first chamber 44 is much greater than the initial flow rate of blood through filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 , first chamber 44 will fill in a very small fraction of the time that it takes to wet filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 . the pressure head at the bottom of first chamber 44 will be larger than the pressure head at the top of first chamber 44 , because of the height difference between the top and bottom of first chamber 44 . therefore liquid will start to come through filter element 82 from the bottom up . as liquid starts to come through filter element 82 from the bottom up vertical channels 4 , circular channel 3 , and center vertical channel 5 , of body 1 will fill from the bottom up . because the total volume of these channels in is small ( to minimize holdup ) the channels may fill with blood ( from the bottom up ) before the upper part of filter element 82 has wet with blood . once blood starts to flow from center vertical channel 5 of body 1 , into front outlet port 6 of body 1 , through link port 11 of body 1 , through outlet port 10 of body 1 , into outlet tubing 53 , and starts to flow down outlet tubing 53 toward receiving blood bag 55 , the pressure in front outlet port 6 will become negative . because center vertical channel 5 is in fluid flow relationship with front outlet port 6 , the pressure inside the tube created by center vertical channel 5 and downstream surface 48 of filter element 82 will also be negative . likewise since circular channel 3 is in fluid flow relationship with center vertical channel 5 the pressure inside the tube created by circular channel 3 and downstream surface 48 of filter element 82 will also be negative . since the tube segments made up of vertical channels 4 and downstream surface 48 of filter element 82 are in fluid flow relationship with the tube created by circular channel 3 and downstream surface 48 of filter element 82 , any air or liquid that flows from filter element 82 into vertical channels 4 will be sucked into circular channel 3 , and then flow from circular channel 3 into center vertical channel 5 , through front outlet port 6 , through link port 11 , through outlet port 10 , into outlet tubing 53 , and into receiving blood bag 55 . this assures that filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 will completely wet , and that all of the air that was in first chamber 44 , filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 , vertical channels 4 , circular channel 3 , center circular channel 5 , front outlet port 6 , link port 11 , outlet port 10 , and the interior of outlet tubing 53 will be forced into receiving blood bag 55 . although vertical channels 4 are shown in the vertical orientation , they could be orientated at any angle from zero degrees to ninety degrees from vertical , as long as they are in fluid flow relationship with circular channel 3 . other channel designs such as the spiral channel filter underdrain disclosed in u . s . ser . no . 08 / 524 , 049 , and entitled “ an in - line liquid filtration device usable for blood , blood products and the like ”, could also be used in place of the design illustrated in fig1 a . it is however , imperative that all channels be either directly or indirectly in fluid flow relationship with front outlet port 6 . the portion of blood from feed blood bag 54 which flows through back cross port 7 a , through back inlet channel 8 a , through gap 36 , into first chamber 45 , will fill first chamber 45 from the bottom forcing all of the air in first chamber 45 through filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a . this initial air will flow into vertical channels 4 a , circular channel 3 a , and center vertical channel 5 a , and then flow through back outlet port 6 a , through link port 11 , through outlet port 10 , into outlet tubing 53 , into receiving blood bag 55 . filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a will also wet from the bottom up . the air that is initially in filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a will be displaced by blood and flow into vertical channels 4 a , circular channel 3 a , and center vertical channel 5 a , and then flow through outlet port 6 a , through link port 11 , through outlet port 10 , into outlet tubing 53 , into receiving blood bag 55 . because the volume of first chamber 45 is small , and the flow rate of blood entering first chamber 45 is much greater than the initial flow rate of blood through filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a , first chamber 45 will fill in a very small fraction of the time that it takes to wet filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a . the pressure head at the bottom of first chamber 45 will be larger than the pressure head at the top of first chamber 45 , because of the height difference between the top and bottom of first chamber 45 . therefore liquid will start to come through filter element 82 a from the bottom up . as liquid starts to come through filter element 82 a from the bottom up vertical channels 4 a , circular channel 3 a , and center vertical channel 5 a , of body 1 will fill from the bottom up . because the total volume of these channels in is small ( to minimize holdup ) the channels may fill with blood ( from the bottom up ) before the upper part of filter element 82 a has wet with blood . once blood starts to flow from center vertical channel 5 a of body 1 , into back outlet port 6 a of body 1 , through link port 11 of body 1 , through outlet port 10 of body 1 , into outlet tubing 53 , and starts to flow down outlet tubing 53 toward receiving blood bag 55 , the pressure in back outlet port 6 a will become negative . because center vertical channel 5 a is in fluid flow relationship with back outlet port 6 a , the pressure inside the tube created by center vertical channel 5 a and the downstream surface 48 a of filter element 82 a will also be negative . likewise since circular channel 3 a is in fluid flow relationship with center vertical channel 5 a the pressure inside the tube created by circular channel 3 a and the downstream surface 48 a of filter element 82 a will also be negative . since the tube segments made up of vertical channels 4 a and the downstream surface 48 a of filter element 82 a are in fluid flow relationship with the tube created by circular channel 3 a and the downstream surface 48 a of filter element 82 a , any air or liquid that flows from filter element 82 a into vertical channels 4 a will be sucked into circular channel 3 a , and then flow from circular channel 3 a into center vertical channel 5 a , through back outlet port 6 a , through link port 11 , through outlet port 10 , into outlet tubing 53 , and into receiving blood bag 55 . this assures that filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a will completely wet , and that all of the air that was in first chamber 45 , filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a , vertical channels 4 a , circular channel 3 a , center circular channel 5 a , back outlet port 6 a , link port 11 , outlet port 10 , and the interior of outlet tubing 53 will be forced into receiving blood bag 55 . although vertical channels 4 a are shown in the vertical orientation , they could be orientated at any angle from zero degrees to ninety degrees from vertical , as long as they are in fluid flow relationship with circular channel 3 a . other channel designs such as the spiral channel filter underdrain disclosed in u . s . ser . no . 08 / 524 , 049 , and entitled “ an in - line liquid filtration device usable for blood , blood products and the like ”, could also be used in place of the design illustrated in fig1 b . it is however , imperative that all channels be either directly or indirectly in fluid flow relationship with back outlet port 6 a . blood filtration will continue until feed blood bag 54 is empty . when feed blood bag 54 is empty it will be collapsed and therefore close the inlet end of inlet tubing 52 . because outlet tubing 53 will be full of blood , and because the outside of receiving blood bag 55 is at atmospheric pressure , the pressure head in front outlet port 6 , and the pressure head in back outlet port 6 a will be negative , as will be the pressure head in vertical channels 4 , circular channel 3 , center vertical channel 5 , vertical channels 4 a , circular channel 3 a , and center vertical channel 5 a , all of body 1 . once blood flow has stopped the pressure drop across filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 , will fall to zero . the pressure drop across filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a , will also fall to zero . hence the pressure in first chamber 44 and first chamber 45 will become negative . once the pressure in first chamber 44 falls below atmospheric pressure air will begin to flow from atmosphere through slots 21 , through sterilizing grade hydrophobic filter 41 , into first chamber 44 . the sterile air that enters first chamber 44 will bubble up to the top of first chamber 44 , thus causing first chamber 44 to drain from the top down . because of the negative pressure in first chamber 45 , some of the air that bubbles to the top of first chamber 44 will pass through gap 26 , through front inlet channel 8 , through front cross port 7 , through back cross port 7 a , through gap 36 , through back inlet channel 8 a , into first chamber 45 , causing first chamber 45 to drain from the top down , and causing the blood in front inlet channel 8 to drain into first chamber 44 , and causing the blood in back inlet channel 8 a to drain into first chamber 45 , and causing the blood in front cross port 7 and back cross port 7 a to drain into both first chamber 44 and first chamber 45 . because the air entering first chamber 44 bubbles to the top of first chamber 44 , thus draining first chamber 44 from the top down , vent filter element 41 can be located anywhere on flat surface 23 of front cover 20 . filter elements 80 , 81 , 82 , 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a will be plugged sufficiently at this point , therefore very little if any blood will be sucked from these filter elements by the negative pressure in front outlet port 6 , and by the negative pressure in back outlet port 6 a . hence blood flow will stop after first chamber 44 and first chamber 45 have drained and blood will remain in filter elements 80 , 81 , 82 , 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a , and in vertical channels 4 , circular channel 3 , center vertical channel 5 , vertical channels 4 a , circular channel 3 a , and center vertical channel 5 a , and in front outlet port 6 , back outlet port 6 a , link port 11 , outlet port 10 all of body 1 , and in outlet tubing 53 . the user can now close tube clamp 75 on outlet tubing 53 and then seal outlet tubing 53 above tube clamp 75 , and then cut outlet tubing 53 above the seal just made . feed blood bag 54 , inlet tubing 52 , and filter device 40 can now be discarded in a safe manner . outlet tubing 53 will have segments marked on them . the user can now seal the tubing at the segment marks . the blood that is left in outlet tubing 53 will be used for cross matching and for quality control purposes . referring to fig2 with front outlet port 6 and back outlet port 6 a at the very bottom of center vertical channels 5 and 5 a respectively , the length of link port 11 is minimized , thereby minimizing the diameter of the pin ( a minimum diameter is needed to prevent breakage of the pin ) in the injection mold , thereby minimizing the wall thickness of partition wall 300 of body 1 , thereby reducing the cost of body 1 . a second embodiment of the filtration device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention , could be constructed by replacing the back cover 30 of the first embodiment with a second front cover 20 . the second embodiment would work the same as the first embodiment , with the exception that after the feed blood bag is empty , air would enter first chamber 45 from the vent filter on the front cover 20 that replaces the back cover 30 . the first and second embodiments of the present invention contain the following shortcoming if it is desired to seal filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 into first filter well 13 of body 1 by compressing the outer periphery of said filter elements with round filter support rib 25 of front cover 20 . referring to fig2 fig4 b and fig7 the peripheral compression seal contains a break at gap 26 of round filter support rib 25 of front cover 20 . therefore a small portion of unfiltered blood will flow into the gap between outer wall 72 of round filter support rib 25 of front cover 20 and cylindrical surface 14 of body 1 . likewise , referring to fig1 b , fig5 b , and fig7 if it is desired to seal filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a into second filter well 13 a of body 1 by compressing the outer periphery of said filter elements with round filter support rib 35 , said compression seal contains a break at gap 36 of round filter support rib 35 of back cover 30 . therefore a small portion of unfiltered blood will flow into the gap between outer wall 73 of round filter support rib 35 of back cover 30 and cylindrical surface 14 a of body 1 . the third embodiment constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention overcomes these shortcomings . [ 0065 ] fig2 shows an exploded view of the components that comprise the third embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig2 , body 101 replaces body 1 of the first and second embodiments of the present invention . likewise , front cover 120 replaces front cover 20 , and back cover 130 replaces back cover 30 of the first and second embodiments of the present invention . the third embodiment also contains two filter compression rings 195 . referring to fig2 , body 101 is the same as body 1 shown in fig1 a , fig1 b , and fig2 with the exception that the front part of body 101 contains a counterbore in cylindrical surface 14 , bounded by surface 90 and surface 91 . the back part of body 101 shown in fig2 also contains a corresponding counterbore . referring to fig2 a and fig2 b , front cover 120 is identical to front cover 20 shown in fig4 a and fig4 b , with the exception that front cover 120 does not contain round filter support rib 25 . referring to fig2 a and fig2 b , back cover 130 is identical to back cover 30 shown in fig5 a and fig5 b , with the exception that back cover 130 does not contain round filter support rib 35 . fig2 a and 27b show filter compression ring 195 . filter compression ring 195 is a hollow cylinder , and contains one or more notches 196 in face 197 . each notch 196 is formed by two side walls 194 and an end wall 193 . fig2 and fig2 show filter compression rings 195 properly oriented . when properly oriented notches 196 provide a liquid and gas flow path between front inlet channel 8 and first chamber 44 , and provide a liquid and gas flow path between back inlet channel 8 a and first chamber 45 , as shown in fig2 . only one notch 196 is necessary in compression ring 195 if compression ring 195 is properly aligned to front inlet channel 8 , and back inlet channel 8 a . providing more than one notch 196 in filter compression ring 195 as shown in fig2 a , allows for some misalignment of filter compression ring 195 with respect to front inlet channel 8 , and back inlet channel 8 a , provided that the space between notches 196 is less than the width of front inlet channel 8 and back inlet channel 8 a . if filter compression ring 195 contains more than one notch 196 , said notches should be restricted to the top portion of filter compression ring 195 as shown in fig2 and fig2 a , so that any blood that enters the notches during the filtration process can drain once filtration has stopped . referring to fig2 , fig2 , and fig2 a filter compression ring 195 should be sized so that outer wall 192 of filter compression ring 195 press fits into surface 90 of body 101 , and so that outer wall 192 of filter compression ring 195 press fits into surface 90 a of body 101 , so that no gap will exist between outer wall 192 of filter compression ring 195 and surface 90 or surface 90 a of body 101 . filter compression ring 195 is preferably made from an injection moldable plastic , and is preferably made of a softer plastic than body 101 to facilitate pressing filter compression ring 195 into body 101 . alternately filter compression ring 195 can be made of the same material as body 101 , and sealed to body 101 with a sonic weld , a glue bond , a solvent bond or a heat bond , or any other type of suitable bond . filter device 140 shown in fig2 functions the same as filter device 40 shown in fig7 . however the shortcomings of the first and second embodiments of the present invention as described above are overcome by the filter device shown in fig2 , because the filter compression rings provide a 360 ° compression seal for filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 , and for filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a , and because the filter compression rings are press fitted into body 101 , unfiltered blood can not flow between the outer wall 192 of the filter compression rings and body 101 . referring to fig2 , with front outlet port 6 and back outlet port 6 a at the very bottom of center vertical channels 5 and 5 a respectively , the length of link port 11 is minimized , thereby minimizing the diameter of the pin ( a minimum diameter is needed to prevent breakage of the pin ) in the injection mold , thereby minimizing the wall thickness of the center section of body 101 , thereby reducing the cost of body 101 . a fourth embodiment of the filtration device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention , could be constructed by replacing the back cover 130 of the third embodiment with a second front cover 120 . the fourth embodiment would work the same as the third embodiment , with the exception that after the feed blood bag is empty , air would enter first chamber 45 from the vent filter on the front cover 120 that replaces the back cover 130 . a fifth embodiment of the filtration device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention , is shown in fig1 a through fig2 . referring to fig1 this embodiment includes the following major components : front cover 220 , body 201 , back cover 230 , filter elements 80 , 81 , 82 , 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a , and hydrophobic vent filter element 41 . [ 0072 ] fig1 a , fig1 , and fig1 a show the front part of body 201 . the front part of body 201 contains a first filter well 213 , defined by flat surface 202 of partition wall 301 and cylindrical surface 214 . the front part of body 201 also contains side vertical channels 204 , circular channel 203 , and center vertical channel 205 . preferably circular channel 203 is wider and deeper than side vertical channels 204 , and center vertical channel 205 is wider than circular channel 203 , and the same depth as circular channel 203 . the upper and lower ends of side vertical channels 204 are in fluid flow relation with circular channel 203 , and circular channel 203 is in fluid flow relation with center vertical channel 205 . center vertical channel 205 is in fluid flow relation with front outlet port 206 . the upper central part of body 201 contains inlet tube socket 217 , and cross protrusion 219 . inlet tube socket 217 contains inlet port 209 , and cross protrusion 219 contains a cross port , with the front half of the cross port labeled front cross port 207 , and the back half of the cross port labeled back cross port 207 a . the lower central part of body 201 contains outlet tube socket 218 . outlet tube socket 218 contains outlet port 210 . front outlet port 206 is in fluid flow relation with outlet port 210 through link port 211 . [ 0073 ] fig1 b , and fig1 b show the back part of body 201 . the back part of body 201 contains a second filter well 213 a , defined by flat surface 202 a of partition wall 301 and cylindrical surface 214 a . the back part of body 201 also contains side vertical channels 204 a , circular channel 203 a , and center vertical channel 205 a . preferably circular channel 203 a is wider and deeper than side vertical channels 204 a , and center vertical channel 205 a is wider than circular channel 203 a , and the same depth as circular channel 203 a . the upper and lower ends of side vertical channels 204 a are in fluid flow relation with circular channel 203 a , and circular channel 203 a is in fluid flow relation with center vertical channel 205 a . center vertical channel 205 a is in fluid flow relation with back outlet port 206 a . the upper central part of body 201 contains inlet tube socket 217 , and cross protrusion 219 . inlet tube socket 217 contains inlet port 209 , and cross protrusion 219 contains a cross port , with the front half of the cross port labeled front cross port 207 , and the back half of the cross port labeled back cross port 207 a . the lower central part of body 201 contains outlet tube socket 218 . outlet tube socket 218 contains outlet port 210 . back outlet port 206 a is in fluid flow relation with outlet port 210 through link port 211 . front outlet port 206 is a through hole with the front half labeled front outlet port 206 , and the back half labeled back outlet port 206 a . as shown in fig1 a , fig1 b , fig1 a and fig1 b the back part of body 201 is a mirror image of the front part of body 201 . body 201 is preferably made from an injection moldable medical grade plastic such acrylic , polycarbonate , polysulfone , polypropylene , polyethylene , but is not limited to these materials . [ 0074 ] fig1 a , fig1 b , and fig1 show front cover 220 . front cover 220 is round in shape to match the shape of body 201 , ( if body 201 was square , then front cover 220 would also be square ) and contains boss 229 at its upper end . the interior of front cover 220 contains flat surface 223 . vertical filter support ribs 224 protrude from flat surface 223 . the vertical filter support ribs 224 could be replaced with ribs oriented in a direction other than vertical , or with a pattern of round pins , or with a pattern or rectangular pins , or with a pattern of concentric rings with gaps in the rings , or with any other filter support means that does not contain a closed loop . outer rib 227 also protrudes from flat surface 223 and follows the outer periphery of front cover 220 . although it is not necessary for front cover 220 to contain outer rib 227 , outer rib 227 acts as an alignment rib during assembly , and as a flash trap to contain flash when front cover 220 is assembled to body 201 . front cover 220 also contains round filter support rib 225 . round filter support rib 225 does not contain a gap , as round filter support rib of front cover 20 of the first embodiment does . front cover 220 also contains through slots 221 , and vent filter bonding area 228 . although filter bonding area 228 is shown round for bonding a round vent filter , the vent filter could be square or any other shape , and then the filter bonding area 228 would conform to the shape of the vent filter . through slots 221 are shown as vertical slots , they could be replaced by a pattern of round holes , or a pattern of square holes , or any other pattern of through holes that provide adequate filter support , and also provide air flow communication between the face of the vent filter that is bonded to flat surface 223 , and to the outside atmosphere of front cover 220 . referring to fig1 b , fig1 , and fig1 , front cover 220 contains chamber 262 bounded by side walls 274 , top wall 277 , end wall 278 , and end wall 279 . front cover 220 also contains port 263 and port 265 . port 263 is in fluid flow and air flow communication with chamber 262 through port 265 . referring to fig1 , front cover 220 contains energy director 266 if it is desired to bond front cover 220 to body 201 using an energy director ultrasonic weld . fig1 shows vent filter element 41 bonded to front cover 220 . referring to fig1 , centerline 270 shows the center of the seal between front cover 220 and body 201 . the seal could be an ultrasonic weld , a glue bond , a heat bond , a solvent bond , or any other type of leak tight bond . referring to fig1 a , the outside of front cover 220 contains flat surface 222 . front cover 220 also contains weld rib 260 which protrudes above flat surface 222 . the centerline of weld rib 260 is a mirror image of centerline 270 , the center of the seal between front cover 220 and body 201 . the outside of front cover 220 also contains protrusion 261 , the outer wall of chamber 262 and port 265 . weld rib 260 is used to transmit sonic energy from a flat ultrasonic horn to energy director 266 ( shown in fig1 ) of front cover 220 during the process of welding front cover 220 to body 201 , when an ultrasonic weld is used . front cover 220 is preferably made from an injection moldable medical grade plastic such acrylic , polycarbonate , polysulfone , polypropylene , polyethylene , but is not limited to these materials . front cover 220 is preferably made from the same material that body 201 is made of . [ 0075 ] fig1 a , and fig1 b , show back cover 230 . back cover 230 is round in shape to match the shape of body 201 , ( if body 201 was square , then back cover 230 would also be square ) and contains boss 239 at its upper end . the interior of back cover 230 contains flat surface 233 . vertical filter support ribs 234 protrude from flat surface 233 . the vertical filter support ribs 234 could be replaced with ribs oriented in a direction other than vertical , or with a pattern of round pins , or with a pattern or rectangular pins , or with a pattern of concentric rings with gaps in the rings , or with any other filter support means that does not contain a closed loop . outer rib 237 also protrudes from flat surface 233 and follows the outer periphery of back cover 230 . although it is not necessary for back cover 230 to contain outer rib 237 , outer rib 237 acts as an alignment rib during assembly , and as a flash trap to contain flash when back cover 230 is assembled to body 201 . back cover 230 also contains round filter support rib 235 . round filter support rib 235 does not contains a gap , as round filter support rib of back cover 30 of the first embodiment does . referring to fig1 a , fig1 b , and fig1 , back cover 230 contains chamber 262 a bounded by side walls 274 a , top wall 277 a , end wall 278 a , and end wall 279 a . back cover 230 also contains port 263 a and port 265 a . port 263 a is in fluid flow and air flow communication with chamber 262 a through port 265 a . back cover 230 also contains an energy director 266 a ( not shown , like energy director 266 of front cover 220 ) if it is desired to bond back cover 230 to body 201 using an energy director ultrasonic weld . back cover 230 seals to body 201 along a center line like centerline 270 shown in fig1 for front cover 220 . the seal could be an ultrasonic weld , a glue bond , a heat bond , a solvent bond , or any other type of leak tight bond . referring to fig1 a , the outside of back cover 230 contains flat surface 232 . back cover 230 also contains weld rib 260 a which protrudes above flat surface 232 . the centerline of weld rib 260 a is a mirror image of centerline 270 , the center of the seal between back cover 230 and body 201 . the outside of back cover 230 also contains protrusion 261 a , the outer wall of chamber 262 a and port 265 a . weld rib 260 a is used to transmit sonic energy from a flat ultrasonic horn to energy director 266 a of back cover 230 during the process of welding back cover 230 to body 201 , when an ultrasonic weld is used . back cover 230 is preferably made from an injection moldable medical grade plastic such acrylic , polycarbonate , polysulfone , polypropylene , polyethylene , but is not limited to these materials . back cover 230 is preferably made from the same material that body 201 is made of . back cover 230 is identical to front cover 220 with the exception that back cover 230 does not contain a vent filter . [ 0076 ] fig1 shows an exploded view of the components that comprise filter device 240 . the components are body 201 , front cover 220 , back cover 230 , vent filter element 41 , and filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 , and filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a . fig1 and fig1 show filter device 240 in the assembled state . referring to fig1 a , fig1 b , fig1 , fig1 b , fig1 fig1 b , fig1 , fig1 , fig1 , and fig1 , the components that comprise filter device 240 are assembled as follows . the outer periphery of vent filter element 41 is sealed to front cover 220 at filter bonding area 228 . the seal is preferably a heat seal but could be an ultrasonic seal , a glue bond , a solvent bond , or any other type of bond that will produce a leak tight seal capable of maintaining sterility . filter element 41 is a hydrophobic filter with a pore size of 0 . 2μ or smaller to maintain sterility . filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 are placed into first filter well 213 . front cover 220 is then bonded to body 201 so that edge 212 of body 201 is bonded to front cover 220 along centerline 270 shown in fig1 . outer rib 227 of front cover 220 aligns front cover 220 to body 201 during the assembly procedure and also acts as a flash trap . the bond between front cover 220 and body 201 is preferably an ultrasonic seal but could be a glue bond , a heat bond , a solvent bond or any other type of bond that creates a leak tight seal . filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 are sealed to body 201 with a compression seal between the outer edges 84 , 85 , and 86 of filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 respectively , and cylindrical surface 214 of body 201 in the filter device 240 shown . this seal could be augmented or replaced by a compression seal created by compressing the outer periphery of filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 with round filter support rib 225 of front cover 220 . filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 also could be sealed to body 201 with a glue seal , a heat seal , or any other type of seal that eliminates bypass around filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 . filter device 240 is shown with 3 filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 in first filter well 213 . however any number of filter elements greater than or equal to one could be used . the number of filter elements used is determined by the filter type and the fluid being filtered . the same number of filter elements that were placed into first filter well 213 of body 201 are now placed into second filter well 213 a of body 201 , and are designated as filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a . these filter elements are sealed to body 201 using the same method that was used to seal filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 to first filter well 213 . back cover 230 is then bonded to body 201 so that edge 212 a of body 201 is bonded to back cover 230 along the same path as centerline 270 shown in fig1 . outer rib 237 of back cover 230 aligns back cover 230 to body 201 during the assembly procedure and also acts as a flash trap . the bond between back cover 230 and body 201 is preferably an ultrasonic seal but could be a glue bond , a heat bond , a solvent bond or any other type of bond that creates a leak tight seal . referring to fig1 b , fig1 , fig1 , and fig1 , the assembled filter device 240 contains first chamber 244 bounded by flat surface 223 of front cover 220 , inner surface 270 of round filter support rib 225 of front cover 220 , and the upstream surface 46 of the first filter element 80 in first filter well 213 of body 201 . referring to fig1 b , fig1 , and fig1 , the assembled filter device 240 also contains first chamber 245 bounded by flat surface 233 of back cover 230 , inner surface 271 of round rib 235 of back cover 230 , and the upstream surface 46 a of the first filter element 80 a in second filter well 213 a of body 201 . referring to fig1 , in the assembled filter device 240 , front cross port 207 of body 201 is in fluid flow communication and air flow communication with first chamber 244 through port 263 , port 265 , and chamber 262 of front cover 220 . referring to fig1 , in the assembled filter device 240 , back cross port 207 a of body 201 is in fluid flow communication and air flow communication with first chamber 245 through port 263 a , port 265 a , and chamber 262 a of back cover 220 . referring to figure 10 a , fig1 , fig1 and fig1 , the assembled filter device 240 contains second chamber 247 of first filter well 213 bounded by the downstream surface 48 of the last filter element 82 in first filter well 213 of body 201 , and by center vertical channel 205 , circular channel 203 , and side vertical channels 204 . second chamber 247 of first filter well 213 contains front outlet port 206 . referring to fig1 b , fig1 and fig1 , the assembled filter device 240 contains second chamber 247 a of second filter well 213 a bounded by the downstream surface 48 a of the last filter element 82 a in second filter well 213 a of body 201 , and by center vertical channel 205 a , circular channel 203 a , and side vertical channels 204 a . second chamber 247 a of second filter well 213 a contains back outlet port 206 a . referring to fig2 one end of a length of outlet tubing 53 is bonded to outlet tube socket 218 of body 201 , with the other end of said outlet tubing bonded to an empty blood bag 55 . another length of inlet tubing 52 is bonded to inlet tube socket 217 of body 201 . the end user will purchase the assembly of filter device 240 , inlet tubing 52 , outlet tubing 53 , and receiving blood bag 55 , assembled and sterile . the assembly will also contain an inlet tubing clamp 74 on inlet tubing 52 , and an outlet tubing clamp 75 on outlet tubing 53 . in fig2 the filter device 240 is in an operational assembly with inlet tubing 52 , outlet tubing 53 , feed blood bag 54 , receiving blood bag 55 , inlet tube clamp 74 , and outlet tube clamp 75 . preferably , the user will purchase the assembly of fig2 sterilized without feed blood bag 54 with the inlet end of inlet tubing 52 sealed to maintain system sterility . for performing filtration the user will first close inlet tube clamp 74 close to the inlet end of inlet tubing 52 . next the user will make sure that outlet tube clamp 75 is open . inlet tubing 52 is now bonded by the user to a pigtail on feed blood bag 54 using a sterile docking device as is well known in the art . once the sterile docking connection is made the user will hang feed blood bag 54 from hook 57 on blood bag pole 56 . receiving blood bag 55 should be placed on a surface such as a table top or the like . the complete assembly 260 ready for filtration is illustrated in fig2 . referring to fig1 a , fig1 b , fig1 , fig1 and fig2 the filtration is performed as follows . the user opens inlet tube clamp 74 . gravity now forces blood to flow from feed blood bag 54 , through inlet tubing 52 , through inlet port 209 of body 201 . after passing through inlet port 209 , a portion of the blood passes through front cross port 207 , while the remainder of the blood passes through back cross port 207 a . the portion of the blood that passes through front cross port 207 , then passes through port 263 , through port 265 , into chamber 262 , and then into first chamber 244 . the portion of the blood that passes through back cross port 207 a , then passes through port 263 a , through port 265 a , into chamber 262 a , and then into first chamber 245 . a portion of the air that was in inlet tubing 52 and inlet port 209 before blood flow started will be pushed ahead of the blood , through front cross port 207 , through port 263 , through port 265 , into chamber 262 , and then into first chamber 244 . the remainder of the air that was in inlet tubing 52 and inlet port 9 before blood flow started will be pushed ahead of the blood , through back cross port 207 a , through port 263 a , thorough port 265 a , into chamber 262 a , and then into first chamber 245 . because the usable surface area of hydrophobic filter 41 is much smaller than the usable surface area of filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 ; and because the pressure drop across sterilizing grade hydrophobic filter 41 is much greater per unit volume of air flow per unit surface area of filter material than the combined pressure drop across filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 per unit volume of air flow per unit surface area of filter material , only a very small portion of the air that was in inlet tubing 52 , inlet port 9 , front cross port 207 , port 263 , and port 265 before blood flow started , will pass through hydrophobic filter 41 , and then through slots 221 of front cover 220 to atmosphere . as first chamber 244 fills from the bottom up most of the air in first chamber 244 and in chamber 262 will be forced through filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 , for the same reasons described in the previous paragraph . this initial air will flow into vertical channels 204 , circular channel 203 , and center vertical channel 205 , and then flow through front outlet port 206 , through link port 211 , through outlet port 210 , into outlet tubing 53 , into receiving blood bag 55 . filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 will also wet from the bottom up . the air that is initially in filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 will be displaced by blood and flow into vertical channels 204 , circular channel 203 , and center vertical channel 205 , and then flow through front outlet port 206 , through link port 211 , through outlet port 210 , into outlet tubing 53 , into receiving blood bag 55 . because the combined volume of first chamber 244 and chamber 262 is small , and the flow rate of blood entering first chamber 244 is much greater than the initial flow rate of blood through filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 , first chamber 244 will fill in a small fraction of the time that it takes to wet filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 . the pressure head at the bottom of first chamber 244 will be larger than the pressure head at the top of chamber 244 , because of the height difference between the top and bottom of first chamber 244 . therefore liquid will start to come through filter element 82 from the bottom up . as liquid starts to come through filter element 82 from the bottom up vertical channels 204 , circular channel 203 , and center vertical channel 205 , of body 201 will fill from the bottom up . because the total volume of these channels in is small ( to minimize holdup ) the channels may fill with blood ( from the bottom up ) before the upper part of filter element 82 has wet with blood . once blood starts to flow from center vertical channel 205 of body 201 , into front outlet port 206 of body 201 , through link port 211 of body 201 , into outlet tubing 53 , and starts to flow down outlet tubing 53 toward receiving blood bag 55 , the pressure in front outlet port 206 will become negative . because center vertical channel 205 is in fluid flow relationship with front outlet port 206 , the pressure inside the tube created by center vertical channel 205 and downstream surface 48 of filter element 82 will also be negative . likewise since circular channel 203 is in fluid flow relationship with center vertical channel 205 the pressure inside the tube created by circular channel 203 and downstream surface 48 of filter element 82 will also be negative . since the tube segments made up of vertical channels 204 and downstream surface 48 of filter element 82 are in fluid flow relationship with the tube created by circular channel 203 and downstream surface 48 of filter element 82 , any air or liquid that flows from filter element 82 into vertical channels 204 will be sucked into circular channel 203 , and then flow from circular channel 203 into center vertical channel 205 , through front outlet port 206 , through link port 211 , through outlet port 210 , into outlet tubing 53 , and into receiving blood bag 55 . this assures that filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 will completely wet , and that all of the air that was in first chamber 244 and chamber 262 , filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 , vertical channels 204 , circular channel 203 , center circular channel 205 , front outlet port 206 , link port 211 , outlet port 210 , and the interior of outlet tubing 53 will be forced into receiving blood bag 55 . although vertical channels 204 are shown in the vertical orientation , they could be orientated at any angle from zero degrees to ninety degrees from vertical , as long as they are in fluid flow relationship with circular channel 3 . other channel designs such as the spiral channel filter underdrain disclosed in u . s . ser . no . 08 / 524 , 049 , and entitled “ an in - line liquid filtration device usable for blood , blood products and the like ”, could also be used in place of the design illustrated in fig1 a . it is however , imperative that all channels be either directly or indirectly in fluid flow relationship with front outlet port 206 . the portion of blood from feed blood bag 54 which flows through back cross port 7 a , through port 263 a , through port 265 a , into chamber 262 a , into first chamber 245 , will fill first chamber 245 from the bottom up forcing all of the air in first chamber 45 and chamber 262 a through filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a . this initial air will flow into vertical channels 204 a , circular channel 203 a , and center vertical channel 205 a , and then flow through back outlet port 206 a , through link port 211 , through outlet port 210 , into outlet tubing 53 , into receiving blood bag 55 . filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a will also wet from the bottom up . the air that is initially in filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a will be displaced by blood and flow into vertical channels 204 a , circular channel 203 a , and center vertical channel 205 a , and then flow through outlet port 206 a , through link port 211 , through outlet port 210 , into outlet tubing 53 , into receiving blood bag 55 . because the combined volume of first chamber 245 and chamber 262 a is small , and the flow rate of blood entering chamber 262 a and first chamber 245 is much greater than the initial flow rate of blood through filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a , first chamber 245 and chamber 262 a will fill in a small fraction of the time that it takes to wet filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a . the pressure head at the bottom of first chamber 245 will be larger than the pressure head at the top of first chamber 245 , because of the height difference between the top and bottom of first chamber 245 . therefore liquid will start to come through filter element 82 a from the bottom up . as liquid starts to come through filter element 82 a from the bottom up vertical channels 204 a , circular channel 203 a , and center vertical channel 205 a , of body 201 will fill from the bottom up . because the total volume of these channels in is small ( to minimize holdup ) the channels may fill with blood ( from the bottom up ) before the upper part of filter element 82 a has wet with blood . once blood starts to flow from center vertical channel 205 a of body 201 , into back outlet port 206 a of body 201 , through link port 211 of body 201 , into outlet tubing 53 , and starts to flow down outlet tubing 53 toward receiving blood bag 55 , the pressure in back outlet port 206 a will become negative . because center vertical channel 205 a is in fluid flow relationship with back outlet port 206 a , the pressure inside the tube created by center vertical channel 205 a and the downstream surface 48 a of filter element 82 a will also be negative . likewise since circular channel 203 a is in fluid flow relationship with center vertical channel 205 a the pressure inside the tube created by circular channel 203 a and the downstream surface 48 a of filter element 82 a will also be negative . since the tube segments made up of vertical channels 204 a and the downstream surface 48 a of filter element 82 a are in fluid flow relationship with the tube created by circular channel 203 a and the downstream surface 48 a of filter element 82 a , any air or liquid that flows from filter element 82 a into vertical channels 204 a will be sucked into circular channel 203 a , and then flow from circular channel 203 a into center vertical channel 205 a , through back outlet port 206 a , through link port 211 , through outlet port 210 , into outlet tubing 53 , and into receiving blood bag 55 . this assures that filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a will completely wet , and that all of the air that was in chamber 245 , chamber 262 a , filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a , vertical channels 204 a , circular channel 203 a , center vertical channel 205 a , back outlet port 206 a , link port 211 , outlet port 210 , and the interior of outlet tubing 53 will be forced into receiving blood bag 55 . although vertical channels 204 a are shown in the vertical orientation , they could be orientated at any angle from zero degrees to ninety degrees from vertical , as long as they are in fluid flow relationship with circular channel 203 a . other channel designs such as the spiral channel filter underdrain disclosed in u . s . ser . no . 08 / 524 , 049 , and entitled “ an in - line liquid filtration device usable for blood , blood products and the like ”, could also be used in place of the design illustrated in fig1 b . it is however , imperative that all channels be either directly or indirectly in fluid flow relationship with back outlet port 206 a . blood filtration will continue until feed blood bag 54 is empty . when feed blood bag 54 is empty it will be collapsed and therefore close the inlet end of inlet tubing 52 . because outlet tubing 53 will be full of blood , and because the outside of receiving blood bag 55 is at atmospheric pressure , the pressure head in front outlet port 206 , and the pressure head in back outlet port 206 a will be negative , as will be the pressure head in vertical channels 204 , circular channel 203 , center vertical channel 205 , vertical channels 204 a , circular channel 203 a , and center vertical channel 205 a , all of body 201 . once blood flow has stopped the pressure drop across filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 , will fall to zero . the pressure drop across filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a , will also fall to zero . hence the pressure in first chamber 244 and chamber 262 , and the pressure in first chamber 245 and chamber 262 a will become negative . once the pressure in chamber 244 and chamber 262 falls below atmospheric pressure air will begin to flow from atmosphere through slots 221 , through sterilizing grade hydrophobic filter 41 , into first chamber 244 . the sterile air that enters first chamber 244 will bubble up to the top of first chamber 244 and chamber 262 , thus causing first chamber 244 and chamber 262 to drain from the top down . because of the negative pressure in first chamber 245 , some of the air that bubbles to the top of first chamber 244 will pass through port 265 , through port 263 , through front cross port 207 , through back cross port 207 a , through port 263 a , through port 265 a , into chamber 262 a and first chamber 245 , causing chamber 262 a and first chamber 245 to drain from the top down , and causing the blood in port 263 and port 265 to drain into chamber 262 , and causing the blood in port 263 a and port 265 a to drain into chamber 262 a , and causing the blood in front cross port 207 and back cross port 207 a to drain into both chamber 262 and chamber 262 a . because the air entering first chamber 244 bubbles to the top of first chamber 244 and to the top of chamber 262 , thus draining first chamber 244 and chamber 262 from the top down , vent filter element 41 can be located anywhere on flat surface 223 of front cover 220 . filter elements 80 , 81 , 82 , 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a will be plugged sufficiently at this point , therefore very little if any blood will be sucked from these filter elements by the negative pressure in front outlet port 206 , and by the negative pressure in back outlet port 206 a . hence blood flow will stop after first chamber 244 and chamber 262 , and after first chamber 245 and chamber 262 a have drained and blood will remain in filter elements 80 , 81 , 82 , 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a , and in vertical channels 204 , circular channel 203 , center vertical channel 205 , vertical channels 204 a , circular channel 203 a , and center vertical channel 205 a , and in front outlet port 206 , back outlet port 206 a , link port 211 , outlet port 210 , all of body 201 , and in outlet tubing 53 . the user can now close tube clamp 75 on outlet tubing 53 and then seal outlet tubing 53 above tube clamp 75 , and then cut outlet tubing 53 above the seal just made . feed blood bag 54 , inlet tubing 52 , and filter device 240 can now be discarded in a safe manner . outlet tubing 53 will have segments marked on it . the user can now seal the tubing at the segment marks . the blood that is left in outlet tubing 53 will be used for cross matching and for quality control purposes . referring to fig1 a , fig1 b , fig1 b , fig1 b , and fig1 , front cover 220 and back cover 230 of filter device 240 provide a 360 ° continuous filter compression seal via round filter support rib 225 and round filter support rib 235 respectively . because unfiltered blood enters chamber 262 and first chamber 244 on the inside of round filter support rib 225 , unfiltered blood is prevented from entering the gap between the outside of round filter support rib 225 of front cover 220 and cylindrical surface 214 of body 201 . likewise , unfiltered blood enters chamber 262 a and first chamber 245 on the inside of round filter support rib 235 , thus unfiltered blood is prevented from entering the gap between the outside of round filter support rib 235 of back cover 230 and cylindrical surface 214 a of body 201 . hence the fifth embodiment of the present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the first two embodiments of the present invention , with the added benefit that the two filter compression rings of the third embodiment are not required in the fifth embodiment . referring to fig1 , with front outlet port 206 and back outlet port 206 a at the very bottom of center vertical channels 205 and 205 a respectively , the length of link port 211 is minimized , thereby minimizing the diameter of the pin ( a minimum diameter is needed to prevent breakage of the pin ) in the injection mold , thereby minimizing the wall thickness of partition wall 301 of body 201 , thereby reducing the cost of body 201 . a sixth embodiment of the filtration device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention , could be constructed by replacing the back cover 230 of the fifth embodiment with a second front cover 220 . the sixth embodiment would work the same as the fifth embodiment , with the exception that after the feed blood bag is empty , air would enter first chamber 245 and chamber 262 a from the vent filter on the front cover 220 that replaces the back cover 230 . a seventh embodiment of the filtration device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention , is shown in fig2 a , fig2 b , fig2 , fig3 , and fig3 . fig3 shows an exploded view of the components that comprise filter device 440 . filter device 440 includes the following major components : front cover 20 , body 401 , back cover 30 , filter elements 80 , 81 , 82 , 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a , and hydrophobic vent filter element 41 . the only difference between filter device 40 of the first embodiment , shown in fig6 and filter device 440 of the seventh embodiment , shown in fig3 , is that body 1 of the first embodiment is replaced with body 401 in the seventh embodiment . referring to fig1 fig2 fig2 a , fig2 b , and fig2 , body 401 is identical to body 1 with the following exceptions . side vertical channels 4 , circular channel 3 , and center vertical channel 5 of front flat surface 2 of partition wall 300 of body 1 are eliminated from body 401 . referring to fig2 a and fig2 , the front part of body 401 replaces these components with well 469 , defined by flat surface 489 of partition wall 300 , and side wall 488 of partition wall 300 . vertical filter support ribs 498 protrude from flat surface 489 of partition wall 300 . a gap must exist between the top of vertical filter support ribs 498 and side wall 488 . the top face of filter support ribs 498 should lie in the same plane as flat surface 2 of partition wall 300 . vertical filter support ribs 498 could be replaced with a pattern of round pins , or with a pattern or rectangular pins , or with any other filter support means that will allow air to bubble to the top of well 469 . body 401 contains two vertical filter support ribs 499 that are attached to side wall 488 at the bottom of side wall 488 . a gap must exist between the top of vertical support ribs 499 and side wall 488 . vertical channel 487 is bounded by the side walls of vertical filter support ribs 499 adjacent to channel 487 , and by flat surface 489 . the bottom of vertical channel 487 is in fluid flow communication with outlet port 10 via link port 11 and front outlet port 6 . the top of vertical channel 487 is open . referring to fig2 b , the back face of partition wall 300 of body 401 is a mirror image of the front face of partition wall 300 of body 401 just described . the components that comprise filter device 440 are assembled in the same manner as those of filter device 40 as described above for the first embodiment . referring to fig4 b , fig3 , and fig3 , the assembled filter device 440 contains first chamber 44 of first filter well 13 bounded by flat surface 23 of front cover 20 , inner surface 70 of round rib 25 of front cover 20 , and the upstream surface 46 of the first filter element 80 in first filter well 13 of body 401 . referring to fig5 b , fig3 , and fig3 , the assembled filter device 440 also contains first chamber 45 of second filter well 13 a bounded by flat surface 33 of back cover 30 , inner surface 71 of round rib 35 of back cover 30 , and the upstream surface 46 a of the first filter element 80 a in second filter well 13 a of body 401 . referring to fig3 a and fig3 , in the assembled filter device 440 , front feed channel 8 becomes a closed channel bounded by side walls 15 and wall 16 of body 401 , and by flat surface 23 of front cover 20 . referring to fig3 , front feed channel 8 places first chamber 44 in fluid flow communication , and in air flow communication with front cross port 7 . referring to fig3 b and fig3 , in the assembled filter device 440 , back feed channel 8 a becomes a closed channel bounded by side walls 15 a and wall 16 a of body 401 , and by flat surface 33 of back cover 30 . referring to fig3 , back feed channel 8 a places first chamber 45 in fluid flow communication , and in air flow communication with back cross port 7 a . referring to fig2 a , fig2 , fig3 and fig3 , the assembled filter device 440 contains second chamber 447 of first filter well 13 bounded by the downstream surface 48 of the last filter element 82 in first filter well 13 of body 401 , and by well 469 . second chamber 447 of first filter well 13 contains vertical channel 487 , vertical filter support ribs 499 , vertical filter support ribs 498 , and front outlet port 6 . referring to fig2 b , fig3 and fig3 , the assembled filter device 440 contains second chamber 447 a of second filter well 13 a bounded by the downstream surface 48 a of the last filter element 82 a in second filter well 13 a of body 401 , and by well 469 a . second chamber 447 a of second filter well 13 a contains vertical channel 487 a , vertical filter support ribs 499 a , vertical filter support ribs 498 a , and back outlet port 6 a . filter device 440 could replace filter device 40 of assembly 60 shown in fig9 . referring to fig2 a , fig4 b , fig5 b , fig9 and fig3 the filtration with filter device 440 replacing filter device 40 in fig9 is performed as follows . the user opens inlet tube clamp 74 . gravity now forces blood to flow from feed blood bag 54 , through inlet tubing 52 , through inlet port 9 of body 401 . after passing through inlet port 9 , a portion of the blood passes through front cross port 7 , while the remainder of the blood passes through back cross port 7 a . the portion of the blood that passes through front cross port 7 , then passes through front inlet channel 8 , through gap 26 of front cover 20 , into first chamber 44 of filter device 440 . the portion of the blood that passes through back cross port 7 a , then passes through back inlet channel 8 a , through gap 36 of back cover 30 , into first chamber 45 of filter device 440 . a portion of the air that was in inlet tubing 52 and inlet port 9 before blood flow started will be pushed ahead of the blood , through front cross port 7 , through front inlet channel 8 , through gap 26 of front cover 20 , into first chamber 44 of filter device 440 . the remainder of the air that was in inlet tubing 52 and inlet port 9 before blood flow started will be pushed ahead of the blood , through back cross port 7 a , through back inlet channel 8 a , through gap 36 of back cover 30 , into first chamber 45 of filter device 440 . because the usable surface area of hydrophobic filter 41 is much smaller than the usable surface area of filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 ; and because the pressure drop across sterilizing grade hydrophobic filter 41 is much greater per unit volume of air flow per unit surface area of filter material than the combined pressure drop across filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 per unit volume of air flow per unit surface area of filter material , only a very small portion of the air that was in inlet tubing 52 , inlet port 9 , front cross port 7 , and front inlet channel 8 before blood flow started , will pass through hydrophobic filter 41 , and then through slots 21 of front cover 20 to atmosphere . as first chamber 44 of filter device 440 fills from the bottom up most of the air in first chamber 44 will be forced through filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 , for the same reasons described in the previous paragraph . this initial air will flow into second chamber 447 of first filter well 13 of filter device 440 . second chamber 447 is a closed chamber bounded by flat surface 489 and side wall 488 , both of partition wall 300 of body 401 , and by downstream surface 48 of filter element 82 . second chamber 447 contains closed vertical channel 487 , bound by flat surface 489 of partition wall 300 of body 401 , the side walls of vertical filter support ribs 499 of body 401 adjacent to vertical channel 487 , and by downstream surface 48 of filter element 82 . the bottom of vertical channel 487 is in fluid flow relation to outlet port 10 via front outlet port 6 and link port 11 . the top end of vertical channel 487 is open to the top portion of second chamber 447 . the initial air that enters second chamber 447 from filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 plus the initial air that was in second chamber 447 will be forced from second chamber 447 , through vertical channel 487 , through front outlet port 6 , through link port 11 through outlet port 10 , through outlet tubing 53 , into receiving blood bag 55 . because the volume of first chamber 44 is small , and the flow rate of blood entering first chamber 44 is much greater than the initial flow rate of blood through filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 , first chamber 44 will fill in a very small fraction of the time that it takes to wet filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 . the pressure head at the bottom of first chamber 44 will be larger than the pressure head at the top of first chamber 44 , because of the height difference between the top and bottom of first chamber 44 . therefore liquid will start to come through filter element 82 into second chamber 447 from the bottom up . as second chamber 447 fills from the bottom up with blood the remaining air in second chamber 447 will be forced from second chamber 447 , through vertical channel 487 , through front outlet port 6 , through link port 11 through outlet port 10 , through outlet tubing 53 , into receiving blood bag 55 . because the total volume of second chamber 447 is small ( to minimize holdup ) second chamber 447 may fill with blood ( from the bottom up ) before the upper part of filter element 82 has wet with blood . once second chamber 447 is filled with blood , the blood from the top of second chamber 447 will flow through vertical channel 487 , through front outlet port 6 , through link port 11 through outlet port 10 , through outlet tubing 53 , into receiving blood bag 55 . once blood starts to flow through outlet tubing 53 the pressure at the top of vertical channel 487 will become negative . ( the negative pressure at the top of vertical channel 487 will reach its maximum value when the blood in outlet tubing reaches receiving blood bag 55 ). any additional air that is forced through the filter elements into second chamber 447 by blood wetting the top portion of the filter elements will bubble to the top of second chamber 447 and be sucked out of second chamber 447 , through vertical channel 487 , through front outlet port 6 , through link port 11 through outlet port 10 , through outlet tubing 53 , into receiving blood bag 55 , by the negative pressure at the top of vertical channel 487 . this assures that filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 will completely wet , and that all of the air that was in first chamber 44 , filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 , second chamber 447 , front outlet port 6 , link port 11 , outlet port 10 , and the interior of outlet tubing 53 will be forced into receiving blood bag 55 . as first chamber 45 of filter device 440 fills from the bottom up most of the air in first chamber 45 will be forced through filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a , for the same reasons described in the previous paragraph . this initial air will flow into second chamber 447 a of second filter well 13 a of filter device 440 . second chamber 447 a is a closed chamber bounded by flat surface 489 a and side wall 488 a , both of partition wall 300 of body 401 , and by downstream surface 48 a of filter element 82 a . second chamber 447 a contains closed vertical channel 487 a , bound by flat surface 489 a of partition wall 300 of body 401 , the side walls of vertical filter support ribs 499 a of body 401 adjacent to vertical channel 487 a , and by downstream surface 48 a of filter element 82 a . the bottom of vertical channel 487 a is in fluid flow relation to outlet port 10 via back outlet port 6 a and link port 11 . the top end of vertical channel 487 a is open to the top portion of second chamber 447 a . the initial air that enters second chamber 447 a from filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a plus the initial air that was in second chamber 447 a will be forced from second chamber 447 a , through vertical channel 487 a , through back outlet port 6 a , through link port 11 through outlet port 10 , through outlet tubing 53 , into receiving blood bag 55 . because the volume of first chamber 45 is small , and the flow rate of blood entering first chamber 45 is much greater than the initial flow rate of blood through filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a , first chamber 45 will fill in a very small fraction of the time that it takes to wet filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a . the pressure head at the bottom of first chamber 45 will be larger than the pressure head at the top of first chamber 45 , because of the height difference between the top and bottom of first chamber 45 . therefore liquid will start to come through filter element 82 a into second chamber 447 a from the bottom up . as second chamber 447 a fills from the bottom up with blood the remaining air in second chamber 447 a will be forced from second chamber 447 a , through vertical channel 487 a , through back outlet port 6 a , through link port 11 through outlet port 10 , through outlet tubing 53 , into receiving blood bag 55 . because the total volume of second chamber 447 a is small ( to minimize holdup ) second chamber 447 a may fill with blood ( from the bottom up ) before the upper part of filter element 82 a has wet with blood . once second chamber 447 a is filled with blood , the blood from the top of second chamber 447 a will flow through vertical channel 487 a , through back outlet port 6 a , through link port 11 through outlet port 10 , through outlet tubing 53 , into receiving blood bag 55 . once blood starts to flow through outlet tubing 53 the pressure at the top of vertical channel 487 a will become negative . ( the negative pressure at the top of vertical channel 487 a will reach its maximum value when the blood in outlet tubing reaches receiving blood bag 55 ). any additional air that is forced through the filter elements into second chamber 447 a by blood wetting the top portion of the filter elements will bubble to the top of second chamber 447 a and be sucked out of second chamber 447 a , through vertical channel 487 a , through back outlet port 6 a , through link port 11 through outlet port 10 , through outlet tubing 53 , into receiving blood bag 55 , by the negative pressure at the top of vertical channel 487 a . this assures that filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a will completely wet , and that all of the air that was in first chamber 45 , filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a , second chamber 447 a , back outlet port 6 a , link port 11 , outlet port 10 , and the interior of outlet tubing 53 will be forced into receiving blood bag 55 . blood filtration will continue until feed blood bag 54 is empty . when feed blood bag 54 is empty it will be collapsed and therefore close the inlet end of inlet tubing 52 . because outlet tubing 53 will be full of blood , and because the outside of receiving blood bag 55 is at atmospheric pressure , the pressure head in front outlet port 6 , and the pressure head in back outlet port 6 a will be negative , as will be the pressure head in second chamber 447 , and second chamber 447 a , all of body 401 . once blood flow has stopped the pressure drop across filter elements 80 , 81 , and 82 , will fall to zero . the pressure drop across filter elements 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a , will also fall to zero . hence the pressure in first chamber 44 and first chamber 45 will become negative . once the pressure in first chamber 44 falls below atmospheric pressure air will begin to flow from atmosphere through slots 21 , through sterilizing grade hydrophobic filter 41 , into first chamber 44 . the sterile air that enters first chamber 44 will bubble up to the top of first chamber 44 , thus causing first chamber 44 to drain from the top down . because of the negative pressure in first chamber 45 , some of the air that bubbles to the top of first chamber 44 will pass through gap 26 , through front inlet channel 8 , through front cross port 7 , through back cross port 7 a , through gap 36 , through back inlet channel 8 a , into first chamber 45 , causing first chamber 45 to drain from the top down , and causing the blood in front inlet channel 8 to drain into first chamber 44 , and causing the blood in back inlet channel 8 a to drain into first chamber 45 , and causing the blood in front cross port 7 and back cross port 7 a to drain into both first chamber 44 and first chamber 45 . because the air entering first chamber 44 bubbles to the top of first chamber 44 , thus draining first chamber 44 from the top down , vent filter element 41 can be located anywhere on flat surface 23 of front cover 20 . filter elements 80 , 81 , 82 , 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a will be plugged sufficiently at this point , therefore very little if any blood will be sucked from these filter elements by the negative pressure in second chamber 447 , and by the negative pressure in second chamber 447 a . hence blood flow will stop after first chamber 44 and first chamber 45 have drained and blood will remain in filter elements 80 , 81 , 82 , 80 a , 81 a , and 82 a , in second chamber 447 , in second chamber 447 a , and in front outlet port 6 , back outlet port 6 a , link port 11 , outlet port 10 all of body 401 , and in outlet tubing 53 . the user can now close tube clamp 75 on outlet tubing 53 and then seal outlet tubing 53 above tube clamp 75 , and then cut outlet tubing 53 above the seal just made . feed blood bag 54 , inlet tubing 52 , and filter device 440 can now be discarded in a safe manner . outlet tubing 53 will have segments marked on them . the user can now seal the tubing at the segment marks . the blood that is left in outlet tubing 53 will be used for cross matching and for quality control purposes . although the filter support means ( including vertical channel 487 ) of second chamber 447 and the filter support means ( including vertical channel 487 a ) of second chamber 447 a are used in conjunction with the two sided filter device of the seventh embodiment of the present invention it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the same filter support means could be used with a single sided filter . body 101 , and body 201 , could also be modified to incorporate second chamber 447 of body 401 , and second chamber 447 a of body 401 . hence any of the embodiments from the first embodiment to the sixth embodiment could function like the seventh embodiment . although the present invention has been shown and described in terms of specific preferred embodiments , it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes or modifications are possible which do not depart from the inventive concepts described and taught herein . such changes and modifications are deemed to fall within the purview of these inventive concepts . in addition it is contemplated that the filter assembly may be employed in an environment other than blood filtration . a fluid system in which components of the fluid must be removed can benefit from the use of a filter apparatus embodying the teachings of the present invention . | US-81810801-A |
a frame has a base and four vertical members supporting a pair of longitudinal supports spaced evenly apart to define a slot . a pair of seats are arranged in opposition at the ends of the frame and a exercise arm is located between the seats . the exercise arm reciprocates between the seats , and has handles for gripping . a dashpot provides resistance to movement of the exercise arm . the device can be adapted for use by one or two users . | the exercise apparatus 10 of the invention includes a frame 12 , two seating assemblies 14 and 16 , and an exercise element 18 located midway between the seat assemblies 14 and 16 . frame 12 includes a base 20 , several vertical supports 22 , and longitudinal supports 24 and 26 that are supported by the vertical supports 22 , as shown . the base 20 in turn includes long members 28 and cross pieces 30 , welded or bolted together in a conventional fashion . the frame 12 may be made from tubular steel or other material having the necessary strength to bear repeated loading . a support subframe 32 made of square metal tubing is attached to each long member 28 . a number of holes 34 , evenly spaced along the top of each subframe 32 , are adapted to receive and hold a peg 36 . a pair of cleats 38 , one for each user , is located on each of the subframes 32 and slide along them . each cleat 38 has a hole ( not shown ), also adapted to receive the peg 36 , and a foot rest 40 . the foot rest 40 can be set to different positions by sliding the cleat 38 to the desired position , matching the hole in the cleat with the nearest hole 34 in the subframe 32 and inserting the peg 36 through the holes . the longitudinal supports 24 and 26 are closely spaced parallel to each other , defining a slot 42 between them . the exercise element 18 is coupled to the longitudinal supports 24 and 26 by a pivot 44 . the pivot 44 may be a pillow bearing or the like held in place with a conventional fastener , such as a cotter pin ( not shown ). the exercise element 18 may be manufactured from tubular steel or other rigid material adapted to withstand repeated loading . the exercise element 18 includes upper 46 and lower 48 elements . the upper element 46 slides into the lower element 48 in a telescoping fashion , and a pin 50 holds them together . the pin 50 and the elements 46 and 48 allow the length of the exercise element 18 to be adjusted to the users &# 39 ; taste . the upper element 46 is coupled to a handle element 52 by a pivot 54 that may again comprise a pillow bearing or similar structure . the handle element 52 is coupled at both ends to operator handles 56 , manufactured from tubular steel and fitted with a roller - type or cushioned grip 58 in a conventional fashion . the length of the handle element 52 is also adjustable via telescoping subparts 60 and 62 , the length being selected by inserting a pin 64 in a selected hole 66 . to operate the device , each user sits in one of the seat assemblies 14 and 16 and grasps the appropriate grip 58 , while anchoring their feet against the foot rests 40 . each user takes turns pulling on the operator handle 56 causing the upper element 46 to move toward them . a resistance element 68 opposes movement of the exercise element 18 . the action of moving the exercise element 18 against this resistance exercises the abdominal muscles . fig2 shows the lower element 48 coupled to a resistance element 68 through a pivot 70 similar to the other pivots 44 and 54 . the resistance element 68 is a dashpot , defined as a hydraulic device for damping movement via hydraulic resistance . the dashpot 68 has a cylinder 72 filled with hydraulic fluid and a piston ( not shown ) that seals loosely against the inside surface of the cylinder so that a force applied against the piston will cause hydraulic fluid to flow across the loose seal from one side of the piston to the other . the piston is attached to a shaft 74 that is coupled at one end to the lower element 48 . the shaft 74 should extend out both ends of the cylinder 72 : this creates equal displacement volumes on both sides of the piston . this symmetry allows the piston to move completely from one end of the cylinder 72 to the other , allowing for a shorter cylinder . a shorter cylinder is preferred to avoid obstruction with the frame 12 during operation of the device . the cylinder 72 has external couplings 76 that connect to two bypass assemblies 78 and 80 that provide the means for bypassing the hydraulic fluid around the piston ( not shown ). each assembly includes an adjustable valve 82 and a check valve 84 , both sized to allow several times the flow of hydraulic fluid across the piston seal when the shaft 74 is stroked . the bypassing of fluid through the assemblies 78 and 80 provides the means for adjusting the resistance to movement of the exercise element 18 . the first assembly 78 operates when the exercise element 18 is moved in one direction , while the second assembly 80 operates when the exercise element 18 is moved in the other direction , to allow each user to tailor the resistance in their direction individually . turning now to fig3 one of the seating assemblies 14 is shown ; the two assemblies 14 and 16 are identical . each assembly includes a bottom piece 86 and a backrest 88 , both provided with a cushioned covering for comfort . the bottom piece 86 is securely fixed to the longitudinal supports 24 and 26 . the backrest 88 is coupled to the bottom piece 86 by means of a pivot 90 , which may be a hinge , a pivot similar to the other pivots , or an equivalent structure . an upper linkage arm 92 , affixed to the backrest 88 , pivotably connects to a lower linkage arm 94 that in turn connects to a tee piece 96 at the end of the lower element 48 . this combination allows the backrest 88 to rock back and forth in conjunction with the exercise element 18 . this provides improved back support during operation and reduces lower back stress . in addition , the rocking backrest 88 creates other means for exercising the abdominal muscles when the device is used by two people . when one user pulls back on the exercise element 18 , the backrest 88 of the other user will pivot upward from an inclined position . the other user can resist the rotation of the backrest by pressing against it , simultaneously creating more resistance to movement of the exercise element 18 . thus the two users can dynamically change the intensity of the workout . it is also possible for the two users to operate the device only by pressing back against the backrest 88 . in this mode of operation , the upper exercise element 46 , the handle 52 , and their related parts would be removed as a single assembly . turning now to fig4 the invention is shown adapted for use by a single person . the invention is shown with one of the longitudinal supports 26 removed for clarity . in the adaptation , the invention is provided with a spring 98 , connected to the lower exercise element 48 and through an extension loop 100 to a support element 102 located between longitudinal supports 24 and 26 as shown . the solitary user sits on the same side of the exercise element 18 on which the spring 98 is located and pulls the handle element 52 , thus placing the spring in tension . when the user ceases pulling on the element 52 , the spring 98 biases the lower exercise element 48 to return to its original position . when only one user is operating the device , the adjustable valve 82 that adjusts resistance to motion in the return direction should be opened fully so that the exercise element 18 will return to the original position quickly . biasing elements performing the equivalent function of the spring 98 are also envisioned within the spirit of the present invention , such as pneumatic cylinders . the spring 98 and extension loop 100 may be also used during two person operation if desired . the invention has been shown in only one embodiment . it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited , but is susceptible to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit of the invention . | US-34967394-A |
the present invention is in the field of organic and natural product chemistry . the present invention relates to an efficient process for purification , simultaneous extraction , and separation of monohydroxycarotenoids from dihydroxycarotenoids in various natural products or in synthetic mixtures . similarly , the process can also be applied to the simultaneous extraction , saponification , and separation of esterified mono - and dihydroxycarotenoids in natural products and their oleoresins or in their synthetic mixtures . therefore , esterified and unesterified monohydroxycarotenoids such as - β - cryptoxanthin and - α - cryptoxanthin can be efficiently separated from their corresponding dihydroxycarotenoids such as - lutein and - zeaxanthin that are found in various plants or in synthetic mixtures . | as used herein , the term “ partially separating ” means that at least 70 % of the undesired product is removed from the desired product . in some embodiments , partially separating means that at least 75 %, at least 80 %, at least 85 %, at least 90 %, at least 95 %, or at least 98 % of the undesired product is removed from the desired product . in some embodiments , the partially separated product is at least 75 %, at least 80 %, at least 85 %, at least 90 %, at least 95 %, or at least 98 % pure . in some embodiments , the partially separated product is at least 98 % pure . as used herein , the singular terms “ a ” and “ the ” are synonymous and used interchangeably with “ at least one ,” unless the language and / or context clearly indicate otherwise . as used herein , the term “ comprising ” means including , made up of , and composed of . the present invention provides processes for the separation of monohydroxycarotenoids from dihydroxycarotenoids . according to the first strategy , carotenoid esters in plants or synthetic samples are simultaneously extracted and saponified by soxhlet extraction in the first step . this is followed by binary crystallization or a second soxhlet extraction that allows the separation of these carotenoids . this strategy is shown in fig2 . it should be noted that while dihydroxycarotenoids are well separated from monohydroxycarotenoids by the process shown in fig2 , separation of dihydroxycarotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin from each other is not possible by this strategy . similarly , this process cannot be applied to the separation of monohydroxycarotenoids such as α - cryptoxanthin and β - cryptoxanthin . based on this process , it has been discovered that there is a differential solubility between dihydroxycarotenoids such as lutein or zeaxanthin diesters when compared to monohydroxycarotenoids such as α - cryptoxanthin or β - cryptoxanthin esters . therefore , when these carotenoids are subjected to soxhlet extraction with an alcohol such as ethanol or methanol , carotenoid monoesters , due to their superior solubility in alcohols , are extracted while carotenoid diesters for the most part remain insoluble . therefore , this strategy can be applied to separate dihydroxycarotenoids from monohydroxycarotenoids . therefore , soxhlet extraction with an alcohol ( e . g , methanol or ethanol ) can result in removal of esters of monohydroxycarotenoids ( 10 - 12 , 14 - 16 ) while esters of dihydroxcarotenoids ( 2 - 4 , 6 - 8 ) for the most part remain insoluble in alcohol . the alcohol insoluble fraction is then extracted from the plant material by an organic solvent ( e . g ., pentane , hexane , acetone , ethyl acetate , diethyl ether , tert - butyl methyl ether , or tetrahydrofuran ) and after solvent evaporation is then saponified in an alcohol to give lutein ( 1 ) or zeaxanthin ( 5 ) as the major product and α - cryptoxanthin ( 9 ) or 3 - cryptoxanthin ( 13 ) as the minor product . further crystallization or soxhlet extraction of this mixture can then result in complete separation of 1 or 5 from 9 or 13 , respectively . similarly , the esters of monohydroxycarotenoids ( 10 - 12 , 14 . . . 16 ) that are removed by soxhlet extraction are accompanied by minor quantities of dihydroxycarotenoids 2 - 4 and 6 - 8 . these carotenoids are saponified with alcoholic solution of naoh or koh and are subsequently subjected to crystallization or soxhlet extraction to yield α - cryptoxanthin ( 9 ) or β - cryptoxanthin ( 13 ). in some embodiments , the alcohol is methanol , ethanol , 2 - propanol , or combinations thereof . in some embodiments , the organic solvent is pentane , hexane , acetone , ethyl acetate , diethyl ether , tert - butyl methyl ether , tetrahydrofuran , or combinations thereof . the binary crystallization of a mixture of mono - and dihydroxycarotenoids from a hydrocarbon solvent ( pentane , hexane ) and an alcohol ( methanol , ethanol ) can also result in separation of these carotenoids . monohydroxycarotenoids are solubilized in binary solvents while the dihydroxycarotenoids remain only sparingly soluble . consequently , close to 90 % of the dihydroxycarotenoids ( lutein or zeaxanthin ) are separated in crystalline form and are accompanied by only 10 % of monohydroxycarotenoids . conversely , the filtrate from crystallization contains monohydroxycarotenoids ( α - cryptoxanthin or β - cryptoxanthin ) and minor quantities of dihydroxycarotenoids ( lutein or zeaxanthin ). binary crystallization can also be carried out with combinations of a hydrocarbon solvent and acetone or acetone and an alcohol to produce the same results . if needed , a second crystallization using the fore - mentioned binary solvents is carried out to achieve the complete separation of mono - and dihydroxycarotenoids . in some embodiments , the solvent for crystallization is methanol , ethanol , 2 - propanol , pentane , hexane , acetone , ethyl acetate , diethyl ether , tert - butyl methyl ether , tetrahydrofuran , or combinations thereof . in some embodiments , the solvent for crystallization is pentane and acetone , hexane and acetone , methanol and acetone , ethanol and acetone , or 2 - pentanol and acetone . in an alternative process , soxhlet extraction of mono - and dihydroxycarotenoids can also be carried out to separate these carotenoids . as mentioned earlier , esterified forms of lutein and zeaxanthin are well solubilized in hydrocarbon solvents such as n - hexane and n - pentane , whereas their unesterified parent compounds , α - cryptoxanthin or β - cryptoxanthin , show a remarkable difference in their solubility behavior and remain insoluble . in fact , α - cryptoxanthin or β - cryptoxanthin are considerably more soluble in n - pentane or n - hexane than lutein and zeaxanthin . for example , the present invention has demonstrated that soxhlet extraction of a mixture of lutein and α - cryptoxanthin with n - pentane or n - hexane can be used to effectively separate these carotenoids . this is because α - cryptoxanthin shows a much greater solubility than lutein and is removed from the mixture by soxhlet extraction . similarly , a mixture of zeaxanthin and β - cryptoxanthin can be separated by soxhlet extraction with n - pentane or n - hexane due to their differential solubility in hydrocarbon solvents . to further simplify this process , the separation of monhydroxycarotenoids from dihydroxycarotenoids can be achieved at a later stage after these carotenoids are extracted and simultaneously saponified . because carotenoid monoesters and carotenoid diesters are soluble in hydrocarbon solvents such as n - pentane and hexane , combination of these solvents with an alcohol can be used to extract these carotenoids from plants or synthetic samples . therefore , as shown in fig3 , a binary mixture of an alcohol and a hydrocarbon is used for extraction of carotenoid esters in the presence of solid naoh or koh . this simultaneous extraction and saponification cannot be applied to direct conventional extraction of carotenoid esters . this is because once the plant materials are exposed to basic conditions , numerous by - products and impurities are generated and significant quantities of base would be needed to complete the saponification . in many cases , the high concentration of base also results in degradation of carotenoids . however , in simultaneous soxhlet extraction and saponification , the plant material does not come into contact with the base and saponification is carried out with the extracted carotenoid esters . several combinations of solvents can be used with this process consisting of a hydrocarbon such as n - pentane or n - hexane with an alcohol such as methanol , ethanol , or 2 - propanol . various combinations of these solvents produce azeotropes that allow the simultaneous extraction and saponification of carotenoid esters at various temperatures by soxhlet extraction . the combinations of these solvents that can be used with this process are shown in table 1 . for example , n - pentane and methanol ( 1 : 1 , v : v ) form a binary azeotrope boiling at 30 . 8 ° c . at the boiling point of the mixture 91 wt % of n - pentane is distilled as opposed to 9 wt . % of methanol . similarly , a mixture of n - hexane and methanol ( 1 : 1 , v : v ) forms a binary azeotrope boiling at 50 . 6 ° c . at the boiling point of the mixture , 72 wt % of n - hexane is distilled and 28 wt % of methanol . alternatively , a combinations of these hydrocarbons with ethanol or 2 - propanol can be employed with this process . in some embodiments , the solvent for simultaneous soxhlet extraction and saponification is methanol , ethanol , 2 - propanol , pentane , hexane , diethyl ether , tert - butyl methyl ether , tetrahydrofuran , or combinations thereof . in some embodiments , the solvent for simultaneous soxhlet extraction and saponfication is pentane and methanol , pentane and ethanol , pentane and 2 - propanol , hexane and methanol , hexane and ethanol , or hexane and 2 - propanol . therefore , the saponification with this technique can be carried out simultaneously in the same reactor or once the extraction is completed , the solid naoh can be added to begin the saponification . the advantage of using solid naoh is because exposure of carotenoids at high concentration to base can result in degradation of these compounds . because the added naoh or koh is gradually dissolved in alcohol ( meoh or etoh ), the saponification can be carried out under mild conditions within 2 to 3 hours . at the end of saponification , the solvents are removed and the saponified carotenoids are partitioned between an organic solvent such as ethyl acetate and water . the organic phase is removed and evaporated to dryness and is subjected to binary crystallization from a hydrocarbon ( n - pentane or n - hexane ) and an alcohol ( methanol , ethanol , 2 - propanol ) or combination of acetone with the forementioned alcohols to separate monohydroxycarotenoids from dihydroxycarotenoids as described earlier . an alternative approach to the process shown in fig3 is to first extract the plant material by conventional extraction followed by saponification to obtain a mixture of mono - and dihydroxycarotenoids . this mixture can then be subjected to binary crystallization or soxhlet extraction to separate carotenoid monoesters from diesters as previously described . the following examples are illustrative and non - limiting , of the products and methods described herein . suitable modifications and adaptations of the variety of conditions , formulations , and other parameters normally encountered in the field and which are obvious to those skilled in the art in view of this disclosure are within the spirit and scope of the invention . two major plant sources of esterified carotenoids were employed : the petals of marigold flowers ( tagete erecta ) and a chinese fruit known as lycium mill that was purchased from a local chinese supermarket . the composition of carotenoids in marigold flower petals was : lutein ( 1 , 96 %), zeaxanthin ( 5 , 3 . 5 %), and α - cryptoxanthin ( 9 , 0 . 5 %). chinese lycium mill contained mainly zeaxanthin ( 5 , 98 . 7 %), and β - cryptoxanthin ( 13 , 1 . 3 %). α - cryptoxanthin acetate ( 12 ), β - cryptoxanthin acetate ( 16 ), and zeaxanthin ( 5 ) were prepared by partial or total synthesis according to known procedures . commercially available lutein was obtained from kemin health ( des moines , iowa ). extraction and separation of ( 3r , 6 ′ r )- α - cryptoxanthin monoesters from lutein diesters in marigold flowers ( tagete erecta ) the petals of marigold flowers ( tagete erecta ) typically consist of lutein diesters 2 and 3 and their crossed esters ( 96 %), zeaxanthin diesters 6 and 7 and their crossed esters ( 3 . 5 %), and ( 3r , 6 ′ r )- α - cryptoxanthin esters 10 and 11 ( 0 . 5 %). the objective of this experiment was to demonstrate that even though 10 and 11 are present in very minor quantities , these monohydroxycarotenoid esters could be separated from dihydroxycarotenoids 2 , 3 , 6 , and 7 . 50 g of marigold petals were transferred into a soxhlet extraction apparatus and were extracted with methanol ( b . p .= 64 . 7 ° c .) or ethanol ( b . p .= 78 . 4 ° c .). the diesters of lutein and zeaxanthin are only sparingly soluble in alcohols while the monoesters have a slightly better solubility in these solvents . therefore , conventional extraction with these alcohols is not economical because large quantities of alcohol would have to be used to extract only minor amounts of carotenoids . however , in the soxhlet extraction , the solvent is continuously recycled and large volumes of the solvent is not needed . further , due to their differential solubility , diesters of dihydroxycarotenoids 2 , 3 , 6 , and 7 were only partially extracted while all of the carotenol monohydroxycarotenoid esters 10 and 11 were extracted into methanol or ethanol within several hours . the composition of the extract after 4 hours was : lutein diesters ( 10 %), zeaxanthin diesters ( 0 . 5 %), and ( 3r , 6 ′ r )- α - cryptoxanthin monoesters 10 and 11 ( 89 . 5 %). after solvent evaporation under reduced pressure , the residue was subjected to a second soxhlet extraction to obtain ( 3r , 6 ′ r )- α - cryptoxanthin monoesters 10 and 11 in 98 % purity . these monoesters were then subjected to saponification according to the known methods to yield ( 3r , 6 ′ r )- α - cryptoxanthin ( 9 ). extraction and separation of ( 3r )- β - cryptoxanthin monoesters from zeaxanthin diesters in chinese lycium mill chinese lycium mill typically consists of zeaxanthin diesters 6 and 7 and their crossed esters ( 98 . 7 %) and ( 3r )- β - cryptoxanthin esters 14 and 15 ( 1 . 3 %). the objective of this experiment was to simultaneously extract and separate 14 and 15 from zeaxanthin diesters 6 and 7 . the same solubility principle that was applied to the extraction and separation of ( 3r , 6 ′ r )- α - cryptoxanthin esters from lutein diesters was also applied to the separation of ( 3r )- β - cryptoxanthin esters from zeaxanthin diesters . 50 g of chinese lycium mill was transferred into a soxhlet extraction apparatus and was extracted with boiling methanol ( b . p .= 64 . 7 ° c .) or ethanol ( b . p .= 78 . 4 ° c .). because of their differential solubility , diesters of zeaxanthin 6 and 7 were only partially extracted while all of the ( 3r )- β - cryptoxanthin esters 14 and 15 were extracted into methanol and ethanol within several hours . the composition of the extract after 4 hours was : zeaxanthin diesters ( 12 %) and ( 3r )- β - cryptoxanthin esters 14 and 15 ( 88 %) after solvent evaporation under reduced pressure , the residue was subjected to a second soxhlet extraction to obtain ( 3r )- β - cryptoxanthin esters 14 and 15 in 98 % purity . these monoesters were then subjected to saponification according to known methods to yield ( 3r )- β - cryptoxanthin ( 13 ). the above soxhlet extraction was also successfully applied to the separation of a synthetic mixture of ( 3r , 3 ′ r )- zeaxanthin diacetate ( 8 ) and ( 3r )- β - cryptoxanthin acetate ( 16 ). 100 mg a 50 % mixture of 8 and 16 was extracted in a soxhlet apparatus with boiling methanol or ethanol . the composition of the extract after 3 hours was : 80 % of 16 and 20 % of 8 . in a subsequent soxhlet extraction with methanol or ethanol , 16 was obtained in 98 % purity . 100 mg of 1 : 1 mixture of ( 3r )- β - cryptoxanthin ( 13 ) and ( 3r , 3 ′ r )- zeaxanthin ( 5 ) was subjected to soxhlet extraction and these unesterified carotenoids were extracted with boiling pentane ( b . p .= 36 ° c .) or hexane ( b . p .= 69 ° c .). ( 3r , 3 ′ r )- zeaxanthin was only sparingly soluble in these hydrocarbon solvents while ( 3r )- β - cryptoxanthin showed significantly better solubility . after 4 hours , the composition of the extract was : ( 3r )- β - cryptoxanthin ( 13 ) ( 85 %) and ( 3r , 3 ′ r )- zeaxanthin ( 5 ) ( 15 %). in a subsequent soxhlet extraction with pentane or hexane , ( 3r )- β - cryptoxanthin ( 13 ) was obtained in 98 % purity . 100 mg of 1 : 1 mixture of ( 3r )- β - cryptoxanthin ( 13 ) and ( 3r , 3 ′ r )- zeaxanthin ( 5 ) was crystallized with acetone and hexane . the crystalline product contained 78 % of 5 and 22 % of 13 while the filtrate from crystallization contained 75 % of 13 and 25 % of 5 . the filtrate was subjected to a second crystallization that allowed the complete removal of 5 . the crystalline product from the first crystallization was further crystallized to yield ( 3r , 3 ′ r )- zeaxanthin ( 5 ) without any contamination with 13 . 100 mg of a 1 : 1 mixture of ( 3r , 6 ′ r )- α - cryptoxanthin ( 9 ) and ( 3r , 3 ′ r , 6 ′ r )- lutein ( 1 ) was subjected to two consecutive soxhlet extractions with pentane or hexane to yield ( 3r , 6 ′ r )- α - cryptoxanthin ( 9 ) in 98 % purity while ( 3r , 3 ′ r , 6 ′ r )- lutein ( 1 ) was only partially extracted into these hydrocarbon solvents during the first extraction and remained as crystals in the soxhlet second extraction . simultaneous extraction and saponification of ( 3r , 6 ′ r )- α - cryptoxanthin monoesters and lutein diesters from marigold flower petals ( tagete erecta ) 50 g of marigold petals were transferred into a soxhlet extraction apparatus . the flask was charged with 50 ml of a 1 : 1 mixture of pentane and methanol ( 100 ml ) and 3 g solid naoh . the petals were extracted at 30 . 8 ° c . after 6 hours the extraction was complete since no additional color could be removed from the petals . the extract was partitioned into ethyl acetate and water and after removal of the aqueous layer the organic layer was washed with water , until it was no longer basic . the solvents were evaporated under reduced pressure and the residue was shown by high performance liquid chromatography ( hplc ) to consist of lutein ( 1 , 96 %), zeaxanthin ( 5 , 3 . 5 %), and α - cryptoxanthin ( 9 , 0 . 5 %). crystallization of this mixture with acetone and ethanol gave a mixture of 1 and 5 ( 99 %) that contained only 0 . 1 % of 9 . the composition of carotenoids in the filtrate from this crystallization was α - cryptoxanthin ( 9 , 89 %), lutein ( 1 , 10 %), and zeaxanthin ( 5 , 1 %). the filtrate was evaporated under reduced pressure and was subjected to a second crystallization to remove 1 and 5 as orange crystals . the filtrate from this second crystallization contained only α - cryptoxanthin ( 9 ). the crystals from the first crystallization were further crystallized to yield a mixture of lutein ( 1 , 98 %) and zeaxanthin ( 5 , 2 %). having now fully described this invention , it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the same can be performed within a wide and equivalent range of conditions , formulations and other parameters without affecting the scope of the invention or any embodiment thereof . all patents , patent applications and publications cited herein are fully incorporated by reference herein in their entirety . | US-201414891496-A |
an apparatus and method are described for actuating a minimally invasive medical device using fluid pressure . the invention involves a medical device that includes a fluid source , such as a compressible bladder that may apply positive fluid pressure into a sheath to controllably deploy an end - effector from a distal end of the sheath . in some embodiments , the fluid source may apply negative fluid pressure into the sheath to controllably retract the end - effector into the distal end of the sheath . typical end - effectors for use with the medical device of the invention include biopsy devices and retrieval devices , including basket - type retrieval devices and grasper retrieval devices . generally , the fluid that is used to actuate the device may be a liquid or a gas , including air . | [ 0034 ] fig1 shows a view of a medical device 100 in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention . the medical retrieval device 100 includes a sheath 102 , an end - effector 104 ( in this case , a basket - type retrieval device ), disposed at a distal end 112 of the sheath 102 , and a handle 106 , disposed at a proximal end 114 of the sheath 102 . the handle 106 includes a bladder 108 , which is connected through the handle 106 to the sheath 102 so that it is in fluid communication with the sheath 102 . the bladder 108 and the sheath 102 are filled with a fluid , such as air , water , a saline solution , or other liquids , gels , or gasses . the end - effector 104 is connected to an inner hub 110 , which is disposed within the sheath 102 in a manner that permits it to slide between a proximal stop 118 and a distal stop 116 . preferably , a substantially effective seal is created between the inner hub 110 and the sheath 102 , inhibiting the escape of fluid from sheath the 102 past the inner hub 110 . pressure applied to the bladder 108 forces fluid out of the bladder 108 , and into the sheath 102 , causing positive fluid or air pressure in the sheath 102 , and pushing the inner hub 110 towards the distal end 112 of the sheath 102 . this extends the end - effector 104 , which is connected to the inner hub 110 , into an “ open ” position , thereby deploying the end - effector 104 . the movement of the inner hub 110 is limited by the distal stop 116 , which prevents the inner hub 110 from sliding distally any farther than the distal stop 116 . releasing pressure from the bladder 108 , fluid in the sheath 102 draws back into the bladder 108 , causing negative fluid pressure in the sheath 102 . this negative pressure pulls the inner hub 110 and the end - effector 104 towards the proximal end 114 of the sheath 102 , retracting the end - effector 104 into a “ closed ” position within the sheath 102 . the proximal movement of the inner hub 110 is limited by the proximal stop 118 , which prevents the inner hub 110 from sliding proximally farther than the proximal stop 118 . in fig1 the medical device is shown with the end - effector 104 fully extended , and the inner hub 110 abutting the distal stop 116 . this is the configuration that the medical device would have if sufficient pressure were applied to the bladder 108 to completely extend the end - effector 104 . the sheath 102 , the end - effector 104 , the handle 106 , the bladder 108 , the inner hub 110 , the proximal stop 118 , and the distal stop 116 as illustrated in fig1 are not necessarily shown in their correct size or proportion to each other . preferably , the sheath 102 is dimensioned to fit the requirements of its application in the body . for example , for urological applications , the outside diameter of the sheath 102 is typically between 1 . 7 and 8 . 0 french , though some applications may call for larger or smaller sizes . the handle 106 is preferably sized to fit easily in an operator &# 39 ; s hand , and the bladder 108 is preferably sized and placed on the handle 106 in a position that permits an operator to use his or her thumb to depress the bladder 108 . in preferred embodiments of the invention , the handle 106 and the bladder 108 are ergonomically sized and placed , providing a medical device that is comfortable and easy to use . however , other sizes and shapes for the handle 106 are within the scope of the invention . additionally , excluding the handle 106 from the device entirely , so that the bladder 108 is directly connected to the sheath 102 is within the scope of the invention . similarly , alternative placements of the bladder 108 , including separating the bladder 108 from the handle 106 are also within the scope of the invention . advantageously , since the end - effector 104 of the medical device 100 is operated using fluid pressure , there is no need for a pull wire to be used to operate the end - effector 104 . since there is no pull wire , the flexibility of the medical device 100 is increased . additionally , fewer mechanical components are needed to construct the medical device 100 , potentially decreasing the manufacturing cost and likelihood of failure of the medical device 100 . a high degree of control is achieved by use of an operator - controlled fluid source , such as the bladder 108 . for example , in some embodiments , by compressing the bladder 108 to varying degrees , an operator may determine the degree to which the end - effector 104 extends from the distal end of the sheath 102 . in some embodiments , by releasing pressure from the bladder 108 , the operator may retract the end - effector 104 into the sheath 102 . in various embodiments , an operator - controlled fluid source , such as the bladder 108 , can control the rate or speed of deployment , the degree of deployment , the position , or other operational aspects of the medical device 100 and end - effector 104 . [ 0044 ] fig2 a and 2b show an embodiment of the invention in a closed and an open position , respectively . in fig2 a , the end - effector 104 is in the closed position , collapsed within the sheath 102 . as can be seen , the inner hub 110 is positioned near the proximal stop 118 . as shown in fig2 b , applying positive fluid pressure within the sheath 102 pushes the inner hub 110 into a position adjacent to the distal stop 116 , and pushes the end - effector 104 out of the end of the sheath 102 , into an open position . in the illustrative embodiment shown in fig2 a and 2b , the end - effector is a basket - type retrieval device , which expands into the form shown in fig2 b when extended out of the distal end of the sheath 102 . [ 0045 ] fig3 a and 3b illustrate the operation of an embodiment of the medical device of the invention . in fig3 a , an operator applies no pressure to the bladder 108 , so the end - effector ( not shown ) remains in the closed position , collapsed within the sheath 102 . in fig3 b . the operator depresses the bladder 108 , forcing fluid from the bladder 108 into the sheath 102 , causing positive fluid pressure in the sheath 102 . this positive pressure pushes the end - effector out of the distal end of the sheath 102 , into its open position . the operator may return the end - effector to the closed position by ceasing the application of pressure on the bladder 108 . this causes negative fluid pressure in the sheath 102 , which pulls the end - effector back into the closed position . the operator can extend the end - effector out of the distal end of the sheath 102 to varying degrees by varying the amount of pressure applied to the bladder 108 . referring now to fig4 a - 4 b , another embodiment of the medical device of the invention is shown . in fig4 a , a medical device 400 , of which only a distal portion is shown , is in its closed position . as in previous embodiments , an end - effector 402 ( a basket - type retrieval device , in this embodiment ) connects to an internal hub 404 . the internal hub 404 slides within a sheath 406 , and preferably forms a seal with the sheath 406 . a proximal stop 408 and a distal stop 410 limit the range of movement of the internal hub 404 . as in previously discussed embodiments , application of positive fluid pressure pushes the internal hub 404 and the end - effector 402 in a distal direction , extending the end - effector 402 into its open position . the medical device 400 includes an elastic member , such as a spring 412 , which provides a positive closure mechanism for the medical device 400 . when the medical device 400 is in the closed position , with the end - effector 402 collapsed within the sheath 406 , and the internal hub 404 adjacent to the proximal stop 408 , the spring 412 is in an equilibrium position , and does not exert force on the internal hub 406 . as shown in fig4 b , when sufficient fluid pressure pushes the inner hub 404 towards the distal stop 410 , the end - effector 402 extends from the sheath 406 , into its open position . in the open position , the spring 412 is compressed , and exerts a force on the internal hub 404 to push the internal hub 404 towards the proximal stop 408 . the force exerted by the spring 412 assists in placing the medical device 400 into the closed position when the fluid pressure is released or becomes insufficient to compress the spring 412 . other elastic members , such as elastic materials may be used in place of the spring 412 . additionally , instead of compressing the elastic member , in some embodiments , extending the end - effector stretches the elastic member . when the elastic member is stretched in this manner , it exerts a force to assist in retracting the end - effector . as mentioned above , numerous types of end - effectors may be used in conjunction with the fluid pressure - actuated medical device of the present invention . for example , instead of using a basket - type retrieval device as the end - effector , a grasper retrieval device , cutting device or any other device previously deployed using a pull wire may be used . [ 0051 ] fig5 shows a biopsy device end - effector for use with an embodiment of a medical device in accordance with the principles of the invention . a biopsy device 500 includes a hub 502 , to which a stylet 504 is rigidly attached . an elastic member , such as a spring 506 surrounds a proximal portion of the stylet 504 , and connects at its proximal end to the hub 502 , and at its distal end to a cannula 508 . a latch 510 , which is preferably connected to a sheath 512 , holds the cannula 508 in place . the latch 510 holds the cannula 508 at a fixed position within the sheath 512 , while permitting the hub 502 and the stylet 504 to be pushed forward by fluid pressure . as the fluid pressure pushes the hub 502 forward , the stylet 504 extends out of the distal end of the sheath 512 , and the cannula 508 remains stationary , causing the spring 506 to compress . when the stylet 504 fully extends , the hub 502 causes the latch 510 to release , propelling the cannula 508 forward , to enclose the stylet 504 . the cannula 508 includes a sharp edge 514 , that cuts tissue when propelled forward , capturing a sample of the tissue within a notch formed in the stylet 504 . the biopsy device 500 fits within the sheath 512 . preferably , the hub 502 forms a substantially effective seal with the sheath 512 so that it can be propelled forward by positive fluid or air pressure in the sheath 512 . in the embodiment shown in fig5 the latch 510 acts as a stop , preventing the hub 502 from being propelled past the latch 510 . in other embodiments , stops ( not shown ), such as the proximal and distal stops shown in previously embodiments may be used . fig6 a - 6 c show the operation of the biopsy device 500 . in fig6 a , the biopsy device 500 is within the sheath 512 , with the spring 506 in an equilibrium position , and the cannula 508 held in place by the latch 510 . in fig6 b , an operator has started to apply pressure to a fluid filled bladder ( not shown ) in fluid communication with the sheath 512 , causing positive fluid pressure within the sheath 512 to propel the hub 502 towards the distal end of the sheath 512 , thereby extending the stylet 504 . because the hub 502 is being pushed towards the distal end of the sheath 512 , and the cannula 508 is being held in place , the spring 506 compresses . in fig6 b , the hub 502 has not yet caused the latch 510 to release the cannula 508 . in fig6 c , the latch 510 has been released , causing the spring 506 , which was compressed , to propel the cannula 508 forward over the stylet 504 . when the cannula 508 is propelled forward , it cuts tissue , capturing a tissue sample 602 within a slot formed in the stylet 504 . [ 0057 ] fig7 shows another embodiment of a biopsy device for use as an end - effector in a medical device according to the invention . in the embodiment shown in fig7 no spring is needed to propel the cannula forward to cut tissue , as in the previous embodiment . instead , fluid pressure is used to propel both the stylet and the cannula . in fig7 a biopsy device 700 is shown in a fully extended position , with a stylet 702 and a cannula 704 fully extended from the distal end of a sheath 706 . the stylet 702 attaches to a stylet hub 708 , and the cannula 704 attaches to a cannula hub 710 . preferably , the stylet hub 708 and the cannula hub 710 form seals with the sheath 706 . a stylet stop 712 limits the distal movement of the stylet hub 708 ( and , therefore , of the stylet 702 ). the stylet stop 712 prevents the stylet hub 708 from advancing in a distal direction past the stylet stop 712 . note that the stylet stop 712 may also prevent the cannula hub 710 from moving in a proximal direction past the stylet stop 712 . optionally , an additional proximal stop ( not shown ) may be included to limit the proximal movement of the stylet hub 708 . a cannula stop 714 limits the distal movement of the cannula hub 710 ( and the cannula 704 ). the cannula stop 714 , which may be integrated into a distal tip of the sheath 706 , prevents the cannula hub 710 from advancing in a distal direction past the cannula stop 714 . as noted above , the stylet stop 712 may limit the proximal movement of the cannula hub 710 . the stylet hub 708 includes a small hole 718 which permits a limited amount of fluid to pass through the stylet hub 708 into the area between the stylet hub 708 and the cannula hub 710 . in operation , positive fluid pressure first pushes the stylet hub 708 in a distal direction , extending the stylet 702 from the distal end of the sheath 706 . when the stylet 702 is fully extended , the stylet stop 708 prevents further distal movement of the stylet hub 708 . at this point , fluid forced through the hole 718 in the stylet hub 708 causes positive fluid pressure to push the cannula hub 710 ( and the cannula 704 ) in a distal direction , extending the cannula 704 out of the distal end of the sheath 706 . as the cannula 704 extends over the stylet 702 , a sharp edge 716 of the cannula 704 cuts tissue , capturing a tissue sample within a notch formed in the stylet 702 . when the cannula 704 is fully extended , the cannula stop 714 prevents further distal movement of the cannula hub 710 . fig8 a - b illustrate this process . in fig8 a , positive fluid pressure has propelled the stylet 702 out of the distal end of the sheath 706 . the stylet stop 712 is preventing the stylet hub 708 from further movement in a distal direction . the cannula hub 714 has not yet been pushed in a distal direction by a substantial amount , and the cannula 704 is still within the sheath 706 . in fig8 b , when the stylet hub 708 is prevented from further distal movement by the stylet stop 712 , fluid forced through the hole 718 in the stylet hub 708 propels the cannula 704 out of the distal end of the sheath 706 . in fig8 b , the cannula 704 is fully extended , and further distal movement of the cannula hub 710 is prevented by the cannula stop 714 . in some embodiments , the biopsy end - effectors described with reference to fig5 - 8 may be retracted by application of negative fluid pressure . in other embodiments , the end - effectors of fig5 - 8 may not require retraction . in addition , such biopsy devices may be operated through application of short bursts of fluid pressure , rather than through substantially continuous application of pressure to a fluid filled bladder in fluid communication with a sheath . other embodiments incorporating the concepts disclosed herein are within the spirit and scope of the invention . the described embodiments are illustrative of the invention and not restrictive . | US-26213802-A |
a healing cap is provided for covering of an implant installed in a patient &# 39 ; s mouth . the healing cap comprises a proximal end and a distal end . the proximal end is adapted to be inserted within a coronal opening formed in the implant . the healing cap further includes resilient fingers for engaging corresponding surfaces formed within the coronal opening of the implant . the distal end of the healing cap can include an indentation for receiving a snapping portion of an insertion tool . | fig1 - 3 illustrate a dental implant 10 particularly suited for receiving a snap - in healing cap having certain features and advantages according to one embodiment of the present invention . the implant 10 has an outer surface that is preferably divided into three regions : a body portion 12 , a neck region 14 , and a top portion 16 . the body portion 12 preferably includes threads , and represents the portion of the implant 10 that is placed in either the mandible or the maxilla . as shown , the body portion 12 of the implant is substantially cylindrical ; however , the body portion 12 could also assume a tapered or other known implant shapes , as desired . the threads of the body portion 12 preferably match preformed threads formed along the inner surface of an osteotomy formed in the patient &# 39 ; s jawbone . however , the implant 10 could also be designed to be self - tapping . preferably , the top portion 16 of the implant is substantially cylindrical and has a top surface 18 that is substantially flat . as best seen in fig2 and 3 , the implant 10 includes an inner cavity 20 . the inner cavity 20 preferably includes a screw chamber 22 , a snapping chamber 24 , and an indexing chamber 26 . preferably , the diameter of the screw chamber 22 is smaller than the diameter of the snapping chamber 24 . the snapping chamber 24 preferably includes a recess 25 that has an inner diameter d 1 that is slightly larger than the diameter d 2 of at least the adjacent portion of the indexing chamber 26 . the screw chamber 22 is preferably sized and configured so as to receive a bolt ( not shown ). the bolt can be used to temporarily or permanently attach a dental component , such as , for example , a temporary healing abutment or a final restoration to the implant 10 . as will be described later , the snapping chamber 24 and the recess 25 are sized and configured to engage a corresponding snapping structure in a healing cap . the indexing chamber 26 is best seen in fig2 and 3 . in the illustrated arrangement , the indexing chamber 26 is substantially cylindrical with three lobes 28 that extend from the top surface 18 to the bottom of the indexing portion 26 . the three lobes 28 are preferably substantially half circular in shape and are symmetrically situated around the perimeter of the indexing portion 26 . preferably , the center of each lobe 28 is about 120 ° apart from each other relative to a center axis 30 of the implant 10 . it should be appreciated that the indexing chamber 26 can be formed into a wide variety of other suitable shapes that may be used with efficacy , giving due consideration to the goals of providing anti - rotation of mating components . for example , the anti - rotation chamber 26 could comprise one or more radially inwardly or outwardly extending splines or recesses , flats , polygonal configurations and other anti - rotation complementary surface structures . in addition , an anti - rotational structure such as a hexagonal recess or protrusion may be situated on the top surface 18 of the implant 10 . nevertheless , the illustrated arrangement appears to provide clinical efficacy , ease of use and also minimizes stress concentrations within the anti - rotation chamber 26 . fig4 - 7 illustrate one embodiment of a healing cap 32 having features and advantages in accordance with the present invention . the healing cap 32 is made of any of a variety of bio - compatible materials , such as , for example , an injection molded dental grade plastic , titanium , stainless steel , ceramics , and any combination thereof . preferably , the healing cap 32 is made of an inexpensive injection molded dental grade plastic because such a material is generally less expensive than metal and ceramic materials . as best shown in fig5 and 7 , the healing cap 32 has two main parts : a cover portion 34 and a snapping portion 50 . the cover portion 34 has a substantially flat lower surface 36 or a non - planar surface with is complementary to the top surface 18 of the implant 10 . the diameter of the lower surface 36 is approximately the same as the top surface 18 of the implant 10 . the cover portion 34 also includes a top surface 38 that is substantially smooth and in the illustrated arrangement has a diameter slightly larger than the lower surface 36 . in the illustrated arrangement , a side wall 40 connects the top surface 38 to the lower surface 36 . preferably , the cover portion 34 also includes at least one indentation 42 which is desirably located near or at the center of the top surface 38 . the indentation 42 includes a neck 44 , which has a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of a lower portion 46 of the indentation 42 . the function of the indentation 42 will be described in detail below . the illustrated snapping portion 50 consists of a plurality of lever arms , prongs or tangs 52 . each lever arm 52 preferably includes a protrusion 54 . the protrusions 54 are preferably sized and configured to snap into and resiliently engage the snapping chamber 24 of the implant 10 . accordingly , the protrusions 54 have an outer diameter d 3 that is preferably slightly larger than the inner diameter d 2 of the indexing chamber 26 ( see fig2 ). although in the illustrated arrangement the protrusions 54 are beveled ( i . e ., comprising two slanted sides and one flat side ), it should be appreciated that the protrusions can also be fully or partially rounded as desired . although two lever arms 50 with protrusions 54 thereon are illustrated , this number may be varied to produce the desired retention force and simplify manufacturing . for example , as few as one protrusions may be sufficient , particularly in an interference fit construction such as that achieved with the structure shown in fig2 where the protrusion 54 snap fits into a radially outwardly extending recess within the implant 10 . six or more may alternatively be used . referring to fig8 a - c , to attach the healing cap 32 to the implant 10 during stage i , the surgeon simply places healing cap 32 over the implant 10 and pushes the snapping portion 50 of the healing cap 32 into the implant 10 , as will be described in more detail below . as mentioned above , the protrusions 54 of the healing cap 32 preferably have at least a slightly larger diameter d 3 than the inner diameter d 2 of the indexing chamber 26 . accordingly , the snapping portion 50 of the healing cap 32 is compressed as it passes through the indexing chamber 26 ( see fig8 a and b ). once the prongs 52 reach the snapping chamber 24 , they partially expand forming a snap fit between the healing cap 32 and the implant 10 ( see fig8 c ). additionally and advantageously , as the healing cap 32 is mated against the top surface 18 of the implant 10 , the prongs 52 preferably resiliently engage a slanted inner surface 62 of the snapping chamber 22 ( see fig9 a ). thus , the pressure exerted against the partially compressed prongs 52 by the slanted inner surface 62 of the snapping chamber 22 creates a responsive downward pulling force . this downward pulling force on the cap 32 causes the lower surface 36 of the healing cap 32 and the top surface 18 of the implant 10 to form a seal ( see fig8 c ). advantageously , this prevents and / or minimizes leakage of saliva and bacterial contaminants into the implant 10 and thus reduces the risk of infection between stage 1 surgery and stage ii surgery . clinically and advantageously , the dentist can be assured of the proper placement or seating of the healing cap 32 because as the healing cap 32 is pulled or urged down into the implant 10 the dentist can “ feel ” the snap fit and hear the audible “ click ” as the prongs 52 snap into the snapping chamber 24 of the implant 10 . additionally , the dentist may visually confirm that the healing cap 32 is properly placed or seated by viewing the lower surface 36 of the healing cap 32 and the top surface 18 of the implant 10 using a dental mirror . if desired , the proper placement or engagement of the healing cap 32 may be confirmed by attempting to remove the healing cap 32 . a properly seated coping will have perceivable resistance to removal forces as the prongs 52 become compressed as they are pulled back into the indexing chamber 26 ( see fig8 b ). to remove the healing cap 32 during stage two , the surgeon may use a removal tool 100 , which is depicted in fig1 and 11 . the tool 100 preferably includes a proximal stem 102 and a distal snapping portion 104 . the distal snapping portion 104 is similar in shape and function as the snapping portion 50 of the healing cap 32 . the main difference is that the snapping portion 104 of the removal tool 100 is configured to engage the indentation 42 on top of the healing cap 32 ( fig7 ) in a snap fit . accordingly , the snapping portion 104 includes a plurality of prongs , tangs or lever arms 106 . each lever arm 106 preferably includes a protrusion 108 that can be beveled ( as illustrated ) or rounded . as mentioned above , the protrusions 108 are preferably sized and configured to snap into and resiliently engage the indentation 42 of the healing cap 10 ( see fig7 ). accordingly , the protrusions have an outer diameter d 4 that is slightly larger than the diameter of the neck 44 of the indentation 42 . although two lever arms 106 with protrusions 108 thereon are illustrated , this number may be varied to produce the desired retention force and simplify manufacturing . for example , as few as one protrusions may be sufficient or six or more may alternatively be used . referring to fig1 a - b , to remove the healing cap 32 from the implant 10 during stage ii , the dentist simply places the snapping portion 104 of the removal tool 100 over the indentation 42 and pushes the snapping portion 104 into the indentation 42 . as mentioned above , the protrusions 108 of the handle 100 preferably have at least a slightly larger diameter d 4 than the neck 44 of the indentation 42 . accordingly , the snapping portion 104 of the handle 100 is compressed as it passes through the neck 44 ( see fig1 b ). once the protrusions 108 reach the lower portion 46 of the indentation 42 , the prongs 106 partially expand forming a snap fit between the handle 100 and the healing cap 32 . the handle 100 and healing cap 32 are preferably configured so that a force required to remove the healing cap 32 from the implant 10 is less than the force required to remove the handle 100 from the healing cap 32 . therefore , when the dentist lifts the removal tool 100 away from the implant 10 , the healing cap 32 remains attached to the handle 100 but detaches from the implant 10 . the snapping forces between the healing cap 32 , and the implant 10 are determined primarily by the outer diameter of the protrusions 54 , the inner diameter of the recess 25 , the inner diameter of the indexing chamber 26 , and relationships , such as , the friction or interference fit between contacting mated surfaces . similarly , the snapping forces between the handle 100 and the healing cap 32 are determined primarily by the outer diameter d 4 of the protrusions 108 , the inner diameter of the lower portion 46 , the inner diameter of the neck 44 , the friction or interference fit between contacting mating surfaces . to decrease the snapping force , the inner diameter of the protrusions 54 , 108 can also be decreased while maintaining the inner diameters of the recess 25 and the indexing chamber 26 and the inner diameters of the lower portion 46 and neck 44 . the snapping force may also be decreased or controlled by increasing the diameter of the indexing chamber 26 ( or the neck 44 ) while maintaining the size of the protrusions 43 ( or 108 ) and the recess 25 ( or lower portion 46 ). in addition , the length and cross - section of the lever arms 106 as well as construction material may be varied to vary the retention force . as mentioned above , the healing cap can be made from any of a variety of bio - compatible materials , such as , for example , dental grade plastic , titanium , stainless steel , ceramic , or any combination thereof . the healing cap 32 is preferably made of an injection molded dental grade plastic , which is particularly useful for forming the snapping portion 52 because of its resilient properties . accordingly , in one arrangement of the present invention , the cover 34 of the healing cap 32 is made of a metal or ceramic material while the snapping portion 50 is made a plastic material . if the healing cap 32 and / or the handle 100 and / or parts thereof are made of metal , such as , for example , titanium or stainless steel , the surface of the protrusions 54 , 108 may preferably be coated or otherwise treated with teflon , diamond - like carbon coating ( e . g . amorphous diamond ), or titanium anodic coating , or any other lubricious coating capable of making the surfaces slide easier . see , for example , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 833 , 463 incorporated herein by reference . fig1 and 14 illustrate a modified arrangement of a removal tool 200 . as with the previous arrangement , the removal tool 200 includes a proximal handle 202 and a distal snapping portion 204 . the snapping portion 204 includes a prong 206 and a protrusion 208 , which has a diameter d 4 greater than the diameter of the neck 44 of the healing cap 32 . the main difference in this arrangement is that the snapping portion 204 is not resilient . thus , to remove the healing cap 32 during stage ii , the dentist places the snapping portion 204 of the removal tool 200 over the indentation 42 and pushes the snapping portion 204 into the indentation 42 . as mentioned above , the protrusions 208 of the handle 200 preferably , have at least a slightly larger diameter d 4 than the neck 44 of the indentation 42 . accordingly , the neck 44 is configured to deflect as the protrusion 208 passes through the neck 44 . once the protrusion 208 reach the lower portion 46 of the indentation 42 , the neck 44 return to its original position thereby forming a snap fit between the handle 200 and the healing cap 32 . in such an arrangement , the healing cap 32 is preferably made of plastic so that the neck is resilient . it should also be noted that although in the illustrated embodiments the healing cap 32 is removed from the implant 10 by engaging a removal tool with the healing cap 32 , the healing cap 32 can also be separated from the implant 10 by using a dental pick ( not shown ) or other conventional dental implement . specifically , the dentist can use the dental pick or other implement to pry the healing cap 32 away from the implant 10 . in such an arrangement , the healing cap 32 does not necessarily include the indentation 42 . fig1 illustrates a modified dental implant 300 , which can also be used with the snap - in healing cap 32 described above . like numbers are used to refer to parts similar to those of fig1 - 3 . in this embodiment , the inner cavity 20 of the dental implant 300 does not include a snapping chamber . as such , the indexing chamber 26 extends to the screw chamber 22 . in the illustrated embodiment , when the healing cap 32 is engaged with the dental implant 300 , the prongs 52 and the protrusions 54 of the healing cap 32 are configured contact the walls 302 of the indexing chamber 26 and exert a positive force outwardly in a radial direction . accordingly , the protrusions 54 ( see fig5 ) have an outer diameter d 3 that is preferably slightly larger than the inner diameter d 2 of a portion of the indexing chamber 26 . as such , the healing cap 32 is secured to the top surface 18 of the dental implant 10 by the friction or interference fit between the protrusions 54 and the walls 302 of the implant 300 . fig1 illustrates a modified embodiment of a healing cap 310 , which can be used with the dental implants of fig1 - 3 and fig1 . like numbers are used to refer to parts similar to those of fig4 - 7 . in this embodiment , the indentation 312 comprises a neck 314 and a cylindrical portion 316 , which lies beneath the neck 314 . the neck 314 , at its smallest point , has a diameter d 5 , which is smaller than the smallest diameter d 6 of the cylindrical portion 316 . in one embodiment , the neck has a diameter d 5 of approximately 0 . 065 inches while the cylindrical portion has a diameter of approximately 0 . 080 inches . fig1 illustrates an insertion tool 340 , which has certain features and advantages according to the present invention . in the illustrated embodiment , the tool 340 comprises a first section 344 and a second section 346 that are preferably connected by a common handle 342 . in a modified embodiment , the first and second sections 344 and 346 can be connected to separate handles . the first section 344 includes an insertion snapping portion 348 while the second section 346 includes a removal snapping portion 350 . in the illustrated embodiment , the insertion and removal and snapping portions 348 , 350 extend in opposite directions with respect to a longitudinal axis 352 of the handle . however , in modified embodiments , the insertion and removal snapping portions 348 , 350 can extend in the same direction or be rotated less than 180 degrees from each other . in the illustrated embodiment , the handle 342 comprises a substantially cylindrical section 354 having a first diameter which tapers down to a smaller second diameter at the first and second sections 344 , 346 . the substantially cylindrical section 354 has preferably has a diameter of at least approximately 0 . 5 inches , such that the handle 354 can be easily grasped by the dental practitioner . the substantially cylindrical section preferably includes a pair of flattened portions 356 near the first and second ends 344 , 346 . the flattened portions 356 preferably define a plane , which lies generally traverse and more preferably perpendicular to an axis 358 extending through the nearest snapping portion 348 , 350 . as such , the flattened portions 356 provide an ergonomic surface to which a force f can be applied to insert and remove the snapping portions 348 , 350 as will be explained in more detail below . the removal snapping portion 350 is similar in shape and function as the snapping portion 104 of the removal tool 100 described above . that is , the removal snapping portion 350 is configured to engage the indentation 42 on top of the healing cap 32 ( fig7 ) in a snap fit . accordingly , the snapping portion includes one or more lever arms , prongs or tangs 370 ( see fig1 a ). each lever arm 370 preferably includes a protrusion 372 that can be beveled or rounded ( as illustrated ). as mentioned above , the protrusions 372 are preferably sized and configured to snap into and resiliently engage the indentation 42 of the healing cap 10 . accordingly , the protrusions have an outer diameter d 4 that is slightly larger than the diameter of the neck 44 of the corresponding indentation 42 . although two lever arms 370 with protrusions 372 thereon are illustrated , this number may be varied to produce the desired retention force and simplify manufacturing . for example , as few as one protrusions may be sufficient or six or more may alternatively be used . the removal snapping portion 350 and healing cap 32 are preferably configured so that a force required to remove the healing cap 32 from the implant 10 is less than the force required to remove the snapping portion from the healing cap 32 . therefore , when the dentist lifts the insertion tool 340 away from the implant 10 , the healing cap 32 remains attached to the tool 340 but detaches from the implant 10 . in contrast , the insertion snapping portion 348 is configured so that the force required to remove the healing cap 32 from the implant 10 is greater than the force required to remove the insertion snapping portion 348 from the healing cap 32 . as with the removal portion 350 , the insertion portion 348 is configured engage the indentation 42 on top of the healing cap 32 ( fig7 ) in a snap fit . the insertion portion 348 includes one or more lever arms , prongs or tangs 380 . each lever arm 380 preferably includes a protrusion 382 that can be beveled or rounded . although two lever arms 380 with protrusions 382 thereon are illustrated , this number may be varied to produce the desired retention force and simplify manufacturing . for example , as few as one protrusions may be sufficient or six or more may alternatively be used . the protrusions 382 are preferably sized and configured to snap into and resiliently engage the indentation 42 of the healing cap 10 . accordingly , the protrusions have an outer diameter d 7 that is slightly larger than the diameter of the neck 44 of the indentation 42 . however , to reduce the force required to remove the insertion snapping portion 348 from the healing cap 32 , the outer diameter d 7 of the insertion snapping portion is preferably smaller than the outer diameter d 4 diameter of the removal snapping portion 350 . in addition , or instead of , the insertion snapping portion 348 can be made of a less resilient material as compared to the removal snapping portion 350 and / or the lever arms 380 can be thinner and / or for flexible than the lever arms 370 of the removal snapping portion 350 . preferably , the insertion tool 340 includes indicia 390 a , 390 b to distinguish the insertion snapping portion 348 from the removal snapping portion 350 . in the illustrated embodiment , the indicia 390 a , 390 b comprises a single groove on the handle 354 near the insertion snapping portion 348 and two grooves near the removal snapping portion 350 . of course , the indicia may be formed in a variety of other ways . for example , the letter “ r ” can be used to indicate the removal snapping prong 350 and / or the letter “ i ” can be used to indicated the insertion snapping prong 348 . in other embodiments , the snapping portions 348 , 350 can have different colors . in other embodiments , only one of the two snapping portions 348 , 350 may include indicia . in use , the insertion tool 340 can be used to insert the healing cap 32 into the dental implant 10 and to remove the healing cap 32 from the dental implant 10 . to attach the healing cap 32 to the implant 10 during stage i , the surgeon first inserts the insertion snapping portion 348 into the indentation 42 of the healing cap 32 . as such , the healing cap 32 is secured to the tool 340 and the dental practitioner can use the tool 340 to move the healing cap 32 into the patient &# 39 ; s and to position the healing cap 32 over the dental implant 10 . once in position , the dental practitioner uses the tool 340 to push the snapping portion 50 of the healing cap 32 into the implant 10 . as mentioned above , the insertion snapping portion 348 is configured so that the force required to remove the healing cap 32 from the implant 10 is greater than the force required to remove the insertion snapping portion 348 from the indentation 42 . thus , when the dentist lifts the insertion tool 340 away from the implant 10 , the tool 340 detaches from the healing cap 32 and the healing cap 32 remains attached to the implant 10 . to remove the healing cap , the dental practitioner inserts the removal snapping portion 350 into the indentation 42 of the healing cap 32 . as mentioned above , the handle removal snapping portion 350 and healing cap 32 are preferably configured so that the force required to remove the healing cap 32 from the implant 10 is less than the force required to remove removal snapping portion 350 from the healing cap 32 . therefore , when the dental practitioner lifts the tool 340 away from the implant 10 , the healing cap 32 remains attached to the tool 340 and detaches from the implant 10 . although this invention has been disclosed in the context of certain preferred embodiments and examples , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and / or uses of the invention and obvious modifications , combinations and subcombinations and equivalents thereof . thus , it is intended that the scope of the present invention herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above , but should be determined only by a fair reading of the claims that follow . | US-2341601-A |
a surgical apparatus has connected strips that are configured to surround an organ , such as a kidney . the surgical apparatus at least partially mechanically occludes fluid flow into , out of or within part of the organ . each strip is individually inflatable . tubes deliver fluid to the strips . each of the tubes is connected to one of the strips . | although claimed subject matter will be described in terms of certain embodiments , other embodiments , including embodiments that do not provide all of the benefits and features set forth herein , are also within the scope of this invention . various structural , logical , process step , and electronic changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention . directional terms are used in the following description to indicate relative reference only , and should not impose any limitations on how any apparatus or components are to be manufactured or positioned during use . here and throughout , for clarification and reference purpose only , the external curve of the kidney is the curve opposite of the renal hilum while the internal curve of the kidney includes the renal hilum . fig1 is a perspective view of a device 102 on a kidney 100 according to an embodiment of the disclosure . the device 102 comprises a plurality of strips 103 , 104 , 106 , 109 , 111 , 112 , 113 , each of which may be connected to one or more of the other strips . the connected strips of the device may be considered as forming a cage having a cavity configured to encompass an organ . for example , device 102 is illustrated with a kidney 100 within the cavity defined by the strips 103 , 104 , 106 , 109 , 111 , 112 , and 113 . while only one side of the device 102 and the kidney 100 is shown in fig1 , the device 102 may have a similar arrangement on the opposite side of the kidney 100 . the device 102 comprises a plurality of tubes 117 for delivering fluid to the strips . each tube of the plurality of tubes 117 is in fluid communication with a corresponding strip . the device 102 may be configured such that the renal hilum 101 , comprising the renal artery , renal vein , and urethra , protrudes from the cavity of the device 102 when a kidney 100 is contained in the device 102 . two strips 103 and 104 are shown below the renal hilum 101 and connected to an intersection 108 . on the external curve relative to the renal hilum 101 , strip 103 is continuous from the intersection 108 to a corresponding intersection ( not shown ) on the opposite side of the kidney 100 . on the internal curve relative to the renal hilum 101 , strip 104 is discontinuous , separating into two sub - strips 105 from the intersection 108 . this strip 104 contains two sub - strips 105 , one on each side of the kidney 100 , with the sub - strips 105 fastened together against the surface of the kidney 100 by a fastener 107 . on the bottom half of the kidney 100 , there is another strip 106 that accommodates the end curve of the kidney 100 . strip 106 is configured with two sub - strips ( similar to strip 104 ) with the sub - strips fastened together by a fastener . strip 106 may be connected to intersection 108 on either side of the kidney 100 . at the opposite end of the kidney 100 , a structure similar to that of strips 103 , 104 , and 106 connected by intersection 108 is present with strips 111 , 112 and 113 connected by intersection 110 . a fastener 114 fastens the sub - strips of strip 113 to one another . connecting these two sets of strips is a strip 109 , connecting intersection 108 to intersection 110 on both sides of the kidney 100 . this strip 109 may provide reinforcement to prevent the device 102 from undesired separation from the kidney 100 . on either end of the strip 109 , intersections 108 and 110 can control the position of the inflatable strips or the tubing . a tubing system ( not illustrated in fig1 ) is connected to a bundle of tubes 117 leading away from the device 102 and the kidney 100 . each tube may be directly or indirectly connected to a corresponding strip such that the strip is in fluid communication with the tube . for example , each tube may end at an intersection 108 , 110 . the tubes of the device 102 may not be arranged symmetrically on the two sides of intersections 108 and 110 . the strips 103 and 111 can require one tube to feed the inflatable portion . the strips 104 , 112 and strips 106 , 113 can require two tubes , one for each side of the kidney 100 . the strip 109 may be fed from only intersection 110 and intersection 108 can serve solely as an anchor at strip 109 . therefore , at intersection 110 there can be three tubes feeding into specific strips at intersection 108 . on the opposite intersection of intersection 110 , there can be two tubes feeding into the opposite side of strip 104 and strip 106 . at intersection 110 on one side , there can be a total of four tubes feeding each of the connecting bands . on the opposite intersection 110 , there can be three tubes feeding the opposite side of the strip 112 , strip 113 , and strip 109 . intersection 110 may serve as the collection point of all the tubes in the device 102 . the intersection 110 and its opposite intersection exist on both sides of the device 102 and extends away from the kidney 100 in sub - bundles 115 and 116 . the sub - bundles 115 , 116 combine into one larger bundle of tubes 117 . this bundle of tubes 117 leads to the external component of the device 102 . one or more strips may comprise an inflatable component , such as , for example , a bladder . in one example , the strip is a bladder . in another example , the inflatable component is positioned between the strip and the kidney surface . in another example , the inflatable component is positioned in the strip against the kidney surface . the strip may be rigid or semi - rigid to enable or direct expansion of the inflatable component or strip against the kidney surface . in another example , one or more strips includes the inflatable component and the strip itself inflates . fig2 a - 2b are perspective views of a device 201 or device 204 on a kidney showing different tube collection points . in fig2 a , the structure of the strips are the same as fig1 , but another position for the collection point 202 is illustrated . instead of a collection point at the intersection above the renal hilum 200 , the collection point 202 is below the renal hilum 200 . intersection 202 of fig2 a may be the same as intersection 110 in fig1 and intersection 108 in fig1 may be the same as intersection 203 in fig2 a in terms of the amount of tubing feeding at the respective intersections and how the collection point of the tubing is arranged . in fig2 b , the structure of the strips may be the same as presented in fig1 . the collection point 205 , at the center of the middle strip 206 , is presented in fig2 b . the middle strip 206 is anchored to intersections 207 and 208 . the tubing system may be changed accordingly . for example , at intersections 207 and 208 on one side , there are three tubes at each intersection feeding into the corresponding strips . on the opposite side of the device , there are two tubes at each intersection . the strip 206 is fed air or other fluid at collection point 205 on either side of the device 204 . the collection points lead outward to sub - bundles 209 , 210 and combine into one bundle of tubes 211 that leads to the external component of the device 204 . fig3 a - 3b are perspective views of an example of a system with the device 301 and shaded strips illustrating corresponding pipes . the device 301 on the kidney 300 may be similar to that illustrated in fig1 or fig2 a . strips to be inflated on the device 301 on the kidney 300 are selected by an operator ( e . g ., a surgeon ) and each of the valves 304 on the control system 303 is adjusted to block or allow airflow . the handheld pump 302 pumps air into the control system 303 . the air flows through the unblocked valves 304 and into the corresponding tubes 305 . the tubes 305 are collected into a sheathed bundle 306 and the bundle 306 is divided at split point 307 into the sub - bundles connecting to either side of intersection 308 of the device 301 . in fig3 b , each valve 309 with shaded strips illustrates its corresponding strip 310 . fig4 is a perspective view of an example of an external component . there is a control system 403 connected to a hand - held pump 401 by a pump tube 402 . the control system 403 comprises are seven valves switches 404 that allow an operator to control whether air flows into a corresponding tube 405 . the position of the valve switches 404 can either allow or block flow of air or other fluid . each valve switch 404 has a corresponding tube 405 and the tubes 405 are collected into a bundle 406 leading away from the control system 403 . this bundle 406 can make insertion into the patient and operation easier during a surgery because fewer tubes 405 are loose or free to be moved proximate or inside the patient . each tube 405 corresponds to one strip on the device . fig5 is a perspective view of another example of an external component . there is a series of seven stopcocks 503 , 505 connected to a hand - held pump 501 by a pump tube 502 between the manifold and the pump 501 . each stopcock 503 , 505 has a tube connector 504 extending from the manifold system . each stopcock 503 with the exception of the last stopcock 505 in the series leading away from the pump 501 may be a 3 - way stopcock . turning the handle on the stopcocks 503 , 505 controls the flow of air or other fluid . for example , when the handle on the stopcock 503 is pointed toward the tube connector 504 , fluid flows through the manifold and into the corresponding tube connector 504 . when the handle on the stopcock 503 is pointed in the opposite direction of the tube connector 504 , the fluid flows through the manifold at that strip without flowing into the tube connector 504 . when the handle on the stopcock 503 is pointed toward the pump 501 , the fluid flows from the manifold and into the respective tube connector 504 without flowing to the rest of the manifold system downstream of the stopcock 503 pointed toward the pump 501 . when the handle on the stopcock 503 is pointed toward the end of the manifold opposite the pump 501 , the fluid flow is blocked from the rest of the manifold and the respective tube connector 504 . the last stopcock 505 is a 2 - way stopcock . when the handle on the stopcock 505 is pointed toward the tube connector 504 , fluid flows from the manifold into the tube connector 504 . when the handle on the stopcock 505 is pointed away from the tube connector 504 , the fluid flow is blocked from the tube connector 504 and does not pass through the stopcock 505 . at each stopcock 503 , 505 , a tube is connected to the tube connector 504 and each tube corresponds to a strip of the pack &# 39 ; d . strips are selected to be inflated by adjusting each stopcock 503 , 505 depending on the position on the manifold and the desired inflation of pack &# 39 ; d . fig6 is a perspective of the device 602 on a kidney 600 during a procedure . in fig6 , there is a tumor 603 on the kidney 600 and the appropriate strip 604 and strip 605 are inflated to restrict blood flow into that portion of the kidney 600 . it should be noted that , in this embodiment , the ends of the sub - strips 606 of strip 605 are not inflated due to the ring fastener 607 . in the example of fig6 , the tumor 603 is on the external curve toward one end of the kidney 600 . the patient may be prepared for a laparoscopic pn surgery . when all the necessary ports are placed in the patient , the surgeon can introduce the instruments to begin the surgical procedure and the device 602 is inserted into the body via cannula and opened to its loosened structure . the kidney 600 is inserted into the cavity of the device 602 with half of the strips of the device 602 on either side of the renal hilum 601 and the fasteners 607 on the internal curve relative to the renal hilum 601 . the positioning of device 602 is adjusted based on where the tumor 603 is and the strips are tightened against the kidney 600 to secure the device 602 . because the tumor 603 is on the external curve toward the end of the kidney 600 , the surgeon turns off all valves with the exception of those for the strip 604 and strip 605 next to the tumor 603 . this prevents fluid flow to all strips of the device 602 except strip 604 and strip 605 surrounding the tumor 603 . the surgeon pumps fluid into the strips 604 , 605 with a pump until the strips reach an effective pressure , which can depend on the patient &# 39 ; s blood pressure or other factors . the valves may be set so that fluid cannot flow into or out of strips 604 , 605 , thereby maintaining the fluid pressure within those strips . the surgeon may make a small incision to observe the blood flow in the blood - restricted portion of the kidney 600 with the tumor 603 . after confirming the restriction of blood flow , the surgeon can proceed with performing the pn surgery . at the conclusion of the procedure , the surgeon will turn the valve or valves to let the fluid out of the inflated strips 604 , 605 and loosen the fasteners 607 from the strips having such fasteners . the device 602 will be slipped off the kidney 600 and be removed from the body . closing procedure will follow to conclude the operation . while a particular arrangement of strips is described herein , more or fewer strips may be used . the strips may be arranged ( e . g ., interconnected ) in other configurations . for example , additional strips may be provided to narrow the regions of the kidney where blood flow is restricted or occluded . in another example , the device has only two strips . this may be used with , for example , exophytic tumors . in an embodiment , the part of the device inserted into the patient can be compacted into a cylinder - like volume or some other shape and be inserted via port in minimally invasive procedures . in an embodiment , the inflatable strips or strip can include sensors for blood flow or pressure . in an embodiment , the inflatable strips or connectors between the tubes connecting the inflatable strips may be airtight or otherwise fluid - tight . in an embodiment , the fasteners may be clips , slip - type fasteners , or any other fastener . the pack &# 39 ; d may not completely block blood flow to the portion of the kidney or other organ being operated on . the dimensions of the pack &# 39 ; d can vary for different patients , organ sizes , or types of organs . the dimensions of the strips also can vary . in an example , the strips are approximately 4 cm to 6 cm in length . the pack &# 39 ; d reduces or eliminates the need for clamping the renal artery by restricting blood flow to certain parts of a kidney . the remainder of the kidney receives blood . this may reduce renal injuries during and after a surgery . this also may lengthen time available for a surgeon to operate on a kidney without damaging the kidney . although the present disclosure has been described with respect to one or more particular embodiments , it will be understood that other embodiments of the present disclosure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure . | US-201515513235-A |
a device , method , and kit for conveying a radioactive agent to a site of stenosis . the device includes a body portion to be disposed about the surface of a stent . the device comprises a radioactive agent . the device is capable of expanding , thus following the deployment movement of the stent , and is used to counter restenosis . | in the figures , reference numbers 1 a to 11 indicate a device according to the invention . for the sake of simplicity , reference number 1 will refer generally to the device of this invention and reference number 2 will refer to the stent . device or envelope 1 comprises radioactive materials . for the reasons illustrated in the introductory part of this description , this objective is pursued so as to associate an action countering restenosis with the stent . at least in principle the possible applications of the invention will not however be regarded as being restricted exclusively to this purpose . the profile of stent 2 with which device 1 is associated is indicated diagrammatically . in all the figures , which are viewed from the side ( fig1 to 3 , 5 to 6 and 8 to 10 ), or seen in approximately lateral perspective view ( fig4 , 11 and 12 ), the stent is illustrated in the radially contracted condition and is shown essentially as a small tube of cylindrical shape . this approach , which is deliberately diagrammatical , has been adopted to point out the fact that the device according to the invention can be used in practice with any type of stent , independently of its shape , structural , construction and expansion characteristics . reference number 2 is used to refer to the stent shown in the figures , and it is to be understood that stent 2 may have characteristics that correspond to the great variety of stents known in the art , which makes it unnecessary to mention these characteristics , even merely by way of example . this also applies to the means , methods and criteria used to achieve deployment of the stent in its site of implantation ( dilation by means of a balloon catheter , construction of self - expanding stents , e . g ., through the use of materials having shape memory , etc .). the figures relate to arrangements in which stent 2 is a small tube having a diameter which is slightly less than and a length which is slightly greater than that of envelope or device 1 . this representation is however purely by way of example , given that the length of envelope 1 may be both less than , the same as or even greater than that of stent 2 . it is not necessary that the shape of envelope 1 should precisely copy the shape of the stent : notwithstanding , of course , the requirement for physical compatibility between the shapes , both stent 2 and envelope 1 may have , for example , cross sections which vary along their longitudinal length , and therefore narrow portions , wide portions , parts having a cross section other than a circular cross section , etc . the arrangements to which fig1 to 12 refer provide that envelope 1 should be fitted on , that is located , outside stent 2 . this arrangement , which at the present time is regarded as being preferred ( both because of the possibility that deployment and anchorage of envelope 1 at the site can be achieved automatically through the effect of the deployment of stent 2 , and because it is generally desired to encourage the radiation to act towards the walls of the vessel in which stent 2 is implanted ), is not however mandatory . the invention therefore also relates to embodiments in which envelope 1 is intended to be fitted within stent 2 , with suitable forms of radial anchorage being provided for this purpose . the arrangement illustrated in the figures , in which envelope 1 is fitted on the outside of stent 2 , has proved to be particularly advantageous from the point of view of use in that it makes it possible to associate envelope 1 with stent 2 immediately before the operation of implantation . envelope or device 1 may be provided in kit form ; that is , placed in a container or package . the envelope can therefore be taken from the corresponding protective container by the same person who is performing the implant , to be fitted over and “ crimped ” onto the desired stent immediately before the implanting operation . alternatively , an implant kit may comprise stent 2 and associated envelope 1 ( normally already activated ), with the possibility of stent 2 being placed on the corresponding implantation catheter ( of a known type ). examination of fig1 to 12 will show how the device according to the invention is designed to convey a material capable of exerting an effective radioactive effect at the site of the stent implant . this is realized wholly or in part using such material or by delivering bodies comprising such material . the words “ material capable of exerting an effective radioactive effect at the site at which the stent is implanted ” are designed to shed light on some significant aspects of the arrangement according to the invention . that is , although a different arrangement should not be ruled out ( at least in principle ), the aforesaid material does not yet have any radioactive effect at the time when it is used to manufacture the device or is associated as a constituent part of envelope 1 itself . normally the radioactive properties are imparted subsequently , for example , by irradiation from a source of radiation ( typically in a nuclear reactor ). the level of radioactivity imparted to the envelope is that appropriate for the context of the application in question , that is , is sufficient to achieve an effective action to counter restenosis . by way of example reference may be made to the various energy levels and types of radiation to which reference is made in the introductory part of the description . the radiation may be , for example , x - rays having an energy of the order of 18 - 25 kev ( kilo electron volts ), which are not substantially attenuated in the first few millimeters of penetration . another advantageous choice is a high energy beta ray emitter such as yttrium 90 . in this case it would be conceivable to use a sr90 / y90 generator to produce envelope 1 which is intended to be delivered to a hospital within 1 - 2 days for use if appropriate in association with a corresponding stent in an implant kit . in any event , the arrangement according to the invention is ideally suited to the possibility of coordinating the structure and construction technology of envelope 1 with the choice of radioactive material ( it will be remembered that this material can in reality also comprise several radioactive isotopes ). for example , the radioactive material may be in the form of a wire or plate for use in combination with radioactive materials having ductility or malleability properties , or incorporation in a matrix in the presence of radioactive materials available in powder form . the arrangement according to the invention is also suitable for use in combination with a binding agent - ligand association , where either the binding agent or the ligand is initially applied to envelope 1 , and then the ligand or the binding agent comprises the radioactive material which is to be introduced ( typically injected ) into the patient to bind on the envelope 1 implanted together with the corresponding stent . fig1 and 9 illustrate envelopes 1 a , 1 h , and 1 i in the form of a tubular body ( which on the whole can be likened to a stent in its structure ) constructed from a wire - like material 10 . material 10 comprises a material that is capable of being rendered radioactive . also bearing in mind the quantity of material ( 10 to 20 mg ) which is likely to be used to construct envelopes 1 a , 1 h , and 1 i , this may also be ( for example ) palladium , so that sufficient total activity can be provided without resorting to enriched palladium . the wire - shaped material in question ( which is capable of adopting the appearance of a plate , at least locally ) is wound into a shape to give rise to a set of sections 11 of generally cylindrical shape in the form of a coil , connected together by lengths of wire 12 which extend in the direction of the generatrices of the cylindrical linear surface ( i . e ., longitudinal axis z ) over which envelope 1 extends . the corresponding manufacturing technology should be regarded as being well known , particularly in the field of stents : in this respect reference may be made to , for example , european patent application ep - a - 0 806 190 . as described above , in the embodiments shown in fig1 and 9 , envelopes 1 a , 1 h , and 1 i may only be partly constructed of material capable of being made radioactive ; for example , with reference to fig1 in the form of wires of material that can be made radioactive . for example , the wires can be woven or braided into a structure similar to that illustrated in fig1 . the embodiments shown in fig8 and 9 illustrate that by acting on the structural features of envelopes 1 h and 1 i it is possible to obtain a change in the density of the constituent material along the longitudinal length of the envelope , with a consequent possible variation in the radioactivity properties which can be achieved through the envelopes 1 h and 1 i . for example , fig8 relates to an embodiment in which , while retaining the coil arrangement , the end sections 11 ′ of envelope 1 i are constructed having a sinusoidal shape with a smaller period ( that is , figuratively speaking , a higher “ frequency ”) in comparison with sections 11 which are located at the center of envelope 1 h . all this has the effect that more material capable of being made radioactive is present in these end sections 11 ′. in this way , when the material is activated and rendered radioactive , it is possible to achieve an effect varying the level of local radiation with respect to adjacent zones in these end zones . this arrangement can also be adopted asymmetrically , so that single section 11 ′, in which the wire is present in a condensed form , is present at one end of envelope 1 h , with a different number of similar sections ( i . e ., two sections 11 ′) at the other end . of course this density effect ( or rarefaction effect , achieved by increasing the pitch of the winding of the wire coil ) can be achieved selectively in any portion of the longitudinal extent of envelope 1 h . the action of varying / modulating radioactive activity may also be achieved by different means , for example , using different radioisotopes and / or different radioactivity properties in different portions of the stent . the abovementioned variation / modulation effect may be made use of for different purposes . for example , the fact of increasing the level of local radioactivity at the ends of device or envelope 1 can be utilized for at least two purposes : ( 1 ) ensuring a uniform level of radioactivity along the entire longitudinal length of envelope 1 ( for the same linear density of radioactive material the intensity of the radiation determined along the principal longitudinal axis z of envelope 1 has a maximum value at the center and a minimum value at the ends ), and / or ( 2 ) achieving maximum radioactivity values at the ends of envelope 1 , therefore corresponding to the ends of stent 2 over which it is fitted . this latter arrangement is advantageous when it is desired to counter the phenomena of restenosis which sometimes occur at the ends of the site where the stent is implanted , where the walls of the vessel are no longer supported and held apart by the stent itself . by contrast , fig9 shows a variant in which the two end sections , indicated by 11 ″, are made of wire of different diameter ( e . g ., greater diameter ) and / or different cross section ( e . g ., using a flattened transverse profile ). in this case also a symmetrical or asymmetrical arrangement is possible at the two ends of envelope 1 i or , in general , in any region along the longitudinal extent of the means . fig2 and 4 relate to arrangements that provide for producing envelopes 1 b and 1 d in the form of a tubular body 13 of , for example , metal . this may then take the form of both a body which is already of a tubular shape ( fig2 ) or a flat sheet which is curved and closed to form a tube using a longitudinal weld 13 a ( fig3 ), or again a sheet which is merely wound on itself in accordance with a generally spiral arrangement ( fig4 ). a sheet may be capable of maintaining a closed configuration either through intrinsic plasticity properties ( possibly associated with shape - memory properties ) or because it is constrained by retaining members — not illustrated , but of a known type — whose action is reduced at the time when the stent is dilated . these embodiments are obviously suitable for use with particular advantage in combination with materials which can be rendered radioactive and which have good malleability properties . as illustrated in fig2 and 3 , the open structure that is necessary to ensure that envelopes 1 b and 1 c follow the expansion movement of stent 2 is achieved by forming openings in the form of slots 14 b and 14 c . this apertured structure has also been shown , as it is preferred , in connection with the embodiment in fig4 having slots 14 d . at least in principle , sheet 13 illustrated therein is capable of being wound on itself to follow the expansion movement of the stent . the open structure deriving from the presence of slots 14 b , 14 c , or 14 d is however such as to render sheet 13 deformable , and therefore extendible . manufacturing techniques ( laser cutting or edm or chemical etching , etc .) which can be applied to the construction of the embodiments shown in fig2 to 4 are in general known in the technology of stent manufacture and do not need to be illustrated specifically here . also with reference to what will be said below , emphasis is again placed on the fact that the material which can be made radioactive may be a single well - defined isotope , a mixture of two or more isotopes intended to provide different radiation properties , or an alloy material containing one or more materials which are capable of being made radioactive among its components . as already mentioned , the variation in the type or types of the radioactive materials used makes it possible to achieve an effect modulating / varying the radiation characteristics in various sections or portions of the envelope , and therefore of the stent with which it is associated . the embodiments in fig5 to 7 and 10 are suitable for being implemented in a particularly advantageous form when the material which is capable of being rendered radioactive ( again in this case a single isotope , a mixture of two or more isotopes , or a material which incorporates such an isotope or isotopes ) is present in the form of particles ( such as powder or micropowder ). this is typically the situation for a material such as ruthenium . in this case envelopes 1 e , 1 f , 1 g , and 1 j may comprise a matrix 15 e , 15 f , 15 g , and 15 j , respectively . the matrix is , for example , a small tube of extendible synthetic material ( e . g ., silicone ) within which radioactive material 16 is dispersed . matrices 15 e , 15 f , 15 g , and 15 j may possibly have erodability and / or consumability properties such that it gives rise to slow release of material 16 ( with consequent distancing from the site of implantation ). in this case too the dispersion of material 16 in the matrix may be uniform , as shown in fig5 or have the features of a differential density along the length of envelope 1 j , as shown in fig1 . in particular , the latter figure shows an arrangement which in many respects is similar to those shown in fig8 and 9 , that is an arrangement in which the density of the distribution of radioactive material 16 in particle form is differentiated in such a way as to obtain a more marked local radioactive effect at the ends of envelope 1 . as already mentioned , this result could also be achieved by acting on the type and the nature of material 16 . in the arrangement in fig6 matrix 15 f has a structure which is no longer compact , but apertured , for example of a reticular nature . this result may be obtained by starting from a compact tubular body , which is apertured for example by forming openings or notches ( the rhomboidal shape of the mesh illustrated in fig6 is purely by way of example ), or by weaving wires or fibers ( e . g ., of synthetic material such a silicone ) in a general mesh structure . the fibers in question may be fibers of the type described in commonly assigned , co - pending u . s . patent ser . no . 09 / 632 , 042 , entitled “ an angioplasty stent adapted to counter restenosis , respective kit , and component ”, hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference . the fibers may comprise associated particles or nanoparticles of materials which can be rendered radioactive , possibly with the properties of erodability . such particles or nanoparticles are preferably substantially spherical in shape . nanoparticles have diameters ranging up to about several hundred nanometers , for example , up to about 500 nanometers . fig7 shows a further possible variant which combines , so to speak , features from the arrangement in fig5 ( use of a envelope 1 e ( fig5 ) and envelope 1 g ( fig7 )) in which material 16 which can be made radioactive is dispersed ) with features of the arrangement in fig4 in which envelope 1 d is produced from a sheet wound into a coil . for the reasons already mentioned in connection with the embodiment in fig5 in the case of the embodiment in fig7 it is not strictly required that the sheet comprising matrix 15 g should have extendibility properties . the same also applies in substance to the reticular embodiment in fig6 where the properties of radial expandability can be provided through the effect of the geometry of the mesh , even if the members of such meshes ( e . g ., the fibers forming the braiding for envelope 1 ) do not in themselves have the property of being able to extend longitudinally . the other variants illustrated in fig1 and 12 can be regarded as deriving from the combination of teachings in fig5 and 10 with the teachings in fig1 and 9 . in the case of fig1 and 12 , material 16 k or 16 l dispersed in matrices 15 k or 15 l , respectively , takes the form of wires , which may have different structural geometrical and / or composition properties in the various regions of device or envelope 1 . in the example in fig1 the difference is illustrated by showing ends of wires indicated by 16 ′ which have a different diameter / shape from the remainder of the wires . from the foregoing illustrations it is clear that the various principles of construction illustrated with reference to fig1 to 12 can also be used in combinations other than those illustrated , in particular as regards the possibility of using different radioactive materials in envelope 1 . for example , the embodiment in fig6 may be obtained by using metal wires that are only partly coated with polymers or elastomers within which a material which can be made radioactive is dispersed . of course , without changing the principle of the invention , the details of construction and embodiments can be varied extensively from what has been described and illustrated without thereby going beyond the scope of this invention as defined by the following claims . | US-23668002-A |
a catheter connector system , including a catheter hub and a coupling member . the catheter hub includes a cannula portion connected to a housing portion and a distal interface including a tapered seal post fixed to the housing portion , a deformable sealing element surrounding the tapered seal post , and a retention collar surrounding the sealing element . the coupling member includes an opening to receive the distal interface , an inwardly extending portion to engage the retention collar , and an actuating member to engage the deformable sealing element . | one aspect of the instant disclosure relates to apparatuses and systems for selective coupling of a tubular member to another tubular element . specifically , the instant disclosure contemplates that a catheter may include a connection structure for selectively coupling the catheter to another tubular element by way of a sealing element that forms a seal between the catheter and tubular element . one aspect of the present invention , as shown in fig1 , includes a catheter connection system 10 comprising a catheter hub 20 , a coupling member 30 , and at least one deformable sealing element positioned within the catheter hub . the deformable sealing element is configured to allow fluid flow through catheter hub 20 upon deformation . as illustrated in fig1 through 3 b , the catheter connector system 10 comprises catheter hub 20 having a cannula 40 on a proximal end thereof sized for insertion into a lumen of a catheter 50 , and a housing 45 on a distal end thereof . further , catheter hub 20 has a distal interface 60 having a seal post 70 positioned within a deformable sealing element 80 positioned further within a retention collar 90 . as illustrated in fig2 , the coupling member 30 includes a cavity 100 for receiving at least a portion of the distal interface 60 of catheter hub 20 and an actuating member 110 for engaging at least a portion of deformable sealing element 80 . referring now to fig3 a and 3 b , deformable sealing element 80 may abut seal post 70 to effectively seal a bore 115 of catheter hub 20 at one end . in an unbiased position 80 a , deformable sealing element 80 creates a seal wherein any fluids attempting to pass through catheter hub 20 are precluded from movement past the seal . when engaged by coupling member 30 , deformable sealing element 80 deforms to a biased position 80 b thereby allowing fluid to flow through or by deformable sealing element 80 and into coupling member 30 . when coupling member 30 is removed from catheter hub 20 , deformable sealing element 80 reversibly returns to its unbiased position 80 a . the ability of deformable sealing element 80 to reversibly return to its unbiased position 80 a permits reuse of catheter hub 20 . furthermore , it advantageously creates a flush surface which facilitates cleaning of distal interface 60 of catheter hub 20 . referring now to fig3 a and 3 b , catheter hub 20 can further comprise an open space 120 between retention collar 90 and deformable sealing element 80 . open space 120 provides an area for deformable sealing element 80 to deform when it is engaged by coupling member 30 . in one aspect of the invention , retention collar 90 may extend beyond deformable sealing element 80 and seal post 70 . such a configuration may minimize inadvertent deformation of deformable sealing element 80 by a user . in one embodiment , actuating member 110 can be disposed concentrically within cavity 100 . further , coupling member 30 can be configured with a through - center bore 130 for communicating a fluid from catheter hub 20 through coupling member 30 . in an additional embodiment , actuating member 110 comprises a raised surface located within cavity 100 of coupling member 30 . the raised surface of actuating member 110 can be shaped to approximate the shape of deformable sealing element 80 such that when coupling member 30 and catheter hub 20 are secured together , as shown in fig3 a , actuating member 110 deforms deformable sealing element 80 thereby allowing fluid to pass through catheter hub 20 and into coupling member 30 . in another embodiment , actuating member 110 may be configured to deform only a portion of deformable sealing element 80 . in an additional embodiment , seal post 70 may be positioned near deformable sealing element 80 to facilitate deformation of deformable sealing element 80 and passage of fluids through catheter hub 20 to coupling member 30 . in one embodiment , as shown in fig4 , seal post 70 comprises a top planar surface 140 that , when seated in the body of catheter hub 20 and within the center of deformable sealing element 80 , creates a flush surface . the body of seal post 70 can be tapered such that the diameter of a distal top planar surface 140 is larger than the diameter of the proximal end 150 of seal post 70 . the body of seal post 70 can also comprise at least one channel 160 , wherein , when deformable sealing element 80 is deformed , fluid passes through channel 160 of seal post 70 and into coupling member 30 . in such a configuration , seal post 70 can be affixed ( e . g ., adhesively bonded , ultrasonically welded , solvent welded , or otherwise affixed ) to the body of catheter hub 20 . in another embodiment , seal post 70 may be formed integrally or monolithically with the body of catheter hub 20 . in another embodiment of the present invention , coupling member 30 and catheter hub 20 may be secured together with a locking member 180 . the locking member 180 may be any device for securing catheter hub 20 and the coupling member 30 together , for example , a so - called “ living hinge clip ” or any cantilevered pivoting element . fig1 - 3 b illustrate a coupling member 30 comprising a biased hinge member 190 integrally formed with the wall of coupling member 30 . the hinge member 190 includes an engagement feature 200 configured to engage at least a portion of retention collar 90 of the body of catheter hub 20 . additionally , handles 210 may be formed with hinge member 190 to facilitate removal and attachment of coupling member 30 . in one aspect of the invention , as shown in fig1 and 2 , the catheter connection system 10 may comprise an aperture 220 positioned on an outer portion of coupling member 30 . advantageously , aperture 220 allows the user to verify engagement of deformable sealing element 80 by actuating member 110 . in another embodiment , the catheter hub 20 also comprises a cover member 230 configured to reduce the likelihood of accidental removal of catheter 50 from cannula 40 of catheter hub 20 . a proximal end of coupling member 30 may further comprise a luer fitting 240 configured to receive a device , for example , for vacuum assisted removal of fluids from the patient . in another embodiment , the proximal end of coupling member 30 may be configured for gravity evacuation of fluids from the patient . the catheter hub 20 and coupling member 30 described above can be formed from any material suitable for connection to any elongated tubular member placed within the corpus of a patient . by way of example , the connector system 10 may be prepared from of any suitable thermo - plastically formed material . the deformable sealing element 80 can be formed from a resilient material that is flexible , inert , and impermeable to fluid , such as silicone or polyurethane . the above embodiments may be used , for example , in connection with a pleural drainage system . one example of components of a pleural drainage system are disclosed in u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 595 , 450 entitled “ portable hand pump for evacuation of fluids ” which is incorporated herein in its entirety . more specifically , the present invention may be used to connect a catheter placed within the corpus of a patient for the purposes of evacuating fluid from the corpus of the patient to a manually - operated pump and a device for storage of the evacuated fluid . the pump may be adapted to connect to an inflow conduit and an outflow conduit . for purposes of clarity , the pump , outflow conduit , and inflow conduit are all downstream from the connection system of the present invention . near the connection of the inflow conduit , the pump can be provided with a one - way inflow valve that acts to permit flow of fluids from the inflow conduit into the interior of the pump but limits or restricts any back flow of the same into the inflow conduit . similarly , near the connection of the outflow conduit , a one - way outflow valve permits flow of fluids out of the pump interior and into and through a lumen of the outflow conduit . this outflow one - way valve also serves to limit or restrict the back flow of fluids from the outflow conduit into the pump interior . while certain embodiments and details have been included herein for purposes of illustrating aspects of the instant disclosure , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in the systems , apparatuses , and methods disclosed herein may be made without departing from the scope of the instant disclosure , which is defined , in part , in the appended claims . the words “ including ” and “ having ,” as used herein including the claims , shall have the same meaning as the word “ comprising .” | US-201213469849-A |
this invention is a bikini type bathing suit which is convertible to a one piece bathing suit . this is accomplished through the provision of a removable midriff apron which attachs to the top and bottom of the bikini to effectively make the same a one piece bathing suit when desired . | with further reference to the drawings , the convertible bathing suit of the present invention , indicated generally at 10 , is composed of a top portion , indicated generally at 11 , a bottom portion , indicated generally at 12 , and a midriff portion , indicated generally at 13 . the top portion 11 includes the usual breast cups 14 , back strap 15 , and neck strap 16 . along the lower interior edge 17 of the breast cups 14 are a plurality of securing means such as female snap members 18 . the bottom portion 12 includes the usual leg openings 19 and body opening 20 . the front interior edge 21 of body opening 20 includes a plurality of fastening means such as female snap members 22 . since female snap members are generally flat and without projections , they lie comfortably against the skin of the wearer 23 thereof . the midriff portion 13 includes an upper edge 24 which has a plurality of securing means such as male snap members 25 thereon which are so spaced to attachingly mate with the female snap members 18 on the lower interior edge 17 of the breast cups 14 . the lower edge 26 of midriff 13 includes a plurality of securing means such as male snap members 27 which are so spaced as to attachingly mate with the female snap members 22 on the front interior edge 21 of body opening 20 . in the modified form of the convertible bathing suit 10 of the present invention shown in fig5 a decorative ruffle 28 is provided along the lower exterior edge thereof and includes ruffle tails 29 which are adapted to be snapped into the rear interior edge 30 of body opening 20 and to flap outwardly over such upper edge as shown in fig3 . to use the convertible bathing suit 10 of the present invention , the wearer 23 thereof puts on the top portion 11 and the bottom portion 12 in the normal manner . the wearer can then swim , sunbathe , and engage in the other normal activities where two piece or bikini type bathing suits are worn . whenever it is desired to engage in activities normally requiring a one - piece bathing suit , the wearer 23 simply takes the midriff portion 13 and secures the upper edge thereof to the lower interior edge of top portion 11 and the lower edge thereof to the front interior edge of body opening 20 of bottom portion 12 . the wearer can then engage in any desired activities such as diving , swimming , skiing , and the like without concern that she will lose part of her bathing suit due to engaging in such activities . once the need for the midriff portion has passed , the user thereof can simply unsecure the same from the top and bottom portions 11 and 12 and return to wearing a bikini . from the above it can be seen that the present invention provides a multi - purpose , convertible bathing suit which is attractive in appearance and yet is readily convertible from a bikini to a one piece bathing suit and back to a bikini . the present invention is also relatively inexpensive to produce and the midriff portion is readily storeable when not in use . the present invention can , of course , be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention the present embodiments are , therefore , to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are not intended to be embraced therein . | US-17254888-A |
the present invention relates to a device and methods for testing eyes . this method is objective in nature and can be performed by a technician , only requiring specialized personal to interpret the final prescription . the method comprises : obtaining autorefractor , corrected autorefractor , and autolensometer results ; calculating sphere ; performing a red - green test ; calculating cylinder and axis ; determining minimum cylinder power ; determining final sphere ; and recording all data , wherein the steps of calculating sphere and calculating cylinder and axis do not rely upon subjective interpretation of responses made by the subject in order to complete the method . furthermore , this method is capable of being fully processed by a computer so that a printout is produced that is suitable for interpretation by a refractionist . | the present invention is directed to the testing of refractive errors of the eye . more specifically , this invention incorporates subjective tests for the testing of eyes and presents a set of novel methods for the evaluation of refractive errors , including sphere , cylinder and axis . according to the present invention &# 34 ; sphere &# 34 ; ( a spherical lens ) is to mean a refracting medium bordered by two spherical coaxial surfaces of revolution . the surfaces can be convex or concave . the power of the lens is measured in diopters which is the reciprocal of the focal length of the lens . by , &# 34 ; cylinder &# 34 ; ( a cylindrical lens ) it is meant a refracting medium bordered by two surfaces one of which forms par of a cylinder , the other of which is plane . also , by &# 34 ; axis &# 34 ; it is meant the angle of the axis of the cylindrical refracting surface of a cylindrical lens relative to the horizontal . the power of the lens is also measured in diopters , by &# 34 ; visual acuity &# 34 ; it is meant the smallest angle subtended by an object to an eye which can be perceived by the eye . furthermore , by &# 34 ; expected unaided visual acuity &# 34 ; it is meant the calculated visual acuity expected from an eye with any given refractive error without the aid of corrective lenses . by &# 34 ; regression corrected autorefractor sphere &# 34 ; it is meant the result obtained by applying a regression formula , derived from the regression analysis of previous autorefractor measurements of each entity with the corresponding subjective results of each entity , to the sphere , cylinder , and axis obtained in the autorefractor measurement for the eye currently being tested . regression analysis is a standard statistical technique . by &# 34 ; spherical equivalent &# 34 ; it is meant the single spherical lens which produces the same vergence of light as the average vergence of light of a combined spherical and cylindrical lens : by &# 34 ; testing cylinder power &# 34 ; it is meant the dioptric value of the cylinder lens used to blur the image of the astigmatic target and is usually 4 diopters . by &# 34 ; cylinder and axis testing target &# 34 ; it is meant a two lined astigmatic fan with the lines joined at one end and separated by an angle sufficient to give an adequate degree of blurring when viewed through a + diopter cylindrical lens . the lines are tapered to allow comparison through varying refractive errors . the thickness of the lines vary according to the last visual acuity of the subject ( determined in step 2 xii ) below ) before the start of the calculated cylinder and axis test ( see step 4 , below ). by &# 34 ; residual astigmatic correction &# 34 ; it is meant the power and axis of the cylinder lens needed to correct the astigmatic refractive error present in the eye being tested . this is the end product of the cylinder and axis test . by &# 34 ; a line of test types &# 34 ; it is meant the series of letters , all the same size , presented in a line on the display device . by lens addition formula it is meant the standard formulas that would be known to one of skill in the art to calculate the resultant lens power and axis when two separate lenses are placed together coaxially . the following is an example of such a formula : where , &# 34 ; f1 &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; f2 &# 34 ; are the dioptric power of first and second cylinder lenses , respectively , &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; is the angle between axis of first and second lens , &# 34 ; s &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; c &# 34 ; are the resultant spherical and cylindrical powers , respectively , and &# 34 ; b &# 34 ; is the angle of resultant cylinder axis in relation to axis of first cylinder lens . with reference to fig1 it can be seen that the eye test system ( 1 ) of this invention involves the use of an autorefractor ( 10 ), autolensometer ( 20 ), autophoropter ( 30 ) with lens holder ( 40 ) with associated input device that are manipulated by the operator or the subject in response to queries , and at least one computer ( 50 ) and associated printer ( 60 ) and display device ( 70 ). the computer interfaces with the autorefractor , autophoropter , autolensometer , display and input devices , and directs the different tests , analyses the data , and generates test types and testing targets that are presented to the subject on a display device . the interface allows the computer to set lenses in the autophoropter . more than one computer can be used to perform the refraction and generate testing targets , however , if less than two computers are used to oversee this process , then appropriate modifications to the computer may need to be carried out . for example , video cards may need to be introduced within the computer etc . the testing procedure involves the following steps which are explained in more detail below : 7 ) change phoropter to test second eye and repeat steps 1 - 6 an autorefractor is an automated objective refracting instrument operated by a simple button push . this instrument is used to obtain an initial measurement of the subject eye being tested . no subject response is obtained . the autorefractor result has applied to it the regression equations for the three components of sphere , cylinder and axis to produce a corrected autorefractor result . the corrected autorefractor result is used as a starting point for the remainder of the test . similarly , an autolensometer is used to objectively obtain the refractive power of eye glasses or contact lenses . measurements are transmitted to a system computer and stored in a memory file . the results obtained from the autorefractor are used to continually determine the accuracy of the refractions derived by the system of this invention . regression equations for sphere cylinder and axis using final objective refraction results from the autorefractor , and results obtained from previous test results are calculated . these regression analysis are performed periodically following the analysis of a predetermined number of eyes . in one embodiment of this invention these results are obtained following the analysis of one hundred eyes , however , it is to be understood that other numbers of eye tests can be used prior to the determination . the regression which produces the highest correlation is used to produce a regression formula for each sphere , cylinder and axis . these formulas are then used to modify subsequent objective refractions , and calculate 95 % confidence limits to asses accuracy of subsequent refractions . the corrected autorefractor result is a slightly more accurate measurement than the initial autorefractor result since consistent errors inherent in the instrument are eliminated by the regression analysis process . ii ) apply regression equations for sphere cylinder and axis to these results in the autorefractor results there is no traditional equivalent of this . traditionally , the spherical lens is tested subjectively by the duochrome test ( red - green test ) and by fogging techniques whereby + 0 . 25 diopter lenses are sequentially placed in front of the subject &# 39 ; s eye the image seen by the subject is perceptively blurred . thereafter - 0 . 25 diopter lenses are sequentially placed until the image attains maximum clarity . both these techniques are incorporated in the system of this invention in automated form to verify the calculated sphere . this calculation is performed by testing visual acuity without using corrective lenes , followed by lenses which fog vision . the testing type size presented to a subject decreases in size on a logarithmic scale instead of the conventional snellen scale , which is an arbitrary scale with no mathematical relationship between the type sizes . the spherical equivalent of the refraction of the tested eye can then be calculated from a formula , known to one of skill in the art , using the visual acuities obtained from the fogging lenses used . i ) the spherical equivalent of regression corrected autorefractor result is calculated ; ii ) the expected unaided visual acuity is determined using a visual acuity formula . this formula remains on file unaltered . this formula is derived by measuring unaided visual acuity of myopes between - 0 . 25 and - 4 . 00 diopters and by performing a regression analysis between unaided vision and degree of myopia ; iii ) the calculated unaided acuity is sent to the computer and a single character of corresponding size is presented to the subject . this display may include the use of a monitor , or other system that would be known to one of skill in the art . the size of the character depends upon the size of the display device , the distance of the display device from the subject and the resolution of the display device . in the case of a computer monitor , the size of the screen affects the character size , and the size is measured in numbers of screen pixels ( rather than conventional snellen sizes ); iv ) the subject is queried regarding the displayed character and the response is entered from a keyboard or other input device so that it can be determined if the response is correct or wrong . if the character is correctly perceived then a repeat character is displayed one size smaller and this display step ( iv ) is repeated . if the subject incorrectly identifies the displayed character , then a character of one size larger is displayed . if this larger character has not been previously tested then the display step ( iv ) is repeated . otherwise if the character has been previously displayed then proceed to next step ( v ); v ) if regression corrected autorefractor result ( obtained from step 1 ) is myopic , and unaided acuity is better than largest character available , then proceed to step ix ), other wise , proceed to step vi ); vi ) add an increased diopter sphere , for example about + 2 . 00 diopter sphere to regression corrected autorefractor sphere ; vii ) the sphere , obtained from step vi ), along with the regression corrected autorefractor cylinder and axis is sent to the autophoropter ; viii ) visual acuity is tested as in step iv ) and the best visual acuity is filed stored ; xi ) calculate spherical equivalent ( i . e . no cylinder and axis ) using the visual acuity formula as above . the unaided acuity is used to calculate the spherical equivalent if the unaided acuity is obtained from step v ), or , the best acuity is used for the calculation if the best acuity is obtained from step viii ); x ) the spherical equivalent is converted to full correction ( i . e . including sphere , cylinder and axis ) using corrected autorefractor cylinder and axis ( obtained from step 1 ( ii ); this test is typically subjective in nature . it has therefore been altered from its regular form so that decision making by the operator is eliminated , however , the nature of the test remains unchanged . i ) a red - green test target consisting of two identical test type line of letters , one set on a red background the other on a green background is displayed using a display device . subjects responses are entered using a keyboard or other input device . iii ) lens change is sent to autophoropter of plus or minus about 0 . 25 diopter according to response obtained in ( step ii ): if the result is : a ) then add about - 0 . 25 diopters to spherical power currently present in the autophoropter and send this spherical lens change to the autophoropter ; or b ) then add about + 0 . 25 diopters to spherical power currently present in the autophoropter and send the spherical lens change to autophoropter ; or c ) then add about - 0 . 25 diopters to spherical power currently present in the autophoropter and send the spherical lens change to autophoropter ; and iv ) if response changes from red to green , then end test ; otherwise , v ) if response changes from green to red , add about - 0 . 25 diopter to spherical power currently present in autophoropter and send this spherical lens to autophoropter and end test ; vi ) if response changes from red to same to green , end test ; vii ) if response changes from green to same to red , then add about - 0 . 25 diopter to spherical power currently present in autophoropter , and send this spherical lens to autophoropter and end test ; viii ) if response changes from same to red , add about - 0 . 25 diopters to spherical power present at the start of the test and send this spherical lens change to autophoropter and repeat test from step i ); ix ) if response changes from same to green , add about + 0 . 25 diopters to spherical power present at the start of the test and send this spherical lens change to the autophoropter and repeat test from step i ); x ) if three consecutive responses of either red , green or same are obtained , then display a line of test types with a white background on the display device and send initial and final spherical lens to the autophoropter ; xi ) determine subjects &# 39 ; s preference for clarity between these two lenses as entered from the keyboard or other input device , retain preferred lens in autophoropter , and end test . traditionally one or more of the following 3 tests are used . first meridian of the astigmatism is found by trial and error subjective testing with spherical lenses when subject perceives one of the lines in focus and others blurred . power of the cylinder lens is found by adding cylindrical lenses on axis of first meridian until all lines appear equally sharp . a crossed cylinder is a lens which is the sum of two equally powered cylindrical lenses one concave ( plus ) and one convex ( minus ) whose axes are set at 90 degrees to each other . cylinder power is determined by &# 34 ; flipping &# 34 ; the lens so that the axes are reversed and determining with which setting the target is more clear . this is done in multiple trials until the clearest lens is obtained . cylinder axis is determined separately by placing the crossed cylinder lens axis at 45 degrees to the axis of the current cylindrical lens and flipping the lens . the axis of the current lens is altered 5 degrees in either direction according to the response and the process is repeated until the optimum axis is obtained . the lens is rotated in front of the eye until the clearest image is obtained . spherical lenses are added to obtain maximum clarity . the lens is rotated 90 degrees and lenses again added to obtain maximum clarity . however , none of these cylinders and axis techniques is incorporated in the system of this invention and all are replaced by the novel calculated cylinder and axis procedure described below . in this invention the cylinder and axis of the astigmatism present in the subject eye are calculated simultaneously by placing a cylindrical lens of known power in front of the tested eye and presenting a two spoked astigmatic fan target to the subject . the target is rotated on the display device until there is no difference in clarity between the two spokes . this preformed twice with two different positions of the testing lens and target . the cylinder power and the axis of the lens required to correct the astigmatic error are calculated from the end angles of the target and the power of the testing lenses . i ) determining axis at which to set testing lens from axis of cylinder present in the autophoropter ( for quicker lens changes , axis is close to that of cylinder present in autophoropter ); ii ) using a standard lens addition formula add testing cylinder power ( about + 4 diopters ) and axis obtained from step i ) to sphere cylinder and axis present in autophoropter ( as determined at end of step 3 ); iv ) setting the angle of cylinder and axis test target 90 ° to angle determined in step i ) and displaying on the display device ; v ) obtain subjects responses using a keyboard or other device as to which line appears darker . vi ) determining whether the response is the more clockwise line , if so then rotate target about 3 degrees clockwise , or if the response is the more counter clockwise line , then rotate the target about 3 degrees counter clockwise ; a ) if response is the same as previous response then rotate target about 3 degrees more in same direction ; b ) if nor the same , rotate target one degree in opposite direction . b ) direction of rotating target is reversed a second time , in which case add or subtract about 0 . 5 degree to last angle depending on last direction of rotation . x ) setting new axis for testing lens 45 ° from first axis ( derived from step i ) and repeat steps i ) to ix ) to obtain second final angle , and record on file ; xi ) determine subjects residual astigmatic correction using the first and second final angles obtained in steps ix ) and x ) and the testing lenses spheres cylinders and axes . astigmatic corrections are calculated by modifying the lens addition formula to solve for the unknown values of the subjects residual cylinder and axis . this determination involves lens addition formulas to solve for the two unknowns . the known values for each equation are obtained from each of the two measurements ( performed ) obtained from steps ii , ix ) and x ) xii ) obtain the corrected residual astigmatic correction by applying the minimum cylinder power regression equation to the residual astigmatic correction derived from step xi ). the minimum cylinder power regression equation is derived from regression analysis between calculated cylinder powers and corresponding subjectively tested minimum cylinder powers for a number of subjects ; xiii ) determine the calculated sphere , cylinder , and axis by adding the residual astigmatic correction ( obtained from step xi )) to initial sphere cylinder and axis , using the lens addition formula ; xiv ) determine the regression - corrected - calculated sphere , cylinder , and axis by adding the corrected residual astigmatic correction ( obtained from step xi ) to the initial sphere , cylinder and axis ( obtained in step 3 , end of red - green test ) using the lens addition formula . this information is sent to the autophoropter ; xv ) display a line of test types on the display device such as a computer monitor ; xvi ) determine subjects preference for clarity of test types as entered from a keyboard or other input device to both the initial sphere , cylinder and axis ( obtained in step 3 , end of red - green test ), and to the regression - corrected - calculated sphere , cylinder , and axis ( determined in step xiv )); a ) if the initial sphere , cylinder and axis is preferred , end test ; b ) if the regression - corrected - calculated sphere , cylinder , and axis is preferred then continue to step xvii ). xvii ) repeat step xvi ) using the regression - corrected - calculated sphere , cylinder , and axis ( determined in step xiv ) and the calculated cylinder and axis ( determined in step xiii )). store preferred lens combination in autophoropter and end test . i ) a line of test type is displayed on a monitor or other display device ; ii ) determining minimum effective cylinder power by obtaining subject &# 39 ; s preferences for clarity between about 0 . 25 diopter changes in cylinder power ; and iii ) selecting lower cylinder power when no preference is obtained when end point reached end test . i ) display line of test type on display device and obtain subject &# 39 ; s visual acuity from correct or wrong reading of test types as entered from a keyboard or other input device : a ) if correct . and type size read is larger than 20 / 20 , reduce size of test type by one snellen size b ) if wrong , increase test type by one snellen type size and proceed to step ii ) c ) if correct and type size read is smaller than 20 / 20 , proceed to step ii ). ii ) determine subject &# 39 ; s preference , as entered through a keyboard or other input device , between present ( determined in step 4 , xvi ) or xvii )) lens combination and a modified lens combination comprising the same lens combination with about + 0 . 25 sphere added when sent to autophoropter ; a ) if present lens combination preferred , set present lens combination in autophoropter and proceed to step iii ); b ) if the modified lens combination is preferred , or if there is no preferences , set lens combination with about + 0 . 25 diopter sphere added and repeat step i ); iii ) determine subject &# 39 ; s preference , as entered through a keyboard or other input device , between present ( determined in step ii )) lens combination and a modified lens combination comprising the same lens combination with about - 0 . 25 sphere added when sent to ( auto ) phoropter . a ) if present lens combination preferred or no preference , set present lens combination in autophoropter and proceed to step iv ); b ) if modified lens combination is preferred , set present lens combination with about - 0 . 25 sphere added and repeat step iii ); iv ) if visual acuity is not 20 / 20 , as determined by step i ), reduce type size by one snellen unit and proceed to step v , if visual acuity is 20 / 20 or better , end test ; v ) determines subject &# 39 ; s response to reading test type as correct or wrong , as entered through a keyboard or other input device ; b ) if wrong increase visual acuity by one snellen unit and end test . change autophoropter , cover eye just tested and repeat step 1 to end of step 6 . fig2 a , b , c and d show two standard results produced by the tests of this invention . the output includes : first figure is a logarithmic snellen number . second figure in parenthesis is the closest conventional snellen type size larger than the first figure . the va result is the final visual acuity achieved with this refraction . this is the auto - refractor measurement after having been corrected with the regression equations currently on file . regressing analysis is automatically performed after every 100 eyes are put on file . for the first 100 eyes refracted by the system no corrected a . r . will appear . this is the keratometer measurement if a combined ar / ak instrument is installed . this measurement has no effect on the refraction program . the three groups consist of the test results for sphere , cylinder and axis for each eye . for sphere and cylinder power each vertical column represents a lens power value . powers range over three diopters in quarter diopter increments around the subject &# 39 ; s refraction values . for axis values each column represents a value in a range of 50 degrees in 5 degree increments . d is the final sphere result corrected to allow for the testing distance of the system . solid bars indicate the lens preferred by the subject during the subjective portion of the test . more than one solid bar indicates that the subject could distinguish no difference between the lenses shown . dotted bars indicate the other lenses tested and not preferred by the subject . ggg represents the lens power with which the letters on the green background were seen more clearly . rrr represents the lens power with which the letters on the red background were seen more clearly . dotted bars represent the lens power with which both groups of letters were seen equally clearly . the solid bar represents the regression corrected autorefractor sphere power value . this value is also corrected according to changes in the cylinder power which may have occurred during the cylinder test . the right and left arrows mark the upper and lower values of the 95 % confidence limits of the correlation between objective and subjective refractions . this is the power of the spherical correction calculated by the program in the auto test only ( f8 ). a value to the left ( more minus ) of the other tests on the sphere chart indicates that instrument accommodation on the autorefractor is less likely to have occurred . a value to the right ( more plus ) of the other tests on the sphere chart indicates that instrument accommodation occurred during the autorefractor measurement or that the subject produced a pinhole effect by squinting during the initial acuity test . the solid bar is the final cylinder power value at the completion of the test . solid bars indicate the most plus cylinder lens power with which the subject could not subjectively appreciate a fogging of the test types . i is the cylinder lens power set before the start of the test . the solid bar represents the regression corrected autorefractor cylinder power value . the right and left arrows mark the upper and lower values of the 95 % confidence limits of the correlation between objective and subjective refractions . the solid bar is the final cylinder axis value at the completion of the test . the solid bar represents the regression corrected autorefractor cylinder axis value . the right and left arrows mark the upper and lower values of the 95 % confidence limits of the correlation between objective and subjective refractions . measured during reading of small text test and measured with reading correction set . if done , results are entered from keyboard at conclusion of test . black bars ideally should be vertically aligned in objective , subjective and calculated results . red green line ideally should have no dotted bars and one each rrr and ggg bars and either should be aligned vertically with the black bars of the other sphere results . the c value should be vertically aligned with the objective black bar . if an over - refraction has been performed , the i , c and r should be close together . objective and calculated axes should not be widely separated if cylinder power more minus than - 0 . 50 d . b ) sphere bar chart results sloping from upper left corner to lower right corner . 4 . change from previous prescriptions should be consistent with age and refractive error . the present invention has been described with regard to preferred embodiments . however , it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that a number of variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as described in the following claims . | US-98785197-A |
a barbecue grill which cooks food at a lower and more evenly distributed temperature and which can be effectively used for a large variety of barbecuing and cooking activity , including cooking meat , fish , vegetables , bread and the like . more particularly , a barbecue grill and cooker including a housing , a hood , a source of heat , a grease deflection and collection system which collects the grease and natural juices for later use without burning them and a heat distribution system that includes a tubular enclosure , multiple distribution conduits and which isolates the source of heat from the environment within the cooking area . | the barbecue grill contemplated by this invention generally comprises a conventional housing and hood adapted to facilitate this invention &# 39 ; s unique features , a heat distribution means which encloses and isolates the means to supply heat and distributes the heat therefrom evenly to the food and a means to deflect and collect the grease and natural juice drippings from the food . many of the fastening and connection means and other components utilized in this invention are widely known and used in the field of the invention described , and their exact nature or type is not necessary for an understanding and use of the invention by a person skilled in the art or science , and they will not therefore be discussed in significant detail . the various components shown or described herein for any specific application of this invention can be varied or altered as anticipated by this invention . this invention comprises a unique combination of elements , each element of which can be accomplished by one of several different means or variations for a specific application of this invention . the practice of a specific application of any element may already be widely known or used in the art or by persons skilled in the art or science and each will not therefore be discussed in significant detail . fig1 shows an exploded perspective view of one application of the barbecue grill contemplated by this invention . the barbecue grill includes a housing means 1 which is most preferably made of steel , stainless steel , aluminum or an aluminum alloy . the housing means 1 generally has side walls and a bottom surface comprised of two like and corresponding sides , generally designated by numerals 2a and 2b , and better illustrated in fig2 . fig1 also shows the hood 8 of the barbecue grill , which is generally comprised of four side walls , a top surface and a lifting handle 11 . the bottom of the four side walls of the hood 8 is the same approximate size and configuration as the top of the four side walls of the housing means 1 and is pivotally connected thereto by a hinge means to allow easy access to the cooking area by raising the lifting handle 11 . when the hood 8 is in the down position , as shown in fig2 it generally seals the cooking area from the outside air . the top surface of the hood 8 has a slit opening at its center line and generally along its length . the slit opening allows air to exit the cooking area with the least amount of disturbance to the even heat distribution . in order to prevent the entry of water and other unwanted items through the slit opening in the top surface of the hood 8 , there is a raised lip contained on the hood 8 and a cover 10 for the slit opening in the hood 8 , as shown both in fig1 and in fig2 . it should be noted that this invention contemplates that the air passageway in the hood 8 , previously stated to be a slit , can be accomplished a number of different ways , including through a plurality of circular or other shaped holes in the hood 8 . the two bottom surfaces 2a & amp ; 2b of the housing means 1 are generally of a split bed configuration to allow for clean secondary air entry from outside and below the housing directly to the means to supply heat 12 . each of the two bottom surfaces 2a & amp ; 2b have a raised support lip 6 to facilitate the support of the heat distribution means . it should be noted that the opening in the bottom surface of the housing means 1 as contemplated by this invention is not limited to a split bed configuration , but can be accomplished by other means to receive secondary combustion air from outside the housing means 1 . this may include circular holes along the length of the bottom surface of the housing means 1 which coincide with similarly situated and matching circular holes in the bottom side of the heat distribution enclosure means 7a . the housing means 1 has two openings at one end to facilitate the insertion and removal of two collection trays 4 which serve as the means to collect the grease and natural grease drippings from the food . the two collection trays 4 are simply constructed with side walls and a bottom surface and are the same general length as the interior of the housing means 1 for effective collection of the drippings . the heat distribution means shown in fig1 is comprised of a heat distribution enclosure means 7a and multiple thin walled heat distribution conduits 7b , and generally spans the length of the barbecue grill . the cross sectional shape of the heat distribution enclosure means 7a can be different shapes , such as rectangular , square , circular or elliptical , with the current preferred embodiment being of rectangular shape . the heat distribution means includes multiple thin walled heat distribution conduits 7b on each of the horizontal sides of the heat distribution enclosure means 7a to distribute the heated products of combustion to the sides of the barbecue grill . the cross sectional shape of the heat distribution conduits 7b can be different shapes , such as rectangular , square , circular or elliptical , with the current preferred embodiment being of circular shape . the heat distribution conduits 7b can be welded to the heat distribution enclosure means 7a and are preferably constructed of thin - walled stainless steel . the heat distribution conduits 7b generally emanate perpendicular from the heat distribution enclosure means 7a and in a horizontal plane . the specific direction the heat distribution conduits 7b are pointed can be altered without deviating from this invention , as long as the products of combustion are directed toward and near the side walls of the housing means 1 . the heat distribution enclosure means 7a is supported by the raised support lips 6 of the bottom surface of the housing means 1 . the bottom surface of the heat distribution enclosure means 7a contains multiple openings evenly spaced along its length to allow clean secondary combustion air from outside the barbecue to be induced into the heat distribution enclosure means 7a for use by the burner . it is preferred to have circular - shaped secondary air holes . fig1 shows a total of eight ( 8 ) heat distribution conduits 7b , four ( 4 ) on each side of the heat distribution enclosure means 7a . the specific number of heat distribution conduits 7b can be altered without deviating from this invention or its equivalent and can be increased or decreased to facilitate a longer or shorter barbecue grill . the ends of the heat distribution enclosure means 7a are generally constructed open , with the far end as shown in fig1 being lodged against the end side wall of the housing means 1 and the near end corresponding to the opening in the housing means 1 . the near end of the heat distribution enclosure means 7a is configured to facilitate the removal , insertion and support of the means to supply heat 12 . the housing means 1 also has an opening at one end to facilitate the insertion and removal of a tray containment means 5 in which water , wood chips and / or other items can be placed to be heated to affect the environment in which the food is cooked , and thereby affect the taste of the food . the tray containment means 5 rests on and is supported by the top outer surface of the heat distribution enclosure means 7a , allowing it to conductively receive heat from the heat distribution enclosure means 7a to vaporize added water or to cause the added wood chips to smoke . this tray containment means 5 is simply constructed with side walls and a bottom surface and is the same general length as the interior of the housing means 1 . the insertion and removal of the tray containment means 5 can easily be made during and without disturbing the cooking process . the opening at the near end of the housing means 1 as shown both in fig1 and in fig2 facilitates the insertion and removal of both the tray containment means 5 and the means to supply heat 12 . the means to supply heat 12 shown in the drawings is generally of tubular shape , can readily be purchased in the industry and spans the length of the barbecue grill . the means to supply heat 12 is connected to a conventional propane gas tank ( not shown ) by a convention gas line ( not shown ). it should be noted that means to supply heat other than propane gas can be utilized as contemplated by this invention , such as an electrical resistance heating means or charcoal briquettes . the propane gas means to supply heat 12 and the electrical resistance means to supply heat will take essentially the same form as shown on the drawings . further , the charcoal briquette means to supply heat would merely take the place of the other two options , would be located in the same location and are so well known in the art as a means to supply heat that their further description is not necessary . fig1 also shows a removable grease drip deflection means 13 which is supported above the heat distribution enclosure means 7a and conduits 7b by supports 14 connected to the inside of the side walls of the housing means 1 . the drip deflection means 13 is configured to be suspended directly above and to deflect grease and natural juice drippings away from the heat distribution enclosure means 7a and conduits 7b and into the collection trays 4 . the drip deflection means 13 is sized and positioned such that the drippings will not land on the heat distribution enclosure means 7a or the heat distribution conduits 7b . each component of the drip deflection means 13 is configured to facilitate deflection of the drippings on both sides of each part of the heat distribution housing and conduits , comprising corresponding sloped sides . fig1 shows a drip deflection means 13 with eight ( 8 ) total deflection fins 13a to protect each of the eight ( 8 ) heat distribution conduits 7b . it should be noted that this invention contemplates that the specific shape of the drip deflection means 13 can be altered to such shapes as semi - circles , without deviating from this invention , with the preferred embodiment being shown in the accompanying drawings and described herein . fig1 and fig2 also show interior housing deflectors 15 which skirt the entire interior perimeter of the housing means 1 . the housing deflectors 15 are connected to the interior side walls of the housing means 1 and angle away from the side walls of the housing means 1 . the housing deflectors 15 are configured such that grease and juice drippings along or near the interior perimeter of the housing means 1 will be deflected inward such that the drippings fall into one of the two collection trays 4 . fig2 shows the grill 16 suspended horizontally above the heat distribution enclosure means 7a by supports 17 attached to the interior of the side walls of the housing means 1 . the grill 16 is generally positioned vertically below the vertical level where the top of the housing means 1 and the hood 8 meet . this allows for more clearance under the hood for the cooking of larger food items such as turkeys and reduces the amount and effect of cold air induced in through the slight crack opening between the housing means 1 and the hood 8 . this invention is designed to totally eliminate flaming during cooking . the unusually even distribution of heat over the entire area of the grill 16 and the relatively low cooking temperature facilitated thereby permit the cooking of larger pieces of meat such as ham , turkey , roasts and the like . primary and secondary combustion air only enter the heat distribution enclosure means 7a and does not enter into the cooking area . in other grills in the art , air allowed to enter the cooking area creates cold spots , uneven heat distribution and consequent cooking problems . while the preferred embodiment for the invention has been described in detail , those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for carrying out the invention , as defined by the claims which follow . | US-69992791-A |
a system and method of tracking , assigning and releasing biological fluids . the system and method identifies , assigns and releases biological fluid products from controlled storage based on medical criteria supported by the use of rfid technology . | before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details and construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description , or illustrated in the following drawings . the invention is capable of other embodiments and combinations of hardware , software and electronics which are functionally equivalent within the scope of the claims set forth below . the key elements of this system are tray assemblies used in a storage system which detect and hold radio frequency identification ( rfid ) tagged biological fluid containers and a local fluid management computer system which maintains a real - time database of the local refrigerator inventory and assists in assignment of specific biological fluid units in the inventory to specific patients in response to authorized orders , such as physician transfusion orders . auto - discovery : capability for real - time updating of local refrigerator inventory transactions and requests for automatic replenishment from the central hospital biologic fluid storage , such as a blood bank . display indicator : next to each biological fluid container in each bin is a bin status indicator display to provide positive indications of a unit &# 39 ; s status or selection for removal . only the indicated authorized units can be removed from storage without an alarm . bedside validation : data may optionally be written in the rfid chip of the biological fluid container to provide a seamless validation of the assigned patient to ensure assignment of the correct unit for transfusion into the correct patient . alternatively , data on the allocated biological fluid containers may optionally be communicated to the hospital information network enabling it to drive the bedside validation . resident data : data files containing detailed information about each biologic fluid storage container and its contents is resident on the database associated with the local biological fluid container system containing it . this way the information is always available at time of patient assignment . compatibility : usable with the majority of industry software , such as blood banking software , for banks and hospitals . using mirrored data volumes routine electronic blood type look up may be performed from with software from one or more software vendors . freshness rotation : due to the real - time nature and our ability to keep data directly on the unit , when blood type look up is performed it returns a display of available blood oldest first . a push button on the user interface may be applied to reorder the displayed inventory to freshest first . greater search criteria : search and selection criteria are not limited to just the abo blood group communications : a wide variety of communications protocol , including the use of multiple systems in each data path . retrofitability : the tray assemblies may be easily retrofit into existing blood storage refrigerators . tray assemblies may be battery powered and charged wirelessly via an inductive battery chargers . wireless communications with each tray assembly avoids the need for communication wiring to each tray assembly . the system has one or more tray assemblies each with a plurality of bins to hold biological fluid containers . since many biological fluids required control temperatures , it is assumed that these tray assemblies are mounted in either a refrigerator or warmer as required to maintain proper storage temperature of the biological fluids . for exemplary purposes , an embodiment directed towards biological fluid containers that are blood product containers , typically blood bags , and the tray assemblies are on shelves or in drawers within a biological fluid storage refrigerator such as a hospital storage refrigerator . other configurations , such as platelet bags in a warmer unit are functionally equivalent . fig1 illustrates an example of a tray assembly system 10 which contains a plurality of biologic fluid containers 20 , here dimensioned for use with biological fluid containers 20 provided as standardized blood bags . in this embodiment the tray assembly 10 consists of two major components : a tray base 40 with a tray insert 30 which forms the individual bins used to hold the biologic fluid containers 20 . fig2 illustrates multiple tray assemblies 10 mounted in drawers 110 within a typical biologic fluid storage refrigerator 100 . in this embodiment the biologic fluid storage refrigerator 100 consists of a plurality of drawers 110 into which tray assemblies 10 are mounted . in other typical refrigerator 100 embodiments , the tray assemblies 10 may be set on shelves which may or may not pull out for access . a typical implementation would encompass multiple tray assemblies 10 , one for each pull - out drawer or each fixed or pull - out shelf of the biologic fluid storage refrigerator 100 . the biologic fluid storage refrigerator 100 may have a closable refrigerator door 130 ( best shown in fig8 ). fig3 shows a tray insert 30 , which may be , for example , injection molded , although other methods of fabrication including 3d printing may be utilized which produce a functional equivalent . the tray insert 30 is built with a plurality of lateral separators 220 and a plurality of lineal separators 230 in orthogonal directions to form a plurality of bins 210 . fig4 shows the same tray insert 30 from above . note that the lateral separators 220 have one straight surface and one surface preferably at an angle to the vertical so that the blood bags in each bin will lie flat against the angled surface . in the preferred embodiment , below elevation 270 which is even with the top of drawer 110 as shown in fig2 , the tray assembly 10 sits within drawer 110 , and only the portion of tray assembly 10 is exposed above drawer 110 , as may be seen in fig2 . although not shown , each of the bins 210 has an rfid bin antenna assembly 240 mounted on one wall next to the blood bag , typically on the rear angled bin wall against which the blood bag lies . in this manner a nearly constant distance is maintained between each bin antenna assembly 240 and the rfid tag 330 on the blood bag . to prevent a bin antenna assembly 240 from communicating with the blood bag behind it , a metal shield or ferrite patch may be placed behind the rfid antenna circuits as part of the bin antenna assembly 240 to direct signals only forward to the blood bag with the bin in which it is in contact . although not shown explicitly in these drawings , the separators 220 and 230 may be hollow to permit bin antenna assembly wiring and bin status indicator display wiring ( or alternatively , fiber - optic light pipes ) to be connected to each bin 210 from the hollow circuitry area 250 behind the rear lateral separator . an example of operator visual feedback appears as status indicator display 260 in both fig3 and fig4 . the circuitry area 250 contains the rfid antenna multiplexers and rfid reader boards ; the tray controller , and in the preferred embodiment wireless communications to a master antenna located inside the refrigerator rather than wired communications . any wireless connection technique including but not limited to wi - fi , bluetooth or zigbee may be employed . the tray controller utilizes this wired or wireless connection for two - way communications either directly or over a local area network to the fluid management computer 500 . fig5 shows a typical 13 . 56 mhz ( hf ) rfid tag 330 mounted on a blood product container 310 . the preferred embodiment utilizes standard iso 15693 or iso 18000 - 3 mode 1 rfid tags operating at 13 . 56 mhz on the blood bag as part of the itrace ™ rfid system for blood product identification . the itrace ™ system was developed at the bloodcenter of wisconsin and approved for use in the united states under an fda 510 ( k ). in itrace , an rfid tag is used to augment the barcode labeling by storing the same key data structures in the tag which are on placed the bag during final labeling in the form of , for example , international society for blood transfusion isbt 128 barcodes . in an fda - approved itrace rfid tagging system , an isbt 128 donation identification number ( din ) barcode label 320 is typically taken from a pre - printed label set 310 and placed in the upper left - hand corner of the base label 340 on blood bag 310 . an rfid label is typically placed above it on the blood bag , and typically the din barcode label is then read and it &# 39 ; s din written into the rfid tag . during final labeling , the key blood bag information is encoded both in the rfid tag and on barcodes on the blood bag label using , for example , isbt 128 data formats , including at least four pieces of information typically utilized to ensure safe transfusion : 1 ) the donation identification number ( din ), 2 ) the abo / rh blood group , 3 ) the isbt 128 product code and 4 ) the isbt 128 expiration date ( which optionally may include a time of day ) of the blood product . other types of bar codes , rfid tags and rfid tag data encoding formats alternately may be used , depending , for example , upon the government regulatory restrictions in the country of use . fig6 shows a block diagram of the electronics and data processing system utilized within and attached to each tray assembly . each bin 210 corresponding to tray insert 30 on the tray assembly 10 is comprises a specific bin status indicator display 260 and a specific bin antenna assembly 240 . a plurality of bin antenna assemblies 210 may be connected using antenna connections 410 to one or more optional antenna multiplexer 430 which is connected using reader - multiplexer connection 420 to an rfid reader ( s ) 440 . alternatively , a bin antenna assembly 240 may be connected directly to its own rfid reader 440 . each rfid reader 440 is connected by a reader - controller connection 470 to the tray controller 460 . the tray controller 460 is also connected via bin status display connections 450 to the bin status indicator displays 260 . in its simplest form , bin status indicator display 260 comprises a number of colored indicators whose selection and interpretation may be applied , for example , as described below . alternate forms of bin status indicator displays 260 including graphical , icon or text displays are equivalent embodiments . tray controller 460 is bidirectionally connected to fluid management computer 500 utilizing one or more communications technologies 480 including a direct wired connection ; a peer - to - peer wireless connection technology which includes but is not limited to bluetooth or zigbee as examples ; or a wireless or wired local area network . wireless communication between the tray controllers and the fluid management computer system may be enabled through use of repeater antennas mounted inside the refrigerator which are externally connected to the antenna of an external wired or wireless communications system . the fluid management computer 500 and its operator interface 530 and optional barcode reader 540 , are typically located near the biologic fluid storage refrigerator 100 . the fluid management computer 500 may be standalone or optionally connected to an information system 520 , such as a hospital communications network , over a communications path 510 which is typically a wired or wireless local area network . fig7 is a rear view of tray insert 30 . the contents of hollow circuitry area 250 are show below elevation 270 , comprising electronics 610 connected to a rechargeable battery system which comprises rechargeable battery 630 and charging control electronics 640 . electronics 610 , which may be a single package or a series of components distributed throughout tray insert 30 , comprises tray controller 460 , rfid reader ( s ) 440 and antenna multiplexer ( s ) 430 , and their antenna connections 410 to the bin rfid antennas 240 , reader - multiplexer connections 420 between the antenna multiplexers ( s ) 430 and rfid reader ( s ) 440 , reader - controller connection ( s ) 470 , and bin status display connections 450 to the bin status indicators 260 . electronics 610 may be directly powered through a direct wired connection to an external power source . in the preferred embodiment , a wireless power connection to the tray assemblies 10 is enabled when each tray assembly 10 is battery powered using rechargeable battery system comprising rechargeable battery 630 and charging control electronics 640 . the charging control electronics 640 is connected to at least one tray induction coil 650 , which typically mounts on the tray insert 30 above elevation 270 , above the lip of drawer 100 . when the drawer 110 is closed , a refrigerator induction coil or a plurality of coils 710 as shown in fig8 mounted on the interior refrigerator wall 700 of biological fluid storage may be closely aligned with the tray induction coil or coils 650 of the tray assembly 10 in said drawer 110 , for inductive power coupling between the tray assembly 10 and the refrigerator wall 700 . to maximize rf power transfer , it is preferred that both refrigerator induction coils 710 and tray inductions coil 650 are both resonant at the rf excitation frequency of the induction power exciter 720 . power is transferred from induction power exciter 720 through refrigerator induction coils 710 to tray induction coils 650 and there through to the charging control electronics 640 to enable recharging of the rechargeable battery 630 in tray assemblies 10 . this allows wireless electrical powering of the battery - operated tray assemblies 10 . the system operation will now be discussed . biological fluid containers 20 ( here blood bags 310 ) with encoded rfid tags 330 may be placed into any available bin 210 in a tray assembly 10 in the biologic fluid refrigerator 100 . when blood does not come to the hospital from the blood processing center with preinstalled and / or pre - encoded rfid tags 330 , the system described herein has the capability at the operator interface 530 of the fluid management computer 500 for an operator to place an rfid tag 330 directly on the blood bag 310 , read the blood bag isbt 128 barcodes on the blood bag using barcode reader 540 and encode an rfid tag 330 on the blood bag 310 . rfid tag data format may be according to standardized systems such as that used in itrace ™ in the blood processing centers . when the refrigerator 120 door of the biologic storage refrigerator 100 is shut , such may be sensed by the fluid management computer 500 using door sensor 550 , and preset business rules may be executed and / or evaluated . for example , a cycle may be initiated to scan all bins 210 of all tray assemblies 10 in the biologic storage refrigerator 100 to determine any changes made to the biologic storage refrigerator 100 contents . empty bins 210 may be identified , and information from the rfid tags 330 of all populated bins 210 automatically read and entered into an inventory database on the fluid management computer 500 to reflect the current fluid storage refrigerator 100 contents . any outdated blood units 310 may be identified on the operator interface 530 for removal by the operator . further , when a patient transfusion order is received at the fluid management computer operator interface 530 , it may be entered either as an electronic record transmitted directly by the hospital information network or by the operator manually and / or locally scanned from paperwork . optionally , if for this transfusion request , specific cross matching beyond abo / rh is required , messages may be exchanged with the hospital information network to determine if the specific blood bags in that local biologic storage refrigerator 100 inventory have an acceptable cross - match . one or more blood bags 310 of the matching blood type may be found in the biologic storage refrigerator 100 inventory . default blood selection by expiration data is the oldest unit of that type ; however , in special situations such as transplant surgery or dire medical conditions the freshest unit of that type may be alternatively selected . when a unit of the matching blood type cannot be found , and when permitted by the prescribing physician , compatible units may be suggested for operator selection . for example , ab - blood type is very rare ; compatible types a −, b − or o − may be available and when permitted are displayed for operator selection . an error message may be generated at the operator interface 530 when sufficient blood of the correct type is not available in the biologic fluid storage refrigerator 100 . a message may also be optionally sent to the hospital information network to request immediate delivery of the needed blood type from the hospital or an external blood bank . the operator final selection and blood bag assignment process and transfusion order may each be recorded as a database transaction . the operator interface 530 tells the operator in which refrigerator drawer to look in for the assigned blood bag 310 . the bin status indicator display 260 for each bin 210 will be set to red except for the bin 210 containing the assigned blood bag , which is indicated in green . the rfid system is now activated . the operator takes the assigned blood bag from that bin 210 , and the rfid system verifies that the assigned bin 210 is now empty . an alarm may sound , for example , if blood has been taken from the wrong bin 210 or additional unassigned products are removed . the blood inventory database with its now - attached transfusion and selection data record is now updated . an optional request may also be communicated to the hospital blood bank for replenishment of the refrigerator , especially for critical emergency use blood types such as type o rh negative . to enable a check at the patient bedside of a 3 - way match of the patient id number , transfusion order number and key blood bag isbt 128 data of the assigned units , one of two optional methods may now be employed . the first optional method consists of writing specific patient - related and / or transfusion order information to the rfid tag on said selected blood product container ( s ) for offline bedside verification . the second method requires that the fluid management computer send the complete blood unit assignment transaction record for the assigned bags to enable hospital information system - driven bedside verification . many modifications to and other embodiments of the invention set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain , once having the benefit of the teachings in the foregoing descriptions and associated drawings . therefore it is understood that the inventions are not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed , and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be include within the scope of the appended claims . although specific terms are employed herein , they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purpose of limitation . | US-201514919370-A |
a blood flow dynamic analysis apparatus for determining a baseline indicative of a signal strength prior to an arrival of a contrast agent to a predetermined region of a subject , based on mr signals collected in time series from the predetermined region of the subject with the contrast agent injected therein , includes a time detection unit for detecting a time of data minimal in signal strength , of a first data sequence in which data of signal strengths of the mr signals are arranged in time series , a data fetch unit for fetching a second data sequence which appears prior to the time detected by the time detection unit , from within the first data sequence , a data detection unit for detecting centrally - located data from within a third data sequence obtained by sorting the second data sequence in the order of magnitudes of the signals strengths , a data extraction unit for extracting data from the third data sequence , based on the centrally - located data , and a baseline determination unit for determining the baseline , based on the data extracted by the data extraction unit . | fig1 is a schematic diagram of a magnetic resonance imaging system 1 according to one embodiment of the invention . the magnetic resonance imaging system ( hereinafter called mri ( magnetic resonance imaging ) system ) 1 has a coil assembly 2 , a table 3 , a reception coil 4 , a contrast agent injection device 5 , a control device 6 and an input device 7 . the coil assembly 2 has a bore 21 that accommodates a subject 8 therein , a superconducting coil 22 , a gradient coil 23 and a transmission coil 24 . the superconducting coil 22 applies a static magnetic field b 0 , the gradient coil 23 applies a gradient pulse and the transmission coil 24 transmits an rf pulse . the table 3 has a cradle 31 . the cradle 31 is configured so as to move in a z direction and a − z direction . with the movement of the cradle 31 in the z direction , the subject 8 is carried in the bore 21 . with the movement of the cradle 31 in the − z direction , the subject 8 carried in the bore 21 is carried out from the bore 21 . the contrast agent injection device 5 injects a contrast agent into the subject 8 . the reception coil 4 is attached to the head 8 a of the subject 8 . an mr ( magnetic resonance ) signal received by the reception coil 4 is transmitted to the control device 6 . the control device 6 has coil control unit 61 through arrival time determination unit 69 . the coil control unit 61 controls the transmission coil 24 and the gradient coil 23 in such a manner that a pulse sequence for imaging the subject 8 is executed in response to an imaging command of the subject 8 , which has been inputted from the input device 7 by an operator 9 . the signal strength profile generation unit 62 generates a signal strength profile ga of a data sequence ds 1 ( refer to fig5 a and 5b ). the time detection unit 63 detects a time t 24 at data d 24 minimal in signal strength s , of the data sequence ds 1 ( refer to fig5 b ). the data fetch unit 64 fetches a data sequence ds 2 ( refer to fig6 ) from within the data sequence ds 1 ( refer to fig5 b ) arranged in time series . the sort unit 65 rearranges or sorts the data sequence ds 2 in the order of magnitude of each signal strength . the data detection unit 66 detects data d 24 minimal in signal strength from within a data sequence ds 3 arranged in the order of magnitude of the signal strength . further , the data detection unit 66 also detects data located in the center of the data sequence ds 3 arranged in the order of magnitude of the signal strength from within the data sequence ds 3 . the data extraction unit 67 has a data tentative extraction part 671 , a confidence interval determination part 672 and a data extraction part 673 . the data tentative extraction part 671 tentatively extracts data from within the data sequence ds 3 arranged in the order of magnitude of the signal strength , based on the data detected by the data detection unit 66 . the confidence interval determination part 672 determines a confidence interval ci at which data fitted to determine a baseline bl exist with respect to a set dset 1 of the data tentatively extracted by the data tentative extraction part 671 ( refer to fig9 ). the data extraction part 673 extracts a set dset 2 of data contained in the confidence interval ci from within the set dset 1 of the tentatively extracted data ( refer to fig9 ). the baseline determination unit 68 has a labeling part 681 , a data determination part 682 and a baseline determination part 683 . the labeling part 681 labels data corresponding to the data ( refer fig9 ) extracted from the confidence interval ci of the data sequence ds 3 , of the data ( refer to fig6 ) contained in the data sequence ds 2 arranged in time series . the data determination part 682 determines data used to determine the baseline bl , based on the data labeled by the labeling part 681 . the baseline determination part 683 determines the baseline bl , based on the data determined by the data determination part 682 . the arrival time determination unit 69 determines an arrival time at , based on the data labeled by the labeling part 681 . the input device 7 inputs various commands to the control device 6 in accordance with the operation of the operator 9 . fig2 is a diagram showing a processing flow of the magnetic resonance imaging system 1 . at step s 1 , contrast - enhanced or contrasting imaging is performed on the head 8 a of the subject 8 . the operator manipulates the input device 7 to set slices to the subject 8 . fig3 is one example illustrative of slices set to the subject 8 . n sheets of slices s 1 through sn are set to the subject 8 . the number of slices is , for example , n = 12 . the number of the slices can be set to an arbitrary number of sheets as needed . an imaging area of the head 8 a of the subject 8 is determined for each of the slices s 1 through sn . after the slices s 1 through sn have been set , the operator 9 transmits a contrast agent injection command to the contrast agent injection device 5 and transmits a command for imaging or obtaining the subject 8 to the coil control unit 61 of the mri system ( refer to fig1 ). the coil control unit 61 controls the transmission coil 24 and the gradient coil 23 in such a manner that a pulse sequence for imaging the head 8 a of the subject 8 in response to the corresponding imaging command . in the present embodiment , a pulse sequence for obtaining m sheets of continuously - captured frame images from their corresponding slices is executed by a multi - slice scan . thus , the m sheets of frame images are obtained per slice . for example , the number of frame images m = 85 . with the execution of the pulse sequence , data are collected from the head 8 a of the subject 8 . fig4 a , 4 b , and 4 c are conceptual diagrams showing frame images obtained from their corresponding slices s 1 through sn . fig4 a is a schematic diagram showing that the n sheets of slices s 1 through sn set to the head 8 a of the subject 8 are arranged in time series in accordance with the order of collection thereof , fig4 b is a schematic diagram showing the manner in which the frame images of fig4 a are classified for each of the slices s 1 through sn , and fig4 c is a schematic diagram showing frame images collected or acquired from the slice sk , respectively . frame images [ s 1 , t 11 ] through [ sn , tnm ] are acquired from the slices s 1 through sn ( refer to fig3 ) set to the head 8 a of the subject 8 ( refer to fig4 a ). in fig4 a , the left character of [,] indicative of each frame image represents a slice at which each frame image is acquired , and the right character thereof represents the time at which each frame image is acquired . fig4 b shows the manner in which the frames images shown in fig4 a are classified for each of the slices s 1 through sn . fig4 b shows by arrows , to which frame images of the frame images [ s 1 , t 11 ] through [ sn , tnm ] arranged in time series in fig4 a the frame images [ sk , tk 1 ] through [ sk , tkm ] of the slice sk of the slices s 1 through sn correspond respectively . the section of the slice sk and the m sheets of frame images [ sk , tk 1 ] through [ sk , tkm ] acquired from the slice sk are shown in fig4 c . the section of the slice sk is divided into α × β regions r 1 , r 2 , . . . rz . the frame images [ sk , tk 1 ] through [ sk , tkm ] have α × β pixels p 1 , p 2 , . . . pz respectively . the pixels p 1 , p 2 , . . . pz of the frame images [ sk , tk 1 ] through [ sk , tkm ] are equivalent to those obtained by imaging or obtaining the regions r 1 , r 2 , . . . rz of the slice sk at times tk 1 through tkm ( time intervals δt ). incidentally , while only the frame images obtained at the slice sk are shown in fig4 c , m sheets of frame images are acquired even at other slices in a manner similar to the slice sk . after the execution of step s 1 , the processing flow proceeds to step s 2 . at step s 2 , the signal strength profile generation unit 62 ( refer to fig1 ) generates a profile of a data sequence ds 1 ( refer to fig5 a and 5b ). a description will hereinafter be made of how the signal strength profile generation unit 62 generates the profile of the data sequence ds 1 , with reference to fig5 a and 5b . fig5 a and 5b are diagrams showing changes in signal strength with time in a sectional area of the slice sk set to the head 8 a of the subject 8 . the section of the slice sk of the subject 8 and the frame images [ sk , tk 1 ] through [ sk , tkm ] of the slice sk are shown in fig5 a ( refer to fig4 c ). a schematic diagram of a signal strength profile ga indicative of changes in signal strength with time at a region ra of the slice sk is shown in fig5 b . the horizontal axis indicates the time t at which each of the frame images [ sk , tk 1 ] through [ sk , tkm ] is acquired from the slice sk . the vertical axis indicates the signal strength s at each of pixels pa of the frame images [ sk , tk 1 ] through [ sk , tkm ]. each of the pixels pa of the frame images [ sk , tk 1 ] through [ sk , tkm ] is equivalent to one obtained by capturing or imaging the region ra of the slice sk at each of the times tk 1 through tkm . the signal strength profile ga shows a data sequence ds 1 in which data d 1 through dm are arranged on a time - series basis . the data d 1 through dm respectively indicate the signal strengths s at the pixels pa of the frame images [ sk , tk 1 ] through [ sk , tkm ]. for example , the data d 1 indicates the signal strength s at the pixel pa of the frame image [ sk , tk 1 ], and the data dg indicates the signal strength s at the pixel pa of the frame image [ sk , tkg ]. while the signal strength profile ga at the region ra of the slice sk has been shown in fig5 b , signal strength profiles ga are generated or formed even at other regions in the slice sk . further , signal strength profiles ga are generated similarly even at respective regions related to other slices other than the slice sk . in the present embodiment , a baseline bl ( refer to fig1 ) to be described later is determined from the data sequence ds 1 of the signal strength profile ga . the baseline bl is of a line indicative of a signal strength s prior to the arrival of a contrast agent to the corresponding region ra of the slice sk . the baseline bl is a parameter necessary to calculate a change δr 2 * in transverse relaxation velocity or rate of each spin , and the like at the time that the contrast agent has passed through the region ra of the slice sk . the baseline bl is set to any position of a range a in which the signal strength s increases and decreases repeatedly in the first half of the signal strength profile ga . since , however , the optimal position of the baseline bl varies every signal strength profile ga , it is necessary to determine the optimal position of the baseline bl every signal strength profile ga . thus , in the present embodiment , steps s 3 through s 11 are executed in such a manner that the baseline bl can be set to the optimal position . steps s 3 through s 11 will be explained below . at step s 3 , the time detection unit 63 ( refer to fig1 ) detects a time t 24 at data d 24 minimal in signal strength s , of the data sequence ds 1 of the signal strength profile ga ( refer to fig5 b ). after the time t 24 has been detected , the processing flow proceeds to step s 4 . at step s 4 , the data fetch unit 64 ( refer to fig1 ) fetches such a data sequence ds 2 ( including the data d 24 at the time t 24 detected by the time detection unit 63 and data d 1 through d 23 prior to the time t 24 ) as shown in fig6 from within the data sequence ds 1 arranged in time series . fig6 is a diagram showing the data sequence ds 2 fetched from within the data sequence ds 1 . the data sequence ds 2 contains the data d 1 through d 24 . in fig6 , only the data d 1 and d 24 are designated by reference symbols . reference symbols for other data d 2 through d 23 are omitted . after the data d 1 through d 24 have been fetched , the processing flow proceeds to step s 5 . at step s 5 , the sort unit 65 ( refer to fig1 ) sorts the fetched data sequence ds 2 ( data d 1 through d 24 ) in the order of magnitude of the signal strength . fig7 is a diagram showing the sorted data d 1 through d 24 . the horizontal axis of a graph indicates the positions of the sorted data d 1 through d 24 , and the vertical axis thereof indicates the signal strength s . with the sorting of the data sequence ds 2 ( data d 1 through d 24 ) in the order of magnitude of the signal strength , a data sequence ds 3 arranged in the order of magnitude of the signal strength is obtained . after the data d 1 through d 24 have been sorted in the order of magnitude of the signal strength s , the processing flow proceeds to step s 6 . at step s 6 , the data detection unit 66 ( refer to fig1 ) detects the data d 24 minimal in signal strength s from within the data sequence ds 3 arranged in the order of magnitude of the signal strength . further , the data detection unit 66 detects data located in the center of the data sequence ds 3 arranged in the order of magnitude of the signal strength from within the data sequence ds 3 . in the present embodiment , however , the number of data contained in the data sequence ds 3 is 24 , i . e ., an even number . thus , the position of the center of the data sequence ds 3 becomes a position e between twelfth data d 9 as counted from the side small in signal strength s and twelfth data d 5 as counted from the side large in signal strength s . however , no data exists in the position e . therefore , in the present embodiment , the data d 9 adjacent to the side small in signal strength s is detected as the data located in the center with respect to the position e . however , the data d 5 adjacent to the side large in signal strength s may be detected as the data located in the center . incidentally , when the number of data is an odd number , data located in the middle thereof is detected as the data located in the center . the data detection unit 66 detects the data d 24 and d 9 in the above - described manner . after the data d 24 and d 9 have been detected , the processing flow proceeds to step s 7 . at step s 7 , the data tentative extraction part 671 ( refer to fig1 ) tentatively extracts data likely to be usable for determining a baseline bl from within the data sequence ds 3 arranged in the order of magnitude of the signal strength , based on the detected data d 24 and d 9 . in order to tentatively extract data , the data tentative extraction part 671 first determines a lower limit value lc 1 and an upper limit value uc 1 of a signal strength s defined as the reference for tentatively extracting the data . the lower limit value lc 1 and the upper limit value uc 1 are calculated from the following equations : where sm 1 is a signal strength of data d 9 located in the center , slow is a signal strength of data d 24 , and k 1 and k 2 are constants . thus , the lower limit value lc 1 and the upper limit value uc 1 are calculated from the equations ( 1 ) and ( 2 ). fig8 is a diagram showing the positions of the lower limit value lc 1 and the upper limit value uc 1 . after the lower limit value lc 1 and the upper limit value uc 1 have been calculated , a set dset 1 of data ( data d 6 , d 17 , d 3 , d 4 , d 19 , d 9 , d 5 , d 18 , d 12 , d 13 and d 15 ) located between the lower limit value lc 1 and the upper limit value uc 1 is tentatively extracted . incidentally , the lower limit value lc 1 and the upper limit value uc 1 depend on the constants k 1 and k 2 along with 5 ml and slow ( refer to the equations ( 1 ) and ( 2 )). the smaller the constants k 1 and k 2 , the narrower the interval between the lower limit value lc 1 and the upper limit value uc 1 . on the other hand , the larger the constants k 1 and k 2 , the wider the interval between the lower limit value lc 1 and the upper limit value uc 1 . since the number of tentatively extracted data becomes small when the interval between the lower limit value lc 1 and the upper limit value uc 1 becomes too narrow , there is a need to wide the interval between the lower limit value lc 1 and the upper limit value uc 1 to some extent in such a manner that a certain number of data can be tentatively extracted . since , however , the number of the tentatively extracted data increases when the interval between the lower limit value lc 1 and the upper limit value uc 1 becomes excessively wide , the ratio of the number of data unfitted to determine the baseline bl to the number of the tentatively extracted data also increases . it is thus necessary to set the constants k 1 and k 2 in such a way that the interval between the lower limit value lc 1 and the upper limit value uc 1 becomes a proper value . in the present embodiment , the constants are set to k 1 = k 2 = 0 . 1 . however , the values of k 1 and k 2 may be set to values other than 0 . 1 according to imaging conditions . in the present embodiment , a set dset 1 of data is tentatively extracted . all data contained in the set dset 1 of the tentatively extracted data are also usable as data for determining the baseline bl . there is however a possibility that data undesirable to be used as the data for determining the baseline bl will be contained in the set dset 1 of the data depending on deviations in signal strength between the data contained in the set dset 1 of the tentatively extracted data . thus , in the present embodiment , the corresponding data used to determine the baseline bl is extracted from within the set dset 1 of the tentatively extracted data . therefore , the processing flow proceeds to step s 8 . at step s 8 , the confidence interval determination part 672 ( refer to fig1 ) determines a confidence interval ci at which the corresponding data fitted to determine the baseline bl is likely to exist with respect to the set dset 1 of the tentatively extracted data . the confidence interval ci is determined according to a lower limit value lc 2 and an upper limit value uc 2 of a signal strength s . the lower limit value lc 2 and the upper limit value uc 2 are calculated from , for example , the following equations : where sm 2 is an average value of signal strengths of all data contained in set dset 1 of tentatively extracted data , std is a standard deviation , and k 3 and k 4 are constants . thus , the lower limit value lc 2 and the upper limit value uc 2 are calculated from the equations ( 3 ) and ( 4 ). fig9 is a diagram showing the confidence interval ci . the lower limit value lc 2 and the upper limit value uc 2 of the confidence interval ci are located between the lower limit value lc 1 and the upper limit value uc 1 used when the data is tentatively extracted . as a result , it is understood that data d 6 is omitted from the confidence section ci and low in reliability as the data used to determine the baseline bl . a set dset 2 of data ( data d 17 , d 3 , d 4 , d 19 , d 8 , d 9 , d 5 , d 18 , d 12 , d 13 and d 15 ) is contained in the confidence interval ci . incidentally , the lower limit value lc 2 and the upper limit value uc 2 depend on the constants k 3 and k 4 along with sm 2 and std ( refer to the equations ( 3 ) and ( 4 )). while the values of the constants k 3 and k 4 take various values according to imaging conditions or the like , the constants are set to k 3 = k 4 = 3 in the present embodiment . however , the values of the constants k 3 and k 4 may be set to values other than 3 according to the imaging conditions or the like . after the confidence interval ci has been determined , the processing flow proceeds to step s 9 . at step s 9 , the data extraction part 673 ( refer to fig1 ) extracts the set dset 2 of the data ( data d 17 , d 3 , d 4 , d 19 , d 8 , d 9 , d 5 , d 18 , d 12 , d 13 and d 15 ) contained in the confidence interval ci from within the set dset 1 of the tentatively extracted data . after the extraction of the data set dset 2 , the processing flow proceeds to step s 10 . at step s 10 , the labeling part 681 ( refer to fig1 ) labels data corresponding to the data extracted from the confidence interval ci of the data sequence ds 3 , of the data ( refer to fig6 ) contained in the data sequence ds 2 arranged on a time series basis . fig1 is a diagram for showing labeled data of the data sequence ds 2 arranged in time series . in fig1 , the labeled data ( d 3 , d 4 , d 5 , d 8 , d 9 , d 12 , d 13 , d 15 , d 17 , d 18 and d 19 ) are shown with being surrounded by white circles . it is understood that when fig1 and 9 are compared , the data contained in the set dset 2 of the data shown in fig9 are labeled in fig1 . it is understood that referring to fig1 , the labeled data ( d 3 , d 4 , d 5 , d 8 , d 9 , d 12 , d 13 , d 15 , d 17 , d 18 and d 19 ) appear in a range a in which an increase / decrease in signal strength is repeated . it is thus understood that the labeled data are data fitted to determine the baseline bl . after the data have been labeled , the processing flow proceeds to step s 9 . at step s 11 , the data determination part 682 ( refer to fig1 ) determines data used to determine the baseline bl , based on the labeled data . referring to fig1 , unlabeled data ( d 2 , d 6 , d 7 , d 10 , d 11 , d 14 and d 16 ) also exist in the range a in which the increase / decrease in signal strength is repeated , in addition to the labeled data . however , the unlabeled data ( d 6 , d 7 , d 10 , d 11 , d 14 and d 16 ) other than the data d 2 are interposed between the labeled data . in such a case , even the unlabeled data (( d 6 , d 7 , d 10 , d 11 , d 14 and d 16 ) are considered to be data fitted to determine the baseline bl . therefore , the data determination part 682 determines both the labeled data ( d 3 , d 4 , d 5 , d 8 , d 9 , d 12 , d 13 , d 15 , d 17 , d 18 and d 19 ) and the unlabeled data ( d 6 , d 7 , d 10 , d 11 , d 14 and d 16 ) as the data used to determine the baseline bl . thus , the data determination part 682 determines the data d 3 through d 19 as the data used to determine the baseline bl . thereafter , the processing flow proceeds to step s 12 . at step s 12 , the baseline determination part 683 ( refer to fig1 ) calculates an average value of signal strengths s of the data d 3 through d 19 determined by the data determination part 682 and determines the calculated average value as a baseline bl . the arrival time determination unit 69 ( refer to fig1 ) determines a time at ( arrival time ) at which the contrast agent has reached the region ra of the slice sk , based on the labeled data ( d 3 , d 4 , d 5 , d 8 , d 9 , d 12 , d 13 , d 15 , d 17 , d 18 and d 19 )). fig1 is a diagram sowing a baseline bl and an arrival time at . in fig1 , reference symbols are omitted for data lying within a range a except for data d 19 . it is understood that referring to fig1 , the baseline bl is set within the range a in which an increase / decrease in signal strength s is repeated . a time t 19 of the data d 19 that appears finally on a time - series basis , of labeled data ( d 3 , d 4 , d 5 , d 8 , d 9 , d 12 , d 13 , d 15 , d 17 , d 18 and d 19 ) is determined as the arrival time at . it is understood that the signal strength s decreases suddenly from immediately after the data d 19 , and the time of the data d 19 is proper as the arrival time at . the procedure for determining the baseline bl and the arrival time at at the region ra ( refer to fig5 a ) of the slice sk has been explained up to now . however , baselines bl and arrival times at at regions of other slices other than the slice sk are also determined by an approach similar to above . in the present embodiment , the data sequence ds 2 ( refer to fig6 ) including the data d 24 minimal in signal strength and the data d 1 through d 23 that appear prior to the data d 24 is fetched from within the data sequence ds 1 ( refer to fig5 b ) arranged in time series . the data sequence ds 2 is sorted in the order of magnitude of the signal strength . thereafter , the data d 9 located in the center is detected from within the data d 1 through d 24 sorted in the order of magnitude of the signal strength . there is a tendency that when they are sorted in the order of magnitude of the signal strength , the data usable for determination of the baseline bl concentrate on the neighborhood of the center of the sorted data ( refer to fig9 ). thus , the accuracy of the calculated value of the baseline bl can be enhanced even though the sn ratio of an mr signal is large , by determining the data d 3 through d 19 used to determine the baseline bl finally , based on the data d 9 located in the center . incidentally , in the present embodiment , the set dset 2 of the data contained in the confidence interval ci is extracted from the set dset 1 of the tentatively extracted data . the data d 3 through d 19 used to determine the baseline bl are determined based on the data set dset 2 . however , the data used to determine the baseline bl may be determined based on the set dset 1 of the tentatively extracted data . in the present embodiment , the data d 1 through d 24 are fetched as the data sequence ds 2 . however , the data d 1 through d 23 of the data d 1 through d 24 may be fetched out as the data sequence ds 2 without fetching the data 24 minimal in signal strength s . although the time t 19 of the data d 19 is determined as the arrival time at in the present embodiment , the arrival time at can also be determined by another method . a description will hereinafter be made of a method for determining the arrival time at by means of another method . fig1 a and 12b are diagrams showing one example of another method for determining the arrival time at . as shown in fig1 a , data d 19 through d 24 are first connected by straight lines and a line l 1 for connecting the data d 19 through d 24 is defined . next , as shown in fig1 b , the line l 1 is fitted using a predetermined function ( gamma function or polynomial expression ). with this fitting , the line l 1 changes to a line l 1 ′. a time t 19 ′ of a position corresponding to the data d 19 is calculated from the line l 1 ′. the time t 19 ′ calculated in this way may be determined as the arrival time at . many widely different embodiments of the invention may be configured without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention . it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described in the specification , except as defined in the appended claims . | US-62524609-A |
a collapsible bag or container includes first and second major pockets separated by a connecting web into which a metal frame is removably inserted . loops and handles project through the web for attachment of a carrier strap or manual handle . | referring to the figures , the collapsible portable tool carrier of the invention is comprised of two basic component parts : a wire frame , such as depicted in fig3 and a fabric bag having first and second separate pockets 10 and 12 and a connecting web 14 between the pockets 10 , 12 as depicted in fig4 . the following description of a first embodiment will be directed to the wire frame to be followed by a description of the fabric bag . the wire frame includes a straight bottom run 16 having first and second spaced ends 18 and 20 . a first frame side 22 extends upwardly from the end 18 . a second parallel , spaced frame side 24 extends upwardly from the end 20 . the frame sides 22 and 24 are connected by a top run 26 . the top run 26 includes a first end loop 28 and a second , spaced end loop 30 at the junction , respectively , of the top run 26 and the side frame run 22 and the top run 26 and the side frame run 24 . a middle handle section 32 in the form of a loop is defined in the top run 26 . the loops 28 , 30 , as well as the handle section 32 are generally aligned along a line 31 which is spaced from and parallel to the bottom run 16 . an optional rectangular frame 34 is affixed to the bottom run 16 transversely thereto and connected by screws or fasteners 36 and 38 . referring next to fig1 and 4 , there is depicted in greater detail the construction of the fabric bag or carrier . the fabric bag may be constructed from a material such as canvas or the like . the bag includes a first pocket 10 and a separate second pocket 12 separated and connected by a connecting web 14 . the connecting web 14 defines a middle axis 40 . in a preferred embodiment of the invention , the axis 40 is an axis of symmetry of the pockets 10 and 12 . the bag assembly thus has the form of a saddle bag . the web 14 includes a first notch 42 on one side thereof and a second notch 44 on the opposite side thereof . an intermediate opening 46 is defined on the axis 40 between the notches 42 and 44 . each pocket 10 , 12 may include a series of pouches or subpockets , such as subpockets 48 and 50 for holding various tools . web 14 further includes a strap 52 attached thereto extending from opening 46 with a connector 54 which may be attached to a strap and connector 56 attached to the outside of pocket 12 to hold the tools and the pocket 12 in a supported condition . the pocket 10 has a similar symmetric construction through the arrangement and configuration of ancillary pockets or pouches may be varied . it will be noted by referring to fig1 that the web 14 is folded over the top run 26 of the frame with the handle 32 projecting through the opening 46 and the loops 28 and 30 projecting through the notches 44 and 42 , respectively . a carrying strap 62 with attachment clips or latches 64 and 66 may then be attached to the loops 28 and 30 for support of the bag . next referring to fig5 and 7 there is depicted an alternative embodiment of the invention . in this embodiment , a bottom 70 of the bag is formed from a generally rigid material such as molded rubber or plastic material . the configuration of the bag may thus be controlled or adjusted by means of the shape of the bottom 70 . for example , the profile of the bottom 70 may be that of a kidney shape so that the bag may easily be carried by a worker or tradesman on his or her hip . that is , a kidney shaped bag will have a concave side which will easily fit against the hip of a worker for transport of the bag . the bottom 70 may include peripheral , upstanding side flange 72 around the circumference of the bottom 70 . circumferential side wall 74 is attached to the flange 72 and extends upwardly to define the interior or enclosure of the bag . the side wall 74 is comprised of a flexible material such as canvas fabric or a vinyl material . of course , pockets may be formed up of both the inside and outside of the peripheral or circumferential side wall 74 . positioned within the interior of the enclosure defined by the side wall 74 is a central or midpanel or web 76 which substantially divides the collapsible bag into equal sized , major pockets within the enclosure defined by the side wall 74 . the midpanel or web 76 includes a first edge 78 which is preferably attached to the side wall 74 on the inside thereof . optionally , the web 76 includes a bottom edge 80 which is attached to a rigid planar insert 82 attachable to the inside surface of bottom 70 . the insert 82 may be lifted or detached from the bottom 70 . the web 76 includes a first sheet or panel 84 and a separate sheet or panel 86 , a fastener 88 , such as a velcro fastener , is provided along the lower edge 80 for coaction with a fastener 90 to enclose the tubular enclosure defined by the separate sheets or panels 84 and 86 . the separate sheets 84 and 86 each include a second or inside edge or side 90 and 92 , respectively . the edges 90 and 92 may be joined or attached to a midplane web extension 94 . the tubular enclosure defined by the panels 84 and 86 further includes a top edge 96 having cut out openings 98 , 100 therein . the cut out opening 100 is substantially at the midpoint of the distance between the sides of the enclosure wall or panel 74 . the panel web extension 94 comprises a tubular member , or in other words compatible side sheets or panels to web 76 and a zipper fastener 102 along an edge thereof cooperative with the zipper fastener 90 , 92 of the midpanel web 76 . the web extension 94 further includes a top edge 104 with an open passageway or opening 106 . a frame 108 having a construction similar to the frame depicted in fig3 is provided to fit within the tube enclosure defined by the panels 84 and 86 and the web extension 94 . thus the zipper connection 90 , 92 , 102 is first disconnected . the frame 108 is then inserted in the tube of web 76 and extension 94 and fitted in the manner depicted in fig6 so that the end loop 28 , 30 as well as the handle 32 are fitted through the appropriate openings 98 , 100 , and 106 . the zipper connection 90 , 92 , 102 is closed thereby encompassing the frame 108 . the insert or base 82 may then be fastened to bottom 70 . a carry strap 112 may be attached to the loops 28 , 30 . a pocket retention strap 114 fixed to the web 84 includes a fastener 116 connectible with a fastener 118 attached to the side panel 74 . this is a strap construction similar to the first embodiment previously described . both the first and second embodiments may thus be easily assembled or disassembled . for the second embodiment of fig5 and 6 , removal of the frame 108 by detaching or unfastening the zipper 90 , 92 , 102 and removing the fasteners 88 , 90 will permit the removal of the frame 108 . in this manner , the entire assembly and more particularly the peripheral side wall 74 may be folded with the midpanel or connecting web 76 into a flat condition and placed in a packing box for display . thus the assembly provides a rigid shaped tool carrier bag when assembled yet on the other hand may be disassembled for ease of packaging , storage , etc . as depicted in the figures , the collapsible fabric bag may include pockets of various size and description for holding various types of tools . subpockets or pouches may be positioned on the outside of the collapsible bag or inside the bag . thus , while there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention , it is to be understood that the invention is to be limited only by the following claims and equivalents thereof . | US-83890801-A |
a new and distinct white - flowered pyracantha plant is provided that is a spontaneous whole plant mutation of the ‘ cadrou ’ cultivar . the new cultivar readily forms white flowers and red berries and can be readily distinguished from the ‘ cadrou ’ cultivar by presence of attractive variegated leaves . a broad - bushy to flat - bushy growth habit with robustness and abundant branching commonly is displayed . good resistance to scab and fire blight is provided to the grower . during observations to date less fructification than the ‘ cadrou ’ cultivar has been noted . | the following description is based on the observation of three year - old plants of the new cultivar while growing outdoors at west grove , pa ., u . s . a . the blooms were observed on jun . 19 , 2003 . other characteristics were observed on jun . 12 , 2003 . the plants had been asexually reproduced by the rooting of cuttings . color designations are with reference to the r . h . s . colour chart of the royal horticultural society london , england . when employed common color terms are to be accorded their customary dictionary significance . origin : a spontaneous mutation of unknown causation of the ‘ cadrou ’ cultivar ( non - patented in the united states ). plant : habit .— young plants commonly are broad - bushy to flat - bushy . however , when tied to a stake the plant will assume an upright growth habit . size .— commonly rounded , and approximately 80 cm in height and diameter with the size being influenced by the climatic conditions that are experienced . color .— young stems : when exposed to the sun , the tip of current season growth commonly is from near greyed - purple group 183a to near greyed - orange group 176b and 176c . at the base where shaded , the presence of purple pigment diminishes and approaches greyed - orange group 176b and 176c to predominantly yellow - green group 146c and 147c in the direction of the tip . the most mature portions of the current season stems are near greyed - purple group 187a when exposed to the sun and near yellow - green group 146c when shaded . — adult stems : predominantly greyed - green group 197a and 197b commonly with some greyed - green group 191a . texture .— densely covered with fine silvery pubescence . size .— approximately 14 . 5 cm in length on average , and approximately 3 mm in diameter on average . internode length .— approximately 6 mm on average . general appearance .— numerous , sharply pointed , approximately 1 . 5 to 2 . 5 cm in length , approximately 1 to 2 mm in width at the base , and near brown group 200b in coloration . leaf general appearance .— nicely variegated with slight glossiness . leaf length .— commonly approximately 12 to 41 . 25 mm . leaf width .— commonly approximately 4 to 12 . 75 mm . leaf bearing .— alternate and simple . leaf shape .— variable , narrowly elliptic to oblanceolate to obovate , occasionally spatulate , and rarely laceolate . leaf base .— attenuate to narrowly cuneate . leaf apex .— broadly acute to obtuse . leaf margin .— closely crenulate serrulate . leaf texture .— glabrescens , and becoming glabrous with a few scattered hairs commonly remaining on mature leaves . leaf color .— new foliage : — upper surface : at the center in admixture near green group 138a , 138b , and 138c , and at the margin in an irregular pattern near yellow - green group 145b and near yellow group 4c . — under surface : at the center near greyed - green group 191b , and at the margin in an irregular pattern near yellow - green group 145c and near yellow group 4c . — mature foliage : — upper surface : at the center in admixture near green group 137c and 138a and small amounts of near green group 139d , and at the margin in an irregular pattern near yellow - green group 145a , 145b , 145c , and 154d . — under surface : at the center near greyed - green group 191b , and at the margin in an irregular pattern near yellow - green group 145c . stipules .— very small , commonly present in pairs , and commonly approximately 1 to 1 . 5 mm in length . the minute size precludes further characterization when viewed in the absence of magnification . petioles .— commonly approximately 2 . 5 to 4 . 5 mm in length , approximately 0 . 4 to 0 . 6 mm in width , with a wide groove on the upper surface , commonly possess a few scattered hairs on the upper surface , substantially glabrous on the under surface , and yellow - green group 145a in coloration on the upper surface , and yellow - green group 145b on the under surface . number .— approximately 1000 flowers per plant during the time of blooming and considerably less than the ‘ cadrou ’ cultivar during observations to date . time of blooming .— commonly mid - to late - spring . duration of blooming .— commonly approximately 10 to 14 days on average . buds .— globose , approximately 3 mm in length , approximately 2 mm in diameter at the widest point , and near yellow - green group 145d in coloration . size .— a fully open inflorescence commonly measures approximately 10 to 11 mm in diameter on average , and approximately 3 mm in depth on average . configuration .— flattened when fully open . petal number .— five . petal arrangement .— radial . overall petal shape .— rounded . petal apex .— obtuse . petal base .— obtuse . petal margin .— entire . petal length .— commonly approximately 3 . 7 mm on average . petal width .— commonly approximately 4 . 5 mm on average . color .— near white group 155d on both surfaces . fragrance .— lightly musty . lastingness of an inflorescence .— approximately 4 to 7 days on the plant depending upon the environmental conditions . sepals .— six in number , minute and too small to measure , and near yellow - green group 145d in coloration on both surfaces . stamens .— approximately 10 on average and attached to the petals . pollen .— present in a moderate quantity . anthers .— near white group 155d in coloration . filaments .— near white group 155d in coloration . pistils .— four per inflorescence on average . berries .— rarely formed , flattened in configuration when rarely present and near red group 46b . the fructification is considerably less than that of the ‘ cadrou ’ parental cultivar during observations to date . the disease resistance of the new cultivar is believed to be comparable to that of the ‘ cadrou ’ parental cultivar . good resistance to scab [ spilocaea pyracanthae ( otth .) rostrup ] and fire blight [ erwinia amylovora ( burr .) winsl . et al .] has been observed . plants of the ‘ cadvar ’ cultivar have well withstood a temperature as low as 3 ° f . during observations to date . accordingly , considerable hardiness can be attributed to the new cultivar . plants of the new ‘ cadvar ’ cultivar have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date . accordingly , it is possible that the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat with changes in light intensity and duration , cultural practices , and other environmental conditions . | US-63659603-V |
an apparatus , a system and a method for connecting a first ornamentation to a second ornamentation are provided . a first end and a second end are connected to a first ornamentation and / or a second ornamentation which may be , for example , a jewel . indentations are formed in the first end and the second end to receive rings which may surround the first end and the second end . the rings may glow in the absence of light . the first end may have an opening for receiving a rod . the second end may be removably connected to the rod . the opening in the first end may be sized to receive the rod to secure the first end to the second end . | the present invention relates to an earring , a system and a method for connecting a first ornamentation to a second ornamentation . more specifically , the present invention relates to an earring , a system and a method for connecting a first ornamentation to a second ornamentation with a rod having a length between a distal end and a proximate end . a first end and / or a second end may be secured and / or may be removably attached to the distal end and / or the proximate end via threads and / or a crevice . an ornamentation may be secured to and / or attached to the first end and / or the second end . the first end and / or the second end may have an exterior surface . depressions may extend from the exterior surface toward the interior of the first end and / or the second end . bands may removably attach and / or connect to the depressions . referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts , fig1 illustrates a side plan view of a first end 5 and a second end 7 in an embodiment of the present invention . the first end 5 may have a length l 1 between a distal end 9 and a proximate end 11 . the second end 7 may have a length l 2 between a front end 13 and a back end 15 . the first length l 1 may be equal in length to the second length l 2 . the first end may have a diameter d 1 , and the second end 7 may have a diameter d 2 . the second diameter d 2 may be equal to the first diameter d 1 . the first end 5 and / or the second end 7 may be constructed from metal , such as , for example , gold , silver , platinum and / or the like . the ends 5 , 7 may be made from a magnetic material , such as , for example , a metal alloy . for example , the first end 5 may be polarized with a positive charge , and the second end 7 may be polarized with a negative charge . in such an embodiment , the first end 5 and the second end 7 may connect and / or may removably attach via magnetic attraction . alternatively , the first end 5 and / or the second end 7 may be made from a non - metallic material , such as , for example , plastic , glass , ceramic and / or the like . the first end 5 and / or the second end 7 may be solid throughout the diameters d 1 , d 2 . a first ornamentation 17 and a second ornamentation 19 may be secured to the first end 5 and / or the second end 7 . the first ornamentation 17 may be secured to and / or may be attached to the distal end 9 of the first end 5 . the second ornamentation 19 may be secured to and / or may be attached to the front end 13 of the second end 7 . the ornamentations 17 , 19 may be gems , precious stones and / or the like . the ornamentations may be jewels , such as , for example , diamonds , gems , rubies and / or the like . alternatively , the ornamentations 17 , 19 may be , for example , pearls , glass , cubic zirconiums and / or the like . in an embodiment , the ornamentations 17 , 19 may be made from a material , such as , for example , plastics , glass , gels , waxes , metal and / or the like which may resemble jewels . the ornamentations 17 , 19 may be transparent and / or translucent . the ornamentations 17 , 19 may be colored , such as , for example , red , blue , yellow , green and / or the like . the present invention should not be deemed as limited to specific embodiments of the ornamentations 17 , 19 . a rod 21 may connect , may secure and / or may removably attach the first end 5 to the second end 7 . the rod 21 may have a length l 3 between a top end 23 and a bottom end 25 . the length l 3 may be greater in length than the length l 1 and / or the length l 2 . the rod 21 may extend into the first end 5 and / or the second end 7 . the rod 21 may be a metal , such as , for example , gold , steel , silver , bronze , copper and / or the like . the rod 21 may be ceramic , plastic , glass and / or the like . a band 27 may be connected to , may be secured to and / or may be removably attached to the first end 5 and / or the second end 7 . the band 27 may be shaped to encircle the ends 5 , 7 . in an embodiment , the band 27 may be shaped similar to a ring . for example , the ring may be circular with a hollow center . the band 27 may be made from , for example , rubber , plastic , metal , glass and / or the like . the band 27 may have a diameter d 3 which may be greater than the diameter d 1 and / or the diameter d 2 of the ends 5 , 7 . the band 27 may have an elastic characteristic to stretch , to slide and / or to snap onto the ends 5 , 7 . the band 27 may glow , shine and / or sparkle in an absence of light . the band 27 may be colored , such as , for example , blue , green , red , yellow and / or the like . the band 27 may be positioned and / or located in a recession 30 of the first end 5 and / or the second end 7 , as illustrated in fig3 . however , the band 27 may be removable from the first end 5 and / or the second end 7 . for example , the band 27 may slide , may be pushed and / or may be pulled from the first end 5 and / or the second end 7 . fig2 and fig3 illustrate side views of an end 30 in embodiments of the present invention . a recession 30 may extend from an exterior surface 37 toward a center plane 39 of the end 30 . the recession 33 may have a diameter d 4 which may be less than the diameter d 1 and / or the diameter d 2 , as illustrated in fig1 . the recession 33 may be , for example , an indentation , a depression , a crevice , a channel and / or the like . the recession 33 may have a width w between a first wall 39 and a second wall 41 . the recession 33 may be shaped to receive and / or to secure the band 27 . for example , the band 27 may abut the walls 39 , 41 to be prevented from sliding and / or moving toward the front end 13 and / or the back end 15 of the end 50 . as illustrated in fig2 and fig3 , a rod 50 may be secured to and / or removably attached to the end 30 . threads 51 may be connected to and / or integrally formed with the rod 50 , as shown in fig2 . the threads 51 may be , for example , screw threads which may secure and / or may removably attach the rod 50 to the ends 5 , 7 . fig3 illustrates the rod 50 having an insert 52 which may be inserted and / or may be secured to the end 30 and / or the ends 5 , 7 . the insert 52 may be sized to insert into a hole of a body part of a user ( not shown ), such as , for example , an ear , a belly button , a nose , a lip and / or the like . for example , the insert 52 may be positioned and / or pushed through the hole of the user and secured to the end 5 . the insert 52 have a diameter d 5 which may be smaller than a diameter d 6 of the rod 50 . the insert 52 may be , for example , a shaft having a small diameter than the rod 50 for inserting into the ends 5 , 7 . the rod 50 may be cut and / or may be sized to a smaller diameter to form the insert 52 . the wall 55 of the rod 50 may prevent and / or may stop the rod 50 from inserting further into the ends 5 , 7 . the wall 55 may contact the body part of the user and / or the ends 5 , 7 to indicate that the insert 52 is completely inserted into the ends 5 , 7 and / or the body part of the user . fig4 illustrates a top plan view of the back end 15 and / or the proximate end 11 . an opening 60 may extend into the first end 5 , the second end 7 and / or the end 50 . the insert 52 and / or the threads 51 may secure and / or removably attach to the end 50 via the opening 60 . the threads 51 and / or the insert 52 may be pushed , screwed and / or positioned in the opening 60 . the opening 60 may be a hole , a channel , a crevice and / or the like . the opening 60 may have a diameter d 7 which may be equal to the diameter d 5 . the diameter d 7 may be less than the diameter d 6 to prevent the rod 50 from inserting into the opening 60 . the ring 27 may surround and / or may encircle the back end 15 and / or the proximate end 11 . the ring 27 may have a diameter d 8 which may be equal in length to the width w of the indentation 33 . alternatively , the diameter d 8 may be greater than the width w so the ring 27 extends beyond the exterior surface 37 of the end 30 . fig5 illustrates a cross - sectional view of a second end 7 in an embodiment of the present invention . the second end 7 may have a peripheral wall 91 . an ornamentation 19 may be attached and / or secured to the second end 7 . a band 95 may be connected to and / or removably attached to the second end 7 . the band 95 may abut the peripheral wall 91 . an opening 60 may extend into the second end 7 . the opening 60 may abut the peripheral wall 91 . the opening 60 may have threads 97 which may secure and / or may removable attach to the threads 51 . the insert 52 may be secured to and / or removably attached to the opening 60 . in use , the first end 5 having the rod 50 may be inserted and / or positioned into an opening in an ear , a nose , a tongue and / or the like . the second end 7 may be secured to and / or removably attached to the rod 50 . the first end 5 and the second end 7 may be secured to the ear , the nose , the tongue and / or the like . the first ornamentation 17 and the second ornamentation 19 may be positioned and / or located on a front side and / or a back side of , for example , an ear . the first end 5 may be connected and / or may be removably attached to the second end 7 via the rod 50 . the recession 33 may be integrally formed with and / or secured to the first end 5 and / or the second end 7 . the recession 33 may house and / or may secure the band 27 to the first end 5 and / or the second end 7 . the first ornamentation 17 and / or the ornamentation 19 may be secured to and / or connected to the first end 5 and / or the second end 7 . the rod 50 may screw and / or may push into the first end 5 and / or the second end 7 . it should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art . such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages . it is , therefore , intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims . | US-34719106-A |
a jewelry piece has a setting including a pivoted spring element having first and second elongated resiliently bendable segments extending over an article receiving opening in the jewelry piece , a seat urged against the undersurface of the article by resilient bending deflection of the spring element when the second segment is positioned beneath a catch , to urge the article against a stop to position the article in the opening . | in the following detailed description , certain specific terminology will be employed for the sake of clarity and a particular embodiment described in accordance with the requirements of 35 usc 112 , but it is to be understood that the same is not intended to be limiting and should not be so construed inasmuch as the invention is capable of taking many forms and variations within the scope of the appended claims . referring to the drawings , fig1 shows a setting for reliably securing a decorative article in a jewelry piece , shown here as a ring 10 . an annular bezel stop surface 12 defined by a portion of the jewelry piece 10 surrounds an opening 14 sized to receive the upper portion of a decorative article such as a faceted gemstone 16 ( fig3 ) so as to partially protrude through the opening . the seat 12 engages the girdle of the article to locate the same in a partially protruding position . other seat configurations , such as prongs ( fig1 ) could also be used . a pivoted spring element 18 has a pivot connection 20 here comprised of a disc 22 having a hole 24 ( fig4 ) receiving a pin 26 which passes through a clevis 28 fixed on the jewelry piece portion adjacent one side of the opening 14 . a first elongate segment 30 is attached to and extends radially away from the pivot connection 20 and has an annular seat 32 fixed to its outer free end . a second longer elongate segment 34 also is affixed to and extends radially away from the pivot connection 20 in the same general direction , as the first elongate segment 30 but angled up therefrom when both are swung over the opening 14 to extend across the same . the second elongate segment 34 is long enough to extend to the other side of the opening 14 . a catch 32 is affixed to the jewelry piece portion opposite the pivot connection 20 , comprised of an inturned blade able to capture the free end of the second segment 34 when positioned below the catch . the segments 30 , 34 are constructed of a resiliently deflectable material such as a suitable spring metal here shaped as thin square rods . when an article is placed in the opening 14 , the second segment is pushed down to engage the under surface of the article . in the case of the faceted gemstone 16 fig3 ), the culet 36 is received in the hole 38 of the seat 32 to be securely engaged . the spring element 18 is configured such that resilient bending of segments 30 , 34 occurs as the second segment 34 is depressed sufficiently to be passed beneath the catch 20 , generating a spring force securely positioning the gemstone or other decorative article in position against the stop surface or surfaces 12 . fig5 and 6 show the setting used in a pendant 36 , with a metal ball 38 encrusted with small gems used as the decorative article , protruding from an annular case 40 adapted to be hung from a chain attached to a metal loop 42 . in this embodiment , the spring element 18 a comprises a wire form with a loop in the first segment 30 a ( fig8 ) forming the seat 32 a . an intermediate partial loop 24 a receives a pin 26 a and connects the segments 30 a , 34 a to create the pivotal connection 20 a . fig7 shows another form of pendant 44 of a keyhole shape , also using the wire form type pivoted spring element 18 a . in this embodiment a cross pin 26 a passes across a slot 46 in the lower section 48 of the pendant case . the upper section 50 has openings allowing a chain to be strung . a tab 52 acts as a catch for the free end of the second segment 34 a . fig9 - 11 show engagement of the seat 32 a with a cabochon cut stone 16 a ( fig9 ), a pearl 16 b ( fig1 ), and a faceted gemstone 16 ( fig1 ). fig1 shows another form of spring element 18 b having segments 30 b , 34 b in which a series of upwardly projecting prongs 54 are arranged about the perimeter of the seat 32 b . a decorative article can be received within the prongs 54 to center the same . fig1 and 14 show an advantageous low cost method for manufacturing the spring element 18 . a flat spring element perform 18 ′ is cut from a sheet of a suitable spring metal 56 . the seat 32 ′ is then twisted sufficiently to be permanently positioned to lie orthogonally with respect to the pivot connection 20 , thus completing the spring element 18 . fig1 shows another embodiment of the setting in which a pair of double wireforms 64 a , 64 b form a spring element 56 which has a pivoted connections 58 at one end and extends straight across the back of a jewelry piece 60 to a catch 62 . the other ends 70 of the other wireform segments 74 a , 74 b are connected together and are positionable beneath the catch 62 . an arcuate bend 66 a , 66 b formed in each wireform segments 64 a , 64 b at the same location along the length each forming half of a roughly circular seat at an intermediate point along the length of the spring element 56 . with a decorative article ( not shown ) in or against the seat 68 , each end segment 74 a , 74 b of the spring element 56 is deflected when the ends 70 are moved beneath the catch 62 . this creates a spring force urging the article against a bezel 72 or other stop surface of the jewelry piece 60 . thus , a simple but reliable setting has been provided which insures secure retention of valuable gems , pearls , etc . while allowing a quick and convenient replacement thereof . | US-19863602-A |
a boot suitable for use in association with various sports related gliding devices having a stirrup embedded in the sole of the boot containing a pair of opposed arms for removably supporting a pin therebetween . | as already stated , the invention relates to boots for gliding sports , especially cross - country skiing . as is known , a cross - country ski boot is composed mainly of an upper and of a sole ( 1 ) in which the arrangements inherent to the invention are more particularly located . as is known , cross - country ski boots have a recess ( 2 ) in the front part of the sole , around the mid plane and which has an opening towards the front and towards the underside of the sole . the lateral walls ( 3 , 4 ) of this recess ( 2 ) consist of two more or less vertical portions forming the bearing surfaces for a transverse pin ( 5 ). the novel feature of the invention lies in the way in which the pin is attached to the sole ( 1 ). in contrast to all existing boots , the boot in accordance with the invention has a pin which is secured to the sole after the sole has been moulded . for this , in its front part , the sole has an embedded piece ( 6 ) which constitutes the anchoring points for the pin ( 5 ). in the embodiment illustrated in fig1 to 6 , the embedded piece ( 6 ) is in the form of a u - shaped stirrup piece . the base ( 7 ) of this stirrup piece ( 6 ) constitutes a transverse bar which is embedded within the sole , at the first toe phalanx . the length of this bar ( 7 ) slightly exceeds the width of the recess ( 2 ). the legs ( 8 , 9 ) of the stirrup piece ( 6 ) point forwards , and are directed slightly downwards to prevent the leg ( 7 ) of the stirrup piece ( 6 ) from passing through the central groove in the sole . the ends ( 11 , 12 ) of the legs ( 8 , 9 ) are intended to accommodate the transverse pin ( 5 ). for this , these ends have holes ( 13 , 14 ) pierced transversely and opposite one another . in the alternative form illustrated in fig4 the end of the pin has a tapped hole ( 16 ) into which the threaded shank ( 19 ) of the bolt ( 18 ) is screwed . of course , it would not be departing from the scope of the invention if any method that allowed effective attachment were used to attach the pin ( 5 ), i . e . for example , a tapping in one of the holes ( 13 , 14 ) into which the threaded end of the pin ( 5 ) could be screwed . in the alternative form illustrated in fig1 , the pin ( 60 ) consists of a hollow body ( 61 ) inside which two coaxial pegs ( 62 , 63 ) can slide . a return member ( not depicted ) of the coil spring type keeps these pegs ( 62 , 63 ) in the deployed position , and opposes their retraction into the body ( 61 ). the pin ( 60 ) is fitted between the extensions ( 22 , 23 ) of the embedded piece ( 20 ) by pushing the pegs ( 62 , 63 ) into the body ( 61 ) stressing the return member ( not depicted ). then , once this pin ( 60 ) is precisely positioned between the holes ( 13 , 14 ) in the piece ( 20 ), the pegs ( 62 , 63 ) are released and become housed in the holes ( 13 , 14 ). in another embodiment illustrated in fig1 , the pin ( 5 ) is secured to hollow tubes ( 65 , 66 ) so that it forms a stirrup piece ( 64 ). this stirrup piece ( 64 ) can be pushed onto the extensions ( 11 , 12 ) of the embedded metal piece . this stirrup piece ( 64 ) is secured by means of pins ( 67 ) inserted into the holes ( 68 and 69 ) in the tube ( 66 ) and in the extension ( 12 ) of the piece embedded within the sole , respectively . to optimize the anchorage of this stirrup piece , the legs ( 8 , 9 ) have a discontinuity which means that their ends ( 11 , 12 ) are offset slightly downwards so that the bar ( 7 ) is embedded as deeply as possible within the sole , to avoid it from passing through the central rib . furthermore , these ends ( 11 , 12 ) are not as thick as the central bar ( 7 ) because they are machined to have flat surfaces , particularly to allow them to be positioned in the mould . during the moulding of the sole ( 1 ), the stirrup piece ( 6 ) is positioned in such a way that the bearing surfaces ( 3 , 4 ) are moulded around the ends ( 11 , 12 ) of the stirrup piece . it is held within the sole during moulding by any means known in the field of moulding , such as centring stakes for example . after moulding , all that is required is for the walls ( 3 , 4 ) to be pierced at the holes ( 13 , 14 ) in order to obtain the passage for the pin ( 5 ). the stirrup piece could also be moulded by fitting the said holes ( 13 , 14 ) with removable pieces to avoid subsequent piercing . in an alternative form , the opposing internal faces of the legs ( 11 , 12 ) may be tangential to the mould insert which then acts as a centring device . as can be seen , the sole of a boot in accordance with the invention can be distinguished fundamentally from all existing boots by the fact that the sole is moulded without any metal pieces forming a bridge , which makes this moulding operation far easier by dispensing with undercuts . in an embodiment shown in fig8 the embedded piece ( 20 ) comes from bending a metal sheet into three portions ( 21 , 22 , 23 ). the central portion ( 21 ) is intended to be embedded in the material of the front of the sole . it has holes ( 25 ) allowing the plastic to spread out during moulding . the large area of a portion ( 21 ) of this kind allows effective anchorage . this portion ( 21 ) has bent lateral extensions ( 22 ) and ( 23 ), the front ends ( 26 ) and ( 27 ) of which are offset slightly downwards and have holes ( 13 ) and ( 14 ) for attaching the pin ( 5 ). as can be seen in fig9 the portions ( 30 , 31 ) of the walls ( 3 , 4 ) are advantageously mounted extractably on the ends ( 11 , 12 ) of the stirrup piece ( 6 ). this region of the boot is the part where the most wear takes place because it is at the lower front edge of the sole . it therefore rubs directly on the binding and forms one of the regions which is most exposed when walking . these extractable portions ( 30 , 31 ) have longitudinal drillings ( 33 , 34 ) allowing them to be pushed onto the ends ( 11 , 12 ) of the stirrup piece ( 6 ). these portions ( 30 , 31 ) also have a transverse drilling ( 32 ) allowing the passage of the pin ( 5 ) which will catch on the ends ( 11 , 12 ) of the stirrup piece and thus attach the wearing pieces ( 30 , 31 ). of course it would not be departing from the scope of the invention if these wearing pieces were given any advantageous shape that could be secured to the visible portions of the stirrup piece ( 6 ). in particular , these wearing pieces could form one single portion . of course , the anchoring points mentioned hereinabove can also be used for attaching some other piece to the sole ( 1 ). as is known , in the field of cross - country skiing , there are two major standards that define the structure and design of the underside of the sole . in a first standard , generally denoted &# 34 ; nnn &# 34 ;, the sole ( 1 ) has two longitudinal parallel grooves placed symmetrically about the mid - plane of the boot . in another standard , denoted &# 34 ; sns &# 34 ;, the sole has a single , wider , groove arranged along the longitudinal axis . this or these groove ( s ) are intended to interact with corresponding rails situated on the ski or on the bindings . by adding a small - sized piece , a common boot can be adapted to suit one of these two standards . as shown in fig1 , 11 , 12 , this common boot has a wide groove ( 40 ) situated along the longitudinal axis of the sole ( 1 ). the dimensions of this wide groove ( 40 ) are sufficient to accommodate a strip ( 41 ) which has two thinner parts ( 43 ) and a central rib ( 42 ). when this strip ( 41 ) is inserted inside the wide groove ( 40 ), the lateral slopes of this groove define , with the flat portions ( 43 ) and the rib ( 42 ), two grooves ( 47 ) which are placed symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the boot . thanks to wings ( 48 ) with holes ( 49 ) in , this strip ( 41 ) can be slipped at the front into the ends ( 11 , 12 ) of the stirrup piece ( 6 ) for attaching the pin ( 5 ). the strip has means ( not depicted ) allowing it to be attached to the rear end of the sole . the profile thus obtained corresponds to the one described earlier for the &# 34 ; nnn &# 34 ; standard ( see fig1 ). the profile depicted in fig1 has a strip ( 50 ) which along its longitudinal axis has a central groove ( 52 ) to the dimensions laid down in the &# 34 ; sns &# 34 ; standard . as before , inserting this strip makes it possible to form on the underside of the sole a groove which has the dimensions laid down in said standard ( see fig1 ). the operation of mounting an additional rib as described hereinabove can easily be substituted , in a way which is obvious to a person skilled in the art , by the attachment on the underside of the sole of a plate which , on its underside , has an ice - skating blade or a line of rollers . as already stated , the arrangements in accordance with the invention may prove advantageous when producing soles for snowboarding shoes in which , as illustrated in fig1 , there is a recess ( 70 ) at the instep between the heel region ( 71 ) and the front part ( 72 ) of the sole . thus , in this housing ( 70 ) more or less at the middle , there are two bearing surfaces ( 73 , 74 ) between which the pin ( 75 ) for interacting with the binding ( not depicted ) is located . in accordance with the invention , the sole accommodates an embedded piece ( 76 ) drawn in dotted line . this piece ( 76 ), illustrated in fig1 , consists of a bent plate , of which the central part ( 79 ), which is advantageously perforated , is parallel to the horizontal plane of the sole and of which the end parts ( 77 , 78 ) form the extensions extending into the bearing surfaces ( 73 , 74 ). these extensions ( 77 , 78 ) have pierced holes ( 80 , 81 ) intended to accommodate , removably , and according to the various alternative attachment forms described hereinabove , the pin ( 75 ) that interacts with the binding . in this instance , for fitting the pin in the recess , it may prove advantageous to use a pin with retractable ends , like the one illustrated in fig1 . as already stated , the invention can also be used for manufacturing boots intended for skating . thus , as illustrated in fig1 ; the boot ( 90 ) at the front has an embedded piece ( not depicted ) intended to accommodate the transverse pin ( 95 ). this pin ( 95 ) allows the plate ( 92 ) supporting the rollers to be attached temporarily . it emerges from the foregoing that cross - country ski boots , skating boots or snowboarding boots in accordance with the invention have a main advantage which lies in the fact that the boot can be moulded without a visible pin , and this considerably simplifies the moulding equipment , avoiding devices with slides , and that advantageously allows the sole to be produced directly on the upper . the characteristic use of this embedded piece creates robust anchoring points , and this allows special adaptor pieces or wearing pieces to be pushed on . | US-95222497-A |
to enhance an effect for keeping warm and prevent oxidation deterioration of coffee , serving delicious coffee , and to save energy , suppressing generation of carbon dioxide . a coffee machine 100 for spraying hot water over powder of coffee beans to extract coffee , in which a coffee machine body 10 includes a nitrogen gas generation unit 30 for generating nitrogen gas , and a nitrogen gas supplying part 31 for supplying the nitrogen gas generated by the nitrogen gas generation unit 30 into a pot 60 , and the pot 60 included a pot body 61 made of heat insulating material , a cover part 62 for sealing up the pot body 61 and a heater 72 provided in at least one of the pot body 61 and the cover part 62 , for heating at least the pot body 61 . | fig1 schematically shows a configuration of a coffee machine according to an embodiment of the present invention . a coffee machine 100 includes a coffee machine body 10 and a pot 60 . the coffee machine body 10 takes in tap water from a tap water intake 11 , and filters the tap water with a water filter 13 after passing through a pressure reducing valve 12 . the water having passed through the filter is introduced into a heating vacuum pot 15 through a water supply solenoid valve 14 . the heating vacuum pot 15 includes a level switch 16 for detecting a water level , a heater 17 for heating the water , and a temperature sensor 18 for detecting a water temperature . as described above , the coffee machine body 10 includes the heating vacuum pot 15 , so that the temperature of the hot water does not easily lower . as the result , frequency for reheating the hot water can be decreased , saving energy and suppressing generation of carbon dioxide . further , in the bottom portion of the heating vacuum pot 15 , a hot water outlet part 20 is provided that is connected to an outlet 19 for taking out the hot water . the hot water outlet part 20 has a pump 21 provided therein and can take out the hot water in the heating vacuum pot 15 . in the way of the hot water outlet part 20 , a check valve 22 for preventing the hot water from going back is provided . in a tip end of the hot water outlet part 20 , a shower part 24 is provided and adapted to spray the hot water entirely on coffee powder contained in a coffee dripper 23 . also , in the coffee machine body 10 , a nitrogen gas generation unit 30 for generating nitrogen gas is provided . the nitrogen gas generated by the nitrogen gas generation unit 30 is supplied to the pot 60 by a nitrogen gas supplying part 31 through a pressure reducing valve 32 , a throttle valve 33 and a solenoid valve 34 . in addition , in the coffee machine body 10 , a heater may be provided to heat the nitrogen gas generated by the nitrogen gas generation unit 30 . the pot 60 includes a pot body 61 having a vacuum structure , and a cover part 62 for sealing up the pot body 61 . in the cover part 62 , a coffee introductory part 63 for introducing drip coffee into the pot body 61 , and a valve 63 a for preventing the coffee coming in through the coffee introductory part 63 from going back are provided . further , in the cover part 62 , a nitrogen gas introductory part 64 for introducing the nitrogen gas into the pot body 61 is provided . in the nitrogen gas introductory part 64 , a valve 64 a is provided to prevent the nitrogen gas from going back . further , in the cover part 62 , a nitrogen gas discharging part 66 is provided to discharge surplus nitrogen gas in the pot body 61 . in the nitrogen gas discharging part 66 , a valve 66 a is provided that opens when exceeding a certain pressure , and the nitrogen gas is discharged outside when a pressure of the nitrogen gas in the pot body 61 exceeds a certain value . as described above , the nitrogen gas is supplied into the pot , and accordingly the coffee in the pot is not allowed to contact the air . in the pot 60 , a nitrogen gas heater 67 is provided to heat the nitrogen gas that flows in the nitrogen gas supplying part 31 . the nitrogen gas heater 67 may be provided in the coffee machine body 10 . as described above , the nitrogen gas heater 67 can sufficiently heat the nitrogen gas generated by the nitrogen gas generation unit 30 . in the bottom portion of the pot body 61 , an outlet port 68 is provided to discharge the coffee stored . the outlet port 68 is connected to a coffee derivation part 70 having a pump 69 . when the coffee is taken out from the pot body 61 , activating the pump 69 discharges the coffee outside through the outlet port 68 and the coffee derivation part 70 . in a tip end of the coffee derivation part 70 , a valve 70 a is provided to prevent the coffee from going back . the coffee introductory part 63 in the cover part 62 is connected to a guide tube 71 . the guide tube 71 has its lower end formed in a shape of circular arc or spiral and guides the coffee extracted in the coffee machine body 10 to the bottom surface of the pot body 61 . fig2 shows function of the guide tube 71 . there is a concentration difference of coffee between at the time of starting extraction of the coffee and at the time of finishing the extraction . the coffee at the time of starting the extraction has a high concentration , and the coffee at the time of finishing the extraction has a comparatively low concentration . then , to equalize the concentration of the coffee , it is necessary to stir the coffee , but stirring simply causes the coffee to contact the air . then , in the present embodiment , as shown in fig2 , the lower end of the guide tube 71 is formed in a shape of circular arc ( or spiral ). accordingly , the coffee is allowed to flow in while eddying and swirling in the pot body 61 . the lower end of the guide tube 71 is placed in the vicinity of the bottom surface of the pot body 61 , and a head drop through which the coffee reaches the bottom surface is small , so that the coffee is allowed to avoid quality degradation caused by coffee dropping as is the case with the conventional system shown in fig9 . the coffee is supplied at near the bottom of the pot body 61 , and the uppermost surface of the coffee , as shown in fig2 , smoothly moves upwards . because of the configuration , the area where the coffee in the pot body 61 contacts the air is only the uppermost surface thereof , and accordingly the coffee scarcely mixes with the atmosphere . further , the coffee flows , eddying and swirling in the pot body 61 , and the extracted coffee mixes with the existing coffee , and thereby the concentration of the coffee can become uniform . in fig1 and 2 , details of a neck portion 61 a of the pot body 61 are omitted . fig3 is an enlarged view of the neck portion 61 a of the pot body 61 . a heater 72 is provided on an outer circumferential surface of the neck portion 61 a of the pot body 61 . then , the nitrogen gas introductory part 64 is wound around several times ( three times in fig3 ) on a surface of the heater 72 to form a winding part 64 b . then , a heat insulating material 73 is provided to cover the heater 72 and the winding part 64 b . in addition , the winding part 64 b forms a heat absorbing part . fig4 is an enlarged view of the neck portion 61 a of the pot body 61 and shows thermal conduction in the pot . the pot body 61 has a vacuum structure , and the vacuum structure cuts off thermal conduction between the outside and inside of the pot body 61 . external metal 61 b and internal metal 61 c are joined to each other at the uppermost portion of the pot body 61 to form the vacuum structure of the pot body 61 . the join is performed , for example , by welding . the welding is performed in an extremely accurate manner , and a thickness at a joining point a in fig4 is about 0 . 1 mm . however , because the metal has a high thermal conductivity , thermal conduction is generated at the small joining point a , and heat inside the pot body 61 will escape outside . as described above , the joining portion between the external metal 61 b and internal metal 61 c forms a flow path of heat , which provides a factor for lowering the temperature of the coffee , even if the pot body 61 has the vacuum area . then , in the present embodiment , to prevent the heat of the coffee from escaping through the joining point a , the heater 72 is provided in the neck portion 61 a of the pot body 61 . as shown in fig4 , arrows with slant lines show the thermal conduction in the pot body 61 . the heat of the coffee , as shown by the arrows with slant lines , will escape through the internal metal 61 c of the pot body 61 and the uppermost surface of the coffee . remaining in such a situation , the heat of the coffee will escape from the joining portion a to the external metal 61 b by thermal conduction through the internal metal 61 c of the pot body 61 . however , in the present embodiment , the heater 72 supplies heat as shown by black arrows . accordingly , even if the heat inside the pot body 61 escapes outside due to the thermal conduction at the joining point a , an amount of heat exceeding that of the escaped heat is supplied by the heater , and as the result , a flow path of heat at the joining portion a can be blocked . it is important to create no temperature difference between the external metal 61 b and internal metal 61 c of the pot body 61 in order to block the flow path of heat at the joining portion a . specifically , the temperature of the coffee stored in the pot body 61 is about 80 ° c ., and in the present embodiment , the heater 72 heats at the temperature of about 80 ° c . that is , the heater 72 is not intended to keep the coffee warm or heat it , and the heater 72 is provided to cut off the thermal conduction due to the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the pot body 61 . further , in the present embodiment , the heater 72 provided on the outer circumferential surface of the neck portion 61 a of the pot body 61 heats the nitrogen gas supplied from the nitrogen gas generation unit , and the nitrogen gas then is introduced into the pot body 61 . the temperature of the nitrogen gas to be introduced into the pot body 61 is also set to about 80 ° c . this is also based on eliminating a temperature difference between the nitrogen gas and the coffee to cut off the thermal conduction . when the nitrogen gas having an atmospheric temperature is used as in the conventional art , the heat of the coffee is consumed to warm the nitrogen gas , resulting in a lowered temperature of the coffee . in the present embodiment , making the temperature of the nitrogen gas approximately equal to that of the coffee cuts off the thermal conduction to prevent the temperature of the coffee from lowering . as described above , the heater 72 allows the joining portion a of the pot body 61 and the nitrogen gas to have an approximately same temperature as that of the coffee , which can prevent a decrease in temperature of the coffee due to the thermal conduction . further , the winding part 64 b is composed of the nitrogen gas introductory part 64 , which allows the nitrogen gas to sufficiently absorb heat from the heater 72 . in addition , a mounting location of the heater 72 , in the present embodiment , has been at the neck portion 61 a of the pot body 61 , but not limited to this , the mounting location may be provided in the cover part 62 as long as at least the pot body can be heated . fig5 and 6 are enlarged cross - section views of the cover part 62 of the pot 60 . as shown in fig5 and 6 , the cover part 62 includes : an inflow port 62 a for introducing the coffee ; and an outlet port 62 b for allowing the coffee having flowed in to flow out into the pot body 61 . the outlet port 62 b has the guide tube 71 connected thereto . further , the cover part 62 has a check ball 62 c as a valve plug , the check ball 62 c serving as an on - off valve to close or open the outlet port 62 b . also , the cover part 62 has : a first spring 62 d for applying force toward the outlet port 62 b to the check ball 62 c ; and a second spring 62 e made of shape memory alloy , for applying force toward the inflow port 62 a to the check ball 62 c when heated , and the check ball 62 c , the first spring 62 d and the second spring 62 e constitute an operating device 62 f . in the operating device 62 f , the first spring 62 d , on standby , as shown in fig5 , applies force toward the outlet port 62 b to the check ball 62 c which force is larger than that of the second spring 62 e . accordingly , the check ball 62 c closes the outlet port 62 b , which does not permit undesired air to flow into the pot body 61 and the nitrogen gas filled up in the pot body 61 to flow out . as the result , it is possible to prevent the coffee stored in the pot body 61 from contacting the atmosphere . on the one hand , when the coffee flows in , as shown in fig6 , the second spring 62 e applies force toward the inflow port 62 a to the check ball 62 c which force is larger than that of the first spring 62 d . that is , the second spring 62 e made of shape memory alloy , upon receiving heat from the coffee , contracts to apply force to the check ball 62 c and pulls up it which force is larger than that of the first spring 62 d . accordingly , the check ball 62 c opens the outlet port 62 b , allowing the coffee to flow in the pot body 61 . fig7 and 8 show temperatures measured at multiple places of the pot with time . in fig7 and 8 , “ a ” shows a temperature change at the shower part 24 in fig1 , and “ b ” shows a temperature change of the coffee immediately after extraction in fig1 . further , “ c ” shows a temperature change at the coffee introductory part 63 , and “ d ” shows a temperature change of the nitrogen gas in the pot body 61 . also , “ e ” shows a temperature change at the outlet port 68 , and “ f ” shows a temperature change of the coffee in the pot body . “ e ” has peaks seen at a certain interval , and it is because the coffee was taken out at a certain time interval . further , fig7 shows the temperature measurement result when the heater was provided at the neck portion of the pot body 61 , and fig8 shows the temperature measurement result without any heater . in fig7 and 8 , “ a ” and “ b ” show an approximately same temperature change . regarding “ c ”, in fig7 , the temperature at the coffee introductory part 63 is higher than that in fig8 because of the heater 72 provided in the neck portion of the pot body 61 . the most remarkable differences between fig7 and 8 are found in “ d ”, “ e ” and “ f ”. that is , as shown in fig7 , when the heater 72 is provided on the neck portion of the pot body 61 , the temperature “ d ” of the nitrogen gas in the pot body 61 and the temperature “ f ” of the coffee are generally kept not lower than 82 ° c ., but when no heater is provided , as shown in fig8 , the temperature “ d ” of the nitrogen gas in the pot body 61 and the temperature “ f ” of the coffee lower with time . accordingly , also regarding the temperature “ e ” at the outlet port 68 shown in fig7 , its peak value is kept at a high value even after time elapses , but the peak value shown in fig8 lowers gradually with time . as described above , in the coffee machine according to the present embodiment , the heater 72 heats the pot body 61 , and it is possible to cut off the thermal conduction caused by the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the pot body 61 . that is , the pot body 61 has the vacuum structure , and the vacuum structure , accordingly , cuts off the thermal conduction between the outside and inside of the pot body . to form the vacuum structure of the pot body 61 , the external metal 61 b and the internal metal 61 c are joined together at the uppermost portion of the pot body 61 . this join is performed , for example , by welding . the welding is performed in an extremely accurate manner , and the thickness of the joining point a is about 0 . 1 mm . however , the metal has a high thermal conductivity , resulting in thermal conduction at this small joining point a , and the heat inside the pot body 61 accordingly will escape outside . as described above , the joining portion between the external metal 61 b and the internal metal 61 c provides a flow path of heat , which constitutes a factor for lowering the temperature of the coffee , even if the pot body 61 has the vacuum area . to cut off the flow path of heat in the joining portion a described above , it is necessary to produce no temperature difference between the external metal 61 b and the internal metal 61 c of the pot body 61 . for the purpose , in the present invention , the pot body 61 has the heater 72 provided thereon . accordingly , it becomes possible to prevent the heat of the coffee from escaping through the joining point a . further , in the present invention , the nitrogen gas is supplied to the pot 60 , and thereby the coffee in the pot 60 can be prevented from contacting the atmosphere . | US-33853208-A |
an apparatus for performing medical procedures on an anatomical body includes an extension with an element near its distal end to be extended into the body , and a driver that moves the extension axially into the body , and that causes flexure of the distal end of the extension . the movement and flexure of the extension is driven by the driver from the proximal end of the extension , and an electronic controller directs the operation of the driver . | the present invention provides a drive system that can be used to manipulate a surgical implement from its proximal end . for example , a manually operable instrument can be coupled to the drive system without requiring any modification to the instrument . the drive system can be operated by a surgeon at a master station of a master - slave telerobotic system . in some embodiments , the drive apparatus is in the form of a housing in which the instrument is inserted , which is then driven as the surgeon manipulates the housing . in electrophysiology procedures , as shown in fig1 , a extension such as a catheter 30 is used for diagnostic purposes or sensing conditions at a predetermined target site 31 as the catheter 30 extends through an artery or vein 34 . the distal end 36 of the catheter 30 can be considered as an operative segment of the catheter and thus is capable of flexing or bending to assist guiding the catheter through the anatomic body , and curving to a desired location , for example , to lean against an inner surface of the heart . in this regard , there is schematically illustrated wiring 40 that may extend along the length of the catheter 30 that transmits mechanical inputs of a manual handle 60 . as shown in fig1 a , there can be additional wiring 61 a , 61 b , and 61 c that are connected to respective electrophysiology elements 62 a , 62 b , and 62 c and extend from the distal end 36 to an rf generator 45 , as well as a detector 50 , associated with the handle 60 ( fig1 ). in some embodiments , the rf generator 45 couples energy through the handle 60 by way of the catheter 30 to the elements 62 a , 62 b , and 62 c at the distal end 36 for the application of rf energy at the target site 31 for therapeutic purposes . in association with the rf generator 45 , the detector 50 may receives signals from a probe , such as the elements 62 a , 62 b , and 62 c , positioned at the target site . typically , these signals are related to physiological properties at the target site . as can be seen in fig1 , the handle 60 has wheels or dials 62 and 64 that can be manually operated by the surgeon during a procedure . manipulation of the dials 62 and 64 are transmitted through the control wiring 40 to the distal end 36 to control the flexing or bending of the distal end in respective orthogonal directions . in a particular embodiment , as shown in fig2 , the operation of the drive system of fig1 is automated . that is , the system shown in fig2 modifies the construction of that shown in fig1 by providing for automatic control of a catheter 130 , which at its distal end is substantially the same as the catheter 30 shown in fig1 and 1a . like the catheter 30 , the catheter 130 is able to move at its end with at least two degrees - of - freedom under control of wires 128 a and 128 b . in addition , the catheter 130 is coupled at its distal end to a support block 132 that includes wheels 134 that provide linear translation of the catheter 130 in the direction 136 . a further mechanism 137 provides rotational motion of the catheter 130 , such as depicted by the arrow 138 . moreover , there are also wires extending through the catheter 130 associated with the rf generator 145 and the detector 150 . in the embodiment illustrated in fig2 , a guide wire is not used , nor is a guide wire used in the device shown in fig1 and 1a . accordingly , only a single support block 132 is used with this catheter construction . however , the particular catheter 130 is provided with the flex control , and hence is provided with control wires that extend through the catheter 130 like those described previously in reference with fig1 . as shown in fig2 , the support or drive block 132 is coupled to an electromechanical drive member or motor array 120 . also included in the system is an input device 124 at which a surgeon provides control actuations . the input device 124 is coupled to a controller 122 which in turn is coupled to the motor array 120 . thus , instructions from the input device 124 are received by the controller 122 which then directs the operation of the motor array 120 . as mentioned previously , movement of the motors of the array 120 is transmitted to the catheter 130 through mechanically cabling extending through the catheter . in particular , a mechanical cabling 126 coupled directly to the block 132 controls the rotational and linear degrees - of - freedom of the catheter 130 through the mechanism 137 and wheels 134 , respectively . in addition , there is a cabling 128 from the motor array 120 to the block 132 which controls the bending and flexing movement of the catheter 130 . as such , one cable 128 a may be used to control the bending movements of the catheter with one degree - of - freedom , and another cable 128 b may control the bending movements with a second degree - of - freedom . the input device 124 may include separate manipulators for the different movements of the catheter 130 . as described in connection with fig1 , the input device can take on one of many different forms including joysticks , wheels , dials , and other types of manual interfaces . for the control desired in fig2 , one input member controls the mechanical cabling 126 for providing the two degrees - of - freedom of action of the catheter 130 , in particular , the linear and rotational movement . another input member in input device 124 controls the flexing and bending of the catheter 130 by way of the mechanical cabling 128 . the input instructions from the input device 124 are transmitted to the motor array 120 by way of the controller 122 which may be a microprocessor . in an alternative arrangement , as shown in fig2 a , an intermediate drive device 59 may be interposed between the motor array 120 and the catheter 130 . in such an arrangement , the motor array 120 communicates with the drive device 59 over the lines 128 , which may be electrical . in turn , the drive device 59 is coupled to the cabling extending through the length of the catheter , and actuates the cabling to cause the distal end of the catheter 130 to bend and flex with one or more degrees - of - freedom . details of an automated catheter drive system are describe in the u . s . application entitled “ coaxial catheter system ,” by weitzer , rogers , and solbjor , ser . no . 10 / 270 , 740 , filed herewith , the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference . details of a imaging system that aids the movement of the catheter through an anatomic body are describe in the u . s . application entitled “ catheter tracking system ,” by weitzner and lee , ser . no . 10 / 216 , 669 , filed herewith , the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference . referring now to fig3 , there is shown a further embodiment of a catheter drive system . in fig3 , like reference characters are used to identify like features shown in fig2 . thus , in the embodiment of fig3 , there is an input device 124 , a controller 122 , and a motor array 120 . fig3 also depicts the support block 132 which provides both linear and rotational movement of the catheter 130 . as before , these movements are provide by wheels 134 for the linear translation as noted by the arrow 136 , and the member or mechanism 137 for the rotational translation as noted by the arrow 138 . in the embodiment of fig3 , the handle 60 is depicted with its pair of actuating wheels or dials 62 and 64 shown earlier in fig1 . rather than replacing the handle 60 , as in the embodiment of fig2 , the handle 60 here remains intact so that the wheels 62 and 64 are used to control the flexing and bending of the catheter 130 . for this purpose , there are included drive pieces 63 and 65 associated , respectively , with the wheels 62 and 64 . each of the drive pieces engages its corresponding wheel to drive the wheels in either direction to provide the appropriate flex control of the catheter 130 . note in fig3 , the separate lines 127 and 129 , which may be mechanical or electrical , coupling the drive pieces 65 and 63 to the motor array 120 . hence , actuation of respective drive units in the motor array 120 results in a consequent actuation of the wheels 62 and 64 via the control line 129 and drive piece 63 , and the control line 127 and drive piece 65 , respectively . note that with this embodiment the proper support and housings are provided such that the drive pieces 63 and 65 maintain proper engagement with the wheels 62 and 64 . with the particular arrangement shown in fig3 , the existing catheter construction need not be modified . rather , the drive system shown in fig3 is simply coupled to an existing catheter system , such as the handle 60 and catheter 130 combination . although the motor array 120 is illustrated as having two separate lines for two separate drive pieces , in other embodiments , the handle 60 may have only a single control dial . in such implementations , there may be only a single line and associated drive piece that couples the motor array 120 to the handle 60 . thus , unlike the handle 60 with wheels 62 and 64 which provide flex control in orthogonal planes , if only a single wheel is used , the catheter typically flexes only in a single plane . however , in arrangements in which the catheter support block 132 provides for rotational movement of the catheter 130 , the movement of the catheter is not limited to this single plane , since as the catheter is being rotated it moves out of this plane . a particular embodiment of the system of fig3 is illustrated in fig4 a , and 4b , where like reference characters are used to identify like features shown in fig3 . in this embodiment , the handle 60 is clamped in a clamp or vise 200 with a screw 202 . the clamp 200 is connected to a shaft 201 supported in a carriage 202 that moves back and forth on a guide bar 204 mounted in the drive block 132 . associated with the shaft 201 is a set of gears 206 that engage with another set of gears 208 of the rotary drive mechanism 137 . the drive mechanism 137 includes a motor 210 driven by the array 120 located in the drive block 132 and under the direction of the controller 122 as it receives instructions from the user through the input device 124 . thus , as the motor 210 rotates the gears 208 , a consequent rotary motion is induced in the gears 206 to rotate the clamp 200 , and hence the handle 60 and catheter 130 , in the rotational direction 138 . the linear drive mechanism 134 of this embodiment includes a motor 212 connected to a screw drive 214 . the motor 212 and screw drive 214 are mounted to the drive block 132 in a manner to allow the screw drive 214 to rotate . the screw drive 214 has threads 215 about its periphery that engage with the carriage 202 . accordingly , under the direction of the controller 122 via the array 120 , the motor 212 rotates the screw drive 214 to induce the carriage 202 , and hence the handle 60 and catheter 130 , to move back and forth in the linear direction 136 . as previously mentioned , the drive pieces 63 and 65 engage with the dials or wheels 62 and 64 of the handle 60 so that upon instructions from the user through the input device 124 , the drive pieces 63 and 65 manipulate the dials 62 and 64 to control the desired bending and flexing movements of the catheter 130 . this invention can be implemented and combined with other applications , systems , and apparatuses , for example , those discussed in greater detail in u . s . provisional application no . 60 / 332 , 287 , filed nov . 21 , 2001 , the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference , as well as those discussed in greater detail in each of the following documents , all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety : u . s . application ser . no . 09 / 783 , 637 filed feb . 14 , 2001 , which is a continuation of pct application serial no . pct / us00 / 12553 filed may 9 , 2000 , which claims the benefit of u . s . provisional application no . 60 / 133 , 407 filed may 10 , 1999 ; u . s . application entitled “ articulated apparatus for telemanipulator system ,” by brock and lee , ser . no . 10 / 208 , 087 , filed jul . 29 , 2002 , which is a continuation of u . s . application ser . no . 09 / 827 , 503 filed apr . 6 , 2001 , which is a continuation of u . s . application ser . no . 09 / 746 , 853 filed dec . 21 , 2000 , which is a divisional of u . s . application ser . no . 09 / 375 , 666 filed aug . 17 , 1999 , now u . s . pat . no . 6 , 197 , 017 which issued on mar . 6 , 2001 , which is a continuation of u . s . application ser . no . 09 / 028 , 550 filed feb . 24 , 1998 , which is now abandoned ; pct application serial no . pct / us01 / 11376 filed apr . 6 , 2001 , which claims priority to u . s . application ser . no . 09 / 746 , 853 filed dec . 21 , 2000 , and u . s . application ser . no . 09 / 827 , 503 filed apr . 6 , 2001 ; u . s . application ser . nos . 10 / 014 , 143 , 10 / 012 , 845 , 10 / 008 , 964 , 10 / 013 , 046 , 10 / 011 , 450 , 10 / 008 , 457 , and 10 / 008 , 871 , all filed nov . 16 , 2001 and all of which claim benefit to u . s . provisional application no . 60 / 279 , 087 filed mar . 27 , 2001 ; u . s . application ser . no . 10 / 077 , 233 filed feb . 15 , 2002 , which claims the benefit of u . s . provisional application no . 60 / 269 , 203 filed feb . 15 , 2001 ; u . s . application ser . no . 10 / 097 , 923 filed mar . 15 , 2002 , which claims the benefit of u . s . provisional application no . 60 / 276 , 151 filed mar . 15 , 2001 ; u . s . application ser . no . 10 / 034 , 871 filed dec . 21 , 2001 , which claims the benefit of u . s . provisional application no . 60 / 257 , 816 filed dec . 21 , 2000 ; u . s . application ser . no . 09 / 827 , 643 filed apr . 6 , 2001 , which claims the benefit of u . s . provisional application no . 60 / 257 , 869 filed dec . 21 , 2000 , and u . s . provisional application no . 60 / 195 , 264 filed apr . 7 , 2000 . while this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to preferred embodiments thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims . for example , the catheter need not be limited for use in electrophysiology procedures . that is , there may be other types of probes or end effectors located at the distal end of the catheter . the end effector may be , for example , an articulated tool such a grasper , scissor , needle holder , micro dissector , staple applier , tacker , suction irrigation tool , and clip applier . the end effector can also be a non - articulated tool , such as a cutting blade , probe , irrigator , catheter or suction orifice , and dilation balloon . | US-201715465403-A |
a catheter device comprising a urine collection receptacle having a cap , a nozzle formed in the cap , a catheter tube adapted to extend through the aperture to deliver fluid to the urine collection receptacle , and means for releasably securing the catheter tube to the nozzle . the securing means allows the administering medical personnel to insert the catheter tube into the urine collection receptacle and remove the catheter tube from the receptacle without contacting directly the catheter tube . a label is pre - applied to the urine collection receptacle to permit marking for easy identification . | fig1 - 4 show the catheter device 10 of the present invention comprising a urine collection receptacle 12 , a catheter tube 14 , and an adapter 16 , which is constructed for mounting over the nozzle 20 of the urine collection receptacle 12 . the receptacle 12 may be constructed similar to the device disclosed by may et al . u . s . pat . no . 3 , 888 , 235 , and may include a removable cap 18 for sealing the upper end of the receptacle 12 . nozzle 20 is pivotally mounted on the cap 18 for movement from an upright , opened position to a horizontal , closed position . cap 18 is provided with aperture 21 which communicates with collection receptacle 12 when the cap is secured to the top of the collection receptacle . catheter tube 14 is provided with a plurality of inlet openings 33 near the proximal end of catheter tube 14 to permit inflow of urine during catheterization . nozzle 20 is provided with an internal bore 29 which runs the entire length of the nozzle and opens at both ends of the nozzle to the exterior . when pivoted to the upright , opened position , internal bore 29 of nozzle 20 is aligned and communicates with aperture 21 located in cap 18 and a continuous passageway from the exterior of nozzle 20 to the interior of collection receptacle 12 is formed by bore 29 and aperture 21 . when nozzle 20 is in the horizontal , closed position , nozzle 20 lies in slot 23 located in cap 18 and internal bore 29 is no longer aligned with aperture 21 so that bore 29 and aperture 21 are no longer in communication . the nozzle in accordance with fig1 - 4 comprises a front wall 50 , which has a flared portion 51 near its base , and a rear wall 52 , which extends at a slight incline when the nozzle is in the open position , as best shown in fig3 . as shown in fig4 a bulbous surface 31 of nozzle 20 seals the top of aperture 21 so that the interior of collection receptacle 12 is sealed from the exterior environment . the configuration of adapter 16 should compliment the configuration of nozzle 20 so that the adapter can securely engage the nozzle , and , thus , may vary depending on the configuration and type of urine collection receptacle 12 employed . in the embodiment of fig1 - 4 , adapter 16 is a hollow , unitary structure comprising an upper cylindrical portion 22 and a base portion 24 . the base portion 24 is adapted to be mounted on the nozzle 20 and compliments the configuration of nozzle 20 . the base portion comprises a front wall 60 , which has a flared portion 61 , and a rear wall 62 , which extends at a slight incline when the adapter is secured to nozzle 20 ( see fig3 and 4 ). these walls correspond to the shape of the nozzle 20 . the interior of the hollow upper cylindrical portion 22 defines a continuous passageway so that the catheter tube 14 can be inserted into and extend through the adapter 16 . when catheter tube 14 is inserted through the interior passageway of adapter 16 , the tube is held in place by a tight frictional fit with the upper cylindrical portion 22 or by an adhesive applied to the tube or to the interior of the cylindrical portion 22 . a tight frictional fit is more desirable , however , because it permits adjustment of the location of the adapter relative to the length of the tube after the tube has been inserted through the adapter . adapter 16 may be constructed of any suitable material , such as , for example , a hard or soft plastic or rubber . to secure catheter tube in collection receptacle 12 , cap 18 is secured to the top of the receptacle and nozzle 20 is pivoted to its upright , opened position . the catheter tube and adapter assembly are then secured to collection receptacle 12 by applying base portion 24 of adapter 16 over the upright nozzle 20 , which is received in a tight friction fit within the cavity formed by the hollow interior of the base portion 24 . the upper end 35 of nozzle 20 firmly abuts against shoulder 37 formed in the interior of base portion 24 and the lower surface 39 of the base portion securely seats upon the top surface 41 of cap 18 . a tight seal to prevent urine from leaking out of collection receptacle 12 when the catheter is in use is thus provided . in preparation for catheterization , the administering medical personnel inserts the lower end of catheter tube 14 through adapter 16 , and , then by grasping the adapter , inserts catheter tube 14 through the opened nozzle 20 and into urine collection receptacle 12 , fitting the base portion 24 of the adapter 16 over the nozzle 20 . during catheterization , adapter 16 securely holds catheter tube 14 in place relative to the urine collection receptacle 12 to prevent leaking from the collection receptacle 12 and dislodging of catheter tube 14 . after completing catheterization , the administering medical personnel first removes the entire catheter assembly from the patient and then removes catheter tube 14 from urine collection receptacle 12 by grasping adapter 16 and pulling the adapter off the nozzle . nozzle 20 is then pressed down to the closed position , and the urine sample contained in the urine collection receptacle 12 is ready for laboratory processing . catheter tube 14 and adapter 16 may then be discarded . accordingly , there is no need for the administering medical personnel to touch the catheter tube prior to , during or subsequent to catheterization . a blank label 40 can be pre - applied to the urine collection receptacle 12 in any suitable manner , such as by silkscreen or paint . a physician or other medical personnel may write or mark identifying or other information on the label . in addition , if desired , graduations 64 may be provided along the length of urine collection receptacle 12 , as shown in fig2 and 3 . the foregoing description is for purposes of illustration only and is not intended to limit the scope of protection accorded this invention . the scope of protection is to be measured by the following claims , which should be interpreted as broadly as the inventive contribution permits . | US-91476892-A |
introducing ultraviolet light to interior portions of footwear alters the environment inside a shoe or other footwear to destroy microorganisms or inhibit their growth . visible light can also be used to prevent further microorganism growth . introducing forced air flow through the footwear removes dampness in and thereby deodorizes the footwear . a preferred embodiment comprises an adjustable shoe tree equipped with a uv germicidal light source and electronic safeguards that prevent appreciable leakage of uv radiation outside the shoe . | fig1 shows , as a first embodiment , a shoe tree 100 configured to accommodate a semi - circular linear array of leds 102 that , in a preferred embodiment , radiate germicidal uv light , or white light including a uv component , into the toe of a shoe in which shoe tree 100 is inserted . a uv led that emits light within the germicidal range and is suitable for use in led array 102 is a model no . uvtop255 - bl - to39 , available from roithner lasertechnik , vienna , austria . visible light ( blue or white ) leds , which are readily available , can be used to inhibit or prevent further growth of microorganisms in the shoe . shoe tree 100 includes a hollow forepart 104 connected by an extensible one - piece cylindrical spine 106 to a heel section 108 . forepart 104 is a curved half - shell structure having an inner surface 110 that supports multiple inwardly directed , spaced - apart structural tabs 112 and having multiple generally rectangular , elongated slots 114 that are spaced apart in a transverse direction to the length of forepart 104 . light emitted by led array 102 propagates through elongated slots 114 and impinges directly on the interior lining of the upper of a shoe ( not shown ) in which shoe tree 100 is placed . because forepart 104 of shoe tree 100 is hollow , the interior footbed of the shoe is illuminated by led array 102 . a wall 120 defines a back end of forepart 104 and has an interior surface 122 on which led array 102 is mounted . light emitted by led array 102 propagates primarily in a forward direction toward the toebox of the shoe . a half - oval cutout 122 in wall 120 allows cylindrical spine 106 , which extends out of and retracts into the interior of heel section 108 , to extend into the toebox of the shoe , or retract to the middle of the shoe , as needed to adjust the overall length of shoe tree 100 to fit a particular shoe . heel section 108 of shoe tree 100 is of a design found in a conventional shoe tree . heel section 108 is in the shape of a modified solid rectangular block , with a rounded lower surface 126 , in which the depth 128 of the solid block becomes gradually thicker from front to rear , to better conform to the heel of a shoe . the bottom of heel section 108 may be scored twice , dividing its surface lengthwise into three sections . fig2 a , 2b , 3a - 3g , and 4 - 7 show , as a second embodiment , a sanitizing shoe tree 200 in which a uv germicidal bulb 202 is installed , instead of led array 102 used in shoe tree 100 . shoe tree 200 includes a hollow forepart 204 connected by a spring - loaded extensible spine 206 to a heel section 208 . electronic components enabling uv safety features are concealed throughout heel section 208 , spine 206 , and hollow forepart 204 and are , therefore , not apparent from the exterior of shoe tree 200 . heel section 208 terminates in a closed loop - shaped handle 210 to facilitate length adjustment ; spring - loaded extensible spine 206 allows linear motion into and out of heel section 208 ; and hollow forepart 204 features large openings , or windows , of non - uniform size and shape through which light can propagate into the interior of a shoe . a power supply cord 212 extends from the rear of heel section 208 and provides electrical power for delivery to uv germicidal bulb 202 as described below . the top of handle 210 includes a power - on button 214 , which activates the uv bulb along with its safety checks . the manufacture of shoe tree 200 may incorporate a scent into the material by impregnating it with a liquid , a solid , or a gel . for example , shoe tree 200 could be constructed from a scented polymer such as that used in the manufacture of auracell products by rotuba , linden , n . j . with particular reference to fig3 a , forepart 204 is formed by two skeletal sections , including a left - hand side skeletal section 218 and a right - hand side skeletal section 220 . skeletal section 218 has from front to back an approximately triangular - shaped window 222 and a generally parallelogram - shaped window 224 . skeletal section 220 has from front to back generally parallelogram - shaped windows 230 , 232 , and 234 . fig3 a shows the asymmetric design of hollow forepart 204 of shoe tree 200 . windows 224 and 234 are symmetric about a central longitudinal axis 238 , which runs along the seam of skeletal sections 218 and 220 when they are assembled together . central longitudinal axis 238 extends straight through the instep of shoe tree 200 , angling sideways at approximately 60 ° in the toe area , causing the foremost window openings 222 and 230 , to be irregularly shaped . a pair of shoe sanitizers includes left - hand and right - hand shoe trees , the left - hand shoe tree configured in a mirror image of right - hand shoe tree 200 shown in fig3 a . with particular reference to fig4 , skeletal section 218 has a floor portion 244 from which a tab member 246 extends and contacts a tab member 248 that extends from a floor portion 250 of skeletal section 220 ( see also fig3 g ). tab members 246 and 248 form a smooth surface region when skeletal sections 218 and 220 are assembled together at the bottom of hollow forepart 204 . skeletal sections 218 and 220 support on their respective floor portions 244 and 250 , mounting blocks 252 that are sized to receive and support a split bulb carrier 254 . split bulb carrier 254 is an assembly of matable half sections 256 , from which t - shaped projections 258 extend . base portions 260 of t - shaped projections 258 mate with slots 262 of complementary shape formed in corresponding mounting blocks 252 to hold split bulb carrier 254 in place when skeletal sections 218 and 220 are assembled together . tabs 264 extending upwardly from base portions 260 of half sections 256 of bulb carrier 254 accommodate a width adjustment of hollow forepart 204 , by constraining sideways motion of moveable skeletal sections 218 and 220 within their associated slots 266 , one of which is shown in fig2 b and 4 . split bulb carrier 254 forms a threaded socket that receives a threaded base 280 of germicidal bulb 202 and a carrier for a small electrical circuit board 282 on which is mounted an electronic ambient light sensor 284 . a suitable uv germicidal bulb 202 is a model no . gtl3 , available from ushio , inc ., cypress , calif . an ambient light sensor 284 suitable for use in shoe tree 200 is a model no . lx1972ibc - tr , available from microsemi , irvine , calif . a pair of leaf springs 286 attached to the front of circuit board 282 ensures contact to the positive and negative terminals of uv germicidal bulb 202 . the output signal of ambient light sensor 284 controls initial activation of a sanitizing operation of shoe tree 200 and is , therefore , active for a momentary portion of the sanitizing operation . the output signal is delivered through a cable 288 to heel section 208 . a preferred implementation of sanitizing shoe tree 200 entails applying to its components located adjacent germicidal bulb 202 a titanium dioxide coating , which causes a photocatalytic reaction with uv light emitted by germicidal bulb 202 . airborne pathogens contacting the surfaces coated with titanium dioxide are killed , thereby sanitizing the air in the vicinity of germicidal bulb 202 . surfaces preferably coated with titanium dioxide include outer front surfaces 256 f and curved outer surfaces 256 c of half sections 256 of split bulb carrier 254 ( fig3 f ) and base portion tab - receiving members 266 r of the interiors of skeletal sections 218 and 220 ( fig3 a and 3f ). with particular reference to fig4 and 5 , heel section 208 is an assembly of matable half - shell sections 300 , which are held together by screws 302 . each half - shell section 300 has interior mounting tabs 304 that support an electrical circuit board 306 in position below and along the length of the bottom part of handle 210 . circuit board 306 provides a connection point 308 in the form of a power supply for power supply cord 212 and a connection point 310 for cable 288 . circuit board 306 carries a microcontroller 312 that controls the operation and safety functions implemented in shoe tree 200 . microcontroller 312 controls through cable 288 delivery of electrical power to uv germicidal bulb 202 and processing of the output signal of ambient light sensor 284 . spring - loaded adjustable spine 206 includes at its forward end a skeletal section spread plate 320 terminating in hollow forepart 204 and at its rear end a long coil spring 322 terminating in heel section 208 . fig4 shows a clevis 326 at an end of spread plate 320 and a spring carrier 328 . spread plate 320 has a support surface 330 on which half sections 256 of split bulb carrier 254 rest . upright end tabs 332 of spread plate 320 hold split bulb carrier 254 in place by restricting its forward movement as spine 206 undergoes changes in length . two guide slots 334 in spread plate 320 converge in a forward direction toward the toe end of forepart 204 . stepped guide pins 336 pass through guide slots 334 in spread plate 320 and holes 338 in mounting blocks 252 of skeletal sections 218 and 220 to secure spread plate 320 to skeletal sections 218 and 220 and spread them apart in response to a shortening of spine 206 . spread plate 320 is positioned in forepart 204 so that uv germicidal bulb 202 is set at a fixed distance of 5 cm from the end of a shoe in which shoe tree 200 is installed . the reason for such bulb placement is that the intensity and therefore the effectiveness of uv energy as a sanitizing agent decreases with distance away from the light source . spring carrier 328 , which is formed of two matable u - shaped rails 344 , contains and secures in its interior an end 346 of coil spring 322 . spring carrier 328 is fixed by a pin 350 to clevis 326 of spread plate 320 . fig5 shows coil spring 322 passing through a tubular housing portion 352 in the forward end of heel section 208 and an end 354 of coil spring 322 resting against a stop 356 in the rear end of heel section 208 . coil spring 322 is held in a nominal partly compressed state in spine 206 . a strain relief clamp 358 holds cable 288 in position on housing portion 352 of heel section 208 as spine 206 undergoes changes in length . an articulated rubber sleeve 360 positioned between forepart 204 and heel section 208 fits over spring carrier 328 and conceals it from view . fig5 and 6 show a photo - interrupter implemented as a safety switch 370 , which includes a spaced - apart infrared ( ir ) transmitter / detector pair . a fin 372 attached to the back end of u - shaped rail 344 obstructs ir light emitted by the transmitter from reaching the receiver when coil spring 322 is in its nominal partly compressed state . compression of spring 322 as shoe tree 200 is placed in a shoe causes fin 372 to move rearward , thereby allowing ir light to reach the detector . the output signal from photo - interrupter 370 is sent to microcontroller 312 on circuit board 306 to enable application of power to uv germicidal bulb 202 through cable 288 . a suitable photo - interrupter 370 is part no . gp1s092hcpif , available from sharp electronics corporation , romeoville , ill . one alternative implementation of safety switch 370 includes use of a tilt sensor or an accelerometer to detect motion dislodging or misaligning the light emission beam path of uv germicidal bulb 202 . one suitable accelerometer is a model lis 302 dl , available from stmicroelectronics , geneva , switzerland . fig7 and 8 show the front end of cable 288 where it plugs into split bulb carrier 254 securing uv germicidal bulb 202 . three parallel ribs 374 acting as structural supports for hollow forepart 204 extend downward from the top interior surface of skeletal section 220 . fig7 shows ribs 374 positioned above the exterior surface of split bulb carrier 254 , together with two vertical bulkheads 376 ( fig3 g ) positioned on either side of rubber sleeve 360 covering spine 206 , to block light from escaping the toe of the shoe . with reference to fig8 , for each of skeletal sections 218 and 220 , a coil spring 348 is positioned between a spring tensioner post 364 and guide pin 336 to hold skeletal sections 218 and 220 together when shoe tree 200 is not placed in a shoe . ( in fig8 , only one coil spring 348 appears , and it is shown disconnected from spring tension post 364 .) spring tensioner post 364 and guide pin 336 are positioned outside of threaded base 280 of uv germicidal bulb 202 . guide pin 336 restricts lateral displacement of skeletal section 220 . the end of a circular rivet 378 joining half sections 256 of split bulb carrier 254 is visible in fig7 , along with pin 350 located in clevis 326 at the rear of spread plate 320 . pin 350 forms a pivot point allowing spine 206 to articulate upward relative to forepart 204 . adjustment of the length of spine 206 to place shoe tree 200 in a shoe is accomplished by a user grasping handle 210 and positioning forepart 204 in the toe box of the shoe . the user then exerts pressure on heel section 208 to compress coil spring 322 , while lowering heel section 308 into the heel of the shoe . compressing coil spring 322 shortens spine 206 and thrusts spread plate 320 forward , thereby separating skeletal sections 218 and 220 , and producing a snug fit of shoe tree 200 in the shoe so that uv light will not escape from it . after shoe tree 200 is positioned inside a shoe , application of electrical power through power supply cord 212 by actuation of power - on button 214 triggers the following sequence of events to protect user safety : a preliminary ambient light check is initiated using light sensor 284 to ensure uv source 202 is contained within the shoe with no detected light leaks . if the ambient light check is negative ( i . e ., no appreciable light leakage detected ), a heel compression check using photo - interrupter 370 acting as an electrical safety switch is initiated to ensure that shoe tree 200 is properly positioned within a shoe . if the heel compression check is positive ( i . e ., improper shoe tree installation not detected ), microcontroller 312 engages uv light source 202 to sanitize the shoe for approximately 30 minutes . if during a 30 - minute shoe sanitization operating window shoe tree 200 is removed or dislodged from the shoe , safety switch 370 deactivates the uv light source 202 . the forepart ambient light check using sensor 284 is not active during the 30 - minute operating window . an alternative embodiment without use of a shoe tree lends itself to commercial use and prohibits , by blocking the escape of uv radiation during a shoe sanitization operating window , the uv light from reaching an individual who is proximally located to the shoe . this alternative embodiment entails inserting a uv lightbulb into a shoe and either surrounding the shoe with a protective “ shower cap ,” enclosing the shoe in a protective bag , or sealing the opening of the shoe . more specifically , fig9 a shows a series of images that illustrate enclosing a shoe 380 ( image a 1 ) in a shower cap style enclosure 382 ( images a 2 and a 3 ) and inserting a uv lightbulb 384 attached to a long , cylindrical handle 386 ( image a 4 ) through an opening 388 in enclosure 382 into the inside of shoe 380 ( image a 5 ). enclosure 382 is secured around shoe 380 by tightening a drawstring 390 . fig9 b shows a series of images that illustrate enclosing shoe 380 in a closed bag 392 ( image b 1 ). uv lightbulb 384 attached to handle 386 is inserted in an opening 394 in bag 392 ( image b 2 ) and into the inside of shoe 380 ( images b 3 and b 4 ). bag 392 is secured around shoe 380 by tightening a drawstring 396 that closes the open side of bag 392 . both enclosure 382 and bag 392 are made of a uv light - blocking material . uv lightbulb 384 may be enclosed in a protective metal mesh cage 398 . fig9 c shows a series of images that illustrate an alternative to full enclosure of shoe 380 by sealing the open top of shoe 80 with a cap 400 ( image c 1 ). cap 400 has an opening 402 through which uv light bulb 384 attached to handle 386 is inserted ( image c 2 ). disassembly of uv light bulb 384 and cage 398 from handle 386 is carried out to enable its passage through opening 402 and cap 400 ( image c 3 ). fig1 a and 10b show , as a first embodiment in respective folded and unfolded states , a portable integrated footwear sanitizing and deodorizing system 500 in which a centrally located blower fan module 502 is connected at either of its output ends to an integrated air discharge outlet and uv light emission member 504 . each member 504 includes a flexible fluid conduit or hose 506 that is connected to an output end of fan module 502 and terminates in an outer housing 508 perforated with multiple openings 510 and containing a tubular uv germicidal bulb 512 held in a socket 514 . outer housing 508 is configured to fit through the opening and into the interior region of a shoe or other footwear . fan module 502 produces forced air stream flow through hoses 506 . each hose 506 delivers air stream flow into the outer housing 508 to which the hose 506 is connected and directs the air stream flow in the space between bulb 512 and outer housing 508 for discharge out of its openings 510 and its outlet opening 510 o to dry the footwear into which outer housing 508 is inserted . fig1 shows an air flow channel 516 produced by an apertured fitting 518 positioned at each end of hose 506 . fig1 a , 12b , and 12c show members 504 fitted inside the right and left ones of pairs of , respectively , high top shoes 520 , slip - on loafers 522 , and riding boots 524 . with particular reference to fig1 b , a control switch 526 provided on fan module 502 gives user selection of operating modes , and a set of leds 528 indicates the selected operating mode of system 500 . for example , a user can set control switch 526 to a mode with uv light emission and the fan on , a mode with uv light emission on without the fan , a mode with uv light emission on for preset fight emission time , a mode with only the fan on , a mode with the fan constantly on and uv light emission cycling on and off at a predetermined time interval , or a mode with uv light emission and the fan off , each operating mode indicated by a corresponding number of illuminated leds in a thermometer code scheme . fig1 and 14 show , as a second embodiment , an integrated footwear sanitizing and deodorizing system 540 that includes a pair of similar gavel - shaped probes 542 electrically connected to a controller 544 . each of probes 542 is equipped with a blower fan 546 and a tubular uv germicidal bulb 512 and is configured to fit through an opening 548 ( fig1 a , 15b , and 15c ) and into the interior region of a shoe or other footwear . each probe 542 has an arm 550 and a perforated hollow stem 552 . arm 550 houses fan 546 and socket 514 to which bulb 512 is connected . arm 550 has a body 556 on opposite ends of which are mounted hemispherical shells or contact balls 558 . contact balls 558 are extensible along the length of body 556 to fit against the inside surface of and thereby secure in place probe 542 inside the footwear . when they are not compressed by the inside surface of the footwear , contact balls 558 may actuate a safety switch ( not shown ) housed within arm 550 to disable uv light emission from bulb 512 . rubber sleeve boots 560 provide a uv light - escape prevention connection between contact balls 558 and body 556 . hollow stem 552 is perforated with multiple openings 562 through which light emissions from bulb 512 and forced air produced by fan 546 can pass . in this embodiment , fan 546 can be of a type that either discharges air or draws in air to produce forced air flow . forced air produced by fan 546 flows in the space between bulb 512 and hollow stem 552 along its length and out of its openings 562 and its outlet opening 562 o to dry the footwear article into which probe 542 is inserted . with particular reference to fig1 , controller 544 includes a housing 564 to which a rotary dial 566 is mounted for user selection of which ones or both of probes 542 are to be operated . an electrical power cord 568 delivers 120 vac to controller 544 , and electrical wires 570 are routed from housing 564 to separate ones of probes 542 . fig1 a , 15b , and 15c show probe 542 installed in , respectively , high top shoe 520 , slip - on loafer 522 , and riding boot 524 . contact balls 558 of probe 542 partly occlude opening 548 in the footwear article to allow forced air to escape from the opening and thereby promote air flow through the footwear . another embodiment uses a photocatalytic oxidation coating on surfaces inside interior region 104 or 204 of footwear article 100 or 204 , respectively . led light source 102 or uv light source 202 illuminating the coated interior region of the footwear article activates antimicrobial properties of the coating to provide an effective germicide for sanitizing the footwear . although such coatings are light - activated , most shoe constructions occlude light from reaching the surfaces inside the interior region . therefore , use of light - activated coatings on these surfaces would not activate until the coatings are exposed to light from the light source placed inside the footwear . one example photocatalytic oxidation coating is oxititan visible light response , which is available from ecoactive surfaces , inc . of pompano beach , fla . oxititan visible light response is a liquid formulation including titanium dioxide ( tio 2 ) that can be readily sprayed or wiped with a towel onto shoe interior surfaces . shoe interior coatings are exposed and activated by visible light delivered from led array 102 of shoe tree 100 ( fig1 ), or by uv light delivered from uv light bulb 384 ( fig9 a ) or tubular uv germicidal bulb 512 ( fig1 a ). in other embodiments , visible or uv light may be delivered by an led or a bulb mounted in a housing having a transparent or translucent exterior surface that is sized to snuggly fit , roll , or slide within the shoe interior . for example , the housing exterior surface may be partly or completely spherical , according to some embodiments . previously described enclosure 382 ( fig9 a ), bag 392 ( fig9 b ), cap 400 ( fig9 c ), and safety features of fig1 - 15 could be omitted when visible light is used to activate the photocatalytic oxidation coating . it will be obvious to those having skill in the art that many changes may be made to the details of the above - described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the invention . the scope of the present invention should , therefore , be determined only by the following claims . | US-201615091348-A |
in an incubator , only water supplied from a water reservoir to a heating portion is heated . even if the number of times of water replenishment is small , water vapor can be kept generated over a long period of time , while generation of the water vapor can be started shortly after the start of heating . in addition , since the water reservoir and heating portion that are connected to each other can be detached from and mounted on a support , both the water reservoir and the heating portion can be completely disconnected from the support . therefore , both the water reservoir and the heating portion can be cleaned easily , facilitating use as well as maintenance . | the first and second embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to fig1 to 7 . fig1 to 4 show the first embodiment . as shown in fig4 in an incubator 11 of the first embodiment , an upper surface 13 of a main body 12 is covered with a transparent hood 14 , and the interior of the hood 14 forms a newborn baby container 15 . the hood 14 is formed with a door ( not shown ) or the like . treatment and the like for the newborn baby can be performed through this door or the like . an opening 16 is formed in the upper surface 13 , and a heater 17 or the like for heating a gas is arranged in the opening 16 . a plate 18 is fitted in the opening 16 . in the plate 18 , an opening 21 is formed at a portion near the heater 17 , and an opening 22 is formed near one side surface of the main body 12 . an opening 23 different from the opening 16 is also formed in the upper surface 13 . a substantially rectangular plate 24 is fitted on the upper surface 13 , and notches 25 to 28 are formed in the four sides of the plate 24 . a mat frame ( not shown ) is arranged on the plate 24 , and a mat ( not shown ) or the like for the newborn baby to be laid on it is placed on the mat frame . in this incubator 11 , the oxygen concentration and the like of air or the like taken in through the rear surface or the like of the main body 12 are controlled to the optimum values , and the temperature of this gas is controlled to the optimum value by the heater 17 . this controlled gas 31 is blown into the space between the upper surface 13 and plate 24 in a predetermined amount through the opening 21 . water vapor 33 generated by a humidifying mechanism 32 is blown into the space between the upper surface 13 and plate 24 in a predetermined amount through the opening 23 . the gas 31 and water vapor 33 are mixed with each other , and the mixture is blown to the container 15 through the notches 25 to 27 . the gas 31 and water vapor 33 blown to the container 15 circulate in the container 15 and are drawn into the opening 16 through the notch 28 and opening 22 . the gas 31 and water vapor 33 drawn into the opening 16 are controlled in the above manner together with the air taken in through the rear surface or the like of the main body 12 , and are blown out from the opening 21 again as a fresh gas 31 . fig1 to 3 show the humidifying mechanism 32 . the humidifying mechanism 32 has a water reservoir 34 and a heating portion 35 that are connected to each other with screws or the like . the water reservoir 34 is a water tank made of a synthetic resin . in the water reservoir 34 , a side surface close to the heating portion 35 is formed with an opening 36 . the water reservoir 34 has a lid 37 . the water reservoir 34 is connected to a front surface 38 forming part of the front surface of the main body 12 . a water level indicator 41 through which the operator can see the water level of the water reservoir 34 is arranged on the front surface 38 . in the front surface 38 , a portion below the water level indicator 41 is formed with a recess 42 . a hanging portion 43 that closes the upper end portion of the recess 42 is provided to the front surface 38 . the heating portion 35 has a frame 44 made of a polyamide - based heat - resistant synthetic resin or the like . in the frame 44 , a side surface opposite to the water reservoir 34 has two through holes 45 and 46 . in the frame 44 , a side surface close to the water reservoir 34 is formed of a heat - insulating wall 47 made of bakelite . in the heat - insulating wall 47 , a portion substantially corresponding to the opening 36 forms a notch 48 . packing rings 51 surrounding the notch 48 are fitted on the two surfaces of the heat - insulating wall 47 . a heat - insulating member 52 is fitted in the frame 44 . a recess 53 is formed in the heat - insulating member 52 . through holes 54 and 55 respectively coaxial with the through holes 45 and 46 and communicating with the recess 53 are formed in the heat - insulating member 52 . a metal body 56 made of aluminum or the like is fitted in the recess 53 . a recess 57 substantially corresponding to the notch 48 is formed in the metal body 56 . holes 61 and 62 respectively coaxial with the through holes 54 and 55 are formed in the bottom of the metal body 56 . the metal body 56 has a lid 63 made of a heat - resistant , water vapor - resistant synthetic rubber , and a closing portion 64 which is to be fitted in the notch 48 to close most of the notch 48 is integrally formed with the lid 63 . note that a groove 65 having a small sectional area is formed in the lower end of the closing portion 64 , and the notch 48 is not closed at this groove 65 portion . a through hole 66 is formed in the lid 63 , and a water vapor blowing portion 67 made of a water vapor - resistant synthetic rubber is fitted in the through hole 66 . the upper half of the water vapor blowing portion 67 is hemispherical , and this hemispherical portion projects upward from the lid 63 . a through hole 68 coaxial with the water vapor blowing portion 67 and communicating with the recess 57 is formed in the water vapor blowing portion 67 . in the upper surface 13 , a portion near the opening 23 forms a spherical shell that is fitted with the vicinity of the top of the water vapor blowing portion 67 . a support 71 is formed on the main body 12 . the humidifying mechanism 32 can be inserted into and pulled out from the support 71 . hence , the support 71 serves as a receptacle capable of detachably supporting the humidifying mechanism 32 . a cartridge heater 72 and an over - temperature sensor 73 project deep from the side surface of the support 71 . to generate the water vapor 33 with the humidifying mechanism 32 having the above arrangement , first , water is poured to the water reservoir 34 . even when water is not poured into the recess 57 of the metal body 56 or the lid 63 is placed on the metal body 56 , water is supplied from the water reservoir 34 into the recess 57 through the opening 36 , the notch 48 , and the groove 65 . the lid 37 is placed on the water reservoir 34 , and the humidifying mechanism 32 is inserted into the support 71 . then , the cartridge heater 72 is inserted into the hole 61 through the through holes 45 and 54 , and simultaneously the over - temperature sensor 73 is inserted into the hole 62 through the through holes 46 and 55 . a portion near the top of the water vapor blowing portion 67 made of the water vapor - resistant synthetic rubber is fitted on the spherical shell of the upper surface 13 near the opening 23 , and is elastically pressed against it , thereby positioning the humidifying mechanism 32 . upon operation of an appropriate switch ( not shown ) or actuation of a sensor ( not shown ) that detects insertion of the humidifying mechanism 32 into the support 71 , the cartridge heater 72 is actuated . when the cartridge heater 72 is actuated , the metal body 56 is heated to heat water in the recess 57 thereafter , thereby generating the water vapor 33 . since the portion of the water vapor blowing portion 67 near its top is elastically pressed against the spherical shell near the opening 23 , the water vapor 33 generated in the recess 57 flows through the through hole 68 and opening 23 , is blown into only the space between the upper surface 13 and plate 24 , and is blown into the container 15 through the notches 25 to 27 . namely , after flowing through the through hole 68 , no water vapor 33 leaks from the gap between the water vapor blowing portion 67 and the upper surface 13 without flowing through the opening 23 , so the oxygen concentration controller ( not shown ) and the like may not operate erroneously or may not be corroded . despite the large capacity of the water reservoir 34 of 1 . 3 liters , the capacity of the recess 57 is as small as 50 milliliters . in addition , the metal body 56 is surrounded by the heat - insulating wall 47 and heat - insulating member 52 , and water convection does not easily occur between the water reservoir 34 and recess 57 due to the small sectional area of the groove 65 formed in the closing portion 64 . therefore , the cartridge heater 72 heats mostly the metal body 56 and water in the recess 57 of the metal body 56 . for this reason , generation of the water vapor 33 can be started shortly after the start of heating with the cartridge heater 72 , facilitating use . when the temperature of the metal body 56 becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined value , the over - temperature sensor 73 is actuated to stop actuation of the cartridge heater 72 . accordingly , the metal body 56 and the like will not be overheated , and the high - temperature water vapor 33 will not be blown into the container 15 . assume that it is to be detected , through observation with the water level indicator 41 , that the water level of the water reservoir 34 is equal to or lower than a predetermined level , and that the water reservoir 34 is to be replenished with water , or that the humidifying mechanism 32 is to be cleaned . in this such a case , the operator inserts his finger into the recess 42 and holds the hanging portion 43 with his finger to pull out the front surface 38 from the support 71 . since the front surface 38 , the water reservoir 34 , and the heating portion 35 are connected to each other and the heating portion 35 is not fixed to the main body 12 , the entire portion of the humidifying mechanism 32 can be completely disconnected from the support 71 by only pulling out the front surface 38 . in addition , as is apparent from fig1 and 2 , the boundaries between the bottom surface and the side surfaces of the water reservoir 34 and the boundaries between the side surfaces of the recess 57 of the metal body 56 form curved surfaces having a particularly large radius of curvature . accordingly , the entire portion of the humidifying mechanism 32 , particularly the water reservoir 34 and the recess 57 of the metal body 56 that come into direct contact with water can be cleaned easily , facilitating maintenance . as is apparent from fig3 since the bottom surface of the water reservoir 34 is deeper than the bottom surface of the recess 57 of the metal body 56 , even if water runs out in the recess 57 along with generation of the water vapor 33 , non - heated water is always stored in the water reservoir 34 . therefore , even when the humidifying mechanism 32 is disconnected from the support 71 during heating with the heating portion 35 or immediately after stopping heating , the heating portion 35 can be cooled quickly by tilting the humidifying mechanism 32 to supply water from the water reservoir 34 to the recess 57 , providing high safety in use . fig5 to 7 show a humidifying mechanism in the second embodiment . except for the humidifying mechanism , the incubator according to the second embodiment has substantially the same arrangement as that of the incubator 11 of the first embodiment shown in fig4 . a humidifying mechanism 74 according to the second embodiment has a water reservoir 75 and a heating portion 76 that are connected to each other with screws or the like . the water reservoir 75 is a water tank made of a synthetic resin . in the water reservoir 75 , a side surface close to the heating portion 76 has a notch 77 , and a pair of side surfaces that are in contact with this side surface have steps 78 , respectively . the water reservoir 75 has a lid 81 . a recess 82 is formed in substantially the entire portion of the lid 81 , and a water supply port 83 is formed in one side of the bottom surface of the recess 82 . in the lid 81 , a side opposite to the side formed with the water supply port 83 has a projecting piece 84 , and a through hole 85 is formed in the projecting piece 84 . similar to the first embodiment , the water reservoir 75 of the second embodiment is connected to a front surface 86 , and a water level indicator 87 , a recess 88 , and a hanging portion 91 are provided to the front surface 86 . note that a handle 92 is formed above the water reservoir 75 of the second embodiment . the heating portion 76 has a heat - insulating member 93 . the heat - insulating member 93 has a recess 94 . in the heat - insulating member 93 , a side surface opposite to the water reservoir 75 has a through hole 95 . a heat - insulating packing 96 is disposed between the heat - insulating member 93 and water reservoir 75 , and a notch 97 corresponding to the notch 77 of the water reservoir 75 is formed in the heat - insulating packing 96 . a metal body 98 made of aluminum or the like is fitted in the recess 94 of the heat - insulating member 93 and between the heat - insulating member 93 and the heat - insulating packing 96 . a recess 101 substantially corresponding to the notch 97 is formed in the metal body 98 . a hole 102 coaxial with the through hole 95 is formed in the bottom of the metal body 98 . the metal body 98 has a lid 103 made of a heat - resistant , water vapor - resistant synthetic rubber , and a closing portion 104 which is to be fitted in the notch 97 to close most of the notch 97 is integrally formed with the lid 103 . note that a through hole 105 having a small sectional area is formed in the lower end of the closing portion 104 , and the notch 97 is not closed at this through hole 105 portion . a through hole 106 is formed in the lid 103 , and a water vapor blowing portion 107 made of a water vapor - resistant synthetic rubber is fitted in the through hole 106 . the upper half of the water vapor blowing portion 107 is hemispherical , and this hemispherical portion projects upward from the lid 103 . a through hole 108 coaxial with the water vapor blowing portion 107 and communicating with the recess 101 is formed in the water vapor blowing portion 107 . the metal body 98 , the heat - insulating member 93 , and the heat - insulating packing 96 are surrounded by a heat - insulating cover 111 made of a polyamide - based heat - resistant synthetic resin or the like , and a through hole 112 coaxial with the through hole 95 is formed in the heat - insulating cover 111 . a support 113 is formed on a main body 12 . the humidifying mechanism 74 can be inserted into and pulled out from the support 113 . hence , the support 113 serves as a receptacle capable of detachably supporting the humidifying mechanism 74 . steps 114 are formed on the two side surfaces of the support 113 . when inserting and pulling out the humidifying mechanism 74 , the steps 114 are fitted with the steps 78 of the water reservoir 75 to guide the water reservoir 75 . a heater unit 115 incorporating a control sensor projects deep from the side surface of the support 113 . with the humidifying mechanism 74 having the above arrangement , when the lid 103 is placed on the metal body 98 , the lid 81 is placed on the water reservoir 75 , and the water vapor blowing portion 107 is fitted in the through hole 85 , the lid 81 is positioned with respect to the water reservoir 75 and the like . since the lid 81 has the recess 82 and water supply port 83 , the water reservoir 75 can be replenished with water , while the lid 81 is kept placed on the water reservoir 75 , by pouring water to the recess 82 . in addition , whether the water reservoir 75 is filled with water can be confirmed , with the lid 81 being kept placed on the water reservoir 75 , by checking that water no longer drops from the recess 82 into the water reservoir 75 . as a result , water can be easily replenished to the water reservoir 75 , facilitating use . when water is poured to the water reservoir 75 , it is supplied from the water reservoir 75 into the recess 101 of the metal body 98 through the notches 77 and 97 and the through hole 105 . when the humidifying mechanism 74 is inserted into the support 113 , the heater unit 115 is inserted into the hole 102 through the through holes 112 and 95 . upon operation of an appropriate switch ( not shown ) or actuation of a sensor ( not shown ) that detects insertion of the humidifying mechanism 74 into the support 113 , the heater unit 115 is actuated . the materials of the respective components of the humidifying mechanisms 32 and 74 in the first and second embodiments are not limited to those described above , and the shapes of the respective components and the like of the humidifying mechanisms 32 and 74 are not limited to those shown in the accompanying drawings . | US-15053898-A |
an apparatus for observing an eye of an examinee , comprises : an irradiation optical system for irradiating and two - dimensionally scanning a laser beam onto an observational objective part of the eye ; an observation optical system having a photo - receiving element , for photo - receiving the laser beam reflected by the objective part to obtain an image of the objective part , the observation optical system sharing at least a part of the irradiation optical system ; a display which displays the obtained image ; a polarizing member arranged on an optical axis of the observation optical system , an arrangement angle of the polarizing member with respect to the optical axis being changeable to change a polarized component to be transmitted by the polarizing member . | a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be given referring to the accompanying drawings . fig1 is a schematic structural view of an optical system of a fundus observation apparatus in the present embodiment . a laser beam emitted from a laser source 1 is incident onto a polygon mirror 7 a via a center opening of a perforated mirror 2 , a lens 3 , a plane reflecting mirror 4 , a plane reflecting mirror 5 , and a concave reflecting mirror 6 . the beam reflected by the polygon mirror 7 is incident onto a galvano - mirror 9 via a concave reflecting mirror 8 . the beam reflected by the galvano - mirror 9 is concentrated ( condensed ) on an observational objective part of a fundus ef of an examinee &# 39 ; s eye e via a concave reflecting mirror 10 . the mirrors 4 and 5 are synchronously movable in a direction indicated by an arrow a to change an optical path length for focusing ( diopter correction ( movement )). the polygon mirror 7 is rotated in a direction indicated by an arrow b in order to scan the beam in a horizontal direction ( an x - direction ). the galvano - mirror 9 is swung ( oscillated ) in a direction indicated by an arrow c to scan the beam in a vertical direction ( a y - direction ). with this structure , the beam is irradiated onto the objective part of the fundus ef while scanning it in two dimensions ( in the x - and y - directions ). these optical members constitute an irradiation optical system . in the present embodiment , used as the laser source 1 is a semiconductor laser source which emits an infrared laser beam of linear polarized light having a predetermined polarization direction . the beam reflected from the objective part of the fundus ef travels back along the above mentioned irradiation optical system and is reflected by a portion surrounding the opening of the perforated mirror 2 . the opening of the perforated mirror 2 is placed in a conjugate relation with the pupil of the eye e with respect to the lens 3 . the beam reflected by the perforated mirror 2 comes into a focus at a center pinhole of a pinhole plate 13 through a lens 12 . this pinhole is in a conjugate relation with the objective part of the fundus ef with respect to the lens 12 . the beam is then received by a photo - receiving element ( a photo - detector ) 16 through a polarizing member 14 and a lens 15 . the polarizing member 14 is placed at a changeable angle with respect to a principal optical axis l of the beam ( which passes through each center of the opening of the perforated mirror 2 and the pinhole of the pinhole plate 13 ). the polarizing member 14 is preferably disposed as close as possible to the photo - receiving element 16 . these optical members constitute an observation optical system . in the present embodiment , used as the photo - receiving element 16 is an avalanche photodiode ( apd ). a photo - sensor 11 is disposed in a place that can receive the beam reflected by the polygon mirror 7 . fig2 is a schematic view showing the placement of the sensor 11 . in the figure , a range h 1 shown by thin lines indicates a scanning range of the beams by each reflecting surface 7 a of the polygon mirror 7 and a range h 2 shown by dashed lines indicates a scanning range of the beams to be used for image formation within the scanning range h 1 . the sensor 11 is placed in a position that receives the beam on or after entering in the scanning range h 1 and before entering in the scanning range h 2 . the rotational speed of the polygon mirror 7 is constant and the position of the sensor 11 is fixed . accordingly , the time needed for the beam received by the sensor 11 to enter in the scanning range h 2 is uniform regardless of an angle θ between the reflecting surfaces 7 a of the polygon mirror 7 . thus , the scanning range h 2 can be set as a period from a first predetermined time t 1 having elapsed since a detection time of the beam by the sensor 11 until a second predetermined time t 2 having elapsed the same detection time , these elapsed times can be converted to rotation pulses of the polygon mirror 7 . only a signal representing that the beam is received within the scanning range h 2 is used for image formation . fig3 is a schematic block diagram of a control system of the apparatus . connected to a control part 30 which controls the entire apparatus are the laser source 1 , the polygon mirror 7 , the galvano - mirror 9 , the sensor 11 , the photo - receiving element 16 , a moving part 31 for moving the mirrors 4 and 5 , an input part 32 for inputting data on refractive power of the eye e in order to correct diopter , an image processing part 33 which forms an image based on the signal from the photo - receiving element 16 , a memory part 35 , and others . a monitor 34 displays the image formed by the image processing part 33 . operations of the apparatus constructed as above will be described below . an examiner inputs data on the refractive power of the eye e , which is a previously measured result through an eye refractive power measurement apparatus or the like , with the input part 32 . the control part 30 stores the inputted refractive power data in the memory part 35 and causes the moving part 31 to move the mirrors 4 and 5 based on the data , thus correcting the diopter . the examiner then manipulates a joystick or the like not shown to move the apparatus after the diopter correction to make alignment with respect to the eye e so that the image of the objective part of the fundus ef appears on the monitor 34 . the apparatus is arranged so that the objective part of the fundus ef is in a conjugate relation with the pinhole of the pinhole plate 13 . accordingly , only the beam reflected by the objective part is allowed to pass through the pinhole and is received by the photo - receiving element 16 . however , the light amount of the beam reflected by the objective part is small . if noise light ( scattered light ) besides the reflected beam is also allowed to pass through the pinhole and received by the photo - receiving element , the objective part image would be hard to observe . in this case , the arrangement angle of the polarizing member 14 has to be changed with respect to the optical axis l with the use of an operating member 20 to change the polarization direction of linear polarized light to be transmitted through the polarizing member 14 . ganglion cells and others forming the retina of the fundus are anisotropic materials . on the retina , therefore , the beam reflected by the fundus slightly changes the polarization direction of linear polarized light depending on a fundus shape , a disease condition , etc . which differ from one examinee to another . while observing the image of the objective part displayed on the monitor 34 , the examiner has to adjust the arrangement angle of the polarizing member 14 so that the objective part image appears most clearly . cells and molecules have a property of reflecting light when they are subjected to light . the changing states of polarization and wavelength of the reflected light vary according to a reflecting material ( also according to solidity and shape thereof ). contained in the fundus are cells and molecules having self - fulorescence such as photoreceptor cells or lipofuscin molecules . to observe a desired objective part in detail , therefore the polarizing member 14 has to be adjusted to correspond the state of reflected light by a material contained in the objective part . specifically , while observing the fundus , the examiner changes the arrangement angle of the polarizing member 14 , so that capillary vessels can be viewed clearly . in the present embodiment , the polarizing member 14 which transmits only the linear polarized light having a predetermined polarization direction is disposed between the pinhole 13 and the photo - receiving element 16 , but it is not limited thereto . there may be adopted another structure capable of causing the photo - receiving element 16 to receive only a predetermined polarized light component and changing the polarized light component to be received . for example , 14 wave members may be placed on a laser source 1 side and a photo - receiving element 16 side respectively . in the present embodiment , further , the arrangement angle of the polarizing member 14 is manually changed . alternatively , it may be electrically changed by operation of the input part 32 or the like . the present invention may also be applied to an apparatus for observing an anterior segment and others as well as the fundus observation apparatus . while the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described , it is to be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration and that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims . | US-8920505-A |
an improved antiinflammatory composition and method of treating inflammation which employs a combination of antiinflammatory piroxicam , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , with analgesic acetaminophen , antidepressant doxepin , bronchodilator pirbuterol , minor tranquilizer diazepam , or antihypertensive trimazosin . | the antiinflammatory agent of the present invention , piroxicam , is known . for example , the merck index 10th ed ., 1983 contains a monograph concerning piroxicam ( no . 7378 ), as does the physicians &# 39 ; desk reference ( pdr ), 38th ed ., pp . 1556 - 1557 ( 1984 ). the preferred ethanolamine salt of piroxicam is specifically disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 434 , 164 . the compounds of the present invention which we have found to inhibit piroxicam - induced gastric irritation and ulcers are also known compounds . acetaminophen is a proprietory analgesic ( the merck index 10th ed ., monograph no . 39 ; see also the pdr , 38th ed ., p . 2096 ). doxepin is an antidepressant , marketed in the form of its hydrochloride salt ( the merck index 10th ed ., monograph no . 3434 ; pdr 38th ed ., pp . 1688 - 1689 ). pirbuterol is a bronchodilator marketed or to be marketed around the world in the form of its dihydrochloride and monoacetate salts . see the merck index 10th ed ., monograph no . 7364 . its early synthesis and utility as a bronchodilator is disclosed in u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 700 , 681 ; 3 , 763 , 173 ; 3 , 772 , 314 and 3 , 786 , 160 . alternative and generally improved syntheses are found in u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 948 , 919 ; 4 , 011 , 231 ; and 4 , 031 , 108 ; luxembourg pat . no . 79564 ; and european patent applications nos . 58069 , 58070 , 58071 and 58072 . more recently , pirbuterol has also found utility in the treatment of congestive heart failure ( u . s . pat . no . 4 , 175 , 128 ). diazepam is a widely prescribed minor tranquilizer ( the merck index 10th ed ., monograph no . 2967 ; pdr 38th ed ., pp . 1671 - 1674 ). trimazosin ( the merck index 10th ed ., monograph no . 9506 ) is an antihypertensive agent , marketed or to be marketed around the world as a hydrochloride salt , which is structurally related to prazosin . the clinical value of the present improved formulation in inhibiting piroxicam - induced gastric irritation and ulcers is reflected by appropriate animal studies . typical experimental protocols , in which the ability of the test compound to prevent or reduce piroxicam - induced gastric lesioning was determined , are found in the specific examples below . the present invention is readily carried out . the piroxicam or its salt is dosed in a mammal , particularly man , in the range of 0 . 1 to 1 mg / kg / day . the second medicinal agent can be dosed separately , in which case the latter will be employed in an amount within ( but generally lower in ) the dosage range and according to dosage regimens ( frequency , routes and compositions ) as specified for their alternative utility in the prior art , for example , in references cited above or further cited in said references . preferably and conveniently , the piroxicam and a gastric irritation and ulcer inhibiting agent of the present invention are co - administered in a single , combined formulation . this can be in a form suitable for parenteral administration , but is preferably in a form suitable for oral administration . the proportion of each drug in the combined dosage form will be in the ratio of the total daily dosage of each drug when dosed alone . the combined drugs will be dosed in single or divided doses . single daily dosage will be most preferred in those cases where the in vivo half - life of the second medicinal agent is ( like that of piroxicam ) relatively long , and where the daily dosage of the second agent for a typical adult patient is relatively small , e . g ., less than 1 - 2 grams . in the preferred oral route of dosage , the amount of piroxicam ( or salt equivalent ) for an average adult patient will generally be in the range of 5 - 50 mg / day in combination with : an amount of the second medicinal agent generally sufficient to inhibit gastrointestinal irritation or ulcers which could otherwise be induced by the piroxicam in patients susceptible to this side effect . the combined compounds are administered alone or in further combination with pharmaceutically - acceptable carriers or diluents . for oral use , suitable pharmaceutical carriers include inert diluents or fillers , thereby forming dosage forms such as tablets , powders , capsules , and the like . these pharmaceutical compositions can , if desired , contain additional ingredients such as flavorings , binders , excipients and the like . for example , tablets containing various excipients , such as sodium citrate , are employed , together with various disintegrants such as starch , alginic acid and certain complex silicates , together with binding agents such as polyvinylpyrrolidone , sucrose , gelatin and acacia . additionally , lubricating agents such as magnesium stearate , sodium lauryl sulfate and talc are often useful for tabletting purposes . solid compositions of a similar type may also be employed as fillers in soft and hard filled gelatin capsules . preferred materials therefor include lactose or milk sugar and high molecular weight polyethylene glycols . the present invention is illustrated by the following examples . however , it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details of these examples . protective effect of various medicinal agents on piroxicam - induced gastric lesions in rats adult male &# 34 ; specific pathogen free &# 34 ; rats weighing 140 - 160 grams of the cd strain ( sprague - dawley ) were obtained from charles river breeding laboratories ( kingston , n . y .). the animals were acclimated for approximately one week and tested when they reached a body weight of 200 - 225 grams . the rats were fasted for 16 hours and randomized into groups consisting of 8 to 20 animals which were normalized with regard to their average body weight . gastric ulcers were induced in the animals by orally dosing them with a single 100 mg / kg dose of piroxicam in 2 ml . of aqueous 0 . 1 % methylcellulose ( ph = 6 . 8 ). those animals receiving a second medicinal agent separately received the second drug in an additional 2 ml . of the same medium at about the same time . six and one - half hours later , the animals were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and autopsied . the stomachs were surgically removed , dissected along the greater curvature and rinsed with cold water . the stomachs were individually scored for both linear and punctate lesions . the total number of lesions was used for scoring purposes . the data obtained from each group of rats was analyzed after calculation of the mean number +/- the standard error of total gastric lesions . the values obtained were also compared to the controls which received only piroxicam by the two - tailed student &# 39 ; s t - test for non - paired data . the protective effect of the second medicinal agent against piroxicam - induced ulcers is shown in table i . these data show that pirbuterol , acetaminophen , doxepin and diazepam each significantly reduce piroxicam - induced gastric lesions in the healthy fasted rat . table i______________________________________protective effect of various medicinal agentson piroxicam - induced gastric lesions in rats . sup . a signifi - medicinal oral dose no . of rats lesions / rat canceagent . sup . a ( mg / kg ) in group (. sup .-- x +/- se ). sup . b p 0 . 05 . sup . c______________________________________ ( control ) -- 20 10 . 1 ( 1 . 5 ) pirbuterol 3 . 3 10 2 . 8 ( 0 . 9 ) + 10 20 4 . 5 ( 1 . 1 ) + 33 20 2 . 6 ( 0 . 7 ) +( control ) -- 10 4 . 1 ( 1 . 0 ) acetaminophen 100 10 4 . 6 ( 1 . 9 ) - 333 10 1 . 4 ( 0 . 7 ) + 1000 10 0 . 7 ( 0 . 5 ) +( control ) -- 20 9 . 5 ( 1 . 1 ) doxepin 3 . 3 10 4 . 4 ( 1 . 0 ) + 10 10 3 . 6 ( 1 . 0 ) + 33 20 4 . 2 ( 1 . 0 ) +( control ) -- 20 9 . 3 ( 1 . 3 ) diazepam 10 20 5 . 6 ( 1 . 1 ) + 33 20 4 . 2 ( 1 . 1 ) + ______________________________________ . sup . a all animals , including controls , received 100 mg / kg of piroxicam . . sup . b represents the mean value . sup .-- x +/- the standard error ( se ). . sup . c as determined by the student &# 39 ; s two tailed ttest for nonpaired data protective effect of various medicinal agents on gastric lesions in rats induced by the ethanolamine salt of piroxicam according to the preceeding example , gastric ulcers were induced by a single dose of 100 or 120 mg ./ kg . of the ethanolamine salt of piroxicam . test groups received various doses of various medicinal agents as shown in table ii . these data show that the test compounds showed a significant reduction in gastric lesions induced by the ethanolamine salt of piroxicam in healthy , fasted rats . table ii______________________________________protective effect of various medicinal agentson gastric lesions induced by the ethanolaminesalt of piroxicam oral signifi - medicinal dose no . of rats lesions / rat canceagent ( mg / kg ) in group (. sup .-- x +/- se ). sup . b p & lt ; 0 . 05 . sup . c______________________________________ ( control ). sup . a -- 20 6 . 5 ( 0 . 9 ) acetaminophen . sup . a 100 20 4 . 8 ( 1 . 0 ) - 333 20 0 . 9 ( 0 . 4 ) + 1000 20 2 . 0 ( 2 . 3 ) +( control ). sup . a -- 30 7 . 7 ( 1 . 0 ) doxepin . sup . a 1 . 0 30 4 . 3 ( 0 . 7 ) + 3 . 3 30 3 . 4 ( 0 . 6 ) + 10 30 5 . 1 ( 0 . 8 ) -( control ). sup . a -- 10 6 . 4 ( 1 . 1 ) diazepam . sup . a 10 10 5 . 1 ( 0 . 9 ) - 33 10 1 . 5 ( 0 . 7 ) +( control ). sup . d -- 10 7 . 6 ( 0 . 7 ) trimazosin . sup . d 3 . 3 10 5 . 0 ( 1 . 6 ) - 10 10 3 . 9 ( 1 . 0 ) + 33 10 5 . 2 ( 1 . 3 ) - ______________________________________ . sup . a all animals , including controls , received 100 mg / kg of the ethanolamine salt of piroxicam . . sup . b represents the mean value . sup .-- x +/- the standard error ( se ). . sup . c as determined by the student &# 39 ; s two tailed ttest for nonpaired data . sup . d all animals , including controls , received 120 mg / kg of the ethanolamine salt of piroxicam . male rats ( sprague - dawley ) having an average weight of 190 gms . were used in these studies . animals were fasted overnight and then dosed with test compound suspended in 0 . 1 % methylcellulose . six and one - half hours after the administration of piroxicam or the combination , the rats were sacrificed in the same order as they were dosed . their stomachs were excised , rinsed under running water and stored overnight between two saline soaked towels . the next morning the stomachs were evaluated and given an ulcer score . for each lesion a number was assigned according to size and another for intensity . the product of the two numbers is called the intensity factor , and the summation of the intensity factors represented the ulcer score for that stomach . two separate ( one was blind ) runs were performed to obtain the data contained in table iii . the data show that acetaminophen attenuated the lesioning effect of 32 mg ./ kg . of piroxicam in healthy rats and that the protection is dose dependent . separate studies , in which piroxicam was dosed at 32 mg ./ kg ., p . o . and acetaminophen at 250 mg ./ kg ., p . o . or s . c ., demonstrate that acetaminophen had no effect on the plasma levels of piroxicam . rats pre - dosed with acetaminophen ( 250 mg ./ kg ., p . o .) at 16 and 3 hours before receiving piroxicam ( 32 mg ./ kg ., p . o . ), were not significantly protected from g . i . lesioning induced by the piroxicam under this protocol . table iii______________________________________dose response of acetaminophen with piroxicam . sup . adose of drug ( mg / kg , p . o .) mean ulcerpiroxicam acetaminophen number of rats score ± s . e . m . ______________________________________ 0 0 4 0 . 0 ± 0 . 032 0 16 8 . 1 ± 0 . 8 10 ( 14 . 0 ± 1 . 7 ) 32 50 16 11 . 1 ± 1 . 632 100 16 10 . 2 ± 1 . 4 10 ( 10 . 8 ± 0 . 8 ) 32 200 16 2 . 7 ± 0 . 732 400 16 1 . 0 ± 0 . 4 . sup . 32 . sup . b . sup . 800 . sup . b 16 1 . 2 ± 0 . 8 0 100 8 0 . 3 ± 0 . 2 0 320 16 0 . 7 ± 0 . 2______________________________________ . sup . a this study was run blindly , except bracketed data , which was from preliminary , unblinded study . . sup . b several of the rats dosed with 32 mg / kg of piroxicam and 800 mg / kg of acetaminophen had stomachs that were slightly distended with gas . prophylactic and therapeutic effect of doxepin and acetaminophen on gastric lesions in rats induced by the ethanolamine salt of piroxicam following the method of examples 1 and 2 , with sacrifice 6 . 5 hours post - dose of 100 mg / kg of the ethanolamine salt of piroxicam , the doxepin or acetaminophen were dosed prophylactically ( 8 - 24 hours prior to sacrifice ) or therapeutically ( 1 to 4 hours prior to sacrifice ). results are shown in table iv . under this protocol , acetaminophen showed consistent protective activity when dosed 1 . 5 hours prior to piroxicam administration . table iv______________________________________prophylactic and therapeutic properties ofdoxepin and acetaminophen on gastric lesionsinduced by the ethanolamine salt of piroxicam . sup . a time ( hours ) signifi - compound prior to oral dose lesions / rat cancetested . sup . a sacrifice mg / kg x ± ( se ) p & lt ; 0 . 05______________________________________ ( control ) -- -- 8 . 8 ( 2 . 2 ) doxepin 24 1 . 0 4 . 9 ( 1 . 5 ) - 3 . 3 8 . 8 ( 1 . 6 ) - 10 . 0 4 . 7 ( 2 . 2 ) -( prophylactic - 20 . 5 1 . 0 7 . 0 ( 1 . 6 ) - prior to 3 . 3 10 . 5 ( 2 . 5 ) - piroxicam 10 . 0 7 . 3 ( 1 . 1 ) - administration ) 8 . 0 1 . 0 4 . 6 ( 0 . 9 ) - 3 . 3 4 . 4 ( 1 . 6 ) - 10 . 0 5 . 2 ( 1 . 0 ) -( control ) -- -- 7 . 3 ( 1 . 2 ) doxepin 4 . 0 1 . 0 3 . 0 ( 1 . 1 ) + 3 . 3 3 . 6 ( 1 . 1 ) + 10 . 0 3 . 2 ( 1 . 3 ) +( therapeutic - 2 . 5 1 . 0 2 . 2 ( 0 . 8 ) + after 3 . 3 4 . 1 ( 1 . 3 ) - piroxicam 10 . 0 3 . 1 ( 0 . 9 ) + administration ) 1 . 0 1 . 0 3 . 5 ( 1 . 2 ) + 3 . 3 6 . 6 ( 1 . 2 ) - 10 . 0 7 . 0 ( 1 . 1 ) -( control ) -- -- 6 . 2 ( 0 . 9 ) acetaminophen 20 . 5 100 3 . 9 ( 1 . 1 ) + 333 9 . 8 ( 1 . 5 ) - 1000 12 . 4 ( 2 . 0 ) -( prophylactic ) 8 . 0 100 2 . 7 ( 1 . 0 ) + 333 2 . 2 ( 0 . 8 ) + 1000 2 . 9 ( 1 . 0 ) + ______________________________________ . sup . a all animals , including controls , received 100 mg / kg of the ethanolamine salt of piroxicam 6 . 5 hours before sacrifice . the mixture is thoroughly blended so as to obtain a uniform powder . soft gelatin capsules containing 20 mg . of piroxicam and 1000 mg . of acetaminophen are prepared by filling suitably sized capsules with 1700 mg of the blend . to make hard gelatin filled capsules , the amount of inert ingredients is adjusted so as to conveniently fill standard sized gelatin capsules containing the desired amount of each active component . piroxicam ethanolamine salt ( milled ): 11 . 84 ( equivalent to 10 as free acid ) the mixture is thoroughly blended so as to form a uniform powder . the resultant mix is filled into appropriately sized hard gelatin capsules ( fill weight 1000 mg ) so as to obtain capsules containing the desired potency of each active ingredient . the mixture is thoroughly blended so as to obtain a uniform powder . the resultant mix ( 700 mg fill weight ) is filled into hard gelatin capsules of a suitable size so as to obtain capsules of the desired potency . the mixture is thoroughly blended to form a uniform powder which is filled into size 0 hard gelatin capsules ( fill weight 700 mg ) to obtain capsules containing the desired potency of each ingredient . the mixture is thoroughly blended to form a uniform powder . measured volumes of the powder , corresponding to 250 mg by weight , are compressed into tablets containing the desired potency of each active ingredient . piroxicam ethanolamine salt ( milled ): 23 . 68 ( equivalent to 20 of free base ) the mixture is thoroughly blended to form a uniform powder . the powder , in measured volumes corresponding to 300 mg . by weight , is compressed into tablets containing the desired potency of each active ingredient . the followiong ingredients are combined in the following proportions by weight : the mixture is thoroughly blended so as to obtain a uniform powder . the resultant mix ( 700 mg fill weight ) is filled into hard gelatin capsules of a suitable size so as to obtain capsules of the desired potency . equivalent proportions of piroxicam ethanolamine salt ( 23 . 7 ) and pirbuterol monoacetate ( 23 . 4 ) are combined with cornstarch and magnesium stearate and filled into hard gelatin capsules in like manner to obtain capsules containing the same potency of each active ingredient . the mixture is blended to a uniform powder and filled ( 250 mg fill weight ) into hard gelatin capsules of a suitable size to obtain capsules of the desired potencies . the mixture is thoroughly blended to form a uniform powder . measure volumes of the powder , corresponding to 150 mg by weight , are compressed into tablets containing the desired potency of each active ingredient . the mixtuue is blended to a uniform powder and compressed into tablets in measured volumes corresponding to 1600 mg by weight to yield tablets of the desired potency in each drug . the mixture is thoroughly blended so as to obtain a uniform powder . the resultant mix ( 700 mg fill weight ) is filled into hard gelatin capsules of a suitable size so as to obtain capsules of the desired potency in each drug . | US-94114086-A |
an improved oximeter device for the calculation of oxygen saturation in arterial blood is provided . a pair of led &# 39 ; s are positioned to transmit red and infrared light through tissue containing the blood . a photo electric converter is provided to receive the transmitted light and convert it into a electrical signals . the probe can store data directed to various characteristics of the led &# 39 ; s , such as the primary wavelength and a secondary wavelength of the led and an indication of the amount of crosstalk that can occur in the signals . the correction of any errors resulting from crosstalk plus the calculation of oxygen saturation depending on the various characteristics of the led &# 39 ; s can be effectuated . | in fig1 the oximeter device comprises a probe 1 and a main unit 3 . the probe 1 is detachably connected to the main unit 3 . in the probe 1 , there is provided a pair of a red light emitting diode 20 and an infrared ray emitting diode 21 disposed to project a red light and an infrared ray toward an object organism 60 such as a finger to be measured . the red light emitting diode ( referred to as rled hereinafter ) 20 emits red light 71 ( see fig3 ) of the main wavelength such as nearly 660 nm and emitting infrared ray 72 of the sub - wavelength such as 900 nm of which the light intensity is lower than that of the main wavelength light as shown in fig3 . the infrared light emitting diode ( referred to as irled hereinafter ) 21 emits an infrared ray 73 of the wavelength of nearly 940 nm . a temperature detecting unit 22 is provided near the rled 20 and irled 21 for generating a signal representing the temperature of rled 20 or irled 21 . a probe discrimination generator 24 generates the signal for indicating which of a spot measuring probe or a continuous measuring probe is used . a light receiving element 25 made of a photodiode is disposed at a position opposing to said rled 20 and irled 21 so as to receive the light which is radiated from rled 20 and irled 21 and passed through the organism 60 , thereby generating a signal corresponding to the intensity of light passed through the organism 60 . moreover , there are provided a photoelectric converter 37 for converting the output of the light receiving element 25 into a signal of a predetermined level and a non - volatile memory circuit 56 which is connected to a central processing unit ( referred to as cpu ) 10 in the main unit 3 through a data bus and stores the data of the luminous spectrums of rled 20 and irled 21 and the data of crosstalk amount and sum check data . in the above mentioned embodiment , though the non - volatile memory circuit 56 is connected to cpu 10 via the data bus , both of the devices 10 and 56 may be connected via a single line so as to transfer the data serially . moreover , the memory circuit 56 may be made of an eeprom or eprom in which the data can be electrically written and erased and may be made by a digital switch . as shown in fig4 the memory circuit 56 stores eleven items with respect to the properties of the light or ray of the rled 20 and irled 21 as follows ; ( 1 ) the intensity of the main wavelength light of rled 20 when a predetermined driving current is supplied , ( 2 ) the intensity of the main wavelength light of irled 21 when a predetermined driving current is supplied , ( 6 ) the ratio of the intensity of light of the subwavelength light to that of the main wavelength light of rled 20 , ( 9 ) the crosstalk amount caused in case of mixing the light signal of rled 20 into the processing circuit of the light of irled 21 ( referred to as crosstalk amount from r channel to ir channel hereinafter ) to be described later , ( 10 ) the crosstalk amount caused in case of mixing the light signal of irled 21 into the processing circuit of the light of rled 20 ( referred to as crosstalk amount from ir channel to r channel hereinafter ) to be described later , and the sum check data is so determined that the sum of the data ( 1 ) to ( 11 ) amounts to a predetermined value . the sum check data is used to detect whether each of the data ( 1 ) to ( 10 ) is correctly stored or not in the memory circuit 56 . there are provided in the main unit 3 a signal processing circuit 7 for processing the output of the light receiving element 25 in the probe 1 to be described later . a multiplexer 8 selects the output of the signal processing circuit 7 , an analogue to digital converter 9 ( referred to as a / d converter hereinafter ) for converting the analogue output signal of the multiplexer 8 into a digital signal . cpu 10 calculates the oxygen saturation degree sa0 2 in arterial blood and the pulse rate of the organism 60 and controls a display unit 13 and an operating unit 14 , a read only memory ( referred to as rom hereinafter ) 11 , and a random access memory ( referred to as ram hereinafter ) 12 . the display unit 13 displays the calculated oxygen saturation degree sa0 2 in the arterial blood and the pulse rate . the operation unit 14 selects an alarm level and a measuring mode / display mode of the oximeter device . a voice generator 15 generates an alarm sound and the sound of the pulse of the organism . an input - and - output interface 16 sends and receives the data to and from a printer and an external personal computer and generates the wave - form of the pulse . an ic card input and output unit 17 sends and receives the data of the calculation value to and from the ic card 2 . 18 denotes a clock portion . a light emitting diode ( referred to as led ) driving portion 19 supplies power to rled 20 and irled 21 for turning them on . the principle of calculating the oxygen saturation degree sa0 2 in the arterial blood according to the present embodiment will be explained . when the lights of wavelength λ 1 and λ 2 are radiated to the organism 60 , the luminance intensities i 1 and i 2 of the lights of the wavelengths λ 1 and λ 2 having passed through the organism 60 may be represented as follows ; i . sub . 1 = io . sub . 1 × tt . sub . 1 × exp {- g . sub . 1 [( e . sub . 1 o - e . sub . 1 h ) sa0 . sub . 2 / 100 + e . sub . 1 h ]×( d + δd )] ( 1 ) i . sub . 2 = io . sub . 2 × tt . sub . 2 × exp {- g . sub . 2 [( e . sub . 2 o - e . sub . 2 h )× sa0 . sub . 2 / 100 + e . sub . 2 h ]×( d + δd )] ( 2 ), io 1 : the intensity of the incident light of wavelength λ 1 , io 2 : the intensity of the incident light of wavelength λ 2 , e 1 o : the absorption coefficient of oxyhemoglobin at the wavelength λ 1 of the light , e 2 0 : the absorption coefficient of oxyhemoglobin at the wavelength λ 2 of the light , e 1 h : the absorption coefficient of hemoglobin at the wavelength λ 1 of the light , e 2 h : the absorption coefficient of hemoglobin at the wavelength λ 2 of the light , tt 1 : the transmittance of the tissue other than the arterial blood at the wavelength λ 1 of the light , tt 2 : the transmittance of the tissue other than the arterial blood at the wavelength λ 2 of the light , sa0 2 : the oxygen saturation degree in the arterial blood , assuming that the dc components of the luminances i 1 and i 2 of the lights of each wavelength after passing through the organism 60 are represented by i 1 dc and i 2 dc respectively and the values log ( i 1 dc / i 1 ) and log ( i 2 dc / i 2 ) are represented by u 1 and u 2 respectively , the values u 1 and u 2 may be approximately represented as follows ; moreover , assuming that the values u 1 and u 2 may be obtained as the variable components of the values log i 1 and log i 2 and that the variable components of the intensities of lights i 1 and i 2 are δi 1 and δi 2 , the values u 1 and u 2 may be obtained as the values δi 1 / i 1 dc , δi 2 / i 2 dc respectively so as to obtain the expressions ( 3 ) and ( 4 ). next , from the expressions ( 3 ) and ( 4 ), the value of the oxygen saturation degree sa0 2 in the arterial blood may be obtained as follows ; wherein the numerals k 1 , k 2 , k 3 and k 4 represent respectively constant values determined by the wavelengths λ 1 and λ 2 . in the present embodiment , the wavelengths of approximately 660 nm and 940 nm are adopted as the wavelengths λ 1 and λ 2 . the arrangement of the signal processing circuit 7 in the device body 3 according to the present invention is explained with reference to fig2 . in the present embodiment , as described above , as the light sources there are mainly adopted rled 20 emitting the red light of the wavelength nearly 660 nm and irled 21 emitting the infrared ray of the wavelength nearly 940 nm . each of rled 20 and irled 21 is respectively driven by the led driving unit 19 which is controlled by the timing pulse generated by an oscillator included in cpu 10 . the led driving unit 19 generates two series of the driving periodic pulses having the same cycle , the phase difference of 90 ° and the duty ratio 50 %. these pulses are fed to rled 20 and irled 21 so as to turn rled 20 and irled 21 on respectively as shown in fig5 ( a ) and 5 ( b ). the light emitted from rled 20 and irled 21 passes through the organism 60 and are declined and then received by the light receiving element 25 , which generates electric current corresponding to the intensity of the incident light and the generated current is converted into voltage through a photoelectric converter 37 and fed to the terminal a 1 of the switch s 1 . in case the device body 3 is set in the measuring mode , the switch s 1 is connected to the terminal a 1 so that the output of the photoelectric converter 37 is amplified through an amplifier 38 and in turn inputted to a r - synchronous rectifier 39 and an ir - synchronous rectifier 40 . the r - synchronous rectifier 39 is synchronized with one of the two series of the driving periodic pulses , pulse ( a ) in fig5 generated from the led driving unit 19 and rectify the signal of red light inputted from the converter 37 . in other words , the r - synchronous rectifier 39 amplifies the input signal by a gain of 1 while rled 20 emits the light and amplifies the input signal by a gain of - 1 while rled 20 does not emit the light . similarly , the ir - synchronous rectifier 40 is synchronized with another series of the driving periodic pulses ( b ) and amplifies the input signal by a gain of 1 while irled 21 emits the light and amplifies the input signal by a gain of - 1 while irled 21 does not emit the light . the time average value of the output of the synchronous rectifiers 40 corresponds to the intensity of the light of only irled 21 passed through the organism 60 . therefore , the outputs of a r low - pass filter 41 and an ir low - pass filter 42 corresponds respectively to the intensity of the light of wavelengths around 660 nm and 940 nm having passed through the organism 60 . thus , when a signal of the light of the light receiving element 25 is separated into the signal representing only the light of wavelengths 660 nm and another signal representing the light of 940 nm , the influence of the external disturbance light can be removed by properly selecting the driving frequencies of rled 20 and irled 21 . in fig2 a frequency detecting unit 53 detects the frequency of a commercial power source now in use and cpu 10 sets the driving frequency of rled 20 and irled 21 to nearly ( integer times of 60 + 30 ) hz ( when the commercial power source frequency is 60 hz ), or nearly ( integer times of 50 + 25 ) hz ( when the commercial power source frequency is 50 hz ). furthermore , the outputs of the r low - pass filter 41 and the ir low - pass filter 42 are converted from analogue form to digital form ( referred to as a / d hereinafter ) by the a / d converter 9 via the multiplexer 8 and in turn inputted to cpu 10 . cpu 10 calculates the ratio of the output of the r low - pass filter 41 to the output of the ir low - pass filter 42 and controls the led driving unit 19 so that the ratio becomes within a predetermined range , adjusting the intensity of the light of rled 20 and the intensity of the light of irled 21 . by these operations , the s / n ratio of the output of the r low - pass filter 41 becomes nearly equal to the s / n ratio of the output of the ir low - pass filter 42 so as to keep a desired condition for processing the signal . in fig2 cpu 10 controls the gain of the amplifier 38 so that the outputs of the r low - pass filter 41 and the ir low - pass filter 42 are settled within a predetermined range . the output terminal of the ir low - pass filter 42 is connected to the signal line si for the external output of the device body 3 . in addition , the outputs of the r low - pass filter 41 and the ir low - pass filter 42 are respectively connected to a r logarithmic amplifier 43 and an ir logarithmic amplifier 44 and are inputted in the multiplexer 8 respectively via a r high - pass filter 45 and a r high - pass filter 47 and via an ir high - pass filter 46 and an ir high - pass filter 48 . moreover , the outputs of the r high - pass filter 47 and the ir high - pass filter 48 are inputted in the multiplexer 8 via a r inverting amplifier 49 and an ir inverting amplifier 50 respectively . in case the output of the r high - pass filter 47 or the ir high - pass filter 48 is positive , these outputs are converted from an analog form to a digital form by the a / d converter 9 via the multiplexer 8 , but in case these outputs are negative , the outputs of the inverting amplifiers 49 and 50 are converted from an analog form to a digital form and applied to cpu 10 . in addition , the outputs of the r low - pass filter 41 and the ir low - pass filter 42 , the outputs of the r high - pass filter 47 or the r inverting amplifier 49 , the outputs of the ir high - pass filter 48 or the ir inverting amplifier 50 are respectively converted from an analog form to a digital form in a predetermined sampling cycle by the a / d converter 9 and transmitted to cpu 10 . referring to fig3 showing the light emitting spectrum of rled 20 and irled 21 in the probe 1 , since rled 20 emits not only the main wavelength light 71 but also the sub - wavelength light 72 and there inevitably exist dispersions of the wavelength , intensity of emitting light and half width in the spectrum characteristics of rled 20 and irled 21 , if the oxygen saturation degree sa0 2 in the arterial blood is calculated by using the expression ( 5 ), there occurs an unnegligible error . this is because when the light of rled 20 and irled 21 is radiated to the organism 60 , the intensities i 1 and i 2 of the respective light passing through the organism 60 are strictly represented as follows . wherein io 1 ( λ ): the light emitting spectrum character of rled 20 io 2 ( λ ): the light emitting spectrum character of irled 21 t t ( λ ): the spectral transmittance of tissue except arterial blood d , δd , sao 2 , g 1 and g 2 are same as those in the expression ( 1 ). the oxygen saturation degree sa0 2 in the arterial blood can be obtained by the calculation of the expression ( 5 ) based on the measured value inputted in cpu 10 when there is no error at the time of separating the light signal from rled 20 and the light signal from irled 21 in the r synchronous rectifier 39 and the ir synchronous rectifier 40 . however , in case the response speeds of the light receiving element 25 , the photoelectric converter 37 , the amplifier 38 , the r synchronous rectifier 39 and the ir synchronous rectifier 40 are slow compared with the driving frequencies of rled 20 and irled 21 , and when the sub - wavelength 900 nm of the light of rled 20 is near the wavelength 940 nm of irled 21 as shown in fig3 the output arl of the r synchronous rectifier 39 contains the signal representing the light from irled 21 as a crosstalk and similarly the output airl of the ir synchronous rectifier 40 contains the signal representing the light from rled 20 as a crosstalk . for example , in case the response speeds of the light receiving element 25 , the photoelectric converter 37 , the amplifier 38 , the r synchronous rectifier 39 and the ir synchronous rectifier 40 are fast compared with the driving frequencies of rled 20 and irled 21 , the output al of the amplifier 38 , the output arl of the r synchronous rectifier 39 and the output airl of the ir synchronous rectifier 40 are changed in respective levels immediately in response to the driving signal of each of rled 20 and irled 21 so that the crosstalk is not produced as shown in fig5 ( c ), 5 ( d ) and 5 ( e ). however , in case the response speeds of the light receiving element 25 , the photoelectric converter 37 , the amplifier 38 , the r synchronous rectifier 39 and the ir synchronous rectifier 40 are slow compared with the driving frequencies of rled 20 and irled 21 , the output al of the amplifier 38 , the output arl of the r synchronous rectifier 39 and the output airl of the ir synchronous rectifier 40 do not immediately respond to the driving signal of each of the rled 20 and irled 21 but each level thereof is transitionally changed as shown in fig5 ( f ), 5 ( g ) and 5 ( h ) so as to produce the crosstalk . among the above mentioned crosstalks , the crosstalk caused by only the probe 1 to be stored in the memory 56 is obtained by subtracting the crosstalk caused by the main unit 3 from the crosstalks caused by the probe 1 and the main unit 3 . in order to obtain the crosstalk in the probe 1 only rled 20 is continuously turned on , while irled 21 is turned off . at this time , in case of absence of the crosstalk , the r low - pass filter 41 generates a predetermined output value but the ir low - pass filter 42 generates no output at all . however , in case the crosstalk is present , the crosstalk from the r channel to the ir channel exists in the output of the ir low - pass filter 42 . therefore , the crosstalk from the r channel to the ir channel caused by the circuits including the probe 1 and the amplifier 38 to the low - pass filter 41 or 42 can be obtained by calculating the ratio of the output of the ir low - pass filter 42 to the output of the r low - pass filter 41 . similarly , the crosstalk from the ir channel to the r channel caused by the circuits including the probe 1 and the amplifier 38 to the low - pass filter 41 and 42 can be obtained by calculating the ratio of the output of the r low - pass filter 42 to the output of ir low - pass filter 41 . moreover , upon switching the switch s1 from the terminal a 1 to the terminal a 2 and applying the revision signal of a predetermined wavelength from a crosstalk measuring revision signal generator 51 to the amplifier 38 , the crosstalk amount from the r channel to the ir channel and the crosstalk amount from the ir channel to the r channel which are caused by the circuits of the main unit 3 including the amplifier 38 to the low - pass filter 41 or 42 can be obtained . as described above , the crosstalk caused by the probe 1 can be obtained by subtracting the crosstalk caused by the circuits of the main unit 3 including the amplifier 38 to the low - pass filters 41 and 42 from the crosstalk caused by the circuits including the probe 1 and the amplifier 38 to the low - pass filter 41 and 42 . next , the operation of the oximeter device shown in fig1 and 2 will be explained with reference to the flow charts shown in fig6 and 7 . in the step 1 , when the power switch of the main unit 3 is turned on , the program goes to the step 2 and cpu 10 reads out the above mentioned eleven data items ( shown in fig4 ) stored in the memory circuit 56 in the probe 1 and stores them in ram 12 . in the next step 3 - 1 , cpu 10 adds all the data read out in the step 2 . it is judged in the step 3 - 2 whether or not the added value is equal to a predetermined value , whereby it is judged whether or not the probe 1 is connected to the main unit 3 correctly and whether or not the contents of the data stored in the memory circuit 56 in the probe 1 are destroyed , in other words , the data stored in the memory circuit 56 are correctly read out by cpu 10 . in the step 3 - 2 , in case the added value is not equal to the predetermined value , in other words , in case the data stored in the memory circuit 56 are not correctly read out , the program goes to the step 4 and cpu 10 displays the error on the display unit 13 in the oximeter main unit 3 and then in the step 5 the operation of the oximeter device is stopped . in the memory circuit 56 in the probe 1 , the sum check data are stored in the memory circuit so that when all the data stored in the memory circuit 56 are added , the added value is equal to the predetermined value . on the other hand , in case it is detected in the step 3 - 2 that the data stored in the memory circuit 56 are correctly read out , the program goes to the step 6 and a predetermined led driving current of the led driving unit 19 is selected respectively depending on the data signal of the intensity of the light of the main wavelength of rled 20 and the intensity of the light of irled 21 among the data stored in ram 12 . in other words , in case the intensity of the light of led is small , the led driving current is made large and in case the intensity of the light of led is large , the led driving current is made small , thereby controlling rled 20 and irled 21 so as to emit a predetermined light amount . in the next step 7 , the coefficients k 1 to k 4 in the calculation of the oxygen saturation degree sa0 2 in the arterial blood are obtained by the light emitting spectrums of rled 20 and irled 21 . according to the expressions ( 6 ) and ( 7 ) as described above , the intensities i 1 and i 2 of the light which has been radiated from rled 20 and irled 21 to the organism 60 and pass through the organism 60 are affected by the light emitting spectrum character io 1 ( λ ) of rled 20 and the light emitting spectrum character io 2 ( λ ) of irled 21 . but since a large memory capacity is required in order to store the light emitting spectrum characters of rled 20 and irled 21 , in the present embodiment , the wavelength and the half width ( shown as h . w . in table 1 ) of the main wavelength light of rled 20 , the wavelength of the sub - wavelength light of rled 20 , the ratio of the light emitting intensity of the sub - wavelength light to that of the main wavelength light of rled 20 and the wavelength and the half width ( shown as h . w . in table 1 ) of irled 21 are stored as the values representing the light emitting spectrum . in the step 7 , depending on the stored values mentioned above , the coefficients k 1 to k 4 in the expression ( 5 ) of the calculation of the oxygen saturation degree sa0 2 in the arterial blood are selected from the table of the coefficients k 1 to k 4 of the expression of the oxygen saturation degree sa0 2 corresponding to the light emitting spectrum character of various kinds of led stored previously in rom 11 . the table of the coefficients k 1 to k 4 of the expression of the oxygen saturation degree sa0 2 is stored in rom 11 as shown in table 1 . for example , in case the wavelength of the main wavelength light of rled 20 is 660 nm , the half width ( h . w .) of the main wavelength light of rled 20 is 15 nm , the wavelength of the sub - wavelength light of rled 20 is 900 nm , and the ratio of the light emitting intensity of the sub - wavelength light to that of the main wavelength of rled 20 is 3 %, and the wavelength of irled 21 is 935 nm , the half width ( h . w .) of irled 21 is 40 nm , the coefficients k 1 to k 4 in the expression of the oxygen saturation degree sa0 2 are respectively e 1 , e 2 , e 3 and e 4 according to the table shown in table 1 . moreover , in the above mentioned values , in case only the half width ( h . w .) of irled 21 is 50 nm and the other values of the spectrum characters are same as above , the coefficients k 1 to k 4 are respectively f 1 , f 2 , f 3 and f 4 . moreover , the table of the coefficients k 1 to k 4 in the expression of the oxygen saturation degree sa0 2 corresponding to the light emitting spectrum characters of the various kinds of led is made as follows . according to the expressions ( 6 ) and ( 7 ), the intensities i 1 and i 2 of the light radiated from each of the led and passing through the organism 60 are calculated . next , the photoelectric pulse signal is simulated with changing the values of δd in the expressions ( 6 ) and ( 7 ) and the values of log ( i 1 dc / i 1 ) and log ( i 2 dc / i 2 ) are obtained to be represented u 1 and u 2 respectively . next , the values u 1 and u 2 are obtained to the plurality of the oxygen saturation degrees sa0 2 , resulting in that the most preferable coefficients k 1 to k 4 in the expression ( 5 ) of the oxygen saturation degree sa0 2 in the arterial blood are determined . in the next step 8 , the crosstalk amount in the main unit 3 is measured according to the operation shown in the flow chart in fig7 . in the step 51 , after cpu 10 connects the switch s 1 to the contact point a 2 , the crosstalk measuring revision signal generator 51 is synchronized with the driving signal ( see fig8 ( c )) of rled 20 generated from the led driving unit 19 and as shown in fig8 ( a ), a periodical pulse of a predetermined level h0 having the same cycle as the driving signal of rled 20 is transmitted to the amplifier 38 via the point a 2 of the switch s 1 . the output of the amplifier 38 is fed to the a / d converter 9 via the r synchronous rectifier 39 , r low - pass filter 41 and the multiplexer 8 and the output of the amplifier 38 showing the intensity of the light of red light passed through the organism is converted from analog form to digital form and then transmitted to cpu 10 , and at the same time , the output of the amplifier 38 is fed to the a / d converter 9 via the ir synchronous rectifier 40 , ir low - pass filter 42 and the multiplexer 8 and the output of the amplifier 38 showing the intensity of the light of red light passed through the organism is converted from analog form to digital form and then transmitted to cpu 10 . when the periodical pulse shown in fig8 ( a ) is supplied to the amplifier 38 to generates its output , only rled 20 is driven , and the crosstalk amount from the r channel to the ir channel can be obtained by calculating the ratio of the a / d converted value of the output of the r low - pass filter 41 ( referred to as a / d converted value of the r channel hereinafter ) to the a / d converted value of the output of the ir low - pass filter 42 ( referred to as a / d converted value of the ir channel hereinafter ) in the step 53 on the basis of the two a / d converted values transmitted to cpu 10 . in the next step 54 , the crosstalk measuring revision signal generator 51 synchronizes with the driving signal shown in fig8 ( d ) for driving irled 21 generated from the led driving unit 19 and transmits a series of periodical pulse of a predetermined level h0 having the same cycle as the driving signal as shown in fig8 ( b ) to the amplifier 38 via the point a 2 of the switch s 1 . the output of the amplifier 38 is transmitted to cpu 10 via the r synchronous rectifier 39 , the r low - pass filter 41 , the multiplexer 8 and the a / d converter 9 and at the same time transmitted to cpu 10 via the ir synchronous rectifier 40 , the ir low - pass filter 42 , the multiplexer 8 and the a / d converter 9 . when the periodical pulse shown in fig8 ( b ) is transmitted to the amplifier 38 , only irled 21 is periodically driven , therefore , the crosstalk amount from the ir channel to the r channel can be obtained by calculating the ratio of the a / d converted value of the ir channel to the a / d converted value of the r channel in the step 55 on the basis of the two a / d converted values transmitted to cpu 10 . subsequently , in the step 56 , the switch s 1 is switched from the point a 2 to the point a 1 and the measurement of the crosstalk amount in the main unit 3 in the step 8 shown in fig6 is completed . in the next step 9 , the crosstalk amount in the probe 1 stored in ram 12 in the step 2 is added to the crosstalk amount in the main unit 3 calculated in the step 8 and the crosstalk amount of the whole measurement system of the oximeter device according to the present invention is obtained and stored in ram 12 and used in the calculation of the oxygen saturation degree sa0 2 in the arterial blood . the way of the calibration of the crosstalk amount in the calculation of the oxygen saturation degree sa0 2 in the arterial blood will be explained hereinafter . assuming that the crosstalk amount from the r channel to the ir channel is b 1 and the crosstalk amount from the ir channel to the r channel is b 2 , the output p 1 of the r high - pass filter 47 and the output p 2 of the ir high - pass filter 48 are represented as follows . therefore , the values u 1 and u 2 in the expression ( 5 ) can be obtained from the expression ( 8 ) and ( 9 ) as follows . by the operation described above , the preparation for measuring the oxygen saturation degree sa0 2 in the arterial blood is completed , subsequently in the step 10 rled 20 and irled 21 are driven by the led driving unit 19 and the output p 1 of the r high - pass filter 47 and the output p 2 of the ir high - pass filter 48 are calculated , whereby the oxygen saturation degree sa0 2 in the arterial blood can be obtained by the calculation using the expressions ( 5 ), ( 10 ) and ( 11 ) on the basis of the a / d converted values of the above mentioned measured outputs p 1 and p 2 . in the next step 11 , by using a known method , the pulse rate per a minute is measured on the basis of the output of the photoelectric converter 37 and finally the obtained oxygen saturation degree sa0 2 and the pulse rate are displayed on the display unit 13 . moreover , it is judged in the step 13 whether or not the measurement of the oxygen saturation degree in the arterial blood and the pulse rate is finished , and in case the measurement has not been completed , the program goes to the step 10 and the above mentioned process is repeated , while in case the measurement has been finished , the program goes to the step 14 and the operation of the oximeter device is stopped . in the embodiment mentioned above , though the eleven data items of the properties of rled and irled including the sum check data are stored in the memory circuit 56 in the probe 1 , the table of the coefficients k 1 to k 4 used in the equation ( 5 ) for the calculation of the oxygen saturation degree sa0 2 in the arterial blood corresponding to rled 20 and irled 21 in the probe 1 may be stored in the memory circuit 56 instead of storing the above mentioned eleven data items . otherwise , the table of the coefficients k 1 to k 4 of the calculation of the reference oxygen saturation degree sa0 2 in the arterial blood may be preliminarily stored in rom 11 in the main unit 3 and the calibration amount from the reference value may be stored in the memory circuit 56 in the probe 1 . in the embodiment mentioned above , although the coefficients k 1 to k 4 of the calculation of the oxygen saturation degree sa0 2 in the arterial blood corresponding to the light emitting spectrum characteristics of rled 20 and irled 21 are stored in rom 11 , the calculation table of the reference oxygen saturation degree sa0 2 may be stored in rom 11 and the calibration amount of the data of the calculation table may be stored in the memory circuit 56 in the probe 1 . in addition , cpu 10 reads out all or a part of the data stored in the memory circuit 56 in the probe 1 in a predetermined period and compares them with the data which is read out when the power source is turned on and which is stored in ram 12 , whereby it may be judged whether or not the probe 1 is exactly connected to the main unit . the operation of the modification mentioned above is shown in fig1 , which corresponds to the steps 10 to 14 in fig6 . referring to fig1 , in the step 31 , all or a part of the data stored in the memory circuit 56 in the probe 1 are read out , and it is judged in the step 32 whether or not the read out data correspond to the data which is read out when the power source is turned on and which is stored in ram 12 . in case of corresponding to the data , the program goes to the steps 10 ( measure sa0 2 ), 11 ( measure pulse rate ), 12 ( display ) and in the next step 13 it is judged whether or not the measurement of the oxygen saturation degree and the pulse rate is finished and in case the measurement is not finished , the program goes back to the step 31 . in the step 32 in case the read out data does not correspond to the data stored in ram 12 , the program goes to the step 33 and the warning that the data stored in the memory circuit 56 in the probe 1 are destroyed or the probe 1 is not exactly connected to the main unit 3 , is displayed and in the next step 34 the operation of the oximeter device is stopped . in case the memory circuit 56 in the probe 1 is a rewritable memory such as an eeprom , the time of turning on rled 20 and irled 21 in the probe 1 may be stored as follows . that is , the data of the time of turning on rled 20 and irled 21 stored in the memory circuit 5i in the probe 1 may be re - written by cpu 10 in a predetermined period corresponding to the time when rled 20 and irled 21 are turned on . it is generally known that the intensity of light of led decreases as the lighting time of led . therefore , the present intensity of light of each of rled 20 and irled 21 may be presumed on the basis of the intensity of light of rled 20 and irled 21 stored in the memory circuit 56 and the lighting time length , whereby the driving current of the led driving unit 19 may be adjusted so as to maintain a desired intensity of light of rled 20 and irle 21 . it is also possible to indicate the life of the led on the display unit 13 . referring to the method of storing the time of turning on the led , the operation flow is shown in fig9 . the flow in fig9 is a replacement of the portion of the steps 10 to 14 in fig6 . in the step 10 the oxygen saturation degree sa0 2 is measured , in the step 11 the pulse rate is measured and in the next step 12 each of the measured values is displayed . in the next step 21 , the data of the counting time of turning on led stored in the memory circuit 56 in the probe 1 are increased . it is judged in the step 22 whether or not the counting time of turning on led reaches the life time of led , and in case the counting time of turning on led reaches the life time of led , it is displayed on the display unit 13 in the step 23 that the life of led is over and in the next step 24 the operation of the oximeter device is stopped . in case the counting time of turning on led does not reach the life time of led , the driving current of each of led 20 and 21 is adjusted on the basis of the counting time of turning on led it the step 25 and then the program goes to the step 13 . table 1__________________________________________________________________________rled rled rled rledmain main sub . sub . irled irled coefficientw . l . h . w . w . l . inten . w . l . h . w . k . sub . 1 k . sub . 2 k . sub . 3 k . sub . 4__________________________________________________________________________660 nm 15 nm 900 nm 3 % 925 nm 30 nm a . sub . 1 a . sub . 2 a . sub . 3 a . sub . 4660 15 900 3 925 40 b . sub . 1 b . sub . 2 b . sub . 3 b . sub . 4660 15 900 3 925 50 c . sub . 1 c . sub . 2 c . sub . 3 c . sub . 4660 15 900 3 935 30 d . sub . 1 d . sub . 2 d . sub . 3 d . sub . 4660 15 900 3 935 40 e . sub . 1 e . sub . 2 e . sub . 3 e . sub . 4660 15 900 3 935 50 f . sub . 1 f . sub . 2 f . sub . 3 f . sub . 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 665 15 900 3 935 30 g . sub . 1 g . sub . 2 g . sub . 3 g . sub . 4665 15 900 3 935 40 h . sub . 1 h . sub . 2 h . sub . 3 h . sub . 4665 15 900 3 935 50 i . sub . 1 i . sub . 2 i . sub . 3 i . sub . 4__________________________________________________________________________ | US-9443987-A |
a method for enhancing skin collagen in an individual includes administering a composition to the individual , the composition comprising a skin collagen enhancing agent comprising menaquinone - 7 as an active ingredient . in addition , a composition is provided in the form of at least one of an emulsion and a cream , the composition including a skin collagen enhancing agent comprising menaquinone - 7 as an active ingredient . | an example embodiment of the collagen enhancing agent of the present invention will now be described in detail . menaquinone - 7 that can be used in the skin collagen enhancing agent of the present invention is one type of vitamin k2 . vitamin k2 is classified into from menaquinone - 4 to mk - 15 depending on the difference in length of isoprenoid side chain . the skin collagen enhancing agent of the present invention contains vitamin k2 of which the isoprenoid side chain has a length of seven as an essential component . menaquinone - 7 which is largely contained as a nutrient in a foodstuff can be obtained from fermented soybean called natto . it is also obtained from fermentation of bacteria such as bacillus subtilis or lactic acid bacteria . in addition , menaquinone - 7 may be chemically synthesized . the content of menaquinone - 7 in the skin collagen enhancing agent of the present invention varies depending on the formulation and administration amount of the composition , but is usually in the range of 0 . 00002 to 100 % by weight , preferably 0 . 0003 to 70 % by weight , and more preferably 0 . 003 to 50 % by weight . a content of menaquinone - 7 of 0 . 00002 % by weight or less may be insufficient for administering an amount necessary to obtain a skin collagen - increasing effect . the skin collagen enhancing agent of the present invention may contain one or more food ingredients conventionally known to have a skin collagen enhancing effect , in addition to menaquinone - 7 as an essential component . alternatively , the skin collagen enhancing agent may also contain a component such as collagen , a collagen degradation product , or a source of collagen , e . g ., amino acids . in the case of using the skin collagen enhancing agent of the present invention as a drug , the drug may contain those usually used as auxiliaries for drugs , in addition to menaquinone - 7 as an essential component and optional collagen - producing materials , collagen , collagen degradation products , and amino acids . for example , according to the formulation and route of administration , the drug may contain general - purpose additives , such as an excipient , a disintegrator , a binder , a lubricant , a vitamin , a xanthine derivative , a ph adjuster , a cooling agent , a suspending agent , a thickener , a solubilizing agent , an antioxidant , a coating agent , a plasticizer , a surfactant , water , alcohols , a water - soluble polymer , a sweetener , a flavoring substance , an acidifier , a flavoring agent , and a coloring agent , in the qualitative and quantitative ranges that do not impair the effects of the present invention . the skin collagen enhancing agent of the present invention is , in order to be used as a drug , formulated into an orally administrative agent , for example , a solid preparation such as a powder , granules , a capsule , a pill , a tablet , a chewable tablet , or a drop , or a liquid preparation such as a drinkable preparation , a liquid agent , a suspension , an emulsion , a syrup , or a dry syrup ; or a percutaneously administrative agent such as a solution agent , a liquid agent , an emulsion , or a cream . in the case of using the skin collagen enhancing agent of the present invention as a drug , the administration route is not particularly limited . for example , oral administration , percutaneous administration , transfusion , or injection ( intramuscular , intraperitoneal , subcutaneous , or venous ) is employed . oral administration , such as tablets and capsules , imposes less burden on patients and is therefore preferred . in the case of using the skin collagen enhancing agent of the present invention in a drug , the administration amount may be appropriately determined depending on the symptoms . in general , in the case of using as a preventive drug , the administration amount of menaquinone - 7 per day may be 10 μg to 100 mg , preferably 20 μg to 100 mg , and more preferably 5 to 50 mg ; and in the case of using as a therapeutic drug , the amount per day can be 1 to 150 mg . in the case of using the skin collagen enhancing agent of the present invention as a cosmetic , the cosmetic may contain those usually used as auxiliaries for cosmetics , in addition to menaquinone - 7 as an essential component , and optional skin collagen - producing materials , amino acids serving as sources of collagen , collagen degradation products , collagen , and gelatin . examples of the auxiliaries include polyhydric alcohols such as ethylene glycol , polyethylene glycol , propylene glycol , 1 , 3 - butylene glycol , 1 , 4 - butylene glycol , dipropylene glycol , glycerine , diglycerine , polyglycerine , pentylene glycol , isoprene glycol , glucose , maltose , fructose , xylitol , sorbitol , maltotriose , and erythritol ; lower alcohols such as methanol , ethanol , propyl alcohol , isopropyl alcohol , butyl alcohol , and isobutyl alcohol ; higher fatty acids such as oleic acid , isostearic acid , lauric acid , myristic acid , palmitic acid , stearic acid , behenic acid , and undecylenic acid ; oils and fats such as olive oil , corn oil , camellia oil , macadamia nut oil , avocado oil , rapeseed oil , sesame oil , castor oil , safflower oil , cottonseed oil , jojoba oil , coconut oil , and palm oil ; waxes such as carnauba wax , candelilla wax , bees wax , and lanoline ; sugars such as sorbitol , mannitol , glucose , sucrose , lactose , and trehalose ; thickeners such as carrageenan , xanthan gum , gelatin , pectin , agarose , alginate , dextrin , methylcellulose , ethylcellulose , hydroxypropylcellulose , hydroxyethylcellulose , carboxymethylcellulose , carboxyvinyl polymer , polyvinyl alcohol , polyvinylpyrrolidone , gum arabic , karaya gum , gum tragacanth , and tamarind gum ; antiseptics such as phenoxyethanol , methylparaben , ethylparaben , propylparaben , butylparaben , paraoxybenzoic acid ester , benzoic acid , salicylic acid and its salts , sorbic acid and its salts , dehydroacetic acid and its salts , chlorocresol , and hexachlorophen ; nonionic surfactants such as sodium lauroyl sulfate and polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate ; anionic surfactants such as alkylsulfate salts and sodium n - dodecylbenzenesulfonate ; cationic surfactants such as polyoxyethylene dodecyl monomethyl ammonium chloride ; steroidal and non - steroidal anti - inflammatory drugs ; vitamins such as vitamin a , vitamin d , vitamin e , vitamin f , vitamin ks ( other than menaquinone - 7 ); vitamin derivatives such as pyridoxine dicaprylate , pyridoxine dipalmitate , ascorbyl dipalmitate , ascorbyl monopalmitate , and ascorbyl monostearate ; antioxidants such as flavonoid and carotenoid ; higher aliphatic hydrocarbons such as squalane , squalene , and liquid paraffin ; sphingolipids such as ceramide , cerebroside , and sphingomyelin ; sterols such as cholesterol and phytosterol ; silicones such as methyl polysiloxane , methyl phenyl polysiloxane , methyl cyclopolysiloxane , octamethyl cyclotetrasiloxane , octamethyl cyclopentasiloxane , decamethyl cyclopentasiloxane , and methyl hydrogen polysiloxane ; ultraviolet absorbers such as paraaminobenzoic acid , monoglycerin paraaminobenzoate , methyl anthranilate , homomenthyl n - acetylanthranilate , octyl paramethoxycinnamate , and ethyl - 4 - isopropylcinnamate ; minerals such as bentonite , smectite , beidelite , nontronite , saponite , hectorite , sauconite , and stevensite ; inorganic pigments such as red iron oxide , yellow iron oxide , black iron oxide , cobalt oxide , ultramarine pigment , iron blue pigment , titanium oxide , and zinc oxide ; coloring agents such as red no . 202 , yellow no . 4 , blue no . 404 ; flavors ; and perfumed oils . the skin collagen enhancing agent of the present invention is , in order to be used as a cosmetic , formulated into a percutaneously administrative agent such as a solution agent , a liquid agent , an emulsion , a milky lotion , a cream , or a powder ; or an orally administrative agent , for example , a solid preparation such as a powder , granules , a capsule , a pill , a tablet , a chewable tablet , or a drop , or a liquid preparation such as a drinkable preparation , a liquid agent , a suspension , an emulsion , a syrup , or a dry syrup . in the case of using the skin collagen enhancing agent of the present invention as a cosmetic , the administration route is oral administration or percutaneous administration . from the viewpoint of immediate effect as a cosmetic , percutaneous administration in the form of a liquid agent , an emulsion , a milky lotion , or a cream is preferred . in the case of using the skin collagen enhancing agent of the present invention as a cosmetic , the administration amount ( application amount ) of menaquinone - 7 per day is preferably 0 . 001 to 100 mg , more preferably 0 . 05 to 50 mg . in the case of using the skin collagen enhancing agent of the present invention as a supplement , the supplement may contain those usually used as additives for supplements , in addition to menaquinone - 7 as an essential component and optional other collagen - increasing materials . for example , according to the formulation for oral administration , the supplement may contain general - purpose additives , such as an excipient , a disintegrator , a binder , a lubricant , a vitamin , a xanthine derivative , an amino acid , a ph adjuster , a cooling agent , a suspending agent , a thickener , a solubilizing agent , an antioxidant , a coating agent , a plasticizer , a surfactant , water , alcohols , a water - soluble polymer , a sweetener , a flavoring substance , an acidifier , a flavoring agent , and a coloring agent , in the qualitative and quantitative ranges that do not impair the effects of the present invention . in order to use the skin collagen enhancing agent of the present invention as a supplement , the agent is processed into orally administrative agent such as a powder , granules , a capsule , a pill , a tablet , a chewable tablet , or a drop differently from common foods . in the case of using the skin collagen enhancing agent of the present invention in functional foods such as a supplement , in the light of safety , the administration amount of menaquinone - 7 per day is preferably 0 . 01 to 50 mg , more preferably 0 . 01 to 1 mg . composition examples of the skin collagen enhancing agent of the present invention are shown below , but the present invention is not limited to the following composition examples . skin collagen enhancing activity of menaquinone - 7 was compared with those of vitamin k1 and menaquinone - 4 , using normal human fibroblasts . a menaquinone - 7 reagent ( wako pure chemical industries , ltd .) was used after purity validation by hplc . the comparison was performed at a setting concentration of 1 . 5 × 10 − 5 m , which is a maximum solubility of vitamin ks in a cell culture system . vitamin k1 ( wako pure chemical industries , ltd .) and menaquinone - 4 ( sigma ) were used after purity validation by hplc . normal human dermal fibroblasts ( manufactured by kurabo industries ltd .) were inoculated on a 96 - well microplate at a cell density of 2 . 0 × 10 4 cells per well using a dulbecco &# 39 ; s modified eagle &# 39 ; s medium ( dmem ) ( sigma ) containing 0 . 5 % by weight of fetal bovine serum ( fbs ). the medium was replaced , 48 hours after the inoculation , by dmem containing 0 . 5 % by weight of fbs and menaquinone - 7 in a concentration shown in table 5 . a test maximum concentration solution was prepared by dissolving menaquinone - 7 in ethanol and diluting it 100 times with a dmem containing 0 . 5 % fbs . the testing method was confirmed to be valid using magnesium ascorbic acid phosphate ( vc - pmg ) as a positive control . the medium containing a sample was cultured for 48 hours , and the medium supernatant was collected and subjected to elisa for measuring the amount of type i collagen . the cells were lysed in a 0 . 5 % triton x - 100 solution , and the protein amount was measured . a medium and a type i collagen solution for a standard curve were placed on each well of a high - absorption elisa plate , and coating at 37 ° c . for 2 hours was performed , followed by blocking with a 1 % bovine serum albumin ( bsa ) solution at 37 ° c . for 1 hour . primary antibody reaction was performed using anti - human collagen type i antibody ( rabbit ) diluted with a 0 . 3 % bsa solution at 37 ° c . for 1 hour . secondary antibody reaction was performed using histofine max - po ( r ) ( rabbit ) diluted with a phosphate buffer at 37 ° c . for 1 hour . a phosphate - citrate buffer ( 0 . 1 m , ph 4 . 0 ) solution containing 0 . 3 mg / ml of 2 , 2 ′- azinobis ( 3 - ethylbenzothiazoline - 6 - sulfonic acid ) diammounium salt ( abts ) and 0 . 03 % hydrogen peroxide was added thereto , followed by reaction for 20 min the absorbance of the reaction solution was measured at 405 nm with a microplate reader . the type i collagen amount in the medium was determined from the standard curve prepared by measurement on the same elisa plate , and the type i collagen amount per unit amount of protein was calculated by dividing the type i collagen amount in the medium by the total protein amount of the cells . fig1 shows the evaluation results of collagen enhancing activities of menaquinone - 7 , vitamin k1 , and menaquinone - 4 ( each at a high dose of 1 . 5 × 10 − 5 m ) on normal human dermal fibroblasts as relative values with respect to the amount of type i collagen , defined as 100 , produced per unit amount of protein when no sample is added . the test was performed at n = 6 for each group containing a sample , and the results are each shown as an average + standard deviation . the statistical processing was performed by a student t - test against the control group not containing the sample , and the symbol * indicates a significance level of less than 1 %. as shown in fig1 , only menaquinone - 7 ( mk - 7 in fig1 ) significantly increased the production amount of collagen . menaquinone - 4 ( mk - 4 in fig1 ) was also evaluated for collagen production at an amount of four times this , i . e ., 6 . 0 × 10 − 5 m , but the production amount of collagen did not increase at all . the collagen enhancing activities of menaquinone - 7 for human dermal fibroblasts were investigated in the concentration range shown in table 5 . the results are shown in table 5 . the test of each group containing a sample was performed at n = 6 , and the results are each shown as an average value . the statistical processing was performed by a student t - test against the control group not containing the sample , and the symbol * indicates a significance level of less than 1 %. as shown table 5 , it is obvious that menaquinone - 7 significantly promotes production of type i collagen of human dermal fibroblasts even at a low concentration of 0 . 5 × 10 − 6 m . wistar rats ( male , 5 - week old ) were freely fed with purified feed ain93g ( manufactured by oriental yeast ) for one week for habituation , and then separated into groups each consisting of three rats so that the total weight of each group was the same . three rats in each group were freely fed with a rat standard diet ( ain93g ) or a menaquinone - 7 - containing feed ( menaquinone - 7 : 150 μg / g ) composed of rat standard diet ( ain93g ) and menaquinone - 7 for 90 days . then , vitamin k concentration in the skin was measured . vitamin k was analyzed by high - performance liquid chromatography with post - column reduction using platinum black and fluorescence detection ( sato , et al ., biochim biophys . acta , 1622 , 145 - 150 , 2003 ). the results are shown in table 6 . menaquinone - 7 in a concentration of exceeding a menaquinone - 7 amount ( 0 . 5 × 10 − 6 m : 325 ng / g ) necessary for promoting collagen production was detected in the skin tissue by feeding 150 μg / g of menaquinone - 7 diet . this suggests that oral administration is a promising administration route for menaquinone - 7 . four - week old male crl : cd ( sd )( spf ) rats were habituated after arrival till the start of administration , including one week for quarantine . during the quarantine and habituation , general conditions were observed every day , and the weights were measured on the first day ( the day following the arrival ), the third day , and the seventh day . the rats were separated into four groups each consisting of five rats so that the total weight of each group was the same . rats were freely fed for 90 days with any one of three types of menaquinone - 7 - containing feeds by adding menaquinone - 7 to rat standard diet ain93g : high mk7 diet ( menaquinone - 7 : 45 . 4 μg / g diet ), moderate mk7 diet ( menaquinone - 7 : 15 μg / g diet ), and low mk7 diet ( menaquinone - 7 : 4 . 54 μg / g diet ); or mk7 - free diet . the rats were subjected to fasting on the last day and then dissected . the hair at the abdomen region was carefully shaved with hair clippers , and the skin including the derm was sampled . the skin was cut into about 100 mg pieces and they were exactly weighed . the skin collagen amount was measured with a skin collagen measurement kit ( trade name : sircol collagen assay kit , manufactured by biocolor ). increased amounts of collagen in three groups fed with the diet containing mk7 were compared with that in the group fed with the mk7 - free diet as a control . the statistical processing was performed by a student t - test . a significance level p & lt ; 0 . 05 was determined as to have significant difference . table 7 shows the results . in the table , the symbol * means a significant difference . as shown in table 7 , oral administration of mk7 showed a tendency of dose - dependently increasing the amount of collagen . in addition , administration of mk7 by a 45 . 4 μg / g diet was confirmed to statistically significantly increase skin collagen . | US-201514623243-A |
a method to rejuvenate tissue by injection of a solution containing between about 0 . 5 % and about 10 % hyaluronic acid is described . the application of the solution to tissue regions having wrinkles , line , creases , abnormalities and the like is effective in diminishing the signs of aging . | the present invention pertains to methods to rejuvenate an individual &# 39 ; s skin tissue . this is accomplished , for example , by sub - epidermal , mid epidermal , or intradermal administration of a solution containing between about 0 . 5 % and about 10 % hyaluronic acid , a carboxyl - containing polysaccharide . more particularly , the solution contains between about 1 % and about 5 % hyaluronic acid , between about 2 % and about 4 %, and even more particularly , the solution contains between about 1 % and about 3 % hyaluronic acid . the term “ a carboxyl - containing polysaccharide ” is intended to mean a polysaccharide containing at least one carboxyl group . the polysaccharide chosen may initially contain carboxyl groups or it may be derivatized to contain carboxyl groups . examples of carboxyl - containing polysaccharides include , but are not limited to , carboxymethyl cellulose , carboxymethyl chitin , carboxymethyl chitosan , carboxymethyl starch , alginic acid , pectin , carboxymethyl dextran , and glucosaminoglycans such as heparin , heparin sulfate , chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronic acid ( ha ). in particular , useful carboxyl - containing polysaccharides include carboxymethyl cellulose , carboxymethyl chitin and ha . the most useful carboxyl - containing polysaccharide is ha . the tissue rejuvenating solution includes the carboxyl - containing polysaccharide , or alternatively , a pharmacologically acceptable salt of the polysaccharide can be used , e . g ., hyaluronan . suitable pharmacologically acceptable salts are alkali or alkaline earth metal salts . in particular , the tissue rejuvenating solution employs the pharmacologically acceptable salt of the carboxyl - containing polysaccharide to prevent the formation of adhesions . therefore , the tissue rejuvenating solution contains sodium hyaluronate . carboxyl - containing polysaccharides that can be used to prepare the tissue rejuvenating solution are known compounds that are described , for example , in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 517 , 295 and u . s . pat . no . 4 , 141 , 973 ; and handbook of water soluble gums and resins , chapter 4 , by stelzer & amp ; klug , published by mcgraw - hill , 1980 . processes for preparing the most carboxyl - containing polysaccharide , ha , are illustrated in the balazs patent , which details a procedure for extracting ha from rooster combs , and in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 517 , 295 that describes fermentation process for making ha . the ha used to make the tissue rejuvenating solution should be highly purified ( medical grade quality ) for invasive applications . hyaluronic acid ionically crosslinked with polyvalent cations provides greater persistence in the injection site and helps prevent adhesions . suitable agents that can be used to ionically crosslink the carboxyl - containing polysaccharide are compounds that possess polyvalent cations , such as divalent cations ( calcium salts ) and in particular trivalent cations , e . g . ferric chloride , aluminum chloride , chromium sulfate , and aluminum sulfate . the most useful crosslinking agent is ferric chloride because of its low toxicity and biocompatibility with bodily tissue . the concentration of polycationic species present in the reaction mixture should be a concentration sufficient to crosslink at least 10 percent of the carboxyl groups of the polysaccharide . in particular , the concentration of polycations will be sufficient to crosslink in the range of from about 60 to about 100 percent of the carboxyl groups of the polysaccharide and more particularly in the range of from 70 to 100 percent of the carboxyl groups of the polysaccharide and most particularly in the range of from 80 percent to 95 percent of the carboxyl group of the polysaccharide . suitable methods to accomplish this are detailed in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 532 , 221 , the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety . the weight average molecular weight of the ha is in the range of from about 10 , 000 to about 8 , 000 , 000 . in some embodiments , the molecular weight of ha is between about 20 , 000 and about 100 , 000 , in other embodiments the molecular weight of ha is between about 550 , 000 to about 8 , 000 , 000 , more particularly in the range of from about 600 , 000 to about 2 , 000 , 000 , still more particularly between about 400 , 000 and about 1 , 200 , 000 , i . e ., about 629 , 000 and about 1 , 060 , 000 . the tissue rejuvenating solution is an aqueous solution that includes sodium salt ( s ), i . e ., sodium chloride , potassium salt ( s ), i . e ., potassium chloride , calcium salt ( s ), i . e ., calcium chloride , magnesium salt ( s ), such as magnesium chloride , sodium acetate , sodium citrate and / or sodium phosphate . in one embodiment the hyaluronic acid containing solution , the tissue rejuvenating solution , is delivered via syringe to the tissue site . a unique aspect of the tissue rejuvenating solution of the invention is that the solution provides the operator with a consistent “ delivery force ” from syringe to syringe , injection to injection , and time and again . not to be limited by theory , it is believed that the “ delivery force ” of the solution is related to the viscosity of the solution , geometry of the syringe , and internal diameter and length of the needle and its materials of construction . the delivery of ha for facial aesthetics is important for proper correction of the tissue site . delivery of a therapeutic , such as hyaluronic acid , via a needle depends upon the consistency of the product . a narrow gauge needle , about a 30 gauge needle , is most useful for precise delivery consistency and minimal pain upon injection . a product containing ha which is difficult to extrude or contains lumps will result in uneven delivery . at higher concentrations where ha is most effective , about 30 mg / ml , covalently crosslinked ha typically has an increased extrusion force . since it is desirable to maintain a high concentration of ha , uncovalently crosslinked hyaluronic acid or hyaluronic acid that is ionically crosslinked provides good flow characteristics . this “ delivery force ” or “ expression force ” is attributed to the amount of force required to push the tissue rejuvenating solution through a needle to the site . as stated above , it is believed that the “ delivery ” force is related to the viscosity of the solution . it is also believed that it is related to the length of the needle and the inner diameter of the needle . the “ delivery force ” can be measured by instron testing . for example , a 2 . 25 cc syringe filled with tissue rejuvenating solution and equipped with a 30 - gauge needle is placed between the jaws of an instron . the jaws are closed at a rate of 14 mm / minute with a result of between about 35 and about 56 newtons , particularly between about 40 and about 45 newtons of force to administer the solution . this is a suitable “ delivery force ” for an operator . in another embodiment , a 1 cc syringe filled with tissue rejuvenating solution and equipped with a 30 - gauge needle is also placed between the jaws of an instron and tested as described above . the force required to expel the solution has an average extrusion value of between about 28 and about 33 newtons . some current products have the disadvantage of causing “ lumps ” about the treated area . this is believed to be caused by inefficient delivery of the material to the treatment site . not to be limited by theory it is considered that the heterogeneity of the current material ( s ) are responsible for the lack of uniformity during the treatment process . recipients desire smooth skin after such a treatment and the occurrence of bumps , lumps , etc . does not meet that requirement . the present invention advantageously circumvents this phenomenon by the nature of the product . again , not to be limited by theory , it is believed that the physical characteristics of the ha solution , the inherent viscosity of the solution , the selection of molecular weight of the ha and / or the concentration of the ha solution provide the advantage that lumps about the treatment area are avoided . the present invention provides a hyaluronic acid containing solution that is shelf stable over a period of 2 to 3 years at a temperature between about 2 and about 30 ° c . without significant loss or increase in viscosity and thus the physical attributes that are attributable to the “ delivery force ”. this is an important advantage to the present tissue rejuvenating solution . the operator becomes accustomed to the “ delivery force ” of the required injection force and can administer the tissue rejuvenating solution to different individuals without the worry of not knowing if the solution will be delivered to quickly or too slowly to the injection site . in another aspect , the viscosity of the tissue rejuvenating solution is between about 3 . 5 × 10 4 to about 6 . 0 × 10 4 cps at a concentration of between about 2 . 0 to about 4 . 0 % of hyaluronic acid . in another aspect , the viscosity of the tissue rejuvenating solution is between about 4 . 2 × 10 4 to about 5 . 2 × 10 4 cps at a concentration of between about 2 . 7 to about 3 . 3 % hyaluronic acid . in still another aspect , the kinetic viscosity of the tissue rejuvenating solution is between about 4 . 9 × 10 4 to about 5 . 6 × 10 4 cps at a shear rate of 2 seq − . an “ effective amount ” of tissue rejuvenating solution applied to the site in need of rejuvenation , is an amount necessary to affect a reduction in the appearance of wrinkles , lines , creases or abnormalities in the tissue area . the amount applied will depend on numerous factors , most significantly of which is the surface area and / or void volume of the site . in particular , the amount of tissue rejuvenating solution applied should be enough to alter the tissue site such that the line , wrinkle , crease or abnormality is greatly diminished or is eliminated upon visual inspection . if necessary or desired , an additional amount sufficient to treat tissue adjacent to those areas can be injected to provide additional effect . the effective amount can be readily determined empirically . the present invention provides an even more important advantage to the operator . the hyaluronic acid can be delivered via needleless injection . this method of delivery enjoys several advantages over needle bearing syringes . hygienically , the delivery orifice of a needleless syringe can be sanitized quickly without the need to dispose of a needle . otherwise , reuse of a needle provides an opportunity for infection amongst patients . there is generally less pain associated with needleless injection versus tradition injections that require a needle . the term “ needleless injection ” is known in the art and is intended to encompass those methods and devices that provide an injection of a solution or solid under pressure , through a small aperture to a tissue site . the compressed gas , forces the liquid or solid through the epidermis , into the dermal region where treatment is desired . suitable needleless injection apparatus include , for example , those described in u . s . pat . nos . 6 , 641 , 553 , 6 , 099 , 504 , 4 , 447 , 225 , 6 , 746 , 429 , 6 , 652 , 483 , 6 , 641 , 554 and 5 , 520 , 639 , the contents of which are incorporated in their entirety . although various embodiments of this invention have been described above with a certain degree of particularity , or with reference to one or more individual embodiments , those skilled in the art could make numerous alterations to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention . it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only of particular embodiments and not limiting . changes in detail or structure may be made without departing from the basic elements of the invention as defined in the following claims . | US-20540005-A |
shape - adaptable furniture has a core element to which interchangeable portions are easily added or removed to alter the appearance and function of the furniture to suit a user &# 39 ; s tastes . different seat back coverings , having varied padding and styling are added to the l - shaped core element using fasteners to hold the seat back in place . two embodiments for armrests are provided . one embodiment uses fastening devices similar to those used for the seat back covering to hold arm rest covers with varied padding and styling which match the back covering style . in a second embodiment , the arm rests are easily interchangeable units separable from the core element . accessories for use with the furniture are also provided . | referring to the drawings in particular , the invention embodied in fig1 and 3 , comprises a generally l - shaped core element generally designated 10 , having a horizontally extending seat portion 12 and a vertically extending back portion 14 connected to and forming a non - detachable single structural unit with the seat portion 12 . the back and seat portions are connected to each other at an elongated intersection shown at 16 near the base of the front surface of the back portion , and share the same strong internal frame structure . the terms &# 34 ; vertically &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; horizontally &# 34 ; are meant to include typical angles from true vertical and true horizontal directions , which are typical for the seating and back portions of sofas , loveseats , chairs and other seating . as best shown in fig1 the furniture system of the present invention also includes a back shaping or cover module generally designated 20 which is detachably connected to the core element and which extends over the back portion 14 . for this purpose , the back shaping module 20 includes a front lower edge 22 which is designed so that it can be detachably fixed to the elongated intersection 16 for holding a front portion of the back shaping module , over the front of the back portion 15 . the furniture system of the present invention also includes at least one full arm module shown for example at 30 in fig2 detachably connected to one end of the core element . in the embodiment of fig2 module 30 is a full arm module which extends from the lower surface or end of the seat portion of the core element , to an arm rest level which is conventional for the upper surface of the arm , above the seating area of the seat portion 12 . the invention also includes the possibility of utilizing an upper arm module which only includes the upper portion of the arm , and which will be explained in connection with fig8 . referring once more to fig1 the core element and arm module , as well as the back shaper , are all upholstered structures including an outer muslin covering and underlying cushioning . with regard to the core element , springs or other supports are also provided and internal frames are provided to make the l - shaped core element strong and rigid for use . an important feature of the invention is the merging of the seat and back portions into one structural unit . this is an important distinction over earlier module designs which tended to separate the seat from the back . by merging the seat and back portion they can be constructed to be sturdy and strong for use even if the furniture is abused , for example , by individuals sitting on the back portion . the arm module 30 is also a framed , upholstered and cloth covered structure . as shown in fig1 an arm shaping module 24 may also be used in conjunction with the plain rectangular arm module to give it a new profile . as with the back shaping module 20 , the arm shaping module 24 includes a lower front or inner edge 26 which can be detachably anchored to holding means built into the arm module as will be described in connection with fig1 . one or more upholstered seat cushions 28 may also be used in conjunction with the invention , also muslin covered as on the back shaping module 20 and the arm shaping module 24 . core element 10 also includes a plurality , advantageously four modular feet 32 which are shaped to be exposed or to be covered by modular feet covers 34 . as with back and arm shapers 20 and 24 , foot covers 34 can be used to change the look and shape of the furniture to drastically alter its style . for example , a back shaper having a &# 34 ; camel back &# 34 ; shape may be used or just a gracefully arched shape as shown in fig1 or a straight back . further , square designs may be incorporated into the shaping modules or rounded designs , again for the purpose of substantially changing the desired resultant shape , appearance , silhouette , profile or style of the furniture . to help center the back shaper module 20 onto the back 14 of the core element 10 , a groove 18 may be formed across the center of the upper surface of back 14 , for receiving an elongated rib 21 extending along the inner surface at the top of the cover module . this groove is optional however , and while being shown in the embodiment of fig1 and 3 , is not shown in the embodiment of fig2 . turning to fig2 arm module 30 incudes a groove 36 in its inside surface shaped to receive a projecting rib 38 extending from the side surface at the end of core 10 . this helps firmly position the arm module to the end of the core element . to fix the arm module to the core element , a plurality , for example , three anchor pins or bolts 40 , extending through openings in a side wall of the core element , engage an equal number of recesses or nuts 42 , in the side wall of the arm module . it is noted that arm module 30 includes an extra anchor recess 43 which can be used for attaching accessories to the modular furniture . it is also noted that although all outer surfaces of the core element and arm modules are covered by cloth , both modules are essentially framed hollow structures . at locations near the anchor structures 40 and 42 , the cloth is held in place only by detachable structures such as buttons , zippers or hook - and - loop tapes , so that the fabric can be moved aside to allow hands and tools to be inserted for attaching the anchors . it is also noted that the &# 34 ; cloth &# 34 ; is meant to include all flexible sheet material that is suitable for furniture , such as fabric , vinyl and leather . fig5 illustrates details of the anchor assembly which includes the anchor bolt 40 that may have a head and threaded shaft for being threaded into the threaded opening of an anchor nut 42 having a shank with an outer hexagonal shape so that it can be engaged by a wrench . the bolt and nut can be connected to holes in the side walls of the core element and arm module , one of which being shown at 44 . wall 44 may also represent the front or rear wall of the arm or core and the fig5 assembly used to hold accessories to fasteners or recesses 27 or 97 . pointed stops 46 project from the undersurface of the head 55 of the bolt 40 to keep the bolt from rotating once it is seated by pressing its stops into the material of the wall 44 ( for example wood ). the nut 42 can also be provided with a flange or head 48 so that it does not become pulled into the material of the side wall 44 . the shaft of bolt 40 can also be internally threaded . in case the hole 47 , which is designed to receive the anchoring structure is not to be used , it can be covered by a snap - on disk 49 and snap - on cover 50 , each having a plurality of resilient prongs 52 or 53 which engage by friction with the inner surface of hole 47 or the outer surface of the bolt head 55 . this forms a finishing button to decoratively cover the opening , in case the opening is to be exposed during use of the furniture . returning to fig2 the feet 32 , are each positioned immediately at the end of the core element . the outer portions of feet 32 have an upwardly open receptacle for receiving a foot plate 33 provided on the inner surface of arm module 30 , for each foot 32 at one side of the core element . feet 32 and foot plates 33 are thus fixed in position with respect to each other . this helps transmit load from the arm module 30 to the floor in case someone sits on the arm module . alternatively , feet 32 can extend slightly beyond the end of core element 10 and each arm module 30 can be provided with a lower support plate which can rest on the extending portion of feet 32 , again for providing vertical support for the arm module . referring now to fig3 and 4 , means are provided at intersection 16 for holding the lower front edge of the back cover module 20 . this is in the form of an elongated , preferably plastic extrusion 54 having a c - shaped cross - section and forming a large cylindrical channel or pocket 56 in its center with elongated arrowhead shaped notch 58 at one of its open edges . both open edges are also formed with a pair of u - shaped rails 60 and 61 for embracing and being fastened to a pair of horizontal beams 62 and 63 which form part of the frame structure in the core element 10 . fastening of the rails to the beams can be achieved using screws , nails , staples or other known means . as best shown in fig4 the notch 58 is shaped to receive , in a removable snap - fit fashion , an elongated arrow - head shaped fitting 64 integrally formed with or attached to the lower front edge 22 of the back cover module . the structure can advantageously be made of flexible plastic or other flexible material and may be covered , for example , with fabric 66 for the purpose of appearance . a fastening strip 68 also extends across an outer surface of front edge 22 , and carries fasteners such as buttons 70 , which can be used for fastening an edge of a slipcover to be used in conjunction with the furniture system . alternatively , the cylindrical channel 56 in the extrusion 54 can be used to receive a flexible baton that is pushed into a part of a tucked - in slipcover and is inserted into the channel . an example of the baton is shown at 72 in fig9 and may be a star or daisy shaped extrusion of plastic foam material which has the required resiliency so that it can be pressed into the intersection area and squeezed into channel 58 . in addition to the u - shaped rails 60 and 61 at the opposite ends of the extrusion 54 , one end of the extrusion which carries the notch 58 also carries an elongated nose portion 67 around which the flexible edge 22 is wrapped as shown at fig4 . nose portion 67 helps further fix the lower edge 22 so that it is not inadvertently pulled out of notch 58 , during use of the furniture . the resiliency of fitting 64 , which contains a recess and has a finger release 71 , permits the fitting to be pulled out if release 71 is pushed to the right in fig4 and downward force is applied , in order to change the back cover module . a frame element 35 , for example made of wood , for the seat portion 12 and upholstered support springs and cushion , schematically at 37 , of the seat portion are also shown in fig4 . as an alternate to utilizing a separate arm module 30 with arm cover module 24 as shown in fig1 fig6 and 7 show alternate embodiments of arm modules which are fully shaped and muslin upholstered before they are attached to the core element . fig6 and 7 illustrate the presence of one or more arm front fasteners 27 provided on the front and rear surfaces of the module for receiving accessories to be described later in this disclosure . fig8 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention which utilizes a slightly modified core element generally designated 11 which , like the embodiment of fig1 includes seat and back portions 12 , 14 which are connected to each other to form a single structural unit , with an intersection 16 containing first cover holding means for holding the lower front edge of a back shaping module . unlike the embodiment of fig1 however , fig8 includes integrally formed lower arm portions 31 which are also formed as a single , non - detachable structural unit with the seat and back portions 12 , 14 . throughout the figures of this disclosure , the same reference numerals will be utilized to designate the same or functionally similar parts . in the embodiment of fig8 the appearance of the furniture system can be changed by adding different upper arm modules 39 , which can be attached to the upper surface of the lower arm portion 51 , for example , using a captured screw 29 which can be threaded into a threaded hole 25 on the under surface of module 39 shown in fig1 . as with the embodiment of fig1 arm front ( or rear ) cover panels 23 can be attached by pins or posts 41 to fasteners 27 , e . g ., capture holes , in the arm members . fig1 shows this structure in greater detail . as with the embodiment of fig1 the embodiment of fig8 and 10 also include cushions 28 on the upper surface of the seat portion 12 . also see in fig1 , slipcover 19 tucked into the intersection between seat portion 12 and arm portion 31 , and baton 72 holding the tucked slipcover , into the channel of member 51 . arm front fittings 27 , as detailed in fig5 for example , one in the arm module 39 and two in the arm portion of 31 , can also be utilized to receive accessories . another difference between the embodiments of fig1 and 8 is use of legs 45 which extend from the lower surface of the arm portion 31 , at the front and the back of the core element 11 , for supporting the entire structure . in order to secure removable modular arm shapers to the embodiment of fig8 and 10 , edge holding means generally designated 51 , which is virtually identical in structure to the extrusion 54 and its related parts , is provided in the body of the arm portion 31 . structure 51 can be used to capture the lower edge of the inner surface of the arm shaping module , for example , the lower edge 26 of cover module 24 shown in fig1 . it is noted that the outer lower edges 73 and 74 of the respective arm and back shaping modules 24 and 20 can be provided with fasteners such as hook - and - loop fasteners , which can be mated with corresponding fasteners on the bottom of the core element or arm portion or module of the invention . such a mating fastener is shown for example at 75 in fig3 and 76 in fig1 . fig1 illustrates a framed upper arm module having an alternate shape and internal framing and bracing . the outer fabric covering is transparent in the figure in order to reveal the structure of the arm module . it may , for example , include front and rear walls 77 , 78 which are spanned by supporting beams 79 and then covered by padding and fabric . a different embodiment of the upper arm module is shown in fig1 . this illustrates the drastic difference in appearance which is possible according to the present invention , simply by changing the modular elements . fig1 shows another embodiment of the invention which includes side modules 81 with an internal rib 82 adapted to engage a groove 83 in the back portion 14 . the back portion 14 in the embodiment of fig1 is curved to receive the curved inner surface of the side module 81 , again to drastically change the appearance of the furniture . this can be further done by adding arm modules and differently shaped cover modules over the arms and back of the furniture . fig1 and 15 illustrate skirts which can be attached , for example , with hook - and - loop tape , near the lower edge of the furniture system after all desired modules and slipcovers have been installed . this conceals the feet 32 or 45 if desired . fig1 illustrates a side mounted arm table 84 having a pair of lower supports 86 which extend from the under surface of the outer edge of table 82 , into a suitably shaped recess or slot on a side extension 88 of the foot 45 . the inner edge of table 84 is provided with a bracket 90 of bent metal for example , fastened to the under surface of the table and hooked over a beam 92 forming part of the frame of the lower arm portion 31 . this can be achieved by leaving a slit in the fabric covering of lower arm portion 31 . this also takes advantage of the opening area between the fixed lower arm portion 31 and the modular upper arm portion 39 . fig1 illustrates a top mounted arm table 94 having four leg hooks 95 which have a lower bent end that engage under a frame element at the upper end of the lower arm portion 31 . fig1 also illustrates the use of a bar 96 between leg hooks 95 on each side of the table 94 , for supporting the leg hooks . the bars 96 on either side of the table can also be lower , to the point where the lower ends of the leg hooks are bent , so that they can be covered with a flap of cloth provided either on the modular upper arm 39 or the structurally integrated lower arm portion 31 . fig1 illustrates a sun shield or canopy 98 , made for example of flexible or rigid sheet material , for covering the furniture . anchor assembly recesses 97 ( see fig5 for the anchor ) are provided at the rear surface of the arms of the modular furniture for receiving inwardly bent or extending posts 99 , extending inwardly from vertical supports 100 . an angled support 102 which is advantageously provided with a turn buckle or other length changing mechanism 104 , extends at an angle between the vertical supports 100 and the undersurface of canopy 98 , for adjusting the angle of the canopy , for example as shown in phantom line in fig1 . fig2 illustrates another embodiment of the invention which includes a side table 106 that is connected between the upper and lower arm segments , and which is supported by angled supports 108 having one end attached to the under surface of the table , and an opposite end extending into one of the front fasteners 27 . a lamp 110 may be formed as a part of table 106 . fig2 shows another use for the arm front fasteners 27 , specifically for a snap - in cup holder 112 or in the case of fig2 , a snap - in cane hook 114 . as shown in fig2 , an upper pair of fasteners 27 can also be used to detachably secure the support beam 118 fixed to the rear surface of a bolster 116 , to convert the sofa to an infant bed . the ends of beam 118 may also be shaped to be inserted into one of the anchor nuts 42 at the upper , inner corner of the arm . fig2 shows one form of foot 45 having both a side extension 88 and a front extension 89 , both with upwardly open recesses for receiving supports , rods or other accessory mountings . fig2 shows an alternate embodiment of the foot which has circular recesses for receiving rod shaped supports . fig2 illustrates a pivotable tablet or table 120 which can be pivotally mounted to the front surface of one of the arms to move into any desired position around the pivot point . one example is shown at fig2 , where an l - shaped table 122 which also includes a hinged table extension 124 that can be pivoted in the direction of the phantom lines to increase the surface area or the working angle of the table . a cylindrical cup 126 is fixed to the lower surface at one end of table 122 and receives a cylindrical post 128 which is long enough to extend to the floor . post 128 is pivotally received within holes in a pair of guides or journals 130 , 132 , upper guide 130 having a star shaped opening 131 for receiving the outer surface of cup 126 which is also provided with star projections to prevent pivoting of the table once it has been placed into a desired position . placement into position is achieved by lifting the table and cup , rotating it by 90 °, 180 ° or another multiple of 90 °, into a desired position , and then dropping the cup into the hole 131 where one or more of the projects on cup 126 engage one or more of the notches in opening 131 . only the front surfaces of the arm portions 31 and 38 are shown , each with a fastening recess 27 that can be used with screws or other fasteners for attaching the ornamental plate of a channel member 134 over the front of the arms . channel member 134 includes a pair of toothed rails 136 each having inwardly directed sawtooth recesses best shown at fig2 . the guides 130 , 132 are fixed to the outer surface of a slide member 138 which embraces the outer surfaces of rails 136 to permit vertical sliding between elements 138 and 136 , but no lateral movement . the vertical position between slide 138 and rails 136 , which also fixes the vertical position of table 122 , is selected by squeezing together ears 140 which are attached to detente members 142 best shown at fig2 , to disengage sawtooth projections of the detente members from the rail projections to permit vertical movement of the slide 138 . the shape of the sawtooth projections and the sawteeth in rails 136 is selected to preclude downward sliding but to permit upward movement by pressing the bars together against the bias of a spring or springs that hold the detente members apart . fig3 illustrates a specially structured slipcover 17 of the present invention , having back , seat and arm sections tailored to closely fit a core and attached arm module of the present invention , with or without arm and back shaping modules . strategically located holes 57 are provided in the slipcover 17 , corresponding with the fittings 27 and 97 for receiving accessories according to the present invention . another unique feature of the slipcover 17 is the existence of side and rear pockets 85 , 87 , which comprise extensions of cloth in the intersection areas of the furniture system , for receiving a baton 72 into each pocket which , in turn , is pressed into a corresponding channel to fit the slipcover to the system to such an accurate and well anchored extend that the furniture appears to be a fully upholstered seating as opposed to a seating using slipcovers . the cushions are advantageously upholstered with the same fabric and placed over the now covered system . while specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention , it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles . | US-60869496-A |
a stent graft for treatment of an emergency rupture of , for instance , the aorta adjacent the aortic bifurcation . the stent graft comprising a tubular body with a bifurcation in the tubular body defining a first long leg and a second short leg . the second leg has a valve arrangement to prevent fluid flow through the second leg from the stent graft . the valve can be opened from external of the stent graft for the placement of a leg extension stent graft therethrough . | fig1 and fig2 show a first embodiment of stent graft according to the present invention . fig1 shows a perspective view and fig2 shows a longitudinal cross sectional view of the stent graft of fig1 . in this embodiment the stent graft 2 comprises a tubular wall 4 of a biocompatible material supported by stents 6 . the actual number and placement of stents may vary depending upon the size of the stent graft and its intended configuration within the human or animal body . the stent graft has a main tubular body 8 and a bifurcation 10 from which extends a long tubular leg 12 and a short tubular leg 14 . the stent graft 2 may have an exposed stent ( not shown ) extending proximally from the proximal end 3 to assist with fixation or can have barbs extending from the proximal - most stent 5 . the main tubular body can have an expanded diameter of from 25 to 45 mm and a length of from 100 to 250 mm and each of the first and second legs can have a diameter of from 10 to 20 mm . the first leg can have a length of from 50 to 150 mm and the second leg can have a length of from 20 to 50 mm . the short leg 14 terminates in a ring reinforcement 16 and a valve arrangement 18 extending back into the short leg from the ring reinforcement 16 . the valve arrangement 18 comprises a tube of biocompatible graft material 20 which extends back into the short leg 14 and at its proximal end 22 there is a twin u - shaped reinforcing ring 24 . the twin u - shaped reinforcing ring 24 is essentially a continuous ring of shape memory metal such as nitinol which , when folded back into itself , forms the twin u - shape with one u shape being inside the other . the reinforcing ring 24 is stitched to the proximal end of the tube 20 by stitching 23 . the twin u - shape of the reinforcing ring causes the tube 20 to fold in halves and in effect the combination of the twin u - shape and the folded tube acts as a valve to prevent fluid flow through the short leg 14 . the fluid flow is prevented by the flap 26 of the tube 20 bearing against the part 27 of the tube 20 and the inner wall of the short leg 14 . the length of the tube 20 can be 20 to 40 mm and it can have a diameter of from 10 to 20 mm . radiopaque markers 28 are provided around the distal end of the short leg 14 to assist catheterisation of the short leg once the stent graft has been deployed . fig3 and 4 show an alternative embodiment of stent graft according to the present invention . fig3 shows a perspective view and fig4 shows a longitudinal cross sectional view of the stent graft of fig3 . in this embodiment the stent graft 30 includes a main tubular body 32 defined by a tubular wall 34 extending to a bifurcation or branch 36 . from the bifurcation or branch 36 a long tubular leg 38 extends and also there is an aperture or fenestration 40 which is defined by a reinforcing ring 42 substantially at the junction between the main tubular body and the long leg . extending back into the main tubular body 32 is a tube 44 of biocompatible material which is stitched to the main tube around the periphery of the aperture 40 by stitching 45 . at its proximal end 46 the tube 44 has a reinforcing ring 48 of a shape memory metal such as nitinol retained by stitching 47 . the reinforcing ring 48 is a continuous length of the shape memory metal formed into a pair of u - shapes with one u shape being inside the other and thereby normally holding one side wall of the tube 44 against the other . this in effect closes off the tube 44 by means of a flap 50 which is one of the walls of the tube engaging against the side 51 of the tube 44 to form a valve to prevent fluid flow from the tubular body 32 out through the aperture 40 . the aperture 40 is surrounded by radiopaque markers 52 to assist a surgeon in locating the aperture for catheterisation . the main tubular body can have an expanded diameter of from 25 to 45 mm and a length of from 100 to 250 mm and the first leg can have a diameter of from 10 to 20 mm . the first leg can have a length of from 50 to 150 mm . the length of the tube 44 can be 20 to 40 mm and it can have a diameter when opened out of from 10 to 20 mm . fig5 shows a schematic aorta 60 of a human body . the aorta has renal arteries 62 and lower down an aortic bifurcation 64 . extending from the aortic bifurcation are iliac arteries 68 and 70 . a rupture 66 has occurred in the aorta and it is the intention of a physician to isolate the rupture by placement of a stent graft into the aorta to span the rupture . a stent graft 72 of the type shown in fig1 and 2 has been deployed so that its proximal end is adjacent to the renal artery 62 with an infra - renal exposed stent 74 assisting and supporting the proximal end of the stent graft . the long leg 76 extends down the iliac artery 68 and seals therein . the valve arrangement 78 in the short leg 80 of the stent graft 72 prevents blood flow from the aorta into the aorta in the region of the aortic bifurcation and the contralateral iliac artery 70 . to deploy the stent graft 72 of the present invention the seldinger technique is used via a femoral artery and iliac artery into the aorta and the stent graft is carried on a deployment device . there is a certain amount of blood flow possible between the iliac arteries through smaller vessels between them downstream of the aortic bifurcation and hence the arrangement shown in fig5 does not completely isolate the rupture 66 . the placement of the stent graft as shown in fig5 does , however , give the physician time to decide what method can be used to isolate the rupture . in fig6 one such method is depicted . in this embodiment a leg extension stent graft 90 has been placed through the contra lateral iliac artery 70 into the short leg 80 to open the valve arrangement 78 . the proximal end 92 of the leg extension stent graft 90 passes up into the main body of the stent graft 72 and the distal end of the leg extension stent graft 90 seals into and undamaged portion of the contra lateral iliac artery 70 . by this arrangement the rupture 66 is isolated . to deploy the leg extension stent graft again the seldinger technique can be used via the contralateral iliac artery . in this embodiment for some reason perhaps because of an advanced stenosis or the like it is not possible to deploy a full leg extension stent graft through the contra iliac artery 70 . instead the physician has deployed an intraluminal plug 94 and performed a femoro - femoral cross - over grafting operation using a piece of corrugated graft material 96 . once again by this arrangement the area of the rupture 66 has been isolated . to deploy the intraluminal plug again the seldinger technique can be used via the contralateral iliac artery but because it is a much smaller component it may be deployed through the stenosed arteries . fig8 to 11 show detail of a stent graft incorporating a valve side arm according to the stent graft illustrated in fig3 and 4 . the same reference numerals will be used in fig8 to 11 for corresponding items . the valve arrangement includes an aperture or fenestration 40 in the distal end of the tubular body 34 with a tube of a biocompatible graft material 44 extending into the stent graft . the aperture 40 has a reinforcing ring 42 of a shape memory metal such as nitinol or similar wire stitched around the aperture by means of stitching 41 . at the proximal end of the tube 44 is a twin u - shaped reinforcing ring 48 which is stitched to the tube 44 by stitching 49 . the twin u - shape is formed from a continuous length of shape memory metal with one u - shape within the other . the bends 48 b between the outer u - shape 49 and the inner u - shape 48 a are such that the outer u - shape is slightly less length than half of the full circumference of the reinforcement ring . the reinforcing ring 48 is formed into its twin u - shape and it being a shape memory metal is retained in that shape . the twin u - shape causes a flap 50 of the tube 44 to engage against the other wall 45 of the tube 44 as well as both engaging against the inside of the wall 34 of the stent graft thereby closing off blood flow from inside the stent graft out through the aperture 40 . it will be noted that the apex 49 a of the outer of the u - shaped reinforcement 49 is stitched to the wall 34 of the stent graft by stitching 47 to hold it in its desired position . also the inner portion 48 a of the twin u - shaped ring reinforcement 48 at its apex is slightly lower than the apex 49 a of outer portion 49 of the twin u - shaped ring reinforcement 48 . this assists in ensuring that the flap 50 engages with the inside of the wall 54 . if , however , the aperture 40 is catheterised from externally via the contralateral iliac artery the flap 50 can be lifted and the twin u - shape can be opened out to the form shown in fig9 and 11 . a leg extension stent graft 90 can then be deployed through the aperture . self expanding or balloon expandable stents 92 on the leg extension stent graft 90 will open and hold open the twin u shape into a circular shape . throughout this specification various forms of the invention are discussed but the invention is not limited to any one of these but may reside in two or more combined together . the examples are given for illustration and not for limitation . | US-98309207-A |
methods of inactivating contaminants of a biological matrix are disclosed . the methods include the steps of : contacting a biological matrix with an inactivating agent including an aziridino moiety , where a portion of the agent reacts with and inactivates the contaminant , and a portion of the agent remains unreacted ; contacting the product of step with a solid support including at least 1 quenching moiety attached to the solid support through covalent bonds , under conditions and for a time sufficient to allow the unreacted agent to bond covalently to the quenching moiety ; and separating the solid support and the unreacted agent from the biological matrix , where the unreacted agent is attached to the solid support through covalent bonds . | the invention provides general methods for quenching electrophiles with quenching agents , such as thiophosphate moieties , that are attached to solid supports . examples of such solid phase quenching systems are shown in fig1 , 3 , and 4 . a solid support containing a single thiophosphate moiety is shown in fig1 and supports having a number of thiophosphate moieties attached to the support by covalent bonds are shown in fig2 , and 4 . the number of quenching moieties that can be attached to a support depends , in part , on the number of functional groups on the surface of the support . the total number of quenching moieties also depends on the number of quenching moieties attached to each functional group . for example , a polymeric support may contain 2 mmol / g hydroxyl groups ; each of these hydroxyl groups can have as many as 150 thiophosphate groups attached to it . the solid support would therefore have 300 mmol / g thiophosphate groups . the thiophosphate groups can be attached directly to the solid support , or they can be attached to the solid support through linkers . the linkers may have as many as 100 atoms . an example of a linking group is shown in fig1 ; in this figure , the thiophosphate moiety is covalently bonded to an ethylene linker , which in turn is bonded to the solid support . the thiophosphate groups themselves may also be separated by linkers . for example , as shown in fig2 the thiophosphate groups are separated by ethylene chains . fig4 shows a solid support in which the thiophosphate groups are separated by tetramethylene chains . in other embodiments of the invention , the thiophosphate groups may be separated by as many as 100 atoms . a variety of materials can be used as the solid support . examples of such materials include polymers ( e . g ., polyvinyl chloride , polytetrafluoroethylene ), nylons ( e . g ., dacron ®), polyacrylamide pads deposited on solid surfaces , silicon , silicon - glass , and glass . the solid supports may be in any form suitable for use in the invention . for example , the solid supports may be in the form of beads , rods , or films ; alternatively , the solid supports may be in the form of permeable and semi - permeable membranes . the solid support may be contained within a filtration device , such as a column or a cartridge . solid supports containing hydroxyl groups are commercially available , for example , from argonaut technologies , san carlos , calif . if the solid support does not have functional groups , such as hydroxyl or amino groups , on its surface , it can be derivatized . any number of agents may be used to functionalize the solid support , as long as the end product is a solid support with a functional groups attached . the thiophosphate groups used in the invention may be substituted with one substituent ( e . g ., [ solid support ]- op (═ s )( oh ) 2 , also referred to as a thiophosphomonoester ), substituted with two substituents ( e . g ., [ solid support ]- op (═ s )( oh )( oalk ), a thiophosphodiester ), or substituted with three substituents ( e . g ., [ solid support ]- op (═ s )( oalk ) 2 , a phosphothiotriester ). the substituent may be , for example , an unsubstituted alkyl group , or an alkyl group substituted with hydroxyl , amino , azido , or cyano groups . polythiophosphate moieties ( i . e ., moieties having 2 or more adjacent phosphate groups ) can also be used in the invention . for example , guanosine diphosphate ( gdp ) or guanosine triphosphate ( gtp ), in which one or more of the phosphate groups is a thiophosphate group , may be used in the invention . in the case of guanosine diphosphate , one or both phosphate groups may be thiophosphate groups . in the case of guanosine triphosphate , one , two , or all three of the phosphate groups may be thiophosphate groups . gdp or gtp may be attached to the solid support , for example , at the 2 ′ or the 3 ′ hydroxyl group . in addition , oligonucleotides ( either dna sequences or rna sequences ), in which one or more of the internucleotide linkages contain thiophosphate groups , can be attached to solid supports and used as quenching agents . the compositions of the invention can be prepared as described below in the examples . they can also be prepared using other standard synthetic techniques of oligonucleotide synthesis , such as those described in oligonucleotides and analogs a practical approach ( eckstein ed ., irl press 1991 ). as an example , the solid phase quenching systems of the invention can be used as follows . a viral inactivating agent , such as an ethyleneimine oligomer , is added to a biological matrix , as described in budowsky , u . s . pat . no . 6 , 136 , 586 and budowsky et al ., u . s . pat . no . 6 , 093 , 564 . at the end of the time necessary for viral inactivation , the biological matrix is contacted with a solid support containing thiophosphate groups . the matrix and the solid support are allowed to remain in contact for at least one hour , at room temperature and a ph of 7 . a 10 - fold excess of thiophosphate groups per equivalent of ethyleneimine oligomer is used . the support can be added to the matrix in the form of particles ; these particles can be removed , for example , by filtration after the inactivating agent is quenched . alternatively , the biological matrix can be passed through a filtration device , such as a column that contains support - bound thiophosphate groups . the thiophosphate groups react with the highly reactive aziridino moieties of the ethyleneimine compounds and remain covalently bonded to the ethyleneimine compounds , as shown in fig3 and 4 . when the solid support - bound thiophosphate groups are removed from the biological matrix , therefore , the quenched ethyleneimine compounds are removed as well . the end result is a biological matrix that is substantially free of infectious viruses , quenched ethyleneimine compounds , and quenching agent . another way to obtain biological matrices free of infectious viruses , quenched inactivating agent , and quenching agent is to inactivate viruses in the matrices with an inactivating agent , such as ethyleneimine dimer , as described above . after the viruses have been inactivated , the inactivating agent can be quenched with a traditional quenching agent , such as sodium thiosulfate . a solid support containing an electrophilic group can then be added ; reactive groups on the support form covalent bonds with the quenched inactivating agent . the quenched inactivating agent and the quenching agent can then be easily removed from the matrix , as they are attached to the solid support through covalent bonds . for example , a biological matrix containing the inactivating agent ethyleneimine dimer can be quenched with sodium thiosulfate . methods for inactivating viruses in biological matrices and quenching with thiosulfate are well known in the art and are described , for example , in budowsky , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 891 , 705 . the thiosulfate reacts with the aziridine ring and remains covalently bound to the quenched ethyleneimine dimer . a solid support having aldehyde groups can then be added to the reaction mixture . such supports are commercially available from a number of sources , including argonaut technologies . the support and the matrix are allowed to remain in contact for at least one hour , at room temperature and a ph of 7 . a 10 - fold excess of aldehyde groups per equivalent of ethyleneimine dimer is used . the aldehyde moieties react with the primary amino groups of the dimers to form relatively stable imine complexes ; the quenched inactivating agent , as well as the thiosulfate moiety , therefore remains covalently bonded to the solid support . the solid support can be removed from the matrix , for example by filtration , along with the quenched inactivating agent and the quenching agent . the biological matrix may include any of a number of substances . examples of matrices include whole mammalian blood , purified or partially purified blood proteins , blood cell proteins , milk , saliva , blood plasma , platelet - rich plasma , a plasma concentrate , a precipitate from any fractionation of plasma , a supernatant from any fractionation of plasma , a serum , a cryoprecipitate , a cryosupernatant , a cell lysate , a mammalian cell culture , a mammalian culture medium , a placental extract , a product of fermentation , a red blood cell concentrate , a platelet concentrate , a leukocyte concentrate , semen , and red blood cells . other biological matrices include those containing recombinant proteins produced in transgenic mammals . for example , the biological matrix may include a protein that has been expressed in the milk of a transgenic mammal . methods for producing such proteins are described , for example , in wright et al ., biotechnology 9 : 830 - 834 ( 1991 ) and the references cited therein . there now follow particular examples that describe the preparation of solid phase quenching systems of the invention and the use of these systems to quench viral inactivating agents . these examples are provided for the purpose of illustrating the invention , and should not be construed as limiting . the preparation of a solid phase quencher of the invention is described in fig1 . as shown there , a solid support ( designated with a square ) containing a hydroxyl group is derivatized with a phosphorylating agent . the phosphite group of the phosphorylated solid support is oxidized to form a thiophosphate ester , which is cleaved with acid to provide a thiophosphate moiety . the product is a thiophosphate moiety that is attached to a solid support through covalent bonds . the preparation of a solid support with a high loading of thiophosphate groups is shown in fig2 . as shown there , ethylene glycol is derivatized to yield a monomer ( i ) containing a phosphoramidite group . this monomer is polymerized , using a solid support containing an hydroxyl group as an initiator ( available from argonaut technologies ). the resulting polymer is phosphorylated , then oxidized to yield a solid support that contains multiple thiophosphate esters . the esters are cleaved with acid , resulting in a solid support that has ( n + 1 ) thiophosphate moieties attached to it . quenching of an aziridino compound with a thiophosphate group that is bound to a solid support as shown in fig3 scheme 1 , a nucleophilic thiophosphate group , which is bound to a solid support , attacks and quenches the aziridino compound ; the aziridino compound is not only rendered inactive , it also remains bonded to the solid support through covalent bonds . as shown in fig3 scheme 2 , a solid support with ( n + 1 ) thiophosphate groups attached is capable of quenching ( n + 1 ) aziridino moieties . quenching of oligoethyleneimine with solid - phase quenchers containing phosphothio diester and phosphothio monoester groups as shown in fig4 thiophosphate groups on the solid support are separated by chains containing 4 atoms . when the solid support is contacted with a composition containing ethyleneimine oligomers , all of the thiophosphate groups on the solid support can react with the oligomers . quenching of ethyleneimine dimer with solid phase quencher containing thiophosphomonoester groups 200 μl of 100 mm mops buffer ( ph 7 . 0 ) containing 12 mm ethyleneimine dimer ( 2 . 4 μmole total ) were added to 25 mg ( 20 μmole - equivalents of thiophosphate groups ) of argopore - thiophosphate solid phase support ( prepared as described in example 2 ). the loading of phosphothiomonoester groups on the argopore - thiophosphate support was about 0 . 8 mmole / mg . the reaction mixture was incubated , with agitation , for 30 minutes at 23 ° c . two aliquots ( 5 μl ) of the solution were removed after 10 and 30 minutes of incubation , and the concentration of the remaining ethyleneimine dimer was determined by hplc ( fig5 ). as shown there , only 0 . 18 % of the dimer remained in the solution after 30 minutes . this example demonstrates the ability of the support - bound thiophosphate groups to inactivate ethyleneimine dimers . quenching of ethyleneimine dimer in whole cpd human blood using a solid - phase quencher 50 μl of 120 mm ethyleneimine dimer ( eid , pen102 ) in 0 . 25 m nah 2 po 4 was added to 0 . 9 ml of whole human cpd blood ( final concentration of eid was 6 mm , 6 μmole total ), and incubated at 23 ° c . for 4 hours . at the end of the 4 - hour incubation period , 68 mg ( 50 μmole - equivalents of phosphothiomonoester groups ) of argopore - thiophosphate support ( prepared as described in example 2 ) was added . in the parallel experiment , 50 μl of 1 m na 2 s 2 o 3 ( final concentration 50 mm ) was added to same amount of eid treated blood . both samples were allowed to incubate for 2 hours at 23 ° c . the red blood cell ( rbc ) and plasma fraction of the blood were separated by centrifugation ( 10 , 000 rpm , 5 min ), and the rbcs were opened by adding 9 volumes of water . the concentration of eid was determined in the rbc fraction and in the plasma fraction of the blood by hplc ( fig6 ). as shown in fig6 both sodium thiosulfate and solid phase - bound thiophosphate groups were capable of quenching ethyleneimine dimer . after 2 hours , the plasma quenched with thiosulfate contained only 6 . 8 μg / ml dimer , and the red blood cells quenched with thiosulfate contained 2 . 2 μg / ml dimer . the solid phase quencher containing thiophosphate groups was even more effective . the plasma quenched with this system contained only 1 . 5 μg / ml dimer , and the red blood cells contained only 0 . 9 μg / ml dimer after 2 hours . quenching of ethyleneimine dimer with solid phase quencher containing thiophosphodiester and thiophosphomonoester groups 200 μl of 100 mm mops buffer ( ph 7 . 0 ) containing 12 mm ethyleneimine dimer ( pen102 , 2 . 4 μmole total ) were added to 10 mg ( 20 μmole - equivalent of thiophosphate groups ) of argogel - 7butph or 21 mg ( 20 μmole - equivalent of thiophosphate groups ) of argogel - 3butph solid phase support ( shown in fig4 ). the reaction mixture was incubated , with agitation , for 30 minutes at 23 ° c . two aliquots ( 5 μl each ) of the solution were removed after 10 and 30 minutes of incubation , and the concentration of the remaining ethyleneimine dimer was determined by hplc ( fig7 ). as shown there , both the argogel - 3butph and the argogel - 7butph systems were effective in quenching the ethyleneimine dimer . when argogel - 7butph was used , only 11 % of the dimer remained after 10 minutes , and 5 . 2 % remained after 30 minutes . when argogel - 3butph was used , 15 . 4 % remained after 10 minutes , and 14 . 4 % remained after 30 minutes . all publications and patents mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference . from the foregoing description , it will be apparent that variations and modifications may be made to the invention described herein to adopt it to various usages and conditions . such embodiments are also within the scope of the following claims . | US-16689802-A |
the temporary radioisotope stent catheter system of the present invention includes a temporary radioisotope stent that is situated at a distal portion of two , co - axially situated , thin - walled tubes . the catheter system can be delivered into a vessel of a human body either as a stand - alone device or it can be used in conjunction with an elongated cylindrical sheath which is a form of delivery catheter . if used as a stand - alone device , the temporary radioisotope stent is first percutaneously advanced through a guiding catheter and is then placed at the site of a stenotic dilatation . an operating means located at a proximal portion of the catheter system is then used to increase the diameter of the temporary radioisotope stent to be approximately equal to the inside diameter of the dilated stenosis . the temporary radioisotope stent is then retained at that position for an irradiation time period that is determined by the level of radioactivity of the stent , by the diameter of the dilated stenosis , and by the dose of radiation that is prescribed for application to that portion of the artery . at the conclusion of the irradiation time period , the operating means at the proximal portion of the catheter system is used to decrease the diameter of the temporary radioisotope stent to its minimum value , and then the catheter system is removed from the patient &# 39 ; s body . | fig1 a and 1b illustrate a thin wire 1 having for most of its length a proximal portion 2 and having a distal portion 3 which is a radioactive source that has been placed at a site within an artery where balloon angioplasty has accomplished dilatation of a stenosis by pushing radially outward the plaque that caused the stenosis . as most clearly seen in fig1 b , without any centering means , the radioactive source will nearly always make contact with the inner surface of the dilated stenosis . this situation is disadvantageous because the dose of radiation applied at the point of contact will be dramatically greater than a diametrically opposite point on the inner surface of the dilated stenosis . thus , if the point of contact has the proper radiation dose , the opposite point on the surface of the dilated stenosis will experience an ineffective dose of radiation . fig2 a and 2b illustrate an improved version of the device that was illustrated in fig1 a and 1b . specifically , fig2 a and 2b illustrate the same thin wire 1 having a proximal portion 2 for most of its length and a distal portion 3 which is a radioactive source . the closed and centering means 4 provides the capability to have essentially the same radiation dose at all points on the inner surface of the dilated stenosis . however , when the radioactive source is placed in a vessel that has a large diameter , and if the radioactive source is optimized as a pure beta particle emitter , then there would typically be an insufficient number of beta particles reaching most of the arterial wall to provide an adequate radiation dose to that tissue . fig3 is a longitudinal cross section showing both the proximal portion 40p and the distal portion 40d of the temporary radioisotope stent catheter system 10 . the catheter system 10 consists of an inner shaft 11 having an interior lumen 12 which forms the passageway for a flexible guide wire 50 , and an outer shaft 13 having an inner lumen 14 which serves as a passageway for the inner shaft 11 . a temporary radioisotope stent 20 is situated at the distal portion 40d of the catheter system 10 as shown in fig3 . the temporary radioisotope stent 20 consists of a multiplicity of longitudinal struts 25 each having a central section 25c which , as seen in fig4 a , has a radioactive core 25r and a thin - walled outer cylindrical shell 25s . for arteries having a smaller diameter , as few as four longitudinal struts 25 might be used . for larger diameter arteries as many as 16 longitudinal struts 25 might be utilized . as seen in fig3 and 4b , each longitudinal strut 25 consists of a proximal section 21 , a first flexible length 22 , a proximal straight section 23 , a second flexible section 24 , a radioactive central section 25c , a third flexible section 26 , a distal straight section 27 , a fourth flexible section 28 , and a distal section 29 . each proximal straight section 21 is fixedly attached to the outer surface at the distal end of the outer shaft 13 . the distal sections 29 are fixedly attached to the distal radiopaque marker band 34 . when the catheter system 10 is advanced through the patient &# 39 ; s arterial system , the position of the temporary radioisotope stent 20 is as shown by the solid lines in fig3 . after the stent is placed at the site of a dilated stenosis within an artery , the radial deployment operating means located at the proximal portion 40p of the catheter system 10 is used to expand the temporary radioisotope stent 20 in a manner shown by the dotted lines in fig3 . although the proximal sections 21 and the distal sections 29 do not move when the stent 20 is radially expanded , the straight sections 23 and 27 move out as shown by elements 23 &# 39 ;, and 27 &# 39 ;. the radioactive central sections 25c expand radially outward as shown by the element 25c &# 39 ;. it is conceived that the position of the temporary radioisotope stent 20 would normally be as shown by the dotted lines in fig3 if not constrained by the inner shaft 11 and outer shaft 13 . that is , the temporary radioisotope stent 20 would normally be urged to extend to the position as shown by the dotted lines in fig3 . when the temporary radioisotope stent 20 is deployed radially outward , the angle between the straight sections 23 &# 39 ; and the radioactive central section 25c &# 39 ; form an angle &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; as shown in fig3 . a proximal radiopaque marker band 33 is located at the proximal end of the stent 20 and the distal radiopaque marker band 34 is located at the distal end of the stent 20 . the two radiopaque marker bands 33 and 34 assist the doctor in properly placing the temporary radioisotope stent 20 at the site of a dilated arterial stenosis . a gently tapered , elastomer , distal tip 30 is fixedly attached to both the distal end of the inner shaft 11 and the interior distal portion of the distal radiopaque marker band 34 . a hole 11a cut through the wall of the inner shaft 11 near its distal end increases the holding force of the distal tip 30 onto the shaft 11 . the gently tapered distal tip 30 is sufficiently flexible to enhance the capability of the catheter system 10 to maneuver through even a tortuous path in the coronary vasculature . the distal tip 30 could employ either or both a central lumen 31 which serves as a passageway for the guide wire 50 or a side passageway 32 which can be used for a guide wire 50 . if the central passageway 31 is utilized , then the catheter system 10 will be an over - the - wire system . if the side passageway 32 is utilized , the catheter system 10 will have rapid exchange capability . the distal tip 30 could have both a central passageway 31 and a side passageway 32 thereby providing both over - the - wire and rapid exchange capability at the same time for the catheter system 10 . for either an over - the - wire or a rapid exchange capability , the guide wire 50 would pass through the distal exit port 35 which is at the distal end of the distal tip 30 . if rapid exchange capability is used , the guide wire 50 would also exit from the side of the distal tip 30 at the proximal exit port 36 . the proximal portion 40p of the catheter system 10 as shown in fig3 utilizes an outer shaft adjustment screw 41 which cooperates with the adjustment nut 43 to move the inner shaft 11 in a longitudinal direction relative to the outer shaft 13 . the longitudinal displacement of the inner shaft 11 relative to the outer shaft 13 adjusts the diameter to which the temporary radioisotope stent 20 can be radially expanded within a dilated arterial stenosis . as seen in fig3 the angular rotation of the adjustment nut 43 relative to the outer shaft &# 39 ; s adjustment screw 41 results in a controlled longitudinal displacement of the outer shaft 13 relative to the inner shaft 11 . also seen at the proximal portion 40p of the catheter system 10 in fig3 is an inner shaft distal screw 46 which is fixedly attached at the distal end of the inner shaft 11 . after the adjustment nut 43 is screwed onto the outer shaft adjustment screw 41 , the holding nut 47 is screwed onto the inner shaft distal end screw 46 . when the holding screw 47 is in place , a cylindrical disk section at the proximal end of the adjustment nut 43 will be held between the surface 46p of the inner shaft distal end screw 46 and the distal surface 47d of the holding nut 47 . specifically , the annular surfaces 43d and 43p of the adjustment nut 43 are held between the surfaces 46p of the screw 46 and 47d of the holding nut 47 . if it is desired to refurbish the catheter system 10 after it has been used within a human patient , the holding nut 47 can be removed and the adjustment nut 43 can be removed , and if the distal tip 30 is melted or otherwise removed , then the inner shaft 11 can be pulled out of the outer shaft 13 so that it can be carefully cleaned before reassembly into a new temporary radioisotope stent catheter system 10 . it should also be noted that the holding nut 47 has an entry cone 51 to assist in the placement of the guide wire 50 through the inner shaft lumen 12 . furthermore , the o - ring 48 prevents blood from leaking around the guide wire 50 , and the o - ring 42 prevents blood from leaking around the inner shaft 11 . fig4 a is a transverse cross section of a single longitudinal strut 25 . the central section 25c of the longitudinal strut 25 contains a radioactive source 25r which is placed inside a thin - walled tubular shell 25s . typical dimensions for the outer diameter of the cylindrical shell 25s would be between 0 . 1 and 0 . 5 mm , with a wall thickness between 0 . 01 and 0 . 2 mm . the typical material for the cylindrical shell 25s would be a stainless steel such as type 316l or a shape memory metal alloy such as nitinol . fig4 b is a longitudinal cross section of a single longitudinal strut 25 . the central section 25c would contain a radioactive source 25r having a length &# 34 ; l &# 34 ;, which source 25r would have a proximal radiopaque cylindrical marker 25p just proximal to the radioactive source 25r and a cylindrical marker 25d placed just distal to the radioactive source 25r . the purpose of the radiopaque markers 25p and 25d is two - fold : firstly , the markers would clearly indicate the longitudinal extent of the radioactive source 25r ; secondly , the radioactive markers can be used to provide a hermetic seal to completely enclose the radioactive source 25r within a metal structure . it should also be understood that a radioactive source could be alloyed into the metal of the central section 25c or placed onto its outer surface . the material for the radioactive source 25r could be any isotope which is either a beta particle or gamma ray emitter . ideally , the source 25r would be the isotope strontium - 90 which , with its daughter product yttrium - 90 is a pure beta particle emitter with a half - life of 28 . 5 years . thus , the temporary radioisotope stent catheter system could be reusable . this would have the advantage of decreasing life cycle costs when one takes into account repeated usage . if the pure beta particle emitting isotope phosphorus - 32 is used , the catheter system 10 might have a shelf life of only 4 - 6 weeks and it would not be reusable . if either sr - 90 or p - 32 were used , at the time that the catheter system 10 is placed in a human patient it should have an activity between 2 and 100 millicuries . the activity level of the temporary radioisotope stent and the diameter of the dilated stenosis determines the time period for placing the temporary radioisotope stent 20 at the site of the dilated stenosis . for example , a sr - 90 activity level of 10 millicuries would allow an exposure time of approximately 5 minutes for a dilated stenosis having a diameter of 3 . 0 mm . increasing activity level would decrease exposure time and greater diameters would also require greater exposure times to obtain the same radiation dose to the tissue at the site of the dilated stenosis . further to fig4 b , the flexible sections 22 , 24 , 26 and 28 could be implemented in a variety of ways . for example , instead of removing most of the perimeter of the tubular structure of the longitudinal strut 25 in order to achieve a high level of flexibility at specific positions along the longitudinal strut 25 , one could use a cutting laser beam to remove metal in a spiral pattern at each of the positions 22 , 24 , 26 , and 28 thereby forming a helical structure at each such site . such a helical structure would provide the desired flexibility where needed . furthermore , straight cylindrical sections 21 , 23 , 25c , 27 and 29 could each be interconnected by a flexible elastomer in a cylindrical form that is placed inside the tubing of the longitudinal strut 25 . another way to provide flexibility would be to crush the tubing so as to be flat at the positions 22 , 24 , 26 and 28 of fig4 b . to increase the capability of the distal portion of the catheter system for navigating through curved arteries , it is desirable to have increased flexibility at the distal portions of the inner shaft 11 and / or the outer shaft 13 . one means for accomplishing increased flexibility for the thin - walled , elongated , cylindrical shell from which the inner shaft 11 ( or the outer shaft 13 ) is made is illustrated in fig4 c . specifically , fig4 c is a layout view of a distal portion of the cylindrical inner shaft 11 . this view would be seen if the inner shaft 11 was cut longitudinally and then opened up to form a flat , laid - out surface . from fig4 c we see that the circumference of the inner shaft 11 would be given by &# 34 ; c &# 34 ; as shown in fig4 c . of course , c = π × d , where d is the diameter of the inner shaft 11 . as shown in fig4 c , a multiplicity of circumferential laser cuts which have an arc length of approximately 300 degrees would provide dramatically increased flexibility for either the inner shaft 11 or the outer shaft 13 . these laser cuts would have a width of approximately 0 . 1 mm . the number of such cuts per unit length of the tube would increase as one moves in the distal direction , thereby providing ever increasing flexibility at the most distal portions of the inner shaft 11 or the outer shaft 13 . specifically , it can be seen that the number of laser cuts per unit length of the shaft 11 goes from the fewest cuts per unit length in section l3 , to a greater number of cuts per unit length in section l2 and the greatest number of cuts per unit length in section l1 which is the most distal section shown in fig4 c . a significant advantage in the design of the inner shaft 11 or the outer shaft 13 as indicated in fig4 c is that this design allows an extremely strong , thin - walled tubular structure to be used with either a push force or a pull force without substantially changing the length of those structures . this would not be the case if an elastomer tube were used for either the inner shaft 11 or the outer shaft 13 . also , it would not be true if the flexibility at the distal portion of the shaft &# 39 ; s 11 and 13 was accomplished by making helical laser cuts in such tubing . such a helical cut would experience a considerable change in length when a pull force was exerted on such a shaft design . fig5 is a longitudinal cross section of a distal portion of the temporary radioisotope stent catheter system 10 shown with the radioisotope stent 20 &# 34 ; having its radially deployed longitudinal struts 25 &# 34 ; 0 deployed radially outward against the inner cylindrical surface of a dilated stenosis . fig6 is a transverse cross section of the catheter system 10 showing central section 25c &# 34 ; of the longitudinal struts 25 &# 34 ; deployed radially outward against the surface of the dilated stenosis . the section 23 &# 34 ; is situated between the flexible sections 22 &# 34 ; and 24 &# 34 ; and the section 27 &# 34 ; is situated between the flexible sections 26 &# 34 ; and 28 &# 34 ;. fig5 shows that the flexible sections 22 &# 34 ;, 24 &# 34 ;, 26 &# 34 ; and 28 &# 34 ; have each been appropriately bent so that the central section 25c &# 34 ; of the longitudinal strut 25 &# 34 ; has moved out to make contact with the inner wall of the dilated stenosis . it should be understood that the radially expanded radioisotope stent 20 &# 34 ; would also be effective if one or more or all central sections 25c &# 34 ; of the longitudinal struts 25 &# 34 ; was not in actual contact with , but was in close proximity to , the inner wall of the dilated stenosis . in either case , the expanded temporary radioisotope stent 20 &# 34 ; would be approximately centered within the dilated stenosis which is an extraordinary desirable attribute when applying catheter based radiation at the site of a dilated stenosis to prevent restenosis . as opposed to the centering means of the prior art devices as illustrated in fig2 a and 2b , the design of the present invention as illustrated in fig5 and 6 can apply radiation in an optimum manner to the dilated stenosis . specifically , the design of fig2 a and 2b would not function at all in an 8 mm diameter vessel using a pure beta particle emitter such as p - 32 because the beta particles from the p - 32 would hardly reach the inner surface of the dilated stenosis and would certainly not reach the adventitia of the artery which is a principal source of smooth muscle cell proliferation which can cause restenosis of a dilated stenosis . furthermore , the design of fig5 requires a decreased radioisotope source strength as compared to the designs of either fig1 a or 2a . therefore the design of fig5 is safer to handle and can have a decreased cost for the radioisotope source . another important advantage which the catheter system 10 has when the temporary radioisotope stent 20 &# 34 ; is expanded is that excellent perfusion of tissue distal to the stent 20 &# 34 ; is achieved . this can be best envisioned by observing in fig6 that there is a great deal of open space between the struts 27 &# 34 ; of the expanded temporary radioisotope stent 20 &# 34 ;. fig5 shows the direction of blood flow by the arrows 55 that are situated proximal to the stent 20 &# 34 ; and the arrows 57 indicating the direction of blood flow distal to the stent 20 &# 34 ;. since the perfusion of distal tissue is completely adequate when the temporary radioisotope stent 20 &# 34 ; is fully radially expanded , the stent 20 &# 34 ; can remain at the site of the dilated stenosis for as much time as is required to obtain an adequate dose of radiation to the tissue that has experienced dilatation . fig7 is a top view of the proximal end 40p of the temporary radioisotope stent catheter system 10 showing the holding nut 47 having a distal surface 47d , the adjustment nut 43 having a proximal surface 43p , and the outer shaft adjustment screw 41 having a stent diameter indicator scale 45 . as shown in fig7 the adjustment screw 43 has been screwed back until its leading edge 44 is over the 4 . 5 mm diameter mark of the indicator scale 45 . this would provide a radial expansion of the temporary radioisotope stent 20 &# 34 ; to a diameter of 4 . 5 mm . in order to move the catheter system 10 forward during insertion or to have it pulled out after the patient &# 39 ; s dilated stenosis has received the appropriate radiation dose , the adjustment screw 43 would be screwed forward in a distal direction until its leading edge 44 was placed over the mark 49 , which mark indicates that the stent 20 has been fully retracted to its smallest diameter . the diameter of the temporary radioisotope stent 20 as shown fully retracted in fig3 would occur when the leading edge 44 is placed over the line 49 . although a screw arrangement for moving the inner shaft 11 relative to the outer shaft 13 is shown in fig3 it should be understood that a device that provides linear motion without a screw arrangement is also conceived . furthermore , a fluidic operating system to provide a longitudinal displacement between the two shafts 11 and 13 is also envisioned . although the temporary radioisotope stent catheter system 10 of the present invention is clearly usable as described herein , it is envisioned that for some dilated stenoses it may be advantageous to first place a sheath within the patient &# 39 ; s vascular system through which sheath the catheter system 10 can be placed prior to the deployment of the temporary radioisotope stent 20 . fig8 illustrates the distal portion of an elongated , cylindrical sheath 60 having a cylindrical body 61 and an expandable , tapered distal tip 62 . also shown in fig8 is a guide wire 50 shown in a position where it would be used if the catheter system 10 was advanced within the sheath 60 using the over - the wire technique . the proximal guide wire exit port 64 shown in fig8 can be used to deliver the sheath 60 over the guide wire 50 in a rapid exchange mode . fig9 is a transverse cross section of the expandable , tapered tip 62 particularly showing the four cuts 65 that allow the distal tip 62 to expand radially outward when the catheter system 10 would be pushed through it in a distal direction . although four cuts 65 are shown in fig9 as few as two cuts or as many as eight cuts are envisioned as a workable design to allow for the ready egress of the catheter system 10 . fig1 is a top view of the sheath 60 showing the cylindrical body 61 , the tapered distal tip 62 and a cut 65 with the guide wire 50 placed through the proximal exit port 64 . as shown in fig1 , the sheath 60 would be capable of being delivered in the rapid exchange mode . before the catheter system 10 could be placed through a sheath 60 when the sheath 60 is delivered in the rapid exchange mode , the guide wire 50 would have to be removed . the sheath 60 as shown in fig8 , and 10 would typically have a diameter between 1 and 2 mm and a wall thickness between 0 . 1 and 0 . 3 mm . the material of the sheath 60 would typically be an elastomer such as polyurethane or ptfe . fig1 is a longitudinal cross section of a proximal portion of an alternative embodiment of a sheath 70 , which sheath has the capability for allowing blood to perfuse distal tissue even when a distal portion of the sheath is in its fully expanded state . fig1 shows the perfusion sheath 70 in its pre - expanded state which is the state that it has when it is percutaneously inserted over the guide wire 50 until its distal portion is situated at the site of a dilated stenosis . in fig1 we see that the perfusion sheath 70 has an elongated cylindrical , thin - walled tube 71 with central lumen 79 and an expandable section 73 having a proximal radiopaque marker band 72p and a distal radiopaque marker band 72d , and a gently tapered tip 74 which assists in navigating through the tortuous vasculature of the coronary arteries . the proximal and distal radiopaque marker bands 72p and 72d assist in positioning of the expandable section 73 of the sheath 70 at the site of the dilated stenosis . fig1 is a transverse cross section of the expandable section 73 of the perfusion sheath 70 shown in its pre - expanded state . as seen in fig1 , in its pre - expanded state , the expandable section 73 is wrapped around like a jelly roll . it is also envisioned that the pre - expanded , expandable section 73 of the sheath 70 could be folded with a multiplicity of &# 34 ; wings &# 34 ; in a manner analogous to the way the balloon on a balloon angioplasty catheter is folded . fig1 is a longitudinal cross section of an alternative embodiment of a distal portion of a temporary radioisotope stent catheter system 80 . the proximal portion of the catheter system 80 is identical to that previously described in fig3 and 7 . the distal portion of the catheter system 80 is slightly different at its distal end . instead of a distal tip 30 , the alternative embodiment of the catheter system shown in fig1 has a short , rounded distal tip 82 which also serves as the distal radiopaque marker for the temporary radioisotope stent 20 . in fact , this embodiment does not require a guide wire because it would be advanced through the previously placed sheath 70 . therefore , the inner shaft 11 could alternatively be a solid wire 81 . it should be understood that the catheter system 80 operates in exactly the same manner as the catheter system 10 of fig3 except that the catheter system 80 is designed to be advanced within a previously placed sheath such as the perfusion sheath 70 of fig1 . fig1 is a longitudinal cross section of the distal portions of the perfusion sheath 70 and the catheter system 80 . the expanded section 73 &# 34 ; of the perfusion sheath 70 is shown in contact with the inner wall of the dilated stenosis . the transverse cross section of the expanded section 73 &# 34 ; of the sheath 70 is illustrated in fig1 . the contour of the expanded section 73 &# 34 ; as shown in fig1 is pre - formed to have flat sections 78f &# 34 ; and indented sections 78i &# 34 ;. the indented sections 78i &# 34 ; allow the longitudinal flow of blood through the passageways 77 so as to perfuse distal tissue during the time period that the temporary radioisotope stent 20 &# 34 ; is expanded as shown in fig1 . this expanded state of the expanded section 73 &# 34 ; is achievable by means of the tuohy - borst &# 34 ; y &# 34 ; adaptor 90 as shown in fig1 it is desirable though not required that the expansion of the expandable sheath section 73 &# 34 ; be accomplished prior to the insertion of the catheter system 80 . the solid rod shaft 81 in fig1 and 15 is used to push the catheter system through the previously placed sheath 70 . as seen in fig1 , the radially outward deployed , radioactive longitudinal struts 25c &# 34 ; are in contact with the inner surface of the expanded section 73 &# 34 ; of the sheath 70 . the wall thickness of the expanded section 73 &# 34 ; would typically be on the order of 0 . 1 mm , and since the material of the expanded portion 73 &# 34 ; would be an elastomer having a comparatively low density , the expanded section 73 &# 34 ; would not significantly decrease the level of radiation felt by the tissue of the dilated stenosis . however , unlike the radioisotope stent described by fischell in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 059 , 166 , the radioisotope stent 20 shown in fig1 and 15 is not in direct contact with the tissue of the dilated stenosis . this small but finite separation can reduce a &# 34 ; hot spot &# 34 ; of irradiation which might otherwise occur when the struts of a radioisotope stent are in actual contact with or imbedded into the tissue of the dilated stenosis . thus it is envisioned that a radioisotope stent having a small but finite separation between the radioisotope source and the tissue of the dilated stenosis may have some significant advantage . fig1 is a longitudinal cross section of the proximal portion of the perfusion sheath 70 showing the tube 71 having an inner lumen 79 and a tuohy - borst &# 34 ; y &# 34 ; adaptor 90 . the tuohy - borst &# 34 ; y &# 34 ; adaptor 90 has a main body 91 , an adjustable nut 92 , an elastomer seal 93 and a side arm 94 having a central lumen 96 and a luer fitting 95 at the proximal end of the side arm 94 . the lumen 96 is in fluid communication with the lumen 79 of the sheath 70 . by means of the luer fitting 95 , a syringe ( not shown ) can be used to inflate and deflate the expandable section 73 of the sheath 70 . as previously described , the expandable section 73 would be advanced through the vessel of the human body in its pre - expanded state as shown in fig1 and 12 . the expanded section 73 &# 34 ; would be formed by inserting fluid under pressure through the luer fitting 95 . after the expanded section 73 &# 34 ; has been formed , the catheter system 80 would be advanced until its distal tip 84 is in contact with the proximal surface of the tapered tip 74 of the sheath 70 . the operating means at the proximal portion of the catheter system 80 would then be used to radially expand the temporary radioisotope stent struts 25c &# 34 ; to be as shown in fig1 and 15 . once the temporary radioisotope stent struts 25c &# 34 ; have been expanded , the pressure within the expanded section 73 &# 34 ; of the sheath 70 would be reduced to be below diastolic blood pressure by utilizing either ambient pressure within the lumen 79 or by creating a negative pressure using suction . this results in the external perimeter of the expanded section 73 &# 34 ; assuming the shape as shown in fig1 with indented passageways 77 through which the blood can flow to tissue that lies distal to the expanded section 73 &# 34 ;. thus , perfusion of distal tissue is achievable which allows the temporary radioisotope stent 25 &# 34 ; to irradiate the dilated stenosis for an extended period of time without any adverse effect being felt by the patient . after the period of irradiation is terminated , the operating means at the proximal portion of the catheter system 80 is used to radially contract the temporary radioisotope stent 25 and then the catheter system 80 can be removed from the sheath 70 and from the patient &# 39 ; s body . the sheath 70 can then be contracted by placing a negative fluid pressure through the side arm 24 thereby contracting the expandable section 73 of the sheath 70 . the sheath 70 can then be removed from the patient &# 39 ; s body , and finally the guide wire 50 is removed thereby concluding the catheter based irradiation of the dilated stenosis . fig1 is another alternative embodiment of the present invention that allows blood to flow through a set of proximal and distal holes in the expandable section of the sheath 90 , which blood makes contact with the temporary radioisotope stent struts 25 &# 34 ;. specifically , the sheath 90 has an expandable section 93 &# 34 ; that has a multiplicity of proximal holes 91p and distal holes 91d . fig1 is a front end view of the expandable section 93 &# 34 ; of the sheath 90 which shows a typical arrangement for the distal holes 91d . fig1 also shows through the holes 91d the deployed straight sections 27 &# 34 ; and also shows the distal tip 74 which has a distal guide wire exit port 75 . although fig1 shows a total of four holes , it should be understood that as few as one hole could be used on each end of the expandable section 93 &# 34 ; of the sheath 90 or several hundred holes could be used if the expandable section 93 &# 34 ; was formed from a porous material . it should also be understood that for all embodiments of the present invention that utilize a sheath , that the sheath would first be advanced until the expandable portion of the sheath was at the site of the dilated stenosis , and then the temporary radioisotope stent catheter system would be advanced within the sheath until the radioactive section of the stent struts was also situated at the site of the dilated stenosis . it should also be understood that the present invention envisions a radioisotope stent that can be used independent of its attachment to a catheter system . specifically it is envisioned that the temporary radioisotope stent 20 as shown in fig3 or 5 or 14 and as described herein teaches the principle that a permanently implanted radioisotope stent could be used in which the radioactive source is isolated from the inner wall of the dilated stenosis by either a thin piece of metal or a thin plastic membrane or both . various other modifications , adaptations , and alternative designs are of course possible in light of the above teachings . therefore , it should be understood at this time that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein . | US-5548498-A |
a fiber stacking or aligning apparatus is described . in an embodiment , the apparatus includes a first component and a second component . the first component is configured to permit the introduction of a plurality of fibers into an opening that defines a through hole through the first component . the second component is rotatably coupled to the first component , wherein the second component is configured to permit the introduction of the plurality of fibers that have passed through the through hole into an area in the second component that includes an alignment surface which limits the travel of the plurality of fibers so as to align the plurality of fibers , wherein the second component is further configured to be rotated away from the aligned plurality of fibers to expose the aligned plurality of fibers without disturbing them . | embodiments of the invention include a fiber or hair stacker that overcomes the disadvantages of the conventional hair stacker and is easier and faster to use than the conventional hair stacker . the embodiment of the figures as described herein is one example of the invention , and various modifications , including size variations for example , are within the scope of the invention . as used herein , the terms “ hair ” and “ fiber ” are used interchangeably , but in general the embodiments described are suitable for stacking or aligning any group of substantially hair shaped objects that have small diameters in proportion to their lengths . fig1 - 9 are diagrams that show various views of a hair stacker apparatus 100 according to an embodiment . fig1 - 4 show the hair stacker apparatus 100 in a closed position . fig5 - 9 show the hair stacker apparatus 100 in an open position . as shown in fig1 , the hair stacker apparatus 100 includes a top 102 and a bottom 104 . the top 102 and the bottom 104 are coupled by a fastener 108 , which is a screw in one embodiment . the top 102 is coupled to the bottom 104 such that a bottom surface of the top 102 is in proximity to a top surface of the bottom 104 . various embodiments also include a washer ( not shown ) on the fastener 108 between the top 102 and the bottom 104 . the top 102 and the bottom 104 rotate with respect to one another about the fastener 108 . the rotation of the top 102 and the bottom 104 with respect to one another is limited by protruding edges 106 and 112 . the protruding edge 106 forms a lip that is located on the top 102 in proximity to the bottom surface of the top 102 . the protruding edge 112 forms a lip that is located on the bottom 104 as shown in fig3 in close proximity to a top surface of the bottom 104 . the protruding edge 102 includes a swing arc 107 ( as shown in fig5 and 11 c ) for clearance to accommodate rotation of the top 102 and the bottom 104 with respect to each other . the separation of the top 102 and the bottom 104 is exaggerated in the figures for the purpose of illustrating features such as the protruding edges 106 and 112 , which are not visible when the top 102 and the bottom 104 are more fully closed . fig2 is a diagram showing the bottom 104 and the top of fastener 108 sitting in a countersunk hole into which the fastener 108 is inserted for assembly of the top 102 to the bottom 104 . fig3 is a diagram showing the side of the hair stacker apparatus 100 opposite the side shown in fig1 . the bottom 104 includes an area 110 for accommodating fibers or hairs . a bunch of fibers 101 is show inside the area . a protruding edge 112 limits the rotation of the top 102 with respect to the bottom 104 by coming into contact with the protruding edge 106 of the top 102 . the separation of the top 102 and the bottom 104 is exaggerated in the figures for the purpose of illustrating features such as the protruding edges 106 and 112 , which are not visible when the top 102 and the bottom 104 are more fully closed . fig4 is a diagram showing the top surface of the top 102 and an opening 114 . in one embodiment the opening 114 is circular , and the inner diameter of the circle defines a through hole in the top 102 . hairs or other fibers 101 are inserted tip first into the opening 114 . the tips of the hairs 101 are aligned by tapping the apparatus 100 to cause the tips of the hairs to rest on an alignment surface 111 of the area 110 ( see fig3 ). this “ stacks ” the hairs in a bunch with uniformly aligned tips in preparation for attaching the bunch to , for example , a fish hook . the opening 114 has a beveled edge , or chamfer 116 for easier insertion of hairs into the opening 114 . after the hairs are stacked as previously described , the apparatus 100 is opened to access the stacked hairs by rotating the top 102 and / or the bottom 104 . fig5 - 9 are diagrams of an open apparatus 100 . fig5 is a diagram showing the bottom 104 rotated around the fastener 108 in the direction shown by arrow 103 . fig6 is a diagram showing another view of the bottom 104 rotated to the same position with respect to the top 102 as shown in fig5 . fig7 is a diagram showing a different view of the apparatus 100 with the top 102 and the bottom 104 in the same relative positions as in fig5 and 6 . fig7 shows the opening 114 through which hairs are inserted , and also shows the surface 111 of the area 110 on which the tips of the hairs rest . the area 110 is defined by a curved wall 113 which , in a closed position of the apparatus 100 , accommodates hairs or fibers inserted through the opening 114 . in one embodiment , the opening 110 as defined by the curved wall 113 is larger than the through hole defined by the opening 114 in the top 102 , and is aligned approximately coaxially with the through hole defined by the opening 114 in the top 102 . fig8 is another view of the apparatus 100 with the top 102 and the bottom 104 in the same relative positions as in fig5 and 6 . fig8 shows a different view of the area 110 and the curved wall 113 . fig9 is another view of the apparatus 100 with the top 102 and the bottom 104 in the same relative positions as in fig5 and 6 . fig9 shows the protruding edges 106 and 112 in cross - section in an open position of the apparatus 100 . the edges 106 and 112 stop against each other in a closed position of the apparatus 100 and prevent rotation of either the top 102 or the bottom 104 in one direction . fig1 is a flow chart of a method 1000 of stacking or aligning hairs using embodiments of the apparatus as described herein . a bunch of hairs is inserted tip first into the opening of the top of the apparatus , when the apparatus is in a closed position , as shown at 1002 . at 1004 , the apparatus is tapped with the alignment surface downward to stack or align the tips of the hairs against the alignment surface . at 1006 , the closed apparatus is turned to view the hair tips through the opening in the bottom 104 . as shown at 1008 , it can then be determined whether the hairs are satisfactorily aligned . that is , it can be determined whether all or almost all of the hairs tips are resting on the alignment surface . if the hairs are not satisfactorily aligned , the tapping repeat tapping process is repeated at 1010 . the bunch of hairs is removed from the apparatus by opening the apparatus and grasping the bunch by the tips using one hand , as indicated at 1012 . the apparatus is opened by rotating the top 102 or the bottom 104 such that the bottom 104 swings away from and exposes the aligned bunch of hairs . as shown at 1014 , the bunch of hairs is then attached to an assembly while still being grasped using the same hand that removed the bunch from the apparatus . if it is desired for some reason to grasp the root end of the bunch of hairs and leave the tip end free , this is also easily done by grasping the root end protruding from the opening 114 and removing the bunch of hairs . the apparatus 100 does not need to be opened in this case . the apparatus 100 does not need to be disassembled in the normal course of use for stacking hairs or fibers . therefore , there is never a danger of mislaying a part of the apparatus 100 . fig1 a , 11b , 11 c , 12 a , 12 b , and 12 c are more detailed dimensioned diagrams of one embodiment of the invention , and are not intended to be limiting . various dimensions and features other than those shown may also be used to make a hair or fiber stacker as described and claimed herein . any suitable materials may be used to manufacture the apparatus , including but not limited to , plastic , aluminum , and other metals or alloys . the embodiments are described using hairs as an example of a fiber to be stacked , but any other fiber can be similarly stacked using the embodiments . the dimensions shown are an example of an embodiment that is suitable for stacking animal hairs for fishing flies , but embodiments are not so limited . for example , larger dimensions can be used to accommodate larger fibers . also , the overall dimensions shown are comfortable for an average human hand to hold and manipulate . if it was desired to design an apparatus for unusually large or small hands , the dimensions can be adjusted accordingly . the invention is thus defined by the claims below . | US-30372105-A |
a blood pump is powered by an implantable motive power source . the blood pump has four actively pumping chambers , two of the chambers simulating ventricles and two of the chambers simulating atria , wherein the ventricular and atrial chambers are driven in a reciprocating manner by a pivoting wedge hinged to a septal wall partition separating the ventricular from the atrial chambers . the pivoting wedge is hydraulically powered through systole and diastole by means of hydraulic motors harnessed individually to respective skeletal muscles and responsive to the contraction of these muscles which are sequentially contracted by control stimulation means . the hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic motors is transmitted through hydraulic lines to the blood pump . | referring to fig1 and 2 , these figures illustrate a subject 1 having a plurality of pump - drive units 3 harnessed to skeletal muscles 5 , 7 , 9 , 11 , 13 , 15 , 17 , 19 , 21 and 23 of the subject . units 3 are harnessed on the right and left halves of the pectoralis major muscle pair 5 and 7 , on the superior parts of the right and left halves of the rectus abdominis muscle pair 9 and 11 , on the superior parts of the left and right halves of the gluteus maximus muscle pair 13 and 15 , on the left and right halves of the latissimus dorsi muscle pair 17 and 19 , and on the middle and inferior parts of the left and right halves of the trapezius muscle pair 21 and 23 . the harnessed skeletal muscles 5 through 19 are connected by the hydraulic branch line 25 , surgically burred in the subcutaneous tissue of the subject , to the systolic inlet 27 of a systolic - diastolic actuator 29 , which is itself connected to a mediastinal blood pump 31 by hydraulic line 33 . the hydraulic line 33 is surgically tunnelled beneath the rectus abdominis muscle pair 9 and 11 and through a surgically formed hole in the anterior midline aspect of the diaphragm in its route to the blood pump 31 . the harnessed skeletal muscles of the trapezius pair 21 and 23 are connected by hydraulic line 35 to the diastolic ports 37 and 39 of the systolic - diastolic actuator 29 . the pump - drive units 3 are surgically positioned in the tissue overlying the muscle bellies of the skeletal muscles 5 through 23 , and as described below , each unit 3 is firmly attached to the origin and insertion tendons of each muscle . the anatomic position of each harnessed muscle is not altered , and the tissue deep to each harnessed muscle , containing the vascular supply to the muscle , is not disturbed . the natural motor nerves of the harnessed muscles 5 through 23 are surgically interrupted so that these muscles will contract only when electrically stimulated by the pacing apparatus to be described below . the insertion tendons 41 of the harnessed muscles are severed so that contraction of these muscles will no longer effect the natural locomotory or postural changes . to preserve the integrity of the abdominal wall , the tendinous inscription of the rectus abdominis muscle pair 9 and 11 may be left unsevered if the inferior halves of the rectus pair are denervated . the harnessed skeletal muscles 5 through 23 may be considered expendable in that the loss of their natural locomotory or postural functions may be at least partially compensated by surrounding muscles . as will become evident from a further reading of the text , artificially stimulated contraction of each of the four muscle pairs 5 and 7 , 9 and 11 , 13 and 15 , and 17 and 19 , will effect one systolic stroke of the blood pump . each muscle pair contracts in a sequence with the other three muscle pairs so that each muscle pair contracts for only one of four consecutive systolic strokes of the blood pump . in this manner , fatigue in any one muscle pair is avoided . the contraction strength of each harnessed muscle pair is greater than 100 pounds , which is more than twice the strength required to power the blood pump . as will be described further on in the text , artificially stimulated contraction of the harnessed muscle pair 21 and 23 assists the systolic - diastolic actuator 29 in effecting one diastolic stroke of the blood pump . referring now to fig3 to 12 , various aspects of a representative pump - drive unit 3 mounted on a representative skeletal muscle 6 will be described . the pump - drive unit 3 includes a pair of identical bellows 43 extending longitudinally and parallel to the axis of contraction of the underlying skeletal muscle 6 . at the insertion end 45 of muscle 6 , the bellows 43 are firmly attached to a base member 47 which includes an anchor plate 49 for attaching the base member 47 to the severed insertion tendon 41 of muscle 6 . at the origin end 51 of muscle 6 , the bellows 43 are attached to a head member 53 which includes a cylindrical hole 55 for pivotal attachment of the head member 53 to a cylindrical projection 57 of anchor plate 59 . the pivotal attachment of the head member 53 to the anchor plate 59 permits rotation of the pump - drive unit 3 around the axis of the cylindrical projection 57 during locomotory or respiratory movements of the surrounding tissues . inside each bellows 43 is contained a hydraulic fluid , preferably an alcohol , which communicates with hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic line 61 via outlets 63 in the head member 53 . inside each bellows 43 are a piston 65 attached to the base member 47 and a cylinder 67 attached to the head member 53 . the cylinder 67 has fenestrations 69 for passage of hydraulic fluid between the bellows 43 and the interior of the cylinder 67 . the piston 65 projects into the cylinder 67 as illustrated . the piston - cylinder assembly acts as a guide for the bellows 43 during contraction of the bellows . a stem 71 extends from the base member 47 between the bellows 43 and slides in a box - shaped extension 73 of head member 53 . the stem 71 includes lateral projections 75 which slide in lateral slots 77 of extension 73 . the purpose of the projections 75 in slots 77 is to limit the travel of the stroke of the pump drive unit . the bellows 43 are sealed with the exception of the outlets 63 connecting the bellows with the hydraulic line 61 . the bellows 43 are made of a suitable construction to prevent lateral expansion . for example , steel rings may form the peaks of the corrugations , or the bellows may be formed in a spiral corrugation using a coiled spring , the normal shape of which would be the extended position of the bellows . referring to fig6 and 9 , the pump - drive unit 3 is contained in a flexible envelope 79 made of a biocompatible material such as polyurethane . the envelope 79 is sealed around the anchor plates 49 and 59 so that the anchor plates extend outside the envelope 79 . the envelope 79 is attached to a similar envelope 81 surrounding the hydraulic line 61 . contained within the envelopes 79 and 81 , between the envelope and pump - drive unit or hydraulic line respectively , is a suitable fluid medium sealed within the envelopes . the purpose of envelope 79 enclosing pump - drive unit 3 is to prevent body tissue elements from encroaching onto , and interfering with , the components of the pump - drive unit . the purpose of envelope 81 enclosing the hydraulic line 61 is to permit movement of the hydraulic line within the envelope against the body wall during locomotory or respiratory movements , the hydraulic line having slack within the envelope 81 . referring to fig8 embedded in the surface of the envelope 79 , on the side of the envelope which will be in contact with the muscle , are provided a plurality of electrodes 83 , of suitable material such as hydron - coated tantalum or activated carbon , connected by insulated wiring 85 to an electronic stimulating unit described further on . referring to fig1 , 11 and 12 , the anchor plate 59 includes projections in the form of anchor pins 87 alternating in a staggered triangular pattern with openings 89 in the anchor plate 59 . the anchor pins 87 have cone - shaped tips with the bottom of the cone having a larger diameter than the stem of the pin , so that the anchor pin hooks into the tendon material 91 ( fig7 ) when the anchor plate 59 is pressed onto the tendon 93 . two sutures 95 and 97 are then run through the tendon 93 and through the openings 89 in the manner illustrated in fig1 . the sutures are preferably of carbon fiber or other absorbable substance which will induce ingrowth of fibrous tissue 99 in the alignment of the suture material . the fibrous tissue 99 will grow through the openings 89 and grow in a zig - zag pattern between the anchor pins 87 as illustrated in fig1 , thus securing a firm bond between tendon 93 and the anchor plate 59 . the orientation of the zig - zag fibrous tissue pattern is approximately perpendicular to the orientation of the natural tendon fibers 91 of tendon 93 . in the embodiment shown in fig3 and 4 , the severed insertion tendon 41 of muscle 6 has been folded over the end of anchor plate 49 , which in this case has anchor pins extending from both sides thereof . in operation of the pump - drive unit 3 , a programmed pulsed current is conducted from an electronic control unit to the muscle 6 via wiring 85 and electrodes 83 , stimulating the muscle to contract from its relaxed length shown in fig3 to its contracted length shown in fig5 forcing the insertion tendon 41 and attached base member 47 towards the origin tendon 93 and head member 53 , thereby causing compression of the bellows 43 which will force hydraulic fluid within the bellows to be expelled through the outlets 63 into the hydraulic line 61 , thus displacing fluid in the hydraulic line 61 into the systolic - diastolic actuator 29 via the systolic inlet 27 . upon cessation of electrical stimulation , the muscle 6 will relax and will be returned to its precontraction length by a reversal of hydraulic fluid flow effected by the systolic - diastolic actuator , as will be described further on . as previously mentioned , spring devices could be utilized in the bellows 43 or otherwise in the pump - drive unit 3 to aid the extension of the pump - drive unit and attached muscle to the pre - contracted position . it is anticipated that the pump - drive unit harnessed to a skeletal muscle could be used to power devices other than a blood pump . for example , a pump - drive unit mounted on a pectoralis major muscle could power a prosthetic arm muscle in order to provide elbow flexion ( or extension ) in a subject with a paralyzed arm . the prosthetic arm muscle would comprise a hydraulically actuated strut , attached at both ends to tendon or bone , and positioned across the elbow joint . in this embodiment , the pump - drive unit would be connected to the strut by a hydraulic line tunnelled surgically in the subcutaneous tissue of the chest and arm . operation of the pump - drive unit by contraction of the pectoralis muscle would effect a shortening ( or lengthening ) of the strut , thereby flexing ( or extending ) the elbow joint . denervation and artificial stimulation of the pectoralis muscle would be unnecessary , since the subject could relearn , and voluntarily control , the new function of the pectoralis muscle . referring now to fig1 , 14 , 15 and 16 , four muscles 8 , 10 , 21 and 23 are shown with a pump - drive unit 3 attached to each muscle . the pump - drive units of the pair of muscles 8 and 10 are connected by the hydraulic line 25 to the systolic inlet port 27 of the systolic - diastolic actuator 29 . the pump - drive units of the pair of muscles 21 and 23 are connected by the hydraulic line 35 to the two diastolic ports 37 and 39 of the systolic - diastolic actuator . the systolic - diastolic actuator 29 is connected by the hydraulic line 33 to the driving bellows 95 of the blood pump 31 . the systolic - diastolic actuator 29 includes a housing 97 through which extends a central longitudinal bore 99 and two parallel satellite bores 101 and 103 . between the satellite bore 101 and the central bore 99 there is a longitudinal slot 105 , while a similar slot 107 is provided in the housing between the satellite bore 103 and the central bore 99 . the central bore terminates at one end of the housing in the systolic inlet port 27 . a bellows 109 extends from the systolic inlet port 27 and is connected to a plunger 111 which is adapted to slide in a portion of the length of the central bore 99 . the plunger 111 includes lateral extensions 113 and 115 which extend within the satellite bores 101 and 103 respectively . within the slots 105 and 107 , the plunger includes electrical contact members 112 which are adapted to slide against a plurality of sensor contacts 114 in each of the slots 105 and 107 , as shown in enlarged detail in fig1 and 15 . this arrangement allows for electronic sensing of the position of the plunger 111 within the systolic - diastolic actuator , the purpose of which will be described further on in the text . each extension 113 and 115 is connected to a coil spring 117 and 119 respectively , which in turn is anchored to an anchor projection 121 at the end of the housing 97 in each bore 101 and 103 respectively . within the central bore 99 and on the opposite side of the plunger 111 is a bellows 123 which is connected to the plunger 111 and to the systolic outlet port 125 of the housing 97 . the satellite bores 101 and 103 each terminate in an open end defining diastolic ports 37 and 39 respectively . within the satellite bores 101 and 103 are provided further bellows 127 and 129 as shown , which communicate with the diastolic ports 37 and 39 . as illustrated in fig1 , there is a plenum chamber 131 which extends through the housing 97 and communicates with the satellite bores 101 and 103 . the function of the plenum chamber 131 is to dissipate air pressure within the satellite bores 101 and 103 as the bellows 127 and 129 are hydraulically expanded or contracted . referring to fig1 and 16 , the operation of the systolic - diastolic actuator will now be described . on electrical stimulation of the pair of muscles 8 and 10 , these muscles contract , the contractions forcing hydraulic fluid to be pumped from each of their attached pump drive units 3 into the hydraulic line 25 , displacing fluid in the hydraulic line 25 into the bellows 109 and expanding the bellows longitudinally , thereby advancing the plunger 111 as well as the lateral extensions 113 and 115 thereof against the springs 117 and 119 . as the plunger 111 advances , it contracts the bellows 123 in the central bore 99 , forcing hydraulic fluid through the hydraulic line 33 and thereby expanding the driving bellows 95 of the blood pump 31 . expansion of the driving bellows 95 effects one systolic stroke of the blood pump 31 , as will be described further on . on completion of the systolic stroke , the electrical stimulation of the pair of muscles 8 and 10 is terminated by the control unit and the muscles relax . during diastole , the springs 117 and 119 will return the plunger 111 back to the end - diastolic position illustrated in fig1 , reversing the flow of fluid in the hydraulic line 33 and contracting the driving bellows 95 of the blood pump to its end - diastolic position , and reversing the flow of fluid in the hydraulic line 25 and lengthening the pump - drive units 3 attached to muscles 8 and 10 to their precontracted position . if the duration of diastole must be shortened beyond that inherently provided by the coil springs 117 and 119 , so as to increase the blood pump cycle rate during conditions such as strenuous exercise which require an increased blood pump output , the following response would be automatically effected . the electronic control system would stimulate the pair of muscles 21 and 23 , each harnessed to a pump - drive unit 3 , to contract . the contraction causes hydraulic fluid to be pumped from each of the pump - drive units into the hydraulic line 35 , thereby displacing fluid through the diastolic ports 37 and 39 , and expanding the bellows 127 and 129 which contact the plunger 111 , hastening its movement to the end - diastolic position . as described previously and illustrated in fig1 and 2 , three other muscle pairs in addition to the pair of muscles 8 and 10 ( fig1 ) would be provided to power the systolic stroke , the hydraulic lines from these harnessed muscles being connected in a branch pattern to the line 25 . from calculation based on the actual size of the hydraulic components illustrated in fig1 , it is estimated that the hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic line 25 would be approximately 70 p . s . i . during a typical systolic stroke . it is anticipated that miniaturization of the pump - drive units , hydraulic lines , systolic - diastolic actuator and driving bellows 95 could be achieved with smaller volumes of hydraulic fluid in the respective components forced at higher pressures . it is also anticipated that an access means to the systolic inlet port 27 may be provided to enable the blood pump to be temporarily powered by a hydraulic pump external to the subject , such a feature being deemed useful in the emergency installation of the heart replacement system . in the embodiment shown in fig1 and 18 , a hydraulic pressure reservoir unit 133 is schematically illustrated connected to the systolic - diastolic actuator 29 . the hydraulic pressure reservoir unit 133 includes reservoirs 135 and 137 and a regulator 139 within a housing 141 . a partition 143 separates the pressurized reservoir 135 from the return reservoir 137 . the hydraulic pressure reservoir unit 133 is inserted in the hydraulic line 25 , and as shown , hydraulic line segment 25a communicates with the inlet port 145 . as hydraulic fluid in hydraulic line 25a is pressurized by contraction of the pump drive units , it opens the valve 147 and enters the pressurized reservoir 135 which includes an elastic membrane 149 separating the pressurized reservoir 135 from a gas - filled chamber 151 . the return reservoir 137 is in communication with the hydraulic line 25a and includes a valve 153 which is open when hydraulic fluid is drawn towards the pump - drive units following contraction of these units . the regulator 139 includes a valve block 155 which has a conduit 157 communicating with the pressurized reservoir 135 . the conduit 157 intersects a valve bore 159 and communicates with the top of the valve bore 161 . fluid passing through the conduit 157 will expand the bellows 163 in the valve bore 161 against a spring 165 . a return conduit 167 extends from the valve bore 161 to drain fluid from within the bellows 163 . the conduit 167 intersects the valve bore 159 and is in communication with the return reservoir 137 . the sliding gate valve 169 is provided in the valve bore 159 . the gate valve 169 includes an opening 171 which can alternatively open the communication through the conduits 157 or 167 respectively . a return spring 173 is provided at the end of the valve bore 159 to return the gate valve 169 to its initial position . a solenoid 175 operates the gate valve 169 . in the valve bore 161 , a gate valve 177 is made to slide by means of the bellows 163 and is returned by the spring 165 . the gate valve 177 has an opening 179 and a second spaced opening 181 . the openings 179 and 181 are alternatively positioned to communicate with either the branch 183a or 183b of the outlet 183 in communication with the pressurized reservoir 135 or the return reservoir 137 . in operation , the pump drive units can , independently of the operation of the blood pump 31 , build up the fluid pressure in the reservoir 135 . to initiate systole of the blood pump 31 , the solenoid 175 is operated such that the gate valve 169 is moved into a position where the opening 171 will be in line with the conduit 157 to allow fluid under pressure to enter the bellows 163 , thus operating the gate valve 177 until the opening 179 is aligned with the branch 183a of the hydraulic line 25b , as shown in fig1 . fluid under pressure in the pressurized reservoir 135 will then pass into the hydraulic line 25b , expanding the bellows 109 of the systolic - diastolic actuator 29 . in diastole , the spring 173 retracts the gate valve 169 to a position shown in fig1 , whereby the opening 171 is aligned with the conduit 167 , blocking the conduit 157 and allowing fluid in the bellows 163 to be passed through the conduit 167 under compression of the bellows 163 by the spring 165 , returning hydraulic fluid to the return reservoir 137 . the spring 165 retracts the gate valve 177 such that branch 183a is blocked but opening 181 is aligned with the branch 183b in communication with the return reservoir 137 . as previously described , spring devices in the pump - drive units would restore the pump - drive units to their pre - contracted length , drawing fluid from the return reservoir 137 past the valve 153 . in this embodiment , the muscles that are hydraulically harnessed to pressurize the reservoir 135 may contract slower than the stroke velocity of the blood pump 31 . the frequency of contraction of these muscles is electronically determined from the pressure in the reservoir 135 by means of a pressure transducer ( not shown ). in yet another embodiment shown in fig1 and 20 , each pump drive unit 3 could be in communication with a device for converting the mechanical energy of muscle contraction into electrical energy and through an alternator to charge a battery for operating the electrical stimulation of the muscles harnessed with pump - drive units , and also for operating an electrically motorized blood pump . such an embodiment would include the hydraulic line 61 , communicating with the outlets 63 in the pump - drive unit 3 . the hydraulic line 61 would in turn communicate with a closed circuit duct 185 which allows for one - way circulation of hydraulic fluid means of a valve 187 . a dynamo 189 is inserted in the duct 185 upstream of a reservoir 191 which includes an elastic membrane 193 . the dynamo 189 includes a hollow rotor 195 having a spiral rib 197 . the rotor 195 includes a coil 199 which rotates in a conventional manner within a magnet 201 . the current produced by the dynamo would then go to the alternator and battery as identified by the block 203 . when the pump - drive unit 3 is contracted by stimulated muscle contraction , fluid is moved through the hydraulic line 61 into the duct 185 and through the rotor 195 causing the rotor to rotate within the magnet 201 , thereby converting the energy of muscle contraction into electrical energy . the fluid would then enter into the reservoir 191 against the elastic membrane 193 . when the muscle 6 is relaxed , the pump - drive unit 3 is restored to its initial length by fluid flow effected by recoil of the membrane 193 and of the spring elements provided in the pump - drive unit . referring to fig2 to 32 , the blood pump 31 includes a median partition 205 and a partition 207 within a housing 209 . the partition 205 separates the blood pump into right and left halves . the partition 207 is oriented at right angles to partition 205 and separates each right and left half of the blood pump into a right ventricular chamber 211 , a right atrial chamber 213 , a left ventricular chamber 215 , and a left atrial chamber 217 , respectively . a wedge 219 is hinged to the partition 207 by means of a hinge pin 221 . as illustrated in fig2 and 25 , the wedge 219 forms a wall of each of the chambers 211 , 213 , 215 and 217 , so that pendulum motion of the wedge 219 about the hinge pin 221 during systole will expand each atrial chamber 213 and 217 , and contract each ventricular chamber 211 and 215 , while reverse movement of the wedge during diastole will contract each atrial chamber and expand each ventricular chamber . a disc 223 is attached to the wedge 219 and rotates within a corresponding slot 225 in the partition 205 during pendulum motion of the wedge 219 . the disc 223 functions as an extension of the partition 205 . a curved hollow cylinder 227 is attached to the wedge 219 by an extension 229 of the wedge . the cylinder 227 slides within a corresponding curved bore 231 provided in the housing 209 during pendulum motion of the wedge 219 . the cylinder 227 is closed at one end 233 , the other end being open . within the cylinder is a driving bellows 95 , one end of which is closed and attached to the closed end 233 of the cylinder 227 , the other end being open and attached to the housing 209 . as illustrated in fig2 , the driving bellows 95 communicates with the passage 235 in the housing 209 , and thereby communicates with the hydraulic line 33 . within each of the chambers 211 , 213 , 215 , and 217 , there is a bellows 237 . each bellows 237 has an open end attached to the housing 209 and to the partitions 205 and 207 , and a closed end attached to a flap 239 . each flap 239 is hinged to the hinge pin 221 of partition 207 and may swing in a pivotal fashion independently of the wedge 219 . hydraulic fluid is provided between the wedge 219 and each of the flaps 239 and communicates with fluid between the exterior surface of each bellows 237 and the housing 209 . the wedge 219 has a fluid filled core 241 which communicates by holes 243 in the wedge with the hydraulic fluid between each flap 239 and the wedge 219 . the fluid core 241 extends within the left and right halves of the wedge 219 . thus , hydraulic fluid between the wedge 219 and flap 239 of any one chamber communicates with fluid in the corresponding spaces of the other three chambers . the fluid core 241 of the wedge 219 also communicates by holes 243 in the wedge 219 and holes 245 in the housing 209 with a fluid containing passage 247 and 249 in each left and right lateral aspect of the housing 209 , as illustrated in fig2 . the two fluid passages 247 and 249 connect at a junction 251 and open into a hydraulic fluid reservoir 253 positioned between the left and right halves of the blood pump . an elastic membrane 255 forms the roof of the reservoir 253 and is attached to the exterior of the housing 209 . the junction 251 also communicates with fluid within the curved bore 231 as illustrated in fig2 , so that fluid within the bore 231 is displaced into the junction 251 during systolic movement of the cylinder 227 , and is drawn from the junction 251 into the bore 231 during diastolic movement of the cylinder 227 . within each of the chambers 211 , 213 , 215 , and 217 is a blood sac 257 attached at its open end to the housing 209 , the partition 205 and the partition 207 . the diameter of the open end of the blood sac 257 at its attachment is intended to be not greater than the sum of the diameters of the inlet and outlet blood passages of each chamber , to be described below , so that blood turbulence between the passages and the sac and within the sac is reduced and blood shear against the polyurethane - lined walls of the chamber space between the passages and the opening of the sac is also reduced . each blood sac 257 is suspended from its attached end in a fixed volume of hydraulic fluid 259 sealed within each of the bellows 237 . the hydraulic fluid 259 will be referred to as a fluid cushion in that its function is to transmit pressure exerted by curvilinear expansion or contraction of the bellows 237 to the entire exterior surface of the blood sac , and also to separate the exterior surface of the blood sac from the interior surface of the bellows 237 , the two surfaces being incongruous in structure . the blood sac 257 is made of flexible , elastic polyurethane . each blood sac is approximately conical in its contracted appearance , the base of the cone being the open end of the blood sac . each blood sac 257 is molded in a corrugated pattern , the pattern consisting of two sets of corrugations . in the first set , the folds of the corrugations are aligned parallel to the circumferential axes of the cone . this set of corrugations facilitates longitudinal expansion of the blood sac . in the second set , the folds of the corrugations include the corrugations of the first set and span longitudinally from the base of the cone to the tip of the cone , as illustrated in fig2 . the second set of corrugations facilitates circumferential expansion of the blood sac . the peaks and troughs of the folds in both sets of corrugations are rounded rather than jagged , the rounded nature of the peaks and troughs being less traumatic to the blood elements contained within the sac . the corrugated pattern of the blood sac combines the two sets of corrugations unequally so that longitudinal expansion predominates over circumferential expansion , and the proximal part of the blood sac adjacent to the open end expands in circumference less than the distal part . during expansion of the blood sac 257 , the conical appearance is distorted into a hemi - ellipsoidal appearance as illustrated in fig2 . the operation of the fluid cushion 259 and blood sac 257 will now be described for the left ventricular chamber 215 , the operation being identical for the other three chambers . referring to fig3 , curvilinear expansion of the bellows 237 in a pivotal fashion determined by the flap 239 negatively pressurizes the fluid cushion . the negative pressure of the fluid cushion is transmitted to the entire exterior of the sac 257 and thereby to the blood within the sac , causing blood to enter the sac 257 and expand the sac 257 . as illustrated in fig3 , the fluid cushion 259 and the conical , corrugated construction of the blood sac 257 encourage specific flow characteristics of blood within the sac , such that the blood flow 261 in the main body of the expanding sac will be primarily parallel to the long axis of the sac , while the blood flow 263 adjacent to the walls of the sac will be primarily perpendicular to the wall of the sac . these blood flow characteristics are maintained when the blood flow is reversed during contraction of the sac resulting from contraction of the bellows 237 and positive pressurization of the fluid cushion 259 . these blood flow characteristics are beneficial in that shear flow of blood against the sac wall is lessened . referring to fig2 , 28 and 32 , the left atrial chamber 217 communicates with a blood inflow passage 265 which is surgically connected to the pulmonary veins . the inflow passage 265 is provided with a tilting disc 267 which functions more as a flow guidance device than as a one - way valve . a blood outflow passage , the left atrial ventricular blood conduit 269 , permits blood to flow from the left atrial chamber into the left ventricular chamber during diastole and is provided with a one - way tilting disc valve 271 . the left ventricular chamber 215 communicates with a blood outlet passage 273 which is surgically connected to the aorta . the left ventricular blood outflow passage 273 is provided with an aortic tilting disc valve 275 and an aortic pressure transducer 277 . as illustrated in fig3 and 31 , the aortic disc valve 275 includes a hinge pin 279 attached to the tilting disc 281 and which articulates in a corresponding slot provided in the aortic valve housing 283 . the disc 281 is ellipsoid in appearance , the ellipsoid design reducing flow turbulence around the disc . the hinge pin 279 has extensions 285 which move pivotally within wedge - shaped chambers 287 of the aortic valve housing 283 . each extension 285 abuts upon one face of the chamber 287 when the valve 275 is in its closed appearance , and abuts upon the opposite face of the chamber 287 when the valve is in its maximum open appearance , thus limiting the maximum opening of the valve . the aortic valve 275 differs from the other tilting disc valves in that electrical contacts 289 are provided in the face of each chamber 287 corresponding to the valve closed position . the electrical contacts 289 are closed by the extension 285 when the aortic valve is in its closed position , and opened when the aortic valve opens . the purpose of electronic sensing of aortic valve closing and opening will become apparent from the description of the electronic control system . as illustrated in fig2 and 26 , the aortic pressure transducer 277 includes a housing 291 and a polyurethane membrane 293 in a ring configuration attached to the housing 291 . the membrane 293 separates blood within the ring from a fluid 295 outside the ring . the fluid 295 is sealed within the housing 291 between the membrane 293 and a second membrane 297 attached within the housing 291 . a variable impedance device 299 is attached to the membrane 297 as is an electrical contact with a conducting arm 301 of the housing 291 . in operation , expansion or contraction of the ring membrane 293 will depend on the pressure of blood encircled by the membrane 293 . expansion or contraction of the ring membrane 293 will displace the fluid 295 and thereby bulge or depress respectively the membrane 297 , resulting in vertical travel of the variable impedance device 299 . vertical travel of the variable impedance device 299 against the contact arm 301 will vary the current flowing through the variable impedance device and conducted to the electronic control system . the arrangement of the right half of the blood pump is similar to the left half just described with the exception of the following . the right atrial inflow passage is surgically connected to the vena cavae , and the right ventricular outflow passage is surgically connected to the pulmonary artery . the right ventricular outflow passage has no pressure transducer . referring to fig2 , 25 , 27 and 28 , the general operation of the blood pump 31 will now be described . displacement of fluid from the hydraulic line 33 into the driving bellows 95 during systole ( at approximately 40 p . s . i .) expands the bellows 95 . expansion of the bellows 95 moves the cylinder 227 and the attached wedge 219 pivotally around the hinge pin 221 , expanding the left and right atrial chambers and contracting the left and right ventricular chambers . expansion of the left atrial chamber 217 negatively pressurizes ( approximately - 5 to - 15 mm hg ) the fluid between the wedge 219 and the left atrial bellows flap 239 , expanding the bellows 237 and the left atrial blood sac 257 . the negative pressure of the fluid space between the left atrial flap 239 and the wedge 219 is dampened by flow of additional fluid into this space . this additional fluid is drawn from the fluid space between the left ventricular bellows flap and the wedge through the holes 243 in the wedge , and also from the bore 231 and from the reservoir 253 against the elastic recoil of the membrane 255 . the expansion of the fluid space between the wedge 219 and the left atrial flap 239 dampens the pressure exerted on the blood within the left atrial sac 257 and thereby dampens the pressure exerted within the inflow passage 265 on the pulmonary veins . the degree of expansion of the fluid space between the wedge 219 and the left atrial flap 239 depends inversely on the pressure of blood within the pulmonary veins and varies inversely with the degree of filling of the left atrial blood sac during systole . the pressure gradient between blood in the pulmonary veins and blood in the left atrial chamber results in blood flow from the pulmonary veins through the inflow passage 265 into , and expanding , the left atrial sac 257 . expansion of the right atrial chamber 213 similarly expands the right atrial blood sac with blood from the vena cavae . contraction of the left ventricular chamber 215 positively pressurizes the fluid between the wedge 219 and the left ventricular bellows flap 239 . the positive pressure displaces this fluid through the holes 243 in the wedge 219 and into the corresponding fluid space of the left atrial chamber 217 . the wedge 219 then abuts upon the left ventricular bellows flap 239 and further systolic movement of the wedge 219 positively pressurizes ( to approximately 140 mm hg ) the cushion fluid 259 within the left ventricular bellows 237 . the blood sac 257 of the left ventricular chamber is thereby pressurized and blood flows from within the left ventricular blood sac through the left ventricular outflow passage 273 and into the aorta down a pressure gradient ( approximately 30 to 50 mm hg ) between the pressurized left ventricular sac and the aorta , closing the valve 271 and opening the aortic valve 275 . contraction of the right ventricular chamber similarly pressurizes ( to approximately 50 mm hg ) the right ventricular blood sac and causes blood to flow into the pulmonary artery . in diastole , fluid is drawn from the driving bellows 95 into the hydraulic line 33 by recoil of the springs 117 and 119 in the systolic - diastolic actuator 29 . the driving bellows 95 is thereby contracted and pulls the cylinder 227 and attached wedge 219 pivotally around the hinge pin 221 , contracting the left and right atrial chambers 217 and 213 and expanding the left and right ventricular chambers 215 and 211 . contraction of the left atrial chamber 217 increases the pressure of the fluid between the wedge 219 and the left atrial flap 239 and displaces this fluid into the corresponding fluid space of the left ventricular chamber and into the expanding volume of the bore 231 and into the reservoir 253 via the passage 249 . during diastole , the bore 231 is completely reexpanded and the reservoir 253 is at least partially re - expanded by recoil of the elastic membrane 255 , the degree of re - expansion of the reservoir 253 depending directly on the pressure of blood within the pulmonary veins . consequently , the potential expansion of the left ventricular blood sac during diastole is greater than the expansion of the left atrial blood sac during systole . synchronous with the displacement of hydraulic fluid from the left atrial chamber during diastole , the left atrial blood sac is similarly pressurized and contracts , causing blood to flow from the left atrial sac through the left atrial - ventricular blood conduit 269 into the left ventricular chamber , opening the valve 271 . expansion of the left ventricular chamber 215 during diastole negatively pressurizes the left ventricular chamber with respect to the left atrial chamber and the pulmonary veins . as illustrated in fig3 , the left ventricular blood sac expands with blood flowing from both the left atrial chamber and from the pulmonary veins . this is made possible by the potential expansion of the left ventricular blood sac being greater than the expansion of the left atrial blood sac , as described above , and by the diastolic pressure within the left ventricular chamber being generally lower than the pressure of blood within the pulmonary veins . thus , blood flow from the pulmonary veins into the left half of the blood pump begins with the beginning of systole and may continue throughout diastole . the operation of the right half of the blood pump during diastole is similar to that described for the left half . the function of the reservoir 253 can now be summarized . as described above , reservoir fluid is drawn from the reservoir 253 against the membrane 255 into the atrial chambers during systole to dampen the pressure transmitted to blood within the atrial chambers and veins supplying the atrial chambers . under conditions of normal pressure of blood within the veins , the reservoir fluid is returned to the reservoir 253 during diastole by elastic recoil of the membrane 255 . under conditions of reduced pressure in the veins supplying either one or both halves of the blood pump , the reservoir fluid may be retained in either one or both halves of the blood pump , the amount of fluid being retained depending inversely on the pressure of blood within the veins supplying either one or both halves of the blood pump and resulting in reduced filling of either one or both halves of the blood pump with blood . this results in a reduced systolic blood stroke volume in either one or both halves of the blood pump . under conditions of normal pressure of blood within the veins and with the reservoir 253 replenished during diastole , each half of the blood pump contains fluid between the bellows flaps 239 and the wedge 219 equivalent in amount to 12 % of the normal end - diastolic blood volume of each ventricular blood sac . under conditions where the pressure of blood in the veins supplying one half of the blood pump exceeds the pressure of blood in the veins supplying the other half of the blood pump , this fluid may flow from that half of the blood pump experiencing the higher venous pressure to that half of the blood pump experiencing the lower venous pressure through the core 241 in the wedge 219 providing communication between the two halves of the blood pump . this results in as much as a 12 % reduction in blood filling of that half of the blood pump experiencing the lower venous pressure and in as much as a 12 % increase in blood filling of that half of the blood pump experiencing the higher venous pressure . thus , the systolic blood stroke volume of that half of the blood pump experiencing the lower venous pressure may be reduced as much as 12 %, while the systolic blood stroke volume of that half of the blood pump experiencing the higher venous pressure may be increased as much as 12 %, thereby augmenting the flow of arterial blood to that half of the vascular system ( systemic or pulmonic ) which has the lower venous pressure . this mechanism operates according to the discrepancy in venous pressures experienced by the left and right halves of the blood pump , and operates independently of the function of the fluid reservoir 253 . it is anticipated that the atrial bellows , flaps , and chambers could be constructed smaller than the ventricular bellows , flaps and chambers as an adjunctive means of assuring that atrial blood filling during systole is less than ventricular blood filling during diastole . it is also anticipated that the fluid reservoir 253 could be located outside the chest in the abdominal wall , connected appropriately by a hydraulic line to the blood pump , so that the pressure sensitive membrane 255 of the fluid reservoir would be isolated from the changes in intrathoracic pressure that occur with breathing . referring to fig3 , the electronic muscle stimulation and blood pump control system comprises a clock 303 , an electromechanical synchronizer ( ems ) 305 , a central processing unit ( cpu ) 307 , and a sequencer 309 . the electronic system is powered by a lithium 3 - volt battery 311 and is unipolar , the subject &# 39 ; s body acting as ground . the various electronic components except the clock and battery , would be embodied in appropriately programmed microprocessors . the clock 303 shapes the current from the battery 311 into 0 . 3 m sec 3 - volt pulses of frequency 1000 hz , as illustrated in fig3 , and establishes a minimum blood pump cycle rate of one per second . the ems 305 synchronizes muscle stimulation with plunger travel of the systolic - diastolic actuator 29 , which is provided with electrical contacts 119 as previously described . the electrical output of the systolic - diastolic actuator is also fed to the cpu 307 . the cpu includes an electrical pulse frequencer which shapes the pulses of the clock into a programmed decreasing frequency ( 60 → 20 hz ) for stimulation of a muscle pair during systole . an example of the pulse pattern so produced is illustrated in fig3 for normal aortic pressure and left sided venous pressure indices . aortic pressure measurement is electronically determined directly from the aortic pressure transducer 277 . left sided venous pressure measurement is derived indirectly from electronic measurement of the distance travelled during systole by the plunger 111 of the systolic - diastolic actuator 29 prior to opening of the contact 289 of the aortic valve 275 indicating opening of the aortic valve . as described previously , the amount of fluid drawn from the reservoir 253 of the blood pump into the left ventricular chamber during diastole depends inversely on the pressure of blood within the pulmonary veins . during systole , this fluid is displaced from the left ventricular chamber prior to opening of the aortic valve . thus , the distance travelled during systole by the plunger 111 from its end - diastolic position to the position , as measured by the sensor contacts 114 , corresponding to the moment of opening of the aortic valve , depends inversely on the pressure of blood within the pulmonary veins . the cpu 307 integrates the aortic pressure and left sided venous pressure indices and acts on the electrical pulse frequencer to alter the frequency and duration of the muscle stimulating pulse pattern in order to maintain these indices within normal range . for example , if the aortic pressure falls or left sided venous pressure rises out of normal range , the pulse pattern stimulating contraction of a muscle pair during systole would be shortened and intensified in order to shorten systole , and the muscle pair 22 harnessed to assist recoil of the springs 117 and 119 of the systolic - diastolic actuator would be stimulated to shorten diastole . an example of the pulse pattern so produced is illustrated in fig3 . the sequencer 309 alternates the systolic electrical pulse waves of the electrical pulse frequencer to the four muscle pairs 6 , 10 , 14 and 18 powering systole , so that each muscle pair contracts for one of four consecutive systolic strokes and contracts in a sequence with the other three muscle pairs . it is contemplated that the cpu 307 will possess a memory feature enabling the cpu to individualize the pulse frequencer output for each muscle pair depending on the sensory indices of prior stroke cycles corresponding to each muscle pair . it is also contemplated that the electrical system will include a telemetric sensor and transmitter 313 . this will enable an external programmer to monitor the indices pertaining to operation of the blood pump , and to non - invasively reprogram the sensitivity of the cpu to these indices to compensate for transducer drift and subject variability . | US-42229582-A |
this invention relates to a highly engineered shoe sole developed to fit the natural structure of the human foot and walking gait . by inventing a shoe sole with the heightened outer part of the shoe heels and lowered on the inner part of the front portion of the sole , the shoe enables the triple - time stepping by maintaining his / her feet and the ankle aligned with the shoes when standing or walking . also , by naturally shifting the center of the body inwards from the outer part of the shoes , thus distributing the body weight evenly to the entire area of the shoe soles , the shoes reduce fatigue on the foot by absorbing and mitigating the impact on the foot that supports the body weight , which prevents and corrects deformed walking habits such as out - toed gaits and also prevents slipping while walking . | the present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings , in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown . this invention relates to a shoe sole that naturally disperses the center of the body from the outside of the shoe bottom to the inner areas that absorbs and mitigates the impact when walking , by improving the design of the shoe sole bottom . the shoe sole refers to the part of the shoe that directly contacts the ground , and the shoe sole is variously formed according to each of its type . for example , the bottom of leather shoes consists of the front portion and the staged rear portion which is heightened to form the shoe heel , whereas the bottom of shoes such as athletic shoes have are flattened from the front portion to the rear portion of the shoes . in cases for the bottom of the athletic shoes , it is common that the surface of the shoe bottoms are embossed to prevent slipping . as for the shoe bottoms with heightened heels , they show staged forms due to the heightened levels of the rear portions of the shoe bottom according to the defined height of the shoe heels . in such cases , the rear portions can be manufactured as a single body with the bottom or may be separately formed and firmly attached to the shoe bottom in the heel part . fig1 is a perspective view illustrating the structure of an embodiment of the invention , and fig2 is an inner side view of a shoe sole according to an embodiment of the invention . the shoe shown on the figures is the right - foot shoe , referring from the big toe to the heel of the foot as the “ inner side ” and from the little toe to the heel of the foot as the “ outer side .” this embodiment is a shoe sole with the shoe heel 20 with a certain height attached to the main body 10 of the shoe sole , and such typical shoes with the shoe heel 20 are the formal leather shoes . in such cases , the surface of the main body 10 is attached to the upper surface of the shoe heel 20 , thus the shoe sole is shaped to be heightened toward the rear portion while keeping the bottom surface of the main body 10 and the shoe heel 20 leveled with the ground surface to have simultaneous contact with the ground . the most significant features of the shoe sole are that the bottom part of the main body 10 and the shoe heel 20 are partially inclined upward or downward both on the vertical direction and horizontal direction of the sole bottom . fig3 is a bottom view of the shoe sole according to the embodiment of the invention , fig4 is a cross - sectional diagram of the fig1 along the a - a line and fig5 is a cross - sectional diagram of the fig1 along the b - b line . as illustrated , this embodiment of the invention relates to the improvements made to the bottom surfaces of the main body 10 and the shoe heel 20 from the conventional shoe bottoms that maintains a leveled surfaces with the flat ground . to be more specific , the bottom surface of the main body 10 is gradually lowered ( by reducing the thickness of the sole ) from the outer side to the inner side , and the bottom surface of the shoe heel 20 is gradually heightened from the inner side to the outer side . to explain this in more detail , the bottom surface of the main body 10 that comprises the front portion of the shoe maintains a flattened part 11 with a certain width starting from the outer side toward the inner side . the bottom surface of the main body 10 of a customary shoe is usually shaped in a downward curve from the front portion to the shoe heel 20 but keeps the flattened bottom surface with the same height of the sole thickness from the inner side to the outer side . comparing with the conventional shoes , the bottom surface of the main body 10 between the inner side and the outer side of this embodiment of the invention is featured with a flattened part 11 of a certain width starting from the outer side of the bottom surface , and then gradually lowering the height of the sole from the flattened part 11 toward the inner part , thus shaping an inclined part 12 lower than the flattened part 11 . in other words , bottom surface of the main body 10 is gradually inclined from the flattened part 11 toward the inner side of the shoe by lowering the height of the shoe sole , forming the inclined part 12 . on the other hand , the rear portion ( shoe heel ) 20 is oppositely designed from the main body 10 , to form a flattened part 21 with a certain width starting from the inner side of the sole , gradually inclined toward the outer side of the shoe heels by heightening the heel , thus forming an inclined part 22 . the width of the flattened part 11 , 21 on the bottom surface of the main body 10 and the shoe heel 20 should consist about ⅓ part of the width between both lateral sides , starting from one side of the sole , and the most desirable height difference between the flattened part 11 , 21 and the inclined part 12 , 22 is 1 ˜ 7 mm . on this embodiment , it is more desirable for the shoe sole of the inclined part 12 , 22 to be gradually lowered by reducing the thickness of the sole toward the front portion of the bottom surface of the main body 10 , and to gradually heighten the shoe sole by increasing the thickness of the sole toward the rear portion 20 of the shoe as pointed out by the direction of the arrow on fig3 . in this structure , the bottom surface of the rear portion 20 is connected to the lowest bottom surface of the main body 10 and can be formed without boundary . fig6 is a perspective view illustrating the structure of another embodiment of the invention , and fig7 is a side view of fig6 . in this embodiment of the invention , the rear portion 20 that obtrudes with a certain height from the bottom surface of the main body 100 is trimmed off and the bottom surface of the shoe sole that was all flat from the front part to the rear part is improved for walking . in this embodiment of the invention , the surface of the main body 100 is spread evenly , and the front portion 110 is defined from a certain reference point of the sole to the toe and the rear portion 120 is defined from that reference point to the tip of the shoe heel . and on the bottom , one part of each portion is gradually curved downwards at the length direction . the shoes with sections divided into front portion 110 and rear portion 120 yet have flattened bottom surface are mostly athletic shoes , sandals and etc . fig8 is a bottom view of the shoe sole according to another embodiment of the invention . as illustrated , there can be a certain boundary between the front portion 110 and the rear portion 120 but there can be no evident boundary , and on this embodiment , those portions are defined with a certain discretionary ratio of the shoe length . the border 130 that divides the front portion 110 and the rear portion 120 is a virtual border that is not shown . the feature of this embodiment is that the inclined part of the bottom surfaces of the front portion 110 and the rear portion 120 are diagonally placed to raise or lower the shoe sole . fig9 and fig1 are cross - sectional views taken along the c - c line and the d - d line of fig8 . as illustrated , the front portion 110 and the rear portion 120 are divided by the border 130 as shown in another embodiment of the invention , and with this border 130 as the reference line , the outer side bottom surface of the front portion 110 has a certain width of a flattened part 111 and the rest of other part at the bottom is gradually lowered toward the inner side which forms the inclined part 112 . the rear portion 120 from the border 130 to the tip of the heel has a flattened part 121 starting from the inner side with a certain width and an inclined part 122 starting from the flattened part 121 to the outer side by gradually lowering the shoe sole outwards . the idealistic ratio of the division that consists the border 130 between the front portion 110 and the rear portion 120 of the main body 100 should be 65 - 70 %: 30 - 35 %. it is idealistic for the flattened parts 111 and 121 of the front portion 110 and the rear portion 120 to take ⅓ of the width from each lateral side , and height difference between the flattened part 111 , 121 and the inclined part 112 , 122 to be 1 - 7 mm . in this embodiment of the invention , it is desirable for the height of the sole to be gradually lowered toward the toe of the front portion 110 and the height of the heel gradually raised toward the tip of the shoe heel 120 . also , in this embodiment , as shown in fig1 , it is also desirable to form the rear portion 120 to be raised by 10 ˜ 20 ° from the ground . in case of leather shoes with shoe heel 20 , it can be formed as a single body with the main body 10 as illustrated on fig1 . when the shoe heel 20 and the rear portion 120 is raised by 10 - 20 ° from the ground , as shown in the fig1 to 13 , the attached part of the bottom surface of the main body 10 and the shoe heel 20 and the attached part of the front portion 110 and the rear portion 120 can be indented , forming indents 13 and 131 to a certain depth . especially when the shoe heel 20 or the rear portion 120 is raised on a certain degree from the ground , it should be connected to the bottom surfaces of the main body 10 and the rear portion 110 in a smooth curve without edges . if the user stands naturally while wearing the shoes with the shoe sole according to this embodiment , the shoes will be aligned inwards as shown in fig1 . and as the shoes are aligned inward , fatigues are also reduced due to the weight also being gathered inward . so , the weight is distributed to both feet when standing , but on each shoe , the weight is gathered inwards that prevents the weight from being dispersed , enabling it more safe and comfortable to wear them . also , in a standing posture , the feet are very slightly tilted inwards from the foot heel where weight is supported the most to the main body 10 or front portion 110 that gathers the feet . the feet touches the ground with an angle that is similar to the angle formed by the both feet when seen from above , thus the gravity on both feet is balanced and the pressure on each foot is reduced when both feet are gathered inwards . fig1 is a side view illustrating the walking process with the shoes that has applied shoe soles whose rear portions are raised from the ground according to the embodiment of the invention , and fig1 to 19 are rear views illustrating the status when walking with the shoes on . when walking , the back part of the shoe heel 20 or the rear portion 120 touches the ground first , which is different from standing . when the body weight presses the foot as it touches the ground , the shoe heel 20 or the rear portion 120 of the shoe touches the ground naturally from the outer side with higher sole thickness to the inner side with lower sole thickness , gathering the feet inwards . as the body moves forward , the weight supported by the shoe increases , so the shoe induces the steps that places the feet in a paralleled line opposed to out - toed steps when the shoe heal 20 or the rear portion 120 is brought into close contact with the ground . when the body weight is passed down to the shoe heel 20 or the rear portion 120 , the ankle is stretched out straight that dramatically relieves ankle from the body weight pressure . when the flattened part and the inclined part touch the ground at the same time , the boundary of those parts are slightly lifted from the ground at a certain height , forming a space s as illustrated in fig2 , and the lifted surface touches the ground when body weight is passed to the feet as shown in fig2 . therefore , as the body weight is supported , the impact on the foot when touching the ground can be absorbed and mitigated by the lifted space that acts like a cushion , also absorbing and mitigating the impact on the ankle . as the area that contacts the ground moves forward from the shoe heel 20 or rear portion 120 to the front portion , the body weight pressure is transferred naturally from the flattened part 21 of the shoe heel 20 or the flattened part 121 of the rear portion 120 to the flattened part 11 of the main body 10 or the flattened part 111 of the front portion 110 , evenly distributing the body weight to the both feet . the center of the body is moved to front of the shoe as it is transferred to the flattened part 11 of the main body 10 or the flattened part 111 of the front portion 110 , so the body weight pressure is gradually lessened on the shoe . thus , at the moment just before the shoe takes off from the ground , the shoe is twisted more inward as the inner side of the front part of the main body 10 or the front portion 110 which has the smallest sole thickness . by gathering the shoes inward when walking , the shoe provides flexibility and minimizes the pressure of the body weight to the ankle . if the pressure from the body weight is minimized , the foot is less fatigued even when walking for a long time , can maximize prevention of slipping , and also prevent and at the same time correct the deformed walking postures so called the out - toed gait . especially by walking properly in for a long time , we can prevent deformation of our vertebra and at the same time correct the deformation itself , reduces fatigue during long walks and also providing the triple - time stepping which is the most idealistic way of walking for the human body that walks upright . as stated above , the shoe sole provides an idealistic triple - time stepping by aligning the feet , ankle and the shoe in a straight line when walking or standing due to raising the rear portion from the inner side to the outer side , and lowering the front portion of the sole from the outer side to the inner side . also this invention naturally moves the center of the body from the outside of the shoe to the inside area of the shoe and distributes the weight on the entire shoe area that absorbs and mitigates the impact and reduces fatigue , prevents and corrects deformed walking habits such as out - toed gaits and prevents slipping . this invention has a very useful effect of providing an ergonomic shoe sole that is designed to fit the anatomical structure of the foot and walking that constantly and naturally maintains proper walking habits that prevents and corrects deformed vertebra . although the best mode contemplated by the inventors of carrying out the present invention is disclosed above , practice of the above invention is not limited thereto . it will be manifest that various additions , modifications and rearrangements of the features of the present invention may be made without deviating from the spirit and the scope of the underlying inventive concept . | US-30717607-A |
an ultraviolet sanitation and sterilization apparatus having one or more of the disclosed structural , functional , and / or ornamental characteristics . | while this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms , there is shown in the drawings and described herein in detail several specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated . it will be understood that like or analogous elements and / or components , referred to herein , may be identified throughout the drawings with like reference characters . referring now to the collective drawings ( i . e ., fig1 - 6 ), and to fig1 in particular , shown therein is a perspective view of an ultraviolet sanitization and sterilization apparatus , hereinafter referred to as apparatus 10 . in one embodiment , apparatus 10 sanitizes and / or sterilizes plastic beverage container components such as bottle caps , although one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that many other types of objects may be sanitized or sterilized by apparatus 10 . in one particular embodiment , apparatus 10 receives beverage container caps from a beverage container cap feeder ( not shown ), sanitizes and / or sterilizes the beverage container caps , and communicates the sanitized and / or sterilized beverage container caps to bottling apparatus ( also not shown ) which joins the sanitized and / or sterilized beverage container caps to beverage containers . it will be understood that apparatus 10 is preferably capable of between 2 and 5 + log reduction in the amount of “ undesirable matter ” present on objects communicating through apparatus 10 . in particular , operating apparatus 10 at a first temperature and for a predetermined period of time causes between 2 and 4 log reductions ( sanitization ) in the amount of undesirable matter on the objects . additionally , operating apparatus 10 at either : ( 1 ) a temperature greater than the first temperature ; or ( 2 ) for a longer period of time will result in a 5 + log reduction ( sterilization ) in the amount of undesirable matter on the objects . it will be further understood that the term “ undesirable matter ” includes for example , microorganisms , bacteria , fungi , and / or any other neutralizable matter that is deemed unacceptable on or within any part of an object utilized in the food and / or beverage industries , or other industries such as medical device industries , computer component industries , or other similar industries . in one embodiment , apparatus 10 includes housing 12 that in one embodiment is preferably constructed from one or more materials capable of resisting and / or reducing the adhesion and / or multiplication of undesirable material , such as stainless steel , copper , and brass — just to name a few . furthermore , the material or materials selected for constructing housing 12 may preferably reflect rather than absorb uv light . in accordance with the present invention , housing 12 is a hollow rectangular member configured to enclose uv source 14 which is positioned adjacent to track 16 that extends laterally through housing 12 . it will be understood that the shape and configuration of housing 12 may vary according to design requirements such as the size and shape of the objects communicating through apparatus 10 . in some embodiments , track 16 may include belt type conveyor 18 adapted to communicate objects linearly through housing 12 . track 16 may also include at least one gear or cog 20 adapted to aid in the communication of objects along conveyor 18 . cog 20 may be provided with a plurality of teeth that are spaced apart from one another such that as cog 20 turns each tooth contacts a separate object communicating along conveyor 18 , urging the object into track 16 extending from housing 12 . moreover , at least a portion of each tooth extends into track 16 to contact objects communicating therethrough . at least a portion of track 16 may be preferably constructed from the same material or materials as housing 12 and in one embodiment at least a portion of track 16 includes a plurality of elongated rods 22 arranged in spaced apart relationship to one another to form a path for communication of objects therethrough . objects communicating through track 16 via conveyor 18 may contact portions of rods 22 , therefore the diameter of rods 22 can be minimized to reduce the obstruction of uv light contacting the objects traveling through track 16 and along conveyor 18 . according to some embodiments , portions of apparatus 10 such as housing 12 and track 16 may be selectively adjustable to vary the angle of such objects relative to the ground . as such , apparatus 10 may include hydraulic assembly 24 that is operatively coupled to housing 12 . in one embodiment , uv source 14 includes a plurality of elongated uv bulbs 26 capable of producing at least one of uv - a , b , and c light . non - limiting suitable examples of uv bulbs 26 for use with apparatus 10 may include any commercially available non - xenon germicidal uv bulbs 26 available from such companies as osram sylvania and phillips global . uv bulbs 26 are held in spaced apart relationship to one another at a distance away from conveyor 18 via frame 28 . in one embodiment , uv bulbs 26 are positioned in a substantially arcuate pattern such that when housing 12 is disposed in a closed configuration , uv bulbs 26 surround at least a portion of conveyor 18 and extend laterally along the length of conveyor 18 . it will be understood that frame 28 may be constructed from material similar to housing 12 . furthermore , brackets or clips of frame 28 utilized to retain uv bulbs 26 may be sized to reduce interference with the transmission and reflection of uv light within housing 12 . according to some embodiments , one or more uv bulbs 26 and reflective plate 30 may be disposed on opposing sides of conveyor 18 in addition to uv bulbs 26 attached to frame 28 . in general , uv bulbs 26 have declining temperature profiles such that when initially energized the uv - c light output of uv bulbs 26 reaches a maximum output level and thereafter declines to an output level that is substantially constant , but sometimes lower than maximum output level . this phenomenon may cause deleterious reductions in the sanitizing and / or sterilizing capabilities of uv bulbs 26 as compared to uv bulbs 26 operating at substantially maximum output . therefore , to maintain uv bulbs 26 at maximum output levels and cause efficient reductions of undesirable matter , apparatus 10 includes air mover 32 , sensor 34 , and hepa filtering system 36 ( best shown in fig7 and 8 ). according to some embodiments , air mover 32 may be any number of devices capable of delivering a continuous or intermittent flow of air into housing 12 such as a fan , blower , or the like . in additional embodiments , sensor 34 may include a photospectrometer capable of sensing uv light , and particularly the magnitude of uv - c light emitted by uv bulbs 26 . it will be understood that apparatus 10 may include one or more sensors 34 capable of sensing other types of electromagnetic radiation , and according to some embodiments , sensor 34 may be adapted to detect the amount of uv - c light output by uv bulbs 26 . in additional embodiments , sensor 34 may include additional types of sensors for detecting properties such as fluid flow rates for measuring the airflow within housing 12 . it will be understood that apparatus 10 operates more efficiently when the air within housing 12 is substantially free from particulate foreign matter . therefore , in another embodiment , apparatus 10 includes an optional hepa filtering system 36 which may include a hepa filter for purifying the air circulating within housing 12 . hepa filtering system 36 may be installed in series with the air mover 32 to filter air introduced into housing 12 or can be installed separately from air mover 32 to create a closed loop of filtered air within apparatus 10 . in operation , objects such as beverage bottle caps may be introduced onto conveyor 18 and communicated through housing 12 , during communication of the objects through housing 12 , air mover 32 , sensor 34 and hepa filtering system 36 cooperate to sustain uv bulbs 26 at sustained and maximum output levels such that apparatus 10 may cause between 2 and 5 + log reduction in the amount of “ undesirable matter ” present on objects communicating through apparatus 10 . the sanitized and / or sterilized objects are then urged by cog 20 into track 16 extending beyond housing 12 towards a beverage container capping apparatus ( not shown ) where the objects are associated with a beverage container . fig7 and 8 illustrate a uv sanitization and sterilization apparatus 40 that functions similarly to apparatus 10 with the exception that housing 42 and track 44 are adapted to receive and communicate beverage containers . as such , track 44 may not include elongated rods extending from housing 42 . referring now to fig9 , in accordance with the present invention , gravity fed uv sanitization and sterilization apparatus 46 is shown . apparatus 46 may be constructed similarly to apparatus 10 with the exception that track 48 extends laterally through housing 50 and does not include a conveyor . rather , housing 50 and track 48 may be disposed at a predetermined angle relative to the ground to allow objects to be gravity fed through housing 50 along track 48 . it will be understood that the shape and configuration of housing 50 may vary according to design requirements such as the size and shape of the objects communicating through apparatus 46 . the foregoing description merely explains and illustrates the invention and the invention is not limited thereto except insofar as the appended claims are so limited , as those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications without departing from the scope of the invention . | US-201113274924-A |
the method of fermentation with selected strains of b . trispora described in the present invention makes it possible to achieve lycopene yields higher than those currently described . the methods of isolation , purification and formulation are applicable to any natural source of lycopene , especially to submerged cultures of mucoral fungi of the genera blakeslea , choanephora , phycomyces or mucor . the method of extraction makes it possible to simplify the recovery process and increase the purity of the product , relative to the methods previously described . the methods of formulation provide high added value , since they make it possible to obtain stabilized preparations of lycopene for direct application in the food and pharmaceutical fields . | the present invention describes a series of methods for obtaining high yields of lycopene with the fungus b . trispora , as well as methods for its recovery and formulation . the invention consists of ( i ) the design of methods for obtaining and selecting mutants of b . trispora that are overproducers of lycopene , ( ii ) the development of improved conditions of fermentation , ( iii ) the establishment of processes for recovering lycopene from the mycelium and ( iv ) the achievement of formulations that overcome the problems of stability and solubility in various media , present in the state of the art . b . trispora is a fungus that is of great industrial importance for the biotechnological production of lycopene . in fact , said process proves to be competitive with the synthetic process used industrially at present . with the aim of obtaining strains that are overproducers of lycopene , in the first place a mutagenic method was developed for the (+) and (−) strains of b . trispora with the mutagenic agents ethylmethane sulfonate ( ems ) and n - methyl - n ′- nitro - n - nitrosoguanidine ( ntg ). the suspensions of spores for mutation were obtained from slants with ypss medium . the spores were resuspended by adding 10 ml of a solution of triton x - 100 at 0 . 1 % to each slant . the mycelium residues were removed by filtration through a nylon filter with a pore size of 20 μm . the concentration of spores in the suspension was adjusted to 10 6 spores / ml . the method of mutation with ems consisted of incubating 10 6 spores / ml in a 3 % ems solution in 0 . 1 m sodium phosphate buffer ph 7 . 0 at room temperature for 60 minutes , achieving mortality rates of around 99 %. the mutated spores were washed three times with 0 . 1 % triton x - 100 and centrifuged at 3000 rpm at 15 ° c . for 2 minutes . the method of mutation with ntg consisted of incubating 106 spores / ml in a solution that contained 250 μg / ml of ntg and 0 . 1 m sodium citrate buffer ph 5 . 0 at room temperature for 30 minutes , achieving mortality rates of around 95 %. the mutated spores were washed three times with 0 . 1 % triton x - 100 and centrifuged at 3000 rpm at 15 ° c . for 2 minutes . petri dishes containing sutter iv solid medium supplemented with 0 . 1 % triton x - 100 were seeded with the mutated spores and incubated at 25 ° c . for 4 days to obtain isolated colonies . the strategies employed for selecting lycopene - overproducing (−) strains of b . trispora were as follows : ( i ) the use of trisporic acids and ( ii ) the color intensity of the colony . selection of lycopene - producing mutants by addition of trisporic acids consisted of placing filters impregnated with trisporic acids over the colonies obtained from mutated spores . the trisporic acids were obtained from a mixed culture of the (+) and (−) strains of b . trispora . the colonies plus filters were incubated at 25 ° c ., and it was observed that the lycopene - producing mutants acquired a deep red color , in contrast to the producers of β - carotene which were colored orange . applying this method with the cma3 (−) strain , the lma1 (−) strain was selected ( scheme 2 ). selection of lycopene - producing mutants as a function of the color intensity of the colony was carried out in the following way : the cma1 (−) strain ( producer of β - carotene ; see scheme 2 ) was mutated and the mutated spores were grown on plates of yepda solid medium . next , those colonies that possessed a deeper yellow - orange color than the cma1 (−) parent strain were selected . in this way 2 colonies with a deep yellow - orange color were isolated ( designated cmb1 (−) and cmb2 (−)) phylogeny of the (−) strains of b . trispora obtained from b . trispora vkpm f - 208 (−) using methods of mutation and selection . uv : ultraviolet ; sn : natural selection ; ntg : n - methyl - n ′- nitro - n - nitrosoguanidine ; ems : ethylmethane sulfonate . selection of lycopene - overproducing mutants of b . trispora (+) was effected by growing mutated spores in petri dishes containing sutter iv solid medium supplemented with 0 . 1 % imidazole . next , a portion of each of the colonies was transferred to a dish of pda in which b . trispora (−) had previously been seeded . the level of lycopene production in solid medium was determined as a function of the intensity of coloration in the zone of intersection of the colony of the (+) strain with that of the (−) strain . in this way the b . trispora cpa1 (+) strain was selected ( scheme 3 ), which gave rise to a higher yield of lycopene in mixed solid cultures with a series of (−) strains . the level of production of the b . trispora cpa1 (+) strain was then analyzed in mixed culture in liquid medium . the system of symbols employed for designating the selected strains is as follows : the relationship between parent generations follows alphabetical order : a is the parent of b , b is the parent of c , and so on . the number after the letters corresponds to the number of the mutant . for example , the designation cma1 (−) signifies that it is a carotene - producing strain ( c ), minus ( m ), parental of cmb and mutant number 1 . similarly , cma1 (−), cma2 (−), cma3 (−) and cma4 (−) correspond to mutants 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 of the same generation . phylogeny of the b . trispora (+) strains obtained from b . trispora vkpm f - 117 (+) using methods of mutation and selection . uv : ultraviolet ; sn : natural selection ; ntg : n - methyl - n ′- nitro - n - nitrosoguanidine ; ems : ethylmethane sulfonate . the (+) and (−) strains of b . trispora selected in solid medium were fermented in a flask with the aim of determining the level of production of lycopene in liquid medium and mixed culture . for this , separate flasks of inoculum were seeded with the strains b . trispora cpa1 (+) and b . trispora cmb2 (−) and then mixed fermentation of both strains was effected in a flask . at the start of fermentation ( 0 - 50 hours ) an inhibitor of the enzyme lycopene cyclase was added with the aim of blocking the biosynthetic pathway at the lycopene level ( for example imidazole at a concentration of 0 . 7 - 0 . 8 g / l ). at the end of fermentation ( about 6 days ), the mycelium of b . trispora was lyzed by vortex agitation , the lycopene was extracted with organic solvents ( e . g . acetone ) and its concentration and purity were determined by hplc . the yields obtained were 3 . 0 g / l . the same type of fermentation was carried out with the strains b . trispora cpa1 (+) and b . trispora lma1 (−), except that in this case it was not necessary to add an inhibitor of the enzyme lycopene cyclase . the yields obtained with these strains in mixed culture were 1 . 2 g / l . the cpa1 (+) and cmb2 (−) strains were cultivated in a semi - commercial fermenter with the aim of determining the lycopene yield . for this , they were grown separately in flasks , were transferred separately to intermediate growing tanks and finally they were fermented together . between 25 and 35 hours of fermentation , imidazole was added as inhibitor of the enzyme lycopene cyclase . the fermentation was incubated for 100 - 140 hours . the average value of lycopene yield obtained in a series of different fermentations of the cpa1 (+) and cmb2 (−) strains was 3 . 4 g / l . the cpa1 (+) and lma1 (−) strains were cultivated in a semi - commercial fermenter with the aim of determining the lycopene yield without addition of inhibitors of the enzyme lycopene cyclase . fermentation was carried out as indicated previously for the cpa1 (+) and cmb2 (−) strains , but without adding imidazole . the average value of lycopene yield obtained in a series of different fermentations of the cpa1 (+) and lma1 (−) strains was 1 . 6 g / l . a higher yield in this fermentation stage is obtained by controlling the age of the vegetative stages of growth of the strains of b . trispora . thus , the cultures used as inoculum have an age of 30 - 60 hours , preferably of 48 hours , both for the (+) and the (−) strains , but varying the number of spores seeded : 800 - 1000 spores / ml and 40 000 - 60 000 spores / ml , respectively . incubation is carried out at about 25 ° c . with 0 . 1 % v / v of each inoculum seeded in the primary culture phase . the age of said primary cultures varies in the range 30 - 60 hours , preferably 36 - 48 hours , at temperatures in the range 26 - 28 ° c . then the (+)/(−) primary phases are mixed in the ratio 1 / 10 v / v and the fermenters are seeded 10 - 20 % v / v with the mixture of said phases . in view of the intracellular characteristics of the carotenoid component biosynthesized in the fermentation , the method of recovery from the culture medium , prepared as claimed in the usual methods , involves as a first stage the separation of the biomass from the culture medium . this separation can be effected by the established methods of filtration , employing the usual technologies with filters , whether belt filters , rotary filters , press filters etc ., in which a barrier consisting of the filter cloth separates the biomass and allows the liquid phase without biomass to pass , or centrifugation , in which , by utilizing the density difference between the culture medium and the biomass ( normally of higher density ), a machine such as a centrifugal separator , decanter or the like is employed , in which the heavy phase becomes concentrated and separates from the liquid phase with the least possible quantity of biomass . one of the objectives of this stage is to reduce losses and optimize the characteristics of each phase , achieving the greatest quantity of biomass with the highest content of dry residue and eliminating most of the fermentation medium , with the smallest quantity of active material . the resulting wet mycelium contains more than 95 % of the carotenoids produced in fermentation , preferably more than 97 % and more preferably more than 99 %. the content of carotenoids in the aqueous phase is therefore less than 5 %, preferably less than 3 % and more preferably less than 1 %. with this wet mycelium it would be possible , by means of the subsequent stages , to separate the lycopene . however , it has been found that , in connection with fermentation , this mycelium still has a relatively high percentage of lipophilic components , between 15 and 20 % ( fatty acids and oils ), which cause problems of purification in later stages , so it becomes necessary to introduce a stage of purification of the biomass at this point . the purification stage involves resuspending the biomass in alcohol : methanol , ethanol , propanol , isopropanol , or any other alcohol in which the solubility of lycopene is very low , to a sufficient extent to achieve maximum purification of the lipid components . thus , the wet mycelium is resuspended with a quantity of alcohol ranging from 1 ml / g to 10 ml / g of wet mycelium . the temperature of resuspension varies between 0 ° c . and the boiling point of the alcohol , preferably between 10 and 50 ° c . the contact time is in the range from 5 minutes to 24 hours . the alcoholic resuspension thus prepared is filtered or centrifuged , so that the solids content in the filtrate or clarified liquid is practically zero . the resulting wet mycelium , which will contain alcohol plus water in varying proportions , contains more than 93 % of the carotenoids produced in fermentation , preferably more than 95 % and more preferably more than 97 %. in the supernatant or filtrate , which contains residues of culture medium and alcohol , the carotenoids content is less than 2 %, preferably less than 1 %, relative to the initial culture medium . this treatment with alcohol makes it possible to remove a number of alcohol - soluble lipophilic substances , in varying amounts depending on the characteristics of the culture medium used , effecting a pre - purification which will make it possible to obtain a crystalline final product of high purity . furthermore , by removing a varying proportion of water from the initial wet mycelium , the subsequent drying process is greatly facilitated . by mixing the culture medium directly with the alcohol and maintaining a minimum contact time , a purification effect is achieved equivalent to that described previously , so that the process is simplified by the elimination of one operation of solid - liquid separation . the culture medium / alcohol ratio can vary from 1 / 0 . 5 to 1 / 5 , and is preferably between 1 / 1 and 1 / 3 . the temperature of the mixture varies between room temperature and the boiling point of the mixture , and preferably between room temperature and 60 ° c . the dewatered / purified mycelium is dried . drying can be carried out by the usual batch or continuous methods . the drying temperature varies between room temperature and 150 ° c ., preferably it should not exceed 60 ° c . and more preferably it should be below 50 ° c . the drying time depends on the temperature used , and varies between 1 hour and 72 hours . owing to possible decomposition of these carotenoids by oxidation by atmospheric oxygen , it is best to effect this drying operation in the absence of oxygen , either under a nitrogen atmosphere or at least under vacuum . the fact that the carotenoid product is intracellular means that conditioning of the purified biomass is required , either by drying plus milling , drying plus disintegration or disintegration of the biomass , which promotes mixing with solvents and facilitates solvent extraction . so that the solvent has good access to the carotenoid to be extracted , a prior operation of breaking of the mycelium is necessary , to maximize the area of contact . the optimum particle size of the dry , broken mycelium must be less than 3 mm , preferably less than 1 mm and more preferably less than 0 . 5 mm . milling can be carried out on the dry product , by means of mechanical systems with swiveling or fixed parts : hammers , screens , etc ., by passage through rotating cylinders pressing on one another ( compaction or extrusion ). it is also possible to effect drying and milling in a single stage by means of a flash ( instantaneous ) drying system in a jet mill , where the wet product is fed to a recirculating gas stream at high temperature , in such a way that the residence time is the minimum to vaporize the content of liquid components , and the product is transported , as the densities vary , to a cyclone where it is recovered . during the drying time and in the drying path , there is also an effect of homogenization as the particles impinge on the walls . various organic solvents can be used for extracting the lycopene from a mycelium conditioned in the manner described . this invention will refer to the use of solvents of foodstuff grade that are regarded as natural , such as acyl esters , preferably ethyl , propyl , isopropyl , butyl or isobutyl acetates , which combine reasonably high solubility for the carotenoid components with their compatibility as solvents included in the group of class iii of the ich . these solvents are permissible both at national and at community level , in the pharmaceutical and in the foodstuffs field ( rdl12 / 04 / 90 and rdl16 / 10 / 96 ). as claimed in the ich , the residual solvents content must be below 5000 ppm , preferably below 1000 ppm and more preferably below 100 ppm , based in each case on the dry matter of the liquid mixture . the extraction temperature varies between room temperature and the boiling point of the solvent , preferably between 50 ° c . and 80 ° c . the extraction time will be the minimum necessary to achieve dissolution , between 1 second and 1 hour , preferably between 1 minute and 15 minutes . the quantity of solvent used depends on the temperature and on the carotenoids content of the mycelium , varying between 5 ml / g and 30 ml / g of biomass . the number of extractions varies from 1 to 3 . the quantity of carotenoids extracted is greater than 85 %, preferably greater than 90 % and more preferably greater than 95 %. once obtained , the carotenoid - rich extract must be concentrated to a defined volume . the final concentration of carotenoids in the solvent after concentrating is preferably between 10 and 50 g / l . the temperature of concentration must be below 80 ° c ., preferably below 70 ° c . and more preferably below 50 ° c . once the extract has been concentrated to the required volume it is necessary to add an insolubilizer of the carotenoids , specifically an alcohol and more specifically methanol , ethanol , propanol , isopropanol or any other alcohol in which the solubility of the lycopene is very low , so that the yield of crystalline lycopene increases considerably . addition of the alcohol also has a purifying effect . the crystallization time varies between 15 min and 24 hours , preferably between 1 h and 12 h and more preferably between 3 and 8 hours . the crystallization temperature must be below 25 ° c ., preferably below 5 ° c . separation of the crystals from the crystallization liquor can be effected by filtration or centrifugation , displacing the crystallization liquor in which the crystals are immersed by washing with the same alcohol as employed for insolubilization . the crystals obtained are dried under vacuum at room temperature for at least 1 h until a residual solvents content is obtained that meets the specifications laid down by the legislation mentioned earlier and which , in the case of lycopene , stipulates a loss on drying of less than 0 . 5 %. the purity of the crystals obtained corresponds to a titer above 95 %, determined by spectrophotometry by reading the absorption at 472 nm of a solution of the crystals in n - hexane ( e1 % 1cm = 3450 ), with a content of other carotenoids below 3 %. the content of cis lycopene is below 3 %. the method of this invention is especially suitable for the recovery of crystalline lycopene from a microbial source , preferably algae , fungi or yeasts , more preferably from fungi of the mucorales order , and more preferably b . trispora . the exceptional purity achieved for the crystals obtained by the present methodology and the use of solvents that are regarded as natural means that these crystals can be used . in the food , pharmaceutical or cosmetics industry . the crystalline product obtained by the methodology described in this invention can be packed in opaque containers which prevent photodegradation of the product , in the absence of oxygen ( inert atmosphere or vacuum ) to prevent oxidation and at temperatures between 0 and 5 ° c . the product , properly packed , can be handled and marketed “ as is ”. however , it is advisable to increase its stability by subsequent stages of formulation or finishing , involving the addition of antioxidants that make it possible to obtain a finished product with a shelf life greater than 6 months when properly packed . another essential object of this invention is a method of preparation of lycopene that includes its formulation in various presentations as a function of the characteristics of the application for which the lycopene is to be used . a first application , called microcrystalline suspension of lycopene in vegetable oil , consists of premixing of the aforesaid crystalline lycopene with a variable amount of vegetable oil . the type of vegetable oil can be very varied , the commonest though not the only ones being sunflower oil , olive oil , corn oil , soya oil , cottonseed oil , etc . the dosage of lycopene will be a function of the final strength required , the commonest values being suspensions with a lycopene content between 5 and 60 %, preferably between 10 and 30 %. to increase the stability of the mixture , the usual liposoluble antioxidants are added , such as natural tocopherols , and preferably d , l - alpha - tocopherol . the proportion of this compound varies between 0 . 2 and 15 % relative to the weight of lycopene , preferably between 0 . 5 and 5 %. for the formulations that contain lycopene to have a satisfactory physiological activity , it is necessary to reduce the size of the lycopene crystals . this is achieved with the usual milling systems that are suitable for liquid mixtures . a special object of this invention are ball mills that permit reduction of the size of the crystals below 10 microns , preferably below 5 microns , and even more preferably below 2 microns , using microspheres with a diameter between 0 . 5 and 0 . 75 mm . nevertheless , the crystal size can vary as claimed in the particular application of the suspension , employing appropriate spheres and milling conditions in each case . this crystal size will also determine the rheological properties of the mixture , especially its viscosity , which can also be adjusted as claimed in requirements . these microcrystalline suspensions of lycopene in oil are suitable for applications of lycopene in lipophilic environments : margarine , butter , creams , etc . a second application , called cold - water - dispersible ( cwd ) lycopene formulation , is based on dissolution of the lycopene in an organic solvent and its subsequent microencapsulation in modified starches . the solvents that are most suitable for effecting this dissolution , as this molecule exhibits high solubility , are chloroform , benzene , toluene , etc . methylene chloride is especially suitable . however , owing to the halogenated character of the latter it is possible to use food - grade solvents that are regarded as natural , such as acyl esters , preferably ethyl , propyl , isopropyl , butyl , isobutyl and other acetates , which combine reasonably high solubility for the carotenoid components with their compatibility as solvents included in the group of class iii of the ich . the concentration of lycopene in the organic solvent can vary between 1 and 50 g / l , preferably between 10 and 30 g / l . the dissolution temperature can vary between room temperature and the boiling point of the solvent , preferably between 20 and 130 ° c . the fact that the percentage of cis lycopene is a function of the temperature / time ratio in the operation of dissolution of the lycopene in the organic solvent means that if we wish to obtain a product with a low content of this isomer , either a low dissolution temperature is used , or otherwise a very short dissolution time . thus , to achieve low levels of cis , if the solvent employed is methylene chloride , dissolution can be carried out at 20 - 35 ° c . for a time of between 1 and 15 minutes . if , on the other hand , the solvent is isobutyl acetate , dissolution will preferably be effected between 70 and 130 ° c . for a few seconds . however , if the levels of cis isomer are not relevant , dissolution can be carried out without restriction on its conditions other than attainment of total solubility at the molecular level of the lycopene in the solvent employed . to increase the stability of the final formulation , one or a mixture of several antioxidants are dissolved together with the lycopene in the organic solvent ; these antioxidants are preferably those such as tocopherol , ascorbyl palmitate , etc ., each of them in a proportion between 1 and 30 %, preferably between 10 and 20 %, relative to the weight of lycopene . it is also possible to incorporate vegetable oil in the mixture : sunflower oil , olive oil , corn oil , soya oil , cottonseed oil , etc ., for the purpose of promoting dissolution of the lycopene , and imparting additional stability to the preparation . the lycopene / oil ratio can vary between 10 / 1 and 1 / 10 . the solution of lycopene thus obtained is mixed and emulsified with an aqueous solution that contains an emulsifying agent , for example modified starch , more concretely esters derived from starch , preferably octenyl succinates derived from starch of various molecular weights , and especially , but not exclusively , purity gum 2000 ® from national starch or cleargum co 01 ® from roquette , and a microencapsulating agent , consisting for example of modified starch , more concretely esters derived from starch , preferably octenyl succinates derived from starch of various molecular weights , and especially , though not exclusively , hicap 100 ® or capsul ® from national starch . the proportions in which the emulsifying agent and the microencapsulating agent are mixed can vary between 5 / 95 and 95 / 5 , preferably between 25 / 75 and 75 / 25 , more preferably between 40 / 60 and 60 / 40 . the water content of each of the components of the mixture of emulsifying agent and microencapsulating agent is variable , and can be between 1 and 30 %, preferably between 5 and 20 %, and more preferably 10 %. the mixture of aqueous and organic phases is emulsified and the emulsion obtained is homogenized employing pressure - differential homogenization systems of the mantón gaulin or microfluidizer type , as commonly used , and preferably by homogenization by tangential friction , for example with an emulsifier of the ultraturrax type for a time that varies as a function of the energy supplied by the equipment and the volume of mixture to be emulsified , with the aim of obtaining an average micelle size smaller than 10 microns , preferably smaller than 2 microns and more preferably between 0 . 1 and 1 micron . once the emulsion has formed , evaporation of the organic solvent is effected , preferably by vacuum distillation at a temperature below 50 ° c . as evaporation of the solvent proceeds , microcrystallization of the lycopene takes place in the starch matrix . once the solvent has evaporated , evaporation continues , with successive additions of water until a residual solvents content is obtained that complies with the specifications on maximum concentration laid down by the legislation and a dry residue that is suitable for the type of drying that is to be applied to this liquid mixture . suitable values of dry matter in the suspension of microencapsulated lycopene are between 1 and 30 %, and preferably between 10 and 20 %. in accordance with the present invention , it is found that both the method of drying by high - temperature pulverization ( atomization ) and the method of fluidized - bed pulverization ( granulation ) are suitable for drying the aqueous suspension of lycopene obtained . another alternative would be freeze - drying . as claimed in the method of drying by atomization , suitable inlet temperatures of the drying air would be between 100 and 200 ° c . whereas the outlet temperatures would be between 60 and 120 ° c . the atomized product has a particle size between 10 and 100 microns . with the aim of increasing the particle size and reducing the area available , and thus increasing the product &# 39 ; s oxidation resistance , the atomized product can be agglomerated by pulverization of a solution of one of the modified starches used in the formulation , or the suspension of microencapsulated lycopene itself , within a fluidized bed of said atomized product , which makes it possible to attain particle sizes that vary between 50 and 500 microns , preferably between 200 and 300 microns . the method of granulation involves the use of a fluidized - bed granulator in which seed material is placed , which can be a typical inert material , such as particles of sugar , or fine powder of the actual material to be dried , obtained in previous granulation processes or in a spray - drying process . the particles are kept in motion by means of air , and the temperature of the bed is maintained between 30 and 90 ° c ., preferably between 50 and 80 ° c . the suspension of microencapsulated lycopene is sprayed by means of air preheated to a temperature between 20 and 140 ° c . within the fluidized bed , at a rate that ensures that the particles that will be coated do not become too wet and do not form lumps . the granulated product has a particle size between 100 and 2000 microns , preferably between 100 and 800 microns and more preferably between 100 and 300 microns . once pulverization by one or other method has been completed , the particles can be coated . this coating can be effected with approximately 0 . 5 - 10 % in dry weight of aqueous solutions of various sugars or even of one or a mixture of the starches that make up the formula that is the object of the present invention . the strains of blakeslea trispora have been deposited , in accordance with the provisions of the treaty of budapest , in the russian national collection of industrial microorganisms ( vkpm ), gnii genetika , dorozhny proezd 1 , moscow 113545 ( russia ), with the following numbers and dates : vkpm f - 117 on 12 . 21 . 1979 , vkpm f - 208 on 12 . 20 . 1979 , vkpm f - 551 on 11 . 19 . 1992 , vkpm f - 674 on 11 . 19 . 1992 , vkpm f - 726 on 01 . 21 . 1997 , vkpm f - 727 on 01 . 21 . 1997 , vkpm f - 736 on 10 . 07 . 1997 , vkpm f - 741 on 01 . 28 . 1998 , vkpm f - 744 on 01 . 28 . 1998 and vkpm f - 816 on 12 . 13 . 2000 . the following examples describe the present invention in detail and without limitation . strategies for mutation of the (+) and (−) strains of b . trispora firstly a mutagenic method was developed for the (+) and (−) strains of b . trispora , for which the following were analyzed : ( i ) various types of mutagenic agents , ( ii ) concentration of the mutagen , ( iii ) concentration of spores , ( iv ) incubation ph , and ( v ) treatment time . in this way , ethylmethane sulfonate ( ems ) and n - methyl - n ′- nitro - n - nitrosoguanidine ( ntg ) were selected as mutagenic agents . the suspensions of spores to be mutated were obtained from slants with ypss medium , which . has the following composition : yeast extract 4 g / l , soluble starch 15 g / l , k 2 hpo 4 1 g / l , mgso 4 . 7h 2 o0 . 5 g / l and agar 15 g / l , at a final ph of 5 . 8 . the spores were resuspended by adding 10 ml of a 0 . 1 % solution of triton x - 100 to each slant . the mycelium residues were removed by filtration through a nylon filter with pore size of 20 μm . the concentration of spores in the suspension was about 10 6 spores / ml . the method of mutation with ems consisted of incubating 10 6 spores / ml in a solution of ems at 3 % in 0 . 1 m sodium phosphate buffer ph 7 . 0 at room temperature for 60 minutes , achieving mortality rates of around 99 %. the mutated spores were washed three times with 0 . 1 % triton x - 100 , centrifuging at 15 ° c . and 3000 rpm for 2 minutes . the method of mutation with ntg consisted of incubating 10 6 spores / ml in a solution that contained 250 82 g / ml of ntg and 0 . 1 m sodium citrate buffer ph 5 . 0 at room temperature for 30 minutes , achieving mortality rates of around 95 %. the mutated spores were washed three times with 0 . 1 % triton x - 100 , centrifuging at 15 ° c . and 3000 rpm for 2 minutes . the mutated spores were used for seeding petri dishes that contained sutter iv solid medium supplemented with 0 . 1 % triton x - 100 . the composition per liter of the sutter iv medium is as follows : 40 g glucose , 4 g l - asparagine , 10 g kh 2 po 4 , 40 ml of solution of trace elements 50x , and 30 g of agar . the solution of trace elements 50x is made up of : 25 g / l of mgso 4 . 7h 2 o , 1 . 82 g / l of cacl 2 . 2h 2 o , 0 . 05 g / l of thiamine , 0 . 1 g / l of citric acid , 0 . 075 g / l of fe ( no 3 ) 3 . 9h 2 o , 0 . 05 g / l of znso 4 . 7h 2 o , 0 . 17 g / l of mnso 4 . h 2 o , 0 . 025 g / l of cuso 4 . 5h 2 o and 0 . 025 g / l of namoo 4 . 2h 2 o . the seeded dishes were incubated at 25 ° c . for 4 days to obtain isolated colonies . strategies for selecting mutants of b . trispora (−) that are lycopene overproducers this example describes strategies for selecting strains of b . trispora (−) that are lycopene overproducers , based on ( i ) the use of trisporic acids and ( ii ) the color intensity of the colony . fig1 shows the phylogeny of the b . trispora (−) strains used in the present invention . selection of lycopene - producing mutants by adding trisporic acids was effected by placing sterile filters about 0 . 6 mm in diameter , impregnated with trisporic acids , on the colonies obtained from mutated spores . the trisporic acids were obtained by extracting the supernatant from a mixed culture of the (+) and (−) strains of b . trispora with one volume of chloroform after acidifying the sample to ph 2 . the organic fraction was extracted with one volume of a 4 % solution of sodium bicarbonate , collecting the aqueous phase , which was acidified and extracted with chloroform again . next , the chloroform was evaporated to dryness and the residue , enriched with trisporic acids , was dissolved in ethanol . the trisporic acids were quantified by measuring the absorbance at 325 nm and assuming an absorption coefficient of 70 ml × mg − 1 × cm − 1 ( sutter r . p ., capage d . a ., harrison t . l ., keen w . a . 1973 . j . bacteriology 114 : 1074 - 1082 ). the sterile filters were incubated in a solution of 1 . 2 mg / ml of trisporic acids in ethanol and were then left to dry at room temperature in sterile conditions . next , the filters were placed on the mutant colonies previously grown for 4 days at 25 ° c . the dishes were incubated at 25 ° c . for a further 3 days , and it was observed that the lycopene - producing mutants became a deep red in color , in contrast to the producers of β - carotene whose color was orange . applying this method with the cma3 (−) strain , the mutant lma1 (−) was obtained ( fig1 ), which might have a mutation in the carp gene , which codes for the enzyme lycopene cyclase and therefore , instead of producing β - carotene , should accumulate the intermediate lycopene during the process of fermentation of carotenoids . therefore the lma1 strain is able to produce lycopene without the need to add specific inhibitors of lycopene cyclase activity ( example 5 ). selection of lycopene - producing mutants in relation to the color intensity of the colony was effected as follows : the cma1 strain ( producer of β - carotene ; see fig1 ) was mutated as described in example 1 . the mutated spores were seeded on dishes of yepda solid medium ( bacto - peptone 20 g / l , yeast extract 10 g / l , glucose 20 g / l and agar 20 g / l , to a final ph of 6 . 0 ), and were incubated at 25 ° c . for 24 hours and then at 20 ° c . for 48 - 72 hours . finally , those colonies with a deeper yellow - orange color than the cma1 (−) parent strain were selected . in this way , 2 colonies were isolated with deep yellow - orange color ( designated cmb1 (−) and cmb2 (−)). the cmb1 and cmb2 strains might be overproducers of lycopene in mixed fermentations with addition of specific inhibitors of lycopene cyclase activity ( for example imidazole ; example 4 ). strategies for selecting mutants of b . trispora (+) that are overproducers of lycopene selection of lycopene - overproducing mutants of b . trispora (+) was effected using mutated spores in the manner described in example 1 . these spores were seeded on petri dishes that contained sutter iv solid medium supplemented with 0 . 1 % imidazole and were incubated at 25 ° c . for 7 days to obtain isolated colonies . next , a portion from each of the colonies was transferred to a dish of pda on which b . trispora (−) had been seeded previously . the distance between the seeding points of the (+) and (−) strains must be approximately 2 cm . the level of production of lycopene in solid medium is estimated from the intensity of coloration in the zone of intersection of the colony of the (+) strain with that of the (−) strain . in this way the b . trispora strain cpa1 (+) was selected , and this gave rise to a higher yield of lycopene in mixed solid cultures with a series of (−) strains . the level of production from the b . trispora strain cpa1 (+) was then analyzed in mixed culture in a liquid medium as described in examples 4 and 5 . scheme 3 shows the phylogeny of the b . trispora (+) strains used in the present invention . method of production of lycopene in a flask by mixed culture of the (+) and (−) strains of b . trispora by adding inhibitors of the enzyme lycopene cyclase the (+) and (−) strains of b . trispora selected as described in examples 1 , 2 and 3 were fermented in a flask with the aim of determining the level of production of lycopene in a liquid medium and mixed culture . for this , an inoculum medium was prepared with the following composition per liter : 23 g of soya flour , 47 g of maize flour , 0 . 5 g of kh 2 po 4 , 0 . 002 g of thiamine hydrochloride and ph adjusted to 6 . 3 . the cpa1 (+) strain of b . trispora was seeded in 500 - ml flasks containing 67 ml of medium at the rate of 103 spores per ml . the cmb2 (−) strain of b . trispora was seeded in 500 - ml flasks containing 100 ml of medium at a rate of 104 spores per ml . both types of inoculum were incubated at 25 ° c . and 250 rpm for 44 hours . on completion of incubation , the inocula of the (+) and (−) strains were mixed in the ratio 1 / 10 ( v / v ), and the mixture was used for inoculating 250 - ml flasks containing 20 ml of fermentation medium at a rate of 4 ml of the mixture of strains per flask . these flasks were incubated at 25 ° c . and 250 rpm for 5 - 6 days . the fermentation medium used had the following composition per liter : 44 g of soya flour , 19 g of maize flour , 5 . 5 g of kh 2 po 4 , 0 . 002 g of thiamine hydrochloride , 100 ml of vegetable oil , and ph adjusted to 7 . 5 . the medium was distributed in 250 - ml flasks , which were inoculated with 20 % of a mixture of the (+) and (−) strains of b . trispora . between the 0th and the 36th hours of fermentation , an inhibitor of the enzyme lycopene cyclase was added with the aim of blocking . the biosynthetic pathway at the lycopene level ( for example , 0 . 75 mg / ml of imidazole ). the flasks were incubated at 25 ° c . and 250 rpm for 6 days . at the end of fermentation , a mixture of fermentation medium , glass beads and methylene chloride / methanol ( 1 / 1 ) was prepared . the mycelium of b . trispora was lyzed by vortex agitation , releasing the intracellular lycopene . the lycopene extracted with the methylene chloride / methanol mixture ( ratio 1 : 1 ) was diluted in acetone . the concentration and purity of the lycopene were determined using reversed - phase hplc . the yield obtained in mixed fermentations of the strains b . trispora cpa1 (+) and b . trispora cmb2 (−) was 3 g / l of lycopene in the presence of imidazole ( fig1 ). method of production of lycopene in the flask by mixed culture of the b . trispora cpa1 (+) and b . trispora lma1 (−) strains without addition of inhibitors of the enzyme lycopene cyclase the strains of b . trispora lma1 (−) and cpa1 (+) selected as described in examples 1 , 2 and 3 were fermented in a flask with the aim of determining the level of production of lycopene in liquid medium and mixed culture . for this , inocula were prepared from the (+) and (−) strains and fermentation was carried out in a flask as described in example 4 . the difference is that in this case the chemical inhibitor of lycopene cyclase activity was not added . at the end of fermentation , production of lycopene was evaluated as described in example 4 . the yields obtained by mixed fermentation of the strains b . trispora cpa1 (+) and b . trispora lma1 (−) were 1 . 2 g / l of lycopene in the absence of imidazole ( fig2 ). method of production of lycopene in a semi - commercial fermenter by mixed culture of the (+) and (−) strains of b . trispora with addition of inhibitors of the enzyme lycopene cyclase the cpa1 (+) and cmb2 (−) strains of b . trispora selected as described in examples 2 and 3 were cultivated in a semi - commercial fermenter with the aim of determining the lycopene yield . for this , an inoculum was prepared with the following composition per liter : 23 g of soya flour , 47 g of maize flour , 0 . 5 g of kh 2 po 4 , 0 . 002 g of thiamine hydrochloride , and with its ph adjusted to 6 . 3 . the (+) and (−) strains were seeded separately in 2000 - ml flasks containing 500 ml of medium and were incubated at 25 ° c . and 250 rpm for 44 - 48 hours . each of the strains was transferred to an intermediate growing tank containing a culture medium with the following composition per liter : 29 g of pharmamedia , 47 g of maize flour , 0 . 5 g of kh 2 po 4 ; 0 . 002 g of thiamine hydrochloride and 1 g of antifoaming agent , and with its ph adjusted to 6 . 0 . after incubating for 36 - 48 h , the (+) and (−) strains were mixed in a 1 / 10 ratio and 20 % of the mixture was used for seeding the fermentation base medium , which had the following composition per liter : 44 g of soya flour , 19 . 25 g of maize flour , 0 . 55 g of kh 2 po 4 , 3 . 36 g of na 2 hpo 4 , 0 . 184 g of nah 2 po 4 , 0 . 0022 g of thiamine hydrochloride , 100 g of vegetable oil and 0 . 175 g of antifoaming agent , and its initial ph was adjusted to 7 . 5 . the fermentation was incubated for 100 - 140 hours at a temperature of 25 - 28 ° c . with stirring varying between 150 and 250 rpm and aeration of 1 - 1 . 5 v / v / m . between the 25th and 35th hours of fermentation , sterile imidazole was added to a final concentration of 0 . 75 g / l . evaluation of the concentration and purity of the lycopene at the end of fermentation was carried out as described in example 4 . the average value of lycopene yield obtained in a series of different fermentations of the cpa1 (+) and cmb2 (−) strains was 3 . 4 g / l ( fig2 ). method of production of lycopene in a semi - commercial fermenter by mixed culture of the strains b . trispora cpa1 (+) and b . trispora lma1 (−) without addition of inhibitors of the enzyme lycopene cyclase the cpa1 (+) and lma1 (−) strains of b . trispora selected in the manner described in examples 2 and 3 were cultivated in a semi - commercial fermenter with the aim of determining the level of production of lycopene without adding inhibitors of the enzyme lycopene cyclase . for this , an inoculation medium was prepared with the following composition per liter : 23 g of soya flour , 47 g of maize flour , 0 . 5 g of kh 2 po 4 , 0 . 002 g of thiamine hydrochloride , and with its ph adjusted to 6 . 3 . the (+) and (−) strains were seeded separately in 2000 - ml flasks containing 500 ml of medium and were incubated at 25 ° c . and 250 rpm for 44 - 48 hours . each of the strains was transferred to an intermediate growing tank containing a culture medium with the following composition per liter : 29 g of pharmamedia , 47 g of maize flour , 0 . 5 g of kh 2 po 4 ; 0 . 002 g of thiamine hydrochloride and 1 g of antifoaming agent , and with its ph adjusted to 6 . 0 . after incubating for 36 - 48 h , the (+) and (−) strains were mixed in a 1 / 10 ratio and 20 % of the mixture was used for seeding the fermentation base medium , which had the following composition per liter : 44 g of soya flour , 19 . 25 g of maize flour , 0 . 55 g of kh 2 po 4 , 3 . 36 g of na 2 hpo 4 , 0 . 184 g of nah 2 po 4 , 0 . 0022 g of thiamine hydrochloride , 100 g of vegetable oil and 0 . 175 g of antifoaming agent , and its initial ph was adjusted to 7 . 5 . the fermentation was incubated for 100 - 140 hours at a temperature of 25 - 28 ° c . with stirring varying between 150 and 250 rpm and aeration of 1 - 1 . 5 v / v / m . evaluation of the concentration and purity of the lycopene at the end of fermentation was carried out as described in example 4 . the average value of lycopene yield obtained without addition of imidazole in a series of different fermentations of the cpa1 (+) and lma1 (−) strains was 1 . 6 g / l ( fig2 ). three liters of fermentation medium were harvested , corresponding to a biosynthesis process in which the biosynthetic pathway was interrupted at the lycopene level . the titer of the medium was 3 g of lycopene per liter . the biomass of this culture medium was recovered by filtration with a buchner funnel ( porcelain filter funnel which supports a disk of paper or card which acts as a filtering sheet ), obtaining 750 g of wet biomass . the wet biomass was resuspended in 5 . 2 1 of azeotropic isopropanol 85 / 15 and was stirred for 30 minutes at 45 ± 5 ° c . recovery of the purified biomass using a buchner funnel was repeated . this biomass was dried under vacuum in a stove at a temperature below 45 ± 5 ° c . for 18 hours , until the content of residual solvents / water was less than 8 %. 150 g of dry , purified biomass was obtained with a lycopene content equivalent to an assay value of 5 . 5 %. the dry biomass was milled in a ball mill and a 1 mm screen , obtaining a solid with the same percentage content , which was conditioned to permit solvent extraction . extraction was effected by mixing the 150 g of milled biomass with 2500 ml of isobutyl acetate at 70 ± 5 ° c ., continuing stirring for 5 minutes . the spent biomass was separated from the lycopene - rich solvent by filtering on a filter plate . the spent biomass was washed with 300 ml of hot isobutyl acetate on the same filter , mixing the washing solvent with the filtrate . all of the lycopene - rich isobutyl acetate was concentrated under vacuum , keeping the temperature below 45 ± 5 ° c ., until the volume was reduced to 300 ml , whereupon some of the lycopene crystallized . in order to complete crystallization and obtain a purer lycopene , 900 ml of isopropanol was added . stirring of the mixture was continued , under nitrogen and in the temperature range 0 - 5 ° c ., for 3 hours . it was filtered in a buchner funnel , washing the crystals with 25 ml of isopropanol on the buchner funnel . the crystals were collected and then dried under vacuum , obtaining 6 . 5 g of lycopene crystals with a spectrophotometric purity of 95 %. neither the presence of other carotenoids , nor of cis lycopene , was detected by hplc . a laboratory ball mill , type minizeta 003 from netzsch , was charged with the following , in this order : microspheres with diameter of 0 . 5 - 0 . 75 mm , 23 . 5 g of sunflower oil ( koipe ), 0 . 065 g of d , l - alpha - tocopherol ( merck ) and the 6 . 5 g of crystalline lycopene obtained as described in example 8 . the mixture was milled at 3000 rpm for 5 minutes , obtaining 25 g of a viscous liquid of a deep reddish - purple color . spectrophotometric analysis of the oily suspension revealed a lycopene content of 21 %. neither the presence of other carotenoids nor of cis isomers of lycopene was detected by hplc . the crystals were smaller than 10 microns . method of recovery of lycopene by direct treatment of the fermentation medium with alcohol 1500 1 of lycopene fermentation medium ( lycopene strength 2 . 3 g / l ) was mixed directly with 4500 liters of 85 / 15 isopropanol / water azeotrope . after stirring for 30 min at 45 ± 5 ° c ., the biomass was separated from the liquid using a centrifugal decanter . around 250 kg of wet , purified biomass was collected . this biomass , soaked with water and isopropanol , was dried in a rotary dryer under vacuum until the content of residual solvents / water was below 8 %. the drying temperature was 45 ± 5 ° c ., and the average residence time in the dryer was 14 hours . 85 kg of dry biomass was obtained with a lycopene content equivalent to a specific concentration of 3 . 75 %. the dry biomass was extruded in a compactor , hutt - compacktor from bepex , obtaining a solid with the same specific concentration , which was conditioned to permit solvent extraction . extraction was effected by mixing the 85 kg of milled solid with 1650 l of isobutyl acetate . the mixture was heated in line at 60 ± 5 ° c . for an approximate average contact time of 2 minutes and the spent biomass was separated from the lycopene - rich solvent using a centrifugal decanter . the whole of the lycopene - rich isobutyl acetate was concentrated under vacuum , maintaining the temperature below 45 ± 5 ° c ., until the volume was reduced to 100 1 , whereupon a proportion of the lycopene crystallized . to complete crystallization of the lycopene , 300 1 of isopropanol was added . the mixture was stirred for 3 h at 0 - 5 ° c . it was filtered on a buchner funnel , collecting the lycopene crystals , which were dried under vacuum at room temperature . 2 kg of product was obtained , with a spectrometric purity of 96 %. neither the presence of other carotenoids nor of cis isomers was detected by hplc . 3 . 5 g of lycopene obtained as described in example 10 was resuspended in 410 ml of isobutyl acetate and 0 . 35 g of d , l - alpha - tocopherol ( merck ) was added . the mixture was heated to boiling ( 114 ° c .) for 5 minutes , ensuring complete dissolution of the lycopene . at the same time , 12 g of hi - cap 100 ( national starch ) and 12 g of purity gum 2000 ® ( national starch ) were dissolved in 325 ml of demineralized water . the hot organic phase was emulsified for 5 minutes in one stage over the aqueous phase using an ultraturrax emulsifier from ika , achieving an average micelle size of 1 . 2 microns , measured with a coulter ls230 analyzer . the emulsion was transferred to a vacuum distillation system , adding 600 ml of water , so that the 410 ml of isobutyl acetate was evaporated with approximately 700 ml of water . 203 g of liquid formulation ( 12 . 75 % of dry matter ) was obtained , with a lycopene content of 1 . 25 % ( 9 . 8 % based on the dry mass ). using hplc , a content of cis lycopene of 23 . 3 % was detected , but no other carotenoids were detected . this liquid formulation was atomized in a büchi 190 laboratory atomizer , employing a gas temperature of 190 ° c . at inlet and 90 ° c . at outlet , obtaining a powder of a deep red color , with a lycopene content of 8 . 4 % and a water content of 6 . 5 %. using hplc , a content of cis lycopene of 23 % was detected , but no other carotenoids were detected . 3 . 5 g of lycopene obtained as described in example 10 was resuspended in 410 ml of isobutyl acetate and 0 . 35 g of d , l - alpha - tocopherol ( merck ), 0 . 7 g of ascorbyl palmitate ( merck ) and 3 . 5 g of sunflower oil ( koipe ) were added . the mixture was heated to boiling ( 114 ° c .) for 5 minutes , ensuring complete dissolution of the lycopene . at the same time , 10 g of hi - cap 100 ( national starch ) and 10 g of purity gum 2000 ® ( national starch ) were dissolved in 325 ml of demineralized water . the hot organic phase was emulsified for 5 minutes in one stage over the aqueous phase using an ultraturrax emulsifier from ika , achieving an average micelle size of 1 . 4 microns , measured with a coulter ls230 analyzer . the emulsion was transferred to a vacuum distillation system , adding 600 ml of water , so that the 410 ml of isobutyl acetate was evaporated with approximately 700 ml of water . 195 g of liquid formulation ( 13 . 25 % of dry matter ) was obtained , with a lycopene content of 1 . 3 % ( 9 . 8 % based on the dry mass ). using hplc , a content of cis lycopene of 25 % was detected , but no other carotenoids were detected . this liquid formulation was atomized in a büchi 190 laboratory atomizer , employing a gas temperature of 190 ° c . at inlet and 90 ° c . at outlet , obtaining a powder of a deep red color , with a lycopene content of 8 . 5 % and a water content of 6 . 0 %. using hplc , a content of cis lycopene of 24 . 5 % was detected , but no other carotenoids were detected . 7 . 5 g of crystalline lycopene obtained as described in example 10 was resuspended in 500 ml of dichloromethane , adding 0 . 75 g of d , l - alpha - tocopherol ( merck ), and heating the mixture at 35 ° c . for 5 minutes . at the same time , 27 g of hi - cap 100 ( national starch ) and 27 g of purity gum 2000 ® ( national starch ) were dissolved in 400 ml of distilled water . the organic phase was emulsified for 15 minutes in one stage over the aqueous phase using an ultraturrax emulsifier from ika , achieving an average micelle size of 0 . 4 microns , measured with a coulter ls230 analyzer . the emulsion was transferred to a vacuum distillation system , adding 600 ml of water , so that the 500 ml of dichloromethane was evaporated with approximately 600 ml of water . 400 g of liquid formulation ( 13 . 1 % of dry matter ) was obtained , with a lycopene content of 1 . 5 % ( 11 . 5 % based on the dry mass ). using hplc , a content of cis lycopene of 6 . 5 % was detected , but no other carotenoids were detected . this liquid formulation was atomized in a büchi 190 laboratory atomizer , employing a gas temperature of 190 ° c . at inlet and 90 ° c . at outlet , obtaining a powder of a deep red color , with a lycopene content of 10 . 6 % and a water content of 5 . 3 %. using hplc , a content of cis lycopene of 6 . 4 % was detected , but no other carotenoids were detected . 7 . 5 g of crystalline lycopene obtained as described in example 10 was resuspended in 500 ml of dichloromethane , adding 0 . 75 g of d , l - alpha - tocopherol ( merck ), and heating the mixture at 35 ° c . for 5 minutes . at the same time , 27 g of hi - cap 100 ( national starch ) and 27 g of purity gum 2000 ® ( national starch ) were dissolved in 400 ml of distilled water . the organic phase was emulsified for 60 minutes in one stage over the aqueous phase using an ultraturrax emulsifier from ika , achieving an average micelle size of 0 . 23 microns , measured with a coulter ls230 analyzer . the emulsion was transferred to a vacuum distillation system , adding 600 ml of water , so that the 500 ml of dichloromethane was evaporated with approximately 650 ml of water . 350 g of liquid formulation ( 14 . 4 % of dry matter ) was obtained , with a lycopene content of 1 . 6 % ( 11 . 4 % based on the dry mass ). using hplc , a content of cis lycopene of 20 % was detected , but no other carotenoids were detected . this liquid formulation was freeze - dried in a laboratory unit for 24 hours , obtaining a fluffy powder of a deep red color , with a lycopene content of 10 . 7 % and a water content of 7 . 4 %. using hplc , a content of cis lycopene of 15 % was detected , but no other carotenoids were detected . fig1 . production of lycopene by mixed fermentation of the b . trispora cpa1 (+) strain in a flask with each of the following strains of b . trispora (−): l25 , cma1 , cma2 , cma3 , cma4 , cmb1 , cmb2 and lma1 . except in cpa1 (+)/ lma1 (−) mixed fermentation , imidazole was added as inhibitor of the enzyme lycopene cyclase . ordinate : % of production with control strain l25 (−) ( vkpm f - 744 ). fig2 . production of lycopene by mixed fermentation of the b . trispora cpa1 (+) strain in a fermenter with each of the following strains of b . trispora (−): l25 , cma1 , cma2 , cma3 , cmb1 , cmb2 and lma1 . except in cpa1 (+)/ lma1 (−) mixed fermentation , imidazole was added as inhibitor of the enzyme lycopene cyclase . ordinate : % of production with control strain l25 (−) ( vkpm f - 744 ). | US-49868204-A |
a new and distinct cultivar of artichoke plant named ‘ bcs 7 - 12 ’. this new variety is characterized by red or violet bud color . further , ‘ bca 7 - 12 ’ has a significantly larger fruit size and an earlier maturation compared to other red artichoke varieties . this variety has also shown to be more vigorous than its parents with a larger leaf area . | the following observations , measurements , and values describing the new artichoke plant are based upon observations of plants grown in lompoc , calif . the parent cultivars listed above are , to the inventor &# 39 ; s knowledge , the closest prior art to the claimed plant variety . the variety was selected as a single plant that was then reproduced . selection was performed in an outdoor field setting . unless otherwise indicated , the data were collected from plants that originated from asexually reproduced plants that had been grown in perpignan by micropropagation in vitro using meristem culture , acclimatized in california , and then vegetatively divided . the plants were grown in the soil in rows where row spacing ( bed centers ) was at 80 inches , and individual plant spacing at 36 inches . unless otherwise indicated , the measurements described herein were obtained from plants grown in accordance with the following : after acclimatization , plants were planted in the field in july 2001 and harvested in march of 2002 . the plants were cut back and split . new plants were planted in july of 2002 and measurements performed in december of 2002 or january of 2003 . color references are measured against the royal horticultural society colour chart . plant growth is indicated below as “ vigorous ”. exemplary growth data showed that plants planted from tissue culture on jun . 9 , 2004 grew to an average of 50 . 5 inches in height and 100 inches in width by jan . 26 , 2005 ; and plants planted from tissue culture on jul . 21 , 2004 grew to an average of 48 inches in height and 91 inches in width by jan . 26 , 2005 . parentage .— hybrid cross between ‘ chrysantheme ’ ( pollen parent ) and ‘ bh 35 - 22 ’ ( seed parent ). classification .— cynara scolymus l . propagation .— asexual production by division . height .— 83 . 9 to 111 . 8 cm ; average 100 . 1 cm . width .— 177 . 8 to 236 . 2 cm ; average 205 . 2 cm . form .— full . growth habit .— upright . vigor .— vigorous . main stem length .— approximately 116 . 8 to 138 . 4 cm . main stem width ( w / leaves ).— approximately 62 . 2 to 73 . 7 cm . main stem diameter .— 7 . 0 to 9 . 2 , average 8 . 0 cm . average internode distance .— approximately 7 . 4 to 8 . 9 cm . length .— 12 to 44 cm ; mean 32 cm . diameter .— 2 to 2 . 7 cm ; mean 2 . 3 cm . no . of leaves per shoot .— 2 to 4 leaves . average internode distance .— 5 . 5 to 7 cm . average number .— 7 . 2 per plant . development .— vigorous . color .— green group between 143b and 143c . foliage density .— dense ; many large leaves off main stem with leafy side shoots development as well . primary size .— approximately 12 . 4 cm . shape .— round , compact with slightly pyramidal . texture .— hard and smooth . fragrance .— tangy with citrus overtones . length .— approximately 7 cm . width .— approximately 4 cm . shape .— ovate , longer than broad , and thick . texture .— hard and smooth . number .— approximately 152 per head . color ( inner ).— green group between 138a and 138b , and greyed purple group between 183c and 183d at the tip . color ( outer ).— greyed purple group between 183a and 183b . firmness .— firm and fleshy with thick basal thickness . spinosity .— none , or minimal — less than 1 mm . basal thickness .— 6 to 17 mm . heart description .— slightly concave ; and full , more flat than ‘ green globe ’ ( unpatented ), well developed with thick bract connection . heart color .— yellow green group 145d . receptacle thickness .— 1 . 7 cm . florets .— sterile . pappus length .— 1 . 8 cm . pappus color .— yellow green group 145d . head firmness .— firm , heads are dense and solid . gloss .— high ; more glossy than ‘ green globe ’. cold storage response .— some minor cut stem discoloration . after 7 days there is some fading of red / purple color . head response ( weather ).— after frosts the outer epidermal layer of the outer bract can separate , thus exposing a green layer underneath . further , after prolonged exposure to sunlight the purple color becomes slightly greenish . disease .— older leaves are susceptible to ramularia leaf spot . bud burst .— march 10 to march 30 . leaf shape .— long , narrow , slightly oval overall , with multiple lobes such that the outer edges appear coarsely serrated , wherein the apex is acute and the petiole attaches to the center of a slightly obcordate base . no . of leaves on main stem .— 9 to 18 leaves . leaf ratio .— approximately 1 . 8 to 2 . 1 cm . leaf areas .— approximately 3 , 038 to 4 , 014 cm sq . upper leaf surface color .— green group between 136a and 136b . lower leaf surface color .— green group between 139b and 139c . texture .— slight but uniformly textured ; glossy with rough intervenal texture . pubescence .— sparse , some visible pubescence on lower leaf surface . lobe width .— approximately 11 . 4 to 14 . 9 cm . lobe indentation .— approximately 7 . 0 to 7 . 6 cm . petiole width france .— approximately 6 . 0 cm . petiole width .— approximately 3 . 8 to 5 . 8 cm . petiole thickness .— approximately 2 . 2 to 2 . 5 cm . petiole color .— green group 139c . petiole texture .— spindled , wherein multiple ridges , running parallel to the lengthwise orientation , radiate around the petiole . | US-37188003-V |
the invention concerns a pharmaceutical composition which comprises lower alkyl ester derivatives of hecogenin and pharmaceutically compatible carriers . the pharmaceutical composition has an inhibiting effect on cell growth and can be used for the causal treatment of benign prostata hyperplasia in human beings and in animals . | in a preferred embodiment of the present invention , the pharmaceutical preparation contains as the pharmaceutically active substance hecogenin acetate ( r = ch 3 in formula ( i ), which is a commercially available substance . the invention will be described in more detail on the basis of the following results of investigation : in a test series dogs suffering from benign prostata hyperplasia were given the inventive pharmaceutical preparation orally in the form of coated tablets over a period of 100 days . the daily dose was one coated tablet per 10 kg body weight , which contained as the active substance 5 . 0 mg hecogenin acetate . in accordance with the duration of the treatment , the decrease in the prostata volume was controlled by sonographic methods . test group : decline of prostata volume (%) after 100 days of treatment ______________________________________dog 1 17 . 9dog 2 60 . 1dog 3 31 . 1dog 4 4 . 9dog 5 13 . 4dog 6 87 . 8dog 7 61 . 9 average value : 39 . 6______________________________________ the results above show clearly the high effectiveness of the inventive pharmaceutical preparation . the substance hecogenin acetate was investigated for acute oral and acute intraperitoneal toxicity on the nmri mouse , the sprd rat and the nzw rabbit . the mice ( both sexes , 23 - 25 g ) and the rats ( both sexes , 130 - 150 g ) originated from a controlled spf breed ( breeder : iwf gmbh , 8192 geretsried - gelting ), the rabbits ( 1 . 9 kg ) came from the breeder luise brendt , 8710 kitzingen . the test animals were conventionally kept in artificially ventilated rooms ( sterile air ) at 20 - 21 ° c and 50 - 61 % relative air humidity in artificial light . the light / darkness change was made respectively after 12 hours , the air change ca . 10 times pre hour . the feeding was done ad lib . with the altromine standard diet , watering was ad lib . with mains water , which was partially softened and was periodically controlled microbiologically . the mice and rats were kept in macrolene cages type iii , the rabbits were kept in ebeco full wire cages . ______________________________________1 . acute oral toxicity testingtest animals nmri micedose 25 mg to 2 . 0 g / kg body weightnumber of animals / dose n = 10 ( 5 m + 5 f ) application volume 40 ml / kg body weight uniformlytest animals sprd ratsdose 25 mg to 2 . 0 g / kg body weightnumber of rats / dose n = 10 ( 5 m + 5 f ) application volume 40 . 0 ml / kg body weight uniformly2 . acute intraperitoneal toxicity testingtest animals nmri micedose 0 . 1 to 50 mg / kg body weightnumber of animals / dose n = 10 ( 5 m + 5 f ) application volume 40 . 0 ml / kg body weight uniformlytest animals nzw rabbitsdose 0 . 5 to 2 . 0 g / kg body weightnumber of animals / dose n = 2application volume 40 . 0 ml / kg body weight uniformly______________________________________ the test mice and rats showed no symptoms in the test for acute oral toxicity , given the doses administered . the maximal administered amount corresponds to about 140 g in human beings . in the acute intraperitoneal toxicity test as well no symptoms appeared either in the mice or the rabbits when using the administered doses . the maximal administered amounts correspond in human beings to ca . 35 g or 140 g . in the individual tests a ld 50 could not be detected respectively up to the maximal limit of the stated dosing . the substance proved to be only slightly toxic in the animals used and is accordingly to be classified as of lower toxicity under the gefahrlichkeitsverordnung ( danger regulations ) bgbi 1487 . within the administered doses , there is no expectation of acute toxicosis . accordingly in human beings as well toxicosis with amounts administered orally once of up to ca . 10 g are not to be anticipated . using the inventive pharmaceutical preparations , a product has been created on the basis of ester derivatives of hecogenin , which due to the inhibition of the cell growth , makes possible causal treatment of benign prostata hyperplasia , which can be used in very small quantities , and is to be viewed as non - toxic . as an example the production of a pharmaceutical preparation is described , with hecogenin acetate as the active ingredient , below : the following substances were mixed in a ball mill and then pressed using an 8 mm coated pill stamp : ______________________________________hecogenin acetate 10 . 00 mglactose 134 . 00 mgca - carboxymethylcellulose 30 . 00 mgavicel ® 10 . 00 mgtalc 15 . 00 mgmg stearate 1 . 00 mg 200 . 00 mg______________________________________ | US-43434489-A |
the present disclosure concerns an attachment for an operable drug delivery device , comprising a gripping sleeve member that is configured to receive a first member of the operable drug delivery device , wherein the gripping sleeve member comprises a first gripping sleeve member part comprising a first engagement feature at its inner surface that is configured to engage the first gripping sleeve member part in a torque - proof manner with the first member of the operable drug delivery device . further , the present invention concerns a use of the attachment or a system of attachments for operating the operable drug delivery device . | fig1 shows a kit comprising an operable drug delivery device 1 , a first attachment 2 and a second attachment 3 . the first and the second attachment 2 , 3 are attached to the operable drug delivery device 1 . the operable drug delivery device 1 shown in fig1 is a pen - type injection device configured to allow setting of variable doses . the operable drug delivery device 1 is fully operable without the first or the second attachment 2 , 3 . in particular , the operable drug delivery device 1 comprises a drive mechanism ( not shown ) which may be configured to move a piston rod in a distal direction 4 . the drive mechanism of the operable drug delivery device may further comprise a drive member and a dose dial member . the drive member may be a drive sleeve . the dose dial member may be a button . a user may have to move the dose dial member to set a dose and / or to dispense a dose . the movement of the dose dial member may be transferred to a movement of the drive sleeve . further , the drive sleeve may be configured to move a piston rod . moreover , the operable drug delivery device 1 may comprise a cartridge holder ( not shown ) comprising the cartridge which comprises the medicinal product and the bung . further , the operable drug delivery device 1 may comprise an inner body and / or a housing . the operable drug delivery device 1 may further comprise a window 40 in the housing . a number corresponding to the state of the operable drug delivery device 1 may be visible in the window 40 . the number may e . g . correspond to the currently set number of doses . the first attachment 2 comprises a gripping sleeve member 5 . the gripping sleeve member 5 is configured to receive a first member 6 ( not shown in fig1 ) of the operable drug delivery device 1 . in the embodiment shown in fig1 , the first member 6 received by the gripping sleeve member 5 is the dose dial member of the operable drug delivery device 1 . further , the second attachment 3 comprises a guarding sleeve member 7 which is configured to receive a second member 8 ( not shown in fig1 ) of the operable drug delivery device 1 . in the embodiment shown in fig1 , the second member 8 of the operable drug delivery device 1 received by the guarding sleeve member 7 is the cartridge holder . in alternative embodiments , a part of the housing of the operable drug delivery device 1 may be the second member 8 received by the guarding sleeve member 7 . in an alternate embodiment , the kit may comprise the operable drug delivery device 1 and only one of the first and the second attachment 2 , 3 . each of the first and the second attachment 2 , 3 may be attached to the operable drug delivery device 1 independently of the respective other attachment 2 , 3 . fig2 shows the first attachment 2 comprising the gripping sleeve member 5 according to a first embodiment . in the first embodiment the gripping sleeve member 5 consists of a first gripping sleeve member part 9 . the gripping sleeve member 5 comprises an opening 10 for receiving the first member 6 of the operable drug delivery device 1 . the opening 10 is arranged at one end of the gripping sleeve member 5 . the gripping sleeve member 5 is closed at the end opposite of the opening 10 . when the gripping sleeve member 5 is attached to the operable drug delivery device 1 , the proximal end of the operable drug delivery device 1 is entered through the opening 10 . the first gripping sleeve member part 9 comprises a first part 11 comprising the opening 10 and stretching over roughly a third of the length of the first gripping sleeve member part 9 . the first part 11 is a gripping part . the first part 11 comprises a structured surface 12 providing an increased friction and , thus , allowing for an easy grip of a patient . in the embodiment shown in fig1 , the structured surface 12 of the first part 9 comprises dot - shaped protrusions . further , the first gripping sleeve member part 9 comprises a part 13 that is at least partially transparent . the at least partially transparent part 13 is adjacent to the first part 11 in a direction away from the opening 10 . when the first gripping sleeve member part 9 is attached to the operable drug delivery device 1 , the at least partially transparent part 13 of the first gripping sleeve member part 9 overlaps with the window 40 in the housing of the operable drug delivery device 1 . accordingly , the number shown in the window is visible when the gripping sleeve member 5 is attached to the operable drug delivery device 1 . the first gripping sleeve member part 9 comprises a last part 14 which is adjacent to the at least partially transparent part 13 in a direction away from the opening 10 . the last part 14 comprises the closed end . the radius of the gripping sleeve member 5 is greatest in the first part 11 near the opening 10 of the gripping sleeve member 5 . in a sub - part of the first part 11 arranged at a distance from the opening 10 and in the other parts 13 , 14 of the first gripping sleeve member part 9 the radius is constant . the gripping sleeve member 5 has a radius that is greater than the radius of the operable drug delivery device 1 . in particular , the radius of the opening 10 of the gripping sleeve member 5 is greater than the radius of the operable drug delivery device 1 taken any point along a longitudinal axis 61 of the operable drug delivery device 1 . accordingly , the gripping sleeve member 5 is configured to at least partially receive the operable drug delivery device 1 . fig3 shows the second attachment 3 comprising the guarding sleeve member 7 . the guarding sleeve member 7 comprises a first opening 15 at one end and a second opening 16 at the opposite end . the first and the second opening 15 , 16 are connected by a channel formed through the guarding sleeve member 7 . further , a window 17 is defined in the guarding sleeve member 7 . when the guarding sleeve member 7 is attached to the operable drug delivery device 1 , the window 17 of the guarding sleeve member 7 overlaps the window 40 in the housing of the operable drug delivery device 1 . further , when the guarding sleeve member 7 and the gripping sleeve member 5 are concurrently attached to the operable drug delivery device 1 , the at least partially transparent part 13 of the first gripping sleeve member part 9 overlaps the window 17 of the guarding sleeve member 7 . further , the guarding sleeve member 7 comprises a contact surface 18 arranged at the first opening 15 of the guarding sleeve member 7 . the contact surface 18 is circular shaped . when the guarding sleeve member 7 is attached to the operable drug delivery device 1 and a dose dispense operation is carried out , the contact surface 18 of the guarding sleeve member 7 may abut the skin of the patient . the contact surface 18 of the guarding sleeve member 7 is bigger than the surface of the operable drug delivery device 1 that contacts the skin of the patient if the dose dispense operation is carried out with the operable drug delivery device 1 and without the guarding sleeve member 7 . thereby , the contact surface 18 provides a more stable connection to the skin of the patient , thus increasing the usability of the kit and allowing a person with impaired finger dexterity to carry out the dose dispense operation . the guarding sleeve member 7 has a radius that is greater than the radius of the operable drug delivery device 1 . in particular , the radius of the channel through the guarding sleeve member 7 is greater than the radius of the operable drug delivery device 1 taken any point along the longitudinal axis 61 of the operable drug delivery device 1 . accordingly , the guarding sleeve member 7 is configured to at least partially receive the operable drug delivery device 1 . moreover , the radius of the gripping sleeve member 5 is greater than the radius of the guarding sleeve member 7 . accordingly , the gripping sleeve member 5 is configured to at least partially receive the guarding sleeve member 7 . in particular , when both attachments 2 , 3 are attached to the operable drug delivery device 1 , the gripping sleeve member 5 partly receives the guarding sleeve member 7 . fig4 shows a kit comprising the operable drug delivery device 1 and the second attachment 3 comprising the guarding sleeve member 7 . in fig4 , the guarding sleeve member 7 is not attached to the operable drug delivery device 1 . to attach the guarding sleeve member 7 to the operable drug delivery device 1 , the distal end of the operable drug delivery device 1 is entered through the second opening 16 of the guarding sleeve member 7 , as indicated in fig4 . fig5 shows the kit comprising the guarding sleeve member 7 and the operable drug delivery device 1 wherein the guarding sleeve member 7 is attached to the operable drug delivery device 1 . the guarding sleeve member 7 receives a second member 8 of the operable drug delivery device 1 . in this embodiment , the second member 8 is the cartridge holder 19 . when the guarding sleeve member 7 is attached to the operable drug delivery device 1 , the guarding sleeve member 7 projects beyond the end of the operable drug delivery device 1 in the distal direction 4 . fig6 shows a more detailed view of the engagement of the guarding sleeve member 7 with the second member 8 of the operable drug delivery device 1 . in fig6 , the guarding sleeve member 7 is shown in a cross - sectional view . the guarding sleeve member 7 comprises an engagement feature 20 at its inner surface . the engagement feature 20 of the guarding sleeve member 7 comprises an indentation 21 . the indentation 21 extends in a direction from the first opening 15 towards the second opening 16 of the guarding sleeve member 7 . in particular , the indentation 21 is formed by a first wall 22 facing towards the first opening 15 and a second wall 23 facing towards the second opening 16 . the first wall 22 defining the indentation 21 is formed as a smooth curve . the second wall 23 defining the indentation 21 is arranged at an angle in the range of 70 ° to 130 ° to the end of the first wall 22 , thereby forming a sharp edge . the engagement feature 20 of the guarding sleeve member 7 defines a pull out end stop feature 24 . in particular , the second wall 23 formed as a sharp edge defines the pull out end stop feature 24 . the pull out end stop feature 24 prevents an axial movement of the guarding sleeve member 7 relative to the second member 8 in the distal direction 4 when the guarding sleeve member 7 is engaged with the second member 8 . further , the second member 8 of the operable drug delivery device 1 comprises a corresponding engagement feature 25 . the engagement feature 25 of the second member 8 comprises a protrusion 26 . the engagement feature 25 of the second member 8 has a distal face 27 and a proximal face 28 . the distal face 27 of the engagement feature 25 of the second member 8 is arranged at a smooth angle relative to the longitudinal axis 61 of the operable drug delivery device 1 in the range of 5 ° to 60 °. accordingly , the distal face 27 of the engagement feature 25 of the second member 8 is formed such that the guarding sleeve member 7 is allowed to slide over the engagement feature 25 of the second member 8 in a proximal direction 62 . further , the proximal face 28 of the engagement feature 25 of the second member 8 is tapered relative to the longitudinal axis 61 of the operable drug delivery device 1 in a steep angle , e . g . an angle in the range of 80 ° to 150 °. accordingly , the proximal face 28 of the engagement feature 25 of the second member 8 is formed such that the guarding sleeve member 7 is prevented from sliding over the engagement feature 25 of the second member 8 in the distal direction 4 once the engagement features 20 , 25 of the guarding sleeve member 7 and of the second member 8 are engaged with each other . the engagement features 20 , 25 of the guarding sleeve member 7 and of the second member 8 are configured to be engaged with each other by a snap - fit connection . when engagement features 20 , 25 of the guarding sleeve member 7 and of the second member 8 are engaged with each other , the guarding sleeve member 7 is prevented from rotating or moving axially relative to the second member 8 of the operable drug delivery device 1 . as discussed above , when the guarding sleeve member 7 is engaged with the second member 8 , an axial movement of the guarding sleeve member 7 relative to the second member 8 in the distal direction 4 is prevented by an abutment of the proximal face 28 of the engagement feature 25 of the second member 8 and the pull out end stop feature 24 defined by the engagement feature 20 of the guarding sleeve member 7 . moreover , the guarding sleeve member 7 comprises a push in end stop feature 29 which limits the distance by which the second member 8 of the operable drug delivery device 1 can be moved relative to the guarding sleeve member 7 in the distal direction 4 . the push in end stop feature 29 comprises an abutment surface 30 . the second member comprises a corresponding abutment surface 31 . when the second member 8 has been moved relative to the guarding sleeve member 7 by the maximum allowed distance in the distal direction 4 , the push in end stop feature 29 of the guarding sleeve member 7 abuts the abutment surface 31 of the second member 8 , thereby preventing further axial movement of the guarding sleeve member 7 relative to the second member 8 in the proximal direction . the guarding sleeve member 7 is dimensioned such that the push in end stop feature 29 abuts the abutment surface 31 of the second member 8 in the relative position in which the engagement features 20 , 25 of the guarding sleeve member 7 and the second member 8 are engaged with each other . thus , the guarding sleeve member 7 is prevented from moving axially relative to the second member 8 of the operable drug delivery device 1 in this position . further , the engagement features 20 , 25 of the guarding sleeve member 7 and of the second member 8 are configured such that a rotational movement of the guarding sleeve member 7 relative to the second member 8 is prevented when the engagement features 20 , 25 are engaged with each other . in particular , the engagement features 20 , 25 are not rotary symmetric . fig7 shows the kit comprising the operable drug delivery device 1 , the first attachment 2 comprising the gripping sleeve member 5 and the second attachment 3 comprising the guarding sleeve member 7 . in fig7 , the guarding sleeve member 7 is engaged with the second member 8 of the operable drug delivery device 1 . the gripping sleeve member 5 is not attached to the operable drug delivery device 1 . to attach the gripping sleeve member 5 to the operable drug delivery device 1 , the operable drug delivery device 1 is inserted into the opening 10 of the gripping sleeve member 5 . fig8 shows the gripping sleeve member 5 being attached to the operable drug delivery device 1 . fig9 shows a detailed cross - sectional view of the gripping sleeve member 5 being attached to the operable drug delivery device 1 . the gripping sleeve member 5 comprises an engagement feature 32 . the engagement feature 32 of the gripping sleeve member 5 is arranged at an inner surface of the gripping sleeve member 5 . the engagement feature 32 of the gripping sleeve member 5 is arranged at an end opposite to the opening 10 of the gripping sleeve member 5 . the engagement feature 32 of the gripping sleeve member 5 comprises a projecting element 33 . the first member 6 of the operable drug delivery device 1 comprises an engagement feature 34 . the engagement feature 32 of the gripping sleeve member 5 is configured to be engaged with the engagement feature 34 of the first member 6 . the engagement feature 34 of the first member 6 comprises a recess 35 . when the engagement features 32 , 34 of the gripping sleeve member 5 and of the first member 6 are engaged with each other , the gripping sleeve member 5 is prevented from rotating relative to the first member 6 . further , the gripping sleeve member 5 is prevented from moving axially relative to the first member 6 when the engagement features 32 , 34 of the gripping sleeve member 5 and of the first member 6 are engaged with each other . the engagement features 32 , 34 of the gripping sleeve member 5 and of the first member 6 are configured to be engaged with each other by a snap - fit engagement . in the following , a dose setting operation and a dose dispense operation is considered for the operable drug delivery device 1 not being engaged with the first or the second attachment 2 , 3 . to set a dose in the operable drug delivery device 1 not being engaged with any of the attachments 2 , 3 , the user has to rotate the first member 6 , i . e . the dose dial member , relative to the body . thereby , the dose dial member is concurrently moved in the proximal direction 62 relative to the housing of the operable drug delivery device 1 . in order to deliver a dose in the operable drug delivery device 1 not being engaged with any of the attachments 2 , 3 , the user has to push the dose dial member in the distal direction 4 relative to the housing . fig1 shows a dose setting operation for a kit comprising the operable drug delivery device 1 , the first attachment 2 and the second attachment 3 . to set a dose , the user rotates the gripping sleeve member 5 relative to the guarding sleeve member 7 . as the first member 6 , in this case the dose dial member , is engaged with the gripping sleeve member 5 and the second member 8 , i . e . the cartridge holder , is engaged with the guarding sleeve member 7 , the first member 6 is thereby rotated relative to the second member 8 . thus , the first member 6 is also moved in the proximal direction 62 relative to the second member 8 . thereby , the gripping sleeve member 5 is moved in the proximal direction relative to the guarding sleeve member 7 . fig1 shows the dose delivery operation for the kit . to deliver a dose , the gripping sleeve member 5 is moved axially in the distal direction 4 relative to the guarding sleeve member 7 . as the gripping sleeve member 5 and the first member 6 are engaged with each other , the axial movement of the gripping sleeve member 5 is transferred into an axial movement of the first member 6 relative to the second member 8 and thus , a dose is delivered . fig1 shows the first attachment 2 according to a second embodiment . according to the second embodiment , the gripping sleeve member 5 comprises the first gripping sleeve member part 9 and a second gripping sleeve member part 36 . the first gripping sleeve member part 9 comprises the engagement features 34 ( not shown in fig1 ) at its inner surface . the first gripping sleeve member part 9 is rotatable relative to the second gripping sleeve member part 36 . further , the first gripping sleeve member part 9 is prevented from moving axially relative to the second gripping sleeve member part 36 . the second gripping sleeve member part 36 comprises the opening 10 of the gripping sleeve member 5 . the second gripping sleeve member part 36 comprises a first alignment feature 37 . the alignment feature 37 comprises a slot at an inner surface of the second gripping sleeve member part 36 . fig1 shows the second attachment 3 comprising the guarding sleeve member 7 according to the second embodiment . fig1 and 15 show an engagement of the gripping sleeve member 5 with a kit comprising the operable drug delivery device 1 and the second attachment 3 . the operable drug delivery device 1 comprises a second alignment feature 38 . a lens 39 covering the window 40 in the housing 41 of the operable drug delivery device 1 forms a protrusion which forms the second alignment feature 38 . the first alignment feature 37 of the second gripping sleeve member part 36 cooperates with the second alignment feature 38 of the operable drug delivery device 1 . when the first and the second alignment features 37 , 38 are engaged with each other , an axial movement of the second gripping sleeve member part 36 relative to the housing 41 of the operable drug delivery device 1 is permitted . the first and second alignment feature 37 , 38 being engaged with each other prevent a rotation of the second gripping sleeve member part 36 relative to the housing 41 of the operable drug delivery device 1 . in an alternative design , the guarding sleeve member 7 may comprise the second alignment feature 38 . in particular , the second alignment feature 38 may be formed by a protrusion of the guarding sleeve member 38 being configured to be engaged with the first alignment feature 37 of the second gripping sleeve member part 36 . an engagement of the first alignment feature 37 of the second gripping sleeve member part 36 with the second alignment feature 38 of the guarding sleeve member 7 provides a rotational constrain for the second gripping sleeve member part 36 . in particular , thereby , a rotation of the second gripping sleeve member part 36 relative to the guarding sleeve member 7 may be prevented . further , if the second alignment feature 38 is formed by the guarding sleeve member 7 , the lens 39 of the operable drug delivery device 1 is better protected against being damaged by the first alignment feature 37 in case of a misuse . fig1 shows a cap member 42 being engageable to the guarding sleeve member 7 . fig1 shows the cap member 42 being engaged to the kit comprising the operable drug delivery device 1 , the first attachment 2 and the second attachment 3 . the first opening 15 of the guarding sleeve member 7 defines an opening of the kit at the distal end . the cap member 42 is configured to close the opening 15 by engaging with the guarding sleeve member 7 . the cap member 42 , the first attachment 2 and the second attachment 3 form a cavity configured to receive the operable drug delivery device 1 such that the operable drug delivery device 1 may be arranged in the cavity . accordingly , the cap member 42 allows the kit to be transported by a user in the same way as a normal drug delivery device is carried . the cap member 42 has a diameter which is larger than the diameter of the operable drug delivery device 1 . further , the cap member 42 comprises curved edge features 43 . the curved edge features 43 allow easily gripping the cap member 42 . accordingly , the cap member 42 can easily be attached to the guarding sleeve member 7 and removed from the guarding sleeve member 7 , even by persons with impaired finger dexterity . fig1 shows a dose setting operation in the kit according to the second embodiment . further , fig1 shows the kit before a dose is set and fig2 shows the kit after the dose is set . to set a dose , the first gripping sleeve member part 9 is rotated relative to the second gripping sleeve member part 36 . the first member 6 of the operable drug delivery device 1 , i . e . the dose dial member , is rotationally locked to the first gripping sleeve member part 9 . further , the second gripping sleeve member part 36 is prevented from rotating relative to the housing 41 of the operable drug delivery device 1 due to the engagement of the first and the second alignment feature 37 , 38 . accordingly , a rotation of the first gripping sleeve member part 9 relative to the second gripping sleeve member part 36 results in the first member 6 of the operable drug delivery device 1 being rotated relative to the housing 41 of the operable drug delivery device 1 . further , the first member 6 is concurrently to its rotational movement moved axially in the proximal direction 62 relative to the housing 41 . thus , the first gripping sleeve member part 9 also moves axially in the proximal direction 62 relative to the second gripping sleeve member part 36 . moreover , the first gripping sleeve member part 9 moves axially in the proximal direction 62 relative to the housing 41 . furthermore , the first gripping sleeve member part 9 moves axially in the proximal direction 62 relative to the second attachment 3 . during the dose setting operation , the second gripping sleeve member part 36 does not rotate relative to the housing 41 of the operable drug delivery device 1 . the second gripping sleeve member part 36 moves out axially in the proximal direction 62 relative to the housing 41 of the operable drug delivery device 1 because the second gripping sleeve member part 36 is connected to the first gripping sleeve member part 9 such that a relative axial movement between the first and the second gripping sleeve member part 9 , 36 is prevented . in particular , the second gripping sleeve member part 36 is moved from a first position to a second position relative to the housing 41 wherein the second position is proximal to the first position . the first position corresponds to no dose being set and the second position corresponds to a dose set position . the second gripping sleeve member part 36 comprises the at least partially transparent part 13 of the gripping sleeve member 5 . the at least partially transparent part 13 of the gripping sleeve member 5 overlaps the window 40 in the housing 41 of the operable drug delivery device 1 . the at least partially transparent part 13 overlaps the window 40 in each of the first and the second position of the second gripping sleeve member part 36 . alternatively or additionally , a window 44 may be defined in the second gripping sleeve member part 36 . even though the second gripping sleeve member part 36 is moved axially relative to the housing 41 during the dose setting operation , the window 44 in the second gripping sleeve member part 36 remains in overlap with the window 40 in the housing 41 of the operable drug delivery device 1 because the window 44 is designed sufficiently big . moreover , during dose setting , the guarding sleeve member 7 moves relative to the gripping sleeve member 5 in the distal direction 4 . fig2 shows the kit in a state wherein the dose is set . the first attachment 2 is shown in a cross - sectional view in fig2 . in the dose set state , the first member 6 of the operable drug delivery device 1 is arranged in a distance axially away from the housing 41 of the operable drug delivery device 1 . fig2 and 23 show a dose dispense operation of the kit . to dispense the dose , the gripping sleeve member 5 is moved axially in the distal direction 4 relative to the guarding sleeve member 7 . as the first gripping sleeve member part 9 and the first member 6 are prevented from moved relative to each other , the axial motion of the first gripping sleeve member part 9 is transferred into a movement of the first member 6 and a dose is thereby delivered . the second gripping sleeve member part 36 follows the axial movement of the first gripping sleeve member part 9 . in particular , the second gripping sleeve member part 36 does not rotate during the dose dispense operation . thus , the second gripping sleeve member part 36 can comfortably be held in a full hand grip . fig2 shows the kit comprising the operable drug delivery device 1 and the two attachments 2 , 3 according to a third embodiment . in fig2 the first and the second attachment 2 , 3 are shown in an exploded view . according to the third embodiment , the guarding sleeve member 7 of the second attachment 3 comprises a first guarding sleeve member part 45 and a second guarding sleeve member part 46 . the first and the second guarding sleeve member parts 45 , 46 each comprised a thread 47 such that the first and the second guarding sleeve member parts 45 , 46 are configured to be threadedly engaged with each other . fig2 shows an engagement of the guarding sleeve member 7 according to the third embodiment to the operable drug delivery device 1 . the first and the second guarding sleeve member parts 45 , 46 are each be inserted on either side of the operable drug delivery device 1 and than to threadedly engaged with each other . the first and the second guarding sleeve member part 45 , 46 are dimensioned such that the guarding sleeve member 7 and the operable drug delivery device 1 are prevented from moving axially relative to each other when the first and the second guarding sleeve member part 45 , 46 are engaged with each other . further , the second guarding sleeve member part 46 comprises a slot ( not shown ). the lens 39 of the drug delivery device 1 engages with the slot in the second guarding sleeve member part 46 to restrain a rotational movement of the guarding sleeve member 7 relative to the operable drug delivery device 1 when the first and the second guarding sleeve member parts 45 , 46 are engaged with each other . alternatively , the third embodiment of the kit may be combined with the guarding sleeve member 7 according to the previous embodiments . this guarding sleeve member 7 consists only of the first guarding sleeve member part 45 which is engageable with the second member 7 by an engagement of the engagement features 20 , 25 . fig2 shows the operable drug delivery device 1 with the guarding sleeve member 7 attached . fig2 shows the first attachment 2 according to the third embodiment . to assemble the first attachment 2 to the operable drug delivery device 1 with the guarding sleeve member 7 attached , the operable drug delivery device 1 is moved into the opening 10 of the gripping sleeve member 5 . according to the third embodiment , the guarding sleeve member 7 comprises a first orientation member 48 . further , the second gripping sleeve member part 36 comprises a second orientation member 49 . the first orientation member 48 of the guarding sleeve member 7 is a protrusion arranged at an outer surface of the guarding sleeve member 7 . the protrusion extends in an axial direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the guarding sleeve member 7 . the second orientation member 49 of the second gripping sleeve member part 36 is a slot arranged at an inner surface of the second gripping sleeve member part 36 . the first and the second orientation member 48 , 49 are configured to be engageable with each other only when the guarding sleeve member 7 and the second gripping sleeve member part 36 are oriented relative to each other in a predetermined rotational position . further , an engagement of the first and the second orientation member 48 , 49 prevents a relative rotational movement between the guarding sleeve member 7 and the second gripping sleeve member part 36 . fig2 shows the first gripping sleeve member part 9 comprising a button 63 and a button sleeve 64 . in an alternative embodiment , the button and the button sleeve may be formed integrally by a single piece . as shown in fig2 , the first attachment 2 further comprises a spring member 50 . further , the first attachment 2 comprises a torque limiting mechanism 51 . the torque limiting mechanism 51 defines a maximum allowed torque . the torque limiting mechanism 51 comprises a clutch member 52 . in the exploded view of fig2 , the clutch member 52 and the spring member 50 are arranged between the first and the second gripping sleeve member part 9 , 36 . when the first attachment 2 is assembled to the operable drug delivery device , the clutch member 52 abuts an inner surface of the first gripping member part 9 and an outer surface of the first member 6 . the clutch member 52 comprises an engagement feature 53 , e . g . a clutch arm . the engagement feature 53 of the clutch member 52 may be configured to engage with the engagement feature 34 of the first member 6 of the operable drug delivery device 1 . in particular , the engagement features 53 of the clutch member 52 and of the first member 6 are configured to be connected by a snap - fit connection . fig2 shows a cross sectional view of the kit according to the third embodiment wherein the first attachment 2 is attached to the operable drug delivery device 1 . to engage the first attachment 2 with the first member 6 of the operable drug delivery device 1 , the operable drug delivery device 1 is moved into the opening 10 of the first attachment 2 . when the first member 6 abuts the clutch member 52 , the first member 6 distorts the engagement feature 53 of the clutch member 52 . in particular , the first member 6 moves the engagement features 53 of the clutch member 52 outwards in a direction away from the longitudinal axis 61 of the operable drug delivery device 1 . when the first member 6 is moved further in the proximal direction 62 relative to the clutch member 52 , the engagement feature 53 of the clutch member 52 engages the engagement feature 34 of the first member 6 , thereby preventing a further rotational or axial movement of the first member 6 and the clutch member 52 . in particular , the engagement feature 53 of the clutch member 52 snaps into a snap - fit engagement with the engagement feature 34 of the first member 6 . when the engagement features 53 , 34 of the clutch member 52 and the first member 6 are engaged with each other , the clutch arms are snap fitted into the recess 35 of the first member 6 . the spring member 50 is arranged such that one end of the spring member 50 abuts the clutch member 52 and the other end of the spring member 53 abuts the second gripping sleeve member part 36 . once the gripping sleeve member 5 is assembled to the operable drug delivery device 1 , the spring member 50 exerts a force on the clutch member 52 in a direction away from the second gripping sleeve member part 36 , thereby ensuring constant contact between the clutch member 52 and the first member 6 . in contrast to the first and the second embodiment , the third embodiment is configured such that the gripping sleeve member 5 may be disengaged from the first member 6 of the drug delivery device 1 without damaging one of the members of the kit . the first attachment 2 comprises a first disengagement feature 54 . the first disengagement feature 54 has a first and a second position . fig2 shows the kit in a state wherein the first disengagement feature 54 is in its first position . fig2 shows the kit when the first disengagement feature 54 is moved into its second position . the first disengagement feature 54 is a feature of the clutch member 52 . in particular , the first disengagement feature 54 is formed by a tapered end face of the engagement feature 53 of the clutch member 52 . however , in an alternative embodiment of the first attachment , the first disengagement feature 54 may be a feature of the first gripping sleeve member part 9 . in particular , the first gripping sleeve member part 9 may have a tapered surface forming the first disengagement feature 54 . in the first position of the first disengagement feature 54 , the first disengagement feature 54 is configured not to disengage the gripping sleeve member 5 from the first member 6 of the operable drug delivery device 1 . the first position corresponds to the engagement feature 53 of the clutch member 52 not being bent outwards in a direction away from the longitudinal axis 61 of the operable drug delivery device 1 . in the second position of the first disengagement feature 54 , the first disengagement feature 54 is configured to disengage the gripping sleeve member 5 from the first member 6 of the operable drug delivery device 1 . the second position of the first disengagement feature 54 corresponds to the engagement feature 53 of the clutch member 52 being disengaged from the engagement feature 34 of the first member 6 . accordingly , the clutch arms are bent outwards in a radial direction away from the longitudinal axis 61 of the operable drug delivery device 1 . as shown in fig2 , the spring member 50 applying a force onto the clutch member 52 in a direction away from the second gripping sleeve member part 36 tends to move the disengagement feature 54 into its first position . to move the first disengagement feature 54 into its second position , the first and the second gripping sleeve member parts 9 , 36 have to be moved towards each other overcoming the force applied by the spring member 50 . the second gripping sleeve member part 36 comprises a second disengagement feature 55 . the second disengagement feature 55 is formed by a tapered surface of the second gripping sleeve member part 36 . the tapered surface is arranged at a distance towards the first disengagement feature 54 in the first position of the first disengagement feature 54 . the second gripping sleeve member part 36 is configured such that an axial movement of the first gripping sleeve member part 9 towards the second gripping sleeve member part 36 engages the second disengagement feature 55 to the first disengagement feature 54 , thereby moving the first disengagement feature 54 into its second position . this is shown in fig2 . when the engagement feature 53 of the clutch member 52 is disengaged from the engagement feature 34 of the first member 6 , the spring member 50 pushes the clutch member 52 in the proximal direction , thereby moving the first gripping sleeve member part 9 away from the operable drug delivery device 1 and releasing the engagement of the first gripping sleeve member part 9 and the clutch member 52 to the operable drug delivery device 1 . further , the engagement of the second gripping sleeve member part 36 with the operable drug delivery device 1 is also released . the dose setting and the dose delivery operation are carried out in the same way as described above with respect to the first embodiment . a dose is set by rotating the first gripping sleeve member part 9 relative to the second gripping sleeve member part 36 . during dose setting , the guarding sleeve member 7 moves relative to the gripping sleeve member 5 in the distal direction 4 . due to the engagement of the orientation features 48 , 49 between the guarding sleeve member 7 and the second gripping sleeve member part 36 , the second gripping sleeve member part 36 and the guarding sleeve member 7 can only move axially relative to each other . fig3 shows the first member 6 of the operable drug delivery device 1 . fig3 shows the clutch member 52 . when rotating the first gripping sleeve member part 9 , the rotation is transmitted from the first gripping sleeve member part 9 to the clutch member 52 . the clutch member 52 comprises a projection 56 at its inner surface that is in abutment with the recess 35 of the first member 6 of the operable drug delivery device 1 . in particular , the projection 56 of the clutch member 52 fits into the recessed part 35 of the first member 6 enabling a transmission of the rotational movement of the first gripping sleeve member part 9 to the clutch member 52 and then to the first member 6 of the operable drug delivery device 1 . accordingly , the projection 56 of the clutch member 52 corresponds to the engagement feature 53 of the clutch member 52 . further , the recess 35 of the first member 6 corresponds to the engagement feature 34 of the first member 6 . fig3 shows an engagement of the engagement feature 53 of the clutch member 52 with the engagement feature 34 of the first member 6 . each of the engagement feature 53 of the clutch member 52 and the engagement feature 34 of the first member 6 has a face 58 , 59 which is arranged in an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the drug delivery device 1 in the range of 10 to 80 ° when the first attachment 2 is attached to the operable drug delivery device 1 . if a torque is applied to the first gripping sleeve member part 9 , and thereby to the clutch member 52 , which is greater than the allowed maximum torque , the tapered faces 58 , 59 of the engagement feature 53 of the clutch member 52 and the engagement feature 34 of the first member 6 slide over each other , thereby disengaging the clutch member 52 from the first member 6 . accordingly , in this case , the clutch member 52 is rotated relative to the first member 6 . thus , the number of set doses is not altered as the first member 6 is not moved . thereby , the torque limiting mechanism 51 prevents a torque being greater than the allowed maximum torque from being applied to the first member 6 of the operable drug delivery device 1 . fig3 shows the clutch member 52 and the first member 6 being engaged with each other . fig3 shows the clutch member 52 and the first member 6 being disengaged from each other . if the clutch member 52 is rotated in the direction of the input torque and the clutch member 52 is disengaged from the first member 6 by the torque limiting mechanism 51 , the tapered faces 58 , 59 between the clutch member 52 and the first member 6 force the clutch member 52 further to move axially towards the spring member 50 , thereby compressing the spring member 50 . once the clutch member 52 is disengaged from the first member 6 , torque is not transmitted to the first member 6 by a rotation of the clutch member 52 until the clutch member 52 reengages with the next engagement feature 60 of the first member 6 . | US-201414770851-A |
the muscle training apparatus includes : conductors to be mounted on a body of a user ; an operation section for receiving an instruction from the user ; a memory section for storing a current - and - frequency - correlation data which indicates a relationship between a magnitude of an electrical stimulation signal and a supply frequency of the electrical stimulation signal ; a control section for determining the supply frequency based on the magnitude of the electrical stimulation signal input from the operation section , and the current - and - frequency - correlation data ; and an electrical stimulation output section for generating the electrical stimulation signal based on the magnitude of the electrical stimulation signal and the supply frequency of the electrical stimulation signal which are instructed by the control section , and generating an interference wave by providing the electrical stimulation signal to the body of the user via the conductors . | one embodiment of the present invention will be explained below with reference to figures . fig1 shows a constitution of a muscle training apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment . a control section 3 has a function for controlling the muscle training apparatus 1 ( details thereof will be explained later ). an electrical stimulation output section 2 generates an electrical stimulation signal based on an instruction from the control section 3 , and then applies the electrical stimulation signal between conductors 7 a and 7 c . the electrical stimulation output section 2 also applies the electrical stimulation signal between conductors 7 b and 7 d . the conductors 7 a to 7 d are pads for supplying current generated by the electrical stimulation output section 2 to a body of a user ; and as shown in fig6 , the conductors 7 a to 7 d are used by pasting them on at positions which correspond to the places of the muscles which the user wishes to exercise ( hereinafter “ exercised part ”). when the user performs exercise by pasting the conductors 7 a to 7 d on the exercised part as shown in fig6 , if , for example , current having supply frequency of 1000 hz is applied between the conductors 7 a and 7 c , while current having supply frequency of 990 hz is applied between the conductors 7 b and 7 d , then interference waves having frequency of 10 hz are generated at positions a to d as shown in fig7 , and muscles at the positions a to d are exercised . a controller ( an operation section ) 4 shown in fig4 receives an instruction from the user of the muscle training apparatus 1 , and then outputs the instruction to the control section 3 . the user can set , by inputting his or her instruction into the controller 4 , such that the muscle training apparatus 1 outputs an electrical stimulation signal having an output power of , for example , 10 na to 80 ma . a memory section 5 stores a current - and - frequency - correlation data ( refer to fig2 ) which indicates a relationship between the magnitude of the electrical stimulation signal and the supply frequency of the electrical stimulation signal . the supply frequency of the current - and - frequency - correlation data indicates an actual frequency of the electrical stimulation signal generated by the electrical stimulation output section 2 . a display section 6 displays the magnitude of the electrical stimulation signal output from the muscle training apparatus 1 , etc ., based on an output from the control section 3 . next , an operation of the muscle training apparatus 1 will be explained below . fig3 shows a process to be performed in the muscle training apparatus 1 . firstly , the user of the muscle training apparatus 1 pastes the conductors 7 a to 7 d on the exercised part of his or her body , and then inputs an instruction for starting the exercise , to the controller 4 . the control section 3 of the muscle training apparatus 1 receives the instruction from the user via the controller 4 , and then reads the above - mentioned current - and - frequency - correlation data shown in fig2 , from the memory section 5 . then , the control section 3 decides that current of the weakest level ( the weakest magnitude ) should be supplied into the body of the user since the current state is at the beginning of the exercising . furthermore , the control section 3 outputs the followings ( i ) to ( iii ) to the electrical stimulation output section 2 . that is , ( i ) the weakest current of “ 10 ma ” based on the current - and - frequency - correlation data , ( ii ) the supply frequency of “ 600 hz ” which can be obtained from the current - and - frequency - correlation data as the corresponding supply frequency with respect to the current of “ 10 na ”, and ( iii ) minimum value of “ 0 hz ” being a minimum value of the interference wave which is actually applied to the muscles of the user . as explained above , the control section 3 instructs the electrical stimulation output section 2 of start supplying current ( in step s 01 of fig3 ). furthermore , control section 3 sends the current status ( i . e ., current is 10 ma and the frequency of the interference wave is 0 hz ) to the display section 6 for displaying it . then , the control section 3 waits for the next instruction from the user . following the instruction from the control section 3 , the electrical stimulation output section 2 generates an electrical stimulation signal having current of 10 ma and the supply frequency of 600 hz , and then supplies the electrical stimulation signal to the conductors 7 a to 7 d . at this time , since the supply frequencies of the electrical stimulation signals transmitted to the conductors 7 a to 7 d from the electrical stimulation output section 2 are the same each other , the interference waves will not be generated within the body of the user . moreover , the electrical stimulation signal generated by the electrical stimulation output section 2 does not start from current of 10 na and the supply frequency of 600 hz ; however , the electrical stimulation signal starts from current of 0 ma and the supply frequency of 600 hz , and then gradually increases to current of 10 ma and the supply frequency of 600 hz within a predetermined time . next , a case in which the user inputted the controller 4 for increasing the frequency of the interference wave to 10 hz , will be explained below . the control section 3 receives the above - mentioned input from the user via the controller 4 , and if the control section 3 has decided that there is no need to increase the supply frequency in order to increase the interference wave to 10 hz , then the control section 3 sends a signal for increasing the frequency of the interference wave to 10 hz , to the electrical stimulation output section 2 ( in step s 02 of fig3 ). in addition , the control section 3 outputs the current status ( i . e ., current is 10 na and the frequency of the interference wave is 10 hz ) to the display section 6 for displaying it . then the controller 3 waits for the next instruction from the user . following an instruction from the control section 3 , the electrical stimulation output section 2 changes the current which has been currently supplied , within a predetermined time . that is , the supply frequency of the electrical stimulation signals which has been currently supplied to the conductors 7 b and 7 d are decreased to 590 hz by gradually decreasing 10 hz , while maintaining the supply frequency of the electrical stimulation signals which has been currently supplied to the conductors 7 a and 7 c at 600 hz . the conductors 7 a to 7 d receive the electrical stimulation signals and supply the electrical stimulation signals to the exercised parts of the user . as the result , the body of the user senses the interference waves , and thereby starting the exercise . next , a case in which the user inputted an instruction into the controller 4 for increasing current of the interference wave to 30 ma , will be explained below . if the control section 3 received the instruction from the user via the controller 4 ( in step s 03 of fig3 ), then the control section 3 refers to the above - mentioned current - and - frequency - correlation data ( in step s 04 of fig3 ), and instructs to the electrical stimulation signal output section 2 in order to increase the output power by outputting current of 30 ma and the supply frequency of 2000 hz to the electrical stimulation signal output section 2 , and thereby instructs increasing the output power . in addition , the control section 3 outputs the current status ( i . e ., current is 30 ma and the frequency of the interference wave is 10 hz ) to the display section 6 for displaying it . then the controller 3 waits for the next instruction from the user . when each size of the conductors 7 a to 7 d is termed as “ t ” while each of the supply frequency applied to the conductors 7 a to 7 d is termed as “ c ”, the skin resistance of a human can be defined as “ 1 /( 2πtc )”. therefore , the skin resistance can be decreased by increasing the supply frequency c along with the rise of the output power of the electrical stimulation signal . moreover , it is known that , for example , increasing the supply frequency from 100 hz to 1000 hz results in much milder stimulation to the skin than the case in which the supply frequency is increased from 10 hz to 100 hz , although both cases are the same in that the increase is 10 times . in the above - mentioned processes by the control section 3 , since the supply frequency is increased from 600 hz to 2000 hz , much milder stimulation to the skin can be obtained than the case in which the supply frequency is increased from 10 hz to 100 hz . if the electrical stimulation output section 2 receives an instruction from the control section 3 , then the electrical stimulation output section 2 transmits a signal for gradually increasing , within a predetermined time , the output power and the supply frequency of the electrical stimulation signal to be generated , to the conductors 7 a to 7 d ( in step s 05 of fig3 ). at this time , in a manner similar to that as explained above , the electrical stimulation output section 2 provides a difference between ( i ) the supply frequency of the electrical stimulation signal supplied between the conductors 7 a and 7 c , and ( ii ) the supply frequency of the electrical stimulation signal supplied between the conductors 7 b and 7 d . after this process , the control section 3 changes the frequencies and / or the output powers of the interference waves depending on a request from the user . while preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and illustrated above , it should be understood that this is exemplary of the invention and is not to be considered as limiting . additions , omissions , substitutions , and other modifications can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention . accordingly , the invention is not to be considered as being limited by the foregoing description , and is only limited by the scope of the appended claims . for example , the present invention may be applied to treatment devices for easing or blocking pain in muscles in this case , since higher current can be supplied into a body of a patient without severe pain in the skin of the patient , higher curative effect can be expected . in the present embodiment , a case is described where the ems is generated by using a four - electrodes - interference method in which the ems is generated by four conductors ( i . e ., the conductors 7 a to 7 d ). however , the number of the conductors is not limited to four , and may be , for example , 6 or more . in the case in which the number of the conductors is increased , further high curative effect can be expected since an area of the interference waves generated by the conductors can be broader . in addition , in the present embodiment , a case is described where the electrical stimulation signal generated by the electrical stimulation output section 2 is a signal shown in fig2 , in which the supply frequency increases in direct proportion to the output power . however , the type of the electrical stimulation signal is not limited to the signal shown in fig2 , and may be a signal in which the supply frequency is changeable by the user &# 39 ; s instruction . for example , the user may increase or decrease the magnitude of stimulation by operating the controller shown in fig4 . in this case , if the user felt pain in his or her skin , the user depresses an inverted - triangle - mark button 10 of the controller 4 shown in fig4 . this operation is detected by the control section 3 , and the control section 3 sends an instruction to the electrical stimulation output section 2 for increasing the supply frequency . as the result , the supply frequency is increased and the user &# 39 ; s pain can be decreased . when the electrical stimulation signal having the same supply frequency and the same output power is applied , some may feel pain while others do not . therefore , the user who is sensitive to the pain can decrease the pain by setting the supply frequency higher while using the muscle training apparatus 1 . in addition , in order that the user can enter the meaning indicated on the display section 6 immediately , wordings such as “ hard ”, “ mild ”, and etc ., or symbols such as face marks , etc ., may be displayed instead of displaying the number of the supply frequency . in addition , in the present embodiment , a case is described where the muscle training apparatus 1 does not include a function for performing “ warming up ” which is usually performed before the exercising or “ cool down ” which is usually performed after the exercising ; however , the muscle training apparatus 1 may include the function . in this case , damage to muscles due to a rapid exercise while performing exercise using the muscle training apparatus 1 can be effectively prevented . furthermore , in the present embodiment , a case is described where the electrical stimulation signal generated by the electrical stimulation output section 2 is a signal shown in fig2 , in which the supply frequency increases in direct proportion to the output power . however , the type of the electrical stimulation signal is not limited to the signal shown in fig2 , and may be a signal shown in fig5 , in which the supply frequency increases step - by - step for each of the predetermined output ranges . in this case , a configuration of the muscle training apparatus 1 becomes simple , and thus , the muscle training apparatus 1 can be smaller and inexpensive . | US-11256505-A |
the present invention relates to protein disulfide isomerases which are encoded by a nucleic acid sequence which hybridizes with the dna sequence of seq id no : 1 or the dna sequence of seq id no : 2 , under the following conditions : presoaking in 5 × ssc and prehybridizing for 1 h at ˜ 40 ° c . in a solution of 5 × ssc , 5 × denhardt &# 39 ; s solution , 50 mm sodium phosphate , ph 6 . 8 , and 50 μg of denatured sonicated calf thymus dna , followed by hybridization in the same solution supplemented with 50 μci 32 - p - dctp labelled probe for 18 h at ˜ 40 ° c . followed by washing three times in 2 × ssc , 0 . 2 % sds at 40 ° c . for 30 minutes ; and fragments thereof . the present invention also relates to dna sequences encoding the protein disulfide isomerases , compositions comprising said protein disulfide isomerases and methods of use thereof . | the amino acid sequence of the protein disulfide isomerase of the invention , which was isolated from a strain of the a . oryzae , has been aligned with that of protein disulfide isomerases of other origins and have been shown to have a degree of identity of about 38 % with that of saccharomyces cerevisiae ( genbank acc . no . m62815 ) and 30 % with that of alfalfa ( genbank acc . no . 11499 ). these homologies are taken to indicate that some kind of evolutionary relationship exists between protein disulfide isomerases , and that the protein disulfide isomerase of the invention may represent a distinct class of protein disulfide isomerase . it is contemplated that the protein disulfide isomerase of the invention or dna encoding the protein disulfide isomerase may be isolated from other organisms , including animals , especially a mammal , an insect , a plant or a microorganism . in the present context , especially interesting origins are bacteria and fungi , including yeasts and filamentous fungi . as indicated above the sequence of the isolated enzyme shows that the protein disulfide isomerase of the invention has two - cys - x - y - cys - subunits in positions 58 - 61 and 393 - 396 . the invention consequently also comprises active truncated forms of the enzymes of the invention , wherein at least one subunit is retained . examples hereof could be an enzyme having an amino acid sequence corresponding to the residues 20 to 100 , residues 330 to 450 , or residues 360 to 430 of the appended seq id no . 3 , or the corresponding sequence of the enzyme of the invention in question . under this aspect , the invention specifically relates to enzymes exhibiting protein disulfide isomerase activity comprising the amino acid residues 1 - 131 ( seq id no . 10 ), 1 - 141 ( seq id no . 9 ), 1 - 143 ( seq id no . 8 ), 1 - 163 ( seq id no . 7 ), 1 - 174 ( seq id no . 6 ), 1 - 281 ( seq id no . 5 ), or 25 - 225 ( seq id no . 12 ) of the amino acid sequence shown in the appended seq id no . 3 , or variants / derivatives thereof exhibiting a protein disulfide isomerase activity . further specific enzymes are enzymes exhibiting protein disulfide isomerase activity comprising the amino acid residues 1 - 115 , of the amino acid sequence shown in the appended seq id no . 3 extended with the following sequence : leu - ile - arg - glu - leu - leu - gln - glu - leu - val - asn - lys - his - leu ( seq id no . 11 ); and an enzyme comprising the amino acid residues 1 - 511 , of the amino acid sequence shown in the appended seq id no . 3 , and wherein the amino acid residue in position 511 is changed from glu to ala ( seq id no . 4 ). the dna sequence of the dna construct of the invention encoding a recombinant protein disulfide isomerase enzyme as defined above is preferably as shown in the appended seq id no . 1 ( genomic dna ) or seq id no . 2 ( cdna ). analogues of said sequences , which differ in one or more codons , but which encodes the recombinant protein disulfide isomerase are also within the invention . similar dna sequences coding for the truncated forms of the protein disulfide isomerases of the invention are also part of the invention . dna sequences therefore can be taken from seq id no . 1 , or preferably seq id no . 2 . the dna sequence of the dna construct of the invention may be isolated by well - known methods . thus , the dna sequence may , for instance , be isolated by establishing a cdna or genomic library from an organism expected to harbour the sequence , and screening for positive clones by conventional procedures . examples of such procedures are hybridization to oligonucleotide probes synthesized on the basis of the full amino acid sequence shown in seq id no . 3 , or a subsequence thereof in accordance with standard techniques ( cf . sambrook et al ., 1989 ), and / or selection for clones expressing a protein disulfide isomerase activity as defined above , and / or selection for clones producing a protein which is reactive with an antibody raised against the protein disulfide isomerase comprising the amino acid sequence shown in seq id no . 3 and in particular amino acid residues 1 - 143 thereof as shown in seq id no . 8 . a preferred method of isolating a dna construct of the invention from a cdna or genomic library is by use of polymerase chain reaction ( pcr ) using degenerate oligonucleotide probes prepared on the basis of the amino acid sequence of the protein disulfide isomerase of the invention comprising amino acid residues 1 - 515 of seq id no . 3 . for instance , the pcr may be carried out using the techniques described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 683 , 202 or by r . k . saiki et al . ( 1988 ). alternatively , the dna sequence of the dna construct of the invention may be prepared synthetically by established standard methods , e . g . the phosphoamidite method described by beaucage and caruthers ( 1981 ), or the method described by matthes et al . ( 1984 ). according to the phosphoamidite method , oligonucleotides are synthesized , e . g . in an automatic dna synthesizer , purified , annealed , ligated and cloned in appropriate vectors . finally , the dna construct may be of mixed genomic and synthetic , mixed synthetic and cdna or mixed genomic and cdna origin prepared by ligating fragments of synthetic , genomic or cdna origin ( as appropriate ), the fragments corresponding to various parts of the entire recombinant dna molecule , in accordance with standard techniques . dna constructs coding for the truncated forms of the enzyme of the invention may naturally be made in corresponding ways . the recombinant expression vector carrying the dna construct of the invention may be any vector which may conveniently be subjected to recombinant dna procedures , and the choice of vector will often depend on the host cell into which it is to be introduced . thus , the vector may be an autonomously replicating vector , i . e . a vector which exists as an extrachromosomal entity , the replication of which is independent of chromosomal replication , e . g . a plasmid , a bacteriophage or an extrachromosomal element , minichromosome or an artificial chromosome . alternatively , the vector may be one which , when introduced into a host cell , is integrated into the host cell genome and replicated together with the chromosome ( s ) into which it has been integrated . in the vector , the dna sequence should be operably connected to a suitable promoter sequence . the promoter may be any dna sequence which shows transcriptional activity in the host cell of choice and may be derived from genes encoding proteins either homologous or heterologous to the host cell . examples of suitable promoters for directing the transcription of the dna construct of the invention , especially in a bacterial host , are the promoter of the lac operon of e . coli , the streptomyces coelicolor agarase gene daga promoters , the promoters of the bacillus lichenifornis α - amylase gene ( amyl ), the promoters of the bacillus stearothermophilus maltogenic amylase gene ( amym ), the promoters of the bacillus amyloliquefaciens α - amylase ( amyq ), the promoters of the bacillus subtilis xyla and xylb genes etc . for transcription in a fungal host , examples of useful promoters are those derived from the gene encoding a . oryzae taka amylase , rhizomucor miehei aspartic proteinase , a . niger neutral α - amylase , a . niger acid stable a - amylase , a . niger glucoamylase , rhizomucor miehei lipase , a . oryzae alkaline protease , a . oryzae triose phosphate isomerase or a . nidulans acetamidase . the expression vector of the invention may also comprise a suitable transcription terminator and , in eukaryotes , polyadenylation sequences operably connected to the dna sequence encoding the recombinant protein disulfide isomerase of the invention . termination and polyadenylation sequences may suitably be derived from the same sources as the promoter . the vector may further comprise a dna sequence enabling the vector to replicate in the host cell in question . examples of such sequences are the origins of replication of plasmids puc19 , pacyc177 , pub110 , pe194 , pamb1 and pij702 . the vector may also comprise a selectable marker , e . g . a gene the product of which complements a defect in the host cell , such as the dal genes from b . subtilis or b . licheniformis , or one which confers antibiotic resistance such as ampicillin , kanamycin , chloramphenicol or tetracyclin resistance . examples of aspergillus selection markers include amds , argb , niad and sc , a marker giving rise to hygromycin resistance . furthermore , the selection may be accomplished by co - transformation , e . g . as described in wo 91 / 17243 . while intracellular expression may be advantageous in some respects , e . g . when using certain bacteria as host cells , it is generally preferred that the expression is extracellular . the protein disulfide isomerase of the invention or truncated forms thereof comprising the amino acid sequences shown in the seq id nos . 3 to 12 may furthermore comprise a preregion permitting secretion of the expressed protein disulfide isomerase into the culture medium . if desirable , this preregion may be native to the protein disulfide isomerase of the invention or substituted with a different preregion or signal sequence , conveniently accomplished by substitution of the dna sequences encoding the respective preregions . the procedures used to ligate the dna construct of the invention , the promoter , terminator and other elements , respectively , and to insert them into suitable vectors containing the information necessary for replication , are well known to persons skilled in the art ( cf ., for instance , sambrook et al . ( 1989 )). the cell of the invention either comprising a dna construct or an expression vector of the invention as defined above is advantageously used as a host cell in the recombinant production of a polypeptide of the invention . the cell may be transformed with the dna construct of the invention , conveniently by integrating the dna construct in the host chromosome . this integration is generally considered to be an advantage as the dna sequence is more likely to be stably maintained in the cell . integration of the dna constructs into the host chromosome may be performed according to conventional methods , e . g . by homologous or heterologous recombination . alternatively , the cell may be transformed with an expression vector as described above in connection with the different types of host cells . the cell of the invention may be a cell of a higher organism such as a mammal , an avian , an insect , or a plant cell , but is preferably a microbial cell , e . g . a bacterial or a fungal ( including yeast ) cell . examples of suitable bacteria are gram positive bacteria such as bacillus subtilis , bacillus licheniformis , bacillus lentus , bacillus brevis , bacillus stearothermophilus , bacillus alkalophilus , bacillus amyloliquefaciens , bacillus coagulans , bacillus circulans , bacillus lautus , bacillus megaterium , bacillus thuringiensis , or streptomyces lividans or streptomyces murinus , or gram negative bacteria such as e . coli . the transformation of the bacteria may for instance be effected by protoplast transformation or by using competent cells in a manner known per se . the yeast organism may favourably be selected from a species of saccharomyces or schizosaccharomyces , e . g . saccharomyces cerevisiae . the filamentous fungus may advantageously belong to a species of aspergillus , e . g . aspergillus oryzae or aspergillus niger . alternatively , a strain of a fusarium species , e . g . f . oxysporum , can be used as a host cell . fungal cells may be . transformed by a process involving protoplast formation and transformation of the protoplasts followed by regeneration of the cell wall in a manner known per se . a suitable procedure for transformation of aspergillus host cells is described in ep 238 023 . a suitable method of transforming fusarium species is described by malardier et al ., 1989 . in a yet further aspect , the present invention relates to a method of producing a recombinant protein disulfide isomerase of the invention , which method comprises cultivating a host cell as described above under conditions conducive to the production of the protein disulfide isomerase and recovering the protein disulfide isomerase from the cells and / or culture medium . the medium used to cultivate the cells may be any conventional medium suitable for growing the host cell in question and obtaining expression of the protein disulfide isomerase of the invention . suitable media are available from commercial suppliers or may be prepared according to published recipes ( e . g . in catalogues of the american type culture collection ). the resulting protein disulfide isomerase may be recovered from the medium by conventional procedures including separating the cells from the medium by centrifugation or filtration , if necessary after disruption of the cells , precipitating the proteinaceous components of the supernatant or filtrate by means of a salt , e . g . ammonium sulphate , followed by purification by a variety of chromatographic procedures , e . g . ion exchange chromatography , affinity chromatography , or the like . it is of course also possible to produce the protein disulfide isomerases of the invention by culturing the filamentous fungal natural host or parent organism of interest and recovering the protein disulfide isomerase from the culture broth in traditional ways . the present invention also relates to compositions comprising the protein disulfide isomerase of the invention . the compositions may suitably contain 0 . 01 - 200 mg of enzyme protein per gram , preferably 0 . 01 - 20 mg of enzyme protein per gram , especially 0 . 01 - 2 mg of enzyme protein per gram , or alternatively 0 . 02 - 0 . 2 mg of enzyme protein per gram , or 0 . 01 - 0 . 2 mg of enzyme protein per gram . the compositions of the invention may contain other ingredients known in the art as e . g . excipients , stabilizers , fillers , detergents , etc . the compositions of the invention may be formulated in any convenient form , e . g . as a powder , paste , liquid or in granular form . the enzyme may be stabilized in a liquid by inclusion of enzyme stabilizers . usually , the ph of a solution of the composition of the invention will be 5 - 10 and in some instances 7 . 0 - 8 . 5 . other enzymes such as proteases , cellulases , oxidases , peroxidases , amylases or lipases may be included in the compositions of the invention , either separately or in a combined additive . the compositions of the invention can be used for the treatment or degradation of scleroproteins , especially hair , skin and wool , dehairing and softening of hides , treatment and cleaning of fabrics , as additives to detergents , thickening and gelation of food and fodder , strengthening of gluten in bakery or pastry products , and as pharmaceuticals for the alleviation of eye sufferings . the present invention is further illustrated in the following examples which should not , in any manner , be considered to limit the scope of the present invention . aspergillus oryzae ifo 4177 available from institute for fermentation , osaka ; 17 - 25 juso hammachi 2 - chome yodogawa - ku , osaka , japan . the pdi is assayed using the insulin reduction assay described by james et al ., cell 67 : 581 - 589 , 1991 . pdi from different organisms are highly homologous especially near the active site residues . in fig1 the following 7 pdi gene products are aligned : bovine ( bos taurus ) pdi ( yamauchi et al ., biochem . biophys . res . commun . 146 : 1485 - 1492 , 1987 ), chicken ( gallus gallus ) pdi ( parkkonen et al ., biochem . j . 256 : 1005 - 1011 , 1988 ), human ( homo sapiens ) pdi ( rapilajaniemi et al . embo j . 6 : 643 - 649 , 1987 ), mouse ( mus musculus ) pdi ( gong , et al ., nucleic acids res . 16 : 1203 , 1988 ), rabbit ( oryctolaqus cuniculus ) pdi ( fliegel et al ., j . biol . chem . 265 : 15496 - 15502 , 1990 ), rat ( rattus norvegicus ) pdi ( edman et al ., nature 317 : 267 - 270 , 1985 ), yeast ( saccharomyces cerevisiae ) pdi ( tachikawa et al ., j . biochem . 110 : 306 - 313 ). each subunit contains two active centres ( freedman et al ., cell 57 : 1069 - 1072 , 1989 ) and the homology in the surroundings of these active centres are particularly strong . a consensus amino acid sequence for the active centre closest to the n - terminus was determined from the alignment as - apwcghck -, and an oligo aeoxyribonucleotide encoding the peptide - wcghck - and extended with an ecori site in the 5 ′ end , was synthesized : 5 ′ tggaattctggtgyggncaytgyaa3 ′ ( primer 4762 , 25 nucleotides , 32 species , seq id no . 13 ) ( y = c or t ; r = a or g ; n = a , t , c , or g ). a consensus amino acid sequence for the active centre closest to the c - terminus was determined : - yapwcghck -, and an oligo deoxyribonucleotide encoding the peptide - yapwcg - in antisense and extended with a bamhi site in the 5 ′ end was synthesized : 5 ′ tgggatccrcaccanggngcrta3 ′ ( primer 4763 , 23 nucleotides , 64 species , seq id no . 14 ). these oligo deoxyribonucleotides ( primers 4762 and 4763 ) were used as primers in a pcr reaction to amplify pdi - encoding gene fragments from genomic dna from a . oryzae and a . niger . genomic dna was prepared from aspergillus oryzae ifo 4177 and aspergillus niger a524 as described by yelton et al . ( proc . natl . acad . sci . usa 81 : 1470 - 1474 , 1984 ). pcr reaction mixtures contained taq dna polymerase buffer supplied by clontech laboratories inc . and diluted as described , 250 μm of each of datp , dctp , dgtp , and , dttp , 100 pmol of each of primers 4762 and 4763 , and 0 . 5 μg of genomic dna of either a . niger or a . oryzae . the total reaction volume was 0 . 1 ml , and it was covered with 0 . 05 ml paraffin oil . the following program was run on a cetus perkin elmer thermal cycler : 1 . cycle : 94 ° c . for 2 min ., ( when the temperature reached 94 ° c . 2 . 5 u of taq dna polymerase supplied by clontech laboratories inc . was added ). 10 cycles : 94 ° c . for 1 min ., 50 ° c . for 1 min ., and 72 ° c . for 2 min . 30 cycles : 94 ° c . for 1 min ., 55 ° c . for 1 min ., and 72 ° c . for 2 min . the reaction mixtures were loaded on an agarose gel , and both the a . oryzae and the a . niger dna produced fragments of approximately 1 . 1 kb . the fragments were digested with ecori and bamhi and ligated to puc19 ( yanisch - perron et al ., gene 33 : 103 - 119 , 1985 ). the ligation mixture was transformed into e . coli dh5αf ′ ( woodcock et al ., nucleic acids res . ( 1989 ) 17 : 3469 - 3478 ). recombinant plasmids were subjected to sequence analysis using the sequenase ™ kit ( united states biochemical ) and a m13 universal primer following the manufacturers instructions . the analysis confirmed that both in the case of a . oryzae and in that of a . niger sequences homologous to other pdi genes were amplified and cloned . genomic dna from a . oryzae was digested with the following restriction enzymes supplied by new england biolabs inc . : hindiii , bamhi , bamhi + hindiii , ecori , ecori + hindiii , sali , sali + hindiii , bglii , bglii + hindiii , psti and psti + hindiii . after digestion , the reaction mixtures were run on a 1 % agarose gel and then blotted onto an immobilon n ™ membrane ( millipore corporation ) following the manufacturers instructions . the membrane was probed with the cloned a . oryzae pcr product isolated as a bamhi - ecori fragment and radio labelled with 32 p , after stringent washes the membrane was subjected to autoradiography . genomic dna from a . niger was digested with the following restriction enzymes : bglii , bamlhi , bamhi + bglii , ecori , ecori + bglii , sali , sali + bglii , hindiii , hindiii + bglii , psti and psti + bglii . the southern blot was made as described with a . oryzae , only the a . niger pcr product was used as probe . southern analysis indicated that the a . oryzae pdi gene was located on a 6 . 8 kb bglii fragment . genomic a . oryzae dna was digested with bglii and fragments ranging from 5 kb to 8 . 5 kb were isolated from an agarose gel . subcloning thereof and southern analysis indicated that the a . oryzae pdi gene was located on a 2 . 3 kb bamh i , hind iii fragment . genomic a . oryzae dna was digested with bamh i and hind iii and fragments ranging from 1 . 9 - 3 kb were isolated from an agarose gel . this mixture of fragments was ligated to puc19 digested with bamhi and hind iii . the ligation mixture was used to transform e . coli dh5αf ′. the transformed e . coli cells were spread onto 10 agar plates using ampicillin selection . the libraries were screened using the filter colony hybridization method described by gergen et al . ( nucleic acids res . 7 : 2115 - 2136 , 1979 ). the probe that was used for the southern blot was also used for the colony hybridization . positive clones were isolated and confirmed by sequence analysis using sequencing primers designed from the sequences of the pdi fragments . one of the plasmids containing the desired fragment was termed pcahj 425 . the gene was sequenced using the tag dyedeoxy ™ terminator cycle sequencing kit supplied by applied biosystems following the manufacturer &# 39 ; s instructions . the sequence reactions were run on an applied biosystems 373a dna sequencer and the data were evaluated using the macintosh computer program seged version 1 . 0 supplied by applied biosystems . the sequence of the a . oryzae gene is shown in the appended seq id no 1 . the amino acid composition of the purified pdi obtained as described in example 2 was in accordance with the composition deduced from the dna - sequence shown in seq id no . 1 . from homology to other pdi genes and consensus splicing sequences a cdna sequence as shown in seq id no . 2 was suggested . the derived protein sequence is as shown in seq id no . 3 . the pdi gene of a . oryzae was truncated at various positions by introduction stop codons . this was done by pcr amplification of the pdi gene using a 5 ′ pcr primer harbouring a bamh i site at its 5 ′ end and 8 different 3 ′ primers corresponding to 8 different truncations each harbouring a hind iii site . the sequence of the 5 ′ primer was : primer 5215 directed an extension of the pdi gene amino acid 1 - 115 with the sequence leu - ile - arq - glu - leu - leu - gln - glu - leu - val - asn - lys - his - leu ( seq id no . 11 ): followed by a stop codon . primer 5204 introduced the mutation e511a ( meaning substituting and a stop codon after amino acid 511 . the expression plasmids were constructed by pcr amplification using primer 5205 in combination with either 5215 , 5397 , 5895 , 5399 , 5894 , 5893 , 6314 or 5204 and pcahj 425 as template using standard pcr conditions . the generated pcr fragments were digested with bamh i and hind iii and inserted into pmt 1560 ( described in e . g . pct / dk94 / 00138 ) digested with the same enzymes ( see fig3 ). the constructed plasmids were named pcahj 432 ( from primer 5215 ), pcahj 433 ( from primer 5397 ), pcahj 441 ( from primer 5895 ), pcahj 434 ( from primer 5399 ), pcahj 440 ( from primer 5894 ), pcahj 439 ( from primer 5893 ), pcahj 445 ( from primer 6314 ) and pcahj 431 ( from primer 5204 ). each of the plasmids pcahj 432 , pcahj 433 , pcahj 441 , pcahj 434 , pcahj 440 , pcahj 439 , pcahj 445 and pcahj 431 were transformed into a . oryzae ifo 4177 by cotransformation with the amds selection plasmid ptoc 90 ( described in w091 / 17243 ) following the procedure described in the published ep patent application no . 238 023 . each of the plasmids pcahj 441 , pcahj 434 , pcahj 440 and pcahj 439 were transformed into a . niger tsa 1 by the same procedure as with a . oryzae . fermentation purification and characterization of the aspergillus oryzae pdi truncations crude truncated pdi preparation was isolated from supernatants obtained by fermentation of the a . oryzae or a . niger pcahj 432 , pcahj 433 , pcahj 441 , pcahj 434 , pcahj 440 , pcahj 439 , pcahj 445 or pcahj 431 transformants in shake flasks containing ypm medium ( 1 liter : 5 g difco yeast extract , 10 g difco peptone , 20 g maltose ). the supernatant was recovered by filtration . the pdi truncation gene products were partially purified using a 1 ml hitrap q ™ anion exchanger from pharmacia lkb biotechnology ab uppsala , sweden following the manufacturers instructions . fractions were collected and analyzed by measuring the disulphide isomerase activity and by sds page . the pcahj 434 transformants secreted a protein of approx 14 kd ( sds page ) not present in supernatants of the untransformed strain . enrichment of this protein by ion exchange was followed by increased disulphide isomerase activity . the approx . 14 kd band was blotted from an sds page gel and subjected to n - terminal amino acid sequence determination using an applied biosystems 473a protein sequencer . a sequence of 7 amino acids could unambiguously be determined as : thr - ala - glu - ala - pro - ser - asp . this sequence corresponds to residue 24 - 30 of the a . oryzae protein sequence . the size of the truncation expected from the amino acid sequence is thus 13 . 2 kd . so it can be concluded that the pcahj 434 gene product is secreted to the supernatant , that it has the expected size and that it is catalytic active . the pcahj 441 transformants secreted a protein of the same size as the pcahj 434 transformants . also for this truncation enrichment of the protein was followed by increased disulphide isomerase activity demonstrating that the pcahj 441 gene product is a catalytic active secreted protein . the pcahj 440 transformants secreted a protein of approx 16 kd not present in the untransformed strain . the expected size is 15 . 7 kd assuming the same n - terminal sequence as the pcahj 434 product . enrichment of the protein by ion exchange was followed by increased disulphide isomerase activity demonstrating that also the pcahj 440 gene product is a catalytic active secreted protein . the pcahj 445 transformants secreted a protein of approx 30 kd not present in the untransformed strain . the expected size is 28 . 6 kd assuming the same n - terminal sequence as the pcahj 434 product . enrichment of the protein by ion exchange was followed by increased disulphide isomerase activity demonstrating that the pcahj 440 gene product is a catalytic active secreted protein . transformants of pcahj 441 , pcahj 434 , pcahj 440 and pcahj 439 were evaluated in the same way as the corresponding a . oryzae transformants with the exception that the n - terminal amino acid sequence was not determined for any of the proteins secreted by a . niger . in all other aspects the same results were obtained with the a . niger transformants as with the a . oryzae transformants . however the fermentation yield of the truncations were generally lower in a . niger than in a . oryzae . | US-26266699-A |
a method of introducing a symbiotic fungus producing one chanoclavine as a final metabolic product into a plant , includes the steps of isolating symbiotic fungi from naturally existing plants , artificially cultivating the isolated symbiotic fungi , introducing the cultivated symbiotic fungi into target plants , infecting the target plants with the introduced symbiotic fungi , determining whether the introduced symbiotic fungi infecting the target plants produce the chanoclavine as the final metabolic product , and selecting the target plants which produce the chanoclavine as the final metabolic product . | hereunder , embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings . in the first embodiment of the invention , a plant infected with an endophyte which specifically biosynthesizes a chanoclavine is provided . the endophyte without ergotoalkaloids and lolitrum b is screened using the chanoclavine as a marker . the embodiment will be described according to a process shown below . epidermis of leaves and sheaths of plants collected in a search were peeled and stained by immersing in aniline blue staining solution . any endophytes in the tissue were detected under an optical microscope . explants in which the endophytes were confirmed were sterilized , transplanted to an endophyte isolation bioculture and cultured for several months . the isolated endophytes were classified according to a host . alternatively , bioculture was performed under different environmental conditions using the flat plate culture method , and a classification was made according to morphological characteristics . alternatively , a liquid culture was performed and a classification was made according to morphological characteristics . alternatively , a slide culture was performed and a classification was made according to morphological characteristics . the isolated endophytes were artificially introduced into a plant such as genuses agrostosis , festuca , lolium and poa as a target grass . the endophytes were introduced by direct inoculation of the plant , or by preparing undifferentiated cells such as callus from the plant and inoculating , and regenerating the plant from the callus . these methods may be chosen arbitrarily according to the type of plant in which the endophytes were introduced . explants taken from the individuals into which the endophytes were introduced were stained by a staining solution . an optical microscope was used for observation , and the endophyte , or presence or absence of the infection , was detected using the enzyme immunoassay technique . stage 4 ; examination of the plant into which the endophytes were introduced alkaloids biosynthesized in the plant infected with the endophytes were analysed , and detection of chanoclavin , ergotoalkaloids and lolitrum b was performed . an identification of the chanoclavine as a final metabolic product was made by determining whether the alkaloid specifically biosynthesized and collected in a large amount in the plant infected with the endophyte was chanoclavine . pests considered to be harmful were bred , and a pest damage experiment was conducted artificially using the plant infected with the endophytes . seeds in which the endophyte was present were collected and germinated . after the endophyte was confirmed , the tests described above were performed . stage 5 ; biosynthesis of chanoclavine on an artificial endophyte bioculture medium the isolated endophyte was biocultured under different environmental conditions using the flat plate culture method , and alkaloids were biosynthesized . alkaloids biosynthesized from the bioculture in which the fungi alone was cultured were analysed , and chanoclavine , ergotoalkaloids and lolitrum b were detected . an endophyte was screened based on an ability to biosynthesize the chanoclavine without ergotoalkaloids or lolitrum b in a pure fungus , or a plant infected with the fungus . another embodiment of the invention will be described next . in the embodiment of stage 1 - stage 6 described above , the identification was performed as to whether or not the infecting symbiotic fungus was a fungus which biosynthesizes chanoclavine as a final metabolic product by analyzing the alkaloids biosynthesized in plants infected with the endophyte . instead of the step , the identification was performed before artificially introducing the symbiotic fungus into the plant . specifically , in the embodiment , after culturing the endophyte isolated from the plants collected in a search , the alkaloids in the endophyte were analyzed , and identification was performed as to whether or not the symbiotic fungi were producing the chanoclavine as the final metabolic product . in other words , the difference from the first embodiment is that the identification of the chanoclavine is performed before introduction into the plant . the remaining features of the procedure are identical to those of the first embodiment . to isolate the endophyte from the plant , the leaf and leaf sheath were washed with water , immersed in a 70 % aqueous solution of ethanol for 10 seconds , immersed in a 2 . 5 % aqueous solution of sodium hypochlorite for 10 minutes , washed three times with sterile water , transferred to an endophyte isolation culture , and cultured in the dark at 25 ° c . the isolation culture was prepared by sterilizing pda ( potato dextrose agar ) adjusted to ph 5 . 6 at 121 ° c . for 15 minutes , adding 100 mg / l each of penicillin and streptomycin , and pipetting 20 ml portions into plastic petri dishes having a diameter of 9 cm . after approx . 3 - 8 weeks , the mycelium was isolated from an explant , and the colonies were removed by a cork borer having a diameter of 5 mm , transferred to a pda culture and corn meal agar culture , and grown . ( 2 ) classification and identification of endophytes by using the flat plate culture method the mycelium transplanted to the pda culture was grown in the dark at 25 ° c ., and the colonies formed were examined . on examination , surfaces of the colonies on the culture were all white filaments , and their underside was also white . their growth was relatively slow , and they grew to a radius of only about 3 cm in one month . on the corn meal agar culture , growth was much slower than on the pda culture , the colonies growing to a radius of only about 1 cm in one month . the characteristics of the colonies were essentially identical to those of the pda culture . the isolated endophytes were deposited on dec . 7 , 1999 and accepted at japanese national institute of bioscience and human technology , which belongs to the agency of industrial science and technology . the description and deposition numbers of these endophytes are as follows . a pda culture of thickness 2 - 3 mm was mounted on a glass slide , mycelium was grown on the culture , and the morphology of the mycelium and formation of conidiospores was examined . this culture was performed at 25 ° c . in the dark . on the examination , it was found that all the mycelia were colorless , partitions of width 1 - 2 um observed throughout . all the isolated endophytes were able to form conidiospores . the conidiospores were formed at the ends of single phialides emerging from the ends or sides of the mycelium , and most were single conidiospores . all conidiospores were colorless , and monocellular . most conidiospores were kidney - shaped and were 3 - 8 × 1 - 3 um in size . the phialides formed were all cylindrical tapering towards the ends , and isolated from the mycelium by partitions . for the inoculation , seeds were sterilized and sown on a wa culture ( water agar culture ) comprising 0 . 8 % agar added to water , and cultured under dark conditions . 3 - 7 days after starting the culture , a notch was inserted in the growth point of the plant with a knife , and mycelia cultured on the pda medium were inserted . after 8 days in the dark at 25 ° c . and 30 ° c ., the plants were placed under illumination at 15 ° c . for 16 hours for 4 days , and placed under illumination at 25 ° c . for 16 hours for at least 2 days . plants turned green were acclimatized in pots . the epidermis of leaves and leaf sheaths of these plants were removed , and the presence or absence of endophyte in the tissue was confirmed by an optical microscope examination . this confirmation was performed as follows . 5 ml of lactic acid , 10 ml of glycerine , 5 ml of water and several drops of a staining solution comprising 0 . 02 g of an aqueous solution of aniline blue were placed on a glass slide . the leaf sheath was peeled away , and the underside epidermis was peeled away toward the leaf vein . the peeled epidermis was placed on the glass slide , covered with a cover glass , boiled in the flame of a gas burner , and the tissue was observed with an optical microscope . under these conditions , when the endophyte is present , the mycelium appears blue , so the endophyte can be detected by this procedure . as a result , the endophyte was detected in genuses agrostis , festuca , poa and lolium , which are grasses . from the life cycle of the fungus , the endophyte was found to be a neotyphodium endophyte that is reproduced only asexually and does not leave the plant . it was also clear that ferm p - 17672 , ferm p - 17673 and ferm p - 17674 , deposited at japanese national institute of bioscience and human technology , infected the plants belonging to genuses agrostis , festuca , poa and lolium , which are grasses . callus was induced in agrostis , festuca , poa and lolium , which are grasses , as specimens for artificial inoculation . a callus induction culture of these plants was prepared by adding 2 . 0 mg / l of 2 , 4 - d ( 2 , 4 - dichlorophenoxyacetic acid ) and 0 . 2 mg / l of bap ( 6 - benzylaminopurine ) to an ms base culture . seedlings obtained immediately after germination on an ms culture were transplanted to the callus induction cultures , and cultured for 2 months in the dark at 25 ° c . so as to obtain callus having a differentiating ability . all calluses were induced on the induction culture , and then transferred to the ms base culture without addition of plant hormone . these plant calluses were artificially inoculated with fungus of ferm p - 17672 , ferm p - 17673 and ferm p - 17674 deposited at japanese national institute of bioscience and human technology . artificial inoculation was performed by taking a small amount of mycelium on an end of a knife , and transplanting it to the center of the callus . the callus was cultured for several weeks in the dark at 25 ° c . and 30 ° c ., and placed under illumination for 16 hours , or alternatively it was placed under illumination for 16 hours from the start . the regenerated plant was then transferred to a fresh ms culture and grown for one month . when an examination was made for presence of the endophyte according to the method described in ( 1 ), it was confirmed that the endophyte was introduced . ( 6 ) method of screening a fungus which specifically synthesizes chanoclavine in the plant the leaves and leaf sheaths of the plants artificially infected with ferm p - 17672 , ferm p - 17673 and ferm p - 17674 deposited at japanese national institute of bioscience and human technology and plants infected with other freeze - dried fungi were agitated and extracted for one day and night at a room temperature by a chloroform / methanol / 25 % ammonia water = 75 / 25 / 0 . 5 solution , filtered on filter paper , and evaporated . the presence of chanoclavine was confirmed with the tlc ( thin layer chromatography ) analysis . after developing on a silica gel 60 plate using chloroform / methanol / acidic acid / water = 20 / 10 / 1 / 1 as a developing solution , a spot detected by uv and the eherlich reagent ( bluish purple coloration ) having an rf value in the vicinity of 0 . 5 - 0 . 6 was found by the tlc analysis as shown in fig4 . this spot had an identical rf value to that of chanoclavine , and a spot having an identical rf value was also found by the tlc analysis wherein an endophyte - infected plant extract was superimposed on the chanoclavine , as shown in fig5 . as seen in lane 2 and lane 15 in fig5 , a spot due to the chanoclavine was not found in the plants infected with the endophytes other than the above fungi deposited at japanese national institute of bioscience and human technology . when the chanoclavine was superimposed on the extracts of lane 2 and lane 15 as shown by lane 3 and lane 16 in the figures , a spot due to the chanoclavine was then found as in the case of the lanes where the chanoclavine was detected . from the above results , it is clear that the chanoclavine is biosynthesized and accumulates in the plants infected specifically with the symbiotic fungi deposited at japanese national institute of bioscience and human technology , including neotyphodium sp . ferm p - 17672 . also , it was confirmed that the fungi infecting the plants could be screened for using the biosynthesis and accumulation of the chanoclavine as a marker . for plants cultivated from the later generation seeds of the plants infected with the fungi deposited at japanese national institute of bioscience and human technology , including neotyphodium sp . ferm p - 17672 , the presence or absence of chanoclavine was also confirmed by the tlc analysis . it was found that even in the plants of the later generations , biosynthesis of the chanoclavine proceeded as in the case of the original plants . ( 7 ) method of screening for fungi which specifically synthesize chanoclavine on artificial culture the endophytes , e . g . neotyphodium sp . ferm p - 17672 , were isolated from the plants synthesizing the chanoclavine in the endophyte - infected plants . to isolate the endophyte , the leaf and leaf sheath were washed with water , immersed in a 70 % aqueous solution of ethanol for 10 seconds , immersed in a 2 . 5 % aqueous solution of sodium hypochlorite for 10 minutes , washed three times with sterile water , cut to a size of 5 × 5 mm , transferred to an endophyte isolation culture , and cultured in the dark at 25 ° c . the isolation culture was prepared by adding 100 mg / l each of penicillin and streptomycin to pda ( potato dextrose agar ), and pipetting 20 ml portions into plastic petri dishes having a diameter of 9 cm . at 3 - 8 weeks after starting the bioculture , the mycelium was isolated from plant tissue , and biocultured on a liquid culture medium . the biomedium was a pd ( potato dextrose ) medium , a m102 medium or an sm medium known to be an ergotoalkaloid - producing medium . 5 × 5 mm clumps of mycelia isolated on the pda medium were introduced into 100 ml of the above biomedia , and cultured for from 2 weeks to as long as 6 months . to confirm the biosynthesis of the chanoclavine , the biocultures were freeze - dried as in the case of the plants , introduced into a chloroform / methanol / 25 % ammonia water = 75 / 25 / 0 . 5 solution , agitated and stirred for one day and night at a room temperature , filtered on a filter paper , and evaporated . tlc was then performed . after developing on a silica gel 60 plate using chloroform / methanol / acidic acid / water = 20 / 10 / 1 / 1 as a developing solution , a spot detected by uv and the eherlich reagent ( bluish purple coloration ) having an rf value in the vicinity of 0 . 5 - 0 . 6 was found by the tlc analysis as in the above case , showing that the chanoclavine was biosynthesized . the freeze - dried endophyte - infected plants , for example , the plants infected with ferm p - 17672 , ferm p - 17673 and ferm p - 17674 deposited at japanese national institute of bioscience and human technology , and the leaves and leaf sheaths of uninfected individuals were extracted by shaking for at least 30 minutes at a room temperature with an 80 % aqueous solution of methanol . the extract was filtered on a filter paper , the filtrate supplied to a varian bond elut cba column packed with a negative ion exchange resin ( ag2 × 8 200 - 400 mesh ) suspended in an 80 % aqueous solution of methanol substituted by 25 % ammonia water , and rinsed with pure water . the filtrate was solved by a 5 % formic acid solution , and the obtained fractions were provided for the tlc analyses ( thin layer chromatography ) and hplc ( high performance liquid chromatography ). when the obtained fractions were analyzed by hplc using a c18 column ( 5 um particle size , 100 × 8 mm ) and uv at 280 nm , a specific significant peak was obtained in the vicinity of a retention time in the vicinity of 12 minutes as shown in fig7 only for the fractions obtained from the endophyte - infected plants . in the case of the plants not infected by the endophytes , this peak was not found , as shown in fig6 . after developing using a silica gel 60 plate and a developing solution of chloroform / methanol / acetic acid / water = 20 / 10 / 1 / 1 , a spot detected by uv and the eherlich reagent ( bluish purple coloration ) having an rf value in the vicinity of 0 . 5 - 0 . 6 was found by the tlc analysis . the spot found was also specific for the endophyte - infected plants , and was not observed for the uninfected individuals . this fraction was isolated by hptlc . as a result , the recovery rate was 0 . 06 - 0 . 08 % on average from the freeze - dried samples . this fraction was also tested positive in fluorescent light detection by hplc , suggesting an indole structure . hence , the nmr , ms and ir ( infrared analysis ) were measured . as a result of fd - ms ( field dissociated ionization molecular weight measurement ), m + 256 was observed . further , in addition to the fragment ions of a molecular peak at 256 in ei - ms , a fragmentation pattern specific to clavine alkaloids such as m / z 237 due to — h3o + and m / z 155 , 154 due to tricyclic stable ions was observed . when the examination was performed from the molecular formula suggested by ei - hr - ms , it was found that the chanoclavine corresponded to the molecular formula and the fragmentation pattern in ei . when nmr measurements were assigned as shown in fig2 , the isolated fragments were identified as chanoclavine . in the ir , absorptions were seen at 3400 (— oh ), 1605 ( c ═ c ), 1420 and 1380 cm − 1 . it was examined whether or not the endophytes , i . e . symbiotic fungi living in the endophyte - infected plants , produce ergovaline . the leaves and sheaths of freeze - dried plants infected with the endophytes were extracted by shaking for at least 30 minutes at a room temperature with a mixed solution of 0 . 01 n aqueous sodium hydroxide solution : chloroform = 1 : 9 . the extract was filtered on a filter paper . the filtrate was supplied to a silica gel column ( water sep - pak plas silica ) conditioned with chloroform , and rinsed with chloroform . fractions were eluted by a mixture of acetone : chloroform : acetic acid = 80 : 20 : 0 . 05 . the eluate was concentrated , dried and solidified , re - eluted with a 33 % aqueous solution of methanol containing 0 . 1 % ascorbic acid , and submitted for hplc ( high performance liquid chromatography ). in the hplc analysis , fluorescence detection was performed using a c18 column ( 3 um particle size , 4 . 6 × 7 . 5 mm ), ex ( excitation wavelength ) 310 nm and em ( fluorescence wavelength ) 415 nm . when ergovaline tartrate , i . e . a sample of ergovaline , was analysed by hplc , an ergovaline peak was observed in the vicinity of a retention time of 12 minutes as shown in fig8 . in other words , sample ergovalines showed a retention time peak at 12 . 35 . the presence of ergovaline biosynthesis in the endophyte - infected plants was determined by observing whether or not , in the case of the eluate obtained by the above method from the endophyte - infected plants , there was a peak in the vicinity of a retention time of 12 minutes as for the samples in the hplc analysis . as a result , for the endophyte - infected plants other than those deposited at japanese national institute of bioscience and human technology , the ergovaline was detected in the order of approximately 1 ppm ( per dry weight ) in the vicinity of a retention time of 12 minutes , as shown in fig9 . specifically , for the endophyte - infected plants other than those deposited at japanese national institute of bioscience and human technology , a peak was found near the same retention time as for the sample ergovaline , i . e . at 12 . 51 minutes , thereby confirming the ergovaline . the concentration was approximately 1 ppm per dry weight . on the other hand , when hplc analysis was performed in an identical method using the plants infected with ferm p - 17672 deposited at japanese national institute of bioscience and human technology , the ergovaline was not detected , as shown in fig1 . specifically , for the plants infected with ferm p - 17672 deposited at japanese national institute of bioscience and human technology , there was no peak at all in the vicinity of a retention time of 12 min , thereby confirming that the ergovaline was not produced . from the above results , it was clear that the plants infected with ferm p - 17672 do not biosynthesize the ergovaline , i . e . a toxic substance to livestock . identical results were obtained for ferm p - 17673 , ferm p - 17674 . a test of resistance to webworm , a major pest in pasture grass , was performed using plants belonging to the genus poa infected with , for example , neotyphodium sp . ferm p - 17672 with the above method , and plants infected with fungus strains other than the fungi deposited at japanese national institute of bioscience and human technology . the pest resistance test was performed by releasing approximately 200 webworm larvae immediately after hatching in petri dishes with a diameter of 9 cm containing respectively the above leaf sections , leaving the dishes in a room at 25 ° c ., and examining an extent of damage after 24 hours and again after 48 hours . after 48 hours , whereas almost all the plants infected with fungi other than the fungi deposited at japanese national institute of bioscience and human technology were consumed , the plants infected with neotyphodium sp . ferm p - 176723 had practically all their leaves remaining and showed strong resistance . the results obtained for poa and lolium are respectively shown in fig1 and fig1 . the resistance test against the webworm was performed for plants of the genus lolium infected with ferm p - 17672 and fungus strains other than those deposited at japanese national institute of bioscience and human technology in the same way as for the plants of the genus poa . when the extent of the damage due to the webworm was examined 24 hours after starting the test , it was found that , as in the case of the plants belonging to the genus poa , whereas the plants infected with fungus strains other than those deposited at japanese national institute of bioscience and human technology were practically consumed , the plants infected with ferm p - 17672 still had practically all their leaves , and showed strong resistance . the results were identical when the other fungi deposited at japanese national institute of bioscience and human technology , ferm p - 17673 and ferm p - 17674 , were used . from the above results , it was confirmed that ferm p - 17672 , ferm p - 17673 and ferm p - 17674 deposited at japanese national institute of bioscience and human technology imparted strong pest resistance to the plants with which they are infected , as shown in table 1 . in this example , the endophytes were screened by the screening method ( 7 ) in embodiment 1 before infecting the plant , and the endophytes were selected when the endophytes biosynthesized and produced the chanoclavine as the final metabolic product . the symbiotic fungi screened in this way were then used to infect the same plants as those in embodiment 1 , i . e . the grasses agrostis , festuca , poa and lolium , with the method of ( 4 ) in embodiment 1 . when the screening was performed according to the method of ( 6 ) in embodiment 1 , it was confirmed that the plants were infected with the symbiotic fungi producing the chanoclavine as the final metabolic product . when the pest resistance test was performed on these plants according to the method of ( 10 ) in embodiment 1 , it was found that a substantially identical effect to that in embodiment 1 was obtained . while the invention has been explained with reference to the specific embodiments of the invention , the explanation is illustrative and the invention is limited only by the appended claims . | US-7348208-A |
substituted thiadiazoles which correspond to the formula : ## str1 ## wherein r represents ## str2 ## x represents -- br , -- cl , -- f , -- ch 3 , -- och 3 , -- cooch 3 , -- no 2 , -- sch 3 , -- so 2 ch 3 or -- cf 3 and y is -- scn or -- sch 2 scn . these compounds have been found to exhibit antimicrobial and marine antifouling activity in industrial and commercial applications and compositions containing these compounds are so employed . | in the present specification and claims the term &# 34 ; alkali metal &# 34 ; is employed to designate sodium , potassium , lithium or cesium . in the present specification and claims , the term &# 34 ; halo &# 34 ; is employed to designate bromo , chloro , fluoro or iodo . in the following process schematic formulas , certain specific alkali metals , halo groups , specific solvents and the like are set forth . these representations are only presented for convenience and are not to be considered as an indication that these specifically representations are the only groups or materials which can be employed . in the present invention , it is to be noted that all substituent groups are sterically compatible with each other . the term &# 34 ; sterically compatible &# 34 ; is employed to designate substituent groups which are not affected by steric hindrance as this term is defined in &# 34 ; the condensed chemical dictionary &# 34 ;, 7th edition . reinhold publishing co ., n . y . page 893 ( 1966 ) which definition is as follows : &# 34 ; steric hindrance . a characteristic of molecular structure in which the molecules have a spatial arrangement of their atoms such that a given reaction with another molecule is prevented or retarded in rate .&# 34 ; sterically compatible may be further defined as reacting compounds having substituents whose physical bulk does not require confinement within volumes insufficient for the exercise of their normal behavior as discussed in organic chemistry by d . j . cram and g . hammond , 2nd edition , mcgraw - hill book company , n . y ., page 215 ( 1964 ). the substituted 1 , 2 , 5 - thiadiazole compounds of the present invention can be prepared in a two - stage reaction procedure wherein in the first stage or step , a 4 - substituted - 3 - halo - 1 , 2 , 5 - thiadiazole is reacted in the presence of a solvent such as dimethylformamide , n - methylpyrrolidone , or dimethylsulfoxide with an alkali metal sulfide , such as sodium sulfide to produce the corresponding 4 - substituted - 3 - mercapto - 1 , 2 , 5 - thiadiazole : alkali metal salt , such as 4 - substituted - 3 - mercapto - 1 , 2 , 5 - thiadiazole : sodium salt . the reactions are typically carried out at a temperature of from about 25 ° to about 40 ° c . the reactants may be added to the reaction mixture in any order of addition ; conventionally they are added as a solution in the solvent used for the reaction . the reaction is conveniently allowed to continue over a period of from about 1 to about 24 hours . the reaction consumes the reactants in the ratio of one mole equivalent of the alkali metal sulfide per mole of the 4 - substituted - 3 - halo - 1 , 2 , 5 - thiadiazole reactant . to assure the completion of the reaction , an excess of the alkali metal sulfide reactant is normally employed . the general scheme for this first reaction step is as follows : ## str5 ## in carrying out the second reaction step , the above 4 - substituted - 3 - mercapto - 1 , 2 , 5 - thiadiazole : alkali metal salt product is reacted in situ with a cyanogen halide , such as cyanogen bromide to prepare the desired 4 - substituted - 3 - thiocyanato - 1 , 2 , 5 - thiadiazole product or with a halomethythiocyanate , such as chloromethylthiocyanate to prepare she desired 4 - substituted - 3 - thiocyanatomethylthio - 1 , 2 , 5 - thiadiazole product . the reaction consumes the reactants in the ratio of one mole equivalent of the cyanogen halide or halomethylthiocyanate per mole of the 4 - substituted - 3 - mercapto - 1 , 2 , 5 - thiadiazote : alkali metal salt reactant . to assure the completion of the reaction , a slight excess of the cyanogen halide or halomethylthiocyanate reactant is normally employed . the general reaction schemes ( a and b ) for this second step is as follows : ## str6 ## in the above formulae r is as hereinabove defined . the above second stage reactions are typically carried out at a temperature of from about 25 to about 40 ° c . the reactants may be added to the reaction mixture in any order of addition ; conventionally they are added as a solution in the solvent used for the reaction . subsequent to the addition of the reactants , the reaction is allowed to continue over a period of about 1 to about 24 hours . the reaction product may be isolated by adding a 3 to 10 volume excess of water which will precipitate the desired product . filtration followed by washing and drying yields the desired compounds of the present invention . the 4 - substituted - 3 - halo - 1 , 2 , 5 - thiadiazole reactant corresponding to the formula ## str7 ## wherein r is as hereinabove defined are known compounds . the compounds are well known in the literature . the compounds wherein r is phenyl or substituted phenyl are either specifically taught or they can be prepared as described by l . m . weinstock et al . in the journal of organic chemistry , vol . 32 , pages 2823 - 29 , ( 1967 ); or in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 555 , 521 . other references include japanese patents jpo 5 , 163 , 257 a2 ; 5 , 163 , 258 a2 ; and 5 , 163 , 259 a2 . the synthesis of cyanogen bromide is described in organic synthesis collective , vol . 2 , page 150 , ( 1943 ): the following examples illustrate the present invention and the manner by which it can be practiced but , as such , should not be construed as limitations upon the overall scope of the same . since the hereinabove and hereinafter set forth compound preparation procedures employ only standard chemistry practices and it is known that slightly different reactants can require slightly different reaction parameters from those for other reactants , it is to be understood that minor modifications to the reaction parameters set forth such as the use of an excess of one reactant , the use of a catalyst , the use of high temperature and / or high pressure equipment , high speed mixing and other such conventional changes are within the scope of the present invention . the desired product can be separated from the reaction product of the above preparative procedures employing conventional separatory procedures known to those skilled in the art including steps of solvent extraction , filtration , water washing , column chromatography , neutralization , acidification , crystallization and distillation . the structure identity of all compounds is confirmed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 1 h nmr ), recorded at 300 mhz ; carbon nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 13 c nmr ) recorded at 75 mhz ; infrared spectroscopy ( ir ) and gas chromatography / mass spectrometry ( gc / ms ). all of the reactions are conducted under a positive pressure of nitrogen . to a stirred solution of 3 . 8 grams ( g )( 0 . 05 mole ) of sodium sulfide in 100 ml of dimethylformamide was added 8 g ( 0 . 041 mole ) of 4 - phenyl - 3 - chloro - 1 , 2 , 5 - thiadiazole . the mixture was stirred overnight (˜ 16 hours ), and to the resulting dark green solution was added 6 . 64 g ( 1 . 5 molar equivalents ) of cyanogen bromide . this mixture was stirred for about 14 hours and then diluted with 100 ml of water and extracted with 200 ml of methylene chloride . the organic layer was separated and washed with water ( 2 × 100 ml ), dried and concentrated under reduced pressure . the thus recovered crude material was chromatographed on silica gel with a 10 % etoac : 90 % hexane mixture to yield 6 . 6 g ( 72 percent of theoretical ) as an oil which turned to a white solid melting at 49 ° c . upon standing ; 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 159 . 10 , 141 . 78 , 130 . 59 , 129 . 76 , 129 . 06 , 127 . 88 , 105 . 98 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 219 ( m + ), 192 , 160 , 135 , 103 . by employing the above preparative procedure employing the appropriate starting materials , the following compounds were prepared . this compound was isolated as a white solid which melted at 87 °- 88 ° c . in a yield of 65 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 7 . 67 ( d , j = 8 . 3 hz , 2h ), 7 . 53 ( dr j = 8 . 3 hz , 2h ): 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 158 . 21 , 141 . 66 , 137 . 04 , 129 . 45 , 129 . 31 , 128 . 29 , 105 . 733 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 255 , 253 , 194 , 171 , 169 , 139 , 137 , 116 , 102 . this compound was isolated as a white solid which melted at 82 °- 83 ° c . in a yield of 53 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 7 . 72 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 08 ( d , j = 6 . 9 hz . 1h ), 7 . 54 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 48 ( m , 1h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 157 . 76 , 141 . 83 , 135 . 22 , 131 . 40 , 130 . 73 , 130 . 34 , 128 . 24 , 125 . 87 , 105 . 59 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 255 , 253 , 228 , 226 , 218 , 196 , 194 , 171 , 169 , 139 , 137 , 102 . this compound was isolated as an oil in a yield of 55 percent of theoretical ; 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 158 . 12 , 143 . 88 , 131 . 92 , 131 . 22 , 131 . 22 , 130 . 03 , 129 . 90 , 127 . 75 , 106 . 33 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 255 , 253 , 218 , 171 , 169 , 139 , 137 , 116 , 102 . this compound was isolated as a white solid which melted at 67 °- 68 ° c . in a yield of 60 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 7 . 70 - 7 . 74 ( dd , j = 8 . 3 , 5 . 2 hz , 2h ), 7 . 24 ( t , j = 8 . 5 hz , 2h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 165 . 46 , 162 . 12 , 158 . 31 , 142 . 00 , 130 . 21 , 130 . 10 , 126 . 05 , 116 . 54 , 116 . 25 , 105 . 80 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 237 ( m + ), 210 , 178 , 153 , 121 , 116 . this compound was isolated as a yellow solid which melted at 105 ° c . in a yield of 70 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 7 . 68 ( d , j = 8 . 5 hz , 2h ), 7 . 59 ( d , j = 8 . 5 hz , 2h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 158 . 20 , 141 . 60 , 132 . 35 , 129 . 43 , 128 . 69 , 125 . 36 , 105 . 69 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 299 , 297 , 272 , 270 , 218 , 215 , 213 , 183 , 181 , 160 , 116 . this compound was isolated as a yellow solid which melted at 64 °- 65 ° c . in a yield of 50 percent of theoretical ; 1h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 7 . 45 ( d , j = 8 . 3 hz , 2h ), 7 . 22 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 07 ( dd , j = 8 . 3 , 2 . 2 hz , 1h ), 3 . 88 ( s , 3h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 159 . 83 , 158 . 85 , 141 . 98 , 130 . 18 , 119 . 90 , 116 . 53 , 113 . 42 , 105 . 96 , 55 . 47 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 249 ( m + ), 222 , 190 , 175 , 159 , 147 . this compound was isolated as a white solid which melted at 121 ° c . in a yield of 60 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 7 . 64 ( d , j = 8 . 7 hz , 2h ), 7 . 32 ( d , j = 8 . 6 hz , 2h ), 3 . 88 ( s , 3h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 161 . 22 , 158 . 93 . 141 . 50 , 129 . 46 , 122 . 27 , 111 . 50 , 106 . 43 , 55 . 45 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 249 ( m + ), 226 , 165 , 133 , 103 , 90 . this compound was isolated as a yellow solid which melted at 80 °- 82 ° c . in a yield of 46 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 7 . 62 ( d , j = 8 . 7 hz , 2h ), 7 . 35 ( d , j = 8 . 7 hz , 2h ), 2 . 53 ( s , 3h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 158 . 86 , 142 . 76 , 141 . 63 , 128 . 62 , 128 . 13 , 125 . 88 , 125 . 56 , 105 . 98 , 15 . 13 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 265 ( m + ), 205 , 192 , 181 , 149 , 116 . this compound was isolated as a white solid which melted at 76 ° c . in a yield of 65 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 7 . 87 ( d , j = 8 . 4 hz , 2h ), 7 . 81 ( d , j = 8 . 4 hz , 2h ): 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 158 . 94 , 142 . 06 , 133 . 33 , 132 . 85 , 132 . 42 , 128 . 65 , 128 . 38 , 126 . 26 , 121 . 72 , 105 . 69 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 287 ( m + ), 260 , 203 , 116 . this compound was isolated as a tan solid which melted at 158 °- 160 ° c . in a yield of 66 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 8 . 13 ( d , j = 8 . 1 hz , 2h ), 7 . 96 ( d , j = 8 . 2 hz , 2h ), 3 . 13 ( s , 3h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 157 . 43 , 142 . 24 , 134 . 80 , 129 . 35 , 129 . 05 , 128 . 18 , 105 . 39 , 44 . 45 . this compound was isolated as a yellow solid which melted at 135 ° c . in a yield of 48 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 8 . 21 ( d , j = 8 . 2 hz , 2h ), 7 . 81 ( d , j = 8 . 2 hz , 2h ), 3 . 97 ( s , 3h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 165 . 64 , 158 . 17 , 141 . 97 , 133 . 73 , 131 . 90 , 130 . 19 , 127 . 99 , 105 . 58 , 52 . 54 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 278 ( m + ), 246 , 130 , 102 . this compound was isolated as a yellow solid which melted at 117 ° c . in a yield of 48 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 8 . 42 ( d , j = 8 . 8 hz , 2h ), 7 . 97 ( d , j = 8 . 8 hz , 2h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) 157 . 06 , 148 . 56 , 141 . 93 , 135 . 47 , 129 . 10 , 124 . 19 , 105 . 27 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 264 ( m + ), 218 . this compound was isolated as a white solid which melted at 70 °- 71 ° c . in a yield of 48 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 7 . 62 ( d , j = 3 . 5 hz , 1h ), 7 . 57 ( d , j = 5 hz , 1h ), 7 . 19 ( dd , j = 3 . 5 , 5 . 0 hz , 1h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 153 . 33 , 140 . 01 , 132 . 10 , 130 . 04 , 128 . 20 , 128 . 12 , 105 . 63 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 225 ( m + ), 198 , 180 , 141 , 116 . this compound was isolated as a yellow solid which melted at 120 ° c . in a yield of 45 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 8 . 97 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 58 ( d , j = 3 . 8 hz , 1h ), 8 . 06 ( d , j = 7 . 8 hz , 1h ), 7 . 48 ( m , 1h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 156 . 74 , 151 . 34 , 148 . 48 , 141 . 77 , 135 . 33 , 126 . 16 , 123 . 64 , 105 . 48 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 220 ( m + ), 194 , 156 , 136 , 130 , 116 . to a stirred solution of 3 . 81 grams ( g )( 0 . 05 mole ) of sodium sulfide in 100 ml of dimethylformamide was added 8 g ( 0 . 041 mole ) of 4 - phenyl - 3 - chloro - 1 , 2 , 5 - thiadiazole . the mixture was stirred 18 hours and to this mixture was added 6 . 68 g ( 1 . 5 molar equivalents ) of chloromethyithiocyanate . this mixture was stirred for ˜ 14 hours and then diluted with 100 ml of water and extracted with 200 ml of methylene chloride . the organic layer was separated and washed with water ( 2 × 100 ml ), dried and concentrated under reduced pressure . the thus recovered crude material was chromatographed on silica gel with a 10 % etoac : 90 % hexane mixture to yield 8 . 99 g ( 83 percent of theoretical ) as an oil . upon crystallization , a light yellow solid melting at 58 °- 60 ° c . was recovered in a yield of 69 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 4 . 77 ( s , 2h ), 7 . 49 ( m , 3h ), 7 . 82 ( m , 2h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 38 . 28 , 111 . 46 , 127 . 97 , 128 . 78 , 130 . 06 , 151 . 77 , 157 . 93 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 265 ( m + ), 207 , 148 , 116 . by employing the above preparative procedure employing the appropriate starting materials , the following compounds were prepared . this compound was isolated as a tan solid which melted at 67 °- 68 ° c . in a yield of 65 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 4 . 79 ( s , 2h ), 7 . 63 ( dr j = 8 . 4 hz , 2h ), 7 . 30 ( d , j = 8 . 4 hz , 2h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 38 . 31 , 111 . 32 , 129 . 48 , 129 . 78 , 132 . 01 , 151 . 62 , 156 . 75 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 345 , 343 , 287 , 285 , 206 . this compound was isolated as a white solid which melted at 62 °- 63 ° c . in a yield of 60 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 4 . 80 ( s , 2h ), 7 . 48 ( dr j = 8 . 2 hz , 2h ), 7 . 79 ( dr j = 8 . 2 hz7 2h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 38 . 33 , 111 . 327 129 . 097 129 . 32 , 136 . 28 , 151 . 667 156 . 75 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 301 ( m + + 1 ), 299 , 243 , 241 , 182 , 150 . this compound was isolated as a white solid which melted at 67 ° c . in a yield of 52 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 2 . 80 ( s , 2h ), 7 . 72 ( mr 1h ), 7 . 83 ( s , 1h ) 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 38 . 30 , 111 . 23 , 125 . 90 , 128 . 18 , 129 . 99 , 130 . 09 , 132 . 44 , 134 . 83 , 151 . 75 , 156 . 35 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 301 ( m + + 1 ), 299 , 243 , 241 , 202 , 182 . this compound was isolated as an oil in a yield of 52 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 4 . 74 ( s , 2h ), 7 . 41 - 7 . 52 ( m , 4h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 38 . 08 , 111 . 15 , 126 . 90 , 129 . 81 , 130 . 15 , 130 . 86 , 131 . 32 , 133 . 32 , 153 . 64 , 156 . 34 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 301 ( m + + 1 ), 299 , 205 , 184 , 182 , 150 . this compound was isolated as a clear oil in a yield of 65 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 4 . 80 ( s , 2h ), 7 . 20 ( t , j = 8 . 5 hz , 2h ), 7 . 84 ( m , 2h ) 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 38 . 32 , 11 . 36 , 115 . 85 , 116 . 44 , 127 . 15 , 130 . 04 , 130 . 16 , 151 . 51 , 156 . 51 , 161 . 79 , 165 . 12 . this compound was isolated as a yellow oil with a yield of 70 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 3 . 87 ( s , 3h ), 4 . 79 ( s , 2h ). 7 . 05 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 42 ( m , 3h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 38 . 36 , 55 . 47 , 111 . 39 , 113 . 23 , 116 . 20 , 120 . 17 , 129 . 84 , 132 . 03 , 151 . 81 , 157 . 73 , 159 . 60 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 295 ( m + ), 237 , 178 , 146 . this compound was isolated as a white solid which melted at 79 °- 80 ° c . in a yield of 69 percent of theoretical ; 1h nmr ( 300 mhz cdcl 3 ) δ 3 . 87 ( s , 3h ), 4 . 78 ( s , 2h ), 7 . 02 ( d . j = 8 . 52 hz , 2h ). 7 . 79 ( d , j = 8 . 52 hz , 2h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 38 . 41 , 55 . 41 , 11 . 52 , 114 . 17 , 123 . 54 , 129 . 18 , 151 . 23 , 157 . 68 , 160 . 79 : ms ( ei ) m / e 295 , 237 , 178 , 146 . this compound was isolated as a white solid which melted at 79 °- 80 ° c . in a yield of 64 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 2 . 53 ( s , 3h ), 4 . 78 ( s , 2h ), 7 . 34 ( d , j = 8 . 71 hz , 2h ), 7 . 76 ( d , j = 8 . 1 hz , 2h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 15 . 26 , 38 . 38 , 111 . 36 , 25 . 73 , 127 . 22 , 128 . 17 , 141 . 72 , 151 . 44 , 157 . 36 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 311 ( m + ), 253 , 206 . this compound was isolated as a white solid which melted at 120 °- 121 ° c . in a yield of 54 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 3 . 13 ( s , 3h ), 4 . 84 ( s , 2h ), 8 . 09 ( q , 4h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 38 . 21 , 44 . 48 , 111 . 12 , 127 . 86 , 128 . 95 , 135 . 81 , 141 . 48 , 152 . 08 , 155 . 80 . this compound was isolated as a white solid which melted at 79 °- 80 ° c . in a yield of 74 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 4 . 81 ( s , 2h ), 7 . 78 ( d , j = 8 . 2 hz , 2h ), 7 , 98 ( d , j = 8 . 2 hz , 2h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 138 . 26 , 111 . 19 , 121 . 73 , 125 . 33 , 125 . 78 , 125 . 82 , 128 . 43 , 131 , 61 , 132 . 04 , 134 . 18 , 151 . 96 , 156 , 42 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 333 ( m + ), 275 , 216 , 184 . this compound was isolated as a yellow oil in a yield of 42 percent of theoretical : 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 2 . 42 ( s , 3h ), 4 . 76 ( s , 2h ), 7 . 29 ( d , j = 7 . 7 hz , 1h ), 7 . 38 ( t , j = 7 . 6 hz , 1h ), 7 . 60 ( m , 2h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 21 . 40 , 38 . 26 , 111 . 49 , 125 . 03 , 128 . 70 130 . 92 , 138 . 73 , 151 . 92 , 158 . 25 . this compound was isolated as a white solid which melted at 119 °- 120 ° c . in a yield of 65 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 3 . 96 ( s , 3h ), 4 . 81 ( s , 2h ), 7 . 93 ( d , j = 8 . 3 hz , 2h ), 8 . 17 ( d , j = 8 . 3 hz , 2h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 38 . 31 , 52 . 44 , 111 . 21 , 127 . 97 , 129 . 93 , 131 . 28 , 134 . 82 , 152 . 01 , 156 . 767 165 . 90 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 323 ( m + ), 265 , 221 , 205 , 162 , 130 . this compound was isolated as a yellow solid which melted at 78 ° c . in a yield of 56 percent of theoretical : 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz . cdcl 3 ) δ 4 . 86 ( s , 2h ), 8 . 06 ( d , j = 8 . 8 hz , 2h ), 8 . 36 ( d , j = 8 . 8 hz , 2h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 38 . 32 , 111 . 13 , 123 . 98 , 129 . 02 , 136 . 60 , 148 . 19 , 152 . 22 , 155 . 43 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 310 ( m + ), 252 , 206 . this compound was isolated as a tan solid which melted at 120 °- 122 ° c . in a yield of 67 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 7 . 16 ( dd , j = 4 . 8 , 3 . 6 hz , 1h ), 7 . 71 ( d , j = 3 . 6 hz , 1h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 38 . 23 , 111 . 30 , 127 . 56 , 126 . 63 , 129 . 14 , 133 . 53 , 150 . 44 , 151 . 93 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 271 ( m + ), 213 , 180 , 154 , 122 . this compound was isolated as a yellow solid which melted at 88 °- 90 ° c . in a yield of 77 percent of theoretical ; 1 h nmr ( 300 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 4 . 84 ( s , 2h ), 7 . 46 ( dd , j = 4 . 7 , 7 . 9 hz , 1b ), 8 . 17 ( d , j = 7 . 9 hz , 1h ), 8 . 73 ( d , j = 7 . 9hz , 1h ), 9 . 10 ( s , 1h ); 13 c nmr ( 75 mhz , cdcl 3 ) δ 38 . 24 , 111 . 08 , 123 . 39 , 127 . 11 , 135 . 11 , 148 . 75 , 150 . 73 , 151 . 93 , 155 . 08 ; ms ( ei ) m / e 266 ( m + ), 208 , 149 , 118 . the compounds of this invention are useful as antimicrobial additives , and they can be added to industrial products such as paints , inks , adhesives , soaps , cutting oils , textiles , paper pigment slurries and styrene - butadiene latexes used for paper coatings to provide needed antimicrobial properties . the compounds are also used as antimicrobial additives in such personal care products as hand creams , lotions , shampoos and hand soaps . a further advantage in the use of the compounds of this invention is their cost - effectiveness for applications which need to have an antimicrobial continuously replenished , such as in cooling towers and pulp and paper mills . as appreciated by those skilled in the art , each of the compounds disclosed herein are not necessarily active at the same concentrations or against the same microbial species . there may be some compound - to - compound variation in antimicrobial potency and spectrum of antimicrobial activity . the antimicrobial compounds of the present invention may be added to formulations susceptible to microbial growth . they may be added either undiluted or dissolved in inert diluents such as organic solvents such as glycols , alcohols or acetone . they may also be added alone or in combination with other preservatives . as used herein , the term &# 34 ; microorganism &# 34 ; is meant to refer to bacteria , fungi , viruses , algae , subviral agents and protozoa . as used herein , the term &# 34 ; antimicrobially - effective amount &# 34 ; refers to that amount of one or a mixture of the compounds , or of a composition comprising such compound or compounds , of this invention needed to exhibit inhibition of selected microorganisms . typically , this amount varies from providing about 1 part per million ( ppm ) to about 5 , 000 ppm by weight of the compound to a microbial habitat being contacted with the compound . such amounts typically vary depending upon the particular compound tested and microorganism treated . additionally , the exact concentration of the compounds to be added in the treatment of industrial and consumer formulations may vary within a product type depending upon the components of the formulation . a preferred effective amount of the compound is from about 1 ppm to about 500 ppm , more preferably from about 1 ppm to about 50 ppm by weight , of a microbial habitat . the term &# 34 ; habitat &# 34 ; refers to a place or site where a microorganism naturally or normally lives or grows . typically , such a habitat will be an area that provides a moisture source , nutrient source , and / or an oxygen source such as , for example , a cooling water tower or an air washing system . the terms &# 34 ; inhibition &# 34 ;, &# 34 ; inhibit &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; inhibiting &# 34 ; refer to the suppression , stasis , kill , or any other interference with the normal life processes of microorganisms that is adverse to such microorganisms , so as to destroy or irreversibly inactivate existing microorganisms and / or prevent or control their future growth and reproduction . the antimicrobial activity of the compounds of the present invention is set forth as the minimum inhibitory concentration ( mic ) for the active compounds and is determined for nine ( 9 ) bacteria , using nutrient agar , and seven ( 7 ) yeast and fungi , using malt yeast agar . this determination is conducted using a one percent solution of the test compound prepared in a mixture of acetone and water . nutrient agar is prepared at ph 6 . 8 , representing a neutral medium , and at ph 8 . 2 , representing an alkaline medium . the nutrient agars are prepared by adding 23 g of nutrient agar to one - liter of deionized water . in addition , the alkaline medium is prepared by adjusting a 0 . 04m solution of n -[ tris -( hydroxymethyl ) methyl ] glycine buffered deionized water with concentrated sodium hydroxide to a ph of 8 . 5 . malt yeast agar is prepared at ph 5 . 5 by adding 3 g yeast extract and 45 g malt agar per liter of deionized water . the specific agar is dispensed in 30 ml aliquots into 25 × 200 mm test tubes , capped and autoclaved for 15 minutes at 115 ° c . the test tubes containing the agar are cooled in a water bath until the temperature of the agar is 48 ° c . then , an appropriate amount of the one percent solution of the test compound is added ( except in the controls where no compound is added ) to the respective test tubes so that the final concentrations are 500 , 50 , 100 , 50 , 25 , 10 , 5 , 2 . 5 , 1 . 0 and zero parts per million of the test compound in the agar , thus having a known concentration of test compound dispersed therein . the contents of the test tubes are then transferred to respective petri plates . after drying for 24 hours , the petri plates containing nutrient agar are inoculated with bacteria and those containing malt yeast agar are inoculated with yeast and fungi . the inoculation with bacteria is accomplished by using the following procedure . twenty - four hour - cultures of each of the bacteria are prepared by incubating the respective bacteria in tubes containing nutrient broth for 24 hours at 30 ° c . in a shaker . dilutions of each of the 24 hour - cultures are made so that nine separate suspensions ( one for each of the nine test bacteria ) are made , each containing 10 8 colony forming units ( cfu ) per ml of suspension of a particular bacteria . aliquots of 0 . 3 ml of each of the bacterial suspensions are used to fill the individual wells of steer &# 39 ; s replicator . for each microbial suspension , 0 . 3 ml was used to fill three wells ( i . e ., three wells of 0 . 3 ml each ) so that for the nine different bacteria , 27 wells are filled . the steer &# 39 ; s replicator is then used to inoculate both the neutral and alkaline ph nutrient agar petri plates . the inoculated petri plates are incubated at 30 ° c . for 48 hours and then read to determine if the test compound which is incorporated into the agar prevented growth of the respective bacteria . the inoculation with the yeast and fungi is accomplished as follows . cultures of yeast and fungi are incubated for seven days on malt yeast agar at 30 ° c . these cultures are used to prepare suspensions by the following procedure . a suspension of each organism is prepared by adding 10 ml of sterile saline and 10 microliters of octylphenoxy polyethoxy ethanol to the agar slant of yeast or fungi . the sterile saline / octylphenoxy potyethoxy ethanol solution is then agitated with a sterile swab to suspend the microorganism grown on the slant . each resulting suspension is diluted into sterile saline ( 1 part suspension : 9 parts sterile saline ). aliquots of these dilutions are placed in individual wells of steer &# 39 ; s replicator and petri plates inoculated as previously described . the petri plates are incubated at 30 ° c . and read after 48 hours for yeast and 72 hours for fungi . table i lists the bacteria , yeast and fungi used in the mic test described above along with their respective american type culture collection ( atcc ) identification numbers . table i______________________________________organisms used in the minimuminhibitory concentration testorganism atcc no . ______________________________________bacteriabacillus subtilis ( bs ) 8473enterobacter aerogenes ( ea ) 13048escherichia coli ( ec ) 11229klebsiella pneumoniae ( kp ) 8308proteus vulgaris ( pv ) 881pseudomonas aeruginosa ( pa ) 10145pseudomonas aeruginosa ( prd - 10 ) 15442salmonella choleraesuis ( se ) 10708staphylococcus aureus ( sa ) 6538yeast / fungiaspergillus niger ( an ) 16404candida albicans ( ca ) 10231penicillium chrysogenum ( pc ) 9480saccharomyces cerevisiae ( sc ) 4105trichoderma viride ( tv ) 8678aureobasidium pullulan ( ap ) 16622fusarium oxysporum ( fo ) 48112______________________________________ in tables ii and iii , the mic values of the active compounds of the present invention as compared to the mic of a standard commercial preservative ( with 1 -( 3 - chloroallyl )- 3 , 5 , 7 - triaza - 1 - azoniaadamantane chloride as the active agent and referred to in tables ii and iii as &# 34 ; standard i &# 34 ;) are set forth for the bacteria organisms and yeast / fungi organisms which are listed in table i . table ii__________________________________________________________________________minimum inhibitory concentrations for test compoundsin bacteria species ( in ppm ) compound organisms ( example no .) bs ea ec kp pv prd pa sc sa__________________________________________________________________________standard i ph 6 . 8 50 100 100 50 50 100 100 50 100 ph 8 . 2 250 250 250 250 250 500 & gt ; 500 100 250 ( i ) ph 6 . 8 & lt ; 10 100 50 25 50 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 50 25 ph 8 . 2 250 500 & gt ; 500 500 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 500 ( ii ) ph 6 . 8 250 & gt ; 500 50 50 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 250 ph 8 . 2 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 250 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 500 500 500 ( iii ) ph 6 . 8 25 & gt ; 500 50 50 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 50 25 ph 8 . 2 100 & gt ; 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 250 ( iv ) ph 6 . 8 & lt ; 10 & gt ; 500 250 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 100 25 ph 8 . 2 250 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 ( v ) ph 6 . 8 & lt ; 10 250 50 100 25 250 100 100 25 ph 8 . 2 50 500 250 100 100 250 100 250 50 ( vi ) ph 6 . 8 25 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 50 ph 8 . 2 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 ( vii ) ph 6 . 8 25 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 250 ph 8 . 2 250 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 ( viii ) ph 6 . 8 100 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 ph 8 . 2 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 ( ix ) ph 6 . 8 & lt ; 10 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 50 ph 8 . 2 250 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 250 ( x ) ph 6 . 8 25 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 50 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 ph 8 . 2 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 ( xi ) ph 6 . 8 25 500 500 250 500 500 500 500 100 ph 8 . 2 500 1 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 ( xii ) ph 6 . 8 25 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 ph 8 . 2 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 ( xiii ) ph 6 . 8 25 500 500 100 500 500 500 500 50 ph 8 . 2 & gt ; 100 & gt ; 100 & gt ; 100 & gt ; 100 & gt ; 100 & gt ; 100 & gt ; 100 & gt ; 100 & gt ; 100 ( xiv ) ph 6 . 8 25 100 50 25 50 500 500 50 25 ph 8 . 2 100 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 ( xv ) ph 6 . 8 25 250 250 100 100 500 500 250 50 ph 8 . 2 100 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 00 ( xvi ) ph 6 . 8 & lt ; 10 50 25 25 50 25 25 25 25 ph 8 . 2 250 500 250 100 250 50 250 250 50 ( xvii ) ph 6 . 8 9 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 ph 8 . 2 25 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 ( xviii ) ph 6 . 8 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 ph 8 . 2 500 & gt ; 500 250 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 ( xix ) ph 6 . 8 9 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 9 ph 8 . 2 9 & gt ; 500 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 9 ( xx ) ph 6 . 8 9 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 9 ph 8 . 2 9 & gt ; 500 250 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 9 ( xxi ) ph 6 . 8 9 500 500 500 500 250 250 500 500 ph 8 . 2 100 & gt ; 500 250 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 ( xxii ) ph 6 . 8 9 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 ph 8 . 2 25 & gt ; 500 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 500 ( xxiii ) ph 6 . 8 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 ph 8 . 2 250 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 ( xxiv ) ph 6 . 8 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 ph 8 . 2 500 & gt ; 500 250 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 ( xxv ) ph 6 . 8 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 ph 8 . 2 500 & gt ; 500 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 500 ( xxvi ) ph 6 . 8 9 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 25 ph 8 . 2 9 & gt ; 500 250 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 25 ( xxvii ) ph 6 . 8 25 500 500 500 500 250 500 500 250 ph 8 . 2 25 500 500 500 500 500 250 500 25 ( xxviii ) ph 6 . 8 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 ph 8 . 2 500 & gt ; 500 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 500 ( xxix ) ph 6 . 8 50 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 ph 8 . 2 500 & gt ; 500 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 500 ( xxx ) ph 6 . 8 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 ph 8 . 2 500 & gt ; 500 250 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 ( xxxi ) ph 6 . 8 50 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 100 ph 8 . 2 25 & gt ; 500 250 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 50__________________________________________________________________________ table iii__________________________________________________________________________minimum inhibitory concentrations for testcompounds in yeast / fungi species ( in ppm ) at ph 5 . 5__________________________________________________________________________ organismscompound an ca pc sc tv ap fo__________________________________________________________________________standard i & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 & gt ; 500 ( i ) 2 . 5 2 . 5 2 . 5 & lt ; 1 2 . 5 & lt ; 1 2 . 5 ( ii ) & lt ; 10 & lt ; 10 & lt ; 10 & lt ; 10 & lt ; 10 & lt ; 10 & lt ; 10 ( iii ) 5 5 2 . 5 2 . 5 2 . 5 2 . 5 2 . 5 ( iv ) 25 & lt ; 10 10 2 . 5 10 5 5 ( v ) 5 25 2 . 5 5 25 2 . 5 10 ( vi ) 5 5 10 5 & lt ; 1 2 . 5 5 ( vii ) 10 50 25 5 5 5 5 ( viii ) 100 25 & gt ; 500 9 9 9 50 ( ix ) & lt ; 10 50 & lt ; 10 & lt ; 10 & lt ; 10 & lt ; 10 & lt ; 10 ( x ) 5 5 5 2 . 5 2 . 5 2 . 5 5 ( xi ) 500 500 500 250 250 50 100 ( xii ) 25 10 100 10 10 10 10 ( xiii ) & lt ; 10 & lt ; 10 & lt ; 10 & lt ; 10 & lt ; 10 & lt ; 10 & lt ; 10 ( xiv ) & lt ; 10 25 & lt ; 10 & lt ; 10 & lt ; 10 & lt ; 10 & lt ; 10 ( xv ) 100 100 100 50 100 50 50 ( xvi ) 2 . 5 5 2 . 5 2 . 5 10 2 . 5 5 ( xvii ) 25 500 9 9 500 9 250 ( xviii ) 9 250 9 9 250 9 100 ( xix ) 5 25 2 . 5 1 & gt ; 500 2 . 5 500 ( xx ) 9 250 9 9 & gt ; 500 9 25__________________________________________________________________________compound ( example organismsno .) an ca pc sc tv ap fo__________________________________________________________________________ ( xxi ) 9 9 9 9 25 9 9 ( xxii ) 50 250 25 9 250 9 50 ( xxiii ) 25 250 50 9 250 9 100 ( xxiv ) 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 ( xxv ) 250 500 9 500 & gt ; 500 250 & gt ; 500 ( xxvi ) 25 & gt ; 500 2 . 5 2 . 5 & gt ; 500 5 & gt ; 500 ( xxvii ) 9 50 9 9 100 9 25 ( xxviii ) 100 500 100 250 & gt ; 500 50 250 ( xxix ) 9 9 9 9 9 & gt ; 500 9 ( xxx ) 50 100 9 9 250 25 100 ( xxxi ) 25 25 9 9 50 9 25__________________________________________________________________________ the present invention is also directed to a method for inhibiting marine organisms . the term &# 34 ; marine organisms &# 34 ; is meant to include marine animals , such as barnacles , serpulid , bryozoa , oysters and hydroids , and marine plants , such as green algae and brown algae . the method for inhibiting marine organisms comprises contacting a surface exposed to a marine environment in which marine organisms grow with a marine antifouling effective amount of the compound of this invention . as appreciated by those skilled in the art , not all of the compounds disclosed herein are active at the same concentrations or against the same marine organism species . that is , there may be some compound - to - compound variation in marine antifouling potency and spectrum of marine antifouling activity . furthermore , a compound &# 39 ; s marine antifouling activity may be dependent on the specific materials with which the compound is formulated to form a marine antifouling composition . as used herein , the term &# 34 ; marine antifouling effective amount &# 34 ; refers to that amount of one or a mixture of two or more of the compounds of this invention needed to exhibit inhibition of selected marine organisms . typically , this amount varies from providing about 1 weight percent to about 30 weight percent of the compound to a marine antifouling composition which is used to treat a surface exposed to a marine environment in which marine organisms live or grow . such amounts vary depending upon the particular compound tested and marine organism to be treated . also , the exact concentration of the compounds to be added in the preparation of industrial and consumer formulations may vary within a product type depending upon the components of the formulation . a composition comprising a marine antifouling effective amount of the compound will also comprise an inert diluent which may be , for example , in the form of a paint . particularly preferred are those paints having a vinyl resin binder such as , for example , a plasticized polyvinyl chloride or a polyvinyl chloride - polyvinyl acetate type . preferably , the binders are formulated as latexes or emulsions . in a paint composition , the compound of the present invention is preferably used in an amount from about 1 to about 30 weight percent and , most preferably , from about 10 to about 25 weight percent . in addition to vinyl resin binder paints , epoxy and polyurethane binder paints containing the compound may also be useful . coatings and films prepared from paints comprising the compound of the present invention typically remain substantially free from build - up of marine organisms for periods ranging from about 3 to about 12 months , depending upon the concentration of the compound and the thickness of the applied coating or film . the term &# 34 ; a surface exposed to a marine environment &# 34 ; refers to a surface where a marine organism naturally or normally lives or grows . typically , such a surface will be an area that is in continual or periodic contact with a marine environment such as an ocean or other body of water . typical surfaces include , for example , a ship hull . the marine antifouling activity of the compounds of the present invention is demonstrated by the following techniques . test panels are prepared from clear , rigid polyvinyl chloride film that is 0 . 381 × 10 - 3 m thick and has one textured surface . the test panels are 0 . 1524 m by 0 . 1524 m squares that have 0 . 00635 m holes punched at corners on 0 . 127 m centers . a 0 . 102 square template , with a 0 . 067 m diameter hole at the center , is attached to the center of the textured surface of the test panels . a candidate marine antifoulant compound ( 1 . 0 g ) is stirred into a resinous latex binder ( 9 . 0 g ). a portion of the compound / binder mixture ( 1 . 5 g ) is added to the center of the test panel and uniformly spread over the circular area inside the template . water is added dropwise as needed to properly spread the compound / binder mixture . the template prevents the compound / binder mixture from spreading beyond the uncovered area . the test panel is allowed to sit for between 10 to 30 minutes until the edge of the spread compound / binder mixture has dried . the template is then removed . the test panel is then allowed to dry for 8 to 12 hours at room temperature . two test panels are prepared for each candidate marine antifoulant compound . two control test panels are also prepared by only treating with the resinous latex binder . one test panel of each candidate marine surfactant compound is attached over a white background to the topside of an exposure support apparatus . the second test panel is attached over a black background to the underside of the exposure support apparatus . the exposure support apparatus is placed horizontally 0 . 0254 m under a marine surface with the white background topside facing up . the exposure support apparatus is exposed to the marine environment for both 6 and 10 weeks during which time the control test panels become substantially covered with mature marine organism growth on both the topside and underside exposures . after being removed from the exposure support apparatus , each test panel is inspected and rated for marine organism growth on both the treated and untreated areas of the test panel , the marine organisms present on the treated and untreated areas are noted . the presence of algae spores and bacterial slime are noted but not included in rating each test panel . the test panels are rated on a scale from 10 ( representing completely free of marine organism growth ) to 0 ( representing completely covered with marine organism growth ). in table iv , the marine antifouling rating values for some of the active compounds of the present invention are set forth , as well as the ratings for control panels ( with no marine antifouling compound and referred to in table iv as &# 34 ; control &# 34 ;). in addition , test panels were prepared using tributyl tin oxide , a known marine antifouling compound . one set of such panels used the tributyl tin oxide in a commercially available ship - hull paint ( referred to in table iv as &# 34 ; standard ii &# 34 ;) which was employed in the same manner as the resinous latex binder used on the other test panels . a second set of such panels used the tributyl tin oxide at a 10 percent concentration in the resinous latex binder ( referred to in table iv as &# 34 ; standard iii &# 34 ;). table iv______________________________________marine antifouling rating for test compounds marine antifouling ratings 6 week test 10 week testcompound top bottom top bottom ( example no .) panel panel panel panel______________________________________i 7 7 4 3xvi 9 9 4 9control 10 7 5 4standard ii 10 10 9 9standard iii 10 10 4 10______________________________________ | US-36049694-A |
a confetti popper device is provided . the confetti popper has a quantity of confetti stored within a body . a balloon or similar expandable membrane within the body may be inflated until a pressure within the interior against a cover reaches a certain pressure . upon reaching this pressure , the cover of the body may release , causing the confetti to be ejected from the body . | the detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently preferred embodiments of the invention and does not represent the only forms in which the present invention may be constructed and / or utilized . the description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments . generally , the present invention involves a confetti popper device configured to rapidly release (“ pop ”) confetti based on the expansion and pressure of a balloon or similar membrane within the popper . the confetti popper device may comprise a body defining an interior space , a quantity of confetti stored within the interior space until dispensed , a cover on one end of the body , and an inflatable balloon or membrane connected to an air pump to inflate the balloon or membrane . upon sufficient interior pressure , the cover may release , rapidly releasing the confetti within the body . the components of the present invention may be made of any materials . generally , the body may be made of any material capable of storing the confetti and balloon during its inflation . examples of materials which the body may be made include paper , plastic , metal , wood , composite materials , and the like . further , the body may be of any shape and size capable of storing the confetti and balloon , and being sealed by the cover . the confetti popper contemplated herein may be provided in any number of different variations . for example , the confetti popper may be provided to a consumer as a kit for assembly . the confetti popper may also be provided in a disposable embodiment , or , it may be reusable . alternatively , some parts of the confetti popper may be reusable , such as the balloon , air pump , and / or body , while other parts of the confetti popper may be disposable such as the confetti , and cover . in another embodiment , a plurality of different balloons of various shapes , sizes and thicknesses may be used , being swappable on and off of the air pump and / or into the body . in this embodiment , it will be even more unknown to a user when the confetti popper will release because the balloons will be less familiar . turning now to fig1 , a perspective cut - away view of one embodiment of the present invention is provided . the confetti popper has a body 12 providing structure and support for the components of the confetti popper . the body 12 is generally tubular and cylindrical , however it should be understood that the body may be of any shape capable of storing confetti , and a balloon or similar membrane . for example , the body 12 may be rectangular , triangular , oblong , or the like . further , its shape need not be uniform along its length or width . the body 12 defines an interior space 15 . within this interior space lies a balloon 11 , as well as a quantity of confetti 13 . the balloon 11 is shown herein as a long , thin balloon — often referred to as a rocket balloon . however , it should be understood that any balloon or similar membrane may be used . similarly , the confetti 13 may be any sort of decorative material for ejection from the body 12 . examples of confetti 13 may include , but are not limited to : confetti paper , confetti strings , lightweight paper strips , sparkles , shaped cut - outs ( such as a star or lighting bolt ), tissue paper , reflective items , streamers , and the like . one end of the body 12 is sealed by a cover 14 . this cover 14 may be releasable such as by breaking , rupturing , or an adhesive or connection otherwise giving way . the cover 14 is configured to release upon application of a sufficient , predetermined pressure from within the body 12 . in some embodiments , the cover may be re - sealable . however , in many embodiments , the cover 14 is broken once released and not re - sealable . an air pump 10 is attached to balloon 11 at its inflation end . the pump 10 may be permanently or removably attached to the balloon 11 . the air pump 10 is configured to pump air into the balloon 11 , causing it to increase in size . the air pump 10 may be a manual pump such as a hand or foot pump , or may be a mechanized pump such as an electric or other powered pump . the balloon 11 thus grows within the body 12 interior 15 , increasing the pressure upon the confetti 13 as it does so . once this pressure becomes high enough to release the cover 14 , the confetti 13 is rapidly released from the body 12 cover end opening . fig2 shows another embodiment of the confetti popper in use releasing confetti . in this embodiment , the balloon 11 is enlarged , having been filled with air from the air pump 10 . the balloon 11 has thus at least partially filled the body 12 interior 15 , causing pressure to be applied on the confetti 13 within the interior 15 . upon a sufficient amount of pressure being applied to the confetti 13 , and in turn the cover 14 , the cover 14 will release , ejecting the confetti 13 as shown in this figure . fig3 provides another embodiment of the confetti popper . in this embodiment , the balloon 11 and air pump 10 assembly are removed from an end of the body 12 . the body 12 has an open end into which the balloon 11 may be inserted , allowing the balloon 11 to be removably positioned within the body interior 15 . confetti 13 is stored within the interior 15 of the body 12 . the confetti 13 is held in place within the body 12 between the cover 14 , and a flexible seal 30 . in operation , the seal 30 is acted on by the inflating balloon 11 . the seal exerts pressure on the confetti 13 , which puts pressure on the cover 14 . upon release / rupture of the cover 14 , the confetti 13 is ejected from the body 12 by the pressure on it from the seal 30 . in most embodiments , the seal 30 may be flexible in order to allow it to apply pressure to the confetti 13 and force it out from the body 12 interior 15 . in this embodiment shown , the balloon 11 is removable from the body 12 . however , it should be understood that in other embodiments , the balloon 11 may be secured within the interior 15 . this securing may be in any way capable of holding the balloon in place such as by adhesive , a seal , pressure connection , mechanical connection , and the like . the air pump 10 in this embodiment is removably attached to the balloon 11 . in other embodiments , the balloon 11 may be permanently attached to the air pump 10 . the confetti popper may be used in any number of ways . in one embodiment , the air pump connected to the balloon may be activated , inflating the balloon . the air pump may pump air into the balloon until the confetti is released from the body . at this point , the air pumping may cease . for example , if the air pump is a hand pump embodiment , a user may pump or otherwise activate the pump until the confetti is released . in another embodiment , the confetti popper may be loaded and then used . for example , the quantity of confetti may be loaded within the body . the first end of the body opening may be sealed with the cover , and the balloon may be inserted into the body on the opposite end from the first end . the balloon may then be connected to the air pump , and the air pump may be activated until the confetti is released . in still another embodiment , the confetti popper may be provided with the confetti and cover pre - loaded and sealed . in this embodiment , a user may insert the balloon , either before or after being connected to the air pump . the user may then activate the pump until the confetti is released . the balloon may then be removed and used in another pre - loaded and sealed confetti popper . while several variations of the present invention have been illustrated by way of example in preferred or particular embodiments , it is apparent that further embodiments could be developed within the spirit and scope of the present invention , or the inventive concept thereof . however , it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of the present invention , and are inclusive , but not limited to the following appended claims as set forth . | US-201414303976-A |
the present invention includes methods for preparing polyol products including a method of making a free - flowing granular product comprising : a ) charging hydrogenated starch hydrolysate to an agglomerator ; b ) adding polyol syrup to the maximum loading capacity of the hydrogenated starch hydrolysate ; and c ) adding polyol crystals in an amount sufficient to dry the product . the present invention also includes compositions comprising polyol products for use in pharmaceuticals , nutraceuticals , foods , such as frozen dairy and bakery items , and confections . | the present invention relates to granular polyol compositions and methods for their manufacture . as used herein , the term “ about ” will be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art and will vary to some extent on the context in which it is used . if there are uses of the term which are not clear to persons of ordinary skill in the art given the context in which it is used , “ about ” shall mean up to plus or minus 10 % of the particular value . by the term “ granular ” is meant discrete particles , grains , or granules . in one embodiment , the granular polyols have a high density and a low porosity . in one embodiment , the granular polyols have a spherical or polyhedric shape . in one embodiment , the present invention includes compositions including polyol granules , ( e . g ., maltitol granules ), and methods for preparing polyol granules . polyols useful in the present invention include , but are not limited to syrup and crystals of maltitol , erythritol , xylitol , mannitol , sorbitol , isomalt , lactitol , and mixtures thereof . the compositions of the present invention are useful in preparing sugar - free compositions for use in , for example , pharmaceuticals , nutraceuticals , foods , and / or confections . for all of the embodiments discussed herein , a polyol syrup can be any polyol syrup . in one embodiment , the polyol syrup is maltitol syrup , for example , maltisweet ™ m95 ( spi polyols , inc ., new castle , del .) or maltisweet ™ mh80 ( spi polyols , inc ., new castle , del .). maltisweet ™ m95 is about 90 % as sweet as sucrose and has a polyol distribution of about 2 % sorbitol by weight , 90 % maltitol by weight , and about 8 % of a polyol consisting of a hydrogenated polymer with three or more glucose units . maltisweet m95 ™ contains about 33 - 35 % moisture by weight , a maximum of 0 . 1 % ash , and about 0 . 3 % reducing sugar . a 20 % solution of maltisweet m95 ™ has a ph of about 5 . 0 - 8 . 0 . maltisweet m95 ™ is useful in confectionery , bakery , frozen dairy , and other foods . maltisweet ™ mh80 provides the sweetness and stability of hard sugar candy , and has a polyol distribution of no more than about 2 % sorbitol by weight and no less than about 72 % maltitol by weight . other general characteristics of maltisweet ™ mh80 can be found in table 1 . the hsh powder can be , for example stabilite ™ sd30 or sd60 ( innova , muscatine , iowa ). the polyol distribution for stabilite ™ sd30 is about 2 % sorbitol by weight and about 6 % maltitol by weight and the polyol distribution for stabilite ™ sd60 is about 1 % sorbitol and about 3 . 5 % maltitol . other general characteristics of the stabilite ™ family of products is listed in table 2 . in one embodiment , hsh powder is a mixed polyol composition where no one polyol is present in a quantity greater than 50 % by weight . the hsh powder serves to add bulk to the resulting polyol granule composition , but because of its neutrality , it typically does not affect the sweet taste provided by the polyol ( e . g ., maltitol ) syrup , and does not impart a cooling effect like all other polyols . in addition , hsh powder has a decreased laxation effect ( i . e ., a high laxation threshold ), which allows for increased consumption before there is a laxative effect is produced , e . g ., over 150 grams per day . in one embodiment , the polyol crystals can be any polyol crystal material . in one embodiment , the polyol crystals are maltitol crystals , for example , an amalty ® product ( towa chemical industry co ., ltd ., tokyo , japan ). amalty ® crystals are about 90 % as sweet as sucrose , and the product is available in three varieties , depending on the size of the crystal : amalty ® mrs , amalty ® mr20 , amalty ® mr50 , and amalty ® mr100 , which are useful in the present invention . one hundred percent of the mr20 crystals pass through a # 20 u . s . sieve . a minimum of 95 % of the mr50 crystals pass through a # 48 u . s . sieve and a maximum of 65 % of the mr50 crystals pass through a # 200 u . s . sieve . a minimum of 80 % of the mr100 crystals pass through a # 250 u . s . sieve . general characteristics of the amalty family of products are listed in table 3 . generally , the method of the present invention includes combining polyol crystals , ( e . g ., maltitol crystals ), a polyol syrup ( e . g ., maltitol ), and optionally , hsh , drying the mixture , and processing the mixture to a relatively uniform particle size , preferably within a range of between about 200 and 2000 microns . the drying step can be performed using conventional drying machinery , such as a fluid bed granulator , for example , a fluid air model 50 dryer ( fluid air , aurora , ill .). the drying temperature can be in the range of 45 to 120 degrees celsius , and is preferably between 70 to 90 degrees celsius . the air velocity on the fluid bed dryer can be in the range of 100 to 300 standard cubic feet per minute ( scfm ), and preferably is in the range of 150 to 250 scfm . the particle size depends to some extent upon the amount of water present in the composition . typically , a higher water content produces larger particle sizes . ultimately , a free flowing granular polyol ( e . g ., maltitol ) product is formed that is useful in preparing sugar - free compositions for use in the food and confectionery industry , as well as for use in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries . the resulting polyol granule approximates the hygroscopicity and free flowability of the amalty ® maltitol crystal family of products . in one embodiment of the method of the present invention , granules of polyols ( e . g ., maltitol ) are generated from polyol syrup ( e . g ., maltitol syrup ) by pouring or spraying ( using conventional spraying techniques , such as spray drying ) the syrup onto a bed of polyol crystals ( e . g ., maltitol crystals ). in one embodiment , the polyol syrup ( e . g ., maltitol syrup ) includes at least about 50 % by weight polyol solids , and preferably includes from about 50 % to about 70 % polyol solids . preferably , about 5 % to about 80 % by weight , of polyol ( e . g ., maltitol ) syrup is distributed , for example , by pouring or by spraying using conventional spraying techniques , to the polyol crystals ( e . g ., maltitol crystals ). more preferably , about 10 % to about 70 % of polyol ( e . g ., maltitol ) syrup , more preferably about 20 % to about 60 %, more preferably about 30 % to about 50 % by weight , polyol ( e . g ., maltitol ) syrup is distributed to the polyol crystals ( e . g ., maltitol crystals ), and thereby forms a crystal / syrup composition , according to one aspect of the present invention . in a preferred embodiment of the present invention , the percent ratio by weight of polyol ( e . g ., maltitol ) syrup to polyol crystals ( e . g ., maltitol crystals ) about 5 : 95 to about 30 : 70 . in one embodiment , the ratio is about 5 : 95 , respectively , more preferably from about 10 : 90 , more preferably from about 20 : 80 , and more preferably from about 30 : 70 , respectively . in one embodiment , the combination of polyol syrup and polyol crystals is partially dried using a fluid bed dryer ( fluid air , model 50 , aurora ill .) such that the water content is from about 1 % to about 7 % by weight . the drying temperature can be in the range of about 45 to about 120 degrees celsius , and is preferably between about 70 to about 90 degrees celsius . the air velocity on the fluid bed dryer can be in the range of about 100 to about 300 standard cubic feet per minute ( scfm ), and preferably is in the range of about 150 to about 250 scfm . preferably , the water content is from about 1 % to about 5 %, and more preferably , from about 1 % to about 3 % for the reasons described herein . to obtain larger polyol ( e . g ., maltitol ) particles , the water content is most preferably about 3 % or higher . to obtain smaller particles , the water content is preferably about 1 %. after drying to a desired water content ( i . e ., 1 % to 7 % water ), “ customized sweetener 1 ” is produced . the resultant customized sweetener 1 is optionally sized by passing the sweetener through an appropriately sized mesh or screen . sizing and / or screening may be performed , for example , using a vibratory sieve ( sweco , florence , ky .). in an embodiment of the invention , the mesh size of the sieve is from about 10 to about 100 ( corresponding to about 2000 to 150 microns ). in another embodiment , the mesh size is from about 20 to about 60 mesh ( 850 to 250 microns ). in another embodiment , the mesh size is about 30 to about 50 mesh ( 600 to 300 microns ). in another embodiment of the present invention , hsh is added to customized sweetener 1 to form a free flowing granular product that preferably has increased particle surface integrity , and enhanced particle separation . in one embodiment of the method of the present invention , about 5 % to about 50 % by weight hsh powder , by weight , is added to customized sweetener 1 . preferably , about 10 % to about 40 % hsh , by weight , is added , and more preferably , about 15 % to about 30 % hsh is added to customized sweetener 1 to further dry the product . the resulting product , “ customized sweetener 2 ,” can be used as is . alternatively , in another embodiment of the method of the present invention , customized sweetener 2 can be further dried to less than about 2 % moisture by weight using a fluid - bed dryer to produce a product with increased flowability , relative to the non - dried composition containing hsh . the target moisture content is preferably from about 0 . 5 % to about 3 %, and more preferably from about 0 . 5 % to about 1 . 5 %. in an embodiment where the water content of customized sweetener 1 is about 3 % or greater , addition of hsh results in granules having a larger particle size , i . e ., larger than 100 mesh . in an embodiment where the water content of customized sweetener 1 is less than about 3 %, preferably about 0 . 5 % to about 1 . 5 %, addition of hsh powder results in granules having a smaller particle size , preferably around 150 microns . products according to the present invention can have particle sizes from about 50 microns to about 2000 microns . in one embodiment , the particle size is about 50 microns to about 850 microns . in one embodiment , the particle size is about 50 microns to about 600 microns . in one embodiment , the particle size is about 50 microns to about 300 microns . in one embodiment , the particle size is about 50 microns to about 250 microns . in one embodiment , the particle size is about 70 to about 80 microns . in another embodiment of the method of the present invention , hsh is charged to an agglomerator ( peerless sigma mixer , da 100 , sidney , ohio ), and polyol ( e . g ., maltitol ) syrup is added to the maximum loading capacity of the hsh . the resulting product has a pasty or sandy consistency and has a water content of about 25 %. crystalline polyol ( e . g ., maltitol , such as amalty ™, amalty ™ mrs , amalty ™ mr20 , amalty ™ mr50 , or amalty ™ mr100 ( towa chemical industry co ., ltd ., tokyo , japan )) is added in sufficient amount to dry out the product . the particles are screened to the desired size . in one embodiment , the particle size ranges from about 50 to about 2000 microns . in another embodiment of the invention , the particle size ranges from about 50 to about 850 microns . in another embodiment of the invention , the particle size ranges from about 50 to about 600 microns . in another embodiment of the invention , the particle size ranges from about 50 to about 300 microns . in another embodiment of the invention , the particle size ranges from about 50 to about 250 microns . in another embodiment of the invention , the particle size ranges from about 70 to about 80 microns . to the extent that the product is too wet , and therefore too agglomerated , the product is pressed through an extruder , such as a reitz re - 6 model extruder ( hosokawa bepex , minneapolis , minn .) to form an extrudate and the extrudate is dried to less than 2 % moisture content in a fluid bed dryer , such as a fluid air model 1000 ( fluidair , aurora , ill .) to produce a granular free flowing product . the resulting product can also be used in any of the product embodiments discussed herein . in another embodiment of the present invention , either crystalline polyol ( e . g ., maltitol ), customized sweetener 1 , customized sweetener 2 , or combinations thereof are used to prepare a sugar - free “ premix ” product . the sweetener or combination of sweeteners is combined with other components of sugar free coatings , such as , for example , vegetable fats , milk solids , and cocoa , in a blender and pressed through , for example , a roll refiner or a jet mill to reduce the particle size to a predetermined particle size ( and thereby increase uniformity of the particle size ) of the product . in an embodiment of the invention , the particle size is less than about 30 microns . accordingly , products of the present invention can be used to form a sugar - free coating . in another embodiment of the invention , the particle size is from about 10 to about 20 microns . in another embodiment of the invention , the particle size is from about 10 to about 2000 microns in size . the resulting products of the methods of the present invention are particularly useful in manufacturing plants where both sugar and sugar - free products are produced . usually , the same machinery ( e . g ., blender and roll refiner ) is used to produce both the sugar and sugar - free products , and there is a strong probability of contaminating the sugar - free product with sugar because it is difficult to completely remove the sugar from the machinery . the products of the present invention can be introduced later in the manufacturing process during the conching step ( the texture - smoothing step ) as opposed to earlier in the process where contact with the blender and the roll refiner may cause sugar contamination . the compositions of the present invention therefore serve to reduce and / or eliminate contamination of sugar - free products with sugar . as noted above , in some embodiments of the present invention , crystalline polyol , ( e . g ., maltitol ), customized sweetener 1 , customized sweetener 2 , and / or combinations thereof are produced such that the compositions have a larger predetermined particle size for use in preparing products such as sugar - free chocolate , where high fines output is problematic as described below and low fines output is desirable . also , the range of particle size is narrow to enhance a low fines output . in one embodiment , the particles collected pass through a 100 mesh screen . in another embodiment , the particles collected fall between a 100 mesh screen and a 325 mesh screen . in another embodiment , the particles collected pass through a 325 mesh screen . high fines output is problematic because excess fines absorb a higher amount of fat , which is an expensive ingredient for food , bakery , frozen dairy , and confectionery manufacturers . currently , the most common type of crystalline maltitol has a high level of fines ( i . e ., particles that pass through a 100 mesh sieve ). thus , a crystalline maltitol having less fines absorbs less fat , and makes it less expensive for a manufacturer to produce the same product . about 550 grams of maltisweet 3145 syrup maltitol was cooked at about 127 ° celsius to obtain about 90 % solids . about 240 grams of the cooked maltisweet ™ 3145 product was combined with about 500 grams of amalty ™ mrs crystalline maltitol and mixed in a hobart mixer with a delta paddle ( hobart , troy , ohio ) on speed one until uniform . the product formed popcorn - sized pieces , which were dried overnight in a controlled environment oven ( hotpack , phila ., pa .) at about 40 ° celsius and 10 % relative humidity . the resulting product can be milled and sized to a desired particle size in accordance with the present invention . one or more features , aspects , or embodiments of the present invention can be combined with one or more other features , aspects or embodiments of the present invention . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the methods and compositions of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . thus , it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of the present invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents . | US-19179205-A |
an insulated foot pad for a tripod has an insulated block sandwiched between two plates . the plates are made of a material that is a poor conductor of heat . tripod legs placed on the foot pads will not sink into the snow on sunny days nor into warm asphalt on hot days . | the invention involves an insulated foot pad for feet of an instrument . a block of insulating material is sandwiched between two plates that conduct heat poorly . a preferred embodiment of the subject insulated foot pad 10 is shown in the appended figures . in an exemplified embodiment , the insulated foot pad is used to support a tripod foot on a surface . in the exemplified embodiment an insulating block of foam is sandwiched between two plastic plates . a top plate 12 having an top surface 13 and a bottom surface 15 contacts the foot of the tripod while a bottom plate 14 having an upper surface 17 and a lower surface 19 contacts the ground . the feet of a tripod for a field survey are most often spiked to anchor the tripod in soft ground . these often black spikes rapidly melt through ice and snow . the plates of the pad of the subject invention provide surface area for the tripod foot . the plates can be any shape or size . in the exemplified embodiment the plates are rectangular and are of sufficient size to offer surface area but are not too large to be cumbersome when carrying them in the field . in a particularly preferred embodiment , the top plate 12 has a recess 16 to capture the spike of a tripod foot . the plates should be made of a material that conducts heat poorly . in the exemplified embodiment , the plates are molded of plastic . plate thickness should be kept as thin as possible to prevent heat accumulation . plates however need to be durable , and strong enough to support the survey equipment . the exemplified molded plates are thin but have reinforcing ribs 18 for strength . the ribs prevent full contact between the plate and the insulating material to further reduce heat transfer . the plates enclose insulating material 20 . in the exemplified embodiment , the insulating material is closed cell foam . the foam is resistant to the elements and will not foul if wet . the foam further adds structure and strength to the pad . one skilled in the art would realize that other insulating materials can be used successfully in the pad of the subject invention , including air . the two plates of the exemplified embodiment sandwich the insulating material to form a single foot pad unit 10 . the plates can be affixed to the foam by , for example , an adhesive . alternatively , the plates can be attached to one another capturing the insulating material . it is important however that the means to connect the plates to one another should not conduct heat from one plate to the other . in the exemplified embodiment , pins 22 snap through apertures 24 in one plate and into hollow conduits 26 molded into the other plate . the hollow conduits 26 transfer less heat than a solid peg might . bores 27 are cut into the insulating material to allow the hollow conduits or hollow pipes 26 to pass through the closed cell foam of the exemplified embodiment . on skilled in the art would recognize there are several ways to connect the plates to one another through hollow conduits . it is only necessary that the conduits are secured to each plate . in the exemplified embodiment , four conduits are used to secure the rectangular plates . fewer or more points of connection may be needed to secure plates of different shapes . it is preferred that the least number of connection points be used to minimize the possibility of heat transfer . the insulating foot pad shown in the figures was designed for use with a tripod for land and construction survey . the plate size provides sufficient surface area to support a tripod and its equipment . the recess 16 holds a typical spike type tripod foot 36 . it is noted that in order to keep the convex edge of the recess from contacting the foam and perhaps transferring heat a hole 28 is cut into the foam beneath the recess . the rugged plastic construction will not shatter in cold weather . the plates are white to reflect the sun &# 39 ; s rays . the foam core will not break down with exposure to sun , heat , or water . the pad has a handle 30 so that it can be easily grabbed , removed , and carried when the tripod needs to be moved . in a particularly preferred embodiment , the bottom plate of the pad has spikes 32 to grip the ground ( fig4 ). the spikes allow the pad to grip ice and snow . the number , depth and configuration of the spikes on the bottom of the pad can vary to meet different surface environments . in another particularly preferred embodiment , the bottom plate of the pad is rubberized to grip smooth surfaces ( fig6 ). the rubberized facing of the plate can be a pad 34 applied to the bottom of the plate which covers the entire bottom or can be strips or buttons of rubberized material on the bottom surface of the plate . alternatively , the rubberized facing can be integral with the bottom plate . to use the subject pads , chose a location for the tripod . on frozen ground , snow , mud or gravel , put a pad in the spot where each leg will go . firmly push each pad down with your foot . on slick ice , and hard surfaces , rough up the area or chip out a spot for each pad to insure the pads will not slip . place each foot of the tripod in the center of the recess on each pad . the tripod legs should not be pushed into the pad . the tripod erected on the subject pads should stay level for at least 15 minutes even on the sunniest days . when measurements are complete , remove the tripod and pull the pads up by their handles , loop them together and move on to the next location . applicants note that the subject device can be configured in different ways for different purposes . the pads of the subject invention can be attached to , or integrated into , the tripod legs . for example , a hinged bracket can be used to affix the pads to the tripod legs so they can be swung beneath the tripod feet . likewise , tripods can be provided where the tripod feet are the insulated foot pads . additionally , a different choice of insulating materials may not require the pad to have two plates . it is only important that there be minimal heat transfer to the material contacting the ground so that the portion of the pad contacting the ground will slow the melt of underlying snow and reduce further softening of asphalt . it is understood that the foregoing examples are merely illustrative of the present invention . certain modifications of the articles and / or methods may be made and still achieve the objectives of the invention . such modifications are contemplated as within the scope of the claimed invention . | US-97826710-A |
a platinum alloy has a white finish and comprises platinum , rhodium and ruthenium , with the platinum being present at a concentration of about 95 % by weight , the rhodium being present at a concentration from about 2 . 5 % to about 3 . 5 % by weight , with increasing whiteness and workability at 3 . 5 % rh , and the ruthenium being present at a concentration correspondingly from about 1 . 5 % to about 2 . 5 % by weight , with the preferred composition being at about 1 . 5 % by weight . in addition , methods of preparing the alloy and aesthetic items made with the alloy are included . | the alloy of the present invention provides aesthetic pleasing jewelry comprising an alloy of about 95 % platinum , about 2 . 5 to 3 . 5 % rhodium and about 1 . 5 to 2 . 5 % ruthenium , as disclosed herein , for use in jewelry items such as rings , brooches , bracelets , clips or watch cases , for example . the melting processes required to prepare the platinum alloy described herein may be carried out using any heat - generating apparatus suited to the purpose . such an apparatus may encompass an induction furnace , an arc melt furnace or high - frequency melting furnace provided with a crucible and a gas atmosphere which may either be a normal mixture of atmospheric gases or an inert gas . the furnace atmosphere is preferably at reduced pressure . this setup allows quenching . quenching is preferably carried out employing flowing water at room temperature , e . g ., tap water . preferably the alloy may be made with platinum shot comprising commercially available 1 - 3 mm diameter particles combined with rhodium and rhutenium powder formed from rh and ru sponge ground into a powder also commercially available . grinding the solid sponge material of the specified elements forms the sponge powder . the alloys prepared in accordance with the present invention are unexpectedly stronger than pure platinum , and unexpectedly , significantly and permanently whiter in color than either pure platinum or platinum rhodium plated substrates of the prior art . the present invention will be better understood from the following examples . however , one skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the specific methods and results discussed are merely illustrative . all parts and percentages are given by weight unless otherwise indicated . platinum shot ( course particles 1 - 3 mm diameter ) was placed over rh and ru sponge powder comprising porous solid spongy material , a chemical precipitation , which was ground into a powder ( all purchased from johnson matthey ). total weight of the charge 2 tr . oz . ( 62 . 2 g ). the platinum comprised about 95 %, the rh comprised embodiment about 2 . 5 % and the ru comprised about 2 . 5 % of the charge by weight . the charge was melted in a fused quartz crucible placed in a ceramic flask . the alloy was melted at a temperature of 2050 ° c . in an induction furnace chamber with a negative pressure ( low vacuum ). the melting temperature 2050 ° c . of the resulting alloy ( w1 ) 95 % pt -- 2 . 5 % rh -- 2 . 5 % ru was determined using a raytek optical pyrometer . the time to achieve the desired melt was about 1 minute and the melt was held at the melt temperature for about 12 seconds . the melting was repeated three ( 3 ) times to homogenize the alloy . the alloy was quenched after melting in running tap water at room temperature 60 - 70 ° f . the flask with the crucible was placed into the running water after the furnace power was switched off . the resulting alloy w1 was centrifugally cast in erscem induction casting machine into a mold with a 2 &# 34 ; long and 1 / 4 &# 34 ; diameter cavity as well cast into a hemispherical button 1 &# 34 ; diameter and 1 / 4 &# 34 ; thick . the temperature of the melt was 2050 ° c . the resulting w1 alloy ( about 95 % pt -- about 2 . 5 % rh -- about 2 . 5 % ru ) was tested for hardness and was considered too hard and its workability was inferior for most jewelry applications . alloy w1 was modified by diluting its ru content to about 1 . 5 % by adding pt of an appropriate amount of pt shot and increasing the rh content to about 3 . 5 % by adding an appropriate amount of rh powder producing a second alloy ( w2 ) in accordance with the procedure of example 1 . the w2 composition containing 95 % pt -- 3 . 5 % rh -- 1 . 5 % ru was centrifugally cast in erscem induction casting machine into molds with 2 &# 34 ; long and 1 / 4 &# 34 ; diameter cavity . it was also cast hemispherical button 1 &# 34 ; diameter and 1 / 4 &# 34 ; thick . this alloy exhibited desirable mechanical properties as shown below by detailed testing . a third composition ( w3 ) was prepared according to the procedure of example 1 . alloy w3 contained about 95 % pt -- about 3 % rh -- about 2 % ru . alloy w3 did not appear as lustrous as the w2 alloy , which exhibited the best combination of properties for jewelry applications . alloy w2 , which exhibited the best combination of properties , was further tested . results of this material testing are presented below . additional tests were performed on the w2 alloy , which was re - melted in a wesgo quartz melting dish . the melting was carried out by torch , &# 34 ; natural &# 34 ; working conditions . the material was hot hammered to remove bubbles and the resulting 1 &# 34 ; diameter by 1 / 4 &# 34 ; thick button was cold rolled into 2 mm thick plate . a plate was cold rolled from the cast button . samples 20 × 20 mm were cut from the plate . the remaining material was remelted in the dish , and hammering hot formed a billet about 10 mm diameter and then cold rolled to a 1 / 8 inch diagonal octagon cross section rod . the reduction of the plates and rod by hammering did not exceed about 50 %. 3 . microstructure observed before and after annealing in the direction of rolling and the transverse direction . 5 . reflectance with &# 34 ; true color &# 34 ; ( reflectance without spectral component ), shown in fig1 - 3 . 6 . whiteness and whiteness index before and after exposure in tarnishing solution . hardness of the plates and rods of the alloy w2 of example 2 was measured from the plates on a rockwell f and 15t scales and for the rods on a 15t scale . for rods , hardness , tensile strength , and microstructure were determined in as rolled and in an annealed condition . hardness , table 1 , was measured on a rockwell hardness tester . the results for the plates on the rockwell f ( 60 kg 1 / 16 &# 34 ; steel ball ) and 15t ( 15 kg 1 / 16 &# 34 ; steel ball ) scales are in a good agreement . table 1______________________________________hardnesssample hrf 15t 15t * hrb______________________________________plate i rolled 70 67 67 21 . 5about 50 % reductionplate 2 rolled 71 . 2 67 . 2 67 . 2 23about 50 % reductionrod rolled about 64 . 2 1540 % reductionrod annealed 59______________________________________ *- conversion from astm hardness tables tensile characteristics were measured on instron tensile machine . a 1 / 8 &# 34 ; diagonal octagon cross - section rod -- 4 &# 34 ; long were used for testing . tensile testing results are shown in table 2 . table 2______________________________________tensile test uts , ultimate ys , ksi ( mpa ) tensile el , % ( 50 yield strength mm ) sample strength ksi ( mpa ) elongation______________________________________rod rolled 48 . 0 ( 330 ) 51 . 1 ( 351 ) 11 . 0about 50 % reductionrod annealed -- 49 . 5 ( 340 ) 18 . 0______________________________________ the tensile test shows good tensile properties for the w2 alloy for jewelry applications . table 3 shows comparison of the w2 mechanical characteristics with typical properties of binary pt - rh and pt - ru alloys of 95 % pt . table 3______________________________________ el , ys , uts , % ( 50 hardnalloy mpa ( ksi ) mpa ( ksi ) mm ) 15t______________________________________pt 99 . 9 annealed 124 - 165 30 - 40 & lt ; 50pt 99 . 9 hard 207 - 241 1 - 3 72w2 annealed 340 ( 49 . 5 ) 18 . 0 54w2 hard about 50 % 330 ( 48 ) 351 ( 51 . 1 ) 11 . 0 68 . 0w2 hard 85 % 316 ( 46 ) 331 ( 48 . 2 ) 21 . 2 92 . 3pt - 3 . 5rh annealed 170 ( 25 ) 35 62 . 5pt - 3 . 5rh hard 415 ( 60 ) 83pt - 5rh annealed 205 ( 30 ) 35 72pt - 5rh hard 485 ( 70 ) pt - 5ru annealed 415 ( 60 ) 34 72pt - 5ru hard 795 ( 115 ) 2 86______________________________________ table 3 shows that the new allow w2 exhibits improved mechanical properties relative to the pt and ru or pt and rh compositions , minimum elongation and optimum uts and optimum hardness . table 4______________________________________alloy hardness 15t______________________________________w2 cast hemispherical button 61 . 5 =/- 1 . 5w2 cylindrical cast rod 69 . 5 +/- 2 . 0w2 cold formed square rod 83 . 8 +/- 1 . 1______________________________________ table 4 shows the properties for the as cast alloy . hardness was measured for the platinum alloy samples by using the 15t scale ( 15 kg load , 1 / 16 inch diameter in diameter ). the average hardness values for the un - annealed and annealed samples were 65 and 59 units in the 15t scale , respectively . the ( in un - annealed condition w2h ) and annealed platinum alloy samples w2a were mechanically tested in an instron tensile machine . no machining was performed on the samples . the following table 5 contains the results of the tensile tests . table 5______________________________________property w2a w2h______________________________________yield strength ( psi ) n / a * 48 , 000tensile strength ( psi ) 49 , 500 51 , 100 % elongation in 2 inches 18 . 0 11 . 0______________________________________ * the yield strength of the &# 34 ; w2a &# 34 ; sample is not available because the sample slipped from the grips of the tensile machine during testing . the microstructure for the as rolled and annealed condition of the w2 alloy was examined . longitudinal and transversal microspecimens of the alloy material were prepared using standard metallographic procedure . the microspecimens were etched with a 3 : 1 ratio of hcl and hn03 in aqua regia at boiling temperature for 45 minutes . the sample labeled &# 34 ; wra &# 34 ; was annealed in a temperature of 1550 ° f . for 1 hour . longitudinal and transversal microspecimens of the annealed platinum alloy were prepared and etched with the aforementioned etchant . it was observed to have typical elongated grains before annealing , and some degree of recrystallization was observed after annealing at 1550 ° f . no unusual grain characteristics were observed . the observed structure was deemed acceptable . optical characteristics of the w2 alloy were compared with those for rh plated platinum substrate . see fig1 - 3 . reflectance with ( specular ) and without ( diffuse - true ) the specular component was determined , fig1 . whiteness ( brightness ) of the surfaces was compared by measuring the l parameter . specular properties are primarily a function of surface smoothness and these components were not compared in fig2 and 3 . resistance to tarnishing was tested wherein rh - plated and w2 samples were exposed for 10 hours in 5 %-- sodium sulfide aqueous solution for 10 hours . reflectance and l parameters were compared with those before exposure , fig2 . the optical characteristics were determined using a macbeth color eye 7000 spectrophotometer ( kollmorgen corp .) table 6 shows the change in whiteness ( brightness ) after exposure in 5 % sodium sulfide aqueous solution for 10 hours , see also fig2 . table 6______________________________________sample l . sub . 0 l . sub . trn . increment . l , % ______________________________________w2 63 . 6 62 - 2 . 5rh - plated 38 . 9 35 - 10 . 0______________________________________ the whiteness ( brightness ) number l for w2 after the exposure decreased only by 2 . 5 % compared with 10 % for the rhodium coated sample , indicating that the w2 alloy was less affected ( less tarnished ) by the exposure . whiteness ganz indexes for both rh - plated and w2 alloys are smaller than 100 , table 7 , indicating that color of the alloys is a yellowish white . table 7______________________________________ cie ganz 82 cie ganz 82 before after tarnishsample test test______________________________________w2 25 . 95 19 . 9rh - plated 38 . 24 38 . 9______________________________________ reflectance with specular component is indication of the surface smoothness condition and reflectance without specular component indicates the true color of the metal . the surface of the w2 alloy was not as smooth as that of coated material and , therefore , the reflectance was slightly lower . the surface smoothness is a function of mechanical finishing which is believed not a true characteristic of a given alloy . for example , the reflectance without the spectral component was significantly higher ( about 3 times ) for the w2 alloy . after the tarnishing test , the reflectance loss for measurement without the specular component was measured to be about 2 times higher for the plated sample compared with the w2 alloy . the above testing shows that the new alloy w2 has improved mechanical and optical properties optimum for jewelry applications , and has exceptional resistance to tarnishing . it will occur to one of ordinary skill that modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiments , which are given by way of illustration and not limitation . it is intended that the appended claims define the invention . for example , while specific relative percentages of material were produced in the examples , variations of these values are believed to provide desirable compositions for jewelry . that is , the relative proportions may vary somewhat from those demonstrated in the examples in accordance with a given implementation . | US-17352998-A |
a variable length shaft assembly comprising at least one upper shaft portion , a lower shaft portion and a threaded fastener , wherein the threaded fastener removably connects the upper shaft portion to the lower shaft portion , is disclosed herein . the variable length shaft assembly may further comprise at least two upper shaft portions having different lengths so a golfer can adjust the total length of the shaft by removing one upper shaft portion and replacing it with another upper shaft portion having a different length . methods of adjusting the length of a golf club shaft without damaging any portion of the shaft and variable length shaft kits are also disclosed herein . | the present invention is directed to a variable length shaft that provides club length adjustability . club length adjustability is an advantageous feature for golf clubs because , for example , extending the length of a club can have the desired effect of increasing club head speed , which results in longer driving distances . conversely , shortening the length of a club would provide a golfer with more control and accuracy in driving the golf ball . golf course conditions often require accurate driving due to hazards , including but not limited to water , rough , and out of bounds markers , and driving accuracy can be more preferred than driving distance in competitive situations . the present invention is also valuable because a golfer &# 39 ; s swing may change over time , thus requiring alterations to his or her clubs . a golfer may improve his or her game through lessons and may gain greater flexibility and strength through practice and exercise . as such , it is reasonable for a golfer to wish to change his or her club &# 39 ; s length to help improve his or her accuracy , distance , and feel as needed or desired . the present invention provides golfers with a system and method to easily , quickly and inexpensively modify the length of their golf clubs to have them perform in a desired manner . this invention will enable golfers to change their club length wherever they wish , including , but not limited to , at the practice range , the golf course , and their home . the present invention also is designed to avoid altering a club &# 39 ; s swing weight or its “ feel .” the tool and components that are used to alter a club &# 39 ; s length are small and can be carried in a pocket of the user &# 39 ; s golf bag . furthermore , the technical ability required to modify the golf club length according to this invention is minimal and its approach is intuitive and easy for a golfer to understand . a preferred embodiment of the present variable length shaft invention is shown in fig1 - 4 . according to the preferred embodiment of the invention , and as shown in fig1 and 4 , two sections of the shaft 10 , the lower shaft and grip section 20 and the upper shaft and grip section 30 , are joined together proximate the upper end 25 and lower end 35 of the shaft parts 24 , 34 , respectively , along a demarcation line 200 , the line at which the two ends 25 , 35 meet . as shown in fig1 , 3 , and 4 , the lower shaft and grip section 20 includes a lower portion of a grip 22 that encircles and is affixed to a lower part of the shaft 24 with double - sided adhesive tape ( not shown ). in other embodiments , the grip 22 may be affixed to the shaft 24 with another type of adhesive material . a lower adapter 40 is affixed to or otherwise situated proximate the upper , interior surface of the lower part of the shaft 24 , and a lower - adapter o - ring 80 may be used to seal or otherwise secure the connection between the lower adapter 40 and the interior surface of the lower part of the shaft 24 , as shown in fig4 . the lower adapter 40 also contacts an interior surface of the lower grip 22 in the preferred embodiment of the present invention , also as shown in fig4 . this adapter 40 includes a threaded hole 45 in its center to receive a screw 50 that allows the adapter 40 to be fastened to the upper shaft and grip section 30 . the upper shaft and grip section 30 correspondingly has an upper grip portion 32 encircling and affixed to an upper shaft portion 34 with double - sided adhesive tape ( not shown ), or , in other embodiments , another kind of adhesive material . the upper shaft and grip section 30 has an upper adapter 60 affixed to or otherwise situated proximate the lower , interior surface of the upper shaft portion 34 , and an upper - adapter o - ring 90 may be used to seal the connection between the upper adapter 60 and the upper shaft portion 34 . the upper adapter 60 also contacts an interior surface of the upper grip 32 in the preferred embodiment of the present invention , which is also shown in fig4 . the upper adapter 60 has a hole 65 , which in the preferred embodiment is not threaded , in its center to receive the screw 50 that mates with the lower adapter 40 associated with the lower shaft and grip section 20 , and is affixed to a screw captivator 70 that prevents the screw 50 from falling out of or otherwise becoming dislodged from the upper adapter 60 . in another embodiment , the hole 65 can be threaded . as shown in fig1 and 4 , assembly of the preferred embodiment of the invention requires that the lower shaft and grip section 20 and the upper shaft and grip section 30 be aligned and pressed together in their proper orientation at a demarcation line 200 , the line where the two parts connect . the screw 50 located in the upper adapter 60 is threaded into the threaded hole 45 of the lower adapter 40 and tightened with a specifically provided tool 100 , as shown in fig5 a , 5 b , 6 a , and 6 b . the adapters 40 , 60 may further include anti - rotational features to restrict twisting along the shaft axis when they are screwed together . when the screw 50 has been secured , the two shaft and grip sections 20 , 30 are interlocked securely together , thus allowing the club to be used to hit golf balls . this operation allows for a semi - permanent assembly that will make the golf club comply with the appropriate usga rules of golf . fig5 a , 5 b , 6 a , and 6 b show a tool 100 , having an extension portion 105 and a head portion 110 , which can be used to assemble the upper and lower shaft and grip sections 20 , 30 . as shown in fig5 a , and with reference to fig4 , the extension portion 105 of the tool fits through a hole 38 at the topmost portion of the upper grip portion 32 , extends through the upper shaft portion 34 , the screw captivator 70 , and the upper adapter 60 , and contacts the screw 50 . the screw captivator 70 specifically guides the extension portion 105 to contact the screw 50 . as shown in fig6 a , once the extension portion 105 of the tool 100 engages the head of the screw 50 , the tool head portion 110 can be twisted clockwise or counterclockwise to tighten or loosen , respectively , the screw 50 and therefore the connection between the upper and lower shaft and grip sections 20 , 30 . in the preferred embodiment of the present invention , the length of the lower shaft and grip section 20 is not altered , as shown in fig7 . in other words , a golfer would not exchange the lower shaft and grip section 20 for a lower shaft and grip section 20 of a different length . the lower shaft and grip section 20 of the present invention thus can be permanently affixed to a desired golf club head ( not shown ). in contrast , according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention and as disclosed in fig7 , the upper shaft and grip section 30 of a normal length club 355 can be easily swapped for other upper shaft and grip sections 305 , 310 , 315 , 320 , 325 , 330 , 335 , 340 , 345 , 350 having different lengths . the upper shaft and grip sections 305 , 310 , 315 , 320 , 325 , 330 , 335 , 340 , 345 , 350 may also have different weights to allow the golfer to change the club weight as desired . alternatively , the upper shaft and grip sections 305 , 310 , 315 , 320 , 325 , 330 , 335 , 340 , 345 , 350 may all have the same weight . fig7 discloses an assortment of upper shaft and grip sections 30 , each having different lengths such that the total club length can range from a short , 43 - inch club 360 to a long , 48 - inch club 370 . the assortment of upper shaft and grip sections 30 , 305 , 310 , 315 , 320 , 325 , 330 , 335 , 340 , 345 , 350 , shown in fig7 may all be sold to a golfer with the lower shaft and grip section 20 in a kit form , or a smaller selection of such upper shaft and grip sections 30 may be included in a kit . as such , if a golfer wishes to increase the length of a shaft , he or she may remove the upper shaft and grip section 30 using the tool 100 and replace it with an upper shaft and grip section 30 having a greater length 335 , 340 , 345 , 350 . in contrast , if the golfer wishes to decrease the length of the shaft , he or she may remove the upper shaft and grip section 30 using the tool 100 and replace it with an upper shaft and grip section having a shorter length 305 , 310 , 315 , 320 , 325 , 330 . this invention thus allows the golfer to increase or decrease the length of a golf club shaft without detaching the lower shaft and grip section 20 from the club head or cutting or otherwise damaging any part of the shaft or grip . the pieces of the variable length shaft 10 of the present invention may be composed of any number of materials , including metals , plastics , rubbers , and composites . the shaft portions 24 , 34 , the screw 50 , the screw captivator 70 , the adapters 40 , 60 , and the tool 100 may be composed of titanium , graphite or carbon composite , plastic , magnesium , aluminum , steel , or alloys of such materials , specifically stainless steel 17 - 7 or titanium 6 - 4 . the shaft portions 24 , 34 preferably are composed of graphite . the grip portions 22 , 32 and the o - rings 80 , 90 preferably are composed of a rubber material . the screw 50 , the adapters 40 , 60 , and the screw captivator 70 preferably are composed of a metal material . the pieces of the variable length shaft disclosed herein may also be bonded together with an adhesive to prevent unwanted separation and ensure adequate strength during club use . in a second embodiment of the invention , the variable length shaft 10 does not include grip sections 22 , 32 . in this second embodiment , the shaft 10 length is adjusted exactly as described herein , but without grip sections 22 , 32 , and a grip that is appropriately sized to the shaft 10 is added once the shaft 10 is completely assembled and has a desired length . the grip is preferably affixed to the shaft 10 with double sided tape , but may also be affixed with another type of adhesive material . from the foregoing it is believed that those skilled in the pertinent art will recognize the meritorious advancement of this invention and will readily understand that while the present invention has been described in association with a preferred embodiment thereof , and other embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings , numerous changes , modifications and substitutions of equivalents may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention which is intended to be unlimited by the foregoing except as may appear in the following appended claims . therefore , the embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined in the following appended claims . | US-201113008806-A |
motorized luggage includes a frame enclosed in part by an outer shell , the frame defining an internal storage compartment , front wheels connected to a steering shaft , wherein the steering shaft is rotatably connected to the frame and the position of the steering shaft controls an orientation of the front wheels , a retractable handlebar received by the steering shaft , wherein the retractable handlebar may be telescopingly moved from a stored configuration to a driving configuration , wherein in the stored configuration the handlebar is retracted and enclosed by a second zippered flap of the outer shell , wherein in the driving configuration , the handlebar is extended above a top face of the frame , a rear set of wheels connected by a second axle , wherein the second axle is operatively coupled to the frame , and an electric motor mounted on the frame , wherein the electric motor drives the rear wheels . | fig1 a is a perspective view of an example embodiment of motorized luggage 10 of the present invention in a drive configuration 12 . a user may operate the motorized luggage 10 to travel to a desired destination along with the luggage 10 . the user may sit on a seat 14 and a handlebar 16 may be extended for steering of the luggage 10 . in the drive configuration 12 , the seat 14 may define the top face 18 of the luggage 10 . the bottom face 20 opposite the seat 14 may include wheels ; in an embodiment , front wheels 22 are a part of a steering system , and rear wheels 24 are a part of the power system for driving the luggage 10 . the luggage 10 may include a storage compartment that may be accessed by opening a flap 26 to store or unload cargo . the storage compartment may be located on a side face 27 of the luggage 10 . in an embodiment , the user steers the luggage 10 using a telescoping handlebar 16 . the handlebar 16 may be stowed in a pouch accessible by unzipping a small flap 29 . a user may unzip the small flap 29 , extend the handlebar 16 , and begin driving the luggage 10 . the handlebar 16 may include drive components including a throttle 30 and a brake 32 . when pressed , the throttle 30 may increase the motor speed and correspondingly increase the speed of the luggage 10 . conversely , the brake 32 may be operated to slow the luggage 10 . like the handlebar of a bike , the user may turn the handlebar 16 to rotate a front axle 23 ( fig2 ) that connects the front wheels 22 . in some embodiments , led lights may be provided on a front face 19 to illuminate the path ahead . led lights are provided in an embodiment in the inside of the luggage to see contents in low light areas . foot rests 34 may be provided on each side of the luggage 10 for comfortable placement of the user &# 39 ; s feet . in an embodiment , the foot rests 34 may be stowable , movable between an extended configuration ( shown in fig1 a ) for use during motorized travel , and a stowed configuration ( shown in fig1 b ) when the rests are not in use . for example , in an embodiment shown in fig1 b , in the stowed configuration , the foot rests 34 may rest within a channel and may be flush against the outside of the luggage . the foot rests 34 may be mounted on pivots to permit the user to move the foot rests into the extended configuration for use . as shown in fig1 b , the luggage 10 may also be used in a pull configuration 40 to permit the user to pull the luggage 10 by a pull handle 42 as shown in fig1 b . as shown , the pull handle 42 may be a part of a telescoping pull handle system 44 on a rear face 21 of the luggage 10 . the pull handle 42 may be incorporated into the luggage 10 at an edge opposite of the steering handle near the top face 18 of the luggage 10 . when pulled in the pull configuration 40 , the luggage 10 may roll on the front wheels 22 . the handlebar 16 may be stowed in a cradle 94 ( fig3 ) that prevents the front wheels from rotating as the luggage 10 is pulled in the pull configuration 40 . the luggage 10 may include an exterior fabric shell 45 on its exterior that surrounds internal parts of the luggage 10 . the exterior fabric shell 45 may consist of various pieces and include various zipper openings to internal portions of the luggage 10 , such as the side flap 28 that provides access to the storage compartment and the small flap 29 that provides access to the handlebar 16 and various other controls on the electronic panel 130 ( fig4 ). the exterior fabric shell 45 may be constructed of a lightweight composite material , or other material , such as aluminum , and be configured to provide extreme water resistance . fig2 is a perspective view of the internal parts of the luggage 10 . as shown in fig2 , the luggage 10 may be defined by a generally box - shaped frame 50 that provides support to the user and defines the internal storage compartment . the luggage 10 may have various faces due to its generally box shaped nature . a steering system 52 may be attached inside the front face 19 of the luggage 10 , with the front wheels 22 extending below a bottom face 20 , and the handlebar 16 extendable above a top face 18 . the steering system 52 may be attached inside the front face 19 of the luggage 10 , with the front wheels 22 extending below a bottom face 20 , and the handlebar 16 extendable above a top face . the handlebar 16 may be extendable to multiple heights . for example , in an embodiment , the handlebar 16 may extended to a steering level so that a person may drive the luggage 10 . additionally , in an embodiment , the handlebar 16 may be extended to a second extended level higher than the steering level so that a person can walk next to the luggage and use the luggage in a pull fashion or with power assist . the bottom face 20 of the luggage 10 may include a recessed space 54 for the front wheels 22 . the recessed space 54 permits the front wheels 22 to turn freely during steering . to define the recessed space 54 , the bottom face 20 may include an upper level 56 and a lower level 58 separated by a transition 60 . the upper level 56 may be present above the front wheels 22 and may be defined by upper aluminum tubes 62 on each side face 27 supporting a folded aluminum support 64 for the steering system 52 . the upper aluminum tubes 62 may be connected to the transition 60 . the transition 60 may include aluminum tubes that are angled relative to the length of the bottom face 20 to connect the upper level 56 to the lower level 58 . the transition 60 may include channels 66 defining a space for storage of the foot rests 34 when the luggage 10 is in the pull configuration 40 . the lower level 58 of the bottom face 20 may include a left bottom beam 68 and a right bottom beam 70 that are also comprised of aluminum tubes . a floor plate 72 may span the left bottom beam 68 and the right bottom beam 70 to provide support to cargo in the storage compartment and to support the motor 82 and other components of the power system 80 . fig3 illustrates a perspective view of the internal parts of the luggage 10 with an extended pull handle 42 . the pull handle 42 may be a part of a telescoping pull handle system 44 that may be mounted just below the top face 18 of the luggage 10 . the front face 19 of the luggage 10 may be defined by two vertical supports on each edge , a left front frame support 84 and a right front frame support 86 ( where “ right ” and “ left ” are with respect to a user riding the luggage ). the left front frame support 84 and the right front frame support 86 may extend upwards from the upper level 56 to a front edge joint 88 . the front edge joint 88 may connect the left front frame support 84 and the right front frame support 86 to a left top beam 90 and a right top beam 92 , respectively . the front edge joint 88 may support an electronics panel 130 ( fig4 ) along with an opening 89 through which the handlebar 16 passes into the interior of the luggage 10 . the front edge joint 88 may include a cradle 94 where the handlebar 16 may be held in place when the luggage 10 is in a pull configuration 40 . the rear face 21 of the luggage 10 may also be defined by two vertical supports on each edge , a left rear frame support 96 and a right rear frame support 98 . the left rear frame support 96 and the right rear frame support 98 may extend up from the left bottom beam 68 and the right bottom beam 70 , respectively , and connect to the left top beam 90 and a right top beam 92 , respectively . the luggage 10 may be driven by a power system 100 . the power system 100 may include a motor 82 powered by a battery 152 . the motor 82 may drive the rear wheel axle 102 via a motor belt 104 . in other embodiments , the luggage 10 may use a direct drive or chain drive . brakes may be attached in proximity to the rear wheels 24 to permit the user to stop the luggage 10 . the handlebar 16 may include a brake control that may be used to activate the brakes . additionally , in other embodiments , the luggage 10 may use a front - wheel drive power system 100 . fig3 is a side view of the luggage 10 . as shown in fig3 , the steering system 52 may include a one - and - one - eighth inch tube 110 that is perpendicular to the ground and holds a sealed bearing headset assembly . the headset assembly houses sealed bearings to permit a steering shaft connected to the handlebar 16 to move telescopingly from a retracted position to an extended position for steering and a longer extended position so that a person can walk next to the luggage and use the luggage in a pull fashion or with power assist . the headset assembly additionally connects the steering truck to the front wheels 22 , and to the telescoping handlebar 16 . in other embodiments , the steering system 52 may include a high / low key , a variable throttle to control the speed , and a braking system using a drum , disk , electromagnetic or regenerative type . in an embodiment , the luggage 10 may include a power assist mode . in embodiment , the power assist mode may be controlled by a controller 156 ( fig5 ). the controller 156 may detect that the user is pulling the luggage 10 , for example , by a sensor 173 that measures the rotation of the front wheels 22 or rear wheels 24 not caused by the motor 82 , or by a sensor 173 detecting the user applying force to the handlebar 16 ( for example , the sensor may be attached to the steering system 52 to measure a torque on the handlebar 16 caused by the user pulling the handlebar in a forward direction ). upon detecting the user pulling the luggage 10 , the controller 156 may activate the motor 82 to a speed to match the users pulling force . for example , if the controller 156 detects that the front wheels 22 or rear wheels 24 are turning at a particular speed without power , the controller 156 may activate the motor 82 to that speed . alternatively , in an embodiment where the controller 156 senses a force applied to the handlebar 16 , such as the handlebar being pulled forward , the controller 156 may activate the motor 82 at a speed to minimize that force . in this way , the motor speed may be matched to the user &# 39 ; s walking speed . fig4 is a top view of the luggage 10 . as shown in fig4 , the front edge joint 88 may include an electronics panel 130 for the user to access various electrical controls and power supplies . in an embodiment , the electronics panel 130 may include a power switch 132 to power on the luggage 10 . additionally , the electronics panel 130 may include usb ports 134 to permit the user to charge her devices as needed . a charge display 136 in the electronics panel 130 may display the current level of charge of the battery 152 . fig4 also illustrates the handlebar 16 resting in the cradle 94 as is desired when the luggage 10 is in the pull configuration . when the user extends the handlebar 16 to begin driving , the user may first unlock the handlebar 16 by dis - engaging a clamp 140 . the handlebar 16 may then be extended by pulling the handlebar 16 upwards until it is extended to the drive position . the user may then re - engage the clamp 140 to secure the handlebar 16 in the extended drive position . when the user extends the handlebar 16 to begin walking next to the bag , the user may first unlock the handlebar 16 by dis - engaging a clamp 140 . the handlebar 16 may then be extended fully to walk next to the luggage and use the luggage in a pull fashion or with power assist by pulling the handlebar 16 upwards until it is fully extended to the drive position . the user may then re - engage the clamp 140 to secure the handlebar 16 in the extended drive position . fig5 is a diagram illustrating the electrical components 150 of the luggage 10 including selected connections between them . a battery 152 or solar panels 154 may power the motor 82 and a controller 156 of the luggage 10 . when there is sufficient ambient light , the solar panels 154 may charge the battery 152 . the throttle 30 may be in electrical connection with and control the speed of the motor 82 . the controller 156 may be provided to perform the computational functions of the luggage 10 described herein . the controller 156 may be in communication with a memory 157 that may include instructions that may be executed by the controller 156 to carry out its functions . the controller 156 may be in communication with and routine poll a gps / gsm transponder 158 and an accelerometer 160 to determine the luggage &# 39 ; s location and motion . the controller 158 may communicate with external computer systems or a user device via a wireless communications module 162 . the wireless communications module 162 may include various communication sub - modules , such as a bluetooth communications module 164 , a wi - fi communications module 166 , and a cellular communications module 168 . an rfid reader 170 may additionally be in communication with the controller 158 in some embodiments to permit the luggage 10 to locate itself using rfid technology . the controller 156 , the memory 157 , the wireless communications module 162 , and any other computer circuitry and sensors may be contained within the electronics panel 130 . the controller 156 may be in communication with and routine poll a gps / gsm transponder 158 and an accelerometer 160 to determine the luggage &# 39 ; s location and motion . when the luggage 10 is within the boundaries of an airport , the controller 156 may limit the maximum speed of the luggage 10 to a predetermined speed for safety . additionally , in some embodiments , a wristband cut - off switch 171 may be a wristband provided to the user with the luggage 10 and configured to interoperate with the luggage 10 such that when the wristband cut - off switch 171 is not within range of the luggage 10 , the motor 82 of the luggage 10 is disabled . this may prevent unauthorized persons from riding the luggage 10 . the wristband cut - off switch 171 may be detectable by the luggage 10 via near field wireless communication or detection , such as rfid or bluetooth communication using the bluetooth communications module 164 . the luggage may additionally include a barometer 172 . the controller 156 may be configured to disable the motor 82 , for example , by cutting battery power to the motor 82 , when the barometer 172 measures pressures consistent with altitudes consistent with flight . the barometer 172 prevents the luggage from accidentally powering on while stored for flight . the luggage 10 may include the gps / gsm transponder 158 to permit the user to locate the luggage 10 . for example , the luggage 10 may periodically transmit it &# 39 ; s gps / gsm location via cellular , bluetooth , etc ., to the user device or a remote tracking server . the user may use an application on his or her mobile device or access a web page of the remote tracking server to locate the luggage . the application or web page may display the location of the luggage 10 overlaid on a map . it is contemplated that if the luggage 10 has a barometer 172 , the gps / gsm transponder 158 may be turned off by the controller 156 when the luggage 10 is onboard a flight . additionally , the luggage 10 may include the accelerometer 160 to turn off the gps / gsm transponder 158 and other electrical devices when the luggage 10 accelerates at speeds consistent with the luggage being onboard an airplane during flight . for example , the controller 156 may measure the speed , acceleration , altitude , etc ., of the luggage 10 using the gps / gsm transponder 158 , barometer 172 , accelerometer 160 , etc ., in order to disable or enable the electronic aspects of the luggage 10 during flight or to otherwise provide the functionality described herein . additionally , if the luggage 10 moves out of range of the user , as may be determined by the gps / gsm difference between the luggage 10 and a user device , or the loss of a wireless signal , such as a bluetooth connection between the luggage 10 and a user device , the luggage 10 may transmit a signal to the user device providing an out - of - range alert . in some embodiments , the luggage 10 may be capable of autonomous or semi - autonomous driving . for example , the luggage 10 may include servo operated steering to permit remote controlled driving by the user . the luggage 10 may include one or more cameras to permit a remote user to drive the luggage 10 while seeing and responding to obstacles in a video feed from the luggage 10 . the luggage 10 may communicate with a user device to provide the user remote steering controls such as speed and directional controls . in some embodiments , the luggage 10 may autonomously follow a user by tracking the user &# 39 ; s location via a bluetooth signal from the user &# 39 ; s device . the user &# 39 ; s location may be tracked by one or more bluetooth module 164 on the luggage that are adapted to determine the position of the user relative to the luggage and maintain a certain distance or relative position . in some embodiments , a drive - by - wire system may be provided by the controller 156 to permit a user to remotely drive the luggage 10 to a specified location , as may be determined by gps or other positioning mechanism . the controller 156 may also be connected to a microphone to permit the luggage 10 to detect ambient sounds , and to permit the luggage 10 to respond to voice commands . voice commands may be provided for each type of functionality described herein . the controller 156 may be in communication with a camera system to permit obstacle avoidance . similarly , the controller 156 may be in communication with homing or radar system to detect obstacles around the luggage 10 . for example , the luggage 10 may include a forward facing camera and corner mounted radar to assist in autonomous or semi - autonomous driving . the front wheels 22 and the rear wheels 24 may be constructed from polyurethane . the outer shell of the luggage , including the left front frame support 84 , right front frame support 86 , left top beam 90 , right top beam 92 , left rear frame support 96 , right rear frame support 98 , etc ., may be constructed of a lightweight composite material , or other material , such as aluminum , and be configured to provide extreme water resistance . the luggage 10 may include a memory 157 , controllers 156 , such as one or more data processors , image processors and / or central processors , and a peripherals interface . the memory 157 , and the one or more controllers 156 can be separate components or can be integrated in one or more integrated circuits . the various components in the luggage 10 can be coupled by one or more communication buses or signal lines , as will be recognized by those skilled in the art . communication functions can be facilitated through a wireless communications module 162 , which can include radio frequency receivers and transmitters and / or optical ( e . g ., infrared ) receivers and transmitters . the specific design and implementation of the wireless communications module 162 can depend on the communication network ( s ) over which the luggage 10 is intended to operate . for example , the luggage 10 can include communication subsystems designed to operate over a gsm network , a gprs network , an edge network , a wi - fi or imax network , and a bluetooth network . in particular , the wireless communication subsystems may include hosting protocols such that the luggage 10 may be configured as a base station for other wireless devices . the memory 157 can include high - speed random access memory and / or non - volatile memory , such as one or more magnetic disk storage devices , one or more optical storage devices , and / or flash memory ( e . g ., nand , nor ). the memory 157 may store operating system instructions , such as darwin , rtxc , linux , unix , os x , ios , android , blackberry os , blackberry 10 , windows , or an embedded operating system such as vxworks . the operating system instructions may include instructions for handling basic system services and for performing hardware dependent tasks . in some implementations , the operating system instructions can be a kernel ( e . g ., unix kernel ). the memory 157 may also store communication instructions to facilitate communicating with one or more additional devices , one or more computers and / or one or more servers . the memory 157 may include graphical user interface instructions to facilitate graphic user interface processing ; sensor processing instructions to facilitate sensor - related processing and functions ; phone instructions to facilitate phone - related processes and functions ; electronic messaging instructions to facilitate electronic - messaging related processes and functions ; web browsing instructions to facilitate web browsing - related processes and functions ; media processing instructions to facilitate media processing - related processes and functions ; gps / navigation instructions to facilitate gps and navigation - related processes and instructions ; camera instructions to facilitate camera - related processes and functions ; and / or other software instructions to facilitate other processes and functions ( e . g ., access control management functions , etc .). the memory 157 may also store other software instructions controlling other processes and functions of the luggage 10 as will be recognized by those skilled in the art . an activation record and international mobile equipment identity ( imei ) or similar hardware identifier can also be stored in memory 157 . each of the above identified instructions and applications can correspond to a set of instructions for performing one or more functions described herein . these instructions need not be implemented as separate software programs , procedures , or modules . the memory 157 can include additional instructions or fewer instructions . furthermore , various functions of the luggage 10 may be implemented in hardware and / or in software , including in one or more signal processing and / or application specific integrated circuits . accordingly , the luggage 10 , may be adapted to perform any combination of the functionality described herein . aspects of the systems and methods described herein are controlled by one or more controllers 156 . the one or more controllers 103 may be adapted run a variety of application programs , access and store data , including accessing and storing data in associated databases , and enable one or more interactions via the luggage 10 . typically , the one or more controllers 156 are implemented by one or more programmable data processing devices . the hardware elements , operating systems , and programming languages of such devices are conventional in nature , and it is presumed that those skilled in the art are adequately familiar therewith . for example , the one or more controllers 156 may be a pc based implementation of a central control processing system utilizing a central processing unit ( cpu ), memories and an interconnect bus . the cpu may contain a single microprocessor , or it may contain a plurality of microcontrollers 156 for configuring the cpu as a multi - processor system . the memories include a main memory , such as a dynamic random access memory ( dram ) and cache , as well as a read only memory , such as a prom , eprom , flash - eprom , or the like . the system may also include any form of volatile or non - volatile memory . in operation , the main memory is non - transitory and stores at least portions of instructions for execution by the cpu and data for processing in accord with the executed instructions . the one or more controllers 156 may further include appropriate input / output ports for interconnection with one or more output displays ( e . g ., monitors , printers , touchscreen , motion - sensing input device , etc .) and one or more input mechanisms ( e . g ., keyboard , mouse , voice , touch , bioelectric devices , magnetic reader , rfid reader , barcode reader , touchscreen , motion - sensing input device , etc .) serving as one or more user interfaces for the processor . for example , the one or more controllers 156 may include a graphics subsystem to drive the output display . the links of the peripherals to the system may be wired connections or use wireless communications . aspects of the systems and methods provided herein encompass hardware and software for controlling the relevant functions . software may take the form of code or executable instructions for causing a processor or other programmable equipment to perform the relevant steps , where the code or instructions are carried by or otherwise embodied in a medium readable by the processor or other machine . instructions or code for implementing such operations may be in the form of computer instruction in any form ( e . g ., source code , object code , interpreted code , etc .) stored in or carried by any tangible readable medium . as used herein , terms such as computer or machine “ readable medium ” refer to any medium that participates in providing instructions to a processor for execution . such a medium may take many forms . non - volatile storage media include , for example , optical or magnetic disks , such as any of the storage devices in any computer ( s ) shown in the drawings . volatile storage media include dynamic memory , such as main memory of such a computer platform . common forms of computer - readable media therefore include for example : a floppy disk , a flexible disk , hard disk , magnetic tape , any other magnetic medium , a cd - rom , dvd , any other optical medium , punch cards paper tape , any other physical medium with patterns of holes , a ram , a prom and eprom , a flash - eprom , any other memory chip or cartridge , or any other medium from which a computer can read programming code and / or data . many of these forms of computer readable media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to a processor for execution . it should be noted that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art . such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages . | US-201615059015-A |
this apparatus and method improves the way metal and other objects will be sterilized , disinfected and preserved by utilizing both electromagnetic radiation to kill anaerobic pathogens and oxygen depletion to kill aerobic pathogens . the removal of the presence of oxygen further increases the useful lifespan of the treated object by preventing corrosion in general and oxidation in particular . | referring now to the drawings where fig1 is a schematic drawing of a general embodiment of the present invention and fig2 is a further specific preferred embodiment , reference numbers in fig2 which correspond to elements in fig1 have been raised by 100 . only unique elements to fig2 will be discussed separate from the elements in the general embodiment of fig1 . the apparatus includes a canister 1 having a work chamber 2 into which the object 3 to be sterilized , disinfected and preserved is inserted and secured . the canister 1 will be a ( preferably ) clear material ( including but not limited to glass , composite plastic , or metal ). the canister 1 will be constructed in order to achieve and maintain an ideal vacuum . it will open sufficiently to allow emplacement of the target object . the canister 1 could be lined with a reflective material . two airtight valves 4 a and 4 b will be incorporated into the apparatus 1 to allow the removal of air and the introduction of an inert gas ( such as nitrogen ) into the chamber 2 . the source at the inert gas would be a separate tank or a gas generator 5 . the exchange of gas for the vacuum will allow for reduction of pressure on the valve seals 4 a and 4 b ( which will maintain structural integrity of the chamber 2 and the seals 6 ) and will allow for continued aerobic pathogenesis . the source of the nitrogen gas can be a tank or a nitrogen generator 5 that separates nitrogen gas from the air . the exchange of the gases will reduce the pressure on the airtight seals 6 . furthermore , it will ensure the cessation of oxidation and death of aerobic pathogens which need oxygen to survive . the chamber 2 will include a compartment 7 which will be exposed to the vacuum . the chamber 2 will contain a dessilant 8 such as silica gel to remove h 2 o . the chamber 2 also will contain an oxygen scavenger 9 to remove o 2 . the intensity of the electromagnetic radiation source 10 varies inversely with the square of the distance from the source . the electromagnetic radiation source 10 should in close proximity to the object 3 being exposed . the source of the electromagnetic radiation either inside of the canister 1 or outside of the canister 1 . a cable 12 could be used to transmit the wavelengths of interest to the inside of the canister . uv light will degrade plastic , therefore , the canister 1 should be made of a uv - resistant material that will not degrade as quickly . depending upon the scale of the target objects , the vacuum needed for atmospheric replacement may be done by a large electronic or smaller hand pump 5 . there are several options for the production of a vacuum . for larger scale industrial use or hospital use , a large vacuum pump can be used . for residential use , a hand pump could be utilized . a timer 14 will be incorporated with an on / off switch 15 to indicate the completion of the process and to control the electromagnetic radiation source . the user will have the option of keeping the sterilized and disinfected object in the canister , in the non - corrosive atmosphere until ready for use . advantageously , the present apparatus includes at least one indicator that indicates that a suitable vacuum has been achieved and is maintained within the compartment 107 . an advantageous vacuum pressure is at least − 14 . 7 psi although other vacuum pressures above and below this pressure may be desirable depending on the sterilization which include but is not limited to − 5 to − 20 psi . vacuum indicator 120 comprises a flexible membrane 122 . prior to a sufficient vacuum being achieved in compartment 107 , the membrane 122 lies substantially flat along an interior surface 130 of the chamber 107 ( see e . g . fig2 and fig3 a depicting the flexible membrane 122 in the canister 107 before a vacuum is achieved . after a sufficient vacuum is achieved , the flexible membrane 122 will be drawn into the compartment 107 as shown in fig3 b . the flexible membrane 122 is composed of an appropriate material and thickness so that it indicates when a desired vacuum is achieved . an additional vacuum indicator can be provided by illumination of vacuum indicator light 140 . once a desired pressure is achieved within compartment 107 , the vacuum light indicator 140 is illuminated and stays illuminated as long as a desired sufficient pressure is maintained within compartment 107 . for example , the apparatus can include a pressure sensitive switch that activates the vacuum indicator light 140 to indicate that a vacuum pressure has been achieved within compartment 107 . the apparatus may include a feedback control loop logic circuit in order to maintain a constant vacuum pressure within the compartment 107 . the feedback system would have a maximum and minimum boundaries in order to achieve a desired set point vacuum for maintaining a desired pressure within compartment 107 . | US-201314095486-A |
in a system and method for radio communication between an implantable medical device and an external base unit , respectively including transceivers for communication therebetween , the external base unit , according to a predetermined criterion , sends a sleep message to the imd transceiver , requesting the imd transceiver to switch power - consuming circuitry in the imd to a sleep , power - down mode of operation for a predetermined sleep time period . | fig1 shows flow charts illustrating the function of the base unit , base , and the imd , implant , respectively of the present invention . when it is suitable according to a predetermined criterion , e . g . when the flow of data on the communication channel between base unit and imd is reduced , the base unit sends a sleep message to the imd requesting the imd transceiver to switch to a sleep power down mode for a predetermined sleep time period of length t 1 in order to save power of the imd battery . this sleep message instructs the imd transceiver to cease responding to messages from the base unit for the time period t 1 . this is illustrated at step 2 in fig1 . receipt of this sleep message is illustrated at step 1 of the flow chart illustrating the function of the implant , imd , and an acknowledgement of this sleep message is sent by the imd , at step 3 in the implant flow chart . the base unit is waiting for this acknowledgement , at step 4 in fig1 , to know that this sleep message is received and understood . if the base unit does not receive such an acknowledgement from the imd , cf . step 6 in fig1 , another sleep message is sent by the base unit to the imd . upon receipt of the sleep message the imd transceiver electronics are shut down to a sleep mode of operation , at step 5 if the imd flow chart , and a timer of the imd is started to count the time period t 1 , cf . step 7 in the imd flow chart . according to the communications standards fcc mics , federal communication commission medical communication system / service , and etsi ulp - ami , european telecommunications standards institute ultra low power — active medical implant , a mics radio communication channel is to be regarded as free to use if no activity is detected within a 10 msec period . to make telemetry system between an imd and an external base unit reliable , messages sent from the base unit result in an immediate response from the imd . this must occur at least once per 10 msec to secure that the right to the communication is not lost . when the acknowledgement of the receipt of the sleep message is received by the base unit , at step 6 of the base unit flow chart in fig1 , the base unit starts sending , after a time interval t 2 which is shorter than 10 msec , a radio signal on the communication channel in the form of standby messages or empty data packets just having a header . these standby messages or empty data packets are sent with the time interval t 2 to comply with the mentioned mics standard for maintaining the communication channel to the imd , see steps 8 and 10 in the base unit flow chart . in this sleep mode of the imd the base unit is prepared that the standby messages are not acknowledged by the imd . the imd is in the power saving sleep mode for the time period t 1 , cf . step 7 in the imd flow chart in fig1 . when the time period t 1 has expired the imd receiver and transmitter are powered up , in step 9 in the imd flow chart . this powering up can be performed in two alternative ways . according to a first alternative the imd transmitter is powered up at the end of the time period t 1 and sends an acknowledgement to the base unit . as a second alternative the imd powers up its receiver at the end of time period t 1 and waits for the next standby message or empty data packet from the base unit . when this next standby message or empty data packet is received by the imd receiver , the imd transmitter is powered up and an acknowledgement is sent to the base unit . the acknowledgement from the imd is received by the base unit , at step 12 of the base unit flow chart , together with possible data which can be appended to the acknowledgment , at step 14 in the base unit flow chart of fig1 . after the power up of the imd transceiver the imd is waiting for the next standby message , step 11 in the imd flow chart , from the base unit , and is sending an acknowledgment of receipt of this next message together with possible available data to the base unit , at step 13 in the imd flow chart . if the base unit receives data from the imd the communication between base unit and imd continues , at step 16 in the base unit flow chart . if no data are received by the base unit from the imd , and no more data is expected , the above described procedure is started again by the base unit sending a sleep message to the imd transceiver requesting the imd transceiver to switch to the sleep mode for the time period t 1 . the above described procedure starting by the base unit sending a sleep message to the imd can also be restarted in response to other predetermined criteria . fig2 illustrates an example of a time sequence of messages or data packets exchanged between the base unit and the imd in the procedure described above with reference to fig1 . as appears from fig2 the base unit is sending standby messages , stdby in the figure , with an interval of t 2 to the imd , and the imd is returning an acknowledgement , ack , to the base unit , at 20 in fig2 . after a time to after this acknowledgement 20 the base unit is sending a sleep message to the imd , requesting the imd to power down its transmitter tx and receiver rx to the sleep mode wherein answering of any messages from the base unit is stopped , at 22 in the figure . the base unit continues to send standby messages stdby at 24 , 26 , . . . 28 to maintain the communication channel to the imd as described above , but to save power no acknowledgments are sent by the imd in the sleep time period t 1 . at the end of the sleep mode the imd transceiver tx / rx is powered up , and the first standby message stdby received thereafter is acknowledged , at 30 in fig2 . after possible data exchange between base unit and imd , or in response to another predetermined criterion , this procedure is restarted . as is apparent from the description above and fig2 the time period t 1 is longer than the time t 2 . according to the standards discussed above the time t 2 must be less than 10 msec , whereas the time period t 1 can typically be of the order of 0 . 05 - 1 . 0 sec . in the embodiment described above it is assumed that the base unit initiates the data flow but , according to another embodiment of the invention , an equivalent data flow can be controlled by the imd . there are at least two ways to implement the basic data flow depending on the amount of hardware support available in the system according to the invention . these two ways can be characterized as software or hardware oriented embodiments of the invention . in a software oriented embodiment messages are sent between the application software in the base unit and the application software in the imd . each application performs actions necessary on their radio units to control sleep , wait and wakeup behaviour . in a hardware oriented embodiment of the invention one side , preferably the external base unit , can control the opposite side , imd , by means of a special set of radio messages operating directly on the remote radio control unit to set timers and power down the radio transceiver . although modifications and changes may be suggested by those skilled in the art , it is the intention of the inventor to embody within the patent warranted heron all changes and modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of her contribution to the art . | US-90920005-A |
a selectively lockable fastener is provided that includes a beveled button for removable interconnection to a locking portion based on a rotational movement . the button of one embodiment of the present invention also includes a locking relief , generally a second bevel , for engagement with a cavity of the locking portion . this secondary locking feature reduces the occurrences of unintentional disengagement of the fastener that often occurs as a result of normal wear and tear . | referring now to fig1 - 37 , a separable fastener that includes at least a locking portion and a button is shown . one embodiment of the present invention includes a locking portion with a resiliently deflectable tab that employs a locking protrusion that is adapted to selectively engage the button . engagement and disengagement of the button is achieved by selectively deflecting the tab to provide a obstruction - free path for the button to travel . alternatively , in another embodiment of the invention , a button is provided that employs a beveled area that is adapted to provide an obstruction free path , or alternatively a button that provides the tab deflection force , for removal when the beveled area is rotated to a predetermined angle . referring now to fig1 - 4 , one embodiment of the present invention is shown herein . in general , a one - piece integral belt clip holder 60 is a union of a belt clip 10 and a locking portion 30 of a separable fastener which are attached by a web 31 of plastic or other material with resilient properties , made from a material such as rubber , deflectable plastic , etc . the web 31 is resilient to allow for attachment to a belt when pressure is applied to the finger grip on the clip portion 12 and the finger grip on the lock portion 13 . alternatively , the lower portions of the belt clip 10 and the locking portion 30 may be pulled apart to allow for selective interconnection to a belt or other object . the lock portion 30 employs a flexible plastic tab 15 with a lip 16 that secures a button and prevents upward movement and disengagement from the lock portion 30 . alternatively , other types of residual materials commonly known in the art may be used , including rubber , polyethylene , etc . a locking pocket 19 constrains the button portion of the separable fastener , and consists of a front wall 17 , a back wall 18 , and side pocket walls 22 . when the tab 15 is flexed , the non - locking portion remains supported in the pocket and is easily disengaged . the belt clip portion 10 may be equipped with a hook 11 which will help maintain the unit on the user &# 39 ; s belt . both portions of the belt clip 10 and the locking portion 30 of the separable fastener are integrally molded preferably with open molded spaces 14 and 21 which eliminates assembly , inherent labor costs , and the expenses related thereto . referring now to fig5 - 7 and fig2 - 27 , a secondary engaged portion of the separable fastener is shown , and which is designed for interconnecting to an electric device such as a cellular phone , radio , etc . this item is referred to herein as a button 42 , and is generally comprised of a plastic material such as polypropylene , polyethylene , etc . the button &# 39 ; s attachment surface 41 is connected to the button 42 by a stem 46 such that the button 42 is easily slipped into the pocket of the lock . in one embodiment , the interconnecting stem 46 and / or the attachment area 41 may be made of rubber or other resilient material capable of deflection which will decrease stresses on the button and electronic device interface when a force is applied to a portion of the electronic device . the stem 46 is not limited to a cylindrical shape . for example , a rectangularly shaped stem 46 may be used which would provide resiliency in one direction and greater stiffness in the others . also , at the button - to - electronic device interface , a resilient material will provide a better bond between the button attachment surface 41 and the electronic device because the resilient material will be capable of deflection and conformance to the electronic device that may have a non - planar shape . the button 42 dictates the mobility of the item when it is locked in the pocket . more specifically , a square shape will give a user substantially no rotation , while a round button shape will allow for substantially free rotation . alternatively in one embodiment , notches 43 may be employed to provide a variety of fixed positions depending on the preferred application . the button attachment surface 41 is selectively interconnected to the electronic device , electronic device carrying case , or other item by sewing , gluing , integrally molding , clipping , screwing , riveting , taping , or tying . the button attachment surface 41 may further employ a rivet hole 45 or stitching holes 44 to facilitate interconnection with the electronic device , electronic device carrying case , or other item . one embodiment of the present invention is adapted for interconnection to a sleeve or holster that secures a cellular phone , wherein the sleeve encompasses all or a portion of the cellular phone body . referring now to fig8 , the locking function of one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated herein . more specifically , the button 42 is shown interconnected to the electronic device 50 , while the integral belt clip and holder 60 is shown with a tab 15 in the locked position . to lock the electronic device 50 into place , the user applies pressure to the tab 15 in the direction of the clip portion 10 of the integral assembly 60 . alternatively embodiments may employ release mechanisms that are pushed in different directions of release . after pressure is applied to the tab 15 , there is an unobstructed path for the button 42 to engage the pocket 19 . that is , the button interface 42 is easily guided downward into the locking pocket 19 . when the user releases the pressure on the tab 15 the locking portion of the tab 16 will prevent the button interface 42 from traveling upward . thus , the electronic device 50 is released by the application of pressure to the tab 15 towards the clip portion 10 of the integral assembly 60 , thereby deflecting the tab , separating the lock 16 and button interface 42 , and providing an unobstructed path in which the electronic device can travel . the requisite pressure that deflects the tab 15 prior to the introduction of the button interface 42 into the pocket 19 can be supplied by the interface 42 itself . more specifically , the user can initiate the downward motion of the electronic device 50 into the pocket 19 without touching the tab 15 . thus , the contact of the interface 42 with the tab 15 , along with the downward force supplied by the user , may sufficiently deflect the tab 15 so that the interface 42 will engage the locking pocket 19 . referring now to fig9 , the button 42 is shown interconnected to the electronic device 50 , while the belt clip 10 is attached to the user &# 39 ; s 5 belt . the tab 15 of the lock 30 has been deflected towards the user 5 , while the button interface has been seated in the locking pocket 19 , and the tab 15 has been released . thus , the button is prevented from upward motion by the lock 16 , and the electronic device 50 is operably interconnected to belt clip and holder 60 . referring now to fig1 - 14 , another embodiment of the present invention is shown . this embodiment is similar to the first embodiment of the present invention shown in fig1 - 9 , but the single piece molding is modified to simplify manufacturing because “ side pulls ” on the mold are not required . in some molding processes side pulls are required to form holes or cavities into the final product . by deleting the need for side pulls , an integral design is moldable using a two - piece mold construction , and more clips can be made using a single mold . the requirement of side pulls adds complexity and cost to the molding operation . more specifically , the belt clip portion 10 is constructed slightly longer than the locking portion 30 . in addition , the belt clip finger grip is split into two pieces 12 a and 12 b . referring now to fig1 , yet another embodiment of the present invention is shown that employs a pin 7 and spring mechanism to connect the locking 30 and clip 10 portions of the unit . more specifically , the pressure on the finger grips 12 and 13 is reduced by the use of a pin and spring such that selective interconnection to a user &# 39 ; s belt or other object is more easily performed . referring now to fig1 - 20 , an alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown that is more durable and which may be used for larger items such as radios , cd players , pdas , inventory devices , water bottles , etc . in this embodiment of the present invention , the locking feature 3 on the integral assembly 60 is not attached to a flexible tab . instead , the locking portion 30 employs a small protrusion 3 , which interfaces with a flexible tab 2 on the button 42 when the button is seated in the locking pocket 19 and the tab 2 is released . further , the halves are connected by a thicker interface 32 that increases the strength of the unit . referring now to fig2 , the locking function of one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated herein . more specifically , the button 42 is shown interconnected to a sleeve 36 on a larger device 50 , while the integral belt clip and holder 60 is shown with a stationary locking protrusion 3 . the sleeve 36 may be used to selectively secure the larger device 50 to the button 42 if attachment locations on the item 50 are not feasible . to lock the device into place the user applies pressure to the tab 2 on the button 42 . after pressure is applied to the tab 15 there is an unobstructed path for the button 42 to engage the pocket 19 , that is , the button 42 may be easily guided downward into the lock pocket 19 . when the user releases the pressure on the tab 2 , the locking portion of the integral assembly 3 will prevent the button 42 from traveling upward because a portion of the tab 2 will selectively interconnect with the lock 3 . the item is released by the application of pressure to the tab 2 thereby deflecting the tab , separating the lock 3 and the tab interface 4 , and providing an unobstructed path in which the device can be moved upward . the requisite pressure that deflects the tab 2 prior to the introduction of the button interface 42 into the pocket 19 can be supplied by the interface 4 itself . more specifically , the user can initiate the downward motion of the device into the pocket without touching the tab 2 . the contact of the interface 4 with the lock 3 , along with the downward force supplied by the user , will sufficiently deflect the tab 2 so that the button interface 42 will be able to be seated into the pocket 19 . referring now to fig2 , the button 42 is shown interconnected to the larger device 50 , while the belt clip 10 is attached to the user &# 39 ; s 5 belt . the tab 2 of the button 42 has been flexed towards the device 50 , the button interface has been seated in the pocket 19 , the tab 2 has been released , and the button has been prevented from upward motion by the contact of the interface 4 with the lock 3 . referring now to fig2 - 25 , another embodiment of the present invention is shown that employs a thick connection interface 32 , but is substantially similar to the first two embodiment described with respect to the aspects of the locking feature . in order for any locking mechanism to work properly in some embodiments of the present invention , a gap 70 must be integrated into the locking portion 30 of the integral design to allow unrestricted travel of the locking tab 15 . this gap 70 will extend from the back surface of the locking portion 71 to the back wall of the locking pocket 18 a . when the user deflects the tab 15 , the gap 70 will provide sufficient deflection of the tab 15 so that the button 42 will not come in contact with the locking lip 16 when a user inserts and removes a device from the integral assembly 60 . the greater the gap 70 , the easier and quicker the button can be inserted and released from the pocket and lock . referring now to fig2 , a “ hard stop ” is shown . as used herein , a hard stop 1 is any type of backing material , detent , or other mechanism which prevents the tab 15 from extending or deflecting past a predetermined position . the predetermined position may be dictated by the maximum deflection the tab 15 can move without incurring damage . to engage and disengage a button from the integral assembly 60 , a user must depress the tab 15 toward the belt clip 10 of the integral assembly . extreme deflections of the tab 15 may fatigue the material such that it will be permanently deformed or break . in order to prevent this detrimental effect , the hard stop 1 may be added to the belt clip portion 10 of the integral assembly 60 . when a user applies pressure on the tab 15 towards the belt clip portion 10 , the tab 15 will deflect enough for engagement or disengagement of a button , but the tab 15 will be stopped from further deflection when it comes in contact with the hard stop 1 . preferably , the hard stop 1 is molded integrally with the belt clip 10 . further , the hard stop 1 may be added to or molded onto the tab 15 of the locking portion 30 of the integral assembly 60 as opposed to the belt clip 10 , as discussed above . when a user applies pressure on the tab 15 towards the belt clip portion 10 , the tab 15 will deflect enough for engagement or disengagement of a button , but the tab 15 will be stopped from further deflection when the hard stop 1 on the tab 15 comes in contact with the belt clip portion 10 . referring now to fig3 - 32 , an alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown herein . more specifically , a button 42 that employs a beveled area 73 is shown that is adapted to selectively interconnect with the lock portion 30 of the clip 60 . when interconnecting , the beveled area 73 allows the button 42 to pass unobstructed into the locking pocket 19 . however , one skilled in the art will appreciate that deflection of the tab may be facilitated by the angled bevel area 73 , wherein hands - free interconnection and disconnection is realized . once seated in the locking pocket 19 , the button &# 39 ; s 42 non - beveled area selectively interconnects with the locking protrusion 3 of the locking portion 30 , thereby preventing removal . to separate the button 42 from the locking portion 30 , the user rotates the button 42 , such that the beveled area 73 is proximate to the locking protrusion 3 , thereby providing an unobstructed path for the button 42 to travel . in contrast to the previously - described embodiments , this embodiment requires no manual deflection of the tab employed on the clip . more specifically , the shape of the bevel 73 allows the button 42 to be inserted into the lock 30 without manually resiliently deflecting the locking tab , and wherein a predetermined rotation allows the button 42 to be removed from the lock 32 easily because the button 42 facilitates deflection of the tab . this feature is highly desirable for individuals who have difficulty using their hands , wherein use of the resiliently deflectable tab may be difficult . further , individuals , such as the elderly or the disabled , will be able to easily utilize this embodiment of the present invention since the unlocking mechanism simply entails selective rotation of the electronic device . generally , the button 42 is constructed with a predetermined thickness . in order to create the bevel 73 , the thickness of the button 42 is selectively trimmed at a predetermined angle relative to the top of the button 42 . this cut defines a bevel portion 73 on the button 42 which allows for substantially unobstructed travel of the button 42 in and out of the lock . more specifically , the button 42 is defined after the bevel 73 of angle θ is created by an unaffected portion of length d . the angle θ and the length d may be of any dimension depending on the thickness of the button 42 and the locking requirements required . preferably , in one embodiment of the invention , d is about ⅜ inches . in addition , the beveled portion 73 may span any distance around a perimeter of the circular button 42 as long as sufficient non - beveled area remains to ensure that locking is possible , wherein more than small rotations of the electronic device will facilitate unlocking . for example , in one embodiment of the invention the bevel spans at least about 50 %, or about 180 °, around the perimeter of the button 42 . further , the bevel 73 may be made of one smooth swept cut around the perimeter , or may be made of a series of faceted cuts to allow for various locking and unlocking options . in one embodiment of the present invention , the angle θ is about 30 °. referring now to fig3 - 37 , an alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown that provides greater locking capabilities . more specifically , one embodiment of the present invention , similar to that described above , includes a locking relief 80 integrated into the button 42 and a locking cavity 82 integrated into the tab 15 of the lock portion 30 . as described above , the bevel 73 is designed to either pass completely over the locking lip 16 of the tab 15 or alternatively to facilitate deflection of the tab 15 by a sliding engagement between the beveled area 72 and the locking lip 16 , thereby allowing the button 42 to be seated into the locking pocket 19 . in addition , this embodiment of the present invention includes the locking cavity 82 that is generally an annulus removed from the locking lip 16 of the tab . as shown herein , a triangular annulus angle φ is shown that spans the length of the locking lip 16 . however , one skilled in the art will appreciate that any shape and length of the locking cavity 16 maybe employed without departing from the scope of the invention . in combination with the locking cavity 82 , a locking relief 80 is provided on the underside of the button 42 that is opposite from the beveled side , as shown most distinctly in fig3 . this locking relief , as shown herein , is generally a triangular bevel of angle γ is designed to selectively engage the locking cavity 82 of the tab 15 . one skilled in the art will appreciate that the length of the locking relief 86 may be any practical value as long as it selectively locks into the locking cavity 82 of the tab 15 . more specifically , the length of the locking relief 80 of the button 42 maybe such that only one locking position may be provided , wherein a small locking cavity , or groove , receives a small locking relief 80 , for example . this embodiment of the present invention provides the user with a more enhanced locking feature such that normal wear and tear of the surfaces on the locking lip 16 and the interface surface of the button 42 will not substantially affect the locking of the button in the locking portion 30 of the clip . more specifically , the engagement of the button in the cavity substantially prevents the electronic device from being slipped out of the locking cavity and / or pulled therefrom . referring now specifically to fig3 and 35 , a locking mechanism that utilizes a locking relief 80 and locking cavity 82 is shown . a protuberance of any shape may be employed with a aperture 86 integrated therethrough to provide locations for the interconnection of belts , straps , strings , ropes , etc . in addition , the locking portion of the clip 30 maybe provided with a section for the placement of an aperture 86 for the interconnection of similar devices , such that the separable locking mechanism may be used in a number of applications . for example , the present invention may be employed as a belt buckle , clasp , or any other similar type mechanism that is easy to use , which would aid elderly or disabled individuals . referring now to fig3 - 7 , a method of engagement of one embodiment of the present invention that includes a locking cavity 82 and locking relief 80 is described . more specifically , one embodiment of the present invention is slid into the locking portion 30 of the clip wherein the beveled area 73 either passes by the locking lip 16 or facilitates deflection of the locking tab 15 by engagement therewith . once the button 42 is seated in the locking pocket 19 , the device is substantially constrained from disengagement . if upward motion , as shown in the figure motion to the left , is attempted , the locking relief 80 and the locking cavity 82 will become engaged such that upward motion is substantially prevented . while various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail , it is apparent that modifications and adaptations of those embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art . however , it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of the present invention , as set forth in the claims that follow . | US-94762704-A |
a pictorially searchable anatomical database with computer assisted mapping is presented . the pictorial portion of the database and the textual portion of the database are fully unified , i . e ., all elements are “ live ” and visually navigating through one will instantaneously display the corresponding element of the other . a “ standard reference ” and unique visual keys are presented ; selection of a structure of interest may be displayed both in the form of a conventional two - dimensional scan and a three - dimensional view of the structure of interest ; all structures in both the 2 - d and 3 - d views may be interrogated . in addition , structures connected to the structure of interest may likewise be displayed in both the two - and the three - dimensional views . while the inclusive database will be of utility to a variety of physicians , including first responders , clinicians , surgeons and diagnosticians , it will be of particular utility to radiation treatment planners : a patient &# 39 ; s images may be imported onto the display screen of the present invention and superimposed upon or merged with the standard reference images of the present invention for more accurate and more rapid delineation of structures to be treated or avoided . | it is to be understood throughout this detailed description that the description is in no way to be taken as in any way limiting the scope or application of the present invention . numerous embodiments and variations of the present invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art from a careful study of the aforementioned drawings and from understanding the principles and discoveries explained herein . in addition , it is to be understood that the details set forth in the following description are not in themselves limitations on the invention but merely details necessary to describe the embodiments of the invention preferred by the inventors . further , in describing the preferred manner of constructing a visual key for rapid and accurate entry into the database or into the patient images , it is to be understood that selection of the computed tomography ( ct ) scan form is only a preferred embodiment ; applicants could just as well have used a nuclear magnetic resonance image ( mri ), positron emission tomography ( pet ) scan , conventional x - ray image , ultrasound image , nuclear medical or other image , or even an artist &# 39 ; s rendition . also , since any single navigational setting is unlikely to be the most preferred for all cases , it should be understood that lateral and axial keys are preferably constructed as well , using the same principles of the present invention , although only the frontal key shall be described herein . still further , it is to be understood that the information and the computer system for handling and / or manipulating the information may reside in a purely local computer and be installed by means of a computer disc , or may reside in a server which may be located locally or remotely wherever desired , or in some combination thereof . additionally , it is to be understood that in the construction of visual keys there are many steps whose order is inconsequential ; of more importance is the final visual key which may comprise one or more superpositions of various images or representations . thus , for example , although construction of the present visual key is described as beginning with the ct scan , it could just as well have been described as beginning with an image or representation of the human volunteer . fig1 is a frontal view of a computed tomographic image ( ct scan ) of a human volunteer with the conventional equally spaced , white , dashed , horizontal reference lines , numbered in this example in intervals of five from 1 to 116 . for clarity , only every fifth line is shown and numbered ; these lines and numbers correspond to the levels which a medical technician has selected for the positioning of the axial sectional images of , again in this instance , the ct scan . positioning and numbering of such sectional images is a standardized step in the process of taking such medical images , although some technicians will number the sectional images from the top down , and the precise locations of the sectional images or slices will vary from technician to technician and , even , from patient to patient for the same technician . inclusion of such reference lines will allow the user to quickly navigate through the hundred or so ( or hundreds of ) sectional images by using the slice numbers on the final visual key . for example , any of lines 1 - 5 will produce a section at or near the bottom of the series of images , located in the chest , while any of lines 101 through 105 will produce a section near the top of the series , located in the orbit . some views which are desired to comprise a portion of the final visual key may not always have sufficient clarity to accomplish this purpose . in that event , it may be desirable to enhance such an image , or , more precisely , enhance clinically relevant landmarks which can then be overlaid or superimposed upon the original image . fig2 is the same image as fig1 , but in which the gray scale has been inverted , i . e ., white replaced with black , black replaced with white , features with 40 % black and 60 % white replaced with 60 % black and 40 % white , etc . ; the contrast may or may not need to be adjusted . generally , such gray - scale inversion and contrast adjustment will permit clinically relevant landmarks , such as the collarbone , hyoid bone and skull base to be located with greater precision ; such relevant landmarks are depicted in fig2 as the red lines numbered 21 , 22 and 23 , respectively . after accurately positioning such landmarks , or other landmarks as may be desired , the landmark lines are incorporated into the image of fig1 ; upon ‘ de - inversion ,’ the red landmark lines will appear as solid white lines , which applicants refer to as fiducial lines . fig3 in this instance is a photograph of the outer surface of the human volunteer whose images comprise the standard reference . while an artist &# 39 ; s rendering could be used , it is preferred to utilize an actual , digital photograph . in general it will be necessary to size the image to match the ct scans or other forms of images being used to construct the visual key . fig4 is a merged combination of the partial visual key of fig1 and the human representation of fig3 . it should be noted that providing an actual view of a human , or a high quality rendition , will permit not only more accurate navigation through the axial section images but in many instances will transmit such accurate information almost instantaneously . for example , for a patient with lesions at the corners of the mouth , such an improved visual key ( even though fig4 illustrates only a partially completed visual key ) immediately informs the reader as to precisely which sections will show the regions of such lesions . those skilled in the art will appreciate that the same result will be immediately obtainable for numerous other soft tissue regions . fig5 depicts a completed version of one preferred visual key , and is preferably constructed on the combined image of fig4 . for clarity and ease of explanation , fig6 illustrates what has been added in fig5 . those skilled in the art will appreciate that what has been added is clinically significant information and that , in fact , a large number of clinically important features can be added as may be desired . those skilled in the medical arts will also recognize that what has been added for this visual key are the regions of the lymphatic system ( which the art refers to as ‘ levels ’); other clinically significant systems or structures may be similarly treated if desired . more particularly , the preferred key of fig6 is a composite of the rotterdam / brussels consensus ( roman numerals ) and richter system ( names ) for locating tissue containing lymph nodes . prior to explaining the use of color for the final key , it should perhaps be noted that the landmark lines depicted in the inverted image of fig2 as the red lines 21 , 22 and 23 appear , in the de - inverted image of fig5 , as the solid white fiducial lines 51 , 52 and 53 ( with the fiducial lines for the clavicle and the hyoid bone being shown in their more accurate curved form ). for different landmarks , the reference lines may take on the form of boxes , circles , triangles or still other shapes . applicants prefer to utilize such reference lines in a fixed or stationary mode , but others may prefer the option of having the positions of such reference lines adjustable . in any event , the use of such landmarks may not in all instances be strictly necessary , but applicants have determined that their use is frequently quite convenient and , therefore , such use is preferred . similarly , the use of color for the final visual key may not be absolutely necessary but is highly preferred , as such use enables more information to be presented in a tightly confined space with clarity and without further obstructing the ‘ slice ’ lines of fig1 and 4 . for the head and neck region of the visual key under construction , the three differing major systems for classifying lymphatic systems —( i ) rotterdam / brussels consensus , ( ii ) e . richter , and ( iii ) rafael martinez - monge — may be conveniently illustrated with three different color schemes . the user may then determine which system he wishes to utilize , or he may quickly and conveniently compare one selected system with the others and then determine the system to be utilized . rather than making a selection based only upon the particular system with which he may be most familiar , the user may make such selection on a more informed basis , thereby most likely obtaining a better outcome for the patient . as stated above , it is preferred to provide a number of means for entering the computer system . one convenient such means may be accomplished by a drop - down , preferably floating window 91 ( fig9 ) presented on a monitor or other viewer comprising a search slot , which may be utilized to provide two different means of entry . initializing the search feature , in blank , may then produce a list of anatomical structures for the user to scroll through until the one of interest is located . in another means , a user may type into the search slot ( or other designated location ) the name of the anatomical structure of interest — a chore which may be alleviated somewhat by incorporating a smart auto - completion scheme . a preferred auto - completion scheme will not just merely complete entry of a name as soon as enough letters are entered for the name to be uniquely identifiable , but will also auto - complete from the general to the specific , as will be illustrated below . still other means of entry into the database may be accomplished through the pictorial or graphical portion of the database . one such means of entry permits the pictorial portion of interest to be called up for viewing upon just a minimal amount of manual entry of pertinent information . to accomplish this end , applicants prefer to utilize still another drop - down window 92 ; such a window may call for information as to ( i ) body area , ( ii ) preferred view ( whether the presentation is to be of the left or right side of the body or of the midline , i . e ., a combined view ), ( iii ) tumor site and ( iv ) cell type ( squamous , adenocarcinoma , etc .). it is also preferred for the user to be able to utilize the american joint commission on cancer &# 39 ; s classification system for tumors , and thus preferably the same drop - down window or panel may call for information as to tumor size ( t - 1 , t - 2 , etc .) and nodal spread ( n - 1 , n - 2 , etc .). upon initializing a designated symbol , such as an “ o . k .” button , the preferred view of the images or ‘ slices ’— such as element 71 — may then be presented on the screen . at this point still another drop - down window 72 , preferably floating , may be presented on the monitor or viewer . it may be observed from the top row of said window that the hard palate was identified as the tumor site , squamous as the type of cell , t1 as tumor size , and n2 as the level of nodal spread . it should be noted that not all tumors spread by means of the lymph system ; some , such as those of the adenocystic cells , for example , spread by means of the nervous system . had the user in the example illustrated specified adenocystic as the type of cell of interest instead of squamous , the pertinent portion of the nerve system would have been illustrated instead of a portion of the lymph system , and the various prompts on 72 for the nodal system would have been replaced by prompts for the nervous system . as may be seen from the second row of window 72 , the rotterdam / brussels classification system for the lymphatic system was selected ( green triangle pointed downward and appropriate prompts indented under the rotterdam / brussels heading ); had one of the other two conventions been selected , the green triangle in front of either the richter or the martinez - monge heading would have been rotated , and the prompts would appear under the appropriate heading . as may also be seen from the first two columns , the user was more interested in viewing various lymph nodes on the right side of the standard reference than on the left side . yet another drop - down window 73 preferably calls for the user to specify whether it is desired to view the selected structures from the subject &# 39 ; s right or left side , and whether it is desired to view the selected structures in a two - dimensional view or as a representation of a three - dimensional view . when all options are identified , the structures are displayed , 74 , as requested . it should be noted that the three - dimensional representation of the head and neck region , as displayed , may be rotated to any angle desired ; fig8 is a screen print of the same , exact settings , but with the subject &# 39 ; s head and neck region rotated so that a partial right view is presented ; i . e ., element 84 is exactly the same as element 74 , except that it is presented at a different viewing angle . applicants greatly prefer to utilize different color schemes for the target tumor site , for functionally - related structures , and for structures to be avoided . as may be seen from fig7 and 8 , applicants have selected a bright red for the target site , a darker or cherry red for connected structures , and a bright yellow for structures which should be avoided . one may , however , utilize any of a number of different color schemes without departing from the principles of the present invention . since applicants expect their system to become the standard for radiation treatment planners , for clinicians , for surgeons and for emergency health care providers , however , undoubtedly many mistakes might be avoided in the future if all such users employ the same color coding system . it may be noted that immediately below element 72 of fig7 is a small display of a completed visual key of the present invention ; wherever one may place the cursor and click , a temporary reference line ( green line 75 ) is preferably displayed ; simultaneously , the three - dimensional version of this same line is displayed in the three - dimensional representation of the standard reference , so that the user may see at a glance exactly where he is in the stack of images ; simultaneously , the exact two - dimensional slice or image is displayed closely adjacent the three - dimensional view . the user may rapidly navigate through the one hundred or so images by moving his cursor up or down , and clicking wherever desired ; the user is not restricted to incrementing such views one by one , but may skip as many as desired to view the next image of interest . simultaneously , the corresponding two - dimensional image will be immediately displayed , and that image &# 39 ; s location in the three - dimensional view will be immediately depicted by a relocated green line . medical practitioners will immediately appreciate the sheer volume of the labor required to produce applicants &# 39 ; invention , as well as the amount of labor on the part of a user which such a system will save . in addition , practitioners such as radiation treatment planners will not only save a considerable amount of time but will be able to render a much higher quality of treatment . no longer will educated surmises have to be made as to proper treatment , or as to what a particular body part may be or do ; instead , one will be able to see at a glance all the information needed to make a well - informed decision . for example , in one preferred embodiment a touch pen may then be conveniently used to ( a ) make sure the user understands exactly what body part is being presented and ( b ) to aid in treatment planning . touching any particular body part displayed in one of the reference images 71 with a touch pen may present the name of that particular body part on the screen closely adjacent such pen , while simultaneously highlighting that name ( and associated information ) in the text portion of the database . if the user is a radiation treatment planner and has imported his patient images onto the same screen , he may use such a touch pen to draw the outline of the body part to be irradiated , on each image displaying such structure . when that task is completed , the planner may then consult the three - dimensional image 74 of connecting parts ( cherry red ) and decide which , if any , of such connected parts should also be treated . the planner himself may specify the connected parts of possible interest , as by clicking on the various buttons of element 72 , or he may ‘ default ’ to a treatment plan of a leading institution ; in either event , the appropriate structures will be displayed almost instantaneously . should he not prefer the first default plan , he may quickly obtain the plans of other institutions for his consideration . structures to be avoided are handled in a similar manner . thus errors of omission due to incomplete information of connected structures should be eliminated , as should such errors regarding structures to be avoided . such treatment planners will also immediately appreciate the flexibility and convenience of the present invention , which may be used side - by - side with such physicians &# 39 ; present treatment systems . even more conveniently , a patient &# 39 ; s actual scans may be imported into applicants &# 39 ; system and displayed in a split screen fashion , or one may be superimposed upon the other , with either faded or heightened as desired , or with the user rapidly deleting one image and repeatedly recalling it in superposition to make his understanding of each and every body part of his patient complete , as well as most convenient and quick . when the planning physician is satisfied , the parts to be irradiated or avoided may be drawn on the screen in the conventional manner , and the resulting images exported back to his treatment planning computer system . still further , such a user will have available at his fingertips a complete library of ‘ best practice ’ treatments as performed by the nation &# 39 ; s leading oncology institutions , and may utilize any of such differing treatment methods as he may deem warranted in any particular case , or may ‘ pick - and choose ,’ i . e ., combine partial treatments from one source with those of another , as his judgment warrants in any particular case . once an institution standardizes its preferred method of treatment , the treatment which a patient receives will no longer be dependent upon the vagaries or personal preferences of individual physicians ; rather , all patients with the same conditions will receive the same treatment — the institution &# 39 ; s collective best judgment for best treatment . further , both institutions and individual physicians may conveniently build libraries of different treatment procedures , simply by saving to memory each treatment plan drawn for each tumor analyzed , and have them available for future use or future monitoring of outcomes to determine which may actually prove best . in short , the present invention promises a new day in the practice of medicine . other , alternate forms of the present invention will suggest themselves from a consideration of the apparatus , systems , methods and principles herein - before discussed . accordingly , it should be understood that the systems and techniques depicted in the accompanying drawings and described in the accompanying specification are intended solely as exemplary embodiments of the present invention and not as limitations thereto . | US-3844805-A |
the present invention provides environmentally friendly herbicidal and bacteriostactic compositions based on exudates of the invasive centaurea maculosa . the active components are the two enantiomers of the flavonol catechin . the enantiomer is used as a broad spectrum herbicide while the enantiomer is used for its bactericidal and bacteriostatic activitics against soil borne bacteria . methods of isolating and using the catchin - containing compounds are also disclosed . | centaurea maculosa ( spotted knapweed ) is an invasive plant that has been studied for almost fifty years to identify and characterize the responsible allelochemical . this long - standing dilemma was solved by the discovery of catechin as the root secreted compound responsible for c . maculosa &# 39 ; s invasive behavior in the rhizosphere . although the roots of c . maculosa exude both the (+) and (−) enantiomers of catechin , only the (−) enantiomer ((−) catechin ) is phytotoxic . (−) catechin showed a broad - spectrum phytotoxicity against various weeds and crop plants tested inhibiting plant growth and seed germination . the term “ catechin ” as used herein means a racemic mixture of the (+) and (−) enantiomers of catechin unless the specific enantiomer is designated . in the embodiments including such a racemic mixture , the individual enantiomers may be present in any ratio as long as the (+) and (−) enantiomers combined represent the total catechin present . the term “(+) catechin ” as used herein means a composition of predominately the (+) enantiomer of catechin wherein the (+) enantiomer represents at least 70 % of the total catechin present . the term “(−) catechin ” as used herein means a composition of predominately the (−) enantiomer of catechin wherein the (−) enantiomer represents at least 70 % of the total catechin present . thus , one embodiment of the present invention is a herbicide composition containing catechin or any agriculturally - acceptable salt thereof . the catechin may be isolated from c . maculosa , synthesized , or purchased commercially . in a preferred embodiment , the catechin is the isolated (−) enantiomer of catechin . the herbicidal composition can be used to control , kill , suppress or inhibit the growth of susceptible plants . the term “ control ” as used herein is inclusive of the actions of killing , inhibiting growth , reproduction or proliferation , and removing , destroying or otherwise diminishing the occurrence and activity of plants and is applicable to any of the stated actions , or any combination thereof . in accordance with this invention it has been found that the growth of germinating seeds , emerging seedlings , maturing and established woody and herbaceous vegetation and aquatic plants can be controlled by exposing the emerging seedlings or above - or below - ground portions of maturing and established vegetation , or the aquatic plants of the action of an effective amount of the catechin - containing compositions of the present invention . the compounds can be used individually , as admixtures of two or more compounds , or in admixture with an adjuvant . these compounds are effective as post - emergent phytotoxicants or herbicides , e . g ., the selective control of the growth of one or more monocotyledonous species and / or one or more dicotyledonous species in the presence of other monocotyledons and / or dicotyledons . furthermore , these compounds are characterized by broad spectrum activity , i . e ., they control the growth of a wide variety of plants including but not limited to ferns , conifer ( pine fir and the like ), aquatic , monocotyledons and dicotyledons . the catechin is preferably applied to the target plant as a liquid or a solid . the term “ plant ” as used herein means terrestrial plants and aquatic plants . the compositions of this invention are suitable for all methods of application commonly used in agriculture , including preemergence application , postemergence application and seed dressing . for example , suitable application means include watering , spraying , atomizing , dusting and scattering . the catechin compositions according to the invention can be applied before and after the plants have emerged , that is to say pre - emergence and post - emergence . they can also be incorporated into the soil before sowing . the active catechin compounds or c . maculosa extracts can be converted to formulations customarily used in the agricultural industry such as solutions , emulsions , wettable powders , suspensions , powders , dusts , pastes , soluble powders , granules , suspension - emulsion concentrates , natural and synthetic materials impregnated with active components and microencapsulations in polymeric substances . these formulations are produced in a known manner , for example by mixing the active compounds with extenders , that is , liquid solvents , and / or solid carriers , optionally with the use of surfactants , that is emulsifiers and / or dispersants , and / or foam - formers . if the extender used is water , it is also possible to employ , for example , organic solvents as auxiliary solvents . essentially , suitable liquid solvents are : aromatics such as xylene , toluene or alkylnaphthalenes , chlorinated aromatics or chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons such as chlorobenzenes , chloroethylenes or methylene chloride , aliphatic hydrocarbons such as cyclohexane or paraffins , for example petroleum fractions , mineral and vegetable oils , alcohols such as butanol or glycol and also their ethers and esters , ketones such as acetone , methyl ethyl ketone , methyl isobutyl ketone or cyclohexanone , strongly polar solvents such as dimethylformamide and dimethyl sulphoxide , and also water . suitable solid carriers include , for example , ammonium salts and ground natural minerals such as kaolins , clays , talc , chalk , quartz , attapulgite , montmorillonite or diatomaceous earth , and ground synthetic minerals , such as highly disperse silica , alumina and silicates . suitable solid carriers for granules include for example , crushed and fractionated natural rocks such as calcite , marble , pumice , sepiolite and dolomite , and also synthetic granules of inorganic and organic meals , and granules of organic material such as sawdust , coconut shells , maize cobs and tobacco stalks ; as emulsifiers and / or foam - formers for example nonionic and anionic emulsifiers , such as polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters , polyoxyethylene fatty alcohol ethers , for example alkylaryl polyglycol ethers , alkylsulphonates , alkyl sulphates , arylsulphonates and also protein hydrolysates . tackifiers such as carboxymethylcellulose and natural and synthetic polymers in the form of powders , granules or latices , such as gum arabic , polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl acetate , as well as natural phospholipids such as cephalins and lecithins , and synthetic phospholipids , can be used in the formulations . other additives can be mineral and vegetable oils . it is also possible to use colorants such as inorganic pigments , for example iron oxide , titanium oxide and prussian blue , and organic dyestuffs , such as alizarin dyestuffs , azo dyestuffs and metal phthalocyanine dyestuffs , and trace nutrients such as salts of iron , manganese , boron , copper , cobalt , molybdenum and zinc . the formulations generally comprise between about 0 . 1 % and about 95 % by weight of active compound , preferably between 0 . 5 and 90 %. the active compound according to the invention can be present in its commercially available formulations and in forms prepared from these formulations such as in a mixture with other active compounds , such as insecticides , attractants , sterilizing agents , bactericides , acaricides , nematicides , fungicides , growth - regulating substances or other herbicides . the insecticides include , for example , phosphoric acid esters , carbamates , carboxylates , chlorinated hydrocarbons , phenylureas and substances produced by microorganisms . it is also possible to admix other known active compounds such as fertilizers and growth regulators with the herbicidal compositions of the present invention . the compositions may also contain inactive ingredients effecting the composition without imparting herbicidal activity on their own such as stabilizers , e . g . where appropriate cpoxidised vegetable oils ( epoxidised coconut oil , rapeseed oil , or soybean oil ), antifoams , typically silicone oil , preservatives , viscosity regulators , binders , as well as other chemical agents including other herbidices such as imazamethabenz - methyl , sulfosulfuron , tribenuron - methyl , amidosulfuron , metosulam , flurtamone , 2 , 4 - d , bromoxynil , dichlorprop - p , tribenuron (- methyl ), diflufenican , glyphosate (- isopropyl - ammonium ), metsuluron - methyl , fluroxypyr , isoproturon , imazamox , diclofop - methyl , carfentrazone - ethyl , clodinafop - propargyl , thifensulfuron - methyl and mixtures thereof . the herbidical compositions may contain any herbicidally - effective amount of catechin or salts thereof . preferably , the compositions contain between about 10 μg / ml and about 500 μg / ml of the catechin compounds of the present invention , more preferably the compositions contain between about 20 μg / ml and about 200 μg / ml of the catechin compounds , more preferably the compositions contain between about 50 μg / ml and about 150 μg / ml of the catechin compounds . additionally , the catechin compounds may be supplied in a concentrated form for dilution prior to application . in these forms , the catechin compounds can be supplied in concentrations exceeding 500 μg / ml up to the solubility of the catechin in the desired solvent with instructions for further dilution . any of the additional components that may be added to the herbicidal preparations of the present invention may occupy between about 1 % and about 99 % of the composition . preferably the additional components occupy no more than between about 5 % and about 95 % of the composition . further embodiments of the present invention include methods of controlling undesired plants by the application of catechin or an exudate or extract of c . maculosa to the undesired plant . the catechin and / or c . maculosa preparations described above may be applied directly to the plant targeted for control or applied to the area surrounding the plant including the habitat of the plant or the media in which the plant is growing . as used herein , the term media means any medium capable of sustaining plant growth including , but not limited to , soils , aqueous solutions , hydroponic systems , sterilized media , and nutrient - enriched or enhanced media . the herbicidal compositions may be applied to the target vegetation prior to visible growth of the plant or after the plant has begun to grow . in a further embodiment of the present invention , the catechin and / or c . maculosa preparations described above are used to inhibit germination of a seed . in this embodiment , the catechin - containing preparation may be applied to the seed or to media or containers in which the seeds are located . thus , in this embodiment , the catechin - containing preparation may be preventively applied to the media or containers in which the seeds are located prior to the seeds becoming present in order to effectively inhibit the germnination of the seeds should they later become present . another embodiment of the present invention is a method for the selective control of weeds in crops of cultivated plants which includes treating the cultivated plants , the seeds or seedlings or the crop area thereof with a herbicidally effective amount of catechin and / or an exudate of c . maculosa . the method is applicable to crop plants that are not affected by the catechin - containing preparations of the present invention or can tolerate higher concentrations of the catechin - containing preparations of the present invention than the vegetation targeted for elimination within the crop area . the (+) enantiomer of catechin ((+)- catechin ), a widespread plant bioflavonoid , is a well - known antioxidant free - radical scavenger reported as a component of green tea , as an antitumour agent and as an insect repellent . (−)- catechin occurs much more rarely than the (+) isomer and the racemic form ((±)- catechin ) occurs only occasionally as well . although (+)- catechin is not phytotoxic , the present inventors found that it has antibacterial activity against root infesting pathogens , which (−)- catechin does not show . this suggests the biological significance for exudation of racemic catechin , with each enantiomer contributing separate plant aggressive and defensive properties . therefore , another embodiment of the present invention is a method of inhibiting bacterial growth in and around roots by applying an effective amount of catechin or exudates of c . maculosa to the plant targeted for protection . preferably , the catechin in the bactericidal or bacteriostatic preparation is the isolated (+) enantiomer of catechin . these bactericidal or bacteriostatic catechin - containing preparations may contain any or all of the components described above with respect to the herbicidal catechin - containing preparations . the (+)- catechin preparations may be applied to the plant susceptible to bacterial pathogens , specifically to the roots of that plant or to the media in which that plant resides . additionally , these (+)- catechin preparations may be applied preventively to the media in which the plant is growing or is expected to be growing to retard bacterial growth prior to encountering a susceptible root - infesting pathogen . the present inventors have also discovered enhanced exudation of catechin upon fungal cell wall elicitor treatment . thus , one embodiment of the present invention is a method of producing the catechin components for use in the herbidical or bacteriostatic compositions of the present invention including isolating an extract of c . maculosa . the extract can be collected from the knapweed plant or elicited from the plant by contact with an elicitor . examples of effective elicitors include fungal cell wall extracts , jasmonic acid , salicylic acid and chitosan . preferably , the elicitor is a fungal cell wall extract prepared from p . cinnamoni . the catechin can then be extracted from the exudate and may be further concentrated or purified as desired . alternatively , the exudate may be used directly in the preparation of the catechin - containing agricultural preparations of the present invention . this example demonstrates the isolation of root exudates and the characterization of catechin therein . the root exudates ( 1 ml ) from all treatments were extracted using 5 ml of hexane . the extracts were vortexed and stored for 24 h at 4 ° c . the supernatant was transferred with a pasteur pipette to a separate test tube , and 1 ml of hexane ( fisher ) was added . the supernatant was further concentrated by freeze - drying ( virtis , genesis ), and the weighed powder was re - dissolved in 500 μl of absolute methanol ( fisher ) for hplc analyses . similarly , roots of c . maculosa were extracted for the metabolic profiling in the roots per se . roots were harvested and 200 mg of fresh , wet tissues were extracted in 2 ml of absolute methanol for 24 hours at 4 ° c . the extracts were centrifuged at 10 , 000 rpm for 10 mins ; supernatants were concentrated under vacuum and were re - suspended in 500 μl of methanol for hplc analyses . extracts of freeze - dried medium in which c . maculosa had been grown were subjected to hplc and bioassay of collected fraction peaks . compounds in the elicited root exudates and roots were chromatographed by gradient elution on a reverse phase 5 μm , c 18 column ( 25 cm × 4 . 6 mm ) ( supelco ). the chromatographic system ( summit dionex ) consisted of p 58o pumps ( dionex ) connected to an asi - 100 automated sample injector ( dionex ). the visible absorbance at 210 nm was measured by a pda - 100 photodiode array variable uvivis detector ( dionex ). mobile phase solution a consisted of double distilled water and solution b ( acetonitrile ) ( fisher ). a multi - step gradient was used for all separations with an initial injection volume of 15 μl and a flow rate of 1 ml / min . the multistep gradient was as follows : 0 - 5 min 5 . 0 % b , 5 - 10 min 20 . 0 % b , 15 - 20 min 20 . 0 % b , 20 - 40 min 80 . 0 % b , 40 - 60 min 100 % b , 60 - 70 min 100 % b , 70 - 80 min 5 . 0 % b . different peaks resulting from various elicitation treatments were collected for the bioassay against various other invasive weeds and crop plants . peak eluants were concentrated under vacuum at 30 ° c . and further purified by injecting them back into hplc under similar conditions and were collected at similar retentions . the eluant showing biological activity was dried under vacuum at 30 ° c . resulting in 4 mg of an amorphous powder . it was checked whether this occurrence could be ascribed to contamination by microorganisms , but this was not found to be the case . the biological activity was detected in the whole fraction , but was missing in fractions collected before and after 55 min . the hplc eluant passed through a uv detector with a flow rate of 0 . 25 ml / min and was delivered into the electron spin mass spectrometer ( esi - ms ) ( finnigan lq qizmo , hewlett packard 1100 series ). the mass spectrometer ( ms ) parameters were optimized to maintain a high gas temperature ( 200 ° c .) and gas flow ( 50 psi ). ions were referred to both positive and negative splits . scan ranges of 100 to 750 amu ( milli absorbance units ) were used for negative ions . a step size of 1 amu and dwell time of 1 millisecond was used during the analysis . the active eluant had m / z 289 ( m + − 1 ), for c 15 h 14 o 6 . as shown in fig1 ( d ), essentially all the activity was confined to a single hplc peak which was shown to be due to the flavonol (±)- catechin . the 1 h and 13 c nmr spectra of the hplc - purified active exudate component were essentially identical to those of commercial ( sigma - aldrich ) (±)- catechin , (+)- catechin , (−)- catechin and literature values for the latter two compounds ( a . nahrstedt , p . proksch , e . e . conn , phytochem . 26 , 1546 ( 1987 )). fig2 ( a and b ) shows that the commercially available racemic catechin had the same effect as root exudated (±)- catechin . the exudate component showed no optical activity , neither at the sodium d line nor in the cd spectrum from 225 to 300 nm where (+)- catechin exhibits strong bands , which confirms that (+) and (−) catechin are secreted by the roots in an equal ratio . this example demonstrates the herbicidal , growth - retardation and inhibition of seed germination effects of c . maculosa extracts . root exudates of in vitro - grown c . maculosa plants were assayed for their effects on the phenotypic response and germnination efficiency of various weeds , including linaria dalmatica ( dalmatian toadflax ), verbascum thapsus ( common mullein ), bromos tectorum ( downy brome ), kochia scoparia ( kochia ), centaurea diffusa ( diffuse knapweed ), the model plant arabidopsis thaliana and crops such as wheat ( triticum aestivum ) and tomato ( lycopersicon esculentum ). ten day old seedlings and seeds of c . maculosa , l . dalmatica , v . thapsus , b . tectorum , k . scoparia , c . diffusa , a . thaliana , t . aestivum and l . esculetum were placed on ms basal medium in petri dishes after initial surface sterilization . petri dishes were kept under a 16 hour light and 8 hour dark photoperiod in an incubator ( lab - line ). an additional objective was to check the effect of allelochemicals from c . maculosa on growth and differentiation of food crops such as triticum aestivum ( wheat ) and lycopersicon esculetum ( tomato ). this was of interest as wheat is known to produce an allelopathic effect in its root exudates ( h . wu , t . haig , j . prateley , d . lemerle , m . an , j . food agric chem . 48 , 5321 ( 2000 )). root exudates collected from non - elicited and elicited cultures of c . maculosa were administered in different concentrations ( 1 - 3 ml v / v ) over the surface sterilized seeds and seedlings to analyze their phytotoxic effects . root exudates were subjected to autoclaving at 120 ° c . for 30 min at 15 lb pressure , and were added at the concentrations detailed above on the germinating seeds and seedlings , this was performed to narrow down the effect to a secondary metabolite . similarly , collected fractions ( at a concentration of about 100 μg / ml ) were administered in different permutations and combinations to assess their phytotoxic activity . arabidopsis was used to assess the phytotoxicity minimum inhibitory concentration ( mic ) of racemic catechin and each enantiomer in comparison to the mic for 2 , 4 - dichlorophenoxyacetic acid . after incubation , growth parameters such as length of shoots , number of shoots and length of primary root of the treated and untreated plants were measured . as shown in fig1 ( a and b ), all of the plants tested showed mortality on the 14 th day after addition of root exudates from c . maculosa . additionally , plants showed wilting symptoms prior to senescence with reduced shoot and root differentiation after administration of the root exudates from c . maculosa ( fig1 a ). fig1 ( a - d ) shows the effects of the non - elicited and fungal cell wall - elicited c . maculosa root exudates on seeds from all of the weeds and crop plants tested . as shown there , the c . maculosa root exudates also behaved as inhibitors of seed germination . fig1 ( b and c ) shows that c . maculosa was strongly resistant to its own exudates and to the purified (±)- catechin , suggesting a possible detoxifying activity within the roots against its own toxin . this example demonstrates the effect of elicitation on the production of catechin containing root exudate from c . maculosa by p . cinnamoni . p . cinnamoni is a fungal pathogen that infects the roots of several plant species . seeds of c . maculosa , c . diffusa and v . thapsus were obtained from natural populations in larimer county , co . seeds of l . dalmatica , b . tectorum , k . scoparia were obtained from natural populations in larimer and routt counties , co . seeds of l . esculetum and t . aestivum ( wheat ) were obtained from quality seeds ( the rocky mountain seed co .). these seeds were washed in running tap water and were surface sterilized using sodium hypochlorite ( 0 . 3 % v / v ) for 10 - 15 min , followed by 3 - 4 washes in sterile distilled water . surface sterilized seeds were inoculated on static ms ( t . murashige , f . skoog , physiol . plant . 15 , 473 ( 1962 )) basal media in petri dishes for germination . seeds were allowed to germinate for 10 days until roots and shoots emerged . the light intensity within the growth chamber was 4 . 4117 j / m 2 / s . ten - day - old seedlings wcre transferred to 50 ml culture tubes with 10 ml of liquid ms basal media . plant cultures were maintained on an orbital platform shaker set at 90 rpm ( lab - line instruments ). ten - day - old c . maculosa plants grown in 10 ml of nutrient - enriched ms basal medium were elicited with fungal cell wall preparations , jasmonic acid ( ja ), salicylic acid ( sa ) and chitosan . fungal cell wall extracts ( cwe ) from different fungi such as phytophthora cinnamoni and r . solani were used . the fungal cell wall elicitors were prepared and used according to mckinley et al . ( 1993 ) ( t . c . mckinley , p . j . michaels , h . e . flores , plant physiol biochem . 31 , 835 ( 1993 )). fungal elicitors were dispensed at various concentrations ( 1 - 3 ml v / v ) into 50 ml culture tubes containing 10 ml of ms basal media . solutions of sa and ja were prepared in ethanol and were added individually to the c . maculosa seedlings at final concentrations of 50 - 200 μm and 100 - 500 μm respectively . media exudates from these elicited plants were collected after 30 days and were added in different concentrations ( 1 - 3 ml v / v ) to the various test plants . media exudates from a non - elicited control were also harvested during the same period for secondary metabolite analyses . a time course experiment was established , wherein media samples from all the elicited treatments were taken weekly and analyzed for the presence of novel secondary metabolites in the root exudates . as shown in fig1 ( b ), upon elicitation of in vitro - grown c . maculosa plants with fungal cell wall preparations from phytopthora cinnamoni , the allelochemical activity of c . maculosa root exudates increased dramatically over the non - elicited exudates . the fungal cell wall - elicited allelochemicals did not inhibit the growth of p . cinnamoni . the degree of involvement of the microbial communities during plant - plant allelopathic interactions remains unknown . as shown in fig1 ( b and c ), these results suggest that microbes may play a role in triggering root exudation , suggesting a cross talk between root - root and root - microbe interactions in the rhizosphere , by which p . cinnamoni may induce c . maculosa &# 39 ; s secretion of allelochemicals to favor its infection of the species weakened by the allelochemical . this example presents the comparison of the herbicidal activity of catechin and the known herbicide 2 , 4 - dichlorophenoxyacetic acid ( 2 , 4 - d ). as shown in fig2 ( a and b ), the minimum inhibitory concentration ( mic ) of (±)- catechin was about 100 μg / ml as tested on arabidopsis thaliana shoot cultures in vitro , compared to 10 μg / ml for 2 , 4 - d . accordingly , (+)- catechin was exuded from c . maculosa roots at doses as high as about 83 . 2 μg / ml , and about 185 . 04 μg / ml upon treatment with p . cinnamoni cell wall elicitors . upon close examination , (−) catechin was found to account for the allelochemical activity at doses as low as about 50 - 60 μg / ml ( fig2 a , b ). in contrast , (+)- catechin did not show allelochemical activity ( fig2 a , b ). this is the first report of bioactivity of (−)- catechin . these results show that although racemic catechin is exuded by c . maculosa &# 39 ; s roots , only (−)- catechin accounts for the allelochemical activity . this example presents the investigation of the role of (+)- catechin in a racemic catechin exudate from c . maculosa roots . (+)- catechin was tested for its ability to inhibit soil borne bacteria . fig2 ( c ) shows that of the six bacterial strains tested , most showed a degree of inhibition in response to (+)- catechin treatment . it was observed that xanthomonas campestris , pseudomonasfluorescens and erwinia carotovora showed a distinct inhibition of growth under (+)- catechin treatment , which was shown by a decrease in optical density ( od ) at higher concentrations of (+)- catechin ( fig2 c ). in contrast , agrobacterium rhizogenes ( 15834 ) was not affected even at higher concentrations of (+)- catechin ( fig2 c ). the successful a . rhizogenes - mediated transformation and production of hairy roots in c . maculosa plants confirms that (+)- catechin is not an inhibitory compound against a . rhizogenes . fig2 ( c ) shows that (−) catechin failed to show any antibacterial activity against all of the soil - borne pathogens tested . this example shows the allelochemical activity of c . maculosa root exudates on members of the same genus . root exudates were collected and assayed as described in example 1 . the allochemical effects was tested on the different plants representative of different plant species by the protocols described in example 2 . fig1 ( a - d ) shows the broad - spectrum allelochemical activity observed for c . maculosa extracts against a diverse range of plant species as well as against the closely related c . diffusa . these results demonstrate that c . maculosa produces a far more potent allelochemical than other invasive knapweeds , even displacing members of its own genus . the foregoing examples have been presented for purposes of illustration and description . the foregoing is not intended to limit the invention to the form or forms disclosed herein . although the description of the invention has included description of one or more embodiments and certain variations and modifications , other variations and modifications are within the scope of the invention , e . g ., as may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art , after understanding the present disclosure . it is intended to obtain rights which include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted , including alternate , interchangeable and / or equivalent structures , functions , ranges or steps to those claimed , whether or not such alternate , interchangeable and / or equivalent structures , functions , ranges or steps are disclosed herein , and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter . | US-49727004-A |
a seeding assembly in grain seeding machines , in which the position of some of the usual devices is modified and some others are redesigned , adding on the depth control device a hinge placed on the front part of the opener disks , which allows the angular opening of the depth control wheels with respect to the furrow opening disks , minimizing the entry of vegetable residues , dust , moist , soil , etc ., and providing efficient and prompt cleaning of the existing space between the wheels and the disks , with the purpose of reducing detention time of the seeding machine . | for the purpose of enlightening the invention , which is defined as “ seeding assembly in grain seeding machines ”, for its simple application , its preferred embodiment shall be described with precision in the following paragraphs , making reference to the attached descriptive drawings . the purpose is to describe the invention without limiting it , and the components may be selected from different equivalents , without deviating from the invention principles defined in the present document . the invention is described based on the above mentioned argentinean patent no . 250967 , “ joint assembly of main arm and balance beam . . . ”, where almost all the set of mechanisms are already known , but with the new arrangement as shown on fig1 and fig2 , where some of the elements of the seeding assembly or seeding train have been redesigned and / or redistributed . in the already known arrangements , the depth control wheels may be located in the front or rear of the furrow opener disks ( considering the running direction of the seeder and thus of the seeding assemblies ). in the preferred embodiment , shown as a set on fig1 and fig2 , the arms 31 that rotationally support the depth control wheels 4 are attached to the front part 18 of the furrow opener disks 1 by means of the hinges 17 . to improve efficiency of the wheel &# 39 ; s function , the internal side faces 21 of the tires 22 of the depth control wheels 4 , must be as close as possible to the external side faces 23 of disks 1 , as shown in detail on fig3 . in the , present design , the tire 22 of the depth control wheel 4 includes a kind of “ lip ” 24 in the internal side face 21 positioned adjacent to the external side face 23 of disk 1 , to achieve a minimum distance between the external side face 23 of the disk 1 and the internal side face 21 of the tire 22 of the depth control wheel 4 . this minimum distance between these two faces should be permanent , whatever the position of the depth control wheel 4 with respect to the disk 1 ( higher or lower position , depending on the necessary seeding depth ), also considering the dynamic of the seeding operation in general terms and of the no - till seeding in particular , which , since it is carried out on vegetable residues or coverings , causes the same to be introduced into the space between the wheel and the disk , usually together with dust and moist soil . this causes several problems , the most important of them being the reduction of the operative performance of the machine , due to the frequent detention of the operation for cleaning seeding assemblies , which in some cases even hinders proper seeding . these operation problems have originated the necessity to redistribute elements and to improve the previous seeding assemblies designs , taking into account these difficulties perceived during field work . the present invention is a set of mechanisms , based mostly on invention patent no . 250967 “ joint assembly of main arm and balance beam . . . ”, in which the new arrangement of the elements provides a simple cleaning of the space between the depth control wheels 4 and the disk 1 , minimizing the detention time of the machine , which is achieved by means of the hinged articulation ( or simply “ hinge ”) 17 shown on fig1 , fig2 and fig4 . the location of the hinge 17 at the front part 18 of the disks 1 , makes that the dynamic of the forces involved in the seeding task tends to bring closer the internal side face 21 of the rubber tire 22 of the depth control wheel 4 to the external side face 23 of disk 1 ( see fig2 and fig3 ), and thus achieving that separation between the two faces is minimal ( for example , in regular working conditions , no greater than 0 . 012 / 0 . 020 inches or 0 . 3 / 0 . 5 mm ); this situation is unaltered whatever the position of the depth control wheel 4 with respect to the disk 1 ( upper or lower position depending on the seeding depth needed ) is , since the movement is always parallel to the external face 23 of the disk 1 . on the contrary , with the location of the hinge 17 to the rear part 19 of the disks 1 , the depth control wheel 4 tends to separate from disk 1 , and this makes the entrance of the unwanted elements easier . however , location of the attachment of the depth control wheels to the front part of disks is not an innovation , since some seeders already include it . the innovation herein basically consists of a hinge 17 , which in closed position 25 indicated on fig2 and fig4 , makes internal side face 21 of the rubber tire 22 of the depth control wheel 4 to be positioned adjacent to external side face 23 of the furrow opener disk 1 and thus , such position remains perfectly fixed through a lock 26 , for example of the design indicated on fig1 , and in open position 27 , shown on fig2 and fig4 , allows the depth control wheel 4 to be separated from the disk 1 and therefore the extended space 28 between them can be easily cleaned as shown on fig2 and fig4 . as shown on fig1 and fig2 , depth regulation is carried out by operating , for example , a mechanism with a square — threaded screw 5 , which design is well known in the previous art , with an articulated end 29 which ( see fig1 ) actuates on the levers 30 attached to the arms 31 of the corresponding depth control wheels 4 . said articulated end 29 of the depth control mechanism , provides free and separate movement of both depth control wheels 4 of the system . the arms 31 of depth control wheels 4 spin in the shaft 32 fixed to the mobile plate 33 of the hinge 17 . we shall describe the invention based on invention patent no . 250967 , “ joint assembly of main arm and balance beam . . . ”, where the whole set of mechanisms is almost completely known , but including the new arrangement , as shown in fig1 , in which some of the elements of the seeding assembly or seeding train have been redesigned and / or redistributed . moreover , one of the novelties of the present invention consists of the hinge 17 of fig1 , fig2 and fig4 , which on its mobile plate 33 have the set of elements that allows the internal side face 21 of the tire 22 of the depth control wheel 4 to be positioned at a minimum distance of the external side face 23 of the furrow opener disk 1 and this position remains perfectly fixed by a lock , for example of the design indicated with 26 on fig1 . in the current design the fixed plate 34 of the hinge 17 is a part of the connecting piece 14 . the internal side face 35 of the mobile plate 33 and the internal side face 36 of the fixed plate 34 of the hinge 17 are flat , and in closed position 25 are parallel to each other , making contact throughout the area 37 they have in common , and are in turn parallel to the external side face 23 of the corresponding disks 1 . the shaft 32 is fixed to the mobile plate 33 of the hinge 17 perpendicularly to the internal side face 35 thereof . on the other hand , the hinge 17 , in open position 27 , brings the depth control device the necessary extended space 28 between the depth control wheel 4 and the furrow opener disk 1 , for a proper and prompt cleaning . the use and practice of the seeding machinery which showed the inconveniences of the obstruction with residues encouraged to place and use the hinge articulation 17 , and the new arrangement of the fixing assembly of depth control wheels 4 , which being on its preferred embodiment located at the front part 18 of the furrow opener disks 1 takes advantage of the components of the acting forces over the different elements during seeding tasks , helping to maintain the minimum distance between the internal side face 21 of the tire 22 of the depth control wheel 4 and the external side face 23 of disk 1 . thus , one of the manufacturing options has been reviewed , and therefore the invention and its application have been defined , and without this implying a limitation , the invention is in line with the specification , claims and attached drawings , which further complement the description of the invention . | US-83086710-A |
the compound 2 - nonanone is useful as an antifungal agent against decay organism of berries and other small fruit , particularly those which are susceptible to microbial attact under storage conditions by alternaria alternata , botrytis cinerea and colletotrichum spp . in a preferred embodiment of the invention , an effective antifungal amount of volatilized 2 - nonanone is delivered to the headspace of fruit packaged for market and the vapor is maintained until the package is opened by the consumer . | the 2 - nonanone compound of this invention is characterized by the following structural formula : ## str1 ## it exists as a colorless liquid and has a boiling point of approximately 195 ° c . other characteristics include : low mammalian toxicity ( oral rat ld 50 , 3200 mg / kg ) ( lewis , 1978 ); a pleasant , fruity / floral odor ; resistance to rapid decomposition ; and sufficient volatility for generating an effective antifungal amount of the compound in the headspace of a storage or packaging container under normal environmental conditions for handling fruit . the expression &# 34 ; effective antifungal amount &# 34 ;, or variations thereof , is used herein to mean that amount of 2 - nonanone which inhibits , at a significant level relative to an untreated control , the propagation and / or growth of fungal species which are normally responsible for decay of berries and other small fruit during storage and marketing . especially preferred is that amount which will completely inhibit fungal growth ( as manifest by the spread of mycelia ) under normal conditions for storing or packaging fruit , without causing necrotic tissue damage to the fruit . in general , it is desirable to maintain a vapor phase concentration of the nonanone in the range of about 0 . 01 to about 0 . 05 μl / ml , and preferably a concentration in the range of about 0 . 02 to about 0 . 20 μl / ml . most preferred is a concentration in the range of about 0 . 05 to about 0 . 15 μl / ml . the actual target concentration for treatment will of course depend upon the particular fruit being treated , the species of fungus to be controlled and the conditions under which decay is to be inhibited . contemplated for treatment herein are small fruits , particularly berries . berries of commercial interest which are most susceptible to postharvest fungal decay are raspberries and strawberries . of course other fruits of interest include blueberries , blackberries , hackberries , gooseberries , and boysenberries . as previously mentioned , the most common decay fungi of these berries are alternaria alternata , botrytis cinerea and colletotrichum spp . although an efficacious mode of treatment would be to contact the fruit with the liquid 2 - nonanone , residual agent on the fruit surface might adversely influence consumer acceptance . therefore , it is preferred to apply the nonanone as a vapor . this is most directly achieved by causing the compound to volatilize into the atmosphere adjacent to the surrounding fruit . for example , in bulk storage , air can be passed over a remote source of the liquid compound and circulated around the fruit . alternatively , the compound may be incorporated into a slow release vehicle or carrier , such as by encapsulation or placement in a closed permeable container . another approach is impregnation of the nonanone into the packaging container itself . in a preferred embodiment for controlled release , the 2 - nonanone is formulated with a pregelatinized starch as a carrier . the release rate of the agent from the starch can be tailored by the addition of a retarding agent , such as glycerine . the formulation comprising the agent and carrier is then loaded into a tube . appropriate preselection of the tube diameter serves as an additional mechanism for controlling the release rate . as a final step , the tube is wrapped in a film permeable to the 2 - nonanone . the resultant delivery system finds particular application in situations where direct contact between the liquid form of the nonanone and the fruit is to be absolutely avoided . the following examples are intended only to further illustrate the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is defined by the claims . fungal cultures of a . alternata and b . cinerea were obtained from the agricultural research service , nrrl culture collection in peoria , ill . these cultures exhibited positive pathogenicity on healthy raspberries and strawberries . an isolate of c . gloeosporioides pathogenic on blueberries was obtained from the usda / ars cranberry and blueberry research center , chatsworth , n . j . all cultures were maintained at 24 ° c . and 95 % relative humidity on v - 8 juice agar supplemented with 0 . 3 % caco 3 and adjusted to ph 5 . 8 . spores of each fungus were removed from sporulating cultures by carefully brushing the surface of the media with a glass rod and suspending the spores in sterile water . the concentrations of spores in the suspensions were adjusted to concentrations of 10 6 to 10 7 spores / ml . these suspensions were mixed together to form a composite suspension which was used to inoculate all the fruit in a given experiment . untreated red raspberries ( cv . ` heritage `) and strawberries ( cv . ` ozark beauty `) were harvested and used the same day . berries were selected on the basis of uniform size , color , firmness , and absence of evidence of defects or diseases . a bioassay system was developed to test the effects of the volatile compounds on fungal growth both on intact fruit and on v - 8 juice medium . the apparatus consisted of 75 ml glass jars into which either fruit or sterilized v - 8 juice medium ( 10 ml ) were added . these jars were placed in 275 ml airtight glass jars with aluminum foil cap liners . the bottom of each 275 ml jar was fitted with a 5 . 5 cm filter paper disk ( whatman no . 1 ) for application of the appropriate amount of test compound . the total gas headspace in the larger jars after the addition of all components was 250 ml . fifteen compounds reported as major volatile components of red raspberries and / or strawberries and representing a variety of chemical classes were evaluated for suppression of fungi growing directly on the fruit . these compounds included two aldehydes , seven alcohols , three ketones , one ester and one heterocycle containing both an alcohol and ketone moiety . the test compounds were selected on the basis of a preliminary screening for suitable volatility , low mammalian toxicity , and commercial availability . all chemicals tested were obtained from the supplier ( aldrich chem . co ., milwaukee , wis .) and used without further modification . red raspberries and strawberries were rinsed with sterile distilled water and allowed to dry before inoculation . the fruit was sprayed with the spore suspension to runoff . single red raspberries or strawberries were placed in the 75 ml jars , and 100 μl each of a single test compound was added to the filter paper on the bottom of a 275 ml jar . the 275 ml jar was then sealed . fruit were kept at 10 ° c . in the dark for 10 days then rated for development of fungi and for damage to the fruit due to the treatments . categories based on percentage of the fruit surface area visibly covered with fungi were : 0 , no detectable fungal growth ; 1 , 0 - 25 % of the fruit covered with mycelia ; 2 , 25 - 75 % of the fruit covered with mycelia ; and 3 , & gt ; 75 % of the fruit covered with mycelia . fruit damage rating catagories were : 0 , no detectable damage ; 1 , some surface damage ; 2 , moderate fruit damage with fluid loss ; and 3 , extensive necrosis and heavy fluid loss . each treatment was replicated five times and the experiment was repeated . of the fifteen volatile compounds tested , five completely suppressed fungal growth on both raspberry and strawberry fruit ; three of these five did not cause extensive tissue necrosis damage of the fruit . of these three compounds , 2 - nonanone was selected for further study . the results of fungal growth inhibition and fruit damage assessment are reported in table i , below . as results from both experiments were similar , only results from one experiment are reported . the 2 - nonanone was tested to determine threshold levels required to completely inhibit isolated fungal cultures growing on v - 8 juice medium . the fungi assayed against included b . cinerea , c . gloeosporioides and a . alternata . the compound was bioassayed as a volatile using the apparatus described in example 1 by placing 7 mm diameter plugs of mycelia from actively - growing 1 week - old cultures on v - 8 juice media in the 75 ml jars , with the appropriate amount ( 0 , 5 , 10 , 25 or 100 μl ) of compound applied to the filter paper on the bottom of the larger jar . assuming complete volatilization , these amounts would produce a nonanone concentration within the headspace of 0 . 02 , 0 . 04 , 0 . 10 , and 0 . 40 μl / ml , respectively . the sealed jars were then placed in a growth chamber in the dark at 10 ° c . for 7 days . due to growth of fungi limited to the plug in many cases and the difficulty of accurately measuring the fungal growth in the jars , a rating system was developed as follows : 0 , no growth of fungi , including on plug ; 1 , growth on plug only ; 2 , small amount of fungal growth on medium ; 3 , most of medium covered with fungal mycelia ; and 4 , all of medium covered . the treatment was replicated three times and the data were treated by statistical analysis of variance . the results are reported in table ii , below . 2 - nonanone was assayed as a medium component by adding an appropriate amount to cooled v - 8 juice media in 9 . 0 cm plastic petri dishes . experiments were initiated by placing 7 mm plugs of mycelia in the center of the petri dishes . as the cultures were nearly circular , the radii ( from the inoculum plug to one typical point on the growing margin ) of the cultures were measured and expressed as a percentage of the control . the treatment was replicated five times and the data were treated by analysis of variance . the results are reported in table iii , below . it is apparent from these data that when the 2 - nonanone is added directly to the medium , it is less inhibitory than when allowed to volatize in the headspace . a fast release formulation was prepared by thoroughly mixing 5 g of 2 - nonanone with 15 g &# 34 ; miragel &# 34 ; ( pregelatinized cornstarch , a . e . staley , decatur , ill .). also , a slow release formulation was made by mixing 15 g &# 34 ; miragel &# 34 ; with 2 . 5 g glycerine followed by 5 g of 2 - nonanone . the resultant mixtures were packed into glass tubes ( 0 . 5 cm × 2 . 0 cm ) and heat - sealed in polypropylene plastic bags ( polypropylene allows vapor phase 2 - nonanone to pass and be detected by gas chromatography ; data not presented ). single tubes were placed in airtight 2 . 45 l dessicator flasks which were fitted with a septa allowing headspace gas samples to be removed . gas headspace samples ( 1 ml ) were collected with a 1 ml gastight syringe ( dynatech precision sampling co ., baton rouge , la .) and were analyzed by a hewlett packard model 5890 gas chromatograph ( hewlett - packard co ., palo alto , calif .) using a capillary column ( 15 m × 0 . 25 nun ) coated with a 0 . 25 μm film ( db - 1 ; j & amp ; w scientific , folsom , calif .). helium gas carrier flow through the column was 1 ml / min and the sample was injected into an 100 / 1 inlet splitter ( total flow 100 ml / min ). the injection temperature was set at 180 ° c ., the flame ionization detector was set at 290 ° c . and the oven was run isothermally at 75 ° c . peak areas were quantified by comparison to a standard curve prepared from the response of a range of dilutions of known concentrations of 2 - nonanone in hexane . the results from storing red raspberries and strawberries in airtight containers for one week at 10 ° c . with both the slow and fast release formulations described above are shown in table iv . although the fast release formulation had a higher level of 2 - nonanone after 24 hours , both treatments contained the same headspace concentration after 7 days . the treated berries lacked any visible fungi , and lacked significant fruit damage , although fruit had a slight odor of 2 - nonanone when first removed from the flasks . the berries had little off - flavor as judged by informal lab bench screening . it is understood that the foregoing detailed description is given merely by way of illustration and that modification and variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . table i______________________________________fungal growth and fruit damage ratings of inoculatedraspberry and strawberry fruit after 10 days exposureto 0 . 4 μl / ml volatile compounds fungal rating . sup . x fruit damage rating . sup . ytreatment raspberry strawberry raspberry strawberry______________________________________control . sup . 2 . 4 a . sup . z 3 . 0 a 2 . 0 a 2 . 7 a2 - nonanone 0 . 0 b 0 . 0 b 2 . 0 a 1 . 7 b______________________________________ . sup . x mean of fungal growth , 0 = no fungi present , 3 = fruit completely covered by fungal mycelia . . sup . y mean of fruit damage , 0 = intact , undamaged fruit , 3 = whole fruit necrotic and watersoaked . . sup . z mean separation among all values by duncan &# 39 ; s multiple range test , & lt ; 0 . 05 . values in a column followed by different letters are significantl different . table ii______________________________________response of three fungal species to vapor phaseconcentrations of volatile odor compoundstreatment fungal growth rating . sup . xμl / ml a . alternata b . cinerea c . gloeosporioides______________________________________control . sup . 4 . 0 a . sup . y 4 . 0 a 4 . 0 a2 - nonanone0 . 02 μl / ml 2 . 7 b 1 . 0 b 2 . 0 b0 . 04 μl / ml 1 . 3 c 0 . 0 c 0 . 6 c0 . 10 μl / ml 0 . 0 d 0 . 0 c 0 . 0 c0 . 40 μl / ml 0 . 0 d 0 . 0 c 0 . 0 c______________________________________ . sup . x mean of fungal growth , 0 = no growth , 4 = media completely covered . sup . y mean separation among all values by duncan &# 39 ; s multiple range test , & lt ; 0 . 05 . values in a column followed by different letters are significantl different . table iii______________________________________radial growth of fungal cultures on media with addedvolatile compounds fungal growth (% of control ). sup . xtreatment (%) a . alternata b . cinerea c . gloeosporioides______________________________________2 - nonanone0 . 01 % 85 . 2 a 100 . 0 a 100 . 4 a0 . 10 % 48 . 7 b 83 . 0 b 95 . 7 a1 . 00 % 0 . 0 c 0 . 0 c 0 . 0 b______________________________________ . sup . x mean separation among all values by duncan &# 39 ; s multiple range test , & lt ; 0 . 05 . values in a column followed by different letters are significantl different . table iv______________________________________response of raspberry and strawberry fruit after exposureto 2 - nonanone from delivery system for 7 days at 10 ° c . headspace concentration ( μg / ml ) fruit damage rating . sup . xtreatment of 2 - nonanone ± s . e . raspberry strawberry______________________________________control 0 . 00 ± 0 . 00 . sup . 2 . 3 a . sup . y 2 . 5 a ( 7 days ) slow release 0 . 04 ± 0 . 01 0 . 0 b 0 . 0 b ( 24 hours ) fast release 0 . 11 ± 0 . 02 0 . 2 b 0 . 0 b ( 24 hours ) slow release 0 . 13 ± 0 . 01 0 . 4 b 0 . 0 b ( 7 days ) fast release 0 . 13 ± 0 . 00 0 . 4 b 0 . 0 b ( 7 days ) ______________________________________ . sup . x mean of fruit damage , 0 = intact , undamaged fruit , 3 = fruit completely necrotic and watersoaked . . sup . y mean separation among all values by duncan &# 39 ; s multiple range test , & lt ; 0 . 05 . values in a column followed by different letters are significantl different . | US-8847093-A |
certain embodiments provide systems and methods for catheter positioning . certain embodiments provide a catheter for use in at least intravenous and intracardiac spaces . the catheter includes a catheter body having a length and a tip portion at a distal end of the catheter body . the catheter also includes a plurality of wires for moving the catheter body in a plurality of directions . the catheter further includes a first control for manipulating the plurality of wires in two primary planes of movement for the catheter body . the catheter includes a second control for manipulating the plurality of wires in two secondary planes of movement for the catheter body . the second control is distinct in appearance and operation from the first control . | fig2 illustrates a cross - sectional view of a catheter system 200 for two - dimensional ( 2d ) imaging in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . the catheter 200 is described , for purposes of illustration only , as an intracardiac echocardiography ( ice ) catheter but may also be implemented with other applications , such as transesophageal probes or endoscopes and / or intravascular ultrasound ( ivus ) catheters . the presently described technology may also be placed in cryoablation catheters . the presently described technology may be used in 2d , three dimensional ( 3d ) and / or four - dimensional ( 4d ) catheter systems and applications . catheters are also used in other parts of the body , for instance to close off connections between an artery and a vein anywhere in the body . an ability to move in more than a single plane may help to provide an ability to treat areas which otherwise could not be reached . the 2d catheter system 200 includes a transducer 210 , transducer wiring 220 , a tip 230 , a tip support tube 240 , a bridge 250 , a catheter body 260 , a catheter handle 270 ( not pictured ), a catheter connector tubing 280 ( not pictured ) and a catheter connector 290 ( not pictured ). a plurality of steering wires 295 may be used to steer and position the catheter 200 in a plurality of directions . the tip 230 of the 2d catheter system 200 can be produced , for example , by molding the transducer 210 into a soft polyurethane material . this produces a tip 230 that resembles a bullet with a flattened side that is used as the transducer window . a polyimide tip support tube 240 is slid over the polyurethane tip 230 in order to give the tip 230 some rigidity , for example . a round hollow bridge tube 250 is slid over the end of the proximal end of the bullet tip 230 and attached to the tip 230 . the transducer wires 220 are pulled through the catheter body 260 , through the catheter handle 270 and through the catheter connector tubing 280 , for example . the other end of the round hollow bridge tube 250 slides into the catheter body 260 and attaches to the catheter body 260 . this hollow bridge 250 connects the catheter tip 230 to the catheter body 260 . the transducer wires 220 are then connected to a printed circuit board in the connector 290 . the printed circuit board is then placed in the connector 290 and screwed together or otherwise attached to clamp the connector 290 onto the catheter connector tubing 280 . fig3 illustrates a 4d catheter system 300 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . the catheter 300 is described , for purposes of illustration only , as an ice catheter but may also be implemented with other applications , such as transesophageal probes or endoscopes and / or ivus catheters . the presently described technology may also be placed in cryoablation catheters . the presently described technology may be used in 2d , three dimensional ( 3d ) and / or four - dimensional ( 4d ) catheter systems and applications . catheters are also used in other parts of the body , for instance to close off connections between an artery and a vein anywhere in the body , the ability to move in more than a single plane could provide the ability to treat areas which otherwise could not be reached . the 4d catheter system 300 includes a transducer array 310 , a motor and gearbox 320 , a tip section 330 , a coupling or drive shaft 340 , a connection cable 350 and a catheter body 360 . the system 300 also includes a bearing 370 , a bulkhead 380 , a fluid reservoir 390 and a plurality of steering wires 395 . in certain embodiments , the system 300 may also include a thermistor 325 . in certain embodiments , the transducer array 310 is a one - dimensional ( 1d ) array . the 1d transducer array 310 of the 4d catheter system 300 is a rotatable array . for example , the 4d catheter system 300 has a transducer array 310 capable of rotating plus or minus 30 ° at 7 volumes / second in a 10 french steerable catheter . a motor and gearbox 320 are also included in the transducer tip section 330 , and are located distal to the transducer array 310 in the tip section 330 . a coupling or drive shaft 340 is positioned between the motor and gearbox 320 and the transducer array 310 in the tip section 330 . a flexible cable 350 for electrical connections to the transducer 310 extends through the tip section 330 and into the catheter body 360 . in certain embodiments , the transducer array 310 is arranged for oscillatory rotation around the catheter axis ( i . e ., back and forth , rather than continuously around ). in certain embodiments , the transducer array 310 and motor 320 are controlled using an open - loop control . however , a transducer rotation angle sensor may be used for motion feedback . the motor drive electronics and motion control system are located outside the catheter 300 , such as in an additional “ pod ” or in an ultrasound system . an acoustic coupling fluid is introduced between the oscillating transducer 310 and surrounding tip section 330 . the transducer array 310 is positioned in the tip section 330 in an acoustic window 335 , which allows an ultrasound beam to pass through with minimum impact on beam and image . the acoustic window 335 may be formed of polyurethane or polymethylpentene , for example . the transducer 310 may have a “ lens ” of some sort to minimize an effect of coupling fluid and tip section material on an ultrasound beam . the tip section 330 may include a fluid reservoir 390 to accommodate thermal expansion and to compensate for fluid loss during catheter system storage . the tip section 330 and fluid reservoir 390 are sealed to isolate the tip section 330 from the catheter body 360 . in certain embodiments , one or more hard stops are placed in the tip section 330 to limit rotation ( i . e ., prevent 360 ° rotation ) and initialize alignment of the transducer 310 , acoustic window 335 , and motor controller . a “ bearing ” 370 is used to align the oscillating transducer 310 within the 4d tip 330 and / or minimize friction between the transducer 310 and surrounding tip section 330 , for example . the bearing 370 may be as simple as three or more contact points , for example . a bulkhead 380 separates the 4d tip section 330 from the catheter body 360 and also separates rotating versus non - rotating sections of cable 350 . the bulkhead 380 helps join the tip section 330 to the catheter body 360 and provides a fluid seal to keep acoustic coupling fluid in the tip section 330 and out of the catheter body 360 . the tip section 330 may be a plastic tube , or may comprise both plastic ( e . g ., for an acoustic window , biocompatible surface ) and metal ( e . g ., for stiffness , reliability , dimensional control ), for example . in certain embodiments , the catheter body is a four - way steerable catheter body with a diameter of between 9 and 10 french (˜ 3 πmm ), and a tip section after the catheter body includes a transducer array inside the tip section . the transducer array can be a one dimensional phased array of 64 elements with a pitch of 0 . 110 nm , for example . in certain embodiments , the transducer array operates a center frequency of approximately 6 . 5 mhz . the transducer array may be mounted inside a tube - shaped tip that is mounted on the end of the catheter . in certain embodiments , the array is not mounted on the outside surface of the catheter or on the outside surface of the tip as this would increase the diameter of the catheter / tip combination and prevent 2d and 4d ice catheter systems from being used in some veins and areas of a patient &# 39 ; s anatomy . the tip includes an acoustic window that permits ultrasound beams transmitted by the array to pass through the tip . the acoustic window can be formed of polyurethane , for example . this acoustic window may also act as a lens to focus the ultrasound beams to a focal point in a patient &# 39 ; s anatomy . in certain embodiments , the transducer array elements are formed of a piezoelectric material . the tip attached to the end of the catheter may be formed of a combination of materials to help ensure that the tip is a rigid , non - flexible body . for example , the tip may be primarily formed of polyurethane that is surrounded by a polyimide “ jacket ” that provides the stiffness and rigidity desired for the tip . the tip may be a rigid , non - flexible body to help ensure that the tip cannot be bent so as to damage the transducer array enclosed therein . in certain embodiments , the 2d and 4d catheter systems are capable of all standard ultrasound cardiology imaging modes , including b - mode , color doppler , pulsed - wave ( pw ) doppler , and continuous - wave ( cw ) doppler . the catheter systems facilitate contrast imaging . the 2d and 4d catheter systems may also include additional components , such as a thermistor ( i . e ., a thermally sensitive resistor used for temperature measurement and control , etc .). in certain embodiments , incorporation of four steering wires into a catheter allows a clinician to set the catheter to a desired location / position / configuration . in certain embodiments , a user may then lock the catheter at that location / position / configuration . several handle types and curve configurations may be implemented using such a multiple pull wire system . in certain embodiments , a single control or handle is used to control the plurality of steering wires . in other embodiments , steering pull wires may be divided into subsets and a control or handle may be used to control a subset of wires . in certain embodiments , other mechanisms , such as springs , strings , cables , fiber bundles and / or other thin , flexible tension members may be used to position a catheter . for simplicity , such mechanisms are collectively referred to as steering wires herein . in certain embodiments , primary movement is performed in one plane , while an orthogonal plane is not likely to have much movement ( e . g ., not likely to be more than 20 degrees ). one handle or control may be configured to control the main movement of the catheter . movement in the other plane may be controlled by a smaller and more discrete control , for example . one or more controls may include a marker or other indication of wire position midpoint . in certain embodiments , a control can be held in one place without the user &# 39 ; s hand applied to the handle . in certain embodiments , a control can be held in one place with minimal pressure applied by the user , for example . in certain embodiments , steering wires and one or more controls are implemented with a catheter capable of producing real time 3d images with additional catheter tip components and moving parts . in certain embodiments , a primary control or handle may be designed so that the major movement of the catheter is controlled with wing type controls and / or with a rotating , variegated or other dial , for example . a secondary control ( for example , one facilitating less movement and / or movement in one or more different planes ) can be implemented either by a variegated , rotating or other dial , by a small slide bar , and / or any combination thereof , for example . fig4 illustrates a plurality of exemplary control implementations in a catheter system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . the examples of fig4 are presented for purposes of illustration only . fig4 a , 4 b , 4 c and 4 d illustrate catheters with a variegated dial 410 , a midpoint indicator 420 and a wing control 430 . the variegated dial 410 controls secondary planes of movement . the wing control 430 controls primary planes of movement . the midpoint indicator 420 provides a visual indication of the midpoint in the secondary and / or primary planes of movement . in certain embodiments , the dial 410 may be used to control primary planes of movement while the wing control 430 controls secondary planes of movement . in certain embodiments , the catheter may include a locking mechanism to lock or maintain a catheter position . for example , once a user has manipulated one or more controls 410 , 430 , a locking mechanism may be used to hold the position of the catheter for use by the user . alternatively and / or in addition , resistance ( e . g ., friction , etc .) and / or tension may be provided to help maintain a desired curvature , angle and / or other position of a catheter during use . in certain embodiments , a lock , tension and / or resistance may be used to maintain a control or dial in a certain position ( e . g ., at a midpoint or other desired position ) without pressure by a user , for example . in certain embodiments , a control may be used to apply a certain amount of tension or friction to help maintain a catheter position / orientation , for example . one or more controls 410 , 430 used in conjunction with steering wires , cords , springs , etc ., may facilitate manipulation of the catheter . in certain embodiments , one or more controls 410 , 430 may be used with steering wires , cords , springs , strings , cables , fiber bundles , etc ., for rotation and / or deflection ( e . g ., bending ) of the catheter . for example , one or more controls 410 , 430 may pull a steering wire or cord , apply tension to a spring , etc . to move the catheter . pushing and / or pulling of a control 410 , 430 , for example , may cause a distal end of the catheter to deflect from one or more planar axes , for example . rotation of a control 410 , 430 , for example , may result in rotation of the catheter tip to a desired orientation . in certain embodiments , one or more controls 410 , 430 may also be used to inflate a balloon at a distal end of the catheter , ablate tissue , deliver a substance , guidewire and / or instrument at the distal end of the catheter , etc . fig5 illustrates a flow diagram for a method 500 for positioning a catheter in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . at step 510 , a catheter tip is steered in one or more primary planes of movement . for example , a wing control may be used in conjunction with one or more steering wires to manipulate the catheter tip with respect to one or more primary planes of movement . at step 520 , the catheter tip is steered in one or more secondary planes of movement . for example , a slide bar control may be used in conjunction with one or more steering wires to manipulate the catheter tip with respect to one or more primary planes and / or directions of movement . in certain embodiments , step 520 , movement in one or more secondary planes and / or direction , may not occur as often as movement in primary plane ( s ). alternatively and / or in addition , movement in one or more secondary planes may be smaller than movement in one or more primary planes . in certain embodiments , movement in both primary and secondary plane ( s ) and / or direction ( s ) may be controlled using a single control ( e . g ., wing , bar , dial , etc . ), for example . at step 530 , a desired position is achieved for use of said catheter . that is , after the catheter tip is steered or manipulating using one or more wires , a desired position is achieved so that the catheter may be used by a clinician . in certain embodiments , four wires are used to steer the catheter using one or more controls to position the catheter at a desired position ( e . g ., rotation , deflection , etc .). for example , two or more controls may be used to manipulate the catheter tip using the first , second , third and fourth wires . in certain embodiments , more than four wires may be used and / or wires may be combined to maneuver in multiple planes / directions , for example . in certain embodiments , a transducer array is rotated within the catheter tip to obtain at least one 2d , 3d and / or 4d image . in certain embodiments , a guidewire , instrument and / or substance , for example , may be delivered into a body via the catheter and control ( s ). thus , certain embodiments allow catheter access and positioning for visualization and possible intervention at locations within the body which currently either cannot be maintained or require added personnel to achieve the catheter placement . by maintaining catheter position , procedure times can be shortened and procedures can be done that may not otherwise be completed without the necessary visualization . while the invention has been described with reference to certain embodiments , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the invention . in addition , many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope . therefore , it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed , but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims . | US-67779107-A |
a system for sorting composite waste is provided . in some embodiments , the composite waste comprises two or more drugs , or two or more components . composite waste is sorted efficiently and effectively using information regarding the different components in said waste , thus enabling proper disposal . | embodiments of devices and methods for sorting a plurality of medical wastes will now be described with reference to the attached figures . in several embodiments , the waste sorting and disposal system is automated . in some embodiments , a medical waste sorting system comprising a plurality of individual sorting and disposal stations connected to one another via a centralized or de - centralized network is provided . alternatively , a medical waste sorting system can comprise one or more stand - alone sorting and disposal stations configured to operate independently of any other device . although some of the following embodiments are described in the context of individual stand - alone stations , it should be recognized that such individual stations can be connected in a networked system to provide additional functionality or to improve efficiency . conversely , some embodiments are described below in the context of networked systems , certain features and advantages of which can be readily applied to individual stand - alone systems as will be clear to the skilled artisan . the term “ sorting ” is a broad term and shall be given its ordinary meaning and generally refers to the distribution of one or more waste items into one or more appropriate waste receptacles . the term “ disposing ” is also a broad term and shall be given its ordinary meaning and shall , in some embodiments , generally refer to the discarding or “ throwing out ” of one or more items of waste into an appropriate receptacle . in one embodiment , a waste sorting and disposal station comprises a sorting station or machine , which includes a series of container positions or compartments , each compartment being configured to receive a disposable container for collecting waste belonging to a particular category or classification . some embodiments of a sorting station comprise a waste - identifying device , a processor configured to carry out a waste - sorting algorithm , and a waste - sorting mechanism . in some embodiments , a sorting machine comprises one or more sensors for determining the presence of a container , a type of container , and / or a volume or weight of a container . in another embodiment , the sorting machine includes one or more sensors ( e . g ., an optical sensor ) to determine which container the item was deposited into and / or a time at which an item is deposited . additionally , a sorting machine / station can include any of a variety of computer peripherals , such as user input devices ( e . g ., touch screens , keyboards , pointer devices , etc . ), display devices , sound - producing devices ( e . g ., speakers or buzzers ), or any other peripheral device . in many embodiments , several container types are provided , each type being associated with a particular category or classification of pharmaceutical waste . for example , in some embodiments , container types can include sharps containers , chemotherapy agent containers , infectious waste containers , ignitable waste containers , hazardous p - list waste containers , hazardous u - list waste containers , toxic pharmaceutical waste containers , non - toxic pharmaceutical waste containers , chemotherapy sharps containers , corrosive waste containers , or reactive waste containers . additional container types can also be used as desired . in one embodiment , the container types are pre - designated by the container provider . in other embodiments , the container types are assigned by the hospital so that the hospital can individually customize its waste sorting system . for example , some hospitals may desire to define their own waste categories in order to comply with internal goals , thus user - defined container types can also be provided . in a preferred embodiment , a waste identifying mechanism is provided . in several embodiments , the waste identifying mechanism is configured to identify a particular item of waste . identification is preferably accomplished prior to deposit into the appropriate container . identification of the waste item can be accomplished by scanning a barcode , reading a label ( e . g ., using an optical scanner and optical character recognition software ), reading a radio frequency identification ( rfid ) tag , chemical sensors , spectroscopic analyzers , or by measuring or evaluating any other qualitative parameter of the waste item presented for identification . alternatively still , an item of waste can be identified by user input of information such as a trade name , a generic name , a chemical name , national drug code ( ndc ) or other data associated with a particular item of waste . for example , a user can simply read a waste identifier from an item of medical waste and enter the identifier into the system via a keyboard , touch screen or other user input device . in one embodiment , once an item of waste is identified , the sorting algorithm determines to which of a plurality of waste categories the item belongs . the station then indicates to the user which container is associated with that category . for example , in some embodiments the station indicates a correct container by opening a door providing access to the container . alternatively , such an indication can be provided by illuminating a light or displaying a name or number of a container on a display device . in some embodiments , a waste sorting mechanism can carry out or instruct a user in delivery of the waste item to the appropriate disposable container . in some embodiments , the waste sorting mechanism comprises a plurality of openings providing access to the plurality of containers . for example , each of the containers can be configured to interface with an automatically operable door or other means to present the container opening to the user . some embodiments of such an interface are described in further detail below . alternatively , the sorting machine can be configured to provide access to an appropriate container in other ways , such as by moving a container relative to the machine in order to present a container opening to a user . in further alternative embodiments , the sorting mechanism can include a series of lights or other indicators configured to inform a user of the correct container for a particular item of waste . alternatively still , the sorting mechanism can include an apparatus configured to receive an item of waste from a user and physically convey the item to the appropriate disposable container . in some embodiments , a single waste item may call for disposal in multiple containers . for example , a syringe might contain a quantity of a hazardous or controlled substance , which requires disposal in a first container . however , the syringe itself may require disposal in a second , separate container . in such embodiments , it is desirable for the system to determine an appropriate sequence for the disposal of the separate parts of a single item . in the event that a waste item contains information ( such as a barcode or label ) sufficient to inform the system of the need for a sequence of disposal steps , the system can determine the optimum sequence , and can then inform the user of the appropriate sequence . the system may inform a user of the appropriate sequence by sequentially opening appropriate doors and / or by displaying instructions on a display screen . in one embodiment , a means can be provided to determine whether an item of waste is empty or contains residual or bulk hazardous or non - hazardous contents . alternatively , it may be desirable for a user to determine the best sequence for disposal , in which case , the user may enter information into the system requesting a particular sequence . additionally , it may also be desirable for the system to include “ shortcut keys ” in order to provide quick access to frequently - used containers , such as sharps containers . such shortcut keys can be configured to quickly open a selected container . in some embodiments , when a single waste item comprises a composite of elements falling into different waste categories , such as a syringe containing a controlled substance , which might , if disposed separately , be sorted into two different containers , the waste sorting system can indicate disposal of the composite waste item into the highest hazard level container . in this manner , when it is inefficient , ineffective or even dangerous to separate the single composite waste item into its individual components , hospitals can still achieve compliance by disposing of such hybrid or composite items into the most conservative hazard container . in some embodiments , the containers within a sorting station can be ranked in order from “ least ” to “ most ” hazardous in order to facilitate a determination of which container is the “ most conservative ” hazard container in a given station . a determination of whether a particular container type ( and corresponding waste category or categories ) is higher or lower on a hazardousness spectrum can be determined by a variety of suitable methods . in some cases , a hazardousness spectrum can be determined empirically , while in other embodiments , the varying degrees of hazardousness may be determined by comparing properties such as relative reactiveness , bioactivity , etc . of elements of a particular category . in some embodiments , when a waste item is unrecognized by the identification means , the sorting system will indicate disposal to the highest hazard waste container . the system will notify the disposer that the waste item was unrecognized . in another embodiment , the sorting system may also notify a database or database personnel that the waste item is unrecognized , thus facilitating a database upgrade to include that waste item for future disposals . in some embodiments of the invention , it may be advantageous to determine the quantity of waste that has already been deposited into one or more containers . in some embodiments , one or more sensors are used to quantitatively assess one or more parameters of the container and / or waste . these quantitative sensors include , but are not limited to , sensors that detect the weight , volume , density , and / or fill level of the waste in the container . in one embodiment , one or more fill sensors are provided . a fill level sensor can be used to monitor a fill level of each of the disposable containers to determine when a particular container is full . once a container is determined to be full , the sorting system can signal a user to replace the full container with a new empty container . additionally , once a particular container is full , some embodiments of the system can be configured to determine the weight or volume of waste material within the full container . the system can also be configured to print a label to be affixed to the container . the label can include a variety of information relating to the disposal of the waste items , the quantity , weight or volume of the items contained therein , a waste category name or code , etc . in some embodiments , quantitative sensors are not used . instead , in one embodiment , the quantity of waste is determined by direct visualization of the waste in a container . transparent or translucent containers are provided to facilitate visualization in some embodiments . in several embodiments , the containers are opaque , but provide a section or “ view - strip ” of translucent or transparent material to permit visualization . in one embodiment , one or more sensors are provided in conjunction with means to directly visualize waste quantity . in one embodiment , means for detecting a quantity of waste are not needed because the containers are replaced at regularly scheduled intervals , as determined by a waste transport company , a disposal company or hospital staff and independent of how much waste is in any given container . in some embodiments , when a new container is placed in a sorting and disposal station , the system can be configured to identify the new container according to the type of waste the container it is permitted to hold . in some embodiments , a waste sorting and disposal station can be configured to recognize containers in a static mode in which each container position within the station / machine is associated with a specific container type . upon insertion of a new container into the station , the system can recognize the type of container and can determine whether the new container is the correct type for the position in which it was placed . thus , a system of this type can insure that a consistent arrangement of container types is maintained . alternatively , and more preferably , a sorting and disposal station is configured to recognize container types in a dynamic mode in which the machine is able to recognize and adapt to changing container arrangements . thus , according to this embodiment , each container position / compartment in a station will recognize and accept any new container regardless of the container type , and the software will adapt a sorting routine to account for the new configuration . in some cases , it may be desirable for a single station to have multiple containers of a single type . for example , an oncology department may desire several chemotherapy containers and no hazardous pharmaceutical containers , while an area of the hospital that does not use chemotherapeutic drugs may want several sharps containers and no chemotherapy containers . this allows for substantial flexibility and customizability in system set up . in further embodiments , a sorting and disposal station can exhibit aspects of both static and dynamic systems , such as by allowing any type of container in any container position , while requiring a minimum number of containers of a particular type . in some embodiments , a waste sorting and disposal system can be configured on a hospital - wide level by providing a plurality of cooperating sorting and disposal stations throughout the hospital . the system can include a plurality of individual sorting and disposal stations in a variety of types , arrangements , sizes , functionalities , etc . fig1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a centralized waste sorting and disposal network . as shown , a centralized network 50 can include a main central unit 54 provided in electronic communication with a plurality of smaller “ satellite ” units 60 throughout a facility . in such a centralized network , the main unit 54 can include a server containing the classification database 56 and any other information to be shared with the satellite units 60 . as information is needed by a satellite unit 60 , it can query the database via the network in order to obtain that information . alternatively , or in addition , the main unit 54 can be configured to push updates to the satellite units at regular intervals , or as new information becomes available . in some embodiments , the main unit 54 can also act as a central hub for various communications , tracking , maintenance and other system functions . fig2 illustrates an embodiment of a de - centralized medical waste sorting and disposal system . the network 64 of fig2 is substantially decentralized and comprises a plurality of sorting and disposal stations 60 which can communicate with one another according to any suitable method . for example , in a decentralized network , each of the individual units may locally store a copy of the classification database . in order to keep the classification database updated , the individual units can share information with one another according to any of a variety of peer - to - peer network protocols . the individual stations can also share other information with one another as will be further described below . in either case ( centralized or decentralized network ), the network elements can be configured to communicate with one another via any suitable wired and / or wireless network communication protocol . many hospitals already have existing wired and / or wireless networks connecting computers and communications devices throughout the facility . thus , in some embodiments , a networked medical waste sorting and disposal system can be configured as an add - on to an existing network . alternatively , a networked medical waste sorting and disposal system can be configured as an independent network . additionally , the main unit ( if present ) and / or the satellite unit ( s ) can further be connected to external networks ( e . g ., the internet ) via wireless or wired connections as desired . in some embodiments , it may be desirable for one sorting and disposal station to have access to information about one or all of the other stations in the network . for instance , it may be desirable for any one station to determine an arrangement of containers in one or more nearby stations . for example , if a clinician presents an item of waste to a station which does not presently have a container suitable for disposal of the presented item , that station can direct the clinician to the nearest station that does have an appropriate container installed . in further embodiments , a log of such re - directions can be kept in order to increase efficiency by arranging the sorting and disposal stations to include the most frequently used containers for a given location . some embodiments of a waste sorting and disposal system are configured to communicate information directly to a technician , maintenance person , clinician or other person . for example , the system can be configured to alert a maintenance person when a container is full by sending an alert signal to a pager , cell phone , pda , computer terminal , or any other suitable device . the maintenance person can then remove the full container and replace it with an empty container ( of the same or a different type ). a medical waste sorting and disposal station can take a variety of forms depending on the specific needs of a given clinic , hospital , department , clinician , etc . for example , some embodiments of sorting and disposal stations 60 are illustrated in fig3 - 12 . for example , a station can be provided in a wall - mounted unit 60 a ( e . g ., see fig3 ), in a floor - standing unit 60 b ( fig4 ), on a wheeled cart 60 c ( fig5 and 6 ), attached to a patient bed , attached to an iv pole , attached to an existing wheeled medications cart 60 d ( fig7 - 9 ), or any of a variety of other shapes , forms and mounting locations . the embodiment of fig5 and 6 also includes a display device 70 , a weight scale 72 , a scanner 74 for identifying waste items and a plurality of apertures 78 configured to reveal openings to respective containers 80 . with reference to fig7 - 9 , some embodiments of a station can comprise a movable lid 82 with a single aperture 84 . the lid 82 can be substantially flexible such that it can be driven to translate above the containers in order to selectively provide access to any one of the containers below the lid 82 . in some embodiments , the sorting machine can be configured to provide access to an appropriate container in other ways , such as by tilting , raising , lowering , pivoting , translating or otherwise moving a container relative to the machine in order to present the container opening to a user . fig1 illustrates an embodiment in which a sorting station comprises a series of hinged sleeves 86 configured to pivot relative to a fixed portion of the sorting station . each sleeve 86 is generally configured to temporarily house a disposable container 80 . the station 60 e comprises a series of actuators configured to pivot each sleeve 86 and its associated container 80 outwards , thereby exposing the container opening 88 . in one embodiment , an actuator 90 can be located adjacent an upper portion of a container 80 and can be configured to push the upper portion of the container outwards from the station . alternatively the sleeve 86 can be biased outwards by a spring or simply by gravity , and an upper actuator can be configured to release the sleeve / container to allow it to pivot outwards to open . the upper actuator can then pull inwards to return the container / sleeve to a closed position . alternatively or in addition , a lower actuator 92 can be provided adjacent a bottom portion of the container / sleeve combination . in one embodiment , a lower actuator 92 can comprise a drive axle 94 rigidly mounted to the sleeve 86 . the axle 94 can be driven by a motor or other mechanism in order to pivot the sleeve 86 inwards and outwards . a container 80 can be inserted into the sleeve 86 and pivoted back so that a fixed portion of the station 60 e covers the container opening 88 . during use , the actuator 90 or 92 causes the sleeve 86 to pivot outward from the station 60 e , thereby exposing the container opening for use . the container 80 can be removed by sliding it out of the sleeve 86 . in an alternative embodiment , the above system can be provided without a sleeve 86 by incorporating an actuator and a pivot point into the container itself in further alternative embodiments , other actuators , drive mechanisms , etc can be used in order to selectively provide access to a container opening . in another embodiment , the station can be configured to house each of the containers in a sliding drawer . the drawers can include actuators configured to move the drawer outwards until an opening is exposed . the containers can then be easily removed once they are full . fig1 and 12 illustrate another embodiment of a waste sorting and disposal station 60 f in the form of a convertible rolling cart . in a first orientation , illustrated in fig1 , the station 60 f is a two - sided rolling cart . the station 60 f of this embodiment can be provided with a hinge 96 configured to allow the two sides 98 a , 98 b of the cart 60 f to unfold into a one - sided arrangement . in this second configuration ( shown in fig1 ), the station can be mounted or placed against a wall . in some embodiments , a sorting and disposal station 60 can include a scale configured to determine a weight of a full container . thus , a scale 72 can be provided on an upper or other accessible portion of the station . alternatively , the station can include a scale ( e . g ., a load cell ) to continuously or repeatedly weigh each container within the station . such information can be useful in creating a manifest for the containers before transportation of the containers to an appropriate disposal facility . additionally , or alternatively , a station can include a fill level sensor for continuously or intermittently determining a fill level of a container . embodiments of a fill - level sensor are described in further detail below . in some embodiments , the disposable containers are generally designed to be low cost , yet include features that provide a functional interface with mechanisms in a sorting station to perform several desired functions . for example , in some embodiments , each container includes a door or lid which can be opened and closed automatically in order to allow or prevent access to a particular container at a particular time . additionally , the containers can be configured to interface with sensors for determining a quantity of contents within the container , and / or sensors for determining a type of container . in some embodiments , the containers 80 are blow molded ( or otherwise formed ) from polypropylene , high molecular weight polyethylene , polyvinylchloride or any other suitable plastic or other material as desired . in some embodiments , the containers 80 have substantially frosted or translucent side walls . the containers will typically be sized to have an internal volume of anywhere from 1 to 20 gallons , however greater or smaller volumes can also be used as desired . for example , in some particular embodiments , containers can be provided in 1 - gallon , 3 - gallon and 8 - gallon sizes . the shape of the containers can vary widely . in some preferred embodiments , the containers include a lifting handle , a primary opening which can be automatically and / or manually closed or sealed , and a bottom surface configured to allow the container to stand upright . additionally , the disposable containers can also include features such as an automatically - openable door or lid , a manually closable lid , features for accurately locating the container in a container compartment of a station , a viewing window for visually verifying a fill level , and / or identification information for informing a user of a container &# 39 ; s contents ( or intended contents ). the containers can be provided with an opening 88 having a variety of shapes and / or features . for example , in one embodiment , the opening 88 is substantially circular and has a minimum internal diameter of at least about three inches (˜ 76 mm ). in other embodiments , the opening 88 can be substantially elliptical , rectangular , polygonal or otherwise shaped , and can be any suitable size , including sizes smaller than three inches in diameter . the particular type or types of waste to be deposited in a particular container can be a significant factor that can be used in determining a suitable size and / or shape of a container opening . in general , the container opening should be sized to easily accept the largest waste item that is expected to be deposited in the container . for example , some containers might receive full or partially full liter - sized iv bags , gallon - sized biohazard bags or other large items . it is generally desirable that the container opening be configured to accept these large items easily and without tearing the bags or otherwise damaging or causing spillage of a waste item . the skilled artisan will recognize that other factors may also affect a choice of container opening size or shape . in some embodiments , disposable containers are provided in a plurality of types , each type corresponding to a respective waste category or waste classification . in order to allow clinicians , maintenance people , and any other persons who may handle the containers to quickly and easily differentiate containers of various types , the containers can be color - coded to correspond with a particular type or category of waste . in some embodiments , a color - coding scheme can be selected to match industry standards for various types of medical waste . red , for example , typically signifies infectious waste , while yellow typically signifies chemo therapy drugs . color - coded containers can advantageously simplify the tasks associated with manual transportation and processing of the containers , and can aid in insuring that such tasks will be handled correctly for each waste stream . alternatively , such visual verification of a container &# 39 ; s type can be provided by any other suitable method . for example , the various container types can be indicated by labels bearing numeric , alphanumeric , graphical or symbolic information . such labels can include printed stick - on labels or various features molded or formed directly into portions of the containers themselves . if desired , such type - identification features can be provided in addition to color - coding of the containers in order to further simplify identification of a container &# 39 ; s type . providing simple visual verification of a given container &# 39 ; s type advantageously simplifies and facilitates handling of medical waste materials throughout many aspects of collection and disposal . in some embodiments , the containers can be configured in such a way that a sorting and disposal station can automatically identify a type of container . such automation allows a station / machine to detect the mix and arrangement of container types in the station at any given time . in some embodiments , each container includes an identification key that can be read by corresponding structures in a sorting station . the key generally allows the sorting station to automatically identify the type of each container occupying a compartment or container position within the station . as discussed above , the station can be configured to identify container types in either a static or dynamic mode depending on a desired degree of flexibility for a given station . identification keys may be physical features such as fingers molded into or attached to each container . alternatively , identification keys can be holes , notches , or grooves molded or cut into a portion of each container . in some embodiments , identification keys include optically - readable features such as holes , dark or light colored dots , text , symbols , graphics , etc . a physical key may be configured to be read by mechanical or optical switches associated with each compartment or container position within the station . for example , fig1 illustrates an embodiment of a container 80 with an identification key 104 made up of a series of holes 110 in a flange 112 extending from an upper portion of the container 80 . the holes 110 of fig1 can be detected by a plurality of optical switches 138 mounted to a portion of the station adjacent a container position . thus the various container types can be identified by providing holes ( or other features ) in varying combinations and positions . alternatively , a key may be an optical mark , such as a bar code , that can be interpreted by a sensor such as a bar code reader . alternatively still , the key may be a radio frequency identification ( rfid ) tag that can be read by a transponder associated with each compartment . in still further embodiments , container identification keys can comprise microchips , magnetic strips , or other electronic media that can be read by a waste sorting and disposal station into which the container is placed . in one alternative embodiment , a polychromatic sensitive optical sensor can be provided to directly determine a color of a container . as discussed above , some embodiments of a disposable container are provided with automatically operable doors . in such embodiments , a container can be closed by default to prevent insertion of items into an incorrect container . then , once an item is scanned or otherwise identified , the station can open the appropriate container or otherwise signify the single correct container to receive that particular waste item . fig1 - 17 illustrate embodiments of containers comprising integrally - formed automatically operable doors and corresponding structures in a sorting station . the illustrated structures are generally configured to provide an automated interface between a container 80 and portions of a sorting and disposal station in order to allow the station to automatically recognize and operate a container . according to these illustrated embodiments , each compartment includes an actuator mechanism configured to automatically and selectively open and close the corresponding container 80 . the selective opening and closing of each container may be accomplished via interaction of structures on both the disposable container and the station , and can ultimately be controlled by a computer system within the sorting and disposal station . in some embodiments , a container may include a movable lid molded or otherwise joined to the container opening . the lid can generally be configured to pivot , slide , hinge or rotate relative to a container in order to reveal or cover the container opening . in some embodiments , the lid is configured to mate with a mechanical actuator in the station upon installation of the container in a given container compartment . the actuator can be configured to cause the lid to open and close by translating , rotating or pivoting the lid . the actuator and lid can be further configured to separate from one another when the container is removed from the station . fig1 illustrates one embodiment of an interface between a container 80 and portions of a sorting station . in the illustrated embodiment , the container 80 comprises a gate 116 covering an opening 88 and configured to slide in tracks 118 between an open position and a closed position . the gate 116 can include a latch 120 configured to lock the container opening when the gate 116 is completely closed . when a new container 80 is inserted into a station , a drive pin 122 on the gate control arm 124 is engaged by the gate 116 of the container . the control arm 124 is configured to open and close the gate 116 . the gate control arm 124 can be coupled to a drive motor 128 via a transmission element such as a disc 132 or a similarly functioning arm . if desired , a position switch 134 can also be provided on the disc 132 , control arm 124 , gate 116 or other component in order to detect a position of the gate 116 . in the illustrated embodiment , the position switch 134 is an optical switch configured to detect one or more holes 136 in the disc 132 . additionally , the sorting station can include a plurality of optical switches 138 for detecting the presence of a container and / or the type of container 80 inserted into the sorting station . the embodiment of fig1 replaces the gate control arm 124 of fig1 with a slot 140 in the gate 116 in order to convert the rotational motion of the pin 142 extending from the disc 132 into linear motion of the gate 116 . in alternative embodiments , other configurations of automatically openable doors / gates can be provided for example , fig1 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a container comprising a sectioned door 150 configured to slide along tracks 152 extending from the exterior surface of the container 80 . the slidable lids of the above embodiments can be provided with a latch ( such as that shown in fig1 and 14 ) which can be automatically engaged in order to lock the container once a sorting station determines the container is full . the embodiment illustrated in fig1 can include a slidable door 116 driven by a rack and pinion drive mechanism 156 . alternatively , the drive mechanism 156 of fig1 can comprise a driven friction wheel configured to engage a portion of the slidable lid 116 . a similar pinion or friction wheel drive system can be used to automatically operate the sectioned door 150 of the embodiment shown in fig1 . fig1 illustrates an embodiment of a container 80 with a lid 158 configured to open by pivoting relative to the container 80 . in further alternative embodiments , a door can be opened or closed by any of a variety of other mechanisms . for example , worm screws , pneumatic pistons , hydraulic pistons , solenoids , or any other motion - transferring mechanism can be used to selectively open and close a container door . in some embodiments it may also be desirable to provide an outer lid configured to seal a container opening once the container is full . the outer lid is preferably configured to attach to the container sufficiently securely to prevent spillage or tampering . an outer seal also shields users from contaminants that may have come in contact with the container top area during use . for example , in some embodiments a flexible lid can be configured to seal over a top of the automatically actuated door by frictionally engaging a lip , groove , or other structure in a manner similar to many flexible lids used in food storage containers . in alternative embodiments , outer seals can be provided in the form of a bag or shrink - wrap material that surrounds a substantial portion of a container &# 39 ; s exterior . in some embodiments , it may be desirable to provide a container configured to render waste items non - recoverable by providing a substance within an “ empty ” container that can react chemically with waste items . in another embodiment , a solidifying agent can be provided within a container in order to solidify non - hazardous pharmaceuticals allowing for their disposal in a landfill . in some embodiments , such solidifying agents can include materials capable of absorbing a quantity of a liquid non - hazardous pharmaceutical material . for example , such absorbent materials can include ceramic materials , sponge materials or other porous materials . alternatively , such solidification may involve a chemical reaction between the waste material and a substance provided within the container . in some embodiments , it is desirable to measure a fill level of waste within a container throughout the sorting and filling process . in some embodiments , such fill level sensing can be performed by measuring a weight of a container , such as by using a load cell , balance , or other weight measurement device . in further embodiments , float systems can be adapted for use in determining a level of a waste material in a waste sorting system . in some cases , it is also desirable to perform such fill level measurements without the sensor physically contacting the container or the container contents . in some embodiments , a piezo transducer can be used to determine a volume of air remaining in a container by conducting a frequency sweep of the transducer to determine the resonance of the air in the container . once the volume of air in the container is known , the air volume can be subtracted from the known total container volume to obtain the volume occupied by the container contents . in another alternative embodiment , a distance - measuring sensor ( such as sonar , radar or optical distance - measuring sensors ) can be located above and directed through the opening of the container in order to determine a “ height ” of the container contents . in another embodiment , a sensor can be provided for determining whether a container includes any waste at all . such a “ waste presence ” sensor can be used in combination with a timer to determine a replacement schedule for a particular container based on a maximum acceptable dwell time for a particular waste item in a container . still other embodiments may use optical sensors to measure a fill level of a container . fig1 - 19 illustrate one embodiment of a level sensor which can be used to automatically determine a fill level of a container using an optical method . as shown in the schematic illustration of fig1 , one embodiment of a fill level sensing system comprises a light source 230 and a light detector 232 positioned on opposite sides of a disposable container 80 . in alternative embodiments , the light detector 232 need not be located immediately opposite the light source , for example , in some embodiments the detector can be located on a wall adjacent to the source 230 . the sensor system of fig1 and 19 generally operates on the principle that an “ empty ” container will permit more light to pass from the source , through the container , and to the sensor than will a “ full ” container . this is simply due to the fact that the contents of the container 80 will absorb and / or reflect a substantial portion of the light which enters the container from a light source . as used herein , the terms “ empty ” and “ full ” shall be given their ordinary meaning and shall be used to define relative amounts of debris , or other matter , in a container . for example , in certain embodiments , the sensor may indicate that the container is ready to be emptied or discarded , not because it is completely saturated , but because it has reached the desired point of fill or saturation . in some situations , it may be desirous to empty or remove a container when anywhere from about 1 % to about 100 %, often from about 25 % to about 100 % of that container contains waste material . in other situations , it may be desirable to remove a container when about 50 % to about 95 % of its volume is occupied by waste material . in some other embodiments , a parameter other than weight or filled volume may be used to determine when a container is “ full .” for example , in one embodiment , a sensor to detect radioactivity is used to determine the amount of radioisotope in a container or receptacle . the radioactivity sensor may used in connection with a fill sensor , or it may be used alone . thus , in some embodiments , a container may be emptied , discarded , or replaced based on a certain amount of radioactivity , rather than ( or in addition to ) the surface area , volume , weight , density and / or another parameter of the material in that container . in yet another embodiment , a sorting and disposal system can be provided without any automatic level detection apparatus . for example , in such an embodiment , the containers can be configured to allow a clinician , maintenance person , or other user to visually verify a fill level of the container . in such embodiments , the containers can be made of a substantially transparent or translucent material . alternatively , the containers may be substantially opaque but can include a transparent viewing window to allow visual verification of a fill level . such viewing windows could extend substantially an entire height of the container , or could extend only a height of a desired portion of the container . in some embodiments , the source 230 and detector 232 are located along a “ fill line ” which generally defines a “ fill plane .” the fill plane 240 is generally the level within the container 80 which a processor 242 defines as “ full .” in some embodiments , the actual free surface of contents within a container may not necessarily be planar . in such embodiments , the “ fill plane ” used by the processor and fill level sensing system is simply an average height of the material . in the embodiment illustrated in fig1 , a light source 230 is located at a “ front ” of the container and a detector 232 is located at a “ rear ” of the container . in alternative embodiments , the positions of the light source 230 and detector 232 can be reversed , or positioned at any other position around the container 80 . in still further embodiments , multiple sources and / or detectors can also be used as desired . as discussed above , the containers 80 are typically made of a translucent material which allows at least some amount of light to pass through its walls . the embodiments of a fill level sensor illustrated in fig1 and 19 are particularly advantageous when used to measure a fill level of a container with translucent sidewalls . however , the skilled artisan will recognize that certain advantages of the embodiments described herein may be advantageously applied to systems using containers having transparent sidewalls or containers with transparent windows in otherwise relatively opaque sidewalls . as used herein , the term “ translucent ” is used in its ordinary sense and refers without limitation to a material which allows the diffuse transmission of light when illuminated , while remaining substantially non - transparent when not illuminated . the light source can comprise any suitable source of light such as incandescent bulbs , white or colored led &# 39 ; s , or other sources . in some embodiments , the light source 230 is located such that it is vertically centered on a desired “ fill line ” 240 of the container . the light source can be laterally centered relative to the container , or can comprise a width that is about as wide as the container 80 . in still further embodiments , a plurality of light sources can be used to illuminate a container from multiple points . as illustrated in fig1 , the light detector 232 can comprise an array of photo detectors 236 such as cadmium sulfide photo detectors or photodiodes . in the illustrated embodiment , the array of photo detectors 236 comprises three rows 244 , 246 and 248 of detectors 236 . the upper row 244 contains a single detector 236 while the middle 246 and lower 248 rows contain a plurality of detectors 236 ( three in the illustrated embodiment ). in alternative embodiments , the upper row 244 can be provided with additional detectors which equal or exceed the number of detectors in the other rows . similarly , the middle 246 and lower 248 rows can include fewer or more than three detectors as desired . the number of detectors in each row will typically be determined by the algorithm used to determine the fill level of the container and / or the degree of accuracy desired . in some embodiments , it may also be desirable to provide more than three rows of detectors . for example , in some embodiments , a fill level detection system can be provided with four , five or more rows of detectors . in some embodiments , the middle row of detectors is positioned to lie just above the fill line 240 of the container 80 , and the lower row 248 of detectors 236 is positioned just below the fill line 240 . the upper row 244 of detectors 236 can be located substantially above the fill line , and can be used to calibrate the detectors middle 246 and lower 248 rows as will be described in further detail below . in some embodiments , the upper and middle rows can be spaced by a distance 250 of between about ½ and about 2 inches , in other embodiments the upper and middle rows can be spaced by a distance 250 of between about 1 inch and about 1½ inches , and in one particular embodiment , the upper and middle rows are spaced by a distance 250 of about 1¼ inches . similarly , the middle and lower rows can be spaced by a distance 252 of between about ½ ″ and about 2 inches , in other embodiments , the middle and lower rows can be spaced by a distance 252 of between about 1 inch and about 1½ inches , and in one particular embodiment , the middle and lower rows are spaced by a distance 252 of about 1¼ inches . in some embodiments , the detectors 236 of the middle 246 and lower 248 rows are spaced horizontally by a distance 2254 of between about ½ inch and about 3 inches , in other embodiments , the detectors 236 of the middle 246 and lower 248 rows are spaced horizontally by a distance 254 of between about 1 inch and about 2 inches , and in one particular embodiment by a horizontal distance 254 of about 1½ inches . in some embodiments , the sensors are evenly spaced , while in other embodiments , the sensors of the middle row are horizontally spaced differently than the sensors of the lower row . in further alternative embodiments , the spacing of the detectors 236 can be determined by factors such as the size of the container or the material to be placed within the container . in operation , the individual photo detectors 236 pick up light transmitted through the container and output corresponding signals to a processor 242 . on one hand , the light intensity arriving at the detectors 236 depends on the fill level of the container 80 . in addition , a number of secondary factors also effect the light intensity reaching the detectors 236 . these include the strength of the light source 230 , the color and opacity of the container 80 , the amount of ambient light , and other factors such as dust in the air . the light intensity at the top detector row 2244 is almost completely governed by these secondary factors , since it is located well above the fill line 240 . by contrast , the light intensity arriving at the middle 246 and lower 248 detector rows will be effected more by the fill level of the container contents as the container 80 becomes more full ( e . g ., as the fill level approaches the fill line ). when the container 80 is empty and the overall light intensity is greatest , a baseline reading is recorded and calibration coefficients are generated for each of the detectors 236 and detector rows 244 , 246 , 248 . as the container fills , the received light reaching the detectors decreases slightly as material in the container blocks a portion of the diffused light transmitted through the container 80 . during this phase , the top detector reading is used to compensate the readings of the middle and lower detector rows accordingly . when the container contents reaches the fill line , the bottom row of detectors will be blocked by the container contents , while the middle 246 and upper 248 detector rows remain unobstructed . this results in a substantial drop in the light intensity reaching the bottom row 248 of detectors , and correspondingly , a substantial difference in signal strength between the middle 246 and lower 248 detector rows . when this signal difference reaches a pre - determined threshold level , the processor determines that the container is “ full .” in some embodiments , the items being deposited into a container may be stacked unevenly or oddly oriented within a container so that the contents of a container vary from a neat horizontal fill level . for example , some large items , such as syringes or other contaminated medical devices , may stack oddly within a container , thereby creating voids of unfilled space in a central portion of a container , above which waste items may be stacked . such variations in filling can lead to lead to measurement errors . thus , in some embodiments , a level sensing system can be provided with error processing capabilities to account for variations in orientation and / or uneven loading of a container . for example , in some embodiments , the signals from the plurality of detectors in each row are averaged to provide a consensus value for the respective detector row . this advantageously allows the processor to determine an average fill level in the event of an uneven fill surface . for example , in an idealized case , a container filled with a plurality of spherical particles through a hole in the top center of a regularly - shaped container will typically have a free surface in a shape of a cone with a peak at the center , and dropping off evenly in each direction . in such a case , the center detector of the lower row 248 will typically receive a lower light intensity than the detectors on either side . thus , by using the data from all of the detectors in a horizontal row , a processor can calculate an approximate average fill level in order to prevent over - filling of the container . these or other error - processing techniques can also be used to compensate for manufacturing defects in a container that might result in erroneous results . for example , if a plastic container wall comprises an air bubble or a dark spot in a region adjacent one or more of the detectors , these abnormalities could cause erroneous readings by those detectors . to compensate for this , a system may give less weight ( or no weight at all ) to signals from detectors that are out of a statistically expected range of variation from the remaining detectors . by taking an average signal across all detectors in various combinations and / or by assigning varying weights to individual detectors , a control algorithm can teach itself to recognize and adapt to such error - causing situations in order to obtain consistent readings . in some embodiments , the functionality of a fill level sensing system employing a light source and a plurality of optical detectors can advantageously be enhanced by containers with “ frosted ” or translucent walls . another advantage of certain embodiments of a level sensing system as described herein is that such systems can be polychromatic sensitive ( i . e . configured to sense light of various colors with consistent accuracy ). thus , in addition to measuring a fill level of a container , the above - described sensors can be configured to determine a color of a container ( each container color being associated with a particular container type as discussed above ). in some embodiments , these and other advantages are achieved through the use of cadmium sulfide photosensitive cells . in alternative embodiments , optical level sensors can be constructed using other optical detectors , including other photoconductive cells , photo diodes , or other sensors capable of detecting light in the visible or infrared spectrum . in some embodiments , each one of a plurality of fill - level sensors is controlled by a single processor in a waste sorting system . in one embodiment , a plurality of photo detector arrays can be connected to a single multi - channel bus , and a plurality of light sources can be controlled by a processor . in this embodiment , the processor can illuminate a single container at a time . thus , the detectors behind each of the “ dark ” containers would be at high impedance , and would therefore be out of the circuit . in some embodiments , a fill level sensing system employing optical sources and detectors can include an additional photo detector that is generally configured to measure changes in “ ambient ” light within the system in order to appropriately adjust the readings from the detector arrays measuring fill level . an ambient light detector can comprise a single optical detector , or a plurality of detectors in a circuit . in one such embodiment , an additional ambient light detector is provided within a waste sorting system in a location selected to measure any light entering the system from the exterior of the sorting system . for example , the ambient light detector can be located adjacent a container - replacement door or any other portion of the system that is open to external light . fig2 a illustrates one embodiment of a circuit schematic which can be used in building an optical fill level sensor such as that illustrated in fig1 and 19 . the skilled artisan will recognize that this is merely one exemplary schematic , and that alternative embodiments of the system of fig1 and 19 can be built using any appropriate components . fig2 - 22 are flow charts illustrating embodiments of software algorithms used by a level detector for use in a sorting system . fig2 is a flow chart illustrating an overview of a level testing algorithm . when the system determines that a new container has been inserted , the level sensor establishes new baseline values for the detectors in order to define the “ empty ” state . the level sensing system then reads values of the detectors 236 and inputs the detector values to an inference engine ( fig2 and 22 ). the inference engine can use a “ fuzzy logic ” method similar to the sugeno method . in one embodiment , the inference engine uses a table of empirically - determined data to establish rule weights . the inference engine can also use multiple grouping of detectors in addition to individual detector levels to calculate a final fill level of the container . in some embodiments , the empirically - determined lookup table can be developed by performing various calibration experiments using an optical level sensing system to measure containers at known fill levels . in addition to any controlled experiments , the lookup table can be supplemented by analysis of information it receives during use in measuring fill levels of new containers . for example , as optical anomalies are detected and accounted for , the software can adapt to correct for them . fig2 and 22 are flow charts illustrating one embodiment of an inference engine . in order to avoid misleading readings during filling , the system can be configured to determine when the detectors are at a steady state ( e . g ., when the movement of waste within the container drops below a threshold level ). this is particularly helpful in embodiments in which a waste material is a liquid , and thus may continue moving for a period of time . once steady state is reached , the inference engine compares the values of the detector readings and ultimately derives a final fill value which can be stored and / or output to a user - readable device such as a liquid crystal display . in alternative embodiments , an output of the system can include other visible , audible or tactile alerts , such as leds , buzzers , bells , vibrators , etc . in some embodiments , an output signal is used to notify the user that a particular container is ready to be emptied , discarded , replaced etc . in an alternative embodiment , an output signal is provided substantially continuously or at various intervals , so that the user can determine or monitor the amount of material in a given container at any given time . for example , in some embodiments , the fill - level of a container can be measured at regular intervals , such as every ten minutes , every hour , every two hours , every six hours , every 12 hours , or every 24 hours . in still further embodiments , the system can comprise a sensor ( such as an optical sensor ) to determine when an item is deposited into a container . then a fill - level of the container can be measured after each item is deposited in the container . fig2 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a video fill level sensing system . the embodiment of fig2 employs a camera 270 to continuously detect an intensity of light exiting the container from the source . in the illustrated embodiment , a light source 270 is positioned to illuminate the container 80 , and a curved mirror 274 and pinhole video camera are located adjacent another side of the container 80 . the system can also include a software - based processor 276 and other electronic hardware . in the illustrated embodiment , the light source 270 is located adjacent one vertical side of the container 80 and the camera and mirror are positioned on the opposite side of the container . in alternative embodiments , the light source 270 and camera / mirror assembly can be located on adjacent sides of the container 80 . alternatively still , the light source 270 can be located above the container such that light is directed downward into the container , thereby allowing the waste to absorb as well as reflectively diffuse the light source onto the walls of the container 80 . in some embodiments , the camera 270 is directed at the mirror 274 to detect light emitted from the container 80 and gathered by the mirror 274 . the curved mirror 274 provides a linearization of scanline width by distorting the optics of the camera . in one embodiment , the camera 270 is a pinhole camera , which is selected due to the depth of field this type of lens provides . in one embodiment , the curved mirror 274 has a shape substantially similar to a shoehorn , e . g ., it is curved about two perpendicular axes ( e . g ., longitudinal and transverse axes ). alternative mirror configurations can also be used as desired . the particular curvature of the mirror 274 is determined empirically depending on the width of scanline needed and the height of the measured area ( e . g ., the height of the container wall ). variation in the curvature of the mirror along its length allows the scanline to be optimized in order to emphasize areas of higher interest and to de - emphasize lower interest areas . the mirror can be convexly curved at the height of higher interest areas , and concavely curved to de - emphasize lower interest areas . in some alternative embodiments , the light source can include bands of varying color or intensity along the height of the container in order to provide emphasis to portions of the container , or to provide “ watermark ” levels that can be measured against . in some embodiments , the software can be configured to interpret information received from the camera to learn about points of interest in order to further optimize a measurement algorithm . for example , rather than programming an algorithm to anticipate areas of higher or lower interest , the algorithm can be configured to recognize variations in light intensity during calibration in order to detect such areas of higher or lower interest . the processor and its support hardware provide the sampling of multiple luminance intensities along the wall of the container 80 adjacent the mirror 274 . the analog video signal is amplified and ground - referenced by the video amplifier . this amplified signal is scanned for a selected scanline to digitize for quantifying its luminance value . the amplified video is also applied to the sync separator module , which produces timing pulses for the scanline selector module . the processor receives the scanline data from the scanline selector , digitizer and sync separator . the video level sensor can determine a current fill level of the waste in the container 80 using a similar software method to that described above with reference to fig1 and 19 . fig2 a illustrates one embodiment of a circuit schematic which can be used in building a video fill level sensor such as that illustrated in fig2 . the skilled artisan will recognize , however , that this is merely one exemplary embodiment . in alternative embodiments , the system of fig2 can be built using any appropriate components . many of the above embodiments of fill level sensors were described with reference to a single disposable container . in some alternative embodiments , it may be desirable to provide a single fill level detection system configured to selectively measure a fill level of any one of a plurality of containers . for example , in one embodiment , a light source may be provided on a first side of a plurality of containers , and a light detector can be movable into a position opposite the light source of the containers . in one embodiment , this may take the form of a circular arrangement of containers in which a light detector is located at a center of a circular arrangement of containers . one or more light sources can be positioned on an outer portion of the circular arrangement such that the light source and / or the light detector is capable of measuring a fill level of each one of the plurality of containers around the circle . in some embodiments , the sorting system can also include a weight scale ( such as a load cell , pressure transducer , mechanical scale or other device ) configured to weigh either a single spent drug , container or individual segregated spent drugs . in one embodiment , the information from the scale can be sent to a printer providing a means for printing a manifest for the container . additionally , such information could be combined with other information available to a clinician in order to determine a quantity of a drug or substance that has been used or consumed . many hospitals are automating the dispensing of drugs . the automation is usually embodied in a piece of equipment that a doctor or nurse accesses with a patient and clinician code and the correct amount of drug is dispensed . the automation provides pharmacists , nurses , doctors and administrators with information from a database on what drugs are dispensed and to which patient . these systems can typically indicate how much of a drug was administered , but entering this information typically requires a clinician to return to the dispenser ( which may be inconvenient , and thus not done regularly ). this information can be quite useful because it will demonstrate any inefficiencies or mistakes in administrating the drugs as well as point out any theft of drugs . in some embodiments , a sorting and disposal system can be configured to track dispensing information because at the point of throwing the spent drug away , they are automatically providing information to a central database . embodiments of a pharmaceutical waste sorting and disposal system will generally employ a waste sorting algorithm to assign each item of waste to a particular waste category and correspondingly to a particular waste container . a waste sorting algorithm can take a variety of forms , and can include a range of functionalities . in some embodiments , as discussed above , determination of the waste categories themselves can depend on a number of factors , including rcra hazardous waste definitions , state and federal epa regulations , osha regulations , and any institution - specific regulations . for example , rcra definitions generally include a p list , a u list and four characteristics of hazardous waste : ignitability , corrosivity , toxicity and reactivity . materials exhibiting each of these characteristics typically call for different handling , treatment and / or disposal . thus , in some cases waste categories can be defined based on groups of materials that require the same or similar handling , treatment , or disposal . however , in some cases , two materials that may be handled and / or treated in a similar manner might react adversely if they are combined with one another . thus , in further embodiments , determination of the waste categories can also depend on the combinability of materials exhibiting one or more of the above characteristics . once a series of unique waste categories is established , lists of known pharmaceuticals , chemicals , materials and waste items can be selectively assigned to at least one of the waste categories . in some embodiments , as discussed above , when a waste item is presented to a sorting station , the item is identified according to a waste item identifier . such identifiers can include a trade name , a generic name , a national drug code ( ndc ), one or more components or ingredients of the item , or any other sufficiently unique or relevant waste - identifying datum . thus , a category database can be developed which correlates a number of known waste identifiers with respective waste categories according to existing federal , state , local , institution - specific or other rules and regulations . in some embodiments , it may also be desirable to provide a database which lists ingredients of a plurality of known pharmaceuticals or other chemicals that have not yet been correlated to a waste category by the category database . such an ingredient database can be used by the sorting algorithm in an intermediate step between identifying an item and assigning the item to a category on the basis of one or more ingredients . in some embodiments , an ingredient database may reside within the waste sorting and disposal system . in alternative embodiments , an ingredient database can reside at a remote location , such as on a server operated by a manufacturer of a particular item , or another remote location . the waste sorting and disposal system can be configured to access such remote databases via any available network , including the internet . in some embodiments , on a first level , assignment of waste items to waste categories can be performed simply by sorting the items according to known characteristics . in some embodiments , a waste sorting algorithm simply involves locating a waste item identifier in a look - up table or database which lists known identifiers correlated to respective waste categories , such as the category database described above . thus , to the extent that an item can be assigned to a waste category based solely on one or more waste item identifiers , the sorting algorithm can comprise a simple look - up routine . if needed , the sorting algorithm may also seek additional information such as from the ingredient database described above , or any other available source of additional information . cases may arise where a single waste item possesses two or more waste identifiers ( such as ingredients ) belonging to two or more different waste categories . thus , in the event that a particular waste item can reasonably be assigned to two or more waste categories , yet is only physically capable of being placed in a single container , the waste sorting algorithm can be configured to assign the item to a single category by reviewing a number of secondary variables . such secondary variables may include a dosage or quantity of specific ingredients ; a dilution or concentration level of one or more ingredients ; a relative hazardousness level of one or more specific ingredients ; a relative reactiveness of one or more ingredients ; a shape , size , type or other feature of a waste item container ( e . g ., a pill bottle , syringe , etc ); a physical property of the item ( e . g ., liquid , solid or gas ), or any other datum that may be available to a user , but that might not be automatically determinable by the sorting station . if such a piece of additional information is needed in order to complete an assignment of an item to a container , the sorting station can prompt a user to input further information . such additional information can be input by selecting from multiple answer choices or by typing . fig2 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of a sorting algorithm . in the illustrated embodiment , a user initiates the process by presenting 300 a waste item to be identified by the sorting station . the sorting station then detects 302 a waste item identifier in any manner discussed above , such as scanning a barcode , reading an rfid tag , or scanning a textual or graphic label . the system then searches 304 the category database using any information or identifier determined from the item in an attempt to discover whether the determined identifier has previously been correlated to a waste category . if the identifier is found 306 to have been correlated to a waste category , the system continues by assigning the item to the appropriate waste category , and facilitating disposal of the item in the appropriate container . on the other hand , if the identifier is not found in the category database ( e . g ., if the system discovers that the determined waste item identifier is insufficient to determine an appropriate waste category ), the system may search an ingredient database 308 for additional information or further details about the item . if additional information is found 320 in an ingredient database , the additional information , along with the originally - detected waste item identifier can be used to again search the category database 322 . if this information is found to be sufficient 324 to assign the item to a waste category , then the system assigns the item 326 to that category , determines an appropriate container 328 and facilitates disposal 330 of the item in a container associated with the assigned category . the system can also store 340 the identifier / category assignment combination in the category database for use in accelerating the sorting of future waste items with the same identifier . however , if the search of the ingredient database yields insufficient information to assign the item to a waste category , the system may seek additional information by prompting a user 342 to input additional information . such a prompt may request specific information , such as a choice between known alternatives , or may be more general in nature . the information received 344 from the user can then be combined with previously - obtained information about the item , and the category database can again be searched in an attempt to assign the item to a category . if this information , in combination with the previously - obtained information , is sufficient to assign the item to a waste category 346 , then the system assigns the item 326 and facilitates disposal 330 of the item in the appropriate container . as above , the system can also store 340 the identifier / category assignment combination in the category database for use in accelerating the sorting of future waste items with the same identifier . if the information received 344 from the user is insufficient 346 for the system to make a category assignment , the system can either prompt the user for still more information 342 , or the system can simply assign 350 the item to the most conservative waste category for disposal of the item as hazardous waste . fig2 illustrates one embodiment of a portion of a sorting algorithm which can be used in determining the best container for a particular item . once the sorting algorithm has assigned an item to a waste category , the system determines 328 the container type associated with the assigned waste category . in the illustrated embodiment , the station searches the stock of the containers currently loaded into that station to determine whether the assigned container type is present in that particular sorting station 360 . if the container type is present , the station proceeds to indicate 362 the appropriate container to the user , and the user may then deposit 330 the item into the selected container . however , in some embodiments , if the selected container type is not present , the station can assess 366 whether another sorting station nearby contains a container of the assigned type . if a station with the selected container is nearby , the system can direct the user 370 to the nearby station to deposit the item . if a station with the selected container type is not nearby , the system can re - assign 368 the waste item to the most conservative ( e . g ., the highest level hazardous waste ) category for which a container is loaded into the station . in an alternative embodiment , a station may indicate that the selected container is full and thus cannot accept any further waste items . in such a case , the station can instruct the user to replace container with an empty one of the same type . alternatively , the station can instruct the user to use a container in a nearby station . in some embodiments , the station may offer the user a choice between replacing a container and using a nearby station . the term “ nearby ” is a relative term , and can include any actual distance deemed appropriate by a particular user or system administrator . for example , in some embodiments , a station located on another floor of the hospital may be considered nearby , while in other embodiments , a sorting station across the hallway may not be considered nearby for the purposes of re - directing disposal of the waste item . in some embodiments it may be inappropriate or undesirable to re - assign an item to a higher level container in the event that an appropriate waste category cannot be determined ( e . g ., as in step 350 of fig2 ), or that an appropriate container cannot be located within an acceptable proximity ( e . g ., in step 368 of fig2 ). in such embodiments , it may be desirable to provide a temporary holding space for items that cannot be placed in any currently present container . such items can then be analyzed at a later time by a hazardous waste analyst in order to determine the most appropriate disposal of the item . once such an analysis is performed , the analyst preferably enters such information into the category database in order to facilitate future sorting of items having similar characteristics . in some embodiments , the waste sorting software can be configured to maintain a log file of all identified waste items and the categories / containers to which each item was assigned . such information can be used by hospital administrators , regulatory auditors , pharmacists , or other entities to determine what items were disposed of and how . this information can be used to further optimize the sorting algorithm , to audit compliance with regulations , to audit usage or disposal of specific items , to alter a container arrangement in a station to increase sorting efficiency , or any of a variety of other purposes . by enlisting the use of one or more embodiments of the present system , hospitals can demonstrate to their communities and their staff that they are participating in the improvement of the environment . it has been demonstrated by the us geological survey that the groundwater in the united states is contaminated with drugs . although in trace amounts , the cumulative effect of these contaminants have been shown to be endocrine system disrupters contributing to the rise in cancers , birth defects and other ailments . by properly sorting the spent drugs into appropriate containers , the waste can be properly processed in order to leave only an inert residue that cannot contaminate the ground water . thus , embodiments of a medical waste sorting and disposal system advantageously provide a convenient means for clinicians to automatically sort pharmaceutical waste streams in order to comply with rcra without the need to manually classify and sort each item individually . additionally , the system advantageously provides hospitals with a means for participating in the improvement of the environment while avoiding fines for non - compliant waste disposal methods . additionally , as described above , some embodiments of the system can be configured to create a manifest to provide administrators suitable tracking information on the amount of a drug that has been actually used . many hospitals are now moving toward implementing drug dispensing automation . the automation provides the hospital pharmacist and administrator information on what drugs are dispensed but not a convenient way of generating information on how much of a drug is used . in one embodiment , a medical waste treatment system is provided . the medical waste treatment system is a product that renders infectious waste non - infectious , compacts it to a fraction of the original volume and uniquely maintains the treated material in a compact form . the cost of present embodiments of a medical waste treatment system is much less than competing technologies , because the footprint of the equipment is , in one embodiment , about one fourth the size . competing technologies have cycle times that are long ( usually about one hour ) which necessitate large vessels for acceptable throughput versus the medical waste treatment system which has a cycle time of less than five minutes . in one embodiment , the operating cost goal ( about $ 0 . 09 / lb ) will be equal or better than most common technology , autoclave sterilization . other competing technologies may have lower operating costs but they have many drawbacks . incinerators have lower operating costs ($ 0 . 02 / lb - 0 . 04 / lb ) but it is possible that the epa may tighten regulations and force many of the remaining incinerators to shut down . many states do not allow incinerators to operate within their boundaries . for example , much of california &# 39 ; s infectious waste is trucked to a kansas city incinerator . the transportation costs add to the actual operating costs . plasma technologies have equipment costs that are very high ($ 1 -$ 3 million ) and are , therefore , only suitable for central processing plants . in one embodiment , a medical waste treatment system as a truck mounted service to hospitals is provided . the medical waste treatment system has significant advantages over truck mounted chemical processors . the medical waste treatment system unlike the chemical processors has a residue that is substantially innocuous such as common sand . it has been demonstrated that if there are any concentrations of organic matter , such as blood , the chemicals tend to be consumed by the organics leaving some of the remaining waste in a load untreated or partially treated . in one embodiment , the medical waste treatment system uses a unique heat technology that quickly and uniformly decontaminates the waste regardless of the amount of organics present . in several embodiments , the heat technology comprises use of sand or wax ( including , but not limited to , paraffin ) or a combination thereof in one embodiment , the sand and / or wax is heated to a temperature of about 150 ° c . to about 250 ° c ., preferably between about 165 ° c . to about 225 ° c . in one embodiment , the sand and / or wax is heated for less than about five minutes . one particular advantage of this method is the ability to produce highly stiff and / or compacted medical waste . in some embodiments , the volume and / or surface area of the treated medical waste is reduced to about 1 / 10 of its original size . up to about 50 % of infectious medical waste can be plastic content , of which about 25 % can include disposable pvc waste . utilizing sand or wax to treat such plastic waste may not be any more cost effective than an autoclave or other processing approach for these materials . it also may cause a number of problems such as the pvc outgassing chlorine because the temperature may be greater than 320 degrees ° f . ( the effective melting temperature of pvc ). thus , in one embodiment , a potential processing system for such plastic waste includes a rough grinder to grind the heterogeneous infectious medical waste into 2 ″ by 5 ″ strips . a second grinder grinds the waste into small pellets that are less than 0 . 25 ″ in diameter . the waste pellets are mixed with a whitening agent and moisture that in the presence of uvc and / or uva will cause an oxidative reaction which in turn will denature protein or organics , thereby inactivating some if not all of the microorganisms or spores present in the pelletized waste . this will set up the microorganisms and spores for a shorter sterilization procedure . in some embodiments , the moisture can be removed by a desiccant dryer that may be heated and then conveyed to a hopper of a plastic extruder . the extruder can be set to temperature less than 320 degrees f . but hot enough to melt the pvc . plasticizers and other additives may be introduced to get the heterogeneous pelletized mix of waste to flow homogeneously and not clump or dissociate . this process is also the final sterilization procedure . many of the states have adopted a document called the staat ii sterilization guideline that spells out the amount of reduction of spores and microorganisms required for sterilization . in some embodiments , the effluent from this plastic - treating process could then be used as a filler for a product that is extruded rather than being placed in a land fill . reducing disposal of solid waste is desirable because of the cost ( 0 . 02 to 0 . 05 cents per pound ). one such product is a security fence that is composed of a hollow extrusion that forms posts and walls . the center is filled with extruded hospital waste that will provide the hollow extrusion with more weight and structural integrity . in another embodiment , a sandwich of compressed mylar sheets can be applied to the exterior of the fence to render the wall bullet resistant or proof . other embodiments are possible , for example freeway dividers , gaskets , ashphalt filler for roads or any proprietary design that incorporates previously extruded hollow profiles that are filled with the extruded sterilized infectious medical waste can be used . in one embodiment , a medical waste water management system is provided . in one embodiment this system is a water quality sampling service that is supplied to hospitals , clinics and labs . the product would be installed at the p trap of a sink . the medical waste - water monitoring system would sense water draining and a sample of water would be directed to a cuvette on a carousel . the samples could be taken randomly or in some predetermined sequence at a number of different sinks throughout a facility . the carousel of cuvettes would be removed , and then sent to an inside or outside lab for analysis . the analysis would pinpoint the location of any water pollution . training classes to reinforce the proper disposal of pharmaceuticals are provided according to one embodiment of the invention . the service would continue on a less frequent basis once clinician habits had improved . despite a plethora of federal , state and local regulations , many clinicians continue to inappropriately dispose of pharmaceuticals in the sink . this is especially true of pharmaceutical spiked iv fluids . verification of this practice has been established in a recent market research effort with 150 hospitals in which 60 % of the respondents admitted to inappropriate disposal of drugs down the drain . one advantage of several embodiments of this system is that it can pinpoint the source of the infraction . by combing this service along with the other company products and services , the company will have a sustainable competitive advantage . the air quality monitoring system is a service that utilizes a device to sample the air quality , primarily in the pharmacy , oncology and operating room areas . it is intended to detect hazardous drugs including chemotherapeutics and anesthetics that become volatilized . the service is intended to provide clinicians with drug specific air quality information . the service will also suggest ways of eliminating the contaminants with both devices and a change in protocol . one advantage of some embodiments of this approach is that drug specific information that can be obtained . according to the bureau of labor statistics , hospitals and nursing facilities are among the most hazardous work environments . each year , an average of seven occupational injuries or illnesses out of 100 employees occurs . about half result in lost work time . working with or exposure to toxic chemicals is the single largest contributing risk factor associated with occupational injury and illness in healthcare although nanoemulsion disinfectants and microfiber materials for cleaning and disinfection have worked successfully to reduce toxicity , much opportunity remains to improve the hospital environment , making it safer for the healthcare worker . reducing hospital hazards will also result in savings to the hospital . in one embodiment , a system for a service to analyze and implement reductions in hospital hazards is provided . implementing the solutions with hospital personnel will be a process similar to making cost reductions in organizations with significant numbers of administrative procedures . although certain embodiments and examples have been described herein , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many aspects of the methods and devices shown and described in the present disclosure may be differently combined and / or modified to form still further embodiments . additionally , it will be recognized that the methods described herein may be practiced using any device suitable for performing the recited steps . such alternative embodiments and / or uses of the methods and devices described above and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof are intended to be within the scope of the present disclosure . thus , it is intended that the scope of the present invention should not be limited by the particular embodiments described above , but should be determined only by a fair reading of the claims that follow . | US-83183307-A |
an endodontic instrument which comprises an elongate shank which has a tapered working length adjacent the pilot end , and at least one continuous helical flute formed along the tapered working length so as to define sharp cutting edges along the sides of the flutes . also , at least one relief , in the form of a flat surface , extends axially along a substantial portion of the length of the working length , which acts to reduce the tendency of the tapered working length to screw into and crack the tooth during manipulation thereof by the dentist in the course of root canal therapy . | the present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings , in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown . this invention may , however , be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein ; rather , this embodiment is provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art . like numbers refer to like elements throughout . referring more particularly to fig1 - 4 , an endodontic instrument 10 is illustrated which comprises a shank 12 which is preferably composed of a metallic material such as stainless steel , or nickel - titanium alloy as described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 464 , 362 . in one preferred embodiment , the shank is composed of an alloy comprising at least about 40 % titanium and at least about 50 % nickel . also , the shank 12 is of circular cross - sectional configuration , and it typically has a length of about 30 mm ( 1 . 2 inches ). the shank also includes an outer or proximate end which mounts a conventional handle 14 , which is configured for hand engagement , and the portion of the shank immediately below the handle includes calibrated depth markings 15 of conventional design . the shank further includes an opposite distal or pilot end 16 , and a tapered working length 18 is defined adjacent the pilot end 16 . the working length 18 may have a length of from about 2 mm ( 0 . 08 inches ) up to the full length of the shank 12 , i . e . about 30 mm ( 1 . 2 inches ). however , in the illustrated embodiment , the working length 18 has a length sufficient to extend substantially the full depth of a tooth root canal as illustrated in fig1 which is about 16 mm ( 0 . 63 inches ). the outer peripheral surface of the working length 18 is tapered , so as to define an included angle a ( fig5 ) of between about 1 / 2 and 4 degrees . also , in the illustrated embodiment , the working length 18 includes two continuous helical flutes 21 , 22 formed in the peripheral surface , and as best seen in fig3 and 4 , each of the flutes 21 , 22 defines a curved concave wall when viewed in transverse cross section , and each wall includes a pair of helical shoulders 21c , 21d , and 22c , 22d , at the peripheral surface and which face in generally opposite axial directions . the shoulders 21c , 21d , 22c , 22d each intersect the periphery of the shank at an angle of about 90 ° to a tangent to the shank at the point of intersection , to form what is commonly referred to as a substantially zero or neutral rake angle . stated in other words , each shoulder lies substantially on a radius of the shank as seen in fig3 so as to form a sharp cutting edge . each of the flutes also defines a bottom or base 21b , 22b , ( fig5 ) respectively , at the point of maximum depth from the peripheral surface . the peripheral surface of the working length 18 further comprises a helical land 30 which is positioned between axially adjacent flute segments . the flutes are preferably of uniform pitch p ( fig5 ), which is defined herein as the distance between corresponding points of adjacent flute segments . in a typical example , the length of the working length 18 is about 0 . 63 inches , with a total of about 18 flute spirals extending along the entire length of the pilot end portion , such that the pitch p is 0 . 63 / 18 or about 0 . 035 inches . in the illustrated embodiment , the depth of the flutes increased from the pilot end 16 toward the proximate end at the handle 14 . as a result , the width f of the flutes , and the width l of the lands 30 , will inversely vary somewhat along the length of the pilot end portion . for example , in the above example , the width f of the flutes is about 0 . 03 inches and the width l of lands 30 is about 0 . 005 inches at the upper end of the working length adjacent the handle 14 , and the width w is about 0 . 025 inches and the width l is about 0 . 01 inches adjacent the pilot end 16 . as will be apparent , the width l of the lands 30 is equal to a significant portion of the pitch p , which is preferably equal to at least about 15 % of the pitch p . in the above example , the width l varies from about 14 . 2 % of the pitch p adjacent the upper end to about 28 . 5 % of the pitch p adjacent the pilot end 16 . this is desirable in that the relatively broad lands 30 prevent undue cutting by the instrument laterally into the wall of the canal during manipulation of the instrument by the dentist . the instrument as illustrated in fig1 - 4 also includes two oppositely facing reliefs 32 which are formed in the peripheral surface along a substantial portion of the length of the working length 18 . as best seen in fig4 each relief 32 defines a chord line which has a maximum depth which is equal to about one - half the depth of the base 21b , 22b of each of the flutes . fig5 schematically illustrates a process for forming the reliefs 32 , and wherein a grinding wheel w ( shown in a greatly reduced scale ) is advanced axially along the peripheral surface . as illustrated , the wheel w advances along a line 34 which is parallel to the central axis 35 of the elongate shank of the instrument , and such that the relief 32 defines a plane which is substantially parallel to the central axis 35 . this also results in the relief 32 having a relatively significant depth in the portion of the working length 18 adjacent the proximate end , and with the depth diminishing toward the pilot end 16 . the line 36 in fig5 schematically illustrates that the grinding wheel may be moved along a line which is parallel to a line corresponding to the taper of the working length 18 . this results in the reliefs 32 each being of substantially uniform depth along the length of the working length , and as illustrated in the embodiments of fig6 - 10 . movement along a line which is intermediate or somewhat outside the lines and is also possible . the embodiment of fig6 - 10 is adapted for machine use , and the instrument 10a includes a head or handle 14a which is configured for attachment to a conventional dental handpiece . also , fig8 - 10 illustrate that the peripheral surface of the instrument may include one , two , or three of the reliefs 32 as described above . in these embodiments , the reliefs are shown as having a maximum depth which is substantially equal to the depth of the base 21a , 22b of the two flutes . in the drawings and the specification , there has been set forth preferred embodiments of the invention and , although specific terms are employed , the terms are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purpose of limitation , the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims . | US-61205896-A |
the present invention provides a system of personal body armor in which a chest protector is removably attached to the shoulder straps of a backpack . the chest protector and the backpack may be equipped with sleeves into which a variety of armor plates can be inserted . | the invention provides a personal armor system for a human wearer , the system including a chest protector , a backpack having shoulder straps , and means for releaseably attaching the chest protector to the shoulder straps . the means for releaseably attaching the chest protector to the shoulder straps include , but are not limited to , hook - and - loop fasteners , straps , snaps , buttons , zippers , clips , and quick - release buckles . the preferred embodiments employ two or more quick - release buckles , more preferably four buckles ( two per shoulder strap .) preferred quick - release buckles are of the side - release type . in preferred embodiments , the quick - release buckles are attached to the shoulder straps in a manner that permits them to be adjustable in a vertical direction along the straps . optionally , the system includes protective side panels so disposed as to protect the wearer &# 39 ; s flanks the panels may be attached to the chest protector , or attached to the backpack . in these embodiments , means for releaseably attaching the side panels to the backpack , or to the chest protector , are provided ; alternatively means for attaching the backpack to the chest protector , at the user &# 39 ; s flanks , are provided . in all of the above embodiments , the backpack may be a frame pack . quick - release buckles may be of any design that can be engaged and disengaged without the need to thread and unthread the straps from the buckle . preferred buckles are of the stab - lock type , including but not limited to consumer - grade plastic side - release “ squeeze ” buckles , and their military - specification ( milspec ), professional and mountaineering equivalents , such as the load - bearing quick - release buckles marketed under the cobra ™ brand ( austrialpin , blairmore , ab , canada ). the milspec and professional grade components may be preferred for their higher strength , and / or their more reliable operation when exposed to sand , salt , and moisture . the chest protector will commonly feature a fabric outer surface , to which the other components of the system may be sewn . the particular fabric is not critical ; preferred materials are nylon and aramids such as kevlar ™ brand polyamide . in general , the materials and construction of the chest protector may be any of those employed in commercial personal armor vests . the chest protector may feature pockets , clips , and webbing , as is known in the art , so long as these features do not interfere with the functioning of the buckles and straps of the system of this invention . straps are preferably made of nylon , but may be of any material commonly employed in the manufacture of consumer and military packs and body armor . with reference to fig1 , a chest protector 1 of conventional design , containing removable or sewn - in armor plates ( not shown ), has disposed on its front face , and securely fastened thereto , four female components 2 a of side - release “ squeeze ” type quick - release buckles . the buckle components 2 a are located near the periphery of the chest protector , and are so oriented as to point outward with an upward angle . the angle is not critical , and may range from vertical to 90 degrees from vertical , although between 30 and 60 degrees is preferred . it is most preferred that the angle is such that the load on the buckles , when the system is worn , is along the axis of the buckles , so that no torque ( in the plane of the figure ) is applied to the surface of the chest protector . in the particular embodiment shown , chest protector 1 has , attached to its lower sides , two optional side panels 4 . the side panels 4 may optionally contain removable or sewn - in armor plate ( not shown ) for the protection of the flanks in the embodiment shown two female components 3 a of side - release “ squeeze ” type quick - release buckles are securely fastened to side panels 4 . it will readily be appreciated that , in the absence of side panels 4 , buckle components 3 a will be affixed to chest protector 1 in the same manner as buckle components 2 a . buckle components 3 a are oriented outward in a substantially horizontal direction . with reference to fig2 , each of the shoulder straps 5 of a backpack ( not shown ) have affixed to their outer surfaces two male components 2 b of side - release “ squeeze ” type buckles . in the particular embodiment shown , the buckle components 2 b are attached via “ tri - glide ” ( 3 - bar ) ring - equipped sliders 6 riding along slider straps 7 a and 7 b . the sliders 6 facilitate vertical adjustments to the positions of the buckle components 2 b . adjustable tensioning straps 9 are affixed to the ends of the shoulder straps , and connect to the lower portion of the backpack , in the usual manner . male buckle components 2 b are smapped into female buckle components 2 a ( fig1 ) so as to form assembled buckles 2 ( fig3 ) with reference to fig3 , the chest protector 1 is shown attached to the shoulder straps 5 via assembled buckles 2 . with reference to fig4 , the back side of backpack 10 is shown in abstracted form . affixed to at the lower edges of the backpack are male components 3 b of side - release “ squeeze ” type buckles . the buckle components are attached via adjustable - length straps 11 . components 3 b are the mates of components 3 a ( fig1 ). with reference now to fig5 , the system is shown in use , with all of the quick - release buckles engaged . in the embodiment shown , the shoulder straps are shown running along side of the chest protector . in alternative embodiments , the chest protector may be made wider than shown , and the straps may be run over the chest protector . in order to use the system of the invention the user will don the backpack in the usual manner , lift the chest protector into place , and commence to engage the quick - release buckles 2 . this is most easily done if the chest protector is lifted by grasping one of the buckle components 2 a . alternatively , the chest protector can be connected to one of the two shoulder straps prior to donning the pack . side buckles 3 are engaged , and all straps are pulled tight . the vertical position of the chest protector can be adjusted by means of the sliders 6 ( fig2 ). with a simple backpack , the weight of the chest protector , and of any accessories attached thereto , will be borne by the wearer &# 39 ; s shoulders . however , if the backpack is a frame pack with a hip belt , a large portion of the weight of the entire system ( pack and chest protector ) will be transferred to the wearer &# 39 ; s hips , as frame packs are designed to do . in this manner , the system of the invention makes it possible to wear personal armor with greater comfort . because the chest protector serves to hold the shoulder straps in tension towards the center of the chest , and prevents them from separating , the shoulder straps cannot slip into the armpit area . pressure is carried by the pectoral muscles of the chest , and as noted above it may be applied to the chest protector and thereby distributed across the entire surface of the chest . the chest protector may be removed by the quick release of the buckles 2 and 3 , without removing the backpack . in an organization where numerous people may require armor at various times , the system makes it possible to purchase and keep available only as many chest protectors are going to be needed at one time . each person may have his or her own backpack , but chest protectors can be fewer in number and “ checked out ” at the door . because the system provides for adjustments in the relative vertical and horizontal positions of the chest protector and the pack , chest protectors of various sizes and weights ( offering varying degrees of protection ) can be made available , and so long as the buckle components are distributed with similar geometry , any chest protector can be attached to any pack . in preferred embodiments , the backpack is equipped with a pocket large enough to contain the chest protector , so that the entire system can be easily carried around and deployed only as needed . the backpack itself is optionally equipped with , or has a receiving pocket for , ballistic armor to protect the back of the wearer . | US-201314037370-A |
a portable putting surface is formed of a plurality of separate panels each having opposite left and right side rails removably secured thereto . the side rails in turn have mating ends which are used to assemble the panels into a continuous surface . a continuous length of artificial grass or turf material is used to cover the panels to form a reasonably realistic putting surface . the side rails each include a slope adjusting screw , thus enabling the left and right sides of the surface , and different panels of the surface , to be adjusted independently of one another in infinitesimally small increments as desired . the present putting surface may be used to simulate side hill lies on a sloping green , and / or may be used to duplicate very closely the slope of any particular green , from any approach direction . the surface assembles and disassembles easily in a matter of a minute or so , and may be packed into an extremely small package for shipment or storage , as desired . | the present invention comprises a portable putting surface , generally designated by the reference numeral 10 . fig1 provides a perspective view of the present putting surface 10 in use , showing its adjustment to provide variation in slope to add realism and challenge to putting practice when using the present surface 10 . the present surface 10 may be assembled for outdoor use , with the slope adjustment means used to compensate for slope in the natural terrain , or may be used indoors , with the slope adjustment means used to provide slope to the surface as desired . the putting surface 10 is formed of a series of separate flexible panels 12 , as shown more clearly in the exploded perspective view of fig2 . the panels comprise a first panel 12a , a series of intermediate panels 12b , and an end panel 12c which includes a hole 14 therein for receiving a putted golf ball b when the present putting surface 10 is in use . each of the panels 12 is identical to one another , with the exception of the end panel 12c containing the hole 14 , having a left edge 16 ( fig4 ), an opposite and identical right edge 18 , a forward edge 20 , and an opposite rearward edge 22 . each of the panels 12 includes four upwardly extending side rail attachment fasteners 24 , with two fasteners 24 closely adjacent the left edge 16 and another two fasteners 24 closely adjacent the right edge 18 of each panel 12 . each of the fasteners 24 has a generally t - shaped cross section ( e . g ., screw with screw head , etc . ), for securing side rails ( discussed immediately below ) removably to the panels 12 . it will be seen in fig2 and 3 that any two adjacent panels 12 are not secured together directly to form the present putting surface 10 . rather , a plurality of removable side rails , comprising left side rails 26a and opposite right side rails 26b , are removably secured along the edges of the panels 12 , with the rails 26a / 26b in turn securing together to secure the panels 12 together as shown in fig1 . preferably , the side rails 26a and 26b are mirror images of one another , due to the opposite attachment receptacle configuration formed in the different left and right side rails 26a and 26b . each of the side rails 26a and 26b includes a t - shaped slot 28 formed therein , with the size , shape , and positions of the slots 28 being configured to fit closely about corresponding fasteners 24 , as shown in fig4 . the slots 28 preferably do not extend completely through the thickness of the side rails 26 , but rather are formed only partially therethrough from the outer surface of each of the side rails 26 . the side rails 26a / 26b are installed respectively along the left and right edges 16 and 18 of each of the panels 12 by placing them immediately inwardly from the corresponding fasteners 24 and aligned therewith , and pressing the side rails 26a / 26b toward the respective outer edges 16 / 18 of the panels to engage with and seat over the fasteners 24 . the provision of the slots 28 only partially through the side rails 26 thus acts as a stop to preclude further outward movement of the side rails , in the event they are accidentally kicked , hit with a putter head or ball , etc . however , it will be seen that the slots 28 may be formed completely through each of the side rails , if desired , thus making at least all of the intermediate side rails identical without concern for left or right members . each of the side rails 26 has a first end 30 and an opposite second end 32 , with the two ends 30 and 32 providing removable and pivotable connection means between different side rails 26 . the first end 30 may comprise a round hinge member extending therefrom , with the opposite second end . 32 comprising a round socket configured to fit closely about the hinge member end 30 of another side rail 26 , as shown in detail in fig2 and 3 . the rounded configuration of the two mating ends 30 and 32 allows two connected side rails 26 to pivot about an axis through the joint formed by the connected mating ends 30 and 32 , as shown in fig3 . the male rounded hinge member ends 30 each encompass somewhat more than 180 degrees of arc from their extended side rail . end , with the semicircular socket 32 of each mating side rail encompassing slightly more than 180 degrees of arc . any two of the mating end components 30 and 32 may be easily assembled to and disassembled from one another by sliding the male end 30 sidewards into and from the female or socket end 32 . yet , the slightly greater than 180 degrees of circular arc of the two components . assures that the end 30 cannot pull straight out from the mating socket end 32 , thus securing any two of the side rails 26 together and allowing them to pivot or move arcuately relative to one another . all of the side rails may be constructed as described above , if so desired . however , it will be seen that the socket and mating male rounded ends are not required for those ends which are adjacent the forward edge of the first panel 12a , and the rearward edge of the end panel 12c . in fig1 these side rails , respectively side rails 26c , 26d , 26e , and 26f , are shown accordingly . however , the present invention will still function as described if only two types of side rails , i . e ., side rails 26a and 26b , are provided , with those side rails also being used as side rails for the two end panels 12a and 12b , without their respective first and second ends being connected to other elements . as noted further above , the present portable putting surface 10 is adjustable to provide different slopes as desired . the series of panels 12 may be adjusted by adjusting means installed through the side rails 26 , to provide either forward , rearward , left , or right slope , or any combination thereof , as desired . the adjusting means comprises a plurality of steeply threaded jackscrews 34 or the like , with a corresponding number of mating threaded passages 36 formed generally vertically through each of the side rails 26 adjacent their first ends . the passages 36 may comprise inserts which are permanently molded or otherwise secured in place within the side rails , as shown in fig5 or may be formed directly within the material comprising the side rails 26 as desired . preferably , the jackscrews 34 and mating passages 36 are formed with a steeply pitched thread to provide a relatively large advance per turn , as shown by the threads particularly in fig5 . as the present panels 12 are preferably on the order of three feet wide ( other dimensions may be used ), one inch of advance would provide a slope of 1 : 36 , or slightly less than two degrees . hence , a pitch of 1 / 3 or even 1 / 2 inch per screw turn would still provide sufficiently fine adjustment for the purposes of the present invention . yet , the continuous advance possible by using such threaded components allows infinitesimally small increments to be made in adjusting the slope of the present putting surface 10 . the jackscrews 34 may be provided with some form of handle means , e . g . the knurled knobs 38 of fig2 and 3 or the thumbscrew 40 of fig5 . the present portable putting surface 10 is assembled for use by first installing the left and right side rails 26a and 26b ( and 26c , d , e , and f , if those special end components are provided ) to the fasteners 24 which are permanently installed along the left and right edges 16 and 18 of the panels 12 . the side rails 26 are preferably installed from the inside of each panel 12 , toward the . outer edge , with the slots 28 formed partially through each of the rails 26 serving as stops to preclude movement of the rails outwardly past the edges of the panels 12 once installed . an end rail 42 may then be installed across the end panel 12c having the hole 14 therein , with the attachment means being the same as that described for the other side rails 26 . the end rail 42 retains . putted golf balls on the present surface 12 , preventing their escape past the last or end panel 12c if the hole 14 is missed . after the side rails 26 and end rail 42 are installed to the appropriate panels 12 , the rails 26 are connected to one another by sliding the rounded knob or hinge 30 comprising the first end of each of the rails 26 , laterally into the mating slots 32 of the second end of each of the rails 26 , for each pair of rails 26 installed along the edges of each of the panels 12 . ( it should be noted that the rails 26 may be turned around end for end , if desired , as shown in fig2 .) the completed assembly leaves a slight gap 44 between adjacent panel ends , as shown in fig2 and 3 , to allow space for the panel edges to approach one another as the slope of the panels is raised and the attached side rails 26 pivot about their mating ends 30 and 32 . the assembled surface is then covered with an overlay of simulated grass or turf material 46 , such as astroturf ( tm ) or other synthetic material providing a reasonable simulation of the closely mowed grass surface of a golf green . other covering materials may be substituted , if so desired . the overlay 46 is preferably cut to have a width which fits closely between the opposite side rails 26a and 26b , and has a length sufficient to provide a continuous , unbroken span extending from the forward edge of the first panel 12a to the end rail 42 attached to the end panel 12c . the overlay includes a hole therethrough , congruent with the hole 14 of the panel 12c for receiving a putted golf ball . at this point , a golfer may adjust the slope of the various panels as desired , by adjusting one or more of the various jackscrews 34 downwardly or upwardly through their respective passages or inserts 36 , as desired . for example , the putting surface 10 of fig1 has been adjusted to provide a downward left slope s1 by turning the right side jackscrews 34 down and into the right side rails 26b , as indicated by the relatively short length of the jackscrews 34 extending above the right side rails 26b along the central area of the surface 10 , in comparison to the jackscrews 34 extending higher above the left side rails 26a in this area . a further examination of fig1 will show that the jackscrews 34 along each connected length of side rails 26a and 26b are adjusted unevenly to provide additional variations in the slope of the surface , as desired by a golfer using the present surface 10 . in summary , the present portable putting surface 10 provides a most realistic means of duplicating a particular lie on a specific golf green , and / or for setting up varying slopes as desired to add challenge to practice putting . the variable slope adjustment means provided may also be used to level the surface in the event that it is assembled outdoors over uneven terrain . the ease of assembly of the present putting surface , without need for tools of any kind , assures that the surface will see reasonable use whenever a golfer has more than a few minutes of free time but cannot spare the time to visit his or her local golf course . the present portable putting surface will also be seen to provide a most useful accessory for golf teaching professionals , in that the device may be used to teach an appreciation for different side hill lies and slopes when putting , for use indoors during inclement weather or when suitable conditions are not readily available . thus , golf teaching professionals may make better use of their time when conditions are not suitable for outdoor play on the actual golf fairway and green surfaces . in addition to the above , it will be seen that one or more of the side rail 26 or end rail 42 components or other obstacles may be placed atop the artificial turf overlay 46 as desired , to obstruct partially the direct line to the hole 14 . thus , the present portable putting surface may be configured to resemble many holes commonly seen on a miniature golf course , to provide a putting challenge for families during inclement weather , or for outdoor parties , etc ., as desired . the various components may be formed of virtually any suitable material , with the panels 12 and rails 26 and 42 being preferably formed of plastic for durability , light weight , and the required flexibility of the panels 12 to allow various slopes to be formed therein . other materials , such as wood and metal sheet and extrusions , may be used if so desired . the relatively flexible nature of the artificial turf material 46 assists in smoothing out the relatively sharp breaks in contour and small gaps between adjacent panels 12 , by curving smoothly over the adjacent panel . edges to simulate more accurately the gently rolling terrain of a real golf green . thus , the present portable putting surface will provide golfers using the device with an economical and quite useful means of keeping their putting game sharp at all times . it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the sole embodiment described above , but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims . | US-85468497-A |
a fluticasone lotion having improved vasoconstrictor and anti - inflammatory activity and higher than expected potency . the fluticasone lotion contains 0 . 05 weight percent fluticasone propionate and an oil - in - water vehicle that includes excipients . the fluticasone lotion is unexpectedly efficacious while exhibiting an improved safety profile . | fluticasone or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester thereof , preferably fluticasone proprionate , is present in the formulation in a concentration of from about 0 . 005 to 1 . 0 wt . % preferably 0 . 005 to 0 . 5 wt . %, and more preferably about 0 . 005 to about 0 . 1 wt . %. the c 14 - c 20 fatty alcohol or mixtures thereof are present in the formulation as a thickener and / or stabilizer . examples include , but are not limited to , cetyl alcohol , stearyl alcohol , and cetostearyl alcohol . the c 14 - c 20 fatty alcohol is present in a concentration in the range of from about 1 . 0 to 10 . 0 wt . %, preferably about 3 . 0 to 7 . 0 wt . %, and more preferably about 4 . 0 to 6 . 0 wt . %. conventional skin conditioning agents , such as emollient skin conditioning agents , may be present in the lotion of the present invention . skin conditioning agents are defined in the ctfa ( cosmetic toiletry and fragrance association ) cosmetic ingredient handbook ( 2nd ed . 1992 ) and the handbook of pharmaceutical excipients ( 2nd ed . 1994 ). preferred examples of such skin conditioning agents include , but are not limited to , cholesterol , glycerine , glycerol monostearate , isopropyl myristate and palmitate , and lanolin alcohols , or mixtures thereof . particular examples are isopropyl myristate and cetostearyl alcohol . the skin conditioning agent is present in a concentration in the range of from about 1 . 0 to 5 . 0 wt . %, preferably about 1 . 0 to 3 . 0 wt . %, and more preferably about 1 . 0 to 2 . 0 wt . %. in a preferred embodiment , dimethicone is employed in connection with at least one skin conditioning agent . the concentration of dimethicone in the formulation may be up to about 5 . 0 wt . %, preferably about 0 . 5 to 3 . 0 wt . % and more preferably about 1 . 0 to 2 . 0 wt . % of the lotion composition . at least one conventional surfactants may be used in topical formulations to form the oil - in - water emulsion lotion of the present invention . for example , the surfactants may include , but are not limited to , polyoxyalkene oxides of c 14 - c 20 fatty alcohols and polyoxyalkylene sorbitan esters , or mixtures thereof . preferred surfactants include cetomacrogol ® 1000 ( crodor inc . ), ceteth - 20 ®, tween ® 40 or brig ® 78 . the surfactant may be present in a concentration in the range of about 0 . 25 to 3 . 0 wt . %, preferably about 0 . 5 to 2 . 0 wt . %, and more preferably about 0 . 75 to 1 . 5 wt . %. optionally , mineral oil or white soft paraffin are incorporated into the lotion in relatively small amounts to act as a skin conditioner . the lotion may also be free of mineral oil and / or white soft paraffin or contain up to about 10 . 0 wt . %. the lotion may also contain up to about 5 . 0 wt . % or up to about 2 . 0 wt . % skin conditioner . propylene glycol may be present in the lotion formulation in a concentration of from about 5 . 0 to 15 . 0 wt . %, preferably about 7 . 0 to 12 . 0 wt . % and more preferably 9 . 0 to 11 . 0 wt . %. the viscosity of the fluticasone lotion may be in the range of about 2 , 000 to 17 , 000 centipoise ( cps ), and preferably about 3 , 000 to 13 , 000 cps , as measured by a brookfield viscometer fitted with a # 27 spindle at 10 rpm at 25 ° c . the ph range of the topical fluticasone lotion may be in the range of about 4 to 7 . conventional buffers may be employed in the lotion formulation to achieve the ph range . the buffers include , but are not limited to , sodium citrate / citric acid , dibasic sodium phosphate / citric acid , and the like . optionally , conventional preservatives may be used in the present invention . preferably , preservatives employed in the formulation should pass us pharmacopoeia , british pharmacopoeia and european pharmacopoeia standards . preferred preservatives include , but are not limited to , imidurea , methylparaben , propylparaben and the like , and combinations thereof . treatment of skin conditions with the lotion of the present invention is accomplished by applying the lotion to the affected areas to be treated . the treatment regimen is varied from patient to patient and condition to condition . in general , the fluticasone lotion is to be applied once or twice a day to a treatment area . preferably , the lotion of the present invention is used to treat atopic dermatitis , inflammatory and pruritic manifestations and corticosteroid - responsive dermatoses . the lotion of the present invention is manufactured in a conventional manner by mixing the ingredients at elevated temperatures ( such as from 45 - 80 ° c .) and then cooling the mixture to achieve a smooth , homogeneous oil - in - water emulsion . the following examples merely illustrate the lotion compositions of the invention and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention . unless indicated otherwise , all weight percentages are based on the total weight of the composition . a topical 0 . 05 wt . % fluticasone propionate lotion in accordance with the present invention was prepared having the following composition . ingredient ( wt . %) cetostearyl alcohol , nf 5 . 00 isopropyl myristate , nf 1 . 00 dimethicone 360 , nf 1 . 00 cetomacrogol 1000 , bp 1 . 00 propylene glycol , usp 10 . 00 imidurea , nf 0 . 30 methyl paraben , usp 0 . 20 propyl paraben , usp 0 . 10 citric acid ( anhydrous ), usp 0 . 05 sodium citrate , usp 0 . 08 purified water , usp balance a topical 0 . 05 wt . % fluticasone propionate lotion formulation in accordance with the present invention was prepared having the following composition . ingredient ( wt . %) cetostearyl alcohol , nf 5 . 25 isopropyl myristate , nf 2 . 00 propylene glycol , usp 0 . 00 ceteth - 20 0 . 75 imidurea , nf 0 . 20 methyl paraben , usp 0 . 20 propyl paraben , usp 0 . 10 citric acid ( anhydrous ) 0 . 05 dibasic sodium phosphate 0 . 06 purified water , usp balance a topical fluticasone propionate lotion in accordance with the present invention was prepared having the following composition . ingredient ( wt . %) fluticasone propionate 0 . 05 cetosteoryl alcohol 5 . 0 mineral oil 3 . 0 isopropyl myristate 3 . 0 ceteth - 20 0 . 75 propylene glycol 0 . 0 citric acid ( anhydrous ) 0 . 05 dibasic sodium phosphate 0 . 06 imidurea 0 . 20 water balance a topical fluticasone propionate lotion in accordance with the present invention was prepared having the following composition . ingredient ( wt . %) fluticasone propionate 0 . 05 cetosteoryl alcohol 5 . 25 mineral oil 1 . 0 isopropyl myristate 1 . 0 ceteth - 20 0 . 75 propylene glycol 10 . 0 citric acid ( anhydrous ) 0 . 05 dibasic sodium phosphate 0 . 06 imidurea 0 . 20 water balance a topical fluticasone propionate lotion in accordance with the present invention was prepared having the following composition . ingredient ( wt . %) fluticasone propionate 0 . 05 cetosteoryl alcohol 5 . 0 mineral oil 10 . 0 isopropyl myristate 5 . 0 ceteth - 20 0 . 75 propylene glycol 10 . 0 citric acid ( anhydrous ) 0 . 05 dibasic sodium phosphate 0 . 06 imidurea 0 . 20 water balance a topical fluticasone propionate lotion in accordance with the present invention was prepared having the following composition . ingredient ( wt . %) fluticasone propionate 0 . 05 cetosteoryl alcohol 7 . 0 isopropyl myristate 2 . 5 dimethicone 2 . 5 cetomacrogol 1000 1 . 0 propylene glycol 10 . 0 citric acid ( anhydrous ) 0 . 05 sodium citrate 0 . 075 imidurea 0 . 30 water balance a topical fluticasone propionate lotion in accordance with the present invention was prepared having the following composition . ingredient ( wt . %) fluticasone propionate 0 . 05 cetosteoryl alcohol 7 . 0 isopropyl myristate 5 . 0 dimethicone 2 . 5 cetomacrogol 1000 1 . 0 propylene glycol 10 . 0 citric acid ( anhydrous ) 0 . 05 sodium citrate 0 . 075 imidurea 0 . 30 water balance a topical fluticasone propionate lotion in accordance with the present invention was prepared having the following composition . ingredient ( wt . %) fluticasone propionate 0 . 05 cetosteoryl alcohol 6 . 0 isopropyl myristate 2 . 0 cetomacrogol 1000 1 . 0 propylene glycol 10 . 0 citric acid ( anhydrous ) 0 . 05 sodium citrate 0 . 075 imidurea 0 . 30 water balance a topical fluticasone propionate lotion in accordance with the present invention was prepared having the following composition . ingredient ( wt . %) fluticasone propionate 0 . 05 cetosteoryl alcohol 4 . 7 isopropyl myristate 3 . 75 dimethicone 3 . 75 cetomacrogol 1000 1 . 0 propylene glycol 10 . 0 citric acid ( anhydrous ) 0 . 05 sodium citrate 0 . 075 imidurea 0 . 30 water balance a topical fluticasone propionate lotion in accordance with the present invention was prepared having the following composition . ingredient ( wt . %) fluticasone propionate 0 . 05 cetosteoryl alcohol 2 . 4 isopropyl myristate 2 . 5 dimethicone 5 . 0 cetomacrogol 1000 1 . 0 propylene glycol 10 . 0 citric acid ( anhydrous ) 0 . 05 sodium citrate 0 . 075 imidurea 0 . 30 water balance a topical fluticasone propionate lotion in accordance with the present invention is prepared having the following composition . ingredient ( wt . %) fluticasone propionate 0 . 01 stearyl alcohol 5 . 0 isopropyl myristate 3 . 0 dimethicone 3 . 0 ceteth - 20 0 . 75 propylene glycol 5 . 0 imidurea , nf 0 . 20 methyl paraben , usp 0 . 20 propyl paraben , usp 0 . 10 water balance a topical fluticasone propionate lotion in accordance with the present invention was prepared having the following composition . ingredient ( wt . %) fluticasone propionate 0 . 01 stearyl alcohol 2 . 5 mineral oil 1 . 0 isopropyl myristate 1 . 0 dimethicone 1 . 0 cetomacrogol 1000 0 . 5 propylene glycol 15 . 0 imidurea , nf 0 . 20 methyl paraben , usp 0 . 20 propyl paraben , usp 0 . 10 water balance a topical fluticasone propionate lotion in accordance with the present invention was prepared having the following composition . ingredient ( wt . %) fluticasone propionate 0 . 1 cetyl alcohol 7 . 0 mineral oil 2 . 0 isopropyl myristate 2 . 0 dimethicone 2 . 0 cetomacrogol 1000 1 . 5 propylene glycol 10 . 0 imidurea , nf 0 . 20 methyl paraben , usp 0 . 20 propyl paraben , usp 0 . 10 water balance a topical fluticasone propionate lotion in accordance with the present invention was prepared having the following composition . ingredient ( wt . %) fluticasone propionate 0 . 1 stearyl alcohol 7 . 0 mineral oil 2 . 5 dimethicone 2 . 5 ceteth - 20 1 . 0 propylene glycol 15 . 0 imidurea , nf 0 . 20 methyl paraben , usp 0 . 20 propyl paraben , usp 0 . 10 water balance a topical fluticasone propionate lotion in accordance with the present invention was prepared having the following composition . ingredient ( wt . %) fluticasone propionate 0 . 1 cetostearyl alcohol 5 . 0 mineral oil 2 . 5 dimethicone 1 . 0 tween ® 40 0 . 5 propylene glycol 10 . 0 imidurea , nf 0 . 20 methyl paraben , usp 0 . 20 propyl paraben , usp 0 . 10 water balance a topical fluticasone propionate lotion in accordance with the present invention was prepared having the following composition . ingredient ( wt . %) fluticasone propionate 0 . 1 stearyl alcohol 5 . 25 mineral oil 5 . 0 brig ® 78 2 . 0 propylene glycol 5 . 0 imidurea , nf 0 . 20 methyl paraben , usp 0 . 20 propyl paraben , usp 0 . 10 water balance a topical fluticasone propionate lotion in accordance with the present invention was prepared having the following composition . ingredient ( wt . %) fluticasone propionate 0 . 05 cetyl alcohol 2 . 0 isopropyl myristate 5 . 0 cetomacrogol 1000 0 . 5 propylene glycol 10 . 0 imidurea , nf 0 . 20 methyl paraben , usp 0 . 20 propyl paraben , usp 0 . 10 water balance a topical fluticasone propionate lotion in accordance with the present invention was prepared having the following composition . ingredient ( wt . %) fluticasone propionate 0 . 05 cetyl alcohol 2 . 5 dimethicone 5 . 0 cetomacrogol 1000 1 . 0 propylene glycol 10 . 0 imidurea , nf 0 . 20 methyl paraben , usp 0 . 20 propyl paraben , usp 0 . 10 water balance the topical anti - inflammatory activity of fluticasone propionate formulations was measured using a vasoconstriction assay ( mckenzie and stoughton , arch . dermatol ., 86 , 608 ( 1962 )). approximately 0 . 1 ml of the drug product of examples 1 - 18 were placed on a 2 cm 2 area of the volar aspect of each volunteer &# 39 ; s forearm . application sites were protected with a guard to prevent removal or smearing . the application sites were not occluded . after approximately 16 hours of contact , the protective guards were removed and the sites gently washed and dried . skin vasoconstrictor evaluations were preformed on a 4 point scale ( 0 [ no blanching ]- 3 [ marked blanching ]) at time points corresponding to 2 , 3 , 6 , 8 , and 24 hours after drug removal . the data were used to calculate the mean blanching response and the area under the curve ( auc ) for the blanching versus time . the higher the score , mean or area under the curve ( auc ), the more topically potent . the results are tabulated in table 1 . the fluticasone lotions of the present invention show higher vasoconstriction scores than fluticasone cream . as shown by the 17 patient data set , the vasoconstriction potency of the fluticasone lotions is greater than the cream . the fluticasone lotion of the present invention has proven to be unexpectedly superior in terms of efficacy and safety . evaluations were performed using the vasoconstrictor assay . evaluations also used a human model to predict clinical potency of corticosteroids in ( 1 ) controlled efficacy and safety trials and ( 2 ) subjects with a corticosteroid - responsive dermatosis , atopic dermatitis . safety and efficacy evaluations were performed on the fluticasone lotion 0 . 05 % by applying the lotion extensively to all body regions : head and neck ( including face ), trunk , upper limbs and lower limbs . the potency of the fluticasone lotion , as determined by the vasoconstrictor assay , was greater than mid - potency fluticasone cream ( cutivate ™ cream ). the potency of the fluticasone lotion was less than the high - potency corticosteroid preparations . application of the lotion formulation over 4 weeks resulted in a superior adverse event profile devoid of commonly encountered side effects encountered using corticosteroids in the mid - to - high potency range . the instant fluticasone lotion was assessed in view of projected efficacy outcomes from the vasoconstrictor assay ( vc assay ) in humans and corroborated by efficacy outcomes in multicenter vehicle - controlled clinical trials . it was highly desirable for the lotion formulation to show both systemic ( adrenal axis suppression ) and local ( atrophogenic ) responses to corticosteroids . the fluticasone lotion was unexpectedly superior in both categories , and particularly superior in that no atrophy was observed ( based on associated signs ) even in the more susceptible region ( i . e ., the face , head and neck ). the vasoconstrictor assay ( vc assay ; mckenzie and stoughton ) is a standard dermatological assay used to predict the potency of corticosteroid formulations . potency is related to both side effect potential and efficacy in the treatment of mild to severe dermatoses . reactions of particular concern include skin thinning ( atrophy , including telangectasia ), and adrenal axis suppression , which can occur more often ( 1 ) under occlusions or ( 2 ) when higher potency corticosteroids are employed . in the vc assay , fluticasone lotion 0 . 05 % was compared to low - potency ( hytone ™ lotion ), mid - potency ( cutivate ™ cream ; and fluticasone cream 0 . 05 %) and high - potency ( temovate ™ cream ; elocon ™ lotion ). potency was estimated for two subject populations ( intent to treat and positive responders ) and includes 3 outcome assessments : 2 - hour mean blanching score , are under the time - blanching score curve ( auc ) and average mean blanching from 5 timepoints . the results from the “ responder ” population is summarised in table 2 . in addition , as shown in table 3 , criticality for the presence of fluticasone in the lotion of the present invention was established by the comparison between applying the vehicle alone ( the fluticasone lotion minus the fluticasone propionate ) and the fluticasone lotion . the fpl10005 , fpl3003 and fpl30004 studies used the following fluticasone 0 . 05 % lotion formulation . ingredient ( wt . %) fluticasone propionate ( micronized ) 0 . 05 cetostearyl alcohol , nf 5 . 0 isopropyl myristate , nf 1 . 0 dimethicone 360 , nf 1 . 0 polyoxyethylene ( 20 ) cetostearyl ether , nf 1 . 0 propylene glycol , usp 10 . 0 imidurea , nf 0 . 14 methylparaben , nf 0 . 17 propylparaben , nf 0 . 06 citric acid ( hydrous ), usp 0 . 05 sodium citrate , usp 0 . 08 purified water , usp balance ( also qsad ) [ 0049 ] table 3 outcome good to study diagnosis application no . subjects cleared (%) fpl30003 atopic qd for up to fpl ( 110 ) fpl ( 78 %)* dermatitis 4 weeks veh . ( 110 ) veh . ( 33 %) fpl30004 atopic qd for up to fpl ( 111 ) fpl ( 68 %)* dermatitis 4 weeks veh . ( 107 ) veh . ( 28 %) the data of table 3 show that the fluticasone lotion is more than twice as effective as the vehicle . in a once - a - day application , the differences (%) between the vehicle - only and the fluticasone lotion are 40 % and 45 % ( fpl30004 and fpl30003 , respectively ). the advantage of the fluticasone propionate lotion over the vehicle control was unexpectedly superior . it is worth noting that the fluticasone lotion application rate was half the preferred application rate of twice per day . systemic safety of fluticasone lotion ( study fpl10005 ) was assessed utilising the measurement of adrenal responsiveness to a challenge of cosyntropin ( acth 1 - 29 ) and measuring the plasma levels of cortisol both before and 30 minutes after acth challenge . hpa axis was considered suppressed if the cortisol response to the challenge was less than 18 ug / dl . these studies were conducted in paediatric populations from 3 months to 5 years of age . because children have a high ratio of body mass to surface , that population is considered to be more at risk than adults . in these studies fluticasone formulations were tested following a 3 or 4 week course of twice daily application of the fluticasone lotion to at least 35 % of the body surface area in subjects with moderate to severe eczema . the results are summarised in table 4 . these data show that the fluticasone lotion did not suppress the adrenal responsiveness to acth stimulation . cutivate ™ lotion produced low adrenal suppression as evaluated by the cosyntropin ( acth 1 - 29 ) stimulation test in paediatric subjects . this age group would be expected to be the most susceptible to side effects of corticosteroids . no adrenal suppression was noted for cutivate ™ lotion . these results were unexpectedly superior based on potency estimates from the vc assay . treating skin diseases with topical corticosteroids is of particular concern where the skin is thin ( e . g ., the face ) due to the potential atrophy side effect . skin atrophy and atrophy - associated signs ( such as telangectasia ) were monitored in safety studies ( hpa axis suppression ) and efficacy ( multicenter pivotal trials ). the fluticasone lotion showed no atrophy - associated changes ( see table 4 ). in addition , atrophogenic potential was assessed in two large multicenter trials ( fpl30003 , n = 110 treated with fluticasone ); fpl30004 ; n = 111 treated with fluticasone ). the subjects had moderate - to - severe atopic dermatitis . after once daily administration for up to 4 weeks , no atrophy or associated signs were ascribed to drug treatment . based on the observed outcomes in the vc assay ( used to predict clinical potency ), it was expected ( 1 ) that the therapeutic benefit would be only slightly more than that for cutivate ™ cream and ( 2 ) that the side effects would reflect those observed for cutivate ™ cream . the results were unexpected in that the lotion formulation was more effective than , and superior to , the cream . at half the application rate of fluticasone lotion , a lack of side effects were observed . that observation was unexpected since application of steroids of similar potency typically cause some side effects . as noted herein for the lotion , the lack of both systemic ( hpa axis suppression ) and local side effects , even to sensitive areas such as the face ( head and neck region ) was unexpected . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications and equivalents thereof may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims . | US-80084004-A |
a self contained rectangular fiberglass watering trough supportable by hangers and mountable on a platform or pedestal and defining a water holding cavity containing a novel detachable cover over a part of the cavity covering a valve means for controlling water flow into the cavity . | referring more particularly to the drawing by characters of reference , fig1 discloses a livestock watering trough 10 arranged for hanging on spaced upright supports ( not shown ) fitted or seated on a concrete platform ( also not shown ). it should be noted that the terminology livestock watering trough is intended to cover the usage of this trough for any feeding and watering purpose for animals of any type such as , for example , swine , cattle , horses , sheep and the like . the trough may be precast to any form defining a concave surface 11 which will hold water and may be sloped to one corner , if so desired . as shown more clearly in fig4 and 5 the outer surface of the trough may be formed from a precast or molded plastic or fiberglass 12 of one piece which defines pockets 13 underneath the turned over edges of the concave surface 11 and between it and the inside and end walls of the cavity of the trough . as shown in fig2 the precast plastic or fiberglass trough of fig1 is supported by a framework 15 which may comprise a pair of right angular end members 16 and 16a having a pair cylindrical members 17 and 17a attached thereto which are arranged to extend longitudinally of the trough within the pockets 13 as shown in fig5 . these tubular members are interconnected in a telescopic manner by overlapping cylindrical members 18 , 18a . although it is desirable to form end members 16 and 16a and cylindrical members 17 and 17a of iron , steel , or aluminum any suitable material may be used such as plastic . the cylindrical members 18 , 18a may be formed of any material also such as the materials mentioned above , however , to lighten the weight of the framework and to conserve materials paper cylindrical members may be used since the strength of the trough is obtained from its fiberglass material . as shown in fig1 and 2 the end members 16 and 16a are each provided with a pair of spaced hanger flanges 19 , 19a which are intended to be suitably fastened to upright supporting posts ( not shown ) which are spacedly arranged for supporting the trough above the ground or on suitable platforms also not shown . although a pair of hanger flanges are shown at each end of the trough any suitable fastening means may be used of either one flange or other suitable clamping type structures . fig3 illustrates another frame structure 20 for supporting the fiberglass trough in the manner disclosed above which is formed from a pair of right angular side members 21 , 21a and a pair of right angular end members 22 , 22a . these members are suitably fastened together such as by welding to form a rigid rectangular frame structure over and around which the trough is molded . it should be recognized , as shown in fig1 that the sides and ends of the trough forming cavity 11 extend around its ends to form a continuous uninterrupted surface with rounded corners to eliminate pockets which collect dirt and unused food products . when the trough is used for watering purposes , it is fitted with plumbing fixtures to provide controlled water flow and drainage for the trough . fig4 discloses the well known float valve 24 having an inlet pipe 25 entering into the bottom thereof and communicating with the inside of the trough and more particularly watering cavity 11 . float valve 24 is provided with a control valve ( not shown ) within the confines of the trough underneath the watering cavity 11 which is accessible to be closed or partially closed as hereinafter explained at its upper end by valve 24 . valve 24 controls the flow of water from pipe 25 into trough 10 . as shown in fig4 inlet pipe 25 is positioned in a coupling 26 mounted in the bottom of cavity 12 usually at one end of the trough . valve 24 is actuated as a function of the fluid level in the tank by a lever 27 coupled to a float 28 located within the cavity of the trough in a wellknown manner . valve 24 may be of any suitable type used for toilets and accordingly will not be shown or described herein since it is not the point of novelty of this invention . lever 27 is attached to valve 24 to open and close it depending on the position of float 28 . pipe 29 interconnecting pipe 25 with valve 24 at coupling 26 may be provided with a suitable opening or part ( not shown ) which is not controlled by valve 24 so that a limited amount of water will constantly flow into the trough at all times . this method has been used to attempt to keep the water from freezing and to a limited extent has been successful , however , in cold weather the tank would freeze thereby not only keeping the livestock from water but at times depending on the material from which it was formed destroying the watering trough . an overflow pipe 30 is mounted on the opposite end of the trough from valve 24 which is suitably connected through well - known coupling means 34 to a drain pipe extending through a platform on which the trough is mounted and into a sump or drainage system or ditch as so desired . this overflow pipe drains off the water continually flowing through the trough due to the controlled but continuous flow from pipe 29 . in accordance with the invention , the precast or molded trough is at least partially covered on the underside with a suitable insulation such as a thermosetting plastic material 35 which may be placed over and around the framework 15 when the trough , shown in fig1 and 2 , is formed . the trough at that time should have its pipe 25 installed therein so that it can be covered by the plastic during its curing period . this method of insulating the underside of the watering cavity forms a continuous layer of close cell plastic material which substantially eliminates condensation along the bottom of the cavity as well as within any space that remains between the underside of the watering cavity and the framework and also eliminates or greatly reduces the spaces sought by varmints . as shown in fig1 and 7 , the valving means is enclosed by a suitable cover 37 to keep the animals from disturbing this mechanism . this cover comprises a right angular member formed of a horizontally positioned member 38 and a vertically positioned member 39 extending towards the bottom of the trough permitting water to flow from pipe 29 under member 39 toward overflow pipe 30 . member 38 is arranged to fit within a groove 40 formed in the top surface of the trough over the valving mechanism and supports a prong interlocking mechanism 41 which is so positioned on the underside of member 38 to fit into an opening 41 &# 39 ; in the end surface of the trough as shown in fig6 . in order to lock the cover in position on the trough a spring biasing means 42 is provided which is mounted on the inside of the cover when positioned over the valve mechanism . this spring biasing means , as shown in fig7 comprises a pair of curved finger members 43 , 43a which are fixedly attached to member 39 of the cover 37 at a point 44 and extend upwardly to the underside of member 38 where elbow 45 , 45a are arranged to guide the free ends of the finger members 43 , 43a laterally of the cover and the trough in guides 46 , 46a . in normal spring biased position the free ends of these finger members extend outwardly of the cover member into suitable catches 47 , 47a mounted in the cavity of the trough at the valve mechanism end thereof . in order to retract the free ends of the finger members 43 , 43a to either release the cover from the trough or to position the cover on the trough , the finger members must be biased toward each other . this is accomplished by merely forcing the resilient finger members toward each other and is accomplished by the operator placing two of his fingers through apertures 48 , 48a formed in member 39 of the cover and forcing the finger members toward each other . thus by biasing the finger members together and then sliding member 38 of cover 37 along groove 40 of trough 10 , prong 41 may be slid into opening 41 &# 39 ; in the trough . in this position the finger members are released and their free ends then move into catches 47 , 47a to lock the cover in place over the valving mechanism . to remove the cover from the trough the operator places two of his fingers of one hand through apertures 48 , 48a , grips finger members 43 , 43a , biases them together to retract their free ends from catches 47 , 47a and then slides cover 37 along grooves 40 to retract prong 41 from opening 41 &# 39 ;. the cover may then be lifted off of the trough exposing the valving mechanism . in view of the fact that the spring biasing means 42 and its hardware are all mounted underneath the cover in a concealed position the livestock can not get to it to release the cover to damage the valving mechanism . only a human with finger capable of reaching into apertures 48 , 48a can reach the spring biasing means to remove the cover . thus , a new and improved livestock feeding and watering trough is provided which is precast or molded from plastic or fiberglass and insulated in a new manner to provide an improvement over any trough found in the market place . although but one embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims . | US-48322474-A |
single or gangable multiplexed animal bathing stations comprise a rearward sloped wash platform between two side courtesy walls , along with a back splash wall and a rearward sloped floor . a wash platform -- back splash wall drainage gap g improves drainage , cleanliness and efficiency , along with rearward tilted station floor angles β floor and wash platform angles β platform , which improve drainage and animal - groomer stance . gangable animal bathing stations are disclosed that share common walls and effluent processing for passage to a central waste filtration and treatment means . | referring to fig1 and 2 , there is shown a multistation ganged structure , revealing three complete individual ganged multiplexed animal bathing stations and a portion of a fourth . fig1 and 2 show a parallel perspective surface view and a cross - sectional top view , respectively . animal bathing stations s1 , s2 , s3 , and s4 , each possess individual or shared walls and floor ; namely station floor fl , back splash wall 2 , extended side wall 3 , front wall 4 , and side courtesy wall 9 . each animal bathing station has a front end f and a rear end r . the side courtesy wall 9 and extended side wall 3 are generally integral with each other , but the side courtesy wall 9 has a greater height to confine splash , waste water and debris , and to isolate the animal acoustically and visually from other animals being bathed . side courtesy walls 9 that are located between two adjacent animal bathing stations , e . g ., between animal bathing stations s2 and s3 are to be considered as one central ( shared ) wall . installed within each front wall 4 is one - way entrance door 10 hung using door hinge and spring assembly 15 and door stop bars 19 permanently affixed to , or integral with front wall 4 . in practice , the animal to be bathed is led by the groomer through one - way entrance door 10 and is prompted gently to hop onto a wash platform 22 , which is affixed to both left and right side courtesy walls 9 in a manner described below . animal anchor hooks 30 are provided in back splash wall 2 to allow a leash or anchor line to be attached thereto . the back splash wall 2 , extended side wall 3 , front wall 4 , and side courtesy wall 9 may be completely integrated as one wall or assembly , and may be constructed of a variety of known materials , as in known in art . liners may be installed in the vicinity of wash platform 22 to facilitate cleaning -- particularly suitable for this purpose is corrugated reinforced polypropylene sheets of 4 mm or 8 mm sheet thickness which may be attached to the wall in question using conventional means . the animal bathing stations may be fabricated individually and joined using techniques known in the art . alternatively , the various walls and the floor may be built from cement , brick , wood , or other materials . in each animal bathing station , there is provided a soap / water mixer 60 which provides a steady supply of premixed detergent solution for bathing . the soap / water mixer 60 obtains temperature controlled water from tempered water supply 67 , while also drawing as needed from soap supply 62 via soap intake line 63 . the soap / water mixer 60 functions to provide under pressure a precise soap / water mix , for all flow and temperature conditions , to gun hose 61 and a trigger - operated wash gun 66 . the operation and construction of soap / water mixer 60 is known in the art , and such systems are widely used . wash gun 66 allows small partial flows and variable spray patterns that are useful for the various parts of the wash cycle : 1 ! wet down ; 2 ! fur agitation ; 3 ! fur soap down ; 4 ! fur scrub ; 5 ! animal rinsing ; and 6 ! cleaning the station floor fl , wash platform 22 , walls , and other surfaces . a main advantage of such a mixer system is that the soap is easily applied , and the animal easily washed , while leaving one hand free to master the animal . all stations share a common temperature - regulated water line , not shown , that supplies each tempered water supply 67 with clean water at a preset temperature . the optimal water supply temperature for bathing dogs has been found to be 86 °- 94 ° fahrenheit . when the washing cycle has been completed , a rinse cycle using the above wash gun 66 is made possible by use of rinse bypass 68 and rinse bypass valve 69 . when rinse bypass valve 69 is opened , tempered water supply 67 is allowed to bypass the entire soap / water mixer 60 via rinse bypass 68 , feeding the wash gun 66 directly with clean water . when a soap / water solution for washing is desired at wash gun 66 , the rinse bypass valve 69 may be closed . when finished using wash gun 66 , it may be holstered or retained by one of accessory hooks 39 . the soap / water mixer 60 and associated components are available commercially . one such unit is the champion ® groomer manufactured by chemilizer ™ products , inc ., located at 12745 49th street , clearwater , fla ., u . s . it is a non - electrically operated , self - functioning unit which can provide up to 11 gallons per minute , using a preset soap / water mix rate of either 1 oz or 2 oz liquid soap to one gallon of water from tempered water supply 67 . to accomplish the soap - water mixing , incoming water from tempered water supply 67 drives a turbine inside the soap / water mixer 60 . the turbine in turn drives a piston - operated pump that draws up soap from soap supply 62 for mixture with water from tempered water supply 67 . presently available units also allow that a fur conditioner may be applied through the soap / water mixer 60 instead -- the operation will be the same , without departing from the scope of the invention . for a setup using both liquid soap and liquid fur conditioner , there would be provided two reservoirs similar to soap supply 62 , with the needed valving to switch from soap to conditioner and vice versa . each animal bathing station is also provided with hot air dryer 79 , mounted in a conventional manner to the rear side of back splash wall 2 ( not shown ). hot air dryer 79 exhausts heated air to dryer hose 71 , which is shown draped in storage over the top of rinse bypass 68 . after the above washing steps are completed , the animal may be hose - dried in a conventional manner and the dryer hose may also be used to dry off the walls , floor and wash platform 22 . fig2 shows a top view of wash platform 22 where an important feature is shown , namely , the existence of a wash platform -- back splash wall drainage gap g , as shown in animal bathing station s1 . this gap is typically 20 - 30 mm allowing waste water , hair , and debris to fall through the gap to the floor instead of collecting on wash platform 22 . any g may be used , depending upon the width and composition of the debris encountered , and upon the water flow rates . in the station floor fl at the rear of the animal bathing station are established a waste water canal 91 and canal pass - through apertures 90 , shown in a top hidden view through the wash platform 22 . these features will be discussed in greater detail below . now referring to fig3 which shows a close - up angular perspective surface view of a portion of a typical animal bathing station ; and fig4 which shows a close - up parallel perspective surface view of a portion of the ganged animal bathing station as seen through a cutout co in the area of the entrance door -- additional important features are shown and described . in fig3 a close - up view of the lower rear portion of an animal bathing station reveals a waste water canal 91 situated under the wash platform 22 for carrying away waste water , hair and debris . the waste water canal 91 may be oriented to exhaust its load to the left or to the right via canal pass - through aperture 90 inside side courtesy wall 9 . as can be seen in this figure , a liner has been affixed to side courtesy wall 9 to facilitate drainage and cleaning . additionally , the station floor fl is sloped with respect to the horizontal to a station floor angle β floor to allow gravity feeding of waste water or rinse water away from the operator standing to the front of wash platform 22 into the waste water canal 91 . station floor angle β floor has been found effective between 10 ° and 12 °, but any substantial angle will allow effective , effortless drainage of the station floor fl . if , during a wash , clumps of fur or debris fall to the station floor , the groomer can wash down the station floor fl using wash gun 66 without the need for direct scrubbing or sweeping of the floor . another advantage of a sloped station floor fl is that it puts the station operator or groomer in a slight forward stance with respect to the animal being bathed , allowing greater control over the animal , increasing bathing efficiency and productivity . another important feature of this invention is the wash platform 22 , which may be constructed from 3 / 4 &# 34 ; marine plywood or other well known materials . black rubber sheet may be used to form a replaceable liner on the service portion of wash platform 22 . much improved results have been obtained via trial and error by having the wash platform 22 ordinarily sloped rearward with respect to the horizontal by a wash platform angle β platform , with the optimal angle found to be between 10 ° and 12 °, as shown in fig3 . having the wash platform 22 angled rearward 10 °- 12 ° has been found not only to allow effective drainage and sweeping away of waste water and hair -- without the need for stopping work to specifically spray it off -- but it also provides a stabilizing force that keeps the animal on the platform , rather than attempting to &# 34 ; rush &# 34 ; the operator or to try to walk or jump off . the angled platform , in effect , induces a sense of calmness and acceptance in the animals washed . if desired , the wash platform 22 may be hinged and removable , as shown in fig4 . in this figure , wash platform 22 is shown in a tilted up position , which facilitates removal and cleaning . wash platform 22 is supported by four wash platform support arms 20 affixed or held by both left and right side courtesy walls 9 . wash platform support arms 20 are affixed to the side courtesy walls 9 using any number of fastening means known in the art , such as concrete anchors . wash platform 22 is hingeably supported by two wash platform frame rails 21 , with the rearward frame rail 21 incorporating a conventional wash platform hinge assembly 25 that allows the tilting as shown and total removal of wash platform 22 if desired . different support arrangements for the wash platform 22 may be substituted , with the platform supported by support arms fixed to only one of either the left or right side courtesy wall 9 ; alternatively the wash platform 22 may be supported either by the back splash wall 2 or the station floor fl . it has been found that the waste water canal 91 functions satisfactorily when set at a waste canal slope angle β canal with respect to the horizontal , as shown , to allow gravity feeding of the individual effluents from each animal bathing station down the canal . this multiplexes the effluents from each station , greatly simplifying the maintenance of the stations because it allows use of only one waste treatment and / or filtration means ( not shown ) and a single treated discharge ( not shown ). an effective waste canal slope angle β canal is 5 °, but any substantial angle will perform satisfactorily . if desired , the waste water canal 91 may be made integral with the station floor fl , such as when plastic panels are used to form the station structure . in addition , one may change the direction of the wash platform 22 slope , electing , for example , to have the wash platform 22 drain to the side toward side courtesy wall 9 . multiplexed animal bathing stations according to the present invention may be modular in construction , using easily assembled panels or walls of any reasonable thickness , using any number of structural materials as is known in the art , including resin , plastic , metal , glass , or composite structures . they may ganged together using conventional fasteners , and without need for elaborate or expensive waste plumbing . ground fault interrupter - protected electrical receptacles may be provided , as well any number of signaling or monitoring devices to aid in animal handling or control . any number of animal bathing stations may be ganged together , and the configurations employed may be varied -- for example , the stations may be arranged in a circular arrangement in lieu of the linear one shown here -- without departing from the scope of the invention . pentagonal or quadrant arrangements of the animal bathing stations may be used as well . alternatively , the multiplexed animal bathing stations may be placed back to back ( rear section r of one station joined with rear section r of another station ), with common sharing of a double width waste water canal 91 , with joined canal pass - through apertures 90 . in addition , the invention may be practiced using only some of the angles and features mentioned above . using a station structure that allows the groomer to occupy the same type of physical space as the animal or pet , a sense of calmness is induced in the animal when contrasted to a bathing arrangement whereby an animal is thrust into a tub or sink type of enclosure . the front wall 4 , side courtesy wall 9 , extended side wall 3 and one - way entrance door 10 all serve to isolate successfully the bathed animal from distractions and threats from animals , noise , etc . by using shared walls and utilities , the cost per station is driven down . in interpreting the appended claims , it is important to note that as the claims are written , the word &# 34 ; water &# 34 ;-- as in the water the animal is bathed with , or the waste water that results from bathing processes in the animal bathing station ( s )-- is a general term , and that it is intended here that liquids or even solids ( e . g ., sand , particulates ) may be substituted in lieu of water for bathing or even drying . obviously , many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teaching . it is therefore to be understood , that within the scope of the appended claims , the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described or suggested here . | US-61265996-A |
a method of attaching or reattaching a ligament , tendon , cartilage or other soft tissue to a bone mass has the steps of : positioning or placing the ligament , tendon , cartilage or other soft tissue adjacent to the bone mass ; anchoring or otherwise fastening the ligament , tendon , cartilage or soft tissue to the bone mass ; and transmitting shock waves to the ligament , tendon or other soft tissue and the bone mass . preferably the ligament , tendon , cartilage or other soft tissue is positioned in the path of the emitted shock waves and away from geometric focal volume or point of the emitted shock waves . the shock waves may be transmitted during the surgical procedure or post operatively in one or more treatment dosages or both . in so treating the ligament , tendon , cartilage or other soft tissue should be positioned at a distance away from any geometric focal point to minimize hemorrhaging . the soft tissue may include cartilage or muscle tissue . in the case of cartilage , the tissue can be inserted into a bone mass prepared cavity and optionally anchored there by a covering bone plug . | when soft tissue tears away from bone , reattachment becomes necessary . various devices including sutures alone , screws , staples , wedges and plugs have been used to secure soft tissue to the bone . recently various types of threaded suture anchors have been employed for this purpose . suture anchors are fasteners that are screwed into predrilled holes or otherwise self - tapping into a bone mass such that the suture anchor can be embedded in the bone mass wherein a suture can be placed through an opening in the anchor which can therefore be used to tie the ligaments , tendons or other soft tissue to the bone structure . this means to anchor the soft tissue around the bone insures that the ligament or tendon stays in a position that is most suitable for repair in that during the healing process the ligament or tendon can reattach itself to the underlying bone structure without being displaced or otherwise remain unattached . as shown in fig1 , a representative suture anchor 70 is shown of a corkscrew type threaded fastener that improves the pull out characteristics of the anchor 70 when installed in soft bone tissue or bone mass 101 . other fasteners with less dramatic pitch on the screw threads 71 are known to be used to also provide this function of anchoring ligaments , tendons or other soft onto the bone structure . the corkscrew anchor 70 as illustrated in fig1 is fully described in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 916 , 333 b2 and is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety . the opening 72 provides a way to attach the ligament or tendon to the bone mass 101 when installed a suture is tied to the opening and then around the tissue to secure it against the bone mass 101 . with reference to fig1 a tapered bioabsorbable interference screw for endosteal fixation of ligaments 120 is illustrated . it is described in detail in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 875 , 216 b2 . the bioabsorbable interference screw 80 preferably has the threads 81 along the entire length of the screw shaft and is used in acl reconstruction wherein the graft preferably a hamstring tendon graph is secured , preferably by interference screw fixation installation on device 85 in a femoral socket 105 formed through the tibial tunnel 106 as described for example in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 320 , 626 ; the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . the hamstring graft has been drawn taught and secured in the tibial tunnel 106 by insertion of the bioabsorbable interference screw 80 which can be fully cannulated , a guide pin 83 may optionally be employed to guide the interference screw during the delivery and installation . these and other aspects of the methodology of securing such a ligament are taught in detail in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 875 , 216 b2 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . with reference to fig1 and 16 a method of loading tendons 122 into the knee is illustrated wherein the surgical method for loading ligament grafts into a joint is taught whereby a longitudinal socket 105 formed in a bone is intersected by a transverse pin . a flexible strand 90 is drawn with the pin through the bone ; a loop portion of the strand is diverted so it protrudes out of the entrance to the longitudinal socket . the ends of the strands remaining accessible on either side of bone 101 through the opening 107 . the ligament graft or tendon 122 is captured within the strand loop 92 protruding from the entrance of the socket 105 . the strand 90 is retracted into the socket drawing the graft 122 into the socket by pulling on accessible ends of the flexible strand with forceps 88 . the graft 122 is fixed in the socket 105 using the transverse implant or pin 86 which is located in the opening 107 . as shown in fig1 , the transverse implant or pin 86 passes through a loop 123 created in the tendon or ligament 122 in such a fashion that the tendon or ligament 122 is securely maintained in the upper joint 110 relative to the lower joint 112 after which a screw 80 of the interference type is passed through the tibial tunnel 105 in order to fix the graft 122 wherein the femoral tunnel 105 a is narrow so the tendon fits snugly within the tibial tunnel 105 in the femoral socket thus avoiding wiping of the tendons 122 along the implant . this procedure is as taught in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 537 , 319 the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . with further reference to fig1 , it is noted that a shock wave applicator or head 43 is placed on the surgical site near to or in proximity to the ligament 120 or tendon 122 being attached . the shock wave will transmit preferable low energy shock waves 200 to the treated area such that the shock waves will induce and stimulate rapid healing of the surgical site . additionally the area surrounding and including the surgical wound get a stimulation induced by the shock waves wherein the muscle and skin tissue more rapidly heal which greatly enhances recovery . this is close in part to living tissue exposed to shock waves , particularly those cut or otherwise damaged during surgery having an impaired regeneration of cells and growth of new tissue after being exposed to shock waves particularly low energy or unfocused waves that induce growth without causing any undue and harmful cellular hemorrhaging . these and other benefits of shock wave treatments in combination with the anchoring of soft tissue such as ligaments , tendons , muscle or cartilage to bone mass to be described hereinafter . in each of the representative treatments as shown in fig1 through 16 the shockwave applicator can be used within a sterile sleeve or covering and may simply be disinfected using a suitable antimicrobial disinfecting agent prior to use . alternatively the applicator may be sterilized when used without a sterile sleeve . the sleeves or coverings are preferably disposable and should be discarded after use . when treating any tissue or organ the sterile sleeve holding the applicator or in the case of using the applicator without a sleeve the tissue contacting surface should be coupled acoustically by using known means such as sterile fluids or viscous gels like ultrasound gels or even nacl solutions to couple the transmitted shock wave into the organ in an aseptic sterile fashion . in each of the above described surgical procedures a complimentary shock wave method of treating the surgical site 100 with an at least partially exposed target site on the surgical area or volume wherein the area to be treated , hereinafter referred to as the target site 100 , is positioned in a convenient orientation to permit the source of the emitted waves 200 to most directly send the waves unobstructed to the target site to initiate shock wave stimulation of the soft tissue , tendon 122 , ligament 120 or cartilage within target area 100 with minimal preferably no interfering tissue or bone 101 features in the path of the emitting source or lens . assuming the target area 100 is within a projected area of the wave transmission , a single transmission dosage of wave energy may be used . the transmission dosage can be from a few seconds to 20 minutes or more depending on the condition . preferably the waves are generated from an unfocused or focused source . the unfocused waves can be divergent or near planar and having a low pressure amplitude and density in the range of 0 . 00001 mj / mm 2 to 1 . 0 mj / mm 2 or less , most typically below 0 . 2 mj / mm 2 . the focused source preferably can use a diffusing lens or have a far - sight focus to minimize if not eliminate having the localized focus point within the tissue . preferably the focused shock waves are used at a similarly effective low energy transmission or alternatively can be at higher energy but wherein the tissue target site is disposed pre - convergence inward of the geometric focal point of the emitted wave transmission . these shock wave energy transmissions are effective in stimulating a cellular response and can be accomplished without creating the cavitation bubbles in the tissue of the target site . this effectively insures the treated tissues do not have to experience the sensation of hemorrhaging so common in the higher energy focused wave forms having a focal point at or within the targeted treatment site . if the target site 100 is subjected to a surgical procedure as described above , exposing at least some if not all of the tissue or bone mass within the target surgical site 100 may require that the patient or the generating source must be reoriented relative to the site and a second , third or more treatment dosage can be administered . the fact that the dosage is at a low energy the common problem of localized hemorrhaging is reduced making it more practical to administer multiple dosages of waves from various orientations to further optimize the treatment and cellular stimulation of the target site . heretofore focused high energy multiple treatments induced pain and discomfort to the patient , particularly when bone mass was being impinged by the transmitted shock waves . the use of low energy focused or un - focused waves at the target site enables multiple sequential treatments in an almost pain free way . the present method does not rely on precise site location per se due in part to the fact that the shock waves are not focused to impinge at a precise point . the physician &# 39 ; s general understanding of the anatomy of the patient should be sufficient to locate the target area to be treated . this is particularly true when the exposed tissue is visually within the surgeon &# 39 ; s line of sight and this permits the lens or cover of the emitting shock wave source to impinge on the tissue directly during the shockwave treatment . the treated area can withstand a far greater number of shock waves based on the selected energy level being emitted . for example at very low energy levels the stimulation exposure can be provided over prolonged periods as much as 20 minutes if so desired . at higher energy levels the treatment duration can be shortened to less than a minute , less than a second if so desired . the limiting factor in the selected treatment dosage is avoidance or minimization of cell hemorrhaging and other kinds of damage to the cells or tissue while still providing a stimulating stem cell activation or a cellular release or activation of vegf and other growth factors . this methodology is also useful in stimulating enforcement of defense mechanisms in tissue cells to fight infections from bacteria and can be beneficially used germicidally to treat or cleanse the surgical wounds and surrounding tissue which is a primary concern in these procedures . the implications of using the ( re ) generative features of this type of shock wave therapy are any weakened soft tissue or bone can be strengthened to the point of reducing or eliminating the risk of irreparable damage or failure . this regenerative feature is quite valuable in reconstruction , repair , or transplanting of tendons , ligaments , cartilage or muscle tissue onto a bone mass . the use of the shock wave in combination with the above described surgical procedure as part of the surgical operation provides the fastest stimulation of the treatment site . in addition the patient may benefit by the use of stimulating shock wave treatments post operatively by receiving one or more separate treatments over a period of time to periodically stimulate the cells within the tissue . these shock wave treatments improve vascularization and tissue growth it is believed by stimulating otherwise dormant stem cells within the body and by causing a release of healing agents and growth factors all of which contribute to more rapid healing and attachment to the underlying bone mass . to better appreciate how shock waves work one must gain an appreciation of the apparatus and devices used to generate such wave patterns . applicants have applied this treatment therapy to cartilage and tendon orthoscopic repairs and have reduced the healing time from over 6 weeks to less than 2 weeks . these and other beneficial treatments are made possible by using an apparatus with a shock wave emission either singularly or in an array as described below in the embodiments shown in fig1 - 12 . as shown in fig1 the shock waves are illustrated as 200 , it is understood that each of the shock wave patterns illustrated in fig1 - 12 are intended to be available for use in the inventive treatment therapy as described herein . fig1 a is a simplified depiction of the a pressure pulse / shock wave ( pp / sw ) generator , such as a shock wave head , showing focusing characteristics of transmitted acoustic pressure pulses . numeral 1 indicates the position of a generalized pressure pulse generator , which generates the pressure pulse and , via a focusing element , focuses it outside the housing to treat tissue . the tissue is generally located in or near the focal point which is located in or near position 6 . at position 17 a water cushion or any other kind of exit window for the acoustical energy is located . fig1 b is a simplified depiction of a pressure pulse / shock wave generator , such as a shock wave head , with plane wave characteristics . numeral 1 indicates the position of a pressure pulse generator according to the present invention , which generates a pressure pulse which is leaving the housing at the position 17 , which may be a water cushion or any other kind of exit window . somewhat even ( also referred to herein as “ disturbed ”) wave characteristics can be generated , in case a paraboloid is used as a reflecting element , with a point source ( e . g . electrode ) that is located in the focal point of the paraboloid . the waves will be transmitted into the patient &# 39 ; s body via a coupling media such as , e . g ., ultrasound gel or oil and their amplitudes will be attenuated with increasing distance from the exit window 17 . fig1 c is a simplified depiction of a pressure pulse shock wave generator ( shock wave head ) with divergent wave characteristics . the divergent wave fronts may be leaving the exit window 17 at point 11 where the amplitude of the wave front is very high . this point 17 could be regarded as the source point for the pressure pulses . in fig1 c the pressure pulse source may be a point source , that is , the pressure pulse may be generated by an electrical discharge of an electrode under water between electrode tips . however , the pressure pulse may also be generated , for example , by an explosion . the divergent characteristics of the wave front may be a consequence of the mechanical setup shown in fig2 b . fig2 a is a simplified depiction of a pressure pulse / shock wave generator ( shock wave head ) according to the present invention having an adjustable or exchangeable ( collectively referred to herein as “ movable ”) housing around the pressure wave path . the apparatus is shown in a focusing position . fig2 a is similar to fig1 a but depicts an outer housing ( 16 ) in which the acoustical pathway ( pressure wave path ) is located . in a preferred embodiment , this pathway is defined by especially treated water ( for example , temperature controlled , conductivity and gas content adjusted water ) and is within a water cushion or within a housing having a permeable membrane , which is acoustically favorable for the transmission of the acoustical pulses . in certain embodiments , a complete outer housing ( 16 ) around the pressure pulse / shock wave generator ( 1 ) may be adjusted by moving this housing ( 16 ) in relation to , e . g ., the focusing element in the generator . however , as the person skilled in the art will appreciate , this is only one of many embodiments of the present invention . while the figure shows that the exit window ( 17 ) may be adjusted by a movement of the complete housing ( 16 ) relative to the focusing element , it is clear that a similar , if not the same , effect can be achieved by only moving the exit window , or , in the case of a water cushion , by filling more water in the volume between the focusing element and the cushion . fig2 a shows the situation in which the arrangement transmits focused pressure pulses . fig2 b is a simplified depiction of the pressure pulse / shock wave generator ( shock wave head ) having an adjustable or exchangeable housing around the pressure wave path with the exit window 17 being in the highest energy divergent position . the configuration shown in fig2 b can , for example , be generated by moving the housing ( 16 ) including the exit window ( 17 ), or only the exit window ( 17 ) of a water cushion , towards the right ( as shown in the figure ) to the second focus f 2 ( 20 ) of the acoustic waves . in a preferred embodiment , the energy at the exit window will be maximal . behind the focal point , the waves may be moving with divergent characteristics ( 21 ). fig2 c is a simplified depiction of the pressure pulse / shock wave generator ( shock wave head ) having an adjustable or exchangeable housing around the pressure wave path in a low energy divergent position . the adjustable housing or water cushion is moved or expanded much beyond f 2 position ( 20 ) so that highly divergent wave fronts with low energy density values are leaving the exit window ( 17 ) and may be coupled to a patient &# 39 ; s body . thus , an appropriate adjustment can change the energy density of a wave front without changing its characteristic . this apparatus may , in certain embodiments , be adjusted / modified / or the complete shock wave head or part of it may be exchanged so that the desired and / or optimal acoustic profile such as one having wave fronts with focused , nearly plane or divergent characteristics can be chosen . a change of the wave front characteristics may , for example , be achieved by changing the distance of the exit acoustic window relative to the reflector , by changing the reflector geometry , by introducing certain lenses or by removing elements such as lenses that modify the waves produced by a pressure pulse / shock wave generating element . exemplary pressure pulse / shock wave sources that can , for example , be exchanged for each other to allow an apparatus to generate waves having different wave front characteristics are described in detail below . in certain embodiments , the change of the distance of the exit acoustic window can be accomplished by a sliding movement . however , in other embodiments of the present invention , in particular , if mechanical complex arrangements , the movement can be an exchange of mechanical elements . in one embodiment , mechanical elements that are exchanged to achieve a change in wave front characteristics include the primary pressure pulse generating element , the focusing element , the reflecting element , the housing and the membrane . in another embodiment , the mechanical elements further include a closed fluid volume within the housing in which the pressure pulse is formed and transmitted through the exit window . in one embodiment , the apparatus of the present invention is used in combination therapy . here , the characteristics of waves emitted by the apparatus are switched from , for example , focused to divergent or from divergent with lower energy density to divergent with higher energy density . thus , effects of a pressure pulse treatment can be optimized by using waves having different characteristics and / or energy densities , respectively . while the above described universal toolbox of the present invention provides versatility , the person skilled in the art will appreciate that apparatuses that only produce waves having , for example , nearly plane characteristics , are less mechanically demanding and fulfill the requirements of many users . as the person skilled in the art will also appreciate that embodiments shown in drawings 1 a - 1 c and 2 a - 2 c are independent of the generation principle and thus are valid for not only electro - hydraulic shock wave generation but also for , but not limited to , pp / sw generation based on electromagnetic , piezoceramic and ballistic principles . the pressure pulse generators may , in certain embodiments , be equipped with a water cushion that houses water which defines the path of pressure pulse waves that is , through which those waves are transmitted . in a preferred embodiment , a patient is coupled via ultrasound gel or oil to the acoustic exit window ( 17 ), which can , for example , be an acoustic transparent membrane , a water cushion , a plastic plate or a metal plate . fig3 is a simplified depiction of the pressure pulse / shock wave apparatus having no focusing reflector or other focusing element . the generated waves emanate from the apparatus without coming into contact with any focusing elements . fig3 shows , as an example , an electrode as a pressure pulse generating element producing divergent waves ( 28 ) behind the ignition point defined by a spark between the tips of the electrode ( 23 , 24 ). fig4 a is a simplified depiction of the pressure pulse / shock wave generator ( shock wave head ) having as focusing element an ellipsoid ( 30 ). thus , the generated waves are focused at ( 6 ). fig4 b is a simplified depiction of the pressure pulse / shock wave generator ( shock wave head ) having as a focusing element an paraboloid ( y 2 = 2px ). thus , the characteristics of the wave fronts generated behind the exit window ( 33 , 34 , 35 , and 36 ) are disturbed plane (“ parallel ”), the disturbance resulting from phenomena ranging from electrode burn down , spark ignition spatial variation to diffraction effects . however , other phenomena might contribute to the disturbance . fig4 c is a simplified depiction of the pressure pulse / shock wave generator ( shock wave head ) having as a focusing element a generalized paraboloid ( y n = 2px , with 1 , 2 & lt ; n & lt ; 2 , 8 and n ≠ 2 ). thus , the characteristics of the wave fronts generated behind the exit window ( 37 , 38 , 39 , and 40 ) are , compared to the wave fronts generated by a paraboloid ( y 2 = 2px ), less disturbed , that is , nearly plane ( or nearly parallel or nearly even ( 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 )). thus , conformational adjustments of a regular paraboloid ( y 2 = 2px ) to produce a generalized paraboloid can compensate for disturbances from , e . g ., electrode burn down . thus , in a generalized paraboloid , the characteristics of the wave front may be nearly plane due to its ability to compensate for phenomena including , but not limited to , burn down of the tips of the electrode and / or for disturbances caused by diffraction at the aperture of the paraboloid . for example , in a regular paraboloid ( y 2 = 2px ) with p = 1 . 25 , introduction of a new electrode may result in p being about 1 . 05 . if an electrode is used that adjusts itself to maintain the distance between the electrode tips (“ adjustable electrode ”) and assuming that the electrodes burn down is 4 mm ( z = 4 mm ), p will increase to about 1 . 45 . to compensate for this burn down , and here the change of p , and to generate nearly plane wave fronts over the life span of an electrode , a generalized paraboloid having , for example n = 1 . 66 or n = 2 . 5 may be used . an adjustable electrode is , for example , disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 217 , 531 . fig4 d shows sectional views of a number of paraboloids . numeral 62 indicates a paraboloid of the shape y 2 = 2px with p = 0 . 9 as indicated by numeral 64 at the x axis which specifies the p / 2 value ( focal point of the paraboloid ). two electrode tips of a new electrode 66 ( inner tip ) and 67 ( outer tip ) are also shown in the figure . if the electrodes are fired and the tips are burning down the position of the tips change , for example , to position 68 and 69 when using an electrode which adjusts its position to compensate for the tip burn down . in order to generate pressure pulse / shock waves having nearly plane characteristics , the paraboloid has to be corrected in its p value . the p value for the burned down electrode is indicate by 65 as p / 2 = 1 . this value , which constitutes a slight exaggeration , was chosen to allow for an easier interpretation of the figure . the corresponding paraboloid has the shape indicated by 61 , which is wider than paraboloid 62 because the value of p is increased . an average paraboloid is indicated by numeral 60 in which p = 1 . 25 cm . a generalized paraboloid is indicated by dashed line 63 and constitutes a paraboloid having a shape between paraboloids 61 and 62 . this particular generalized paraboloid was generated by choosing a value of n ≠ 2 and a p value of about 1 . 55 cm . the generalized paraboloid compensates for different p values that result from the electrode burn down and / or adjustment of the electrode tips . fig5 is a simplified depiction of a set - up of the pressure pulse / shock wave generator ( 43 ) ( shock wave head ) and a control and power supply unit ( 41 ) for the shock wave head ( 43 ) connected via electrical cables ( 42 ) which may also include water hoses that can be used in the context of the present invention . however , as the person skilled in the art will appreciate , other set - ups are possible and within the scope of the present invention . fig6 is a simplified depiction of the pressure pulse / shock wave generator ( shock wave head ) having an electromagnetic flat coil 50 as the generating element . because of the plane surface of the accelerated metal membrane of this pressure pulse / shock wave generating element , it emits nearly plane waves which are indicated by lines 51 . in shock wave heads , an acoustic lens 52 is generally used to focus these waves . the shape of the lens might vary according to the sound velocity of the material it is made of . at the exit window 17 the focused waves emanate from the housing and converge towards focal point 6 . fig7 is a simplified depiction of the pressure pulse / shock wave generator ( shock wave head ) having an electromagnetic flat coil 50 as the generating element . because of the plane surface of the accelerated metal membrane of this generating element , it emits nearly plane waves which are indicated by lines 51 . no focusing lens or reflecting lens is used to modify the characteristics of the wave fronts of these waves , thus nearly plane waves having nearly plane characteristics are leaving the housing at exit window 17 . fig8 is a simplified depiction of the pressure pulse / shock wave generator ( shock wave head ) having an piezoceramic flat surface with piezo crystals 55 as the generating element . because of the plane surface of this generating element , it emits nearly plane waves which are indicated by lines 51 . no focusing lens or reflecting lens is used to modify the characteristics of the wave fronts of these waves , thus nearly plane waves are leaving the housing at exit window 17 . emitting surfaces having other shapes might be used , in particular curved emitting surfaces such as those shown in fig4 a to 4 c as well as spherical surfaces . to generate waves having nearly plane or divergent characteristics , additional reflecting elements or lenses might be used . the crystals might , alternatively , be stimulated via an electronic control circuit at different times , so that waves having plane or divergent wave characteristics can be formed even without additional reflecting elements or lenses . fig9 is a simplified depiction of the pressure pulse / shock wave generator ( shock wave head ) comprising a cylindrical electromagnet as a generating element 53 and a first reflector having a triangular shape to generate nearly plane waves 54 and 51 . other shapes of the reflector or additional lenses might be used to generate divergent waves as well . with reference to fig1 , 11 and 12 a schematic view of a shock wave generator or source 1 is shown emitting a shock wave front 200 from an exit window 17 . the shock wave front 200 has converging waves 202 extending to a focal point or focal geometric volume 20 at a location spaced a distance x from the generator or source 1 . thereafter the wave front 200 passes from the focal point or geometric volume 20 in a diverging wave pattern as has been discussed in the various other fig1 - 9 generally . with particular reference to fig1 a tissue or target site 100 is shown generally centered on the focal point or volume 20 at a location x 0 within the target site 100 . in this orientation the emitted waves are focused and thus are emitting a high intensity acoustic energy at the location x 0 . this location x 0 can be anywhere within or on the target site . assuming the tissue 100 has a mass 102 at location x 0 then the focus is located directly on the mass 102 . in one method of treating a tumor or any other type mass 102 these focused waves can be directed to destroy or otherwise reduce the mass 102 . with reference to fig1 , the target site 100 is shifted a distance x toward the generator or source 1 . the target site 100 at location x 0 being positioned a distance x - x 1 from the source 1 . this insures the site 100 is impinged by converging waves 202 but removed from the focal point 20 . when the site 100 is tissue this bombardment of converging waves 202 stimulates the cells activating the desired healing response as previously discussed . with reference to fig1 , the target 100 is shown shifted or located in the diverging wave portion 204 of the wave front 200 . as shown x 0 is now at a distance x 2 from the focal point or geometric volume 20 located at a distance x from the source 1 . accordingly x 0 is located a distance x + x 2 from the source 1 . as in fig1 this region of diverging waves 204 can be used to stimulate the tissue 100 which when the cellular tissue is a ligament , tendon or cartilage attached on or in a bone mass stimulates the cells to produce the desired healing effect or response . it is believed that the use of low energy shock waves to promote rapid healing and provide a germicidal infection barrier is a first use . the method stimulates tissue attachment to bone mass and is particularly valuable when such tissues have to be mechanically held in place by implanted anchors and fasteners . furthermore these treatments accelerate bone growth thereby helping any openings or drilled holes to more rapidly close . the benefits to the patent are reduced risk of infection and more rapid healing in a relatively pain free use of these low energy shock waves . it will be appreciated that the apparatuses and processes of the present invention can have a variety of embodiments , only a few of which are disclosed herein . it will be apparent to the artisan that other embodiments exist and do not depart from the spirit of the invention . thus , the described embodiments are illustrative and should not be construed as restrictive . | US-45841306-A |
the present disclosure provides a device and method for facilitating air flow in the nasal passage of a domestic animal . the device is a nasal support device useful for facilitating air flow during rest , physical exertion , respiratory ailment , etc . in one embodiment the nasal support device secures to the nose of a domestic animal to support the unsupported lateral vestibular walls of the nasal passages by lifting or stinting . | the invention is directed to devices and methods to support soft tissue at the rostral aspect of the nasal cavity of domestic mammals . as used herein , domestic mammals include most non - human production and performance animals having a nose incorporated into the face , rather than projecting therefrom , that can benefit from a device according to the invention . such mammals include , for example , dogs , sheep , goats , cattle , horses , camels , llamas , etc . a device according to the invention can be particularly useful for an equine , that is , members of the equidae family including horses , donkeys , mules , zebras etc . ; camels , or other animals which are used for work . “ work ” includes activities such as pulling , driving , racing ( flat , steeple , barrel , cutting , etc . ), eventing , hunting , jumping , rodeoing , trail riding , endurance riding , etc . in general , the device can be used anytime it is desired to facilitate or enhance air intake through the nasal passages . this includes use in the treatment of respiratory ailments in adult or young animals such as foals or calves . for the present disclosure , the devices and methods of the invention are directed to supporting the unsupported region of the “ vestibule ” in the rostral nasal cavity . the disclosure provides “ nasal support devices ” ( nsd ) and methods which are suitable for securing to an animal nose and supporting the associated external soft tissues . as used herein , the term rostral refers to that aspect of the nose or other anatomical structure closest to the apex of the nose . caudal refers to that aspect of the nose closest to the poll or caudal aspect of the head relative to the apex . the “ vestibule ” refers to the rostral aspect of the nasal cavity that is defined by the nostrils rostrally , the incisive bone ventrally , the nasal bone dorsally , the caudal intersection of the incisive and nasal bones caudally , and the nasal septum medially . thus , supported regions of the vestibule are supported by bone or cartilage . the “ unsupported ” region of the vestibule is also referred to as the “ lateral ( free ) wall ” of the vestibule . the lateral wall of the vestibule is the unsupported soft tissue defined by the nostrils rostrally , the lateral free border of the nasal bone dorsally , the dorsal free border of the incisive bone ventrally , and the intersection of the nasal and incisive bone caudally . in the horse , the dorsal border of the unsupported region can include the dorsal lateral nasal cartilage and , in some species , the ventral border can include the ventral lateral nasal cartilage . herein , “ soft tissue ” has its general meaning including skin , muscle , fat , connective tissue and associated integumentary structures . in general , the nasal anatomy of “ soft ” muzzled mammals such as the horse and camel give rise to unique mechanical problems in supporting the surrounding soft tissues . for example , in the horse , the alar cartilages that are attached at the rostral border of the nasal septum supports the alar fold which gives rise to the blind cutaneous pouch referred to as the “ false ” nostril . providing structural support for the vestibule of the horse preferably includes support of the alar fold . a suitable support device according to the invention , preferably causes minimal irritation to the skin or other anatomic structures of the animal when in use . another factor considered in providing an nsd for support of the vestibule of a horse or camel is the equipment including saddlery or harnesses worn by the animal when working . generally , “ saddlery ” refers to bits , bridles , martingales , muzzles , headcollars , saddles and other equipment used with a riding animal . “ harness ” refers to equipment used with a driving animal . an nsd of the invention , preferably does not interfere with the functioning of saddlery or harnesses and the saddlery or harnesses preferably do riot interfere with the functioning of the nsd . it should be noted that an nsd according to the present invention need only engage the lateral free wall of the vestibule . the nsd does not need to engage the nostril . in the horse , for example , the muscles of the nose and upper lip provide sufficient “ flaring ” of the nostril during labored breathing . generally , the nostril of the horse can expand to provide an opening to the nasal passage that is greater than the expandable size of the vestibular free wall . some exemplary embodiments of a device of the invention and its components are described below . throughout the specification guidance is provided by examples of representative groups , the groups are not meant to be limiting . the configuration of a nasal support device is determined by the configuration of the tissue to be supported and the amount of support needed typically , the unique nasal anatomy of domestic animals necessitates configurations , arrangements or dimensions which are different than that required for a human nose . some human nasal dilators such as disclosed in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 533 , 503 ; 5 , 546 , 929 ; 5 , 553 , 605 and re 35 , 408 have first and second enlarged ends joined by a narrow elongate intermediate section , giving a “ dumbell ” appearance . an nsd for domestic animals as disclosed herein , does not use such a tripartite arrangement . in a typical embodiment , an nsd disclosed herein for a domestic animal provides support to the right and left lateral vestibular walls of the animal . generally , the device includes a support layer having a right and left side piece which when secured to the nose of the animal are positioned to provide structural support to the right and left lateral vestibular walls . the “ right and left ” side pieces can also be referred to as “ first and second ” or “ second and first ” side pieces . the nsd is generally bilaterally symmetrical without a narrow elongate intermediate section between the side pieces . the side pieces of the device meet at about the midline of a midline region of the device . when the nsd is secured to a domestic animal , the intersection of the right and left side pieces at the midline region substantially straddles the left and right nasal bones of the animal . the side pieces and the midline region of an nsd each have a rostral end , a caudal end and a rostral - poll dimension . because of the size and related anatomy of the surface area of the vestibular free wall of , for example a horse , to provide sufficient support to benefit the animal , the rostral - poll dimension of the midline region of an nsd of the invention can be substantially equal to or greater than the rostral poll dimension of the side pieces that engage the vestibular free wall . hence , in one embodiment , the rostral - poll dimension of the midline region can be at least as great as the rostral - poll dimension of either of the side pieces . in an alternative embodiment , the rostral - poll dimension of the midline region is greater than the rostral - poll dimension of the right or left side piece . it is foreseen , however , that although an nsd of the invention configured for use on an animal nose , the unique configuration disclosed herein could provide an advantageous improvement in the lift effect of a dilator for a human nose . in some embodiments , the rostral end of the nsd at or near the midline region extends to the apex of the muzzle between the nostrils and is referred to as a “ tongue ”. this embodiment can provide externalizing lift support to the most rostral aspect of the cartilaginous nasal septum between the nostrils . the structural configuration and arrangement of an nsd can vary in some aspect ( s ) and still maintain the mechanical functioning of a device according to the invention . personalization of the design appearance of the invention can reflect aesthetics , personal tastes , racing colors , etc . the overall appearance of the embodiments illustrated in the present application are not exhaustive of those which are within the scope of the invention . examples of a few general configurations which are ornamental but maintain some or all of the functional aspects of the invention are shown in the top plan views of fig1 a - g , and 5 - 7 . generally , the bottom plan configuration of an nsd is substantially identical to the top plan configuration shown . the side plan view of an nsd generally is substantially void of ornamental features . as used herein , the term “ support ” refers to reducing the amount of narrowing of the nasal passage that can occur during inspiration or expiration of domestic animals . accordingly , “ support ” includes some drawing in of the vestibular free wall at the rostral nasal passage during inspiration , but less than that which would occur without a device of the invention . “ support ” also includes maintaining the position of external soft tissue over the rostral nasal passage in a neutral position . as used herein , “ neutral ” refers to a state where the unsupported vestibular tissues are neither drawn into the nasal cavity nor protruding externally . in some arrangements , “ support ” also includes maintaining the vestibular free wall in a “ distended ” outward position relative to the neutral position . because of the different nasal anatomy present in domestic animals than in humans , the configuration of a suitable nsd for animals takes into account the configuration and size of the vestibular free wall and the anatomical structures defining its borders . moreover , in most large domestic animals , the structural support necessary to support the lateral free wall also takes into account the weight of the tissue supported and the proper leveraging for distributing the weight supported without causing pressure sores or other irritation to surrounding tissues . the size of a device of the invention can vary . appropriately sized devices will typically correspond with muzzle size which can vary with the body size , breed , age , and sex , of the animal . it is foreseen that smaller sized nsds for young animals , such as calves and foals can be beneficial in treating diseases including , for example , upper respiratory ailments . in some presently preferred embodiments , the rostral - poll midline dimension of an nsd for an average sized adult horse is about 5 to 18 cm , and the right and left side piece rostral - poll dimension is about 5 to 8 cm . however , larger and smaller sizes may be used . the transverse dimension of an nsd can also vary . the “ transverse dimension ” is defined as the length of the device from the peripheral edge of one side of the device to the peripheral edge of the other side of the device . the transverse dimension can vary in a single device depending if measured , for example , along the caudal edge , the rostral edge , the narrowest part or the widest part . in one embodiment of an nsd for an average size horse , the transverse dimension at the widest part can be about 10 cm to about 17 cm . generally , an nsd according to the invention includes at least a “ support layer ” which provides the majority of the support for the vestibular wall . the device also preferably includes an “ engaging ” layer for attaching the device to a domestic animal . in some embodiments a “ surface layer ” can be present to cover the side of the support layer that is away from the nose of the animal when the device is secured to the nose of an animal . some embodiments can also include one or more “ pad layers ” which can help reduce the chance of pressure sores caused by the device . according to the invention , the support layer provides the majority of the support for the vestibular free wall of the nasal passage . generally , support is provided in the support layer through the use of one or more “ lift members .” as used herein a “ lift member ” can be prepared from any type of resilient material which provides the desired support to the vestibular free wall . examples of suitable materials for a lift member include thermoplastic resins , thermoset resins , shape memory metals or alloys , etc . the lift members can be an open mesh or solid material . of the thermoplastic resins , a variety of thermoplastic films can be used , including , for example , poly ( acrylonitrile - co - butadiene - co - styrene ) polymers , acrylic polymers such as the polymethylmethacrylate , poly - n - butyl acrylate , poly ( ethylene - co - acrylic acid ), poly ( ethylene - co - methacrylate ), etc . ; fluoropolymers including polytetrafluoroethylene ( teflon ), poly ( ethylene - co - tetrafluoroethylene ) copolymers , ( tetrafluoroethylene - co - propylene ) copolymers , polyvinyl fluoride polymers , etc ., polyamides such as nylon 6 , nylon 6 , 6 , etc . ; polycarbonates ; polyesters such as poly ( ethylene - co - terephthalate ), poly ( ethylene - co - 1 , 4 - naphthalene dicarboxylate ), poly ( butylene - co - terephthalate ); polyimide materials ; polyethylene materials including low density polyethylene ; linear low density polyethylene , high density polyethylene , high molecular weight high density polyethylene , etc . ; polypropylene , biaxially oriented polypropylene ; polystyrene , biaxially oriented polystyrene ; vinyl films including polyvinyl chloride . ( vinyl chloride - co - vinyl acetate ) copolymers , polyvinylidene chloride . polyvinyl alcohol , ( vinyl chloride - co - vinylidene dichloride ) copolymers , specialty films including polysulfone , polyphenylene sulfide , polyphenylene oxide , liquid crystal polyesters , polyether ketones , polyvinylbutyrl , etc . a preferred thermoplastic resin is a polyester such as mylar ® available from dupont films , wilmington del . preferably , the lift members are a uniform thickness throughout their length and width . the thickness will typically be selected based on the support needed . suitable thickness for a lift member prepared from mylar ® for an adult large animal such as a horse is about 0 . 008 to about 0 . 020 inches . in one presently preferred embodiment , the thickness of a support member for an average size adult horse is about 0 . 014 inches . the support layer can include one or more lift members . in one embodiment using a single lift member , the configuration of the peripheral edge of the lift member can define the external contours of the overall device . in other embodiments , two and preferably , three or more lift members are used . in this embodiment , a plurality of lift members can be arranged parallel along the transverse dimension of the device . alternatively , a plurality of lift members can be oriented perpendicular to one another such that one or more lift members are oriented parallel to the transverse dimension of the device and one or more lift members are oriented parallel to the rostral - poll dimension of the device . in yet another embodiment , two or more lift members can be oriented in a substantially criss - cross arrangement to form an “ x ” shaped appearance in top plan view . in some embodiments it is advantageous to provide lift members in a rostra - caudal direction . lift members oriented in a rostral - caudal direction can be located in the side pieces to further support the externalizing force of the nsd . in addition , or alternatively , lift members can be oriented in a rostral caudal direction at or near the midline intersection of the first and second side pieces . this arrangement of the lift members is particularly advantageous for nsd embodiments which extend rostrally to form a “ tongue ” for support of the soft tissue between the nostrils . the width , length and spacing of one or more lift members can vary based on the overall dimensions of the particular nsd . preferably , the length dimension of a lift member is sufficient to traverse the midline of the animal &# 39 ; s nose and extend to the right and left side pieces beyond the dorsal lateral nasal cartilages to support the right and left vestibular free walls . the members can vary in length to traverse some or all of the dorsal - ventral dimension of the vestibular free wall . in some embodiments , the lift members can extend beyond the ventral edge of the vestibular free wall to a point lateral to the incisive bone . generally , the lift members provide a “ lift ” effect on the vestibular free wall to reduce the drawing of the vestibular free wall into the nasal passage during respiration . however , if the lift members extend beyond the ventral edge of the vestibular free wall to the lateral aspect of the incisive bone , the incisive bone can act as a “ stint ” to facilitate the reduction of the drawing in of the vestibular wall into the nasal cavity that is provided by the lift members . this may be particularly advantageous in large animals during significantly labored breathing . it is believed that an nsd of the invention can be particularly advantageous if fatigue induced muscle relaxation causes the vestibular wall to relax significantly , for example , near the end of a race . when two or more lift members are used , the width of the lift members and the spacing between lift members are selected for the nsd to provide the desired support to the vestibular wall with sufficient flexibility to reduce the chance of irriation due to localized pressure at leveraging points on the animal &# 39 ; s nose . in one embodiment of an nsd for an average size adult horse , the length of the lift members can be about 4 - 18 cm , the width can be about 0 . 2 to 2 cm and the spacing between lift members about 0 . 2 to 2 cm . an nsd preferably includes an engaging layer . the engaging layer provides for securing a nasal support device ( nsd ) to the animal . typically , the engaging layer can secure the nsd to the nose by use of an adhesive . preferably , the adhesive is biocompatible and provides minimal or no contact irritation when applied to the external tissues of an animal . suitable materials for the adhesive layer are known . one example of an adhesive containing material suitable as an engaging layer is no . 1509 double sided adhesive available from 3m co ., st . paul , minn . the support layer can mount directly to the engaging layer . however , in some embodiments , it may be preferable to provide a “ pad layer ” between the engaging layer and support layer . the pad layer can be formed of any suitable known material . one preferred material is a polyester material that allows the skin of the vestibular wall beneath the device to breathe . an example of a suitable pad layer is the product sontara ® ( style nos . 8004 , 8005 , 8027 etc .) available from e . i . dupont nemours & amp ; co ., dupont nonwoven division , old hickory , tenn . sontara ® is a nonwoven , spunlaced , breathable polyester fabric . if no pad layer is used , the support layer can mount to the engaging layer . if the engaging layer is a double sided adhesive material , the lift members of the support layer can be adhered directly to the engaging layer . alternatively , the lift members can be adhered to a non - adhesive side of the engaging layer , or to a nonadhesive pad layer using a double sided adhesive such as 3m no . 1509 , 3m inc ., st . paul , minn . in some preferred embodiments , an nsd can include a surface layer . the surface layer is the layer farthest from the soft tissues of the animal . the side of the surface layer closest to the soft tissue of the animal can include an adhesive to adhere the surface layer to the support layer , to the top side of the engaging layer that may be exposed between lift members , or to the pad layer if used . the surface layer can provide additional support to the vestibular wall and help maintain unity of the components of an nsd . a suitable surface material is preferably breathable and includes a biocompatible adhesive . an example of a material suitable as a surface layer is 3m no . 1533 available from 3m inc ., st . paul , minn . the surface layer can include an ornamental design color , pattern , logo etc . if desired . alternatively , an ornamental veneer layer can be applied to the exposed surface of a surface layer or support layer or no surface layer is present . the engaging layer , surface layer , or pad layer ( if used ) can closely follow the external contours defined by the support layer . alternatively , the periphery of the engaging or other layers can extend beyond the contours defined by the support layer . in one preferred embodiment , extending the periphery of the engaging layer beyond the contours defined by the support layer can provide improved attachment of the nsd to the animal . generally , the overall thickness of the device is uniform . some variation in thickness can occur due to differences in thickness of those regions of the device including the support members and those regions including spacing between support members . however , the thickness of the device preferably does not vary due to non - uniformity of the thickness of the lift members themselves . some anatomical reference points and a few embodiments of an nsd according to the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings using the horse as an example . like reference numerals represent like parts and assemblies throughout the several views . reference to the drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the invention . fig1 a - g are each a top view of a configuration of an embodiment of an nsd which incorporates the functional aspects of the invention . the embodiments shown are exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of configurations that incorporate the principles of the invention . fig1 c shows the several dimensions used to describe an nsd according to the invention wherein letters followed by a subscript “ t ” are the transverse dimensions including : c t is the caudal edge transverse dimension , r t is the rostral edge transverse dimension , n t is the narrowest part transverse dimension and w t is the widest part transverse dimension . s is the rostral - poll dimension of the side piece and m is the rostral poll dimension of the midline region . bony anatomical structures which surround the vestibular free wall in the horse that is supported by a device of the invention are described with reference to fig2 - 4 . fig2 is a perspective view of the bony and cartilaginous structures of the rostral nasal cavity of the horse . fig3 is a profile view of the bony anatomy and fig4 is a top view of the same rostral anatomy of fig3 . fig3 and 4 do not show cartilaginous anatomy of the adult horse . the lateral free wall of the vestibule is defined dorsally by the dorsal lateral nasal cartilage 1 which is at the lateral most aspect of the nasal bone 2 . the ventral border of the vestibular free wall is defined by the dorsal free wall 3 of the incisive bone 4 . the caudal aspect of the vestibular free wall is defined by the intersection 5 of the nasal 2 and incisive 4 bones . the rostral aspect of the vestibular free wall is bordered by the nostril ( not shown ) which is supported dorsally by the lamina 6 and ventrally by the cornu 7 of the alar cartilage 8 . the medial accessory cartilage 9 and the lamina 6 of the alar cartilage support the “ false ” nostril of the horse . the cartilaginous rostral nasal septum 10 is shown in fig2 . fig5 - 7 illustrate three different embodiments of an nsd ( 15 , 16 , 17 ) according to the invention . the surface layer is removed in each of these figures to expose the top side of the support layer 20 and the top side of the pad layer 21 which covers the engaging layer ( not shown ). the support layer 20 includes transverse lift members 22 in fig5 - 7 and longitudinal lift members 23 in fig7 . the lift members 22 of fig5 are narrower but greater in number than the lift members 22 of fig6 . in the embodiment of fig2 . the transverse dimension of the lift members range from 9 cm to 14 cm , the width of the transverse members is about 0 . 6 cm , the spacing between members is about 0 . 6 cm and the thickness of the lift members is about 0 . 14 inches . in the embodiments of fig5 - 7 , the peripheral contours of the pad layer ( and engaging layer ) extend beyond the lift members . as shown in fig5 - 7 , an nsd includes a first side piece 24 and a second side piece 25 that intersect at the midline 26 of the midline region 26 a of the device . in use , the rostral end 27 of the device is oriented towards the apex of the nose and the caudal end 28 of the device is oriented towards the eyes of the animal . as shown in fig5 the midline rostral - poll dimension m at the midline 26 is at least equal to the side piece rostral - poll dimension s of side pieces 24 and 25 . also as shown in the embodiments of fig5 - 7 , preferably , the rostral - poll dimension of the nsds at the midline m are greater than the rostral - poll dimensions s of the first or second side pieces 24 , 25 . in fig7 the nsd includes a rostrally extending center piece or “ tongue ” 29 that can extend rostrally to engage the nose between the nostrils . in use , an nsd is secured to the animal &# 39 ; s nose oriented generally as shown in fig8 and 9 . fig8 is a front view of a horse 30 having an embodiment of an nsd 31 having an external configuration as shown in fig5 and 6 ( 15 and 16 , respectively ) secured to its nose 32 . fig9 is a front view of a horse 30 having an embodiment of an nsd 17 as shown in fig7 secured to its nose 32 . as can be seen in fig9 the tongue 29 of the nsd 17 extends between the nostrils 33 of the horse 30 . fig1 is an exploded perspective view of the components making up an embodiment of an nsd 15 as shown in fig5 . according to this embodiment , the engaging layer 40 includes an adhesive surface 41 to secure the nsd 15 to an animal &# 39 ; s nose . a pad layer 42 is adhered to the engaging layer 40 . the pad layer 42 can have an adhesive layer or be adhesive free . in the embodiment shown , the engaging layer 40 is a double sided adhesive such that the top side 43 of the engaging laver will adhere to the pad layer 42 . the support layer 44 includes lift members 45 . the lift members 45 can be adhered to the pad layer 42 using , for example , a double sided , adhesive 46 . a surface layer 47 can be applied over the support layer 44 to provide unity , additional strength or a canvas for applying an ornamental design to the device . suitable materials for each of the layers have been described previously . it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many changes and modifications can be made in the invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims . | US-37581699-A |
an injection device for dispensing a product , the injection device including a moveable element which is moved for a dispensing operation , a spring , a product container holder and a product container , wherein the spring pushes against the moveable element to move the moveable element to an initial position after the dispensing operation has ended and against the product container to seat the product container in the product container holder . | with regard to fastening , mounting , attaching or connecting components of the present invention , unless specifically described as otherwise , conventional mechanical fasteners and methods may be used . other appropriate fastening or attachment methods include adhesives , welding and soldering , the latter particularly with regard to the electrical system of the invention , if any . in embodiments with electrical features or components , suitable electrical components and circuitry , wires , wireless components , chips , boards , microprocessors , inputs , outputs , displays , control components , etc . may be used . generally , unless otherwise indicated , the materials for making embodiments of the invention and / or components thereof may be selected from appropriate materials such as metal , metallic alloys , ceramics , plastics , etc . unless otherwise indicated specifically or by context , positional terms ( e . g ., up , down , front , rear , distal , proximal , etc .) are descriptive not limiting . same reference numbers are used to denote same parts or components . the injection device illustrated in fig1 comprises a drive unit , which , in some embodiments , can be used more than once , and a product container 27 connected to it , which is accommodated in a sleeve - shaped product container holder 16 which can be used multiple times , for example , and which can be secured to the drive unit with the aid of the product container holder 16 . the product container 27 can be removed from the injection device after it is empty , disposed of and replaced with a new one . with a view to simplifying the manufacturing and assembly processes , the housing 12 is of a multi - part design comprising housing elements 12 a , 12 b connected to or inserted in it , although in principle , the housing could also comprise a single part . the product container 16 is attached to the drive unit by a bayonet fitting , which is formed by the housing 12 , product container holder 16 and sleeve 50 . the product container holder 16 is covered by a cap 31 , which is fitted on the housing 12 , and can be removed in preparation for using the injection device and then fitted back on it . fig2 to 5 illustrate elements of the fixing device provided in the exemplary form of a bayonet fitting . the product container holder 16 has a cam 16 c extending radially outwardly and at its proximal ( rear ) end face is designed so that it can be connected in a positive fit , i . e . in a fixed torque - transmitting fit , to the distal ( forward ) end face of the sleeve 50 , as illustrated in fig5 where housing part 12 a has been omitted for illustration purposes . the sleeve 50 has at least one cam 50 c extending radially outwardly , which forms a part of a cam ( which may be thought of as comprising cam elements 16 c , 50 c ) for the fixing device . the cam 50 c locates or is positioned in a guide track 12 e formed in the housing 12 , e . g . in housing part 12 a , which has at least one inclined surface 12 g . when the sleeve 50 is moved in rotation , the sleeve 50 moves axially relative to the housing part 12 a as well as moving in rotation , due to the locating cam 50 c . as will be described below , the axial movement of the sleeve 50 results in various advantageous effects . to fit the product container 27 on the drive unit , it may be introduced into the product container holder 16 via the proximal end . the product container holder 16 is then snap - fitted onto the sleeve 50 by an axial movement resulting in a fixed torque - transmitting fit ( fig5 ), so that the cams 16 c are inserted through the opening 12 f ( fig2 ) into the guide track 12 e . fig2 illustrates the bayonet fitting in a locked state without the product container holder 16 . in an unlocked state in which the cams 50 c are disposed in the region of , and axially flush with the openings 12 f , the product container holder 16 can be push - fitted . the cams 16 c and 50 c then lie one against the other and form a common cam ( fig5 ). a rotation of the product container holder 16 causes the sleeve 50 to be driven . due to the inclined faces 12 g , the sleeve 50 and the product container holder 16 are also moved axially . at the end of the rotation , i . e . on reaching the locked position , the common cam ( comprising cam elements 16 c , 50 c ) is disposed in the region 12 h of the guide track 12 e in which the two cams 16 c and 50 c are axially clamped together by the sides of the guide track 12 e . to this end , the axial width of the guide track in the region 12 h is approximately as wide as that of the joint cams 16 c , 50 c . as illustrated in fig4 , a guide sleeve 26 is accommodated in the sleeve 50 , which may also be thought of and / or referred to as the bayonet sleeve . the guide sleeve 26 is connected to the housing 12 so that it can not rotate but can move axially and is connected to the bayonet sleeve 50 so that it can rotate but can not move axially . as a result , when the bayonet sleeve 50 is moved from the unlocked to the locked position and vice versa , the guide sleeve 26 effects a longitudinally guided movement relative to the housing 12 . as may be seen from fig1 , a threaded insert 6 is connected and / or latched to the guide sleeve 26 so that it can not rotate or move axially . the threaded insert 6 and guide sleeve 26 may be thought of and / or referred to as a locating element ( comprising insert and sleeve elements 6 , 26 ). the threaded insert 6 has an internal thread 6 a in which the external thread 2 a of an output element 2 , which might also be called a plunger rod in this example , is guided so that when the output element 2 is rotated , it is guided by the internal thread 6 a of the threaded insert 6 in the proximal direction or in the distal , i . e . opposite , direction , as it is screwed , depending on the direction of rotation . on its external face , the output element 2 has a thread 2 a , which is interrupted by two grooves 2 b extending in the axial direction lying opposite one another on the circumference . a coupling sleeve 5 constituting part of a transmission ( comprising elements 7 , k 2 , 5 ) has two projections 5 a , 5 b directed radially inwardly lying opposite one another on its distal end which project into the grooves 2 b of the output element 2 . the coupling sleeve 5 is connected to the locating element so that it can rotate but is not able to move axially . accordingly , the output element 2 is locked to prevent it from rotating relative to the coupling sleeve 5 but is able to move axially relative to the coupling sleeve 5 when it is rotated relative to the locating element . the coupling sleeve 5 is not able to move axially expect for when the product container 27 is being replaced . a drive shaft 7 provided at the proximal end of the injection device and forming part of the transmission has teeth 7 a extending radially inwardly which constitute a coupling element of the coupling k 2 . when operated , i . e . when an operating element 15 is pushed in the distal ( forward or injection ) direction , the drive shaft 7 and as a result also the teeth 7 a are moved in the distal direction , as result of which the teeth 7 a locate in the proximal end of the coupling sleeve 5 and establish a fixed torque - transmitting , positive connection . a spring element or drive spring 3 , which may be provided in the form of a helical spring or clock spring , is connected to the housing 12 by one end via a spring sleeve 8 on the external face of the spring 3 . the spring sleeve 8 is prevented from rotating relative to the housing 12 but is able to move axially . at the other end , the drive spring 3 is connected to the drive shaft 7 . as a result , energy stored in the spring 3 can be output as a rotating movement of the drive shaft 7 relative to the housing 12 . to dispense a product , the energy of the spring element 3 is transmitted via the transmission element in the form of a rotating movement to the output element so that the latter is screwed relative to the locating element in the distal direction , i . e . in the dispensing direction , and pushes the plunger 28 , causing the product to be dispensed from the product container 27 . to set a product dose to be administered , a user can rotate the dose setting element 9 provided in the form of a dose setting button , which is axially fixed relative to the housing 12 . the dose setting element 9 is coupled with a coupling element 10 via the coupling k 3 so that it is prevented from rotating . the coupling k 3 is formed by webs or grooves or teeth of the dose setting button 9 , which co - operate in a positive fit with webs or grooves or teeth of the coupling disc 10 to establish a coupling which can be released by a movement of the coupling element 10 in the distal direction . the coupling element 10 can be moved and thus released by operating the operating element 15 . when in a state of not being operated , the coupling k 3 is held in a coupled state and the coupling k 2 in an uncoupled state by a spring element 19 , which pushes the drive shaft 7 in the proximal ( rear or rearward ) direction . during the dose setting operation , the coupling k 3 is coupled , i . e . a rotating movement of the dose setting button 9 is transmitted to the coupling element 10 . the coupling element 10 is connected to the drive shaft 7 so that it can not move axially and can not rotate and could also be an integral part of the drive shaft 7 . the rotating movement of the dose setting element 9 is not transmitted to the coupling sleeve 5 because the coupling k 2 is uncoupled . when the drive shaft 7 is rotated , the drive spring 3 connected to the drive shaft 7 is tensed . to prevent the dose setting button 9 from being turned back due to the drive spring 3 as it is tensed during the setting operation , a ratchet 11 or a ratchet mechanism , which may comprise a ratchet spring 11 a , e . g . for clamping retaining elements , may be provided between the housing 12 of the injection device , the components of which might , for example , be a mechanical holder 12 a and a mechanical holder 12 b and the dose setting button 9 . the ratchet mechanism may be designed so that a rotation and / or a tensing of the drive spring 3 is possible in only one direction . in some preferred embodiments , however , the ratchet mechanism is designed so that the rotating action is possible in both directions , e . g . tensing and relaxing of the drive spring 3 . due to the fact of being able to rotate in both directions , a product dose can be both increased and reduced when setting the product dose . a currently set product dose can be read through the window 12 d of a display barrel 4 . the rotating movement of the drive shaft 7 is also transmitted to the threaded sleeve 13 , which is connected to the drive shaft 7 so that it is not able to move axially or rotate and may also be an integral part of it . the threaded sleeve 13 has at least one groove on its external circumference 13 a in which at least one web 4 a of the display barrel 4 locates so that a rotating movement of the threaded sleeve 13 is transmitted to the display barrel 4 by the anti - rotation coupling , permitting an axial relative movement between the display barrel 4 and threaded sleeve 13 . the display barrel 4 has a thread 4 b on its external face which locates in an internal thread 12 c of the housing part 12 b so that the display barrel 4 is moved due to a rotating movement in the axial direction relative to the housing 12 , e . g . in the distal direction . in some preferred embodiments , the display barrel 4 moves in the distal direction of the injection device ( towards the left in fig1 ) during the process of setting and priming the dose by rotating the dose setting button 9 . a marking may be provided on the external face of the display barrel 4 , such as print , a dose display or a scale , which can be read through an opening or a window 12 d in the housing 12 b of the injection device , and the marking of the display barrel 4 is moved relative to the window 12 d . the display barrel 4 has a rotation stop on its distal end acting in the circumferential direction which moves into an abutting contact with a co - operating complementary stop disposed on the housing part 12 a on reaching the maximum dose . the complementary stop is formed by a terminal end of an annular gap of the housing part 12 a . an advantage of using a stop which acts in the circumferential direction rather than an axial stop is that the forces acting on the stop are weaker . the display barrel 4 also has another rotation stop on its proximal end acting in the circumferential direction , which moves into an abutting contact with a co - operating complementary stop on the housing 12 b on reaching a minimum dose . the complementary stop is formed by the proximal end of the thread 12 c . once the dose has been set and the drive spring 3 primed by rotating the dose setting button 9 , the setting operation is complete . in some preferred embodiments , the dose is primed as the spring 3 is tensed . to correct or adjust the dose , the dose setting button 9 simply has to be rotated in the opposite direction , e . g . to reduce a dose which might have been set too high . in some embodiments , the ratchet 11 may be designed as illustrated in fig1 and 15 of patent application pct / ch2007 / 000243 and / or us publication 2009 / 0254035 , the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference . during the dispensing process , which is triggered by depressing the push button 15 , the display barrel 4 is rotated back in the opposite direction and is moved back in the proximal direction due to the thread engagement with the internal thread 12 c of the injection device ( to the right in fig1 ). as this happens , it reaches a stop of the display barrel 4 acting in the circumferential direction on the housing of the injection device , e . g . on the housing part 12 b . in an unbraked dispensing movement in which the threaded rod 2 is moved in the distal direction without any opposing force , e . g . when no product container has been inserted , this operation may result in too high a strain and , in an extreme situation , deformation or even damage to the display barrel 4 or co - operating part 12 b . a brake mechanism ( e . g . comprising brake elements , e . g . shoe halves and disc 17 , 18 ) acting on the driving movement is therefore provided , which will be described below . the coupling k 1 comprising the coupling element acting as a lock sleeve 14 and the coupling sleeve 5 , is used to couple the coupling sleeve 5 with the housing 12 so that it can not rotate in specific operating modes or to release it to permit a rotation relative to the housing 12 . the coupling k 1 is uncoupled when the product container 27 is being replaced to enable the output element 2 to be pushed back or screwed in the proximal direction again and to enable the output element 2 to be screwed in the distal direction while product is being dispensed . the coupling k 1 is coupled when the product container is attached to the drive unit and the operating element 15 is not being operated . the coupling k 1 is provided in the form of teeth on the external face of the coupling sleeve 5 , which mesh in teeth on the internal face of the lock sleeve 14 . as a result , the coupling sleeve 5 is prevented from rotating relative to the lock sleeve 14 . the lock sleeve 14 is mounted in the injection device so that it can not rotate but can move axially relative to the housing 12 and the coupling sleeve 5 . during a dispensing operation , the threaded sleeve 13 is moved in the distal ( forward or injection or delivery ) direction by operating the operating element 15 . as this happens , the threaded sleeve 13 pushes on the bearing 29 , which is provided in the form of a ball bearing in this example but may also be a simple slide bearing , so that the bearing 29 pushes against the lock sleeve 14 , thereby moving it in the distal direction for a dispensing operation , and holds it in a distal position during a dispensing operation . the coupling element 14 is therefore disposed distally of the projections of the coupling sleeve 5 for the coupling k 1 . as a result , the coupling k 1 remains uncoupled for the duration of the dispensing operation . when the operating element 15 is operated , the couplings k 1 , k 2 and k 3 operate as follows . by depressing the push button 15 seated on the coupling element 10 and / or drive shaft 7 , the coupling element 10 is pushed in the distal direction together with the push button 15 and the drive shaft 7 . as a result , the coupling k 2 is coupled so that the drive shaft 7 is prevented from rotating relative to the coupling sleeve 5 . the coupling k 1 is then uncoupled due to the movement of the lock sleeve 14 , against which the threaded sleeve 13 connected to the drive shaft 7 pushes via the axially displaceable bearing 29 . alternatively , the couplings k 1 and k 2 may be connected in the reverse sequence . once k 2 is coupled and k 1 is uncoupled , the coupling k 3 is also uncoupled due to the movement of the coupling element 10 relative to the dose setting button 9 . the coupling element 10 , which is connected to the drive shaft 7 , is able to rotate relative to the housing 12 once the coupling k 3 is uncoupled . the energy or force stored in the drive spring 3 during priming can be transmitted to the drive shaft 7 . accordingly , a torque is applied to the drive shaft 7 , which is transmitted by the coupled coupling k 2 to the coupling sleeve 5 , which rotates in unison with the drive shaft 7 and transmits this rotating movement to the output element 2 , which is coupled with the coupling sleeve 5 so that it can not rotate . the output element 2 , provided in the form of a threaded rod in this example , converts the rotating movement into an axial movement in the distal direction due to the thread engagement 2 a , 6 a with the locating element ( comprising elements 6 , 26 ), so that the flange 1 provided on the distal end of the threaded rod 2 , which may also be construed as part of the output element , is moved in the distal direction of the injection device . since , during the product dispensing operation , the threaded sleeve 13 moves in the direction opposite that in which it moves during priming , the display barrel 4 likewise moves in the direction opposite that of the priming operation . in the normal situation , i . e . when a pre - set product dose has been fully dispensed , the dispensing operation and the movement of the output element 2 in the distal direction continues until the display barrel 4 makes contact with the above - mentioned stop acting in the circumferential direction . in some embodiments , this happens when the value which can be read through the window 12 d has been rotated back to 0 . in the situation in which the user of the device releases the operating element 15 as the product is being dispensed , the couplings couple in the order which is the reverse of that in which they uncoupled or coupled during operation . the product dispensing operation is interrupted , as a result of which the value may be seen through the window 12 d represents the amount still to be dispensed had the pre - set dose been fully dispensed . the product dispensing operation can be continued by depressing the operating element 15 again , and dispensing can be stopped again by releasing the operating element 15 or the user can wait until the product has been fully dispensed . in the situation in which the product container contains less product than the maximum dose indicated on the display barrel , the injection device based on this example has an additional device for limiting the maximum dose which can be set for the last time , to prevent the possibility of a bigger product dose being set than that which is still in the container . to this end , a traveller 30 is provided , which at least partially surrounds the coupling sleeve 5 and locates with the coupling sleeve 5 in such a way that the traveller 30 is not able to rotate relative to the coupling sleeve 5 but is able to move axially . the traveller 30 also locates or is positioned by a thread on its external circumference that engages with an internal thread of the threaded sleeve 13 . this arrangement causes an axial movement of the traveller 30 when there is a relative rotation between the threaded sleeve 13 and coupling sleeve 5 , and when there is no relative rotation the traveller 30 does not effect an axial movement . when setting a product dose , the threaded sleeve 13 turns relative to the coupling sleeve 5 so that the traveller 30 moves in the proximal direction . during dispensing , on the other hand , no relative movement takes place between the coupling sleeve 5 and threaded sleeve 13 due to the coupled engagement of the coupling k 2 . accordingly , the traveller does not move . after setting doses and dispensing product several times , the traveller 30 moves into an abutting contact with the drive shaft 7 , so that it is no longer possible to increase the dose , even if the display would actually permit this . the user can replace the product container 27 with a new one . to this end , the product container holder 16 may be removed by rotating the drive unit relative to the housing 12 . as the product container 27 is moved from the secured position into the non - secured position , e . g . as the bayonet fitting is released , the locating element is moved together with the output element 2 and the coupling sleeve 5 in the distal direction relative to the housing 12 and to the coupling element 14 , thereby releasing the coupling k 1 . the projections of the coupling sleeve 5 pointing radially outwardly to establish the coupling k 1 are now disposed distally of the coupling element 14 . the output element 2 can now be screwed into the drive unit with a relatively slight force acting in the proximal direction because the thread of the output element is not retained by friction . as the output element 2 is screwed back , the coupling sleeve 5 is turned relative to the threaded sleeve 13 and so in the direction opposite that during product dispensing , causing the traveller 30 to be pushed back in the distal direction again . the screwing - back operation may take place against the force of a spring element , at least across a part of the total distance , which tries to push the output element in the distal direction , for example . the spring element may act or be disposed between the output element 2 and the drive shaft 7 for example . other possible spring elements will be described below specifically with reference to fig6 . it is generally preferred if the force of such a spring element is weaker than the force needed to produce an interaction via the plunger from the output element 2 onto the product . also during the process of removing the product container 27 , the retaining element 25 used to secure the product container 27 in the product container holder 16 is pushed in the distal direction by the spring 19 until it makes contact with the locating element 6 , 26 . this contact prevents the spring 19 from fully relaxing when the product container 27 is removed . this is of advantage because the spring 19 should be able to apply sufficient force to hold the coupling k 3 in a coupled engagement even when a product container 27 has been removed . by virtue of another aspect , a spring - mounted flange may be used , as illustrated in fig6 for example . after replacing the product container 27 , e . g . an ampoule , capped vial or the like , the user is prompted to proceed with priming , as may be described in operating instructions . this is useful on the one hand because there may be air in the product container 27 and on the other hand because the output element 2 may have been previously pushed fully into the drive unit and a certain amount of clearance may have been created between the plunger 28 and the flange 1 due to the different level to which the product container 27 is filled . fig6 illustrates an output element 2 with a flange 1 attached to its front or distal end , which is non - displaceably connected to the threaded rod . disposed between the flange 1 and the threaded insert 6 illustrated in fig6 is a spring element 38 , which may be provided in the form of resilient arms 38 a extending out at an angle , for example . these resilient arms 38 a may be secured to the flange 1 or / and to the threaded insert 6 . another option would be to injection mold a suitable elastomer onto the flange 1 or / and onto the threaded insert 6 . after a new product container 27 has been inserted , a clearance may occur between the flange 1 and the plunger 28 , which may be attributable to a difference in the level to which product containers 27 have been filled when full , given that they have a certain tolerance . after pushing in the flange 1 connected to the threaded rod 2 , the flange 1 based on the embodiment illustrated in fig1 lies directly against the threaded insert 6 . in the embodiment illustrated in fig6 , the at least one spring element 38 has pushed the flange 1 away from the threaded insert 6 in the distal direction by a predefined distance . this means that when a product container 27 has been inserted or while a product container 27 is being inserted , the flange 1 will move into contact with the proximal end of the plunger 28 , even if the plunger 28 is pushed into the product container 27 by differing distances caused by manufacturing tolerances of different product containers . conventional means for eliminating the clearance between the flange 1 and plunger 28 are therefore no longer absolutely necessary and may even be dispensed with , for example . as may be seen from fig1 , the injection device , e . g . the drive unit , comprises a brake ( which may be thought of as comprising brake elements or components 17 , 18 ) which decelerates a rotating part , in this example the transmission element or / and the driving movement . if conventional injection devices are used incorrectly , i . e . if no product container has been inserted , but the device is nevertheless operated , there is a risk of placing too high a strain on or even damaging the components of the injection device . when a product container 27 is inserted , the forces and movements which occur are damped by the viscosity of the product during the product dispensing operation . in the absence of a product container , there is no such damping effect . it is the brake in accordance with the present invention which is used for this purpose , thereby preventing excessive strain . fig7 a , 7 b and 8 are diagrams on a larger scale illustrating embodiments of a brake mechanism suitable for the device illustrated in fig1 , e . g . a first and second embodiment , respectively , each of which operates in a similar manner . the first embodiment illustrated in fig7 a , 7 b has two brake shoe halves 17 latched to one another so that they can not rotate and so that they can also not move axially , which have profiled portions directed toward one another , between which an annular gap is formed in which a brake disc 18 is accommodated . the annular gap is of a defined width and , in an alternative arrangement , the brake shoe halves could move axially relative to one another . the brake shoe 17 could be of an integral design . the brake disc 18 is accommodated so that it can not rotate relative to the housing 12 but can move axially , due to the profiled external circumferential surface of the brake disc locating in a profiled inner circumferential surface of the housing part 12 b . at least one brake shoe half 17 or the entire brake shoe is mounted at least so that it can not rotate in the drive train or transmission element . the sleeve - shaped brake shoe 17 has projections pointing radially inwardly , which locate in a matching profile of the drive sleeve 7 . the brake disc 18 is able to move between the brake shoe halves 17 . the brake disc 18 is mounted so that it can not rotate , e . g . is guided in a groove , and so that it is able to move axially in the injection device or housing part 12 b . the brake disc 18 is toothed on the top and bottom face with teeth 18 a , 18 b on the end face projecting circumferentially in both directions and having an identical or different tooth height zh , and is mounted or displaceably clamped between the threaded sleeve 13 and the brake shoe 17 , e . g . with a small clearance of approximately a tooth size or tooth height zh or bigger , the latter having co - operating complementary teeth 13 b respectively 17 a , e . g . with a corresponding or identical tooth height zh . due to the fixed torque - transmitting connection between the transmission element ( which , again , may be thought of and / or referred to as comprising elements 7 , k 2 , 5 ) during a dispensing operation or when what may be thought of and / or referred to as “ firing blank ,” i . e . when no product container has been inserted , the brake shoe 17 is moved in rotation relative to the brake disc 18 . when this happens , the disposition of the brake shoe teeth 17 a , 17 b ensure that the brake disc 18 oscillates axially between the threaded sleeve 13 and the brake shoe 17 . as a result , the distal teeth 18 a and proximal teeth 18 b of the brake disc 18 move alternately into contact with the co - operating complementary teeth 17 b and 17 a . due to one or more of the resultant friction , elastic deformation and the oscillating mass , a corresponding loss occurs , thereby limiting the maximum angular speed ω of the rotating parts 13 and 17 . the embodiment illustrated in fig8 operates on a similar principle , the difference being that one of the two brake shoe halves and / or its end - face tooth profile is formed by the transmission element or the threaded sleeve 13 connected to the transmission element so that it cannot rotate . a fixed , defined distance may be provided between the profiles 17 a and 13 b , or alternatively a variable distance , because the brake shoe half 17 is able to move axially relative to the threaded sleeve 13 . due to the spring 19 , the profiles 13 b and 17 a can be pushed toward one another so that they move into a meshing contact with the profiles 18 a and 18 b . due to the vibration or oscillation of the brake disc 18 between the threaded sleeve 13 and brake shoe 18 which increases with the angular velocity ω , the braking force increases disproportionately as the angular velocity ω increases , so that the curve bs of braking forces schematically illustrated in fig9 can be achieved . fig9 is a schematic illustration plotting the curve of the braking force which can be achieved by a brake mechanism in accordance with the present invention , from which it may be seen that the braking force rises to an increasing degree with the angular or rotational velocity ω . in some preferred embodiments , the braking force is relatively low or zero up to the maximum permissible angular velocity ω max and rises sharply with effect from the maximum permissible angular velocity ω max . fig1 illustrates the angle of rotation of the display barrel 4 as a function of time , which is able to effect three full revolutions ( 3 × 360 °) in the embodiments illustrated as an example . as may be seen from fig1 , the display barrel 4 has completed three full revolutions after the time t non - braked , which is shorter than the time t invention in the case of a decelerated rotating movement of the display barrel 4 during which the angle of rotation increases linearly as a function of time . due to the braking force generated by the oscillating brake disc 18 , the maximum possible angular velocity ω max of a dispensing movement can be reduced or limited so that the backward - rotating display barrel 4 is able to move into an abutting contact with the stop acting in the circumferential direction or the housing part 12 b at only a maximum speed predefined by the brake . if the brake is designed accordingly , the maximum possible contact speed of the display barrel 4 is so low that there is little chance of deformation or damage occurring due to the impact . other brake mechanisms may also be used as an alternative to a brake disc 18 oscillating between the threaded sleeve 13 and brake shoe 17 . for example , as an alternative or in addition , the brake may be based on another embodiment in the form of a centrifugal brake as illustrated in fig1 . in this case outwardly displaceable brake shoes 41 are mounted on the transmission element or / and the drive shaft 7 and / or another part which rotates with the drive shaft 7 , for example the coupling element 10 , the threaded sleeve 13 or the display barrel 4 , which have a mass and which effect the same rotation as the rotating part . the brake shoes 41 may , but need not necessarily , be inwardly or outwardly biased by a spring . the brake shoes may be pivoted or moved radially outwardly by the centrifugal force to move into a braking engagement with a sleeve 42 , for example the housing 12 . in this embodiment , pins 40 or fasteners extending radially outwardly are provided , the ends of which are provided with brake pads 41 biased by the spring , for example . when the rotation speed of the non - braked or only partially braked rotating element is sufficiently high , the brake pads 41 are moved radially outwardly by the centrifugal force , optionally also assisted by the spring - biased support , and can move into contact with an outer static sleeve 42 , thereby producing the desired braking effect due to friction . the outer static sleeve may also be formed by the housing 12 or housing part 12 b . in another embodiment illustrated in fig1 a and 11b , the brake may be provided in the form of an eddy current brake 20 , in which case a brake disc 21 may be connected to a rotating part which has to be decelerated , for example the transmission element , drive shaft 7 , threaded sleeve 13 or display barrel 4 , and the elements interacting with the brake disc may be connected to the housing or an element fixedly disposed on the housing or to an element rotating relative to the brake disc . in some preferred embodiments , the brake disc 21 is made from a good electrical conductor , such as pure aluminium or copper , for example . rare earth alloys may be used as the material for the axially magnetised magnets 22 , neodymium for example . the permanent magnetic field may be linked by a magnet yoke 23 made from iron to the air gap , where it extends through the brake disc 21 as vertically as possible . the braking force is created by the surface and flow density in the air gap and the rated current in the brake disc 21 , for which purpose the surface should be as large as possible , the air gap should be as small as possible and the disc thickness should be as big as possible . the braking torque occurs over the averaged radius ( working radius ). brakes may be designed with several magnet systems which act on a disc 21 . the usual approximation calculations are used to calculate the current density , braking power and hence braking torque of an eddy current brake . leaving aside the effect of the air gap , it is assumed that there will be a standard cylindrical magnetic flow and it is stipulated as a condition that the pole diameter should be sufficiently small compared with the radius of the disc 21 . at high speeds , the approximation is inaccurate , among other reasons because the magnetic fields caused by the eddy currents cause a not inconsiderable feedback and hence non - linearity . in some preferred embodiments , the magnets 22 and the magnet yoke 23 are connected to the housing 12 of the injection device or the housing part 12 b or another non - rotating part to be able to generate the desired eddy current braking effect of the brake disc 21 . in another embodiment illustrated in fig1 and 14 , the brake may be provided in the form of a fluidic or hydrodynamic brake . if a standard fluid is used as the braking medium , the linear braking curve fb indicated in fig4 can be obtained for the eddy current brake . however , if the intention is to achieve a braking force which rises more sharply as a function of angular velocity ω , so - called non - newtonian fluids may be used , as a result of which , unlike a newtonian fluid , the viscosity does not remain constant but increases when a shearing force acting on the fluid is increased , which is the case as the speed increases . these are what are known as anomalous viscous fluids . in the case of the fluidic brake , the braking force is generated by two fluid surfaces moving against one another . in particular , the braking force is generated by a fluid volume which is sheared by a relative movement . the shearing stresses which occur during such movements correspond to the braking force . the volume is provided in the form of a chamber split into two parts 45 a , 46 a , in which the fluid is disposed . one chamber part 46 a is disposed in a rotating part 46 and the other chamber 45 a is disposed in a part 45 relative to which the rotating part 46 is able to rotate . the part 46 may be connected so as to rotate in unison with the drive shaft 7 or to the transmission element or another part which rotates when product is being dispensed . the part 45 rotates in unison with at least the housing 12 or a stationary part on the housing . furthermore , the part 45 may be able to move axially or may be axially immobile relative to the housing 12 . the sleeve - shaped part 45 may be thought of and / or referred to as a brake housing and the part 46 mounted in the sleeve 45 as a brake shaft . when the brake is in the assembled state , the fluid chamber halves 46 a distributed axially around the external circumference of the brake shaft are axially on a level with the fluid chamber halves 45 a distributed around the internal circumference of the brake housing . more , the same number or fewer fluid chamber halves 45 a may be provided than 46 a . in the assembled state , a slim gap is disposed between the internal diameter of the brake housing 45 and the external diameter of the brake shaft 46 in the region of each of the fluid chamber halves 45 a , 46 a , which may be dimensioned so that fluid is conveyed into the gap or no fluid or virually no fluid is conveyed into the gap when the brake shaft 46 is rotating relative to the brake housing 45 . the brake housing 45 may be axially sealed at both ends with sliding seal elements 47 so that no fluid is able to escape from the brake . the seal elements 47 may be provided in the form of a lid . the lid may be provided as a separate part or serve as the coupling shaft , for example . embodiments of the present invention , including preferred embodiments , have been presented for the purpose of illustration and description . they are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms and steps disclosed . the embodiments were chosen and described to illustrate the principles of the invention and the practical application thereof , and to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated . all such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth they are fairly , legally , and equitably entitled . | US-86936210-A |
the invention provides compounds of the formula and methods of using those compounds for treating a disease or condition in a mammal wherein a 5 - ht receptor , such as a 5 - ht 6 receptor , is implicated and modulation of a 5 - ht function is desired , wherein a , g and w 1 - w 6 are defined as herein . | the compounds of the present invention are generally named according to the iupac or cas nomenclature system . abbreviations which are well known to one of ordinary skill in the art may be used ( e . g . “ ph ” for phenyl , “ me ” for methyl , “ et ” for ethyl , “ h ” for hour or hours , “ rt ” for room temperature , e . g ., 18 - 25 ° c ., and etc .). the carbon atom content of various hydrocarbon - containing moieties can be indicated by a prefix designating the minimum and maximum number of carbon atoms in the moiety , i . e ., the prefix c i - j indicates a moiety of the integer “ i ” to the integer “ j ” carbon atoms , inclusive . thus , for example , c 1 - 7 alkyl refers to alkyl of one to seven carbon atoms , inclusive . the term “ halo ” refers to a halogen atom selected from cl , br , i , and f . the term “ alkyl ” refers to both straight - and branched - chain moieties . unless otherwise specifically stated alkyl moieties include between 1 and 10 carbon atoms . the term “ alkenyl ” refers to both straight - and branched - chain moieties containing at least one — c ═ c —. unless otherwise specifically stated alkenyl moieties include between 1 and 10 carbon atoms . the term “ alkynyl ” refers to both straight - and branched - chain moieties containing at least one — c ≡ c —. unless otherwise specifically stated alkynyl moieties include between 1 and 10 carbon atoms . the term “ cycloalkyl ” refers to a cyclic alkyl moiety . unless otherwise specifically stated cycloalkyl moieties will include between 3 and 7 carbon atoms . the term “ cycloalkenyl ” refers to a cyclic alkenyl moiety . unless otherwise specifically stated cycloalkenyl moieties will include between 3 and 7 carbon atoms and at least one — c ═ c — group within the cyclic ring . the term “ heterocycloalkyl ” refers to a cyclic alkyl moiety including 1 - 4 heteroatoms in the ring . the heteroatoms are selected from the group consisting of oxygen , sulfur , and nitrogen . unless otherwise specifically stated heterocycloalkyl moieties include between 5 and 7 ring atoms . the term “ het ” is a c - linked five - ( 5 ) membered heteroaryl ring having 1 - 4 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of oxygen , sulfur , and nitrogen ; a c - linked six ( 6 ) membered heteroaryl ring having 1 - 3 nitrogen atoms ; a eight ( 8 ) membered bicyclic heteroaryl ring system having 1 - 3 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of oxygen , sulfur , and nitrogen ; and a ten ( 10 ) membered bicyclic heteroaryl ring system having 1 - 3 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of oxygen , sulfur , and nitrogen . examples of “ het ” include , but are not limited to , pyridinyl , thiophenyl , furanyl , pyrazolyl , pyrimidinyl , pyridyl , pyridazinyl , imidazolyl , isoxazolyl , pyrazolyl , oxazolyl , oxathiazolyl , oxadiazolyl , thiazolyl , isothiazolyl , thienyl , pyrrolyl , isopyrrolyl , oxathiazolyl - 1 - oxide , thiadiazoyl , triazolyl , tetrazolyl , thiazolinyl , thiazoledionyl , thiatriazolyl , dithiazolonyl , indoyl , indolinyl , benzofuranyl , benzothiophenyl , benzisoxazolyl , benzimidazoyl , benzoxazolyl , quinolinyl , isoquinolinyl , and quinovalinyl . the term “ substituted alkyl ” refers to an alkyl moiety including 1 - 4 substituents selected from halo , cycloalkyl , cycloalkenyl , heterocycloalkyl , het , aryl , — oq 10 , — sq 10 , — s ( o ) 2 q 10 , — s ( o ) q 10 , — os ( o ) 2 q 10 , — c (═ nq 10 ) q 10 , — sc ( o ) q 10 , — nq 10 q 10 , — c ( o ) q 10 , — c ( s ) q 10 , — c ( o ) oq 10 , — oc ( o ) q 10 , — c ( o ) nq 10 q 10 , — c ( o ) c ( q 16 ) 2 oc ( o ) q 10 , — cn , ═ o , ═ s , — nq 10 c ( o ) q 10 , — nq 10 c ( o ) nq 10 q 10 , — s ( o ) 2 nq 10 q 10 , — nq 10 s ( o ) 2 q 10 , — nq 10 s ( o ) q 10 , and — no 2 ,. each of the cycloalkyl , heterocycloalkyl , het , aryl , and cycloalkenyl may be optionally substituted with 1 - 4 substituents independently selected from halo and q 15 . the term “ substituted aryl ” refers to an aryl moiety having 1 - 3 substituents selected from — oq 10 , — sq 10 , — s ( o ) 2 q 10 , — s ( o ) q 10 , — os ( o ) 2 q 10 , — c (═ nq 10 ) q 10 , — sc ( o ) q 10 , — nq 10 q 10 , — c ( o ) q 10 , — c ( s ) q 10 , — c ( o ) oq 10 , — oc ( o ) q 10 , — c ( o ) nq 10 q 10 , — c ( o ) c ( q 16 ) 2 oc ( o ) q 10 , — cn , — nq 10 c ( o ) q 10 , — nq 10 c ( o ) nq 10 q 10 , — s ( o ) 2 nq 10 q 10 , — nq 10 s ( o ) 2 q 10 , — nq 10 s ( o ) q 10 , — no 2 , alkyl , substituted alkyl , halo , cycloalkyl , cycloalkenyl , heterocycloalkyl , het , and aryl . the cycloalkyl , cycloalkenyl , heterocycloalkyl , het , and aryl may be optionally substituted with 1 - 3 substituents selected from halo and q 15 . the term “ substituted het ” refers to a het moiety having 1 - 3 substituents selected from — oq 10 , — sq 10 , — s ( o ) 2 q 10 , — s ( o ) q 10 , — os ( o ) 2 q 10 , — c (═ nq 10 ) q 10 , — sc ( o ) q 10 , — nq 10 q 10 , — c ( o ) q 10 , — c ( s ) q 10 , — c ( o ) oq 10 , — oc ( o ) q 10 , — c ( o ) nq 10 q 10 , — c ( o ) c ( q 16 ) 2 oc ( o ) q 10 , — cn , — nq 10 c ( o ) q 10 , — nq 10 c ( o ) nq 10 q 10 , — s ( o ) 2 nq 10 q 10 , — nq 10 s ( o ) 2 q 10 , — nq 10 s ( o ) q 10 , — no 2 , alkyl , substituted alkyl , halo , cycloalkyl , cycloalkenyl , heterocycloalkyl , het , and aryl . the cycloalkyl , cycloalkenyl , heterocycloalkyl , het , and aryl may be optionally substituted with 1 - 3 substituents selected from halo and q 15 . the term “ substituted alkenyl ” refers to a alkenyl moiety including 1 - 3 substituents — oq 10 , — sq 10 , — s ( o ) 2 q 10 , — s ( o ) q 10 , — os ( o ) 2 q 10 , — c (═ nq 10 ) q 10 , — sc ( o ) q 10 , — nq 10 q 10 , — c ( o ) q 10 , — c ( s ) q 10 , — c ( o ) oq 10 , — oc ( o ) q 10 , — c ( o ) nq 10 q 10 , — c ( o ) c ( q 16 ) 2 oc ( o ) q 10 , — cn , ═ o , ═ s , — nq 10 c ( o ) q 10 , — nq 10 c ( o ) nq 10 q 10 , — s ( o ) 2 nq 10 q 10 , — nq 10 s ( o ) 2 q 10 , — nq 10 s ( o ) q 10 , — no 2 , alkyl , substituted alkyl , halo , cycloalkyl , cycloalkenyl , heterocycloalkyl , het , and aryl . the cycloalkyl , cycloalkenyl , heterocycloalkyl , het , and aryl may be optionally substituted with 1 - 3 substituents selected from halo and q 15 . the term “ substituted alkoxy ” refers to an alkoxy moiety including 1 - 3 substituents — oq 10 , — sq 10 , — s ( o ) 2 q 10 , — s ( o ) q 10 , — os ( o ) 2 q 10 , — c (═ nq 10 ) q 10 , — sc ( o ) q 10 , — nq 10 q 10 , — c ( o ) q 10 , — c ( s ) q 10 , — c ( o ) oq 10 , — oc ( o ) q 10 , — c ( o ) nq 10 q 10 , — c ( o ) c ( q 16 ) 2 oc ( o ) q 10 , — cn , ═ o , ═ s , — nq 10 c ( o ) q 10 , — nq 10 c ( o ) nq 10 q 10 , — s ( o ) 2 nq 10 q 10 , — nq 10 s ( o ) 2 q 10 , — nq 10 s ( o ) q 10 , — no 2 , alkyl , substituted alkyl , halo , cycloalkyl , heterocycloalkyl , het , aryl , and cycloalkenyl . the cycloalkyl , heterocycloalkyl , het , aryl , and cycloalkenyl may be optionally substituted with 1 - 3 substituents selected from halo and q 15 . the term “ substituted cycloalkenyl ” refers to a cycloalkenyl moiety including 1 - 3 substituents - oq 10 , — sq 10 , — s ( o ) 2 q 10 , — s ( o ) q 10 , — os ( o ) 2 q 10 , — c (═ nq 10 ) q 10 , — sc ( o ) q 10 , — nq 10 q 10 , — c ( o ) q 10 , — c ( s ) q 10 , — c ( o ) oq 10 , — oc ( o ) q 10 , — c ( o ) nq 10 q 10 , — c ( o ) c ( q 16 ) 2 oc ( o ) q 10 , — cn , ═ o , ═ s , — nq 10 c ( o ) q 10 , — nq 10 c ( o ) nq 10 q 10 , — s ( o ) 2 nq 10 q 10 , — nq 10 s ( o ) 2 q 10 , — nq 10 s ( o ) q 10 , — no 2 , alkyl , substituted alkyl , halo , cycloalkyl , cycloalkenyl , heterocycloalkyl , het , and aryl . the cycloalkyl , cycloalkenyl , heterocycloalkyl , het , and aryl may be optionally substituted with 1 - 3 substituents selected from halo and q 15 . each q 10 is independently selected from — h , alkyl , cycloalkyl , heterocycloalkyl , het , cycloalkenyl , and aryl . the het , heterocycloalkyl , cycloalkyl , cycloalkenyl , and aryl may be optionally substituted with 1 - 3 substituents selected from halo and q 13 . each q 11 is independently selected from — h , halo , alkyl , aryl , and cycloalkyl . the alkyl and cycloalkyl may be optionally substituted with 1 - 3 substituents independently selected from halo , — no 2 , — cn , ═ s , ═ o , and q 14 . the aryl may be optionally substituted with 1 - 3 substituents independently selected from halo , — no 2 , — cn , and q 14 . each q 13 is independently selected from q 11 — oq 11 , — sq 11 , — s ( o ) 2 q 11 , — s ( o ) q 11 , — os ( o ) 2 q 11 , — c (═ nq 11 ) q 11 , — sc ( o ) q 11 , — nq 11 q 11 , — c ( o ) q 11 , — c ( s ) q 11 , — c ( o ) oq 11 , — oc ( o ) q 11 , — c ( o ) nq 11 q 11 , — c ( o ) c ( q 16 ) 2 oc ( o ) q 10 , — cn , ═ o , ═ s , — nq 11 c ( o ) q 11 , — nq 11 c ( o ) nq 11 q 11 , — s ( o ) 2 nq 11 q 11 , — nq 11 s ( o ) 2 q 11 , — nq 11 s ( o ) q 11 , and — no 2 , provided that q 13 is not ═ o or ═ s when q 10 is aryl or het . each q 14 is — h or a substituent selected from alkyl , cycloalkyl , cycloalkenyl , phenyl , or naphthyl , each optionally substituted with 1 - 4 substituents independently selected from — f , — cl , — br , — i , — oq 16 , — sq 16 , — s ( o ) 2 q 16 , — s ( o ) q 16 , — os ( o ) 2 q 16 , — nq 16 q 16 , — c ( o ) q 16 , — c ( s ) q 16 , — c ( o ) oq 16 , — no 2 , — c ( o ) nq 16 q 16 , — cn , — nq 16 c ( o ) q 16 , — nq 16 c ( o ) nq 16 q 16 , — s ( o ) 2 nq 16 q 16 , and — nq 16 s ( o ) 2 q 16 . the alkyl , cycloalkyl , and cycloalkenyl may be further substituted with ═ o or 50 s . each q 15 is alkyl , cycloalkyl , cycloalkenyl , phenyl , or naphthyl , each optionally substituted with 1 - 4 substituents independently selected from — f , — cl , — br , — i , — oq 16 , — sq 16 , — s ( o ) 2 q 16 , — s ( o ) q 16 , — os ( o ) 2 q 16 , — c (═ nq 16 ) q 16 , — sc ( o ) q 16 , — nq 16 q 16 , — c ( o ) q 16 , — c ( s ) q 16 , — c ( o ) oq 16 , — oc ( o ) q 16 , — c ( o ) nq 16 q 16 , — c ( o ) c ( q 16 ) 2 oc ( o ) q 16 , — cn , — nq 16 c ( o ) q 16 , — nq 16 c ( o ) nq 16 q 16 , — s ( o ) 2 nq 16 q 16 , — nq 16 s ( o ) 2 q 16 , — nq 16 s ( o ) q 16 , and — no 2 . the alkyl , cycloalkyl , and cycloalkenyl may be further substituted with ═ o or ═ s . each q 16 is independently selected from — h , alkyl , and cycloalkyl . the alkyl and cycloalkyl may be optionally substituted with 1 - 3 halos . the term “ electron donating group ” refers to the ability of a substituent to donate electrons relative to that of hydrogen if the hydrogen atom occupied the same position on the molecule . the term “ electron donating group ” is well understood by one skilled in the art and is discussed in advanced organic chemistry by j . march , john wiley & amp ; sons , new york , n . y ., pp . 16 - 18 ( 1985 ) and the discussion therein is incorporated herein by reference . electron donating groups include such groups as hydroxy , lower alkoxy , including methoxy , ethoxy and the like ; amino , lower alkylamino ; di ( loweralkylamino ); aryloxy , such as phenoxy , mercapto , lower alkythio , lower alkylmercapto , and the like . the term “ lower alkyl ” refers to a c 1 - c 4 - alkyl . it is to be understood that the present invention encompasses any racemic , optically - active , polymorphic , tautomeric , or stereoisomeric form , or mixture thereof , of a compound of the invention , which possesses the useful properties described herein . in cases where compounds are sufficiently basic or acidic to form stable nontoxic acid or base salts , administration of the compounds as pharmaceutically acceptable salts may be appropriate . examples of pharmaceutically acceptable salts which are within the scope of the present invention include organic acid addition salts formed with acids which form a physiological acceptable anion and inorganic salts . examples of pharmaceutically acceptable salts include , but are not limited to , the following acids acetic , aspartic , benzenesulfonic , benzoic , bicarbonic , bisulfuric , bitartaric , butyric , calcium edetate , camsylic , carbonic , chlorobenzoic , citric , edetic , edisylic , estolic , esyl , esylic , formic , fumaric , gluceptic , gluconic , glutamic , glycollylarsanilic , hexamic , hexylresorcinoic , hydrabamic , hydrobromic , hydrochloric , hydroiodic , hydroxynaphthoic , isethionic , lactic , lactobionic , maleic , malic , malonic , mandelic , methanesulfonic , methylnitric , methylsulfuric , mucic , muconic , napsylic , nitric , oxalic , p - nitromethane - sulfonic , pamoic , pantothenic , phosphoric , monohydrogen phosphoric , dihydrogen phosphoric , phthalic , polygalactouronic , propionic , salicylic , stearic , succinic , sulfamic , sulfanilic , sulfonic , sulfuric , tannic , tartaric , teoclic and toluenesulfonic . pharmaceutically acceptable salts may be obtained using standard procedures well known in the art , for example by reacting a sufficiently basic compound such as an amine with a suitable acid affording a physiologically acceptable anion . alkali metal ( for example , sodium , potassium or lithium ) or alkaline earth metal ( for example calcium ) salts of carboxylic acids can also be made . although the following schemes include compounds in which all of w1 - w6 are — cr 1 , compounds having one or more of w 1 - w 6 being a nitrogen atom can be produced via similar schemes utilizing appropriate starting materials . all starting materials are commercially available or can be made by procedures well known to those skilled in the art . chart a depicts the synthesis of sulfones ( 5 ). commercially available arene ( 1 ) is sulfonated using chlorosulfonic acid , sulfuric acid , or so 3 either neat or in solvents such as dichloromethane , chloroform , carbon tetrachloride , or dichloroethane between the temperatures of − 78 ° c . and 85 ° c ., to give sulfonic acid ( 2 ). sulfonic acid ( 2 ) is converted to sulfonyl chloride ( 3 ) using thionyl chloride , pcl 5 , pcl 3 , or other chlorinating agents such as are discussed in or referred to in march , advanced organic chemistry - reactions , mechanisms and structures , 4th ed ., 1992 . sulfonyl chloride ( 3 ) be may synthesized directly from ( 1 ) using chlorosulfonic acid in solvents such as dichloromethane , chloroform , carbon tetrachloride , dichloroethane between the temperatures of − 78 ° c . and 85 ° c ., or using thionyl chloride in the presence of sulfuric acid . sulfonyl halide ( 3 ) is treated with aryl ( 6 ) in the presence of a friedel - crafts reagent such as alcl 3 , albr 3 , fecl 3 , sncl 4 , bcl 3 , bf 3 , h 2 so 4 , zncl 2 , polyphosphoric acid , or other reagent known to those well - versed in the art in solvents such as nitromethane , nitrobenzene , or carbon disulfide at temperatures between 0 ° c . and 200 ° c . to give sulfone ( 7 ). alternatively , sulfone ( 7 ) may be synthesized directly from naphthalene ( 1 ) and aryl sulfonyl halide ( 4 ) or aryl sulfonic acid ( 5 ) in the presence of a friedel - crafts reagent such as alcl 3 , albr 3 , fecl 3 , sncl 4 , bcl 3 , bf 3 , h 2 so 4 , zncl 2 , polyphosphoric acid , or other reagent known to those well - versed in the art in solvents such as nitromethane , nitrobenzene , or carbon disulfide at temperatures between 0 ° c . and 200 ° c . chart b shows an alternative route to sulfone ( 7 ) and sulfonyl halide ( 3 ). aniline ( 9 ) is commercially available or is prepared from nitro ( 8 ) by reduction using raney nickel and hydrazine or pd or pt catalysts and hydrogen . nitro ( 8 ) is itself prepared by nitration of arene ( 1 ) using hno 3 / h 2 so 4 or other methods well known to those versed in the art . aniline ( 9 ) is then treated with sodium nitrite in a strong acid such as aqueous sulfuric acid , or with butyl nitrite in acetic acid or trifluoroacetic acid , and then with thiophenol ( 10 ) at − 30 ° c . to room temperature to give solids , which are collected and then oxidized to sulfone ( 7 ) using oxidants such as m - chloroperoxybenzoic acid , peracetic acid , hydrogen peroxide , sodium tunstate , and oxone , iodobenzene dichloride , sodium periodate , t - butylhypochlorite , and potassium permanganate in solvents such as dichloromethane , chloroform , acetic acid , water at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 120 ° c ., to give sulfone ( 7 ). alternatively , aniline ( 9 ) is treated with conc . hcl and sodium nitrite , followed by so 2 and cucl 2 - 2h 2 o in acetic acid at temperatures ranging from 0 ° c . to 120 ° c . to give sulfonyl halide ( 3 ). chart c depicts the synthesis of sulfone amine ( 13 ). sulfone ( 7 ) is treated with a cyclic diamine ( 11 ) in the presence of a base such as triethyl amine , diisopropyl amine , potassium carbonate , or other bases known to those well - versed in the art in solvents such as pyridine , acetonitrile , dimethylformamide , alcoholic solvents such as ethanol or isopropanol , ethyl acetate , and dichloromethane at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 200 ° c ., to give protected sulfone amine ( 12 ) when y is a protecting group such as boc , cbz , fmoc , tert - butyl , or acyl , or sulfone amine ( 13 ) when y is hydrogen or alkyl . when y is a protecting group it may be removed by methods well - known to those versed in the art ( see , for example , green and wuts , “ protective groups in organic synthesis ,” 3rd ed ., wiley interscience ) to give sulfone amine ( 13 ). in each of charts a - c shown below , x 1 , typically is halo or - otf , x 2 and x 3 , typically are halo , y , typically is a protecting group for nitrogen , and aryl , typically is a 5 - or 6 - membered aromatic ring which may contain one or more heteroatoms , e . g ., o , n , or s . protecting groups for nitrogen include , but are not limited to , carbobenzyloxy ( cbz ), 1 , 1 dimethylcarbamate , tert butoxy carbonyl ( boc ) and the like . examples of other suitable protecting groups are known to person skilled in the art and can be found in “ protective groups in organic synthesis ,” 3rd edition , authored by theodora greene and peter wuts . in some embodiments , the compounds are isotopically - labeled compounds . isotopically - labeled compounds are identical to those recited in formulae i and ii , but for the fact that one or more atoms are replaced by an atom having an atomic mass or mass number different from the atomic mass or mass number usually found in nature . examples of isotopes that can be incorporated into compounds of the invention include isotopes of hydrogen , carbon , nitrogen , oxygen , phosphorous , fluorine , iodine , and chlorine , such as 3 h , 11 c , 14 c , 13 n , 15 o , 18 f , 99m tc , 123 i , and 125 i . compounds of the present invention and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and prodrugs of said compounds that contain the aforementioned isotopes and / or other isotopes of other atoms are within the scope of the invention . isotopically - labeled compounds of the present invention are useful in drug and / or substrate tissue distribution and target occupancy assays . for example , isotopically labeled compounds are particularly useful in spect ( single photon emission computed tomography ) and in pet ( positron emission tomography ). single - photon emission computed tomography ( spect ), acquires information on the concentration of isotopically labeled compounds introduced to a mammal &# 39 ; s body . spect dates from the early 1960 &# 39 ; s , when the idea of emission traverse section tomography was introduced by d . e . kuhl and r . q . edwards prior to either pet , x - ray ct , or mri . in general , spect requires isotopes that decay by electron capture and / or gamma emission . example of viable spect isotopes include , but are not limited to , 123 - iodine ( 123 i ) and 99m - technetium ( 99m tc ) . subjects are injected with a radioactively labeled agent , typically at tracer doses . the nuclear decay resulting in the emission of a single gamma ray which passes through the tissue and is measured externally with a spect camera . the uptake of radioactivity reconstructed by computers as a tomogram shows tissue distribution in cross - sectional images . positron emission tomography ( pet ) is a technique for measuring the concentrations of positron - emitting isotopes within the tissues . like spect , these measurements are , typically , made using pet cameras outside of the living subjects . pet can be broken down into several steps including , but not limited to , synthesizing a compound to include a positron - emitting isotope ; administering the isotopically labeled compound to a mammal ; and imaging the distribution of the positron activity as a function of time by emission tomography . pet is described , for example , by alavi et al . in positron emission tomography . published by alan r . liss , inc . in 1985 . positron - emitting isotopes used in pet include , but are not limited to , carbon - 11 , nitrogen - 13 , oxygen - 15 , and fluorine - 18 . in general , positron - emitting isotopes should have short half - lives to help minimize the long term radiation exposure that a patient receives from high dosages required during pet imaging . in certain instances , pet imaging can be used to measure the binding kinetics of compounds of this invention with 5 - ht 6 serotonin receptors . for example , administering an isotopically labeled compound of the invention that penetrates into the body and binds to a 5 - ht 6 serotonin receptor creates a baseline pet signal which can be monitored while administering a second , different , non - isotopically labeled compound . the baseline pet signal will decrease as the non - isotopically labeled compound competes for the binding to the 5 - ht 6 serotonin receptor . in general , compounds of formula i that are useful in performing pet or spect are those which penetrate the blood - brain barrier , exhibit high selectivity and modest affinity to 5 - ht 6 serotonin receptors , and are eventually metabolized . compounds that are non - selective or those that exhibit excessive or small affinity for 5 - ht 6 serotonin receptors are , generally , not useful in studying brain receptor binding kinetics with respect to 5 - ht 6 serotonin receptors . compounds that are not metabolized may harm the patient . in other embodiments , nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( mrs ) imaging can be used to detect the overall concentration of a compound or fragment thereof containing nuclei with a specific spin . in general , the isotopes useful in nmr imaging include , but are not limited to , hydrogen - 1 , carbon - 13 , phosphorus - 31 , and fluorine - 19 . for instance , compounds containing 19 f are useful in conducting nmr imaging . further , substitution with heavier isotopes such as deuterium , i . e ., 2 h , can afford certain therapeutic advantages resulting from greater metabolic stability , for example increased in vivo half - life or reduced dosage requirements and , hence , maybe preferred in some circumstances . isotopically labeled compounds of formula i of this invention can generally be prepared by carrying out the synthetic procedures described above by substituting an isotopically labeled reagent for a non - isotopically labeled reagent . compounds of the present invention can conveniently be administered in a pharmaceutical composition containing the compound in combination with a suitable excipient . such pharmaceutical compositions can be prepared by methods and contain excipients which are well known in the art . a generally recognized compendium of such methods and ingredients is remington &# 39 ; s pharmaceutical sciences by e . w . martin ( mark publ . co ., 15th ed ., 1975 ). the compounds and compositions of the present invention can be administered parenterally ( for example , by intravenous , intraperitoneal or intramuscular injection ), topically , orally , or rectally . for oral therapeutic administration , the active compound may be combined with one or more excipients and used in the form of ingestible tablets , buccal tablets , troches , capsules , elixirs , suspensions , syrups , wafers , and the like . such compositions and preparations should contain at least 0 . 1 % of active compound . the percentage of the compositions and preparations may , of course , be varied and may conveniently be between about 2 to about 60 % of the weight of a given unit dosage form . the amount of active compound in such therapeutically useful compositions is such that an effective dosage level will be obtained . the tablets , troches , pills , capsules , and the like may also contain the following : binders such as gum tragacanth , acacia , corn starch or gelatin ; excipients such as dicalcium phosphate ; a disintegrating agent such as corn starch , potato starch , alginic acid and the like ; a lubricant such as magnesium stearate ; and a sweetening agent such as sucrose , fructose , lactose or aspartame or a flavoring agent such as peppermint , oil of wintergreen , or cherry flavoring . the above listing is merely representative and one skilled in the art could envision other binders , excipients , sweetening agents and the like . when the unit dosage form is a capsule , it may contain , in addition to materials of the above type , a liquid carrier , such as a vegetable oil or a polyethylene glycol . various other materials may be present as coatings or to otherwise modify the physical form of the solid unit dosage form . for instance , tablets , pills , or capsules may be coated with gelatin , wax , shellac or sugar and the like . a syrup or elixir may contain the active compound , sucrose or fructose as a sweetening agent , methyl and propylparabens as preservatives , a dye and flavoring such as cherry or orange flavor . of course , any material used in preparing any unit dosage form should be pharmaceutically acceptable and substantially non - toxic in the amounts employed . in addition , the active compound may be incorporated into sustained - release preparations and devices including , but not limited to , those relying on osmotic pressures to obtain a desired release profile ( e . g ., the oros drug delivery devices as designed and developed by alza corporation ). the compounds or compositions can also be administered intravenously or intraperitoneally by infusion or injection . solutions of the active compound or its salts can be prepared in water , optionally mixed with a nontoxic surfactant . dispersions can also be prepared in glycerol , liquid polyethylene glycols , triacetin , and mixtures thereof and in oils . under ordinary conditions of storage and use , these preparations contain a preservative to prevent the growth of microorganisms . pharmaceutical dosage forms suitable for injection or infusion can include sterile aqueous solutions or dispersions or sterile powders comprising the active ingredient which are adapted for the extemporaneous preparation of sterile injectable or infusible solutions or dispersions , optionally encapsulated in liposomes . in all cases , the ultimate dosage form should be sterile , fluid and stable under the conditions of manufacture and storage . the liquid carrier or vehicle can be a solvent or liquid dispersion medium comprising , for example , water , ethanol , a polyol ( for example , glycerol , propylene glycol , liquid polyethylene glycols , and the like ), vegetable oils , nontoxic glyceryl esters , and suitable mixtures thereof . the proper fluidity can be maintained , for example , by the formation of liposomes , by the maintenance of the required particle size in the case of dispersions or by the use of surfactants . the prevention of the action of microorganisms can be brought about by various antibacterial and antifungal agents , for example , parabens , chlorobutanol , phenol , sorbic acid , thimerosal , and the like . in many cases , it will be preferable to include isotonic agents , for example , sugars , buffers or sodium chloride . prolonged absorption of the injectable compositions can be brought about by the use in the compositions of agents delaying absorption , for example , aluminum monostearate and gelatin . sterile injectable solutions can be prepared by incorporating the active compound in the required amount in the appropriate solvent with various of the other ingredients enumerated above , as required , followed by filter sterilization . in the case of sterile powders for the preparation of sterile injectable solutions , the preferred methods of preparation are vacuum drying and the freeze drying techniques , which yield a powder of the active ingredient plus any additional desired ingredient present in the previously sterile - filtered solutions . sterilization of the powders may also be accomplished through irradiation and aseptic crystallization methods . the sterilization method selected is the choice of the skilled artisan . for topical administration , the present compounds may be applied in pure form , i . e ., when they are liquids . however , it will generally be desirable to administer them to the skin as compositions or formulations , in combination with a dermatologically acceptable carrier , which may be a solid or a liquid . useful solid carriers include finely divided solids such as talc , clay , microcrystalline cellulose , silica , alumina and the like . useful liquid carriers include water , alcohols or glycols or water - alcohol / glycol blends , in which the present compounds can be dissolved or dispersed at effective levels , optionally with the aid of non - toxic surfactants . adjuvants such as fragrances and additional antimicrobial agents can be added to optimize the properties for a given use . the resultant liquid compositions can be applied from absorbent pads , used to impregnate bandages and other dressings , or sprayed onto the affected area using pump - type or aerosol sprayers . thickeners such as synthetic polymers , fatty acids , fatty acid salts and esters , fatty alcohols , modified celluloses or modified mineral materials can also be employed with liquid carriers to form spreadable pastes , gels , ointments , soaps , and the like , for application directly to the skin of the user . to this extent , the present invention further contemplates the use of the pharmaceutically active materials in personal care compositions such as lotions , cleansers , powders , cosmetics and the like . the compound is conveniently administered in unit dosage form ; for example , containing about 0 . 05 mg to about 500 mg , conveniently about 0 . 1 mg to about 250 mg , most conveniently , about 1 mg to about 150 mg of active ingredient per unit dosage form . the desired dose may conveniently be presented in a single dose or as divided doses administered at appropriate intervals , for example , as two , three , four or more sub - doses per day . the sub - dose itself may be further divided , e . g ., into a number of discrete loosely spaced administrations . the compositions can conveniently be administered orally , sublingually , transdermally , or parenterally at dose levels of about 0 . 01 to about 150 mg / kg , preferably about 0 . 1 to about 50 mg / kg , and more preferably about 0 . 1 to about 30 mg / kg of mammal body weight . for parenteral administration the compounds are presented in aqueous solution in a concentration of from about 0 . 1 to about 10 %, more preferably about 0 . 1 to about 7 %. the solution may contain other ingredients , such as emulsifiers , antioxidants or buffers . the exact regimen for administration of the compounds and compositions disclosed herein will necessarily be dependent upon the needs of the individual subject being treated , the type of treatment and , of course , the judgment of the attending practitioner . generally , compounds of the invention are 5 - ht ligands . the ability of a compound of the invention to bind or act at a 5 - ht receptor , or to bind or act selectively at a specific 5 - ht receptor subtype can be determined using in vitro and in vivo assays that are known in the art . as used herein , the term “ bind selectively ” means a compound binds at least 2 times , preferably at least 10 times , and more preferably at least 50 times more readily to a given 5 - ht subtype than to one or more other subtypes . preferred compounds of the invention bind selectively to one or more 5 - ht receptor subtypes . the ability of a compound of the invention to act as a 5 - ht receptor agonist or antagonist can also be determined using in vitro and in vivo assays that are known in the art . all of the example compounds provided above are 5 - ht ligands , with the ability to displace & gt ; 50 % of a radiolabeled test ligand from one or more 5 - ht receptor subtypes at a concentration of 1 μm . the procedures used for testing such displacement are well known and illustrated below . hela cells containing the cloned human 5 - ht 6 receptor were acquired from dr . david r . sibley &# 39 ; s laboratory in national institute of health ( see sibley , d . r ., j . neurochemistry , 66 , 47 - 56 , 1996 ). cells were grown in high glucose dulbecco &# 39 ; s modified eagle &# 39 ; s medium , supplemented with l - glutamine , 0 . 5 % sodium pyruvate , 0 . 3 % penicillin - streptomycin , 0 . 025 % g - 418 and 5 % gibco fetal bovine serum and then were harvested , when confluent , in cold phosphate buffered saline . harvested intact cells were washed once in cold phosphate - buffered saline . the cells were pelleted and resuspended in 100 ml of cold 50 mm tris , 5 mm edta and 5 mm egta , ph 7 . 4 . homogenization was with a vir tishear generator , 4 cycles for 30 seconds each at setting 50 . the homogenized cells were centrifuged at 700 rpm ( 1000 x g ) for 10 minutes and the supernatant was removed . the pellet was resuspended in 100 ml of the above buffer and rehomogenized for 2 cycles . the rehomogenized cells were then centrifuged at 700 rpm ( 1000 x g ) for 10 minutes and the supernatant was removed . the combined supernatant ( 200 ml ) was centrifuged at 23 , 000 rpm ( 80 , 000 x g ) for 1 hour in a beckman rotor ( 42 . 1 ti ). the membrane pellet was resuspended in 50 - 8 - ml of assay buffer containing hepes 20 mm , mgcl2 10 mm , nacl 150 mm , edta 1 mm , ph 7 . 4 and stored frozen in aliquots at − 70 ° c . the radioligand binding assay used [ 3 h ]- lysergic acid diethylamide ( lsd ). the assay was carried out in wallac 96 - well sample plates by the addition of 11 μl of the test sample at the appropriate dilution ( the assay employed 11 serial concentrations of samples run in duplicate ), 11 μl of radioligand , and 178 μl of a washed mixture of wga - coated spa beads and membranes in binding buffer . the plates were shaken for about 5 minutes and then incubated at room temperature for 1 hour . the plates were then loaded into counting cassettes and counted in a wallac microbeta trilux scintillation counter . binding constant determination may be obtained by performing serial dilutions , e . g ., eleven dilutions , of test compounds into assay plates using the pe / cetus pro / pette pipetter . these dilutions are followed by radioligand and the bead - membrane mixture prepared as described above . after obtaining the specifically bound cpm , the data are fit to a one - site binding model using graphpad prism ver . 2 . 0 . estimated ic 50 values are converted to ki values using the cheng - prusoff equation ( cheng , y . c . et al ., biochem . pharmacol ., 22 , 3099 - 108 , 1973 ). the compounds and their preparations of the present invention will be better understood in connection with the following examples , which are intended as an illustration of and not a limitation upon the scope of the invention . to a mixture of 1 - fluoronaphthalene ( 1 . 47 g , 10 . 1 mmol ) in chloroform ( 25 ml ) at 0 ° c . was added chlorosulfonic acid ( 1 . 40 ml , 21 . 1 mmol ) dropwise over 5 - 10 min . the mixture was allowed to slowly warm to room temperature while stirring overnight . the mixture was then poured onto a mixture of ice and water . the layers were separated and the aqueous layer was washed with hexane . the organic layers were combined and dried over magnesium sulfate and then concentrated to dryness under vacuum to give 2 . 11 g of 4 - fluoro - 1 - naphthalenesulfonyl chloride as a white solid . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ7 . 27 , 7 . 77 , 7 . 88 , 8 . 29 , 8 . 39 , 8 . 80 . method a . to aluminum trichloride ( 2 . 30 g , 17 . 2 mmol ) in benzene ( 30 ml ) was added 4 - fluoro - 1 - naphthalenesulfonyl chloride ( 2 . 11 g , 8 . 62 mmol ) in benzene ( 20 ml ). the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 4 h and then poured onto a mixture of ice and water . the mixture was extracted with ethyl ether and the ether layer was washed with 1n hcl , aq . sodium bicarbonate , and brine . the organic layer was dried over magnesium sulfate and concentrated under vacuum . crystallization from ethyl ether / hexane gave 2 . 10 g of 1 - fluoro - 4 -( phenylsulfonyl ) naphthalene in two crops . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ7 . 31 , 7 . 50 , 7 . 62 , 7 . 95 , 8 . 17 , 8 . 53 , 8 . 62 . method b . to a stirred mixture of aluminum trichloride ( 3 . 83 g , 28 . 7 mmol ) in nitromethane ( 10 ml ) was added , with cooling , 1 - fluoronaphthalene ( 2 . 03 g , 13 . 9 mmol ) in nitromethane ( 5 ml ) over 10 min . benzenesulfonyl chloride ( 2 . 15 g , 14 . 6 mmol ) in nitromethane ( 5 ml ) was added over several minutes and the mixture was allowed to warm to room temperature and stir for an additional 22 h , at which time it was poured onto ice / water and extracted with diethyl ether . the ether layer was washed with 2n hcl and brine and dried over magnesium sulfate . after concentration , the residue was crystallized from diethyl ether / hexane to give 1 . 28 g of 1 - fluoro - 4 -( phenylsulfonyl ) naphthalene . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ7 . 30 , 7 . 50 , 7 . 64 , 7 . 95 , 8 . 18 , 8 . 52 , 8 . 63 . a mixture of 1 - fluoro - 4 -( phenylsulfonyl ) naphthalene ( 1 . 67 g , 5 . 82 mmol ), piperazine ( 2 . 33 g , 27 . 0 mmol ), and acetonitrile ( 15 ml ) was stirred at 80 ° c . for 100 min and then allowed to cool . the solvent was removed under vacuum and the residue was first partitioned between ethyl ether and water , but oily solids precipitated from the mixture . the oily solids were set aside and the ether layer was washed several times with water and brine . the combined ether layers were added to the oily solids and dichloromethane was added until the solids were in solution . the mixture was dried over magnesium sulfate and concentrated under vacuum . methanol was added and the mixture was allowed to stand . the resulting precipitate was removed by filtration and the filtrate was treated with activated charcoal . the charcoal was then removed by filtration and the filtrate was concentrated to dryness to give 1 . 96 g of 1 -[ 4 -( phenylsulfonyl )- 1 - naphthyl ] piperazine . oams supporting ions at : esi + 353 . 0 . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ3 . 16 , 7 . 12 , 7 . 50 , 7 . 95 , 8 . 20 , 8 . 45 , 8 . 56 . 1 -[ 4 -( phenylsulfonyl )- 1 - naphthyl ] piperazine ( 1 . 96 g , 5 . 56 mmol ) was dissolved in methanol / dichloromethane and methanesulfonic acid ( 0 . 534 g , 5 . 56 mmol ) was added . the solvents were removed under vacuum and the residue was crystallized from methanol / ethyl acetate to give 2 . 10 g of 1 -[ 4 -( phenylsulfonyl )- 1 - naphthyl ] piperazine , methanesulfonate salt . 1 - amino - 4 - bromonaphthalene ( 2 . 57 g , 11 . 6 mmol ) was refluxed for 5 minutes in water ( 50 ml ) and concentrated hydrochloric acid ( 10 ml ). the mixture was then chilled to below 5 ° c . in an ice / acetone bath . a solution of sodium nitrite ( 0 . 8 g , 11 . 6 mmol ) in water ( 20 ml ) was slowly added to the mixture , under the surface of the liquid . the mixture was stirred chilled for one hour . sodium hydroxide ( 9 . 5 g , 237 . 5 mmol ) was dissolved in water ( 100 ml ). thiophenol ( 1 . 2 ml , 11 . 6 mmol ) was added to the hydroxide solution and the solution chilled to 5 ° c . using ice . the diazonium solution was slowly poured into the basic thiol solution . the mixture was allowed to stir at room temperature overnight . solids were collected by filtration and washed with water . column chromatography of the solids on silica gel ( 100 ml ) using ethyl acetate : hexanes ( 5 : 95 ) as eluent , followed by rechromatography with silica gel ( 100 ml ) using hexanes as eluent gave 2 . 67 g of the title compound ; mp 57 - 58 ° c . ; ir ( drift ) 1563 , 1498 , 1477 , 1417 , 1378 , 1257 , 1198 , 923 , 871 , 812 , 758 , 739 , 703 , 685 , 631 cm − 1 . 1 h nmr ( dmso - d 6 ) δ7 . 31 , 7 . 61 , 7 . 78 , 7 . 93 , 7 . 9 , 8 . 48 . to a mixture of 1 -( 4 - bromo - 1 - naphthyl )- 2 -( phenylsulfanyl ) diazene ( 2 . 67 g , 8 . 47 mmol ) in glacial acetic acid ( 50ml ) was added 30 % hydrogen peroxide ( 6 . 0 ml ). the mixture was heated at 90 ° c . for 4 h . the mixture was cooled to room temperature and partitioned between water and ether . the layers were separated and the organic layer washed twice with water ( 200 ml ). the organic layer was dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate , filtered , and concentrated . the resulting solids were triturated in methyl - t - butyl ether , collected by filtration , and dried to give 0 . 63 g of the title compound ; ir ( drift ) 1499 , 1308 , 1200 , 1153 , 1139 , 1084 , 880 , 838 , 761 , 751 , 724 , 690 , 672 , 625 , 606 cm − 1 . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ7 . 5 , 7 . 6 , 7 . 95 , 8 . 35 , 8 . 65 . to a mixture of 4 - bromo - 1 - naphthyl phenyl sulfone ( 0 . 59 g , 1 . 7 mmol ) in acetonitrile ( 50 ml ) was added potassium carbonate ( 0 . 469 g , 3 . 4 mmol ) and piperazine ( 0 . 176 g , 2 . 0 mmol ). the mixture was refluxed at 95 ° c . for 24 h . the mixture was cooled to room temperature and partitioned between water and ethyl acetate . the layers were separated and the organic layer washed three times with water ( 100 ml ). the organic layer was dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and concentrated . column chromatography on silica gel ( 60 ml ) using ch 2 cl 2 : ch 3 oh : nh 4 oh ( 92 : 8 : 3 ) gave a solid . the solid was converted to the methanesulfonic acid salt to give 0 . 177 g of the title compound ; mp 201 - 202 ° c . ; ir ( drift ) 1303 , 1240 , 1197 , 1179 , 1146 , 1083 , 1059 , 1039 , 956 , 785 , 772 , 724 , 689 , 619 , 600 cm − 1 . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ2 . 88 , 3 . 46 , 3 . 57 , 7 . 20 , 7 . 49 , 7 . 94 , 8 . 08 , 8 . 47 , 8 . 61 . to a mixture of 1 - fluoro - 4 -( phenylsulfonyl ) naphthalene ( 0 . 45 g , 1 . 57 mmol ) in acetonitrile ( 20 ml ) was added potassium carbonate ( 0 . 745 g , 5 . 4 mmol ) and cis - 2 , 5 - dimethyl piperazine ( 0 . 536 g , 4 . 7 mmol ). the mixture was refluxed at 90 ° c . overnight . the mixture was partitioned between water and ethyl acetate . the layers were separated and the organic layer washed twice with water ( 50 ml ). the organic layer was dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate and concentrated . column chromatography on silica gel ( 50 ml ) using methanol / dichloromethane ( 5 / 95 ) gave 0 . 267 g of the title compound ; mp 168 - 169 ° c . ; ir ( drift ) 2964 , 2959 , 1568 , 1508 , 1320 , 1302 , 1195 , 1152 , 1140 , 1084 , 1061 , 767 , 723 , 686 , 669 cm − 1 . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ1 . 12 , 1 . 15 , 2 . 47 , 3 . 27 , 3 . 33 , 7 . 09 , 7 . 5 , 7 . 93 , 8 . 16 , 8 . 43 , 8 . 55 . to a mixture of 1 - fluoro - 4 -( phenylsulfonyl ) naphthalene ( 0 . 45 g , 1 . 6 mmol ) in acetonitrile ( 25 ml ) was added homopiperazine ( 0 . 258 g , 6 . 8 mmol ) and potassium carbonate ( 0 . 47 g , 4 . 8 mmol ). the mixture was refluxed at 90 ° c . overnight . the mixture was partitioned between water and ethyl acetate . the layers were separated and the organic layer washed twice with water ( 100 ml ). the organic layer was dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate , filtered and concentrated . column chromatography on silica gel ( 75 ml ) using methanol / dichloromethane ( 5 / 95 ) and conversion to the methanesulfonic acid salt gave 0 . 069 g of the title compound ; mp 110 - 111 ° c . ; ir ( drift ) 3007 , 2985 ( b ), 2957 ( b ), 2935 ( b ), 2831 ( b ), 2778 ( b ), 2353 , 2339 ( w ), 1995 ( w ), 1990 ( w ), 1965 ( w ), 1197 ( s ), 1180 , 1152 ( s ), 724 ( s ), cm − 1 . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ2 . 36 , 3 . 4 , 3 . 6 , 3 . 6 , 7 . 24 , 7 . 5 , 7 . 93 , 8 . 2 , 8 . 44 , 8 . 6 . to a mixture of 1 - fluoronaphthalene ( 1 . 05 g , 7 . 18 mmol ) and p - xylene - 2 - sulfonyl chloride ( 1 . 47 g , 7 . 18 mmol ) in nitromethane ( 10 ml ) was added aluminum trichloride ( 1 . 9 g , 14 . 4 mmol ) in portions over 1 minute . the mixture was stirred at room temperature overnight . the mixture was partitioned between water and ethyl acetate . the layers were separated and the organic layer washed twice with water ( 50 ml ). the organic layer was dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate and concentrated . the resulting solids were slurried in et 2 o , collected by filtration , and dried to give 1 . 18 g of the title compound ; mp 142 - 143 ° c . ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ2 . 3 , 2 . 44 , 7 . 05 , 7 . 3 , 7 . 6 , 8 . 15 , 8 . 18 , 8 . 44 . to a mixture of 1 -[( 2 , 5 - dimethylphenyl ) sulfonyl ]- 4 - fluoronaphthalene ( 0 . 6 g , 1 . 9 mmol ) in acetonitrile ( 20 ml ) was added potassium carbonate ( 1 . 58 g , 11 . 4 mmol ) and piperazine ( 0 . 82 g , 9 . 5 mmol ). the mixture was refluxed at 90 ° c . overnight . the mixture was partitioned between water and ethyl acetate . the layers were separated and the organic layer washed twice with water ( 50 ml ). the organic layer was dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate and concentrated . column chromatography on silica gel ( 100 ml ) using 4 % ch 3 oh / ch 2 cl 2 ( 4 / 96 ) and conversion to the methanesulfonic acid salt gave 0 . 0769 g of the title compound ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ2 . 29 , 2 . 44 , 3 . 54 , 7 . 05 , 7 . 24 , 7 . 55 , 8 . 07 , 8 . 15 , 8 . 39 , 8 . 47 . to a mixture of p - toluenesulfonyl chloride ( 1 . 31 g , 6 . 9 mmol ) in nitromethane ( 10 ml ) was added 1 - fluoronaphthalene ( 1 . 01 g , 6 . 9 mmol ). to the mixture was added aluminum trichloride ( 1 . 94 g , 14 . 5 mmol ) in portions . the mixture was stirred at room temperature overnight . the mixture was partitioned between water and ethyl acetate . the layers were separated and the organic layer washed twice with water ( 50 ml ). the organic layer was dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate and concentrated . column chromatography on silica gel ( 60 ml ) using ethyl acetate : hexanes ( 10 : 90 ) gave 0 . 182 g of the title compound ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ2 . 36 , 7 . 26 , 7 . 62 , 7 . 82 , 8 . 16 , 8 . 5 , 8 . 6 . to a mixture of 1 - fluoro - 4 -[( 4 - methylphenyl ) sulfonyl ] naphthalene ( 0 . 157 g , 0 . 52 mmol ) in acetonitrile ( 10 ml ) was added potassium carbonate ( 0 . 43 g , 3 . 2 mmol ) and piperazine ( 0 . 224 g , 2 . 6 mmol ). the mixture was refluxed at 90 ° c . overnight . the mixture was partitioned between water and ethyl acetate . the layers were separated and the organic layer washed twice with water ( 50 ml ). the organic layer was dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate and concentrated . column chromatography on silica gel ( 50 ml ) using ch 3 oh : ch 2 cl 2 ( 5 : 95 ) gave 0 . 0297 g of the title compound ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ2 . 35 , 3 . 16 , 7 . 09 , 7 . 23 , 7 . 5 , 7 . 8 , 8 . 18 , 8 . 42 , 8 . 57 . to a mixture of 1 - fluoro - 4 -( phenylsulfonyl ) naphthalene ( 0 . 45 g , 1 . 57 mmol ) in acetonitrile ( 20 ml ) was added potassium carbonate ( 0 . 54 g , 3 . 9 mmol ) and n - methyl piperazine ( 0 . 35 g , 3 . 5 mmol ). the mixture was refluxed at 90 ° c . overnight . the mixture was partitioned between water and ethyl acetate . the layers were separated and the organic layer washed twice with water ( 100 ml ). the organic layer was dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate and concentrated . column chromatography on silica gel ( 50 ml ) using ch 3 oh : ch 2 cl 2 ( 5 : 95 ) gave 0 . 069 g of a solid . the solid was dissolved in ch 2 cl 2 and activated charcoal ( 0 . 4 g ) was added . the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 1 hour . the mixture was filtered through diatomaceous earth and concentrated to give 0 . 029 g of the title compound ; mp 71 - 72 ° c . ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ2 . 42 , 2 . 72 , 3 . 22 , 7 . 11 , 7 . 5 , 7 . 93 , 8 . 16 , 8 . 43 , 8 . 55 . utilizing the procedure of example 1 and substituting the appropriately substituted isoquinoline starting material for 1 - fluoro - 4 -( phenylsulfonyl ) naphthalene , there is obtained 4 -( phenylsulfonyl )- 1 - piperazine - 1 - ylisoquinoline . utilizing the procedure of example 1 and substituting the appropriately substituted isoquinoline starting material for 1 - fluoro - 4 -( phenylsulfonyl ) naphthalene , there is obtained 1 -( phenylsulfonyl )- 4 - piperazine - 1 - ylisoquinoline . utilizing the procedure of example 1 and substituting the appropriately substituted phthalazine starting method for 1 - fluoro - 4 -( phenylsulfonyl ) naphthalene , there is obtained 1 -( phenylsulfonyl )- 4 - piperazine - 1 - ylphthalazine . | US-37121503-A |
a positive lace zone tension isolation device and method for use with laced footwear including a base , a opposed , pivotable cam for clamping interposed laces against the underlying base and isolating the selected lace tension against migration at that point . | fig3 - 5 depict an embodiment of the inventive lace tension lock 10 according to this invention . the lock 10 includes a base having a substantially planar lower face 13 and a contoured upper surface 15 . a cam tab 14 including the substantially planar tongue 16 terminating with knurled finger grip 18 at one end and narrowing to a camming body 20 at the other end and is disposed above and pivotally attached to the base . the cam tab 14 includes a transverse groove 22 dimensioned to retain a stainless steel c - ring 24 which is mounted to the base 12 at the approximate midpoint of a pair of opposed , upwardly projecting base walls 26 . the base walls 26 shield and protect the interior of the lock 10 from external forces . each of the base walls 26 include a c - ring receiving slot 28 and an interiorly angled guide wall 30 which projects a select distance inwardly at an angle to both guide laces disposed between the walls and to accommodate the width of the planar tongue extending between the camming body 20 and the finger grip 18 . the slots 28 and the side walls 26 secure the c - ring 32 to the base 12 . the c - ring 32 snaps into the groove 22 to positively engage the c - ring thereby providing pivotal attachment of the cam tab 14 at a select height above the upper surface 15 to positionally secure the camming body 20 at a confronting but spaced - apart engagable relation with the upper surface 15 . as a result of the above described structure and interrelationship thereof , it should be apparent that the forces acting on the locking cam tab 14 are opposite each other . preferably , the upper surface 15 of the base 12 includes an irregular aspect ( as illustrated , grooved ) to assist in maintaining the lace crossover in a fixed position relative to the tension lock 10 and to contribute to the lace tension retaining function of the invention . the illustrated lace tension retaining feature comprises generally h - shaped trough 34 , which is formed on the upper surface 15 to provide a lace recess of a depth selected to accommodate both the camming body 20 and an interposed lace . additional lace - tension lock friction enhancing adjuncts may also be incorporated . for example , the entirety or primary contact areas of the surface 15 may include irregularities such as serrations or bumps . to provide an increased level of user confidence and to minimize undesired disengagement , the tension lock 10 may include a tab catch to secure the tab in the lace clamping position beyond the mere camming forces . the illustrated catch member is formed by a cooperating tab 38 projecting from the side of the tab 14 and a dimensionally corresponding recess 39 formed in slanted interior side walls 30 . the mechanical , detenting engagement of the tab in the recess assists to positionally secure the cam tab 14 relative to the base 12 . it should be apparent from the foregoing that the tension lock 10 should be composed of rugged , strong , durable materials to withstand the harshest of apparel environments . by so fabricating the tension lock 10 , regardless of the degree of environmental aggressiveness ( temperature , shock , moisture , etc .) the zone isolation functionality is preserved . preferably , the base 12 and tab cam 14 are injection molded from a synthetic polymer possessing resiliency and high tensile strength . for example , when used in a hockey environment , clearly , the material must be capable of withstanding high impact conditions in a wide range of ambient temperatures . because the c - ring clamp 32 serves to retain the tension lock together , preferably , it is formed of stainless steel to maximize holding power and full functionality in aggressive situations . it should be readily appreciated that the several components or the entire structure can be composed of any of metals , ceramics , or synthetic polymer resins . in application , the tension lock 10 may be permanently attached to the laced article ( e . g ., footwear , boxing gloves , corset , etc .) or may be an independent device . even if not affixed to the laced article , the presence of the threaded , interposed laces will retain the lock in the article safely . in keeping with the preferred embodiment , the lock 10 may include an attachment member for mounting on the tongue of the shoe at a location corresponding to a zone transition ( see fig1 ). as illustrated , the laces are passed through the gap between the cam tab 14 and the base 12 . the laces are urged toward the center of the upper surface 15 by the interior guide walls 30 . during the lace tightening and tying process , the user selects the desired lace tension in a zone and pushes on the grip 18 to pivot the tab 14 about the ring 24 whereupon the camming body 20 compresses the lace against the upper surface 15 of the base 12 . as the cam body 20 compresses against the interposed lace , it urges the lace into the positioning trough 34 . when pivoted to the locked position , the grip 18 is further pressed to cause the tabs 38 to snap into the recesses 39 . to reverse the process , the user pulls on the grip 18 to release the detenting tab and overcome the camming to unclasp the lace . the above - described inventive device can be adapted and employed in a wide variety of recreational and athletic activities such as hockey , figure skating , in - line skating , snowboarding , bicycling , running , etc . where convenient positive lace tension zoning is desired . consequently , the design variations are essentially unlimited so long as the design provides for lace tension zoning . given the foregoing , variations and modifications to the invention should now be apparent to a person having ordinary skill in the art . these variations and modifications are intended to fall within the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims . | US-36286599-A |
an artificial denture of composite construction is provided which comprises a tooth - holding portion fabricated from a hard non - polyurethane polymer having a hardness of not less than about shore d40 integrally chemically bonded to a mouth - engaging portion fabricated from a soft non - hydrophilic polyurethane elastomer having a hardness of not greater than about shore a65 , said polyurethane being the reaction product of a polyether polyol and an aliphatic , cycloaliphatic or aralkyl di - or polyisocyanate in which the isocyanate groups are directly bonded to the aliphatic , cycloaliphatic or alkyl moieties thereof . | the tooth - holding portion of the composite denture herein can be prepared from among any of the known and conventional hard acrylic resins employed in the manufacture of dentures , e . g ., those having a hardness of at least shore d40 and up to about shore d100 . the term &# 34 ; acrylic resin &# 34 ; as used herein is intended to include homopolymers of acrylic esters and acrylic amides of the general formula ## str1 ## in which x is o or nh , r 1 is h or methyl and r is any of a wide variety of groups including aliphatic , cyclocloaliphatic , alkaryl , aralkyl , alkoxy , aryloxy , glycidyl , etc ., groups , and copolymers of said esters / amides with other acrylic esters / amides and / or with one or more other copolymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomers such as acrylonitrile , butadiene , styrene , vinyl acetate , and the like . poly ( methylmethacrylate ) is an especially preferred resin for the tooth - holding portion of the composite denture herein because of the ready availability of the monomer , its low cost and its common use in dentistry . the techniques whereby acrylic resins can be fashioned into denture and partial dentures are well known , e . g ., u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 251 , 910 and 3 , 258 , 509 to barnhart both of which are incorporated by reference herein . the hard epoxide resins , e . g ., those having a hardness of at least shore d40 and up to about shore d100 , which can be employed as the teeth - holding component of the dentures herein constitute a well known class of thermosetting resins . representative of these resins are those derived from bisphenol a and epichlorohydrin cured with any of a variety of polyamines and specialty epoxy resins such as epoxy cresol novolac resins , epoxy phenyl novolac resins , bisphenol f - derived resins , polynuclear phenol - glycidyl ether - derived resins , cycloaliphatic epoxy resins , aromatic and heterocyclic glycidyl amine resins , tetraglycidylmethylenedianiline - derived resins , triglycidyl - p - aminophenol - derived resins , triazine - based resin and hydantoin epoxy resins . details of the formulation of hard epoxide polymer - forming compositions and the conditions under which they undergo polymerization are well known matters to those skilled in the art and are fully described in the literature , e . g ., kirk - othmer encyclopedia of chemical technology , third edition , vol . 9 , pp . 274 et seq ., john wiley & amp ; sons , inc . which is incorporated by reference herein . the polyether polyols which can be used in preparing the mouth - engaging soft polyurethane portion of the composite denture herein can be selected from amongst any of the polyether polyols heretofore employed in the preparation of polyurethanes . such polyols possess two , and preferably , three or more hydroxyl groups . among the useful polyether polyols are included the poly -( oxypropylene ) glycols , the poly -( oxypropylene ) poly -( oxyethylene ) glycols , the poly -( 1 , 4 - oxypropylene ) glycols and graft copolymers of the poly -( oxypropylene ) ( polyoxyethylene ) glycols with acrylonitrile or mixtures of acrylonitrile and styrene . the equivalent weight of these polyether diols can range between 200 to 100 with a preferred range of 200 to 400 . the polyol may consist of simple polyfunctional alcohols such as glycerine , trimethylolpropane , 1 , 2 , 6 - hexanetriol , or pentaerythritol , or they may consist of polyether triols such as poly ( oxypropylene ) or poly ( oxyethylene ) adducts of the above polyols . the equivalent weight of the polyether polyols may range between 100 to 800 with a preferred range of 100 to 500 . it is also understood that various combinations of diols and polyols may be used . the polyisocyanates used for the preparation of the soft polyurethane elastomers must contain the isocyanate groups directly bonded to the aliphatic moieties thereof . such isocyanates include , but are not limited to 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate , isophorone diisocyanate , 2 , 2 , 4 - trimethyl - 1 , 6 - hexane diisocyanate , hexamethylene diisocyanate , xylylene diisocyanate , &# 34 ; dimeryl &# 34 ; diisocyanate , methylcyclohexyl diisocyanate and the reaction product of 3 moles of hexamethylene diisocyanate with one mole of water ( desmodur n - triisocyanate ). the ratio of nco to oh in the preparation of the soft isocyanate - terminated prepolymer may range between 1 . 75 to 2 . 5 with a preferred range of 2 . 0 to 2 . 25 . the soft isocyanate - terminated prepolymers should have a free nco content of about 3 . 5 to 5 . 5 percent , preferably , 3 . 7 to 4 . 7 percent . for curing ( crosslinking ) of the prepolymers , preferred polyols are tertiary amine - containing polyols such as poly ( oxypropylene ) or poly ( oxyethylene ) adducts of diamines or triamines , such as ethylenediamine , diethylene triamine , tolylenediamine , phenylenediamine , or aniline , or any diols , polyols or their blends . advantageously , they are polyols of relatively low molecular weight such as are obtained by condensing propylene oxide with ethylenediamine or pentaerythritol to a molecular weight of about 500 , or of trimethylolpropane or any other base compound to a molecular weight up to 2500 . another preferred curing or crosslinking agent is a hydroxyl - terminated prepolymer . these are prepared essentially the same way as the isocyanate - terminated prepolymers but the ratio is such that there are free and un - reacted hydroxyl groups . the same diols and polyol and isocyanates can be used , though it is preferred that the prepolymer have a functionality greater than 2 , which can be obtained by using a polyol having a functionality greater than 2 and / or an isocyanate having a functionality greater than 2 . advantageously , the isocyanate is 2 , 2 , 4 - trimethyl - 1 , 6 - hexane diisocyanate , hexamethylene diisocyanate or desmodur n . the ratio of oh / nco in the hydroxyl - terminated prepolymers advantageously may be in the same range as the nco / oh ratio in the isocyanate - terminated prepolymers . it will be understood , however , that inasmuch as the crosslinking agent may consist of one or more diols or polyols ( no isocyanate ), the ultimate oh / nco ratio is infinity . another preferred curing or crosslinking agent is a prepolymer - polyol blend . thus , a polyurethane prepolymer , advantageously , one having neither free nco nor free oh groups , can be mixed with a polyol , advantageously a polyol having a functionality of more than 2 , to form a prepolymerpolyol blend . when such a blend is mixed with an isocyanate - terminated prepolymer in an nco / oh ratio of greater than 1 , crosslinking is effected both through an nco - oh reaction and through an nco - urethane reaction . to join the hard polymer component to the soft polyurethane component , one or both adjoining surfaces is coated with a primer formulation prepared by mixing polyisocyanate with polyol and thereafter the two components are joined . upon curing of the soft elastomer formulation , a denture will be provided in which the hard and soft elements are permanently bonded to each other . in order to accelerate the formation of the prepolymers or the cure of the prepolymers with the cross - linking agents , metal catalysts such as tin catalysts , for example , dibutyltin dilaurate and stannous octanoate , can be used . in the following soft polyurethane resin formulations ( all parts by weight ) which are illustrative of the invention herein , the ingredients whose properties are given in the table below were employed . ______________________________________formulation i______________________________________polymeg 1000 . sup . 1 , 4 moles × 976 = 3904polymeg 2000 . sup . 2 , 1 mole × 1998 = 1998hylene w . sup . 3 , 10 moles × 262 = 2620dibutyltin dilauratecatalyst 1 . 7 8523 . 7equivalent weight per one nco 852 . 4______________________________________ . sup . 1 poly ( oxytetramethylene ) glycol ; mol . wt . 976 . sup . 2 poly ( oxytetramethylene ) glycol ; mol . wt . 1998 . sup . 3 4 , 4dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate polymeg 1000 and polymeg 2000 are charged into the reactor and the mixture heated to 70 ° c . it is demoisturized in vacuum for 2 - 3 hours until the evolution of bubbles ceases . afterwards a dry nitrogen blanket is applied and the mixture is cooled to 50 ° 0c . and hylene is added . the reaction mixture is stirred at 100 - 120 rpm for at least 30 minutes and watched , for a slight exothermic reaction may ensue . the temperature of the reactor is maintained at 65 °- 70 ° c . the catalyst is added in portions in order to speed up the reaction . after 3 hours have elapsed the nco content is checked using the n - dibutylamine titration method . the nco content should be in the range of 4 . 8 %. the variation here and elsewhere may be ± 5 percent . when this level of free nco is reached , the contents of the reactor are cooled and are packaged into one gallon or one quart lined containers . dry nitrogen is used to maintain an inert atmosphere in the containers which are then tightly closed . ______________________________________formulation 2______________________________________polymeg 1000 , 2 moles × 976 = 1952polymeg 2000 , 1 mole × 1998 = 1998hylene w , 6 moles × 262 = 1572dibutyltin dilauratecatalyst 1 . 1 5523 . 1equivalent weight per one nco 920 . 5______________________________________ preparation procedures are the same as in formulation 1 . the free nco content of the prepolymer should be 4 . 5 %. ______________________________________formulation 3______________________________________polymeg 2000 , 1 mole × 1998 = 1998polymeg 1000 , 1 mole × 976 = 976hylene w , 4 moles × 262 = 1048 4022equivalent weight per one nco 1005 . 5______________________________________ preparation procedures are the same as in formulation 1 . the free nco content should be 4 . 18 %. ______________________________________formulation 4______________________________________polymeg 2000 1198polymeg 1000 488hylene w 786dibutyltin dilaurate , catalyst . 76 3272 . 76equivalent weight per one nco 1190______________________________________ poly ( oxytetramethylene ) glycols , polymeg 2000 and polymeg 1000 , are charged into a reactor and demoisturized in vacuum for 2 - 3 hours upon a gentle stirring of 60 - 120 rpm at 70 ° c . the demoisturized glycol mixture is cooled down to 50 ° c ., a dry nitrogen blanket is applied , and diisocyanate ( hylene w ) is added . the catalyst is added in portions in order to speed up the reaction . the charge of the reactor should exotherm . the temperature of the reactants should not be allowed to go over 75 ° c . after 2 - 3 hours of the reaction , the nco content should be checked by the n - dibutylamine titration method . the nco content should be in the range of 3 . 3 %. if the content of nco higher than 3 . 7 % is found , the heating should be continued for an additional hour at 70 ° c . after the addition of a small amount ( 0 . 005 %) of the catalyst . ______________________________________formulation 5______________________________________pluracol 355 * 100 g . tio . sub . 2 ( rutile ) 0 . 2 g . dibutyltin dilaurate catalyst as needed 100 . 2equivalent weight per one hydroxyl 125 . 1______________________________________ * poly ( oxypropylene ) derivative of ethylenediamine , mol . wt . 490 all the pigments are dispersed in 5 % of the total polyol , pluracol 355 . for dispersion purposes a ball mill or roller mill or any well - dispersing high speed mill can be employed . then all of the remainder of the polyol , pluracol 355 , is stirred in . afterwards the mixture is degassed and demoisturized by applying a vacuum and gentle heating at 60 °- 70 ° c . the catalyst has to be added before application . the amount of the catalyst depends on the type of isocyanate - terminated prepolymer to be used . usually 0 . 15 - 0 . 35 % of the catalyst is added , based on the total weight of the polymer and on the type of the polymer and the reacting groups . ______________________________________formulation 6______________________________________1 , 4 - butanediol 450pluracol pep 550 * 500tio . sub . 2 1 . g . dibutyltin dilaurate catalyst as needed 951 . equivalent weight per one hydroxyl 68 . 0______________________________________ * poly ( oxypropylene ) adduct of pentaerythritol of about 500 molecular weight all the pigments are dispersed in 5 % of the polyols ; then all the remainder of the polyols is blended with the pigment dispersion . afterwards the mixture is demoisturized by applying a vacuum and gentle heating at 60 °- 70 ° c . the catalyst has to be added before application . the amount of the catalyst depends on the type of isocyanate - terminated prepolymer to be used . usually for the rigid elastomer formulation the amount of the catalyst is in the range of 0 . 15 - 0 . 25 % for the soft elastomer formulation , in the range of 0 . 30 - 0 . 35 %. ______________________________________formulation 7______________________________________pluracol pep 550 500 g . tio . sub . 2 0 . 5 500 . 5equivalent weight per one hydroxyl 125 . 1______________________________________ ______________________________________formulation 8______________________________________pluracol tp 440 420 g . butanediol 450 g . tio . sub . 2 1 g . dibutyltin dilaurate catalyst as needed 871 . equivalent weight per one hydroxyl 67______________________________________ ______________________________________formulation 9______________________________________desmodur n - triisocyanate . sup . 1 478polymeg 650 - 2112pluracol tp 1540 . sup . 2 750tio . sub . 2 5 . 0yellow no . 6 lake 3 . 0red no . 3 lake 1 . 8blue no . 1 lake 0 . 2 3350 . 0equivalent weight per one hydroxyl 668______________________________________ . sup . 1 ( three moles of hexamethylene diisocyanate reacted with one mole o water ) . sup . 2 poly ( oxypropylene ) derivative of trimethylolpropane , mol . weight 1500 poly ( oxytetramethylene ) glycol is charged into a reactor and demoisturized in vacuum for 2 - 3 hours upon gentle stirring at 60 - 120 rpm at 70 ° c . then the vacuum is released under dry nitrogen , and the dry nitrogen blanket is retained during the reaction time . desmodur n - triisocyanate is stirred in and reacted with the glycol until the nco content is reduced to zero . then pluracol tp 1540 is blended in . the pigments are dispersed in a small amount of the triol , pluracol tp 1540 , and stirred in with the total content of the prepolymer - polyol blend . components a and b are degassed and demoisturized for at least 1 hour at 60 ° c . and then blended gently with the catalyst and placed in a pre - heated vacuum oven for 1 - 2 minutes . they are then cast into a pre - heated denture mold containing a previously cast hard - non - hydrophylic polyurethane elastomer as above described and kept in an oven at 90 ° c . for 3 hours . the denture is then removed from the mold and finished by removing the sprues and flash and polishing as necessary . the compositions of examples 2 and 3 are degassed , demoisturized , blended , cast , and cured as in example 1 . components a and b should be heated up to approximately 60 ° c . and degassed and demoisturized under vacuum before blending . then the catalyst should be added . the blend should be cast into a preheated mold and heated with a mold release agent . the elastomer should be cured in an oven at 95 ° c . for 2 hours . in this example , a pre - formed hard acrylic denture supplied by a dental laboratory or dentist is provided with a mouth - engaging portion prepared with a soft polyurethane elastomer such as any of those described in examples 1 to 4 above . the hard acrylic denture is placed in a flask such that the lowest portion of the denture is even with the flask . investment material is then introduced into the flask even with the top of the flask . after the investment has set - up , a mold release agent is applied to all surfaces , i . e ., investment , denture and teeth . after the mold release agent has dried ( approximately five minutes ), additional investment material is applied to cover the entire denture . the flask is then completely sealed by fastening a lid thereon . the flask is separated and the denture removed . the denture is then ground out to provide room for the soft polyurethane elastomer mouth - engaging portion . upon receipt of a conventional , complete acrylic denture with a new rebase impression taken by a dentist , a plaster model is prepared in accordance with conventional dental laboratory procedures . thereafter , the plaster model is sealed ( i . e ., a coating is placed on all exposed plaster surfaces except the bottom ). the denture is then placed in a flask such that the lowest portion of the denture is even with the flask . investment material is then introduced into the flask even with the top of the flask . after the investment has set - up , a mold release agent is applied to all surfaces , i . e ., investment , denture and teeth . after the primer or mold release agent has dried ( approximately five minutes ), additional investment material is applied to cover the entire denture . the flask is then completely sealed by fastening a lid thereon . the flask is separated and the denture removed . the denture is then ground out to provide room for the soft polyurethane elastomer . sealer is again applied to all newly exposed plaster surfaces . following the grinding out of the denture , the denture is washed with anhydrous isopropanol or ethanol to remove grinding residue and air - dried . a primer , e . g ., 7 . 8 g pep 550 ( a polyether polyol from basf wyandotte having an average molecular weight of about 600 and a hydroxyl number of 448 and which is based on pentaerythritol oxyalkylated with propylene oxide ) mixed with 7 . 3 g hylene w ( dupont &# 39 ; s 4 , 4 &# 39 ;- dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate ) is applied to all surfaces of the denture where the soft elastomer is to adhere . the blockout material is removed from the plaster model . mold release is again applied to the mold and plaster model and permitted to air - dry ( approximately five minutes ). the primed denture is then inserted in the mold cavity . liquid soft polyurethane formulation is introduced into the mold cavity and low spots on the plaster mold . the entire mold assembly is placed in a clamp and the clamped mold is placed in an oven heated to 85 ° c . after about three hours , the assembly is removed from the oven and cooled until comfortable to the touch . the mold is opened and the denture is removed from the investment and plaster model . the denture is thereafter trimmed , polished , etc ., to provide the finished product . it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact details of operation or structure shown and described as obvious modifications and equivalents will be apparent to one skilled in the art . | US-24964381-A |
a device for preparing holes in soil for planting bulbs or small plants includes a pair of mutually opposing members including scoops located along the distal portions thereof . the tool is spring biased to a normally open position for insertion into the soil . to remove soil , the handles are squeezed together , which in turn closes the scoops to entrap soil for removal . | referring to fig1 , there is shown a gardening tool , otherwise referred to herein as a pot hole digger 10 , in accordance with the teachings of the present invention . as noted above , the tool is ideally suited for use in preparing the soil to accept small plants and / or bulbs . the tool is capable of being used in a single handed manner there by freeing up the user &# 39 ; s other hand for planting , for example . the tool 10 generally includes mutually opposing first and second members 12 and 12 a , respectively , which are mirror images of each other . as such , common reference numerals will be utilized hereinafter to designate like components of the tool . with particular reference to fig2 , a first member 12 is shown to include a lower leg portion 14 , a horizontal crossbar 22 and an upper leg portion 18 which is offset from the lower leg portion . the leg portion 14 has disposed thereon an ergonomic handle 16 which is press fit or molded onto the lower leg portion as is known in the art . while not shown , the lower leg portion 14 may include means for retaining the ergonomic handle thereupon such as tabs , holes , or other known elements . the crossbar 22 which extends substantially perpendicularly from the lower leg portion 14 includes a centrally disposed aperture 24 for receiving a pivot pin 26 which will be described in further detail below . the offset upper leg portion 18 which extends substantially 180 ° from the lower leg portion includes along its distal end a scoop 20 which , in association with the opposing scoop 20 a of the second member 12 a , serves to remove the soil as desired . likewise , the second member 12 a also includes a lower leg portion 14 a , a horizontally disposed crossbar 22 a , and an upper portion 18 a inclusive of a scoop 20 a along the distal end thereof . again , the crossbar 22 a includes an aperture 24 a through which pivot pin 26 extends . thus , as best shown in fig2 , first and second members 12 and 12 a are substantially z - shaped along the length thereof . at least one , and preferable both , of the crossbars 22 and 22 a include an inwardly extending flange 28 and / or 28 a which projects in the direction of the other crossbar . preferably , such a flange 28 and / or 28 a includes a down turned end 30 and / or 30 a which extends just beyond the crossbar of the opposing crossbar . the flange 28 and / or 28 a is generally disposed between the pivot pin 26 and the junction of the lower leg portion and crossbar from which it extends . located between the first and second members 12 and 12 a , in proximity to the crossbars 22 and 22 a , is a torsion spring 32 through which pin 26 extends . the torsion spring 32 includes one or more arms for engaging the flange ( s ) of the crossbar to assist in positioning the tool . preferably , the torsion spring is in the form of a helically coiled body 36 having a first arm 34 extending along one end of the spring in the direction of flange 28 and along its opposite end is arm 34 a extending in the direction of flange 28 a . the torsion spring may be disposed on the crossbar 22 or 22 a and may not extend beyond the crossbar 22 or 22 a to reach the handles 16 and 16 a and the scoops 20 and 20 a . the spring force of the torsion spring 32 is sufficient to exert force on the flanges 28 and 28 a which in turn cause the legs to move about the pivot pin 26 so that the scoops 20 and 22 a are held in a normally open position , as shown in fig2 . in this normally open position , the scoops 20 and 20 a extend outwardly and away from each other to define and acute angle . in addition , to providing a contact point for the torsion spring arm ( s ), the flange ( s ) provide a stop mechanism applied to the opposing crossbar thereby limiting pivotal rotation and closure of the tool as shown in fig5 . in use , the pot hole digger is held in a horizontal position with arm extended , then raising the arm holding the digger upward approximately 30 to 45 ° from horizontal , then moving the arm downward , taking advantage of the lever action to increase the force as the digger enters the soil . the cantilever advantage of the design of the pot hole digger reduces the strain on the arm used in the operation of the digger , yet increases the force of the digger . operation of the pot hole digger 10 is as follows : with the pot hole digger in the open position , place the digger in either hand and hold it in a vertical position by handles 16 or 16 a ; with arm in horizontal position holding the digger in a vertical position , raise the arm upward to approximately 30 to 45 ° from horizontal ; lower the holding arm at a comfortable rate of speed until the scoops 20 and 20 a have entered the soil and come to a stop ; when the digger is fully inserted into the soil , pull handles 16 and 16 a together , compressing torsion spring 32 . this will bring scoops 20 and 20 a together , trapping the soil between the scoops ; when the handles 16 and 16 a are substantially together , pull the pot hole digger out of the soil in a vertical motion ; with the pot hold digger out of the soil , by releasing the hand holding the handles 16 and 16 a , the bias spring 32 will push the scoops apart in order to deposit the trapped soil outside the hole . this bias spring action will return the pot hole digger to its pre - set open position , limited by the flanges 28 and 28 a , respectively , which are attached to crossbars 22 and 22 a . the present claimed invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics . the described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative , not restrictive . the scope of the invention is , therefore , indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description . all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope . | US-60842106-A |
the present invention is a s holding device capable of being secured to a conventional golf bag . the holding device includes a holding body having an interior storage area for storing items , such as , and preferable , golf tees . the interior area is accessible via an opened top and the open top constitute a first removal mechanism . an attaching mechanism extends through said holding body for providing and enabling closure and accessibility to the interior storage area and for enabling attachment to a conventional golf bag . a second removal mechanism extends through the holding body and is configured for enabling items to be removed from the interior storage area singularly while preventing items to be inserted into the interior area . | as seen in the drawings , in particular to fig1 a - 1d thereof , the present invention , a holding device , denoted by reference numeral 10 , will be described . shown is a holding device , ideally suited for use with golf tees , and optionally can be used with other golf equipment , such as balls , or the like , and enables removal of items stored therein singularly , efficiently and quickly . the present invention is a pouch comprising a first side 12 partially secured to a second side 14 . each side includes an upper section 16 and a lower section 18 ( separation of each section is shown via a dashed line , as seen in fig1 a and 1b ). securement of the outer edge of first side 12 to the outer edge of the second side 14 occurs via the lower section 18 . securing the edges of the lower section 18 provides for an inherent interior area 20 , as seen in fig1 c and 1d , to be located within the first and second sides . this area 20 is a storage facility for the items that are to be stored , such as tees , balls or the like . since the top section 16 is not secured , an opening 22 , shown in fig1 c and 1d , is formed . the opening 22 exposes and allows access to the interior area 20 of the pouch . the top section further includes a receiving means 24 , illustrated in fig1 a and 1b , as an aperture 26 . this aperture 26 will receive and maintain a securing device . the securing device is illustrated and discussed in further detail in fig2 . it is noted that this securing device will enable the holding device 10 of the present invention to be removably secured to a conventional golf bag . to provide easy accessibility to the receiving means 24 , the top portion 16 of each side can include an extension or flange portion 28 . this extension or flange portion 28 extends upwardly from the top portion and decreases in width . such a design provides easy availability to the attaching device and provides for the lower portion 18 to be non - obtrusive . reinforcing material 30 can surround the receiving means for adding structural stability and support to the holding device 10 of the present invention . it is noted that the overall shape of the holding device 10 can be altered in order to increase the interior storage area . this increase is seen in fig1 c . as shown the first side 12 can be secured to the second side 14 via extension wall 13 . this extension wall 13 will innately increase the storage area by allowing the bag to expand when being filled with the desired item ( s ). such an expansion will not sufficiently increase the final size of the holding device , yet will increase the desirability and usability of the final product . optionally , a lower extension wall or bottom wall 15 can be used to secure the first side 12 to the second side 14 . this lower extension wall or bottom wall will operate and function in the same manner as the extension wall described and defined above . alternatively , the extension wall 13 and lower extension wall 15 can be used simultaneously for optimizing the storage capabilities of the holding device 10 . thereby , providing the option of using : solely the first and second walls ; the first wall , second wall , side extension wall ; the first wall , second wall , bottom ( lower ) extension wall ; or the first wall , second wall , side extension wall and bottom ( lower ) extension wall . the final product is a device which can easily be collapsed when not use , thereby providing a non - bulky item , while providing a unit which can easily and efficiently expand when being filled with the desired items , such as with tees , without being obtrusive to the user . as illustrated in fig1 a and 1d , to enable easy and efficient removal of the items located within the interior 20 of the pouch , a plurality of perforations 32 extend through at least one side , and / or can also extend through the wall extension 13 , if used , or the lower extension 15 , if used , of the holding device 10 . the perforations are designed such that removal can occur singularly and so that the perforations formed will not stretch , tear or rip , even during repeated use and regardless of the material utilized . as seen in fig1 a , the perforations 32 include a unique structure . each perforation 32 includes a geometric structure , such as , but not limited to , crescent , star , oval , circular ( see numeral 32a ), rectangular , square , l - shape , x - shape , t - shape ( see numeral 32b ) or the like . these geometric shapes can be aligned horizontally ( upwardly ) 32c , vertically ( sideways ) 32d , angularly ( at any angular displace , obtuse or acute ) 32d , downwardly 32e , or any combination thereof , as seen in fig1 a . in operation , the user feels a tee within the bag and forces its front or point through the perforation . as it travels through the perforation , and increases in size , the perforation innately increases in size . upon existing , the perforation returns to its original size . the perforations are sized so that the opening is smaller in surface area than the largest portion of the item stored therein . this decreased size will allow for the perforation to stretch , and thus enable the item stored therein to be removed singularly . the use of the geometric shapes will permit for the perforation to return to its original size and shape . the first side , second side or both sides , as seen in fig1 b , can include a logo 34 , indicia , advertisement , or the like to be secured thereto . this addition of a logo , indicia , advertisement or the like may enhance the aesthetic appearance or increase marketing potential of the holding device 10 of the present invention . it is noted that since the perforations are merely geometric slits , this structure is such that distortion will not be accomplished by having a logo , indicia or the like located thereon . the first and second sides 12 and 14 respectively , and if used , the side extensions 13 and lower extension 15 , are fabricated from any type of material . preferably , the side or sides having the perforation should be constructed from a material possessing some resilient properties and elasticity . this will aid in the removal of the particular item , such as the removal of a tee . the first and second sides can be fabricated from the same material , or optionally , the first side can be fabricated from a material different than the second side . the material used for the first and second sides can include , but not be limited to , a woven or non - woven material , vinyl , leather , cotton , cotton blends , polyester , canvas , rubber , or the like . accordingly , as seen , the interior 20 of the holding device 10 of the present invention includes a first means for receiving tees . this first means is accomplished via the open top 22 of the device . opening the top and exposing the interior area will enable a plurality of tees to be inserted therein and also allows for removal to occur , if desired . the perforations provide for a second means of removing the tees . this second means is separate from the first means and this second means prevents insertion to occur and requires removal to occur singularly . such a design provides a final product that is efficient and quick in operation as well as being a device that is compact in size and easy to utilize . to secure the device 10 to a conventional bag an securing device is utilize . examples of securing device that have been used to produce favorable results are illustrated in fig2 . it is to be understood , by those skilled in the art , that the securing device is a conventional feature , and can be reconfigured within the scope of the present invention , so as to provide for a final product that can easily be attached to a golf bag as well as offering a closure means . the securing device as illustrated in fig2 offers a means of attaching the device to the conventional golf bag as well as provide a means of opening and / or closing the holding device . as seen , the securing device can include a conventional clip 36 , known in the golfing industry as a golf towel clip , a snap - type conventional ring 38 , a velcro strap 40 , or a velcro strap 42 permanently affixed to the top portion of a singular side of the bag . the use of a permanently secured velcro strap provides for a one piece velcro enclosure as well as provide for a final product consisting of a singular unit , as opposed to two portion , if used with other attaching device . the use of conventional attaching devices provides a device which is easy to manufacture and assembly . the final product is user friendly and versatile . to utilize the device of the present invention the user merely opens the top of the bag to expose the interior area . this will widen the top portion to render the pouch to be in an opened position so as to allow for items to be inserted therein . once filled with the desired item the bag is attached to the golf bag via the attaching devices , thereby providing for the top portion to be in a closed position . once closed and secured , the items stored therein , such as tees , can be removed singularly via the perforations located on one of the sides . while the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to an embodiment thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . | US-28035499-A |
a bee displacement apparatus is provided as a motorized mowing machine having a motorized blower of less than 1000 cfm with a funnel attachment having a neck and a mouth at opposed ends , the funnel attachment tapering both horizontally and vertically from the neck to the mouth such that a horizontal measurement of the mouth is larger than a horizontal measurement of the neck , and a vertical measurement of the mouth is smaller than a vertical measurement of the neck so that the mouth approximates a narrow , widened slot . in use , the bee displacement apparatus , the mouth is positioned in front of a cutting deck of the motorized mowing machine such that when the motorized blower is operated , a concentrated air stream is forced out of the mouth at an area of vegetation directly in front of the cutting deck . | a bee displacement assembly according to the invention is shown in fig1 - 13 , and a method of using the bee displacement assembly is shown in fig1 . turning now to the figures , a first embodiment of the bee displacement assembly is provided as a blower assembly 20 coupled to a power assembly 30 adapted for use with grass , brush or other vegetation - cutting machines . for use with a push - style mowing machine 90 a , the blower assembly 20 is affixed to a cutting deck 90 c of the mowing machine 90 a , and the power assembly 30 is affixed to a handle portion 94 of the mowing machine 90 a , as shown in fig1 - 2 . for use with a residential - style riding mowing machine 90 b , the blower assembly 20 is affixed to a bumper or front bar 92 , as shown in fig3 - 4 , and for a professional or zero - turn style mowing machine 90 d as shown in fig6 , the blower assembly 20 is typically affixed to a location on the front cutting deck 90 c with a bracket 48 . it should be noted that while the figures show specific placement of the blower assembly 20 on the various types of mowing machines , these positions are suggestive of suitable locations only and not meant to limit the location of the blower assembly to just those locations . the inventor has found that an acceptable placement location of the blower assembly 20 is one in which during actuation of the blower , a concentrated stream of air is directed at an area in front of the cutting deck 90 c , the stream of air angled downwards so as to sufficiently agitate the vegetation to be mowed prior to mowing by the cutting deck 90 c . hence , it is possible to orient the blower assembly so as to direct a stream of air perpendicular to the forward motion of the operational mowing machine , so long as the stream of air sufficiently agitates vegetation in the area directly in front of the cutting deck 90 c . turning now to fig1 - 5 , and fig7 - 8 , the blower assembly 20 is further comprised of a funnel attachment 22 coupled to a blower 26 . in a typical embodiment , the funnel attachment 22 is removably coupled to the blower 26 , as shown in the figures , although in other embodiments , the funnel attachment 22 is permanently affixed to the blower 26 . in the embodiment shown in fig1 , the blower assembly 20 is further provided with a protective box 28 housing the blower 26 , the box 28 further including a filter or screen ( not shown ) so as to allow the free flow of air required for blower operation but which filters out particles that may otherwise clog a motor ( not shown ) of the blower 26 . in the embodiment shown in fig3 - 4 for a residential - style riding mowing machine 90 b , the blower 26 is shown without the blower box 28 . in some embodiments , the blower 26 is further provided with a blower mouth ( not shown ) that couples to a neck 22 a of the funnel attachment . in other embodiments , where the funnel attachment is not removable , the blower mouth is shaped and elongated so as to serve a same function as the funnel attachment 22 . fig7 is a cross sectional , side elevational view and fig8 is a cross sectional top elevational view of the funnel attachment 22 . turning now to fig7 - 8 the funnel attachment 22 is further provided with walls 22 d defining a passageway separating a neck 22 a and an opposed mouth 22 c , with a midpoint 22 b positioned between the neck 22 a and the mouth 22 c . looking at fig7 , the neck 22 a , in a first diameter 23 a , is about three inches tall , and from the midpoint tapers downwards to the mouth 22 c at a first diameter 23 c , so that the first diameter 23 c at the mouth 22 c is between half to one inch tall . further , the mouth 22 c itself extends outwards about one inch forming a mouth extension 23 d , although the inventor notes that in some embodiments , the extension 23 d can be eliminated , or increased over 1 inch , as desired . looking now at fig8 , in a typical embodiment , the neck 22 a is approximately three inches wide in a second diameter 23 e , and at the midpoint 22 b , the walls 22 d progressively flare out over a length of about 7 to 10 inches , terminating at a second diameter 23 h at the mouth 22 c . at the mouth 22 c , the second diameter 23 h measures between 7 to 15 inches wide . regarding the second diameter 23 h , the inventor has noted that a width of 15 inches is an approximate ideal maximum width for the mouth 22 c . in fig7 and 8 , the wall length 23 b 23 g is about 7 inches , although could be effectively shortened or lengthened as desired and not decrease functionality of the funnel attachment . the vertical height tapering shape coupled with the horizontal width flaring shape of the funnel attachment is critical to proper operation of the invention . the inventor has found that this particular embodiment shown in the figures , used with a 240 cfm blower , results in a concentrated air stream able to effectively disperse bees in an area measuring about 38 to 48 inches wide located directly in front of the mouth 22 c , the range of widths listed being approximately the cutting widths of the mowing machine cutting decks 90 c . for the push - style mowing machine , the funnel attachment width at the mouth is about 9 - 10 inches for a 42 inch cut or wider . on a residential - style riding mowing machine , the funnel attachment mouth width is typically 14 inches , and up to 20 inches or more in width for a 45 inch cutting width . the inventor has tested many widths for the second diameter 23 h , and notes that it typically better to use 2 blower assemblies on the mowing machine than attempt to make the funnel mouth second diameter 23 h wide enough to adequately cover a mowing machine with a cutting width wider than 45 inches , since the wider and larger the mouth , the decrease in air pressure for the concentrated stream of air emitted from the mouth . the funnel attachment 22 can accommodate larger mowing machines as well by simply by altering the length 23 g 23 b of the walls 22 d , or by using multiple blower assemblies 20 , or various combinations of multiple blower assemblies and / or larger funnel attachments 22 . while the inventor has given some specific dimensions related to the funnel attachment 22 , the inventor notes that a tapering height from neck to mouth ( the first diameter ) coupled with a flaring width shape ( the second diameter ) for the funnel attachment 22 , where the relatively larger neck height dimension tapers down to a flattened mouth while the smaller initial neck width flares out into a wider mouth , are a critical feature of the invention , and the actual dimensions suggested are suggested guidelines only . it is the unique tapering - flaring shape of the funnel attachment which concentrates moving air generated by the blower or blower means 70 that is forced through the funnel attachment mouth 22 c and emitted as the concentrated stream of air that is strong enough to effectively disperse bees and other animals along the front width of the mowing machine &# 39 ; s cutting deck 90 c . the dimensions given are thus an example of one embodiment of the funnel attachment 22 , and are not meant to limit the funnel attachment 22 to these dimensions . so long as the tapering - flaring shape of the funnel attachment 22 is maintained , a variety of dimensions for the funnel attachment are possible , however , the inventor has found that the given dimensions provide the most effective bee dispersion . in yet other embodiments ( not shown ), multiple inventions may be used simultaneously , so as to cover an entire width of the cutting bed 90 c , without loss of air pressure due to an overly wide funnel attachment mouth . the blower assembly 20 in a typical embodiment is removably affixed to the mowing machine 90 a 90 b 90 d with a plurality of attachment means , such as an angled bracket 40 as shown in fig1 for the push - style mowing machine 90 a , a clamp 42 ( fig5 ) for attaching the blower assembly 20 to the bumper bar 92 of the residential - style riding mowing machine ( fig3 - 4 ), and the simple bracket 48 on the professional - style riding mowing machine 90 d ( fig6 ). the attachment means shown in the figures are representative of some suitable methods of attaching the bee displacement assembly to the mowing machines 90 a 90 b 90 d however the inventor has noted and tested many other styles of brackets , clamps , and other attachments means that are suitable for use with the bee displacement assembly , and the figures are illustrative of just a few possible ways of affixing the bee displacement assembly to the various lawn mowing machines . in fig1 , the angled bracket 40 is affixed to both the blower box 28 and the mowing machine 90 . the angled bracket 40 is generally l - shaped , and adapted to receive the blower box ( housing the blower ) and funnel attachment 22 so that the blower assembly 20 can be placed at a lower position 40 a or a higher position 40 b on the angled bracket 40 as desired . the inventor has found that the best operational angle of the funnel attachment ideally emits a stream of concentrated air generally horizontally across the vegetation in front of the cutting deck , rather than forcing the air downwards on the vegetation , since sometimes air that is angled downwards knocks the bees deeper into the vegetation ( where they end up getting run over by the mower and killed ) but a more horizontal air stream tends to displace the bees so that they fly away from danger . for the residential - style riding mowing machine 90 b shown in fig3 - 4 , and in more detail in fig5 , the clamp 42 is comprised of a blower clamp 42 b affixed to a bumper clamp 42 e by way of adjustable fasteners 42 a 42 c 42 d , the bumper clamp 42 e removably affixed to the bumper 92 of the mowing machine 90 b by fasteners 42 f . the adjustable fasteners 42 a 42 c 42 d allow the blower assembly 20 to be pivotably affixed to the clamp 42 , so that the angle at which the stream of air is emitted through the mouth 22 c may be adjusted , as necessary , shown in fig3 - 4 . when not in use , the blower assembly 20 can be adjusted upwards , as shown in fig4 , or simply left in operational position , as shown in fig3 , as desired . the blower 26 is typically a motorized blower powered by a power assembly 30 ( see fig2 ), by way of a wire harness 32 b coupling the blower 26 to an on / off switch assembly 30 c , and by a second wire harness 32 a coupling the on / off switch assembly 30 c to a battery 30 b . the on / off switch assembly 30 c is further provided with a fuse ( not shown ) housed inside an electrical box . the battery 30 b is provided as a 12 volt battery weighing approximately four pounds , and capable of providing about an hour &# 39 ; s worth of blower operation . the wire harnesses 32 a 32 b are provided so as to facilitate easy connection and disconnection of the power assembly 30 . the inclusion of the battery allows manufacturers of push - style mowing machines to incorporate an electric start for the mowing machine . in other embodiments ( not shown ), lights may be included in the power assembly 30 that are powered by the battery 30 b . the power assembly 30 is affixed to the push - style lawn mowing machine 90 a by way of a power bracket 30 a removably affixing the power assembly 30 to a handle portion 94 of the push - style mowing machine 90 a . in yet another embodiment , the bee displacement assembly is provided as a kit comprising the blower assembly 22 , a power assembly 30 , and an optional battery charger 30 d , along with a suitable bracket or other attachment means , so as to allow retrofitting existing push - style mowing machines 90 a . for retrofitting existing riding mowing machines 90 b 90 d , the kit includes the blower assembly 22 , the appropriate attachment means , and the on / off power assembly 30 c and appropriate wire harnesses 30 d 30 f so as to allow the blower assembly to be coupled to the mowing machine &# 39 ; s existing power supply to power and permit the use of the external on / off control 30 c . the funnel attachment 22 may also be sold without the blower 26 in a variety of dimensions . suitable blowers used by the inventor includes the dayton ® series blowers , and the jabsco blower , flex mount , 250 cfm , 12 vdc sold by w . w . grainger inc ., of lake forest , ill . 60045 - 5201 , for a blower that is 7 × 7 × 7 inches , fitting an enclosure box measuring about 8 × 8 × 8 inches . other blowers in the range of 240 to 250 cfm are suitable for use with the invention . for hook up to the mowing machine &# 39 ; s internal battery , of powering the blower using a separate battery , an off the shelf blower and mowing machine can be used , retrofitted with the funnel attachment 22 and affixed to the mowing machine using the appropriate blower 26 or blower assembly 20 , as needed , and also with the appropriate power assembly 30 , depending on the style of mowing machine . in yet another embodiment , shown in fig1 - 13 , a second blower assembly 70 is shown coupled to existing apparatuses of the mowing machine 90 b . the second blower assembly 70 is comprised of a fan 74 enclosed in an interior space of a secondary deck or fan housing 72 , the housing 72 having a pair of opposed through - bores 72 a sized and shaped to receive a drive shaft 70 a and a clutch 70 b of the mowing machine 90 b . the fan housing is further configured with an opening adapted to receive the funnel attachment 22 , or in some embodiments , as shown in fig1 , the funnel attachment 22 and fan housing 72 are formed as a single housing preserving the unique tapering - flaring shape of the funnel attachment 22 . turning now to fig1 , the blower assembly 70 is coupled to an engine or motor 70 f as well as to a pulley system 70 g of the mowing machine 90 b via the drive shaft - clutch system . the pulley system 70 g is typically installed on the cutting deck 90 c of the mowing machine , and the drive pulley 70 c and a set of other pulley wheels 70 e linked together by a drive belt 70 d are turned by the motor 70 f turning the drive shaft - clutch system . the pulley system is responsible for powering a plurality of cutting blades housed under the mowing deck 90 c . in the embodiment shown in fig1 - 13 , the fan 74 is turned directly by the motor 70 f via the drive shaft 70 a , but the inventor notes that he has tested an embodiment of the blower assembly 70 ( not shown ) that can be powered by a secondary pulley system , by adding a second pulley and second belt to the existing system , so that the motor turns both pulley systems , and the second system is used to turn the fan 74 and create the concentrated stream of air needed to disperse the bees . an on / off switch ( not shown ) is included with the controls of the mowing machine , and in some instances , such as when an existing mowing machine is retrofitted with the bee displacement assembly , the on / off switch may be housed in a control box affixed to the outside of the mowing machine housing . the inventor has experimented with a number of different ways to selectively operate the fan 74 , such as with lever - cable - spline arrangements , although he notes that there are many ways in which selective operation of the second blower assembly 70 can be achieved . in the embodiment shown in the figures , the bee displacement assembly is on only when the motor is running . to use the bee displacement assembly using the second blower assembly , an operator starts the motor of the mowing machine 90 b , and turns on the bee displacement assembly . the clutch 70 b engages the drive shaft 70 a and the drive pulley 70 c . the drive pulley engages the belt 70 d , which turns the other pulleys 70 e linked by the belt 70 d to the drive pulley . the cutting blades of the mowing machine are activated , and the drive shaft turns the fan 74 , generating moving air that is then in turn channeled and emitted through the funnel attachment 22 as the concentrated stream of air . when the operator stops the motor , the bee displacement assembly is also turned off . the bee displacement invention displaces bees by physically agitating vegetation directly in front of the cutting deck 90 c . in yet another embodiment of the bee displacement invention , shown in fig9 - 10 , a rake attachment 50 is affixed to the mowing machine by way of a bracket 46 46 a or other attachment means , the rake having a head 50 a and attached tines 50 b projecting from the head 50 a in a downwards orientation ( towards the ground ). the tines 50 b are positioned so as to agitate the vegetation directly in front of the cutting deck when the mowing machine is in operation , encouraging the bees to move away from the immediate vicinity . in a first embodiment , shown in fig9 , the tines 50 b are arranged in a regular spaced - apart relationship , and are comprised of metal , plastic or other suitably strong , flexible material . the inventor notes that memory metal is an ideal material for the tines , as it is durable and flexible . in a second embodiment , shown in fig1 , the tines 50 b are flexible , and may be comprised of small chains ( as shown ) that drag against the vegetation which allows for mowing over uneven surfaces as the tines self adjust to the height of the ground , preventing the tines from digging into the ground or otherwise damaging the vegetation . the rake 50 may be used alone or in conjunction with the blower assembly 22 70 . in still another embodiment , the rake 50 is adjustably affixed to the mowing machine 90 a 90 b 90 d so as to allow the operator to lift the rake as needed or desired independently of operation of the blower assembly and the mowing machine . in this way , the operator can decide whether to use just the blower assembly , the rake , or both together . looking now at fig1 , a method 60 of displacing bees and other animals using the bee displacement assembly , the invention , configured either with a blower assembly 20 or a second blower assembly 70 is affixed to the desired mowing machine 90 a 90 b 90 d 60 a if the mowing machine is not already outfitted with the bee displacement assembly . then , the operator must determine if the vegetation agitation means 20 22 50 is in an operational position 60 b . operational position for the bee displacement assembly using the blower assembly 20 70 and funnel attachment 22 requires the funnel attachment 22 to be positioned so that the mouth 22 c is angled in front of the cutting deck 90 c . for the rake 50 , the rake tines 50 b must be lowered sufficiently so as to contact vegetation in front of the cutting deck . the mowing machine is started along with the bee displacement assembly 60 c . when the funnel attachment is used in conjunction with the blower 26 or the pulley - driven fan 74 shown in fig1 , the bee displacement assembly is actuated , forcing the air generated by the blower or the fan into the neck of the funnel attachment and emitted out the mouth 22 c as the concentrated stream of air . when the funnel attachment is appropriately angled , the stream of air disturbs an area in front of the cutting deck 90 c , and ideally , disturbs an area equal to the width of the cutting deck 90 c . the mowing machine is used in its normal fashion , but the stream of concentrated air emitted from the mouth 22 c sufficiently disturbs vegetation in the target area , causing animals such as bees to move away from the area immediately in front of the cutting deck 90 c . the operator of the mowing machine can selectively operate the bee displacement assembly by actuating the on / off switch assembly 30 c , as a power - saving feature . in other embodiments , the bee displacement assembly is always operational when the mowing machine is operational . the inventor stresses that bees gathering nectar tenaciously cling to flowers , and ordinary wind pressure , even on very windy days , is inadequate to encourage the bees to leave their respective flowers . bees are very difficult to see on vegetation being cut , because the mowing machines move quickly , and even the most ardent bee - lover is usually oblivious to the fact that his or her lawn mower is responsible for the deaths of thousands of honeybees over a typical summer all in the name of keeping the lawn neat and tidy . the bee displacement assembly and its embodiments , and the method of moving bees is the creative culmination of the inventor &# 39 ; s desire to save the honeybee . it is to be understood that the above - described arrangements are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the present invention . numerous modifications and alternative arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention . while the inventor is concerned with saving bees , there are many insect pollinators that will also be effectively displaced by the invention . young animals , such as fawns and rabbit kits , hiding in tall grass are often killed by high speed riding or zero - turn mowing machines , and may be encouraged to move out of the way of an oncoming mowing machine when blasted with the concentrated stream of air , or alternatively , the stream of air moves the vegetation sufficiently to allow the operator to visualize and then avoid killing the young animal or destroying a hidden nest in the grass . | US-201414504745-A |
a respiratory valve apparatus with a housing having an inner chamber , an endotracheal tube connection port , a respirator connection port and a resuscitation bag connection port . a valve positioned within the inner chamber can switch the flow between a manual resuscitation bag port and a ventilator port enabling the patient to be treated without having to disconnect the respirator support system to thereby connect the resuscitation bag . this prevents the loss of positive end expiratory pressure in the lungs and guards against lung collapse and hemodynamic compromise . the valve includes preloaded seals that will create minimal dragging during valve actuation and work under both positive and negative pressure . the apparatus includes a tethered cover for closure of the resuscitation bag port for sealably covering the port when a bag is not attached or the ventilator connector during patient transport . a sealing arrangement within the resuscitator bag port insures that peep in maintained when the resuscitator bag adapter is inserted into the housing . | although the invention is described in terms of a several embodiments , it will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art that other various modifications , rearrangements and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention . the scope of the invention is defined by the claims appended hereto . referring now to fig1 and 2 , the assembly has a housing 12 and an inner chamber 14 . the housing 12 includes an upper access port which is a suction catheter entry port 16 located on the top and an endotracheal tube connection port 18 located on the bottom . the entry port 16 has a flexible orifice 24 covering the top and may include a saline injection port 20 , shown in fig3 , which can be covered by a hingably attached plug 22 . port 20 might alternatively use a sealable orifice . the sealable orifice may be closed with a cap of resilient material having diametrical cuts forming openable flaps . alternatively , the aspiration port 16 may be used for administering a saline solution . an endotracheal tube 26 can be removably attached to the endotracheal connection port 18 . in the embodiment shown in fig1 - 2 , the housing 12 is an elongated l - shaped tubular structure with the respirator port 32 at one end and the endotracheal connection port 18 at the other end . the resuscitation bag port 28 extends from the shaft of the l - shaped housing . the valve 11 is a hollow cylinder 35 with an open top 36 , a closed bottom , and an opening 37 in the side wall . the opening 37 is aligned with the endotracheal tube port 18 so that air from the resuscitation bag flows through the resuscitation bag port , through the cylinder and into the endotracheal tube port while the remainder of the cylinder wall blocks the respirator port . the reciprocating valve 11 slides partially within the resuscitation bag port 28 and the inner chamber 14 intermediate the ends of the l - shaped housing . the reciprocating valve 11 and the resuscitation bag port are normal to the respirator valve port 32 . the valve 11 is moved by the universal resuscitation bag adapter 113 in the port 28 . as the valve moves , it opens the resuscitation bag port 28 and closes the respirator port 32 . the valve 11 has a valve stem 112 that telescopes through a valve spacer 114 . the universal resuscitation bag adapter 113 serves to connect different resuscitation bags to the respiratory bag . in the event the respiratory valve is supplied as part of a kit , including a resuscitation bag , the adapter may not be present . the spacer 114 has an outer ring with the circumference fixed to the resuscitation bag port wall . the spacer 114 is a stop for the spring 124 . the ring may have spokes 115 and a hub 116 , as shown in fig2 a . the hub 116 is of such diameter to permit the sliding movement of the valve stem 112 there through . the movement of the valve stem 112 through hub 116 and the circumferential sliding contact between valve 11 and the resuscitation bag port acts as a valve guide . the valve 11 has a circular solid valve bottom face 117 of a diameter to close the valve seat 125 at the inner end of the resuscitation bag port 28 , as shown in fig1 . the circular face 117 also forms one end of the cylindrical sleeve 35 . the length and diameter of the sleeve 35 is such to close the respiratory port , as shown in fig2 . as shown in fig1 and 1a , the solid plate and the sleeve are stopped and sealed by the circular valve seat 120 . as shown in fig2 b , the upper edge of the sleeve 35 is formed with a ring 121 which slides along the inside of the resuscitation bag port to further stabilize the reciprocation of the valve 11 . the ring supports the end of the valve stem with chord bars 122 . the ring 121 may also be similar in form to the valve spacer 114 . the upper end of the valve stem 112 has a retainer 123 . the retainer 123 may be in the form of a cross bar , as shown , or a perforated ring to allow air passage . the resuscitation bag adapter will engage the retainer 123 , such as shown in fig1 . a coil spring 124 is mounted about the valve stem and held in place by the retainer 123 . the other end of the coil spring rests on the valve spacer 114 . in this manner , the spring is compressed as the resuscitation bag adapter 113 moves the valve to close the ventilator port . the retainer 123 slidably contacts the inside of the resuscitation bag port . the inner wall of the resuscitation bag port also has two opposing longitudinal grooves 126 . the ends of the retainer 123 slide in the grooves 126 in response to pressure from the adapter 113 . the grooves maintain alignment of the opening 37 in the valve cylinder with the endotracheal tube port 18 . the enlarged portion may or may not be present in order to accommodate the conventional resuscitation bag fittings . as shown in fig1 , the tubular adapter 113 has opposite bayonet slots 33 in the side wall . the slots cooperate with opposing lugs 34 on the resuscitation bag port wall to guide movement of the adapter and lock the port open while the bag is being used . therefore , as shown in fig1 , with the respirator valve port 32 closed , the patient can receive manual resuscitation bag breathing augmentation through the inner chamber of the valve assembly . a resuscitation bag , as shown in fig3 , may be connected to the universal resuscitation bag adapter and the valve assembly will automatically move the valve to close the respirator port and open the resuscitation bag port , as shown in fig1 a . when the bag is disconnected , the adapter is rotated to unlock the bayonet fitting and the valve assembly automatically re - establishes the airway between the respirator and the patient . a connection to the patient is located at the bottom of the l - shaped valve assembly , usually by an endotracheal tube attached to the valve assembly . as shown in fig1 and 2 , the aspirator port 16 is in line with the endotracheal port 18 . this suction tube port is normally closed either by a removable cap or a resealing entry 24 . the suction tube is linearly displaced from the reciprocating valve , the resuscitation bag and the respirator to avoid direct contact with any contamination in the suction tube . in the embodiment shown in fig3 - 5 , a cruciform valve assembly has a resuscitation bag attachment port 28 extending out one side , oriented approximately 90 degrees from the entry port 16 and endotracheal tube connection port 18 . this port 28 can be sealably covered by a hingably attached cover 30 . on the opposite side of the bag attachment port 28 is a respirator attachment port 32 for attaching an external respirator device . in this embodiment , the linear displacement of the suction tube from the valve is accomplished by a bifurcated valve stem 212 . as shown , a valve spring 224 is coiled about each element of the split stem with one end contacting a retainer 223 on each split . alternatively , a single coil spring could encircle the bifurcated valve stem . the retainer may be a cross bar , as shown in fig1 or a perforated disk . the other end of the coil spring contacts the back side of the resuscitation bag port valve spacer 214 . the spacer 214 is fixed about its circumference in the resuscitation bag port 28 . the spacer 214 is perforated , as is spacer 114 , but has two apertures for sliding engagement with the bifurcated valve stem 212 . each spring 224 rests on the spacer 214 and is compressed by the valve retainer 223 as the valve reciprocates toward the respirator port . the valve 211 is a solid disk and has a diameter very close to the diameter of the resuscitation bag port and the respirator port to form an edge seal with each port when seated therein . alternatively , each port may have an internal valve seat to contact the opposite faces of the circular valve , as shown in fig4 and 5 . these valve seats also serve as stops for the reciprocating movement of the valve . one face of the valve closes the resuscitation bag port 28 at seat 225 and the other face 218 of the valve face seats in the respirator port 32 at valve seat 217 . in this manner , the valve stem is housed in the resuscitation bag port while that port is closed . a suction tube may be inserted directly through the aspiration port into the endotracheal connection port without contacting either valve , as shown in fig9 - 10 . with the respirator port closed by the valve , an aspirator tube may pass between the elements of the split valve stem 212 . to provide better reciprocatory support , each element of the split valve stem may be formed with a semicircular outer surface with the same diameter as the valve 218 . the embodiment shown in fig6 - 8 provides a smaller profile for the valve assembly . this smaller embodiment would be extremely useful when working with infants and children . in this embodiment , the operation and structure of valve 11 is the same as the l - shaped valve assembly of fig1 - 2 . the angular relations between the ports have been modified to reduce the overall size of the device . the suction catheter entry port 16 enters the housing 12 downstream from the resuscitation bag port and valve 11 to provide the linear displacement between the suction catheter and the valve . in all other respects , the valve assembly and operation are the same . in each of the embodiments , the inner chamber 14 provides a conduit between the entry port 16 and endotracheal tube connection port 18 whereby a suction catheter can be inserted through the valve assembly 10 . a resuscitation bag , not shown , can be attached to the resuscitation bag port 28 . with the endotracheal tube 26 attached to the connection port 18 , the respiratory valve assembly 10 could be positioned over a patient &# 39 ; s mouth with the endotracheal tube extending into the patient . a catheter could be inserted through the inner chamber and the resuscitation bag could be used to manually provide volumetric units of air into the patient &# 39 ; s lungs . by skillfully combining the manual inflation actions with the suction catheter procedure , optimum clearing of the lungs can be accomplished . at which time the suction catheter may be removed from the assembly . when the bag is removed from the respiratory valve , the reciprocating valve 11 closes resuscitation bag port and opens the respirator attachment port 32 so that the respirator connection will now be breathably connected to the patient without loss of peep in the patient &# 39 ; s lungs . the suction catheter can then be reinserted and withdrawn as needed through the assembly 10 . fig6 illustrates a valve seat 120 matching the circumference of the internal valve 11 extending through the respirator port . as an alternative , the interior wall of the respirator port may be molded to form a seat for the bottom of the valve 11 , as shown in fig7 - 8 . this same structure may be used in the respiratory valve shown in fig1 - 2 . referring now to fig9 , a perspective view of the respiratory valve assembly 10 is shown with an exploded view of the additional bag - like attachment 60 and an attachment fixture 62 . the attachment fixture 62 is tubular in shape and removably attaches , via snug frictional contact or otherwise , with the catheter entry port 16 . while the preferred embodiment would likely be constructed of opaque plastic , a transparent version of the attachment fixture 62 shows an inner conical guide 64 which steers an inserted catheter down through the center portion of the orifice 24 . this eases catheter insertion through the orifice 24 because the center part of the orifice is more flexible and less resistant than the edges . the bag - like attachment 60 is threaded over the suction catheter 66 and the bottom end 67 of the bag is secured around the fixture 62 with a strip of seal forming adhesive tape 68 , or other such materials . the upper end 61 of the bag 60 is secured around the upper attachment fixture 70 by another strip of seal forming adhesive tape 72 . also shown is a saline adaptor port 63 for flushing out the system which extends outwards for convenient access and has a hingably attached cover 65 . in lieu of , or in addition to , the hingably attached cover 65 , the port 63 might include a bendable , or hingable flap 75 within the extension tube which would allow for injection of saline in one direction , and which would spring back into position to prevent further escape of gas and / or fluids when the saline injection device is withdrawn . referring now to fig1 , a perspective view of the assembled device 74 is shown . the guide fixture 62 fits over the entry port 16 so as not to block the saline injection port 20 . the adhesive tape strip 68 wraps around and secures the bottom bag end 67 to the fixture 62 . the conical guide section 64 is then placed over the center of the orifice 24 . the upper end 61 of the bag 60 is sealably constricted around the upper attachment fixture 70 via the adhesive tape strip 72 . this guide fixture 62 shows an alternative saline port 69 which is located flush on the side of the fixture 62 and which uses a sealable orifice 71 . any saline port configuration can be used as appropriate . in the embodiment shown in fig1 through 18 the valve housing 302 is a generally t shaped tubular structure has an inner chamber 306 with the respirator port 310 at one end of the t and the patient , or endotracheal port 308 , at the other end of the t . the resuscitation bag port 311 extends perpendicularly with respect to ports 308 and 310 . the valve piston 304 is hollow and generally cylindrical in shape having an open top 324 including a plurality of apertures , a closed bottom , and , an opening 342 formed in the side wall . the opening 342 is aligned with the patient , or endotracheal , port 308 so that air from the resuscitation bag flows through the resuscitation bag port 311 through the valve piston 304 and into the endotracheal port 308 while the remainder of the valve piston 304 blocks the respirator connection port 310 . the reciprocating valve piston 304 and the resuscitation bag port are oriented in the same direction and each is positioned normal to the respirator connection port 310 and the endotracheal port 308 . the valve is moved downward relative to the housing 302 by a resuscitation bag adapter 333 that is inserted into resuscitation bag port 311 , as best seen in fig1 . as the valve piston 304 moves downward it opens the resuscitation bag port 311 and closes the respirator port 310 . the valve piston 304 has a valve stem 314 that telescopes through a chord bar 316 that is supported adjacent an upper portion of cylindrical wall 312 . the valve stem 314 connects at its upper end to a centrally positioned aperture supported by spokes 320 . spokes 320 are directed radially inward from the inner cylindrical surface of cylindrical sleeve 318 . the lower annular surface on resuscitator bag adapter 333 is configured to operatively engage the upper annular surface of cylindrical sleeve 318 so as to move cylindrical sleeve downward upon insertion of the resuscitator adapter 333 . the downward movement of cylindrical sleeve 318 imparts a downward movement of valve piston 304 via its connection with radial arms 320 and valve stem 314 . the resuscitation bag adapter 333 serves to connect different resuscitation bags to the resuscitation valve housing . in the event the respiratory valve is supplied as part of a kit , including a resuscitation bag , the adapter may not be present . a helical spring 322 is positioned within an annular pocket formed between the inner cylindrical surface of the housing 302 and the outer cylindrical surface of cylindrical wall 312 . one end of the helical spring 322 is positioned against the housing 302 at the bottom of the annular pocket . the opposite end of spring 322 is biased against a lower annular surface on cylindrical sleeve 318 . the helical spring 322 serves to bias the cylindrical sleeve 318 and attached valve stem 314 and valve piston 304 to an upper position such as shown in fig1 . the chord bar 316 limits the upward travel of valve piston 304 within the housing 302 . a patient connector conduit 332 is attached to the housing 302 via a rotatable connection 334 . likewise a ventilator connector is attached to housing 302 via rotatable connection 338 . as shown in fig1 and 12 , the resuscitation bag port 311 has an annular recess 328 formed on the inner cylindrical wall of the housing 302 . contained within recess 328 is an annular seal 330 . annular seal 330 in conjunction with a taper lock insures that positive end expiratory pressure ( peep ) in maintained when the resuscitator bag adapter 333 is inserted into the housing 302 . when the resuscitator bag adapter 333 is not in use a cap 326 is used to seal the resuscitator port 311 . as illustrated in fig1 , a tether 360 is used to attach the cap 326 to the housing 302 . the cap 326 can also be used to seal off the ventilator connector 336 during patient transport . the valve piston 304 and valve piston sub assembly are illustrated in fig1 through 17 . the valve piston 304 consists of a rigid inner piston 350 and a resilient compressible outer piston 340 . the rigid piston 350 can be formed from any suitable metallic or synthetic material . the piston 350 includes an opening 342 a in the side wall that is aligned with the patient connection port 308 so that air from the resuscitation bag port 311 flows through the valve piston 304 and into the patient port 308 . the piston 350 is open at the bottom and includes an open top 324 formed with a plurality of apertures as shown in fig1 . the top 324 includes a valve stem 314 that extends upwards therefrom . positioned below the opening 342 a is a lower annular channel 352 formed on the external cylindrical surface of piston 350 . likewise , located above the opening 342 a is an upper annular channel 354 formed on the external surface of the piston 350 . the outer piston 340 is resilient and is preferably formed from a silicon material however a thermoplastic could be used as well . the outer piston has an open top and a closed bottom . like piston 350 , piston 340 has an opening 342 b in the side wall that is generally coextensive with opening 342 a . positioned below the opening 342 b on the exterior cylindrical surface of the piston 340 is a lower annular rib 344 . the rib 344 is flanked above and below by annular groves . the rib 344 has a radial dimension that is slightly greater than the diameter of the smooth outer surface of the piston 340 , on the order of 0 . 006 of an inch . lower annular channel 352 is positioned directly behind the annular rib 344 to allow for slight deformation of the sleeve along the extent of the rib 344 . similarly , positioned above the opening 342 b on the exterior cylindrical surface of the piston 340 is an upper annular rib 346 . the annular rib 346 is flanked above and below by annular groves . the rib 346 has a radial dimension that is slightly greater than the diameter of the smooth outer surface of the piston 340 , on the order of 0 . 006 of an inch . upper annular channel 354 is positioned directly behind the annular rib 346 to allow for slight deformation of the sleeve along the extent of rib 346 . the ribs 344 and 346 form seals having a dynamic design that work equally well while under either positive or negative pressures . the configuration allows for ease of preload / compression of the seals with minimal dragging during valve piston movement . the annular channels behind the seals allow for somewhat constant compression forces inside a tapered / drafted cylinder . the ribs 344 and 346 will maintain a seal up to +/− 2 . 5 psi . as seen in fig1 resilient rib 345 extends generally perpendicular between ribs 344 and 346 . a second rib , not illustrated , flanks the opposite side of opening 342 b in the same manner as rib 345 . fig1 is a perspective of the valve piston sub assembly including valve piston 394 , chord bar 316 within an annular support , stem 314 and cylindrical sleeve 320 that supports spokes 320 . fig1 shows an alternative embodiment for the seal located in resuscitator port 311 . in this embodiment the housing 302 includes an annular groove 372 located on the external surface of the cylindrical housing 302 in a region proximate to the resuscitator inlet port . the seal 370 includes and annular portion 376 , a radially directed inward portion 374 at the lower end of the seal 370 and a second radially directed inward portion 378 at the upper end of the seal 370 . the lower radially directed portion 374 is sized and configured to fit within annular groove 372 to retain the seal 370 to the housing 302 . the upper radially directed portion 378 is sized and configured to extend over the top of annular surface of the resuscitator port 311 . as shown the upper radially directed portion 378 will sealingly cooperate with the external wall of the resuscitator adaptor 333 . fig1 is a an alternate embodiment of the respiratory valve wherein the valve housing 402 includes a catheter entry port 416 a with a flexible orifice 424 a and an endotracheal tube connection port 418 a for connection to endotracheal tube 426 a . fig2 is an exploded sectional side view of the respiratory valve and removable housing 414 that includes a catheter entry port 416 b with a flexible orifice 424 b and an endotracheal tube connection port 418 b for connection to endotracheal tube 426 b . housing 414 is sized and configured to be removably connected to housing 302 in a fluid tight fashion with connector 336 . fig2 is an alternate embodiment wherein the helical spring 322 of the prior embodiment is replaced with a resilient elastomeric diaphragm 522 . diaphragm 522 has an enlarged upper annular portion 524 that is coextensive with a depending cylindrical portion 526 . the upper annular portion 524 is anchored between cylindrical wall 528 and annular stem support 530 . the lower end of the cylindrical portion is either attached or integral with the valve piston 304 . as shown , the diaphragm 522 is in a neutral state where it will return in the absence of a force exerted by resuscitation bag adapter 333 . the respiratory valve assembly , a resuscitation bag , an endotracheal tube , and a suction tube may be supplied as a surgical tray or kit . this organization presents the physician and nurses with all the equipment to perform a complete procedure . all of the components are sized to securely fit together and are located in the same kit . all patents and publications mentioned in this specification are indicative of the levels of those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains . all patents and publications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference . it is to be understood that while certain forms of the invention are illustrated , it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts herein described and shown . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown in the drawings and descriptions . one skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objectives and obtain the ends and advantages mentioned , as well as those inherent therein . the embodiments , methods , procedures and techniques described herein are presently representative of the preferred embodiments , are intended to be exemplary and are not intended as limitations on the scope . changes therein and other uses will occur to those skilled in the art which are encompassed within the spirit of the invention and are defined by the scope of the appended claims . although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments , it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments . indeed , various modifications of the described modes for carrying out the invention which are obvious to those skilled in the art are intended to be within the scope of the following claims . | US-86937910-A |
this device comprises two upward extending arms and adjustable mounting brackets that can be attached independently to the handrails of most treadmills and affords users an opportunity to exercise the upper body in an action similar to cross country skiing . | this device comprises two arms that are attached , one to each of the two handrails of an exercise treadmill to give the treadmill the cross training capability of simulating exercise of the upper body in cross country skiing . fig1 shows a side view of a typical treadmill with the cross training device attached to the handrails . fig2 shows a cross section of the handrails with the arms attached . the arms and mounting brackets for both handrails are the same , merely reversed in position , so the description which follows refers to only the one on the right . the arm 9 and the mounting bracket 10 are shown in fig1 and 2 . in fig2 the bracket 10 is connected to the other bracket with a bolt 11 forming a strut between the two brackets . this bolt fits within slots in each of the brackets thereby enabling adjustment of the distance between brackets to fit treadmills with different distances between handrails . an alternative design ( not shown ) of this connection between the two brackets comprises a separate coupling member , which is a flat bar with a long slot . when bolted in place it functions as an adjustable splice between the extended members of the two brackets which are cut short so as not to touch each other within the range of adjustment . either arrangement in which the two brackets are connected provides considerable lateral stability . the bracket 10 is bolted to handrail 12 with two bolts 13 and 14 . bolt 13 fits into a round hole in bracket 10 and a similar hole in flange 15 . bolt 14 fits within a slot in bracket 10 and fits within a similar slot in flange 15 . these slots enable horizontal adjustment of the attachment to fit different widths or diameters of handrails . bolts of different lengths are used to adjust vertically for different thicknesses or diameters of handrails . a piece of cloth or soft rubber ( not shown ) can be placed between the flanges of the bracket and the handrail to protect the handrail when the attachment is bolted tight . in fig1 arm 9 is shown with a bend . a straight arm without a bend will function satisfactorily as well . in fig2 the arms are shown to be straight from a lateral perspective , which works well when the arms are attached to the inside of the handrails . however , in fig3 showing another embodiment in which the arm 16 is mounted on the outside of the handrail , compound bends are used to position the upper end of the arm toward the center of the treadmill . this is a more natural and comfortable position for a user . fig1 - 3 relate to the embodiment of the invention described above in which the brackets mounted to the two handrails of the treadmill are connected to each other in the form of a strut . there are other embodiments of the invention in which the arm and bracket are attached independently to each of the handrails . one such embodiment ( not shown ) is exactly like the embodiment shown in fig2 except that the bracket 10 would have no connection with the bracket on the other handrail . in essence the vertical leg of the bracket would be cut off a short distance below the bolted connection 17 . there are numerous ways that this cross training device can be attached to the handrails of a treadmill . another embodiment that would fit all sizes and shapes of handrails is shown in fig4 . the bracket 18 is fastened to the handrail with a strap 19 and ratchet type buckle 20 . the strap 19 passes through slots in the top of the bracket and around the handrail . the slots are long enough to accommodate different sizes of handrail cross sections . the strap can be cinched up tight so as to hold the bracket and arm securely in place . bracket 18 shown here mounted independently , could also be modified ( modification not shown ) to have a strut connecting to the bracket on the other handrail . fig4 shows an embodiment of the invention which has a horizontal handle 21 installed at the top of the arm 22 . this handle consists of a bolt within a sleeve . the bolt holding the sleeve is attached to a threaded hole in the arm . the sleeve , which may have a soft grip for comfort , is free to rotate on the bolt . the advantage of this embodiment is that as the end of the arm swings back and forth in an arc a user &# 39 ; s hand gripping the sleeve will cause the sleeve to rotate thus eliminating any stress that might otherwise be transferred from the vertical arm of the device to the hand and wrist of the user . another means for attaching the bracket to a wide range of different handrails comprises a screw - type clamp as shown in fig5 . this constitutes another embodiment of the device . a threaded rod 23 with a swivel head 24 similar to the end on a standard u - bolt and a nut 25 is used to apply a compressive force between the lower flange 26 and bottom of the handrail . for installation , the nut 25 is threaded onto the rod 23 and seated on top of flange 26 with the swivel head 24 in position at the base of the handrail . the rod fits within a slot in the lower flange that enables it to be repositioned horizontally to fit different sizes of handrails . when in position , the nut can be turned to exert a compressive force between flange and the bottom of the handrail thus holding the bracket securely in place . yet another means for attaching the bracket to a wide range of different handrails comprises a spring - type clamp as shown in fig6 , another embodiment of the device . a leaf spring 27 attached to the upper part of the bracket 28 can be forced open to fit different diameters or sizes of handrails . two different sizes of handrails are depicted in this figure demonstrating how the spring will open up to accommodate different sizes . a small diameter handrail is shown with a solid line and one with a larger diameter is shown with a dashed line . a major purpose of this device is to provide cross training capability to treadmills already manufactured or treadmills produced in the future that do not have this capability . another application of this invention is on treadmills that could have cross training attachments permanently mounted to the handrails in the manufacturing process . there are numerous ways that could be accomplished . one of the ways , another embodiment of the device , shown in fig7 is to bolt the mounting bracket directly to the handrail with one or more bolts 29 . in this case , holes could be provided in the handrails during the manufacturing process . the cross training device could either be installed at that time or left to be installed later as an optional accessory . the mounting of a cross training device to handrails whether on existing treadmills or in the manufacturing process of new ones is novel and is intended to be covered by this patent application . in fig2 the arm 9 is shown attached to bracket 10 with a bolt , nut , and specially designed resistance - type washers . this assembly is typical for attachments in all embodiments , and a blown - up detail is shown in fig8 . the bolt 17 used to connect the arm to the bracket is similar to a typical carriage bolt which has a short length of square cross section next to the round head . this square part fits into a hole of exactly the same shape in the bracket so that the bolt is restrained from rotating . there are two special washers or wearing plates 30 and 31 between the arm 9 and the bracket 10 and two similar washers 32 and 33 between the arm 9 and the locking nut 34 . each of these washers has a flat wearing surface on one side where the washers come in contact with each other . this surface may be textured or roughened to provide added frictional resistance under a compressive force , and a light lubricant may be applied . the washers may be made of metal or tough , durable plastic that provides smooth frictional resistance as the compression is increased , and will wear slowly with repeated sliding of their surfaces back and forth against each other . each washer has on its reverse side a nub which fits into a recess in the part next to it . nub 35 fits into recess 36 in bracket 10 , and the nub 37 fits into recess 38 in arm 9 . nub 39 fits into recess 40 in nut 34 and nub 41 fits into recess 42 in arm 9 . when the nut 34 is tightened , the nubs held within the recesses constrain the washers from slipping except at their flat wearing surfaces . the nubs and recesses are merely an example of ways these parts can be keyed together to prevent movement relative to each other . all four washers are of exactly the same design , so the same part fits in all four locations . and , they can be easily removed and replaced after extended wear . in lieu of the specially designed washers described above , frictional resistance pads glued or otherwise attached to both sides of the arm 9 at the location of the washers comprise another embodiment of the device . the purpose of these designs is to provide a mechanism for adjusting the force required to move the arms back and forth as if in cross country skiing . by tightening the nut 34 to various positions , the resistance to movement is changed as is the level of exertion and exercise required by the user of the treadmill . | US-76353410-A |
an implantable cardiac rhythm management device having circuitry for determining the interval between two successive natural ventricular depolarization signals , includes the capability of computing and storing histogram arrays of heart rate variability data over a prolonged period , such as 24 hours . by utilizing an algorithm for generating a histographic log and a time domain log wherein a logarithmic data compression technique is implemented , the volume of hrv data collected for later telemetered readout to an external device does not exceed the memory and power capabilities of the implanted device . | fig2 shows a system block diagram of the instant invention . it is representative of a prior art , implantable microprocessor - controlled , dual - chamber demand pacemaker modified to incorporate the invention , but the invention is not limited to this embodiment . implantable pacemaker is shown enclosed by dashed line box 2 either read only memory 10 or ram memory 30 contains a program which is executable by central processing unit 20 to perform the well - known functions of ddd pacing and telemetry of data stored in memory 30 to an external programmer device enclosed by dashed line box 42 . the programmer 42 is entire conventional . the rom 10 also contains subprograms for selectively generating both a histographic log and a time domain log . the pacing program conditionally calls one of these subprograms for each occurrence of a sensed ventricular event ( heartbeat ) preceded by a ventricular event . a pair of status flags determines which , if either , of these subprograms is called . random access memory 30 provides the temporary storage required by all programs , including the data logging subprograms . it also provides storage for the data accumulated in the logging process . the telemetry subprogram controls the additional status flags associated with data logging and to transmit the accumulated log data to the external programmer 42 . although a histographic hrv log may be implemented with a range of parametric values , for this description a square array of bins , e . g ., 16 × 16 bins with each bin being four bits deep , is assumed . fig3 shows a memory map of the region of random access memory 30 used to generate such a log . each two - dimensional histogram is packed into a 128 byte block of memory designated histogram 1 to histogram 24 . each byte contains two 4 - bit bins . the counter array contains a one - byte counter for each bin of the histogram array or for 16 × 16 bins , 256 bytes are needed . these comprise a set of working counters which operate cooperatively with a histogram bin storage array , which is also a counter array , to perform logarithmic compression of the histogram data as it is accumulated . for each bin , the corresponding counter in the counter array functions as a variable weight pre - scaler for the histogram bin counter , i . e ., the prescale value increases in accordance with the log of the number of events for a given bin . table 1______________________________________bin counter event count pre - scale divisor______________________________________0 0 11 1 12 2 13 3 14 4 - 7 45 8 - 11 46 12 - 15 47 16 - 19 48 20 - 51 329 52 - 83 3210 84 - 115 3211 116 - 147 3212 148 - 403 25613 404 - 659 25614 660 - 915 25615 916 - 1171 256______________________________________ table 1 shows how the pre - scale divisor varies to yield a logarithmically compressed count in the corresponding histogram bin counter . for the first four hits , each hit increments the bin counter by one . as used herein , the term &# 34 ; hit &# 34 ; is used to indicate when a measured rr interval and a computed absolute value of the difference in successive rr intervals fall within the range of a given bin . upon a bin count reaching four , the pre - scale divisor is changed to four . thus , the bin counter is not again incremented until the eighth hit . the pre - scal divisor also switches to 32 and then to 256 when the bin count reaches 8 and 12 respectively . as the pre - scale divisor is progressively incremented , the higher values of the bin counter acquire a greater weight , i . e ., higher bin counter values represent a greater range of hits . the solid stepped line of fig4 graphically shows the value of the histogram bin counter as a function of input event counts , where an input event is a beat - to - beat difference which is within the range of a given histogram bin . the results shown graphically in fig4 are produced by an algorithm based on table 1 . note that these results generally correspond to the theoretical logarithm of the input event count which is shown as a dashed line in fig4 . the logarithmic compression algorithm is implemented in hardware as illustrated in the logic block diagram of fig5 . as will be explained , it is also implementable in software . with reference to fig5 counter 50 is shown as a 4 - bit synchronous counter whose count value corresponds to an instant bin of the histogram array . counter 52 is an 8 - bit synchronous counter corresponding to the counter from the aforementioned counter array which is paired with counter 50 to function as a pre - scaler . each heartbeat generates a signal on event line 54 which is connected to the clock inputs of counters 50 and 52 . thus , the counters are incremented in response to a heartbeat event when their respective count enable lines , 56 and 58 , are active . and gates 60 , 62 and 64 decode the outputs of counter 52 for values of 3 , 31 and 255 respectively . multiplexor 66 selects one of these decode outputs depending upon the permutations of the two most significant bits of counter 50 . thus , the states of counter 50 equal to 00xx , 01xx , 10xx and 11xx invoke pre - scale divisors of 1 , 4 , 32 and 256 respectively . counters 50 and 52 are cleared by a signal on &# 34 ; begin &# 34 ; line 68 . a logical &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; on hit line 70 signals that the beat - to - beat difference is within a given bin and is to be counted by counter pair 50 and 52 . the output of and gate 72 remains zero unless count saturation , i . e ., 1171 counts is reached . thus , and gate 74 remains enabled to activate clock enable line 56 , causing counter 52 to be clocked by the event signal 54 . initially , line 6 ( p = t ) is a logical &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; since the &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ; input of multiplexor 66 is selected . thus , each hit also fully enables and gate 78 to activate counter enable line 58 and cause counter 50 to be incremented . at this time , reset line 80 is also activated , via or gate 82 , thus holding counter 52 cleared . when the count in counter 50 reaches 4 the &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; input of multiplexor 66 is selected . now , and gate 78 is enabled only when and gate 60 is enabled to invoke a pre - scale value of 4 . that is , every fourth hit increments counter 50 and resets counter 52 . pre - scale values of 32 and 256 are invoked as counting proceeds in counter 50 with the selection of multiplexor input &# 34 ; 2 &# 34 ; and then input &# 34 ; 3 &# 34 ;. when both counters have filled , and gates 64 and 84 are enabled to disable and gates 74 and 78 which freezes the counters to prevent wrap around . fig6 is a software flow diagram which embodies the algorithm of fig5 in firmware rather than hardware . here , the counters c and p ( 50 and 52 ) of fig5 are arrays of counters contained in ram memory 30 . this program is called by the main pacing program for each spontaneous heartbeat ( sensed r wave ) when the histographic log function is enabled . each iteration of the program corresponds to a &# 34 ; hit &# 34 ; signal in fig5 . the program fetches the specified counter pair from memory , operates on the counters in the manner of fig5 and stores the results in memory . when initialized , the variable &# 34 ; cbase &# 34 ; contains the base address corresponding to the beginning of the first histogram array of ram memory 30 . similarly , &# 34 ; pbase &# 34 ; contains the base address corresponding to ram memory for the pre - scaler array . variable &# 34 ; rr &# 34 ; contains a value indicative of the r - to - r interval , i . e ., the elapsed time since the previous heartbeat . upon being called , step 100 tests the hour flag . if an hour has elapsed , cbase is adjusted at step 102 to point to the next histogram array . at step 104 , cbase is tested against a maximum cbase limit , cbase mx , to assure that the program does not log data outside of the histogram arrays . if the hour flag is cleared , execution proceeds directly to step 106 where a scaled value of the r - to - r interval , &# 34 ; rrs &# 34 ;, which corresponds to the bins of the histogram , is computed . for example , if the pacing program counts elapsed time at 128 counts / second , the variable rr in counts may range from 38 to 255 corresponding to a heart rate of 30 to 200 bpm . in this case , scaling coefficients a = 0 . 069 and b = 2 . 626 would be appropriate . steps 108 and 110 test the value of rrs and clip it , if necessary , to assure that rrs is in the range of 0 - 15 . in a similar manner , steps 112 - 116 compute a scaled value of the beat - to - beat difference . increment . rrs which ranges from 0 - 15 . at step 112 , the absolute difference of the instant r - to - r interval ( rr ) and the previous r - to - r interval ( rr 0 ) is computed . next rr 0 is set equal to rr to be available for the next iteration . scaling coefficients c = 0 . 25 and d = 0 would be appropriate to scale . increment . rrs to a range of 0 - 15 . variables rrs and . increment . rrs now define the bin in the two - dimensional histogram which is to be incremented . at step 18 , rrs and . increment . rrs are multiplied to compute an index which identifies the relative position of the subject bin in ram memory 0 . variable , p , is fetched from the counter array of ram memory 30 using an address which is the sum of &# 34 ; idx p &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; pbase &# 34 ;. idx p , itself , is an address index for a linear bank of memory with no offset and is used to point to p values . since the c counters are 4 - bit counters which are packed two per byte , idx c is formed as in step 118 of fig6 . the least significant bit of . increment . rrs is saved to make a selection of either the upper or lower nibble to thus unpack the data . variable c is fetched from the histogram array of memory 30 using an address which is the sum of idx c and cbase . steps 120 - 130 test the state of counter c to determine the value of mx which corresponds to the value of the pre - scale divisor per table 1 . counter p is incremented at step 132 and tested against mx at step 134 . if p is less than or equal to mx and if the carry flag is equal to 0 , execution passes directly to step 136 which stores the current values of p and c using the indexes previously described . c must be packed back into memory without disturbing its associated nibble . following step 136 , execution is passed back to the main pacing program . alternatively , if at step 134 counter p is greater than mx or the carry flag is &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; then , at step 138 , p is cleared and counter , c , is incremented . steps 140 and 142 clip c at a maximum of 15 to prevent wrap around . for simplicity , the event counter p of fig6 has been described as being an 8 - bit counter . logarithmic compression may also be accomplished with different length counters by computing n x = 2 c - 1 . alternatively , other forms of monotonic , non - linear mapping may implemented with a rom look - up table . the time domain log is comprised of sequential pairs of data where each data pair describes heart rate variability for a 5 - minute interval . the data pair is comprised of the mean value of the r - to - r interval and the variance of the r - to - r interval . the external pacemaker programmer , that is not subject to power constraints , extracts the square root from the variance to obtain the standard deviation external to the implanted device . there is more than one approach to calculating variance . the direct approach is inferior to the indirect method . the direct method for estimating the variance of rr is : the use of this approach requires separate and simultaneous calculation of the 1st and 2nd moments of the data . the approach is numerically ill conditioned , especially when the mean rr is on the order of the standard deviation . further , fixed - point integer math is poorly suited to this approach , since it introduces large errors in both moment estimates , which when subtracted , yield a poor estimate of variance . if the mean is available prior to estimating variance , then this method works fine . for a process with a non - zero mean , subtracting out the mean prior to accumulation reduces the size of the numbers involved and avoids the final subtraction . however , it is not possible to know the mean in advance nor is it desirable to store the set of rr values in an array such that the mean could be calculated followed by the variance . although the indirect method is preferred , modifications are still required to make the rr variance calculation tractable in an implantable pacemaker . the instance invention employs a novel variation of the indirect method , where an estimate of the mean is substituted . the resulting variance can be corrected after all the data values in the current 5 - minute period have been seen . a modified expression for the mean rr is required to instrument this . the usual summation required to evaluate the mean is not necessary with rr interval data when the period of integration is fixed to a constant interval of time . this is the case when calculating the mean rr interval as : ## equ1 ## where n ( n ) is the number of rr intervals in the current period . while n ( n ) is unknown until the end of the current period , the sum of all the intervals , end - to - end over 5 - minutes , is a constant 300 seconds . this feature is a little unusual , but it greatly simplifies what must be done . as indicated above , the variance of rr can be written as the sum of a variance estimate and an error term . the estimated variance is simply expressed : ## equ2 ## where n 0 = n ( n - 1 ) combining the information in the immediately preceding two equations yields : ## equ3 ## simplifying and solving for the error correction gives : ## equ4 ## an expansion of the error function above provides a correction which may be practically computed in a pacemaker &# 39 ; s microprocessor . after some manipulation and retaining , only the first two terms in the expansion , the above error correction equation reduces to : ## equ5 ## the corrected expression for the variance becomes : ## equ6 ## the next step is to apply node scaling to the accumulation step in the preceding equation . during the simulation of rr intervals , values which occasionally exceeded 255 were observed . this was with an rr resolution of 1 / 128 or 128 counts corresponding to 1 second . in order to avoid clipping , all rr values were right shifted one bit . this allows the inputs to the accumulator to be represented in 8 - bits . further scaling is required to insure that the accumulation sum fits within a 16 - bit representation . to accomplish the above , the variance equation is modified : ## equ7 ## fig7 shows a flow diagram of a subprogram which employs the novel variance algorithm to generate a time domain log . as with the histogram subprogram , this program is called by the main pacing program for each spontaneous heartbeat ( sensed r wave ) when the time domain log function is enabled and passes the variable rr indicative of the r - to - r interval . upon initialization , the variable , n , which counts the number of events in a 5 - minute period , is cleared , the variable , idx , is set to a value corresponding to the first address of the log data array and a dummy , non - zero value is chosen for no . when the subprogram is called , step 200 tests the 5 - minute flag , which indicates the end of the 5 - minute sampling period . if this flag is cleared , step 202 increments the variable n . at step 204 , rr is shifted right one place to prevent overflow in subsequent calculations . variable , x 0 is one half of the mean value computed for the preceding period . this provides the estimate for the mean of the current period . the difference between the adjusted value of rr and x 0 is squared , multiplied by 1 / 2 and added to vsum . sixteen - bit multiplication is used to perform the square operation and vsum is accumulated in a register . as the subprogram is re - entered with each new value of rr , vsum progressively accumulates the sum of the squares of the difference between rr and the estimated mean . if the 5 - minute flag is set , the subprogram branches to compute the mean value and the square of the variance . at step 208 , which is repeated every five minutes , the instant and previous values of n are used to compute the correction required to compensate for the difference between the estimated and actual value of the mean value . at step 210 the variable σ 2 is computed . first , n is divided by 8 (∝= 8 ), then vsum is divided by the scaled value of n . finally , the error correction is subtracted to obtain the actual value . overflow and truncation errors are minimized by employing well - known scaling techniques at steps 208 and 210 . at step 212 , the mean value of the r - to - r interval is computed by dividing a constant sum by n . this computation relies upon the fact that for sinus rhythm the sum of the r - to - r intervals is a constant . paced events are ignored and their time is thus subtracted from the 300 seconds . on the first pass after initialization , step 214 is skipped . otherwise , it stores the computed data in ram memory 30 , using idx as a pointer . if step 216 determines that idx is greater than mx , a log full flag is set to inhibit the pacer program from making further calls to this subprogram , which would overrun the log data array . at step 220 , n 0 is set equal to n to prepare for the next error calculation and n is cleared . the variable x 0 is set to one half the mean to provide a new estimate for the next set of calculations . with valid values of n 0 and x 0 now established , subsequent calculations will be accurate and will be logged at step 214 . | US-60013396-A |
a measuring technique for eliminating the ballistic artifacts created by the mechanical body recoil upon the motion of the heart and the surge of blood within each heart cycle . the limb is restrained by mechanical devices which channel the kinetic energy into a motion which is in a plane favorable to the measurement . a magnetic field is created in the area where blood flow is to be recorded . the ballistic artifact creates a perturbative component in the desired blood flow waveform recording . this perturbation is eliminated by placing an electrically conductive loop around the limb near the location of the blood flow measuring electrodes and amplifying the signal produced by the loop to produce a ballistic signal . this loop signal is then added , subtractively , to the combination of blood flow plus perturbation signal from the electrodes to substantially cancel out the undesired ballistic component . | fig1 a and 1b show a subject 10 lying on an examining table 12 . the mattress is on a sliding support 120 . a force is applied to the sliding support 120 to push it towards the heel of the subject . the force may comprise a spring 128 . the knee is laterally positioned by side baffles 124 . the knee is pressed downwards by a knee rest 126 having a soft pad . the heel is firmly held by a heel rest 122 . a pair of electrodes 14 are attached to the calf of the subject for sensing the blood flow induced signals . since it is desired to measure the blood flow through the calf , it is noted that a plurality of pairs of electrodes 14 can be employed for such measurement , such as is disclosed in applicant &# 39 ; s co - pending u . s . application ser . no . 533 , 528 , filed on dec . 17 , 1974 and entitled revolving symmetrical magnet assembly and improved method of blood flow detection . a permanent magnet 20 is located at the level of the electrodes 14 and provides a homogeneous magnetic field 22 in the region of the calf under study . the strength of this magnetic field is sufficient so that a detectable electric signal , induced by the passage of blood through the magnetic field in the artery under study , is present at the skin surface of the leg where the electrodes 14 are attached . the apparatus and method for making blood flow measurements using non - invasive electrodes and a stable and homogeneous magnetic field is disclosed in u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 659 , 591 , 3 , 759 , 247 and 3 , 809 , 070 , issued to henri g . doll and hans j . broner . a loop 40 is attached to the calf near the electrodes . the mechanical body recoil due to the surge of blood upon each heart cycle , such as studied by ballistocardiography causes also a movement of the leg . this movement of the leg due to the ballistic impulse , manifests itself initially as a downward movement of the bone and consequently the flesh and finally the skin . this movement is detected by the loop 40 attached to the skin since there is a relative movement with respect to the magnetic field . loop 40 is connected by wires 60 to the electrical system shown in fig4 a or 4b . since the leg becomes a moving conductor in the magnetic field 22 , a voltage is induced in the electrodes 14 . electrodes 14 are connected by wires 16 to the electrical system shown in fig4 a or 4b . fig2 a represents a loop 40a comprised of a rigid coil of one turn of electrically conductive wire which is to be positioned coaxially around the calf in proximity to the electrodes 14 . the loop 40a picks up a sufficient induced voltage when the calf is moved and displaces the loop . in one embodiment , the loop 40a may comprise a single turn of no . 18 wire having the same diameter as the calf . this single turn of wire fits around the calf and can be secured to the calf by means of tape attached to the skin . fig2 b represents a loop 40b made of more than one turn of wire . the loop is attached around the leg by means of tape or otherwise . in a further embodiment shown in fig2 c the loop 40c is a c - shaped spring clamp which grabs on to the calf . the diameter of this elastic clamp may , for example , be 4 inches . fig3 a , 3b and 3c represent alternate restraining devices to firmly maintain the limb by dampening fast ballistic motions . fig3 a represents a solution which utilizes a viscous liquid 304 in a container 300 . a system of fins 302 is clamped to the limb . the magnet 20 and electrodes 14 are also shown . fig3 b represents a system which applies pressure to the heel by a spring 424 pushing the foot rest 122 . a hydraulic shock absorber 426 dampens the displacement of the heel . fig3 c represents a similar solution where a pneumatic dashpot 428 dampens the displacement of the heel . fig4 a and 4b show the electrical system for processing the voltages originating from the patient to obtain the best cancellation of the perturbation . the induced voltage signal in the loop 40 is applied via lines 60 to an amplifier 62 . the polarities of the connections are chosen such that the signals from an amplifier 18 and amplifier 62 are added subtractively in the final output of the flowmeter . more particularly , fig4 a represents one implementation of the method by simultaneous subtraction of the artifact signal . here , the differential amplifiers 18 and 62 amplify , respectively , the total blood flow and other signals appearing between the measuring electrodes 14 and the ballistic signals picked up by the loop 40 . a variable resistor 64 is connected at the output of amplifier 62 and determines the amplitude coefficient k - 1 needed to match the amplitude of the artifact signal picked up by the loop 40 , with the amplitude of the perturbating ballistic component superimposed on the blood flow waveform picked up by the electrodes 14 . thus , the criterion used for adjusting the value of the resistor 64 is the ratio of the loop signal to the blood flow electrode signal , chosen such that any induced voltage produced during the &# 34 ; quiescent period &# 34 ; is cancelled . a resistor 66 is connected at the output of the differential amplifier 18 . the other sides of the variable resistor 64 and the resistor 66 are connected to the input of amplifier 26 which essentially subtracts the loop signal from the electrode signal . alternatively , amplifier 26 may comprise a differential amplifier with its two inputs connected respectively to the resistors 64 and 66 . a measurement and control system 24 is provided which is basically similar to the systems disclosed in the above - noted patents . system 24 receives an input from an amplifier 26 which is connected to the output of the differential amplifier 18 . the measurement and control system 24 includes appropriate filter circuits , a waveform averaging circuit for accumulating blood flow waveforms , a counter circuit connected to the waveform averaging circuit which is advanced by one step in synchronism with each blood flow waveform signal , and a synchronization circuit which provides trigger pulses for the counter circuit in response to sensed electrocardiogram signals . a control circuit receives signals from the counter circuit and in turn controls the number of cycles entered into the waveform averaging circuit . a waveform recorder 28 is connected to the measurement and control system 24 for displaying the blood flow waveform derived in the waveform averaging circuit of such system 24 . the effect of the polarity of the inputs to the amplifiers 18 and 62 and the combining of the outputs of these amplifiers is to substantially cancel the perturbation portion of the overall signal which also contains blood flow , resulting in a substantially pure blood flow signal . this resultant artifact - free sequence of blood flow signals are passed from the amplifier 26 to the measurement and control system 24 which accumulates a predetermined number of cycles in the waveform averager and selectively displays the blood flow as a waveform on the recorder 28 . fig4 b represents an alternate implementation by sequential subtraction . amplifiers 422 and 426 include analogue to digital converters and are connected to pre - amplifiers 62 and 18 , respectively . the output of the amplifiers 18 , 426 , 62 and 422 are fed to a computer , and processed individually in a manner generally similar to that described in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 659 , 591 . the sequence of signals representing the ballistic artifact are averaged in a waveform averager and stored in a memory 430 connected to amplifier 422 . the contaminated waveform which contains the blood flow and the perturbation due to the ballistic artifact is also averaged in waveform and stored in another memory 431 connected to amplifier 426 . these memories therefore store the smoothed and heart - synchronized parts of the signals originating respectively at the electrodes 14 and the loop 40 . first , the waveform , representing , as local ballistogram , all kinetic artifacts synchronous with the heart , is displayed for visual inspection . second , the amplitude of this ballistic waveform is modified by the divider 432 with a ratio k . this ratio k is controlled by a sequential stepper 452 . the output of the divider 432 and the output of the memory 431 are subtractively combined in the measurement and control system 24 . initially , the coefficient k applied by divider 432 is small . the resultant waveform represents the blood flow , unchanged , and a modified perturbation related to the ballistic artifact . this waveform is examined by the waveform inspecting subsystem 442 . this waveform inspecting subsystem 442 monitors the part of the resulting subtractive output , which represents the time span from the &# 34 ; r &# 34 ; synchronization to about 0 . 15 seconds thereafter . this span of time is defined by the clock 444 connected to subsystem 442 . if the voltages during this span of time vary more than a preset value , as sensed by the inspecting subsystem 442 , then the stepper 452 causes the ratio setting system 432 to increase the ratio k by about 10 % and the new combination waveform is subtractively generated by again taking stored waveforms from the memories 430 and 431 . this operation repeats itself by iterative steps , with progressive increases of the coefficient k . at some step , the inspection of the resultant waveform satisfies the criterion , which is that , during the 0 . 15 second span of time considered , the voltages do not vary appreciably . this corresponds physiologically to the &# 34 ; quiescent &# 34 ; state , prior to the arrival of the systolic blood ejection at the level of the calf . at that step , the waveform inspecting subsystem allows the waveform recorder 28 to trace the resulting curve , which represents the blood flow waveform , with a minimized perturbation due to the ballistic artifact . fig5 a shows a blood flow waveform 80 of a normal subject wherein the waveform 80 includes the ballistic perturbation preceding the main blood flow waveform , as indicated by arrows 82 . the waveform 80 shown in fig5 a represents the signal picked up by electrodes 14 , prior to correction to remove the ballistic component . fig5 b shows a blood flow waveform 86 of another person who is sick . illustrated is the situation where the ballistic perturbation is so strong that the main blood flow waveform is difficult to distinguish . the waveforms 80 and 86 were both taken by electrodes 14 attached to the lower calf . the fig6 a and 6b are provied to illustrate the ballistic or mechanical nature of the artifact . fig6 a includes a blood flow waveform 90a taken when the subject is in a supine position , while the waveform portion 90b was taken with the same subject in a sitting position . waveforms 90a and 90b are separated by a time span indicated by line 92 . both of the waveforms 90a and 90b were taken at the electrodes 14 with the electric and magnetic conditions essentially the same . it can be observed that in the sitting position , the recoil effect is absorbed into the mattress of the table 12 without shaking the limb , therefore , the ballistic perturbation is relatively insignificant in the waveform portion 90b . in fig6 b , the waveforms 94a and 94b were taken of the signal generated at the loop 40 with the subject respectively in the supine position and the sitting position . waveforms 94a and 94b are separated by a time span indicated by line 96 . it can be seen that the ballistic signal 94a captured by the loop 40 is recognizable when the subject is in the supine position whereas the waveform 94b shows essentially no pick - up at the loop 40 when the subject is sitting . it is noted that the blood flow waveforms shown in fig6 a and the loop signals shown in fig6 b were taken for a healthy subject under essentially the same electrical conditions . the fig7 a , 7b and 7c illustrate the correction of the ballistic perturbation in the blood flow signal . in fig7 a , a blood flow waveform 100 produced at electrodes 14 is shown and includes the combined blood flow signal and the ballistic component picked up at the calf . fig7 b shows the ballistic waveform 102 picked up by the loop 40 . the loop waveform 102 is shown after adjusting the resistor 64 shown in fig7 a to provide an amplitude which corresponds with the amplitude of the ballistic component of the blood flow waveform 100 shown in fig7 a . fig7 c shows the resultant waveform 104 produced at the output of the amplifier 26 after the ballistic waveform 102 shown in fig7 b has been electrically subtracted from the overall blood flow signal 100 shown in fig7 a . the resultant blood flow waveform 104 is essentially free from the ballistic perturbation . although the above description is directed to the preferred embodiments of the invention , it is noted that other variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art , and , therefore , may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure . | US-54763075-A |
a device for mounting a fishing line spool wherein line may be fed directly from the spool to a fishing reel or vice versa without dismantling the reel from a fishing pole . the device is clamped to a fishing rod and is provided with a housing and shaft for mounting a spool of line . a crank and gear assembly is provided to allow the retrieval of line directly from the reel . similarly , the crank may be disengaged from the shaft so the shaft will rotate freely while line may be drawn from the spool to the reel . | referring now to the drawings and more particularly to fig1 thereof , the device of the present invention is shown generally by reference numeral 10 . the device comprises a first frame member 12 and a second frame member 14 . the first frame member is provided with an upstanding sidewall 16 and a transversely extending bottom portion 18 . similarly , the second frame member comprises an upstanding sidewall member 20 which is provided with a transversely extending bottom member 22 . in general , each of the frame members 12 and 14 present an l - shaped configuration and are juxtapositioned so that the respective sidewall members 16 and 20 are spaced apart and parallel with each other . extending between each of the sidewalls is a shaft 26 . as best shown in fig4 and 6 one end of the shaft shown by reference numeral 30 , is journaled into sidewall 16 and includes a toothed gear configuration for a purpose hereinafter discussed . sidewall 16 is provided with a crank assembly 48 comprising an l - shaped crank shaft portion 50 having an outwardly extending rotatable knob 52 . the crank assembly is configured to facilitate the manual grasping and rotation thereof with one &# 39 ; s hand . the crank shaft portion 50 is fixedly connected to a drive means including a drive gear 56 which is mounted for rotation in sidewall 16 by a pin 58 . a threaded stud bolt with washer , or rivet or other fasteners well known in the art may be used for this purpose . the drive gear is connected to a disengagement means which includes an idler gear 60 . the idler gear teeth are preferably in continuous engagement with the drive gear teeth . the idler gear is rotatable about a pin means 62 such as that described for pin 58 which , in turn , is connected to an external knob 64 . the idler gear may be disengaged by movement of the knob and gear shown by arrow a in fig1 along a closed slot 66 whereby the idler gear may become engaged with the toothed end portion 30 of shaft 26 . in this position , shown in phantom in fig4 rotation of the crank will cause the rotation of shaft 26 by drive gear 56 intermeshing with idler gear 60 which meshes with the toothed end 30 of shaft 26 . of course , it will be appreciated that other means well known in the art for engaging and disengaging simple gear assemblies as contemplated in the present invention is within the purview of the present device . for example , it is possible knob 64 may simply be moved axially in and out for engagement between the drive gear 56 and shaft gear 30 . it will also be noted that the diameter of pin 62 and slot 66 are sized for frictional engagement to facilitate locking into position the gear 60 . of course , notches , hasps or other known means for locking the gear in position can be used with the present invention . referring again to shaft 26 shown best in fig6 a first bearing groove 32 is located at a predetermined minimum distance from the toothed end 30 . this distance is slightly greater than the 1 / 2 - 2 inch width of a commercially available spool of fishing line . adjacent end 31 of the shaft is a second bearing groove 34 . this groove is located from end 30 a maximum distance corresponding to large fishing line spools having widths greater than about two inches . it will be appreciated that more than two grooves may be provided and that the annular grooves at least as wide as the width of sidewall 20 and should have a depth sufficient to enable releasable connection with retention means 80 . the retention means 80 comprises an opening 70 through sidewall 20 which is sized to allow the shaft 26 to pass at least up to groove 32 . in the embodiment shown in fig6 the opening is provided with opposing ball means 72 , 74 which extend partially into the opening . either one or both of the balls may include spring biasing means 76 which allows displacement of the ball out of the opening and movement of the shaft through the opening . when either of the slots 32 , 34 reach the opening , the balls will move into the slot and frictionally engage the shaft from further axial movement . other equivalent engagement means may be used such as spring clips , set screws , cotter pins or the like . toothed end 30 of shaft 26 is secured for rotation to sidewall 16 by pin means 31 ( similar to pins 58 and 62 ). in this way , the shaft 26 will be affixed to frame member 12 and adjustment to either of the slots 32 , 34 will occur by movement of frame member 14 . it will be noted , however , that it is within the purview of the present invention that first frame member 12 can be moved relative to second frame member 14 or both members can be moved relative to each other . this may be accomplished by a telescoping engagement of the members or by the provision of appropriate slots in bottom portion 18 to allow movement past bolt members 94 and 96 . directly adjacent end 30 is spool detention means 106 . this may comprise any means which will releasably secure a spool to the shaft 26 and allow its rotation therewith . in the embodiment shown , an l - shaped appendage is affixed to the shaft having a sharp inwardly directed edge 108 for embedding into the sidewall of a spool . referring now to fig1 and 7 it will be noted that second bottom portion 22 of frame member 14 partially overlies first bottom portion 18 of frame member 12 . the two bottom portions engage each other by a guide means comprising a matching slanted projection and corresponding slanted elongated slot . the projection is shown by reference numeral 40 and the slot is shown by reference numeral 42 . the slanted connection effectively aligns the frame members and increases the frictional contact area therebetween which enhances the stability of their engagement . it also diminishes the likelihood of possible upward disengagement during heavy winding with the crank means . to affirmatively secure the frame members from separation , the bottom members are optionally provided with a fastening means . as specifically shown , bottom portion 22 has a slot 112 . the slot is open at the inwardly facing end 21 and is adapted to allow a threaded bolt 110 to pass therethrough and also through orifice 19 of bottom portion 18 . a matching nut 114 is used to tighten bolt 110 against bottom portion 22 and prevent relative movement between the frame members 12 and 14 . alternately , orifice 19 may be threaded and nut 114 eliminated . referring now to fig3 , 5 and 6 , clamping means 88 is shown extending from bottom portion 18 of first frame member 12 . the clamping means comprises opposing arcuate members 90 and 92 which are engaged with threaded bolt members 94 and 96 and are forced together by rotation of wing nuts or the like shown by reference numerals 98 . although in the preferred embodiment the device 10 of the present invention is clamped closely adjacent to a fishing reel 100 , it will be understood that the device may be clamped anywhere along the length of a fishing pole or fishing rod 102 . in describing the assembly of the present invention it is contemplated that the first frame member 12 will be mounted as shown in fig2 to the shaft of the fishing rod 102 . a spool , either empty or full of new line as the case may be , will be placed upon shaft 26 which is secured to sidewall 16 . the spool will be forced against edge 106 to prevent it from rotating freely about the shaft . second frame member 14 may now be engaged with frame member 12 by the simultaneous insertion of shaft 26 into opening 70 and engagement of projection 40 with slot 42 . depending on the width of the fishing line spool , the spring - biased ball 72 and / or 74 will engage either of the slots 32 or 34 . once the desired separation is determined and the second side frame member is in place , bolt 110 is inserted through slot 112 and orifice 19 and nut 114 is tightened . with the spool now in place and the widewalls set apart the desired predetermined distance , the line may be fed from reel 100 to the spool and the adjustable gear moved by button 64 into its upper position for engagement with toothed shaft end 30 . in this way crank 50 may be revolved and draw line from reel 100 . conversely , the spool on shaft 26 may contain fresh line for feeding to an empty reel . in such a case , the adjustable gear is rotated by button 64 to its lowermost position out of engagement with shaft end 30 . shaft 26 will then rotate freely while reel 100 can be operated to draw line from the spool . while the invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention . accordingly , it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the specific illustrative embodiment , but only by the scope of the appended claims . | US-81922677-A |
a golf club putter has a putter head including a plurality offset surfaces , each of the offset surfaces containing a respective portion of an alignment figure that has a periphery enclosing an area . each respective portion of the alignment figure includes respective sections of the periphery . disorientation of the putter head may be detected by transposition of each portion of the alignment figure with respect to the other portions . correct orientation of the putter head is indicated by precise alignment of the portions to present the alignment figure without apparent distortion . | the invention is used with a golf club putter (“ putter ”) that is illustrated , for example , in fig1 through 4 . the putter includes a putter head 12 , a shaft 14 , and an attachment mechanism 16 that connects the shaft to the putter head 12 . the attachment mechanism is exemplified in the figures by a hosel . the invention may be embodied in a completely assembled putter ; it may also be embodied in a putter head such as the putter head 12 . the invention is presented in the following description in a preferred embodiment that splits or cleaves an alignment figure into two portions , with each portion disposed on a respective one of two offset surfaces . this is intended to illustrate the invention in a preferred embodiment . in fact , more than two alignment figure portions may be distributed over two or more surfaces without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . the putter head 12 includes a wall 20 having a first side 22 and a second side 26 . the first and second sides 22 and 26 are planar , vertical and face in opposing directions . the first side 22 includes a striking face which strikes a golf ball when a golfer makes a putt . the wall 20 includes a first surface 24 that is transverse to the first and second sides 22 and 26 ; the first surface 24 meets the first side 22 at a first edge 28 and meets the second side 26 a second edge 30 . the putter head 12 includes a sole 32 disposed underneath the wall 20 . the first surface 24 and sole 32 face in opposite directions . from another aspect , the first surface is upwardly oriented with respect to the sole , which faces downwardly . the forward end portion of the putter head 12 forms a toe 34 . the back end portion of the putter head 12 forms a heel 36 . the wall 20 extends between the heel 36 and the toe 34 . a second surface includes lateral ramped sections 40 and 42 and a concave center section 44 . the lateral ramped sections 40 and 42 ramp downwardly toward the center section 44 from the toe 34 and heel 36 , respectively . the concave center section 44 is symmetrical with and is oriented to face in the same direction as the first surface 24 , but is displaced therefrom in the direction of the sole 32 . the second surfaces is also upwardly oriented , with respect to the sole . an alignment figure has first and second portions 50 and 52 . the first portion 50 of the alignment figure is disposed on the first surface 24 , while the second portion 52 of the alignment figure is disposed on the concave center section 44 of the second surface . the two portions 50 and 52 , when the putter head 12 is viewed in the manner illustrated in the top plan view of fig2 form a closed figure having a periphery which traverses a border between the two portions 50 and 52 in at least two locations . as fig2 illustrates , the border is contiguous with the second edge 30 . the first portion 50 of the alignment figure is disposed on the first surface 24 such that respective sections 51 a and 51 b of the periphery of the alignment figure extend to the edge 30 . the second portion 52 of the alignment figure is disposed on the center portion 44 of the second surface such that respective sections 53 a and 53 b of the periphery of the alignment figure extend to the vertical projection of the second edge 30 onto the center section 44 of the second surface . in this respect , the ends of the respective sections 51 a and 51 b align with corresponding ends of the respective sections 53 a and 53 b . here , “ alignment ” means that the ends of the respective sections extend to , or almost to , parallel lines 55 a and 55 b that are contained in the vertical projection of the edge 30 onto the second surface . the putter head 12 further includes a recess 57 into the second side 26 of the wall 20 , between the first and second alignment figure portions 50 and 52 , that permit the concave center section 44 of the surface to extend into the wall 20 , underneath the first surface 24 . an elongated sweet spot indicating mark 56 may be provided on either , or both of the first and second surfaces to indicate the location of the sweet spot on the striking surface of the putter head 12 . in these figures , the mark 56 is placed on the concave center section 44 of the second surface . the putter head may be molded by casting , or it may be machined ; it may be formed from stainless steel , or any other appropriate material such as aluminum , cold rolled steel , brass , or bronze . the alignment fig5 , 52 and the sweet spot mark 56 ( if elected ) may be formed by conventional means during casting or machining and then highlighted by addition of a color during a paint fill step . alternatively , the figure portion can be provided on stickers or decals and applied thereby directly to the surfaces . in use , a golfer observes the putter 12 by looking down to observe the first and second surfaces in top plan view . this is shown in fig2 . ideal alignment ( fig2 ) is illustrated by the projection 70 of the center of the striking face of the putter through the center 72 of a golf ball 74 . this may be referred to as “ ideal orientation ”. with ideal orientation , the alignment figure ( in this case a circle ) is closed , with the respective sections 51 a and 51 b of the periphery of the alignment figure portion 50 extending to and in alignment with the corresponding respective sections 53 a and 53 b of the periphery of the alignment figure portion 52 . disorientation as may occur when the putter head 12 is rotated on the centerline 70 by raising the heel and lowering the toe . the effect with respect to the alignment figure is illustrated in fig5 a : the alignment figure portions 50 and 52 are misaligned , with the portion 50 shifted forwardly , toward the toe , and the portion 52 shifted rearwardly , toward the heel . fig5 b shows misalignment between the portions 50 and 52 caused by a rotation on the centerline 70 by raising the toe and lowering the heel . fig5 c shows separation of the alignment figure portions 50 and 52 by rotation of the putter head 12 about a longitudinal axis with the direction of rotation being toward the top of the figure . fig5 d shows a misalignment of the alignment figure portions 50 and 52 by rotation about the longitudinal axis of the putter head 12 in a direction opposite that of fig5 c . it should be realized that the misalignments just described may be caused either by movement of the putter head 12 , or by movement of a golfer &# 39 ; s line of sight with respect to the first and second surfaces of the putter head . misalignment can also be caused by compounding these error - inducing actions . in any event , misalignment of the putter head can be detected visually by the golfer using the alignment figure and corrected by restoring the ideal orientation of the putter , as indicated by correct alignment of the alignment figure portions 50 and 52 in fig2 . a closed alignment figure may be provided by any number of essential geometrical shapes , including the circle illustrated in fig2 the triangle illustrated in fig6 a , the quadrilateral illustrated in fig6 b , the polygon illustrated in fig6 c , and the oval illustrated in fig6 d . all of these figures illustrate an alignment figure with a continuous periphery that outlines an area . this is not to say that the area of the figure within the periphery may not be partially or entirely filled in . further , the periphery may be discontinuous , particularly if election is made to include the sweet spot mark 56 on either or both of the first and second surfaces of the putter head . a discontinuous periphery may also define the alignment figure , as illustrated in the circular figure formed by the circular array of dots in fig5 e . lastly , the alignment figures shown and described are symmetrical ; this is not intended to exclude nonsymmetrical or asymmetrical figures , which are included in the scope of the invention . clearly , other embodiments and modifications of this invention will occur readily to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of these teachings . therefore , this invention is to be limited only by following claims , which include all such embodiments and modifications when viewed in conjunction with the above specification and accompanying drawings . | US-39192999-A |
a radiation detector disposed on a microwave antenna assembly to receive unintended field exposure in an insufflated abdomen . the radiation detector includes a receiving antenna made up of at least two pieces of metal externally attached to the microwave antenna within the abdomen . the radiation detector is adapted to receive errant microwave energy that resonates in the abdomen . a rectifier is coupled between the two pieces of metal , where the pieces of metal are strips , rings , patches , or other geometric combinations . the rectifier is adapted to rectify at least a portion of the errant microwave energy . a filter is coupled to the rectifier and is adapted to convert the rectified microwave energy into a detection signal . an inflatable stop is located on a distal end of the microwave antenna and the inflatable stop is inflated when inserted within the abdomen . the inflated stop prevents inadvertent removal of the microwave antenna . | particular embodiments of the present disclosure as described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings . in the following description , well - known functions or constructions are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the present disclosure in unnecessary detail . the present disclosure provides for a radiation detector disposed on a microwave antenna . generally , the detector is disposed in a location such that any unintended and / or errant radiation of microwave energy within the abdomen is detected . the radiation detector converts the detected radiation into a detection signal , which is then transmitted to a control system ( e . g ., microwave generator ) to either shut off the power supply and / or alert the user . fig1 shows a microwave ablation system 10 that includes a microwave antenna assembly 12 coupled to a microwave generator 14 via a flexible coaxial cable 16 . the generator 14 is configured to provide microwave energy at an operational frequency from about 500 mhz to about 10 , 000 mhz . in the illustrated embodiment , the antenna assembly 12 includes a radiating section 18 connected by feedline 20 ( or shaft ) to the cable 16 . more specifically , the feedline 20 is connected to a hub 22 , which is connected to the cable 16 through a cable connector 19 . the hub 22 may have a variety of suitable shapes , e . g ., cylindrical , rectangular , etc . further , the antenna assembly 12 includes a radiating section 18 with a tip 48 on the distal end of the feedline 20 . the feedline 20 may be coaxial and include an inner conductor surrounded by an inner insulator , which is , in turn , surrounded by an outer conductor 17 ( e . g ., a cylindrical conducting sheath ). the inner conductor and outer conductor 17 may be constructed of copper , gold , stainless steel or other conductive metals with similar conductivity values . the metals may be plated with other materials , e . g ., other conductive materials , to improve their properties , e . g ., to improve conductivity or decrease energy loss , etc . in one embodiment , the feedline 20 may be formed from a coaxial , semi - rigid or flexible cable having a wire with a 0 . 047 ″ outer diameter rated for 50 ohms . the antenna assembly 12 includes a radiation detector 50 disposed along the feedline 20 just on the inside of the abdominal wall 70 . further , the radiation detector 50 may be located near an inflatable stop 30 . the radiation detector 50 is shown in detail in fig2 a - 2c . the radiation detector 50 is connected through a filter ( see fig2 a ) to wire 71 . the wire 71 may be disposed anywhere along the antenna assembly 12 such that the wire 71 has minimal effect on the radiation efficiency of the antenna assembly 12 . the wire 71 may be connected to a light emitting diode ( led ) 60 , a speaker 65 , and / or a controller ( not shown ) within the generator 14 . the inflatable stop 30 is a balloon or other inflatable material that surrounds the feedline 20 . the stop 30 may be formed from materials having suitable mechanical properties ( such as puncture resistance , pin hole resistance , tensile strength , conformability when inflated ), chemical properties ( such as forming a suitable bond to the feedline 20 ), and biocompatibility . in another embodiment , the walls of the inflatable stop 30 may be formed from a suitable polyvinyl chloride ( pvc ). other suitable materials include polypropylene , polyethylene teraphthalate ( petp ), low - density polyethylene ( ldpe ), silicone , neoprene , polyisoprene , or polyurethane ( pu ). the inflatable stop 30 is located on the distal end of the feedline 20 so as to be inside the abdomen wall 70 or body cavity wall . the location of the inflatable stop 30 may be adjusted based on the size of the abdomen and / or the depth necessary to perform the surgery . prior to inserting the radiating section 18 and feedline 20 within the patient &# 39 ; s abdomen or body cavity , the inflatable stop 30 is in a collapsed form . after inserting the radiating section 18 and feedline 20 within the patient &# 39 ; s abdomen , the inflatable stop 30 is inflated using a conduit or catheter ( not shown ). the inflatable stop 30 may be filled with gaseous or fluid inflation media , e . g ., air , water , saline etc ., in a selective manner such that inflation media may be introduced and / or withdrawn from inflatable stop 30 as desired . once inflated , the inflatable stop 30 prevents inadvertent removal of the radiating section 18 . inadvertent removal may cause ablation to the wrong tissue . the inflatable stop 30 is then deflated upon completion of the procedure to allow removal of the radiating section 18 and feedline 20 . fig2 a shows a first embodiment of a radiation detector 50 . the radiation detector 50 includes two metal rings 52 a - 52 b that wrap around the feed line 20 . the metal rings 52 a - 52 b are connected together using a rectifying device 54 across gap 51 . the rectifying device 54 may be any type of suitable diodes such as zener diode , schottky diode , tunnel diode and the like . one metal ring 52 a is connected led 60 and ground circuit ( r 2 and c 2 in parallel and g ) through inductor l 1 . alternatively , both metal rings 52 a - 52 b may be connected to a ground circuit that includes a rf impendence / low dc impedance element l and a ground g . the dc ground connections are made in locations of low rf voltage . the inductor l 1 functions as a low pass filter and converts the signal from the rectifying device 54 into a dc signal which is sent across wire 71 to a led 60 , speaker 65 , and / or a controller within the generator 14 . the radiation detector 50 may be located anywhere along the feedline 20 and or radiating section 18 as long as the radiation detector 50 is within the patient &# 39 ; s abdomen or body cavity . the radiation detector 50 is typically located along the feedline 20 so as to have gap 51 be in a location of high rf voltage . the metal rings 52 a - 52 b may be formed from a conformal sheet of conductive material such as copper , gold , stainless steel or other conductive metals with similar conductivity values . the width of each ring may be about 0 . 10 inches to about 2 . 5 inches with a thickness between about 0 . 001 inches to about 0 . 010 inches . the metal rings 52 a - 52 b may be situated over a ground plane with a dielectric insulation providing separation . the dielectric insulation r 2 may be formed from a non - conductive conformal material such as polyesters , polyimides , polyamides , polyamide - imides , polyetherimides , polyacrylates , polyethylene terephthalate , polyethylene , polypropylene , polyvinylidene chloride , polysiloxanes , combinations thereof and the like . the use of one rectifying device 54 in fig2 a allows for half wave rectifying . fig2 b shows an alternate embodiment of radiation detector 50 that includes two rectifying devices 54 and 56 . the rectifying devices 54 and 56 are soldered to metal pieces 52 a - 52 b in reverse polarity . the rectifying devices 54 and 56 together allow for full wave rectifying . fig2 c shows another embodiment of radiation detector 55 that includes three rings 52 a - 52 c . the three rings are connected together with rectifying devices 54 and 57 in the same polarity . the use of three rings allows for a larger antenna aperture and increased bandwidth for detecting rectified microwave energy . alternatively , the rings 52 a - 52 c may be connected together with the rectifying devices 54 and 57 in reverse polarity . additionally , two of the rectifying devices ( e . g . 54 and 56 ) may be connected in reverse polarity in each gap 51 and 53 , similar to the arrangement shown in fig2 b . fig3 discloses an alternative radiation detector 90 formed into a linear antenna from two strips of metal 92 a - 92 b . depending on the operating frequency of the microwave ablation assembly 12 , the two strips 92 a - 92 b may have a length and width that range between about 0 . 1 inches and about 2 inches with a thickness of about 0 . 005 inches . the strips of metal 92 a - 92 b may be connected together with rectifying device 54 . alternatively , the strips of metal 92 a - 92 b may be connected together with two rectifying devices ( e . g . 54 and 56 ) in reverse polarity to allow for full wave rectification , similar to the arrangement shown in fig2 b . the rectifying device 54 is connected to a filter ( inductor l 1 ) to convert the signal into a dc signal . the dc signal is sent over wire 71 to a led 60 , speaker 65 , and / or a controller in the generator 14 . if the dc signal is above a set limit , then the user is notified visually through led 50 , and / or audibly through speaker 65 . alternatively , if the dc signal is above a set limit , then controller may automatically stop sending an electrical signal to the antenna assembly . this limit may vary between about 0 . 5 volts and about 3 volts based on the operating frequency of the microwave ablation assembly 12 . the linear antenna radiation detector 90 may also be used as a patch rectifier or a dipole rectifier . the strips of metal 92 a - 92 b may be attached to a grounding plane ( not shown ) with an insulating dielectric between . the strips of metal 92 a - 92 b and grounding plane may be made of conductive material such as copper , gold , stainless steel or other conductive metals with similar conductivity values . the insulating dielectric may be a non - conductive conformal material such as polyesters , polyimides , polyamides , polyamide - imides , polyetherimides , polyacrylates , polyethylene terephthalate , polyethylene , polypropylene , polyvinylidene chloride , polysiloxanes , combinations thereof and the like . fig4 shows a process 400 for detecting errant microwave energy within an insufflated abdomen with reference to radiation detector 50 . it should be appreciated that the method may be practiced with other radiation detectors , such as the radiation detector 90 , 55 and the like . the process 400 starts at step 405 with an initial step of attaching the radiating detector 50 on the microwave antenna assembly 12 at step 410 which includes wrapping the metal pieces 52 a - 52 b around feedline 20 . the method may also include the step of connecting the radiation detector 50 to the generator 14 or another control system . next , the microwave antenna 12 with radiation detector 50 is placed within a patient &# 39 ; s abdomen or body cavity at step 420 . alternatively , the detector 50 may be placed into the insufflated abdomen via a lap port ( not shown ) and slid over the radiating section 18 and around feedline 20 after insertion of radiating section 18 and feed line 20 through the abdominal wall to reduce gauge size of the device . detector 50 interfaces with one or more electrode contacts ( not shown ) on feedline 20 . at step 430 , the microwave antenna 12 is secured in place within the abdomen . for example , the inflatable stop 30 may be inflated at step 430 . other types of securement materials may also be contemplated . a controller ( not shown ) in generator 14 may prevent sending electrical energy to the microwave antenna 12 until the microwave antenna 12 is secured , e . g ., until the inflatable stop 30 is inflated . next , at step 440 , microwave energy is sent from the generator 14 to microwave antenna 12 . during operation , any errant microwave radiation outside the desired emission area , such as outside the radiating section 18 , is picked up by the radiation antenna 50 , namely , the metal rings 52 a - 52 h at step 450 . the detected microwave energy is then rectified by rectifier 54 at step 460 and the rectified signal is filtered by a filter into a detection signal ( e . g ., a dc voltage signal 71 ) at step 470 . the filter may include a simple inductor l 1 , or inductor resistor series elements ( not shown ). the detection signal is then transmitted to generator 14 , led 60 , and / or speaker 65 at step 480 . the generator 14 and / or other control circuitry ( not shown ) compares the detection signal to a threshold value to determine whether the level of the microwave energy is unsafe . if the determination is made that the level of microwave energy is excessive , the generator 14 may either suspend the supply of microwave energy and / or notify the user of this occurrence at step 490 prior to process 400 ending at step 495 . the user may be notified using speaker 65 and / or led 60 . the described embodiments of the present disclosure are intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive , and are not intended to represent every embodiment of the present disclosure . various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure as set forth in the following claims both literally and in equivalents recognized in law . | US-201113104752-A |
the present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition including an ionic liquid composed of a triptan compound and saccharin . since a triptan compound and saccharin form an ionic liquid to increase the solubility of the triptan compound in the present invention , it is possible to expect a rapid and high dissolution of the triptan compound when a pharmaceutical composition is prepared . in addition , large amounts of organic solvents and acidic solvents need not be used in order to dissolve the triptan compound . | the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition including an ionic liquid composed of a triptan compound and saccharin . hereinafter , a pharmaceutical composition according to the present invention will be described in more detail . the pharmaceutical composition according to the present invention includes an ionic liquid composed of a triptan compound and saccharin . the triptan compound is an agonist selective for serotonin , and may be used as an agonist for 5 - ht 1b1d . this kind of triptan compound is not particularly limited , and it is possible to use one or more selected from the group consisting of zolmitriptan , sumatriptan , rizatriptan , almotriptan , naratriptan , eletriptan , avitriptan , and frovatriptan . the triptan compound may be included in an amount of 30 to 90 parts by weight , 30 to 70 parts by weight , or 30 to 65 parts by weight , based on 100 parts by weight of a pharmaceutical composition . within the range , the triptan compound may have excellent solubility to water , and may be present as an ionic liquid . in the present invention , saccharin may be used in order to improve properties of the triptan compound . specifically , the solubility of the triptan compound may be increased , and the triptan compound may be present as an ionic liquid by lowering the melting point , by using saccharin . the saccharin was added in a small amount to food additives or pharmaceuticals and used as a sweetener to block the taste in the related art , but may be used as a solubilizer to improve the solubility of the triptan compound in the present invention . the saccharin may be included in an amount of 10 to 70 parts by weight , 30 to 70 parts by weight , or 45 to 70 parts by weight , based on 100 parts by weight of a pharmaceutical composition . within the range , saccharin and the triptan compound may form an ionic liquid to enhance the solubility . the weight ratio of the triptan compound and saccharin may be 30 : 70 to 90 : 10 , 30 : 70 to 70 : 30 , or 30 : 70 to 65 : 45 . further , the molar ratio of the triptan compound and saccharin may be 1 : 5 to 5 : 1 , 1 : 3 to 3 : 1 , or 1 : 1 . the above - described triptan compound and saccharin are present as an ionic liquid . in the present invention , the ionic liquid means an ionic compound which is composed of positive ions and negative ions and is a liquid at normal temperature . that is , the ionic liquid may be composed only of positive ions and negative ions like salts while being a liquid . the ionic liquid may also be used as a meaning that includes not only a liquid state having fluidity , but also a paste state having viscosity . the ionic liquid according to the present invention may be present as an ionic liquid at − 30 to 250 ° c ., specifically , a normal temperature of 15 to 25 ° c . in general , zolmitriptan among triptan compounds has a melting point of 132 to 137 ° c . and saccharin has a melting point of 225 to 230 ° c ., so that the triptan compound and saccharin are present as a solid at normal temperature . however , in the present invention , the triptan compound may be present as an ionic liquid in a liquid state by saccharin rather than a solid . specifically , the triptan compound and saccharin may be present as a positive ion and a negative ion , respectively , in the ionic liquid . in the present invention , the pharmaceutical composition has excellent solubility in water by including the ionic liquid , and a separate acidic solvent need not be used in order to dissolve the triptan compound when the pharmaceutical compound is sprayed into the nasal cavity or oral cavity . further , even when the pharmaceutical composition is used as an orally disintegration tablet and an orally disintegration film , an organic solvent need not be used , and the amount of an excipient may also be reduced due to the reduction in amount of the organic solvent used . in the present invention , the pharmaceutical composition is used for preventing or treating migraines , sudden severe migraines , or cluster migraines . in addition , the present invention relates to a method for preparing the above - described pharmaceutical composition . the pharmaceutical composition according to the present invention may be prepared by a step of preparing an ionic liquid by mixing a triptan compound and saccharin . the kind and content of the triptan compound and saccharin may be the above - described kind and content . in an exemplary embodiment , the ionic liquid may be prepared by mixing a triptan compound and saccharin , and then milling the mixture . through the milling , the triptan compound and saccharin may be obtained as a mixture in a liquid state , that is , an ionic liquid . the milling may be performed for 10 to 100 minutes or 20 to 60 minutes . in the present invention , a reaction may be performed by adding 500 μl or less , 400 μl or less , or 300 μl or less of water in order to shorten the time for preparing the ionic liquid . in this case , the reaction may be performed for 5 to 10 minutes . furthermore , in an exemplary embodiment , an ionic liquid may be prepared by separately dissolving a triptan compound and saccharin in a solvent , and then mixing the dissolved triptan compound and saccharin , and performing a solvent evaporation method . further , the ionic liquid may be prepared by dissolving the triptan compound and saccharin together in the solvent , and then performing a solvent evaporation method . the solvent evaporation method may be performed in the atmospheric state , but may be performed under reduced pressure and dry conditions . through the solvent evaporation method , an ionic liquid is precipitated . in this case , the solvent may be selected from the group consisting of ethanol and methanol , and specifically , ethanol may be used . further , the present invention relates to a method for preventing or treating migraines , sudden severe migraines , or cluster migraines , comprising administering an effective amount of the pharmaceutical composition . in the method , the pharmaceutical composition including : an ionic liquid composed of a triptan compound and saccharin . the pharmaceutical composition according to the present invention may have a form suitable for oral administration , topical administration , inhalation administration , insufflation administration or parenteral administration . the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention may include one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers in addition to the ionic liquid which is an active ingredient . the term ‘ pharmaceutically acceptable carrier ’ means a publicly known pharmaceutical excipient which is useful when a pharmaceutically active compound for administration is formulated and is in fact non - toxic and insensitive under the conditions of use . the exact ratio of the excipient is determined by the solubility and chemical characteristics of the active compound , the selected administration route , and the standard pharmaceutical practice . the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention may be formulated into a form suitable for a desired administration method by using an adjuvant , such as an excipient , a disintegrant , a sweetener , a binder , a coating agent , a swelling agent , a lubricant , a glidant , a flavor , and an antioxidant , which is suitable and physiologically acceptable . the pharmaceutical composition may be formulated in the form of a tablet , a capsule , a pill , a granule , a powder , an injection , a liquid , or a film , but the form thereof is not limited thereto . the dosage form of the pharmaceutical composition and the pharmaceutically acceptable carrier may be appropriately selected according to the technology publicly known in the art , and for example , the following documents may be referred to : [ urquhart et al ., lancet , 16 : 367 , 1980 ]; [ lieberman et al ., pharmaceutical dosage forms - disperse systems , 2nd ed ., vol . 3 , 1998 ]; [ ansel et al ., pharmaceutical dosage forms & amp ; drug delivery systems , 7th ed ., 2000 ]; [ martindale , the extra pharmacopeia , 31st ed . ]; [ remington &# 39 ; s pharmaceutical sciences , 16th - 20th editions ]; [ the pharmacological basis of therapeutics , goodman and gilman , eds ., 9th ed ., 1996 ]; [ wilson and gisvolds &# 39 ; textbook of organic medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry , delgado and remers , eds ., 10th ed ., 1998 ]. further , it is also possible to refer to , for example , the following documents [ platt , clin . lab . med ., 7 : 289 - 99 , 1987 ]; [ aulton , pharmaceutics : the science of dosage form design , churchill livingstone , n . y ., 1988 ]; [ extemporaneous oral liquid dosage preparations , cshp , 1998 ], [“ drug dosage ,” j . kans . med . soc ., 70 ( 1 ): 30 - 32 , 1969 ], and the like for the principle of formulating the pharmaceutical composition . in one exemplary embodiment , the pharmaceutical composition may be for use in combination with a second drug . in the present invention , the term ‘ second drug ’ means a pharmaceutically active ingredient other than the triptan compound of the present invention . the triptan compound of the present invention may be used for treating migraines , sudden severe migraines , or cluster migraines as described above . accordingly , the triptan compound of the present invention may be used in combination with a second drug for efficiently treating the diseases . when the triptan compound according to the present invention and the second drug may be administered by the same method , the triptan compound may also be provided in the form of a complex formulation which is formulated with the second drug . meanwhile , in the present invention , the term ‘ subject ’ means a warm - blooded animal such as a mammal with a specific condition , disorder or disease , and includes , for example , a human , an orangutan , a chimpanzee , a mouse , a rat , a dog , a cow , a chicken , a pig , a goat , a sheep , and the like , but the subject is not limited thereto . in addition , the term ‘ treating ’ includes relieving a symptom , temporarily or permanently eliminating causes of the symptom , or preventing or hindering occurrence of the symptom or progression of the aforementioned condition , disorder or disease , but the treating is not limited thereto . an effective amount of the active ingredient of the pharmaceutical composition according to the present invention means an amount required to treat a disease . therefore , the effective amount of the active ingredient may be adjusted according to various factors such as the kind and severity of disease , the kinds and contents of active ingredient and other ingredients contained in the composition , the kind of dosage form , age , body weight , general medical conditions , gender and diet of a patient , duration and route of administration , a secretion rate of the composition , treatment duration , and the number of drugs used together . zolmitriptan may be administered to a patient , such that , for example , a unit dose of 0 . 5 to 15 mg ( for example , 1 . 0 mg , 2 . 5 mg , 5 . 0 mg , and 10 mg ) is delivered to the patient . such a unit dosage may be administered at any step in the initial or middle stage of the onset of migraines , and typically administered once or three times a day . hereinafter , the present invention will be described in more detail through the examples which follow the present invention and the comparative examples which do not follow the present invention , but the scope of the present invention is not limited by the examples suggested below . a composition was prepared by placing zolmitriptan ( sinoway industrial , china ) and saccharin ( acros , usa ), which are present in the contents in the following table 1 , in a mortar , and grinding and mixing the ingredients with a pestle for 30 minutes . zolmitriptan and saccharin present in the contents in the following table 2 were placed in an erlenmeyer flask and ethanol was added thereto to dissolve zolmitriptan and saccharin in a sonicator for 15 minutes . the ethanol solution , in which zolmitriptan and saccharin were dissolved , was transferred to a round bottom flask , and the flask was mounted on a reduced pressure drying apparatus to remove all the ethanol for about 2 hours , thereby obtaining a mixture of zolmitriptan and saccharin ( pharmaceutical composition ) precipitated on the wall surface of the round bottom flask . a composition was prepared by placing sumatriptan and saccharin ( acros , usa ), which are present in the contents in the following table 3 , in a mortar , and grinding and mixing the ingredients with a pestle for 30 minutes . sumatriptan and saccharin present in the contents in the following table 3 were placed in an erlenmeyer flask and ethanol was added thereto to dissolve sumatriptan and saccharin in a sonicator for 15 minutes . the ethanol solution , in which sumatriptan and saccharin were dissolved , was transferred to a round bottom flask , and the flask was mounted on a reduced pressure drying apparatus to remove all the ethanol for about 2 hours , thereby obtaining a mixture of sumatriptan and saccharin ( pharmaceutical composition ) precipitated on the wall surface of the round bottom flask . the pharmaceutical compositions prepared in examples 1 and 6 among examples 1 to 10 were subjected to thermal analysis by using the differential scanning calorimetry ( dsc ). the state was measured in a temperature range of − 30 to 250 ° c ., and the warming rate was 10 ° c ./ min . as a result of the measurement , it can be confirmed that the melting point of zolmitriptan is 132 ° c . to 137 ° c ., the melting point of saccharin is 225 to 230 ° c ., and those ingredients are present as a solid at normal temperature , but the mixture of zolmitriptan and saccharin in examples 1 and 6 is present in a liquid or glassy state in the measurement range . in addition , the measurement result of examples 11 and 12 is illustrated in fig2 . as a result of the measurement , the mixture of sumatriptan and saccharin is present in a liquid or glassy state in the measurement range . the solubilities of the pharmaceutical compositions prepared in examples 1 to 10 and zolmitriptan in water were compared . the pharmaceutical compositions prepared in examples 1 to 10 and zolmitriptan were placed in 20 ml vials , 10 ml of distilled water was added thereto , and the vials were hermetically sealed with lids . in this case , the contents of the pharmaceutical compositions and zolmitriptan are shown as in the following tables 4 and 5 . in tables 4 and 5 , the number in the parenthesis denotes the weight of zolmitriptan contained in the pharmaceutical composition . next , the solubility was measured by allowing the pharmaceutical composition to stand under the conditions of 37 ± 0 . 5 ° c . at 100 rpm in a lateral direction in a water bath , taking only the supernatant , and using hplc . as illustrated in fig3 , it can be confirmed that the pharmaceutical compositions in the examples have higher solubilities than zolmitriptan , and it can be confirmed that the compositions in examples 1 to 3 and 6 to 8 have about 4 times higher solubilities than that of zolmitriptan . in addition , the composition of example 5 has 2 times higher solubilities than zolmitriptan . thus , by mixing the saccharin in the triptan compound , it can be confirmed that the solubility is increased . | US-201514926078-A |
the present invention is concerned with the use of a lower fatty acid glyceride as a feed additive having a growth - promoting effect in rearing animals and a method of rearing animals using said feed additive . | the present invention relates to a method of rearing animals characterized by providing animals with a lower fatty acid glyceride . ruminants such as cattle , sheep , goat have the ability to digest fibrous feed by virtue of their having in their rumens symbiotic microbes , which have cellulolytic activity , and are therefore able to digest feeds such as grass , legume , rice straw and the like . in this case , so called lower fatty acids are produced by the group of microbes through their cellulose digestion . they are mostly acetic acid , propionic acid , butyric acid , and in addition a small quantity of higher acids such as valeric acid and caproic acid . the ruminants absorb these lower fatty acids through their rumen walls and utilize as energy sources and use these as sources of nutrients in the formation of their muscles and other organs or tissues and in the synthesis of milk constituents . the present invention aims at supplying directly as a feed especially acetic acid , propionic acid and butyric acid among lower fatty acids which are and absorbed in comparatively large quantity by the ruminants , but in particular at this juncture , emphasis is laid on the relation to the utilization of the three acids combined with glycerin in a form of glyceride . conventionally , acetic acid , propionic acid and butyric acid have been supplied in a form of a neutralized salt , mainly sodium salt or calcium salt . propionate in particular has been indicated to be available for treatment of ruminant ketosis . on the other hand , it has been experimentally demonstrated that the long term supply of appreciable amounts of neutralized salt to meet a certain part of energy intake raises the accumulation of alkali in the body fluid and secondarily causes functional disorders of body circulation mechanisms . it is also known that the supply of free acid as it is causes a refusal of feed intake by the animals or a decline in the feed volume taken owing to a stimulus attributed to its acidity . the present invention is concerned in realizing the intake of a sufficient volume of feed , in consideration of the above mentioned factors , by means of combining acetic acid , propionic aicd and butyric acid with glycerin , thereby removing the acidity and letting them not take excess alkali as in the case of using a neutralized salt . moreover , glycerin moiety may be utilized as an intermediate fat synthesis . therefore , the lower fatty acid glyceride is useful to provide a comparativily large amount to meet energy requirment of ruminants . furthermore , a salient feature of the present invention lies in a formulation of a certain ratio of acetic acid , propionic acid and butyric acid content to the total constituents in supplying glyceride , thus deriving from it a glyceride composition for the most efficent use in meeting the energy requirements of the ruminants . to explain the present invention in further detail , the glyceride to be used in the present invention comprises either a mixture of monoacetin , diacetin , triacetin , monopropionin , dipropionin , tripropionin , monobutyrin , dibutyrin , and tributyrin or a mixture of monoglyceride , diglyceride and triglyceride consisting of acetic acid , propionic aicd and butyric acid in one molecule . thus it is desirable that the glyceride mixture to be used has a molar equivalent ratio range of 0 . 3 - 3 . 0 preferably 1 . 0 - 2 . 0 of propionic acid residue as against the sum of the molar equivalent of the other two acids put together . moreover , it is desirable that monoglyceride , diglyceride and triglyceride are in the ratio 1 : 1 : 1 . although they are not restricted to the present invention only , the representative mixed ratios of the above nine compounds are shown in the following table . table 1______________________________________mixed ratio ( mole equivalent ) ______________________________________ example 1 example 2 example 3______________________________________monoacetin 2 1 1diacetin 2 1 1triacetin 2 1 1monopropionin 1 2 1dipropionin 1 2 1tripropionin 1 2 1monobutyrin 1 1 2dibutyrin 1 1 2triburyrin 1 1 2______________________________________ thus , these glyceride mixtures can be used in accordance with the practice as ingredients or additives for mixed feeds especially for such feed concentrates as cereal grains , soy bean meal , rice bran , fish meal , wheat bran , corns or the like , the amount of the mixture being suitably adjusted according to the purposes and uses . the glyceride mixture can be an ingredient of ruminant feeds such as calf feeds , fattening feeds and dairy feeds , and the like . for instance , usually 10 - 20 % or upwards by weight of the mixture is added to them . it is known from the examples measured daily gains of the body weight of the test animals that the glyceride mixture of the present invention can substitute the conventional cereal grains or concentrates as the available energy source . for instance , the glyceride mixture of this invention provides a cow or calf with a range of 0 . 1 ˜ 0 . 4 kg / day / 100kg of body weight , preferably 1 . 2 kg . according to the present invention , the amount of concentrates to be used can be decreased . therefore some diseases such as renal calculi or feed - lot bloat which occur very frequently with the high concentrates - low forage system can be prevented . the following examples are directed to the further explanation of the utility of the present invention . give to calves a mixed feed of glyceride for eight weeks according to the conventional practice and measure the increased body weight gains . the test animals b , c , d in table 2 represent the calves provided with glyceride relative to the present invention . table 2______________________________________test animal concentrates rice straw glyceride ( kg ) ( kg ) amount fixed ( kg ) ratio______________________________________a ( control ) 9 2 -- -- b 7 2 0 . 67 example 1c 7 2 0 . 67 example 2d 7 2 0 . 67 example 3______________________________________note : refer to table 1 for mixed ratio of glyceride table 3______________________________________test animal weight weight increased daily gains before after amount ( kg ) test test ( kg ) ( kg ) ( kg ) ______________________________________a ( control ) 312 371 59 1 . 05b 329 400 71 1 . 27c 275 357 82 1 . 47d 348 404 56 1 . 00______________________________________ as in example i , give feed to a calf for seven weeks and measure the increased amount of body weight gains . table 4______________________________________test animal concen - alfalfa rice glyceride trates * hay straw amount mixed ( kg ) ( kg ) ( kg ) ( kg ) ratio______________________________________a ( control ) 4 . 5 2 3 -- -- b 5 . 0 2 3 1 . 2 example 1c 4 . 5 2 3 1 . 2 example 2d 5 . 0 2 3 1 . 2 example 3______________________________________ * concentrates are given 4 . 5 kg to calf having a body weight of 350 - 400 kg and 5 . 0 kg to ones having body weight of 400 - 450 kg . accordingly , a test calf provided with 4 . 5 kg of concentrates during the test was given 5 . 0 k when the weight exceeded 400 kg . table 5______________________________________test animal weight weight increased daily gains before after amount ( kg ) test test ( kg ) ( kg ) ( kg ) ______________________________________a ( control ) 374 399 25 0 . 51b 401 455 54 1 . 12c 372 430 58 1 . 18d 413 457 44 0 . 89______________________________________ | US-45674674-A |
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