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Del Mar College regents recognize student for Viking Games efforts
CORPUS CHRISTI - Jesse Kelton just wanted his student organization to stand out at Del Mar College's first Viking Games.
But Kelton's drive to come up with two competitions during the three-week event in October led to individual recognition at a Nov. 13 Board of Regents meeting, as he received a scholarship, a framed certificate and a bobblehead of the college's Viking mascot.
Kelton and the Science, Engineering and Math Majors Organization (SEMMO) devised two competitions — one in which students built a floating object out of random materials and then tried to pile as much weight on it before it sank and another to see how far a similarly built object could travel.
That was part of the first Viking Games, which is a way for Del Mar, having not fielded intercollegiate athletic teams in more than 50 years, to unify students, alumni and the community.
"It's very different from what you would see from the traditional university experience," said Claudia Jackson, the college's executive director of Community and Legislative Relations. "We want to make sure there still are opportunities to do things outside the campus, something to do with their peers, and that's where Jesse and SEMMO came in. When we put out a call for students, a lot of organizations help, but SEMMO always is among the first to step up to the table."
Kelton was one of the first to sit on meetings about the Games. He felt the event could showcase the diversity and contributions of Del Mar to the community. So, when Jackson suggested a concept — whatever floats but isn't a boat — Kelton and SEMMO took to it.
They brainstormed and came up with the events, the rules, the prizes, the building kit and judges, all within a tight budget.
The boats could be constructed using a kit from Hobby Lobby that consisted of cardboard, Popsicle sticks, string, yarn, glue and tin foil. Once the contestants opened the kit, they had 20 minutes to build.
Marbles were the first choice to weigh down the boats, but weren't sinking the crafts. Kelton thought about it when he went to bed one night and fishing weights came to mind.
"People were calling me obsessed," he said. "But I wanted SEMMO to stand out."
He found his weights at Wal-Mart, and they seemed perfect. They came in different sizes, adding strategy as to the order to place weights on the boats.
Kelton also pitched a propulsion contest as a second event. Not everyone was on board with it, but when Kelton spoke about the idea he saw others who liked the plan.
They formulated a contest involving a balloon as a motor for the craft, with the boat that went farthest being the winner. The contest was open to SEMMO members, though they were not eligible for prizes.
A craft that held 70-plus ounces won the sink-the-boat contest. Kelton was among 50 different students who entered — they could go solo or get into teams — and, teaming with his wife, won the propulsion contest as his boat traveled 15 feet. He noticed most entrants used a Popsicle stick as a rudder, but those mostly went in circles. He used two sticks, and his boat took off in a line.
Kelton was told SEMMO would be recognized for its contributions at the meeting. The group was, but Kelton was surprised by the individual honor. He initially laughed at the bobblehead, but then the builder in him took over.
"It was kind of funny at first, but it wasn't a cheaply done plastic piece," Kelton said. "It was an honor because it was a well-done piece. Very cool. Super solid. Durable."
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- John Wyatt's Profile
- Family Tree & Genealogy Tools
This biography is a rough draft. It was auto-generated by a GEDCOM import and needs to be edited.
- Birth:
- Date: 1594
- Place: Assington, Suffolk, England
- Birth:
- Date: 1594
- Place: Waldingfield, Suffolk, England
Found multiple copies of BIRT DATE. Using 1594
- Event:
- Type: Arrival
- Date: 1638
- Place: Ipswich, Massachusetts[3]
- WikiTree profile Wyatt-634 created through the import of Asa Osgood Pike_2011-07-29.ged on Jul 29, 2011 by Alexis Connolly. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Alexis and others.
- Source: S85 Author: Gale Research Title: Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006.Original data - Filby, P. William, ed.. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s. Farmington Hills, MI, USA: Gale Research, 2006.Original data: Filby, P. William, ed.. Passe; Repository: #R1
- Repository: R1 Name: Address: E-Mail Address: Phone Number:
- Source: S92 Title: Ancestry Family Trees Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.; Repository: #R1 NOTEThis information comes from 1 or more individual Ancestry Family Tree files. This source citation points you to a current version of those files. Note: The owners of these tree files may have removed or changed information since this source citation was created.
- Note N499
- ↑ Source: #S85 Page: Place: Ipswich, Massachusetts; Year: 1638; Page Number: . Data: Text: Arrival date: 1638Arrival place: Ipswich, Massachusetts Note: @N498@
- ↑ Source: #S92 Page: Ancestry Family Trees Data: Text: http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=9290267&pid=1693110249 Note: @N499@
- ↑ Source: #S85 Page: Place: Ipswich, Massachusetts; Year: 1638; Page Number: . Data: Text: Arrival date: 1638Arrival place: Ipswich, Massachusetts Note: @N498@
- Children:
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On December 21, 2014 at 15:16GMT Jillaine Smith wrote:
On May 15, 2012 at 14:19GMT Lindsay Coleman wrote:
Mary Wyatt 1621 – 1672 Sarah Wyatt Heard 1623 – 1704 Dorcas Wyatt 1625 – 1625 John Wyatt (Waight) 1627 – 1666 [edit]

subset: commoncrawl


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Mostly Cloudy
Wind: 0 mph
This year's fall play at Harwood Union School is the classic comedy by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, You Can't Take It With You. Since first appearing on Broadway in 1936 and later as a major motion picture starring Jimmy Stewart and Lionel Barrymore, this poignant story about the Vanderhoff family during the Great Depression in New York City has become a perennial favorite for theater-goers the world over.
This production features a cast of 19 students and is supported by a talented stage crew of 12 young theater artists. Directed and produced by Peter Boynton, the show will run Thursday through Saturday nights, November 20, 21 and 22, at 7:30 p.m. in the Harwood theater. All tickets will be sold at the door.


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- Product Description
- Delivery & Returns
The Samba 16 x 7 Match Goal is freestanding and can be moved around the field of play or garden by two people, one on each post. The locking system ensures that all of the parts stay put when re-locating the goalpost. The goal can be packed away in the carry bag supplied and is fully portable. It will fit in the average family car, either in the boot with one of the rear seats folded down or in the rear of the car across the back seats
• Suitable for league use, FA recommended size for 9 v 9 league football.
• Constructed from high impact 68mm diameter tubing.
• Tested to: BS 8462:2005 +A2:2012
• New features include: Extended run-back to the bottom of the goal frame. Roof to the net. Ground anchor positions clearly marked on the tubing.
• Included in the price: Locking System, Net, Net Clips & Ground Anchors, Carry Bag, VAT.
• Priced per goal.
Goal size 16ft Wide x 7ft High
Depth of Goal: 72 inches
Free Delivery to UK Mainland (1-2 Working Days)
Warranty: 1 year
Take a look at our Samba Goal Guide for more help choosing your goal
Here is what our customers say about the Samba 16 x 7 Match Goal
• Amazing goal strong fast to put up perfect for taking over local field or putting in the garden 5* goal
• Erected in 20 mins by my sixteen-year old son, mostly by himself. Simple, well designed, tough, good quality
• This item is good quality and sturdy. My son and his friends, who are 20 years old, use the goal net for friendly knockabouts and goal scoring practice in our field. I would recommend this goal net to local clubs and organisations as well as friends
The 16 x 7 Match Goal comes with the unique Samba Locking System.
See our video below to find out more.
Our Samba Goals are despatched with DPD on a next day delivery service. (Total delivery time from placing order 1- 2 working days)
If a telephone number or email address is given, DPD will contact you on the day of delivery with a delivery time slot of 1 hour.
Take a look at the DPD video to see how it works.


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Similar to performance athletic wear, IguanaMed scrubs are designed with support and comfort in mind. This cargo scrub pant gives you everything you need: double-reinforced full drawstring waist, slash hand pockets, and zip-closure fly. Updated patch cargo pocket has room for all or you gear. Iguana signature lining is sewn into the front and back pockets.
These pants could be perfect but for some reason Iguanamed decides to make narrow thighs and flared bottoms? If you're a man that has any kind of muscle mass in his thighs these are going to fit snug. The flared bottoms are annoying, what is this the 70s? Am I going to wear scrub pants to disco night? That being said the material is soft and comfortable. I love the scrub top. Iguanamed, add more room to the thighs, stop with the bell bottoms on men's pants, add another cargo pocket on the left and you'll have the best pants in the market.
Superb fabric, suberb fit and totally contemporary uniform. Iguana is a bit more fitted but the spandex is very forgiving and fabric is so breathable...LOVE IT! Allheart is a quality vendor.


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Our entry level stability trail model , that provides exceptional comfort and protection on the trail, with modern and technical features.
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Recently I heard someone reporting that according to recent figures, one in five American children lives in poverty. Well, so much for winning the war on poverty. I wonder how many trillions of dollars we have wasted (and are still wasting) funding federal programs and their legions of drone bureaucrats, in order to lose the war on poverty.
When I was growing up, summer meant a pilgrimage to Moran for an extended visit with my maternal grandparents. Most of the year, we lived in a suburb of Cincinnati, with the conveniences of urban living ŌĆō including garbage pickup. While Moran called itself a city (and still does, I believe) at least at that time, there was no provision for garbage disposal. My grandparents had a large concrete structure in the back yard, which resembled nothing as much as an immense beehive.
Different groups, from scouts to schools to fire departments and clubs have raised money through raffles and drawings for years. Periodically, someone becomes involved in whatever group governs them who questions whether or not these drawings are legal. Invariably, that results in a call to either the County or District attorney - - and the answer received is not always appreciated!
As I was growing up in the ŌĆś60s, I was very happy when I got my first job at the Sweetwater Reporter as a route carrier. My mom was raising us kids and the money didnŌĆÖt get around very far, but with me having a job, I had planned to contribute to the family and hopefully make life better for all.
Something that happened recently, which I thought was pretty notable, was The BarackŌĆÖs limousine, nicknamed ŌĆ£The BeastŌĆØ (which I find very appropriate), breaking down in Israel. Truthfully, other than when this same car, or maybe one of its look alike copies was stuck on a sharply angled drive sometime back, I hadnŌĆÖt given the Presidential limo a lot of thought.
CNN on line recently ran an article concerning two World War II pilots. One had been returning to base in a badly torn B-17, his crew injured, dead and dying. The other was a German fighter pilot who saw the wounded aircraft and went after it. When he realized the condition of the crew, he took a protective stance and saw the Allied craft safe from German ground fire until close to safety ŌĆō despite the fact that one more ŌĆ£killŌĆØ would have made him an ace.
Dear Editor,
There is an old saying, "Be careful what you wish for, you might get it." I escaped from the madness and turmoil of the oil boom in Midland and moved to Sweetwater on Nov. 8, 2012. I wanted a place to live where the pace of life was slow and easy. My father and grandfather are buried in the Sweetwater Cemetery and that is where I will be buried when the Lord calls me home. I found a nice community where people are friendly, etc.
Dear Editor,
Dear Editor,
I heard on a commercial that an auto maker was going to install a laptop computer in one of their cars. Now what kind of sense does that make when states are making it illegal to talk or text on your cell phone. I guess they think that operation a computer while driving will not distract you like operating a cell phone does. Now I have heard about the dumbest thing lately with this idea. Hey you cannot talk or text but it's ok to operate a computer.
Clif Worsham, Sweetwater
So, here we are, a couple of weeks or so into the "sequestration" and basically nothing has happened. I mean other than Obama and the left having used the cover of the sequester to take pot shots at a few groups they don't like (apparently air traffic controllers are unpopular with The Barack). Additionally it seems they have used the opportunity presented by the budget non-cuts to close up or stop some things they must have already wanted to do away with.


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Many Tampa Bay area schools closed Monday due to Isaac
TAMPA - UPDATE:Please click here for the most up to date school closing information for the Tampa Bay area: http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/weather/hurricane/tropical-storm-isaac-forces-closure-of-schools
School officials in area counties have announced that public schools will be closed Monday.
Tuesday closures for all counties have yet to be determined.
Hillsborough County
All public schools and offices will be closed Monday
Northside Christian School and Preschool will be closed, Monday, August 27th, 2012. All afternoon and evening activities are canceled.
Pinellas County
Pinellas County Schools will be closed on Monday: http://newsroom.pcsb.org .
Polk County Public Schools Canceled Monday, August 27, 2012
In cooperation with the Polk County Emergency Operations Center, we are CANCELLING school for tomorrow, Monday, August 27th. Due to the prediction of Tropical Storm weather, which could include sustainable high winds and tornadoes, coming through our area this evening and through tomorrow, we are CANCELLING SCHOOL, all school activities and closing district offices. This weather threat could severely affect the safety of our bus riders, our students who take classes in portable classrooms and our staff traveling to and from their work site. We will continue to monitor the weather and if the storm passes and we reopen our schools and offices on Tuesday, August 28, we will make every attempt to get the information out through our district website, Facebook, Twitter, ConnectED, PCSBtv and to the news media.
From Sarasota County School District:
All Sarasota County public schools will be closed Monday, Aug. 27.
Additional information about the school closures can be found at the district website at SarasotaCountySchools.net .
From Manatee County School District:
All public schools in the Manatee County School District will be closed on Monday, August 27, 2012 due to the threat posed by Tropical Storm Isaac. All students and employees of the school district are advised to take precautions and stay home until the threat has passed.
Three Manatee District Schools have been designated emergency shelters and will open at 10 A.M., Sunday August 26th.
The three designated shelters are:
Nolan Middle School
6615 Greenbrook Blvd.
Bradenton, FL.
(Special Needs)
(Pet Friendly)
Manatee High School
1000 32nd Street West
Bradenton, FL
(Pet Friendly)
Braden River High School
6545 S R 70 East
Bradenton, FL
Monday's school closings in Manatee County include all before and after-school activities, athletic practices and games and a regularly scheduled meeting of the Manatee County School Board.
School District officials will continue to work with Manatee County Emergency Management officials to determine if additional shelters will need to be opened and if school closings will be extended to Tuesday, August 28th.
From DeSoto County:
All DeSoto County Government Offices and Schools will be closed on Monday.
From Barry University:
Barry University's off-campus sites in Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties WILL BE CLOSED on Sunday, August 26 th and Monday, August 27 th due to Tropical Storm Isaac. Thus, all day and evening classes are canceled.
Rasmussen College
Due to dangerous situations posed by Tropical Storm Isaac, Rasmussen College Tampa Bay Area campuses will be closed on Monday, August 27,
2012. This includes the Rasmussen College Tampa/Brandon, New Port Richey/West Pasco and Land O'Lakes/East Pasco campuses.
Rasmussen College is closely monitoring National Weather service reports on this storm and will reopen the campus once it is safe for our students, staff and faculty to return. Currently, the College plans to reopen on Tuesday, August 28, 2012.
For status updates on the campus closure, students are advised to contact the Student Emergency Hotline at (866) 547-4803.
From Keiser University & Everglades University - Sarasota:
Due to inclement weather, Keiser University & Everglades University's Sarasota ground campuses will be closed for STUDENTS Monday, August 27th for day and evening classes. Everglades University staff and faculty may be asked to report should the weather permit. There is no disruption to online classes and all online faculty should plan for normal activity. The Everglades University Sarasota campus will re-open for regularly scheduled hours on Tuesday, August 28th. We will keep students, faculty and staff informed with updated information via this emergency notification service, the website: www.evergladesuniversity.edu
From State College of Florida:
State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF) offices will close and all classes and other activities at SCF Bradenton, SCF Venice, and SCF Lakewood Ranch and all other locations have been canceled Monday, August 27, due to Hurricane Isaac, announced SCF President Dr. Lars A. Hafner.
* South Florida State College will be closed.


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Candice Wyatt has been hired as Sweetwater's new girls coordinator and head girls basketball coach, according to athletic director Craig Slaughter.
Wyatt will be replacing Jerry McSherry, who held both positions the past two years before resigning to become head girls basketball coach at Brady.
Wyatt, who is a native of Cross Plains, has previous coaching experience at May, Sunray and Dimmitt, where she was serving as assistant girls basketball and track coach. She also held those positions while at Sunray.
Sweetwater Enterprise for Economic Development executives and board members recently attended the AWEA Windpower 2011 festival in Anaheim, Calif. Shown at the SEED booth are (from left to right) Kyle Lawrence, SEED Board President; Gail Lawrence, TSTC West Texas President; Kirstin Smith, SEED Marketing/Administrative Director; Ken Becker, SEED Executive Director; and Jacque McCoy, Sweetwater Chamber Executive Vice President. There are approximately 1200 vendors and 20,000 attendees attending the event. Several Sweetwater/Nolan County based wind companies also displayed at the conference.
Highland Heights United Methodist Church recently consecrated a collection of items for the Samaritan Hospitality House located in Colorado City. It ministers to families who are visiting loved ones incarcerated in local prisons. With a homelike atmosphere, the "house" provides weekend lodging for family members during their stay free of charge. Congregational members are pictured above with the consecrated articles that filled the altar. Standing at back row from left to right are Andrea Beall, Jo Whitfield, Betty Bryant and John Meadows.
Five students from Highland High School were inducted into membership of the National Honor Society in a traditional candle light ceremony held on May 12.
Members were selected by a Faculty Council for meeting the high standards of scholarship, service, leadership and character.
Students inducted were Josh Andrews, Haley Hill, Kara Hughey, Jessica McCain and Nabil Sutjipto.
Funeral services for Ivy Mae Haywood Hurst, 79, of Abilene and formerly of Sweetwater, will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 28, 2011, at McCoy Chapel of Memories with Rev. Jerry Payne officiating. Interment will follow at Garden of Memories Cemetery under the direction of McCoy Funeral Home.
The family will receive friends from 1 p.m. until service time on Saturday, May 28, 2011, at McCoy Funeral Home.
The Sweetwater Police Department (SPD) received 56 calls for service, issued three citations and made four arrests on May 24, 2011.
The SPD received 13, 911 calls.
• 1000 block of Oak Street.
Calls for service:
• Burglary of a residence — 200 block of W. Avenue B
• Unattended death — 500 block of NW Georgia.
Arrested by SPD:
• Shawn Lents, 30 of Sweetwater — Public intoxication.
• Jason Messers Schmidt, 22 of Sweetwater — Public intoxication/unlawful possession of a weapon.
• Steven Mykkill, 37 of Sweetwater — Public intoxication.


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We spent 5 nights at the Dar el Moualim and we had a wonderful stay. Paquita, the owner, was very helpful and emailed us numerous times before we arrived to answer all of our questions. We also had the good fortune to met her and her husband, Oscar, during our stay and both are very lovely people. The two bedroom... More
- Reservation Options:
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May 28, 2011
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - The Cal State Northridge baseball team (23-32, 6-17 Big West) lost 6-0 to No. 9 Cal State Fullerton in the second game of a Big West Conference series at Matador Field. A day after Vincent Roberts stymied the Titans, Tyler Pill turned the tables with seven innings of five-hit baseball to even the series at a game apiece.
Pill, who also had a hit and run scored to aid his effort, did not walk a batter and finished with six strikeouts. Ryan Ackland went the final two innings and allowed just one hit to complete the shutout.
For Northridge, Carlos Gonzalez, Jr. took the loss after allowing three runs, two of which were earned, in five innings. He struck out four and walked three.
Justen Gorski tossed two innings and allowed three runs as well, though all were unearned. Harley Holt threw the final two innings for CSUN and allowed one hit with one strikeout.
Six different Matadors collected singles Saturday. Their best chance of the day might have come in the second. Tommy Simis reached on an error and stole second. With two outs, Adam Barry singled to right field, but Simis was gunned down at the plate.
The Titans got three runs in the first two innings and then added three unearned runs on a two-out rally in the seventh.
The two teams will meet in the third and final game of the series Sunday at Matador Field. The game will be Northridge's final of the 2011 season and the team will honor its six seniors in a pre-game ceremony. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.


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Peru State partners with Auburn Family Health, Calvert Elementary to promote healthy living
(Peru, Neb.) Around 170 Calvert Elementary students in Auburn will spend the next 14 weeks learning about healthy living, thanks to a grant from United Health HEROES program and a partnership between Peru State College (PSC), Auburn Public Schools and Auburn Family Health Center, P.C.
Developed by Assistant Professor of Education and Initiative Coordinator Dr. Kyle Ryan and Assistant Professor of Business Sheri Grotrian-Ryan, the Children's Health, Activity & Nutrition Community Engagement (CHANCE) Initiative is a pilot study that will feature 14 weeks of activities and educational lessons. It will involve an in-depth examination of the Harvard Food Plate, as well as social-norms messaging and how children respond. A variety of PSC student groups will be involved in the study, including Physical Education, Activity & Kinesiology Students (PEAKS), Phi Beta Lambda (a state and national business fraternity) and the business promotions class.
The CHANCE Initiative will kick-off with a brief ceremony and activities at 2 p.m. tomorrow, Tuesday, Jan. 17 in the Calvert Elementary Multipurpose Room. PSC President Dan Hanson, First Lady Elaine Hanson, Auburn Mayor Scott Kudrna, Calvert Elementary Principal Sharon Pollard and Auburn Family Health Center Practice Manager Kimberly Kruger are scheduled to attend, along with key PSC faculty and students.
Ryan said, "Most childhood obesity studies have focused on urban areas; very few have examined obesity rates in rural America. In Nebraska, the mechanization of farming has, in many cases, led to more sedentary lifestyles. That notion, coupled with a lack of access to fitness facilities and nutrition programming, indicate potential for a dramatic difference in obesity rates in urban and rural areas.
"The goal of the CHANCE Initiative is to encourage healthier lifestyles among area children and their families by creating awareness and educating them about better choices. It's also a wonderful opportunity for our students to put what they have learned in the classroom into practice while serving the community. I want to thank Calvert Elementary School and Auburn Family Health Center for partnering with us in this important endeavor. I encourage anyone who wants to know more to contact me at 402-872-2263 or firstname.lastname@example.com."
The United Health HEROES program is a service-learning, health literacy initiative developed by United Healthcare and Youth Serve America. The program awards grants to help youth, ages 5-25, create and implement local, hands-on programs to fight childhood obesity.
Each grant engages participating youth in service-learning, an effective teaching and learning strategy that supports student learning, academic achievement and workplace readiness. The grants encourage semester-long projects that launch on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and culminate on Global Youth Service Day in April.
For more information, visit www.ysa.org.


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Cyclists are subject to the general road rules that govern all traffic on the road and, in particular, to the rules governing speed limits, pedestrians and traffic control devices (signs and signals).
From 2001 cyclists were also made subject to the same level of on-the-spot fines as motorists for failing to:
- obey a traffic light; or
- obey a stop sign, a stop here on red signal/ arrow sign or a give way sign.
The Road Legislation Amendment Act 2009 (Vic) was passed in June 2009. This is relevant to cyclists in that they can be charged with serious traffic offences such as dangerous driving, careless driving and failing to stop, render assistance or exchange details or report to the police.
There are also a number of Road Rules dealing specifically with bicycles and their riders. The Law Handbook has details of these rules and general road rules as they apply to cyclists. The Bicycle Victoria and VicRoads web sites also have information on these issues.
The regulations relevant to cyclists under the Road Safety Act 1986 ("RSA") are now:
- the Road Safety Road Rules 2009("Road Rules"), which replace the Road Rules Victoria, the Victorian version of the Australian Road Rules.
- the Road Safety (Vehicles) Regulations 2009("Vehicles Regulations"); and
- the Road Safety (General) Regulations 2009("RS General Regulations").
Maximum penalties for most offences have been increased, with many going from 1 penalty unit (pu) to 3 or even 5 pu, and some from 3 to 10 pu (e.g. RR.300 – using a hand-held mobile phone while riding).
The Road Legislation Amendment Bill 2009 amends the RSA. The amendments provide that cyclists can be charged with serious traffic offences similar to those that apply to drivers of motor vehicles. The offences apply to all drivers of non-motorised vehicles, not just cyclists. The serious traffic offences are: dangerous driving (new section 64(2A) RSA; max. penalty: 120 pu or 12 months imprisonment);careless driving (new section 65(2) RSA; max. penalty: 6 pu (first offence) and 12 pu (subsequent offence); and failing to stop, render assistance, exchange details or report to police following an accident (new section 61A RSA; various penalties depending on whether anyone was killed or seriously injured).
Road Rules 163 (Driving past the rear of a stopped tram at a tram stop) and Road Rules 164 (Stopping beside a stopped tram at a tram stop) state it is permissible to proceed past a stopped tram at no more than 10 km/h, once the doors are closed and there are no pedestrians crossing. Failing to comply with these rules carries a maximum penalty of 10 pu. Schedule 7 of the RS General Regulations imposes a 2.5 pu infringement penalty on these offences.
Note: : One penalty unit (pu) equals $144.36 as of 1 July 2013.
The Road Rules now refer to the "bicycle storage areas" and "bicycle hook turn storage areas". These are rectangular boxes painted on the road that, usually, open out from a bike lane just before an intersection with traffic lights and can extend across several lanes. Many have been painted on roads in the Melbourne CBD. New offences have been created which refer to these areas, such as prohibiting cars from entering the areas before the lights change, etc. See sections 27(1A), 31(4A), 32(2A), 56(3), 57(4), 60A, 247A and 247B of the Road Rules (some of which are discussed in detail below).
Melbourne's bike hire scheme
The Victorian Department of Transport's bike hire scheme, Melbourne Bike Share, (www.melbournebikeshare.com.au) is supported by the City of Melbourne and operated by the RACV. Formally, Bike Share cyclists had to provide their own helmets or buy one for $5 from a nearby store or vending machine. However, the scheme is now trialling providing free helmets, which can be found on the bikes themselves. There are two ways the scheme operates:
- annual subscribers ($54 for an individual subscription and $100 for a corporate subscription) insert their bike share keys into the bike docking station;
- daily ($2.70) or weekly ($8) pass cyclists swipe their credit card at the bike station kiosk and receive a code, which is then plugged into the docking station to release the bike.
The scheme provides the bikes for free for short trips:
- for annual subscribers, the first 45 minutes is free;
- for corporate subscribers, the first hour is free, then it costs $2 for the next 30 minutes, then $7 for the next 61–90 minutes, $17 for up to two hours, then $10 for every additional 30 minutes;
- for daily or weekly users, the first 30 minutes is free.
The pricing is designed so that only short trips are taken. For longer bike trips, the Melbourne Bike Share website recommends using other bike hire companies. Daily and weekly hire also requires a $50 deposit, and you can only hire a maximum of two bikes for each credit card.
There are currently 51 bike stations and 600 bikes in and around the CBD, extending north to Melbourne University and as far south as Albert Park Lake. The website now has a handy map (and app) showing the location of bike stations.
Note: : One penalty unit (pu) equals $144.36 as of 1 July 2013.
From 9 November 2009 changes to the Road Rules for cyclists come into force. Both cyclists and passengers must wear approved bicycle helmets and sit on a proper seat.
Bicycle Victoria has a number of information sheets relating to the law and bicycles including:
See www.bv.com.au
Or request a copy by email from firstname.lastname@example.com
See www.bv.com.au and click on the 'Bikes and Riding' tab in the top panel and then the 'Behaviour' tab.
At the VicRoads website you can read the Road Rules of Victoria à Part 15—Additional Rules for Bicycle Riders
Both sites have other information on bicycles and the law and safe riding. For more information check out the Bicycle Victoria website at www.bv.com.au and the VicRoads website at www.vicroads.vic.gov.au.
For more information on this subject refer to The Law Handbook chapter 10.3 Road law for cyclists and skaters
Last updated: Tue Apr 1st 2014


text:
If you get the Keller Citizen (they won't stop throwing it on my driveway - I've asked). . . you'd know from the police blotter that somebody is arrested for shoplifting at least once a week at the Keller Kohl's. I guess the new-generation crooks aren't reading the paper. . . or there's a lot of uncaught theft going on.
If they jack with the jewelry, perfume, or a few other areas, they can escalate the dollar value (and thus, the classification of the crime) quickly. If they even threaten harm against an employee on the way out it can become robbery. If they pick something up and threaten somebody it can be aggravated robbery before they know it.
In general (assuming no priors):
Class C Misdemeanor: Theft under $50
Class B Misdemeanor: Theft between $50 and $500
Class A Misdemeanor: Theft between $500 and $1,500
State jail felony: Theft between $1,500 and $20,000
. . . I'd assume most thefts from Kohl's start out at Class B Misdemeanors and the greedy ones can get to a Class A pretty quick.
IMO, grabbing for somebody's gun is the same as already having one. . . time to engage.


text:
A hardware latch for limiting access to protected system memory. An N-bit bus provides the instructions executed by the system to a combinatorial logic block (204). The combinatorial logic block (204) provides eight separate outputs and functions as a series of comparators. One input of each comparator is connected to the instruction bus, the other input of each comparator is hardwired to indicate the pattern that appears on the bus when a particular instruction is executed. The output from a given comparator is active when that particular instruction is applied to the instruction bus (202). A counter (208) counts the instructions and selects which output from the combinatorial logic block should be selected by multiplexer (206). If the output of the multiplexer is logic false, the sequence of instructions is broken and the counter (208) is reset. If the output of the multiplexer is logic true, the counter is allowed to continue incrementing. If the counter reaches eight, a flip-flop (210) representing the hardware gate can be written to. The output of the flip-flop (210) is gated with the write signal provided to the protected blocks to prevent the write operations when the gate is locked. Another logic gate (214) is provided to reset the counter if the instructions are executed out of a section of memory other than one of the protected blocks.
1. A method of limiting access to memory comprising the steps of:
providing a memory;
providing a logic gate to prevent write operations to said memory, said step of providing a logic gate comprising:
providing a counter to track the state of the logic gate;
providing a series of comparators to compare the current instruction with a series of instruction patterns;
providing a multiplexer to select an output from a selected comparator based on the state of the counter, said multiplexer resetting said counter upon a mismatch as indicated by said selected comparator; and
providing a latch that is written to when said counter reaches a predetermined count; and
providing an access signal to enable write operations to said memory when said latch is in a predetermined state.
2. The method of
3. The method of
4. The method of
5. An electronic device having a memory system, said memory system comprising:
a block of memory; and
a memory controller comprising:
a counter to track the state of said memory controller;
a series of comparators to compare a current instruction with a series of instruction patterns;
a multiplexer to select an output from a selected comparator based on the state of said counter, said multiplexer resetting said counter upon a mismatch as indicated by said selected comparator; and
a latch that is written to when said counter reaches a predetermined count;
said memory controller only allowing write access to said block of memory when said latch is in a predetermined state.
6. The electronic device of
7. The electronic device of
8. The electronic device of
9. The electronic device of
10. The electronic device of
11. The electronic device of
This invention relates to the field of digital processing systems, more particularly to the control of memory in digital processing systems, and most particularly to methods and systems of limiting the access of some applications to certain portions of memory.
Low-cost semiconductor random access memory (RAM) has enabled many advances in electrical appliances. This memory enables small devices without permanent magnetic storage to store large quantities of data. When this memory is non-volatile memory, such as FLASH™ memory, the data is stored even when power to the device is removed. Non-volatile RAM has enabled system designers to extend the life of a product and reduce product support costs, by enabling the non-volatile RAM to store system configuration and control data. This system data previously had to be hard-wired into the read only memory (ROM) of the appliance. Once assembled, the hard-wired memory is fixed and cannot easily be changed. Non-volatile memory allows the system to be reprogrammed to correct errors or to add functionality to the system at a later date.
The ability to update or add to the contents of the system memory, typically called firmware, is especially important in many hand-held devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) and modern scientific calculators. This ability enables these devices to download programs to increase or tailor the functionality of the devices to the needs of the users. For example, some PDAs are programmed with special software to record customer survey information, enabling those taking the surveys to enter their preferences directly into the device memory via the touch screen—thus eliminating the need for pencils, paper, and scanners.
Likewise, advanced calculators are programmed with specific software packages to expand the functionality of the calculators in various fields. For example, circuit analysis or stress analysis packages simplify everyday engineering tasks, while teaching packages, which may include processing routines and data, prepare classroom calculators for a series of classroom experiments.
While modern memory enables upgrades, the commercial feasibility of such upgrades is limited by the ability to extract reasonable royalties from the users of the packages. Without some sort of effective protection there is a great risk that the downloadable programs will be copied and the authors of the programs will not receive compensation adequate to ensure the continued supply of the programs.
The protection must make the programs difficult to copy. One way to make the programs difficult to copy is through encryption. Once the programs are installed in memory, however, it often is relatively easy to read the unencrypted program out of the memory. This is especially true in systems that allow execution of user-written programs. If the system does not enable a memory dump, the user often can write a program to dump the memory to an output device. Thus, what is needed is a method and system of limiting the ability of the user to access portions of the system memory without compromising the ability of the operating system to utilize the restricted portions.
Objects and advantages will be obvious, and will in part appear hereinafter and will be accomplished by the present invention which provides a method and system for limited access to system memory. One embodiment of the claimed invention provides a method of limiting access to a secure portion of memory. The method comprises the steps of: providing a memory having a system memory portion and a secure portion, providing a logic gate to prevent write operations to the secure portion of memory, and providing an access signal to open the logic gate. The access signal generated by the execution of a specific sequence of instructions from the system memory portion. The sequence of instructions typically is a sequence of eight instructions. According to one embodiment of the disclosed invention, the execution of the specific sequence of instructions must occur from a specific region of the system memory portion.
According to another embodiment of the disclosed invention, an electronic device is provided. The electronic device has a memory system comprising: a restricted block, a protected block, an unprotected block, and a memory controller. The memory controller only allows write access to the restricted block from within the restricted block, and only allows write access to the protected block from within the protected and restricted blocks. The memory controller only allows write access to the protected block upon the execution of a predetermined sequence of instructions. One embodiment of the disclosed invention requires a predetermined sequence of eight instructions. Another embodiment of the disclosed invention requires the predetermined sequence of instructions be executed from within the restricted block.
The method and system disclosed herein enable the distribution of software routines for electronic devices while limiting the risk of piracy. The routines typically are encrypted using a public-key/private-key encryption scheme. Each device has a unique key used to unlock the routine, allowing the routine to be stored unencrypted in the system memory. The memory controller limits the ability of a casual user to read out the routine in unencrypted form. Using the hardware gate taught by this invention provides sufficient protection to enable the market for aftermarket software for devices such as palm-top computers and hand held calculators.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a memory map showing the basic memory partitions in a representative electronic device.
FIG. 2 is schematic diagram illustrating one example of a memory controller to limit access to particular portions of memory.
FIG. 3 is a state diagram illustrating the operation of the memory controller of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a distribution model enabled by the memory controller of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an alternative embodiment of the memory controller of FIG. 2.
A new method and system for limiting access to system memory have been developed. The method and system utilize a hardware lock that prevents read and write operations from occurring in the system memory, or a partition of the system memory. This limits the ability of programs in the memory from dumping the contents of the memory, and limits the ability of a user from installing the types of programs that could dump the system memory.
FIG. 1 is a memory map showing the major partitions of memory in a typical hand-held device such as an advanced calculator. The memory represented in FIG. 1 can be a single semiconductor device, or may be comprised of more than one memory component. While the entire memory preferably is a non-volatile memory, portions of the memory may be volatile memory. Not shown, but often present is a block of read only memory (ROM) that contains very basic routines to initialize the system. This block of ROM often copies itself into the boot block 102 of the memory map upon power-up of the device.
The boot block 102 of the memory stores the system initialization code, whether copied from a boot ROM, or permanently stored in the boot block. The boot block also contains the code for the core functions of the device. Additionally, depending on the device and the security arrangements for the device, the boot block 102 contains several codes and software routines designed to enable and restrict upgrades to the system. These codes and routines, which will be discussed in more detail below, include the device serial number, a software validation routine, a program download routine, a base software product number, and an encrypted software public key.
Another block of memory is the system privileged block 104. This block includes a non-volatile memory manager, and routines to load and transfer software license certificates. Yet another memory block is the program authentication block 106. The program authentication block 106 contains the certificate public key, a date-stamp public key, a data-stamp certificate, and certificate and license status information. Additional blocks include one or more protected blocks 108 and one or more unprotected blocks 110.
Key to preventing copying of the program upgrades is the ability to prevent user access to the portions of the memory containing the programs. This undesired access can come in the form of user-written programs and downloaded programs. One way to limit access to portions of the memory is to use a logic circuit, or hardware gate, to prevent unwanted access. This hardware gate ensures only authorized programs have access to the protected portions of the memory.
Prior art hardware gates included specific memory addresses that were written to in order to open or close the gate. When the specific memory address is addressed, a shadow register or latch is written to, changing the output of the hardware latch to either enable or disable the write operations. The hardware latch is designed to power up in the "closed" state—the state that prevents write operations in protected areas of memory—to prevent write operations from occurring as soon as the system is powered on.
A second type of prior art hardware gate requires a write operation to occur after a certain event. For example, one prior art system required a number of operations to be executed from the protected memory block. This increases the protection provided by the hardware gate, but could still be defeated.
An improved hardware gate requires a specific sequence of instructions to be executed in order to change the state of the latch. This sequence of instructions is selected to be an uncommon sequence since inadvertent execution of the sequence will accidentally change the latch. The sequence should be a sequence that would not normally be programmed, and any code should be checked to ensure the code does not accidentally execute the sequence and change the latch.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the basic components used for one implementation of the novel hardware latch described herein. The schematic of FIG. 2 is provided merely to illustrative the function of the hardware gate and is not intended to represent the actual circuitry used to implement the hardware gate. The actual circuitry used to implement the hardware latch will be selected and optimized by the system designer.
In FIG. 2, an N-bit bus provides the instructions executed by the system to a combinatorial logic block 204. The entire instruction bus does not need to be provided to the combinatorial logic block 204, but if the entire bus is not provided the logic block may not be able to ensure that only a single sequence of instructions is able to unlock the hardware gate. The combinatorial logic block 204 shown in FIG. 2 provides eight separate outputs. Other systems may include less than or more than eight instructions and would therefore have less than or more than eight outputs. The combinatorial logic block 204 functions as a series of comparators. One input of each comparator is connected to the instruction bus, the other input to each comparator is hardwired to indicate the pattern that appears on the bus when a particular instruction is executed. The output from a given comparator is active when that particular instruction is applied to the instruction bus 202. The outputs are arranged in the order in which the corresponding instructions must be executed.
A counter 208 counts the instructions and selects which output from the combinatorial logic block should be selected by multiplexer 206. If the output of the multiplexer is logic false, the sequence of instructions is broken and the counter 208 is reset. If the output of the multiplexer is logic true, the counter is allowed to continue incrementing. If the counter reaches eight, the hardware gate can then be modified prior to the next instruction. Instruction 8 should be the command to write to the hardware gate. The output of the flip-flop 210 is gated with the read and write signals provided to the protected blocks to prevent the read and write operations when the gate is locked. Another logic gate 214 is provided to reset the counter if the instructions are executed out of a section of memory other than one of the protected blocks. This prevents programs loaded by the user from opening the hardware gate.
FIG. 5 is a schematic view of one implementation of the memory controller of FIG. 2. In FIG. 5, the address bus is input to logic gates 504 that decode which portion of the system memory is being addressed. Three address indicator signals exit the address decode logic gates. A first signal 506 is active low when the boot block (shown as 102 in FIG. 1) is addressed. A second signal 508 is active low when the system privileged block (shown as 104 in FIG. 1) is addressed. A third signal 510 is active low when the program authentication block (shown as 106 in FIG. 1) is addressed.
When either the boot block or system privileged block are addressed the output of AND gate 512 is low, enabling NOR gate 514 to invert the output of the logic block 516. Logic block 516 receives the instruction bus 518 and the output of a counter 520. As described above, logic block 516 monitors the instructions on the instruction bus to detect when selected instructions are executed. The output of the counter 520 is used to select which instruction is being detected. When the last instruction in the sequence is detected, the hardware gate 522 can be changed. The output of the hardware gate is used by logic gates 524 to enable the protected memory blocks, as well as the unprotected memory blocks, to be read from and written to when the hardware gate is open.
FIG. 3 is a state diagram showing the operation of the hardware gate. On power up, the system is in state 300 of FIG. 3. If the first instruction in the sequence is executed from the proper memory area, the system moves to state 301. If the first instruction is not executed, or if the first instruction is not executed from the proper memory area, the system remains in state 300. When the system is in state 301 and the second instruction in the sequence is executed from the proper memory area, the system will move to state 302, otherwise the system reverts to state 300. This progression continues through states 303, 304, 305, 306, and 307. When the system is in state 307 and the eight instruction in the sequence is executed from the proper memory area, the system moves state 308 which allows the hardware gate to be written to and then returns to state 300. If the system is in a state other than state 300, and the first instruction in the sequence is executed from the proper memory area, the system will return to state 300 and advance to state 301 since the first instruction is being executed. Of course, any length sequence of instructions can be used. Generally, the longer the sequence the better the protection. Eight instructions are preferred since eight is enough to prevent arbitrary activation of the hardware gate, yet beyond that length produces limited additional security.
The hardware latch described above enables the commercial creation and distribution of aftermarket software for handheld devices. Specifically, the hardware latch provides sufficient security to make it economically feasible to produce and distribute software packages for handheld calculators. The hardware latch severely limits access to protected areas of system memory. These protected areas include programs to verify secure digital signatures of the aftermarket programs using common public-key/private-key cryptography technologies. This cryptographic digital signature scheme, coupled with the individual serial numbers encoded in the memory of each calculator, enables software vendors to provide the aftermarket software in a format that is unusable on any calculator except the one for which the software has been purchased.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the software distribution process. In FIG. 4, the author 402 of a program provides the program 404 to a controller 406. The controller typically is the hardware provider. The controller 406 verifies the program and adds a program ID and software digital signature using the controller's private encryption key. The software with the program ID and software signature 408 is distributed through the channel 410, which includes email, internet, and optical or magnetic media.
When a purchaser 412 purchases the software 408, they provide information, typically the unique serial number of the device, about the device that will install the software to the controller. The controller adds the information matching the software to the hardware device serial number in the controller's database 414. This generates a certificate authorizing software 408 to be run on the hardware device with the unique hardware serial number, which is also signed with the controller's private key. The certificate is transferred to the hardware owner 416, who typically is also the purchaser 412, through the channel 410. The hardware owner 416 downloads the software 408 to the hardware device 418. The hardware device 418 authenticates the certificate using the public key associated with the controller's private key. If the certificate authorizes the specific hardware device 418 to install the software 408 and the serial number matches, the hardware gate is opened and the software is installed, typically in a protected portion of the device memory. The installation routine then closes the hardware gate.
Most advanced calculators are programmable. This requires the user be given access to at least some of the system memory in order to save the user program. User programs are stored in an unprotected block, shown as 110 in FIG. 1. Operations executed from the unprotected blocks are restricted to ensure the user programs are not able to download the protected memory blocks. In addition to user programs, downloaded programs that are freely executable can also be stored in unprotected memory blocks.
Thus, although there has been disclosed to this point a particular embodiment for a system and method of limiting access to system memory, it is not intended that such specific references be considered as limitations upon the scope of this invention except insofar as set forth in the following claims. Furthermore, having described the invention in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that further modifications may now suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, it is intended to cover all such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.
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A nebulizer for efficiently and reliably delivering aerosolized fluid to an inhaling patient is disclosed. The nebulizer, in one embodiment, includes a fluid channel air inlet and fluid channel air inlet valve responsive to either a manual force external of the nebulizer, or a patient's breathing, to begin the nebulization process. The nebulizer also includes a fluid return channel to a fluid source, such as a removable vial, containing fluid to be aerosolized.
1. A nebulizer system comprising:
a source of fluid for nebulization, wherein the source of fluid comprises a vial detachably connectable with the nebulizer; and
a nebulizer for nebulizing a fluid from the vial, the nebulizer comprising:
a housing having a chamber for holding an aerosol;
an air outlet communicating with the chamber for permitting the aerosol to be withdrawn from the chamber;
a pressurized gas inlet adjacent a fluid orifice, the pressurized gas inlet in communication with the chamber and the fluid orifice in communication with a fluid channel, wherein the pressurized gas inlet comprises a cone-shaped gas nozzle and a fluid nozzle comprises a coaxially positioned cone-shaped sleeve around the cone-shaped gas nozzle, and wherein a skirt portion extends radially outward from the cone-shaped fluid nozzle and extends substantially to an inner wall of the chamber;
a fluid reclamation opening defined by the inner wall of the chamber and an outer edge of the skirt portion;
a diverter positioned in the chamber adjacent to the pressurized gas inlet; and
a fluid return channel in communication with the fluid reclamation opening and a fluid return opening in the vial, wherein a suction force generated by removal of fluid from the vial into the nebulizer during nebulization assists in recovering condensed fluid on a wall of the chamber; and
a needle in communication with the fluid channel and removably positionable in an opening of the vial, the needle having a first cross-sectional shape along a first length such that a fluid return gap is defined between an outside of the needle and an inner diameter of an opening in the vial when the first length is positioned in the opening of the vial.
2. The system of
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This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/494,892, filed Aug. 13, 2003, pending, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for generating an aerosol for delivery to a patient. More particularly, the present invention relates to a nebulizer configured to remove a fluid from a source of fluid and generate an aerosol in coordination with a patient's breathing. The present invention is also well suited for continuously generating an aerosol independent of a patient's breathing.
Medical nebulizers that nebulize a fluid into an aerosol for inhalation by a patient are well-known devices commonly used for the treatment of certain conditions and diseases. Nebulizers have applications for conscious, spontaneously breathing patients and for controlled, ventilated patients. As used in this specification, the term "patient" includes, without limitation, humans and animals.
In nebulizers, a diverter is primarily used to direct a gas across a liquid channel to create a venturi effect causing the liquid to be entrained into the gas stream. The term "diverter", as used in this specification, includes, without limitation, any baffle or impinger. As a result of the nebulization process described above, the fluid is transformed into an aerosol, that is, the fluid is caused to form small particles that are suspended in the air and that have a particle size in a range suitable for the intended therapy. A common therapy is inhalation therapy, whereby a patient inhales a medicated aerosol to treat an ailment, such as asthma.
Important considerations in the design of a nebulizer are the timing and dosage regulation of the aerosolized fluid. In some nebulizer designs, a continuous stream of pressurized gas entrains the fluid against the diverter to constantly generate an aerosol until the fluid in a reservoir is depleted. Continuous nebulization may result in a waste of aerosol, such as to the atmosphere, during a patient's exhalation or during a delay between inhalation and exhalation. The amount of wasted aerosol may be difficult to quantify and some of the aerosol may be lost to condensation on the nebulizer or mouthpiece, or to evaporation, during periods of non-inhalation. Nebulizers implementing a timed or non-continuous nebulization may adversely affect particle size and density as the nebulization is turned on and off.
Effective and economical nebulizer therapy includes the ability to quickly generate an aerosol within a desired particle size range. An effective nebulizer preferably provides these features synchronously with the inhalation of the patient. In order to actuate a mechanical nebulizer, a patient's inhalation effort must overcome certain variables. Depending on the structural configuration of the nebulizer, these variables may include one or more of the following: the volumetric flow rate of the flowing gas; air leaks in the device; the force exerted by the flowing gas on a moveable diverter; and the friction between moveable parts. The greater the flow rate, air leaks and friction, the greater the inhalation effort required in order to actuate the device. It is desirable that a nebulizer has adequate sensitivity to quickly respond to an inhalation while not adversely restricting the patient's inhalation.
Most nebulizer designs have difficulty delivering all of the medication that is placed in the nebulizer to the patient. The inefficiency in delivering the medication may stem from some of the medication sticking to the chamber walls of the nebulizer, structural issues in the nebulizer that prevent medication from reaching the desired destination, and other reasons. Failure to use all of the medication adds to the cost of aerosol delivery and can create uncertainty concerning the actual dosage of medication delivered to a patient. Accordingly, it is also desirable to have a nebulizer that is effective for efficiently delivering measured amounts of medication to a patient.
In order to address the deficiencies in the prior art, an improved nebulizer is discussed below. According to a first aspect of the invention, a nebulizer is provided having a housing with an air inlet, such as an ambient air inlet or an inlet designed to cooperate with a controlled source of air, and defining a chamber for holding an aerosol. An air outlet permits aerosol to be withdrawn from the chamber and an ambient air inlet allows a supply of air to enter the chamber. A pressurized gas inlet and an adjacent fluid orifice in the chamber cooperate to generate an aerosol when the nebulizer is actuated. A fluid return channel connected with the chamber and a fluid source generates a suction force when fluid is removed from fluid source during nebulization to assist in recovering condensed fluid moving down the wall of the chamber. In one embodiment, the fluid source may be a vial releasably attached to the nebulizer. In other embodiments, a fluid channel air inlet valve is movably disposed across a fluid channel air inlet to control actuation by opening and closing a fluid channel air inlet in communication with the fluid orifice.
According to other aspects of the invention, a nebulizer may be constructed with an aerosolization chamber having a first diameter in a plane substantially co-planar with an aerosolization plane in which the majority of aerosol is generated within the chamber, and a second diameter in a plane other than the aerosolization plane, where the first diameter is greater than the second diameter. The impaction of the aerosol against the chamber walls may be reduced, and aerosol particle size distribution improved, with a larger chamber area where the aerosol is generated. In alternative embodiments, the chamber may have curved or angled walls tapering in at the bottom of the chamber, or at both the top and bottom of the chamber.
In yet other aspects of the invention, a nebulizer system is disclosed. The nebulizer system includes a vial containing a fluid for nebulization and a nebulizer for releasably engaging the vial and nebulizing the fluid in the vial. The nebulizer consists of a housing having an ambient air inlet, a chamber for holding an aerosol and an air outlet communicating with the chamber so that the aerosol may be withdrawn from the chamber. A pressurized gas inlet is adjacent a fluid orifice in the chamber and the fluid orifice in communication with a fluid channel. The pressurized gas inlet may be a cone-shaped gas nozzle with a fluid nozzle coaxially positioned as cone-shaped sleeve around it. A skirt portion extends radially outward from the cone-shaped fluid nozzle and reaches substantially to an inner wall of the chamber. A fluid reclamation opening is defined by the inner wall of the chamber and the outer edge of the skirt portion. A fluid channel air inlet valve is movably disposed across a fluid channel air inlet so as to control actuation of the nebulizer. A fluid return channel is in communication with the fluid reclamation opening and a fluid return opening in the vial so that a suction force generated by removal of fluid from the vial into the nebulizer during nebulization assists in recovering condensed fluid on a wall of the chamber. In one embodiment, the fluid return channel and a fluid supply channel are separate from one another.
As used in this specification, the term "fluid orifice" means either the fluid inlet or the fluid outlet and may be used interchangeably with these terms. Additionally, the ambient air inlet valve may be used to alleviate inhalation effort after an initial period of inhalation. The diverter may also be movable relative to the nebulizer housing, and movably or fixedly positioned relative to either the pressurized gas orifice or fluid orifice. In yet other embodiments the fluid channel air inlet valve may be a mushroom valve. The fluid channel air inlet may be integrally formed out of a single piece of material that also forms the diverter and fluid nozzle for the nebulizer. Other embodiments may include anti-spill structures in the chamber to prevent spillage of fluid when the nebulizer is inadvertently left on its side or knocked over. Further aspects and advantages of the invention are discussed below in conjunction with the preferred embodiments.
An embodiment of a nebulizer 10 for nebulizing a fluid drawn from a vial connected to the nebulizer is shown in
The nebulizer 10 includes a housing 12 consisting of a base 16 that is removably attachable with a cover 18. The interior of the base and cover is hollow and defines a chamber 14 that is suited to receive an aerosol. The chamber 14 may be any number of shapes and preferably is angled or curved inward towards its bottom so that any aerosol that impacts the interior wall of the chamber 14 will condense and be drawn toward the bottom of the chamber 14. An air inlet 20, comprised of one or more openings in the cover 18, permits air to be drawn into the chamber 14. An air outlet 22 extends through the cover 18. In one embodiment, the air outlet 22 is offset from the central vertical axis of the housing 12. The air outlet 22 on the cover 18 is sized to cooperate with a removable, rotatable mouthpiece 24 through which a patient may withdraw an aerosolized fluid from the chamber 14. The rotatable mouthpiece 24 is adjustable to an orientation convenient to the patient. A handle section 26 is removably detachable from the base 16 and is sized to receive a vial 28 or ampoule containing a fluid to be nebulized.
The housing, cover and handle section may be manufactured using any of a number of materials and manufacturing processes. For example, in one embodiment the housing, cover and handle section may each be constructed of a material formed by an injection molding process. Suitable materials include a plastic material, such as polypropylene, polycarbonate or a polycarbonate blend, or a metal material. The housing, cover and handle section may each be made of the same or different materials.
An aerosol actuator opening 30 is defined by the cover 18 and is sized to receive a button 17 connected with, or integrally formed with, a fluid channel air inlet valve assembly 32 mounted to the cover 18 and positioned inside the chamber 14. In one embodiment, the aerosol actuator opening 30 is located on the central vertical axis of the housing 12 when the base 16 and cover 18 are assembled. As best shown in
In one embodiment, the valve assembly 32 includes an inhalation valve 40 formed integrally along an edge of the locking edge 38. An alignment tab 42 on the locking ledge 38 ensures proper orientation of the valve assembly with the cover 18 so that the inhalation valve 40 will be properly aligned during assembly to cover the air inlet openings 20 and form a seal with sealing ring 44 on the underside of the cover 18. The inhalation valve 40 is preferably constructed of a flap of flexible material having a thickness designed to flex inwardly in response to a desired negative pressure in the chamber. The valve assembly may be constructed from an elastomer, such as silicone or rubber. In one embodiment, the inhalation valve 40 may have a thickness of about 0.02 inches.
The rounded bottom portion 46 of the valve assembly 32 is configured to engage a valve seat 48 positioned in the chamber. As shown in
In other embodiments, there may be one or more fluid channels. The fluid channel may be formed by a space between the fluid and gas nozzles, one or more grooves along the inside of the fluid nozzle and/or the outside of the gas nozzle, or channels within the wall of the gas or liquid nozzles. The fluid channel 58 communicates with the fluid orifice 56 and at least one fluid channel air inlet 60 in the valve seat 48. As explained in greater detail below, the fluid channel air inlet 60 positioned inside the chamber 14 on the nozzle assembly cooperates with the bottom portion 46 of the valve assembly 32 to open and close the fluid channel air inlet 60 synchronously with a patient's breathing, or in response manual actuation by physical contact against the button on the outside of the valve assembly and extending through the cover of the nebulizer. In one embodiment, the valve assembly is constructed of a flexible rubber material. Although individual valves for the air inlet and fluid channel air inlet may be fabricated separately on separate pieces of flexible material, or the valves may each be constructed from other individual components, the valve assembly 32 is preferably a one-piece, integrated construction reducing the part count and cost of manufacturing and assembly. An example of a fluid channel air inlet configuration used in a nebulizer is seen in U.S. application Ser. No. 10/306,886, filed Nov. 27, 2002, which published on Jul. 24, 2003 as U.S. 2003/0136399 A1, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
In the embodiment illustrated in
The diverter 62 has a flat surface having a predetermined area and is positioned at a fixed distance from the gas orifice 55. The diameter of the gas orifice may be varied, but, in combination with the other nebulizer dimensions provided below for one embodiment, may be approximately 0.56 mm. In this example, the distance between the diverter and nozzle is in the range of about 0.8 mm to 1.2 mm, and most preferably 1.0 mm, and the diameter of the diverter is approximately 4.0 mm. These dimensions may be varied to achieve a desired particle size and aerosolization as is known to those of skill in the art. The surface of the diverter is also preferably aligned parallel to the surface of the tip of the gas nozzle 52 and perpendicular to the flow of pressurized gas through the gas orifice 55. Other diverter embodiments may also be implemented. For example, in other embodiments, a diverter with a wedge shape, curved or other non-perpendicular orientation may be used.
Referring again to
Once substantially sealed, the gas exiting the gas orifice 55 and deflected by the deflector 62 over the fluid orifice 56 can create the suction necessary to entrain the fluid up the fluid channel into the path of the pressurized gas causing the fluid and gas to mix resulting in an aerosol with the desired particle size characteristics. The flexible membrane 33 of the valve assembly is preferably very sensitive to pressure changes and, therefore, can be triggered at low flows making the apparatus suitable for children and the elderly who typically have low rates of inhalation. Further, the valve assembly has a button portion extending through the cover that can be manually depressed. Accordingly, the patient or the caregiver can manually actuate the apparatus by pressing the button portion to position the bottom portion 46 in the valve seat 48.
In one embodiment, the opening of the fluid orifice 56 and the openings of the fluid channel air inlets 60 in the valve seat 48 are sized such that the deflected gas passing over the fluid orifice maintains a negative (suction) pressure of (e.g. 1-2 cm H2O) over the liquid channel. Thus, while not sufficient to raise the fluid all the way to the fluid orifice and permit nebulization, the fluid is partially drawn up the fluid channel by the pressure so that the fluid has only a short distance to travel when the fluid channel air inlets 60 are closed by the valve 32 seating in the valve seat 48. This negative pressure can help reduce response time by lessening the distance that a fluid must travel to reach the fluid orifice after the fluid channel air inlets are closed when the nebulizer is actuated through breath actuation, or manual movement, of the valve assembly 32.
In one embodiment the fluid channel air inlet valve 32 is configured to deflect over a gap G, in the range of 1.0-3.0 mm, and most preferably approximately 2.0 mm, before it blocks the end of the fluid channel air inlet. Other gap distances may be used with variations in the parameters of the membrane, geometry and diameter, and variation in other aspects of the nebulizer such as fluid channel air inlet. In this embodiment, the fluid channel air inlet valve is designed to respond to a negative pressure of approximately 0.5-1.0 cm H2O to achieve this deflection. The thickness of the membrane may be approximately 0.2 mm. Other gap distances G, and geometries, may be utilized in other embodiments.
To permit efficient use of fluid contained in the vial 28, fluid that condenses on the wall of the chamber 14 is provided a path down the wall through a return opening 84 defined by the gap between the lower portion of the skirt 86 at the base of the nozzle assembly 50 and chamber wall. The fluid return path 88 extends down through the edge of the base between the base seal wall 70 and the outer wall of the base 16. The fluid return path 88 continues to a return fluid opening 90 in the handle seal assembly 64 between the base seal 68 and the upper portion of the circumferential lip 74 of the handle seal assembly. The fluid return opening extends radially inward in the handle seal assembly to the outer wall of the needle 66 and a handle return channel 92 continues longitudinally along the outer wall of the needle 66 and inner wall of the handle seal assembly 64 until it reaches the vial receiving area 80 where the needle 66 pierces an opening in the top of the vial 28. The vial opening seal 82 prevents any returned fluid from escaping. The fluid returning to the mouth of the vial reenters the vial through a gap in the opening of the vial created by cooperation between the circular cross section of the lower portion of the hollow needle 66 and the indented portion 94 of the needle that is positioned to straddle the opening of the vial 28 when the vial is fully inserted, as shown in
As best shown in
Turning to the operation of supplying fluid from the vial 28 to the fluid orifice 56 during nebulization, the beveled end 96 of the needle 66 is configured to reach substantially to the bottom of the vial 28 to reduce the amount of fluid left behind in the vial 28. Fluid drawn from the vial travels through the needle 66 out through the top of the handle seal assembly 64 and up through the fluid channel 58 in the fluid nozzle 54. The fluid is drawn through the fluid nozzle to the fluid orifice and, as fluid is drawn out through the fluid orifice into the stream of pressurized gas, the fluid is nebulized.
The vial may be of any of a number of standard fluid dispensing vials used to carry measured portions of, for example, liquid medication. As shown in
In one alternative embodiment, as shown in
The vial 500 may have a threaded, friction fit or other fastening arrangement at its opening to allow it to be removably attached to a nebulizer or fluid channel in communication with a nebulizer. Other than the small cavity formed in the bottom of the vial for the nipple 502, the vial may have any of a number of shapes. The vial 500 may be constructed of any number of materials suitable for holding a fluid. In one embodiment, it is contemplated that the vial may be made of a blow molded, or injection molded, plastic. The plastic may be a rigid plastic, or a flexible plastic that allows the vial to be squeezed. Although different dimensions may be fabricated based on the type of needle or tube and the type of fluid used, in one embodiment the gap between the needle and the inner wall of the nipple may be less than 0.026 inches and the inner diameter of the needle may be less than 0.51 inches.
The vial 500 of
The exhalation phase, shown in
In one alternative embodiment of the nebulizer 110, illustrated in
Although a flexible flap and mushroom valve have been shown as one preferred ambient air inlet valve and fluid channel air inlet valve respectively, these valves may be any type of pressure release valve that will not move or open until the negative pressure within the nebulizer reaches a desired level, in this example, the fluid channel air inlet valve would close at 0.5-1.0 cm H2O and the ambient air inlet valve would open at 1.0-2.0 cm H2O. Additionally, the diameter of the fluid channel air inlet is preferably selected such that the negative pressure generated within the fluid channel when the nebulizer is at rest is less than the negative pressure necessary to draw the liquid up through the fluid channel to the liquid orifice. The exact dimensions necessary for the fluid channel air inlet are dependent on the distance from the nozzle region to the top of the liquid in the vial. For example, if the vertical distance from the fluid orifice to the top of the liquid surface in the vial contained in the handle is 2 cm, then the negative pressure above the fluid in the fluid channel must be less than 2 cm H2O when the nebulizer is in its at rest phase.
In one preferred embodiment, the diameter of the fluid channel air inlet is 1.8 mm. In order to adjust the sensitivity of the fluid channel air inlet to a patient's breathing, the fluid channel air inlet valve may be constructed of a material or material thickness that is more responsive to changes in air pressure, the spacing between the fluid channel air inlet valve and valve seat may be adjusted, and the diameter of the fluid channel air inlet may be selected to be of a suitable size to change the sensitivity. The diameter, thickness, geometry, and durometer of the fluid channel air inlet valve are all factors which may be selected to adjust responsiveness. Preferably, the diameter and position of the fluid channel air inlet valve is such that a patient or caregiver may also manually actuate the nebulizer by applying pressure to the valve through physical contact by hand or other object.
The fluid channel air inlet valve performance may also be modified by changing the number of fluid channel air inlets and the size and on topography of the valve seat. In other embodiments, a smaller valve seat 248 having a single air inlet 260 may be used as is shown in
During nebulizer use, some amount of aerosol may impact or condense on the valve seat and valve, leaving a thin film of fluid. As shown in the embodiment of a valve seat 348 with two fluid channel air inlet openings 360, as illustrated in
Another version of the nebulizer 410 is shown in
The base support 411 may permit the nebulizer 410 to stand on its own or to be held on a flat surface for greater stability during treatment. In one alternative embodiment, the base support 411 may include an adjustable height shaft 412. Concentric shaft components may form the shaft 412, where each component may have complementary threads or detents to adjust the height relative to the other components.
Referring to
When assembled, the mouthpiece 24 is frictionally retained in the outlet 22 and is rotatable about the central axis of the outlet 22. A ridge 35 integrally formed on the outside of the vertical extension 23 cooperates with a complementary circumferential groove 37 on the inside wall of the air outlet 22 to both maintain the mouthpiece 24 in the outlet and guide the mouthpiece when rotated. As shown in
Referring again to
As shown in the figures, for example in
Also shown in
Another feature that can improve the performance and efficiency of the nebulizer is the suction assisted fluid return generated by the withdrawal of fluid from the vial 28 during nebulization. Because the vial and handle are connected to the base of the nebulizer with a fluid-tight seal, the act of withdrawing fluid from the vial results in a negative pressure in the vial. Referring to
In the above-embodiments, a nebulizer capable of both breath actuation and manual actuation has been disclosed where a diverter, gas orifice, and liquid orifice are maintain in a fixed position with one another at all times. Nebulization is initiated by movement of a valve over the fluid channel air inlet that is in communication with the fluid channel linking the liquid orifice with the fluid in the vial. By using a flexible membrane as the biasing member of the fluid channel air inlet valve, a very fast and reliable response to both increased and decreased pressures within the chamber of the nebulizer may be realized. A variety of fluid channel configurations may be utilized with the fluid channel air inlet and fluid channel air inlet valve design discussed herein. As described above, the fluid channel may be a separate element from the pressurized gas nozzle or may be formed in cooperation with the pressurized gas nozzle. Similarly, the fluid channel may be contained in a single component of the nebulizer or formed from the mating of more than one assembly in the nebulizer. The valve seat for the fluid channel air inlet may have one or more openings in addition to recesses or channels to reduce surface tension or other effects that may reduce responsiveness. If a continuous nebulization is desired, rather than a breath actuated response, the nebulizer may be modified with a valve locking mechanism that continuously covers the fluid channel air inlets. The valve locking mechanism may be a latch or cover on the outside of the nebulizer sized to hold the button 17 extending out of the cover 18 in an actuated position.
In other embodiments, the fixed diverter may be replaced by a movable diverter, where the nebulizer may be fabricated with or without fluid channel air inlets. In these other embodiments, the bottom portion of the valve assembly may be configured to move, during inhalation, into a nebulizing position where the bottom portion is spaced at a distance from the gas nozzle so as to deflect pressurized gas over the fluid orifice and initiate nebulization. At rest and during exhalation, the valve assembly would move away from the nebulizing position so that the pressurized gas would no longer pass over the fluid orifice and thus cease nebulization. Although the valve assembly itself may be useful as the diverter, a separate diverter mechanism may be attached to the valve assembly.
As one example of a movable diverter embodiment, the nebulizer of
It is intended that the foregoing detailed description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understood that the following claims, including all equivalents, are intended to define the scope of this invention.
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