In a free piston machine, a coil is mounted to its housing and magnetically linked to a permanent magnet or electromagnet on its piston member to form a linear motor. The coil and magnet are either added to embody the invention or are part of an AC linear alternator or AC linear motor which are a part of the free piston machine. A source of DC electrical current and a switch for connecting the DC source to the coil supply DC current to the coil when the switch is closed so that the coil and magnet temporarily operate as a DC linear motor until the piston is adequately centered for start-up without collision. The DC source voltage is temporarily applied to the coil to move the piston away from an end wall of the cylinder. This is accomplished by applying the DC current to the coil for a predetermined time interval, or by sensing when the piston has reached an adequately centered position.

1. Field Of The Invention
This invention relates generally to free piston machines, such as free piston Stirling engines, free piston heat pumps, including coolers and cryocoolers, and linear compressors and pumps, and particularly relates to free piston machines which are connected to an AC linear electric motor or alternator. The invention is an apparatus for centering the free piston and its associated structures before an oscillating dynamic drive is applied to the free piston machine.
2. Description Of The Related Art
The prior art has and will continue to provide a broad spectrum of free piston machines. In a free piston machine, a piston linearly oscillates in a cylinder. However, the piston is free in the sense that the opposite ends of its displacement are unrestrained by mechanical linkages, such as cranks and rods or other motion transmitting structures which have components moving along specific limited paths. Ordinarily the amplitude of the reciprocation of a free piston varies as a function of loading and power. In some free piston machines the free piston is a part of the load to which power is directed and in others it is a part of the prime mover or drive. Usually the free piston is mechanically linked to other structures which reciprocate with the piston. Such other structures include linear electric motors or linear alternators. Therefore, the term "free piston member" is used herein to designate the combination of the free piston and the other component structures which are mechanically linked to the piston for reciprocating with it.
Because the entire piston member is free, there are conditions under which it will collide with structures which are positioned beyond either or both ends of its intended range of reciprocating motion. Such structures are herein termed "end walls". The term "end wall" refers generically to structures which may be struck if the piston moves beyond the intended limits of its axially oscillating reciprocation.
The need to avoid the collision of a piston member with an end wall is particularly acute in machines in which the piston is subjected to time varying gas pressures in two fluid spaces, each space bounded by an opposite end of the piston. When a free piston linearly oscillates in its reciprocating motion, it does so in opposite directions from an average position centered between its peak, axially opposite excursions. Because some net gas leakage through the gap between the piston and cylinder walls usually occurs from one fluid space to the other during each cycle of reciprocation, the gas masses in the two spaces gradually change. This change causes the center of reciprocation to creep toward the space with decreased mass. If this creep continues, the piston center position will eventually be displaced sufficiently far that the piston will collide with an end wall at one peak of its oscillating motion.
In order to avoid this consequence during the dynamic, steady state operation of a free piston machine, a variety of dynamic centering structures are used. These centering structures include both structures for maintaining a fixed center of reciprocation, as well as structures for limiting the end movement of the piston member to maintain piston member displacement within a safe range. Thus, the term "centering", as used herein, refers both to structures for maintaining a specific, fixed, center of reciprocation, as well as confining piston member displacement within range limits spaced sufficiently from the end walls to prevent collision. A few examples of dynamic centering structures are shown in the following patents, which are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,183,214; 4,404,802; 4,583,364; 5,461,859; 5,385,021, 5,537,820; and 5,873,246.
Most free piston machines are operated at or near resonance because efficiency is much greater. Mechanical resonance requires a mass drivingly linked to an energy storage device, such as a spring. Therefore, the piston member is designed to have a mass which is mechanically resonant at the operating frequency of the free piston machine. The piston is linked to the housing by one or more springs. Such springs include helical and/or planar springs, gas springs, magnetic springs and the spring effect of compressible fluids in the spaces bounding the ends of the piston.
There are a variety of free piston machines. These include Beale-type free piston Stirling engines and heat pumping apparatus, such as coolers and cryocoolers, as well as free piston, linear compressors and pumps. Often these free piston machines have their piston mechanically linked to an AC electromagnetic linear transducer, such as a linear motor or linear alternator or other electrical generator. For example, a free piston Stirling engine linked to an alternator is able to use the heat of the external combustion of fuels to generate electricity and a free piston heat pumping apparatus linked to a linear motor can be used for cooling and cryocooling. An AC linear motor can drive a free piston in a cylinder having inlet and outlet valves to provide a gas compressor or fluid pump.
An AC electromagnetic, linear transducer, whether a motor or alternator, generally consists of a coil mounted to a housing for the machine and either a second coil electrically connected to operate as an electromagnet, or preferably a permanent magnet, mounted to the piston as a component of the piston member. There are also practical linear transducers of the moving coil type in which the coil is mounted to the piston as a component of the reciprocating piston member and the magnet, either a permanent magnet or an electromagnet, is mounted to the housing. The term "magnet" is used herein to refer collectively to both a permanent magnet and an electromagnet. Although an AC linear motor can also be formed by a coil and a high permeability, ferromagnetic material to form a reluctance motor operating like a solenoid, these are inefficient and therefore not preferred.
Examples of devices using linear alternators or linear motors are shown in the following U.S. Patents, which are hereby incorporated by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,602,174; 4,642,547; 4,649,283; 5,642,088; 4,912,409; 4,926,123; and 5,148,066.
When a free piston machine begins operation, it makes a transition from a static to a dynamic condition by initially linearly oscillating at small amplitudes of oscillation. The amplitude of these oscillations continues to increase until the machine reaches its steady-state operating conditions. Since most free piston machines are provided with mechanical or other springs which hold the free piston member away from the end walls under static conditions, these small transitional oscillations do not cause end wall collisions. As the oscillations grow, the dynamic centering structures, described above, for preventing end wall collisions during steady-state operation come into effect and prevent end wall collisions.
However, some free piston machines do not have springs which hold the static piston member away from end walls when the machine is not operating. Consequently, they require something to maintain the linearly oscillating piston member sufficiently far from the end walls during start-up to avoid collision. This is a particular problem for free piston machines in which the axis of reciprocation is vertical or has a vertical component of orientation. In such machines, gravitational forces, sometimes assisted by vibrations, cause the piston member to slide against an end wall when the machine is not in operation. If startup is initiated when the piston member is at or near an end wall when an oscillating dynamic drive is applied to the free piston machine, the piston member will, of necessity, repeatedly bang or collide against the end wall until the amplitude of oscillation is sufficiently large that the dynamic centering structure becomes operable. Because many of these dynamic centering structures rely upon one or more ports in the piston and cylinder walls coming into registration when the piston is in a centered position, a substantial time interval can pass before the piston oscillation amplitude becomes sufficiently large that centering can be effected.
There is, therefore, a need for a static centering apparatus for use with those free piston machines in which the piston member is capable of creeping toward an end wall when the machine is not operating so that the static centering apparatus will prevent periodic collisions during start-up of the free piston machine.
It is therefore an object and feature of the present invention to provide an apparatus to move a static piston member from its rest position into a position at which the dynamic centering system will become operable during start-up in order to avoid end wall collisions.


A vertically oriented cosmetic container organizer is disclosed. The cosmetic container organizer includes a vertically oriented housing having a front end, a back end, a planar bottom end and two opposing sides. A plurality of compartments is disposed within the housing. Each of the compartments has an open front end that is above a rear end of the compartment defining a rearward sloping lower surface. At least one fastener coupled to the back end of the housing for mounting the container to a wall.

Cosmetic are stored in a variety of shapes and sizes types of containers and dispensers. When the word cosmetics is used, this can mean cosmetics for both males, females and unisex products. When the word cosmetic container means a container used to store lipsticks, compacts, creams, deodorants, perfumes, colognes, nail care products, oral hygiene products, foundations, perfumes, balms, oils, liners, gloss, face primer, eyelid primer, lip cream, lipstick, lip liner, lip plumper, lip booster, concealer, face powder. etc. as well as other items such as lipstick pencils, eyeshadow pencils, eyebrow pens, brushes etc. Generally speaking, there are approximately twenty-eight (28) cosmetic categories of cosmetics, each having its own specific shape and size. In many cases, cosmetic and cosmetic containers can occupy a large amount of space when stored on a counter-top. This can be messy and decrease the amount of space for other items on-top of counters. Many times, with existing cosmetic container organizers, users must unzip pockets, open drawers etc., to have access to a certain cosmetic within a cosmetic container. This can be time consuming and cumbersome. Also, the existing cosmetic organizers having closed pockets, drawers or compartments can prevent a user from seeing or viewing a certain cosmetic or cosmetic container, which can result in a user forgetting about such cosmetic resulting in the underutilization of cosmetics.
For example, U.S Patent Application Publication 2004/0108796 discloses a modular organizing system. U.S Patent Application Publication 2004/0108796 discloses a vertically oriented cosmetic organizer having drawers. These drawers prevent the easy access by a user to the cosmetics. Similarly, U.S Patent Application Publication 2006/0006772 also discloses a vertically oriented organizer also having closures that prevent the easy access to the cosmetics. U.S Patent Application Publication 2009/0320874 discloses a pivoting tray making both sides accessible. However, similar to the above mentioned prior art, the pivoting tray prevents access by the user to at least one side of the tray at all times.
U.S. Pat. Ser. No. 4,776,650 discloses a wall mounted cosmetic center. However, a major problem with U.S. Pat. Ser. No. 4,776,650 is that the present invention is unable to positioned on a counter top. Another problem with U.S. Pat. Ser. No. 4,776,650 is that a user cannot efficiently store cylindrical containers or cosmetic pencils because such items would fall of the shelves of the invention.
As a result, there exists a need for improvements over the prior art and more particularly for a more efficient way of organizing cosmetics.

Cosmetic container organizer with rearward sloping compartments


Provided is a method of completing object IOs, the method including receiving a first set of object IOs for a target storage device, dispatching the first set of object IOs to a first buffer of a first zone, the first buffer being configured to function as a first log buffer, concatenating the first set of object IOs to form a first object group in the first buffer, logging the first object group to a log device, modifying a function of the first buffer from the first log buffer to a first flush buffer, and transferring the first object group to the target storage device.

In recent years, key-value solid state drives ("KV-SSDs") have been used in an increasing variety of applications. Enhancing IO performance for KV-SSDs to enhance throughput and to reduce latency may be beneficial.
However, IO performance may be reduced when KV-SSDs encounter a mixture of both large object IOs and small object IOs because KV-SSD processing may address both large object IOs and small object IOs in the same manner.
As a result, KV-SSD processing may favor large object IOs, which results in small object IOs having higher latency. Alternatively, KV-SSD processing may favor small object IOs, which results in large object IOs having lower throughput.

Grouping key value object IOs to improve IO performance for key-value storage devices


The present invention relates generally to expandable medical devices including a light-activated shape-memory polymer. In certain embodiments, the devices include, for example, balloon catheters, used to treat narrowed or obstructed portions of a body vessel, and retrieval devices, used to remove obstructions from a body vessel. Certain aspects of the invention relate to methods of manufacturing and using such devices.

Implantable medical devices, particularly expandable endoluminally deployable medical devices, are known for a variety of medical applications. For example, balloon catheters are widely used in the medical profession for various intraluminal procedures. One common procedure involving the use of a balloon catheter relates to angioplasty dilation of coronary or other arteries suffering from stenosis (i.e., a narrowing of the arterial lumen that restricts blood flow). For example, balloon catheters can have application in the treatment of blockages of the peripheral blood vessels, esophagus, trachea, colon, biliary tract, urinary tract and at other locations in the body. Other applications include the treatment of carotid artery stenosis, the narrowing of the carotid arteries, which are the main arteries in the neck that supply blood to the brain. Carotid artery stenosis (also called carotid artery disease) is a relatively high risk factor for ischemic stroke.
Although balloon catheters are used in many other procedures as well, coronary angioplasty using a balloon catheter has drawn particular attention from the medical community because of the growing number of people suffering from heart problems associated with stenosis. This has led to an increased demand for medical procedures to treat such problems. Angioplasty procedures have become a popular alternative for treating coronary stenosis because angioplasty procedures are considerably less invasive than other alternatives. For example, stenosis of the coronary arteries has traditionally been treated with bypass surgery. In general, bypass surgery involves splitting the chest bone to open the chest cavity and grafting a replacement vessel onto the heart to bypass the blocked, or stenosed, artery. However, coronary bypass surgery is a very invasive procedure that is risky and requires a long recovery time for the patient.
To address the increased need for coronary and peripheral artery treatments, the medical community has turned to angioplasty procedures, in combination with stenting procedures, to avoid the problems associated with traditional bypass surgery. Typically, angioplasty procedures are performed using a balloon-tipped catheter that may or may not have a stent mounted on the balloon. The physician performs the angioplasty procedure by introducing the balloon catheter into a peripheral artery (commonly one of the leg arteries) and threading the catheter to the narrowed part of the coronary artery to be treated. During this stage, the balloon is deflated and collapsed onto the shaft of the catheter in order to present a low profile which may be passed through the arterial lumens.
Once the balloon is positioned at the narrowed part of the artery, the balloon is expanded by pumping a mixture of saline and contrast solution through the catheter to the balloon. As a result, the balloon presses against the inner wall of the artery to dilate it. If a stent is mounted on the balloon, the balloon inflation also serves to expand the stent and implant it within the artery. After the artery is dilated, the balloon is deflated so that it once again collapses onto the shaft of the catheter. The balloon-tipped catheter is then retracted from the arteries. If a stent is mounted on the balloon of the catheter, the stent is left permanently implanted in its expanded state at the desired location in the artery to provide a support structure that prevents the artery from collapsing back to its pre-dilated condition. On the other hand, if the balloon catheter is not adapted for delivery of a stent, either a balloon-expandable stent or a self-expandable stent may be implanted in the dilated region in a follow-up procedure.
Although the treatment of stenosed coronary arteries is one common example where balloon catheters have been used, many other uses are also possible. For example, balloon catheters can have application in the treatment of blockages of the peripheral blood vessels, esophagus, trachea, colon, biliary tract, urinary tract and at other locations in the body. Other applications include the treatment of carotid artery stenosis, the narrowing of the carotid arteries, which are the main arteries in the neck that supply blood to the brain. Carotid artery stenosis (also called carotid artery disease) is a relatively high risk factor for ischemic stroke. The narrowing is usually caused by plaque build-up in the carotid artery. Plaque forms when cholesterol, fat and other substances form in the inner lining of an artery. This formation is called atherosclerosis.
Another application of expandable devices is in the removal of solid masses from body vessels. Certain body vessels that transport fluids are subject to obstruction by solid masses, or "stones", formed from crystals that separate from the transported fluid and build up within the duct. Examples of such masses include renal stones, gall stones and gastric stones. For example, urinary stone prevalence is estimated at 3% in all individuals, and it affects up to 12% of the population during their lifetime. Urinary stone recurrence rates approach 50% at 10 years and white males have the highest incidence in the U.S. In many instances, such masses pass out of the body without the need for intervention by a physician. However, large stones that cause lasting symptoms or other complications require intervention to remove the stones from the body.
Renal stones are one of the most painful of urologic disorders. Such stones form within the kidney from crystals that separate from urine. Sometimes, such stones travel down the urinary tract and are expelled from the body. In other cases, a stone may cause a blockage in the urinary tract. The removal of urinary stones is currently done for large stones.
Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy ("ESWL") is a minimally invasive treatment for the treatment of renal and gallbladder stones. In ESWL, ultrasonic sound waves that are created outside the body travel through the skin and body tissues until they hit the denser stones. The stones break down into smaller particles that can sometimes be expelled naturally from the body. Renal stones can also be removed using laser lithotripsy. This technique involves the insertion of a probe into the renal track. A cystoscope or ureteroscope is inserted into the patient's urethra, either directly or over a guide wire, and is advanced up the urinary tract to locate the target renal stone. Once the stone is located, a thin fiber optic is introduced into a channel of the endoscope and advanced until it comes into contact with the stone. Light from a laser, for example, a holmium laser, is directed through the fiber optic and the stone disintegrates or fragments.
One problem of the techniques that break up stones is that small stone fragments often remain in vivo after the treatment. Certain retrieval techniques may allow for the retrieval of larger stone fragments. However, which increases the risk of regrowth of stones.

Expandable medical device and method of use thereof


The present invention provides antibody polypeptides with binding specificity for human kallikrein-2 (hK2), wherein the antibody polypeptide comprises (a) a heavy chain variable region comprising the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:1 and SEQ ID NO:2 and SEQ ID NO:3 and/or (b) a light chain variable region comprising the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:4 and SEQ ID NO:5 and SEQ ID NO:6, and wherein the heavy chain variable region and light chain variable region comprise framework amino acid sequences from one or more human antibodies. The invention further provides use of said antibody polypeptides in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is at the present time the most common form of cancer among men. The prostate is a walnut-sized gland in men that produces fluid that is a component in semen. The prostate has two or more lobes, or sections, enclosed by an outer layer of tissue. The prostate is located in front of the rectum and just below the urine bladder, and surrounds the urethra.
The occurrence of prostate cancer is highest in the northwestern part of Europe and in the United States. The growth of the tumour is usually a process that takes place during a long period of time. Prostate cancer is normally a mild form of cancer. In fact, the majority of men diagnosed with prostate cancer survive and recover, with only a minority of the men encountering a more aggressive form of prostate cancer, which metastasizes in an early stage. This aggressive form of prostate cancer may only be curable if it is diagnosed at an early stage, before the cancer has spread to extracapsular tissue.
Today, diagnosis and monitoring of prostate cancer is typically performed by measuring the concentration of a prostate specific antigen (PSA) in the blood of the patient. If the concentration of PSA is markedly high in several consecutive measurements, performed at different points of time, the assessment is that there is a probability of prostate cancer. At this point of time a biopsy may be performed to verify prostate cancer.
PSA (also known as kallikrein III) is a protein, constituted of a single chain of 237 amino acids, which is produced in the secretory cells of the prostate. These secretory cells may be found in the whole prostate gland. PSA is well established and thoroughly researched marker in respect of prostate cancer. By comparison with healthy cells the production of PSA is lower in malignant cells and higher in hyperplastic cells. It is rather contradictory that in fact the concentration of PSA is higher in blood from men suffering from prostate cancer. However, one explanation may be that the malignant cells have a deteriorated cell structure, and are therefore more permeable to PSA.
Another important serine protease suitable as a target for therapy of prostate cancer is human glandular kallikrein 2 (hK2). The gene coding hK2 is located on chromosome 19, together with the gene coding for PSA. hK2 is expressed mainly in the prostate tissue, just as PSA. In the prostate, PSA is present as an inactive pro-form and is activated through the peptidase action of hK2. Immunohistochemical research in respect of hK2 has shown that hK2 is expressed in relation to the level of differentiation. This means that hK2 is expressed in a higher yield in tissue of low differentiation, such as tissue subjected to prostate cancer, and in a lower yield in tissue of high differentiation, such as tissue subjected to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) which is another common prostate problem.
Today's therapies of prostate cancer are surgery (e.g., radical prostatectomy), radiation therapy (including, brachytherapy and external beam radiation therapy, high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), chemotherapy, oral chemotherapeutic drugs, cryosurgery (freezing the tumor), hormonal therapy (such as antiandrogen therapy), castration or combinations of the foregoing.
Most of these therapies (surgery and external radiation therapy) are, however, only (or primarily) useful for treatment of primary tumours and large metastases. Chemotherapy is used for disseminated of the cancer but for most of these patients, it is a palliative effect and/or prolonged survival. Other or complementary treatment modalities are therefore necessary to achieve considerable improvements of the disseminated malignant diseases, particular in cases of micrometastases.
Therapy, such as immunotherapy or radioimmunotherapy, using targeting molecules such as antibodies and fragments could give the possibility of therapy of disseminated disease.
Thus, there is a need for a new therapeutic agents and methods for treating and diagnosing prostate cancer.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.