An apparatus and a method for discriminating between tachycardias of physiological origin, and those of pathological origin having similar atrial and ventricular rates, are disclosed. The apparatus includes two sensing electrodes for registering the electrograms from the atrium and the ventricle of the heart. There is further included a signal processing element for determining the times of atrial and ventricular events, and an algorithm for classifying the heart rhythm. The algorithm includes a means for discriminating between different types of heart rhythms having overlapping ventricular rates and having similar atrial and ventricular rates. The method utilizes an analysis of the relationships between successive atrial and ventricular intervals (i.e., atrial-atrial (AA), ventricular-ventricular (VV) and atrial-ventricular (AV) intervals) in discriminating between such heart rhythms.

Some current medical devices designed to provide antitachycardia therapy have attempted to discriminate between physiological (e.g. NSR) and pathological cardiac rhythms (e.g., SLVT) using the heart rate sensed by a single ventricular sensor. U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,483 to W. Vollmann et al., entitled "Implantable Cardiac Pacer With Programmable Antitachycardia Mechanisms", which issued on Oct. 24, 1989, discloses such a device. However, techniques which are based solely on ventricular rate parameters are unable to distinguish between physiological and pathological rhythms that have overlapping ventricular rates. An important instance of this is normal sinus rhythm (a physiological rhythm) and slow ventricular tachycardia (a pathological rhythm). The addition of an atrial sensor providing atrial event information may overcome this particular problem, as is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,749 to M. H. Lehmann, entitled "Tachycardia Detection for Automatic Implantable Cardioverter/Defibrillator With Atrial and Ventricular Sensing Capability", which issued on Aug. 29, 1989. The device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,749 offers only a partial solution to this problem by classifying the rhythm as VT1:1R when the AV interval exceeds the sinus AV interval, provided the ventricular cycle length exceeds a crossover value. The device described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,749 is, however, still not capable of identifying SDVT and, furthermore, fails to deal with ventricular ectopic beats (VEB).
Accordingly, the main object of this invention is to reliably discriminate between normal sinus rhythm (NSR) and slow ventricular tachycardia (SLVT). The term SLVT encompasses both ventricular tachycardia with 1:1 retrograde conduction (VT1:1R) and slow dissociated ventricular tachycardia (SDVT).
It is another object of the invention to provide a classification technique which copes with ventricular ectopic beats (VEB).
Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

Apparatus and method for discriminating between associated and dissociated cardiac rhythms


A wireless communication device, a wireless communication system and a method of avoiding collisions by transmitting a packet length field before transmitting a header of the packet.

A personal wireless area network (WPAN) is a network used for communication among computing devices (for example, telephones and personal digital assistants) close to one person. The devices may or may not belong to the person in question. The reach of a WPAN may be a few meters. WPANs may be used for interpersonal communication among the personal devices themselves, or for connecting via an uplink to a higher level network and for example the Internet.
The IEEE 802.15.3 Task Group 3c (TG3c) was formed in March 2005. TG3c is developing a millimeter-wave (mmWawe) based alternative physical layer (PHY) for the existing 802.15.3 Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) Standard e.g., IEEE 802.15.3-2003. This mmWave WPAN may operate in a band including 57-64 GHz unlicensed band defined by FCC 47 CFR 15.255 and may be referred to as "60 GHz". The millimeter-wave WPAN may allow very high data rate (over 2 Gigabit per second (Gbps)) applications such as high speed Internet access, streaming content download (e.g., video on demand, high-definition television (HDTV), home theater, etc.), real time streaming and wireless data bus for cable replacement.
However, an mm Wave communication link is significantly less robust than those operating at lower frequencies (e.g. 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands) due to Friis transmission equation, oxygen absorption and high attenuation through obstructions. In addition, the mm Wave communication link may use a directional antenna and/or antennas array to increase the communication range. The use of a directional antenna makes a link very sensitive to mobility. For example, a slight change in the orientation of the device or the movement of a nearby object and/or person may disrupt the link.60 GHz communication standards tend to have both orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) and single carrier (SC) physical layers. In some standards only one of the physical layers is mandatory, and in some other standards neither of OFDM and SC is mandatory. In a Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA) communication scheme a device may determine the packet length according to information included in the packet header and may use this information in order to avoid collisions with other devices transmissions.
However, devices using SC may not be able to decode the packet length in a received OFDM packet and devices employing OFDM may not be able to decode the packet length and may try to transmit packets while other devices are transmitting, which may cause collisions.
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity. Further, where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements.

Method and apparatus for collision avoidance


Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for displaying overlapping text elements on a graphical user interface. Initially, it is determined, whether a first display elements overlaps a second display element. If, the first display elements overlaps the second display element, then a text stack is created of all overlapping display elements. Only an identified display element is displayed on the text stack. Finally, a scroll mechanism is provided which allows a user to scroll through and display the first and second set of display elements which overlap.

The present invention relates generally to the field of user interface functions, and more particularly to displaying overlapping text elements using a text scroll control bar.
Electronic devices such as cellular phones, smart phones, mobile phones, Wi-Fi phones, laptop computers, tablet computers, netbooks, handheld computers, personal organizers, e-reading devices, gaming devices and the like, may provide a graphical user interface that allows users to easily interact with the various functionalities of the electronic device. Many graphical user interfaces provide a zoom feature, which allows a user to increase or decrease the size of an object on the display. A zooming feature may be useful when the viewing information is larger than the screen size. Alternatively, a zooming feature may be useful when the viewing information is significantly smaller than the screen size, making either text or figure details difficult to visualize.

Dynamic text scroll control in a user interface

International Business Machines Corporation


An apparatus and method that operates a stripper finger. The apparatus can include a media path configured to transport a media sheet. The apparatus can include a rotational member configured to contact the media sheet. The apparatus can include a stripper finger having a length along a longitudinal axis. The stripper finger can include tip at an end of the length. The stripper finger can be configured to selectively engage and disengage contact between the tip and the rotational member to selectively strip the media sheet from the rotational member.

Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method that operates a stripper finger in a printing apparatus.
Presently, image output devices, such as printers, multifunction media devices, xerographic machines, ink jet printers, and other devices produce images on media sheets, such as paper, substrates, transparencies, plastic, labels, or other media sheets. To produce an image, marking material, such as toner, ink jet ink, or other marking material, can be applied to a photoreceptor or an intermediate transfer member. The marking material is then transferred to a media sheet to create a latent image on the media sheet. A fuser assembly then affixes or fuses the latent image to the media sheet by applying heat and/or pressure to the media sheet. Fuser assemblies apply pressure using rotational members, such as fuser rolls or belts, which are coupled to each other at a fuser nip. Pressure is applied to the media sheet with the latent image as the media sheet is fed through the fuser nip.
Media sheets often stick to rotational members in a printing apparatus. For example, heat and pressure can cause a relatively thin media sheet to stick to a fuser roll. As another example, electrostatic forces can cause thin media sheets to stick to photoreceptor rolls, photoreceptor belts, and intermediate transfer members. Stripper fingers have been traditionally used to help separate the media sheets from the fuser rolls and pressure rolls, photoreceptor drums and belts, and other rotational members.
Unfortunately, stripper fingers wear the surface of rotational members. This causes a problem because the wear results in image quality defects on media sheets. The wear is exasperated because stripper fingers are in constant contact with a rotational member surface even though stripping is only required for certain media and/or certain operating conditions. This contact is unnecessary and induces an increased amount of unnecessary wear.
Thus, there is a need for an apparatus and method that operates a stripper finger in a printing apparatus.

Apparatus and method for stripper finger operation


A coaxial microstrip line transducer, in which an inner conductor has a center conductor portion arranged in a recess portion of a resin case and a terminal portion is integral with the center conductor portion and so formed as to lead to a lower surface of the resin case, and an outer conductor having a first conductor portion arranged along at least a part of an inner peripheral surface of the recess portion and a second conductor portion which is integral with the first conductor portion and extends to the lower surface via an upper surface and a pair of side surfaces opposed to each other of the resin case. The inner and outer conductors are fixed to the resin case.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a coaxial microstrip line transducer for use as, for example, a coaxial connector, and more particularly, to a coaxial microstrip line transducer comprising an inner conductor having a center conductor portion arranged in a recess portion opened upward and an outer conductor arranged apart from the center conductor portion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A coaxial microstrip line transducer shown in FIGS. 12 to 15 has been conventionally known. FIG. 12 is a plan view illustrating a coaxial microstrip line transducer, FIGS. 13 and 14 are respectively a cross sectional view taken along a line V--V shown in FIG. 12 and a cross sectional view taken along a line VI--VI shown in FIG. 12, and FIG. 15 is a bottom view illustrating the coaxial microstrip line transducer.
In this coaxial microstrip line transducer, a cylindrical recess portion 71a opened upward is formed in a resin case 71 made of insulating resin. In the recess portion 71a are a center conductor portion 72 in a cylindrical shape made of a metal material and a first conductor portion 73 in the shape of a part of a cylindrical curved surface. A lower end of the center conductor portion 72 is integrated into a terminal portion 74 made of a metal material. The terminal portion 74 is so formed as to lead to a lower surface through a side surface of the resin case 71 in order to connect the microstrip line transducer to a connecting land (not shown) on a substrate. That is, the center conductor portion 72 and the terminal portion 74 constitute an inner conductor of the microstrip line transducer.
On the other hand, the first conductor portion 73 is connected to a second conductor portion 75. The second conductor portion 75 is so formed as to lead to the lower surface through the side surface of the resin case 71 in order to connect the microstrip line transducer to the connecting land (not shown) on the substrate. The first conductor portion 73 and the second conductor portion 75 constitute an outer conductor of the microstrip line transducer. In addition, embedded metal parts 76 are formed on the lower surface of the resin case 71 in order to increase stability and bond strength in a case where the microstrip line transducer is mounted on the substrate or the like.
The above described inner conductor and the above described outer conductor are respectively formed by working a metal plate or a metal wire in accordance with a working method such as press working. The above described coaxial microstrip line transducer is constructed by mounting the metal members on the resin case 71 which is a resin molded product.
In the above described microstrip line transducer, the outer conductor comprising the first conductor portion 73 and the second conductor portion 75 is incorporated into the resin case 71 and the second conductor portion 75 is folded along the lower surface of the resin case 71. However, such an assembly operation is very difficult because the resin case 71 is small. That is, the plane dimensions of the resin case 71 are small, for example, approximately 4 mm.times.4.5 mm, so that the operation which includes passing the outer conductor having a complicated shape from the inside of the recess portion 71a to the outer side surface of the resin case 71 and further pulling the same out to the lower surface of the resin case 71 is very difficult. Particularly, there is a strong demand for miniaturization of the microstrip line transducer, as with other electronic components. However, the smaller the dimensions of the microstrip line transducer are, the more difficult the above described assembly operation is. Consequently, the manufacturing processes are complicated, and the manufacturing cost is increased.
Furthermore, in the above described coaxial microstrip line transducer, the terminal portion 74 of the inner conductor, the second conductor portion 75 of the outer conductor, and the embedded metal parts 76 are arranged on the lower surface of the resin case 71, as shown in FIG. 15. The terminal portion 74, the second conductor portion 75, and the embedded metal parts 76 are soldered to a wiring pattern or the connecting land on the substrate, thereby to mount the microstrip line transducer on the substrate. However, the base areas of the terminal portion 74, the second conductor portion 75, and the embedded metal parts 76 are relatively small, so that sufficient soldering strength (mounting strength) cannot be obtained.
It has also been considered to increase the areas of parts, which are located on the lower surface of the resin case 71, of the terminal portion 74, the second conductor portion 75, and the embedded metal parts 76, thereby to increase the soldering strength. However, an attempt to increase the soldering areas causes a heavy load to be applied to the resin case 71 in folding the terminal portion 74 and the second conductor portion 75 along the resin case 71, resulting in the possibility of damaging the resin case 71. Consequently, the soldering areas of the terminal portion 74, the second conductor portion 75, and the embedded metal parts 76 cannot be made so large.
Additionally, as shown in FIG. 13, the inner conductor comprising the center conductor portion 72 and the terminal portion 74 is mounted on the resin case 71 by insert molding. However, the terminal portion 74 is folded along the side surface and the lower surface of the resin case 71 after the insert molding. Consequently, there is a limit on the amount in the thicknesses T.sub.1 and T.sub.2 (see FIG. 13) of bottom parts of the resin case 71 can be decreased, so that products are prevented from being reduced in height.


A semiconductor memory device or a semiconductor device which has high reading accuracy is provided. A bit line, a word line, a memory cell placed in an intersection portion of the bit line and the word line, and a reading circuit electrically connected to the bit line are provided. The memory cell includes a first transistor and an antifuse. The reading circuit includes a pre-charge circuit, a clocked inverter, and a switch. The pre-charge circuit includes a second transistor and a NAND circuit. The semiconductor memory device includes transistor in each of which an oxide semiconductor is used in a channel formation region, as the first transistor and the second transistor.

A technique called RFID (radio frequency identification) has attracted attention and has been applied to various fields such as distribution, historical management, article management, presence management, or the like. RFID refers to an exchange of data with the use of a wireless communication technique in a narrow sense. A semiconductor device called an RFID tag (also referred to as an RF tag, an ID tag, an IC tag, or a wireless tag) is used for RFID, and wireless communication is performed between an RFID tag and a communication device such as a reader/writer, so that reading or writing of data can be performed.
By including a memory (also called a memory element) in an RFID tag, a high performance RFID tag can be obtained. In particular, it is preferable that a memory which is one kind of involatile memory devices and to which writing can be performed only once be included in an RFID tag because interpolation of data is not easily performed and security is improved. Such a memory to which writing can be performed only once is referred to as a one-time programmable memory (hereinafter also referred to as an OTP memory, or simply an OTP in this specification) or the like.
As examples of an OTP memory, an antifuse capable of writing data by controlling a conductive state (a low resistance state) and a non-conductive state (a high resistance state) and a fuse type memory such as a fuse are known. For example, an antifuse is known, in which when voltage is applied to both ends of an element using amorphous silicon, silicide is formed in an electrode to short-circuit (see Patent Document 1).
In addition, in order to reduce delay time for reading data from a memory cell in a semiconductor memory such as a RAM, pre-charge of a bit line before performing reading operation is proposed (see Patent Document 2).

Semiconductor memory device and semiconductor device

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A bicycle hub driving system includes a hub with a socket unit connected thereto. An axle unit extends through the hub and the socket unit. A clutch driving device is located between the ratchet unit and the hub. The clutch driving device includes a clutch unit, a driving unit and a driving member located between the clutch unit and the driving unit. The clutch unit includes a first ratchet portion on the ratchet unit and a second ratchet portion on the driving member. The driving unit includes first driving teeth on the hub and second driving teeth on the driving member. By the linear movement of the riving member between the first driving teeth and the first ratchet portion, the first and second ratchet portions are engaged with each other or disengaged from each other to co-rotate the hub and the socket unit in one direction.

The conventional way to operate bicycles is to rotate the crank forward so that the wheels rotate forward. When the user stop to tread the pedals, the wheels still move forward by initial force and no work is output by the user. When the user rotates the crank backward, the wheels are not affected by the backward action because there is a ratchet mechanism in the hub.
The bicycle hub generally has a hub with bearings located therein, an axle extends through the hub and the bears. A socket unit is connected to the hub and a ratchet unit is connected to the socket unit. The socket unit is connected with a chain so that when the chain drives the socket unit, the ratchet unit is rotated which drives the hub to rotate in the same direction.
The ratchet units are cataloged by radial driving type and end driving type, wherein the radial driving type means that the first ratchet gear mounted to the socket unit and the second ratchet gear is located in the hub. The first and second ratchet gears are engaged with each other. The pawls rotate in the radial direction of the axle to contact the driving ratchet gear. The end driving type is also known as axial driving type, which means that the first ratchet gear is mounted to the end face of the socket unit and the second ratchet gear is located in the hub. The first and second ratchet gears are engaged with each other. The two ratchet gears are engaged in the axial direction of the axle.
Taiwan Patent Application No. 099104719 discloses an axle rotatably extends through a hub, a gear unit rotatably connected to the axle and located close to the hub. The gear unit has an inner end inserted into the hub, an outer end located in opposite to the inner end, and multiple grooves defined in the inner end and extending toward the outer end. The inner end has a bottom which define the grooves and multiple sidewalls extending radially from the bottom so as to be cooperated with the bottom to define the grooves. Multiple stepped portions extend from the sidewalls and located in the grooves. A clutch unit is located between the hub and the inner end of the gear unit. The clutch unit has a toothed ring located in the hub, multiple pawls pivotably connected to the grooves, and a resilient member located in the inner end and keeping the toothed ring and the pawls to move in one direction. The pawls respectively contact the stepped portions and are located by a gap from the sidewalls respectively.
Taiwan Utility Application No. 100219245 discloses a one-way ratchet unit which keeps the sprocket unit and the hub to rotate in one direction only. The ratchet unit comprises a first engaging portion connected to one end of the hub and having a first one-way ratchet gear which has multiple teeth each have a tip, a tool and two inclined guide sides. A second engaging portion is connected to an end of the sprocket unit and has multiple second one-way ratchet gear which has multiple teeth each have a tip, a tool and two inclined guide sides. The first and second one-way ratchet gears are engaged with each other in one directly. At least one resilient member is used to allow the first and second one-way ratchet gears to move over each other when the rotation direction is in opposite to the effective direction. At least one protrusion extends from the tip of the ratchet teeth of one of the first and second ratchet gears. The at least one protrusion extends along the inclined guide sides of the teeth. Those teeth without the at least one protrusion has a recess. At least one yield portion which is recessed in the root of the teeth of one of the first and second ratchet gears. When the first and second ratchet gears are engaged with each other, the recess is engaged with the at least one yield portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,179 discloses a bicycle freewheel hub and includes a hollow hub shell sleeved rotatably on a shaft, a cylindrical driving member sleeved rotatably on the shaft and disposed adjacent to the hub shell, and a clutch unit including first and second clutch members sleeved rotatably on the shaft. The first clutch member is coupled to the driving member. The second clutch member is coupled to the hub shell. Each of the clutch members has an annular end face which extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the shaft. The annular end face of each of the clutch members has inclined teeth that are arranged annularly around the shaft and that project axially from the annular end face. The annular end face of the second clutch member confronts the annular end face of the first clutch member. The inclined teeth of the second clutch member engage the inclined teeth of the first clutch member when the driving member rotates in a first direction, and disengage therefrom when the driving member rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction. A spring biases one of the first and second clutch members so as to keep interengagement of the first and second clutch members.
The first two Taiwan applications are radial driving type and the U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,179 is axial driving type. For the axial driving type hub, all of the ratchet teeth have to be engaged with each other to drive the hub so that the contact area of the ratchet teeth is larger than that of the radial driving type hub. Therefore, the axial driving type hub has better driving force. For the radial driving type hub, the distance of the driving position from the axle is longer than that of the axial driving type hub, so that the radial driving type hub saves effort.
For the radial driving type hub, there are three or four pawls are required on the socket unit and the pawls are pivotable radially to be engaged with the ratchet teeth on the hub. A resilient member is used to keep the pawls to be pivoted in one direction. However, the way that the pawl are pivoted to contact the individual ratchet tooth has slower linear movement than that of the axial driving type hub, so that the transmission of the driving force slightly delays. The four pawls provide limited contact area which provides less driving force and the tips of the pawls are easily worn out. When the tips of the pawls are damaged, the pawls may not able to contact the ratchet teeth to effectively drive the hub. If the four pawls have different levels of wearing, the stress will be concentrated at the tip of the pawl with less wearing, so that the driving force is not evenly spread on the four pawls. In other words, once one of the pawls is replaced, the rest of the three pawls have to be replaced. This means higher maintenance expense is required.
The present invention intends to provide a ratchet unit which is used for the radial driving type hub and provides larger driving force which is evenly spread to the ratchet teeth to increase the life of the ratchet unit.


A method for assisting a driver of a vehicle during operation in order to avoid an undesired situation based on a current driving scenario includes predicting if a first guiding force to a vehicle steering device is desired in order to avoid the undesired situation and, if the first guiding force is desired, predicting a total guiding force comprising the first guiding force, which would be applied to the steering device for avoiding the undesired situation, comparing the predicted total guiding force with a limit value, and if the predicted total guiding force exceeds the limit value, in advance, deciding whether to apply the predicted total guiding force to the steering device for avoiding the undesired situation or not.

The present invention relates to method and a system for assisting a driver of a vehicle during operation in order to avoid an undesired situation based on a current driving scenario.
The undesired situation may for example represent a departure from a desired future trajectory of the vehicle. In other words, the invention is applicable for so-called lane keeping of a vehicle during operation. A current driving scenario that represents an unintentional lane departure may be determined based on the vehicle's position, direction and/or orientation with respect to a traffic lane (or road edge). Further, there are systems known, which are configured for monitoring the course of the traffic lane ahead of the vehicle, such as by monitoring lane markings using a vision system. The lane keeping support system is preferably configured to provide such guiding force only in situations in which the supply of such guiding force to the steering device is deemed to be appropriate after analysis of all input data, such as the course of the traffic lane ahead of the vehicle, further vehicles on the road and a predicted driving behaviour of the vehicle.
The guiding force exerted onto the steering device is resistive if counteracting the force applied by the driver onto the steering device, or supportive if acting in the same direction as the force applied by the driver onto the steering device, thus for instance reducing the effect of e.g. frictional forces acting on the wheels and the like which are experienced by the driver as resistance when operating the steering device. The steering device is normally formed by a conventional steering wheel in the case of a vehicle. However, the invention is applicable to other steering devices, such as a joystick, a sliding nipple or any other suitable steering device for steering the vehicle. For instance, in the case that the steering device is a steering wheel, the guiding force will appear as a guiding torque exerted onto the steering wheel.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,923, it is known to combine a power-assisted steering system with a lane keeping function. A steering actuator may reduce the torque to be manually applied for steering the vehicle and thus may relieve the driver. In addition, in power-assisted steering systems, it is believed that the torque support and/or the transmission ratio of the steering system are speed dependent. At lower speeds, such as those typical for parking and unparking, very direct steering having high torque support may be used, while during more rapid travel, indirect steering having low torque support may be desirable.
In many countries/regions there are legal requirements limiting the allowable guiding force to be applied to the steering device. According to a known method, the guiding torque applied to the steering wheel is automatically limited to the allowed limit during an intervention. However, such automatic limitation may lead to that the intervention is unsuccessful since the intervention could not be carried out to the desired extent.
It is desirable to achieve a method for assisting a driver which creates conditions for a further improved safety during operation, especially in case there is a predefined limit for the amount of the guiding force.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a method includes:                predicting if a first guiding force to a vehicle steering device is desired in order to avoid said undesired situation, and if the first guiding force is desired:        predicting a total guiding force comprising the first guiding force, which would be applied to the steering device for avoiding the undesired situation,        comparing the predicted total guiding force with a limit value, and if the predicted total guiding force exceeds the limit value,        in advance deciding whether to apply said predicted total guiding force to the steering device for avoiding the undesired situation or not.
Thus, the total guiding force comprising the first guiding force would be applied to the steering device during an intervention for avoiding the undesired situation. Preferably, the intervention is performed during a driver steering operation. Preferably, the guiding force applied is only supportive, i.e. it is limited to such an extent that the driver still has full authority to steer the vehicle. However, the system may be configured to take control of the vehicle and in the case of lane keeping, return it to a safe position in the original lane.
In this way, a decision is made in advance, i.e. before an intervention is started, whether the intervention can be carried out to an extent leading entirely to the desired result. It has been acknowledged that in somecases it might be better not to apply the first guiding force at all than having to interrupt the intervention.
In other words, starting an intervention may provide the driver with a false appearance of safety since the supportive guiding force applied may not be sufficient for entirely avoiding the unintentional situation.
The total guiding force may comprise solely the first guiding force. However, according to a preferable example, the method comprises the steps of determining a second guiding force based on at least one guiding force operation model, and determining the predicted total guiding force as a sum of the first guiding force and the second guiding force. Thus, said second guiding force may be determined in accordance with other steering aspects, such as providing a certain steering feel to the operator, see further below. This example creates conditions for continuously controlling the guiding force applied to the steering device based on the second guiding force and only during said operation to avoid the undesired situation control the guiding force also based on the first guiding force.
According to an example embodiment, the method comprises the step of deciding to not apply said predicted total guiding force if it exceeds the limit value. Instead, it may be decided in advance to apply a limited total guiding force. Especially, the first guiding force, which is determined for avoiding the undesired situation (such as lane departure) may be cancelled all together.
According to a further example embodiment, the method comprises the step of deciding to apply said predicted total guiding force only if it is estimated to be sufficient for entirely avoiding the undesired situation.
According to a further example embodiment, the method comprises the steps of irrespective of any prediction of the first guiding force:                continuously during operation determining the second guiding force,        continuously applying the total guiding force comprising the determined second guiding force to the steering device, and        only if the first guiding force is desired determining the predicted total guiding force as said sum of the first guiding force and the second guiding force.
This embodiment creates conditions for using an Electrical Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) system, Especially, the method is applicable in steering systems where there is a mechanical connection between the steering device and the ground but where the inherent steering feel resulting from the mechanical connection during operation is eliminated or at least suppressed. Such a system is known, in which a guiding, force (the second guiding force above) is continuously determined during operation so that the driver experiences a desired feel in the steering device instead of the inherent steering feel resulting from the mechanical connection.
For example, the inherent mechanical friction in the actual steering arrangement depends on different operational conditions, such as manufacturing tolerances, wear, temperature, age etc. Thus, the mechanical friction in the mechanical connection is different for different individual vehicles and varies over time. Thus, this embodiment creates conditions for decoupling the hardware (mechanical connection) from the friction steering feel. In other words, the embodiment creates conditions for an application-independent (hardware-independent) friction steering feel.
According to a further development of the last-mentioned example embodiment, said at least one guiding force operation model comprises at least one desired steering characteristic parameter. The steering characteristic parameter can be a guiding force influencing operational parameter. Said at least one desired steering characteristic parameter is preferably formed by vehicle lateral acceleration.
It is specifically advantageous to combine a safety function, such as lane keeping, with this type of EPAS since a certain lateral acceleration requires a certain amount of guiding force which already is determined in the EPAS system.
It is also desirable to achieve a system for assisting a driver which creates conditions for a further improved safety during operation, especially in case there is a predefined limit for the amount of the guiding force.
A system according to an aspect of the present invention is proivded comprising a means for predicting if a first guiding force to a vehicle steering device is desired in order to avoid said undesired situation, a means for predicting a total guiding force comprising the first guiding force, which would be applied to the steering device for avoiding the undesired situation and for comparing the predicted total guiding force with a limit value in order to in advance deciding whether to apply said predicted total guiding force to the steering device for avoiding the undesired situation or not if the predicted total guiding force exceeds the limit value.
According to an example embodiment, the system comprises a means for determining a second guiding force based on at least one steering device guiding force operation model, and a means determining the predicted total guiding force as a sum of the first guiding force and the second guiding force. Thus, said second guiding force may be determined in accordance with other steering aspects, such as providing a certain steering feel to the operator.
According to a further example embodiment, said at least one guiding force operation model comprises at least one desired steering characteristic parameter. Thus, the model can be designed to represent a nominal vehicle. Preferably, said at least one desired steering characteristic parameter comprises at least one of damping of steering device movements, tire friction, self alignment of the steering device to a neutral position and friction in a mechanical connection between the steering device and the wheels.
According to a further example embodiment, the system comprises a mechanical connection between the steering, device and the wheels for a mechanical transmission of steering signals from the steering device to the wheels, a means for decoupling a driver steering feel from the influence of the mechanical connection and for providing the driver with a desired steering feel based on the determined total guiding force. Preferably, a delivered steering device guiding force is measured and compared with an estimated desired steering device guiding force, wherein the delivered steering device guiding force is adapted by use of a feedback controller to be substantially the same as the desired steering device guiding force through adapting the amount of said guiding force.
Further preferred embodiment and advantages thereof emerge from the description below, the figures and the claims.

Method and a system for assisting a driver of a vehicle during operation


According to an embodiment of the present application, there is provided a medical apparatus, including: a light source unit configured to be capable of emitting light including at least natural emission light, the light being guided into an optical probe; a first detecting unit configured to detect an intensity of light exiting from the light source unit; and a calculation unit configured to calculate to approximate to a non-linear function based on an intensity of light detected by the first detecting unit for calibration of the optical probe.

The present disclosure relates to a medical apparatus, a therapy apparatus, a method of estimating an optical probe, and a calibration method used, for example, for a therapy, in which a photodynamic therapy is employed, and to monitor pharmaceutical concentration.
Basic examinations of medical laser apparatuses were started in the 1960s. Subsequently, laser-therapy apparatuses using a CO2 laser, an ND:YAG laser, an Ar ion laser, a ruby laser, and the like were developed and were widely used in the 1970s. An apparatus having a semiconductor laser as a light source is being developed as a next-generation apparatus. A semiconductor laser is capable of being downsized, is easily maintained, and is easily managed. As the laser technology is developed and as the pharmaceutical studies are developed, Photo Dynamic Therapy (PDT) is attracting attention in recent years. In Photo Dynamic Therapy (PDT), a fluorescence pharmaceutical, which is laser-light-sensitive, is accumulated in a certain cell. After that, the cell is irradiated with the laser light, and the inside of the cell is broken. PDT is developed mainly in the field of pulmonary cancer and brain tumor. Laser apparatuses such as an excimer dye laser (Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.) and a laser apparatus for PDT (Panasonic Corporation) are widely used.
If a laser-therapy apparatus accurately determines the amount of emitted light output during a therapy, the following risks may be avoided. That is, a risk of giving needless irradiation energy to a diseased site, and a risk of not obtaining a therapeutic effect because of lack of irradiation energy, may be avoided. In PDT, a risk of administering excessive fluorescence pharmaceutical may also be avoided. To accurately determine the amount of emitted light output during a therapy is one of the important technologies to provide a safer and more accurate therapy.
Meanwhile, in a PDT laser-therapy apparatus, a light-emitting portion (optical probe) contacts a living body. Because of this, an optical probe is exchanged for each procedure, normally. In most cases, an optical probe has an internal optical fiber, and the optical fiber transmits light. The conductivity greatly depends on individual differences of probes.
In view of this, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-350933 describes a technology in which individual information is input in an optical probe, and in which a light power is calibrated based on the individual information when the optical probe is connected. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-10232 discloses a technology in which a light power is calibrated by using a product individual identification. However, in those technologies, information on an optical probe is not one immediately before use and may not include change in property because of sterilization, transport, and installation processes.

Medical apparatus, therapy apparatus, method of estimating optical probe, and calibration method


A mechanical torque wrench including a wrench body defining an elongated interior compartment and a wrench head including a bar extending therefrom being pivotally secured to a first end of the wrench body. A hand grip located on a second end of the wrench body, the hand grip being non-rotationally fixed to the second end of wrench body, and a set spring is disposed within the wrench body. A pawl is disposed between the bar and the set spring. Rotation of a dial screw in a first direction compresses the set spring and rotation in a second direction allows expansion of the set spring. A set ring is operatively connected to the dial screw and rotatable relative to the wrench body. A resistive element produces an output signal that depends on a position of the dial screw relative to the resistive element. A processor converts the output signal into an equivalent torque value in a selected system of units for display on a user interface. Application of a torque greater than the equivalent torque value to a workpiece causes the wrench head to pivot relative to the wrench body about the pivot joint and the selected system of units is one of a metric system of units and a standard system of units.

Often, fasteners used to assemble performance critical components are tightened to a specified torque level to introduce a "pretension" in the fastener. For example, high tensile-strength steel bolts used to fasten components of military vehicles, aerospace vehicles, heavy machinery, and equipment for petrochemical operations frequently have required torque specifications. As torque is applied to the head of the fastener, eventually, beyond a certain level of applied torque the fastener actually begins to stretch. This stretching results in pretension in the fastener which then holds the joint together. Overstressing fasteners can lead to their breakage whereas under-stressing bolts can lead to joint failure, leakage, etc. Furthermore, in situations where gaskets are being utilized between the components being joined, an unequally stressed set of fasteners can result in gasket distortion and subsequent problems like leakage. Accurate and reliable torque wrenches help insure that fasteners are tightened to the proper specifications.
Torque wrenches vary from simple mechanical types to sophisticated electronic types. There are several types of mechanical torque wrenches that are routinely used to tighten fasteners to specified torque levels. Of these, clicker type mechanical torque wrenches are very popular. Clicker type mechanical torque wrenches make an audible click to let the user know when a preset torque level has been achieved and simultaneously provide a feeling of sudden torque release to the user. One example of a clicker type torque wrench includes a hollow tube in which a spring and pawl mechanism is housed. The pawl is forced against one end of a bar that extends from a drive head. The bar and drive head are pinned to the hollow tube about a pivot joint and rotate relative thereto once the preset torque level is exceeded. The preset torque level is selected by a user by causing the spring to exert either greater or lesser force on the pawl. The force acts on the bar through the pawl to resist rotation of the bar relative to the hollow tube. As the torque exerted on the fastener exceeds the preset torque value, the force tending to cause the bar to pivot relative to the hollow tube exceeds the force preventing its rotation and the pawl "trips." When released by the action of the pawl, the bar pivots and hits the inside of the tube, thereby producing a click sound and a sudden torque release that is detectable by the user. Typically, the preset torque values to assist the user in setting the torque wrench are permanently marked on a drum type scale that is visible through a window near or on the handle, or marked on the tube itself. For most clicker type torque wrenches, the preset torque is set by rotating either an adjuster sleeve on the handle, an end cap, or a thumb screw.
Another example of a clicker type torque wrench measures the deflection of a deflectable beam relative to a non-deflectable beam, the deflectable beam causing a click once the preset torque is reached. These and other types of clicker type mechanical torque wrenches are popular since they are relatively easy to operate and make torquing relatively quick and simple. The user merely sets the preset torque value and pulls on the handle until he/she hears and feels the click and torque release indicating to the user to cease torquing the fastener.
Several drawbacks limit the usage of clicker type torque wrenches. Often, these torque wrenches have permanently marked gages that are read by the user when setting the preset torque value. These gages can be hard to read, especially when the user is occupied with torquing a fastener with smooth and continuous motion to achieve proper fastening. Some existing torque wrenches address this issue by incorporating a magnifying glass or using a separate high resolution secondary scale. Still, the size of the markings is often small and the resolution of the markings is often limited by the physical space available on the gage. As well, the lack of high resolution may prevent the user from being able to preset to a desired torque value that includes a fraction of the desired units. Furthermore, these torque wrenches are often used in hard to reach, poorly lit areas, such as under the hood of an automobile, making readings potentially even more difficult.
As well, since the drum or other type of permanently marked gage can be fairly small, the upper torquing range of clicker type torque wrenches can be limited to less than the capability of the other mechanical parts of the wrench. Furthermore, in most prior art clicker type torque wrenches, the gages are marked with only one or two sets of units (i.e. foot-pounds and Newton-meters). The user is therefore limited to these two units and anything else is normally calculated manually.
Recalibration of existing clicker type torque wrenches, especially spring type clickers, often requires disassembling the unit to replace worn out parts, which can be expensive and time consuming. Recalibration is often needed to correct the effect of the spring's characteristics and mechanical wear that occurs over time. Often, such wear cannot be compensated for without recalibration since the gages are most often permanently printed on the handle.
The present invention recognizes and addresses the foregoing considerations, and others, of prior art constructions.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Mechanical torque wrench with an electronic sensor and display device


The present invention provides new crystalline Forms III, IV and V of clopidogrel hydrogensulfate and the amorphous form of clopidogrel hydrogensulfate, as well as their pharmaceutical compositions, and method of treatments with such compositions. The present invention also provides novel processes for preparation of clopidogrel hydrogensulfate Form I, Form III, Form IV, Form V and the amorphous form. The present invention further provides a novel process where the amorphous form is converted to Form I by contacting Form I with an ether.

The present invention relates to the novel crystal Forms III, IV, V, and the amorphous form of clopidogrel hydrogensulfate, novel processes for their preparation, compositions containing the new forms and novel processes for the preparation of Form I.
Atherosclerosis is the buildup of plaque in the wall of the arteries leading to a thickening and a reduction in elasticity of the arteries. Atherosclerosis results from injury to the inside layer of the artery. The injury is caused by common activities and diseases such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking and infection.
Plaques form on the inner walls of the artery at these sites of injury. The plaques are mainly composed of fatty tissue and smooth muscle cells. The formation of plaque often leads to blood clotting due to platelet aggregation at the site of the injury. This clotting may result in a reduction or elimination of blood flow to vital organs, causing heart attacks or other serious conditions. The plaque may also rupture and send a blood clot through the artery, referred to as an embolus, which if deposited in a smaller blood vessel may completely block blood flow.
Antiplatelet activity is desirable in fighting the often fatal results of atherosclerosis. Clopidogrel is an inhibitor of induced platelet aggregation which acts by inhibiting the binding of adenosine diphosphate to its receptor. Clopidogrel is metabolized by the liver into active form. Its antiplatelet activity is extended in that it stops any platelet activity even up to ten days after administration.
The chemical name of clopidogrel is methyl (+)-(S)-xe2x88x9d-(o-chlorophenyl)-6,7-dihydrothieno[3,2-c]pyridine-5(4H)-acetate. It has the following structure:
Clopidogrel""s platelet inhibiting activity makes it an effective drug for reducing the incidence of ischemic strokes, heart attacks or claudication due to vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. By inhibiting platelet aggregation, clopidogrel reduces the chance of arterial blockage, thus preventing strokes and heart attacks. U.S. Pat. No. 5,576,328 describes a method of preventing the occurrence of a secondary ischemic event by administration of clopidogrel, and is incorporated herein as a reference.
Recent studies have shown that clopidogrel is more effective in blocking platelet aggregation than aspirin and is much gentler on the gastrointestinal tract. Clopidogrel is more effective than aspirin even at much lower dosage. A dosage of 75 mg of base equivalent has been shown to be more effective than a dosage of 325 mg of aspirin. In addition to being more effective, clopidogrel produces much less gastrointestinal bleeding than aspirin.
Clopidogrel is administered as its hydrogensulfate (syn. bisulfate) salt. Clopidogrel hydrogensulfate has an empirical formula of C16H16ClNO2S.H2SO4. It is currently being marketed as PLAVIX(copyright) tablets, which contain about 98 mg clopidogrel hydrogensulfate, which is the equivalent of 75 mg clopidogrel base. PLAVIX(copyright) is a white to off-white powder that is practically insoluble in water at neutral pH but highly soluble at acidic pH. It dissolves freely in methanol, somewhat in methylene chloride, and poorly in ethyl ether.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,847,265; 5,132,435; 6,258,961; 6,215,005 and 6,180,793, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety, describe methods that can be used to prepare clopidogrel hydrogensulfate.
The present invention relates to the solid state physical properties of clopidogrel hydrogensulfate prepared by any of these or other methods. These properties can be influenced by controlling the conditions under which clopidogrel is obtained in solid form. Solid state physical properties include, for example, the flowability of the milled solid. Flowability affects the ease with which the material is handled during processing into a pharmaceutical product. When particles of the powdered compound do not flow past each other easily, a formulation specialist must take that fact into account when developing a tablet or capsule formulation, which may necessitate the use of glidants such as colloidal silicon dioxide, talc, starch or tribasic calcium phosphate.
Another important solid state property of a pharmaceutical compound is its rate of dissolution in aqueous fluid. The rate of dissolution of an active ingredient in a patient""s stomach fluid can have therapeutic consequences because it imposes an upper limit on the rate at which an orally-administered active ingredient can reach the bloodstream. The rate of dissolution is also a consideration in formulating syrups, elixirs and other liquid medicaments. The solid state form of a compound may also affect its behavior on compaction and its storage stability.
These practical physical characteristics are influenced by the conformation and orientation of molecules in the unit cell, which defines a particular polymorphic form of a substance. The polymorphic form may give rise to thermal behavior different from that of the amorphous material or another polymorphic form. Thermal behavior is measured in the laboratory by such techniques as capillary melting point, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and can be used to distinguish some polymorphic forms from others. A particular polymorphic form may also give rise to distinct properties that may be detectable by powder X-ray diffraction, solid state 13C NMR spectrometry and infrared spectrometry.
The discovery of new crystalline forms of a pharmaceutically useful compound provides a new opportunity to improve the performance characteristics of a pharmaceutical product. It enlarges the repertoire of materials that a formulation scientist has available for designing, for example, a pharmaceutical dosage form of a drug with a targeted release profile or other desired characteristic.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,596 is directed to the composition of clopidogrel and methods of its use. The ""596 patent teaches synthesis of clopidogrel, but fails to suggest or disclose the existence of polymorphs or the amorphous form of clopidogrel. U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,265 is directed to the enantiomer of clopidogrel, and also does not suggest or teach any polymorphs or the amorphous form of clopidogrel. These U.S. patents are incorporated herein by reference.
International Publication No. WO 99/65915 discloses two polymorphs of clopidogrel hygrogensulfate, referred to as Forms I and II, though Form I is originally disclosed in EP 281459.
According to the International Publication No. WO 99/65915, Form I has a PXRD pattern with peaks at 9.2, 10.9, 15.2, 17.9, 18.5, 20.6, 23.0, 23.2, 23.4 and 25.5xc2x10.2 degrees two theta. Form I also has an infrared spectrum with absorption bands at 2987, 1753, 1222, 1175 and 841 cmxe2x88x921.
WO 99/65915 also discloses clopidogrel hydrogensulfate Form II, according to which has a PXRD pattern with peaks at 12.9, 13.6, 15.6, 17.7, 19.5, 21.6, 23.0, 23.3 and 24.7xc2x10.2 degrees two theta. It has an infrared spectrum with absorption bands at 2551, 1753, 1497, 1189 and 1029 cmxe2x88x921.
According to Applicants"" English translation, in Example 1B, Form I is prepared by dissolving clopidogrel camphorsulphonate in dichloromethane under a nitrogen atmosphere. A solution of potassium carbonate in water is then introduced. The organic phase is then removed, concentrated and added to acetone. The acetone solution is placed in a reactor under nitrogen and a 80% solution of sulfuric acid is added. The mixture is then distilled and cooled, followed by subsequent crystallization. The crystals are washed and dried to obtain Form I.
According to Chemical Abstract Accession No. 1999:811251, Form II is prepared by addition of a solution of 50 g of clopidogrel camphorsulfonate in 100 mL of dichlormethane to a solution of 9.1 g of potassium carbonate in 70 mL of water. The organic phase was separated, concentrated and dissolved in 229 mL of acetone. The acetone solution was refluxed with 7.4 g of 80% sulfuric acid under nitrogen for 2 h. The solvent was then removed to yield Form II.
Form II may also be prepared from Form I by storing aqueous mother liquor from the crystallization of Form I for 3-6 months.
Three new crystal forms of clopidogrel hydrogensulfate, designated Forms III, IV and V, plus the amorphous form of clopidogrel hydrogensulfate, and a novel process for their preparation, and preparation of Form I of clopidogrel have now been discovered.
In a first aspect, the present invention provides a new polymorph of clopidogrel hydrogensulfate, denominated Form III, and a process for its preparation. In another aspect, the present invention provides for clopidogrel hydrogensulfate characterized by a differential scanning calorimetric thermogram having an endothermic peak at about 105xc2x0 C. The present invention further provides for clopidogrel hydrogensulfate characterized by a powder X-ray diffraction pattern with peaks at about 8.1, 8.7, 14.3, 15.4, 20.1, 22.3, 22.5, 23.5, and 24.1xc2x10.2 degrees two theta. The present invention also provides for clopidogrel hydrogensulfate characterized by a FTIR spectrum with peaks at about 581, 707, 755, 971, 1057, 1196, 1252, 1436, 1476, 1748, 2590, 2670 and 2963 cmxe2x88x921.
In another aspect, the present invention provides for a process for preparing clopidogrel hydrogensulfate Form III comprises the steps of preparing a solution of clopidogrel hydrogensulfate in 1-butanol, removing the 1-butanol from the solution to obtain a residue, adding an antisolvent to the residue to cause formation of a precipitate, separating the precipitate and drying the precipitate.
The present invention also provides for the new composition of the amorphous form of clopidogrel hydrogensulfate. The present invention further provides clopidogrel hydrogensulfate characterized by a FTIR spectrum with peaks at about 583, 723, 762, 846, 1040, 1167, 1223, 1438, 1478, 1638, 1752, 2585 and 2960 cmxe2x88x921. In another aspect, the present invention provides for clopidogrel hydrogensulfate having a PXRD pattern as substantially depicted in FIG. 4.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a process for preparing the amorphous form of clopidogrel hydrogensulfate comprising the steps of preparing a solution of clopidogrel hydrogensulfate in an alcohol selected from the group consisting of methanol and ethanol, adding the solution to an antisolvent to cause formation of a precipitate and separating the precipitate.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a process for preparing the amorphous form of clopidogrel hydrogensulfate comprising the steps of preparing a solution of clopidogrel hydrogensulfate in an alcohol selected from the group consisting of methanol and ethanol, removing the alcohol from the solution to obtain a residue, adding an antisolvent to the residue to cause formation of a precipitate and separating the precipitate.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a process for preparing the amorphous form of clopidogrel hydrogensulfate comprising the steps of preparing a solution of clopidogrel hydrogensulfate in an alcohol selected from the group consisting of methanol and ethanol, adding the solution to an antisolvent and removing the alcohol and the antisolvent.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a process for preparing the amorphous form of clopidogrel hydrogensulfate comprising preparing a solution of clopidogrel hydrogensulfate in acetone and removing the acetone.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a process for preparing clopidogrel hydrogensulfate Form I comprising the steps of contacting amorphous clopidogrel hydrogensulfate with an ether and separating the clopidogrel hydrogensulfate Form I.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to clopidogrel hydrogensulfate Form IV. The present invention further provides clopidogrel hydrogensulfate characterized by a PXRD pattern with peaks at about 22.0, 25.9, 26.9, 27.4, 28.1, 28.6 and 28.9xc2x10.2 degrees two theta. In another aspect, the present invention provides clopidogrel hydrogensulfate characterized by a DTG thermogram with an endothermic peak at about 160-170xc2x0 C. The present invention further provides for clopidogrel hydrogensulfate characterized by a FTIR spectrum with peaks at about 618, 769, 842, 893, 935, 974, 1038, 1116, 1370, 1384 cmxe2x88x921.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a process for preparing clopidogrel hydrogensulfate Form IV comprising forming a precipitate from a solution of clopidogrel hydrogensulfate and isopropanol and separating the precipitate.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to clopidogrel hydrogensulfate Form V. The present invention also provides for clopidogrel hydrogensulfate characterized by a PXRD diffraction pattern with peaks at about 25.5, 26.6, 27.8 and 28.5xc2x10.2 degrees two theta. The present invention further provides for clopidogrel hydrogensulfate characterized by a DSC profile with an endothermic peak at about 126-132xc2x0 C. The present invention also provides for clopidogrel hydrogensulfate characterized by a FTIR spectrum with peaks at about 623, 743, 802, 817, 843, 963, 972, 1028 and 1374 cmxe2x88x921.
The present invention provides a process for preparing clopidogrel hydrogensulfate Form V comprising the steps of dissolving clopidogrel hydrogensulfate in 2-butanol to form a solution, adding an antisolvent to the solution to cause formation of a precipitate and separating the precipitate.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a process for preparing clopidogrel hydrogensulfate Form V comprising the steps of dissolving clopidogrel hydrogensulfate in 2-butanol to form a solution, removing the 2-butanol from the solution to obtain a residue, adding an antisolvent to the residue to cause formation of a precipitate and separating the precipitate.
The present invention also provides for pharmaceutical compositions of clopidogrel and methods of their use in order to inhibit platelet aggregation.

CRYSTAL FORMS III, IV, V, AND NOVEL AMORPHOUS FORM OF CLOPIDOGREL HYDROGENSULFATE, PROCESSES FOR THEIR PREPARATION, PROCESSES FOR THE PREPARATION OF FORM I, COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING THE NEW FORMS AND METHODS OF ADMINISTERING THE NEW FORMS


The present disclosure describes methods and compositions for reducing turf thatch and/or preventing turf thatch buildup.

Thatch, a layer of organic matter including tightly intermingled dead and living leaves, stems, and roots, often develops between the soil surface and the green vegetation and, left untreated, can result in deterioration of the turf quality. Thatch includes stolons, rhizomes, roots, crown tissue, leaf sheaths and blades. Thatch layer intermixed with sand or soil is known as mat layer. The mat layer generally lies below the thatch layer where sand or soil is intermingled with thatch due to cultural practices like core aeration and top dressing.
High organic matter accumulation in the form of thatch or mat causes depletion of oxygen and decreased saturated hydraulic conductivity and increased water content. This makes the turf more susceptible to drought, cold, insects, diseases and other problems such as welt wilt, soft surface, black layer, limited rooting etc. Thatch control thus represents a challenge in turf management.
Management of turfgrass greens includes monitoring and control of the formation of thatch and mat layers. A cause of problems in the thatch-mat layer includes the rapid change in the nature of organic matter from the structured organic matter in live plant root tissues to the unstructured organic matter in dead plant tissues. Although live organic matter is not supposed to adversely affect soil's physical properties, the dead gelatinous organic matter in thatch swells in the presence of water during decomposition and plugs the soil macropores (air-filled pores), causing low oxygen levels in the root zones.
Extensive root death during persistent wet and hot conditions plugs the air-filled pores causing a decrease in the infiltration rate as well as oxygen stress. Increased accumulation of organic matter causes anaerobic conditions, which further slows the rate of organic matter decomposition. Grasses generally produce more adventitious roots (surface roots) during anaerobic conditions, further increasing organic matter content. Although a small amount of organic matter reduces surface hardness, moderates soil temperature extremes, increases the resilience and improves wear tolerance of turfgrass surface, excessive thatch and mat layers are undesirable in turfgrass. Unfortunately, control and management of thatch and mat layer buildup poses a challenge.
Cultural or mechanical practices like core-aeration, vertical mowing, grooming, and application of topdressing (such as sand) have been used to manage the thatch-mat buildup but have not proven sufficiently effective. These cultural practices are also intensive in terms of cost, energy, and labor, and some may cause adverse effects on turfgrass quality and site-use for a period of time.
Thatch-mat layer results due to a more rapid rate of organic matter accumulation than degradation. It is believed that the rate of thatch degradation, and most microbial degradation mechanisms, are restricted by the presence of lignin, a plant cell wall constituent that is resistant to microbial degradation. Lignin is a 3-dimensional amorphous polymer with a random and unorganized methoxylated phenyl propane structure that serves as a barrier in the cell walls to limit the accessibility to the more biodegradable plant materials, such as cellulose and hemicelluloses, by microbial degraders. Natural degradation of lignin is carried out in the environment by certain white-rot fungi which solubilize and mineralize lignin with the help of lignolytic enzymes thus exposing cellulosic materials for further bacterial degradation in the environment.
White rot fungi are recognized as one of the few active lignin degrading microorganisms found in the nature. Oxidative enzymes produced by fungi are able to attack the aromatic contents in lignin and produce free radicals, leading to degradation of lignin. White-rot fungi preferentially attack lignin over cellulose or hemicellulose in the wood tissue. This process of selective delignification exposes cellulosic materials for further bacterial degradation in the environment. Thatch is high in lignin, and, for this reason, turfgrass species high in lignin content are more resistant to decomposition.
Oxidative enzymes such as laccases, lignin peroxidases and manganese peroxidases produced by white rot fungi attack the aromatic components of lignin and contribute to its effective degradation. They have been used in the pulp and paper industry to remove lignin from wood pulp. Laccases, the multi copper oxidases, act on a wide variety of aromatic compounds by reducing oxygen to water.

Methods and compositions using fungal laccases to reduce turf thatch

University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc.


A method and apparatus for applying fluoride to the teeth of a patient. The apparatus includes a dental tray, which is sized and shaped to fit between the upper and lower sets of the patient's teeth. The dental tray is preferably a unitary block of a disposable, deformable material, having a top surface and a bottom surface into which simultaneous dental impressions of the upper and lower sets of teeth are to be made. The side wall of the dental tray includes a groove, which extends around the perimeter of the dental tray. The apparatus further includes an evacuation tube. The evacuation tube has a first end which is adapted to communicate with a source of suction, such as a saliva ejector. The remainder of the evacuation tube has a plurality of apertures which serve as entry ports through which displaced fluoride solution, saliva and other debris are aspirated. The first end of the evacuation tube is disposed near the front of the dental tray, and the remainder of the tube is frictionally mounted within the groove of the dental tray. In use, the apparatus is inserted into the mouth of the patient, and impressions of the upper and lower sets of teeth are made in the top and bottom surfaces, respectively. An appropriate amount of fluoride solution is painted onto the impressions, the evacuation tube is connected to a saliva ejector, and the apparatus is reinserted into the patient's mouth.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to dental tools, appliances, and the like and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for applying fluoride to the teeth of a patient.
2. Description of Related Art
The benefits associated with the treatment of teeth with fluoride have long been recognized. Unfortunately, however, fluoride treatments, as currently administered by dentists, are frequently unpleasant experiences for patients. The typical method by which dentists administer fluoride to patients is as follows: Two dental trays, each in the form of a U-shaped trough and each made of a non-deformable material, are coated on their inner surfaces with a syrupy solution containing fluoride. Both trays are then inserted into the mouth of the patient, one tray for the upper set of teeth, the other tray for the lower set of teeth. The patient then bites into the fluoride-covered trays, i.e. inserts his teeth into the trough-shaped trays, and allows the fluoride solution to coat his teeth for the necessary period of time.
One problem with the foregoing method is that, by biting into the fluoride-covered trays, the patient displaces some of the fluoride solution from the dental trays into his mouth. This is undesirable as most patients do not wish to have the fluoride solution in their mouths, where it can accidentally be swallowed. Therefore, to remove the displaced fluoride solution from the patient's mouth, the dentist typically places an evacuation tube (which is connected at one end to a source of suction) into the patient's mouth between the two dental trays. In addition to removing the displaced fluoride solution, the evacuation tube is also used to withdraw saliva and other debris from the patient's mouth which may make the patient uncomfortable.
This approach, however, is not entirely satisfactory because the evacuation tube, by virtue of being physically constrained to the area between the two dental trays, is unable to withdraw from the patient's mouth much of the displaced fluoride solution, saliva and other debris that accumulates in the area around the patient's teeth, gums, and cheeks. Another problem with the above-described technique is that it involves placing two, rather bulky, dental trays and an evacuation tube in the patient's mouth. For obvious reasons, this can be quite uncomfortable to the patient.

Dental fluoride applicator and method for using same


A ceramic substrate includes: a substrate body formed by laminating a plurality of ceramic layers and including a first and second opposing principal surfaces and a peripheral portion having a positioning portion; a first conductor pad formed on the first principal surface; a second conductor pad formed on the second principal surface and having a diameter smaller than that of the first conductor pad. The positioning portion includes first and second through holes that individually pass through respective ceramic layers and are connected to each other in an axial direction. The first through hole passes through the first principal surface. The second through hole passes through the second principal surface and has a cross-sectional area that is smaller than that of the first through hole. At least apart of a peripheral edge of a ceramic layer defining the second through hole is visible through the first through hole.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ceramic substrate that has a small relative misalignment between conductor layers formed on the surface and the back of a substrate body made of ceramic and includes the conductor layers formed with high positional accuracy, and a method of manufacturing the ceramic substrate.
2. Description of Related Art
To reduce a misalignment between layers of a plurality of ceramic green sheets and to suppress the deterioration of electrical characteristics caused by the misalignment of wiring patterns between the layers, there is proposed a method of manufacturing a ceramic multilayer wiring board. The method includes a first process for forming a plurality of print positioning/reading recognition holes in a ceramic green sheet becoming the lowermost layer later; a second process for detecting print positions by image processing on the basis of the recognition holes as the reference and printing wiring patterns on the surface of the green sheet; a third process for temporarily attaching a ceramic green sheet, which forms the next layer including windows larger than the recognition holes at the positions corresponding to the positions of the recognition holes in advance, to the green sheet; and a fourth process for detecting print positions by image processing through the windows on the basis of the recognition holes as the reference and printing wiring patterns on the surface of the green sheet forming the next layer. Further, in the method, wiring patterns are printed on a required number of ceramic green sheets through the repetition of the third and fourth processes (for example, see JP-A-2001-339160 (pages 1 to 7, FIGS. 1 (1) to (5)).
However, according to the method of manufacturing the ceramic wiring substrate, it is possible to accurately set the print positions of the wiring patterns between the plurality of green sheets but it is very difficult to accurately form a conductor layer at each predetermined position in plan view on both the surface and the back of the substrate body where a plurality of ceramic layers are laminated.
For example, in the above-mentioned method, it is very difficult to form conductor layers at the same positions in plan view on both the surface and the back of the substrate body with high positional accuracy.

Ceramic substrate and method of manufacturing the same


An imaging member is disclosed with a charge transport layer comprising a dimethyl terphenyl diamine having the structure of Formula (I):

The present disclosure, in various exemplary embodiments, relates generally to electrophotographic imaging members and, more specifically, to layered photoreceptor structures having a charge transport layer comprising certain terphenyl diamines.
Electrophotographic imaging members, i.e. photoreceptors, typically include a photoconductive layer formed on an electrically conductive substrate. The photoconductive layer is an insulator in the dark so that electric charges can be retained on its surface. Upon exposure to light, the charge is dissipated.
An electrostatic latent image is formed on the photoreceptor by first uniformly depositing an electric charge over the surface of the photoconductive layer by one of the many known means in the art. The photoconductive layer functions as a charge storage capacitor with charge on its free surface and an equal charge of opposite polarity on the conductive substrate. A light image is then projected onto the photoconductive layer. The portions of the layer that are not exposed to light retain their surface charge. After development of the latent image with toner particles to form a toner image, the toner image is usually transferred to a receiving substrate, such as paper.
A photoreceptor usually comprises a supporting substrate, a charge generating layer, and a charge transport layer ("CTL"). For example, in a negative charging system, the photoconductive imaging member may comprise a supporting substrate, an electrically conductive layer, an optional charge blocking layer, an optional adhesive layer, a charge generating layer, a charge transport layer, and an optional protective or overcoat layer. In various embodiments, the charge transport layer may be one single layer or may comprise multiple layers having the same or different compositions at the same or different concentrations.
The charge transport layer usually comprises, at a minimum, charge transporting molecules ("CTMs") dissolved in a polymer binder resin, the layer being substantially non-absorbing in a spectral region of intended use, for example, visible light, while also being active in that the injection of photogenerated charges from the charge generating layer can be accomplished. Further, the charge transport layer allows for the efficient transport of charges to the free surface of the transport layer.
When a charge is generated in the charge generating layer, it should be efficiently injected into the charge transport molecule in the charge transport layer. The charge should also be transported across the charge transport layer in a short time, more specifically in a time period shorter than the time duration between the exposing and developing steps in an imaging device. The transit time across the charge transport layer is determined by the charge carrier mobility in the charge transport layer. The charge carrier mobility is the velocity per unit field and has dimensions of cm2/V sec. The charge carrier mobility is generally a function of the structure of the charge transport molecule, the concentration of the charge transport molecule in the charge transport layer, and the electrically "inactive" binder polymer in which the charge transport molecule is dispersed.
The charge carrier mobility must be high enough to move the charges injected into the charge transport layer during the exposure step across the charge transport layer during the time interval between the exposure step and the development step. To achieve maximum discharge or sensitivity for a fixed exposure, the photoinjected charges must transit the transport layer before the imagewise exposed region of the photoreceptor arrives at the development station. To the extent the carriers are still in transit when the exposed segment of the photoreceptor arrives at the development station, the discharge is reduced and hence the contrast potentials available for development are also reduced. The transit time of charges across the charge transport layer and charge carrier mobility are related to each other by the expression transit time=(transport layer thickness)2/(mobility×applied voltage).
It is known in the art to increase the concentration of the charge transport molecule dissolved or molecularly dispersed in the binder. However, phase separation or crystallization sets an upper limit to the concentration of the transport molecules that can be dispersed in a binder. One way of increasing the solubility of the charge transport molecule is to attach long alkyl groups onto the transport molecules. However, these alkyl groups are "inactive" and do not transport charge. For a given concentration of charge transport molecule, a larger side chain can actually reduce the charge carrier mobility. A second factor that reduces the charge carrier mobility is the dipole content of the charge transport molecule in their side groups as well as that of the binder in which the molecules are dispersed.
One charge transport molecule known in the art is N,N′-diphenyl-N,N′-bis(3-methylphenyl)-[1,1′-biphenyl]-4,4′-diamine (TPD). TPD has a zero-field mobility of about 1.38×10−6 cm2/V sec at a concentration of 40 weight percent in polycarbonate. Zero-field mobility μ0 is the mobility extrapolated down to vanishing fields, i.e., the field E in μ=μ0 exp(βE0.5) is set to zero. In general the field dependence expressed by β is weak.
There continues to be a need for an improved imaging member having a charge transport layer with high carrier charge mobility. Such an imaging member would allow for increases in the speed of imaging devices such as printers and copiers.

Abstract: wherein n is an integer from 0 to about 18. The resulting imaging member has enhanced performance properties.


A concentrated-mass device including a main oscillating mass held radially in a horizontal plane by main resilient means inside a casing suitable for being secured to the hub is provided. The device includes a secondary main oscillating mass suspended by secondary resilient means inside a recess in said main oscillating mass to oscillate along a vertical axis perpendicular to the horizontal plane, the secondary oscillating mass being constrained to move in translation together with the main oscillating mass in the horizontal plane.

To mitigate that drawback, devices have been made that are arranged on the rotor head. In a first solution, devices are known that seek to concentrate an oscillating mass in the vicinity of the axis of rotation of the rotor, which devices are referred to as "concentrated-mass devices" for convenience.
According to document FR 2 416 838, a first concentrated-mass device is mounted on the top portion of the hub in order to reduce said vibration.
That first concentrated-mass device includes an oscillating mass that is held radially in a housing that is secured to the hub by resilient means. The mass is also fastened to the top end of a rod.
The rod is placed substantially on the axis of rotation of the rotor in a recess in the rotor mast of the rotor. The bottom end of the rod is then hinged at a point that is situated on the axis of rotation of the rotor.
Thus, with the resilient means tending to keep the oscillating mass in a rest position, the oscillating mass moves in a plane that is substantially parallel to the top portion of the lift rotor hub, i.e. in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the vertical axis of rotation of the rotor. The oscillating mass then directly opposes the vibration generated by the rotor.
However, the forces that induce the vibration that is to be reduced and that is generated in a rotor head may be described by a force torque, sometimes referred to by the person skilled in the art as the "rotor head torque". The rotor head torque is then made up of three moments together with three resultant forces relative to three mutually perpendicular axes, namely:                two axes referred to, for convenience below, as the "first and second resultant axes" defining a plane referred to below as the "first resultant plane" extending parallel to the top portion of the rotor hub and thus substantially perpendicular to the vertical axis of rotation of the rotor; and        an axis referred to below as the "third resultant axis" that is perpendicular to said first resultant plane.
The first concentrated-mass device is then effective in filtering the resultant forces of the "rotor head torque" along the first and second resultant axes that are substantially parallel to the plane containing said oscillating mass, but is ineffective for the resultant force of the "rotor head torque" along the third resultant axis that is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the lift rotor and perpendicular to the plane containing the oscillating mass.
Furthermore, since the oscillating mass used is constant, the first device is particularly effective when the excitation frequency of the vibration that is to be reduced is close to the resonant frequency of said oscillating mass, which frequency is in fact constant.
The first concentrated-mass device is thus not really suitable for variable frequencies.
To remedy that, a second concentrated-mass device is disclosed in document FR 2 749 901.
Like the first concentrated-mass device, the second concentrated-mass device has a main oscillating mass held radially in a housing. In addition, it is provided with an adjuster oscillating mass suitable for sliding along the rod that is secured to the main oscillating mass and that is hinged at a point situated on the axis of rotation of the rotor.
By moving the adjuster oscillating mass, it then becomes possible to adapt the device so as to enable it to reduce vibration at varying frequencies.
Nevertheless, it continues not to filter the resultant forces of the "rotor head torque" along all three mutually perpendicular axes, in particular it does not filter vibration along the third resultant axis that is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the lift rotor.
Document FR 2 575 800 presents a vibration damper for a helicopter rotor hub, which damper is provided with a central oscillating mass suspended by mechanical and pneumatic springs inside an outer casing so as to be free to move along three mutually perpendicular directions.
Thus, a single mass is used for combating all three resultant forces of the "rotor head torque".
Although effective, that damper is limited by the fact that the excitation along the third resultant axis differs from the excitation along the first and second resultant axes. As a result that device is difficult to tune.
In the same manner, Document EP 0 790 180 provides for suspending a central oscillating mass by a plurality of springs, the central oscillating mass also being arranged on a movement limiter extending along a vertical axis.
Finally, document U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,273 discloses the possibility of suspending a central mass in a casing by means of springs.
It should be observed that unlike the first above-mentioned solution, a second solution seeks to distribute the oscillating masses about the axis of rotation of the lift rotor by means of devices that are referred to as "distributed mass devices" for convenience.
Document WO 2005/079200 presents a first distributed mass device having two coaxial masses and control means, the control means being suitable for controlling the angular velocity of said masses and their relative angular position.
Like the first and second concentrated-mass devices, the first distributed mass device appears to be insufficient to counter the resultant forces of the "rotor head torque" along three mutually perpendicular axes, and more particularly to counter the resultant force along the third resultant axis that is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the lift rotor.
Similarly, Document FR 2 435 391 presents a second distributed mass device having two masses fastened to a shaft passing through the cuff connecting the blade to the hub of a lift rotor.
Document FR 2 808 256 presents a third distributed mass device provided with oscillating masses located between the blades.
Each oscillating mass is then connected by a pivoting connection to an arm of a support secured to the rotor hub in such a manner as to constitute a pendulum.
Under those conditions, the third distributed mass device would appear to be capable of countering the resultant forces of the "rotor head torque" along three mutually perpendicular axes.
However, it is particularly difficult to adjust the third distributed mass device, which device is effective either in countering the resultant forces of the "rotor head torque" along the first and second resultant axes substantially parallel to the plane containing the support of the masses, or else it is effective in countering the resultant force of the "rotor head torque" along the third resultant axis that is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the lift rotor.
Document FR 2 733 483 presents a fourth distributed mass device having at least one pendular body mounted on the rotor so as to be capable of oscillating about a pendular movement axis that is spaced apart from the center of inertia of the pendular body.
Consequently, the state of the art provides either devices that are suitable for filtering the resultant forces of the "rotor head torque" along one or two axes, or else devices that are suitable for filtering the resultant forces of the "rotor head torque" along three mutually perpendicular axes, but that are relatively difficult to adjust to obtain results that are of good performance along all three mutually perpendicular axes.

Concentrated-mass device for reducing vibration generated by a rotorcraft lift rotor, and a rotor hub fitted with such a device


An image formation apparatus, for forming an image using color developers and a transparent developer, includes: a color developer threshold memory unit configured to store a color developer maximum threshold for each point of interest; a transparent developer threshold memory unit configured to store a transparent developer threshold for each point of interest; and an image signal converter configured to make color correction of the color developers in received image data when the image data contains a portion where a total amount of the color developers exceeds a color developer maximum threshold, and issue an instruction to apply the transparent toner to a portion where the total amount is not more than the transparent developer threshold.

1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure relates to image formation apparatuses, and more particularly, to an image formation apparatus capable of adjusting image glossiness using a transparent toner in addition to cyan, magenta, yellow and black color toners.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, there have been image formation apparatuses for printing using cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) color toners (hereinafter referred to as CMYK color toners), and a transparent toner (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-152209 (Pages 2 to 3, FIG. 1).
Some of the conventional image formation apparatuses that are capable of printing using CMYK color toners and a transparent toner create a histogram based on signal values of CMYK pixels contained in received image data, and select one of the following three printing modes on the basis of the histogram:
(1) if the highlight region including the non-printing portion is small, then printing is made with CMYK color toners at a low speed for glossiness;
(2) if the highlight region including the non-printing portion is large, then printing is made with CMYK color toners and a transparent toner at the normal speed; and
(3) if the region is large where a total amount of CMYK toners and a transparent toner superposed on the CMYK color toner image exceeds an upper limit total amount for the image formation apparatus, then printing is made twice (in two passes) with CMYK color toners at normal speed plus a transparent toner at normal speed.
However, for an image formation apparatus that adjusts image glossiness using a transparent toner in addition to color toners, it is difficult to obtain a glossy image by applying the transparent toner efficiently and effectively.


A suture guiding device comprising a tubular shaft having opposite ends which are distal and proximal relative to a person holding the device for use in a suturing procedure, the distal end of the shaft being adapted to be inserted into a patient during the procedure. A suture guide is mounted at the distal end of the shaft for rotation relative to the shaft about an axis extending endwise with respect to the shaft. The guide has a guide surface for guiding a suture needle. A hand-operable control device is mounted on the shaft generally adjacent its proximal end. The guide and the control device are connected whereby hand-operation of the control device effects rotation of the guide to selectively adjust the suture-guiding position of the guide surface.

The present invention relates to a suture guiding device, specifically, but not limited to, the type used during a radical prostatectomy procedure or anastomosing two tubular structures.
At the present time, there are few suture guide techniques. For many years surgeons have been using a Foley catheter, perineal pressure, or traction suture to facilitate the placement of the suture 10 during anastomosis of the urethra to the bladder neck. The retraction of the short urethral stump has made this a technical challenge.
More recently suture guides have been developed to improve the anastomosis.
For example, the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,897,820, (Robert Tauber) is used to ligate tissue structures by guiding the curved needle after it has passed through body tissue or anastomosing large diameter tubular structures, but it is not suitable to anastomose the urethral stump because of the physical constraints of the male body. His device can place sutures only in one location. This makes it impossible to place subsequent sutures around the urethral stump.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,164 (Robert A. Roth) describes a suture guide that is a modification of the standard urethral sound as Dr. Robert W. Taylor shows in his 1904 edition of Practical Treatise On Genito-Urinary Venereal Diseases And Syphilis book. Roth's device includes at least one groove which extends from the tip of the sound into the curved portion of the sound. However, if only one deep groove is provided, a suture can be placed only in one position with respect to the stump because the suture guide cannot be rotated inside the male urethra. Thus, if more than one suture location is required, it is necessary to withdraw the sound from the patient and replace it with another sound containing a groove in a different location which is then reinserted into the patient. It is necessary to repeat this procedure as many times as the number of sutures required. Obviously, this is time-consuming and technically cumbersome. As it can be seen in Roth's illustration, if more than one groove is placed around the sound, this configuration will require very shallow grooves. These shallow grooves will guide the needle at an angle that will cause it to embed deep into the surrounding tissue as it advances through the urethral stump. The retrieval of the needle then becomes very difficult. Roth attempted to solve the problem of urethral stump retraction by adding expanding elements to push the urethral stump outward. However, this addition to the guide risks potential damage to the urethral stump by tearing the urethral tissue. Other patents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,043 (James E. Gottesman), show suture guiding devices which incorporate an interchangeable, freely rotatable tip on a urethral sound. Mr Gottesman's invention does not have a slit in the tip of his suture guide. Furthermore, rotation of the tip cannot be controlled externally but instead requires manipulation of the tip inside the body cavity at the suture end. Since the tip is freely rotatable, it is difficult to stabilize during suture placement.