The present invention provides: an assay method that uses a compound represented by formula (I) as a fluorescent probe molecule and that is for detecting the lipid peroxidation suppression activity of a test compound; an assay kit that uses the assay method; a screening method that uses the assay method; and a pharmaceutical composition that is for the treatment, etc. of diseases (such as age-related macular degeneration) that are induced by lipid peroxidation reactions.

Diseases involving lipid radicals in lipid peroxidation reactions span a wide range of disease areas such as the cardiovascular system, the central nervous system, the respiratory system, and antibacterial drugs (Non Patent Literature 1) (see FIG. 1). However, for the diseases caused by lipid peroxidation reaction, a large number of lipid peroxides and their metabolites are involved in each disease. Thus, it is not easy to explore useful therapeutic drugs for each disease. Until now, many antioxidants have been known, but few have been approved as pharmaceuticals. Thus, it is required to provide a drug that exhibits lipid peroxidation reactions inhibitory effects.
As methods for exploring an active drug, screening methods are known. Several methods (for example, TBARs method) are known as methods for measuring lipid peroxidation reaction inhibition. However, these methods have problems such as a wide range of objects to be measured; the inability to measure samples of different absorption wavelengths when utilizing the principles of fluorescence or absorption; or the complexity of procedures such as pH manipulation or heating. Thus, there is a demand for the establishment of an assay method that specializes in the detection of lipid peroxidation reactions and that allows multi-analyte analysis under mild conditions close to those of living organisms.
The inventors of the present invention have so far developed excellent profluorescent nitroxide probe compounds capable of capturing lipid radicals (Patent Literature 1).
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is known to be a disease with high unmet medical needs in which treatment satisfaction is low and contribution of drugs for the treatment is low. Age-related macular degeneration is categorized based on pathogenic mechanism into two types, the atrophic (dry) and the exudative (wet). In the United States, atrophic (dry) patients accounts for a large proportion of about 85% to about 90%, while in Japan, exudative (wet) patients accounts for a large proportion of about 92%. However, effective therapeutic drugs for the atrophic (dry) disease are not known. Moreover, therapeutic drugs effective for treating and suppressing progression of age-related macular degeneration have not been developed from antioxidants.

Therapeutic drug for lipid-peroxidation-induced diseases and screening method for therapeutic drugs for lipid-peroxidation-induced diseases


There is provided a silicone rubber composition whose compression set in a higher temperature range, particularly at 200° C. or higher, in a silicone rubber to be obtained is sufficiently suppressed. A heat curable silicone rubber composition contains: (A) 100 parts by mass of a polyorganosiloxane having an average degree of polymerization of 500 to 20,000 and having two or more alkenyl groups in a molecule; (B) 5 to 100 parts by mass of a filler; (C) an effective amount of an organic peroxide; and (D) 0.06 to 15 parts by mass of a hydrous cerium oxide and/or a hydrous zirconium oxide each having one absorption band in 3300 to 3500 cm−1 and two or more absorption bands in 1300 to 1700 cm−1 in infrared absorption spectrum measurement.

It has been conventionally known that when oxide or hydroxide of cerium or zirconium is compounded into a silicone rubber, the silicone rubber to be obtained improves in heat resistance and compression set (see, for example, Patent Reference 1 (JP-B 1961-006189 (KOKOKU)) and Patent Reference 2 (JP-B 1962-000837 (KOKOKU))). Further, in order to impart better heat resistance and compression set to a silicone rubber, for example, a silicone rubber in which silica carrying oxide particle of cerium, nickel, iron, or cobalt is highly dispersed (see Patent Reference 3 (JP-B 1991-012586 (KOKOKU))) and a silicone elastomer containing cerium oxide having an increased BET specific surface area (see Patent Reference 4 (JP-A 1990-045564 (KOKAI))) have been suggested.
However, according to Patent Reference 5 (WO 2008/082001 A1), an uncured silicone rubber composition in which cerium oxide powder is compounded has a problem of increasing in viscosity or generating gel if it is let stand at a temperature above 70° C. Hence, Patent Reference 5 discloses that a heat curing silicone rubber composition excellent in thermal stability during manufacture and in an uncured state and excellent in heat resistance after curing can be provided by specifying the total light transmittance when a predetermined amount of cerium oxide powder is dispersed in an uncured silicone rubber composition.
Note that though preferable properties such as the surface characteristics are specified about oxide and hydroxide of cerium and zirconium in view of improvement in heat resistance and compression set of a silicone rubber containing the above in the conventional technique, the relation between the chemical structural characteristics of these compounds and the heat resistance and compression set of the silicone rubber containing them has not been made clear yet.
In such a situation, it has been desired to develop a silicone rubber composition capable of manufacturing a silicon rubber whose compression set in a higher temperature range, for example, in a temperature range of 200° C. or higher, is sufficiently suppressed by selectively using a chemical compound which is capable of improving the compression set in the higher temperature range by being compounded into the silicone rubber from among cerium compounds and zirconium compounds.

Heat curable silicone rubber composition

Momentive Performance Materials Japan LLC


A traction runner for a snow ski is fabricated of a lightweight metal such as aluminum and is formed on its upper surface with a channel in which mounting members are fixed. A channel is formed also in the lower surface and a carbide wear strip is brazed through induction heating to the aluminum runner body.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to wear bars or traction runners or bars used on the lower running surface of a ski for a snowmobile or the like to reduce wear on the skis and to improve steering traction, particularly on icy surfaces.
2. Related Art
It is common in the field of performance snowmobiling to outfit the skis of the snowmobile with wear bars or runners in order to improve the steering traction and thus handling of the snowmobile. The use of such traction runners is particularly common for races carried out on an ice track.
The typical traction bar used in performance racing of snowmobiles is constructed from a length of steel rod that serves as the body of the traction bar. A pair of threaded studs are welded to the top side of the bar and are received in associated mounting holes provided in the skis to enable the wear bar to be mounted removably on the skis by corresponding fastener nuts threaded onto the mounting studs on the top side of the skis. An opposite lower side of the wear bar is typically formed to include a channel in which a wear strip of carbide material is metallurgically bonded and finished to a knife edge to present a sharp, wear-resistant traction strip extending lengthwise of the ski and acting to bite into the terrain to provide enhanced traction and steerability, particularly on icy terrain.
One drawback to the use of wear bars is the weight which they add to the snow machine. However, the benefits resulting from the increased traction and handling far outweigh the negative effects of added weight, and thus the use of traction bars of the general type described above have become accepted as an essential accessory for use in performance snowmobile racing. Prior to this invention, efforts to use lighter weight materials for the traction bar, such as aluminum, have failed due to the inability to find a suitable way to form a metallurgical bond of the aluminum traction bar and ceramic wear strip insert that would hold up under the abusive conditions that such traction strips are subjected to, including repeated pounding and torquing from sudden impacts with the terrain and frequent changes in the steering direction. These forces introduce stress at the interface of the ceramic wear strip and the parent traction bar materials, causing a poorly bonded carbide wear strip of the prior aluminum traction bars to fail and separate from the aluminum body. It is an object of the present invention to overcome or greatly minimize the disadvantages and limitations of the prior traction bars.

Snowmobile runner and method of manufacture

International Engineering and Manufacturin, Inc.


Disclosed are a highly efficient neopentyl glycol preparation method and a device therefor. The method includes adding a hydroxypivaldehyde solution and hydrogen to a hydrogenation reactor that includes a hydrogenation catalyst. The hydroxypivaldehyde solution includes 6 to 30% by weight of hydroxypivaldehyde, 35 to 70% by weight of neopentyl glycol, 10 to 30% by weight of alcohol, and 10 to 30% by weight of water.

Neopentyl glycol (NPG), a white crystalline material having a melting point of 130° C. or more, is used as an important intermediate in a variety of synthetic resins and broadly used in industries as a raw material of various plastic coating powders, synthetic lubricating oils, plasticizers, surfactants, fiber treatment agents, etc.
Such NPG is generally prepared by preparing hydroxypivaldehyde (HPA) through aldol-condensation of isobutyraldehyde and formaldehyde and then reacting the HPA with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst.
In the reaction, high-temperature heating should be carried out such that the HPA raw material can maintain a liquid state thereof in the section of the feed vessel to the inlet of the hydrogenation reactor. Thereby, neopentyl glycol hydroxypivalate (HPNE) as a by-product with a high boiling point, is generated before the HPA raw material is fed into the hydrogenation reactor, and thus, the content of the HPA is decreased from the inlet of the hydrogenation reactor. Finally, the content of NPG generated after hydrogenation is decreased, and the contents of by-products such as HPNE are rather increased.
Like this, the process of preparing NPG through hydrogenation of HPA has problems as follows: large amounts of by-products such as esters and iso-butanol are generated due to a high-temperature operation condition. In particular, the boiling point of an ester residue such as HPNE generated through Reaction Formula 1 below is similar to that of NPG, whereby it is very difficult to perform separation through distillation and activity of a hydrogenation catalyst is decreased.

Generation rates and amounts of the by-products are known to increase with increasing temperature due to sensitivity thereof to temperature. However, complete liquefaction of an HPA raw material becomes impossible when temperature is lowered, and thus, reactivity is decreased. On the other hand, when the HPA raw material is exposed to high temperature so as to increase reactivity, by-products are greatly increased.
At present, NPG preparation technology of converting an HPA raw material present as a solid at room temperature into a liquid state by elevating temperature to about 70° C. so as to minimize generation of by-products and then feeding the HPA raw material along with a hydrogen gas into a hydrogenation reactor is known. However, the technology still has great disadvantages such as low yield and high purification costs.

Highly efficient neopentyl glycol preparation method and device therefor

Abstract: The neopentyl glycol preparation method does not require separate heating in a section of a feed vessel to an inlet of a hydrogenation reactor unlike conventional technologies to save energy, and, at the same time, by-products with a high boiling point are not generated in the section to prevent poisoning of a hydrogenation catalyst in a reactor due to the by-products with a high boiling point and increase a hydrogenation yield, and a device therefor can be provided.


A heat curable fluorosilicone rubber composition having improved heat stability without a sacrifice in physical properties is provided by using critical amounts of cerium hydroxide and red iron oxide in the preparation of the curable fluorosilicone composition.

The present invention relates to fluorosilicone rubber compositions. More particularly, the present invention relates to additives which increase the heat stability of fluorosilicone rubber compositions.
Fluorosilicone rubbers are useful in the preparation of hoses, seals, gaskets, and linings for fuel tanks and for electrical insulation which is subjected to fuels, lubricating oils and hydraulic fluids. These applications require such rubbers to possess certain physical properties, such as high tear strength, high elongation, and low compression set. In addition to the foregoing properties, fluorosilicone rubber compositions used in the applications described above must also be heat stable.
Silicone rubbers are generally stable at temperatures below about 150.degree. C. and may be used at temperatures up to about 260.degree. C. and even up to 315.degree. C. for short periods of time. However, at temperatures above about 200.degree. C. for extended periods of time, silicone rubbers tend to deteriorate rapidly. Fluorosilicone rubbers are even less heat stable than their non-fluoro-containing silicone rubber analogs because the fluorosilicone rubbers are more susceptible to siloxane bond cleavage and oxidative degradation. Since fluorosilicone rubbers are generally used at elevated temperatures in many of their applications, deterioration at such temperatures is highly undesirable.
It is known in the art that amphoteric metal oxides and hydroxides inhibit the oxidation and decomposition of fluorosilicone rubber over the range of 250.degree.-300.degree. C. Reference is made, for example, to E. L. Warrick, et al., Rubber Chemistry and Technology 52,442-443 (1979).
U.S. Pat. No. 3,647,741 (Hutchison) discloses the use of fumed titanium dioxide to improve the heat stability and compression set of silicone elastomers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,121 (Evans) teaches the use of a rare earth octoate as a heat stabilizer.
However, while amphoteric metal oxides and hydroxides provide a fluorosilicone rubber with adequate resistance to heat aging, such compounds adversely affect certain of the rubber's physical properties, e.g., hardness, elongation, and tear strength. With these compounds, the fluorosilicone rubber's Durometer hardness increases while the elongation and tear strength decrease.
It is desirable therefore to provide a method for improving the heat stability of a heat curable fluorosilicone rubber composition without sacrificing the physical properties of the rubber composition.
Such a method, as well as the improved heat curable fluorosilicone composition resulting therefrom, is provided by the present invention.
The present invention is based on the discovery that a combination of red iron oxide and cerium hydroxide, each in critical amounts, will enhance a fluorosilicone rubber's resistance to thermal aging at elevated temperatures, e.g., 200.degree. C. and higher, without sacrificing the rubber's physical properties.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,528 to Bush et al. (Bush) discloses the use of iron oxide as a heat aging additive and the use of cerium hydroxide as a compression set resistance promoter in a fluorosilicone composition. However, the Bush patent does not teach that critical amounts of cerium hydroxide and iron oxide will increase the heat stability of a fluorosilicone composition.
The combination of red iron oxide and cerium hydroxide in critical amounts has a synergistic effect on the heat stability of the fluorosilicone rubber in that the combination of the two ingredients will provide superior heat stability than the use of either component alone or in combination with other heat age additives.

Heat stable fluorosilicone rubber compositions


By providing a magnifying member which is securely affixed to the housing of a combination padlock in cooperating association with the rotating dials thereof, an easily produced, combination padlock is achieved which provides a display zone for the pre-set combination wherein the indicia formed on each of the dials is easily seen and readily visible for any user. By positioning the magnifying member in overlying, aligned relationship with the rotatable dials, the visibility of the indicia formed on each dial is greatly enhanced. As a result, any user is able to immediately determine and recognize the different indicia formed on each rotatable dial, and quickly position the combination of indicia which represent the preselected combination for releasing the shackle from locked engagement with the housing.

Numerous padlock constructions have been developed and are widely employed by individuals to prevent unauthorized persons from gaining access to any particular item or area which has been closed and locked. Although many locks are constructed to be opened by a key, numerous combination lock constructions have been developed which are opened by knowledge of a particular combination.
One particular type of combination lock that has become very popular due to its ease and convenience of use is a combination lock which employs a plurality of rotatable independent dials, each of which forms one of the indicia, usually numerals or letters, which comprise the combination for releasing the lock. Typically, the combination lock has one mode or position in which the user is able to set or reset the desired combination sequence. Although locks of this general nature have been available for several decades, these prior art combination lock constructions suffer from common deficiencies which have not been successfully overcome.
Although many manufacturers have attempted to solve the problems associated with rotatable dial or combination locks, one principal difficulty and drawback these prior art constructions have been unable to overcome is a construction which provides an easily seen visual display to the user when the desired combination is being entered. In such instances when the known combination is not easily seen and properly entered, the entire combination lock is incapable of being opened, since the user is unable to release the shackle from locked engagement with the housing.
In addition, although key operated locks do not suffer from the difficulty of having the combination changed or altered without the user's knowledge, users are frequently incapable of using key operated locks, due to the key being lost or misplaced. As a result, prior art key operated locks are also frequently discarded due to the user's inability to find a particular key for operating the lock.
Another common problem which has consistently plagued prior art constructions is the cost of construction for producing and assembling prior art padlocks, whether the padlock is key operated or combination operated. In order to attain a padlock which provides all of the features desired by consumers, prior art constructions typically incorporate numerous small components, each of which require expensive assembly procedures to produce the final product. As a result, these prior art lock constructions are expensive to produce, thereby reducing the ability of these locks to reach a broad base of consumers.
Another problem commonly found with prior art padlocks is the inability of these prior art constructions to prevent contaminants from reaching the rotatable, internal component of the lock, thereby causing damage to these components or interfering with the ease of operating the lock by an individual who either knows the actual combination or has the activating key. Although numerous attempts have been made to reduce the adverse effects caused by contaminants reaching these components, such attempts have been incapable of completely eliminating in this problem.
A final, still further difficulty, which has recently arisen and affects both combination locks and key operated locks, is a requirement that all secured locks must be broken by Customs officers, and/or inspection or security personnel in order to gain access to luggage which is deemed suspicious. Under new security regulations that is being implemented, all luggage must be scanned or inspected to prevent the transportation of potentially dangerous items or products which are deemed to be undesirable. In those instances when luggage is scanned and further visual inspection is required, the inspectors have the authority to open the luggage for visual inspection, including physically breaking any lock which may be on the luggage.
Consequently, with these new regulations presently implemented, all prior art lock systems which are incapable of being opened by inspectors and/or security personnel are subject to be physically broken, in order to gain access to any luggage which needs to be visually inspected. As a result, consumers will now be faced with the possibility that any lock system employed to protect the contents of a suitcase can be physically removed by security personnel, leaving the luggage completely unprotected during the remainder of the trip.
Therefore, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a combination padlock construction which enables the indicia formed on the rotatable dials to be easily seen and be highly visible.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination lock construction having the characteristic features described above wherein the combination defining zone is prominently displayed in an easily seen and readily recognized position.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination padlock construction having the characteristic features described above which employs a minimum number of components and is quickly and easily assembled, thereby providing a combination lock capable of being constructed at competitive prices.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination lock construction having the characteristic features described above which effectively seals the rotating components from external contamination and effectively prevents any external contaminants from reaching the rotating components thereof.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination padlock construction having a characteristic features described above which also incorporates a key operated section for enabling all of the requirements of customs officers and/or inspection or security personnel to be met while also enabling the user to completely control the combination section of the lock independently of the key controlled section.
Other and more specific objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

Magnifying lens cover for combination padlocks


A waste removal apparatus comprising a handle, housing portion for holding and dispensing bags, and a grabbing assembly actuated by a spring and pulley assembly contained in the handle. Grabbing assembly is further coupled to a first and second frame member wherein the frame members are capable of pivotally attaching to the housing portion. In another embodiment the first and second pivot arms have removable clamps that either secure the frame members for grabbing waste or detach from the frame members making them collapsible. In another embodiment, the housing portion is in the shape of a tube with a roller and also having a slotted groove disposed therein wherein disposable bags may be fitted around the roller and dispensed through the slotted groove. In another embodiment, the grabber assembly engaging the handle is comprised of a button, spring, spring arm with shoulder, and toothed elongated arm engaging the frame members.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a waste removal apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a hand-held, spring-actuated folding arm assembly capable of scooping up waste while securing it in an animal waste bag; a waste removal device with a portable means for carrying and dispensing bags for holding waste; and a waste removal device with a spring actuated leash for securing an animal.
2. Description of Related Prior Art
There are a number of animal waste removal systems currently available. Typically these include some form of apparatus for housing the waste and a handle or other method for opening and closing the waste housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,707 issued to Greenhut is a common example of waste removal. Using the Greenhut device a person holds the handle and either pushes the waste into the housing or 'sweeps' the housing along the ground to collect the waste. After that is done, the housing can then be sealed for later disposal.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,641,188 issued to Arceo utilizes a waste housing attached to a handle incorporating a lever for opening and closing a door in the housing. Further, a bag can be attached and removed from the opposite end of the waste housing to dispose of the waste.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,419 issued to Watanabe incorporates a retractable handle for grabbing waste when it is positioned over it.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,983,966 issued to Azrikam discloses a grabbing assembly motivated by a handle trigger that pulls a rod attached to a spring. The spring is then attached to a pair of pivotally attached cranks. When the rod is pulled up by the trigger, the cranks are pulled together and vice versa. A further disclosure by the Azrikam patent is that a standard bag (e.g., a shopping bag) can be fitted around the grabbing assembly. Once the jaws of the grabbing assembly are closed, it incorporates the waste into the bag which can be sealed and disposed of.
Yet, what is not incorporated into the Azrikam patent or any of the other above-referenced patents is an affordable yet portable solution to animal waste removal. The Azrikam patent is too complex to accommodate a more fungible commodity like other removal devices and, does not disclose a means for making waste removal truly portable by incorporating some way for the device to easily hold and use dispensing bags
What is needed is a mechanism that easily allows for a truly hand-held, portable device allowing for portable bag dispensing and disposal, retractable scooping assemblies, and simple handle actuating mechanisms.

Portable waste remover with integrated bag


An information processing apparatus displays document information obtained from a storing unit for storing document time/date information at which document data is processed and the document information including storing time/date information at which the document data is stored. The apparatus obtains displaying order information for deciding order of displaying the document information when the document information is displayed, sorts the document information in accordance with the obtained displaying order information, displays the sorted document information. The displaying order information is displaying order based on the storing time/date information. The document information is sorted in accordance with the storing time/date information in order from the old storing time/date information. on the basis of the storing time/date information of the document information, the document information in which a predetermined time has elapsed is displayed distinguishably from the document information in which the predetermined time has not elapsed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus for managing document data and displaying document information corresponding to the document data, its processing method, and its storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
When an image, a page of a document, or the like is displayed, a thumbnail (also referred to as a thumbnail image) is used as a reduced representative image in order to raise a visibility. Even if it is difficult to discriminate contents by file names or the like with respect to documents which are managed by folders or document management software in a PC (Personal Computer), by seeing the thumbnail, a whole image of the image or document can be easily recognized.
Therefore, an OS (Operating System) and many document management software have a thumbnail forming function. As a display format of the files, a list display in which bibliographic information of the document is displayed and a thumbnail display are performed.
As a displaying method of the thumbnails, there is a method whereby the thumbnails can be freely arranged in a display area of software, a method whereby the thumbnails are arranged and displayed in accordance with areas which were rezoned in a lattice shape in a display area, or the like.
In the case of arranging and displaying the thumbnails, as arranging order, the thumbnails are sorted and displayed in such order that they are horizontally arranged starting from the upper left position of the display area and reaching the right edge and are subsequently arranged from the left edge of the second column to the right edge of the second column.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-246582 discloses such a technique that in a display list area of thumbnails, the thumbnails are classified and displayed in the display area which were partitioned in a lattice shape on the basis of a plurality of management information.
However, according to the thumbnail display in the related art as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-246582, the documents are sorted based on the document names and thumbnail-displayed, or the documents are thumbnail-displayed every classification of the documents, or the documents are displayed in storing order of the document stored in each folder in the document management system. Therefore, there is a case where such a thumbnail display is unsuitable for management in FAX order-receiving business.
The FAX order-receiving business is a business in which FAX-received data is converted into images and registered into the document management system and an order-receiving operation is executed on the document management system on the basis of the received FAX data.
Reasons why the foregoing thumbnail display is unsuitable for the FAX order-receiving business are as follows.
For example, when there are a plurality of operators who perform the FAX order-receiving business, a folder is formed in the document management system every operator and each operator sequentially processes the documents input to the folder. In such a case, as an operation, since the documents are sequentially processed in inputting order of the documents which were input to the folders, the thumbnail display is set and operated in such a manner that the thumbnails are arranged and displayed in order of time/date at which the document was input to each folder from the old time/date.
According to such a mechanism that the thumbnails are displayed in order of time/date at which the document was input to the folder from the old time/date as mentioned above, if the document was erroneously input to another folder, when the operator who uses such a folder processes the document which was erroneously input, an operation to input the document to a proper folder again is executed. Therefore, according to such a mechanism that the thumbnails are sorted and displayed on the basis of the time/date at which the document was input to the folder, such a document is determined as a new document and is displayed at the last position in the displaying order of the thumbnails.
Consequently, in spite of a fact that the document is not a document to be inherently processed at last (that is, it is a document to be processed early), it is displayed at the last position in the layout of the thumbnails. Therefore, a problem in which the operator is not aware of such a fact and the process of the document is delayed occurs.
There is also considered a method whereby the thumbnails are arranged and displayed in order from the old time/date by using the time/date at which the FAX was received or the time/date at which the FAX data was converted into the image and the image data was formed. However, according to such a method, for example, there is a case where if there is an administrator who distributes the documents to the folders, when the administrator has inputted the documents in such order that he wants to request the operator to process them, the displaying order of the thumbnails is rearranged in accordance with the time/date at which the document was received, so that such a method is unsuitable.
Particularly, in the FAX order-receiving business, since a response time (a primary answer is made to the orderer within ∘ days, the ordered articles are delivered within Δ days, or the like) is often set to a landmark, there is also a case where if the documents are not displayed in processing order, a leakage of processes occurs and it is difficult to accomplish the landmark.

Information processing apparatus for displaying document information, its processing method, and storage medium


In a communication system that comprises a plurality of communication resources, a plurality of consoles, a communication resource allocator, and a plurality of subscriber units arranged into a plurality of communication groups, the communication resource allocator comprises memory for storing presented and unpresented communication groups. By storing unpresented communication groups, a console, via an associated operator MUX interface module, may automatically utilize the unpresented communication groups without intervention from an operator of the console.

A typical communication system, such as a trunked or conventional communication system, comprises a communication resource allocator, a plurality of communication resources, a plurality of consoles, and a plurality of communication units or subscriber units. Generally, the plurality of communication units, which may be mobile vehicle units or portable personal units, are arranged into related communication groups. For example, communication units operated by a city's police force may form one communication group, while communication units operated by the city's fire department, dog catcher units, highway crews, and civil engineers may form other communication groups. The communication groups may be further divided into sub-groups; for example, the police communication group may be divided by districts such as police 1, police 2, etc.
Typically, communication units in a trunked communication system are arranged into talk groups, where the talk groups share the plurality of communication resources on an "as requested basis". For a communication unit to access a communication resource, it transmits an inbound signalling word (ISW) to the communication resource allocator via a control communication resource. If a communication resource is available, the communication resource allocator transmits an outbound signaling word (OSW) indicating which communication resource is assigned to the requesting communication unit. (The OSW is also received by all communication units, however, only the communication units in the same talk group as the requesting communication unit will affiliate themselves with the assigned communication resource such that they may communicate to each other via the assigned communication resource.) In contrast, communication units in a conventional communication system access a permanently assigned communication resource by activating a push-to-talk (PTT) button, or similar accessing process, to notify the communication resource allocator that the communication unit is accessing the communication resource. (There are other differences between trunked and conventional systems but they are not relevant to this invention.)
The plurality of consoles, which may be devices as defined in Motorola Inc. publication No. R4-2-37C, Mar. 1988, entitled System Planner, typically comprise a plurality of channel control modules (CCMs), where each CCM is assigned a communication group and/or subgroup. The assigned communication groups and/or subgroups are presented to an operator of the console such that the operator may monitor and perform supervisory functions for each of the presented communication groups and/or subgroups. The supervisory functions a console may perform comprise resetting emergency conditions, manually reconfiguring the system, and transmitting at a priority level. Resetting emergency conditions consists of answering an emergency call, resetting audio and/or visual emergency call indicators and deactivating the manual system reconfiguration. However, these supervisory functions can only be manually performed for presented communication groups and/or subgroups.
By limiting a console to monitoring and manually performing supervisory functions for presented communication groups only, communication system efficiency may not be optimal. Furthermore, such communication systems may require additional consoles and operators to supervise additional communication groups, thereby increasing the space requirements and cost of these systems. Therefore, a need exists for a communication system that allows consoles to monitor unpresented communication groups as well as presented communication groups and to automatically perform at least some supervisory, or communication, functions for unpresented communication groups as well as presented communication groups.

Method and apparatus for utilizing unpresented communication groups


A medical device includes a body defining an exterior surface, and a coating including a therapeutic agent-containing nanoparticle disposed on the exterior surface of the medical device. The nanoparticle may include a brush-arm star polymer. The therapeutic agent may be paclitaxel.

Vascular atherosclerotic lesions that create arterial luminal narrowing are typically treated in angioplasty procedures via catheters provided with an inflatable balloon. The catheter is advanced, typically following a guidewire, to an opening within the atherosclerotic lesion of the narrowed artery. Once the inflatable balloon has been arranged at the artery narrowing, it may be inflated and deflated, sometimes repeatedly. The inflation, with successive deflation, of the inflatable balloon within the artery can reduce the extent of the arterial luminal narrowing, and restore a suitable blood flow.
In many cases, patients develop a re-narrowing of the vessel lumen at the intervention point within a few months. Such re-narrowing, or restenosis, is due to a cell hyperproliferation process, particularly of the vascular smooth muscle cells, and may be due to the dilating action caused by the inflatable balloon.
Inflatable balloons or stents can be coated with a drug having anti-proliferative action to prevent or retard restenosis. Among the drugs usually employed to such aim, paclitaxel (taxol) has proved to be particularly efficient.
However, with current therapies the paclitaxel delivered by the balloon catheter to the wall of the vessel drops below an effective concentration after a period of time. For example, the paclitaxel may be present on the vessel wall in an effective anti-proliferative concentration for about 6 months following treatment. It may be desirable to increase the amount of time that paclitaxel is present at the vessel wall in an effective concentration.


Disclosed are a compound of tramadol and a sugar substitute, pharmaceutical compositions and sustained-release formulations comprising the compound, and methods of treatment using the compound. The tramadol compound according to the present invention has reduced bitter taste of tramadol and is more acceptable to the patient.

The present invention relates to pharmaceutical salts of the active substance tramadol and at least one sugar substitute, to medicaments, or pharmaceutical compositions, containing these salts, to the use of these salts for the preparation of medicaments, and to forms of administration or pharmaceutical formulations, containing these salts.
Tramadol hydrochloridexe2x80x94(1RS,2RS)-2-[(dimethylamino)methyl]-1-(3-methoxyphenyl)cyclohexanol hydrochloridexe2x80x94is suitable for the control of intense and moderately intense pain and for the treatment of urinary incontinence. U.S. Pat. No. 3,652,589 and WO98/46216 describe the use of other salts of the active substance tramadol with inorganic acids, e.g. sulfuric acid, nitric acid or phosphoric acid, and with organic acids, e.g. benzoic acid, salicylic acid or phthalic acid, for the preparation of a medicament for the control of pain or for the treatment of urinary incontinence.
Despite the excellent efficacy of said salts in pain control, the active substance tramadol and its readily soluble salts have an intensely bitter taste. Available formulations of tramadol that releases this active substance as soon as they are taken all have this strong bitter taste. As a consequence, these immediate-release formulations are poorly accepted and patients fail to observe the dosage instructions. Although coating and complexing processes, e.g. the application of film coatings, serve to improve taste, they impede the immediate release of the active substance.
Because of the very good water solubility of tramadol hydrochloride, the preparation of sustained-release pharmaceutical forms is also made difficult. Consequently, it is necessary to use complex retardation processes, e.g. the application of sustained-release coatings or the embedding of the active substance in a sustained-release matrix.
The object of the present invention was therefore to provide pharmaceutical compounds for the active substance tramadol which do not have the bitter taste of tramadol and the release of which can be retarded more effectively than that of the conventional, most widely used salt, namely tramadol hydrochloride.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by the preparation of pharmaceutical salts of the active substance tramadol and at least one sugar substitute.
The solubility of these salts in water and/or aqueous fluids is preferably xe2x89xa6100 mg/ml, more preferably xe2x89xa630 mg/ml and particularly preferably xe2x89xa610 mg/ml.
Suitable sugar substitutes are any acidic sugar substitutes which, by producing a derivative carrying at least one negative charge, are capable of forming a salt with the active substance tramadol. The sugar substitute is preferably saccharin, cyclamate, acesulfame or a mixture of at least two of these sugar substitutes.
To prepare the pharmaceutical salts according to the invention, tramadol and/or at least one very readily water-soluble salt of tramadol is reacted with at least one free acid and/or at least one water-soluble salt of at least one sugar substitute. Said salt of tramadol is preferably reacted with the water-soluble salt of the sugar substitute in an aqueous medium at neutral pH. Tramadol hydrochloride is preferably used as the salt of tramadol. The salt of the sugar substitute used is preferably the sodium, potassium, calcium or ammonium salt of saccharin and/or cyclamate and/or acesulfame. The free acid of the sugar substitute used is preferably the free acid of saccharin and/or cyclamate and/or acesulfame. If tramadol itself is reacted with the free acid of a sugar substitute, they are reacted in an organic solvent, preferably in an alkanol and more preferably in ethanol.
The invention also provides medicaments or pharmaceutical compositions which contain at least one tramadol salt according to the invention as the pharmaceutical active substance, and optionally other active substances and/or auxiliary substances.
The medicaments are preferably used for the control/treatment of pain, urinary incontinence, coughs, inflammatory and allergic reactions, depression, drug and/or alcohol abuse, gastritis, diarrhoea, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, mental illness and/or epilepsy.
The invention also provides the use of at least one tramadol salt according to the invention for the preparation of a medicament for the control/treatment of pain, urinary incontinence, coughs, inflammatory and allergic reactions, depression, drug and/or alcohol abuse, gastritis, diarrhoea, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, mental illness and/or epilepsy.
The amount of active substance to be administered to the patient varies according to the patient""s weight, the type of administration, the indication and the degree of severity of the disease. Conventionally, at least one tramadol salt according to the invention is administered in amounts in which the content of the active substance tramadol corresponds to 1 to 600 mg/day.
The invention also provides for pharmaceutical formulations containing at least one tramadol salt according to the invention.
The amounts of tramadol and sugar substitute in the pharmaceutical compositions or formulations according to the invention are to be chosen so that the bitter taste of the active substance tramadol is compensated by the taste of the sugar substitute. The forms of administration according to the invention preferably contain the sugar substitute and the tramadol in equimolar amounts, i.e. the two components are virtually completely in salt form. The forms of administration according to the invention can also contain the tramadol and sugar substitute in different molar amounts according to the sweetness of the sugar substitute used and/or the desired release profile for the tramadol.
The forms of administration according to the invention can be solid, semisolid or liquid, preferably oral medicament formulations which, in addition to the salt of the active substance tramadol and at least one sugar substitute, optionally contain other active substances and the conventional auxiliary substances, excipients and additives.
The solid forms of administration according to the invention are preferably multiparticulate formulations, particularly preferably in the form of granules, microparticles, microtablets or pellets and optionally filled into capsules or in the form of tablets, preferably rapidly disintegrating tablets or effervescent tablets, the tablets preferably having been compressed from pellets or produced by hot-melt extrusion.
If the solid forms of administration according to the invention are intended for release of the active substances via the intestinal tract, they preferably need to have at least one enteric coating which dissolves as a function of pH. Because of this coating, said forms pass through the stomach undissolved and the active substance(s) is (are) only released in the intestinal tract.
The forms of administration according to the invention are also preferably formulated as a gel, a chewing gum, a juice, particularly preferably an oil-based or water-based juice, or a spray, particularly preferably a sublingual spray.
A preferred embodiment of the forms of administration according to the invention, for release of the tramadol via the stomach, comprises oil-based or water-based juices, which release the active substance(s) without delay.
A retardation and hence also a further modification of the release of the active substance tramadol, and optionally other active substances, can be effected by the application of at least one sustained-release coating, the embedding of the salt of the active substance in at least one sustained-release matrix, or a combination thereof.
Retardation of release is preferably achieved with the aid of sustained-release coatings. Suitable sustained-release coatings include water-insoluble waxes or polymers, e.g. acrylic resins, preferably poly(meth)acrylates, or water-insoluble celluloses, preferably ethyl cellulose. These materials are well-known to those of ordinary skill in the art. See, e.g. Bauer, Lehmann, Osterwald, Rothgang xe2x80x9cxc3x9cberzogene Arzneiformenxe2x80x9d (xe2x80x9cCoated pharmaceutical formsxe2x80x9d), Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft mbH Stuttgart, 1988, pp. 69 et seq., which is incorporated herein by reference.
To adjust the rate of release of the active substance, the sustained-release coatings can optionally contain, in addition to the water-insoluble polymers, non-retarding, preferably water-soluble polymers in amounts of up to 30 wt. %, such as polyvinylpyrrolidone or water-soluble celluloses, preferably hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose or hydroxypropyl cellulose, and/or hydrophilic pore-forming agents such as sucrose, sodium chloride or mannitol, and/or the known plasticizers.
To retard the salt of the active substance, the forms of administration according to the invention can also preferably contain said salt in a sustained-release matrix, preferably as a uniform distribution.
Matrix materials which can be used are physiologically compatible, hydrophilic materials known to those skilled in the art. Hydrophilic matrix materials used are preferably polymers and particularly preferably cellulose ethers, cellulose esters and/or acrylic resins. Matrix materials used are very particularly preferably ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxymethyl cellulose, poly(meth)acrylic acid and/or derivatives thereof such as their salts, amides or esters.
Other preferred matrix materials are those comprising hydrophobic materials such as hydrophobic polymers, waxes, fats, long-chain fatty acids, fatty alcohols or corresponding esters or ethers, or mixtures thereof. The hydrophobic materials used are particularly preferably C12-C30 fatty acid mono- or diglycerides and/or C12-C30 fatty alcohols and/or waxes, or mixtures thereof.
The sustained-release matrix material used can also be mixtures of said hydrophilic and hydrophobic materials.
The forms of administration according to the invention can be produced by various methods known to those skilled in the art, See, e.g. xe2x80x9cPharmaceutical Pelletization Technologyxe2x80x9d, Drugs and the Pharmaceutical Sciences vol. 37, Verlag Marcel Decker, or xe2x80x9cRemington""s Pharmaceutical Sciencesxe2x80x9d, Mack Publishing Company, Easton, Pa., which are herein incorporated by reference.
If the forms of administration according to the invention, e.g. tablets or pellets, have coatings, these can be applied by conventional processes, e.g. by the coating pan process, by the spraying of solutions, dispersions or suspensions, by the hot-melt process or by the powder application process.
From forms of administration according to the invention which are used to release the tramadol via the oral mucosa, e.g. from a gel, a chewing gum or a sublingual spray, a substantially constant release of the tramadol is achieved without the use of a sustained-release matrix and/or a sustained-release coating.
From forms of administration according to the invention which are used to release the tramadol via the intestinal tract, e.g. from capsules, tablets, granules or pellets, a constant release of the tramadol is again achieved without the use of a sustained-release matrix and/or a sustained-release coating, but with the provision of an enteric coating.
The forms of administration according to the invention also have the advantage that the intensely bitter taste of tramadol is mitigated by the simultaneous release of a sugar substitute. This increases the patients"" acceptance of the medicaments containing the active substance tramadol and improves observance of the dosage instructions.
The medicaments according to the invention are also suitable for diabetics.
The formation of a salt from tramadol and a sugar substitute and/or an auxiliary substance with a solubility of xe2x89xa6100 mg/ml in water and/or aqueous body fluids affords a more effective retardation of the release of the active substance tramadol using conventional retardation processes, compared with tramadol hydrochloride.
Sustained-release medicaments which contain these tramadol salts according to the invention can therefore be produced more simply and more cost-effectively. This also applies to other modifications of the medicaments according to the invention, e.g. those with enteric coatings.
The solubility of the salts of tramadol and a sugar substitute was determined as follows:
The salt of (1RS,2RS)-2-[(dimethylamino)methyl]-1-(3-methoxyphenyl)cyclohexanol and the appropriate sugar substitute was placed at 25xc2x0 C. in deionized water in an amount (e.g. approx. 1 g of tramadol saccharinate to 10 ml of deionized water) to form a saturated solution at this temperature which was still saturated after being stirred for 20 hours at 25xc2x0 C. The requisite amount of the salt of tramadol and the appropriate sugar substitute can optionally be determined by preliminary experiments.
After the undissolved salt of tramadol and the appropriate sugar substitute had been allowed to settle out, the clear supernatant was pipetted off and centrifuged for 5 minutes at a speed of at least 3000 rpm. Part of the resulting clear supernatant is transferred to an HPLC sample vial and the concentration of the salt of tramadol and the appropriate sugar substitute is determined against tramadol hydrochloride as standard.
The invention is illustrated below with the aid of the Examples. The illustrations are given solely by way of example and do not limit the general spirit of the invention.


Provided herein are circuits, systems and methods that monitor for a fault within a multi-phase DC-DC converter. This can include monitoring the channels of the DC-DC converter for way out of balance (WOB) conditions, and monitoring for a component fault in dependence on detected WOB conditions. A fault can be detected if, during a predetermined period of time, one of the WOB conditions occurs at least a specified amount of times more than another one of the WOB conditions. The DC-DC converter and/or another circuit can be shut-down in response to a fault being detected. Additionally, or alternatively, a component fault detection signal can be output in response to a fault being detected.

A DC-DC converter generally converts a direct current from a first voltage level and current level to a second voltage and current level. For example, a step-down DC-DC converter can convert a voltage input (Vin) of 12V at 10 Amps to a voltage output (Vout) of 1.2V approximately at 100 Amps. For a more specific example, a two-phase DC-DC converter can include a pulse width modulator (also simply referred to as a modulator) that includes a first pulse width modulated output (PWM1out) and a second PWM output (PWM2out). The signals output at PWM1out and PWM2out, which can also be referred to as the PMW1out signal and the PWM2out signal, are 180 degrees out of phase. In other words, the PWM2out signal lags (or leads) the PWM1out signal by 180 degrees.
Conventionally, these 180 degrees out of phase signals output by PWM1out and PWM2out directly drive a pair of Driver-MOSFET stages, which can be referred to as DrMOS1 and DrMOS2. The DrMOS1 can be considered to be part of a first channel of the two-phase DC-DC converter, and the DrMOS2 can be considered to be part of a second channel of the two-phase DC-DC converter.
The voltage level output by the DC-DC converter is preferably a regulated voltage level having a relatively tight tolerance (e.g., +/−1%). Further, it is preferred that the two channels of the two-phase DC-DC converter are generally balanced, i.e., each channel handles generally approximately the same amount of power and current, so that one of the two channels is not damaged due to handing too much power and current. However, high frequency load transient events can undesirably affect such a balance between the channels, both adversely affecting the voltage produced by the two-phase DC-DC converter, as well as potentially damaging components within the DC-DC converter. Such high frequency load transient conditions may occur, e.g., when the one or more loads (e.g., a CPU) connected to the voltage outputs for the DC-DC converter power on after previously being powered off, or alternates between a high power operating state (e.g. operating at maximum clock frequency) and a low power operating state (e.g. sleep mode or stand by mode) with relatively high frequency, but are not limited thereto.
A DC-DC converter may experience a fault, e.g., because an inductor and/or a Driver-MOSFET stage, or a portion thereof, is missing, fails, is connected incorrectly, or becomes disconnected. Such faults, if not handled correctly, can cause damage to a DC-DC converter, as well as the larger circuit within which the DC-DC converter is connected.

Component fault detection for use with a multi-phase DC-DC converter


The invention relates to an intake system for a mixture-compressing internal-combustion engine, having a heating element of flat form which is arranged in the intake channel downstream of a fuel-injection nozzle. The heating element is intended for heating the fuel/air mixture and which, above a specific cooling-water temperature, can be transferred from a working position extending transversely relative to the direction of flow into a position of rest lying in the direction of flow. The invention also relates to the method of the heating element position and electrical controlling heating status.

The invention relates to an intake system for a mixture-compressing internal-combustion engine of the type having an electrically heatable heating element of flat form which is arranged in the intake channel downstream of a fuel-injection nozzle and transversely relative to the direction of flow and which is intended for heating the fuel/air mixture.
As is known, arranging a heating element downstream of a fuel-injection nozzle spraying into the intake channel affords an improvement of the mixture formation with the intake air flowing past and a reduction of the HC and CO emission. An intake system of this type is described in Japanese Abstracts 55-15 11 51 (Application No. 54-58, 541). In this system the fuel spread out by the fuel-injection nozzle is guided through the heating element effective at low cooling-water temperature and evaporates. The evaporated fuel is admixed with the combustion air flowing past in the intake channel and is thus fed as a heated fuel/air mixture to the corresponding combustion space in the cylinder.
An object on which the invention is based, starting from the above-mentioned intake system, is to obtain an improvement of power in the full-load mode by means of further measures.
This object is achieved according to the invention by providing an arrangement wherein the heating element is made rotatable in such a way that, above a specific engine cooling-water temperature, it can be transferred from its transverse working position into a position of rest lying in the direction of flow.
As a result of the rotatable mounting of the heating element which needs to perform its function only at specific low cooling-water temperatures, the position in the direction of flow causes no pressure losses in the intake channel and therefore also no power losses under full load.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Intake system for a mixture-compressing internal-combustion engine


The present invention provides a process for preparation of isoproterenol hydrochloride (1a) comprising catalytic hydrogenation of 3′,4′-dihydroxy-2-(isopropylamino)-acetophenone hydrochloride (5a) in presence of an ion exchange resin, to provide isoproterenol hydrochloride (1a).

Isoproterenol hydrochloride (1a), chemically identified as hydrochloride salt of 3,4-dihydroxy-α-[(isopropylamino) methyl]benzyl alcohol or 1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-isopropylaminoethanol is represented as given below.

Isoproterenol, an isopropyl analog of epinephrine is a non-selective β-adrenoreceptor agonist and TAAR1 agonist which exhibits f-sympathomimetic action on the beta receptors of heart, bronchi, skeletal muscle, alimentary tract etc. It is employed for the treatment of bradycardia (slow heart rate), heart block, and rarely for asthma. Isoproterenol is a potent nonselective beta-adrenergic agonist with very low affinity for alpha-adrenergic receptors.
Isoproterenol hydrochloride injection is indicated in the following conditions.
a) Mild or transient episodes of heart block that do not require electric shock or pacemaker therapy,
b) Serious episodes of heart block and Adams-Stokes attacks
c) In cardiac arrest until electric shock or pacemaker therapy is available.
d) Bronchospasm occurring during anesthesia and
e) As an adjunct to fluid and electrolyte replacement therapy
Generic version of isoproterenol hydrochloride is marketed by Nexus Pharmaceuticals Inc., while Hospira Inc. markets it under the trade name Isuprel; both of which are injectables with the strength of 0.2 mg/ml.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,308,232 discloses a process for the preparation of isoproterenol comprising reaction of 3,5-dihydroxyphenyl-ω-chloroacetophenone with excess of isopropylamine, using ethanol as solvent, followed by palladium, platinum or nickel catalyzed hydrogenation of the resulting isopropylamino acetophenone derivative to yield the desired product. The disclosed process reveals that in order to achieve the desired purity, both the ketone intermediate and final compound need to be purified through their respective salt formation followed by crystallization. This clearly indicates formation of impurities in significant proportions, thereby adversely affecting the yield and making the process industrially unviable.
AT 178353 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,715,141 disclose processes for separation of the desired enantiomcr of isoproterenol comprising treatment of the racemic mixture with d-tartaric acid. The method comprises dissolving a mixture of isoproterenol sulfate and D-tartaric acid in water and treating with barium hydroxide. Filtration of barium sulfate precipitate, concentration of the filtrate, and further resolution of the concentrate by fractional crystallization using methanol and acetone provides optically active isoproterenol.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,118 discloses a method for preparation of enantiopure isoproterenol comprising use of a borane reducing agent, and a chiral 1, 3, 2-oxazaborole derivative catalyst. In this method, treatment of corresponding acetophenone with HBr in DMSO, followed by reaction with water provides the arylglyoxal derivative, which, after reaction with the appropriate amine gives ketoimine derivative. Reduction of the ketoimine using the organoboranes like Me2S—BH3 in presence of said oxazaborole catalysts provides isoproterenol.
CN 107011188 discloses Friedel-Crafts reaction of catechol and glycine in the presence of zinc chloride to give 2-amino-1-(3,4-dihydroxy phenyl)ethanone, which after reaction with isopropyl chloride and catalytic hydrogenation provides isoproterenol.
It is evident from the study of prior art that conventional synthetic methods reported for isoproterenol suffer from formation of impurities in significant proportions. In these methods, undesired impurities such as impurity-A are generated during the final stage of ketone-reduction. These impurities, being structurally similar to isoproterenol, are difficult to remove during work up procedures and thus necessitate steps like chromatographic purifications or repeated crystallization procedures. This causes increase in number of procedural steps; resulting in significant yield loss and ultimately, substantially increased project cost.

To circumvent the challenge of associated impurities generated during the aforementioned reactions, some synthetic methods reported in prior art have resorted to use of highly specific intermediates like keto-imines. However, this requires use of specific reagents, adds to the number of synthetic steps and increases the project cost.
Hence, there is a need to have a cost effective, industrially applicable process which avoids use of expensive catalysts, significantly controls the formation of impurities such as impurity-A and provides isoproterenol having desired purity.
The present inventors have developed a robust and commercially viable synthetic method which avoids the short-comings in the prior art and provides isoproterenol hydrochloride (1a) conforming to regulatory specifications.

Process for preparation of isoproterenol hydrochloride


A holding cap (RC) is mounted on a terminal holding portion (51) of a female housing (5) from the front, and a tubular cover (52) is so formed outward of the terminal holding portion (51) to surround the holding cap (RC). First shake preventing portions (RC3) project radially out from the outer surface of the front end of the holding cap (RC) and second shake preventing portions (52a) project in at the rear end of the inner surface of the cover (52). When male and female connectors (1, 4) are connected with each other, the first and second shake preventing portions (RC3, 52a) both contact a receptacle (21) of a male housing (2) to reduce the shaking between both housings (2, 5) in transverse directions.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector, to a mating connector and to a connector device provided with a pair of connectors engageable with each other.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. H05-50113 discloses a connector assembly with first and second housings that are engageable with each other. A watertight seal is mounted in the first housing, and is held resiliently between the first and second housings and prevents the housings from shaking.
The watertight seal of the above-described connector is resilient and can exert resilient forces to prevent the housing from shaking in a specified manner. However, the flexibility of the watertight seal also can permit shaking if a load on the housings exceeds the forces exerted by the seal.
The invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object thereof is to provide an improved shake preventing function between a connector and a mating connector at the time of engagement.

Connector, a mating connector and a connector device


A piezoelectric valve stably supplies gas even for a long gas ejection time, with a high responsivity to opening the valve, is provided. The piezoelectric valve, including a gas-pressure-chamber for receiving a compressed gas supplied from outside, a gas-discharge-channel through which the compressed gas is discharged from the gas-pressure-chamber, comprises: a valve body disposed in the gas-pressure-chamber and opens/closes the gas-discharge-channel; a piezoelectric element for producing a driving force to move the valve body as a displacement; a displacement-enlarging-mechanism for enlarging the displacement of the piezoelectric element to act on the valve body; and a driving unit having a signal-generating-unit for generating a signal comprising a pre-pulse and a main pulse and provides the signal generated by the signal-generating-unit to a driving circuit as an input signal to apply a driving voltage to the piezoelectric element to make the piezoelectric element expand and drive the valve body open.

A known conventional optical particulate matter sorter has a unit for ejecting air to separate grains, such as cereal grains or resin pellets, into non-defective grains (desired grains) and defective grains (unwanted grains) or remove foreign matters from the grains.
The particulate matter sorter of this type separates grains by activating the above-described unit in response to a signal of detection of a defective grain or the like to eject air to blow off the defective grain when the grain is falling from an end part of a conveyor path along a predetermined trajectory.
The particulate matter sorter ejects air to blow off defective grains or the like in a large amount of grains continuously falling. To precisely blow off the defective grains or the like without blowing off the other grains, the air ejecting nozzle has to have a valve with a high responsivity.
In Patent Document 1, a piezoelectric air valve is described that uses a piezoelectric element to quickly open and close the valve. The piezoelectric air valve is provided with a displacement enlarging mechanism that enlarges a small displacement of the piezoelectric element by the principle of leverage.
The piezoelectric air valve has a higher responsivity at the time of opening and closing of the valve than the conventional electromagnetic valve, and therefore, the optical particulate matter sorter provided with the air ejecting nozzle incorporating the piezoelectric air valve can precisely blow off defective grains or the like and is less likely to blow off non-defective grains or the like.
However, since the piezoelectric air valve moves a valve body via the displacement enlarging mechanism, the optical particulate matter sorter has a problem that, in case of long gas ejection time, the valve body vibrates and the amount of air ejected from the nozzle changes, and stable separation cannot be achieved.
In Patent Document 2, a piezoelectric valve is described that applies a two-level driving voltage to a piezoelectric element to prevent the variation of the amount of gas ejected from a gas discharge channel when the valve is opened. The piezoelectric valve applies a first level voltage to the piezoelectric element at the time to drive the valve open, and applies a second level voltage higher than the first level voltage to the piezoelectric element at the time to prevent the vibration of the valve body caused by the valve opening. With such a configuration, the variation of the amount of gas ejected from the gas discharge channel after valve opening can be prevented, so that the gas can be stably supplied even when the gas is ejected for a long time.
However, the piezoelectric valve has a problem that it has a significantly low responsivity at the time of valve opening compared with the case where a single-level rectangular driving voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element.
In addition, the piezoelectric valve has another problem that it is expensive because the driving device has a complicated circuit configuration compared with the case where a single-level driving voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element.

Piezoelectric valve, and optical particulate matter sorter provided with air-blowing means that uses piezoelectric valve


An image pickup apparatus includes a first timer configured to start measuring a first time period when a mirror located at a mirror-up position is moved to a mirror-down position, a second timer configured to start measuring a second time period when the mirror reaches the mirror-down position, and a controller configured to enable processing when the first timer finishes measuring the first period and the second timer finishes measuring the second period. The first period is a time period enough to attenuate mirror's bounds after the mirror located at the mirror-up position starts moving to the mirror-down position, when a high power-supply voltage is set to the image pickup apparatus, and the second period is a time period enough to attenuate mirror's bounds after the mirror reaches the mirror-down position, when a low power-supply voltage is set to the image pickup apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Photometry and focus detection are started after mirror-down driving is completed in a single-lens reflex camera. In order to improve the precisions of the photometry and focus detection, they need to start after mirror's bounds sufficiently attenuate. However, it is difficult to directly detect the mirror's bounding state, and prior art start the photometry and focus detection when a time period passes which is assumed sufficient to attenuate the mirror's bounds after mirror-down driving starts (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-137287).
A time period within which the mirror's bounds sufficiently attenuate regardless of a state of a camera is set to the above time period from when the mirror-down driving starts to when the mirror's bounds attenuate. However, the time period enough to attenuate the mirror's bounds varies according to the power-supply voltage of the camera or the environmental temperature used for the camera.
For example, a time period enough to sufficiently attenuate the camera's bounds needs to be set to a camera in which the power-supply voltage of the camera is the lowest operable voltage of the camera. Hence, as the power-supply voltage of the camera becomes higher, it is necessary to wait for a set time period although the mirror bounds have already attenuated, deteriorating a consecutive shooting speed (frame rate).

Image pickup apparatus having first and second timers


A down hole tool including a compression surface, a compression surface axis, and at least one support member configured to attach the compression surface to a well drilling tool assembly, wherein the extendable support member is extendable by an extension force provided to the support member. The down hole tool is rotable relative to an axis of the well drilling tool assembly, and as the well drilling tool assembly rotates, the at least one compression device exerts a lateral force along a sidewall of a wellbore. Also, a method of forming filter cake comprising releasing a drilling fluid and contacting the drilling fluid with a mechanical pressure on the sidewall of the wellbore and the drilling fluid.

The selection of materials for well construction is essential to the successful completion of an oil or gas well. Among the most important is the selection of a drilling fluid. A drilling fluid having the desired properties is passed down through the drill pipe, out a nozzle at the drill bit, and returned to the surface through an annular portion of the well bore. The drilling fluid primarily functions to remove cuttings from the bore hole; lubricate, cool and clean the drill bit; reduce friction between the drilling string and the sides of the bore hole; maintain stability of the bore hole; prevent the inflow of fluids from permeable rock formations; and provide information on down hole conditions. The composition of a drilling fluid is carefully selected to optimize production within the vast diversity of geological formations and environmental conditions encountered in oil and gas recovery. At the same time, the fluid should not present a risk to personnel, drilling equipment, or the environment.
In most rotary drilling procedures the drilling fluid takes the form of a "mud," i.e., a liquid having solids suspended therein. The solids function to impart desired rheological properties to the drilling fluid and also to increase the density thereof in order to provide a suitable hydrostatic pressure at the bottom of the well. The drilling mud may be either a water-based mud or an oil-based mud.
Water-based drilling muds may consist of polymers, biopolymers, clays and organic colloids added to a water-based fluid to obtain the required viscous and filtration properties. Heavy minerals, such as barite or calcium carbonate, may be added to increase density. Solids from the formation are incorporated into the mud and often become dispersed in the mud as a consequence of drilling. Further, drilling muds may contain one or more natural and/or synthetic polymeric additives, including polymeric additives that increase the rheological properties (e.g., plastic viscosity, yield point value, gel strength) of the drilling mud, and polymeric thinners and flocculents.
Polymeric additives included in the drilling fluid may act as fluid loss control agents. Fluid loss control agents, such as starch, prevent the loss of fluid to the surrounding formation by reducing the permeability of filter cakes formed on the newly exposed rock surface. In addition, polymeric additives are employed to impart sufficient carrying capacity and thixotropy to the mud to enable the mud to transport the cuttings up to the surface and to prevent the cuttings from settling out of the mud when circulation is interrupted.
Most of the polymeric additives employed in drilling mud are resistant to biodegration, extending the utility of the additives for the useful life of the mud. Specific examples of biodegradation resistant polymeric additives employed include biopolymers, such as xanthans (xanthan gum) and scleroglucan; various acrylic based polymers, such as polyacrylamides and other acrylamide based polymers; and cellulose derivatives, such as dialkylcarboxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose and the sodium salt of carboxy-methylcellulose, chemically modified starches, guar gum, phosphomannans, scleroglucans, glucans, and dextrane. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,477, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Most drilling fluids are designed to form a thin, low-permeability filter cake to seal permeable formations penetrated by the bit. This is essential to prevent both the loss of fluids to the formation and the influx of fluids that may be present in the formation. Filter cakes often comprise bridging particles, cuttings created by the drilling process, polymeric additives, and precipitates. A key feature of a drilling fluid is to retain these solid and semi-solid particles as a stable suspension, free of significant settling over the time scale of drilling operations.
The permeability of the filter cake is dependent upon particle distribution, particle size, compressive forces, and electrochemical conditions of the mud. The composition of the drilling fluid may be adjusted to increase or decrease permeability, for example, by adding soluble salts, increasing the number of particles in the colloidal size range, and/or to vary their surface charge. Fluid from the mud which permeates the barrier is known as filtrate. The probability of successful completion of a well may depend, in large part, upon the filtration properties of the mud being matched to the geological formations and the composition of the filtrate.
Filtration occurs as the suspended particles slurried in the drilling fluid are trapped against the wellbore wall. So long as the hydraulic pressure on the drilling fluid is greater than the geomechanically derived pressure on the fluids within the formation, the difference in pressure will drive drilling fluid to flow into the formation. The solid particles in the slurry are drawn along by the hydrodynamic drag produced by the fluid moving into the formation. At the wellbore wall, if the particles are large enough to bridge the openings in the formation, the particles are stopped. The particles are then held by the drag of the fluid (filtrate) flowing around them and into the formation openings.
Because the openings between the bridging particles are generally smaller than the initial openings, finer particles are now able to bridge, and thus be removed from the fluid stream. The increasing buildup of solids correspondingly reduces the flow of filtrate, so the hydrodynamic force that propels and traps particles in the filter cake is continually reduced. Conversely, hydraulic pressure on the drilling fluid, since it may no longer force fluid to flow, is increasingly expressed as mechanical pressure across the depth of the filter cake. This mechanical pressure works to pack and compress the initially formed particle bed into denser and less permeable arrangements. Generally speaking, the greater the differential pressure, the higher the ultimate mechanical pressure with concomitantly greater compression of the layers of filter cake first laid down. Greater compression results in tighter particle packing, higher mechanical strength, and lower permeability.
This process may cause the drill string to become 'differentially stuck' in a wellbore. When sufficient filtration flux is present to draw the impermeable pipe against the wall, its blockage of flow is quickly translated into mechanical force, holding it in place. Pipe stuck in this fashion should be quickly freed, or the forces may become too great for the draw works at the surface to pull it free. If not quickly freed, the forces may exceed the tensile strength of the pipe so that it is impossible to free it by pulling from the surface.
When the fluid is not being actively pumped though the well, the process continues, trapping smaller and smaller particles, until the fluid flux through the ever deeper bed becomes too slow to move particles. Eventually, the permeability is reduced to a point where even though some finite volume of filtrate may continue to pass, its drag is insufficient to overcome the forces that maintain the particles in suspension, resulting in succeeding layers of particles building up very little mechanical compression. Generally speaking, while more viscous than the initial fluid, this layer of relatively widely separated particles is softer and more permeable than the compressed filter cake below. At this point, the 'filter cake' is really a dewatered suspension, sometimes called 'dehydrated mud' in the case of water-based fluids.
When the fluid is actively pumped, the flow of fluid along the axis of the wellbore is much faster than the radial flow of fluid into the formation. The axial flow along the wellbore now creates drag to pull particles up the wellbore and away from the formation pore where filtration is occurring. As may be expected, the filter cakes formed by a circulating fluid are more permeable than those formed under static conditions. Such cakes are referred to as 'dynamic' cakes to differentiate them from those formed under static conditions. It has been estimated that up to 80% of all the filtrate lost to formation is lost through dynamic filtration with circulating fluid.
Fluid flow up the wellbore is typically fastest around the drill bit and the several stands of larger diameter, heavy-weight drilling collars, pipes, down hole motors, jars, etc. immediately above it. Such drill collars and heavyweight pipe are larger in exterior diameter, while having the same interior diameter as the pipe above, and they possess more mass and provide extra 'weight,' or pressure on the drill bit, to improve its rate of penetration. Their increased stiffness may also serve to reduce excursion of the drilled hole from the planned trajectory. Motors, turning the bit independent of the pipe, are also often larger in diameter than the body of pipe above.
Somewhat paradoxically, this region of fastest flow is also the region that most needs filter cake. This is the area that has most recently been exposed to the drilling fluid. The freshly drilled rock has had the shortest time to build up any sort of filter cake, and the higher fluid velocity more actively strips away the growing particle bed than at any other point in the well. Not surprisingly, it is during the time between drilling and the formation of an equilibrium dynamic cake that most of the filtrate is lost, with potentially damaging results. This is often the region where pipe becomes differentially stuck.
Because much of modern drilling is done with sequential, discrete pieces of pipe, circulation is periodically interrupted to allow a new piece of pipe to be inserted into the closed circulation path. These momentarily static conditions result in rapid filter cake growth. Resumption of circulation strips much of this newly formed cake away, but especially in the near-bit region, some of the statically placed particles remain to improve the dynamic cake.
There are a number of chemical ways of adjusting filter cake properties are known in the art, including the use of clay and non-clay based drilling fluids, use of weighting materials, viscosifiers, dispersants, fluid loss control agents, insoluble reinforcing materials, breaking fluids, and encapsulated delivery particles.
Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,734, incorporated herein by reference, provides a method for reducing the viscosity and the resulting residue of a water-based or oil-based fluid introduced into subterranean formation by introducing a viscosity-reducing chemical contained within hollow or porous, crushable and fragile beads along with a fluid, such as a hydraulic fracturing fluid, under pressure into the subterranean formation. When the fracturing fluid passes or leaks off into the formation, or the fluid is removed by back flowing, the resulting fractures in the subterranean formation close and crush the beads. The crushing of the beads then releases the viscosity-reducing chemical into the fluid. This process is dependent upon the closure pressure of the formation to obtain release of the breaker and is, thus, subject to varying results dependent upon the formation and its closure rate.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,401, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a method for breaking a fracturing fluid comprised of injecting into the subterranean formation a capsule comprising an enclosure member containing the breaker. The enclosure member is sufficiently permeable to at least one fluid existing in the subterranean environment or injected with the capsule such that the enclosure member is capable of rupturing upon sufficient exposure to the fluid, thereby releasing the breaker. The patent teaches that the breaker is released from the capsule by pressure generated within the enclosure member due solely to the fluid penetrating into the capsule whereby the increased pressure caused the capsule to rupture (i.e., destroys the integrity of the enclosure member), thus releasing the breaker. This method for release of the breaker would result in the release of substantially the total amount of breaker contained in the capsule at one particular point in time.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,209, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a proposed method for breaking a fracturing fluid. Specifically, the patent discloses a method for breaking a gelled oil fracturing fluid for treating a subterranean formation which comprises injecting into the formation a breaker capsule comprising an enclosure member enveloping a breaker. The enclosure member is sufficiently permeable to at least one fluid existing in the formation or in the gelled oil fracturing fluid injected with the breaker capsule, such that the enclosure member is capable of dissolving or eroding off upon sufficient exposure to the fluid, thereby releasing the breaker.
However, encapsulated delivery particles, and methods of triggering payload delivery, as described in the prior art, have limitations. For example, premature release of the enzyme payload sometimes occurs due to product manufacturing defects, imperfections, or coating damage experienced in pumping the particles through surface equipment tubular and perforations. Additionally, premature release of the enzyme payload may cause damage to drilling components and the formation being drilled due to the acidic and/or caustic properties of the encapsulated payloads. As such, a localized application of a filter cake adjusting particle and/or enzyme may be beneficial to the successful completion of a well.
The probability of successful completion of a well, and the cost of drilling a wellbore is proportional to the time it takes to drill to a particular location and depth. In oil and gas drilling the time it takes to remove the drillstring from the wellbore, known in the field as "tripping," can greatly increase the cost of drilling a well. When a low quality filer cake is formed, the time it takes to trip the drillstring may increase due to problems such as differential sticking. Differential sticking occurs when a drillstring is held against the filter cake by hydrostatic pressure in the wellbore, most commonly during the pulling of a drillstring from the wellbore, or as a result of filter cake accumulation on a drill bit.
Methods and apparatuses for promoting filter cake sealing are known in the art. One example of such a method is disclosed in SU 1361304 A1, therein describing a device deployed by centrifugal action, and relying on such centrifugal action to apply a sealing pressure to the filter cake. Alternate examples of methods and apparatuses are disclosed in WO 2004/057151 A1, therein describing providing a sliding mechanical contact to a filter cake. The sliding mechanical contact provides a small angle of attack from extendable subparts to provide a plastering effect to the filter cake.
While the above mentioned methods and apparatuses may provide mechanical contact with a filter cake, there still is a need for methods and apparatuses for providing an optimized filter cake that may decrease the costs associated with tripping the drillstring, reducing downtime, and thereby increasing overall drilling efficiency. Additionally, there exists a need for methods and apparatuses that may provide for simultaneous application of chemicals or energies that improve the sealing and strengthening character of a filter cake, thereby further improving drilling efficiency.


There is disclosed a spraying gun in which the direction of the spray can be changed to make it possible to spray onto the back side of the object being sprayed. The gun comprises a feeding unit, a spraying unit and a connecting pipeline.

Different spraying, blowing devices, as e.g. dyestuff spraying guns, mortar throwers, sand blasting apparatuses, are widely used in the industry. The guns and apparatuses, resp. developed for the most diverse purposes meet more ar less the requirements. However, the known apparatuses have also well-known disadvantageous features. So, e.g. in the case fo dye sprayer operated with air-atomization, only highly diluted dyestuffs can be used. Although airless spraying guns are suitable for thicker dyestuffs, a special quality of dyestuff is nedded, and a they work at an overpressure of 120 to 160 which is disadvantageous from several point of view.
It is characteristic of all the known spraying guns that spraying is possible in the direction of the longitudinal axis, i.e. straight forward only. However, in practice one is often confronted with the task to coat the "backside" of pipes, cables, frameworks, etc. which are convered or concealed by a wall, i.e. surfaces ought to be coated which cannot be seen. This work is presently performed manually, using bent brushes. The drawback of this forcible solution lies in that partly manual work is expensive and unreliable, in addition to this live labour does not stay always available, in spite of high wages. A further disadvantage lies in the fact that there are coating materials, e.g. different slurries and dispersions, which cannot be applied on surfaces in the desired quality by using a brush.
The majority of the known spraying devices are discontinuously operated, accordingly automatic, continuous operation is not possible or one has to overcome considerable difficulties in this respect.
No spraying gun has become known up to now which would be equally suitable for spraying or blasting diluted and thick dyestuff, slurries containing rough particles or just dry particles, as e.g. corundum flasting onto the surfaces to be coated or cleaned.


The optical fiber cable has a plurality of centrally located optical fibers. Carrying the optical fibers is a gel-filled plastic buffer tube. A plurality of radial strength yarn threads extended along the outside of the buffer tube in a contra-helical pattern. In the armored cable embodiment, a strength and protective member in the form of a corrugated steel armor layer may be provided for additional protection against possible rodent damage. The armor is usually coated with a thin layer of plastic material in the form of a water blockable flooding compound. A ripcord is provided to assist in removal of the armor. A final polyethylene outer jacket is provided for additional cable protection. Embedded within the outer jacket is a pair of diametrically opposed, longitudinally extending strength members.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to optical fiber cables and, more particularly, to optical fiber cables having a monotube design.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Optical fiber cables have been used for the past several years to transmit information at high rates and long distances. The transmission medium is composed of hair-thin optical fibers which are protected from external forces by precisely designed and manufactured cable structures. Cable structure families which are currently being used are:
A. Loose Tube: Structure in which several gel filled buffer tubes containing optical fibers are stranded around a central strength member.
B. Slotted Core: Structure in which optical fibers are precisely placed in gel filled channels or slots. The channels are symmetrical and form a helical path along the longitudinal axis of the cable. A strength member is located in center of the cable structure.
C. Monotube: Structure in which all of the optical fibers are in a single, centrally located, gel filled buffer tube.
All of the cable structures listed above also incorporate additional protection which may consist of radially applied strength members, corrugated armor, and plastic sheaths.
Two monotube cable structures are currently being manufactured by AT&T (LXE design) and Siecor (Maxitube design). Cable cross-sectional views of the AT&T LXE design generally indicated by the numeral 10 and Siecor Maxitube design generally indicated by the numeral 30 can be found in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively.
The AT&T LXE cable 10 consists of a single large plastic, gel filled buffer tube 11 which can contain up to 96 optical fibers 12. The buffer tube 11 is surrounded by water-swellable tape 14 and corrugated armor 16. A ripcord 18 is placed under the corrugated armor 16 to aid in sheath removal. A strip of water-swellable tape 15 is helically wrapped around the corrugated armor. Two steel strength members 20 are located 180 degrees apart outside the corrugated armor 16. The armor 16 and strength members 20 are encapsulated by a high-density polyethylene jacket 22 which bonds to the armor 16 and completes the structure.
The cable 10 has several weaknesses in design, processibility and installation. First, the two steel strength members 20 with outer diameters of 0.063" produce an extremely stiff cable. Secondly, the steel strength members have a tendency to "piston" during installation and termination. The term "pistoning" describes the longitudinal movement of the steel strength members relative to the other cable components. Thirdly, the sheathing process is more complex due to the steel strength members 20 impregnated in the jacket 22. Fourthly, water penetration susceptibility exists between the steel strength members 20 and armor 16, and in areas void of water-swellable tape 15. Finally, the non-metallic AT&T LXE cable design is significantly more expensive to produce than the Siecor Maxitube design.
The Siecor Maxitube cable 30 consists of a single, large, gel filled, dual-layer buffer tube 32 which can contain up to 12 optical fibers 34. The buffer tube 32 is surrounded by radial strength yarns 36 which are impregnated with filling compound. Flooded, corrugated armor 38 is applied over the radial strength yarns 36. A ripcord 40 is placed over the corrugated armor 38 to aid in the removal of the outer jacket 42. A medium-density polyethylene jacket 42 is applied over the armor to complete the structure.
The cable 30 also has a number of drawbacks. First, the buffer tube 32 contains up to 0.6% fiber overlength, which is difficult to process in buffering. Secondly, the cable 30 has the capability of containing only 12 fibers. Thirdly, the buffer tube filling compound has a drip susceptibility at 65.degree. C. due to low viscosity. Fourthly, cable flexibility causes reduced sheave spacing during an aerial installation. Fifthly, the two-layer buffer tube 32 is difficult to process. Finally, taunt mid-span entry of the cable 30 is difficult.