The present invention concerns a bar for spectacles formed in two parts of relatively stiff plastic material, joined together by means of an elastic springing element in the form of a spiral spring. According to the invention, said elastic element also comprises a flat spring with surface positioned on a vertical plane, said spiral spring being wound in tight coils around a central part of said flat spring and being checked on opposite sides by two stop rings, the end parts of said flat spring forming means of anchorage into the two bar portions of plastic material.. The invention also concerns a method for manufacturing said bars for spectacles, wherein said end parts of the flat spring of the elastic element are enclosed into a respective box of an injection mold, using said stop rings of the elastic element to delimit and close the mold, plastic material being then injected into said boxes to incorporate said end parts of the flat spring.

The object of the present invention is an improved flexible bar structure for spectacles. It is known that spectacles bars should be flexible enough to be elastically opened wide apart, to an extent sufficient to allow the spectacles to be easily put on, while--on the other hand--they should be stiff enough to produce a correct contact pressure on the temples.
This flexibility of the bars is at present obtained with different techniques. Amongst them, the simplest, most diffused and most economic one is no doubt that of producing the bars of a plastic material having elasticity properties of its own, suited for the purpose.
Nevertheless, the drawback of this technique is that the characteristics of flexibility of the bars are inadequate. In fact, if the plastic material from which they are made is very flexible, it will no doubt be easy to put on the spectacles, in that the bars can be opened wide apart, but the contact pressure of the bars on the temples is too weak to guarantee a proper grip of the spectacles in a position of use. If, viceversa, the plastic material is quite stiff, it will be more difficult to put on the spectacles and, on the other hand, the pressure of the bars on the temples may prove uncomfortable after the spectacles have been worn for some time.
Another technique is that normally used for spectacles frames made entirely of metal. In this case, the bars are formed as relatively stiff metal stems, anchored to the front part of the frame by means of so-called elastic hinges. An elastic hinge is preferably configured so as to have a dead center position--or position of stable equilibrium--in which it is returned by suitably calibrated spring means. The combination of these two elements--namely, the spring-loaded hinge and the relatively stiff metal bars--allows both to easily put on the spectacles, in that the elastic hinges allow to open the bars wide apart, and to comfortably wear them, in that the stiff bars, under the return action of the springs of the hinges, produce a correct contact pressure on the temples. Nevertheless this technique is, as already said, on one hand almost exclusively limited to entirely metallic frames, and this for manufacturing purposes, and on the other hand it is fairly expensive for the use of the abovementioned type of hinge.
To improve the characteristics of flexibility of plastic bars, it has been proposed to insert into the body of the bar a flexible core in the form of a thin metal lamina. The improvement thereby obtained essentially derives from the fact that a bar thus made can undergo, with heat, a permanent deformation, so as to be adapted in a more precise manner to the shape of the head of the person wearing the spectacles; nevertheless, its characteristics of flexibility are not substantially improved.
A further proposal is provided by the FR-A-1.238.393 or by the EP-A1-0.061.555, and it consists in forming the bar in two parts and connecting them by means of a cylindrical spiral spring. Also this solution has not been found satisfactory because said spiral spring, on one hand, provides a flexibility in every direction (see FIGS. 1 and 2 of FR-A-1.238.393)--which constitutes a drawback as far as wearability and comfort of the spectacles--and, on the other hand, it tends to loose efficiency and slacken with time. The drawbacks of these known types of spectacles bars have been pointed out in the FR-A-2.588.389, which proposes--in order to overcome the same--a bar structure comprising a metal stiffening core onto which a spiral spring is fitted. According to what is expressly stated in this patent, the stiffening core is apt to be deformed so as to be adapted to the person wearing the spectacles, while the elasticity is guaranteed by the spiral spring. In reality, experience has proved that in this bar structure the stiffening core, in order to be able to preserve the desired shape, obtained by non-elastic deformation, has a rigidity such that the spiral spring fitted thereon is no longer apt to guarantee any elastic action.
Furthermore, according to the manufacturing method of this patent, the stiffening core is fixed to the bar portion carrying the hinge and, onto the same, there is first fitted the spiral spring and subsequently the second part of the plastic bar. This first of all involves considerable manufacturing difficulties when having to fit the second plastic part of the bar, which operation has to be carried out manually, and furthermore, it also involves problems as far as a steady fixing of said second part: experience teaches that, in a bar thus formed, the second plastic part can easily fall apart by slipping out during use. A further drawback the lies in the fact that--as in the case of FR-A-1.238.393--this structure provides a flexibility in every direction; and this is all the more serious in that the spring is allowed to rotate over the core, since nothing checks it, and can thus damage the ends of the plastic parts.
Substantially the same drawbacks occur with a bar structure as that described in the DE-C-684.189, which is besides relatively complex and difficult to manufacture, especially due to the presence of a tubular core.

Flexible bar for spectacles and manufacturing method


A direct conversion receiver for providing a direct conversion of a radio frequency signal having a carrier frequency comprises a local oscillator for substantially equal frequency to the carrier, and a semiconductor integrated circuit mounting mixers and amplifiers for amplifying inputs to the mixer. The amplifiers amplify the local oscillation signals and/or radio frequency signal inputted from the outside of the semiconductor integrated circuit and supply the amplified signals to the mixers. The mixers mix these inputted signals and output the mixed signals to the outside of the semiconductor integrated circuit. By thus forming the receiver, radiation of the local oscillation signals to outside of the receiver and leakage inside thereof can be suppressed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a receiver, and more particularly to a direct conversion receiver used for various radio communication devices such as selective call receivers.
2. Description of the Related Art
A receiving system called to as direct conversion system in which a signal carried by a carrier frequency is directly frequency-converted into a baseband signal has recently been put to practical use in order to provide compact and low power consumption radio communication devices, particularly Frequency-Shift Keying (FSK) signal receivers. FIG. 3 shows an exemplary structure of such an FSK signal receiver using the direct conversion system (refer to, for example, Proceedings for Spring Cession of National Conference by the Electronic Information and Communication Engineers Society (Denshi Joho Tsushin Gakkai), No. 2232, 1987; Kohji CHIBA et al.: "Performance of Direct Conversion FSK Receiver"). In FIG. 3, a reference numeral 1 denotes an antenna; 2 a radio frequency amplifier; 3 and mixers; 5 and 6 low pass filters; 7 and 8 amplitude limiting amplifiers, 9 a detector; 10 a phase shifter; and 11 an oscillator.
In operation of the above-mentioned FSK signal receiver, an FSK signal is received by the antenna 1. After the received signal is amplified by the radio frequency amplifier 2, it is distributed to the mixer 3 and 4. A local oscillation signal having a frequency which is substantially equal to the carrier frequency of the FSK signal is generated by the local oscillator 11 and then fed to the phase shifter 10. The phase of the local oscillation signal is shifted by 90.degree. by the phase shifter 10 to generate two signals which are orthogonal in phase to each other for the mixers 3 and 4. The two orthogonal signals are mixed with the FSK signal by the mixers 3 and 4 to output I and Q signals, respectively, which are FSK demodulation signals with 90.degree. out-of-phase to each other. After the I and Q signals are passed through the filters 5 and 6, respectively, they are amplified by the amplitude limiting amplifiers 7 and 8. The FSK signal is demodulated from the amplified I and Q signals by the detector 9.
In FIG. 4, a reference numeral 15 denotes a conventional orthogonal mixer unit including the mixers 3 and 4 and RF denotes a carrier signal. The mixer unit 15 is comprised of a semiconductor integrated circuit which is encircled by a dotted line. Reference numerals in FIG. 4 which are like to those in FIG. 1 denote like components. The orthogonal mixer unit 15 is adapted to receiver the carrier signal RF and the local oscillation signals, the phases of which have been shifted by the phase shifter 10, and to supply the I and Q signals.
The direct conversion system has a feature that the carrier frequency of the received FSK signal is substantially equal to the frequency of local oscillation signal. Accordingly, there is the possibility that a local oscillation signal radiated from one receiver is received by the other receiver having the same reception frequency located in the vicinity of the first receiver to mask a normal FSK signal. There is also the possibility that in case of pager and the like having a built-in receiving antenna, the local oscillation signal is leaked to the antenna to mask the normal FSK signal since the tuning frequency of the antenna is substantially equal to the frequency of the local oscillation signal. Radiation of the local oscillation signal from the mixer unit, the radio frequency amplifier and the antenna will interfere with the other receivers. If a FSK signal having a high input level is received by the antenna, the high level FSK signal will unwantedly reach at the oscillator through a path from an FSK signal input terminal of the mixer unit to an local oscillation signal input terminal, resulting in no oscillation of the oscillator.
Accordingly, an approach that an oscillator is implemented in an unit by being housed by, for example, a shield case has been adapted for the structure of the receiver in order to prevent the local oscillation signal from being leaked.
If a mixer unit is formed on a semiconductor integrated circuit in the direct conversion receiver having the structure as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the mixer unit includes, for example, a signal or double balanced mixer. The above-mentioned receiver usually requires the input level of the order from -10 to 0 dBm to the mixers 3 and 4 from the oscillator 11 to obtain necessary performances. It is necessary to input a high level local oscillation signal to a lead terminal of the semiconductor integrated circuit on which the mixer unit is provided. Therefore, in order to prevent the high level oscillation signal from being leaked, it is necessary to house not only the oscillator but also the lead terminals of the mixer unit in the shield case. In this way, prior art direct conversion receivers have problems that the packaging of the components in the receivers becomes complicated and that high and sophisticated technology to suppress the leakage of the local oscillation signal is needed.

Direct conversion receiver especially suitable for frequency shift keying (FSK) modulated signals

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


There is provided a water-soluble flux composition for soldering which is excellent particularly in heat resistance and flux residues after soldering of which can be easily removed by washing with water or warm water. The flux composition for soldering contains a compound of formula (1):

Flux is used in the field of soldering, silver brazing, electric welding and so on to improve soldering by removing oxides on the surface of metal substrates, preventing re-oxidation during heating, or lowering the surface tension of solder to increase wetting property.
The flux is a composition containing a resin, an activator and other additives. Conventionally, flux comprising a rosin as a main ingredient is used in the electric and electronic fields in which flux residues are not washed after soldering. However, when the flux is used for soldering of important security parts such as precision electronic parts, electric equipment for automobile, and so on, flux residues must be removed by washing. Therefore, when a rosin-type flux is used, fluorine-based organic solvents or chlorine-based organic solvents that fully dissolve the rosin have been used for washing after soldering. However, these organic solvents become strictly regulated as they have adverse influence on safety and sanitation, and global environment. Thus, it is desired to minimize the use of them. Consequently, flux compositions that dissolve in water or warm water get a lot of attention for removing flux by washing after soldering.
On the other hand, the metals used for solder itself are also becoming a subject to regulation. Although the metals used for the conventional solder material were mainly tin-lead based ones, much attention is directed to lead-free solder in order to reduce the effects on the environment. Further, in Europe, "Restriction of the use of hazardous substances including lead (RoHS Directive)" will be enforced from July of 2006, and much attention is directed to lead-fee solder also from world point of view. As lead-free solders, tin-silver-copper based, tin-silver based ones, and so on are known, but they have a higher melting point by 20 to 30° C. than the conventional tin-lead based one. Therefore, also for the flux composition used in soldering, heat resistance is required, it is desired to develop flux compositions having heat resistance together with the above-mentioned water soluble property.
A flux composition for soldering containing a polyester polycarboxylic acid synthesized from an esterification reaction of a polyol with a polycarboxylic acid is disclosed as a flux for reducing soldering defects. The polyol includes ethylene glycol, several epoxy resins, and the polycarboxylic acid includes (anhydrous) succinic acid, (anhydrous) phthalic acid, and the like (Patent Document 1).
A flux composition for solder in which at least one of vinyl group-containing compounds, carboxyl group-containing compounds, and epoxy group-containing compounds, and a modified amine compound obtained by a reaction of an amine compound having active hydrogen are used as flux base resins is disclosed. The carboxyl group-containing compounds include acetic acid, citric acid, and the like, the amine compound having active hydrogen includes n-propylamine, ethylene diamine, and the like. The modified amine compound is a compound obtained by condensation reaction of an active hydrogen-containing amine compound with a carboxyl group-containing compound. The flux composition containing these modified amine compounds can contain organic acids such as benzoic acid, succinic acid, maleic acid, and the like. (Patent Document 2).
A water soluble flux composition for solder containing a resinous substance being a reaction product of one or two or more carboxyl group-containing compounds selected from the group consisting of monocarboxylic acid, polycarboxylic acid and hydroxycarboxylic acid having carbon atom number of 8 or less, with tris-(2,3-epoxypropyl)-isocyanurate, and an activator is disclosed. The carboxylic acid includes acetic acid, oxalic acid, succinic acid, citric acid, and the like, and the activator includes lactic acid, oleic acid, aniline hydrochloride, ethylene diamine, and the like (Patent Document 3).    Patent Document 1: JP-A-4-200992 (1992) (Claims)    Patent Document 2: JP-A-5-008085 (1993) (Claims)    Patent Document 3: JP-A-3-018498 (1991) (Claims)

Heat-resistant water-soluble flux composition for soldering

Abstract: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 independently of one another are a hydrocarbon group or hydrogen atom, and A1, A2 and A3 independently of one another are hydroxy group or an organic group of formula (2):

Abstract: and at least one of A1, A2 and A3 is an organic group of formula (2).


A power delivery system may include a power converter configured to electrically couple to a power source and further configured to supply electrical energy to one or more loads electrically coupled to an output of the power converter and control circuitry configured to control the power converter in accordance with a control variable. The control circuitry may include a first control mechanism configured to generate a first intermediate control variable based on a first physical quantity associated with the power delivery system, a second control mechanism configured to generate a second intermediate control variable based on a second physical quantity associated with the power delivery system, a selector configured to select the control variable from the first intermediate control variable and the second intermediate control variable, and a shared feedback memory element configured to feed back the control variable to inputs of the first control mechanism and the second control mechanism, such that the first control mechanism generates the first intermediate control variable based on the first physical quantity and the control variable, and the second control mechanism generates the second intermediate control variable based on the second physical quantity and the control variable.

Portable electronic devices, including wireless telephones, such as mobile/cellular telephones, tablets, cordless telephones, mp3 players, and other consumer devices, are in widespread use. Such a portable electronic device may include circuitry for implementing a power converter for converting a battery voltage (e.g., provided by a lithium-ion battery) into a supply voltage delivered to one or more components of the portable electronic device. The power delivery network may also regulate such supply voltage, and isolate the downstream loads of these one or more devices from fluctuation in an output voltage of the battery over the course of operation.
In addition to regulating the supply rail for the supply voltage, it may be desirable for the power converter (or a control circuit for the power converter) to provide for active protection mechanisms to limit an amount of current that can be drawn by the one or more components powered from the supply rail.

Use of shared feedback among two or more reactive schemes


A telephone terminal includes a receiving detector which detects a signal level of a receiving voice signal incoming from the main device, a transmitting detector which detects a signal level of a transmitting voice signal to transmit it to the main device, an adjustment device to adjust the transmitting voice signal and a controller which obtains a control value capable of switching a communication state from a receiving state to a transmitting state to make an acoustic echo to be added to the transmitting voice signal be minimum, based on each signal level of the receiving voice signal and signal level of the transmitting voice signal, and controls the adjustment device based on the control value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a telephone terminal, a telephone system using this telephone terminal and a control method of the telephone terminal capable of connecting to a local area network (LAN) transmitting, e.g., a voice packet.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a system, enabling communications among Internet protocol (IP) telephone terminals and between the IP telephone terminal and an external communication network such as a public network, by connecting the IP telephone terminals equipped with a communication processing function and a media information processing function to the LAN, connecting the LAN to the external communication network via a main device and conducting protocol conversion and data format conversion through the IP telephone terminal and the main device, has been proposed.
By the way, in such a kind of system, a signal creep is added to a voice signal when the IP telephone terminal is connected to an analog line or a private line. When the IP telephone terminal makes a loud speakerphone communication in a room with a high level acoustic echo, a handset on a communication partner hears an anxious echo.
In the case of the IP telephone terminal, further, sometimes occurs a delay resulted from a network, which seldom occurs in the case of a conventional telephone set. When the delay occurs, the voice which is talked though a partner side handset creeps on a speakerphone side as the acoustic echo and an abnormal noise and an echo sound are heard during talking and when it is terminated on the handset side and harsh sounds are caused. In particular, an anxious degree tends to become increased in proportion to a length of a delay amount, so that when the delay amount becomes large, an echo amount should be further reduced.
Therefore, it is considered to provide an echo canceller function for deleting the acoustic echo to be added to the voice signal to the main device (for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,404,887, B1).
In the meanwhile, the above-mentioned echo canceller function effectively operates in the case of connection between the IP telephone terminal and an office lime, but in the case of mutual connection of IP telephone terminals with less affects by creeping (peer-to-peer), the function becomes unstable inversely.

Telephone terminal, telephone system using telephone terminal and control method of telephone terminal


A wire wrapper including a drum configured to rotate. The drum includes one or more slits for receiving a wire. The wire wrapper further includes a motor configured to rotate the drum to wrap the wire around the drum. The wire wrapper further includes a controller configured to start and stop the motor in response to user input.

The use of and development of communications has grown nearly exponentially in recent years. The growth is fueled by larger networks with more reliable protocols and better communications hardware available to both service providers and consumers. New electronic devices, such as laptops, tablets (e.g. iPads), wireless handsets, personal digital assistants (PDAs), computers, laptops, e-Readers, music players, global positioning systems, and other similar devices are being released nearly constantly.
In many cases, electronic devices come with any number of power cords, mobility cables, chargers, wired adapters, communications cables, or other types of wires (hereinafter referred to as "wire" or "wires"). Wrapping up wires, whether new or used, may be time consuming and may difficult to do consistently for different sizes and lengths of cables.

Wire wrapper and a method of use thereof


A process for thermal treatment of solid particles in a fluidized bed wherein the solid particles by thermal treatment form a lighter weight fraction and a heavier weight fraction, relative to the total contents of the bed. The process is characterized by use of a selective heavier particle discharge conduit in the sloping bed support and maintenance of a discrete fluid fueled flame in close proximity to and above the opening to the heavier particle discharge conduit. This forms a higher temperature zone in and surrounding the flame, at least about 100.degree. F. higher than the remainder bed temperature. Circulation of solid particles through the flame and its surrounding higher temperature region is promoted both by directing of fluidization gas jets in the fluidized bed support and by the jetting action of the upwardly flowing heavier particle discharge gas.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for thermal treatment of solid particles in a fluidized bed characterized by thermal treatment in multiple temperature zones forming a lighter weight fraction of solids or a gas or vapor and a heavier weight fraction of solids, relative to the average weight of contents in the bed. The solids are fed to a fluidized bed supported on a bed support having at least one region of opposing downwardly sloping portions which converge in their lower portions into the opening of a heavier particle discharge conduit. A discrete fluid fuel fed flame is maintained in the localized region above the heavier particle discharge conduit opening. The process of this invention provides for treatment of solid particles at multiple temperatures within a single fluidized bed and aids in the separation and withdrawal of solids of differing size-density relationships resulting from such thermal treatment. The process is particularly useful in incineration, calcining, solid particle reclamation, and metallic ore separation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Fluidized beds are used in a large number of chemical processes and in the gasification or liquefaction of various solids such as coal and shale. Sloping bed supports have previously been used in the ash agglomerating fluidized bed apparatus and processes, such as taught by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,229,289; 3,935,825; and 2,906,608.
Combustion of liquid fuel in a fluidized bed resting upon a sloping bed support wherein the fuel is injected from a central opening at the bottom of a conical support or in the sloping side regions is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,978. The '978 patent teaches that such a fluidized bed aids complete combustion of liquid fuel by atomization of the fuel for dispersal throughout the bed for burning. U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,401 teaches combustion of natural or manufactured gas in a fluidized bed and teaches control of fuel carrying air with air-fuel diffusion throughout the bed for combustion. These two patents emphasize the distribution of fuel throughout the fluidized bed for combustion.
Burner nozzles having central fuel supply tubes and annular oxidant supplies are exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,972,690, 3,847,564; and 3,649,206.
Use of a carrier gas to sheath a stream of coating gas in a pyrolytic particle coating apparatus utilizing electric heat is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,153,004. U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,925 teaches a fluidized bed reactor having its total gas feed through a central tube with a plurality of ducts to effect laminar flow.

Treatment of solids in fluidized bed burner


Techniques for forming dual III-V semiconductor channel materials to enable fabrication of different device types on the same chip/wafer are provided. In one aspect, a method of forming dual III-V semiconductor channel materials on a wafer includes the steps of: providing a wafer having a first III-V semiconductor layer on an oxide; forming a second III-V semiconductor layer on top of the first III-V semiconductor layer, wherein the second III-V semiconductor layer comprises a different material with an electron affinity that is less than an electron affinity of the first III-V semiconductor layer; converting the first III-V semiconductor layer in at least one second active area to an insulator using ion implantation; and removing the second III-V semiconductor layer from at least one first active area selective to the first III-V semiconductor layer.

In many applications, it is often desirable to be able to fabricate different types of devices on the same wafer. For instance, one might want to produce logic and memory devices on the same chip. Different devices, however, have different requirements. For instance, logic devices might require a different supply voltage than a memory device, and with memory devices, such as static random access memory (SRAM), controlling leakage current is an important consideration. Thus being able to fabricate different types of devices on the same chip presents some unique challenges.
The use of III-V semiconductor materials (i.e., materials that include at least one group III element and at least one group V element) has been proposed for future generations of metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) devices. This is due to their favorable electron transport properties. See, for example, del Alamo et al., "The Prospects for 10 nm III-V CMOS," VLSI Technology Systems and Applications (VLSI-TSA), 2010 International Symposium, pgs. 166-167 (April 2010) (hereinafter "del Alamo"). It is however difficult to implement a III-V semiconductor material in the context of a hybrid device design, i.e., one wherein multiple types of devices are being fabricated on the same chip. Take for instance the example above of a chip having both logic and memory devices. While use of a III-V material as the channel material for a logic device is rather straightforward, in order to meet the low leakage current requirements for the memory devices, the III-V material would have to be much more dense. Thus finding a III-V material to meet the unique specifications of these different device types is a challenge.
Thus, techniques that permit implementation of a III-V semiconductor material in the context of fabricating hybrid device designs on the same chip would be desirable.

Hybrid III-V technology to support multiple supply voltages and off state currents on same chip

International Business Machines Corporation


This document describes biochemical pathways for producing glutaric acid, 5-aminopentanoic acid, 5-hydroxypentanoic acid, cadaverine or 1,5-pentanediol by forming one or two terminal functional groups, comprised of carboxyl, amine or hydroxyl group, in a C5 backbone substrate such as malonyl-CoA or malonyl-[acp].

Nylons are polyamides which are generally synthesized by the condensation polymerization of a diamine with a dicarboxylic acid. Similarly, Nylons may be produced by the condensation polymerization of lactams. A ubiquitous nylon is Nylon 6,6, which is produced by condensation polymerization of hexamethylenediamine (HMD) and adipic acid. Nylon 6 can be produced by a ring opening polymerization of caprolactam (Anton & Baird, Polyamides Fibers, Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology, 2001).
Nylon 5, Nylon 5,5 and other variants including C5 monomers represent novel polyamides with value-added characteristics compared to Nylon 6 and Nylon 6,6 in a number of applications. Nylon 5 is produced by polymerisation of 5-aminopentanoic acid, whereas Nylon 5,5 is produced by condensation polymerisation of glutaric acid and cadaverine. No economically viable petrochemical routes exist to producing the monomers for Nylon 5 and Nylon 5,5.
Given no economically viable petrochemical monomer feedstocks, biotechnology offers an alternative approach via biocatalysis. Biocatalysis is the use of biological catalysts, such as enzymes, to perform biochemical transformations of organic compounds.
Both bioderived feedstocks and petrochemical feedstocks are viable starting materials for the biocatalysis processes.
Accordingly, against this background, it is clear that there is a need for sustainable methods for producing one or more of glutaric acid, 5-hydroxypentanoate, 5-aminopentanoate, cadaverine and 1,5-pentanediol (hereafter "C5 building blocks") wherein the methods are biocatalyst based.
However, wild-type prokaryotes or eukaryotes do not overproduce such C5 building blocks to the extracellular environment. Nevertheless, the metabolism of glutaric acid, 5-aminopentanoate and cadaverine has been reported.
The dicarboxylic acid glutaric acid is converted efficiently as a carbon source by a number of bacteria and yeasts via β-oxidation into central metabolites. Decarboxylation of Coenzyme A (CoA) activated glutarate to crotonyl-CoA facilitates further catabolism via β-oxidation.
The metabolism of 5-aminopentanoate has been reported for anaerobic bacteria such as Clostridium viride (Buckel et al., 2004, Arch. Microbiol., 162, 387-394). Similarly, cadaverine may be degraded to acetate and butyrate (Roeder and Schink, 2009, Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 75(14), 4821-4828)
The optimality principle states that microorganisms regulate their biochemical networks to support maximum biomass growth. Beyond the need for expressing heterologous pathways in a host organism, directing carbon flux towards C5 building blocks that serve as carbon sources rather than as biomass growth constituents, contradicts the optimality principle. For example, transferring the 1-butanol pathway from Clostridium species into other production strains has often fallen short by an order of magnitude compared to the production performance of native producers (Shen et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 2011, 77(9):2905-2915).
The efficient synthesis of the five carbon aliphatic backbone precursor is a key consideration in synthesizing one or more C5 building blocks prior to forming terminal functional groups, such as carboxyl, amine or hydroxyl groups, on the C5 aliphatic backbone.

Methods, reagents and cells for biosynthesizing compounds


In a fluidized bed reactor particles are internally circulated, moving down the walls forming the reactor chamber. A particle chamber having a particle gathering top wall with a horizontal projection area A is disposed in the downward flow of particles. Openings (e.g. holes or slots) with a controlling dimension of about 30 mm or less are provided in the top wall, the openings having total open area B less than half the area A. Heat transfer surfaces may be disposed in the particle chamber.

The present invention refers to a method and an apparatus for circulating solid material in a fluidized bed reactor, including a reactor chamber, having side walls defining the interior of the reactor chamber and a grid at the bottom of the reactor chamber; a gas discharge opening adjacent the upper end of the reactor chamber and a fluidized bed of solid particles in said reactor chamber, the fluidized bed having an internal circulation of solid particles.
In fluidized bed reactors, both conventional bubbling bed reactors and circulating bed reactors, there is an internal circulation of solid bed material within the reactor chamber. The bed material is in a continuous upwards and downwards motion. The finer the solid particles the more easily they flow upwards in the reactor chamber. A fractionation of solids therefore takes place in the reactor chamber. A dense solid particle fraction, including larger objects, is formed in the lower part of the reactor chamber, whereas less dense solid particle fractions, including fine particles, are formed higher up in the reactor chamber.
It may in some processes be desirable to gather a portion of the particles forming the bed material for separate processing, e.g. cooling or classification, at a different location, before further processing that portion of particles in the main reactor chamber. It is known to discharge solid particles from a reactor chamber and after processing, e.g. after cooling, recirculating the particles back into the reactor chamber.
It is however often desirable to be able to process particles within the reactor chamber without having to discharge the particles and recirculate them externally through a particle separator and an external processing chamber. Especially if large amounts of particles are to be processed it would be preferable to process the particles within the reactor chamber itself without external circulation.
It would e.g. be desirable to take advantage of the large amount of solid particles circulating internally in the lower part of a fluidized bed reactor chamber. It would in many processes also be advantageous to process mainly particles of a certain size. Particles of a size suitable for e.g. neat recovery are however often, due to fractionation in the lower part of a reactor chamber, mixed with big particles or with large objects, which tend to prevent optimal heat recovery. Large objects tend e.g. to clog the heat transfer surfaces and cause mechanical damage.
It is desirable to gather into a defined space, such as a particle chamber used as an internal heat exchanger, enough particles having a certain size, suitable for a particular purpose to efficiently accomplish that purpose, e.g. heat recovery. The inlet openings guiding particles into the internal heat exchanger may be too small to allow enough particles to flow into the chamber. Or the inlets of the particle chamber may be positioned at a location having decreased internal circulation. There may therefore be a need to concentrate the particle flow into the particle chamber.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved method and an improved apparatus for gathering solid particles from within the internal circulation of solid particles in a fluidized bed reactor, for separate processing of the solid particles within the fluidized bed reactor.
It is especially an object of the present invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for recovering heat from solid particles within the internal circulation of solid particles in a fluidized bed reactor chamber.
According to the invention, a method for circulating solid material in a fluidized bed reactor, having an internal circulation of solid particles, is practiced by the following steps: (a) Gathering solid particles from the internal circulation of solid particles into a particle chamber, having an upper gathering wall with inlet openings allowing particles to flow into the particle chamber. (b) Disposing the gathering wall within the internal circulation of solid particles to meet a flow of particles having a horizontal cross sectional area A. (c) Causing particles to flow into the particle chamber through inlet openings having a total open area B, significantly smaller than the cross sectional area A. And, (d) recirculating at least a portion of the particles from the particle chamber into the reactor chamber.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cross sectional area A is more than twice as large as the total open area B of the inlet openings. A large upper gathering wall may be used for gathering particles from a large cross sectional area of the reactor chamber. The gathering wall may be primarily formed of an upper end wall of the particle chamber, the end wall having an area A having the size and form of the cross section of the particle chamber.
The gathering wall may, however, in other embodiments of the present invention be formed of an upper end wall having extensions which guide particles toward the upper end wall, in which case the gathering wall collects particles from an extended particle flow.
The particles gathered by the gathering wall may be concentrated by allowing the particles to flow only through inlet openings arranged on or covering restricted areas of the upper end wall. This leads to an increased density of the particle flow flowing through the inlet openings into the particle chamber. By positioning of the inlet openings it is possible to lead the particle flows into pre-determined locations of the particle chamber, it is e.g. possible to concentrate particles into certain heat transfer sections of the particle chamber.
The inlet openings may also be used to classify particles allowed to flow into the particle chamber. Thereby the inlet openings may allow only particles of a size smaller than a predetermined size to flow from the fluidized bed through the end wall into the particle chamber. The end wall thereby forms a barrier wall between the reactor chamber and the particle chamber. Large objects, having a size bigger than said predetermined size of particles, will then be guided downwardly in the reactor chamber externally of the particle chamber.
Also according to the invention, an apparatus for classifying solid particles in a fluidized bed reactor having an internal circulation of particles is provided. The apparatus comprises: A particle chamber disposed in the fluidized bed of solid particles. The particle chamber having an upper gathering wall, with a horizontal projection area A. Inlet openings, such as holes or slots, disposed in the upper gathering wall, for allowing particles in the fluidized bed to flow into the particle chamber, the inlet openings having a total open area B, which is less than half of the area A. And, the particle chamber further having a wall provided with at least one opening for recirculating particles from the particle chamber into the reactor chamber.
Heat transfer surfaces are according to a preferred embodiment of the invention arranged in the particle chamber. Heat is then easily and efficiently recovered from particles, without large objects adversely affecting heat recovery.
The particle chamber may be disposed adjacent to a side wall or a partition wall in the lower part of the reactor chamber for gathering and if desired classifying solid particles flowing downwardly by gravity along the walls. Then the uppermost end or roof construction of the particle chamber forms the gathering wall or end wall. The upper gathering wall may be horizontal or inclined.
The upper end wall of a particle chamber may constitute a barrier wall and have openings allowing only particles of a size smaller than a predetermined size to flow therethrough, preventing large objects from flowing into the particle chamber. By making the upper end wall inclined e.g. about 30.degree.-45.degree. from horizontal large objects are caused to continue to flow downwardly along the external side of the end wall without clogging the openings in the end wall.
The present invention may be used e.g. in fluidized bed combustors, where one or several particle chambers are arranged on the bottom of the combustion chamber. The particle chamber or chambers may be adjacent the side walls or partition walls in the combustion chamber or may even stand freely on the bottom. In some embodiments particle chambers may be arranged as protrusions higher up in the combustion chamber.
In hot surroundings the particle chamber may be constructed of water tube panels, like the reactor chamber itself. The tube panels may be refractory lined. The openings in the upper end wall may then be made in fins combining adjacent water tubes or may be made by bending a water tube or two adjacent water tubes to provide a slot between the tubes. If the upper end wall is refractory lined then a furrow may be formed in the refractory lining and the openings may be made in the bottom plane of the furrow. There may be only one opening or slot in the upper end wall if the amount of particles introduced through this opening is sufficient. Usually several openings or slots are provided in the upper end wall to provide a sufficient flow of particles. Slots or rows of openings disposed in horizontal or inclined walls on top of the particle chamber may advantageously be disposed perpendicularly to the reactor side wall.
There may be long particle chambers covering substantially the whole length of a side wall or several side walls, or there may only be one small particle chamber, or two small particle chambers spaced apart from each other at a side wall.
The particle chamber may e.g. reach to a level 3 to 8 meters above the grid of a circulating fluidized bed reactor, whereby a rather large downward flow of particles may be gathered by the upper end wall of the particle chamber. In some processes a small particle chamber would be able to process more particles than what can be gathered by its upper end wall. In these processes an extension surface may be connected to the upper end wall. The extension surface should be arranged so that it guides particles from adjacent areas towards the upper end wall.
The inlet openings in the upper end wall may in circulating fluidized bed combustors be holes, having a diameter about 50 mm, preferably about 30 mm or smaller, or slots having a width about 50 mm, preferably about 30 mm or smaller. Such openings allow only approximately round particles of a size <50 mm or oblong particles having a width <50 mm to flow through the upper end or barrier wall.
In fluidized bed combustors the particle chamber may be used for heat recovery. Evaporators, superheaters or other heat exchange/transfer surfaces are disposed in the particle chamber. The invention provides the option to run combustors at low load, even when it is impossible to get enough heating capacity in the upper regions of the combustor chamber or in external heat exchangers connected through particle separators to the external recirculation loop. The invention makes it possible to obtain a balance between superheating and evaporation for different loads or for different fuels. The invention also makes it possible to achieve higher steam temperatures when burning fuels releasing corrosive gases if the superheaters are disposed in a particle chamber having a less corrosive gas atmosphere than the reactor chamber, or non-corrosive gas atmosphere.
Heat transfer surfaces may be disposed in any conventional manner in the particle chamber. Heat transfer may be controlled by introducing fluidizing air/gas into the fine material chamber. The fluidizing air may be used as secondary air in the combustion chamber.
Good mixing of solid material in the particle chamber is important if heat is to be recovered from the particles in the particle chamber. Mixing can be optimized by providing the inlet or inlets of and outlet or outlets for solid particles in opposite ends of the particle chamber.
Particles may be recirculated from the particle chamber into the reactor chamber by overflow openings. These openings may be provided on only one side wall of the particle chamber, or there may be openings provided on several side walls. It is in most cases advantageous to dispose the overflow openings far away from the inlet openings (which are in the upper end wall) if good mixing of particles in the particle chamber is desired.
The particles may alternatively be recirculated through a gas lock, such as narrow slot like openings disposed one above the other in a side wall of the particle chamber. The particles may also be recirculated through a gas lock of a L-valve type formed between the particle chamber and the reactor chamber. The recirculation may be controlled by fluidizing the fine particles in the vicinity of the gas lock. The particles may of course also be recirculated into the reactor chamber by mechanical means, such as a screw feeder.
Fluidizing air introduced into the combustor, for control of heat transfer or for transporting particles into the particle chamber, may also be used as secondary air in the combustion chamber. The particle outlet openings or the particle inlet openings allow gas to flow outward through the upper end wall countercurrently to the particle flow. The particle flow inward into the particle chamber is unstable and does not prevent gases from escaping from the chamber.
In a circulating fluidized bed reactor bed material is discharged with the exhaust gases and separated from the gases in a particle separator. The particles are thereafter reintroduced through a particle inlet into the reactor chamber, usually into the lower part of the reactor chamber. When utilizing a particle chamber according to the present invention in a circulating fluidized bed reactor, this externally circulated bed material may be wholly or partly reintroduced into the reactor through that particle chamber. An inlet for externally circulated material is then provided in the particle chamber. If heat transfer surfaces are to be provided in the particle chamber, then heat is recovered from both externally and internally circulating material.
The present invention provides an improved method and apparatus for processing solid particles within the internal circulation of a reactor chamber. The present invention especially provides an improved method for concentrating large amounts of particles and recovering heat from those particles without having to circulate the particles externally and without large objects causing problems. The present invention further allows a simple and stiff evaporator construction to be used.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of the drawings, and from the appended claims.

Method for circulating solid material in a fluidized bed reactor


An assistive device and a method of facilitating removal of a card is provided. The assistive device includes a first portion and a second portion extending from a first end of the first portion. The second portion having a first surface arranged on an angle relative to the first portion. At least one pad is disposed on the second portion. A lip extends from a second end of the first portion, the lip having a width smaller than a thickness of the card.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to an assistive device, and in a particular to an assistive device that aids in the retrieval of a card from a container such as a wallet.
It is common for people to carry multiple cards to facilitate authentication and perform transactions in their daily lives. These cards, such as credit cards, bank cards, and drivers' licenses for example, provide information that allows for the transactions to be more quickly performed or for the other party to have some assurance of whom they are meeting. As the number of these cards has proliferated, containers have been developed that include space for the cards. These containers, such as wallets, pocketbooks, briefcases and the like, typically have slots or pockets that are sized to receive one or more cards.
For people who have diminished hand function, the retrieval of the card from the container may be difficult. Examples of diminished function include, hand impairments due to congenital health conditions or the aging process as well as acute or chronic injuries. These impairments may make manipulating the relatively thin card difficult or in some cases impossible. Thus, for people with diminished hand function, the use of cards in containers such as wallets may reduce their ability to act independently and may otherwise interfere with normal daily activities.
Accordingly, while existing assistive devices are suitable for their intended purposes the need for improvement remains, particularly in providing an assistive device that can be used to remove cards on an as needed basis.


Bioavailable sustained release oral opioid analgesic dosage forms, comprising a plurality of multiparticulates produced via melt extrusion techniques are disclosed.

The present invention relates to the use of melt extrusion technology in the production of bioavailable sustained-release matrix pharmaceutical formulations. Previously, melt extrusion has been used in the production of immediate release formulations.
It is known in the pharmaceutical art to prepare compositions which provide for controlled release of pharmacologically active substances contained in the compositions after oral administration to humans and animals. Such slow release compositions are used to delay absorption of a medicament until it has reached certain portions of the alimentary tract. Such sustained-release of a medicament in the alimentary tract further maintains a desired concentration of said medicament in the blood stream for a longer duration than would occur if conventional rapid release dosage forms are administered.
Different methods of preparing controlled release pharmaceutical dosage forms have been suggested. For example, direct compression techniques, wet granulation techniques, encapsulation techniques and the like have been proposed to deliver pharmaceutically active ingredients to the alimentary tract over extended periods.
Additionally, various types of sustained release formulations are known in the art, including specially coated pellets, coated tablets and capsules wherein the slow release of the active medicament is brought about through selective breakdown of the coating of the preparation or through compounding with a special matrix to affect the release of a drug. Some sustained release formulations provide for related sequential release of a single dose of an active compound at predetermined periods after administration.
It is the intent of all sustained-release preparations to provide a longer period of pharmacologic response after the administration of the drug and is ordinarily experienced after the administration of the rapid release dosage forms. Such longer periods of response provide for many inherent therapeutic benefits that are not achieved with corresponding short acting, immediate release preparations. This is especially true in the treatment of cancer patients or other patients in need of treatment for the alleviation of moderate to severe pain, where blood levels of an opioid analgesic medicament must be maintained at a therapeutically effective level to provide pain relief. Unless conventional rapid acting drug therapy is carefully administered at frequent intervals to maintain effective steady state blood levels of the drug, peaks and valleys in the blood level of the active drug occur because of the rapid absorption, systemic excretion of the compound and through metabolic inactivation, thereby producing special problems in maintenance of analgesic efficacy.
The prior art teaching of the preparation and use of compositions providing the sustained-release of an active compound from a carrier is basically concerned with the release of the active substance into the physiological fluid of the alimentary tract. However, it is generally recognized that the mere presence of an active substance in the gastrointestinal fluids does not, by itself, insure bioavailablity.
In order to be absorbed, the active drug substance must be in solution. The time required for a given proportion of an active substance from a unit dosage form is determined as the proportion of the amount of active drug substance release from a unit dosage form over a specified time base by a test method conducted under standardized conditions. The physiological fluids of the gastrointestinal tract are the media for determining dissolution time. The present state of the art recognizes many satisfactory test procedures to measure dissolution time for pharmaceutical compositions, and these test procedures are described in official compendia world wide.
Although there are many diverse factors which influence the dissolution of drug substance from its carrier, the dissolution time determined for a pharmacologically active substance form the specific composition is relatively constant and reproducible. Among the different factors affecting the dissolution time are the surface area of the drug substance presented to the dissolution solvent medium, the pH of the solution, the solubility of the substance in the specific solvent medium, and the driving forces of the saturation concentration of dissolved materials in the solvent medium. Thus, the dissolution concentration of an active drug substance is dynamically modified in its steady state as components are removed from the dissolution medium through absorption across the tissue site. Under physiological conditions, the saturation level of the dissolved materials is replenished form the dosage form reserve to maintain a relatively uniform and constant dissolution concentration in the solvent medium providing for a steady state absorption.
The transport across a tissue absorption site of the gastrointestinal tract is influenced by the Donnan osmotic equilibrium forces on both sides of the membrane since the direction of the driving force is the difference between the concentrations of active substance on either side of the membrane, i.e., the amount dissolved in the gastrointestinal fluids and the amount present in the blood. Since the blood levels are constantly being modified by dilution, circulatory changes, tissue storage, metabolic conversion and systemic excretion, the flow of active materials is directed from the gastrointestinal tract into the blood stream.
Notwithstanding the diverse factors influencing both dissolution and absorption of a drug substance, a strong correlation has been established between the in-vitro dissolution time determined for a dosage form and (in-vivo) bioavailablity. The dissolution time and the bioavailablity determined for a composition are two of the most significant fundamental characteristics for consideration when evaluating sustained-release compositions.
Metal granulations techniques have also been suggested to provide controlled release formulations. Generally, melt granulation involves mechanically working an active ingredient in particulate form with one or more suitable binders and/or pharmaceutically acceptable excipients in a mixer until one or more of the binders melts and adheres to the surface of the particulate, eventually building up granules.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,681 (Klimesch, et. al.) discloses a continuous process for preparing pharmaceutical mixtures having at least two components which are continuously metered. The process includes continuously metering the individual components of the pharmaceutical mixture at a rate of at least 50 g/h on electronic differential metering balances having a metering accuracy of at least xc2x15% within time intervals of less than one minute and, additionally, having screw conveyors, thereby obtaining a substantially uniformly metered mixture; and shaping the mixture. Example 1 of the ""681 patent is representative of the process. The requisite amounts of a copolymer having a K value of 30 and obtained from 60% of N-vinylpyrrolid-2-one (NVP), stearyl alcohol and theophylline are metered via three metering balances into the hopper of an extruder and extruded. The temperatures of the extruder cylinder consisting of six shots ranged form 30-60xc2x0 C. and the die is heated to 100xc2x0 C. The resultant extrudate is then pressed into tablets of the required shape. The ""681 patent does not disclose preparation of sustained release opioid pharmaceutical formulations.
N. Follonier., et al., Hot-Melt Extruded Pellets for the Sustained Release of Highly Dosed Freely Soluble Drugs, Proceed. Intern. Symp. Control. Rel. Bioact. Mater., 18 (1991) described certain diltiazem hydrochloride formulations prepared using hot-melt screw-extrusion to obtain sustained-release pellets to be filled into hard gelatin capsules. The polymers used were ethylcellulose, a copolymer of ethyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate containing quaternary ammonium groups, cellulose acetate butyrate, poly(vinyl chloride-co-vinyl acetate) and a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate. In order to lower the extrusion temperature, some plasticizers were used.
WO 93/07859 describes drug loaded pellets produced through melt spheronization wherein the therapeutically active agent is blended with various excipients and binders; the formulation is fed to an extruder where it is heated and extruded at a speed of about 0.05 to 10 mm/sec. at approximately 60-180xc2x0 C. The extrudate is then cut into pieces in a pelletizer and subsequently fed to a spheronizer for uniform pellet formulation.
Despite the foregoing advances and the various techniques for preparing sustained release formulations available in the pharmaceutical art, there is a need in the art for an orally administrable opioid formulation which would provide an extended duration of effect which is also easy to prepare, e.g via melt-granulation techniques.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide sustained-release pharmaceutical formulations suitable for oral administration and methods for preparing the same utilizing melt-extrusion techniques.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide improved methods for producing pharmaceutical extrudates containing opioid analgesics and pharmaceutical acceptable hydrophobic materials via melt extrusion techniques.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a sustained-release melt extruded multi-particulate formulation which need not be spheronized in order to obtain a final dosage form.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide methods of treatment for human patients in need of opioid analgesic therapy using dosage forms prepared in accordance with the methods disclosed herein.
In accordance with the above objects and others which will be apparent from the further reading of the specification and of the appended claims, the present invention is related in part to the surprising discovery that sustained-release oral opioid analgesic formulations may be prepared utilizing melt extrusion techniques to provide bioavailable unit dose products which provide analgesic in a patient for, e.g., 8-24 hours.
The invention is also related in part to a new melt-extruded oral sustained-release dosage forms which comprise a pharmaceutically acceptable hydrophobic material, a retardant selected from waxes, fatty alcohols, and fatty acids, and a drug.
More particularly, one aspect of the present invention is related to a pharmaceutical extrudate including an opioid analgesic dispersed in a matrix. Preferably, the extrudate is strand or spaghetti-shaped and has diameter from about 0.1 to about 5 mm. The extrudate is divided into unit doses of the opioid analgesic for oral administration to a patient, and provides a sustained analgesic effect for 8-24 hours or more.
The matrices preferably include a hydrophobic material and a second retardant material (preferably a hydrophobic fusible carrier) which acts to further slow or control the release of the therapeutically active agent which the formulation is exposed to aqueous solution in-vitro, or exposed to gastic and/or intestinal fluids.
Preferably, the hydrophobic material is selected from the group consisting of alkylcelluloses, acrylic and methacrylic acid polymers and copolymers, shellac, zein, hydrogenated castor oil or hydrogenated vegetable oil, or mixtures thereof.
The retardant material (hydrophobic fusible carrier) is preferably selected from natural and synthetic waves, fatty acids, fatty alcohols and mixtures of the same. Examples include beeswax and carnauba wax, stearic acid, and stearyl alcohol. This list is of course not meant to be exclusive.
The extrudate may be cut into multiparticulates by any cutting means known in the art. Preferably, the multiparticulates have a length of from about 0.1 to 5 mm in length. The multiparticulates may then be divided into unit doses such that each individual unit dose includes a dose of opioid analgesic sufficient to provide analgesia to a mammal, preferably a human patient.
The unit doses of multiparticulates may then be incorporated into a solid pharmaceutical dosage formulation, e.g. via compression or shaping into tablets, by placing a requisite amount inside a gelatin capsule, or by forming the extruded product into the form of a suppository.
The pharmaceutical extrudates of the present invention may be prepared by blending the drug together with all matrix ingredients (hydrophobic material, binder and any additional (optional) excipients), feeding the resultant mixture into an extruder heated to the requisite temperature necessary to soften the mixture sufficiently to render the mixture extrudable; extruding the viscous, heated mass as a spaghetti-like strand; allowing the extrudate to congeal and harden, and then dividing the strand into desired pieces. This may be accomplished, e.g., by cutting the strands into pellets of 1.5 mm in diameter and 1.5 mm in length. Preferably, the extrudate has a diameter of from about 0.1 and 5 mm and provides sustained release of said opioid analgesic for a time period of from about 8 to about 24 hours.
Another aspect of the invention is directed to pharmaceutical dosage forms including the extrudate prepared as outlined above. The extrudate is cut into multiparticulates using any cutting means known in the art, e.g a blade. The multiparticulates are then divided into unit doses containing an effective amount of opioid analgesic to provide analgesia or pain relief in a human patient over the desired. dosing interval. The unit dose of multiparticulates may then be incorporated into tablets, e.g. via direct compression, formed into suppositories, or encapsulated by any means known in the art.
In yet a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of treating a patient with sustained-release formulations prepared as described above. This method includes administering a dosage form containing the novel extrudate to a patient in need of opioid analgesic therapy. For purposes of the present invention, a unit dose is understood to contain an effective amount of the therapeutically active agent to produce pain relief and/or analgesia to the patient. One skilled in the art will recognize that the dose of opioid analgesic administered to a patient will vary due to numerous factors; e.g. the specific opioid analgesic(s) being administered, the weight and tolerance of the patient, other therapeutic agents concomitantly being administered, etc.
As mentioned above, in order for a dosage form to be effective for its intended purpose, the dosage form must be bioavailable. For purposes of the present invention, the term xe2x80x9cbioavailablexe2x80x9d is defined as the total amount of a drug substance that is absorbed and available to provide the desired therapeutic effect after administration of a unit dosage form. Generally, the bioavailablity of a given dosage form is determined by comparison to a known reference drug product, as commonly determined and accepted by Governmental Regulatory Agencies, such as the United States FDA.
The term xe2x80x9cbioavailabityxe2x80x9d is defined for purposes of the present invention as the extent to which the drug (e.g., opioid analgesic) is absorbed from the unit dosage form and is available at the side of drug action.
The terms xe2x80x9csustained releasexe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cextended durationxe2x80x9d, and xe2x80x9ccontrolled releasexe2x80x9d are defined for purposes of the present invention as the release of the drug (e.g., opioid analgesic) at such a rate that blood (e.g., plasma) levels are maintained within the therapeutic range but below toxic levels over a period of time greater than 8 hours, more preferably for about 12 to about 24 hours, or longer.
The term xe2x80x9cunit dosexe2x80x9d is defined for purposes of the present invention as the total amount of multiparticulates needed to administered a desired dose of therapeutically active agent (e.g., opioid analgesic) to a patient.
The extrudates of the present invention preferably permit release of the opioid (or salts thereof) over a sustained period of time in an aqueous medium. The term xe2x80x9caqueous mediumxe2x80x9d is defined for purposes of the present invention as any water-containing medium, e.g. water, pharmaceutically acceptable dissolution medium, gastric fluid and/or intestinal fluid and the like.

Melt-extruded orally administrable opioid formulations


Improved process for making Tl-Ca-Ba-CuO superconductors. A solution of the monocarboxylates (e.g., acetates) of Ca, Ba, and Cu is dried, calcined, mixed with Tl.sub.2 O.sub.3, and the mixture is heated to make a superconductor. The method minimizes introduction of contaminants. Novel compositions result.

It has long been known that the effective resistivity of certain metals was sometimes substantially eliminated when the metal was exposed to low temperature conditions. Of particular interest were the metals and metal oxides which can conduct electricity under certain low temperature conditions with virtually no resistance. These have become known as superconductors. Certain metals, for example, are known to be superconductive when cooled to about 4.degree. on the Kelvin scale (.degree.K.), and certain niobium alloys are known to be superconductive at about 15.degree. K., some as high as about 23.degree. K.
Discovery of superconductivity in the system La-Ba-Cu-O (J. G. Bednorz and K. A. Muller, Zeit. Phys. B 64, 189-193 [1986]) and in the system Y-Ba-Cu-O (Wu et al, Phys. Rev. Lett. 58, 908-910 [1987]) has stimulated the search for other systems, particularly with a view to substituting other elements for the rare earths (RE) used in the earlier materials. For example, replacement of RE by Bi and Tl has been reported (papers in press). In preparing the system Tl-Ba-Cu-O, Z. Z. Sheng and A. M. Hermann (Superconductivity in the Rare Earth-Free Tl-Ba-Cu-O System above Liquid Nitrogen Temperature) (communication from the authors), first mixed and ground BaCO.sub.3 and CuO to obtain a product which they heated, then intermittently reground to obtain a uniform black Ba-Cu-Oxide powder, which was then mixed with Tl.sub.2 O.sub.3, ground, and heated, with formation of a superconducting material. It was noted that the Tl oxide partially melted and partially vaporized.
The superconductor system Tl-Ca-Ba-Cu-O was also reported in a paper by Sheng and Hermann, "Bulk Superconductivity at 120K in the Tl-Ca-Ba-Cu-O System" (communication from the authors). The authors reported "stable and reproducible bulk superconductivity above 120K with zero resistance above 100K". According to the paper the composition was prepared by mixing and grinding together Tl.sub.2 O.sub.3, CaO, and BaCu.sub.3 O.sub.4. The ground mixture was pressed into a pellet and heated in flowing oxygen. The result was cooled and found to be superconducting.
Our invention is an improvement in the latter Sheng-Hermann process of making Tl-Ca-Ba-Cu-O superconductors.
See also the paper by Hazen et al, "100K Superconducting Phases in the Tl-Ca-Ba-Cu-O System" (communication from the authors) which refers to two superconducting phases, Tl.sub.2 Ca.sub.2 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.10+ .delta. and Tl.sub.2 Ca.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.2 O.sub.8+ , both with onset T.sub.c near 120K and zero resistivity at 100K. Preparation included grinding together Tl.sub.2 O.sub.3, CaO, and BaCu.sub.3 O.sub.4 (or Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.5), followed by heating.
And see "Nota Bene" in High T.sub.c Update, vol. 2, No. 6, p. 1, Mar. 15, 1988, further re properties of the Tl-Ca-Ba-Cu-O system.

Powder containing thallium, calcium, barium and copper


The embodiments of the invention provide for the storage of speech phrases. Speech phrases are processed by a speaker-independent speech recognition engine of a voice controlled device. This engine returns a speaker-independent representation of the phrase. The speaker-independent representation is stored. Embodiments of the invention include methods of converting text to speaker-independent representations of speech and speaker-independent representations of speech into text.

Previously, electronic devices were controlled by manual input from a human. More recently, voice controlled devices have been introduced including computers having voice control software for control by a human user's speech.
In voice controlled devices, it is desirable to store phrases under voice control. As defined herein, a phrase is defined as a single word, or a group of words treated as a unit. This storing might be to set options or create personalized settings. Once stored, a phrase can later be used as a command or with a command as a data field or other object. A command is usually provided by a user to control a device. For example, in a voice-controlled telephone, it is desirable to store people's names and phone numbers under voice control into a personalized phone book. At a later time, this phone book can be used to call people by speaking their name (e.g. "Cellphone call John Smith", or "Cellphone call Mother").
Prior art approaches to storing the phrase ("John Smith") operate by storing the phrase in a compressed, uncompressed, or transformed manner that attempts to preserve the actual sound. Detection of the phrase in a command (i.e. detecting that John is to be called in the example above) then relies on a sound-based comparison between the original stored speech sound and the spoken command. Sometimes the stored waveform is transformed into the frequency domain and/or is time adjusted to facilitate the match, but in any case the fundamental operation being performed is one that compares the actual sounds. The stored sound representation and comparison for detection suffers from a number of disadvantages. If a speaker's voice changes, perhaps due to a cold, stress, fatigue, noisy or distorting connection by telephone, or other factors, the comparison typically is not successful and stored words are not recognized. Because the word or phrase is stored as a sound representation, there is no way to extract a text-based representation of the word or phrase. A sound stored phrase is strictly sound based. Additionally, storing a sound representation results in a speaker dependent system. It is unlikely that another user could speak the same word or phrase using the same sounds in a command and have it be correctly recognized. It would not be reliable, for example, for a secretary to store phonebook entries and a manager to make calls using those entries. It is desirable to provide a speaker independent storage means.
Additionally, if the words or phrases are stored as sound representations, the stored phrases can not be used in another speech recognition device unless the same waveform processing algorithms are used by both devices. Thus, transferring data associated with the stored sound phrases between devices, such as phone numbers in a phonebook, a cellphone or electronic organizer, is impractical unless the devices use the exact same speech recognition engine. It is desirable to recognize spoken words or phrases and store them in a representation such that, once stored, the phrases can be used for speaker independent recognition, can be used by multiple devices, and can be merged with the representations of other devices. Additionally, it is desirable to store information in text form, and to use it later in voice commands. For example, a text-based phonebook from a personal computer or organizer might be loaded into a cellphone with the text-based representation of the name John Smith and his phone number. In this case, it is desirable for any arbitrary speaker to be able to place a call using voice control (e.g. "Cellphone call John Smith").

Method and apparatus for voice controlled devices with improved phrase storage, use, conversion, transfer, and recognition


Chemoproteomic methods for detecting and profiling electrophilic post-translational modifications (PTMs) and oxidative PTMs in proteins are described. The methods including contacting a proteomic mixture with a probe having hydrazine and alkyne moieties or oxyamine and alkyne moieties to form a covalent linkage between the hydrazine or oxyamine moiety of the probe and the electrophilic PTM or oxidative PTM of the protein. The resulting alkyne-derivatized proteins are labelled with an azide modified tag via a click chemistry reaction. The labelled proteins can then be detected or profiled using techniques such as, for example, fluorescence imaging or mass spectrometry. Also described are protein conjugates having a covalent linkage formed by reaction of a hydrazine or oxyamine moiety of a probe with an electrophilic or oxidative PTM of a protein.

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) serve to diversify protein structure and function in important ways, including, but not limited to, the regulation of protein activity, protein-protein interactions, and protein localization and stability in cells1. Proteins are subject to a wide array of chemically diverse PTMs, which have historically been discovered on a case-by-case basis by in-depth investigations of individual proteins2. Advances in mass spectrometry (MS) technologies have, however, made it possible to discover novel PTMs with improved scope, sensitivity, and structural resolution, leading to an expanded understanding of diverse modification states, such as the N-acetylation/acylation of lysines3 and electrophilic/oxidative modification of cysteines4,5. It is likely, however, that many functionally important PTMs remain to be discovered because they are, as-of-yet, structurally unpredicted and/or occur on proteins of unknown function3.
Various approaches have been used to discover and characterize PTMs, including exploiting their often atypical chemical reactivity for covalent tagging and enrichment6-8. For example, activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) is an approach used to discover and characterize functional amino acids in proteins on the basis of their enhanced reactivity towards small-molecule probes. ABPP uses chemical probes that react with large classes of proteins based on shared functional and/or structural properties9. Such atypical chemical 'reactivity' can originate from conserved amino acid residues that confer special activities to proteins, such as enzymatic catalysis, and, accordingly, ABPP has been applied to characterize diverse enzyme classes in native biological systems9. However, to date, the ABPP approach has mainly targeted nucleophilic functional groups10, such as the side chains of serine and cysteine, using electrophilic probes, largely because the main twenty proteinogenic amino acids are replete with nucleophilic side chains, but devoid of reactive electrophiles. Proteins, however, also use electrophilic groups for function, which are typically acquired through installation as covalent PTMs1,2,11 or by binding of exogenous cofactors12.
Previous studies have used nucleophilic probes to characterize PTMs such as N-linked glycosylation13 and ADP-ribosylation14, but, in these cases, additional chemistry is required (oxidation and exogenous catalysts, respectively) to promote reactions. Nucleophilic probes have also been applied to characterize various protein modifications that are caused by oxidative stress and aging, including direct oxidation of amino acids (e.g., cysteine sulfenylation15; protein carbonylation16) and aspartyl and asparaginyl cyclized amino-succinimide modifications17,18, respectively.
Because electrophilic PTMs and oxidative PTMs can also define reactive centers that are essential for protein function but uncommon and not easily predicted from the primary structures of proteins, additional uncharacterized (not presently known) electrophilic or oxidative sites (sites are PTMs that include but are not limited to amino acid modifications or binding/coordination of other ions or molecules to the protein) may exist in the human proteome. Electrophilic PTMs and oxidative PTMs may serve as biomarkers for certain diseases, or therapeutic targets for treating diseases. For example, monoamine oxidase (MAO) is an enzyme having a flavin cofactor that is targeted by hydrazine drugs (MAOIs). By targeting the flavin cofactor, the activity of MAO is inhibited to provide a therapeutic effect. Discovery and identification of other PTMs on proteins may thus provide new therapeutic targets and biomarkers for disease treatment and diagnosis, e.g., cancer treatment and diagnosis.

Chemoproteomic profiling of protein electrophilic and oxidative post-translational modifications


A physical effect (optical effect), which may be observed in solar irradiance as shading due to a cloud passing overhead may be approaching a given location (e.g., a location at or proximate a solar power generator), has been discovered. This optical effect takes place prior to an occurrence of a solar obscuration event by the cloud, and thus this optical effect may be effectively sensed and processed in apparatuses, systems and methods to predict the occurrence of a solar obscuration of the power generator.

Large-scale generation of electric power based on a freely-available, essentially inexhaustible natural resource, such as solar irradiance, continues progressing as an attractive modality for clean and efficient generation of electric power.
The weather-induced variability of the natural resource (e.g., due to cloud cover variability in the case of solar irradiance) may cause challenges at various levels, such as at a component level, at a subsystem level, at a distribution level as well as on the larger power grid. Cloud tracking devices may generally either lack the ability to accurately and consistently predict solar obscuration events and/or may involve relatively costly and complex implementations.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved apparatus and/or techniques, which at a relatively low cost may accurately and reliably predict solar obscuration events that may affect a power generation system.

Prediction of solar obscuration events based on detection of spectral distribution shifts caused by approaching clouds


A golf putting practice device having a bottom panel, a left side panel, a right side panel, the left and right side panels being connected to the bottom panel, and a notch that exposes a putting surface and that is adapted to receive a golf ball. The left and right side panels are perpendicularly oriented to the bottom panel and spaced apart a distance at least slightly greater than the length of the head of the golf putter. Each of the side panels has a top and a bottom edge, and a plurality of grooves in the top edge. At least one relocatable rod having a length greater than the distance between the left and right side panels is removeably positioned in corresponding grooves in the left and right side panels. The bottom panel is substantially transparent and has a reflective surface in which a golfer can see his or her reflection before, during, and after putting. Longitudinal and lateral lines on the bottom panel of the device provide the golfer with visual guides for a straight putting stroke with the head of the putter square to the straight line of the putting stroke.

To become a good golfer, a person must fully develop several different golfing skills, including putting skills. Proper putting skills are some of the most difficult to acquire, and they require continuous practice and refinement. Several different practice devices have been developed to assist golfers to improve different elements of their putting game. These elements include, for example, maintaining a proper upperbody position while putting, watching the golf ball throughout the putting stroke, swinging the putter along a straight line throughout the putting stroke, keeping the face of the putter square during the putting stroke, and striking the golf ball solidly and with proper pace. The putting practice devices, however, do not allow a golfer to simultaneously practice all of the necessary elements for a proper putting stroke. As a result, the practice devices teach the golfer a stroke that lacks one or more necessary elements. Such practice of an incomplete putting stroke often leads to bad habits and an inconsistent putting game.
One prior art device utilizes a long, rectangular frame that rests on the ground with a longitudinal cord attached to the top portion of end pieces of the frame. The cord, which is above the ground or putting surface, represents a straight line along the longitudinal axis of the frame. The cord has adjustable beads that can be positioned along its length to define limits of the backstroke and follow-through of the putting stroke. In using this practice device, the golfer attempts to swing the head of the putter under the cord along the straight line while watching the beads to determine if the backstroke and follow-through remain between the beads. However, the step of watching the beads requires that the golfer take his or her eyes off of the golf ball during the putting stroke. The cord also interferes with the golfer's concentration and line of sight during the putting stroke. Accordingly, this practice device encourages a bad habit of not watching the golf ball throughout the entire putting stroke.
A second putting practice device allows the golfer to gauge the length of the back swing without having to take his or her eyes off of the golf ball. The device has a U-shaped frame wherein vertical sidewalls are connected to a flat base such that the golfer can swing the head of the putter between the sidewalls, and a horizontal bar fits into holes in the sidewalls and extends between the side walls. The bar is intended to limit the length the back swing to a set distance. However, if the bar is hit or impacted by the putter, the entire practice device will be jolted or moved such that a golf ball, which is placed on the base portion, will be disturbed and the putting stroke disrupted. This practice device does not provide a similar rod forward of the golf ball that allows the golfer to gauge the proper length of the follow-through. Accordingly, the practice device is unforgiving for extended backstrokes, thereby teaching the golfer a shortened or hesitant backstroke to avoid disrupting the device.
Some putting practice devices have base portions that rest on the ground and the golf ball is supported by the base before being hit by the putter. After being hit, the ball rolls forward along and off the base portion onto the putting surface. The base portions do not depict a true putting surface, and the golf ball will likely change speed and direction when it rolls off of the base portion onto the putting surface. Such practice devices do not give the golfer a true reading as to the speed and direction the golf ball will travel on a true putting surface. Accordingly, these practice devices teach the golfer to strike the golf ball with different pace and direction as required for putting along the true putting surface.


A train control device includes a train position detector, a storage, and an in-vehicle controller. The train position detector detects a traveling position of a train. The storage stores therein a traveling position of the train when a loss of contact of the current collector occurs, as a loss-of-contact position. When the train travels in a predetermined section including the loss-of-contact position with reference to the traveling position of the train and the storage, the in-vehicle controller causes the train to perform coasting traveling in the predetermined section.

A railroad vehicle includes a motor that drives the vehicle, and a vehicle control device that collects a current from an overhead contact line or a third rail to receive electric power, converts the electric power into required voltage and electric current, and supplies the required voltage and electric current to the motor.
In such a railroad vehicle, it is desired to prevent the occurrence of loss of contact in which a pantograph or a current collector shoe is separated from an overhead contact line or a third rail, thereby continuously supplying power to apparatuses such as the motor and in-vehicle electric equipment.

Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation


A wet wipe that exhibits a novel combination of properties and methods for making such wet wipes are provided.

Wet wipes may be useful for cleaning hard and soft surfaces. Wet wipes may also be useful for delivering functional materials to a surface. For example, a wet wipe may provide skin benefits, such as conditioning and/or moisturizing the skin, or protection from or treatment of diaper rash and other skin ailments such as eczema. Wet wipes may comprise a fibrous structure, generally a nonwoven material, and a liquid composition. The liquid composition may be predominately aqueous, in which the components are freely soluble or where those more lipophilic components are stably dispersed within the water. The liquid composition may be suitable for use on a variety of surfaces, including, for example, skin, wood, or countertops. For wet wipes used on skin, the liquid composition may comprise emulsifiers, emollients, skin care agents, pH buffers, solvents, preservatives, particles, metal sequestrants, anti-oxidants, perfumes, or other additives for cleaning and/or treating the skin.
Wet wipes, such as baby wipes for example, should be strong enough when combined with a liquid composition to maintain integrity in use and provide adequate cleaning performance, while also being soft enough to give a pleasing and comfortable tactile sensation to the user(s). Some wet wipes provide acceptable cleaning performance, but are rough to the touch. Other wet wipes are soft and gentle to the touch, but have poor cleaning performance. Therefore, it would be beneficial to provide a wipe that possesses both acceptable tactile sensations to the user as well as acceptable cleaning performance.
Moreover, some wet wipes may have a relatively large caliper to increase the thickness of the wipe and to increase the barrier between the soil and the user; however, the same wipes may be rough to the touch. Therefore, it would be beneficial to provide a wipe that has a relatively large caliper and that also provides acceptable tactile sensation to the user.
In addition, wet wipes should have sufficient absorbency to be effective in cleaning the soiled skin of a user while at the same time being sufficiently strong to protect the user from contacting the soil. Protecting the user from contacting the soil creates unique "barrier" demands for wipes that can negatively affect both the fibrous structures' absorbency and the tactile sensation of the wipe for the user. Moreover, wet wipes should have absorbency properties such that each wipe of a stack remains wet during extended storage periods.
Furthermore, wipes having a relatively large caliper and/or have good strength and cleaning performance may be stiff. Therefore, it would be beneficial to provide a wet wipe that has a high caliper, high strength, acceptable cleaning performance, while having acceptable tactile sensation, softness, and flexibility to the user.
Some wipes have the same properties on both sides of the wipe, including cleaning performance and tactile sensation. However, it may be beneficial to provide a wipe that has good cleaning performance on one side of the wipe and good tactile sensation on the other side of the wipe.
Some liquid compositions for wet wipes comprise an emollient. The emollient may maintain or improve the health of skin by delivering beneficial components to the skin, such as an omega-3, omega-6, omega-9 and other fatty acids which make up some vegetable oil triglycerides. However, adding an emollient to a liquid composition may result in a liquid composition having a greasy feel. Some consumers may prefer a liquid composition having some level of greasy feel, as the consumer may associate the greasy feel with a liquid composition that is gentle to the skin and/or provides benefits to the skin. On the other hand, some consumers may prefer a liquid composition that has little to no greasy feel, as the consumer may associate a greasy feel with a liquid composition that is not cleansing the skin as well and/or that is depositing unnecessary compounds to the skin. Sometimes, adding an emollient to a liquid composition may also result in a slimy feel to the wet wipe. Therefore, it would be beneficial to provide a liquid composition comprising an emollient in the form of an emulsion that has a good tactile sensation to the user.
Accordingly, there is a need for wipes that exhibit a satisfactory level of cleaning performance coupled with user-acceptable tactile sensation, a high degree of absorbency, barrier protection, stable moisture distribution in a stack, a large caliper, acceptable flexibility, and/or strength in use.

Wet wipes comprising a fibrous structure and a liquid composition


A device for affixing a toilet seat to a toilet bowl includes a fixing component having a through-hole and removably coupling to a fixing member, a hinge base receiving the fixing component, a hinge cover, the hinge cover being rotatable when covering a portion of the hinge base and having a locked position, and a rib on an internal surface of the hinge cover, the rib including an inward projection for engaging an indentation of the fixing component when the hinge cover is in a locked position. The hinge cover of another device can slide onto the hinge base into a locked position. The device can quickly install the toilet seat and provide quick release of the toilet seat.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an affixing assembly, and more particularly, to a hinge assembly. Although embodiments of the invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for enabling easy installation and quick release of a toilet seat from a toilet bowl and for replacing a toilet seat without undoing mounting screw or bolts from the toilet bowl.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A toilet seat generally requires more frequent replacement than a toilet bowl due to wear and tear, and a toilet seat can be replaced without replacing the entire toilet. A toilet seat also can be replaced to match any bathroom color scheme or motif.
In general, a toilet seat is affixed to a toilet bowl by placing mounting screws or bolts through a flange portion of the toilet bowl and by fastening screw nuts from the bottom surface of the toilet bowl to the mounting screws. Conventionally, to replace the toilet seat, each of the screws or mounting bolts needs to be unfastened from the washers and nuts.
FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram illustrating a toilet according to the related art. In FIG. 1, a toilet seat 1 is provided with two mounting bolts 2, and a toilet bowl 3 has a flange portion with two through-holes 4. To secure the toilet seat 1 onto the toilet bowl 3, the mounting bolts 2, which are first coupled to the toilet seat 1, are inserted through the through-holes 4 of the toilet bowl 3. Nuts 5 and washers 6 then are threaded onto the mounting bolts 2 from the bottom side of the toilet bowl 3. The toilet seat 1 is thereby affixed to the toilet bowl 3 by the fastening of the mounting bolts 2 and the nuts 5 together.
To remove the toilet seat 1 from the toilet bowl 3, the nuts 5 need to be loosened and unfastened from the mounting bolts 2. However, as mounting screws and bolts rust or corrode especially in a moist environment, the screws or the mounting bolts can be hard to loosen or unfasten. Furthermore, the nuts can recess due to the passage of time, making the nuts practically inaccessible and toilet seat replacement difficult.


Apparatus and method for making a plurality of different types of suture packages employ a mold with first and second opposing mold parts partially defining a mold cavity, at least one of the opposing mold parts has an opening therein communicating with the mold cavity. An insert is removeably inserted into the opening, to complete the mold cavity in a form suitable for molding a first type of suture package. An alternative insert is interchangeable with the first insert for completing the mold cavity in a form suitable for molding a second type of suture package. To make different suture packages, the mold is initially configured and used with one of the inserts to thereby make one type of suture package. The first insert is then replaced with the second, changing the mold cavity to form another type of suture package.

Various types of suture packages have been proposed to meet the needs of sterile and compact storage of armed and unarmed sutures, ease of handling while retrieving, opening and presentation of the suture (and needle if applicable) to the surgeon for effective and efficient dispensing from the package. In the operating room, small advances in the speed and reliability of procedures such as suture handling can confer a great benefit, in that surgical operations are time critical and allow no room for error or malfunction. One type of suture package that has proven beneficial has a generally oval, plastic "tray" with a peripheral "winding" or suture channel in which a wound coil of suture may be stored. An interior surface or "field" bounded by the suture channel serves as an area upon which one or a plurality of needles may be "parked", i.e., held by various means ("needle parks"). The tray may be covered by a paper or plastic lid, which may include a suture channel cover in the form of a plurality of cantilevered tabs extending over the suture channel when the cover is in place. A number of patents disclosing tray-type suture packages are owned by the assignee herein and are identified and incorporated by reference below.
There are a variety of sutures available for different surgical applications and these different sutures vary in suture/needle composition, gauge, needle shape, length, curvature, number, etc. and therefore require suture packages that are specifically designed to effectively hold and dispense them. Bach different type of suture package has, in the past, required the preparation of specific tooling, e.g., unique injection molding dies, which are expensive and time consuming to produce. It therefore remains an objective to facilitate and improve the efficiency of production of a variety of different suture packages.

Apparatus and method for making suture packages