In some embodiments, an apparatus includes an authorization module implemented in at least one of a memory or a processing device. The authorization module can receive from an application a request for an access token associated with the application that includes a scope identifier associated with a level of access to a resource module. The authorization module can select based on the scope identifier at least one authentication mode from a set of predefined authentication modes. The authorization module can also receive at least one credential assigned to at least one authentication mode. Additionally, the authorization module can send the access token to the application in response to authenticating a user of the application based on the at least one credential.

Some embodiments described herein relate generally to methods and apparatus for an authorization server to authenticate a user of an application installed on a mobile communication device before issuing an access token for the application and with the appropriate scope. In particular, but not by way of limitation, some embodiments described herein relate to methods and apparatus of authenticating the user of the application based on a scope identifier provided by the application that is associated with a level of access to a resource server requested by the application. The authorization server selects the appropriate user authentication mode from multiple predefined authentication modes based on the scope identifier.
Open Authorization (OAuth) is an open standard protocol for authorization, and allows a user, such as an enterprise employee, to grant a third-party application access to information associated with that user stored at a given location (e.g., on given website), without sharing that user's account credentials (e.g., password) or the full extent of that user's data. While OAuth 2.0 defines a browser-based interaction comparable to Single Sign-On (SSO) protocols such as Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) and OpenID, OAuth 2.0 is not an SSO protocol. Rather, OAuth 2.0 is typically used more for authorization rather than authentication.
Because OAuth 2.0 is not focused on authentication, OAuth 2.0 provides no syntax by which the specifics of how a user is authenticated can be indicated by the application requesting authorization. In some instances, however, the strength of a user authentication step can be important if the resource for which access is being sought by an application is particularly sensitive (e.g., data related to online banking, stock trade, health records, etc.). In such instances, it may be important to obtain the user's authorization for such access only after implementing a strong user authentication step.
Accordingly, a need exists for methods and apparatus for an OAuth Authorization Server to authenticate the user of an application installed on a mobile communication device before issuing an access token with the appropriate scope to the application.

Methods and apparatus for selecting an authentication mode at time of issuance of an access token


A thermally responsive switch includes a container including a metal housing and a header plate, at least one conductive terminal pin inserted through a hole of the header plate, a fixed contact fixed to the terminal pin, a thermally responsive plate having one of two ends conductively connected via a support to an inner surface of the container and reversing a direction of curvature at a predetermined temperature, and at least one movable contact electrically conductively secured directly to the other end of the thermally responsive plate. Each contact is comprised of a silver-cadmium oxide system contact. The container is filled with a gas containing helium ranging from 50% to 95% so that an internal pressure of the container ranges from 0.38 atmosphere to 0.68 atmosphere at room temperature such that arc generated during opening of the contacts moves on surfaces of the contacts without spreading from the contacts.

1. Field
The present invention relates to a thermally responsive switch having a contact switching mechanism using a thermally responsive plate such as a bimetal in a hermetic container.
2. Related Art
Thermally responsive switches of this type are disclosed in Japanese patent No. 2519530 (prior art document 1) and Japanese patent application publications JP-A-H10-144189 (prior art document 2), JP-A-2002-352685 (prior art document 3) and JP-A-2003-59379 (prior art document 4). The thermally responsive switch described in each document comprises a thermally responsive plate provided in a hermetic container comprising a metal housing and a header plate. The thermally responsive plate reverses a direction of curvature thereof at a predetermined temperature. An electrically conductive terminal pin is inserted through the header plate and hermetically fixed by an electrically insulating filler such as glass. A fixed contact is attached directly or via a support to a distal end of the terminal pin located in the hermetic container. Furthermore, the thermally responsive plate has one end fixed via a support to an inner surface of the hermetic container and the other end to which a movable contact is secured. The movable contact constitutes a switching contact with the fixed contact.
The thermally responsive switch is mounted in a closed housing of a hermetic electric compressor thereby to be used as a thermal protector for an electric motor of the compressor. In this case, windings of the motor are connected to the terminal pin or the header plate. The thermally responsive plate reverses the direction of curvature when a temperature around the thermally responsive switch becomes unusually high or when an abnormal current flows in the motor. When the temperature drops to or below a predetermined value, the contacts are re-closed such that the compressor motor is energized.
The thermally responsive switch is required to open the contacts upon every occurrence of the aforesaid abnormal condition until a refrigerating machine or air conditioner in which the compressor is built reaches an end of product's life. The thermally responsive switch needs to cut off current extremely larger than a rated current of the motor particularly when a motor is driven in a locked rotor condition or when a short occurs between motor windings. When current having such a large inductivity is cut off by the opening of contacts, arc is generated between the contacts, whereupon contact surfaces are damaged by heat due to arc. The welding of contacts occurs when the switching of contacts exceeds a guaranteed operation number. In this regard, in order that an electric path may be cut off even upon occurrence of contact welding for the purpose of preventing secondary abnormality, double safety and protective measures are taken when needed (a fusing portion of a heater described in prior art documents 1 and 2, for example).
In order that a guaranteed operation number of times of the contact switching may be improved, a structure is considered in which the size of the contacts is increased for the purpose of increasing the heat capacity, whereby occurrence of contact welding is reduced even upon occurrence of arc. Furthermore, another structure is considered in which the size of the thermal responsive plate is increased so that a force separating the contacts from each other is increased. However, when either construction is employed, the thermally responsive switch would be rendered larger in size, whereupon it would become difficult to mount the thermally responsive switch in the hermetic housing of the compressor. Additionally, the thermally responsive switch is desired to be applied to motors for compressors with large heat capacity while the size of the thermally responsive switch is reduced.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An appliance used in orthodontic treatment includes a retaining groove that is located directly adjacent a base of the appliance. The retaining groove is useful for keeping a wire segment or other item in place and in contact with a body of the appliance so that the item does not detach from the appliance during the course of treatment. The retaining groove is particularly useful for keeping tieback loops and other items having a thread-like configuration in a captive, compact and snug relationship with the appliance.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an appliance that is fixed to a patient""s tooth during the course of orthodontic treatment. The appliance has a retaining groove to hold a wire segment or another item connected to the appliance in place.
2. Description of the Related Art
Orthodontic treatment involves movement of malpositioned teeth to desired locations along the dental arches. Orthodontic treatment provides improved occlusion so that the teeth function better together during chewing. Orthodontic treatment can also greatly enhance the aesthetic appearance of the patient""s oral cavity by realigning crooked teeth and eliminating gaps or spaces between adjacent teeth.
One common form of orthodontic treatment is carried out by the use of tiny, slotted appliances known as brackets that are secured to the patient""s anterior, cuspid and bicuspid teeth. An archwire is received in the slot of the appliances and forms a track to guide movement of the teeth to desired positions. Ends of the archwires are often received in passageways of small appliances known as buccal tubes that are secured to the patient""s molar teeth.
Many orthodontic appliances have small, curved protrusions known as tiewings that extend outwardly from a central body of the appliance. For example, certain brackets have two spaced apart tiewings that extend in a gingival direction (i.e., a direction toward the patient""s gingiva or gums). Those brackets also often have two spaced apart tiewings that extend in an occlusal direction (i.e., in a direction toward the outer tips of the patient""s teeth). The gingival tiewings are connected to a central body of the bracket along a gingival side of the archwire slot and the occlusal tiewings are connected to the bracket body along an occlusal side of the archwire slot.
Tiewings are commonly used by the orthodontist during treatment to hold the archwire in the archwire slot. To this end, a ligature is placed along the back or lingual side of the occlusal tiewings and the gingival tiewings and is also placed over the front or labial side of the archwire. (As used herein, the word xe2x80x9clingualxe2x80x9d refers to a direction toward the patient""s tongue, while the word xe2x80x9clabialxe2x80x9d refers to a direction toward the patient""s lips or cheeks.) In many instances, the ligature holds the archwire in contact with the bottom or lingual side of the archwire slot. However, in instances where the tooth is significantly maloccluded and initially located some distance from the archwire, the ligature serves to urge the archwire in a direction toward the bottom of the archwire slot.
In general, there are two types of ligatures in widespread use. One type of ligature is in the form of a tiny elastomeric O-ring. The O-ring is sufficiently flexible such that it can be stretched around and behind the tiewings as well as over the front side of the archwire. Once the O-ring is in place, the inherent memory of the elastomeric material tends to return the O-ring toward its normally compact, unstretched configuration. This contracting force urges the archwire toward the bottom of the archwire slot and also helps to retain the ligature in place.
Other types of ligatures are known as wire ties. These ligatures are made from short lengths of wire such as stainless steel wire having a small cross-sectional diameter. In use, the orthodontic practitioner extends the wire ligature around the backs of the tiewings as well as across the front side of the archwire, and then twists the free ends of the ligature together. Once the ends are twisted together and any slack in the ligature has been removed, the archwire is retained in the archwire slot or is urged toward the same.
The tiewings of the orthodontic appliances described above typically have a concavity in the form of a curved groove or notch that extends along the lingual side of the tiewing. For example, many tiewings have a semi-cylindrical lingual concavity that is oriented such that the central axis of the semi-cylindrical shape is approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the archwire slot. In some instances, the opposite side (or labial side) of the tiewing is generally flat and co-planar with a labial side of the appliance body. In other instances, the labial side of the tiewing has a curved configuration complemental to the curved concavity of the lingual side, such that the tiewing has an overall, somewhat hook-shaped or xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d-shaped configuration.
The lingual concavity of the tiewings as described above is generally considered important since it helps to retain the ligature in place during the course of treatment. Ligatures that become detached from appliances in use represent a significant nuisance since they may be inadvertently swallowed by the patient. In addition, appliances that are no longer connected to archwires due to missing ligatures are ineffective in moving the associated tooth, and as a result the length of treatment time may be extended.
As a consequence, manufacturers of orthodontic appliances have often designed and constructed tiewings to reduce the likelihood that the ligature will become detached from the appliance during the course of treatment. To this end, the lingual concavity of the tiewings typically is sufficiently large to extend around a substantial portion (such as one-half) of the periphery of the ligature when considered in cross-sectional reference planes. Ligatures that are deeply seated in the concavity during use are less likely to slip off of the tiewing and become disengaged from the appliance.
However, ligatures are available in a wide variety of cross-sectional sizes and shapes. Wire ligatures typically have a round cross-sectional shape with diameters ranging from about 0.008 in. (0.20 mm) to about 0.014 in. (0.36 mm). Ligatures made from an elastomeric material often have a cross-sectional diameter that is much larger, such as about 0.030 in. (0.76 mm) when relaxed and about 0.020 in. (0.5 mm) when in use. Furthermore, elastomeric ligatures are also known having cross-sectional shapes other than circular (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,947).
As a result, the tiewings of orthodontic appliances are often provided with relatively large lingual concavities in order to accommodate any one of the wide variety of ligature sizes that might be selected by the orthodontic practitioner. This large lingual concavity tends to increase the overall size of the tiewing. Furthermore, tiewings are also designed with relatively thick cross-sections so that they are less likely to fracture and break off from the body of the appliance during use. Strong tiewings are deemed important because the tiewings are sometimes subjected to large forces, such as when a tiewing encounters a relatively hard food object in the oral cavity while the patient is eating.
Consequently, the tiewings of orthodontic appliances are often bulky in relation to remaining structural aspects of the appliance. The relatively large size of the tiewings is considered a disadvantage, however, because it increases the likelihood of contact with opposing dentition or with appliances mounted on opposing dentition. Tiewings may also contact adjacent soft tissue in the oral cavity and cause an irritation.
Manufacturers of orthodontic appliances have sometimes omitted tiewings when designing buccal tubes. The archwire passageways of buccal tubes are often closed along four sides, in contrast to the archwire passageways or slots of orthodontic brackets that are open along one side. When the ends of the archwires are inserted in the closed passageways, ligatures for connecting the archwire to the buccal tube appliance are not needed. The elimination of tiewings from such appliances helps to ensure that the appliance does not unduly bear against other structure in the oral cavity.
However, there are some instances where orthodontic practitioners prefer to use a buccal tube appliance having tiewings. For example, some buccal tubes for first molar teeth have a passageway that can be opened along one side for converting the buccal tube to a bracket. Opening of the passageway is often carried out in adolescent patients after that patient""s adjacent second molar tooth has erupted sufficiently to receive a buccal tube on its surface. Once the passageway of the buccal tube on the first molar tooth has been opened, the tiewings serve to hold a ligature in place.
Additionally, there may be a gap between adjacent teeth at one or more locations along the dental arch. In those instances, the practitioner may elect to install a wire segment known as a xe2x80x9ctieback loopxe2x80x9d to move teeth along the length of the arch and close the gap. Typically, one side of the tieback loop is connected to a buccal tube, while the opposite side of the loop is connected to an appliance that is located on the opposite side of the gap.
Some practitioners prefer to connect tieback loops to a hook of the buccal tube appliance. However, other practitioners prefer to connect tieback loops to the body of the buccal tube appliance. In those instances, the loop extends along the occlusal, distal and gingival sides of the buccal tube body in a location next to the base. Once the ends of the tieback loop are twisted together to remove slack, the tiewings help ensure that the loop does not slip off the body. Unfortunately, the tiewings are often considered troublesome for the reasons mentioned above.
In the past, a rear portion of some buccal tube appliances extends in a distal direction (i.e., in a direction away from the center of the patient""s dental arch) in spaced, overhanging relation to the base. This overhanging portion presents a notch adjacent the base of the appliance which can be used to receive a tieback loop. However, the notch alone is sometimes considered unsatisfactory for ensuring that the tieback loop does not move during the course of treatment.
At present, there is a need in the art for an orthodontic appliance having improved features for securely retaining tieback loops and other items in place as needed. Preferably, such an appliance has an overall relatively compact configuration to reduce the likelihood that it might contact the opposing teeth of the other dental arch, bear against orthodontic appliances that are mounted on the opposing teeth or irritate adjacent soft tissue.
The present invention is directed to an orthodontic appliance with a retaining groove adjacent a base of the appliance. The groove functions to keep a wire segment or other item in place during the course of treatment. The groove preferably extends along at least two sides of the appliance, and more preferably extends along at least three sides of the appliance next to the base.
The retaining groove of the present invention is particularly useful for keeping an elongated wire segment or other item in a proper orientation on the appliance and in a securely coupled, stationary relationship to the appliance. The groove enables the captive wire or other item to be snugly held against the appliance in a recessed, compact orientation. Examples of suitable wire and other items include tieback loops and structures for the securing a number of teeth and/or orthodontic appliances to each other. The wire or other item may be made of a metallic or polymeric material (including elastomeric materials) so long as its cross-sectional configuration is sufficiently small. The appliance of the invention can be, for example, a buccal tube appliance, a bracket appliance or a self-ligating appliance, including an appliance that lacks tiewings as well as an appliance that has tiewings.
In more detail, the present invention is directed toward an orthodontic appliance that comprises a base and a body extending outwardly from the base. The body has an occlusal side and a gingival side. An elongated archwire passageway for receiving an archwire extends across the body between the occlusal side and the gingival side. The appliance also includes a groove that extends along at least one of the occlusal side and the gingival side in a location adjacent the base. The groove is located in a lingual direction relative to at least one of the occlusal side and the gingival side. The body extends over the groove in a direction that is approximately perpendicular to a labial-lingual reference axis extending through the center of the appliance.
Another aspect of the present invention is also directed toward an orthodontic appliance that comprises a base and a body extending outwardly from the base. The body has an occlusal side and a gingival side. An elongated archwire passageway extends across the body between the occlusal side and the gingival side for receiving an archwire. The appliance further includes a groove for retaining a wire segment or other item in place. The groove is located adjacent the base and has a labial side. The groove extends along at least one of the occlusal side and the gingival side, and the at least one of the occlusal side and the gingival side presents a shoulder that extends over the labial side of the groove.
The present invention is also directed toward an orthodontic appliance that comprises a base and a body extending outwardly from the base. The body has an occlusal side and a gingival side. The appliance also includes an elongated archwire passageway extending across the body between the occlusal side and the gingival side for receiving an archwire. The body includes a neck portion that is located directly adjacent the base and is located in a lingual direction relative to the occlusal side and the gingival side. The neck portion has a certain overall width in an occlusal-gingival direction. The body has an overall width from the occlusal side to the gingival side that is greater than the overall width of the neck portion.
An additional aspect of the present invention is directed toward an orthodontic appliance that includes a base and a body extending outwardly from the base. The body has an occlusal side and a gingival side. An elongated archwire passageway having a generally flat lingual side extends across the body for receiving an archwire. The appliance further includes a groove that extends along the occlusal side and the gingival side of the body. The groove is located directly adjacent the base and has a labial side. The labial side of the groove extends in a direction that is approximately parallel to the lingual side of the archwire passageway.
These and other aspects of the invention are described in more detail below and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Orthodontic appliance with lingual retaining groove


A method of operating a cardiac pacing device that optimizes the mechanical heart rate using coordinated potentiation therapy while maximizing the opportunity for intrinsic AV conduction to occur. The method may include adjusting the timing of extra stimulus intervals during coupled or paired pacing to promote AV conduction and to effect changes in rate according to certain embodiments of the invention. Other embodiments may include adjusting the atrial pacing rate to achieve a desired target rate consistent with AV conduction. A mode switch to a dual-chamber pacing mode may be provided according to certain embodiments of the invention to ensure a ventricular rate that meets or exceeds a minimum mechanical rate.

Cardiac pacing devices, such as cardiac pacemakers, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices are available to provide pacing therapy to a heart. Early cardiac pacemakers were asynchronous, single-chamber devices that stimulated a ventricle of the heart at a fixed rate, independent of the patient's underlying cardiac rhythm or metabolic demand. Although such pacemakers, typified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,057,356 to Greatbatch, provided a ventricular pacing rate sufficient to sustain life, this pacing mode often competed with native ventricular rhythms.
Subsequently, demand pacemakers (VVI) were developed. This type of pacemaker provide pacing pulses only when spontaneous ventricular activity is absent. U.S. Pat. No. 3,478,746 to Greatbatch demonstrates an example of such a pacemaker. This form of pacemaker provides a ventricular sense amplifier for detecting ventricular depolarizations. A ventricular sensed event resets the pacemaker's ventricular escape interval (V-V) timer. The ventricular sensed event also cancels or inhibits the scheduled ventricular stimulus and thus avoids competition with the native ventricular rhythm.
Atrial synchronized pacemakers (VAT) were developed almost simultaneously with VVI demand pacemakers. This type of pacemaker paces the ventricle in response to a detected atrial rate. The VAT pacemaker, as typified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,253,596 to Keller, provides an atrial sense amplifier for detecting atrial depolarizations. An atrial sensed event starts the pacemaker's A-V delay timer. When the A-V delay timer times out, a ventricular stimulus is provided. Conceptually, such a pacemaker can be considered as a prosthetic conduction pathway that simulates the natural A-V conduction pathways of the heart. One drawback to this form of pacing is the possibility of competing with ectopic ventricular activity. An ectopic ventricular beat (PVC) may be detected in the atrium (i.e., by far-field sensing of a PVC, for example) and classified as an atrial sensed event. In such cases, the pacemaker may begin an AV interval, resulting in the generation of a ventricular stimulus a short time after the ventricular depolarization. Although such a result may have little effect when the A-V delay is short, it is possible to deliver the pacing stimulus into the vulnerable period of the ventricular depolarization response, and thereby possibly initiate a ventricular arrhythmia.
Continued development of pacemakers was marked by the invention of the AV sequential pacemaker (DVI), as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,595,242 issued to Berkovits. This form of pacemaker can provide stimulation pulses in both the atrium and the ventricle, while providing sensing only in the ventricle. In the DVI mode pacemaker, a ventricular sense event starts a V-A escape interval followed by an A-V interval. The pacemaker delivers an atrial stimulus at the end of the V-A interval and, at the end of the A-V interval, the pacemaker delivers a ventricular stimulus. If a ventricular sense event occurs during the V-A or A-V time intervals, the pacemaker will resynchronize to the ventricular sense event and inhibit the delivery of the scheduled ventricular stimulus.
The DDI mode pacemaker described by U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,604 to Berkovits further includes an atrial sense amplifier to inhibit the atrial stimulus when an atrial sense event occurs during the V-A interval.
However, the atrial sense event does not start an A-V interval; such timing may make this device suitable in patients where atrial competition should be avoided.
The atrial-synchronized ventricular-inhibited or VDD mode pacemaker, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,707 issued to Greatbatch has mechanisms for sensing in the atrium and ventricle while providing stimulating pulses only in the ventricle. In operation, the VDD pacemaker starts an A-V interval on detected atrial activity and provides a ventricular stimulus if one does not occur within the A-V delay. A ventricular sensed event inhibits the scheduled ventricular stimulus and resets the pacemaker's V-V timer.
The dual sense, dual pace DDD mode pacemakers, have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,355 issued to Funke. The DDD mode pacemaker, as described by Funke, has had broad applications. This type of pacemaker has sense amplifiers for detecting atrial and ventricular events, as well as output pulse circuitry for stimulating both the atrium and the ventricle. Pacemakers operating in the DDD mode provide timing circuitry to initiate an A-V delay upon the occurrence of an atrial event, whether sensed or paced. If, during the A-V delay period, no spontaneous ventricular event is sensed, the pacemaker will produce a ventricular stimulus at the conclusion of the A-V delay. If, during the V-A interval, no spontaneous atrial event is sensed, the pacemaker provides an atrial stimulus at the conclusion of the V-A interval.
In the DDD pacemaker mode, in the absence of spontaneous P-waves and R-waves, the heart will be stimulated at fixed A-A and V-V intervals with a programmable AV delay. However, if the ventricle depolarizes spontaneously, the A-V delay is truncated and the observed A-A and V-V intervals may vary according to whether "atrial-based" or "ventricular-based" timing (or some modification thereof) is employed. For example, ventricular-based timing attempts to maintain a constant V-V interval such that spontaneous depolarization of the ventricle during the A-V delay may cause the A-A time to be truncated. Alternatively, atrial-based timing attempts to maintain constant A-A intervals such that spontaneous depolarization of the ventricle during the A-V delay may result in a longer V-V interval.
The dual chamber pacemaker modalities, DVI, VAT, VDD and DDD, attempt to restore A-V synchrony and thus improve cardiac output by ensuring the hemodynamic contribution of the atrial chambers within the pacing regimen. The latter three modes may also synchronize the pacing rate to the patient's native atrial or sinus rate and thus may provide an increased pacing rate in response to bodily activity, thereby increasing cardiac output.
More recently, other pacemakers, which increase cardiac output in response to exercise, have been proposed. They include pacemakers that rely upon the sensing of physical activity via an activity sensor or accelerometer, changes in blood pH, respiratory rate, or QT interval. These data are used to alter the pacemaker's escape intervals, and hence the pacing rate.
An example of an activity responsive pacemaker is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,378, issued to Anderson et al., and incorporated by reference herein. The pacemaker disclosed in that patent monitors the physical activity of the patient and increases the pacing rate in response to an increase in patient physical activity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,617 issued to Markowitz et al., incorporated herein by reference, describes a dual chamber activity responsive pacemaker that senses and paces in both the atrium and the ventricle. The pacing rate is determined by the sensed activity of the patient, the programmed lower rate, and the patient's atrial or sinus rate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,046, entitled "Dual Chamber Rate Responsive Pacemaker," assigned to Medtronic, Inc. of Minneapolis, Minn., which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety, describes a dual chamber rate responsive pacemaker. The pacemaker operates in an atrial-synchronized modality when the sensed atrial rate is present (i.e., above a sensor-determined rate), and paces at the sensor-determined rate when the sensed atrial rate is absent or below the sensor-determined rate.
DDD pacemakers are often implanted in patients with Sick Sinus Syndrome (SSS), a term that covers a large array of sinus node disease states. Such patients often have intact AV conduction and, if the pacemaker's AV interval is not properly programmed, the pacemaker will deliver an unneeded and undesirable ventricular pacing pulse. Many patients who receive DDD pacemakers (or dual-chamber ICDs with DDD pacing capability) are unnecessarily paced in the ventricle. There appears to be reluctance in the medical community against implanting a DDD device and programming it to the AAI/R mode in patients with sick sinus syndrome (SSS) and intact AV conduction; this reluctance may be due to concerns with transient AV block, for example. Moreover, when programmed to the DDD mode, the AV intervals in these pacemakers may be left at their factory-programmed state, that is, with shorter durations more suitable to third degree AV block patients. As a result, ventricular pacing frequently occurs at the termination of these AV intervals, with little or no possibility of spontaneous ventricular activity occurring.
There is growing medical evidence that inappropriate ventricular pacing may impact hemodynamics and may not be beneficial when allowed to continue for an extended period of time. It has been known in the art as early as 1925 that ventricular pacing results in asynchronous delayed activation of the ventricular tissue and, thereby, produces compromised hemodynamics in mammals. More recently, canine studies have shown that right ventricular apical (RVA) pacing causes a negative "inotropic effect" and a >30% reduction in cardiac efficiency. In addition, long term RVA pacing has been shown to lead to permanent changes including myofibrillar cellular disarray, myocardial perfusion defects, and structural abnormalities. Each of these may further contribute to deterioration of ventricular function.
Various cardiac pacing devices have attempted to address this problem by implementing algorithms that automatically adapt the AV interval duration to preferentially allow AV conduction when present.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,861,007, issued to Hess, et al, a Search AV operation is described in which the pacemaker continuously monitors for the presence or absence of an intrinsic R-wave after both sensed and paced P-waves. The programmed AV interval may be extended by a programmable "hysteresis" interval to promote ventricular conduction. The extension of the AV interval, however, may be limited in duration due to the interaction with the post-ventricular atrial refractory period (PVARP) at higher rates. This is because the AV interval and the immediately following PVARP together form a Total Atrial Refractory Period (TARP) during which no atrial activity can be sensed (or tracked). Thus, the TARP sets a limit on the maximum rate (the "Upper Rate") at which the DDD mode can track atrial sensed events. To maintain unimpeded upper rate operation, Search AV may work in conjunction with Auto-PVARP (shortening of the PVARP with increasing rates) to maintain atrial sensing and tracking up to the programmed upper rate limit, thereby postponing a 2:1 block operation as long as possible. Since there is a limit to the shortening of the PVARP in this operation, it may become necessary to shorten the AV interval after the PVARP reaches its minimum value. Consequently, many patients (>30%) with intact AV conduction are ventricularly paced to a significant degree (>50%) despite having Search AV programmed on.
Other approaches to the problem are presented in U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,594 issued to Limousin, et al., and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,546 issued to Sholder, et al. Limousin describes a DDD Automatic Mode Switch (AMS) pacemaker that operates in a "Special AAI" mode as long as R-wave sensing occurs within a ventricular surveillance window that is calculated based on the history of the measured PR interval. If an R-wave is not sensed within this window, the pacing operation switches to the DDD mode. After 100 consecutive paced ventricular events, the pacemaker attempts to switch back to the Special AAI mode. Sholder implements a form of AV/PV hysteresis. This operation encourages intrinsic conduction by extending the AV interval by a predetermined period beyond the programmed duration. As indicated above, this operation may be restricted to avoid interaction with upper rate tracking.
AV extension algorithms present unique challenges in dual chamber ICDs due to the added requirements of tachyarrhythmia detection. For example, to adequately detect a ventricular tachycardia, the AV delay must be restricted so that the tachycardia detection interval falls within the VA interval at all times. Failure to do so comes at the expense of tachyarrhythmia detection sensitivity. An alternative means to address this issue is by means of a temporary mode change for a programmed period of time following the delivery of a shock. Unfortunately, while this may protect against transient post-shock AV block, it does so at the expense of beat-to-beat monitoring. Consequently, many electrophysiologists do not program the AAI/R mode on a permanent basis to avoid persistent ventricular pacing.
"Ideoventricular kick," first described by Schlant in 1966, (Circulation, 1966; 23 & 24 (Suppl. III): 209) results from improved coherence of the ventricular contraction during normal activation. This hemodynamic benefit is lost during ventricular pacing. In an earlier study of the atrial contribution to ventricular filling (Kosowski B, et al., Re-evaluation of the atrial contribution to ventricular filling: Study showing his-bundle pacing, Am J Cardiol, 1968; 21 518-24), it was demonstrated that ventricular function was better during normal ventricular activation independent of the PR interval. Similarly, a later study (Rosenqvist M, et al., Relative importance of activation sequence compared to atrioventricular filling synchrony in left ventricular function, Am J Cardiol, 1991; 67(2): 148-56) showed that AAI pacing was superior to either VVI or DDD pacing.
Aside from the hemodynamic benefits mentioned above, it may be that normal ventricular activation has a role in preventing tachyarrhythmias. In a study of 77 ICD patients with a mean follow-up of 18.7 months (Roelke M, et al. Ventricular pacing induced ventricular tachycardia in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators. PACE, 1995; 18(3): 486-91), appropriately timed ventricular pacing preceded tachyarrhythmia onset in 8.3% of the episodes in five patients. A further study (Belk P, et al. Does ventricular pacing predispose to ventricular tachycardia? Abstract. PACE, April, 2000) demonstrates that high rate ventricular pacing renders patients more susceptible to the induction of ventricular tachycardia compared to high rate atrial pacing with normal ventricular activation.
More recently, the "Dual Chamber and VVI Implantable Defibrillator" (DAVID) Trial concluded that intrinsic conduction may be more desirable than RV apical pacing, and that patients with indications for implantable defibrillators and no indication for pacing should not be paced in the dual chamber pacing mode. Cardiac Electrophysiology Rev. 2003 December, 7(4):468-72.
These studies, combined with the growing body of evidence showing the detrimental effects of long-term ventricular pacing, has led to more deliberate efforts by clinicians to allow for normal ventricular activation when programming dual chamber bradycardia devices. Still, due to the interactions imposed by PVARP and upper rate timing, mode switching, and tachyarrhythmia detection, their best intentions are often thwarted.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,772,005 to Casavant, et al., herein incorporated by reference in its entirety, an ADI/R mode is implemented using an intelligent pacing system to continually monitor ventricular response. This pacing mode seeks to ensure AV conduction whenever possible so as to gain all the benefits of cardiac contractile properties resulting from native R-waves. In the event where AV conduction is blocked, the pacing mode is switched to a DDD/R mode to ensure a paced R-wave. Thereafter, subsequent to a completed interval of a p-wave, ADI/R pacing resumes to monitor ventricular response.
Techniques for further enhancing cardiac contractile properties include the use of post-extra systolic potentiation (PESP), described by Burnes, et al., in U.S. Published Pat. App. No. 2004/0220631. Post-extra systolic potentiation (PESP) is a property of cardiac myocytes that results in enhanced mechanical function of the heart on the beats following an extra systolic stimulus delivered early after either an intrinsic or pacing-induced systole. An extra stimulus delivered after an intrinsic systole is referred to as coupled (or triggered) pacing, and an extra stimulus delivered after a pacing-induced systole is referred to as paired pacing. The magnitude of the enhanced mechanical function is strongly dependent on the timing of the extra systole relative to the preceding intrinsic or paced systole. When correctly timed, an extra systolic stimulation pulse causes an electrical depolarization of the heart, but the attendant mechanical contraction is absent or substantially weakened. The contractility of the subsequent cardiac cycles, referred to as the post-extra systolic beats, is increased as described in detail in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,098 issued to Bennett et al., incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
As noted, the degree of mechanical augmentation on post-extra systolic beats depends on the time interval between a primary systole and the subsequent extra systole, referred to herein as the "extra stimulus interval" (ESI). If the ESI is too long, the PESP effects are not achieved because a normal mechanical contraction takes place in response to the extra systolic stimulus. As the ESI is shortened, a maximal effect is reached when the ESI is slightly longer than the myocardial refractory period. An electrical depolarization occurs without a mechanical contraction or with a substantially weakened contraction. When the ESI becomes too short, the stimulus falls within the absolute refractory period and no depolarization occurs. The use of an appropriately timed PESP extra stimulus in the atrium may be used to effect a slowing of the rate of intrinsic atrial contractions due to resetting of the sinus node. A PESP extra stimulus in the ventricle may occasionally prevent an atrial depolarization from conducting to the ventricles.
As indicated in the above-referenced '098 patent, one potential risk associated with delivering extra systolic stimulation pulses to achieve PESP is the potential for arrhythmia induction. If the extra systolic pulse is delivered to cardiac cells during the vulnerable period, the risk of inducing tachycardia or fibrillation in arrhythmia-prone patients may be high. The vulnerable period encompasses the repolarization phase of the action potential, also referred to herein as the "recovery phase," and a period immediately following it.
What is needed, therefore, is a method of providing cardiac pacing therapy at an appropriate rate that includes the mechanical augmentation benefits of PESP, while maximizing the opportunity for intrinsic AV conduction.

Method of optimizing mechanical heart rate during delivery of coupled or paired pacing


A device capable of supplying an internal combustion engine with fuel while improving the utilization rate of vaporized fuel. A temporary transition from a third state (primary recovery path FL1: closed, secondary recovery path FL2: closed, second vaporized fuel path VL2: closed, condenser 30: decompressed) to a fourth state (primary recovery path FL1: closed, secondary recovery path FL2: closed, second vaporized fuel path VL2: open, condenser 30: decompressed) is achieved. This temporarily increases an internal air pressure P of a condenser 30, and the kinetic energy of a vaporized fuel V leaked out of a first fuel tank 40 through the second vaporized fuel path VL2 is able to sweep away a first fuel F1 in a liquid state accumulated in a vacuum pump 36 to the first fuel tank 40.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for supplying fuel to an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been proposed techniques for selectively supplying each of a high octane number fuel and a low octane number fuel separated from a raw fuel to an internal combustion engine (Refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-278298 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-144720).
Moreover, there has been proposed a technique for preventing air from entering a tank for storing a high octane number fuel, which is caused by low volatile of the high octane number fuel in comparison with the raw fuel (Refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-203909). Specifically, a device is configured so that vaporized fuel is supplied from a raw fuel tank to the high octane number fuel tank and then supplied from the high octane number fuel tank to a charcoal canister.
As the adsorption capacity of the canister is greater, a larger amount of vaporized fuel is able to be efficiently used for the running of the internal combustion engine. Due to a restriction on a space where the canister is mounted in a vehicle, however, the adsorption capacity is limited. Accordingly, in the case where a large amount of vaporized fuel occurs, the vaporized fuel which has been unsuccessfully adsorbed to the canister is discharged to the outside of the vehicle and thus wasted.


The present invention makes it possible to manufacture a slider having two surfaces at different depths relative to a flying surface.. First etching is performed to form a second surface corresponding to a step portion using a photoresist mask; thereafter, another photoresist mask is formed on a region to become a second surface of the slider bar without removing the former photoresist mask; and second etching is performed using those photoresist masks to form a third surface corresponding to a negative pressure generating portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a slider used for a flying magnetic head or the like and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A flying magnetic head used in a magnetic disc apparatus or the like is configured by forming a thin film magnetic head element at the rear end of a slider. In general, a slider includes rail portions whose surfaces act as flying surfaces (air bearing surfaces) and includes a taper or step portion in an air inflow portion (in the vicinity of the end at the air inflow side) such that the rail portions slightly fly above the surface of a magnetic recording medium such as a magnetic disc by a stream of air flowing in through the tapered or stepped surface.
In general, a slider having a taper portion at an air inflow portion is formed into a predetermined configuration through a mechanical process such as lapping. A slider having a step portion at an air inflow portion thereof (hereinafter referred to as "a step leading type slider") is formed into a predetermined configuration through an etching process utilizing photolithography, for example, as disclosed in Japanese examined patent publication (KOKOKU) No. H5-8488.
A step leading type slider can be accurately formed even into a complicated configuration because it is manufactured using photolithography instead of a mechanical process as described above. This is advantageous in that it facilitates control over flying characteristics and in that processing cost can be reduced.
Recently, a need has arisen for a reduction in the flying amount of a slider for an improved recording density. It is also desired to improve the stability of the flying of a slider in order to achieve access at a higher speed. Negative pressure sliders have been put in use to satisfy such needs. In general, a negative pressure slider is formed with a negative pressure generating portion having a concave configuration to generate a negative pressure between two rail portions. Such a negative pressure slider has a microscopic configuration on a surface thereof facing a recording medium and, especially, the height of the rail portions is significantly smaller than those in conventional sliders.
Such a negative pressure slider of the above-described step leading type, the depths of the step portion and negative pressure generating portion relative to the flying surfaces are different from each other.
A description will now be made with reference to FIG. 12 through FIG. 21 on an example of a method for manufacturing a step leading type negative pressure slider of the related art and on problems with the related-art methods for manufacturing sliders.
It is assumed here that a slider 211 having a configuration as shown in the plan view of FIG. 13 is manufactured. The slider 211 includes two rail portions 212 whose surfaces serve as flying surfaces 212a, a step portion 213 formed at an air inflow portion and a negative pressure generating portion 214 formed to extend from the central portion to the air outflow side thereof. For example, the depth of the step portion 213 relative to the flying surfaces 212a is 1 .mu.m, and the depth of the negative pressure generating portion 214 relative to the flying surfaces 212a is 3 .mu.m. The slider 211 includes a thin film magnetic head element 215 provided in a position close to the end at the air outflow side of one of the rail portions 212.
According to the manufacturing method in the related art, the slider bar including a plurality of thin film magnetic head elements arranged in a row is first secured to a jig after lapping of the surfaces thereof to serve as flying surfaces is completed.
The subsequent steps will be described according to the flow chart shown in FIG. 12. First, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, a photoresist mask 231 is formed using photolithography on regions 222 of the slider bar 210 to become the rail portions 212 (step S201). FIG. 14 is a plan view showing a region of the slider bar 210 which is to become one slider, and FIG. 15 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 15--15 in FIG. 14.
Next, for example, ion milling is performed to etch a region 223 to become the step portion 213 and a region 224 to become the negative pressure generating portion 214 by, for example, 1 .mu.m using the photoresist mask 231 (step S202).
Next, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the photoresist mask 231 is removed (step S203). FIG. 16 is a plan view similar to FIG. 14, and FIG. 17 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 15.
Next, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, a new photoresist mask 232 is formed on the regions 222 to become the rail portions 212 and the region 223 to become the step portion 213 using photolithography (step S204). FIG. 18 is a plan view similar to FIG. 14, and FIG. 19 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 15. Next, for example, ion milling is performed to etch the region 224 to become the negative pressure generating portion 214 by, for example, 2 .mu.m using the photoresist mask 232 (step S205).
Next, the photoresist mask 232 is removed as shown in FIGS. 20 and 21 (step S206). The slider 211 is thus formed. FIG. 20 is a plan view similar to FIG. 14, and FIG. 21 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 15.
According to the method for manufacturing a slider of the related art as mentioned above, to form the step portion 213 and negative pressure generating portion 214 which are different in depth from each other relative to the flying surface 212a, the series of steps of forming photoresist masks, etching and removing the photoresist mask is repeated twice. Therefore, when the second photoresist mask 232 is formed, the photoresist mask 232 must be positioned accurately especially at the boundaries between the regions 222 to become the rail portions 212 and the region 224 to become the negative pressure generating portion 214.
In practice, however, when the second photoresist mask 232 is formed, it is subjected to a positional shift, for example, in the range from 0.3 to 0.5 .mu.m attributable to low positioning accuracy of an exposure mask for photolithography and the like as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19.
As a result, steps 241 are formed on side surfaces connecting the flying surfaces 212a and negative pressure generating portion 214 as shown in FIGS. 20 and 21. When such steps 241 is formed, the flying characteristics of the slider 211 will be different from design values, which can cause problems such as a horizontal shift of the slider in use in some cases.

Slider and method for manufacturing the same


A mechanism useful as a slip clutch or brake which comprises a housing member having a shaft affixed thereto and extending from one end thereof and a ball at the other end thereof having a second shaft extending therefrom outwardly of the housing. The housing has a partial end wall with an opening therethrough for the second shaft and a friction material having a partially spherical surface in the housing and positioned against the partial end wall. The ball is seated against the partially spherical surface of the friction material and drives the housing therethrough, but will slip when a predetermined torque is exceeded. The ball is biased into engagement with the friction material whereby when one of the shafts is rotated, the other is driven through frictional engagement of the ball and the friction material. Where the mechanism is utilized as a brake, the shaft on the housing may be eliminated.

The prior art discloses clutches or drives in which a drive and driven shaft may be misaligned as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 3,388,607. Moreover, the prior art also shows ball drives in a slip mechanism as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,502. There is a need for small clutches, brakes, and rotary holding devices in many applications such as tension control for material being wound or unwound, hinges and various other applications.
The present invention provides a new and improved slip clutch in which the two shafts may be mis-aligned and still one may drive the other and further provides a simplified and low cost clutch or brake mechanism.

Mechanism useful as a slip clutch or brake


A monolithic chip with an integrated circuit forming an 18-bit D/A converter powered by a single supply of .+-.5 volts. The circuit includes a voltage reference producing two stable voltages of 3.5V and 2.5V which are directed to a control amplifier. This amplifier produces control signals for the current-source cells of a current-steering network utilizing a segmentation decoder for the three most significant bits, a collector-connected R/2R ladder for the intermediate bits, and an emitter-connected R/2R ladder for the remaining least significant bits. The control signals include one for setting the level of current through an NPN current-source transistor, a second for setting the level of current through a PMOS transistor for turning on or off a pair of switching transistors, and a third for establishing a bias voltage for the turn-on circuits for the NPN current-source transistor. An output operational amplifier has its inverting input connected to the output of the current-steering network and to a bipolar offset current circuit powered by the 3.5V output of the voltage reference. The non-inverting input of the amplifier is connected to the 2.5 volt reference voltage to establish a pseudo-ground for the amplifier. A temperature-compensation circuit is provided for the emitter-connected R/2R ladder, and uses only NPN transistors without requiring any elements interfering with the operation of the current-source transistors, and without requiring an associated amplifier.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to digital-to-analog (D/A) converters. More particularly, this invention relates to such converters having a high resolution, such as 18 bits, and which yet are capable of operating from a single supply voltage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
D/A converters capable of 12-bit to 16-bit conversions are commonly available, and take various forms. One popular 12-bit converter, using individual current sources for each bit, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,693 (Craven). A 16-bit converter using cascaded resistor strings is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,560 (Holloway).
For modern high-performance applications such as digital audio systems, it is desired to make still higher resolution conversions, up to at least 18 bits. Moreover, it is very important that such a converter be operable with a single supply voltage, such as 5 volts. The converter also must have very low distortion, and be capable of integration with all required functions on a single chip.

High resolution D/A converter operable with single supply voltage


In one aspect the present disclosure refers to a measuring arrangement for measuring of a volume change of a liquid medium located inside a liquid reservoir, the measuring arrangement comprising:                a gas tight enclosure having an interior volume containing a gas reservoir and containing the liquid reservoir, wherein the liquid reservoir is filled with a liquid medium,        a gas inlet in flow connection with the gas reservoir and extending through a boundary of the gas tight enclosure to an exterior of the gas tight enclosure,        an outlet connectable with the liquid reservoir and extending through the boundary of the gas tight enclosure,        wherein the gas reservoir and the liquid reservoir are hermetically separated by an impenetrable separation wall, and        a flow meter arranged in or across the gas inlet to measure an ingress of a gaseous medium through the inlet in response to a withdrawal of the liquid medium from the liquid reservoir through the outlet.

Syringe systems or infusion systems are typically used for parenteral administering of liquid drugs or medicaments. Especially for patients suffering a chronic disease a regular and repeated delivery of a liquid medicament is of importance. Liquid medicaments commonly delivered via injection or via intravenous infusion. For various types of medicament delivery there exist particular drug delivery devices, such as injectors or infusion pumps. With such devices the medicament itself is typically stored and provided in a separate container. With syringe type injection devices the liquid medicament is for instance provided in a cartridge having a tubular-shaped barrel which is sealed at one longitudinal end by a pierceable septum and which is sealed at the opposite longitudinal end by means of a piston or stopper which is slidably displaceable inside the barrel.
By means of a suitable drive mechanism, typically including an advancing piston rod, the piston or stopper of the cartridge is displaceable towards a distal direction so as to expel a predefined amount of the liquid medicament from the cartridge. For this the the pierceable septum is typically pierced and penetrated by a hollow injection needle.
Other medicament delivery systems and devices, such as infusion pumps make use of a tubing in fluid communication with e.g. a flexible container or flexible reservoir containing the liquid medicament. A pump, such as a peristaltic pump may feed a well-defined amount of the medicament by way of suction. Suction pump-based drug delivery devices require a complete flushing of the tubing that extends between the medicament container and an outlet end of the tubing, which may be in direct fluid communication with biological tissue that should be subject to medicament delivery. For a proper operation medicament delivery systems and keeping track of an actual medicament delivery it is desirable to quantitatively measure the amount of medicament or a flow rate of the medicament that is actually dispensed. It is also desirable to monitor and to log the process of medicament delivery so as to record a dosing history.
It is therefore an aim to provide a measuring arrangement for measuring of a volume occupied by a liquid medium inside a reservoir. The measuring arrangement should be particularly configured and suitable for measuring of a volume change of the liquid medium and to provide a differential measurement of the volume occupied by the liquid medium. The measuring arrangement should be rather easy and straight forward to implement. It should be implementable in a space saving and cost-efficient way. The measuring arrangement should be universally applicable for different types of reservoirs configured to contain and to enclose a liquid medium or a liquid substance, such as a liquid medicament.
The measuring arrangement should be further combinable with delivery devices such as drug delivery devices, e.g. with infusion pumps, syringe-type injection devices or syringe-type infusion devices. The measuring arrangement should be implementable into such devices. The measuring arrangement should further provide a precise and reliable measurement of a volume change of a liquid medium at any time prior to or during a process of medicament delivery. Hence in some aspects, a method of measuring a volume change of a liquid medium located inside a reservoir is provided. The volume change should be measurable without getting in contact with the liquid medium.


A method of diagnosing metastatic potential of a breast cancer in an individual with breast cancer is described. The method comprises a step of assaying a breast cancer tumor sample from the patient for expression of A Disintegrin And Metalloproteinase 22, (ADAM22), wherein expression of ADAM22 correlates with increased potential for metastasis compared with a patient who is ADAM22 negative. The invention also describes an agent for use in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer in a patient, in which the agent is selected from leucine-rich, glioma-inactivated protein 1 (LGI1) protein (SEQ ID NO:1) and an LGI1 peptide mimic capable of mimicking the ADAM22 binding activity of LGI1 by binding to the LGI1 binding domain of ADAM22 (SEQ ID NO: 4) and which is capable of inhibiting migration of endocrine resistant breast cancer cells.

Current Endocrine Treatment in Breast Cancer
Breast cancer continues to affect one woman in ten in the western world, and despite significant treatment advances in recent years, the mortality rate still remains at around 35%. Current endocrine therapies are based on manipulating the estrogen receptor (ER) either directly with ER modulators such as tamoxifen, or by reducing levels of circulating estrogen with aromatase inhibitors (AIs). The development of third-generation aromatase inhibitors (AIs) has changed therapy in post-menopausal patients with hormone-sensitive breast cancer. There are two main types of AIs: irreversible steroidal inhibitors exemplified by exemestane, and non-steroidal inhibitors such as anastrozole and letrozole which are competitive reversible inhibitors. Randomized clinical trials, including several led by our group, have demonstrated prolongation of disease-free survival in patients with early stage breast cancer.
Regardless of the age of the patient, adjuvant endocrine therapy offers substantial benefit in terms of reduction in risk of tumour recurrence in women with ER-positive tumours. However, while most patients initially respond to tamoxifen, in 30-40% of cases these tumours have metastatic disease within 5 years. This common clinical scenario precipitates cessation of the regime and the initiation of second line therapy. Uncovering the key mechanisms involved in the development of metastasis provide predictive markers of disease recurrence which will enable the tailoring of existing therapies and the development of new drugs in this class, to improve outcome in specific patient groups.
Biomarkers of Endocrine Sensitivity in Breast Cancer Patients
Classic pathologic parameters, such as tumour size, grade, ER and HER2 status have been invaluable in informing the clinical management of breast cancer; however, a significant number of patients with a good prognostic profile will have a tumour recurrence. More recently, with the advent of gene expression profiling research, additional mechanisms to predict disease recurrence are now available. Technologies provided by Agendia (MammaPrint) and Genomic Health (OncotypeDx) which involve detection of a panel of genes performed by the providing companies have reported independent hazard ratios of 2.23 and 3.21 respectively. The predictive value of these tests is greater than any of the currently employed pathological parameters including ER and HER2 (hazard ratios 0.665 and 1.505, respectively). Elucidation of the mechanisms of how a tumour can adapt to endocrine therapy and consequently reoccur will provide mechanistically anchored predictive biomarkers, which can easily be detected and used in the clinic to select appropriate treatments.
New Therapeutics for the Treatment of Metastatic Disease
There are no targeted therapies currently available that act to specifically inhibit metastasis in breast cancer. Most patients are treated with chemotherapy or radiotherapy which does not specifically target cancer cells. Classic DNA-damaging cytotoxic drugs (eg. cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil) are still the mainstay of treatment regimens, and, although crude, are effective. Current directed therapies against metastatic cancers only inhibit angiogenesis. In doing so, they cut off nutrient supply and inhibit access of metastatic cells to the blood stream. The anti-angiogenic, AVASTIN® (bevacizumab) (Roche) is used to treat a range of cancers, including colorectal, lung, and kidney cancer. Its use in metastatic breast cancer however is controversial. The FDA recently withdrew approval for its use in the metastatic setting and the European Commission has only approved it in combination with the chemotherapy drugs Paclitaxel or XELODA® (capecitabine). There is therefore a pressing need in terms of healthcare and economics to develop new directed therapies to treat metastatic breast cancer.
It is an object of the invention to overcome at least one of the above-referenced problems.

ADAM22 for use as a prognostic variable, and target for therapy, of a metastatic breast cancer disease


An apparatus of fan heat dissipation comprises a fan component, a resonator and a speaker component. The fan component is located below a device in parallel and configured to dissipate heat from the device. The resonator is located below the fan component, and a working region is located between the bottom of the fan component and the top of the resonator. The speaker component is formed with the resonator, and the resonator serves as a cabinet for the speaker component. Furthermore, the resonator is the Helmholtz resonator.

Field of Invention
The present disclosure relates to a heat-dissipating device. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an apparatus of fan heat dissipation.
Description of Related Art
With the rapid advance of technology, an operation frequency of an electronic device are therefore increased for supporting additional functions, so as to enhance the competitiveness of the electronic device. However, an operation temperature of the electronic device is also increased as the operation frequency increased. To avoid the high operation temperature affecting or damaging operation of the electronic device, a heat-dissipating fan is always utilized to dissipate heat for the electronic device.
Nevertheless, it is only considered how to enhance operation efficiency of the heat-dissipating fan, but not to reduce operation noise generated from the operation of the heat-dissipating fan before. Specifically, when the heat-dissipating fan operates on a high rotation mode, the operation efficiency for heat dissipation is significant but the operation noise is loud; otherwise, the operation noise is quite but the operation efficiency is insignificant.
Accordingly, it is difficult to consider how to enhance the operation efficiency for heat dissipation and reduce the operation noise for an apparatus of fan heat dissipation design at the same time.

Inventec (Pudong) Technology Corporation


A battery monitoring apparatus a plurality of connection lines, a monitoring circuit, a first filter circuit, and a second filter circuit. The monitoring circuit is provided with a pair of sensing terminals for each pair of positive and negative electrode terminals of each of a plurality of battery cells of a battery pack. The plurality of connection lines includes a plurality of common line and first and second branch lines. The first filter circuit includes first resistors located on the first and second branch lines connected to the pair of sensing terminals, and a first capacitor located between the first and second branch lines connected to the pair of sensing terminals. The second filter circuit includes a second resistor located on the plurality of connection lines, and a second capacitor connected in series between the plurality of connection lines without passing through the first resistors or the second resistor.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a battery monitoring apparatus that includes a monitoring circuit for monitoring individual cell voltages of a plurality of battery cells which are connected in series to form a battery pack.
2. Related Art
A battery monitoring apparatus in related art is proposed that includes a monitoring circuit and a low-pass filter (for example, see JP-A-2012-159406). The monitoring circuit is provided with a plurality of pairs of sensing terminals for a plurality of battery cells. The pairs of sensing terminals are associated with the plurality of battery cells of which positive and negative electrode terminals are connected to each of the sensing terminals in a pair via individual connecting lines. The low-pass filter is disposed on the connecting lines.
Each of a plurality of current paths is formed between each of the battery cells and the monitoring circuit via the corresponding connecting lines. In the case where the number of components of the low-pass filter is different between the current paths, the cutoff frequency of the low-pass filter may be varied.
From this, a circuit configuration of JP-A-2012-159406 is designed such that the low-pass filter is configured by an RC (resistor-capacitor) filter composed of a resistor and a capacitor with the same number of components of the low-pass filter between the current paths.
Specifically, the connecting lines on the battery pack side are provided with a plurality of common lines. Each of the common lines is connected to the negative electrode terminal of a high-potential side battery cell of serially connected adjacent battery cells and to the positive electrode terminal of a low-potential side battery cell of serially connected adjacent battery cells.
The connecting lines on the monitoring circuit side are provided with two branch lines into which each of the common lines is branched. One of the two branch lines is connected to a sensing terminal that corresponds to the negative electrode terminal of the high-potential side battery cell. The other of the two branch lines is connected to a sensing terminal that corresponds to the positive electrode terminal of the low-potential side battery cell.
The low-pass filter includes resistors and capacitors. The resistors are located on a pair of branch lines that correspond to a pair of terminals (positive and negative electrode terminals) of the monitoring circuit. The capacitors are located between the pair of branch lines.
The filter configuration disclosed in JP-A-2012-159406 has a feature of sufficiently attenuating differential noise (in-phase fluctuation) generated between the individual connecting lines that connect the battery cells to the monitoring circuit. However, this filter configuration is not able to sufficiently attenuate common mode noise (in-phase fluctuation) generated between the individual connecting lines and a ground line.
This will be specifically described referring to FIGS. 5 to 8. FIGS. 5 and 7 show an example in which a filter circuit 300 in related art is disposed between a battery pack 100 and a monitoring circuit 200. FIGS. 6 and 8 show Bode diagrams for explaining filter characteristics.
The filter circuit 300 in FIG. 5 has filter characteristics of which a transfer function G(s) (=Vo1/Vi1) of an RC filter for a single battery cell 100a is expressed by the following formula F1 and, as shown in FIG. 6, sufficient attenuation is achieved in a high-frequency range in which the frequency f becomes higher than the cutoff frequency fc.G(s)=(Vo1/Vi1)=1/(1+2RCs)  (F1)
The filter circuit 300 in FIG. 7 has filter characteristics of which a transfer function G(s) (Vo2/Vi2) of an RC filter for n battery cells 100a is expressed by the following formula F2 and, as shown in FIG. 8, sufficient attenuation is not achieved in the high-frequency range in which the frequency f becomes higher than the cutoff frequency fc, because resistance components are applied to the output Vo2.(Vo2/Vi2)=[2{(n−1)/n}RCs+1]/(1+2nRCs)  (F2)
In this way, common mode noise is not sufficiently attenuated in the filter configuration disclosed in JP-A-2012-159406, and there is a probability that the common mode noise would enter the monitoring circuit, which leads to the probability of causing malfunction in the monitoring circuit.
In order to cope with common mode noise, a ground-type filter configuration, in which the capacitors are directly grounded for each of the connecting lines, may be used.
In this case, each capacitor for the high-potential side battery cell of the battery cells having a high voltage to ground is required to be configured by a high-voltage capacitor. This raises a problem of drastically increasing the cost incurred in manufacturing the battery monitoring apparatus.


The expense of fabricating an annular combustor (10) for a gas turbine is minimized by providing a combustor housing (12) including a generally axially extending sleeve (14) and an annular liner (18) disposed within the housing (12) and about the sleeve (14). The annular liner (18) has concentric inner and outer axially extending walls (20, 22) spaced from the sleeve (14 ) and the housing (12), respectively, and also has a radially extending wall (24) spaced from the housing (12 ) and interconnecting the inner and outer walls (20, 22) at one end to define a combustion chamber (26). The liner (18) is spaced from the housing (12 ) and the sleeve (14 ) to define a compressed air flow path (28) extending from a radially outer compressed air inlet (30) to a radially inner compressed air outlet (32) in communication with the combustion chamber (26) axially remote from the radially extending wall (24). The annular combustor (26) is provided with a plurality of air blast fuel injectors (42, 44) for injecting a fuel/air mixture into the liner (18 ) in a generally tangential direction adjacent the radially extending wall (24). The annular combustor (10) also includes a plurality of open ended elongated tubes (36) in the outer wall (22) adjacent the compressed air inlet (30) to provide dilution air at a point upstream of a turbine nozzle (40) and a plurality of open ended elongated tubes (34 ) in the outer wall (22) intermediate the dilution air tubes (36) and the radially extending wall (24) to provide air for combustion. With this arrangement, the combustion air tubes (34) are sized to admit sufficient combustion air to ensure completion of combustion upstream of the plane defined by the dilution air tubes (36) while forming a flame zone extending from a point adjacent the radially extending wall (24) to a point no further downstream than the dilution air tubes (36).

Most relatively small missiles in use today are propelled by solid fuel rockets as opposed to, for example, turbojet engines. The selection of a solid fuel rocket as a propulsion device has been largely dictated by two factors. First, in many instances, a turbine engine cannot be fabricated sufficiently economically as to compete with a solid fuel rocket engine. Secondly, in small size missiles, i.e., those having relatively small diameter on the order of about six inches, it has heretofore been quite difficult to manufacture an efficient turbojet engine. The difficulty lies in the fact that the turbojet engine must fit within the six inch envelope required of the propulsion unit for such a missile. Unfortunately, the use of solid fuel rocket engines has had consequences that are not desirable in many applications.
Specifically, the use of solid fuel rocket engines results in the loss of some degree of control of the missile flight path or trajectory. In contrast, control is far greater with gas turbine engines whose output can readily be varied. Further, even if the gas turbine engine operates relatively inefficiently, the use of such an engine would greatly extend the range of the missile.
The difficulty in economically producing small diameter gas turbine engines resides primarily in the labor intensive nature of the manufacture of the combustor. Furthermore, as combustor sizes shrink to fit in some desired envelope, the difficulty in achieving efficient combustion of fuel rises significantly. In particular, as the size or volume of a combustor is reduced, there may be insufficient volume to allow the fuel to first be vaporized completely, burned efficiently, and then mixed uniformly.
In order to overcome the foregoing, a unique low cost annular combustor was developed as disclosed in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,754, issued Jan. 3, 1989. This annular combustor has proven to be well suited for its intended purpose, but it was desired to attempt to achieve greater thrust with a higher turbine inlet temperature while meeting the necessary size constraints and achieving the goal of ultralow cost for throw away missile applications. For this purpose, it was recognized that a new approach would be required to reach the necessary parameters of operation.
More specifically, the small missile application may typically be such as to require a spacing of one inch between combustor walls. It is also typically a necessary parameter that very difficult to burn missile fuel such as JP10 be handled efficiently even though such fuel is known to have a high carbon content together with very high surface tension and viscosity which, respectively, results in carbon buildup on the walls of the combustor together with a smoke filled exhaust and makes fuel atomization difficult which creates combustion inefficiency and flame instability problems. In very small combustors, such problems are oftentimes greatly magnified particularly where only low cost solutions are available.
In addition, such problems are exacerbated where high turbine inlet temperatures are to be found. This follows because only low cost means of cooling the metal at such high temperatures are acceptable, especially for small missile applications. In addition, the turbine inlet temperature distribution must be exceptionally uniform to avoid burnout of the turbine nozzle blades.
To achieve uniform turbine inlet temperature distribution in gas turbines having annular combustors, it has been necessary to provide a large number of fuel injectors to assure that the fuel is uniformly distributed in the combustion air about the annular combustor. Fuel injectors are, however, quite expensive with the consequence that the use of a large number of fuel injectors is not economically satisfactory. As the number of fuel injectors in a system is increased, particularly where there is to be unchanged fuel consumption, the fuel flow area in each injector necessarily becomes smaller and thus more prone to clogging.
When this occurs, the very problem addressed, i.e., nonuniform turbine inlet distribution, is exactly what results.
Furthermore, in relatively small turbine engines where relatively low fuel flow rates may be encountered, it is highly desirable to minimize the number of fuel injectors to minimize the possibility of clogging. To avoid this difficulty, the prior art has suggested that fuel be injected into annular combustion chambers with some sort of tangential component whereby the resulting swirl of fuel and combustion supporting gas provides a much more uniform mix of fuel with the air to provide a more uniform burn and thus achieve more circumferential uniformity in the turbine inlet temperature. However, this solution deals only with minimizing the presence of hot and/or cold spots while failing to focus on the remaining problem where gases of combustion may impinge upon components in a uniform manner but at excessive temperatures.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the above stated problems.


A steering assist system for a vehicle comprises a steering assist module configured to determine a baseline assistance force to be applied to a steering system of the vehicle, and a transient disturbance compensation module configured to determine a transient compensation force to compensate for transient conditions that urge the vehicle to deviate from a straight path. The transient compensation force is based at least partially on the determined baseline assistance force. The system also includes a steady-state disturbance compensation module configured to determine a steady-state compensation force to compensate for steady-state conditions that urge the vehicle to deviate from the straight path, the steady-state compensation force being based at least partially on the determined baseline assistance force. Methods relate to controlling steering systems.

Vehicles, such as automobiles, may include a steering system operable by a driver of the vehicle to alter a direction of travel of the vehicle. Such a steering system may include a power assist unit configured to reduce the effort that must be applied by the driver to a steering control (e.g., a steering wheel) to achieve a change in direction of the vehicle. Various conditions may compromise the directional stability of the vehicle, may require the driver to make incremental or constant corrections to the direction of travel of the vehicle, and/or cause feedback through the steering wheel. Deviation from a desired path of travel may be referred to as "drift," and undesirable feedback through the steering wheel may be referred to as "pull." For example, crowned roads or strong crosswinds may temporarily cause diversion from the intended path of the vehicle. Additionally, misalignments of the vehicle steering and/or suspension components, side-to-side variations in tire inflation pressure, or other mechanical factors may cause the vehicle to pull to one side even when the driver intends to follow a straight direction of travel. Power steering systems may be configured to apply steering assist force to reduce (e.g., eliminate) drift and pull.
The directional instability due to factors such as road crown and/or crosswinds may change rapidly due to changes in road surface and environmental conditions, and the directional instability due to factors such as chassis misalignment or inconsistent tire inflation generally will not change with changes in road surface or environmental conditions. It may be desirable to separate the components of directional instability due to road surface and environmental factors from components of directional instability due to vehicle factors to enable more consistent compensation and steering feel.

Steering assist system and related methods


A hermetically packaged microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device has a substrate with an assembly pad (101) and a plurality of terminals (102); a chip (110) with a MEMS mechanical element (111) of a first height (111a) assembled on the pad and connected to the terminals by wires (120) with an insulating coat (121); a ridge (130) on the substrate, which surrounds the MEMS element (111) with a second height (130c) greater than the first height and comprises a plastic compound (131) filled with particles (132) and a surface (130a, 130b) having an adhering moisture-impermeable seal layer (133); and a moisture-impervious lid (140) attached to the ridge by moisture-proof bonds (150, 151), sealing the volume (160) enclosed by the lid, the chip, and the metalized ridge as a hermetic space for the MEMS element (111).

This relates to semiconductor devices and processes, and more specifically to the structure and fabrication of hermetic plastic packages for microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices.
The wide variety of products collectively called micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) devices are small, lightweight devices on the micrometer to millimeter scale, which may have mechanically moving parts and often movable electrical power supplies and controls, or they may have parts sensitive to thermal, acoustic, or optical energy. MEMS devices have been developed to sense mechanical, thermal, chemical, radiant, magnetic, and biological quantities and inputs, and produce signals as outputs. Because of the moving and sensitive parts, MEMS devices have a need for physical and atmospheric protection. Therefore, MEMS devices are supported on a substrate and surrounded by a housing or package, to shield the MEMS components against ambient and electrical disturbances, and against stress.
A MEMS device integrates mechanical elements, sensors, actuators, and electronics on a common substrate. The manufacturing approach for a MEMS device aims at using batch fabrication techniques similar to those used for other microelectronics devices. Such devices can thus benefit from mass production and minimized material consumption to lower the manufacturing cost, while trying to exploit the well-controlled integrated circuit technology.
Example MEMS devices include mechanical sensors, both pressure sensors including microphone membranes, and inertial sensors such as accelerometers coupled with the integrated electronic circuit of the chip. The mechanically moving parts of a MEMS devices are fabricated together with the sensors and actuators in the process flow of the electronic integrated circuit (IC) on a semiconductor chip. The mechanically moving parts may be produced by an undercutting etch at some step during the IC fabrication. Examples of specific bulk micromachining processes employed in MEMS sensor production to create the movable elements and the cavities for their movements are anisotropic wet etching and deep reactive ion etching.
MEMS device packages do not generally have to be hermetic, i.e., impermeable to water molecules. Consequently, typical MEMS devices may use sealants made of polymeric compounds. Some MEMS devices do, however, require hermetic packages. Example of devices requiring hermetic packages include digital micromirror devices (DMDs), such as the DLP® DMD devices available from Texas Instruments. A typical DMD includes an array of individually addressable light modulating pixel element micromirrors, the reflectors of each of which are selectively positioned to reflect or not to reflect light to a desired site.
Conventional hermetic packaging of MEMS devices usually involves a packaging process that departs from the processes normally used for non-MEMS device packaging. MEMS hermetic packaging is expensive not only because the package often includes a ceramic material, or a metallic or glass lid, but also because the package must be configured to avoid contact with moving and other sensitive parts of the MEMS device and to further allow a controlled or reduced atmosphere inside the package. The high package cost is, however, in conflict with market requirements for many applications of MEMS devices, which put a premium at low device cost and, therefore, low package cost. Further, the conventional fabrication of hermetic MEMS packages also encounters many technical challenges, such as those caused by potentially high temperatures in connection with welding of a hermetic lid to the package base. As an example, a recently proposed package with a sealing process using a glass core involves temperatures considerably above 450° C., typically between 525 and 625° C. dependent on the sealing glass selected. These temperature ranges are a risk for the reliability of silicon integrated circuits and for proper functioning of many MEMS device components.
There is a need for low cost hermetic packaging of MEMS devices.

Hermetic plastic molded MEMS device package and method of fabrication


An ambidextrous pistol carrying device of conveniently and inexpensively fabricated modular design includes a mainframe member of non-leather composition, an elongated spring member and a guard strap member connected to the mainframe member, and components for removably connecting a shoulder harness. The mainframe member includes a muzzle retainer portion that extends across and abuts the muzzle of a pistol, a bore-engaging protrusion on the muzzle retainer portion that extends at least partially into the bore, and left and right arm portions that extend from the muzzle portion along the sides of the pistol to positions above the trigger guard. The spring member extends across the rearward portion of the pistol between the left and right arm portions to spring bias the pistol toward the muzzle retainer portion. The guard strap member includes a strap of flexible material that fastens together through the trigger guard in order to inhibit premature trigger finger contact of the trigger when the pistol is drawn. Fastener components enable removable connection of a shoulder harness to the muzzle retainer portion and the rearward ends of the left and right arm portions. The pistol retention system includes a removable shoulder harness, and an ambidextrous shoulder harness is disclosed that includes three straps connected pivotally to enable a user to convert the shoulder harness for either lefthand or righthanded use.

Technical Field
This invention relates generally to rigs for carrying firearms. More particularly, it relates to a revolutionary non-leather pistol carrying device and removable shoulder harness that depart from conventional designs to take advantage of modern materials and modular construction in an ambidextrous configuration that achieves handgun security and comfort, enables speed of draw and access, and accommodates various pistol calibers and frame sizes.
Background Information
Non-leather construction has some advantages over conventional gunleather. It costs less, withstands body chemicals and foul weather better, and requires less maintenance. It can provide a modern, hi-tech appearance and use many non-gunleather colors. Recognizing these advantages, some evolving holster designs employ modern fabrics, plastics, and metals instead of, or in combination with, conventional gunleather.
But achieving just the right combination of look, feel, balance, and performance remains elusive. That is particularly so in designing a non-leather rig to replace conventional shoulder holsters. The rig must ride comfortably on the upper body while securely retaining a handgun in a quickly accessible underarm position. Law enforcement personnel want it to lie unnoticeably under a jacket or other outer garment. Pilots and other military personnel require that it meet rigid military specifications. However, existing non-leather rigs fail to measure up in many respects and so a better design remains desired.

Pistol carrying device and retention system


A device trains a classification model with defect classifier training data to generate a trained classification model and processes information indicating priorities and rework efforts for defects, with a Pareto analysis model, to select a set of classes for the defects. The device calculates defect scores for the set of the classes and selects a particular class, from the set of the classes, based on the defect scores. The device processes a historical data set for the particular class to identify a root cause corrective action (RCCA) recommendation and processes information indicating a defect associated with the particular class, with the trained classification model, to generate a predicted RCCA recommendation for the defect. The device processes the predicted RCCA recommendation and the RCCA recommendation, with a linear regression model, to determine an effectiveness score for the predicted RCCA recommendation and retrains the classification model based on the effectiveness score.

Root cause analysis is a method of problem solving used for identifying root causes of defects, faults, problems, and/or the like. A factor is considered a root cause if removal thereof from a defect sequence prevents a final undesirable outcome from recurring. A causal factor is a factor that affects an event outcome but is not a root cause. Thus, removing a causal factor can benefit an event outcome but does not prevent recurrence of the outcome with certainty.

Utilizing artificial intelligence to generate and update a root cause analysis classification model


An image forming apparatus includes, an image forming unit, an irradiating unit, a first low voltage power supply which generates a first low voltage, a first low voltage power supply line, a first switching element, a first high voltage generating unit including a first transformer, a second low voltage power supply, and a control unit. The image forming apparatus further includes a cover which can be opened and closed, wherein the image forming unit detects the opening and closing of the cover; and an interlock switch which interlocks with the opening/closing of the cover and includes a first contact point connected to the first low voltage power supply and a second contact point connected to the first low voltage power supply line, wherein the interlock switch is opened to disconnect the first contact point from the second contact point when the cover is opened.

As one example of such kinds of techniques, a technique in which a connection end of a laser diode (LD) to a 5V power supply line is directly connected to an input port of a CPU for cover open detection is conventionally known. In this technique, an interlock switch is provided for each of the 5V power supply line and a 24V power supply line which supplies power to a motor and, when a cover is opened, power to the LD and the motor is cut off and the cover opening is detected by software.
An image forming apparatus generally includes a plurality of high voltage generators (high voltage loads) which generates different voltages and is supplied with power with different voltages depending on a level of voltage to be generated. Due to a demand for safety and power saving, there is a need for a technique which is capable of cutting off power from a plurality of high voltage loads in interlock with the cover opening. Consideration has been made of a method which switches the power supply ON/OFF using, for example, a switching element for the cutting-off of power from the high voltage loads in interlock with the cover opening. In this case, a method of PWM-controlling the switching element in order to reduce an inrush current which may be generated when the power supply is switched ON may be contemplated. However, this may require a complicated control circuit.
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention may make it possible to provide a technique which is suitable to cut off power from an LD and a high voltage load with a simple configuration. It is another object of the present invention to provide a technique which is suitable to cut off power from a plurality of high voltage generating units with different voltages generated, which are included in a high voltage generating power supply, with a simple configuration.

Image forming apparatus and high voltage generating power supply including a power supply disconnect


An intravaginal tampon is formed of compressed material and has an outer surface, an insertion end, a withdrawal end, and a center portion formed between the insertion and withdrawal ends. The outer surface has at least two segmented grooves are formed therein, and each segmented groove is separated from and spaced at a distance from an adjacent segmented groove. Each segmented groove has at least one substantially longitudinal segment and at least one accumulator segment. The arrangement of the segments provides a pooling region to impede bodily fluid flow along the outer surface of the tampon.

Devices for capturing and storing bodily fluid intravaginally are commercially available and known in the literature. Intravaginal tampons are the most common example of such devices. Commercially available tampons are generally compressed cylindrical masses of absorbent fibers that may be over-wrapped with an absorbent or nonabsorbent cover layer.
The tampon is inserted into the human vagina and retained there for a time for the purpose of capturing and storing intravaginal bodily fluids, most commonly menstrual fluid. As intravaginal bodily fluid contacts the tampon, it should be absorbed and retained by the absorbent material of the tampon. After a time, the tampon and its retained fluid is removed and disposed, and if necessary, another tampon is inserted.
There are many brands of tampons commercially available. In general, tampons are split into two categories, those contained and delivered into the body by an applicator and those which are digitally inserted. The tampon of the present invention may be utilized by both delivery means although it is especially appropriate for it to be digitally inserted.
In particular, the tampon of the present invention is formed by processes and apparatus as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,310,269 (Friese et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,576 (Leutwyler et al.). The tampons formed by these processes have center cores which are highly compressed, resulting in densified cores having sufficient column strength required for digital insertion. The area surrounding the core is less dense and has inwardly open grooves, which increase the circumferential surface area of the tampon. The grooves may be straight and aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis or may be of an at least partially helical nature as disclosed in EP 1383453 (Schoelling). In this patent, the shaped, pressed longitudinal grooves increase the surface area, increase the distance the body fluid has to travel and increase the dwell time of the liquid in the at least partially helical grooves. This allows for better absorption and expansion capacity of the tampon than longitudinal, straight grooves.
Other examples of grooves may be found in U.S. Pat. Pub. 2008/0200892, EP 1481656 and WO 2008/095937 (all to Van Ingelgem et al.), EP 1459720 (Schmidt), and U.S. Pat. Pub. 20070083182 (Schoelling). Additionally, tampons having recessed portions such as those in U.S. Pat. Pubs. 20050113784, 20050113785, and 20050113789 (all to Jensen). These recessed portions may be arranged in patterns such as diagonal lines, straight lines, checkerboard and mixtures thereof.
While the invention of helical or other non-linear grooves has increased the absorption of fluid and helped prevent tampon failure, there still remains a need to direct fluid over the outer surface of the tampon. Too often, tampons fail without becoming saturated. This is especially evident when the user removes the tampon and only one side of the tampon has expanded due to fluid absorption.