In a method for providing a double loop stitch, a needle assembly having a first needle portion and a second needle portion that is removably connected to the first needle portion is provided. Opposing ends of a thread are connected to the needle portions, forming a loop that is placed around a sewing material. The needle assembly is inserted through the sewing material at an insertion point. The thread is then partially pulled through the sewing material at the insertion point such that a pair of loops of thread, separated by the insertion point, remain adjacent a first face of the sewing material. The needle portions are then separated and are passed around opposite sides of the sewing material from adjacent a second face back adjacent the first face. Each needle portion is then passed through one of the loops. The loops are then cinched and locked in place.

Ligament replacement or repair is very common amongst athletes and active individuals. Two examples of ligaments that are commonly injured and require replacement or repair are the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). The ACL and the PCL are bands of fibrous tissue that are located at the knee joint and that connect the tibia to the femur. These ligaments assist in controlling the flexion and extension of the leg, and sprains and tears, particularly to the ACL, are among the most common sports-related injuries. Injuries to the ACL often occur when the athlete turns or moves suddenly when running or jumping. Depending on the nature and severity of the injury, treating a torn or strained ACL or PCL may or may not require surgery. Non-surgical methods include bracing and physical therapy. On the other hand, when the damage is more severe, a torn ACL or PCL may be stitched back together using sutures. In even more severe cases, where the ligament cannot be stitched, it is typically replaced entirely.
With initial reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, knee 100 is depicted after undergoing an ACL replacement procedure. In a typical ACL replacement surgery, the torn ligament is replaced by soft tissue graft 102, which may be taken from the patient's own body or from a donor. The graft is commonly taken from the knee, hamstring, or quadriceps. The surgeon then uses a needle and heavy-duty, non-degradable suture to reinforce the ends of the graft. The graft is then implanted into the knee and affixed so that it serves the same anatomical function that the torn ACL served prior to tearing. More particularly, the graft provides a support structure that enables a new ligament to grow. During the procedure, the first step is to remove the torn ligament. Next, the graft is prepared for insertion into the knee. Among other things, this preparation may include folding the replacement tendon onto itself to form layered strands of tissue (FIG. 2) and then stitching the strands together to create graft 102 with one or more stitched sections 104 that have adequate strength and the correct length. Once graft 102 has been prepared, holes or "tunnels" 106 are drilled into tibia 108 and femur 110. Ends 112 of graft 102 are then inserted into tunnels 106 and are fixed in place. The above-described process for graft preparation is known in the art and is discussed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,298,284, entitled "Whip Stitched Graft Construct and Method of Making the Same" (hereinafter, "Arthrex").
A conventional graft preparation process, such as that described in Arthrex, is illustrated in FIGS. 3A-3E. According to the illustrated method, one end (such as distal portion 114) of a graft 116 is securely held by stationary work station 118. A continuous or closed loop of suture material 120 having needle 122 is placed around graft 116 such that the graft passes through the loop. Proximal portion 124 of graft 116 is held by hand or by a tool in a user's hand. Proximal portion 124 of graft 116 is not connected to work station 118; rather, the proximal portion is typically grasped by hemostats, forceps, etc. Next, needle 122 is inserted through a first side of graft 116 (e.g., bottom of the graft) and the needle and suture 120 are pulled through to the second side of the graft e.g., the top of the graft). From there, the process of passing needle 122 through the first side of graft 116 and then pulling the needle and suture 120 through to the second side of the graft is repeated multiple times until the desired number of stitches have been created. Ideally, needle 122 enters the same side of graft 116 for each stitch. To move needle 122 back to the bottom of the graft 116 in preparation for each subsequent stitch, proximal portion 124 of graft 116 is passed through the loop of suture material 120. Put differently, the loop of suture material 120 passes around proximal portion 124 of graft 116. This step typically requires the user to release their grip on proximal portion 124 of graft 116 so that the proximal portion can pass through the loop. Passing the loop of suture material 120 around proximal portion 124 of graft 116 requires spreading the loop to form first loop portion 126 and second loop portion 128. When needle 122 is brought back below graft 116, first loop portion 126 passes over the left-most edge of graft and second loop portion 128 of the suture material passes over the right-most edge of the graft. Loop portions 126, 128 come back together below graft 116. From there, needle 122 and suture material 120 are inserted through graft 116 repeatedly to create a pattern of stitches, often called a "whip stitch" pattern, which extends along at least a portion of graft.
One problem with the conventional graft preparation process discussed above is that only distal portion 114 of graft 116 is fixed and stationary when creating the whip stitch pattern. This enables non-fixed proximal portion 124 of the graft 116 to move during the stitching process. Movement of graft 116 during the stitching process can result in non-uniform stitch positioning and spacing, which can ultimately lead to failure of the graft, such that a revision (i.e., follow-up) surgical procedure is required.
Another conventional graft preparation process utilizing the "Krackow" method of stitching is illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13. The Krackow stitch is a running, locking stitch that is often used in soft-tissue fixation, such as in ACL reconstruction, Achilles tendon, medial collateral ligament, and patellar or quadriceps tendon repair. The repair may be made using graft 130 that has first side 132, second side 134, proximal portion 136 (i.e., the tip of the graft) and distal portion 138. Single suture 140 (typically attached to single curved needle 142) creates looping stitches along first side 132 (located on one side of centerline 144), which progress away from proximal portion 136 and towards distal portion 138. Before forming a new stitch (e.g., Stitch B), needle 142 is looped around suture 140 at the point where the previous stitch (e.g., Stitch A) was formed to create a locking pattern. After the stitches on first side 132 of graft 130 (i.e., Stitches A-C) are complete, needle 142 is passed across graft 130 to second side 134 (located on a second side of centerline 144) and stitches are formed in a similar fashion along the second side (i.e., Stitches D-F). The second set of stitches progress away from distal portion 138 and towards proximal portion 136. Again, before forming a new stitch (e.g., Stitch E), needle 142 is looped around suture 140 at the point where the previous stitch (e.g., Stitch D) was formed to create a locking pattern.
One problem with the conventional graft preparation process discussed above is that the process is slow because stitches must be formed along each side 132, 134 of graft 130 separately. Needle 142 must be inserted through graft 130 each time a stitch is made, which is time consuming and, due to the large number of punctures, could possibly weaken the strength of the graft. Additionally, since one set of stitches progresses away from proximal portion 136 and the other progresses away from distal portion 138, first side 132 and second side 134 of graft 130 may exhibit different holding or tear-out characteristics.
What is needed, therefore, is a method and apparatus for creating a double-loop stitch in a graft that is stronger, faster and that yields better and more consistent results than the conventional methods discussed above.
Notes on Construction
The use of the terms "a", "an", "the" and similar terms in the context of describing the invention are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms "comprising", "having", "including" and "containing" are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning "including, but not limited to,") unless otherwise noted. The terms "substantially", "generally" and other words of degree are relative modifiers intended to indicate permissible variation from the characteristic so modified. The use of such terms in describing a physical or functional characteristic of the invention is not intended to limit such characteristic to the absolute value which the term modifies, but rather to provide an approximation of the value of such physical or functional characteristic.
Terms concerning attachments, coupling and the like, such as "attached", "connected" and "interconnected", refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both moveable and rigid attachments or relationships, unless specified herein or clearly indicated by context. The term "operatively connected" is such an attachment, coupling or connection that allows the pertinent structures to operate as intended by virtue of that relationship.
The use of any and all examples or exemplary language (e.g., "such as" and "preferably") herein is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and the preferred embodiments thereof, and not to place a limitation on the scope of the invention. Nothing in the specification should be construed as indicating any element as essential to the practice of the invention unless so stated with specificity.
The apparatus and method disclosed herein may be used for traditional sewing processes, such as joining fabric or textiles in the production of clothing, etc., in surgical procedures, and other similar processes. As such, in the description that follows, the term "thread" is used broadly and interchangeably to refer to textile-type strands used in traditional sewing processes, to refer to medical sutures or other similar materials for use in performing surgery, and the like. Similarly, the term "sewing" is used broadly to refer to the traditional sewing type processes or surgical procedures that use needle and thread. Lastly, the term "sewing material" is used broadly to refer to textile or other types of materials used in traditional sewing type processes or to graft and other similar materials used in surgical procedures, such as ligaments, tendons, or other soft tissue.

Methods and systems for double loop stitching


A braking pressure regulating device, in particular an anti-lock control device for hydraulic brake systems of automotive vehicles, comprising a master cylinder and a pressure modulator for the variation of the hydraulic pressure in the wheel cylinders during the braking pressure control mode. The device is equipped with a motor-driven pump (8) for generating a hydraulic pressure and with an electronic control unit (5) for controlling the valves of the pressure modulator (2). During the braking pressure control mode, the working chambers (10, 15) of the master cylinder (16) are exposed to pump pressure. Caused by the pump pressure in the working chamber (10), the push rod piston (11) and thus the brake pedal (1) disadvantageously are returned into their basic position in prior-art devices. The present arrangement provides that the switching positions of the regulating valve incorporated in the push rod piston are shifted into the cylinder during the braking pressure control mode. Therefore the brake pedal is not fully reset during the control mode. The operating comfort of the brake pedal is thereby augmented.

The present invention relates to a braking pressure regulating device, in particular an anti-lock control device, traction slip control device for hydraulic brake systems of automotive vehicles, comprising a master cylinder with at least one working piston, (push rod piston and/or floating piston) and at least one working chamber, a supply reservoir for pressure fluid, a pressure modulator for the variation of the hydraulic pressure in the wheel cylinders of the wheel brakes during the braking pressure control mode, the said pressure modulator including inlet and outlet valves for the wheel cylinders, an electronic control unit for the control of the valves of the modulator, at least one motor-driven pump for generating a hydraulic pressure, the working chamber of the master cylinder being applied by pump pressure in the braking pressure control mode and the working piston of the master cylinder being movable in the direction of its initial position caused by the pump pressure, a regulating valve being provided in at least one working piston which, in the braking pressure control mode, regulates the pressure fluid flow in the hydraulic fluid cycle that is composed of pump, working chamber of the master cylinder, supply reservoir (pressure fluid flow regulation).
Braking pressure regulating devices, in particular in the form of anti-lock systems, are used in the motor vehicle industry in increasingly large numbers. In specific categories of these anti-lock systems, hydraulic pumps are used for generating an auxiliary pressure during the control mode.
A like anti-lock device has become known from e.g. German published patent application DE-OS 36 41 712.2.
This application describes a valve for a brake system with slip control, with a pedal-operated, preferably auxiliary-force assisted braking pressure generator, with a master cylinder to which the wheel brakes are connected via main brake lines, with hydraulic auxiliary-pressure pumps as well as with wheel sensors and electronic circuits for determining the wheel rotational behaviour and for generating electric braking pressure control signals permitting to control electromagnetically actuatable pressure-fluid inlet valves and outlet valves inserted for slip control into the pressure fluid lines, with the pistons of the master cylinder comprising valves which, in the brake's release position, open pressure-fluid connections between the pressure fluid supply reservoir and the pressure chambers and which close these pressure-fluid connections in the braking position.
The special characteristics of this device reside in that valves arranged in the pistons of the master cylinder comprise in each case a valve member longitudinally slidable in a recess and cooperating in each case with an opening member, e.g. a tappet, in such a fashion that the tappet moves the valve member into its opened position when the respective piston is in its release position, with the tappet taking support on a stationary pivot, cross member or bolt, and with each recess being closed on the side facing the pressure chamber by means of a bowl portion which serves as a support of the respective valve-closure spring.
In braking pressure regulating devices of the described known type, the pump pressure causes the brake pedal to return to its initial position during the control mode. This is not desirable in many events. Due to this shift-back, the operating comfort for the driver is impaired.
It is an object of the present invention to devise a braking pressure regulating device wherein the brake pedal is not slid back into its initial position during the control mode.
Further, it should also be possible to achieve several positions of the brake pedal in front of its initial position. Besides, it is principally desired to improve the pedal feeling during the control mode.
These improvements are to be accomplished by means as simple as possible, and the solution of the object is to be cost-efficient.
There should be need for only few and fail-safe component parts.
The need for additional sensors should be obviated. It should not be necessary to alter the brake power booster.


A single-use container for the prevention of over-pressurization is provided. The single-use container has an enclosure for a fluid and an over-pressurization relief device fluidly connected to the enclosure. The over-pressurization relief device is configured to relieve pressure from the enclosure when a pressure of the fluid within the enclosure exceeds a specified relief pressure. The specified relief pressure is set to be lower than the burst pressure of the enclosure. The over-pressurization relief device is connectable to a controlled pathway for relieving the fluid from the enclosure in a controlled manner.

1. Field of the Invention
The application relates to a single-use container comprising an over-pressurization relief device, as well as a system provided therewith and a method to prevent over-pressurization.
2. Description of the Related Art
A single-use container is a disposable container, i.e. a container that is discarded after being used. A single-use container may be made of plastic, a synthetic material that can be molded into shape while soft and then set into a rigid or deformable form. Single-use containers are widely used in e.g. the field of bioprocessing, because they are advantageous in terms of cost and flexibility with respect to conventional stainless steel containers. Furthermore, a single-use system is easily sterilizable and helps reduce the risk of contaminations because of its disposability.
However, another decisive factor in the choice of the technology to be employed (i.e. single-use container or steel container) is the safety of the operations. In case of an event of over-pressurization, a breach in the container may ensue, leading to container leakage and loss of sterility. In particular, if biohazardous materials are used, operators may be exposed to dangerous substances.
There are multiple situations where fluid is entering into a container as an input and, if the introduction of the fluid is not properly regulated and/or vented, the pressure of the fluid can lead to the container exceeding the burst pressure. These situations of over-pressurization can include malfunctioning of a primary vent filter due to the presence of condensate, clamping the primary vent filter prior to a fluid addition to the container, over-pressurization due to an incorrect value and/or a faulty regulator of the fluid, pump speed input too high, incorrect integrity testing parameters for the container, and/or some other input without proper regulation, monitoring, and/or venting in place.
In order to protect a stainless steel container from an over-pressurization event, a rupture disc is commonly used. A rupture disc comprises a membrane that fails at a predetermined pressure and is usually made of metal.
US 2011/0005984 discloses a presterilizable filtration system to be disposed of after a single use. The recirculation tank in the system is provided with a safety valve to protect the tank from mechanical destruction by inadmissible excess pressure.
A safety valve may fail to operate and/or not be able to relieve pressure quickly enough. There is therefore a need for a single-use container in which contents can be efficiently relieved in a controlled manner prior to reaching a condition of over-pressurization in the single-use container.

Single use container, system and method for the prevention of over-pressurization


A folding garment bag including flexible inner and outer cover panels, an internal pivotal frame mechanism, and a handle extendable from inside the bag to full extension for pulling in a direction of minimum width. The garment bag can be tightly folded and bound for compact stowing, or released, whereupon the frame mechanism is spring loaded to force the folded halves of the bag apart in an inverted V-shape configuration. The frame mechanism includes wheels protruding beyond the cover panels for wheeled transport.

Conventional soft sided garment bags are widely used by airline passengers because of convenience, as compared to hard sided luggage. The reasons for this are that folding softsided luggage is usually less expensive than hard sided luggage, lighter in weight, the overall thickness of the bag is only as thick as the amount of garments contained therein, the clothes only have to be folded once, such luggage can be easily carried on an airplane and placed in an overhead bin and doesn't have to be checked. The soft sided type of garment bags are structured to be carried by a handle or by a shoulder strap. When travelers take advantage of the fact that the garment bag expands to hold all that can be stuffed therein, the bag and contents can often weigh 30-40 pounds. A bag of this weight makes it difficult to carry long distances with the handle or strap. Most conventionally available hard sided luggage has the advantage of wheels and handle devices for easily pulling behind the traveler. To date, garment bags have not been designed to accommodate wheels or towing type handles. Herein lies the need for a lightweight luggage device that combines the advantages of a garment bag noted above, and the portability of a wheeled hard sided luggage case.
Attempts to add wheels and handles to the garment bag have resulted in devices that solve some problems but add others. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,538,709 to Williams et el., 4,062,429 to Tabor et el., and 4,030,768 to Lugash, require travelers to push the garment bag upright in an unfolded position. The disadvantages are:
It requires that the bag be steered forward. Most travelers have found that pulling a piece of luggage behind them is easier than pushing luggage because no side to side manipulation or steering is needed for pulling.
These bags are also structurally complicated in terms of the number and complexity of additional parts required to provide the wheeled support and handle mechanism.
In addition to the patents identified above, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,383,141 and 4,354,583, both issued to Walker, have the disadvantages:
This bag structure raises the center of gravity, thus placing more weight on one's hand when moving the bag.
When these bags are left standing alone they are more easily tipped over than a folded garment bag with a lower center of gravity. This makes it inconvenient to the traveler when stopped at a ticket counter, shop, or rest room.
With respect to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,538,709 to Williams et al. and 4,062,429 to Tabor et al., the bags described therein are pushed forward with the full width of the bag facing the oncoming travelers. The wider a bag one is trying to push through a crowded airport, the more difficult it is to negotiate crowded areas. It is more difficult to maneuver through tight doorways, rest rooms, shops, and will not allow the traveler to wheel the bag down the narrow aisle of an airplane.
Other attempts to add wheels, handles, or frames to the garment bag are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,442,927, 4,411,344, 4,406,353, 4,383,141, all issued to Walker. All of these bags are pulled behind the traveler and have the same problem in that the bags are pulled in the direction of the maximum width instead of the narrowest width. In addition to this there are other major drawbacks:
Some of the bags are pulled using a strap for a handle. This causes the wheeled garment bag to pull in towards the feet of the traveler, thus constantly bumping into the traveler's heels.
The bags are pulled with the width centered directly behind the traveler. This will also cause the bags to bump into the traveler's heels while walking.
Additionally, when carrying multiple bags, travelers have tried to stack baggage pieces on a folding luggage cart and secure the bags with an elastic type cord. The disadvantage of this is that:
When passing through a security checkpoint the entire load must be disassembled and individually passed through the checkpoint and then reassembled. Similarly, upon boarding an airplane the same sequence must take place with the use of a separate cart that results in additional apparatus that must be carried and stowed away. Sometimes this additional piece is not allowed on board.
Attempts have been made to provide a single piece of luggage that has a self-contained wheeling apparatus and that can be wheeled on an airplane and put in an overhead bin. These bags are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,116,289 to Pond et al., 4,995,487 to Plath, 4,792,025 to Thomas, and 4,254,850 to Knowles. The disadvantages with these types of apparatus are:
Since the overall storage dimensions are smaller than a garment bag, suits or dresses must be folded many times or rolled up in a spiral fashion. This creates creases in the garments and results in an unsightly appearance.
Also, a disadvantage with all the above mentioned apparatus is that extra parts or complicated parts must be added that would allow additional luggage to be carried on it.
It is against this general background that the present invention has evolved.
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention are:
To provide a garment bag that is pulled from behind, thus eliminating the need to be pushed and thus steered.
To provide a garment bag that requires a minimum number of parts, is cost effective, and easy to manufacture.
To provide a lower center of gravity thus making the garment bag easier to manipulate.
To provide a garment bag that is stable and will not fall over when pulling, turning corners or when left alone.
To provide a garment bag that is wheeled so that the bag rolls in the direction of its minimum width, thus also making it easier to maneuver through tight doorways, rest rooms, shops, and down an aisle of an airplane.
To provide a garment bag that has a stiff pulling handle that keeps the bag away from the traveler's heels when being pulled.
To provide a garment bag that has a handle that will keep the bag positioned off to one side of the traveler, thus also helping to keep the bag away from the traveler's heels when walking.
To provide a garment bag that has a self-contained wheeled apparatus for transporting itself.
To provide a garment bag that allows clothes such as suits and dresses to be folded a minimal number of times.
To provide a garment bag that allows other pieces of luggage to be attached to it without adding extra apparatus such as hooks or complicated strap mechanisms.


A display cart includes a pedestal, a lifting frame, and a power supply apparatus including a battery arranged within the pedestal and configured to supply power to an electric apparatus, an external power supply configured to supply power to the battery and/or the electric apparatus, and a capacity management system. The capacity management system includes a control device, a power delivery device, and a capacity statistic device. The control device determines output power of the electric apparatus. The capacity statistic device determines a remaining capacity in the battery, calculates a remaining power supply duration according to the output power of the electric apparatus, and sends a statistic result to the control device. The control device further controls the power delivery device to supply power to the electric apparatus according to the statistic result.

With the gradual popularization of large-screen televisions, various video conferences and video display apparatuses using large-screen displays are constantly being updated. However, with the expansion of applications, many inconveniences have been found. For example, although displays can be placed in various indoor and outdoor sites such as plants, squares, lawns, roads, playgrounds, power supplies are always a problem, for example, power lines are too long to be convenient or there is no available power supply at all.
The demands for wide application of large-screen apparatuses have led to the emergence of TV carts. Many companies use such products as tools for temporary gatherings such as weddings, parties, or product publicity and display, after all video publicity can be observed dynamically, which is much better than print advertisement such as propaganda posters and leaflets. However, common TV carts in the market provide only a mechanism for holding the display and some TV carts realize limited height adjustment. Most of TV carts are used indoors and cannot supply power to displays alone. This still restricts their applications in outdoor publicity and display.

Display cart and its power supply system and power supply method


A cardiac electro-stimulatory device and method for operating same in which stimulation pulses are distributed among a plurality of electrodes fixed at different sites of the myocardium in order to reduce myocardial hypertrophy brought about by repeated pacing at a single site and/or increase myocardial contractility. In order to spatially and temporally distribute the stimulation, the pulses are delivered through a switchable pulse output configuration during a single cardiac cycle, with each configuration comprising one or more electrodes fixed to different sites in the myocardium.

Conventional cardiac pacing with implanted pacemakers involves excitatory electrical stimulation of the heart by an electrode in electrical contact with the myocardium. (As the term is used herein, "excitatory stimulation" refers to stimulation intended to cause a cardiac contraction.) The pacemaker is usually implanted subcutaneously on the patient's chest, and is connected to an electrode for each paced heart chamber by leads threaded through the vessels of the upper venous system into the heart. In response to sensed electrical cardiac events and elapsed time intervals, the pacemaker delivers to the myocardium a depolarizing voltage pulse of sufficient magnitude and duration to cause an action potential. A wave of depolarizing excitation then propagates through the myocardium, resulting in a heartbeat.
The normal rhythmic impulse of the heart is first generated in pacemaker tissue known as the sino-atrial (SA) node, spreads throughout the atria causing atrial contraction, and is then conducted to the atrioventricular (AV) node where the impulse is delayed before passing into the ventricles. The ventricles of a normal heart are then electrically stimulated by excitation emanating from the AV node that spreads to the heart via specialized conduction pathways known as Purkinje fibers. These fibers lie beneath the endocardium and spread throughout each ventricular chamber where they penetrate into the myocardium and become continuous with the muscle fibers. The conduction velocity of the Purkinje fibers is very rapid so that the time between the impulse leaving the AV node and spreading to the entire endocardial surface of the ventricles is only approximately 0.03 seconds. Once the impulse has reached the ends of the Purkinje fibers, it is then transmitted through the ventricular muscle mass by the muscle fibers themselves with a conduction velocity only about one-sixth that of the Purkinje fibers. Because of the rapid excitation of the entire endocardial surface by the Purkinje system, however, the spread of excitation from the endocardial surface to the epicardial surface of the ventricles takes only about another 0.03 seconds. This means that in the normal heart, excitation of the first ventricular muscle fiber occurs only about 0.06 seconds before the last ventricular muscle fiber is excited. The result is a synchronous contraction in which all portions of the ventricular muscle in both ventricles begin contracting at nearly the same time. Not only does this increase the pumping efficiency of the ventricles, but it also evenly distributes ventricular wall stress during the pumping cycle.
Unfortunately, artificial ventricular pacing with an electrode fixed into an area of the myocardium cannot take advantage of the heart's normal Purkinje conduction system because that system can only be entered by impulses emanating from the AV node. Thus the spread of excitation must proceed only via the much slower conducting ventricular muscle fibers, resulting in the part of the ventricular myocardium stimulated by the pacing electrode contracting well before parts of the ventricle located more distally to the electrode. Although the pumping efficiency of the heart is somewhat reduced from the optimum, most patients can still maintain more than adequate cardiac output with artificial pacing.
Another deleterious effect of the conduction delays brought about by artificial pacing, however, is the uneven distribution of wall stress during the cardiac pumping cycle. The degree of tension on a heart muscle fiber before it begins to contract is termed the preload. Because pressure within the ventricles rises rapidly from a diastolic to a systolic value as blood is pumped out into the aorta and pulmonary arteries, the part of the ventricle that first contracts due to a pacing pulse does so against a lower pressure preload than does a part of the ventricle contracting later which unevenly stresses the myocardium. The heart's physiological response to this uneven preload and stress is compensatory hypertrophy in the areas of the myocardium that must contract against a greater pressure load. Not only can this hypertrophy cause blood flow problems that may further hinder pumping efficiency, but it has been found that myocytes (i.e., cardiac muscle cells) which are made to contract against a greater than normal mechanical load can be induced to undergo apoptosis (i.e., genetically programmed cell death). This may be especially true in pacemaker patients, a large proportion of whom do not have healthy myocardium to begin with, most commonly as a result of ischemic heart disease.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatus and method for spatially and temporally distributing cardiac electrical stimulation


A screw fastener assembly includes a resilient sleeve sleeved on a head portion of the screw fastener in a close-fitting manner such that a free end of a shank portion of the screw fastener extends outwardly of a first end of the sleeve. The sleeve permits extension of a bit of a screw driver thereinto via a second end thereof, and is sleeved on the screw driver in a close-fitting manner. An engaging groove in the head portion of the screw fastener engages the bit of the screw driver such that the screw driver is capable of moving and rotating an assembly of the screw fastener and the sleeve until the first end of the sleeve comes into contact with a surface of an object so as to allow movement of the screw fastener relative to the sleeve and a threaded hole in the object.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a screw fastener, more particularly to a screw fastener assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a part of a pair of eyeglasses that employs a conventional screw 11 for coupling a nose pad 100 to a pad-mounting seat 130. The conventional screw 11 generally has a small size. As such, during assembly of the nose pad 100, such a small screw 11 is hard to align with a threshold hole 131 in the pad-mounting seat 13, and on the other hand, during disassembly of the nose pad 100, a screw driver 13 is difficult to align with a head portion 111 of the conventional screw 11, thereby resulting in a troublesome driving operation of the conventional screw 11.


A bleeding control device is provided. The device includes an elongate member with a holding portion and an application portion. A known amount of hemostatic solute within a solution is administered to the application portion and allowed to dry. The elongate member is then sterilized. The resulting bleeding control device may be used during medical procedures such as root canal procedures and others.

During a dental root canal procedure, it is not uncommon for the pulp within a damaged tooth to become inflamed and to bleed, filling the pulp cavity and/or the root canal with blood. When this happens, the blood may obstruct the view of the surgeon, and as such, must be removed and stopped intraoperatively. A standard methodology to control the bleeding within the canal is to wick up the blood and apply pressure to the bleeding tissue using absorbent paper points (thin cones of paper or cotton). However, this method is time consuming and generally somewhat ineffective.
With other types of dental surgeries performed outside the tooth where there is more room to work (e.g., implants, endodontic microsurgery, etc.), bleeding may be controlled and/or stopped intraoperatively by applying a solution with hemostatic properties to the bleeding tissue using cotton swabs or pellets saturated with a known concentration of the solution. However, cotton swabs and/or pellets are too large to fit within the pulp chamber and/or the root canal and are therefore inadequate for the application of such a solution during a root canal procedure.
Accordingly, there is a need for a bleeding control device that may be used intraoperatively during dental root canal procedures.

Bleeding control device and method of manufacture and use


A pulse-width modulator and a driving unit using the same produce from an input signal, two pulse-width modulated signals of different phases with their pulse widths changing in opposite directions, and then produce final modulated signals from the difference between the pulse widths of the two pulse width modulated signals of different phases, thereby increasing the precision.

This invention relates generally to pulse-width modulators for converting an analog signal into a pulse-width modulated signal and to driving units for actuators to be used in optical-type recording and/or reproducing apparatus, and particularly relates to a driving unit which forces an output transistor to turn on and off at a high frequency and controls its on-state period with the aid of the pulse-width modulator.
In the optical-type recording and/or reproducing apparatus, as is well known, the tracking control and the focusing control are made on the very small spot of focused light, and thus an actuator is needed to move optical components such as an object lens and so on which constitute the optical head, thereby moving the light spot.
In recent years, as small-sized and power-saving apparatus have been requested, a driving method using a high-efficiency pulse-width modulation system had been employed.
FIG. 12 shows the arrangement of a conventional pulse-width modulator and driving unit which employs it to drive the actuator, and FIG. 13 is a waveform diagram of waveforms at each portion of the arrangement of FIG. 12. Referring to FIG. 12, an input signal S1 is supplied to a comparator 1 and to an absolute value circuit 2. THe comparator 1 discriminates the polarity of the input signal S1 to produce a digital signal S2 which is, as shown in FIG. 13, level "H" when the signal S1 is positive (+) relative to the reference level "0" and is level "L" when it is negative (-). This signal S2 is supplied to an invertor 3 to produce therefrom a signal S3 which is the inversion of the signal S2.
The absolute value circuit 2 is used to produce the absolute value of the input signal S1. As shown in FIG. 13 at S4, the absolute value circuit produces the signal S1 when the signal S1 is positive, and it produces the inversion of the signal S1 relative to the "0" level, or the absolute value signal S4. This signal S4 is supplied to the non-inverting input terminal of a comparator 4. To the inverting input terminal thereof is supplied a triangular wave signal S5 of a high frequency (several tens of kHz to several hundreds of kHz) which rises from the "0" level, and which is produced from a triangular wave generation circuit 5. These signals are compared with each other by this comparator 4 to produce a signal S6 which is level "H" when the signal S4 is larger than the signal S5, and "L" when the signal is smaller than the signal S5. This signal S6 is a pulse-width modulated signal of which the "H" period increases in proportion to the level of the signal S4. This signal S6 is supplied to NAND gates 6 and 7. THe signal S2 is supplied to the other input of the NAND gate 6, and the signal S3 to the other input of the NAND gate 7. Thus, the NAND gate 6 produces a signal S7 which, as shown in FIG. 13, becomes the inversion of the signal S6 when the signal S2 is .cent.H" , and becomes "H" when the signal S2 is "L". The NAND gate 7 produces a signal S8 which, as shown in FIG. 13, is "H" when the signal S2 is "H", and is the inversion of the signal S6 when the signal S2 is "L".
The signals S2, S3, S7 and S8 are supplied to a switching circuit 8. In the switching circuit 8, the emitters of PNP transistors Q1 and Q2 are connected to a power supply Vcc, while the emitters of NPN transistors Q3 and Q4 are grounded. The collectors of the transistors Q1 and Q3 are connected to a terminal 18a of an actuator 18, and the collectors of the transistors Q2 and Q4 to a terminal 18b thereof. A flywheel diode D1 has its anode grounded and its cathode connected to the terminal 18a. A flywheel diode D2 has its anode grounded and its cathode connected to the terminal 18b. The signal S7 is supplied to the base of the transistor Q1 through a resistor R1, the signal S8 is supplied to the base of the transistor Q2 through a resistor R2, the signal S2 is supplied to the base of the transistor Q4 through a resistor R3, and the signal S2 is supplied to the base of the transistor Q4 through a resistor R4. For the convenience of explanation, it is assumed that these transistors make the ideal operation in which the on-resistance is 0 .OMEGA. and the off-resistance is .infin..
When the input signal S1 is positive, as described above the signal S3 is "L", and the signal S8 is "H", so that the transistors Q2 and Q3 are in the off-state. Also, the signal S2 is "H" so that the transistor Q4 is in the on-state, thus, the terminal 18b being grounded. This results in the equivalent circuit as shown in FIG. 14(a). In this circuit, a drive current Ia proportional to the "L" period of signal S7 which corresponds to the on-period of the transistor Q1 is flowed from the terminal 18a to the terminal 18b.
On the contrary, when the signal S1 is negative, the signal S2 is "L", and the signal S7 is "H", so that the transistors Q1 and Q4 are turned off. Also, since the signal S3 is "H", the transistor Q3 is in the on-state, thus the terminal 18a being grounded. This results int he equivalent circuit as shown in FIG. 14(b). Thus, as in FIG. 14a the drive current Ia is proportional to the "L" period of the signal S8 which corresponds to the on-period of the transistor Q2 and flows from the terminal 18b to the terminal 18a.
Therefore, if the current flowing from the terminal 18a to the terminal 18b is a positive current, the drive current Ia is proportional to the input signal S1 and flows to the actuator 18 as shown in FIG. 15.
While int he above description, the output signal S5 from the triangular wave generation circuit 5 rises from the "0" level, the case in which the triangular wave S5 rises from an off-set level above the "0" level will be described below.
FIG. 16 is a waveform diagram of waveforms at each portions of the arrangement of FIG. 12 in the case where the signal S5 has an off-set voltage Vof1 in the positive direction. Referring to FIG. 16, when the signal S4 is lower than the voltage Vof1, the signal S6 is always "L" and the two pulse-width modulated signals S7 and S8 are "H". Thus, the insensitive zone in which no pulse occurs is caused, so that the transistors Q1 and Q2 are in the off-state, thus no current Ia flows. Therefore, the current Ia with respect to the signal S1 has the insensitive zone, Vdz as shown in FIG. 17.
FIG. 18 is a waveform diagram of waveforms at each portions of the arrangement of FIG. 12 in the case where the signal S5 has an off-set voltage Vof2 in the negative direction. Referring to this figure, even when the signal S4 reaches "0" level, the signal S4 is larger than the minimum level of the signal S5. At this time, the signal S6 becomes "H" only for the period, .DELTA.T corresponding to the off-set voltage Vof2. Thus, when the signal S1 is changed form the positive to negative or from negative to positive level, the pulse-width modulated signal S7 or S8 may have such pulse width ("L" period ) as to discontinuously skip not via "0" as .DELTA.T .fwdarw. -.DELTA.T or -.DELTA.T .fwdarw..DELTA.T (it is assumed that the pulse width of "L" level of signal S7 is represented by +, and that the pulse width of "L" level of signal S8 is denoted by -) (hereinafter, this skip characteristic is called the discontinuous characteristic). In addition, the "L" period of the signal S7 or S8 relative to the signal S1 is longer than in the case of FIG. 13. Thus, the drive current Ia vs signal S1 characteristic is as shown in FIG. 19, that is, the current Ia is discontinuously changed at around "0" of signal S1 as +.DELTA.I1.fwdarw.-.DELTA.I1.
Moreover, in FIG. 12, the comparator 4 has a response time in which the triangular wave signal S5 and the absolute value signal S4 are compared with each other, this response time being another factor which causes the discontinuous characteristic and the insensitive zone. If the relation between the rise time, tr and fall time tf of this comparator is tr > tf, the "L" period of the signal S6 becomes short, thus causing the insensitive zone in the pulse-width modulated signals S7 and S8 as in FIG. 16 and also the insensitive zone int he characteristic of the drive current with respect to the input signal S1. On the contrary, if tf > tr, the "L" period of the signal S6 becomes long, so that the discontinuous characteristic is caused in the relation of the input signal to the pulse-width modulated signals S7 and S8 or to the drive current.
As described above, the conventional pulse-width modulator has the drawback that the insensitive zone and the discontinuous characteristic are easy to be caused by the off-set of the triangular wave signal and the response time of the comparator, making the pulse-width modulated signal erroneous. The driving unit using this modulator is similarly easy to produce the insensitive zone and the discontinuous characteristic, so that it is impossible to obtain a correct drive current proportional tot he input signal.
Moreover, when this conventional driving unit is incorporated in the controller for the driving of the actuator of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus, occurrence of the insensitive zone will result in the fact that even if the input signal is changed in the sensitive zone, the current Ia flowing into the actuator is not changed. Consequently, the gain is reduced so that the controller cannot maintain high-precision control. In addition, when the discontinuous characteristic appears, the current to the actuator is greatly changed with the change of the input signal around "0" level so as to increase the equivalent gain, thus making the control system unstable.
Further, the triangular wave signal rising from the "0" level, or the off-set is easy to occur as shown in FIGS. 16 and 18. Also, since the frequency of the triangular wave signal is normally as high as several tens of kHz to several hundreds of kHz, it is difficult to realize a comparator which can operate at so high a frequency that the period can be neglected.
Therefore, the insensitive zone and the discontinuous characteristic becomes great, making it further difficult to operate the pulse-width modulator and the driving unit using it with high precision.

Pulse-width modulator and driving circuit

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


Vacuum compatible high frequency electromagnetic and millimeter wave source components, devices and methods of micro-fabricating such components and devices are disclosed. Embodiments of the methods may include using a UV-curable photoresist, such as SU-8 to form structures having height up to and exceeding 1 mm. High frequency electromagnetic wave sources including the inventive high frequency electromagnetic wave source components are also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to devices for generating electromagnetic radiation. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention include vacuum compatible high frequency electromagnetic wave source components and methods of micro-fabricating devices including such vacuum compatible high frequency electromagnetic wave source components.
2. State of the Art
Conventional methods for producing microwave and millimeter wavelength electromagnetic radiation are well known in the art. Such conventional methods typically involve the use of electron tubes that rely on various forms of velocity modulation of an electron beam. Electron beam modulation may then be followed by some form of drift used to achieve electron density bunching. After bunching, the electron kinetic energy may be converted into microwave or millimeter waves. In klystrons, this may be achieved using two-cavity and multi-cavity configurations. Klystrons tend to be bandwidth limited, however. To achieve wider bandwidths, traveling wave velocity modulation is used. For example, in a conventional traveling wave tube amplifier (TWTA) electrons interact with the longitudinal electric component of a slow electromagnetic wave. The phase velocity of the electromagnetic wave is slowed down to match the electron velocity. The slow wave structure (SWS) of a traveling wave tube (TWT) provides continuous and cumulative interaction between the electron beam and the electromagnetic wave, thereby producing microwaves or millimeter waves over bandwidths of an octave or more.
Klystrons are among the oldest of the electron velocity modulated devices dating back to the 1930s. Smaller klystrons find a number of uses where relatively very narrow bandwidth is acceptable. A class of miniature klystron devices is known as "Klystrinos". Klystrinos utilize manufacturing techniques employing a photosensitive material which requires X-rays from an instrument known as synchrotron radiation source to expose the photosensitive materials. Besides the scarcity of such synchrotrons, structures fabricated by this technique require extensive additional and final machining to have the proper physical and electrical characteristics.
The surface-finish of the Klystrino output cavity is critical to the efficiency of the device. Good surface finish is required to obtain maximum quality factor, Qo. Circuit efficiency ηckt=Qo/(Qo+Qo), increases with increasing Qo. Early RF designs of the 95 GHz Klystrino circuit determined that the optimum external Q(Qc) in the output cavity was on the order of 250. The best Qo obtainable with normal machining or EDM was around 800 at 95 GHz. Circuit efficiency in this case would be 76%, implying that 316 Watts would be absorbed in the walls of the output cavity in order to realize a 1 kW average output, power. This would severely limit the average power achievable from the Klystrino. The theoretical maximum Qo for a copper cavity is around 1550. An alternative fabrication method was required to achieve an intrinsic Q close to the theoretical maximum.
LIGA fabrication has been considered the only process capable of producing copper cavities with surface finish good enough to approach the theoretical value for Q. LIGA is a German acronym for X-ray lithography, electrodeposition and molding. One drawback with LIGA fabrication is that it requires access to a synchrotron light source. Thus, a limited number of facilities exist that could produce LIGA processed substrates for a Klystrino.
Another drawback with the conventional LIGA fabrication process is exposing the polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) photoresist to a depth of 1 mm. In order to produce 1 mm deep structures, a 25 micron thick gold X-ray mask is bonded to the top of the PMMA and the assembly is then exposed and etched repeatedly until the 1 mm depth is reached. The repeated exposure and etching steps and use of gold for an X-ray mask add to the cost of producing electronic devices using the LIGA process.
Another constraint sometimes encountered with LIGA processing is the need to use aluminum as the substrate for the LIGA process, as opposed to other substrate materials. Aluminum is desirable for LIGA processing because it has a low atomic number and, therefore, the backscattering of X-ray photons is minimized. Aluminum also has a high coefficient of expansion that tends to match the expansion of the PMMA photoresist. Additionally, the surface of an aluminum substrate can easily be roughened to provide better adhesion for the PMMA photoresist. The combination of roughened surface and high coefficient of expansion enables the bond between the aluminum and the PMMA photoresist to survive the repeated thermal cycling that occurs with multiple exposures. Backscattering can be a problem because photons backscattered from the substrate can expose the PMMA photoresist near the edge of the mask, resulting in PMMA columns that are undercut. If the backscattering is severe, the PMMA column will detach from the base during etching. Less severe backscattering will result in cavities with smaller volumes and correspondingly higher resonant frequencies.
Once the PMMA photoresist has been exposed and etched, the structure is copper plated until the un-etched PMMA is completely covered by the electrodeposited copper. As a result of the above constraints, neither the top nor the bottom surface of the electroplated LIGA part is suitable as the bottom wall of the Klystrino cavity. The bottom surface is roughened aluminum and the top surface still has the gold mask that was on top of the unexposed PMMA.
The number and complexity of the post-LIGA circuit fabrication steps are significantly increased due to the above issues. First, the top surface of the electrodeposited part must be machined (i.e., diamond flycut) to produce a flat reference plane for subsequent machining. Next, the aluminum is etched away in NaOH leaving a rough copper surface. The base of the cavities starts as a machined 1 mm thick copper sheet. Since brazing would leave fillets at the edges of the cavities that would modify the cavity frequencies, diffusion bonding is used to fuse the LIGA structure to the copper base. It is important that there are no unbonded areas at the edges of the cavities as that would lower the Q dramatically.
Once bonding is complete, the slots for the iron polepieces are cut using, for example, wire electrical discharge machining (EDM). It is important that the polepiece slots be aligned with the centerline of the cavities. The circuit with cavities and polepiece slots is then brazed to the cooling and support structure. Since this part houses the magnets, it also requires very accurate alignment with the RF circuit.
With all the brazing steps complete, the assembly is now ready for final machining. Final machining consists of three parts. First the LIGA section is machined to a height of 1 mm. The tuning rate for this dimension is 30 MHz/micron, so an error of 0.0002″ in this operation will shift the cavity resonant frequencies by 150 MHz. The second step is the milling of the beam tunnel. A ball endmill can be used to cut the 800 micron diameter beam tunnel into each half of the Klystrino circuit. The final machining operation cuts the coupling irises for the input and output waveguides, the coupling slots for the five-gap output cavity, the input and output waveguides and the vacuum pumpout channels to eliminate gas pockets. Measurements of intrinsic Q's for the LIGA fabricated cavities ranged from 1300 to 1500.
At this point in the fabrication process, the cavity frequencies can be measured in cold test to determine if any frequency adjustment is necessary. For example, in the original Klystrino it was determined that several cavities needed to be tuned. This was done using a 0.010″ end mill in a high speed spindle on a CNC mill. One half of the circuit was machined to produce half the desired change in resonant frequency. The parts were cold tested again and the volume of material to be removed in the opposite circuit half was adjusted based on the cold test results. Cavities which resonated at a lower frequency than desired were adjusted by increasing the width of the gap. Cavities with higher than desired frequencies were adjusted by cutting a racetrack slot in the back wall of the cavity to increase cavity volume.
Once the resonant frequencies were achieved, the magnets and polepieces were inserted into the two cavity halves. The circuit halves were bolted together and the sides and ends of the cavity block were machined to accept the waveguides and gun polepiece. Additional parts such as the electron gun and collector are then attached. The completed Klystrino is installed in a vacuum vessel that is evacuated or into a vacuum package that is evacuated and sealed. This technique also applies to other types of devices including, but not limited to, traveling wave tubes (TWTs), back wave oscillators (BWOs), magnetrons, klystrons, and other millimeter wave and microwave devices.
Electromagnetic radiation sources at millimeter wavelengths encounter significant problems during manufacturing for two reasons. First, the device dimensions vary inversely with operating frequency. Second, as the frequency increases, skin depths shrink and circuit losses increase. This means that the surface finish of the electromagnetic circuits must be improved while the fabrication tolerances become more difficult to achieve. These problems suggest the need for alternative circuit fabrication methods that are significantly different from conventional lathe and mill machining used in lower frequency devices.
Thus, there still exists a need in the art for improved vacuum compatible high frequency electromagnetic and millimeter wave sources, methods of micro-fabricating devices including vacuum compatible high frequency electromagnetic wave sources.


An apparatus for transferring heat from an electrical module includes: (a) a thermally conductive base member having a plurality of edges establishing a polygonal perimeter and having a first side for presentation toward the electrical module; and (b) a heat transferring structure integrally formed with the base member and extending from a second side of the base member opposite from the first side. The heat transferring structure occupies less than all of the second side and establishes a margin substantially about the perimeter.

The present invention is directed to apparatuses and methods for transferring heat from electrical modules, and especially to apparatuses for transferring heat from electrical modules presenting a low profile in their assembled state with an electrical module.
Removal of heat from electrical or electronic circuitry is an important design consideration that improves operational performance of the circuitry and lengthens service live of products employing the circuitry. Many circuits in today's products are embodied at least in part in electrical or electronic modules containing a plurality of components. The terms electrical and electronic are used interchangeably here with no important distinction between them. It often occurs that particular individual components within an electrical module generate most of the waste heat. Heat transferring devices (also sometimes referred to as heat sinks, or heat sinking devices, or heat spreading devices or heat dissipating devices) are known to be placed in proximity with the heat generating components to transfer heat from those components and, hence, from the module.
Most efficient heat transferring materials are also electrically conductive. There is therefore often a need to ensure that an electrically insulating barrier is interposed between an electrical module and its associated heat transferring structure. Such electrical insulation is detrimental to heat transmission from the module if the insulation is too thick. Many materials have been tried in such designs, and electrostatically deposited electrically insulating material is one solution that has been employed. Such electrostatic deposition of electrically insulating material between an electrical module and its associated heat transferring apparatus is employed to advantage in the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
However, substantially any interface contributes to inefficiency in heat transfer. Thus, an intervening electrically insulating layer between an electrical module and an associated heat transferring apparatus affects efficiency of heat transfer from the module to the heat transferring apparatus. Further, a common structure for effecting heat transfer is to provide a heat transmitting base member adjacent to an electrical module, and install a heat transferring structure, such as a finned structure, upon the base member. The interface between the base member and the installed heat transferring structure presents another interface that reduces efficiency of heat transfer away from the module.
There is pressure in today's market toward designing products having a small physical size. A compact design achieving small physical size can contribute to greater need for heat transferring apparatuses because there is less room for heat-removing air flow over heat producing components.
There is a need for an efficient heat removing apparatus or heat transferring apparatus that offers a reduced size to contribute to a smaller-sized finished product.

Apparatus and method for transferring heat from an electrical module


A slam-shut device includes an inlet, an outlet, a valve seat, and defines a flow path. A valve disc is shiftable between an open position and a closed position, and reset pin responsive to an actuator is coupled to the valve disc and shifts between an untripped position and a tripped position. A cylindrical cage is mounted within the valve body and is disposed in the flow path, and includes a plurality of flow apertures slidably receives the valve disc. The cage includes a first end adjacent the valve seat and a second end away from the valve seat, and the cage forms a cylindrical recess disposed adjacent the second end of the cage and spaced from the flow apertures.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure generally relates to slam-shut safety devices for gas distribution systems, and specifically relates to slam-shut safety device having a cage surrounding the valve disc of the slam-shut safety device.
2. Related Technology
Gas distribution systems, such as systems used to distribute natural gas, typically transport gas from a producer to a consumer along a series of pipes and through a series of valves. Each gas distribution system may include one or more regulator valves that control the pressure of the gas within the distribution system. Normally, the gas is transmitted at a high pressure through the system. However, the pressure of the gas must be reduced prior to final distribution to the consumers. This pressure reduction is typically accomplished at pressure reducing stations within local networks.
Typically, these pressure reducing stations include one or more pressure regulating valves and some sort of safety device to shut off the flow of gas should the pressure regulating valve fail. Most commonly, slam-shut safety valves are used for this purpose. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,421, which is hereby incorporated by reference, discloses a slam-shut safety valve that provides overpressure protection in a pipeline. Another example of a slam-shut safety valve is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,225,812, which also is incorporated by reference herein. The slam-shut safety valve is generally disposed upstream of the pressure regulating valve so that the slam-shut valve may prevent gas from reaching the pressure regulating valve in the event of the pressure regulating valve has failed. The slam-shut safety valve monitors gas pressure downstream of the pressure regulating valve for maximum and minimum pressure tolerances. If the downstream pressure exceeds either the maximum or minimum tolerance, the slam-shut safety valve closes, cutting off the flow of gas to the pressure regulating valve and preventing an uncontrolled leak of gas due to the pressure regulating valve failure.
Known slam-shut safety valves have a valve disc that covers a valve orifice in the vicinity of a valve seat when an overpressure or underpressure condition is sensed. The valve disc is coupled to a reset pin, and the reset pin in turn is attached to an actuator that senses the overpressure or underpressure condition. The reset pin is typically in the open or untripped position, which places the valve disc away from the valve seat in an open position. Should the actuator sense the appropriate trip condition, the actuator releases the reset pin, and the valve disc shifts to the closed position against the valve seat.
In conventional slam-shut devices, the valve disc is exposed to the flow of fluid. Moreover, in certain flow conditions, such as relatively high flow conditions, suction on the valve disc may impede the functionality of the slam-shut device.

EMERSON PROCESS MANAGEMENT REGULATOR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.


In some embodiments, an electronic device comprises a circuit board, an antenna structure on the circuit board, and a waveguide mounted on the circuit board above the antenna structure. Other embodiments may be described.

The subject matter described herein relates generally to the field of electronic devices and more particularly to a modular waveguide.
Traditional methods of transmitting digital data between components on a motherboard (i.e., between a chipset and a processor) employ transmission lines. As data rates increase in proportion to Moore's Law, signals propagating on the transmission line may be attenuated due to the low-pass filter behavior of the structure. At high data rates, the harmonic components of the digital waveform would be so attenuated that the signal may not be recoverable at the receiver. Hence additional signal transmitting techniques may find utility.


A bearing support is disclosed herein. The bearing support includes a pilot ring encircling an axis. The pilot ring is operable to be substantially-fixed in operation. The bearing support also includes a damper ring operable to receive an outer race of a bearing assembly. The bearing support also includes a fuse pin extending through aligned apertures in the pilot ring and the damper ring to prevent relative radial movement between the pilot ring and the damper ring up to a predetermined amount of loading. The fuse pin is operable to fracture in response to loading beyond the predetermined amount. The bearing support also includes a retainer extending through one of the pilot ring and the damper ring and fixed to the other of the pilot ring and the damper ring. The fuse pin is engaged with at least one of the first and second apertures through a heat shrink fit.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a bearing support structure including a mechanical fuse and also a method for manufacturing such a bearing support.
2. Description of Related Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,701 discloses a ducted fan gas turbine engine having a frangible connection. The ducted fan gas turbine engine is provided with a fan which is carried by a shaft. A frangible fuse ring maintains the shaft carrying the fan coaxial with the engine longitudinal axis. In the event of severe fan damage, a fuse ring fractures and the fan shaft orbits about the engine longitudinal axis. A pair of threaded members, one of which is of generally frusto-conical configuration, cooperate as a result of the orbiting motion to restore the coaxial relationship between the fan shaft and the engine longitudinal axis.


The present invention relates to a mobile aggregate processing plant for screening aggregate material comprising a mobile chassis having a main frame and a vibrating screening unit mounted via one or more absorbers on a screen-mounting frame and able to provide at least one aggregate discharge stream therethrough, wherein the vibrating screening unit is moveable relative to the screen-mounting frame between a first in-use position, and at least a second position able to provide an access portal below the vibrating screening unit when not in use.

Mobile aggregate processing plants for screening aggregate material are well known in the art: see for example U.S. Pat. No. 669,859B2. They generally comprise a vibrating screening unit, sometimes termed a 'screen box', having a series of heavy-duty screens with defined openings that are vibrated by a motor moving the screen box and acting against a series of absorbers, usually springs, mounted on a supporting frame, such that an aggregate feed material can be separated by the moving screens into different sized discharge streams. Typically, there are one or more discharge streams at or near the end of the vibrating screening device of different particle sizes or coarseness, whilst that part of the aggregate material with a dimension less than the openings in the screens, is drawn by gravity down through the screen openings, and can be collected directly beneath the screening unit.
It can sometimes be desired to alter the level of 'vibration' of the vibrating screening unit by changing the springs, but this requires the deconstruction of the supporting frame.
The discharge streams can be directed away from the plant by various suitable conveyors, generally being positioned in different directions, into suitable piles or into suitable containers or trucks, etc. Once feed material at one location is screened, the mobile aggregate processing plant can be relocated for processing a new feed of aggregate material, typically at or near the same site. The screens may be arranged in a series of levels, sometimes termed 'decks', such as 'upper deck' and 'lower deck'.
The action of the vibrating screening unit is usually of such 'heavy duty', that regular repair, tightening, or replacement of the screen therein is required. Replacement of the screens is also sometimes required when the nature of the aggregate feed material changes, or different grades or types of discharge streams are required.
Vibrating screen units can be used in various mobile aggregate processing plants, possibly in conjunction with one or more other apparatus units or devices such as a crusher.
EP3409381A2 discloses an improved mobile aggregate processing plant comprising a mobile chassis, a vibrating screening unit mounted on the mobile chassis, and an underscreen conveyor which is driveable in an uphill direction so as to be able to discharge the aggregate discharge stream at a height higher than receiving the aggregate discharge stream from the vibrating screening unit, and relative to the mobile chassis.
EP2359044A2 discloses a self-propelled screen for sorting aggregate materials, including a single elongate discharge conveyor tiltably coupled to a body, and a screening device coupled tiltably relative to a conveyor frame. However, the screening device is fixed to a screening device frame that still prevents full access to the screening device.


A method and system for updating anti-intrusion software is provided. In a preferred embodiment, a computer program product updates anti-intrusion software on a computer network which has an anti-intrusion monitor server. The anti-intrusion monitor server recognizes attacks on the computer network in accordance with attack pattern information contained in the anti-intrusion software. The computer program product includes computer code that installs modified attack pattern information onto a central anti-intrusion server, and computer code that transfers the modified attack pattern information from the central anti-intrusion server to the anti-intrusion monitor server using push technology. The result is that newly discovered attack patterns are capable of being rapidly communicated from the central anti-intrusion server to the computer network.

The present invention relates to computer systems and computer networks. In particular, the present invention relates to a computer program product and method that modifies anti-intrusion software on a computer network.
The subject matter of the present application is related to xe2x80x9cMethod and System for Providing Automated Updating and Upgrading of Antivirus Applications Using a Computer Networkxe2x80x9d (application number Ser. No. 09/001,611) filed Dec. 31, 1997, now issued under U.S. Pat. No.: 6,035,423), the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference, assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
Intrusion attacks on computer networks are a major problems in today""s networked computing environment. An intrusion attack occurs when an intruder either breaches a network or temporarily disables it. As far back as 1992, the Federal Bureau of Investigation had determined that computer crime is the most expensive form of commercial crimexe2x80x94with an average cost of $450,000 per theft. Estimates of the total dollar figure for computer theft are as high as $5 billion per year.
Intrusion attacks are generally given a name, typically reflecting the characteristics of the attack. For example, a xe2x80x9cPing of Deathxe2x80x9d intrusion attack occurs when an intruder sends abnormally large ping packets in an attempt to disable a remote system. A xe2x80x9cpingxe2x80x9d checks whether a remote host is active on a network by sending it packets. The remote host then echos back those packets to the user""s machine. If the remote host does not echo back the packets, the remote host is considered down and the ping sender is so notified. If a large number of ping packets are sent to a remote host at one time, this can cause an abrupt failure of the core part of the operating system, potentially causing data to be lost due to improper system shutdown.
Another type of attack is called the xe2x80x9cSYN Floodxe2x80x9d attack. With this type of intrusion attack, an intruder attempts to establish a connection with a service; however, the client does not allow the connection to be completed. The service continues to send confirmations to the client in an attempt to complete the connection. The connection queues fill up, and service is denied to legitimate users.
A variety of programs have been developed to detect and intercept intrusion attacks on networks. By monitoring the traffic on a network, or the traffic at the gateway of a local area network, these xe2x80x9cmonitorsxe2x80x9d can alert a system administrator when a virus is detected. A monitor is typically implemented by an anti-intrusion software program on a server attached to the network. By server, what is meant is any type of computer on which the software program is loaded. This server, hereinafter referred to as an xe2x80x9canti-intrusion monitor server,xe2x80x9d examines packets that pass on the network and looks for characteristics of known attacks. When an anti-intrusion monitor server detects characteristics of a known intrusion attack, a system administrator is typically notified.
Other actions, while not strictly attacks, indicate malicious intent and often precede an attack. Examples include information gathering probes and connection attempts. An anti-intrusion monitor server will also watch for this type of malicious activity, often a precursor to an attack.
In order to detect intrusion attacks, the anti-intrusion software of a monitor server typically includes an intrusion attack scanning engine with one or more files known as xe2x80x9cattack signature files,xe2x80x9d which contain information pertaining to known types of intrusion attacks. This information includes both the type of protocol the attack occurs in (e.g., Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol [TCP/IP] or File Transfer Protocol [FTP]) and specific packet information which is indicative of an attack. Importantly, the anti-intrusion software is only able to detect those types of intrusion attacks for which it has a corresponding attack signature files. If a new type of intrusion attack is developed, the anti-intrusion monitor server will be unable to detect it.
By way of example, and not by way of limitation, a leading anti-intrusion attack program and its accompanying attack profiles will be described. It is emphasized that this example is presented only for clarity of presentation, and does not limit the scope or context of the preferred embodiments to certain software packages, software types, or operating system types. Indeed, the preferred embodiments are advantageously applied to many different types of anti-intrusion software programs on many different types of operating systems and computer configurations.
A leading anti-intrusion application, produced by Network Associates, is called CyberCop Network. CyberCop Network is a real-time intrusion detection system, performing round-the-clock surveillance of network traffic. Acting as a hi-tech burglar alarm, CyberCop Network helps protect a network from attacksxe2x80x94both internal and externalxe2x80x94by sending out alerts when the security of the network is breached by unauthorized intruders. CyberCop Network is a software application offered in a variety of outlets and forms. It is accompanied by documentation, including the xe2x80x9cCyberCop Network for Windows NT v2.0 User""s Guide,xe2x80x9d issued October 1998. The contents of these documents are hereby incorporated by reference into the present application.
In one form, CyberCop Network is adapted to run on one or several Windows NT-based servers connected to a network. For optimum security, each CyberCop Network server should be installed on a dedicated machine before any point of entry to the network or network segments. This would include at the same network segment as the web server, at the Ethernet interface just inside the firewall, or between the Internet router and the internal machines.
If CyberCop Network does run on multiple servers, all servers running CyberCop Network can be configured at a single monitor server running CyberCop Network Configuration Manager, a configuration tool. CyberCop Network Configuration Manager can remotely configure all networked servers running a local copy of CyberCop Network.
CyberCop Network Configuration Manager uses Windows"" xe2x80x9cdrag-and-dropxe2x80x9d feature to create and distribute monitoring profiles for attacks. A xe2x80x9cprofilexe2x80x9d includes the following three attributes: 1) one or more attack signatures with detection thresholds; 2) one or more monitoring schedules; and 3) one or more attack notification methods. Profiles are distributed from the Configuration Manager to the networked servers directing them to perform remote monitoring functions using their local copies of CyberCop Network.
To create a monitoring profile, a user first chooses which networked server (or servers) the profile will operate on, and selects that server. The user then has the choice of which attack signature files to include in the profile. The xe2x80x9cmaster attack listxe2x80x9d includes approximately 180 known attacks, sorted into protocol attack groups by the protocol they occur in, e.g. TCP/IP, FTP, or WWW. Each attack signature file also includes a corresponding description of the attack that the user can read. The user can import the entire master attack list, an entire protocol attack group, or individual attack signatures that the user can pick and choose. Next, the user must set the threshold of detection sensitivity by specifying the number of times within a specified number of seconds/minutes that an attack must occur before an alert is generated. CyberCop Network will perform specific operations when an alert is generated, in accordance with the Alert Manager""s settings as configured by the user, explained below. Detection sensitivity can be set for each individual attack signature or collectively for an entire attack group.
The user has the option of setting a monitoring schedule for each attack signature or group. The monitoring schedule allows the user to set the time period for each day of a week that CyberCop Network will monitor for the attack signature or group. Scheduling allows a user to minimize the inconvenience caused by false alarms. For example, a user may want to turn off detection during periods of peak traffic, and turn on detection after hours. If a monitoring schedule isn""t set, the default schedule enables detection at all times.
CyberCop Network logs events, i.e. suspected attacks or malicious activities, based on analysis of network traffic, and then sends alerts based on those events. The user can set xe2x80x9cexclusionsxe2x80x9d for each individual attack signature or collectively for an entire attack group, which allow the user to filter out events that would otherwise issue as an alert. The user can set exclusions based on traffic from specific sources or to specific destinations. For example, a user could set one node on a network to be monitored for ping of death attacks, and then exclude the monitoring of all other nodes for this type of intrusion attack.
To distribute profiles amongst multiple servers, a user need merely drag and drop the profile to all networked servers which the user wishes to have monitor the specific settings of the profile.
Finally, the user must configure the xe2x80x9cAlert Manager.xe2x80x9d Alerts can be forwarded to other networked computers running CyberCop Network so as to consolidate the alert messages on a designated server. The user may specify up to nine operations CyberCop Network will perform when it generates an alert, including: 1) sending an alert as a network message; 2) sending an alert as an STMP e-mail message; 3) sending an alert to a pager; 4) sending an alert to a network printer; 5) sending an alert as an SNMP network message; 6) sending an alert to a DMI console; 7) launching a program on alert; 8) sending an alert as an audible .WAV file; or 9) logging the alerts to the Windows NT Application Event Log.
Users can drag and drop, or cut and paste, elements from any profile to any other profile to reorganize or populate a profile.
A limitation of CyberCop Network is that the user is limited to the 180 or so attack signature files supplied with the software to assemble monitoring profiles. These attack signature files are based on known attacks only. However, as is true with computer viruses, the types of attacks are always evolving. xe2x80x9cCrackers,xe2x80x9d or hackers with malicious intent, are limited only by their creativity as personal computers become more and more powerful and networks become more and more prevalent.
It has been found that as soon as a new type of attack is discovered, knowledge of its existence is quickly disseminated over the Internet at security clearinghouse web sites, such as xe2x80x9chttp://www.rootshell.com.xe2x80x9d Anti-intrusion software manufacturers may also monitor the flow of information of newly discovered attacks, and can quickly design attack signature files to detect and therefore prevent new types of attacks.
While the creation of an attack signature file for a newly discovered attack is helpful, it is necessary that it reach the CyberCop Network user. Updates are commonly sent out on a physical data medium such as a CD-ROM or floppy disk to customers. Alternatively, users can access Network Associates"" website at xe2x80x9chttp://www.nai.comxe2x80x9d and download updated attack signature files. However, in the modern environment of the overburdened system administrator who is typically kept busy addressing present network failures, obtaining and installing merely preventative attack signature files may take a low priority. The result of an outdated network security system may have no immediate impact, but if a xe2x80x9ccrackerxe2x80x9d gets through on an intrusion attack, the results can be disproportionately disastrous.
FIG. 1 shows the prior art method of updating attack pattern information, which includes attack signature files, on a network running anti-intrusion software. FIG. 1 shows a typical corporate local area network 100 comprising a network server 102, a communications network 104 such as an Ethernet network, a plurality of user nodes 106A-C and an Internet gateway server 108 connected to the Internet 110 through Internet connection 116. As known in the art, Internet connection 116 can be through an ISP (Internet Service Provider) in the form of a SLIP (Serial Line Interface Protocol) or PPP (Point to Point Protocol) connection, or through a dedicated connection to the Internet 110.
Running on network server 102 is anti-intrusion software (not shown) which monitors the traffic on the communications network 104 for attacks and other malicious activities. This combination of network server and anti-intrusion software is herein referred to as an xe2x80x9canti-intrusion monitor server.xe2x80x9d Typically, a dedicated system administrator 112 is responsible for ensuring that the anti-intrusion software stays updated. To do so, he can obtain updated or modified attack pattern information from the anti-intrusion software manufacturer""s FTP or World Wide Web site 114. However, this request must be made manually and with knowledge of the current attack signature files loaded on anti-intrusion monitor server 102. Alternatively, the anti-intrusion software manufacturer may send out updated or modified attack pattern information via CD-ROM or floppy disk 118. The system administrator 112 then manually installs the updated information on anti-intrusion monitor server 102. In either case, the attack pattern information is updated only as often as the system administrator has time to collect and install the updates, a practice which may be costly in light of the ongoing, non-stop efforts of malicious crackers.
An additional level of complexity is added if there are multiple anti-intrusion monitor servers which must be updated individually (i.e. there is no remote configuration functionality as with CyberCop Network). In that case, in attempting to obtain the appropriate updated attack pattern information, the system administrator would be required to: 1) maintain an awareness of all attack pattern information on each server; 2) maintain an awareness of the hardware platform (e.g. IBM, Macintosh, Sun, Silicon Graphics) and software platform (e.g. Windows NT, Windows 95, Windows 3.1, Macintosh OS, UNIX) of each server to ensure acquisition of the appropriate information; and 3) retrieve and install the latest versions of updates for each server as soon as those updates become available. The odds of accurate and efficient anti-intrusion updating are reduced even further.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a computer program product and method for providing the most up-to-date intrusion attack monitoring and detection via updated attack signature files for protecting against newer attacks.
It would be further desirable to provide a computer program product and method for the anti-intrusion software updating to be simple and automatic, so that less system administrator intervention is necessary.
It would be even further desirable to provide a computer program product and method of anti-intrusion software update distribution which allows a higher frequency of update releases from anti-intrusion software manufacturers for the most up-to-date, or even up-to-the-hour, anti-intrusion attack protection available.
It would be even further desirable to provide a computer program product and method where attack signature files are automatically distributed to a gateway monitor server, which can then distribute the updated attack signature files to other networked computers either automatically or in accordance with user-set monitoring profiles.
A computer program product in accordance with a preferred embodiment modifies anti-intrusion software on a computer network which has an anti-intrusion monitor server. The anti-intrusion monitor server recognizes attacks on the computer network in accordance with attack pattern information contained in the anti-intrusion software. The computer program product comprises computer code that installs modified attack pattern information onto a central anti-intrusion server, and computer code that transfers the modified attack pattern information from the central anti-intrusion server to the anti-intrusion monitor server using push technology. The result is that newly discovered attack patterns are capable of being rapidly communicated from the central anti-intrusion server to the computer network.
In another preferred embodiment, the computer program product provides modified attack pattern information to an anti-intrusion monitor server on a computer network having anti-intrusion software. The computer program product comprises computer code that installs the modified attack pattern information onto a central anti-intrusion server; and computer code that transfers the modified attack pattern information from the central anti-intrusion server to a push administration computer connected to the Internet. The push administration computer is capable of transmitting attack pattern information, as well as other types of information, to the anti-intrusion monitor server using push technology. The push administration computer includes an attack pattern update database containing information related to the latest modified attack pattern information transferred to the anti-intrusion monitor server. Only modified attack pattern information not reflected in said information as having been transferred is transferred from said push administration computer to the anti-intrusion monitor server over the Internet using push technology.
In yet another preferred embodiment, a computer program product provides modified attack pattern information to at least one network having multiple anti-intrusion monitor servers. The anti-intrusion monitor servers include a management anti-intrusion monitor server capable of remote management of other anti-intrusion monitor servers in accordance with predetermined management parameters. The computer program product comprises computer code that installs the modified attack pattern information on to a central anti-intrusion server; computer code that transfers the modified attack pattern information from said central anti-intrusion server to the management anti-intrusion monitor server using push technology; and computer code that remotely installs the modified attack pattern information from the management anti-intrusion monitor server to other anti-intrusion monitor servers in accordance with the predetermined management parameters.

Method and system for updating anti-intrusion software