The invention concerns a one-person-operable, sterilisable, medical pressure measuring apparatus (1: 6: 8: 11: 12: 23: 31), in particular for blood pressure measurement, wherein the pressure measuring apparatus (1: 8: 11: 12: 23: 31) has least one cannula connection (26), a measuring duct (4) and an entry (27). The measuring duct (4) opens into a closed container (2) with rigid walls (7), a compressible medium (3) being disposed in the container (2). The pressure measuring apparatus (1: 6: 3: 11: 12: 23: 31), besides the measurement of the pressure in a vessel, permits contamination-free insertion of a catheter, preferably for monitoring the position of a cannula (24). Unnecessary injury to vessels can be avoided thereby and complications upon the insertion of catheters can be considerably reduced.

Central-venous catheters, that is to say catheters which are inserted into large veins near to the heart, are used for the measurement of given haemodynamic parameters and for the continuous or discontinuous application of medicaments or infusion solutions and are an important component of patient monitoring and (intensive) medical care. The puncturing or aspiration of veins which are near to the heart presupposes skill, experience and knowledge of the anatomical factors involved. Besides the variability of the position of veins near to the heart in particular difficult puncturing conditions repeatedly result in incorrect puncturing of arteries which are in adjacent relationship.
Arterial puncturings or aspirations with thick cannulae as are used for the insertion of guide wires or catheters can result in massive bleedings under pressure into the surrounding tissue for example nerves, and then necessitate operative rectifying intervention. Incorrect arterial puncturing can represent a considerable risk to a patient who must undergo an operative procedure using a heart-and-lung machine and whose blood is made non-coagulatable for that purpose. Puncturing a vessel wall which has been arteriosclerotically altered can result in the mobilisation of plaques which are entrained with the blood flow into smaller arteries and can clog same. For that reason incorrect arterial puncturing in the region of the vessels in the neck which also supply the brain (arteria carotes) can result in a stroke and possibly disability of a patient. Those complications, even if rare, which however are tragic in the individual situation in which they occur and which involve high consequential costs have resulted in the recommendation of firstly finding veins which are close to the heart, by means of a thin needle (pre-puncturing cannula or also referred to as a xe2x80x9cfinder-needlexe2x80x9d) in order then to puncture the vessel with the thicker cannula, in the direction of puncturing of the finder-needle.
In the arteries of the circulatory system of the body a mean pressure of 70-100 mm Hg with an amplitude between systolic and diastolic pressure of about 40-60 mm Hg is physiological, whereas in the veins which are close to the hear of the circulatory system a mean pressure of 7-10 mm Hg with an amplitude of only a few mm Hg is physiological. Under pathological conditions the pressure difference between arteries and veins and also the pressure amplitude in the vessels can become both greater and also smaller.
If an artery is punctured with a cannula having a large lumen, that can generally be recognised by virtue of the spraying and pulsating discharge of blood from the cannula. In contrast after a vein is punctured the blood will flow away from the cannula under a low pressure and fairly continuously Irrespective of whether an artery or a vein has been punctured however the high through-flow resistance of cannulae with a small lumen results in a uniform discharge of blood from the cannula, which at most pulsates discretely and never sprays out. Accordingly recourse must be had to other criteria in order to identify an artery or a vein. The colour of the blood is therefore a poor criterion.
By virtue of the higher oxygen content arterial blood is normally lighter than venous blood. Lung or heart diseases however can have the result that arterial blood also appears comparatively dark: in contrast venous blood is also really light when the patient is breathing with pure oxygen, for example in the context of initiating anaesthesia.
A reliable possible way of distinguishing arterial and venous blood is blood gas analysis in which the oxygen and carbon dioxide partial pressures are measured. That is time-intensive and labour-intensive and thus expensive.
The blood pressure in the punctured vessel can also be measured directly by means of a riser line. When the blood is allowed to flow back into the line the transfer of several milliliters of blood into the line requires some time, depending on the through-flow resistance of the cannula. If in contrast operation is conducted with a riser line which is filled with liquid, for example filled with common salt solution preparation of the riser line is a comparatively time-consuming procedure. At any event an assistant is required in order to hold the riser line.
A pressure-converter system, which is referred to as a transducer system, again detects not only the mean blood pressure as with a riser line but also the blood pressure amplitude in the punctured vessel. As the insertion of catheters presupposes sterile operating conditions, this procedure necessarily means that the transducer system must firstly be prepared in a sterile condition, that is highly time-consuming and also requires a xe2x80x9cthird handxe2x80x9d to which the cable connection for connection to the monitor can be handed over.
In view of the level of expenditure and complication and the difficulties involved in identifying a vein which is close to the heart without any doubt by means of a feeder-needle clinical practice often involves foregoing the pre-puncturing procedure. Unintentional arterial puncturings are then only detected after insertion of the catheter by means of intravasal pressure measurement or by virtue of blood rising in the infusion system and/or by an X-ray of the thorax.
The risk of HIV- (AIDS-) or hepatitis infection by virtue of contact with the blood of infected patients has resulted in xe2x80x9cclosedxe2x80x9d cannula or syringe systems being offered not only for taking blood but also for the insertion of central-venous or arterial catheters. A closed system for example for the pressure-controlled handling of a fluid is known from the present applicant""s DE 195 03 230.
So-called side-port cannulae are in turn available on the market for the low-contamination insertion of central-venous catheters. They have an additional duct which is disposed laterally and which is closed by a valve mechanism and by way of which a guide wire can be introduced after puncturing of the vessel, by way of which wire the catheter is then pushed into the vessel: the so-called xe2x80x9cSeldinger procedurexe2x80x9d. Furthermore, a syringe is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,938, referred to hereinafter as the xe2x80x9cRaulerson syringexe2x80x9d, with a through duct in the plunger, which is closed by a valve mechanism and through which a guide wire can be introduced into the punctured vessel without the syringe having to be disconnected.
Both systems effectively prevent the escape of blood even after unintentional puncturing of an artery with a cannula having a large lumen, and accordingly give a false sense of security. As the syringe and the cannula do not have to be disconnected, as in the conventional procedure, incorrect arterial puncturing is usually recognised only after insertion of the catheter and thus maximum trauma for the vessel wall.
The object of the present invention is to provide a compact apparatus which is simple to operate and which can measure the pressure in a cavity, and which in particular permits a precise reliable distinction to be drawn between veins and arteries by means of a cannula, wherein the apparatus permits controlled insertion of a catheter or the like, in such a way as to avoid unnecessary injuries, in particular with the exclusion of blood contamination of the person operating the apparatus.
A first configuration of the invention is a one-person-operable, sterilisable, medical pressure measuring apparatus or manometer which has at least one cannula connection, a measuring duct and an entry, and wherein the measuring duct opens into a closed container with rigid wells in which there is a compressible medium.
Therefore, a liquid does not rise against the force of gravity, as in the case of the known construction, in an open container, for example a riser line, but penetrates into a closed container of a given volume and with non-elastic walls, which is for example filled with air, and in so doing successively compresses the air.
The pressure resulting in a closed container of that nature is now calculated from the quotient of the uncompressed volume of air and the volume of air compressed by the liquid which has passed into the container, and is dependent on the specific weight of the entering liquid: if for example 6 ml of uncompressed air is compressed to 5 ml, that gives a pressure of 1.2 bar (=about 910 mm Hg or about 1210 cm head of water) or a pressure above atmospheric of 0.2 bar (=about 150 mm Hg or about 200 cm. head of water).
As is internationally further usual in medical linguistic usage or for reasons of greater clarity reference will be made hereinafter to the pressure units xe2x80x9cbarxe2x80x9d. xe2x80x9cmm Hgxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9ccm head of waterxe2x80x9d.
By means of that calculation a given pressure can be associated with a given level of liquid in the container and in that way it is possible to calibrate a scale on which the pressure of the compressed air can be directly read off with the column of liquid as a pointer. Having regard to the hydrostatic pressure of the column of liquid which also involves the specific weight of the liquid it is also possible to specify the pressure under which the liquid is. If the liquid is for example xe2x80x9ca physiologicalxe2x80x9d common salt solution with a specific weight of about 1 then the error resulting from a column of liquid of a few centimeters can be disregarded for the measurement of arterial blood pressures.
In a handy pressure measuring apparatus which is also suitable for the measurement of central-venous and arterial mean pressures, connected upstream of the container is the measuring duct which is also of a predetermined volume and also has non-elastic walls for completely receiving the rising liquid, which is either outside or inside the container. In that case, the quotient of the volume of air in the measuring duct to the total volume of air in the measuring duct and the container gives the measuring range over which the pressure can be comparatively accurately read off at the level of liquid in the measuring duct: for example on a measuring duct which accommodates 1 ml of the pressure measuring apparatus with a total air volume of 6 ml, it is possible to read off pressures above atmospheric of between 0 and about 150 mm Hg and thus also the pathologically increased arterial mean pressures of a patient with high blood pressure. A lower ratio between the volume of air in the measuring duct and the total air volume in the measuring duct and container admittedly increases the measuring range but worsens the degree of reading accuracy.
As even when the measuring duct involves a diameter of 3 mm the surface tension of the liquid prevents the liquid passing into the measuring duct due to the force of gravity, the pressure measuring apparatus can be arranged in such a way that the measuring duct extends horizontally and thus the hydrostatic pressure of the column of liquid no longer causes any measurement errors.
Due to the principle involves, such a pressure measuring apparatus measures more accurately in a situation involving only slight compression of the volume of air contained therein, than when a greater degree of compression is involved. The level of measuring accuracy for low pressures can be very easily further improved by means of a measuring duct of different cross-sections (with a cross-section which is smaller close to the cannula and larger towards the container).
The above-described pressure measuring apparatus is now fitted between the cannula and the syringe before the commencement of the puncturing operation. That blood pressure measuring apparatus may however first be xe2x80x9cconnected in parallelxe2x80x9d (=opened) for blood pressure measurement (for example by means of a three-way tap) if blood can be slightly aspirated (=sucked into the syringe cylinder). Otherwise (in spite of the aspiration being xe2x80x9cdampedxe2x80x9d by the volume of air of a xe2x80x9cparallel-connectedxe2x80x9d blood pressure measuring apparatus) air can be sucked out of the blood pressure measuring apparatus into the syringe cylinder, whereby the apparatus loses its calibration and incorrectly high blood pressure values are measured.
The blood pressure can be measured either by blood being allowed to pass under the blood pressure in the punctured vessel into the measuring duct or by a procedure whereby blood is passed under pressure into the measuring duct by injection and then the operator waits for the drop in the column of blood until pressure equalisation occurs. As in both cases only a small volume of blood has to pass into or out of the blood pressure measuring apparatus, in contrast to measuring pressure with a riser line, the blood pressure can be measured very quickly.
The contamination problem is resolved by the cannulae being closed, for example by means of a three-way tap, prior to disconnection of the syringe, and being opened again only for the advance of the guide wire for a catheter or of the catheter itself.
The described pressure measuring apparatus can also advantageously be used on so-called side-port cannulae, as are described above. The attachment of the pressure measuring apparatus only has to be designed in such a way that, by fitting onto the side port, the valve mechanism disposed there is overcome and, after disconnection, closes again (in order then to be able to introduce the guide wire under low-contamination conditions). It is to be observed that some air is generally disposed in the side port of such cannulae, and in the pressure measurement operation that air can result in an incorrectly low pressure indication if that additional volume of air is not taken into consideration when calibrating the scale of the pressure measuring apparatus.
The syringe described in above-mentioned DE 195 03 230, to the disclosure of which reference is directed here in this respect in terms of the full content thereof, is also suitable for blood pressure measurement by means of cannulae having a small lumen. In this so-called xe2x80x9cEnk syringexe2x80x9d the container and the measuring duct in the container are disposed in the plunger of the syringe An advantage of this syringe is that upon venting of the syringe cylinder a pressure measuring apparatus of that syringe is always equalised in relation to ambient air pressure, being what is known as xe2x80x9czeroedxe2x80x9d, and remains calibrated, as the air in the pressure measuring apparatus of the syringe is only in contact with the liquid, which is also at room temperature, for example common salt solution, in the syringe cylinder, and is not directly in contact with blood at body temperature.
The syringe makes it possible for the entire xe2x80x9cmeasuring limbxe2x80x9d to be flushed out of the syringe cylinder by the injection of liquid, for example common salt solution. In that situation liquid is passed into the measuring duct under pressure at the same time. As the friction of the sealing lip always holds the plunger in its position in the syringe cylinder, even when completely relieved of load by the injecting finger, the syringe now injects under decompression of the air in the plunger until the pressure corresponds to the vessel pressure. As in that case the cannula is continually being flushed coagulating blood cannot clog and block the cannula and the vessel wall is always pressed away from the cannula.
The blood pressure can also be measured with such a syringe for example by means of so-called side-port cannulae. The problem of the loss of air from the pressure measuring apparatus of that liquid-filled syringe due to aspiration with the conventional syringe does not arise in that case as the pressure measuring syringe is only connected to the side-port for the blood pressure measurement operation, possibly by way of an adaptor which lifts open the valve mechanism.
A measuring duct of a cross-section which is smaller in the front portion and larger in the rear portion improves the accuracy and readability of the pressure measuring apparatus (=syringe with a low- and high-pressure measuring range): the (mean) pressure of central veins can be accurately measured in the front, long measuring passage portion having a small lumen. Due to the magnifying lens effect of the thick cannula wall the level of liquid or the scale in that region can be clearly seen even if the plunger is pushed into the syringe cylinder. The higher arterial (mean) pressures are measured in the rear, short measuring duct portion having the large lumen, even if such measurement is somewhat less accurate. As that region of the plunger projects out of the syringe cylinder the level of liquid can always be read off here without any problem.
The following calculation by way of example is intended to illustrate this: let there be a plunger with a total air volume of 8 ml: in that case 0.8 ml is apportioned to the measuring duct. If now the measuring duct is completely filled with liquid compression of the volume of air from 8 ml to 7.2 ml corresponds to a pressure above atmospheric of about 0.11 bar (=about 84 mm Hg) with a length of 50 mm and an inside diameter of 2 mm the front measuring duct portion is of a volume of about 0.157 mm corresponding to a measuring range of between 0 and about 0.02 bar (=about 15 mm Hg) pressure above atmospheric. The rear measuring duct portion is of a length of 32.8 mm and is of an inside diameter of 5 mm: that results in a volume of about 0.644 ml and a measuring range of between 0.02 and about 0.11 bar pressure above atmospheric.
In a further configuration the measuring duct can also become continuously larger from the inside diameter.
Another possible way of adapting the pressure measuring apparatus to different pressure measuring ranges is afforded by a closure portion with which the air volume of the plunger, which communicates with the syringe cylinder, can be selectively reduced or increased in size (for example with a closure portion which is displaceable in the plunger and which selectively closes the rear opening of the measuring duct or even parts thereof). In that arrangement a screw mechanism or a bayonet arresting means always holds the closure portion in the defined position in the plunger and thus ensures pressure measuring accuracy.
If a suitable closure or valve mechanism in the closure portion or however the wall of the plunger makes it possible for the cavity in the plunger to be selectively opened for pressure equalisation relative to the ambient air, then a pressure measuring apparatus of that kind can also be used to measure negative pressures on a suitably calibrated scale, for example the pressure below atmospheric which occurs due to aspiration. that is to say by withdrawing the plunger in the syringe cylinder: after the liquid is drawn up into the syringe cylinder the plunger is opened to atmospheric pressure, for example by means of a slider or two openings which are rotatable relative to each other in the wall of the plunger and the closure portion. After some liquid has been urged into the measuring duct as far as a zero marking, for example half of the measuring duct, when the outlet opening of the syringe cylinder is closed, by virtue of a forward displacement movement of the plunger, for example by slowly xe2x80x9cscrewing inxe2x80x9d the plunger by means of a screwthread in the syringe cylinder and on the plunger, the plunger is air-tightly closed off again in relation to atmospheric pressure. Now positive and also negative pressures can be measured. That option is also afforded by a closure portion which is displaceable in the plunger: after liquid has been drawn up into the syringe cylinder and the syringe cylinder has been vented, the closure portion is pulled back or turned back in the plunger until the liquid which is passing into the measuring duct has reached the zero marking.
As a particularly desirable configuration of a pressure measuring apparatus. described hereinafter is a system having a syringe with which it is not only possible to implement an aspiration procedure, but also the pressure in the punctured vessel or liquid cavity can be measured and through which a guide wire for a catheter or a catheter itself can subsequently be pushed for example into a blood vessel, without the syringe having to be disconnected from the cannula.
The syringe has a syringe cylinder and a hollow plunger with a damping and pressure measuring device corresponding to the xe2x80x9cEnk syringexe2x80x9d. At the rear the plunger has a closure portion with a bore therethrough, which can be opened or closed by a sliding or rotating mechanism or a valve mechanism which is known for example from the xe2x80x9cRaulerson syringexe2x80x9d, and through which for example a guide wire for a catheter or a catheter itself can be moved forwardly into the duct of the pressure measuring device. If the duct additionally has at least one sufficiently large lateral opening the duct of the pressure measuring device can also be accommodated by the closure portion in the sense of a centering effect.
The handling of that syringe is described hereinafter by reference to the example of puncturing a blood vessel and inserting a guide wire for a catheter into the vessel:
By retraction of the plunger, a pressure below atmospheric which is xe2x80x9cdampedxe2x80x9d in comparison with a normal syringe also occurs in the syringe cylinder of this syringe: liquid, for example common salt solution can be drawn up or raised into the syringe cylinder by the reduced pressure, against the force of gravity. In that procedure the syringe must be held with its cannula attachment downwardly and there should be some air in the syringe cylinder, about 1 ml. Otherwise liquid can penetrate into the duct due to the pressure below atmospheric which also obtains in the plunger, particularly in the case of a strong aspiration effect. A bar which is disposed at the end of the plunger projecting out of the syringe cylinder and which fits into a corresponding opening in the syringe cylinder only in a given rotational position ensures that the plunger cannot be accidentally entirely pushed into the syringe cylinder.
The syringe is now vented conventionally, that is to say held with the cannula attachment up, and the air is dispelled from the syringe cylinder by moving the plunger forwardly. When that happens the liquid closes the front opening of the duct. Even with a duct opening of three millimeters the surface tension of the liquid prevents liquid from penetrating into the duct due to the force of gravity. When venting the syringe the air in the plunger is closed off from the surrounding atmosphere and thereby the pressure measuring device is xe2x80x9czeroedxe2x80x9d (=calibrated to zero).
In the attempt to puncture a blood vessel with the cannula fitted onto the syringe, it is never possible to aspirate as extremely as with a conventional syringe as the air in the plunger also xe2x80x9cdampsxe2x80x9d the aspiration effect. This can prevent punctured veins from collapsing or the cannula from being sucked against the vessel wall, as is otherwise possible in she event of a strong aspiration effect. As no blood is to be aspirated in those situations, it is erroneously assumed that the blood vessel has not yet been reached or has already been left again. That causes an increase in the number of incorrect or multiple puncturings. Accordingly a xe2x80x9cdampedxe2x80x9d aspiration effect can certainly be advantageous.
If a blood vessel is punctured, as can be seen from the sudden entry of blood into the syringe cylinder, the liquid in the syringe cylinder acts as a highly effective buffer. Even in the event of a strong aspiration effect, that prevents the blood-liquid mix from being sucked directly into the duct, and thus prevents the pressure measuring device from losing its calibration. In addition the blood is immediately diluted by the liquid and thus cannot coagulate in the syringe. Admittedly a slight increase in temperature and thus expansion of the air also occurs, with the passage of time, by virtue of mixing of the liquid at ambient temperature with the blood which is at body temperature. As however the blood pressure is now measured directly, the resulting measurement error (wrongly low values) is also negligible having regard to the pressure difference to be detected as between veins and arteries.
For blood pressure measurement in the punctured vessel, the plunger is now advanced somewhat. As a result the blood-liquid mix is partially injected and partially urged into the duct. As the plunger always retains its position in the syringe cylinder due to a sufficiently high level of friction of the sealing lip, even if the finger which is advancing the plunger completely relieves the load thereon, the blood pressure of the punctured vessel can be read off, for example at a calibrated scale in or on the plunger, as soon as the level of liquid in the duct is no longer moving.
The xe2x80x9ccolouredxe2x80x9d column of the blood-liquid mix as a xe2x80x9cpointerxe2x80x9d of the pressure measuring device is easily visible. However even a column of clear liquid can be clearly seen in the duct by virtue of neutralisation of the birefringence effect of the duct wall.
Alternatively it is also possible to operate with a syringe which is prepared for the measurement of negative pressures (see above): after the puncturing cannula has been inserted the plunger is withdrawn in the syringe cylinder until the desired pressure below atmospheric is attained. With a suitable design in respect of the circular sealing lip of the plunger, the plunger is in that case again held in its position in the syringe cylinder and thus the set reduced pressure is maintained. When the cannula punctures a blood vessel, the level of liquid in the duct rises abruptly until pressure equalisation with the pressure in the vessel occurs.
If measurement of the blood pressure shows they the desired vessel, for example a vein, has been punctured, the plunger is pushed completely into the syringe cylinder and thereafter the guide wire for the catheter or the catheter Itself is pushed into the blood vessel through the closure portion, the measuring duct, the cannula attachment of the syringe cylinder and the cannula fitted thereon. In that situation the blood-liquid mix is injected. If by mistake the measuring duct is xe2x80x9cover-injectedxe2x80x9d due to very rapid injection, the blood-liquid mix drips into the cavity of the plunger and is xe2x80x9cenclosedxe2x80x9d there. Contamination of the working area is avoided in that way. As however an increased pressure can thus be built up in the plunger, pass due to the air out of the plunger into the syringe cylinder and be injected due to inattentiveness. xe2x80x9cover-injectionxe2x80x9d of the duct should be avoided.
Injection of the blood-liquid mixture does not represent a danger from the point of view of the patient: admittedly, activation of coagulation of the aspirated blood may occur due to the contact with a foreign surface. However the coagulation factors are immediately severely diluted by the liquid in the syringe cylinder. The blood cannot therefore xe2x80x9cclotxe2x80x9d and a blood clot will never be injected.
In principle it is necessary to operate with such a syringe xe2x80x9cfrom above downwardlyxe2x80x9d, that is to say the cannula attachment on the syringe is the lowest point and the end of the plunger is the highest. That corresponds to the working situation when puncturing the vena jugularis irterna, which is the central-venous entry that is in fact most frequently used, and the vena femoralis. Admittedly, in an aspiration situation air passes out of the plunger into the syringe cylinder but that air is xe2x80x9ccapturedxe2x80x9d again in quantitative terms after puncturing of a blood vessel with the penetration of liquid into the syringe cylinder or in the forward movement of the plunger. If in contrast operation is effected xe2x80x9cfrom below upwardlyxe2x80x9d air is permanently lost from the plunger and there is the danger of mistakenly injecting the air which has passed into the syringe cylinder, in that case also liquid is sucked into the measuring duct due to the reducer pressure in the plunger and the pressure measuring device is mis-calibrated as a result.
Even when working correctly a small air bubble remains in the angle between the syringe cylinder and the front face of the plunger. The mis-calibration (wrongly high pressure indication) resulting from that remaining loss of air from the pressure measuring device into the injection cylinder becomes progressively smaller with the same lost volume with an increasing air volume in the plunger. As when inserting catheters into blood vessels it is the difference between venous and arterial pressure hat is being considered, and thus a pressure difference of at least 50 mm Hg or about 65 cm water head, that error is scarcely relevant. If the procedure adopted is such that the cannula fitted onto the cannula attachment is not vented prior to the puncturing operation, then the air in the cannula completely compensates for the calibration error if the volume corresponds to the loss from the plunger.
The air which has passed into the syringe cylinder upon aspiration can also be completely xe2x80x9ccapturedxe2x80x9d again by means of a plunger front face which is shaped concavely towards the opening of the measuring duct if, as described above, operation is implemented with the syringe xe2x80x9cfrom above downwardlyxe2x80x9d. In that case however the cannula must be vented, otherwise the air in the cannula can again cause a small calibration error (wrongly low pressure indication).
If now the measuring duct is arranged not centrally but eccentrically in the plunger, the measuring duct can be closed prior to aspiration by rotation of the plunger relative to the sealing lip. The plunger is first rotated again for pressure measurement and for subsequent insertion of a guide wire or catheter, in such a way that a opening in the sealing lip comes into alignment with the measuring duct.
The sealing lip can be easily prevented from also rotating by virtue of a thickening in the wall, for example a bar, at the inside wall of the injection cylinder and a corresponding opening in the sealing lip. The thickening in the wall which acts like a magnifying lens improves the perceptibility of the pressure indication which does not have to be read off through three layers of plastic material, as in the case of a measuring duct which is disposed centrally in the plunger, but possibly only through two layers of plastic material.
By virtue of two mutually oppositely disposed spherical thickenings of the sealing lip the correct rotational position of the plunger for closure or opening respectively of the pressure measuring device can be easily detected: the double seal which xe2x80x9clatchesxe2x80x9d into the lumen of the measuring duct reliably closes off the air volume in the plunger upon aspiration, relative to the exterior. The air of the pressure measuring device cannot in that way escape from the plunger even in the event of strong aspiration which in this case is xe2x80x9cundampedxe2x80x9d.
The rotational position, which is necessary for pressure measurement or for advance movement of the guide wire or catheter and which also involves a xe2x80x9clatchingxe2x80x9d effect, of the plunger relative to the sealing lip and relative to the cannula attachment of the syringe cylinder, which is also disposed in eccentric relationship, is in contrast afforded when a mark on the plunger is brought into alignment with a mark on the syringe cylinder and thus for example the eccentrically disposed measuring duct is directly under he thickening of the wall of the syringe cylinder.
Air-tight closure of the pressure measuring device can also be achieved by means of a circular sealing lip of variable depth, which lies in a circular groove in the plunger of also variable depth: depending on the rotational position of the plunger the sealing lip is squashed together to a greater or lesser degree and thereby an opening in the sealing lip is selectively opened or closed. The friction of the sealing lip can also be varied in that way as desired.
A comparable mechanism in the closure portion of the plunger serves to open the plunger after pressure measurement has been effected for introducing the guide wire or catheter.
If the measuring duct does not have at least one large, laterally disposed opening to the cavity of the plunger, the bore in the closure portion should not form a through communication with the measuring duct: on the one hand a gap between the measuring duct and the closure portion does not cause a problem in the forward movement of the guide wire or the catheter. On the other hand it is crucial for correct functioning of the pressure measuring device and like a laterally disposed opening ensures that even after arterial puncturing upon opening of the bore in the closure portion blood can at most drip out of the measuring duct into the cavity of the plunger. In the case of a bore which passes through the entire plunger in contrast only a valve mechanism which is more complicated from the point of view of structure and production procedure and which is thus more expensive prevents blood from issuing from the syringe.
With that syringe it is not absolutely necessary to operate xe2x80x9cfrom above downwardlyxe2x80x9d: as the pressure measuring device in the plunger is closed after preparation of the syringe (drawing up liquid, venting the syringe) and is opened for the pressure measurement procedure only after puncturing of a blood vessel has been effected, no air is xe2x80x9clostxe2x80x9d from the piston in the aspiration operation and therefore also does not need to be xe2x80x9ccapturedxe2x80x9d again.
In contrast to the above-described configurations of the invention it is therefore possible with this syringe also to operate xe2x80x9cfrom below upwardlyxe2x80x9d, as is often necessary in operations for puncturing the vena subclavia. In addition aspiration is effected with this syringe as with a conventional syringe in an xe2x80x9cundampedxe2x80x9d mode.
After the correct cannula position has been secured by means of blood pressure measurement the plunger is pushed entirely into the syringe cylinder again in order subsequently to be able to advance the guide wire or catheter through the syringe into the blood vessel. If in that situation there is a wish to avoid completely injecting the blood-liquid mix, the bore in the closure portion can already be opened prior to the forward movement of the plunger: the blood-liquid mix is now partially injected into the cavity of the plunger. When that happens the air escapes from the plunger through the bore in the closure portion. Accordingly a pressure above atmospheric does not build up in the plunger and air cannot therefore possibly pass into the syringe cylinder.
A further possible way of switching off the pressure measuring device of the syringe in the aspiration operation is afforded by a mandrel or bar portion which sealingly closes the front opening of the measuring duct. That bar portion is only withdrawn from the measuring duct when pressure is to be measured or inserted again when aspiration is to be implemented once more. This construction requires a valve mechanism in the closure portion. In this construction the front opening of the measuring duct should be of a smaller cross-section than the measuring duct itself, otherwise the bar portion in the measuring duct can behave like a plunger and upon being withdrawn suck liquid into the measuring duct.
Withdrawal of the bar portion results in a calibration error: the volume of the bar portion is suddenly missing and causes a minimal pressure below atmospheric in the pressure measuring device, with the consequence of a wrongly high pressure indication. If the bar portion is of a suitably small volume however the calibration error can be disregarded or can be taken into consideration when calibrating the scale from the outset.
If the bar portion is already completely pulled out of the plunger for the pressure measurement operation, as is necessary for advancing the guide wire or catheter, the calibration error can also be minimised in the following way, if the valve mechanism in the closure portion of the plunger is of a suitable design configuration: if when the bar portion is pulled out the function of the valve mechanism is neutralised for a brief moment, the pressure of the air in the pressure measuring device becomes equal to the ambient air pressure (xe2x80x9czeroingxe2x80x9d) It is to be noted in that respect that, if the valve function is neutralised for an excessively long period of time, due to the blood-liquid mix penetrating into the measuring duct, too much air can also escape from the pressure measuring device and the calibration error is increased in that way (incorrectly high pressure indication). This variant of the syringe can also be operated. xe2x80x9cfrom below upwardlyxe2x80x9d and aspiration can also be effected in an xe2x80x9cundampedxe2x80x9d manner.
In the case of a syringe which is also prepared for the measurement of negative pressures and in which the pressure measuring device is for example correctly xe2x80x9czeroedxe2x80x9d with a half-filled measuring duct, the problem of a loss of air from the pressure measuring device into the syringe cylinder occurs only to a limited degree. As long as aspiration is not effected to a greater extent than is detected by the measuring range of the syringe, no air is xe2x80x9clostxe2x80x9d.
A problem which in principle is greater, in regard to mis-calibration of the pressure measuring device, arises in connection with sucking in air in the case of a cannula which is not air-tightly fitted onto the cannula attachment (incorrectly low pressure indication). Due to the principle involved in such a case the syringe has to be vented afresh on each occasion.
Further advantageous configurations and developments and features of the invention are described in greater detail in the following specific description. In the drawing:

Apparatus for and method of intravasal pressure measurement and low-contamination insertion of catheters for example into blood vessels


An electronic device (100) includes a device housing (102), a circuit assembly (306) carried by the device housing (102), an electronic component (318) carried by the device housing (102), and a shield (312) carried by the device housing (102). The shield (312) is adapted to impede electromagnetic emissions, and the shield (312) operatively electrically couples the circuit assembly (306) to the electronic component (318).

Some electronic devices, such as cellular telephones, tablet computers, and the like, are relatively thin to achieve one or more design objectives. For example, thin electronic devices are typically considered to be aesthetically appealing. As another example, thin electronic devices are also typically light-weight, and thus relatively easy to carry, compared to other electronic devices. However, thin electronic devices typically lack the structural rigidity needed to protect the circuits and components within. Such electronic circuits are typically fragile and prone to damage, for example, if unintentionally dropped by a device user.
Some electronic devices include "stacked" circuit structures that are relatively durable compared to other circuit structures. Some stacked circuit structures include a first printed circuit board that carries one or more electromagnetic emission-impeding shields or fences. The shields or fences carry a second printed circuit board opposite the first printed circuit board.

Electronic devices and electronic circuits and methods for manufacturing the same


This is a hand cursor for a digitizing system allowing easier positioning of the cursor at the points to be digitized. The cursor includes a quasi-sight window having a CCD panel for viewing a 2-dimensional area and an LCD panel for displaying it to the user. There is a vertical positioning line on the panel. A position signal generator is disposed in the cursor for continuously generating and outputting positional data from which a reference point position and the orientation of the positional line on the tablet surface can be dynamically determined. There is also position determination logic for inputting the electrical signal output from the CCD panel and the positional data from the positional generator and for determining a point on the tablet surface where the positional line crosses a line contained in a drawing disposed on the tablet surface over which the quasi-sight window is positioned as a point to digitize.

This invention relates to digitizing systems for inputting positional data to a computer or the like and, more particularly, in a hand-operated digitizing system wherein a cursor is hand-positioned at points to be digitized on a line contained in a drawing disposed on a tablet surface and the position of the cursor is determined by a sensed interaction between the cursor and the tablet, to the improvement to allow easier positioning of the cursor at the points to be digitized comprising, a quasi-sight window in the cursor comprising, sensing means for viewing a 2-dimensional area and developing an electrical signal output reflecting the contents of the 2-dimensional area, and display means connected to receive the electrical signal output for displaying the contents of the 2-dimensional area; a positional line disposed across the display means; positional signal generation means disposed in the cursor for continuously generating and outputting positional data from which a reference point position and the orientation of the positional line on the tablet surface can be dynamically determined; and, position determination logic means for inputting the electrical signal output from the sensing means and the positional data from the positional signal generation means and for determining a point on the tablet surface where the positional line crosses a line contained in a drawing disposed on the tablet surface over which the quasi-sight window is positioned as a point to digitize.
Digitizing systems for inputting positional data to a computer are well known and used in the art. Basically, prior art digitizers fall into two broad groups--automated digitizers and hand digitizers. Automated digitizers are quite expensive and, therefore, not as widely used as hand digitizers. In an automated digitizer, the vectors comprising the material to be digitized are scanned by an optical scanner in substantially the same way as a facsimile machine scans a document to be transmitted. In a hand digitizing system, a document 10 having vector data such as the curve 12 to be digitized is temporarily attached to the surface of a digitizing tablet 14. An operator then moves a cursor 16 over the curve 12 by hand while keeping the cross-hairs 18 of a transparent sight window 20 on the curve 12. At each point on the curve 12 where data is to be output, one of the buttons 22 is pushed to generate a read signal which is recognized by the computer (not shown) attached thereto. The position of the cursor 16 (and in particular the position of the cross-hairs 18) is sensed by an interaction between the tablet 14 and the cursor 16. Various techniques are employed for this sensing, which are not necessary to an understanding of the need for the present invention. It is only important to note that there is a sensing interaction between the cursor 16 and the tablet 14. It is important to note, however, that a small job of digitizing with such prior art equipment is easily accomplished; but, larger jobs become tedious very quickly if they are to be done with any degree of accuracy. The user must be constantly vigilant to keep the cross-hairs on the curve 12, for example. This results in a high degree of stress and a high intensity environment for the use of the equipment.
Wherefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a hand digitizing system in which digitizing of data through line following techniques can be accomplished in a low stress environment.
It is another object of this invention to provide a hand digitizing system in which digitizing of data through line following techniques can be accomplished in a semi-automated manner.
Other objects and benefits of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows hereinafter when taken in conjunction with the drawing figures which accompany it.

Automatic tracking and scanning cursor for digitizers


Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for mobile customer support. A customer service request is received at a mobile device from a user associated with the mobile device to access a customer service feature of an application associated with the mobile device. In response to the request, a user context is determined by at least one of saving a state of the application, storing data associated with the application or accessing user activity associated with the application. A communication request comprising the user context is sent to a customer service center (“CSC”) associated with the customer service feature. Communication between the CSC and the user is enabled, wherein the CSC accesses the user context and uses the user context during the communication.

Many business entities provide customer support services to ensure higher customer satisfaction. Indeed, certain business entities sometimes differentiate themselves from competition by having a better customer support service. Business entities usually establish customer service centers (CSCs) to provide customer support services. A typical customer service center hosts a number of customer service representatives (CSRs) to assist customers with their requests and queries. The business entities advertise their customer service numbers to the customers, which allows the customers to contact the customer service centers.
However, it is often expensive to maintain CSCs. Further, many customers desire support for routine queries or tasks, which do not necessarily require a human CSR. Therefore, many business entities augment their customer support services with self-service options for customers. The self-service options may include, for example, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems, customer service web portals, and mobile device based applications (or mobile applications).
Mobile applications allow the customer to self-service their requests or queries using an interface on a mobile device. Mobile applications for self-servicing may be native applications residing on the mobile device and communicating with the business entity's database over a network. Alternatively, the business entity may expose a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) based self-service interface that customers can access from a WAP browser on their mobile device. A customer may use the mobile application to authenticate herself, and use the self-servicing options provided by the mobile application. If the customer finds the self-servicing options in the mobile application insufficient to address their request or query satisfactorily, she may choose to call a CSR through an advertised customer service contact number. Upon calling the customer service contact number, the customer is usually requested to re-authenticate herself. In addition, the customer is often directed to an IVR that has similarly insufficient self-servicing options as the mobile application. When the customer finally speaks with a CSR (e.g., after navigating the IVR), she often restates her requests to the CSR. This leads to wasting the customer's time, and proves inefficient for the business entity.
Given the foregoing, what is needed is a system, a method and a computer readable medium for providing customer service through mobile applications in a convenient and effective manner.

Methods and systems for providing mobile customer support


A plug for a port is provided. Preferably, the plug and a cartridge configured to couple fluid tubes to a housing use substantially identical components such as a seal and a retainer or guide.

The present invention relates to pneumatic devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to plugs used to block openings in manifolds or other pneumatic devices.
During the manufacturing of manifolds, passages are drilled or otherwise formed in the manifolds. Often, these passages have extraneous ports that must be blocked to prevent unwanted leakage. It is known to provide plugs that are positioned in these ports and held in place with adhesive or ultrasonic welding. According to the present disclosure, an alternative plug is provided to block such extraneous ports.


A dynamic polarization controller (“DPC”) that and method of dynamic polarization control useful in optical networks is disclosed. The DPC of the present invention has a polymeric optical waveguide formed on a substrate, such as a silicon wafer. An intermediate portion of the waveguide is suspended over a cavity, and a deflecting structure, such as an electrodes, is provided for controllably exerting a force on the suspended portion of the waveguide. Exerting a deflecting force on the suspended portion of the waveguide induces controllable birefringence in the waveguide core and, thereby allows dynamic control over the polarization properties of light passing through the DPC. An array of DPC's of the present invention can be formed on a single substrate and used in an optical network, for example a WDM system whereby plural light signals traveling through a single optical fiber are demultiplexed for processing. A plurality of the DPC may be formed in series on a substrate to increase the degree of polarization control. The DPC's of the present invention may be combined with differential group delay (“DGD”) compensators to dynamically compensate for polarization mode dispersion (“PMD”) of optical signals. The DPC's of the present invention can operate in millisecond time-frames, thereby providing real time PMD compensation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to optical communications systems and is particularly directed to a method and apparatus for dynamic polarization control that is useful in a system for compensating for polarization mode dispersion in optical fibers.
2. Background
Optical communications systems employing optical networks are critical to meeting the ever-increasing demand for high speed communications systems capable of attaining higher data transfer rates. Such systems generally employ wavelength division multiplexing ("WDM") whereby a plurality of optical signals are simultaneously transmitted as separate channels in a single optical fiber. As higher data rates are implemented, polarization mode dispersion ("PMD") becomes a critical issue, such that PMD is currently regarded as one of the dominant obstacles to increased data transfer rates. It is generally understood that PMD begins to become a factor at data transfer rates of 10 Gb/s and compensation for PMD is critical to avoid data loss at rates exceeding 40 Gb/s.
Unlike chromatic dispersion, PMD is not fixed and changes constantly as a function of many time-variable factors, drifting in time scales that vary from a few milliseconds to several hours. PMD arises due to birefringence in an optical fiber that causes light of different polarization to travel at different speeds. Although, theoretically, a perfectly round optical fiber is not birefringent, such birefringence may be introduced when the fiber is subject to uneven mechanical stress, for example, due to bending, compression, heating, etc. As a result, static compensation of PMD is not practical. Thus, an effective system for compensating for PMD should be dynamic and capable of responding to changes in the polarization properties of the transmitted signals in a matter of a few milliseconds. Moreover, PMD can vary from channel to channel, and so a system for compensating for PMD should be controllable on a channel-by-channel basis. Preferably, apparatus used for PMD compensation should be compatible and readily integrated with other devices in a WDM optical network, such as multiplexers (MUX), demultiplexers (DEMUX), variable optical attenuators (VOA), planar optical amplifiers, optical switches, etc. Finally, PMD compensation apparatus should be relatively easy and inexpensive to construct. A dynamic polarization controller is a key component of a system to compensate for PMD.
While considerable effort has gone into studying PMD and its causes, it is believed that less effort has been directed to solving the problem, particularly in a way that could be usefully implemented in WDM optical networks on a cost-effective basis. Thus, there is a need for improved apparatus and methods for dynamically compensating for PMD in optical networks, and such is an object of the present invention. Moreover, there is a need for improved polarization controllers for use in PMD compensation system and in other applications.

Method and apparatus for dynamic polarization control


The present invention provides a sound-transmitting membrane for a microphone, to be disposed to a sound-collecting opening of the microphone so as to allow sound to transmit through the membrane while preventing a foreign matter from entering into the microphone through the opening. This membrane for a microphone prevents the entry of a foreign matter, such as fine dust and water vapor, that is difficult for conventional sound-transmitting membranes to block, and ensures the microphone performance. This membrane for a microphone is composed of a nonporous film or a multilayer membrane including a nonporous film, has a surface density of 30 g/m2 or less, and has a sound transmission loss of less than 3 dB in a frequency range of 300 to 4000 Hz.

Electronic devices, such as mobile phones and digital cameras, equipped with a microphone have been widely used. Generally, the microphone of these electronic devices is a compact capacitor microphone. Usually, the microphone is accommodated in a casing of the electronic device as a microphone unit in which a sound transducer (sound-collecting part) having a diaphragm and a back plate is accommodated in a housing of the unit. The sound from the outside is guided to the sound transducer of the microphone through both a sound-collecting opening provided to the casing and a sound-collecting opening provided to the housing. When a foreign matter, such as dust, enters into the microphone through these sound-collecting openings, the vibration of the foreign matter occurs in the vicinity of the sound transducer, generating noise. In addition, the entry of a foreign matter into the sound transducer leads to a failure of the microphone. Therefore, a sound-transmitting membrane that allows sound to transmit through the sound-transmitting membrane while preventing the entry of the foreign matter generally is disposed at the sound-collecting opening of at least one member selected from the casing and the housing. Disposing the sound-transmitting membrane also suppresses the noise generated by the blow-in of wind or breath.
Conventionally, a porous sheet having air permeability is used as the sound-transmitting membrane. JP 2008-199225 A discloses that a woven fabric or nonwoven fabric produced from fibers made of a resin, such as nylon and polyethylene, can be used as a sound-transmitting membrane. JP 2007-81881 A discloses that a porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane can be used as a sound-transmitting membrane. The latter sound-transmitting membrane is expected to suppress the entry of water as well as dust, as foreign matters, judging from the properties of the porous PTFE membrane.

Sound-transmitting membrane for microphone, sound-transmitting membrane member for microphone provided with the membrane, microphone, and electronic device provided with microphone


An input device of a multimedia board inputs lecturer-written information that a lecturer writes on a display page. An information processor sends the lecturer-written information input by the input device to a plurality of information terminals. A reader/writer of each of the plurality of information terminals reads out textbook information from a recording medium recording the textbook information representing contents of a textbook. A display device displays the read textbook information and the lecturer-written information supplied from the information processor, which are superimposed one on top of the other. The reader/writer records the textbook information and lecturer-written information, which are displayed by the display device, as a single file on the recording medium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a teaching/learning-method facilitating system, a display terminal and a program, and, more particularly, to a teaching/learning-method facilitating system which reads out and displays educational information from a recording medium, records information to be additionally input in the educational information, and provides the contents of a lecture, thereby not bothering a speaker and listeners of the lecture to take notes in the lecture, so as to facilitate easy and comfortable educational situation both for the speaker and listeners.
2. Description of the Related Art
At educational places, such as schools, etc., students (listeners of a lecture) takes notes of what have been written on a whiteboard or the like during the lecture, so as to make their own note. In the case where there are a lot of information to be written, all what the students can do during the lecture is to write, and they have no time to think and ask the teacher some question. In such circumstances, the teacher and students lack communications with each other.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 2562107 discloses an image display prepared for establishing communications between the teacher and students.
The image display comprises a teacher-side device and at least one student-side device each of which includes an input unit, a monitor, etc.
The teacher-side device displays notes and images, etc. which are prepared by the teacher on the student-side device. The students can refer to the images displayed on the student-side device and participate in a class. The teacher-side device displays multiple-choice questions created by the teacher to test the students, on the monitor of the student-side device. The student presses a switch set on the student-side device to select an answer. The answer selected by the student is displayed on the monitor of the teacher-side device.
Since the student-side device has only one input unit that is the switch for selecting the answer, the student may not learn enough using the device. Besides, the notes and images prepared by the teacher are simply displayed, so that the student has to take notes of the notes and images displayed by the student-side device. In the case where there are a lot of information that should be written, the teacher and students lack communications with each other. In addition, the notes and images prepared by the teacher are simply displayed, the student can not use the prepared notes and images when reviewing the class.
Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. H7-321978 discloses a system which displays the information contents written by the teacher on a board, etc. on a display of a terminal device used by at least one student, and records the displayed information on a recording medium.
In this case, what can be displayed on the display are only the information contents written by the teacher on the board. Hence, the student may not understand into which part of a textbook the written information corresponds.
What can be recorded on the recording medium are only the information contents written by the teacher on the board. Thus, when reviewing the class using the recorded data, it takes much time for the student to refer to the recorded data in association with the information of the textbook.
Again, what can be recorded on the recording medium are only the information contents written by the teacher on the board. Thus, the student needs to take notes of information contents that he/she thinks important. In this case, the student needs to review the class, while referring to the textbook, the data recorded on the recording medium and the notes in association with each other.
Further, what can be recorded on the recording medium are only the information contents written by the teacher on the board. In other words, the notes prepared by the teacher beforehand can not be displayed. Thus, the teacher writes a lot on the board, and the students write after the teacher finishes writing. That is, they waste much time during the class.
Accordingly, even if the techniques of Japanese Patent Publication No. 2562107 and Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. H7-321978 are used, other than the work directly related to the education matters in the class, the work required of the teacher can not be reduced while giving a lecture in the class. On the other hand, the students have a lot to do (write) during the class, except learning.
The entire contents of Japanese Patent Publication No. 2562107 and Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. H7-321978 are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

System for facilitating teaching and learning


A device for laminating panels that includes a base that includes an upper surface, a front edge and a rear edge, and a folding assembly that includes a first surface that is generally perpendicular with the upper surface of the base, a folding portion having an inner surface, a front edge and a rear edge. A folding path is defined from the front edge of the folding portion to the rear edge of the folding portion. An angle that is defined between the inner surface of the folding portion and the first surface decreases along the folding path.

Decorative laminates are often applied to panels. For example, in commercial aircraft, the interior panels typically include a decorative laminate thereon. The common process for applying the folded decorative laminate is using a heat gun to activate the adhesive on the folded edge of the decorative laminate, and then folding the laminate on the edges of the panel by hand.
The present invention replaces a time consuming manual method of applying and adhering the folded decorative laminate material onto the composite panel. It also helps reduce the amount of rework resulting from the manual process of heating and adhering the decorative laminate.


A method for generating a real time attribute mark of a picture comprises: extracting a first time from picture data corresponding to the picture; obtaining a current time; calculating a time interval between the first time and the current time; and generating a real time attribute mark indicating the time interval. An apparatus for generating a real time attribute mark of a picture is also disclosed.

There are situations that one wants to view a picture and a real time attribute of the picture but is limited by the actions that he or she can take to check such a real time attribute. For example, when a user receives a picture which is displayed on the user's device while driving, for example a picture about an accident on the way ahead along which the user is driving, the user often wants to know the time interval from the time when the accident happened to now, for example five minutes or one hour, so as to determine whether he or she should change route to avoid possible traffic congestion.
In the prior art, a timestamp can be displayed on a picture to indicate the time when the picture was taken, for example 12:43 am 6/26/2014. However, in this way, in order to get the information of the time interval from the time when the accident happened to now, the user should find the timestamp on the picture, check the current time and calculate the difference of the time indicated by the timestamp and the current time. It is not convenient for a user, especially when the user is driving, a safety risk may arise.

Method and apparatus for generating a real time attribute mark of a picture


A method and system for data display and data capture using applets within hidden frames on a browser. A visible frame and two invisible frames are passed to a client in response to an http request. The visible frame may include multiple layers. The hidden frames contain applets such as Java Server programs (JSP), but do not contain any visible html. Static data that is used for data display and data selection (e.g. pick boxes) is contained within one hidden frame. An applet, such as JSP within the other hidden frame provides an interface between the visible frame and the server to retrieve dynamic data, or verify data entry.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to multi-computer network interaction, and more particularly to networked client-server architectures.
2. Description of the Related Art
In client-server computing and enterprise architectures, data caching is known. What is needed is a method and system to provide data cache of information that is routinely required, and adding data cache based on query.
In client-server computing and enterprise architectures, periodic browser content refresh is known. What is needed is a method and system to provide browser content refresh that is based on change of the underlying data, rather than an arbitrary refresh cycle such as time.
In client-server computing and enterprise architectures, techniques for validation of data entry are known. What is needed is an efficient method and system to validate data entry of static and dynamic data before submission of a trade or transaction.
The preceding description is not to be construed as an admission that any of the description is prior art relative to the present invention.

Method and system for data capture with hidden applets


An electronic device replacement structure (100) includes a housing body (102) and an electronic module (200, 200′). The housing body (102) includes a base (110) and at least one clasping member (120) connected with one side of the base (110). The base (110) is disposed inside the housing body (102), and a first plate (130) is protrudingly disposed on the base (110). The electronic module (200, 200′) is disposed on the base (110) and corresponding to the clasping member (120). The electronic module (200, 200′) includes a casing (210) and a fastening implement (300) connected to the casing (210). The fastening implement (300) has at least one elastic locking element (310) and a second plate (320). The elastic locking element (310) is engaged with the clasping member (120). The second plate (320) protrudes toward the first plate (130) and contacts against the first plate (130).

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a replacement structure and, in particular, to an electronic device replacement structure in a modular design.
2. Related Art
Conventional road lighting equipments utilize a mercury lamp or a sodium lamp as a light source which illuminates a wider illumination zone but consumes more power, cannot be recycled, and therefore is not environmentally friendly. In recent years, the technology of a light emitting diode (LED) is increasingly developed. The LED has advantages such as high luminance, power-saving, environmental friendliness, a long life span, so has been widely used for lamp lighting and then used for road lighting.
When a street lamp malfunctions, it has to be repaired immediately in order to protect safety of passers-by. In general, a repairman has to use an elevated work platform (such as a cherry picker) in order to replace or repair the street lamp. However, most malfunction conditions of conventional street lamps are scenarios in which a power supply device or a sensor controlling on-and-off of the LED street lamp is damaged or malfunctioning. The repairman has to remove a lampshade or a housing of an LED street lamp, and then disassemble the said lamp to check and repair components one by one. Therefore, such a maintenance method not only wastes time but also increases maintenance costs.
Furthermore, since there are various street lamp structures in which the structures are complicated and do not have a unified standard. If the original manufacturers do not produce some component, it will cause problems and inconveniences in the repairing and maintenance of the street lamps.
In view of the foregoing, the inventor made various studies to improve the above-mentioned problems to realize the improvements by inventing an electronic device replacement structure.


A control system for a BBC on a mower comprises a pivotal bail and a pivotal housing that is linked to the BBC. If a push member on the housing is pushed inwardly from the side of the housing before the bail is pivoted, then a pin moves to a blocking position behind the bail. Subsequent pivoting of the bail will pivot the housing to actuate the BBC. A channel in the housing frictionally grips the bail to prevent rebound of the bail when a spring force resets the housing and the bail to their initial positions after the operator releases the bail. Movement of the push member also closes an interlock switch which will kill operation of the engine if a grass discharge outlet on the mower is uncovered.

Powered rotary lawn mowers are in wide use by consumers for cutting grass. Such rotary lawn mowers have a housing that encloses a sharpened cutting blade that rotates in a substantially horizontal cutting plane. A handle extends upwardly and rearwardly from the housing to allow an operator to walk behind the housing and to guide the housing during operation of the mower. The housing carries a prime mover, such as an electric motor or internal combustion engine, for rotating the cutting blade. A safety standard that is applicable to consumer lawn mowers requires that the blade come to a stop if the operator releases the handle. In addition, rotation of the blade can be initiated only if the operator performs two distinct actions. Manufacturers of such equipment have offered two major types of mowers that meet these requirements. These mowers comprise zone start mowers and blade brake clutch (BBC) mowers.
In a BBC mower equipped with an internal combustion engine, the engine can be started in a generally conventional manner, using either a rope pull or an electric starter. Once the engine is started, the engine remains running during the operation of the lawn mower unless the engine is purposely shut off by the operator. This is true even if the operator releases the control bail carried on the handle.
In a BBC mower, once the operator releases the control bail, a clutch between the blade and the output shaft of the engine is released and a blade brake is engaged. Thus, even though the engine continues to run, the blade comes to a stop. This can be contrasted with a zone start mower in which the blade comes to a stop once the control bail is released since the engine is killed, i.e. engine ignition is disrupted. Nonetheless, the result is the same in both cases, namely the blade comes to a stop when the operator releases the control bail.
However, in a BBC mower, the control bail must operate differently than in a zone start mower due to the need for two separate operator actions to reengage operation of the blade. In a zone start mower, the first action is the required restarting of the engine. The second action is the closing of the control bail against the crossbar of the handle.
But, in a BBC mower, restarting of the engine cannot be used as the first action since the engine remains running. Thus, the mower must be equipped with some type of additional control that must be actuated before the closure of the control bail is effective to start rotation of the blade. This additional control approach is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,868 to Wadzinski. Alternatively, the bail can have some type of multi-directional movement before the closure of the control bail places the blade back into operation, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,327,539 to Bricko.
The control system used in a BBC mower to start and stop the rotation of the blade is necessarily more complex than that in a zone start mower. Generally speaking, such a BBC control system is not as intuitively obvious to use as that for a zone start mower. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a BBC control system that is simple and relatively easy to understand and use.

Control system for outdoor power equipment


The present invention relates to a compound of the formula (I):

Neuropeptide Y (hereinafter referred to as NPY), a peptide consisting of 36 amino acids, was first isolated from porcine brain by Tatemoto et al in 1982 (NATURE, vol. 296, p. 659(1982)). NPY is widely distributed in central nervous system and peripheral nervous system, and plays various roles as one of the most abundant peptides in the nervous system. That is, NPY acts as an orexigenic substance in the central nervous system and markedly promotes fat accumulation via the mediation of secretion of various hormones or the action of the nervous system. It is known that continuous intracerebroventricular administration of NPY induces obesity and insulin resistance due to these actions (INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBESITY, vol. 19, p. 517(1995); Endocrinology, vol. 133, p. 1753(1993)). It is also known that NPY has central actions such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, pain, dementia, circadian rhythm control and the like (DRUGS, vol. 52, p. 371(1996); THE JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, vol. 18, p. 3014(1998)). Furthermore, in the periphery, NPY coexists with norepinephrine in sympathetic-nerve terminals and is related to the tonicity of the sympathetic nervous system. It is known that peripheral administration of NPY causes vasoconstriction and enhances the activities of other vasoconstrictive substances such as norepinephrine (BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, vol. 95, p. 419(1988)). It is also reported that NPY could participate in the development of cardiac hypertrophy as a result of the sympathetic stimulation (PROCEEDING NATIONAL ACADEMIC SCIENCE USA, vol. 97, p. 1595(2000)).
On the other hand, it is reported that NPY is also involved in the secretory function of sexual hormones and growth hormone, sexual behavior and reproductive function, gastro-intestinal motility, bronchoconstriction, inflammation and alcohol preference (LIFE SCIENCE, vol. 55, p. 551(1994); THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY, vol. 101, p. S345(1998); NATURE, vol. 396, p. 366(1998)).
NPY has a variety of pharmacological effects resulting from NPY binding to the NPY receptors, to some of which other NPY related peptides including peptide YY and pancreatic polypeptide also bind. It is known that these pharmacological effects of NPY are mediated by the action of at least five receptors with or without synergistic interactions (TRENDS IN NEUROSCIENCE, vol. 20, p. 294(1997)).
It is reported that the central effects mediated by NPY Y1 receptor include remarkable orexigenic effect (ENDOCRINOLOGY, vol. 137, p. 3177(1996); ENDOCRINOLOGY, vol. 141, p. 1011(2000)). Further, NPY Y1 receptor is reported to be involved in anxiety and pain (NATURE, vol. 259, p. 528(1993); BRAIN RESEARCH, vol. 859, p. 361(2000). In addition, the pressor effect mediated by the strong vasoconstrictor action in the periphery is also reported (FEBS LETTERS, vol. 362, p. 192(1995); NATURE MEDICINE, vol. 4, p. 722(1998)).
It is known that the effects mediated by NPY Y2 receptor include an inhibitory effect on the release of various neurotransmitters in the sympathetic nerve endings (BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, vol. 102, p. 41(1991); SYNAPSE, vol. 2, p. 299(1988)). In periphery, NPY Y2 causes constriction of blood vessel or vas deferens directly or via the control of release of various neurotransmitters (THE JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY AND EXPERIMENTAL THERAPEUTICS, vol. 261, p. 863(1992); BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, vol. 100, p. 190(1990)). Inhibition of lipolysis in adipose tissues is also known (ENDOCRINOLOGY, vol. 131, p. 1970(1992)). Further, inhibition of ion secretion in the gastro-intestinal tract is reported (BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, vol. 101, p. 247(1990)). On the other hand, the effect on the central nervous system functions such as memory, anxiety and the like are also known. (BRAIN RESEARCH, vol. 503, p. 73(1989); PEPTIDES, vol. 19, p. 359(1998)).
It is reported that NPY Y3 receptor exists mainly in brainstem and heart and is related to the regulation of blood pressure and heart rate (THE JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY AND EXPERIMENTAL THERAPEUTICS, vol. 258, p. 633(1991); PEPTIDES, vol. 11, p. 545(1990)). It is also known that NPY Y3 is involved in the control of catecholamine secretion in adrenal gland (THE JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY AND EXPERIMENTAL THERAPEUTICS, vol. 244, p. 468(1988); LIFE SCIENCE, vol. 50, p. PL7(1992)).
NPY Y4 receptor has high affinity for pancreatic polypeptide in particular. As for the pharmacological effects of NPY Y4, inhibition of pancreatic exocrine secretion and gastrointestinal motility is reported (GASTROENTEROLOGY, vol. 85, p. 1411(1983)). Further, it is reported that NPY enhances the secretion of sexual hormones in the central nervous system (ENDOCRINOLOGY, vol. 140, p. 5171(1999)).
As for the effects mediated by NPY Y5 receptor, fat accumulation effects including orexigenic effect are prominent (NATURE, vol. 382, p. 168(1996); AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY, vol. 277, p. R1428(1999)). It is also reported that the NPY Y5 receptor mediates some CNS effects, such as seizure and epilepsy, or pain and morphine withdrawal symptoms, and the control of circadian rhythm (NATURE MEDICINE, vol. 3, p. 761(1997); PROCEEDING NATIONAL ACADEMIC SCIENCE USA, vol. 96, p. 13518(1999); THE JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY AND EXPERIMENTAL THERAPEUTICS, vol. 284, p. 633(1998); THE JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, vol. 21, p. 5367(2001). In addition, diuresis effect and hypoglicemic effect in the periphery are reported (BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, vol. 120, p. 1335(1998); ENDOCRINOLOGY, vol. 139, p. 3018(1998)). NPY is also reported to enhance cardiac hypertrophy as a result of the sympathetic accentuation (PROCEEDING NATIONAL ACADEMIC SCIENCE USA, vol. 97, p. 1595 (2000)).
The effects of NPY are expressed when NPY binds to the NPY receptors in the central or peripheral nervous system. Therefore, the action of NPY can be prevented by blocking its binding to NPY receptors. For this reason, it is expected that substances antagonize NPY binding to NPY receptors may be useful for the prophylaxis or treatment of various diseases related to NPY, for example cardiovascular disorders such as angina, acute or congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction, hypertension, nephropathy, electrolyte abnormality, vasospasm, atherosclerosis, etc., central nervous system disorders such as bulimia, depression, anxiety, seizure, epilepsy, dementia, pain, alcoholism, drug withdrawal, circadian rhythm disorders, schizophrenia, memory impairment, sleep disorders, cognitive impairment, etc., metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, hormone abnormality, gout, fatty liver, etc., genital or reproductive disorders such as infertility, preterm labor, sexual dysfunction, etc., gastro-intestinal disorders, respiratory disorder, inflammatory diseases or glaucoma, and the like. (TRENDS IN PHARMACOLOGICAL SCIENCE, vol. 15, p. 153(1994); LIFE SCIENCE, vol. 55, p. 551(1994); DRUGS, vol. 52, p. 371(1996); THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY, vol. 101, p. S345(1998); NATURE, vol. 396, p. 366(1998); THE JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY AND EXPERIMENTAL THERAPEUTICS, vol. 284, p. 633(1998); TRENDS IN PHARMACOLOGICAL SCIENCE, vol. 20, p. 104(1999); PROCEEDING NATIONAL ACADEMIC SCIENCE USA, vol. 97, p. 1595(2000); THE JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, vol. 21, p. 5367(2001); PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, vol. 65, p. 397(1995)).
It was recently found that, as a result of the study by the present inventors, a certain NPY receptor antagonist is useful for the prophylaxis or treatment of hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipidemia and arteriosclerosis (International application publication WO99/27965).
International application publication WO00/27845 and WO01/14376 disclose a variety of carboxamide derivatives, and mention that said derivatives have excellent NPY receptor antagonistic activities. International application publication WO02/48152 discloses a variety of spiro(isobenzofuran-1,4′-piperidine)-3-on derivatives, and mentions that said derivatives have an effect to regulate the NPY binding to NPY5 receptors. However, none of the above international publications describes the compounds of the present invention.

Abstract: (wherein A, B, C  and D are independently nitrogen or optionally substituted methine; E is nitrogen, methine or hydroxy substituted methine; n is 0 or 1; T, U, V and W are independently nitrogen or optionally substituted methine; X is —N(SO2R4)—, —N(COR5)— or —CO—; Y is —C(R6)(R7)—, —O— or —N(R8)—, provided that the compound (I) when E is nitrogen, n is 0, X is —CO—, and Y is —O— is excluded) and the like, which are useful as an agent for the treatment of various diseases related to NPY.


Disclosed is a timing generator of panel display and polarity arrangement control signal generation method therefor. The timing generator comprises a storage unit for storing a plurality of sets of polarity data and corresponding PAC signals, an operation unit for receiving display data, the sets of polarity data, and a corresponding PAC signal so that the operation unit can perform an inner product operation with respect to the polarity data and the display data for obtaining a sum of coupling voltages, and a comparison unit for comparing the sum of coupling voltages with a predetermined value, and outputting the PAC signal corresponding to the polarity data to a data driver if the sum of coupling voltages is smaller than the predetermined value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to flat panel displays and, more particularly, to a timing generator of flat panel display and polarity arrangement control signal generation method therefor.
2. Description of Related Art
Flat panel display is the dominant type of display in the market. Currently, there are three widely used flat panel displays, namely liquid crystal displays (LCDs), thin film transistor LCDs (TFT-LCDs), and organic electroluminescence display (OELDs). The principles of LCDs or TFT-LCDs are that the orientation of liquid crystal molecules is controlled by bias and in turn the light transmission thereof can be controlled for generating gray scales with a color effect.
However, the liquid crystal molecules may be permanently deformed, resulting in a poor display quality if the liquid crystal molecules are continuously biased by a voltage having the same polarity. Currently, there are a couple of voltage polarity inverting control methods as detailed below. In FIG. 1, a display panel 100 is divided into a plurality of blocks in which a pixel 111 of a first block 110 (i.e., area A) has a polarity opposite to that of a corresponding pixel 121 of an adjacent second block (i.e., area B) or opposite to that of a corresponding pixel 131 of an adjacent third block (i.e., area C). But, the polarities of the pixel 111 of the first block 110 and the corresponding pixel of a fourth block (i.e., area D) are the same.
This is a block-based configuration (e.g., blocks 110, 120, 130, and 140). In a case of column signals of the display panel 100 driven by time division multiplexing, an input pattern can cause a sum of all effective voltages of one polarity applied to the liquid crystal to be much larger than a sum of all effective voltages of the opposite polarity applied to the liquid crystal, which may cause cross-talk. As a result, the display quality will be lowered because picture of one block of the display panel 100 may adversely affect brightness of the pictures of adjacent blocks thereof.
In FIG. 2, a configuration of irregularly changing the polarity arrangement of a panel 200 in the vertical direction (i.e., data line direction) is shown in which any two adjacent blocks have opposite polarities. It is seen that positive and negative polarities along any row line are alternate. However, the above problem still exists. In detail, in a case of column signals of the panel 200 driven by time division multiplexing, an input pattern can cause a sum of all effective voltages of one polarity applied to the liquid crystal to be much larger than a sum of all effective voltages of the opposite polarity applied to the liquid crystal. It may cause cross-talk. As a result, the display quality will be lowered. Thus, the need for improvement still exists in order to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.

Timing generator of flat panel display and polarity arrangement control signal generation method therefor


Described is a curable dispersant, inks or coating including the curable dispersant, and articles comprising a substrate and the inks or coatings that include the curable dispersant.

Pigmented inks and coatings, after being applied to substrates and cured, are preferably desired to cure effectively and have good cured film properties, such as hardness etc. However, some properties of, or ingredients in, the curable, pigmented inks and coatings themselves may actually hinder the ability of the inks and coatings to exhibit good cured film properties.
For example, in order for curable inks and coatings to be applied to substrates, they usually have relatively low viscosity before they are cured. In order to meet this low viscosity requirement, for example, in ink jettable inks, high levels of monoacrylates are usually included. The high level of monoacrylates, however, makes it harder to achieve good cured film properties.
For another example, in inks and some coatings, the presence of the pigment particles makes it difficult to penetrate the inks and coatings with the radiation that is necessary to cure the inks and coatings. This may result in poor cured film properties, such as the ink or coating being tacky or easily marred. Attempts have been made to allow better penetration of inks and coatings by radiation for curing purposes by including high levels of diluents and/or conventional dispersants in the inks and coating suspensions that disperse or spread out the pigment particles. Diluents are used to reduce the concentration of an ink or coating to achieve a desirable or beneficial effect. Conventional dispersants, generally, are used to stabilize pigment-containing ink or coating dispersions to prevent agglomeration or flocculation of the pigment particles and consequent settling of the pigment particles out of the dispersions. High levels of diluents and/or conventional dispersants in inks or coatings that may be necessary to disperse or spread out the pigment particles, however, tend to act as plasticizers and, therefore, contribute to poor cured film properties.
Thus, a need exists for pigmented inks and coatings, wherein the pigment is well dispersed, that after being applied to substrates and cured, have good cured film properties, such as non-tackiness and mar-resistance.


An anti-tumor traditional Chinese medicine, a preparation method therefor, and uses thereof. This traditional Chinese medicine is prepared by leavening of Pleurotus sp. and Dioscorea bulbifera, pangolin scales, rhubarb, oyster, stiff silkworm, kelp, selfheal, Ligusticum wallichii, barbat skullcap, honeysuckle flower, Oldenlandia diffusa, Radix trichosanthis, Rhizoma anemarrhenae Scutellaria baicalensis, Angelica sinensis, Psoralea corylifolia, Lucid ganoderma, and coix seed.

Human tumors are formed by the malignant transformation of normal cells under the action of carcinogenic factors. The cells are rapidly proliferated out of control, the infiltration and spread of poorly differentiated or highly differentiated cancer cells damage surrounding normal cells, and the cancer cells are metastasized nearby and distantly, until vital organs are exhausted to death.
Various kinds of cancer cells have been found around the world at present. There are millions of patients having malignant tumors around the world every year, and the number of patients is on the rise. Cancers pose a serious threat to the human health.

Anti-tumor traditional Chinese medicine microbial fermentation preparation and a preparation method and application thereof


An apparatus for securing a transformer that includes a mounting bracket coupled to an exterior surface of the transformer, the mounting bracket having a first length, a first height, and a first width to define a mounting bracket having an interior cavity includes a housing having a second length, a second height, and a second width to define an interior cavity with at least one interior surface. The second length is larger than the first length of the mounting bracket and the second width is larger than the first width such that the mounting bracket is receivable into the interior cavity. A shaft member extends from the at least one interior surface along the second length within the housing interior cavity. The shaft member receives a securing strap around at least a portion of the shaft member within the mounting bracket to secure the transformer to the apparatus.

Power transformers are used in electrical power transmission, distribution, and generation. Power transformers are generally classified by the operating power level for which they are designed. For example, power transformers may be classified as high-power, medium-power, and low-power transformers. The size of a power transformer correlates to their designed power level. Power transformers used for high-power and medium-power applications such as power transmission and power generation may be have a size similar to that of a small vehicle or as large as a train car. Power transformers used for distribution, for example pole transformers that are commonly seen on utility poles along streets and in neighborhoods are considerably smaller in size than medium-power and high-power transformers. Overhead transformers commonly need to be replaced by utility companies to maintain, upgrade, or expand power distribution networks. Due to their size, overhead transformers are commonly transported to and from an installation site via a utility truck. Due to the generally cylindrical shape of overhead transformers, securing them to a utility truck for transport can be complex and even time consuming. More importantly, failing to securely fix an overhead transformer to a utility truck may result in the overhead transformer falling over in the truck or even falling off the truck. This may cause damage to the overhead transformer. The overhead transformer case to crack causing cooling oil to spill out. Damage to the overhead transformer may not only require a replacement of the new overhead transformer but may result in costly cleanup and negative effects on the environment.
Therefore, there is a need for a device and method of securely fixing an overhead transformer to a utility truck for transportation to and from an installation site.


A kit for decorating ceiling fan blades is provided. The kit includes a plurality of fan blade covers adapted to readily conform to the shape of a ceiling fan blade. The covers are embellished with interchangeable decorative images or themes selectable by user.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to ceiling fans and, more particularly, to a kit for decorating ceiling fan blades.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ceiling fans have become very popular for providing quiet air circulation in both residential and commercial structures. The fans provide an energy efficient means of cooling a room in the summer and mixing heated air during the winter. However, an inherent problem associated with ceiling fans is that the blades thereof collect dust, dirt, grime, and allergens. When stationary, the blades of the fan provide a surface on which dust and other particles and vapors settle. In addition, as heated air rises, such air transports dust, lint, oily vapors, and other particles. Upon actuation of the ceiling fan, the blades travel through the air containing this mixture, thereby causing a layer of the mixture to further accumulate on the surfaces of the fan blades. In addition, as the fan blades rotate, they disperse the accumulated dust, allergens, and other particles about the room, thereby substantially reducing the air quality in the surrounding area, and in turn causing breathing difficulties and eye, nose, and throat irritations.
Another problem associated with ceiling fans is the difficulty in cleaning the blades on a regular basis. In most instances, a ladder or stool is required to reach the upper surfaces of the blades in order to properly clean such surfaces. This is a cumbersome task and can be hazardous given that the person must balance themselves on the ladder or stool and the blades are susceptible to rotate during the cleaning process.
Still another problem associated with ceiling fans is once the blades become worn, blades generally cannot be simply replaced. Thus a new ceiling fan must be purchased which may necessitate additional costs which include but are not limited to installation.
Yet another problem associated with ceiling fans is the lack of color continuity concerning the ceiling fan and a redecorated or painted room. In order to match the new decor, either a new ceiling fan or new blades must be purchased. Alternatively, the blades must be disassembled from the fan and painted separately.
Accordingly, a need has arisen for a commercially available kit which includes a decorative means for shielding ceiling fan blades against dust, lint, allergens, oily vapors, and debris in a manner which is quick, easy, and efficient. The development of the kit for decorating ceiling fan blades fulfills this need.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention; however, the following references were considered related.
The following patents disclose various ceiling fan blade covers and decorative fan blades:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,947, issued in the name of Gabriel et al.;
U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,868, issued in the name of Carpenter;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,205, issued in the name of Conklin, Jr.;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,900, issued in the name of McAuley;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,006, issued in the name of DeMeo et al.;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,005, issued in the name of McCready;
U.S. Pat. No. 6,619,920 B1, issued in the name of Cannon;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,093, issued in the name of Sedlak et al.;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,572, issued in the name of Prucha et al.;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,686, issued in the name of Keyes;
U.S. Pat. No. 7,056,090 B1, issued in the name of Stengel;
U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,261, issued in the name of Barone; and
U.S. Pat. No. 5,516,264, issued in the name of Anetrini.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,971,854 B2, issued in the name of Krakowski discloses a mobile kit for a ceiling fan.
Consequently, a need has been felt for a commercially available kit which includes a decorative means for shielding ceiling fan blades against dust, lint, allergens, oily vapors, and debris in a manner which is quick, easy, and efficient.


A connecting device with a pipe socket and a hose made of rubber-like material. The pipe socket and the hose abut in a sealing zone which is encased over at least a part of its length by a hose reinforcement which forms part of a geometric fastening configuration with which the pipe socket and the hose are held together.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connecting device with a pipe socket and a hose of rubber-like material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Frequently fluids, like liquids and gases, are guided through hoses that are made of a rubber-like material. Such hoses show a relatively high flexibility. However, it requires a certain effort to connect them to a pipe socket.
For the connection of a hose with a pipe socket the hose end is therefore customarily provided with a coupling element. The coupling element is provided with a tubular connection extension, onto which the hose end is pushed and fastened with the appropriate clamping means, for example, a pipe clip or an annular spring. The coupling piece can then be connected to the pipe socket.
However, this type of connection is relatively time-consuming, because it requires several mounting steps. Furthermore, there are at least two areas where a reliable sealing action must be guaranteed, i.e., on the one hand, at the connection between the hose and the coupling piece and, on the other hand, at the connection between the coupling piece and the pipe socket.

Connecting device for the connection of a pipe socket and a hose