An improved luer lock receiving septum having a configuration which provides rapid and tight resealing and yet allows penetration of the septum by the luer tip with a low penetration force. The elongated septum includes an upper portion of enlarged diameter having a target surface, a central slit, and a central, lower septum extension projecting about the slit below the upper portion and into a housing so that following luer insertion there is provided sufficient room for both the laterally displaced extension of the septum, the luer taper, and the housing to be received into a conventional luer lock connector. The septum is further preferably configured to minimize or eliminate the negative pressure deflection normally associated with the withdrawal of the large diameter luer cannula from an enclosed fluid filled lumen or chamber, by substantially isolating the lumen or chamber from the septum material displacement resultant from luer insertion.

This invention relates to luer access devices for the engagement of conventional luer lock connectors and particularly to systems using penetration of a luer tip of a luer lock connector into a septum to achieve access for medical fluid transfer.
The high cost of the nascent "needle free" medical fluid access systems is well known. Much of this cost is related to the widespread use of cannulae for penetration of septa or to the use of expensive luer activation valves and internal spike based systems.
The ideal medical fluid access device must be applicable to all medical fluid delivery or blood access systems including IV lines, saline wells, arterial lines, hemodialysis lines, and any other site wherein fluid access for blood withdrawal or drug and fluid injection is desired and must have the following nine important characteristics:
1. Backward compatibility with conventional blunt cannulae. PA1 2. Absence of flow limitation below the rate of flow through the luer cannula. PA1 3. Absence of substantive negative pressure upon withdrawal of the luer lock connector from the device. PA1 4. Low force of insertion of the luer tip into the device. PA1 5. Absence of substantive kickback after luer tip slip insertion so that a luer tip will remain in a resting advanced position after insertion. PA1 6. Small footprint and low profile (as is associated with conventional simple reseals). PA1 7. Isolation of fluid flow to the central flow path within the device. PA1 8. The basic design must provide a configuration which can be deployed without fluid dead-space in connection with the fluid interface. (Dead-space, such as that associated with the fixed lumen of central spike, will leave residual blood in the device if it is used for blood withdrawal). PA1 9. Manufacturing cost similar to conventional standard reseals. (These simple devices were the basic access sites for fluid access for over 2 decades and constitute the cost basis for the optimal target manufacturing cost of any new system which aspires to become the new universal standard.)
It is an object of the present invention to provide a medical fluid access device, which can provide all of these nine characteristics and which can become the new universal standard for medical fluid access.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,466,219 (the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference as if completely disclosed herein) provides background for the present invention and discloses a septum with a central slit having a low penetration resistance adjacent an upper septum portion and tight sealing adjacent a lower septum portion. This type of septum design allows penetration by a large diameter cannula, such as a luer tip, to be achieved with an acceptable penetration force at the atmospheric interface while providing tight sealing in a lower portion of the septum. U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,544 (the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference as if completely disclosed herein) also provides background for the present invention and discloses a luer penetration receiving septum which eliminates the need for cannulae and needles. This invention discloses an elongated solid septum with a central slit. The septum includes a solid centrally slitted portion projecting centrally within the housing. This portion has a reduced transverse dimension lateral to the long transverse axis of the slit which effectively reduces the lateral deflection diameter of the septum after a luer tip has been received into a central slit so that the septum and housing and the penetrating luer taper can be contained within the confines of a cylindrical luer lock connector. The preferred embodiment includes slots in alignment with the long transverse axis of the slit to receive a portion of the laterally displaced septum volume on penetration by the luer tip. The use of properly positioned slots allows the lower portion of the septum to have sufficient mass lateral to the slit to reliably rebound to its resting shape thereby rapidly closing the slit when the luer tapered cannula has been withdrawn.
Referring to FIG. 18, there is schematically shown therein a structure 2010 that corresponds to a mock-up prop device that was made for showing the concept of the invention of the '544 patent. That device was formed by drilling out lateral portions of the septum 2034 to define cavities 2068 for receiving displaced septum portion(s) resulting from insertion of a male luer into the septum 2034. More particularly, to form a luer receiver having a septum with an extension of reduced width, a commercially available injection site for receiving a narrow blunt cannula was drilled out from each side with a thin circular grinding wheel oriented in parallel to the slit and coming in through the housing 2012, perpendicular to the slit to form cavities 2068 for receiving displaced septum portions when a male luer is inserted into the septum 2034. It is evident that to ensure a patent fluid passage to the patient, in a commercial form the septum would be preformed to have the desired extension and the housing walls would not be drilled through, e.g. the cavities 2068 would be defined entirely by the reduced thickness of the septum extension 2040, or cutouts in the housing wall would not extend entirely therethrough. In this structure, the septum 2034 was fully received within the housing 2012 and cavities 2068 are defined lateral to the septum extension 2040.
The present invention includes an improved septum and housing configuration which is inexpensive to manufacture and which provides features increasing the rebound to the resting "closed slit" position thereby reducing the potential for leakage when used in situations of high pressure, such as arterial lines or hemodialysis lines. The present invention also provides a configuration which is associated with a reduced penetration force requirement for penetration of the septum, even with a flat faced large diameter luer tip, and which reduces or eliminates the negative pressure associated with luer tip withdrawal.
Generally the luer penetration receiver comprises a housing having an inlet and an outlet. The housing includes a proximal portion sized to be received and threaded into the conventional cylindrical luer lock end. An elongated elastomeric septum defining a longitudinal axis is provided having a sealing portion within the housing. The septum includes a target portion comprising an upper septum portion and a lower septum portion. The upper portion preferably projects above the housing and defines an atmospheric face. The lower portion is positioned adjacent the housing inlet. A slit extends through the septum from the sealing portion to the atmospheric face. The slit defines a longitudinal axis along the longitudinal axis of the septum and a long transverse axis along the transverse axis of the septum. The septum can include opposing lateral slits or grooves which separate the upper portion from the lower portion. The septum can further include an extension which projects centrally within the housing and has a reduced transverse width perpendicular to the long transverse axis of the slit when compared to the upper portion.
The septum preferably occludes the housing inlet. The upper portion of the septum preferably has a cross-sectional area greater than the cross-sectional area of the luer tip. The inlet is configured to provide opposing inlet wall platforms positioned below the upper septum portion. (The platforms can also extend around the septum to be circumferential). The septum upper portion preferably rests on the upper surface of the inlet wall platforms. At least a portion of the opposing platforms are positioned below opposing lateral portions of the upper portion of the septum lateral to and in relative alignment with the long transverse axis of the slit. The platforms preferably include opposing projections, which project into the opposing slits in the lateral wall of the septum. The opposing projections within the opposing slits preferably have upwardly sloping surfaces and the surface is highest adjacent the lateral edge of the septum to lever the opposing portions of the lateral septum portions upwardly with the leverage force being directed toward and along the long transverse axis of the slit thereby providing rapid resealing of the slit upon withdrawal of the luer tip from the slit. In association with the wedge effect of the sloping surfaces below the upper septum portion, the advancement of the tip against the central portion of the septum face induces relative upward deflection of the lateral portions of the septum by tipping the lateral walls upward as the central portion of the face deflects downward. In the preferred embodiment, the inlet wall platform is circumferential and extends from a low position of opposing wall troughs adjacent and perpendicular to the ends of the central slit, to a high position defining opposing wall peaks extending along an axis in relative alignment with the long transverse axis of the slit. This septum and inlet configuration facilitates penetration by the large diameter luer tip by allowing modest central downward deflection while tipping opposing lateral portions of the face upward thereby inducing a "facial valley" with laterally opposing upwardly sloping septum portions of the face aligned with the central slit . This induced configuration focuses the insertion force to wedge open the slit in opposing vectors perpendicular to the slit. Further, the upward deflection of the opposing lateral portions of the septum effectively reduces the lateral cross-sectional area of the upper septum portion at the atmospheric face thereby facilitating capture of the septum by the surrounding luer lock housing during penetration. Upon withdrawal of the luer tip, the leverage force discussed supra causes the slit at the atmospheric face to be forcibly closed. An important and unexpected benefit of using focused levered upward lateral deflection to seal the uppermost portion of the slit is that this configuration places the seal in a mechanically receptive position to be easily penetrated by even a flat large diameter luer tip. In addition, this configuration allows the resting concavity at the face to be minimized. If preferred, the upper portion of the septum can be molded in a "mushroom" configuration with the lateral walls thereof sloping downward and the undersurfaces of those lateral walls sloped downwardly, and the septum subsequently slit in this configuration. With this configuration upward deflection of the lateral walls can be induced by lateral portions of the housing that are not elevated and in fact could have a horizontal or even slightly laterally downwardly sloping configuration provided the downward slope is less than the downward slope of the undersurfaces of the lateral walls of the upper portion of the septum. This configuration will induce wedge compression at the slit adjacent the surface of the septum without a significant facial valley.
To provide additional sealing, the septum can have a region of focused compression of a short segment of the slit below and adjacent to the upper portion of the septum and preferably immediately adjacent the portion of the slit sealed by the leverage inducing platforms described supra. A second region of focused compression can be provided adjacent the extension or adjacent a distal end of the septum. The septum can include a lower portion mounted between the opposing platform projections which are aligned with the long transverse axis of the slit and which can project into the corresponding matching grooves in the lateral wall of the septum (which can be the same lateral grooves noted above which separate the upper and lower housing portions). The septum has a lateral transverse dimension intermediate the projections slightly greater than the corresponding internal dimension intermediate the opposing projections between which the septum is positioned. The septum is thereby slightly compressed transversely along a short longitudinal segment of the slit by the opposing projections perpendicular to the slit. This compression can be focused along a short segment of the slit by configuring the projections to have a narrow projecting vertical dimension at the projection ends such as is provided by a relatively pointed end. As described for the upper face, the upper surface of the platform projections are sloped to facilitate vertical deflection or expansion of the septum during insertion of the luer tip. This can also be provided for the lower surface of the projection. This is beneficial because the cylindrical luer lock connector is severely constraining relative to the potential space available for lateral deflection and any vertically deflected volume (especially upward and away from the housing inlet) can reduce the width of the lateral space required. While the focused compression induces resistance to penetration by the luer tip, this resistance can be easily overcome because of the matched shape of the projections and septum allows for expansion around (above and below) the projections into septum expansion receivers such as horizontal slots. A region of reduced resistance to the upwardly wedging force along the septum, such as is provided by extending the opposing lateral slits, intermediate the projections can be provided. The extended lateral slits and the focused compression just below the point wherein the central slit is levered closed allows the upper portion to be wedged upward without pulling open the central slit below the wedge.
When the luer tip is pushed against a septum face with the aforementioned configuration, a facial valley develops, easy penetration occurs, and, upon penetration, the opposing upper portions of the septum lateral to the long transverse axis slit are displaced laterally. To be useful as a luer lock receiver, it is very important to note that despite the receipt of the large diameter luer tip, the extent of lateral expansion of the septum must be contained within a minimal space so that the luer penetration receiver can be threaded into the limited confines of the cylindrical luer lock connector. This is true for both the septum portion contained within the housing and any septum portion above the housing. Also despite the tight space limitations and the need for tight sealing of the slit, lateral expansion of the slit by the luer tip must not be greatly inhibited so as to minimize the force of luer tip penetration into the septum. In the present invention, the housing and the septum are configured to present to each other a reduced vertical cross-sectional surface area for compressive contact between the housing and the septum during lateral septum expansion. This reduces the magnitude of the penetration force required to achieve lateral expansion of the septum thereby minimizing the penetration force. Using narrow opposing platform projections of the inlet wall can minimize this vertical cross-sectional area and facilitate expansion into an associated slot inferior or superior to the projection. By positioning the housing inlet adjacent the upper portion of the septum and by eliminating or reducing any housing structure lateral to the outer wall of the septum upper portion, the functional equivalent of a circumferential slot is achieved for the septum upper portion, allowing ease of lateral displacement of the septum upper portion above the inlet platforms. Alternatively, slots, or cutouts interposed between narrow vertically oriented posts may be used either lateral to the septum upper portion and/or lateral to the septum lower portion. This configuration allows much of the laterally expanded septum mass to be displaced around (above, below, or between) the posts rather than being compressed against it.
As noted previously, the septum further can include an extension having a smaller cross-sectional area than the upper portion projecting centrally within the housing proximal portion to the septum target portion. The slit extends centrally through the septum extension. Providing a slot or a cutout of the lateral wall of the septum extension can provide the smaller cross-sectional area of the extension of the septum. These slots or cutouts can be positioned in parallel alignment with the long transverse axis of the slit between the surrounding housing and the lateral wall of the septum extension. The septum slot or cutout provides room for the expansion of the septum within the confines of the proximal portion of the housing.
In one presently preferred embodiment, the septum further defines an enlarged enhanced sealing region adjacent the distal end of the septum. The slit of this sealing portion is tightly sealed. This may be achieved by a compression seal (of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,466,219). Alternatively, another enhanced sealing configuration may be used. If the compression seal is used, the sealing portion preferably has a greater cross-sectional area lateral to the slit than either the lower portion or the upper portion. The larger area provides room for ease of lateral septum displacement despite compression over a longer length of the slit. Since the enhanced sealing portion may be positioned slightly distal to the maximum intussuseption length of the cylindrical luer lock connector, an improved seal can be provided in this portion by a longer compression seal along the slit since it is not necessary to tightly constrain or minimize the vertical compressive interaction between the housing and septum in the manner discussed supra for the upper, the lower, and the extension portions of the septum. Alternatively, another short focused region of septum compression can be provided along the housing or a septum sealing portion such as a duckbill portion (of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,544) may be used.
It is an object and purpose of the present invention to provide an inexpensive, improved luer lock receiving septum having a configuration which provides rapid and tight resealing and yet allows penetration of the septum by the luer tip with a low penetration force.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a deflection inducing member to provide opposing upward deflection of a septum portion to lever closed a slit at the face of the septum.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a septum face having a minimum effective diameter during luer penetration while providing a maximum diameter of the initial target for luer tip advancement.
Another object the present invention is to provide an elongated septum having a central slit which includes an upper target face of enlarged diameter wherein the septum includes a central lower septum extension projecting about the slit below the inlet and into a housing so that the narrow extension can be more easily penetrated by entry into the narrow extension through the larger face and further so that there is provided sufficient room for both the laterally displaced extension of the septum, the luer taper, and the housing to be received into a conventional luer lock connector.
It is a further object of the present invention to minimize or eliminate the negative pressure deflection normally associated with the withdrawal of the large diameter luer cannula from an enclosed fluid filled lumen by providing isolation from the portion receiving the luer cannula by a distal sealing portion or by providing a septum extension around the slit which functions as a resting fluid displacement member and which inhibits fluid from entering the insertion zone after withdrawal of the luer cannula.
It is further the purpose of the present invention to provide a face, which is comprised of a homogeneous elastomer, which can be comprehensively wiped. (This is similar to the conventional simple reseal used in medicine for decades) The present invention has no open crevices or inaccessible spaces, which have contiguity with the luer, access face, or slit, or fluid path. There is no circumferential piston-to-cylinder space or crevice at the luer contact face of the valve as is associated with the conventional luer access valves in wide use. This space has the greatest potential for colonization. It comprises a circumferential crevice, which is in direct contact with the septum face and it contacts the end of the luer tip and is in direct contiguity with the fluid path. Drops of fluid at the septum outer face will contact both the circumferential crevice and the slit so that contamination contiguity from a microbiologic perspective is operative with the first activation and at any time during subsequent use. Bacteria and fluid gaining entry into the circumferential crevice are displaced back and forth and are not accessible to wiping. Parenteral nutrition fluid gaining entry to the crevice provides a perfect culture medium for rapid bacteria growth. This growth is inaccessible to wiping and is pistoned back and forth in direct contact with fluid droplets on the outer face and the slit itself for potential entry into the patient's blood stream.
It is further the purpose of the present invention to provide a long slit, which provides for a secure seal of the fluid path to reduce the potential for bacterial egress.
It is further the purpose of the present invention to provide a high surface sealing force as by compressive sealing which is applied and focused directly at the surface by the lever action on the upper septum portion. This allows maximum tight sealing exactly at the surface interface with the surrounding environment so tiny open crevices do not form at the surface exit point of the slit. This helps to prevent the egress of droplet contamination at the surface of the slit. This is advantageous over transverse compression alone since a central slit will not lever closed as tightly directly at the surface by transverse compression applied below the upper surface of the septum. Indeed if the surface is induced into a convex configuration by transverse compression then there can be a tendency for slight gapping of the slit at the surface.
It is further the purpose of the present invention to provide a septum with relatively high mass so that the slit is more securely and more robustly sealed in a range of usage situations.
It is further the purpose of the present invention to provide a simple configuration having only a septum and outer housing, and wherein there are no internal parts in contiguity with the fluid path.
It is further the purpose of the present invention to provide a wiping action of the long septum on the luer tip, which wiping action can be exploited further by adding an antimicrobial agent to the elastomer as discussed below.
It is further the purpose of the present invention to provide a design wherein the entire contact between the luer tip and the valve is with the elastomer.
It is further the purpose of the present invention to provide an antimicrobial barrier associated with the elastomer such an antimicrobial coating of the elastomer (as is known in the art) or as by molding the septum from an antimicrobial elastomer (such antimicrobial elastomers are known in the art). This assures that a comprehensive barrier is provided at all surfaces potentially contacting the luer tip during insertion. Since the luer tip contacts only the elastomer during and after insertion, there is no need to coat or otherwise apply antimicrobial to or within the housing structure although it may be applied if desired.
It is further the purpose of the present invention to provide a distal seal in combination with a long slit which therefore allows a syringe attached to a luer tip extending through the septum to be decompressed upon partial withdrawal within the septum to avoid blood spurting during blood sampling. (The background of the prevention of blood spurting during pressurized blood sampling can be reviewed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,400, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference as if completely disclosed herein).

Luer receiver and method for fluid transfer


A quasi-interdigitated transistor (50) for rf power applications has a plurality of channel regions (102-118) that are each offset from each other in a y-direction such that a q.sub.x heating component from adjacent channel regions will affect any one channel region to a lesser extent that the q.sub.x from adjacent channel regions in the conventional interdigitated structure. In a preferred embodiment, the channel regions (102-118) are formed in a single, curved, V-shaped row such that the cumulative transverse width of all of the transistor sections is less than the waveguide cutoff frequency. The V-shaped row of transistor sections also provides the advantage of parallel signal paths having approximately the same propagation time delay such that there is no phase cancellation within the device.

Solid-state power amplifiers have received considerable attention since the invention of the solid-state transistor and the solid-state integrated circuit. Heat is generated in the active regions of field effect transistors (FETs) and bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) as a result of I.sup.2 R losses. This heat affects the reliability and thus the mean time before failure (MTBF) of these transistors. Fourier's law of heat conduction describes the spatial flow of heat through a substance by the following one-dimensional expression: ##EQU1## where q, the heat flux, is a heat rate per unit area; k is the thermal conductivity of the conducting medium; T is the temperature; and d/dx is the differential with respect to distance. The more general form is the vector expression: EQU q=-k t (2)
where overstruck quantities represent vector quantities and the symbol represents divergence.
The semiconductor chip in which a solid-state power amplifier is built is typically mounted on a metal or composite material having a thermal conductivity that is at least two times greater than the thermal conductivity of the semiconductor, k.sub.semi. As a result, k.sub.semi is generally the limiting component in heat dissipation from the power amplifier.
The thermal conductivity of the semiconductor, k.sub.semi, is a function of temperature. For temperatures above approximately 20K, k.sub.semi can be expressed by the following relation: ##EQU2## where k.sub.0 is the thermal conductivity of the conducting medium at the reference temperature, T.sub.0 is the reference temperature, and T is the temperature of the conducting medium. The reference temperature, T.sub.o, is generally room temperature or, in degrees Kelvin, approximately 300K. For pure silicon (Si) and gallium arsenide (GaAs), the values for k.sub.0 are 1.45.+-.0.05 and 0.44.+-.0.04 W/cm-K, respectively.
When semiconductor impurity (i.e. dopant) concentrations exceed 10.sup.15 atoms/cm.sup.3, the thermal conductivity of the conducting medium is reduced. This results from photon-electron scattering. In typical semiconductor devices, k.sub.semi will not degrade more than approximately 20% due to semiconductor impurities.
Reliability studies indicate that the active temperature for semiconductor regions, T.sub.active, should not exceed about 150.degree. C. Ambient operating temperatures of any semiconductors are approximately 85.degree. C. Because of these limitations, the density of rf power generated by a power amplifier transistor must be maintained below a predetermined threshold, P.sub.Dmax, to maintain an acceptable operating temperatures and therefore MTBF.
Conventionally, rf power density has been increased while minimizing the overall chip width W by interdigitating small transistor sections or heat-generating regions. These transistor sections are placed as close as possible to each other while maintaining T.sub.active below an acceptable value during device operation.
In high-frequency applications, another problem arises. As the width of the cavity (approximately equal to the chip width, W) in which the transistor is mounted, increases, waveguide resonating modes become possible. These modes effectively feed back a portion of the rf energy to the input of the transistor. This increases the loss of the circuit and can also cause unwanted transistor oscillations. Waveguide resonating modes are strongly attenuated when the width of the cavity is less than half of the effective wavelength, .lambda./2 at the frequency of device operation.
A problem inherent in these conventional interdigitating transistor structures is that adjacent transistor sections contribute significantly to the heat dissipation required by neighboring transistor sections. As a result of demands for increased rf power in system applications at higher and higher frequencies, the standard interdigitated transistor structure is no longer sufficient.
Another conventional approach is to use thinner semiconductor substrates. This increases the dT/dz, where z is in the direction of the substrates thickness, and causes increased heat transfer. However, in many integrated circuit applications, such as monolithic microwave integrated circuits, certain other components such as distributed transmission lines fix lower limits on substrate thickness.
From the above, it can be seen that a need has arisen for a high-frequency rf power transistor having acceptable heat dissipation while being capable of generating increased rf power within fixed physical dimensions.

Thermally optimized interdigitated transistor


An automatic multi-purpose analyzer performs qualitative and quantitative analysis of biological samples such as blood, urine, etc. and includes a plurality of analysis units connected in series through a transfer line for transferring the sample, wherein failure caused by incorrect surface detection is resolved. The plurality of analysis units are connected in series through a transfer line for transferring a sample, each analysis unit including a pipetting mechanism for pipetting the sample, and wherein each of the analysis units includes a transmission mechanism for transmitting information about the amount of sample, obtained upon sample pipetting by the pipetting mechanism of each analysis unit, to other analysis units.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic multi-purpose analyzer which performs qualitative and quantitative analysis of biological samples such as blood, urine, etc. More particularly, the present invention relates to an automatic multi-purpose analyzer having a function for transferring a sample between a plurality of analysis units through a transfer apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the excellent measurement reproducibility, quantitative characteristics, and rapid analysis capabilities, a remarkably increasing number of automatic analyzers are used mainly in inspection centers and large hospitals. In particular, inspection centers which collect samples from local minor hospitals and analyze the samples on behalf of these hospitals are demanding a high-throughput analyzer capable of analyzing a number of samples in a short time. In order to meet this demand, a modularized analyzer having a plurality of analysis units connected in series through a transfer line is commercially available. Such a modularized analyzer is described, for example, in Japanese Patent No. 2988362.


A dermal or transdermal segmented dosage unit for administering a dosage of a pharmaceutical to the skin of a patient. The dosage unit of this invention includes a backing layer which is non-permeable with respect to a pharmaceutical to be administered by the dosage unit, a membranous layer that is permeable to the pharmaceutical, a biologically acceptable adhesive, an impermeable coating means for dividing and severing the dosage unit into pre-selected segmental areas corresponding to fractional dosages of pharmaceutical. The fractional dosages may be administered in any pre-selected combination.

Transdermal absorption dosage units have been developed for use with a variety of pharmaceutical products, including beta-blockers, estrogen replacements, and nitroglycerin. An example of a dosage unit has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,441 granted to Andriola et al. As disclosed therein, a dermal or transdermal patch includes a compartmentalized layer containing at least one drug or drug formulation within a respective compartment. The walls separating adjoining compartments are burstable thus allowing the respective pharmaceuticals of each adjoining compartment to be mixed or worked together by the user prior to applying the patch. Typically, transdermal absorption dosage units comprise a number of layers including a removable backing layer, an adjoining layer including a dosage of a pharmaceutical, a biologically acceptable adhesive means and an impermeable coating. During treatment, a heath care professional selects the appropriate dosage from an array of prepackaged dosage units. Each dosage requires a different dosage unit selection. Hence, a medical professional may prescribe a particular dosage unit for a patient, but if the dosage is inadequate, either by providing too high or low a dosage for that particular individual, the patient must buy an additional supply of the new dosage. This can be costly and wasteful to the patient, as dosage units in the unsatisfactory dosage level are left unused. Further, this procedure is time consuming for both the medical professional and the patient, particularly in cases in which the dosage must be modified and monitored over time to achieve the optimal dosage result for a particular individual. In those instances, the medical professional must rewrite a prescription for the patient to refill each time a different dosage is to be tried.


There is provided a pigment dispersant that is a block polymer P in which a hydrophobic polymer block A and a hydrophilic polymer block B containing an anionic group are linked to each other. The block polymer P has a number average molecular weight ranging from 1000 to 4000; and where the block polymer P is subjected to 100% neutralization of the anionic group with a basic compound and dispersed in water and where the fine particles of the dispersed block polymer P are subjected to measurement of a scattering profile by small- or ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering that involves use of synchrotron radiation, at least one minimum value in the scattering profile is present within the range of a scattering vector q from 0.1 to 1 nm−1. There is also provided an aqueous pigment dispersion containing the pigment dispersant, a pigment, a basic compound, and an aqueous medium.

Ink-jet recording has been used in a wider range of applications than before; it is used at home, at office, for photography, and out of doors. Printed matters therefore need to have a weather resistance (light resistance) and a storability. In ink-jet recording, dyes have been mainly used as colorants; however, they have problems in terms of light resistance, and thus aqueous ink-jet recording inks in which pigments having a good light resistance are used have been developed.
Since pigments are water-insoluble, techniques for stably dispersing them in aqueous media are necessary. In a known one of such techniques, a pigment is coated with a self-water-dispersible resin in which some of acid groups have been neutralized with basic groups, such as a styrene-(meth)acrylic-acid-based copolymer in which some of (meth)acrylic acid groups have been neutralized; and this pigment is dispersed and diluted with an aqueous medium (for instance, see Patent Literature 1). Such a pigment dispersion using the resin dispersant, however, generates coarse particles in some cases.
Coarse particles are particles having a particle size so much larger than the average particle size of an obtained aqueous pigment dispersion, and they are speculated to be formed by non-dispersion of a pigment, agglomeration of a pigment that has been dispersed but broken, or agglomeration of a polymer to be used as the pigment dispersant.
Such coarse particles prevent formation of the even surface of a coating film in painting and printing and cause nozzle clogging of an ink-jet head in printing in which an ink, such as an aqueous ink-jet recording ink, is ejected from the nozzle. In particular, as ink-jet printers have become more high-resolution these days, the nozzles of an ink-jet head are arranged at higher density, and finer liquid droplets are ejected, in other words, the nozzles for ejecting ink each have a smaller diameter and are more integrated (for example, see Patent Literature 2). As the diameter of nozzles becomes smaller, the acceptable size of foreign objects becomes smaller; as a result, nozzle clogging is more likely to be caused, and thus inks that have been able to be used in typical ink-jet printers cannot be used in a new printer that has been developed to have a high-resolution ink-jet head, which is problematic. Accordingly, a reduction in coarse particles is necessary in applications to high-resolution ink-jet printers.
In a known technique for reducing generation of coarse particles having a large particle size, for example, a block polymer compound having a hydrophobic segment and a hydrophilic segment including a hydrophobic unit and hydrophilic unit is used as a pigment dispersant (for instance, see Patent Literature 3). In the block polymer compound disclosed in Patent Literature 3, the hydrophobic segment, which consists of the hydrophobic unit, as a repeating unit and the hydrophobic unit and hydrophilic unit as a repeating unit form a random copolymer structure or a gradient structure; the hydrophobic segment is oriented to be inside in an aqueous solvent, so that a micelle in which a hydrophilic shell is disposed around a hydrophobic core is formed; in the case where a liquid composition in which the block polymer compound having such a structure is dispersed is applied to a recording medium by an ink-jet technique and where the surface of the recording medium is observed with, for example, an electron microscope, coarse particles are not found; and in the case where a liquid composition in which a block polymer compound having a hydrophobic segment and a hydrophilic segment consisting of only a hydrophilic unit is dispersed is used, spherical coarse particles having a diameter of approximately 100 nm are found.
Coarse particles are, however, generated even with the technique disclosed in Patent Literature 3 in some cases. In addition, Patent Literature 3 does not refer to a reduction in the absolute number of coarse particles at all.

Aqueous pigment dispersion, pigment dispersant, and core-shell polymer particles


An energy converter for inducing membrane vibrations when subject to a fluid flow and converting the kinetic energy embedded in the fluid flow into another form of energy, such as electricity. The energy converter includes a supporting structure and multiple generator units. Each generator unit includes at least one flexible membrane, and at least one electrical conductor and at least one magnetic field generator configured to apply a magnetic field to the at least one electrical conductor, wherein one of the electrical conductor and the magnetic field generator is attached to the membrane and configured to move with the membrane. Each membrane vibrates when subject to the fluid flow and has at least two ends supported by the supporting structure. The vibration of each membrane creates a relative movement between the conductor and a magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator, which induces a current. A power conditioning circuit is provided to condition the current.

This disclosure describes various embodiments of novel energy converters, such as electrical generators, that effectively promote oscillations induced by flowing fluids, and utilize the oscillations in generating electricity or other types of energy by converting energy present in fluid flows, such as airflows, water flows, tides, etc. In one aspect, an exemplary generator harnesses the kinetic energy of fluid flows by way of aeroelastic flutter induced along a tensioned membrane fixed at two or more points.
An exemplary energy converter includes a supporting structure, at least one magnetic field generator, at least one electrical conductor, and at least one flexible membrane. Each flexible membrane has at least two ends supported by the supporting structure, and the membrane vibrates when subject to a fluid flow. As used herein, the term "flexible" refers to a membrane that has the ability to morph into a large variety of determinate and indeterminate shapes in response to the action of an applied force.
The at least one magnetic field generator may be implemented as permanent magnets attached to, and move with, the membrane. For instance, one or more magnets are integrated into or onto either side or both sides of the oscillating membrane. Those magnetic field generators are disposed in proximity to corresponding electrical conductors. The electrical conductors may be implemented as aluminum or copper coils of various geometries. A variation of the arrangement of the magnets and the electrical conductors may be attaching or affixing the electrical coils to the membrane and disposed in proximity to corresponding magnetic field generators.
The flowing fluid induces a spontaneous instability in the tensioned membrane known as aeroelastic flutter, or simply "flutter". The flutter of the membrane results in a high energy oscillation mode, with a reduced torsion oscillation near the magnets nearer the ends of the membrane. Additionally, vortices shedding may occur along the edges and surface of the membrane, in some cases enhancing the oscillation.
The vibration of the membrane induced by the fluid flow causes a relative movement between the at least one electrical conductor and the applied magnetic field. The relative movement causes a change in the strength of the magnetic field applied to the electrical conductor, which induces a current flowing in the conductor.
This electric generator operates at a variety of wind speeds, including lower speeds than required for most turbine-based generators. Moreover, the cost of an exemplary generator of this disclosure is substantially lower than most other fluid flow harvesting generators. The absence of physically grinding parts offers the possibility of long, quiet, maintenance-free operation. No leading bluff bodies are required to initiate or sustain oscillation, although they can be employed if desired.
Additional aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description, wherein only exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown and described, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present disclosure. As will be realized, the present disclosure is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.

Energy converters utilizing fluid-induced oscillations


A preloaded resistance pack and exercise device. The resistance pack includes an elastomeric resistance element coupled to a hub and disposed on a plate. The hub includes a pair of radially extending wings that lie against a surface of the plate. The plate includes a pair of raised tabs that lie within a rotational path of the wings. An initial rotation of the hub relative to the plate causes the wings to slide over and beyond the raised tabs and at least partially stretches the resistance element. Interaction between the tabs and wings prevents the hub from rotating back to an initial position and maintains the resistance element in a preloaded, tensioned condition. The exercise device is configured to detect a number of the resistance packs coupled thereto as well as data associated with exercise movements employing the resistance packs.

Resistance exercise can provide many health and fitness benefits. Personal resistance exercise devices, including home gyms are plentiful in the consumer marketplace. However, there are many shortcomings that make personal resistance exercise devices inconvenient and cumbersome to use. Most personal exercise resistance devices employ either some form of weights or a resistance mechanism. Weights are inherently heavy, bulky, and are generally limited to use in a single location without some cumbersome transportation to another location.
Resistance mechanisms vary widely in type, complexity, and usability. Many incorporate extensible springs, flexible rods, extensible bands, or the like. These mechanisms may be lighter weight but are often complex and may still be bulky or not well adapted to movement between locations. Additionally, resistance mechanisms often resume a neutral state when placed in a normal or un-actuated position. Thus, when employed in an exercise movement, the amount of resistance provided thereby may start at zero, or be very low through an initial portion of a range of motion of the exercise, thus the user may be unable to get the full benefit of the resistance throughout the entire range of motion of the exercise. Or the user may be required to physically preload the resistance mechanism to achieve an initial resistance, which is cumbersome and may incur additional physical efforts and time. Devices that are configured to provide the desired resistance throughout the range of motion of the exercise may be difficult to manufacture and configure in a preloaded state.

Exercise device and preloaded resistance pack


An exhaust treatment unit includes an exhaust treatment device that treats exhaust gas from an engine of a work vehicle, a bracket including an attachment portion attachable to a hoisting hook, and a detachable component. The bracket supports the exhaust treatment device. The detachable component is attachable to and detachable from the attachment portion. When the unit is attached, the hoisting hook is attached to the attachment portion, the unit is hoisted using a hoisting tool including the hoisting hook, moved to an attachment position and installed in the work vehicle. The hoisting hook is then detached from the attachment portion and the detachable component is attached to the unit using the attachment portion. When the unit is detached, the detachable component is detached from the attachment portion, the hoisting hook is attached to the attachment portion, and the unit is hoisted and detached using the hoisting tool.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exhaust treatment unit for treating exhaust gas from an engine of a work vehicle.
2. Background Information
Work vehicles such as a hydraulic excavator are equipped with an exhaust treatment device. The exhaust treatment device is connected to an engine via a connection pipe (hereinafter, the connection pipe which connects the engine and the exhaust treatment device is referred to as a first connection pipe) in order to treat the exhaust gas from the engine. The exhaust treatment device includes a diesel particulate filter device and a selective catalytic reduction device as shown in, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2012-097413.
The diesel particulate filter device is connected to the first connection pipe and performs treatment of reducing particulates in the exhaust gas from the engine. The treated exhaust gas is transferred to the selective catalytic reduction device via a connection pipe (hereinafter, the connection pipe which connects the diesel particulate filter device and the selective catalytic reduction device is referred to as a second connection pipe). The selective catalytic reduction device reduces nitrogen oxide (NOx) contained in the exhaust gas which was treated by the diesel particulate filter. In some cases, the two exhaust treatment devices and the second connection pipe are disposed in a single unit in order to facilitate maintenance, and the unit is installed in a work vehicle. Such a unit is referred to as an exhaust treatment unit.
The diesel particulate filter device and the selective catalytic reduction device are replaced after having been used for a predetermined period of time. Accordingly, the exhaust treatment unit is detached from the work vehicle after the predetermined period of time elapses. Since the exhaust treatment unit is heavy, it is desirable to hoist and transport the exhaust treatment unit using a hoisting device such as a crane when detaching the exhaust treatment unit. For this purpose, it is preferable that the exhaust treatment unit is provided with holes through which the hoisting hooks of the hoisting device can pass.
Further, various accessory components may be attached to the exhaust treatment unit in addition to the diesel particulate filter device and the selective catalytic reduction device. It is desirable to secure a structure for attaching these accessory components.
Providing a hole by which the exhaust treatment unit is hung on the hoisting hook of the hoisting device and a structure for attaching accessory components separately in the exhaust treatment unit complicates the structure of the exhaust treatment unit.
It is an aim of the present invention to solve the problem described above which occurs by separately providing the hole through which the hoisting hook of the hoisting device is inserted and the structure for attaching the accessory components.

Exhaust treatment unit and method of attaching and detaching exhaust treatment unit


A dry powder stabilizing agent useful for suspending cocoa solids in dry mix instant chocolate drink formulations that are reconstituted with hot water. The stabilizing agent is a coprocessed, codried powdered composition containing colloidal microcrystalline cellulose, a minor amount of starch, and a non-thickening water-soluble diluent such as maltodextrin, whey or non-fat dry milk.

The invention relates to a dry powder composition containing microcrystalline cellulose, useful as a stabilizing agent in the rapid dispersion and suspension in aqueous media of certain dry, powdered materials, and especially cocoa particles in instant chocolate drink mixes. More particularly, the stabilizing agent is a spray-dried composition containing colloidal microcrystalline cellulose, starch, and a water-soluble diluent for the microcrystalline cellulose.
Dry mix instant chocolate drink products are powdered formulations that, when mixed with water or milk, yield a chocolate drink. A serious disadvantage of many such chocolate drinks is that the cocoa particles settle very rapidly after an initial stirring, forming a chocolate sediment at the bottom of the container and giving the liquid a dilute, watery flavor.
Commercially-prepared chocolate drinks typically employ a stabilizer that functions as a suspending agent for the cocoa particles. Colloidal microcrystalline cellulose, such as the carboxymethyl cellulose-coated microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) described in Durand et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,539,365 and sold by FMC Corporation under the brand names Avicel.RTM. RC and Gelstar.RTM., is one such stabilizing agent. The heat-sterilized artificial dairy drink described in McGinley et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,684,523 utilizes the colloidal MCC of Durand et al. '365, but uses high shear mixing devices in the preparation. See, also, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,563,798, which describes the use of high shear devices, in this case for making gum substitutes from starch, as well as U.S. Pat. No. 4,216,242 directed to making freezable gel confections with high shear mixers.
Colloidal microcrystalline cellulose must be activated, or "peptized," once it is dispersed in an aqueous medium, to cause the individual colloidal MCC particles to deagglomerate and provide optimum suspension properties. Activation of a stabilizer system containing colloidal microcrystalline cellulose often requires high levels of shear, such as provided by commercial mixing devices like propeller mixers or homogenizers. These procedures are feasible for stabilizing agents intended for use in commercially-prepared drinks but are not practical for home use.
Stabilizers intended for home use or vending machine use, however, should be capable of being activated by simple spoon stirring. The stringency of this requirement can be appreciated only if it is recognized that rapid dispersion and long-term suspension of cocoa particles in an aqueous medium is a severe test for any solids stabilizing agent.
One commercially-available stabilizer intended for home use instant mixes is that described in McGinley, U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,717 and marketed under the brand name Microquick.RTM.. It contains colloidal MCC in combination with milk solids or whey. Although this stabilizer normally provides satisfactory functionality, nevertheless stabilizer systems for certain end-use applications such as instant chocolate drink mixes intended for vending machine use, must be capable of being activated with only simple spoon stirring. The stabilizing agent of this invention is capable of satisfying this need.

Microcrystalline cellulose-based stabilizer system for dry mix instant chocolate drink


A excitation system and a generator arrangement with the excitation system is proposed. The excitation system comprises a converter adapted for converting an AC current to a DC current, a switching device for short circuiting an AC input of the converter, and an arc detection device for detecting an arc fault in the excitation system and for actuating the switching device upon detecting the arc fault. Therein, the switching device comprises an irreversible switch adapted for short circuiting the AC input such that the arc fault is quenched. This provide a comprehensive protection against arc faults.

Electrical power supply systems, such as e.g. DC power supply systems used in excitation systems for generators, which are used for exiting the generator, may be based on a converter for converting an AC current to a DC current. The DC current may then be supplied to a main system, such as e.g. to a generator.
As result of a malfunction and/or a short circuit in a component of the main system and/or in the power supply system, arc faults may occur, which may potentially damage components or parts of the power supply system and/or the main system.
To avoid are faults and/or to prevent arc faults from fully establishing, current limiting systems may be employed, which current limiting systems may be adapted for limiting excessive transient currents e.g. in a supply line of the power supply system. However, such current limiting systems may be rather cost-intensive.


A method for testing a subscriber line of a PABX (Private Automatic Branch eXchange) using a DTMF (Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency) signal. The method includes the step of controlling a DTMF transmitter in response to a line test request from an exchange operator to transmit the DTMF signal to the subscriber line, the step of receiving a component of the transmitted DTMF signal reflected from the subscriber line due to impedance mismatching, and the step of determining from a strength of the received DTMF signal component whether the subscriber line is abnormal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a PABX (Private Automatic Branch eXchange) and keyphone system, and more particularly to a method for automatically detecting an abnormal state on a speech path of a PABX or keyphone system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a PABX (Private Automatic Branch eXchange) is a system that forms a speech path between a trunk line connected to a central office line and extensions connected to extension subscribers, or a speech path among the extension subscribers, to provide a call service to the extension subscribers. However, such a system has a problem that if a trunk port or extension port of the system is abnormal, no speech service may be provided to a subscriber connected to the abnormal port.
In order to solve the above problem, a conventional line tester has been installed in a switching board, as in a subscriber circuit of the exchange, to detect whether a subscriber line from the subscriber circuit to a subscriber module is in an abnormal state by manually testing whether the subscriber module and subscriber circuit are normally operated. The conventional line tester includes a test relay for testing operating states of the subscriber module and subscriber circuit. However, the above-mentioned conventional line tester has a disadvantage in that it is low in performance, resulting in waste of test time, high cost due to wasted labor costs, service quality deterioration due to testing during working hours, and the like. Further, a separate test relay must be provided for each subscriber line from the subscriber card, resulting in high cost being incurred. Moreover, the conventional line tester is designed to operate equipment to be tested and test it in every direction, thereby making it very hard to automatically test the equipment.
This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, from my application METHOD FOR TESTING SUBSCRIBER LINE OF PRIVATE AUTOMATIC BRANCH EXCHANGE USING DUAL-TONE MULTI-FREQUENCY SIGNAL filed with the Korean Industrial Property Office on Jan. 16, 2001 and there duly assigned Serial No. 2001-2386 and laid-open on Jul. 24, 2002 with Publication No. 2002-61360.

Method for testing subscriber line of private automatic branch exchange using dual-tone multi-frequency signal


Described herein is a method for providing a clean edge at the interface of a portion of a substrate coated with a coating system and an adjacent portion of the substrate which is uncoated. The method includes the step of forming a zone of non-adherence on the substrate portion which is to be uncoated, prior to application of the coating system. The zone of non-adherence is adjacent the interface, so that the coating system will not adhere to the zone of non-adherence, but will adhere to the portion of the substrate which is to be coated with the coating system.

The present invention is generally directed to methods for providing coatings on selected portions of a substrate. In more particular embodiments, the invention relates to masking techniques used in the application of protective coatings to metallic substrates employed in high temperature applications.
Metal alloys are often used in industrial environments which include extreme operating conditions. For example, the alloys may be exposed to high temperatures, e.g., above about 750C. Moreover, the alloys may be subjected to repeated temperature cycling, e.g., exposure to high temperatures, followed by cooling to room temperature, and then followed by rapid re-heating. As an example, gas turbine engines are often subjected to repeated thermal cycling during operation.
The turbine engine components (and other industrial parts) are often formed of superalloys, which are usually nickel-, cobalt-, or iron-based. Superalloys can withstand a variety of extreme operating conditions. However, they often must be covered with coatings which protect them from environmental degradation, e.g., the adverse effects of corrosion and oxidation.
Various types of coatings are used to protect superalloys and other types of high-performance metals. As one example, a thermal barrier coating (TBC) system is often employed. The TBC system includes a bond layer (usually an MCrAlX material, as described below) and a ceramic overcoat, such as a zirconia-based material. The bond layer promotes adhesion between the substrate and the ceramic overcoat. Many techniques are available to apply the TBC systems. Examples include vacuum plasma deposition (VPS) and air plasma spray (APS).
It is usually very important that protective coatings like the TBC""s are deposited on very specific areas of a substrate. As an example, various sections of a turbine engine nozzle need to be completely covered with a highly adherent TBC system, since these sections are exposed to high-temperature combustion gasses. However, in many instances, adjacent sections of the nozzle must be completely free of the protective coatings. For example, some of the xe2x80x9cslash facesxe2x80x9d of a nozzle may have to be eventually welded. Therefore, they must not contain any coating material which would interfere with the welding process. A xe2x80x9ccleanxe2x80x9d,distinct edge between a coated and an uncoated section of a substrate is often critical to the overall coating process.
To provide one specific example, FIG. 1 is a perspective of a portion of a typical turbine airfoil 10, which includes superalloy substrate 12. In some instances, it is necessary to apply a high-quality TBC system on the surface of substrate 12, as well as on platform 14 and vertical face 16. However, it may also be necessary to keep surface 18 entirely free of TBC or bond coat material. In other words, corner-edge 20 must sometimes be, ultimately, very clean. Top platform 22 is depicted in simplified form, and would also usually include various surfaces which are to be coated, along with adjacent surfaces which are to remain uncoated.
Various techniques are available for ensuring that a clean edge is formed between a coated and uncoated section of a substrate. Usually, the surfaces which are to remain uncoated are taped off prior to the coating deposition step. Often, masks are also used, alone or in conjunction with tape, to prevent deposition of a coating onto an area covered by the pattern of the mask. Mask or tape may also be used to protect sections of the substrate from various pre-treatment steps. As an example, a grit-blasting step is often necessary to roughen a surface prior to the thermal spray-deposition of a coating. It is usually necessary to tape off other sections which are not to be coated, since grit blasting can damage those sections. After the desired coating is deposited, the mask and tape can be removed. Additional coating steps or other treatment steps can then be carried out, which may involve additional masking and taping steps.
While masking techniques are effective in many coating processes, they sometimes exhibit serious drawbacks. xe2x80x9cHardxe2x80x9d metal masks have typically been used in the past. They are usually very thick (at least about 0.125 inch (3.2 mm)), and made of high temperature materials like nickel-based superalloys. It is often time-consuming to position these hard masks on specific sections of the substrate. Moreover, the hard masks are not pliable, and do not easily conform to sections of the substrate which are curved or contain many indentations. Since that conformance is often necessary, hard masks may have to be pre-shaped in separate metalworking procedures, which can be costly and time-consuming.
Furthermore, the xe2x80x9cclean edgexe2x80x9d discussed above is often not possible when a hard mask is used. Such a mask is usually positioned at the boundary between a substrate section to be coated and another section which is to be left uncoated. As coating material is deposited, a hump or ridge of material is built up at the edge adjacent the uncoated section. (This occurrence is often referred to as xe2x80x9cbridgingxe2x80x9d). When the mask is removed, chipping and cracking often occurs along the edge. This problem can be especially severe in the case of ceramic overcoats (e.g., zirconia-based coatings), which have high cohesive strength in a direction horizontal to the plane of the substrate. The force needed to remove the hard mask can cause a significant amount of the desired coating to be pulled off the coated section of the substrate.
In the case of turbine engine components, the loss of any coating material can be a very serious problem, since the edge of the underlying part is then directly exposed to very high in-service temperatures. Moreover, chipping and cracking along the edge can serve as crack propagation sites for further degradation throughout the coating. Thus, time-consuming steps have to be undertaken to repair the coating imperfections. More often, the parts must be entirely stripped and re-coated. These steps add considerable expense to the overall manufacturing process.
Other masking procedures can be used in place of the hard masks. For example, chemical masking techniques are sometimes used, in which a non-bonding coating (e.g., an xe2x80x9canti-bondxe2x80x9d material) is sprayed or painted on selected portions of the substrate. These types of non-bonding materials prevent the protective coatings from permanently adhering to the substrate.
While chemical masking techniques are effective in some applications, they often include drawbacks as well. For example, it often takes about 8-16 hours for the chemical mask to dry, prior to protective coating deposition. Moreover, additional steps are needed to remove the chemical mask after coating deposition is complete. A variety of solvents and additive-based solutions may have to be used to completely remove the chemical mask, since any chemical residue may interfere with subsequent coating, treatment, or welding operations.
It should thus be apparent that new masking processes would be very welcome in the field of protective coating technology. Use of the processes should result in a very clean edge or boundary between coated and uncoated sections of a substrate. The processes should be capable of being carried out in an efficient manner, without causing delays in any other steps undertaken in processing the substrate. Moreover, the processes should be compatible with techniques used to apply protective ceramic and metallic coatings to superalloy substratesxe2x80x94including those which may be curved and/or which may contain various cavities or indentations.
The needs described above have been satisfied by the discovery of a new method for providing a clean edge at the interface of a portion of a substrate coated with a coating system and an adjacent portion of the substrate which is uncoated. The coating system comprises at least two coatings. The method includes the step of forming a zone of non-adherence (as described below) on the substrate portion which is to be uncoated, prior to application of the coating system. The zone of non-adherence is adjacent the interface, so that the coating system will not adhere to the zone of non-adherence, but will adhere to the adjacent portion of the substrate which is to be coated with the coating system.
When the substrate is a high-temperature article such as a turbine engine component, the first coating is usually a bond coat, e.g., an MCrAl(X)-type material, as described below. In that instance, the second coating is usually a thermal barrier coating, such as stabilized zirconia.
A more specific embodiment of the invention is directed to a new technique for masking the surface of the substrate while applying the coatings thereto. The technique includes the following steps:
a) applying a protective tape to a first portion of the surface which is to remain non-roughened;
b) roughening a second portion of the surface adjacent the first portion;
c) removing the protective tape from the first portion of the surface;
d) covering a primary section of the first portion of the surface with a protective sheet, while leaving a fracture zone uncovered, said fracture zone being situated adjacent the second portion of the surface;
e) covering the fracture zone and at least a portion of the protective sheet adjacent the fracture zone with a durable tape;
f) applying a first coating over the substrate surface, so that it adheres to the roughened, second portion of the surface;
g) removing the durable tape to uncover the fracture zone and the portion of the protective sheet;
h) applying a second coating over the surface of the substrate, covering and adhering to the first coating, but not substantially adhering to the fracture zone; and
i) removing the protective sheet.
After removal of the protective sheet, residual coating material usually remains at the interface of the area to be coated and the area to be left uncoated. This residue lies over the fracture zone, and can be very easily removed, as described below. A very clean edge remains, and the coating system applied in the desired area is substantially, free of cracks and other defects which were often caused by prior art-masking techniques.
Further details regarding the various features of this invention are found in the remainder of the specification.

Method for masking selected regions of a substrate


A projection lens system which produces a smaller amount of residual chromatic aberrations and which will exhibit satisfactory performance even if it is used as a long-focus lens. The projection lens system is composed of a front group and a rear group. The front group includes, in order from the object side, a positive first lens element, a positive second lens element and a negative third lens element. The lens system satisfies the following conditions: EQU -0.0015<(.theta.2-.theta.3)/(.nu.2-.nu.3)<0. where .theta.2 and .nu.2 denote the dispersion index of the second lens element and .theta.3 and .nu.3 denote the dispersion index of the third lens element, with .theta. and .nu. being defined by: EQU .theta.=(ng-nF)/(nF-nC) EQU .nu.=(nd-1)/(nF-nC). where ng, nF, nC and nd denote the refractive indices of a lens element at the g, F, C and d lines, respectively.

This application is based on and claims priorities from Japanese Patent Applications No. Hei-3-347594 and No. 3-347595 both filed Oct. 29, 1991.
The present invention relates to a projection lens system that is principally intended to be used in platemaking to project and duplicate patterns.
A known platemaking projection lens system of the type contemplated by the present invention is described in Japanese Patent Publication No. Sho 56-53728. The projection lens system disclosed in the publication exhibits satisfactory imaging performance at life size and at magnifications in its neighborhood and features a compact lens geometry.
However, the prior art projection lens system described above has the problem that chromatic aberrations are not completely corrected and that if it is used as a long-focus lens, a drop in contrast occurs to make it impossible to insure satisfactory performance.
The present invention has been accomplished in the light of these problems of the prior art and has as an object providing a projection lens system that is designed to produce a smaller amount of residual chromatic aberrations and which, hence, will exhibit satisfactory performance even if it is used as a long-focus lens.


A memory device of one embodiment of the technology includes: a plurality of memory cells in a matrix arrangement; a plurality of row wirings each coupled to one end of each memory cell; a plurality of column wirings each coupled to another end of each memory cell, a first decoder circuit coupled to each of the row wirings of even-numbered rows; a second decoder circuit coupled to each of the row wirings of odd-numbered rows; a third decoder circuit coupled to each of the column wirings of even-numbered columns; and a fourth decoder circuit coupled to each of the column wirings of odd-numbered columns. The first decoder circuit, the second decoder circuit, the third decoder circuit, and the fourth decoder circuit are constituted by independent circuits from one another.

In recent years, there has been a desire for enlargement of capacity of non-volatile memories for data storage typified by resistance variable memories such as ReRAM (Resistive Random Accessible Memory). However, currently-existing resistance variable memories that utilize access transistors cause an increase in floor area per unit cell. Accordingly, as compared to, for example, flash memories such as an NAND type, the enlargement of the capacity has not been easy, even in miniaturization using the same design rules. Meanwhile, in a case with the use of a so-called cross point array structure, the floor area per unit cell becomes smaller, leading to achievement of the enlargement of the capacity. The cross point array structure includes arrangement of memory elements at intersections where wirings cross each other, with the wirings extending in different directions in a horizontal plane. Moreover, in a case with the use of a so-called V3D (Vertical 3-Dimention) structure as well, the floor area per unit cell becomes smaller, leading to the achievement of the enlargement of the capacity. The V3D structure includes the arrangement of the memory elements at intersections where horizontally-extending wirings and vertically-extending wirings cross each other.
Memory cells in the cross point array structure or memory cells in the V3D structure include switch elements for cell selection, as well as the memory elements. As the switch elements, used are transistors or elements having diode characteristics. In these memory cells, voltage application to between the crossing wirings makes it possible to change states of the memory cells or to read the states of the memory cells (for example, refer to PTL 1).

Memory device, memory system, and memory control method

Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation


A printing system is provided having a plurality of printers, a conveyor for serially conveying a print medium past each printer so that voxels printed by the successive printer form successive layers of a three dimensional printed structure on the conveyed print medium, and a plurality of curing mechanisms between the printing devices for curing the printed voxels.

Digital additive manufacturing is a process by which an object is defined three dimensionally by a series of volume elements (hereinafter referred to as voxels). The object is then produced by creating/laying down each voxel one at a time, in rows at a time, swaths at a time or layers at a time.
There exists systems that use modified inkjet type technology to 'print' material onto a substrate, so building the object. However, these systems typically utilize a single scanning printhead and are only useful for producing non-working models.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Method of diagnosing Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections utilizing plant lectins which have an affinity for N-acetylglucosamine.

Current methods for definitively diagnosing Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N.g.) infections are time consuming and expensive. The sugar fermentation test, which is most often used in clinical laboratories, requires an incubation period of 6 to 48 hours after primary isolation. Other tests which have been suggested to increase the speed of testing generally require that the testing laboratory have relatively expensive instrumentation available such as fluorescence microscopes or radioimmunoassay equipment. There is a genuine need for a facile, accurate, reproducible, sensitive, specific, inexpensive test for screening large numbers of people. It has been previously demonstrated that lectins extracted from a variety of plants can be used to selectively agglutinate specific types of red blood cells, bacteria and yeasts. A clinical application of this phenomenon has been utilized in identifying specific red blood cell types. Ottensooser et al. have shown that a lectin isolated from Wisteria floribunda seeds would agglutinate certain Group C streptococcus, but would not affect other serotypes of streptococci, see (Infection and Immunity, Vol. 9, No. 5, 971-973 (1974). These workers even suggested that the laboratory tests might be extended to clinical applications. However, there have been no reports of any clinical applications to determine the presence of any kind of infections in humans.


In regeneration control, when the catalyst temperature index temperature (Tg2) using the temperature of the oxidation catalyst (12a) as an index is below a predetermined first determination temperature (Tc1), the engine speed of idling is brought to a predetermined first target engine speed (Nei1) which is higher than the engine speed of idling (Nei0) in the ordinary operation, and, further, multi-injection is carried out. On the other hand, when the catalyst temperature index temperature (Tg2) is the predetermined first determination temperature (Tc1) or above, the engine speed of idling is brought to a predetermined second target engine speed (Nei2), which is lower than the predetermined first target engine speed (Nei1) and is higher than the engine speed of idling (Nei0) in ordinary operation, and, further, post injection is carried out, followed by raising of the temperature of an exhaust gas flown into a DPF apparatus (12b) to a predetermined second determination temperature (Tc2). According to the above constitution, in the regeneration control of the DPF apparatus (12b) in an internal combustion engine (10), the regeneration can be forcibly carried out with high efficiency while enhancing the temperature rise efficiency of the exhaust gas, and, at the same time, excessive rise in the exhaust temperature, a deterioration in fuel consumption, and the occurrence of noise are suppressed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for controlling an exhaust gas purification system and the exhaust gas purification system for performing regeneration control including an exhaust gas temperature rise control accompanied with change of an engine speed of idling in order to recover a purification capacity of an exhaust gas purification device including a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) for purifying components in the exhaust gas in an internal combustion engine such as diesel engines.
2. Background Art
Regulations on an amount of the particulate matter (PM) exhausted from a diesel engine as well as NOx, CO, HC and the like have been tightened year by year. A technology has been developed wherein the PM is collected by a DPF to thereby reduce the PM amount exhausted to the outside. A continuous regeneration type DPF device carrying a catalyst is among them.
In this continuous regeneration type DPF device, when an exhaust gas temperature is approximately 350° C. or above, the PM collected by the filter is continuously burned and purified, and the filter is self-regenerated. However, if the exhaust temperature is low, for example, if a low exhaust temperature state such as in an idling operation, a low-load/low-speed operation, or the like of an internal combustion engine continues or the like, a temperature of the exhaust gas is low, and the temperature of the catalyst is lowered and the catalyst is not activated. Thus, oxidation reaction is not promoted, and oxidation of PM to regenerate a filter becomes difficult. Therefore, accumulation of PM on the filter continues, and clogging of the filter progresses. Thus, there emerges a problem of exhaust pressure rise caused by the clogging of the filter.
One of methods to solve such a problem is a regeneration control for forcedly burning and removing the collected PM by forcedly raising the temperature of exhaust gas when an amount of clogging of the filter exceeds a predetermined one. The method for detecting the clogging of the filter includes a method for detecting using a differential pressure at a front and back of the filter, a method for detecting by calculating a PM amount collected from an operation state of the engine from map data, etc. that is set in advance, and obtaining an amount of the accumulated PM, etc.
Then, in this regeneration control, the exhaust gas temperature rise control is conducted to raise a temperature of the exhaust gas flowing into the filter to the temperature or above at which the PM collected by the filter is burned. By this arrangement, the filter temperature is raised so as to burn and remove the PM and the filter is regenerated. This kind of exhaust gas temperature rise control includes methods of fuel injection in a cylinder (in-cylinder) such as multiple injection (multiple-stage delayed injection), or post injection (after-injection).
The multiple injection is a delayed multiple-stage injection in which the fuel is injected into the cylinder in many stages. By this multiple injection, a fuel amount simply burned in the cylinder without generating torque is increased, and the temperature of the exhaust gas exhausted from the cylinder, that is, the temperature of the exhaust gas flowing into an oxidation catalyst device can be raised to a catalyst activation temperature of the oxidation catalyst or above. The post injection is an auxiliary injection injecting at timing further delayed from the multiple injection after main injection in the in-cylinder injection. By this post injection, HC (hydrocarbon) is increased in the exhaust gas exhausted from the cylinder and the HC is oxidized by the oxidation catalyst. By this oxidation, the temperature of the exhaust gas on the downstream of the oxidation catalyst device can be raised.
On the other hand, there is a problem of oil dilution that the HC is mixed with an engine oil (lubricating oil) by the post-injection and dilutes the engine oil. From a viewpoint of a countermeasure to this problem, the forcible regeneration control is performed during idling when a vehicle is stopped and when an operation state is stable. In this control, when the PM is accumulated in a predetermined amount in the filter device, need of regeneration control of the filter device is notified to an operator (driver) by a warning means such as an alarm lamp. When the driver having received the notification stops the vehicle and presses a manual regeneration button, a manual regeneration control is started and the forced regeneration is carried out.
The oxidation catalyst device is provided in a front stage (upstream side) of the filter device in the system. The HC supplied into the exhaust gas by the post-injection is oxidized through this oxidation catalyst device. Thus, the temperature of the exhaust gas at an entrance of the filter device is increased so as to carry out the forcible regeneration.
In the exhaust temperature rise, when the temperature of the exhaust gas is low as in a low speed and low load operation state, first the temperature of the exhaust gas flowing into the oxidation catalyst device is increased not less than the catalyst activation temperature of the oxidation catalyst by performing the multi-injection. Then, after the temperature of the oxidation catalyst reaches not less than the catalyst activation temperature, the post-injection is performed in addition to the multi-injection. The HC is supplied to the oxidation catalyst device by the post-injection while maintaining the temperature of the exhaust gas not less than the catalyst activation temperature by the multi-injection. Because the HC is oxidized by the oxidation catalyst and generates heat, the exhaust gas flows into the filter device at a state of a further higher temperature. The PM accumulated in the filter device is burned by the exhaust gas with such a higher temperature, and removed.
The exhaust gas purification devices shown in Japanese Patent Application Kokai Publication No. 2004-143987 and Japanese Patent Application Kokai Publication No. 2005-155531, for example, have been proposed as this example. In these devices, the exhaust gas is kept warm by increasing the engine speed of the engine more than the engine speed in a normal idling and by throttling exhaust throttle means (exhaust brake), and at the same time, a multi-injection is performed when the temperature of the exhaust gas flowing into the oxidation catalyst device is not more than the oxidation catalyst activation temperature during the manual regeneration. With these operations, the temperature of the exhaust gas flowing into the oxidation catalyst device is increased not less than the oxidation catalyst activation temperature. After that, the forcible regeneration is further carried out through performing the post-injection. Or, the forcible regeneration is carried out by increasing the engine speed of idling based on a detected value of a temperature sensor that detects the catalyst floor temperature, and additionally, by performing exhaust throttling with an exhaust throttle valve and an after injection at the same time.
At this time, increase of the engine speed of idling more than the normal engine speed is performed in order to improve the temperature rise efficiency of the exhaust gas. However, because the engine speed of idling is increased to the same engine speed as that of the multi-injection even when the post-injection is performed in which the exhaust temperature has already been increased to the oxidation catalyst activation temperature by the multi-injection, there have been problems that the fuel efficiency deteriorates due to this idling up and that noise is generated.

Method for controlling exhaust gas purification system and exhaust gas purification system


A method of forming a beaded transfixion wire for orthopedic uses. The beaded transfixion wire includes an elongated wire formed of an implant grade material. A bead is provided on the elongated wire intermediate the opposite ends thereof. The bead extends outwardly beyond the outer surface of the elongated wire and is integral therewith.. In forming the beaded transfixion wire the solid bar stock is rotatably fed past a cutting tool to turn down a portion of the bar stock to a selected daiameter to provide a first portion of an elongated wire. The first portion of the elongated wire is fed into a tube for stabilizing the first portion against any whipping motion. The solid bar stock is continued to be rotated past the cutting tool while at the same time a bead is profiled from the solid bar stock with the cutting tool. After the bead has been formed in the bar stock another portion of the bar stock is turned down to the selected diameter to provide a second portion of the elongated wire having the selected diameter.

1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates, in general, to the method of forming beaded transfixion wires or pins for orthopedic uses.
2. Information Disclosure Statement:
Heretofore, beaded transfixion wires or pins have been formed from two parts, i.e., a wire and a bead. The prior art methods of forming the beaded transfixion wire or pin included the steps of providing a hole in the bead and fitting the bead on the wire by extending the wire through the hole. The next step was then to fix the bead onto the wire by silver soldering, welding, crimping or the like. The final steps were to provide a drill point on one end of the beaded transfixion wire, and then to finish the product by polishing same, as for example to smooth out the soldering or welded joint between the wire and the bead.
So-called Swiss-type for sliding-headstock machines are known in the prior art and some include a tube feeder, sliding-headstock, a guide bushing having a collet, a cutting tool, and a support which the end of the stock engages to eliminate deflection. Although such machines have been known in Europe for many years and the problems in manufacturing transfixation wires or pins formed from two parts have also been known for a long time, due to the small diameter and length of such wires or pins, prior to the present invention no thought has been given to forming the wires or pins with the bead being integral with the wire or attempting to form same on such sliding-headstock machines. The following publications provide examples of such sliding-headstock machines: Tool and Manufacturing Engineers Handbook (3rd Edition), pages 5-121-5-127; Marubeni Citizen-Cincom Inc. brochure; Citizen Watch Co., LTD. catalog No. 150E, 1986; Citizen Watch Co., LTD. catalog No. 121E, 1985; Star Micronics Co., LTD. catalog RNC-16; Star Micronics Co., LTD. catalog KNC-16.20; and Star Micronics Co., LTD. catalog KNC-25/32.
Ilizarov et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,338 issued 10/7/86 shows one type of automatic compression-distraction apparatus with which the beaded transfixion wire of the present invention may be used.

Method of forming a beaded transfixion wire


A system which determines one or more properties of a lens includes a light source and a target pattern illuminated by the light source illuminates and substantially positioned at a first conjugate position of the lens. A detector, including an active surface, is positioned at a second conjugate position of the lens such that an image of the target pattern is formed on the active surface. The detector generates an analog electrical signal based on the image and the a generator converts the electrical signal to a representative digital signal for processing. In the system, the detector is movable relative to the lens to test the lens at plural focus positions, and plural detector output signals correspond to a feature of the target pattern at plural focus positions. A memory stores computer-executable process steps, and a processor executes the process steps stored in the memory so as to obtain a modulation transfer function value of the lens based on a position of the detector with respect to the lens, a rotational orientation of the lens about its optical axis, a color of the light and the lens distortion measured at a plurality of field positions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a system for testing properties of a lens, and more specifically to a system for testing lenses that are used in scanners or the like. In particular, the system determines a lens' through-focus modulation transfer function, distortion, focal length, and color registration, and then outputs these values to a user.
2. Description of the Related Art
Scanners typically employ a lens to focus light from an image (e.g., a document image, a graphics image, etc.) onto a detector, such as a charge coupled device (hereinafter "CCD"). The detector, in turn, converts light from the document image into electrical signals, from which data corresponding to the document image is generated. As might be expected, the accuracy of this data is based on the quality of the lens used to focus the light from the document image. In particular, the accuracy of the data is dependent, at least in part, upon the modulation transfer function (hereinafter "MTF") of the lens.
The MTF of a lens defines how sharply the lens is able to focus. That is, for a line pattern having a particular frequency, such as 35 line-pairs-per-millimeter (hereinafter "lp/mm"), the MTF corresponds to the contrast of an image formed by the lens relative to a contrast of an original image. A high MTF value is, of course, preferable, since it means that the lens will have high contrast and, therefore, will provide more accurate document imaging. Accordingly, systems have been devised to test a lens' MTF values at discrete spatial frequencies. Specifically, such systems focus light from a target having a known line pattern of a particular frequency in lp/mm, through the lens, and onto a CCD. Thereafter, the MTF of the lens at the frequency of the target line pair pattern is determined mathematically based on the light received from the lens. One problem with this method is that in order to determine the lens MTF at a plurality of frequencies, a plurality of line patterns, each having a lp/mm frequency of a desired MTF frequency to be measured, is required to be placed on the target.
Other problems also exist with conventional lens testing systems because those systems are not able to obtain a through-focus MTF for the lens, and do not take into account the MTF of the CCD, among other things, when determining the lens' MTF. That is, the MTF of the CCD affects the image data generated from the light incident on the CCD. Thus, conventional lens testing systems, which do not account for the MTF of the CCD, are unable to determine a lens MTF accurately.
Another problem which exists with conventional lens testing systems is that a lens may not be tested over its full field of view. Systems which test a lens in the center of the field of view are known and it is known to translate a test apparatus from the center of the field of view to the extreme edges of the field of view and to repeat the test at each location of the field of view for which the lens performance is to be tested. It is desirable, especially in scanning systems to determine the lens performance characteristics e.g. MTF, distortion and color registration as well as other lens characteristics at a plurality of field positions along the lens field of view and to reduce the time and expense of performing a separate lens test at each of the plurality of field positions along the lens field of view for which test data is required.
Moreover, conventional lens testing systems do not test other properties of a lens which can affect light transmission and thus document imaging. Examples of these other properties include color registration, focal length, and distortion each of which may vary along the field of view of the lens and through the lens depth of field. Distortion refers to the amount that an image is distorted when light is transmitted through the lens. As might be expected, the less distortion that a lens produces, the better. Color registration refers to differences in light transmission for different wavelengths (i.e., colors) of light. That is, a lens may transmit different colored light to different locations, e.g. each color light may have a unique focal plane, thereby leading to registration errors between different colors of the same image. These registration errors can significantly affect the way in which a color image is perceived. Last, but not least, a lens' focal length affects its ability to transmit light accurately.
For at least the foregoing reasons, conventional lens testing systems are inadequate, particularly with respect to testing lenses for use with document scanners or other types of imaging systems. Accordingly, there exists a need for a lens testing system which addresses the foregoing drawbacks of conventional lens testing systems. In particular, there exists a need for a lens testing system which is able to provide an accurate, through-focus measurement of a lens MTF. In addition there exists a need for a lens testing system which is able to quickly provide a measure of a lens MTF, and other lens properties, such as distortion, color registration, and focal length at several field locations.