This disclosure provides a system for generating animal tissue with carbohydrate antigens that are compatible for transplantation into human patients. The tissue is inactivated homozygously for expression of α(1,3)galactosyltransferase, and comprises a transgene for α(1,2)fucosyltransferase. As a result, cell-surface N-acetyl lactosamine is not converted to the Galα(1,3)Gal xenoantigen. Instead, it is converted to Fucα(1,2)Gal, which is H substance, a self-antigen in humans. The tissue may also contain A or B-transferase, which will cause H substance to be converted into other ABO blood group antigens for compatibility with patients of the same blood type. This invention improves transplant compatibility of the xenograft tissue by lessening the risk of reactions resulting from xenoantigen and unconverted N-acetyl lactosamine acceptor determinants.

The acute shortage of human organs for transplantation provides a compelling need for the development of new sources of suitable tissue. An idea of considerable promise is to transplant patents with organs from non-human animals. The main challenge to overcome is rendering foreign tissue immunologically compatible with the patient being treated.
Tissue from most mammalian species would undergo hyperacute rejection when transplanted into humans. This is because human plasma contains natural antibodies against carbohydrate determinants of the animal tissue, thought to originate through prior immune stimulation by dietary antigen or mucosal microflora. Since the antibodies are pre-formed, rejection occurs within days of the transplant.
The main target for the natural antibodies mediating rejection is cell-surface oligosaccharides expressing the determinant Galα(1,3)Gal (reviewed by Joziasse et al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1455:403, 1999). Humans, apes and Old World monkeys differ from other mammals in that they lack α-galactosyl epitopes in complex oligosaccharides. Other mammals express the Galα(1,3)Gal epitope prominently on the surface of nucleated cells, including hepatic cells, renal cells, and vascular endothelium—which is especially problematic for xenotransplantation of whole organs.
The Galα(1,3)Gal epitope is made by a specific enzyme, α(1,3) galactosyltransterase, abbreviated in this disclosure as α1,3GT. The transferase uses UDP-galactose as a source of galactose, which it transfers specifically to an acceptor oligosaccharide, usually Galβ(1,4)GlcNAc (N-acetyl lactosamine). In mammals that don't express the Galα(1,3)Gal product, the α1,3GT locus is inactivated (Gailili et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 15:7401, 1991). There are frameshift and nonsense mutations within the locus, turning it into a non-functional, processed pseudogene (Laarsen et al., J. Biol. Chem. 265:7055, 1990; Joziasse et al., J. Biol. Chem. 266:6991, 1991).
In humans, N-acetyl lactosamine acceptor oligosaccharides are processed differently. The enzyme α(1,2)fucosyltransferase builds the N-acetyl lactosamine into Fucα(1,2)Galβ(1,4)GlcNAc, which is blood group H substance. This in turn serves as an acceptor substance for blood group A GlcNAc-transferase, or blood group B Gal-transferase, forming A-substance or B-substance, respectively, depending on the blood type of the individual. Naturally occurring antibodies circulating in the blood are reactive against the alternative carbohydrate determinants that are not self-antigens.
Larsen et al. (Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 86:8227, 1989) isolated and characterized a cDNA encoding murine α1,3GT. Joziasse et al. (J. Biol. Chem. 267:5534, 1992) detected four distinct mRNA transcripts, which predict four different isoforms of the α1,3GT. The full-length mouse mRNA (including 5′ untranslated mRNA) was reported to span at least 35-kb of genomic DNA, distributed over nine exons ranging from 36 base pairs to ˜2600 base pairs in length. Numbering in the 5′ to 3′ direction, the coding region is distributed over Exons 4 to 9. The four transcripts are formed by alternative splicing of the pre-mRNA.
Joziasse et al. (J. Biol. Chem. 264:14290, 1989) isolated and characterized a cDNA encoding bovine cDNA. The coding sequence was predicted to be a membrane-bound protein with a large glycosylated COOH-terminal domain, a transmembrane domain, and a short NH2 terminal domain.
The porcine α1,3GT cDNA sequence has been reported from several different laboratories: Strahan et al. (Immunogenetics 41:101, 1995); U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,821,117; 5,849,991; and International Patent Application WO 95/28412. The genomic organization of porcine α1,3GT was reported by Katayama et al. (Glycoconjugate J. 15:83, 1998). Again, the coding region spans six exons, conserving the arrangement present in the mouse genome, and extending over nearly 24-kb.
It has been reported that about 95% of the naturally occurring xenospecific antibody in humans recognize the Galα(1,3)Gal epitope (McKensie et al., Transpl. Immunol. 2:81, 1994). Antibody in human serum binds specifically to pig endothelial cells in a manner that is inhibitable by Galα(1,3)Gal, or by Galα(1, 6)Glc (melibiose). New age monkeys have the same naturally occurring antibody, and demonstrate hyperacute rejection of pig organ xenotransplants. The rejection reaction can be obviated in experimental animals by infusing the recipient with the free carbohydrate (Ye et al., Transplantation 58:330, 1994), or by adsorbing antibody from the circulation on a column of Galα(1,3)Gal or melibiose (Cooper et al., Xenotransplantation 3:102, 1996).
It has been suggested that xenotransplants of pig tissue could provide a source of various tissue components—heart valves, pancreatic islet cells, and perhaps large organs such as livers and kidneys (Cowley, Newsweek, Jan. 1, 2000). If xenotransplants from non-primates into humans is ever to become viable, then techniques need to be developed to prevent Galα(1,3)Gal mediated rejection. Possible genetic manipulation strategies are reviewed by Gustafsson et al. (Immunol. Rev. 141:59, 1994), Sandrin et al. (Frontiers Biosci. 2:e1–11, 1997), and Lavitrano et al. (Forum Genova 9:74, 1999).
One approach is to prevent the formation of Galα(1,3)Gal by providing another transferase that competes with α1,3GT for the N-acetyl lactosamine acceptor. International Patent Application WO 97/12035 (Nextran-Baxter) relates to transgenic animals that express at least one enzyme that masks or reduces the level of the xenoreactive antigens by competing with α1,3GT. The enzymes proposed are α(1,2)fucosyltransferase (that makes H antigen in humans), α(2,6)sialyltransferase, and β(1,3)N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase. It is thought that once N-acetyl lactosamine has been converted by one of these transferases, it can no longer act as an acceptor for α1,3GT. The xenotransplantation cells of Application WO 97/12035 have at least one enzyme that reduces Galα(1,3)Gal expression, and also express a complement inhibitor such as CD59, decay accelerating factor (DAF), or membrane cofactor protein (MCP). Expression of human CD59 in transgenic pig organs enhances organ survival in an ex vivo xenogeneic perfusion model (Kroshus et al., Transplantation 61:1513, 1996).
Another approach is to disassemble Galα(1,3)Gal after it is formed. International Patent Application WO 95/33828 (Diacrin) suggests modifying cells for xenogeneic transplants by treating tissue with an α-glycosidase. Osman et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 23:4677, 1997) reported that combined transgenic expression of both α-glycosidase and α(1,2)fucosyltransferase leads to optimal reduction in Galα(1,3)Gal epitope. Splenocytes from mice overexpressing human α-glycosidase showed only a 15–25% reduction in binding of natural human anti-Galα(1,3)Gal antibodies. Mice expressing human α(1,2)fucosyltransferase as a transgene showed a reduction of Galα(1,3)Gal epitopes by ˜90%. Doubly transfected COS cells expressing both the glycosidase and the transferase showed negligible cell surface staining with anti-Galα(1,3)Gal, and were not susceptible to lysis by human serum containing antibody and complement.
A further alternative is to prevent Galα(1,3)Gal expression in the first place. Strahan et al. (Xenotransplantation 2:143, 1995) reported the use of antisense oligonucleotides for inhibiting pig α1,3GT, leading to a partial reduction in expression of the major target for human natural antibodies on pig vascular endothelial cells. Hayashi et al. (Transplant Proc. 29:2213, 1997) reported adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of antisense ribozyme for α1,3GT and α(1,2) fucosyltransferase genes in xenotransplantation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,849,991 (Bresatch) describes DNA constructs based on the mouse α1,3GT sequence. They are designed to disrupt expression of functional α1,3GT by undergoing homologous recombination across Exon 4, 7, 8, or 9. The constructs contain a selectable marker such as neoR, hygR or thymidine kinase. It is proposed that such constructs be introduced into mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells, and recovering cells in which at least one α1,3GT gene is inactivated. Experiments are reported which produced mice that are homozygous for inactivated α1,3GT, resulting in lack of expression of Galα(1,3)Gal epitope, as determined by specific antibody.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,821,117 (Austin Research Inst.) report cDNA sequence data for porcine α1,3GT. This was used to probe a pig genomic DNA library, and two lambda phage clones were obtained that contain different regions of the porcine transferase gene. International Patent Application WO 95/28412 (Biotransplant) also reports cDNA sequence data for porcine α1,3GT. It is proposed that genomic DNA fragments be isolated from an isogenic DNA library, and used to develop a gene-targeting cassette including a positive or negative selectable marker.
International Patent Application WO 99/21415 (Stem Cell Sciences, Biotransplant) reports construction of a DNA library from miniature swine. A vector is obtained comprising a pgk-neo cassette, and fragments of the α1,3GT gene. This is used for homologous recombination to eliminate α1,3GT activity in porcine embryonic fibroblasts. Costa et al., Alexion Pharmaceuticals (Xenotransplantion 6:6, 1999) report experiments with transgenic mice expressing the human complement inhibitor CD59. In α1,3GT knockout mice, the CD59 gene helped prevent human serum-mediated cytolysis. It had a similar effect in mice expressing α(1,2)fucosyltransferase. Combination of all three modifications provided no additional protective effect.
There have been no reports of the use of α1,3GT inactivated tissue suitable for xenotransplantation into humans. In view of the paucity of available organs for human transplantation, there is a pressing need to develop further options.

Animal tissue with carbohydrate antigens compatible for human transplantation


A semiconductor processing method of depositing a film on a substrate using an organometallic precursor, where the precursor comprises a coordination complex having a central linking atom and at least two ligands bonded thereto, at least one of the ligands including an organic species comprising a carbon atom having at least one hydrogen atom bonded thereto thereby defining a carbon-hydrogen bond of the species, includes, a) passing a feed material through a plasma generating location effective to induce the feed material into a plasma state; b) flowing the feed material from the plasma generating location, the feed material flowing from the plasma generating location comprising a gas in an activated metastable state; c) combining an organometallic precursor with the gas when the gas is in the activated metastable state to separate the organic species from the organometallic precursor coordination complex while leaving the carbon-hydrogen bond intact, the organometallic precursor being in a gaseous non-plasma state when combined with the activated metastable state gas; and d) passing the combined precursor and gas to a substrate under conditions effective to deposit a film on the substrate, the film comprising the central linking atom.

One class of compounds finding increasing use in chemical vapor deposition of electrically conductive metals and metal compounds are organometallic precursors. An example organometallic precursor is Ti(N(CH.sub.3).sub.2).sub.4, named tetrakisdimethylamido titanium (TDMAT). Organometallic compounds contain a central or linking atom or ion (Ti in TDMAT) combined by coordinate bonds with a definite number of surrounding ligands, groups or molecules, with at least one of such being organic (the (N(CH.sub.3).sub.2 groups in TDMAT). The central or linking atom as accepted within the art may not be a "metal" in the literal sense. As accepted within the art of organometallic compounds, the linking atom could be anything other than halogens, the noble gases, H, C, N, O, P, S, Se, and Te.
An example chemical vapor deposition process is the reaction of TDMAT with nitrogen (either as N.sub.2 or NH.sub.3) in the presence of a carrier gas to produce TiN. Hydrogen is sometimes also utilized as a reactant gas to facilitate reaction of carbon containing radicals into stable gaseous compounds which are expelled from the reactor. An alternate process combines TDMAT and hydrogen in a plasma chemical vapor deposition reactor to deposit an elemental Ti layer on a substrate.
The above and other chemical vapor deposition reactions involving organometallics are typically conducted at low pressures of less than 1 Torr. It is typically desirable in low pressure chemical vapor deposition processes to operate at as low a pressure as possible to assure complete evacuation of potentially undesirable reactive and contaminating components from the chamber. Even small amounts of these materials can result in a significant undesired increase in resistivity. For example, oxygen incorporation into the film before and after deposition results in higher resistivity. Additionally, it is believed that organic incorporation (specifically pure carbon or hydrocarbon incorporation) into the resultant film reduces density and increases resistivity. Such organic incorporation can result from carbon radicals from the organic portion of the precursor becoming incorporated into the film, as opposed to being expelled with the carrier gas. Carbon incorporation can also cause other undesired attributes in the deposited film, such as low density and poor long term reliability. Although provision of available hydrogen within the reactor is intended to restrict carbon incorporation in the resultant film, unacceptable levels of incorporated carbon typically still result.
It would be desirable to improve upon these and other prior art chemical vapor deposition processes in producing layers having minimal incorporated carbon.

Method of reducing carbon incorporation into films produced by chemical vapor deposition involving organometallic precursor compounds


A method and apparatus for dynamic Web Service composition is described. A user request is received. Multiple Web Services that may need to be performed according to the user request are identified. A Web Service composition is generated from the multiple Web Services. The Web Service composition is expressed in a business process modeling language that incorporates exception handling.

The web offers a variety of services that can be accessed by an individual using a web browser. Web Services may be information services (e.g., routing services that provide driving directions, yellow-page services that provide information about places of interest, movie-time services for movie listings, etc.) or action facilitating services (e.g., Web Services enabling specific actions such as buying books, booking flights and hotels, operating webcams, etc.). In addition, Web Services may provide networked access to electronic devices (e.g., online weather services providing the wind speed and temperature to a weather station) or be provided by electronic devices (e.g., a GPS device providing the service of specifying its location, a mobile phone providing a communication service, a PDA providing an interface service, etc.).
Web Service composition is the task of composing sets of Web Services to achieve more complex goals. For example, planning a vacation may require coordinating flights, hotels, rental cars, places of interest to visit, etc. A user can plan a vacation by visiting various travel web sites and coordinating the choices manually, but that is a complex and tedious task. In addition, such a manual solution may not allow a user to find an optimal match because of a large number of possible combinations of choices. In another example, tourists may need on-going information about the attractions of interest in their vicinity as they are traveling. Such information cannot be provided by a single device. Instead, it involves multiple services from multiple devices, including, for example, the GPS, a communication service by a user cellular phone, an interface service by a user PDA, and a yellow-pages service. Furthermore, none of these devices are themselves essential because the services they provide may be available through some other devices. For example, a camcorder can be substituted for the PDA to display information to the tourist, an Internet connection on a PDA can be substituted for the cellular phone, etc. This gives great flexibility in mixing and matching devices that can be configured to provide complex services, as they are needed.

Dynamic web service composition to service a user request


To provide an accessing device which allows reliable protection of important data. A memory accessing device has a file system device which manages a logical memory space and a driver device which maintains a correlation information between the logical memory space and a physical memory space and which physically accesses a flash memory based on the correlation information. The flash memory is physically divided into a plurality of strings. The file system device manages the memory space by dividing the memory space into a plurality of partitions each of which is set to one of RO and RW. The driver device specifies a permission type to write the data in a string by correlating each string to a single logical partition.

A flash memory has advantages such as the ability to hold data after powering down, and its small size. Therefore, the flash memory has conventionally found many applications as recording media for a variety of equipment, such as a digital camera. Conventional methods can be used to control reading and writing data from and to such a flash memory. For example, techniques described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-346106 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 11-110984 may be used.
While the flash memory has advantages as described above, it is known that it may suffer from data corruption due to a phenomenon known as drain disturb. The drain disturb may occur when a difference in the number of rewrites of data increases between blocks which physically constitute the flash memory. Such data corruption caused by the drain disturb may degrade reliability of the flash memory, and in some cases, have adverse effects on control of the equipment which utilizes the flash memory as its recording media.
A technique for preventing data from being corrupted beyond a certain number of data writes to a non-volatile memory is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 7-287604. According to the Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 7-287604, the number of writes to a memory is stored in the memory and the stored number is referenced before writing data. In this way, data corruption beyond a certain number of data writes may be reduced.
In the Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 7-287604, however, data recording may fail when a certain number of data writes is exceeded, because writing of data is disabled. In other words, the technique described in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 7-287604 may cause a memory to be unavailable, and consequently may hamper the proper operation of the equipment which is provided with the memory.
In addition, each of a plurality of data items stored in a single memory has importance which is not equal for each data item, and which may often vary depending on the type of data. The techniques described in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-346106, No. Hei 11-110984, and No. Hei 7-287604 do not address such a difference in importance. Therefore, these techniques do not necessarily provide data protection depending on importance of each data item, and specifically do not provide more reliable protection of important data.


Without limitation, this disclosure relates to compositions and methods for detecting and quantifying the expression of insulin receptor isoform A (IR-A) and/or insulin receptor isoform B (IR-B) in a tissue sample. The disclosure also relates to methods of diagnosis and classification based at least in part upon detecting and quantifying the expression of insulin receptor isoform A (IR-A) and/or insulin B (IR-B) in a tissue sample. Methods of treating a subject based upon such a classification are among additional aspects of the disclosure presented herein.

1. Field of the Disclosure
Without limitation, this disclosure relates to compositions and methods for detecting and quantifying the expression of insulin receptor isoform A (IR-A) and/or insulin receptor isoform B (IR-B) in a sample, such as a tissue sample. The disclosure also relates to methods of diagnosis and classification based at least in part upon detecting and quantifying the expression of insulin receptor isoform A (IR-A) and/or insulin receptor isoform B (IR-B) in a sample, such as a tissue sample. Methods of treating a subject based upon such a classification are among additional aspects of the disclosure presented herein.
2. Description of the Related Art
The insulin receptor (INSR) is a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor implicated in regulation of energy metabolism. The INSR comprises two subunits, α and β, expressed from a single INSR gene. Two isoforms, designated IR-A and IR-B, are the result of alternative mRNA splicing. IR-A is generated by an alternative splicing of the mRNA transcribed from the INSR gene to omit exon 11, which is included in mRNA of IR-B. (FIGS. 1A-1B). Thus, IR-A differs from IR-B because it lacks a stretch of amino acid residues at the carboxy terminus of the INSR α-subunit. IR-A and IR-B are more than 99% identical (FIG. 2). While the expression profiles of the two isoforms are different, the isoforms are coexpressed in cells. The relative abundance of IR-A and IR-B is regulated by development stage- and tissue-specific factors.
For example, IR-A is predominantly expressed in fetal and cancer cells, whereas IR-B is predominantly expressed in differentiated insulin target cells. IR-A exhibits high affinity for insulin, intermediate affinity for IGF-II, and low affinity for IGF-I. IGF-II binds to IGF type I receptor (IGF-IR) and to IR-A with similar affinities. IR-B is a highly specific receptor for insulin.
Currently methods of determining IR-A and IR-B levels in a patient sample are hampered by the lack of an efficient and accurate means of detection. To date, the only available method to specifically measure IR-A expression has been described by Sciacca, et al (Oncogene 21(54):8240-50; 2002 Nov. 28). This method is based on PCR and gel separation, followed by qualitative measurement of the resulting bands. This method is very labor intensive and is not quantitatively accurate, which limits its use in a high throughput or clinical setting.

Quantification of IR-A and IR-B for tumor classification


Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for automatically determining the content boundaries in a digital image. A gradient field may be generated using an edge detector, and the gradient field may be thresholded, by magnitude, to retain strong edges. The resulting localized edge positions may be projected onto a first direction and a second direction to form two projection histograms. The projection histograms may be analyzed to determine the boundaries of the image content. Corners of a cropping rectangle may be computed, and the digital image may be cropped according to the content boundaries.

It may be desirable to crop off extraneous portions of a digital page, also considered a digital image, digital document and image. In particular, in may be desirable to retain the content of the digital page while eliminating extraneous page margins. Exemplary applications in which this may be useful include applications in which the page content may be repositioned on a different size page than the original, applications in which the page content may be composited with additional material and other document layout applications. It may be desirable to perform cropping automatically without user interaction. It also may be desirable to perform cropping on a digital page comprising an arbitrarily shaped content region, and it may be desirable to perform cropping when the digital page content is skewed with respect to the orthogonal image axes. Methods and systems for automatically determining image-content boundaries, therefore, may be desirable.

Methods and systems for content-boundary detection


Disclosed is an apparatus for measuring an insulation resistance that may calculate each of a cathode terminal-side insulation resistance value and an anode terminal-side insulation resistance value of a battery. The apparatus for measuring an insulation resistance according to the present disclosure forms different first and second circuits by selectively connecting an insulation resistance measurement unit to a cathode terminal or an anode terminal of the battery, and calculates a cathode terminal-side insulation resistance value and an anode terminal-side insulation resistance value from first and second insulation detection voltages applied to the insulation resistance measurement unit and simultaneous circuit equations derived from the first and the second circuits. Accordingly, quantitative insulation resistance values of the cathode terminal and the anode terminal of the battery may be each obtained.

Recently, due to the exhaustion of fossil energy and environmental pollution, the interest in electric products, which may operate with electric energy instead of fossil energy, is growing more and more.
Accordingly, with the increasing development and consumption of mobile devices, electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, power storage devices, uninterrupted power supplies, or the like, the consumption of secondary batteries as energy sources are rapidly increasing as well as its various forms thereof. Therefore, secondary batteries are being studied very actively to cope with such diverse demands.
Meanwhile, a device using a high-output high-capacity battery such as, an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle needs to maintain good insulation condition between the battery and the device. If not, a leakage current occurs, causing various problems. For reference, a leakage current causes an unexpected discharge of the battery or malfunction of electronic elements equipped in the device. Also, a device using a high voltage battery such as, an electric vehicle may give a fatal electric shock to a person. Accordingly, there is an urgent demand for a solution for accurately measuring an insulation resistance of a battery in the technical field pertaining to the present disclosure.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatus and method for measuring insulation resistance of battery


An arrangement for measuring a force and/or a torque using the inverse-magnetostrictive effect as well a method for a measurement of a force and/or a torque using the inverse-magnetostrictive effect are provided. The force or the torque acts on a machine element (01) that has at least one magnetization area (04) for a magnetization and thus forms a primary sensor for the measurement using the inverse-magnetostrictive effect. The arrangement includes at least two spaced apart magnetic field sensors (06) for measuring a magnetic field (11) caused by the magnetization and also by the force or by the torque, with each of these sensors forming a secondary sensor for the measurement using the inverse-magnetostrictive effect. The arrangement further includes a measurement signal processing unit that is constructed for the signal processing of the measurement signals of the individual magnetic field sensors (06).

The present invention first relates to an arrangement for measuring a force and/or a torque using the inverse-magnetostrictive effect. The arrangement comprises at least two magnetic field sensors that are spaced apart as secondary sensors. The invention also relates to a method for measuring a force and/or a torque using the inverse-magnetostrictive effect.
EP 2 365 927 B1 shows a bottom bracket with two foot pedals and with a chain ring carrier that is connected to a shaft of the bottom bracket. The chain ring carrier is locked in rotation with a chain rig shaft that is, in turn, locked in rotation with the shaft. The chain ring shaft has, in some sections, a magnetization. A sensor is provided that detects a change in the magnetization for a torque present in the area of the magnetization.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,490,934 B2 discloses a magnetoelastic torque sensor for measuring a torque that acts on an element with a ferromagnetic, magnetostrictive, and magnetoelastic active area. This area is formed in a transducer that sits as a cylindrical sleeve, for example, on a shaft. The torque sensor is opposite the transducer.
From EP 0 803 053 B1, a torque sensor is known that comprises a magnetoelastic transducer. The transducer sits on a shaft as a cylindrical sleeve.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,893,562 B2 shows a method for detecting magnetic noise in a magnetoelastic torque sensor. The torque sensor comprises a torque converter with oppositely polarized magnetizations and multiple magnetic field sensors, wherein switching between these sensors is possible.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,578,794 B2 discloses a magnetoelastic torque sensor with a longitudinally extending element and with multiple magnetoelastic active regions, as well as with primary and secondary magnetic field sensors that are spaced apart axially.
From US 2014/0360285 A1, a magnetoelastic torque sensor is known that comprises a hollow, longitudinally extending element with multiple magnetoelastic active regions. In the hollow element there are primary and secondary magnetic field sensors.
US 2002/0162403 A1 shows a magnetoelastic torque sensor with a shaft in which a coil sits on a magnetoelastic area.
From U.S. Pat. No. 8,087,304 B2, a magnetoelastic torque sensor is known that comprises a longitudinally extending element with several magnetoelastic active regions. The torque sensor comprises primary and secondary magnetic field sensors that are connected as a Wheatstone bridge.
EP 2 799 827 A1 shows a magnetoelastic torque sensor with a hollow, longitudinally extending element that comprises several magnetoelastic active regions. In the hollow element are primary and secondary magnetic field sensors that are connected as a Wheatstone bridge.

Arrangement and method for measuring a force or a torque, with at least two magnetic sensors spaced apart from one another


A method of refining metal to be processed to a high degree of purity by heat-melting the metal in a melting furnace in the form of a metal crucible placed in a vacuum vessel. The method includes evacuating prior to melting, preheating the inside of the entire vacuum atmosphere including the inner wall surface of the vacuum vessel, component parts inside the vessel and the like in order to keep the total pressure within the vessel at 1.times.10.sup.-8 Torr or lower, and effecting high frequency induction heating while controlling the partial pressure of each of O.sub.2, H.sub.2, CO in the atmosphere inside the vessel. Further, the vacuum vessel, the metal crucible and an induction heating coil attached to the crucible, each of which has double jacket structure, are heated or cooled by supplying circulating heating or cooling water in a water-passage space of each of the vacuum vessel, the metal crucible and the induction heating coil, so that the inside of the melting furnace is baked.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of refining metal, for example, iron or its alloys to a high degree of purity in an ultra-high vacuum and a vacuum induction melting apparatus for putting the method into practice in order to prevent oxidation due to oxygen and water vapor which causes problems when metal of high purity is melted.
2. Background
Studies on metal of ultra-high purity have steadily progressed in recent years. In order to better understand the properties of these metals, there is a need for forming these metal materials of ultra-high purity into usable shapes and establishing the technology of refining metal to a ultra-high degree of purity. The term metal in this description means metal or metal alloy.
For example, a vacuum induction melting method, a floating zone melting method, etc. have heretofore been used for refining metal. These methods employ an electron beam, high-frequency induction energy and the like as a heat source. In particular, attention has been directed to the latter method as being advantageous in that there is no possibility of allowing impurities to penetrate through a refractory when the metal is melted.
Recently, there has been proposed an electron-beam, floating zone melting method combining both the aforementioned methods, and the processing is normally performed in a vacuum of about 10.sup.-6 Torr therein. Iron of the highest purity obtained according to the conventional methods usually has a resistance ratio of about 3,000.
Furthermore, studies on the technology of refining metal to a high degree of purity using a vacuum induction melting apparatus have steadily progressed in recent years. Such vacuum induction melting apparatus generally contain a high-frequency induction melting type crucible, that is, a high-frequency induction heating type crucible.
Each of those crucibles includes a crucible or crucible body made of refractory material such as alumina, magnesia and calcia, and an induction heating coil wound around the crucible at predetermined intervals. The crucible is made of refractory material. Metal in the crucible is melted by applying a high-frequency current to the coil around the crucible so as to utilize an induction eddy current flowing through the metal therein and the resistance of the metal.
There has been proposed a method of refining metal to a high degree of purity by a vacuum induction melting apparatus for heating metal by high-frequency induction heating in a crucible made of refractory material and placed in a high-vacuum vessel.
FIG. 1 shows a high-frequency vacuum induction melting apparatus which is used when metal is refined to a high degree of purity.
In this apparatus, a crucible 102 made of refractory material is placed in a vacuum vessel 101, and a high-frequency induction heating coil 103 used for induction-heating the metal to be melted in the crucible is fixedly mounted around the crucible 102.
In the vacuum induction melting apparatus, the crucible 102 placed in the vacuum vessel 101 is generally made by sinter-forming a metal oxide (Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, MgO, CaO, etc.) and the induction heating coil 103 is wound around the crucible. Further, a high-frequency current is supplied to the induction heating coil 103 so as to melt a material (metal) in the crucible 102 by induction heating.
The induction heating coil 103 is formed such that the exterior of a water-cooled copper pipe is insulated by an asbestos or glass tape and the high-frequency current can be supplied from an external high-frequency power supply 105 to the induction heating coil 103 through the water-cooled cable 104.
A portion of the vacuum vessel 101 through which the water-cooled cable 104 passes has an insulation-vacuum seal structure, and a flange portion including a door. The vacuum seal portion thereof is vacuum sealed with an O-ring (e.g., of fluoro rubber).
In this apparatus, vacuum is achieved by a vacuum pump 106 combining an oil diffusion pump, an oil rotary pump and a mechanical booster pump together, and the attainable degree of vacuum therein is generally about 10.sup.-5 Torr, although this varies with the influence of the gas discharged from the crucible 102 made of refractory material, the vacuum vessel 101, the water-cooled cable 104 and so on.
In the use of the aforementioned conventional apparatus, the crucible made of refractory material causes inorganic compounds such as magnesia and alumina to be extracted from the surface of the crucible into the liquid metal. This increases the concentration of impurities all the more. This phenomenon unavoidably occurs when metal is vacuum-refined to a high degree of purity and makes it difficult to maintain the purity of the original material.
More specifically, in the use of the aforementioned conventional art, there has been the following problems, particularly in the case of refining metal based on the high-vacuum induction heating technology:
(1) The use of a crucible made of refractory material causes inorganic compounds to be extracted out of the crucible into mother liquid metal, and the mixture of O.sub.2 as well as the desorption of adsorption gas (H.sub.2 O, N.sub.2, O.sub.2) hinders achieving a ultra-high degree of purity; PA1 (2) Organic substance (hydrocarbon) and moisture are produced from the water-cooled cable and heating-coil insulating material, which results in an atmosphere rich in H.sub.2 O; PA1 (3) The penetration of O.sub.2 and CO.sub.2 through the O-ring seal portion causes oxidation of the liquid metal.
Consequently, a rise in the operating pressure (degree of vacuum) ensues and particularly melting occurs in an atmosphere where the partial pressure of each of O.sub.2, H.sub.2 O and CO.sub.2 is high, thus causing metal contamination. In the case of Fe, for example, the partial pressure of O.sub.2 in the atmosphere needs to be 1.times.10.sup.-10 Torr or lower in order to make the concentration of O.sub.2 in liquid iron 10 ppm or lower; however, it has not been possible to achieve that degree of vacuum in the aforementioned conventional art.
Moreover, the introduction of impurities from the refractory material of the crucible make it difficult to maintain the purity of the original material by the use of the conventional method of refining metal to a high degree of purity in the conventional high-frequency vacuum induction melting apparatus.
As set forth above, the conventional technology of refining metal to a high degree of purity is problematic in that it is incapable of achieving a high degree of purity due to the limitation of the refining method and the unsatisfactory apparatus but also apt to increase the concentration of impurities in the metal.

Method of refining metal to high degree of purity and high-frequency vacuum induction melting apparatus


An image forming apparatus has a first unit with an image bearing member for bearing an image, a second unit having a transfer device for transferring the image on the image bearing member onto a transfer material, the second unit being rockable around a rock center to engage with and disengage from the first unit and having a positioning portion to be positioned at a predetermined position of the first unit, and a shifter for permitting a shifting movement of the rock center so that the positioning portion is positioned at the predetermined position even when a relative position of the first unit with respect to an apparatus body of the image forming apparatus is changed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a laser beam printer and the like, for transferring an image formed on an image bearing means onto a transfer material.
2. Related Background Art
FIGS. 14 and 15 schematically show a conventional color image forming apparatus using an intermediate transfer belt as an intermediate transfer member.
The color image forming apparatus shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 comprises a photosensitive drum (image bearing member) 1, an intermediate transfer unit 5, and a secondary transfer unit 50. The intermediate transfer unit 5 and the unitized photosensitive drum 1 can be mounted to and dismounted from a body of the image forming apparatus along a direction shown by the arrow R1. Further, the intermediate transfer unit 5 can be engaged by and disengaged from the photosensitive drum 1.
The intermediate transfer unit 5 includes triangular intermediate transfer frames 5A disposed in the vicinity of left and right end portions (in the vicinity of both axial ends) of the photosensitive drum 1, a drive roller 5b rotatably supported by the intermediate transfer frames 5A, a secondary transfer counter roller 5c, a driven roller 5d, an endless intermediate transfer belt 5a mounted on and wound around these rollers, and a first transfer roller 5j for urging the intermediate transfer belt 5a against the photosensitive drum 1 from a rear side to form a first transfer nip N.sub.1 therebetween.
The secondary transfer unit 50 includes a secondary transfer frame 21 pivotally supported by a rock shaft 22 for rocking movement in a direction shown by the arrow R50, bearings 20 supported at both left and right ends of the secondary transfer frame 21 for vertical movement, a transfer roller 11 having a central shaft 11a rotatably supported by the left and right bearings 20, secondary transfer roller pressurizing springs 19 for biasing the respective bearings 20 upwardly, and an eccentric cam (engaging/disengaging means) 18 rotated in a direction shown by the arrow R18 to lift the secondary transfer frame 21 in the direction R50, thereby urging the secondary transfer roller 11 against the intermediate transfer belt 5a to form a secondary transfer nip N.sub.2 (FIG. 15) therebetween.
In the color image forming apparatus having the above-mentioned construction, in a condition that the secondary transfer unit 50 is retarded to a retard position shown in FIG. 14 and the secondary transfer roller 11 is spaced apart from the intermediate transfer belt 5a, the photosensitive drum 1 is rotated in a direction shown by the arrow R1 and the intermediate transfer belt 5a is rotated in a direction shown by the arrow R5, so that yellow color, magenta color, cyan color and black color toner images successively formed on the photosensitive drum 1 are first-transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 5a successively in a superimposed fashion by applying first transfer bias to the first transfer roller 5j at the first transfer nip N.sub.1.
Then, the eccentric cam 18 is rotated in the direction R18 to position the secondary transfer frame 21 to a transfer position shown in FIG. 15, and the secondary transfer roller 11 is urged against the intermediate transfer belt 5a to form the secondary transfer nip N.sub.2. In synchronous with the intermediate transfer belt 5a, a transfer material conveyed by a pair of regist rollers 7d is supplied to the secondary transfer nip N.sub.2, where the four color toner images on the intermediate transfer belt 5a are secondary-transferred onto the transfer material collectively by applying secondary transfer bias to the secondary transfer roller 11.
After the secondary transferring, the transfer material is sent to a fixing device (not shown), where the toner images are fixed to the transfer material with heat and pressure. In this way, the image formation is completed.
In the above-mentioned conventional technique, the positioning of the secondary transfer roller 11 with respect to the intermediate transfer belt 5a is achieved by rotating the eccentric cam 18 to urge the secondary transfer roller 11 against the intermediate transfer belt.
Next, an example of an image forming apparatus using an intermediate transfer drum as an intermediate transfer member will be explained with reference to FIGS. 16 and 17.
Four color toner images successively formed on a photosensitive drum 1 rotated in a direction shown by the arrow R1 are successively first-transferred onto an intermediate transfer drum 5B (rotated in a direction shown by the arrow R5) in a superimposed fashion. Then, the four color toner images are collectively secondary-transferred onto a transfer material supplied from a pair of regist rollers 7d by means of a secondary transfer unit 50. The secondary transfer unit 50 includes a rockable secondary transfer frame 24A, rollers 11A, 11B, 11D rotatably supported by the secondary transfer frame 24A, a secondary transfer belt 11C mounted and wound around these rollers, a secondary transfer frame pressurizing spring 25A for biasing the secondary transfer frame 24A toward the intermediate transfer drum 5B, and an eccentric cam 18A rotated to lift or lower the secondary transfer frame 24A. The secondary transfer frame 24A can be rocked around a shaft of the roller 11B. Upon the secondary-transferring of the toner images onto the transfer material, when the eccentric cam 18A is rotated by about a half revolution from a position shown in FIG. 16 to a position shown in FIG. 17, a tip end (right end in FIG. 16) of the secondary transfer frame 24A is lifted, with the result that the roller 11A is urged against the intermediate transfer drum 5B to form a secondary transfer nip N.sub.2 between the intermediate transfer drum SB and the secondary transfer belt 1C. While the transfer material is being passed through the secondary transfer nip N.sub.2, the toner images on the intermediate transfer drum 5B are transferred onto the transfer material collectively by applying secondary transfer bias to the roller 11A.
The above-mentioned conventional technique (FIGS. 14 and 15) in which the intermediate transfer belt 5a is used as the intermediate transfer member, the positioning of the secondary transfer roller 11 with respect to the intermediate transfer belt 5a is achieved by rotating the eccentric cam 18 to urge the secondary transfer roller 11 against the intermediate transfer belt.
Thus, the positional accuracy of the secondary transfer roller 11 with respect to the intermediate transfer unit 5 depends upon attachment accuracy from a rock shaft 22 of the secondary transfer frame 21 to the secondary transfer roller 11 and dimensional accuracy of the eccentric cam 18, with the result that it is difficult to keep the correct positional accuracy regarding the up-and-down direction and the left-and-right direction in FIGS. 14 and 15. Further, regarding the secondary transfer roller 11, it is difficult to maintain the parallelism of the intermediate transfer unit 5 with respect to the secondary transfer counter roller 5c. It is particularly noticeable in an apparatus in which the intermediate transfer unit 5 and the photosensitive drum 1 can detachably mounted on the apparatus body and an apparatus in which the intermediate transfer member can be engaged by and disengaged from the photosensitive drum 1.
Thus, the urging force of the secondary transfer roller 11 against the intermediate transfer belt 5a becomes unstable to generate unevenness in the urging forces at the left and right ends of the secondary transfer roller 11, poor image due to fluctuation of pressure during the secondary-transferring and/or skew-feed of the transfer material. Further, the penetration of the transfer material into the secondary transfer nip N.sub.2 becomes unstable to generate incorrect positioning of an image tip and/or sheet jam.
Incidentally, such problems occur in the conventional technique (FIGS. 16 and 17) in which the intermediate transfer drum 5B is used as the intermediate transfer member. Further, such problems occur similarly in mono-color image forming apparatuses in which a toner image on a photosensitive drum is transferred onto a transfer material at a transfer nip between the photosensitive drum and a transfer roller.

Image forming apparatus with shifting means to position image transfer unit


The present invention provides a semiconductor element in which the field-effect transistor and the Schottky diode are arranged such that a depletion layer stemming from the Schottky diode is superimposed on a depletion layer stemming from a junction between a second conductivity type semiconductor constituting the field-effect transistor and a drift region (first conductivity type semiconductor) in an off-state. Furthermore, the present invention provides a semiconductor element in which the field-effect transistor and the Schottky diode are arranged so that a second conductivity type semiconductor other than the second conductivity type semiconductor constituting the field-effect transistor is not interposed between the electric field effect transistor and the Schottky diode. According to preferable embodiments of the present invention, the reverse recovery time due to a parasitic diode can be reduced by providing the Schottky diode such that the element area of the semiconductor element is not increased. Moreover, the breakdown voltage in the semiconductor element can be improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor elements, in particular, semiconductor power switching elements for controlling an inverter or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional semiconductor power switching element will be described with reference to FIG. 11. For a semiconductor element formed of a silicon semiconductor shown in FIG. 11, a silicon semiconductor in which an n-type epitaxial growth layer 112 is formed on an n+-type silicon substrate 111 is used. P-type semiconductor regions 113 are formed in a surface of the n-type epitaxial growth layer 112, and n+-type semiconductor regions 114 serving as a source region are formed in the p-type regions. As electrodes, a source electrode 119 is formed so as to be in contact with the n+-type region 114 and a gate electrode 118 is formed via an insulating layer 116 that is formed by oxidation. Furthermore, a drain electrode 117 is provided on a back surface. In a vertical insulated gate field-effect transistor (vertical MOSFET) that is formed in this manner, when a bias voltage is applied to the gate electrode 118, an inversion layer is produced in the surface layer of the p-type region 113 that is immediately below the gate electrode.
In this semiconductor element, the source electrode 119 also is in contact with the p-type regions 113 to set the electric potential of the p-type region 113. Therefore, a parasitic diode with a p-type source and an n-type drain exists between the source and the drain of the transistor.
In a semiconductor element formed of a silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor shown in FIG. 12, a vertical MOSFET having a so-called trench structure is formed. In this semiconductor element, silicon carbide is used where an n-type epitaxial growth layer 122 and a p-type epitaxial growth layer 123 are formed in this order on an n+-type silicon carbide substrate 121. N+-type semiconductor regions 124 to serve as source regions are formed in the surface of the p-type layer 123. A recess penetrating the p-type layer 123 is formed in the n+-type region 124 by photolithography and etching to achieve a trench structure. A gate electrode 128 is provided on the surface of the recess via an insulating film 126 formed by oxidation. In the thus formed silicon carbide MOSFET having a trench structure, when a bias voltage is applied to the gate electrode 128, an inversion layer (channel) is produced in the p-type region 123 that is in contact with the trench wall surface. This element is disclosed, for example, in Silicon Carbide; A review of Fundamental Questions and Applications, edited by W. J. Choyke, H. Matsunami, and G. Pensl, Akademie Verlag 1997, Vol. II, pp. 369-388.
In this semiconductor element, for the same reason as above, since the source electrode 129 is in contact with the p-type layer 123, a parasitic diode with a p-type source and an n-type drain exists between the source and the drain.
In these semiconductor elements, a parasitic diode exists between the source and the drain, as described above, and therefore, when the semiconductor element is switched off, a delay by the amount of time required for reverse recovery of the parasitic diode occurs. This delay is caused by the fact that the pin junction continues to be on even after the semiconductor element is switched off because of the presence of minority carriers injected to the layers constituting the parasitic diode while the semiconductor element is on. Furthermore, current that has flowed until the p/n junction is no longer on constitutes a switching loss.
A semiconductor element that can solve the above-described problem involved in the production of the parasitic diode has been proposed (JP 9 (1997)-55507 A). As shown in FIG. 13, this semiconductor element is provided with a Schottky diode region adjacent to a region in which the same MOSFET as in FIG. 11 is formed. Reference numerals in FIG. 13 are the same as those shown in FIG. 11. In this Schottky diode region, the electrode 119 serving as the source electrode in the MOSFET region forms a Schottky junction with the n-type layer 112. If the Schottky diode is provided parallel to the parasitic diode in this manner, the reverse recovery time due to minority carriers can be reduced.
In the semiconductor element shown in FIG. 13, the Schottky diode is surrounded by a p-type circular guard ring region 121 to ensure the breakdown voltage. With this, an n+-type channel stopper region 122 is further provided between the p-type region 113 and the p-type guard ring region 121.
With the semiconductor element of FIG. 13, when the Schottky diode region is provided, the element area is increased. The increase of the element area is detrimental to the compactness of the semiconductor element. This element attempts to improve the breakdown voltage of the Schottky diode by using the guard ring region 121 in the periphery of the Schottky diode having a relatively smaller breakdown voltage than that of a transistor. However, the presence of the further provided guard ring region 121 or the channel stopper region 122 increases the element area up to about 200%.
In the semiconductor element shown in FIG. 13 as well as in the semiconductor element shown in FIG. 11, it is advantageous that the distance d (FIG. 11) between adjacent p-type layers 113 is larger to let a large current flow. However, when the distance d is increased, depletion layers 115 (FIG. 11) due to the p/n junction are not overlapped, or even if they are overlapped, the thickness of the depletion layer is not sufficient in the vicinity of the center of the distance. Therefore, when it is attempted to increase the current capacity by increasing the distance d, all the voltage between the gate electrode 118 and the drain electrode 117 is applied substantially to the insulating film 116, so that this insulating film becomes susceptible to breakdown. Thus, in the semiconductor power switching element, in particular, when producing an element suitable for a large current, it is an important issue to ensure the breakdown voltage.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


The present invention relates to a fixture and/or locator for supporting and positioning and/or calibrating an object comprising a male or female portion of an interlock mechanism, the fixture and/or locator comprising: at least one fixating (2) component for holding the object in a fixed position, characterized in that, the at least one fixating component comprises a locking element (3) configured for receiving the male portion and a release element (4) for releasing the male or female portion from the locking element by actuating the release element.

In the automotive industry there is an increased tendency to make use of locking features, such as but not limited to clips and snap-fits in the assembly of car parts. This tendency is driven by the need for easier and faster assemblies to reduce takt times of producing cars and the fact that such fasteners contain the inherent advantage that they are product specific and thus guaranty an after-sales network for repairs. The consequence is that, with regard to testing and quality control of automotive parts, these connection means should be taken into account in order to simulate as much as possible the real assembly situation.
Measurement of a production part without taking into account the connection means implies that the measurement is not exactly representative of the part in its envisaged final position, after assembly. Moreover, with irregular shaped plastic parts, which deform easily and are often difficult to fix properly, measurements are often inaccurate and irreproducible.
While quality control is of high importance in production lines, the quality control for these connection means themselves is at present, inexistent or unsatisfactory. Indeed, in current assembly processes the quality control of snap-fit connection means takes place when the car part is placed in its final assembly position. However, not only is the removal of parts which are unsatisfactory from the final assembly labor-intensive, but testing further down in the production line does not allow rapid correction in production.
Accordingly there is a need in the art for improved fixtures and/or locators for quality control of production parts. Quality control procedures should be relatively inexpensive, without generating sizable quantities of waste, and should require a limited amount of time. It is accordingly one of the aims of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.


A hopper gate opening/closing mechanism for use in a combination weigher (100) includes an actuator (31) for generating a driving force for opening and closing the hopper gate; and a cam mechanism (40A, 21) for opening and closing the hopper gate (14A) based on the driving force applied by the actuator (31); wherein the cam mechanism (40A, 21) inhibits the hopper gate (14A) from being opened in a position at which the hopper gate (14A) is closed.

Conventionally, a combination weigher is used to combine objects which are non-uniform in weights to efficiently attain a target weight.
This combination weigher typically includes a dispersion feeder which is capable of dispersing and supplying the objects evenly to components around the dispersion feeder, a plurality of linear feeders arranged at equal intervals around the dispersion feeder, feeding hoppers arranged so as to correspond to the linear feeders, respectively, and weighing hoppers arranged so as to correspond to the linear feeders, respectively.
In the above configuration, the objects are sent from the dispersion feeder to linear troughs of the linear feeders, and the objects of a suitable amount are transported by vibration on the linear troughs by vibration components of the linear feeders and fed to the weighing hoppers coupled to load cells through the feeding hoppers, respectively. The load cells detect weights of the objects inside of the weighing hoppers. Based on a combination of weight values of the weighing hoppers, the weighing hoppers making up an optimal combination in which the weight of the objects falls within a target weight of the objects, are selected. Then, the objects are discharged from the weighing hoppers selected to make up the combination collectively onto a collecting chute located therebelow. A packaging machine packages the collective objects.
In the combination weigher as described above, each of the feeding hopper and the weighing hopper includes a hopper body and a hopper gate. The hopper gate is applied with a load (impact) in a direction to open the hopper gate by a gravitational force of the objects when the objects are fed from a previous unit (linear feeder in the case of the feeding hopper, the feeding hopper in the case of the weighing hopper). Therefore, typically, a stopper section and the like are provided to prevent the hopper gate from being opened by mistake.
For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a mechanism for opening and closing a hopper gate including a stopper section which is able to inhibit the hopper gate from being opened by restricting a rotation of a support bracket coupled to a hopper unit (e.g., see FIG. 4 in Patent Literature 2). This stopper section is disposed inside of an actuator unit (hopper unit).
By comparison, Patent Literature 2 discloses a mechanism for opening and closing a hopper gate including a toggle link mechanism which is able to inhibit a gate of a hopper from being opened (e.g., see FIG. 7 in Patent Literature 1). The toggle link mechanism is known as a means for effectively holding the hopper gate to prevent the hopper gate from being opened. In particular, since the toggle link mechanism is attached on the hopper body in the example of Patent Literature 2, the interior of the actuator unit can be configured as a simple mechanism.

Mechanism for opening and closing hopper gate


A vehicle drive device including: an input member drivably coupled to an internal combustion engine; an output member drivably coupled to wheels; a single wheel drive rotary electric machine that transfers a drive force to the output member; a speed change mechanism provided in a power transfer path that connects between the wheel drive rotary electric machine and the output member; and an inverter device that controls the wheel drive rotary electric machine.

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle drive device that includes an input member drivably coupled to an internal combustion engine, an output member drivably coupled to wheels, a single wheel drive rotary electric machine, a speed change mechanism, and an inverter device.
A device described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-153897 is known as an example of the vehicle drive device described above. In the drive device, a wheel drive rotary electric machine [electric motor 8] and a speed change mechanism [automatic transmission 5] are disposed coaxially with a predetermined clearance between each other in the axial direction. An inverter device [inverter device 11] is disposed so as to overlap the wheel drive rotary electric machine as seen in the radial direction and with a part of the inverter device positioned between the wheel drive rotary electric machine and the speed change mechanism in the axial direction.
By disposing a part of the inverter device between the wheel drive rotary electric machine and the speed change mechanism in the axial direction in this way, it is possible to suppress an increase in radial dimension of the entire device. However, the wheel drive rotary electric machine, a part of the inverter device, and the speed change mechanism are arranged side by side in the axial direction, which increases the axial dimension of the entire device. It may be difficult to mount a vehicle drive device with a large axial dimension on a vehicle of a transverse mount type (a type in which the device is disposed with the axial direction of the device extending along the transverse direction of the vehicle), for example.


A non-conductive carrier having a conductive component comprising a plurality of sections to disrupt the conductive component's conductive path. Each section is isolated from other sections such that a charge accumulated in one section cannot combine with the charge accumulated in another section, thereby minimizing any potential electrostatic discharge from the carrier.

Electrostatic charge can be built up and held on an insulator by many methods. A common method is by triboelectric generation of the charge by moving two different materials in contact with each other. As shown in FIG. 1, opposite charges (Positive + and Negative − charges) can build up on each material depending upon their ability to donate or capture electrons that are freed up due to the frictional forces generated during the movement of one material against the other. The charge that builds up on either material is called a static charge (not moving) or electro static charge. It remains on the material for some period of time depending upon the environment with which the material is in contact during the charge holding period. If the insulator holding the charge comes into contact with a conducting material the stored electro static charge can induce a charge in the conductor that can be discharged by the conductor and eventually conducted to ground.
The process of discharging the stored electrical charge is called electrostatic discharge (ESD). When an insulator carries or contains a metal conductor, the stored electrical charge on the insulator induces an equal and opposite charge on the conductor. The induced charges and/or directly deposited charges in the conductor can be conducted through the conductor into another body or to ground. If the charged insulator, containing the conductor, is inserted into or passed close to an electronic device these induced charges in the conductor can transfer into or onto the electronic device and cause disruption of the functions of the electronic device or nearby electronic devices.
The electrostatic discharge into an electronic device can occur in a variety of ways, for example, when a compact disk (CD) is inserted into a computer, a key is inserted into an electronic lock, or a plastic card containing a conducting component into a Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal. The amount of disruptions (i.e., functional disruptions) caused by the ESD within the electronic device depends on how the electrical energy from such ESD is handled by the electronic device. In many cases, the manufacturer of the electronic device takes potential ESD into consideration and designs the electronic device so that ESD will not actually or potentially disrupt the operation of the electronic device. However, there are electronic devices that require a direct insertion of an insulator carrying a conductive component directly into the device (such as a CD) as part of the functionality of the device. In such cases, the ESD can find its way into the sensitive components of the electronic device. Manufacturers use special circuit design and grounding techniques to channel the ESD energy away from sensitive components of the electronic device. However, certain electronic devices in the marketplace are not adequately designed to effectively deal with the ESD and have low tolerance to ESD. If the ESD energy is not channeled properly, then it can disrupt the operation of the electronic device.
Therefore, the present invention proceeds upon the desirability of eliminating or reducing the amount of ESD energy that an insulator carrying a conductive component can discharge into an electronic device, thereby minimizing or preventing any operational or functional disruption of the electronic device.

Method of reducing electro-static discharge (ESD) from conductors on insulators


A van door slidable in tracks (16, 18 and 20). An operating module is mounted inside the van adjacent center track 18. A front cable attached to drive pulley (144) extends through guide assembly (54) to hinge and roller assemble (26). A rear cable attached to drive pulley (136) extends through guide assembly (56) to hinge and roller assembly (26). The drive pulleys (136 and 144) each have a large diameter spiral cable groove (164), a small diameter cable groove (208) and a transition cable groove (210). A motor rotates the drive pulleys. The small diameter cable grooves drive the door when the door is in the forward portion of the tracks. The large diameter spiral cable grooves drive the door when the door is in the center and rear portions of the track. Fixed idler rollers (226 and 254) are positioned relative to the cable drive pulleys to insure that the total cable in the continuous cable loop is substantially the same when the cable is driven by the small diameter cable grooves as when the cable is driven by the large diameter spiral cable grooves. A cable tension system (220) maintains cable tension. A slack cable take-up pulley (174) on the drive pulley (136) takes up slack cable to set cable tension and is then locked in position.

Van type vehicles for passengers and for cargo are frequently equipped with a sliding side door. Sliding doors are supported and guided by rollers that run in fixed tracks. These sliding doors are generally on the side of the vehicle opposite the vehicle operator's station. To open or close the sliding doors, it is necessary for the vehicle operator to leave the operator's station and either walk around the outside of the vehicle to the sliding door or to cross the inside of the vehicle to the sliding door. Crossing the inside of the vehicle is often difficult or impossible due to cargo or passengers inside the van.
Power systems for opening and closing sliding doors on vehicles have long been considered desirable. Attempts to provide a power system for opening and closing sliding doors have had limited success. The systems have generally been complicated and expensive. Some of these sliding door opening and closing systems have not permitted manual opening or closing of sliding doors when the power system is inoperable for some reason. Other systems have not controlled the position of the door at all times thereby allowing some undesirable free travel.
Sliding door slamming and time requirements for opening and closing have also been problems. Sliding doors which move rapidly must be stopped quickly upon closing. This rapid deceleration places large loads on vehicle structures and causes noise. Acceleration forces that occur when sliding doors are accelerated from stationary states to relative high speeds also exert substantial loads on vehicle body structures that may be problems. Sliding doors which close gently have tended to move slowly and take excessive time to open and close.

Sliding door closed loop cable closure system with balanced cable length and varying diameter pulleys


A new motorized personal shopping cart for allowing personal items to be carried in an easier manner. The inventive device includes a container portion having an open upper end, a closed lower end, opposed front and rear walls, and opposed side walls. The closed lower end has a swivel wheel disposed thereon inwardly of the front wall. The closed lower end has a pair of rear wheels coupled thereto inwardly of the rear wall. The pair of rear wheels have an axle extending therebetween. The axle has a gear secured thereto. A U-shaped handle portion is secured to and extends upwardly from the open upper end of the container portion. A housing is secured to the rear wall of the container portion. A lower portion of the housing couples with the axle and contains the gear therein. An upper portion of the housing has an access door coupled therewith. A battery is disposed within the upper portion of the housing inwardly of the access door. A motor is secured within the lower portion of the housing. The motor is in communication with the battery. The motor has a drive gear disposed on a side portion thereof. A circular chain extends around the drive gear and the gear of the axle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to shopping carts and more particularly pertains to a new motorized personal shopping cart for allowing personal items to be carried in an easier manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of shopping carts is known in the prior art. More specifically, shopping carts heretofore devised and utilized arc known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art shopping carts include U. S. Pat. No. 4,096,920 to Heyn; U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,840 to Keller; U.S. Patent No. Des. 309,517 to Hawkins; U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,916 to Noble; U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,578 to Brandenfels; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,012 to Losego.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new motorized personal shopping cart. The inventive device includes a container portion having an open upper end, a closed lower end, opposed front and rear walls, and opposed side walls. The closed lower end has a swivel wheel disposed thereon inwardly of the front wall. The closed lower end has a pair of rear wheels coupled thereto inwardly of the rear wall. The pair of rear wheels have an axle extending therebetween. The axle has a gear secured thereto. A U-shaped handle portion is secured to and extends upwardly from the open upper end of the container portion. A housing is secured to the rear wall of the container portion. A lower portion of the housing couples with the axle and contains the gear therein. An upper portion of the housing has an access door coupled therewith. A battery is disposed within the upper portion of the housing inwardly of the access door. A motor is secured within the lower portion of the housing. The motor is in communication with the battery. The motor has a drive gear disposed on a side portion thereof. A circular chain extends around the drive gear and the gear of the axle.
In these respects, the motorized personal shopping cart according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of allowing personal items to be carried in an easier manner.


Provided are techniques for allowing consumers to reserve a resource, in which potential consumers have a choice among a number of different reservation contracts for reserving a resource to be provided at a future time. Each reservation contract allows a corresponding contracting customer to elect whether to receive the resource and requires the contracting customer to make a first payment in aggregate if the resource ultimately is elected and to make a second payment in aggregate if the resource ultimately is not elected, with the first payment being higher than the second payment, and with both being nonzero.

As used herein, a time-dependent resource is a resource that must be used or consumed within a limited period of time or else it is wasted. Ordinarily, the supply of a time-dependent resource is very difficult to alter, or becomes very difficult to alter as the time for providing the resource nears.
A common example of a time-dependent resource is an airline seat. Basically, each seat on any given flight must be sold or else it will be a wasted resource, from the airline's perspective. If given enough advance notice, the airline might be able to rearrange its flight schedule or add flights here or there. However, at some point, for efficiency reasons all or nearly all of the airline's planes become committed, making further changes very difficult. At that point, some limited accommodations might still be possible, e.g., in cases where an airplane is grounded for mechanical reasons, but large-scale scheduling changes to accommodate last-minute changes in demand simply are not made in practice.
On the other hand, because plans change, people become ill and other intervening circumstances arise, individual consumers often will not know in advance with certainty whether or not they will need, want or even be capable of using a seat on a flight to a particular destination at a particular time. Ideally, the consumer would like a seat to be available to him or her in case it ultimately is needed or desired. Unfortunately, making sufficient capacity available for the highest expected demand would be very expensive in most cases. Accordingly, an airline typically must engage in some guesswork about the actual demand that ultimately will materialize.
Such a lack of information makes it very difficult for the airlines to plan an efficient flight schedule, often resulting in disparities between supply and demand. For similar reasons, the pricing of airline tickets often appears to be erratic and nonsensical. One technique commonly employed by the airlines is to have an advance price (e.g., if a ticket is purchased at least 21 days in advance) and a much higher on-spot price. It is noted that the much-higher on-spot price often is charged even if the airplane has available capacity that otherwise would go unsold. Another common technique is to make available a refundable ticket, usually priced much higher than a non-refundable ticket.
Similar problems exist in other situations. For instance, a table at a restaurant, computer network resources and show tickets all are examples of time-dependent resources that potentially might be needed or wanted by any of a variety of different consumers.
As indicated above, generally only very crude attempts have been made to address the supply and demand problems associated with the pricing and/or reservations of time-dependent resources.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A protective cap for a container's spigot is configured with a looped section and a cap. The looped section may have one or more loops to secure and hang around a spigot's neck for convenient use. The looped section may have an upper loop distal from the cap and a lower loop proximal to the cap, in which the lower loop has a relatively smaller diameter than the upper loop. A bottom of the looped section may have an incline that provides additional support to the looped section. The cap includes an opening that leads to a bottom surface that covers the outlet along with the cap's sidewalls and enhances cleanliness.

Beverage coolers, reservoirs, and other containers (individually and collectively referred to herein as "containers") typically have a spigot from which beverages are dispensed. These containers are often transported and may be used at parties or large gatherings, among other scenarios, exposing the container's spigot to external elements that may include bacteria, germs, and pests. This may detract people from using these convenient and cost-effective containers for individualized bottles or cans.

Protective cap for beverage dispensing spigot


A server performs electronic commerce with a client by using a network. An order receiving unit of the server separates a sales article into information and goods and presents them as an ordering target to the client. An article providing unit of the server selects the separated information, separated goods, or a combination thereof on the basis of an ordering request from the client and provides it to the client. The article providing unit executes a time difference service for providing the separated goods after the separated information was precedently provided. The article providing unit provides a separation service for solely providing the separated information and the separated goods, respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electronic commerce method of performing electronic commerce (EC) with a client by a server by using a network, a recording medium in which an electronic commerce program has been stored, and a server. More particularly, the invention relates to an electronic commerce method whereby sales articles can be divided into information and goods and presented, a recording medium in which an electronic commerce program has been stored, and a server.
2. Description of the Related Arts
In recent years, a scale of market of electronic commerce has been largely increasing and there are a variety of articles (segments) in a range from an article of a low price such as groceries or the like to an article of a high price such as a real estate or the like. The articles which are actually being dealt with can be mainly classified into goods and information. A transaction of "goods" used here denotes a general transaction such that physical articles are delivered through distribution of books, CDs, and the like. A transaction of "information", on the other hand, denotes a transaction such that information such as software or music distribution is delivered by being downloaded through the Internet. It should be noted here that the electronic commerce of each of "goods" and "information" is solely executed. When a transaction in the music world in Japan is actually considered as a specific example, it is known that such a transaction becomes as shown in FIG. 1. It will be summarized as follows.    (I) Goods such as CD and the like are purchased (sales of goods).    (II) Music piece data is downloaded to a terminal or the like of a personal computer (sales of information).    (III) Music piece data is copied to an MD or the like at a Kiosk terminal in a convenience store or the like (sales of information).    (IV) A jacket or a word card can be also printed out on the ground by electronic distribution by a dedicated terminal installed in a shop or the like (sales of information).
As mentioned above, any of the sales forms is a solo-transaction of "information" or "goods".
Although the market of package articles by an over-the-counter sales or the like is stable, a business ratio in the electronic commerce is small and it is considered that the prospects for the remarkable increase in market scale in the future is not good in the present situation. For example, in the music distribution, it is presumed that a market scale of the electronic commerce will be equal to at most about 20% in the whole music market and the markets of a package and the others will occupy the major part (examination result of the Nikkei Net Business in 2000).

Electronic commerce method, recording medium storing electronic commerce program therein, and server


Method and arrangement for controlling a clutch coupling (3) via a brake control (17). The primary function of the clutch coupling (3) is to transmit motive force from an internal combustion engine (1) arranged in a vehicle to an automatic stage-geared gearbox (9) that is arranged in the vehicle, and in which the primary function of the brake control (17) is to control service brakes (16) of the vehicle. The method and the device are characterized in that at zero throttle opening, with a low gear engaged and no brake force required, a control function is activated in which the clutch coupling (3) is controlled via the brake control (17).

Automatic gearboxes of the automatic stage-geared gearbox type have become ever more common in heavier vehicles with the increasing development of microprocessor systems. This makes it possible, with a control computer and a number of control devices, such as servomotors, for example, to precisely regulate the engine speed, engagement and disengagement of an automatic clutch coupling between engine and gearbox, and gearbox clutch members in relation to one another, so that smooth gear changes are always achieved at the correct engine speed. The advantage with this type of automatic gearbox compared to a conventional automatic gearbox made up of planetary gear trains and having a hydrodynamic torque converter on the input side lies partly in the fact that it is more simple and robust, and can be manufactured at substantially lower cost than the conventional automatic gearbox, especially where used in heavy vehicles, and partly in that it affords greater efficiency, which means the possibility of reduced fuel consumption.
A stage-geared gearbox usually comprises (includes, but is not necessarily limited to) an input shaft, an intermediate shaft, that has at least one toothed gear meshing with a toothed gear on the input shaft, and a main shaft with toothed gears, which mesh with toothed gears on the intermediate shaft. The main shaft is then further connected to an output shaft coupled to the driving wheels via a prop shaft, for example. Each pair of toothed gears has a different gear ratio from another pair of gears in the gearbox. Different transmission ratios are obtained in that different pairs of gears transmit the torque from the engine to the driving wheels.
The development of computer technology has also had an impact on electronic control and feedback systems for a vehicle engine, and these systems have become more precise, faster and more adaptable to prevailing engine and environmental conditions. The entire combustion process can be precisely controlled according to any operating situation. The vehicle's throttle lever (an accelerator pedal, for example), which primarily controls the fuel supply to the engine, controls the vehicle's engine via electrical wiring and electronic signals. The throttle lever is therefore equipped with sensors for detecting the throttle lever position, that is to say what throttle opening is required.
The brake system in heavier vehicles is often a combined electronic and pneumatic system. A brake control unit controls modulators (relay valves) by means of electrical signals. The modulators control the air flow to the various brake cylinders on the vehicle. The system is primarily controlled by a brake control, usually a brake pedal. The brake pedal is equipped with sensors for detecting the brake control position, that is to say what brake force is required.
An automatic clutch coupling of the aforementioned type is usually controlled by means of information on the throttle lever position, the engine speed, the engine output torque and the position of the clutch coupling. The control parameter for the clutch position and hence for the degree of engagement between the engine and the gearbox primarily depends on how the driver positions the throttle lever.
When driving heavy vehicles, situations sometimes arise in which the vehicle needs to be driven at low speeds in a low gear with high transmission ratio engaged and the throttle lever fully eased off, that is to say the driver of the vehicle does not require fuel to the engine but wishes the vehicle to be driven at idling speed by means of the vehicle's low-idle speed control. Since the throttle lever is fully eased off at such low speeds, the driver of the vehicle lacks the speed-control function of the vehicle afforded by the throttle lever when he/she wishes to reduce speed further. When the lowest gear is engaged, the only possibility open to the driver is to use the brake control and hence the service brakes in order to further reduce the speed of the vehicle. In braking the vehicle to such an extent that the engine speed is reduced to less than the idling speed, however, the vehicle transmission control unit will normally ensure that the engine is isolated from the gearbox, so that the engine is not throttled to the point that it stalls. There is therefore no scope for the driver to continuously regulate the speed of the vehicle at these low speeds.
There is therefore a need, in the case of vehicles equipped with automatic stage-geared gearboxes and in precisely controlled driving at speeds lower than can be achieved in the lowest vehicle gear and at the engine idling speed, to find a way of controlling the speed of the vehicle. This is a primary object of the invention described below.

Method for controlling a clutch coupling via a brake control and a device for the same


A medical retrieval device, and related method, uses a basket formed by one or more legs to retrieve material such as calculi. At least one of the legs has at least an inner and an outer surface. The outer surface is an atraumatic surface such as a curved surface. The atraumatic surface can include one or more radii. The inner surface can be flat such that the leg has a D-shaped cross section. Other shapes are possible for the inner surface including a pointed shape that enhances the basket""s stone crushing or breaking ability. The inner surface, whatever its shape, can have a rough surface (e.g., serrated, etched, toothed, etc.) for further enhancing the basket""s ability to capture stones and other calculi.

The invention relates generally to baskets for retrieving material in a body. More particularly, the invention relates to urology baskets having legs with a certain crosssection designed to retrieve kidney stones, urinary calculi, choleliths, or the like from within the body while causing less trauma to the body and enhancing stone capture.
Baskets are used to retrieve various foreign or biological materials (e.g., kidney stones, urinary calculi, choleliths, etc.) from within a body. Baskets are used in the field of urology and other areas such as, for example, endoscopy. Existing retrieval baskets typically include a plurality of wires (or legs) which truncate at a base of the basket. It is known to form the legs of the basket from wire having a rectangular cross-section (FIG. 5A) or a round cross-section (FIG. 5B). The legs are joined by solder, weld, or mechanical means at the base of the basket and at its distal tip. At the base, the legs also are attached to a shaft coil (or wire). This coil is moved back and forth within a sheath or catheter by an actuation device (e.g., a proximal handle with a back-and-forth thumb-activated slider). By moving the coil forward with the actuation device, the legs are extended out of the distal end of the catheter and thus allowed to expand and form the basket shape beyond the distal end of the catheter. Moving the coil back causes the basket to retract into the catheter.
In general, the advantages of basket legs having a rectangular cross-section include good dilatation force and good contact between the inner surface of the legs and the stone, and the disadvantages of such legs include sharp edges (i.e., the top two corners of the rectangle that contact the interior wall of the lumen in which the basket is disposed) and thus tissue trauma, inability to rotate the basket due to the danger of tissue trauma, and the difficulty of forming a helix-shaped basket structure when the basket is expanded. In general, the advantages and disadvantages of basket legs having a round (or circular) cross-section are the opposite of those encountered with legs of rectangular cross-section. That is, the advantages of legs of round or circular cross-section generally include round edges and thus reduced tissue trauma, ability to rotate the basket without danger of tissue trauma, and ability to form a helix-shaped basket structure, and the disadvantages of legs of round cross-section generally include less dilatation force and less contact between the inner surface of the legs and the stone being captured.
The invention relates to a medical retrieval basket having legs with a cross sectional shape designed to enhance the capture and retrieval of foreign materials or biological materials (e.g., kidney stones, urinary calculi, etc.) from within a body while causing less trauma to tissue. The two basic design objectives according to the invention are (1) to cause less trauma to body tissues and to the linings of lumens of the body in which the basket is placed and manipulated to accomplish the retrieval of material and (2) to enhance the material-capturing ability of the basket. One shape that meets the two basic design goals of the invention is a basket having legs with a D-shape in cross-section. Advantages of the D-shape, and all other shapes according to the invention, include less trauma to tissue, ability to rotate the basket without forming the legs in a helix configuration, improved stone purchase and contact, ability to use the basket for tissue biopsy because of its improved cutting ability, improved stone breaking and/or crushing ability, ability to reduce the overall size of the catheter basket device while maintaining or increasing the opening force of the basket, and improved dilatation force compared to a basket with legs of round cross-section while making the basket less tissue traumatic.
In accordance with the invention, a medical retrieval device, and related method, uses a basket formed by one or more legs to retrieve foreign or biological material. At least one of the legs has at least two surfaces, namely, an inner surface and an outer surface. The outer surface is an atraumatic surface such as a curved surface. The atraumatic outer surface can include one or more radii. The inner surface can be flat such that the leg has a D-shaped cross section. Other shapes are possible for the inner surface including a pointed shape that enhances the basket""s stone crushing or breaking ability. The inner surface, whatever its shape, can have a smooth surface, or it can have a rough surface (e.g., serrated, etched, toothed, etc.) for further enhancing the basket""s ability to capture material such as stones and other calculi.
In one aspect, the invention involves a medical retrieval device. The device comprises a basket that includes one or more legs that form the basket. At least one of the legs comprises at least two surfaces wherein at least one of the two surfaces comprises a curved surface.
Embodiments of this aspect of the invention can include the following features. For example, the leg with the at least two surfaces can have a cross section defined by the surfaces, and the cross section can comprise a D-shape defined by the surfaces wherein the curved surface comprises an outer surface and the other surface comprises an inner surface. In general, the curved surface can comprise an outer surface and the other surface can comprise an inner surface. The inner surface can comprise a flat surface such that the cross section comprises a D-shape, or the inner surface can be wedge-shaped and comprise at least one point. Also, the inner surface can comprise a surface that is rougher than the outer surface, and this rough inner surface can comprise, for example, a serrated surface, a toothed surface, or an etched surface. The curved surface can comprise more than one radius (e.g., a B-shape). The basket can have three or more legs.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a medical retrieval device that comprises a basket having one or more legs forming the basket. At least one of the legs comprises at least an inner surface and an outer surface wherein the outer surface comprises an atraumatic surface.
Embodiments of this aspect of the invention can include a curved surface as the outer atraumatic surface. Other embodiments of this aspect of the invention can include other features such as those described above for the previous aspect of the invention.
In still another aspect, the invention involves a method for retrieving material from a body. The method comprises inserting an extractor into a body. The extractor comprises a basket having one or more legs forming the basket, and at least one of the legs comprises at least an inner surface and an outer surface wherein the outer surface comprises an atraumatic surface. The method further comprises capturing the material with the basket. The captured material contacts the inner surface of at least one of the legs. The method further comprises withdrawing the extractor from the body to remove the captured material from the body.
Embodiments of this aspect of the invention can include the following features. For example, the capturing step can comprise capturing a calculus such as, for example, a kidney stone, a ureteral stone, a urethral stone, a urinary bladder stone, or a stone in the biliary tree such as a gallbladder stone or a bile duct stone. Also, the capturing step can further comprise breaking the material into two or more pieces with, for example, a sharpened inner surface.
In yet another aspect, the invention relates to a medical retrieval device that comprises a basket having one or more legs that form the basket. At least one of the legs comprises at least an inner surface, and at least a portion of the inner surface is adapted to contact material (e.g., calculi) and is rough. The rough inner surface can be, for example, a serrated surface, a toothed surface, or an etched surface.
The foregoing and other objects, aspects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and from the claims.

Medical retrieval basket with legs shaped to enhance capture and reduce trauma