Embodiments of the present invention provide a novel system and/or method for performing over-the-network collaborations and interactions between remote end-users. Embodiments of the present invention produce the perceived effect of each user sharing a same physical workspace while each person is actually located in separate physical environments. In this manner, embodiments of the present invention allow for more seamless interactions between users while relieving them of the burden of using common computer peripheral devices such as mice, keyboards, and other hardware often used to perform such interactions.

Remote collaboration technologies, such as video conferencing software, are used to conference multiple users from remote locations together by way of simultaneous two-way transmissions. However, many conventional systems for performing such tasks are unable to establish communication environments in which participants are able to enjoy a sense of shared presence within the same physical workspace. As such, collaborations and interactions performed over a communications network between remote users can be a difficult task. Accordingly, a need exists for a solution that provides participants of collaborative sessions performed over communication networks with the sensation of sharing a same physical workspace with each other in a manner that also improves user experience during such events.

System and method for augmented reality-enabled interactions and collaboration


Compounds, particularly compounds having spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) inhibition activity, having the following structure:

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to novel compounds, particularly compounds having spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) and/or JAK kinase inhibition activity, as well as to compositions and methods associated with the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Protein kinases constitute a large family of structurally related enzymes that are responsible for the control of a variety of signal transduction processes within cells (see, e.g., Hardie and Hanks, The Protein Kinase Facts Book, I and II, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif., 1995). Protein kinases are thought to have evolved from a common ancestral gene due to the conservation of their structure and catalytic function. Almost all kinases contain a similar 250-300 amino acid catalytic domain. The kinases can be categorized into families by the substrates they phosphorylate (e.g., protein-tyrosine, protein-serine/threonine, lipids, etc.). Sequence motifs have been identified that generally correspond to each of these families (see, e.g., Hanks & Hunter, (1995), FASEB J. 9:576-596; Knighton et al., (1991), Science 253:407-414; Hiles et al., (1992), Cell 70:419-429; Kunz et al., (1993), Cell 73:585-596; Garcia-Bustos et al., (1994), EMBO J. 13:2352-2361).
Many diseases are associated with abnormal cellular responses triggered by protein kinase-mediated events. These diseases include autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases, bone diseases, metabolic diseases, neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, allergies, asthma, alzheimer's disease and hormone-related diseases. As a consequence, there have been substantial efforts in medicinal chemistry to find inhibitors of protein kinases for use as therapeutic agents.
Immunoreceptor tyrosine activation motif (ITAM)-mediated signaling has emerged as a primary event in signaling pathways responsible for human pathologies. ITAM-mediated signaling is responsible for relaying activation signals initiated at classical immune receptors such as T-cell receptors, B-cell receptors, Fc receptors in immune cells and at GPVI and FcγRIIa in platelets to downstream intracellular molecules such as Syk and ZAP-70 (Underhill, D. M and Goodridge, H. S., Trends Immunol., 28:66-73, 2007).
The binding of a ligand to an ITAM-containing receptor triggers signaling events which allows for the recruitment of proteins from a family of nonreceptor tyrosine kinases called the Src family. These kinases phosphorylate tyrosine residues within the ITAM sequence, a region with which the tandem SH2 domains on either Syk or ZAP-70 interact.
Syk, along with Zap-70, is a member of the syk family of protein tyrosine kinases. The interaction of Syk or ZAP-70 with diphosphorylated ITAM sequences induces a conformation change in the kinases that allows for tyrosine phosphorylation of the kinase itself. Src and Syk family members activate a multitude of downstream signaling pathway proteins which include Src homology 2 (SH2) domain containing leukocyte-specific phosphoprotein of 76 kDa (SLP-76), Linker of Activation of T-cells (LAT) and PLC (phospholipase C) γ2.
Human pathologies attributed to dysfunctional ITAM-mediated signaling include autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus, multiple sclerosis, hemolytic anemia, immune-thrombocytopenia purpura, and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and arteriosclerosis. Interestingly, many of the above mentioned diseases are thought to occur through crosslinking of Fc receptors by antibodies which, via Syk, activate a signaling cascade in mast, basophil, and other immune cells that result in the release of cell mediators responsible for inflammatory reactions. The release of mediators and the production of cytokines in IgE stimulation-dependent allergic and inflammatory reactions from mast cells and basophiles can be controlled by inhibiting the tyrosine kinase activity of Syk (Rossi, A. B. et al., J Allergy Clin Immunol., 118:749-755, 2006). In immune-thrombocytopenia, antibody bound platelets are cleared by the spleen by an Fc receptor/ITAM/Syk-mediated process (Crow, A. R. et al., Blood, 106: abstract 2165, 2005). Drug-induced thrombocytopenia, caused by heparin-platelet factor 4 immune complexes that activate platelet FcγRIIa, also involve Syk signaling downstream of receptor engagement (Reilly, M. P., Blood, 98:2442-2447, 2001).
Platelet agonists induce inside-out integrin signaling resulting in fibrinogen binding and platelet aggregation. This initiates outside-in signaling which produces further stimulation of platelets. Syk is activated during both phases of integrin signaling, and inhibition of Syk is shown to inhibit platelet adhesion to immobilized proteins (Law, D. A. et al., Blood, 93:2645-2652, 1999). Release of arachidonic acid and serotonin and platelet aggregation induced by collagen are markedly inhibited in platelets derived from Syk deficient mouse (Poole, A. et al., EMBO J., 16:2333-2341, 1997). Thus Syk inhibitors may also possess anticoagulation action.
Because of the role Syk plays in Ig-induced platelet activation, it is likely to be important in arteriosclerosis and restenosis. Arteriosclerosis is a class of diseases characterized by the thickening and hardening of the arterial walls of blood vessels. Although all blood vessels are susceptible to this serious degenerative condition, the aorta and the coronary arteries serving the heart are most often affected. Arteriosclerosis is of profound clinical importance since it can increase the risk of heart attacks, myocardial infarctions, strokes, and aneurysms.
The traditional treatment for arteriosclerosis includes vascular recanalization procedures for less-serious blockages and coronary bypass surgery for major blockages. A serious shortcoming of intravascular procedures is that, in a significant number of treated individuals, some or all of the treated vessels restenose (i.e., re-narrow). For example, restenosis of an atherosclerotic coronary artery after PTCA occurs in 10-50% of patients undergoing this procedure and subsequently requires either further angioplasty or a coronary artery bypass graft. Furthermore, restenosis of an atherosclerotic coronary artery after stenting occurs in 10-20% of patients undergoing this procedure and subsequently requires repeat treatments to maintain adequate blood flow through the affected artery. Restenosis generally occurs in a relatively brief time period, e.g., roughly less than six months, after treatment.
While the exact hormonal and cellular processes promoting restenosis have not been determined, restenosis is thought to be due in part to mechanical injury to the walls of the blood vessels caused by the balloon catheter or other intravascular device. For example, the process of PTCA, in addition to opening the obstructed artery, also injures resident coronary arterial smooth muscle cells (SMCs). In response to this injury, adhering platelets, infiltrating macrophages, leukocytes, or the smooth muscle cells themselves release cell-derived growth factors such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), with subsequent proliferation and migration of medial SMCs through the internal elastic lamina to the area of the vessel intima. Further proliferation and hyperplasia of intimal SMCs and, most significantly, production of large amounts of extracellular matrix over a period of three to six months results in the filling in and narrowing of the vascular space sufficient to significantly obstruct blood flow.
In addition to the role Syk plays in Ig-induced platelet activations, Syk plays a very important role in collagen-mediated signaling. The primary adhesive protein responsible for platelet adhesion and activation is collagen. Collagen is a filamentous protein contained within the fibrotic caps of atheromas which becomes exposed to blood during plaque rupture. Collagen functions initially by binding von Willebrand factor which tethers platelets through binding platelet membrane GPIb. Collagen functions secondarily by engaging the two collagen receptors on platelets, GPVI and integrin α2β1.
GPVI exists in platelet membranes as a complex with FcRγ, an interaction required for the expression of GPVI. Activation of FcγRIIa on platelets results in platelet shape change, secretion and thrombosis. Signaling by the GPVI/FcRγ complex is initiated by tyrosine phosphorylation of the ITAM domain of FCRγ followed by the recruitment of Syk. Activation of GPVI leads to induction of multiple platelet functions including: activation of integrins α2β1 to achieve firm platelet adhesion, and GP IIb-IIIa which mediates platelet aggregation and thrombus growth; platelet secretion, allowing for the delivery of inflammatory proteins such as CD40L, RANTES and TGFβ to the vessel wall; and the expression of P-selectin which allows for the recruitment of leukocytes. Therefore, it is believed that Syk inhibitors can inhibit thrombotic events mediated by platelet adhesion, activation and aggregation.
It has been reported that the tyrosine phosphorylation of intracellular protein (activation) induced by stimulation of a receptor for IgG antibody, FcγR, and the phagocytosis mediated by FcγR are considerably inhibited in macrophages derived from Syk deficient mouse (Crowley, M. T. et al., J. Exp. Med., 186:1027-1039, 1997). This suggests that Syk has a markedly important role in the FcγR-mediated phagocytosis of macrophages. Therefore, it is believed that Syk inhibitors can inhibit cell or tissue damage induced by antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC).
It has also been reported that an antisense oligonucleotide of Syk suppresses the apoptosis inhibition of eosinophils induced by GM-CSF (Yousefi, S. et al., J. E. Med., 183:1407-1414, 1996), showing that Syk is essential for the life extending signal of eosinophils caused by GM-CSF and the like. Since life extension of eosinophils is closely related to the transition of diseases into a chronic state in allergic disorders, such as asthma, Syk inhibitors can also serve as therapeutic agents for chronic eosinophilic inflammation.
Syk is important for the activation of B-cells via a B-cell antigen receptor and is involved in the phosphatidylinositol metabolism and increase in the intracellular calcium concentration caused by the antigen receptor stimulation (Hutchcroft, J E. et al., J. Biol. Chem., 267:8613-8619, 1992; and Takata, M. et al., EMBO J., 13:1341-1349, 1994). Thus, Syk inhibitors may be used to control the function of B-cells and are, therefore, expected to serve as therapeutic agents for antibody-related diseases.
Syk binds to a T-cell antigen receptor, quickly undergoes tyrosine phosphorylation through crosslinking of the receptor and synergistically acts upon intracellular signals mediated by Src tyrosine kinases such as Lck (Couture, C. et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 91:5301-5305, 1994; and Couture, C. et al., Mol. Cell. Biol., 14:5249-5258, 1994). Syk is present in mature T-cell populations, such as intraepithelial γδ T-cells and naïve ad T-cells, and has been reported to be capable of phosphorylation of multiple components of the TCR signaling cascade (Latour, S. et al., Mol Cell Biol., 17:4434-4441, 1997). As a consequence, Syk inhibitors may serve as agents for inhibiting cellular immunity mediated by T-cell antigen receptor.
Recent comparative genomic hybridization studies have identified Syk as another gene important in the pathogenesis of Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL) (Chen, R. et al. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2007 ASCO Annual Meeting Proceedings (Post-Meeting Edition). Vol 25, No 18S (June 20 Supplement), 2007: 8056). MCL represents 5-10% of all non-Hodgkins lymphomas and it is a difficult form of lymphoma to treat. It has the worst prognosis among the B-cell lymphomas, with median survival of three years. It has been reported that Syk is overexpressed in MCL (Rinaldi, A, et al., Br. J. Haematol, 2006; 132:303-316) and that Syk mediates mTOR (mammalian target of Rapamycin) survival signals in follicular, mantel cell, Burkitt's, and diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (Leseux, L., et al., Blood, 2006; 108:4156-4162).
Several lines of evidence suggest that many B-cell lymphomas depend upon B-cell receptor (BCR)-mediated survival signals. BCR signaling induces receptor oligomerization and phosphorylation of Igα and β immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activated motifs by SRC family kinases. ITAM phosphorylation results in the recruitment and activation of Syk that initiates downstream events and amplifies the original BCR signal. Given the role of tonic BCR signaling in normal B-cell and Syk-dependent survival of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cell lines in vitro (Chen, L., et al., Blood, 2006; 108:3428-3433), Syk inhibition is a promising rational treatment target for certain B-cell lymphomas.
The oncogenic potential of the spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) has been described in a number of different settings. Clinically, Syk over-expression is reported in Mantle Cell Lymphoma (Rinaldi, A., et al., Br. J. Haematol, 2006; 132:303-316) and the TEL-Syk fusion protein (Translocated ETS Leukemia) generated by a chromosomal translocation (t(9;12)(q22;p12)) leads to increased Syk activity and is associated with myelodysplastic syndrome (Kuno, Y., et al., Blood, 2001; 97:1050-1055). Leukemia is induced in mice by adoptively transferring bone marrow cells that express human TEL-Syk (Wossning, T., JEM, 2006; 203:2829-2840). Further, in mouse primary bone marrow cells, over-expression of Syk results in IL-7 independent growth in culture (Wossning, T., et al., JEM, 2006; 203:2829-2840).
Interestingly, Syk signaling appears to be required for B-cell development and survival in humans and mouse. Inducible loss of the B-cell receptor (Lam, K., et al., Cell, 1997; 90:1073-1083) or Igα (Kraus, M., et al., Cell, 2004; 117:787-800) results in loss of peripheral B-cells in mice. Over-expression of the protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP-RO, which is known to negatively regulate Syk activity, inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in cell lines derived from non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (Chen, L., et al., Blood, 2006; 108:3428-3433). Finally, B-cell lymphomas rarely exhibit loss of BCR expression, and anti-idiotype therapy rarely leads to resistance (Kuppers, R. Nat Rev Cancer, 2005; 5:251-262).
Additional recent studies also suggest that Syk-dependant survival signals may play a role in B-cell malignancies, including DLBCL, mantle cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma (see, e.g., S. Linfengshen et al. Blood, February 2008; 111: 2230-2237; J. M. Irish et al. Blood, 2006; 108: 3135-3142; A. Renaldi et al. Brit J. Haematology, 2006; 132: 303-316; M. Guruoajan et al. J. Immunol, 2006; 176: 5715-5719; L. Laseux et al. Blood, 2006; 108: 4156-4162.
JAK kinases (Janus Kinases) are a family of cytoplasmic protein tyrosine kinases including JAK1, JAK2, JAK3 and TYK2. The JAKs play a crucial role in cytokine signaling. Each of the JAK kinases is selective for the receptors of certain cytokines, though multiple JAK kinases can be affected by particular cytokine or signaling pathways. Studies suggest that JAK3 associates with the common cytokine receptor gamma chain (Fcγ or γc) of the various cytokine receptors. JAK3 in particular selectively binds to receptors and is part of the cytokine signaling pathway for and activated by IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, IL-15 and IL-21. JAK1 interacts with, among others, the receptors for cytokines IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9 and IL-21, while JAK2 interacts with, among others, the receptors for IL-9 and TNF-α. Upon the binding of certain cytokines to their receptors (e.g., IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, IL-15 and IL-21), receptor oligomerization occurs, resulting in the cytoplasmic tails of associated JAK kinases being brought into proximity and facilitating the trans-phosphorylation of tyrosine residues on the JAK kinase. This trans-phosphorylation results in the activation of the JAK kinase.
The downstream substrates of JAK family kinases include the signal tranducer activator of transcription (STAT) proteins. Phosphorylated JAK kinases bind various STAT (Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription) proteins. STAT proteins, which are DNA binding proteins activated by phosphorylation of tyrosine residues, function both as signaling molecules and transcription factors and ultimately bind to specific DNA sequences present in the promoters of cytokine-responsive genes (Leonard et al., (2000), J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 105:877-888).
JAK/STAT signaling has been implicated in the mediation of many abnormal immune responses such as allergies, asthma, autoimmune diseases such as transplant (allograft) rejection, rheumatoid arthritis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple sclerosis, as well as in solid and hematologic malignancies such as leukemia and lymphomas. For a review of the pharmaceutical intervention of the JAK/STAT pathway see Frank, (1999), Mol. Med. 5:432:456 and Seidel et al., (2000), Oncogene 19:2645-2656.
JAK3 in particular has been implicated in a variety of biological processes. For example, the proliferation and survival of murine mast cells induced by IL-4 and IL-9 have been shown to be dependent on JAK3- and gamma chain-signaling (Suzuki et al., (2000), Blood 96:2172-2180). JAK3 also plays a crucial role in IgE receptor-mediated mast cell degranulation responses (Malaviya et al., (1999), Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 257:807-813), and inhibition of JAK3 kinase has been shown to prevent type I hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis (Malaviya et al., (1999), J. Biol. Chem. 274:27028-27038). JAK3 inhibition has also been shown to result in immune suppression for allograft rejection (Kirken, (2001), Transpl. Proc. 33:3268-3270). JAK3 kinases have also been implicated in the mechanism involved in early and late stages of rheumatoid arthritis (Muller-Ladner et al., (2000), J. Immunol. 164:3894-3901); familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Trieu et al., (2000), Biochem Biophys. Res. Commun. 267:22-25); leukemia (Sudbeck et al., (1999), Clin. Cancer Res. 5:1569-1582); mycosis fungoides, a form of T-cell lymphoma (Nielsen et al., (1997), Prac. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94:6764-6769); and abnormal cell growth (Yu et al., (1997), J. Immunol. 159:5206-5210; Catlett-Falcone et al., (1999), Immunity 10: 105-115).
JAK1, JAK2, and TYK2 are expressed ubiquitously, whereas JAK3 is expressed predominantly in hematopoietic cells. The JAK kinases, including JAK3, are abundantly expressed in primary leukemic cells from children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of childhood cancer, and studies have correlated STAT activation in certain cells with signals regulating apoptosis (Demoulin et al., (1996), Mol. Cell. Biol. 16:4710-6; Jurlander et al., (1997), Blood 89:4146-52; Kaneko et al., (1997), Clin. Exp. Immun. 109:185-193; and Nakamura et al., (1996), J. Biol. Chem. 271: 19483-8). They are also known to be important for lymphocyte differentiation, function and survival. JAK-3 in particular plays an essential role in the function of lymphocytes, macrophages, and mast cells. Given the importance of this JAK kinase, compounds which modulate the JAK pathway, including those selective for JAK3, can be useful for treating diseases or conditions where the function of lymphocytes, macrophages, or mast cells is involved (Kudlacz et al., (2004) Am. J. Transplant 4:51-57; Changelian (2003) Science 302:875-878). Conditions in which targeting of the JAK pathway or modulation of the JAK kinases, particularly JAK3, are contemplated to be therapeutically useful include, leukemia, lymphoma, transplant rejection (e.g., pancreas islet transplant rejection), bone marrow transplant applications (e.g., graft-versus-host disease), autoimmune diseases (e.g., diabetes), and inflammation (e.g., asthma, allergic reactions). Conditions which can benefit from JAK3 inhibition are discussed in greater detail below.
While progress has been made in this field, there remains a need in the art for compounds that inhibit Syk and/or JAK kinase, as well as for methods for treating conditions in a patient, such as restenosis, thrombosis, and/or inflammation that can benefit from such inhibition. Moreover, the availability of compounds that selectively inhibit kinases would also be desirable. The present invention satisfies these and other needs.

Abstract: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof,                wherein R1 is structure (a), (b), (c) or (d):

Abstract: and Ra, Rb, Rc, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7 are as defined herein. Methods associated with preparation and use of the same, as well as pharmaceutical compositions containing the same, are also disclosed, as well as uses of the same to treat a condition or disorder mediated by a Syk and/or JAK kinase.


The front glass substrate and the back glass substrate are placed opposite each other with display cells in between. MIM electron-emitting devices each structured by the opposed cathode electrode and gate electrode sandwiching an insulator layer are arranged in matrix form on the inner face of the front glass substrate. An anode electrode and phosphor layers emitting visible light by being excited by ultraviolet light are provided on the inner face of the back glass substrate. The display cells are filled with an ultraviolet-light-emitting gas generating ultraviolet light by being excited by electrons.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the structure of flat display panels.
The present application claims priority from Japanese Application No. 2004-172956, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, flat display panels include a PDP (Plasma Display Panel), an FED (Field Emission Display) and the like.
A color PDP is structured as illustrated in FIG. 1. That is, row electrode pairs (X, Y), a dielectric layer 2 covering the row electrode pairs (X, Y) and a protective layer 3 covering the dielectric layer 2 are provided on the rear-facing face of a front glass substrate 1. The front glass substrate 1 is placed opposite a back glass substrate 4 with the discharge space in between. Column electrodes D are provided on the inner face of the back glass substrate 4 and extend in a direction at right angles to the row electrode pairs (X, Y) so as to form discharge cells C in matrix form at positions corresponding to the intersections with the row electrode pairs (X, Y) in the discharge space. Further, on the inner face of the back glass substrate 4, a column-electrode protective layer 5 covers the column electrodes D. A partition wall unit 6 is formed on the column-electrode protective layer 5 to partition the discharge space into the discharge cells C. Red-, Green- and Blue-colored phosphor layers 7 are provided individually in the discharge cells C. The discharge space is filled with a discharge gas including xenon gas.
For generating an image on the panel surface in accordance with a video signal, the PDP initiates a discharge (sustaining discharge) between opposed transparent electrodes Xa and Ya on either side of a discharge gap g in each row electrode pair (X, Y) in order to generate vacuum ultraviolet light from the xenon gas in the discharge gas. The vacuum ultraviolet light excites the phosphor layers 7 and causes them to individually emit red-, green- and blue-colored visible light.
In the structure of the FED illustrated in FIG. 2, an anode electrode Ep and a transparent phosphor layer 11 are formed on the rear-facing face of a front glass substrate 10. A cathode electrode En, an insulation layer 13 covering the cathode electrode En, and a gate electrode Eg formed on the insulation layer 13 are formed on the front-facing face of a back glass substrate 12. The vacuum space between the front glass substrate 10 and the back glass substrate 12 is partitioned into pixels by a partition wall unit 14.
Regarding the FED, in the vacuum space in each pixel, drive voltage is applied between the anode electrode Ep and the cathode electrode En to generate an electric field enabling an electron beam to travel from the cathode electrode En toward the anode electrode Ep. The electron beam is accelerated by a gate electrode Eg to come into collision with the phosphor layer 11, whereby the phosphor layer 11 emits visible light to generate an image on the panel surface.
The PDP structured as described earlier needs a drive voltage of from 200V to 300V, for example, for enhancement of luminous efficiency. For this purpose, what is required, for example, is a semiconductor device for a high-voltage drive which is typically expensive. Such a requirement gives rise to the problem of high manufacturing costs.
The FED needs high voltage for its drive and therefore includes a complicated and high-cost drive circuit in the display device. Further, a high-velocity electron beam ionizes contaminated gas remaining within the panel. The ion impact at the time of this ionization causes wear and tear on the microchip array provided for generating the electron beam. As a result, the FED has the problem of a short lifetime.
The flat display panel, which is conventionally suggested in order to solve the problems associated with the structure of the PDP and FED, has the back substrate provided with an electron-emitting source emitting electrons by heat or an electric field, and the front substrate provided with anode electrodes accelerating the electron beam emitted from the electron-emitting source and phosphor layers covering the anode electrodes. The space between the front substrate and the back substrate is filled with xenon gas.
A conventional flat display panel structured as described above is disclosed in Japanese unexamined patent publication 2001-6565, for example.
In the conventional flat display panel, the electrons emitted from the electron-emitting source provided on the back substrate are accelerated by a voltage applied to the anode electrode. The accelerated electrons directly excite the xenon gas filling the space defined between the front substrate and the back substrate to cause the xenon gas to emit ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet light excites the phosphor layers formed on the front substrate to cause the phosphor layers to emit visible light, resulting in the generation of an image.
However, the conventional flat display panel has the following problems.
In the conventional flat display panel, the electrons emitted from the electron-emitting source are accelerated by anode voltage in the space filled with xenon gas. Therefore, unlike the acceleration of electrons in a vacuum space, the accelerated electrons come into inelastic collision with the xenon gas filling the space to lose energy, and then the electrons are re-accelerated by anode voltage. This phenomenon occurs repeatedly.
There is no regularity in the inelastic collision between the electrons and the Xenon gas. The time period and the migration length from the time when the electrons come into inelastic collision with the xenon gas and lose velocity energy to the time when the electrons are re-accelerated by the anode voltage are not constant. Therefore, the velocity energy distribution of the electrons is widened. As a result, the difficulty arises of making the electrodes efficiently come into collision with the xenon gas for the generation of vacuum ultraviolet light.
Further, the higher the gas pressure of the xenon gas in the space, the more involved the inelastic collision between the electrons and the xenon gas. For this reason, a high anode voltage is required for accelerating the electrons under the high gas pressure of the xenon gas. However, if a high anode voltage is set, electrons having a higher energy than the energy necessary for ionizing the xenon gas appear. The xenon gas is ionized, thereby disadvantageously reducing the efficiency of the excitation of the xenon gas.
A high anode voltage causes the further problems of continuously producing a discharge between the electron-emitting source and the anode electrode and of a back-scatter phenomenon in which the electrons are forced back toward the electron-emitting source by the elastic collision with the xenon gas.
In consequence, the conventional flat display panel has the problem of the impossibility of a satisfactory improvement of the luminous efficiency because of the impossibility of building up the gas pressure of the xenon gas filling the space between the front substrate and the back substrate and thus the impossibility of preventing the widening of the velocity energy distribution of electrons.

Display panel with electron-emitting devices on substrates and cathode and anode electrodes


Image projection apparatus wherein, a focusing lens is controlled when a shutter is operated so that a contrast signal, obtained when a luminance signal from a camera signal processing circuit is supplied to an auto focusing detection circuit, any become maximum. A laser diode is driven to generate laser beams that are condensed into parallel laser beams by a condenser. These parallel laser beams are applied to a hologram plate and thereby diffracted. The diffracted laser beams interfere with each other, to produce a hologram image with sufficient contrast. Therefore, satisfactory focusing can be made in an auto focus mode of the contrast detection system or in a manual focus mode.

When a user takes a picture by a still camera, for example, in the dark because it is difficult for a user to visually confirm an object, the object cannot be brought into focus by an auto focus camera, for example, of a contrast detection type. It is also difficult to bring the object into focus in a manual focus mode. To solve this problem, there has been employed so far a method which enables an auto focusing operation by irradiating the object with an auxiliary floodlight such as an LED. According to this method, however, when an object has low contrast, it used to be difficult to bring the object into focus.
On the other hand, for example, a floodlight for producing a large output required for obtaining the brightness enough to focus on the object consumes large electric power and thus produces such a great deal of heat that the floodlight cannot be used near the object. Alternatively, there is known, for example, a method in which light is condensed by a lens to floodlight an object. However, when light is condensed into a narrow area in order to increase the brightness of an object, if a user takes a picture using a wide-angle lens, then a floodlighted area will be too narrow to make focusing easily. Conversely, if the floodlighted area is made so wide as corresponds to that in the wide-angle photographing, a sufficient brightness of the object cannot be obtained disadvantegeously.
Further, while there is employed an auxiliary floodlight in which a lens and a slit are placed in front of an LED or an electric bulb, etc. to project an image of the slit onto the object, a projected image has low contrast, so that satisfactory focusing is made difficult. Moreover, according to this method, light loss is unavoidably produced in the floodlight due to the slit, and hence electric power consumption for obtaining a necessary quantity of light is extremely large. As a result, it is difficult for the above-mentioned auxiliary floodlight to be incorporated into, for example, a small electronic still camera and driven by a power supply such as a built-in battery.
Aside from these prior arts, there has been proposed an image projection apparatus in which an arbitrary hologram reproduced image is projected by using, for example, a laser light source and a hologram plate. Such hologram reproduced image can enhance contrast of a projected image. Accordingly, it is conceived that this hologram reproduced image is projected onto an object to be made use of focusing. That is to say, the detection in the manual focus mode or in the auto focus mode is performed using the hologram reproduced image that is projected onto the object.
However, the image projection apparatus is such that a hologram plate is added to the existing so-called "laser pointer", the structure of which is shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, for example. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 14A, a laser light source 71 for generating light of diffused laser beams and a condenser 72 for converting the light of diffused laser beams to light of parallel laser beams are provided within a lens barrel 70. The light of parallel laser beams converted by this condenser 72 is used as a laser pointer for indicating an arbitrary point and so on.
A hologram plate 73 is provided within a lens barrel 74 which is fitted onto the lens barrel 70. Then, when the light of parallel laser beams is applied to this hologram plate 73, a hologram reproduced image is formed and projected onto the object. However, in this image projection apparatus, the laser light source 71 and the condenser 72 are integrated with each other as a single unit by the lens barrel 70, and the hologram plate 73 of the lens barrel 74 is added to this unit thus formed. When the lens barrel 74, for example, is broken, there is a risk that only the hologram plate 73 may be detached from the unit.
Accordingly, when the hologram reproduced image is projected onto the object to be used for focusing as described above, if only the hologram plate 73 is detached from the unit and the light of parallel laser beams from the condenser 72 is directly applied to the object as shown in FIG. 14B, then the object, for example, a man will feel discomfort due to a dazzling light of parallel laser beams if he sees it. When the hologram plate 73 is present, the hologram reproduced image is formed and hence light of laser beams is diffused, so that the discomfort given to a man will be alleviated.
The present invention is made in view of the aforesaid points and the problems to be solved is as follows: When a user takes a picture by a still camera in the dark, for example, it is difficult for the user to focus in the auto focus mode of the contrast detection system or in the manual focus mode. On the other hand, the camera apparatus using the conventional auxiliary floodlight does not allow a satisfactory focusing to be performed. Moreover, because the conventional auxiliary floodlight consumes large power, it cannot be incorporated into a small electronic still camera for use.
Furthermore, the image projection apparatus using, for example, the laser light source and the hologram plate has a risk that, when the hologram plate is detached and so forth, a man as an object will feel uncomfortable very much due to a dazzling light of parallel laser beams if he sees it.

Image projection apparatus, projection image pattern, laser drive apparatus, camera apparatus


An apparatus for collecting, storing and dumping used motor oil includes an oil container having a top, a bottom and sides and having at least one funnel connector opening sized and configured to removably receive a mating funnel connector member therein; and, at least one funnel having a funnel cup and a funnel connector member connected to and in communication with said funnel cup, said funnel connector member having a size and shape which is removably lockably receivable into the at least one funnel connector opening.

The majority of engines require oil for lubrication. Heat, dirt and normal wear and tear of the engine all contribute to the inherent breakdown of the oil, which therefore requires periodic changing. Containers for collecting used motor oil are well known in the art. The most common of such containers is an open-ended pan or bowl that is positioned directly under the engine's oil plug. Improvements in oil collection devices have produced generally closed containers having an opening into which the used oil is directed by a funneling device. Such opening, or a special second opening, is then used at a later time to empty the container.
Examples of a variety of different devices for collecting used motor oil are shown in the following U.S. Patents:
__________________________________________________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. INVENTOR ISSUE DATE TITLE __________________________________________________________________________ 5,503,246 Raboin et al. April 2, 1996 CRANKCASE OIL DRAIN PAN 5,301,724 Maxwell April 12, 1994 OIL COLLECTING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS 5,285,824 Krstovic Feb. 15, 1994 VEHICLE OIL DRAINAGE APPARATUS AND METHOD 5,099,872 Tarvin et al. March 31, 1992 LAND-BASED SPILL COLLECTION SYSTEM 5,082,035 Maxwell Jan. 21, 1992 OIL COLLECTING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS 4,881,650 Bartz Nov. 21, 1989 FLUID COLLECTION CONTAINER 4,632,268 Melzi Dec. 30, 1986 DISPOSABLE OIL DRAIN PAN AND CONTAINER COMBINATION 4,533,042 Pollacco Aug. 6, 1985 MOTOR OIL CHANGE KIT AND CATCH PAN FOR USE IN CHANGING AUTOMOTIVE MOTOR OIL 4,513,865 Melzi April 30, 1985 DISPOSABLE OIL DRAIN PAN AND CONTAINER COMBINATION 4,488,584 Hestehave et al. Dec. 18, 1984 DRAINER CONTAINER AND FUNNEL 4,274,645 Ferguson et al. June 23, 1981 PORTO AUTO OIL EASY DRAIN 4,098,398 Meyers July 4, 1978 CONTAINER FOR RECYCLE OF MOTOR OIL 3,667,573 Edwards June 6, 1972 DRAIN SPOUT ATTACHMENT 2,594,779 Huffman April 29, 1952 APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND LUBRICATING __________________________________________________________________________
While many of the devices disclosed in the above patents facilitate the collection of used motor oil over the standard open-top oil collection bowl, each still exhibits some drawback or inconvenience in use. For example, many of the devices, such as those disclosed in the Krstovic, Bartz and Melzi patents, have no means for positioning the collection area close to the drain plug opening without physically moving the entire container right up next to the plug. The devices of the Maxwell '035, Maxwell '724 and Huffman patents all include a collection funnel member that is connected by a flexible conduit to the container, but the funnel members of each of those devices does not permit easy or precise positioning directly to the drain opening.
What is needed is an oil collection assembly that permits easier and more precise positionment of the collecting member to the drain opening as well as a better means for collection of oil splash or overflow.

Apparatus for collecting, storing and dumping used motor oil


A biomedical device including an energy source, an electro-active device operatively connected to the energy source, circuitry configured to control operation of the electro-active device, at least one barrier layer including at least one inorganic material surrounding the energy source, electro-active device and circuitry, and at least one molded layer surrounding the at least one barrier layer. A method for encapsulating electronic components of an electro-active biomedical device in a protective envelope containing a barrier layer including at least one inorganic compound, and a molded polymer overcoat.

Advances in medical devices have produced smaller and more complex medical devices. Medical devices may incorporate powered functional components and a power source. The powered components may include control elements incorporated in semiconductor chips, among other things. Examples of such devices may include implantable pacemakers, micro-energy harvesters, electronic pills for monitoring and/or testing biological functions, surgical devices with active components, ophthalmic devices, contact lenses, infusion pumps, defibrillators, stents, and neurostimulators. Some of these devices are implantable, such as pacemakers, while others may contact tissue in some way for short or long periods of time, such as a surgical instrument or contact lens, respectively.
Regardless of whether they are powered or not, medical devices need to be biocompatible. However, introducing a power source and functional components into medical devices results in the need to protect them from bodily fluids as well as to protect a user or patient from coming into contact with the power source or functional elements. For example, a pacemaker and surgical instruments could contact blood and interstitial or other fluids; and a contact lens could contact tears or mucus. Contact with bodily fluids could short out a power source and render functional components of medical devices inoperable. Conversely, contact of bodily fluids with, for example, anode or cathode material, could be harmful to a user or patient.

Biomedical device including encapsulation


There is disclosed a method, and apparatus useful in the method, for the automated loading of probes in a probe head intended for use in automated testing of printed circuit boards. The invention automatically places probes in a probe head at on-grid and at off-grid test points, with probes for the latter test points being vertically inclined from base ends which are on-grid to test ends which are off-grid, corresponding to the off-grid test points of the printed circuit board. In the method, the probes are stored in a dispensing unit which is fully populated with on grid probes at a uniform grid spacing. A mask is custom drilled for the circuit under test at on-grid locations and is used to permit transfer of selected probes from the dispensing unit to a probe cassette. The probe cassette is then transferred to a probe loading unit which is loaded with a stack of the probe plates intended for the probe head. The probe plates are independently raised and lowered following a procedure which transfers the probes from the probe cassette into the probe plates.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for loading of test pins in a probe head (or adaptor) useful in automated testing of printed circuit boards and in particular to an automated probe loading method, and apparatus useful in that method.
2. Brief Statement of the Prior Art
The automated testing of printed circuit boards to detect manufacturing flaws and defects is commonly performed with a mechanical press with one or two test heads resting on the platens of the press. The test heads have many spring pins which are located at preselected points for testing of a printed circuit board with the most common pin-to-pin spacing being 0.1, 0.07 or 0.05 inch. The plates for the test heads are usually predrilled with a grid-like distribution of holes at the aforementioned uniform spacings.
Printed circuit board manufacturing capability, however, has advanced to very compact configurations, particularly with surface mounted components such as integrated circuits. These surface mounted components are mounted with connections which are at closer spacings than the 0.05 inch, pin-to-pin distances which are the closest that can be practically provided with a grid distribution of holes for test pins. Accordingly, there is an increasing demand for adapters which translate the geometrically uniform grid locations of spring test pins to off-grid locations. Probe heads, which comprise a plurality of thin wire probes are supported in a fixture formed of two or more insulating plates separated by spacers, have been used as adapters for this purpose.
A typical probe head comprises two or more insulating plates separated by spacers, usually at corner locations. The plate of the probe head which is placed on the test head of the tester has holes which are located "on-grid", i.e., at the geometrical regular spacings corresponding to the grid of the test head. The plate which will be adjacent the printed circuit board under test, has holes which are located at the precise test point locations of the circuit board under test, a number of which will be "off-grid", i.e., will not be at the precise location of a test pin in the test head. The probes, which are typically a straight length of stiff wire, e.g., piano wire, are manually loaded into the plates and, when the particular test point served by a probe is off-grid, the probe is canted at a slight angle to extend from the on-grid hole in the plate next to the test head to the off-grid hole in the probe plate which is next to the printed circuit board. Frequently one or more additional insulating plates are positioned at intermediate levels between the upper and lower plates of the probe head and holes for the probes are drilled to align with the holes in the upper and lower plates.
The task of manually loading many thousands of probes into a probe head is a tedious and costly operation. Each printed circuit has its own, unique pattern of test points, and a unique probe head must be provided for testing boards of each unique printed circuit. Often the printed circuit board carries printed circuits on both sides, and in such instances, two probe heads are required for double sided testing of those printed circuit boards. As a single probe head can contain as many as 10,000 probes, it is apparent that manual loading of the probes in probe heads is a very expensive and difficult task, and is a serious limitation on the automated testing of printed circuit boards.
Some manufacturers have attempted to automate the task of loading probes into probe heads. Shaker tables have been devised to load the probe heads automatically. The shaker tables have limited application however, as they cannot be used for the extremely closely spaced test point patterns such as experienced with surface mount components. In a conventional shaker table loading procedure, a probe head comprising two or more plates is placed on a shaker table, a plurality of probes are placed with their bottom ends resting on the top plate, and the entire assembly is vibrated to encourage the probes to seek holes in the plates and fall into their final positions.
Other manufacturers build pin loaders comprising an x, y positioning table and a pin inserting head. The x, y table moves each hole of the probe head beneath the pin inserting head which inserts a probe. This is a sequential operation which is very time consuming.


Fitting, especially for a continuous flow water heater.. The submitted invention takes as its basis the problem of developing a fitting of the named type by which the formation of calcareous deposits on the rod protruding from the water control housing is lessened and the influence of such calcareous deposits on the controller action is completely eliminated.. The problem is solved in that within water control housing (2), the control motion of membrane (24) is transmitted to a lever (3) whose center of rotation forms a shaft (4), rigidly connected to this lever (3) and whose pivot is sealed, leading to the exterior of water control housing (2). At the same time, shaft (4) is also the center of rotation for a second lever (5) which is likewise rigidly connected to it. Thus the stroke motion of the first lever (3) is transmitted to the exterior via shaft (4) as a rotary motion and subsequently the rotary motion of shaft (4) is re-converted, by means of second lever (5), into a stroke motion to control the gas outlet.. The fitting serves to control gas flow depending on water flow especially for continuous flow water heaters.

The submitted invention concerns a fitting, especially as applied in a continuous flow water heater to control gas flow depending on water flow. Thereby the fitting has a gas control housing, a water control housing and a mechanical transmission which transmits a control motion, depending on the water flow and arising preferably from a Venturi tube and a membrane in the water control housing, extending initially from the interior of the water control housing, then outwards to a valve controlling the volume of gas within the gas control housing.
Fittings for continuous flow water heaters usually consist of gas and water components. In these fittings, gas control is activated by a hydraulic adjusting drive, which produces a particular stroke to control the volume of gas depending on the volume of water flowing through the fitting. Thereby the stroke starts mostly at particular minimal value, determined by the necessary volume of gas required to ignite the burner, and finishes at a particular maximum value which is determined by the technical layout of the gas burner and the heat exchanger.
As already discussed above and, for example, as shown in DR-PS 647 449, a control device, located in the water component, has a membrane through which the control housing is divided into chambers which are connected via pipes with parts of the fluid pipe which lies before and behind a pressure regulating valve. A gas pressure switch, located in the gas component, has a valve with a valve body which is moved by a further member. The membrane is controlled by pressure difference produced by a pressure regulating valve in a gas pipe leading to the burner. The control device is connected via a rod with a valve body belonging to the pressure regulating valve.
Another fitting for a continuous flow water heater is described in WO 94/00716. In this case, a control device, designated as a flow switch, is located in the water component and serves as a water deficiency safety device. This flow switch has a high pressure chamber and a low pressure chamber which are separated from each other by a membrane. The membrane is supported on a membrane plate rigidly connected with a rod which itself is sealed and leads out of the low pressure chamber. Thereby the membrane, membrane plate and rod form the adjusting drive for a gas volume control valve arranged in the gas component.
The construction of the fittings described in the above named patent documents have a problem in that the rod, serving to transmit the stroke, carries out an axial motion. Due to this axial motion, the rod transports water particles despite a seal being present. In order to prevent water particles getting into the gas control space, it is usually necessary that there be an air space between the water and gas control spaces. Additionally, the rod is made in two pieces. The problem still remains that by increasing rod stroke due to increasing water usage, a film of water on the rod is brought outside by the axial motion and assisted by the water pressure. This film of water evaporates in the air and leads to calcareous deposits on the rod. During the backstroke of the rod, due to decreasing water usage, this calcareous layer is drawn through the seal which damages the seal and thus leads to greater leakage. Furthermore, the control deviation of the continuous flow water heater is enlarged due to the increasing friction of the rod. Especially by the reduction of the volume of water flowing through, the volume of gas is no longer sufficiently reduced which leads to water temperatures being too high and the corresponding hazards to the user arise. The calcareous deposits can extend so far that the gas volume control valve remains open when the water supply is completely cut-off, which leads to destruction of the continuous flow water heater if special over-temperature protection device is not present.
By the employment of grease seals, double gaskets and ceramic guides, one can indeed delay these negative consequences but water transport, due the axial motion of the rod, remains thus leading to a breakdown at some time or other. Furthermore, such measures have the disadvantage that the constructional size and finally the costs are increased.
The invention takes as its basis the problem of developing a fitting of the above mentioned type by which the formation of calcareous deposits on the rod protruding from the water control housing is lessened and the influence of such calcareous deposits on the controller action, as described in detail above, is completely eliminated.
According to the invention, the problem is solved in that within the water control housing, the control motion of the membrane is transmitted to a lever whose centre of rotation forms a shaft, rigidly connected to this lever and whose pivot is sealed, leading to the exterior of the water control housing. At the same time, the shaft is also the centre of rotation for a second lever which is likewise rigidly connected to it. Thus the stroke motion of the first lever is transmitted to the exterior via the shaft as a rotary motion and subsequently the rotary motion of the shaft is again converted, by means of the second lever, into a stroke motion to control the gas outlet.
By converting the stroke motion of the membrane to a rotary motion, the situation is achieved whereby the sealing element required for sealing, usually an O-ring, always seals the shaft at the same position. An axial motion no longer occurs in the sealing area. Thus the previously occurring transport of water particles from the water control housing and the thereby associated negative consequences do not take place. Even if a leakage flux should occur, despite the seal found between the water control housing and the shaft, and calcareous deposits forms on the outer end of the shaft, this has no influence on bearing friction and controller action. As a further advantage, the influence of water pressure on the volume of gas flow, as described in the state-of-the-art, (the cause being due to the effective force components of water pressure on the cross-section of the rod) is not encountered with the solution, offered by the present invention.
Through the measures laid out in the sub-claims, advantageous further developments of the object of the main claim are possible.
Thus the fitting, according to the invention, is constructed such that the second lever outside the water control housing is connected to the shaft in one piece. The resulting stroke motion of the second lever is then transmitted by the known method via a rod in the gas control housing to a valve controlling the volume of gas. Thereby, a connecting rod element can be arranged additionally between the second lever and the rod, whereby at the same time an adjustment position is created.
A further advantageous form of construction of the invention consists in that the shaft, whose pivot is sealed, leads into the interior of the gas control housing, in which the second lever is arranged such that the transmission of the control motion is likewise no longer axial. It is more favourable if the shaft is made in two parts, whereby a first part of the shaft leads from the interior of the water control housing to its exterior whereas a second part of the shaft leads from the interior of the gas control housing to its exterior. Thereby it is made possible to create an adjustment position at the transition between the first and second parts of the shaft.

Flow control especially for instantaneous water heater


Verification of patient sample electrolyte results using a separate quantitative measurement of sample resistivity. Sample resistivity may be used to measure small differences in resistivity of one sample to the next, and in comparison to a standard solution, in order to verify the results of sample electrolyte measurements being measured at the same time by, for example, individual ion selective electrodes (ISE) in a clinical analyzer. Providing a separate or secondary quantitative means for verification of the measured results of sample electrolytes using sample resistivity solves the problem of electrolyte result variability in sample electrolyte measurements. The process may compare a measured sample resistivity to an expected resistivity value as a verification of the accuracy of individual electrolyte results. Suspect samples—e.g., where the electrolyte resistivity results do not fit the expected resistivity—may be flagged. This separate verification step provides added confidence in the measured electrolyte results and can identify when problems occur or interferences are present in real time.

All known higher life forms require a subtle and complex electrolyte balance between the intracellular and extracellular milieu. In particular, the maintenance of precise osmotic gradients of electrolytes is important for good health. Such gradients affect and regulate the hydration of the body as well as blood pH, and are critical for nerve and muscle function. Various mechanisms exist in living species that keep the concentrations of different electrolytes under tight control. Serious electrolyte disturbances, such as dehydration and over hydration, may lead to cardiac and neurological complications and, unless they are rapidly resolved, may result in a medical emergency.
For these reasons, instruments exist for the analysis of patient samples for diagnosis purposes. For example, the measurement of electrolytes is a commonly performed diagnostic procedure. Electrolytes measured most often include sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), and chloride (Cl−). One known method for measuring electrolytes is potentiometric measurement of ions using individual sensors employing ionophores to selectively attract the ion of interest. For example, an ion selective electrodes (ISE) measurement of sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), and chloride (Cl−) electrolytes is performed by the V-LYTE® IMT Module of the Dimension Vista® Integrated System manufactured by Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc. of Newark, Del.
A problem with conventional sample electrolyte measurement systems is electrolyte result variability and these conventional systems do not provide a separate or secondary quantitative means for verification of the measured results of an electrolyte measuring module on, for example, a clinical chemistry analyzer. This may lead to errors or inaccurate results since conventional systems and methods do not provide a means to detect errors in individual result calculations that could be caused by, for example, electrical or chemical interferences in the ISE measurements.
Some conventional systems attempt to address this problem by monitoring the output of the individual ISE sensors and setting limits for electrical voltage drift that may occur when interferences are present. Also, simple tests for the presence or absence of sample may be performed to check for gross positioning errors. These techniques, however, do not provide a second or separate quantitative means for verification of the calculated results of a sample electrolyte measurement.
What is needed is a separate quantitative verification process that can detect or flag suspect samples where the measured electrolyte results do not fit the expected electrolyte results as determined by this separate quantitative means.

Patient serum/plasma sample resistivity for electrolyte result verification


Blast absorbing structures and system for use in absorbing blast forces exerted on a floor of a personnel cabin of a vehicle, are disclosed. The blast absorbing flexing structure comprises a bottom section forming a floor of the cabin, a first side section and opposing second side section, each side section extending from the bottom section and including a plurality of steps along a length of the second side section. The steps flex in response to a blast force. In another embodiment, the blast absorbing expanding structure comprises a force abatement device forming a floor of the cabin, a cover plate having a plurality of slots arranged around a perimeter of the plate. The cover plate is movable between a neutral position and a blast force position to diminish the blast forces prior to the blast forces to reaching an occupant of the cabin.

Armored vehicles are frequently threatened by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) designed to cause harm to the vehicle and its occupants. IEDs are typically one or more grouped artillery shells redeployed and detonated in an effort to inflict casualties. These explosive devices when detonated beneath a floor of a vehicle, often create localized deformation of the floor of the vehicle thereby transmitting large vertical loads onto the lower extremities of occupants of the vehicle. For example, detonations below the underbelly of an armored vehicle may cause the vehicle floor to accelerate at 100G or more and reach velocities of 7 to 12 m/s over a time period of 3 to 5 msec. These high rates of acceleration and velocity transmit large mechanical forces on the lower extremities of the occupants within the vehicle cabin, often resulting in catastrophic injury or worse.
Armor countermeasures typically consist of heavy metal plates placed between the threat and the vehicle in such a way as to resist hull breach and aggressive floor accelerations. These heavy metal plates also work in concert with layers of additional metal, ceramic, composite or plastic materials designed to prevent lethal high velocity fragments from entering the vehicle. The heavy metal plates are typically mounted to the underside of the vehicle in shapes to take advantage of venting efficiency, inherent geometric stiffness, and deflection characteristics when presented with incoming pressure and fragmentation. Carrying a heavy blast and fragment resistant hulls results in significant performance disadvantage to the vehicle in terms of reduced fuel economy, lost cargo capacity and increased transportation shipping costs.
In addition to the outer metal plates, the interior of the personnel cabin may include a blast mat. During a blast event on an armored vehicle, the lower extremities of the occupants of the vehicle are frequently subjected to injuries from the blast energy being transmitted through the vehicle structure. One current solution to dissipate the energy is to use blast mats where the occupants of the vehicle rest their feet. However, current blast mats are expensive and heavy, often contributing unwanted additional weight to an already heavy vehicle.
Therefore, there is a need for an efficient, cost-effective energy absorbing structures and systems for use during a high acceleration event, such as a blast event underneath the vehicle. The present structures and system are usable, for example, in a personnel cabin of a vehicle, specifically as an interior structure or floor, and includes an energy absorbing structure for absorbing and dissipating the blast forces from an explosive device, thereby lessening the impact of the forces on the lower extremities of the occupants of the vehicle. One such blast absorbing structure includes a stepped floor design, having a bottom section and side sections incorporating a plurality of steps or ridges. In another embodiment, the blast absorbing structure includes a blast abatement structure assembly having an expandable-style floor plate. Energy absorbing supports may also be used in connection with the blast absorbing structures creating a "floating floor" to improve the absorption and dissipation of forces exerted on the underbelly of the vehicle during a blast event, while avoiding the negative tradeoffs of alternative designs.

International Truck Intellectual Property Company, LLC


A node comprising a receiver, a transmitter, a controller and memory storing program instructions. The node is suitable for participating in time synchronised data re-transmission within a network. The program instructions cause the controller, when executed by the controller, to receive, via the receiver an indication of other nodes in the network to which data is or is not to be re-transmitted, update a list of other nodes in the network to which data is or is not to be re-transmitted stored within said memory using the indication, determine, based on the list, whether to re-transmits data received from another node in the network and, when it is determined that said data is to be re-transmitted, re-transmit the received data using said transmitter.

In past decades, industrial control applications relied mostly on expensive wiring infrastructure to communicate sensed samples and control signals with ultra-high reliability and low latency. High cost of installing and maintaining wiring clearly motivates adoption of less expensive and easy-to-maintain wireless technologies. However, inherent unreliability and scepticism surrounding dependability of wireless systems hindered their wide industry adoption despite continuous performance improvements as a result of innovations from hardware design to network protocol stacks.
IEEE 802.15.4 served as an underlying technology for several industrial wireless standards, such as WirelessHART, ISA100.11a and more recently 6TiSCH. Most of these technologies come with a full network stack, which first estimates the link quality between wireless nodes and then organize them into a routing structure to minimize forwarding cost. Multiple nodes then start exchanging data over these routes and wireless medium, which causes collisions among their transmissions, leading to low communication reliability. To overcome this problem, complex scheduling algorithms are employed to arbitrate access between conflicting flows by assigning them different channels, time intervals or non-interfering links.

Wireless mesh network and associated data transmission network


The present technology provides an illustrative method for preparing shaped nanoparticles. The method includes passing a metal vapor to a shaping apparatus and condensing the metal vapor within the shaping apparatus to form selectively-shaped metal nanoparticles. The method may also include forming the metal vapor by heating a bulk metal. In an embodiment, the shaping apparatus comprises a mesh separator that include a plurality of nano-sized, square-shaped pores or a plurality of shaping cups that includes a plurality of recesses.

The following description is provided to assist the understanding of the reader. None of the information provided or references cited is admitted to be prior art.
Metallic nanoparticle inks can be printed and cured to generate conductive printed electronics patterns. In traditional processes, the curing of the metallic nanoparticle inks involves forming a very large number of covalent intermetallic bonds between the various printed metal nanoparticles. The goal of this curing is to obtain a structure that is as close to identical as possible to that of the desired pure metal.

Method and system for preparing shaped particles


A three-point hitch for an agricultural tractor includes a lift arm, a lower link arm, and a lift spindle disposed between the lift arm and link arm for transmitting a pivoting movement performed on the lift arm to the link arm. The lift spindle includes a first fastening section on the lift arm and a second fastening section on the link arm. An elongated hole is formed in the second fastening section along a longitudinal direction of the lift spindle, and a mounting pin extends through a fastening opening in the link arm and is mounted in the elongated hole. At least two spaced apart locking regions are formed along the elongated hole for receiving a shaped feature on the mounting pin. A movement of the link arm along the elongated hole is blocked when the shaped feature is received in one of the locking regions.

A conventional three-point hitch in a rear region of an agricultural machine (e.g., tractor) usually includes a hydraulically actuatable lift mechanism with left and right lift arms that can be pivoted by means of associated hydraulic cylinders. The conventional hitch includes left and right lower link arms, which are pivotably mounted at lower articulation points of the three-point hitch and are movably connected to the lift arms via longitudinally adjustable lift spindles. Furthermore, there is a central upper link, which is pivotably suspended at an upper articulation point of the three-point hitch. Both the lower link arms and the upper link arm have coupling hooks for receiving complementary fastening elements of an implement to be attached to the three-point hitch. Each of the lower link arms is fastened by a removable mounting pin in an elongated hole of a respective lift spindle, the elongated hole providing a vertical degree of freedom of movement, and thus the realization of a floating position. This is necessary in the operation of certain ground-engaging implements to compensate for variations in the ground that arise during the working of a field. In addition, the lower link arm is fixed in a lower position within the elongated hole by the mounting pin.
Between the two lower link arms there is also a traction jaw or a comparable coupling device for attaching a trailer drawbar for towed accessories, thus, for example, a trailer, hay truck, or the like. When performing transport journeys, the greatest possible lateral clearance between the drawbar and the lower link arms is desired to reduce the turning radius during maneuvering. In this case, the lower link arms are brought into a raised position as far as possible by the hydraulic lift mechanism.
There is a need, however, for a three-point hitch which allows an additional increase of lateral clearance of a drawbar running between the lower link arms.

Three-point hitch for an agricultural machine


A system and method for separating a mixture of audio signal into desired audio signals (430) (e.g., speech) and a noise sign (440) is disclosed. Microphones (310, 320) are positioned to receive the mixed audio signals, and an independent component analysis (ICA) processes (212) the sound mixture using stability constraints. The ICA process (508) uses predefined characteristics of the desired speech signal to identify and isolate a target sound signal (430). Filter coefficients are adapted with a learning rule and filter weight update dynamics are stabilized to assist convergence to a stable separated ICA signal result. The separated signals may be peripherally-processed to further reduce noise effects using post-processing (214) and pre-processing (220, 230) techniques and information. The proposed system is designed and easily adaptable for implementation on DSP units or CPUs in audio communication hardware environments.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for audio signal processing, in particular to systems and methods for enhancing speech quality in an acoustic environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Speech signal processing is important in many areas of everyday communication, particularly in those areas where noises are profuse. Noises in the real world abound from multiple sources, including apparently single source noises, which in the real world transgress into multiple sounds with echoes and reverberations. Unless separated and isolated, it is difficult to extract the desired noise from background noise. Background noise may include numerous noise signals generated by the general environment, signals generated by background conversations of other people, as well as the echoes, reflections, and reverberations generated from each of the signals. In communication where users often talk in noisy environments, it is desirable to separate the user's speech signals from background noise. Speech communication mediums, such as cell phones, speakerphones, headsets, hearing aids, cordless telephones, teleconferences, CB radios, walkie-talkies, computer telephony applications, computer and automobile voice command applications and other hands-free applications, intercoms, microphone systems and so forth, can take advantage of speech signal processing to separate the desired speech signals from background noise.
Many methods have been created to separate desired sound signals from background noise signals. Prior art noise filters identify signals with predetermined characteristics as white noise signals, and subtract such signals from the input signals. These methods, while simple and fast enough for real time processing of sound signals, are not easily adaptable to different sound environments, and can result in substantial degradation of the speech signal sought to be resolved. The predetermined assumptions of noise characteristics can be over-inclusive or under-inclusive. As a result, portions of a person's speech may be considered "noise" by these methods and therefore removed from the output speech signals, while portions of background noise such as music or conversation may be considered non-noise by these methods and therefore included in the output speech signals.
Other more recently developed methods, such as Independent Component Analysis ("ICA"), provide relatively accurate and flexible means for the separation of speech signals from background noise. For example, PCT publication WO 00/41441 discloses using a specific ICA technique to process input audio signals to reduce noise in the output audio signal. ICA is a technique for separating mixed source signals (components) which are presumably independent from each other. In its simplified form, independent component analysis operates an "un-mixing" matrix of weights on the mixed signals, for example multiplying the matrix with the mixed signals, to produce separated signals. The weights are assigned initial values, and then adjusted to maximize joint entropy of the signals in order to minimize information redundancy. This weight-adjusting and entropy-increasing process is repeated until the information redundancy of the signals is reduced to a minimum. Because this technique does not require information on the source of each signal, it is known as a "blind source separation" method ("BSS"). Blind separation problems refer to the idea of separating mixed signals that come from multiple independent sources.
One of the earliest discussions of ICA is that by Tony Bell in U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,402 which spawned further research. There are now many different ICA techniques or algorithms. A summary of the most widely used algorithms and techniques can be found in books and references therein about ICA (e.g Te-Won Lee, Independent Component Analysis: Theory and Applications, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston, September 1998, Hyvarinen et al., Independent Component Analysis, 1st edition (Wiley-Interscience, May 18, 2001); Mark Girolami, Self-Organizing Neural Networks: Independent Component Analysis and Blind Source Separation (Perspectives in Neural Computing) (Springer Verlag, September 1999); and Mark Girolami editor), Advances in Independent Component Analysis (Perspectives in Neural Computing) (Springer Verlag August 2000). Singular value decomposition algorithms have been disclosed in Adaptive Filter Theory by Simon Haykin (Third Edition, Prentice-Hall (NJ), (1996).
Many popular ICA algorithms have been developed to optimize their performance, including a number which have evolved by significant modifications of those which only existed a decade ago. For example, the work described in A. J. Bell and T J Sejnowski, Neural Computation 7:1129-1159 (1995), and Bell, A. J. U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,402, is usually not used in its patented form. Instead, in order to optimize its performance, this algorithm has gone through several recharacterizations by a number of different entities. One such change includes the use of the "natural gradient", described in Amari, Cichocki, Yang (1996). Other popular ICA algorithms include methods that compute higher-order statistics such as cumulants (Cardoso, 1992; Comon, 1994; Hyvaerinen and Oja, 1997).
However, many known ICA algorithms are not able to effectively separate signals that have been recorded in a real environment which inherently include acoustic echoes, such as those due to room reflections. It is emphasized that the methods mentioned so far are restricted to the separation of signals resulting from a linear stationary mixture of source signals. The phenomenon resulting from the summing of direct path signals and their echoic counterparts is termed reverberation and poses a major issue in artificial speech enhancement and recognition systems. Presently, ICA algorithms require include long filters which can separate those time-delayed and echoed signals, thus precluding effective real time use.
FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a prior art ICA signal separation system 100. In such a prior art system, a network of filters, acting as a neural network, serve to resolve individual signals from any number of mixed signals inputted into the filter network. As shown in FIG. 1, the system 100 includes two input channels 110 and 120 that receive input signals X1 and X2. For signal X1, an ICA direct filter W1 and an ICA cross filter C2 are applied. For signal X2, an ICA direct filter W2 and an ICA cross filter C1 are applied. The direct filters W1 and W2 communicate for direct adjustments. The cross filters are feedback filters that merge their respective filtered signals with signals filtered by the direct filters. After convergence of the ICA filters, the produced output signals U1 and U2 represent the separated signals.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,659, Torkkola et al., proposes methods and an apparatus for blind separation of delayed and filtered sources. Torkkola suggests an ICA system maximizing the entropy of separated outputs but employing un-mixing filters instead of static coefficients like in Bell's patent. However, the ICA calculations described in Torkkola to calculate the joint entropy and to adjust the cross filter weights are numerically unstable in the presence of input signals with time-varying input energy like speech signals and introduce reverberation artifacts into the separated output signals. The proposed filtering scheme therefore does not achieve stable and perceptually acceptable blind source separation of real-life speech signals.
Typical ICA implementations also face additional hurdles as requiring substantial computing power to repeatedly calculate the joint entropy of signals and to adjust the filter weights. Many ICA implementations also require multiple rounds of feedback filters and direct correlation of filters. As a result, it is difficult to accomplish ICA filtering of speech in real time and use a large number of microphones to separate a large number of mixed source signals. In the case of sources originating from spatially localized locations, the un-mixing filter coefficients can be computed with a reasonable amount of filter taps and recording microphones. However if the source signals are distributed in space like background noise originating from vibrations, wind noise or background conversation, the signals recorded at microphone locations emanate from many different directions requiring either very long and complicated filter structures or a very large number of microphones. Since any real-life system is limited in processing power and hardware complexity, an additional processing approach has to complement the discussed ICA filter structure to provide a robust methodology for real-time speech signal enhancement. The computational complexity of such a system should be compatible with the processing power of small consumer devices such as cell phones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), audio surveillance devices, radios, and the like.
What is desired is a simplified speech processing method that can separate speech signals from background noise in real-time and does not require substantial computing power, but still produce relatively accurate results and can adapt flexibly to different environments.

System and method for speech processing using independent component analysis under stability constraints


An adjustable-length support member, such as a motorcycle kickstand, includes a generally-tubular outer member defining a longitudinal bore with at least one recess formed in a surface of the bore, and an inner member telescopingly received in the longitudinal bore of the outer member including a plurality of recesses. The support member further includes a tension spring urging the inner member to a retracted position relative to the outer member, and at least one gravity-responsive locking element carried within a respective recess of one of the inner and outer members, wherein the locking element is urged by gravity out of engagement with a recess of the other of the inner and outer members as the attitude of the two members moves between an operative orientation and a stowage orientation.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to locking telescoping members that are often used to support or level a given object or device.
2. Background Art
The prior art teaches a myriad of extendable support members or legs for a variety of objects and devices, by which each are provided a limited ability to accommodate an uneven or inclined supporting surface. Often, the object or device is a portable device that preferably accommodates a wide variety of such supporting surfaces through use of one or more such extendable support members. Generally, known extendable support members include a pair of coaxial, telescoped members, wherein one member is selectively translated relative to the other in order to achieve an extended condition providing the support with a desired overall length, perhaps with the aid of a screw drive or a ratchet-tensioned pulley system. The support is thereafter maintained in an extended condition with a locking mechanism that may include a transverse locking pin, a rotatable chuck or locking collar, or a ratchet mechanism. Upon release of the locking mechanism, the one member may be moved in the opposite direction, perhaps with the aid of a return spring, to thereby return the support to a retracted condition.
For purposes of illustration, in the context of an adjustable-length kickstand for a motorcycle, the relative translation of the one member relative to the other member is often achieved with the aid of gravity, with the one member sliding relative to the other member once both an associated stowage lock has been released and the kickstand has been pivoted from a generally horizontal stowage position to a generally vertical position, as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,562. Alternatively, the one member is manually extended relative to the other member, either by hand or using the operator""s foot, perhaps as further resisted by a return spring.
Once adjusted to the desired overall length, the members of the kickstand are locked relative to one another, for example, by insertion of a locking pin through a pair of aligned holes formed in the members as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,848, or by tightening an encompassing collar so as to generate an interference between the two members as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,687, or by tightening a set screw as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,557. Another approach is to employ a ratchet mechanism as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,562. Yet another approach is to include a cooperating pin and slot mechanism as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,804, in which the extended member is rotated about its longitudinal axis such that a projecting pin on the extended member is urged into one of several longitudinally-spaced canted slots.
When the kickstand is to be longitudinally collapsed, the locking mechanism is manually deactivated or decoupled, as by removing the locking pin, or turning the chuck or collar, or tensioning a release cable for the ratchet mechanism of U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,562, or counter-rotating the one member to disengage the cooperating pin and slot mechanism of U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,804, whereupon the one member may be moved back to a retracted position relative to the other member. Unfortunately, such manual deactivation or decoupling of the locking mechanism and, particularly, those requiring the relative rotation of a locking mechanism or one of the members themselves, can be difficult because the motorcycle operator must simultaneously balance the weight of the motorcycle.
Accordingly, what is needed is an adjustable telescoping support member that is simply and readily extended and automatically locked when its attitude is changed from a first orientation to a second, orientation relative to plumb and, further, whose locking mechanism is readily operated to decouple the support""s telescoping members without any external manipulation once the support is returned to, or moved through, the first orientation.
Under the invention, an extendable support member includes a first elongate member defining a longitudinal bore along a longitudinal axis, wherein an inner surface of the bore includes a recess; and a second elongate member adapted to be received in the longitudinal bore of the first member, wherein an outer surface of the second member includes a recess that is canted relative to the longitudinal axis.
The support member further includes at least one gravity-responsive locking element, preferably carried within a respective recess of one of the inner and outer members, wherein the locking element is movable within the recess under the influence of gravity from a first engaged position coupling the first member to the second member, to a second position that permits relative movement of the first and second members, as the first and second members are moved from a first relative attitude to a second relative attitude by pivoting the first member from an operative orientation to a stowage orientation. In a preferred embodiment, the locking element includes an element, such a hardened steel ball, that rolls within the recess of the second member. The locking element similarly preferably moves in response to gravity from the second position toward the first position as the first and second members are moved back into the first relative attitude, e.g., into the operative orientation, to thereby provide automatic xe2x80x9clockingxe2x80x9d of the extended second member when in the operative orientation.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the locking element can include one or more struts, preferably carried within respective recesses of one of the members, that pivots between a first position that permits relative movement of the members and a second position in which the ends of the strut respectively engage the recesses of the inner and outer member to thereby lock the inner member relative to the outer member. While the strut can be formed such that the strut itself responds to gravity in accordance with the invention to thereby the respective ends into engagement with the members, the invention contemplates use of an additional gravity-responsive element, such as the rolling element described above, to assist in so biasing each strut. To facilitate decoupling of the strut when the support member is in the stowage orientation, and to further ensure that the back end of the strut will not pop up to prevent extension of the second member when in the operative orientation, the strut preferably includes a pair of laterally-extending arms proximate to a second end opposite the first end, and wherein the inner surface of the first member overlies the arms of the strut to maintain the second end of the strut in the recess of the second member.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the support member further includes a spring urging the second member toward a retracted position relative to the first member. The spring ensures the continued locking of the extended second member within the first member until the first member is moved to the stowage orientation and the second member is slightly extended to thereby permit gravity to urge the locking element back toward its first, decoupled position. In a preferred embodiment, the spring is disposed within the longitudinal bore of the first member.
Other advantages, features, and benefits of the invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, when taken in connection with the accompanying Drawings.

Locking telescoping member with attitude-responsive release


Techniques to confirm account registration. In one embodiment, an MSISDN associated with a mobile device is received. It is determined whether to confirm registration of an account with a social networking system based at least in part on the MSISDN. Receipt of the MSISDN may include receipt of an HTTP request. The HTTP request may include an HTTP header with the MSISDN and a phone number associated with the mobile device. The MSISDN and the phone number may be compared. Registration may be confirmed based on a match between the MSISDN and the phone number.

Social networking websites provide a dynamic environment in which members can connect to and communicate with other members. These websites may commonly provide online mechanisms allowing members to interact within their preexisting social networks, as well as create new social networks. Members may include any individual or entity, such as an organization or business. Among other attributes, social networking websites allow members to effectively and efficiently communicate relevant information to their social networks.
A member of a social network may highlight or share personal information, news stories, relationship activities, music, and any other content of interest to areas of the website dedicated to the member. Other members of the social network may access the shared content by browsing member profiles or performing dedicated searches. Upon access to and consideration of the content, the other members may react by taking one or more responsive actions, such as providing an opinion about the content, or other feedback. The ability of members to interact in this manner fosters communications among them and helps to realize the goals of social networking websites.
Tools for accessing social networking websites from a variety of technology platforms have grown along with the tools for accessing the Internet in general. Initially, many users accessed the Internet exclusively from desktop computers. User interfaces of social networking websites accordingly were designed for desktop web browsers. However, the growing popularity of mobile computing has facilitated Internet access from a variety of different devices and platforms. Likewise, more users seek to participate in social networking websites within a mobile computing paradigm.

Methods and systems for verification in account registration


In a semiconductor device, a monitoring circuit monitors and detects a quantity of noise in the semiconductor device. A control circuit has capacitances and controls connections to the capacitances such a decoupling capacitance value provided between a first power supply and a second power supply is dynamically adjusted based on the detected noise quantity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a semiconductor device having a noise suppressing circuit using a decoupling capacitor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A capacitor of a large capacitance is generally connected to a power supply to reduce a power supply noise. However, in a report of the magazine of Nikkei Electronics (2005.7.18 pp. 115-127), it is described that "different from technical common sense, when the capacitance of a decoupling capacitor is increased, power supply noise increases". Like this case, there is a possibility that the noise can be suppressed, by increasing or decreasing the capacitance of the decoupling capacitor. Also, in a JST failure knowledge database: case name "a large power supply noise is generated in a power supply layer due to resonance of a print circuit board" (http://shippai.jst.go.jp/fkd/Detail?fn=0&id=CA0000078&), it is described that "it is generally difficult to estimate the frequency of the board". In other words, it is desirable to dynamically control a decoupling capacitance in accordance with each frequency.
In conjunction with the above description, a semiconductor device is disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-P2002-246548A). This conventional semiconductor device has a bypass capacitor of a MOS structure which has a gate electrode and which is formed on a diffusion region of a conductive type through a capacitive insulating film below a power supply wiring area, and a substrate contact which is formed below a ground wiring area to fix a substrate voltage. A bypass capacitor has a contact connected with a power supply wiring line in the gate electrode surface, and the diffusion region of the conductive type and a diffusion region of the substrate contact are connected. Thus, in this conventional semiconductor device, the number of through-holes for decoupling capacitances to be connected is changed on layout. Also, it is possible to select a bypass capacitor to be used in accordance with an operation frequency.
Also, a semiconductor integrated circuit design supporting apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-P2004-086881A). In this conventional LSI design technique, a gate level logic circuit data, a standard cell library data and a package data of a circuit block of an LSI chip are provided, and a noise analysis process of the LSI chip is executed by using these data. It the noise generation quantity is within a predetermined range, the process is ended. When the noise generation quantity exceeds a predetermined range, one of logic gates in the circuit block is selected, and a bypass capacitor is added to the selected logic gate.
However, in the above conventional techniques, since a layout is fixed, the capacitance cannot be changed dynamically.

Semiconductor device with decoupling capacitance controlled and control method for the same


Provided is a cell isolation instrument capable of smoothly performing a plurality of steps associated with isolation of cells, including gripping of a biological tissue, transferring of the biological tissue, and isolating of the biological tissue. A container has an opening. A sealing member seals the opening. A pair of pinching parts is connected to the sealing member, and the pair of pinching parts opens or closes by being pressed.

The present invention relates to a cell isolation instrument, and particularly relates to a cell isolation instrument, with which cells are isolated from a biological tissue.
In a medical institution, a cytotechnologist or a pathologist makes a diagnosis using a section of tissues collected from a test subject. However, a specimen from a frozen section often results in an incomplete specimen. Further, it is difficult to determine some cases by the above-mentioned diagnosis in which only one cross section of a tissue can be observed. Therefore, a method in which cells are isolated from a biological tissue collected from a test subject and the cells are analyzed by a flow cytometer has been used.
In a step of isolating cells from a biological tissue, a plurality of steps is required, and also a skilled technique is needed. Due to this, a technique for accurately and rapidly isolating cells has been demanded. In particular, a biological tissue associated with a digestive organ is fibrous, and therefore, it is necessary to accurately isolate cells from the biological tissue.
JP-A-2014-41018 (Patent Document 1) discloses a homogenizing device for isolating cells from a biological tissue. The homogenizing device is configured to rotate a homogenizing member while pressing the homogenizing member against a biological tissue placed in a container, thereby isolating cells from the biological tissue.
In the technique disclosed in the above Patent Document 1, a treatment in which a biological tissue is placed in a container is performed, and thereafter a pressure is applied to the biological tissue, thereby isolating cells. In this manner, an isolation treatment is performed after a biological tissue is placed in a container, and therefore, the technique has a problem that a plurality of steps (gripping of a biological tissue, transfer, and isolation cannot be smoothly performed continuously.