A combined storage container and installation device for a dental retentive pin. The storage container is elongated and has a top opening. A cap has a recess therein to hold the proximal end of the dental retentive pin while allowing fluid to pass into and through the recess. The cap is received and held in the open top of the container. By holding and manipulating the cap, the dental retentive pin may be removed from the container and installed under sterilized conditions without the user touching the pin.

Reference To A Microfiche Appendix
This application is not referenced in a microfiche appendix.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a combined storage and installation device for a dental retentive pin. In particular, the present invention relates to a container to receive and hold a dental retentive pin wherein the dental retentive pin may be subsequently removed from the container and installed in a patient without contamination.
2. Prior Art
Dental posts and/or dental retentive pins are widely used for securing a dental device, such as a crown or the like, to a tooth. In certain instances, the human tooth is chipped or worn away so that the crown is difficult to secure to the natural tooth. To securely support a dental device, such as a crown, onto a natural tooth, a pin or post is embedded into an opening made in the tooth so that a portion of the pin or post extends externally from the tooth and serves as reinforcement for receiving a crown.
In mounting a dental post or retentive pin into a natural tooth, a dentist bores a hole of selected diameter generally following the tooth's root canal. The bore hole is drilled from the tooth's external surface into the tooth. The dental post or retentive pin is thereafter inserted into the hole.
Contamination of the dental post or retentive pin can quickly lead to infection. Additionally, some types of dental posts or retentive pins have a composite material on the stem; touching or handling of the dental post decreases the integrity of the dental post or retentive pin. As an example, oil from human fingers on the surface of the post or pin decreases the ability to bond the tooth.
The dental post or pin must be packaged and transported under sterile conditions and then installed in the patient under sterile conditions. Alternatively, the dental post or pin may be sterilized immediately prior to installation in the tooth.
Various types of packaging have been used in the past for dental posts or pins. As an example, Krueger, U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,648, identifies the problem of possible contamination. Krueger recesses a socket in the head of the dental post to secure a cap thereto. This arrangement requires a special dental post with a recessed socket. Additionally, the socket itself is not sterilized with the cap inserted.
There remains a need for a combined storage container to retain and store standard dental posts and retentive pins and to also be used as an installation device when installing in a patient.
It is, therefore, a principal object and purpose of the present invention to provide a combined storage container to hold and store a dental post or dental retentive pin and allow sterilization of the dental post or pin without handling or contamination of the dental post.
It is a further object and purpose of the present invention to provide a combined storage and sterilization container which will allow sterilization of the entire dental post or retentive pin.
It is a further object and purpose of the present invention to provide a cap which acts as a handle to retain, move and install a dental post or retentive pin.
While the above discussions relating to the prior art have been made in relationship to a "dental post", it is understood that the prior art relating to dental posts is relevant to dental retentive pins of the type which is the subject of the present disclosure.

Storage and mounting device for a dental retentive pin


A composition of matter comprising zeolite Beta and a layered magnesium silicate such as sepiolite is especially suited for use in combination with one or more hydrogenation components as a catalyst for hydrocracking various types of feedstocks.

The invention relates to acid catalyzed chemical conversion processes, such as hydrocarbon conversion processes, and to the catalysts and catalyst supports used in such processes. The invention is particularly concerned with catalyst supports containing a combination of zeolite Beta and a layered magnesium silicate, catalysts comprising such supports and the use of such catalysts in hydrocarbon conversion processes, particularly hydrocracking.
Petroleum refiners often produce desirable products, such as gasoline and turbine fuel, by catalytically hydrocracking high boiling hydrocarbons into product hydrocarbons of lower average molecular weight and boiling point. Hydrocracking is generally accomplished by contacting, in an appropriate reactor vessel, a gas oil or other hydrocarbon feedstock with a suitable hydrocracking catalyst under appropriate conditions, including an elevated temperature and an elevated pressure and the presence of hydrogen, such that a hydrocarbon product is obtained containing a substantial portion of a desired product boiling in a specified range, as for example, a gasoline boiling in the range of 50.degree. to 420.degree. F.
Oftentimes, hydrocracking is performed in conjunction with hydrotreating, usually by a method referred to as "integral operation." In this process, the hydrocarbon feedstock, usually a gas oil containing a substantial proportion of components boiling above a desired end point, as for example, 420.degree. F. in the case of certain gasolines, is introduced into a catalytic hydro-treating zone wherein, in the presence of a suitable catalyst and under suitable conditions, including an elevated temperature (e.g., 400.degree. to 1000.degree. F.) and an elevated pressure (e.g., 100 to 5000 p.s.i.g.) and with hydrogen as a reactant, the organonitrogen components and the organosulfur components contained in the feedstock are converted to ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, respectively. Suitable hydrotreating catalysts include zeolite- or sieve-free, particulate catalysts comprising a Group VIII metal component and a Group VIB metal component on a porous, inorganic, refractory oxide support most often composed of alumina. The entire effluent removed from the hydrotreating zone is subsequently treated in a hydrocracking zone maintained under suitable conditions of elevated temperature, pressure, and hydrogen partial pressure, and containing a suitable hydrocracking catalyst, such that a substantial conversion of high boiling feed components to product components boiling below the desired end point is obtained. Usually, the hydrotreating and hydrocracking zones in integral operation are maintained in separate reactor vessels, but, on occasion, it may be advantageous to employ a single, downflow reactor vessel containing one or more upper beds of hydrotreating catalyst particles and one or more lower beds of hydrocracking particles. Examples of integral operation may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,132,087, 3,159,564, 3,655,551, and 4,040,944, all of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entireties.
In some integral operation refining processes, and especially those designed to produce gasoline from the heavier gas oils, a relatively high proportion of the product hydrocarbons obtained from integral operation will have a boiling point above the desired end point. For example, in the production of a gasoline product boiling in the C.sub.4 to 420.degree. F. range from a gas oil boiling entirely above 570.degree. F., it may often be the case that as much as 30 to 60 percent by volume of the products obtained from integral operation boil above 420.degree. F. If it is desired to convert these high boiling components to hydrocarbon components boiling below 420.degree. F., the petroleum refiner separates the 420.degree. F.+high boiling components from the other products obtained in integral operation, usually after first removing ammonia by a water washing operation, a hydrogen-containing recycle gas by high pressure separation, and an H.sub.2 S-containing, C.sub.1 to C.sub.3 low BTU gas by low pressure separation. This 420.degree. F.+boiling bottom fraction is then subjected to further hydrocracking, either by recycle to the hydrotreating or hydrocracking reactor in single stage operation or by introduction into a second hydrocracking zone wherein yet more conversion to the desired C.sub.4 to 420.degree. F. product takes place.
In the foregoing two stage process, the two hydrocracking reaction zones often contain hydrocracking catalysts of the same composition. One catalyst suitable for such use is disclosed as Catalyst A in Example 16 of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,897,327 and 3,929,672, both of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entireties, which catalyst is comprised of a palladium-exchanged, steam-stabilized Y zeolite hydrocracking component. Although the catalysts used in the two hydrocracking reaction zones may have the same composition and the same catalytic properties, the hydrocracking conditions required in the second hydrocracking reaction zone are less severe than those required in the first. The reason for this is that ammonia is not present in the second hydrocracking reaction zone (due to water washing) whereas a significant amount of ammonia is present in the first hydrocracking zone. To account for the difference in operating conditions, it is believed that ammonia neutralizes or otherwise interferes with the acidity of the zeolite in the catalyst of the first reaction zone, thereby forcing the refiner to employ relatively severe conditions for operation, as for example, increased temperature. On the other hand, in the ammonia-deficient atmosphere of the second hydrocracking reaction zone, high conversions to the desired product are obtainable under relatively moderate conditions, often with an operating temperature about 100.degree. to 210.degree. F. lower than that required in the first hydrocracking reaction zone.
Further description of two-stage hydrocracking operations may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,429,053 and 4,857,169 herein incorporated by reference in their entireties, which patents provide process flow sheets for typical two-stage hydrocracking processes.
Although there exist several types of commercial hydrocracking catalysts which can be used effectively in single stage hydrocracking or in either the first, second or both stages of the above-discussed two-stage hydrocracking process, there is always a demand for new catalysts with superior overall activity, selectivity and stability for producing gasoline and/or other products via hydrocracking.

Catalyst containing zeolite beta and a layered magnesium silicate


Preparation, in-vitro and in vivo characterization of novel forms of (1-hydroxy-2-imidazol-1-yl-1-phosphono-ethyl) phosphonic acid, suitable for pharmaceutical compositions in drug delivery systems for humans.

Many Biopharmaceutic Classification System (BCS) class III or IV drugs suffer from the lack of gastrointestinal (GI) tract membrane permeability leading to poor oral bioavailability. Different strategies have been implemented to improve the permeability and subsequently the oral bioavailability of such drugs. For example, the U.S. patent application 20060068010 describes a formulation method for improving the permeability of drugs and subsequently increasing their bioavailability by granulation of the physical solid mixture of the drug with one or more amino acids, at least one inter-granular hydrophilic polymer, and an additional immediate release excipient. Another application WO 200602009 A1 disclosed the increase of the oral bioavailability for poorly permeable drugs such as bisphosphonates; risedronate as one of those drugs was mixed with a chelating agent such as ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) and other excipients to make an oral dosage form. Yet another application, WO 2007093226 A1, describes a method for improving the bioavailability of ibandronate by generating a physical mixture of the drug together with a modified amino acid (acylation or sulphonation of the amino group with phenyl or cyclohexyl) and other excipients. Another application WO 2003007916 A1 reports a gastric retention system to improve the bioavailability of a poorly permeable drug, alendronate, which was orally formulated with vitamin D and released an hour after the immediate release of vitamin D. WO 2006080780 discloses yet another method to improve the permeability and bioavailability of alendronate, a poorly permeable bisphosphonate, by mixing it with a biocompatible cationic polymer (i.e. water soluble chitosan) with up to a 10:1 weight ratio of the chitosan to the drug, while the resulting mixture can be formulated into a solid or liquid oral dosage form. A further method of improving permeability of drug materials was discussed in the U.S. patent application 2007/014319 A1, where an oral dosage form was formulated by a powder mixture of a bisphosphonic acid (e.g. zoledronic acid) together with an inactive ingredient (either an ester of a medium chain fatty acid or a lipophilic polyethylene glycol ester). A similar approach was disclosed in the US application 2007/0238707 A1 where a medium length fatty acid or its derivative (6-20 carbon atom fatty acid chain) was physically mixed with a poorly permeable drug (e.g. zoledronic acid) in a capsule that was enterically coated.
Zoledronic acid, known as (1-hydroxy-2-imidazol-1-yl-1-phosphono-ethyl)phosphonic acid, is depicted by the following chemical structure:
Zoledronic acid is a third generation bisphosphonate which far exceeds the previous generations in terms of efficacy and is used predominately for indications of osteoporosis, Paget's disease, hypercalcemia, and inhibition of bone metastasis. It was originally developed by Novartis and marketed as the monohydrate under the brand names Zometa® and Reclast®. Zoledronic acid was first approved in 2000 for the treatment of hypercalcemia in Canada. It was later approved for use in the US for hypercalcemia in 2001, for multiple myeloma and bone metastases from solid tumors in 2002, and for osteoporosis and Paget's disease in 2007. Clinical trials have also been conducted or are on-going exploring the use of zoledronic acid in neoadjuvant or adjuvant cancer therapy, Coleman, et al., British J Cancer 2010; 102(7):1099-1105, Gnant, et al., New England J Medicine. 2009, 360 (17):679-691 and Davies, et al. J Clinical Oncology, 2010, 28(7s): Abstract 8021. Zoledronic acid is administered as an intravenous (IV) dose of 4 mg over 15 minutes for hypercalcemia of malignancy, multiple myeloma, and bone metastases from solid tumors, while an IV dose of 5 mg over 15 minutes is used for osteoporosis and Paget's disease.
Zoledronic acid is sparingly soluble in water and 0.1 N HCl solution but is freely soluble in 0.1 N NaOH. Zoledronic acid is practically insoluble in various organic solvents. Much effort has been taken to generate novel oral formulations of zoledronic acid through crystallization and metal salt formation to improve its aqueous solubility, permeability, and subsequent oral bioavailability. A crystalline trihydrate was disclosed in the U.S. Patent application 2006/0178439 A1 and world patent application WO2007/032808. Seven hydrated forms, an amorphous form, three monosodium salts, and eleven disodium salts with varying degrees of hydration of zoledronic acid were also disclosed in the patent application WO2005/005447 A2. Zoledronate metal salts including Na+, Mg2+, Zn2+ were reported in the journal of Drugs of the Future (Sorbera et al, 25(3), Drugs of the Future, (2000)). Zoledronate, zoledronic, or zoledronic salt represents the ionic form of zoledronic acid. Patent application WO2008/064849 A1 from Novartis disclosed additional metal salts including two Ca2+ salts, two Zn2+ salts, one Mg2+ salt, as well as a monohydrate, a trihydrate, an amorphous form, and an anhydrous form.
According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Summary Basis of Approval (SBA) for zoledronic acid, the poor oral bioavailability (approximately 1%), is partially due to its poor permeability in the GI tract. It was also noted that insoluble metal complexes were formed in the upper intestines, most commonly with calcium. Zoledronic acid has also been shown to cause severe gastric and intestinal irritations.
All of the above attempts to improve the oral bioavailability of zoledronic acid were either focused on improving the aqueous solubility by generating novel solid forms, or by mixing the drug with an inactive ingredient that has enhanced GI tract permeability. The improvement of aqueous solubility failed to improve the bioavailability of zoledronic acid, since the formation of insoluble zoledronate calcium complexes is unlikely to be prevented. On the other hand, powder mixtures of the poorly permeable drug with inactive permeability enhancers improved the bioavailability of the drug. This approach of mixing different materials with different particle sizes and size distributions could result in poor blend/physical mixture uniformity. Constituents of the mixture could also segregate during transportation or with shaking and vibration. Additionally, the powder blends require rigorous batch-to-batch consistency to ensure the uniformity of the blend batches.
The present invention relates, in part, to a deliberate molecular design to create a molecular complex of a drug and additional component(s) (coformer(s)) in a single crystalline structure. The benefit of such design can lead to the elimination of all the batch to batch blend uniformity and particle segregation problems that powder blends often suffer from. In addition, this invention simplifies the manufacturing of the solid dosage form (comprised of drug and excipient) such that the final solid dosage form is, in one embodiment, a powder of the molecular complex.
Additionally, the resulting molecular complexes possess very different physicochemical properties compared to the parent drug, coformer or their physical mixture. These properties include but are not limited to melting point, thermal and electrical conductivity, aqueous solubility, rate of dissolution and permeability across the GI tract membrane. The permeability improvement could result in the enhancement of the oral bioavailability of the BCS class III and IV drugs. This concept of a molecular complex by design was employed to improve the permeability and subsequent bioavailability of a poorly permeable drug such as zoledronic acid. The mechanisms behind the permeability enhancement, however, are not fully understood.
The upward trend in the use of oral drugs continues especially in light of the goal to decrease the overall cost of healthcare. Orally administered drugs are becoming more preferred in various therapeutic areas including cancers. Clearly, there is an opportunity to create oral dosage forms of IV drugs where oral dosage forms do not yet exist due to their poor aqueous solubility and/or poor permeability providing a clear clinical benefit for patients. Given the fact that zoledronic acid is only approved for IV administration, there is a need to develop an oral dosage form of zoledronic acid. By using pharmaceutically acceptable and/or approved coformers to hydrogen bond with zoledronic acid, novel molecular complexes (e.g. cocrystals, salts, solvates, and mixtures thereof) with improve solubility and/or permeability can be created. These novel molecular complexes could be used in the development of an oral dosage form of zoledronic acid for the treatment of osteoporosis, Paget's disease, hypercalcemia, inhibition of bone metastasis and Psoriatic Arthritis.

Crystallization method and bioavailability


An acoustic wave filter includes: a piezoelectric substrate; a first multimode filter that includes at least three first IDTs located on the piezoelectric substrate, has a first passband, and is connected between an input terminal and an output terminal; and a second multimode filter that includes at least three second IDTs located on the piezoelectric substrate, has a second passband, and is connected in series with the first multimode filter between the input terminal and the output terminal, a part of the second passband overlapping with the first passband, a remaining part of the second passband not overlapping with the first passband.

There have been known multimode filters in which a plurality of Interdigital Transducers (IDTs) are arranged in the propagation direction of a surface acoustic wave (SAW) on a piezoelectric substrate. Longitudinally-coupled double-mode SAW (DMS: also called as Dual Mode SAW or Double Mode SAW) filters have been often used as the multimode filters. To increase the suppression in other than the passband in the DMS, it has been known to connect a plurality of DMSs in series between an input terminal and an output terminal.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-130203 describes that the pitches of electrode fingers of DMSs that are two-stage longitudinally-coupled are made to be different by 0.2% to 0.5% to reduce the group delay deviation. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-214284 describes that the passband is widened by combining the passbands of the DMSs.


A charge pump circuit of a semiconductor memory device provides high efficiency. A high voltage detector outputs a high voltage detection signal. A regulator outputs a high level and a controller is triggered at a descent edge of a row access strobe bar signal and outputs a high level row access strobe bar pulse signal. An oscillator generates an oscillation pulse signal in accordance with the high level turn-on signal outputted from the regulator. A charge pump performs a pumping operation until the oscillation pulse signal reaches a potential of (Vdd-2Vt) when the oscillation pulse signal is applied thereto, and halts the pumping operation when the high level high voltage detection signal is applied. A pull-up transistor precharges the raised voltage Vpp to a potential of (Vdd-Vt) when power is turned on. The circuit enables a charge pump to have a double booster and a pumping capacitor, thereby satisfying a fast charge supply at a low level voltage and to supply an appropriate amount of charge at a high level voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory device, and more particularly, to an improved charge pump circuit for a semiconductor memory device.
2. Background of the Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a charge pump circuit for a related art semiconductor memory device. An oscillator 11 receives an enable signal, carries out an oscillation operation, and generates a pulse signal. First and second clamps 12, 14 fix the pulse signal generated from the oscillator 11 to a constant potential level when the potential of the pulse signal generated from the oscillator 11 is higher than a predetermined value. The capacitors 13, 15 are connected in parallel between the oscillator 11 and the first clamp 12 and the second clamp 14 and boosts the potential of the pulse signal outputted from the oscillator 11 to a required voltage level. An output transistor 16 has a drain connected to an output signal of the capacitor 13, a gate connected to an output signal of the capacitor 15, and a source connected to an output node 17.
Pull-up transistor 18 is connected between the output node 17 and a supply potential Vcc and carries out a precharge operation when power is turned on. An overvoltage detector 19 is connected between the oscillator 11 and the output node 17 and detects an overvoltage state of the output node 17 so that when an overvoltage occurs at the output node 17, the oscillator 11 stops its operation. The line capacitor 20 and the charge capacitor 21 are cooperated with an output value of the output capacitor 16 so as to output a raised voltage. The decoupling capacitor 22 is cooperated with a charge pump so as to output a stably raised voltage.
When the power is turned on, a supply potential Vcc is applied to the pull-up transistor 18. The applied supply potential Vcc is lowered by a threshold voltage level Vt of the pull-up transistor 18, and a lowered voltage of (Vcc-Vt) is applied to the output node 17. The voltage (Vcc-Vt) precharged to the output node 17 is detected in the overvoltage detector 19.
Since the voltage (Vcc-Vt) detected in the overvoltage detector 19 is lower than the supply voltage Vcc, the overvoltage detector 19 outputs an enable signal EN to the oscillator 11 for thereby operating the oscillator 11. Accordingly, the oscillator 11 carries out an oscillation operation and generates a pulse signal.
When the potential generated from the oscillator 11 is a low level, the first and second clamps 12, 14 are deactivated, and the capacitors 13, 15 carry out a pumping operation. Accordingly, the respective potentials at the drain and gate of the output transistor 16 is raised to twice the supply potential Vcc. The output transistor 16 is turned on, and a source terminal voltage Vccw of the output transistor 16 reaches a voltage of (2Vcc-Vt), where Vt is a threshold voltage of the output transistor 16. The voltage of (2Vcc-Vt) is applied to a memory cell through the output node 17.
At this time, the overvoltage detector 19 repeatedly detects the voltage at the output node 17 and controls the operation of the oscillator 11 in accordance with the detected voltage value. The repeated detection by the overvoltage detector 19 continues until a detected resultant value reaches up to a potential (Vcc+Vt). When an overvoltage is detected during the repeated operation, the overvoltage detector 19 renders the oscillator 11 to stop its operation.
Meanwhile, when the voltage supplied to the charge pump is not appropriate, the pull-up transistor 18 is employed to effectively bypass the charge pump. That is, the pull-up transistor 18 is operated when the source terminal voltage Vccw is less than a voltage of Vcc-Vt (Vccw<(Vcc-Vt)), and the pull-up transistor 18 is turned off when the source terminal voltage Vccw is larger than a voltage of Vcc-Vt (Vccw>(Vcc-Vt)).
However, the potential of the drain and gate terminals of the output transistor 16 during a pumping operation is twice the supply voltage (2Vcc), whereas the voltage at the output node 17 is lowered to an extent of the threshold voltage of the output voltage 16 to thereby result in a voltage of (2Vcc-Vt). As a result, the charge at the drain terminal of the output transistor 16 is not sufficiently transferred to the output node 17. Further, because the drain terminal charge of the output transistor 16 is not sufficiently transferred to the output node 17, the pumping efficiency is lowered at a low voltage, thereby resulting in an instable operation when a low voltage is applied.

Charge pump circuit for a semiconductor memory device

Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.


A tap changer and a method for measuring a contact sequence of a tap changer is provided. The tap changer includes a cylinder and a shaft that is rotatably arranged inside the cylinder, the cylinder is provided with fixed contacts, the shaft is provided with a contact circuit facing the cylinder and including mechanical contacts, which mechanical contacts are adapted to selectively mate with the fixed contacts of the cylinder upon rotation of the shaft, the contact circuit also includes at least two measuring points for measuring the function of the contact circuit. The tap changer includes at least one measuring contact device, which is electrically connected to the respective measuring points in the contact circuit, and which the measuring contact device is arranged inside the shaft. This facilitates access to the measuring points of the tap changer.

The invention relates to a tap changer for a transformer, especially cylindrical tap changers wherein an insulated cylinder is provided with fixed tap contacts for different voltage levels and a rotatable shaft provided with corresponding movable contact parts is arranged inside the cylinder. Each movable contact faces outwardly from the shaft towards the inside of the cylinder and comprises at least one or, for example, two mechanical contacts that can be brought into contact with the corresponding fixed contact of the cylinder.
In an example of a known type of tap changer that comprises a plurality of mechanical contacts that rotate together with the shaft, the mechanical contacts are arranged in parallel contact branches for connection to the fixed contacts of the tap levels. One of the mechanical contacts is connected in series with a vacuum interrupter switch, and the other of the mechanical contacts is connected in series with a second vacuum interrupter and a resistor. In a multi-phase system, the transformer comprises tap levels for each phase, and each phase includes two movable mechanical contacts arranged on the rotating shaft of the tap changer.
A tap changer of this cylindrical type is described in DE 10 2004 052 316. The document describes how the contact sequences of the tap changer are measured. The measurements are performed by connecting a measuring circuit between the two parallel branches. The measuring circuit is connected by removing the shaft from the cylinder, the measuring circuit is then connected to the two branches of the movable contacts via connecting cables, where-after the shaft is re-installed in the cylinder (§25). The measuring circuit is connected at a first connection point between the mechanical switch and the vacuum interrupter in the first branch, and a second connection point between the resistor and the vacuum interrupter of the second branch. The measuring circuit comprises a DC voltage source and a resistor in series and the voltage across the resistor is monitored (FIGS. 6 to 8). During a tap change, one of the branches is disconnected from the present tap level and is connected to the next level before the other branch. The measuring circuit registers voltage variations during the tap change, for example, from the opening of the vacuum interrupter of the resistor branch at the present tap level, to the closure of the vacuum interrupter of the other branch at the next level (§28). The measuring provides valuable information on the status of the switches, but is complicated and laborious.
Also, the reinstallation of the tap changer is complicated and may affect the tap changer and its contacts, so that the results of the measuring become invalid.
Moreover, this measuring circuit can not detect the opening of the mechanical switch in the resistor branch, when both branches are connected in parallel to the same tap.

Measuring contact sequence in a tap changer


A method for connecting a shaft and a hub, the hub having a first joining portion and a second joining portion for a connection to corresponding joining portions of the shaft. The shaft and the hub are pressed together at contact points in the area of the first joining portions, while the second joining portions are not yet in contact with one another, and a welding current is fed via the contact points of the parts that have been pressed together, so that the contact points fuse. The shaft is pressed into the hub, while the first joining portions are being fused, until substantially a press fit is formed between the second joining portions.

During a pressure resistance welding process, two metal parts to be welded are pressed together and a welding current is fed via the contact points of the parts that have been pressed together, so that the contact points fuse. For connecting a shaft and a hub, for example, a joining area of the shaft can be pressed into an aperture formed in the hub, the joining area being oversized in relation to the aperture. The fusing of contact points during the welding process allows the shaft to be pressed into the hub and welded to the latter. A press-fit welding method of this type is disclosed, for example, in EP 1 941 964 A1. Instead of such a press-fit welding process it is also possible, for example, to use a projection welding process for connecting the two parts.
In the known pressure welding methods, however, problems can arise with regard to the attainable joining strength and joining accuracy.

Method for connecting a shaft and a hub and shaft-hub arrangement


Crown caps comprising jag-like or tooth-like shaped ends, wherein one or a plurality of cavities is formed between an outer container surface and the shaped ends, and wherein in the region of the shaped ends a deformable sealing material is provided which closes the cavities at least to the extent of the edge of the crown cap that points to the base of the container, with the sealing material forming a ring-like or hoop-like element separate from the crown cap and which interacts with the crown cap in such a way that when the shaped ends are deformed for the container closure they press or sink into the sealing material.

1. Technical Field
The present application relates to a crown cap closure and closure method.
2. Background Information
Background information is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily admit that subsequently mentioned information and publications are prior art.
The present application relates to a crown cap closure for containers, especially for bottles (glass bottles), and to a closure method.
Crown caps are very common and known as closures for containers, especially for drinks bottles made from glass, for example for beer and soft drink bottles. Crown caps comprise a circular piece of metal with a crown-like bent edge and a sealing inlay. The latter was originally made of cork which as a compressible intermediary provided the required and/or desired seal between the neck of the bottle and the metal. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyethylene (PE) are common today. Crown caps are also usually covered with protective lacquers to prevent, essentially prevent, restrict, and/or minimize corrosion.
The most common crown cap has twenty-one teeth, the advantage of the odd number of teeth being that they are not directly opposite one another and so avoid, restrict, and/or minimize tilting in conveyor units.
Crown caps are fitted to the containers by way of a closure machine which guides conveyed crown caps with the aid of, for example, a magnetic punch and presses them down onto the neck of the bottle. At the same time a cylindrical region lowers down around the crown cap to essentially ensure and/or promote that the toothed edge is bent over or crimped around the container's mouth region.
Some methods for closing containers may include and/or utilize crown caps that are closed onto the mouth end of a container while forming a sealing force-fit between the closure element and the container, with a provisional clamped connection being produced in a first closure phase and the final sealing force-fit being produced in a subsequent closure phase. The provisional clamped connection of the closure element to the container is produced by the plastic deformation of the crown cap. Such closure operations may comprise multiple stages with different, i.e. increasing, closure forces. Some methods or apparatus may disclose a further crown cap sealer in which a crimping head is provided which comprises protruding pin elements that can move for crimping over the edge of the crown. A pneumatic driving device is provided to generate an advance movement for the crimping head.
Some possibly hygienic devices may involve the container being closed in a sterile space generated by an inert gas.
Although the method and the devices commonly used for it are in widespread use, there is a problem in that, during the filling operation immediately or essentially immediately or generally upstream of the sealer, the container mouth is often moistened with product which can then go moldy in the space created beneath the fitted and crimped crown cap teeth. In any event the spaces beneath the crown cap form a partially open cavity in which contamination cannot be avoided, restricted and/or minimized and with which the consumer's lips come into contact.


This invention relates to a catalyst system for the hydroformylation of propene consisting essentially of a catalytic complex of rhodium, carbon monoxide, and a triarylphosphine, and a cobalt compound; to the process for stabilizing and/or regenerating a catalyst complex combination of rhodium, carbon monoxide, and a triarylphosphine comprising adding a cobalt compound to said catalyst complex; and to the process of hydroformylating propene with said catalyst system.

The methods of hydroformylation of an olefin to prepare aldehydes or alcohols having one more carbon atom than the initial olefin consist in reacting this olefin with a synthesis gas in the presence of a complex catalyst containing a metal selected from the series of transition metals. Of the latter, the metals in group VIII of the Periodic Table, namely, iron, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium and platinum are used, in particular.
These metals may be used in the form of carbonyl metals, but it is known that complex combinations which contain at least one biphyllic ligand such as a phosphine in addition to the metal and carbon monoxide yield more linear products and make it possible to work at lower pressures. Such combinations are described, for example, in French Pat. No. 1,300,404 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,239,566.
The process may be carried out by introducing, into a reaction zone, a supply stream made up of a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, the olefinic charge which is to be hydroformylated, and the recycled catalyst, dissolved in a solvent or in the heavy reaction products. The reaction product may be recovered from the reaction medium by distilling a liquid current continuously drawn off from the reactor, while the heavy products containing the catalyst are recycled as mentioned above.
The reaction products may also be recovered by extracting them directly from the reaction medium by entraining them in a current of gas leaving the reaction zone; this gas may, for example, be excess systhesis gas. This process has the advantage of leaving the catalytic system where it is, but it can only conveniently be used for the hydroformylation of light olefins such as propene, butenes or pentenes.
In the particular case of the hydroformylation of propene, any one of these methods may be chosen.
Of the catalytic systems mentioned hereinbefore, one of those which gives the best results and has therefore been widely developed on an industrial scale is made up of a catalyst containing rhodium in a complex combination with carbon monoxide and a triarylphosphine. For a system of this kind, it is advantageous, particularly for obtaining good selectivity in linear products, to use high molar ratios of phosphorus to rhodium, these ratios having a minimum value of 10.
Hydroformylation of propene is generally effected at a temperature between about 60.degree. C. and 150.degree. C., temperatures of between 80.degree. C. and 125.degree. C. being most frequently used. The total pressure of hydrogen and carbon monoxide is fairly low, between about 1 to 40 bars, and the molar ratio H.sub.2 /CO is between about 1/1 and 20/1.
Under these conditions of hydroformylation, the activity of the catalyst is found to decrease in the course of time. This decrease may be fairly slight, less than a few percent of the initial activity, per day, but it increases with the temperature, and under certain conditions there may be reductions in the catalytic activity of several dozen percent after a few hours of reaction. This phenomenon is extremely troublesome, as in every case it means that, sooner or later, the catalytic charge has to be replaced or re-treated.
It is known that certain products adversely affect (are "poisons" to) hydroformylation catalysts. This is true of certain compounds containing sulphur such as COS, H.sub.2 S, thioethers, mercaptans, and the like, or halogens such as chlorine, for example. These compounds are cited, in particular, in Jurgen Falbe's book "Carbon Monoxide in Organic Synthesis", Springer-Verlag, New York, 1970, or in French Pat. No. 2,377,991. When carrying out a hydroformylation reaction, obviously attempts are made to eliminate these poisons from the catalyst. They may be introduced by the olefin which is to be hydroformylated or by the synthesising gas. However, it is found that, in spite of taking every precaution to avoid introducing any detectable trace of these poisons into the reaction medium, the activity of rhodium/triphenylphosphine catalytic systems as described hereinbefore decreases in the course of time.
This phenomenon is described in French Pat. No. 2,377,992, but its causes are still not fully understood. It might be supposed that undectectable traces of poisons, such as those mentioned hereinbefore, may reduce the activity of the catalyst, by an accumulative effect, particularly if the catalyst is kept in the reactor when the reaction products are drawn off in the gaseous phase. It might also be thought that this phenomenon is due to the slow, irreversible development of the catalytic complexes to inactive types, or to the formation of organic molecules capable of combining with the rhodium to form inactive complexes.
Although the cause or causes of this phenomenon are still not fully known, numerous solutions have been proposed to remedy it. In French Pat. No. 2,357,511 it is stated that the deactivated catalytic system returns to its initial activity when traces of oxygen are admitted into the reactor. According to French Pat. No. 2,377,991, the stability of the catalytic system is improved by adding an alkyl-diarylphosphine to the triphenylphosphine; or again, according to Belgian Pat. No. 854,403, the deactivation of the catalyst is attributed to the formation of ill-defined heavy products. These harmful compounds are eliminated by continuous intense stripping of the reaction medium.

Hydroformylation catalyst system and processes


A case for an electronic device includes a fastening part attachable and detachable to and from at least part of the electronic device, a cover that covers a first surface of the electronic device that faces a first direction, with the cover in a closed state, and a connecting part that connects the fastening part and the cover. The cover includes a base plate and a soft material part disposed in a second direction from the base plate, with the cover in the closed state, the second direction being opposite to the first direction, wherein at least a portion of the soft material part makes contact with the first surface of the electronic device.

With the development of electronic technologies, various types of electronic devices have been developed. In particular, portable electronic devices such as smartphones, tablet PCs, and the like that are easy to carry have been widely used in recent years.
Portable electronic devices may be damaged by dropping or striking due to their portable nature. Accordingly, users cover their portable electronic devices with cases to prevent damage to the electronic devices.
Cases applicable to portable electronic devices are broadly divided into a case that protects a side surface or a rear surface of an electronic device and a flip type case that protects a front surface of an electronic device through which a display screen is provided, as well as a side surface or a rear surface of the electronic device.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.


An electromagnetic actuator device with a plurality of actuator units (10, 12) having in each case an armature tappet which is movable relative to a stationary coil along an axial tappet direction when said coil is energised, said actuator units being received in respectively assigned actuator housings (11, 13) such that in an installed and/or assembled state of the electromagnetic actuator device one respective end portion (16) of the armature tappets may come into engagement in a controlled manner with an actuator partner which is able to be assigned thereto, wherein the plurality of actuator units is mechanically connected to a bracket-like and/or bridge-like connecting unit (14) made of polymer material such that the actuator housings are movable relative to one another by the action and in accordance with a predetermined bending property and/or elasticity of the connecting unit, in particular in a plane perpendicular to a tappet direction of the armature tappets which are further preferably guided in an axially parallel manner to one another.

The present invention relates to an electromagnetic actuator device according to the preamble of the main claim.
The present invention further relates to a use of such an electromagnetic actuator device.
Electromagnetic actuator devices, in which an armature unit which is configured in the manner of a tappet and which is able to be driven as a reaction to the energising of stationary coil means is guided in an axial direction so as to be able to be moved out of an actuator housing, are generally known from the prior art and are used for very different actuating tasks, in particular also in a motor vehicle context.
In this case, for example, a use of such actuators for actuating the camshaft of an internal combustion engine has proved to be an advantageous use; generic actuators in which, for example, permanent magnets on the armature side cooperate in a repelling manner with the (energised) coil means are characterised by brief switching times (thus high switching dynamics) and robustness and reliability in operation, are also suitable for inexpensive mass production.
However, the disclosed application of actuating a camshaft generally requires more than one actuator unit; the armature tappet engaging in a controlled manner in a shifting groove (groove track) of a camshaft for actuating purposes generally requires at least one second tappet to be provided, generally adjacent thereto, in order to be able to effect, in addition to a first movement, a second opposing movement of the camshaft.
This technology is generally known per se and is used in the mass production of motor vehicles. With regard to an arrangement of a plurality of armature tappets, in this case it is known, on the one hand, to provide these tappets (as the respective armature tappets) in a common housing adjacent to one another and to operate them in a suitable manner.
However, this leads to large housing dimensions when minimum (engagement) spacings of the tappet ends have to be ensured. Such large housings are in turn problematical when installed in the restricted space conditions on the engine block. Moreover, such an arrangement is problematical with regard to assembly tolerances and/or operating tolerances which are unavoidable on a motor vehicle internal combustion engine, since when the tappets are repeatedly guided in a common housing this generally does not allow for any tolerance compensation as might be necessary, for example, in the case of thermally-induced fitting problems during installation, for example.
However, the use of two or more separate actuator units not only entails an additional cost for the assembly and anchoring of each individual associated actuator housing, but each of these actuator units also has to be electrically connected and wired separately, so that the structural and the assembly cost is also increased here.

Electromagnetic adjusting device and use of such an adjusting device


An engine is provided which includes various precise configuration parameters, including dimensions, shape and/or relative positioning of the combustion chamber features, resulting in a combustion process minimizing NOx emissions and particulates. The combustion chamber includes a spray angle relative to an inner bowl floor angle that maximizes the amount of fuel in contact with the inner bowl, in combination with one or more of the following: a vertical distance from the tip of the piston bowl to the injection orifices; a number of injection orifices; a swirl ratio; a vertical distance from the injection orifices to an inner face of the cylinder head; a distance from the piston top surface to the cylinder head; a radius of curvature of an outer bowl section; a radius of curvature at an edge of the piston bowl; a ratio of the piston bowl diameter to the cylinder diameter; and the cylinder diameter.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to an improved engine capable of minimizing emissions.
2. Description of Related Art
Internal combustion engine designers continue to confront an ever more demanding set of governmentally mandated emissions standards and performance objectives. Modifications made to meet one standard may lead to increased emissions of a type that cause another standard to be exceeded. Thus designers are often confronted with not only the challenge of meeting a newly imposed emission standard but to do so in a way that does not cause other emissions standards, previously met or newly imposed, to be exceeded. The engine designers must also necessarily consider and preferably minimize the adverse effects of modifications on engine performance and fuel economy.
An example of the difficulties created for engine designers is that created by a new set of diesel engine emissions standards/limits mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency for application in the U.S. market. These standards require diesel engines to produce extremely low levels of emissions below specific limits based upon fuel consumption. Specifically, for example, new on-highway regulations require diesel engines complying with the regulations to maintain nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions combined with unburned hydrocarbons below 2.5 grams/b-hp-hr and particulates below 0.1 grams/b-hp-hr.
Changes in any one of a variety of engine design variables or engine operating variables such as engine compression; combustion chamber shape; rate of combustion chamber heat rejection and/or fuel injection spray pattern, pressure, timing and/or flow rate may be used to positively affect the control of one or more emissions. However, such changes can often adversely affect one or more other emissions possibly causing the emissions to exceed the acceptable limit. For example, as the brake mean effective pressure (bmep) is desirably increased, a tendency arises for NOx emissions in the engine's exhaust to increase. This problem is accentuated by the need to achieve other critical engine operating characteristics such as fuel economy, high torque output, low operating costs and/or reduced maintenance. As one example, the amount of soot that is entrained in the engine's lubrication oil can have a profound effect on the cost of operation and the length of service before a major overhaul is required. Soot is very abrasive and can cause high wear if allowed to become entrained in the engine's lubrication oil to any substantial degree. The amount of soot entrained in the engine's lubrication oil can be affected by a number of factors such as combustion chamber shape and fuel injection spray angle but changes in these variables can have the undesired effect of actually increasing emissions entrained in the engine's lubrication oil.
Many attempts have been made to produce an ideal flow pattern for the charge air and fuel within the combustion chamber of an internal combustion chamber. For example, provision of a combustion bowl in the upper region of a piston to cause, among other things, fuel/charge air mixture within a direct injection engine is well known as disclosed the article entitled "Future Developments . . . ", Automotive Industries, Oct. 15, 1952. While most of the combustion bowl designs disclosed in this article appear to be symmetric about a central axis, the article does not address the critical relationship of the combustion bowl shape and the fuel injection path, nor other combustion chamber features, on the specific problems addressed by the subject invention.
A variety of piston designs have been disclosed including symmetrical bowl shaped recesses formed in the upper surface of the piston crown to achieve desired flow patterns within the combustion chamber formed in part by the piston. These bowl configurations are often referred to as "Mexican-hat" designs. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,377,967 discloses an articulated piston assembly including a crown containing a symmetrical combustion bowl in the top surface defined by a cone shaped central floor section which connects at its base to an arcuate surface of revolution coaxial with the central axis of the cone surface wherein the surface of revolution flares upwardly to join with the uppermost surface of the piston. The base of the cone shaped central floor section extends over no more than approximately 50% of the diameter of the bowl. Other similar piston designs are disclosed in U.K. Patent Application No. 2,075,147; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,865,841; 3,508,531; 4,242,948 and 5,029,563. However, none of these references disclose any critical size ranges or ratios for the disclosed combustion bowl and chamber designs, suggest the importance of the angle of the fuel spray from the spray orifices in relationship to the combustion bowl shape and specific distances between the piston and both the cylinder head and spray orifices. Thus, these patents fail to disclose that the combustion chamber and piston bowl have crucial dimensions and dimensional relationships that are required to achieve specific engine functionalities including low emissions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,112, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses a piston having a crown containing a combustion bowl shaped to complement the injection fuel spray plume in a manner to maintain very low entrainment of soot in the lubrication oil of the engine and to maintain other engine emissions within acceptable ranges. However, this patent does not appreciate the specific combination of features and dimensions necessary to produce both NOx and particulates below the new regulated limits.
Despite the many examples of combustion chamber arrangements, including piston designs, contained in the prior art, the prior art does not appear to suggest an arrangement that creates the appropriate cooperation between the piston and an injector spray plume to minimize NOx emissions while effectively promoting the oxidation of particulates during combustion by controlling and directing combustion gases in a manner to achieve acceptably low exhaust emissions relative to the new regulated limits. A need, thus, exists for an engine and combustion chamber arrangement that is capable of achieving this combination of functionality.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Internal combustion engine producing low emissions


Disclosed is a portable solar power supply, which includes a housing, a front cover and a rear cover, and further includes a wind deflector and an exhaust fan fixed on the wind deflector; the front cover has an air outlet and an air inlet formed thereon; the housing is divided into an upper chamber and a lower chamber which is connected with the air inlet and has battery installed therein removably; the wind deflector is installed in the upper chamber removably and forms an air outlet channel together with inner wall of the upper chamber; the air outlet channel and an air inlet channel are separated by the wind deflector; and one side of the air inlet channel is connected with the air inlet and the other side of the air inlet channel is connected with the air outlet channel. It has good heat radiation performance.

Portable solar power supply has been widely used due to its advantages of small size, easy to carry, being able to supply power to some electric appliances and being able to recharge in time. However, with the increase of capacitance of the portable solar power supply, the continuous charging and discharging will cause the housing to be too hot and even cause the components such as battery to be damaged, thereby affecting the usage life of the portable solar power supply.

Portable solar power supply with high heat radiation performance

Guangdong Solarstock New Energy Technology Limited


A method of treating or preventing capsular contracture in a patient resulting from surgical insertion of a silicone breast implant in a surgically created implant pocket. The method includes administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of a leukotriene receptor antagonist prior to the formation of a capsular contracture in the patient. The method further includes administering a therapeutically effective amount of displacement of the breast implant within the surgically created implant pocket, the therapeutically effective amount of displacement of the breast implant being administered post-surgically but prior to the formation of a capsular contracture in the patient.

Capsular contracture remains the most common complication of aesthetic breast augmentation despite advances in the understanding of the biological processes which appear to be involved. The role of biofilms in capsular contracture has been reported extensively and is believed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of capsular contracture. Recent advances in antibiotic irrigation as well as the use of skin barriers and nipple shields has assisted in the reduction of capsular contracture. Form stable implant studies with textured devices have also shown lower capsular contracture rates compared to smooth round devices. Yet, despite these advances, a significant number of women develop capsular contracture following breast augmentation and require revisional surgery or live with discomfort, deformity, or suboptimal results.
Three cysteinyl leukotrienes, LTC4, LTD4, and LTE4 are products of arachidonic acid metabolism and are released from cells associated with the inflammatory response. These compounds bind to cysteinyl leukotriene receptors which are found on smooth muscle cells and inflammatory cells. When leukotrienes bind to the cysteinyl leukotriene receptor, multiple effects including cellular contraction, edema, and altered cellular activity associated with inflammation may occur. Montelukast (Singulair) inhibits the actions of one leukotriene, LTD4, at the cysteinyl leukotriene receptor. Zafirlukast (Accolate) is a competitive receptor antagonist for leukotrienes, and is known to antagonize the contractile activity of three different leukotrienes, including LTC4, LTD4, and LTE4. These leukotrienes are associated with the inflammatory process, smooth muscle and cellular contraction. Zafirlukast (Accolate) competitively inhibits three different leukotrienes, rather than the one leukotriene inhibited by Montelukast (Singulair).
The use of leukotriene inhibitors for the treatment of capsular contracture was reported as early as 2002, and multiple studies have shown benefits in softening breasts and reducing the severity of capsular contracture with either Singulair or Accolate. However, the prophylactic use of these medications immediately postoperatively, and before there is any evidence of capsular contracture in the patient is unknown. Additionally, methods for the effective prophylactic treatment of patients undergoing revisional surgery for capsular contracture are unknown. Currently, there is no clear standard of care for the use of these off-label medications, and little information is available regarding effective methods in their use in treating and preventing capsular contracture in patients. Accordingly, improved methods for the prevention and treatment of capsular contracture in patients is desirable.

Prophylactic leukotriene inhibitor and implant displacement therapy for prevention and treatment of capsular contracture in silicone breast augmentation


A disk drive includes a storage disk, a head stack assembly and a fluid deflector. The head stack assembly includes a transducer assembly. The fluid deflector includes a deflector finger that deflects turbulent fluid flow away from the transducer assembly. The fluid deflector can include one or more landing pads that inhibit the slider from landing on the storage disk. The deflector finger can include a side that remains in close proximity to the slider during operation of the disk drive.

The present invention relates generally to disk drives for storing data. More specifically, the present invention relates to a fluid deflector that reduces air turbulence near a transducer assembly, reduces track misregistration and inhibits damage to data on a storage disk of the disk drive.
Disk drives are widely used in computers and data processing systems for storing information in digital form. These disk drives commonly use one or more rotating storage disks to store data. Each storage disk typically includes a data storage surface on each side of the storage disk. These storage surfaces are divided into a plurality of narrow, annular regions of different radii, commonly referred to as xe2x80x9ctracksxe2x80x9d. Typically, a positioner is used to move an E-block and a transducer assembly having a data transducer over each data storage surface of each storage disk. The data transducer transfers information to and from the storage disk when positioned over the appropriate track of the storage surface.
The need for increased storage capacity and compact construction of the disk drive has led to the use of storage disks having increased track density or decreased track pitch, i.e., more tracks per inch. As the tracks per inch increase, the ability to maintain the data transducer over a target track becomes more difficult. More specifically, as track density increases, it is necessary to reduce the positioning error of the data transducer proportionally. With these systems, the accurate and stable positioning of the data transducer is critical to the accurate transfer and/or retrieval of information from the storage disk.
Moreover, the need for decreasing data transfer times has led to ever-increasing rotation speeds of the storage disks. However, as the storage disks rotate, air or other fluids in the spaces between adjacent storage disks is dragged along with the rotating disks and is accelerated outwardly toward the perimeter of the storage disks by centrifugal forces. The accelerated air is propelled from the spaces between the storage disks, resulting in low-pressure regions between adjacent storage disks. Air rushing in because of the pressure differential then fills the low-pressure regions. This repeated cycle causes chaotic and random flutter of the storage disks and turbulent air flow between the storage disks. The turbulent air flow can cause the E-block and the transducer assemblies to vibrate and become excited. The vibration makes it more difficult to position and maintain the data transducer over the target track. The turbulent air flow becomes even more significant as the storage disks rotate more rapidly and are positioned increasingly closer together. Thus, the ability to avoid track misregistration is becoming more difficult.
Attempts to reduce track misregistration caused by air turbulence include positioning an air dam or a comb at various locations in the drive housing. A typical air dam attempts to block the majority of the flow of air to the E-block and the transducer assemblies. Alternately, a comb attempts to smooth the flow of air to the E-block and the transducer assemblies. Unfortunately, existing air dams and combs can create differential pressure regions that result in increased turbulent air flow near the transducer assemblies and the E-block.
Another problem for disk drives is that data recorded onto the storage disks, as well as the transducer assemblies themselves, are susceptible to damage caused during startup or shutdown of the disk drive. Typically, the data transducer is secured to a slider having an air bearing surface. Once disk rotation ceases, the slider can xe2x80x9clandxe2x80x9d on the surface of the storage disk, resulting in loss of data and/or failure of the disk drive. In some disk drives, the positioner positions each slider over a landing zone on the storage disk as the disk drive powers down. This inhibits the slider from resting on an area of useful data storage during non-rotation of the storage disk.
Alternatively, other disk drives include either an OD ramp positioned near an outer diameter of the storage disk or an ID ramp positioned near an inner diameter of the storage disk. The positioner moves the transducer assemblies radially outward so that each transducer assembly slides onto the OD ramp or radially inward so that each transducer assembly slides onto the ID ramp. In either position, each slider is xe2x80x9cunloadedxe2x80x9d from the storage disk. Unfortunately, the ramps occupy valuable space in the disk drive and increase the cost of the disk drive.
In light of the above, the need exists to provide a reliable, simple, and efficient device that effectively decreases turbulent fluid flow near the transducer assemblies. Another need exists to provide a disk drive with reduced track misregistration. Still another need exists to provide a device that protects the storage disks and the transducer assemblies during shut down and startup of the disk drive. Yet another need exists to provide a disk drive that is relatively easy and cost effective to manufacture.
The present invention is directed to a disk drive that includes a transducer assembly, a rotating storage disk and a fluid deflector. The transducer assembly includes a slider. The fluid deflector includes a deflector finger that extends along the storage disk near the transducer assembly. The deflector finger redirects fluid flow away from the transducer assembly and reduces the fluid turbulence experienced by the transducer assembly. This decreases lateral vibration of the transducer assembly, inhibits excitation of the transducer assembly, and decreases the incidence and extent of track misregistration.
In one embodiment, the fluid deflector includes a first landing pad that is positioned near the storage disk. The first landing pad can be positioned near an inner diameter or an outer diameter of the storage disk. During shutdown of the disk drive, the transducer assembly is moved to engage the first landing pad to maintain the slider away from the storage disk. This reduces the likelihood of contact between the slider and the storage disk. Incorporating the landing pad into the fluid deflector saves space in the disk drive and reduces the manufacturing cost. In another embodiment, the fluid deflector can include the first landing pad positioned near the inner diameter and a second landing pad positioned near the outer diameter of the storage disk.
In still another embodiment, the deflector finger includes a side that remains substantially equidistant from the slider during movement of the slider relative to the deflector finger along the storage disk. With this design, the transducer assembly is subjected to a consistent, substantially uniform aerodynamic environment regardless of the position of the slider along the storage disk. In this embodiment, the deflector finger can be positioned in close proximity to the slider and on an upstream side of the slider. Stated another way, the deflector finger is positioned near the transducer assembly, between the transducer assembly and the flow of the fluid generated during rotation of the storage disk. In this manner, the deflector finger effectively reduces fluid turbulence and smoothes the fluid flow near the transducer assembly.
The present invention also includes a method for enhancing the reliability of a disk drive. The method includes the steps of deflecting fluid flow with a fluid deflector away from the transducer assembly.

Disk drive with fluid deflector for reducing fluid turbulence near transducer assembly


A non-fouling liquid level detector and control especially for a sealed system likely to have iron particle contaminants. The device employs a float projecting above the liquid level and bearing above the liquid level a unmagnetized ferromagnetic tell-tale. A magnetic field is generated by a magnet positioned outside the sealed system. The magnetic field extends around the float and tell-tale through a magnetically permeable partition comprising a wall of the sealed system that is positioned between the magnet and the float. The float position is monitored by a magnetic field sensor such as a Hall Effect device positioned adjacent the magnet, outside the sealed system. The sensor responds to the movement of the tell-tale. The output of the sensor is employed to control the monitored liquid level.

A number of electronic oil level control systems for refrigeration compressors have been in use in the past. U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,648 discloses an optical system for monitoring and reacting to oil level within a compressor.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,642 teaches an oil level control system employing the complex permittivity of the oil compared with the permittivity of the vapor refrigerant environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,289 (Clive Waller) discloses an oil level monitoring and control systems based on the use of a float residing on the pool oil surface. The float is attached to one end of a pivoting rod. The rod bears at its other end a permanent magnet that moves in a reverse direction from the float level. The pivoting float, rod and magnet are within the refrigerant/oil circuit. At times the magnet is immersed within the oil pool. The position of the magnet is monitored external of the refrigerant/oil circuit thru a non-ferrous wall built into the device adjacent which the magnet moves. A Hall-Effect magnetic field detector is positioned external of the refrigerant/oil circuit and adjacent the magnetically permeable non-ferrous wall. As the float arm pivots, the arcuate motion of the permanent magnet adjacent the permeable wall causes the Hall-Effect device to respond the change in the strength of the magnetic field associated with the movement of the magnet and thereby activate control valves or alarm signals as required.
All these control devices and systems based on their use have exhibited control problems and false alarms generated during the oil foaming conditions frequently arising during periods of operation immediately after compressor startup or during periods of refrigerant liquid floodback into the oil pool whose level was the control objective.
New non-ozone damaging refrigerants are frequently of the hydrofluorocarbon type (HFC). The manufacturers of these HFC refrigerants require the use of a miscible lubricant such as polyolester (POE). POE acts as a cleaning agent of all the sludge in the system and entrains this dirt with the POE as it returns to the compressor. Not only do the metal particles, accompanying and part of the sludge, accumulate on magnets immersed in the oil, the sludge accumulation can also affect the optical level sensing devices by fostering the formation of surface foam that fools the optical detectors. Foam also occurs when refrigerant dissolved in the oil then boils out of the oil on a sharp reduction of pressure that occurs at starting and other times. Surface foam affects both optical and wave-based sensing systems.
Operational problems with the Waller construction have been reported. These problems have been primarily caused by the weight of very fine metal and iron wear particles in the oil that are attracted to the magnet on one end of the float. As the weight of the Waller magnet gradually increases because of the accretion of the wear particles, the position of the magnet is biased downward, thereby falsely indicating a higher oil level than truly exists, thus failing to cause entry of make-up oil or failing to actuate an alarm, even when the true oil level has dropped to the danger point.
The invention disclosed herein overcomes the faults of the Waller device and the several optical based level sensors and controllers.
It is an object of the invention to provide a liquid level sensing and control device that is unaffected by magnetic and metallic particles.
It is a further object to provide such a device that does not require a magnet positioned within the liquid whose level is sensed.
It is a further object to provide such a device that employs the Hall Effect principle to detect the position of a float positioned to follow level changes of the monitored liquid and to employ as tell-tale an unmagnetized ferromagnetic tell-tale mounted on the float.
It is a further object to provide such a device that employs a float that moves in a straight-line motion in conformance with the change in the level of the monitored liquid.
It is a further object to secure the straight line float motion by providing a float whose motion is constrained by at least one substantially straight guide.
It is a further object to secure the straight line motion by employing a float whose motion is constrained by two substantially straight guides.
It is a further object to provide such straight line motion by employing substantially straight guide members that traverse the float.
It is a further object to facilitate the performance of a Hall Effect sensor by employing a magnet positioned substantially adjacent the Hall Effect sensor.
It is a further object to employ a magnet in the shape of a ring shaped to allow the Hall Effect sensor to occupy a position within the central area of the ring.
It is a further object to moderate the effect of the magnet by the use of a ferromagnetic bridge between the magnet and the working area.
It is a further object to moderate the effect of the ring magnet by employing a ferromagnetic pole-piece positioned in contact with the ring magnet.
It is a further object to moderate the effect of the magnet by employing a ring-shaped pole-piece positioned in substantial contact with the ring magnet.
It is further object to moderate the effect of the magnet by utilizing an electromagnet and moderating the current flow through its windings.
For a closed system, a level sensing and controlling device for a liquid having a rising and falling level, the device including a float of non-magnetic material, a magnetic couple comprising a magnetized part and an unmagnetized part, the float having attached thereto one part of the magnetic couple, at least one guide constraining the float and its attached part to move in a straight substantially vertical line with the rise and fall of the liquid level, a magnetically permeable partition substantially adjacent the float for separating the interior of the closed system from the exterior, a Hall Effect sensor positioned substantially adjacent the partition exterior and the other part of the couple positioned substantially adjacent the Hall Effect sensor.


A novel ternary mixture of refrigerants that can be drop-in substituted for dichlorodifluoromethane (R-12), but that, unlike dichlorodifluoromethane, causes very little ozone damage, comprising approximately 2 to 20 % by weight isobutane (R-600a), approximately 41 to 71% by weight chlorodifluoromethane (R-22), and approximately 21 to 51 by weight chlorodifluoroethane (R-142b), with the weight percentages being of the overall mixture.

Butane, isobutane, propane, and other hydrocarbons were commonly used as refrigerants prior to World War II. The introduction of the family of FREON.RTM. fluorocarbon products in the early 1930s provided nonflammable, nontoxic, and what were believed to be environmentally safe substitute refrigerants for hydrocarbons. Fluorocarbons largely supplanted hydrocarbons as refrigerants of choice in most applications following World War II. Hydrocarbons are still in use today in special low temperature refrigeration systems (-100 degree Fahrenheit) due to the relatively high boiling points of fluorocarbons.
Certain chlorine containing fluorocarbon refrigerants, known as chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's), have been causally linked to the well-documented depletion of the earth's ozone layer. The Montreal Protocol and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have thus called for a phase out of the use of the CFCs that are known to be contributing to the degradation of the environment, and specifically to ozone layer depletion. Dichlorodifluoromethane (CCl.sub.2 F.sub.2), also known as CFC-12, Refrigerant-12, or simply R-12, is one of the most commonly used CFC refrigerants in automobile air conditioners and elsewhere. It is also the CFC refrigerant with the highest ozone depletion potential of any known refrigerant. R-12 has an "ozone depletion units" (ODU) measure of 1.0, and serves as the yardstick of ozone depletion potential against which all other refrigerants are measured.
New automobile air conditioners built in 1989 consumed 20 million pounds of R-12. An additional 80 million pounds of R-12 were consumed that year in replenishing the R-12 refrigerant that leaked from existing automobile air conditioners. Leaking of R-12 from automobile air conditioning systems is in fact a major source of the R-12 that escapes into the atmosphere each year.
Since the discovery in the 1970's that CFC refrigerants escaping into the atmosphere were depleting the earth's ozone layer, many companies have spent large sums of money trying to develop a non-toxic, nonflammable replacement for R-12 that could be "dropped into" existing automobile air conditioning systems as a substitute for R-12 without requiring any equipment changes. To date, no such "drop in" substitutes for R-12 have been announced. Consequently, the automobile industry plans to develop and market new automobile air conditioning systems by the 1995 model year that use an ozone safe refrigerant, tetrafluoroethane (CH.sub.2 FCF.sub.3), also known as FC 134a, Refrigerant-134a, or simply R-134a. Fortunately, R-134a has an ozone depletion factor (ODF) of zero. Unfortunately, R-134a cannot be drop-in substituted for R-12 in existing air conditioning systems due to compressor lubrication problems inherent in the use of R-134a in present systems, the inadequacy of the hoses used in Present systems to handle R-134a, and the necessity of using a larger compressor than is now in use with R-12 refrigerant to properly utilize R-134a.
Most automobiles that will be built through the 1994 model year will still require the use of an R-12 refrigerant, or an acceptable drop-in substitute. With the environmental efforts to phase out, or ban, the use of ozone-depleting CFC's gaining momentum, it appears that an R-12 drop-in substitute for use in existing air conditioning systems must be found.

Drop-in substitute for dichlorodifluoromethane refrigerant


A rotational connector insertable into a surgical incision onto a top of a pedicle screw in a first orientation and rotated into a second orientation to engage a primary fusion rod. The rotational connector may include a revision rod coupled to one end thereof.

Surgery, whether of the spine or other areas of the body, is often complex and routinely involves the need for highly experienced medical staff, in addition to well-designed and well-manufactured implants, made to exacting specifications. Often the implants take the form of various types of hardware. In the area of spinal fixation, for example, various spinal fixation devices have been developed in the art. Some examples of such fixation devices include spinal rods, plates, corpectomy cages, and intervertebral discs, to name but a few. Spinal fixation rods are fixation devices configured to fix adjacent vertebrae of a spine relative to each other. The rods provide stabilization of the spine till fusion occurs. The spinal fixation rods are often used in spinal surgeries to repair spinal abnormalities, whether related to injury or otherwise. The spinal rods are configured to attach to the vertebrae using, for example, anchoring devices like pedicle screws and hooks.
Patients often experience extreme and debilitating pain because of spinal column injuries or from spinal column disorders such as spondylolisthesis and scoliosis. Pain may be attributed to issues of the spine as related to degeneration, deformity, and/or injury. Often a typical course of treatment involves surgical spinal fixation utilizing spinal fixation rods that mechanically immobilize areas of the spine causing, ideally, the eventual fusion of the treated vertebrae.
Sometimes additional surgical procedures, known as revision surgeries, become necessary. Several causes exist for the need for revision surgeries. For example, pseudarthrosis (failure to achieve solid fusion) may have occurred, which can be due to various causes such as poor tissue healing, improper implant placement or securement, implant failure, or to patient-related factors. Sometimes revision surgeries are indicated even after successful initial surgeries, given that the function and shape of the spine can deteriorate with age. Also, after prolonged use, the spinal fixation rods may move or become dislodged or unstable, or even bend or break.
Revision surgery is also required to treat adjacent segment disease ("ASD"). Spinal fusion recipients may be at risk for developing ASD, a condition in which the motion segments adjacent to the fused vertebral segments experience higher rates of degeneration or deterioration due to an increase in vertebral loading, higher intradiscal pressures, increased range of motion, and increased facet motion. Treatment options for ASD begin with determining whether the primary fusion is intact. If so, then a revision surgery with a revision connector is a likely course of action.
When considering spinal fusion revision surgery options, a few revision connectors are known, such as the "Revere Addition Revision System" and the "Expedium Universal Connector". However, these connectors suffer from various drawbacks. First, these prior connectors are difficult to connect to the spinal level above the targeted level. This may be due to scar tissue or fusion mass that has developed in the lateral "gutters" across the transverse process. Second, such connectors add significant profile to the implant, both laterally and in height. Increased height can cause problems post-surgery when patients can feel the implants under their skin. Sometimes this leads to deep superficial pain. Third, prior art revision connectors do not achieve adequate stability in-line with the primary rod. Fourth, some prior art connectors are not ideal for minimally invasive surgical implantation techniques.
What is needed is a universal revision connector that is easy to install, with minimal profile, and that can sit in-line, nearly in-line, and/or at desired angles with the primary fusion rod. The connector ideally minimizes the disruption of the previous fusion mass and limposes less violation of the scar tissue. The stabilization may be extended to the next level above or below the fusion. Additional benefit is also achieved with a connector that can be inserted percutaneously. Ideally, a connector is desired that is not only suitable for revision surgeries, but also for primary fusion surgeries. The present connector provides vast improvement over such existing revision connectors.


An interior C-shaped member formed of a rigid material and positionable in a horizontal orientation, the C-shaped member having parallel side edges and a coupling edge therebetween, apertures formed adjacent to the free ends of the parallel edges with a U-shaped tongue extending downwardly from the central extent of the coupling edge of the C-shaped member. A rectangular support member with parallel front and rear faces and parallel lateral faces and with apertures through the central extent of the lateral faces positionable in alignment with the apertures of the C-shaped member and adjustment nuts and bolts coupled therethrough. Two straps of a rigid material having parallel vertical edges extending downwardly from the central extent of the front and rear faces and the lateral faces of the support member with horizontal edges therebetween to thereby constitute a floor for the support of a cooler positioned through the top of the support member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a support device for coolers removably attachable to golf carts and more particularly pertains to removably attaching a device to a golf cart for the purpose of supporting and transporting a cooler.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of devices for attaching to golf carts and devices for supporting coolers is known in the prior art. More specifically, devices for attaching to golf carts and devices for supporting coolers heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of supporting various devices on a golf cart are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, the prior art discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,842 to Fontenot discloses a combined golf bag and cooler cart.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,743 to Thielen discloses a golf cart.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,267 to Bolton discloses a cooler caddy for golf cart.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,459 to Chambers discloses a carrier accessory for beverages.
U.S. Pat. No. Des.310,593 to Lamarche the design of a carrier rack for housing a cooler when attached to a golf cart.
In this respect, the support device for coolers removably attachable to golf carts according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of removably attaching a device to a golf cart for the purpose of supporting and transporting a cooler.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved support device for coolers removably attachable to golf carts which can be used for removably attaching a device to a golf cart for the purpose of supporting and transporting a cooler. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.

Support device for coolers removably attachable to golf carts


A thumb supported leash is provided. The thumb supported leash includes a thumb tab grip having a first end and a second end, a lead portion having a first end and a second end, and a clasp. The first end of the thumb tab grip includes an aperture extending there through having a size to receive one thumb there through. The second end of the thumb tab grip is coupled to the first end of the lead portion. The second end of the lead portion is coupled to the clasp. The aperture of the thumb tab grip may receive a thumb from a hand there through and the remaining fingers of the hand may then grasp the second end of the thumb tab grip to operate the thumb supported leash.

Technical Field
This invention relates generally to an animal training leash and relates more particularly to a thumb supported animal training leash.
State of the Art
A leash is used as a means for walking animals such as dogs and cats. Leashes are often attached to collars and provide the ability to restrain or restrict the distance that the animal can move away from the person holding the leash. Generally, conventional leashes include a handle portion that is of a size and shape to hold and insert a hand within the leash. The conventional leash further includes a lead portion and a clasp, wherein the clasp engages the collar of an animal.
These conventional leashes lack in the ability of a user to control the animal and further poses a risk to harm to the users hand in an event of a struggle to restrain an animal. For example and without limitation, conventional leashes utilize a wrist loop, wherein the user inserts the entire hand or all the fingers of a hand in the wrist loop in attempts to restrain and/or control the dog while the dog is connected to the leash. With large dogs in particular, the hand or finger can be injured based on the force applied to the leash by the large dog, and further, the person utilizing the leash loses the amount of control that the leash can provide.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved leash, and particularly a thumb supported animal training leash.


A pipe connector for use in conjunction with a catch basin, the pipe connector having an annular flange defining a central bore and a major pipe receptor in the form of a tube having a first diameter and being attached to the flange and a minor pipe receptor in the form of a tube has a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, and is attached to the major pipe receptor by a frangible bridge that is configured to cleanly break upon the application of an impact to the minor pipe receptor, whereby the minor pipe receptor is removable from the major pipe receptor.

This application relates to systems and methods for connecting pipes to fluid drainage basins, or to each other. Specifically, the application relates to systems and methods for connecting a pipe selected from a variety of different pipe sizes substantially without losing fluid flow.
It is known in the prior art to provide a drainage basin such as shown in FIG. 10, suitable for catching storm water or waste water and then distributing it to regions that can absorb the flow. It is also known to extract water that has run into such a basin, and to run it off to a different storage system, or to allow it to run onto a lawn, or garden, or other natural environment such as a golf course. (As used herein, the terms catch basin, drainage basin, drainage box, catch box, and similar terms are all used synonymously to describe a receptacle for collecting water before disposing of it.)
It is further known in the prior art to provide drainage basins with an attachable/removable connector piece 10′ (FIGS. 4, 6, 10) in the form of an adaptor onto which a pipe of selected size may be attached for the purpose of leading off the water contained within the basin. Such a connector piece 10′ may be inserted into a hole molded into the basin wall, and rotated about its elongate axis to secure it and draw it tight against the wall by means of helically oriented surfaces, in a known fashion.
It is yet further known to provide the connector piece 10′ with two cylindrically shaped pipe receptors, a major pipe receptor 12′ and a minor pipe receptor 14′—which may be selected for connection by the installer as needed. The major pipe receptor is typically capable of receiving a pipe having a diameter of about 4 inches, and the minor pipe receptor is typically capable for receiving a pipe having a diameter of about 3 inches. A received pipe slides into the bore of the pipe receptor, and the pipe is held within the receptor by frictional attachment. Internal ribs may be provided to enhance the frictional attachment. It will be appreciated that, for the purpose of installing a catch basin and extraction pipe in the earth, it is not necessary for such an attachment to be entirely waterproof, as the system is intended for use out of doors where the surrounding earth may well be saturated in any event.
Each pipe receptor 12′ and 14′ is typically attached to an annular flange 16′. Also attached to the flange 16′ is a short insert pipe 18′ which is sized to be inserted into a circular opening in a wall 6′ of a catch basin 8′ as may be envisaged with reference to FIG. 10. Attached at right angles to the insert pipe 18′ is a set of teeth 22′ (typically four in number), which have a helically sloped proximal surface. When the insert portion 18′ and the teeth 22′ are inserted into the wall in the catch basin, the connector piece 10′ is rotated upon its elongate axis. The teeth then engage with the wall in known fashion, and draw the flange 16′ into tight contact with the wall 6′ of the catch basin 8′.
An installer of a catch basin 8′ may then insert the catch basin in a hole dug into the earth, and when thus positioned, he may attach a selected pipe to either the major receptor 12′ or to the minor receptor 14′.
One of the problems in the art facing an installer of such a catch basin and connector piece 10′, is that if a pipe is connected to the major receptor 12′, then the minor receptor 14′ may present an obstacle to fluid flow through the pipe.
Accordingly, there is a need for a pipe connector piece that addresses the problems found in the art. The present invention addresses these and other needs.


A substantially closed apparatus for deflecting and retaining waste fluids issuing from the ear canal of a patient being irrigated by a caregiver. The device is preferably transparent thereby allowing the caregiver to accurately manipulate the irrigator within the ear canal and to monitor the waste retainer to determine when the container must be emptied. The substantially closed configuration of the device prevents waste fluids issuing from the ear canal from contacting and contaminating the caregiver which could result in the transfer of infection and disease.

The invention relates to an ear irrigation device and, more particularly, to a device for deflecting and receiving fluid and waste issuing from a patient's ear as the ear is being irrigated by a caregiver.
Ear irrigation for the removal of wax and other waste from the ear is well-known and many devices are available to receive such waste issuing from a patient's ear during irrigation. Some devices, such as U.S. Pat. No. 989,839 are of a single piece construction which totally encloses the patient's ear. Although such a device protects a caregiver from the fluid and waste during the irrigation procedure, such a device is of limited usefulness in that the portion of the device extending into the patient's ear has a fixed orientation. This fixed orientation is a result of the seal which must be in place, between the waste deflector and the portion of the device entering the patient's ear, to protect the caregiver from contact with the waste. Conversely, devices such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,201,212 have been developed which allow liberal access to a patient's ear, but expose the caregiver to possible dangerous contaminants from the ear during the irrigation process.
The caregiver's mucosa, especially the caregiver's eye mucosa is especially susceptible to contamination due to contact with waste issuing from a patient's ear. During irrigation of a patient's auditory canal, the caregiver must often place their eyes very close to the auditory canal to accurately manipulate the irrigator within the patient's ear. Given the obvious unpleasantness, as well as possible deleterious consequences of caregiver mucosa contact with bodily waste and fluids, such as possible infection with HIV or hepatitis, it is desirable to provide an apparatus for capturing fluid and waste issuing from a patient's ear during irrigation. Ideally, such a device would not hinder the irrigation procedure, but would allow liberal manipulation of the irrigator while protecting the caregiver from exposure to the waste products.
Even a combination of the two aforementioned prior art devices would not produce an effective apparatus. Because both apparatuses disclose inserting an irrigation device normal to the plane of the ear, the aperture allowing the irrigator access to the ear must be of a sufficient area to allow manipulation of the irrigator. An opening of sufficient size to allow manipulation of the irrigator, however, would allow sufficient room for fluid and waste to escape in the direction of the caregiver leading to the undesirable contact of the waste and fluid with the caregiver.
The difficulties of the prior art discussed hereinabove are substantially eliminated by the present invention.