A method for whitening teeth that includes contacting at least one tooth with a composition that includes a bleaching agent; a carrier; and an acrylate/xcex1, xcex2-ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acid or anhydride copolymer such as an acrylate itaconate copolymer. The acrylate itaconate copolymer may be an alkali-swellable polymer and the composition may further include an alkaline additive.

The present invention relates to the field of dentistry, particularly to the whitening of teeth.
Over the last decade, one of the most prominent changes in dentistry has been the increased focus in aesthetic procedures. Teeth generally become more darkly pigmented with age and exposure to such materials as tea and coffee, and it has long been a goal of dentistry to provide a means to safely and effectively reverse this darkening process. Recently, in-office and at-home teeth whitening have been rapidly embraced.
One method for whitening teeth involves using oxidizing agents to bleach the undesired pigmentation. The active agents are usually weak solutions of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide, which is more stable than hydrogen peroxide. Generally, it is believed that there are only three primary variables that can be manipulated to control the rate of whitening.
The first variable is concentration of the peroxide. In order to make the procedure occur during a reasonable time span, concentrations of peroxide equivalent to at least 3 weight percent hydrogen peroxide are employed, with the concentrations going as high as 40 weight percent. The peroxide has been used in liquid, paste and gel forms, with the gel being the most popular. The second variable is exposure time, i.e., the time the tooth is exposed to the peroxide. The third variable is the pH of the peroxide mixture.
It is well known that tooth whiteners with higher pH are more effective than equally strong whiteners with lower pH. Unfortunately, increased pH also means decreased peroxide stability. It is for this reason that none of the present tooth whitening materials have a pH much above neutral, while the majority of them are actually acidic. The only exceptions to this rule are those materials that require addition of an alkalinity adjuster immediately prior to use, but this approach has little consumer or professional appeal because of the complex handling and preparation procedures.
Another barrier to achieving a desirable tooth whitening product is the lack of a good gelling material to use at the higher pH ranges. Virtually all of the current stable tooth-whitening gels use a carbomer matrix. Carbomer in its initial gelled form has a pH around 1 to 2. As the pH is raised, the carbomer begins to lose its viscosity and stability, such that it is only with great effort and skill that it can be made to remain useful above a neutral pH. For that matter, high concentrations of peroxide are also an anathema for the carbomer since it has some tendency to oxidize with strong agents.
These two factors combine in such a way that the only single-tube high-concentration peroxide gel product known by the present inventor to ever reach the marketplace (supplied by Ultradent of Salt Lake City, Utah) is sufficiently sensitive to destabilization by heat exposure that the manufacturer refuses to ship during certain weather conditions or over a weekend. Once received by the dentist, the material has to be refrigerated at all times, or again its potency is at risk. Yet, so significant is the need for such a product that even this unstable product is successful. However, the end user is left with a product that has unpredictable and unsatisfactory characteristics since its effectiveness can be completely destroyed by a common, uncontrollable event such as a slow shipment.
Manufacturers have long sought to stabilize their hydrogen peroxide in order to extend its service life. For more than a decade, almost all the large producers of hydrogen peroxide have produced various stabilized variations of their peroxide. For instance, one such stabilized hydrogen peroxide from Degussa became available several years ago but neither the Degussa product nor any other stabilized hydrogen peroxide has been embraced by the dental community. Doubtless this is because peroxide stability is only one part of the problem with the present whitening gels, and without the other part (the gel matrix material) in place there is no advantage of using this specialty product.
Thus, a need exists for a high pH, bleaching agent-containing gel or thickened composition that is available as a stable single-package or one-part premixed product. Over the years, many gel-forming materials have been used in an attempt to make a stable high peroxide concentration, high pH gel. None of these attempts have met with any success.
According to one disclosed embodiment, an improved method for whitening at least one tooth has been discovered that includes contacting the tooth with a composition that includes a bleaching agent; a carrier; and an acrylate/xcex1, xcex2-ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acid or anhydride copolymer. In particular embodiments the acrylate/xcex1, xcex2-ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acid or anhydride copolymer is an acrylate itaconate copolymer. The acrylate/xcex1, xcex2-ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acid or anhydride copolymer (e.g., acrylate itaconate copolymer) serves as a rheology modifier that contributes unique characteristics to the whitening method and composition. In particular, the rheology modifier allows for the formulation of a stable high pH whitening gel or thickened composition that can be provided to the user in the form of a single-package or one-part premixed product.
The acrylate itaconate copolymer may be an alkali-swellable polymer that provides thickening to a composition when the pH of the composition is increased. Thus, according to a further disclosed embodiment there is provided a composition useful for whitening teeth that includes a bleaching agent; a carrier; an alkaline additive; and an acrylate itaconate copolymer.
According to one variant the rheology modifier can be prepared by polymerizing at least one (meth)acrylate or (meth)acrylic acid monomer with a surfactant monomer, the surfactant monomer being an esterification product of a nonionic surfactant reacted with itaconic acid. According to another variant the rheology modifier can be prepared by polymerizing (a) an acrylate monomer selected from a C1-C6 alkyl ester of acrylic acid and a C1-C6 alkyl ester of methacrylic acid; (b) a monomer selected from a vinyl-substituted heterocyclic compound containing at least one of a nitrogen or a sulfur atom, a (meth)acrylamide, a mono- or di-(C1-C4)alkylamino (C1-C4)alkyl (meth)acrylate and a mono or di-(C1-C4)alkylamino (C1-C4)alkyl (meth)acrylamide; and (c) a surfactant monomer.
The foregoing features and advantages will be come more apparent from the following detailed description of several embodiments.
The bleaching agent is any material that has the ability to whiten teeth. Illustrative bleaching agents include an oxygen radical or hydrogen radical-generating compound such as metal ion free peroxides, organic peroxides, and metal ion containing peroxides. Specific, non-limiting examples of bleaching agents include carbamide peroxide, carbamyl peroxide, calcium peroxide, sodium percarbonate, perhydrol urea, urea peroxide, sodium perborate, calcium hydroxide, potassium chlorate, magnesium carbonate, hydrogen peroxide, materials that produce these compounds in situ, and combinations thereof.
The amount of bleaching agent in the composition may vary. For example, the bleaching agent could be present in an amount of about 3 to about 60 weight percent, based on the total amount of the bleaching agent and the carrier. If hydrogen peroxide is the bleaching agent, according to one particular embodiment, it may be present in about 3 to about 40 weight percent, especially about 7 to about 15 weight percent, based on the total amount of hydrogen peroxide and the carrier. If carbamide peroxide is the bleaching agent, according to one particular embodiment, it may be present in about 10 to about 60 weight percent, based on the total amount of hydrogen peroxide and the carrier. When using embodiments with a higher amount of bleaching agent (for example, about 30 to about 50 weight percent), a rubber dam may be used to isolate the composition from the more delicate soft tissues. The composition may be subjected to a light or other source of radiant (heat) energy such as the VIRTUOSO LIGHT (commercially available from Den Mat of San Mateo, Calif.) to increase the whitening activity of the composition. Typically, the radiant energy is applied while the composition is in contact with the tooth.
The bleaching agent may be provided in a stabilizer vehicle that is mixed into the disclosed composition embodiments. For example, such stabilized bleaching agent may be aqueous or non-aqueous and include glycerin, polyethylene glycol, and similar water miscible or water immiscible organic solvents. Stabilized bleaching agent formulations may also include thickening or gelling agents such as polyoxyethylene/polyoxypropylene block copolymers or carbomer polymers. Stabilized bleaching agents are commercially available such as, for example, under the trade designation PERALKYLI from Degussa.
A polymeric rheology modifier or thickener is an additional ingredient of the composition. The rheology modifier may be an acrylate/xcex1, xcex2-ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acid or anhydride copolymer made by copolymerizing at least one (meth)acrylate or (meth)acrylic acid monomer with a surfactant monomer as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,074, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. As used herein, (meth)acrylate refers to methacrylate or acrylate monomers and (meth)acrylic acid refers to methacrylic acid or acrylic acid monomers. The surfactant monomer may be made by esterifying a nonionic surfactant with an xcex1, xcex2-ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acid monomer
The xcex1, xcex2-ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acid monomer may have a chemical structure represented by:
RCHxe2x95x90C(R1)xe2x80x94COOH
wherein R is H or a C1-C6 alkyl group and R1 is xe2x80x94R2COOH (wherein R2 is a C1-C6 divalent alkylene), or xe2x80x94COOX (wherein X is H or a C1-C6 alkyl group), or R is xe2x80x94COOX (wherein X is H or a C1-C6 alkyl group) and R1 is H or a C1-C6 alkyl group. Illustrative xcex1, xcex2-ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acid or anhydride monomers include fumaric, maleic and itaconic acid (also known as methylene succinic acid) or anhydride.
Examples of nonionic surfactants that can be esterified with xcex1, xcex2-ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acid or anhydride monomers are the polyoxyethylene alcohols such as poly(oxyethylene)20 stearyl ether, poly(oxyethylene)20 cetyl ether and poly(oxyethylene)lauryl ether; ethoxylated alkyl phenols such as poly(oxyethylene)3 nonylphenol and poly(oxyethylene)8 dinonyl phenol; polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters such as poly (oxyethylene)8 stearate and poly (oxyethylene)40 stearate; sorbitan fatty acid esters such as sorbitan monooleate and sorbitan monostearate; and polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, such as poly(oxyethylene)20 sorbitan monolaurate and poly(oxyethylene)40 monostearate.
Illustrative (meth)acrylate monomers include C1-C8 alkyl esters and C1-C8 hydroalkyl esters of (meth)acrylic acid such as methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, 2-ethyl hexyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxybutyl acrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate.
The acrylate/xcex1, xcex2-ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acid or anhydride copolymer may be prepared by emulsion copolymerization at low pH (e.g., 2.5-5) as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,074. As described in more detail below, the resulting aqueous emulsion thickens upon raising of the pH.
According to particular embodiments of the composition, an acrylate itaconate copolymer may serve as the rheology modifier. Illustrative acrylate itaconate copolymers include an acrylate/steareth-20 itaconate copolymer or an acrylate/ceteth-20 itaconate copolymer. Such acrylate itaconate rheology modifiers are commercially available from National Starch and Chemical, Bridgewater, N.J., under the trade designation STRUCTURE(copyright) 3001 (an acrylate/ceteth-20 itaconate copolymer) and STRUCTURE(copyright) 2001 (an acrylate/steareth-20 itaconate copolymer). These acrylate itaconate copolymers are said to have a chemical structure represented by:
wherein R can be a C1-C8 alkyl or hydroxyalkyl and n can be an integer from 1 to 40.
According to an alternative embodiment, the rheology modifier may be a polymeric rheology modifier as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,840,789 and EP-A-0 824 914. In a particular embodiment, the rheology modifier may be an aqueous emulsion of a (meth)acrylic polymer prepared by emulsion polymerization of at least three monomersxe2x80x94an acrylate monomer (a), an amine monomer (b) and a surfactant monomer (c) as described above. Such polymeric rheology modifiers are commercially available from National Starch and Chemical, Bridgewater, N.J., under the trade designation STRUCTURE(copyright) PLUS (an acrylate/aminoacrylate/C10-C30 alkyl polyethylene glycol-20 itaconate copolymer).
According to U.S. Pat. No. 5,840,789 and EP-A-0 824 914, the acrylate monomers (a) are selected from esters prepared from (meth)acrylic acid and C1-C6 alcohols, such as ethyl or propyl alcohol. Illustrative acrylate monomers include C2-C6 alkyl esters of acrylic acid such as, for example, ethyl acrylate. According to EP-A-0 824 914 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,840,789, methyl acrylate should not be used in preparing the rheology modifier emulsions disclosed therein where stable emulsions are required since it is said to result in emulsions that are unstable with respect to viscosity change over time.
In addition to the acrylate monomer (a), polymerized therewith is a monomer (b) selected from a vinyl-substituted heterocyclic compound containing at least one of a nitrogen or sulfur atom, a (meth)acrylamide, a mono- or di-(C1-C4)alkylamino (C1-C4)alkyl (meth)acrylate, or a mono or di-(C1-C4)alkylamino (C1-C4)alkyl (meth)acrylamide. Exemplary monomers include N,N-dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate, N,N-diethylamino ethyl acrylate, N,N-diethylamino ethyl methacrylate, N-t-butylamino ethyl acrylate, N-t-butylamino ethyl methacrylate, N,N-dimethylamino propyl acrylamide, N,N-dimethylamino propyl methacrylamide, N,N-diethylamino propyl acrylamide and N,N-diethylamino propyl methacrylamide.
Monomers that provide cross-linking in the acrylate itaconate copolymer may also be utilized in relatively low amounts, up to about 3 weight percent, based on the total weight of monomers. Cross-linking monomers include multi-vinyl-substituted aromatic monomers, alicyclic monomers selected from the group consisting of cycloparrafins and cycloolefins, di-functional esters of phthalic acid, di-functional esters of methacrylic acid, multi-functional esters of acrylic acid, dienes, trienes, tetraenes, and N-methylene-bis-acrylamide. Exemplary cross-linking monomers include divinylbenzene, trivinylbenzene, 1,2,4-tricinylcyclohexane, 1,5-hexadiene, 1,5,9-decatriene, 1,9-decadiene, and 1,5-heptadiene, di-allyl phthalate, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate, penta- and tetra-acrylates, and N-methylene-bis-acrylamide.
The acrylate itaconate copolymers may be prepared by known emulsion polymerization techniques such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,616,074, 5,840,789 and EP-A-0 824 914.
The carrier component may be any material that is capable of providing a vehicle for combining and delivering the other ingredients of the disclosed compositions. Typically, the carrier is a solvent or suspending medium for the other ingredients such as water or an organic solvent. Illustrative organic carriers include glycerin, polyalkylene glycol or alcohol (e.g., polyethylene glycol or polypropylene glycol) or similar materials. According to certain embodiments, any of the ingredients may be pre-mixed with the carrier and then subsequently formulated with the remaining ingredients to produce the end-use composition. For example, the bleaching agent may be dissolved or dispersed in a carrier. In this case, water could be used as the carrier for hydrogen peroxide or glycerin or polyethylene glycol could be used as the carrier to dissolve a solid peroxide or peroxide-generator such as carbamide peroxide, calcium peroxide or sodium percarbonate. The thickening agent or rheology modifier also may be dissolved or dispersed in a carrier prior to final formulation. The amount of carrier is not critical and may be varied depending on the desired properties and characteristics.
The compositions may be formulated to have a range of viscosities depending on the desired end use. For example, the end-use composition may be a slightly thickened liquid, loosely structured gel or a thick and highly sticky viscous mass. According to a further variant, an inert gas may be mixed into the composition to produce a foam.
The desired viscosity may be achieved by any known method. One example is by varying the ratio of the rheology modifier to the other ingredients. The relative amount of rheology modifier is directly proportional to the resulting viscosity. Other optional thickeners could also be added such as carbomer, aluminum silica, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, agar and other known thickeners. The higher viscosities are especially useful with stock dental trays, toothbrushes or similar devices. The lower viscosities are especially useful for custom dental trays or for syringe delivery. A sprayable composition may also be formulated.
Another alternative for viscosity control is manipulating the pH of the composition. As described above, according to certain embodiments the rheology modifier is a polymer that swells in response to a change in pH. According to a particular embodiment, the rheology modifier is an alkali-swellable polymer such as, for example, the above-mentioned STRUCTURE(copyright) 3001 or STRUCTURE(copyright) 2001. According to an alternative embodiment, the rheology modifier may be a polymer that thickens in a neutral or acidic environment such as, for example, the above-mentioned STRUCTURE(copyright) PLUS. When such alkali-swellable polymers are exposed to a neutral or alkaline pH they undergo thickening, thus contributing to the increase in viscosity in the disclosed compositions. At low pH, the rheology modifier remains in its low viscosity state. For example, in the case of STRUCTURE(copyright) 3001 or STRUCTURE(copyright) 2001, the rheology modifier exists as an aqueous emulsion or latex at low pH such as, for example, about 2 to about 4. The pH of the end-use compositions may be adjusted accordingly so as to induce the desired thickening caused by the rheology modifier. For example, the pH of the end-use compositions may range from about 6.5 to about 11, more particularly from about 8 to about 10.
The pH may be controlled by any means. One example is by adding an alkaline additive to the composition. The alkaline additive can be capable of increasing the pH to at least about 6, more particularly to a pH of at least about 8. Illustrative alkaline additives include alkali metal hydroxide (e.g., sodium hydroxide), tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane, sodium carbonate, ammonium hydroxide, alkylamine (e.g., methylamine or dimethylamine), and amino alcohols (e.g., amino methyl propanol). The amount of alkaline additive added should be sufficient to increase the pH to its desired level.
The alkaline additive may be added during any stage of the composition manufacture. Advantageously, the alkaline additive can be added along with the other ingredients to provide a pre-mixed product that can be provided to the end user. In other words, there is no need to add the alkaline additive immediately prior to use, thus avoiding the mixing drawbacks associated with two-part systems. However, if desired, a two-part system can be provided that includes the rheology modifier in one part and the alkaline additive in the second part.
The pH of the end-use composition may also be adjusted by mixing an additional ingredient into a formulated composition that already includes the bleaching agent, rheology modifier, alkaline additive and carrier (referred to herein as an xe2x80x9cintermediate stage compositionxe2x80x9d). If the pH of the additional ingredient is greater than the pH of the intermediate stage composition, the composition will thicken further. If the pH of the additional ingredient is less than the pH of the intermediate stage composition, the viscosity of the composition will decrease due to irreversible breakage of physical associations created by the rheology modifier. Once the viscosity is decreased in this manner, the composition cannot subsequently undergo re-thickening by raising the pH. If the pH of the additional ingredient is about equal to the pH of the intermediate stage composition, then the viscosity decreases via simple dilution. Thus, an additional advantage of the composition is that the viscosity and pH are not directly linked. In other words, a composition may be formulated to provide a particular pH and a particular viscosity over wide pH and viscosity ranges.
The additional ingredient for adding to the intermediate stage composition may be any of the ingredients disclosed herein. For example, a bleaching agent could be added to the intermediate stage composition. The intermediate stage composition could be formulated to a viscosity that is higher than desired for end use, and then thinned with a solution that contains the bleaching agent and has a pH lower than that of the intermediate stage composition.
The disclosed composition may also include a catalytic agent as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,850. According to a particular embodiment, the catalytic agent accelerates the release of oxygen radicals from an oxygen radical generating bleaching agent. Examples of such catalytic agents include, but are not limited to, activated charcoal, platinum, platinum salts, copper, copper salts, palladium, palladium salts, silver, and silver salts. The composition may also include other bleaching accelerators or enhancers such as amino acids (e.g., glycine, hydroxy-proline, trytophane, arginine, etc.), iron salts, magnesium salts and similar known materials. If such a catalytic agent or accelerator is present, it typically is provided in a separate part or package that is mixed with the oxygen radical generating bleaching agent shortly before use of the composition.
Another optional ingredient in embodiments of the invention is an abrasive material. For example, a dicalcium phosphate abrasive may be incorporated into the composition (e.g., see U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,564). Examples of dicalcium phosphate abrasives include, but are not limited to dicalcium phosphate dihydrate, anhydrous dicalcium, or calcium pyrophosphate. Other possible abrasives include siliceous materials. Examples of such materials include, but are not limited to, silica abrasives, such as precipitated amorphous hydrated silica, and alumina abrasives, such as alumina trihydrate, aluminum silicate, calcined alumina, and bentonite.
The abrasive material may be included in a carrier vehicle that may contain water, humectant, surfactant, and a thickener. Examples of humectants are glycerin, sorbitol, and polyethylene glycol (molecular weight 200-1000) and mixtures thereof. Thickeners may be incorporated in the abrasive component such as natural and synthetic gums such as carrageenan, xanthan gum, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, starch, polyvinylpyrrolidone, hydroxyethylpropyl cellulose, hydroxybutyl methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, and hydroxyethyl cellulose.
In another embodiment, an agent for administering fluoride, such as a fluorine providing salt, which has activity against cavities, may be incorporated into the composition. Such materials are characterized by their ability to release fluoride ions in water. Agents for administering fluoride include, but are not limited to, inorganic metal salts such as sodium fluoride, potassium fluoride, and tin fluoride such as stannous fluoride or stannous chlorofluoride, sodium fluorosilicate, ammonium fluorosilicate, and sodium monofluorophosphate.
According to a further embodiment, the composition may also include palliative ingredients for periodontal tissues. Examples of such ingredients include, but are not limited to, aloe, eugenol, and vitamin E. Pigments, sweeteners, colors, and flavors may also be incorporated into the composition. The composition may further include an ingredient to decrease tooth sensitivity, such as potassium nitrate.
The disclosed compositions may be placed in contact with a tooth or teeth via known techniques. One example of a method for applying the composition to teeth is via a dental tray. Such dental trays are shaped to fit into a patient""s mouth and hold the composition against the teeth to be whitened. The composition can be applied on a contact surface of the tray prior to placing the tray into the patient""s mouth. Alternatively, the tray can be initially placed in the patient""s mouth and then the composition can be placed or injected (e.g., via a syringe or squeeze bottle) into a void between the contact surface of the tray the teeth. The dental tray can be either stock (i.e., pre-fabricated) or customized. In order to produce a customized dental tray, a sheet of moldable plastic is used that will conform to a mold of an individual""s teeth. Production of such trays is well known in the art.
Another embodiment for applying the composition involves delivery via a syringe. For example, a first part containing bleaching agent, rheology modifier, an alkaline additive and a carrier can be provided in a first barrel of a two-barreled syringe and a second part containing rheology modifier, a carrier, an alkaline additive and a bleaching accelerator can be provided in the second barrel. The two parts mix as they exit the syringe through a series of baffles.
The ingredients of the composition may be combined by any known means. For example, the ingredients may be mixed together under ambient atmospheric conditions. In certain embodiments, rapid mixing accelerates the formation of a thickened composition as well as incorporates a significant number of bubbles. Depending upon the viscosity of the composition, these bubbles may rise to the surface within about 48 hours. The use of a vacuum during mixing may assist in limiting the inclusion of bubbles into the composition.
The ingredients of the composition may be combined together in any order. According to a particular embodiment, the rheology modifier can be mixed with a carrier (with or without the bleaching agent) prior to the addition of the alkaline additive. According to another particular embodiment, a bleaching agent may first be diluted with water and then the rheology modifier is mixed-in at room temperature. The alkaline additive is subsequently added to the bleaching agent/rheology modifier mixture. According to a further particular embodiment, the alkaline additive may be first dissolved in a carrier prior to its addition to the end-use composition.
The specific examples described below are for illustrative purposes and should not be considered as limiting the scope of this invention.

Composition and method for whitening teeth


An ectoparasite-controlling agent for animals comprising 0.1 to 20% by weight of the neonocotinoid compounds defined in the specification and 10 to 95% by weight of a glycol or glycol monoalkyl ether has an excellent effectiveness by the application methods such as spot-on and pour-on application.

Heretofore, as an application method to control harmful pests that injure domestic animals such as pets and farm animals, particularly ectoparasites such as fleas (Pulicidae), lice (Anoplura) and ticks (Acarina), methods of application recognized as spot-on and pour-on applications have been known, and because these methods of applications have been elementary, they are utilized in the concerning ectoparasite controlling.
However, it was not common to have the active ingredients contained in the ectoparasite controlling agents to be always sufficiently effective.

Ectoparasite controlling agent for animals


A method for connecting a lateral sewer line to a main sewer line which is relined with a plastic pipe liner, comprises plugging a lateral sewer line upstream of the main sewer line to seal off the lateral sewer line, spraying a grout material downstream of the location of the plug until the space between the main sewer line and the plastic pipe liner is filled, allowing the group material to set, removing the plug from the lateral sewer line and providing an opening through the grout material and the plastic pipe liner so that the lateral sewer line is connected to and in communication with the plastic pipe liner. An apparatus which is used to plug the lateral sewer line and dispense the grout material comprises a spray gun positioned within a tubular inflatable bladder where the nozzle for the spray gun is in front of the bladder. The apparatus also includes means for conveying compressed air to and for conveying compressed air from the inflatable bladder. The inflatable bladder expands within a lateral sewer line which is connected to the main sewer line when compressed air is conveyed to the inflatable bladder and means for conveying grout material under pressure to the spray gun is provided to dispense the grout material in the space between the main sewer line and the plastic pipe liner.

In the older parts of a city, the main sewer lines are usually in bad repair and require relining. The existing main sewer line may be relined with a plastic pipe liner which is inserted within the existing sewer line. In order to permit insertion of the plastic pipe liner the outside diameter of the liner is less than the inside diameter of the main sewer so that a space is formed between the plastic pipe liner and the main sewer line. In connecting a lateral sewer line to a plastic pipe liner, it is necessary to fill this space at least around the lateral sewer line where it meets the main sewer line with a grout material. Methods which contemplate the connection of a lateral sewer line to a plastic pipe liner usually entail prolonged periods of service shutdown and therefore an inconvenience to the home owner. Such methods are usually very costly and become prohibitive when several laterals are encountered in relining a main sewer line.

Apparatus having a tubular inflatable bladder and a grout dispensing nozzle for connecting lateral branches to a relined main


A side stream subsystem can be used to remove impurity species from the recirculating alkali metal chloride solution in certain electrolysis systems. Silicon and/or aluminum species can be removed via precipitation after introducing an alkali metal hydroxide and magnesium chloride in a side stream line in the subsystem. The invention can allow for a substantial reduction in raw material and capital costs.

Industrial electrolysis systems in which brines of various kinds are subjected to electrolysis in order to produce other useful chemical products have been operating on a large scale for decades. In particular, chlor-alkali and chlorate electrolysis systems have been used to provide much of the chlorine, sodium hydroxide, and chlorate products which are subsequently used to prepare other chemicals or used in the manufacture of various other products.
As a consequence of increasing environmental concerns coupled with a highly competitive marketplace, modern chlor-alkali and chlorate producers are forced to look for alternative ways to minimize the amount of solid and liquid effluent produced as well as ways to reduce operating and capital costs.
A current strategy for reducing the amount of effluent is to use evaporated salt as a source of raw material to make-up the brine to be electrolyzed instead of the solar or rock salt typically used in the past. Evaporated salt is a much purer and cleaner source of salt and typically has amounts of alkali earth metal and other heavy metal contaminants that are orders of magnitude lower in concentration. Upon dissolution of this purer salt, the resulting brine solution quality is such that the conventional primary treatment process for the brine in such electrolysis systems can be eliminated.
In chlor-alkali systems, a supply of brine at an appropriate concentration is supplied to an electrolyzer where it is partially electrolyzed. Weak spent brine from the electrolyzer is then supplemented with additional make-up salt in a saturator and is then recycled back as brine supply for the electrolyzer. However, the conventional secondary treatment process for the brine in such systems uses a purification subsystem comprising cationic chelating resins, which are not effective in removing certain impurity species such as aluminum and silica. Historically, such impurity species were removed with the purge of sludges associated with the conventional primary treatment process. Thus, with the elimination of this primary treatment process, the aluminum and silica impurity species are not effectively removed by the secondary treatment process and consequently they can accumulate in the recycling brine circuit as make-up salt is continually added thereto.
These accumulating aluminum and silicon species impurities may be removed by continuously purging an amount of brine from the recycling brine in the main recirculation line in the system. The required amount of purge may vary from about 5 to 30% of the flow rate of the brine in the main recirculation line depending upon the purity of the supply of evaporated salt. However, the loss of salt associated with purging is generally not considered economical. Thus instead, such impurities are typically removed by treating the full flow of brine in the recirculation line.
Methods are disclosed in the art for removing aluminum and silicon species in brine streams. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,073,706 teaches a process for the removal of trace metals from alkali halide brines. The addition of controlled amounts of magnesium ions to brine and subsequent precipitation of magnesium hydroxide removes metal contaminants, and provides a brine suitable for use in the electrolytic production of chlorine and alkali metal hydroxide. In the process, the pH can be adjusted by the addition of NaOH.
Also for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,746,592 discloses a method for the reduction of soluble aluminum species in an evaporated salt alkali metal halide brine to provide a brine feedstock suitable for use in a chlor-alkali membrane cell process. The method comprising treating the brine with a suitable amount of magnesium salt and sufficient alkali metal hydroxide to provide an excess alkalinity concentration to effect precipitation of a magnesium aluminum hydroxide complex.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,929 teaches a process for the removal of silicates in alkali metal choride containing industrial waste streams to provide waste brine streams suitable for use in the electrolytic production of chlorine and alkali using a diaphragm electrolytic cell. The process involves adding a soluble magnesium compound to alkali metal chloride solution and precipitating the silicates as compounds of magnesium. The process includes adjusting the pH of the alkali metal chloride solution to about 11.5 by adding sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, or mixtures thereof to render the magnesium silicates insoluble in the solution.
Although methods such as the above involving magnesium addition and precipitation are effective in removing aluminum and silicon species, the high levels required for silicon species removal result in poor filtration. And, much more expensive filteraid in the filtering subsystems must be used for reasonable filter cycle times. And while such methods have been used in the art to purify brine streams for or in chlor-alkali electrolysis systems, such methods do not appear to have been suggested for use in side streams in such systems. Instead, the methods are used or suggested for use in a main line or recirculation line for the brine streams. Further, such methods do not seem employed in chlorate electrolysis systems.
Despite the maturity and sophistication of modern electrolysis systems, there remains a continuing need for reduction of effluent and for reduction in operating and capital costs. The present invention addresses these and other needs as discussed below.

Side stream removal of impurities in electrolysis systems


A frequency selector apparatus which effects a frequency selection by providing at least one reflecting electrode at a position adjacent elastic surface wave transducer or transducers provided in an acoustic wave propagation track in a piezoelectric medium so as to reflect a frequency component selected by a parametric interaction with an a.c. electrical signal applied to said reflecting electrode.

As a frequency selector element employed in a frequency selector apparatus for selectivity outputting a desired frequency component from a signal supplied to the apparatus, there have been widely known
(1) a resonance circuit comprised of an electrical inductance (a coil) and a capacitance (a capacitor), (2) an element utilizing a mechanical resonance (a mechanical filter), (3) an element utilizing a bulk resonance of a piezoelectric medium (a ceramic filter, a crystal filter, etc.), and (4) an elastic surface wave filter or resonator.
Among these, the element (1) has such an advantage as a frequency to be selected is variable over a wide range, but, on the other hand, has shortcomings that it is difficult to provide a high quality factor Q, especially high selectivity, due to a resistive component of the element and that the selected frequency is liable to be affected by fluctuation in temperature.
On the other hand, while the elements (2) to (4) advantageously have a high quality factor Q (selectivity), they have a disadvantage that a variable frequency range is narrow since they are intrinsically fixed frequency selector elements.


The tire-handling device (10) is a compact, lightweight tool for carriage within a motor vehicle trunk or storage compartment to facilitate handling of a tire (T) during a tire change or similar operation. The device includes a tire support cradle (30) supported by opposed vertically adjustable handles (32). The handles (32) and cradle (30) therebetween may be adjusted to position the cradle (30) beneath a tire (T) on a raised axle during a tire change, or for aligning a fresh tire with the wheel mounting studs of the wheel hub. Two mutually opposed tire support belt rollers are disposed within the cradle (30). A tire support belt extends between the rollers, allowing a tire (T) resting thereon to be rotated for alignment with the mounting studs of the vehicle wheel hub.

Tires are likely the single most frequent repair or replacement item on a motor vehicle. The carriage of a spare tire is nearly universal in motor vehicles, with the exception being vehicles equipped with newer "run-flat" type tires. No other repair or replacement item or part is nearly so likely to be carried in a motor vehicle as a spare tire.
Motor vehicle tires have become considerably more reliable over the years, but total reliability is yet to be achieved. At the same time, motor vehicles have generally become heavier, with their wheels and tires becoming correspondingly larger and heavier as well. In past generations, the fifteen-inch wheel and a relatively narrow tire was the norm for full-size vehicles, but wheel and tire sizes have been increasing to ever larger diameters and widths, with corresponding weight increases, as the years have progressed.
In the past, it was considered routine to remove a flat tire and replace it with a spare tire carried in the vehicle. Even relatively small people could handle a standard tire, albeit with some degree of effort and exertion. With ever larger tires and wheels, many drivers (both male and female) find themselves unable to handle the weight and bulk of a tire from their vehicle when a roadside tire change is required, particularly in the case of larger sport-utility vehicles with wheels ranging perhaps up to nineteen inches in diameter. Yet, very little has been done in the past to aid the driver in this task.
Thus, a tire-handling device solving the aforementioned problems is desired.


A disposable mask is provided having a body with an opening sized to cover the nose and mouth of a wearer and a fastening system to secure the body to the wearer's face. The body has top and bottom edges with the top edge operable to extend across the nose and cheeks of the wearer and the bottom edge to extend below the mouth of the wearer. The body includes a first portion which generally contacts the face of the wearer and is formed from a material that is shapeable around the face of the wearer. A second portion is attached to and extends from the shapeable material and is formed from a disparate material that filters aerosol particles from the air that passes through it.

This invention relates generally to face masks capable of preventing passage of airborne aerosol particles, and more particularly to a disposable face mask comprising two disparate portions of material and a method of manufacturing the same.
Disposable masks have been manufactured for many years. In the medical field, most of these masks have been for use in preventing contamination of a patient by the breath of health care personnel. In recent years with increased concern for infection of health care personnel with airborne pathogens, particularly such as the hepatitis B virus and multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, it has become necessary to prevent not only the contamination of patients due to exhalation from health care personnel, but also to prevent infection of health care personnel due to inhalation of airborne infection particles. It has become even more important in view of the advent of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the recent increase in infectious tuberculosis associated with many HIV patients.
In addition, it has been found that aerosols having airborne liquid and solid particles are generated not only by the exhalation of infected patients, but also by certain procedural manipulations and processes that impart energy to any microbial suspension. Surgical procedures involving use of drills and saws are particularly prolific producers of the aerosols which may contain tuberculosis, HIV or other pathogens from an infected patient. Concern with tuberculosis has been increasing since new strains of the disease show strong resistance to multiple types of drug treatment.
In addition, it has been shown that many of the viral hemorrhagic fevers such as yellow fever, Rift Valley fever and perhaps Rocky Mountain spotted fever, rabies and smallpox can be transmitted through aerosols. A considerable number of studies have been made which are now beginning to identify the transmission of such viruses through "non-accident" situations. Accordingly, it is now believed that many of the those non-accident situations result from aerosol contamination.
Of the current medical masks on the market, it appears that many are not effective against aerosols. For example, one of the presently available molded-type surgical masks has almost no resistance to particles smaller than two (2) microns and has a low efficiency in blocking particles as large as nine (9) microns. Some masks apparently demonstrate somewhat better qualities, but none appear to be fully satisfactory in preventing the passage of aerosols through the mask or around the periphery of the mask.
Accordingly, it can be seen that a need exists for a mask which will minimize the passage of aerosols both through and around the mask, while maintaining the comfort of the wearer.

Disposable aerosol mask with disparate portions


Solid dosage forms containing nanoparticles are prepared where sugar esters serve as nanoparticle stabilizers that prevent agglomeration of nanoparticles during preparation of the solid dosage form and allow for restoration of the original nanoparticle size of the nanoparticles upon redispersion of the solid dosage form in aqueous media.

Over the past two decades, the majority of drug candidates discovered by the pharmaceutical industry have been extremely insoluble in water. Indeed, two out of three compounds selected for development as drug products are very poorly water-soluble. Horspool et al., "Advancing new drug delivery concepts to gain the lead," Drug Delivery, Vol. 3, pp. 34-46 (2003). Poor water solubility leads to low solubility in gastrointestinal fluids, thereby limiting the dissolution rate of the drug products in the gastrointestinal tract. Accordingly, formulation of such compounds often leads to drug products with incomplete and variable bioavailability and suboptimal clinical efficacy. The bioavailability of these compounds could also be susceptible to food effect.
In recent years, the conversion of drug particles from the micrometer range (microparticles) to the nanometer range (nanoparticles) has emerged as a very attractive approach for enhancing the dissolution rate and the bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs. Through particle size reduction to the nanometer range, the surface areas of the drug particles are dramatically increased, thereby resulting in higher dissolution rates and, consequently, higher oral bioavailability. Nanoparticle formulations are usually prepared as liquid nanosuspensions by dispersing nanocrystals in an aqueous media. Liquid nanosuspensions can also be referred to sub-micron colloidal dispersions of drug particles stabilized by surfactants, polymers, or combinations of both.
While nanoparticles are usually produced as liquid nanosuspensions, solid oral dosage forms (e.g., tablets, softgel capsules, hard-shell capsules, and pellets) are the first choice for the development of drug products due to various advantages, such as ease of handling, ease of administration, physical stability and/or patient convenience. To obtain solid, dry drug particles for incorporation into solid oral dosage forms, liquid formulations should be transformed into powder by drying. Generally, the transformation of liquid nanosuspensions into dry solids can be achieved by, for example, tray drying, vacuum drying, lyophilization, spray drying, freeze drying, and spray granulation.
Despite the advantages of solid oral dosage forms, formulating oral solid dosage forms containing nanoparticles has been challenging for formulation scientists for many years. Indeed, among the nanocrystalline products available on the market, only four were developed as solid dosage forms (i.e., Rapamune®, Emend®, Tricor®, and Triglide®), which suggests that there are technical challenges associated with formulating solid oral dosage forms containing nanoparticles. A primary problem in formulating oral solid dosage forms containing nanoparticles is the propensity for the nanoparticles to agglomerate during preparation due to interparticulate interactions and during the drying process of converting the liquid nanosuspension to dry solids. For effective application of nanotechnology to increase dissolution rate and, therefore, bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs, it is important that there is no irreversible agglomeration of nanoparticles during drying. Since nanoparticles can spontaneously increase in particle size due to agglomeration, measures must be taken to stabilize them so as to ensure that the surfaces areas of the drug particles are not decreased resulting in lower dissolution rates. A further problem relates to "redispersibility" of the dry solids. It is important that the drug particles return to their original nanoparticle size when the dry solids are redispersed in aqueous fluids, such as digestive juices, after oral administration. If the drug particles are not able to redisperse into the particle size of the original nanosuspension, they will compromise the dissolution rate once in contact with gastrointestinal fluid. This "redispersibility" is essential in order to attain the expected pharmaceutical performances of the drug products. Similarly, the original nanoparticle size should be restored if the dry solids are resuspended in aqueous media for parenteral administration or other routes of administration.
Typically, these problems regarding agglomeration and redispersibility are addressed through inclusion of a significant amount of excipients in the dosage forms, such as stabilizers, cryoprotectants, lyoprotectants, bulking agents, and dispersing agents. See, e.g., Kim et al. "Effective polymeric dispersants for vacuum, convection, and freeze drying of drug nanosuspensions," Int'l J. of Pharmaceutics, 397, 218-224 (2010). These excipients stabilize nanoparticles by either electrostatic repulsion or steric stabilization via charged stabilizers or non-ionic surfactants/polymers. Examples of commonly used nanoparticle stabilizers in the art include sugar alcohols, water-soluble polymers, polymeric stabilizers, such as povidones, pluronics, and cellulosics (e.g., HPMC and HPC), and surfactants, such as polysorbate 80, lecithins, cholic acid derivatives, and sodium lauryl sulfate ("SLS"). However, in order to overcome the aforementioned problems, the amount of excipients is usually more than the actual drug content, thereby limiting drug loading and compromising the integrity of the final dosage form. In addition, with regard to redispersibility, sonication may be necessary to reduce the particle size of the dry solids redispersed in aqueous media.
Accordingly, there is currently a need in the state of the art for an oral solid dosage form containing nanoparticles that is produced without the need for a significant amount of excipients that would compromise drug loading. In addition, there is a need for an oral solid dosage form containing nanoparticles that exhibits redispersibility without the need for sonication, since sonication is not a physiological condition.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,145,684, 5,518,187, 5,862,999, 5,510,118, 5,336,507, 5,340,564, 5,399,363, 5,494,683, 5,429,824, 5,552,160, 5,560,931, 5,565,188, 5,569,448, 5,571,536, 5,591,456, 5,593,657, 5,622,938, 5,718,388, 5,718,919, 6,045,829, 6,068,858, and 6,153,225 describe methods of preparing nanosuspensions. However, in contrast to the present invention, these publications fail to address the issue of the conversion of the nanosuspensions to dry solids and the subsequent redispersion into nanoparticles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,738 describes the dispersion of nanoparticulate naproxen and PVP (K29/32) in water. Redispersants such as hygroscopic sugar, sodium lauryl sulfate ("SLS"), hydroscopic sugar+SLS, dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate ("DOSS") were added to the dispersion individually and dried in the oven to produce solid films. However, these formulations showed extremely poor redispersibility.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,986 refers to the problem of redispersibility of solid nanoparticulate formulations to their original particle size and discloses that the combination of at least one polymeric stabilizer (PVP) and surfactant exhibits redispersibiltiy of nanoparticulate compositions upon administration to a mammal. However, the mean particle size of redispersion was still higher than the mean particle size of the original nanosuspension even after one minute of sonication. Accordingly, this publication, in contrast to the present invention, fails to demonstrate redispersion into the particle size of the original nanosuspension.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0138424 describes nanoparticulate fenofibrate formulations containing 5% w/w of drug, 1% w/w of hypromellose, and 0.05% w/w of DOSS, resulting in nanosuspensions having particle size of 139 nm (90%<266 nm) with wet media milling. Redispersibility of spray granulated powders of preferred nanoparticulate fenofibrate compositions comprising hypromellose and DOSS with or without SLS was performed in DI water and particle size of resultant nanosuspensions was reported as 390 nm (D90=418 nm) and 182 nm (D90=260 nm), respectively. However, these spray granulated powders contain sucrose at 1:0.6 and 1:1 (drug:sucrose) ratios, respectively. When a nanoparticulate fenofibrate tablet formulation was formulated, a granulated feed dispersion (GFD) was first prepared by combining the nanoparticulate fenofibrate dispersion with sucrose, SLS, docusate sodium and purified water, The GFD was then sprayed onto lactose monohydrate to get a spray granulated intermediate (SGI), and finally the SGI was mixed with additional excipients like microcrystalline cellulose, crospovidone and magnesium before compression into tablets. This formulation was subjected to assess the effect of food on the bioavailability of a nanoparticulate fenofibrate. The formulation and the manufacturing process, unlike the present invention, were very complex and required large amounts of excipients. Also, redispersibility studies were not reported for tablet formulation. It was noted that "the compositions redisperse such that the effective average particle size of the redispersed fibrate particles is less than about 2 microns", which merely indicates that the compositions did not redisperse to their original particle sizes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,401 has addressed the issue of agglomeration of nanoparticles during lyophilization and described a composition comprised of nanoparticles having a surface modifier adsorbed on the surface thereof and a cryoprotectant associated therewith to prevent agglomeration during lyophilization. The nanodispersions (containing danazol and 1.5% w/w PVP) having a mean particle size of 250 nm was unable to redisperse into particle size of the original nanosuspension and showed a significant increase in the number of particles above 10 μm in the reconstituted dispersion. The addition of sucrose to the danazol/PVP solution substantially reduced particle size growth during lyophilization compared to the nanosuspension which was lyophilized without sucrose. However, the redispersed system had particle size D10 value of 6368 μm compared to original nanosuspension with D10 value of 1122 μm. When mannitol was incorporated (2% mannitol) instead of sucrose, before lyophilization, the particle size redispersed system was observed as 19196 μm.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,045,829 describes formulations of nanoparticulate HIV protease inhibitors comprising a cellulosic surface stabilizer and a dry film nanoparticulate composition. However, the nanoparticulate formulation is mixed with sugar before drying with a drug to sugar ratio of, preferably, between 5:3 and 14:10.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0064812 A1 describes an oral solid dosage form containing nanoparticles in a solution containing fish gelatin to form a nanosuspension and freeze-drying the nanosuspension. However, sugar (especially mannitol) is incorporated as bulking agent in nanosuspension before freeze drying. In the '812 publication, in vitro and in vivo performances of solid dosage forms produced were attributed to their disintegration times. According to the inventors, "the disintegration time targeted for a product made using the present invention can be manipulated to achieve specific disintegration properties that suit pharmacokinetic needs as well as patient requirements." However, no data on in vitro-in vivo correlation was provided. There was also no determination of the particle size of material after disintegration of dosage forms, since sonication was used "for analysis of all nanosuspensions and solid dosage form testing."
WO 2007/062266 A2 describes ganaxolone formulations wherein the volume weighted median diameter (D50) of the particles is from about 50 nm to about 500 nm. The ganaxolone formulations are composed of HPMC, SLS, and sucrose and were dried by rotary evaporation and spray layered onto sucrose or microcrystalline cellulose beads. These dried samples showed agglomeration, as redispersion did not result in the original size and had D50 values in the range of 11-25 micrometers. Further, a minute of sonication did not return D50 to its original value.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0244134 A1 describes a process for preparing an aqueous dispersion using a complex stabilizer having an HLB value of about 10 to about 17. The complex stabilizer is comprised of lecithin and at least one non-phospholipid selected from polysorbate, sugar esters, and polyglycerol fatty acid ester. Only sucrose ester with a long chain fatty acid (sucrose stearate) is used. There is, however, no disclosure or suggestion of using sucrose fatty acid esters as a stabilizer for preventing agglomeration during drying or whether redispersion into original nanosuspension particle size occurred. All particle size analysis was conducted after ultrasonication for 5 minutes.
WO 2012/108631 A2 describes wet milling processes to generate nanoparticles of a water insoluble active ingredient with a certain polymer, an organic or inorganic acid, and, optionally, a surfactant. While sucrose fatty acid esters are included in a list of surfactants, there is no disclosure or suggestion of using sucrose fatty acid esters as nanoparticle stabilizers during the preparation of nanoparticles and also during the drying process.
Li et al. reported preparation of nanosuspensions of a drug, oleanolic acid, by using two sugar esters having long-chain fatty acids, sucrose laurate and sucrose palmitate, as surfactants. "Formulation, biological and pharmacokinetic studies of sucrose ester-stabilized nanosuspensions of oleanolic acid," Pharm. Res. 28(8):2020-33 (2011). The sugar esters were used either alone or as blends, and the relative ratios of the sugar ester to the drug was very high ranging from 10:1 w/w to 2:1 w/w. An emulsion/solvent evaporation method was used to prepare the nanosuspensions. However, the method was complex and not all the drug converted to nanoparticles. In the last two steps of the process, the suspensions were centrifuged to remove excess undissolved materials, and the supernatant was passed through a 0.22 μm membrane filter to give a visually clear nanosuspension. Since the primary focus of the study was biological and pharmacokinetic evaluation of nanoparticles, the filtered suspensions were used for further studies. Although freeze-drying of the filtered suspensions was mentioned, no redispersibility test of the dried materials was performed, and no data were provided.
By providing for a novel preparation of oral solid dosage forms containing nanoparticles wherein sugar ester derivatives serve as nanoparticle stabilizers, the present invention advances the state of the art.


A filtration system for concentrating radioactive debris particulate provides efficient filtration, concentration and transport to collection canisters of radioactive particles from a refueling cavity, spent fuel pool, or other water volume where small particles must be removed from the water. The system includes a flushing pump module that draws contaminated water from a cut zone enclosure. The flushing pump module has a separator that removes large size particulate from the contaminated water. A solid media filter module receives the contaminated water from the flushing pump module and removes medium size particulate from the contaminated water. The solid media filter module has a structure for ejecting the medium size particulate and passing the ejected particulate to a concentrate handling module having a purge tank and a slurry transfer pump. A disposal canister station receives the medium size particulate from the slurry transfer pump and fills disposal canisters for transport and storage. A cartridge filter module having multiple stages of cartridge filters for removing small size particulate receives a flushing flow of water from the solid media filter module. The filtered water is returned from the disposal canister station and from the cartridge filter module back into the cut zone enclosure to provide a closed-loop filtration system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to filtration systems and the disposal of radioactive waste. In particular, the present invention relates to a filtration system for concentrating radioactive particles from a refueling cavity, spent fuel pool or other water volume where small particles must be removed from the water for disposal, improving water clarity, reducing radiation level, or other reasons.
2. Description of the Related Art
Commercial nuclear reactor power plants have various water volumes that are subject to contamination with radioactive debris particulate. These water volumes include, for example, the refueling cavity and the spent fuel pool. The particulate contained in these water volumes typically includes "crud" (corrosion products) and "cutting fines" that may range in size from sub-micron to several millimeters in cross-section. The cutting fines are often mixed with other non-radioactive particles that are byproducts of a cutting operation, such as abrasive or electrode materials.
There are several reasons that the radioactive debris particulate needs to be removed from the various water volumes in the nuclear reactor power plants from time-to-time. For example, the small particles often must be removed from the water for disposal, to improve water clarity, and/or to reduce the radiation level of the water volume. Therefore, there is a need for a system that provides efficient filtration, concentration, and transport to collection canisters of the radioactive particles from the various water volumes.
Vendors performing dismantling operations in the commercial nudear power decommissioning business have experienced significant problems with refueling cavity contamination, increased costs for disposal of waste, and dose rates to personnel that are not As Low As is Reasonably Achievable ("ALARA"). Contamination issues have been partly due to the lack of a control volume and closed-loop filtration system. High waste disposal costs have resulted from a failure to segregate and concentrate the particles by a separate means, rather than relying on the use of conventional cartridge-type filters alone. Minimizing the quantity of cartridge filters, which represent an increased volume of secondary waste, will reduce disposal costs. Dose rates to personnel can be reduced by controlling contamination through a closed loop system.

Filtration system for concentrating radioactive debris


Apparatus for scanning an addressable memory includes a clock pulse generator and an address counter for counting the clock pulses so as to produce an address for the addressable memory and thereby designate a corresponding storage location from which stored data is read. The clock pulse generator is selectively enabled to supply clock pulses to the address counter. A scan advance circuit is selectively operable to change the count of the address counter by a predetermined amount in response to each operation thereof, and thereby change the designated storage location in the addressable memory. Successive operations of the scan advance circuit result in a step-wise change in the address.

This invention relates to apparatus for scanning an addressable memory and, more particularly, to such apparatus wherein the memory may be scanned in a step-wise manner in accordance with periodic clock pulses or in response to a selective scan advance circuit to, for example, scan the memory at a rate faster than the clock pulses.
In a typical electronic tuner, such as a tuner that can be used in a video or radio receiver, the particular channel, or broadcast frequency, to which the tuner can be tuned is controlled by a digital signal. Such a so-called digital electronic tuner is provided with an addressable memory into which digital signals representing corresponding channels, or broadcast frequencies, are written. Depending upon the address of the memory which is selected, the digital signal stored therein is read out and used to determine the tuning condition of the digital electronic tuner.
One example of a digital electronic tuner is disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 938,384, assigned to the assignee of the present invention. In this pending application, the tuning circuitry is a phase-locked loop having a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) whose oscillating frequency is determined by the digital signal read from the addressable memory, which oscillating signal is used as the local oscillating signal in the tuning circuit. Essentially, a programmable frequency divider divides the frequency of the oscillating signal generated by the VCO, which frequency-divided oscillating signal is phase-compared to a reference frequency. The dividing ratio of the programmable divider is established by the digital signal read from the addressed memory. As the dividing ratio changes, the frequency of the local oscillating signal generated by the VCO likewise changes.
Another example of an electronic digital tuner is disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 897,394, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,159, also assigned to the assignee of the present invention. In this example, a variable capacitance element, such as a Varicap diode, is controlled by an analog voltage which is derived from a digital signal read from the addressed memory. Another example of this type of electronic digital tuner is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,702.
In a typical electronic digital tuner of the foregoing types, the addressable memory may be provided with only a limited number of storage locations such that only a limited number of predetermined channels, or broadcast frequencies, can be stored therein and rapidly selected. For example, such an addressable memory can be provided with six to eight addressable locations. In the event that the use wishes to sample the program information which then is being broadcast over these predetermined channels, or broadcast frequencies, a memory scanning circuit is activated so as to scan the addressable memory and thereby read, sequentially, each digital signal stored therein in a step-wise manner.
One type of scanning circuit which can be used to scan the addressable memory includes a clock pulse generator, an address counter and an address register. To initiate a scanning cycle, the clock pulse generator is activated so as to supply periodic clock pulses to the address counter. The count of the address counter is incremented (or decremented) in response to each clock pulse; and the instantaneous count of the address counter is stored in the address register and used as the memory address. The count of the address counter, and thus, the memory address, changes at a rate which is determined by the frequency of the clock pulses supplied to the counter. In general, such clock pulses are supplied at a relatively low rate, such as on the order of one clock pulse every four or five seconds, so as to change the memory address at a correspondingly slow rate. This enables the user to evaluate the program information which then is received over the channel, or broadcast frequency, that has been read from the memory. Once a desired channel, or broadcast frequency, is received, the scanning operation may be terminated.
It is appreciated that, in accordance with the foregoing example wherein representations of six to eight channels, or broadcast frequencies, are stored in the memory, and wherein the memory address is incremented (or decremented) once every four or five seconds, up to forty seconds may elapse until all of the predetermined channels, or broadcast frequencies, which are "stored" in the memory have been sampled. There are many applications wherein such a long delay in this scanning operation is undesired.


The present invention relates to a polypeptide having protease activity comprising a zinc finger protease domain, a helix-turn-helix domain and a GAF domain. The core protein sequence of the protease is shown as SEQ ID NO: 1. The invention also relates to optimized reaction conditions for the protease and methods of increasing the protease activity.

Polypeptide having protease activity, or protease, is a type of enzyme that hydrolyses peptide bonds in proteins. Protease is widely existed in animals, plants and microorganisms.
To date, more than one hundred of commercial proteases are on the market. Due to limited resources of using animals and plants, industrial protease production is mainly from extraction and preparation from bacillus subtilis, yeast, mold, Escherichia coli and other microorganisms. With in-depth researches on protease, industrial application of proteases has attracted more and more attention. At present, protease has been widely applied in fur, leather, silk, medicine, food, brewing, oil drilling and other industrial fields. The use of proteases for hair-removal and softening in leather industry saves time and improves labor health conditions. Furthermore, protease can also be used for silk degumming, meat tendering, and wine clarification. Clinically, proteases are helpful for treatments of indigestion bronchitis, vasculitis and other symptoms for animals and humans. Moreover, detergents added with proteases can efficiently remove blood and protein on dirty clothes. In addition, proteases are widely used in biochemical and molecular research experiments as a scalpel for proteins, which is indispensable to life science research.
Deinococcus radiodurans is an extremophilic bacterium, and is famous for its extremely strong resistance to ionizing radiation, ultraviolet ray, drying, and oxidative stress. Its extreme resistance is partly due to the gene pprI (gene name: dr_0167; GeneID: 1798483), a global regulator for DNA damage response and repair pathways. The gene product PprI (NCBI-GI: 15805204) is composed of 328 amino acids and is comprised of three functional domains: a zinc peptidase-like domain, a helix-turn-helix domain, and a GAF domain. The PprI protein possesses high specificity, strong heat resistance and elevated digestion efficiency, provides an ideal tool for basic scientific research and industrial application. Hence, the use of PprI as protease and the method for increasing its protease activity are especially desirable.

Polypeptide having protease activity and methods for increasing its activity thereof


A reconfigurable leak testing system is provided that includes a leak testing station and at least one off-shuttle cart removably attachable to the leak testing station. A fixture cartridge is translatable between the off-shuttle cart and the leak testing station. The fixture cartridge is configured to selectively couple with the leak testing station. The fixture cartridge includes an upper fixture, a lower fixture, and an actuatable testing feature. The fixture cartridge is configured to receive a part between the upper fixture and lower fixture. The actuatable testing feature is configured to contact the part. A closed volume is defined at least partially by the actuatable testing feature and the part.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may or may not constitute prior art.
Casting is a metal forming technique that involves pouring molten metal into a hollow cavity of a mold, where the cavity is the negative of the desired part shape. As the molten metal cools in the cavity, it solidifies and may then be separated from the mold as a solid part. The casting process may be used to form relatively complex metal parts that may not be economical to produce by other methods. In particular, many complex automotive components, such as transmission cases and motor housings, may be fabricated through a casting process.
During the casting process, air bubbles in the molten metal, defects in the mold, and/or excessive shrinkage during cooling may create pits or other surface flaws in the final part. If these flaws occur in a sufficiently thin region of a shell-like component used to contain a fluid, they may result in micro-leaks through the body of the casting. It has been found that a pore/hole as small as 8 μm may allow oil to leak out of a cast transmission case. Therefore, cast parts may be quality inspected and/or leak checked following the casting process to ensure that no micro-leaks/pores exist.
Accordingly, the leak testing process may add time to the production cycle during the production of the components and their assemblies. Typically, a leak testing machine must be set up to accommodate a particular part, and time is wasted during such a process. In an automated production line, however, speed, flexibility and reconfigurability are desirable qualities.


An AMOLED pixel driving circuit and pixel driving method are provided. In the pixel driving circuit, a drain of the fourth thin film transistor is electrically coupled to a terminal of the second capacitor, a drain of the third thin film transistor, and a source of the first thin film transistor; a gate of the third thin film transistor receives a second scan signal, and a source of the third thin film transistor receives a data voltage.

The present disclosure relates to a technical field of displays, and more particularly to an AMOLED pixel driving circuit and pixel driving method.
Organic light emitting diode (OLED) display devices have advantages of being self-luminous, having a low driving voltage, high luminous efficiency, short response time, high sharpness and contrast, a nearly 180° view angle, and a wide operating temperature range, and allowing implementation of flexible displays and large area full color displays, etc., and have become display devices with the most development potential.
Conventional active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) pixel driving circuits usually have a 2T1C structure, i.e., a structure of two thin film transistors plus a capacitor, which converts voltage into current.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, an existing AMOLED pixel driving circuit with a 2T1C structure includes a first thin film transistor T10, a second thin film transistor T20, a capacitor C10, and an organic light emitting diode D10. The first thin film transistor T10 is a driving thin film transistor. The second thin film transistor T20 is a switch thin film transistor. The capacitor C10 is a storage capacitor. Specifically, a gate of the second thin film transistor T20 receives a scan signal Gate, a source of the second thin film transistor T20 receives a data signal Data, and a drain of the second thin film transistor T20 is electrically coupled to a gate of the first thin film transistor T10. A source of the first thin film transistor T10 receives a positive power supply voltage OVDD, a drain of the first thin film transistor T10 is electrically coupled to an anode of the organic light emitting diode D10, and a cathode of the organic light emitting diode D10 receives a negative power supply voltage OVSS. A terminal of the capacitor C10 is electrically coupled to the gate of the first thin film transistor T10, and another terminal of the capacitor C10 is electrically coupled to the source of the first thin film transistor T10. When the 2T1C pixel driving circuit is driving the AMOLED, a current flowing through the organic light emitting diode D10 satisfiesI=k×(Vgs−Vth)2,where I is the current flowing through the organic light emitting diode D10, k is an intrinsic conductivity factor of the driving thin film transistor, Vgs is a voltage difference between the gate of the first thin film transistor T10 and a source of the first thin film transistor T10, Vth is a threshold voltage of the first thin film transistor T10. It can be seen that the current flowing through the organic light emitting diode D10 is related to the threshold voltage of the driving thin film transistor.
Due to reasons, such as an unstable manufacturing process, a threshold voltage of a driving thin film transistor of each pixel driving circuit in a panel is different. Even if a same data voltage is applied to the driving thin film transistor of each pixel driving circuit, the current flowing through an organic light emitting diode of each pixel driving circuit still may not be the same, thereby affecting uniformity of image displaying quality. Furthermore, as driving time of a driving thin film transistor becomes longer, aging and variation of material of the driving thin film transistor may appear, causing a threshold voltage of the driving thin film transistor to drift. Further, a degree of aging of material of each driving thin film transistor may be different, and a drift amount of a threshold voltage of each driving thin film transistor may also be different, causing the panel to display non-uniformly. Also, aging and variation of the material of the driving thin film transistor may cause a turn on voltage of the driving thin film transistor to increase, and a current flowing through an organic light emitting diode to decrease, resulting in problems such as decreased luminance and lowered luminous efficiency of the panel.
Therefore, it is desired to provide an AMOLED pixel driving circuit and pixel driving method to solve the problems existing in the prior art.

Amoled pixel driving circuit and pixel driving method

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Semiconductor Display Technology Co., Ltd.


The non-beam pumping unit driven by a biaxial comprises a base, a tower body and a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism is mounted on the platform, comprising a biaxial motor, a large roller, a small roller, a belt and a counterweight device. The two ends of the biaxial motor are respectively connected with the two ends of the large roller through the chain and the sprocket respectively. The utility uses the biaxial motor instead of the uniaxial motor which in the prior art, the motor and the large roller on both sides are in balance, and solves the problem of partial grinding effectively and prolongs the service life of the bearing.

1. Field of the Invention
The utility model belongs to the field of the non-beam pumping unit, specifically relating to a non-beam pumping unit driven by a biaxial motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the petroleum exploitation, the pumping unit is one of the most commonly used oil extraction equipment and most of the pumping units used in the prior art are beam pumping units. There are problems like low mechanical transmission efficiency, high power consumption, difficulty in maintenance and high fault rate in beam pumping units due to their physical structures. To solve these problems, researchers have developed a non-beam pumping unit. The existing non-beam pumping unit typically comprises a base, a tower body mounted on the base and a drive mechanism mounted on a platform at the top of the tower body. The drive mechanism comprises a motor, a roller, a belt and a counterweight device and two ends of the belt are connected with a beam hanger and the counterweight device of the pumping unit respectively. The belt is wrapped around the roller from the upper side of the roller. The motor drives the roller to rotate through the chain so that the beam hanger at both ends of the belt and the counterweight device are moved up and down through driving by the belt, thus achieving the oil pumping of the pumping unit.
In the prior art, the motors used in the non-beam pumping unit are ordinary permanent magnet motors. The motor has only one power output, and the power can be transmitted only on one side of the motor and the roller. The large roller is in a state of continuous heavy load operation, resulting in a large difference force between on both sides of the motor and the roller, and then produced partial wear and bearing damage and other issues.

Non-beam pumping unit driven by a biaxial motor

Daqing Dannuo Petroleum Technology Development Co, Ltd.


A method is provided for manufacturing a semiconductor device having a high breakdown voltage transistor and a low breakdown voltage transistor with different driving voltages in a common substrate. A method for manufacturing the semiconductor device includes: (a) forming a first well including an impurity of a second conductivity type in a specified region of a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; (b) forming a first impurity layer in a specified region of the first well by introducing an impurity of the first conductivity type by ion implantation; (c) forming a second impurity layer in a specified region of a semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type by introducing an impurity of the second conductivity type by ion implantation; and (d) diffusing impurities of the first impurity layer and the second impurity layer by a heat treatment to form a second well of the first conductivity type in the first well, and forming well-shaped offset layers of a source/drain layer of the second conductivity type.

A liquid crystal panel driver LSI and a CCD driver LSI, for example, are operated at a power supply voltage of 10V or higher, and therefore high breakdown voltage transistors having a breakdown voltage of 20V or higher are normally required. On the other hand, low breakdown voltage transistors are used in internal control logic sections that need to be small in size and operated at high speeds. The wells where high breakdown voltage transistors are formed tend to be made deeper, and their surface impurity concentration lowered in order to secure the well breakdown voltage. In contrast, wells where low breakdown voltage transistors are formed are tend to be made shallower, and their surface impurity concentration increased in order to reduce the element size and to achieve higher speeds. For this reason, high breakdown voltage transistors are formed in a chip that is independent from a chip for low breakdown voltage transistors, and known to be formed as an externally mounted circuit.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having a high breakdown voltage transistor and a low breakdown voltage transistor with different driving voltages provided in a common substrate.

Method for manufacturing semiconductor device


A self-emission type display including a carrier substrate, a light-emitting element, a first electrode, and a second electrode is provided. The light-emitting element is disposed on the carrier substrate and has a first pad and a second pad. The first electrode has a plurality of first stripe portions electrically connected to a first electric potential. The first pad of the light-emitting element is electrically connected to the carrier substrate through at least one first strip portion. The second electrode has a plurality of second stripe portions electrically connected to a second electric potential. The first electrode and the second electrode are separated from each other. The second pad of the light-emitting element is electrically connected to the carrier substrate through at least one second strip portion. The first electric potential is different from the second electric potential.

With the advances in semiconductor technology, current light-emitting diodes have been provided with high brightness output. Because light-emitting diodes have the advantages such as power conservation, small volume, low-voltage driving, and being free of Hg, they have been widely used in the fields of displays and illumination to form self-emission type displays.
Generally, a light-emitting diode (LED) in a self-emission type display is mounted on a substrate via a mechanical device or a PDMS transfer process. However, the problems of alignment and precision may occur in the transfer process; as a result, in other processes, a large area of interconnection is required to make up for inadequate alignment in order to avoid the problem of disconnection. The large area of interconnection region, however, results in a decrease in light output efficiency of a self-emission type display.


A hand-holdable flossing device is provided for dispensing and supporting a selected length of dispensed dental floss for use in an operational position within an oral cavity. In general, the flossing device has a front end and a rear end, and an elongated gripping surface extending therebetween for encirclement within a user's hand. The handle portion has a hollow cavity for containing a supply of dental floss, and a passageway formed in the front end and in communication with the hollow cavity to permit passage of dental floss from the hollow cavity through the passageway. The dispensing portion has a base portion operably associated with an elongated portion which extends in an essentially linear direction and terminates in a tip portion. The base portion, elongated portion and tip portion has a continuously extending dispenser bore formed therethrough which permits dental floss to slidably pass from the passageway through the base portion and said elongated portion and exit from the tip portion. Dispensing portion can be operatably connected to the handle portion in a variety of ways, including a bayonet-type or screw-thread type interconnection, each of which permits rotatable arrangement of the dispensing and handle portions into a floss locking configuration and a floss releasing configuration. In both embodiments, a selected length of dental floss is permitted to be pulled through said dispenser bore and dispensed from the tip portion when the handle portion and the dispenser portion are rotatably arranged into the floss releasing configuration. Also, the selected length of dispensed dental floss is locked and restrained from being pulled through the dispenser bore when the handle portion and the dispensing portion are rotatably arranged into the floss locking configuration.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to hand-holdable dental flossing devices and methods of flossing teeth using the same. More particularly, however, the present invention relates to a hand-holdable device which permits dispensing of a selected length of dental floss which can be selectively restrained internally and tautly supported by the device at one end and by at least one digit of the user's hand at the other end, in order to operationally position a portion of the tautly supported dental floss in the user's oral cavity for safe and effective flossing of teeth using only a single hand.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The importance of flossing as part of daily dental care has become greatly appreciated over the years. Consequently, a variety of dental floss dispensing and support devices have been proposed.
Floss dispensing and support devices representative of the prior art can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,993 to Mackie; U.S. Pat. No. 4,342,324 to Sanderson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,234 to Bowden; 3,949,769 to Minka; U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,678 to Conn et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,814,114 to Roberts; U.S. Pat. No. 3,804,102 to Bennington; U.S. Pat. No. 3,799,177 to Bragg; U.S. Pat. No. 1,780,045 to Schubert; and U.S. Pat. No. 911,664 to Loure. While each of these prior art devices contain, dispense and support dental floss in one way or another, they nevertheless suffer from a number of significant shortcomings and drawbacks.
In particular, such prior art devices are restrictive in the manipulative sense, and thus awkward to use. They fail to protect the gums from injury. They do not permit easy disengagement or repositioning upon breaking or sticking of floss between teeth. They do not permit simple releasing and locking of dental floss. Also, they fail to fully exploit the strength, flexibility, and dexterity affordable by the human hand.

Hand-holdable dental flossing device and method


This invention provides methods for achieving high-specificity killing of targeted cells using Magneto-Electric Nano-Particles (MENPs). Embodiments comprise injecting into a patients body manufactured MENPs that have a higher tendency to accumulate near or attach to targeted cells through one or more physical forces and/or biological mechanisms; and applying a magnetic field to the MENPs to generate actions that are sufficient to cause death of the targeted cells.

Like conventional magnetic nano-particles (MNPs), e.g. gadolinium- or magnetite-based, MENPs have a non-zero magnetic moment and therefore their spatial position can be remotely controlled via application of a magnetic field gradient. However, unlike MNPs, MENPs have another property, energy-efficient control of the intrinsic electric fields of MENPs by an external magnetic field. This unique capability is a result of the intrinsic magneto-electric (ME) coupling (due to the correlated magnetostrictive and piezoelectric effects) in this new class of nanostructures even at body temperature. As a result, when introduced in a biological microenvironment MENPs act as local magnetic-to-electric-field nano-converters. Consequently, MENPs are capable of distinguishing cancer cells from healthy cells by locally probing the cell membranes' electric properties, making use of the difference between the (electroporation) electrical potentials of cancer cells and healthy cells. It is known that a cancer cell's membrane porosity can be significantly increased (to allow particle and/or drug penetration through the cell membrane into cytosol) by application of a relatively high electric field (of the order of 1000 V/cm), but it takes a substantially higher field (by a factor of three or more) to achieve the same drug-penetrability effect into the healthy cells (Binggeli et al., 1980). This effect is widely known as electroporation (Cahill et al., 2010). The problem with the conventional macroscopic electroporation effect in treating cancer is the need to apply relatively high electric fields (>1000 V/cm) over a relatively large region of the body; as a result, the treatment requires relatively high energies and is accompanied with side effects because of significant energy dissipation, which in turn makes its use highly limited. Prior art in (Guduru et al 2013) effectively creates a remote-magnetic-field-controlled electroporation effect in the vicinity of the MENPs only and therefore can enable highly selective electroporation of cancer cells at a small fraction of energy with no destructive energy dissipation when an external magnetic field of a certain range of strength is applied.
Prior art (Guduru et al. 2013) used drug-coated MENPs to carry drugs inside cancer cells to kill the cancer cells. These represent a significant advance, however, drugs are still used, which can have side effects. There is no prior art that provides mechanism for cancer cell targeting and killing mechanisms using the methods or apparatus described in this application.

Methods for killing cancer cells and cellular imaging using magneto-electric nano-particles and external magnetic field


An aluminum alloy, an aluminum alloy wire, an aluminum alloy stranded wire, a covered electric wire, and a wire harness that are of high toughness and high electrical conductivity, and a method of manufacturing an aluminum alloy wire are provided. The aluminum alloy wire contains not less than 0.005% and not more than 2.2% by mass of Fe, and a remainder including Al and an impurity. It may further contain not less than 0.005% and not more than 1.0% by mass in total of at least one additive element selected from Mg, Si, Cu, Zn, Ni, Mn, Ag, Cr, and Zr. The Al alloy wire has an electrical conductivity of not less than 58% IACS and an elongation of not less than 10%. The Al alloy wire is manufactured through the successive steps of casting, rolling, wiredrawing, and softening treatment. The softening treatment can be performed to provide an excellent toughness such as elongation and impact resistance and thereby reduce fracture of the electric wire in the vicinity of a terminal portion when the wire harness is installed.

Conventionally, for wiring structures of transportation devices such as motor vehicle and airplane and of industrial devices such as robot, a structure in the form called wire harness including a plurality of bound electric wires with terminals has been used. Conventionally, the material to constitute a conductor for an electric wire of the wire harness is mostly copper having an excellent electrical conductivity or a copper-based material such as copper alloy.
With the recent rapid enhancement in performance and capabilities of the motor vehicle and with the increase of a variety of electrical devices, control devices and the like that are mounted on the vehicle, electric wires used for these devices also tend to increase. Meanwhile, recently for the sake of environmental conservation, improved fuel economy of motor vehicles and airplanes for example has been desired. A reduced weight can improve the fuel economy. In view of this, for the purpose of reduction in weight of electric wires, studies are conducted on use, as a conductor, of aluminum having its specific gravity which is about one-third that of copper. For instance, there has been an example where pure aluminum is used for a conductor for an electric wire of 10 mm2 or more such as a battery cable of a motor vehicle. Pure aluminum, however, has a lower strength and a lower fatigue resistance than a copper-based material, and therefore, pure aluminum is difficult to be applied to common conductors for electric wires such as those having a conductor's cross-sectional area of 1.5 mm2 or less. In contrast, Patent Document 1 discloses an aluminum alloy wire used as a conductor for an electric wire of a wire harness for a motor vehicle that is made of an aluminum alloy having a higher strength than pure aluminum.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A tooth-pick dispenser includes a housing a perforated top and a vertical side wall having an opening, a tooth-pick pickup device simulating a seagull and for oscillating movement supported on a top of the housing for supplying a tooth-pick, a drawer reciprocable in the opening of the vertical side wall of the housing between a toothpick receiving position in the housing and a tooth-pick delivery position exterior of the housing, and having a reciprocable body for catching a tooth-pick in the delivery position and conveying it to the delivery position and a link mechanism interconnecting the pickup device and the drawer, whereby the pickup device can be swung to a pickup position so as to operate the link mechanism to move the drawer to its delivery position, and the drawer will be automatically retracked a spring to operate the link mechanism to swing the pickup device back to a raised dispensing position for serving a tooth-pick to a user in a convenient position.

This invention relates to a tooth-pick dispensing device.
A variety of cigarette dispensing devices is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,373,476, 2,562,666 and 2,954,143. The constructionns of the embodiments disclosed by said patents with a cigarette receptacle and a pick-up structure simulating a bird being spacedly mounted on a box-like base and relatively large in size.


Aspects of the disclosure provide an apparatus that includes a navigation signal receiver and a processing circuit. The navigation signal receiver is to receive, from a plurality of satellites, first ephemeris data. The first ephemeris data is effective for a first time duration. The processing circuit is to predict, based on the first ephemeris data, second ephemeris data. The second ephemeris data is effective for a second time duration that is extended beyond the first time duration. The second ephemeris data is used by the navigation signal receiver to acquire satellite signals for positioning the apparatus during the second time duration.

A modern mobile device can incorporate various functions, such as of a satellite positioning system receiver, of a cellular transceiver, or of a wireless transceiver. When a mobile device functions as a satellite positioning system receiver, the mobile device can specify a device's position by use of signals from satellites. Satellite based positioning can provide high accuracy, but require a positive line of sight between satellites and the mobile device. Further, receiving and processing satellite positioning signals may consume substantial energy and hence shorten battery duration.

Autonomous in-device GNSS augmentation system


A video-signal output apparatus according to the present invention is an apparatus for outputting a black-and-white video signal. The video-signal output apparatus is arranged to generate a black-and-white video signal, add a burst signal to the black-and-white video signal, and output the black-and-white video signal with the burst signal added thereto. Accordingly, a black-and-white picture with no cross color can be displayed on a color monitor device.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video-signal output apparatus for outputting a video signal.
Description of the Related Art
A video tape recorder (hereinafter referred to as a "VTR"), a still video system (hereinafter referred to as an "SV device") and the like have heretofore been known in the field of apparatus for recording a video signal such as a television signal on a recording medium such as a magnetic tape or a magnetic disc and for reproducing a video signal recorded on the recording medium.
In general, the apparatus described above have been arranged to selectively output a color video signal with a burst signal added thereto and a black-and-white video signal with no burst signal added thereto to an external monitor device, etc., for the purpose of reproduction.
In the VTR and the SV device mentioned above, however, since each processing circuit performs signal processing by using a subcarrier signal fsc, it is impossible to perfectly prevent leakage of the subcarrier signal fsc into a black-and-white video signal. Accordingly, when a monitor device receives the black-and-white video signal, an automatic saturation control circuit (ACC circuit) in the monitor device may operate to detect the subcarrier signal fsc which has leaked into the black-and-white video signal, and amplify the detected subcarrier signal fsc to a standard level.
As a result, as the subcarrier signal fsc is amplified, a cross color component in the black-and-white video signal is amplified, thus resulting in the problem that cross color which occurs in the black-and-white video signal is conspicuous compared to the cross color which occurs in the color video signal.

Apparatus for processing color or black and white video signals