A free-flowing, fine white powder of a substantially aqueous stable complex of a strongly swellable, moderately crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) having an aqueous gel volume of about 15 to 150 ml/g of PVP and a Brookfield viscosity in 5% aqueous solution of at least about 10,000 cps, and H.sub.2 O.sub.2, in substantially a 1:1 molar ratio of said constituents.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to complexes of PVP-H.sub.2 O.sub.2, and, more particularly, to a complex of a strongly swellable, moderately crosslinked PVP and H.sub.2 O.sub.2 which is substantially stable in aqueous medium towards decomposition of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Stabilized H.sub.2 O.sub.2 compositions have found wide utility in commercial and industrial applications, e.g. as antiseptics, disinfectants, sterilization agents, bleaching materials, washing concentrates, etchants, in cosmetic preparations, as cigarette filters, and as a catalyst in polymerizations requiring a free radical source. In biological applications which require an antiseptic, disinfectant or sterilization agent, such H.sub.2 O.sub.2 compositions require release of an effective amount of oxygen at a desired rate.
The prior art has provided such complexes in various forms. For example Shiraeff, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,376,110 and 3,480,557, disclosed that a stabilized hydrogen peroxide composition of hydrogen peroxide and PVP could be prepared by mixing an aqueous solution of PVP and a substantial excess of H.sub.2 O.sub.2, and evaporating the solution to dryness at 90.degree.-100.degree. C. The H.sub.2 O.sub.2 content of the composition obtained, however, was quite variable, ranging from 2% to 70% by weight, and considerable water was present in the final composition. Prolonged drying of the composition, in an attempt to reduce its water content, resulted in a further loss of H.sub.2 O.sub.2. The resultant product was described as a brittle-film, or a transparent, gummy, amorphous material, which lost a considerable portion of its H.sub.2 O.sub.2 content upon standing, or in aqueous solution.
Merianos, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,008,093, provided free-flowing, stable, high purity, substantially anhydrous complexes of linear (water-soluble) and crosslinked (water-insoluble) PVP and H.sub.2 O.sub.2 in defined molar ratios of 1:1 or 2:1. These free-flowing products were made by reacting a suspension of PVP and a solution of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 in an anhydrous organic solvent, such as ethyl acetate. The free-flowing PVP-H.sub.2 O.sub.2 powders made by Merianos represented a significant advance in this art because its peroxide content was reproducible and the complex in this form could be processed easily into pharmaceutical formulations. However, the process could not be scaled up easily for commercial manufacture of the product.
Biss, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,047, described a commercial process for the production of such linear (water-soluble) and crosslinked (water-insoluble) PVP-H.sub.2 O.sub.2 complexes in the form of free-flowing powders. In the Biss process, a fluidized bed of the PVP powder was maintained at a reaction temperature of from ambient to 60.degree. C. Then the PVP bed was contacted with finely-divided droplets of an aqueous H.sub.2 O.sub.2 solution containing about 30 to 85% by weight hydrogen peroxide. The resultant product was a stable, substantially anhydrous, free-flowing powder of such PVP-H.sub.2 O.sub.2 complexes having a 1:1 molar ratio of its components.
Shih, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,614, described the preparation of strongly swellable, moderately crosslinked PVP having a predetermined aqueous swelling parameter and a defined viscosity which had effective thickener and gelling properties.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an aqueous stable PVP-H.sub.2 O.sub.2 product which has gelling and thickening properties in solution.
Another object of this invention is to provide an aqueous stable complex of PVP-H.sub.2 O.sub.2 having a 1:1 molar ratio of components, the PVP being strongly swellable and moderately crosslinked, as defined by characteristic aqueous swelling and viscosity parameters. These and other objects and features of the invention will be made apparent from the following more particular description thereof.

Aqueous stable complex of a strongly swellable, moderately crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone and hydrogen peroxide


A heat exchanger is provided which may be used in an integrated blood oxygenator and heat exchanger. The heat exchanger has a plurality of wave shaped sinusoidal channels on one or both sides. The heat exchanger has a cap attached at the upper end. The heat exchanger is disposed within a housing. The bottom end of the heat exchanger is bonded to the bottom end of the housing, and the upper end of the heat exchanger with the cap attached is spaced apart from the upper end of the housing. A liquid inlet and outlet are in fluid communication with the inner surface of the heat exchanger. A blood inlet and outlet are in fluid communication with the outer surface of the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger may be used with a blood oxygenating chamber. The blood oxygenating chamber contains a plurality of permeable hollow fibers which oxygenate blood flowing through the blood oxygenating chamber. The blood oxygenating chamber is in fluid communication with the outer surface of the heat exchanger and the blood outlet.

The invention relates to an improved heat exchanger and an integrated blood heat exchanger and oxygenator and methods of making and using the same, and more specifically to a device which is compact and provides for improved oxygenation and heat exchange.
Various forms of blood oxygenators and heat exchangers are known in the prior art. Blood oxygenators and heat exchangers are commonly used during open heart surgery and are coupled to a cardiopulmonary bypass circuit to take over the function of the heart and lungs. The heat exchanger portion is typically used to cool the blood and lower the body temperature during open heart surgery. Reducing body temperature significantly reduces the demand for oxygen by various vital organs. Near the end of the surgery, the blood is heated to raise the body temperature.
During oxygenation, oxygen gas supplies oxygen to the blood and, in some oxygenators, releases CO.sub.2. Two common types of oxygenators are bubble oxygenators and membrane oxygenators. With bubble oxygenators, gas bubbles containing oxygen are introduced directly into the blood. Usually, a defoamer is employed to remove gas bubbles from the blood following bubble oxygenation. Examples of bubble oxygenators are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,374,088 and 4,637,917. With membrane oxygenators, oxygen passes along one side of a permeable membrane and blood along the other. The permeable membrane has a sufficient pore size such that oxygen molecules pass through the membrane to be diffused into the blood as dissolved oxygen. However, the pores are sufficiently small such that blood cannot flow to the oxygen side. An example of the use of a microporous membrane sheet to oxygenate blood where blood flows along one side of a membrane sheet and oxygen along the other is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,451,562 and 4,424,190. Bundles of hollow fiber membrane tubes may also be used, where oxygen passes through the hollows of the tubes and blood flows along the outside of the tubes. Hollow tube membrane oxygenators are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,948,560, Re. 33,932, and 4,639,353.

Integrated oxygenator and heat exchanger


A multilayered printed circuit board includes a substrate and, as serially built up thereon, a conductor circuit and an interlaminar resin insulating layer in an alternate fashion and in repetition. The conductor circuits between which the interlaminar resin insulating layer is sandwiched are connected by a via-hole. The via-hole includes at least one of Cu, Ni, Pd, Co, W and their alloys. Via-holes in different level layers among the via-holes are formed so as to form the stack-via structure. At least one of the land diameters of the via-holes in different level layers is different from the land diameters of other via-holes in different level layers.

A multilayered printed circuit board so-called a multilayered built-up circuit substrate is manufactured by a semi-additive method and the like and produced by reciprocally layering conductor circuits of copper and the like and interlaminar resin insulating layers on a resin substrate reinforced with a 0.5 to 1.5 mm-thick glass cloth so-called a core. The interlaminar connection of the conductor circuits through the interlaminar resin insulating layers of the multilayered printed circuit board is performed by a via-hole.
Conventionally, the built-up multilayered printed circuit board has been manufactured by a method, for example, disclosed in JP H09-130050 A.
That is, at first, a through hole is formed in a copper-clad laminate board bearing a copper foil and successively, the substrate is plated by electroless copper plating treatment to form a plated-through hole. Next, a conductor circuit is formed by etching the surface of the substrate in a conductor pattern by employing a photolithographic technique. Next, the surface of the conductor circuit is roughened by electroless plating or etching and the like. Continuously, a resin insulating layer is formed on the conductor circuit having a roughened surface and then subjected to exposure and development treatment to form an opening part for a via-hole and after that, the interlaminar resin insulating layer is formed by UV curing and main curing.
Further, after the interlaminar resin insulating layer is roughened by roughening treatment by an acid or an oxidizing agent, a thin electroless plating film is formed and, then after a plating resist is formed on the electroless plating film, the electroless plating film is thickened by electroplating and after the plating resist is parted, etching is carried out to form a conductor circuit connected with an under-level conductor circuit through the via-hole.
After repeating these steps, finally a solder resist layer for protecting the conductor circuit is formed and the parts exposing openings for connection with electronic parts, such as an IC chip, or a mother board and the like are plated to form a pad for solder bump formation and then a solder bump is formed by printing a solder paste to the side of an electronic part such as an IC chip to manufacture a build-up multilayered printed circuit board. Further, if it is necessary, a solder bump is also formed in the mother board side.


A robotic cart platform with a navigation and movement system that integrates into a conventional utility cart to provide both manual and autonomous modes of operation. The platform includes a drive unit with drive wheels replacing the front wheels of the cart. The drive unit has motors, encoders, a processor and a microcontroller. The system has a work environment mapping sensor and a cabled array of proximity and weight sensors, lights, control panel, battery and on/off, “GO” and emergency stop buttons secured throughout the cart. The encoders obtain drive shaft rotation data that the microcontroller periodically sends to the processor. When in autonomous mode, the system provides navigation, movement and location tracking with or without wireless connection to a server. Stored destinations are set using its location tracking to autonomously navigate the cart. When in manual mode, battery power is off, and back-up power is supplied to the encoders and microcontroller, which continue to obtain shaft rotation data. When in autonomous mode, the shaft rotation data obtained during manual mode is used to determine the present cart location.

A wide variety of businesses rely on utility carts to move items around inside their buildings. The carts hold and transport tools, equipment, component parts and completed products, many of which are heavy, bulky or awkward to carry, and often include associated paperwork that needs to be kept with an item as it moves from station to station or room to room. The carts come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and styles. The corners of the carts typically include vertical risers and multiple horizontal trays. The carts are typically made of plastic or metal, and their front and rear corners are typically supported by caster wheels. Plastic carts often have trays and risers made of molded foam plastic. Metal carts frequently have metal tubes for risers and meshed wire baskets for trays. Some carts have metal tube risers and reinforced plastic trays. The utility carts are often rated for 200 lbs to 500 lbs load capacities. Examples of these utility carts are made by Rubbermaid Commercial Products, LLC of Winchester, Va. and sold as Uline Model Nos. H-1053, H-2470, H-2471, H-2475 and H-2505, AMSA, Inc. of Boulder, Colo. and sold as Uline Model Nos. H2505 and H7435, and Suncast Technologies, LLC of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. and sold as Model No. PUCPN1937. These and other utility carts are shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. D618,418 and D618,419 to Cotron, U.S. Pat. Nos. D798,018 and D855,275 to Walter and U.S. Pat. No. 10,377,403 to Lee, the contents of which are incorporated by reference.
Autonomous mobile robots for manufacturing, warehouse and distribution applications are well known. Examples include 6 River Systems' CHUCK robot and U.S. Pat. Nos. 10,294,028 and D826,508, Amazon Robotics' MARTI robot and U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,920,962, 8,280,547, 8,265,873 and 10,317,893, Aethon's TUG robot and U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,100,725, 7,431,115, 8,204,624, 9,223,313, 9,563,206 and 9,679,270, GreyOrange's BUTLER robot and U.S. Pat. Nos. 10,216,193 and 10,481,612, Clearpath Robotic's manipulatable mobile robot and U.S. Pat. No. D812,663, Fetch Robotic's mobile warehouse robot and U.S. Pat. No. 10,423,150, InVia Robotics' autonomous warehouse robots and U.S. Pat. No. 9,731,896, Locus Robotics' warehouse robot and U.S. Pat. No. 10,019,015, Canvas Technology's robots, and MiR's mobile industrial robots.
One problem with conventional autonomous mobile robots is their integral design. Many components form the autonomous navigation structures, such as environmental mapping and proximity sensors, a power supply, control and drive systems, warning systems and a wireless system. These components and their associated wiring are built into the overall robot design. Even when the robot takes the form of a cart, the components that form the autonomous navigation structures are built into the overall cart design. Determining the locations of the various sensors and their wiring so they can perform their intended function while keeping them safe from inadvertent damage and out of the way from interfering with the normal operation of the cart can be particularly challenging. Businesses must either buy manual carts or dramatically more expensive autonomous robotic carts. Due to their complexity, there is no presently known way to convert a manual cart into an autonomous cart. Existing navigation structures are not intended to convert an off-the-shelf, manually pushed cart into an autonomous mobile robotic cart.
Another problem with conventional autonomous vehicles is their dependency on wireless communication with an independent operating system. The robots do not operate independently. They require wireless communication with an off-board database or control system. The operator must interact with the operating system and database via a wireless communication system such as WiFi to control the movements of the robotic vehicle. The cost of installing a wireless communication system such as WiFi can be prohibitively expensive for many organizations. Moreover, even when a wireless communication system is installed, the system may include dead zones that can sever communication with an autonomous vehicle, or cause the vehicle to receive redundant signals when multiple communication cells or transceivers are transmitting a given signal. When the autonomous vehicle stops in a dead zone, the robot must be manual pushed out of the dead zone and reset to advise it of its current location.
A further problem with conventional robotic carts is they are not compatible with manual operation. First, many conventional robotic carts do not allow for manual movement. If a user attempts to push a robotic cart, the wheels drag or turn with a high amount of resistance. Second, robotic carts become disoriented when they are manually pushed to a different location than the location to which the cart last autonomously moved. They cannot determine their location when the robotic cart is turned off and manually moved. When power to the robot microprocessor and drive motor are turned off, the robot loses its ability to track its movements and determine its location. When the robotic vehicle is turned off, its motor encoder does not monitor drive shaft and wheel rotation. As a result, the robotic vehicle loses track of its location when it is turned off and manually pushed. When the robotic vehicle is turned back on, the new location coordinates for the robot must be entered or other means must be used to allow the robot to determine its current location.
A still further problem with conventional robotic vehicles is that unsafe loading conditions go undetected. There is no mechanism to determine the weight of the vehicle or the items placed on it. Similarly, there is no mechanism to determine if the load is unbalanced, which could cause the vehicle to tip over when making a turn. There is also no mechanism to determine if an object is extending outwardly from the vehicle to a point where that item could hit other objects when the vehicle is moving.
The present invention is intended to solve these and other problems.

Autonomous utility cart and robotic cart platform


Provided are a conductive sheet and a touch panel having a high detection accuracy of touching with a finger. A conductive sheet includes: a first electrode pattern including first conductive patterns; and a second electrode pattern including second conductive patterns. The first conductive patterns and the second conductive patterns are placed so as to be orthogonal to each other. Each first conductive pattern includes slit-like sub-nonconduction patterns inside thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a conductive sheet and a touch panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, touch panels are frequently used as input devices for portable terminals and computers. Such a touch panel is placed on a surface of a display, and performs an input operation by detecting a position touched with a finger or the like. For example, a resistance film type (resistive type) and a capacitive type are known as a position detecting method for a touch panel.
For example, in a capacitive touch panel, indium tin oxide (ITO) is used as a material of a transparent electrode pattern, from the perspective of visibility. ITO, however, has a high wiring resistance and does not have a sufficient transparency, and hence it is discussed that a transparent electrode pattern formed using metal thin wires is used for a touch panel.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-277392 discloses a touch panel including: a plurality of first detection electrodes that are made of net-like conductive wires and are placed in parallel in one direction; and a plurality of second detection electrodes that are made of net-like conductive wires and are placed in parallel in a direction orthogonal to that of the first detection electrodes.


A transport mechanism transports a medium in a transport direction based on a target transport amount and has a first roller provided on an upstream side in the transport direction and a second roller provided on a downstream side in the transport direction. Correction values are calculated based on an interval between the lines in the transport direction. The transport mechanism is controlled based on a corrected target transport amount after correcting the target transport amount based on the correction values. Lines are formed by ejecting ink from a first nozzle when the first roller is in contact with the medium, and ejecting ink from a second nozzle on a downstream side from the first nozzle in the transport direction when the first roller is not in contact with the medium and the second roller is in contact with the medium.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to recording methods that use transport mechanisms and heads.
2. Related Art
Inkjet printers are known as recording apparatuses in which a medium (such as paper or cloth for example) is transported in a transport direction and recording is carried out on the medium by a head. In such a recording apparatus, when a transport error occurs while transporting the medium, the head cannot record on a correct position on the medium. In particular, with inkjet printers, when ink droplets do not land in the correct position on the medium, there is a risk that white streaks or black streaks will occur in the printed image and image quality deteriorates.
Accordingly, methods are proposed for correcting transport amounts of the medium. For example, in JP-A-5-96796 it is proposed that a test pattern is printed and the test pattern is read, and correction values are calculated based on a reading result such that when an image is to be recorded, the transport amounts are corrected based on the calculated values.
In JP-A-5-96796, correction values are determined in response to a difference between a rear end of a line formed along the transport direction and a front end of a different line adjacent to this line. In this method, a nozzle that forms the rear end of a certain line and a nozzle that forms the front end of a different line adjacent to this line are different nozzles. In a case such as this, correction values cannot be calculated accurately when the ink ejection characteristics are different for each nozzle.
On the other hand, if a test pattern is printed using only a single nozzle, problems are produced such as the number of printable lines on the test sheet being reduced undesirably.


A method and device for guaranteeing an authorized and process-optimized use of semi-finished pieces for product generation in a production unit are disclosed. In order to guarantee that semi-finished pieces not released for production or similar cannot be processed unknowingly, said method comprises the following steps: reading calibration data for calibration of the production unit to the semi-finished pieces for processing and reading the data on a given maximum number of products to be produced (maximum number) from an external storage medium supplied with the semi-finished product, calibration of the production unit according to the calibration data for the delivered semi-finished products, programming the production unit to the maximum permitted number of products with the best possible calibration, comparison of a number of produced products since an authorized starting point (actual number) with the maximum number and issuing a message on the maximum number being exceeded by the actual number.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and a device for ensuring authorized and process-optimized use of semi-finished materials or the like for product production in a production facility.
2. Description of the Related Art
Production facilities for the production of products from semi-finished materials are known from practice in greatly varying embodiments.
A method and a device for controlling a (cigarette) manufacturing and packaging facility is known from DE 199 14 297 A1. However, the method described in this case is not one which is suitable for determining and/or ensuring the authorized use of semi-finished materials. Rather, in this case, a method of consumption-optimized assembly of various semi-finished materials into a finished product having a predetermined piece count is described, without an excess or insufficient quantity being produced and/or semi-finished materials being left over. The process parameters of the associated device are also not calibrated to the product variations of the batch of semi-finished materials.
A method of packing objects is known from DE 97 41 251 A1. According to this method, a packing machine is to be operated in such a way that secondary packages are completely filled with objects and excess products may be removed after the end of the production cycle. It is also not possible to determine and/or ensure the authorized use of semi-finished materials using such a device and/or the method claimed in this case. In this case as well, the process parameters of the associated device are not calibrated to the product variations of the semi-finished material batch.
Finally, a device for counting a number of paper sheets, which is equipped with a comfortable preprogramming of a counting device, which stops a stacking drive upon reaching the preprogrammed target number, is known from DE 33 13 578 C2. In this case, it is within the discretion of the machine operator to fix or change the target number or set it to the value "infinite". It is also not possible to determine an authorized use of semi-finished materials with this known device.
It may be problematic in these facilities, among other things, that high-quality and error-free production may only be ensured using semi-finished materials or the like for which the production facilities are laid out and calibrated. Semi-finished materials produced without authorization or low-quality raw materials may be processed, but without the product quality able to be guaranteed.

Method and device for guaranteeing an authorized and process-optimized use of semi-finished pieces in a production unit


An audible alarm detector is disclosed, consisting of a microphone, band-pass filter, counter and controller. The microphone converts the acoustic signal to an electrical signal for further processing. The band-pass filter removes frequencies different from the nominal frequency of a pulsed tone alarm. The counter detects the fundamental frequency of the filtered signal in sequential time intervals. The controller compares the counter's output for each time interval with the nominal count for the expected alarm frequency. The controller also compares the results from sequential time intervals against the nominal time-sequence of the anticipated, pulsed-tone alarm. A sufficiently close match results in a positive detection condition. An audible alarm detection method is also disclosed, consisting of low-pass filtering, followed by baseline-comparison, followed by counting, followed by discrimination based on counts, followed by comparison of discriminator output sequence versus the nominal sequence.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for detection of an acoustic alarm signal. More specifically, a band-pass filter emphasizes the dominant frequency of an audible alarm, and a controller uses a tallying algorithm to detect the temporal pattern of the alarm.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Audible alarms are commonly used for many purposes, such as warning of dangerous conditions, indicating when some process has completed, or annunciating the need for some action or intervention. Usually, such alarms are constructed with the intent of being perceived and recognized by humans. For example, a smoke detector is intended to warn people of the potential danger of fire.
In some cases, it is desirable for a machine to react to an alarm signal, without human participation. For example, a sprinkler system may be activated automatically by the signal from a fire detector.
A straightforward approach to such direct activation is to establish a direct electrical connection between the alarm source ("detector") and the system intended to react to the detector's output. Some detectors are equipped with electrical contacts, which open or close depending on the detector's output state. These contacts may be wired to- and monitored by a separate system provided to react to the output of the detector. However, such direct connection requires special equipment or features within the detector, as well as dedicated installation of wires between the detector and the reacting system.
Therefore, it is desirable to produce a system capable of responding directly to the audible output of certain alarm systems. One application is to provide luminous- or mechanical stimuli to deaf persons in the event of a smoke detector issuing an alarm. This topic is discussed in "Smoke Detector Alarm for the Deaf", Final Report for Phase II SBIR contract under NIH grant 2R44 DC004254-2, which is included herein by reference as reference 1. Reference 1 discusses a system wherein a microphone's output is processed by a computer program including a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to discern the dominant frequency of a smoke alarm conforming to the specifications given in ISO 8201, which is included herein by reference as reference 2. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the system of reference 1. Microphone 1 converts the acoustic alarm to an electrical signal which is amplified by amplifier 2. The output of amplifier 2 is fed to a high-speed analog-to-digital converter ("ADC") 3, which samples its input at a rate much higher than the highest frequency of interest, for example approximately two- to five times the nominal fundamental frequency of the alarm to be recognized. The output data from ADC 3 is fed to a computer 4, which uses a FFT algorithm to compute the frequency content of the original acoustic signal. The FFT results are further processed by a temporal-pattern recognition algorithm, to detect the presence of an alarm signature.
Implementation of the aforementioned algorithm requires high-speed analog-to-digital conversion ("ADC") as well as a fast and powerful computer to perform the FFT calculations. So, construction of a system based on the disclosed technology will be relatively expensive and un-suitable for low-end consumer applications.
Smoke detectors and other alarm-issuing equipments are available on the consumer market at low cost. However, other systems of similarly low cost, with capability of responding to these consumer alarms, are not available. What is lacking in the art, therefore, is an electronic system that is capable of reliably detecting a particular audible alarm at low cost.


A non-metallic centralizer for casing having a tubular, plastic sleeve adapted to fit closely about a joint of casing, said sleeve having a plurality of blades extending substantially longitudinally along an outer surface of said sleeve. The non-metallic centralizer having strength characteristics capable of withstanding the forces encountered in casing operations. The non-metallic centralizer is non-sparking for use in hazardous environments, abrasion and wear resistant, and provides protection from electrolysis between adjacent casing strings. The non-metallic centralizer is light weight, allowing increased transportation capacity at a economical cost.

In the completion of oil and gas wells it is standard practice to set or cement at least one string of casing within the well bore. Casing strings are cemented in the well bore to prevent fluids from migrating from the production zone through the annulus between the casing string and the well bore to the surface or other zones where for example fresh water may be contaminated. In addition, there are regulations which require that some zones be cemented off.
In cementing a casing string, a cement slurry is pumped down the interior of the casing string, out the lower end, into the annulus between the string and the well bore. However, to effect an efficient cementing job, the complete annulus needs to be cemented without pockets in the cement and without areas in which the string is contacting the wall of the well bore. To facilitate obtaining an effective cementing job the casing is commonly centered in the well bore with centralizers which are disposed about the casing string. In addition, the centralizers aide in running the pipe into the hole without hanging up.
Centralizers may also be used on casing or pipe strings, such as tubing, which are hung within another string of casing or pipe. These inner strings may be cemented within the outer pipe string or they may not be.
Centralizers for casing, tubing or pipe commonly are constructed of a low carbon steel having a tubular body or sleeve adapted to fit around a pipe joint. These prior art centralizers usually include outwardly bowed springs having opposing ends connected to opposite ends of the sleeve. Although the resiliency of the bow strings enables them to move through tight spots in the well bore, they may not support the weight of the casing string, especially in a highly deviated well bore.
In another type prior art centralizer, the bow strings are replaced by solid strips of metal which are tapered at each end to provide outer spaced bearing surfaces for engaging the well bore or the outer casing. Although less prone to collapse than bow springs under the weight of the casing string, these metal strips are often not strong enough to prevent bending upon contacting an obstruction or turn in the well bore. As a result, the centralizer and the casing may become wedged in the well, and, in any case become unsuitable for providing a suitable cementing job.
These prior art metal centralizers have further drawbacks, especially, when run and set within another string of pipe. One of the drawbacks is when the metal centralizer is run into or when it vibrates due to slugs in production it contacts the outer pipe string and may cause a spark, which can be very hazardous in the hydrocarbon filled well. Also, these metal centralizers create a corrosion problem with the casing strings which it contacts through electrolysis. These metal centralizers also are susceptible to damage when running acid and circulating the acid back out of the hole. Additionally, there is a concern with scrapping the inner diameter of stainless steel tubing when running stainless/duplex stainless steel tubing having metal centralizers.
It would be a benefit, therefor, to have a centralizer adapted to fit about a string of pipe for centering the pipe in a well bore or within an outer string of pipe which is constructed of a non-metallic material. It would be further benefit to have a centralizer which has non-sparking properties. It would be a still further benefit to have a centralizers that provides cathodic protecting between strings of casing. It would be an additional benefit to have a centralizer which is resistant to deterioration due to acid. It would be a still further benefit to have a non-metallic centralizer which is lightweight while having sufficient strength to withstand the forces encountered in casing operations.


A caster of an endless structure is provided which is almost jam-proof even in the case of a bigger gap. The caster includes a first wheel supported on a mounting leg, a second wheel supported by an axle on one end of a suspension arm of which the other end is supported by an axle which also supports the first wheel, and a wrap-around member which is wrapped around the first and second wheels. The wraparound member is formed an endless belt form by connecting independent pieces to each other. The outer peripheral section of each piece is provided with a wider section and when the wraparound member is depressed and warps, the wider section is adapted to touch a wider section of the adjacent piece, thereby preventing further depression.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a caster for use in a wheelchair, furniture, vehicle, and the like which is almost jam-proof and capable of easily climbing over a gap or obstacle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A caster for a wheelchair etc. comprising a pair of front and rear wheels and an endless belt wrapped around the wheels and designed to be capable of easily passing over a gap is known (for example, refer to Patent Document 1). A caster designed to climb stairs by tracked wheels is also known (for example, refer to Patent Document 2).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 8-225001
Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-3747 (see FIG. 8)
When a caster with an endless belt climbs over a gap, the endless belt is pushed against the gap and depressed inward (i.e., toward the center of a space surrounded by the endless belt or a wrap-around member in the surface of rotation of the endless belt or the wrap-around member; hereinafter referred to as "inward"). The more the endless belt is depressed, the greater the power needed to pass the gap. Accordingly, in the Patent Document 1, many presser rollers are arranged inside the endless belt to prevent the belt from being depressed. However, arrangements of many rollers make a structure for holding these rollers complicated and the entire device large, increasing the weight, and thereby driving up costs.


A bag holder for use in a vehicle trunk comprising a trunk lid having trunk hinges which attach the trunk lid to the vehicle. The bag holder device comprises a band portion having two ends, the band portion being at least partially elastically stretchable and of sufficient length when the partially elastically stretchable portion is partially stretched so as to be held in tension when the ends are connected to respective trunk hinges. The ends of the band portion are connected by connection means to slideable hinge rings, each of the slideable hinge rings having a sufficient circumference so as to permit encircling of the trunk hinges.

Plastic "T-shirt" style shopping or grocery bags are widely used by retail establishments to package consumers purchases. The conventional T-shirt style grocery bag is made of thin plastic material with cutouts at the open end to form two handles for carrying the bag. These handles make the bag convenient for carrying items since the handles are readily accessible and the handles of several bags can be gripped together for carrying. Unlike a box or even a standard paper grocery bag, both of which have some degree of rigidity, the conventional T-shirt style grocery bag does not have the ability to maintain any shape apart from the shape of whatever items are placed in the bag. When transported in a vehicle, the items within T-shirt style grocery bags may shift position, roll around and come out of the bags.
A number of different inventions have been disclosed to address the need to secure items in grocery bags during transport.
The use of a fixed assembly having hooks to which the grocery bags are attached is disclosed in a number of patents. U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,971 issued Feb. 22, 1994 to Dorman discloses a bag holder comprising a rack installed in the trunk of a vehicle, with a raised horizontal bar from which grocery bags are suspended. The raised bar has a series of hooks anchored thereon at spaced positions to which the loaded bags are attached. U.S. Pat. No. 6,367,746 B1, issued Apr. 9, 2002 to Webb et al. discloses a bag holder with a plurality of hangers which form a rack. The grocery bag handles are placed over the hangers and held securely in place. The invention's design requires the bags be placed evenly around the assembly for stability. U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,288, issued Jun. 27, 1995 to Trubee discloses a grocery-bag holder rack for use in vehicles that consists of a horizontal rack upon which pluralities of hooks are disposed. The handles of the grocery bags are placed on the hooks during transport.
However, all of these devices, once installed in the vehicle trunk take up precious cargo space and cannot comfortably and functionally coexist with other cargo in the trunk area and must be removed to fully utilize the trunk space. Although the devices are removable, the user can only reclaim the cargo space if the device is removed at a location where it can be stored separately from the vehicle such as at home. If the trunk space is needed at a location away from home there may be no convenient option to store the grocery bag holder outside of the trunk. Also all the above-mentioned devices require each grocery bag to be individually attached to a hook, a process that is tedious and time consuming. In addition, the number of grocery bags that can be accommodated by such devices is limited to the number of hooks the device has.
A number of inventions address grocery bags in vehicles by implementing a type of rack into which the grocery bags are loaded. U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,040, issued Nov. 21, 2000 to Walker discloses a removable vehicle trunk organizer with multiple compartments. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,244, issued Jun. 14, 1977 to Roberts discloses a collapsible stand for transporting loaded grocery bags. U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,348, issued Sep. Oct. 7, 1980 to Dottor et al. discloses a collapsible trunk contained grocery bag holder.
However, all of these collapsible devices, while freeing trunk space, still take up significant space on the floor of the trunk compartment, even in the collapsed position. Also, the number of compartments limits the number of bags that can be accommodated by these devices. In addition, each bag must be individually loaded into each compartment, which is tedious and time consuming.
A number of inventions address securing grocery bags in vehicles by way of freestanding foldable apparatus onto which the grocery bag handles are draped. U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,825, issued Sep. 24, 1991 to Bratset discloses a grocery bag support having a base and upright members for the purpose of supporting a plurality of filled grocery bags. U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,102 issued Nov. 7, 1995 to LeBlanc et. al. discloses a foldable apparatus for transporting filled grocery bags in an upright position.
However, all of these devices suffer from similar limitations as the previously mentioned inventions in that they continue to take up trunk space even in the collapsed position; the number of upright members limits the number of bags that can be accommodated and the user must individually load bags on the upright members, a tedious and time consuming process.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a grocery bag holder that takes up little cargo area space when not being used.
Additionally, it would be desirable to have a grocery bag holder that can co-exist with other cargo at the same time that it is holding grocery bags.
Additionally, it would be desirable to have a grocery bag holder that is easily removed and can be stowed in a minimum of space when it is removed.
Additionally, it would be desirable to have a grocery bag holder that can hold a variable number of bags and is not limited to a defined number of bags by it's design or geometry.
Additionally, it would be desirable to have a grocery bag holder that can be adjusted to fit in the trunk of any car.
Additionally, it would be desirable to have a grocery bag holder that allows the user to load and remove the grocery bags in a single quick motion.
Further, it would be desirable to have a grocery bag holder that can be inexpensively and easily manufactured using commonly available materials.


The present invention provides a method for modeling the performance of a system comprising computer software operating on computer hardware. In accordance with the present invention, system performance is modeled by fitting non-linear curves to data points for system performance parameters, such as response time and throughput, as a function of load. Data points may be measured in testing may be measured through monitoring a system operating in a production environment. While a variety of non-linear curves may be used in accordance with the present invention, a logarithmic curve may be used to model system throughput and an exponential curve may be used to model system response time. By defining a relationship between throughput and response time a distance may be calculated between the curves, and this distance may be used to determine an optimal load. Additionally, a graph displaying both throughput and response time as a function of load may be displayed to a system operator in a graphical user interface to facilitate the evaluation of system performance.

Computing systems have become an integral part of business, government, and most other aspects of modern life. Most people are likely regrettably familiar with poor performing computer systems. A poor performing computer system may be simply poorly designed and, therefore, fundamentally incapable of performing well. Even well-designed systems will perform poorly, however, if inadequate resources necessary to meet the demands placed upon the system are not available. Properly matching the resources available to a system with the demand placed upon the system requires both accurate capacity planning and adequate system testing to predict the resources that will be necessary for the system to function properly at the loads expected for the system.
Predicting the load that will be placed upon a system may involve a number of issues, and this prediction may be performed in a variety of ways. For example, future load on a system may be predicted using data describing the historical change in the demand for the system. Such data may be collected by monitoring a system or its predecessor, although such historical data may not always be available, particularly if the system is entirely new. Other methods, such as incorporating planned marketing efforts or other future events known to be likely to occur, may also be used. The way in which load on a system is predicted is immaterial to the present invention.
Regardless how a prediction of future system load is made, a system must have adequate resources to meet that demand if the system is to perform properly. Determining what amount of resources are required to meet a given system demand may also be a complex problem. Those skilled in the art will realize that system testing may be performed, often before a system is deployed, to determine how the system will perform under a variety of loads. System testing may allow system managers to identify the load at which system performance becomes unacceptable, which may coincide with a load at which system performance becomes highly nonlinear. One skilled in the art will also appreciate that such testing can be an enormously complex and expensive proposition, and will further realize that such testing often does not provide accurate information as to at what load a system's performance will deteriorate. One reason for the expense and difficulty of testing is the large number of tests necessary to obtain a reasonably accurate model of system performance.
One skilled in the art will likely be familiar with the modeling of a system's performance as a linear function of load. One skilled in the art will further realize, however, that a linear model of system performance as a function of load is often a sufficiently accurate depiction of system performance within only a certain range of loads, which the range of loads within which system performance is substantially linear varying for different systems. System performance often becomes non-linear at some point as the load on the system increases. The point at which system performance becomes nonlinear may be referred to as the point at which the linear model breaks down. The load at which a system's performance begins to degrade in a non-linear fashion may be referred to as the knee. At the knee, system throughput increases more slowly while response times increase more quickly. It is often at this point that system performance suffers severely, but identifying this point in testing can be difficult. Accordingly, while a basic linear model theoretically can be obtained with as little as two data points, additional data points are necessary to determine when a linear model of system performance will break down. Obtaining sufficient data points to determine when a linear model of system performance breaks down often requires extensive testing. At the same time, such testing may not yield an accurate model of system performance, particularly as the system moves beyond a load range in which its performance is substantially linear.


A software method for obtaining an address of a thread-local variable while executing a computer program is described. The method designates a memory location to store an address of a function. The method, after the computer program starts to run, obtains the address of the thread-local variable by executing a resolver function whose address is stored in the memory location when a module that references the thread-local variable is loaded. The resolver can be a lazy resolver function or other resolver functions optimized for specific modules or variables.

The following is a brief description of conventional hardware, single threaded processes, multi-threaded processes, thread-local storage, and lazy relocation. The description provides the context of the present invention.
1. General Hardware Architecture
FIG. 1 is a block diagram that illustrates a conventional computer 101. The computer may include a bus 103 and a processor 105 coupled with the bus 103 for processing information. The processor 105 is also referred to as a central processing unit or CPU. The computer 101 also includes a main memory 107, such as a random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device, coupled to the bus 103 for storing data and instructions to be executed by the processor 105. The computer 101 may also include a read only memory (ROM) 109 or other static storage device coupled to the bus 103 for storing static information and instructions for the processor 105. A storage device 111, such as a magnetic disk or optical disk, can also be provided and coupled to the bus 103 for storing information and instructions. The computer 101 may be also coupled, via the bus, to a number of peripheral devices 113 such as a display monitor, input devices (e.g., a key board), and other input/output devices.
The computer 101 also includes an external communication interface 115 coupled to the bus 103. The external communication interface 115 provides a two-way data communication coupling to a network link 117 that is connected to, for example, a local network. For example, the communication interface 115 may be Cable or Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) card, a modem, or a wireless network interface card to provide a data communication connection to a corresponding type of telephone line.
2. Single Threaded Processes
Conventionally, a programmer writes source code in a particular programming language (e.g., C++ or the like). A compiler then transforms the source code into a set of object files. A link editor (also known as a linker) then creates a loadable module, consisting of an integrated set of object files. The loadable module is then loaded to the main memory and executed on a computer similar to the one illustrated in FIG. 1.
A static executable is a loadable module that includes no references to any external data or procedures. Such an executable wastes disk and memory space because all library routines are copied into the loadable module. In contrast, dynamic libraries can be used by a number of different processes, without having their contents be copied into the main executable, thereby saving disk space. Moreover, dynamic libraries containing only position-independent code do not need multiple copies of their code in memory, even when multiple different programs use them. Position-independence enables the operating system to share a copy of the code in physical memory among many processes. For this reason, such libraries are also known as shared libraries.
Position-independent modules use a relative addressing scheme when possible and an indirect addressing scheme to access through the Global Offset Table and Procedure Linkage Table otherwise, as known in the art. Position-dependent modules contain position-dependent instructions, which use absolute addresses in a virtual memory space. Position-dependent instructions are suitable for executables because they are generally expected to be loaded into a predetermined portion of the virtual memory. Dynamic libraries, on the other hand, should not assume a specific load location because their load locations may overlap with those of the executable or of other dynamic libraries. They must instead be loadable at arbitrary addresses. For this reason and to enable sharing, position-independent code for dynamic libraries is preferred.
Unlike code, data can and often is modified by processes. In order to give each program the illusion of running on its own, the operating system gives each process a separate copy of the data from the main executable and dynamic libraries.
3. Multi-Threaded Processes
The need for having multiple independent tasks running concurrently, while sharing global data, led to threads. A thread is one of potentially many instances of execution that operate within the context of a single process. All threads that belong to a process use the same address space, e.g., sharing the same global variables, the same set of open files, memory mappings, and etc.
Multi-threaded programming enables simpler modeling of applications with multiple partially-independent activities, but it comes at a cost because access to global variable is guarded by synchronization primitives that guarantee consistency when multiple threads attempt to access the global variables simultaneously. Synchronization is not only relatively expensive, when compared with access in the absence of synchronization, but also sometimes difficult to implement correctly.
Using thread-local (TL) variables avoids the costs and traps of synchronization. The TL variables can be used when sharing is not desirable. In other words, the use of TL variables brings the separation of data between processes to the multi-threaded programming model. When a variable is marked as thread-local, its value is not shared with other threads; instead, a distinct copy of the variable is created for each thread. This technique isolates, for example, error conditions, that have traditionally been stored in global variables (e.g., errno). In this example, if all threads shared this variable as a global variable, one thread might report an incorrect error condition if another thread ran into that error.
4. Thread-Local Storage
Each module has a "thread-local storage" (TLS) section that contains a set of TL variables defined in it. When linking an executable (as opposed to a dynamic library), the relative location of each TL variable is assumed to be a constant value, and the value is stored as an entry of a global offset table (GOT) because the exact constant value is only going to be known at run time. Here, the term "run time" means a time period during which a process runs or the CPU is executing code instructions of the process. During execution, the main executable accesses TL variables by loading the constant values from the GOT.
For dynamic libraries, however, this relative location of a TL variable may vary across different threads. Particularly for dynamic libraries loaded while the program is already running, the TLS may have to be allocated dynamically, possibly even on demand. Traditionally, for dynamic libraries, a library function named _tls_get_addr( ) is called to obtain the location of TL variables. The computations performed by this function are potentially time-consuming (at least compared with loading a constant from a table, e.g., GOT), and the presence of an explicit function call may require its callers to save registers that hold values they might need after the call, if such registers are not required to be preserved across function calls in the Application Binary Interface (ABI) specification.
Link editors commonly attempt to remove such calls by turning them into the more efficient load-constant-from-table access model, when it is possible. Unfortunately, this fails to recover all of the lost performance because the compiler already has made decisions based on the assumption that the value of certain registers could be modified by the call. Besides, the load-constant-from-table access model can only be used in main executables or in dynamic libraries that are willing to give up the ability to be loaded into a process after the process has started running.
5. Lazy Relocation
Most of the start-up time of a dynamically-linked program is spent by a dynamic loader applying relocations. The dynamic loader is the module that loads into memory and relocates all other modules. Relocating a module means, for each relocation (i.e., a reference to a symbol that needs to be resolved) present in the relocation table of a loaded module: a) determining in which module the referenced symbol is defined; b) computing a value based on the type of the relocation and the location of the symbol; and c) storing the value in a memory location determined by the relocation table entry.
Several techniques to avoid the need for dynamic relocations and to reduce the cost of performing dynamic relocations are known. Some conventional techniques include: a) the use of "COPY" relocations in executables; b) the use of relative addressing modes; c) the use of "RELATIVE" relocations for local symbols; d) forcing references to symbols to be resolved locally instead of enabling them to be overridden by the dynamic loader; and e) "lazy" binding of function addresses (also referred to as "lazy" relocation).
In one lazy relocation technique, the dynamic loader places the address of a "resolver" function into a GOT entry intended to hold the address of another function that the program may call during its execution. The address of the resolver is readily available to the dynamic loader, but the address of the function would be computationally expensive to determine. When the program first attempts to call the function using the address in the GOT entry, it will call the resolver instead. The resolver will only then proceed to determine the actual address of the function and store it in the corresponding GOT entry, such that subsequent calls go straight to the intended function.
In most implementations, the address initially stored in the GOT entry is not that of the resolver, but rather that of a PLT entry. This entry calls the resolver and passes additional information the resolver needs to determine which function it needs to resolve. The additional information is usually the address of the relocation table entry that determines how to compute the value to be stored in the GOT entry.
Conventionally, although calls to _tls_get_addr( ) may take advantage of the lazy binding technique, the information typically passed to it is obtained from the result of dynamic relocations that cannot be applied using the lazy binding technique. Embodiments of the present invention enable, among others features, such dynamic relocations to be applied using the lazy binding technique, thereby avoiding the cost of applying dynamic relocations for TL variables that are not referenced during the run time.

System, method, and medium for efficiently obtaining the addresses of thread-local variables


An auto-focusing camera includes a lens mount (10), a lens unit (31) and a motor. The lens unit includes a lens barrel (310) and a lens (312) received in the lens barrel. Tabs (34) and blocks (36) respectively extend outwardly from upper and lower end portions of the lens barrel. Each of the tabs forms an aslant guiding surface (342), which is declined outwardly along a top-to-bottom direction. The motor includes a magnet (32) which is forced to move over the guiding surfaces to be securely sandwiched between the tabs and the blocks. Upper and lower yokes (23a, 23b) are respectively arranged at the upper and lower sides of the magnet. Upper and lower coils (25a, 25b) respectively wind around the two yokes for establishing magnetic fields which interact with the magnetic field of the permanent magnet to drive the lens unit into movement.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a camera, and more particularly to a lens unit of an auto-focusing camera.
2. Description of Related Art
Over the years cameras have evolved toward lightweight and compactness; however, conventionally an auto focus structure is used for controlling the telescopic movement of a lens of the camera and the auto focus structure occupies a significant space in the camera.
The auto-focus structure of the camera focuses on an object by comparing the obtained image with the image on an image sensor. The image sensor is either a charge coupled device (CCD) sensor or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor, and is controlled by a central processing unit (CPU) installed inside the digital camera. The lens moves back and forth around its original positions (static positions). As the lens moves, the CPU compares the image from the lens with the image in the image sensor. As the lens moves to the position where the image is the clearest, then the lens stops at the position. In this case, the lens has to be continuously driven back and forth by a motor structure. Generally the motor structure is column-shaped, including coils wound therearound and a permanent magnet being mounted around the lens. During operation of the motor, a current is applied to the coils to establish an alternating magnetic field. The magnetic field of the permanent magnet interacts with the alternating magnetic field of the coils to drive the lens to move. At the moment when the CPU detects a focused image as the lens moves back and forth, a stop signal is simultaneously sent to the motor. Therefore, the lens stops at the best focal position (static position).
To firmly secure the permanent magnet around the lens, glue is usually used. However, the glue needs a long period of time to be cured before the lens/permanent magnet combination can be assembled with other components. The long period of time needed for the glue to cure causes the manufacturing of the auto-focus lens to have a high cost and low efficiency. Such a shortcoming needs to be solved.

Fu Zhun Precision Industry (Shen Zhen) Co., Ltd.


A computerized method for monitoring cardiac output of a subject by a processor executing the method, the method comprising the steps of:                determining first values of cardiac output of the subject for a first period of time using respective different cardiac output measurement methods having respective first measurement errors; and        combining the determined first values of cardiac output to determine a second value of cardiac output of the subject for the first period of time, such that the second value of cardiac output has a second measurement error that is less than any of the first measurement errors; and        at least one of storing, outputting, and displaying data representing the determined second value of cardiac output of the subject.

Cardiac output (pulmonary blood flow) is the rate at which blood is pumped by the heart to the body. Along with the blood pressure, it fundamentally reflects the degree of cardiovascular stability and the adequacy of perfusion of vital organs. Knowledge of the cardiac output will not itself provide a diagnosis of a patient's condition, but can provide information useful in making a diagnosis.
Continuous monitoring of cardiac output is still not performed routinely during anaesthesia and critical care due to the absence of a convenient, safe, non-invasive and accurate and precise method. The established techniques for measuring cardiac output, such as pulmonary thermodilution via a pulmonary artery catheter, are invasive and associated with occasional but serious complications, such as pulmonary artery rupture, and/or are time consuming and heavily operator dependent, as in the case of Doppler echocardiography. Improvements in this field are taking place, such as the development of pulse contour techniques, trans-pulmonary thermodilution, trans-thoracic bio-impedance and derived devices, and methods using pulmonary uptake of inert gases such as nitrous oxide, but these all have limitations, such as poor accuracy under clinical conditions, the need for repeated calibration, invasive central or peripheral cannulation, and/or are simply unsuitable for patients during surgery and critical care who are intubated or ventilated.
Techniques based on the differential Fick principle, such as partial CO2 rebreathing (NICO, Respironics, USA), are among the oldest methods used for cardiac output measurement, and are attractive because of their potentially non-invasive nature. As described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/743,224 and in Peyton P., Continuous Minimally Invasive Peri-operative Monitoring of Cardiac Output by Pulmonary Capnotracking: Comparison with Thermodilution and Transesophageal Echocardiography, J. Clin. Monit. Comput. 2012; 26 (2): 121-32, the inventor has recently developed a technique based on measurement of the rate of gas uptake or elimination of CO2 ({dot over (V)}CO2) by the lungs, referred to herein as the Capnotracking method. The method utilises the differential Fick principle for calibration and an equation relating subsequent changes in {dot over (V)}CO2 and cardiac output ({dot over (Q)}t) to provide an automated, non-invasive, breath-by-breath cardiac output measurement method and system which is suitable for routine use in ventilated patients undergoing general anaesthesia or in intensive care. The accuracy and precision of this technique in patients undergoing major surgery and critical care is similar to that achieved by other available methods across a wide range of haemodynamic states, as described in Peyton P, and Chong S W., Minimally Invasive Measurement of Cardiac Output During Surgery and Critical Care: A Meta-analysis of Accuracy and Precision: Erratum, Anesthesiology, 2012; 116: 972-3 ("Peyton and Chong").
Methods based on a measured variable such as cardiac output in patients suffer from imperfect accuracy and precision of measurement, the sources of error including systematic bias, and both inter-patient and intra-patient factors. The systematic inaccuracy of methods such as the Capnotracking method arises from physiological or physical factors associated with the underlying principles of the measurement of cardiac output, and of the associated input variables. Inter-patient factors include physiological or physical factors contributing to non-linearity of the method in response to the cardiac output. Intra-patient factors include random variability in the measurement of input variables, and of their association to the cardiac output, and include non-linearity of the method in response to changes in cardiac output, which also contribute to lack of reproducibility of measurement. In general, intra-patient variability is less than inter-patient variability for most methods, resulting in more reliable tracking of changes in cardiac output than their precision in measurement of cardiac output across a wide range of patients and haemodynamic states.
When investigating the precision of a given ("test") method in measurement of cardiac output in a population of patients, comparison is usually made with an accepted clinical standard, such as bolus thermodilution. The widely quoted criterion for acceptability of precision of a method for measurement of cardiac output, using thermodilution as the reference method, was defined in Critchley L A H, and Critchley J A: A Meta-Analysis of Studies Using Bias and Precision Statistics to Compare Cardiac Output Measurement Techniques, J. Clin. Monit. Comput. 1999; 15: 85-91 ("Critchley and Critchley"). Based on the standard mathematics of error analysis, the error e in agreement between thermodilution and the test method is given by:e=√{square root over (eTd2+et2)}  Equation 1where eTd is the error in measurement of cardiac output by thermodilution, and et is the error in measurement of cardiac output by the test method. Assuming that both thermodilution and the test method have precision in agreement with the true cardiac output (quantitated as the "limits of agreement", equal to +/−twice the coefficient of variation, within which bounds 95% of measurements are expected to lie as described in Bland J M, Altman D G: Statistical methods for assessing agreement between two methods of clinical measurement, Lancet 1986; i: 307-10 ("Bland and Altman")) of +/−20%, the precision of agreement of a test method with thermodilution from Equation 1 is +/−28.3%. Approximating this, Critchley and Critchley recommended that +/−30% represents acceptable precision of agreement with thermodilution by a method for measurement of cardiac output.
Comprehensive review of the published literature in the field over a 10 year period has shown that the precision of agreement with thermodilution being achieved by a wide range of currently available methodologies adapted for use in the peri-operative and critical care setting is much wider (i.e., worse) than this. For example, the precision of pulse contour techniques, oesophageal Doppler, trans-thoracic bioimpedance and the partial CO2 rebreathing methods are all between +/−40 to 45% relative to the accompanying thermodilution measurement, as described in Peyton and Chong. The authors could find no evidence from the studies reviewed that this level of precision was improving with time over the 10 year review period. This relatively poor consistency of agreement with the reference method can be in part attributed to a possibly poorer precision of cardiac output measurement by thermodilution than assumed by Critchley and Critchley (see Botero M, Kirby D, Lobato E B, Staples E D, Gravenstein N, Botero M, Kirby D, Lobato E B, Staples E D, Gravenstein N: Measurement of cardiac output before and after cardiopulmonary bypass: Comparison among aortic transit-time ultrasound, thermodilution, and noninvasive partial CO2 rebreathing, J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. 2004; 18: 563-72 ("Botero"). Nevertheless, this still represents significantly worse limits of agreement in measurement of the true cardiac output by all techniques than is stipulated as acceptable by these authorities.
In view of the above, there remains a need to find a means for achieving substantially better precision of measurement of cardiac output by techniques adapted for use in peri-operative and critical care patients, so as to prevent misleading data provoking inappropriate clinical decision making, and so as to allow consistent improvements in patient care and clinical outcomes to be obtained from more widespread use of advanced haemodynamic monitoring.
It is desired, therefore, to provide a computerised method and system for monitoring cardiac output of a subject that alleviate one or more difficulties of the prior art, or that at least provide a useful alternative.

System and method for monitoring cardiac output with substantially improved accuracy and precision


A nucleic acid ligand “biochip” is disclosed, consisting of a solid support to which one or more specific nucleic acid ligands is attached in a spatially defined manner. Each nucleic acid ligand binds specifically and avidly to a particular target molecule contained within a test mixture, such as a bodily fluid. The target molecules include, but are not limited to, proteins (cellular, viral, bacterial, etc.) hormones, sugars, metabolic byproducts, cofactor, and intermediates, drugs, and toxins. Contacting the test mixture with the biochip leads to the binding of a target molecule to its cognate nucleic acid ligand. The biochip may then be contacted with a reagent(s) that reacts covalently with proteins and not with nucleic acids. Each protein target in the test mixture may then detected by detecting the presence of the reagent at the appropriate address on the biochip.

A method for the in vitro evolution of nucleic acid molecules with highly specific binding to target molecules has been developed. This method, Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment, termed the SELEX process, is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/536,428, entitled "Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment," now abandoned, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/714,131, filed Jun. 10, 1991, entitled "Nucleic Acid Ligands," now U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,096, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/931,473, filed Aug. 17, 1992, entitled "Methods for Identifying Nucleic Acid Ligands," now U.S. Pat. No. 5,270,163 (see also WO 91/19813), each of which is herein specifically incorporated by reference. Each of these applications, collectively referred to herein as the SELEX patent applications, describes a fundamentally novel method for making a nucleic acid ligand to any desired target molecule.
The SELEX method involves selection from a mixture of candidate oligonucleotides and step-wise iterations of binding, partitioning and amplification, using the same general selection scheme, to achieve virtually any desired criterion of binding affinity and selectivity. Starting from a mixture of nucleic acids, preferably comprising a segment of randomized sequence, the SELEX method includes steps of contacting the mixture with the target under conditions favorable for binding, partitioning unbound nucleic acids from those nucleic acids which have bound specifically to target molecules, dissociating the nucleic acid-target complexes, amplifying the nucleic acids dissociated from the nucleic acid-target complexes to yield a ligand-enriched mixture of nucleic acids, then reiterating the steps of binding, partitioning, dissociating and amplifying through as many cycles as desired to yield highly specific, high affinity nucleic acid ligands to the target molecule.
The SELEX method encompasses the identification of high-affinity nucleic acid ligands containing modified nucleotides conferring improved characteristics on the ligand, such as improved in vivo stability or improved delivery characteristics. Examples of such modifications include chemical substitutions at the ribose and/or phosphate and/or base positions. SELEX-identified nucleic acid ligands containing modified nucleotides are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/117,991, filed Sep. 8, 1993, abandoned in favor of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/430,709, filed Apr. 27, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,985, entitled "High Affinity Nucleic Acid Ligands Containing Modified Nucleotides," that describes oligonucleotide containing nucleotide derivatives chemically modified at the 5- and 2′-positions of pyrimidines. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/134,028, filed Oct. 7, 1993, abandoned in favor of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/443,957, filed May 18, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,737, entitled "High-Affinity Nucleic Acid Ligands That Discriminate Between Theophylline and Caffeine," describes highly specific nucleic acid ligands containing one or more nucleotides modified with 2′-amino (2′-NH2), 2′-fluoro (2′-F), and/or 2′-O-methyl (2′-OMe). U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/264,029, filed Jun. 22, 1994, now abandoned, entitled "Novel Method of Preparation of Known and Novel 2′ Modified Nucleosides by Intramolecular Nucleophilic Displacement," describes oligonucleotide containing various 2′-modified pyrimidines.
Given the remarkable ability of nucleic acid ligands to be generated against many different target molecules, it would be desirable to have methods for using said ligands as a diagnostic tool. In particular, it would be desirable to attach a plurality of different nucleic acid ligands to a microfabricated solid support (a "biochip"), and then assay the binding to said ligands of target molecules in a bodily fluid. The subject application provides such methods.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A floating marine vessel, an azimuthing thruster assembly, and an underwater mountable azimuthing thruster, having a movable and removable canister and a double mechanical seal and bearings enabling atmospheric pressure lubricating fluid to lubricate the thruster and seal assembly. The moveable and removable canister support the azimuthing thrusters with a propeller shaft axis oriented downwards at an angle 95 degrees to 110 degrees from a rotatable thruster input shaft axis, for reducing thrusts losses due to friction between the propeller wash and the bottom hull of the vessel and reduces thruster to thruster interference when multiple thrusters are operating on the same vessel.

A need exists for a watertight, versatile azimuthing thruster assembly that enables the thrusters to provide increased propulsion efficiency during their operations.
A need exists for a water tight seal in a azimuthing thruster, which doesn't require pressurized lubrication fluids, or complex pressure compensation systems.
A further need exists for a vessel and a thruster assembly for propelling a vessel with tilted azimuthing thrusters which are mounted with canisters for moving between an extended and a retracted position to increase propulsion efficiency.
The present embodiments meet these needs.
The present embodiments are detailed below with reference to the listed Figures.

Vessel and underwater mountable azimuthing thruster


A liquid crystal medium is described, having a wide temperature range of a liquid crystal phase, a large optical anisotropy and a large dielectric anisotropy, and exhibiting an optically isotropic liquid crystal phase. The liquid crystal medium features including a chiral dopant and a liquid crystal compound with chloronaphthalene ring and exhibiting an optically isotropic liquid crystal phase.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a liquid crystal medium useful as a material for an optical device, particularly a liquid crystal medium having a wide temperature range of liquid crystal phase, a large dielectric anisotropy and a large optical anisotropy. The invention also relates to an optical device that utilizes the liquid crystal medium, particularly an optical device that can be used in a wide temperature range and driven at a low voltage and is capable of obtaining a rapid electrooptical response.
2. Description of Related Art
Liquid crystal display (LCD) devices using liquid crystal compositions are widely used for display of clocks, calculators, word processors and so on. These LCD devices utilize the optical anisotropy and dielectric anisotropy of liquid crystal compounds. The operation modes of LCD devices mainly include phase change (PC), twisted nematic (TN), super twisted nematic (STN), bistable twisted nematic (BTN), electrically controlled birefringence (ECB), optically compensated bend (OCB), in-plane switching (IPS), vertical alignment (VA) and so on, which use one or more polarizers for display purposes. Also, many studies have recently been done to the mode where an electric field is applied to an optically isotropic liquid crystal phase to induce electric birefringence (Patent Documents 1-9, Non-patent Documents 1-3).
Moreover, wavelength tuneable filters, wavefront control devices, liquid crystal lenses, aberrational correction devices, aperture control devices, optical head devices and so on that utilize the electric birefringence of a blue phase as one of the optically isotropic liquid crystal phases have been proposed (Patent Document 10-12). According to the driving mode, LCD devices can be classified into passive matrix (PM) and active matrix (AM) types. The PM type is further classified into static type, multiplex type and so on, and the AM type is classified into thin film transistor (TFT) type and metal insulator metal (MIM) type, etc.
Each of these LCD devices contains a liquid crystal composition with suitable properties. To improve the characteristics of an LCD device, it is preferred that the liquid crystal composition has suitable properties. General properties necessary for a liquid crystal compound as a component of a liquid crystal composition include: 1) chemical and physical stability, 2) a high clearing point (liquid crystal phase-isotropic phase transition temperature), 3) a low lower-limit temperature of liquid crystal phase (nematic phase, cholesteric phase, smectic phase, and optically isotropic liquid crystal phases like blue phase, etc.), 4) good compatibility with other liquid crystal compounds, 5) a suitable dielectric anisotropy, and 6) a suitable optical anisotropy. Particularly, for an optically isotropic liquid crystal phase, a liquid crystal compound being large in the dielectric anisotropy and optical anisotropy is preferred from the viewpoint of lowering the driving voltage.
When a liquid crystal composition including a liquid crystal compound with chemical and physical stability (1st property) is used in an LCD device, the voltage holding ratio can be improved. In addition, a liquid crystal composition including a liquid crystal compound having a high clearing point or a low lower-limit temperature of liquid crystal phase (2nd and 3rd properties) can have a wide temperature range of nematic phase or optically isotropic liquid crystal phase, and therefore can be used in display devices in a wide temperature range. To exhibit better properties that are difficult to develop by a single compound, a liquid crystal compound is usually mixed with a number of other liquid crystal compounds to prepare a liquid crystal composition for use. Therefore, a liquid crystal compound used in an LCD device preferably has good compatibility with other liquid crystal compounds (4th property). Recently, LCD devices with superior properties, especially display performances like contrast, display capacity, response time and so on, are required. In addition, regarding the liquid crystal material used, a liquid crystal composition with a low driving voltage is required. Also, in order to drive at a low voltage an optical device that is driven in an optically isotropic liquid crystal phase, a liquid crystal compound being large in the dielectric anisotropy and the optical anisotropy is preferred.
As the optically isotropic polymer/liquid crystal composites disclosed in Patent Documents 1-3 and Non-patent Documents 1-3 are used, the voltage required to operate the device is high. Patent Documents 4-9 disclose optically isotropic liquid crystal compositions and polymer/liquid crystal composites that are expected to have an operating voltage lower than that of the above material, but the optically isotropic liquid crystal composition and polymer/liquid crystal composite containing a compound with a chloro-naphthalene moiety of this application are not mentioned therein.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-327966
[Patent Document 2] International Publication Pamphlet No. 2005/90520
[Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-336477
[Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-89622
[Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-299084
[Patent Document 6] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-506477
[Patent Document 7] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-506515
[Patent Document 8] International Publication Pamphlet No. 2006/063662
[Patent Document 9] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-225655
[Patent Document 10] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-157109
[Patent Document 11] International Publication Pamphlet No. 2005/80529
[Patent Document 12] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-127707
[Non-patent Document 1] Nature Materials, 1, 64, (2002)
[Non-patent Document 2] Adv. Mater., 17, 96, (2005)
[Non-patent Document 3] Journal of the SID, 14, 551, (2006)

Optically isotropic liquid crystal medium and optical device


A bus line is provided with broadly distributed signal termination by using switched termination logic where the pull up resistance of a driver corresponds to the characteristic impedance of the line and the pull down resistance of the driver corresponds to the number of drivers coupled to the line. Accordingly, signals being transmitted over the bus suffer relatively few reflections thus advantageously producing a shortened signal settling time, thereby increasing the attainable signaling frequency.

Cross-Reference to Related Applications
This application relates to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/883,187, attorney docket number SP-2128 US, filed on even date herewith, entitled Differential Receiver and naming Michael A. Ang, Alexander D. Taylor, and Jonathan E. Starr as inventors, the application being incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
This application relates to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/881,926, attorney docket number SP-2489 US, filed on even date herewith, entitled Method for Resolving Differential Signals and naming Michael A. Ang, Alexander D. Taylor and Jonathan E. Starr as inventors, the application being incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
This application relates to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/881,939 attorney docket number SP-2086 US, filed on even date herewith, entitled Impedance Control Circuit and naming Sai V. Vishwanthaiah, Alexander S. Taylor and Jonathan E. Starr as inventors, the application being incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
This application relates to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/881,940, attorney docket number SP-2486 US, filed on even date herewith, entitled Method for Controlling the Impedance of a Driver Circuit and naming Sai V. Vishwanthaiah, Alexander S. Taylor and Jonathan E. Starr as inventors, the application being incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
This application relates to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/881,938, attorney docket number SP-2547 US, filed on even date herewith, entitled Method for Determining Bit Element Values for Driver Impedance Control and naming Sai V. Vishwanthaiah, Alexander S. Taylor and Jonathan E. Starr as inventors, the application being incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
This application relates to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/881,927, attorney docket number SP-2485 US, filed on even date herewith, entitled Method of Broadly Distributing Termination for Buses Using Switched Terminators and naming Jonathan E. Starr as inventor, the application being incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to buses and more particularly to termination of buses for use in information processing systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
In computer and information processing systems, various integrated circuit chips communicate digitally with each other over a common bus. The signal frequency at which this communication occurs can limit the performance of the overall system. Thus, the higher the communication frequency, the better. The maximum frequency at which a system communicates is a function not only of the time that it takes for the electromagnetic wavefronts to propagate on the bus from one chip to another, but also of the time required for the signals to settle to levels than can be recognized reliably at the receiving bus nodes as being high or low, referred to as the settling time.
The length of the settling time is a function of the amount of reflection and ringing that occurs on the signal bus. The more effective the termination of a bus system, the smaller the effects of reflection and ringing in the system and the shorter the overall settling time of the signal.

Broadly distributed termination for buses using switched terminator logic


A hydrodynamic bearing device is provided for use with a spindle motor. The hydrodynamic bearing device has a sleeve made of a sintered metal that is obtained by sintering a sintering material that is iron, an iron alloy, copper, a copper alloy or a mixture thereof. This sintered metal has independent pores, which do not communicate with each other, by selecting conditions for forming a desired sintered body within a predetermined range. The conditions includes a grain size of powdered metal of a material for the sintered metal, a molding pressure when the molded body is formed, sintering temperature and sintering period in the sintering step.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a hydrodynamic bearing device utilizing a dynamic pressure and a method for manufacturing the device.
2. Background Information
In recent years, a storage capacity of a recording apparatus or the like using a disk or the like has been increasing, and a data transmission rate thereof has been increasing as well. A high speed and a high precision of rotation is necessary for a spindle motor that is used for such a recording apparatus. Therefore, a hydrodynamic bearing device is used for a rotation shaft portion of the spindle motor. A conventional hydrodynamic bearing device will be described below with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10.
FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of a spindle motor including a conventional hydrodynamic bearing device. As shown in FIG. 9, a sleeve 101 having a bearing bore 101a is made of a sintered metal that is made of sintering powdered metal, such as a copper alloy. The sleeve 101 is made of a sintered metal mainly to reduce manufacturing costs. If the sleeve 101 is produced by machining a metal bar or the like, a lot of chips will be generated as waste material. In contrast, a sintered metal does not generate such chips. In addition, the time necessary for producing a sleeve using a sintered metal is a fraction of the time necessary for producing the same by machining. Accordingly, the production using a sintered metal is suitable for low-cost mass production.
On the outer surface of the sleeve 101, a sleeve cover 114 is provided. The sleeve cover 114 is made of a metal that is not a sintered metal. A shaft 102 is inserted in the bearing bore 101a of the sleeve 101 in a rotatable manner. A thrust flange 103 is fixed to a lower end portion of the shaft 102. The thrust flange 103 is housed in a space enclosed by the sleeve 101, the sleeve cover 114 and a thrust plate 104. A lower face of the thrust flange 103 in FIG. 9 is opposed to the thrust plate 104. An upper face of the thrust flange 103 is opposed to a lower end face of the sleeve 101.
A rotor hub 105 is fixed to an upper end portion of the shaft 102. A rotor magnet 106 is fixed to an inner surface of the rotor hub 105. The rotor magnet 106 is opposed to a motor stator 107 that is fixed to a base 108. An inner surface of the bearing bore 101a of the sleeve 101 is provided with dynamic pressure generating grooves 109a and 109b in the radial direction that are well known in the art. In addition, a face of the thrust plate 104 that is opposed to the thrust flange 103 is provided with dynamic pressure generating grooves 110a in the thrust direction that are also well known. Dynamic pressure generating grooves 110b may be formed on at least one of the opposed faces of the thrust flange 103 and the sleeve 101, if necessary. Oil 111, as working fluid, is filled in the space between the shaft 102 and the sleeve 101, including the dynamic pressure generating grooves 109a, 109b, 110a and 110b, as well as in the space between the thrust flange 103 and the sleeve 101 and the space between the thrust flange 103 and the thrust plate 104.
An operation of the conventional hydrodynamic bearing device will be described with reference to FIG. 9. When the motor stator 107 is supplied with power, a torque is generated by the rotor magnet 106, so that the rotor hub 105, the shaft 102 and the thrust flange 103 rotate as one body. As a result of this rotation, the dynamic pressure generating grooves 109a, 109b, 110a and 110b respectively give a pumping pressure to the oil 111 in the corresponding portions. Accordingly, radial bearings are formed at the area of the dynamic pressure generating grooves 109a and 109b for supporting the shaft 102 in the radial direction, while thrust bearings are formed at the area of the dynamic pressure generating grooves 110a and 110b for supporting the flange 103 in the thrust direction. Thus, the shaft 102 and the flange 103 rotate without contacting the bearing bore 101a and the thrust plate 104.
Since the sleeve 101 is made of a sintered metal, it has pores at 2-15% of volume (small spaces contained in the sintered metal). The pores include those called "tissue pores" existing inside the sintered metal and those called "surface pores" opening on the surface of the sintered metal. In a usual sintered metal, the surface pores and the tissue pores are communicated with each other. Although the sleeve 101 made of the sintered metal is impregnated with oil at a pressure lower than an atmospheric pressure in advance, the oil can pass through the sleeve 101 by moving in the pores. In the conventional example, the sleeve 101 is surrounded by the sleeve cover 114 so that the oil does not leak externally by moving through the pores.
According to the structure of the conventional hydrodynamic bearing device shown in FIG. 9, it is necessary to insert the sleeve 101 inside the sleeve cover 114 in the manufacturing process, which increases the number of man-hours in production. Since the sleeve 101 and the sleeve cover 111 are individual parts, the number of parts increases and the cost is also increased. In addition, if the sleeve 101 is inserted in the sleeve cover 114 with an inclined position, as shown in FIG. 10 in the insertion process, the axis of the bearing bore 101a is not kept perpendicular to the surface of the thrust plate 104. In this state, the gap of the thrust bearing or the radial bearing shown in FIG. 9 becomes uneven so that the shaft 102 cannot be supported in a stable manner. If the unevenness of the gap increases, the shaft 102 contacts the bearing bore 101a of the sleeve 101 and the bearing is seized up. The same problem can occur if the axis of the bearing bore 101a of the sleeve 101 is not precisely perpendicular to the opposed face of the thrust flange 103 fixed to the shaft 102.
When the shaft 102 rotates in the conventional hydrodynamic bearing described above, a hydraulic pressure within the range of 2-5 atmospheric pressures is generated by the radial dynamic pressure generating grooves 109a and 109b. If the oil is driven by this hydraulic pressure to flow in the pores of the sleeve 101, the hydraulic pressure is reduced to 70% of the above-mentioned pressure. As a result, stiffness of the radial bearing is also reduced to approximately 70%. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-322145 discloses a method of covering the entire surface of the sleeve 101 with a coating layer that is not permeable to oil in order to prevent the oil from entering the pores of the sleeve 101. This method includes a step of forming the coating layer. Consequently, the method has many steps and a high cost.


The present invention provides a seed boot and packer wheel for use with a cultivator particularly of the type for mounting directly on a cultivator shank. The seed boot and packer wheel comprise a seed boot, an attachment means fixing the seed boot to the cultivator shank adjacent a bottom edge of the shank and behind a sweep or other soil opener, a packer wheel, a packer wheel mounting means mounting the packer wheel directly onto the seed boot, and a horizontal spring for biasing the packer wheel downwards.

Seed boots and packer wheels are mounted on cultivators for seeding and fertilizing. Many of the known seed boots are mounted on the cultivator shanks with their discharge ends spaced well above the bottom of the soil openers. This arrangement can contribute to the improper spread of seed or placement of fertilizer.
Packer wheels currently being used which are biased downwards by coil springs are usually are not compact and do not leave enough clearance between the wheel, spring, and the bottom of the cultivator. This can cause a problem when large clumps of soil or rocks are encountered.
The seed boots and packer wheels currently being used are also often separate components. This requires that the components be fixed to the cultivator at different points and also contributes to them being less compact.

Seeding assembly including seed boot and boot mounted, resiliently biased packer wheel