The present invention is a stent delivery catheter system for placing a stent within a stenosis in a vessel of a human body. The stent delivery catheter system utilizes a slideable sheath with a thin-walled distal portion that is situated coaxially over a stent that is placed onto a balloon located at the distal portion of a balloon angioplasty catheter. The distal end of a central portion of the sheath has an interior shoulder which is capable of exerting a distally directed push force on the balloon angioplasty catheter at a point that is just proximal to the stent. This push force is then transferred through the non-deployed stent to a gradually tapered, highly flexible, lubricity coated distal tip of the balloon angioplasty catheter. The structure of a continuous outer surface extending backward from the distal tip and onto the distal section of the sheath, plus the lubricity coating of the outer surfaces of the distal tip and the sheath, plus the increased stent delivery catheter system pushability provided by the sheath and the stent itself makes it possible for the stent delivery catheter system to be pushed through even very tight stenoses.

Intravascular stents are well known in the field of interventional cardiology for the treatment of arterial stenoses. When placed through the body's vascular system, most stents are mounted onto a balloon angioplasty catheter with or without a cylindrical sheath that covers the stent prior to stent deployment by balloon expansion at the site of a dilated stenosis. Self-expanding stents are almost always contained within a cylindrical sheath which is pulled back to release the stent. If a sheath is not used, the rough surface of the stent can damage or remove endothelial cells from the arterial wall as the outer surface of the stent rubs the inside walls of the curved coronary (or other) arteries. Without a sheath, the stent may also get caught on the guiding catheter during movement into or out of the body which can cause the stent to come off the delivery catheter and embolize into the vasculature. When a sheath is used, it can have a few disadvantages. A first disadvantage is that all prior art sheaths are tubes that have a uniform wall thickness and are secured only at the proximal end to the stent delivery catheter system. Therefore, in order to have a sufficient column strength, the sheath must be relatively thick-walled, throughout its entire length, which makes it stiff and bulky so that passage through tortuous coronary arteries can be difficult. Another disadvantage of prior art sheaths is that they have blunt distal ends which can be caught on an already deployed stent, a calcified piece of intimal dissected tissue or a tight stenosis. Still further, when secured only at the proximal end of a stent delivery catheter, the sheath often either uncovers the stent due to significant bending of the stent delivery catheter or the sheath advances too far distally beyond the distal end of the stent. Finally, because of the larger diameter, blunt end and stiffness of sheathed stent delivery systems or the rough outer surface of unsheathed stent delivery systems, pre-dilatation with another balloon angioplasty catheter is almost always required before stent implantation.
Another disadvantage of existing stent delivery catheter systems that use either a conventional sheath or have stents mounted bare onto an inflatable balloon is that the distally directed push force for such stent delivery catheters comes only from the inner and outer shafts of the balloon angioplasty catheter on which the inflatable balloon is situated. Specifically, in no prior art device does the sheath contribute to the pushability of the stent delivery catheter system.


A method for a vehicle, comprising: indicating a true fill level of a fuel tank based on a fuel vapor canister temperature profile during a refueling event. In this way, a quantity fuel dispensed over the maximum fill level of the fuel tank may be accounted for, regardless of the fuel level sensor reading.

Vehicle fuel tanks typically have a fuel level sensor which provides an estimate of the amount of fuel stored in the fuel tank. The fuel tank and fuel level sensor may be configured such that a maximum fuel fill level is designated that is less than the total volume of the fuel tank. The remaining volume above the maximum fuel fill level may be referred to as a vapor dome, or ullage space. The ullage space allows for the storage of fuel vapors generated in the tank without causing excessive tank pressure. The ullage space may also provide protection for the fuel tank in the event of a collision.
During a refueling event, when the fuel level sensor reaches the maximum fuel fill level, the fuel dispenser may be automatically shut off, to prevent the filling of the ullage space. However, the refueling operator may choose to further "trickle-fill" or "top off" the fuel tank by slowly adding fuel above the maximum fuel level without triggering another automatic shutoff event. In this scenario, the fuel level sensor will still indicate that the fuel fill level is equal to the maximum fuel fill level, even if more fuel is present. In some cases, the ullage space may hold up to 2-3 additional gallons of fuel above the maximum fuel fill level.
Underestimating the amount of fuel in the fuel tank may have additional downstream consequences. Many vehicles provide the operator an estimate of "miles-to-empty" on a dashboard control panel. Inaccurate estimates may lead vehicle operators to alter their trip planning unnecessarily, or may cause the operators to disregard the estimates completely. Additionally, fuel level sensor diagnostics often compare fuel level sensor readings with expected readings based on fuel consumed. If the fuel tank is overfilled (and in particular, if the fuel tank is consistently overfilled after short trips) the fuel level sensor may continuously report 100% fill level, leading to the setting of a diagnostic code, even if the sensor is working properly.
The inventors herein have identified the above problems, and have developed systems and methods to at least partially address them. In one example, a method for a vehicle, comprising: indicating a true fill level of a fuel tank based on a fuel vapor canister temperature profile during a refueling event. In this way, a quantity fuel dispensed over the maximum fill level of the fuel tank may be accounted for, regardless of the fuel level sensor reading.
In another example, a system for a vehicle, comprising: a fuel vapor canister coupled to a fuel tank; a temperature sensor coupled to a load side of the fuel vapor canister; and a controller configured with executable instructions stored in non-transitory memory, that when executed, cause the controller to: monitor a temperature profile at the temperature sensor during a refueling event; determine a duration of a first cooling period of the temperature profile; determine a duration of a second cooling period of the temperature profile; determine a first quantity of fuel dispensed into the fuel tank based on the duration of the first cooling period; determine a second quantity of fuel dispensed into the fuel tank based on the duration of the second cooling period; and determine a true fill level of a fuel tank based on a sum of the first quantity of fuel, the second quantity of fuel, and a fill level immediately prior to refueling. In this way, the fuel vapor entering the fuel vapor canister during a refueling event may be leveraged to determine the amount of fuel dispensed into the fuel tank. The cooling periods observed by a temperature sensor disposed at the load side of the fuel vapor canister are proportionate to the amount of fuel dispensed. Thus, even if fuel is added to the ullage space of the fuel tank, an accurate assessment of the tank fill level can be obtained.
In yet another example, a method for a fuel system of a vehicle, comprising: monitoring a temperature profile at a temperature sensor coupled to a load side of a fuel vapor canister during a refueling event; determining a duration of a first cooling period of the temperature profile; determining a duration of a second cooling period of the temperature profile; determining a first quantity of fuel dispensed into a fuel tank based on the duration of the first cooling period; determining a second quantity of fuel dispensed into the fuel tank based on the duration of the second cooling period; determining a true fill level of a fuel tank based on a sum of the first quantity of fuel, the second quantity of fuel, and a fill level immediately prior to refueling; under a first condition, determining an expected driving range for the vehicle based on the true fill level, and not based on the fill level indicated by a fuel level sensor coupled within the fuel tank; and under the first condition, executing a diagnostic test based on the true fill level. In this way, downstream calculations and parameters that are based on the fuel fill level may be determined accurately and robustly. Expected driving range for a vehicle may take into consideration all of the fuel in the fuel tank, whereas current methods only consider fuel up to the maximum fill level, as indicated by a fuel level sensor. Diagnostic test that depend on changes in fuel level may be performed more robustly, even when the fuel level sensor reads 100% of maximum tank capacity despite fuel being present in the fuel tank ullage space above 100% of maximum tank capacity.
The above advantages and other advantages, and features of the present description will be readily apparent from the following Detailed Description when taken alone or in connection with the accompanying drawings.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

System and methods for ullage space fuel level estimation


There is provided an in-vehicle AC generator having a regulator assembly that is mounted in the bracket of the AC generator. The regulator holding unit provided in the regulator assembly has a containing portion in which at least the whole periphery of an opening is surrounded by a wall member; a circuit unit of the regulator is inserted into the containing portion through the opening; the heat sink for the regulator is held by the containing portion in such a way that the peripheral portion thereof is adhered to the wall member that surrounds the whole periphery of the opening, and closes the opening; and the containing portion is provided with a resin filled in the vicinity of the contained circuit unit.

An in-vehicle AC generator mounted in a vehicle such as an automobile and driven by an internal-combustion engine is provided with a rectifier that converts an AC voltage induced across the stator winding thereof into a DC voltage, and a regulator that adjusts a voltage induced across the stator winding thereof. In general, the regulator is provided with a circuit unit having a circuit that adjusts a voltage induced across the stator winding, and a heat sink that makes contact with the surface of the circuit unit and radiates heat generated in the circuit unit; the regulator is mounted in a regulator holding unit. The regulator holding unit, a brush holding unit that holds a brush, and an external terminal holding unit that holds an external terminal for connecting the regulator with an external apparatus are integrally assembled in a regulator assembly. The regulator assembly is mounted at an axis-direction end of the AC generator.
In a conventional in-vehicle AC generator, a regulator holding unit provided in a regulator assembly includes a containing portion for containing a circuit unit of a regulator; three sides of the containing portion are surrounded by a wall member and the rest is opened. The circuit unit of the regulator is contained in the containing portion of the regulator holding unit; three peripheral sides of a heat sink adhered to the circuit unit are adhered to a wall member that surrounds the containing portion. In the containing portion of the regulator holding unit, the contained circuit unit is protected and held by a curable resin that is filled into the containing portion through the opened side (for example, refer to Patent Documents 1 and 2).
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-16829
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-142423

In-vehicle AC generator having an enclosed regulator holding unit


The present invention relates to drug delivery device for dispensing of a predefined amount of a medicinal product, comprising:                at least one housing component (2),        a cartridge holder component (4) to receive a product-containing cartridge (3), the cartridge having a piston slidably arranged therein,        a drive mechanism component operably engageable with the piston of the cartridge (3) for dispensing of a dose of the medicinal product,wherein at least one of said components (2, 4, 6) at least partially comprises a biodegradable plastic material comprising at least one additive adapted to modify a degradation process of the plastic material.

Drug delivery devices, which allow multiple dosing of the required dosage of liquid drug and administration of the liquid to a patient, are well known in the art. Generally, such devices have substantially the same purpose as that of an ordinary syringe.
Injectors of this kind must meet a number of requirements to match a user's needs. The devices have to be robust in construction, yet easy to use both in terms of the manipulation of the parts and understanding by a user of its operation. In the case of those with diabetes, many users will be physically infirm and may also have impaired vision. Where the injector is to be disposable rather than reusable, the injector should be cheap to manufacture and easy to dispose of. Preferably, the drug delivery device should be suitable for recycling.
Typical drug delivery devices, e.g. pen-type injectors comprise numerous components, such as a housing, a cartridge holder and a drive mechanism, wherein the drive mechanism is adapted to apply thrust on a piston of a cartridge containing the medicinal product or drug to be dispensed in doses by the device. At least some of the components of such drug delivery devices, in particular a removable cap, a housing and/or a cartridge holder are manufactured as injection moulded plastic parts that are generally demanded to fulfil requirements regarding mechanical stability and rigidity and yet generally have to comply with low cost demands regarding the manufacture of such devices.
Usage of user- or patient-operated injection pens and drug delivery devices is growing in number due to a manifold of diseases requiring injection of a respective medicinal product or liquid drug. Among these, diabetes requiring hypodermic or subcutaneous administering of a liquid drug like insulin, plays a predominant role.
Disposable or single-use drug delivery devices typically turn to plastic disposal after use and therefore constitute a burden on the environment, in particular if disposed in landfills.

Drug delivery device with biodegradable plastic components


A microscope includes an illuminating optical system that illuminates the test object under predetermined illumination conditions, an imaging optical system that forms an image of the test object, and an image sensor that outputs an image signal. A computer includes an image analyzing unit that acquires an image feature amount of the test object on the basis of the image signal detected by the image sensor, a comparison unit that compares the image feature amount of the test object with image feature amounts of a plurality of sample test objects and specifies an image feature amount of a sample test object closest to the image feature amount of the test object, and a setting unit that sets illumination conditions of the illuminating optical system on the basis of an illumination state suitable for observation of a sample test object having the image feature amount specified by the comparison unit.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microscope system, a server, and a program which can derive and form an intensity distribution of illumination light suitable for observation.
Description of Related Art
In bright-field microscopes, an intensity distribution of illumination light is adjusted by varying a circular aperture. In addition, there are cases where the shape of the aperture is selected and used through determination of an observer. In phase-contrast microscopes, a ring (orbicular) aperture and a phase ring form the intensity distribution of illumination light.
Since the intensity distribution of illumination light has a great influence on an observed image of a test object, studies into the improvement in quality of the observed image of a test object have been made in addition to improvement of the circular aperture, the ring aperture, the phase ring, and the like. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-237109 shows a phase-contrast microscope in which a modulation unit is provided so as to surround a ring region where a phase ring is provided in a ring shape, and the modulation unit and regions other than the modulation unit are formed so as to have different transmission axes, and thereby contrast can be continuously variable.

Microscope system, server, and program providing intensity distribution of illumination light suitable for observation


An optical semiconductor device and an infrared data communication apparatus eliminating a direct current component and a low frequency component included in a light signal. The optical semiconductor device converts a light signal into an electric signal and amplifies the converted electric signal. The optical semiconductor device includes: a photodiode which converts a light signal into a current signal; another photodiode which converts a light signal into a current signal; a current amplifying circuit which includes an operational amplifier which amplifies an output current from the photodiode; and a current-voltage conversion circuit which converts an output current from the other photodiode into a voltage. An output terminal of the current amplifying circuit is connected to an input terminal of the current-voltage conversion circuit.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical semiconductor device and an infrared data communication apparatus eliminating a direct current component and a low frequency component included in a light signal, and amplifying a high frequency component only.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Infrared data communication apparatuses for communicating data, using an infrared light signal between: mobile communications devices; or a personal computer and a peripheral device conform to the IrDA (Infrared Data Association) standard. FIG. 1 exemplifies an optical semiconductor device in the infrared data communication apparatuses.
For example, the optical semiconductor device in the drawing receives, with a photodiode 401 a light signal, and photoelectrically converts the received light signal. Here, the light signal includes a direct current component on which an alternating current component is superimposed. The photoelectrically converted current signal is converted into a voltage by a conversion resistor 404 included in a current-voltage conversion circuit 410, Then, a differentiating circuit 409 including a capacitor 407 and a resistor 408 negates the direct current component in the voltage, and extracts the alternative current only. Thus, the alternating current component is outputted as an output voltage Vout. An optical semiconductor device in FIG. 1 is an alternating current amplifier configured above. It is to be notified that NPN transistors 402 and 403, and resistors 405 and 406 provide the photodiode 401 a bias voltage, and amplify a photoelectric current outputted from the photodiode 401, as well.
In order to increase sensitivity of the above described alternating current amplifier, typically, a resistance value of the conversion resistor 404 is enlarged. A voltage fluctuation range (voltage swing) of the conversion resistor 404 is, however, limited within a variation range of the output voltage Vout of the alternating current amplifier. Thus, one problem occurs when the resistance value of the conversion resistor 404 is enlarged in that the photoelectric current flowing into the photodiode 401; that is a dynamic range of the photoelectric current flowing into conversion resistor 404, becomes small.
For example, the largest photoelectric current Imax to be possibly flown into the conversion resistor 404 becomes significantly small to be expressed as:Imax=(5−2×0.7)/200 kΩ=18 μAwhere the resistance value of the conversion resistor 404 is 200 kΩ, a forward voltage VBE of the NPN transistors 402 and 403 is 0.7 V, and a direct current voltage of a direct current drive power source Vcc is 5V.
Further, when a low cut-off frequency fc in low frequency in the differentiating circuit 409 is conceived to be set low in the case where the alternating current amplifier is to be a monolithic integrated circuit, a capacitance value of the capacitor 407 in the differentiating circuit 409 needs to be enlarged. Thus, the only way to set the low cut-off frequency fc is to increase the size of the capacitor 407. This prevents the alternate current amplifier from downsizing.
For example, a transfer rate is 115.2 kbps in the SIR (Serial IrDA) of the IrDA. Thus, a capacitance value C, of the capacitor 407, to be needed in the case where the cut-off frequency fc in the differentiating circuit 409 is set to 100 KHz, is expressed as:fc=1/(2π×C×10 kΩ)=100 kHzwhere the resistance value of the resistor 408 in the differentiating circuit 409 is 10 kΩ. Accordingly, the capacitance value becomes relatively large to be C=160 pF.
As described above, the alternating current amplifier shown in FIG. 1 has problems in that: a dynamic range of a photoelectric current becomes small; and the alternating current amplifier cannot be downsized when an alternating current amplifier is to be a monolithic integrated circuit.
Thus, a structure shown in Patent Reference 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 04-32307 has been proposed. FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of an alternating current amplifier photoelectrically converting a light signal including an alternating current component and a direct current component, and then extracting only the alternating current component from a current signal obtained through the photoelectric conversion, and amplifies the extracted alternating current component. The alternating current amplifier in the circuit diagram includes two photodiodes 501 and 502, a current mirror circuit 510, and a current-voltage conversion circuit 410. Here, the photodiodes 501 and 502 receive to convert a light signal into a current signal. The current mirror circuit 510 extracts only the alternating current component from the above current signal, using NPN transistors 511 and 512, and a capacitor 515. Here, the NPN transistors 511 and 512 are respectively connected to photodiodes 501 and 502, and the capacitor 515 is connected between a base and a collector of an NPN transistor 512. The current-voltage conversion circuit 410 has an identical structure to the current-voltage conversion circuit 410 in FIG. 1, and converts an output current I14 of the current mirror circuit 510 into a voltage.
Photoelectric currents I11 and I12 are equal since the photodiodes 501 and 502 are both connected to the current mirror circuit 510. Here, the photoelectric currents I11 and I12 are generated at both of the photodiodes 501 and 502 upon receiving the light signal. Here, the following holds:I11=I12=IDC+IAC where, for each of the photoelectric currents I11 and I12, the direct current component is IDC and the alternating current component is IAC.
The photoelectric current I11 directly flows into the NPN transistor 511. With regard to the photoelectric current I12, only the direct current component IDC in the photoelectric current I12 flows into the NPN transistor 512, since the capacitor 515 connected between the collector and the base of the NPN transistor 512 performs an integral action. Here:I13=IDC is held, where a current flowing into the NPN transistor 512 is I13. A current I14 flowing into the conversion resistor 404 is held as:I14=I12−I13=(IDC+IAC)−IDC=IAC.In other words, only the alternating current component IAC of the photoelectric current I12 equivalent to the photoelectric current I11 is flown into the conversion resistor 404. Where a resistance value of the conversion resistor 404 is set to R, an output voltage Vout is expressed as:Vout=R×IAC Here, only the alternating current component is extracted.
The largest photoelectric currents I11 and I12 to be possibly flown into the conversion resistor 404 are determined by the largest current value to be possibly flown into the current mirror circuit 510, regardless of the resistance value of the conversion resistor 404. In theory, the current mirror circuit 510 is operationally capable until a rise of a collector potential at the NPN transistor 511 nears a direct current voltage of a direct current drive power source Vcc, the rise occurring by a base current of the NPN transistor 511 flowing into a resistor 513. Considering a practical level, however, in the case where an end-to-end voltage of the resistor 513 is assumed to be raised approximately up to 0.1V, the largest value Imax of the photoelectric currents I11 and I12 is expressed as follows:Imax=(0.1V/10 kΩ)×100=1 mAwhere the resistance value of the resistor 513 is 10 kΩ, and a current amplification factor of the NPN transistor 511 is 100. Therefore, the Imax (here, 1 mA) is approximately 50 times as great as 18 μA; namely, the largest photoelectric current described in the FIG. 1, and thus, a dynamic range of an input photoelectric current can be kept significantly high even in the case where sensitivity of the photodiode is high.
Now, a capacitance of the capacitor 515 is described when the cut-off frequency fc is set to the 100 kHz described in FIG. 1, in the case where the alternating current amplifier is to be a monolithic integrated circuit. Where the cut-off frequency fc of the current mirror circuit 510 is 100 kHz, as described above, a resistance value of the resistor 514 is 10 kΩ, and the current amplification factor of the NPN transistor 512 is 100, the following expression:fc=1/(2π×C×10 kΩ)=100 kHzleads out C=1.6 μF, which is 1/100 of 160 pF described in FIG. 1. Thus, the capacitor 515 can be significantly downsized.
However, the optical semiconductor device in the above related art has following problems.
In the IrDA, the transfer rate is accelerating due to an increasing amount of data to be transferred. The FIR (Fast Infrared) requires the transfer rate of 4 Mbps, and the VFIR (Very Fast Infrared), which is faster than the FIR, requires the transfer rate of 16 Mbps. Further, the UFIR (Ultra Fast Infrared), which is currently under study, requires the transfer rate of 100 Mbps. This requires an optical semiconductor device to operate fast. The optical semiconductor device in the above related art, meanwhile, uses a current mirror circuit. Thus, a response speed of the current mirror circuit is slow in transition from a no-signal state to an operation start with a signal inputted. In other words, the conventional optical semiconductor device has a problem of not operating in a high frequency band (100 MHz, for example).
Moreover, along with the accelerating operation speed, noise generated by the optical semiconductor device increases. To be more specific, a high speed operation of the current mirror circuit from no signal conditions requires the NPN transistor, structuring the current mirror circuit, to be under an active state with a direct current always flown. Hence, noise which current mirror circuit itself generates cannot be ignored. In order to improve an S/N ratio, therefore, unfortunately, low exogenous noise ranging between the direct current and several tens of megahertz needs to be cut down, the several tens of megahertz being close to a signal band.
In order to be compatible with the transfer rate of 100 Mbps as described above: the noise ranging between the direct current and several tens of megahertz needs to be cut down, the several tens of megahertz being close to a signal band; and a high frequency component, which equals to or more than several tens of megahertz, needs to be amplified, as well.

Optical semiconductor device and infrared data communication apparatus eliminating low frequency component


Aspects of the disclosure relate to controlling autonomous vehicles to optimize traffic characteristics. A computing platform may receive vehicle guidance data from autonomous vehicle control systems of vehicles. Subsequently, the computing platform may identify a number of the vehicles currently operating in an autonomous mode based on the vehicle guidance data. Thereafter, the computing platform may identify a target number of the vehicles to be operated in an autonomous mode in order to optimize traffic characteristics. Then, the computing platform may generate messages directing selected vehicles to switch into autonomous mode in order to achieve the target number. Subsequently, the computing platform may send the messages directing the selected vehicles to switch into autonomous mode in order to receive incentives. Thereafter, the computing platform may award the incentives to the selected vehicles that switch into the autonomous mode as directed by the messages.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to controlling the operation of vehicle control and guidance systems for one or more autonomous vehicles. In particular, one or more aspects of the disclosure relate to providing incentives for drivers of autonomous vehicles to adjust autonomous vehicle settings in order to improve one or more traffic characteristics.
Autonomous vehicles are becoming increasingly sophisticated as satellite navigation technologies, traffic and pedestrian sensor technologies, and guidance technologies continue to improve. Despite advances in various technologies, however, it may be difficult to coordinate or otherwise direct autonomous vehicles to drive effectively together with other autonomous vehicles and non-autonomous vehicles. For example, different autonomous vehicles may have different capabilities, and therefore different autonomous vehicles may not coordinate effectively with other vehicles, resulting in decreased traffic characteristics such as safety, traffic flow, and average speed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Controlling autonomous vehicles to optimize traffic characteristics


A fluid storage tank made of a plurality of steel plates welded together is reinforced by winding a plurality of continuous, high tensile strength, non-metallic filaments around and in contact with the plates and applying a resin to the filaments to define a composite material of the filaments in a resin matrix. In one embodiment, substantially the entire exterior surface of the shell is covered by the composite material to form a reinforcing jacket. In another embodiment, the composite material is formed into a plurality of spaced reinforcing bands extending around the shell.

The present invention relates to large fluid storage tanks and, more particularly, to a method of preventing the bursting of storage tanks made of a material which is subject to failure under load by a rapidly propagating fracture. The present invention also relates to reinforced storage tanks produced in connection with the method.
In 1988, an oil storage tank in Floreffe, Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh burst, spilling about 3.8 million gallons of oil into the Monongahela River. The oil flowed down the Monongahela River and then down the Ohio River causing immense damage. The owner of the tank received more than 4,000 claims totalling $18,000,000 from individuals, businesses, and government agencies, and paid clean-up costs and provided drinking water or assistance to more than 17 communities along the rivers from Pittsburgh to Louisville, Ky.
The failure of the tank, which was made of steel and built in the 1940's was due to a dime-size flaw in the tank's steel shell, which was present when the tank was first erected. The fact that the flaw was near a weld caused the material near the flaw tip to become embrittled, and the embrittlement led to a fracture which rapidly propagated from the flaw to the top and the bottom of the tank, probably in less than one second. The embrittlement is believed to have been caused by the phenomenon of dynamic-strain-aging, but other factors can lead to the failure of a tank, such as thermal cycling from the change of seasons, load cycling from the filling and emptying of the tank, and corrosion. The bursting of the 48-foot high, 120 foot diameter tank was so sudden and so complete that: the weld joint attaching the tank shell to the bottom plates failed; the ruptured tank shell, propelled by the force of the gushing oil, moved over 100 feet in a direction opposite the rupture, taking the tank roof with it; and the oil stream hit an adjacent tank with such force that it dented the steel shell.
The failure of the tank has caused concern that other catastrophic failures could occur. The concern is not only that further pollution problems could arise, but that escaping flammable liquids could ignite, causing a tremendous explosion that could involve an entire tank farm. It is estimated that there are presently over 20,000 of these 1930's/1940's vintage liquid storage tanks on the navigable waterways of the United States. Because of its type and age, the steel used in these tanks is subject to embrittlement and rapidly propagating brittle fractures, especially at low temperatures. Thus, the tanks are subject not only to stresses imposed by the fluids contained, but also to additional stresses imposed by flaws in their shells. However, despite the fact that the damage caused by the bursting of one of these tanks is tremendous, the cost of replacing them or emptying and reconstructing them is so great that no extensive activity in replacing or reconstructing them has taken place.
In years since the 1940's, as an alternative to steel, it has been proposed that large storage tanks be constructed of helically-wound filamentary material which is either impregnated with an unpolymerized resin before winding or treated with a subsequently applied resin. An example of such a tank having a shell made only of a composite material of strands of glass fibers and a resin is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,808,097 to W. G. Martin. The tank is constructed using a mandrel comprising a plurality of arcuate plates which are removed when the forming of the storage structure has been completed. Another example of a shell made of resin and filaments is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,537,938 to H. R. Clements, wherein the shell includes several layers of resin or resin and filaments in various forms.
It has also been known to form large structures of a plurality of panels made of glass fiber reinforced plastic resin honeycomb bonded together at their abutting edges and to reinforce such structures with strands of filaments coated with the resin and wrapped around the structure, in order that the structure is strong enough to withstand the high radial forces which translate into hoop tension when the structures are used for storing liquids. Such structures, like that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,819,450 to Bernard P. Kunz, seek to obtain the strength of the conventional steel storage tank without the weight and cost which are associated with steel tanks.
Although proposals have been made to avoid the problems of steel storage tanks by constructing new tanks of composite material, such tanks have been designed merely to withstand the forces of the fluids in the tanks. Thus, the additional stresses due to flaws in materials have not been dealt with, and the problems of making thousands of existing steel tanks safe and constructing safer new tanks of steel have not been solved.
No effective or practical solution has been proposed for the problem of making aging steel storage tanks safe. Since the storage tanks comprise a large number of steel plates welded together, previous approaches to solving the problem of the deteriorating storage tanks have included from time to time, carefully inspecting the welds for defects and correcting any defects found, as well as inspecting the plates for corrosion, repairing any spots where corrosion is found, and, if the corrosion is serious, removing and replacing the particular plates affected. In some instances, repairs have been effected by securing patches over those areas exhibiting defects or flaws. To be successful, these approaches rely on the inspections to find the problems that exist and on the repairs to adequately correct the problems. This is for the reason that patches are only secured in those areas in which defects are found; thus, undetected flaws and defects remain as potential sources of problems.
Other approaches have involved proposals for avoiding the conditions which lead to the failure of storage tanks. In an article in the Oil & Gas Journal of Feb. 19, 1990, entitled "Brittle Fracture of Old Storage Tanks Can Be Prevented", a number of suggestions were made for avoiding such conditions. Since low temperatures lead to failures, it was suggested that external insulation be provided on the tank shell so that the liquid stored in the tank will keep the shell relatively warm. Since high stress at low temperatures can lead to tank failures, the article proposed limiting the fill height of tanks to less than 75 percent of the their shell height during winter conditions (for material having low toughness). The article further suggested determining any sources of shock loading of the tank shell and avoiding them if possible. Since high stress concentrations can lead to failure of the tanks, the article proposed water testing the tanks. In the case of oil storage tanks, because the specific gravity of the liquids to be stored are generally between 0.7 and 0.9, filling the tank with water will test the tank at a significant overload relative to its normal loading in service. The article disclosed that the overload has the beneficial effect of causing locations in the tank shell having high stress concentrations, such as at discontinuities or defects, to yield so that stress peaks are removed and crack tips blunted.
A drawback with water testing is that it must be carried out during warmer weather. It also requires that the tank be emptied of the liquid that it normally stores. A problem with limiting the fill height of the stored liquid in the tank to less than 75 percent of the shell height during winter conditions is, of course, that not as much liquid can be stored. All of the approaches seeking to avoid conditions which lead to the failure of storage tanks have the problem that the tanks are subject to failure if the measures taken are not successful in avoiding the conditions. Furthermore, the condition avoidance remedies such as providing an insulation and limiting fill height, are usually based on the worst conditions expected for a particular site. If conditions which occasionally occur, such as record cold snaps, happen at the tank site, the measures taken may not be adequate to avoid subjecting the tanks to failure.


The invention pertains to an emptying device for large-volume receptacles which consists of an auxiliary transport apparatus that is composed of at least four uprights, on the lower ends of which one respective stacking leg is arranged and in the lower end of which one respective lifting mechanism is arranged. This lifting mechanism can be connected to the carrying straps of the large-volume receptacle by means of carrying strap holders, wherein the uprights are respectively connected to one another by means of transverse braces in their lower region in order to accommodate a bottom plate. The bottom plate contains a central opening for accommodating a shutter mechanism with a shutter that is situated in a base plate arranged on the bottom plate and can be actuated by means of a hand crank.

1. Technical Field
The invention pertains to a device for emptying, filling, storing and transporting large-volume receptacles of all types.
2. Background Information
Bulk materials are increasingly packaged into large-volume receptacles (>1 m3) that are referred to as Big Bags below, namely in weights that, depending on the density of the bulk material, lie between a few hundred kilograms and a few tons.
Stationary systems for emptying large-volume receptacles are known. The filling, emptying, transporting and storing of such large-volume receptacles, e.g., a Big Bag or a container, is quite problematic because the large volume and high weight of such receptacles makes them very difficult to handle. Receptacles of this type require very complex systems that are not only difficult to operate, but also require a very costly storage and transport. These systems which essentially consist of filling and emptying stations are generally realized in the form of stationary units, into which the large-volume receptacle, in particular a Big Bag, needs to be placed. For example, if an unloading station is not available, large-volume receptacles, in particular Big Bags, can also be emptied on an industrial scale with the aid of suction devices or by destroying the receptacle, i.e., by cutting open the bottom of the large-volume receptacle. Once the bottom of the large-volume receptacle is cut open, the receptacle, in particular a Big Bag, can no longer be used. Full large-volume receptacles are usually stored directly on the floor of a storage area or with the aid of pallets, wherein receptacles are sometimes also stored by stacking them on top of one another in the shape of a pyramid in a storage area. The storage in high bay racking systems is only possible under certain conditions.
Emptying devices are known from the state of the art. For example, GB-PS 2 014 965 discloses an emptying device for large-volume receptacles which consists of a frame, in which the large-volume receptacle to be emptied, in particular a Big Bag, can be suspended. The lower end of the large-volume receptacle to be suspended in said frame is provided with a funnel-shaped outlet. However, this device is merely suitable for a very specific type of large-volume receptacle, namely for cylindrical "Big Bags." The disadvantage of this device can be seen in the fact that the large-volume receptacle can only be suspended in the device with a substantial expenditure, and that a metered emptying cannot be realized with this emptying device because it does not contain a shutter for controlling the emptying of the large-volume receptacle in a metered fashion. Another disadvantage is that this emptying device can only be stored and transported with great difficulties.
GB-PS 2 066 220 discloses an emptying device for large-volume receptacles which consists of a mount that is provided with four legs arranged on the corners of the mount, as well as a base plate. In this case, two of the four legs are upwardly extended by means of uprights that are realized in the shape of a gallows. The large-volume receptacle to be emptied, preferably a Big Bag, can be suspended on the short protruding braces. In addition, a central opening with a hatch is arranged in the base plate. However, this hatch does not make it possible to realize a metered and clean emptying of the large-volume receptacle, in particular a Big Bag, namely because the seal required for achieving a clean emptying process is not provided. It is also disadvantageous that this emptying device is difficult to handle and store, in particular, because these emptying devices cannot be stored on top of one another due to the mount for suspending the large-volume receptacle. In addition, a complete emptying of the large-volume receptacle cannot be realized with this device.
DE OS 197 41 108 discloses a device for emptying pourable bulk material, wherein the emptying is realized by means of a suction device, e.g., a suction pipe, a suction head or the like. This device consists of a collapsible frame for suspending the large-volume receptacles which comprises a lifting device for stretching the large-volume receptacles. This lifting device consists of a cable pull and deflection rollers that are respectively arranged on the upper ends of the four uprights or posts that are situated on the corners and over which the lifting cables for the large-volume receptacle are guided. In this case, it is disadvantageous that the lifting device used is only suitable for large-volume receptacles up to a certain weight and consequently cannot be universally utilized for any type of large-volume receptacle. In addition, this emptying device does not contain a shutter for realizing a metered or controlled emptying process.
GbM 94 07 507.7 discloses an emptying device that simultaneously represents a large-volume receptacle for pourable masses and consists of a receptacle mount with a bottom plate and a side wall that serves for supporting the bag and is realized in a telescopic fashion. The upper end of this device is also provided with a connecting device for a lifting device, to which a strap can be connected in such a way that the large-volume receptacle, e.g., a Big Bag, can be lowered downward during the emptying process. This means that the receptacle is emptied downward and the large-volume receptacle can be pulled upward during the filling process such that the large-volume receptacle can be filled with the respective bulk material from the bottom. For this purpose, an opening is provided in the lower region, wherein this opening is connected to a line, through which the large-volume receptacle can be filled. In this case, it is disadvantageous that neither a metered emptying of the large-volume receptacle nor a metered filling thereof can be achieved with this device because it does not contain a controllable shutter for controlling the emptying or filling process.
DE-OS 199 45 195 discloses an emptying device for large bags that comprises two essentially flat, preferably identical side elements that respectively form a front and a rear bottom region and at least one top region, wherein said side elements contain a vertically operating lifting device with connecting zones for lateral connecting elements, and wherein the side elements have a height that is greater than the height of a large-volume receptacle to be suspended. A lifting crosshead can be separably arranged between the lifting devices, wherein said crosshead contains holding means for the suspension straps, as well as at least one transverse connecting means for a transverse brace. In this case, it is disadvantageous that a metered emptying of the large-volume receptacles cannot be realized with this device because this device also does not contain a controllable shutter for allowing a clean and controlled gradual emptying of the large-volume receptacle. Another disadvantage can be seen in the fact that the transport and storage of this device are associated with very high expenditures.


A lens case for an intraocular lens having a deformable optic, including a folder for receiving the intraocular lens and folding the deformable optic about a fold axis. A retainer adjacent the folder holds the intraocular lens against substantial pivotal movement relative to the retainer about a pivot axis which is generally transverse to the fold axis. The folder and retainer are relatively pivotable about the pivot axis so that the orientation of the fold axis relative to the retainer and the deformable optic can be changed.

IOL's are commonly used to replace the natural lens of the human eye when the natural lens becomes sufficiently ineffective in focusing light on the retina. To accomplish this, the natural lens is removed through an incision in the eye, and the intraocular lens is inserted into the eye through the incision. This is all accomplished using known surgical techniques.
An IOL typically includes an optic and one or more fixation members for fixing the optic in the eye along the optical axis of the eye. The optic may be either hard and nondeformable or soft and deformable. The deformable optic is foldable about a fold axis and can be inserted through the incision into the eye in the folded condition. This has the advantage of requiring a shorter incision as compared with the length of the incision required for the insertion of an IOL having a hard or nondeformable optic. Once inserted, the deformable optic has sufficient resilience to return to its unfolded or undeformed state.
IOL's have small dimensions, e.g. the optic may be about 6 mm in diameter, and therefore are not easy to accurately fold. Many folding devices are known for folding of deformable optics.
It has been found that different surgeons prefer to fold the deformable optic about different fold axes. For example, in the case of an IOL having diametrically opposed fixation members extending from the deformable optic at about the 1:30 o'clock and 7:30 o'clock . positions, some surgeons prefer to fold the optic along a fold axis extending from about 3 o'clock to about 9 o'clock. Other surgeons prefer a fold having a fold axis extending from about 6 o'clock to about 12 o'clock. Still other surgeons may prefer a fold axis having another angular orientation relative to the fixation members.
The folding devices of which we are aware do not permit the surgeon to fold the optic about any one of a plurality of fold axes without removing the IOL from the folding device, reorienting the IOL and replacing the IOL into the folding device. Handling of the IOL increases the risk of damage to the IOL and loss of sterility. Although a forceps can accomplish folding of the IOL about a selected fold axis, the IOL must first be loaded into the forceps in the correct orientation, and this is difficult to accomplish primarily because of the small dimensions of the IOL and the resilience of the IOL.


The present invention discloses a fuel cell system that reduces a hydrogen content of anode effluent exhausted by a fuel cell stack without the use of a tail gas combustor. The fuel cell system reduces the hydrogen content in one or more stages to a level suitable for venting to the environment. A first stage reduction is provided by mixing a portion of the cathode effluent with a controlled quantity of the anode effluent in the presence of a catalytic bed. The resulting stream has a reduced hydrogen content which can then be supplied to the cathode inlet side of the fuel cell stack for further hydrogen content reduction. The fuel cell system also provides a storage device to store the anode effluent to minimize pressure fluctuations between the anode and cathode sides of the fuel cell stack during a purging operation.

H2—O2(air) fuel cells are well known in the art and have been proposed as a power source for many applications. There are several types of H2—O2 fuel cells including acid-type, alkaline-type, molten-carbonate-type, and solid-oxide-type. So called PEM (proton exchange membrane) fuel cells, a.k.a. SPE (solid polymer electrolyte) fuel cells, are of the acid-type, potentially have high power and low weight, and accordingly are desirable for mobile applications (e.g., electric vehicles). PEM fuel cells are well known in the art, and include a "membrane electrode assembly" (a.k.a. MEA) comprising a thin, proton transmissive, solid polymer membrane-electrolyte having an anode on one of its faces and a cathode on the opposite face. The MEA is sandwiched between a pair of electrically conductive elements which (1) serve as current collectors for the anode and cathode, and (2) contain appropriate channels and/or openings therein for distributing the fuel cell's gaseous reactants over the surfaces of the respective anode and cathode catalysts. A plurality of individual cells are commonly bundled together to form a PEM fuel cell stack.
In PEM fuel cells hydrogen is the anode reactant (i.e., fuel) and oxygen is the cathode reactant (i.e., oxidant). The oxygen can either be in a pure form (i.e., O2), or air (i.e., O2 mixed with N2). The solid polymer electrolytes are typically made from ion exchange resins such as perfluoronated sulfonic acid. The anode/cathode typically comprise finely divided catalytic particles (often supported on carbon particles) admixed with proton conductive resin.
During the conversion of the anode reactant and cathode reactant to electrical energy, the fuel cell, regardless of the type, produces anode and cathode effluents that are exhausted from the fuel cell. The anode effluent typically contains unused hydrogen that may be at a concentration that prohibits venting the anode effluent to the environment. The cathode effluent typically contains excess oxygen or air that was not consumed during the electricity production in the fuel cell. The amounts of hydrogen and oxygen remaining in the anode and cathode effluents is dependent upon a number of factors and will vary. For example, the efficiency of the fuel cell can impact the amount of hydrogen and oxygen that are exhausted in the respective anode and cathode effluents. Additionally, the stoichiometry of the fuel cell stack (i.e., the amounts of hydrogen and oxygen that are included in the respective anode and cathode reactants) will also effect the amount of remaining hydrogen and oxygen in the respective anode and cathode effluents.
One of the methods to operate a fuel cell stack is with the anode side of the fuel cell stack deadheaded. That is, the anode effluent produced in the anode side of the fuel cell stack is not allowed to leave the fuel cell stack on a continuous basis. Rather, the anode reactant is supplied to the anode side of the fuel cell stack and remains, under pressure, in the fuel cell stack to consume the majority of the hydrogen during the production of electricity. However, when nitrogen is also present on the anode side of the fuel cell stack, the nitrogen can accumulate to an amount that diminishes the performance of the fuel cell stack. This is caused by the nitrogen preventing the hydrogen from getting to the membrane and inhibiting and/or preventing the production of electricity. Thus, the nitrogen can act as a barrier between the hydrogen and the membrane. Therefore, the anode side of the fuel cell stack is purged from time to time in what is known as a "burping" operation. The purging is done by opening the anode side and allowing the anode effluent to flow out of the fuel cell stack while new fuel, under pressure, is supplied to the anode side inlet. The purging of the anode effluent from the fuel cell stack pulls the nitrogen with it and allows the membrane to become substantially free from the nitrogen and be replenished with hydrogen so that efficient electrical energy production can commence again.
During this purging operation, however, significant amounts of hydrogen can be released in the anode effluent such that the anode-effluent has a hydrogen content that prohibits the venting of the anode effluent to the environment. Therefore, the hydrogen content in the anode effluent must be reduced prior to venting the anode effluent to the environment. Another consideration in the purging operation is that when the anode side of the fuel cell stack is purged, significant pressure differential between the anode and cathode sides can occur. If the pressure differential is of a sufficient magnitude, the membrane separating the anode and cathode sides of the fuel cell stack can be damaged. Additionally, repeated exposure to a pressure differential of a sufficient magnitude can also cause fatigue in the membrane which can lead to premature failure of the fuel cell stack. It is desirable to take these concerns into account when designing and operating a fuel cell system.
Because the hydrogen in the anode effluent may be of a concentration that prohibits venting to the environment directly, typical fuel cell systems employed a tail gas combustor to reduce the hydrogen content in the anode effluent to a level that allows venting to the environment. The tail gas combustor converts the hydrogen into heat that can be used in other parts of the fuel cell system. However, the heat generated by the combustor may only be needed during certain aspects of operating the fuel cell system, such as at startup, and thereafter the tail gas combustor becomes a source of heat that must be dissipated from the fuel cell system. The use of a tail gas combustor also requires complex controls and/or control schemes. The use of a tail gas combustor can also cause pressure differentials when the anode effluent is exhausted to the tail gas combustor such that rupture and/or fatigue of the membrane that separates the anode and cathode sides of the fuel cell stack can occur. These above considerations increase the complexity of a fuel cell system incorporating a tail gas combustor.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a fuel cell system that reduces the hydrogen content in an anode effluent without the use of a tail gas combustor and without subjecting the fuel cell stack to pressure differentials that result in premature failure of the fuel cell stack. Furthermore, it is desirable to accomplish this with a minimal complexity and need for additional controls.

Anode exhaust gas dilution method and apparatus in PEM fuel cell powered system


Apparatus for preventing or limiting spinal injuries to a passenger seated in a forward facing position in a moving vehicle during vehicular impact or sudden deceleration. The apparatus includes a vehicle-installed supporting seat for the passenger, the seat having a support portion behind the seated passenger which includes a resilient surface in contact with the supported passenger. The resilient portion is supported on an underlying stiff support shell. A controllably deformable energy absorbing crush zone is disposed to the rear of the shell as to be compressed by rearward displacement of the passenger, whereby the support portion acts to decelerate the supported spine of the passenger during a vehicle rear end impact, while the controlled deformation of the crush zone absorbs energy, to prevent or limit spinal injuries to the passenger. The crush zone material is characterized in a rear end collision by exhibiting a total energy absorption of the kinetic energy gained by the impact accelerated passenger of at least 80%; and the coefficient of restitution for the crush zone material being in the range of 0.05 to 0.4.

In the mid 1950s, padded head restraints added to the top of car seats were proposed to reduce injuries incurred during rear-end collisions. Investigators at that time suggested that the primary mechanism of injury in rear-end impacts was hyperextension of the head on the cervical spine. This theory was accepted and acted upon. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration made it a requirement for all cars made in the United States to have head restraints. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 202 made this official in 1969, and it has remained unchanged.
In the mid 1990s, several automotive manufacturers attempted to develop more efficient designs that are higher and closer to the back of the head. This was done to prevent hyperextension of the head and neck to conform to what was believed to be a good head restraint position. However, in an accident analysis study conducted by the Transport Research Laboratory, Berkshire, United Kingdom, and the University of Manchester, Hope Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom, the benefits of good head restraint positioning could not be clearly demonstrated. The data in rear-end collisions, where the benefits of a well-positioned head restraint should have been clear, indicated that a larger distance from head to restraint was associated with lower disability. This study suggests that other injury mechanisms are at work during whiplash.
Certain faulty premises continue to exist regarding rear-end, low-speed collisions. One of these is that whiplash injury is caused by a typical hyperextension movement of the head and neck. In the normal extension movement, the head rotates on the vertebra below C1, C1 rotates over the instantaneous axis of rotation of C2, and then C2 rotates on the C3 instantaneous axis of rotation, and so on until the entire cervical spine completes its full extension motion. In rear-end collisions, this pattern of extension motion does not occur; rather, a completely unnatural motion is observed when high-speed x-ray is used to observe human aberrant spinal kinematic motion. These studies observe axial loading from thoracic spine straightening, causing impaction of the cervical facet plates above and, then, hyperextension of the lower cervical vertebrae rotating and compressing each vertebra from under the vertebra above. This is initiated by the seat back, which is sweeping the lower portion of the neck under the upper portion of the neck. This results in an abnormal double harmonic curve in the cervical spine often referred to as the dreaded "S" curve.
Investigation contributed to the understanding of injury mechanism by identifying the zygapophyseal joint as the source of pain in 54% of patients with chronic neck pain after whiplash injury. With the zygapophyseal joint identified as the primary injury site, the next development was observation of what happened to these cervical joints during the rear-end impact event on human volunteers. This was accomplished with cineradiography, which showed significant aberration in motion during rear-end impact, resulting in facet plate collision and impingement. Increased shear force and extension motion to the lower cervical vertebra was observed while the upper portion of the cervical spine followed the head into flexion, giving the formation of an "S" curve. The transition area of the S curve was at the level of C4, C5, and C6, the most common injury sites observed in a whiplash victim in postaccident x-ray analysis.
Many variables can influence the forces to the spine that can cause injury: the size of the vehicles, the size of the occupants, and the speeds of the vehicles. Attempting to prevent whiplash injury thus can be a daunting task. However, reducing the global movement of the entire spine and the relative movement of each vertebra appear to be the most practical approach in the prevention of injury to the spine. To accomplish this, all spinal curves should be supported and decelerated at as close to a zero delta velocity as possible. This requires support systems within head-neck restraints and seats that are contoured to the spine to reduce the spinal straightening observed during rear end impact. Additionally, the head-neck restraint and seat back should have complementary dampening characteristics so that simultaneous deceleration of the head, neck, thoracic, and lumbopelvic areas can be achieved.
It may be noted in the last connection, that the construction of most prior art seatbacks and head restraints incorporate materials that in an effort to provide maximum comfort, are highly resilient. Such materials while they may absorb some of the impact energy which is generated as the passenger is thrown rearwardly against the seat during a rear end impact, promptly transfer the absorbed energy back to the passenger, causing a rebound effect, which only adds to the detrimental conditions which foster injury.
In accordance with the foregoing, it may be regarded as an object of the present invention, to overcome the problems and disadvantages of known apparatus for preventing whiplash, such as vehicle head restraints and seatbacks.
It is a further object of the present invention, to provide apparatus of the foregoing type, which includes means for efficiently and safely absorbing impact energy, thereby further diminishing the likelihood of passenger injury.
In my issued U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,181,763 and 5,290,091, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference, apparatus is disclosed for preventing whiplash-related injuries to a passenger in a vehicle. The characteristic shapes of the devices shown therein define a supporting means and contour located behind the cranium and cervical spine of the passenger that interfit with the posterior contour of the passenger's cranium and cervical spine. The supporting means interacts with the passenger during rear end impact to maintain the pre-collision shape of the supported spinal curves, to thereby aid in the avoidance of whiplash and similar injuries.
In my further issued U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,124 (the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference) there is disclosed a vehicle-installed supporting seat for a passenger, which includes a seat back provided with an integral head-neck restraint comprising a cranium support portion and a cervical spine support portion. Each said portion includes a layer of resilient material supported on an underlying inflexible support shell, which together act to effectively define a contour that interfits with the posterior contour of the passenger's cranium and cervical spine. The support shell is rearwardly displaceable upon being subjected to impressed forces generated from the passenger pressing against the restraint as a result of a rear end impact at said vehicle. A controllably deformable energy absorbing crush zone is disposed to the rear of the shell as to be compressed by the rearward displacement of the shell. The interfitting contour and thereby the inflexible shell, upon being displaced by said forces toward the underlying crush zone, retain the shape of the contour, whereby the cervical and cranium support portions act to substantially simultaneously decelerate the cranium and cervical spine of the passenger during a vehicle rear end impact, while the controlled deformation of the crush zone absorbs energy, to prevent whiplash-related injuries to the passenger.
The apparatus of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,124 patent preferably further includes a thoracic and lumbar spine support portion which are defined by downward extension of the support shell, resilient material and contour; whereby the thoracic and lumbar spine portion of the passenger are decelerated with the cranium and cervical spine during a rear end impact.
The thoracic section of the human spine is believed to be compressed and flattened during a rear end impact. In addition to being injured, this flattening of the thoracic spine causes axial loading into the cervical spine as the weight of the head and upward pressure of the flattening thoracic spine serve as end point forces to damage the cervical spine. Where present, the thoracic portion of the above seat serves to prevent the flattening of the thoracic spine by having a kyphotic or concave firm contoured shell that takes the shape of the human thoracic spine and maintains this shape during rear end impact. This firm contoured shell precedes the crush zone material which plastically deforms and produces a controlled damping of the forces incurred during a rear end collision.
The lumbar section of the seat will conform to the lumbar spinal curves of the human anatomy. The initial foam that contacts the occupants is combined with the crush zone feature to maximize the energy absorbing feature of this technology.
This firm contoured shell will hold its form on impact from the rear end collision. This contoured shell will then plastically deform the crush zone material. The function of the crush zone, whatever materials are used, is to initiate a controlled damping of forces that result in little or no rebound energy to the occupant.
The crush zone may comprise one or more air bladders, and valve means responsive to rear end vehicular impact to enable the one or more bladders to at least partially deflate. The inflexible shell can, for example, be linked to one or more mechanical actuators which open the valves upon a predetermined displacement of the shell; or one or more sensors can upon detecting a rear end impact, actuate the valves to enable controlled deflation of the air bladders.
Similarly, one or more rear impact sensors can enable control signals upon an impact of sufficient magnitude, which signal disables a restraint means, e.g. by releasing a mechanical stop which otherwise prevents displacement of the inflexible shell (or of a plate linked to the shell) against or into the crush zone.
In another aspect of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,124 disclosure, the crush zone can comprise an impact collapsible cellular structure, such as a frangible foam. In still a further aspect, the crush zone may comprise an elastically deformable material which absorbs energy at a substantially more rapid rate than it releases same.
The crush zone may be sandwiched between the inflexible shell and a spaced fixed, rigid plate; or the crush zone can be spaced from the rear of the shell and contacted and compressed by an intermediate plate which is linked for displacement with the shell. Rearward displacement of the shell may be resisted by restraining means adapted to collapse at a preset strain.
In my further issued U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,489 it is disclosed that the energy absorbing concepts of my U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,124 patent, can be incorporated into a vehicular passenger support in a manner that will independently or conjunctively protect any or all of the passengers' cranium, cervical, thoracic, and/or lumbar spine. Pursuant to that earlier patent, apparatus is thus provided for preventing or limiting spinal injuries to a passenger seated in a forward facing position in a moving vehicle during vehicular impact or sudden deceleration. The apparatus comprises a vehicle-installed supporting seat for the passenger, the seat having a support portion behind the seated passenger which includes a resilient surface in contact with the supported passenger, the resilient portion being supported on an underlying stiff support shell. The support shell is rearwardly displaceable upon being subjected to impressed forces generated from the passenger pressing against the resilient surface of the support portion as a result of a rear end impact at the vehicle. A controllably deformable energy absorbing crush zone is disposed to the rear of the shell as to be compressed by the rearward displacement of the shell, whereby the support portion acts to decelerate the supported spinal curves of the passenger during a vehicle rear end impact, while the controlled deformation of the crush zone absorbs energy, to prevent or limit spinal injuries to the passenger.
The support portion can be provided at a portion of the seat which lies behind the thoracic spine of a seated passenger, and/or at a portion of the seat that lies behind the lumbar spine of a seated passenger; and/or at a portion of the seat which lies behind the cranium and cervical spine of a seated passenger.
The resilient surface may conform to the shape of the spine of the seated passenger. The surface may be preformed to this shape, or may comprise a foam, gel or other material which molds to the contacting body contour of the passenger upon the passenger being seated, and returns to its original shape when the seat is vacated. Materials of this type made of a high density, visco-elastic open-cell material, are available commercially from Tempur-Pedic of Lexington, Ky., and have been used in pillows and mattresses.
The crush zone may comprises one or more air bladders, and valve means responsive to an impact may function to enable the one or more bladders to at least partially deflate upon vehicular impact. The crush zone may also comprises an impact collapsible cellular structure. In another embodiment the crush zone may comprise an elastically deformable material which absorbs energy at a substantially more rapid rate than it releases same. The crush zone can be sandwiched between the stiff shell and a spaced fixed, rigid plate, or can be spaced from the rear of the shell and contacted and compressed by an intermediate plate which is linked for displacement with the shell. Rearward displacement of the shell can be resisted by restraining means adapted to collapse at a preset strain.
In FIG. 1, a cross-sectional view, schematic in nature, appears through prior art apparatus 10 in accordance with the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,124. The vehicle-installed supporting seat for the passenger includes a conventional seating area, which is not shown in the drawing. Extending in a vertically upward direction from the seating area is a seat back 12 provided with an integral head-neck restraint 14 comprising a cranium support portion 16 and a cervical spine support portion 18. Each said portion includes a layer of resilient material 20 supported on an underlying inflexible support shell 22. The material 20 and the shell 22 together act to effectively define a contour 24 that interfits with the posterior contour 26 of the passenger 28's cranium and cervical spine. This contour 26 thus presents a first surface 29 located behind the passenger's cranium for contacting the approximate center of mass of the cranium and supporting the approximate central posterior area of the passenger's cranium, and a second surface 30 located below the first surface and defining a substantially convex smooth curve, the maximum protrusion point 32 of which projects anteriorly relative to where the first surface 29 contacts the center of mass of the passenger's cranium, the said second surface 30 thereby contacting and supporting the posterior portion of the passenger's cervical spine substantially simultaneously with the said contact of the passenger's cranium with said first surface.
The support shell 22 may comprise a hard relatively inflexible plastic, or similarly may comprise metal or the like. The shell may also comprise a relatively rigid foam, one which has high stiffness characteristics, so that such material, as with an inflexible plastic, will maintain the spinal contours under impact loading. Shell 22 is rearwardly displaceable upon being subjected to impressed forces generated from the passenger 28 pressing against the restraint as a result of a rear end impact at the vehicle. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 this is enabled by having the shell 22 formed as a front piece 22a and a rear piece 22b, the two pieces being interconnected by one or more flexible accordion pleats, the uppermost of which appears at 34.
A controllably deformable energy absorbing crush zone 40 is disposed to the rear of the shell 22 as to be compressed by the rearward displacement of the shell. The interfitting contour 24 and thereby the inflexible shell 22, upon being displaced by said forces toward the underlying crush zone 40, retain the shape of the contour 24, whereby the cervical and cranium support portions act to substantially simultaneously decelerate the cranium and cervical spine of the passenger during a vehicle rear end impact, while the controlled deformation of the crush zone absorbs energy, to prevent whiplash-related injuries to the passenger.
The second surface 30 of contour 24 is smoothly joined to the first surface 29 by a transition surface 42 of said contour, which extends anteriorly at an obtuse angle from said first surface, and which is located to support the passenger's posterior area approximately where the cranium meets the cervical spine. The maximum protrusion point 32 of said second surface 30 projects anteriorly relative to said flat portion of said first surface 29 a distance of 1 to 6 inches, and the maximum protrusion point 32 is from 3 to 9 inches below the cranium contact zone.
The apparatus 10 preferably further includes thoracic and lumbar spine support portions 46 and 48, which are defined by downward extension of the support shell 22, resilient material 20 and contour 24; whereby the thoracic and lumbar spine portions of the passenger 28 are decelerated with the cranium and cervical spine during a rear end impact.
The crush zone 40 may comprise one or more air bladders, and valve means responsive to rear end vehicular impact to enable the one or more bladders to at least partially deflate.
The crush zone 40 can also comprise an impact collapsible cellular structure, such as a frangible foam. The cellular structure can similarly comprise the well known bubble packing, which is commonly used to protect fragile objects during shipping. Other controllably collapsible or deformable materials can be used for crush zone 40, for example frangible ceramic or organic foams, or the like. The important consideration is that any such materials shall collapse or deform under suitable imposed forces in a controllable fashion so that they not only enable controlled rearward displacement of piece 22a, but also absorb energy in doing so. Thus by way of example, it will be clear that the bubble type packing material referred to absorbs energy during collapse as each of the cells is ruptured due to pressure forces. In still a further aspect, the crush zone 40 may comprise an elastically deformable material which absorbs energy at a substantially more rapid rate than it releases same.
The crush zone 40 may as shown in FIG. 1 be sandwiched between the inflexible shell 22 (via piece 22a) and a spaced fixed, rigid plate 49, which is maintained in its position by support members 23 which extend between plate 49 and back piece 22b. Compression springs 51 may be provided between shell 22 and plate 49 to aid in restoring the original spacing following the controlled collapse of the crush zone. In the variation shown in the partial cross section of FIG. 4, the crush zone 40 is placed to the rear of seat back 12. Here the rearward displacement of piece 22a moves plate 49a which is rigidly linked to piece 22a by members 23a.
In FIG. 2 a further prior art showing appears which conforms to FIG. 6 in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,489 patent. There a conventionally shaped head restraint such as that illustrated can incorporate the principles of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,124 patent. Externally head restraint 80 thus has a configuration which is entirely conventional. However the otherwise conventional head restraint is seen to be provided with a resilient support surface 82, an underlying inflexible shell 83, a crush zone 85, and a spaced rigid plate 84, all of which function exactly as has been discussed in connection with the prior embodiments. The shell 83 thus includes the two portions 83a and 83b, with intervening flexible portion 86, whereby upon the passenger's cranium 87 being forced against the head restraint 80 as a result e.g. of a rear end vehicular impact, shell portion 83 is displaced to the left (in the sense of the drawing) against the crush zone 85, which controllably deforms in the manner that has been previously discussed.
Since the head restraint does not have to maintain a specific shape to conform to the passenger's spine, the head restraint can function effectively to limit forces producing head injury, by including merely an outer passenger contacting surface of a foam or other known materials used in the prior art, which surface overlies a controllably collapsible crush zone which the said surface can be displaced against under impact forces. The crush zone can be of the types discussed herein or can comprise other controllably collapsible materials which act to dampen the impressed forces.

Energy absorbing support for vehicular passengers


A filter device and method of filtering components from a surgery plume. The filter device is comprised of a plurality of elements which react with one or more components of a surgery plume, such as that generated during electrocautery or laser surgery. The filter device, particularly in conjunction with a separate particle filter, removes cyanide, formaldehyde, benzene, and particulates, as well as odor-causing species and moisture from the surgery plume.

It has been known for a number of years to utilize focused energy in the form of heat or electricity to burn or scar skin and underlying tissue in connection with the treatment of various ailments and disease. The practice, known as cauterization, has been particularly useful for the removal of abnormal skin growths. One drawback to the practice has been the generation of foul-smelling materials at the site resulting from the burning of the tissue. Fortunately, the volume of these materials was typically relatively low due to the type of ailments treated by the process. However, where electrocautery is used to seal blood vessels in connection with invasive surgery, the volume of materials generated is substantially increased.
Since the 1970's, lasers have been used in operating rooms to treat a wide variety of ailments. As in the traditional practice of cauterization, the laser was used to burn or sear tissue. However, because the laser was used in larger scale invasive surgery, the amount of materials generated at the site was substantially larger than that from traditional cauterization, with resulting problems related to the volume of the foul-smelling materials and the effect on operating room personnel.
The gas-generation problem has become more prevalent because in a number of surgical applications, lasers have an advantage over conventional scalpel cutting tools in that the laser is a more precise instrument, resulting in less trauma to adjacent tissue. Also, because the heat generated by the laser cauterizes the tissue as it is being cut, there is less blood loss and the healing process is speeded along.
In operation, the laser scalpel performs its cutting function by burning a narrow width of tissue. This process vaporizes moisture in the tissue and creates a smoke plume consisting primarily of water vapor, but which also includes small quantities of potentially hazardous and toxic gases, odor-causing gases, particulate matter of 1 micron or less, and bacteria and viruses.
This smoke generated by the laser scalpel, otherwise known as the laser plume, creates a variety of problems for the surgical operating team. The laser plume obscures the view of the surgeon during cutting. Further, the plume eventually deposits a coating on the mirrors used for viewing the cutting site. The operating room personnel also risk contracting infection by inhaling bacteria and virus from the tissue vaporized by the laser which are carried in the plume. The materials generated by the laser scalpel and carried in the laser plume tend to cause headaches and nausea, and more rarely nosebleeds and vomiting, which in certain instances have forced the operation to be terminated due to the sickness of the personnel. Finally, it has recently been determined that low levels of mutagenic and carcinogenic agents such as cyanide, formaldehyde and benzene are carried along in the plume.
The volume of the generated laser plume is a function of the power of the laser scalpel. As higher powered lasers are used, increasing amounts of laser plume are generated, consequently increasing the risk and discomfort to the operating team. The major lasers used in the medical and surgical fields utilize the lasing materials Neodymium-Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Nd:YAG), Carbon Dioxide and Argon.
Early attempts to address the problem of removing the laser plume involved the use of vacuum devices fitted with an activated charcoal filter. These early devices removed the laser plume smoke from the cutting site and improved the surgeon's view of the site. However, the vacuum device could not remove all of the plume generated by high energy laser scalpels. Also, the moisture in the plume would tend to deactivate the charcoal over a period of time. Further, the charcoal filter had little or no effect on reducing the odor.
To meet the new requirements caused by the use of higher powered lasers, LASE Inc., a subsidiary of U.S. Medical Corporation, Cincinnati, Ohio, developed a smoke evacuation system incorporating an activated charcoal filter, a moisture filter before the charcoal filter to prevent deactivation of the charcoal filter, a high efficiency particle absorbing filter for capturing particles as small as 0.12 micron, a larger diameter hose to capture the increased volume of laser plume generated, and a deodorizing cartridge to mask the odor created by the plume. One type of evacuator unit used in laser surgery was the Lase System II, from U.S. Medical Corporation, and discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,134 which is incorporated herein by reference. In the middle 1980's, clinical studies were conducted which determined that amounts of mutagenic and carcinogenic agents such as cyanide, formaldehyde and benzene, and also traces of compounds such as acetone, isopropanol, cyclohexane, and toluene, are produced during the laser surgery operation. Studies also recently determined that bacteria and viruses in the tissue subjected to laser were carried in the active state in the plume. Smoke evacuation systems employing only activated carbon and a particulate filter are unable to remove the mutagenic agents, bacteria and virus species, and the odor causing species from the plume. Rather, these systems were only able to partially mask the odor causing species in the plume.


When a touch operation on a touch-panel display module of an electronic device has been detected, a display entity corresponding to the touched object is created. The display entity is superimposed on the touched position on a display screen. A projector, an external display device, projects the display entity onto a screen. Even when the display screen of the electronic device has been moved by a touch operation, the audience looking at a screen page displayed on the screen can see the touch position in the form of the display entity, making it possible to understand the meaning of the operator's touch operation.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments described herein relate generally to an electronic device with a touch-panel display module, a display system that displays the contents of the screen of the electronic device by means of an external display device, and a method of displaying the screen of the electronic device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, mobile devices with touch-panel display modules have rapidly become popular. Previously, to give a presentation, a user generally connected a notebook computer to a projector in order to show content stored in the computer on a screen. Recently, however, touch-panel mobile devices (for example, tablet computers) are being increasingly used in place of notebook computers.
When the notebook computer is connected to a projector and display data in the notebook computer is projected onto a screen, a mouse pointer responding to the operation of the presenter is also displayed on the screen. Therefore, the audience can understand the operation position of the presenter in real time and therefore easily understand what the presenter means.
However, when the touch-panel mobile device is used, a mouse pointer or the like corresponding to user operation is not displayed on the display screen. Accordingly, when the display of the mobile device has changed as a result of the presenter's touch operation, the display screen projected by the projector also changes suddenly. Therefore, this causes a problem: the audience looking at the screen cannot understand the presenter's operation, making it difficult to understand what the presenter means.
When a presentation is given using a projector, it is desired that the audience can understand the contents of the presenter's operation easily.
To assist the presenter's explanation in a presentation system, a handwritten input display device has been considered which combines a handwritten image with the displayed contents, displays the combined handwritten image, and automatically deletes the combined image after a set time has elapsed or in response to a button press action (for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2007-080005).

Electronic device, display system, and method of displaying a display screen of the electronic device


Creatinine clearance is estimated in a patient by determining his or her body cell mass. In turn, the body cell mass of the patient is measured using bioimpedance analysis techniques. The patient's serum creatinine concentration is also measured. The body cell mass and the serum creatinine concentration provide an indication of actual creatinine clearance in the subject through use of a predictive formula. From this prediction, accurate dosages of potentially nephrotoxic medications can be appropriately prescribed.

Dosing regimens for several drugs used in treating renal diseases, most notably the aminoglycosides, are based upon a measurement of renal function known as the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). It is often necessary to estimate GFR, since actual measurement is both expensive and time-consuming. However, standard methods for estimating renal function are prone to errors which can result in inaccurate drug dosages being prescribed to an individual. These inaccuracies have created substantial risk of nephrotoxicity in underweight patients and insufficient dosages being prescribed to overweight or obese subjects.
The reported incidence of aminoglycoside nephrotoxicity ranges from 0-50%, with rates in most studies in the 5-25% range. Prospective studies that defined nephrotoxicity as a substantial decrease in the GFR reported an incidence of nephrotoxicity that ranged from 5-10% in severely ill patients. Aminoglycoside toxicity can be minimized if such drugs are dosed appropriately.
In clinical practice, renal function can be estimated through measurement of inulin clearance (CL.sub.IN) or creatinine clearance (CL.sub.CR). Measurement of CL.sub.IN is preferred by many clinicians because inulin is an inert sugar that is cleared solely by glomerular filtration. Because inulin is neither secreted nor absorbed by the renal tubules, it is believed to be a relatively accurate indicator of GFR.
However, measurements of CL.sub.IN can vary by as much as 20% in an individual at a given time. In addition, determination of CL.sub.IN is not practical in an everyday clinical setting. The procedure requires intravenous infusion of inulin followed by three timed urine collections. Thus, measurement of CL.sub.IN is laborious, time-consuming and expensive.
Measurement of CL.sub.CR is a practical substitute for CL.sub.IN in estimating renal function. Creatinine, which is a product of muscle metabolism, is eliminated by the kidneys mainly by glomerular filtration, but also to a minor extent by tubular secretion. For this reason, CL.sub.CR measurements usually overestimate the GFR in comparison to CL.sub.IN. However, CL.sub.CR measurement is simpler and less expensive to perform.
There are several methods for estimating CL.sub.CR. The standard method involves collecting the urine output (V.sub.U) from a subject for a 24-hour period and measuring urine (U.sub.CR) and serum (S.sub.CR) creatinine concentrations. Creatinine clearance is then calculated as: EQU CL.sub.CR =(U.sub.CR) (V.sub.U)/(S.sub.CR)
Some studies suggest that shorter collection periods (i.e. 30 minutes to two hours) are as predictive of GFR as the 24-hour collection period. However, many patients who are admitted to a hospital require urgent administration of aminoglycosides or other potentially toxic medications in a time frame that does not allow for such measurements of CL.sub.CR.
Because of this, a number of authors have developed mathematical equations to estimate GFR. The equation that is most commonly used in clinical practice is the Cockcroft-Gault (C-G) equation. There are different forms of the C-G equation that use either ideal body weight or actual body weight. The C-G equation using ideal body weight for male subjects is expressed as: EQU Estimated Male CL.sub.CR =(140-age).times.IBW/(72.times.S.sub.CR) !
where IBW and age refer to a patient's ideal body weight (kg) and physical age, respectively. For female subjects, the corresponding C-G equation is: EQU Estimated Female CL.sub.CR =(0.85.times.Estimated male CL.sub.CR).
In turn, ideal body weight is calculated as: EQU Male IBW (kg)=50+2.3.times.(Height in inches-60)! EQU Female IBW (kg)=45+2.3.times.(Height in inches-60)!
The above C-G equations assume that a subject is in a steady-state, that skeletal mass is a constant percentage of weight and that deviations from ideal weight do not affect renal function. However these assumptions may not be true, particularly in cases where a patient is malnourished or severely ill, thereby diminishing the accuracy of renal function determination using the C-G equations. It has been determined, in fact, that the C-G equations are prone to error, especially where a subject's body weight varies from his or her IBW.
Moreover, individual variables in the equation such as age, S.sub.CR, IBW, height and sex do not correlate with measured CL.sub.CR. Actual body weight as a percent of ideal, however, correlated with CL.sub.CR, suggests that the C-G equations systematically overestimate CL.sub.CR in subjects below IBW and underestimate CL.sub.CR in subjects over IBW. A physician relying on these equations would, thus, over-prescribe medication for underweight subjects and under-prescribe medications in overweight patients.
Substitution of actual weight for IBW in the C-G equation somewhat improved the prediction of CL.sub.CR. Still, published case series have reported an incidence of aminoglycoside nephrotoxicity ranging from 0 to 25% based upon use of the C-G equations. In light of this, several other authors have made attempts at improving predictive formulae.
Boyce et al. concluded that the C-G equation used with the lower of either ideal or actual weights was the most precise and least biased method for testing malnourished patients. E. G. Boyce et al., Creatinine Clearance Estimation in Protein-Malnourished Patients, 8 Clin. Pharm. 721, 726 (1989).
M. Smythe et al. concluded that in elderly patients with low S.sub.CR, correcting serum creatinine in the C-G equations to 1.0 mg/dL led to underestimates of both CL.sub.CR and the dosages of aminoglycosides. M. Smythe et al., Estimating Creatinine Clearance in Elderly Patients with Low Serum Creatinine Concentrations, 51 Am. J. Hosp. Pharm. 198, 204 (1994).
O'Connell et al. found the Jelliffe 1973 equation using modified lean body weight was best for predicting the correct drug doses for hospitalized elderly patients. M. B. O'Connell et al., Predictive Performance of Equations to Estimate Creatinine Clearance in Hospitalized Elderly Patients, 26 Ann. Pharmacother. 627, 635 (1992).
Bertino concluded that in patients with an S.sub.CR Of less than 1.0 mg/dL, the actual S.sub.CR level should be used when calculating CL.sub.CR by the C-G equations. J. S. Bertino, Jr., Measured Versus Estimated Creatinine Clearance in Patients with Low Serum Creatinine Values, 27 Ann. Pharmacother. 1439, 1441 (1993).
Only two studies of renal function are known to have used bioimpedance analysis (BIA) to predict CL.sub.CR. In the first, reported by A. S. Smythe et al., Relationship Between Values of Bioelectrical Impedance and Creatinine Clearance, 10 Pharmacotherapy 42, 46 (1990), BIA was performed on 28 healthy adult volunteers. They measured CL.sub.CR using 24-hour urine collection and calculated CL.sub.CR using seven predictive formulae.
Multiple linear regression analysis of the findings of Smythe et al. revealed that measured S.sub.CR and resistance (R), determined by BIA were significant predictors of measured CL.sub.CR. The authors derived a predictive equation: EQU CL.sub.CR =288.3-0.202(R)-66.64(S.sub.CR)
The mean absolute prediction error for CL.sub.CR determined by this method was significantly lower than those obtained from 4 of 7 standard CL.sub.CR predictive equations.
In the second study, S. Robert et al., Predictability of Creatinine Clearance Estimates in Critically Ill Patients, 21 Crit. Care Med. 1487, 1495 (1993), CL.sub.IN was used as the criterion method for GFR, from which CL.sub.CR was calculated using 30-minute and 24-hour urine collection techniques. The authors utilized BIA to measure lean body mass (LBM) and then used LBM in place of weight in the C-G equation to predict CL.sub.CR with a corrected S.sub.CR.
In this latter study, LBM and a corrected S.sub.CR tended to overestimate the GFR. The research concluded that equations using the lower of IBW or actual body weight along with a corrected S.sub.CR were significantly better predictors of CL.sub.IN than either the 30-minute or 24-hour urine collection techniques. However, the results of Robert et al. indicate a greater than 20% disparity between the modified C-G equations and CL.sub.IN in 55% of their subjects.
With the inconclusive and varied results above, the issues of how to best express weight in the calculation and whether or not to correct S.sub.CR in the C-G equations remain unresolved. Furthermore, no equations have yet been determined which can apply to all groups of patients, regardless of such factors as age, race, gender, nutritional status, or those affected by disease. Improving the prediction of CL.sub.CR could decrease the incidence of nephrotoxicity independent of dosing frequency, which could in turn lead to cost savings in medical care.

Method for estimating creatinine clearance in obese and malnourished subjects using measurements of body cell mass