A fluorescent screen includes a phosphor layer including a phosphor that absorbs excitation light to emit fluorescence, a reflecting layer that is provided on one surface of the phosphor layer so as to transmit the excitation light and to reflect, to the phosphor layer, a part of fluorescence that is emitted from the phosphor and that exits from the one surface; and a plurality of holes that penetrates the reflecting layer.

Generally, in an image display device provided with a fluorescent screen, excitation light is irradiated from one surface side of the fluorescent screen, and fluorescence (fluorescent image) is observed from the other surface side of the fluorescent screen.
In a phosphor layer, fluorescence emitted from a phosphor exits from both surfaces (front and rear surfaces) of the phosphor layer, and an image is formed by the fluorescence that exits from the front surface of the phosphor layer. In this case, the fluorescence that exits from the rear surface of the phosphor layer does not contribute to image formation, and hence ight utilization efficiency of fluorescence is reduced.
Patent Literature 1 discloses a fluorescent screen which can improve the utilization efficiency of fluorescence. The fluorescent screen includes a visible light reflecting layer which transmits excitation light and which reflects visible light, and a phosphor layer formed on the visible light reflecting layer.
The excitation light is irradiated from the side of the visible light reflecting layer of the fluorescent screen, and the phosphor in the phosphor layer is excited by the excitation light transmitted through the visible light reflecting layer. The fluorescence emitted from the phosphor and propagating toward the surface of the phosphor layer, whose surface is located on the side of the visible light reflecting layer, is reflected by the visible light reflecting layer in the direction of the phosphor layer. In this case, in addition to the fluorescence that is emitted from the phosphor and that exits from the surface of the phosphor layer, whose surface is located on the side opposite to the visible light reflecting layer, the fluorescence reflected by the visible light reflecting layer also contributes to the image formation, and hence light utilization efficiency is improved.
Patent Literature 2 discloses another fluorescent screen. This fluorescent screen includes a phosphor layer, and a reflecting layer which is provided to face the phosphor layer and which reflects excitation light and visible light. The reflecting layer has an opening to restrict the region of the phosphor layer, onto which region the excitation light is irradiated.
The excitation light passes through the opening of the reflecting layer, so as to be irradiated onto the phosphor layer. In the phosphor layer, fluorescence is emitted from the phosphor in which the excitation light is absorbed. The emitted fluorescence propagates toward the surface of the phosphor layer, whose surface is located on the side of the reflecting layer, and also the emitted fluorescence propagates toward the surface of the phosphor layer, whose surface is located on the side opposite to the reflecting layer. The fluorescence that propagates toward the surface of the phosphor layer, whose surface is located on the side of the reflecting layer, is reflected by the reflecting layer in the direction of the phosphor layer. Also, in this case, similarly to the fluorescent screen described in Patent Literature 1, light utilization efficiency of fluorescence can be improved.
In the fluorescent screens described in Patent Literatures 1 and 2 described above, a dielectric multilayer film can be used as the visible light reflecting layer and the reflecting layer.

Fluorescent screen and image display device comprising same


An eccentric bearing includes inner and outer race rings, an eccentric ring positioned between the inner and outer race rings, two spaced apart rows of roller elements positioned between the inner race ring and the eccentric ring, and two spaced apart rows of roller elements positioned between the eccentric ring and the outer race ring. An adjustment lever is positioned adjacent one side surface of the eccentric ring and is mounted on a link pin that is positioned in a bore in the eccentric ring. The link pin is axially fixed in place by a tie bolt that extends through the bore in the eccentric ring. The link pin includes a conically shaped mantle surface that engages a correspondingly shaped portion of the bore in the eccentric ring, thus achieving a tight seat with a large surface at the point most at risk, i.e., the point where the link pin exits at the side surface of the eccentric ring.

DE 41 26 545 describes an eccentric bearing for printing machines in which a middle ring is constructed as an eccentric ring for carrying the bearing races for each roller bearing positioned radially inside and for each roller bearing positioned radially outside. At the side surface of the eccentric ring, a link pin for an adjustment lever is attached with a screw. During operation of the machine, the adjustment lever must absorb high forces and these forces are applied to the screw. There exists the risk that the relatively thin screw will become loosened by the bending stress in the thread windings of the eccentric ring. Also, the screw is susceptible to being sheared off as a result of fatigue in the area of the side surface.


The invention relates to a screw-driving tool for implant screws having an elongate handle (2) and having a bar-shaped tool which is anchored in the elongate handle (2). An elastic, hollow spiral (10) is provided for the transmission of a predetermined torque, with a bar (3) being guided through the spiral (10) and being fixedly connected to the rotatable side of the spiral and indicating a rotational angle or a torque respectively at the opposite side.

The invention relates to a screw-driving tool for implant screws having an elongate handle and having a bar-shaped tool which is anchored in the elongate handle.
Implant screws of a specific size may as a rule only be tightened with a limited torque for the connection of implant parts so that the thread or the pressed-together implant parts are not damaged. On the other hand, an implant screw must be tightened with a minimum torque so that it does not become loose. The manufacturer of implants which can be screwed in should therefore provide the possibility of carrying out such a screw connection while observing a predetermined torque. Tools for the screwing in of such screws should be capable of being easily sterilized and should show no wear due to their multiple use. A screw-driving tool which has a torque measurement and is licensed for non-sterile areas is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,381. U.S. Pat. No. 5,737,983 likewise shows general screw-driving tools with a torque bar which is limited against overload in its movement so that this limit can be felt in a tactile manner as a resistance in order to have reached a minimum torque with certainty. In contrast to the technical screw connections, in which a minimum tightening torque against the loosening of the screw connection is required, a certain tightening torque may not be exceeded with an implant screw. An overloading which is not controlled as it rises is therefore the same as a limit for the screwing in of an implant screw as the subjective feeling on the screwing in with a normal screwdriver. This is where the invention comes into play. Its object is to make the reaching of a permitted screwing torque known to the operating physician with certainty.


A friction management system for a traveling crane applies a liquid or solid friction modifier (FM) in precisely controlled quantities to the crane wheels or rail to improve performance and safety during movement of the crane. The friction modifier is applied by a nozzle mounted on a crane truck, which nozzle is opened and closed by a valve. The duration of the valve opening per second, which controls the friction modifier application rate, is approximately proportional to the average current draw, which is detected by current sensors connected to the truck motors.

This invention generally relates to traveling cranes. More particularly, this invention relates to systems for reducing friction during movement of a traveling crane along rails.
Portal cranes are used extensively in ports to load and unload ships and submarines. These cranes generally have a high load lifting capacity and therefore utilize double flange steel wheel trucks on heavy weight steel rails. The rails have a wide gage (up to 40 ft. or more). Depending on the load lifting capacity, portal cranes have a large number (8 to 16 or more) of two wheel trucks. One-half to one-third of the wheels are powered. Drive motors are generally located on the truck.
FIGS. 1A and 1B show a typical diagram of a modern portal crane 1 used by the U.S. Navy. A superstructure of several levels, which levels include a rotating upper works 10 connected to a system of booms, pulleys, hook hoists, steel ropes, etc. collectively designated at 15, which enables the crane 1 to pick up or lower heavy loads. The particular components of the lifting system or boom 15 will vary according to the intended use of the crane 1. The upper works 10 and boom 15 are supported by a traveling portal base 16, which is built on top of a plurality of trucks 11, 12, 13, 14. The trucks 11, 12, 13, 14 move on heavy rails 37, 38 placed with a wide gage 7. Similar cranes with smaller booms and smaller load lifting capacities are used by commercial services. There are several differences between Navy and commercial cranes but the type of trucks and wheels used in both cranes, collectively referred to herein as traveling cranes, is the same.
In Navy portal cranes, power is supplied by an on-board engine and generator typically located in the traveling portal base 16, above the trucks. Many of the other electrical and mechanical systems are located in a chamber-like structural member 28 of the crane 1. An on-board fuel tank supplies fuel for the engine. The maximum power available is thus limited to the capacity of the engine-generator combination. This power is used for several functions of the crane, including: moving the crane by powering the motors and driving the trucks; rotating the upper works to which the boom is connected; picking up and lowering the load; and changing the height of the boom.
A major fraction of the total power of both Navy and commercial cranes is used in moving the crane. Portal cranes travel on heavy gage rail track 37, 38 which is both tangent and curved in the shipyard. The track has a very wide gage 7 (12 ft to 44 ft and more) and has very sharp curves around the bay in the dock. Commercial cranes typically travel on straight or gently curved tracks. The peak power required to move the cranes depends on the sharpness of the curve. Even on tangent track, portal cranes use much more power with considerable noise and vibration than they need to.
Typical portal cranes have a large number of two wheel trucks, which operate on sharp curves. This requires some trucks to move laterally by several feet when they are on the curves. This also involves a sharp change of rolling direction of the wheels which are operating on curves. Each truck is free to rotate about its vertical axis, but the rolling direction of the truck wheels is not aligned perfectly when entering a curving rail. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the rolling direction 8 of the wheel 17 is different from the direction 9 of the curved rail 18. The angle 19 between them defines the lateral angle of slip or creep between the wheel 17 and the rail 18. The wheel 17 must slip laterally by a certain distance every moment in order to stay on the rail 18. This slip is given by the distance 20.
The greater the angle 19, the larger is the slip 20 and a corresponding lateral friction force, generally designated in FIG. 3 at 21. Hence, sharp turns result in the greatest lateral friction force. This lateral friction force 21 is opposed by an equal and opposite force 22 with which one flange 23 of the wheel 17 presses against the rail 18. It is generally not understood that an angle 19 as small as half a degree can produce lateral forces per wheel of several thousand pounds.
This force causes significant rail and wheel flange wear and can cause the flange 23 to break in extreme cases. In addition to creating an unsafe condition, replacing a wheel on one of these cranes is an expensive process. In other cases the flange 23 can climb on the rail 18, resulting in a derailment. Another problem associated with this process is the production of very high levels of noise, which compromises the safety of the workers underneath the crane because of their inability to talk to each other while the crane is moving. Other problems include excessive vibration and shock to both the electrical and mechanical drive trains and to the whole crane.
Yet another problem is that a major part of the energy of the power plant of the crane is used up in overcoming the wheel-rail contact friction in the lateral direction. At times, such a large part of the generator current is used to overcome this friction, that only one operating function of the crane can be performed at a time, otherwise the electrical system trips and blowouts can occur. For example, crane movement cannot occur simultaneously with the rotation of the upper works 10 or lifting of the load, so the capability of rotating the upper works while traveling around the curve (preferred by the operators) is compromised. Similarly, if the current draw by the truck motors is excessive, the electrical system trips and work is halted until it is fixed. This can happen in the middle of a load lift, leaving the load hanging in the air. Hence, any breakdown of the crane significantly reduces productivity and safety and should be avoided.
The above problems are only aggravated by the tendency of the wheels to stick as they slip along the rail which, when combined with the associated large lateral friction, causes the whole crane to vibrate and move jerkily. Nothing can be done about the distances slipped because they are defined by the geometry of the wheel and the rail. Therefore, the only way to reduce the detrimental wastage of crane energy is to reduce the friction force 21 between the wheels 17 and the rail 18.
Accordingly, a general object and aspect of the present invention is to provide a system whereby the above friction-related problems of prior art traveling cranes are substantially reduced or eliminated.
Other aspects, objects and advantages of the present invention, including the various features used in various combinations, will be understood from the following description according to preferred embodiments of the present invention, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which certain specific features are shown.

Friction modifier applicator system for traveling cranes


The invention is directed to a polymerization system and method of controlling resin properties during the production of bimodal and multimodal polymer compositions using at least one manipulated variable to minimize dynamic deviations from polymer characteristics. In particular embodiments, the method of control includes determining a property of the resin based on a current and/or previous values or estimates or process variables or polymer characteristics. In this manner the control actions serve to reduce process upsets or facilitate in transitioning to a new product or grade to reduce the amount of off-grade resin material produced during transition or during steady state manufacture.

Changing from one grade of polymer to another requires a transition period for a polymerization reactor to switch over to new resin specifications and corresponding process conditions such as reaction temperature, reactants and reactant ratios. During the transition from one product to another, off-grade polymer material is produced that does not have the desired resin flow property (e.g., melt index), density, or other property of either the initial product or the desired target product. In addition, a polymerization reaction operating under "steady state" conditions can encounter variations that can result in the production of off-grade polymer material that can lead to loss of revenue and reactor shutdown. Since off-grade polymer material presents an economic loss, it is desirable, to minimize the length of time a reactor produces such material and the amount of material that is produced.
A number of methods have been described to reduce transient, off-grade polymer material. Such methods have involved feeding a polymerization retarder or catalyst poison (e.g., CO2, O2) into the reactor, adjusting reaction gas composition, temperature and possibly pressure to new values, removing reactant gases from the reactor, reducing the catalyst feed rate, and/or adding a nonreactive gas such as nitrogen, among other remedial actions.
Despite existing approaches to limit off-grade material, there is a continuing need and desire to provide a more effective and efficient process to reduce the amount of off-grade polymer material produced during the transition to a new product or as a result of a fluctuation during steady state manufacture.

Methods of controlling properties in multimodal systems

Union Carbide Chemicals & Plastics Technology LLC


A protective display and gift package includes a base defining a product support surface, a product support clasp pivotally mounted on the product support surface and operative to releasably support a product, and a cover pivotally connected to the base for movement between a first position mutually cooperable with the base to overlie the product display surface and a product supported by the clasp, and a second position supporting the base in an upstanding position with the product display surface and product support clasp exposed. The clasp enables the product to be selectively rotated relative to the product support surface and enables customers and merchants to view and display the product from various angles.

The present invention relates generally to product display and gift package devices, and more particularly to a product packaging and display device that is adapted to protect a displayed product, enables exposure and selective positioning of the displayed product, and can be used as a gift box.
It is a conventional marketing technique to display consumer products, particularly relatively small high-volume products of hand-holdable size, so as to draw maximum consumer attention. It is known, for example, to package products within clear plastic "blister packs" or clamshell packets that enable the consumer to visually identify one or more products disposed within the blister pack or clamshell packet. Product information or brand indicia may be provided on a header card attached to the blister pack or clamshell packet, or on a separate card disposed within the blister pack or clamshell packet. Such blister pack and clamshell packet packaging is particularly favored for hand-holdable size, high-volume, relatively low-cost products. A significant drawback in this type of packaging, however, is that it does not allow selective orientation of a product within the package and frequently does not lend itself to traditional gift wrapping because of its generally irregular shape. As a result, products employing such packaging are often overlooked when a customer is considering purchase of a product for gift giving purposes. In addition, such packaging is generally not acceptable for use by high-end retailers, such as those selling jewelry, upscale gifts, or high priced specialty products.
Another drawback in the use of plastic blister pack or clamshell packet type packaging that is made from a relatively flexible transparent plastic is that the flexible plastic often directly contacts the product creating a potential for damage to the product during shipment and subsequent handling. Further, blister pack and clamshell type packaging generally do not allow the product to be exposed for close-up inspection by a potential purchaser without damaging the blister pack or clamshell package. Should a customer break open a blister pack, for example, the enclosed product may release from the package and become scratched or otherwise damaged. Also, once opened, it is generally difficult for a merchant to sell a product in an already-opened blister pack or clamshell package type packaging even though re-sealed by staples or tape, unless the product is deeply discounted.
Product packaging traditionally used for higher-end products, such as jewelry, generally utilizes two-piece type relatively rigid cases having a base and top cover that may be hinged to the base or fully releasable to create an open product display condition that enables the products to be removed, examined, and re-inserted into the package or case without harm or damage to the product or packaging. Such packaging generally adds a significant cost factor to the product. Moreover, such two-piece rigid type packaging generally supports the product in a relative fixed position that allows a customer to view the product at a specific angle but requires removal from the package for better observation.
There thus exists a need for a relatively inexpensive product display and gift type package that enables selective orientation of a product supported within the package, protects a displayed product when the package is in a closed condition, and can be opened without damage to the package or product so as to present a product on an upwardly inclined exposed position allowing a customer to touch the product and manipulate it or remove the product if desired. The package or case should also facilitate attractive gift wrapping conducive to sales by higher-end retailers.


A track and slide assembly for a sailboat having a mast and a boom, the track being attached to the mast and the slides which ride along the track being each coupled to the luff of a sail. Hence, when the sail is raised on the mast, the slides ride up the track, and when lowered, the slides then ride down the track. Formed in the track along its full length is a slot which extends below the outer face of the track and has a cruciform cross section defining a major channel and a minor channel that intersects the major channel at a point below the face of the track and is at right angles to the major channel. Each slide includes a cylindrical post that is slidable in the major channel of the track and a disc-shaped runner that intersects the post and is integral therewith, the runner being slidable in the minor channel whereby the slide is rotatable within the slot as well as being slidable therein and therefore does not bind to the track when a torque force is applied to the slide by the sail to which it is coupled.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to a track and slide assembly for a sailboat, the track being attached to the mast of the boat and the slides which ride along the track being coupled to the luff of a sail whose base is hitched to a boom, whereby the sail may be raised on the mast or lowered, and more particularly to an assembly of the type in which the slides are rotatable on the track as well as slidable therealong, and therefore do not bind to the track when a torque is applied to the slides by the sail.
2. Status of Prior Art
In a typical modern sailboat having fore and aft sails, the sailboat is provided with a mainsail, a foresail and a jib, the mainsail being supported by a mast. The mainsail, which is triangular, is hitched at its base to a boom which can swing about the lower part of the mast in either direction in relation to the longitudinal axis of the boat.
In order to make it possible to control, reef and stow the mainsail, use is made of a track and slide assembly whose track is attached to the mast and whose slides which ride along the track are coupled at spaced positions to the vertical or luff side of the triangular sail. In this way, when the sail is raised by a halyard to its full height on the mast, the slides then ride up the track, and when the sail is lowered so that it can be furled on the boom, the slides then ride down the track. When the sail is to be reefed to reduce the area exposed to wind, as by folding a portion of its foot and securing it to the boom with reef points, the slides then ride down the track to the extent necessary to effect reefing.
A mainsail exposed to wind forces will often subject the slides coupled to the luff of the sail to torque and other forces which may impair the ability of the slides to ride along the track. And depending on the design of the track and slide assembly, these forces may act to decouple the slides from the track and render the sail ineffective.
In many conventional track and slide assemblies, the slides are rectangular in shape or in the form of rectangular cars that run along the track. Should a torque force be applied to these slides by a mainsail, the slides, which are incapable of turning with respect to the track, will then bind to the track, thereby preventing sliding movement and making it impossible to control the mainsail.
And in those designs in which the slides ride along lips projecting from opposite sides of the track, a strong pulling force exerted on the slides by the mainsail may act to compress and deflect these lips and decouple the slides from the track.
An important factor which comes into play in the effectiveness of a track and slide assembly is the ability of the slides to ride freely up and down the track so that the sail can be raised or lowered without difficulty. Such movement is resisted should the slides encounter significant friction. It is for this reason that in some instances tracks are made of TEFLON (PTFE), a synthetic plastic material having an exceptionally low coefficient of friction. But the structural strength of a TEFLON track is not great, and the track may not stand up when heavy forces are exerted thereon by the slides coupled to the sail.
Another factor that must be taken into account in considering the effectiveness of a track and slide assembly is the manner in which the slides are linked to the luff of the mainsail. If the slides are rigidly coupled to battens attached to the luff of the sail, and in response to a wind force the sail assumes an acute angle with respect to the track mounted on the mast, then if the link between the slides and the mainsail is inflexible, this action may either disrupt the link or detach the slides from the track.
Of prior art interest are the patents to Benedict, U.S. Pat. No. 3,092,064 and Rand, U.S. Pat. No. 259,209.


A flexible consistency checking mechanism allows network operators to create their own consistency checking rules. Several consistency check formulas are provided. Each formula defines one or more general operations on one or more managed network objects. By applying a general consistency check formulas to one or more specific managed network objects, one or more consistency check rules is generated. For example, the user can generate the consistency check rules simply by inputting certain data values for formula variables by way of a user interface. Once those rules have been generated, they can be used to check the consistency of one or more aspects of a communications network configuration. Each formula also may include a checkpoint that defines a time period or event when a corresponding consistency check rule established using that formula should be executed.

Today's communication networks are large, and the number of resources and services provided is increasing. Network equipment often comes from different vendors, and network operators use a variety of different operations and management systems to manage their networks. Each vendor's equipment often has its own management system, and different services in the network are controlled in different ways. All of these factors increase the complexity and cost for operations and maintenance.
One way to simplify that complexity and reduce the cost for network operators is to develop an international standard on how telecommunications networks will be managed in a uniform and efficient way. For example, the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is developing standards for the third generation (3G) of mobile communications systems. The standard documents 3GPP TS 32.101-102 describe various 3G management principles and architectures. Example management functions addressed in the 3GPP specifications include fault management, configuration management, performance management, roaming management, accounting, customer profile management, service deployment, fraud management, security management, and software management. The ITU Technical Specification Recommendation M.3100 is another management standard for telecom networks.
Notwithstanding these efforts at standardization, a mobile network operator may still have to manage many different types of networks, such as radio networks, exchanges, transmission networks, area networks, intelligent nodes, and substantial amounts of computer hardware/software. Because this wide variety of network equipment will likely be obtained from a variety of equipment vendors, effective configuration management is particularly critical in order to flexibly manage and adapt the topology and logical resources in the network.
Configuration management employs a Network Resource Model (NRM) to represent the actual managed telecommunication network resources. An NRM describes managed object classes, their associations, attributes, and operations. A Managed Object (MO) is a software object that encapsulates management characteristics and behavior of a particular network resource. The managed object is an "instance" of a "managed object class" defined in an NRM A managed object class has attributes that provide information used to characterize the objects that belong to the class. In addition, a managed object class can have operations that represent the behavior relevant for that class. An instance of a managed object class is sometimes called a "managed element." Associations are used to model relationships between managed objects and can be implemented in several ways, such as name bindings, reference attributes, and association objects. A management information base (MIB) is an instance of an NRM and includes a name space describing the managed object hierarchy in the MIB using distinguished names, a number of managed objects with their attributes, and a number of associations between these managed objects.
Part of the configuration management function in the network management system is to identify and eliminate inconsistencies in a network. A network may be represented in a valid configuration or in a planned network configuration. Typically, these configurations are "checked" for consistency using a large number of consistency check rules. Those rules represent best practices or desired practices regarding network configurations. For example, if a radio base station is to be added to a network, consistency check rules might ensure that the new base station is configured with a unique identifier, appropriate radio channels, and particular transmit power levels. The consistency check rules are usually quite voluminous, and all of them must be performed on every object in the configuration being checked. Consequently, when an operator initiates a consistency check after a system installation or a system restart, that check may take considerable time.
Indeed, hundreds of consistency check rules may have been developed and must be performed on all managed objects and their attributes in the configuration being checked. Such rules might check for the uniqueness of an identifier of a particular node, for a particular frequency range, for a maximum number of frequencies, for a maximum number of a particular type of channel, for maximum power levels, etc. Consider the example situation in a cellular network where a new cell D is going to be added to an existing configuration that already has cells A, B, and C with corresponding cell IDs. A consistency check is executed to ensure that the cell ID for cell D is not the same as any of the cell IDs already assigned to cells A, B, and C.
Consistency checks help the network operator avoid faulty attribute settings in a particular network configuration. Faulty settings would include, for example, attribute values that nodes within a network will not accept or values that would degrade the system characteristics and functionality within a node or between nodes. Because consistency checks of attribute settings is primarily performed before attributes are set in the network, most consistency checks are executed in a planned configuration, referred to hereafter as a "planned area." However, since inconsistencies may be present in actually configured networks, consistency checks can also be performed on a live network, referred to hereafter as a "valid area."
A network operator is usually provided with a very long list of pre-coded, consistency check rules. Again, it is not uncommon for a network operator to have to select from a list of hundreds of such pre-coded rules when a particular consistency check is to be performed on a planned area or active area configuration. Although all of the consistency check rules may be selected, it may be that the network operator only wants to use some of those rules rather than all of them. This is especially true given the amount of time it takes to execute a large number of such rules. Alternatively, operators may want to create their own consistency check rules other than or in addition to those on the pre-coded list. In this case, the network operator must go back to the management system vendor who supplied the original management system software with the pre-coded consistency check rules and ask the vendor to code new consistency check rules. Of course, time and money are required to develop such software upgrades.
It is therefore desirable for network operators to have the flexibility to create consistency check rules without having to re-code the management software or request a software upgrade from a network management software vendor. It is also desirable to provide the network operator with some choice as to when a consistency check rule is executed. As an example, when "populating" a planned area, the integrity of the populating data could be high because it was created automatically. This means that consistency checking of this populating data could be done only when a change of the data is made directly in the valid area. The integrity of other populating data (e.g., manually created) could be lower, and thus, the consistency check should be done either at population of the planned area or when upgrading the valid area. The network vendor has little or no knowledge about the integrity of the populating data before it populates the planned area, which is why the decision of when to perform consistency checking lies best with the operator of the network. Pre-coded consistency check rules do not provide operators with this option.
The present invention overcomes these shortcomings by providing a flexible consistency checking mechanism that allows network operators to generate their own consistency checking rules using a consistency check rule making/editing functionality. In a preferred example embodiment, several basic consistency check formulas are provided. Each formula defines one (or more) general operations performed on one or more managed network objects. By applying the general consistency check formulas to one or more specific managed network objects, one or more consistency check rules is created. The user can create the consistency check rules simply by inputting certain data values for formula variables by way of a user interface or file transfer. Once those rules have been created, they can be used to check the consistency of one or more aspects of a communications network configuration, either in a planned area or a valid area. Because the formulas are general, a single formula can be used to generate multiple consistency check rules using different managed objects and attributes.
Another advantageous aspect of the present invention is that each consistency check formula may include a "checkpoint" which defines a time period or an event when a corresponding consistency check rule established using that formula should be executed. In other words, when an operator uses one of the formulas to define a new consistency check rule, the operator also connects or otherwise associates that new consistency check rule to a particular checkpoint or event when rule execution is to occur. Examples of possible checkpoints in a cellular network context include immediate creation of a cell, activation of a cell, creation of a location area, import of new data to the network management system from an external management system, i.e., the planned area check, and an initial start of a network element or a management system. Of course, many other events may be defined as checkpoints.
As a result of the operator-defined consistency check functionality provided by the present invention, an operator will have the ability to create, delete, and change consistency check rules for a network without requiring a software upgrade or even assistance from a network management software vendor. Only those consistency check rules actually desired by the operator for a particular network area need be created. Moreover, the network operator will also be able to determine a time (and modify that time if desired) when a consistency check rule will be executed without requiring a software upgrade. This leads to shorter times in upgrading the operator's network with less time being spent doing consistency checking during population and validation of the planned area. The integrity of the data nonetheless remains high with consistency checking being performed when necessary.

Operator-defined consistency checking in a network management system


An information processing device is provided that includes a display portion, a user recognition portion, a button selection portion, and a display control portion. The display portion displays at least one function button that is related to a function that the information processing device is capable of performing. The user recognition portion recognizes a user who is operating the information processing device. The button selection portion selects, from among the at least one function button that is displayed on the display portion, at least one function button that corresponds to the user who has been recognized by the user recognition portion. The display control portion moves the function button that has been selected by the button selection portion from an initial position on a display screen of the display portion such that the function button is close to a specified position on the display screen.

In recent years, touch panels have come to be widely used as operation portions of mobile devices such as digital cameras, portable video/audio players, mobile telephones, and the like. In a device that is equipped with this sort of touch panel, a user, by touching a function button that is displayed on a display screen of the mobile device, can issue a command to the mobile device to perform a function that corresponds to the function button (refer to Patent Document 1, for example.) In a case where a digital camera is used to record an image, for example, the user searches for a recording start button (called the REC button) on the display screen and starts recording the image by touching the button.

Information processing device, display method, and program


A motor vehicle has a frame assembly with a generally flat platform for supporting a wheelchair within the interior compartment of the vehicle. Air cylinders couple the frame assembly to wheel assemblies operate to move the frame assembly to an up vehicle driving position and to a down position wherein the platform engages the vehicle support surface or ground whereby the wheelchair can be moved directly onto the platform.

Wheelchair lifts mounted on vehicles, such as buses, vans, motor homes and automobiles, provide wheelchair users access to the interior of the vehicles thereby increasing their mobility and enabling these people to become more self-reliant and independent. Wheelchair lifts have generally horizontal platforms which are used to support manual and motor driven wheelchairs along with persons located on the wheelchairs. Lift structures connected to the platforms operate to selectively raise and lower the platforms. When the platforms are in the lower or ground positions the wheelchairs are moved onto the platforms. The platforms are raised by the lift structures to a selected elevation, such as the floor of the vehicle, and then moved off the platform into the interior compartment of the vehicle. Actuators, such as electric motors, operating screws and hydraulic cylinders, are used to move the platforms to transport positions within the confines of the vehicle. The wheelchair is secured to the vehicle floor to prevent inadvertent movement of the wheelchair within the vehicle. In some vehicles, the wheelchair is moved to a vehicle operator position and anchored thereto to allow the wheelchair user to operate the vehicle. Examples of wheelchair lifts are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,096,955; 4,133,437; 4,664,584 and D440,728. The wheelchair lifts require modifications of the bodies of the vehicles and require considerable labor and installation costs.
Wheelchair lifts for motor vehicles do not utilize vehicle suspension devices for loading wheelchairs into the vehicle and unloading wheelchairs from the vehicle. Examples of vehicle body suspension systems are disclosed in the following U.S. patents. Keijzer et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,558 discloses a motor vehicle wheel suspension strut for converting the conventional suspension unit to an air adjustable type suspension without discarding the original shock absorber and related components. This suspension strut does not allow the vehicle floor to be lowered when the vehicle is packed.
Danis in U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,995 discloses a motor vehicle suspension system for providing a kneeling function to a vehicle having a lowered floor for accommodating the loading and unloading of passengers. The suspension system includes a pair of springs and a pair of suspension members or shock absorbers operatively connected to the rear wheels of the vehicle for supporting the load on the vehicle. An air compressor supplies air to the shock absorbers. An exhaust valve associated with the air system allows air to exhaust from the shock absorbers whereby the vehicle floor moves down from above a normal height and allows all the air to exhaust from the shock absorbers whereby the vehicle floor moves down to the kneeling position above the support surfaces of the vehicle.
Air springs have been designed to fit directly into conventional rear coil spring mounts to support the rear portion of a motor vehicle, such as a truck, sport utility, wagon and motor homes. Conventional leaf springs have been replaced with parallel linkages and air springs to lower a vehicle's body to improve handling a load capacity. The air spring suspension systems maintain ground clearance and do not allow the vehicle's frame to be moved into engagement with the ground or vehicle support surface.

Vehicle air suspension providing integral wheelchair lift


A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring rotator, a pressing member, a heat source, a supporting member, and an end cap. The fixing belt is rotatably provided. The pressuring rotator is rotatably provided, and comes into pressure contact with the fixing belt to form a fixing nip between the fixing belt and the pressuring rotator. The pressing member presses the fixing belt from inside toward the pressuring rotator. The heat source is disposed outside of the fixing belt, and heats the fixing belt. The supporting member faces the heat source across the fixing belt, and supports the fixing belt from inside. The end cap is mounted to an end part in the direction of a rotation axis of the fixing belt, and is rotatably supported by the supporting member.

The present disclosure relates to a fixing device configured to fix a toner image on a recording medium and an image forming apparatus provided with the fixing device.
An electrographic image forming apparatus such as a printer or a copying machine forms a toner image on a surface of a recording medium such as a sheet, and subsequently, heats and pressures the recording medium and the toner image by a fixing device, thereby fixing the toner image on the recording medium.
As a manner of the above-mentioned fixing device, a manner of forming a fixing nip for heating and pressuring a recording medium and a toner image by a fixing roller and a pressuring roller is known. The above-mentioned fixing roller is formed by covering an outer circumferential face of a metallic cored bar with a resin having a high toner release property, for example. Also, as a heat source for heating the above-mentioned fixing roller, a halogen heater is used, for example. This halogen heater is disposed inside of the cored bar of the fixing roller, for example.
On the other hand, a manner (so called IH (Induction Heating) manner) of using an IH coil as a heat source instead of the halogen heater is known. The above-mentioned IH coil generates a magnetic field by way of electrification. Among fixing devices of such IH manner, there exists a fixing device forming the fixing nip by a fixing belt and a pressuring roller instead of forming the fixing nip by a fixing roller and a pressuring roller. The above-mentioned fixing belt is composed of a rotatable endless belt. In addition, an eddy current is generated at the fixing belt byway of action of the magnetic field generated by the IH coil.
Also, as a rotation manner of the fixing belt, a manner of rotating the fixing belt together with one or a plurality of rollers disposed inside of the fixing belt is known. On the other hand, a manner of disposing a pressing member inside of the fixing belt and sliding the fixing belt with respect to the pressing member is known as well.
In the fixing device of such a manner, the fixing belt is prone to deviate to the outside in the direction of a rotation axis of the fixing belt, and one of the important problems is to restrain such deviation of the fixing belt. For example, an end cap is mounted to an end part in the direction of the rotation axis of the fixing belt (hereinafter, simply referred to as an "end part of the fixing belt"), and by the end cap, deviation of a predetermined margin or more of the fixing belt is restrained. In a case where the deviation of the fixing belt is thus restrained by using the end cap, it is desirable to rotate the end cap together with the fixing belt in order to prevent lowering of durability of an end part of the fixing belt. In addition, in order to thus rotate the end cap together with the fixing belt, the end part of the fixing belt may be corrected in a circular shape by the end cap.
A problem in a case where the end part of the fixing belt is corrected in the circular shape by the end cap as mentioned above will be described with reference to FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B.
In the fixing device using the IH manner and the manner of sliding the fixing belt with respect to the pressing member, a positional relationship between an IH coil 71 and a fixing belt 72 greatly influences a heating performance of the fixing belt 72, and thus, it is desirable to enhance precision of position between the IH coil 71 and the fixing belt 72. However, in a case where an end part of the fixing belt 72 is corrected in a circular shape by an end cap 73, an outer diameter of the end part of the fixing belt 72 is greater than an outer diameter of a central part of the fixing belt 72, as shown in FIG. 8A. As a result, a distance d1 between the end part of the fixing belt 72 and the IH coil 71 is smaller than a distance d2 between the central part of the fixing belt 72 and the IH coil 71. Thus, it becomes difficult to normalize (uniform) the distance between the IH coil 71 and the fixing belt 72 all over the areas in the direction of the rotation axis of the fixing belt 72.
As a solution to such a problem, as shown in FIG. 8B, it is considered that a supporting member 74 is disposed at a position facing the IH coil 71 across the fixing belt 72, and by this supporting member 74, the fixing belt 72 is supported from inside. However, if such configuration is adopted, in a case where a relative positional relationship between the fixing belt 72 and the supporting member 74 is displaced, steps occur in the fixing belt 72 in peripheral regions of both end parts of the supporting member 74 (refer to the portion Y of FIG. 8B), a shear stress concentrates on the steps, and there is a concern about lowering of the durability of the fixing belt 72.

Fixing device and image forming apparatus


The efficient use of memory devices is crucial in processing a large amount of data. In particular, the buffer memory is used in an efficient manner by the use of a buffer memory control unit. The efficient use of the buffer memory is implemented in a high-speed color data processing unit in a color image processing device such as copiers, facsimile devices and printers.

As the computer processing increases in its speed and capacity, the amount of data also increases, and data conversion and data correction are also more frequently used. For example, a scanning correction corrects or repairs RGB data of an original document that is scanned by a scanner. The scanning correction includes CCD between-line correction, a main scanning register adjustment, shading correction, dot correction, vertical stripe correction and γ correction. Another example is an area separation where an edge or inside of binary lines and characters are determined. The area separation also separates dot image such as photographs. Lastly, the area separation separates chromatic elements from achromatic elements. Yet another example is for converting the corrected RGB data into a mapped data set such as CMYK image data and includes intermediate processes such as filtering, background removal, color mapping such as mapping to CMYK image data, color removal, main scanning sizing, main scanning shift, main scanning mirroring, sub scanning sampling, masking and digitization for monochromatic output. Another example is output correction for correcting the processed CMYK image data to match the printer output characteristics. The output correction includes printer γ correction and gradation process. The gradation process includes various processes such as intensity conversion, dithering and error diffusion.
The data processing includes sum of product for filtering, pattern matching for area separations, data conversion based upon a look up table (LUT) such as γ conversion and correction such as shading correction. When a preceding image data process and a proceeding image data process differ in a processing speed, it is necessary to temporarily store the data in a buffer. For filtering and pattern matching processes, since it is necessary to concurrently refer to multiple lines of pixel matrix of image data, the line buffer memory should have a capacity for a number of lines. For this reason, a buffer memory is generally used in image processing.
Japanese Patent Publication Hei 8-305329 discloses a signal process device in which an input data selector is sequentially connected to an input data latch, a memory unit, an output data latch and an output data select according to data flow. Furthermore, the device further includes a write address selector, a read address selector and a central processing unit (CPU) for controlling the selectors. The CPU selects a selector that specifies the memory for use as line memory for receiving TV image reception signal or for use as a look-up table for non-linear calculation. The CPU writes data for the look-up table in the memory unit.
As described above, for color image processing and adjustments, there are numerous data conversions and data corrections. For each of these processes, a necessary memory capacity and data processed amount often differ based upon a kind of data processing and data content. When a single memory resource accommodates the total memory need for the various processes, since memory is multiplexed depending upon the desired timing for the use of the memory in a sequential process flow, it is important to utilize the limited memory resource in an efficient manner. For color image processing, since the data amount is larger than that of chromatic image processing, the processing speed is essential. For this reason, the control of the memory resource is also an important issue. For example, in image formation devices such as a digital copier and a multifunctional machine, even if a processor is dedicated to various images processing, since the color image generally requires certain color specific processes and increases the amount of process data, the processing speed is reduced. In particular, in color image reading devices such as color scanners and color image forming devices such as color printers, the processing capacity for a color γ correction is a significant issue. For example, for the conversion of the RGB image data, at least three look-up tables are needed for each of the RGB data elements. Similarly, for the γ conversion of the YMCK image data, at least four look-up tables are needed for each of the YMCK data elements. The γ conversion takes time for the use of these look-up tables.
The data processing by the signal processing device as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Hei 8-305329 includes the line data insertion by the selection control from the output data selector as specified by the CPU during the line memory utilization mode and the data conversion based upon a look-up table during the look-up table utilization mode. It remains desirable to apply the disclosed signal processing device in order to speed up the above data conversion. A first objective of the current invention is to utilize the buffer memory in an efficient manner. A second objective is to implement the high-speed color data processing in a color image processing device.

Data conversion apparatus for and method of data conversion for image processing


A medical instrument for dissecting tissue in the human or animal body comprises a shaft. At least one movable tool is arranged at a distal end of the shaft. At least one movable grip element is arranged at a proximal end of the shaft. A force transmission element extends along the shaft, which force transmission element is movable relative to the latter and transmits thrust and/or tension forces and whose proximal end is non-positively joined to the at least one movable grip element and whose distal end is non-positively joined to the at least one movable tool. The shaft is further provided with a bend at at least one point between the distal end and the proximal end. The force transmission element is configured, at least in the region of the bend, as a flexible tubular element conforming to the bend, which is guided in contact with the shaft. According to a second variant, a flattened and flexible configuration is given to the force transmission element in the region of the bend, at least locally transversely to the plane of curvature of the bend, and the force transmission element extends continuously in axial direction, transversely to the plane of curvature, at least over the inner diameter of the shaft in the region of the bend.

The present invention relates to a medical instrument for dissecting tissue in the human or animal body.
An instrument for dissecting tissue is one used for cutting and for grasping tissue, for example a punch, a pair of scissors or a forceps.
Instruments of this kind are used in the context of minimally invasive surgery for dissecting tissue in the human or animal body, usually under endoscopic monitoring. To this end, instruments of that kind comprise an elongated shaft which has at least one movable tool arranged at its distal end, which usually coacts with another movable or immovable tool, arranged at the distal end of the shaft, for dissecting the tissue. For operating the at least one movable tool, such instruments are further provided, on the proximal end of the shaft, with at least one movable grip element through which the axially movable force transmission element, transmitting thrust and/or pull forces, is non-positively connected with the at least one movable tool so that any movement of the movable grip element is translated by the force transmission element into a movement of the movable tool.
Especially for operations in the region of the ear, nose and throat one normally uses instruments with a shaft having at least one bend in order to permit the tool or tools arranged on the distal end to be advanced to positions that are accessible only with difficulty, for example into niches in the frontal or the maxillary sinus.
An instrument with a bent shaft, especially if the bending radius is small, presents the problem that the force must be transmitted by the force transmission element from the movable grip element through the bend to the movable tool. This is rendered difficult especially in view of the aim to have a slim instrument, i.e. one with a thin shaft.
In order to be able to adapt itself to the bend, the force transmission element must, therefore, be flexible in the region of the bend of the shaft.
DE 44 44 025 A1 discloses, for example, a force transmission element for a medical instrument in the form of a flexible wire element, which is capable of adapting itself to such a bend. However, a flexible wire can transmit only tensile or pull forces, but is not suited for transmitting thrust, or even high thrust. For, if the force transmission element is subjected to thrust, the wire will buckle so that only small, or no thrust can be transmitted to the at least one movable tool for actuating the latter for the purpose of dissecting tissue.
Considering, however, that such instruments are also used for cutting hard tissue, for example cartilage or bone tissue, the nature of the force transmission element must be such to permit even very high forces, especially high thrust forces, to be transmitted to the movable tool without any buckling of the force transmission element, and this, of course, although the transfer of forces must be effected through the bend of the shaft, which means that the force transmission element must be capable of adapting itself to the bending radius during its axial movement.
DE 195 20 717 C2 proposes to solve this problem with the aid of a tubular-shaft instrument with a tubular shaft provided with a bend, where the force transmission element is arranged inside the tubular shaft. In the bent portion of the tubular shaft, the force transmission element is configured as a bar made from a flexible material, which is in contact with the inner wall of a surrounding rigid sleeve, extending concentrically to the shaft, and whose cross-section is reduced, in the region of the bend, by a number of circumferential grooves arranged one beside the other in axial direction. The before-mentioned sleeve may be constituted also by the tubular shaft as such. The circumferential grooves are formed to extend over the full circumference of the bar. Thus, the bar is locally reduced in thickness to sort of a wire with circular cross-section in the region of the circumferential grooves. In the intermediate sections between the grooves, the diameter of the bar is not reduced so that the outer surfaces of the intermediate sections serve as guide surfaces to guide the force transmission element in the region of the bend in contact with the inner wall of the sleeve and/or the tubular shaft.
Although such a force transmission element permits high thrust forces to be transferred through the bend to the movable tool, this known instrument nevertheless must be regarded as disadvantageous with that configuration of the force transmission element.
Considering that such instruments are used in minimally invasive surgery, it is another demand that must be placed on such instruments that their diameter in the region of the shaft be as small as possible to permit the instrument, together with the shaft, to be introduced into an incision or natural opening in the body which should be as small as possible. In the case of such miniaturized instruments with a shaft diameter of a few millimeters only, this means for the known instrument that the force transmission element has an extremely small diameter in the reduced regions of the circumferential grooves, whereby the stability of the force transmission element is reduced because the material thickness of the force transmission element is reduced to very small wire cross-sections in the region of the circumferential grooves. Therefore, the force transmission element may buckle or break in the region of the circumferential grooves extending over the full circumference when high thrust or sudden thrust is transferred, or may fracture when high pull forces are transferred, whereby the operating safety of the known instrument is reduced.
DE 43 00 064 A1 discloses a punch for dissecting tissue having an outer shaft and an inner shaft, at a distal end of which an opening having a blade is provided, which coacts with a counter blade at the distal end of the outer shaft in such a way that, upon actuation of the punch, tissue which protrudes through said opening in the inner shaft, is cut off by the blades moved against each other. The inner shaft is formed rigid, is straight in the proximal region and merges distally into a curved course, and the outer shaft, which forms the force transmission element of this instrument, is at least in the region of this curvature deformable. The deformability of the outer shaft is made possible by that the outer shaft is provided with recesses which face each other on the radius of the curvature of the inner shaft. The recesses in form of radial incisions or notches only leave a narrow bridge of material between themselves.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,772 also discloses a medical instrument, the shaft of which comprises a bend. The force transmission element comprises a plurality of notched or recessed sections in the region of the bend of the shaft. Between the recessed sections of the force transmission element a plurality of ribs are formed, the thickness of which substantially conforms to the thickness of the remaining body of the force transmission element. The ribs are formed in direction of one side of the force transmission element only, whereas the force transmission element is configured continuously flat in the region of the bend on the opposite side of the ribs. The force transmission element and the ribs thereof are guided in an elongated slot inside the shaft, which slot is provided in the concave inner side of the bend of the shaft. In another embodiment, the ribs are omitted so that, in this case, the force transmission element is configured in the region of the bend as a flat band, which, however, is not guided in this case.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,745 further discloses a medical stapler, which comprises a force transmission element disposed within said shaft, wherein the force transmission element is configured in form of a flat band, so that the force transmission element is flexible. The flat band itself consists of three sheets of thin bands. In the region of a bend of the shaft, the flat band is guided along a spacer element, in order to achieve that the flat band maintains its central position in the shaft in the region of the bend, if the flat band is under tension, i.e. in order to prevent the flat band from becoming straight in the region of the bend of the shaft. The spacer element is provided with ball bearings for reducing the friction between the force transmission element and the space element.
Now, it is the object of the present invention to improve a medical instrument of the before-mentioned kind in such a way that high pull and/or thrust forces can be transferred to the at least one movable tool by means of the force transmission element, through the bend of the shaft, without any buckling of the force transmission element and without any reduction in stability of the force transmission element being encountered in the region of the bend.
In a first aspect of the invention, this object is achieved according to the invention by a medical instrument for dissecting tissue in the human or animal body, comprising:
a shaft having a distal end and a proximal end, said shaft having at least one bend between said distal and said proximal end;
at least one movable tool disposed at said distal end of said shaft;
at least one movable grip element disposed at said proximal end of said shaft;
a force transmission element having a distal end a proximal end and extending along said shaft and, further, being movable relative to said shaft, said proximal end of said force transmission element being operatively interconnected to said at least one movable grip element and said distal end of said force transmission element being operatively interconnected to said at least one movable tool for transmitting a force from said at least one movable grip to said at least one movable tool,
wherein said force transmission element is configured, at least in the region of said bend, as a flexible tubular element conforming to the bend, which is guided in contact with said shaft, and wherein said tubular element is configured as a helical spring with closely wound windings.
Consequently, it is provided according to the first aspect of the instrument according to the invention that the force transmission element is configured, at least in the region of the bend, as a flexible tubular element in form of a helical spring, which is guided in contact with the shaft. It is an advantage of such a flexible tubular element that it can be made from material of substantially the same thickness throughout. By having the flexible tubular element guided in contact with the shaft, in the region of the bend, the tubular element is prevented from buckling because any lateral deflection of the tubular element during transfer of thrust forces is rendered impossible by the guiding relationship between the element and the shaft. The configuration of the force transmission element of the instrument according to the invention is suited both for cases where the force transmission element is arranged inside a shaft configured as a tubular shaft, and for cases where the force transmission element as such is configured as tubular shaft and guided on the outside of the shaft. Due to the fact that the tubular element can be given the same material thickness over its full axial length, thinner regions as encountered in the known instrument, where the force transmission element is reduced to the shape of a wire in the regions of the circumferential grooves, are avoided whereby higher overall stability and, thus, improved operating safety of the force transmission element and, thus, of the whole instrument is achieved.
The configuration of the flexible tubular element as a helical spring is of particular advantage because a helical spring, consisting of steel, for example, is rigid in radial direction but presents high elasticity along its longitudinal axis because the windings of the helical spring a capable of moving one relative to the other when the helical spring is bent. By giving the helical spring closely wound windings, high thrust forces can be transferred by the helical spring to the movable tool, without any loss of force and without delay, because the helical spring cannot be compressed in axial direction.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the force transmission element is configured as a tube comprising the tubular element in the region of the bend, the tube being arranged around the shaft.
This feature, namely the external arrangement of the force transmission element relative to the shaft, provides the particular advantage, especially in the case of miniaturized instruments with small shaft diameter, that the shaft as such can be given a relatively narrow overall shape, whereas a larger diameter is available for the force transmission element. It is thereby possible to provide an especially strong force transmission element, suitable for transferring high thrust and pull forces, even with instruments of particularly narrow overall shape.
According to a further improved embodiment, the shaft comprises a solid bar made from solid material.
It is an advantage of this feature that due to the configuration of the shaft as a solid bar a particularly strong instrument body is obtained that gives the instrument particularly high stability against bending stresses exerted on the shaft.
It is further preferred if the tubular element is connected with the remaining tube by a substance bond.
This feature is of advantage in terms of easy manufacturability of the force transmission element since the tubular element, especially if in the form of a helical spring, and the remaining tube of the force transmission element can be manufactured by separate processes and can be connected thereafter by soldering, welding or bonding. Another advantage of that feature lies in the fact that the helical spring and the remaining tube constitute a single component, which facilitates the assembly and disassembly procedures of an instrument that can be taken apart to its shaft and force transmission element.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the tubular element is directly connected with the movable tool.
It is an advantage in this connection that in cases where the bend is arranged close to the distal end of the shaft an instrument can be realized that has a short axial length on the distal side of the bend.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the movable tool is connected with the remaining tube in non-positive fashion, by means of a flexible pull element parallel to the tubular element.
It is an advantage in this connection that even high tensile or pull forces can be transferred over the bend, the tensile forces being then absorbed by the flexible pull element, whereby it is additionally avoided that the tubular element, if in the form of a helical spring, will expand axially under tensile stress exerted on the force transmission element, so that it is always guaranteed, also when tension is transferred, that the movable tool is properly entrained. The pull element may in this case take the form of a band, a wire or a strand made from metal, carbon fiber or Kevlar.
It is further preferred in this connection if the shaft comprises a groove, in the region of the bend, in which the pull element is guided between the tubular element and the shaft.
This arrangement provides the advantage that the pull element, too, is guided and retained with little play over the bend, between the helical spring and the shaft, during axial movements of the force transmission element.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the pull element is directly connected with the at least one movable tool.
This feature advantageously guarantees that the at least one movable tool is moved any time a tensile force is exerted upon the flexible pull element.
According to a further preferred embodiment of the instrument according to the invention, the shaft and the force transmission element are detachable from each other.
It is an advantage of this arrangement that contaminants that may collect in the region of the tubular element and also in the remaining region of the shaft, between the force transmission element and the shaft, can be removed easily and safely whereby the cleaning properties of the instrument according to the invention are improved.
In a second aspect of the invention the object underlying the invention is achieved by a medical instrument for dissecting tissue in the human or animal body, comprising:
a shaft having a distal end and a proximal end, said shaft having at least one bend between said distal and said proximal end;
at least one movable tool disposed at said distal end of said shaft;
at least one movable grip element disposed at said proximal end of said shaft;
a force transmission element having a distal end and a proximal end and extending along said shaft and, further, being movable relative to said shaft, said proximal end of said force transmission element being operatively interconnected to said at least one movable grip element and said distal end of said force transmission element being operatively interconnected to said at least one movable tool for transmitting a force from said at least one movable grip to said at least one movable tool;
said force transmission element being configured, at least in the region of said bend and at least sectionally transversely to a plane of curvature of said bend, flattened and flexible, and said force transmission element extending in the region of said bend in the direction transversely to said plane of curvature of said bend continuously in axial direction at least over an inner diameter of said shaft, and said force transmission element comprising a plurality of axially spaced flattened sections,
wherein said force transmission element is in contact by its circumference with said shaft in intermediate sections between said flattened sections, and wherein said intermediate sections extend to both a concave and a convex inner side of said bend of said shaft.
With an instrument comprising a shaft in the form of a tubular shaft and a force transmission element arranged inside the tubular shaft, it is provided to give the force transmission element a locally flattened flexible configuration in axial direction, at least in the region of the bend. Flattened means in this connection that in the flattened region the force transmission element is not reduced in thickness to wire cross-section over its full circumference, as in the prior art, but is reduced in such a way that the force transmission element still extends over the entire inner diameter of the shaft in the flattened regions.
Accordingly, the force transmission element comprises webs or band-like sections in the flattened regions. The flattened regions may also consist of incisions in the force transmission element, that extend transversely to the lengthwise axis and also transversely to the plane of curvature, the force transmission element otherwise being preferably made of solid material. The configuration of the force transmission element with flattened sections in the region of the bend gives the force transmission element flexibility in the plane of curvature, which is absolutely sufficient since the bend of the shaft only requires flexibility of the force transmission element in the plane of curvature. The configuration of the force transmission element with flattened sections in the region of the bend and the extension of those sections over the inner diameter of the shaft provides, however, the advantage that the force transmission element offers high stability in spite of the reduced material thickness in the region of the flattened sections since it is exactly those sections that extend over the full width of the shaft. Consequently, contrary to the instrument known from the before-mentioned DE 195 20 717 C2, where the force transmission element is reduced to wire cross-section over the full circumference in the region of the bend of the shaft, a force transmission element, which is strong in the region of the bend, is thereby provided even in cases of miniaturized configuration of the instrument with a very small shaft diameter.
The intermediate sections between the flattened sections ensure that the force transmission element is guided with small play in the shaft, in the region of the bend, and prevent any buckling of the force transmission element in the region of the bend in the plane of curvature.
It is further preferred in this context if the flattened sections of the force transmission element are formed from solid material by a machining process where the flattened sections may be formed, for example by a milling operation, by removing material from two circumferential opposite sides of the force transmission element in a direction transversely to the lengthwise direction of the force transmission element. This also simplifies the manufacture of the force transmission element, compared with the force transmission element of the known instrument, since in the latter case the circumferential grooves must be formed by a turning operation on a lathe.
According to another preferred embodiment, each of the flattened sections is formed at the same axial position from two opposite sides of the circumference of the force transmission element.
This feature provides the advantage that central areas in the form of flat bands can be formed relative to the lengthwise axis of the force transmission element, for which the maximum diameter of the force transmission element is available.
According to an alternative preferred embodiment, the flattened sections are formed in axially offset arrangement from opposite sides of the circumference of the force transmission element.
In the case of this embodiment, the flattened portions are provided in alternating arrangement at offset circumferential positions, similar to a meander, which provides the advantage that while being likewise flexible in cross-section in the unilaterally flattened sections, the force transmission element nevertheless offers high stability.
In a third aspect of the invention, the object underlying the invention is achieved by a medical instrument for dissecting tissue in the human or animal body, comprising:
a shaft having a distal end and a proximal end, said shaft having at least one bend between said distal and said proximal end;
at least one movable tool disposed at said distal end of said shaft;
at least one movable grip element disposed at said proximal end of said shaft;
a force transmission element having a distal end a proximal end and extending along said shaft and, further, being movable relative to said shaft, said proximal end of said force transmission element being operatively interconnected to said at least one movable grip element and said distal end of said force transmission element being operatively interconnected to said at least one movable tool for transmitting a force from said at least one movable grip to said at least one movable tool;
said force transmission element being configured, at least in the region of said bend and continuously in axial direction, as an axially flat band extending in the region of said bend in direction transversely to a plane of curvature of said bend, wherein narrow sides of said bend are guided in lateral guides in said shaft.
This medical instrument according to a third aspect of the present invention provides the advantage that the flexible configuration of the force transmission element in the region of the bend of the shaft is particularly simple, both in terms of design and manufacturing technique. By having the narrow sides guided in lateral guides in the shaft any buckling of the force transmission element in the region of the bend is prevented in this case as well.
It is preferred in this connection if the guides are formed as grooves in an inner wall of the shaft.
This feature provides the advantage that the shaft can be closed in the region of the bend whereby any penetration of contaminants into the shaft can be avoided.
Alternatively, it is however also preferred if the guides are configured as open slots in the shaft.
This feature provides the advantage that the slots can be introduced into the shaft in an especially simple way, in terms of manufacturing technique, so that the manufacturing expense of the instrument is reduced in the case of this embodiment.
According to a further preferred embodiment of all the aforementioned instruments, the force transmission element is configured as a solid bar, consisting of solid material, in regions outside the bend.
It is an advantage of this arrangement that the force transmission element can be made especially strong and rigid in regions outside the at least one bend, especially over elongated straight regions of the shaft, which makes the force transmission element particularly well suited for the transfer of high thrust.
According to another preferred embodiment, the flat band of the instrument according to the third aspect of the invention is formed from the bar by a machining operation.
This feature provides the advantage that the flat band and the remaining body of the force transmission element are made as a single piece, whereby any predetermined breaking points, for example in the form of soldering, welding or bonding points, can be avoided.
Alternatively, it is however also preferred if the band is connected with the bar by a substance bond.
This is of advantage in cases where it is meaningful for reasons of manufacturing technique to produce the bar and the band by separate processes.
According to another preferred embodiment of the instruments according to all of the three aspects, the at least one movable tool is axially movable relative to the shaft, and a second tool is arranged at the distal end of the shaft, the movable tool and the second tool acting together in the way of a punch if moved axially one relative to the other.
Such an embodiment offers the advantage, especially if used in very restricted operating regions, for example in the frontal or maxillary sinus, that the two tools do not need a free operating radius beyond the circumference of the shaft, for dissecting tissue, because both tools are moved relative one to the other only in the axial direction of the shaft, or more precisely, in the lengthwise direction of the distal end of the shaft.
It is further preferred in this connection if the second tool is connected with the shaft immovably, and is arranged distally before the movable tool.
This arrangement provides the advantage that the second immovable tool forms the distal point of the shaft and defines a stationary working point when that immovable tool is applied to the tissue to be dissected. In this case, thrust is exerted by the force transmission element to displace the movable tool in distal direction relative to the immovable tool, in order to cut off the tissue gripped between the immovable tool and the movable tool, and a pull force is exerted for the purpose of separating the two tools again one from the other.
According to another preferred embodiment, the at least one movable tool is protected from torsion relative to the second tool.
This feature is of advantage especially in connection with that medical instrument which has the force transmission element configured as a tube and as a helical spring in the region of the bend. The protection from torsion retains the movable tool and the second tool in fixed positions one relative to the other, with respect to torsion about the longitudinal axis of the shaft, and this even under rotary forces acting on the helical spring.
As an alternative to the configuration of the at least one movable tool as punching tool, the invention can be used, however, with like advantage if the at least one movable tool is configured as a jaw part which can be pivoted about a hinge joint and which coacts with a second tool in the manner of a pair of scissors or a forceps.
Further advantages are evident from the description below and the appended drawings.
It is understood that the features recited above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the respective combination indicated, but also in other combinations or in isolation, without leaving the scope of the present invention.

Medical instrument for dissecting tissue


Implantable tube, for heating by conduction a heat transfer fluid for injection into all or part of a human or animal tissue, is provided with a wall having distal, median and proximal parts and comprising connecting elements for direct or indirect connection of the distal part to a fluid reservoir, and two means for connection to the terminals of an electric power supply, for incoming and outgoing current in the wall. The tube has a resistance less than 0.01Ω in its median and proximal parts, and a resistance of between 0.2 and 2Ω in its distal part. The median and proximal parts are connected electrically in series to the distal part; the tube having no additional electrical resistance.

The invention relates to an implantable tube for injecting fluid into all or a part of a human or animal tissue. In the rest of the specification, the invention is described more particularly in relation to the injection of heat transfer fluid. However, the tube may also be used for injecting cold substances such as, for example, suspensions of magnetic nanoparticles or nanocapsules containing one or more active materials.
One of the methods for treating cancerous tumours consists in destroying all or part of the cancerous tissue by the targeted administration of heat or cold. This principle is known by the name "thermoablation" and is currently used in particular for treating liver metastases.
Many techniques based on the principle of heat-induced thermoablation are proposed today, such as laser, radio-frequency with needle, cryotherapy, which pertains to cold-induced thermoablation. However, these techniques have a number of drawbacks. In particular, the volume of the tumour treated remains limited (in practice 4 to 5 cm in diameter) and the operating time is relatively long, 20 to 30 minutes for radio-frequency and cryotherapy, even longer for laser treatment.
Document WO 00/29055 of the Applicant describes a heat-induced thermoablation technique whereby water or hydrogen peroxide is directly injected into the organism at a pressure of up to 3000 bar, at a temperature of 200 to 400° C. For this purpose, the hydrogen peroxide or water is heated in a metal coil incorporating an electrical resistor or a heat exchanger around which a platinum-iridium tube is wound. The alloy tube is connected to the diffusion means, which is in the form of a tube implanted directly into the tissue to be treated. This tube, referred to below as "microtube", has an outside diameter of between 100 and 250 μm, and an inside diameter of between 50 and 150 μm. It is made from a material suitable for withstanding the pressure of 3000 bar such as, for example, a platinum/iridium alloy, so that, when it is connected to the heating coil, it is suitable for injecting water or hydrogen peroxide in vaporized form. The temperature of the vaporized liquid, in contact with the tissue to be treated, decreases and the water returns to the liquid state inside the tumour.
In document WO 03/070302, the Applicant proposes a thermoablation method improved in that it provides for injecting the heat transfer fluid no longer continuously, but in pulsed form. In practice, the volume of liquid injected is very small, for example, between 0.2 and 1 ml, thereby avoiding the diffusion of heat outside the tumour. Furthermore, these volumes are injected at regular intervals of between 0.5 and 1 second, thus reducing the quantity of heat outside the zone to be treated, and thereby facilitating the handling of the tube by the surgeon.
In the two methods proposed, the heating system remains unchanged and essentially consists of a metal coil incorporating an electrical resistor and around which a stainless tube in which the heat transfer fluid flows is wound.
This heating system has a number of drawbacks.
Firstly, its position upstream of the installation demands a heating power commensurate with the length of the extension between the actual microtube and the heating system. Moreover, this system does not permit a sequencing, without any dead time, of the pulsed injection of hot products and cold products, because the coil cooling time is too long.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,928 describes a catheter designed for thermoablation conveying a fluid flowing externally at the distal end of the said tube via perforations. In practice, the liquid flowing in the tube is heated using a helical resistor arranged on the distal portion of the catheter and connected to an electric power supply. The catheter described in this document is designed to be introduced into the cavities for which it is unnecessary to have a small-diameter tube, the diameter being in fact between 2 and 10 mm. The presence of the resistor further increases the final diameter of the device designed to be introduced into the organism. While this document describes the idea of heating only the distal part of the tube, the size of the system proposed remains incompatible with a direct implantation into the tissues.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 6,328,735 B1 describes a thermoablation technique combining hot liquid injection and radio-frequency. More precisely, as above, the installation described comprises a tube whereof the distal end is provided with a resistor for heating the liquid arriving at the end of the tube. Here also, the tube diameter is advantageously 2 mm and the tube is surrounded by a coil having a resistance of 50Ω.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,752 describes an apparatus of the same type as above, for treating cartilages. Here also, the distal end of the tube is provided with a resistor, positioned this time inside the tube.
In all the cases, the heating systems proposed require a coil-shaped resistor generating a high inductance, incompatible with the current pulses like those used by the Applicant, because this would cause an excessively high impedance.
Document WO 02/069821 describes a tube in which vapour flows, for implanting in the organism. The vapour is generated directly in the tube in which the fluid flows by radio-frequency. More precisely, the tube has two electrodes connected to a radio-frequency generator, the liquid conveying the current between the two electrodes. In the proposed system, there is no differential heating and the tube is heated along its whole length. Moreover, the choice of the liquid to be injected is limited to conducting liquids. Finally, the current flow in the liquid is liable to affect the properties thereof.
In other words, the problem that the invention proposes to solve is to develop an installation of the type described for example in document WO 03/070302, in which the heat transfer fluid is heated to the vaporization temperature, exclusively in the distal part of the implantable microtube, the tube diameter being 10 to 20 times smaller than that of a catheter conventionally used for thermoablation.
A second problem that the invention proposes to solve is to develop a system in which the inductance is zero, making it usable with current pulses.
A third problem that the invention proposes to solve is to provide a single installation for injecting heat transfer fluid or cold fluid conveying nanocapsules or nanoparticles, according to the type of treatment involved.
The Applicant has developed a microtube connected to an electric power supply having a structure whereby it has a resistance of between 0.2 and 2Ω in its distal part and a resistance lower than 0.01Ω in its remaining part.
In other words, the electric power is concentrated in the distal part of the tube, thereby serving to reach temperatures of about 400° C.
The new system developed consists of a microtube for direct implantation into the tissues, the microtube being devoid of an additional electrical resistance and having a distal end capable of reaching high heating temperatures, the tube itself acting as a heating resistor. This tube is connected via an extension conveying the cold liquid, to the liquid storage and injection unit.
In other words, the invention relates to an implantable tube, for heating by conduction in particular a heat transfer fluid for injection into all or part of a human or animal tissue, the tube being provided with a wall having distal, median and proximal parts and comprising means for direct or indirect connection of the distal part to a fluid reservoir, characterized in that it is provided with two means for connection to the terminals of an electric power supply, for incoming and outgoing current in the wall, and in that it has a resistance less than 0.01Ω in its median and proximal parts, and a resistance of between 0.2 and 2Ω in its distal part, the median and proximal parts being connected electrically in series to the distal part, the tube having no additional electrical resistance, and having a practically zero inductance.

Implantable tube for injection particularly of heat transfer fluid into all or part of a human or animal tissue

Centre d'Etude et de Recherche Medicale d'Archamps


A single pass tandem color printer is disclosed which utilizes a plurality of Raster Output Scan (ROS) systems mounted within a common housing. The ROS systems produce a plurality of scanning beams which emerge from the housing along parallel paths. Each scanning beam is incident on the surface of an associated photoreceptor drum at a non-normal angle of incidence greater than zero to eliminate the reflections back along the optical path which may be present in conventional tandem scanning systems.

This invention relates to a single pass color printer and, more particularly, to a printer which uses a plurality of laser beams applied to a common scanning mechanism and directed therefrom onto separate exposure areas of a plurality of photoreceptor drums.
Reproducing or copying color originals through a xerographic process has, in the past, entailed the sequential production of three color separation images of the colored original, with independent development thereof by cyan, magenta and yellow toners. The images so formed are transferred onto the copy substrate material in registered overlaying relationship, with the resulting composite color image being fused to provide a permanent full color reproduction of the original.
In the aforedescribed color process, black is obtained through an amalgam of the three color toners. However, it is often useful to provide a separate processing unit devoted solely to black. Because of the need to process three and possibly four color separation images for each copy, the copy output is often very low. Where a single photoconductive drum is used, for example, normally each color separation image is created, developed and transferred to the copy substrate material before the next is started.
In order to increase the throughput of printers producing multilayer images, single pass, multiple exposure systems have been developed and are known in the art. There are a variety of methods known for creating multiple ROS single pass color printer architectures. A desirable configuration, because of the high throughput, is the tandem system where multiple exposures are simultaneously produced on separate photoreceptor drums. Each exposure is developed by a dedicated development system and transferred, in registration, to a transfer image belt from which the transfer image is then transferred, in turn, to an output sheet and then fused. In yet another tandem embodiment, each developed image is successively transferred directly to a copy sheet being transported by a transfer belt. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,847,642; 4,912,491; and 4,916,547 disclose single pass color systems utilizing four separate exposure stations associated with four photoreceptor drums. Each exposure station includes a dedicated optical system consisting of a laser, polygon scanner and beam shaping optics. Each exposure is developed on an associated photoreceptor drum and transferred sequentially to a copy sheet passing along a common transfer station.
Ricoh publication 1-151370 discloses a tandem architecture where dual optical systems are symmetrically located 180.degree. apart from two separate polygons mounted on a common shaft. Thus, four beams are generated with two parallel beams being reflected from one side of the polygon and two beams from the other side.
Ricoh U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,046 discloses another tandem system which teaches four separate optical exposure stations utilizing a single holographic spinner member. The scanning beams are directed to different sectors of the spinner and diffracted therefrom to expose the associated photoreceptor drum.
In the prior art systems, if the beams from the imaging systems are directed at a zero angle of incidence, beam reflections back along the scanning path would result in interference and could lead to possible damage to the laser diode. It is known in the prior art to design the exposure system so that the beam striking the photoreceptor is directed at some small angle, typically one or two degrees. A problem with this design approach is the complexity of the design and the alignment and maintenance required to maintain this small angle of incidence. An associated problem in adjusting the beam tilt is the associated moving of the impinging point on the photoreceptor.
According to the present invention, multiple beams are generated by a plurality of ROS units located in a common housing and directed to the surface of a plurality of associated photoreceptor drums. The entire housing is offset with respect to the photoreceptor drums so that the scanning beams emerging from the housing are at right angles to the housing and along parallel paths, the paths being offset a small distance from the center line of the drum resulting in non-normal incidence of the beam on the drum surface. Beam reflection from the drum surface is not directed back along the scanning optical path, thereby alleviating the problem associated with the prior art. More particularly, the present invention relates to an imaging system for forming color image exposures on a plurality of photoreceptor drums rotating in the same direction at the same rotational speed, said system including:
a plurality of Raster Output Scanners (ROS) units, each ROS unit generating image-modulated scanning beams, wherein said scanning beams are transmitted along parallel optical paths to expose the surfaces of associated photoreceptor drums, the improvement wherein said scan beams being transmitted along said optical paths are incident at the surface of the associated photoreceptor drums at a non-normal angle of incidence .theta., said scan angle .theta. greater than 0.