Multi-needle quilting knotted-stitch machine with lower stitching elements having rotating hooks, the machine comprising an inlet assembly for the controlled feed of the textile material (11) to be quilted, a stitching assembly including upper stitching elements (12) and lower stitching elements and an outlet assembly for the collection and possible measurement and cutting of the quilted product (19). The upper stitching elements including at least two parallel bars (13) arranged lengthwise and supporting, in a position separated lengthwise, the relative stitching needles (24), the lower stitching elements of rotating hooks (17) being organized in longitudinal rows mating with the position of the relative needle-carrier bar (13), the position of each needle (24) corresponding to the position of a respective rotating hook (17). The quilting machine including the rotating hooks (17) assembled, spaced lengthwise at a defined assembly distance, on respective faces (116a, 116b) of at least two longitudinal bars (16a, 16b), at least one of the hook-carrier bars (16a, 16b) being able to be displaced lengthwise with respect to the other bar (16b, 16a) by a value (D) equal to a desired sub-multiple of the assembly distance of the rotating hooks (17) on the relative bar (16a, 16b).

The state of the art covers multi-needle quilting machines employed in the textile industry to make quilted products with the knotted-stitch technique.
These quilting machines generally comprise:
an inlet assembly to feed the multi-layered fabric which is to be quilted, for example consisting of an outer fabric and at least an inner layer of supporting and/or padding material; PA1 a stitching assembly including upper stitching elements and lower stitching elements; PA1 an outlet assembly to collect and/or measure and/or cut the semi-finished quilted product.
The upper stitching elements of the stitching assembly generally consist of parallel longitudinal bars endowed with alternating ascending/descending motion and bearing a plurality of needles which are spaced lengthwise at a fixed distance.
Each of the needles is associated with a respective stitching thread, denominated needle thread, and cooperates with a mating gripping means provided on the lower stitching elements.
Each gripping means has a respective stitching thread denominated bobbin thread.
The gripping means grasp the eyelet or heddle eye, of the needle thread and weave it in the desired manner with the bobbin thread in order to achieve the desired type of stitch.
In quilting machines of this type, with the knotted-stitch, the gripping means can be of two types: shuttle type or the type with rotating hooks (crochet).
In the first system, a plurality of shuttles are used, each one carrying a respective bobbin or spool of thread, which are made to move alternately forwards and backwards on sliding guides with substantially straight movements coordinated with the ascending/descending movements of the needle-carrier bars.
Quilting machines of the shuttle type technology include one, two or three upper needle-carrier bars, each one cooperating with a respective lower row of shuttles.
When three needle-carrier bars are used, only two of them are used at the same time; the two nearest bars are used to make small or average size designs, and the two farthest bars to make large designs.
Given the space occupied by the shuttles, with this type of quilting machine it is possible to make quilted products with designs which are quite complex, but characterized by lines of stitches whose distance cannot be less than the transverse size of the shuttles and/or the space occupied by the sliding guides.
In multi-needle, shuttle-type quilting machines, it is however possible to mount one needle every inch (2.5 cm) on the relative needle bar, so as to achieve, for example, lozenges or diamonds 1 inch across.
However, the great inertia of the alternative motion of the shuttles and the sliding friction of the shuttles on the relative sliding guides limits the highest attainable speed of this type of machine to about 600 stitches per minute.
Shuttle-type quilting machines, moreover, include other disadvantages including rapid wear of the shuttles, over-heating due to friction between the guides and the shuttles, long downtimes to replace the finished bobbins, and also other problems.
Quilting machines with rotating hooks on the one hand do not have the above problems and offer higher productivity due to the higher speeds which can be obtained (up to 1000.div.1200 stitches per minute using rotation guides made of particular anti-friction materials), but on the other hand they do not enable quilted articles with very small designs to be achieved.
This is because of the considerable size of the hooks which prevent a closer positioning beyond the physical limit.
The distance of the lines of stitches is linked to the physical size of the hook itself, and, in machines known to the state of the art, it has therefore never been possible to make, at the same time and with all the lower stitching elements, designs with a distance between the needles of about 2.5 cms (1 inch).
Moreover, because of the considerable space occupied by the hooks and factors connected with the cost of a bar of the hooks, it has not been possible so far to achieve competitive multi-needle quilting machines with more than two rows of hooks, and therefore more than two needle-carrier bars, and therefore it has never been operationally possible to achieve, on the same machine, both large and small designs.
It is known that the stitching pattern is defined by the reciprocal position assumed by the needles with respect to the movement of the material.
This reciprocal position obviously determines the size of the pattern achieved.
For example, in order to make diamond shapes of 6 inches across, two parallel needle bars are used with needles mounted every 6 inches; these needles are staggered and the needles of one bar are intercalated with the needles of the other bar.
The material which is to-be quilted is then moved with a continuous movement forwards-left-right-left, wherein every sideways movement covers a space of three inches, so that the edges of the zig-zag stitches (3 inches wide) made by the needles of the first needle bar touch the edges of the zig-zag stitches (also 3 inches wide) made by the second needle bar, thus creating a continuous quilting of diamonds 6 inches across.
In a similar manner, in order to achieve diamonds 3 inches across, needles separated from each other by a distance of 3 inches must be mounted on the relative needle bars.
In order to achieve larger designs, for example 12 inches across, the machine must have three needle bars separated transversely from each other by 3 inches, wherein the two outer needle bars have their needles separated from each other by 12 inches, and the needles of the first bar are intercalated with the needles of the third bar.
The forwards-left-right-left movement of the material to be quilted will therefore be 6 inches for every step.
The second, intermediate needle bar in this case is excluded from the quilting cycle, but installation costs are considerably increased, given the high costs of the hooks.
Consequently, quilting machines with rotating hooks as are known to the state of the art do not make possible to achieve quilted products with close lines of stitches so as to make attractive designs or patterns which will be requested by consumers.
In such machines moreover, since the rows of lower stitching elements are stationary and very far from each other, in order to vary the size or the profile of the desired design it takes a long time to equip them, particularly to re-insert or replace the bobbin of thread associated with the respective hooks.
To change the size of the design it is necessary to mount a greater or lesser number of needles, and the corresponding hooks, in the prescribed fixed and unchangeable positions at the pre-determined distances on the respective bars.
Document FR-A-1.523.750 shows a multi-needle quilting machine with rotating hooks; the innovation is substantially that the hooks are mounted with their axes parallel to the needle bars, rather than perpendicular, the hooks being supported by oscillating arms so as to enable the bobbin to be replaced quickly.
The hooks, moreover, have toothed rings on the outer circumference which, as they engage mating toothed wheels mounted on a central shaft, make them rotate.
The purpose of FR'750 is to reduce as much as possible the distance between the hooks.
However, the positions of the hooks remain fixed and cannot be changed; moreover, using rotating hooks with an axis parallel to the needle bars makes it impossible to use pairs of needles working with a single hook in order to make double line stitching.
Document JP 71-48366 shows a system to mount eccentrics to drive the needles in a multi-needle quilting machine with one needle bar and rotating hooks, in such a way that the lateral size of the hooks is as limited as possible so as to reduce the distance between two adjacent needles.
In this case too the hooks are mounted with their axis of rotation parallel to the needle bar and their position is fixed and cannot be changed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,536 shows an embroidering machine with multiple heads; the principal innovation is that there is a system to hold and cut the ends of the threads after stitching.
U.S. '536 also shows a system, now abandoned in modern embroidering machines, to make a head-bearing bar pass in order to vary the colour of the thread to be coupled with the fixed needle.
This document has no relevance to the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,483,466 shows a multi-needle quilting machine with one needle bar, presumably with rotating hooks; the innovation is that there is a mechanical system to move the materials which are to be quilted under the stationary needles so as to achieve patterns of a substantially circular shape.
The position of the hooks is stationary and cannot be changed.
Finally, DE-A-1.146.341 shows a multi-needle quilting machine with one needle bar; the innovation lies in the direction of feed of the materials to be quilted, that is to say, they are fed in the opposite direction to the one used in conventional machines.
In this case too, the position of the hooks is stationary and cannot be changed.
It is clear from the above that not one of the prior art documents is able to provide a solution, even a partial one, to the shortcomings described.

Multi-needle knotted-stitch quilting machine with lower stitching elements having rotating hooks


A harness excess-length absorbing apparatus (1) includes a protector (4) for receiving a wire harness (14) in a folded-back condition, a harness guide member (7) which is provided in a folded-back portion (14a) of the wire harness, and can be moved in a longitudinal direction of the wire harness, and urging members (5) urging the harness guide member in a direction to draw the wire harness into the protector. Flanges (26) are formed on and project substantially perpendicularly from opposite ends of a harness guide surface (25) of the harness guide member (7), respectively, and a claw (27) for holding the wire harness is formed at each of the flanges. The claws (27) are offset from an apex of the harness guide surface (25) toward one side of the harness guide surface. The pair of claws (27) are provided at each of the opposite sides of the harness guide surface (25) generally in a diametrical direction. Alternatively, the pair of claws (27) are provided at one side of the harness guide surface (25) generally in the diametrical direction, while slanting ribs (28), formed respectively by notching the flanges (26) in a slanting manner, are provided at the other side of the harness guide surface generally in the diametrical direction.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a harness excess-length absorbing apparatus provided with a harness guide member which urges a wire harness in a draw-in direction while folding back the wire harness within a protector.
2. Related Art
FIG. 7 shows one conventional harness excess-length absorbing apparatus as shown in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication Hei 9-20189.
This harness excess-length absorbing apparatus 41 comprises a synthetic resin-made casing 42, a fixing guide 43 of a cylindrical shape provided within the casing 42 at one end portion thereof, a moving guide 44 of a cylindrical shape slidably mounted within the casing at the other end portion thereof, and a coil spring 45 urging the moving guide 44 in a direction away from the fixing guide 43.
Within the casing 42, a flat wire harness 46 extends around the moving guide 44 and fixed guide 43 to be bent into a generally S-shape, and one end of the wire harness 46 is connected to one connector 47, while the other end of the wire harness 46 is led to the exterior through a harness outlet port 48 in the casing 42.
A power-side wire harness 49 is connected to the connector 47, and the other end of the wire harness 46 is connected to an electrical equipment or an accessory mounted, for example, on an opening/closing structure such as a door. In accordance with an opening operation of the opening-closing structure, the wire harness 46 is drawn out of the casing 42 while compressing the coil spring 45. During a closing operation of the opening/closing structure, the wire harness 46 tends to become loose or slack, but the coil spring 45 urges the moving guide 44 to move in a direction of expanding of the coil spring, so that the wire harness 46 is drawn into the casing 42, thereby absorbing the slack (excess length) of the wire harness.
In the above conventional harness excess-length absorbing apparatus 41, however, the wire harness 46 was liable to be disengaged from the moving guide (guide member) 44 in a direction of a length thereof during the drawing-out and drawing-in operations of the wire harness 46, and in such a case there was a fear that a side edge portion of the wire harness 46 was brought into rubbing contact with the casing 42 and an end edge of the moving guide 44, and was worn or damaged. And besides, when the wire harness 46 was to be mounted or set within the casing, there was a fear that the wire harness 46 was disengaged from the moving guide 44 in the longitudinal direction thereof, or was lifted radially outwardly from the guide, so that this mounting operation could not be carried out easily.

Harness excess-length absorbing apparatus


An air compressor includes a piston slidably received in a cylinder housing, and a motor coupled to the piston for moving the piston relative to the cylinder housing in a reciprocating action, in order to generate pressurized air. A cover is detachably secured on top of the cylinder housing, and includes an outlet tube having a compartment communicating with the cylinder housing, for receiving pressurized air from the cylinder housing, and includes an inlet blocked by a check valve device. The cover may be adjusted and secured to the cylinder housing, to adjust the inlet to different position relative to the cylinder housing, and to prevent the inlet from being blocked by objects.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air compressor, and more particularly to an air compressor having a detachable or changeable structure for allowing an outlet tube of the air compressor to be adjusted to different angular positions or directions, and for allowing the air compressor to be attached to or received within various receptacles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical air compressors comprise a cylinder housing attached or secured to a base and having a piston slidably disposed therein, and a motor secured to the base and coupled to the piston of the cylinder housing for actuating or driving the piston of the cylinder housing in a reciprocating action.
The applicant has developed various kinds of typical air compressors, such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,846,162 to Chou, which also comprises a piston slidably disposed within a cylinder housing and slidable along or relative to the cylinder housing in a reciprocating action and in a great speed, and an outlet tube extended from and formed integral with the cylinder housing and having one or more ducts extended outwardly from the outlet tube for receiving the pressurized air from the outlet tube.
The ducts may be coupled to various kinds of facilities that require pressurized air supplied thereto, such as pressure gauges, air nozzles, safety valves, relief valves, etc. However, the outlet tube and the ducts are formed integral with the cylinder housing, such that the outlet tube and the ducts may include a large volume altogether, and may not be adjusted to different directions or positions relative to the cylinder housing, such that the cylinder housing and the outlet tube and the ducts may not be suitably engaged into or received within some of the outer receptacles or packages, or the like.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional air compressors.

Air compressor having changeable structure


The present invention provides a battery charger and a method for preventing an overshoot charging current during a mode transition. The battery charger includes a charging regulation circuit for outputting a charging current whose amount is regulated based on a regulation signal at a control terminal, a first current sensing unit for sensing a current level and outputting an error signal based on both the current level and a first reference signal, an operational amplifier for generating the regulation signal, and a reference voltage generator which includes an ADC for converting the error signal outputted by the current sensing unit to a digital signal, and a DAC for converting the digital signal to a reference voltage.

The present invention relates to a battery charger, and more particularly, to a battery charger and related method for preventing the charging current from overshooting during the charging mode transition.
In a battery charging system for a lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery, a constant current (CC) mode is adopted to apply a high current to an exhausted battery to activate a rapid charging operation. When the battery is charged to a desired voltage level, the battery charging system switches to a constant voltage (CV) mode to maintain the battery at this desired voltage level. Since there exists an internal resistor in the battery, the battery is not fully-charged at the end of the CC mode. The voltage drop on the internal resistor makes the battery voltage be higher than it really is in the CC mode. After entering the CV mode, the battery voltage will be kept at the desired voltage level. In other words, the battery will be kept charging until the charging current becomes zero. When the charging current is zero, there is no voltage drop on the internal resistor and the battery is fully-charged to the desired voltage level.
The CC charging mode cannot be applied to the battery once the battery reaches the desired voltage level because the energy storage capacity of the battery would exceed the nominal rating, leading to AC adaptor, battery and charging system damage. However, the CC mode needs to be used during the first part of the charging operation in order to minimize overall charging time, i.e., the time for charging the battery with the CC mode must be maximized. Therefore, a proper transition between two charging modes is crucial to the battery charging system's performance.
Please refer to FIG. 1, which shows a related art battery charger 100. The related art battery charger 100 is used to charge a battery 150, and includes a charging regulation circuit 110, a comparator 120, a constant current (CC) mode controller 130, and a constant voltage (CV) mode controller 140, wherein the comparator 120 can be a hysteresis comparator for stabilizing the charging mode. As shown in FIG. 1, it is well-known that the battery 150 is equivalent to a series connection of a resistor Rint and a capacitor Cint, and the charging regulation circuit 110 is connected to a power supplier (not shown). The comparator 120 is used to compare a battery voltage Vbat of the battery 150 with a reference signal Vref—1 to check whether the battery voltage Vbat is below a threshold. If the battery voltage Vbat is lower than the reference signal Vref—1 the comparator 120 sends out a non-enabling signal D′ to switch on switches SW1, SW3, and to switch off switches SW2, SW4, and then the battery 150 is charged in the CC mode.
In the CC mode the charging regulation circuit 110 is controlled to provide the battery 150 with a constant charging current. As shown in FIG. 1, the charging regulation circuit 110 is configured by a PMOS transistor 111 to regulate the required charging current. The CC mode controller 130 includes a sensor 135, which monitors the charging current flowing through a resistor R. After measuring the charging current flowing through the resistor R, the sensor 135 outputs a voltage V1, which corresponds to the voltage drop across the resistor R, into an operational amplifier 132. For example, if the detected voltage drop is 160 mV, the sensor 135 converts the voltage drop into a voltage level of 160 mV. The operational amplifier 132 sends out a regulation signal S1 to adjust the gate voltage of the PMOS 111 for regulating and stabilizing the charging current outputted from the power supplier, which is further explained as follows. Here, the charging regulation circuit 110, the resistor R, the sensor 135, and the operational amplifier 132 form a closed loop; the voltage V1 acts as a feedback signal. As shown in FIG. 1, the operational amplifier 132 determines the voltage level of the regulation signal S1 by comparing the incoming voltage V1 with a reference signal Vref—2. Assume the charging current during the CC mode is designed to be 10 mA, and the resistance of the resistor R is a known value 50Ω. It is clear that if the charging regulation circuit 110 successfully outputs the desired charging current 10 mA, the voltage drop cross the resistor R will be 500 mV. Therefore, the reference signal Vref—2 is set to 500 mV for checking whether the current flowing through the resistor R has the desired current value. If the voltage V1 is greater than the reference signal Vref—2, the regulation signal S1, which has a higher voltage level amplified by the operational amplifier 132, controls the charging regulation circuit 110 to reduce the charging current; however, if the voltage V1 is less than the reference signal Vref—2, the regulation signal S1, which has a lower voltage level amplified by the operational amplifier 132, controls the charging regulation circuit 110 to increase the charging current. As a result, the battery 150 receives a stable charging current.
The battery charger 100 turns into the CV mode from the CC mode when the battery voltage Vbat is at a termination voltage level, that is, a reference voltage Vref—3. When the battery charger 100 is charging in the CC mode, the comparator 120 keeps comparing the battery voltage Vbat with the reference voltage Vref—3. When the battery voltage Vbat is not less than the reference voltage Vref—3 the comparator 120 sends out the enabling signal D to change the on/off states of the switches. Therefore, switches SW1, SW3 are switched off, and switches SW2, SW4 are switched on. As a result, the battery charger 100 enters the CV mode. In the CV mode, the comparator 120 keeps comparing the battery voltage Vbat with the reference voltage Vref—1. When the battery voltage Vbat is lower than the reference voltage Vref—1, the battery charger 100 returns to the CC mode.
In the CV mode the charging regulation circuit 110 charges the battery 150 to the termination voltage level and the battery charger 100 maintains the battery voltage Vbat at the termination voltage level. In the CV mode, the CV mode controller 140 acts as a regulator to regulate the charging current. An operational amplifier 142 within the CV mode controller 140 compares the battery voltage Vbat with a reference voltage Vref—3, and sends out a regulation signal S2 to control the gate voltage of the PMOS 111 for further tuning the charging current. Similar to the CC mode, the CV mode also forms a closed loop including the charging regulation circuit 110, the resistor R, and the operational amplifier 142. In order to stabilize the battery voltage Vbat at the reference voltage Vref—3, the operational amplifier 142 compares the reference voltage Vref—3 with the battery voltage Vbat to decide how to regulate the charging current. In other words, the gate voltage of the PMOS transistor 111 is precisely adjusted by the regulation signal S2 when the battery voltage Vbat deviates from the reference voltage Vref—3. As a result, the battery 150 is steadily charged at the constant battery voltage Vbat.
The battery charger 100 will enter the CC mode again when the battery voltage Vbat is lower than the reference voltage Vref—1, for example, fully-charged battery 150 is removed and a new exhausted battery is connected, which is explained as follows. During charging in the CV mode, the operational amplifier 142 controls the charging regulation circuit 110, while the comparator 120 keeps comparing the battery voltage Vbat with the reference signal Vref—1, which is lower than the reference voltage Vref—3. When a fully-charged battery is taken away and an exhausted battery is connected to the battery charger 100, the battery voltage Vbat becomes low. If the battery voltage Vbat is lower than the reference signal Vref—1, the comparator 120 sends out a non-enabling signal D′ to initialize the battery charger 100, setting it into the CC mode wherein switches SW1, SW3 are on and switches SW2, SW4 are off. Therefore, the battery charger 100 again provides the exhausted battery with a constant charging current.
As mentioned above, there are two modes, the CC mode and the CV mode, selectively used by the battery charger 100; hence there is a transition between these two modes. However, because the comparators 120 and the operational amplifier 142 are not perfectly matched due to well-known manufacturing variations, the transition between these two modes may not be very smooth, and this situation could cause an overshoot charging current to damage an AC adaptor, the battery charger 100 or the battery 150. For example, assume that the constant charging current during the CC mode is 800 mA, the reference signal Vref—1 is 4.1 V, and the reference voltage Vref—3 is 4.2V, which is the same as the termination voltage. Ideally, the transition occurs when the battery voltage Vbat is equal to 4.2V, and then the CV mode closed loop is enabled to maintain the battery voltage Vbat at 4.2V. As a result, the charging current would still be kept at 800 mA at the moment of entering the CV mode, and the transition between two modes would therefore be very smooth. However, practically, because the comparator 120 and the operational amplifier 142 are not matched in their characteristics, the voltage at which the transition occurs and the voltage at which the CV mode loop tries to maintain are likely to be different. That is, if the comparator 120 abnormally sends out an enabling signal D when Vbat is still less than 4.2V, for example 4.1 V, and then the operational amplifier 142 will sends out a regulation signal S2 to maintain the battery voltage Vbat at 4.2V by further increasing the charging current by controlling the PMOS 111. The charging current at the situation is larger than the current in the CC mode. Therefore, an overshoot charging current capable of damaging the AC adaptor, the battery charger 100 or the battery 150 is likely to be induced.
With this in mind, it is desirable to provide a battery charger which can minimize the overshoot charging current to prevent the AC adaptor, the battery charger and the battery from being damaged.

Battery charger for preventing charging currents from overshooting during mode transition and method thereof


Fault-tolerant lateral waypoint sequencing is provided for a system that includes at least a first flight management computer and a second flight management computer. A processing operation associated with lateral leg sequencing of an aircraft flight plan is implemented in the flight management computers. A determination is made in the first flight management computer as to whether the first flight management computer has received, within a predetermined period of time from when the first flight management computer implemented the processing operation, a notification from the second flight management computer that the second flight has also implemented the processing operation. An action is initiated in the first flight management computer when the first flight management computer has not received the notification from the second flight management computer within the predetermined period of time.

Most commercial aircraft are equipped with a Flight Management System (FMS). In most instances, the FMS is implemented with one or more Flight Management Computers (FMCs) or Flight Management Computers Functions (FMFs). These redundant FMSs proceed during normal coupled flight by sequencing through a flight plan that comprises a series of lateral legs that interconnect a plurality of waypoints. In the FMS, as each leg of a flight plan is "sequenced," the FMS issues guidance commands to the auto-flight system, which controls the aircraft to fly to a new leg and its associated trajectory. The control and signal of a leg sequence between multiple computers during real-time operation is an important system behavior that relies heavily on an additional level of integrity for higher precision aircraft path control during required navigation performance (RNP) operations.
Commercial aviation regulatory agencies have developed required navigation performance (RNP) protocols to facilitate the management of air traffic. Required navigation performance equipped aircraft can safely operate along various routes with less separation than previously needed. This can be significant, because less separation means that the number of aircraft that can safely use a particular airspace may increase, and therefore accommodate the increasing demand for air traffic capacity. Under these protocols, RNP values may be assigned to various segments, or legs, of an aircraft's flight plan. The RNP value defines an airspace within which the aircraft should remain for a predetermined percentage (e.g., 95 percent) of the total flying time, and may be referred to as the RNP corridor. Presently, it is very difficult to provide FMS guidance for procedures with RNP restrictions of ≦0.3 NM, without first requiring a flight crew to undergo significant training to perform the guidance monitoring for each procedure below RNP 0.3.
A traditional redundant FMS has a single queue of events which is stored and managed by one of the FMCs. A leg sequencing event is actually generated by a master FMC (coupled to the auto-pilot) and is imposed on other FMCs. The actual detection of condition to sequence and process the next leg of a flight plan is ultimately acted upon based on only one real-time solution. Thus, while highly unlikely, it is postulated that an error in the master FMC could (and likely would) be propagated to the FMCs. Such a postulated event is incompatible with RNP operations. Independent detection and control of leg sequencing operations would provide the additional level of integrity that can be used to more closely control the flight of an aircraft and provide compatibility with RNP operations.
Hence, there is a need for a flight management system that enables guidance for procedures with RNP restrictions of ≦0.3 NM, thereby alleviating the need for flight crews to undergo significant training. There is also a need for a flight management system that implements a system and method for independently detecting and controlling leg sequencing operations among a plurality of FMCs, to thereby provide fault tolerant lateral waypoint sequencing, and compatibility with RNP operations. The present invention addresses at least this need.

Fault tolerant lateral waypoint sequencing system and method


A force estimation system for calculating force information regarding forces applied to one or more positions of a flexible tubular portion having flexibility through an arithmetic operation, the force estimation system comprising: a processor configured to input the deformation state and the mechanical property at a plurality of longitudinal positions of the flexible tubular portion, and calculates the force information of the force applied to the individual positions of the flexible tubular portion based on the deformed state and the mechanical property.

When an endoscope insertion portion is inserted into a body cavity of an object, or when a distal end of a medical manipulator contacts a body surface or organ of an object, there is an example in which a measurement unit that measures the amount of force received from the object is disposed at the endoscope insertion portion or the distal end of the medical manipulator. Such a measurement unit is, for example, a strain gauge (pressure-sensitive sensor).
An example of detecting the force by using such a pressure-sensitive sensor is disclosed in, for example, Patent Literature 1 (Jpn. PCT National Publication No. 2009-522016). In addition, an example of distributing and arranging a plurality of bending sensors in the flexible portion of the tubular insertion portion and calculating pieces of detection information of the plurality of bending sensors in combination through an arithmetic operation so as to extract manipulation support information including at least external force information about an external force applied to the tubular insertion portion is disclosed in, for example, Patent Literature 2 (Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2013-094337).

Force estimation system and force information calculation method


The use of the cloned genes for the ileal/renal bile acid cotransporter to screen for compounds that inhibit or activate bile acid cotransporter activity is disclosed. When expressed in the cell membrane of a suitable host cell, the cotransporters coded for by these clones transport bile acids with the proper enzymatic and pharmacological profiles including ion dependence, bile acid substrate affinity and bile acid substrate specificity. Also disclosed are vectors comprising a cloned gene encoding an ileal/renal bile acid transporter and cells transformed with such vectors for screening compounds that modulate ileal/renal bile acid cotransporter activity. The cloned genes are useful for obtaining the ileal/renal bile acid cotransporter gene sequences to screen for candidate substances that modulate ileal/renal bile acid cotransporter gene expression.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the fields of sodium/bile acid cotransport systems in the ileum and kidney. Certain embodiments of the invention relate to the medically related fields of the control of blood cholesterol levels and treatments of diabetes, heart disease, liver disease and various digestive disorders. More particularly, the invention concerns the isolation and purification of bile acid cotransporter proteins and cDNA clones encoding the proteins and the use of these proteins and nucleic acids in therapeutic, preventative, genetic counseling and reagent screening applications.
2. Description of the Related Art
Bile acids are acidic sterols synthesized from cholesterol in the liver. Following synthesis, the bile acids are secreted into bile and enter the lumen of the small intestine, where they facilitate absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and cholesterol. Bile acids are then absorbed from the small intestine, returned to the liver via the portal circulation, and resecreted into bile. In the small intestine, bile acids are absorbed by both passive and active mechanisms (Dietschy, 1968). The active absorption of bile acids, first described by Lack and Weiner (1961), has been shown in man and experimental animals to be restricted to the ileum (Krag and Phillips, 1974; Schiff et al., 1972; Lack, 1979).
The first step in the active uptake of bile acids is mediated by a Na.sup.+ gradient-driven transporter located at the brush border (apical) membrane of the ileocyte (Wilson, 1981). Once inside the enterocyte, bile acids are transported across the cell to the basolateral membrane and secreted into the portal circulation via a Na.sup.+ -independent organic anion exchange system (Weinberg et al., 1986). The transport kinetics and specificity of this Na.sup.+ /bile acid cotransport system have been studied extensively using everted ileal gut sacs (Schiff et al., 1972; Lack, 1979), isolated ileocytes (Wilson et al., 1975; Schwenk et al., 1983), and ileal brush border membranes (Barnard and Ghishan, 1987; Kramer et al., 1992; Wilson and Treanor, 1979).
Although the mechanism of ileal bile acid transport has been characterized, the protein(s) responsible for this process have not been isolated and characterized. In an attempt to identify the proteins involved, photoaffinity studies have been performed using radiolabeled 7,7'-azo-derivatives of taurocholate with ileocytes and ileocyte membrane fractions (Kramer et. al., 1983; Lin et. al., 1990). These studies tentatively identified a brush border (apical) membrane protein of 99 kDa and basolateral membrane proteins of 54 and 59 kDa. More recently, lysylglycocholate-Sepharose affinity chromatography was used to isolate bile acid transporter-enriched ileal brush border membranes for polyclonal antibody production. In immunoblotting experiments, these antibodies detected a number of proteins including a 99 kDa protein in rat ileal brush border and kidney proximal tubule membranes. These antibodies also partially inhibited bile acid transport by isolated ileal brush border membranes (Gong et al., 1991). The tentative identification of a 90-99 kDa protein is also supported by chemical modification studies in rabbit ileum where agents that inhibited bile acid transport into ileal brush border membrane vesicles also blocked photoaffinity labeling of a 90 kDa protein (Kramer et al., 1992).
Notably lacking with the lysylglycocholate-Sepharose affinity chromatography and photoaffinity labeling studies was functional reconstitution of bile acid transport activity. Several candidate bile acid binding proteins previously identified by photoaffinity labeling have since been abandoned, illustrating the difficulties with this technique. For example, candidate 67 kDa and 43 kDa proteins were later shown to be albumin and actin, respectively (Fricker et al., 1982). Also, a candidate 54 kDa protein for the hepatic Na.sup.+ -independent multispecific anion transporter, has recently been shown to be Protein Disulfide Isomerase (Peter Meier, personal communication). The multispecific transporter has since been identified by expression cloning in Xenopus oocytes and shown to be a 75 kDa protein (Jacquemin et al., 1992).
Based on these observations, the 54 kDa protein identified in ileal basolateral membranes by photoaffinity labeling (Lin et al., 1988) may also be Protein Disulfide Isomerase. In addition, a candidate 49 kDa protein for the hepatic Na.sup.+ -dependent sinusoidal membrane bile acid transporter has been shown to be microsomal epoxide hydrolase (Von Dippe et al., 1993). Whereas the relationship between microsomal epoxide hydrolase and bile acid transport is still unclear, a candidate 40 kDa membrane glycoprotein with bile acid transport properties has independently been identified by expression cloning in Xenopus oocytes (Hagenbuch et al., 1991). Unfortunately, the identity of the ileal bile acid transporter has remained elusive because it has not been purified to homogeneity and functionally reconstituted or identified by cloning and expression.
The enterohepatic circulation of bile acids serves as a continuous link between the liver and small intestine. Disturbances in this cycling of bile acids have dramatic physiological consequences for both organ systems and for cholesterol homeostasis (Hofmann, 1989). This is illustrated by common disturbances of bile acid circulation including cholestasis and intestinal malabsorption. In addition to steatorrhea, bile acid malabsorption also has severe consequences for the colon, where excess bile acid results in watery diarrhea. Whereas the etiology of the bile acid malabsorption is clear in cases of ileal resection or Crohn's disease, specific defects in ileal bile acid transport or its regulation may also be responsible for some cases of chronic idiopathic diarrhea (Read et al., 1980; Heubi et al., 1981).
Bile acid malabsorption or disruption of the bile acid enterohepatic circulation stimulates de novo synthesis of bile acids in the liver. This results in an increased demand for cholesterol by the liver, which is compensated for by enhanced clearance of plasma LDL as well as increased hepatic cholesterol synthesis. If the malabsorption is significant, hepatic bile acid production may be unable to compensate for the loss, resulting in decreased intraluminal bile acid concentrations and a reduced ability to solubilize and absorb biliary and dietary cholesterol. This is the basis for the decreased plasma cholesterol levels and reduced morbidity from cardiovascular disease associated with ileal resection in the POSCH study (Program on the Surgical Control of Hyperlipidemias; Buchwald et al., 1990).
A less radical approach to treatment is the ingestion of polymeric bile acid sequestrants, such as cholestyramine and colestipol. Disruption of the bile acid enterohepatic circulation, especially in combination with HMG CoA reductase inhibitors, increases the number of hepatic LDL receptors and thereby decreases plasma LDL cholesterol levels (Brown and Goldstein, 1986). Despite gaps in the understanding of hepatic synthesis or intestinal conservation of bile acids, this drug regimen is widely used for the treatment of many forms of hypercholesterolemia (Goodman et al., 1988). Based on its remarkable substrate specificity, the ileal Na.sup.+ -dependent system represents an attractive target for treatment of hypercholesterolemia by interruption of the enterohepatic circulation with specific inhibitors of bile acid transport.
Therefore, bile acid transporter inhibitors are another immediate need in the art, which has not been met because the purified transporter is not available. Previous attempts to design inhibitors relied on the use of intact laboratory animals, isolated small intestine or kidney tissue, or isolated intestinal enterocytes. The use of laboratory animals instead of tissue culture cells or purified bile acid transporter enzyme made large scale drug screens prohibitively cumbersome and expensive. The number of compounds which could be assayed was also limited with small intestinal sections or isolated enterocytes, which are difficult to prepare and viable for only a period of hours.
Obviously, one would like to use the human ileal and renal bile acid transporters in these drug screens in the event that the animal model does not accurately mimic the human condition. However, human tissue is not readily available and very few human intestinal or kidney cell lines which express bile acid transporter activity exist. Currently, a human colon cancer cell line (CaCo.sub.2) has been discovered which expresses very small amounts of bile acid transporter activity. Unfortunately, this cell line requires special culture conditions and would be difficult to adapt to a high throughput assay format.
Therefore, there exists a need for a purified bile acid transporter to be used in the diagnosis and treatment of numerous human and animal conditions which are affected by this important system. In addition, a purified transporter would have utility in the screening of natural and man made products with possible pharmaceutical properties in the treatment of cholesterol related diseases and digestive and hepatic disorders.

Ileal bile acid transporter compositions and methods


A mobile electronic device is provided, including a first housing, a second housing and a circuit board assembly. The first housing is connected to the second housing to form a receiving space with the circuit board assembly disposed therein. The circuit board assembly includes a first circuit board having a plurality of light emitting diodes, a second circuit board, and a frame disposed between the first circuit board and the second circuit board.

1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates to a mobile electronic device, and in particular, relates to a mobile electronic device having a frame with circuit boards disposed thereon.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mobile electronic devices usually have features of portability and miniaturization. However, with progress in the functions of mobile electronic devices, the available space therein for receiving electrical elements must be increased, which conflicts with the trend for compact dimensions.


An ultrasonic echography system includes a probe (1) which is connected to an echograph provided with a transmission stage (32), receiving and processing stages (34, 38) for ultrasonic echo signals, and a device (21) for displaying images of an artery. The probe (1) is formed by three integral transducers, i.e. a first, central transducer (2) for scanning the artery axially and two lateral, further transducers (3, 4) which are arranged parallel to one another and oriented perpendicularly to the first transducer in order to form transversal sectional images of the artery. The echograph also includes a sequence for sequentially activating each of the three transducers in a cyclical manner.

The invention relates to an ultrasonic echography system for the examination of arteries, including a probe with at least one ultrasonic transducer which is connected to an echograph which is formed by a stage for the transmission of an ultrasonic beam, a stage for the reception and a stage for the processing of ultrasonic signals returned to the probe, and a device for displaying the ultrasonic image of the artery to be examined.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention is used in the field of medical echographic imaging and measurement of physiological parameters.
2. Description of Related Art
Ultrasonic echography has increasingly become an effective means for the visualization of tissues, notably arteries, and nowadays it becomes possible to measure physiological parameters with adequate precision. For the examination of an artery, be it to visualize it in a cross-sectional view or to measure the instantaneous velocity of the blood flow therethrough, the handling of the echographic probe by the operator still remains a delicate operation which could cause incorrect interpretation of the image obtained or become a source of errors during quantitative analysis.
One difficulty encountered in the case of quantitative measurement is the correct positioning of the probe with respect to the axis of the vessel (the artery). Correct positioning is to be understood to mean most often a positioning such that the sectional plane formed by the ultrasonic beam, containing the visualized image, extends through the axis of the artery.
With a view to ensure correct measurement of blood velocities, nowadays given criteria concerning the acquisition of data by means of a conventional probe have been defined, irrespective of whether a linear or a curved probe is concerned. For example, the operator has to carry out a measurement five times for an artery segment considered and retains only the three of said five measurements which are closest to one another. However, this technique is long and rather difficult to carry out and certain operators would like to have a shorter but nevertheless more reliable procedure available; this represents a technical problem to be solved. Given the advances made in respect of speed and calculation precision of the echographic techniques, it is now desirable to improve the imaging of arteries so as to facilitate vascular examination and enable acquisition of more reliable vascular data.

Ultrasonic echography system including sequencing means for the examination of arteries


A corresponding point search device includes an acquiring unit, a search unit and a determination unit. The acquiring unit acquires a first image obtained by imaging a subject with a first imaging apparatus in a focused state in which the first imaging apparatus is focused on the subject by moving of a movable portion, a second image obtained by imaging the subject with a second imaging apparatus and position information of the movable portion when the first imaging apparatus is in the focused state. The search unit searches for a corresponding point corresponding to a baseline point in one image in the other image for the one image and the other image of the first and second images. The determination unit determines the search range in which the corresponding point is searched by the search unit in the other image based on the position information.

A technology of searching for a corresponding point between a baseline image and a reference image obtained by imaging the same object (subject) with two imaging apparatuses from different view points, for the baseline image and the reference image is known. In this technology, for example, a disparity with respect to the same object is obtained based on a correlation degree by performing a correlation computation through SAD (Sum of Absolute Difference) computation method, or the like.
Furthermore, for example, a plurality of images having different resolutions are generated to obtain a hierarchical structure by resolution for the baseline image and the reference image, and processing in which the correlation computation is sequentially repeated from the upper level layer of lower resolution toward the lower level layer of higher resolution is known. In such processing, the time required for the computation processing to the lowermost layer having the highest resolution can be reduced since a search region in the next layer is set based on the disparity obtained in the upper level layer of lower resolution.
It is known that highly accurate computation results can be obtained regardless of disturbance, and the like by adopting a POC (Phase-Only Correlation) computation method in the search processing of the corresponding point. However, the processing amount of the computation including Fourier transformation, extraction of phase information, and the like is large in the POC computation method, which may lead to lowering in the operation efficiency, and the like due to longer processing time.
In the search processing of the corresponding point associated with each point, therefore, a technology of calculating the rough disparity through the SAD computation method, and setting the layer of the resolution in which the computation processing using the POC computation method is started and the search region based on the rough disparity is proposed (e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-209275, etc.). In this technology, the search processing of the corresponding point can be carried out at high precision and at high speed.

Corresponding point search device and distance measurement device


A power output apparatus (100) includes an engine (102), a double-pinion planetary gear (110), a first motor (MG1), and a second motor (MG2). A ring gear (114), a planetary carrier (126), and a sun gear (112) of the double-pinion planetary gear (110) are respectively linked with a crankshaft (104) of the engine (102), a drive shaft (108), and the first motor (MG1). The engine (102), the second motor (MG2), the double-pinion planetary gear (110), and the first motor (MG1) are arranged sequentially along an axis running from the front to the rear of a vehicle. The second motor (MG2) is required to output a greater torque than that of the first motor (MG1) and accordingly has a larger size. The second motor (MG2) is, however, disposed closer to the engine (102) and thereby has a sufficient margin in the diametral direction. This configuration reduces the size of the whole power output apparatus (100).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power output apparatus, and more specifically to a power output apparatus for outputting power to a drive shaft.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Known power output apparatuses for carrying out torque conversion of power output from an engine and outputting the converted power to a drive shaft include a combination of a fluid-based torque converter with a speed change gear. In the torque converter, an input shaft and an output shaft of the power are not fully locked. This causes a slip between the input shaft and the output shaft and leads to an energy loss corresponding to the slip. The energy loss is expressed as the product of the revolving speed difference between the input shaft and the output shaft and the torque transmitted to the output shaft and is consumed as heat.
In a vehicle having such a power output apparatus mounted thereon as its power source, at the time when significantly large power is required, for example, at the time of starting the vehicle or running the vehicle on an upward slope at a low speed, a large energy loss in the torque converter undesirably lowers the energy efficiency. Even in a stationary driving state, the efficiency of power transmission in the torque converter is not 100%, and the fuel consumption rate in the known power output apparatus is thereby lower than that in a manual transmission.
In order to solve such problems, the applicants have proposed a system that does not include the fluid-based torque converter but has an engine, a planetary gear, two motors, and a battery and regulates the power output from the engine with the planetary gear and the two motors, so as to output the regulated power to the drive shaft (JAPANESE PATENT LAYING-OPEN GAZETTE No. 50-30223). In this reference, however, there is substantially no specification regarding the configuration of the respective constituents when the system is installed in a limited space, such as a vehicle or a ship.

Dual electric motor drive with planetary gearing


In the present invention, a hydrogen absorbing alloy containing at least nickel, cobalt and aluminum, in which the sum a of the respective abundance ratios of cobalt atoms and aluminum atoms in a portion to a depth of 30 .ANG. from its surface and the sum b of the respective abundance ratios of cobalt atoms and aluminum atoms in a bulk region inside thereof satisfy conditions of a/b.gtoreq.1.30, or a hydrogen absorbing alloy containing at least nickel, cobalt, aluminum and manganese, in which the sum A of the respective abundance ratios of cobalt atoms, aluminum atoms and manganese atoms in a portion to a depth of 30 .ANG. from its surface and the sum B of the respective abundance ratios of cobalt atoms, aluminum atoms and manganese atoms in a bulk region inside thereof satisfy conditions A/B.gtoreq.1.20 is used for a hydrogen absorbing alloy electrode in an alkali secondary battery.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hydrogen absorbing alloy electrode used as a negative electrode of an alkali secondary battery such as a nickel-hydrogen secondary battery, a method of fabricating the hydrogen absorbing alloy electrode, and an alkali secondary battery using the hydrogen absorbing alloy electrode, and is characterized in that a hydrogen absorbing alloy used for the hydrogen absorbing alloy electrode is modified, to improve the activity in the early stages of the hydrogen absorbing alloy electrode and the characteristics thereof at low temperature.
2. Description of the Related Art
A nickel-hydrogen secondary battery has been conventionally known as one example of an alkali secondary battery. In the nickel-hydrogen secondary battery, a hydrogen absorbing alloy electrode using a hydrogen absorbing alloy has been generally used as its negative electrode.
Examples of the hydrogen absorbing alloy used for the negative electrode include a hydrogen absorbing alloy having a CaCu.sub.5 -type crystal structure using Misch metal (Mm) which is a mixture of rare earth elements or a Laves type hydrogen absorbing alloy.
In each of the hydrogen absorbing alloys, however, a coating of an oxide or the like is generally formed on its surface by natural oxidation, for example. When a hydrogen absorbing alloy electrode is fabricated using such a hydrogen absorbing alloy, and the hydrogen absorbing alloy electrode is used as a negative electrode of the nickel-hydrogen secondary battery, the activity in the early stages of the hydrogen absorbing alloy is low, and hydrogen gas is not sufficiently absorbed in the hydrogen absorbing alloy. As a result, some problems arise. For example, the capacity in the early stages of the nickel-hydrogen secondary battery is decreased, and the internal pressure of the battery is increased by the hydrogen gas.
Therefore, in recent years, a method of immersing a hydrogen absorbing alloy in an acid solution such as hydrochloric acid, to remove a coating of an oxide on the surface of the hydrogen absorbing alloy has been proposed, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 225975/1993.
When the hydrogen absorbing alloy is thus immersed in the acid solution, to remove the coating of the oxide on the surface of the hydrogen absorbing alloy, some active portions appear on the surface of the hydrogen absorbing alloy.
However, the active portions thus appearing on the surface are oxidized again, whereby the activity in the early stages of the hydrogen absorbing alloy is not sufficiently improved, and the hydrogen gas is not sufficiently absorbed in the hydrogen absorbing alloy in the early stages. As a result, some problems still exist. For example, the capacity in the early stages of the battery is low, and the internal pressure of the battery is increased.
Furthermore, in the hydrogen absorbing alloy electrode using the conventional hydrogen absorbing alloy, the electrochemical catalytic capability thereof is not sufficient, resulting in inferior discharge characteristics in a case where it is used under low temperature.

Method of fabricating hydrogen absorbing alloy electrode


A method and system for capturing video and/or audio streams and for publishing consolidated video and/or consolidated audio streams. A capture profile specifying parameters for capturing the video stream and/or audio stream is selected from a list of predefined profiles as a function of data contained in the video and/or audio stream. A publish profile specifying parameters for publishing the video stream and/or audio stream is selected from a list of predefined profiles as a function of data contained in the consolidated video and/or consolidated audio stream. Moreover, the publish profile is selected to provide the best quality video and/or audio during playback, or to provide the best fir for a maximum file size designated by the user.

An increasing number of people own and use camcorders to make videos that capture their experiences and document their lives. Multimedia editing applications (MEA) allow users to bring new life to such videos via their personal computer by bringing professional video and audio editing to personal computers. However, MEAs are not always user friendly and users who are less experienced with such applications may be overwhelmed.
The first step in editing video and audio material with an MEA is importing a video and/or an audio stream from a source to a computer storing the MEA. This process of importing video and/or audio streams to the computer is also known as capturing. The next step is converting the video and audio data contained in the respective stream into the appropriate format (i.e., digital) for storage on the computer as individual files or clips. Traditional MEAs include a library or a bin in which the user can assemble and organize clips stored on disk, view the name and a thumbnail of each clip, and preview their contents. Each clip can then be edited, and dragged to a timeline or storyboard to assemble a production.
The centerpiece of any video editing tool is the storyboard or the timeline in which the user arranges the video or audio production. This allows the user to organize the video and audio clips, insert transitions between them, and apply special effects, and add titles and background audio. The consolidated video or audio production can then be saved or "published" to the hard drive of the computer or to an external storage medium such as a DVD or CD. In addition, the consolidated video or audio production can be played on a monitor or speakers, respectively, linked with the computer.
Traditional MEAs have emphasized ease of use by constraining the user interface, simplifying the layout process, restricting the number of parallel tracks, and providing a step-by-step process for adding effects. However, a number of design choices are made prior to capturing video and audio material and prior to publishing the consolidated video and audio material (i.e., production). These choices include resolution, frame rate, and bit rate. These parameters can determine the amount of disk space used, image quality and playback rate.
In fact, in order to use the MEA effectively, MEAs often require the user to define profiles specifying parameters for capturing video and audio material, and for publishing the consolidated video and audio material. However, defining a profile for capturing and for publishing can be a daunting task for novice users, especially if the user does not know or understand the meaning of resolution, frame rate, bit rate, etc.
For these reasons, there is a need for an MEA that allows the user to easily capture and publish their video and audio material at the appropriate quality and/or size for what they are trying to achieve. Moreover, the capturing and publishing process should be accomplished without requiring the user to have knowledge of bit rates, resolution, frame rates, compression formats, etc.

Smart profiles for capturing and publishing audio and video streams


A polymer composition having a biopolymer subunit entrapped in a swellable polymer matrix is described. The composition may be supplied in a disposable cartridge, for use in delivering a solution of the subunit in an automated biopolymer synthesis operation.

Selected-sequence biopolymers, such as peptides and oligonucleotides, are routinely synthesized by solid-phase methods in which a series of selected polymer subunits are added sequentially to a growing polymer chain covalently attached to a solid support. In a typical peptide synthesis, the peptide is synthesized stepwise from an immobilized C-terminal residue. At each step, a new N-protected amino acid is added in solution to the solid support, and reacted through its free carboxyl group with the free .alpha.-amine group of the amino acid (or peptide) immobilized on the support, to couple the new amino acid to the growing peptide on the support. The support is then treated to remove the N-protecting group of the last added amino acid, and the procedure is repeated in a stepwise fashion until the final peptide is complete.
An oligonucleotide, e.g., DNA strand, is similarly synthesized by solid-phase methods, by stepwise addition of a selected 5'-protected nucleotide to a resin containing an immobilized 3'-end nucleoside Backbone coupling is between the free 5' OH group of the immobilized nucleoside, and the activated 3'-end of the free nucleotide. After the coupling reaction, the support is treated to remove the 5'-end protecting group, and the reaction steps are repeated stepwise until the desired-sequence polynucleotide is complete.
Solid-phase methods for peptide and oligonucleotide synthesis can be carried out conveniently by automated synthesizers which are designed for successive addition of selected subunits, coupling agents, and deprotecting agents to a vessel containing the solid-phase material. That is, each subunit addition step involves (a) adding a deprotection solution to the solid-phase vessel, to deprotect the last-added residue on the immobilized support, and (b) adding the next subunit, either in activated form or in the presence of an activator, to the solid-phase vessel, to couple the subunit to the growing polymer chain on the solid support.
In a typical operation of an automated synthesizer, the machine is first loaded with vials containing each of the subunits which are to be added during operation, and with the deprotection and wash solutions used during operation. The vials containing the individual subunits may be prepackaged in liquid form, allowing the subunit solution to be transferred readily from the vial to the solid-phase vessel. Such vials, of course, must be stored in a manner which prevents leakage or breakdown of the subunit or activation components.
Alternatively, the subunit materials may be packaged in the vials in dry form. The dried material is either manually dissolved prior to loading into the machine, or more commonly, is dissolved during machine operation, by addition of a selected volume of solvent to each vial. One limitation of the dry material is that, for many protected amino acids, poor powder flow properties and low bulk density of the material makes the material difficult to measure and package. In addition, some solid protected amino acids dissolve very slowly, requiring up to thirty minutes of contact time with an added solvent before the subunit is fully dissolved. For these reasons, a composition having handling and dissolution properties which are superior to those of the existing available reagents would be useful.


A method, apparatus and system for a transverse tracker is described that can greatly improve the accuracy, speed, range, reliability, versatility, safety, and efficacy of interventions such as laser microsurgery. The present invention provides means for stabilizing the motion of targets in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction, thus allowing an imaging system, diagnostics illumination, and/or laser beam to maintain a lock on the target area, regardless of its movement. Unique attributes provided in the tracking system include means for (1) sensing contrast in recognizable large scale boundaries such as the change between the cornea/sclera interface (limbus), thereby to determine the absolute location and orientation of these boundaries, all without having to resort to digital sampling techniques and (2) dual mode operation of an electronic control system compatible with all analog technologies, thereby substantially increasing the speed of operations over other, comparable digital method. The tracking system of the invention is at least comprised of illumination sources, imaging optics, a sensor, a movable optical element, a two-dimensional logic board, and a dedicated microprocessor, including appropriate signal processing firmware and software. Additional optics can provide interface with depth tracking, target viewing and/or laser surgery subsystems. The invention affords considerable flexibility in selecting illuminators, detectors and servo devices, which, allows broad application of this system to diverse medical surgical, diagnostic, and industrial settings.

This invention relates to tracking systems for aiming a laser beam and/or positioning projected light patterns at a known relation onto moving targets. In particular, the invention is concerned with the detection of, measuring of and compensating transverse movements of optical targets such as an eye during ophthalmic laser surgery as well as non-surgical diagnostic procedures. The present invention is particularly powerful when taken in conjunction with a method for capturing, measuring and compensating for movements along the axial direction such as disclosed by Wm. D. Fountain in U.S. Pat. No. 5,162,642 which is assigned to the same party as the present invention.
Methods of integration of a lateral tracker with depth ranging techniques were disclosed in copending patent application Ser. No. 843,374, entitled "Automated Laser Workstation for High Precision Surgical and Industrial Interventions", which was filed on Feb. 27, 1992, and which is incorporated herein by reference. In that disclosure, fully automated means to acquire and track randomly moving targets in three dimensions were described, along with methods for interfacing the acquisition and tracking means with a beam aiming and targeting sub-system and a target viewing subsystem, all of which are elements of a complete laser workstation. It is noteworthy that the system and method of said patent application also included, in an alternate embodiment, the capability to distinguish between translational and rotational movements of the eye as an integral part of the full three dimensional tracker.
By comparison with the two earlier disclosures cited above, the present invention emphasizes those aspects and specific embodiments of a transverse 2D tracker that are most critical in allowing a laser beam or projected light patterns to be correlated with and/or directed to a specific location on the target regardless of its lateral movement. Since the application to eye surgery places the most stringent requirements on the tracker, the present invention is described mostly in reference to this application. However, it is to be understood that the invention is broadly applicable to any situation involving precision diagnostic measurements and/or laser operations on moving targets, including industrial applications, such as in semiconductor processing where laser annealing and other techniques call for precise alignment of a mask onto a substrate in the presence of vibrations.
In ophthalmic surgery, the ability to optically track or follow the movement of the patient's tissue--not only the voluntary movements which can be damped with specialized treatment, but also the involuntary movements which are more difficult to control on a living specimen--is recognized as a highly desirable element in laser delivery systems designed to effect precision surgery in delicate ocular tissue. According to Adler's Physiology of the Eye, even when the patient is holding "steady" fixation on a visual target, eye movement still occurs. Such involuntary motion compromises the efficacy of certain ocular surgical procedures requiring great precision. This is true even with total immobilization of the eye, which is not fully effective in suppressing involuntary eye motion while being rather uncomfortable for the patient. Implementation of automatic tracking by remote means would therefore alleviate the need for such immobilization, while offering a method for more effectively accomodating all types of eye motion. Thus, augumenting surgery with on-line eye tracking option can improve significantly upon the accuracy and speed with which old surgical procedures could now be performed as well as enabling new procedures to be carried out for the first time.
In ophthalmology, it is also often desirable to image the tissue simultaneousely with positioning the treatment beam. Effective utilization of an imaging system capable of freezing on a display images or data relating to the configuration of the target during laser treatment requires that the target area be stabilized with respect to both imaging and the laser focal region, thus enhancing the accuracy of energy deposition in tandem with viewing sharpness. The ability to stabilize a video image of a moving target during the surgery procedure itself is especially desirable in those high precision laser interventions employing an instantaneous full image rather than a series of scanned images, such as described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 843,374, which is incorporated herein by reference, and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,426.
In still other applications relating to diagnostics of targets, tracking can serve an important function in allowing cross-registration of successive readings taken across a moving target. By correlating the true positions of given target segments at the time the readings are taken, the effects of target motion can be compensated for via programming in the computer (i.e., software). In application to corneal surface mapping, utilization of transverse tracking, especially in concert with a depth tracking method that can keep the distance to the eye constant, e.g., as was disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 945,207, opens up the prospect of performing true point-by-point thickness and curvature measurements with standard scanning techniques. For example, by aligning separate readings relative to each other, accurate reconstruction of both anterior and posterior surfaces of ocular tissue such as the cornea or the lens can be feasible by scanning the eye with just a slit illuminator coupled to a CCD camera to detect each surface's reflections. Using such simple instrumentation to perform simultaneous surface and thickness measurements was not possible prior to this invention.
Prior attempts to derive simultaneous pachymetry and topography information such as by D. J. Gormley et. al. in Cornea, vol. 7, pp. 30-35, 1988 using a scanning laser slit lamp and a photokeratoscope were clearly hindered, among other factors, by the lack of cross-referencing that only tracking can provide. Thus, to compensate for eye movement, each slit lamp image reading consisted of an average of a series of measurements, a procedure which could take up to several minutes. To map the entire cornea in this manner would then clearly require an inordinately long time, especially since, to maintain a common reference point between successive readings, the patient would have to stay fixated throughout the entire scan. By adding means for on-line tracking, the number of required readings can be significantly reduced to where a combined method of depth and surface profiling becomes practical, even allowing the possibility of utilizing a slit illuminator alone for both measurements.
In general, stabilization of a moving target requires defining the target, characterizing the motion of the target, and readjusting the aim of the optical system repeatedly in a closed-loop fashion. For ophthalmic surgery, requirements for a tracking system are set by the type of eye motion, which fall into three categories: microsaccades, drift and high frequency tremor. The high frequency tremors, of about 90 Hz set an upper limit to the frequency, but are of a very small amplitude (up to 40 seconds of arc). Microsaccades are highly accelerated motions with constantly changing directions but lower frequencies (a few Hz). These small but rapid eye movements, combined with slow drift (about 1 minute arc/sec), prevent the retinal image from fading. Analysis of measurements of peak velocity-magnitude-duration parameters by e.g., A. Terry Bahill et al. in Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., Vol. 21, pp. 116-125, 1981, indicate that requirements set for lateral eye tracking should include, as a goal, the ability to respond to movement with accelerations of up to 40,000 deg/sec.sup.2. This translates to amplitudes of about 1 degree at maximum frequencies of 100 Hz and increasing to nearly 15 degree at 20 Hz. Meeting these response goals while maintaining accuracies on the order of 5-10 microns (as may well be desired in certain ocular surgical interventions near the visual zone), means that any moving parts within the tracker apparatus must not contribute internal vibrations, overshoots, or other sources of positioning error which could cumulate to an error in excess of the prescribed micropositioning tolerances. Other applications may impose tighter requirements on some parameters while relaxing others, depending on the margins of error set for a given process or procedure and the required overall system performance. We do expect, for example, that compensation over larger amplitudes and/or at higher frequencies may be desired in certain micromachining applications, which tighter requirements may, however, be offset by the ability to mark the workpiece to produce sharper tracking landmarks. Such target signal enhancements are not possible for ocular tissue without invading the organ itself, which is what makes the eye tracking application so uniquely demanding.
To date, no instrument has succeeded in tracking the human cornea in a cost effective manner. Previous attempts at achieving this result fall into one of two distinct categories, namely optical point trackers and correlation trackers, the latter including numerous variations of pattern recognition and edge detection methods. Optical point trackers utilize various lens-like properties of the eye to locate optically distinguished locations such as the first, second, third and fourth Purkinje points. For example, Crane and Steele (Applied Optics, Vol. 24, pp. 527, 1985) describe a dual Purkinje projection technique to compare the displacement of two different-order Purkinje projections over time, and a repositioning apparatus to adjust the isometric transformation corresponding to the motion. Similar application of dual Purkinje technique to a stabilized visual system was advanced by Crane (U.S. Pat. No. 4,443,075) using a fundus illumination and monitoring device. These and similar Purkinje image-based tracking methods purport to follow the movement of the anterior surface of the eye. While such techniques possess, in principle, sufficient speed to follow the displacement of Purkinje points, they do include an implicit assumption that the eye moves as a rigid body. In reality, however, the eye does not move as a rigid body, hence localization of the Purkinje points can be influenced by transient relative motions between the various optical elements of the eye, which leads to fictitious position information for identifying the surface of the cornea. In addition, such systems are rather complex and tend to exhibit large interperson variability in their calibration setting, which requires continuous real-time adjustments of the amplitude of the controlling signals.
The other class of tracking methods suggested in prior art involve, in one form or another, digital correlation techniques. These include retinal image trackers and various pattern recognition algorithms involving edge detection techniques. In either case, very fast frame-rate CCD cameras and sophisticated processing algorithms are required along with fast servo-controlled mirrors closing the loop. This is because, in general, methods based on pattern recognition are fundamentally digital, requiring high frequency updates. With the frequency response limited in practice to about one tenth the update frequency, digital signal comparisons are considered to be relatively slow. In the case of tracking eye motions, setting the sampling frequency to about an order of magnitude higher than the highest frequency to be pursued translates into kHz rates, leaving less than one thousandth of a second for processing the signal information.
Several other practical difficulties plague most pattern recognition techniques including the need for rather prominent and recognizable features, which are not easily located in any of the eye's structures. Also, techniques predicated upon high speed correlation processing of video signals are often deficient due to unfavorable trade-offs between field of view and spatial resolution. Specifically, since the image processing algorithms are limited by the size and spacing of the view elements (pixels), the digital methods do not afford continuous resolution. Increasing the resolution exacts penalties in terms of the field of view. Yet, relatively large areas must be acquired or else a beam must be scanned. Consequently, the system is either light starved in the former case or else requires extremely regular and fast moving optical deflectors in the latter, along with complex electronic processing which can further limit the already slow response time of the system.
While there have been some claims of successful tracking for the retina (see for example, Milbocker and Feke in Applied Optics. Vol. 31, pp. 3719-3729, 1992, Katz et al. in American Journal of Ophthalmology, vol. 107, pp. 356-360, 1989 and A. Forster in Proc. of Ophthalm. Tech., SPIE vol. 1423, pp. 103-104, 1991), to our knowledge no instrument of this type has produced a real-time stabilized image of the cornea to date. Typically, CCD cameras are used to analyze the translations of an image on the retina from which the resulting coordinate transformation could be computed. The data is then fed to e.g., galvanometric driven mirrors which are repositioned so as to maintain a beam at the selected location of the subject. Other than the issues alluded to above regarding inherent limitations of digital edge detection techniques, the need in most of these instruments to utilize galvanometer drives to reposition mirrors at nominal kHz acquisition rates adds complexity to the system while further limiting the positioning accuracy due to overshoot problems.
Bille et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,340) describe a simpler variant on the pattern recognition method, whereby a grid is marked, using a laser, on the epithelial surface of the cornea, in a known reference alignment to the eye's visual axis. An infrared optical system monitors reflections therefrom, generating an error signal whenever the position of the mark deviates from reference alignment. The error signal is transmitted to a laser guidance system containing a fine tuner (consisting, e.g., of one or more galvanometrically controlled mirrors) which steers the laser beam in a manner that reduces the error signal to null. This type of a tracking system requires a sensor such as a photodiode array that can detect variations in the intensity of the reflected light pattern to generate signals representative of grid movements. These sensors suffer from both slow response times and limited spatial resolutions. Typically, with accuracy bounds set by the space between the array elements divided by the magnification, it is difficult to obtain resolutions better than 50 microns or so in practical systems. Furthermore, like any closed-loop feedback control that requires comparison of input signals to some reference, the technique taught by Bille et al. is digital in nature, which means that it suffers from similar drawbacks as image trackers and edge detectors in general, including processing speeds limited by the servo rate to less than a millisecond.
It should also be appreciated that a target tracking and laser positioning mechanism that relies on a mark on the surface of the cornea in order to perform corneal surgery, such as described by Bille's tracking method, might lead to misdirected positioning of laser lesions below the surface when combined with any suitable focused laser. Thus, the mark would change its absolute location due to changes in the structure and shape of the material being modified that are caused by use of a laser surgery instrument itself, rather than by eye motions. It is therefore not clear that a tracking method based on marking the target tissue itself is compatible with laser surgical interventions performed simultaneousely with the tracking. Moreover, one of the features of the present invention is to enable non-incisive procedures inside target tissues by remote means. It would hence be counterproductive to mark the surface of the cornea for the sole purpose of following the motion of said mark.
In another embodiment of Bille et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,340, the tracking is based on a reference provided by an empirically determined offset between the eye's symmetry axis and the eye's visual axis. It is claimed that tissue can be tracked by monitoring the reflection from the apex of the cornea, thus avoiding the need to mark the eye, and/or, rely solely on patient fixation. However, with this technique, the tracking does not follow tissue features generally corresponding to the targeted surgical site itself. Instead, Bille et al.'s technique tracks reference points that are, like Purkinje points, a property of the optical system and do not correspond to any particular physiological tissue. They are therefore separate, remote from and may be unrelated to the targeted surgical site. The accuracy of the tracking is thus compromised in direct proportion to the degree of the reference points' remoteness relative to the surgical site, while ambiguities inherent in measurements of the symmetry and/or the visual axis will further reduce the accuracy with which positional changes of the targeted surgical site can be pursued using these methods.
By contrast with either pattern recognition based systems or optical point trackers, the methods of the present invention disclosed herein involve contrast tracking which does not rely on well-defined edges and/or patterns that must be compared to some reference. This allows great flexibility in selecting the tracking landmark, since prominent and constant edges are not required for acceptable signal-to-noise ratios. In the preferred embodiment, the tracking information is to be obtained through means contiguous to the target region, which is mechanically and structurally considered as part of it, but is unlikely to be affected by the course of the laser intervention. For example, the system and techniques disclosed herein resolve, for the first time, difficulties associated with previous attempts at limbus tracking. The limbus, located at the outer edge of the cornea, presents several advantages as a tracking landmark for corneal procedures. It is actual tissue that is contiguous to the targeted corneal tissue and is expected to provide a faithful representation of non-surgically induced displacements. Yet it is located far enough from the site of operations so that the transient displacements occasioned by the impact of the laser pulse on the target site will be damped sufficiently to avoid inducing fictitious tracking signals. Prior limbus trackers have not been successful because the limbus is a poor candidate for any technique relying on edge detection, constituting not a sharp boundary but a transition zone between the cornea and the sclera. Therefore, poorly defined edges and shapes that appear to deform due to rotations have led to difficulties in extracting signals out of noise.
The present invention overcomes these shortcomings because it is practical even in the absence of prominent, well-defined or even temporally constant edges. The only two requirements are that sufficient contrast be present, and that the feature possess a degree of symmetry. In the eye, these conditions are fulfilled by e.g., the limbus structure and in most cases, the pupil as well. In our co-pending patent application Ser. No. 843,374, a method for tracking the limbus was disclosed relying on a set of two quadrant detectors as the position sensor. The present patent application expounds on that disclosure by highlighting a unique electronic control system that can be used for the tracking to great advantage, and including as a desirable feature a dual feedback loop that can be all analog, thus significantly increasing the practical speed of operations over comparable digital methods. Along with the added emphasis on the electronic means for realizing rapid limbus tracking, the simplified signal processing and fast logic operations involved in the electronic servo loops of the present invention also allow a substantial expansion of the scope of the previously disclosed limbus tracking method to include other contrast-based tracking landmarks and alternative position sensing detectors as may be needed to implement tracking in different surgical, diagnostic or industrial settings.

System for detecting, measuring and compensating for lateral movements of a target


A method and apparatus is provided for the continuous extrusion of porous activated carbon block filter elements. The invention includes feeding material into the barrel of a screw extruder and heating the material therein such that the material becomes an agglomerated mass. The agglomerated mass is agitated and compacted into a die where it is cooled to a semi-solidified state. In the semi-solidified state, the material is passed through a cooling tunnel where the material solidifies and the carbon block filter element is formed. A back pressure control device is also included to control pressure in the die.

This invention relates to extruders, and in particular, to a method and apparatus for the continuous extrusion of porous activated carbon block filter elements.
Screw extruders and injection molding machines are well known in the art. A significant disadvantage of the current state of the art methods and devices for the extrusion of composite articles including a resin binder and powdered or granular material is that, as the material flows off the screw and into the die, and begins to cool and harden, the flights extending from the screw create a spiraling "knit mark" along the outer surface of the material. This spiraling "knit mark" along the surface of the material results in a spiraling weak area all along the axial length of the material which extends through the body of the material and which has a lower density and a greater porosity. Product strength and filtering capability are both adversely affected.
In order to compensate for the lower density and the greater porosity along the spiraling weak area of the material, current state of the art methods and devices form the product with a greater overall density. This, in turn, causes higher production costs due to increased material usage, lower production rates, increased wear and tear on the extruder apparatus, and higher power consumption.
Attempts to overcome the disadvantages of current state of the art extrusion methods and devices are disclosed in the Koslow U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,092 and the Koslow U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,948. The Koslow '092 patent and the Koslow '948 patent disclose an apparatus and a method to provide a more uniform extruded product. The Koslow patents disclose passing the pondered material through the extruder barrel by a screw feeder. The material in the extruder is preheated in the barrel by a preheater, and thereafter passed into a die where it is further heated by a heater element to the required processing temperature.
The heating of the material in the die is critical. If the heating of the material flowing through the die is too short, and the flow of the material too fast, it is not possible to transmit the heat required to form a solid object and the material may not solidify properly. On the other hand, if the heating section is too long, the back pressure increases uncontrollably so that the material hardens and locks up the extruder. Furthermore, the cooling of the material must be long enough such that the material retains its structural integrity when it emerges from the die without causing an uncontrolled amount of back pressure that can lead to material lockup.
However, as with other prior art extrusion devices, the flights of the screw create a spiraling "knit-mark" along the outer surface of the extruded block. Hence, the extruded block has a weakened area along its entire axial length. This weakened area, as previously described, has a lower density and a greater porosity.
Therefore, it is a primary object and feature of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for the continuous extrusion of a block element which eliminates the spiraling "knit mark" along the outer surfaces of the block element.
It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for the continuous extrusion of a block element which reduces the amount of material required, increases production rates, and reduces power consumption.
It is still a further object and feature of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for the continuous extrusion of a block element which produces a product of uniform density and porosity.
In accordance with the present invention, a method and apparatus are provided for the continuous extrusion of a block element. The apparatus includes a hollow, generally cylindrical barrel extending along a longitudinal axis. The barrel has an input port, a discharge port, and screw receipt cavity therebetween.
A screw is positioned within the screw cavity receipt coaxial with the barrel, and is rotatable about the longitudinal axis. A heater is positioned between the input port and the discharge port for heating the barrel to a predetermined temperature. A die assembly extends the longitudinal axis adjacent to the barrel. The die assembly has an input port in communication with the discharge port of the barrel, and a discharge port. A water cooling jacket is positioned about the die assembly for cooling the die assembly to a predetermined temperature.
The method of the present invention includes providing a premixed material and feeding the material into the barrel. While in the barrel, the material is heated such that the material forms an agglomerated mass. The agglomerated mass is agitated and compacted into the die by a generally flat surface where the helical flight about the screw terminates. The agglomerated mass is cooled so as to form an extruded block.
In order to control the pressure within the die, the die pressure is monitored and the flow rate of the material exiting the die is controlled. This is accomplished passing the extruded block which exits the die between first and second wheels. Thereafter, a braking force is applied to the wheels to limit the flow of material therebetween which, in turn, varies the pressure.

Method and apparatus for the continuous extrusion of block elements


In a DC power supply circuit, a first period and a second period are alternately repeated a plurality of times during each half cycle of AC supplied to the DC power supply circuit. The first period is a period during which current flows along a first current path extending from an output terminal at a high-potential side of a rectifier circuit to an output terminal at a low-potential side of the rectifier circuit, via an inductor and a switching element. The second period is a period during which current flows along a second current path extending from the output terminal at the high-potential side of the rectifier circuit to the output terminal at the low-potential side of the rectifier circuit, via the inductor, a charging current supply path, and a capacitor.

In recent years light emission efficiency of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) has improved to such an extent that LEDs are attracting attention as a light source for general illumination use. In order to drive LEDs, a DC power supply is required.
In consideration of the above, a conventional DC power supply circuit has previously been proposed in order to convert alternating current (AC) supplied by a residential AC power supply, and thereby output DC (refer to Patent Literature 1). Patent Literature 1 recites a DC power supply circuit which includes a diode bridge, a smoothing capacitor that is connected across output terminals of the diode bridge, and a voltage conversion circuit that converts voltage across terminals of the smoothing capacitor, thereby outputting a converted voltage.

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