The present invention relates to an electrically conductive coating that is producible by hydrolytic condensation of a mixture comprising at least one silicon compound of the general formula SiXnR(4xe2x88x92n) (I), wherein at least one of the groups R is a mercapto-substituted alkyl or aryl group; and a compound of the general formula ZaSiYbR(axe2x88x924xe2x88x92b) (II), wherein the group Z is a quaternary ammonium salt, for example. Said coating is particularly suitable for toner transfer drums, and exhibits high scratch resistance and good adhesion to the substrate.

This application claims foreign priority from German application no. 199 42 423.3 filed Sep. 6, 1999 having the same title as indicated above.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coating, in particular for toner transfer drums, that is producible by hydrolytic condensation of a mixture comprising at least one hydrolyzable silicon compound of the general formula
SiXnR(4xe2x88x92n)xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(I).
2. The Prior Art
EP 0 450 625 B1 describes a coating of the aforementioned art and a method for coating a plastic substrate with such a coating. It is proposed there to produce a particularly scratch-resistant coating, proceeding from silane hydrolysate lacquers based on vinyl mercapto addition, that is rapidly curable under UV radiation. Such a coating for use as a layer on a toner transfer drum, however, is suitable only if said layer, in addition to abrasion resistance (scratch resistance), also has the requisite electrical conductivity. This is not provided in the known coating from the cited document.
Toner transfer drums for laser printers, copiers, and fax machines are especially favorably produced in various dimensions and unit quantities by using organic photoconductors, whereby, by the incorporation of photosensitive pigments in specially purified polymers in the form of a so-called generator layer on an aluminum support and a transport layer thereon that is composed of a polymer doped with said photoconductor, the electrophotographic function is achieved. Generator layers as well as transport layers (also known as OPC layers) are relatively soft and have only slight scratch resistance, whereby said OPC layer is even considerably softer than unmodified polycarbonate, for example. Although a number of different technical solutions have claimed to create improved abrasion resistance of such systems, no long-term abrasion-resistant coatings have been achieved at present in a marketable product. Of the currently existing proposals for improving the hardness and abrasion resistance of such systems for this technical use, only the most significant of these will be discussed here.
It is hereby apparent that a combination of high abrasion resistance with the required conductivity has heretofore been associated with a reduction of one of said properties. For example, Patent DE 30 32 773 (Hoechst) describes an image carrier having a hard, crosslinked surface layer, which however exhibits too high a surface resistance. An image carrier having a surface layer based on metal alkoxide and alkyl/aryltrialkoxysilane, described in Patent DE 40 10 328 (Fuji Xerox), has the same properties, whereby it becomes clear that, based on their extraordinarly dense network structure, silane hydrolysate lacquers or those hybrid polymers formed partially from inorganic consitituents are particularly significant for the coating of image carriers or toner transfer drums.
Both U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,775 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,703 (both Xerox) describe image carriers having surface layers based on crosslinked polysiloxanes which, by the incorporation of photoconductors, claim to achieve the electrophotographic properties, whereby in U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,703, the layer is also organically crosslinked. Here, on the basis of the high photoconductor content, the surface resistance is markedly lower than for an unmodified silane hydrolysate lacquer. U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,602 (Xerox) also describes surface layers based on crosslinked polysiloxane that claim to impart abrasion-inhibiting properties by means of thermal crosslinking of linear siloxanes with silicic acid.
A further improvable property of the known coating materials is the curing regime of same. Curing is generally carried out by thermal means. For toner transfer drums, said thermal curing is possible only below 100xc2x0 C. due to the high expansion coefficients of the generator layer.
The object of the present invention is to provide, after curing at low temperatures, an electrically conductive lacquer, in particular for the coating of toner transfer drums, whereby the resulting coating has high scratch resistance and good adhesion to the substrate.
The solution of this object provides an electrically conductive coating, in particular for toner transfer drums, having the features of claim 1. The features cited in Subclaims 2 through 10 concern preferred developments of the solution according to the invention. Preferred variants of the coating according to the invention are described in said subclaims.
The invention further relates to a method for producing an electrically conductive coating, preferably on a toner transfer drum, having the features of claim 11. Subclaims 12 through 17 concern preferred variants of the coating production method described in claim 11.
The invention further relates to a method for producing an electrically conductive coating on a toner transfer drum, having the features of claim 18.
A further requirement of the coating according to the invention is that said coating should be satisfactorily curable in the shortest possible time at relatively low temperatures. In addition, the conductive coating material should have sufficient storage stability. Furthermore, considerable insensitivity to tropical climates (high humidity) should be present, in particular to assure unlimited use of the toner transfer drums provided with a coating according to the invention, and of devices equipped with said toner transfer drums, such as copiers, printers, and the like.
Within the scope of the invention, the following embodiments concern particularly suited preferred variants of the coating, the properties of said coating, and preferred methods for production of such a coating according to the invention.
A preferred solution consists in the use of vinyl mercapto addition to produce an abrasion-resistant overlayer by UV curing of a suitable lacquer, and incorporation of an electrolytically active compound, for example a quaternary ammonium salt, to divert charge to the exposed sites. Surprisingly, the interaction of such electrolytically active compounds with said incorporated mercapto groups achieves a particularly high conductivity of the material, whereby only small quantities of said quaternary ammonium compounds are required. A particular advantage of the solution according to the invention lies in the option for catalyst-free production of said vinyl mercapto lacquer by use of quaternary ammonium compounds.
Achievement of a three-layer construction allows the technically advantageous production of an image carrier, whereby high productivity is achieved by UV curing. Creation of a higly crosslinked surface layer results in exceptional resistance of said image carrier in the long-term pressure test, whereby an adjusted surface resistance assures the function of said image carrier.
The lacquer according to the invention for coating of a plastic substrate is produced by hydrolytic condensation of a plurality of silicon compounds and, optionally, one or several hydrolyzable compounds of zirconium and/or aluminum in a maximum quantity of 30 mol % relative to the total quantity of silicon and zirconium/aluminum compounds, whereby 1 to 40 mol % of all groups bound to the aforementioned elements are non-hydrolyzable groups having an ethylenically unsaturated bond, and in addition said non-hydrolyzable groups bound to said aforementioned elements, having a mercapto group, are present in such quantities that the ratio of ethylenically unsaturated bonds to mercapto groups in or on non-hydrolyzable groups is 25:1 to 1:1; said lacquer is optionally cured by radiation in the absence of a photoinitiator; and/or thermal curing of the overlayer is carried out. A significant feature of the solution according to the invention is the option for separate hydrolysis of the hydrolyzable silicon compounds, so that organic crosslinking, proceeding according to the invention without additional catalyst, cannot initially take place during separate storage of the components.
For the lacquer according to the invention, particularly suited hydrolyzable silicon compounds are those of the general formula
SiXnR(4xe2x88x92n)xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(I)
wherein the groups X, which can be the same or different, in particular comprise alkoxy groups such as methoxy, ethoxy, n-propoxy, 1-propoxy, and butoxy, and/or hydroxy groups. However, X can also comprise halogen (F, Cl, Br, and I, in particular Cl and Br), aryloxy (phenoxy, for example), and/or acyloxy groups such as acetoxy and propionyloxy, if the resulting hydrolysis products are removed or are tightly bound. The groups R, which can be the same or different, are selected from alkyl groups such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, and butyl; alkenyl groups such as vinyl, 1-propenyl, 2-propenyl, and butenyl; alkynyl groups such as acetylenyl and 2-propynyl; and aryl groups such as phenyl and naphthyl, whereby the aformentioned groups (with the exception of halogen and hydroxy) can optionally have one or several substituents that are inert under the reaction conditions, such as halogen and alkoxy, for example; and n is a whole number from 1 to 4. The aforementioned alkyl groups also include the corresponding cyclic- and aryl-substituted groups, such as cyclohexyl and benzyl, whereas the alkenyl and alkynyl groups can likewise be cyclic, and the named aryl groups should also include alkaryl groups (such as tolyl and xylyl). The mercapto (HS) groups present according to the invention are preferably located on the aforementioned alkyl and aryl groups, especially the alkyl groups.
In addition to the preferred groups X listed above, hydrogen and alkoxy groups containing 5 to 20 carbon atoms, and halogen- and alkoxy-substituted alkoxy groups (such as xcex2-methoxyethoxy) may be listed as additional, likewise suitable groups. Further examples of suitable groups R are straight-chain, branched, cyclic alkyl, alkenyl, and alkynyl groups containing 5 to 20 carbon atoms, such as n-pentyl, n-hexyl, dodecyl, and octadecyl. Since the X groups are cleaved by hydrolysis, and the hydrolysis product must be removed in a suitable manner, R groups are particularly preferred which bear no substituents and which lead to hydrolysis products with low molecular weight, for example lower alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, and n-, iso-, sec-, and tert-butanol.
Compounds of formula (I) can be used either totally or partially in the form of precondensates, that is, compounds that are created by partial hydrolysis of compounds of formula (I), either alone or in a mixture with other hydrolyzable compounds, as described in more detail below. In the sense of the invention, particularly suited are those precondensates formed by either the mercapto groups or the double bond-containing silanes, and which furthermore form components I or components II, described below, of multi-component systems. Such oligomers, preferably soluble in the reaction medium, can be straight-chain or cyclic low-molecular weight partial condensates (polyorganosiloxanes) with a condensation rate of approximately 2 to 100, for example, in particular approximately 2 to 6. Among the non-hydrolyzable groups R present according to the invention, containing an ethylenically unsaturated double bond, the aforementioned alkenyl groups containing 2 to 4 carbon atoms (especially vinyl), as well as (meth)acryloxy-substituted alkyl and aryl groups (especially those containing 2 to 4, or 6 to 10 carbon atoms, such as gamma-methacryloxypropyl) and Styryl are particularly preferred. Non-hydrolyzable groups X containing a mercapto group are preferably selected from mercaptoalkyl groups containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms, such as 3-mercaptopropyl, 4-mercaptobutyl, and 6-mercaptohexyl.
The required electrical conductivity is achieved by means of an additive obtained through hydrolytic (partial) condensation of one or several hydrolytically condensable compounds of silicon and, optionally, other elements from the group comprising B, Al, P, Sn, Pb, the transition metals, the lanthanides and actinides, and/or from precondensates derived from the aforementioned compounds. through the action of water or moisture, and optionally in the presence of a catalyst and/or solvent. Combination with one of the UV-cured components is preferably achieved. One or several of the monomeric compounds hereby used are preferably derived from silicon compounds of the general formula (II):
ZaSiYbR(4xe2x88x92axe2x88x92b)xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(II)
wherein the groups and subscripts are the same or different and have the following meanings:
Y=hydrogen, halogen, hydroxy, optionally substituted alkoxy, acyloxy, alkyl carbonyl, alkoxy carbonyl, or NRxe2x80x22;
Z=quaternary ammonium salts derived from R22Nxe2x80x94(R3xe2x80x94NR2xe2x80x94)kxe2x80x94R3, or
Z={fraction (1/m)}AmSR22xe2x80x94Nrxe2x80x94R3xe2x80x94, {fraction (1/m)}AmS(HOxe2x80x94R3)2xe2x80x94Nrxe2x80x94R3xe2x80x94, {fraction (1/m)}AmS(R2O)2Pr(O)xe2x80x94R3xe2x80x94, {fraction (1/m)}AmS(R22xe2x80x94N)2Cxe2x80x94Srxe2x80x94R3, {fraction (3/n)}Knr(OOCS)2xe2x80x94Nxe2x80x94R3xe2x80x94N(COOS)xe2x80x94R3xe2x80x94, {fraction (1/m)}AmSH2Cxe2x95x90Cxe2x80x94(R2)xe2x80x94R3Nr(R22)xe2x80x94R3xe2x80x94, {fraction (1/m)}AmSH2Cxe2x95x90C(R2)xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94R3Nr(R22)xe2x80x94R3xe2x80x94;
R=optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, alkylaryl, or arylalkyl;
R1=hydrogen, alkyl, or aryl;
R2=hydrogen, optionally substituted alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, alkylaryl, or arylalkyl;
R3=optionally substituted alkylene, alkenylene, or arylene;
AmS=anion with a valence of m;
Knr=cation with a valence of n;
a=1, 2, or 3;
b=1, 2, or 3;
a+b=2, 3, or 4; and
k=0, 1, 2, or 3.
Said additives based on monomeric compounds of formula II are tightly incorporated by means of covalent bonds into the inorganic network specified by components I and II. If the groups R and/or Z contain groups obtainable through polymerization or polyaddition, said groups are also placed in the organic network. The sum of percentages of the compounds according to formula II in the dried or cured coating formed from components I and II should be between 5 and 40 mol %.
Integration of electrolytically active substances into the silicic acid (hetero)polycondensate not only achieves the required reduction of volume resistance, but also optimizes the abrasion resistance. The deviation of said volume resistance from that of pure silane hydrolyzate coating is insignificant.
1. Production of the Coating According to the Invention
The coating according to the invention is producible by the customary art and manner associated with this field. If virtually only silicon compounds (that are relatively unreactive in the hydrolysis) are used, in most cases hydrolytic condensation can be carried out such that to the silicon compounds to be hydrolyzed, which are present either as such or dissolved in a suitable solvent, are directly added the stoichiometrically required quantity of water or, optionally, excess of water, at room temperature or with slight cooling (preferably with stirring and, optionally, in the presence of a hydrolysis and condensation catalyst), and the resultant mixture is then stirred for some time (from one to several hours). If reactive compounds of zirconium and/or aluminum are present, it is generally recommended that the water be added in stages. As a rule, hydrolysis is carried out at temperatures between xe2x88x9220xc2x0 and 130xc2x0 C., preferably between 0xc2x0 and 30xc2x0 C. or the boiling point of the optionally used solvent, regardless of the reactivity of the compounds present. As already indicated, the optimum type and manner of addition of water depends primarily on the reactivity of the starting compounds used. Thus, said dissolved starting compounds can be slowly added dropwise to an excess of water, or water is added in a portion or portions to said optionally dissolved starting compounds. It can also be useful to add the water not as such, but rather to introduce said water into the reaction system by using water-containing organic or inorganic systems. In many cases, introduction of water into the reaction mixture has proven to be particularly suitable using moisture-bearing adsorbents such as molecular sieves, and water-containing organic solvents such as 80% ethanol. Water can also be added via a reaction in which water is formed, for example during ester formation from acid and alcohol.
If a solvent is used, not only the lower aliphatic alcohols (such as ethanol and isopropanol), but also ketones, preferably lower dialkyl ketones such as acetone and methylisobutyl ketone, ethers, preferably lower dialkyl ethers such as diethyl ether and dibutyl ether, TIAF [tetrahydrofuran], amides, esters, particularly acetic ethyl ester, dimethylformamide, and their mixtures are suitable. If only hydrolyzable silicon compounds are used, the use of lower dialkyl ethers as solvent can prove to be particularly advantageous. In particular, the use of said ethers counteracts rapid gelling of the lacquer if said ethers contain a relatively large number of mercapto groups.
The compounds described by formula II according to the invention preferably serve as hydrolysis and condensation catalysts. Proton-cleaving compounds can also be used. Examples of such are organic and inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, formic acid, and/or citric acid. The concentration of additional catalysts can be up to 3 moles per liter, for example, is whereby good solubility in water facilitates growth of the catalyst with water after a middle condensation stage is reached.
Separate hydrolysis of silanes containing mercapto and double-bonded groups is a significant part of the process according to the invention for the production of storage-resistant components according to the invention. Hydrolysis (polycondensation) is thus preferably carried out with respectively one-half of the electrolytically active compound. It can even be advantageous in certain cases if a variable condensation rate is obtained by varying the addition of water to the components.
In order to avoid precipitation as much as possible during hydrolysis and polycondensation, in particular when various hydrolyzable silicon compounds are used, it is preferred in such cases that water be added in several stages, for example, in three stages. Thus, one-tenth to one-twentieth, for example, of the quantity of water stoichiometrically required for hydrolysis is added in the first stage. After brief stirring, one-fifth to one-tenth of the stoichiometric quantity of water is added, and after further brief stirring, finally a stoichiometric quantity of water is added so that a slight excess of water is present at the end. The condensation time depends on the type and percentage of the respective starting components, the optionally used catalyst, the reaction temperature, etc. The polycondensation is generally carried out at standard pressure, but can also be carried out at elevated or reduced pressure.
2. Use of the Coating According to the Invention
The coating according to the invention can be used for image carriers or toner transfer drums. Also possible is a coating comprising other plastics that are intended to have a defined surface charge. For said coating, the lacquer, obtained by mixing the individual components either as such or after partial or essentially total removal of the solvent used or the solvent formed during the reaction, is used in the coating method according to the invention. In some cases it can be advantageous to replace the excess water, and the solvent that is formed and optionally used, in the components obtained after polycondensation with another solvent in order to stabilize said lacquer. To this end, the components can be concentrated, for example under vacuum at a slightly elevated temperature (up to 80xc2x0 C. maximum) to the point that said components can easily be taken up with another solvent. Acetic ester and toluene in particular have proven to be satisfactory replacement solvents. Such stabilized lacquers are then stable for several weeks without optical changes or a noticeable increase in viscosity.
Radiation with UV light has proven to be satisfactory for curing the lacquer after application onto the image carrier or the toner transfer drum. Surprisingly, it was determined that the presence of a photoinitiator is not required for UV curing of the lacquer produced according to the invention.
The lacquer produced as described above according to the invention is applied to toner transfer drums composed of every conceivable plastic. In order to assure superior adhesion of the overlayer to the plastic substrate, it is generally recommended that the time between drying of the OPC layer and application of said lacquer be kept as short as possible. Otherwise, before coating, said plastic substrate can be subjected to surface treatment such as leaching, coating with primer, corona discharge treatment, etc. Before curing, the solvent is preferably removed from the applied lacquer by evaporation. Curing can then be performed by radiation, using for example a UV emitter, laser, etc., in a generally known manner. For coating it can be advantageous, after the radiation curing, to carry out thermal post-curing using hot water, in particular to remove any existing excess of unsaturated groups or solvent still present.
Using the method according to the invention, layer thicknesses of 3 to 50 xcexcm, in particular 2 to 6 xcexcm, are generally achieved for image carriers or toner transfer drums. It is understood that the method according to the invention is not limited to the application of only a single lacquer layer, but rather it is possible, after application and optional curing of a layer, to apply additional layers, thus obtaining multi-layer structures. It is even possible to regenerate worn-out layers. The coating method according to the invention or the lacquer according to the invention leads in particular to the following unexpected advantages:
Highly scratch-resistant coatings that adhere well to the plastic substrate can be obtained that show no increase in the residual potential after exposure. In particular, for substrates having low thermal load capacity, UV treatment under mild conditions can achieve satisfactory curing in a brief time. Depending on the efficiency of the emitter, UV curing can be carried out in less than 60 seconds.

Coating in particular for toner drums, and method for producing the same


An ejector apparatus moves a lift core extending through a core of a component of a resin molding mold to form an undercut portion in a molded piece and is installed so as to be capable of moving obliquely with respect to the core surface in a longitudinal direction. An ejector plate is arranged between the core and a base plate below the core, so as to be capable of moving up and down. A slide path is formed in the ejector plate extending in a direction in which a lower end of the lift core makes relative horizontal movement during ascent and descent of the lift core. A slide base is movably arranged in the slide path and coupled to the lower end of the lift core. A guide rod imparts a moving force within the slide path to the lower end of the lift core during ascent and descent of the ejector plate.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an ejector apparatus for moving a lift core which extends through a core constituting a component of a resin molding mold to form an undercut portion in a molded piece and which is installed so as to be capable of moving obliquely with respect to the core surface and in the longitudinal direction.
2. Background Art
Conventionally, an apparatus for moving a lift core which extends obliquely through a core constituting a component of a resin molding mold to form an undercut portion in a molded piece and which is movable in the longitudinal direction, is called an ejector apparatus, an example of which is disclosed, for example, in JP 10-95019 A.
In an ejector apparatus disclosed in JP 10-95019 A, an inclination angle K° of a lift core 5 (FIG. 13) varies within any range depending on a molded piece 11, and is determined by a user who molds the molded piece using this ejector apparatus.
When fixing a lower end portion 5c of the lift core 5 to a slide base 33 to assemble the conventional ejector apparatus, the following procedure is performed such that a guide rod 38 and the lift core 5 are inclined by the same angle (K°);
First, the lower end portion 5c of the lift core 5 is inserted into an insertion hole on a top surface of a shaft coupling (also referred to as universal nut) 6, and the axial length of the lift core 5 is adjusted for the assembly procedure. Then, the slide base 33 is incorporated into an ejector plate 1.Next, the guide rod 38 is inserted into an insertion hole on a guide bush 36. That is, the guide rod 38 is inserted into the insertion hole of the guide bush 36 supported so as to be rotatable with respect to the slide base 33, with the slide base 33 being incorporated into the ejector plate 1 (JP 10-95019 A).

Takao Injection Mold Engineering Co., Ltd.


Multiple laser resonators share a common acousto-optic Q-switch. The Q-switch is driven by a radio-frequency (RF) transducer that causes an acoustic wave to propagate in the Q-switch. Turning off the RF transducer discontinues propagation of the acoustic wave and causes each of the laser resonators to deliver an optical pulse. The finite velocity of the acoustic wave causes the pulses to be delivered temporally spaced apart.

The use of lasers for producing low temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) layers on glass substrates is an important technological advance in the manufacture of flat panel displays. Existing systems commonly use a high power excimer laser in cooperation with appropriate optics to create a long and narrow line of laser radiation on a layer being crystallized. The radiation intensity in the beam line is sufficient for melting and subsequent crystal re-growth in a silicon layer, resulting in much improved electrical parameters of the film.
Excimer lasers, however, have high initial capital costs and high running costs compared with solid-state lasers. This has prompted research into possibilities of using solid-state lasers in place of excimer lasers in silicon crystallization. Q-switched frequency-doubled solid-state lasers having an output wavelength of about 532 nm have proved useful in producing LTPS films. However, scaling such a laser to the required average power levels for crystallization (greater than about 100 Watts at a minimum and preferably greater than 1 kilowatt), while preserving the high beam quality is not a simple task. This requires technical improvements in the laser design that are not readily feasible, and leads to a costly system. Presently, such lasers are commercially available with output power levels of less than 200 watts (W), more commonly about 50 W. Additionally, such lasers typically output relatively short pulses ranging from few nanoseconds (ns) to several ten nanoseconds. A desired optimal pulse duration is several hundred nanoseconds. Therefore, there is a clear need for a high-average-power, pulsed, solid-state laser source that is cost efficient, scalable to required power levels, and has a pulse duration at least significantly greater than that available from prior-art commercially available Q-switched lasers.

Multiple pulsed-laser system for silicon crystallization


The reception of repeated bursts of identical information in a radio communications system is made faster and more secure by a receiving unit including a device for receiving and processing incoming signals from a transmitting unit in the same radio communications system, a buffer for temporarily storing repeated bursts, and a device for equalizing and combining at least two of the repeated bursts. The receiving unit may also include (for diversity) a duplicated receiving device for receiving signals from two different antennas and an equalizing and combining device for equalizing and combining the signals received by the duplicated receiving device. The receiving unit may be located in a radio base station or in a radio terminal in a radio communications system. The repeated bursts are received and stored in buffers, before the information of at least two repeated bursts is equalized and combined to form a more reliable signal.

The present invention relates to radio communications systems, and in particular to the handover procedure in cellular mobile radio systems.
In a cellular mobile telecommunications network, a mobile unit communicates with a base station covering the area, or cell, in which the mobile unit is found. Around this cell, there are other cells, covered by other base stations. In some situations, a mobile unit needs to transmit signals to a base station, or a base station to a mobile station, in the form of repeated bursts each burst comprising the same information.. Usually, this is done to increase the probability of the base station, or the mobile unit, successfully receiving and interpreting the signal.
In a Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), the most common situations in which such repeated bursts are transmitted are handover, replies to polling requests and certain acknowledgement signalling when packet switching is used. These situations will be described in the following.
When a mobile unit having an established connection to a base station moves from the cell of this base station to another cell, the base station in the new cell should take over the connection from the first base station. This procedure is called handover. To make the handover procedure faster, the mobile unit constantly monitors the current and other cells and reports measurement data for these cells to the network. The base station controller decides if the mobile unit should change its connection from the current base station to another base station. If this is found to be the case, the mobile unit sends a number of access messages to the new base station. When the new base station acknowledges that an access message has been received, the new connection can be established and the previous one disconnected. The Fast Associated Control Channel (FACCH) is a logical control channel used in GSM for, among other things, signalling in connection with handover.
Handover is a critical phase of a connection as it is often performed when a mobile unit is far away from base stations, that is, when the signal properties are poor. Furthermore, according to some standards, for example, GSM, some signalling is required on the speech/data channel, involving a break in the speech or data. The handover procedure therefore should be made as fast and reliable as possible and have a high performance with respect to noise and interference.
When packet switching is used, for example according to the Global Packet Radio Services (GPRS) standard in GSM, a polling request is transmitted from a base station to a mobile unit to check if the mobile unit is present. The mobile unit responds by transmitting four identical bursts, that are used by the base station to determine the signal strength and other parameters needed when communicating with the mobile unit.
Also, when packet switching is used, an acknowledgement signal is transmitted from the base station when a message packet has been successfully received. This acknowledgement signal is repeated until it has been successfully received by the mobile unit. When the mobile unit receives such an acknowledgement signal, it therefore responds by transmitting a signal acknowledging that the acknowledgement signal has been received. This xe2x80x9cacknowledgement of acknowledgementxe2x80x9d signal comprises four bursts, each burst comprising the same information.
In all of these situations of repeated bursts being transmitted, it is desirable that the information is successfully received and interpreted as quickly as possible, as the transmission of these repeated bursts inhibits other communication.
These situations are particularly critical when antennas are used that do not receive information from all directions at the same time, especially if the position of the mobile unit is unknown. The signal strength then varies with time in dependence of the directions in which the antenna is receiving at a given time.
Repeated bursts of information are also transmitted from the base station to the mobile unit, for example when ordering handover. Also, system information on the Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH) and synchronization information on the Frequency Correction Channel (FCCH) and the Synchronization Channel (SCH) are transmitted in the form of repeated bursts.
A solution for making the reception of a signal more reliable is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,166. Here each information burst is transmitted simultaneously from two different transmitters using two different carrier frequencies, and the two bursts are combined at the receiving end. This solution requires two transmitters transmitting the same information and thus is not suitable for a cellular communication system having a limited frequency spectrum.
In Total Access Communications Systems (TACS) and Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS) systems, the reliability of the reception of information is achieved by transmitting a word, or block of data, which has first been encoded, for example, five or eleven times. U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,559, describes how the five uplink repetitions of a word are received and decoded. If one of the repetitions is successfully decoded, the remaining repetitions are ignored. If none of the repetitions can be successfully decoded, a bit-wise majority vote of the five repetitions is taken and the voting result is decoded. The bit values determined in this way are deemed to constitute the received word, which is passed to a decoder.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,513 describes how the repetition of words can be exploited in the AMPS and TACS systems. This is for instance performed by having a set of windows selecting a resulting word from the parts of each repeated word having sufficient quality. In another aspect of U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,513 the resulting decoded word comes from a so-called majority voting of the repeated decoded words. U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,513 is strictly based on combinations or selections of decoded bits, that is, on combination on a digital level.
It is an object of the present invention to make the reception of information transmitted as repeated bursts in a radio communications system faster and more reliable.
It is another object of the present invention to enable a fast and reliable handover procedure in cellular communications networks.
These objects are achieved according to the present invention by a receiving device for use in a radio communications system in which certain information is received in the form of repeated bursts comprising the same information, said receiving device comprising means for receiving and processing incoming signals from a transmitting device in the same radio communications system, said receiving device comprising means for receiving at least two and temporarily storing at least one received repeated burst, before they are decoded, and equalizing and combining means for equalizing and combining said received repeated bursts.
The receiving device can also comprise duplicated receiving means for receiving signals from a transmitter in the radio communications system and combining means for combining the signals received by the duplicated receiving means.
The receiving device can be a part of a radio base station or a terminal in a radio communications system.
A method of receiving information being transmitted from a transmitting unit to a receiving unit in a radio communications system in the form of repeated bursts comprising the same information is also disclosed, said method comprising the following steps:
receiving and temporarily storing said repeated bursts;
equalizing and combining the information of at least two repeated bursts before decoding;
interpreting the equalized and combined information in the same way as the information of a single burst would be interpreted.
In a preferred embodiment, bitwise combination is used, and more specifically a Maximum Ratio Combining algorithm.
Weights, can be assigned, bit-wise or burst-wise, to the received signal in dependence of the signal quality.
The invention offers the following advantages:
The reliability of the information received in the form of repeated bursts can be increased without duplication of antennas or other equipment.
The time needed to receive such information successfully can be reduced without duplication of antennas or other equipment.
The disadvantages of antennas that do not receive from all directions at the same time are reduced.

Method and device in a radio communications system


On a roof rack fixedly connected with the vehicle roof, a so-called loading aid is arranged which, in a loading position, can be swung out inclinedly on the sides of the vehicle, so that bicycles or the like can be placed on this loading aid by corresponding transport fixtures and, after being fitted with the bicycles, the loading aid can be pushed back into a transport position onto the roof.

The invention relates to a roof rack for vehicles.
German Patent Document DE 195 43 218 A1 discloses a roof rack for vehicles which has a basic carrier which can be stationarily fixed on the vehicle. A load carrier is connected with the basic carrier and can be displaced into a inclined loading position on the base carrier and into a lifted transport position on the vehicle roof.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved roof rack for a motor vehicle which comprises a loading aid which is easy to handle, is safely supported in a loading position and, in a transport position, is held in a secured manner on the roof rack.
The principal advantages achieved by the invention are that, by means of the loading element, which consists of a load bearing structure and can be swung out laterally of the vehicle, for example, bicycles can be put on at a low height from the vehicle side, and these bicycles are then lifted by the loading element onto the vehicle roof.
For this purpose, the load rack includes two transversely extending and stationary profiled carriers. On each vehicle side, the loading element having a load bearing structure is displaceably guided by way of adjusting levers into an extended inclined loading position and into a retracted transport position on the vehicle roof. The loading element preferably includes two swivellable profiled carriers respectively on each vehicle side. The profiled carriers are connected on the end side by a carrier rod, and the free ends of the profiled carriers facing away from the carrier rod are each connected with an adjusting lever.
With the adjusting lever, the loading element can be adjusted laterally of the vehicle into a inclined loading position in such a manner that the loading element can take up a downward-directed inclined position. For this purpose, according to the invention, the adjusting lever is held by its one end swivellably by way of a pin in a swivellable profiled carrier and, by its other end, which faces away, the adjusting lever is displaceably arranged by way of a sliding element in a stationary profiled carrier of the load carrier.
To securely support the loading element on the load carrier and on the stationary profiled carriers in the inclined loading position, the adjusting lever is held by a first supporting surface on a stationary stop of the stationary profiled carrier. In the inclined loading position, the first supporting surface of the adjusting lever is arranged in a vertical plane and is situated opposite a corresponding surface of the stop. A second supporting surface of the adjusting lever is arranged with respect to the swivellable profiled carrier at an angle with respect to the first supporting surface of the adjusting lever.
To easily position the profiled carriers of the loading element of both vehicle sides with respect to one another, in the transport position on the vehicle roof, the profiled carriers of the loading element are connected by way of a stationary plug-type element with the directly opposite profiled carrier of the other loading element. In particular, the plug-type element includes a wedge-shaped insertion part into which the profiled carriers can be slid. The plug-type element is preferably fixedly connected with the stationary profiled carrier and is centered on both sides in a wedge shape. The two loading elements (profiled carriers) are mutually fixed in the Z-direction.
According to an embodiment, a locking of the movable profiled carriers of the loading element at the stationary profiled carriers of the load carrier can take place by way of resilient detents which are arranged in a stationary closing cap.
To provide guidance of the profiled carriers for taking up the transport position on the stationary profile carriers situated below, and to ensure the entry of the free ends of the profiled carriers into the corresponding plug-type element, the stationary stop in each case has lateral guiding grooves in which guide webs engage. The guiding grooves are stationarily held on the profiled carrier and are arranged on both sides of the stop. The guide webs are provided on the end side of the profiled carriers and are used to slide the profiled carriers in the case of a transport position. Therefore, according to the invention, by way of the stop, in addition to the guiding tasks, advantageously, vertical forces can be additionally absorbed.
For fixing the profiled carriers situated on top on the stationary profiled carriers arranged underneath in the transport position, one locking pin respectively is provided on the profiled carriers situated on top. The locking pin, in the transport position, projects into a corresponding opening of the stationary profiled carrier. Preferably, the locking pin is held on the end side on a spring element. The adjusting element is connected with the spring element, which adjusting element is arranged outside the profiled carrier and is connected by way of a bent-away tongue of the spring element with the adjusting element on the profiled carriers. At its rearward end facing away from the locking pin, the spring element has a bent-away section which is connected with the profiled carrier.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


This process for preparing an unsaturated carboxylic ester by esterifying an unsaturated carboxylic acid with an alcohol in the presence of a cationic resin catalyst, the water of reaction being removed in the form of an azeotrope with the esterifying alcohol or with a solvent, is characterized in that the esterification reaction is conducted by passing the mixture of reactants in upflow mode through a bed (9) of the said cationic resin in a recirculation loop (2) which is combined with a stirred tank (1) in which the reactants are mixed and from which the water of reaction is removed azeotropically.

The present invention relates to an improved process for preparing unsaturated carboxylic esters.
A number of processes have been described in the literature for the synthesis of unsaturated carboxylic esters.
The catalysts generally used are acids of the sulphuric acid, para-toluenesulphonic acid, methanesulphonic acid or similar type. The water of reaction is removed in the form of an azeotrope with the esterifying alcohol or with a solvent such as cyclohexane, toluene, etc.
The use of these catalysts results in the formation of- by-products and necessitates the use of appropriate materials which are resistant to corrosion, especially with sulphuric acid. The residual acid is then neutralized. The neutralizing operations/washings are laborious and polluting.
The use of strong cationic resins of sulphonic type which do not exhibit these disadvantages is widely described in the literature, in connection with esterification.
The American patent U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,267 describes the synthesis of C1-C2 (meth)acrylic esters in a continuous regime in a stirred reactor with the aid of a mechanical stirrer operating at a power of from 0.05 to 2 kW/m3. The cationic resin is held in suspension in the reaction medium. The drawback of this technique is the mechanical stress to which the resin is subjected, resulting in the said resin becoming fragile and breaking, with a drop in catalytic activity.
The Japanese patent application JP-A-58 192 851 describes the use of a resin-filled, jacket-heated tubular catalytic reactor topped with a distillation column for removing the water of reaction. A drawback of this technique is the prolonged contact of the water with the reactants and products, thereby bringing about the formation of heavy by-products, to the detriment of the selectivity.
The American patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,696 describes the use of a top-fed multistage catalyst bed for the synthesis of unsaturated carboxylic esters. The reactor is composed of from 1 to 10 resin stages and is topped by a distillation column in which the water of reaction is removed. Water is evaporated with the aid of an external exchanger. The principal drawback of this system is its laboriousness and the risks of blockage of the plates by polymers.
In accordance with the present invention, a proposal is made for an enhanced process for continuously synthesizing esters of unsaturated carboxylic acids by esterifying resins of aliphatic alcohols, which overcomes the drawbacks of the processes claimed in the American patents U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,267 (breakage of resins under the effect of mechanical stirring) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,696 (complexity of the reaction zone, consisting of a multistage bed, with risk of fouling by polymers) and in the Japanese application JP-A-58 192 851.
According to the present invention, by combining m a first fixed bed of resin, fed from the bottom, with a If reactor consisting of a blending tank provided with a recirculation system at the bottom through a resin cartridge, high conversion rates are obtained in combination with equally high selectivities, thereby simplifying the downstream purifying operations. Moreover, the resin charging/discharging operations are extremely simple.
The present invention accordingly provides a process for preparing an unsaturated carboxylic ester by esterifying an unsaturated carboxylic acid with an alcohol in the presence of a cationic resin catalyst, the water of reaction being removed in the form of an azeotrope with the esterifying alcohol or with a solvent, characterized in that the esterification reaction is conducted by passing the mixture of reactants in upflow mode through a bed of the said cationic resin in a recirculation loop which is combined with a stirred tank in which the reactants are blended and from which the water of reaction is removed azeotropically.
Passage over the resin takes place in the upward direction so as to keep the resin in suspension and to facilitate the thermal exchanges.
In accordance with one advantageous embodiment of the present invention, a partial reaction is conducted upstream of the stirred tank by passing the mixture of reactants in upflow mode through a second bed of the cationic resin catalyst.
The unsaturated carboxylic acid employed is advantageously acrylic or methacrylic acid. As for the alcohol employed it is, preferably, a primary or secondary aliphatic alcohol, in particular a C1-C12 alcohol, such as, in particular, n-butanol, 2-ethylhexanol and n-octanol.
The overall unsaturated carboxylic acid/alcohol molar ratio is generally between 0.6 and 1, preferably between 0.7 and 0.9.
The reaction is generally conducted in the presence of at least one polymerization inhibitor selected in particular from phenothiazine, hydroquinone, hydroquinone monomethyl ether, and sterically hindered phenols, such as 2,6-di-tert-butyl-para-cresol, at levels in the medium of between 500 and 5000 ppm. Bubbling of air is generally carried out within the blending tank in order to reinforce the action of the polymerization inhibitor or inhibitors. The latter are generally introduced with the reactants at the top of the distillation column surmounting the stirred tank.
In accordance with one particular embodiment of the process of the invention, a portion of the alcohol is introduced at the top of the distillation column surmounting the stirred tank, one or more polymerization inhibitors being advantageously combined with the alcohol introduced at the top of the column, and the mass fraction of the alcohol thus introduced at the top of the column in relation to the alcohol introduced in the tank 1 being from 20 to 60%, preferably from 30 to 50%.
The temperature at the top of the bed of resin is generally between 70 and 100xc2x0 C., more particularly between 80 and 95xc2x0 C. (above 100xc2x0 C., thermal degradation of the resins is observed); the temperature of the blending tank is generally between 100 and 110xc2x0 C., with the reaction mixture exiting the blending tank being cooled to 80-90xc2x0 C. then recirculated through the bed of resin.
The cationic resin is advantageously a strong cationic styrene/divinylbenzene resin containing sulphonic groups and having an ionic capacity of between 0.5 and 2.2 equivalents/liter. By way of examples of resins, mention may be made of that sold under the name DIAION(copyright) PK 208 by the MITSUBISHI CHEM. Company and those sold under the names XE 586, XE 386 and AMBERLIST 39 by the ROHM and HAAS Company.
Generally, the reaction mixture is circulated through the (first) bed of resin, the overall residence time on the (first) bed of resin being generally between 0.5 and 2 h.
The water generated by the esterification is distilled off in the form of an azeotrope. It is possible, as already indicated, to use an aliphatic or aromatic solvent which forms an azeotrope with water, such as cyclohexane, heptane, toluene, etc. As a general rule, however, it is the alcohol itself which plays this part.
The vapours which distil in the column contain, besides the water, the esterifying alcohol, the carboxylic ester and the carboxylic acid. A return flow of alcohol J containing from 500 to 1000 ppm of inhibitors as described above makes it possible to limit the ascent of acid at the top and the losses via the aqueous decantation phase.
The vapours condensed at the top of the column are decanted at ambient temperature:
the organic phase is returned to the distillation column, with its octene concentration being regularly lowered; and
the aqueous phase is removed.
The working pressure at the top of the distillation column surmounting the stirred tank is generally from 9.33xc3x97103 to 5.3xc3x97104 Pa (from 70 to 400 mmHg).
In the abovementioned preferred embodiment in which a first resin stage is sited upstream, the temperature at the top of the second bed is generally from 80 to 95xc2x0 C. and the reactor containing the second bed is operated at atmospheric pressure under conditions of thermodynamic equilibrium; the residence time on the resin of the second bed is generally from 20 to 60 minutes. Moreover, at the input to the second catalytic bed, the acid/alcohol molar ratio is generally top-heavy in acid.

Process for preparing unsaturated carboxylic esters


The present invention relates to a heating element for heating at least one surface contacted at times by a user, with a plurality of heating conductors or heating conductor sections that are directly or indirectly connected electrically to one another, at least in part by mutual contact, with at least one heating conductor or heating conductor section which, upon exceeding a permissible maximum temperature, at least temporarily loses its electrical conductivity at least in part. It is provided that the electrical resistance of at least two heating conductors or heating conductor sections is dependent at least in part on its mechanical strain, that these heating conductors or heating conductor sections are electrically connected to one another in parallel, and that they are separated from one another at least in sections by a spacing zone in order to prevent electrical connection between them in spacing zone.

A heating element in which a plurality of interconnected heating conductors is laid between two electrodes is known from DE 101 12 405. In case one of the heat conductors breaks, the networking of the heat conductors among one another leads to a diversion of current around the breakage point. Despite its breakage, this heating element 1 will continue to uniformly heat the surface to be heated. Precisely because of the networking of the heating conductors among one another, undesired concentrations of current can arise when an electrode breaks. Thereby overheating may occur in this region.
Heating elements with one or more contact conductors that are electroconductively connected to one another by several heating conductors are known. These heating conductors and/or contact conductors can consist, for instance, of copper or another suitable conductor material with sufficient electrical conductivity and can be shielded and/or reinforced, if desired, by an outer insulation. Conductors made of copper, however, can be stressed mechanically only to a limited extent, so that malfunctions due to material fatigue and/or breakage may occur. This is due primarily to the copper material's insufficient fatigue strength under reversed bending. Breakage of contact or heating conductors can occur in such heating elements. In this case, an interruption of the supply of electrical power occurs at the breakage point. The heating element 1 is then no longer functional, at least in the areas through which current no longer flows.
Contacting a plurality of heating conductors to a plurality of contact conductors, in order thereby to create redundancy in case of the failure of a conductor, is known from DE 41 01 290. There are application cases, however, in which the heating elements described there are still not sufficiently robust.
A heating element is known from DE 10 2004 037 410.4, in which the heating conductors are grouped into several mutually independent bands in order to reduce the likelihood of hot spots in case of electrode breakages. This problem does not arise in the present case, however, since the heating conductors prevent overheating by the very fact that they melt.
Coating copper conductors with silver to protect them against corrosion is known. If the applied silver is not free of pores, however, the copper can still be attacked. Moreover, silver diffuses into the copper over time. Thereby an Ag—Cu alloy is formed that is very brittle. Breakages of this boundary layer form the beginnings of cracks, which may also put the conductor at risk.
So-called clad wires, in which thread-like electrical conductors having a cladding of copper are provided with a steel core, can be used to remedy this problem. A clad wire consisting of a cladding made of platinum and a core of a noble metal material is known from DE 38 32 342 C1. The core can be adapted for criteria such as flexibility, tear and tensile strength, and reversal bending strength, while the cladding can be optimized for the desired electrical properties.
A clad wire with a core of stainless steel wire and a cladding of copper is known from DE 196 38 372 A1. Finally, a clad wire in which the cladding is made of steel and the core of copper, or optionally, the reverse, is described in DE 102 06 336 A1.
An important disadvantage of this material combination is the relatively high cost and only limited corrosion resistance of the clad wires. The copper sheath does conduct the electric current sufficiently well for most applications, but for many purposes it is not sufficiently resistant to corrosion.
A heating conductor in which a plurality of carbon fibers is sheathed by a shrink-fit tube is known from JP 2001-217058.
A heating blanket in which a heating conductor is furnished with a layer that melts at impermissibly high temperatures and interrupts the heating current is known from DE 698 06 636 T2. The heating conductors described there are relatively thick, however, and therefore not suited to vehicle seats since they interfere with comfortable sitting.
An electrical heating element, in which plastic surfaces with a metallic coating are used as heating conductors and/or contact conductors, is known from WO 2005/089019 A2. In order to prevent fires in the surroundings, such heating elements self-destruct when a defined temperature is exceeded. Unfortunately, undesired initiation of this self-destruction effect can occur due to material fatigue, so that such heating elements sometimes have an undesirably short service life.


New use of ADAMTS13 in the clinical filed is provided. The use of ADAMTS13 as a biomarker for monitoring the onset of liver damage, hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury or the liver function after liver transplantation: a method of testing liver damage, a method of testing hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury, or a method of testing the liver function after liver transplantation, each of the methods comprising measuring or monitoring the ADAMTS13 activity in a sample from a mammal; an agent for treating diseases selected from the group consisting of liver damage, hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury and hepatic dysfunction after liver transplantation, which comprises ADAMTS13 or a mutant of ADAMTS13 as an effective ingredient.

The liver is an important organ for controlling metabolism, detoxification (detoxification of alcohol and toxic substances) and body's defense (immunity). Acute hepatitis is a disease exhibiting acute hepatic dysfunction which is mainly caused by infection of hepatitis virus and its symptom includes jaundice, anorexia, nausea and vomiting, systemic sense of fatigue, fever, and the like. Up till the present, five types of hepatitis viruses, types A, B, C, D and E, have been identified. Acute hepatitis is generally a disease with a benign course but becomes fulminant in about 1-2% of its patients, and once being fulminant, the possibility of high-rate death is increased and liver transplantation therapy becomes necessary.
The prodromal symptom of acute hepatitis is a so-called common cold-like symptom (fever, pharyngeal pain and headache) and, at an earlier stage of the disease, it is often diagnosed as common cold and a common cold drug is often prescribed. The diagnosis of acute hepatitis at this stage is difficult. A specific symptom exhibiting the occurrence of liver dysfunction is jaundice, and usually, brown urine is observed several days before the yellowing of the eyeball and the yellowing of the skin appear. The brown urine is urine colored like oolong tea and its color becomes blackened to the color like coca cola with the progress of jaundice. Almost at the same time as the appearance of jaundice, symptoms such as anorexia, systemic sense of fatigue, nausea and vomiting appear.
The diagnosis of acute hepatitis is done, in addition to the above-mentioned subjective symptoms, by examination findings such as a marked increase in hepatocellular enzymes, ALT (GPT) and AST (GOT), and an increase in a bilirubin value which serves as an index of jaundice. The increase in these numerical values indicates that broad hepatocyte damage has occurred. The diagnosis of the causative viruses is carried out by blood test specific to the respective viruses to identify the causative viruses. Namely, IgM HA antibody positive for type A; IgM HBc antibody positive and HBs antigen positive for type B; HCV-RNA positive and HCV antibody positive for type C; IgM HA antibody negative, IgM HBc antibody negative, HCV-RNA negative, anti-nuclear antibody negative (negation of autoimmune hepatitis) and negation of a known viral infection for type Non-ABC.
For diagnosis of severity, severity of liver damage is indicated by blood coagulation test such as a prothrombin time and hepaplastin time, which acutely reflect hepatic spare ability, by a blood test. Although normal acute hepatitis does not show a conscious disorder, when acute hepatitis is fulminant and broad hepatocyte damage occurs, the detoxification function of the liver is deteriorated because the hepatic spare ability markedly decreases. Various toxic substances are not metabolized and eliminated in the liver and remain in the body to cause a brain function disorder to exhibit symptoms such as day-night reversal, delirium, drowsiness, coma, and the like. A conscious disorder caused by a decrease in the hepatic spare ability is called as hepatic coma. Based on an extent of a prothrombin time and a conscious disorder, acute hepatitis is classified into three severities, i.e. a normal type, severe hepatitis and fulminant hepatitis. Once acute hepatitis is fulminant, the possibility of high-rate death increases and liver transplantation therapy becomes necessary.
Acute hepatitis has different course and severity depending on the kind of the causative viruses. Hepatitis A and hepatitis E are transient and not chronic. Hepatitis B is highly chronic when infected with neonatal and pediatric stages but is in principle transient and rarely chronic when infected in adult. Hepatitis C is highly chronic regardless of the age of the infection. A probability that acute hepatitis becomes severe and fulminant leading to death is 1-2% for hepatitis B and non-ABC and 0.5% or less for hepatitis C and A. For hepatitis A, the mortality rate itself is low but, due to its oral infection, secondary infection occurs in a family to cause an explosive epidemic. Recently, infection in an aged person of 50 years or more is increasing which becomes severe, and care should be taken.
Acute hepatitis, except for hepatitis C, is a disease which is transient and is easily naturally healed. The most important observation point for the treatment of acute hepatitis is a determination of whether or not an extreme period has passed. When acute hepatitis is suspected to become severe or fulminant, prompt treatment by a specialist is necessary. The life prognosis of acute hepatitis is extremely good unless it becomes severe and fulminant. For hepatitis A and B, life-long immunity can be established and reinfection would not occur. For hepatitis C, after the lapse of the acute phase, interferon treatment is required for the treatment of the disease which is protracted and chronic.
As a drug therapy, there is not particular need for administration of a drug in most cases but in the acute phase the transfusion is carried out because anorexia and systemic sense of fatigue are often complained. Corticosteroid is a kind of potent anti-inflammatory agents and immunosuppressive agents. Corticosteroid suppresses immune response as an exclusion mechanism of hepatitis virus and possibly make hepatitis protracted and therefore is not administered in normal acute hepatitis. In the case that acute hepatitis becomes possibly severe and fulminant, however, a therapeutic effect can be expected by administering the medicine at a very early stage and suppressing the immune response. Also, in the case where a high degree of jaundice is sustained, corticosteroid may be effective. However, in view of side effects, it should not be easily used and once administration is started, the administration should be carried out in as short period of time as possible.
In the case where acute hepatitis B becomes severe and protracted, the anti-viral agent such as lamivudine and entecavir is administered. The determination of administration and discontinuation of administration of the antiviral agent is conducted by a specialist. In the natural course of acute hepatitis C, about 50-90% of cases are protracted and become chronic. For the prevention of chronicity of acute hepatitis C, interferon (IFN) is administered for 2-6 months. The precautions in the case of IFN administration are the same as those of chronic hepatitis and the treatment is performed under the management of a specialist in view of various side effects.
In the liver, blood flowing through the portal vein and the artery is mixed in the net-like sinusoid, corresponding to the capillary of body circulation, and flows out to the liver vein. In the liver, the terminal of the portal vein (terminal portal vein branch) and the terminal of the liver artery form the sinusoid, which flows into the center vein (terminal liver vein). As in the capillary system of body circulation, the sinusoid participates in the exchange of various substances (nutrients, ammonia, etc.) as the hepatic microcirculation system.
Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is one of life threatening diseases characterized by platelet coagulation in the whole body, and therefore multi-organ failure. A famous syndrome belonging to the category of TMA includes thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) accompanied by the five symptoms (platelet reduction, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, fever, renal dysfunction, psychoneurotic disorder) and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) accompanied by the three symptoms (platelet reduction, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, acute renal failure), as firstly reported by Moschcowitz in 1924. Since there are many cases where these typical symptoms are not manifested and these two diseases are difficult to distinguish from each other, they are often referred to as TTP/HUS or taken together as TMA.
TMA most frequently develops after enteritis by the enterohemorrhagic E. coli such as 0157 or 0111 but also caused by a drug, bone marrow transplantation and liver transplantation. Abnormality of ADAMTS13 is considered to be another cause of TMA. ADAMTS13 is a protein cleavage enzyme belonging to a group of metalloproteases and cleaves only vWF, which relates to hemostasis. vWF is originally produced as a large mass of UL-vWFM (unusually large-vWF multimer) in vascular endothelial cells, which is then finely cleaved by ADAMTS13 to obtain vWF in an appropriate size to thereby exhibit an appropriate hemostatic effect. However, if the function of ADAMTS13 is extremely reduced, vWF in an inappropriately large size remains to exert an excessive hemostatic effect, leading to generation of platelet thrombus in the blood vessel. As the thrombus by vWF is more likely to be generated with thinner blood vessels, it is considered that platelet thrombus is generated in the microvessels to develop TMA.
It is known that TMA caused by the decrease in the activity of ADAMTS13 is characterized by that (1) the renal dysfunction is relatively light and that it leads to thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) accompanied by (2) severe fever and (3) severe psychoneurotic disorder. These symptoms taken together with (4) platelet reduction and (5) hemolytic anemia are referred to as five symptoms. It is reported however that all these symptoms are observed together only in about 30% of cases.
The causes to greatly reduce the activity of ADAMTS13 include congenital gene abnormality and acquired factors. A disease that develops TMA due to congenital gene abnormality of ADAMTS13 is called Upshaw-Schulman syndrome. This is a rare disease accompanied by severe jaundice and platelet reduction from the newborn time. For the cause of acquired reduction of the ADAMTS13 activity, an autoantibody (IgG type) to ADAMTS13 is the most important. The disease with unknown cause is idiopathic and the disease developed by other diseases is secondary. The disease is developed widely from an infant to an elderly person. A male-to-female ratio is said to be 1:2, a little dominant in female. Morbidity is reported to be about 4 per one million but due to improved diagnostic technology in recent years higher morbidity is assumed.
Although the measurement of the ADAMTS13 activity is useful for assessing the disease progress of TMA, it should be noted that TMA cannot be excluded by this test alone since no decrease in the ADAMTS13 activity is often observed. The name of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is registered as a subject in the field of clinical research and study in the state project to overcome refractory diseases.
Standard therapy for typical TMA is plasma exchange (PE) at an early stage, and the healing rate in Japan is now up to 90%. However, the mortality of TMA after liver transplantation is still very high.
The mechanism of TTP is considered to be that an ultra-large molecular weight vWF multimer (UL-VWFM) produced from endothelial cells is not cleaved when the ADAMTS13 activity is reduced to lead to excessive platelet aggregation and thrombus formation in a portion where a high shear stress occurs such as small blood vessels (Blood, 2008; 112: 11-18 (Non-patent reference 1)).
The problem in TTP treatment includes (1) although the diagnosis of TTP/HUS is relatively easy in clinical diagnosis and HUS can be excluded (specificity 90%) if severe deficiency (<5%) of ADAMTS13 is observed, the sensitivity of test is indistinct; (2) for some causes of TTP/HUS, plasma exchange is not effective (J Clin Apher 2012; 27: 112-116 (Non-patent reference 2)); and (3) the recurrence rate of the acquired TTP is still as high as 20-500.
The usefulness of plasma exchange in the idiopathic TTP is established. TTP is problematic in its recurrence rate. In recent years, the possibility is being suggested that the recurrence rate can be reduced by the use of Rituximab (Br J Haematol 2012; 158: 323-335 (Non-patent reference 3)). On the other hand, for TTP caused after bone marrow stem cell transplantation or TTP associated with malignant tumor, there is no usefulness of plasma exchange (treatment of the primary disease).
Ischemic reperfusion injury is caused by production of various toxic substances in microcirculation in the organs or tissues where the organs or the tissues are in an ischemic state and blood reperfusion occurs. Ischemia/reperfusion theory reported by McCord is the first (McCord, N Engl J Med 1985; 312: 159 (Non-patent reference 4)). The degree of injury may vary depending on the duration and degree of ischemia, the kind of the organ, and the like. Injury is sometimes severe in the case of incomplete ischemia. It is thought that reperfusion causes vascular endothelial cell injury and microcirculation injury to lead to organ damage. A mechanism to cause injury includes injury caused by production of free radicals such as active oxygen such as super oxide (02-) and hydroxyl radical (HO⋅) and nitrogen monoxide (NO), injury caused by production of various chemical mediators such as various cytokines, endothelin and arachidonic acid, and injury caused by interaction between activated neutrophils and vascular endothelial cells. Injury is caused not only locally but also secondarily in the main organs of the whole body (remote organ damage). In particular, the brain, lung, liver, kidney, and the like are targeted, resulting in multi-organ failure. It is often observed after reperfusion therapy to myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction, inter-intestinal membrane vascular occlusion, and the like or after organ transplantation.
Liver failure is a group of diseases that exhibit jaundice, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, bleeding tendency, and the like due to decreased number and decreased function of hepatocytes and is classified into acute and chronic liver failure based on their course. Acute liver failure is normally limited to the disease where necrosis and inflammation occur in the normal liver and liver failure occurs within six months. Its typical disease is fulminant hepatitis which is characterized by massive or submassive hepatic necrosis from histopathological point of view, exhibits systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) with intercurrent multiple organ failure (MOF) and often results in poor prognosis.
With the liver in the state of liver failure in which no likelihood of function recovery by any medical treatment remains due to various diseases, the basic functions of the body cannot be maintained unless it is replaced with the healthy liver provided, liver transplantation is performed. An adaptation disease of liver transplantation includes, in an adult, liver cirrhosis (cirrhosis type B, cirrhosis type C, alcoholic liver cirrhosis, autoimmune cirrhosis, non-B non-C liver cirrhosis), cholestatic diseases (primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), Byler disease, Caroli disease, biliary atresia (BA)), fulminant hepatitis, metabolic diseases (hemochromatosis, etc.), liver tumor (liver cancer (primary, metastatic), benign tumor), and the like.
On the other hand, in an infant, an adaptation disease of liver transplantation includes cholestatic diseases (biliary atresia, Alagille syndrome, Byler disease, cystic dilatation of common bile duct, Caroli disease, etc.), liver cirrhosis (autoimmune hepatitis, etc.), metabolic diseases (a-1 antitrypsin deficiency, etc.), neonatal hepatitis, fulminant hepatitis, liver tumor (hepatoblastoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, etc.), and the like.
For liver transplantation, the liver to be transplanted taken from a donor, after being arranged outside the body in a shape for transplantation, is stored in a cold storage solution until it is implanted.
ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin-like and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin type 1 motifs 13), which is a specific cleavage enzyme of a hemostatic factor von Willebrand (vWF), was found 13th as a zinc-type metalloprotease belonging to ADAMTS family in 2001.
vWF has a structure in which single subunits consisting of 2050 amino acid residues are linked via disulfide bond in a manner of N-terminus to N-terminus or C-terminus to C-terminus, has a unique high molecular weight structure and produced as unusually-large vWF multimer (UL-VWFM). ADAMTS13 specifically cleaves Ty842-Met843 (Tyr1605-Met1606 as cDNA indication) bonding of vWF subunits to reduce a size of molecular weight of vWF to thereby prevent an excess platelet aggregation caused by UL-VWFM, allowing for adjustment of "being suitable for formation of hemostatic thrombus but preventing pathologic formation of thrombus".
ADAMTS13 was first identified as a key enzyme causing refractory blood disease, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). However, it is clarified that "microcirculatory injury by platelet thrombosis" caused by failure of ADAMTS13/vWF (enzyme/substrate) balance, which was found in elucidation of pathologic conditions of the disease, forms the basic pathology of various diseases.
The ADAMTS13 gene is in the chromosome 9q34. Its cDNA consists of 29 exons, consisting of 4281 bp from the initiation codon to the stop codon. ADAMTS13 is a large protein consisting of 1427 amino acid residues. ADAMTS13 contains 10 Asn-binding sugar chains in the molecule and has a total of 190 kD of the molecular weight. Its primary structure, starting from the N-terminus, consists of signal peptide (S), propeptide (P), reprolysin-type metalloprotease domain (MP), disintegrin-like domain (D), thrombospondin type-1 (Tsp1) motif (T1-8), cysteine-rich domain (C), spacer domain (Sp), again repeat of Tsp1 motif, and two CUB domains at the C-terminus. Asn-binding sugar chain of the enzyme is considered to be important in secretory function of the cell. The liver was first identified as the organs producing ADAMTS13 and the hepatic stellate cells (previously Itoh cells) were identified as the cells producing ADAMTS13. The hepatic stellate cells are indicated to be closely related to the progress of hepatic cirrhosis through transformation to the fibroblast cells. From this, the decrease in the ADAMTS13 activity associated with development of liver cirrhosis was shown (Uemura M, Fujimura Y, Matsumoto M, et al: Comprehensive analysis of ADAMTS13 in patients with liver cirrhosis. Thromb Haemost 2008; 99: 1019-1029 (Non-patent reference 5)). The enzyme is also reported to be present in platelets, vascular endothelial cells, and podocyte of the kidney.
The significance of production of the enzyme in these organs and the cells is not clarified. However, the liver is considered to be the most important organ for maintaining the blood level of ADAMTS13 (Yoshihiro Fujimura, The Journal of Japanese College of Angiology Vol. 51 No. 3, 2011 (non-patent reference 6). The reasons for this include the following two: (1) terminally ill patients suffering from biliary cirrhosis due to congenital biliary atresia have the ADAMT13 activity in blood reduced to 20-30% and exhibit three pathological symptoms of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), i.e. hemolytic anemia, platelet reduction and renal dysfunction but, when receiving living donor liver transplantation and engraftment, the TMA findings are no longer observed (Matsumoto M, Chisuwa H, Nakazawa Y, et al: Liver transplantation rescues a deficient state of von Willebrand factor cleaving protease activity in patients with liver cirrhosis due to congenital biliary atresia. Blood 2000: 96: 636a (abstract) (Non-patent reference 7)); (2) the severity of the clinical symptom of adult patients with cirrhosis mainly due to hepatitis C is parallel to the ADAMTS13 activity in blood and, at a terminal stage, the activity is lowered to 20-30% (Uemura M, Tatsumi K, Matsumoto M, et al: Localization of ADAMTS13 to the stellate cells of human liver. Blood 2005; 106: 922-924 (non-patent document 8)).
In 2008, Chauhan et al. reported the results that ADAMTS13 downregulated both thrombus and inflammation (Chauhan A K, Kisucka J, Brill A, et al: ADAMTS13: a new link between thrombosis and inflammation. J Exp Med 2008; 205: 2065-2074 (Non-patent reference 9)). As such, ADAMTS13 is shown to have an antithrombotic activity and an anti-inflammatory activity and thus is expected as a therapeutic agent for cerebral infarction. Namely, Zhao et al. (Zhao B Q, Chauhan A K, Canault M, et al: von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease ADAMTS13 reduces ischemic brain injury in experimental stroke. Blood 2009; 114: 3329-3334 (Non-patent reference 10)) and Fujioka et al. (Fujioka M, Hayakawa K, Mishima K, et al: ADAMTS13 gene deletion aggravates ischemic brain damage: a possible neuroprotective role of ADAMTS13 by ameliorating postischemic hypoperfusion. Blood 2010; 115: 1650-1653 (Non-patent reference 11) conducted a cerebral ischemia reperfusion experiment in a mouse middle cerebral artery occlusion model to artificially create cerebral infarction and calculated a cerebral infarction volume to find that ADAMT13 knockout mice significantly increased the cerebral infarction volume as compared to that of wild type mice (Non-patent reference 10). The tissue observation of the cerebral infarction part confirmed that the knockout mouse group had a large number of microthrombus and a lot of infiltration of inflammatory cells. The thrombus was shown to be the one rich in vWF. The cause that the knockout mice exhibited a larger range of cerebral infarction was considered to be platelet thrombus containing a large amount of vWF and an excessive infiltration of white blood cells. Further, it was also reported that administration of gene expression-based human ADAMTS13 preparation immediately before reperfusion to wild type mice significantly reduced the range of cerebral infarction (Non-patent reference 11). As described above, from the results obtained by the experiment with mice, the possibility of an ADAMTS13 formulation as a medicament for treatment and prophylaxis of cerebral infarction is shown.
Loss of the ADAMTS13 activity is associated with a number of conditions, for example, TTP (Moake J L, Semin Hemato1.2004 January; 41(1): 4-14 (Non-patent reference 12)), acute and chronic inflammation (Chauhan et al., J Exp Med. 2008 Sep 1; 205(9): 2065-74 (Non-patent document 9)), and most recently, severe falciparum malaria parasite (Plasmodium falciparum) malaria (Larkin et al., PLoS Pathog.2009 March; 5(3): e1000349 (Non-patent reference 14)).
The ADAMTS13 formulation has been used for disorders associated with the formation and/or presence of one or more thrombus. Examples of disorders associated with the formation and/or presence of one or more thrombus include hereditary thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), acquired TTP, arterial thrombosis, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), stroke, sepsis and disseminated intravascular clotting (DIC).
The ADAMTS13 formulation has also been used for treatment or prevention of infarction. Examples of infarction include myocardial infarction (heart attack), pulmonary embolism, cerebrovascular event such as stroke, peripheral arterial occlusion diseases (gangrene, etc.), antiphospholipid syndrome, sepsis, giant cell arteritis (GCA), hernia and intestinal volvulus.
WO 2005/062054 pamphlet (Patent reference 1) discloses a method of detecting the degree of thrombophilia or thrombosis by measuring ADAMTS13. It discloses that thrombosis includes acute or chronic myelogenous leukemia, acute premyelocytic leukemia, systemic lupus erythematosus, pulmonary embolism, cerebral infarction, hepatic veno-occlusive disease, acute lymphocytic leukemia, thrombotic microangiopathy, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, hemolytic-uremic syndrome and deep vein thrombosis. Also, WO 2006/049300 pamphlet (Patent reference 2) discloses a method of detecting platelet thrombosis or organ disorder in a patient with DIC or systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) by analyzing ADAMTS13 and/or its degradation factor (e.g. elastase, plasmin and thrombin).
JP 2007/088849 (Patent reference 3) discloses a method of grasping DIC conditions by analyzing an amount and/or an enzymatic activity of ADAMTS13 in a patient with disseminated intravascular clotting (DIC).
JP 2009-539757 (Patent reference 4) discloses a pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically effective amount of ADAMTS13 having thrombolytic activity.
JP 2010-280571 (Patent reference 5) discloses a method of using ADAMTS13 family protein as a cell aid for enhancing the graft survival rate of graft cells, a cell transplantation supplement comprising said protein as an effective ingredient, and a method of preparing graft cells comprising a step of adding said protein.
JP 2013-505270 (Patent reference 6) discloses a ADAMTS13 formulation which is suitable for drug administration and can be stored for a long period of time without loss of the activity or excess coagulation.
Up till the present, relationship of ADAMTS13 with acute and chronic liver damage, hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury, liver transplantation, and acute liver failure/fulminant hepatitis has scarcely been clarified and it was not known to use ADAMTS13 as a therapeutic agent for these diseases.

Diagnostic agent and medicine comprising ADAMTS13 as main ingredient


A retractable and stowable cover is provided for use with an open living space. A lifting mechanism moves a center section from a stored position to a second position where the cover can be used for shade. The shade position allows an expandable shade fabric to be deployed from each side of the center section. The lifting mechanism can then move the center section where it comes down and the shade fabric can then cover and secure the open space.

This present disclosure relates to retractable covers, specifically for protecting an area from the elements and for storage. Retractable covers are used on various watercraft types, living spaces, trailers or recreational vehicles. Different types of covers exist on the market today, such as a snap down cover or foldable top. Foldable tops frequently have mechanisms that are complicated to use with snaps or latches or have only one position when in use. Expandable covers are a viable option; however they are usually limited to a straight roller to allow the fabric to roll in and out. Due to the weight of the fabric, frequently water can pool on the fabric as it is nearly impossible to pull the fabric tight enough to maintain a flat surface. Therefore, an improved cover is needed.


A rotational driver that comprises a interactive portion, wherein each interactive portion comprises a first extended member and a second extended member, a rotational system and a linear motion system, wherein the rotational driver permits a left or right handed surgeons to perform the surgical suturing procedure in a less complicated and more secure way by allowing more control over the suturing needle and the area to be stitched, even when the suturing area is small, deep, and/or restricted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a surgical suturing device, more specifically, to a ergonomic Rotational Action Needle Driver which enhance the tissue suturing procedure, particularly the one performed on restricted, deep and less accessible locations, by incorporating a pull-locking mechanism that prevents problems associated with loss of needle control during the suturing procedure and the ones associated with prior needle driver's handedness. It also enhances the control surgeons has over the suturing needle by enabling a rotational movement while driving the suturing needle through the tissue that permits to place the needle in the right location in order to continue the subsequent steps of the suturing cycle.
2. Background of the Invention
Surgical procedures have proliferated among the medical practice as new treatments are developed to effectively treat common and extraordinary conditions. The spectrum of invasiveness goes from simple tissue suturing of small open wounds to complicated procedures as those performed in vascular or neurological surgeries. It is undoubted that each and every step on any surgical procedure is of great importance and could cause negative consequences for the patient if it is inadequately performed. The suturing procedure, in particular, could end in serious consequences for the patient if negligently conducted, causing damages to adjacent tissues or even organs.
It is known that the suturing procedure consumes a considerable amount of time of the surgical treatment. Simplification of the suturing procedure by developing more effective suturing devices will reduce the time spent on that task and at the same time will reduce the risk of negative consequences arising from damages caused to adjacent tissues or organs.
Generally, the instruments used in suturing procedures are the suturing material, the suturing needle and the suturing driver. Efforts made to reduce the suturing time and to enhance the suturing procedures' safety have been focused on performing needle driver's modifications. One of the generally unattended deficiencies of the available needle drivers is the handedness of its designs. For instance, Scalan, Jr, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,951 discloses a device to drive a needle through the bony structure of the sternum and to facilitate closing the chest cage after thoracic surgery.
Similarly, Yoon in U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,188 discloses a suturing instrument comprising a needle driver and a needle catcher to be used in laparoscopic procedures.
Alternatively, Stoianovici in U.S. Pat. No. 6,400,979 B1 discloses a method of performing a radiological imaged guided percutaneous surgery with a system including a radiological image generating device for generating images of the targeted area, and a needle insertion mechanism disposed adjacent the image generating device.
On the other hand, McGarry U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,973 B1 discloses vascular anastomosis incorporating sutures for joining a graft blood vessel to a target blood vessel such as the aorta or coronary artery. The entire content of all of the above cited U.S. patents are hereby incorporated by reference.
However, one of the generally unattended deficiencies of the available needle drivers is the handedness of its designs. Ordinarily, needle drivers are designed to fit right handed users. Thus, left handed users have difficulties performing the suturing procedure. The right handedness of those devices further affects the capacity of left handed surgeons to lock and unlock the drivers' locking mechanism. This increases the risks of negative outcomes for patients from wrong needle driver maneuverings. That is why latest suturing devices very often fail to ease the drivers handling. The available drivers without handedness are very delicates because are mostly designed for ocular and microvascular procedures.


An apparatus for cutting and shaping spherical products, such as filled dumplings, including a plurality of shutter members, each shutter member having first and second adjacent sliding surfaces and an elongated hole, a connecting member for slidably connecting adjacent shutters, and shafts equidistantly disposed on an imaginary circle which are received in the elonagated holes for slidably rotating the shutter members to thereby open and close a central opening.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for shaping food products, in particular to an apparatus for cutting and shaping spherical food products, such as a bean-jam bun or bean-jam rice dumpling, from two-layered bar-shaped food material continuously extruded from an extruder.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A first conventional apparatus for cutting and shaping a bean-jam bun is disclosed, e.g., in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-25432. This conventional apparatus includes at least three hexahedral plastic pieces, each hexahedral piece having two adjacent sliding side surfaces. The hexahedral pieces are combined into an assembly such that these sliding surfaces abut each other. The assembly is held in a polygonal housing so as to form a central opening surrounded by parts of the sliding surfaces, and the hexahedral pieces are made to slide on each other so as to open and close the central opening so that a dough bar passing therethrough is cut and shaped.
A problem with the first conventional apparatus disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-25432 is that the plastic hexahedral pieces encased in the housing tend to expand and be clogged or burnt by heat generated during the operation, which thus must be discontinued.
A second conventional apparatus is disclosed, e.g., in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-9051. This conventional apparatus includes identically-shaped polyhedral members which are pivoted on fulcrums equidistantly disposed on an imaginary circle surrounding a central opening. The polyhedral members are arranged such that each polyhedral member synchronously rotates on its respective fulcrum, while a tip of each polyhedral member tracks a side surface of an adjacent member, so as to open and close the central opening to cut and shape food material passing therethrough.
A problem with the second conventional apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-9051 is that, other than at the tips of the polyhedral members, gaps are formed between the side surfaces of adjacent polyhedral members while the tips track the side surfaces of adjacent polyhedral members. This allows food material to enter the gaps so that the surfaces of the food material may be disfigured.
Another problem with the second conventional apparatus is that since only the tip portions of the polyhedral members touch the side surfaces of adjacent members, the tip portions eventually wear away so that the central opening cannot be completely closed. Therefore, the effects of cutting and shaping a spherical body are reduced.

Apparatus for cutting and shaping a spherical body


A shower system for a screening machine or unit. The shower system includes a spray nozzle connected to a movement arm, a driver for longitudinally moving the movement arm in a reciprocal path, and an indexing system adapted to allow limited axial rotation of the movement arm at predetermined longitudinal positions of the movement arm.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cleaning systems and methods and, more particularly, to a shower system and method for cleaning a screen surface of a screening machine or unit.
2. Prior Art
Various different types of shower systems are known in the prior art. Shower systems for cleaning screen surfaces have included fixed pipe systems, translating pipe systems, or rotating pipe systems. For fixed pipe systems a considerably large number of nozzles is required to clean the screen surface and, do not do a complete cleaning of the entire screen surface. Although rotating or translating pipe systems are capable of cleaning the entire screen surface, these types of systems nonetheless also require a large number of nozzles and a larger pump. Because the pump is a large portion of the overall cost of such systems, this obviously increases the costs of such systems.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a new and improved shower system and method of cleaning.


Techniques for adaptive content transmission are described herein. During transmission of a content item, a network connection may be monitored to collect data corresponding to one or more network conditions associated with the transmission of the content item. Such network conditions may include, for example, network throughput, available network bandwidth, network latency and others. The collected data may be used to dynamically adjust one or more transmission attributes in connection with the transmitted content item. The one or more transmission attributes may be determined for adjustment at any desired transmission interval.

Recent technological advances have improved the ability to transmit and deliver information in a fast and efficient manner. In accordance with such advances, it is becoming increasingly popular to acquire and store data at a central provider location and to deliver the data to end users quickly upon request. This model may employ technological concepts, such as streaming, in which content may be constantly received by and presented to an end user while being delivered by a provider. One rapidly expanding area is the use of streaming technology to deliver content, such as video games. When streaming content, a provider may access the requested content, render the content from scenes into images, and then encode and transmit the images to a client over a network, such as the Internet.
While streaming and other content delivery technology provides many benefits, any model that relies on transmission of data across a network may necessarily be subject to at least some of the drawbacks associated with network communications. Such drawbacks may include, for example, reductions in network throughput, reductions in available network bandwidth, increases in a loss rate such as a packet loss rate, increases in network latency and others. In particular, the term throughput, as used herein, refers to a proportion of transmitted data that is successfully received. Some techniques have been developed for transmitting data in such a manner as to increase the throughput and/or reduce a loss rate of the transmitted data. In particular, a technique known as forward error correction may involve coding of transmitted data using an error correcting code to include both source bits and additional redundant bits that may be used, for example, to detect and correct errors occurring during the transmission process.