The invention provides a compound of formula (I):

Pain is the most common symptom for which patients seek medical advice and treatment. Pain can be acute or chronic. While acute pain is usually self-limited, chronic pain persists for 3 months or longer and can lead to significant changes in a patient's personality, lifestyle, functional ability and overall quality of life (K. M. Foley, Pain, in Cecil Textbook of Medicine 100-107 (J. C. Bennett and F. Plum eds., 20th ed. 1996)).
Moreover, chronic pain can be classified as either nociceptive or neuropathic. Nociceptive pain includes tissue injury-induced pain and inflammatory pain such as that associated with arthritis. Neuropathic pain is caused by damage to the peripheral or cental nervous system and is maintained by aberrant somatosensory processing. There is a large body of evidence relating activity at both Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors, i.e., metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 ("mGluR1") and metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 ("mGluR5") (M. E. Fundytus, CNS Drugs 15:29-58 (2001)), and vanilloid receptors ("VR1") (V. Di Marzo et al., Current Opinion in Neurobiology 12:372-379 (2002)) to pain processing. Inhibiting mGluR1 or mGluR5 reduces pain, as shown by in vivo treatment with antibodies selective for either mGluR1 or mGluR5, where neuropathic pain in rats was attenuated (M. E. Fundytus et al., NeuroReport 9:731-735 (1998)). It has also been shown that antisense oligonucleotide knockdown of mGluR1 alleviates both neuropathic and inflammatory pain (M. E. Fundytus et al., Brit. J. Pharmacol. 132:354-367 (2001); M. E. Fundytus et al., Pharmacol., Biochem. & Behavior 73:401-410 (2002)). Small molecule antagonists for mGluR5-attenuated pain in in vivo animal models are disclosed in, e.g., K. Walker et al., Neuropharmacol. 40:1-9 (2000) and A. Dogrul et al., Neurosci. Let. 292:115-118 (2000)).
Nociceptive pain has been traditionally managed by administering non-opioid analgesics, such as acetylsalicylic acid, choline magnesium trisalicylate, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, fenoprofen, diflusinal, and naproxen; or opioid analgesics, including morphine, hydromorphone, methadone, levorphanol, fentanyl, oxycodone, and oxymorphone. Id. In addition to the above-listed treatments, neuropathic pain, which can be difficult to treat, has also been treated with anti-epileptics (e.g. gabapentin, carbamazepine, valproic acid, topiramate, phenytoin), NMDA antagonists (e.g. ketamine, dextromethorphan), topical lidocaine (for post-herpetic neuralgia), and tricyclic antidepressants (e.g. fluoxetine, sertraline and amitriptyline).
UI is uncontrollable urination, generally caused by bladder-detrusor-muscle instability. UI affects people of all ages and levels of physical health, both in health care settings and in the community at large. Physiologic bladder contraction results in large part from acetylcholine-induced stimulation of post-ganglionic muscarinic-receptor sites on bladder smooth muscle. Treatments for UI include the administration of drugs having bladder-relaxant properties, which help to control bladder-detrusor-muscle overactivity. For example, anticholinergics such as propantheline bromide and glycopyrrolate, and combinations of smooth-muscle relaxants such as a combination of racemic oxybutynin and dicyclomine or an anticholinergic, have been used to treat UI (See, e.g., A. J. Wein, Urol. Clin. N. Am. 22:557-577 (1995); Levin et al., J. Urol. 128:396-398 (1982); Cooke et al., S. Afr. Med. J. 63:3 (1983); R. K. Mirakhur et al., Anaesthesia 38:1195-1204 (1983)). These drugs are not effective, however, in all patients having uninhibited bladder contractions.
None of the existing commercial drug treatments for UI has achieved complete success in all classes of UI patients, nor has treatment occurred without significant adverse side effects. For example, drowsiness, dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision, headaches, tachycardia, and cardiac arrhythmia, which are related to the anticholinergic activity of traditional anti-UI drugs, can occur frequently and adversely affect patient compliance. Yet despite the prevalence of unwanted anticholinergic effects in many patients, anticholinergic drugs are currently prescribed for patients having UI. The Merck Manual of Medical Information 631-634 (R. Berkow ed., 1997).
Certain pharmaceutical agents have been administered for treating addiction. U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,838 to Mayer et al. discloses the use of nontoxic NMDA-blocking agents co-administered with an addictive substance to prevent the development of tolerance or withdrawal symptoms. U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,052 to Rose et al. discloses co-administration of an addictive substance with an antagonist to partially block the pharmacological effects of the addictive substance. U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,341 to Mendelson et al. discloses the use of a mixed opiate agonist/antagonist to treat cocaine and opiate addiction. U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,934 to Downs discloses administration of 3-phenoxypyridine to treat addiction. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,039,680 and 5,198,459 to Imperato et al. disclose using a serotonin antagonist to treat chemical addiction. U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,837 to Nestler et al. discloses infusing BDNF or NT-4 growth factors to inhibit or reverse neurological adaptive changes that correlate with behavioral changes in an addicted individual. U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,925 to Sagan discloses implanting encapsulated adrenal medullary cells into an animal's central nervous system to inhibit the development of opioid tolerance. U.S. Pat. No. 6,204,284 to Beer et al. discloses racemic (±)-1-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-3-azabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane for use in the prevention or relief of a withdrawal syndrome resulting from addiction to drugs and for the treatment of chemical dependencies. Glutamate release is enhanced during opioid withdrawal (K. Jhamandas et al., J. Neurosience 16:2758-2766 (1996)). Recent evidence suggests a role for Group I mGluRs in opioid tolerance and dependence. An interaction between opioids and mGluRs was demonstrated when it was shown that an antagonist at Group I mGluRs significantly attenuated withdrawal symptoms in opioid-dependent rats (M. E. Fundytus et al., Brit. J. Pharmacol. 113:1215-1220 (1994)). More recent results show that antisense oligonucleotide knockdown of mGluR1 reduces protein kinase C activity (M. E. Fundytus et al., Brit. J. Pharmacol. 132:354-367 (2001)), which may be associated in the development of opioid tolerance and dependence (see also M. E. Fundytus, CNS Drugs 15:29-58, (2001)). Very recently, it has been shown that antisense oligonucleotide knockdown of mGluR1 attenuates the development of opioid tolerance (R. N. Sharif et al., Brit. J. Pharmacol. 136:865-872 (2002)). Selective antagonists of the mGluR5 receptor have also been shown to exert anti-dependence activity in vivo (C. Chiamulera et al., Nature Neurosci. 4:873-874 (2001)).
Without treatment, Parkinson's disease progresses to a rigid akinetic state in which patients are incapable of caring for themselves. Death frequently results from complications of immobility, including aspiration pneumonia or pulmonary embolism. Drugs commonly used for the treatment of Parkinson's disease include carbidopa/levodopa, pergolide, bromocriptine, selegiline, amantadine, and trihexyphenidyl hydrochloride. There remains, however, a need for drugs useful for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and having an improved therapeutic profile.
Currently, benzodiazepines are the most commonly used anti-anxiety agents for generalized anxiety disorder. Benzodiazepines, however, carry the risk of producing impairment of cognition and skilled motor functions, particularly in the elderly, which can result in confusion, delerium, and falls with fractures. Sedatives are also commonly prescribed for treating anxiety. The azapirones, such as buspirone, are also used to treat moderate anxiety. The azapirones, however, are less useful for treating severe anxiety accompanied with panic attacks. Antagonists of the mGluR5 receptor have also been shown to exert anxiolytic and anti-depressant activity in in vivo animal models (E. Tatarczynska et al., Brit. J. Pharmacol. 132 (7):1423-1430 (2001) and P. J. M. Will et al., Trends Pharmacol. Sci. 22 (7):331-37 (2001)).
Examples of drugs for treating a seizure and epilepsy include carbamazepine, ethosuximide, gabapentin, lamotrigine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone, valproic acid, trimethadione, benzodiazepines, γ-vinyl GABA, acetazolamide, and felbamate. Anti-seizure drugs, however, can have side effects such as drowsiness; hyperactivity; hallucinations; inability to concentrate; central and peripheral nervous system toxicity, such as nystagmus, ataxia, diplopia, and vertigo; gingival hyperplasia; gastrointestinal disturbances such as nausea, vomiting, epigastric pain, and anorexia; endocrine effects such as inhibition of antidiuretic hormone, hyperglycemia, glycosuria, osteomalacia; and hypersensitivity such as scarlatiniform rash, morbilliform rash, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, and hepatic necrosis; and hematological reactions such as red-cell aplasia, agranulocytosis, thrombocytopenia, aplastic anemia, and megaloblastic anemia. The Merck Manual of Medical Information 345-350 (R. Berkow ed., 1997).
Symptoms of strokes vary depending on what part of the brain is affected. Symptoms include loss of or abnormal sensations in an arm or leg or one side of the body, weakness or paralysis of an arm or leg or one side of the body, partial loss of vison or hearing, double vision, dizziness, slurred speech, difficulty in thinking of the appropriate word or saying it, inability to recognize parts of the body, unusual movements, loss of bladder control, imbalance, and falling, and fainting. The symptoms can be permanent and can be associated with coma or stupor. Examples of drugs for treating strokes include anticoagulants such as heparin, drugs that break up clots such as streptokinase or tissue plasminogen activator, and drugs that reduce swelling such as mannitol or corticosteroids. The Merck Manual of Medical Information 352-355 (R. Berkow ed., 1997).
Pruritus is an unpleasant sensation that prompts scratching. Conventionally, pruritus is treated by phototherapy with ultraviolet B or PUVA or with therapeutic agents such as naltrexone, nalmefene, danazol, and tricyclic antidepressants.
Selective antagonists of mGluR5 have been shown to exert analgesic activity in in vivo animal models (K. Walker et al., Neuropharmacol. 40:1-9 (2000) and A. Dogrul et al., Neurosci. Let. 292 (2):115-118 (2000)).
Selective antagonists of the mGluR5 receptor have also been shown to exert anti-Parkinson activity in vivo (K. J. Ossowska et al., Neuropharmacol. 41 (4):413-20 (2001) and P. J. M. Will et al., Trends Pharmacol. Sci. 22 (7):331-37 (2001)).
Selective antagonists of the mGluR5 receptor have also been shown to exert anti-dependence activity in vivo (C. Chiamulera et al., Nature Neurosci. 4 (9):873-74 (2001)).
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,156,908 and 6,492,541 B2 to Drauz et al. each disclose a procedure for the manufacture of 3-amino-2-oxo-pyrrolidines.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,248,756 B1 to Anthony et al. discloses nitrogen-heterocyclic compounds useful as farnesyl-protein transferase inhibitors.
International Publication No. WO 92/02502 by Smith Kline & French Laboratories Ltd. discloses N-hydrocarbyl-4-substituted piperidines useful as calcium blocking agents.
International Publication No. WO 99/37304 by Rohne-Poulenc Rorer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. discloses oxoazaheterocyclic compounds useful for inhibiting factor Xa.
International Publication No. WO 00/47553 by Cor Therapeutics, Inc. discloses alkynyl compounds useful for inhibiting factor Xa.
International Publication No. WO 01/17992 by Merck & Co. discloses pyrrolidine compounds useful for inhibiting prenyl-protein transferase.
International Publication No. WO 01/96331 by Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. discloses lactam compounds useful for inhibiting factor Xa.
There remains, however, a clear need in the art for new drugs useful for treating or preventing pain, UI, an addictive disorder, Parkinson's disease, parkinsonism, anxiety, epilepsy, a seizure, stroke, a pruritic condition, psychosis, a cognitive disorder, a memory deficit, restricted brain function, Huntington's chorea, ALS, dementia, retinopathy, a muscle spasm, a migraine, vomiting, dyskinesia, or depression.
Citation of any reference in Section 2 of this application is not to be construed as an admission that such reference is prior art to the present application.

Therapeutic agents useful for treating pain

Abstract: (where R1, Q, A and R2 are disclosed herein) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof (a “Pyridine-alkynyl Compound”); pharmaceutical compositions comprising an effective amount of a Pyridine-alkynyl Compound; and methods for treating or preventing a condition such as pain, urinary incontinence, an addictive disorder, Parkinson's disease, parkinsonism, anxiety, epilepsy, a seizure, stroke, a pruritic condition, psychosis, a cognitive disorder, a memory deficit, restricted brain function, Huntington's chorea, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, dementia, retinopathy, a muscle spasm, a migraine, vomiting, dyskinesia or depression in an animal comprising administering to an animal in need thereof an effective amount of a Pyridine-alkynyl Compound.


An internal voltage generation circuit includes a charging unit suitable for charging electrical charges for a time corresponding to a control signal; a charge control unit suitable for generating the control signal, which is activated for a time corresponding to temperature information, and controlling a charging operation of the charging unit; and an output unit suitable for generating an internal voltage based on charge amount by the charging operation.

1. Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a semiconductor design technology, and, more particularly, to an internal voltage generation circuit for generating an internal voltage that is temperature dependent.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a semiconductor device such as a double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM) receives a power supply voltage from an external controller to generate an internal voltage used for various purposes. There are generally two methods for generating the internal voltage. One method generates the internal voltage by down-converting the power supply voltage, and the other method generates the internal voltage by pumping the power supply voltage.
Circuit size continues to decrease, and speed continues to increase as semiconductor technology develops. As integration and speed increase, the voltage level used in the circuit operation has to be lowered. Accordingly, technologies for stably generating, maintaining, and controlling low voltage levels are being studied at the present time.
The above technologies include research on circuits that generate an internal voltage that is dependent on temperature. Circuits that generate a temperature dependent internal voltage are generally designed by combining a circuit having a proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) current characteristic and a circuit having a complementary to absolute temperature (CTAT) current characteristic. The PTAT current characteristic has a relationship where temperature is proportional to current, which means current increases as the temperature increases. The CTAT current characteristic has a relationship where temperature is inversely proportional to current, which means current decreases as temperature increases.
Circuits that generate a temperature dependent voltage are generally designed with a strong CTAT function and are sensitive to temperature, i.e. have large variations in voltage relative to temperature variation. However, to enlarge the CTAT current characteristic of the circuit, the current consumed in the circuit has to increase, and this causes a concern where the current consumed in the circuit exceeds a target current when the circuit operates.

Internal voltage generation circuit, semiconductor memory device and semiconductor memory system


An imaging apparatus having a lens or a mount unit for mounting a lens on an object side surface of an apparatus main body and a grip unit at an end portion on one side of the apparatus main body, includes a setting unit to set a prohibit state that prohibits changing a setting value, an operation member for changing the setting value, a temporary cancel member, and a control unit to perform control. Where the prohibit state is set and if the temporary cancel member has not been operated and the operation member has been operated, the control unit controls not to change the setting value. Where the prohibit state is set and if the temporary cancel member has been operated and the operation member has been operated, the control unit changes the setting value according to an operation performed on the operation member.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus capable of setting a setting value of a specific setting item to a change prohibit state and a control method thereof.
Description of the Related Art
There is a demand for locking various parameters related to exposure and auto focus (AF) to prevent the parameters from being unintentionally changed. For example, there is a product model which causes a lock member to enter a change prohibit state and thus locks the parameters (e.g., a hold function of mobile phones). In such a product model, users can switch between a lock and unlock state with a single operation and can easily operate the imaging apparatus.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-271570 discusses an imaging apparatus having an operation mode which only receives an operation input from a predetermined operation switch including a release switch. Such a configuration is effective in preventing erroneous operation.
As described above, there are various techniques for locking functions. However, if a camera is normally in the lock state and a user desires to temporarily cancel the lock state, the user is required to once remove the user's hand from a grip unless the user can carry out the cancel operation while holding the camera. The user may feel that operability is poor. Further, in such a camera, it is difficult to promptly switch between the lock and the unlock state.
Furthermore, when capturing still images, the user may hold the camera in a vertical position and capture an image, so that it is desirable to obtain similar operability in the vertical position.

Imaging apparatus and control method thereof


A valve seat apparatus for use with fluid valves is described herein. An example valve seat apparatus includes a seat ring having a central passage therethrough and an outer wall. The outer wall comprises a threaded portion, having a first diameter, to engage a cage of a fluid valve. The outer wall also includes a sealing portion to capture a seal assembly between the sealing portion and a surface of a body of the fluid valve. The sealing portion has a second diameter greater than the first diameter. The outer wall of the example valve seat apparatus further includes a flange portion to capture the seal assembly between the cage and the flange portion. The flange portion extends toward the surface of the body and the sealing portion is to be positioned between the flange portion and the threaded portion. The flange portion has a third diameter greater than the second diameter.

Valves are commonly used in process control systems to control the flow of process fluids. Sliding stem valves (e.g., a gate valve, a globe valve, a diaphragm valve, a pinch valve, etc.) typically have a closure member (e.g., a valve plug) disposed in a fluid path. A valve stem operatively couples the closure member to an actuator to move the closure member between an open position and a closed position to allow or restrict fluid flow between an inlet and an outlet of the valve. Additionally, to provide desired and/or to achieve certain flow characteristics of the fluid, valves often employ a cage interposed within the path of fluid flow between the inlet and the outlet of the valve. A cage may be used to reduce capacity flow, attenuate noise and/or reduce or eliminate cavitation.
Typically, the size of the valve and the industrial process conditions such as, operational temperatures (e.g., temperatures between −100° F. and 450° F., temperatures greater than 450° F., etc.) of the process fluids, are used to determine the type of valve and/or valve components that may be used such as, for example, the types of seals that may be used to effect a seal between a cage, a valve seat, a valve body and/or a closure member. Further, the type of seals that are used usually determines the valve seat/seal configuration. For example, to provide a seal between a valve seat and a valve body, a seal composed of, for example, polytetrafluoroethylene (e.g., PTFE or Teflon®) is typically disposed between the valve seat and the valve body for use with process fluids having temperatures less than 450° F.
In some known valves, the seal may be disposed within an annular recess formed around an outer peripheral surface of the valve seat. The valve seat is coupled to a cage (e.g., via threads), which suspends the valve seat within a fluid flow path of the valve body when the cage is coupled to the valve body. The seal prevents fluid leakage between the valve body and the valve seat. However, process fluids having temperatures greater than 450° F. may cause a seal (e.g., a flexible seal) composed of polytetrafluoroethylene to extrude or fail. For process fluids having temperatures greater than 450° F., a valve seat/seal configuration may include a gasket disposed between the valve seat and the valve body. However, such a valve seat/seal configuration requires the valve seat to be fastened (e.g., bolted) to the valve body. Thus, a valve seat/seal configuration of a valve for use with process temperatures greater than 450° F. uses a valve body that is different than a body of a valve having a valve seat/seal configuration for use with process fluid having temperatures less than 450° F.

Valve seat apparatus for use with fluid valves


A bipolar differential pair based transconductance element with improved linearity and signal to noise ratio is described. The circuit of the present invention comprises two sets of differential pairs of bipolar transistors in parallel. Each differential pair implements transistor area ratios in the emitter areas. The present invention also comprises diodes that are coupled to the emitters of the transistors of the differential pairs. When the device areas are ratioed properly, the range for the input voltage signal that still allows a linear output current equation increases by a factor of 2 over prior art circuits. The improved linearity, as well as improved signal-to-noise ratio, is achieved by coupling the diodes to the emitters of the transistors and also having the differential pairs in parallel with their transistor areas proportional to each other. An alternative embodiment of the present invention is also described which also uses a level shifting stage. In this embodiment, the required ratios can be set by means of the level shift transistors allowing for the use of all identical core transistors and diodes. Since all the identical core transistors and diodes are minimum size, this reduces the parasitics and extends the high frequency operating range of the circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of analog integrated circuits in general and circuitry for improving the linear operating range and the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of differential bipolar transconductance elements in particular.
2. Background Art
A transconductance element is a circuit element that converts a voltage input into a current output. The output of a transconductance element is dependent on its gain, measured in units of "conductance." The gain of a transconductance element is determined by the ratio of its output current, I.sub.O, to the input voltage, V.sub.IN. This ratio I.sub.O /V.sub.IN is called the "transconductance" and is referred to as g.sub.m.
Typically, a transconductance element has two voltage inputs, V.sub.1 and V.sub.2. In so-called "normal" mode, the input voltages are changed differentially, independent of each other. In "common" mode, both input voltages change levels together. Common mode transconductance elements are often used as linear amplifiers. A measure of the performance of a transconductance element operating as a linear amplifier is the "common mode rejection ratio" (CMRR).
The differential output of a transconductance element-based linear amplifier is given by: ##EQU1## where I.sub.O is equal to the differential transconductance g.sub.md multiplied by the difference between input signals V.sub.1 and V.sub.2 plus the common mode transconductance g.sub.mcm multiplied by the sum of V.sub.1 and V.sub.2 divided by two. Ideally, it is desirable to suppress the common-mode component, (a non-linear component). Therefore, to achieve linear gain from differential pairs, they are designed so that the ratio of the differential gain to the common-mode gain, the CMRR, is as high as possible. CMRR is usually specified in decibels. The common-mode input range is the voltage level over which the inputs may vary.
It is desirable that differential amplifiers be easily tunable, be simple in design to avoid excess phase effects caused by unavoidable parasitics, and be linear over a large input voltage range to guarantee a high dynamic range. Fully-differential circuits are used for their higher power supply rejection ratio (PSRR) and CMRR.
However, fully-differential circuits often suffer from a limited linear operating range. An example of a typical fully-differential circuit suffering this drawback is the emitter-coupled pair. A small range in linearity implies that the circuit can receive input voltage values only over a small range before resulting in non-linear outputs. Also, many designs of fully-differential circuits do not have a high signal-to-noise ratio level. Having a low equivalent noise resistance in amplifiers increases the performance of the amplifier by preventing the signal from being obstructed by noise.
A number of prior art transconductance-based amplifiers have been developed. These include emitter-coupled pair, series diode linearization, transistor ratio linearization, two differential pairs with ratios in parallel, and amplifiers using level shift techniques. These prior art amplifiers are described below.

Bipolar differential pair based transconductance element with improved linearity and signal to noise ratio


A foam pump assembly for dispensing foam comprises a dual piston pump engine having an air cylinder and fluid cylinder each with pistons, a mixing chamber in communication with the liquid cylinder for receiving liquid, and in communication with the air cylinder for receiving air, an outlet chamber providing a flow path with turns, whereby when air and fluid is fed into said mixing chamber foam is created which passes into the outlet chamber, through the flow path and out of the pump outlet.

The present invention relates to a foam pump assembly usable to make foam for use as personal care and/or hygiene products such as hand soap, moisturizers, sanitizers, shampoo, shower gels, and shaving cream, for example.
There are a number of commercial foam pumps and pump engines on the market today available from companies such as Arminak and Associates, Airspray, K&K, and others. Some patents relating to such foam pumps are U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,271,530; 5,443,569; 5,445,288; 6,053,364 and 6,082,586, all of which are incorporated by reference herein. Such foam pumps typically comprise a pump engine connected to a liquid container. The overall assembly typically has an air chamber with an air inlet and air outlet, a liquid chamber with a liquid inlet and liquid outlet, a mixing chamber, an actuator for working the pump so that air from the air chamber and liquid from the liquid chamber is fed to the mixing chamber to create foam. These pumps typically have a porous member in the form of a planar mesh or screen having a large number of pores.
The porous member is typically located after the mixing chamber and is asserted to help improve the foam characteristics in some way, possibly by helping to create the foam or to homogenize the foam to provide a relatively uniform air bubble size for the foam.
However, such a porous member can become at least partly clogged when the mixture oxidizes or dries out, especially when the pump is unused for an extended period. Although the mesh pore size may be different for different applications, the pore size is typically relatively small which tends to make the porous member more susceptible to clogging. The porous member may also be difficult to fabricate and may also make the pump more costly.


In an apparatus which determines characteristics of a thin film according to the present invention, a temporal change in a refractive index n and an extinction coefficient k of a thin film in a period from start of a change in the thin film as a processing target (e.g., melting) to end of the change (e.g., solidification) can be obtained with a high time resolution of pico-seconds. Based on this, it is possible to know a progress of a change in state of the thin film (e.g., crystallization) or a transition of growth of crystal grains in units of pico-seconds.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for determining characteristics of a semiconductor thin film.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, in regard to manufacture of a thin film transistor for a switching element of, e.g., a liquid crystal display apparatus or an organic electroluminescence display apparatus, M. Hatano, S. Moon, M. Lee and K. Suzuki, (C. P. Grigoropoulos), Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 87, No. 1, 2000, pp, 36 to 43, Excimer Laser-Induced Temperature Field in Melting and Resolidification of Silicon Thin Films reports a method by which an annealed position provided to an amorphous silicon thin film is irradiated with a monitor light ray and an intensity of its reflected light is detected, thereby determining characteristics of the thin film.
The above cited reference mentions that the reflected light of the monitor light from the silicon thin film is detected by, e.g., a silicon PN junction photodiode type photodetector which has a response time of 1 nano-second (which will be denoted as "ns" hereinafter), i.e., a time resolution of 1 ns, and a temporal change of a detection signal waveform is measured by a sampling oscilloscope which samples a frequency signal of 1 GHz.
The silicon thin film is molten by laser irradiation for several-ten to 100 nm and crystallized in a subsequent solidification process, and a growth of crystal grains is generated. As a result, the silicon thin film varies from the amorphous type to the polycrystal type. A time required from melting to end of solidification is several-hundred ns.
The silicon thin film is affected to have metallic properties due to melting, an extinction coefficient k is increased, a reflected light intensity is thereby increased, the extinction coefficient k is decreased due to solidification after melting, and the reflected light intensity is thereby decreased. The temporal change of the reflected light intensity of the silicon thin film during melting or solidification is detected by the photodetector, the characteristics of the thin film are determined, and the crystallinity of the thin film is evaluated based on the characteristics.
However, in the method described in the above cited reference, only one set of information is obtained every 1 ns with respect to the reflected light intensity.
For example, a time of melting, a reflection factor or a transmittance is obtained from this one set of information, and it is thus difficult to determine important optical characteristics of the thin film such as a refractive index or an extinction coefficient in order to evaluate a degree of progress that the thin film is crystallized.
Further, it is substantially impossible to measure a change in the reflected light intensity concerning a melting-solidification process of several-hundred ns, i.e., a degree of progress that the thin film is crystallized with a time resolution higher than 1 ns.
Therefore, the characteristics of the thin film cannot be correctly specified in the prior art, and there is known that a defect of, e.g., electrical characteristics is generated in a liquid crystal display apparatus or the like using as a switching element a thin film transistor having an unsurely evaluated thin film.

Method and apparatus for forming substrate for semiconductor or the like

Advanced LCD Technologies Development Center Co., Ltd.


A system and method reduces wear on an image-forming device. The image-forming device includes one or more toner cartridges, each having an associated PC drum and transport member to transport toner images or media. Each of the PC drums maintain contact with a surface of the transport member regardless of whether they are being used to form a toner image. A controller controls the rotation of the PC drums to rotate or not rotate while in contact with the surface of the transport member.

The present application relates generally to image-forming devices, and more particularly to systems and methods of reducing wear on one or more toner cartridges included in the image-forming device.
Typical image-forming devices, such as printers and copiers, use photoconductive (PC) drums to transfer a toner image to a moving transport member such as an intermediate transfer member (ITM). Normally, the PC drums maintain contact with the surface of the ITM while continuously rotating to transfer the toner image. This continuous rotation occurs even for those PC drums associated with a particular color not being used in the formation of some images. For example, color toners are not utilized during the formation of a black and white image. The continuous rotation wears the PC drum surfaces at an increased rate, which reduces their useful lifespan. Additionally, the rotation continuously stirs the toner within the toner reservoir, which tends to degrade the quality of the toner. Both of these effects may undesirably affect the quality of the printed image.

Methods and devices for reducing wear on a print cartridge


Provided is a new 5 V class spinel exhibiting an operating potential of 4.5 V or higher (5 V class) with respect to the Li metal reference potential, having an excellent discharge capacity retention ratio at high temperatures, for example 45° C. Suggested is a spinel type lithium-manganese-nickel-containing composite oxide containing a crystalline phase in which a portion of Mn sites in LiMn2O4-δ are substituted with Li; another metal element M1, wherein M1 represents a metal element including at least one of Ni, Co and Fe and another metal element M2, wherein M2 represents a metal element including at least one of Mg, Ti, Al, Ba, Cr and Nb, and the spinel type lithium-manganese-nickel-containing composite oxide comprising a composite oxide phase containing Ni, Mn and B.

Lithium secondary batteries have features such as high energy density and long service life. Therefore, lithium secondary batteries are widely used as power supplies for electric appliances such as video cameras; portable electronic devices such as laptop computers and mobile telephones; and electric tools such as power tools. Recently, lithium secondary batteries are also applied to large-sized batteries that are mounted in electric vehicles (EV), hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) and the like.
A lithium secondary battery is a secondary battery having a structure in which, at the time of charging, lithium begins to dissolve as ions from the cathode and moves to the anode to be stored therein, and at the time of discharging, lithium ions return from the anode to the cathode, and it is known that the higher energy density of the lithium secondary battery is attributable to the electric potential of the cathode material.
Examples of this kind of cathode active material for lithium secondary batteries include lithium transition metal oxides having lamellar structures, such as LiCoO2, LiNiO2, and LiMnO2; and lithium transition metal oxides having a manganese-based spinel structure (Fd-3m), such as LiMn2O4 and LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4.
Since manganese-based spinel type lithium transition metal oxides of this kind are provided at low prices of raw materials, are non-toxic and safe, and have properties of being resistant to over-charging, attention is paid to them as the next-generation cathode active material for the large-sized batteries of electric vehicles (EV), hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) and the like. Furthermore, since spinel type lithium transition metal oxides (LMO) that are capable of three-dimensional insertion and release of Li ions have superior power output characteristics compared with lithium transition metal oxides having a lamellar structure such as LiCoO2, much expectation is placed on the use of the spinel type lithium transition metal oxides in the applications where excellent power output characteristic are required, such as in batteries for EV and batteries for HEV.
Among others, it has come to be known that when some of the Mn sites in LiMn2O4 are replaced by other transition metals (Cr, Co, Ni, Fe, or Cu), the compound acquires an operating potential close to 5 V. Thus, currently, development of a manganese-based spinel type lithium transition metal oxide having an operating potential of 4.5 V or higher (5 V class) is actively underway.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses, as a cathode active material for lithium secondary batteries exhibiting an electromotive force of 5 V class, a high capacity spinel type lithium-manganese composite oxide cathode active material containing chromium as an essential additive component to spinel type lithium-manganese composite oxide, and further having nickel or cobalt added thereto.
Patent Document 2 discloses a crystal having a spinel structure, LiMn2-y-zNiyMzO4 (provided that M: at least one selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, Ti, V, Mg, Zn, Ga, Nb, Mo and Cu; and 0.25≦y≦0.6, and 0≦z≦0.1), which performs charging and discharging at a potential of 4.5 V or higher with respect to Li metal.
Patent Document 3 discloses a spinel type lithium-manganese composite oxide represented by Lia(MxMn2-x-yAy)O4 (wherein 0.4<x, 0<y, x+y<2, 0<a<1.2; M includes one or more kinds of metal elements selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Fe, Cr and Cu and contains at least Ni; A includes at least one metal element selected from Si and Ti, provided that when A includes only Ti, the value of the proportion y of A is such that 0.1<y), as a cathode material for lithium ion secondary batteries having a high energy density and having a high voltage of 4.5 V or higher with respect to Li.
Patent Document 4 discloses, as a cathode active material which has a high capacity density by having both the tap density of the cathode active material and the initial discharge capacity of a secondary battery formed by using the cathode active material, a lithium-nickel-manganese composite oxide having a spinel structure represented by formula (I): Li1+xNi0.5-1/4x-1/4yMn1.5-3/4x-3/4yByO4 (wherein in formula (I), x and y are such that 0≦x≦0.025, and 0<y≦0.01), characterized in that the median diameter is 5 μm to 20 μm, the coefficient of variation of particle size is 2.0% to 3.5%, and the BET specific surface area is 0.30 m/g to 1.30 m/g.

Spinel type lithium-manganese-nickel-containing composite oxide


A New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Fisnics Swepu,’ particularly distinguished by red-purple and light lavender, bi-color flower color, glossy, dark green foliage, dense and fairly compact habit, small to medium plant size, and about mid season start of flowering.

The present invention comprises a New Guinea Impatiens, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri and hereinafter referred to by the variety name 'Fisnics Swepu'.
'Fisnics Swepu' is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar has bluish pink and deep red, bi-color flowers, dark green foliage and a relatively tight, medium sized habit.
'Fisnics Swepu' originated from a hybridization made in the summer of 2004 in a controlled breeding program in Hillscheid, Germany. The female parent was an unpatented hybrid seedling identified as 'K03-2664-4,' with large flowers with deep cherry-red pattern on deep pink ground color, and a small plant habit.
The male parent of 'Fisnics Swepu' was an unpatented hybrid seedling, identified as 'K04-4115-2,' with bi-color flowers showing a red-purple star-shaped pattern on light lavender ground color, with large, medium green leaves and a small to medium sized plant habit.
'Fisnics Swepu' was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in the spring of 2005 in a controlled environment in Moncarapacho, Portugal.
The first act of asexual reproduction of 'Fisnics Swepu' was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in July 2005 in a controlled environment in Moncarapacho, Portugal.
Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in the February of 2006 in Hillscheid, Germany, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for 'Fisnics Swepu' are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
'Fisnics Swepu' has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.
Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar were applied for in Canada on Apr. 29, 2008 and in Switzerland on Mar. 20, 2008. 'Fisnics Swepu' has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing of this application.


This invention provides a truckbed security system which includes a substantially-horizontal platform designed to cover the entire top opening of the cargo bed of a pickup truck, lockably, thereby providing security and protection to the contents within. The horizontal platform is strong and rigid enough to carry a heavy payload and is attached by hinge to the rear of the cargo bed allowing the platform's front end to be raised to a convenient height for providing access to the interior of the cargo bed and the contents within. To raise the platform, there is a hydraulic cylinder operated by an integral hydraulic power unit, powered by the battery of the pickup truck, and operator-controlled with a locking key switch. The top of the platform may be used to carry the payload which would normally be carried within the cargo bed. The platform, when raised hydraulically to a substantial angle, can serve as a dump bed with limited capacity.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to providing a truckbed security system. More particularly, this invention concerns transforming the cargo bed of a pickup truck into a protected and secure area for the storage of valuable tools and the like, while maintaining the full use of the trucks cargo-carrying capacity.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typically, a driver of a pickup-truck-like vehicle, to protect tools and the like, uses a locking tool box carried in the bed of the truck, often firmly attaching the toolbox to the truck to keep it from being stolen whole. Some workers/drivers even attempt to keep all of their tools in the cab of the truck or provide an in-the-way locking camper shell to try to protect such things as valuable tools from thievery; but such shells vastly increase the difficulty of getting to a tool when it is needed.
Also, typically, to prevent others from viewing tool boxes or other valuable items being hauled in the pickup truck, some workers/drivers use lightweight cargo-bed covers while not actively working in the vicinity; but such covers do not maintain the truck's ability to carry a normal cargo. Thus, there is still a need for a better system, one which enables carrying cargo while protecting tools in a pickup-truck-like vehicle.


A telephoto lens system of a four-lens-group arrangement includes a negative first lens group, a positive or negative second lens group, a negative third lens group and a positive fourth lens group. The telephoto lens system of the four-lens-group arrangement is constituted by less than six lens elements in total. The positive or negative second lens group is constituted by a positive lens element and a negative lens element which are cemented to each other, in this order from the object. The positive lens element has a convex surface with a larger curvature facing toward the object. The positive or negative second lens group satisfies the following condition:0.8<f2p/|f2n|<1.4.   (1)

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a telephoto lens system, through which an object to be inspected (hereinafter, a test object) at a finite distance is photographed at a high definition, and subsequently the photographed test object is image-processed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Most of conventional telephoto lens systems have been designed for photographing lens systems. Such a conventional telephoto lens system cannot be used for the purpose of inspecting a test object. The process of inspection is generally performed by photographing the test object at a high definition, and subsequently by an image-processing operation for the photographed test object.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei-8-201687 has disclosed a four-lens-group telephoto lens system constituted by four lens elements; however, in the telephoto lens system thereof, the correcting of chromatic aberration is insufficient. Accordingly, the telephoto lens system of this publication is not suitable for an image processing operation at a high definition.
Furthermore, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. Hei-5-27163, Hei-7-301749 and Hei-8-234098 can be taken as other examples. However, the lens system of each publication cannot be used for an image-processing operation at a high definition. Here, the high definition means a resolving power of approximately more than 80 curved lines of a Nyquist frequency with respect to the entire image plane.
In regard to a light source for image processing, there are cases where only visible light is used, or where a mixture of visible light and near-infrared light is used. Here, it has been known that a focal point undesirably moves largely between the case where visible light is employed as the light source and the case where the mixture of visible light and near-infrared light is employed as the light source.


An apparatus for protecting wine aging in one or more cask containers from exposure to air caused by depletion of wine in such casks by providing a reservoir of wine in a flexible bag suspended above the cask(s) with a tube(s) directing such wine through an aperture in the bung(s) of the top bunghole(s) of the cask(s) to maintain the cask(s) in a full state while the wine ages therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention resides in the field of containers for aging wine and more particularly relates to an apparatus and method for maintaining such containers in a full state, thereby protecting the wine from harmful oxidation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Oxidation of wine during its aging process can affect its taste, color, composition, and quality. Prevention of oxidation and spoilage, which results from prolonged air contact, are of prime concern during the wine-aging process. In that process, wine can be lost due to contraction of the wood in wooden barrels causing seepage of the wine between the staves and resulting in air pockets forming above the top surface of the wine. It is a common practice in the prior art to reduce air exposure during the aging process by manually adding wine to top off the wine containers, barrels, casks, or vessels. This manual topping-off process is time-consuming as it requires a person to remove the bung from the bung hole of each wine barrel and check the wine level and, if needed, add wine to each barrel.
Other methods for reducing oxidation include introducing nitrogen or carbon dioxide gas into the head space above the wine, as taught in Jandrich U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,884, but this method does not work with containers having porous walls, such as wood barrels. Some inventions provide for an inflatable bladder which fits inside the wine barrel. When the wine level subsides, water or air from a reservoir flows, or is pumped, into the bladder, raising the level of the wine and reducing the presence of trapped air above the wine. Examples of such inventions are Engebreth U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,115 and Sullivan U.S. Pat. No. 3,083,098.

Apparatus and method for protecting wine aging in casks from exposure to air


Provided is a microgrid system having: a plurality of distributed power sources; a plurality of distributed loads; and lines for connecting the distributed power sources and the distributed loads, the microgrid system including: an ESS for storing power supplied from all or a portion of the distributed power sources and supplying the stored power to all or a portion of the distributed loads; an ESS PCS including an interruption means for converting the power stored in the ESS into AC power suitable for the microgrid and supplying the AC power to the microgrid in order to block connection to the microgrid in an abnormal state; and a monitoring/control device for gradually increasing a voltage output from the ESS PCS and performing processing for the failure when a failure is detected in the microgrid.

A microgrid is a small-scale power source system configured with distributed power sources (solar power plant, wind power plant, and the like) and batteries (power storage devices) to supply power to loads. The microgrid is usually operated in a connected operation mode in which power is traded in connecting with a large scale power grid, and when a failure occurs in an electric-power-company-side line, the microgrid can be separated from the power grid to switch to a stand-alone operation mode. The microgrid is mainly installed in buildings, university campuses, factories, or the like and aims to reduce electricity costs and to improve reliability of power source. On the other hand, in the case of a microgrid installed in a remote area such as islands, the microgrid can be operated by constructing one grid with self loads without connecting with an external power grid.
One of the aims of installation of the microgrid is to operate the microgrid in an uninterrupted manner to improve power source reliability. In a case where a failure occurs in the power grid, the failure needs to be accurately detected to quickly separate the microgrid from the power grid. In addition, in a case where a failure occurs in the microgrid, it is necessary to quickly separate only the corresponding section to prevent a power failure. On the other hand, the magnitude and direction of a failure current vary depending on the connecting state of the microgrid and the power grid, connecting state of the microgrid and the distributed power sources, the failure occurrence position, and the type of failure occurrence, or the like. However, existing circuit breakers (MCCB, ACB, and the like) and failure management methods cannot adequately cope with various types of failures occurring in the microgrid, and thus, the entire microgrid can be affected by a localized failure, so that entire power failure may occur. In particular, this leads to frequent inconvenience to the microgrid systems installed in a remote area such as islands having a stand-alone grid.
FIG. 11 illustrates a non-failure-section power source system using a distributed power source 40 in the related art. Referring to FIG. 11, the non-failure-section power source system using the distributed power source 40 includes an IED 100 for power distribution automation, an IED 200 for distributed power source, and a central management device 300.
The IED 100 for power distribution automation measures the voltage and current of the power distribution line, and when a failure occurs in the power distribution grid, the event of the failure of the line is transmitted to the central management device 300, so that an operator of the power distribution automation system can be allowed to analyze the failure.
When a temporary failure occurs, the IED 100 for power distribution automation determines based on the failure current whether or not there is a failure in the power distribution grid or determines the direction of the failure current. In a case where it is determined that there is a failure, the IED 100 transmits FI (fault indicator) information to the central management device 300.
In a case where a temporary failure occurs, the central management device 300 determines a failure section from the failure information provided from the IEDs 100 for power distribution automation and transmits an operation command of the switch 30 to the IED 100 for power distribution automation. The IED 100 for power distribution automation performs the control of the switch 30 and, after that, transmits the result of the control to the central management device 300 to perform the failure management procedure.
That is, the IED 100 for power distribution automation measures an overcurrent of the power distribution line, blocks the line through a protection device 20 of a circuit breaker or a recloser. When the load stage of the protection device 20 is in a non-voltage state, the failure of the power distribution line is detected through the switch. In addition, the central management device 300 controls the closing and opening of the switch based on a control signal of the central management device 300 to perform a function of controlling the failure section to be separated from the power distribution grid.
In a case where a failure occurs in the power distribution line, the IED 100 for power distribution automation transmits failure occurrence information to the IED 200 for the distributed power source, so that the IED 200 for the distributed power source can be allowed to supply power to the non-failure section through the distributed power source 40.
Furthermore, the IED 100 for power distribution automation performs a function of measuring an average load current with respect to the load stage existing between the distributed power source 40 and the IED 100 for power distribution automation. The average load current can be calculated by measuring the load current with respect to the load stage for a predetermined period of time. The average power consumption consumed by the load stage each time of day can be calculated. The information calculated by the IED 100 for power distribution automation is transmitted to the IED 200 for distributed power source and can be utilized as data for calculating the amount of power to be supplied through the distributed power source 40 when a failure occurs in the power distribution grid.
The IED 200 for distributed power source is connected to a distributed power source 40 and calculates the amount of power that the distributed power source 40 can supply to the grid when there is a failure in the power distribution grid. The IED 200 for distributed power source can calculate the amount of power based on the power generation amount of the distributed power source 40 and the battery storage amount.
The IED 200 for distributed power source is connected to the IED 100 for power distribution automation in a peer to peer manner to check the amount of power consumed in the power distribution line connected to the distributed power source 40 and receives the failure occurrence information from the IED 100 for power distribution automation.
Furthermore, when the failure occurrence information and the failure current information are received from the IED 100 for power distribution automation, a non-failure section in which a power failure is unnecessarily experienced due to the failure is identified, so that power can be supplied to the non-failure section by controlling the switch between the distributed power source 40 and the grid.
The IED 200 for distributed power source analyzes the information on the failure occurrence and the information on the failure current included in the failure information to identify the failure section or to identify the failure occurrence section through the identification information of the IED 100 for power distribution automation for transmitting the failure information.
The central management device 300 monitors the entire system and analyzes the received failure information of the power distribution grid from the IED 100 for power distribution automation to perform a function of controlling the closing and opening of the switch 30. When receiving the failure information from the IED 100 for power distribution automation, the central management device 300 analyzes the failure information and transmits a signal of controlling the closing and opening of the switch 30 to the IED 100 for power distribution automation, so that the failed line can be allowed to be separated from the grid.
However, the microgrid system illustrated in FIG. 11 has an IED for each distributed power source and distributed load (power distribution). Each IED requires a relatively large test power to accurately identify a failure when the failure occurs. In the case of the related art, for the test power, each IED needs to have a relatively large capacity of energy storage device or a diesel generator for production of the test power, which inevitably causes an increase in equipment costs.

Microgrid system and method for managing malfunction


An automatic electrodeposition apparatus is disclosed. The desired substrate is brush plated by moving the brush on top of the plate. The brush may be selectively, and sequentially supplied with any one of a number of working solutions comprising conventional cleaning and plating solutions. De-ionized water and pressurized air may also be selectively fed to the brush for cleaning at desired time or job intervals throughout operation of the machine. A programmable logic controller controls feed of working solution, water, and air flow to the brush. It also controls brush movement and monitors electrodeposition through measurement of ampere-hours spent during operation.

This invention relates to the electrodeposition of plating materials on a substrate and, more specifically, to the automatic electrodeposition of plating materials on a metallic substrate that is to be used subsequently as either a target or a backing plate member for sputtering.
In electrodeposition processes, the desired plating material must be electrically charged. This is accomplished by polarizing the plating material opposite to the substrate charge polarity. In brush plating, a brush containing the plating material is charged, and the metallic substrate is charged opposite that of the brush. Therefore, the plating material departs from the brush and is transferred and bonded to the substrate.
Generally, the desired plating material is supplied to the brush by either presoaking the brush or by supplying the plating material directly to the brush. Prior to brush plating, the surface of the substrate must be cleaned. After this preparation, the substrate is placed onto the machine ready for electrodeposition.
An example of brush plating is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,078 wherein the parts to be plated are moved along a conveyor while selected portions of the parts are plated by passing through an electroplating cell. A brush is used to provide the cathode connection for the parts during the electroplating process.
Another example of electrodepositing by brush plating is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,684. The '684 patent discloses a selective electroplating device that uses a stationary brush member and associated anode. The brush is comprised of a porous material and has a surface which transfers charged electrolytic solution to the selected surfaces of the parts.
Still another example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,290,236. The '236 patent discloses a pad attached to a head with the electrolytic solution supplied to the pad through the head. The pad receives an electrical charge through the head for effecting electrodeposition to the work piece.
A further example of electrodeposition by brush plating is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,751,343. The '343 patent discloses brush plating by rotating or vibrating the anode which is covered with a porous dielectric cover. The electrolyte is supplied to the anode brush through a tube which directs the electrolyte into the brush material.
Other patents which may also be of interest include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,045,167 (Planik); 3,810,829 (Fletcher); 3,977,957 (Kosowsky); 4,003,805 (Schaer et al); and 3,723,283 (Johnson et al.).
Despite the contributions of the prior art, there is a need to provide an automatic brush plating machine which will uniformly brush plate a precise desired amount of material along the entire surface of the substrate. There is an even more specific need to provide such an automatic machine wherein the brush may be sequentially supplied with one of a variety of working solutions so that the machine can automatically perform a variety of plating or cleaning functions on the desired workpiece.


In one embodiment, there is disclosed a messaging system which allows a message originator to send a message to a message recipient, the message being presented to the recipient at a time selected by the message originator without any action being taken by the recipient. In a still further embodiment, the message sent by the originator can be supplemented by additional information, such as by a local temperature sensor, or by electronic data from a different source.

For people in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease or memory loss, many activities of daily living become confusing, challenging or impossible. A key example is keeping track of time and calendar. Knowing the date or day of the week becomes difficult. Keeping track of activities scheduled for a specific day and time is overwhelming, if not impossible. Standard tools, such as clocks and calendars, may not provide sufficient information to eliminate confusion and provide the certainty needed. Even if the information provided via such a medium is understood, it may not be retained long enough for the person to act on it in a meaningful manner.
For a person with memory impairment, a standard calendar entry may not convey the information needed to result in appropriate action. Although the calendar may clearly indicate a haircut appointment on Wednesday, October 12 at 10:00 am, this may be meaningless information to a person who isn't sure if it is Wednesday, or even if it is October. Even if the person knows the day and time, that person may not be able to remember the appointment, even an hour later. Therefore, the recipient will be incapable of taking the appropriate steps to prepare for the appointment.
Although reminder calls from a third party can be helpful, such as when the Doctor's office calls the patient the day before to confirm the appointment, the call often does not provide the information in a timeframe that maximizes the chance of obtaining the desired result, especially from people with impaired memory. Also, information provided by telephone, or even by e-mail, can only be acted upon if it is, in fact, received. People with impaired abilities, such as memory, hearing or sight loss or who just are physically unable to operate an answering machine or computer, often can not see or hear their messages even when they are easily available.
Some systems exist in which messages can be sent to a receiving system and then played at a later time. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,442,573 describes a system that allows a sender to send one or more messages to a server. The recipient's system then calls the server at a preset time to retrieve the messages. Another system, described at page 22 of the December 2003 issue of Readers Digest describes a system that allows a sender to send messages to a recipients system. A light on the system indicates that the recipient has mail.
However, even when dementia has not taken its toll, some people can not reach or operate the telephone, or can not hear well enough to make telephone communication meaningful. Leaving messages for these folks is of little help, since many can not operate answering devices, read their email, or even be alert enough to remember to do so, assuming they possess the ability to operate the equipment.


A modified polyurethane including a lipid substituent pendant from at least one urethane nitrogen and/or at least one carbon atom of the modified polyurethane, methods of preparing modified polyurethanes and the use thereof as an implantable biomaterial.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to polyurethanes modified to retain epithelial cells. Particularly, it relates to implants made from such polyurethanes . . . .
2. Description of Related Art
Polyurethanes, i.e. polymers which comprise repeating units having a urethane group in the polymer backbone, can be used to form bulk polymers, coatings, fillings, and films. Notably, polyurethanes are also readily machinable once set. These properties of polyurethanes have rendered them useful for medical and non-medical purposes.
With regard to medical applications, polyurethanes are widely used in implants, particularly cardiovascular implants, as highly biocompatible biomaterials. For example, polyurethanes have been employed in the manufacture of pacemaker electrodes, vascular grafts, and artificial heart valves.
Medical uses of polyurethanes have, however, been heretofore limited by, among other reasons, the tendency of polyurethane products which contact the blood stream or other biological fluids to calcify, induce thrombogenesis, and/or impede cellular attachment and growth. Promotion of cell adhesion on medical devices comprising polyurethane is of particular concern, as the establishment of a confluent monolayer of endothelial cells is critical for neovascularization (Simionescu, N. and N. Simionescu, eds. Endothelial Cell Dysfunctions. 1992. New York: Plenum Press). Additionally, the cellular attachment to vascular grafts or implants must be strong enough to withstand the fluid shear stress exerted by blood and other biological fluids. Modified polyurethane surfaces currently available, such as those that have been deliberately textured or cast as foams, have provided for only disorganized cell growth. Polyurethane surfaces have also been coated with fibronectin and collagen which are potent ligands for cell surface receptors. Despite promoting cell adhesion, fibronectin and collagen coated polyurethanes are not ideal modifications because apoptosis and calcification of vascular cells has been observed when cultivated on collagen coated matrices and vascular cells seeded on fibronectin coated polyurethane failed to thrive.
As those skilled in the art will appreciate, a need exists for implantable devices comprising polyurethane which allows for enhanced cellular attachment and growth.
Natural blood contact surfaces, such as those found within blood vessels, possess mechanisms that prevent blood from clotting during normal passage along the surface. In the case of a mammalian artery, the immediate blood contact surface comprises a layer of non-thrombogenic ECs. Immediately external to the EC layer is the remainder of the intima: a subendothelial matrix layer of basement membrane and underlying glycoprotein-bearing extracellular matrix, and the internal elastic lamina. Surrounding the intima layer is the multilaminate media structure containing smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and elastin, and surrounding this media is the adventitia, the most external layer comprised of fibroblasts and connective tissue. Both the subendothelial layer and media are generally considered to be thrombogenic in nature in order to maintain hemostasis when the vascular system is injured.
Intact endothelial linings are considered to be non-thrombogenic unless damaged. Because of their blood-contacting location, ECs have been thoroughly investigated with respect to their anti-thrombogenic function. ECs are known to synthesize or bind a number of substances with coagulation-inhibiting or fibrinolytic function including heparin sulfate/antithrombin III, dermatan sulfate/heparin cofactor II, thrombomodulin/protein C/protein S, prostacyclin and tissue-type plasminogen activator. Furthermore, segments of endothelium-bearing autologous vessel transplanted from one site to another in an individual to bypass diseased vessels exhibit an incidence of thrombosis substantially less than that of synthetics used in the same application. For these reasons, it has been assumed that ECs are responsible for the non-thrombogenic activity of vessels. According to this assumption, synthetic blood contact devices capable of thrombo-resistance similar to the native vasculature would require a blood contact surface of ECs.
Numerous attempts have been made to provide prosthetic surfaces, and specifically vascular grafts, that include or develop an EC lining as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,383 to Bruchman et al. The overwhelming majority of these attempts have been carried out as an intraoperative cell-seeding procedure. Intraoperative cell-seeding typically involves harvesting ECs from the recipient during the procedure and immediately seeding these collected cells onto a vascular graft that has been pretreated with a substrate to enhance EC attachment. Substrates frequently applied to the synthetic surface include preclotted blood taken from the patient or extracellular matrix proteins such as fibronecfin, collagen, or laminin, either singly or in combination. This approach was first reported by M. B. Herring et al. in "A single staged technique for seeding vascular grafts with autogenous endothelium," Surgery 84:498-504 (1978). In this procedure, autologous cells were seeded onto a preclotted DACRON™ graft. These seeded grafts demonstrated a decreased thrombus formation compared to control grafts without ECs. In spite of the improved initial adherence of the cells to the synthetic surface afforded through the use of these various substrata, the shear forces resulting from blood flow nevertheless leads to the loss of a substantial fraction of the applied cells.
In a variation of the above, U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,423 to Smith describes the use of elastin-derived peptides to enhance EC attachment. Some studies have used combinations of extracellular matrix molecules and cells to provide a substrate for EC attachment and growth. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,539,716 and 4,546,500 to Bell describe means by which ECs are grown on a living smooth muscle cell-collagen lattice. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,755 to Carabasi et al. describes a technical method for seeding ECs onto damaged blood vessel surfaces.
Alternative means of growing ECs on vascular grafts have also been reported. For example, the use of physical force to apply ECs to graft surfaces is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,378 to Muller et al. In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,382 to Turina and Bittman describe the application of ECs to a semi-permeable membrane in which the pores are filled with aqueous gels to allow EC coverage.
Another approach has been the seeding of ECs onto biologically-derived surfaces, including pericardium, cardiac valve leaflets, amnion, and arteries. These efforts appear to have originated with J. Hoch et al. in "In vitro endothelialization of an aldehyde-stabilized native vessel," J. Surg. Res. 44:545-554 (1988), where the authors attempted to grow endothelium on ficin-digested, dialdehyde stabilized, bovine artery. Human venous ECs were found to adhere to and spread on the remnant collagen surface of these enzyme-digested grafts, but no implant studies were performed. J. Hoch et al. also investigated the growth of endothelium on human amnion, on live, mechanically-scraped human artery, and again on ficin-digested, tanned bovine artery. (J. Hoch et al., "Endothelial cell interactions with native surfaces," Ann. Vasc. Surg. 2:153-159 (1989)). Although EC adhesion was observed on these surfaces by 2 hours, the longterm persistence of ECs on these surfaces was not examined, and, as in the previous study, none of these endothelialized materials were implanted as vascular substitutes. Schneider et al. showed that ECs could be successfully seeded onto the remaining collagenous surface of baboon vessels from which the intima was removed. (P. A. Schneider et al., "Confluent durable endothelialization of endarterectomized baboon aorta by early attachment of cultured endothelial cells," J. Vasc. Surg. 11:365-372 (1990)). Lalka et al. used detergent extraction of canine arteries to produce an ethanol-fixed acellular vascular matrix onto which human umbilical vein ECs were successfully seeded in vitro. (S. G. Lalka et al., "Acellular vascular matrix: A natural endothelial cell substrate," Ann. Vasc. Surg. 2:108-117 (1989)).
Although a small number of grafts seeded lumenally with ECs have been implanted clinically outside of the United States, and improved patencies over non-seeded grafts have been observed, this approach has generally enjoyed mixed success, and the concept still faces many challenges as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,733,747 to Anderson et al. First, it is necessary that the cells used to seed the graft be autologous or otherwise non-immunogenic to avoid recognition and destruction of the cells by the patient's immune system. To obtain autologous ECs from a patient, the cells must be harvested from an isolated blood vessel. The harvesting surgical procedure not only increases prosthetic implant preparation time, but can also lead to complications and discomfort for the patient.
Second, retention of the cells on the graft surface after implantation has been an issue. A number of methods have been disclosed to address this issue, and include forcible injection of ECs into the graft, preclotting and seeding the lumenal surface of the graft, static adhesion-seeding of the lumen, vacuum seeding of the lumen, seeding the lumen in an extracellular matrix, and seeding of the lumen using electrostatic and gravitational forces. These methods are reviewed or disclosed in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,723,324 to Bowlin et al. Additionally, it has been suggested that flow conditioning the seeded graft in vitro prior to implantation would improve cell retention by allowing the cells to secrete adhesion factors in response to slowly increasing shear rates (Dardik et al., 1999, J Vasc Surg 29: 157-67; Ballerman et al., 1995, Blood Purif 13: 125-34; and Ott and Ballerman, 1995, Surgery 117: 334-9). Although there is some evidence that methods such as conditioning may improve cell retention, all of these methods add yet another level of complexity to the seeding process and it is still not clear that significantly improved cellular retention can be achieved.
Thus, there remains a need in the art for a better EC seeding technique of prostheses in order to provide long-term patency and eventual healing by inhibiting thrombosis and inflammatory cell interactions. The instant invention provides a novel method of EC seeding by utilizing a cholesterol modified polyurethane surface to which the ECs can attach.
All references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Steroid lipid-modified polyurethane as an implantable biomaterial, the preparation and uses thereof


In this method for producing an anti-reflective film, pores are formed on a surface of a polymer molding material to continuously change a refractive index and then reduce reflectance, in which anodic oxidized porous alumina, in which pores having a tapered shape and whose pore diameter continuously changes, are formed by repeating anodic oxidation at about the same formation voltage and pore diameter enlargement treatment, is used as a mold, or a stamper, which is produced by using the anodic oxidized porous aluminum as a mold, is used as a mold.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an anti-reflective layer (anti-reflective film) formed on the surface of a polymer molding material which reduces reflection in the visible light range and a production method thereof, and a stamper for forming the anti-reflective film and a production method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Polymer molding materials are widely used in various information equipment display devices. It is necessary to form an anti-reflective layer to inhibit reflected light to ensure satisfactory visibility. Multilayer films composed of dielectrics having different refractive indices are normally used as anti-reflective layers. Since vacuum deposition or sputtering is used to form the dielectric layer, there was the problem of requiring expensive devices and considerable production time to form the reflective layer.
On the other hand, a method for reducing reflectance is known in which a projections are imparted to the surface of the polymer molding material to form a layer in which reflectance continuously changes. A stamper having an arrangement of depressions corresponding to the projections is normally provided to impart the shape of the projections to the polymer molding material, and a method for processing the polymer molding material is employed using the stamper.
The depressions formed in the stamper for forming projections on the surface of the polymer molding material have an extremely low period as compared with the wavelength of light, and are required to have a depth of about ¼ the wavelength to adequately attenuate reflectance in the visible light range (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2003-43203). At this time, the depressions are required to have a tapered shape since they are required to cause reflectance to continuously change.
Electron beam lithography, or techniques combining patterning by optical exposure and semiconductor single crystal anisotropic etching exemplified by Si, are typically used to form an arrangement of depressions which satisfy such conditions. This involves forming openings at a desired period using various types of lithography, followed by forming tapered holes by wet or dry etching. Although electron beam lithography enables patterning at an adequate fine period for the lithography method, it requires considerable time and expensive equipment for processing. Although optical exposure methods employ a method in which a pattern is formed by utilizing the interference of laser light, it is difficult to form a structure having an adequate fine period.
A method has been proposed for forming a fine pattern which uses anodic oxidized porous alumina having a regular pore arrangement (see, for example, Kanamori et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 78, No. 2, p. 142 (2001)). In this method, depressions are formed in an Si substrate by carrying out reactive ion etching using the anodic oxidized porous alumina having a regular pore arrangement as a mask. Although a technique for forming an arrangement of projections in a polymer can be easily surmised by using the similar arrangement of depressions formed in this manner as a mold, it is difficult to form a tapered shape required for the formation of a non-reflective layer with this method.
In addition, although a method has been proposed for carrying out etching on a porous structure of anodic oxidized porous alumina and producing a stamper based thereon (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2003-43203), since the shape of the pores of the anodic oxidized porous alumina is cylindrical, it is difficult to simply form projections having the controlled taper shape required for an anti-reflective film in a polymer molding material based thereon.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Anti-reflective film and production method thereof, and stamper for producing anti-reflective film and production method thereof

Kanagawa Academy of Science and Technology


A power plant for generating electricity has a high temperature heat reservoir and a low temperature heat reservoir. The plant is operated to store heat during off peak power periods and to use the stored heat during peak power periods to produce additional electricity.

This invention relates to a power plant for generating electricity and a method of operation thereof where all or part of the electricity produced during off peak power periods is converted to heat energy and stored in a high temperature heat reservoir for use in creating electricity during peak power periods. More particularly, the high temperature heat reservoir and a heat storage area of the reservoir as made from solid material.

Power plant having a heat storage medium and a method of operation thereof


Described herein is a physiologically-balanced, acidic solution. Typically the solution is prepared by a chemical reactions or by the electrolysis of a solution comprising a mixture of an inorganic salt to form a physiologically balanced solution. This invention also relates to methods for use of the solutions, including a specialized bandage which may be used in combination with the solutions, or optionally with other topically applied materials. A mixture of inorganic salts and, optionally minerals, is used in order to mimic the electrolyte concentration and mixture of body fluid in an isotonic state. The solution typically comprises of one halide salt of lithium, sodium, potassium, calcium, and other cations. Typically the halide is fluoride, chloride, bromide, or iodide, and most typically chloride. A typical electrolyzed solution of the present invention has a pH within the range of about 2 to about 5, an oxidation reduction potential within the range of about +600 mV to about +1200 mV, and hypohalous acid concentration in the range of about 10 ppm to about 200 ppm. The solution has bactericidal, fungicidal, and sporicidal properties. The composition of the invention is nontoxic and has antibacterial properties, and is useful in any application in which antimicrobial properties are desirable.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a physiologically balanced, ionized, acidic solution that is useful in wound healing and other applications in which antimicrobial properties are desirable. The ionized solution may be prepared by electrolysis, i.e., it is an electrolyzed solution or by other methods including chemical or physical methods. The solution may also be prepared in situ. In addition, the invention relates to a methodology of using the solution of the invention, in a variety of applications, for example, a specialized bandage which may be used in combination with the solution or with other solutions or topically applied materials.
2. Brief Description of the Background Art
Various electrolyzed acidic salt solutions, their properties, and their uses have been described in the art. Several examples are provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,848, issued Apr. 22, 1997, to Morrow, discloses a microbicidal solution for in vivo and in vitro treatment of microbial infections. The solution comprises an electrolyzed saline containing regulated amounts of ozone and active chlorine species, wherein the ozone content is between about 5 and 100 mg/L, the active chlorine species content is between about 5 and 300 ppm and a pH range from 7.2-7.6. The active chlorine species comprises free chlorine, hypochlorous acid, and the hypochlorite ion, as measured by a chlorine selective electrode. The solution is prepared by subjecting a 1% or less saline solution to electrolysis under conditions sufficient to produce the desired active ingredients. The solution is preferably utilized at an isotonic saline concentration, and may be adjusted with hypertonic saline. The solution may be used for in vitro treatment of infected whole blood, blood cells, or plasma to reduce contamination, and may be used in the treatment of fluids infected with HIV, hepatitis, and other viral, bacterial, and fungal agents. The solution may also be administered to warm-blooded animals, including humans, by intravenous injection or other modes, for similar purposes.
PCT publication No. WO9934652, published Jul. 8, 1999, of Marais, discloses the use of an electrochemically activated sodium hypochlorite-free irrigating medium to reduce the proliferation of bacteria and other microorganisms during tooth root canal. Anion- and cation-containing solutions are obtained by electrolysis of a 10% aqueous NaCl solution. The anion-containing solution is used at a pH of about 2-7 and an oxidation reduction potential (ORP) of about +1170 mV; the cation-containing solution is used at a pH of about 7-13 and an ORP of about −980 mV.
X. W. Li et al. (Chinese J. Epidem., 17(2), pp. 95-98, 1996) reported a preliminary study of the microbicidal effect of electrolyzed oxidizing water. Electrolyzed oxidizing water was shown to completely kill Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli within 15 seconds, while 10 minutes were required to completely kill all spores of Bacillus subtilus var. niger. Thirty seconds were needed to destroy the antigenicity of HBsAg. The oxidation reduction potential and pH values of electrolyzed oxidizing water were not significantly changed when stored for three weeks at room temperature under air-tight, light-free conditions.
A. Iwasawa et at. (J. Jap. Assoc. Infec. Diseases, 70(9), pp. 915-922, 1996) evaluated the bactericidal effect of acidic electrolyzed water on S. aureus, S. epidermidis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. At pH 5.0 to approximately 6.0, three bacterial strains were killed soon after being exposed to the acidic water containing 50 mg/L chloride, and the chloride concentration reportedly did not change after standing open for 6 hours. At pH 2.67 to approximately 2.80, the bactericidal effects were observed at a chloride concentration of 5 mg/L, and 80% of the chloride reportedly remained after standing open for 6 hours.
H. Tanaka et al. (J. Hosp. Infect., 34(1), pp. 43-49, 1996) reported on the antimicrobial activity of superoxidized water. Superoxidized water is described as "a strong acidic and colorless solution with a high oxidation-reduction potential. The solution having an active chlorine concentration of 30 ppm, is prepared by mixing a small amount of salt with tap water in an electrolyser". The antimicrobial activity of superoxidized water was tested against methicillin-sensitive S. aureus, Serratia marcescens, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and Burkholderia cepacia. The number of bacteria was reduced below the detection limit following incubation in superoxidized water for 10 seconds. The bactericidal activity of superoxidized water was similar to that of 80% ethanol, but superior to that of 0.1% chlorhexidine and 0.02% povidone iodine.
Y. Inoue et al. (Artificial Organs, 21(1), pp. 28-31, 1997) reported on the use of electrolyzed strong acid aqueous solution lavage in the treatment of peritonitis and intraperitoneal abscess. Peritoneal and abscess lavages were performed using an electrolyzed strong acid aqueous solution to treat seven patients with peritonitis and intraperitoneal abscesses. The period of irrigation in the seven patients ranged from 9 to 12 days, with conversion to microorganism negative state observed within 3 to 7 days. The authors describe the solution as being "acidic water that contains active oxygen and active chlorine and possesses a redox potential" and having an active chlorine concentration less than 50 ppm.
S. Sekiya et al. (Artificial Organs. 21(1), pp. 32-38, 1997) reported on the use of electrolyzed strong acid solutions in the treatment of infectious skin defects and ulcers using. The clinically applied therapy of electrolyzed strong acid aqueous solutions were found to be effective in the treatment of infectious ulcers. Sekiya et al. describe the strong aqueous solution (ESAAS) as being "generated by electrolyzing water and a small quantity of salt with a cation transfer filter."
H. Hayashi et al. (Artificial Organs, 21(1), pp. 39-42, 1997) reported on the use of electrolyzed strong acid aqueous solutions (ESAAS) in the treatment of mediastinitis following cardiovascular surgery. Hayashi et al. described ESMS as being "produced by electrolyzing sodium chloride solution. ( . . . ) ESAAS is produced by electrolyzing the sodium chloride solution using an ion-exchange membrane that separates the positive and negative electrodes. A small amount of sodium chloride is added to the water to facilitate electrolysis and increase the concentration of dissolved chloride." The solution is disclosed as having a pH less than 2.7, Cl2 more than 30 ppm, ORP more than 1100, and dissolved O2 of more than 20 ppm. The mediastinal wound was left open and irrigated with ESMS one to three times daily until the infection was eradicated. Satisfactory growth of granulation tissue was observed in all patients treated, with no evidence of adverse effects attributable to ESMS.
N. Tanaka et al. (Artificial Organs, 23(4), pp. 303-309, April 1999) reported on the use of electrolyzed strong acid aqueous solutions to clean and disinfect hemodialysis equipment. The solutions were found to directly inactivate bacterial endotoxins, and proved to be more economical than the conventional disinfecting method. The "electrolyzed strong acid aqueous solutions are disclosed to be "strongly acidic water which is made by electrolyzing tap water containing 500-1000 ppm salt (NaCl >99% pure) in a cell partitioned by a polyester diaphragm. It has an acidity of 2.3-2.7 pH, more than 1,000 mV in oxidation-reduction potential and 10-50 ppm in available chlorine."
J. B. Selkon et al. (J. Hosp. Infec., 41(1), pp. 59-70, January 1999) evaluated the antimicrobial activity of a new superoxidized water, STERILOX® (Sterilox Medical Limited, 85 E Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RY, UK) for the disinfection of endoscopes. This superoxidized water is prepared from a 35.7% NaCl in a 1 to 20 dilution, and is described as being "generated at the point of use by passing a saline solution over coated titanium electrodes at 9 amps. The product generated has a pH of 5.0-6.5 and an oxidation reduction potential of >950 mV." The antimicrobial activity of STERILOX® was tested against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. avium-intracellulare, M. chelonae, E. coli (including type 0157), Enterococcus faecalis, P. aeruginosa, B. subtilus var. niger spores, methicillin-resistant S. aureus, Candida albicans, poliovirus type 2, and human immunodeficiency virus HIV-1. Under clean conditions, freshly generated STERILOX® was found to be highly active against all these microorganisms, giving a 5 log10 (99.999%) or greater reduction in 2 minutes or less.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,744 assigned to Sterilox Technologies International Limited, discloses an apparatus for the electrochemical treatment of a liquid medium, which allows for the production of a sterilizing solution as well as the decontamination and purification of liquid mediums from toxic organic substances and other impurities. The process utilizes solution having an average salinity of 0.1 to 1.0 g/l and a chloride concentration of up to 50 mg/l, and the process is carried out using a current of 500 to 1000 mA with potential difference of 10-12 volts. The patent also discloses that the optimum pH parameters for anodically-treated water are 6-7, and for cathodically-treated water 8-9. However, the patent further discloses that the apparatus proposed aims to achieve solutions of active chlorine with a pH of between 4.5 and 7.5 used as a sterilizing solution, disinfectant, decontaminant, bleaching agent, detergent or medicine with antibacterial and antiviral action.
K. S. Venkitanarayanan et al. (Appl. & Env. Microbiol., 65(9), pp. 4276-4279, September 1999) evaluated the efficacy of electrolyzed oxidizing water for inactivating E. coli 01 57:H7, Salmonella enteritidis, and Listelia monocytogenes. A five-strain mixture of E. coli 01 57:H7, S. enteritidis, or L. monocytogenes was inoculated in electrolyzed oxidizing water at various temperatures, for various time periods. The electrolyzed oxidizing water is produced from a saline base solution containing approximately 12% by weight. NaCl. The electrolyzed oxidizing water is also described as having a 0.1% salt, Cl2 of 10-80 ppm, pH less than 2.7 as well as an electrolyzed oxidizing water having Cl2 of 73-86 ppm, and pH of 2.38-2.48. At 4° C. and 23° C., an exposure time of 5 minutes, the population of all three pathogens in the treatment samples was reported to be reduced by approximately 7 log CFU/mL, with compete inactivation by 10 minutes of exposure. A reduction of greater than 7 log CFU/mL in the levels of the three pathogens was reported to occur in the treatment samples incubated for 1 minute at 45° C. or for 2 minutes at 35° C.

Physiologically balanced, ionized, acidic solution and methodology for use in wound healing


A grinder (30) has a toolessly attached ingredient hopper assembly (50) overlying a toolessly attached fixed grinding burr (134) defining the top of a grind chamber (158) within which is received a mating rotary grinding burr (150) that is slidably mounted to a rotary drive motor (154) for adjustment relative to the fixed grinding burr (134). Adjustment is achieved automatically by control of a stepper motor (168) that pushes on the end of an elongate control shaft (393) passing through a hollow rotary drive axle (392) and carrying the rotary grinding burr (150) at an opposite end. In a similar embodiment (FIG. 23), the non-rotary burr (314) is adjusted by movement of a control shaft (393) contained within a hollow motor axle (392). In other embodiments (FIGS. 17-22), a movable axle (304) of a movable rotor motor (300) and attached to the rotary burr (312) is moved to make the adjustments.

Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to food grinders, and more particularly, to electric food grinders, such as electric coffee grinders.
Discussion of the Prior Art
Electrically powered food grinders, such a coffee grinders are well known for both commercial and home use. Such grinders are often provided in the coffee sections of grocery stores at which are shelved bags of unground coffee beans or which hoppers with coffee beans from which customers may fill empty bags provided near the hoppers. Customers who purchase the unground coffee are encouraged to use the provided coffee grinder to freshly grind their coffee.
Many such commercial coffee grinders found in stores have potential problems due to the inexperience of the customers using the grinders or due to inattentiveness. In ordinary course of operation, a customer first selects a prefilled bag of coffee beans or fills a bag from a supply container. The bag is then opened, if not already open, and the contents are poured into the top opening of a hopper. The now empty bag is then placed in a bag fill position beneath an outlet of the grinder from which the ground coffee is emitted. The customer may then manually adjust a knob or other mechanical device to select the coarseness of the grind. The customer then manually actuates a start switch which energizes a grinding drive motor to commence the grinding operation. The grinding operation may end a preselected amount of time after actuation of the start switch. The amount coarseness, or fineness, selected by the customer may also determine the length of time that the grinding continues.
One problem associated with know grinders is that the adjustment of the grinding burrs relative position for different degrees of coarseness of the grind does not allow fine adjustments or maintenance of batch-to-batch coarseness uniformity for the same grind setting.
Also, sometimes the grinding time is longer than necessary which causes excessive wear and tear on the grinding elements and the grinder drive motor. Another disadvantage of some known coffee grinders of the type used in stores is that they take up too much shelf space which is more profitably used to display products to be sold.
The correct operation of the grinder may not be intuitively known and written directions are often provided, but there is no assurance that customers will necessarily follow the directions and admonitions concerning proper use either due to lack of comprehension or subsequent attention to precisely what they are doing and when. Moreover, known food grinders employ mechanical adjustment that are subject to vibration, rough handling and wear due to excessive or abusive use which disadvantageously causes unintended, erroneous changes to actual grinding gap size for different selected grind settings.
Another problem associated with known food grinders is that the mechanical mechanisms for changing grinding gaps are designed for only a single set of tolerances for a given size and type of grinding burrs. Only the original exact grinding burr size and type will enable proper initial adjustment, thereby precluding field service replacement with grinding burrs of a type, configuration, thickness or size different from those of the original grinding burrs for which the grinder is designed.
A need therefore exists to provide a food grinder that overcomes these and other problems and disadvantages and the like.

Electrical food grinder with an electronically controlled movable rotor drive motor and method

FOOD EQUIPMENT TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY, INC.