A trimmer line carrier for use with a string trimming mower includes a tubular container having an open end for carrying individual strands of replacement trimming line. A removable cap is coupled to the container for selectably covering the open end. The container includes clamps capable of releasably attaching the container to a handle bar of a string trimming mower. A plurality of guide flanges defining respective apertures are positioned longitudinally along the container outer wall to receive a selected strand therethrough. Linear scale indicia and corresponding graduated numerical indicia are imprinted on the container adjacent the guide flanges such that a strand received through the flanges may be measured using the indicia. A cutter is positioned at one end of the container for cutting a strand of trimming line to a desired measured length.

This invention relates generally to storage containers and, more particularly, to a container which holds individual strands of replacement trimmer line for attachment to and use with a push-type string trimming mower.
String trimmer mowers that may be pushed like a push lawnmower enable grass or weeds growing very close to trees or other objects to be cut easily. In addition, these push-type string trimmer mowers are easier to use than their hand-held counterparts in that no bending or lifting of the unit is required. However, individual strands of the trimming string often become entangled about the spinning trimming head of the mower, become entangled with other object, or are simply hurled outwardly from the mower. In any case, obtaining a proper replacement trimming line is a frequent and inconvenient occurrence. Various devices have been proposed in the art for storing or carrying articles such as beverages or tennis balls. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing devices do not provide a carrier conveniently attachable to a push-type string trimming mower for carrying a supply of replacement trimming line.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a trimmer line carrier which may be coupled to a push-type string trimmer mower and holds a supply of individual strands of replacement trimming line. Further, it is desirable to have a trimmer line carrier which enables each strand to be measured and cut to a desired length before connecting it to the mower.
A trimmer line carrier according to the present invention includes a tubular container having a closed end and an open end for holding a plurality of individual strands of replacement trimmer line, individual strands being inserted or removed through the open end. The container includes a removable end cap for selectably covering the open end. At least one clamp is mounted to the outer surface of the container for removably coupling the container to a handle bar of a push-type trimming mower. A plurality of guide flanges are mounted to the container""s outer surface and are spaced apart between the open and closed ends. Each flange defines an aperture and the flanges are aligned such that a strand of trimming line selected from the plurality of strands housed in the container may be extended linearly therethrough.
A set of linear scale indicia is imprinted on the outer surface of the container substantially adjacent the guide flanges. A set of graduated numerical indicia is also imprinted thereon and corresponds to the linear scale indicia. A cutter having a pair of blades is mounted to the outer surface of the container substantially adjacent the open end and in longitudinal alignment with the guide flanges. Therefore, the selected strand of trimming line may be inserted through the guide flange apertures, measured according to the linear scale and graduated numerical indicia and then cut to the desired length. This enables a user to connect precisely the right length of trimmer line to the spinning head of the trimmer mower. This is important in that string trimmer mowers of various sizes require the use of respectively different lengths of trimmer line. A box for storing tools is also attached to the container.
Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a trimmer line carrier having a tubular container that can store a supply of individual strands of replacement trimmer line.
Another object of this invention is to provide a trimmer line carrier, as aforesaid, having a box attached to the container for storing tools.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a trimmer line carrier, as aforesaid, having a plurality of guide flanges and a cutter for severing a strand of trimmer line.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a trimmer line carrier, as aforesaid, having linear scale indicia and corresponding graduated numerical indicia for measuring a desired length of trimmer line to be severed.
A further object of this invention is to provide a trimmer line carrier, as aforesaid, in which the open end of the container and the tool box include a cap and a door, respectively, that are easy to open.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of this invention.


A task optimization method and a task optimization device in a mobile robot are provided. The task optimization method includes: obtaining at least one task type in a mobile robot and usage information when all users use a task corresponding to each task type; separately performing machine learning on the usage information of all the users corresponding to each task type to obtain at least one piece of user's usage habit information corresponding to each task type and usage probability thereof, thereby performing machine learning on usage information when all users use the task corresponding to the task type; based on the at least one piece of usage habit information corresponding to each task type, the usage probability thereof and the real-time usage information, optimizing the task corresponding to the task type used by the user in real time.

With the continuous progress of science and technology, mobile-robot-related technology has become more and more mature, and the application scenarios thereof have become more and more prevalent improving the convenience of modern day life. When a mobile robot performs each task function, however, the mobile robot is challenged by a variety of user habits. It is, therefore, imperative to improve the running efficiency of the mobile robot so that tasks may be executed more intelligently. At present, the content of the task function setting of a mobile robot is typically provided by developers, and users have to choose the set task function the developers provided that meets their current needs. Such developer provisioning of the task function cannot provide an optimal user-friendly experience. The mismatch between mobile robot function and user preferences very often wastes user time and resources.
Therefore, the robotics industry's research and focus are now concentrated on how to make the mobile robot complete a task more efficiently and intelligently. It is also desirable to improve the economy of the user's time when employing a mobile robot to perform a task.

Task optimization method and task optimization device in mobile robot


The invention relates to a cutter assembly for use in a meat grinder which consists of a disc perforated by bores of diameters which vary over the length of the bores thereby to provide dwell and massage zones and a rotatable knife in sliding engagement with one of the surfaces of the disc, the knife consisting of a peripheral ring and a hub with a plurality of evenly spaced first knife blades extending from the ring toward the hub, a plurality of evenly spaced second knife blades extending from the hub toward the ring, and a plurality of evenly spaced third knife blades extending from the hub to the ring, the knife blades forming between them cutting zones. The configuration of the perforations and the knife blades ensures cutting raw materials into particles of uniform size.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention, in general, relates to a cutter assembly and, more particularly, to a combination of a perforated disc and a knife for use in meat grinders or similar diminution machinery provided with feed screws or augers rotatably mounted in a pressure housing and with single or multiple-component cutter sets.
2. The Prior Art
In its simplest form, a cutter set for meat grinders is made up of a perforated disc rigidly mounted in the cutter housing of the meat grinder and of a knife associated with the perforated disc and rotatably driven by the feed auger provided with an axial stub for receiving the knife. An arrangement of a plurality of knives and perforated discs constitutes a multiple-component cutter assembly.
During rotation of the knives, their cutting edges move over the surfaces of the perforated discs to chop the material advanced against the surfaces of the perforated disc facing the interior of the housing or, in the event, the flow of the material. The perforations in the discs are fabricated in various ways and, depending upon their disposition in the surface of the disc, they participate in the acceptance and movement of the material. The reason for this is that the perforations or bores are distributed over the entire surface of a disc, arranged in different coordinates and disposed in different ways relative to the arms of the knives. The different dispositions and different pressure build-up in the raw material lead to different feed processes in individual perforations or segments of a perforated disc.
The state of the art is replete with perforated discs and rotary knives used in such cutter assemblies. The perforated discs serve not only to receive within their perforations the material being processed, but also to compact and support the material, their edges functioning as counter blades for the rotating knife to accomplish the cutting or chopping action.
To function as counter blades the perforated discs are made from tool and other high-quality steels of a Rockwell C hardness of between about 50 and about 62. Moreover, the selected material, the perforation density and the number of perforations in a given disc are of the utmost importance as regards the rate of feed of material through the disc, and they bear upon the quality of the entire cutting assembly.
Hitherto, perforated discs have been made to provide a plurality of perforations constituting bores with little resistance to material feeding, care being always taken to ensure disposition of these perforations such that they provide sharp edges relative to the surface of the disc and to provide a high-grade surface smoothness to interfere as little as possible with the feeding of the material through the perforations.
Thus, German Patent DD 277,399 relates to the problem of an optimum perforation density in a disc. As disclosed, the surface ratio between perforated and non-perforated areas is between 0.2 and 0.3, the density is between <60 and 80%. The connected surface portions are said to constitute a system of secondary cutting edges, and the width of a perforated disc structured in this manner is to be in certain proportion to the diameters of the perforations. The width of perforated discs structured in this manner is to between about 0.125 to about 0.25 times the diameter of the bores.
German Patents 3,821,930 and 4,338,347 relate to the material of perforated discs relative to mechanical processing and to its matching with a given knife. In particular, German Patent 3,821,930 describes a meat grinder the perforated disc and knives of which are covered by a ceramic coating. Suitable ceramic materials are aluminum oxide (Al.sub.2 O.sub.3), zirconium oxide (ZO.sub.2), silicon carbide (SiC) or mixtures of such materials.
With a view to reducing the technical complexity of the manufacture and its costs, German patent 4,338,347 discloses a perforated disc for meat grinder cutter sets made of grey cast iron, preferably spheroidal graphite cast iron or laminar cast iron with a Rockwell C hardness between about 25 and 28.
All perforated discs hitherto known have been structured in the mentioned manner, care having always been taken to ensure the perforations are as sharpedged as possible and that the wall surfaces of the perforations were as smooth as possible for feeding the material through the disc perforations substantially without interference. This has been found to be disadvantageous, however, because the material could only be fed through the perforations, always in as straight a feed direction through the perforated disc and cutter set as possible. This does not, however, positively affect the cohesion of the material being chopped.
A further disadvantage of known knives and perforated discs is the different cutting sequences which leads to particles or grains of different sizes within the perforations of the disc and, hence, to different levels of pressures pressure in given areas of the perforated disc.


Polymorphs of N4-(4-([1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridin-7-yloxy)-3-methylphenyl)-N6-(4,4-dimethyl-4,5-dihydrooxazol-2-yl)quinazoline-4,6-diamine are provided herein. Processes for preparing the polymorphs and pharmaceutical composition comprising the polymorphs are also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
Polymorphs of N4-(4-([1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridin-7-yloxy)-3-methylphenyl)-N6-(4,4-dimethyl-4,5-dihydrooxazol-2-yl)quinazoline-4,6-diamine are provided herein. Also, pharmaceutical compositions comprising polymorphs of N4-(4-([1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridin-7-yloxy)-3-methylphenyl)-N6-(4,4-dimethyl-4,5-dihydrooxazol-2-yl)quinazoline-4,6-diamine and processes for preparing the polymorphs are provided herein.
2. Description of the State of the Art
N4-(4-([1,2,4]Triazolo[1,5-a]pyridin-7-yloxy)-3-methylphenyl)-N6-(4,4-dimethyl-4,5-dihydrooxazol-2-yl)quinazoline-4,6-diamine (also called "ARRY-380"), which has the structure:
is a selective ErbB2 (HER2) inhibitor described in WO 2007/059257, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. N4-(4-([1,2,4]Triazolo[1,5-a]pyridin-7-yloxy)-3-methylphenyl)-N6-(4,4-dimethyl-4,5-dihydrooxazol-2-yl)quinazoline-4,6-diamine has been tested in human clinical trials for hyperproliferative diseases, particularly cancer (see Koch, Kevin. "ARRY-380: A Selective, Oral HER2 Inhibitor for the Treatment of Solid Tumors." American Association of Cancer Research 102nd Annual Meeting, Apr. 3, 2011; which may also be found at: http://www.arraybiopharma.com/_documents/Publication/PubAttachment462.pdf).
Polymorphism is the occurrence of different crystalline forms of a single compound and it is a property of some compounds and complexes. Thus, polymorphs are distinct solids sharing the same molecular formula, yet each polymorph may have distinct solid state physical properties. Therefore, a single compound may give rise to a variety of polymorphic forms where each form has different and distinct solid state physical properties, such as different solubility profiles, melting point temperatures, flowability, dissolution rates and/or different X-ray diffraction peaks. These practical physical characteristics are influenced by the conformation and orientation of molecules in the unit cell, which defines a particular polymorphic form of a substance. Due to the possibility of variable solubility of each polymorph, identifying the existence of pharmaceutical polymorphs is essential for providing pharmaceuticals with predictable solubility profiles. It is desirable to investigate all solid state forms of a drug, including all polymorphic forms, and to determine the stability, dissolution and flow properties of each polymorphic form. Polymorphic forms of a compound can be distinguished in a laboratory by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, such as X-ray powder diffraction ("XRPD"), and by other methods, such as infrared spectrometry. Additionally, polymorphic forms of the same drug substance or active pharmaceutical ingredient can be administered by itself or formulated as a drug product (pharmaceutical composition) and are well known in the pharmaceutical art to affect, for example, the solubility, stability, flowability, tractability and compressibility of drug substances and the safety and efficacy of drug products. For more, see Hilfiker, Rolf (ed.), Polymorphism in the Pharmaceutical Industry. Weinheim, Germany: Wiley-VCH 2006.
The discovery of new polymorphic forms of a pharmaceutically useful compound provides a new opportunity to improve the performance characteristics of a pharmaceutical product. It has now been surprisingly found that new crystalline forms of N4-(4-([1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridin-7-yloxy)-3-methylphenyl)-N6-(4,4-dimethyl-4,5-dihydrooxazol-2-yl)quinazoline-4,6-diamine exist.

Polymorphs of ARRY-380, a selective HER 2 inhibitor and pharmaceutical compositions containing them


An immunoconjugate in which a phosphate-prodrugged DNA minor groove binding agent of formula (I), where X is a nucleophilically displaceable leaving group, is conjugated to an antibody or an antigen binding fragment of an antibody, and compounds that can be used for making such immunoconjugates, and uses of such immunoconjugates.

This invention relates to therapeutic immunoconjugates, compositions that can be utilized to make them, and methods of making and using such compositions and immunoconjugates.
The natural products CC-1065 and the duocarmycins are potent cytotoxic agents that bind to the minor groove of DNA. They are characterized by a fused cyclopropyl ring (dotted box in structures below) that is destabilized by conformational changes induced upon binding within the minor groove and reacts with a DNA adenine base in a ring-opening alkylation reaction. The damage to the DNA can be irreparable, leading to cell death.

The potency of these natural products has stimulated research aimed at developing analogs useful as anti-cancer drugs. See, e.g., Cacciari et al. 2000 and Suckling 2004. (Full citations of the documents cited herein by first author or inventor and year are listed at the end of this specification. Such listed documents are incorporated herein by reference.) The analogs have either the fused cyclopropyl pharmacophore or a ring-opened (seco) equivalent thereof, as shown in the structures below, where Ar represents an aromatic ring that typically is phenyl or pyrrole and X represents a leaving group such as Cl or Br. The seco form is convertible to the cyclopropyl form by the elimination of HX, a process that can occur either in vitro or in vivo.

Hereinafter the term "minor groove binding agent" or "MGBA" will be used to refer to CC-1065/duocarmycin type compounds having the fused cyclopropyl ring or its seco form, although other types of DNA minor groove binding compounds are known.
Immunoconjugates represent an area of high current interest in anti-cancer therapy. In an immunoconjugate, a drug moiety is conjugated (covalently linked) to an antibody whose antigen is uniquely expressed or overexpressed by a cancer cell ("tumor associated antigen"). In binding to its antigen, the antibody functions as a targeting agent for delivering the drug moiety to the cancer cell with high specificity. The antigen can be a protein on the surface of the cancer cell. Upon binding of the antibody to the antigen, the antigen-immunoconjugate complex is internalized and eventually finds its way inside a vesicular body such as a lysosome, where the covalent linker between the drug moiety and the antibody is cleaved, liberating the drug moiety to exert its cytotoxic effect. Alternatively, the tumor associated antigen can be one that is secreted by tumor cells into the vicinal extracellular space.
Advantageously, the covalent linker is designed such that cleavage is effected by a factor prevalent inside a lysosome but not in plasma. One such factor is the lower lysosomal pH, so that the covalent linker can be an acid-sensitive group such as a hydrazone. Another such factor is the generally higher intracellular concentration of glutathione, allowing for the cleavage of disulfide covalent linkers by a disulfide exchange mechanism. Yet another such factor is the presence of lysosomal enzymes such as cathepsin B, which can cleave peptidyl linkers designed to be preferred substrates (Dubowchik et al. 2002).
Their potency makes MGBAs attractive candidates for the drug moiety in an immunoconjugate. Illustrative disclosures relating to MGBAs and their use in immunoconjugates include: Boyd et al. 2008 and 2010; Chen et al. 2010; Gangwar et al. 2008; Ng et al. 2002, 2006a, 2006b, 2009a, 2009b, and 2010; and Sufi et al. 2010.
There exists the possibility of adventitious cleavage of the covalent linker while the immunoconjugate is still in general circulation and has not yet been delivered to the target cancer cell, resulting in the premature release of the drug moiety and posing the risk of systemic toxicity. Such risk is of particular concern where the drug moiety is a highly potent cytotoxin such as an MGBA. However, where an immunoconjugate employs a seco-MGBA, the risk can be reduced by derivatizing the phenolic hydroxyl group to block conversion to the cyclopropyl form. Then, in the event of adventitious cleavage, what is released is an inactive derivatized seco-MGBA. By selecting a derivative that is cleaved inside a lysosome, the derivative functions as a prodrugging group and provides a safety factor: two cleavages, of the linker and of the prodrugging group, must occur before active cytotoxin is released.
One such prodrugging group is a carbamate, which can be cleaved by lysosomal and/or cytosolic carboxyesterase as shown below. (Ra and Rb represent generic radical groups.) For illustrative disclosures relating to seco-MGBA immunoconjugates prodrugged with a carbamate group, see Aristoff et al. 1991; Boger et al. 1999; Boyd et al. 2008 and 2010; Chen et al. 2010; Gangwar et al. 2008; Kobayashi 1994; Ng et al. 2002, 2006a, 2006b, 2009a, 2009b, and 2010; Sufi et al. 2010; and Zhao et al. 2010.

Another prodrugging group that can be used with seco-MGBAs is a phosphate, in which case the cleaving enzyme is a phosphatase, found inside lysosomes and/or in the cytosol. Illustrative disclosures relating to phosphate prodrugging groups in seco-MGBAs include Boyd et al. 2010, Chen et al. 2009, Glazier 2003, King et al. 2011, Kutyavin et al. 1997, Ng et al. 2002, Zhao et al. 2002a and 2002b, and Zhao et al. 2010.
An MGBA compound that has been extensively studied has the structure (A) (Boyd et al. 2008 and Sufi et al. 2010). It has a carbamate prodrugging group; a valine-citrulline (Val-Cit, recited in N-to-C direction, i.e., from the amino (NH2) terminus to the carboxyl (CO2H) terminus) dipeptide linker, designed to be cleaved by cathepsin B (Dubowchik et al. 2002); and a maleimide group, for immunoconjugation by the Michael addition of an antibody sulfhydryl group. An immunoconjugate of compound (A) and an anti-CD70 antibody has been undergoing clinical trials.

Immunoconjugates, compositions for making them, and methods of making and use


A vehicle door opens and closes a door opening which is defined between a pillar and a fender formed with a wheel arch. The vehicle door and disposed adjacent to the wheel arch has a door extension extending to the wheel arch and shaped so as to conceal part of the fender between the door opening and the wheel arch.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a door structure for an automobile vehicle and, more particularly, to a structure of a door which opens and closes a door opening of an automotive vehicle body disposed near a wheel arch of the vehicle body.
2. Description of Related Art
Typically, a rear door of a vehicle is disposed near a wheel arch. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a circular-arcuate wheel arch "b", which is integral with a rear fender, defines and forms a wheel space for a rear wheel. A lower rear corner portion of a door opening is defined by an arcuate portion "c" of the rear fender extending between the circular-arcuate wheel arch "b" and the door opening. The rear door "a" is shaped so as to entirely meet the door opening and be flush with the rear fender, including the arcuate fender portion "c", when the rear door "a" is closed. Such a vehicle door structure is known from, for instance, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 3-17,984.
From the standpoint of vehicle body design, separation lines appearing on the exterior of a vehicle body, for instance, between a door and a fender, make the exterior of the vehicle body appear unattractive. The vehicle body having the prior art door structure includes two separation lines, such as an arcuate peripheral edge "d" of the rear door "a" and an arcuate peripheral edge "e" of the arcuate portion "c" of the rear fender. These separation lines make the exterior of the vehicle body appear unattractive. Because the arcuate peripheral edge "d" of the rear door "a" is defined by a small extension "g" of the rear door "a" formed so as to presses a weather strip "f" against the rear fender, if an external impact is applied to the rear door "a", the small extension "g" does not effectively prevent deformation of the door.


A column for distillation or fluid-fluid separation is oriented at an angle to the horizontal other than vertical to provide increased transfer plate surface area within the interior of a column of determined diameter and to reduce overall height of the structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to industrial columns and towers commonly used for reacting, distilling, separating, and extracting multiple components. More particularly, the present invention increases the capacity of industrial columns and towers through the acutely angular installation of the column or tower.
2. Description of the Related Art
Distillation is a widely applied separation technology. Distillation is continually affected by rising energy costs, thereby making increases in efficiency desirable. Commercially-practiced distillation methods operate on differences in boiling points between liquids, separating chemicals by the difference in how easily the chemicals vaporize. Distillation is ideal when the mixture is comprised of chemicals with distinct and separate boiling points. Distillation manipulates varying volatilities of components of a process fluid by applying and removing heat under high pressure or vacuum. The application and removal of heat fractionates individual components from the process fluid.
A process fluid is introduced to the distillation column and heat is gradually applied. As heat is applied to the column, volatile components in the liquid begin to vaporize and ascend to the top of the column. As the vapor ascends to the top of the column, the vapor interacts with the descending condensed liquid, thereby providing interaction between the liquid and vapor phases. Separation between components is enhanced when there is greater contact between the vapors and the liquids. Once the vapors reach the top of the distillation column, the vapor can be partitioned away from the remaining process fluid through outlet lines positioned proximate the top of the distillation column.
Liquid-liquid extraction is widely applied for many industrial purposes, including food, chemical, pharmaceutical, and refining. Liquid-liquid extraction is ideal for purification of heat sensitive materials and for recovery of products from reactions. Liquid-liquid extraction is extensively used in the hydrocarbon industry.
While distillation focuses on the boiling points of liquids, liquid-liquid extraction focuses on chemical structure. Liquid-liquid extraction operates on mass transfer between two or more immiscible phases. A first fluid solution is contacted with a second immiscible fluid that exhibits an affinity towards one or more components in the first fluid solution. The immiscible liquid extracts the components from the first fluid solution. The components in the component-bearing immiscible fluid are not as tightly bound to the immiscible fluid, thereby permitting subsequent component separation. The effectiveness of the extraction is related to the degree of contact between the immiscible phases. An increase in contact area results in an increase in extraction rate. Therefore, various improvements directed towards greater contact within the column have yielded greater extraction results.
The vapor handling capacity of a column or tower is generally proportional to the active area of the trays. The active area is defined as the cross-sectional area through which the upward flowing vapor passes. Therefore, previous attempts in the industry to increase the capacity of columns or towers have included improvements to the internal components, or more specifically, increasing the active area of the column or tower. Despite the changes made to internal components, towers and columns have consistently been installed in a vertical orientation. Due to this orientation, the walls of the column or tower are necessarily relatively thick to withstand high force winds. Further, a substantial subterranean foundation is needed to provide stability to the vertical column or tower in high force winds or earthquakes.
One alternative known in the art for increasing the capacity of a column or tower involves increasing the number of fractional trays. Mass transfer occurs when a liquid phase contacts the vapors on the trays. Increasing the number of fractional trays throughout the column increases the interaction between the liquid and vapor phases, thereby increasing the mass transfer between the liquid and vapor phases. While increasing the number of trays in the column is beneficial, the increases in capacity are limited. A specific spacing between the trays is required to facilitate proper operation of the column. If the trays are too close together or too far apart, the column may flood, thereby terminating throughput. Consequently, an increase in the number of trays necessarily increases the height of the column. Depending on restrictions in space and expense, increasing the number of trays may not be feasible.
Another alternative for increasing the capacity of a column is to increase the column diameter. By increasing the column diameter, the surface area of the trays is effectively increased, resulting in a larger active area for interaction between the vapors and liquids.
Previous attempts at modifying downcomer design have also increased the capacity of an industrial column. Downcomers facilitate movement of liquids between the trays. Trays are alternately installed throughout the contactor, wherein one portion of the tray is fixedly attached to the column in a horizontal orientation, and a second portion of the tray is free. Downcomers extend vertically downward from the free end of each tray. The position of the downcomer can affect the overall capacity of the column. Downcomers introduce inactive area within the column, wherein the species within the column do not interact. Recent improvements in the art have included modifying downcomer design to convert the inactive area into an active area, thereby increasing the overall active area. Attempts have included hanging downcomers, wherein the area under the downcomer is made into an active area, either with perforated holes or directional valves. While modifying downcomer design has resulted in increased capacity, installation and maintenance of hanging downcomers is difficult. Further, improper installation and maintenance can actually decrease the overall capacity of the column or tower.


A method and apparatus is provided for use in connection with a downhole formation testing instrument for acquisition of a phase intact sample of connate fluid for delivery via a pressure containing sample tank to a laboratory facility. One or more fluid sample tanks contained within the instrument are pressure balanced with respect to the wellbore at formation level and are filled with a connate fluid sample in such manner that during filling of the sample tanks the pressure of the connate fluid is maintained within the predetermined range above the bubble point of the fluid sample. The sample tank incorporates an internal free-floating piston which separates the sample tank into sample containing and pressure balancing chambers with the pressure balancing chamber being in communication with borehole pressure. The sample tank is provided with a cut-off valve enabling the pressure of the fluid sample to be maintained after the formation testing instrument has been retrieved from the wellbore for transportation to a laboratory facility. To compensate for pressure decrease upon cooling of the sample tank and its contents, the piston pump mechanism of the instrument has the capability of increasing the pressure of the sample sufficiently above the bubble point of the sample that any pressure reduction that occurs upon cooling will not decrease the pressure of the fluid sample below its bubble point.

The sampling of fluids contained in subsurface earth formations provides a method of testing formation zones of possible interest by recovering a sample of any formation fluids present for later analysis in a laboratory environment while causing a minimum of damage to the tested formations. The formation sample is essentially a point test of the possible productivity of subsurface earth formations. Additionally, a continuous record of the control and sequence of events during the test is made at the surface. From this record, valuable formation pressure and permeability data as well as data determinative of fluid compressibility, density and relative viscosity can be obtained for formation reservoir analysis.
Early formation fluid sampling instruments such as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,674,313 were not fully successful as a commercial service because they were limited to a single test on each trip into the borehole. Later instruments were suitable for multiple testing; however, the success of these testers depended to some extent on the characteristics of the particular formations to be tested. For example, where earth formations were unconsolidated, a different sampling apparatus was required than in the case of consolidated formations.
Down-hole multi-tester instruments have been developed with extensible sampling probes for engaging the borehole wall at the formation of interest for withdrawing fluid samples therefrom and measuring pressure. In downhole instruments of this nature it is typical to provide an internal draw-down piston which is reciprocated hydraulically or electrically to increase the internal volume of a fluid receiving chamber within the instrument after engaging the borehole wall. This action reduces the pressure at the instrument formation interface causing fluid to flow from the formation into the fluid receiving chamber of the tool. Heretofore, the pistons accomplish suction activity only while moving in one direction. On the return stroke the piston simply discharges the formation fluid sample through the same opening through which it was drawn and thus provides no pumping activity. Additionally, unidirectional piston pumping systems of this nature are capable of moving the fluid being pumped in only one direction and thus causes the sampling system to be relatively slow in operation.
Early down-hole multi-tester instruments were not provided with a capacity for substantially continuous pumping of formation fluid. Even large capacity tools have heretofore been limited to a maximum draw-down collection capability of only about 1000 cc and they have not heretofore had the capability of selectively pumping various fluids to and from the formation, to and from the borehole, from the borehole to the formation, or from the formation to the borehole. U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,612 describes a Multiple Flow Rate Formation Testing Device and Method which allows the relatively small volume draw-down volume to be discharged into the wellbore or to be forced back into the formation. The use of "passive" valves as taught in this method precludes reverse flow. This method does provide for limited or one shot reverse flow much like a hypodermic needle but transferring large volumes of fluid between two reservoirs in a near continuous manner is not achievable with this method. It is desirable, therefore, to provide a down-hole fluid sampling tool with enhanced pumping capability with an unlimited capacity for discharge of formation fluid into the wellbore and with the capability to achieve bi-directional fluid pumping to enable a reverse flow activity that permits fluid to be transferred to or from a formation. It is also desirable to provide a down-hole testing instrument having the capability of selectively pumping differing fluids such as formation fluid, known oils, known water, known mixtures of oil and water, known gas-liquid mixtures, and/or completion fluid to thereby permit in situ determination of formation permeability, relative permeability and relative viscosity and to verify the effect of a selected formation treatment fluid on the producibility of connate fluid present in the formation.
In all cases known heretofore, down-hole multi-test sampling apparatus incorporates a fluid circuit for the sampling system which requires the connate fluid extracted from the formation, together with any foreign matter such as fine sand, rocks, mud-cake, etc. encountered by the sampling probe, to be drawn into a relatively small volume chamber and which is discharged into the borehole when the tool is closed as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,152. Before closing, a sample can be allowed to flow into a sample tank through as separate but parallel circuit. Other methods provide for the sample to be collected through the same fluid circuit.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,813,936 describes a "valve member 55" in column 11, lines 10-25 which forces trapped wellbore fluids in a "reverse flow" through a screen member as the "valve member 55" is retracted. This limited volume reverse flow is intended to clean the screen member and is not comparable to bi-directional flow described in this disclosure because of the limited volume.
Mud filtrate is forced into the formation during the drilling process. This filtrate must be flushed out of the formation before a true, uncontaminated sample of the connate fluid can be collected. Prior art sampling devices have a first sample tank to collect filtrate and a second to collect connate fluid. The problem with this procedure is that the volume of filtrate to be removed is not known. For this reason it is desirable to pump formation fluid that is contaminated with filtrate from the formation until uncontaminated connate fluid can be identified and produced. Conventional down-hole testing instruments do not have an unlimited fluid pumping capability and therefore cannot ensure complete flushing of the filtrate contaminant prior to sampling.
Estimates of formation permeability are routinely made from the pressure change produced with one or more draw-down piston. These analyses require that the viscosity of the fluid flowing during pumping be known. This is best achieved by injecting a fluid of known viscosity from the tool into the formation and comparing its viscosity with recovered formation fluid. The permeability determined in this manner can then be reliably compared to the formations in off-site wells to optimize recovery of fluid.
A reversible pump direction will also allow a known fluid to be injected from the tool or borehole into the formation. For example, treatment fluid stored within an internal tank or compartment of the instrument or drawn from the wellbore may be injected into the formation. After injection, additional draw-downs and/or sampling may take place to determine the effect of the treatment or completion fluid on the producibility of the formation. Early formation sampling instruments have not been provided with features to determine the optimum sampling pressures. The present invention also provides a positive method for overcoming differential sticking of the packer by pumping fluid into the formation at a high pressure thereby unseating the packer.
The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art by providing method and apparatus for achieving in situ pressure, volume and temperature (PVT) measurement through utilization of a double-acting, bi-directional fluid control system incorporating a double-acting bi-directional piston pump capable of achieving pumping activity at each direction of its stroke and capable through valve stroke to achieve bi-directional fluid flow and having the capability of selectively discharging acquired connate fluid into the wellbore or into sample containing vessels or pumping fluid from the wellbore or a sample containing vessel into the formation. The connate fluid samples are acquired in such manner that the sample does not undergo phase separation at any point in the sample acquisition process.

Method and apparatus for acquiring and processing subsurface samples of connate fluid


A main chain-type or side chain-type polymeric compound having a structure wherein at least one metal complex segment having a plurality ligands is introduced into a main chain or a side chain is provided. In the case where the polymeric compound is the main chain-type polymeric compound, the metal complex segment has at least one ligand constituting a polymer main chain of the polymeric compound and having a carbon atom and oxygen atom bonded to a metal atom. On the other hand, in the case where the polymeric compound is the side chain-type polymeric compound, a polymer main chain thereof has a conjugated structure, preferably a conjugated double bond. A ligand for the polymeric compound includes a chain or cyclic ligand, of which a bidentate ligand having an organic cyclic structure is preferred, and the ligand has at least one carbon atom or oxygen atom and is bonded to a center metal atom, preferably iridium, via the carbon atom or oxygen atom. In a case of forming a luminescence layer by using the polymeric compound as a luminescent material, a resultant organic luminescence device is less liable to cause a concentration extinction and is a high-luminescence efficiency device excellent in stability.

An old example of organic luminescence device is, e.g., one using luminescence of a vacuum-deposited anthracene film (Thin Solid Films, 94 (1982) 171). In recent years, however, in view of advantages, such as easiness of providing a large-area device compared with an inorganic luminescence device, and possibility of realizing desired luminescence colors by development of various new materials and drivability at low voltages, an extensive study thereon for device formation as a luminescence device of a high-speed responsiveness and a high efficiency, has been conducted.
As described in detail in, e.g., Macromol. Symp. 125, 1-48 (1997), an organic EL device generally has a structure comprising upper and lower two electrodes, and (a plurality of) organic compound layers including a luminescence layer between the electrodes formed on a transparent substrate.
For the luminescence layer, aluminum guinolynol complexes (a representative example thereof is Alq3 shown hereinafter), etc., having an electron-transporting characteristic and luminescence characteristic are used. For a hole-transporting layer, e.g., biphenyldiamine derivatives (a representative example thereof is α-NPD shown hereinafter), etc., having an electron-donative characteristic are used.
These devices have a rectifying characteristic, and when an electric field is applied between electrodes, electrons are injected from a cathode into the luminescence layer and holes are injected from an anode.
The injected holes and electrons are recombined within the luminescence layer to form excitons and cause luminescence when transferred to the ground state.
In this process, an excited state includes an excited singlet state and an excited triplet state, and the transition from the former state to the ground state is called "fluorescence" and the transition from the latter state to the ground state is called "phosphorescence". And the substances in these excited states are called a singlet exciton and a triplet exciton, respectively.
In most of the organic luminescence devices studied heretofore, fluorescence caused by the transition from the excited singlet state to the ground state, has been utilized. On the other hand, in recent years, devices utilizing phosphorescence via triplet excitons have been studied.
Representative published literature may include:    Article 1: Improved energy transfer in electrophosphorescent device (D. F. O'Brien, et al., Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 74, No. 3, p. 422 (1999)); and    Article 2: Very high-efficiency green organic light-emitting devices based on electrophosphorescence (M. A. Baldo, et al., Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 75, No. 1, p. 4 (1999)).
In these articles, a structure including 4 lamination layers as organic layers sandwiched between electrodes has been principally used. Materials used therein include carrier-transporting materials and phosphorescent materials. Abbreviations for the respective materials are as follows.    Alq3: aluminum quinolinol complex    α-NPD: N4,N4′-di-naphthalene-1-yl-N4,N4′-diphenyl-biphenyl-4,4′-diamine    CBP: 4,4′-N,N′-dicarbazole-biphenyl    BCP: 2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline    PtOEP: platinum-octaethylporphyrin complex    Ir(ppy)3: iridium-phenylpyrimidine complex

The above-mentioned Articles 1 and 2 both have reported devices exhibiting a high efficiency, including a hole-transporting layer comprising α-NPD, an electron-transporting layer comprising Alq3, an exciton diffusion-preventing layer comprising BCP, and a luminescence layer comprising CBP as a host material and ca. 6% of PtOEP or Ir(ppy)3 as a phosphorescent material dispersed in mixture therein.
Such a phosphorescent material is particularly noted at present because it is expected to provide a high luminescence efficiency in principle for the following reasons.
Excitons formed by carrier recombination comprise singlet excitons and triplet excitons in a probability ratio of 1:3. Conventional organic EL devices have utilized fluorescence of which the luminescence efficiency is limited to at most 25%, which has been an upper limit. However, if phosphorescence generated from triplet excitons is utilized, an efficiency of at least three times is expected in principle, and even an efficiency of 100%, i.e., four times, can be expected in principle, if a transition owing to intersystem crossing from a singlet state having a higher energy to a triplet state is taken into account.
Articles describing luminescence from the triplet state may include Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application (JP-A) 11-329739 (organic EL device and production process thereof), JP-A 11-256148 (luminescent material and organic EL device using the same), and JP-A 8-319482 (organic electroluminescent device).
However, like a fluorescent-type device, such an organic luminescence device utilizing above-mentioned phosphorescence is generally required to be further improved regarding the deterioration of luminescence efficiency and device stability.
The reason of the deterioration has not been fully clarified, but the present inventors consider deterioration occurs based on the mechanism of phosphorescence.
In the case where the organic luminescence layer comprises a host material having a carrier-transporting function and a phosphorescent guest material, a main process of phosphorescence via triplet excitons may include unit processes as follows:    1. transportation of electrons and holes within a luminescence layer,    2. formation of host excitons,    3. excitation energy transfer between host molecules,    4. excitation energy transfer from the host to the guest,    5. formation of guest triplet excitons, and            6. transition of the guest triplet excitons to the ground state and phosphorescence.
Desirable energy transfer in each unit process and luminescence are caused in competition with various energy deactivation processes.
Needless to say, a luminescence efficiency of an organic luminescence device is increased by increasing the luminescence quantum yield of a luminescence center material, but it is also an important factor to increase its concentration. However, if the the concentration of luminescent excitons is too high, the luminescence intensity is rather lowered as also disclosed in JP-A 05-078655 or JP-A 05-320633. This phenomenon is known as concentration extinction or concentration deactivation. The reason for the phenomenon may be associated with radiationless transition with no luminescence due to progress of polymer formation reaction between luminescence center material molecules or those and their surrounding material molecules, as the above-mentioned competition reaction. Accordingly, it has been known that there is an appropriate concentration as a spatial density of luminescence excitons for improving a luminescence efficiency, irrespective of fluorescent material or phosphorescent material.
According to Article 3: Photophysics of metal-organic π-conjugated polymers, K. D. Ley et al., Coordination Chemistry Reviews 171 (1998), pp. 287-307, using a main chain-type polymeric compound comprising a metal complex segment, as a luminescent material, as a part of a main chain; photoluminescence is measured by using the following compound and application thereof to an organic luminescence device is also suggested.

However, according to experience of the present inventors, the above-mentioned main chain-type polymeric compound has an unstable C═O bond contained in Re complex, thus being considered to be lacking in stability as a compound. Further, the polymeric compound contains a polymer main chain including triple bond, thus also being considered to be lacking in photostability.
On the other hand, an embodiment using a side chain-type polymeric compound, represented by a formula shown below, having a metal complex segment in a polymer side chain as a phosphorescent material has been described in Article 4: Polymer electro-phosphorescent devices using a copolymer of Ir(ppy)2-bound 2-(4-Vinylphenyl)pyridine with N-vinylcarbazole, Change-Lyoul Lee et al., 3rd International Conference on Electroluminescence of Molecular materials and Related Phenomena, Program and Abstracts, 0-18, Sep., 5-8, 2001.

However, when a metal complex segment is introduced into a polymeric compound skeleton in the case where the metal complex segment has a conjugated structure, a conjugated (structure) proportion in the polymeric compound can readily be finally increased by constituting the polymer main chain skeleton with the conjugated structure rather than the case of having the metal complex segment in the side chain. By having a higher conjugated proportion in the polymeric compound, a higher electroconductivity is liable to be attained, thus allowing a preparation of a device possessing a high luminescence efficiency.

Polymeric compound and organic luminescence device


An electromagnetic radiation amplification device comprising an electron gun for introducing a stream of electrons into an electron drift tube/wavequide in which an axial magnetic field and a wiggler magnetic field have been induced to impart a helical gyration to the electrons as they travel parallel to the tube. The axial, or guide, magnetic field is directed in the direction opposite to the direction of propagation of the electrons if the electrons have a right handed helical gyration and is directed in the direction of propagation of the electrons if the electrons have a left handed helical gyration.

Lasers produce an intense, coherent beam of light which is useful in many fields, including, for instance, medical surgery, fiberoptic communications, industrial heating and cutting, and radar. The term laser is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Although the acronym laser is specific to electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectrum (light), devices exist for producing radiation throughout the electromagnetic spectrum by stimulated emission of radiation. For instance, masers produce Microwave energy Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
Atomic lasers are the most common type of laser in use today. Atomic lasers amplify light at well defined frequencies which correspond to discrete electron energy transitions which occur within the atoms which comprise the lasing medium. For instance, an argon atomic laser can produce light only of a distinct wavelength corresponding to the possible electron energy transitions which may occur within an argon atom.
The present belongs to another class of lasers, known as free electron lasers. Free electron lasers do not depend on discrete energy transitions in atoms, but rather produce radiation through the interaction of free electrons in a magnetic field with an electromagnetic wave. A free electron laser can produce high powered, coherent radiation in a broad range of frequencies, and in theory throughout the entire electromagnetic spectrum dependent on proper matching of operating parameters. Further, while atomic lasers are typically characterized by efficiencies of less than 10%, free electron lasers are theoretically capable of efficiencies in excess of 50%.
In a free electron laser, a stream of free electrons is caused to travel through a vacuum at relativistic speeds (e.g., speeds exceeding of about 10% of the speed of light). The electrons are not tied to atoms as in atomic lasers. Because the electrons are free, they are not limited to particular energy level transitions and, therefore, can be caused to emit radiation essentially throughout the electromagnetic spectrum depending on various conditions. Dozens of schemes have been devised for amplifying electromagnetic radiation by means of free electron interaction.
For a free electron laser to produce electromagnetic radiation of more than negligible power, the electrons in the electron beam must be caused to physically bunch together. This is because the power radiated by a non-bunched stream of electrons is only the power of each electron multiplied by the number of electrons. However, Maxwell's equation dictates that if electrons are bunched together in a group much smaller than the wavelength of the emitted radiation, the power of the radiation is given by the power of each electron multiplied by the number of electrons squared.
Bunching can occur when a light wave traverses an undulating magnetic field because the spatial variations of the field and the electromagnetic wave combine to produce a beat wave (or interference pattern), which is called a ponderomotive wave. The ponderomotive wave propagates at less than the speed of light and thus can be synchronous with the electrons in the electron beam. Electrons which are synchronous with the ponderomotive wave are said to be in resonance with the ponderomotive wave and will thus experience a constant field corresponding to the portion of the ponderomotive wave with which it is traveling in synchronism. The details of the amplification of electromagnetic radiation from this interaction are not dealt with in detail here since detailed explanations can be obtained from other sources, such as the Encyclopedia Of Lasers And Optical Technology, Robert A. Meyers, Editor, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1991 and references cited therein.
In short, proper matching of the velocity of the electrons to the velocity of the ponderomotive wave causes a resonance condition in which a very strong interaction between the electrons and the ponderomotive wave occurs causing electron bunching and stimulated emission of radiation at particular "resonant frequencies". Thus, a free electron laser can be configured to amplify electromagnetic radiation, at least theoretically, throughout the electromagnetic spectrum by proper matching of the energy (velocity) of the electrons and the undulating wiggler field (upon which the ponderomotive wave as well as a component of the electron velocity depend). Amplification is not unlimited, but reaches a saturation point at which radiation emission ceases growing and no greater power (energy per unit time) can be maintained in the laser. Increasing the length of the tube will not increase power once saturation is achieved.
In a free electron laser/maser, stimulated emission of radiation at a particular resonant frequency is induced by the interaction of three elements within an electron drift tube: 1) free traveling electrons, 2) an electromagnetic wave traveling in the same direction as the electrons, and 3) a transverse, undulating magnetic field (which may be produced by a magnetic wiggler). The resonant frequency is dependent upon both the periodicity of the wiggler magnetic field and the energy of the electrons as explained more fully below.
Free electron lasers frequently also employ an axial magnetic field parallel to the direction of propagation of electrons which prevents the electrons from dispersing due to their natural tendency to repel one another. The flux lines of the axial magnetic field are directed in the direction which will tend to reinforce the rotation of the electrons induced by the wiggler field. This axial field is termed the guide field.
The magnetic field produced by the wiggler is transverse to the direction of the electron beam and the guide field. Its signal is selected to add a transverse component to the velocity of the electrons, causing them to travel in helical gyration down the electron drift tube. The electromagnetic wave traveling in the same direction as the electrons should be of a resonant frequency of the system. The interaction of the electromagnetic wave of a proper frequency with the gyrating electrons causes stimulated emission of radiation t the resonant frequency leading to amplification of the wave.
The resonant frequency is dependent upon both the periodicity of the wiggler magnetic field and the axial velocity of the electrons. However, the axial and transverse velocities of the electrons are interdependent. Further, the transverse velocity of the electrons is a function of both the wiggler periodicity and the wiggler field strength. Accordingly, any of (1) the wiggler periodicity, (2) the wiggler field strength, and (3) the axial electron velocity can be adjusted to effect the desired resonant frequency where amplification can occur. (Amplification can also occur at any harmonic of the wiggler periodicity or any harmonic of the fundamental resonant frequency).
As mentioned, the guide field is parallel to the direction of propagation of the electrons in the electron beam. Its direction is typically selected dependent upon the direction of helical rotation of the electrons imparted by the wiggler field. When the electrons travel in a straight line parallel to the guide field, the guide field will have no effect on their motion. However, if the electrons have a velocity component transverse to the guide field, then the guide field will exert a force on the charged particles. Depending on the direction of rotation of the electrons, the guide field will either reinforce the rotation or oppose it. Typically, the guide field is oriented so that its flux lines are directed in the parallel direction which reinforces the helical rotation of the electrons. Thus, if the wiggler field imparts a clockwise rotation to the electrons when viewed looking in the direction of electron propagation (hereinafter termed right handed rotation), the guide field is directed so its flux lines are in the same direction as the direction of propagation of the electron beam. If the wiggler field produces a left handed rotation in the electrons, the guide field is directed so that its flux lines are opposite to the direction of propagation of the electrons so as to reinforce the rotation. Hereinafter these guide field directions, which depend on the electron gyration direction, will be referred to as the forward guide field direction.
A forward guide field leads to an increase in the transverse electron velocity compared to what it would be in the absence of an axial magnetic field, with potential benefits such as enhanced growth rate and efficiency. A reverse axial magnetic guide field would cause the electrons to have less transverse velocity. Thus, it was believed that use of a reverse guide field would reduce the growth rate of the laser because the transverse electron velocities would be reduced.
Free electron lasers typically operate at efficiency levels of less than 10%. Thus, less than 10% of the energy contained in the electron beam is converted into electromagnetic radiation. Further, as the desired output frequency increases, power requirements to obtain the necessary resonant frequency increases rapidly, making power requirements very great for free electron lasers working at the higher microwave frequencies and above.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved free electron laser.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved free electron laser with an increased saturation level.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a higher efficiency free electron laser.


According to the shutter assembly of the present invention, since the guide groove for facilitating the insertion of the pivot shaft into the bearing hole of the second bearing part of the shutter member is formed at the opposing end surface of the second bearing part that faces to the first bearing part of the shutter member so that the guide groove is opened to the opposing end surface and is along the direction orthogonal to the axial-line direction of the pivot shaft, it is possible to easily and accurately form the guide groove.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shutter assembly mounted on a optical adapter to which one optical cable with an optical connecter is detachably coupled from a first side and the other optical cable is coupled from a second side opposite to the first side.
2. Related Art
There is a conventionally known configuration wherein one optical cable can be coupled with another optical cable through an optical adapter which accepts an optical connector for terminating an optical cable and facilitating connection to and/or separation from another device. The optical adapter is configured such that a first end side and a second end side of an internal space sectioned by a bottom wall, a pair of side walls and an upper wall respectively form first and second accommodating sections which accept first and second optical cables, and a hollow sleeve into which ferrules of the first and second optical cables are inserted is provided at an intermediate portion in the optical adapter. In a case where the optical adapter is used in a state where the optical cable is inserted into only one of the first and second accommodating sections of the optical adapter (in other words, in a case where the optical adapter is used in a state where the optical cable inserted into the one of the first and second accommodating sections is terminated within the optical adapter), there may occur such problems that dust or dirt is attached to a distal end of the inserted optical cable, and a user directly looks at light from the optical cable. In order to prevent the problems from occurring, there is a conventionally known configuration including a shutter member coupled in a swingable manner with a first-end-side edge of the bottom wall via a pivot shaft so as to open or close an opening end of the optical adapter sectioned by first-end-side edges of the bottom wall, the pair of side walls and the upper wall (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-148483).
When such shutter member is attached to the optical adapter, the pivot shaft is first inserted through a first bearing part of the shutter member from an outer end surface thereof, which is on a side opposite to another second bearing part of the shutter member.
After the pivot shaft is passed through the first bearing part, the pivot shaft going out of an end surface of the first bearing part facing to the second bearing part is then inserted into a bearing part provided on the optical adapter. The pivot shaft, which has been inserted through the bearing part of the optical adapter is finally inserted through the second bearing part from an end surface thereof facing to the first bearing part.
There is a known conventional configuration wherein a guide hole (which is also so-called a countersunk hole) opened to an end surface (an insert-side end surface) of the bearing part positioned on a side from which the pivot shaft is inserted and having a diameter which becomes smaller as a distance to an end surface (an exsert-side end surface) positioned on a side from which the inserted pivot shaft goes out becomes larger, in order to enhance assembly workability of the shutter member by facilitating the insertion of the pivot shaft into the respective bearing parts. The provision of the guide hole enlarges an opening diameter of the bearing part at the insert-side end surface of the bearing part positioned on the side from which the pivot shaft is inserted, which makes it easy to insert the pivot shaft.
However, it is difficult to provide the guide hole at the insert-side end surface of the second bearing part, which is the end surface facing to the first bearing part. That is, in a case where the shutter member integrally including the first and second bearing parts is formed, it becomes necessary to release a die used for the formation of the guide hole in an axial-line direction of the first and second bearing parts (a direction where the pivot shaft is inserted) in order to form the guide hole in the bearing parts of the shutter member. However, since a distance between the end surfaces of the first and second bearing parts that face to each other cannot be set to be large due to a demanded size of the shutter member, it is difficult to provide the die for the guide hole between the first and second bearing parts. Further, if the die for the guide hole is hypothetically provided, it is still difficult to release the die in the axial-line direction. As a result, accuracy in forming the guide hole is deteriorated, which, in fact, deteriorates assembly workability of the shutter member.


A storage device includes a main block including a plurality of sub-blocks, a peripheral circuit configured to perform a program operation, a read operation or an erase operation on the sub-blocks, and a control logic configured to control the peripheral circuit so that the erase operation of the sub-blocks is performed in a reverse order to an order of the program operation.

1. Technical Field
Various embodiments relate generally to a storage device and an operating method thereof and, more particularly, to a storage device including a three-dimensional (3D) memory cell array, and an operating method thereof.
2. Related Art
A memory system may include a memory device storing data therein and a memory controller controlling general operations of the memory device.
The memory device may include a plurality of storage devices. Each of the storage devices may include a three-dimensional (3D) memory cell array.
The 3D memory cell array may include a plurality of 3D main blocks. Each of the main blocks may include a plurality of vertical strings arranged in a vertical direction to a substrate. In addition, the storage device including the 3D memory cell array may include a peripheral circuit configured to perform a program, erase or read operation, and a control logic configured to control the peripheral circuit in response to the memory controller.

Storage device and operating method thereof


The invention relates to a new use of NAC in IVF, in a human or mammalian animal patient. In addition an effective dose regimen of NAC in IVF is proposed.

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a process by which an egg is fertilized by sperm outside the body. In vitro IVF is a major treatment for infertility when other methods of assisted reproductive technology have failed. The process involves monitoring a woman's ovulatory process, removing egg or eggs from the woman's ovaries and letting sperm fertilize them in a fluid medium in a laboratory. When a woman's natural cycle is monitored to collect a naturally selected ovum (egg) for fertilization, it is known as natural cycle IVF. The fertilized egg (zygote) is then transferred to the patient's uterus with the intention of establishing a successful pregnancy. The first successful birth of a "test tube baby", Louise Brown, occurred in 1978. Louise Brown was born as a result of natural cycle IVF. Robert G. Edwards, the physiologist who developed the treatment, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2010. (S K Kalra et al. Fertility and Sterility Vol 95, no 6 p 1888-1889. In vitro fertilization and adverse Childhood outcomes: what we know, where we are going, and how we will get there. A glimpse into what lies behind and beckons ahead. B Almog et al. Fertility and Sterility Vol 94, No 6 p 2026-2028. Promoting implantation by local injury to the endometrium).
In spite of dramatic progress in assisted reproduction technology over the past 25 years, the overall effectiveness of even the most advanced treatments such as IVF/embryo transfer (IVF/ET) is relatively low, averaging at about 20-30% live births per treatment cycle (Nyboe-Andersen et al., Hum Reprod. 2009; 24(6):1267-87).
Embryo transfer is an independent factor affecting the outcome of the treatment The determinants of success of embryo transfer involve the quality of embryo(s), uterine receptivity and the quality of the intrauterine environment (Cavagna and Mantese, Placenta. 2003; 24 Suppl B:S39-47).
Uterine contractions constitute the most fundamental components of uterine receptivity. Contractile activity of the uterus plays an important role in embryo implantation. Excessive uterine contractions may decrease implantation rates in IVF cycles as contractile activity might expel embryos from the uterus (Fanchin et al. Hum Reprod, 1998; 13: 1968-74). Up to date, treatment strategies to reduce uterine contractions before embryo transfer such as the use of beta agonists or non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs have not been shown to provide sufficient benefit; Moon et al., Fertil Steril 2004; 82:816-20; Tsirigotis et al. Human Reproduction and Embryology, Jun. 25-28, 2000; Bologna, Italy:).
Treatment cycles induce an abundant increase in oestradiol concentrations which are about 10-20 nmol/l at the end of ovarian stimulation as compared with less than 2 nmol/l before the ovulation in the natural cycle Supraphysiological concentrations of oestradiol are expected to induce local (endometrial) production of oxytocin, formation of oxytocin receptors, and—indirectly—formation/release of PGF2a which is in fact similar to the prelabour status. Also, both oxytocin and vasopressin are involved in induction and maintenance of uterine contractions during labour
It has been shown that uterine contractile activity in IVF cycles is increased by approximately 6-fold when measured before embryo transfer as compared with the situation before ovulation in the natural cycle. Uterine contractions play an important role in human reproduction, being actively involved in rapid and directed sperm transport and high fundal embryo implantation
In IVF/ET treatments, a progressive decrease in uterine contractions is observed after the egg collection, reaching nearly a quiescent status at the time of blastocyst transfer (5-6 days after egg collection) (Fanchin et al., Fertil Steril 2001; 75: 1136-40). Such a decrease in contractile activity is thought to further augment the higher implantation rates achieved with blastocyst transfers. However, the majority of embryos are still transferred on day 2 or 3 after fertilization, during periods of noticeable uterine contractile activity.
The embryo transfer procedure itself is expected to increase the local oxytocin and prostaglandins release Any additional manipulation of the vagina or cervix, such as the use of a tenaculum, provides an additional stimulus for oxytocin/prostaglandin release (Dorn et al., 1999), which is coupled with increases in uterine contractions). Mansour et al. demonstrated that, in more than half of patients having mock embryo transfer with methylene blue dye, the dye was seen to be transported into the vagina after the procedure (Mansour et al., Hum Reprod 1994; 9: 1257-9). It was also demonstrated that less than 50% of transferred embryos remained in the uterus 1 h after transfer and about 15% of embryos could be found in the vagina after embryo transfer (Poindexteret al. Fertil Steril, 1986; 46:262-7).
Considering the above, it has been suggested that uterine contractile activity at the time of embryo transfer and especially fundo-cervical contractions could expel embryos from the uterus Fanchin et al. Human Reprod 1998; 13:1968-74 have estimated that about 30% of patients undergoing embryo transfer have pronounced uterine contractions. In that group, success rates of IVF/ET treatment were up to 3-fold less compared with the population of patients with 'silent' uteri (16% versus 53% of clinical pregnancies). The difference was independent of the direction of uterine contractions noted during the assessments. That could imply that pharmacological inhibition of increased contractions at the time of embryo transfer could be an attractive target for potential treatment.
Interfering with the PGF2a/oxytocin systems and possibly improving endometrial perfusion could be one mechanism by which uterine contractions would decrease and improve uterine receptivity.
The effectiveness of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) usually does not exceed 30% per treatment cycle (NyboeAndersen A, Gianaroli L, Felberbaum R, de Mouzon J, Nygren K. Assisted reproductive technology in Europe, 2001. Results generated from European registers by ESHRE. Hum Reprod 2005; 20:1158-76) and is further reduced in women older than 36 years. (Stolwijk A, Wetzels A, Braat D. Cumulative probability of achieving an ongoing pregnancy after in-vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection according to a woman's age, subfertility diagnosis and primary or secondary subfertility. Hum Reprod 2000; 15:203-9)
Good quality of embryos and optimal intrauterine environment are the basic determinants of success for ET, and the whole IVF-ET procedure. Ideal intrauterine conditions that enable implantation include appropriate endometrial status, sufficient endometrial perfusion and absence of excessive uterine contractions. In particular, increased uterine contractile activity may expel embryos from the uterus. (Mansour R, Aboulghar M A, Serour G I, Amin Y M. Dummy embryo transfer using methylene blue dye. Hum Reprod 1994; 9:1257-9) (Poindexter A, Thompson D, Gibbons W. Residual embryos in failed embryo transfer. Fertil Steril 1986; 46:262-7)
Implantation and pregnancy rates are inversely correlated with the frequency of uterine contractions and prostaglandin synthesis (PG synthesis). High uterine contractile activity at ET (five or more contractions per minute) is found in about one-third of patients, and in these women clinical pregnancy rates reach 13% per cycle, in contrast to the 53% of successful pregnancies in women with lower uterine activity (three or less contractions per minute) (Fanchin R, Righini C, Olivennes F, Taylor S, de Ziegler D, Frydman R. Uterine contractions at the time of embryo transfer alter pregnancy rates after in-vitro fertilization. Hum Reprod 1998; 13:1968-74.) Moreover, irritation of the uterine cervix by the ET catheter is likely to induce additional PG synthesis and contractile reflexes and further decrease the chances of successful embryo Implantation (Lesny P, Killick S, Tetlow R, Robinson J, Maguiness S. Embryo transfer—can we learn anything new from the observation of junctional zone contractions? Hum Reprod 1998; 13:1540-6.)
However, uterine contractile activity, an important component of uterine receptivity, is currently not a subject of specific diagnosis or treatment in ET recipients. Progesterone supplementation, even when acting on uterine receptivity, improving endometrial status, and decreasing uterine contractions, shows no benefit for pregnancy rates after IVF-ET. (Fanchin R, Righini C, de Ziegler D, Olivennes F, Ledee N, Frydman R. Effects of vaginal progesterone administration on uterine contractility at the time of embryo transfer. Fertil Steril 2001; 75:1136-40.)
Studies assessing the effectiveness of piroxicam (cyclooxygenase inhibitor) and ritodrine (β2-adrenoreceptor agonist) have shown a positive effect on pregnancy rates. (Moon H, Park S, Lee J, Kim K, Joo B. Treatment with piroxicam before embryo transfer increases the pregnancy rate after in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer. Fertil Steril 2004; 82:816-20; Tsirigotis M, Pelekanos M, Gilhespie S, Gregorakis S, Pistofidis G. Ritodrine use during the peri-implantation period reduces uterine contractility and improves implantation and pregnancy rates post-implantation. Presented at the 16th annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology; Jun. 25-28, 2000; Bologna, Italy). The drugs mentioned above have failed to enter routine clinical use because of safety concerns.
Recently, Moraloglu et al. Treatment with oxytocin antagonists before embryo transfer may increase implantation rates after IVF. Reproductive biomedicine online Sep. 2010; 21(3): 338-43 reported a randomized, placebo controlled trial with a total i.v. dose of 37.5 mg of atosiban (oxytocin antagonist) infused before and up to 2 h after the embryo transfer in 160 patients. The authors noted significant improvement in both implantation rates and clinical pregnancies. Implantation rates per embryo transferred were 20.4% versus 12.6% and clinical pregnancy rates per cycle were 46.7% versus 28.9% (atosiban versus placebo). Fewer early miscarriages were noted in the study group (16.7% versus 24.4%, atosiban versus placebo).
N-acetyl-L-cysteine (hereinafter referred to as NAC) is a well-known drug, which has been used mainly as a mucolytic agent and in the treatment of paracetamol poisoning. In recent years it has also been acknowledged as having other beneficial properties, such as being anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative, and has been suggested for the treatment of a variety of different disorders and symptoms in addition to endometriosis also schizophrenia, diabetes and cancer.
To date, NAC has not been considered a drug in fertility treatment although it has been used for oral treatment of endometrioses as described in EP 2305238. In that study no conclusions about pregnancies were made. To the contrary when being treated for endometriosis it was not expected that any pregnancies could occur. Although, it has not been disclosed before, when analysing the data the inventors have noticed that there was one person who had taken NAC orally for endometriosis had a successful IVF treatment. Also two previous IVF trials had failed and resulted in an abortion. This was one of the reasons why the present inventors started investigating whether NAC could be used in connection with IVF.
Indeed, in mice, NAC was confirmed to support embryo implantation. In the animal model, embryo implantation rate was decreased when the mice were given oxytocin. NAC dose-dependently restored implantation rates in oxytocin-treated mice, which provided evidence for involvement of oxytocin in embryo implantation.

N-acetyl-L-cysteine for use in in vitro fertilization


A color image processing apparatus which codes image data while suppressing image deterioration. A color character area discrimination unit divides an input color image into 16xc3x9716-pixel blocks, and determines whether or not each block expresses color characters. In accordance with the determination result, a sub-sampling ratio switching unit switches the sampling ratio for each of color components YCrCb composing the color image data so that the sample ratio is Y:Cr:Cb=4:2:2 or Y:Cr:Cb=4:1:1. Subsequently, sampling is performed in accordance with the switched sampling ratio, and DCT, linear quantization and entropy coding are then performed.

This invention relates to a color image processing method and apparatus and, more particularly, to a color image processing method and apparatus capable of coding and storing color image data.
A conventional highly efficient compression coding scheme that is well known and developed for the international standardization is, the JPEG scheme (The Journal of the Institute of Image Electronics Engineers of Japan, Vol. 20, No. 1, 1991, pp. 50-58).
FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a general processing procedure of the JPEG scheme.
In the JPEG scheme, first, input image data is subject to sampling, and divided into 8xc3x978 pixel-blocks. Subsequently, each block is subject to a two dimensional discrete cosine transform (hereinafter, referred to as xe2x80x9cDCTxe2x80x9d) (8xc3x978 DCT 62 in FIG. 9). The obtained 8xc3x978 DCT coefficients are subject to linear quantization at the step size based on the position of each coefficient with reference to a quantization table (8xc3x978 coefficients) (Linear quantization 63 in FIG. 9). Finally, the quantized DCT coefficients are subjected to a Huffman transform. That is, on the DC coefficient, the difference with the DC coefficient of the preceding block is calculated. On the other hand, a zigzag-scan on the AC coefficients is performed to convert the two-dimensional values into one-dimensional values, an entropy coding (two dimensional coding) is performed by a pair of the run length of the zero coefficient and non-zero coefficient (Entropy coding 64 in FIG. 9), and the obtained code is output as coded data.
When the input image data is expressed in a color space (A, B, C), various expressing manners are provided for each color component. For example, pixels of each color component can be expressed as follows:
(1) When each of A, B, C components is composed of Xxc3x97Y pixels,
[No sub-sampling]; refer to FIGS. 10A-10C.
(2) When the A component is composed of Xxc3x97Y pixels, and each of the B and C components are composed of (X/2)xc3x97Y pixels, on which xc2xd sub-sampling is performed in the horizontal (X) direction,
[Sub-sampling ratio: A:B:C=4:2:2], refer to FIGS. 11A-11C.
(3) when the A component is composed of Xxc3x97Y pixels, and each of the B and C components are composed of (X/2)xc3x97(Y/2) pixels, on which the xc2xd sub-sampling is performed both in the horizontal (X) and vertical (Y) directions,
[Sub-sampling ratio: A:B:C=4:1:1], refer to FIGS. 12A-12C.
Sub-sampling is performed by using an arbitrary sub-sampling ratio in the above (Sub-sampling 61 in FIG. 9), and then, the process following the DCT is performed.
When the sub-sampling ratio is 4:2:2 (FIGS. 11A-11C), four blocks of the A component, two blocks of the B component and two blocks of the C component correspond to the same image area, respectively. If the B and C components do not severely effect the visual image, a more efficient coding can be performed by changing the sub-sampling ratio to A:B:C=4:1:1.
In the prior art, when the sub-sampling is performed in consideration of a visual characteristic, efficient coding can be performed on an overall image. However, a negative influence such as a partial image deterioration may result.
For example, when the color space of the input image data is YCbCr and the sub-sampling ratio is Y:Cb:Cr=4:1:1, if the data which is coded after the sub-sampling is decoded, a problem arises in that deterioration of image quality becomes great in more important portions of color information, such as a color character portion, in comparison with the portion of the monochromatic character and the natural picture image portions. Another problem is such that efficiency in coding color image data which includes a black/white portion is not so good if a color image coding scheme is applied to both the color and black/white portions.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a color image processing apparatus capable of compressing an image by efficiently coding the image in which image deterioration is suppressed by utilizing advantages of sub-sampling.
According to the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by a color image processing apparatus comprising: input means for inputting color image data; discrimination means for dividing the color image data input by the input means into a plurality of blocks, and discriminating whether or not each of the plurality of blocks is a block having a predetermined color characteristic; sampling means for sampling the color image data included in each of the plurality blocks by changing the sampling rate; and first coding means for coding the color image data which are sampled by the sampling means.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a color image processing method capable of efficiently coding an image in which image deterioration is suppressed by utilizing advantages of sub-sampling.
According to the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by a color image processing method comprising: an input step for inputting color image data; a discrimination step for dividing the color image data input by the input step into a plurality of blocks, and discriminating whether or not each of the plurality of blocks having a predetermined color characteristic; a sampling step for sampling the color image data included in each of the plurality of blocks by changing the sampling rate; and a coding step for coding the color image data which are sampled by the sampling step.
In accordance with the present invention as described above, before the coding of color image data, the input color image data is divided into a plurality of blocks, whether or not each block is a block having a predetermined characteristic is discriminated, the sampling rate is changed based on the discrimination result, and a sampling is performed on the color image data included in the block.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a color image processing apparatus capable of compressing an image by efficiently coding the image in which the deterioration is suppressed in accordance with he type of the block input image.
According to the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by a color image processing apparatus comprising: input means for inputting color image data; discrimination means for dividing the color image data input by the input means into a plurality of blocks, and discriminating whether each of the plurality of blocks is a block expressing a multichromatic image or a monochromatic image; and first coding means for coding the color image data based on the discrimination result by the discrimination means.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a color image processing method capable of efficiently coding an image in which the image deterioration is suppressed in accordance with the type of the block input image.
According to the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by a color image processing method comprising: an input step for inputting color image data; a discrimination step for dividing the color image data input by the input step into a plurality of blocks, and discriminating whether each of the plurality of blocks is a block expressing a multichromatic image or a monochromatic image; a first coding step for coding the color image data based on the result of the discrimination step.
The invention is particularly advantageous since coded data in which deterioration of image quality is suppressed can be obtained in consideration with the color characteristic of the image, since before the coding of color image data, the input color image data is divided into a plurality of blocks, whether or not each block is a block having a predetermined characteristic is discriminated, the sampling rate is changed based on the discrimination result, and a sampling is performed on the pixels included in the block.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.

Color image processing method and apparatus thereof


A user of a computing device may view an initial content item in a landscape orientation on a display of a computing device. When the user rotates the computing device, supplemental content may be presented in a portrait orientation on the display of the computing device. The supplemental content may include virtually any information in which the user may be interested and/or that is related or similar to the content item. Accordingly, rather than presenting such supplemental content upon an affirmative request or search by the user, the supplemental content is presented to the user automatically when the user rotates the computing device from a landscape position to a portrait position or vice versa.

The continued proliferation of digital content items has led to an increase in the availability of such content items, as well as an increase in the availability of electronic computing devices used for consuming these content items. For instance, users now consume electronic books, videos, songs, documents, webpages, images, applications, etc. on an assortment of stationary and/or portable computing devices. As the number of content items and devices continues to increase, users become increasingly interested in enhancing their experiences while consuming these content items. For example, while consuming an item of digital content, users are often naturally curious about information that is related to the content item and/or that is similar to the content item. However, given the vast amount of information that can be considered related or similar to the content item being consumed by the user, and given a user's desire to efficiently and quickly navigate such information, a typical user would generally prefer to have such information automatically presented to her via her computing device, rather than actively seek out such information.


A communications network is made up of a number of nodes. Frames of data transported on a circuit line are received at a first node of the network and segmented into packets such that a first packet includes a first portion of data from a frame and a second packet includes a second portion of data from the frame. A frame count value is added to a header in each of the first packet and the second packet. In addition, a first offset value is added to the first header and a second offset value is added to the second header. The first and second offset values correspond to respective temporal locations of the first and second portions of data from the frame of data. The first and second packet are transmitted across the telecommunications network to a second node where they are received and played out according to the frame count value and the first and second offset values such that the first and second portions of data occupy similar respective temporal locations within a played out frame as the first and second portions occupied in the original frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to inverse multiplexing and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for providing transparent circuit connection between time division multiplexed circuit lines connected by a packet switching network.
2. Background Information
Modern telecommunication networks utilize packet switching techniques to route data between switches or nodes of the network in a connection oriented manner. Often, these packet switching networks provide multiple communication paths between nodes. Users having various voice, data and video communication equipment attached to end nodes of such a network often have no control over which communication path will be used between nodes. Nevertheless, users do require assurance that the communication network will route data through the network in a fashion which guarantees that the data will be played out of an end node in the same sequence that it was presented to a source node. Failure to do so may render communication between users impossible.

Transparent circuit emulation for packet switching network


Disclosed is a light (1) comprising means (3a) for retaining and electrically connecting at least one elongate light source (2) and a light-influencing element (10) which is located next to the light source (2) and is composed of several individual elements (15). Said elements (15) that form the light-influencing element (10) can be swiveled or rotated independently of each other about an axis that extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the light source (2).

A luminaire having the mentioned cell-matrix elements is known from, for example, DE 101 51 958 A1 of the applicant. The cell-matrix elements, which—viewed in the light radiation direction—are disposed in front of the light source, consist of a back reflector part which at least partially encompasses the light source and has a plurality of through-apertures, adjoining which are smaller, pot-type reflectors. The use of such cell-matrix elements allows the light emitted from the light source to be radiated individually via the pot reflectors, such that, when viewed as a whole, the impression is created of a multiplicity of small spotlights or spots disposed next to each other. The resource requirement for achieving this optically attractive effective is appreciably less than with the actual use of a multiplicity of individual spotlights.
There are also known luminaires of the company NORKA, in which an elongate light source is surrounded by a transparent lamp cover having an oval cross-section. The cover is rotatably mounted at its ends, such that the light radiation characteristic of the luminaires can be influenced to a certain degree by swivelling the cover. Such a luminaire is shown in, for example, DE 199 11 347 A1.

Luminaire comprising elongate light source and light-influencing element


A fluid in the state of two phase containing gas and liquid, which flows into the separating space, is revolved along an inner wall of the separating space and a liquid flow outlet is opened toward a revolving flow of the fluid and arranged in a lower portion of the separating space. The liquid-phase fluid which is a part of the revolving flow of the fluid flows out through the liquid flow outlet.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gas-liquid separator for separating a fluid, in the state of two phases, and which contains a gas-phase fluid and a liquid-phase fluid, into a gas-phase fluid and a liquid-phase fluid. This gas-liquid separator is effective when it is applied to an ejector cycle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional gas-liquid separators for separating a refrigerant in the state of two phases, which contains a gas-phase refrigerant and a liquid-phase refrigerant, into a gas-phase refrigerant and a liquid-phase refrigerant and storing a surplus refrigerant are disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-349978, which will be referred to as Conventional Example 1 hereinafter, and Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-202168 which will be referred to as Conventional Example 2 hereinafter. In the gas-liquid separators 50, 52 of Conventional Examples 1 and 2 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the liquid flow outlet 19a, from which a refrigerant of the liquid phase flows out, is arranged in the lowermost portion of the separation space 18 and opens upward when each gas-liquid separator 50, 52 is normally installed. In this connection, reference numeral 51 defines a flow-out pipe 51 of oil supplied to a compressor.
Due to the above structure, it is possible for the liquid refrigerant to flow out from the lowermost portion of the separating space 18 in which the liquid refrigerant is stored.
However, in Conventional Examples 1 and 2, after the velocity energy of the liquid refrigerant has become zero in the separating space 18, the liquid refrigerant flows out from the separating space 18 by the weight (potential energy) of the refrigerant itself and the suction energy of a refrigerant conveyance means (for example, an ejector) arranged in the downstream of the liquid flow outlet 19a. Therefore, the flow-out velocity is decreased, and the refrigerant stays in the downstream of the liquid flow outlet 19a in the worst case.