A method for positioning an access or loading assembly against the fuselage of an aircraft during the loading or unloading process, in which at least two multichannel scanners are oriented toward the aircraft fuselage and disposed above one another at a distance from each other, each with several light emitting units and at least one detector. First, a reference position is determined by using the scanners, then a current position of the aircraft fuselage relative to the access or loading assembly is determined at determined time intervals by the multichannel scanners. The current position is compared with the reference position to determine a deviation. In case of a deviation between the two positions, a signal is transmitted to the control system of the positioning drive for realigning the access or loading assembly and reducing the deviation.

Air passenger stairs and air passenger bridges serving as access assemblies are well known from the prior art. Whereas air passenger stairs are driven up to the aircraft on the airfield and the passengers can thus board or leave the aircraft via the airfield, air passenger bridges are characterized in that a direct link is formed by air passenger bridges between the terminal building on the one hand and the aircraft on the other hand. With air passenger bridges or other access or loading assemblies, the docking operation takes place as follows: The air passenger bridge has a positioning drive with a control system. The positioning drive takes care of the displacement of the air passenger bridge on the airfield and an adjustment of the height of the air passenger bridge relative to the airfield. When the aircraft has reached its parking position and the air passenger bridge must be driven up to the fuselage of the aircraft in the area of the doorway, this is commonly carried out manually by operating personnel present in the air passenger bridge, wherein driving the air passenger bridge up to the aircraft fuselage is carried out e.g. manually by means of a joystick, which is connected to the positioning drive by way of the control system. The air passenger bridge has a sensor, which continuously measures the distance between the air passenger bridge and the aircraft. If the value of the distance between the air passenger bridge and the aircraft falls below a predetermined distance value during the approach, the speed at which the air passenger bridge approaches the aircraft is reduced. The distance at which the air passenger bridge reduces its speed when approaching the fuselage of the aircraft commonly amounts to approximately 2 m. The air passenger bridge itself has a canopy roof with a circumferential bumper, wherein at least one limit switch is disposed on its front side in the area of the floor. When the bumper comes to rest on the aircraft fuselage, the limit switch is activated, so that the control system of the positioning drive receives a control signal from the limit switch, which stops the positioning drive.
During the approach to the aircraft, an adjustment of the height of the air passenger bridge relative to the doorway of the aircraft is carried out at the same time. To this end, the air passenger bridge has another sensor, which determines the distance between the air passenger bridge and the airfield. This sensor is also connected to the control system of the positioning drive of the air passenger bridge, so that the air passenger bridge is lifted or lowered to a predetermined height upon receiving corresponding sensor signals.
Alternately, it can be provided that the current distance from the airfield determined by the sensor is displayed to the operating personal, and that the operating personal can accordingly adjust the height of the air passenger bridge manually.
If the air passenger bridge with the canopy roof and the frontal bumper rest on the aircraft fuselage in the area of the doorway of the aircraft, it is necessary to continuously determine the vertical relative movement between the aircraft fuselage and the air passenger bridge, which occurs while loading and unloading the aircraft. According to the prior art, a so-called auto-leveller is used to this end. The auto-leveller comprises a lever disposed at the air passenger bridge, which has a pressure roller or cylinder at its end, which rests against the aircraft skin in the area of the doorway. The pressure roller accommodates switches, which, depending on the number of rotations of the roller, transmit signals to the control system of the positioning drive of the air passenger bridge, said signals causing the air passenger bridge to be lowered or lifted relative to the aircraft, in order to compensate for differences in height caused by the relative movement.
A disadvantage of using an auto-leveller is that it is not always guaranteed that the roller will actually roll along the aircraft fuselage if the aircraft suddenly sags. Rather, there is a risk that the roller may carry out a slipping or sliding movement along the aircraft fuselage. A slipping movement can also take place in case of ice on the fuselage of the aircraft. Another disadvantage is that the docking cylinder or roller damages the aircraft skin during docking. This risk is particularly real in the case of carbon fuselages. The consequences of a sliding or slipping movement is that none of the switches in the roller or cylinder is actuated, and that the control systems of the positioning drive of the air passenger bridge thus does not receive a corresponding signal for lowering or lifting the aircraft passenger bridge. It creates a risk that the open door of the aircraft, which has been swung outward, will touch the floor of the air passenger bridge, thus causing damage to the aircraft and to the air passenger bridge. In order to avoid this, it is known to provide a so-called safety shoe, in addition to the auto-leveller, which is disposed between the floor of the air passenger bridge and the bottom edge of the door of the aircraft. If this safety shoe receives pressure from the aircraft door, the shoe also causes the air passenger bridge to be lowered, by providing a corresponding signal to the control system of the positioning drive. One disadvantage of the shoe is that it is freely accessible to boarding or exiting passengers. It has happened before that passengers would step onto the safety shoe, thus simulating a load that does not actually exist, so that the air passenger stair would be lowered with a jerk by several centimeters, causing boarding or exiting passengers to fall. In addition, the Pitot tubes of the aircraft located under the floor of the air passenger bridge can be torn off as a result of this uncontrolled movement. In addition, current systems are sensitive to humidity, which causes switching errors in the safety shoe.
From WO 01/34467 A1, it is known to use a sensor with a light source that emits electromagnetic radiation in a radiating direction and with a detector that detects electromagnetic radiation reflected by a surface of the aircraft for positioning a movable air passenger bridge against a door of an aircraft. In this regard, a transit time of the electromagnetic radiation from the light source to the detector is determined, based on which the distance, in the radiating direction, between the sensor and the aircraft is determined. In order to detect different points on a surface of the aircraft using the electromagnetic radiation and thereby to be able to determine a line profile of the surface, a pivotable mirror is provided, by means of which the radiating direction of the electromagnetic radiation can be varied. The line profile determined in this manner is used together with information concerning the position of the door on the aircraft stored in a computer, in order to correctly position the air passenger bridge against the aircraft in the area of the door.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 7,120,959 B2 discloses a method for positioning a mobile air passenger bridge against an aircraft, in which a difference in height between a sensor disposed at the air passenger bridge and an upper edge of the aircraft is determined by a sensor. Once the distance between a doorway and the upper edge is known, the height of the air passenger bridge can be adjusted to the height of the doorway as a function of the determined height difference and the known distance between the doorway and the upper edge. Concretely, U.S. Pat. No. 7,120,959 B2 proposes using a sensor having a light source that emits electromagnetic radiation, wherein the radiation angle of the electromagnetic radiation can be varied. In addition, the sensor comprises a detector, which detects electromagnetic radiation reflected by the surface of an aircraft. In case of a variation of the radiation angle, the radiation angle at which the electromagnetic radiation propagates over the upper edge of the aircraft can be determined based on the intensity curve of the reflected electromagnetic radiation detected by the detector, from which the height difference between the sensor and the upper edge of the aircraft can be inferred.
From the document DE 10 2011 101 418 A1, a mobile access or loading assembly for an aircraft and a method for positioning such an assembly on the fuselage of an aircraft is known, in which a single scanner is provided with which a position of the access or loading assembly relative to the fuselage of the aircraft is determined at certain time intervals. The position determined by the scanner is used to control a positioning drive, in order to orient the access or loading assembly relative to the fuselage of the aircraft. In order to orient it while approaching the aircraft, the distance between the access or loading assembly and the fuselage of the aircraft is determined by the scanner, wherein e.g. the speed of the approach can be controlled as a function of the distance. On the other hand, its height relative to the airfield is determined by the scanner, wherein the access or loading assembly is lifted or lowered to a predetermined value depending on the determined height. When the access or loading assembly rests on the fuselage, a line profile of the fuselage is determined by sensing a plurality of points on the fuselage. The determined profile is compared with a previously determined line profile of the fuselage in a computer unit connected to the scanner. If there is deviation indicating that a vertical relative movement of the access or loading assembly relative to the fuselage has occurred, the computer unit generates a signal for lifting or lowering the access or loading assembly, in order to compensate for the height difference associated with the relative movement. A single scanner does not allow a precise enough determination of the position of the aircraft fuselage, so that the e.g. access assembly cannot be positioned reliably. Since the scanner is attached to the end of the access assembly facing the fuselage, a very large angle is required for capturing the entire aircraft fuselage. Determining the contour of the aircraft fuselage requires many measurements with little modification of the rotation angle of the scanner. Due to the large scanning range (180°) and the low angular resolution, a great number of measurements are required. As a result the measuring time is considerably lengthened, which does not allow for rapid adjustments of the position of the access assembly in case of sudden position changes of the aircraft fuselage.

Method for positioning an access or loading assembly against the fuselage of an aircraft


Apparatus and method for testing an open-hole well and obtaining a fluid sample therefrom. The apparatus comprises a compression packer on a drill pipe. Disposed in the drill pipe is a housing, defining a surge chamber therein, and a closure valve in communication with the surge chamber. A fluid sampler is in communication with the surge chamber. In operation, the packer is placed in a set position by setting down weight. The closure valve is pressure actuated so that fluid is flowed from a formation or zone of interest into the surge chamber and then into the sampler. By opening a housing valve at an upper end of the surge chamber, formation fluid may be forced back into the formation or zone of interest by a bull-heading operation. In a preferred embodiment, the packer and drill pipe are disconnectable from the remainder of the apparatus, and the packer is drillable.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to testing of oil and gas wells, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for obtaining a fluid sample after flowing fluid into a surge chamber to obtain good drawdown of pressure in the well.
2. Description of the Prior Art
During the testing and completion of oil and gas wells, it is of ten necessary to test or evaluate the production capabilities of the well. This is typically done by isolating a subsurface formation or a portion of a zone of interest which is to be tested and subsequently flowing a sample of well fluid either into a surge chamber or up through a tubing string to the surface. Various data, such as pressure and temperature of the producing well fluids, may be monitored downhole to evaluate the long-term production characteristics of the formation.
One very commonly used well testing procedure is to first cement a casing into the borehole and then to perform the testing adjacent zones of interest. Subsequently, the well is flow tested through perforations in the casing. Such flow tests are commonly performed with a drill stem test string which is a string of tubing located within the casing. The drill stem test string carries packers, tester valves, circulating valves and the like to control the flow of fluids through the drill stem test string.
Although drill stem testing of cased wells provides very good test data, it has the disadvantage that the well must first be cased before the test can be conducted. Also, better reservoir data can be obtained immediately after the well is drilled prior to casing the well and before the formation has been severely damaged by drilling fluids and the like.
For these reasons alone, it is often desirable to evaluate the potential production capability of a well without incurring the cost and delay of casing the well. This has led to a number of attempts at developing a successful open-hole test which can be conducted in an uncased borehole.
One approach which has been used for open-hole testing is the use of a weight-set, open-hole compression packer on a drill stem test string. To operate a weight-set, open-hole compression packer, a solid surface must be provided against which the weight can be set. Historically, this is accomplished with a perforated anchor which sets down on the bottom. Another prior art procedure for open-hole testing is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,246,964 to Brandell, assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The Brandell patent is representative of the system marketed by the assignee of the present invention as the Halliburton Hydroflate System. The Hydroflate System utilizes a pair of spaced inflatable packers which are inflated by a downhole pump. With either of these devices, both of which have advantages and disadvantages, well fluids can then flow up the pipe string which supports the packers in the well.
Another approach to open-hole testing is through the use of pad-type wireline testers which simply press a small resilient pad against the side wall of the borehole and pick up samples through an orifice in the pad. An example of such a pad-type tester is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,577,781 to LeBourg. The primary disadvantage of pad-type testers is that they often take a very small unidirectional sample which is often not truly representative of the formation because it is "dirty" fluid which provides very little data on the production characteristics of the formation. It is also sometimes difficult to seal the pad. When the pad does seal, it is subject to differential sticking and sometimes the tool may be damaged when it is removed.
Another shortcoming of wireline formation testers which use a pad is that the pad is relatively small. If the permeability of the formation is high, hydrostatic pressure can be transmitted through the formation between the outside of the pad and the center of the pad where the pressure measurement is being made, in a very short period of time. This will result in major hydrostatic pressures soon after attempting to measure formation pressure. This may limit the effectiveness of wireline formation testers in some conditions.
The methods and apparatus of the present invention solve these problems by providing for flowing formation fluid into a surge chamber which is placed in communication with the formation or zone of interest by a pressure-actuated valve. This prevents the capturing of "dirty" fluid which initially comes out of the formation or zone of interest, while allowing capturing of a sample of the cleaner, more representative fluid flowing behind the dirty fluid.
Another approach which has been proposed in various forms is to provide an outer tubing string with a packer which can be set in a borehole, and in combination with a wireline-run surge chamber which is run into engagement with the outer string so as to take a sample from below the packer. One example of such a system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,111,169 to Hyde, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Other examples of such devices are seen in U.S. Pat. No. 2,497,185 to Reistle, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,107,729 to Barry, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,327,781 to Nutter; U.S. Pat. No. 3,850,240 to Conover; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,441,095 to Youmans. A disadvantage, obviously, is the extra time necessary to run-in and position the surge chamber.
A number of improvements in open-hole testing systems of the type generally proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,111,169 to Hyde are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,280 to Schultz et al., assigned to the assignee of the present invention. In a first aspect of the invention of U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,280, a system is provided including an outer tubing string having an inflatable packer, and a communication passage disposed through the tubing string below the packer, an inflation passage communicated with the inflatable element of the packer, and an inflation valve controlling flow of inflation fluid through the inflation passage. The inflation valve is constructed so that the opening and closing of the inflation valve is controlled by a surface manipulation of the outer tubing string. Thus, the inflatable packer can be set in the well simply by manipulation of the outer tubing string and applying fluid pressure to the tubing string without running an inner well tool into the tubing string. After the packer has been set, an inner well tool, such as a surge chamber, may be run into and engaged with the outer tubing string to place the inner well tool in communication with a subsurface formation through the communication passage. There is also an embodiment with a straddle packer having upper and lower packer elements which are engaged on opposite sides of the formation.
In another aspect of this prior invention, the well fluid samples are collected by running an inner tubing string, preferably an inner coiled tubing string, into the previously described outer tubing string. The coiled tubing string is engaged with the outer tubing string, and the bore of the coiled tubing string is communicated with a subsurface formation through the circulation passage defined in the outer tubing string. Then well fluid from the subsurface is flowed through the communication passage and up the coiled tubing string. Such a coiled tubing string may include various valves for control of fluid flow therethrough. This prior invention does not include the use of a surge chamber or sampler downhole to obtain the fluid sample.
In the present invention, a closure valve is utilized in the apparatus to open the surge chamber. The valve is actuated by pressure. A sampler in communication with the surge chamber is used to obtain a sample, and electronic pressure and/or temperature recording instruments may also be used to record fluid characteristics.

Method and apparatus for bottom-hole testing in open-hole wells


A drum rotor for an impulse steam turbine having moving wheels constituted by rotor blades whose roots are provided with dovetails are locked in dovetail shaped grooves formed in the rotor. The grooves are longitudinal over at least a portion of the rotor. The roots of the blades of a moving wheel are separated from the roots of the blades of an adjacent moving wheel by dovetail shaped spacers. An optimum filling of the longitudinal grooves is effected for better interconnection of the caps of the rotor blades.

In order to install those blades, it is necessary to pivot their roots in the groove, such that the width of the groove is greater than the width a blade and equal to that of the blade root enlarged portions.
In addition, the filling of the groove is far from optimum since it may end up with a void equal to the clearance necessary to allow one blade root to pivot. This void then needs to be filled up with narrow wedges, but clamping is not ideal.
Furthermore, circumferential clearance exists between the caps and continuous connection does not exist.

Drum rotor for an impulse steam turbine having blades mounted in longitudinal grooves, and an impulse steam turbine including such a motor


An apparatus for positioning an electric wire within a terminal application system for installing an electric terminal on an electric wire, includes at least one claw, having an axis of rotation and a longitudinal axis extending generally transversely from the axis of rotation, and connected to the shank holder through the axis of rotation so that the claw is free to rotate about the axis of rotation with respect to the shank holder while connected to the shank holder, and being rotatable from a wire positioning condition to an open condition. A support member connected to the shank, supporting the claw and allowing the claw to move from the open condition to a wire positioning condition when the shank and moveable mold are moved toward the stationary mold is also included. Biasing members, such as springs, may also be included.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for properly positioning the end-portion of an electric wire within a device for installing terminals or terminal fittings on electric wire.
2. Description of Background Information
Terminals or terminal fittings are generally installed on the ends of electric wires by automated or semi-automated equipment for doing so in mass production fashion. In such systems, it is necessary to ensure that the end portion of the wire upon which the terminal is to be installed is positioned within the device as accurately as possible, so that a terminal or terminal fitting may be installed properly on the end of the wire.
In general, terminal application devices for clamping terminal fittings on the end portion of a covered or insulated electric wire which is cut and treated with a stripping process include systems for processing electric wire by which the covered electric wire is measured and cut, and both ends of the covered electric wire so cut are continuously processed.
Such terminal application devices typically further include a device in which a pair of molds, for separately cutting terminal fittings from a continuous terminal belt and clamping them, co-operate as a unit, and are constituted so that the end portion of the covered electric wire supplied by a supply unit of electric wire installed at the above-mentioned device for processing electric wire is positioned and the terminal fittings are clamped with this system.
In such systems, the supply unit for electric wire, in the device for processing an electric wire, feeds the end portion of the covered electric wire between the above-mentioned pair of molds by swinging the end portion of the covered electric wire which is in a free state. Under such conditions, it is difficult to properly position the covered electric wire against these pair of molds and this often results in the inferior clamping or installation of terminals on such wires. Therefore, the present applicant has previously proposed a device for accurately positioning an electric wire (i.e., remedying an electric wire posture) enabling one to exactly position the end portion of a covered electric wire which is supplied by the supply unit for electric wire, between a pair of molds. In this connection, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,898, which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Further in this regard, FIG. 4 of the present application is a front schematic illustration of a device for remedying an electric wire posture adapted to a conventional terminal application device A.
As shown in FIG. 4, conventional terminal application device A is integrally equipped with a mold of a fixed side 1 and a mold of a mobile side 2 fixing terminal fittings (which are not shown in this Figure) on an end portion of a stripped wire W1 for a covered electric wire W. The terminal fittings are applied by mold 1 in cooperation with, a shank 3, integrally supporting the mold of mobile side 2, and a shank holder 4 positioning the mold of mobile side 2 at the mold of fixed side 1 by being integrally installed with the mold of fixed side 1 and by guiding the above-mentioned shank 3 in a state where relative change between the mold of fixed side 1 and mold of a mobile side 2 is possible.
In front of the mold of fixed side 1, a wire guide 5 which receives the neighboring part of the end portion of a stripped wire W1 for a covered electric wire W is installed, and the covered electric wire W is mounted on the above-mentioned wire guide 5 by swinging the covered electric wire W with a supply unit of an electric wire (which is not shown in the Figure), as shown by arrow B. The end portion of a stripped wire W1 is arranged to be supplied between the mold of fixed side 1 and the mold of mobile side 2.
Further, in the above conventional device for remedying an electric wire posture, a claw 6 is provided, for accurately positioning (i.e., remedying the posture of) a covered electric wire W on the shank holder 4 in a state in which the claw can rotate about a support axis 7. A rack gear 8 on shank 1, and a pinion gear 9 which meshes with the rack gear 8, cooperate to correct the posture (or positioning) of the covered electric wire W which was supplied by linking the up-down motion of a shank 3, by means of claw 6.
However, as pinion gear 9 and rack gear 8 have been used to link the shank 3 with the claw 6 in the conventional device for remedying an electric wire posture, it was necessary to provide a space for accommodating the rack gear 8 on the shank 3 of the terminal application device. Therefore, this system has a disadvantage in that more intensive manufacturing is required in order to provide a system including a shank 3 and shank holder 4 and including a rack gear 8, depending on the kinds of the terminal application devices employed. Additionally, in the case where a kind of device on which a cover plate for covering the shank 3 on the shank holder 4 is installed, the rack gear 8 may not be installed at all, because of the interference of the cover plate. Therefore, a further disadvantage is that when the claw 6 is linked with the up-down motion of the shank 3, the types of terminal application devices which can be suitably employed are greatly restricted.
Further, when the rack gear 8 and the pinion gear 9 are set, the rack gear 8 is fixed on the side part or the front of the set-plate 3A installed on the front of the shank 3. Therefore, claw 6 is separated from mold 1 by the dimension L in an axial direction of the support axis 7.
This relationship and spacing is also shown in schematic cross-section in FIG. 5. The assembly of FIG. 5 is also constructed and arranged to include a magnetic slip system, which is discussed in greater detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,898, incorporated by reference above, and which is also expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for its disclosure of the magnetic slip assembly which may be employed in its system. In the present FIG. 5, the distance L of FIG. 4 is schematically illustrated by the distance L' of FIG. 5, which is the distance between surface 30 and claw 60.
In view of the foregoing, it has been difficult to set a position for inserting an electric wire by the claw 6 to a desired position. That is, in order to accurately remedy the posture of the covered electric wire W, it has been preferred to provide the claw 6 between the above-mentioned mold of the fixed side 1 and the wire guide 5 prior to the positioning of the covered electric wire W, but as the claw 6 is set forward by the dimension L to an axial direction of the rack gear 8 and the pinion gear 9, it has been difficult to locate claw 6 in between the mold 1 and the wire guide 5.
Therefore, it has been necessary to carry out a folding process where the claw 6 must swing to the axial direction of the support axis 7 in order to displace the claw 6 between the mold 1 and the wire guide 5. As a result, the disadvantage has existed that the installation cost of the claw 6 becomes not only high but also operation is difficult, because it is easy to interfere with surrounding members because of the need to move claw 6 in the axial direction.
Further, as the claw 6 is rotated with the rack gear 8 and the pinion gear 9, the claw 6 could not adequately open the supply pass of the covered electric wire W because of the restriction of the stroke and the number of gear teeth of the rack gear 8. Therefore, such systems posses the further disadvantage that a restriction occurs in the supply device for supplying the covered electric wire W to the terminal application device, and further the wide usability is lost.
In addition, rack gear 8 and pinion gear 9 are relatively expensive, and, therefore, production costs for systems employing them have been high.

Device for positioning electric wire within a terminal application device


A battery charger monitors the terminal voltage of a secondary battery connected thereto with no appreciable depletion of the battery energy. Upon the completion of the charge cycle, the battery charger monitors the terminal voltage of the battery by first creating a high impedance node at the battery low side, and then regulating the battery high side voltage to a value below the maximum allowable terminal voltage for the battery. The battery low side voltage will decreases in response to a value below ground. The charger monitors the terminal voltage across the battery by measuring the battery low side voltage When the battery charger detects that the battery has discharged to a predetermined capacity level, the charger initiates a charge maintenance mode. The battery charger either refreshes the battery or maintains the battery at the predetermined capacity level.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to battery chargers; and in particular, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for monitoring the self-discharge of a secondary battery.
2. Background of the Invention
A conventional battery charger for lithium-ion (Li+) batteries charges a battery until either a predetermined period of time has elapsed or the charge current drops below a predetermined threshold. Once the charge cycle is terminated, the charge current is interrupted so that no current flows into the battery. The interruption of the charge current is necessary because an indefinite flow of charge current into a Li+ battery that has already reached its prescribed maximum allowable terminal voltage will degrade the battery's life cycle.
After the charge cycle is terminated and the charge current is interrupted, the charger enters a float period, also called a monitor period, where the battery stays connected to the charger but is allowed to float. The float period lasts until the battery is removed from the charger for use in a desired application. Thus, the float period can last indefinitely.
If the battery is not removed from the charger for use immediately after it is fully charged, the energy stored in the battery will gradually leak away. Two mechanisms account for the leakage of energy during the float period. First, lithium ion batteries are susceptible to self-discharge. Therefore, a Li+ battery left sitting on a shelf will eventually lose all of its stored energy. The self-discharge mechanism is a function of the battery chemistry and physical construction, and cannot be prevented. Because it is desirable to maintain a battery at its full capacity while the battery is left in the charger, a conventional battery charger monitors the capacity of the battery during the float period, and takes measures to recharge, or refresh, the battery back up to its full capacity whenever energy is lost through self-discharge. However, the monitor circuit used in most conventional chargers significantly contributes to the second leakage mechanism of Li+ batteries during the float period.
A charger controller in a conventional battery charger uses either an external or an internal shunt resistor network to monitor the terminal voltage across a battery. FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional battery charger employing an external shunt resistor network connected to a charger controller 10. The shunt resistor network includes a first resistor 12 and a second resistor 14 which are connected in series. One side of first resistor 12 is connected to a Battery High Side terminal 22. One side of second resistor 14 is connected to a Battery Low Side terminal 24. The node between first resistor 12 and second resistor 14 is connected to a BAT input of charger controller 10. The resistor network senses the battery voltage across High Side terminal 22 and Low Side terminal 24 and provides an attenuated version of the battery voltage between the BAT and SNS inputs of charger controller 10. A third resistor 16 monitors the current flow into the battery. Use of a shunt resistor network to monitor the battery's terminal voltage has several disadvantages.
First, in the shunt resistor network of FIG. 1, measurement accuracy of the attenuated voltage is set by the resistor matching accuracy. When external resistors are used, non-standard resistor values with high accuracy are required to provide the proper resistor ratio set points. The resistor requirements can significantly increase implementation cost. Second and more importantly, the shunt resistor network provides a current path for discharging the battery. If the resistor values used in the divider network are too large, measurement accuracy is compromised by noise susceptibility. However, if the resistor values used in the divider network are too small, the battery will be excessively loaded. The battery can be drained of its stored energy by the monitoring process. Thus, the shunt resistor network is undesirable for use in a battery charger because the shunt resistor network depletes the battery's energy while monitoring its terminal voltage.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a means to monitor the battery voltage in a charger which does not contribute significantly to the discharge of the battery. A desirable charger controller should minimize the amount of energy loss attributable to monitoring of the battery's terminal voltage and be capable of refreshing a battery for energy lost due to self-discharge.
Another disadvantage of the shunt resistor network is that because the battery is discharged by the monitoring process, the battery is subjected to multiple discharge and recharge cycles in order to maintain a full capacity. For most type of rechargeable batteries, repeated discharge and recharge cycles reduce the useful life of the batteries. Therefore, it is desirable to minimize the number of times a battery has to be recharged back up to its full capacity during the float period.

Method and apparatus for monitoring the self discharge of a secondary battery upon completion of a charge cycle


A low cost solution for detecting the flow of water in a sink using a non-contact vibration sensor coupled with a computer vision system and a passive switched RFID tag that becomes active upon detection of water flow. In some embodiments, the water flow forms an active antennae system for the RFID tag. The sensor comprises a piezo electric film attached at the underside of a water receptacle, for example, a sink so as to collect the sound generated by water splashing or hitting the sink and a vision system using active detection techniques.

The association of lack of hand hygiene and hospital acquired infections has become a significant focus for regulators in recent years. The United States Centers for Disease Control estimates that one in 10 to 20 admitted individuals to a hospital will acquire an infection or disease from their stay and exposure within a hospital environment. A hospitalized individual is generally more predisposed to infection or disease due to several factors including a weak or depressed immune system, wound exposure, surgery, and the proximity of other individuals that may possess infectious contagions. Although the source of a hospital acquired infection or disease is extremely difficult to track to the original source, the pathogens are most commonly carried in an aerosolized manner or through direct contact with a surface or skin (most commonly a nurse's or doctor's hands). The World Health Organization has determined that hand washing is of primary importance. Hand washing is probably the single most effective mariner to help deter the spread of Hospital-Acquired Infections (HAI).
Current systems used to ensure that individuals wash their hands prior to contact with a patient have several key obstacles to enabling widespread application in the field. Specifically, 1) expense associated with monitoring if water is flowing from a sink; 2) inability to verify that hands are located under the sink and the flowing water; 3) expense associated with determining the identity of the person involved in the non-compliant hand washing event; and 4) expense attributable to Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) transmitting systems.
Prior art systems for detecting water flowing from a sink have known drawbacks. Ultrasonic sensors range in price from $500-$3000 and function efficiently only with dirty, salty or contaminated water. Ultrasonic sensors capable of efficiently detecting clean water flow exceed $3,000 per unit (such as the FD-400 series sold by Omega (www.omega.comGreen/pdf/FD-400.pdf)). Pressure sensors may also be used to detect water flow from a sink. While these devices are relatively inexpensive, they often provide false values as the drop may be attributable to a sudden pressure drop somewhere else in the building (such as due to a toilet flushing) rather than at the to be monitored sink. Additionally, conductivity sensors located at the water faucet may be used to detect water flow at a sink or hand washing station. However, these units are prone to corrosion, as well as salt and metal deposition which render these sensors unreliable and ineffective for prolonged use.
A survey of systems currently on the market to monitor hand washing compliance indicates that prior art systems fail to provide for one or more of: monitoring soap/sanitizer use, monitoring water use, monitoring exact employee location, visually verifying employee presence, monitoring duration of hand washing, verifying proper hand washing technique, alerting employees, sending information to a web-site, providing additional information at a hand washing station, using a small/unobtrusive badge, work with an existing employee badge, detect alcohol on hands, and indicating compliance with washing at the washing station. In particular, none of the prior art systems monitor whether water is actually flowing due to the expense of existing flow sensor systems.
The use of RFID systems for monitoring individuals as they enter or exit an area is common. For example, International Publication Nos. WO 2007/090470 and WO 2010/026581 A2 illustrate the use of RFID tags in a hospital environment for tracking Use of RFID tags attached to articles to track the articles is known in the art. In addition, an active RFID system that transmits a signal to a receiver station where the unit is equipped with a battery is known in the art.
The use of a position or signal transmitter generally requires the application of an external power supply. These power supplies are generally bulky and add significant weight and cost to a unit that may be portable and require activation or signal transmission upon a primary signal activation. For example, prior art systems describe a badge worn by a doctor that activates a transmitter when the badge comes into proximity with an infrared transmitter. Thus, despite the need, the use of transmitting devices that can easily connect to an RFID network and transmit a signal from a water sensor also becomes prohibitively expensive with current technology.
It is an object of the current invention to provide the ability for the sensor to inexpensively transmit the water flow status to an RFID network.
It is a further object of the current invention to provide a low cost hand wash compliance system capable of detecting whether an individual has washed their hands and that tracks the location of an individual within a room and their proximity to entrance and exit signs, hand washing stations, restricted areas, other individuals, and other physical locations.
It is another object of the current invention to provide a means of associating an individual to the hand washing event and their compliance with effective washing.
It is further an object of the current invention to transmit the information associated with the individual, their location within a restricted area, their hand washing compliance, and the flow of water to an information reporting system.

Non-contact noise attenuation water flow system and method for detecting washing compliance


The present invention provides branched polyalkylene glycols useful as a chemically modifying agent for physiologically active polypeptides, wherein two single-chain polyalkylene glycols are linked to a group having a cyclic structure other than a plane structure, and wherein a group having reactivity with an amino acid side chain, an N-terminal amino group or a C-terminal carboxyl group in a polypeptide or a group convertible into the group having reactivity is linked to the group having a structure other than a plane structure.

Physiologically active polypeptides are useful as therapeutic agents for specific diseases but when they are administered into the blood, they are unstable and thus a sufficient pharmacological effect cannot be expected in many cases. For example, when a polypeptide having a molecular weight of about 60,000 or less is administered into the blood, it is filtered through glomerulus of the kidney and most of them is secreted into the urine, so that a remarkable therapeutic effect cannot be obtained even if it is used as a therapeutic agent. Thus, a repeated administration is frequently required. Moreover, other polypeptides may be decomposed by a hydrolase or the like existing in the blood to lose the physiological activity. Furthermore, even in the exogenous physiologically active polypeptides, the physiological activity may sometimes be effective for treating diseases. However, since the exogenous physiologically active polypeptides, polypeptides produced by genetic recombination and the like have a structure different from that of an endogenous polypeptide, it is known that the exogenous polypeptides may induce immunoreactions to cause serious side effects such as anaphylactic shock and the like. In addition, some physiologically active polypeptides may frequently be accompanied by the problem of physical properties such as poor solubility and the like when they are used as therapeutic agents.
As one method for solving the problems when physiologically active polypeptides are used as therapeutic agents, a method is known wherein at least one molecule of an inactive polymer chain is chemically linked to the polypeptides. In most cases, a desired property is imparted to the polypeptides or proteins by chemically linking a polyalkylene glycol such as polyethylene glycol or the like to the polypeptides. For example, in superoxide dismutase (SOD) modified with polyethylene glycol, the half-life in the blood is markedly prolonged and thus duration of the activity is found [Pharm. Research Commun., 19: 287 (1987)]. Moreover, the modification of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) with polyethylene glycol is also known [J. Biochem., 115: 814 (1994)]. Furthermore, examples of polyethylene glycol-modified polypeptides such as asparaginase, glutaminase, adenosinedeaminase, uricase and the like are summarized by Gillian E. Francis et al. [Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, vol. 3, Stability of Protein Pharmaceuticals, Part B, p. 235 (1992), Plenum Press, New York]. Additionally, as the effect obtained by modifying physiologically active polypeptides with a polyalkylene glycol, increase of thermal stability [Biophysics (Seibutsubutsuri), 38: 208 (1998)], solubilization in an organic solvent [Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. (BBRC), 122: 845 (1984)] and the like are known.
On the other hand, examples of the method of linking a peptide or protein to a polyalkylene glycol include a method wherein an active ester of a carboxylic acid, a maleimido group, carbonate, cyanuric chloride, a formyl group, an oxiranyl group or the like is introduced into the terminal end of the polyalkylene glycol and then the product is linked to an amino group or a thiol group of a polypeptide [Bioconjugate Chem., 6: 150 (1995)]. These techniques include an example wherein the stability in the blood is enhanced by linking polyethylene glycol specifically to a particular amino acid residue in a polypeptide without decreasing the physiological activity of the peptide or protein. As modification with polyethylene glycol which is specific to a particular amino acid residue in a polypeptide, there are an example wherein polyethylene glycol is linked to the carboxy-terminal of a growth hormone-releasing factor through a spacer of norleucine [J. Peptide Res., 49: 527 (1997)], an example wherein cysteine is introduced into the 3-position of interleukin-2 by genetic recombinantion and then polyethylene glycol is specifically linked to the position [BIO/TECHNOLOGY, 8: 343 (1990)] and the like.
Most of the above polyalkylene glycol-modified polypeptides are obtained by the method of linking a linear polyalkylene glycol, but it has been found that a method of linking a branched polyalkylene glycol is excellent as a method for obtaining chemically modified polypeptides having a potent activity. It is known that a larger molecular weight of a polyalkylene glycol or a higher modification degree generally results in that duration in the blood is prolonged [The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 263: 15064 (1988)], but a high modification degree sometimes causes decrease of the physiological activity of the polypeptide. One reason of the decrease is that a particular amino group, a thiol group or the like necessary for the physiological activity in the polypeptide is modified with a chemically modifying agent. Interleukin-15 is known as an example wherein the physiological activity decreases depending on the modification degree [J. Biol. Chem., 272: 2312 (1997)]. On the other hand, with regard to polyalkylene glycols having a large molecular weight, it is difficult to synthesize those having a homogeneous molecular weight distribution and high purity. For example, in monomethoxy polyethylene glycol, contamination of a diol component as an impurity is known. Thus, it has been attempted to produce a modifying agent having a large molecular weight by branching highly pure polyalkylene glycols having a narrow molecular weight distribution available at present through a spacer. Thus, a chemically modified polypeptide having a potent physiological activity can be obtained with retaining durability even when the modification degree is reduced. Also, it is considered that the surface of a physiologically active polypeptide can be covered more efficiently by branching a polyalkylene glycol. For example, a double-chain polyethylene glycol derivative is known wherein cyanuric chloride is used as a group having a branched structure (Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application Nos. 72469/91 and 95200/91). In this case, methoxy polyethylene glycol having an average molecular weight of 5,000 is used but there is fear of toxicity derived from a triazine ring in the compound. Moreover, Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 153088/89 discloses that a chemically modified polypeptide having a more potent activity can be obtained with a lower modification degree by using a comb-shaped polyethylene glycol which is a copolymer of polyethylene glycol and maleic anhydride as compared to a linear polyethylene glycol. However, a number of reaction sites with a polypeptide are present and the molecular weight distribution is not uniform in the compound. In addition, an example wherein polyethylene glycols are branched through a benzene ring using cinnamic acid as a starting material (Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 88822/91) is also known. In the above branched polyalkylene glycols through a triazine ring or a benzene ring, the structure at the branching point is plane, so that spatial movement of the polyalkylene glycol chain is restricted and thus they are considered to be disadvantageous for the effect of increasing the molecular size. As another example, a compound wherein two polyethylene glycol are branched using lysine as a branching point (WO 96/21469, U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,575) and the like are known, but the compound having branches at a cyclic structure of the present invention is unknown. Furthermore, the above conventional branched polyalkylene glycols achieve the increase of the molecular weight by linking at least two molecules of a polyalkylene glycol, but it is not known that the molecular size can be increased more effectively when physiologically active polypeptides are modified with a branched polyalkylene glycol than the case when they are modified with a linear polyalkylene glycol having the same molecular weight.
The branched polyalkylene glycols as a modifying agent which overcome the problems of the above conventional polyalkylene glycols, have a low toxicity and an improved stability and are excellent in the effect of increasing the molecular size have been desired.
Recently, an interferon-β preparation has been paid attention to as a therapeutic agent for multiple scleroses [The Lancet, 352(7): 1491 (1998) and the like]. Multiple scleroses are demyelinating autoimmune diseases of unknown etiology and are characterized in the infiltration of perivascular cell of central nerve white matter and successive destruction of myelin sheath. The mechanism of the outbreak is unknown but it is considered that a nerve conduction disorder occurs as a result of demyelination spots which are caused through the destruction of myelin sheath covering the axon of a central nerve by immunocyte and thereby various disorders of neural functions may be exhibited. In Western countries, interferon-β (IFN-β) becomes a mainstream therapeutic agent for multiple scleroses but the IFN-β1b preparation clinically used at present has problems that subcutaneous injection on alternate days is required and the like, so that a therapeutic agent which has an increased activity and is effective even at less number of dose frequency has been desired. Moreover, interferons are effective for viral hepatitis such as hepatitis C, hepatitis B and the like, and treatment of various cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, osteosarcoma, breast cancer, kidney cancer, brain tumor and the like, viral or inflammatory skin diseases, and eye diseases in addition to multiple scleroses [Pharmacy (Yakkyoku), 41(6): 769 (1990)], and the possibility as a therapeutic agent for diseases relating to vascularization is suggested [Tissue Culture (Soshikibaiyo), 22(7): 278 (1996)]. For these diseases, an effective therapeutic agent having a high duration at a low dose and a low dose frequency has been desired as well.


The disclosure discloses a method and device for detecting a state of an overcurrent protector for a battery, wherein a voltage Uout of a power supply and a voltage Ubat of a battery connected to the power supply via an overcurrent protector is acquired, and U=|Uout−Ubat| is calculated; when UL≦U≦UH and |Ibat|≦Imin, the voltage of the power supply is adjusted to be U′out, wherein UL and UH are the minimum value and maximum value of a difference between the voltage of the power supply and the voltage of the battery, respectively, Ibat is a current of the battery, and Imin is a current detecting precision for detecting a current equipment of the battery; the voltage of the battery U′bat after adjusting the voltage of the power supply is acquired, and U′=|U′out−U′bat| is calculated; and a state of the overcurrent protector for the battery is determined. With the disclosure, in the case that the difference between the voltage of the battery and the supply voltage is small, by regulating the supply voltage and comparing the voltage difference across the overcurrent protector again, accurate detection of the state of the overcurrent protector for the battery as well as reduction of detecting costs is enabled.

In a common load supply system, as backup power of the system, a battery realizes that a load continues to function properly in the case of a main power supply source failure, which ensures the stable and reliable operation of the system. Overcurrent protection for a battery is implemented by cascading an overcurrent protector at a battery input port. When the battery is overly charged/discharged, or the temperature thereof is too high, the overcurrent protector can disconnect automatically so as to protect a load equipment and the battery. The state of the overcurrent protector for the battery is of vital importance, which describes the charging/discharging state of the battery and reflects whether the overcurrent protector is damaged and connected. In the load supply system, the location of the overcurrent protector for battery protection in the whole system is shown in FIG. 1, wherein the system includes a main power supply, the overcurrent protector, the battery, the load and the like.
In general, there are two methods for deciding a state of an overcurrent protector. One is to decide the state of the overcurrent protector according to a state of an auxiliary contact of the overcurrent protector. As shown in FIG. 2, disconnection of the overcurrent protector will lead to jump of the auxiliary contact of the overcurrent protector, the jump of the auxiliary contact is detected via a hardware circuit, thus deciding the state of the overcurrent protector; the other is to decide the state of the overcurrent protector for the battery according to a voltage difference between a battery voltage and a system voltage, namely, voltage difference across the overcurrent protector for the battery. As shown in FIG. 3, when the overcurrent protector is disconnected (OFF), the battery voltage and the system voltage are not the same, the voltage difference across the overcurrent protector is compared, and then the voltage difference is converted to a numerical quantity, via which the state of the overcurrent protector is decided.
The detecting method to decide the state of the overcurrent protector according to the state of the auxiliary contact of the overcurrent protector has the following disadvantages: in general, the auxiliary contact adopts a mechanical transmission, which will often lead to the ineffectiveness of the auxiliary contact, thereby making the detection unreliable; compared with the overcurrent protector without the auxiliary contact, the overcurrent protector with the auxiliary contact is higher in price, and has no advantage in terms of costs; and the method requires that a system monitoring equipment must have a hardware detecting circuit for the auxiliary contact, which increases monitoring hardware costs.
The method for deciding the state of the overcurrent protector for the battery according to the voltage difference between the battery voltage and the system voltage has the following disadvantages: the voltage difference between the battery voltage and the system voltage is associated with the quality and extent of charging/discharging of the battery, when the quality of the battery is good and the extent of charging/discharging is low, this voltage difference will be very small. And the voltage difference decision will usually be based on one fixed criterion, in the case of a low voltage difference across the overcurrent protector, this will thus inevitably lead to the misjudgement of the state of the overcurrent protector. In addition, the method requires that a DC power monitoring equipment must have a voltage interface circuit and a voltage comparing and distinguishing circuit, which increases monitoring hardware costs.

Method and device for detecting state of overcurrent protector for battery


In order to increase the useful surface of an X-ray detector, in particular a flat image detector, a method is provided for gain calibration of an X-ray imaging system with a digital X-ray detector including an active matrix having pixel readout units. Pixels are read out from the pixel readout units, and a brightness drop below a defined threshold is determined for the read out pixels by an image processing unit. The pixel readout units having a brightness drop below the defined threshold are specified with regard to a cause of the brightness drop. Further, as a function of the specification, it is defined for which image raw values, subsequently read out from the affected pixel readout units, a gain correction is to be undertaken.

Examples of what are known in digital X-ray imaging are image intensifier camera systems based on television or CCD cameras, storage film systems with an integrated or external readout unit, systems with optical coupling of the converter foil to CCD cameras or CMOS chips, selenium-based detectors with electrostatic readout, and solid state detectors with active readout matrices with direct or indirect conversion of the X radiation.
In particular, for a few years solid state detectors have been finding application for digital X-ray imaging. Such a detector is based on an active readout matrix, for example made from amorphous silicon (a-Si), that is precoated with an X-ray converter layer or simulator layer, for example made from cesium iodide (CsI). The incident X radiation is firstly converted into visible light in the scintillator layer. The active matrix is subdivided into a multiplicity of pixel readout units with photodiodes that in turn convert this light into electric charge and store it in a spatially resolved fashion.
An active readout matrix made from active silicon is likewise used in the case of a so called directly converting solid state detector. However, this active readout matrix is arranged downstream of a converter layer, for example made from selenium, in which the incident X radiation is corrected directly into electric charge. This charge is then stored, in turn, in a pixel readout unit of the readout matrix. Reference may also be made as regards the technical background of a solid state detector to M. Spahn et al., "Flachbilddetektoren in der Röntgendiagnostik" ["Flat image detectors in X-ray diagnostics"], Der Radiologe 43 (2003), pages 340 to 350.
The amount of charge stored in a pixel readout unit determines the brightness of a pixel of the X-ray image. Each pixel readout unit of the readout matrix therefore corresponds to a pixel of the X-ray image.
A characteristic of an X-ray detector that is decisive for the image quality is that the detector efficiency of the individual pixel readout units deviate from one another more or less strongly. This can be seen in that two pixel readout units supply raw image values with different brightness even if they are irradiated with the same light intensity. The resulting, unprocessed raw X-ray image has a comparatively poor image quality because of this brightness fluctuation. Other factors contributing to the brightness fluctuation are spatially dependent fluctuations in the thickness of the scintillator layer, the dependence of the scintillator layer on the radiation quality, a qualitatively different adhesion between scintillator layer and detector plate, and inhomogeneities in the irradiated X-ray field. Consequently, a continually strong brightness drop usually occurs in the edge regions of the X-ray detector.
It is customary to calibrate a digital X-ray detector in order to improve the image quality. To this end, a calibration image is recorded in conjunction with a constant X-ray exposure, which is also denoted as "gain image". The brightnesses of the individual pixels, the gain values, are compared with a normalized gain brightness value. If the measured gain value is above a defined upper threshold value (for example 200 percent), or a below a defined lower threshold value (for example 25 percent) of a gain value normalized over all the pixels, the corresponding pixel readout units are assumed to be defective and either no longer used at all for the X-ray imaging, or subjected to a complicated correction of defects. The remaining gain image is mathematically combined with the X-ray images recorded during the later normal operation of the X-ray detector, for example multiplied such that the brightness fluctuations present in both images in about the same way are at least partially compensated.

Method for gain calibration of an X-ray imaging system, and X-ray imaging system


A towel, sponge and gauze made from a plurality of fibers of polyvinyl alcohol that are only water soluble at temperatures above 37.degree. C. The polyvinyl alcohol fibers have a degree of hydrolysis of at least 80% with a degree of polymerization between approximately 300 to 3000.

Hospital patient care generates considerable quantities of infectious medical waste in primary and acute care facilities. There has been a general conversion from reusable, cleanable items to disposable items over the last three decades. These conversions were made to promote antiseptic techniques in patient care and to decrease the potential for cross-infections between patients, staff and the general public. Recent federal and state government regulations such as the Medical Waste Tracking Act of 1988 and OSHA Medical Facility rules have resulted in a substantial increase in medical waste that must be classified as "infectious."
When a patient is admitted to the hospital, the patient produces approximately 55 pounds of medical waste per day. Approximately 20% of this waste is infectious. The current stated objective of the American Hospital Association and the Centers for Disease Control is to treat medical waste as soon as it is generated. Both organizations recognize that medical waste is primarily an occupational hazard for health care workers and not an environmental problem. The best way to handle infectious medical waste is to disinfect it at the point of generation and dispose of the treated medical waste with a minimum on premises handling and storage. The need for an effective way to dispose of medical waste has been highlighted by the amendment made to 29 CFR 1910.1030 which provides for the federal regulation under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 29 USC 655, 657 to control blood borne pathogens. Specifically, the Act calls for the establishment of an exposure control plan, the containment of specimens of blood or other potentially infectious materials and the general tightening of precautionary measures to minimize the spread of disease. A safe and effective way to dispose of hospital waste would greatly facilitate compliance with the above-referenced Act.
As a result, consumption of medical disposable woven or non-woven products has been growing at a rate of approximately 10% a year. In 1988, sales totaled approximately 1.155 billion dollars. It is projected that as of the end of 1996, sales of medical disposable non-woven products will have exceeded two and a half billion dollars. In the United States, there are at least 30 million surgical procedures performed each year. After each surgical procedure, it is necessary that the operating theater be disinfected before a new procedure is performed to minimize any exposure the patients may bring to other patients or staff. This is particularly important in light of today's increasingly stringent regulations regarding occupational exposure to blood and bodily fluids.
Towels, sponges and gauzes have been in use since the first days of surgical procedures. They are used either to manipulate tissue, absorb blood and other oxidants of the wound site, as well as being useful to cleanse hands and assist in cleansing certain utensils used in various surgical procedures. Traditionally, towels, sponges and gauzes have been made from cotton fibers, though in recent years attempts have been made to provide replacements from other fibers including polyesters, rayons and other staple materials. These fibers were chosen because of their relative availability and cleanliness as man-made materials. Cotton is an agricultural material with volatile price and availability fluctuations. It has been noted that cotton replacements have, by and large, been unsatisfactory although many attempts have been made to mimic the appearance of cotton, all of which have been in vain.
Hospitals generally discard gauzes, sponges and towels after surgical use. Disposal takes place in either a landfill or by incineration. However, in either case, the handling of articles after use promotes the exposure of certain blood borne diseases to those employees who are charged with the responsibility for bagging and introducing such materials into the disposal process.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide suitable towels, sponges and gauze capable of being disposed of after use while avoiding additional burdens being placed upon landfills and other disposal sites.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide suitable towels, sponges and gauze which, after use, can be solubilized and substantially sterilized in a single operation.
These and further objects will be more readily appreciated when considering the following disclosure and dependent claims.

Method of disposal of hot water soluble garments and like fabrics


An optical transmission apparatus has a first wavelength selective switch (WSS) for route switching, provided with respect to each route, to selectively output signal light from a first input route to second through Nth output routes and to selectively output signal lights from second through Nth input routes to a first output route, for every wavelength, a second WSS for add and drop, to selectively output a signal light from an add port to the first through Nth output routes via the first WSS for every wavelength, and to selectively output the signal lights from the first through Nth input routes to a drop port via the first WSS for every wavelength, and an optical coupler to multiplex each of the signal lights output from the first WSS to the output routes and each of the signal lights output from the second WSS to the output routes, for every route, and to send multiplexed signal light to a first WSS of an other route, and to branch and supply multiplexed signal light input from said other route to the first WSS and the second WSS. The signal lights input and output by the first WSS and the second WSS are transmitted bidirectionally within a single optical transmission line.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to optical transmission apparatuses, and more particularly to an optical transmission apparatus that is for a wavelength division multiplex (WDM) optical transmission system, and is provided with a wavelength cross-connect (WXC) function and an optical add and drop multiplexing (OADM) function.
2. Description of the Related Art
The WDM optical transmission system is used in a trunk optical network that connects nodes, formed by optical transmission apparatuses set up in a city or the like, via optical transmission lines, and exchanges WDM signal light. The WXC function of the WDM optical transmission system switches an output destination route of signal light input from each route for every wavelength, and sends the signal light to a predetermined route. The OADM function of the WDM optical transmission system adds and sends signal light having an arbitrary wavelength to an arbitrary route, and drops and receives the signal light having the arbitrary wavelength from the arbitrary route. With respect to the WDM optical transmission system, there are demands to enable easy expansion of the system and to enable system construction at a low cost.
In a case where a transmission fault is generated between the nodes of the trunk optical network, there are demands to realize a function that instantaneously switches the transmission route between the nodes to an alternative route and instantaneously switches the signal light to a signal light having a wavelength usable in the alternative route. In order to realize this function, there is active research and development of devices that can form a route switching means, such as a wavelength selective switch (WSS) that can switch and output input signal light having an arbitrary wavelength to an arbitrary route, and a wavelength blocker that can block signal light having an arbitrary wavelength from passing through from among input WDM signal light, to be used in place of an optical matrix switch having a number of input ports equal to a product of the number of input routes and the number of wavelengths and having a number of output ports equal to a product of the number of output routes and the number of wavelengths.
FIG. 1 is a system block diagram showing a structure of an example of a conventional optical transmission apparatus applied with the WSS. FIG. 1 shows a case where the number of routes is 4, and the number of wavelengths (that is, channels) of the signal light is 40. As shown in FIG. 1, the optical transmission apparatus has, in a core portion thereof, first through fourth input wavelength selective switches (1×4 WSSs) 6-11 through 6-14 having 1 input port and 4 output ports, and first through fourth output wavelength selective switches (4×1 WSSs) 6-21 through 6-24 having 4 input ports and 1 output port.
The signal light from a first route R#1 is input to the input port of the first input wavelength selective switch (1×4 WSS) 6-11, and the signal lights from the output ports of the first input wavelength selective switch (1×4 WSS) 6-11 are output to the input ports of the output wavelength selective switches (4×1 WSSs) 6-22, 6-23 and 6-24 for the routes R#2, R#3 and R#4, other than the route R#1, and to an optical demultiplexer 6-41 of a first signal drop port D#1.
Similarly, the signal light from the second route R#2 is input to the input port of the second input wavelength selective switch (1×4 WSS) 6-12, and the signal lights from the output ports of the second input wavelength selective switch (1×4 WSS) 6-12 are output to the input ports of the output wavelength selective switches (4×1 WSSs) 6-21, 6-23 and 6-24 for routes R#1, R#3 and R#4, other than the route R#2, and to an optical demultiplexer 6-42 of a second signal drop port D#2.
Similarly, the signal light from the third route R#3 is input to the input port of the third input wavelength selective switch (1×4 WSS) 6-13, and the signal lights from the output ports of the third input wavelength selective switch (1×4 WSS) 6-13 are output to the input ports of the output wavelength selective switches (4×1 WSSs) 6-21, 6-22 and 6-24 for routes R#1, R#2 and R#4, other than the route R#3, and to an optical demultiplexer 6-43 of a third signal drop port D#3.
Similarly, the signal light from the fourth route R#4 is input to the input port of the fourth input wavelength selective switch (1×4 WSS) 6-14, and the signal lights from the output ports of the fourth input wavelength selective switch (1×4 WSS) 6-14 are output to the input ports of the output wavelength selective switches (4×1 WSSs) 6-21, 6-22 and 6-23 for routes R#1, R#2 and R#3, other than the route R#4, and to an optical demultiplexer 6-44 of a fourth signal drop port D#4.
On the other hand, the input ports of the first output wavelength selective switch (4×1 WSS) 6-21 receives the signal lights from the output ports of the input wavelength selective switches (1×4 WSSs) 6-12, 6-13 and 6-14 for the routes R#2, R#3 and R#4, other than the route R#1, and the signal light from an optical multiplexer 6-31 of a first signal add port A#1.
Similarly, the input ports of the second output wavelength selective switch (4×1 WSS) 6-22 receives the signal lights from the output ports of the input wavelength selective switches (1×4 WSSs) 6-11, 6-13 and 6-14 for the routes R#1, R#3 and R#4, other than the route R#2, and the signal light from an optical multiplexer 6-32 of a second signal add port A#2.
Similarly, the input ports of the third output wavelength selective switch (4×1 WSS) 6-23 receives the signal lights from the output ports of the input wavelength selective switches (1×4 WSSs) 6-11, 6-12 and 6-14 for the routes R#1, R#2 and R#4, other than the route R#3, and the signal light from an optical multiplexer 6-33 of a third signal add port A#3.
Similarly, the input ports of the fourth output wavelength selective switch (4×1 WSS) 6-24 receives the signal lights from the output ports of the input wavelength selective switches (1×4 WSSs) 6-11, 6-12 and 6-13 for the routes R#1, R#2 and R#3, other than the route R#4, and the signal light from an optical multiplexer 6-34 of a fourth signal add port A#4.
According to the structure shown in FIG. 1, the output route to which the signal light is added is fixed for each of the first through fourth signal add ports A#1 through A#4. In other words, the first signal add port A#1 can only add the signal light to the output route R#1, and the second signal add port A#2 can only add the signal light to the output route R#2. Similarly, the third signal add port A#3 can only add the signal light to the output route R#3, and the fourth signal add port A#4 can only add the signal light to the output route R#4.
In addition, the input route from which the signal light is dropped is fixed for each of the first through fourth signal drop ports D#1 through D#4. In other words, the first signal drop port D#1 can only drop the signal light from the optical route R#1, and the second signal drop port D#2 can only drop the signal light from the optical route R#2. Similarly, the third signal drop port D#3 can only drop the signal light from the optical route R#3, and the fourth signal drop port D#4 can only drop the signal light from the optical route R#4.
For this reason, each of the first through fourth signal add ports A#1 through A#4 cannot add and send the signal light to an arbitrary output route, and each of the first through fourth signal drop ports D#1 through D#4 cannot drop and receive the signal light from an arbitrary input route. In other words, it is not possible to realize the OADM function with respect to arbitrary routes by an arbitrary signal add port and an arbitrary signal drop port.
Moreover, according to the structure shown in FIG. 1, each of the signal add ports A#1 through A#4 uses 40 transmitters TX for sending the signal lights having the fixed wavelengths of λ1 through λ40, and the outputs of the transmitters TX corresponding to the wavelengths of the signal lights to be added are multiplexed by the optical multiplexers 6-31 through 6-34. Furthermore, each of the signal drop ports D#1 through D#4 uses 40 receivers RX for receiving the signal lights having the fixed wavelengths of λ1 through λ40, and the signal lights are branched by the optical demultiplexers 6-41 through 6-44 and received by the receivers RX. It is thus necessary to provide expensive WDM optical amplifiers 6-51 through 6-54 and 6-61 through 6-64, in order to compensate for the large losses at the optical multiplexers 6-31 through 6-34 and the optical demultiplexers 6-41 through 6-44.
A Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2006-140598, having a corresponding U.S. patent application Publication No. US2006/0098981, proposes an optical transmission apparatus which uses a wavelength selective switch in the signal add port and the signal drop port of the structure shown in FIG. 1, so as to enable adding and dropping of the signal light having an arbitrary wavelength with respect to an arbitrary route. According to this proposal, multiplexers are used in place of the output wavelength selective switches (4×1 WSSs) 6-21 through 6-24 shown in FIG. 1.
In addition, a Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2006-87062, having a corresponding U.S. patent application Publication No. US2006/0034610, proposes an optical add and drop apparatus which has a through route for passing the input light from the input port to the output port, a drop output port for dropping the input light having a predetermined wavelength, and an add output port for adding the signal light having a predetermined wavelength to the input light. According to this proposal, it is possible to easily expand the number of wavelengths and expand easily expand the wavelength cross-connect function, and to add and drop the signal lights without breaking the transmission signal.
FIG. 2 is a system block diagram showing a structure of an example of a conceivable optical transmission apparatus. This second example shown in FIG. 2 uses the wavelength selective switch in the signal add port and the signal drop port of the structure shown in FIG. 1, and the input wavelength selective switch and the output wavelength selective switch for each of the routes, so that it is possible to switch the route of and to drop or add the signal light having an arbitrary wavelength with respect to an arbitrary route.
FIG. 2 shows a case where the number of routes is 4, and the number of wavelengths (that is, channels) of the signal light is 40, similarly to the case shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the optical transmission apparatus has, in a core portion thereof, first through fourth input wavelength selective switches (1×7 WSSs) 7-11 through 7-14 having 1 input port and 7 output ports, and first through fourth output wavelength selective switches (7×1 WSSs) 7-21 through 7-24 having 7 input ports and 1 output port.
The signal light from the first route R#1 is input to the input port of the first input wavelength selective switch (1×7 WSS) 7-11, and the signal lights from the output ports of the first input wavelength selective switch (1×7 WSS) 7-11 are output to the input ports of the output wavelength selective switches (7×1 WSSs) 7-22, 7-23 and 7-24 for the routes R#2, R#3 and R#4, other than the route R#1, and to wavelength selective switches (4×1 WSSs) 7-41 through 7-44 of first through fourth signal drop ports D#1 through D#4.
Similarly, the signal light from the second route R#2 is input to the input port of the second input wavelength selective switch (1×7 WSS) 7-12, and the signal lights from the output ports of the second input wavelength selective switch (1×7 WSS) 7-12 are output to the input ports of the output wavelength selective switches (7×1 WSSs) 7-21, 7-23 and 7-24 for routes R#1, R#3 and R#4, other than the route R#2, and to the wavelength selective switches (4×1 WSSs) 7-41 through 7-44 of the first through fourth signal drop ports D#1 through D#4.
Similarly, the signal light from the third route R#3 is input to the input port of the third input wavelength selective switch (1×7 WSS) 7-13, and the signal lights from the output ports of the third input wavelength selective switch (1×7 WSS) 7-13 are output to the input ports of the output wavelength selective switches (7×1 WSSs) 7-21, 7-22 and 7-24 for routes R#1, R#2 and R#4, other than the route R#3, and to the wavelength selective switches (4×1 WSSs) 7-41 through 7-44 of the first through fourth signal drop ports D#1 through D#4.
Similarly, the signal light from the fourth route R#4 is input to the input port of the fourth input wavelength selective switch (1×7 WSS) 7-14, and the signal lights from the output ports of the fourth input wavelength selective switch (1×7 WSS) 7-14 are output to the input ports of the output wavelength selective switches (7×1 WSSs) 7-21, 7-22 and 7-23 for routes R#1, R#2 and R#3, other than the route R#4, and to the wavelength selective switches (4×1 WSSs) 7-41 through 7-44 of the first through fourth signal drop ports D#1 through D#4.
On the other hand, the input ports of the first output wavelength selective switch (7×1 WSS) 7-21 receives the signal lights from the output ports of the input wavelength selective switches (1×7 WSSs) 7-12, 7-13 and 7-14 for the routes R#2, R#3 and R#4, other than the route R#1, and the signal lights from the wavelength selective switches (1×4 WSSs) 7-31 through 7-34 of the first through fourth signal add ports A#1 through A#4.
Similarly, the input ports of the second output wavelength selective switch (7×1 WSS) 7-22 receives the signal lights from the output ports of the input wavelength selective switches (1×7 WSSs) 7-11, 7-13 and 7-14 for the routes R#1, R#3 and R#4, other than the route R#2, and the signal lights from the signal lights from the wavelength selective switches (1×4 WSSs) 7-31 through 7-34 of the first through fourth signal add ports A#1 through A#4.
Similarly, the input ports of the third output wavelength selective switch (7×1 WSS) 7-23 receives the signal lights from the output ports of the input wavelength selective switches (1×7 WSSs) 7-11, 7-12 and 7-14 for the routes R#1, R#2 and R#4, other than the route R#3, and the signal lights from the wavelength selective switches (1×4 WSSs) 7-31 through 7-34 of the first through fourth signal add ports A#1 through A#4.
Similarly, the input ports of the fourth output wavelength selective switch (7×1 WSS) 7-24 receives the signal lights from the output ports of the input wavelength selective switches (1×7 WSSs) 7-11, 7-12 and 7-13 for the routes R#1, R#2 and R#3, other than the route R#4, and the signal lights from the wavelength selective switches (1×4 WSSs) 7-31 through 7-34 of the first through fourth signal add ports A#1 through A#4.
The first signal add port A#1 has 40 variable wavelength transmitters TX for sending signal lights having 40 different wavelengths, a 2-stage switch, made up of wavelength selective switches (7×1 WSSs) 7-51 and 7-61, for selectively inputting the signal light from the variable wavelength transmitters TX, and a wavelength selective switch (1×4 WSS) 7-31. The second signal add port A#2 has 40 variable wavelength transmitters TX for sending signal lights having 40 different wavelengths, a 2-stage switch, made up of wavelength selective switches (7×1 WSSs) 7-52 and 7-62, for selectively inputting the signal light from the variable wavelength transmitters TX, and a wavelength selective switch (1×4 WSS) 7-32. The third signal add port A#3 has 40 variable wavelength transmitters TX for sending signal lights having 40 different wavelengths, a 2-stage switch, made up of wavelength selective switches (7×1 WSSs) 7-53 and 7-63, for selectively inputting the signal light from the variable wavelength transmitters TX, and a wavelength selective switch (1×4 WSS) 7-33. The fourth signal add port A#4 has 40 variable wavelength transmitters TX for sending signal lights having 40 different wavelengths, a 2-stage switch, made up of wavelength selective switches (7×1 WSSs) 7-54 and 7-64, for selectively inputting the signal light from the variable wavelength transmitters TX, and a wavelength selective switch (1×4 WSS) 7-34.
In addition, the first signal drop port D#1 has a wavelength selective switch (4×1 WSS) 7-41, a 2-stage switch, made up of wavelength selective switches (1×7 WSSs) 7-71 and 7-81, and 40 receivers RX for receiving signal lights having 40 different wavelengths. The second signal drop port D#2 has a wavelength selective switch (4×1 WSS) 7-42, a 2-stage switch, made up of wavelength selective switches (1×7 WSSs) 7-72 and 7-82, and 40 receivers RX for receiving signal lights having 40 different wavelengths. The third signal drop port D#3 has a wavelength selective switch (4×1 WSS) 7-43, a 2-stage switch, made up of wavelength selective switches (1×7 WSSs) 7-73 and 7-83, and 40 receivers RX for receiving signal lights having 40 different wavelengths. The fourth signal drop port D#4 has a wavelength selective switch (4×1 WSS) 7-44, a 2-stage switch, made up of wavelength selective switches (1×7 WSSs) 7-74 and 7-84, and 40 receivers RX for receiving signal lights having 40 different wavelengths.
Each of the first through fourth signal add ports A#1 through A#4 can arbitrarily select the output route to which the signal light is to be added, from each of output routes R#1out, R#2out, R#3out and R#4out. In addition each of the first through fourth signal drop ports D#1 through D#4 can arbitrarily select the input route from which the signal light is to be dropped, from each of input routes R#1in, R#2in, R#3in and R#4in.
In the optical transmission apparatus shown in FIG. 2, when the number of routes is increased or decreased, the number of wavelength selective switches (WSSs) 7-11 through 7-14 and 7-21 through 7-24 corresponding to each route must be increased or decreased, and the number of ports of the wavelength selective switches (WSSs) 7-11 through 7-14 and 7-21 through 7-24 corresponding to each route, the wavelength selective switches (WSSs) 7-31 through 7-34 in each signal add port and the wavelength selective switches (WSSs) 7-41 through 7-44 in each signal drop port must be increased or decreased.
In addition, when the number of wavelengths (that is, channels) is increased or decreased, the number of ports of the wavelength selective switches (7×1 WSSs) 7-51 through 7-54 and 7-61 through 7-64 for selecting the signal lights from the transmitters TX of the signal add ports A#1 through A#4 and outputting the selected signal lights to the input ports of the wavelength selective switches (1×4 WSSs) 7-31 through 7-34 must be increased or decreased, and the number of ports of the wavelength selective switches (1×7 WSSs) 7-71 through 7-74 and 7-81 through 7-84 for selecting the signal lights from the output ports of the wavelength selective switches (4×1 WSSs) 7-41 through 7-44 and outputting the selected signal lights to the receivers RX of the signal drop ports D#1 through D#4.
Therefore, according to the structure shown in FIG. 2, it is possible to add the signal light having an arbitrary wavelength with respect to an arbitrary signal add port and to drop the signal light having an arbitrary wavelength from an arbitrary signal drop port, but compared to the structure shown in FIG. 1, there were problems in that the number of required wavelength selective switches (WSSs) and the number of ports thereof increase considerably, that the number of wirings which couple the wavelength selective switches (WSSs) increases in a geometric series, and that the cost and the scale of the optical transmission apparatus increase.

Optical transmission apparatus having OADM function


A communication apparatus includes a conversion unit configured to convert data, an estimation unit configured to estimate a size after conversion of the data by the conversion unit before the conversion unit converts the data, and a notification unit configured to notify another communication apparatus of the size estimated by the estimation unit.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication apparatus for communicating converted data.
Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a technique for transferring data stored in a communication apparatus to another communication apparatus using wireless communication has been practically used. Since a data storage unit of an apparatus generally has a limited space, when data in a large size is transferred, the storage unit may not have enough free space for the data and thus cannot transfer the data to another communication apparatus. To address this problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-114755 discusses a method in which a conversion unit of an image capture device that reduces a data size to the minimum is previously selected to perform data conversion prior to starting transfer.
However, even when the data size is reduced by performing the data conversion, the data size cannot be always made smaller than the free space of the data storage unit of the communication apparatus, and data transfer can fail. Since the data conversion processing generally requires time, it is not desirable to stop the data transfer after the data is converted.

Communication apparatus, method for controlling communication apparatus, and program


A product display merchandiser comprises a tray having a product supporting surface; a first sidewall adjacent a first side of the tray; a second sidewall adjacent a second side of the tray; and a bracket configured to detachably mount the product display merchandiser to a support. The product display merchandiser is further configured with at least one of the following: the first and second sidewalls each having a respective sidewall vertical portion with a rear edge that is angled away from a rear of the product display merchandiser; the bracket having a tray-supporting portion that is oriented at an acute angle with respect to a support-engaging portion; and/or the bracket having at least two types of engagement members for mounting the product display merchandiser to either of at least two types of supports.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,248 discloses a product display grid system including a grid and various product hangers. The grid is comprised of spaced vertical and spaced horizontal members. The product hangers such as shelves, cups, hook and trays have attachment members that secure the product hangers to the horizontal elongate members of the grid. The product hangers support and display the products.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,283 discloses a product display including a track, a tray having a top surface upon which products are displayed, and interengagable members on the track and tray for enabling the tray to have a first mode of operation wherein the interengagable members are disengaged allowing the tray to move relative to the track and a second mode of operation wherein the interengagable members are interengaged prohibiting movement of the tray relative to the track. A biasing member urges products on the displayed toward the front of the display. Adjustable guide members are positioned adjacent the display surface for containing products on the display surface. The guide members are adjustable to accommodate various sizes of products.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,385 discloses a self-facing, add-on shelf system made up of universal base, divider, front, and rear sections. Universal in the sense that these sections form basic building sections for constructing shelf systems of various sizes and operational mode. The front and rear track sections are identical and can be combined with various combinations of bases, dividers and end sections to provide systems of different, desired widths. The depth of the self-facing shelf is generally set by the depth of the shelf with which it is to be used. The individual sections can be selected and combined to provide center pusher, side pusher, and gravity feed types of self facing systems. The bases, dividers and end sections are configured such that they can be extruded and interlock in assembly.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,168,579 and 7,681,745 disclose merchandising systems providing for the presentation and storage of articles comprising a base having a front and a back, the base being configured to support the articles and defining a first space for containing the articles. In addition, the merchandising system comprises an assembly for advancing the articles toward the front of the base, wherein the assembly comprises a member configured to extend beyond the base to create a second space for containing the articles in addition to the first space.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,681,744 discloses a merchandising system for articles comprising a base comprising an upper surface having a plurality of ribs, an underside having a plurality of supports formed integrally with the underside of the base, and a first side and a second side. The merchandising system comprises a frame coupled to the base and configured to couple with a shelving system for supporting the base in a substantially horizontal configuration, a first guide and a second guide coupled to the base for supporting articles, and an assembly for advancing the articles that is coupled to the base and provides force on the articles.
U.S. Pat. No. 10,154,739 discloses a universal front-facing merchandiser having a front rail having a first mating structure and a plurality of integrated pusher and divider assemblies. Each divider assembly includes a second mating structure that corresponds to and mates with the first mating structure to couple the integrated pusher and divider assemblies to the front rail. The mating structures of each pusher and divider assembly and the front rail are movable between a first position where the integrated pusher and divider assembly is coupled to and laterally movable about the front rail and is not removable from the front rail without force being applied to the integrated pusher and divider assembly and a second position where the integrated pusher and divider assembly is secured to the front rail in a desired position in a manner that hinders lateral movement of the integrated pusher and divider assembly.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0107670 discloses a ventilated merchandising system for products displayed in merchandise coolers such as refrigerator or freezer cases. One embodiment of the merchandising system includes a base member and a platform coupled to the base member such that air can flow between the platform and the base member. One or more plenum plates can be coupled to the base for directing air between the platform and the base member. A pusher plate may also be coupled to and movable along the platform for advancing products along the platform. A baffle system that may be coupled to a merchandising tray and a method of distributing air flow within a merchandise cooler unit are also provided.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0202369 discloses a product display merchandiser comprising a track, a pusher configured to move along the track, a biasing mechanism configured to apply a force on the pusher in one direction along the track, and a distance sensor configured to detect the distance between the pusher and a fixed point. The distance sensor determines the number of products contained in the product display merchandiser based on the distance measured.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0251835 discloses a product display including a tray, a first product channel located on a first side of the tray, and a second product channel located on a second side of the tray. In some embodiments the first product channel is located on top of the tray and the second product channel is located below the tray.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0273477 discloses a product display merchandiser comprising a tray, a spring biased pusher slidable within the tray, and a visual indicator comprising at least one light activated by a switch, the switch configured to be actuated when the pusher is within a predetermined portion of the tray.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018/0020848 discloses a product display merchandiser comprising a support member, an intermediate member movably attached to the support member, and a product support attached to the intermediate member. The intermediate member being movable between at least a retracted position and an extended position.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018/0103775 discloses a product display merchandiser comprising a base configured to be coupled to a shelving unit, a tray defined by at least one sidewall, wherein the tray is movable relative to the base, a lens positioned at a front end of the tray, and a lighting element configured to illuminate the lens. A retrofitting system comprising a light pipe and a body for connecting the light pipe to a merchandiser.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018/0153313 discloses a shelf management system having a tray defining a first mating structure and a second mating structure, a shelf management component having a spring biased pusher connected thereto and movable between a first position wherein the pusher is extended to a rear of the shelf management component and a second position wherein the pusher is retracted to a front of the shelf management component, and an interstitial member positioned between the shelf management component and the tray to secure the shelf management component to the tray and hinder lateral movement of the shelf management component with respect to the tray. Improved components of the shelf management system are also disclosed as are methods relating to same.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018/0360233 discloses a product display tray including one or more arms including engagement members. The product display tray can also include a base having one or more tracks receiving the one or more arms, wherein the base is slidable along the one or more arms from a first position to a second position. The product display tray can also include a handle. The product display tray can also include a latch, wherein the latch is operably connected to the handle, wherein the latch has an engaged position and a disengaged position, and wherein the latch is in the engaged position when the base is in the first position and the base is operable to enter the second position when the latch is in the disengaged position.
International Application Publication No. WO 2018/200997 discloses a product display comprising a rail having a channel and a tray. The tray comprising a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and a product support surface. The tray further comprising an engagement portion having at least one protrusion configured to engage the channel.
The above-noted patents and patent application publications are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

Tray accessory and tray with mounting structure