The present invention relates to devices that pre-warm topical preparation intended for application to skin. Specifically, the present invention relates to devices that pre-warm a premeasured amount of a topical preparation from a larger source without warming the full source.

There are many topical preparations intended for application to unbroken skin. They may be in the form of low- to medium-viscosity lotions or oils, or higher viscosity creams or gels. The topical preparations are applied to external skin with bare hands, a clean cloth, cotton wool or gauze. They are used for all age groups, from newborns to the aging and aged demographic groups.
The therapeutic benefits that come from applying warm topical preparations are numerous. Generally, the preparations that come directly from their containers are cold or cool relative to the skin.
There are many known devices that act as warmers to keep topical preparations at desired warmth. In general, the container with the topical preparation is placed in the device, and the device warms the entire container and the topical preparation contained within. These devices are often sized so as to warm multiple containers with topical preparations.
One limitation of these devices is that they warm the entire contents of the container. If the consumer desires to warm only a portion of the container, they must wait for the entire contents to be warmed before use. Also, there is a waste of energy if the entire contents are warmed and only a small portion of the container is used. In addition, if the consumer plans to use the topical preparations intermittently, then consumer must either keep the container continually in the warming device (wasting energy), or spend time waiting for the entire contents of the container to re-warm each time they wish to use a warm preparation. In some cases, the repeated heating and cooling of the topical preparation results in the degradation of the lotion by chemical (such as oxidation) or physical (such as phase separation).
Topical preparations for application to skin are used by all age groups. Often, warming of the lotions is desired before application. There is a desire to have devices that pre-warm a premeasured amount of a topical preparation from a larger source without warming the full source.


The present invention relates to a waste purifying and incinerating apparatus, in which the waste matters are introduced into one of a pair of parallel purifying and incinerating chambers provided with a heater and a pair of magnetrons. The waste matters are dried and incinerated by a radiating heat from the heater and a very high frequency generated by the magnetrons, thereby the liquid content retained in the waste and the ashes produced from the incinerating operation are filtered and disinfected as well as the nasty or poisionous components in the gas produced from the incineration is filtered so that antipollution effects and the waste incinerating efficiency are improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a waste purifying and incinerating apparatus for purifying and incinerating waste or waste matters discharged from factories and/or homes, more particularly, to a waste purifying and incinerating apparatus having a simple contruction, in which a very high frequency is used for heating waste matters and a purifying and incinerating procedure is automated to increase the operating reliability of the apparatus and to perform a purifying and incinerating function effectively, thereby improving an processing efficiency.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a well-known waste purifying and incinerating apparatus, waste matters are generally processed through a series of procedures by introducing the waste matters into a purifying and incinerating chamber, drying the introduced waste matters, and then incinerating the dried waste matters.
After the waste matters have been incinerated in the purifying and incinerating chamber, ashes are conventionally removed using a separate suction mechanism such as a vacuum cleaner. In such a manner, however, the following disadvantages in handling and operating of the vacuum cleaner can arise. That is, it is difficult to completely remove the remaining ashes in the chamber with the vacuum cleaner. Also, when remaining sparks of fire which are not extingushied completely are introduced into the vacuum cleaner, it can cause a fire. Further, a filter member mounted in the vacuum cleaner for selectively draining water retained in the waste matters may be frequently choked with minute waste particles, thereby a purifying and incinerating operation of the apparatus can not be executed effectively.
To avoid the aforementioned disadvantages, another method is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. showa 62-22906, which comprises a processing chamber having a waste introducing inlet and a magnetron mounted thereon, and a combustion chamber connected to the processing chamber, wherein waste matters are dried by a high frequency signal produced by the magnetron and then incinerated therein.
With the arrangement as mentioned above, however, since the processing chamber serves to dry the waste matters with the high frequency signal, it should be provided with a seperate waste transporting means such as a conveyor mechanism for conveying the dried waste matters toward the combustion chamber. As a result, the conventional incinerating apparatus or incinerator is complicated in structure and increased in size.

Microwave waste purifying and incinerating apparatus


In a paper-like piece handling apparatus, a same drive (M2) is shared between a stacker mechanism (11) for storing an inserted paper-like piece (P) into a cumulative paper-like piece storage section (20) and a shutter (10) for opening/closing a predetermined transport path (4). The shared use of the drive (M2) can reduce the number of necessary component parts and overall cost of the apparatus.

The present invention relates generally to paper-like piece handling apparatus for use in automatic vending machines, money changing machines and the like, which handle paper-like pieces such as bills (pieces of paper money or bank notes), tickets and cards, for evaluating the authenticity of inserted paper-like pieces and cumulatively storing those paper-like pieces having been ascertained as authentic. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved paper-like piece handling apparatus including a means, such as a shutter, for opening and closing a paper-like piece transport path, and an improved method for opening/closing the paper-like piece transport path in such a paper-like piece handling apparatus.
Most of automatic vending machines and money changing machines include a certain type of paper-like piece handling apparatus which evaluates the authenticity of every inserted paper-like piece and cumulatively stores only paper-like pieces having been ascertained as authentic. Generally, the conventional paper-like piece handling apparatus include a transport mechanism for transporting each paper-like piece, inserted or deposited through an insertion opening, along a predetermined transport path, an evaluation means for evaluating the authenticity of the paper-like piece transported via the transport mechanism, and a stacker mechanism for storing each paper-like piece, ascertained as authentic, into a cumulative paper-like piece storage section. This type of paper-like piece handling apparatus is also equipped with a shutter for opening/closing the paper-like piece transport path with a view to preventing unfair acts by wicked persons, such as forcible pulling out of the inserted paper-like piece through the insertion opening.
Examples of the paper-like piece handling apparatus equipped with such a shutter are known, for example, from Japanese Utility Model Publication No. SHO-60-25643 and Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. HEI-7-249146. The first-mentioned No. SHO-60-25643 publication discloses a paper-like piece handling apparatus that uses a solenoid as a drive source for the shutter. In this paper-like piece handling apparatus, the solenoid is activated, in response to insertion of a paper-like piece, to retract the shutter from the transport path so as to clear or open the transport path. After the inserted paper-like piece has passed the shutter, the solenoid is deactivated to allow the shutter to advance into the transport path for blocking or closing the transport path. The second-mentioned No. HEI-7-249146 publication discloses a paper-like piece handling apparatus that includes a motor as a drive source for the shutter and a motor-motion conversion mechanism for converting the rotary motion of the motor into linear motion. Here, in response to insertion of a paper-like piece, the motor is activated to rotate in one direction and the rotary motion of the motor is converted via the conversion mechanism into linear motion to retract the shutter from the transport path so as to open the transport path. After the inserted paper-like piece has passed the shutter, the motor is activated again to rotate in another direction and the rotary motion, in the other direction, of the motor is converted via the conversion mechanism into linear motion to allow the shutter to advance into the transport path for closing the transport path. Namely, these conventional paper-like piece handling apparatus are constructed to prevent paper-like pieces from being forcibly pulled out through the insertion opening by an unfair act, by causing the shutter to close the transport path after the introduction of each paper-like piece into the apparatus.
However, the above-mentioned conventional paper-like piece handling apparatus tend to become very costly, because they use the drive, such as the solenoid or motor, to move the shutter between the positions for opening and closing the transport path. Particularly, in the case where the motor is used as the drive for opening and closing the shutter, the separate conversion mechanism is required for converting the rotary motion of the motor into linear motion, which would add to the number of necessary component parts and hence unavoidably increase the overall cost of the apparatus.

Sheet handling apparatus and method for opening/closing sheet transport path in the handling apparatus


Methods and apparatuses for analyzing biomolecules are presented. The methods include dividing of sample molecules into multiple fragments, spatially separating these fragments while maintaining knowledge of their original ordering, and analyzing individual fragments. Apparatuses and methods detailed provide for the spatial separation of sample fragments while maintaining their original ordering. In one embodiment, a sample molecule (2902) is attached to a top surface (2804) of a layer (2802). Layer (2802) is extended such that sample molecule (2902) is divided into fragments (3002), and fragments (3002) are spatially separated. Other embodiments are described and shown.

1. Field of Invention
The invention generally relates to methods and apparatuses for investigating bio-molecules, and more specifically relates to methods and apparatuses used determining the base sequence of a nucleic acid or amino acid sequence of a protein.
2. Prior Art
The quest for low-cost methods of sequencing nucleic acids has been driven by its recognized importance to biological and medical research, and ultimately by its potential to impact the practice of medicine. Consequently, many techniques have been explored and reviewed, including variations on the classic chain-termination strategy of Sanger et al. PNAS 74:5463 5467 (1977), pyrosequencing, see for example Hyman E. D. Analytical Biochem 174:423 436 (1988), and other sequencing by synthesis or sequencing by incorporation methods, see for example Ronaghi et al. Science 281:363 365 (1998), sequencing by hybridization techniques, for example Strezoska et al. PNAS 88:10089 10093 (1991), including micro-array techniques, for example Chee et al., Science 274:610 614 (1996), and direct imaging of bases by micro-probes, for example Hansma et al. Science 256:1180 1184 (1992). A hybrid sequencing by hybridization and chain-termination technique is presented by Head et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,322,968 that employs probes having a short spacer arm. In their method, probes are lengthened by a polymerase and a chain-terminating and labeled nucleotide. The method is an array technique with the added complexity of an enzymatic process. In general, all these sequencing methods suffer from one or more of the following issues: short read lengths on un-correlated fragments, time-consuming cyclic processes conducted in expensive equipment, excessive consumption of expensive reagents, difficult and costly to analyze data sets, and reliance on alternate means for generating a sequence scaffold or map. The present invention is designed to circumvent these issues.

Methods and apparatuses for spatially separating molecules attached to a support and uses in biotechnology


The present disclosure generally relates to the use of des-aspartate-angiotensin I and/or its derivatives in medicine. In particular, the present invention relates to the use of des-aspartate-angiotensin I and/or its derivatives for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of inflammatory diseases or pathologies, for inducing anti-inflammatory actions and/or reducing inflammation, and/or for treatment of inflammation-related conditions.

Des-aspartate-angiotensin I is an endogenous angiotensin peptide (Sim and Qiu, Regul. Pept., 111:179-182 (2002)). It is formed from angiotensin I by a specific aminopeptidase present in blood vessels and the hypothalamus (Sim, Biochem. Pharmacol., 45:1524-1527 (1994); Sim et al., Biochem. Pharmacol., 48:1043-1046)). Our previous studies have shown that des-aspartate-angiotensin I exerts useful cardiovascular and renal actions (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,773,415; 6,100,237; US2003/0086920 A1; U.S. Pat. No. 6,589,938 B2) attenuates insulin resistance in type 2 diabetic animals and combats viral infection (Sim et al., Endocrinology, 148:5925-5932 (2008); PCT No. WO 2007/030082 A1). Earlier studies have also shown that des-aspartate-angiotensin I acts as an agonist on the angiotensin AT1 receptor and that its actions were indomethacin sensitive (Sim and Soh, Eur. J. Pharmacol., 284:215-219 (1995); Sim and Chai, Br. J. Pharmacol., 117:1504-1506 (1996); Min et al., Regul Pept., 95:93-97 (2000); Wen et al., Regul Pept., 120:149-153 (2004)). The present invention identifies a specific interaction between des-aspartate-angiotensin I and the angiotensin AT1 receptor in which only prostaglandins E2 and I2 (PGE2 and PGI2) are produced by the enzymatic action of COX1. PGE2 and PGI2, so produced, mediate the biological actions of des-aspartate-angiotensin I. PGE2 acts on its receptor, which exists as four subtypes (EP1 to EP4). It produces a variety of responses which blur the line between it being categorized as a proinflammatory or anti-inflammatory molecule, (Fraser, Int. Rev. Immunol., 27:320-350 (2008)). PGE2 and PGI2 are involved in inflammation-related vasodilation and synergize with other proinflammatory mediators to increase vascular permeability and promote edema (Khanapure et al., Curr. Top. Med. Chem., 7:311-340 (2007)). Current understanding of the roles of COX1 and COX 2 in physiology, pathophysiology and inflammation are also equivocal and there are conditions where either COXs could be involved in inflammation (Rouzer and Marnett, J. Lipid Res., 50:S29-S34 (2009)). In the context of the dual pro- and anti-inflammatory roles of PGE2 and PGI2, and COX1 and COX2, this invention shows a specific novel pathway in which des-aspartate-angiotensin I acts on the angiotensin AT1 receptor and activates only COX1 to produce PGE2 and PGI2. In the setting of diseases and pathologies that are inflammatory in nature, it was surprisingly discovered that the PGE2 and PGI2 so produced attenuate the symptoms of the diseases and pathologies.
Inflammation is a complex response to injurious stimuli and is mediated and influenced by pleiotropic cytokines. Hence, an earlier study by Rufaihah et al. wrongly concluded that the cardioprotective effect of des-aspartate-angiotensin I was due to its suppression of genes of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, TGF-β and GM-CSF that were upregulated in the rat model of myocardial infarction (Rufaihah et al., Life Sci., 78:1341-1351 (2006)). Firstly, the cytokines IL-6, TGF-β and GM-CSF have been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory properties. IL-6 is an anti-inflammatory cytokine and attenuates the production of TNF-α in inflammation (Ulich et al., Am. J. Pathol., 138:1097-1101 (1991); Denis, J. Leuko. Biol., 52:197-201 (1992)). This probably accounted for the absence of des-aspartate-angiotensin I effect on upregulated TNF-α gene in the first 7 days of Rufaihah's study. TGF-β is a potent anti-inflammatory cytokine; surviving mice with knockout TGF-β gene exhibit fulminating inflammatory lesions of the heart and other organs (Kulkarni and Karlsson, Am. J. Pathol., 143:3-9 (1993)). In addition, high level of TGF-β in cow milk has been shown to protect against inflammation in mice (Ozawa et al., J. Nutr., 139:69-75 (2009)). GM-CSF is highly pleiotropic and has been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory actions in inflammatory gut diseases (Korzenik et al., N. Engl. J. Med., 352:2193-2201 (2005); Sainathan et al., Inflamm. Bowel Dis. 14:88-99 (2008)). Secondly, cytokine gene profile in the contralateral area of normal heart tissues was also affected by des-aspartate-angiotensin I especially TNF-α gene, which increased in level in des-aspartate-angiotensin I treated animals in Day 3. Thirdly, an increase in cytokine gene expression does not necessarily translate to protein expression of the cytokine. Therefore, Rufaihah's study does not teach that the actions of des-aspartate-angiotensin I are anti-inflammatory in the rat model of myocardial infarction. It, however, teaches that des-aspartate-angiotensin I exerts cardioprotective effects, which resulted in the gradual normalization of upregulated gene expression of IL-6, TGF-β, and CM-CSF.
The ability of des-aspartate-angiotensin I to combat diseases bearing different pathologies and in different organs is not only unique but intriguing. While researching the mechanisms of its multi-disease action, it was surprisingly found that DAA-I specifically halts the early events of inflammation. These anti-inflammatory actions were useful in inflammatory diseases arising from chemical, physical, and biological insults and/or causes.

Use of des-aspartate-angiotensin I in inflammation-related pathologies and diseases


A computer-implemented method and system for creating data sources for a variable data publishing (VDP) marketing campaign pattern. The method and system can be utilized to generate a data source from external sources, such as Encyclopedic knowledge-bases, when desired data is not locally available. A user can specify a conceptual identity, and the method and system automatically map the conceptual identity to an appropriate database, generate semantic queries, and query the database to develop the data source for use in the campaign.

Data suggests that somewhere between 30-40% of marketing campaigns are personalized, most of which only vary content based on the recipient's name. First-name and last-name are simple textual data values that can be leveraged in a limited capacity on a personalized document (e.g., embedded in textual message or in an image). As CRM (customer relations management) systems become more sophisticated, much more data becomes available in which campaigns can be personalized for customers or prospects. The data (e.g. first-name, last-name, age, gender) and logic (a.k.a "business rules"—e.g. "if gender is male and age is less than 30, then special offer=iPhone otherwise special offer=Blackberry) aspects of a variable data publishing (VDP) plan creation are difficult and time consuming. Marketing Service Providers (MSPs) invest large amounts of time understanding the desires of the campaign customer, testing the specific campaign requirements, and creating the logic necessary to fulfill the campaign intent.
There is a need in the art for systems and methods that facilitate identifying the intent of a user designing a marketing campaign while overcoming the aforementioned deficiencies.

Knowledge-assisted approach to dynamically create data sources for variable-data marketing campaigns


The invention relates to a laser velocimetric probe which includes a laser generator, a beam splitter, and a back scattering lens with an output to measuring devices for determining the velocity of a particle passing through a fringe field from a signal representing the light backscattered by the particle. The beam splitter simultaneously generates at least two fringe systems and the measuring devices are arranged for determining at least two components of the particle velocity by frequency analysis of the signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a laser velocimetric probe and, more particularly, to a probe which includes means for generating interference fringes and measurement means for determining the velocity of a particle passing through the fringe field from a signal representing the light backscattered by this particle.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Velocimetric probes of this already known type generally consist of the following elements:
- a collimated coherent light source, such as a diode laser, delivering a light beam at a wavelength .lambda.; PA1 - an optical splitter giving, from the beam emitted by the source, two mutually parallel identical beams separated by a distance a; PA1 - an optical collimation device which focuses the previous beams at a distance F from its exit face. It may be demonstrated that, in the focusing zone, the two beams interfere. The interference field consists of straight, parallel fringes, the fringe spacing of which is given by: EQU i=.lambda.F/a PA1 - an optical reception device which forms the image of the focusing zone on a photoreceiver; PA1 - this photoreceiver and its control electronics; PA1 - an electronic processing unit giving an item of velocity information from the information coming from the photoreceiver.
Such a probe operates in the following manner.
When a particle passes through the fringe field, it backscatters the light toward the optical reception device and the photoreceiver. This light signal is modulated by the fringe field. It may be demonstrated that the temporal modulation frequency f is given by EQU f=v.sub.x /i
where v.sub.x is the particle velocity in the direction perpendicular to the fringes.
The electronic processing unit enables the frequency f, and therefore the velocity v.sub.x, to be obtained, for example by the Fourier transform method.
Such a probe enables just one component of the particle velocity to be determined. When it is desired to know two or three components, so as to determine the velocity and the incidence of the particle with respect to the probe, two or three optical heads are used, the fringe fields of which are mutually perpendicular. Such an arrangement has the two drawbacks of taking up a lot of space and of doubling or tripling the cost of the system.

Laser velocimetric and clinometric probe


A paddle urging system for use in a stacking bin having a constant force spring to provide an urging force to a paddle for supporting a stack of mailpieces. As mailpieces are accumulated into the stack, they push the stack against the paddle. A brake/clutch system is used to provide an additional drag to the paddle to resist against this movement of the paddle. The brake/clutch system is adjustable so that heavy mailpieces are supported more effectively, whereas lightweight mailpieces encounter less resistant force when they are accumulated into the stack.

The present invention relates generally to a mail or document stacking machine and, more particularly, to a stack support for providing a resisting force to the stack as the mailpiece or document is accumulated into the stack.
In a typical mail-handling machine, mailpieces are sorted and pushed into a plurality of stacking bins where the mailpieces are accumulated in substantially vertical stacks. In each stacking bin, a paddle, or an abutment member, is used to support the stack while allowing the stack thickness to increase. In order to providing sufficient support to the growing stack, a resisting force is usually provided to the paddle against the stack. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,249 (Belec et al.), the paddle 40 is slidably mounted on a shaft or bar 32 by means of a cylindrical shaped member 34. The cylindrical shaped member 34 is spring-loaded to provide a resisting force 150 to the paddle 40 as the stack 100 is pushed in a direction 102 when the mailpiece 110 is accumulated into the stack 100 by an input mechanism 90, as shown in FIG. 1. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,965 (Kulpa), one end of a cord 54 is tied to the cylindrical shaped member 34 and the other end of the cord 54 is wrapped around a rotary displacement device 60. As the cylindrical member 34, along with the paddle 40 and the stack 100, is pushed along the direction 102, it causes the rotary displacement device 60 to rotate along a rotation direction 106, as shown in FIG. 2. A pulley 70 is fixedly mounted on the rotary displacement device 60 for motion. One end of another cord 52 is wrapped around the pulley 70 and the other end of the cord 52 is tied to a spring 50. When the rotary displacement device 60 is rotated along the rotation direction 106, it causes the spring 50 is stretched along the direction 104. As the spring 50 is stretched, it increases the tension 202 in the cord 52, thereby increasing the resistance force 150 provided to the paddle 40.
While the resisting force providing systems, as disclosed in Belec et al. and in Kulpa, are useful in supporting a stack of mailpieces as the thickness of the stack increases, the resisting force cannot be adjusted according to the load of the mailpieces. On the one hand, if the resistance force is too high, then lightweight mailpieces may be damaged when they are accumulated into the stack. On the other hand, if the resistance force is too low, the stack may overpower the paddle and cause the entire stack to topple over.
It is advantageous and desirable to provide a stack urging force system wherein the resistance force provided to the paddle is adjustable according to the load of the mailpieces.
According to first aspect of the present invention, a paddle urging system for use in a stacking bin having a first end and an opposing second end, wherein a paddle is provided in the stacking bin to support a stack of mailpieces in the stacking bin and wherein the mailpieces are accumulated into the stack at the first end of the stacking bin, thereby increasing the thickness of the stack and pushing the stack against the paddle in a first direction toward the second end of the stacking bin, said paddle system comprising:
an urging mechanism, operatively connected to the paddle, for providing an urging force to urge the paddle to move in a second direction opposite from the first direction while supporting the stack; and
an adjustable resisting force mechanism, operatively connected to the urging mechanism, for providing a resisting force to the paddle against the pushing of the stack toward the second end when the mailpieces are accumulated into the stack, in addition to the urging force provided by the urging mechanism.
According to the present invention, wherein the urging mechanism comprises a spring, connected to the paddle by a flexible member, for providing the urging force to the paddle.
According to the present invention, the adjustable resisting force mechanism comprises a clutch system for providing the resisting force, and the flexible member is mechanically engaged with the clutch system for conveying the resisting force provided by the clutch to the paddle.
According to the present invention, the clutch system comprises a pulley engaged with a one-way clutch such that the pulley is allowed to turn in a first rotation direction with respect to a rotation axis and the pulley is prevented from turning in a second rotation direction opposite from the first rotation direction, and wherein the one-way clutch is further engaged with a rotating member with an adjustable friction force and the rotating member is disposed axially with the rotation axis, such that when the pulley is caused to turn in the second rotation direction by the pushing of the stack toward the second end of the stacking bin, the one-way clutch causes the rotating member to rotate against the friction force for providing the resisting force to the flexible member, and when the pulley is caused to turn in the first rotation direction, the one-way clutch and the rotating member are effectively disengaged from the pulley.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, a stacking bin for use in a mail processing machine for accumulating mailpieces into a stack from a first end of the stack, wherein the stack is pushed toward a first direction when the mailpieces are accumulated into the stack, thereby increase the thickness of the stack and pushing the stack along a first direction, said stacking bin comprising:
a paddle, provided at the second end of the stack opposite from the first end, for supporting the stack,
an urging mechanism, operatively connected to the paddle, for providing an urging force to urge the paddle to move against the stack toward a second direction opposite from the first direction; and
an adjustable resisting force mechanism, operatively connected to the urging mechanism, for providing a resisting force to the paddle against the pushing of the stack when the mailpieces are accumulated into the stack, in addition to the urging force provided by the urging mechanism.
The present invention will become apparent upon reading the description taken in conjunction with FIGS. 1 to 4.

Adjustable urging force system for stacker paddle


A videoscope for dental or oral use comprises a grip portion, an insert portion, a light window formed in the wall of the insert portion for illuminating an object, an acceptance window formed in the wall of the insert portion for receiving reflected light from the object, an image sensor disposed in the tip of the insert portion for receiving the light from the object to generate an electric signal corresponding to the object image, a light source disposed in the grip portion, and a light guide for guiding light rays from the light source to the light window. The light guide is made of a transparent plastic material. The light guide has a condensing portion that condenses the light rays emitted by the light emitting member, a guiding portion in which the light rays can propagate by total reflection, and a shedding portion that sheds the propagated light rays through the light window.

This invention relates to a videoscope employing an image sensor such as a charge coupled device (CCD), and especially relates to a dental scope used for a dental or oral use.
Recently, such a videoscope has been used for an examination or a medical care of an oral cavity in a dental clinic or in oral surgery. One type of such videoscope employs an optical fiber for guiding light rays as disclosed in Japanese laid open patent applications (Tokukaihei) 4-176436 and 4-285525, for example. Another type disclosed in Japanese laid open patent application (Tokukaisho) 62-246347 uses an optical fiber for guiding an image of the object to the image sensor such as CCD. The videoscope disclosed in Tokukaihei 4-176436 uses an optical system including lenses for guiding an image of the object to the image sensor.
Such a videoscope is required to be easy to handle with one hand, have a high quality image and an inexpensive price for wide use.
The prior art disclosed in Tokukaihei 4-176436 has an optical fiber for guiding light rays. This optical fiber should have a complicated shape fitting to a narrow space inside the videoscope, which also contains lenses and prisms for condensing or dispersing light rays. However, since an optical fiber is hard to bend in a small angle and is easy to break, it can hardly extend to the tip inner portion. It is also difficult to decrease the number of the components.
The videoscope of the prior art has another disadvantage in that it is not easy to handle since it has an optical fiber connecting a grip portion of the videoscope and an external light source box, in addition to an electric cable connecting the grip portion of the videoscope and an external video circuit. The optical fiber and the electric cable can be integrated into a cord in recent technology, but it is not enough to improve the difficulty in handling the videoscope.
Moreover, the videoscope of the prior art needs a long optical path including lenses or an optical fiber for transmitting a light image of the object to an image sensor. This complicated structure makes it difficult to reduce the size and cost of the video scope.
The present invention is aimed at a novel structure of such a videoscope that enables easiness of handling and an inexpensive price.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A method of manufacturing a universal joint outer housing which produces an extrusion which consists of two outer housing instead of one. The outer housing are formed adjacent to each other and are separated during the machining of the finished housings. This provides a significant cost saving by providing two extrusions during a process which originally produced only a single extrusion.

This invention relates generally to an apparatus and method of manufacturing a constant velocity universal joint housing and, more particularly, to forming a pair of adjacent housings.
Constant velocity universal joint outer race housings typically have been extruded with an integral stub shaft. This is true for almost all fixed and plunge type of constant velocity universal joints with the exceptions being various joints designed for a flange type of connection. U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,803, issued to Otsuka et al. on Feb. 19, 1980, shows a typical single piece outer housing design for a fixed universal joint design. U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,676, issued to O'Brien on Sep. 22, 1987, shows a method of manufacturing a tri-pod universal joint housing having a closure and an attachment shank at one end.
Recent designs of constant velocity universal joints, in particular the fixed joint type, have been developed using a two piece outer joint housing. One piece of the housing is the outer race, the other piece the stub shaft. U.S. Pat. No. 4,116,020, issued to Aucktor et al. on Sep. 26, 1978, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,643, issued to Krude on Feb. 19, 1985, are typical examples of the fixed joint type of constant velocity joints designed with a two piece outer housing. Both patents require the open end of the outer housing to face towards the stub shaft thus precluding the manufacture of the complete housing as a one piece unit.
One disadvantage of the two piece outer housing is the added cost to manufacture two extrusions or forgings in order to produce one outer joint housing. The amount of steel in a one piece and a two piece design is nearly identical. The added cost comes from the need to have two extrusions or forgings instead of one.
Accordingly, it is desirous to have an extrusion which produces more than one outer joint housing.

Method of forming universal joint housings


The timing or phasing of port openings and closings during operation of an opposed-piston engine is varied in response to changing engine speeds and loads by changing crankshaft phasing.

The subject matter relates to a dual-crankshaft, opposed-piston engine equipped for variable crankshaft phasing in order to change port timing and/or port phasing in response to changing engine conditions. Particularly, the subject matter relates to an opposed-piston engine with two crankshafts coupled by a gear train in which a phasing mechanism coupled to at least one crankshaft varies port timing in the engine by changing the rotational phasing between the crankshafts, an operation referred to as "crank phasing".
In an opposed-piston engine, a pair of pistons is disposed for opposed sliding motion in the bore of at least one ported cylinder. Each cylinder has exhaust and intake ports, and the cylinders are juxtaposed and oriented with exhaust and intake ports mutually aligned. Each port is constituted of one or more arrays or sequences of openings disposed circumferentially in the cylinder wall near a respective end of the cylinder. The engine includes two crankshafts rotatably mounted near respective exhaust ends and intake ends of the cylinders, and each piston is coupled to a respective one of the two crankshafts. The reciprocal movements of the pistons control the operations of the ports. In this regard, each port is located at a fixed position where it is opened and closed by a respective piston at predetermined times during each cycle of engine operation. Those pistons that control exhaust port operation are termed "exhaust pistons" and those that control intake port operation are called "intake pistons".
Typically in opposed-piston engines the exhaust piston is phased in relation to the intake piston so as to enhance exhaust gas purging and scavenging during the later portion of the power stroke.
Piston phasing is normally fixed by positioning the exhaust piston connecting rod at some advanced angle on the crankshaft to which it is connected ("the exhaust crankshaft") ahead of the intake piston connecting rod position on the crankshaft to which it is connected ("the intake crankshaft"). In such a configuration, as the pistons move away from top center (TC) positions after combustion, both ports (intake and exhaust) are closed by their respective pistons. As the pistons approach bottom center (BC) positions the exhaust port is opened first to begin exhaust gas purging and then the intake port opens some preset time later to allow pressurized air into the cylinder chamber to provide scavenging of the remaining exhaust gasses. Then, as the pistons reverse direction, the exhaust port closes first, allowing pressurized air into the cylinder chamber through the still open intake port until it too closes and a compression cycle begins.
It is desirable to be able to vary the timing or phasing of port openings and closings during engine operation in order to dynamically adapt the time that a port remains open to changing speeds and loads that occur during engine operation.
It is desirable to be able to vary the timing or phasing of port openings and closings during engine operation in order to maintain optimal blowdown, uniflow scavenging, and/or supercharger operations in the face of changing engine operating conditions.
Some opposed-piston engine designs do not utilize the pistons for port control. Instead, these engines are equipped with reciprocating sleeves that slide axially along the cylinder sidewall to open and close ports. Such arrangements are termed "sleeve valves" and port timing depends upon control of sleeve valve position and movement. Port phasing in sleeve valve engines presents very complicated control challenges that have to provide for timing the movements of crankshafts, pistons, and valve sleeves. Moreover, an important advantage of opposed-piston engines is the relative simplicity of engine construction: an opposed-piston engine dispenses with cylinder heads and many moving parts associated with valves and valve train mechanisms of single-piston engines. Much of this simplification is surrendered by the sleeve valve constructions.
It is therefore desirable to be able to control port phasing in an opposed-piston engine by relying on piston phasing to dynamically adapt port opening and closing times to changing speeds and loads that occur during engine operation. The objective is to secure the benefits realized by adapting port operation to varying engine operating conditions without sacrificing the simplifications achieved with opposed-piston constructions.

Dual crankshaft, opposed-piston engines with variable crank phasing


Optical machining of a workpiece with coherent light scanning a plate with a plurality of subaperture subapertures is disclosed. Each of the subapertures creates a working image which when scanned with a coherent wave front of the design frequency forms in three dimensional space the working image. The working image when registered to a workpiece effect processing of the workpiece, usually ablating an aperture such as a blind via of small dimension. Improved techniques of dimensioning and fabricating the subaperture, creating amplitude modulation with the phase plate, and finally controlling amplitude with optical features close to the limit of producible optical elements is disclosed. The apparatus for the process, the process and the plate for utilization in the process are set forth.

Very small holes of arbitrary contours are important for many applications, including fabricating vias in printed circuit boards and integrated circuit packages. Traditional mechanical means of forming vias, such as drills or punches, are capable of forming vias as small as 0.004 inch (0.10 mm). Below this limit, lithographic or optical techniques must be used.
One of the optical techniques for micro-machining is direct ablation with a laser focused onto the workpiece with a microscope. Vias are drilled one-at-a-time with the stage on which the workpiece sits scanning to the next via to be formed, repeating the procedure until all of the vias are formed. This technique may include the use of a patterned metal mask over the surface of the substrate so that the laser ablates material only through the openings in the metal. After ablation, the metal can be patterned or removed as the design requires. The processing quality of this method is limited in that it takes a relatively long time to complete a single workpiece.
Lithographic techniques include determining the pattern of vias with photoresist, then subjecting the workpiece to reactive ion etch. The photoresist is subsequently removed leaving the vias patterned in the workpiece. The reactive ion etch involves the use of a very expensive piece of equipment, and several additional process steps are required for patterning, etch and photoresist strip.
It is known that laser machining can be done using modulated zone plates, holographic optical elements and binary phase gratings. These diffractive optics are more efficient than mask-based techniques, theoretically being capable of directing 100% of the incident light into a desired image. However, these diffractive optics techniques are limited in that many of them are only capable of generating a periodic matrix of spots, and they often require a refractive lens for focusing, which may reduce efficiency and introduce aberrations and distortion.
It would be desirable to provide an apparatus and method for machining and material processing which provides the efficiency of diffractive optics techniques and a laser, while permitting the formation of an arbitrary pattern which may be created for specific applications. It is such an apparatus and method to which the present invention is directed.

Use of fresnel zone plates for material processing


An access control method and system and an access point. When a fault occurs in an access controller (AC), an access point (AP) configures a network-layer interface of the AP according to an Internet Protocol (IP) address and a media access control (MAC) address of the AC that are obtained by means of pre-learning, and then the AP routes a received packet to a Web server on a wireless local area network (WLAN) using the configured network-layer interface, where the packet is used by a first station (STA) to request to access an external server. Therefore, interconnection and interworking among wireless local area networks are implemented, and a breakdown of a wireless local area network caused in a centralized network architecture due to occurrence of a fault in an AC is avoided.

Generally, a large-scale wireless local area network (WLAN) uses a centralized network architecture and includes an access controller (AC) and an access point (AP). Except for providing a radio frequency signal, the AP basically does not have management and control functions. Therefore, to implement a function of a wireless local area network, besides an AP, a device AC having management and control functions is also required. Primary functions of the AC are to manage and control all APs on the wireless local area network, and the AC and the APs cooperate to jointly implement the function of the wireless local area network. One AC can control and manage multiple APs. After receiving packets sent by a station (STA), APs transmit the packets of the STA to an AC in a tunneling manner, and the AC performs centralized forwarding processing on these packets.
In a centralized network architecture, an AP needs to be managed by an AC; therefore, if a fault occurs in the AC, the AP cannot work independently, resulting in a breakdown of a wireless local area network.

Access control method and system, and access point


A thin film transistor structure for a field emission display is disclosed, which has a substrate; a patterned poly-silicon layer having a source area, a drain area, and a channel on the substrate; a patterned first gate metal layer; a first gate-insulating layer sandwiched in between the poly-silicon layer and the first gate metal layer; a patterned second gate metal layer; and a second gate-insulating layer sandwiched in between the poly-silicon layer and the second gate metal layer; wherein the thickness of the second insulating layer is greater than that of the first gate-insulating layer, and the absolute voltage in the channel under the first gate metal layer is less than that under the second gate metal layer when a voltage higher than the threshold voltage thereof is applied to both of the first gate metal layer and the second gate metal layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin film transistor structure and the method for making the same and, more particularly, to a thin film transistor structure for a field emission display and method for making the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Display panels have become more and more important in our daily lives. People transmit information by means of the display panels when using computers and the Internet, as well as TV sets, cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), automobile information systems, etc. Considering weight, volume, of display panels, and users' health, more and more people choose to use flat panel displays instead of cathode-ray-tubes. Among the burgeoning types of display panels, the field emission display has the advantage of high image quality found with the conventional cathode ray tube display. Also, the field emission display has advantages of high yield, fast reacting time, good performance in displaying coordination, having high brightness over 100 fL, light and thin structure, wide range of color temperature, high mobile efficiency, excellent distinguishability of tilted direction, etc. in comparison with the conventional liquid crystal display that has the disadvantages of blurred view angle, limited range of usable temperature, and slow reacting time. Moreover, the field emission display emits light spontaneously. Through the construction of a high efficiency fluorescent film, the field emission display provides outstanding brightness performance even outdoors so it is thought as a quite competitive display panel and is even likely to replace the liquid crystal display.
The principle of the field emission display is similar to that of the traditional cathode-ray-tube display. They both emit electrons to hit the fluorescent medium on a substrate in vacuum. As for the structure, the cathode-ray-tube display emits electron beams by a single electron gun and controls the direction of the electron beams by using a polarization plate. However, the field emission display is composed of hundreds of thousands of active cold emitters, each of which corresponds to a pixel independently, so no polarization plate is needed. As for the working voltage, the cathode-ray-tube display needs a voltage around 15 to 30 kV. On the other hand, the cathode voltage of a field emission display is only less than 1 kV.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,525,453 disclosed a field emission display composed of a plurality of thin film transistors 22, a plurality of carbon nanotubes 24, and a transparent electrode 38 having a fluorescent layer 39, as shown in FIG. 1 of this application. The carbon nanotubes 24 connect the drain electrode 32 of the thin film transistor 22 through the channel 42. However, there is only a thin film transistor 22 for controlling the current of the field emission display in a pixel. When the anode bias is increased and the current through the field emission display is cut off, an extremely large voltage will punch off the device or a gate dielectrics breakdown will occur. As a result, the transistor loses efficacy and the pixel of the field emission display is unable to operate normally.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a thin film transistor structure for a field emission display to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.

Thin film transistor structure for a field emission display and the method for making the same

Industrial Technology Research Institute


The crash sensor of the present invention comprises a magnet, a sensing mass made of a ferromagnetic material and attractable by the magnet, a sleeve made of a paramagnetic material and restricting the movement of the sensing mass in one direction, a pair of strips that make a closed circuit by contact with the sensing mass having moved in one direction and a body fitted with the magnet and housing the sensing mass, the sleeve and the contacts; the crash sensor further comprising a magnetic shield made of a ferromagnetic material and covering the magnet and the body. The magnetic shield forms a closed-type magnetic field by covering the magnet and the body and forms an appropriate magnetic loop in the vicinity of the sensing mass, so that the crash sensor also acts as a magnetic shield to protect itself from being influenced by outside ferromagnetic bodies and makes effective use of the magnetic force of the magnet. The above pair of strips are fitted in the same direction vertically on the inner wall of the body, whereby they do not project out in the axial direction so that the crash sensor can be of a reduced whole length, as well as of smaller outside diameter than conventional crash sensor with its contacts positioned facing each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a crash sensor, and more specifically to a crash sensor suited for sensing collision used in the trigger system of an inflatable air bag or the like mounted in a vehicle that provides protection for an occupant of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,549 discloses a known crash sensor in the art, which is described by reference to FIGS. 9 through 11. The crash sensor 101 comprises a magnet 102, a sensing mass 103 made of a ferromagnetic material and attractable by the magnet 102, a sleeve 104 made of a paramagnetic material and permitting the sensing mass 103 to move in one direction only, a pair of cantilever elastic strips 105a and 105b that are located facing each other and will make a closed circuit when contacted by the sensing mass 103, and a plastic body 106 having a projection 106A that fits the magnet 102 and housing airtightly the sensing mass 103, sleeve 104 and elastic strips 105a and 105b. A supporting board 108 constituting part of the body 106 fixes the elastic strips 105a and 105b with its fixed ends 105c projecting in the axial direction and is integrated with the body 106 via a seal 107. The seal 109 is provided to prevent air from flowing into the back of the sleeve 104 through the clearance between the sleeve 104 and the body 106. The fixed end 105c is, as shown in FIG. 11, connected to a printed board 110, the lead wire 110a of which is connected to a connecting terminal 111 provided on a casing 112.
The crash sensor 101 is not directly mounted on a car body, but housed, with its periphery being fixed with a fixing material 113 such as resin, in an open firm casing 112, in view of shock resistance (i.e. to prevent the sensor from breaking before sensing a crash) and resistance to environmental conditions (i.e. to prevent the apparatus from rust generation and the like during a long period while being mounted on a car body with no attention paid thereon). Upon being fixed with the fixing material 113, the crash sensor 101 if positioned by permitting the magnet 102 of the crash sensor 101 to be attracted onto the side wall of the casing 112 and placing the crash sensor 101 on projections 112a of the casing. Where the open casing 112 is made of steel plate, the steel plate also acts as a magnetic shield for protecting the magnet 102 from being influenced by the surroundings but it does not positively play a role of controlling the flux of the magnet 102.
The crash sensor 101 having the above construction operates as follows. When a crash occurs at the left side in the axial direction in FIG. 9, the sensing mass 103 overcomes the attracting force exerted by the magnet 102 and moves in the direction of the arrow to contact with the cantilever elastic strips 105a and 105b. The cantilever elastic strips 105a and 105b being applied by an electric voltage with a cell 114 or the like, the contacting of the sensing mass 103 with the strips 105a and 105b completes an electrical circuit to permit electric current to flow and activate an electric detonator 115 or the like of the air bag system. The magnitude of a crash to be sensed is set by the 3 elements of the magnetic biasing force (pulling-back force) of the magnet applied on the sensing mass 103, the travelling distance L of the sensing mass 103 from its original position to the strips 105a and 105b and the clearance .epsilon. between the sensing mass 103 and the sleeve 104.
The above-described crash sensor 101 is so constructed as to exert a required biasing force on the sensing mass 103 only by the magnet 102 and hence the travelling distance L is restricted by the shape and degree magnetized of the magnet 102 and the size of the sensing mass 103. In such a case, since the magnetic flux of the magnet 102 is only partly incident on the sensing mass, most of it scattering away, it is impossible to sufficiently control the attenuation with distance of the magnetic force by the shape and the like of the magnet 102. The travelling distance L of the sensing mass 103 must therefore be shortened, thereby causing the manufacturing error in the size of parts such as the body 106 to influence the sensitivity relatively largely so that the dispersion in the sensitivity of this crash sensor will become large.
Another problem in this crash sensor 101 lies in the following point. The whole length, L1, of the crash sensor 101 should necessarily become large because of its construction comprising a pair of the slant cantilever elastic strips 105a and 105b with their fixed ends projecting from the supporting board 108 in the direction of crash, and the printed board 110. Further the pair of the slant cantilever elastic strips 105a and 105b are facing each other, whereby the distance W2 between the elastic strips 105a and 105b must be set comparatively large to maintain sufficient elastic recovery force. Then, the supporting board 108 will become of a large size with the body 106 having its maximum diameter D located on the periphery of the supporting board 108. As a result the entire crash sensor 101 should become trumpet-shaped. Accordingly, compactization of the usual crash sensor 101 has been limited due to restrictions from its outer diameter, length and like factors originating from its construction.


A screwdriver for re-joining first and second pieces of a fractured bone in cooperation with a connector plate. A screw has an screw-shaped inner end for biting into the bone upon passing through a bore of the connector plate, and out of a hole in the first bone piece. The screwdriver includes a first shaft unit to engage and rotate the screw to move the screw axially, and a second shaft unit to rotate an axially movable sleeve. Axial movement of the first shaft unit moves the screw so that the outer end of the screw passes through the sleeve and into the second shaft unit such that the inner end of the screw protrudes inwardly from an inner end of the sleeve, whereby a threaded outer end of the sleeve is engaged with the bore of the connector plate before the screw is driven into the bone.

The present invention is a surgical device for setting fractured bones, such as connecting the fractured neck of a femur bone to its shaft with screws by means of a pre-drilled connector plate, without requiring a large incision to be made in the overlying skin and tissue. In particular, a new screwdriver is provided, together with a technique for its use, that improve the ease and reliability with which the screws are inserted and the fractured bone set.
The present invention is an improvement of my U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,465,065 and 5,429,641. The subject matter of both patents is hereby incorporated by reference. Only those features of both patents are summarized below as are deemed helpful in explaining the structure, operation, need for and advantages of the present invention. A complete and thorough explanation of all the features of those patents can be gained, of course, from a direct reading thereof.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,065 the connector plate has a sharp lower edge by which it penetrates through a small incision in the trochanter region into close contact with the shaft. During the operation the plate is temporarily attached to the horizontal portion of a connector arm, while the vertical portion of the connector arm extends parallel to the connector plate and is provided with holes which are coaxial with the holes in the plate. Concentric inner and outer guide tubes are inserted through the holes in the vertical portion of the connector arm, are pushed through the soft tissue up to the plate and serve as guides for pre-drilling of the bone parts in the correct position as viewed by X-ray equipment. After such pre-drilling, the inner guide tubes are removed and the outer tubes serve for guiding the insertion of long screws, and are afterwards removed. The long screws are tightened so as to compress the fracture. The plate is secured to the femur shaft with short screws, and the connector arm is then detached from the plate, and the wound is closed.
The device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,641 serves the same purpose as and has many features in common with the above-described device, but is designed to avoid certain of its drawbacks which came to light during its use in surgical operations (xe2x80x9coperationsxe2x80x9d hereinafter) of the kind referred to.
In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,641 discloses a screw-and-sleeve assembly in which each long screw is axially movable within an associated sleeve that has a screw-threaded end that is firmly connected to a threaded bore in the connector plate. This feature permits active compression of the fracture by the surgeon and avoids a drawback of the above-described invention involving a gradual protrusion of the screw heads into the soft tissue causing subsequent irritation and pain to the patient.
Before going into its constructional details, it should be noted that the following directional expressions will be employed in respect of the femur bone, the connector plate, the screws and the related components of the surgical device. The expressions xe2x80x9ctopxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cupper portionxe2x80x9d of any part will refer to the femur top, and the xe2x80x9cbottomxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9clower portionxe2x80x9d will refer to the direction towards the knee joint. The expression xe2x80x9cinsidexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cinnerxe2x80x9d will refer to parts close to the bone or pointing towards it, while the expression xe2x80x9coutsidexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9couterxe2x80x9d will refer to those parts which are outside the human body being operated on, or pointing away from the bone.
The surgical device of U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,641 includes the following components.
Components Which are to Remain in the Body After the Operation is Completed:
1. A connector plate I.
2. Two long screws II used for connecting the fractured parts to the connector plate.
3. Two or more short screws 33 securing the lower plate portion to the femur shaft.
B. Auxiliary Equipment for Insertion and Fixation of the Permanent Components:
1. An angular connector arm IV.
2. Two long inner and outer guide tubes of a length sufficient to extend from the bores in the connector arm to the corresponding oblique bores in the connector plate. Outer guide tube 31 has an inner diameter corresponding to the diameter of the screw to be inserted and to be screwed into the fractured bone. Two inner, removable and alternately insertable guide tubes, are provided. Tube 32 is used first. It is concentrically bored to the diameter of a guide wire 30 to be pushed therethrough into the bone. After tube 32 has served its purpose and is removed, second tube 32a is used. It is concentrically bored to the diameter of a drill bit 35 adapted to pre-drill the femur bone for reception of the two screw-and-sleeve assemblies which include the long screws. The diameter of the pre-drilled bore in the femur accommodates the sleeve therein.
3. Two or more shorter guide tubes (not shown) for pre-drilling bone before final insertion of the short screws for firm attachment of the connector plate to the femur shaft.
4. A special screwdriver V adapted for manipulating the long screws and their sleeves to fix the sleeves to the connector plate, to insert the screws into the fractured bone, and to compress the fracture.
The auxiliary equipment is removed from the body after the connector plate has been firmly connected to the femur shaft with the short screws and long screws, and the fracture has been connected and duly compressed by means of the long screws, whereafter the wounds are to be dressed.
The connector plate I of substantially rectangular cross section illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a straight lower, main portion 1 and a head portion 2 outwardly bent in respect of the main portion, to conform to the contour of the bone. Next to the head portion, two obliquely-directed, screw-threaded bores 5 penetrate the main portion at an angle of about 130xc2x0, the outer surface of the main portion being thickened by two lugs 6 permitting a greater length of the bores 5. The lower end 8 of the main portion is sharpened for the purpose of penetrating through the soft tissue and muscles close to the femur shaft during insertion of the connector plate through a small cut in the skin into its final position where it is attached to the bone with short screws.
An assembly of a long screw II and its relatively short sleeve III is illustrated in FIG. 2, and details of both are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The screw includes a relatively long shaft 10, an inner end 10a provided with screw thread 11 similar to that provided on wood screws, and an outer end 10b having a coaxial recess 12 formed therein in the shape of a hexagon that is axially extended with a screw-threaded bore 13 of a smaller diameter. The outer end 10b of the screw is slidably, but firmly, movable lengthwise and rotatably within the inner bore of sleeve body 14, which has its outer end 14b provided with outside screw thread 15 and slotted by two or four slots 16 serving to engage the screwdriver V. The inner end 14a of the sleeve III is inwardly crimped slightly, thereby preventing the screw II from sliding out of the sleeve by contact with a step 17 on the screw shaft.
FIGS. 5-10 illustrate the auxiliary equipment serving for inserting and tightening long screws II and for compressing the fracture by bringing the bone parts toward each other after insertion of the screws is completed. The main component is an L-shaped connector arm IV which includes a horizontal portion 20 and a vertical portion 21 firmly connected to each other at right angles. The vertical portion 21 contains two large, obliquely-directed bores 26 which are coaxially aligned with the bores 5 in the connector plate, but are of a larger diameter for permitting the passage and fixation of the guide tubes.
FIG. 5 illustrates an early stage of a surgical operation performed with the above-described device. After the connector plate I has been manually inserted by the surgeon into the thigh through a small cut and has been slid into an approximate position while being viewed by means of X-ray equipment, its correct and precise location in relation to the neck of the femur is found by means of a guide wire 30 which is inserted into the bone of the femur upper shaft and into the bone of the femur neck through inner guide tube 32 located within outer tube 31 extending from the bore 26 of the connector arm to the screw-threaded bore 5 of the connector plate. The tip of guide wire 30 is a diamond bit, and the guide wire is rotated by a handheld type of power tool (not shown) which is well known and, thus, its details are not deemed necessary.
The inner guide tube 32 is screwed into bore 5 of the plate in order to permit exact centering of guide wire 30 and to prevent its inadvertent disengagement from the connector plate. In case connector plate I is not yet in the correct location, the guide wire 30 is withdrawn, the connector plate is moved by means of the connector arm into another position and the guide wire 30 is again inserted into the bone. If the location is found to be correct as seen on an X-ray image, the connector plate is fixed to the bone in this position, whereupon the guide wire 30 and the inner tubular guide (32) are removed. Outer tube 31 is meanwhile held in place by a set screw (not shown in FIG. 5 but identified as 28 in FIG. 9 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,641). Then, inner guide tube 32 is replaced within outer tube 31 by the second inner guide tube 32a having a wider inner bore than tube 32 (see FIG. 7), in order to accommodate drill bit 35 which is inserted therethrough for the purpose of pre-drilling the bone prior to use of the long screws.
With a mechanical rotation of drill bit 35 by the above-mentioned power tool, a hole is drilled through the upper femur shaft and into the lower part, or base, of the neck for subsequent insertion thereinto of a long screw. Such pre-drilling provides room in the bone to (as explained below in connection with subsequent steps) receive sleeve III while the threaded tip of the long screw, which is self-cutting, drills its way into the bone without pre-drilling. Since the diameter of drill bit 35 is preferably smaller than the diameter of sleeve III, the pre-drilling is done in two stages, with use of drill bit 35 being followed by another drill bit (not shown) having a diameter corresponding to that of sleeve III.
The screwdriver V is illustrated in FIGS. 8-10. It comprises the following three concentrically aligned shafts which are independently movable in both axial and rotary directions:
1. An innermost shaft 40 has a screw-threaded end 41 suitable for engaging the bore 13 in the outer end 10b of the long screw II. Shaft 40 is rotatable and longitudinally movable by a handle 42 at the outer end of the screw driver.
2. An intermediate tubular shaft 43 has a hexagon-shaped inner end 44 adapted for driving engagement with the hexagonal-shaped recess 12 in the long screw II. Rotation of shaft 43 is used to drive the screw into the pre-drilled bone. Shaft 43 is rotated by cylindrical handle 45 coupled thereto via a disc 46 firmly mounted on the shaft 43.
3. An outermost tubular shaft 47 has an inner end in the form of cross-wise aligned edges 48 for engagement with slots 16 in the sleeve III. Shaft 47 is rotatable by means of a cylindrical handle 49 for the purpose of screwing sleeves III into the connector plate I.
An outer sleeve 56 is rotationally and longitudinally movable on the intermediate shaft 43. Sleeve 56 is provided with a circumferential recess 58 engaged by a pin 59 serving to limit the longitudinal motion of shaft 47. A second circumferential recess (unnumbered) is provided at the other end of sleeve 56 and engages a stop 57.
The above-described components can be axially moved relative to each other, but are urged into their normal position by helical springs 50 and 51. Additional axial motion of the tubular shaft 43 is made possible by withdrawal of stop 57 from its associated recess for a specific use that will be explained below.
After the bone has been pre-drilled in alignment with the oblique bores 26, the inner tubular guide 32a is removed. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the two screw-and-sleeve assemblies are inserted and fastened, one after the other, with the aid of the screw driver V, as follows. A long screw II is retracted into its sleeve III and positioned so that its outer end 10b can be engaged by screwdriver V. The hexagon-shaped end 44 of the screwdriver is pushed into the correspondingly shaped recess 12 in the outer end 10b of the screw. By rotating handle 42 and pushing it against the force of helical spring 51, the threaded end 41 of the innermost shaft 40 of the screw-driver is screwed into screw-threaded bore 13 of the screw, while the protruding edges 48 of the outermost tubular shaft 47 are urged into slots 16 in the end of sleeve III by means of helical spring 50. Additional tightening of the threaded end 41 into bore 13 connects and firmly secures the screw-and-sleeve assembly to the screwdriver V.
By means of the screwdriver V, the screw-and-sleeve assembly is pushed in an inward direction through the outer tubular guide 31, and rotated as far as the screw-thread 15 on the sleeve III allows. With rotation of handle 49 the sleeve is screwed into bore 5 of the connector plate. By pulling out the stop 57, handle 45 which is connected to the inner shaft 43 by means of collar 46, can be moved in an inward direction thereby pushing shaft 43 inwardly. By rotating and pushing handle 45 inwardly, screw II is moved relative to sleeve III. More specifically, the outer end 10b travels within sleeve body 14 as threaded inner end 10a and shaft 10 extend therefrom while being urged through the femoral neck into the head portion. The threaded inner end 10a enters into the pre-drilled bore in the femur bone and continues being screwed more deeply thereinto as handle 45 is turned manually by the surgeon.
Rotation of handle 45 is stopped as soon as the screw II has reached the required depth in the femur head as viewed by X-ray equipment, or whenever step 17 on the screw has reached the crimped inner end 14a of the sleeve (see FIG. 2). A pin 60 engaged within a circumferential groove 61 limits the distance to which handle 42 can be moved in an outward direction, while being urged there by spring 51. In addition, during fracture compression (as explained below) pin 60 transfers the load from handle 45 to shaft 40 via handle 42.
In order to pull the fractured head in the direction of the femur shaft and, thus, to compress the fracture, a retracting device VI is attached to the handles 45 and 49 of screwdriver V by means of pins 52 inserted into corresponding holes 53. By rotating the handwheel 54, screw 55 pulls handles 49 and 45 apart. Since the position of handle 49 is fixed relative to the connector plate, this produces outward motion of handle 45. Such outward motion of handle 45 is transferred to handle 42 (by means of pin 60), thereby pulling (via shaft 40) the attached screw II (via threaded end 41 screwed into hole 13) outwardly and into the sleeve III which is firmly screwed and secured to the connector plate. Opposing surfaces at the fracture site have interdigitating spikes which engage when the fracture is sufficiently compressed. This maintains the compression even after the pull created by the screwdriver is released. Muscle pull and weight-bearing also help to maintain this compression. After insertion and fixation of the first screw, the second screw is inserted into the fractured bone parts in the same manner.
With insertion of both long screws as described above, and also of the short screws, the connector plate I is firmly attached to the femur shaft. The connector arm is then removed from the plate and out of the body, the skin incisions are closed, and the wounds are dressed.
A disadvantage of the surgical device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,641 arises from the fact that the screw-and-sleeve assembly is moved through guide tube 31 while outer end 10b of long screw II is at outer end 14b of sleeve III. Since screw II is considerably longer than sleeve III, the threaded tip at inner end 10a of screw II will initially bite into the bone (beyond the pre-drilled bore in the femur) before thread 15 of sleeve III threadedly engages tapped bore 5. Any minute deflection of screw II from perfect alignment will prevent thread 15 from engaging tapped bore 5. For example, the longest contemplated length for screw II is 118 mm and the length of sleeve III is 42 mm. In order for the threaded portion 15 of sleeve III to reach bore 5, it is necessary for the tip of screw II to bite into the bone by a distance of up to 82 mm. It has been found in practice that despite the precise alignment achieved by the pre-drilling operation as described above, when screw II bites into the bone, certain minute lateral deflections from the perfect alignment can occur. Even such minute deflections can prevent the threaded portion 15 on sleeve III from threadedly engaging tapped bore 5. If this occurs, then it becomes impossible to secure sleeve III to connector plate I. This may result in loosening sleeve III outwardly into the soft tissue.
Such a situation is not tolerable. Consequently, the surgeon must reposition the device by repeating the above-described steps until the correct path is found. This is time consuming and prolongs the surgical operation.
One object of the present invention is to provide a surgical device for setting bones that avoids the possibility of a misalignment which prevents engagement between threaded portion 15 of sleeve III and tapped bore 5 of connector plate I.
Another object of the present invention is to simplify the special screwdriver for easier surgical use and cleaning.
A further object of the present invention is to reduce the manufacturing cost of the special screwdriver.
These and other objects are attained in accordance with one aspect of the present invention directed to an improved screwdriver for use as part of auxiliary equipment serving to insert and connect a surgical device for percutaneous connection of a fractured upper part of a femur to a femur shaft of a patient, wherein the surgical device comprises the following components to remain in the body of the patient: (a) a bar-shaped plate having an axis, an inner surface to be placed onto the femur, an outer surface, a head portion and a bottom provided with a sharpened end for insertion of the bar-shaped plate through a small incision in the skin of the patient, the bar-shaped plate being provided in a lower portion thereof with at least two countersunk, through-going bores and in an upper portion thereof with two adjoining oblique, screw-threaded bores directed in an upward direction at an angle of about 130xc2x0, a screw-threaded bore perpendicular to the axis of the bar-shaped plate being provided in the head portion, (b) two long screws, each screw having a straight shaft, a wood-screw-shaped inner end for insertion into the fractured upper part of the femur and an outer end coaxially recessed with a polygonal shape, the recess being continued by a screw-threaded bore concentric with an axis of the shaft, (c) a sleeve of a shorter length than the screw, with the outer end of the screw being positioned in the sleeve in a manner so as to be movable in both axial and rotational directions in the sleeve, the sleeve having an outer end provided with a screw-thread corresponding to the screw thread in the oblique bores in the bar-shaped plate such that the sleeve is threadedly engageable within the oblique bores, the sleeve further having at least two recesses for engagement of a screwdriver, and (d) at least two shorter screws for securing the bar-shaped plate to the femur shaft, the at least two shorter screws extending through the countersunk, through-going bores into bone material of the femur shaft. The auxiliary equipment comprises: (a) an angular connector arm including a short horizontal portion for connection to the head portion of the bar-shaped plate and a longer vertical portion extending parallel to the lower portion of the bar-shaped plate, wherein the horizontal portion is provided with an axial perforation for passage of a screw engaging with the screw-threaded bore in the head portion of the bar-shaped plate and is shaped to conform to the shape of the head portion to ensure absolute parallelism of the vertical portion with the bar-shaped plate, and wherein the vertical portion is provided with two adjoining obliquely directed bores coaxially aligned with the two oblique screw-threaded bores in the plate, and with at least two straight bores coaxially aligned with the at least two countersunk, through-going bores in the plate, (b) a first tubular guide of an outer diameter cooperating with the oblique bores in the angular connector arm and of an inner diameter corresponding to an outer diameter of the sleeve covering the long screw, of a length compatible with a distance between the respective oblique bores in the plate and the angular connector arm, (c) a first removable tube for insertion into the first tubular guide and having a bore with an inner diameter corresponding to an outer diameter of a guide wire to be pushed therethrough into the fractured upper part, (d) a second removable tube for insertion into the first tubular guide and having a bore with an inner diameter corresponding to a diameter of a drill to provide a pre-drilled portion of the femur sized to accommodate the sleeve therein; (e) a guide wire to be pushed through the bore in the first removable tube, (f) a drill to be inserted into the bone material through the bore in the second removable tube, (g) a second tubular guide for insertion into the straight bores in the angular connector arm, of a length compatible with the distance to the bar-shaped plate, and of an inner diameter corresponding to an outer diameter of the shorter screws, and (h) a screwdriver for insertion and fixation of the long screws. The screwdriver includes: (a) an inner shaft provided with a screw-threaded inner end for engagement with the screw-threaded bore in the recessed end of the long screw, (b) an intermediate shaft provided with a polygonal inner end for engagement with the polygonal recess in the long screw to drive the long screw into the upper part of the femur by applying rotational and inwardly directed forces so that the wood-screw shaped inner end bites into the upper part of the femur, and (c) an outer shaft provided at an inner end thereof with protruding teeth for engagement with the recesses in the sleeve, wherein the screwdriver is provided with means for pulling the long screw in an outward direction relative to the sleeve, all of the inner, intermediate and outer shafts being independently movable in both axial and rotational directions by handles attached to outer ends thereof, and resilient components are provided to adjust axial alignment of the respective shafts relative to each other.
The improvement in the screwdriver comprises: (a) force-applying means for pulling a section of the long screw by the inner shaft engaged therewith into the outer shaft to have only a length of the long screw protruding inwardly of the sleeve such that the screw-thread on the outer end of the sleeve can be threadedly engaged with each one of the screw-threaded oblique bores in the connector plate before the inner end of the long screw is driven to bite into the femur past the pre-drilled portion, and (b) means in the outer shaft to accommodate therein the section of the long screw.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an improved screwdriver is provided which is used during surgery for re-joining two pieces of a fractured bone in cooperation with a connector plate adapted to be secured to a first one of the two bone pieces. The connector plate has at least one screw-threaded bore with its axis being directed at a second of the bone pieces through a pre-drilled portion of the first bone piece. A screw is provided having a screw-shaped inner end for, as the screw is driven with forceful rotation, initially biting into the bone upon passing through the bore of the connector plate and out of the pre-drilled portion of the first bone piece, the screw having an outer end adapted to be engaged with the screwdriver. A sleeve is provided of a shorter length than the screw which is axially movable and rotatable on the screw, the sleeve having an outer end provided with a screw thread corresponding to the screw thread in the bore of the connector plate for threaded engagement therewith. The screwdriver comprises: a first shaft unit with engaging means at its inner end for engaging the first shaft unit with the screw to move the screw axially and to rotate the screw; a second shaft unit axially movable and rotatable relative to the first shaft unit and having rotation means at its inner end for rotating the sleeve; and motive means for effecting axial movement of the first shaft unit for moving the screw engaged therewith outward relative to the sleeve so that the outer end of the screw passes through the sleeve and into the second shaft unit to a position therein such that the inner end of the screw protrudes inwardly from the inner end of the sleeve by a length such that the threaded outer end of the sleeve can be threadedly engaged with the bore of the connector plate before the screw is driven to have the inner end of the screw initially bite into the bone beyond the pre-drilled portion.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is directed to an improved screwdriver used during surgery for re-joining two pieces of a fractured bone in cooperation with the above-described connector plate, and screw-and-sleeve assembly. The screwdriver comprises: a first shaft unit having a screw-threaded tip at its inner end corresponding to a screw-threaded bore in the screw for threaded engagement therewith, the first shaft unit further comprising a polygon-shaped portion at its inner end corresponding to and drivingly engageable in a polygon-shaped recess in the screw; a second shaft unit axially movable and rotatable relative to the first shaft unit and having a transverse edge at its inner end corresponding to and drivingly engageable in a slot on the outer end of the sleeve; a first handle unit attached to the outer end of the first shaft unit, the first handle unit being coupled to the screw as the screw-threaded tip of the first shaft unit is threadedly engaged in the screw-threaded bore of the screw, whereby the screw is movable axially with axial movement of the first handle unit, and whereby the screw is rotatable with rotational motion of the first handle unit; and a second handle unit attached to the outer end of the second shaft unit, the second handle unit being coupled to the sleeve as the transverse edge at the inner end of the second shaft unit is positioned within the slot on the outer end of the sleeve, whereby the sleeve is rotatable and axially movable with respective rotation and axial motion of the second handle unit; the second shaft unit being sized to accommodate therein a portion of the screw which is defined by moving the screw outward relative to the sleeve so that the outer end of the screw passes through the sleeve and into the second shaft unit to a position therein such that the inner end of the screw protrudes inwardly from the inner end of the sleeve by only a length such that the threaded outer end of the sleeve can be threadedly engaged with the bore of the connector plate before the screw is driven to have the inner end of the screw initially bite into the bone beyond the pre-drilled portion.
One further aspect of the present invention is directed to an improved screwdriver used during surgery for re-joining two pieces of a fractured bone in cooperation with the above-described connector plate, and screw-and-sleeve assembly. The screwdriver comprises: a first shaft unit having a screw-threaded tip at its inner end corresponding to a screw-threaded bore in the screw for threaded engagement therewith, the first shaft unit further comprising a polygon-shaped portion at its inner end corresponding to and drivingly engageable in a polygon-shaped recess in the screw; a second shaft unit axially movable and rotatable relative to the first shaft unit and having a transverse edge at its inner end corresponding to and drivingly engageable in a slot on the outer end of the sleeve; a first handle unit attached to the outer end of the first shaft unit, the handle being coupled to the screw as the screw-threaded tip of the first shaft unit is threadedly engaged in the screw-threaded bore of the screw, whereby the screw is movable axially with axial movement of the first-handle unit, and whereby the screw is rotatable with rotational motion of the first handle unit; a second handle unit attached to the outer end of the second shaft unit, the second handle unit being coupled to the sleeve as the transverse edge at the inner end of the second shaft unit is positioned within the slot on the outer end of the sleeve, whereby the sleeve is rotatable and axially movable with respective rotation and axial motion of the second handle unit; and a force-receptive element integral to the first shaft unit and a force applying member drivingly engageable with the force-receptive element to move at least one of the first and second shaft units axially with respect to each.
A still further aspect of the present invention is directed to an improved screwdriver used during surgery for re-joining two pieces of a fractured bone in cooperation with the above-described connector plate, and screw-and-sleeve assembly. The screwdriver comprises: a first shaft unit with engaging means at its inner end for engaging the first shaft unit with the screw to move the screw axially and to rotate the screw; a second shaft unit axially movable and rotatable relative to the first shaft unit and having rotation means at its inner end for rotating the sleeve; and a force-receptive element integral to the first shaft unit and a force applying member drivingly engageable with the force-receptive element to move at least one of the first and second shaft units axially with respect to each.
One other aspect of the present invention is directed to a method for operating a screwdriver in connection with surgery for re-joining two pieces of a fractured bone in cooperation with the above-described connector plate, and screw-and-sleeve assembly. The screwdriver includes first and second shaft units axially and rotatably movable relative to each other. The method of operating the screwdriver comprises: engaging an inner end of the first shaft unit with the screw; engaging an inner end of the second shaft unit with the sleeve; and moving the first shaft unit to effect axial outward movement of the screw relative to the sleeve so that the outer end of the screw passes out of the sleeve and is accommodated within the second shaft unit at a position such that the inner end of the screw protrudes inwardly from the inner end of the sleeve by a length such that the threaded outer end of the sleeve can be threadedly engaged with the bore of the connector plate before the screw is driven to have the inner end of the screw initially bite into the bone beyond the pre-drilled portion.
Still another aspect of the present invention is directed to a method for operating a screwdriver in connection with surgery for re-joining two pieces of a fractured bone in cooperation with the above-described connector plate, and screw-and-sleeve assembly. The screwdriver includes first and second shaft units axially and rotatably movable relative to each other, and a force-receptive element integral to the first shaft unit and a force applying member drivingly engageable with the force-receptive element to move at least one of the first and second shaft units axially with respect to each. The method of operating the screwdriver comprises: engaging an inner end of the first shaft unit with the screw; engaging an inner end of the second shaft unit with the sleeve; and actuating the force applying member drivingly engaged with the force-receptive element to move at least one of the first and second shaft units axially with respect to the other.

Surgical device and method for connection of fractured bones


A dispenser for pin-sealed containers of cyanoacrylate glue and similar fluids includes a pin which engages an outlet aperture in a neck of the container. The pin is supported by other components of the dispenser to allow the user to extract the pin from the outlet aperture a sufficient amount to allow fluid flow without the user coming into contact with the fluid during the extraction of the pin.

This invention relates to dispensers for glue or the like. In particular, a dispenser is set forth that is easy to operate to dispense a substance such as a super glue. The dispenser may be opened and closed without the user coming into contact with the substance that is dispensed.
Many liquid products are available that are kept in containers for continual use. Many such products cure upon contact with the air and, therefore, need to be protected from the air when they are not being used. A particular example of such a liquid product is cyanoacrylate glue, also referred to as a super glue, such as one that is sold under the trademark KRAZY GLUE.
Fluids such as cyanoacrylate glue and the like are typically sold in tubes or containers that are sealed when they are sold. A piercing cap is supplied that includes a pin to pierce the seal of the cap to create an outlet aperture for the fluid. Upon piercing the seal, the pin is allowed to remain in the resulting outlet aperture to seal the fluid against exposure to the air. To dispense fluid, a user grips the cap between thumb and forefinger and pulls or twists it to remove the pin from the outlet aperture. The fluid is then squeezed or poured from the container to be used. After the fluid has been dispensed, the cap is replaced by returning the pin to the outlet aperture to make a seal. Such pin seals are used with dispensers of a number of fluids in addition to cyanoacrylate glue.
There are several disadvantages involved in the use of piercing caps such as those described above. One disadvantage is that a cap that is not attached to a container is easily misplaced. If the user does not find the cap in time to return it to make a seal after use, the container with all of its contents may become unusable through exposure to air. Another disadvantage of the removable piercing cap is that when it has once been used, especially with a container of glue or adhesive, the pin tends to get stuck in the hole. A user must then hold the container and the cap and apply a force to remove the pin from the outlet aperture. Often, a twisting motion is necessary. As the user removes the cap, it is easy to lose control of the cap and dispenser thereby exerting a force on the container that expels some of the liquid. This presents a risk of spilling some of the fluid if the user is not careful. It also presents a risk of getting some of the fluid on the fingers of the user as the user twists the cap. This is a particular threat with a cyanoacrylate glue since it bonds skin to skin and thus can injure the user who gets some of the cyanoacrylate glue on his or her fingers.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a better fluid dispenser.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an attached cap for a pin-closed dispenser.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a self-closing dispenser for a container of cyanoacrylate glue.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a dispensing cap for a glue container that can be removed and re-inserted without exerting an expulsive force on the container.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a dispenser for cyanoacrylate glue that keeps the fingers of a user away from the glue when the dispenser is used.
Other objects will become apparent in the course of a detailed description of the invention.


A detecting device (1) detects a combustion state of an internal combustion engine (2) that transmits power via a crankshaft (11). The detecting device (1) includes a calculation unit (1b) that calculates a mass burn fraction by detecting a crank angle, on the basis of a frequency component showing a state change amount of a state change of a detection target according to a change in a cylinder pressure depending on a combustion cycle of the engine (2), and including a harmonic wave component of a fundamental wave of the frequency component.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a detecting device and a detecting method that detects the state of an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of Related Art
As measures for realizing low fuel consumption in engines (internal combustion engines) and realizing clean exhaust gas, an engine control unit (ECU) is required to correctly detect an engine combustion state to appropriately perform control according to the detected combustion state. As state variables of the engine combustion state, an indicated mean effective pressure (hereinafter referred to as IMEP), a heat release rate (hereinafter referred to as HR), and a mass burn fraction (hereinafter referred to as MBF), and the like are known. For example, there is a technique showing the engine combustion state depending on IMEP (for an example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2010-261370). According to this Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2010-261370, a technique of analytically calculating IMEP is shown, paying attention to a change in cylinder pressure and cylinder volume being periodic. According to this technique, it is shown that IMEP is calculated by operation processing according to an operational expression including, as variables, the amplitude of a fundamental wave included in a cylinder pressure waveform and the amplitude of a secondary harmonic wave, on the basis of the fundamental wave having the rotational frequency of a crankshaft as a fundamental frequency.
Additionally, in recent years, it is expected that vehicles or hybrid cars be equipped with a function to stop an engine at the time of vehicle stop, which realizes low fuel consumption and clean exhaust gas. In the vehicles equipped with the function to stop an engine at the time of vehicle stop, the stop and start of the engine are frequently and repeatedly performed according to the vehicle stop. Additionally, in the hybrid cars, switching between motor drive and engine drive are performed during traveling. When the motor drive and the engine drive are switched during traveling, repetition of the stop and start of the engine is frequently performed. In the vehicles that realize low fuel consumption and clean exhaust gas by the aforementioned switches, the idling state of the engine is reduced and controlled until a stop state is reached, and thus resulting in engine being restarted.
When the engine of a vehicle starts, the operational state of the engine changes greatly similar to a case where acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle is performed. Therefore, when the engine starts or when there is acceleration or deceleration, it is difficult for an engine control unit to appropriately control engine combustion according to the operational state of the engine.