A method of forming a PDC drilling bit including the steps of imposing a side drilling direction on the bit, determining a total bit side force acting on the bit, computing a walk angle between the total side force and the side drilling direction, and modifying a configuration of cutters on the profile of the bit so as to change the walk angle to a desired angle. The step of determining a total side force includes the steps of determining a normal side force of the bit, computing a total cutter friction force, and combining the normal side force and the total cutter friction force so as to produce a total side force. The total cutter friction force is obtained by summing single cutter forces perpendicular to a direction of cut of the bit. The step of imposing a side drilling direction includes measuring a normal side force applied to the bit. The modification of the bit can be carried out by increasing or reducing the aggressiveness of the cutters facing outwardly on an outer surface of the bit or by replacing cutters on the bit with low friction pads.

The oil and gas drilling industry has been undergoing dramatic technology improvements in the last decade, particularly in MWD (Measurement-While-Drilling), directional and horizontal drilling, improved drilling tools and equipments, particularly the PDC bits, and improved analysis and monitoring capabilities. The combined effect is that drilling cost has been steadily declining, and directional drilling, particularly high-angle, extended reach, and horizontal drillings have become much more popular, and will have expanded application in the future.
At the same time, due to major operators' cost cutting efforts and personnel down-sizing, more and more wells are being drilled on a "turn-key" basis, whereby service companies are asked to contract the entire drilling project at a predetermined benchmark fee, with huge incentives for faster and better drilling, and similar penalties for incurring drilling troubles and drilling delays.
The advent of these turn-key projects creates the economic condition under which service companies that are able to improve aspects of the entire drilling operation will reap major profits, while those who do not can suffer major losses. One single severe incident of a stuck-pipe, or a lost drill string, or a side track can mean a loss of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars in revenue loss.
Furthermore, drilling transcends beyond the drilling phase. Proper drilling has medium and long term impacts on the total economy of the well in many areas: completion and work over; reservoir maintenance, as well as reservoir recovery economy. If the drilled well has many problems, including over-crookedness (called "dogleg"), overgaged hole due to the need for reaming, etc., there will be additional cost in drilling fluid, and more problems in running and setting casing, cementing, completion, as well as potential plugging of the well due to an oversized wellbore. Conversely, by drilling a longer and smoother horizontal section, one can dramatically improve recovery economy, making thin producing zones more economical to develop, improve completion operation, improve cementing, and reduce the chance of plugging. In other words, to have the most profitable producing well, it is necessary to drill the best well possible.
A key to improving the quality of the drilled well path is to make the well trajectory as smooth as possible. To achieve this goal, in addition to the many ways to control the inclination angle of the well while drilling that are presently available, it is necessary to have very good azimuthal control, particularly in the horizontal section. This will greatly reduce the chance of having drilling troubles, and minimize the need for course corrections.
When drilling a long reach horizontal well, where the horizontal section is generally in formations that are reasonably isotropic, it is very desirable to use "anti-walk" bits. This will allow true azimuth control with minimum course correction necessitated by azimuthal drift. Such drift phenomenon is very apparent in downhole motor drilling which has a very high side force at the bit, due to the bent housing induced interference fit. Current bits have unquantified and uncontrollable walk tendencies. The result is that periodic tool face adjustments must be made in order to guide the drill in the proper direction. This creates wavy profiles in the well trajectory, which will cause greatly increased torque and drag, leading to stuck pipe and other serious drilling and completion problems.
A key to preventing pipe sticking is to improve the quality of the drilled well path, namely, to make the well trajectory as smooth as possible. This will reduce the torque and drag generated by the friction due to contacts of the drill-string with the borehole wall.
In order to achieve these objectives, it is essential that we understand the inherent deviation tendencies of the bit and BHA (bottomholeassembly) system, which may include a downhole motor with or without a bent housing.
There are no existing theories or models describing the inherent walk tendency of PDC bits. Attempts in quantifying the overall deviation tendencies of either the bit or the BHA started with a basic mechanics study of the BHA deformation analysis by Lubinski et al. "Factors Affecting the Angle of Inclination and Doglegging in Rotary Bore Holes", API Drilling & Prod. Pract., 1953, which included the formation anisotropy effects. Many works have been made since then on the study of either the effect of BHA deformation on the build-drop rate tendencies of the entire assembly, or the effect of bit's anisotropic drilling characteristics on the drilling deviation, or both.
The most comprehensive theory and model to date is that by the present inventor in "Prediction of Drilling Trajectory in Directional Wells Via a New Rock-Bit Interaction Model", SPE Ann. Conf., Paper #16658, 1987 and in "General Formulation of Drillstring Under Large Deformation and its Use in BHA Analysis", SPE Annual Technical Conf. and Exh., October 1986. These articles accounted for both the effects of anisotropy in both the bit and the rock, in addition to the side forces generated by the BHA, which is to be computed by a BHA analysis program which includes, for the first time, the nonlinear effects of drillstring's "large" deformation, particularly for medium radius drilling where the borehole's well path has a curvature (build or drop rate) of 10' to 30' per 1000' of well path.
This model was further described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,051, issued on Feb. 14, 1989 to the present inventor. This patent describes the model which accounts for anistropic drilling characteristics of both the formation and the bit. It is capable of predicting the walk tendency and the build-drop tendency of a given BHA (bottomhole assembly) under any drilling condition. The model can be used in the forward mode to predict the drilling direction; in the inverse mode to generate the rock and bit anisotropy indices; and in the log-generation mode to generate drilling logs, such as a drilling dip log.
However, even in the referenced model by Ho, the way the anisotropy effects are accounted for is through a "global" correlation, using the rock and bit anisotropy indices. It has the following limitations: (1) Irrespective of any detailed PDC bit cutter arrangements, a single bit anisotropy index is sufficient to describe the deviation tendency of the bit; (2) When drilling in isotropic formations, the bit axis, the total bit force, and the drilling direction are coplanar such that the PDC bits will not walk; (3) The rock antsotropy index is assumed to be an inherent formation property, and independent of the bit's cutter design, so as to be independent of the bit antsotropy index, or the detailed cutting action of the bit; and (4) The model does not work when drilling through formation interfaces. This may be a significant drawback, particularly when drilling through alternating hard and soft sand-shale sequences.
Field experiences have shown that PDC bits generally walk left, although some bits walk right. However, such field observations do not separate the effects of formation anisotropy, formation dip, the BHA design, as well as the effect of borehole trajectory and inclination. Although some nonlinear effects can be generated in drilling in a curved well path, the effect is small, and cannot account for all the walk tendencies that have been observed. Formation anisotropy can also induce walk tendency.
Failure to account for the walk tendency of the PDC bit-BHA system will result in frequent course corrections. Such course corrections may require tripping in rotary drilling, which is very time consuming and therefore very expensive. In downhole motor drilling, such course corrections are achieved through frequent tool face adjustments. Though this eliminates the tripping time, it increases the well path's crookedness, which greatly increases the chance of the assembly getting stuck, resulting in major expenses. Furthermore, the fear of getting stuck particularly in the horizontal section of the well, places a major limitation on the length of the horizontal reach one can drill into. This limitation inhibits the major economic potential of drilling such horizontal wells.
One technique employed in the past has been the development of bits having a prescribed walk tendency. U.S. Pat. No, 5,099,929, issued on Mar. 31, 1992, to Keith et al. describes an unbalanced PDC drill bit having right hand walk tendencies plurality of stationary cutter elements are fixedly mounted to the cutting face in a selected pattern so as to provide a region of high cutter density on one side of the cutting face, and a region of low cutter density on the other side of the cutting face. The stationary cutter elements operate to cut into the lower side wall of the wellbore as the bit body is rotated, causing the rotary drill bit to walk to the right.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method that allows the deviation characteristics of the PDC bit to be determined.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method whereby PDC bits can be designed with known quantitative walk tendencies.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method whereby the walking tendencies of PDC bits can be determined so as to allow for the planning of well paths in a manner most suitable for the bits.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method that can enable the completion of a long bit run without trippings or course corrections.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method whereby formation dip can be determined from walk tendencies of the bit.
It is a still another object of the present invention to provide a method which greatly reduces the total drilling cost of directional wells, and which provides greater ease in completion and cementing.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method which serves to reduce the total developmental cost of the oil and gas field and to enable the development of currently marginal fields.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.

Method and system of trajectory prediction and control using PDC bits


A foldable keyboard comprises a keyboard body, a circuit, and a plurality of flexible printed circuit. The keyboard body has a plurality of touch panels in serial connection. Each touch panel has a pair of conductive membranes being segmented into a plurality of blocks for generating a panel signal. The adjacent touch panels are connected by the flexible printed circuits so that the touch panels can be folded in a stacked way. The touch panels are segmented into a plurality of blocks. A plurality of legends is formed on the top surface or the bottom surface of the keyboard body. The legends respectively correspond to the blocks.

The compact and portable electronic devices such as PDA (personal digital assistant) or cellulous phone are essential for mobile communication era. The compact and portable electronic devices generally uses foldable keyboard for inputting data. The foldable keyboard should be compact for portability while the operational convenience should be preserved.
However, the conventional foldable keyboard for portable electronic devices such as PDA still has a volume larger than PDA itself after the foldable keyboard is folded. More particularly, the conventional foldable keyboard has considerable thickness after the foldable keyboard is folded. It is not convenient for user to put the folded keyboard in his pocket for carry. Moreover, the conventional foldable keyboard has complicated components; the weight and size of the conventional foldable keyboard are hard to be shrunk.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show a conventional foldable keyboard 1a, which comprises two outer panels 10a and 11a, and two inner panels 12a and 13a. The foldable keyboard 1a further comprises a plurality of keys 14a arranged on the two outer panels 10a and 11a, and the two inner panels 12a and 13a. The two inner panels 12a and 13a are pivotally connected and the backsides thereof face to each other when the two inner panels 12a and 13a are collapsed. Moreover, the two outer panels 10a and 11a are pivotally connected to the two inner panels 12a and 13a through respective hinge unit 15a. Therefore, the two outer panels 10a and 11a can be collapsed with respect to the two inner panels 12a and 13a, respectively such that the two inner panels 12a and 13a are sandwiched between the two outer panels 10a and 11a.
The above-mentioned foldable keyboard 1a is segmented to four foldable segments such that the foldable keyboard 1a has only one-fourth area after it is folded. However, the thickness is excessively large and makes the foldable keyboard 1a hard to be put in user's pocket.
Moreover, the key 14a in the above-mentioned foldable keyboard 1a may have scissor structure (not shown) to reduce the thickness of the foldable keyboard 1a after the foldable keyboard 1a is folded. However, the scissor structure is complicated and increases weight of the foldable keyboard 1a.
Alternatively, the spacing between adjacent keys can be decrease to reduce the volume of the folded keyboard. However, the volume reduction is limited and the reduced spacing may increase probability of typing error.


The invention is directed to a system and methods allowing a user to interact with one or more data applications—including for example, games, music, music composition and tactile stimulation—to simulate real-time multisensory output. The invention includes a music program, a music texture program and a simulation program.

Computer systems, including virtual environment systems, are used for numerous applications such as flight training, surveillance, and even playing computer games. One problem with these computer systems is their inability to effectively simulate real-time multisensory output, which would improve performance and coordination of data applications including, for example, games, music, music composition, and tactile stimulation.
A need therefore exists for an improved method and system to generate content data (i.e., animated image data and audio data) and improve interaction between computer users and data applications including simulation of real-time multisensory output.

System and methods for simulating real-time multisensory output


The present disclosure provides a battery pack comprising: a module assembly having a structure in which a plurality of battery modules is mounted on a cooling plate having an internal hollow structure capable of accommodating a fluid; a pack housing having an inwardly recessed seating portion for mounting of the module assembly, and having an opened upper end; and a coolant circulation system configured to supply a liquid coolant into an internal hollow of the cooling plate to absorb heat of the battery module mounted on the cooling plate, wherein the pack housing includes a drain hose to discharge the liquid coolant that flows out from the coolant circulation system to the outside of the pack housing, and an opening through which the drain hose is mounted is formed on one surface of the pack housing.

The present disclosure relates to a battery pack having a cooling structure with improved stability for use of a liquid coolant.
Recently, a chargeable and dischargeable secondary battery is widely used as an energy source for wireless mobile devices. Further, a secondary battery also attracts attention as a power source for an electric vehicle (EV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (Plug-In HEV) and the like that are suggested as an alternative to solve air pollution caused by conventional gasoline vehicles and diesel vehicles that are operated on fossil fuel.
While one, two, three or four battery cells are used per one device in compact mobile devices, a battery module in which multiple battery cells are modularized, or a battery pack in which multiple battery modules are electrically connected is used in medium/large-sized devices such as a vehicle for the necessity of high-output power and large-capacity.
Since a medium/large-sized battery module or battery pack is preferably manufactured with as small size and weight as possible, a prismatic battery, a pouch-shaped battery, and the like, which can be laminated with high degree of integration and have small weight to capacity are mainly used as battery cells (unit cell) thereof. Particularly, the pouch-shaped battery using an aluminum laminate sheet as a sheathing member has recently attracted a lot of attention owing to advantages such as low weight, low manufactured cost, and easy deformable properties.
Since battery cells constituting such medium-to-large size battery module or battery pack are composed of chargeable and dischargeable secondary batteries, such high-output large-capacity secondary batteries generate a large amount of heat during a charging and discharging process. Particularly, since the laminate sheet of the pouch-shaped battery is surface-coated with a polymer material having low thermal conductivity, it is difficult to effectively cool the temperature of the entire battery cell.
If the heat generated during the charging and discharging process cannot be effectively removed, heat build-up may occur, thereby accelerating deterioration of the battery cells and possibly causing ignition or explosion thereof depending on cases. Thus, the high-output large-capacity battery module or battery pack requires a cooling system to cool battery cells stored therein.
Such cooling system may largely be configured in a structure of cooling the unit cells included in the battery pack or the unit battery module, or in a structure that a liquid coolant cools the unit battery cell or the unit battery module while moving along a pipe.
Particularly, the cooling system using the liquid coolant is such that the liquid coolant circulates along the pipe, but may absorb the heat of unit battery cells or unit battery modules adjacent to the pipe, thereby accomplishing cooling, and it may be defined as an indirect cooling system in a broad meaning.
Although such cooling system using the liquid coolant has an advantage in that cooling efficiency is excellent, it may incur critical safety problem to the battery pack when the liquid coolant flows out, and therefore it is necessary to design the cooling structure with a very high degree of precision.
Nonetheless, some of the liquid coolant may flow out through joints of the pipes due to fluid pressure of the liquid coolant, and the so outflowed liquid coolant may infiltrate into the unit battery cell, unit battery module, or circuit that constitutes the battery pack to lead to electrical short-circuit, malfunction, and the like.
In some cases, hot air inside the battery pack may be condensed on the pipe surface, and for this reason, the cooling system using a liquid coolant is particularly required to have the safety against moisture.
Therefore, there is a great need for a battery pack having a cooling structure with improved stability for use of liquid coolant.

Battery pack having cooling structure with improved stability for use of liquid coolant


Provided is an epitaxial substrate for use in a semiconductor element, having excellent characteristics and capable of suitably suppressing diffusion of elements from a cap layer. An epitaxial substrate for use in a semiconductor element, in which a group of group-III nitride layers are laminated on a base substrate such that a (0001) crystal plane of the group of group-III nitride layers is substantially in parallel with a substrate surface of the base substrate, includes: a channel layer made of a first group-III nitride having a composition of Inx1Aly1Gaz1N (x1+y1+z1=1, z1>0); a barrier layer made of a second group-III nitride having a composition of Inx2Aly2N (x2+y2=1, x2>0, y2>0); an anti-diffusion layer made of AlN and having a thickness of 3 nm or more; and a cap layer made of a third group-III nitride having a composition of Inx3Aly3Gaz3N (x3+y3+z3=1, z3>0).

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an epitaxial substrate for a semiconductor element, and particularly to an epitaxial substrate having a multilayer structure made of a group-III nitride semiconductor.
2. Description of Related Art
A nitride semiconductor is attracting attention as a semiconductor material for a next-generation high-frequency/high-power device, because the nitride semiconductor has a high breakdown electric field and a high saturation electron velocity. For example, an HEMT (high electron mobility transistor) device in which a barrier layer made of AlGaN and a channel layer made of GaN are laminated takes advantage of the feature that causes a high-concentration two-dimensional electron gas (2 DEG) to occur in a lamination interface (hetero interface) due to the large polarization effect (a spontaneous polarization effect and a piezo polarization effect) specific to a nitride material (for example, see Non-Patent Document 1).
In some cases, a single crystal (a different kind single crystal) having a composition different from that of a group-III nitride, such as silicon and SiC, is used as a base substrate of an HEMT-device substrate. In this case, a buffer layer such as a strained-superlattice layer or a low-temperature growth buffer layer is generally formed as an initially-grown layer on the base substrate. Accordingly, a configuration in which a barrier layer, a channel layer, and a buffer layer are epitaxially formed on a base substrate is the most basic configuration of the HEMT-device substrate including a base substrate made of a different kind single crystal. Additionally, a spacer layer having a thickness of about 1 nm may be sometimes provided between the barrier layer and the channel layer, for the purpose of facilitating a spatial confinement of the two-dimensional electron gas. The spacer layer is made of, for example, AlN. Moreover, a cap layer made of, for example, an n-type GaN layer or a superlattice layer may be sometimes formed on the barrier layer, for the purpose of controlling the energy level at the most superficial surface of the HEMT-device substrate and improving contact characteristics of contact with an electrode.
It is known that, in a case where a nitride HEMT device has the most general configuration in which a channel layer is made of GaN and a barrier layer is made of AlGaN, the concentration of a two-dimensional electron gas existing in an HEMT-device substrate increases as the AlN mole fraction in AlGaN of the barrier layer increases (for example, see Non-Patent Document 2). If the concentration of the two-dimensional electron gas can be considerably increased, the controllable current density of the HEMT device, that is, the power density that can be handled, would be considerably improved.
Also attracting attention is an HEMT device having a structure with reduced strain, such as an HEMT device in which a channel layer is made of GaN and a barrier layer is made of InAlN, in which the dependence on a piezo polarization effect is small and only a spontaneous polarization is used to generate a two-dimensional electron gas with a high concentration (for example, see Non-Patent Document 3).
In a case of forming an HEMT device having the InAlN/GaN structure in which a channel layer is made of GaN and a barrier layer is made of InAlN, a cap layer including InAlGaN that contains at least Ga, such as GaN or AlGaN, is sometimes formed on the barrier layer, for the purpose of current collapse suppression. In this case, depending on conditions under which the cap layer is formed, a Ga element may diffuse within an InAlN layer that is the barrier layer, which consequently causes an electron state of an epitaxial film to vary so that device characteristics are deteriorated.
Also, in a case of forming an HEMT device having the InAlN/GaN structure, a nitride cap layer containing Mg is sometimes formed on the barrier layer, for the purpose of establishing a PN junction with an InAlN layer, as a gate electrode structure, instead of a Schottky junction. In this case, depending on conditions under which the cap layer is formed, the Mg element doped as an acceptor diffuses within the InAlN layer that is the barrier layer, so that the PN junction cannot successfully obtained.

Epitaxial substrate for semiconductor element, semiconductor element, PN junction diode, and method for manufacturing an epitaxial substrate for semiconductor element


A foldable trampoline includes a tubular frame having a first section and a second section coupled to each other via a pair of frame hinges. The device further includes a flexible fabric stretched outwardly attached to the tubular frame to form a trampoline mat, wherein the tubular frame is configured to in an unfolded position or a folded position via the pair of frame hinges. When the tubular frame is in the unfolded position, the first section and the second section are laid out flat away from each other via the frame hinge to form a full-pie shape. When the tubular frame is in the folded position, the first section and the second section are folded towards to each other via the pair of frame hinges to form a half-pie shape, without having to remove the flexible fabric from the first section and second section.

Whereas people today are more conscious of fitness thanks to the ever-improved living standard, fitness equipment has become very popular. However, some of the fitness equipment emphasizing sit up in bear hands may get too rough and violent resulting in stretch in larger angles that causes injuries to the user having overweighed problem or in middle ages or elder. Furthermore, the sit up may become so monotonous and the user may be disinterested very quickly. Besides, fitness equipment generally available in the market either consumes too much space at home or is very expensive, plus other factors, such as the users in a family whose age, physical strength vary, the confined space available at home, the limit to only one function, and nature and length of training session.
A jump exercise device such as a trampoline is commonly used to exercise one body part of a human body. Most of the trampolines are constructed in fixed structures. It takes a large storage space to store a trampoline. In order to save the storage space, users typically have to take it apart and store the parts individually. Such a disassembling process proves to be time consuming and inconvenient. In addition, such a configuration may also take a considerable amount time and effort to reassemble it.


This invention provides materials and procedures for the delivery of selected strains of bacteria and/or oxalate-degrading enzymes to the intestinal tracts of persons who are at increased risk for oxalate related disease because they have lost, or have inadequate concentrations of these bacteria. The administration of these bacteria and/or the relevant enzyme removes oxalate from the intestinal tract and thus reduces the amount of oxalate available for absorption and reduces the risk for oxalate related disease.

The present invention relates to the use of bacterial species and/or strains that will be indicated later, for preparing a composition for the prevention and/or treatment of hyperoxaluria and of disorders associated with this, as well as the composition thus obtained.
Correspondingly, the said composition can assume the form and perform the activity of a dietary composition or of a food supplement or of a real drug, depending on the supporting or preventive or truly therapeutic action that the composition is intended to exert depending on the particular individuals for whom it is intended. This preventive or truly therapeutic action can derive from colonization, by the said bacteria, of the intestine of subjects at risk of hyperoxaluria or disorders associated with hyperoxaluria.
Hyperoxaluria consists of excessive presence of oxalates in the urine (urinary oxalate  greater than 40 mg/die). As well as being caused by a genetic defect that alters the metabolism of glyoxylic acid with formation of oxalate instead of glycine, it may be a side effect of excessive ingestion of foods rich in oxalate, such as spinach, cocoa, hazelnuts, pepper and tea, or treatment with, for example, anti-obesity drugs (e.g. ORLISTAT). Hence the usefulness of providing a dietary supplement capable of reducing and regulating the presence of oxalates in the urine.
Hyperoxaluria is a predominantrisk factor for the formation of renal calculi and may be caused by excessive absorption of oxalate from the colon or by renal overload caused by hyperoxaluria as in primary hyperoxaluria (PH).
The urinary level of oxalate seems to constitute a crucial sign with regard to the formation of calcium oxalate calculi even in patients with normal urinary excretion of calcium, and calcium oxalate calculi can sometimes also form in patients under strictly oliguric dialysis and without a prior history of nephrolithic disease in that, within this framework, there may be oxalate supersaturation even in a minimal quantity of urine.
The daily excretion of oxalate is related to urinary volume, to the taking of vitamin C, to the body weight index and, inversely, to the intake of calcium.
A study by Sutton and Walker on a population of idiopathic calcium oxalate calculi formers with slight hyperoxaluria was unable to demonstrate any significant alteration of renal control of oxalate, and concluded there was an increased dietary burden of oxalate with a possible hyperabsorption mechanism.
In non-PH hyperoxaluria patients it will therefore be necessary to pay greatest attention to enteral hyperabsorption of oxalate, which promotes the clinical picture of enteric hyperoxaluria and often the recurrent production of renal calculi. It has in fact been recognized since 1968 that nephrolithiasis is a complication of a disease or of resection of the intestine.
Increased intestinal absorption of oxalate, termed enteric hyperoxaluria (EHO), depends on at least two mechanisms. The first is associated with malabsorption of biliary salts in the diseased or resected ileum, which causes a deficiency of biliary salts and malabsorption of fats. Most of the oxalate in the diet is bound to calcium and is scarcely absorbed, but poorly absorbed fats bind intraluminal calcium, lowering the quantity bound to oxalate and giving rise to increased absorption of oxalate. The second mechanism of EHO is associated with increased permeability of the colon for oxalate, caused by poorly absorbed fatty acids and biliary salts, perhaps aggravated by variations of the epithelial occluding junctions of the colon caused by the decrease in intraluminal calcium. This hyperoxaluria is related to the degree of steatorrhoea, and is unusual with ileal resections  less than 30 cm. A decreased count of bacteria that metabolize the colon oxalate (Oxalobacter formigenes) as well as their inhibition by poorly absorbed biliary salts can likewise contribute to EHO. Finally, hyperoxaluria can be observed with long-term parenteral nutrition, also in patients with colectomies and minimal intake by the oral route, perhaps because of increased synthesis of endogenous oxalate.
Oxalate is sparingly soluble in water, but the urine can become supersaturated through the presence of crystallization inhibitors. Hyperoxaluria, combined with a decreased volume of urine and reduced levels of these inhibitors, predisposes to renal calculi.
Parenchymal renal deposition of oxalate can cause interstitial nephritis and nephrocalcinosis, with acute or chronic renal insufficiency.
The treatment of patients with calcium oxalate calculi is complex, and is described below.
Stage 1
Increased intake of liquids for a urinary excretion of 3 l/day;
Diet low in oxalate (avoid spinach, rhubarb, beets, hazelnuts, tea, cola, chocolate, wheat bran, strawberries);
Low-fat diet (50 g/day);
Calcium supplement (1-2 g/day);
Cholestyramine (4 g four times a day);
Stage 2 (if Calculi Recur Despite the Treatment of Stage 1)
Alkalization of the urine and citrate supplement (for example potassium citrate, sodium citrate=30 mEq base four times a day);
Magnesium supplement (to correct the urinary levels);
Allopurinol 300 mg/day (if the calculi contain uric acid).
The possibility of gastroenteric biological manipulation of oxalate had been known since 1955 from documents on the destruction of oxalate by the contents of the cow rumen and, subsequently, by mixed bacterial flora of the large intestine of other herbivores.
Allison referred in 1985 to the specific effect of degradation of oxalate of Oxalobacter formigenes, which inhabits the large intestine of man as well as of other animals.
More recently, Ito demonstrated the degradation of the oxalate content of foods in vitro by means of Eubacterium lentum WIH-1.
Subsequently, the absence of Oxalobacter formigenes was suggested as a risk factor for hyperoxaluria in cystic fibrosis patients.
Enteric hyperoxaluria is therefore the result of excessive enteric absorption of oxalate through increased permeability of the mucosa or increased solubility and bioavailability of faecal oxalate such as when the calcium content of the diet is reduced. The absence of Oxalobacter formigenes can add a new pathophysiological mechanism that is important from the standpoint of therapy.
Now it has been found, surprisingly, that the following bacteria: Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium longum and Bifidobacterium breve are capable of growing in the presence of and/or of degrading oxalate.
Accordingly, the present invention provides the use of at least one strain of the following bacteria: Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium longum and Bifidobacterium breve for preparing a dietary and/or pharmaceutical composition for the prevention and/or treatment of hyperoxaluria and the disorders associated with this.
Preferably, the strain of Lactobacillus brevis is the strain of Lactobacillus brevis CD2 deposited at the DSMxe2x80x94Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany, on Feb. 6, 1998 with accession number DSM 11988 under the Budapest Treaty, or mutants and derivatives thereof.
More particularly, hyperoxaluria and the disorders associated with it comprise enteric hyperoxaluria, renal calcium oxalate lithiasis, hyperoxalurias from intestinal inflammatory diseases, renal insufficiency, vesical calculosis, cardiopathy from hyperoxaluria, cystic fibrosis and vulvodynia.
Use of the invention includes use in the veterinary field.
According to the invention, the dietary and/or pharmaceutical composition is able to colonize, with the said bacteria, the intestine of subjects at risk of hyperoxaluria or disorders from hyperoxaluria, or disorders from renal calcium oxalate lithiasis.
The invention likewise provides a dietary or pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one strain of the following bacteria: Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium longum and Bifidobacterium breve.
According to one embodiment of the invention, a strain of Streptococcus thermophilus is combined with a strain of Lactobacilius selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus plantarum or their mixtures. Preferably, the strain of Lactobacillus brevis is the strain of Lactobacillus brevis CD2 deposited at the DSMxe2x80x94Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany, on Feb. 6, 1998 with accession number DSM 11988 under the Budapest Treaty, or mutants and derivatives thereof.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a strain of Streptococcus thermophilus is combined with a strain of Bifidobacterium selected from the group consisting of Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium longum and Bifidobacterium breve or their mixtures. In this case, preferably, the proportions between the concentrations of Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium longum and Bifidobacterium breve in the mixture, expressed in CFU/g of composition, are preferably 1:1:1.
According to a preferred embodiment, the ratio between the concentrations of Streptococcus thermophilus and of the bacterium of the genus Lactobacillus, expressed in CFU/g of composition, is from 1000:1 to 1:1000, whereas the ratio between the concentrations of Streptococcus thermophilus and of the bacterium of the genus Bifidobacterium or the mixture of bacteria of the genus Bifidobacterium, expressed in CFU/g of composition, is from 1000:1 to 1:1000.
The total concentration of the bacteria is preferably from 106 to 1012 CFU/g of composition.
According to the invention, the composition can moreover contain or be administered in combination with:
substances capable of binding the oxalate in the intestinal lumen, in particular cholestyramine (for example 0.5-4 g/die) and organic hydrocolloids of marine origin,
vitamins, in particular B6 (for example 20-200 mg/die) and C (for example 0.1-2 g/die),
magnesium oxide (for example 50-600 mg/die),
calcium (for example 0.5-2 g/die),
allopurinol (for example 50-300 mg/die),
enzymes, lactic bacteria, hormones and diuretics, immunomodulators, anticancer, lipids, urine alkalizers, urine acidifiers, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids and phospholipids,
drugs bringing about hyperoxaluria as a side effect, for example anti-obesity drugs (e.g. ORLISTAT).
Generally the composition can be administered orally or by the intraluminal route or by enteroclysis in the form of granules, tablets, capsules, suppositories or by enteroclysm.
The invention also provides a food based on chocolate, cocoa, asparagus, tomato, drinks/liquids, spinach, walnuts, hazelnuts, fibres, cereals, potato, tea and peanut butter, containing a quantity of at least one strain of bacteria selected from among Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium longum and Bifidobacterium breve, sufficient to colonize the intestine of subjects at risk of hyperoxaluria or disorders arising from hyperoxaluria.
The invention finally provides a method for the prevention and/or treatment of hyperoxaluria and the disorders associated with this by administering, to a subject at risk of hyperoxaluria or a disorder arising from hyperoxaluria, from 0.5 to 4 g/die of the composition of any one of the claims from 4 to 10.
xe2x80x9cSubjectsxe2x80x9d in this context includes humans and animals in general, and in particular farm animals, sport animals and pets.

Dietary or pharmaceutical composition for use for the prevention or treatment of hyperoxaluria


Provided is an apparatus for taking close-up pictures using a mobile terminal equipped with a camera and an exterior optical module for taking close-up pictures. The exterior optical module according to the present invention is characterized in that it is possible to take close-up pictures of even subjects within the shortest photographing distance of a camera part embedded in a typical mobile terminal, and the light source embedded in the mobile terminal is used without using a separate external light source. By providing an optical zoom through a separate exterior lens, it is possible to apply the present invention in cases where a magnified image is required, such as for the inspection of the skin tissues, in a portable microscope function, or the like. The mobile terminal becomes an apparatus for taking close-up pictures through an exterior optical module mounted thereon.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for taking close-up pictures by using a camera and an LED illumination which are embedded in a mobile terminal such as a smart phone, and to an exterior optical module for taking the close-up pictures.
Description of the Related Art
Mobile terminals, such as smart phones and tablet computers, which are widely used recently, are equipped with exposed cameras and LED illumination for taking pictures of external subjects. Users take pictures by only using a camera, or, when an illumination is required, take pictures after controlling an LED to be turned on. Accordingly, the camera and the LED illumination are provided adjacent to each other on one surface of a mobile terminal.
In general, the camera embedded in a mobile terminal has an auto focus (AF) function such that the focal length thereof is changed by changing the distance between an embedded lens and an image sensor. Here, the minimum focal length is set for each camera embedded in the mobile terminal, and the shortest photographing distance is set according to the minimum focal length. When a subject is located within the shortest photographing distance, the subject may not be photographed or an unclear image is obtained because the subject is out of focus.
In order to photograph a subject within the shortest photographing distance, the subject may be photographed at a distance about the minimum focal length with a predetermined optical magnification ratio, and a digital zoom may be used through a digital image processing method. However, in such cases, the image contrast is remarkably decreased and thus the state of the subject can not be well viewed.
Recently, there have been attempts to take a close-up picture of the skin tissue of a user by using a camera embedded in a mobile terminal, for skin care purposes. The shortest photographing distance of embedded cameras in mobile terminals are about 50 mm or more, and the state of skin tissues may not be clearly viewed through the images taken from such a distance even when a digital zoom is applied. In other words, a clearly in-focus and magnified image by achieving a shorter photographing distance to shoot at a closer distance is required.
As the best method for taking close-up pictures, the method in which the camera which itself embedded in a mobile terminal is designed to embed various lenses together therein so as to further decrease the shortest photographing distance may be a fundamental solution. The problem is that such a fundamental solution has not yet been developed, probably due to the effect that the solution has in determining the product price. Most of all, mobile phones developed up to now can not be used to take pictures in such a manner.
Alternatively, a method in which a macro lens is attached to the outside of a mobile terminal may be used. This method photographs the state of the skin by using external light such as natural light or indoor lighting. Accordingly, in this case, close-up pictures are not uniform, and in some cases, it may be impossible to take pictures or the pictures taken may be unsuitable. For example, in the case of a backlight in which an illumination is located at the rear side of a subject, the image of the subject is not well formed because too much amount of light enters the camera. Also, when the surroundings are too dark, it may be impossible to take a picture due to insufficient illumination.

Apparatus for taking close-up picture using mobile terminal equipped with camera, and exterior optical module for taking close-up picture


A method and system for aligning an antenna reflector with satellites in a satellite configuration. A method in accordance with the present invention comprises pointing the reflector to a position along an orbital arc used in the satellite configuration, commanding a Single Wire Multiswitch circuits which is coupled to the reflector of the antenna to output a signal from at least one satellite at the orbital slot, and adjusting the reflector to maximize reception of the signal from the orbital slot.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a satellite receiver system, and in particular, to an alignment method for multi-band consumer receiver antennas.
2. Description of the Related Art
Satellite broadcasting of communications signals has become commonplace. Satellite distribution of commercial signals for use in television programming currently utilizes multiple feedhorns on a single Outdoor Unit (ODU) which supply signals to up to eight IRDs on separate cables from a multiswitch.
FIG. 1 illustrates a typical satellite television installation of the related art.
System 100 shows an embodiment of a system using signals sent from Satellite A (SatA) 102, Satellite B (SatB) 104, and Satellite C (SatC) 106 (with transponders 28, 30, and 32 converted to transponders 8, 10, and 12, respectively) as well as other satellites using Ka-band signals that are typically located at the 99 and 103 orbital slots, that are directly broadcast to an Outdoor Unit (ODU) 108 that is typically attached to the outside of a house 110. ODU 108 receives these signals and sends the received signals to IRD 112, which decodes the signals and separates the signals into viewer channels, which are then passed to television 114 for viewing by a user. There can be more than one satellite transmitting from each orbital location. Orbital locations are also known as "orbital slots" and are referred to as both "orbital locations" and "orbital slots" herein.
Satellite uplink signals 116 are transmitted by one or more uplink facilities 118 to the satellites 102-106 that are typically in geosynchronous orbit. Satellites 102-106 amplify and rebroadcast the uplink signals 116, through transponders located on the satellite, as downlink signals 120. Depending on the satellite 102-106 antenna pattern, the downlink signals 120 are directed towards geographic areas for reception by the ODU 108.
Each satellite 102-106 typically broadcasts downlink signals 120 in typically thirty-two (32) different sets of frequencies, often referred to as transponders, which are licensed to various users for broadcasting of programming, which can be audio, video, or data signals, or any combination. These signals have typically been located in the Ku-band Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) and Broadcast Satellite Service (BSS) bands of frequencies in the 10-13 GHz range and in the Ka-band FSS band of 18-21 GHz.
FIG. 2 illustrates a typical ODU of the related art.
In another embodiment, ODU 108 typically uses reflector dish 122 and feedhorn assembly 124 to receive and direct downlink signals 120 onto feedhorn assembly 124. Reflector dish 122 and feedhorn assembly 124 are typically mounted on bracket 126 and attached to a structure for stable mounting. Feedhorn assembly 124 typically comprises one or more Low Noise Block converters 128, which are connected via wires or coaxial cables to a multiswitch, which can be located within feedhorn assembly 124, elsewhere on the ODU 108, or within house 110. LNBs typically downconvert the FSS and/or BSS-band, Ku-band, and Ka-band downlink signals 120 into frequencies that are easily transmitted by wire or cable, which are typically in the L-band of frequencies, which typically ranges from 250 MHz to 2150 MHz. This downconversion makes it possible to distribute the signals within a home using standard coaxial cables.
The multiswitch enables system 100 to selectively switch the signals from SatA 102, SatB 104, and SatC 106, and deliver these signals via cables 124 to each of the IRDs 112A-D located within house 110. Typically, the multiswitch is a four-input, four-output (4×4) multiswitch, where two inputs to the multiswitch are from SatA 102, one input to the multiswitch is from SatB 104, and one input to the multiswitch is a combined input from SatB 104 and SatC 106. There can be other inputs for other purposes, e.g., off-air or other antenna inputs or for other LNBs receiving services from satellites at other orbital locations, without departing from the scope of the present invention. The multiswitch can be other sizes, such as a 6×8 multiswitch, if desired. SatB 104 typically delivers local programming to specified geographic areas, but can also deliver other programming as desired.
To maximize the available bandwidth in the Ku-band and Ka-band of downlink signals 120, each broadcast frequency is further divided into polarizations. Each LNB 128 can receive both orthogonal polarizations at the same time with parallel sets of electronics, so with the use of either an integrated or external multiswitch, downlink signals 120 can be selectively filtered out from travelling through the system 100 to each IRD 112A-D.
IRDs 112A-D currently typically use a one-way communications system to control the multiswitch. Each IRD 112A-D has a dedicated cable 124 connected directly to the multiswitch, and each IRD independently places a voltage and signal combination on the dedicated cable to program the multiswitch. For example, IRD 112A may wish to view a signal that is provided by SatA 102. To receive that signal, IRD 112A sends a voltage/tone signal on the dedicated cable back to the multiswitch, and the multiswitch delivers the satA 102 signal to IRD 112A on dedicated cable 124. IRD 112B independently controls the output port that IRD 112B is coupled to, and thus may deliver a different voltage/tone signal to the multiswitch. The voltage/tone signal typically comprises a 13 Volts DC (VDC) or 18 VDC signal, with or without a 22 kHz tone superimposed on the DC signal. 13 VDC without the 22 kHz tone would select one port, 13 VDC with the 22 kHz tone would select another port of the multiswitch, etc. There can also be a modulated tone, typically a 22 kHz tone, where the modulation schema can select one of any number of inputs based on the modulation scheme. For simplicity and cost savings, this control system has been used with the constraint of 4 cables coming for a single feedhorn assembly 124, which therefore only requires the 4 possible state combinations of tone/no-tone and hi/low voltage.
To reduce the cost of the ODU 108, outputs of the LNBs 128 present in the ODU 108 can be combined, or "stacked," depending on the ODU 108 design. The stacking of the LNB 128 outputs occurs after the LNB has received and downconverted the input signal. This allows for multiple polarizations, one from each satellite 102-106, to pass through each LNB 128. So one LNB 128 can, for example, receive the Left Hand Circular Polarization (LHCP) signals from SatC 102 and SatB 104, while another LNB receives the Right Hand Circular Polarization (RHCP) signals from SatB 104, which allows for fewer wires or cables between the feedhorn assembly 124 and the multiswitch.
The Ka-band of downlink signals 120 will be further divided into two bands, an upper band of frequencies called the "A" band and a lower band of frequencies called the "B" band. Once satellites are deployed within system 100 to broadcast these frequencies, the various LNBs 128 in the feedhorn assembly 124 can deliver the signals from the Ku-band, the A band Ka-band, and the B band Ka-band signals for a given polarization to the multiswitch. However, current IRD 112 and system 100 designs cannot tune across this entire resulting frequency band without the use of more than 4 cables, which limits the usefulness of this frequency combining feature.
By stacking the LNB 128 inputs as described above, each LNB 128 typically delivers 48 transponders of information to the multiswitch, but some LNBs 128 can deliver more or less in blocks of various size. The multiswitch allows each output of the multiswitch to receive every LNB 128 signal (which is an input to the multiswitch) without filtering or modifying that information, which allows for each IRD 112 to receive more data. However, as mentioned above, current IRDs 112 cannot use the information in some of the proposed frequencies used for downlink signals 120, thus rendering useless the information transmitted in those downlink signals 120. Typically, an antenna reflector 122 is pointed toward the southern sky, and roughly aligned with the satellite downlink 120 beam, and then fine-tuned using a power meter or other alignment tools. The precision of such an alignment is usually not critical. However, additional satellites have been deployed that require more exacting alignment methods, and, without exacting alignment of the antenna reflector 122, the signals from the additional satellites will not be properly received, rendering these signals useless for data and video transmission.
FIG. 2A illustrates another embodiment of an ODU of the related art.
Another embodiment of ODU 108 uses a Single Wire Multiswitch (SWM) ODU system 130. Rather than having a dedicated cables from ODU 108 for each IRD 112A-D, e.g., one cable per IRD 108, system 130 uses a single cable 132 from ODU 108 to a splitter 134, and then directs individual cables 136-142 from splitter 134 to various types of IRDs 112A-D. Splitter 134 is typically located within the home, so only one cable 132 needs to enter the home to provide the signals from SWM ODU 108 for all IRDs 112A-D present in a given residence. For example, in one embodiment, IRD 112A can be a single tuner Standard Definition (SD) IRD, while IRD 112B can be a two-tuner SD Digital Video Recorder (DVR). Further, both SD and High Definition (HD) signals can be sent in system 130, such that both SD and HD signals can be sent through splitter 134 to various IRDs 112A-D. In the same embodiment as described above, IRD 112C can be a single tuner HD IRD, and IRD 112D can be a two-tuner HD DVR. Other combinations of IRDs 112A-D, with SD, HD, or combinations of SD and HD signals, can be accommodated by system 130.
System 130 allows for reduced installation complexity and lowers cost. Downlink signals 120 from satellites 102-106 are received at the SWM ODU 108 in the same manner as described with respect to FIG. 2. However, system 130 typically uses Frequency Shift Keyed (FSK) commands with a signal splitter 134 to allow for two-way communications between the ODU 108 and the various IRDs 112A-D. Other types of command structures can be used in different embodiments of system 130 if desired. The system 130 allocates a transponder channel for each connected IRD 112A-D. There are typically eight distinct programming channels available for use by the various IRDs 112A-D, however, a larger or smaller number of channels can be made available if desired. The SWM system 130 allocates one channel to single tuner IRDs 112A-D and two channels for two-channel (DVR)-based IRDs 112A-D. Each IRD 112A-D sends messages to the SWM ODU 108 requesting a desired transponder for viewing, and the SWM ODU 108 circuit receives similar requests from all connected and active IRDs 112A-D. The SWM ODU 108 then selects or "plucks" the receiver requested transponder from the received downlink signals 120, locates the selected transponder signal in the allocated channel for the requesting IRD 112-A-D, and aggregates all of the selected transponder channels for active IRDs 112A-D for transmission using single cable 132.
It can be seen, then, that there is a need in the art for an alignment method for a satellite broadcast system that can be expanded to include new satellites and new transmission frequencies.

Integrated ODU controller for antenna pointing


Liquid from a liquid chromatograph or other sample source, preferably assisted by a high velocity coaxial gas jet, is sprayed through a capillary tube producing a flow in a first direction of charged droplets. A flow of heated gas, in a second direction different from the first direction, intersects the droplet flow at a region upstream of an orifice. The flows mix turbulently, with the second flow helping to evaporate the droplets to produce ions and helping to move the evaporating droplets toward the orifice, providing a focusing effect. Ions are drawn through the orifice into a mass analyzer and analyzed. Alternatively the flows of liquid and heating gas can be directed toward each other and at right angles to the axis through the orifice, and the inhaling effect of the orifice can be used to draw droplets toward it, or a third gas flow can be used for this purpose. The heated intersecting gas flow typically provides an increase in sensitivity (ion counts per second) of between 10 and 100 times. Heating the droplet plume also allows controlled desaturation of ions and in increase in the number of charges on them, without degrading the ions.

Electrospray interfaces are commonly used to receive liquid from a liquid sample source such as a liquid chromatograph ("LC") and to produce ions which are delivered to a mass spectrometer. In electrospray, liquid from the LC is directed through a free end of a capillary tube, the tube being connected to one pole of a high voltage source. The free end of the capillary tube is spaced from an orifice plate having an orifice leading (directly or through other equipment) into the mass analyzer vacuum chamber. The orifice plate is connected to the other pole of the high voltage source. The electric field generates a spray of charged droplets, producing liquid flow without a pump, and the droplets evaporate to produce ions.
Because electrospray can handle only a very small flow (larger flows produce larger droplets, causing the ion signal to fall off and become unstable), a new technique was developed, which can be referred to as nebulizer gas spray. The nebulizer gas spray technique, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,988 issued Aug. 29, 1989 to Cornell Research Foundation, involves providing a cocurrent flow of high velocity nebulizer gas coaxial with the capillary tube. The nebulizer gas nebulizes the liquid to produce a mist of droplets which are charged by the applied electrical field. While electrospray functions poorly at liquid flows over about 10 microliters per minute, nebulizer gas spray functions reasonably well at liquid flows of up to between 100 and 200 microliters per minute. However even with nebulizer gas spray, it is found that with liquid flows of the order of about 100 microliters per minute, the sensitivity of the instrument is less than at lower flows, and that the sensitivity reduces substantially at liquid flows above about 100 microliters per minute. It is believed that at least part of the problem is that at higher liquid flows, larger droplets are produced and do not evaporate to release ions before these droplets reach the orifice. Therefore, much sample is lost.
Various attempts have been made to improve the sensitivity of instruments using nebulizer gas spray and electrospray. For example, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,624 issued Jun. 19, 1990, attempts have been made to heat the liquid before it is sprayed through the capillary tube. However because heating the liquid in the capillary tube to a high temperature will degrade thermally labile analytes, this method is not desirable and has produced only a limited increase in sensitivity.
In another attempt to improve the results when using electrospray, two researchers at the University of Alberta in Alberta, Canada, namely Paul Kebarle and Michael Ikonomou, have recently suggested surrounding an electrospray capillary with a cocurrent coaxial sheath of heated entraining gas. The flow used is not a nebulizing flow, but rather is a laminar flow of heating gas. It is found that this can increase the sensitivity of the instrument by 3 to 5 times, but in practice the device has proven temperamental and the improvement is available only within a very narrow range of operating parameters.


Goods drop out device 14 having goods receptacle portions 27 defined in a drop out box 23 and shutter devices 21 for opening and closing the bottoms of the goods receptacle portions 27, comprises the shutter devices 21 each comprise a smaller opening and closing member 56 pivotable about a support shaft 58 extending substantially in parallel to the bottom of the goods receptacle portion 27 for opening and closing the bottom, a pushing rod 62 contacting with the lower surface of the smaller opening and closing member 56 and moving toward and away from the lower surface, and an opening and closing cylinder device 63 for driving the pushing rod 62 and operating to close the bottom of the goods receptacle portion 27 by pushing up the opening and closing member 56 by the pushing rod 62.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a goods drop out device and method therefor. More particularly, the invention relates to a goods drop out device suitable for picking of goods in a goods delivery center and so forth.
2. Prior Art
(A) As disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 2-86903, a conventional goods picking device employs goods receptacle portions defined in a drop out box and opening and closing devices for opening and closing bottoms of the goods receptacle portions so that the goods can be dropped out of each goods receptacle portion by an opening operation of the opening and closing device onto a collecting conveyer or so forth.
Here, in the conventional goods drop out device, the opening and closing device comprises an opening and closing member for opening and closing the bottom of the goods receptacle portion by movement in parallel to the bottom, and an opening and closing cylinder assembly for shifting the opening and closing member in a range where the opening and closing member is permitted to open and close the bottom of the goods receptacle portion.
However, in the prior art, when the sizes of the goods to be objects of dropping out are different from each other, the arrangement pattern of the goods receptacle portion defined in the drop out box can be differentiated resulting in a difference of the size of the bottom opening of each goods receptacle portion to be opened and closed by the opening and closing member, and thus in a difference of the range of movement of the opening and closing member to accordingly differentiate the stroke length of the opening and closing cylinder assembly. Namely, in the prior art, for drop out devices adapted to drop out mutually different sizes of goods, opening and closing cylinder assemblies having different stroke lengths are required.
An object of the invention is to improve efficiency of facility by enabling to certainly open and close a bottom opening and closing member for goods receptacle portions having mutually different bottom opening sizes employing an opening and closing cylinder assembly having a uniform stroke length.
(B) On the other hand, in the conventional goods picking device, dropping out of the goods onto the collecting conveyer or so forth is by storing the goods in a plurality of goods receptacle portions defined by partitions inserted into the drop out box and by opening operation of the opening and closing devices.
Here, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication 2-86903, in the conventional goods dropping out method, the opening and closing member corresponding to each individual goods receptacle portion defined in the drop out box by means of partitions is provided so that the opening and closing member corresponding to the individual goods receptacle portion is operated to open upon dropping out of the goods in each goods receptacle portion.
However, in the prior art, it has been required to provide the opening and closing member and the their driving portion for each of the goods receptacle portions. Accordingly, between the drop out devices for respectively different sizes of the goods as objects for dropping out and having different arrangement patterns of the goods receptacle portions defined in the drop out boxes, the installation condition of the opening and closing members and the driving portions therefore should be mutually different. Therefore, in the prior art, in order to enable dropping out of various sizes of goods, it becomes necessary to provide a plurality of kinds of drop out devices for respective sizes of the goods, which are differentiated not only in the arrangement of the partitions in the drop out boxes but also in the installation manner of the opening and closing members and the driving portions therefor, thus lowering efficiency of facility.
An object of the invention is to improve the efficiency of facility by enabling dropping out of various sizes of goods employing the drop out devices having common basic constructions.
(C) On the other hand, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 2-86903, the conventional picking device receives the goods in a plurality of goods receptacle portions defined in matrix form in the drop out box, moves a larger opening and closing member which can open and close the bottoms of respective goods receptacle portions simultaneously per one column, is moved per column, operates smaller opening and closing members arranged at the tip end of the larger opening and closing member and independently opening and closing the bottoms of respective individual goods receptacle portions to open and close and thus drops out the goods in respective goods receptacle portions onto the collecting conveyer or so forth.
Here, in the conventional goods dropping out method, when the number of goods left in the leading column among the columns in which the goods are maintained, is less than a necessary number, a number of the smaller opening and closing members corresponding to the number derived as a remainder after subtracting the maintained number of goods in the leading column and subtracting the number of goods per column (for example number of goods in n columns), are held open, and the larger opening and closing members of the leading column and n columns are moved simultaneously to enable the necessary number of goods to be dropped out.
On the other hand, in the conventional goods dropping out method, when the sizes of the goods to be dropped out are differentiated, the arrangement patterns of the goods receptacle portions defined in the drop out boxes are differentiated so that the sizes of the bottom openings of respective goods receptacle portions to be opened and closed by the smaller opening and closing members are differentiated. Then, it can be considered to improve the efficiency of the facility by adapting the length of the smaller opening and closing member in the motion direction of the larger opening and closing member to an arrangement pattern having an average length in that direction and by using the smaller opening and closing members of this length in common to the arrangement pattern of the other goods receptacle portions of different lengths in that direction.
However, the conventional goods drop out method, in which the smaller opening and closing member of an average length is to be used in common to various arrangement patterns of the goods receptacle portions, and the smaller opening and closing members and the larger opening and closing members are operated in the manner set forth above, is not efficient for the arrangement pattern having a large number of columns due to small size of the goods. Namely, in the arrangement pattern having a large number of columns for small size goods, the tip end portions of the smaller opening and closing members can extend beyond the corresponding goods receptacle portions to partly block the bottoms of the goods receptacle portions in the adjacent column. As a result, when the larger opening and closing members are moved simultaneously for dropping out the goods, not all of the goods receptacle portions which are to be opened by the smaller opening and closing members can be opened sufficiently. Therefore, it becomes impossible to drop out with certainty a necessary total drop out number.
An object of the invention is to enable to drop out with certainty a necessary total number when the common configuration of the smaller opening and closing members are designed to be used in common for various arrangement patterns of the goods receptacle portions.


An insulin pump and an infusion set adapter having a membrane which can be acted upon by a liquid flow path associated with the pump, wherein the pump comprises a sensor by which a change in shape or location of at least a portion of the membrane caused by a change in the liquid pressure in the flow path can be detected in a contact-free manner to identify an occlusion in the flow path.

The present invention relates to devices for infusing, administering, injecting, delivering or dispensing substances, and to methods of making and using such devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for identifying a change in pressure in the liquid path of a microdosing device, to a use of the method, to a device for carrying out the method, to a microdosing device with the device, and to a use of the device and/or the microdosing device.
For the precision dosing of liquid substances in the microliter range, as is used in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries and in medicine for feeding liquid medicaments, for example insulin, into patients' bodies, it is of greatest importance that the desired dosage is as exact as possible and any unintentional interruption to the feed, as may arise due to an empty liquid reservoir or an occlusion in the liquid path, is discovered and eliminated immediately.
In the case of insulin pumps with spindle-driven delivery pistons, it is known from the prior art to monitor the driving torque or the supporting force of the spindle and to draw a conclusion about an occlusion in the liquid path from an increase in said variable. However, this type of monitoring is imprecise and unreliable, since a large number of disturbance variables, such as, for example, the friction between delivery piston and wall of the liquid reservoir, are virtually impossible to detect and eliminate.
A transition has therefore been made to measuring the fluid pressure in the liquid path by an element which is acted upon by the fluid and transmits the fluid pressure or changes under the fluid pressure to a sensor, mechanically coupled to the element, which determines the compressive force transmitted by the element or a movement of the same to calculate the fluid pressure. Since, in most cases, the element which is in contact with the fluid is designed as a disposable article for hygiene reasons, but the sensor, on cost grounds, has to be used more than once, the known microdosing devices currently have the disadvantage that the accuracy of the pressure measurement decisively depends on the quality of the mechanical coupling between the element, which is in contact with the fluid, and the sensor, as a result of which, while the disposable articles are justifiably tolerated in terms of cost, a relatively great variation in the accuracy from measurement to measurement arises.

Method and device for identifying a change in pressure in the liquid path of a microdosing device


A coupling connector includes: a connector housing of a first connector having an engagement piece formed by projecting an outer wall thereof; and a connector housing of a second connector having an engagement groove formed on an outer wall thereof. In the construction, the engagement piece is engaged with the engagement groove. The engagement piece and engagement groove are formed so as to be engaged with each other in an engagement direction intersecting perpendicularly to a coupling direction where the first and second connectors are coupled to each other. The connector housing of the first connector is slid to the coupling direction with respect to the connector housing of the second connector so that the engagement piece is engaged with the engagement groove so that the first connector and second connector are coupled to each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coupling connector which is constituted such that a plurality of connectors are coupled to each other so as to make one set.
2. Description of the Related Art
A coupling connector which are constituted such that connectors are coupled to each other to improve a handling property of plural connectors. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a conventional coupling connector 1. A plurality of terminal accommodation chambers 6 and 7 are formed respectively in connector housings 4 and 5 of two connectors 2 and 3 to be coupled to each other. Electric wires 10 and 11 are led from wire harnesses 8 and 9 into the terminal accommodation chambers 6 and 7 of the respective connectors so as to be connected with terminals (not shown) in the terminal accommodation chambers 6 and 7.
These connectors 2 and 3 are coupled to each other by sliding the connector housings 4 and 5 relative to a direction of an arrow D. In order to obtain this coupling, an engagement groove 12 is formed on an outer wall on one side of the connector housing 4 of the connector 2, and an engagement projection 13 having a T shape which is engaged with the engagement groove 12 is formed on an outer wall of the connector housing 5 of the connector 3 which faces the engagement groove 12. The engagement groove 12 and engagement projection 13 are extended along an engagement direction of the connector housings 4 and 5. When the engagement projection 13 is engaged with the engagement groove 12 and they are slid together, the connectors 2 and 3 can be coupled to each other as shown in FIG. 2. There is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.62-15774 a coupling connector using such a coupling structure.
However, in the conventional coupling connector 1, there is a gap 14 between the engagement groove 12 and engagement projection 13 due to thermal shrinkage which occurs when the connector housing 4 and 5 are injection molded and other causes as shown in FIG. 3. This gap causes looseness in directions of arrows 16 and 17, thereby occurring relative displacement of the connector housings 4 and 5 as shown by a broken line. The occurrence of such looseness causes pitch displacement of the connector housings 4 and 5. As a result, when engaged with a mating connector, the coupling connector 1 interferes with the mating connector, and they become unstable, thereby being difficult to engage with each other. Furthermore, the terminals in the terminal accommodation chambers 6 and 7 cannot come in contact with terminals of the mating connector satisfactorily.


A motion converting mechanism for converting the rotating motion to the inclined gyration movement in a fuel pump is isolated from gasoline through a flexible isolating member. The lubrication of a load supporting portion in the fuel pump, which is enclosed in an interior portion of the flexible isolating member, can be performed. A sealing portion of a rotating shaft in the fuel pump is isolated from the gasoline by the flexible isolating member. The lubricating oil is sealed in an interior portion of an isolating area formed by the flexible isolating member.

The present invention relates to a fuel pump and, in particular to a gasoline use fuel pump suitable for an in-cylinder direct injection system used for in an internal combustion engine.
In an internal combustion engine, in particular in a gasoline internal combustion engine for use in an automobile, recent efforts have been made to improve fuel consumption, reduce harmful exhaust gas and improve driveability (a response for a drive condition changing) etc. of the automobile, by seriously studying a practical application of an in-cylinder direct injection system.
In the in-cylinder direct injection system of the gasoline internal combustion engine, a fuel delivery source is indispensable to directly inject the gasoline into a cylinder of the gasoline internal combustion engine. Since the gasoline injection into the cylinder is required even during a compression cycle of the engine, from the above stated fuel delivery source, it is necessary to delivery the fuel having a high pressure of some 30-100 kg/cm.sup.2.
The gasoline to be delivered has an extremely small viscosity property and also has an inferior lubrication property in comparison with general use oil such as engine oil.
As a result, since the leakage of the gasoline from a compression part is large and it is difficult to compress the gasoline at a high pressure, a lubrication property in a fuel pump load supporting member (for example, a bearing member) is injured.
At the present time, the bearing member cannot be expected to have a needed life time under the gasoline environment.
Further, in a sealing member of a rotative shaft for the fuel pump construction, at the present time, it is extremely difficult to expect sufficient reliability of the sealing member under the gasoline environment.
From the above stated circumferences, a fuel pump is disclosed in, for example, Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 209,981/1992.
This conventional fuel pump construction attempts to overcome the above stated problems about the low gasoline viscosity property and the difficult compression to the high pressure.
Namely, in the above stated conventional fuel pump construction using the secondary fluid having the high viscosity and the high lubrication property, an increased pressure in the fluid is easily performed.
The gasoline is raised in pressure through a pressure transfer member (in this case, a bellows) and, in addition to the above, the lubrication in the load supporting member such as a bearing member is performed using the secondary fluid. Further, the secondary fluid becomes a sealing material for sealing a rotative shaft.
However, in the above stated conventional fuel pump construction, since the pressure transfer member is necessary for every compressing cylinder of the fuel pump, the number of components undesirably increases. Further, from a structural aspect in case of an employment of a multi-cylinder structure, the apparatuses must be arranged in an axial direction, thereby causing a problem where an axial direction dimension of the fuel pump construction increases.
In the above stated in-cylinder direct injection system for use in the internal combustion engine, from the viewpoint of the volume control accuracy of the injection fuel, the response for control, optimizing injection timing, it is desirable to control an injector electronically. To serve the above purpose, a small fluctuation of a delivery fuel pressure is required.
Accordingly, a large number of the compressing cylinders is desirably provided and, in case of the multi-cylinder structure, a compact size fuel pump structure should be realized.
An object of the present invention is to provide a multi-cylinder fuel pump of compact size.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fuel pump wherein an improved lubrication property of a fuel pump load supporting member is achieved.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a fuel pump wherein a reliability property in a sealing structure for a rotative shaft can be increased.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a fuel pump wherein a lowering phenomenon of volume efficiency caused from low viscosity in fuel such as a gasoline can be fully realized by a compact multi-cylinder type fuel pump structure.
A further object of the present invention is to attain an increase of discharge flow amount of the fuel. According to the present invention, a fuel pump comprises a rotational shaft driven by a rotation of an internal combustion engine and a swash plate mounted on the rotational shaft in which a rotating motion of the rotational shaft is converted by an axial inclined gyration motion, and fuel is pressurized and compressed to raise pressure in accordance with an axial direction motion component of the swash plate. A rotating motion converting mechanism for converting the rotating motion of the rotational shaft to the axial inclined gyration movement is isolated through a flexible isolating member.
According to the present invention, a fuel pump comprises a rotational shaft for transmitting rotation from an outside motive source, a swash plate fixed on one end of the rotational shaft and for rotating together the rotational shaft and having a different normal direction face from an axial direction of the rotational shaft, plural pressurizing chambers for pressurizing fuel, and a rotating motion converting portion for converting a rotating motion of the rotational shaft to a reciprocating motion of the swash plate and for transmitting the reciprocating motion to the pressurizing chamber. The rotating motion converting portion is isolated through a flexible isolating member.
According to the present invention, a fuel pump comprises a rotational shaft for transmitting rotation from an outside motive source, a swash plate fixed on one end of the rotational shaft and for rotating together the rotational shaft and having a different normal direction face from an axial direction of the rotational shaft, plural pressurizing chambers for pressurizing fuel, and a rotating motion converting portion for converting a rotating motion of the rotational shaft to a reciprocating motion of the swash plate and for transmitting the reciprocating motion to the pressurizing chamber. A sliding and contacting portion formed between the swash plate and the rotating motion converting portion and the swash plate are isolated through a flexible isolating member.
According to the present invention, a fuel pump comprises a body, a rotating shaft penetrating mounted on the body, a swash plate member provided on an interior portion of the body and mounted on one end of the rotating shaft, a motion converting portion for converting a rotating motion of the rotating shaft to an inclined gyration movement, a pump mechanism portion opposite arranged to the swash plate member and having plural pistons which slide and contact the swash plate member, a first fluid section for receiving a first fluid which is pressurized according to an axial direction motion by the swash plate member, and a second fluid section adjacently provided on the first fluid section and for receiving a second fluid, and the second fluid section for including the motion converting portion, viscosity of the second fluid in the second fluid section is larger than viscosity of the first fluid in the first fluid section.
According to the present invention, a fuel pump comprises, a body having an opening portion at one end, a rotating shaft penetratingly mounted on the body, a swash plate member provided on an interior portion of the body and mounted on one end of the rotating shaft, a motion converting portion for converting a rotating motion of the rotating shaft to an inclined gyration movement, a pump mechanism portion provided on the opening portion of the body and opposite arranged to the swash plate member, and the pump mechanism portion having plural pistons which slide and contact to the swash plate member, a first fluid section provided on a side of the pump mechanism portion and for receiving a first fluid which is pressurized according to an axial direction motion by the swash plate member, and a second fluid section adjacently provided on the first fluid section and for receiving a second fluid, and the second fluid section for including the motion converting portion, viscosity of the second fluid in the second fluid section is larger than viscosity of the first fluid in the first fluid section.
According to the present invention, a fuel pump comprises a body having an opening portion at one end, a rotating shaft penetrating mounted on the body; a swash plate member provided on an interior portion of the body and mounted on one end of the rotating shaft, a motion converting portion for converting a rotating motion of the rotating shaft to an inclined gyration movement, a pump mechanism portion provided on the opening portion of the body and opposite arranged to the swash plate member, and the pump mechanism portion having plural pistons which slide and contact the swash plate member, a flexible isolating member provided in the interior portion of the body, a first fluid section provided on a side of the pump mechanism portion and isolated by the flexible isolating member, and the first fluid section for receiving a first fluid which is pressurized according to an axial direction motion by the swash plate member, and a second fluid section adjacently provided on the first fluid section and isolated by the flexible isolating member, and the second fluid section for receiving a second fluid and for including the motion converting portion, viscosity of the second fluid in the second fluid section is larger than viscosity of the first fluid in the first fluid section.
The basic concept of the present invention for solving the aforementioned problems is that the motion converting portion for giving the reciprocating motion of the pump compressing portion is enclosed by the flexible isolating member. Further another approach used in the present invention is that the lubricating oil is enclosed in the flexible isolating member.
In the present invention, the basic system of the fuel pump has the swash plate system, and this swash plate system is suitable to form both the small size and the multi-cylinder type fuel pump.
In the present invention, only the swash plate is caused to have the inclined gyration movement. The rotating motion preventing member is selectively provided on the swash plate, thereby to positively dissolve the rotation force acting on the flexible isolating member.
Further, because the rotation direction strength of the flexible isolating member is fully processed, the above mentioned rotating motion preventing member is unnecessary, and as a result the number of the pump components are reduced.
The end portion of the flexible isolating member is formed to selectively cause the eccentric inclined gyration movement and the stress easing generated on the flexible isolating member is attained.
In the present invention, the connecting portion for observing the pressure in the interior portion of the flexible isolating member is provided and the abnormality of the flexible isolating member is detected.


A backboard with internal ducts for circulation of heated and/or cooled liquid or gas for treating a post-traumatic-injury patient, specifically a patient with a severe back injury. The backboard provides three vital functions for the patient: (1) immobilization (2) maintaining body core temperature, and (3) reduction/prevention of inflammation and/or edema. The thermally-interactive unit is constructed of radiolucent materials for compatibility with x-ray equipment, and is compatible with sterilization requirements.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to post-traumatic treatment of injuries, especially back and spinal injuries and, more specifically, to a thermally-interactive backboard with internal ducts for circulation of heated and/or cooled liquid or gas for treating a patient with a severe back injury.
2. Description of the Related Art
Trauma-related paralysis victims are often not paralyzed directly from their injuries, but rather from the inflammation and edema which frequently result from injury.
Unabated, or inadequately-abated, inflammation can result in soft tissue damage, including neurological damage (a primary contributor to paralysis), due to the manifestations of the physiological changes that occur during the inflammation or edema process. These hemodynamic changes include increased capillary permeability and leukocytic exudation.
The application of cold to the injury site helps to decrease the effects of inflammation and edema, and may prevent their advancement to an acute state. In cases of spinal injury, emergency medical service units often fail adequately to address both post-traumatic inflammation and edema, because immobilization and stabilization of the patient are their primary concerns.