Disclosed herein is a medical wire with an intracorporeally indwelling member connected to the leading end part of a conductive wire body through a thermally-fusible connecting member, wherein expected heat generation can be achieved even when a conductive member that causes leak comes into contact with the leading end part of the conductive wire body, and thus the intracorporeally indwelling member can be surely released.

Various problems are generally presented in treatment involving surgical operation to a vital body. For example, a patient undergoing an operation must withstand a long-time operation, has a relatively high danger of infection and often causes invasion. A surgeon, as well, is forced to endure intense concentration for the long period of operation.
In order to permit lightening such various stress and performing a necessary operation more safely and easily, catheters, guide wires and embolizing materials for occluding blood vessels and the like, and other various medical instruments have been developed in recent years and been put to practical use. With the recent advancement of medical instruments such as catheters and guide wires, an intravascular operation in which the intended affected part is approached through a blood vessel comes to be performed and often applied to treatments for diseases such as arteriovenous malformation, cerebral aneurysm and carotid-cavernous fistula.
As a method for treating aneurysm or the like, which causes little invasion, there is currently known vascular embolization in which an intracorporeally indwelling member composed of a metal, which does not exert an adverse influence on a vital body, such as platinum is left within aneurysm. In this method, a medical wire with the intracorporeally indwelling member connected to the leading end part of a delivery wire is inserted into a catheter arranged in the vital body, the wire is operated under observation by a radiography to guide the intracorporeally indwelling member to a desired position within the vital body, whereby the intracorporeally indwelling member is caused to reach the intended site, and the intracorporeally indwelling member is released in this state.
As a method for releasing the intracorporeally indwelling member, there are known mechanical means and electrical means. For example, as an electrically releasing means, there is a means of supplying an electric current between a conductive wire and a counter electrode connected to the vital body from the outside to decompose and fuse a connecting member (see, for example, Patent Art. 1 and Patent Art. 2).
Patent Art. 2 discloses a medical wire for vascular embolization in which an intracorporeally indwelling member is connected to the leading end part of a conductive wire through a thermally-fusible rod-like connecting member composed of polyvinyl alcohol. According to this medical wire, a high-frequency electric current is applied between the conductive wire and the counter electrode, whereby the leading end part of the conductive wire functions as an electrode for heating to thermally fuse the connecting member in a moment, and the intracorporeally indwelling member is separated from the conductive wire, so that the medical wire is said to have merits that the time required for a surgical operation can be shortened and burdens imposed on a patient and a surgeon can be lightened.    Patent Art. 1: Japanese Patent Registration No. 3007022; and    Patent Art. 2: Japanese Patent Registration No. 2880070.
In the medical wire formed by using such a connecting member composed of thermally-fusible polyvinyl alcohol as disclosed in Patent Art. 2, however, the high-frequency current flows through an electrolyte in the vital body when the current is applied between the conductive wire and the counter electrode connected to the vital body. At this time, the leading end part of the conductive wire functions as a heating electrode to fuse the connecting member.
When it is specifically described, this conventional medical wire is formed by a conductive wire body 50, a connecting member 52 and an intracorporeally indwelling member 54 as illustrated in FIG. 9. More specifically, the leading end part of the conductive wire body 50 is formed by a coil piece 56, and the coiled intracorporeally indwelling member 54 is connected to this coil piece 56 through the thermally-fusible connecting member 52. An insulating coating film 58 is formed on an external peripheral surface of a region of the wire body 50 other than the leading end part and the base end part thereof, and a heating electrode portion is formed by an exposed coil portion E of the coil piece 56, which is exposed without the coating film 58.
A high-frequency current is supplied from the base end part 60 of the wire body 50, whereby Joule heat is generated at the heating electrode portion by an electric resistance produced between the electrode portion and an electrolyte solution of a body fluid of a vital body contacting therewith, and a temperature around the heating electrode portion is raised by this Joule heat to fuse the thermally-fusible connecting member 52, thereby separating the intracorporeally indwelling member 54 from the wire body 50.
In order to fuse the connecting member in such a manner, it is necessary to raise the temperature of the heating electrode portion. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to convert electric energy by electric power from a high-frequency power source device to thermal energy (Joule heat) by a resistance in the electrolyte or the like around the heating electrode portion. The quantity of this Joule heat generated is determined by the degree of an electric resistance value around the heating electrode portion.
In an actual operation for leaving the intracorporeally indwelling member, the resistance value in the heating electrode portion is greatly affected by an ambient environment in which the heating electrode portion is located. For example, in the treatment for aneurysm, it is generally necessary to fill a plurality of intracorporeally indwelling members each composed of a metal such as platinum at a considerably high density into the aneurysm. Therefore, when an intracorporeally indwelling member is left in the latter half of the treatment, the circumference of the heating electrode portion of the wire body is in a state that a plurality of the intracorporeally indwelling members previously arranged has been present.
When such an intracorporeally indwelling member previously arranged is in a state that it has unexpectedly come into contact with the exposed heating electrode portion of the wire body, a part of the high-frequency current supplied to the heating electrode portion flows to the intracorporeally indwelling member contacting to cause leak, and after all, a state that the surface area of a member acting as an electrode has been increased is created. As a result, the resistance value in the electrode portion becomes lowered.
In the state that the resistance value has been lowered as described above, the quantity of Joule heat generated becomes decreased. As a result, the thermally-fusible connecting member is not completely fused, and thus the intracorporeally indwelling member remains unseparated.
More specifically, when the area of the electrode increases in the case where the electric power supplied is fixed, a heating area increases though the total quantity of Joule heat generated is the same, so that the rising breadth of the temperature decreases. Thus, the connecting member cannot reach a fusing temperature, and so the fusing of the connecting member cannot be completely performed. After all, the intracorporeally indwelling member cannot be released unless a current for fusion is supplied repeatedly. In such a case, a doctor who is a surgeon is required to conduct a confirming operation that the wire is pulled back while viewing an image through an X-ray equipment for radiography in order to confirm the fact that the intracorporeally indwelling member has been separated from the wire. When the intracorporeally indwelling member is not separated from the wire as a result of this confirming operation, however, it is necessary to store the intracorporeally indwelling member in the aneurysm by operating a delivery wire again, and moreover seeking an appropriate position where the intracorporeally indwelling member previously arranged comes into no contact with the electrode portion of the wire body. In the worst case, there is a possibility that the other intracorporeally indwelling member previously arranged in the same aneurysm may be moved or forced out of the aneurysm when the wire has been pulled back, so that burdens and risks imposed on the patient and the doctor become great.

Abstract: This medical wire comprises a conductive wire body and an intracorporeally indwelling member connected to the leading end part of the conductive wire body through a thermally-fusible connecting member, in which the connecting member is heated and fused by supplying an electric current for fusion through the conductive wire body, thereby releasing the intracorporeally indwelling member, wherein a non-conductive coating film is formed on an external peripheral surface of an electrode-forming portion in the leading end part of the wire body, and a part of the surface of the wire body is exposed through the coating film, thereby forming a heating electrode portion.


A network-based intelligent information-sourcing system has capabilities akin to an automated universal teacher, researcher, or expert, in that the system is able to interpret, both independently and in context, and provide comprehensive answers to received queries on substantially any subject. This capability is achieved by enhancing existing telecommunications networks and intelligent networks to incorporate a knowledge-processing capability. This network uses the communication capability of the network to collect queries from, e.g., students in an interactive mode, then passes the question to a "knowledge ring" which comprises numerous knowledge bases arranged hierarchically, and then sends the response back from an "artificially intelligent instructor". Once the query is understood, the system restates the question back to the student in the way the particular knowledge base is integrated, Upon confirmation, the system delivers the response back to the student.

Since the advent of stored-program control, telecommunications networks have been expanding their capabilities and functionality to provide a rich, varied, and flexible menu of telecommunications features and services. In the recent past, this evolution has culminated in the development of the Intelligent Network/2 (IN/2). The IN/2 architecture concept diverges from the traditional new service introduction approach by distributing call-processing capabilities across multiple network modules, by constructing network services with service-independent capabilities, and by using standard signaling protocols among network elements. A thorough overview of intelligent networks is presented in IEEE Communications Magazine, Vol. 26, No. 12 (December 1988) and Vol. 31, No. 2 (February 1992); these issues are dedicated to this subject.
With the evolution of the telecommunications networks and their capabilities have come network-based information-retrieval services which provide on-line, real-time access to information stored in electronic databases. Examples of these are the Dialog.RTM. and Lexis/Nexis.RTM. services and university campus library-access systems. Recently, even more sophisticated network-based educational systems have started to emerge, which facilitate distance learning, interactive distance classrooms, and video-based participation of distant classrooms. Illustrative examples of such systems are proposed and described in F. B. Brown, "A Primer on Telecommunication in Distance Learing", Proceedings of the Pacific Telecommunications Council (Jan. 12-15, 1992), paper no. 220.127.116.11; and P. L. Taylor, "The Global Classroom: A Telecommunications Event for Educators", id., paper no. 188.8.131.52. Nevertheless, all these services and systems have a common shortcoming in that they are essentially passive retrievers and transporters of precisely-specified information, and hence require a high degree of a-priori knowledge and sophistication from their users. The knowledge and sophistication are necessary for the proper formulation of information requests and resultant information searches. In essence, the user must know precisely what information he or she needs, where to find it, and how to ask for it.
The field of artificial intelligence includes among its considerations the representation of knowledge in machine-understandable form, known as knowledge engineering. Excellent overviews of the artificial intelligence field, including of knowledge engineering, are presented by Elaine Rich in Artificial Intelligence, McGraw-Hill Book Co. (1983), and by Edward A. Feigenbaum et al. (eds.) in The Handbook of Artificial Intelligence, Vols. 1-3, Heuris Tech Press/Wm. Kaufmann, Inc. (1981, 1982). Although artificial intelligence has been successfully applied in the field of education, to computer-assisted instruction, little or no work has been done in applying the lessons and techniques of artificial intelligence in general, and of knowledge engineering in particular, to the network-based information-retrieval services.

Network-based intelligent information-sourcing arrangement


The present invention relates to semiconductor manufacturing field, more particularly, to a process of forming a charge storage electrode to which a selective hemispherical grains (HSG) silicon film is applied. The object of the present invention is to provide a method of forming a charge storage electrode having the selective HSG silicon film in semiconductor device which can secure a sufficient capacitor effective surface area by obtaining desired grain size at the time of selective HSG silicon film formation. The present invention prevents remaining of carbon component which obstructs the growth of HSG silicon film after dry etching process by limiting the carbon halide gas used in dry etching process of amorphous silicon film for defining the charge storage electrode at the time of process of forming the charge storage electrode having selective HSG silicon film. That is, the present invention is a technology of etching a part of amorphous silicon film by using general carbon halide gas at the time of dry etching process of the amorphous silicon film for defining the charge storage electrode, and then, finally etching the remaining part of amorphous silicon film by using silicon etching gas such as SF.sub.6 gas, Cl.sub.2 +O.sub.2 gas, HBr gas, etc. not containing carbon component or only using the etching gas such as SF.sub.6 gas, Cl.sub.2 +O.sub.2 gas, HBr gas, etc. not containing carbon component during selective etching of amorphous silicon film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor manufacturing field, more particularly, to a process of forming a charge storage electrode to which a selective hemispherical grains (HSG) silicon film is applied.
2. Background of the Invention
In general, there exists a problem in that a capacitance of more than certain amount must be maintained to secure operational characteristics of a semiconductor device regardless of the fact that an area of unit cell is reduced as degree of integration of semiconductor device such as DRAM, etc. is increased.
To solve such problem, charge storage electrodes of a variety of 3-dimensional structures were proposed and attempts were made to secure a surface area of the charge storage electrode, however, there were problems in that the process of forming the charge storage electrode involves a high degree of difficulty and induces a large step after completion of the process so as to make subsequent processes difficult. In another scheme of solution, attempts were made to secure the capacitance by using a high dielectric material such as Ta.sub.2 O.sub.5, (Ba.sub.1-X Sr.sub.X) T.sub.1 O.sub.3 (referred to as BST), etc., however, there was a problem in that mass production was difficult since there were many insufficiencies related with processes to be solved to be applied to actual devices.
Recently, a technology for applying the hemispherical grains silicon film to the charge storage electrode has been proposed. This technology can be applied to a high integration semiconductor device of more than 256 mega class since it can increase the surface area of film by more than twice by indenting the surface of film by using a fine structure characteristics. A conventional process for forming the charge storage electrode having the hemispherical grains silicon film includes a process of growing the hemispherical grains silicon film on top of the entire structure of wafer to which a charge storage electrode contact hole is formed, a doping process, deglaze process and etch back process, however, there is a problem in that the productivity is reduced due to the increase of the number of processes, the occurrence of particle, etc..
To solve such problem, a technology for applying a selective HSG process in which the HSG silicon film grows only in a charge storage electrode formation region were proposed. This technology inevitably requires a dry etching process in a patterning process for defining the charge storage electrode and it was confirmed that kind of gas used in the dry etching process acts as a critical parameter which determines a selectibility of subsequent selective HSG process and size of grain. In particular, in case of using carbon halide gas (for example, C.sub.2 F.sub.6, CF.sub.4, CHF.sub.3, CCl.sub.4, etc.), there are problems in that the HSG silicon film is not formed, or even if formed, it can not obtain an effect of expanding the surface area of the charge storage electrode since the grain size of HSG is very small. This is because carbon(C) component, contained in the carbon halide gas which is the dry etching gas used in patterning the charge storage electrode, acts as an element which obstructs the formation of a necessary for formation of HSG silicon film by remaining after the etching process in an amorphous silicon film surface and an interlayer insulation film in which the HSG silicon film is to be selectively formed or obstructs surface migration of silicon atom after formation of seed.
The accompanying FIGS. 6a and 6b show Scanning Electron Microscope(SEM) photographs of a charge storage electrode having a selective hemispherical grains silicon film of simple stack structure formed according to the conventional technology described above. Condition of HSG silicon film growth in the top surface of charge storage electrode can be seen in FIG. 6a and that in the side surface of charge storage electrode in FIG. 6b. As shown in FIG. 6b, the side surface of charge storage electrode is less affected by carbon component during etching so as to show some degree of grain size of HSG silicon film, however, as shown in FIG. 6a, the top surface of charge storage electrode is affected by carbon component contained in carbon halide gas which is the dry etching gas so as to show unsatisfactory growth of grain of HSG silicon film.

Method of forming a charge storage electrode having a selective hemispherical grains silicon film in a semiconductor device

Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.


A device for the actuation of vehicle brakes has a pull element which can be brought into a lockable braking position in order to pull at least a part of a vehicle brake, the pull element being capable of being tensioned by a tension element in this braking position, and which can be brought into a released position, in which the pull element is relaxed to an extent such that the at least a part of the vehicle brake is released, the device being provided with a retensioning device which, in the released position, automatically retensions the pull element.

Devices of this type are known, in particular, in connection with handbrakes of motor vehicles. The motor vehicle is braked by a handbrake being pulled, wherein the lever locks in the braking position. Devices of this type are normally provided with a pull element, in particular a Bowden cable, in order to transmit the force from the handbrake to the vehicle brakes. Since the Bowden cable is subjected to constant stress, however, it stretches in the course of time. The result of this stretching is that the handbrake has to be reset after a specific period of time. It is known to carry out this tightening by means of a thread and a nut. The disadvantage of this solution, however, is that, on the one hand, resetting must take place manually and, on the other hand, the lever position is different from before the adjustment. This new lever position is often felt to be unfamiliar and therefore has an adverse effect.
To solve this problem, devices are already known in which the pull element is retensioned automatically. Automatic adjustment takes place by means of sawtooth elements which function in a similar way to a ratchet. However, not just any changes in length of the pull element can be set, since the change in length must exceed at least the tooth size predetermined in each case. If this readjustment is to be as continuous as possible, therefore, the teeth selected must be as small as possible. If the teeth become too small, there is the risk that the positive connection will be broken and the action of the handbrake lost. Another disadvantage is the unpleasant noises caused during adjustments. Finally, another disadvantage is that the teeth may have burrs which are undesirable.

Device for the actuation of vehicle brakes


Provided are an electric shock protection contactor and a portable electronic device including the same. The electric shock protection contactor according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a conductive connection unit electrically in contact with a conductor of an electronic device and an electric shock protection element connected to the conductive connection unit in series and blocking a leakage current of an external power source that is introduced from the ground of a circuit board of the electronic device.

The present invention disclosed herein relates to an electric shock protection contactor and a portable electronic device including the same, and more particularly, to an electric shock protection contactor capable of protecting a user from a leakage current from a power source and a portable electronic device including the same.
In line with miniaturization and multifunctional operation of recent portable electronic devices, various components and elements are densely arranged in the portable electronic devices. Thus, in order to reduce impact from the outside as well as electromagnetic waves penetrating into the portable electronic device or leaked from the portable electronic device, a conductive gasket is used between an external housing and a built-in circuit board of the portable electronic device.
Also, due to the multifunctional operation, the portable electronic device may include a plurality of antennas for each function, and at least a portion thereof, as a built-in antenna, may be disposed in the external housing of the portable electronic device. Thus, a conductive contactor for an electrical contact between the antenna disposed in the external housing and the built-in circuit board of the portable electronic device has been used.
Furthermore, with respect to the portable electronic device, the use of a metallic material housing tends to be increased recently in order to improve robustness and aesthetics.
As a result, an electrical path may be formed between the external housing and the built-in circuit board by the conductive gasket or the conductive contactor. In particular, since the metal housing and the circuit board form a loop, static electricity may flow into the built-in circuit board through the conductive gasket or the conductive contactor to break a circuit, such as an integrated circuit (IC), when the static electricity having a high voltage instantly flows through a conductor such as the metal housing having a large externally exposed area.
With respect to the portable electronic device, batteries are generally charged by using a charger. The charger rectifies external alternating current (AC) power into direct current (DC) power and then transforms the DC power into lower DC power suitable to the portable electronic device through a transformer. Herein, Y-CAPs composed of a capacitor are provided to both ends of the transformer in order to enhance electrical insulation of the transformer.
However, in a case in which the Y-CAP does not have regular features as in a non-genuine charger, the DC power may not be sufficiently blocked by the Y-CAP, furthermore, a leakage current may occur due to the AC power, and the leakage current may flow through the ground of the circuit.
Since the leakage current may be transferred to a conductor contactable with the human body, e.g., an external case of the portable electronic device, a user may experience a prickling discomfort and in a severe case, an electric shock accident may occur in which the user may suffer injury.
Thus, there is a need to provide a protective device for protecting the user from the leakage current to the conductive gasket or the conductive contactor connecting the metal housing and the circuit board.
Furthermore, in a case in which the metal housing is used as an antenna, since a signal may be attenuated when the conductive gasket or the conductive contactor has low capacitance, the radio frequency (RF) signal may not be smoothly transmitted. Thus, there is a need to obtain high capacitance.
Thus, in line with the use of the conductor such as the metal case, there is a need to develop a contactor having various functions for protecting the user or the circuit in the portable electronic device as well as a simple electrical contact.
However, since additional components and elements are required for implementing these various functions and accordingly, an additional space in the circuit board of the portable electronic device must be secured, this may adversely affect the miniaturization of the portable electronic device.

Electric shock protection contactor and portable electronic device including the same


An overvoltage protector includes a first discharging electrode, a second discharging electrode, and an overvoltage protection part provided between the first and second discharging electrodes. The overvoltage protecting part has an insulating property under a normal operation condition, and has a conductive property if an overvoltage is applied between the first and second discharging electrodes. The overvoltage protecting part is made of a mixture of resin having an insulation property, an inorganic compound having an insulating property, and metallic boride compound powder. The metallic boride compound powder has a high melting point therefore it is hardly melted. Under high temperatures causing the powder to melt, the powder is oxidized and loses conductivity, thus providing a high reliability.

A method for protecting an electronic component or an electronic circuit from overvoltage or static electricity is known, which an overvoltage protector is connected to a ground and one of an input terminal and an output terminal of the electronic component or apparatus to be protected. Such overvoltage protector functions as an insulator under a normal operation condition. Upon having an overvoltage applied, the protector has impedance greatly decreasing or discharges electricity inside the protector to become electrically conductive.
An example of the overvoltage protector includes an overvoltage protection material between a pair of electrodes is known. The overvoltage protection material functions as an insulator under a normal operation condition, but passes an overvoltage once the overvoltage is applied to it.
As one the overvoltage protection material, material containing metallic particles with a passive state layer formed thereon and resin mixed with the particles is known. (cf. Patent Literature 1)
As another overvoltage protection material, material containing one of a conductor and a semiconductor having a high aspect ratio dispersed into an aggregate in nanoscale and another one of conductive or semi-conductive material added thereto is known. (cf. Patent Literature 2)
As still another overvoltage protection material, material containing inorganic conductive material having 1 nm to 200 nm particle diameter dispersed discontinuously into insulating material is known. (cf. Patent Literature 3)
In recent years, an overvoltage protector having a high reliability is increasingly demanded. Specifically, a highly reliable overvoltage protector operating correctly upon receiving a high voltage or a repetitive overvoltage is demanded. This is because a required reliability level for electronic devices or electrical apparatus installing an overvoltage protector became high in every service place, application and use environment. This is also based on an expectation to enhance a safety factor or to secure a wide safety margin in the electrical apparatus by requesting the overvoltage protector to have a much higher reliability than was ordinarily requested. A severe reliability test is conducted in which a much higher voltage is applied repeatedly or a short pulse high voltage is successively applied.
Applying repetitive high voltage short pulses is a much rigorous test than applying an ordinary static electricity. But, such test is sometimes conducted to secure a higher safety factor of the electrical apparatus against overvoltage. When conducting such tests, however, metal particles in the overvoltage protection part formed between the pair of discharging electrodes of the overvoltage protector occasionally melts, causing a short circuit problem.

Overvoltage protection component, and overvoltage protection material for overvoltage protection component

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


An oxidative autothermal reformer including a reforming layer at least partially filled with a reforming catalyst for producing a reformed gas composed mainly of hydrogen through a reforming reaction by contacting a mixture of a hydrocarbon or an aliphatic alcohol and steam with the reforming catalyst; and an oxidative exothermic layer at least partially filled with an oxidation catalyst for generating heat by oxidizing a part of the reformed gas, in which the reforming layer is disposed at an upstream side of the oxidative exothermic layer; the reforming layer and the oxidative exothermic layer are in the form of a cylinder and have a triple circular tube structure formed by disposing an inner reforming layer, an oxidative exothermic layer and an outer reforming layer from the inside in a radial direction in this order; and at least a part of the reforming catalyst filled in the inner reforming layer and the outer reforming layer contains Ru metal.

Heretofore, as a method for producing a reformed gas composed mainly of hydrogen through a reforming reaction by contacting a mixture of a hydrocarbon or an aliphatic alcohol and steam with a catalyst is adopted a steam reforming system wherein heat required for the reforming reaction (endothermic reaction) is given from an exterior through a wall of the reformer as a heat transfer face by means of a combustion burner or the like. In this system, however, for example, when kerosene is steam-reformed, a reforming reaction temperature is required to be about 700-850° C., so that a temperature at the wall of the reformer heated with external heat becomes higher than the reforming reaction temperature, and hence it is necessary to use an expensive material as a material constituting the wall of the reformer. Further, a heating device is required, which has a problem of enlarging the size of the reformer.
To the contrary, there is proposed an autothermal reforming method wherein a mixture of a hydrocarbon or an aliphatic alcohol and steam is further entrained with an oxidizing gas, and a partial oxidation reaction layer is disposed at an upstream side and a steam reforming layer is disposed at a downstream side, and heat generated in the partial oxidation reaction layer of the upstream side is utilized to supplement reforming reaction heat in the steam reforming layer of the downstream side. This method has advantages in which heat loss is small and the reformer can be miniaturized. As a further improved autothermal reforming method are proposed techniques of JP-A-2001-192201, JP-A-2003-335504 and the like.

Oxidative autothermal reformer and oxidative autothermal reforming method using the same

Nippon Chemical Plant Consultant Co., Ltd.


A paddle switch safety button which prevents the paddle switch from being activated prior to the safety button being depressed. A unique multi cross section stem of the safety button cooperates with a U-shaped cutout in the paddle switch lever. The stem interferes with the lever in its extended position and passes in the U-shaped notch in the depressed position to allow the paddle switch lever to be operated.

Paddle switches have been popular for activating power tools, especially in tools which required prolonged operation. The paddle switch results in less operator fatigue because the whole hand rather than one or two fingers may be used to depress the switch. A disadvantage of the paddle switch is if the operator picks up the tool casually or carelessly, it is easy to turn the tool on inadvertently. Numerous injuries have resulted from inadvertent operation of power tools.


A two-piece detachable holder includes a position seat and a fastener. The position seat is fastened on a support while the fastener is used for holding the object to be fastened. An inserting device is set between the position seat and the fastener to enable the fastener to be quickly inserted on the position seat in vertical, transverse, and oblique directions and to be fastened by the position seat.

The present invention relates to holder, especially to a two-piece detachable holder which can allow an object to be inserted in various directions and which can be fastened to a support quickly and accurately.
There are many kinds of conventionally used holders, such as a lock holder for a bicycle. The lock holder is commonly set on the frame under the seat and is used for holding a lock.
One of the above-mentioned lock holders is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,383, which provides a fastening structure for a coiled shackle. This invention has a complicated shape and, thus, the manufacturing cost is high. In addition, the invention is inconvenient to use. Another similar product is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,526 with a simpler structure. However, the user has to insert the lock into the lock holder in one certain direction and then fasten the lock by hand or using tools. Therefore, this way really consumes time and effort. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,520, a tooth-type part is used to clip the lock for increasing stability. However, it is too complicated because of adding the tooth-type structure. Besides, there is still directional limitations. A rotational lock holder is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,536 with a complicated structure that is not easy to use.
Accordingly, conventional products still have many disadvantages and are not perfect designs such that improvement is required.
The first purpose of the present invention is to provide a two-piece detachable holder, which has quick and accurate clipping motion, and steadily holds an object without additional adjustment.
The second purpose of the present invention is to provide such a holder which automatically locks the object to prevent the object from loosening.
The third purpose of the present invention is to provide such a holder which allows the object to be inserted in various directions such that the user can operate the holder more smoothly.
The other purpose of the present invention is to provide a holder which can be applied to many aspects. In addition to the lock holder of the bicycle described above, the present invention can be used to hang a kettle and other devices, or be applied in home life to provide the function of neat placement.


A portable device worn by an elevator mechanic when in the pit of the hoistway or on top of a car will activate sensors disposed on the car so as to cause an emergency stop and warn the mechanic of the elevator's presence. The portable device may be disposed with some form of alarm beneath an emblem, or otherwise, on the uniform of a mechanic.

The primary cause of accidental death to elevator mechanics is the severe crushing injury that occurs when the mechanic is working in the pit (below the elevator) or in the overhead (above the elevator) and the elevator moves unexpectedly. Heretofore, mechanics have relied upon use of the elevator controls within the inspection box on the car top to control elevator movement, and thus provide for the mechanic's safety. However, this is not always adequate.

Automatic protection of elevator mechanics


A device and method for accurately dispensing liquid photopolymer in accurate predetermined configuration to form a printing plate blank. The device gravity feeds the photopolymer from a first manifold through capillary tubes to a second manifold machined in an elongated member together with a doctor blade portion, laying down a carefully sculptured sheet. The sheet is formed into a printing plate upon exposure to actinic light through an indicia carrying negative. The invention may have other applications.

In the past liquid photopolymer printing plate blanks were formed by dispensing a pool of photopolymer in front of a doctor blade which spread and shaped the polymer as illustrated, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,597,080 which depicts in general a current commercial embodiment.
While present photopolymer printing plates are rectangular in shape it has been very difficult in the past to maintain complete reproducibility in configuration in forming the liquid photopolymer printing plate blanks with straight sides. The tendency in the past has been for the sides to draw in or bulge out or extend out a greater distance at the top or bottom of the laydown particularly at the bottom of the laydown on one edge rather than being straight across. In order to assure a sufficiently large area that is of a uniform thickness and within the length and width requirements of the sheet of the viscous liquid plate blank it is necessary to add additional margin, which wastes polymer, even with the recycling of most of the excess. Furthermore it has been necessary to constantly readjust and fine tune the dispensing and shaping apparatus during a day's run to keep reasonable uniformity of size within the required thickness specifications.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to prevent the waste of polymer.
It is a further object of the present invention to increase the quality of the printing plate blank produced and thereby increase the quality of the printing plate produced.
It is a further object of the present invention to save manpower required in adjusting and operating the apparatus.
It is yet a further object of the invention to increase the speed of printing plate output, increasing the number of blanks that can be produced in an hour.
It is a further object of the present invention to produce an apparatus that is less expensive and simpler in construction, maintenance and operation than those previously employed.


A method of stitching converging path segments to aesthetically label Y-intersections, path bifurcations or splits in roads or the like entails determining which pair of adjacent path segments subtend the largest angle. The path segments subtending the largest angle are reconstructed (stitched together) and a single instance of the label is then rendered along the reconstructed path. Although this stitching can be performed on the client device, pre-stitching server-side is even more efficient in terms of economizing over-the-air bandwidth and onboard processing resources.

Wireless communications devices such as the BlackBerry® by Research in Motion Limited enable users to download map content from web-based data sources such as BlackBerry Maps™, Google Maps™ or Mapquest™. Downloaded map content is displayed on a small LCD display screen of the wireless communications device for viewing by the user. The user can pan up and down and side to side as well as zoom in or out. Due to the small display on the device and due to the limited over-the-air (OTA) bandwidth, there is a need to optimize the delivery and handling of the map data.
With the increasing availability of wireless communications devices having onboard Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers for providing location-based services (LBS), the efficient delivery and handling of map data is increasingly important.
In some systems, map data, including label data for labelling map features, is communicated from map servers to wireless communications devices in discrete portions which are assembled client-side to provide the map content requested by the user. Typically, portions forming a path or other feature are stitched together prior to rendering so as to facilitate labelling. However, when reconstructing, for example, a path from discrete portions of data, however, redundant labelling can occur if labels associated with each portion of data are rendered for the same feature. Thus, the issue of label redundancy should be addressed either client-side and/or server-side. However, due to the limited over-the-air bandwidth and the limited onboard processing resources of most wireless devices, it is preferable to run computationally intensive algorithms server side in order to reduce the data traffic to the device as well as the onboard processing requirements.
In terms of labelling, a specific problem arises when labelling a Y-intersection where a single path splits into two branches, such as when a two-lane highway bifurcates into a divided four-lane highway. Each of the three path segments forming the Y-intersection could have its own label associated therewith. A current stitching technique compiles a list of all path segments with respective labels, searches the list of segments for identical labels and common endpoints, and then "blindly" stitches the first two segments it finds that have the same label and a common endpoint without determining whether the list contains any other segments having the same label and a common endpoint. If the two of the three paths are stitched based on this technique, the label may end up wrapping around onto itself if the application stitches together the two branches of the Y-intersection. When the label folds back onto itself, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the result is clearly unsatisfactory in terms of readability.
Accordingly, a technique to efficiently and aesthetically label Y-intersections (or any other map features where at least three path segments converge) remains highly desirable.
It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.

Method for stitching multiple converging paths


A new optical recording medium capable of reducing the burden in erasing data in the optical recording medium is provided. The optical recording medium includes an organic pigment recording layer 12 and a light reflecting layer 14, which are at least laminated on a substrate 11, wherein a photocatalyst layer 13 is formed in contact with the organic pigment recording layer 12.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to an optical recording medium, erasure apparatus and erasure method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, optical recording media (optical disks) such as CD, DVD and BD are used as media for recording and reading data such as document, music and video. Optical recording media can record data by, for example, transforming an organic pigment recording layer included in the optical recording media using a laser beam for writing and read data by irradiating the organic pigment recording layer with a laser beam for reading from differences in intensity of the reflected light.
Such optical recording media have a feature of being able to repeatedly read recorded data for a long period of time, and are therefore widely used to record personal data, corporate data or the like. Furthermore, rental services are also widely available whereby contents such as music data or video data are recorded in optical recording media and the optical recording media are lent out to users.
When optical recording media that record personal data or corporate data are disposed of, data is generally erased before the disposal to prevent leakage of the recorded data. Conventionally, a method of overwriting data recorded in optical recording media with meaningless data using a data writing apparatus is adopted to erase the data (e.g., see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-304736), but overwriting recorded data one by one is troublesome and time-consuming work and forces users to bear the burden.
On the other hand, a rental service assumes that optical recording media which have been lent out are collected back, but a procedure for sending back or returning the media constitutes a burden to users and management of the recording media which have been lent out and a procedure for collecting back the media constitutes a burden to rental service providers.
Thus, it is desirable to reduce the burden in erasing data in optical recording media. In a rental service of optical recording media in which contents are recorded, it is also desirable to reduce the burden on users and rental service providers to collect back the optical recording media.

Optical recording medium, erasure apparatus and erasure method thereof


A plurality of cantilever beams, each fitted with a calibrated strain gage, are arranged to pivot on a corresponding plurality of upstanding pivots located near one end of each beam of a steel plate. A cylindrical specimen threaded at each end is disposed vertically between one end of each beam and the steel plate with a machined nut and socket at each end of the specimen to provide self-alignment. A self-aligning hardened steel stud is threaded into the plate and held in a hole in the other end of each of the beams with a nut and socket. A tension load is applied to the specimen by torquing the nut on the stud, with the mechanical advantage being proportional to the relative distances between the pivot and the specimen and the pivot and the stud.

This invention relates to testing a metallurgical specimen and, more particularly, the invention is concerned with providing an apparatus for testing a plurality of samples over a relatively long period of time while constantly monitoring and recording the results.
Various machines are available for testing specimens in tension, compression, torsion, etc. These machines generally apply stress to the test piece by moving parallel platforms either toward one another or, alternately, away from each other. This is accomplished by either mechanical screw arrangements or by hydraulic pressure. Although these machines are satisfactory for testing a single specimen to determine tensile and/or compression strength, they are not practical for testing a large number of specimens under load over a relatively long period of time. Many times it is desirable to determine the properties of a treated material by placing several specimens of the material under tension load for several days while at the same time, recording any changes that may occur in the material. Thus, it can be seen that there is a definite need for an apparatus which would be capable of testing ten or more samples accurately and simultaneously with constant monitoring by a recording system.
In the hereinafter disclosed invention, there is shown and described a testing apparatus which is capable of applying and maintaining a tension load on any large number of metallurgical specimens. For example, in the testing of metallurgical specimens, it may be necessary to certify that plating solutions and plated components are below the threshold of hydrogen embrittlement and that the heat treatment of components has lowered the level of diffused hydrogen to an acceptable level. Also, it may be necessary to correlate the quantity of diffused hydrogen and failure of specimens with the results obtained by means of a hydrogen determination analyzer. This can be accomplished by the use of the hereinafter described apparatus in a minimum of time and space as compared with other conventional and presently available testing arrangements.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


A watering device for watering bushes, grass, etc., which has a base unit connected to a substantially vertical riser which is connected to a sprinkler head, wherein the base unit can also have a receiving unit which holds a substantially vertical riser and a plurality stabilizing units, wherein the plurality of stabilizing units are adapted to be inserted in the ground, and wherein the stabilizing units are removable from the receiving unit.

The following description sets forth the inventor's knowledge of related art and problems therein and should not be construed as an admission of knowledge in the prior art.
Watering devices which can be positioned several feet above the ground and which incorporate a single base spike structure have been known for some time. However, such devices have a drawback of being unstable when in use. When a sprinkler is attached to a vertical riser, the spray of the sprinkler creates a torque on the vertical riser and the single base spike which is located at the bottom of the watering device and inserted into the ground for stability. Furthermore, if the sprinkler is of an oscillating, rotary or pulsating type, the torque being applied to the base spike changes direction according to the direction the sprinkler is pointed.
As torque is applied to the base spike (caused by the outward flow of water from the sprinkler), the base spike has a tendency to move and create a cavity in the soil. The base spike can then move progressively further within such cavity as the sprinkler continues to operate. This process can continue until the sprinkler and base spike move away from the desired watering axis. The sprinkler and base spike can eventually fall to the ground, as the base spike becomes loose in the soil.
To alleviate this problem, some single spike bases with a vertical riser and sprinkler attached to the top, incorporate sprinklers having two opposing heads. One sprinkler head sprays in one direction while the other sprays in an opposite direction. This helps to eliminate or balance the torque applied to the base. This design also has drawbacks. In particular the sprinkler heads need to spray in opposing directions in order to maintain stability. However, a user may only want to water a narrow area (e.g. a 45 degree area near the sprinkler). This is not possible with the opposing head sprinkler, as one head needs to be approximately 180 degrees from the other head.
A telescoping tripod base, in which a sprinkler sits atop has also been known. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,020. However, this design suffers from a large footprint due to the telescoping tripod. If a user wanted to place the sprinkler in a narrow space (e.g. in between a row of bushes and a house), the user may not have enough room due to the large area taken up by the telescoping tripod base. Additionally, a telescoping tripod base is difficult to manufacture, expensive to produce and cumbersome to package.
Sprinkler bases having three spikes have also been known. However these sprinklers bases are not used with a vertical riser and therefore suffer from limited sprinkler coverage in a desired area such as shrubs and bushes. Without a vertical rod, the sprinkler cannot reach and spray over shrubs and bushes.
Additionally, the three spiked sprinkler bases known are not stable enough for a sprinkler atop a vertical rod. Some bases suffer from a non-symmetrical spike pattern which can lead to tilting or falling over of the sprinkler. Other bases suffer in that that the spikes used are not of the appropriate length (e.g. too short). This too can cause the sprinkler to fall over.
Yet another drawback of already known three spiked sprinkler bases is that they are heavy, bulky and inconvenient to ship and sell. That is, three spike bases have heretofore been manufactured as a single unit. This base is difficult to package and difficult to ship given the unusual and awkward dimensions of the sprinkler base.

Vertical rising sprinkler apparatus with stabilized base unit


The invention provides a method of performing a unidimensional and bidimeonal microgel electrophoresis which method comprises first performing a unidimensional microgel electrophoresis in a capillary gel and then removing the capillary gel from its capillary tube, wherein a capillary gel rodlet obtained after said unidimensional microgel electrophoresis is disposed along one side edge of a capillary gel slab and bound to the latter and then performing the second dimension of the bidimensional microgel electrophoresis in the capillary gel slab.

It is known to perform gel electrophoresis for the study of proteins and protein mixtures from biological material. Proteins are separated according to their isoelectric points by isoelectric focusing, or they are separated according to molecular weight by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. A combination of these two unidimensional techniques makes it possible to perform gel electrophoresis in two dimensions. This bidimensional gel electrophoresis as conventionally practiced requires a great expenditure of time, amounting to as much as two days. It also requires a high consumption of expensive reagents, such as, for example, ampholytes; furthermore, complex and expensive apparatus are required, and still furthermore a relatively large amount of sample substance is required for the performance of gel electrophoreses.
By the invention, a method and an apparatus of the kind mentioned in the beginning is to be developed, whereby the amount of time, material, apparatus and sample substance, and hence the effective cost of the performance of gel electrophoresis, will be reduced to a minimum.

Method and apparatus for performing uni- and bi-dimensional micro-gel electrophoresis

Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Wissenschaften, e.V.


The subject disclosure is directed towards eyewear configured as an input device, such as for interaction with a computing device. The eyewear includes a multi-touch sensor set, e.g., located on the frames of eyeglasses, that outputs signals representative of user interaction with the eyewear, such as via taps, presses, swipes and pinches. Sensor handling logic may be used to provide input data corresponding to the signals to a program, e.g., the program with which the user wants to interact.

As computer and video technology evolves, users need to interface with computers in convenient ways. One way is with head-worn augmented reality glasses, in which the user sees displayed content rendered on the glasses.
However, in scenarios with head-worn augmented reality glasses (continuous use scenarios), interactivity is constrained by the inability to have an input device continuously available in the user's hand. While it is possible to use hand gestures or voice commands in those situations, this necessitates cameras and/or microphones, and may not be appropriate in many situations such as libraries where speech and even silent gestures may be distracting to others.


A new and distinct cultivar of lily plant named Inzell, particularly characterized by the ivory colored flowers, height of about 90 cm, pedicel 10-12 cm long with 3-5 flowers, glossy leaves, stem bulblets, relative insensitivity to leaf-burning for a white lily, and capable of producing stems and flowers for cut-flower production.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of lily, botanically known as Lilium asiatic and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Inzell.
The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program which had the objectives of creating new lily cultivars with the capacity to produce stems and flowers for cut-flower production.
The new cultivar was originated from a hybridization made by the inventor Messr. Petrus Mattheus Maria Hoff in a controlled breeding program at Hoffgaarde, B.V., Franseweg 9, 4651 PV Steenbergen, The Netherlands in 1989. The female and male parents were seedlings originated by Applicant, which were proprietary, and maintained by Applicant for breeding purposes.
The new cultivar was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross by the inventor on May 20, 1991 in a controlled environment in Steenbergen.
The first act of asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was accomplished by the inventor when scales were taken from the initial selection on Oct. 30, 1991 in a controlled environment in Steenbergen.
Horticultural examination of selected units initiated Mar. 20, 1992 has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light, intensity, and day length. The following observations, measurements, and comparisons describe plants grown in Steenbergen under greenhouse conditions which approximate those generally used in commerical practice.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of the new cultivar which in combination distinguish this lily as a new and distinct cultivar.
1) Color of the flowers (ivory).
2) About 90 cm in height.
3) Pedicel 10-12 cm in length with 3-5 flowers.
4) Glossy leaves.
5) Produces stem bulblets.
6) Relatively insensitive to leaf-burning for a white lily.


The transfer chamber transfers a wafer (W) as a transferred object to or from a processing device (6) by using a transfer robot (2) provided thereinside, and includes a circulation path (CL) formed inside of a transfer chamber (1) to circulate gas, a chemical filter unit (7) as a chemical filter provided in the midstream of the circulation path (CL), a humidity detector (HG2) as a humidity detection means which detects internal humidity, a gas supply means (NS) which supplies gas to the inside of the transfer chamber (1), and a moisture supply means (HS) which supplies moisture content to the inside of the transfer chamber (1). The moisture supply means (HS) is made to operate in accordance with a humidity detection value by the humidity detection means.

In the field of semiconductor, a semiconductor device is conventionally manufactured by applying various processing steps to a wafer.
In the semiconductor device manufacturing process, a particle-less and chemical component-less transfer environment of a wafer has been required, and a closed type container called an FOUP (Front-Opening Unified Pod) and a transfer chamber generally called an EFEM (Equipment Front End Module) which transfers a wafer to or from a processing device are used (see the following Patent Literature 1). In the transfer chamber, usually, fresh outside air in a clean room is taken into an FFU (Fun Filter Unit) installed in an upper part, and the air is made to flow downward inside of the transfer chamber and exhausted to the outside from a floor surface, so as to stably obtain a constant clean atmosphere.
Further, as the semiconductor device structure decreases in size recently, influences caused by the moisture content, oxygen, chemical components, and so forth affecting the semiconductor device structure are becoming a more serious problem. To address this problem, replacing the inside of the transfer chamber with N2 (nitrogen) gas which is inactive gas, and transferring a wafer under an N2 atmosphere have been proposed. In that case, in order to reduce consumption of N2 gas and to suppress running cost, since it is necessary to keep the inside clean while reducing the supply amount of fresh N2 gas, it is possible to make N2 gas circulate while passing through a filter.
Further, it is possible to provide a chemical filter to efficiently remove chemical components from the circulating N2 gas. Since chemical components can be carried into the transfer chamber with a wafer which is subjected to a process treatment by the processing device, it is possible to efficiently remove such chemical components by using a chemical filter as a gas processing device and keep a further cleaner atmosphere.


A pump especially designed for pumping blood comprises a bladder, the interior surface area and volume of which is changeable, i.e., it stretches and expands during the filling phase, and elastically contracts to its normal relaxed size during the ejection phase. The bladder has a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. A device, such as a vacuum pump, alternately expands and contracts the interior surface area and volume of the bladder. Most of the interior surface area of the bladder expands and contracts in each cycle. One or more check valves or other means for causing substantially one-way fluid flow through the bladder are also provided. The pump of the invention decreases the likelihood of blood clots forming in the pump, decreases the risk of damage to blood cells, improves the pumping characteristics of the device, and decreases or eliminates the chance of foreign fluids passing into the blood stream should a tear or break occur in the bladder.

The present invention relates to pumps and more specifically to blood pumps, ventricular assist devices, and artificial hearts.
The natural heart functions in a fashion similar to a positive displacement pump. Each of the two pumping chambers in the natural heart has two check valves (an inlet and an outlet valve). The walls of the natural heart are made of contractile muscle that provide the power to pump the blood. Each pumping cycle consists of a filling or diastolic phase of the pumping cycle and an ejection or systolic phase of the pumping cycle. During the filling phase, the muscle fibers making up the walls of the heart relax allowing the chamber they surround to fill with blood. During the ejection phase of the cycle the muscle making up the walls of the heart contracts ejecting a portion of the blood from the chamber. The check valves assure one-way flow.
Mechanical blood pumps have been developed for use as artificial hearts to replace or assist the natural heart. Present blood pumps which are available to assist or replace the heart fall into two general categories. One category uses a rotary impeller and includes centrifugal pumps and axial flow pumps. The other category is pulsatile pumps, the diaphragm type pump being the most common. Blood pumps may also be classified as internal (intracorporeal) or external (extracorporeal) to the body.
Diaphragm pumps are favored as they provide desirable pulsative flow and are reliable owing to their simplicity. Prior art diaphragm pumps comprise a housing, a flexible but not extensible diaphragm that divides the interior of the housing into two chambers, namely a pumping chamber and a driving chamber. Diaphragms are conventionally fabricated from polyurethane, a flexible but not elastic material. The pumping chamber portion of the housing has an inlet and an outlet, each of which is equipped with a one-way flow check valve. The diaphragm is driven into and out of the pumping chamber mechanically, pneumatically or hydraulically. Mechanical drives typically include a pusher plate on the drive side of the diaphragm connected to a cam, solenoid or other device to impart reciprocal motion to the pusher plate and diaphragm. Alternatively, a drive fluid, either liquid or gas, may be used to reciprocally drive the diaphragm into and out of the pumping chamber.
One of the problems associated with available mechanical blood pumps is the formation of blood clots (thrombosis) in the pump. To address this problem, the interior surfaces of the diaphragm and housing walls that define the pumping chamber are typically designed to have a very smooth surface, in an effort to retard clotting. Other attempts to reduce clotting have involved provision of a rough texture on the interior surfaces of the pumping chamber to encourage endothelial cells, normally lining the heart and blood vessels, to grow over the surfaces eventually providing a smooth surface. Both of these methods work to some degree, but clotting in the device, with clots breaking off and entering the circulatory system, remains a problem.
Another problem relates to the flow of blood through the pump. Significant turbulence occurs in the chamber during the pumping cycle. There is little that can be done to control the characteristics of blood flow through the pumping chamber. There are areas of high velocity and other areas of slow flow. These slow flow areas also contribute to clotting. Turbulence leads to energy loss and inefficiency of the pump. Excessive turbulence may also damage the blood cells.
An additional problem is rupture of the diaphragm. If the diaphragm is driven pneumatically or hydraulically, should a tear or rupture of the diaphragm occur, the driving fluid may be pumped into the bloodstream, causing a harmful and potentially fatal embolism. Even if the pump is mechanically driven, a diaphragm rupture can result in air entering the bloodstream causing an embolism.
The foregoing are long standing problems in the art that have defied solution. There is, therefore, a need in the field for an improved blood pump and ventricular assist device.
It is an object of the invention to provide a blood pump that reduces the incidence of blood clotting.
It is another object of the invention to provide a blood pump with improved flow characteristics, particularly, to reduce or eliminate stagnant and low velocity flow areas within the pumping chamber to reduce blood clot formation, and to minimize areas of high turbulence to avoid damage to blood cells.
It is also an object of the invention to prevent intrusion of foreign matter into the bloodstream, and especially to prevent embolisms of the driving fluid or other fluids as a result of a pump failure.
In attainment of these and other objects and advantages of the invention, a pump is provided that has an elastic, extensible or stretchable bladder that expands in the filling phase and contracts in the ejection phase of the pumping cycle. The pump is particularly well suited for pumping blood, as in a ventricular assist device or a total artificial heart. However, the pump of the invention will find applications in other industries and non-medical fields for pumping fluids other than blood. The summary and following detailed description is in reference to, but is not limited to, blood pumping applications.
In a most basic embodiment, the blood pump comprises a bladder, the interior surface area and volume of which is changeable, i.e., it stretches and expands during the filling phase, and elastically contracts to its normal relaxed size during the ejection phase. The bladder has a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. A device, such as a vacuum pump, compressor, solenoid or cam, alternately expands and contracts the interior surface area and volume of the bladder. A majority of the interior surface area of the bladder expands and contracts a significant amount (more than a few percent) in each cycle. One or more check valves or other means for causing substantially one-way fluid flow through the bladder are also provided.
Looking at the normal heart, there is very little tendency for blood clots to form in the heart when it is working normally. When it is working normally, the muscle which comprises the walls of the heart contracts with each ejection changing the surface area of the lining of the heart. After a patient has sustained a myocardial infarction (heart attack) a portion of the heart muscle comprising the wall of the heart has become necrotic (dead) and a scar has formed in that area. Because that area of the heart is now a scar, rather than muscle, and can no longer contract, it does not change the surface area of the lining of the heart in this localized area. It has been discovered that in this localized area of the natural heart (the area that does not contract due to a previous heart attack) there is a significant tendency for blood clots to form. This suggests that the change in surface area of the lining of the heart, with each pump cycle, is important in preventing clot formation on the lining of the heart. In a similar fashion, the changing of the surface area of the bladder of the invention as it stretches and contracts with each pumping cycle will decrease or eliminate clot formation on the surface of the bladder.
In a preferred embodiment, the blood pump of the invention comprises a housing, an extensible bladder in the housing, and a void volume or space between the housing and the bladder adapted to be occupied by a driving fluid. The bladder has an inlet and an outlet. At least one check valve is provided at the bladder inlet and/or outlet to provide one-way flow through the bladder. A vacuum source, compressor or other means is provided for altering the pressure of the driving fluid to alternately expand and contract the interior surface area and volume of the bladder. In the preferred embodiment, the driving fluid is a gas, and the driving means alternates pressure between comparatively high and low pressures, the high pressure being at or below atmospheric pressure and the low pressure being significantly below atmospheric. The application of the low pressure causes the bladder to expand and application of the high pressure causes the bladder to contract.
The invention also encompasses a method of pumping. A preferred method comprises the steps of (a) providing an extensible bladder having an inlet and an outlet; (b) connecting the inlet and outlet of the bladder to a person""s circulatory system; (c) expanding the interior surface area and volume of the bladder to draw blood into the bladder through the inlet; (d) contracting the interior surface area and volume of the bladder to pump blood out of the outlet of the bladder; and (e) rhythmically repeating steps (c) and (d).
The bladder is preferably made of an elastic material that changes surface area during the pumping cycle. It expands or stretches during the filling phase of the pumping cycle and it returns elastically to its contracted size during the discharge or ejection phase of the pumping cycle. A majority of the interior surface area of the pumping chamber expands and contracts a significant amount (more than a few percent) in each cycle. The change in the area of the bladder surface during the pumping cycle will reduce the incidence and growth of blood clots forming on the surface of the bladder.
In addition, the blood pump of the invention may include variations in the thickness of the bladder and the material comprising the bladder in different areas, segments or portions of the bladder. The thinner areas will stretch more than the thick areas during the filling phase of the pumping cycle. This will draw more blood into the region of the pumping chamber surrounded by the thinner areas of the bladder. Varying the material in different areas of the bladder can also change the amount that various portions of the bladder stretch during the filling portion of the pumping cycle, and in addition, can change the speed at which different areas return to their neutral positions during the ejection part of the pumping cycle. Blood in some areas of the pumping chamber can thus be ejected earlier than blood in other areas. Accordingly, the characteristics of flow into the pumping chamber, through the pumping chamber, and out of the pumping chamber can be controlled and directed. Areas of stagnation can be minimized, further decreasing the likelihood of blood clot formation. Turbulence can also be minimized improving the efficiency of the pump and mitigating damage to blood cells.
In addition to varying the thickness and the material of the bladder, struts of varying elasticity can be molded into the bladder. These struts will bridge from one side to another side of the bladder and aid in maintaining the geometrical shape of the bladder. These struts may also be stretched during the filling portion of the pumping cycle and will provide additional force for ejection during the ejection part of the pumping cycle.
The filling phase of the pumping cycle is advantageously driven pneumatically or by other means for exerting below atmospheric pressure in the space between the housing and the bladder. During the filling phase, blood will be drawn into the pumping chamber and elastic energy will be stored in the bladder. The ejection phase of the cycle will then occur when the negative pressure is released and the bladder returns elastically to its neutral position. Although some positive pressure may be used on the bladder during the ejection phase of the pumping cycle, preferably and ideally there will be no positive pressure exerted on the bladder and all the force for ejection will come from the elastic recoil of the bladder. In this situation, when the power for ejection comes entirely from the elasticity of the bladder and no positive fluid pressure is exerted on the bladder, should a break or tear occur in the bladder, there is very little chance that any significant amount of the driving fluid would enter the circulatory system as there is no positive pressure to drive it through the tear or break in the bladder.
For the foregoing reasons, the blood pump of the invention decreases the likelihood of blood clots forming, improves the pumping characteristics of the device, and decreases or eliminates the chance of foreign fluids passing into the blood stream should a tear or break occur in the bladder. Although the pump of the invention was initially conceived for pumping blood, it also will find utility for pumping fluids in industrial and non-medical fields. Other attributes and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


An example heatsink is operable as a multimode thermal switching heatsink and includes a housing that has a first heat transfer coefficient. The housing has a first heat transfer coefficient. The heatsink further includes a liquid in thermal communication with the housing and operatively positioned adjacent to a heat source. The liquid has a second heat transfer coefficient, which may be greater than the first heat transfer coefficient. In a first operating condition, the liquid has a first volume at a first thermal contact with the heat source, and, in a second operating condition, the liquid has a second volume and a second thermal contact with the heat source. The second thermal contact is greater than the first thermal contact, thereby enhancing dissipation of heat from the heat source in the second operating condition.

A heatsink is made of one solid material that has one heat transfer coefficient. Accordingly, as typically manufactured, configured, or otherwise adapted, the heatsink has one overall thermal conductivity, which may depend, at least in part, on the heat transfer coefficient, the shape of the heatsink, or both. Thus, when the heatsink is affixed or otherwise placed in thermal communication with a heat source, the heatsink transfers heat energy away from the heat source with its single overall thermal conductivity, in accordance with the single heat transfer coefficient of the single solid material.


An intercom system for a door and inside stations has a speech function for two-way communication with hands-free operation. The intercom system includes a two-wire connecting lead between the door station and each inside station to transmit a conversation current and an operating current. The intercom system includes a bridge circuit for suppressing feedback, a bipole circuit to decouple conversation currents from a power supply, a calling circuit for calling on the two-wire connecting lead and using a call current of opposite plurality with respect to the operating current, and a short-circuit circuit in each inside station for short-circuiting the corresponding two-wire connecting lead when the corresponding door opening button is actuated.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a door intercom and in particular a door intercom having a door station and at least one inside station connected therewith, and having a speech function with the functions "calling inside station from door station", "talking between door station and inside station", and "opening door from inside station".
The invention relates to a door intercom designed as a hands-free system. In other words the user speaks directly into the instrument not only at the door station but also at every inside station, without using a handset.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known door intercoms with these functions, which operate as hands-free systems, are designed either as one-way intercom systems or as two-way intercom systems. In one-way intercom systems, the speaking direction is changed by manually switching the speaking direction at the inside station. One-way intercom systems of this kind are also known as two-wire systems, in other words a two-wire connection is sufficient between the door station and the inside station. In known two-way systems, a connecting line consisting of at least three conductors is necessary for the connection between the door station and the inside station.
In retrofitting buildings with door intercoms which previously had only simple bell systems, it is desirable of course to install the system by reusing the existing two-wire bell lines, since expanding the bell wire installation by an additional wire would entail an unacceptable expense (at least) if the bell wires were not laid in a pipe but without a pipe and in the plaster, as is usually the case in old buildings.
For this reason, only two-wire door intercoms and not door intercoms that operate with more-than-two-wire connections can be added easily to old buildings with conventional bell systems.
Although two-wire two-way intercoms are already prior art as door intercoms, they are not made as hands-free installations; instead they have inside stations with handsets, i.e., telephones. These known systems are described in German Patent 21 56 517 and 25 47 88.
In these known door intercoms designed as telephone systems, good speech transmission at the inside station is guaranteed since the incoming sound is supplied directly to the user's ear by means of the handset and its loudspeaker, and the outgoing sound is received directly at the user's mouth by means of the microphone on the handset, but there are the disadvantages, frequently viewed as significant, that:
the conversation with the visitor cannot be conducted in a hands-free manner, because one hand has to hold the handset and the other hand must be used to operate the door-opening button or the like; PA1 the inside station with the handset and its flexible connection, which must necessarily be of a certain length, is relatively bulky and is exposed to considerable risk of damage, firstly because these devices are often not treated carefully by subscribers, and secondly because the unit which projects for a distance from the wall is exposed to the risk of impact from persons going by.
However, a two-way system of this kind that uses a handset cannot simply be produced by mounting a fixed loudspeaker and a fixed microphone as a hands-free unit in a housing. Because of the greater distance between the ear and the mouth and the respective sound converting devices, particular transmission problems arise, higher amplifications of the speech currents are required, and, in contrast to the handset, there is a much greater acoustic coupling between the sound converters, in other words between the loudspeaker and the microphone. This means however that the additional feedback produced by two-wire operation between the transmitting and receiving directions must be kept very low in order to achieve the required protection against feedback howling with sufficiently high amplification in both directions, so that during normal speech the sound pressure is still sufficiently high at the other end of the transmission path.
In addition, the inside station, which has no power line connection of its own, must be supplied through the two-wire connecting line to the door station with sufficient DC power to operate the required amplifier, especially the loudspeaker amplifier, and sufficient conversation currents must be carried for reliable transmission. In addition, the terminal resistance of the inside stations, which differs according to the length of the line and the cross section of the line, makes clear balancing difficult both in the door station and in the inside stations. As a result, the total amplification in the two transmission directions, which is otherwise possible with a given protection against howling is reduced in both transmission directions with the result that the loudness at one or both locations is too low.
Because of the above problems, there are presently no two-wire door intercoms designed as hands-free units for two-way operation.

Two-wire intercom with hands-free function


There is disclosed an azetidinone compound of the formula [I]: ##STR1## wherein Ring B is a benzene ring which may have substituent(s), R.sup.1 is a hydroxy-substituted lower alkyl group which may have substituent(s), X is oxygen atom and the like, Y is oxygen atom and the like, and Z is a methylene group which may have substituent(s), which is useful as a synthetic intermediate of the 1.beta.-methylcarbapenem-type antibacterial agent.

1.beta.-Methylcarbapenem derivatives have been of great interest for their excellent antibacterial activities against a wide range of microorganisms including Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria, especially against Cephem-resistant bacteria, and their excellent stabilities in the human bodies. Said 1.beta.-methylcarbapenem derivatives have been synthesized by various processes up to now. In these processes, the following three kinds of compounds have been known as the important synthetic intermediates:
a) an azetidinone compound having a 1'-.beta.-methyl group at the 4-position of the azetidinone skeleton, i.e., a compound of the formula [A]: ##STR2## wherein R.sup.a is a hydroxy-substituted lower alkyl group which may be protected, PA0 b) a 1.beta.-methyl-2-oxocarbapenem compound of the formula [B]: ##STR3## wherein R.sup.b is a hydrogen atom or an ester residue, and R.sup.a is the same as defined above and PA0 c) a reactive derivative of the compound [B], i.e., a compound of the formula [C]: ##STR4## wherein a group of the formula: --OA.sup.a is an esterified hydroxy group, and R.sup.a and R.sup.b are the same as defined above. PA0 1) removing 1'-hydrogen atom of the acetic acid moiety located at the 4-position of the compound of the following formula: ##STR5## by using a strong base, 2) introducing methyl group to the product, PA0 3) hydrolyzing the product to give the compound [A] in which R.sup.a is 1-t-butyldimethylsilyloxyethyl group, PA0 4) subjecting the product to carbon atom increasing reaction, PA0 5) subjecting the product to diazotization, PA0 6) subjecting the product to intramolecular cyclization to give the compound [B] in which R.sup.a is 1-hydroxyethyl group and R.sup.b is p-nitrobenzyl group, and then PA0 7) subjecting the product to esterification to obtain the corresponding compound [C] [Heterocycles Vol. 21 p 29 (1984)]. PA0 (i) a step of reacting the compound [VIII] or a salt thereof with a thiol compound of the formula [IX]: EQU H--SR.sup.3 [IX] PA0 (ii) when R.sup.1 is a protected hydroxy-substituted lower alkyl group, an optional step for removing the protecting group and PA0 (iii) when R.sup.2 is an ester residue, an optional step for removing the ester residue.
As for a process for preparing these synthetic intermediates, there has been known a process which comprises the steps of:
However, the above process is unsatisfactory in that the yield of the compound having the 1'-methyl group with .beta.-configuration which shows an excellent pharmacological activity is low, because in preparing the compound [A] by the above process, said process is not a stereoselective synthetic process and the mixture of the compound [A] having the 1'-methyl group with .alpha.-configuration and .beta.-configuration is obtained. In recent years, therefore, various processes for stereoselectively preparing the compounds [A], [B] and [C] have been widely investigated and a typical process includes those utilizing the Aldol-type reaction or the Reformatsky-type reaction.
As for the process utilizing the Aldol-type reaction, for example, Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) No. 252786 of 1987 discloses a process for the preparation of the compound [A] in which R.sup.a is t-butyldimethylsilyloxyethyl group, which comprises reacting a compound of the formula [D]: ##STR6## with a propionamide compound of the formula: ##STR7## in the presence of dibutylboron triflate to give a compound of the formula: ##STR8## and then hydrolyzing the product.
Further, Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) No. 284176 of 1988 discloses a process for the preparation of the compounds [B] and [C], which comprises reacting the compound [D] with a compound of the formula: ##STR9## in the presence of tin triflate to give a compound of the formula: ##STR10## reacting the product with a compound of the formula: ##STR11## in the presence of imidazole, subjecting the product to diazotization, and then converting the product into the compound [B] or [C].
Moreover, Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) Nos. 77384 of 1987, 169781 of 1987, 246550 of 1987 and 292269 of 1990 disclose the processes using the following compound instead of the above propionamide compound. ##STR12##
However, although such Aldol-type reactions can introduce the .beta.-methyl group stereoselectively, the processes are still unsatisfactory for the industrial scale production because expensive tin triflate or boron triflate must be used as a reagent in those reactions.
On the other hand, as for the process utilizing the Reformatsky-type reaction, for example, Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) No. 178262 of 1990 discloses a process for the preparation of the compound [B] or [C], which comprises reacting the compound [D] with an .alpha.-bromopropionamide compound of the formula: ##STR13## wherein Tr is triphenylmethyl group, in the presence of zinc to give a compound of the formula [E]: ##STR14## wherein Tr is the same as defined above, hydrolyzing the product to give the compound [A] and then converting the product into the compound [B] or [C]. Further, Japanese Patent Publication (unexamined) Nos. 10765 of and 188662 of 1988 disclose the processes using the following compound instead of the above .alpha.-bromopropionamide compound. ##STR15##
However, the process utilizing the Reformatsky-type reaction has some defects in that .beta.-methyl group can not be introduced stereoselectively or in that it is difficult to synthesize the .alpha.-bromopropionic acid compound. Moreover, in order to convert the .beta.-methyl group-introduced product into the compound [B] or [C], it is necessary to once eliminate the group of the following formula: ##STR16## from said product and then activate the resulting compound by chemical modification, for example, by introducing a group which is suitable for the intramolecular cyclization.

Azetidinone compound and process for preparation thereof


CMOS reference voltage generation circuit comprising p- and n-channel MOS transistors in series from Vcc to ground having their gates and drains interconnected. The circuit includes transmission gates for isolating the reference voltage node, and a device for enhancing the slew rate of said node.

Mostek MK 36,000 and MK 38,000 chips are prior art with regard to this invention. These chips are n-channel silicon gate metal oxide silicon (MOS) 64K-bit read only memories (ROMs) organized respectively in 8,192 words by eight bits and 32,768 words by eight bits.
In the MK36,000 device, static storage cells with clocked control permit the circuit to be put into an automatic low power standby mode, reducing power dissipation to typically 35 mW. Chip operation is edge activated which permits greater system flexibility and an increase in system speed. The MK38,000 device provides maximum circuit density while maintaining low power dissipation.
These memories both are arranged as an array of cells, which may be configured in an "x-cell" format. This array comprises a plurality of row leads each connected at a plurality of points to the gates of a corresponding plurality of MOS transistors. Orthogonal to these rowlines are a plurality of alternating bit and column lines for therebetween connecting said plurality of transistors at their respective source and drains.
To determine the state of a given transistor in the array--that is to read or access the transistor its row is first taken high, its column line is pulled low while all other column lines are maintained high, the bit lines adjacent the low column line are inspected for current passage. If no current flow is detected, the transistor is deemed to have been in high state.
This sensing scheme of course views conditions at two adjacent transistors. In prior art n-channel ROMs, each bit and column line is attached to V.sub.DD through an n-channel transistor having its gate also attached to V.sub.DD. Column select is accomplished by turning on associated n-channel transistors.
By setting column select high, the selected column goes low and the pass transistors are enabled to pass data from the bit lines to the output lines. Accordingly, the selected transistor in the memory array must slew both the bit line, the pass transistor and the particular output line.

Power conserving CMOS reference voltage source


A data distribution system selects the distribution means having the most suitable distribution cost among a plurality of distribution means corresponding to a destination. The data distributing system includes a distribution information memory for storing a distribution information list including available distribution means corresponding to each of a plurality of destinations, a distribution cost memory for storing distribution cost information corresponding to a plurality of distribution means and distribution conditions, a selector for selecting distribution means having the lowest distribution cost for each destination from a plurality of the distribution means extracted from the destination information list stored in the distribution information memory corresponding to each destination when the destination information is inputted, referring to the distribution cost information, and a distribution data output apparatus for distributing the data to the destination using the distribution means selected by the selector.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data distribution system for distributing data to many destinations using a plurality of distribution means, and more particularly to a data distribution system for distributing the data to destinations by selecting the distribution means having the most suitable cost for each destination.
2. Description of the Related Art
Usually, in case of distributing data to many destinations such as members of institutes or customers of shops, the users select distribution means to distribute the data to the distribution address recorded in the member list or the customer list. Until now, it has been common practice to output the distribution addresses using a printer and to mail them.
As a result of the progress of information apparatuses and network technology, a system is suggested which selects one of the distribution means among a plurality of distribution means according to the communication environment of the destinations, and distributes the data to the destination using the selected distribution means.
For example, Japanese Laid-open patent publication No. 7-74843, Communication Terminal Apparatus discloses a system which converts the distribution data so that it coincides with the specified communication form, and automatically distributes it to the destination, upon inputting the destination information, distribution means and the distribution data, when the destination terminal has any one of the plurality of the distribution means such as voice communication, facsimile communication and data communication.
However, in a conventional data distribution system, the sender has to select the distribution means which has a suitable distribution cost when the destinations have a plurality of distribution means. Further, if the first selected distribution means cannot work at the destination, the same destination address of the destination is not used for further distribution. Therefore, there is a problem in that the data are not permanently distributed to the destination when the data could not be distributed by the first distribution means.

Data distribution system and method for distributing data to a destination using a distribution device having a lowest distribution cost associated therewith


An automated method (1) for the automatic extraction of a pulmonary vessel tree from a 3D medical image, such as multi-slice CT data, is disclosed. A segmented pulmonary vessel is identified as either an artery or a vein by determining a measure for arterialness for the vessel. The measure is based on a relation of the orientation of a local bronchus to the orientation of the segmented pulmonary vessel of the local bronchus. When a vessel is identified as a pulmonary artery, it is added to the pulmonary artery tree. Radii of the pulmonary artery and bronchus are measured automatically and positions where a ratio of these radii exhibits unusual values are presented in a display, preferably for suggesting further assessment by a radiologist, which for instance is useful for pulmonary embolism detection.

Multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT) allows the acquisition of high-resolution data of the entire thorax. The quality of the data allows the assessment of the bronchi as well as the pulmonary artery tree. Extraction of the pulmonary artery tree is an important pre-processing step, e.g., for embolism detection. Also, in the quantitative assessment of the bronchial tree the accompanying artery tree contains important additional information that can be extracted from MDCT data. Hence, for diagnosis and treatment of asthmatic and emphysematic patients, the simultaneous assessment of the tracheobronchial tree and the accompanying pulmonary artery tree is crucial. E.g., the ratio of inner bronchial to accompanying arterial diameter is an important parameter in clinical practice in order to detect and quantify airway narrowing and bronchial dilation.
When extracting the pulmonary vessel tree from Multi-Slice CT data, difficulties arise when distinguishing pulmonary arteries from veins. For instance, seed-point based region expansion methods for the extraction of the pulmonary arteries suffer from leakage into pulmonary veins Hitherto known methods extract all vessels, i.e. the pulmonary arteries and veins, without making any distinction. Furthermore, the segmentations of the tracheobronchial tree and the pulmonary vessel tree are performed separately and thus the relation between the trees is not inherent in the segmentation result. Hence, these methods are not well suited for clinical practice.
De Jong P A et al. (Pulmonary disease assessment in cystic fibrosis: comparison of CT scoring systems and value of bronchial and arterial dimension measurements, Radiology, vol. 231, no. 2, pp. 434-439, May 2004) disclose a method of radius measurements of bronchi and accompanying arteries and the identification of bronchus/artery pairs. However, the disclosed method is performed manually by human observers. Hence, this method is based on a mental act of the individual observer an consequently it is prone to errors. For instance the quality of the identification depends on the experience of the individual performing the extraction, his/her concentration capability at the time of evaluation, etc.
Hence, an object of the present invention is to provide an advantageous automatically performed artery/vein separation in medical 3D images.

Method of automatic extraction of the pulmonary artery tree from 3D medical images