A seal for an electrical connector having a housing with at least one chamber for an electrical contact and a pressure plate with at least one through hole corresponding to the chamber where a seal is located between the pressure plate and the housing and the seal is formed of an insulating foam whose cells are filled with a grease where the foam can be an open-cell foam with a film at its outer walls or a closed-cell foam.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a seal for an electrical connector, which seal has at least one opening for the introduction of an electrical contact that is connected to a conductor. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a seal and a use of this seal in an electrical connector.
2. Summary of Prior Art
For electrical connectors with electrical contacts it is often necessary to seal the contact-making area of the connectors with respect to the housing. Basically two different methods are specified for this. It is possible to seal each individual contact, or each individual conductor, with respect to the connector housing, or a family seal can be used. The application of a family seal has considerable advantages particularly if the connector has a very large number of contacts which are packed very tightly.
A disadvantage of family seals is that they can easily be damaged. Family seals are firstly introduced into the connector housing and are then penetrated by the individual contacts when the contacts are introduced into the connector housing. If the contacts do not have a very smooth surface without corners and edges, the problem arises of either the seal being cut into or even material from the seal being carried out when the contact is introduced through the seal into the connector housing. If it is necessary to replace a contact, and the latter is repeatedly moved through a seal in different directions, this can lead to substantial damage of the family seal and also to the contamination of the contact surface of the contacts with particles of the seal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,870 discloses an electrical connector in which a layer of gel is used as family seal. The connector housing is of two-part design here and has a first part in which a layer of gel and the chambers for the contacts are located, and a second part which can assume two different positions in relation to the first part. In a second position, the second part presses onto the gel like a cap and, by this compression, causes the gel to have a sealing effect.
GB 2 101 420-A discloses an underwater electrical connector having contacts disposed in a grease chamber sealed with a resilient diaphragm. A rigid plate member having openings according to the contacts is mounted adjacent the diaphragm. The plate member protects the diaphragm against damage.
An object of the invention is to specify a seal for an electrical connector, that can be used as a family seal and leads to a good sealing effect. Furthermore, an object of the invention is to specify a method for manufacturing such a seal, and a use of such a seal.
The object is achieved with respect to the seal by means of a seal which has at least one opening or the introduction of an electrical contact that is connected to a conductor, the seal being formed by an insulating foam whose cells are filled with a grease.
With regard to the method for manufacturing a seal, the object is achieved by means of a method with the following method steps: the material for the foam and the grease are mixed, the mixture is then introduced in a mould, the mould is closed with a cover and then the expansion and the curing of the foam take place.
A further solution is specified by means of a method in which a mat in the form of a plate having openings and made of an open-cell foam is impregnated with a grease and then provided with a closed surface.
Furthermore, a use of such a seal is specified in an electrical connector which comprises a housing with at least one chamber for the electrical contact, and has a pressure plate with at least one through hole, the seal being provided between the housing and pressure plate.
Advantageous developments are specified for each main claim in the subclaims.
A seal according to the invention has at least one opening for the introduction of an electrical contact, connected to a conductor, into an electrical connector, that is to say actually an opening for leading through an electrical contact; the seal comprises an insulating foam whose cells are filled with a grease. This foam can be an open-cell or closed-cell foam which has a closed surface at its outer walls. In the case of an open-cell foam, this surface can be formed by a film. In the case of a closed-cell foam, a closed surface is already available. In addition, the foam can have in the region of the surface, at least in the region of the top and bottom surface and advantageously also around the openings, a layer in which the cells are very small. The cells are substantially smaller in this layer in comparison with the rest of the foam.
The described structure proves particularly advantageous if the seal is damaged when the opening is penetrated by an electrical contact. As a result, the outer surface of the seal is cut into and the cells of the foam are correspondingly cut into. These cells are however filled with the grease. Since the seal is used in an electrical connector which has a pressure plate which correspondingly exerts a pressure on the seal, the grease will, as a result of this pressure, flow out of the cells which have been cut into and will have a sealing effect at the damaged points of the actual seal. The grease also acts as a lubricant and reduces the insertion forces.
If the contacts used are configured in such a way that the seal is not damaged, then no grease will leave the seal if it has a closed surface.
The term grease is to be understood for example as a mineral or synthetic oil which contains a thickening agent. It is particularly advantageous to use a silicone-based compound as grease. The use of a synthetic hydrocarbon grease is also possible. The cone penetration of the grease should be between 150 and 500{fraction (1/10)} mm (measured after DIN 51580).
For the characterization of the term foam: it will be a mixture of the polymer material with a gas. In this context, the gas produces cells or pores whose diameter is between 0.1 mm and 1 mm. The term foam does not necessarily mean that it is manufactured by xe2x80x9cexpansionxe2x80x9d.
The insulating foam is for example a material with the following properties in the expanded state: tensile strength 0.03 MPa-0.9 MPa, elongation 40%-100%.
It is particularly advantageous to use, for example, a two-component silicone foam as closed-cell foam and a polyurethane foam as open-cell foam.
By using these materials, it is possible to manufacture a hybrid foam/grease system which has the properties necessary for the seal.
Owing to the particular features of the seal, it is suitable in particular for use as a family seal.
The seal can be manufactured in a plurality of ways. A first possibility is to proceed as follows: firstly, the material for the foam and the grease are mixed together. The mixture is then introduced into a mould which is closed with a cover. Then, the mixture is expanded and the foam is cured.
It is particularly advantageous that the mould already has pins by means of which the openings of the seal are manufactured. The openings are therefore not manufactured by the introduction of the contacts.
A particular advantage is also obtained if the mixture is introduced into a housing of an electrical connector in whose chambers there are pins which appropriately project into the opening into which the mixture is introduced. Then, a cover is fitted onto the housing, which cover is in contact with the pins so that a seal with openings is produced. Instead of the introduction into the housing, introduction of the mixture into a depression in the pressure plate is also possible, the through holes in the pressure plate being closed by pins.
Another possibility is the introduction of the mixture in to a mould, which is closed by the pressure plate. The pressure plate includes integrated pins instead of through openings for the contacts. The pressure plate further includes holes for the mixture to expand in. The mixture is then foamed and cured. The seal is integrated into the pressure plate. The pressure plate is cut so that pins are cut out by a punch and through openings are so created. The cut pins are removed from the pressure plate with the integrated seal.
Another possible manufacturing method is to manufacture a relatively large mat having through-holes in the foam filled with grease, from which mat seals of the appropriate size are cut out or punched out. If the mat comprises a closed-cell foam, closed surfaces are also produced at the interfaces. The grease of the cells which are cut into in the region of the interfaces will emerge from them but the sealing effect is not impaired by this.
A further possible manufacturing method for a seal according to the invention is to impregnate a mat having openings and made of an open-cell foam with a grease, and then to provide it with a closed surface, that is to say for example to coat it with a film.
In order to initiate the process of expansion and curing and to achieve uniform expansion, the mould or the housing with the mixture should be placed in an oven. The appropriate temperatures and the curing time are essentially dependent here on the materials used.
If the mixture has already been expanded in the housing of the electrical connector, all that is then necessary is to remove the cover which has been put on, to remove the pins from the chambers of the housing and then to close the housing again with a pressure plate which has corresponding through holes for the contacts. It is particularly advantageous here if the pressure plate has a first engagement and a final engagement position with respect to the housing. In the final engagement position, the seal is then compressed, while there is no such compression, or only a smaller compression, in the first engagement position. As a result, contacts can be easily introduced in the first engagement position and the good sealing can be achieved in the final engagement position. If the seal were to be damaged during the introduction of the contacts, that is to say the outer closed surface were to be damaged, this causes cells, which are filled with grease, to be cut into. The engagement of the pressure plate in the final engagement position will now exert a pressure on the seal. This means that the grease will emerge from the damaged cells and, as a result, a seal is formed around the conductor, which is connected to an electrical contact.
The main advantages of the foam and grease seal are:
1. An equal force distribution of the insertion force as the grease acts as a liquid. The force distribution is due to the xe2x80x9chydraulic effectxe2x80x9d of the grease.
2. The insertion forces are low as the grease acts as a lubricant ( less than 5N).
3. Small damages in the seal are recovered and the compression force necessary for a good sealing does not increase after several insertions of contact through the same opening.

Seal for an electrical connector, method for manufacturing a seal and use of a seal


In an IC card of this invention, a plurality of password numbers are previously stored and data can be read out from the IC card and written into the IC card when any one of the plurality of password numbers is input. Further, data readout and write-in with respect to the IC card are partially limited according to the input password number.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an IC card containing a CPU and a memory, for storing seat reservation data, for example, and a read/write control method for controlling the operation of reading out data stored in a memory contained in the IC card and writing data into the memory.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, in order to prevent a third person other than the owner of an IC card from easily using the IC card, the operation of reading out and writing data with respect to the IC card is controlled by a password number. That is, if the same number as the password number previously registered in the IC card is not input, the read/write operation is inhibited.
A seat reservation system is an example of a system using the IC card. The seat reservation system is briefly explained below. First, the owner of the IC card, that is, a person who wants to make the seat reservation, inserts his own IC card into an IC card terminal provided on the street or in his house and then inputs the password number by use of the keyboard of the IC card terminal. If the input password number is correct, the IC card terminal connects a communication line between it and the central terminal and transmits data input by use of the keyboard indicating a desired section, desired data and the like to the central terminal by data communication. The central terminal informs the IC card terminal of the fact that the reservation has been accepted, and stores various reservation data into the IC card.
Thus, the reservation data is stored in the IC card and the owner may confirm the reservation data by inputting the password number using the keyboard of the IC card and specifying the identification of the reservation data (by depressing a specified key, for example) to display the reservation data on a display unit such as an LCD provided on the IC card.
In order to have the seat ticket issued, the owner goes to the ticket window of the service office and presents the IC card to the service office man. The office man or operator inserts the IC card into the ticket issuing machine and inputs the password number, then the ticket issuing machine accesses the IC card by use of the password number, reads out the reservation data and issues a ticket.
Since a single password number is given to each IC card, it is necessary for the owner of the IC card to inform the office man of the password number so that he can operate the ticket issuing machine and input the password number in order to have a ticket issued, and it is extremely inconvenient.
Further, since the office man may access the memory in the IC card after the office man has input the password number to access the IC card, it becomes possible for the office man to observe data such as personal data other than the reservation data.

IC card and read/write control method for controlling data readout/data write-in with respect to data storing means contained in IC card


A modular system is provided for mounting a gravity feed dispenser that allows one or more fixtures to be mounted in front of, and in working relationship with, the dispenser. The gravity feed dispenser is mounted on a support structure in such a way that other fixtures such as shelving, hangers, rods, or other storage and display fixtures can be mounted in front of the dispenser in a number of different configurations. A workstation featuring one or more gravity feed dispensers is provided by mounting a work area and shelves in front of and in working relationship with the dispensers.

This invention relates generally to modular display systems and workstations and, more particularly, to modular display systems and workstations featuring a gravity feed dispenser.
Gravity feed dispensers are known in the art. Such dispensers may be used to store and dispense a wide variety of items, such as empty containers, bottles or vials, and find use in a wide variety of environments. In general, such dispensers comprise one or more side-by-side elongate, generally vertical chutes, each having an opening at its top end for loading and a dispensing receptacle that opens at the bottom end of the chute. Items to be stored in the dispenser are loaded into the chute through the top opening and are thereby stacked within the chute, with the bottommost item or items being available for removal from the dispensing receptacle on a first-in-first-out basis. When an item is removed from the dispenser via the dispensing receptacle, the items stored above the removed item will move downward under the force of gravity and refill the dispensing receptacle. In this manner, so long as there is a supply of items within the dispenser, the dispensing receptacle is automatically refilled whenever an item is removed. Examples of prior art gravity feed dispensers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,692,053 (Calhoun et al.), 3,194,433 (Heselov), 4,479,583 (Franklin et al.), and 5,361,937 (Weise).
Gravity feed dispensers are utilized in a variety of different ways. For example, retailers often use gravity feed dispensers to display merchandise, such as cigarette packages, batteries, candy, or clothespins. (See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,194,433 and 5,361,937.) Gravity feed dispensers are also used to store items in a manner that provides convenient access to such items. For example, pharmacists are constantly filling vials with pills and the like when filling prescriptions. Therefore, pharmacists require a steady supply of empty prescription vials of different sizes. To meet this need, pharmacies often store a variety of empty vials (and the caps therefor) in drawers, on shelves and in gravity feed dispensers, giving pharmacists ready access to a supply of vials and caps.
In the prior art, gravity feed dispensers were generally fixed directly to a wall or the front face of a display rack. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,479,583 and 5,361,937 show gravity feed dispensers which are mounted to a wall for purposes of displaying a variety of items for sale. While such dispensers may present an attractive and easy-to-use sales display, mounting a dispenser in this fashion takes up a considerable amount of valuable space and makes it difficult to mount fixtures such as shelves, racks, hanger rods, storage bins, drawers, hooks and the like in front of the dispenser. Because access to the gravity feed dispenser is typically only required at the top loading opening and bottom dispensing receptacle (so that items can be loaded and removed from the dispenser), the space taken up by the height of the dispenser between the bottom and top can be considered dead or wasted space in the prior art applications. Thus, in situations where space is at a premium, there is a need for a system for mounting a gravity feed dispenser that allows a variety of fixtures to be mounted in front of the dispenser, yet still allows easy access to the dispenser""s top loading opening and bottom dispensing receptacle.
In general, the present invention solves the foregoing shortcomings of conventionally mounted gravity feed dispensers by providing a system for mounting a gravity feed dispenser that allows one or more fixtures to be mounted in front of, and in working relationship with, the dispenser. The invention can therefore be used to create a display or storage device that maximizes space utilization by mounting shelving, hangers, rods, or other storage and display fixtures in front of the dispenser.
Likewise, the invention can also be used to create a workstation featuring one or more gravity feed dispensers by mounting a work area and shelves in front of and in working relationship with the dispensers. Such a workstation is particularly suitable for use in a pharmacy where empty vials (and lids) used for filling prescriptions can be stored in dispensers integrated directly into the pharmacist""s workstation, thereby eliminating the need for the pharmacist to leave the workstation to retrieve the necessary empty vials and lids. Such a workstation provides a pharmacist with additional storage and work surfaces in spaces that would otherwise be wasted.


Constructing a battery pack by: providing a resin sheet (40) to cover a release opening (20a) of a safety vent (20) formed on a sealing plate (23); integrating a rechargeable battery (2) and a circuit substrate (3) with a primary molding (11) by filing a resin between the rechargeable battery (2) and the circuit substrate (3); and then forming a secondary molding (12). In such constructed battery pack, an ejected gas, at the operation of the safety vent (20) of the battery pack, is externally released through an interface between the resin and metal.

With the remarkable development of small, thin, and high-functionality portable electronic equipment such as mobile phones and PDAs, there is a growing demand for smaller, thinner, and high-capacity batteries as their power source. Lithium ion rechargeable batteries can be designed small and high-capacity, and in particular, flat prismatic types are suitable in making the equipment thinner; they have therefore been increasingly used as the repeatedly usable rechargeable battery for portable electronic equipment.
Because lithium ion rechargeable batteries have high energy density and contain a flammable organic solvent as electrolyte, it is essential to take account of safety measures. They must have such safety features as to ensure that no damage is caused to the equipment or injury to the user in the event that an abnormality arises for some reason. For example, if the positive and negative terminals of the battery are short-circuited for some reason, a large short-circuit current flows in high energy density batteries, whereupon the inner resistance generates Joule heat and the battery temperature rises. A temperature rise in the battery leads to a rapid increasing of gas pressure inside resulting from reactions between positive electrode active materials and electrolyte, or from evaporation or decomposition of electrolyte, which may cause fire or explosion of the battery. Batteries may fall into a high-temperature state not only because of external short-circuiting but also of overcharge; the same applies if the portable electronic equipment loaded with the battery is placed near a heater or left inside a car parked in a hot weather environment.
A battery abnormality can be induced by any of electrical, mechanical, or thermal factors; thus non-aqueous electrolyte batteries represented by lithium ion rechargeable batteries are provided with safety features for preventing batteries from falling into an abnormal state and for evading a further dangerous state even if an abnormality should arise. Such features are usually incorporated in batteries as their own natures; for example, active materials on the electrodes and electrolyte may be made not to be excessively reactive, or, a polyolefin porous film may be employed for the separator because of its "shutdown function," in which minute pores are softened and close under an abnormally high temperature. Further, it is necessary to prevent the battery from exploding when the battery is exposed to a high temperature condition. Thus, the battery is provided with a safety vent for externally releasing abnormally increased internal pressure thereof. As preventive means for protecting batteries from damaging by the aforementioned short-circuit, relatively large-sized lithium ion rechargeable batteries are usually provided with a protective feature such as a Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) element connected in series to the input/output circuit at the sealing end, which limits current flow in the event of external short-circuiting. Small batteries that cannot include the PTC element inside are normally provided with a PTC element or temperature fuse as outside circuit components which are then integrally formed with the batteries. Further, a circuit for protecting the battery from overcharge and over discharge is an absolute requirement. In general, these constituent elements are all packed with the battery inside a pack case to form a battery pack.
However, battery packs using pack cases are not suited to portable electronic equipment that are re-modeled in short cycles, because the manufacturing cost of molding dies used in the resin molding of pack cases tends to be high, and the time required for designing new molding dies is relatively long. Thinner battery packs with resin-molded pack case as an outer case also have limitations in making portable electronic equipment smaller and thinner because of the limitations on the moldable thickness in the resin molding process.
Furthermore, in order to prevent the user from disassembling a battery pack for wrong use or for satisfying curiosity, it must have a design that is hardly disassemblable, or a design that alerts the user that it has been disassembled. Taking account that the battery packs are used for portable electronic equipment, they also need to have a rigid structure that can withstand vibration or shocks in a falling accident, and a moisture resistance, particularly for the electronic circuit parts. In achieving the structure having a disassemblablity, a certain rigidity, and a moisture resistant, the idea has emerged that a battery may be united with a circuit substrate including a battery protective circuit by resin molding.
The conventionally known resin-molded battery packs are disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open patent Publications Nos. 2002-134077 and 2002-166447, in which a battery and a circuit substrate are connected by a connecting member to form an intermediate product, which is placed inside a die, and resin is filled around the intermediate product such as to expose external terminals formed on the substrate to the outside, to unite the battery with the substrate.
Further, Japanese Laid-Open patent Publication No. 2000-315483 discloses a structure in which a battery and a circuit substrate are connected by a connecting member and placed inside a die, and the circuit substrate is resin-sealed and fixed on the battery or its pack case (battery lid), or both the circuit substrate and the battery are resin-sealed.
When constructing a battery pack by a resin molding in realizing the size reduction and the thickness reduction, an optimum construction is such that constituent elements including a circuit substrate are placed at the side of a sealing end of a rechargeable battery, and a resin is filled and molded between the sealing end of the rechargeable battery and the circuit substrate. However, there has been a problem that an externally releasing opening of a safety vent is filled with the molded resin, thereby the safety vent loses its function.
Furthermore, the battery pack is brought to be placed inside equipment where constituent elements are densely arranged, particularly in the case of equipment having a reduced size and thickness. In such configuration, the equipment may be damaged by electrolyte released together with gas when the safety vent operates. A desirable construction is such that when the safety vent operates, only gas component is externally released, and liquid component such as the electrolyte is not externally released. However, the safety vent opens its release opening at a burst when it is reached to a critical operating pressure. Accordingly, it is difficult to prevent the liquid component from released together with the gas component. In the battery pack where a conventional pack case having constituent elements including a rechargeable battery therein, it is possible to provide means for holding a released electrolyte to stay within the pack case. However, a battery pack using a resin mold has no case-like member, and so requires a construction for preventing a liquid component from being externally ejected.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a battery pack which is constructed by resin molding without compromising the explosion-proof features of the safety vent.

Battery pack with resin integrated substrate and vent

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


An end of stroke cushion for a linear hydraulic motor. A piston-cylinder unit includes a cylinder body (42) reciprocally slidable on a piston rod (40) having a piston head (64) which defines working chambers (82, 84) within the cylinder body (42). The piston rod (62) is tubular and includes a plurality of sidewall ports (P1-P7). A radially-expandable annular valve ring (106) normally snugly surrounds the piston rod (62) and during axial movement of the cylinder body (42) relative to the piston rod (62), the valve ring (106) will move axially relative to the sidewall ports (P1-P7) in the piston rod (62). Pressure introduction to the working chamber (84) through the sidewall ports (P1-P7) of the piston rod (62) and against the valve ring (106) radially expands the valve ring (106). This allows oil flow to move into the working chamber (84) such that when the chamber (84) expands, the cylinder body (42) and valve ring (106) will move axially relative to the sidewall ports (P1-P7), successively uncovering the ports (P1-P7) during movement. Removal of fluid from the working chamber (84) will cause oil movement out from the chamber (84), through the sidewall ports (P1-P7) into the tubular piston rod (62) such that when the linear motor (10) approaches the end of its stroke, the valve ring will close the sidewall ports (P1-P7) in the piston rod (62) which allows oil flow out from the working chamber (84) in succession.

A linear hydraulic motor can be damaged if there is contact between the cylinder body and the piston component at the end of a stroke. Even if there is no damage, the metal-to-metal contact can produce a noise which is disturbing to anyone in the vicinity who would hear it. To avoid damage, load alleviation devices are often built into the motors. Examples of these devices, which have been termed buffers, snubbers and dashpots, are disclosed in the text "Hydraulic System Analysis", by George R. Keller, and published by the editors of Hydraulics & Pneumatics Magazine, Library of Congress Catalog Card No: 78-52991, on pages 130-133. Of particular interest is the snubbing technique shown by FIG. 9.20 on page 132.

End of stroke cushion for a linear hydraulic motor


The present inventor devised, among other things, an exemplary information retrieval system that promises to reduce the execution of overly broad queries. One exemplary system detects overly broad queries and presents users one or more potentially relevant portions of a hierarchical subject matter classification system, instead of executing the query against the targeted database. The system also presents users the option of accessing one or more relevant documents to the query via an interface for the classification system.

The growth in popularity of the Internet and other computer networks has fueled not only an increasing availability, but an increasing appetite among consumers for digital information. Consumers typically seek access to this information using an access device, such a computer, to communicate with an online information retrieval system. The information retrieval system typically includes a graphical user interface for entering and submitting requests for information, known as queries, to a remote search engine. The search engine identifies relevant information, typically in the form of documents, and returns a results list to
One problem that the present inventor recognized in conventional information retrieval systems concerns users seeking information in fields where they have very little if any knowledge or vocabulary. In this context, these beginning or intermediate users typically enter one or more overly broad searches to glean some insights into a subject area and then enter additional more targeted searches as they iteratively converge on their desired information. Unfortunately, executing these overly broad and the more narrow searches consumes significantly more system resources in terms of search engine capacity and bandwidth in reporting large result sets than necessary.
Moreover, this convergence approach is not successful for all users. Some unknowingly end up jumping between subject areas, become contextually lost, and never converging to the desired information. Often, this means that they consumed significant system resources, and left unsatisfied.
Conventional techniques for handling large numbers of queries generally entail adding search engine capacity. However, adding capacity is not only expensive, but ignores the issue of inefficient usage of the system. To address the inefficiency of overly broad queries, some systems screen queries and warn when large results sets are likely. Users are then either encouraged or forced to define a more narrow query. However, this ignores the fact that the many users lack the subject-matter expertise they need to define effective narrower queries and will likely execute even more queries to find their desired information, if at all.
Accordingly, the inventor has identified a need to further improve how information retrieval systems handle overly broad queries.

Systems, methods, and interfaces for reducing executions of overly broad user queries


The present invention is generally directed to the block copolymerization of rigid rod polymers with carbon nanotubes (CNTs), the CNTs generally being shortened, to form nanotube block copolymers. The present invention is also directed to fibers and other shaped articles made from the nanotube block copolymers of the present invention.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), comprising multiple concentric shells and termed multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), were discovered by Iijima in 1991 [Iijima, Nature 1991, 354, 56-58]. Subsequent to this discovery, single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), comprising single graphene sheets rolled up on themselves to form cylindrical tubes with nanoscale diameters, were synthesized in an arc-discharge process using carbon electrodes doped with transition metals [Iijima et al., Nature 1993, 363, 603-605; and Bethune et al., Nature 1993, 363, 605-607]. These carbon nanotubes (especially SWNTs) possess unique mechanical, electrical, thermal and optical properties, and such properties make them attractive for a wide variety of applications. See Baughman et al., Science, 2002, 297, 787-792.
The incorporation of CNTs into polymer matrices is currently an area of considerable interest, as CNTs can impart unique properties to the composite or blended material. See, e.g., Mitchell et al., Macromolecules, 2002, 35, 8825-8830; and Zhu et al., Nano. Lett., 2003, 3, 1107-1113. In some cases, CNTs have been covalently integrated into such polymeric hosts.
Another area of interest is CNT-containing fibers. In some reports, such fibers comprise a polymer matrix, whereas in other cases they are largely CNTs. In such later cases, CNT fibers have been spun from CNT suspensions in poly(vinylalcohol) [Vigolo et al., Science, 2000, 290, 1331-1334] and intercalating acids [Zhou et al., J. Appl. Phys., 2004, 95, 649-655; and Ericson et al., Science, 2004, 305, 1447-1450].
In light of the above-described advances in carbon nanotube science, new polymeric systems into which CNTs have been integrated into will continue to expand the range of applications with which they can be associated.

Copolymerization of polybenzazoles and other aromatic polymers with carbon nanotubes


Connector mounting jigs for simultaneously positioning and mounting a plurality of electrical connectors on a printed circuit board include a base member, and at least two sets of pairs of synthetic resin posts extending from one surface of and formed integrally with the base member for frictional engagement of respective corners of a cavity of each connector to support respective connectors in a predetermined positional relationship to each other.

The present invention relates generally to a jig for mounting a plurality of electrical connectors to be used for connecting a pair of printed circuit boards.
Conventionally, electrical connections between a first printed circuit board (motherboard) and another printed circuit board (daughterboard) may be established through the use of electrical connectors. In the past, one receptacle or female connector has been mounted on one printed circuit board, and an electrical plug or male connector is mounted on the other printed circuit board. By mating and connecting the female connector receptacle and the plug male connector with each other, electrical communication between the respective printed circuit boards is established. However, in the recent years, the number of required terminals or circuits is increasing due to the desire for down-sizing, reduction of weight of the electronic equipment and for higher performance. Accordingly, it now has become necessary on frequent occasions to mount a plurality of electrical connectors on each of the printed circuit boards.
When a plurality of electrical connectors are to be mounted on the surface of one of the printed circuit boards, it is important to be able to precisely position the respective connectors which are to be mounted to the same circuit board relative to each other. If they are not precisely positioned, the subsequent engagement between the electrical female connector receptacles and the electrical plug male connectors becomes difficult. Moreover, the solder tails of the respective connectors and the circuits on the circuit boards to which they are to be soldered might be misaligned to the extent that could result in the failure to complete circuits which should have been completed.
Various methods have been employed in the past to avoid such problems. One such prior method for positioning of the connectors is by setting a guide block which is designed to accommodate the connectors therein on the printed circuit board as is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. Heisei 5-47443. Another method connects two connectors by means of a bridge for fixing the relative portions of the connectors as is disclosed in 0.5 mm Pitch Multi-Pole Board-to-Board Connector, Electronics Mounting Technology, Vol. 10, No. 10, pp. 72-73.
Another known method is to restrict the relative positions of a plurality of connectors by employing a jig having cavities to externally engage with the connectors is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-135835.
Among the prior art set forth above, the methods employing the guide block or the bridge have a problem of consuming spacial volume on the circuit board that might otherwise have a functional use because the guide block or the bridge is mounted on the printed circuit board together with the connectors. On the other hand, in the case of the aforementioned method employing the jig, because a part of the jig is located outside of the connector, a space to accommodate the extending part of the jig must be provided during the mounting of the connector on the printed circuit board. Therefore, similar to the former case, this method still causes the waste and loss of what otherwise could be functional volume or space on the circuit board.


System and method directed towards providing full and even illumination of a patient's retina through lighting integrated into a handheld fundus lens. By integrating the lighting, the method and system reduces and even eliminate many lens artifacts and reflections. By increasing the accuracy, quality, and field of view afforded during clinical examination of the retina, the method and system will allow practitioners to make more accurate diagnoses and will increase safety during retinal surgical procedures.

Clinical examination and treatment of retinal disease has not fundamentally changed in the last 100 years, relying on a slit lamp biomicroscope which consists of a binocular stereo microscope, a handheld condensing lens, and a slit lamp providing illumination to examine the retina, as seen in FIG. 1A. A slit beam of light is created by the slit lamp and shone through a handheld lens placed in front of the patient's eye. The handheld lens produces an image that is visualized through the oculars of the biomicroscope. Unfortunately, this technique suffers from significant image aberrations induced by light reflections off the handheld lens, which limits the practical view to only a thin slice of retina comprising less than 1% of the total retina surface area. FIG. 1B is a typical image of the retina provided by slit beam illumination and a handheld lens. Note the limited field of view and significant lens reflections present. The position of the slit must be maneuvered to examine different parts of the retina. Image quality even from this slit is often significantly degraded, making retinal diagnosis difficult. In contrast, conventional retinal photography routinely is capable of 50 degree aberration and reflection free fields of view of the retina. FIG. 1C is a standard fundus camera image of a retina. There is significantly greater retinal detail and a much wider field of view compared to the slit lamp image of FIG. 1B. No lens reflections or image aberrations are present, greatly facilitating diagnosis of retinal diseases. Unfortunately, these photographic advances have yet to be translated in any meaningful way into improvements in the clinical exam.
There are currently 16 million diabetic patients in the United States who require yearly, dilated retina exams as part of their recommended eye care. Half of these patients will have some form of retinopathy present at the time of exam. For the majority of these patients, slit lamp retinal examination is the only modality used to document their retinal findings. Retina photos are used as an adjunct to the clinical exam in only 10-20% of patients, as this involves separate time consuming procedures by the ophthalmic photographer. This makes it imperative that a clear and reliable view of the retina is available to the clinician for accurate diagnosis.
Ten percent of diabetic patients will eventually develop proliferative diabetic retinopathy, requiring panretinal laser photocoagulation (PRP) to ablate their peripheral retina in an attempt to preserve central foveal vision. FIG. 2A illustrates a retina after PRP. Laser photocoagulation may be delivered via slit lamp techniques using widefield (>75 degree field of view) handheld lenses. These lenses, relying on the same slit illumination, suffer significantly greater reflection artifacts than the narrow field (<75 degree field of view) handheld lenses used for clinical exam of the macula. FIG. 2B illustrates a clinician's view at a slit lamp while performing PRP. A handheld contact lens is applied to a patient's eye and slit lamp illumination is used to visualize the retina and the aiming beam for the laser. Retinal detail is severely compromised from lens reflections and the limited field of view afforded by the slit illumination. The risk of inadvertent laser to the fovea is significant due to the obscuration of the optic nerve by this pattern of poor illumination and lens reflections. The slit beam must be constantly moved to reorient to the location of the optic nerve to verify retinal position and avoid inadvertent ablation of the central vision with laser. The limited and generally poor illumination provided by the slit beam substantially increases the time required for laser treatment and poses a significant and unnecessary safety hazard due to poor identification of retinal location.
Many diabetic patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy proceed to develop chronic vitreous hemorrhages and decreased vision, requiring surgical removal of the blood in some cases. Poor illumination also poses a safety hazard for their retinal surgery. Standard pars plana vitrectomy technique relies on fiber optic illumination provided by a rigid 20 or 23 gauge probe inserted through the pars plana of the eye. Limited beam divergence of the fiber optic probe provides spot illumination of the retina, with details of the surrounding peripheral retina remaining poorly illuminated, as seen in FIG. 2C. This leads to an increased likelihood of instrument error causing permanent retinal damage. Greater surgical safety and decreased surgical times would be facilitated by a widefield general illumination of the retina in addition to the spot illumination provided by the fiber optic probe.
Commercial developments in ophthalmic photography over the last 40 years have clearly demonstrated that the retina can be imaged at high resolution and that image distortions/reflections can be fully corrected to enable accurate diagnosis of retinal disease. The hallmark of the difference in retinal photography over clinical exams is the different pattern of illumination used in each, as illustrated in FIG. 3A. Contemporary retina cameras generate a ring or "donut" of illumination centered on the pupil. This circular illumination provides an even/full illumination of the retina with minimal lens reflections. Imaging rays reflected from the back of the retina are collected from the middle of the "donut," which substantially decreases lens reflections. Most commercial retina cameras are able to obtain a 50 degree field of view of the retina with this technique FIG. 1C, but are not able to achieve widefield (>75 degrees field of view) images such as shown in FIG. 2A.
Narrowfield cameras are non-contact, with the camera never touching the front surface of the eye. In contrast, widefield cameras often require direct contact of the imaging system with the cornea. The commercial RETCAM II retinal camera is an example of a widefield camera which directly contacts the cornea. This camera creates a donut of light using a solid fiber optic ring to couple an external illumination light directly to the cornea, as shown in FIG. 3E. FIG. 3C shows a sample image from the Retcam II. This illumination design, while a significant improvement on slit lamp illumination, still suffers from significant corneal haze, as well as unevenness in central illumination, as compared to peripheral illumination, due to issues with the illumination design. Further, the RETCAM II is designed for retinal photography and as specified is not capable of use in handheld clinical examination through a slit lamp biomicroscope. The device has electrical power and fiber optic light coupled into a sizable imaging wand that is significantly larger than existing handheld fundus lenses, severely limiting the unit's portability and ease of use. The design of the illuminating ring requires intricate manufacturing that would not be amenable to inexpensive handheld lenses. All these issues are addressed in various embodiments of the present invention, which is a significant improvement over contemporary designs.
An improved method of illumination is needed to provide a wider field of view of the retina and to eliminate those lens reflections that result from external slit illumination of the handheld condensing lens. The ideal illumination for the retina is a ring of light focused on the eye with a diameter slightly less than the pupil diameter. Prior designs (Pomerantzeff et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,944,341, and Massie et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,036, of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety) have adapted a method of illumination into designs for retinal photography, as opposed to clinical examination. These two designs rely on an external illumination device that is then routed by means of fiber optic coupling into a contact lens that is used to view the retina.
These existing devices, while may be an improvement over non-illuminated handheld lenses, suffer from a number of design constraints that do not allow them to be used for handheld fundus examination at the ophthalmic slit lamp. Pomerantzeff relies on two rows of individual fiber optic elements that are cemented into a contact lens with the fiber optics directly contacting the cornea. This presents issues with sterilization due to the inevitable breakdown of the cementing compound and lodging of bacteria into the cemented area surrounding it. It also requires technically difficult fiber optic polishing so that the individual fibers do not damage the cornea and are all at the same plane. By focusing the ring of light on the cornea through means of fiber optics, significant corneal haze is generated which lowers overall image contrast. There is a complicated five stage optical element design to produce an image which leads to an unnecessarily bulky lens that could not be easily manufactured or handheld due to its overall size. The directionality of the fiber optics, while illuminating some of the peripheral retina, do not illuminate the central portion of the retina well, leaving the macula less exposed to light compared to the peripheral retina. A separate illuminator is required that is external to the device, requires electrical power, and limits portability of this device. The device is intended for retinal photography and is not optimized or usable for slit lamp examination. The focus of the five lens design is intended to focus reflected retina light on an imaging device directly attached to the lens, rather than at the distances required by ophthalmic slit lamp examination. Finally, the patent has not resulted in a commercial device in the years since it was originally issued.
The patent by Massie et al. has similar limitations to the earlier design of Pomerantzeff. Fiber optic illumination is used to direct the light from an external illumination source into the imaging lens, reducing portability of the unit. The device is intended only for retinal photography with an imaging device built into the handheld unit and then electrically connected to a larger external imaging control unit. There is no clear optical axis that would allow use of the device at the ophthalmic slit lamp. The design is intended to focus the light from the retina onto an imaging device that is located directly behind the contact lens rather than at the distances required by handheld condensing lenses used at an ophthalmic slit lamp. The use of fiber optics for coupling of an external illumination source limits the diffusion of the illuminating light beam and provides only partial illumination of the retina with a dark central retina, as also seen with the Pomerantzeff design. While the Massie design allows for illumination by placing a second central illumination source contained within the handheld unit itself to illuminate central retina, it obscures the central axis of the lens, which eliminates visualization of the retina through the center of the lens; a function essential to a handheld condensing lens. The design additionally attempts to improve the illumination produced by fiber optic through use of up to three additional lens elements at the end of the fiber optic, which again complicates construction and alignment of this device. Similar to the Pomerantzeff design, Massie's coupling of light fiber optically directly to the corneal surface results in significant corneal haze which degrades image contrast.
Fine polishing of the fiber optic is required to angle the exit of the light to improve the area of the retina illuminated. However, the angle cut required on the fiber optic reduces transmission of the light due to the oblique exit of the light from the fiber optic element. Finally, the design of the Massie device results in a bulky imaging unit that far exceeds the typical 40 mm depth of a handheld fundus lens. All of these design issues that are optimized for retinal photography limit the ability of this design to be used as a self illuminated handheld condensing lens for retinal examination.
Next, Miller et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,048,379, discloses an imaging lens and illumination system for a retinal camera. Miller's ring illumination was focused on the patient's retina through a front objective lens. The lighting is located behind the objective lens, and the camera is not designed with a contact lens.
Contemporary retinal photography designs are capable of attaining better quality images and a wider field of view with less reflections than conventional slit lamp illumination. However, they remain limited by size, portability, poor illumination, and poor image contrast. Massie and Pomerantzeff produced devices which have no direct view through the lens that is available for the practitioner to directly visualize the retina (as both are intended for retinal photography) and are too large to be of practical use in clinical examination. Further, their complicated designs render them expensive to manufacture. Finally, they still suffer from problems with full and even illumination.
Providing the versatility and speed of clinical examination with the accuracy and clarity of retinal photography would provide greatly improved image quality, permitting significantly wider fields of view, better resolution of retinal detail for diagnosis, and safer surgical intervention to treat retinal disease.

Self-illuminated handheld lens for retinal examination and photography and related method thereof

University of Virginia Patent Foundation


A driving section is provided for a housing. A fan is rotated in the housing by the driving section. Saturated steam, which is supplied to the housing, is separated into a liquid component and a gas component by applying the centrifugal force to the saturated steam by the fan to make the saturated steam pass through a cylindrical separating wall. The liquid component is discharged from an outlet port of the housing by the separating wall and a shielding section. On the other hand, the gas component is discharged from a discharge port formed at an upper portion of the housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drain separator for separating a gas component and a liquid component from a mixture fluid containing a gas and a liquid.
2. Description of the Related Art
A gas/liquid separator (drain separator) has been hitherto known, in which, for example, a separator is applied to a steam-generating unit for generating steam containing water so that the gas-water mixture fluid generated by the steam-generating unit is separated into a gas component (steam) and a liquid component (water).
In the case of a steam-generating unit 2 shown in FIG. 6 to which a gas/liquid separator is applied, a revolving vane 4, which has a plurality of blades, is provided rotatably in a cylindrical gas-water ascending tube 3. A cylindrical water-falling barrel 5 is provided to cover the gas-water ascending tube 3 around the gas-water ascending tube 3. A space 6 is formed between the water-falling barrel 5 and the gas-water ascending tube 3. Further, a discharge port 7 for discharging separated water is formed on the lower side of the water-falling barrel 5.
When the gas-water mixture fluid is allowed to flow from the lower side to the upper side along the gas-water ascending tube 3, then the revolving vane 4 is rotated by a predetermined amount depending on the flow rate or the flow velocity of the gas-water mixture fluid, generating the swirl flow in the gas-water mixture fluid. Accordingly, the gas-water mixture fluid is separated into the steam and the water under the centrifuging action. The steam component is further moved upwardly from the gas-water ascending tube 3 to flow into an internal cylinder 9 via a cylindrical orifice 8. Hot water is pressed against the gas-water ascending tube 3, and flows downwardly via the space 6. Then, the hot water is returned to a water feed section of the steam-generating unit 2 via the discharge port 7 (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-141802).
The gas/liquid separator 1 is constructed such that the revolving vane 4 is rotated under the gas-water mixture fluid flowing through the gas-water ascending tube 3. Therefore, when the flow velocity or the flow rate of the gas-water mixture fluid is small, rotation of the revolving vane 4 is reduced, failing to rotate the revolving vane 4 desirably. Therefore, it is difficult to centrifuge steam and water contained in the gas-water mixture fluid under the rotating action of the revolving vane 4.
The following countermeasure is assumed to reliably separate the gas-water mixture fluid even when the flow rate or the flow velocity of the gas-water mixture fluid is small as described above. That is, for example, a gas/liquid separator, in which a driving source is provided to urge the rotational force on the revolving vane 4, is capable of separating the gas-water mixture fluid with the revolving vane 4 driven by the driving source.
As shown in FIG. 7, such a gas/liquid separator 10 includes an electric motor 12 arranged under a casing 11. A rotor 14, which is connected to a rotary shaft 13 of the electric motor 12, is rotated under the driving action of the electric motor 12. An internal fin 15 is provided in the rotor 14. A liquid discharge flow passage 16, through which the liquid separated from the gas-liquid mixture gas is to be discharged, is formed on the outer circumferential side of the internal fin 15. The rotor 14 has a gas-permeating film 18, through which only the gas is permeable, provided for a gas discharge passage 17 open toward the inner wall surface of the casing 11.
When the gas-liquid mixture gas is introduced from an inflow port tube 19 installed in the casing 11, and the electric motor 12 is driven, making the gas-liquid mixture gas flow while swirling in the casing 11 under the rotary action of the rotor 14, thereby centrifuging gas and liquid. The gas is discharged via the gas-permeating film 18 to the outside from a gas outlet tube 20 of the casing 11. The separated liquid flows radially outwardly in accordance with the centrifugal force, and then discharged via the liquid discharge flow passage 16 to the outside of the casing 11 (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-80114).
In the case of the conventional technique concerning Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-80114, the internal fin 15 and the liquid discharge flow passage 16 are integrally provided for the rotor 14 connected to the electric motor 12. Therefore, the electric motor 12 for rotating the rotor 14 may be large-sized, and the structure of the rotor 14 may be complicated, inadvantegeously.
Further, because the shape of the liquid discharge flow passage 16 is complicated, when the liquid separated from the gas-liquid mixture gas flows, clog-up tends to occur due to the dust or the like contained in the liquid. Further, when the clog-up occurs, the separation efficiency of the gas-liquid mixture gas is lowered.


A web services message broker architecture. In one embodiment, a system may include a server system and a plurality of applications, each configured to implement one or more enterprise functions and to execute on the server system. The system may further include a web services message broker configured to execute on the server system and to present a central web services interface to the plurality of applications, through which a given one of the plurality of applications is configured to communicate with a web service. In one specific implementation of the system, the web services message broker may be further configured to receive an incoming web service request and to convey the incoming web service request to one of the plurality of applications.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to computer systems and, more particularly, to web services communication among computer systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
As enterprises increase their use of information technology solutions to manage various enterprise functions, and with the promulgation of various Internet standards for communicating between computer systems, demand for techniques to facilitate the exchange of information and services across enterprises (or within large, decentralized enterprises) has also increased. For example, the World Wide Web (or simply, the web) has become a common portal for selling products and services to end consumers. However, in some early web-storefront implementations, only the order-entry process was automated by the web application; in some instances, web-entered orders were simply printed out while the order fulfillment process (including steps such as payment verification, order picking/supplier provisioning, and order delivery) was conducted manually.
Over time, as enterprises and their partners automated their business processes and increased their Internet presence, the possibility to extend such automation to interfaces between dissimilar applications or enterprises became realized. For example, a credit card provider may provide a facility whereby a merchant may submit an Internet request to validate a customer's payment information, such that the merchant may configure an order entry application to automatically verify customer payment information without manual intervention. Similarly, distributors, subcontractors, and other clients may provide ordering and fulfillment interfaces for computer-submitted requests to potentially allow for automation of all phases of a customer transaction, from order entry to fulfillment.
One common model for configuring application services to be accessed by requesting clients is the web services model, in which a client may be configured to request a web service by conveying a message or document including the details of the request to the web service, typically using a web protocol such as Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). Upon receiving the request, the web service may process the request (e.g., using one or more applications) and may return results to the client or carry out some other action. In typical web service implementations, a provider of a web service may indicate the availability of a given web service by publishing a description (using a protocol such as Web Services Description Language (WSDL), for example) of the web service in a directory (using a protocol such as Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI), for example). A client desiring to interact with a web service may use such directory and description information to locate the service.
Although the web services model of providing client access to application services is increasingly popular, conventional web services implementations may limit scalability and maintenance of applications. For example, in one conventional embodiment, each client application that desires access to web services must implement its own interface to access and coordinate communication with the desired services, such as by sending an outgoing message from the enterprise to a particular web service. In a complex enterprise where numerous applications are configured to generate outgoing messages to access web services, such an implementation may result in redundant development effort, as the necessary interfaces are coded into each application, as well as long-term scalability and maintenance issues arising from such a decentralized web services interface (such as modifying all applications if the web services interfaces change, for example).

Web services message broker architecture


A method for installing a fiberglass or stainless steel liner into a steel casing which results in a reduction of strain on the casing. Conventional means are used to place the liner into the casing and to fill the annular space with cement. Thereafter, maximum design operating pressure on the liner is maintained while the pressure on the annular space is reduced; maintenance of those pressures keep the liner in an expanded state while the grout cures. As a result, the liner shares the load with the casing; pressure from the fluids contained in the system during operation is not transferred to the casing through the grout until the liner's preset internal pressure is reached. The use of the method greatly reduces the possibility of flowline failure.

The invention relates to a method of installing liners in steel casings in order to increase the internal pressure containment capability of the flowline.
It is presently known to construct flowlines by installing thermoplastic liners in steel casings, or pipelines, in order to protect the casing from fluids being carried in the liner. Typically, the liner has a smaller outer diameter than the inside diameter of the casing, and the annular space between the two is filled with a solid material to protect the liner from any corrosion of the casing and to transfer stress through the solid material to the outside casing. One such method is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,662,045, filed by the present inventor, which describes a method of installing a liner in a field flowline.
Over the years, improvements have been directed at changes in grouting techniques in order to protect the integrity of the liner, as well as methods of bonding the liner to the grout. More recently, the liners used have been inflatable or expandable into a cylindrical configuration after insertion into the pipeline. The methods used must contend with the fact that stress relaxation of the liner (creep) can reduce the internal pressure containment of the system. At any rate, the liners presently used do not contribute to the internal pressure bearing capability of the flowline because of the high elasticity of the liner relative to the pipe (casing) and grout.
It would be desirable to build a flowline with a liner that actually increases the internal pressure containment capability of a flowline.

Method for maximizing the sharing of tensile load for cement-sheathed multi-wall pipe


Various aspects provide an implantable device. In various embodiments, the device comprises at least one port, where each port is adapted to connect a lead with an electrode to the device. The device further includes a stimulation platform, including a sensing circuit connected to the at least one port to sense an intrinsic cardiac signal and a stimulation circuit connected to the at least one port via a stimulation channel to deliver a stimulation signal through the stimulation channel to the electrode. The stimulation circuit is adapted to deliver stimulation signals through the stimulation channel for both neural stimulation therapy and CRM therapy. The sensing and stimulation circuits are adapted to perform CRM functions. The device further includes a controller connected to the sensing circuit and the stimulation circuit to control the neural stimulation therapy and the CRM therapy. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.

Implanting a chronic electrical stimulator, such as a cardiac stimulator, to deliver medical therapy(ies) is known. Examples of cardiac stimulators include implantable cardiac rhythm management (CRM) devices such as pacemakers, implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs), and implantable devices capable of performing pacing and defibrillating functions. Implantable CRM devices provide electrical stimulation to selected portions of the heart in order to treat disorders of cardiac rhythm, generally referred to herein as CRM functions/therapy. An implantable pacemaker, for example, is a CRM device that paces the heart with timed pacing pulses. The pacing pulses can be timed from other pacing pulses or sensed electrical activity. If functioning properly, the pacemaker makes up for the heart's inability to pace itself at an appropriate rhythm in order to meet metabolic demand by enforcing a minimum heart rate. Some CRM devices synchronize pacing pulses delivered to different areas of the heart in order to coordinate the contractions. Coordinated contractions allow the heart to pump efficiently while providing sufficient cardiac output. Clinical data has shown that cardiac resynchronization, achieved through synchronized biventricular pacing, results in a significant improvement in cardiac function. Cardiac resynchronization therapy improves cardiac function in heart failure patients.
Heart failure patients have reduced autonomic balance, which is associated with LV dysfunction and increased mortality. Modulation of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems has potential clinical benefit in preventing remodeling and death in heart failure and post-MI patients. Direct electrical stimulation can activate the baroreflex, inducing a reduction of sympathetic nerve activity and reducing blood pressure by decreasing vascular resistance. Sympathetic inhibition and parasympathetic activation have been associated with reduced arrhythmia vulnerability following a myocardial infarction, presumably by increasing collateral perfusion of the acutely ischemic myocardium and decreasing myocardial damage.

System to provide myocardial and neural stimulation


An amplifier having output switch circuitry is described. A sense resistor is operable to transmit an output current associated with the output switch circuitry. Low-voltage circuitry is operable to provide a drive signal to the output switch circuitry. Isolation circuitry is operable to provide DC isolation between the low-voltage circuitry and the output switch circuitry. Current sensing circuitry is directly connected to the sense resistor and is operable to sense the output current in the sense resistor and generate a fault signal in response to an overcurrent condition. The fault signal is characterized by a signal level which is compatible with the low-voltage circuitry without additional DC isolation.

The present invention relates generally to overcurrent protection, and more specifically to providing overcurrent protection in amplifier topologies which employ DC isolation.
DC isolation is employed in many amplifier topologies to separate relatively high power output stages from the relatively low power circuits which drive them. It is desirable to provide such isolation for a variety of reason, e.g., to reduce fabrication costs, especially in cases where the lower power circuits may be characterized by more than one signal or power supply level. Overcurrent protection schemes which are compatible with such isolation techniques are also desirable.

Overcurrent protection in amplifier topologies employing DC isolation


The present invention concerns a method for the detection of nucleic acids on an analytical element which contains a sample application zone and a detection zone, the analytical element enabling liquid transport from the sample application zone to the detection zone, wherein a sample is applied to the sample application zone of the analytical element and the nucleic acids contained in the sample are denatured and can be detected qualitatively in the detection zone by hybridization with a detection probe and also quantitatively, preferably by means of marker groups. In addition new analytical elements and reagent kits for the detection of nucleic acids are provided.

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 of German Application Ser. No. 199 56 820.0 filed Nov. 25, 1999.
The present invention concerns a method for the detection of nucleic acids on an analytical element which contains a sample application zone and a detection zone, the analytical element enabling liquid transport from the sample application zone to the detection zone, wherein a sample is applied to the sample application zone of the analytical element and the nucleic acids contained in the sample can be detected qualitatively in the detection zone by hybridization with a detection probe and also quantitatively, preferably by means of marker groups. In addition new analytical elements and reagent kits for the detection of nucleic acids are provided.
Nucleic acids such as amplification products from a PCR are currently detected for diagnostic applications by specific hybridization of the nucleic acid to be detected with a detection probe which is usually an oligonucleotide and a non-radioactive detection reaction using marker groups that can be present in the nucleic acids to be detected or/and in the detection probe. A variety of different methods can be used for this detection reaction. Thus the nucleic acids to be detected can be directly hybridized with a detection probe immobilized on a solid phase such as a microtitre plate (Amplicor Detection Kit, Roche Diagnostics, EP-A-0 420 260). Furthermore the nucleic acid to be detected can be pre-hybridized with a labelled detection probe and the complex that is formed in this process can be captured on a solid phase such as a microtitre plate (PCR-Detection Kit, Roche Diagnostics).
The use of test strips in diagnostic procedures has been known for a long period. Thus the detection of analytes using test strips is described in EP-B-0 186 799, EP-B-0 262 328 and EP-A-0 926 498 which primarily concern immunological test formats.
Jou et al. (Human Mutation 5 (1995), 86-93) describe a method for the detection of nucleic acids on chromatographic test strips in which hapten groups are introduced into the nucleic acid to be detected to enable an immunological immobilization of the nucleic acids to be detected on test strips by means of anti-hapten antibodies. Capture of nucleic acids to be detected by specific hybridization to immobilized detection probes on test strips is described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,650, EP-B-0 612 354 and Reinhartz et al. (Gene 13.6 (1993), 221-226) and Rule et al. (Clin. Chem. 42 (1996), 1206-1209).
However, the above-mentioned methods in which the detection of nucleic acids on test strips is described have a number of disadvantages. Thus the sensitivity decreases when the nucleic acid is immobilized by means of sandwich complexes. Increasing sensitivity for example by increasing the test volume is limited by the restricted incorporation of marker groups into the nucleic acids to be detected.
However, it is not possible to directly detect nucleic acids using the said methods. The complex between target nucleic acid and hybridization probe is firstly formed in a preliminary step. For this purpose the target nucleic acid is denatured (by heat treatment or by adding an alkaline solution), neutralized if necessary, the probe is added and hybridization conditions are set up. The actual detection on the test carrier can only occur after this preprocessing. Since this pre-processing involves the dosed addition of reagents and the use of apparatus e.g. heating devices, it is not possible to utilize the essential advantages of test strip-based methods such as low requirement for apparatus, simple handling, few operating steps and the ability to carry out the method by untrained persons. Furthermore these additional steps result in a risk of contamination which, in the case of detecting amplified nucleic acids, can lead to false-positive results.
Also in the case of methods which allow a direct hybridization of the nucleic acid to be detected to a hybridization probe on the analytical element, no sensitive test procedures are known in the prior art which do not require pre-processing of the nucleic acid to be detected so that in these procedures the nucleic acid cannot be detected directly or not be detected directly after an amplification process. In these procedures the target nucleic acid, which is usually present in a double-stranded form, is converted into a single-stranded conformation for the hybridization. Several methods have been described for this. Thus according to the well-known hybridization methods the nucleic acid is completely denatured, for example by heat treatment or by adding alkaline reagents, before it is applied to the analytical element. Enzymatic methods are also known which enable a specific digestion of one strand of the target nucleic acid.(Rule et al. Clinical Chemistry 42, page 1206-1209 (1996)).
Pre-processing can only be omitted when the target nucleic acids are already completely present as single strands. However, this usually already leads to difficulties when detecting ribosomal target nucleic acids because large regions of the native secondary structure of these single-stranded nucleic acids are in a double-stranded form (for example RRNA). A theoretical alternative would be amplification methods which allow a specific synthesis of only one nucleic acid strand. An example of this is asymmetric PCR. However, this method is considerably less efficient than conventional PCR methods due to the linear amplification, the sensitivity is severely limited and inadequate for the detection of analytes that are only present at a low concentration. Thus methods known in the prior art which allow a direct hybridization of the nucleic acid to be detected on the analytical element also have the same disadvantages that are found with the indirect detection methods.
A major advantage of the invention is that the previously described preprocessing of the nucleic acid to be detected can be omitted and that the nucleic acids can be applied directly to an analytical element or after an amplification process. The reagents on the analytical element that are preferably impregnated enable a complete or partial denaturation of the target nucleic acid on the analytical element which also enables hybridization of nucleic acids that are applied in a double-stranded conformation. The invention offers several possibilities for this. Thus denaturing reagents can be placed beforehand on the test carrier at a suitable concentration and preferably in a dry form in order to completely denature the nucleic acids. The target nucleic acid can be applied to the analytical element in a liquid form, for example contained in the PCR reaction solution.
After the reagents have been dissolved, the target nucleic acid is completely denatured. Since hybridization to the probe oligonucleotide cannot take place under these conditions, the chemical medium must be changed appropriately while the analyte is transported, preferably chromatographically, through the test carrier. This can on the one hand be achieved by suitable chromatography buffers or by reagents that have been placed downstream. Denaturation by means of a base and in particular NAOH and neutralization by means of an acid is preferred for this. Alternatively the chemical medium can be adjusted such that the double-stranded conformation of the target nucleic acid is destabilized (partially denatured) and hybridization to the probe oligonucleotide is enabled or facilitated. A change of the chemical medium during chromatography is unnecessary in this method variant. Preferred reagents for this embodiment are chaotropic salts and particularly preferably guanidinium thiocyanate (GuSCN).
In order to detect the target nucleic acids hybridized to the probe oligonucleotide, it is additionally necessary to label the complex. The marker groups can be incorporated into the amplified target nucleic acid by means of enzymatic incorporation during an optional amplification process that is carried out beforehand or be bound to the target nucleic acid by hybridizing an additional appropriately labelled probe oligonucleotide.
It was surprisingly found that when the method described above is used, target nucleic acids which are applied to the analytical element in a double-stranded form hybridize very effectively to the probe oligonucleotide despite the very short time that is available during chromatographic transport of the target nucleic acid over the analytical element and can be detected with high sensitivity.

Analytical element for species-specific detection of nucleic acids


A assembly includes at least a first and a second light emitting source for emission of light, and an air passage between the first and second light emitting sources to allow air flow therethrough for dissipation of heats generated by the light emitting sources.

A light emitting assembly generally has a large planar substrate or plate with a plurality of light emitting sources which are mounted on the plate and which generate heat when emitting light. It is often desirable to remove generated heat so as to lower the temperature of the light emitting sources and the plate for reasons such as maintaining the light emitting sources within their optimal thermal operating conditions.
FIG. 1 illustrates such a type of conventional light emitting assembly having a vertical plate 100 with a plurality of light emitting sources 101 thereon. Heat generated by the light emitting sources 101 is dissipated by air flowing from the bottom of plate 100 through the middle and towards the top of the plate as indicated by arrow 103. As the air flows upwards, it is gradually heated by the light emitting sources 101 and/or the plate 100 such that the air has a higher temperature when it reaches the top of the plate 100 than at the bottom. This will adversely affect the efficiency of heat dissipation at the top, and may not be desirable in many circumstances.
Furthermore, due to the relatively ineffective heat dissipation at the top of the plate, the top may have a higher temperature than the bottom. For certain types of light emitting sources, for example, light emitting diodes, a higher temperature may result in a lower light emission. As such, the light emitting assembly 100 may have uneven light emission distribution along its height, which is often not desirable.
Heat sinks or heat pipes are generally used in conventional light emitting assemblies for enhancement of heat dissipation. However, such an extra mechanism may make the light emitting assembly unnecessarily bulky and heavy and may increase the production costs.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a light emitting assembly, which overcomes at least some of the deficiencies exhibited by those of the prior art.

Light emitting assembly with heat dissipation structure

Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited


An adhesive attachment is provided for securely mounting an attachment component such as a threaded stud or the like on the surface of a selected substrate, wherein the adhesive attachment provides an electrically conductive ground path for grounding the attachment component and/or a selected structure mounted thereto to the substrate. In one preferred form, the attachment component is a threaded element such as a stud or nut. Upon mounting of the attachment component on the substrate and subsequent connection of the threaded element to a mating threaded member, e.g., of the selected structure to be mounted onto the attachment component, a conductive ground pin is pressed into electrical contact with the substrate for grounding the attachment component and/or the selected structure mounted thereto.

This invention relates generally to adhesive attachment assemblies or fixtures and related methods for securing an attachment component or the like to a supporting surface or substrate. More specifically, this invention relates to improvements in such adhesive attachment assemblies or fixtures, of the general type shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,302,492; 4,338,151; 4,390,576; 4,668,546; 4,778,702; 4,822,656; 4,842,912; 5,013,391; 5,704,747; 5,603,472; 6,727,466; and 6,773,780, and particularly with respect to providing a substrate ground path for electrically grounding the attachment component and/or a selected structure mounted thereto.
In many instances, it is necessary or desirable to mount an attachment component or element such as a patch, threaded screw, or other structure onto a supporting substrate. For example, it may necessary to apply a thin patch to the skin of an aircraft or to the hull of a boat to repair a hole therein. Alternately, it may be desirable to mount a threaded element, such as a threaded stud or nut, or other device onto a substrate without requiring a hole to be made in the substrate, and wherein the threaded element or the like is adapted for subsequent mounting of a selected structure such as a cable tie for supporting one or more conductive cables, or an electrical junction box, or the like. In many such cases, it is necessary for the attachment component to be located on the substrate with relatively high precision and further that a positive force be applied for urging or pressing the attachment component against the substrate for at least some minimum time period to allow, for example, curing of an adhesive bonding agent such as a curable epoxy or the like to achieve a substantially optimized and secure bond with the substrate.
Exemplary adhesive attachment assemblies and related attachment fixtures designed for quick and easy mounting of an attachment component on a substrate, while achieving a high bond strength, are shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,302,492; 4,338,151; 4,390,576; 4,668,546; 4,778,702; 4,822,656; 4,842,912; 5,013,391; 5,704,747; 5,603,472; 6,727,466; and 6,773,780, all of which are incorporated by reference herein. In such products, an attachment component is adhesively mounted directly onto the substrate, or otherwise carried by a support fixture that is adhesively mounted onto the substrate. In each configuration, the attachment component or the associated support fixture is inherently spaced from the surface of the substrate by a relatively thin film of adhesive bonding agent, wherein this bonding agent typically exhibits relatively nonconductive or dielectric properties. In other words, the adhesive bonding agent effectively insulates the attachment component or support fixture from electrical communication with the substrate.
In some applications, it is necessary or desirable to mount the attachment component and/or the associated support fixture in electrical conductive contact with the substrate. For example, some structures such as an electrical junction box or the like adapted for mounting onto the attachment component are designed to be electrically connected to a suitable ground point, such as by connection to the substrate which may be formed from or otherwise incorporate a conductive material. However, as noted above, the adhesive bonding agent effectively insulates the attachment component or related support fixture from the substrate. Accordingly, in the past when a grounded connection has been required, a metal attachment component has typically been welded to the substrate in lieu of using an adhesive bonded interface. Such welded attachments inherently require specialized equipment and trained personnel, and further require that the attachment component and substrate be constructed from weld-compatible metal materials. For some materials such as aluminum and composites of the type used widely in the aerospace industry, welding steps cannot be employed.
One potential solution to this problem comprises the use of an electrically conductive adhesive bonding agent formed by loading an otherwise substantially dielectric adhesive bonding agent with conductive particles, so that the attachment component and/or related support fixture can be adhesively mounted in electrically conductive relation to the substrate. However, conductive particle inclusions adversely and undesirably weaken the bond strength of the adhesive material. In addition, the current-carrying capacity of the conductive particle inclusions is insufficient for many applications, and further exhibits a tendency to deteriorate over time.
There exists, therefore, a significant need for improvements in and to adhesive attachment assemblies for adhesively mounting an attachment component or related support fixture onto a substrate, wherein the attachment component and/or support fixture and/or a selected structure mounted subsequently mounted thereto is electrically grounded to the substrate in a safe and effective manner. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.

Adhesive attachment with electrical ground


Certain amidophenyl-sulfanylamino-benzo[1,2,5]thiadiazole compounds are CCK2 modulators useful in the treatment of CCK2 mediated diseases.

This invention relates to gastrin and cholecystokinin (CCK) receptor ligands. The invention also relates to methods for preparing such ligands and to compounds that are useful intermediates in such methods. The invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such ligands and methods for preparing such pharmaceutical compositions.
The gastrins and cholecystokinins are structurally related neuropeptides that exist in gastrointestinal tissue, gastrinomas and, in the case of the cholecystokinins, the central nervous system (J. H. Walsh, Gastrointestinal Hormones, L. R. Johnson, ed., Raven Press, New York, 1994, p. 1).
Several forms of gastrin are found including 34-, 17- and 14-amino acid species with the minimum active fragment being the C-terminal tetrapeptide (TrpMetAspPhe-NH2), which is reported in the literature to have full pharmacological activity (H. J. Tracy and R. A. Gregory, Nature (London), 1964, 204:935–93S). Much effort has been devoted to the synthesis of analogs of this tetrapeptide (and the N-protected derivative Boc-TrpMetAspPhe-NH2) in an attempt to elucidate the relationship between structure and activity.
Natural cholecystokinin is a 33 amino acid peptide (CCK-33), the C-terminal 5 amino acids of which are identical to those of gastrin. Also found naturally is the C-terminal octapeptide (CCK-8) of CCK-33. A review of CCK receptors, ligands and the activities thereof may be found in P. de Tullio et al. (Exp. Opin. Invest. Drugs, 2000, 9(1):129–146).
Gastrin and cholecystokinin are key regulators of gastrointestinal function. In addition, cholecystokinin is a neurotransmitter in the brain. Gastrin is one of the three primary stimulants of gastric acid secretion. In addition to the acute stimulation of gastric acid, gastrin has a trophic effect on the gastrointestinal mucosa and is implicated as a trophic hormone of several adenocarcinomas, including pancreatic, colorectal, esophageal and small cell lung.
Cholecystokinin stimulates intestinal motility, gallbladder contraction and pancreatic enzyme secretion, and is known to have trophic actions on the pancreas thus increasing, inter alia, pancreatic enzyme production. Cholecystokinin also inhibits gastric emptying and has various effects in the central nervous system, including regulation of appetite and pain.
Gastrin acts on CCK2 (otherwise known as gastrin/CCK-B receptors) whereas cholecystokinin acts on both CCk2 and CCK1 receptors (otherwise known as cholecystokinin/CCK-A receptors). Compounds that bind to cholecystokinin and/or gastrin receptors are important because of their potential pharmaceutical use as antagonists of the natural peptides or mimetics of the natural peptides acting as partial or full agonists at the cholecystokinin and/or gastrin receptors. A selective gastrin receptor antagonist has not yet been marketed. However, several are currently undergoing clinical evaluation. JB95008 (gastrazole) is being developed by The James Black Foundation and Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development LLC for the potential treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer (pancreatic adenocarcinoma), and is currently in Phase II clinical trials. ML Laboratories and Panos are developing L-365,260 (Colycade), which is in Phase II clinical trials for pain. Other potential indications included eating disorders and cancer. YF-476 (formerly YM-220), under joint development by Yamanouchi and Ferring Research Institute, is in Phase I clinical trials for gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). In Phase I trials, Zeria Pharmaceutical is investigating Z-360, an orally available 1,5-benzodiazepine derivative (WO-09825911), as a potential treatment for gastroduodenal ulcers and reflux esophagitis. CR 2945. (itriglumide), an orally active anthranilic acid derivative, has been investigated by Rotta in Phase I trials for anxiety disorders, cancer (particularly colon cancer) and peptic ulcer.
Gastrimmune, Aphton Corporation's anti-gastrin vaccine, which works by chemical neutralization of the hormone, is undergoing late stage clinical trials for cancer indications, in particular, pancreatic and gastric tumors.
In addition to those indications described above, gastrin (CCK2) antagonists have been proposed for the following gastrin-related disorders: gastrointestinal ulcers, Barrett's esophagus, antral G cell hyperplasia, pernicious anaemia, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and other conditions in which lower gastrin activity or lower acid secretion is desirable.
Cholecystokinin (CCK1) receptors have been shown to mediate cholecystokinin-stimulated gallbladder contraction, pancreatic enzyme secretion, satiety, gastric emptying inhibition and regulation of peristalsis, indicating a key role in the integrated physiological gastrointestinal response to a meal. In addition, there is evidence that cholecystokinin receptors mediate a mitogenic action of cholecystokinin on some adenocarcinomas. Consequently, selective cholecystokinin receptor antagonists, for example, devazepide (Merck), lorglumide (Rotta), 2-NAP (JBF), dexloxiglumide (Rotta) and lintitript (Sanofi) have been examined in the clinic for potential applications in, inter alia, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic constipation, non-ulcer dyspepsia, acute and chronic pancreatitis, biliary disease and pancreatic cancer. Additional roles of cholecystokinin receptors include the regulation of appetite and metabolism, indicating potential therapeutic applications in the treatment of disorders such as obesity and anorexia nervosa. Other possible uses are in the potentiation of opiate (for example, morphine) analgesia and in the treatment of cancers, especially of the pancreas. Moreover, ligands for cholecystokinin/gastrin receptors in the brain have been claimed to possess anxiolytic activity, and gastrin receptor antagonists would be expected to act as neurological agents towards the relief of anxiety and related neuroses and psychoses.


The camera capable of displaying brightness distribution of the present invention is equipped with a photometric sensor which has a plurality of photoelectric conversion sub-elements which perform photometry on a plurality of regions into which the subject is divided, and a display device, having a plurality of display elements, which displays the brightness distribution over the subject as detected by the photometric sensor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera which is capable of performing photometry on a subject divided into a plurality of regions and of calculating an exposure value based upon the photometric outputs from these regions, and particularly relates to such a camera which is provided with a display device for displaying the brightness distribution over the subject.
2. Related Background Art
Recently more and more cameras have been produced which utilize a so called finely divided photometry method. With this finely divided photometry method, photometry is performed on a plurality of regions into which the subject is divided, and a photometric signal is obtained for each of these regions. For this method, the photometric conversion element constituting the photometric sensor is divided into a plurality of sub-elements which correspond to the above described plurality of regions. Through exposure calculation based upon the photometric output of the divided photometric elements, it is possible to perform photography of the principal object to be photographed with appropriate exposure settings, without the illumination level of the background exerting any effect.
With this type of finely divided photometry method, the greater is the number of sub-elements of the photometric sensor, the more finely can the brightness distribution over the principal object to be photographed and its surroundings be obtained. Accordingly the more accurately can the exposure value be determined. Therefore in recent years the number of sub-elements has increased steadily up to the range of several tens to several hundreds. For examples, reference may be made to Japanese Patent laid-open Application No. 4-215631 and U.S. patent Ser. No. 813,525.
Now, with a camera having a prior art finely divided photometry function as described above, the exposure value is calculated based upon the photometric values obtained for the various regions, and the result of the calculation is displayed upon a display device. However, such a display has not been extended so far as to show the results of the photometry performed for the various regions, i.e. the distribution of brightness over the subject. Therefore, there remains the inconvenience that the photographer cannot determine what are the brightness conditions in the various portions of the subject.
With a camera having a finely divided photometry function according to the prior art, normally the construction is such that the exposure amount is determined by supposing only the central portion of the various photometric regions into which the subject is divided to be the important region in which the object to be photographed is to be found. Accordingly, in the case when a photograph is to be taken with the object being positioned intentionally outside the central portion of the photographic frame, there has been the problem that photography has been performed without the intention of the photographer being reflected, and thus using an undesirable exposure value.

Camera capable of displaying brightness distribution