The image display device includes an image generating unit that emits first image light, a pupil expanding element that expands a diameter of a light flux included in the first image light from the image generating unit to obtain second image light, a first light condensing optical system that condenses the second image light and forms an intermediate image, and a second light condensing optical system that condenses light from the intermediate image and generates a virtual image on eye of a viewer, in a plane including at least the image generating unit, the pupil expanding element, and the eye of the viewer, a maximum emission angle of the first image light is smaller than a maximum viewing angle of the virtual image, and the diameter of the light flux included in the second image light is greater than that of a light flux included in the virtual image.

In recent, a wearable type display device such as a head mounted display has attracted attention. In such a head mounted display, a diameter of light flux included in image light at the time of being incident on pupils of a viewer, that is, in a case in which an exit pupil is smaller than a diameter of the pupil of the viewer, a position of the pupil of the viewer is required to be adjusted so as not to be deviated from the exit pupil, and thus usability thereof is very deteriorated. Here, a technique for expanding the exit pupil being formed by the image light using an optical element has been known (for example, refer to PTL 1). A function of expanding the exit pupil formed by such an image light is referred to as a pupil expanding function hereinafter.

Image display device having maximum emission angle of image light smaller than maximum viewing angle of virtual image


A musical box movement includes an auxiliary winder shaft which can be positioned centrally with respect to a musical box movement. In prior art arrangements, as the normal winder shaft has inherently to be off-set with respect to a mean or central axis of the assembled musical box movement, not feasible to certain design limitations are normally experienced, which embodiments of the invention overcome.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to musical box movements.
2. Description of Prior Art
Musical box movement comprise a spiked barrel that plucks resilient turned prongs as the barrel rotates to provide the specific chosen melodies. The barrel is driven by a spring and the musical box movement incorporates a rotational speed governor and usually a start/stop lever and so forth. Such musical box movements have been used and known for several decades at least, and the movements are quite often mounted in a container below a doll dancer for example that is also controlled using stored energy of the same spring. In any event, and traditionally, a spring housing is mounted adjacent one end of the barrel and the overall or outer dimensions of the spring housing and interconnected barrel determine the effective minimum size of any musical box that incorporates the movement.
The spring is wound up by rotation of a central shaft extending into the spring housing and inherently therefore the shaft is off-centre in relation to a centre of any minimum sized musical box. This leads to certain restrictions in design and some overall disadvantages.


A process is disclosed for the enantioselective hydrogenation of olefins of the formula: ##STR1## where R is hydrogen or C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 linear or branched alkyl, Z is ##STR2## where R' is hydrogen or C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 linear or branched alkyl, --CN, C(NH)OR" where R" is C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 linear or branched alkyl, or --C(O)NH.sub.2 ; and Ar is phenyl or naphthyl unsubstituted or substituted with benzoyl or substituted benzoyl, C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 linear or branched alkyl, C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 linear or branched alkoxy, halo, or carboxylic acid or C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 linear or branched alkyl ester thereof, which comprises contacting said aromatic-substituted olefin with a catalytically effective amount of a ruthenium phosphite complex.

Enantioselective catalysis using chiral metal complexes provides one of the most general and flexible methods for achieving asymmetric organic reactions. Metallic elements possess a variety of catalytic activities, and permutations of organic, ligands or other auxiliary groups directing the steric course of the reaction are practically unlimited. Efficient ligands must be endowed with, for example, suitable function-ality, an appropriate element of symmetry, substituents capable of differentiating space either electronically or sterically and skeletal rigidity or flexibility.
Among the asymmetric organic reactions catalyzed by chiral transition metal complexes, asymmetric hydrogenation has been one of the best studied, due in large part to the fact that it is the basis for the first commercialized catalytic asymmetric process. See, for example, ApSimon, et al., Tetrahedron, 1986, 42, 5157.
Some of the more interesting of the asymmetric hydrogenation catalysts are those derived from BINAP [2,2'-bis(diphenylphosphino)- 1,1'-binaphthyl]. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,691,037; 4,739,084; 4,739,085; and 4,766,227. Unlike the more classical models of chiral (asymmetric) molecules, chirality in the case of the BINAP compounds arises from the rings. Because of such restricted rotation, perpendicular restricted rotation about the simple bond joining the naphthalene rings. Because of such restricted rotation, perpendicular disymmetric planes result. Isomers arising from this type of asymmetry are termed atropisomers.
Cationic rhodium-BINAP complexes have been shown to catalyze the isomerization of allylamines to chiral enamines in 94-96% ee. Also, hydrogenations of geraniol and nerol (bisunsaturated alcohols) using rhodium-BINAP complexes produce products in about 50% ee's. The synthesis of BINAP derivatives bearing groups other than phenyl on phosphorus such as paramethylphenyl and cyclohexyl have also been prepared. Inoue, et al., Chem. Lett., 1985, 1007.
Studies on the mechanism of rhodium-phosphine catalyzed asymmetric reductions of .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated acids or esters bearing an .alpha.-acetamido group have shown that the reaction proceeds by the displacement of solvent by the unsaturated substrate forming a chelate complex in which the olefin and the carbonyl oxygen of the acetamido function are bound to the metal. See Halpern, J., Asymmetric Synthesis, Vol. 5, pp. 41-69, J. D. Morrison, Ed., Academic Press, Inc., 1985. Substrates lacking the .alpha.-acetamido group are reduced with far less stereoselectivity. .alpha.,.beta. and .beta.,.gamma.unsaturated amides similarly form complexes in which the olefin and carboxamide oxygen are bound to rhodium. These reactions proceed with high stereoselectivity. See Brown, et al, J. Org. Chem., 47, 2722 (1982) and Koenig, K. E., Asymmetric Synthesis, Vol. 5, pp. 71-101, J. D. Morrison, Ed., Academic Press, Inc., 1985.
The BINAP ruthenium complexes are dramatically different than the rhodium ones. They have been used to catalyze a variety of asymmetric hydrogenations, including the hydrogenation of enamides and alkyl and aryl-substituted acrylic acids. See Noyori, et al., Modern Synthetic Methods, 1989, 5, 115, incor- porated herein by reference.
However, unlike the rhodium catalyzed reductions, ruthenium (II) carboxylate complexes possessing the BINAP ligand are efficient catalysts for the enantioselective transformation of .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated carboxylic acids. Amide-bearing olefins as well as carboxylic acid esters are essentially unreactive with these catalysts. According to Ohta, et al, J. Org. Chem, 52, 3174 (1982), the carboxylate moiety, and not other oxygen containing groups, is responsible for the stereoselective reaction. Noncarboxylate-containing substrates are unaffected by ruthenium complexes in these asymmetric reductions.

Hydrogenation of aromatic-substituted olefins using organoruthenium catalyst


A flexible gear coupling includes two external gears and two internal gears meshing with the respective two external gears. A tooth root crowning radius of each external gear is smaller than a tooth tip crowning radius of the external gear. The external gear is formed such that a reference tooth height that is a tooth height at a tooth width direction middle position is smaller than an end tooth height that is a tooth height at a tooth width direction end position. A ratio of the end tooth height to the reference tooth height is set to 1.21 or more, and/or a ratio Rc/Rb of the tooth root crowning radius to the tooth tip crowning radius is set to 0.37 or less.

A power transmission device configured to transmit torque generated by a power source to a wheelset is mounted on a railcar bogie. For example, as in PTL 1, the power transmission device includes a flexible gear coupling. The flexible gear coupling transmit torque from a driving shaft to a driven shaft while allowing relative displacement between the driving shaft and the driven shaft by inclination displacement of a meshing portion where internal teeth of a sleeve and an external teeth of a hub mesh with each other (i.e., by a change in an inclination angle of an axis of the hub with respect to an axis of the sleeve).

Railcar flexible gear coupling and railcar bogie including same


The invention concerns an architectural cover for application to a roof or wall. In particular it concerns a rectangular architectural roof cover (or wall mounted shading device) that includes retractable and moveable louvres, comprising: A near end of the rectangle and a far end of the rectangle. Two spaced apart beams forming the left and right sides of the rectangle. A series of louvres spanning between the two beams. Wherein, the ends of each louvre are connected to a respective carriage. The carriages on one side are mounted to run to and fro along one of the beams, and the carriages on the other side are mounted to run to and fro along the other beam. A mechanism is provided to drive the distal carriage on each side to and fro to extend and retract the louvres.

Roofing systems are known that incorporate moveable louvres to enable the roof to be opened or closed. When the roof is open the louvres may be angled to allow a selected amount of sunlight to enter.
Wall mounted louvres acting as a shading device work in the same manner. Wall mounted louvres can be orientated either vertically or horizontally.


The present invention relates to absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins, panty liners, and incontinence pads. More particularly, the present invention relates to absorbent articles, such as sanitary napkins, that have undergarment covering components (or "side wrapping elements") that automatically wrap the sides of a wearer's panties and provide an alternative to conventional side flaps. The side wrapping elements have at least one zone of extensibility and at a region therein that is stiffer than the zone of extensibility.

Absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins, pantiliners, and incontinence pads are devices that are typically worn in the crotch region of an undergarment. These devices are designed to absorb and retain liquid and other discharges from the human body and to prevent body and clothing soiling. Sanitary napkins are a type of absorbent article worn by women in a pair of panties that is normally positioned between the wearer's legs, adjacent to the perineal area of the body. Sanitary napkins both with and without side flaps (or wings) are disclosed in the literature and are available in the marketplace.
Generally when sanitary napkins are provided with laps, the flaps extend laterally from a central absorbent means and are intended to be folded around the edges of the wearer's panties in the crotch region. Commonly, the flaps are provided with an attachment means for either affixing the flaps to the underside of the wearer's panties or to the opposing flap. The flaps are particularly effective for preventive exudates from soiling the edges of the wearer's panties.
Sanitary napkins having flaps of types are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,478, entitled "Shaped Sanitary Napkin With Flaps", which issued to Van Tilburg on Aug. 18, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,047, entitled "Sanitary Napkin Attachment Means", which issued to Mattingly on Aug. 26, 1986; U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,876, entitled "Sanitary Napkin", which issued to Van Tilburg on May 20, 1986 and its Reexamination Pat. No. B1 4,589,876, Certificate of Reexamination issued Apr. 27, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,343, entitled "Sanitary Napkin", which issued to McNair on Aug. 25, 1981; U.S. Pat. No. 3,397,697, entitled "Disposable Sanitary Shield For Undergarments", which issued to Rickard on Aug. 20, 1968; and, U.S. Pat. No. 2,787,271, entitled "Sanitary Napkin", which issued to Clark on Apr. 2, 1957.
While sanitary napkins having flaps are commonly viewed as providing better protection against soiling as compared to sanitary napkins without flaps, some women find applying sanitary napkins having flaps to be inconvenient for various reasons. For instance, some women find it to be difficult to attach the flaps to the underside of the crotch of their panties. This can be due to factors such as the tendency for the adhesive fasteners on the flaps to stick to themselves or to other parts of the sanitary napkin. As a result, some women still prefer a sanitary napkin without flaps. In addition, some women who generally prefer a sanitary napkin with flap, occasionally (such as during periods of light flow) prefer a sanitary napkin without flaps. Therefore, there is a need for a sanitary napkin which provides an alternative to sanitary napkins having conventional side flaps while still providing the protection of side flaps.
Several variations of sanitary napkins having conventional flaps that attempt to solve some, but not all of these problems are disclosed in the patent literature. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,701 issued to Mavinkurve discloses a sanitary napkin having elastic strands for providing a greater convex shape to the body-facing portion of the central absorbent and for enabling adhesive-free placement of the flaps of a winged napkin embodiment into a pair of panties. The sanitary napkin described in the Mavinkurve patent, however, still appears to require the user to manipulate the flaps (by first flipping the flaps upward and then placing the flaps in her panties and flipping the flaps back down) since the flaps appear to be pre-disposed to be in a downward folded condition. The Mavinkurve patent also requires that individual elastic strands be attached in a contracted condition to the central absorbent portion of the napkin and/or to its wings or flaps. The napkins described in the Mavinkurve patent can, therefore, be difficult and expensive to manufacture. U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,462 issued to Salerno discloses a sanitary napkin with longitudinally expandable flaps. The flaps are designed to fold over the exterior of the wearer's panty and then to expand to conform with the contour of the panties. The Salerno patent, however, appears to require conventional adhesive fasteners to retain the flaps in place on the underside of the wearer's panties.
Thus, a need exists for an absorbent article, such as a sanitary napkin, that is provided with an alternative to conventional flaps. In particular, a need exists for a sanitary napkin having an alternative to conventional flaps which provides the protection from soiling of conventional flaps and which can conveniently and efficiently solve the problems caused when attempting to attach conventional flaps to the underside of the wearer's panties.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an absorbent article, such as a sanitary napkin, that is able to provide coverage to the wearer's panties to reduce side soiling (i.e., staining of the edges of the panty crotch) without the use of conventional flaps.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an absorbent article, such as a sanitary napkin, that automatically wraps around the sides of the wearer's panties by the simple action of the wearer pulling up her panties.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an absorbent article, such as a sanitary napkin, that is able to wrap around the sides of the wearer's panties and stay without providing flaps having panty fasteners thereon, and without attaching separate elastic strands to the sanitary napkin.
These and other objects of the present invention will be more readily apparent when considered in reference to the following description and when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Absorbent articles having undergarment covering components with zones of extensibility


A switch-gear or control-gear system for medium or high voltage use includes an external housing containing the switch-gear or control-gear system, which is configured for unmanned operation and maintenance. The switch-gear or control-gear system is configured for unmanned operation and maintenance with a robotic system or manipulator and the robotic system or manipulator is provided with a camera system and an image recognition system. The robotic system is provided with a data network or an external data communication interface.

Normally, well known switch-gears or control-gears are provided with sensors, in order to have control elements and sensors, connected via local data networks or via browsers, for technical diagnostic and steering functions and or maintenance.
The scope of the inspection in switch-gear or control-gear with unmanned operation can be enhanced compared to the scope that is typically done by fixed sensors or manually on de-energized switch-gear or control-gear today. By enhancing the inspection scope periodic shutdown and testing of the switch-gear or control-gear and its components can be avoided.
Systems like that, only can send sensor data for technical diagnosis, but maintenance of actual technical problems cannot be activated.

Robot for unmanned operation and maintenance in an indoor medium or high voltage switch-gear station


A bracket that includes a main body portion having a first portion and a second portion that form a first angle therebetween. The first portion includes opposing front and rear surfaces and the second portion includes opposing upper and lower surfaces. The first portion includes a fastener opening defined therethrough, the second portion includes an insert feature extending from the lower surface, and the second portion includes at least one adhesive opening defined therethrough.

Components in aircraft interiors, such as shelving, access covers, small parts, stoppers/bumpers, monuments, panels, walls, bins and other parts within an aircraft include panels or other members that are secured together with fasteners, adhesives, brackets or the like. A need exists for an improved bracket for securing components to one another. For example, the present invention can be used to replace current L and T mortise and tenon bonded joints.


A photosensitive drum of an image forming apparatus includes a drum main body having a hollow shape, and a vibration damping body spaced from an inner wall of the drum main body, having a hollow shape, formed with a plurality of slits, and expanding and closely contacting the inner wall of the drum main body while the drum main body rotates.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a photosensitive drum of an image forming apparatus and method of damping vibration in the drum. More particularly, the present invention relates to a photosensitive drum of an image forming apparatus with a structurally improved vibration damper for damping vibration of the photosensitive drum and a method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus is used in a printer, a copier, a facsimile, each of which is provided with a photosensitive drum.
The photosensitive drum is composed of a cylindrical drum which is made of a conductive material and has an outer surface onto which a photoconductive material is coated. When a light source emits light with image information toward the photosensitive drum, the physical properties of the applied photoconductive material are changed. Thereby, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum.
The photosensitive drum resonates due to vibration from the gears of the motor rotating the photosensitive drum. The photosensitive drum is also vibrated due to friction when it contacts a cleaning blade which removes developer remaining on the photosensitive drum so a new electrostatic latent image can be formed.
The vibration of the photosensitive drum causes its rotation speed to fluctuate, so that the photosensitive drum cannot correctly receive the image information from the light source, thereby deteriorating the image quality.
Further, the vibration of the photosensitive drum is transferred to its neighboring units and casing, thereby causing unwanted noise.
To overcome the above problems caused by the vibration of the photosensitive drum, the prior art has proposed installing a vibration damper in the photosensitive drum to dampen the vibrations from the photosensitive drum. Such an example has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-235971 (entitled "PHOTOSENSITIVE DRUM AND METHOD OF DAMPING VIBRATION THEREOF"), the entire enclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
As for its configuration, a photosensitive drum is provided therein with a metallic cylinder. The metallic cylinder is at least partially surrounded by an elastic member on its outer circumferential surface. The elastic member on the outer circumferential surface of the metallic cylinder is brought into close contact with the vibration damper, which has a coating. The vibration damper is disposed in the cylinder to absorb the vibration of the photosensitive drum.
Another example has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 1993-188839 (entitled "IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS"), the entire enclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
As for its configuration, a core member is inserted in a photosensitive drum, wherein the core member is constructed by dispersing particles onto an elastic member. The dispersed particles are heavier than the elastic member. The elastic member is heavier than the photosensitive drum and has a predetermined hardness.
However, in the conventional vibration damping configurations disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 2001-235971 and 1993-188839, it is very troublesome to insert the vibration damper into the photosensitive drum, while in close contact with the interior of the photosensitive drum. Furthermore, when the photosensitive drum is relatively thin in thickness, there is a possibility of deforming the photosensitive drum.
Furthermore, such a photosensitive drum is expensive to manufacture and is difficult to disassemble after initially being assembled.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional configuration where a vibration damper is provided outside of the photosensitive drum.
Referring to FIG. 1, a wheel balance 5 is provided on a rotation shaft 3 of the photosensitive drum 1, wherein the wheel balance 5 is provided outside the photosensitive drum 1, takes a disc shape and has a diameter lager than that of the photosensitive drum 1.
In this manner, when the wheel balance 1 is provided outside the photosensitive drum 1, a separate additional space is needed for installation of the wheel balance 1. Further, its material cost is quite high.

Photosensitive drum of image forming apparatus and method of damping vibration in the drum


At least one generally box-shaped connector housing capable of being stacked upon similar housings, each of the connector housings having upper and lower walls. A combined-type connector having a plurality of such box-shaped connectors. Lance holes (retaining holes) for respectively retaining terminals inserted respectively in terminal receiving chambers in the connector housing are formed through the upper wall of each of the connector housings, and connecting hooks are formed on the lower wall of the connector housing, and are inserted and retained respectively in the lance holes, thereby connecting the upper and lower connector housings together.

This invention relates to a combined-type connector comprising a plurality of connector housings stacked one upon another and connected together.
FIG. 13 shows a combined-type connector disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. Hei. 5-53154. This combined-type connector comprises a plurality of generally box-shaped connector housings 1 stacked one upon another and connected together, each of the connector housings having upper and lower flat walls. Downwardly-extending engagement hooks 2 are formed respectively at lower edges of right and left side walls of each connector housing 1, and engagement portions 3 for retaining engagement with the associated engagement hooks 2 are formed respectively in outer surfaces of these right and left side walls by notching. The connector housings 1 are stacked one upon another, and in this condition the engagement hooks 2 of the upper one of any two adjacent connector housings 1 are retainingly engaged respectively in the engagement portions 3 of the lower connector housing 1, so that the adjacent connector housings 1 are fixedly combined together, thereby forming the combined-type connector.
In the above combined-type connector, the engagement hooks 2, as well as the engagement portions 3, are formed respectively at the right and left side walls of each connector housing 1 so that the connector housings can be connected together, and therefore a space for these portions must be provided at each of the right and left sides of the connector housing, so that the width of the connector could not be reduced.
Furthermore, in the case of a multi-pole connector in which many terminals are juxtaposed in a right-left direction, there has been encountered a problem that a central portion of the connector between the right and left sides is raised or bulged since the connector housings are connected together only at the right and left sides.


Methods for evaluating strain of crystalline structure are provided herein. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a method for evaluating strain of a crystalline structure includes directing an electron beam at the crystalline structure to produce an electron diffraction pattern including a reflection point area. The electron diffraction pattern is detected with a detector that includes a plurality of pixels to produce a raw data set. The raw data set is filtered by applying a mathematical median filter to produce a filtered data set, and a contrast of the filtered data set is enhanced to produce an enhanced data set. A center point of the reflection point area is determined with the enhanced data set, and the strain of the crystalline structure is determined based on analysis of the center point.

Semiconductor devices, such as metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) or simply field effect transistors (FETs) or MOS transistors, are the core building block of a vast majority of electronic devices. A FET includes source and drain regions between which a current can flow through a channel under the influence of a bias applied to a gate electrode that overlies the channel. The channel typically includes crystalline material, such as monocrystalline silicon. To increase carrier mobility, strain can be introduced into the channel region of the semiconductor device. In practice, it is desirable to accurately and precisely fabricate such semiconductor devices with a predetermined strain profile to thereby achieve devices having their intended performance characteristics and/or to improve production yield. However, the hardware tools and production processes used to fabricate such devices may exhibit performance and/or process variations. As a result, semiconductor devices may be fabricated with strain profiles that deviate from their intended strain values, which in turn can lead to performance issues and/or reduced production yield. Therefore, it is desirable to evaluate strain levels of crystalline structures within semiconductor devices.
One technique for evaluating the strain profiles of crystalline structures is transmission electron microscopy (TEM) nano-beam diffraction (NBD). TEM NBD is a microscopy technique in which a beam of electrons is transmitted through a thin sample, with the electrons interacting with the sample as the electrons pass through so as to produce an electron diffraction pattern with reflections that correspond to the crystal lattice structure of the sample including the lattice spacing. The position of reflections from a strained crystal lattice structure, such as strained crystalline silicon, is shifted with respect to that from an unstrained crystal lattice structure, e.g., unstrained crystalline silicon. Therefore, strain can be calculated by measuring the change of center positions of the reflections. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to identify precise center positions of reflections due to asymmetrical intensity profiles of the reflections as a result of strong dynamical diffraction effects, which can negatively impact the accuracy of the strain measurement(s).
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide methods for evaluating strain of crystalline structures including more precisely identifying the center positions of reflections of an electron diffraction pattern. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.

Methods for evaluating strain of crystalline devices


A graphical code reading apparatus is disclosed. The graphical code reading apparatus is able to read graphical codes on reflective and curved reflective surfaces. The graphical code reading apparatus includes a graphical code reader having an illumination source such as LEDs and a detector such as an imager. The graphical code reading apparatus also includes a light scattering chamber that is coupled to the graphical code reader. The light scattering chamber may have two openings, namely a first opening for receiving the graphical code reader and a second opening for placement adjacent the graphical code. The light scattering chamber may be tapered from the first opening toward the second opening. An interior surface of the light scattering chamber is capable of scattering light because it may be an irregularly uneven reflective surface. The light impinges the reflective surface at multiple angles of incidence upon exiting the light scattering chamber. The light scattering chamber may further be configured with a transmissive diffuser insert.

A machine-readable graphical code ("graphical code") is a graphical representation of information that consists of multiple graphical code elements having different light reflective or light emissive properties. Examples of different types of graphical codes include bar codes, data matrix codes, MaxiCodes, optical character recognition ("OCR") text, and so forth. Graphical codes have become widely used in many commercial environments, such as point-of-sale stations in retail stores and supermarkets, inventory and document tracking, and the like.
Devices for identifying or extracting information from graphical codes are generally referred to as graphical code readers. Image-based graphical code readers typically include one or more light sources for illuminating a graphical code. Light is reflected from the graphical code toward the graphical code reader. A lens within the graphical code reader focuses an image of the graphical code onto an image sensor over a period of time commonly referred to as an exposure period. Following the exposure period, pixels within the image sensor are read electronically to provide a two-dimensional array of image data corresponding to the graphical code. The image data is then multiplied by a gain. A decoder processes the gain-adjusted image data and extracts the information contained in the graphical code.
Different types of graphical codes include different types of graphical code elements. For example, bar codes include variable-width rectangular bars. Data matrix codes include square data modules. MaxiCodes include a central finder pattern and a grid of hexagons surrounding the central finder pattern.
Different types of graphical codes may vary in size. For example, bar codes are typically larger in size than data matrix codes. The graphical code elements within different types of graphical codes may also vary in size. For example, the variable-width rectangular bars in bar codes are typically larger than the square data modules in data matrix codes or the hexagons in MaxiCodes.
Two-dimensional graphical codes possess several advantages over one-dimensional graphical codes. For example, two-dimensional graphical codes are designed to store considerably more information than one-dimensional graphical codes. In addition, two-dimensional graphical codes are typically smaller than one-dimensional codes. Also, in some cases, two-dimensional graphical codes do not require a high level of print quality in order to be decoded.
One issue that arises in connection with reading both one-dimensional and two-dimensional graphical codes is the surface upon which the graphical code is placed or etched. Graphical codes are often placed onto reflective surfaces, such as on some medical instruments or automotive parts. Light incident on a reflective surface in a normal direction may be fully reflected since the surface acts similar to a mirror. Light incident on the data bars, square data modules or MaxiCode hexagons are also reflected with little attenuation. When light from a point source is reflected off of a highly reflective surface, the image sensor sees a "hot spot" or point on the surface that reflects the light from the source directly onto the imager. The hot spot has a tendency to make everything surrounding it seem very dark in contrast. This poses an image processing problem. Furthermore, the high reflectivity of both the surface and the graphical code may cause the image sensor to saturate and the graphical code information may be lost. The issues associated with graphical codes on reflective surfaces may be exacerbated when the surface is curved.
In view of the foregoing, benefits may be realized by improved illumination techniques used in conjunction with graphical code readers.

Graphical code reading apparatus for reading codes on reflective surfaces


Shifting prevention and sealing property between a boot for a constant velocity universal joint, having a thick portion on the inner peripheral surface of a large-diameter-side end portion and the outer peripheral surface of a tripod joint casing are enhanced, costs for preparing the casing are reduced, and the preparation is facilitated. One or a plurality of seal lips are disposed in the form of protrusions over the whole periphery in a peripheral direction of the inner peripheral surface of the large-diameter-side end portion of the boot for the tripod joint, into which the casing of the tripod joint is inserted, shift preventive walls are disposed on opposite sides of an axial direction via the seal lip, and inner diameters of the shift preventive walls are formed to be smaller than those of base portions of the seal lips. The shift preventive walls and the seal lips are disposed right under a band fastening portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to boots for protecting constant velocity universal joints disposed, for example, on a driving shaft (power transmission shaft) or the like which transmits a power to an axle hub from a differential gear of an automobile, particularly to a seal between an outer peripheral surface of an outer housing of a constant velocity universal joint and an inner peripheral surface of a large-diameter-side end portion of a boot fixed to the outer peripheral surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Constant velocity universal joints have been used, for example, in opposite end portions of a driving shaft for an automobile. Moreover, flexible boots which cover bent portions of the constant velocity universal joints are attached in order to seal grease for lubricating the constant velocity universal joints and prevent invasion of foreign matters such as dust and water from the outside. Large-diameter-side and small-diameter-side end portions of the boot are usually fastened and fixed to an outer peripheral surface of an outer housing (casing) of the constant velocity universal joint on a differential gear (differential) side or a hub side, and an outer peripheral surface of a drive shaft portion by bands, respectively.
In general, the casing whose outer peripheral surface has a simple cylindrical shape is used in the constant velocity universal joint on the hub side (outboard side).
In this case, the inner peripheral surface of the boot for the constant velocity universal joint, and the outer peripheral surface of the casing of the constant velocity universal joint are prevented from being shifted from each other, and are sealed, for example, by engagement of a protrusion protruded/disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the large-diameter-side end portion of the boot for the constant velocity universal joint with a peripheral groove disposed in the outer peripheral surface of the casing over a peripheral direction.
On the other hand, in the constant velocity universal joint on the differential side (inboard side), a tripod joint (triport joint) is generally used constituted by axially slidably disposing, for example, three sets of rollers on a shaft portion of the driving shaft in a trifurcated manner.
In order to achieve thinning and lightening, for example, three axial-direction grooves disposed in an axial direction of the outer peripheral surface are formed in the casing of the tripod joint in a scattered manner in the peripheral direction. In this case, for example, a thick portion whose shape viewed in the axial direction protrudes in a circular shape is formed in the inner peripheral surface of the large-diameter-side end portion of the boot for the constant velocity universal joint in such a manner as to be adapted to the groove surface of the axial-direction groove of the casing.
When the tripod joint is used in this manner, it is also considered that the outer peripheral surface of the casing and the inner peripheral surface of the boot are prevented from being shifted, and sealed by the engagement of the peripheral groove formed in the casing with the protrusion formed on the boot side in the same manner as in the outboard side.
However, when the groove of the peripheral direction is formed in the groove surface of the axial-direction groove in the casing outer peripheral surface, there is a problem that machining at the time of preparation of the casing becomes remarkably complicated and this increases costs.
To solve the problem, the following technical means for preventing the shifting and achieving the sealing on the differential side (inboard side) are known.
That is, a concave groove for fastening a band is disposed in the outer periphery of the large-diameter-side end portion, a plurality of circumferential seal lips are disposed on the large-diameter-side end portion inner periphery positioned right under the concave groove, the large-diameter-side end portion is fastened via fastening means such as a band from the outer peripheral side, and protruding end portions of the seal lips are pressed onto the outer peripheral surface of the casing to thereby achieve the sealing. Moreover, a shift preventive concave portion is disposed in a circumferential direction inside portions in which the seal lips are arranged in the axial direction of the boot, and a protruding portion to engage with the shift preventive portion is disposed on the outer peripheral surface end portion of the casing of the tripod joint to thereby prevent the shifting (e.g., FIG. 4, etc. of Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 62-16541, FIG. 1, etc. of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-202034).
However, these prior techniques have the following disadvantages.
{circle around (1)} Since the seal lips are disposed in positions deviating from the shift preventive portion in the axial direction, a boot volume is large, materials are wasted, and costs are raised. Moreover, an insertion property of the boot into the casing has been unsatisfactory.
{circle around (2)} Since the shift preventive portion is consciously disposed in a position deviating from a band fastening position in the axial direction, the shift toward the small-diameter-side end portion of the boot can be regulated, but a force for regulating the shift toward the large-diameter-side end portion is remarkably small.
Furthermore, the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-202034 also has the following disadvantages.
{circle around (3)} In a structure in which the bead (protruding portion) is disposed in the axial-direction groove of the outer peripheral surface of the casing of the tripod joint, and the concave portion to engage with the bead is disposed in the inner periphery of the large-diameter-side end portion of the boot, the insertion property of the boot into the casing is further deteriorated by the presence of the bead.
{circle around (4)} After forging, lathe working is not performed. Therefore, concentricity of a core of the attached boot with the driving shaft present in the casing is deteriorated, and boot lifetime is shortened in many cases.
{circle around (5)} Since the concave portion to engage with the bead is also disposed in the thick portion of the large-diameter-side end portion, the concave portion constitutes an undercut at a forming time, mold releasing has been difficult, and forming properties have been unsatisfactory.
{circle around (6)} Since the bead remains to be formed by forging, dimensional precision fluctuation is larger than that in the lathe working. Unless the concave portion on the boot side is provided with backlash, the portion falls on the bead. Even when the bands are fastened, the seal does not work in some cases.
The present invention has been developed in consideration of the problem of the conventional technique, and an object thereof is to prevent shifting and enhance sealing properties between a boot for a constant velocity universal joint, having a thick portion formed to protrude from the inner peripheral surface of a large-diameter-side end portion, and the outer peripheral surface of a tripod joint casing, further enhance insertion properties of the boot into the casing, and reduce costs of boot materials, so that cost reduction, casing preparing cost reduction, and manufacturing facilitation are achieved.

Boot for constant velocity universal joint


Concepts presented herein relate to an interface module that can be electrically coupled to an electrical stimulation generator, a radio frequency generator and an instrument. A selection module is coupled to the interface module and operates in a first mode to deliver electrical stimulation signals from the electrical stimulation generator to the instrument and in a second mode to deliver radio frequency signals from the radio frequency generator to the instrument.

Evoked potential (EP) monitoring assists a surgeon in locating nerves within an obscured surgical field, as well as preserving and assessing nerve function in real-time during surgery. To this end, evoked potential monitoring is commonly employed to capture responses resulting from stimulation of the tissue of interest (e.g., direct nerve, muscle, etc.). Evaluating the aforementioned EP responses allows for immediate assessment of the integrity of the electrical signal path through the tissue of interest. Electrical stimulation can cause excitement of the tissue. During electrical stimulation, a surgical probe applies a stimulus signal near the area where the subject tissue may be located. If the stimulation probe contacts or is reasonably near the tissue, the applied stimulus signal is transmitted to the tissue evoking a response. Excitation of the tissue generates an electrical impulse that is sensed by the recording electrodes (or other sensing device). The recording electrode(s) signal the sensed electrical impulse information to the surgeon for interpretation in the context of determining (EP) activity. For example, the EP activity can be displayed on a monitor and/or presented audibly.
Evoked potential monitoring is useful for a multitude of different surgical procedures or evaluations that involve or relate to nerve conduction. Evaluation of these nerves can assist in preservation of the intended electrophysical function during procedures where there exists a high probability of damage to these tissues. For example, various head and neck surgical procedures (e.g., parotidectomy and thyroidectomy) require locating and identifying cranial and peripheral motor nerves. In some instances, an electrosurgical unit is used during these surgical procedures. Current electrosurgical units include a conductive tip or needle that serves as one electrode in an electrical circuit which is completed via a grounding electrode coupled to the patient. Incision of tissue is accomplished by applying a source of electrical energy (most commonly, a radio-frequency generator) to the tip. Upon application of the tip to the tissue, a voltage gradient is created, thereby inducing current flow and related heat generation at the point of contact. With sufficiently high levels of electrical energy, the delivered energy is sufficient to cut the tissue and, advantageously, to simultaneously cauterize severed blood vessels.
Due to the levels of electrical energy generated by electrosurgical units, systems for evoked potential monitoring experience a large amount of electrical interference when used during electrosurgical procedures. The electrical interference can create a condition where signal levels are obscured. For example, during EP monitoring, electrosurgical activity can create artifacts (e.g., false positives) as well as introduce a significant amount of noise in the evoked potential monitoring system. As a result, current techniques involve using a probe to mute all channels of the evoked potential monitoring system during an electrosurgical procedure. Thus, monitoring of EP activity is typically suspended during operation of the electrosurgical unit. In order for a surgeon to prevent cutting a nerve with the electrosurgical unit, the surgeon will cut for a brief period and then stop cutting such that evoked potential monitoring can be restored. If no EP activity is detected, the surgeon can then cut for another brief period, while pausing intermittently to restore evoked potential monitoring so as to prevent from cutting a nerve. This process is repeated until the surgeon has completed the electrosurgical procedure. Without being able to monitor EP activity, there exists a higher probability of resulting impaired electrophysical function.

Interface module allowing delivery of tissue stimulation and electrosurgery through a common surgical instrument


An apparatus for transferring a supine patient to a prone position on a patient support structure, and for rotating such a prone patient between prone and supine positions without removing the patient from the patient support structure.

The present invention is directed to a patient positioning apparatus for positioning a patient on a patient support structure, such as a surgical table, for a medical procedure. In particular, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for performing a "sandwich and roll" procedure while transferring a patient in a supine position from a bed, gurney or trolley to a prone position on the surgical table.
Certain surgical procedures require changing a patient's body position during said procedure. For example, spinal surgery may require turning the patient over from a prone position to a supine position, and vice versa. When a standard surgical table is used, turning the patient over, or taking a radiograph, often requires transferring the patient between the surgical table and another support, and then back again. Such transfer procedures interrupt the surgical procedure, are cumbersome, and may compromise the surgical site.
Some modern surgical tables, such as modular, multi-articulated patient support systems, have been developed for supporting the patient in a variety of positions and for moving the patient's body in various ways during a surgical procedure, including articulating the patient at the hips, placing the patient in Trendelenburg and reverse-Trendelenburg positions, tilting the patient, and turning the patient over. Such patient support systems typically include a base with a pair of independently adjustable telescoping columns that are connected by and support an articulatable patient support or table top. The patient support may be raised and lowered, tilted and rotated about a longitudinal axis in horizontal and tilted orientations. During some surgeries, a traditional closed patient support is replaced with an open frame patient support that allows the patient's abdomen to depend therethrough.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,152,261 to Jackson, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, describes a closed frame modular, multi-articulated patient support system with independently adjustable head- and foot-end telescoping risers, which are connected by an adjustable cross-beam, and which support a patient support structure that may be raised, lowered and rotated about a longitudinal axis in various horizontal and tilted orientations. A secondary elevator enables lowering of the foot-end of the patient support to near the floor. A patient placed on the patient support can be rotated 180° after installation of a stationary riser and an imaging table that sandwiches the patient against the patient support.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,565,708 to Jackson, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, describes an infinitely adjustable open-frame patient support system, wherein the frame can be articulated near a middle thereof, as well as being raised, lowered and rotated about a longitudinal axis in various horizontal and tilted orientations. An imaging table may be attached to and spaced from the patient support, for turning the patient 180°, however, the distance between the patient support and the imaging table must be adjusted manually.
Prior to a surgical procedure, a patient is usually anaesthetized and then place of the patient support. Since the patient starts in a supine position on a gurney, also referred to as a trolley or a stretcher, and must be transferred to a prone position on an open frame support, such positioning procedures can be quite difficult. Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus for positioning a patient on a surgical table in the prone position.

Synchronized patient elevation and positioning apparatus for use with patient positioning support systems


The present invention describes polypeptides and anti-peptide antibodies capable of inhibiting serine protease enzymatic activity. In particular, polypeptides and anti-peptide antibodies derived from the blood coagulation serine proteases Factor VIIa, Factor IXa, Factor Xa, Factor XIa, thrombin and plasma kallikrein are described that are capable of inhibiting coagulation. The polypeptide and antibody are useful in methods and systems for inhibiting serine proteases, and particularly for inhibiting blood coagulation processes mediated by serine proteases in vitro or in a human patient.

Serine proteases are a class of proteins that proteolytically cleave other proteins. Members of this class of proteins contribute to important biological processes including the proteolytic cascade reactions of complement activation and blood coagulation.
Cleavage of a blood coagulation factor contributes to the coagulation cascade, resulting in blood coagulation. A variety of medical conditions can arise where it is advantageous to inhibit the coagulation cascade at the level of one or another proteolytic step. In addition, procedures involving blood product manipulation can activate members of the cascade, and therefore their specific inhibition is advantageous.
Protein C (PC) is a member of the class of vitamin K-dependent serine protease coagulation factors. Unlike the majority of coagulation factors, such as Factors VIIa, IXa, Xa, XIIa, thrombin, plasmin or plasma kallikrein which are procoagulants, Protein C regulates blood coagulation by acting as a natural anticoagulant that circulates in the blood in an inactive form that requires proteolytic activation to generate the anticoagulant enzyme. The activated form of Protein C, APC, inhibits blood coagulation at the levels of Factor V and VIII in the clotting cascade.
Similar to most other zymogens of extracellular proteases and the above recited blood coagulation factors, Protein C has the core structure of the chymotrypsin family having insertions and N-terminus extensions that enable regulation of the zymogen and the enzyme. See Owen W., in "Hemostasis and Thrombosis: Basic Principles and Clinical Practice", Colman et al., eds, pp. 235-241, J.B. Lippincott Co. (Philadelphia), 1987.
Protein C is composed of domains with discrete structure and function. See Foster et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 82:4673-4677 (1985) and Plutzky et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 83:546-550 (1986). The light chain contains an amino-terminal gamma-carboxyglutamic acid (Gla) region which is followed by two domains that are homologous to domains in the epidermal growth factor (EGF) precursor. The serine protease activity resides in the heavy chain. Ohlin et al., Biochem., 29:644-651 (1990).
The zymogen is activated by the action of thrombin at the site between the arginine residue at position number 12 and the leucine residue at position 13. See Kisiel, J. Clin. Invest., 64:761-769, (1976); Marlar et al., Blood, 59:1067-1072 (1982). Other proteins including Factor Xa (Haley et al., J. Biol. Chem., 264:16303-16310 (1989), Russell's viper venom and trypsin (Esmon et al., J. Biol. Chem., 251:2770-2776 (1976) have also been shown to enzymatically cleave inactive protein C to its activated form. Activated protein C hydrolyzes arginine esters and related substrates via a core triad of catalytic amino acid residues which occur at Ser-201, His-56, and Asp-102 of the heavy chain. The triad forms a hydrophobic substrate binding pocket. The enzyme's specificity is restricted to a small number of protein substrates; blood coagulation cofactors, activated Factors V and VIII, are the only known macromolecular substrates for the proteolytic inactivation by activated protein C. See Kisiel et al., Biochem., 16:5824-5831 (1977); Vehar et al., Biochem., 19:401-410 (1980); and Walker et al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta., 571:333-342 (1979).
Thrombin, the major physiological protein C activator, activates protein C slowly in purified systems, plasma, or blood, when in the presence of physiological concentrations of calcium. A membrane-bound thrombin receptor called thrombomodulin has been identified which accelerates protein C activation. Esmon et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 78:2249-2252 (1981). Liberated thrombin binds to thrombomodulin on the luminal surface of endothelial cells and undergoes an increase in specificity for circulating protein C. Calcium is required for this process and is bound to calcium-binding domains in the EGF-like regions of protein C. Additional studies have revealed that the membrane-lipid domain of protein C, the vitamin-K dependent Gla domain, is also required for activation of protein C. Esmon et al., in "Progress in Vascular Biology, Hemostasis, and Thrombosis", Ruggeri et al., eds., Annals of The New York Academy of Sciences, Vol. 614:30-43 (1991).
Inhibitors of members of the coagulation serine proteases have been described. For example, a region of Factor VIIa comprising residues 285 to 305 was reported to inhibit the Factor VIIa-tissue factor mediated conversion of Factor X to Factor Xa. Kumar et al, J. Biol. Chem., 266:915-921 (1991). In addition, a synthetic polypeptide corresponding to the region of prothrombin at residues 467 to 478 was reported to inhibit binding of thrombin to thrombomodulin and to inhibit thrombin induced clotting of fibrinogen. Suzuki et al, Blood, 77:317-323 (1991).

Method for detecting the presence of protein C antibody in a fluid sample


The invention relates to an oral polymeric pharmaceutical dosage form which comprises a thermoresponsive eutectic composition which is solid at or about room temperature and fluid at or about body temperature, the eutectic composition mixed together with a crosslinking agent and an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) to form an API loaded region; and a porous polymeric composition at least partially surrounding the API loaded region to protect the API when the dosage form is in a stomach of the human or animal body, the porous polymeric composition allowing the ingress of water to contact the crosslinking agent thereby facilitating the crosslinking agent to cause crosslinking of the porous polymeric composition, which crosslinked porous polymeric composition allows controlled egress of API via egress of fluid thermoresponsive eutectic composition at the intestine. In a preferred embodiment, the dosage form further comprises a coating there around.

The oral delivery of drugs, particularly tablets, is considered one of the most common and widely used routes of drug administration and accounts for approximately 50% of all dosage forms on the market (Oh et al., 2012). Oral tablets are a safe and cost-effective drug delivery system that provides good physical and chemical stability, high level of patient acceptability and ease of accurate dosing (Al-Hilal et al., 2012). Despite its many advantages, oral drug delivery can be particularly challenging when considering the challenges of enzymatic degradation within the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), low membrane permeability and limited absorption into the systemic circulation, particularly with respect to the delivery of gastro-sensitive biotech drug molecules such as proteins and/or peptides (Marques et al., 2011). Protein and/or peptide degradation is particularly evident in the stomach. Biotech drug molecules are unlike conventional medicines in that they are biopharmaceutical agents such as proteins and peptides that are produced using biotechnology (Schellack, 2010). Owing to their complexity and instability, biotech drug molecules are primarily administered intravenously, subcutaneously or intramuscularly as oral routes of administration may result in its degradation in the GIT (O'Connor, 2009). Patient compliance is another hurdle in parenteral therapy due to many factors influencing side effects and experienced during therapy. Subcutaneous application via intramuscular injection is commonly associated with multiple problems including pain, allergic reactions, poor patient compliance and increased chance of infection.
Therapeutic proteins and/or peptides have gained increased popularity, owing to advances in biotechnology that enables them to be the molecules of choice for multiple disease conditions (Chin et al., 2012; Park et al., 2011). The high specificity and activity of proteins and peptides make them applicable for targeted delivery in clinical practice (Brayden and O'Mahony, 1998; Chin et al, 2012; Park et al., 2011). The recent 2013 Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) report on "Biologic Medicines in Development" identified over 900 protein and peptide-based medicines in development, targeting more than 100 diseases, of which 353 for cancer and related conditions, 187 for infectious diseases, 69 for autoimmune diseases and 59 for cardiovascular diseases. This significantly increased the demand and focus toward achieving effective and simple routes of delivering proteins and/or peptides via the oral route.
Proteins possess a high susceptibility to proteolytic enzymes which are present at various regions along the GIT (Zhou, 1994). The acidic nature of the gastric media results in denaturation and degradation of protein molecules through acquisition of similar charges causing internal repulsion or loss of attractive forces that previously held the protein molecule together (Cantor, 1994). Moreover, enzyme activity assists in the hydrolytic, irreversible cleavage of proteins and peptides into amino acids and small, absorbable oligopeptides (Fei et al., 1994; Zhou, 1994). Chemical digestion of proteins in the stomach is also triggered by pepsin with minimal absorption due to the small surface area and non-absorptive nature of the epithelium (Lee, 2002). The majority of the absorption occurs within the small intestine, however, pancreatic and brush-border enzymes such as trypsin, chymotrypsin, exopeptidases and endopeptidases contribute to the breakdown of proteins and peptides into non-essential amino acids (Lee, 2002; Zhou, 1994). In addition, cytochrome P450 facilitated metabolism of drug substances and p-glycoprotein-mediated efflux of drug molecules from inside the cell back into the intestinal lumen account for the reduced absorption and low oral bioavailability of proteins and peptides (Liu et al., 2009).
Although significant progress has been made toward the development of oral delivery systems for proteins and peptides, the field is limited by the GIT barrier which acts as a physical and chemical impediment towards achieving successful oral delivery (Camenich et al., 1998; Donovan et al., 1990; Park et al., 2011). Pharmaceutical technologies and approaches targeting the complications in the oral delivery of proteins and peptides, although useful in some instances, nevertheless hold limitations that enable optimal delivery (Park et al., 2011). Consequently, advancements towards successful oral delivery of proteins and peptides through protection and increased absorption remains an active area of research.
Often, pharmaceutical dosage forms react negatively to the varying pH in the different parts of the GIT and/or to being exposed to body temperature causing unwanted side reactions that hinder the dosage form and/or the drug active from functioning as envisioned. For example, such side reactions may negatively impact on the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API).
There exists a need for pharmaceutical dosage forms that are effective in delivering GIT sensitive APIs to specific target sites within the GIT, typically the intestine.
Particularly, there exists a need for pharmaceutical dosage forms that are effective in delivering proteins and/or peptides by at least one of the following—being able to traverse the stomach without degradation of the protein and/or peptide active; delivering said protein and/or peptide to a specific site within the GIT; facilitating absorption of said protein and/or peptide into the blood stream at the specific site; not undergoing unwanted side reactions, and by being able to deliver said protein and/or peptide in a controlled manner at the specific site.

Oral pharmaceutical dosage form for the delivery of a peptide and/or protein

UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, JOHANNESBURG


According to one aspect of the present invention, antennas or antenna nodes spaced away from each other by a predetermined distance or more are configured to be able to transmit control information of mutually different user equipment groups, thereby increasing the efficiency in the operation of control channels. In addition, according to another aspect of the present invention, a resource region for transmitting control information for an improved user equipment, which is a target of a multi-node cooperative transmission, is set differently from a resource region for transmitting control information for a legacy user equipment, thereby increasing the efficiency in the transmission of the control information for the improved user equipment.

With development of the information industry, a technology that is capable of transmitting various large amounts of data at high speed has been required. To this end, research has been conducted into a multi-node or multi-cell coordinated transmission method that simultaneously performs communication at multiple nodes using the same resource. In the multi-node or multi-cell coordinated transmission method, the respective nodes perform coordinated transmission, thereby providing higher performance than when signals are transmitted without coordination.
A multi-node system supporting multi-node coordinated communication uses a plurality of nodes, each of which operates as a base station, an access point, an antenna, an antenna group, or a radio remote header (RRH). The nodes may be managed by a base station or a base station controller which controls operations of the nodes or performs scheduling. In the multi-node system, distributed nodes are connected to a base station or a base station controller, which manages a plurality of nodes spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance or more in a cell, through a cable or a dedicated line. The multi-node system may be considered as a kind of Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) system in that distributed nodes can support a single user equipment or multiple user equipments by simultaneously transmitting and receiving different data streams. In terms of the MIMO system, the multi-node system transmits signals using nodes distributed at various positions. Consequently, a transmission area covered by each antenna is reduced as compared with a centralized antenna system (CAS), and therefore, transmit power can be reduced. In addition, the transmission distance between an antenna and a user equipment is reduced, resulting in a decrease in path loss and enabling data transmission at high speed. This can improve transmission capacity and power efficiency of a cellular system and satisfy communication performance of relatively uniform quality regardless of user locations in a cell. Furthermore, a base station(s) or a base station controller(s) connected to a plurality of distributed nodes cooperate with each other in the multi-node system, and therefore, signal loss is reduced, and correlation and interference between antennas and reduced. According to the multi-node coordinated transmission method, therefore, it is possible to obtain a high signal to interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR).
Consequently, the multi-node coordinated transmission method may be used with or replace the conventional centralized antenna system (CAS) to become a new foundation of cellular communications in order to reduce base station installation cost and backhaul network maintenance cost and, at the same time, to extend service coverage and to improve channel capacity and SINR in a next-generation mobile communication system.
In terms of a standard, MIMO transmission must also be achieved in a multi-node system in order to secure high data capacity required by current and future communication standards. Actually, IEEE 802 and 3GPP, two large standardization organizations, are essentially considering MIMO transmission in a process of discussing a communication standard technology. However, the current communication standards have been designed in consideration of only a CAS. As a result, it is difficult to apply an advanced technology, such as an MIMO technology, to the multi-node system. For development of a future communication system, therefore, it is necessary to establish a communication standard supporting the multi-node system.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for transmitting control information and base station, and method for receiving control information and user equipment


In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a modular electronic musical keyboard instrument, comprising: an array of separate keyboard segments (30, 32), each comprising a piano keyboard (20) in a range of one octave; a control system, for converting a keystroke of each key in the array of keyboard segments to a note sound in a level corresponding to the order of the key in the array of keyboard segments; octave order setting means (22), for determining to the control system the order of each keyboard segment in the array of keyboard segments; communication means of each of the keyboard segments with the control system; and connection means (12, 14) with another keyboard segment.

A musical keyboard is a set of adjacent depressible levers or keys on a musical instrument, particularly the piano. Keyboards typically contain keys for playing the twelve notes of the Western musical scale. Depressing a key on the keyboard causes the instrument to produce sounds, either by mechanically striking a string or tine (piano, electric piano, clavichord); plucking a string (harpsichord); causing air to flow through a pipe (organ); or striking a bell (carillon).
On electric and electronic musical keyboard instruments, depressing a key connects a circuit (Hammond organ, digital piano, and synthesizer). Since the most commonly encountered keyboard instrument is the piano, the keyboard layout is often referred to as the "piano keyboard". (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
The octave range of a musical keyboard instrument is limited to the size designed by its manufacturer. As such, the octave range of the current musical keyboard instruments is a result of commercial considerations, which may not suit the special needs of an individual. For example, while an amateur user may need a synthesizer in a range of three octaves, a professional user may need a synthesizer of six octaves.
But beyond the musical preferences of octaves range, the type of music also dictates needs of the octave range, and furthermore, the portability of the synthesizer may be a point of consideration to some users.
As such, there is a long felt need for a modular electronic musical keyboard instrument with an octave range which may be adapted to the needs of an individual user.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a modular synthesizer that can be adapted to the needs of a user as per the octave range, dimensions and weight.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Modular electronic musical keyboard instrument


After-transfer remaining toner is reversely transferred from a transfer member to an image carrier. A toner collecting/charging device for temporarily collecting and charging the after-transfer remaining toner remaining on the transfer member includes a toner collecting/charging roller which is provided in such proximity to the transfer member as not to make contact with a primarily transferred toner image, and which has a collecting function of temporarily collecting the after-transfer remaining toner and a charging function of charging the after-transfer remaining toner to a specified polarity, power supplies which are so connected that a voltage in which an AC voltage is superimposed on a DC voltage is applied to the toner collecting/charging roller, and a selector switch for changing a waveform of the AC voltage so that the toner collecting/charging roller is switched between a toner-collecting mode and a toner-releasing mode.

The present invention relates to a developer (developing agent) collecting/charging device to be used in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses such as printers, copiers and facsimiles, as well as to an image forming apparatus and a cleaning method using a developer collecting/charging member.
Conventionally, there have been known so-called 4-cycle full-color image forming apparatuses. Such an image forming apparatus includes a developing unit holding four developing devices corresponding to toners of four colors, yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C) and black (K). With this developing unit rotated so that a developing device is moved to a development position facing an image carrier, an electrostatic latent image on the image carrier is developed by a first-color toner fed from the developing device, by which a toner image is formed on the image carrier. Then, the first-color toner image formed on the image carrier is primarily transferred onto a transfer belt as an example of a transfer member.
Upon termination of the toner image formation on the image carrier with the first-color toner, the developing unit is rotated so that a second-color developing device is moved to the development position, and a second-color toner image is formed on the image carrier by the toner fed from this developing device. Then, the second-color toner image is primarily transferred so as to be superimposed on the first-color toner image on the transfer belt.
Such an image formation process is performed also for the third- and fourth-color toners in succession so that the toner images are primarily transferred successively in superimposition on the first- and second-color toner images on the transfer belt.
A toner image composed of four-color toners, which has been formed in the way described above, is secondarily transferred onto a sheet of paper as a recording medium. The sheet on which the toner image has been secondarily transferred passes through a fixing member so as to have the toner image heated and fixed thereon, thereafter being discharged outside the apparatus. Thus, output of a full-color image is completed.
Provided that such a four-cycle image forming apparatus as described above includes a cleaning device which is provided therein so as to be movable into and out of contact with the transfer belt, the cleaning device that has withdrawn at a position away from the transfer belt during an image formation process is moved to a position where the cleaning device comes into contact with the transfer belt after the secondary transfer, by which toner remaining on the transfer belt after the secondary transfer is collected and cleaned by the cleaning device.
However, providing such a cleaning device for the transfer belt as described above would involve an additional need for a contact-and-separation drive mechanism, which would be an obstacle to the attainment of scale-down and cost reduction of the 4-cycle image forming apparatus.
JP H10-49023 A and JP 3733249 A disclose 4-cycle image forming apparatuses in which after-transfer remaining toner remaining on the transfer belt after the secondary transfer is reversely transferred onto the image carrier so as to be collected. In this case, with a view to facilitating the reverse transfer of the after-transfer remaining toner from the transfer belt to the image carrier, a voltage in which an AC voltage is superimposed on a DC voltage is applied to the after-transfer remaining toner by a charging roller so that the after-transfer remaining toner is uniformly charged to a polarity reverse to a normal polarity.
However, since the charging roller described in JP H10-49023 A and JP 3733249 A is located in such close proximity as to make contact with the transfer belt, the transfer belt may come into contact with, and disturb, the four-color toner image that is transferred one after another by four rotations of the transfer belt during the formation of a color image. For avoidance of this, the charging roller inevitably needs to be kept at a position withdrawn away from the transfer belt during the image formation, making it necessary to provide a contact-and-separation drive mechanism for the charging roller.
With the after-transfer remaining toner left in a large quantity, there are some cases where part of the after-transfer remaining toner is not charged to a polarity reverse to a normal polarity even if a voltage in which an AC voltage is superimposed on a DC voltage is applied by the charging roller. As a result, the after-transfer remaining toner that remains at the normal polarity is not reversely transferred to the image carrier, being uncollected, and could adversely affect the following image formation.

Developer collecting/charging device, image forming apparatus and cleaning method

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


An inverter circuit for providing an AC driver voltage for a capacitive load from a DC input voltage. The circuit uses a pair of balanced transistors supplying a split primary winding of a transformer, a feedback winding thereof being coupled thereto to supply a feedback signal to the transistor inputs. Resistors are used to optimize inverter efficiency by adjusting transformer saturation and the DC bias of the drive transistors. A capacitor is connected across the two primaries to provide harmonic suppression an aid in starting the inverter. A second capacitor, connected from base to collector of the transistors opposite the transistor with DC bias being introduced, provides suppression of undesirable high frequencies which will occur if this capacitor is not present. The AC output is supplied from the secondary winding of the transformer.

Inverter circuits for converting DC voltages into AC driver voltages for driving essentially capacitive loads, such as electroluminescent lamp devices, for example, normally utilize single-ended output driver circuits which are relatively inefficient, i.e., they provide a relatively low output to input power ratio and produce relatively low power sufficient to produce luminescence only over a relatively small area of luminosity.
Capacitive loads have a low power-factor, that is, the voltage and current are out of phase by a phase angle approaching 90 degrees. Conventional internally excited inverters, used to drive capacitive loads in a continuous manner, suffer from the fact that the transformer drive circuit therein usually attempts to drive a low power factor, e.g., capacitive, load with drive circuitry that is optimized for resistive loads, which have a power factor essentially equal to one and in which the voltage and current are in phase. This mismatch between the drive circuit and load results from the fact that the transformer can only present feedback at a phase angle of 0.degree. or 180.degree. with respect to the primary excitation. If the feedback transformer winding is then used to drive the transformer power drive circuitry, high peak currents occur in the transformer so as to cause a saturation thereof. The high peak currents provide no useful output because the transformer, being saturated at this time, can couple no additional power to the output.
Attempts at controlling such transformer saturation have conventionally been made by simply limiting the drive to a single sided drive transistor. Because the single sided driver doesn't control the transformer saturation over an entire cycle, however, the fundamental frequency, drive waveform is distorted, thereby producing harmonic output signals having frequencies higher than the desired drive fundamental frequency, and the overall efficiency is reduced. The distortion of the drive waveform causes a even further penalty when used for driving electroluminescent lamps. Because of the physical construction of electroluminescent lamps, frequencies higher than the desired drive frequency result in unwanted losses due to heating and premature aging or deterioration of the lamps.
Inverters used in power supply applications, or inverters that use single-ended switching devices, such as diodes or transistors, at their outputs effectively disconnect the output during one-half of each cycle. The resulting waveform is non-sinusoidal and contains high frequency harmonics that are not only not usable but are detrimental to an electroluminescent lamp, as mentioned above. Inverters for this type of application attempt to fully saturate the transformer so that, by doing so, the linear losses associated with the switching devices are reduced. Because an electroluminescent lamp cannot use the harmonic components that are generated in a fully saturated switching device, this type of inverter does not provide optimally effective operation for use as an electroluminescent lamp driver circuit. DC to AC converters that work into resistive loads can function at relative high efficiencies because resistive loads can utilize the harmonic content as usable power. When such converters are used with capacitive type loads, which operate in response to a single fundamental frequency, such as in light emitting devices, particularly of the electroluminescent type, the efficiency thereof is reduced.
Inverter driver circuits having double-ended outputs, i.e., ones using a dual driver circuitry, have been proposed for use with electroluminescent devices. One such circuit is made by Hero Electronics, Ltd. of Bedfordshire, England, in their Model D10542 inverter device. Such driver circuitry uses a relatively standard dual transistor drive circuit supplied from a DC voltage source which circuit requires a specially designed transformer that does not use standard laminations and bobbins. While the transformer secondary output winding provides an AC output driver voltage, the circuitry has a relatively low efficiency and produces a driver voltage for providing luminescence only over a relatively small area, e.g., less than 10 square inches.
The principal drawback to such a circuit is that no means is provided to control the saturation of the output transformer. Therefore, when the inverter attempts to provide power to an electroluminescent lamp, the drive signal is starting when the transformer is already saturated. Further, such circuitry, as in conventional single-ended circuits used for such purpose, is subject to high current surges which undesirably saturate the transformer windings, the circuit also being subject to producing undesirable high frequency oscillations superimposed on the output driver signal. Moreover, when the load of the electroluminescent device is removed, a sufficiently high current surge may occur as to adversely affect, or damage, the circuit.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide inverter driver circuitry for electroluminescent devices which uses relatively few components to achieve cost reductions, has improved efficiency and sufficient power to provide luminescence for areas as high as 80-100 square inches, or more, for example, and uses a conventional output transformer configuration having standard laminations and bobbins. Such circuitry should be designed so as to provide better efficiency and to avoid the generation of undesired high frequency oscillations.

Internally excited, controlled transformer saturation, inverter circuitry


An unmanned aerial vehicle manages storage of data and transfer between other connected devices. The unmanned aerial vehicle captures sensor data from sensors on the unmanned aerial vehicle. The unmanned aerial vehicle transfers the captured sensor data from the unmanned aerial vehicle to a remote controller via a wireless interface. The captured data may be transferred via a TCP link, a UDP link, or a combination thereof. If a loss of link is detected, the captured sensor data is stored to a buffer and a battery level of the unmanned aerial vehicle and a flight status of the unmanned aerial vehicle is monitored. The stored sensor data is transferred from the buffer to a non-volatile storage responsive to the battery level dropping below a predefined threshold or detecting that the unmanned aerial vehicle is stationary and a shutdown may be imminent.

The disclosure generally relates to unmanned aerial vehicles, for example, unmanned aerial vehicles with cameras.
Remote controlled devices with image capture devices, e.g., cameras mounted upon those devices, are known. For example, a remote control road vehicle can be configured to mount a camera on it to capture images as the vehicle is moved about remotely by a user. Similarly, remote controlled aerial vehicles, e.g., drones or quadcopters, have been mounted with cameras to capture aerial images through the camera as a user remotely controls the vehicle.


A method of forming implantable low dose solid radioactive segments of desired lengths sealed against end leakage of radioactive particles, for use in brachytherapy of malignant tumors. The segments are separated from a single continuous elongate assembly of composite material which includes a continuous solid radioactive elongate core at least partly composed of iridium, sufficiently brittle to break cleanly when cut transverse to its longitudinal axis, encased along substantially its entire longitudinal surface in a sheath having a predetermined thickness and composed of substantially pure platinum or other metal which is malleable relative to the hardness of the core and, when irradiated, has a half-life much shorter than that of the core. When a radioactive segment of selected length is needed for use as a brachytherapy implant, the continuous assembly is cut transversely to provide the selected length, using a pair of scissors having opposed blunt blades, by bringing a portion of the assembly transversely between the blunt blades and thereupon exerting a cutting force on the assembly lying therebetween to break the core cleanly at that point while squeezing the sheath firmly about the newly cut end of the core to encapsulate and substantially seal it within the sheath against radioactive leakage at the newly cut end.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to implantable elements for treatment of malignant tumors in the body, and more particularly, to a radioactive filament or core comprised at least partly of substantially pure iridium, and preferably an iridium/platinum alloy, encompassed within a substantially pure platinum sheath, which is adapted to be cut into predetermined sealed lengths without undesirable leakage of radioactivity at the ends of each cut length, for insertion into and shrinkage of body tumors.
2. General Background
In the field of medicine which addresses the treatment of tumors in the body, one such method of treatment, referred to as interstitial brachytherapy, involves insertion into the tumor of implants which have been irradiated to enable them to emit radioactivity, for the purpose of shrinking and ultimately destroying the tumor.
The procedure followed for this type of therapy calls for inserting the radioactive implant through a plastic catheter or similar means previously inserted into the tumor from a point external to the body. The intention is that when the implant is within the tumor, the radioactivity emitted by the implant is sufficient to destroy the cancerous cells in the immediate vicinity. Unfortunately, however, problems exist in using implants of the type presently available on the market. A very common type is the IR-192 isotope in the form of iridium/platinum seeds spaced within a nylon or plastic tube for insertion into the cancerous growth. Typically, the IR-192 seeds are three millimeters (mm) in length and spaced seven mm apart in a configuration which provides a known standard distance of one centimeter (cm) between the centers of adjacent seeds. The IR-192 isotope of the seeds should not be exposed at the exterior surfaces because radioactivity bleeding therefrom could cause serious injury to the adjacent tissue. It is essential, therefore, that the iridium/platinum core be housed in a sheath of platinum at all times. The spacing between seeds in the nylon or plastic tubing which is inserted in the body tumor results in only partial treatment of the tumor because of the lack of uniform emission of radioactivity from the tubing.
Similarly, there are instances in which the tubing containing the IR-192 seeds must be inserted along a path of the body which is not straight, such as would be the case in use of an endobronchial implant, tongue implant, tonsil implant or other implant intended to reach a region of the body not readily accessible for purposes of the treatment. In these instances, it is essential to install a catheter through which the implant tube may be guided as it is inserted to the site of the tumor within the body. The catheter produces a tortuous path or must be installed along such a path, consisting of many turns, tight angles and curves to provide a passage to the location within the body requiring treatment. The IR-192 implant typically must be threaded through such a path, and, because of spacing of the seeds within the tubing of the implant, the traversal of the implant may produce bending or kinking of the catheter or of the tubing of the implant itself, to effectively prevent further movement of the implant and thereby, preclude it from reaching the desired treatment site.
Another prior art type of radioactive implant is marketed in the form of encapsulated IR-192 wires of predetermined length. This implant type is advantageous compared to the seed type described above, because it provides a continuous surface for relatively uniform emission in contrast to the gaps encountered between radioactive portions of the seed type. However, the continuous surface type suffers the limitation that it must be marketed in prefabricated pieces of pre-cut lengths which may be too short or too long for the tumor under treatment. The prefabricated implant cannot readily be trimmed or cut to a desired length at the time it is to be introduced into the patient's body because the cut ends will leak, and damage the surrounding tissue.
Current guidelines for use of radioactive sealed sources such as these implants, require that the source be leak tested at least every six months. The known types of implants meet this guideline since they are carefully sealed at the point of manufacture by complete encapsulation. As noted above, this is not conducive to on-site flexibility of treatment of the various sizes of body tumors requiring treatment. It would be desirable to provide a low dose radioactive implant which is adapted to be trimmed to proper desired length at the point of treatment, rather than fabricated in many different lengths at the point of manufacture and thereby necessitating large inventories of such implants at the treatment facility.
Exemplary of the pertinent prior art are the following U.S. Pat. No. 2,429,438 in the name of Wappler pertaining to tubular bodies such as radium seeds; U.S. Pat. No. 2,322,902, also in the name of Wappler, on apparatus for making such tubular bodies; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,438,365 to Packer et al. on radioactive seed containing xenon gas for medical treatment.

Continuous sheated low dose radioactive core adapted for cutting into short sealed segments