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Method of and apparatus for generating a light beam |
A method and apparatus for generating a beam of light having extended depth of focus. The apparatus comprises, for instance, a binary phase mask that generates a diffraction pattern including a bright main ring and a plurality of side-lobe rings, an annular aperture mask passing only a portion of the diffraction pattern, and a lens that causes light passing through the annular aperture to converge toward and cross an optical axis. Where the converging light crosses the optical axis, constructive interference takes place, thereby generating a beam of light that has extended depth of focus. |
1. An apparatus for generating a beam of light having extended depth of focus, the apparatus comprising along an optical axis: a. a first section for generating, in a first focal plane, a diffraction pattern including a bright main ring; b. a second section comprising an aperture located in the first focal plane, the radius of the aperture being substantially equal to the radius of the main ring and the width of the aperture being substantially equal to or slightly greater than the width of the main ring; and c. a third section that causes light passing through the aperture to converge toward and cross the optical axis, the apparatus being constructed and arranged such that constructive interference occurs generally where the converging light crosses the optical axis, thereby generating, along the axis, a beam of light having extended depth of focus. 2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein the first section includes a diffractive element. 3. The apparatus set forth in claim 2, wherein the diffractive element includes a plurality of concentric phase rings. 4. The apparatus set forth in claim 2, wherein the diffractive element includes a plurality of concentric phase and amplitude rings. 5. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein the first section includes a refractive element. 6. The apparatus set forth in claim 5, wherein the refractive element includes an axicon. 7. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein the first section includes a positive lens element arranged such that its rear focal plane coincides with the aperture. 8. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein the third section includes a positive lens element arranged such that its front focal plane coincides with the aperture. 9. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, further comprising a coherent light source. 10. The apparatus set forth in claim 9, wherein the coherent light source comprises a collimated laser. 11. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein the inner radius R1 and the outer radius R2 of the aperture are defined in terms of radii a1 and a2, respectively, of minima on either side of a main lobe of the diffraction pattern, according to the equations: R1=(a1+a2)/2−k(a2−a1)/2 R2=(a1+a2)/2+k(a2−a1)/2 where k is a coefficient generally within a range of 1 and 2. 12. The apparatus set forth in claim 11, wherein the width W of the aperture is defined by the equation W=k(a2−a1)=kA, where A is the width of the main lobe. 13. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein the aperture includes phase modulation elements. 14. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein the aperture includes a plurality of phase rings. 15. A scanning microscope including an apparatus for generating a beam of light having extended depth of focus, a first device for scanning the light beam across a specimen, a second device for detecting light reflected or emitted by the specimen and a third device for constructing an image of the specimen in response to the detected light. 16. The microscope set forth in claim 15, wherein the microscope is a fluorescence scanning microscope. 17. The microscope set forth in claim 15, wherein the microscope is a two-photon or multi-photon microscope. 18. The microscope set forth in claim 15, including a fourth device for tilting the axis of the beam, wherein the third device is constructed and arranged so as to create a stereo pair of images at different tilt angles. 19. A method for generating a beam of light having extended depth of focus, the method comprising the steps of: a. generating, in a first focal plane, a diffraction pattern having a bright main ring; b. modifying the diffraction pattern using an aperture located in the first focal plane, the radius of the aperture being substantially equal to the radius of the main ring and the width of the aperture being substantially equal to or slightly greater than the width of the main ring; and c. causing the light passing through the aperture to converge toward and cross an optical axis, such that constructive interference occurs generally where the converging light crosses the optical axis, thereby generating a beam of light along the axis having extended depth of focus. 20. The method set forth in claim 19, wherein the diffraction pattern is generated by a diffractive element. 21. The method set forth in claim 20, wherein the diffractive element includes a plurality of concentric phase rings. 22. The method set forth in claim 20, wherein the diffractive element includes a plurality of concentric phase and amplitude rings. 23. The method set forth in claim 19, wherein the diffraction pattern is generated by a refractive element. 24. The method set forth in claim 23, wherein the refractive element includes an axicon. 25. The method set forth in claim 19, wherein the diffraction pattern is focused in a first plane by a positive lens element arranged such that its rear focal plane coincides with the aperture. 26. The method set forth in claim 19, wherein light passing through the aperture converges toward an optical element using a positive lens element arranged such that its front focal plane coincides with the aperture. 27. The method set forth in claim 19, wherein the light is generated using a coherent light source. 28. The method set forth in claim 27, wherein the coherent light source comprises a collimated laser. 29. The method set forth in claim 19, wherein the inner radius R1 and the outer radius R2 of the aperture are defined in terms of radii a1 and a2, respectively, of minima on either side of a main lobe of the diffraction pattern, according to the equations: R1=(a1+a2)/2−k(a2−a1)/2 R2=(a1+a2)/2+k(a2−a1)/2 where k is a coefficient generally within a range of 1 and 2. 30. The method set forth in claim 29, wherein the width W of the aperture is defined by the equation W=k(a2−a1)=kA, where A is the width of the main lobe. 31. The method set forth in claim 19, wherein the aperture includes phase modulation elements. 32. The method set forth in claim 31, wherein the aperture includes a plurality of phase rings. 33. The method set forth in claim 19, further comprising the steps of scanning the light beam across a specimen using a scanning microscope, detecting light reflected or emitted by the specimen, and constructing an image of the specimen in response to the detected light. 34. The method set forth in claim 31, wherein light emitted by fluorescence of the sample is detected. 35. The method set forth in claim 32, wherein a two-photon or multi-photon excitation method is employed. 36. The method set forth in claim 31, further including the steps of tilting the axis of the beam, and constructing a stereo pair of images at different tilt angles. 37. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, further comprising, in series, a binary phase mask, a positive lens an annular aperture mask and an objective lens. 38. The method set forth in claim 19, further comprising steps wherein the light passes through a binary phase mask, a positive lens, an annular aperture mask and an objective lens. |
Rotatable stirrup bar for a saddle tree |
A horse saddle has a saddletree to which is mounted a rotatable stirrup bar. The rotatable stirrup bar allows the stirrup leathers to rotate relative to the saddle with reduced wear and tear to the stirrup leather. |
1. A stirrup bar assembly, the assembly comprising a stirrup bar that is mounted for rotation relative to a saddletree. 2. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, comprising an attachment portion which is attached to the saddletree. 3. The assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the attachment portion comprises an attachment plate. 4. The assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the attachment portion comprises an axle. 5. The assembly as claimed in claim 3, comprising a shaft which is attached to the attachment plate. 6. The assembly as claimed in claim in 5, wherein the shaft is non rotatably attached to the attachment plate. 7. The assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the stirrup bar is rotatably attached to the shaft. 8. The assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the shaft is rotatably attached relative to the attachment plate. 9. The assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the stirrup bar is non rotatably attached to the shaft. 10. Of the assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the axle does not rotate, and the stirrup bar is rotatably attached to the axle. 11. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stirrup bar comprises a cantilevered finger. 12. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stirrup bar comprises a closed loop. 13. A saddletree containing a pair of stirrup bar assemblies each assembly comprising a stirrup bar that is mounted for rotation relative to a saddletree. 14. The saddletree as claimed in claim 13, including a stop member to prevent over rotation of the stirrup bar. 15. A saddle comprising a saddletree containing a pair of stirrup bar assemblies each assembly comprising a stirrup bar that is mounted for rotation relative to a saddletree. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND ART <EOH>A saddle is typically manufactured using a rigid internal saddle frame, which is also known as a saddletree. A typical saddletree is illustrated in FIG. 1 . The saddletree is made of rigid material that may comprise wood, laminated wood, fibreglass, rigid plastics material and the like. The saddletree typically has a length of between 50-90 cm and a width of between 30-60 cm although this can vary. The tree has a rear cantle portion (see reference numeral 11 FIG. 1 ), a front gullet portion (reference numeral 12 FIG. 1 ) and a pair of side rails ( 13 , 14 FIG. 1 ). A strong steel stirrup bar ( 15 ) is fixed to the front portion of the saddletree and is immovable with respect to the saddletree. The stirrup bar illustrated in FIG. 1 is typical for an Australian saddle, and the stirrup bar is made such that the stirrup leather can be releasably attached to the stirrup bar. For an American western saddle, the stirrup bar is in the form of a closed loop, which means that the stirrup leather cannot be released from the stirrup bar. In use, a stirrup is attached to each stirrup bar. The stirrups function to hold and support a rider's foot. If the rider stands-up the entire weight of the stirrups, and therefore the stirrup bar supports the rider. This creates quite large stresses on the stirrup leather that are transferred to the stirrup bar. If the direction of the stress is at an angle to the stirrup bar, there is a possibility of damage to the stirrup bar, and/or damage to the saddletree. Stirrup bars are known that allow the stirrup to swing inwardly and outwardly relative to the saddle. Sometimes a loose fit of the stirrup leather to the bar is sufficient; other times the stirrup bar can contain a bush or sleeve to allow the leather to swing inwardly and outwardly relative to the saddle. It is also known to provide some lateral adjustment of the stirrup leather relative to the bar (i.e. allowing the leather to be spaced further away or nearer to the rider's legs). The present invention is directed to a stirrup bar assembly that has a member which can rotate and which can reduce stress on the leather strap that is attached to the stirrup bar. In one form, this can be achieved by having the stirrup leather attached to the member which can rotate about an axis which is transverse to the length of the saddle to reduce stress on the stirrup leather, and/or the stirrup bar and therefore to the saddle tree. |
<SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>Embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the following drawings in which: FIG. 1 . Illustrates a known saddletree design containing a conventional stirrup bar. FIG. 2 . Illustrates a side view of a stirrup bar according to an embodiment of the invention for attachment to one side of the saddletree. FIG. 3 . Illustrates the mirror image of the stirrup bar of FIG. 2 for attachment to the other side of the saddletree. FIG. 4 . Illustrates an end of view of the stirrup bar of FIG. 2 . FIG. 5 . Illustrates a rear side view of the stirrup bar of FIG. 2 . FIG. 6 . Illustrates how the stirrup bar can adopt a first angular position. FIG. 7 . Illustrates how the stirrup bar can adopt a second angular position. FIG. 8 . Illustrates a different type of stirrup bar that is particularly suitable for an American western saddle. FIG. 9 . Illustrates another type of stirrup bar (English style stirrup bar), which has a spring mounted end piece that provides a safety feature. FIG. 10 . Illustrates a further embodiment of the invention where an attachment plate is not required and the shaft has a laterally extending portion (such as a flange), the shaft passing through an opening in the side plate of the saddletree. FIG. 11 . Illustrates a portion of the side rail of a saddletree formed with a pair of openings to provide adjustment to the positioning of the saddletree assembly. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? |
Hypoglycemic agent |
A hypoglycemic agent comprising a compound selected from the group consisting of 24-alkylcholestan-3-ones and 24-alkylcholesten-3-ones (for example, 24-alkylcholestan-3-ones, 24-alkylcholestmonoen-3-ones, 24-alkylcholestdien-3-ones, 24-alkylcholesttrien-3-ones, or 24-alkylcholesttetraen-3-ones, preferably 5-campesten-3-one) as an active ingredient. The agent can be used for improvement of hyperglycemia resulting from diseases such as diabetes, and can be used as a safe medicament without side effects such as hypoglycemia or diarrhea. |
1. (canceled) 2. (canceled) 3. (canceled) 4. A hypoglycemic agent comprising 5-campesten-3-one as an active ingredient. 5. The hypoglycemic agent according to claim 4, which is used for improvement of hyperglycemia resulting from Type-2 diabetes. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND ART <EOH>Diabetes is a metabolic abnormality of sugars, proteins, and lipids resulting from insufficient secretion and activity of insulin. A patient with the disease will develop symptoms such as polyposia, polyuria, and weight loss, and if the disease is prolonged chronically, sever dysfunctions such as retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, myocardial infarction, and cerebral infarction will arise. The number of patients with diabetes tends to be increasing all over the world. In our country, the number reached to millions in the 1990s, and a ratio has become as much as 5 to 10% of adults over the age of 40. Among the patients, patients with Type-1 (insulin dependent) diabetes are not more than 3% based on the total patient, which diabetes is frequently caused in 25 or less-year-old youths due to extreme deficiency or cease of insulin secretion. Most of the patients are those with Type-2 (non insulin dependent) diabetes resulting from insufficient secretion and activity of insulin. The cause of type-2 diabetes is not attributable to a single factor. It is considered that relative deficiency of insulin and lowering of its potency (insulin resistance) are generated by an inherited predisposition and additionally by environmental factors such as overeating, obesity, and underexercise, and as a result, hyperglycemia, ketosis, and hyperlipidemia are caused to develop diabetes. Hyperglycemia is not only a resultant symptom but a cause of further aggravation of diabetes (glucose toxicity). Further, on the basis of recent studies, an increase of free fatty acid in blood is also considered as a cause of an aggravation (fat toxicity). However, recent investigation in our country revealed that a ratio of Type-2 diabetes which accompanies no obesity or hyperlipidemia is about 30%, and a true etiogenic mechanism has not yet been clarified (Ryo-ya Ueda et al., Himan-Kenkyu (Journal of Japan Society for the Study of Obesity), Vol. 6(No.3), pp. 4-7, 2000). For treatment of Type-2 diabetes, insulin preparations and oral hypoglycemic agents are used. Among them, insulin preparations are used for patients with complications of hyperglycemia or ketosis. However, the preparations are administered by injections, and therefore, determinations of doses and frequency of administration are difficult. Examples of the oral hypoglycemic agents generally used for treatment of Type-2 diabetes include sulfonylurea-type agents, thiazolidine derivative-type agents, biguanide-type agents, and α-glucosidase inhibitors. Among them, the sulfonylurea-type agents have a risk of causing hypoglycemia, the thiazolidine derivative-type agents have a risk of hepatic disorder, the biguanide-type agents have a risk of lactic acidosis, and the α-glucosidase inhibitors often causes side effects on the digestive tract. Further, these agents are directed to lowering of blood glucose, and these agents, except the thiazolidine derivative-type agents, have no lowering effect on free fatty acid in blood which is considered as another cause of the disease. Accordingly, these available agents are not satisfactory medicaments from viewpoints of a route of administration, side effects, and efficacy, and a medicament has been desired which has a reduced side effect and is safe and easily administered. 24-Alkylcholestan-3-ones and 24-alkylcholesten-3-ones are known to be useful as antiobesity agents and agents for improvement of lipid metabolism (Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication (KOKAI) No. (Hei)11-193296). The above publication discloses that the aforementioned compounds can be applied to diseases with abnormal lipid metabolism, and that the diseases with abnormal lipid metabolism includes arteriosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, and gout, as well as hyperlipidemia or fatty liver resulting from the abnormality of lipid metabolism (column 16 of the patent publication). However, the above publication neither teaches nor suggests that the aforementioned compounds have hypoglycemic action. |
Low-profile connector |
A low-profile connector for connecting two circuit boards of a emobile equipment is constituted by a header and a socket. The header comprises a resin molded header body and a plurality of pairs of posts provided on the header body. The socket comprises a resin molded socket body and a plurality of sets of contacts provided on the socket body corresponding to the posts of the header. The header body and the socket body respectively have reinforcing member made of metal thin plate for reinforcing the header and the socket with respect to contortion or crack. Top end of the post is rolled to be reverse U-shape for contacting with the contact at two portions, in which a first contact portion is formed a part of a fitting portion of the contact at which the contact is held on the socket body and a second contact portion is a top end of a plate spring portion of the contact incurved for facing the first contact portion. |
1. A low-profile connector constituted by a header and a socket, which are respectively mounted on circuit boards for connecting electric circuit formed on the circuit boards, wherein the header comprises a header body made of resin molding, and a plurality of posts made of a conductive metal thin plate and provided at a predetermined pitch on a peripheral wall of the header body; the socket comprises a socket body made of resin molding and a plurality of contacts made of a conductive metal thin plate and provide at the predetermined pitch in a guide grooves on a peripheral wall of the socket body, which are to be contacted with the posts provided on the header; each post is inserted into the header body and comprises a first contact portion appeared on an outer face of the peripheral wall of the header body, a second contact portion appeared on an inner face of the peripheral wall, a ceil portion formed between the first contact portion and the second contact portion and overstriding the peripheral wall, and a soldering terminal formed on an end of the second contact portion by bending substantially at right angle, at which the post is soldered on a circuit pattern of a circuit board; and each contact comprises a plate spring portion, a fitting portion at which the contact is held on the socket body and a terminal portion to be soldered on a circuit pattern on a circuit board, which are integrally formed from a front end to a rear end of the contact; the fitting portion has a first contact portion disposed along an inner face of a peripheral wall of the socket body and to be contacted with the first contact portion of the post of the header, and a ceil portion overstriding the peripheral wall and an arm portion substantially parallel to the first contact portion; the plate spring portion has a lateral portion, a first slanted portion, a curved portion, a second slanted portion, and a doglegged second contact portion to be contacted with the second contact portion of the post of the header; the lateral portion is formed by bending substantially at right angle for protruding inwardly from a lower end of the first contact portion of the fitting portion; the first slanted portion is formed by bending at a predetermined angle with respect to the lateral portion from a top end thereof; the curved portion is formed by bending from the top end of the first slanted portion so as to be turned back substantially in the opposite direction; the second slanted portion is formed as an elongation of the fourth curved portion; and the second contact portion is formed for incurving an elongation of the second slanted portion. 2. The connector in accordance with claim 1, wherein a thickness of at least the lateral portion, the first contact portion, and the second contact portion of the contact is made thinned than that of the rest portions, by hammering a blank of the contact. 3. The connector in accordance with claim 1, wherein an inflection point of the doglegged second contact portion and the inflection point of the curved portion of the contact are positioned substantially the same level with respect to the lateral portion; an end of the second contact portion facing the lateral portion can be contacted with the lateral portion while the post of the header is inserted between the first contact portion and the second contact portion of the contact; and when external force for pushing the header to the socket is removed, the post can be moved backward owing to elastic reaction force charged in the plate spring portion. 4. The connector in accordance with claim 1, wherein a width of the first slanted portion of the contact is tapered so as to be gradually narrower from an end on the lateral portion to a portion substantially at the center thereof, and widths of the curved portion and the second slanted portion are substantially the same as the width of the narrowest end of the tapered portion of the first slanted portion. 5. The connector in accordance with claim 1, wherein a corner between the first contact portion and the ceil portion of the fitting portion of the contact is formed for protruding toward the second contact portion from the first contact portion; and a protrusion to be contacted with the first contact portion of the contact is formed on the first contact portion of the post when it climbs over the protruded corner of the contact. 6. The connector in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of the header and the socket further comprises at least a reinforcing member provided in a portion of a peripheral wall of the header body and the socket body where the posts and the contacts are not provided. 7. A low-profile connector constituted by a header and a socket, which are respectively mounted on circuit boards for connecting electric circuit formed on the circuit boards, wherein the header comprises a header body made of resin molding, and a plurality of posts provided at a predetermined pitch on a peripheral wall of the header body; the socket comprises a socket body made of resin molding and a plurality of contacts provide at the predetermined pitch on a peripheral wall of the socket body, which are to be contacted with the posts provided on the header; at least one of the header and the socket further comprises at least a reinforcing member provided in a portion of a peripheral wall of the header body and the socket body where the posts and the contacts are not provided. 8. The connector in accordance with claim 7, wherein each reinforcing member is inserted into the header body and/or the socket body. 9. The connector in accordance with claim 7, wherein the reinforcing member is press-fitted into the header body and/or the socket body. 10. The connector in accordance with claim 7, wherein the reinforcing member has at least a fixing portion protruded outwardly from the header body and/or the socket body, which are to be fixed on a circuit board by being soldered on a circuit pattern on the circuit board. 11. The connector in accordance with claim 7, wherein a pair of the reinforcing members is provided in both end portion of the header body and the socket body; a part of each reinforcing member is appeared on a face of the header body and the socket body; and one of the reinforcing members provided in the header body and in the socket body has at least a hooking recess and the other reinforcing member provided in the socket body or in the header body has at least a hooking protrusion to be engaged with the hooking recess and formed at a position facing the hooking recess. 12. The connector in accordance with claim 11, wherein at least one of the reinforcing members provided in the header body and in the socket body can be warped in a protruding direction of the hooking protrusion when the hooking portion is engaged with the hooking recess. 13. The connector in accordance with claim 7, wherein the reinforcing member is provided along a breadth of an end portion of the header body and/or the socket body. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND ART <EOH>In recent years, a low-profile connector is practically used for connecting electric circuits formed on two circuit boards (including flexible printed circuit board) in a manner so that the circuit boards face each other. In mobile equipment such as a mobile phone, the connector is required to be downsized and to have a low profile corresponding to the miniaturization and the low profile of the mobile equipment. On the other hand, a packaging density of the electronic components mounted on the circuit board becomes higher due to high functionality of the mobile equipment, so that number of arrangement of contacts constituting the connector is tend to be increased and the width and pitch of arrangement of the contacts become much narrower. Especially in a flip phone, the circuit boards, on which the electronic components are mounted, are separately disposed on both sides with respect to a hinge, and flexible substrates provided in the inside of the hinge are used for connecting the separated circuit boards. Thus, the application of the connector will be expanded for connecting the circuit boards each other or connecting the electronic components and the circuit boards. The connector for connecting two circuit boards is constituted by a header corresponding to a male connector mounted on one circuit board and a socket corresponding to a female connector mounted on the other circuit board. FIG. 29 shows sectional views of a socket 201 and a header 210 of a conventional connector. The socket 201 comprises a socket body 202 and a plurality of pairs of contacts 204 . The socket body 202 is made of resin molding and has a pair of elongate recesses 203 formed along both sidewalls 202 a of the socket body 202 and a center table portion 215 . A plurality of fitting grooves 202 b are formed at a predetermined pitch on both sidewalls 202 a of the socket body 202 in a direction perpendicular to the paper sheet of FIG. 29 . Each contact 204 is made of a conductive metal thin plate so as to have a U-shaped plate spring portion 205 , a reverse U-shaped fitting portion 206 and a soldering terminal 207 , which are integrally formed. Each fitting portion 206 of the contact 204 is press-fitted into the fitting groove 202 b on the sidewall 202 a so as to grip the sidewall 202 a . The soldering terminal 207 , which is to be soldered on a circuit board, is formed by bending a rear end portion of the contact 204 toward the outside from a rear end of the fitting portion 206 . The plate spring portion 205 is formed to have a U-shape by bending a front end portion of the contact 204 from a front end of the fitting portion 206 , so that the plate spring portion 205 is disposed in the recess 203 so as to be warped freely. A front end of the plate spring portion 205 is doglegged so as to form a contacting portion 209 . The header 210 comprises a header body 211 and a plurality of pairs of posts 212 . The header body 211 is made of resin molding and has a groove 211 a which engages with the table portion 215 of the socket body 202 of the socket 201 . The post 212 is made of a conductive metal thin plate by bending substantially reverse L-shape. A rear portion of the post 212 protruding toward the outside serves as a soldering terminal 214 which is to be soldered on a circuit board. Each post 212 is fixed on the header body 211 , since a base of the post 212 is inserted into the header body 211 while the header body 211 is molded in a manner so that the pairs of posts 212 are arranged at the predetermined pitch in the direction perpendicular to the paper sheet of FIG. 29 . FIG. 30 shows a state that the socket 201 and the header 210 are coupled with each other. For coupling the socket 201 with the header 210 , the table portion 215 of the socket body 202 of the socket 201 is fitted into the groove 211 a of the header body 211 of the header 210 . At that time, a curved lower end 212 a of the post 212 of the header 210 contacts a slanted face at an upper end of the plate spring portion 205 of the contact 204 , so that the plate spring portion 204 a of the contact 204 is warped inwardly. Subsequently, the post 212 and a sidewall of the header body 211 of the header 210 are disposed between a side face of the table portion 215 and the contact 204 of the socket 201 . Thus, the contacting portion 209 of the contact 204 elastically contacts with a side face of the post 212 . In such the connector, it is required to making the mounting areas of the socket and the header much narrower corresponding to the downsizing of the mobile equipment. Furthermore, it is required to provide a low-profile connector corresponding to the low profile of the mobile equipment using the circuit boards. Actually, a connecter having a pitch 0.3 to 0.5 mm of arrangement of the contacts of the socket and the posts of the header is supplied. Furthermore, a low-profile connector having a thickness called stacking height less than 1.5 mm (for example, 1.2 mm or 1.0 mm) when the header is coupled with the socket is also provided. It is further required to make the pitch of the contacts much narrower and to make the stacking height of the connector much lower. Concretely, it is required to make the stacking height of the connector less than 1.0 mm. When the stacking height between a lower face of the soldering terminal 207 of the contact 204 of the socket 201 and an upper face the soldering terminal 214 of the post 212 of the header 210 in the above-mentioned conventional connector is made much thinner in a range between 0.9 mm to 0.8 mm, there is a limit to lengthen the length of the plate spring portion 205 of the contact 204 , so that the spring characteristics of the plate spring portion 205 of the contact 204 cannot be increased. Thus, a sufficient contact pressure cannot be obtained between the plate spring portion 205 of the contact 204 and the post 212 . Furthermore, when a dimension “C” between a peak of the contact portion 209 and a base of a side 206 a of the fitting portion 206 of the contact 204 is made larger than a dimension “D” between the base of the side 206 a and a base of the plate spring portion 205 , the stress concentration occurs at the bent corner of the U-shaped plate spring portion 205 when the plate spring portion 205 is warped. Still furthermore, the shear plane at top end of the contact 204 is caught on the header 210 when the header 210 is coupled with the socket 201 , so that the contact 204 may be deformed. Still furthermore, when the stacking height of the connector is made thinner, it is necessary to make the socket body 202 of the socket 201 and the header body 211 of the header 210 thinner. Thus, there is a possibility that the thickness of the sidewalls and bottom wall of the bodies 202 and 211 become too thin to maintain a practical strength. In other words, contortion and/or crack can easily occur in the socket body 202 of the socket 201 and the header body 211 of the header 210 due to the stress generated in the socket 201 and the header 210 while the socket 201 and the header 210 are treated or mounted on the circuit boards. |
<SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS <EOH>FIG. 1 is an exploded view showing a configuration of a flip phone, which is an example of a use of a low-profile connector in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view showing a state that a header and a socket constituting a connector in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention are coupled; FIG. 3 is a perspective top view showing a configuration of the socket; FIG. 4 is a perspective bottom view of the socket; FIG. 5 is a sectional perspective top view of the socket; FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a blank of a socket body of the socket just after resin molding process; FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a socket reinforcing plate inserted in the socket; FIG. 8A is a plan view of the socket reinforcing plate; FIG. 8B is a front view of the socket reinforcing plate; FIG. 8C is a side view of the socket reinforcing plate; FIG. 8D is an enlarged sectional side view showing details of a main portion of the socket reinforcing plate; FIG. 9 is a sectional side view showing a detail of the socket reinforcing plate inserted in the socket; FIG. 10A is a front perspective view of a contact used in the socket; FIG. 10B is a rear perspective view of the contact; FIG. 11A is a front view of the contact; FIG. 11B is a top view of the contact; FIG. 11C is a side view of the contact; FIG. 11D is a bottom view of the contact; FIG. 12 is a perspective top view showing a configuration of the header; FIG. 13 is a perspective bottom view of the header; FIG. 14 is a sectional perspective top view of the header; FIG. 15A is a plan view of an end portion of a peripheral wall of a header body; FIG. 15B is a sectional side view of the end portion of the peripheral wall of the header body; FIG. 16A is a perspective rear view of a header reinforcing plate; FIG. 16B is a perspective front view of the header reinforcing plate; FIG. 17A is a top view of the header reinforcing plate; FIG. 17B is a rear view of the header reinforcing plate; FIG. 17C is a side view of the header reinforcing plate; FIG. 17D is a front view of the header reinforcing plate; FIG. 18 is a side view for showing warp of the contact when the header is coupled with the socket; FIG. 19 is a sectional side view for showing engagement of a hooking protrusion of the header reinforcing plate with a hooking recess of the socket reinforcing plate; FIG. 20 is a plan view of a socket in a modification of the connector in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 21 is a front view of the socket in the modification; FIG. 22 is a sectional side view showing the socket reinforcing plate inserted in the end portion of the peripheral wall of the socket body in the modification; FIG. 23 is a perspective view showing a configuration of the socket reinforcing plate in the modification; FIG. 24 is a plan view of a header in the modification; FIG. 25 is a side view of the header in the modification; FIG. 26 is a sectional side view showing coupling of the header and the socket in the modification; FIG. 27 is a sectional view of a socket in another modification; FIG. 28 is a sectional view for showing connection of a post of a header and a contact of a socket in still another modification; FIG. 29 is a sectional viewing of a socket and a header of a conventional connector; and FIG. 30 is a sectional view showing a state that the socket and the header of the conventional connector are coupled with each other. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? |
Image focusing in fluorescent imaging |
An imaging apparatus with an autofocus mechanism for obtaining focused images. The apparatus comprises: an objective lens, a focus controller for altering a distance between the objective lens and a sample, an object finder for finding objects of interest within the sample, for example cells, and a light intensity measurement unit which measures light intensity levels of the thus identified objects of interest. The focus control alters the sample-objective distance to maximize the light intensity levels being measured, thereby to arrive at a focus position. Objects of interest may be identified by filtering out large objects and optionally by masking out background regions. The apparatus is useful for microscopy and particularly for fluorescent imaging in which light levels are low and noise is often high. |
1. An imaging apparatus for taking images of samples, the apparatus comprising: an objective lens, a focus controller for altering a distance between said objective lens and said sample, an object finder for finding objects of interest within said sample, and a light intensity measurement unit, associated with said focus controller, arranged to measure light intensity levels, gathered through said objective lens, of said objects of interest, said apparatus being operable to alter said distance to maximize said light intensity levels, thereby to find a focus position. 2. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein said focus controller is controllable to stepwise alter said focus through a series of distances to allow said light intensity measurement unit to measure said light intensity at each of said focus distances, therefrom to select one of said focus distances giving maximum intensity as said focus position. 3. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, being comprised within a camera. 4. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, where said sample is a fluorescent sample. 5. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein said object finder comprises a small object filter for filtering to include only small objects of said sample. 6. The imaging apparatus of claim 4, wherein said object finder comprises a bright object filter for filtering out objects fluorescing above a predetermined fluorescing threshold. 7. The fluorescent imaging apparatus of claim 4, wherein said object finder comprises a background filter for filtering out a background color. 8. The fluorescent imaging apparatus of claim 6, wherein said object finder comprises a background filter for filtering out a background color. 9. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a filter for filtering out objects fluorescing above a predetermined fluorescing threshold. 10. The imaging apparatus of claim 5, wherein said small object filter is operable to filter out regions not being objects occupying less space than substantially 500 pixels of an image. 11. The imaging apparatus of claim 3, wherein said light intensity measurement unit is operable to compute an average intensity over an image taken of said sample using at least a first of said focusing distances. 12. The imaging apparatus of claim 11, wherein said light intensity measurement unit is further operable to compute a standard deviation of said intensity over said image. 13. The imaging apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a thresholder associated with said light intensity measurement unit for using said average intensity and said standard deviation to compute an image threshold for thresholding pixels of said image. 14. The imaging apparatus of claim 13, wherein said threshold is the average intensity plus a predetermined image constant times the standard deviation. 15. The imaging apparatus of claim 13, wherein said thresholder is operable to compute a focusing threshold in addition to said image threshold. 16. The imaging apparatus of claim 15, wherein said focusing threshold is the average intensity plus a predetermined focusing constant times the standard deviation. 17. The imaging apparatus of claim 5, wherein said small object filter is operable to filter for said small objects by forming a mask by setting to zero any pixel that is outside of an object being smaller than a predetermined blob size. 18. The imaging apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a thresholder, operable to threshold an image using a brightness threshold. 19. The imaging apparatus of claim 18, wherein said thresholder is operable to threshold for brightness separately for color bands of said image. 20. The imaging apparatus of claim 19, wherein said thresholder is operable to threshold for brightness separately for color bands of said image such as to filter out a color associated with an image background, thereby to provide a background filter. 21. The imaging apparatus of claim 17, further comprising combination logic for ANDing said thresholded image with said mask. 22. The imaging apparatus of claim 20, further comprising combination logic for ANDing said thresholded image with said mask, thereby to form an image comprising delineated objects of interest. 23. The imaging apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a noise remover operable to set to zero each pixel of said image lacking at least one non-zero pixel as a neighbor. 24. The imaging apparatus of claim 23, wherein said noise remover comprises a rank filter. 25. The imaging apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a focus scorer for computing a focus score to an image, the focus scorer comprising a summator for summing over substantially each pixel in the image the difference, raised to the power of a predetermined constant, between the pixel intensity level and the average intensity level for the image. 26. The imaging apparatus of claim 25, wherein said predetermined constant is a positive number. 27. The imaging apparatus of claim 26, wherein said predetermined constant is substantially 2. 28. The imaging apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a comparator associated with said focus scorer, for determining which of said images gives a maximum score, thereby to select an optical focus position. 29. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, comprising an exposure timer having a predetermined exposure time for producing focusing images and a predetermined exposure time for producing viewing images and wherein said predetermined exposure time for producing focusing images is shorter than said predetermined exposure time for producing viewing images. 30. The imaging apparatus of claim 29, wherein a ratio between said exposure times is substantially between a third and a fortieth. 31. The imaging apparatus of claim 29, wherein a ratio between said exposure times is substantially between a tenth and a fifth. 32. The imaging apparatus of claim 29, wherein a ratio between said exposure times is calculable by taking substantially the square root of a ratio between a typical image SNR and an empirically determined SNR for a given focused image. 33. The imaging apparatus of claim 29, said exposure timer being set to increase said predetermined exposure time for producing focusing images in the event of a determination of a focusing failure. 34. The imaging apparatus of claim 25, comprising a comparator for determining a difference between focus scores of successive images, said apparatus being operable to reduce exposure time when said difference is above a predetermined level. 35. The imaging apparatus of claim 34, further comprising a focus score adjuster operable to adjust respective focus scores of focusing images to compensate for said reductions in said exposure time. 36. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, further comprising pixel binning functionality to increase a signal to noise ratio of said images. 37. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, comprising a light intensity detector connected to a servo-unit for altering said distance, said servo-unit being controllable to alter said distance to maximize light intensity as detected by said detector. 38. The imaging apparatus of claim 37, further comprising a large object detector for inhibiting action of said servo-unit when the presence of a large object is detected. 39. The imaging apparatus of claim 37, comprising a low magnification pre-scanner for determining whether large objects are present in the sample, and inhibiting the operation of said server unit in the presence of said large objects. 40. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, said light intensity detection unit comprising a multi-pixel array. 41. A method of image focusing comprising: illuminating a sample, collecting light from said sample via an objective lens, therefrom to form an image, identifying objects of interest within said image, and focusing said sample by altering a distance between said objective lens and said sample to maximize light intensity gathered from said identified objects of interest. 42. A method according to claim 41 wherein said step of identifying objects of interest comprises filtering for small objects in said image. 43. A method of producing a focused image comprising: taking a series of images, over said series filtering for small objects, over said series thresholding said images against a threshold brightness level, summing intensities of each filtered and thresholded image to form a focusing score for each image, and selecting a focusing distance substantially corresponding to that of an image having a maximum focusing score. 44. An autofocus device for use in imaging, the device comprising: an objective lens being controllably focusable on said sample by altering a distance between said lens and said sample, an object identifier for identifying regions of interest within an unfocused image of said sample, and a light intensity measurement unit arranged to measure light intensity levels of said objects of interest gathered by said objective lens, and wherein said autofocus device is operable to alter said distance to maximize said measured light intensity levels. 45. The autofocus device of claim 44, wherein said altering of said distance comprises altering said distance stepwise to measure said light intensity at each of said steps and to select a one of said steps giving maximum intensity as a focus distance. 46. The autofocus device of claim 44, wherein said object identifier comprises a small object filter for filtering for small objects of said sample. 47. The autofocus device of claim 46, wherein said small object filter comprises a blob analyzer having a predetermined blob size, for recognizing objects that do not exceed said predetermined blob size. 48. The autofocus device of claim 47, wherein said predetermined blob size is substantially 500 pixels. 49. The autofocus device of claim 45, wherein said light intensity measurement unit is operable to compute an average intensity over an image taken of said sample using at least a first of said focus steps. 50. The autofocus device of claim 49, said light intensity measurement unit further being operable to compute a standard deviation of said intensity over said image. 51. The autofocus device of claim 50, further comprising a thresholder associated with said light intensity measurement unit for using said average intensity and said standard deviation to compute an image intensity threshold for thresholding pixels of said image. 52. The autofocus device of claim 51, wherein said image intensity threshold is the average intensity plus a predetermined image constant times the standard deviation. 53. The autofocus device of claim 51, wherein said thresholder is operable to compute a focusing threshold in addition to said image threshold. 54. The autofocus device of claim 53, wherein said focusing threshold is the average intensity plus a predetermined focusing constant times the standard deviation. 55. The autofocus device of claim 46, wherein said small object filter is operable to form a mask from an image taken at a predetermined focus position by setting to zero any pixel not being part of an object that is smaller than a predetermined large object threshold. 56. The autofocus device of claim 55, further comprising combination logic for ANDing said thresholded image with said mask, thereby to form an image delineating said objects of interest. 57. The autofocus device of claim 56, further comprising a noise remover operable to set to zero each pixel of said image lacking at least one non-zero pixel as a neighbor. 58. The autofocus device of claim 57, wherein said noise remover comprises a rank filter. 59. The autofocus device of claim 58, further comprising a focus scorer for computing a focus score to an image, the focus scorer comprising a summator for summing over substantially each pixel in the image the difference, raised to the power of a predetermined constant, between the pixel intensity level and the average intensity level for the image. 60. The autofocus device of claim 59, wherein said predetermined constant is a positive number. 61. The autofocus device of claim 60, wherein said predetermined constant is substantially 2. 62. The autofocus device of claim 61, further comprising a comparator associated with said focus scorer, for determining which of said images gives a maximum score, thereby to alter said distance to a distance corresponding to said position to focus said sample. 63. The autofocus device of claim 44, comprising an exposure timer having a predetermined exposure time for producing focusing images and a predetermined exposure time for producing viewing images and wherein said predetermined exposure time for producing focusing images is shorter than said predetermined exposure time for producing viewing images. 64. The autofocus device of claim 63, wherein a ratio between said exposure times is substantially between a fifth and a fortieth. 65. The autofocus device of claim 63, wherein a ratio between said exposure times is substantially between a tenth and a twentieth. 66. The autofocus device of claim 63, wherein a ratio between said exposure times is obtainable by taking the square root of a ratio between a typical image SNR and an empirically determined SNR for a given focused image. 67. The autofocus device of claim 63, said exposure timer being set to increase said predetermined exposure time for producing focusing images in the event of a determination of a focusing failure. 68. The autofocus device of claim 59, comprising a comparator for determining a difference between focus scores of successive images, said apparatus being operable to reduce exposure time when said difference is above a predetermined level. 69. The autofocus device of claim 68, further comprising a focus score adjuster operable to adjust respective focus scores of focusing images to compensate for said reductions in said exposure time. 70. The autofocus device of claim 44, further comprising pixel binning functionality to increase a signal to noise ratio of said images. 71. The autofocus device of claim 44, comprising a low magnification pre-scanner for determining whether large objects are present in a sample to be imaged, and inhibiting the operation of said server unit in the presence of said large objects. 72. The autofocus device of claim 44, wherein said light intensity detection unit comprises a multi-pixel array. 73. An autofocus device for a fluorescence imaging microscope, the device comprising an image filter for filtering an image to delineate objects of interest and a light intensity measurement unit associated with a focusing mechanism for focusing by altering a focus distance to maximize measured light intensity of said filtered image. 74. The autofocus device of claim 73, being operable to carry out said focusing using image data gathering at a lower data level than a data level needed for imaging. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>In high resolution scanning systems, focusing is a major rate-limiting step in that it is not unusual to find systems which spend approximately half of the imaging time on focusing. Thus, optimizing the focusing process is important for providing system throughput. For fluorescent imaging in particular, the situation is more extreme, as will be explained below. Conventional microscopy focus algorithms rely on the images themselves. A series of images at different focal planes is examined and the image with the largest amount of detail, or the greatest amount of information, is selected as being correctly focused. However, current systems are unable to distinguish between genuine details and noise, and thus images with high signal to noise ratio (SNR) are required for effective focusing. Considering conventional focusing in greater detail, conventional focusing relies on the quality of the images. In order to perform the focus sequence, the system takes a series of images around an estimated focus position. For each image, the system records its position, and computes a focus score which characterizes the sharpness of the respective image. In a final step, the system computes a position for which the focus score is maximal, and the computed position is taken as the focus position. The sharpness function is one of many functions that evaluate the amount of fine detail in an image. A good sharpness function is sensitive (a small change in the amount of detail produces a large change in the focus score), and well-behaved over a large range. That is to say, as the distance from the focus position increases, the focus score decreases, even for large distances from the focus position. Considering by way of example the following sequence: 1. take an image, 2. convolve the image with a fine detail filter (e.g. Sobel filter), 3. sum the absolute value of the intensity of pixels in the convolved image, and 4. set the focus score (FS) to the above sum. The above sequence is repeated typically five to ten times for each one of five to ten different images and a focus position is computed, preferably by interpolation between the images to find a maximal sum position. The main drawback to the above-described sequence, and a drawback which applies to a complete family of functions, is that they are sensitive to noise. Thus, unless image quality is good, the largest contribution for the focus score comes from the noise, and both the requirements for sensitivity and for a large range are lost Fluorescent imaging is characterized as being a low light application, meaning that only low levels of light are emitted from the sample. In addition, high resolution is needed in order to distinguish details of the sample. Thus a fluorescent imaging system is required to provide large magnification of the sample, to have a high capacity for collecting light and requires relatively long exposure times in order to obtain a reasonable image. In order to provide the high magnification necessary, high magnification objective lenses are used, typically of ×40 and above. In order to achieve the high resolution and to collect as much light as possible, objective lenses with high numerical apertures (NA), typically 0.75 and above, are generally used. Typical exposure times of the order of a second and above are needed in order to obtain high quality, low noise images. It will be appreciated that a high NA causes a low depth of field. Thus even slight deviations in the distance between the objective and the sample can lead to severe misfocusing of the image. Conventional focusing of the kind described above typically requires five-ten images. The requirement of low noise images means that the exposure time used for focus need to be similar to that used for the actual imaging. In the case of fluorescent imaging, a focusing time of around five-ten seconds is therefore implied. Thus in fluorescent imaging the system spends the vast majority of its time focusing, and the focusing problem is an obstacle to providing a high throughput fluorescent imaging system. |
<SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The embodiments described herein overcome the difficulties explained above by removing the dependence on image details such as differential information and high frequency details, in the process of focusing. Instead, it uses the image energy, that is to say integral information and low frequency details for finding the focal position. The embodiments are thus able to be used on relatively noisy images, which can be focused rapidly. The system is particularly useful for providing fast throughput for large quantities of data. According to a first aspect of the present invention there is an imaging apparatus for taking images of samples, the apparatus comprising: an objective lens, a focus controller for altering a distance between the objective lens and the sample, an object finder for finding objects of interest within the sample, and a light intensity measurement unit, associated with the focus controller, arranged to measure light intensity levels, gathered through the objective lens, of the objects of interest, the apparatus being operable to alter the distance to maximize the light intensity levels, thereby to find a focus position. Preferably, the focus controller is controllable to stepwise alter the focus through a series of distances to allow the light intensity measurement unit to measure the light intensity at each of the focus distances, therefrom to select one of the focus distances giving maximum intensity as the focus position. The apparatus may be comprised within a camera, meaning that it is configured to work with the camera objective to provide autofocus for the camera. Typically, the sample used is a fluorescent sample, since images of fluorescent samples are typically high noise and hard to focus using conventional methods. Preferably, the object finder comprises a small object filter for filtering to include only small objects of the sample. Preferably, the object finder comprises a bright object filter for filtering out objects fluorescing above a predetermined fluorescing threshold. Preferably, the object finder comprises a background filter for filtering out a background color. Preferably, the object finder comprises a background filter for filtering out a background color. The apparatus may further comprise a filter for filtering out objects fluorescing above a predetermined fluorescing threshold. Preferably, the small object filter is operable to filter out regions not being objects occupying less space than substantially 500 pixels of an image. Preferably, the light intensity measurement unit is operable to compute an average intensity over an image taken of the sample using at least a first of the focusing distances. Preferably, the light intensity measurement unit is further operable to compute a standard deviation of the intensity over the image. The apparatus may further comprise a thresholder associated with the light intensity measurement unit for using the average intensity and the standard deviation to compute an image threshold for thresholding pixels of the image. Preferably, the threshold is the average intensity plus a predetermined image constant times the standard deviation. Preferably, the thresholder is operable to compute a focusing threshold in addition to the image threshold. Preferably, the focusing threshold is the average intensity plus a predetermined focusing constant times the standard deviation. Preferably, the small object filter is operable to filter for the small objects by forming a mask by setting to zero any pixel that is outside of an object being smaller than a predetermined blob size. The apparatus may further comprise a thresholder, operable to threshold an image using a brightness threshold. Preferably, the thresholder is operable to threshold for brightness separately for color bands of the image. Preferably, the thresholder is operable to threshold for brightness separately for color bands of the image such as to filter out a color associated with an image background, thereby to provide a background filter. The apparatus may further comprise combination logic for ANDing the thresholded image with the mask. The apparatus may further comprise combination logic for ANDing the thresholded image with the mask, thereby to form an image comprising delineated objects of interest. The apparatus may further comprise a noise remover operable to set to zero each pixel of the image lacking at least one non-zero pixel as a neighbor. Preferably, the noise remover comprises a rank filter. The apparatus may further comprise a focus scorer for computing a focus score to an image, the focus scorer comprising a summator for summing over substantially each pixel in the image the difference, raised to the power of a predetermined constant, between the pixel intensity level and the average intensity level for the image. The apparatus may further comprise the predetermined constant is a positive number. Preferably, the predetermined constant is substantially 2. The apparatus may further comprise a comparator associated with the focus scorer, for determining which of the images gives a maximum score, thereby to select an optical focus position. The apparatus may further comprise an exposure timer having a predetermined exposure time for producing focusing images and a predetermined exposure time for producing viewing images and the predetermined exposure time for producing focusing images may typically be shorter than the predetermined exposure time for producing viewing images. Preferably, a ratio between the exposure times is substantially between a third and a fortieth. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the ratio between the exposure times is substantially between a tenth and a fifth. Preferably, a ratio between the exposure times is calculable by taking substantially the square root of a ratio between a typical image SNR and an empirically determined SNR for a given focused image. Preferably, the exposure timer is set to increase the predetermined exposure time for producing focusing images in the event of a determination of a focusing failure. The apparatus may further comprise a comparator for determining a difference between focus scores of successive images, the apparatus being operable to reduce exposure time when the difference is above a predetermined level. The apparatus may further comprise a focus score adjuster operable to adjust respective focus scores of focusing images to compensate for the reductions in the exposure time. The apparatus may further comprise pixel binning functionality to increase a signal to noise ratio of the images. The apparatus may further comprise a light intensity detector connected to a servo-unit for altering the distance, the servo-unit being controllable to alter the distance to maximize light intensity as detected by the detector. The apparatus may further comprise a large object detector for inhibiting action of the servo-unit when the presence of a large object is detected. The apparatus may further comprise a low magnification pre-scanner for determining whether large objects are present in the sample, and inhibiting the operation of the server unit in the presence of the large objects. Preferably, the light intensity detection unit comprises a multi-pixel array. According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of image focusing comprising: illuminating a sample, collecting light from the sample via an objective lens, therefrom to form an image, identifying objects of interest within the image, and focusing the sample by altering a distance between the objective lens and the sample to maximize light intensity gathered from the identified objects of interest. Preferably, the step of identifying objects of interest comprises filtering for small objects in the image. According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of producing a focused image comprising: taking a series of images, over the series filtering for small objects, over the series thresholding the images against a threshold brightness level, summing intensities of each filtered and thresholded image to form a focusing score for each image, and selecting a focusing distance substantially corresponding to that of an image having a maximum focusing score. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided an autofocus device for use in imaging, the device comprising: an objective lens being controllably focusable on the sample by altering a distance between the lens and the sample, an object identifier for identifying regions of interest within an unfocused image of the sample, and a light intensity measurement unit arranged to measure light intensity levels of the objects of interest gathered by the objective lens, and wherein the autofocus device is operable to alter the distance to maximize the measured light intensity levels. Preferably, the altering of the distance comprises altering the distance stepwise to measure the light intensity at each of the steps and to select a one of the steps giving maximum intensity as a focus distance. Preferably, the object identifier comprises a small object filter for filtering for small objects of the sample. Preferably, the small object filter comprises a blob analyzer having a predetermined blob size, for recognizing objects that do not exceed the predetermined blob size. Preferably, the predetermined blob size is substantially 500 pixels. Preferably, the light intensity measurement unit is operable to compute an average intensity over an image taken of the sample using at least a first of the focus steps. Preferably, the light intensity measurement unit is further operable to compute a standard deviation of the intensity over the image. The autofocus device may further comprise a thresholder, associated with the light intensity measurement unit, for using the average intensity and the standard deviation to compute an image intensity threshold for thresholding pixels of the image. Preferably, the image intensity threshold is the average intensity plus a predetermined image constant times the standard deviation. Preferably, the thresholder is operable to compute a focusing threshold in addition to the image threshold. Preferably, the focusing threshold is the average intensity plus a predetermined focusing constant times the standard deviation. Preferably, the small object filter is operable to form a mask from an image taken at a predetermined focus position by setting to zero any pixel not being part of an object that is smaller than a predetermined large object threshold. The autofocus device may further comprise combination logic for ANDing the thresholded image with the mask, thereby to form an image delineating the objects of interest. The autofocus device may further comprise a noise remover operable to set to zero each pixel of the image lacking at least one non-zero pixel as a neighbor. Preferably, the noise remover comprises a rank filter. The autofocus device may further comprise a focus scorer for computing a focus score to an image, the focus scorer comprising a summator for summing over substantially each pixel in the image the difference, raised to the power of a predetermined constant, between the pixel intensity level and the average intensity level for the image. The autofocus device may further comprise the predetermined constant is a positive number. Preferably, the predetermined constant is substantially 2. The autofocus device may further comprise a comparator, associated with the focus scorer, for determining which of the images gives a maximum score, thereby to alter the distance to a distance corresponding to the position to focus the sample. The autofocus device may further comprise an exposure timer having a predetermined exposure time for producing focusing images and a predetermined exposure time for producing viewing images. The predetermined exposure time for producing focusing images is preferably arranged to be shorter than the predetermined exposure time for producing viewing images. Preferably, a ratio between the exposure times is substantially between a fifth and a fortieth. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the ratio between the exposure times is substantially between a tenth and a twentieth. Preferably, the ratio between the exposure times is obtainable by taking the square root of a ratio between a typical image SNR and an empirically determined SNR for a given focused image. Preferably, the exposure timer is set to increase the predetermined exposure time for producing focusing images in the event of a determination of a focusing failure. The autofocus device may further comprise a comparator for determining a difference between focus scores of successive images, the apparatus being operable to reduce exposure time when the difference is above a predetermined level. The autofocus device may further comprise a focus score adjuster operable to adjust respective focus scores of focusing images to compensate for the reductions in the exposure time. The autofocus device may further comprise pixel binning functionality to increase a signal to noise ratio of the images. The autofocus device may further comprise a low magnification pre-scanner for determining whether large objects are present in a sample to be imaged, and inhibiting the operation of the server unit in the presence of the large objects. Preferably, the light intensity detection unit comprises a multi-pixel array. According to a fifth aspect of the present invention there is provided an autofocus device for a fluorescence imaging microscope, the device comprising an image filter for filtering an image to delineate objects of interest and a light intensity measurement unit associated with a focusing mechanism for focusing by altering a focus distance to maximize measured light intensity of the filtered image. The device may carry out the focusing using image data gathering at a lower data level than a data level needed for imaging. |
Silicon carbide-based, porous structural material being heat-resistant and super lightweight |
The present invention provides a silicon carbide-based heat-resistant, ultra lightweight, porous structural material having the same shape as that of a spongy porous body and also provides a process for readily producing the material. In the process of the present invention, slurry containing silicon powder and a resin is applied to the framework of the spongy porous body by an impregnation method in such a manner that interconnected pores of the porous body are not plugged with the slurry; the resulting porous body is carbonized at a temperature of 900° C. to 1320° C. in vacuum or in an inert atmosphere; the resulting porous body is subjected to reactive sintering at a temperature of 1320° C. or more in vacuum or in an inert atmosphere, whereby silicon carbide having high wettability to molten silicon is produced and open pores due to a volume reduction reaction are formed in one step; and molten silicon is infiltrated into the resulting porous body at a temperature of 1300° C. to 1800° C. in vacuum or in an inert atmosphere, whereby the silicon carbide-based heat-resistant, ultra-lightweight, porous structural material is produced. |
1. A silicon carbide-based heat-resistant, ultra lightweight, porous structural material containing silicon carbide having high wettability to molten silicon and silicon provided in a carbonized porous sintered body, having open pores formed due to a volume reduction reaction, by melt infiltration, wherein the carbonized porous sintered body is formed by the reactive sintering of a carbonized porous body formed by carbonizing a porous body made of plastic or paper for forming a framework, the porous body being impregnated with slurry containing silicon powder and a resin functioning as a carbon source in such a manner that interconnected pores of the porous body are not plugged with the slurry. 2. The porous composite material heat-resistant, ultra lightweight, porous structural material according to claim 1, wherein the resin, allowed to adhere to the framework by an impregnation method, functioning as a carbon source is at least one selected from the group consisting of a phenol resin, a furan resin, an organic metal polymer, and sucrose. 3. The porous composite material heat-resistant, ultra lightweight, porous structural material according to claim 1, wherein the slurry applied to the framework by an impregnation method contains an additive selected from the group consisting of carbon powder, graphite powder, and carbon black. 4. The porous composite material heat-resistant, ultra lightweight, porous structural material according to claim 1, wherein the slurry applied to the framework by an impregnation method contains an aggregate or oxidation inhibitor that is at least one selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, zirconia, zirconium, alumina, silica, mullite, molybdenum silicide, boron carbide, and boron powder. 5. The porous composite material heat-resistant, ultra lightweight, porous structural material according to claim 1, wherein the silicon powder contained in the slurry contains a silicon alloy containing at least one selected from the group consisting of magnesium, aluminum, titanium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, and tungsten or the slurry contains a mixture of the silicon powder and those metals. 6. The porous composite material heat-resistant, ultra lightweight, porous structural material according to claim 1, wherein silicon for melt infiltration is derived from a silicon alloy containing at least one selected from the group consisting of magnesium, aluminum, titanium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, and tungsten or derived from a mixture of silicon and those metals. 7. A process for producing a silicon carbide-based heat resistant, ultra lightweight, porous structural material comprising a step of applying slurry, containing silicon powder and a resin functioning as a carbon source, to the framework of a spongy porous body, made of plastic or paper, by an impregnation method in such a manner that interconnected pores of the porous body are not plugged with the slurry; a step of carbonizing the resulting porous body at a temperature of 900° C. to 1320° C. in vacuum or in an inert atmosphere; a step of subjecting the resulting porous body to reactive sintering at a temperature of 1320° C. or more in vacuum or in an inert atmosphere, whereby silicon carbide having high wettability to molten silicon is produced and open pores due to a volume reduction reaction are formed in one step; and a step of infiltrating molten silicon into the resulting porous body at a temperature of 1300° C. to .1800° C. in vacuum or in an inert atmosphere. 8. The process for producing a silicon carbide-based heat resistant, ultra lightweight, porous structural material according to claim 7, further comprising a step of wring the slurry, applied to the framework, containing the silicon powder and the resin, out of the porous body such that the interconnected pores of the porous body are not plugged with the slurry. 9. The process for producing a silicon carbide-based heat resistant, ultra lightweight, porous structural material according to claim 7, wherein the resin allowed to adhere to the framework of the porous body by an impregnation method is at least one selected from the group consisting of a phenol resin, a furan resin, an organic metal polymer, and sucrose. 10. The process for producing a silicon carbide-based heat resistant, ultra lightweight, porous structural material according to claim 7, wherein the slurry applied to the framework of the porous body by an impregnation method contains an additive selected from the group consisting of carbon powder, graphite powder, and carbon black. 11. The process for producing a silicon carbide-based heat resistant, ultra lightweight, porous structural material according to claim 7, wherein the slurry applied to the framework of the porous body by an impregnation method contains an aggregate or oxidation inhibitor that is at least one selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, zirconia, zirconium, alumina, silica, mullite, molybdenum silicide, boron carbide, and boron powder. 12. The process for producing a silicon carbide-based heat resistant, ultra lightweight, porous structural material according to claim 7, wherein the silicon powder contained in the slurry contains a silicon alloy containing at least one selected from the group consisting of magnesium, aluminum, titanium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, and tungsten or the slurry contains a mixture of the silicon powder and those metals. 13. The process for producing a silicon carbide-based heat resistant, ultra lightweight, porous structural material according to claim 7, wherein the silicon for melt infiltration is derived from a silicon alloy containing at least one selected from the group consisting of magnesium, aluminum, titanium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, and tungsten or derived from a mixture of silicon and those metals. 14. The process for producing a silicon carbide-based heat resistant, ultra lightweight, porous structural material according to claim 8, wherein the resin allowed to adhere to the framework of the porous body by an impregnation method is at least one selected from the group consisting of a phenol resin, a furan resin, an organic metal polymer, and sucrose. 15. The process for producing a silicon carbide-based heat resistant, ultra lightweight, porous structural material according to claim 8, wherein the slurry applied to the framework of the porous body by an impregnation method contains an additive selected from the group consisting of carbon powder, graphite powder, and carbon black. 16. The process for producing a silicon carbide-based heat resistant, ultra lightweight, porous structural material according to claim 8, wherein the slurry applied to the framework of the porous body by an impregnation method contains an aggregate or oxidation inhibitor that is at least one selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, zirconia, zirconium, alumina, silica, mullite, molybdenum silicide, boron carbide, and boron powder. 17. The process for producing a silicon carbide-based heat resistant, ultra lightweight, porous structural material according to claim 8, wherein the silicon powder contained in the slurry contains a silicon alloy containing at least one selected from the group consisting of magnesium, aluminum, titanium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, and tungsten or the slurry contains a mixture of the silicon powder and those metals. 18. The process for producing a silicon carbide-based heat resistant, ultra lightweight, porous structural material according to claim 8 wherein the silicon for melt infiltration is derived from a silicon alloy containing at least one selected from the group consisting of magnesium, aluminum, titanium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, and tungsten or derived from a mixture of silicon and those metals. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND ART <EOH>Silicon carbide ceramics are light in weight and excellent in heat resistance, abrasion resistance, corrosion resistance, and so on. Therefore, such ceramics have been recently used in various applications such as high-temperature corrosion-resistant members, heater members, abrasion-resistant members, abrasives, and grindstones. Since the ceramics are principally produced by a sintering process, they have not been in practical use as ultra-lightweight porous members having a porosity of 90% or more and a filter shape. In recent years, the porous ceramics having heat resistance and ultra lightweight have been investigated. For example, Bridgestone Corporation has succeeded in producing a porous silicon carbide structure used for ceramic foam filters for cast iron according to the following procedure: a sponge is impregnated with silicon carbide slurry, and an excess of the slurry is removed from the resulting sponge, which is dried and then fired. According to a catalogue showing properties, the porous silicon carbide structure has a porosity of 85% and an apparent specific gravity of 0.42. In the above procedure, since the slurry containing silicon carbide powder is used, some pores are plugged with the remaining slurry although an excess of the slurry is removed from the sponge. Therefore, the porosity is 85%, which is a small value, and the apparent specific gravity is 0.42, which is a large value. Furthermore, the pore size is about 1-5 mm (the standard number of cells ranges from 13 per 25 mm to six per mm), which is a large value. On the other hand, the inventors have obtained the following finding in the investigation of a fiber-reinforced silicon carbide composite material: molten silicon hardly reacts with a dense matrix, prepared by the carbonization of a phenol resin, containing only amorphous carbon but readily permeate a porous matrix and reacts therewith, wherein the porous matrix contains residual amorphous carbon and silicon carbide that is produced by the reactive sintering (volume reduction reaction) of a mixture of silicon powder and a phenol resin and has high wettability to the molten silicon, as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3096716. Furthermore, the inventors have found that this technique can be used for producing an ultra-lightweight, porous structural material. |
Safety switch device for electrically controlled machines |
The invention relates to a safety switch unit (1) for electrically controlled machines for use in combination with the actual control elements of the machine control system in a hand-held application or for manual control, with at least one operating element which is displaced relative to a mounting frame (8) in accordance with the switching function desired by a user, which is designed to change the switch status of at least one electric switch element, the safety switch unit (1) having at least one switch position which is maintained only as long as a sufficiently high operating force is applied to the displaceable operating elements. Two operating elements for at least one respective electric switch element (14, 15) can be displaced in translation or rotation to a limited degree relative to the mounting frame (8) about a respective pivot axis of two pivot bearings and provide a substantially translating or straight operating movement of the safety switch unit (1) by means of a push button unit (2) which is disposed in front of the two operating elements by reference to the operating direction—arrow (13)—of the safety switch unit (1). |
1. Safety switch unit (1) for electrically controlled machines for use in combination with the actual control elements of the machine control system in a handheld application or manual operation, with at least one operating element (6, 7) which is displaced relative to a mounting frame (8) in accordance with the switching function desired by a user, which is designed to change the switch status of at least one electric switch element (14, 15), the safety switch unit (1) having at least one switch position which is maintained only as long as a sufficiently high operating force is applied to the displaceable operating elements (6, 7), wherein two operating elements (6, 7) for at least one respective electric switch element (14, 15) can be displaced in translation or rotation to a limited degree relative to the mounting frame (8) about a respective pivot axis (11, 12) of two pivot bearings (9, 10) and provide a substantially translating or straight operating movement of the safety switch unit (1) by means of a push button unit (2) which is disposed in front of the two operating elements (6, 7) by reference to the operating direction—arrow (13)—of the safety switch unit (1). 2. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two operating elements (6, 7) provided in the form of lever arms (24, 25) mounted in a rocker-type arrangement are pivotable about a respective separate pivot axis (11, 12) and mutually facing ends (26, 27) of the lever arms (24, 25) are coupled in displacement. 3. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the mutually facing ends (26, 27) of the two lever arms (24, 25) positively engage in one another, in particular via matching teeth (28, 29). 4. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the push button unit (2) is supported on the lever arms (24, 25) at mutually remote end regions (30, 31) of the two lever arms (24, 25). 5. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the two lever arms (24, 25) and the push button unit (2) are an integral piece. 6. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein transition zones (32, 33) between the two lever arms (24, 25) and the push button unit (2) are designed to act as compensation and deformation regions (34, 35) and the push button unit (2) and the lever arms (24, 25) are an integral, injection-moulded plastic component. 7. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the push button unit (2) is arcuately curved, in particular convex, with respect to the lever arms (24, 25). 8. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pivot axes (11, 12) are disposed respectively substantially at the centre relative to the lever arms (24, 25). 9. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mutually remote end regions (30, 31) of the two lever arms (24, 25) each act on at least one switch element (14, 15). 10. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the mutually remote end regions (30, 31) of the lever arms (24, 25) co-operates with a respective switch element (14, 15) in the form of an electric normally open contact (16; 17) and a respective switch element (14, 15) in the form of an electric normally closed contact (18; 19). 11. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch elements (14, 15) are conductively connected to an electronic control or evaluation device (3). 12. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch element (14; 15) incorporating the normally open contact (16, 17) is disposed at a shorter distance (39, 40) from the pivot axis (11; 12) of the co-operating lever arm (24; 25) or operating element (6; 7) than the switch element (14; 15) incorporating the normally closed contact (18, 19). 13. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch elements (14, 15) for each circuit (4, 5) are disposed on a printed circuit board (22, 23). 14. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein a bottom face (53) of a printed circuit board (22) for all switch elements (14, 15) or a bottom face of the switch elements (14, 15) is supported as far as possible by its full surface on an opposing face (54) of the mounting frame (8). 15. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board (22) or the switch elements (14, 15) is or are at least partially accommodated in the mounting frame (8). 16. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board (22) is inserted in the housing-type mounting frame (8) without screws. 17. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein a depth (45) of the safety switch unit (1) as measured in the operating direction—arrow (13)—is only a fraction of a length (46) of the push button unit (2) as measured transversely to the operating direction—arrow (13). 18. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two operating elements (6, 7) are mounted so as to pivot, each on a pivot axis (11, 12) at their mutually remote end regions (30, 31), and their mutually facing ends (26, 27) engage or overlap with one another. 19. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 18, wherein the mutually facing ends (26, 27) of the two operating elements (6, 7) overlap with one another in a meshing arrangement but are not linked to one another in displacement and can still be pivoted independently of one another. 20. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 18, wherein mutually merging operating surfaces (56, 57) of the two operating elements (6, 7) form a force-introduced zone (58) for the push button unit (2). 21. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 20, wherein the operating elements (6, 7) are upwardly cambered or curved in a cam-type design in their common force introduction zone (58). 22. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating elements (6, 7) and/or the push button unit (2) is covered by an elastically resilient, deformable cover element (42), in particular in the form of a rubber membrane (43). 23. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 22, wherein the soft elastic cover element (42), in particular the rubber membrane (43), is provided as a means of covering the operating elements (6, 7) and the push button unit (2) and simultaneously seals a housing orifice in which the safety switch unit (1) is operated. 24. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 18, wherein the elastically flexible cover element (42) is plate-shaped or block-shaped in the region congruent with the zone (58) via which force is transmitted to the operating elements (6, 7) and is stiffer than the peripheral zones lying around it. 25. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two operating elements (6, 7) are exactly the same and are identical parts. 26. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the four switch elements (14, 15) are arranged offset in two directions extending perpendicular to one another by reference to a seating or support plane (59) thereof. 27. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein operating surfaces (60, 61) of the switch elements (14, 15) lie in a substantially common plane and the two operating elements (60, 61) each have a resiliently elastic, flexible compensating element (62, 63) co-operating with the switch elements (14; 15) incorporating the normally open contact (16, 17). 28. Safety switch unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating elements (6, 7) are pushed into an initial or inactive position of the safety switch unit (1) exclusively by means of the intrinsic return force of the switch elements (14, 15). |
Hydroponic pot with a root prune window |
The present invention provides an apparatus (100) for hydroponic cultivation of plants with a root retaining mechanism for preventing primary roots from traveling from a growing chamber (101) into a nutrient solution reservoir (102). The combined features of the root retaining mechanism and a root prune window (108) provide a high capacity for the plant to reach its maximum potentials. |
1. A hydroponic apparatus comprising: a first cylindrical container for keeping a growing medium, said first cylindrical container having a surrounding wall and a bottom with a number of vertical holes which evenly spread in a central area of said bottom; a second cylindrical container as a reservoir of nutrient solution, said second cylindrical container being coupled to, and positioned under, said first cylindrical container, and said second cylindrical container having a window from which a user observes and prunes a plant's roots which grow downward into said reservoir through said vertical holes, said window's upper edge being as close as possible to said bottom's lower surface; and an irrigation system to pump nutrient solution from said reservoir upward into said growing medium. 2. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a submersible heater which is used to adjust the temperature of nutrient solution in said reservoir. 3. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an aeration device to aerate nutrient solution in said reservoir. 4. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 3, wherein said aeration device comprises an aeration stone operatively coupled to an air pump. 5. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a programmable controller to control any of: aeration of nutrient solution in said reservoir; temperature of nutrient solution in said reservoir; and moisture of said growing medium. 6. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 1, wherein said irrigation system is coupled to an irrigation base which provides an array of drip holes facing upward from which nutrient solution evenly covers said growing medium. 7. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 6, wherein said irrigation base comprises one input conduit connected to at least two circular conduits on which various drip holes facing upward are evenly made. 8. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 1, wherein said growing medium can be any of: peat moss; coco fiber; lava rocks; clay pebbles; and rockwool. 9. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said vertical holes is approximately {fraction (5/16)}-{fraction (3/8)} inch in diameter. 10. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 1, wherein said central area is an area whose diameter is approximately one-third of said bottom's diameter. 11. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 1, wherein said central area is slightly higher, with a smooth slope, than the surrounding area of said bottom to lead a plant's primary roots to grow toward the surrounding wall of said first cylindrical container. 12. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 1, wherein said window is opened and closed using a sliding door. 13. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 1, wherein said irrigation system comprises a drainage that is used to empty said reservoir. 14. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a trestle coupled to said first cylindrical container's upper edge, said trestle comprising: a connection agency for connection with said first cylindrical container; and a number of rods with a same length, the lower ends of said rods being coupled to said connection agency. 15. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 14, wherein said trestle further comprises a web stretched by the upper ends of said rods. 16. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 14, wherein said connection agency covers, around said first cylindrical container's upper rim, approximately one-third to one-half of the top surface of said first cylindrical container to keep a particular humidity of said growing medium. 17. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a lighting device coupled to said trestle to promote photosynthesis. 18. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a power interruption device to ensure that the power is automatically shut off when a short circuit occurs; and a reset device used to return the power after said short circuit is overcome. 19. A hydroponic apparatus comprising: a cylindrical tank which is divided by a divider into an upper portion as a growing chamber which is filled with a growing medium, and a lower portion as a reservoir of nutrient solution; and a pump which pumps nutrient solution from said reservoir upward into said growing medium through a conduit coupled to a drip irrigation base placed at the top of said growing medium; wherein said divider is a round member that fits into said tank, acting as a bottom of said growing chamber to support said growing medium, said round member having a smooth upper surface and a number of vertical round holes which evenly spread in a central area of said member; and wherein said reservoir has a window from which a user observes and prunes a plant's roots which elongate downward into said reservoir through said vertical round holes, said window's upper edge being as close as possible to said divider's lower surface. 20. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 19, further comprising: a submersible heater which is used to adjust the temperature of nutrient solution in said reservoir. 21. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 19, further comprising: an aeration device to aerate nutrient solution in said reservoir. 22. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 21, wherein said aeration device comprises an aeration stone operatively coupled to an air pump. 23. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a programmable controller to control any of: aeration of nutrient fluid in said reservoir; temperature of nutrient fluid in said reservoir; and moisture of said growing medium. 24. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 19, wherein said drip irrigation base provides an array of drip holes facing upward from which nutrient solution evenly covers said growing medium. 25. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 19, wherein said drip irrigation base comprises one input conduit connected to at least two circular conduits on which various drip holes facing upward are evenly made. 26. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 19, wherein said growing medium can be any of: peat moss coco fiber; lava rocks; clay pebbles; and rockwool. 27. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 19, wherein each of said vertical round holes is approximately {fraction (5/16)}-⅜ inch in diameter. 28. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 19, wherein said central area is an area whose diameter is approximately one-third of said divider's diameter. 29. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 19, wherein said central area is slightly higher, with a smooth slope, than the surrounding area of said divider's upper surface to lead a plant's primary roots to elongate toward the surrounding wall of said growing chamber. 30. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 19, wherein said window is opened and closed using a sliding door. 31. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a drainage which is used to empty said reservoir. 32. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a trestle coupled to said tank's upper portion, said trestle comprising: a connection agency for connection with said tank; and a number of rods with a same length, the lower ends of said rods being coupled to said connection agency. 33. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 32, wherein said trestle further comprises a web stretched by the upper ends of said rods. 34. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 32, wherein said connection agency covers, around said tank's upper rim, approximately one-third to one-half of said tank's top surface to keep a particular humidity of said growing medium. 35. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a lighting device coupled to said trestle to promote photosynthesis. 36. The hydroponic apparatus of claim 19, further comprising: a power interruption device to ensure that the power is automatically shut off when a short circuit occurs; and a reset device used to return the power after said short circuit is overcome. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND ART <EOH>Hydroponics, simply stated, is the growing of plants without soil. Hydroponic cultivation of plants involves inert root growth mediums without microbial activity. The solution is principally water with fertilizers and other nutrients added. Scientists have discovered that ten elements are generally required for plant growth. Three of these ten are provided by air and water: carbon (C), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O). The others, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S) and iron (Fe) were obtained by plants from the soil or other growing medium. Six additional elements have been determined essential for plant growth: manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), boron (B), molybdenum (Mb) and chlorine (Cl). Currently accepted organic fertilizer components are dependent upon organisms in the soil to convert the “organic” materials into a useable form for plants. In hydroponics, because the minerals required for plant growth are provided, the need for soil and soil organisms are completely eliminated. The result is much higher growth rates and yields, and better crop quality than organic methods can achieve. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a hydroponic pot representing the current state of art. A growing chamber 10 filled with growing medium 11 sits in a nutrient reservoir 12 . A pumping column 13 fits into a pumping pipe 14 , reaching into the nutrient solution contained in the reservoir 12 . Air pressure from the air pump 15 pushes the solution up through the pumping column 13 to the drip ring 16 with a number of drip holes. The drip ring 16 is connected to the column with a tee connector. Solution drains to a drain/level tube 17 , which is inserted through a rubber grommet at the bottom of the reservoir 12 . The growing chamber 10 is a shallow pot with perforated bottom. The holes in the bottom of the growing chamber 10 are in three sizes—large, medium and small ones, all evenly spread. The small holes are for draining the solution oozed through the growing medium 11 . The medium and large holes are primarily for the roots to grow through into the reservoir 12 . This apparatus has many problems in use. First, the premise of this methodology is a failed premise because the roots submerged in an oxygen deprived nutrient solution reservoir soon drown. Second, because the drain holes are spread all over the growing chambers bottom the primary roots are evacuated into the reservoir. Saturation of unpruned roots in the reservoir clogs the pumping column 13 . A biweekly disassembly is required to remedy this design flaw. Third, to prevent the roots from entering the reservoir they must be pruned. This involves the cumbersome task of removing the whole growing chamber 10 off the reservoir 12 . In addition, upon pruning of the primary roots the plant is left dependent upon secondary roots only. This further limits the plant's growth capacity. Fourth, the nutrient solution is not oxygen enriched. This results in a slower rate of metabolism. It is established that at 72° F., O 2 and H 2 O become H 2 O 2 . The metabolic rate increases when a plant uptakes the water with a molecule of oxygen. Fifth, the nutrient solution temperature is not stable and is affected by environmental influences such as outside at night, as the solution temperature fluctuates so does the metabolic rate. This single instability can shock a sensitive plant and stunt its growth. Sixth, due to the design of the drain level tube 17 , weekly solution drain and rinse is inconvenient, the entire device must be lifted in the air as the drain tube is at the bottom of the reservoir. Seven, the nutrient drip ring 16 , is a single ring with minimal drip holes exposing perhaps 10% of the root mass to nutrient. The design depends primarily upon roots entering the reservoir for nutrients. Taken altogether, the above described is at best a nominally successful methodology. The device works fine until the roots enter the reservoir. The plant is then forced into premature catabolic activity. It is therefore an object of the present invention to solve these problems by providing an apparatus for hydroponic cultivation of plants that provides a high capacity for the plant to reach its maximum potentials. |
<SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention provides an apparatus for hydroponic cultivation of plants with a root retaining mechanism for preventing primary roots from traveling from a growing chamber into a pot reservoir. The combined features of the root retaining mechanism and a root prune window provide a high capacity for the plant to reach its maximum potentials. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the hydroponic pot comprises: a first cylindrical container for keeping a growing medium, the first cylindrical container having a surrounding wall and a bottom with a number of holes which evenly spread in a central area of the bottom; a second cylindrical container as a reservoir of nutrient solution, the second cylindrical container being coupled to, and positioned under, the first cylindrical container, and the second cylindrical container having a window from which a user observes and prunes a plant's roots extending downward into said reservoir through the small round holes, the window's upper edge being as close as possible to the bottom's lower surface; and an irrigation system to pump nutrient solution from the reservoir upward into the growing medium. In another preferred embodiment, the hydroponic pot comprises: a cylindrical tank which is divided by a divider into an upper portion as a growing chamber which is filled with a growing medium, and a lower portion as a reservoir of nutrient solution; and a pump which pumps nutrient solution from the reservoir upward into the growing medium through a drip irrigation base; wherein the divider is a round member that fits into the tank, acting as the growing chamber's bottom to support the growing medium, the round member having a smooth upper surface and a number of holes which evenly spread in a central area of the round member; and wherein the reservoir has a window from which a user observes and prunes a plant's roots extending downward into the reservoir through the holes of the divider, the window's upper edge being as close as possible to the divider's lower surface. In both of the embodiments, the hydroponic pot may further comprises the following components: a submersible heater which is used to adjust the temperature of nutrient solution in the nutrient reservoir; an aeration device, such as an aeration stone coupled to an air pump, to aerate the nutrient solution in the nutrient reservoir; a programmable controller to control aeration and temperature of the nutrient solution as well as the humidity of the growing medium; a drainage which is used to empty the reservoir; a trestle coupled to the pot's upper edge; a lighting device coupled to the trestle to promote photosynthesis; and/or a power interruption device to ensure that the power is automatically shut off when a short circuit occurs. |
Creation method for characters/words and the information and communication service method thereby |
This invention relates to a method for entering characters into a small keypad with a limited number of keys or information appliances with a liquid crystal panel such as PDA. The object of the present invention is to provide a character entry method to ensure the efficiency of letter entry, the expandability and adaptability of information services, and the information and communication service method thereby, which substantially obviates problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the multi-tap and single-tap method. The distinctive features of the present invention are representative character keys, a virtual keypad, and virtual key entry method on the viral keypad mode, in entering multiple characters by means of a keypad with about 12 keys. Moreover, the present invention provides a character entry method ensuring the input efficiency of various characters. The present invention can be utilized as an interface in the mobile info-communication services. |
1. A method for generating characters or words by means of a character entry device having a small keypad with a limited number of keys, comprising: phase for grouping characters of a given language into sets of characters; phase for designating representative characters for each of said sets of characters; phase for allocating said representative characters to each key and marking said representative characters on each key; a phase for identifying the representative character which stands for a set of characters including a desired character, and selecting the key to which said representative character is allocated; a phase for showing characters belonging to said representative character on the display of the character entry device if said representative character is entered solely; a phase for changing a real keypad input mode into a virtual keypad input mode; and a phase for selecting the desired character from said displayed characteristics by means of a representative character key, a numeral or function key. 2. A method for generating characters or words by means of a character entry device having a small keypad with a limited number of keys, comprising: a phase for grouping characters of a given language into sets of characters; a phase for designating representative characters for each of the sets of characters; a phase for allocating said representative characters to each key and marking each of said representative characters on each key; a phase for identifying the representative character which stands for a set od characters including a desired character, and selecting the key to which said representitative character is allocated; a phase for storing into a storage unit a series of representative characters successively if said representative characters are entered successive a phase for providing the process where a system displays automatically characters belonging to the rest of the representative characters if the first character selection process is carried out; a phase for changing a real keypad input mode into a virtual keypad input mode; and a phase for generating characters belonging to said rest representative characters without reentry of said representative character keys. 3. A method for generating characters or words in an information and communication appliance in which a user enters characters by means of tool, comprising: a phase for grouping characters of a given language into sets of characters; a phase for designating representative characters for each of the sets of characters; a phase for allocating said representative characters and characters belonging to said representative characters to keys of input panel and marking each of said representative character on each key; a phase for changing a real keypad input mode into a virtual keypad input mode; and a phase for generating the desired characters by entering said representative character through touching the corresponding key by means of the touch tool and entering characters belonging to said representative character according to the prescribed up-down-right-left combination direction by means of the touch tool. 4. The method of claim 1, claim 2, or claim 3, wherein said representative character is selected according to one or more standards, the standards including correlation of sets of characters, convenience of key entry, the frequency of appearance, a representative phonetic value of similar phonetic value representative character form of similar character forms. 5. The method of claim 1, claim 2, or claim 3, further comprising: a phase for exhibiting always character feature information related to a given language notation system on a display and carrying out the creation of characters/words. 6. The method of claim 1, claim 2, or claim 3, further comprising: a phase for adding a wordbook of a given language; and a phase for predicting the entire word through a few number of key presses and generating the desired characters/words. 7. The method of claim 4, wherein the characters of said given language comprises characters of a language based on alphabet. 8. The method of claim 8, wherein the characters of said given language comprises characters of a language based on alphabet. 9. The method of claim 9, wherein the characters of said given language language comprises characters of a language based on alphabet. 10. The method of claim 4, wherein said given language is Japanese, Vietnamese, Hebrew, Arabic, Thai, Indian, Chinese or Korean. 11. The method of claim 8, wherein said given language is Japanese, Vietnamese, Hebrew, Arabic, Thai, Indian, Chinese or Korean. 12. The method of claim 9, wherein said given language is Japanese, Vietnamese, Hebrew, Arabic, Thai, Indian, Chinese or Korean. 13. A method for generating Chinese characters by means of a Chinese character entry device having a small keypad with a limited number of keys, comprising: a phase for designating the first letter of pinyin of a Chinese character to a representative pinyin key; a phase for entering said representative pinyin key; a phase for predicting the next letters of pinyin using said representative pinyin key entered and showing the predicted letters of pinyin on the display of Chinese character entry device; and a phase for selecting and entering the desired letters of pinyin among the displayed letters of pinyin by means of a numeral combination key or a function key. 14. A method for generating Chinese characters by means of a Chinese character entry device having a small keypad with a limited number of keys, comprising: a phase for designating basic 5 strokes, Chinese character forms or to representative characters; a phase for allocating said representative characters to keys and each of the representative character on each key; a phase for entering said representative character key; a phase for showing the stroke elements, the Chinese character from elements or the radical elements belonging to said representative character key on the display of Chinese character entry device; and a phase for selecting and entering the desired stroke, Chinese character form or radical among the displayed stroke elements, Chinese character from elements or radical elements by means of a numeral combination key or key. 15. A method for generating Chinese characters by means of a Chinese character entry device having a small keypad with a limited number of keys, wherein a display method of the related Chinese characters corresponding to entry of stroke or pinyin has a feature that frequently used Chinese characters are dynamically displayed at the head, based on the frequency of use by a user. 16. The method of claim 4, wherein said characters are the beginning or ending of a word. 17. The method of claim 5, wherein said characters are the beginning or ending or ending of a word. 18. The method of claim 6, wherein said characters are the beginning or ending of the word. 19. The method of claim 15, wherein said method for generating words/characters comprises further: a phase for extracting the word of said wordbook from the text previously; and a phase for predicting and generating the whole word or sentence using one character/syllable in searching said wordbook. 20. An info-telecom service method providing a data entry interface according to the method of claim 4. 21. An info-telecom service method providing a data entry interface according to the method of claim 8. 22. An info-telecom service method providing a data entry interface according to the method of claim 9. 23. A keypad structure of an info-telecom appliance having a small keypad with a limited number of keys, the keypad structure being established according to the method of claim 1. 24. A keypad structure of an info-telecom appliance having a small keypad with a limited number of keys, the keypad structure being established according to the of claim 2. 25. A keypad structure of an info-telecom appliance having a small keypad with a limited number of keys and touch-tool, the keypad structure being established according to the method of claim 3. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND ART <EOH>Mobile information appliances such as a cellular telephone generally have 10˜12 keys in number to enter words with. In case of a language having 10˜12 characters in number, it is easy to enter words because a character can be allocated to a key. However, most languages have various and lots of characters, and it is impossible to allocate a character to a key. In addition, it is inconvenient to enter characters into small mobile information appliances such as a PDA because it has a full-size software-driven keyboard to enter words by means of pen-touching method. FIG. 1 a shows a keypad of cellular phone according to a Japanese standard for entering Japanese texts. As shown in FIG. 1 a , the Japanese alphabet is distributed in sets of five letters to be allocated to keys, according to the configuration table of the Japanese alphabet. Each key represents a set of characters. For example, the characters of “ ” column, “ ”, are allocated to “1” key, and the characters of “ ” column, “ ”, to “2” key. The characters of “ ” columns are allocated to “3, 4, . . . ” keys, respectively. Currently, the common way to enter Japanese texts using such a conventional Japanese keypad is through the multi-tap method. For example, if a user wants to enter a word, “ ”, he or she has to press “2” key once for entering “ ”, press “1” key four times according to the order listed on the key for entering “ ”, and press “9” key five times according to the order listed on the key for entering “ ”. As a result, the entry of “ ” needs ten times of key presses. FIG. 1 b shows a keypad of a cellular telephone according to an international standard for entering English texts. The 26 characters are allocated to 10 keys. The common way to enter English texts using such a conventional English keypad is also through the multi-tap method. FIG. 1 c shows a keypad of cellular telephone in which Hebraic alphabet is allocated to 10 keys so that a user can enter Hebraic characters. FIG. 1 d shows a keypad of cellular telephone in which Thai alphabet is allocated to 10 keys so that a user can enter Thai characters. FIG. 1 e shows a keypad of cellular telephone in which strokes are allocated to 10 keys so that a user can enter simplified Chinese characters. FIG. 1 f shows a keypad of cellular telephone in which Bopomofo symbols are allocated to 10 keys so that a user can enter traditional Chinese characters. FIG. 1 g shows a keypad of cellular telephone in which Korean alphabet is allocated to 10 keys so that a user can enter Korean characters. Currently, the common way to enter a text using the above-mentioned keypads is through the multi-tap method. However, the multi-tap method is very cumbersome and can cause a user to make mistakes on the character entry since groups of multiple letters are allocated on a limited number of keys and multiple letters are overlaid on each of these keys. To overcome these disadvantages, a single-tap method has been developed. As a single-tap method, there are disclosed T9 (http:// www.t9.com), eZi (http://www.zicorp.com), itap (http://www.mot.com/lexicus/html/itap.html), and for entering Japanese texts, POS (http://www.muchy.com). One feature of these methods is one tap (key press) for one letter. FIG. 1 h shows an embodiment according to the eZi method. The most important difference between the single-tap and the multi-tap method is related to whether or not to use a given dictionary for a given language. The single-tap method is based on an algorithm, which displays automatically the corresponding words after searching a given dictionary for a given language for combinations of the entered characters. For example of the eZi method, if a user, want to enter “boy”, he/she presses “1” key having letters “ABC” imprinted thereon for entering “b”, “6” key for entering “o”, and “9” key for entering “y”. When “b” is entered, the system searches a given dictionary using “b” as a search key, and then, when “o” is entered, “bo” is used as a search key. Finally, when “y” is entered, the system finds “boy”, as a word, in the dictionary, and the user selects and enters the word “boy”. During the entering, nine (3×3×3) character combinations are generated from ABC, MNO, and WXY with the key entries. With the first key press, “ABC” is entered at once, and with the second key press “MNO” is entered at once, thereby displaying the possible combinations of letters in ABC×MNO, {AM, AN, AO, BM, BN, BO, CM, CN, CO}. Here, the desired character combination is “bo”. The system searches continuously the dictionary for the next character entry although there might be right words among the two-character combinations, and finally identifies the desired word. In the process, the character combinations associated with the key presses, which can be used as the beginning of the desired word, for example, “bo” can be selected and displayed continuously. Then, the system searches the dictionary in order to find all of the words, which include “bo” in the beginning of the word, and displays the resulting words. The user can identify and select the desired word among the words that the system speculates by oneself and displays. FIG. 1 i shows the POS system, which is a Japanese language calculation-input system according to the single-tap method. The algorithm is the same with the above-mentioned one. As described above, there is provided the single-tap method instead of the multi-tap method, in order to seek the efficiency of character entry by allocating multiple letters to a limited number of keys of a small keypad. The single-tap method pursues the efficiency of character entry through the reduced number of times of key presses and an accuracy of character entry. In a small keypad having a limited number of keys, multiple letters have inherently to be allocated to a key, and, therefore, the basic way to access a letter is a multi-tap method under the circumstances. However, the multi-tap method needs lots of key presses and has high possibility that a user may make mistakes on the character entry. On the other hand, the single-tap method can reduce the number of times of key presses, but has to establish a given dictionary for a given language in the system and to register new words continuously, such as vocabularies newly created by a user and abbreviations, in the dictionary. Besides, it is physically impossible to register all the vocabularies required in the rapidly developing information and telecommunication circumstances, such as names, internet addresses and homepage addresses, in the dictionary. In fact, if a vocabulary is not registered in the dictionary, a user has to use the multi-tap method at the same time in order to enter the vocabulary. Therefore, the single-tap method as a one-key-for-one-letter way has limitations and disadvantages which give the system high load due to lots of character combinations according to the entered multiple letters and dictionary-searching according to the character combinations. |
<SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>Further objects and advantages of the invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 a shows a Japanese character layout of a keypad of a cellular telephone, as a de facto Japanese standard; FIG. 1 b shows an alphabet layout of a keypad of a cellular telephone, as the international standard; FIG. 1 c shows a Hebraic character layout of a keypad of a cellular telephone, as a de facto standard; FIG. 1 d shows a Thai character layout of a keypad of a cellular telephone, FIG. 1 e shows a stroke layout of a keypad of a cellular telephone for entering Chinese characters; FIG. 1 f shows a Bopomofo symbol layout of a keypad of a cellular telephone for entering Chinese characters; FIG. 1 g shows a Korean alphabet layout of a keypad of a cellular telephone; FIG. 1 h illustrates an embodiment according to the eZi method as a single-tap method; FIG. 1 i illustrates an embodiment for entering Japanese characters in accordance with the POS system; FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart of Method 1 in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart of Method 2 in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart of Method 3 in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 5 illustrates a flow chart of Method 4 in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 6 illustrates an example of English text entry according to the Method 3 of the present invention; FIG. 7 illustrates a key layout of a virtual keypad according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 8 illustrates a depiction of a cellular telephone having a keypad for Russian character entry in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 9 illustrates a depiction of a cellular telephone having a keypad for Arabic character entry in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 10 illustrates a depiction of a cellular telephone having a keypad for Hebraic character entry in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 11 illustrates a depiction of a cellular telephone having a keypad for Thai character entry in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 12 illustrates a depiction of a cellular telephone having a keypad for Devanagari character entry in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 13 illustrates a depiction of a cellular telephone having a keypad for Chinese character entry in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 14 illustrates a depiction of a cellular telephone having a keypad for Korean language entry in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 15 illustrates an example of alphabet entry on a PDA in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 16 illustrates an example of an information service method using the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 17 illustrates an example of URL entry using the preferred embodiment of the present invention. detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? |
Method for testing a chip with a housing and for placing said housing on the board |
The invention relates to the fabrication and testing of a chip with a package (2) having connecting pins (1) as well as to mounting the package (2) on a board (5), whereby in order to combine the advantages of a package (2) with inline connecting pins (1) with the advantages of a package (2) with offset connecting pins (11, 12), the package (2) is fabricated with inline connecting pins (1) and inserted into a test socket (3) for testing. Immediately before mounting on the board (5), at least one connecting pin, preferably every second connecting pin (12), of the package (2) is bent inward by a bending tool (6) so as to achieve an offset arrangement of the connecting pins (11, 12). The package (2) is preferably mounted on the board (5) using the bending tool (6). A simple, inexpensively produced test socket (3) is sufficient for the purpose of testing the chip. An inexpensively produced guide brace (4), for example, is suitable as a packaging means. Since every second connecting pin (12) is not bent inward immediately before insertion of the connecting pins (11, 12), no subsequent corrective alignment of the offset connecting pins (11, 12) is required. |
1. Method for testing a chip with a package (2) and for mounting a package (2) on a plate (5), wherein the adjacent connecting pins (1) of the package (2) are in an inline arrangement, characterized in that the package (2) with its inline connecting pins is inserted into a test socket (3) to test the chip, and at least one connecting pin (1) is bent inward by a bending tool (6) immediately before insertion of the connecting pin (12) of the package (2) into the holes (7) of the board (5), in order to achieve an offset arrangement of the connecting pins (11, 12). 2. The method of claim 2, wherein every second connecting pin (12) is bent inward. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the bent and non-bent connecting pins (11, 12) are arranged symmetrically relative to the longitudinal center axis and to the transverse center axis of the package (2). 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the spacing between the inline connecting pins (11) is 1.27 mm, while the spacing between holes (71, 72) on the board (5) is at least 1.788 mm. 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the connecting pins (71, 72) are offset relative to each other by 1.27 mm. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein every first connecting pin (11) is bent outward by a predefined first angle, and every second connecting pin (12) is bent inward by a second predefined angle. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the package (2) is mounted onto the board (5) by a bending tool (6). 8. Chip with a package (2), wherein adjacent connecting pins (1) of the package (2) are in an inline arrangement, characterized in that at least one connecting pin (12) is bent inward so that the connecting pins (11, 12) are in an offset arrangement. 9. Chip according to claim 8, characterized in that every second connecting pin (12) is bent inward. 10. The chip of claim 8, wherein the bent and non-bent connecting pins (11, 12) are arranged symmetrically relative to the longitudinal center axis and transverse center axis of the package (2). 11. The chip of claim 10, wherein the spacing between inline connecting pins (11) is 1.27 mm. 12. The chip of claim 11, wherein the connecting pins (71, 72) are offset relative to each other by 1.27 mm. 13. The chip of claim 12, wherein every first connecting pin (11) is bent outward by a predefined angle, and every second connecting pin (12) is bent inward by a predefined angle. |
Method and device for determining a stationary and/or moving object |
A method and apparatus for the determination of a stationary and/or moving object, such as a vehicle, acoustic signals emitted by the object and/or reflected by another object are recorded and used to evaluate or identify an object. The object is detected, evaluated and identified acoustically with the aid of noises from it and/or extraneous noises, with respect to its own movement profile in relation to one or more coordinate axes (x, y axes), in the manner of a self-localization based on sound waves. |
1-19. (Cancelled) 20. A method for determining a stationary or moving object, comprising: recording acoustic signals emitted by a first object or reflected by a second object, as a reference signal; using the recorded reference signal to detect, evaluate or identify the first or second object; and calculating or projecting a movement state or movement profile pertaining to the first or second object, based on the recorded acoustic signals. 21. The method as claimed in claim 20, in which one of structure-borne and air-borne sound signals are recorded as the acoustic signals. 22. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the acoustic signals are processed in real time or transmitted to other systems. 23. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein noise signals representing the first or second object are filtered out of the recorded acoustic signals. 24. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the movement profile of the first or second object is calculated and optimized with respect to at least one coordinate axis based on a noise analysis. 25. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the movement profile of the first or second object is monitored for a possible collision based on the noise analysis. 26. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein one of information and a control signal is delivered to a communication, control or regulating system when a collision risk is identified. 27. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein information from one of a geographical information system and a previous noise analysis, is taken into account during the detection, evaluation or identification of the first or second object. 28. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein an associated priority is specified for an operator of the first or second object. 29. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein an associated priority is specified for a safety-relevant operation of the first or second object. 30. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein an operation with a higher priority is given precedence over an operation with a lower priority. 31. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein one of acoustic signals, noise signals and other operational signals from neighboring objects or systems are recorded, received or taken into account during a relevant analysis. 32. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein one of the recorded acoustic signals and noise signals are processed based on at least one analysis, by assigning signal patterns using at least one of neural networks or fuzzy logic. 33. A device for determining a stationary or moving object, comprising: at least one sonic transducer system having a directional characteristic for recording acoustic signals emitted by a first object or reflected by a second object; and an evaluation unit for detecting, evaluating or identifying the first or second object based on recorded acoustic signals; wherein, the sonic transducer system comprises a plurality of sound sensors for multidirectional recording of acoustic signals or object-related noise signals for direction-related self-localization; and the sonic transducer system and the evaluation unit form a passive acoustic radar based on sound waves. 34. The device as claimed in claim 33, wherein the sonic transducer system comprises at least one microphone with a spherical or directional characteristic, as the sound sensor. 35. The device as claimed in claim 33, wherein at least one of the object-related transducer and transducers arranged in an environment are monitored by a control center. 36. The device as claimed in claim 33, for use in a driver assistance system. 37. The device as claimed in claim 33, for use in an integrated traffic monitoring system. 38. A method for detecting and evaluating an object which is situated in proximity to a vehicle, said method comprising: recording and storing as reference signals, first sound signals emanating from the vehicle; recording second sound signals including sounds emanating from or reflected by said object; and using said recorded reference signals and said recorded second sound signals to detect, evaluate or identify said object, including calculating or projecting a movement state or movement profile for the object, based on said signals. |
Industrial robot |
An industrial robot comprising a manipulator with a control system, where the manipulator comprises a hollow, first robot unit (9) and a second robot unit (10) rotatable around an axle (A). The first robot unit (9) and the second robot unit (10) are arranged for rotation and/or bending in relation to each other and the second robot unit (10 includes a robot tool (11). Cables (12) are drawn through the first robot unit (9) and arranged coaxially and detachably connected with a first end (13), to the second robot unit (10), via a connection device. The connection device comprises a body (14), fixed to the first end (13) of the cables in at least one wire and the body (14) is arranged with sockets (19) for connection of power supply to the robot tool (11). |
1. An industrial robot comprising a manipulator with a control system where the manipulator comprises a hollow first robot unit, a second robot unit rotatable about an axis where the first robot unit and the second robot unit are adapted for rotation and/or bending relative to each other and where the second robot unit supports a robot tool, wherein a cable harness is drawn through the first robot unit and arranged coaxially and detachably connected with a first end to the second robot unit via a connection device, wherein the connection device comprises a body, secured to the first end of the cable harness in at least one line/strand, and that the body is provided with terminals for connection of a power supply to the robot tool. 2. The industrial robot according to claim 1, wherein the body is detachably built into the second robot unit. 3. The industrial robot according to claim 1, wherein the second robot unit comprises of a turning disc adapted to support a robot tool. 4. The industrial robot system according to claim 1, wherein the body is divided into at least two sub-bodies. 5. The industrial robot according to claim 4, wherein at least one sub-body is detachably built into the second robot unit. 6. The industrial robot according to claim 4, wherein the body is axially divided into a first part and a second part, which first and second parts are coaxially arranged and detachably interconnected in series. 7. The industrial robot according to claim 4, wherein the body is radially divided into at least two sub-bodies. 8. The industrial robot according to claim 7, wherein the sub-bodies are arranged with a compatible design. 9. The industrial robot according to claim 1, wherein the cable harness included in the robot is divided into at least one first and one second part length, said part lengths being detachably interconnected through a coupling device. 10. The industrial robot according to claim 9, wherein the first part length is, on the one hand, arranged with a body secured to the first end of the part length for detachable connection to the second robot unit, and, on the other hand, at the second end of the part length adapted for detachable connection to the first end of the second length section. 11. The industrial robot according to claim 9, wherein the first part length of the cable harness is provided with lines/cables radially extending from the center line of the cable harness and twisted around the center line. 12. The industrial robot according to claim 11, wherein the lines/cables included in the first part length are arranged twisted at least one turn around the center line along the length section of the part length. 13. A cable harness, intended for an industrial robot according to claim 1 comprising a robot tool, exhibits a first and a second end, wherein a body is secured to one end of the cable harness and that the body is provided with at least one terminal for connection of power supply to the robot tool. 14. The cable harness according to claim 13, wherein the body is divided into at least two sub-bodies. 15. The cable harness according to claim 14, wherein the sub-bodies are arranged with a compatible design. 16. The cable harness according to claim 1, wherein the cable harness is provided with lines/cables extending from the center line of the cable harness and twisted around the center line. 17. The cable harness according to claim 16, wherein the lines/cables included in the cable harness are arranged twisted at least one turn around the center line along the length of the cable harness. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND ART <EOH>In industrial robots, it is common practice to arrange the cable harness internally of the robot to protect the cable harness. When manufacturing industrial robots with an internally drawn cable harness, there is a need to impart great mobility to a robot tool in the form of bending and rotational movements. The movements of the tool during operation entail bending and rotational movements of the cable harness. In an industrial robot, therefore, the cable harness is subjected to movements repeated in cycles, and these movements result in wear on individual strands included therein. For one thing, the individual strand is worn, and, for another, wear arises between the individual strands in the cable harness. If the wear is allowed to continue for a long time, it leads to damage to the cable harness, which in turn leads to unwanted and, in the worst case, sudden shutdowns. In the light of these facts, a cable harness is judged to have a certain service life depending on, inter alia, the extent to which it is bent and turned during the work cycles of the robot. The service life of the cable harness is dependent on the robot application in question. Therefore, the operating routine comprises replacing a worn-out cable harness with a new cable harness in good time, according to scheduled service intervals, before a risk of damage and shutdown arises. The determination cable harness here means a process cable harness for, for example, electric power for welding electrodes, power supply for robot tools and a robot, electric signal cables for transmission of information from sensors at the tool, hoses for compressed air and cooling medium, or combinations thereof in accordance with the client application at hand. In addition, the determination comprises spare circuits for, for example, the various needs of the client. In the patent document EP 0 873 826, a wrist for an industrial robot is shown. The wrist is built up of three parts that are rotatably connected to one another and designed so as to form a continuous open channel. Cables and wires for the power supply are drawn through the three parts of the wrist and to the rear part of a tool holder. Inside the wrist part, nearest the tool holder, the cable harness is attached with a clamping device. On its way from the clamping device to the tool holder, the cable harness is adapted to branch out radially in separate lines/strands, which are each individually connected on the periphery of the tool holder. Between the clamping device and the connection on the periphery of the tool holder, each individual line/strand is arranged so as to be bent 90°. The object of the device is to completely enclose and protect the cable harness. The design permits a maximum of 90° bending of the wrist by rotation of the parts included under simultaneous bending and rotation of the cable harness. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,016 shows a wrist intended for an industrial robot. A cable harness is drawn through the wrist and, in addition, each one of the strands included in the cable harness is individually connected to the unit supporting the working tool of the robot. In the operation of industrial robots, there is a need to minimize the time for service of the robot, since a shut-down for service entails non-productive time and thus increased operating costs. One way of reducing the time for service shutdowns is to extend the service life of the cable harness. An extended service life of the cable harness results in increased operating time between replacements of cable harnesses, whereby the time for service shutdowns in total terms decreases. Especially in the operation of industrial robots in applications with requirements for great mobility of the wrist of the robot, the need to extend the service life of the cable harness, by reducing the wear thereof, arises. A device or apparatus that corresponds to the relevant client application is arranged on the tilt of the robot writs and, for the sake of simplicity, it is designated robot tool in the following. Examples of robot tools are a spot welding gun, a tool for handling equipment, and a laser cutter. The movements of the robot tool cause the cable harness connected to the robot tool to be subjected to repeated bending/rotation, the strands included in the cable harness thus being displaced axially in relation to one another. The axial displacements lead to abrasion between the individual strands and between the strands and the outer casing of the cable harness. The abrasion results in unwanted wear of the cable harness. This results in a need to arrange a cable harness and to connect it such that the wear between the individual strands is minimized/eliminated and that the service life of the cable harness is increased. All in all, the time for a service shutdown decreases when the time of each individual cable harness replacement decreases. This creates a need of arranging a cable harness in a robot such that replacement/supplementation of the cable harness takes place rapidly and simply. This need cannot be fulfilled by any of the industrial robots shown in the cited documents, taken together. |
<SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The object of the present invention is to reduce the operating time that is lost as service time when replacing a cable harness. The object is thus to arrange an industrial robot that makes possible rapid replacements or supplementations of the whole of or parts of a cable harness and that the cable harness as such is adapted so as to have a comparatively longer service life. The cable harness is preferably arranged so that, during movement of the robot tool, the cable harness manages a bending of more than 90° while being simultaneously rotated. According to the invention, the above-mentioned object is achieved with an industrial robot that exhibits the characteristic features described in the characterizing part of claim 1 . The solution according to the invention is to arrange an industrial robot comprising a manipulator and a control system. The manipulator comprises a hollow first robot unit, a second robot unit being rotatable about a centre axis, where the first robot unit and the second robot unit are adapted for rotation and/or bending relative to one another. The second robot unit supports a robot tool, defined according to the above. A cable harness is arranged, drawn by a first end through the first robot unit and is further arranged detachably connected to the second robot unit via a connection device. The connection device comprises a body and at least one of the lines/strands, included in the cable harness, is secured in the body. The body according to the invention comprises terminals for connection of the power supply to the robot tool according to the application. In accordance with the present independent device claim, the cable harness is secured, by a first end, to a body for detachable connection to a rotating robot unit. The industrial robot according to the invention is arranged in accordance with the dependent claims. It is part of the inventive concept that the first robot unit is adapted for rotation and/or bending and that the first robot unit is arranged in immediate proximity to the second robot unit. It is also part of the inventive concept that the robot units are arranged in spaced relationship to each other via at least one intermediate robot unit in the manipulator. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, an industrial robot is arranged with a cable harness which, by its first end, is drawn through the robot wrist and is detachably connected to the turning disc provided with a robot tool. The second robot unit here consists of a turning disc that supports a robot tool. The solution according to the invention comprises shortening the time for service shutdowns by making possible simple and rapid cable harness replacements. In an advantageous embodiment, the body according to the invention is arranged axially divided into two separate parts that are coaxially series-connected and detachably connected by, for example, a quick coupler. The first part is secured to the first end of the cable harness. The second part is detachably connected to, for example, a turning disc in a robot wrist. It is to be understood here that the quick coupler withstands the high water and air pressures prevailing. In an additional embodiment of the invention, the cable harness is provided at its first end with a body according to the invention and at its second end arranged with a dividing section, wherein the dividing section implies that the cable harness is divisible into two parts in the longitudinal direction. The cable harness is coupled by means of, for example, a quick coupler at the dividing section. This affords the possibility of simply and rapidly detaching and replacing only part of the cable harness. For example, a cable harness part according to the invention constitutes a comparatively shorter internal cable harness, which is drawn through a robot wrist and adapted to be connected to or detached from a turning disc. It is part of the inventive concept that a body according to the invention is detachably built into the second robot unit. In a further embodiment, the body according to the invention is radially divided into at least two sub-bodies. The division into sub-bodies facilitates leading the cable harness through the narrower passages in a manipulator, which will be explained in greater detail below. The sub-bodies are then mounted into, for example, a turning disc and are then arranged detachably built in. The sub-bodies hence offer a simple connection of the power supply to a robot tool. In a further advantageous embodiment, the body according to the invention is arranged divided into sub-bodies with compatible shapes. By compatible shapes are meant that the sub-bodies may fit into one another like pieces in a jig-saw puzzle. In this way, the sub-bodies together form a compact and detachable body. The compatible shape of the sub-bodies is shaped such that the sub-bodies hook into one another when they are fitted into one another. Alternatively, the sub-bodies are retained by a holder device when the cable harness is drawn through the manipulator, the holder device being removed when the cable harness is in position in the manipulator. The solution according to the invention comprises extending the service life of a cable harness by reducing the internal wear in the cable harness and then, in particular, by eliminating the axial changes in length that occur in the wrist portion of a cable harness when bending/rotating a robot tool. In one advantageous embodiment of the invention, a cable harness is arranged during manufacture to be rotated around the longitudinal axis of the cable harness in accordance with the dependent claim 11 . Installed in an industrial robot, the cable harness constitutes a detachable part length of the cable harness in accordance with the dependent claim 10 and is, for example, the above-mentioned section through the wrist. The central portion of a cable harness consists of a tube/hose. The inventive concept comprises a cable harness according to the independent claim 13 . A body according to the invention, defined as above, is secured at one end of the cable harness. The body is arranged with at least one terminal for connection of the power supply to a robot tool. Advantageous embodiments of the cable harness according to the invention are arranged in accordance with the dependent claims 14 - 17 . Claims 16 and 17 describe an advantageous embodiment of the invention wherein the cable harness is arranged by providing a central tube/hose, during manufacture, with a quick-coupling unit at one end and a body according to the invention at its other end. Thereafter, the strands are arranged radially around the tube/hose, whereupon they are twisted helically at least one turn around the longitudinal axis of the tube and the cable harness and are attached to the body and to the quick-coupling unit, respectively. According to the inventive concept, thinner hoses may also be arranged twisted in the cable harness in the same way as the above-mentioned strands. By manufacturing the cable harness along a longitudinal section rotated one or several turns around the longitudinal axis of the cable harness and then mounting it so as to rotate with the second robot unit and, in use, subjecting it to bending, an axial displacement and formation of slack occur in each individual strand over each twist turn. The axial displacement and the formation of slack cancel each other out over each twist turn and hence no axial displacement of the strands takes place upon bending. The above-mentioned internal wear on the cable harness is thus eliminated. It is further part of the inventive concept to arrange the cable harness with dividing sections such that it may be divided into a number of part lengths. The inventive concept comprises all industrial robots that comprise a first and a second hollow robot units, rotatable around their respective longitudinal axes, adapted for bending and/or rotation relative to each other. This description is not to be seen as a limitation of the invention but only as guidance for a full understanding of the invention. Adaptations to robot cells with other active parts included and replacement of parts and features that are self-explanatory to a person skilled in the art are, of course, part of the inventive concept. |
Method and a device for monitoring the dispersed aqueous phase of an oil-water emulsion |
The subject of the invention is a method and a device for monitoring the parameters of the aqueous phase in water-in-oil emulsion wherein oil is in continuous phase and water is in dispersion phase in the form of droplets, applicable for the optimisation of the water-in-oil emulsion separation process. The method according to the invention consists in exposing the examined emulsion flowing through a test section of a pipe to an electromagnetic field in a microwave resonator and measuring the dielectric loss of the emulsion in one of the measuring systems and a second test section of the pipe is selected with the water-in-oil emulsion flowing through the pipe, which is exposed to an electromagnetic field of a frequency markedly lower than the microwave radiation frequency, and the dielectric loss of the emulsion is measured in the second measuring system. The results of the measurements are transmitted to a computer control device wherein the results of the measurements obtained simultaneously in both measuring systems are compared. The device according to the invention is characterised by having two resonant measuring systems /A/ and /B/ coupled with one another by means of a computer control device /C/, and one of the resonant measuring systems /A/ has an electromagnetic radiation generator /2/ of microwave frequencies, while die other resonant measuring system /B/ has an electromagnetic radiation generator /7/ of a frequency markedly lower than the microwave radiation frequency. |
1. A method of monitoring of parameters of aqueous phase in water-in-oil emulsion, wherein the examined emulsion flowing through a test section of a pipe is exposed to an electromagnetic field in a microwave resonator and the dielectric loss of the emulsion is measured in a measuring system comprising a microwave radiation generator and a detector of a microwave signal permeating the examined emulsion, wherein another test section of the pipe with water-in-oil emulsion is selected and exposed to an electromagnetic field of a frequency markedly lower than the microwave radiation frequency, and the emulsion dielectric loss is measured in the second measuring system comprising an electromagnetic radiation source, a resonator and a detector of an electromagnetic radiation signal permeating through the examined emulsion, the measurements of the emulsion dielectric loss in the two measuring systems being made simultaneously, and the results of the measurements are transmitted to a computer control device, wherein the measurement results obtained simultaneously in the two measuring systems are compared, and then, by means of a suitable computer program installed in the computer control device the aqueous phase content in the examined emulsion is determined and the size of the droplets occurring in this phase is determined. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric loss of the water-in-oil emulsion in both measuring systems is measured indirectly by measuring the quality factor of the resonators. 3. A device for monitoring the parameters of the aqueous phase in water in-oil emulsion, comprising two resonant measuring systems coupled with one another by means of a computer control device, each of which systems comprises an electromagnetic radiation generator, a resonator and a measuring element in the form of a detector, and in the resonators there is placed the examined sample of the water-in-oil emulsion, and one of the resonant measuring systems has an electromagnetic radiation generator of microwave frequencies, while the other resonant measuring system has an electromagnetic radiation generator of a frequency markedly lower than the frequency of microwave radiation. 4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the resonator of the second measuring system is suitable for operation within the frequency range 10-100 Mz. |
Drive-assist system |
A driver-assist system on a motor vehicle with a servo-assisted steering systems, whereby environmental data for an instantaneous traffic situation are detected or estimated, instantaneous movement data of the vehicle are detected or estimated, and the detected or estimated environmental data are compared with the movement data of the vehicle and the zero point of the characteristic curve for the steering action is displaced according to said comparison. |
1-12. (canceled) 13. Method for operating a driver-assist system on a vehicle, with a servo-assisted steering, comprising the steps of: detecting or estimating the environmental data of an instantaneous traffic situation, detecting or estimating instantaneous movement data of the vehicle, and comparing environmental data with the movement data, wherein a zero point of a characteristic curve for steering action assistance is displaced according to said comparison. 14. Method according to claim 13, wherein at least the road course is detected or estimated as environmental data. 15. Method according to claim 13, wherein at least one vehicle course is detected or estimated as environmental data. 16. Method according to claim 13, wherein the environmental data are detected by at least one image-processing system. 17. Method according to claim 13, wherein the movement data of the vehicle are detected at least with a steering angle sensor detecting at least approximately an actual position of the steerable vehicle wheels. 18. Method according to claim 13, wherein the actual vehicle speed is part of said instantaneous movement data of said vehicle. 19. Method according to claim 13, the method further including the step of: detecting or estimating at least one vehicle course as environmental data, wherein a theoretical course or an angle of the theoretical course is determined by the detected or estimated road course, determining an actual course or an angle of the actual course on the basis of the detected or estimated vehicle course, wherein the theoretical course or the theoretical course angle is compared with the actual course or the actual course angle and the driver is assisted in correcting the current actual course or the actual course angle in the direction of the theoretical course or theoretical course angle. 20. Method according to claim 13, wherein driving-dynamic quantities is taken into consideration when changing the assistance of the steering action. 21. Method according to claim 13, wherein the actual steering action by the driver is determined or estimated and if it is determined that the driver had taken his hands off the steering wheel, the assistance of the steering action is not changed. 22. Method according to claim 13, wherein the change of the steering assistance includes brake control assistance. 23. Driver-assist system on a vehicle, with a servo-assisted steering, comprising: means for detecting or estimating environmental data of an instantaneous traffic situation, means for detecting or estimating instantaneous movement data of the vehicle, means for comparing the detected or estimated environmental data with the movement data of the vehicle, and means for influencing the steering assistance for changing a steering action which can be actuated by the driver according to the comparison, wherein the means for influencing the steering assistance includes a means for displacing the zero point of the characteristic curve of the steering assistance according to the comparison. 24. Driver-assist system according to claim 23, wherein the driver-assist system includes: means for determining a theoretical path or a theoretical path angle on the basis of the detected or estimated road course, means for determining the actual path and an actual path angle on the basis of the detected or estimated vehicle course, a comparison means for comparing the theoretical path and the theoretical path angle with the actual path and the actual path angle, wherein the means for displacing the zero point shall displace the zero point of the characteristic curve for steering assistance according to said comparison. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The driver directs (or steers) the movement of the vehicle according to a desired course. If the driver is inattentive, the vehicle may deviate from its course. Several driver-assist systems are known which intervene directly with the steering of a vehicle. DE 196 35 009 A1, for example, discloses a method for predicting a future vehicle behaviour or a future condition on the basis of the current vehicle condition and for influencing the steering force. Thus the driver shall be actively encouraged to move the vehicle on a predicted road lying ahead of it. Therefore, the driver is given information in the form of steering forces. The steering force (the moment of rotation of the steering wheel or the steering wheel actuation force) is increased in the predicted “right” direction and decreased in the opposite direction by changing the characteristics of the steering-assist system in such a way that a correcting value is added to an auxiliary force value in order to increase the steering force to the left or to the right. However, the disadvantage of this system is that the steering does not respond in the way the driver is used to or wants it to, since the characteristics of the servo-assisted steering itself are changed. This might confuse the driver who does no longer control the vehicle completely due to the steering characteristics which he is not used to. |
<SOH> BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Therefore it is the object of the present invention to indicate a method and a device making it possible to maintain to a large extent the steering characteristics which the driver is used to and to assist him at the same time with his steering action. The method includes the determination of a theoretical movement or theoretical course to be followed by the vehicle. For this reason, the environmental data for an instantaneous traffic situation are detected and/or estimated, a prediction of the future traffic situation is made on the basis of the environmental data and a theoretical movement or theoretical course based on the instantaneous and, if necessary, predicted traffic situation is determined. The term “environmental data of an instantaneous traffic situation” has to be broadly interpreted according to the present invention and includes all possible information which do not describe the vehicle or the driving situation itself, but the environment of the vehicle. Preferably, at least the course of the road is detected or estimated as environmental data. Furthermore, the actual movement of the vehicle is determined. For this, the instantaneous movement data for the vehicle are detected or estimated. The term “movement data” includes all possible information describing the vehicle or the driving situation. Preferably, at least the vehicle course is detected or estimated as movement data. After that, the theoretical movement or the theoretical course and the actual course or the actual movement are compared on the basis of a comparison of the detected or estimated environmental data with the movement data of the vehicle. The comparison can preferably be made in two ways: On the one hand, a theoretical movement, which the vehicle has to follow in order to hold the theoretical course, can be determined on the basis of the theoretical course. Thus, according to the present invention a theoretical course and a theoretical course angle are determined on the basis of the detected or estimated course of the road and an actual course and an actual course angle are determined on the basis of the detected or estimated course of the vehicle. After that the theoretical movement (theoretical course and/or theoretical course angle) can be compared with the actual movement (actual course and/or actual course angle), the result of said comparison being a movement difference. Another possibility consists in extrapolating an “actual” course from the actual movement which the vehicle would follow on the basis of the actual movement. After that the theoretical course and said actual course can be compared resulting in a course difference. An essential fact for the present invention is that the result of the compared examination is used and the assistance of the steering action is changed according to this comparison by displacing the zero point of the characteristic curve for the steering action assistance according to the comparison. Displacing the zero point within the meaning of the present invention signifies a horizontal displacement of the boosting moment function which is mirror-symmetric as regards the straight travel against the steering moment applied by the driver without deviation of the boosting moment from the rule. Thus the driver receives an information for a movement of the steering action with regard to an adjustment of the vehicle course to the road course so that the usual “steering sensation” for a straight-ahead course is achieved at a certain angle position of the vehicle wheels. By means of the constant basic assist function the driver does not sense any change of the steering characteristics so that he is not made feeling insecure, receiving, however, a definite information on an advantageous steering wheel position. The driver is assisted with regard to a correction of the current actual course and/or actual course angle in the direction of the theoretical course and/or theoretical course angle. It has to be considered, however, that the determined theoretical course is not always the ideal course or the course which the driver wants to follow. Therefore, it is left to the discretion of the driver to use the information given to him in order to lead the vehicle onto the theoretical course or steer the vehicle on another course he wants to follow. According to the present invention, the environmental data for the traffic situation are detected with at least one image-processing system, especially with suitable optical sensors, as infrared sensors or preferably a video camera. These devices detect, e.g., the road lines or a vehicle driving ahead, and transmit signals to an image processing device which determines the theoretical course, as e.g. the position co-ordinates with regard to the vehicle co-ordinates. In this connection, the theoretical course may be a position point, a sequence of points, a vector or a trajectory. According to the present invention, the steering angle, the yaw speed or the lateral acceleration, i.e. the components around the vertical axis of the vehicle, or also appropriate components in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle are detected or estimated as movement data of the vehicle, preferably of the vehicle course. Thus the actual movement can depend on several parameters and/or include several components. Preferably the movement data for the vehicle are detected by at least one steering angle sensor sensing at least approximately the actual position of the steerable vehicle wheels. According to present invention, further values regarding the dynamics of the vehicle movement, especially the values of a dynamics control of an electronic brake control system (ESP system), are taken into consideration when changing the steering action assistance. Therefore, according to the present invention, sensors of an electronic dynamics control already existing in the vehicle are used in order to determine the actual movement. According to the present invention, the current vehicle speed is also taken into consideration. According to the present invention, the current steering action by the driver is determined or estimated and, if it is recognised that the driver has taken his hands off the steering wheel, there is no change of the steering action assistance. According to the present invention a change in the steering action assistance is additionally assisted by a corresponding brake control, i.e. an additional control of at least one wheel brake. This is preferably the wheel brake on the vehicle's front axle since there the portion of the total braking of the vehicle amounts to about 70 or 80%. The brake pressure on the wheel brake is preferably increased in order to steer the vehicle to another direction, e.g. to the theoretical course. If the vehicle is already being braked, the brake pressure may also be increased on one wheel brake and reduced on the other wheel brake of the same axle. Preferably the brake pressure is reduced and at the same time increased in such a manner that the vehicle is not braked less than before. The increase of the brake pressure may amount to less than 30 bar and the speed of the brake pressure increase (brake pressure gradient) may be in the range from 10 to 20 bar/s. The effect is that the driver senses only a small excursion of the vehicle and that the vehicle does not deviate considerably from its current course. Herewith the driver is only informed that he is leaving the determined theoretical course. However, the driver is still able to control the vehicle completely and to steer it as he desires. If the driver is distracted and therefore leaves the theoretical course, it may be useful to put him on the alert. This may be done by an abrupt braking which may be achieved by a brake pressure gradient of more than 100 bar/s. Thereby the vehicle is shortly braked in a sharper way which is unpleasant for the driver so that he “wakes up” and pays attention to the driving process. The present invention includes the possibility to operate an external pressure source by means of the brake control which generates a certain brake pressure irrespective of the brake request given by the driver by activating the brake pedal. The brake control preferably controls an electro-hydraulic brake. The object is further achieved by a generic driver-assist system on a vehicle in which the means influencing the steering wheel assistance is provided with a means for displacing the zero point in order to displace the zero point of the characteristic curve for assisting the steering action according to said comparison. According to the invention the driver-assist system includes a means for detecting the theoretical course in order to determine a theoretical course or a theoretical course angle on the basis of the detected or estimated course of the road, a means for sensing the actual course and the actual course angle on the basis of the detected or estimated vehicle course, a means for comparing the theoretical course and theoretical course angle with the actual course and the actual course angle, and the means for displacing the zero point shall be used for displacing the zero point of the characteristic curve for steering action assistance according to the comparison. |
Device for operating rail switches |
In a device for operating rail switches, in which a plurality of mutually coupled hydraulic operating devices are arranged in an offset manner in the longitudinal direction of the rails, the cylinder-piston units of the hydraulic operating devices are connected to be driven in the same direction. The working volumes (13) of the hydraulic cylinder piston units (7) each comprise two regions (18, 19) with defined cylinder cross sections, wherein the respective regions (18) containing end-position securing means (20, 21), safety locking means and/or sensors, of the cylinder-piston units (7) arranged in an offset manner in the longitudinal direction of the rails have equal cross sections and the respective other regions (19) of the cylinder-piston units (7) arranged in an offset manner in the longitudinal direction of the rails have cross sections differing from one another. |
1. A device for operating rail switches, comprising a plurality of mutually coupled hydraulic operating devices arranged in an offset manner in a longitudinal direction of rails, and cylinder-piston units of the hydraulic operating devices connected to be driven in the same direction, wherein working volumes (13) of the cylinder-piston units (7) each comprise two regions (18, 19) with defined cylinder cross sections, and wherein the respective regions (18) containing end-position securing means (20, 21) of the cylinder-piston units (7) arranged in an offset manner in the longitudinal direction of the rails have equal cross sections, and the respective other regions (19) of the cylinder-piston units (7) arranged in an offset manner in the longitudinal direction of the rails have cross sections differing from one another. 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the region (18) containing end-position securing means (20, 21) has a smaller cross section than the other region (19). 3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the working volumes (13) of the cylinder-piston unit (7) communicate with each other via a bore (24) of a piston (11) of the cylinder-piston unit (7), and that push-open valves (23) are arranged in said bore (24). 4. A device according to claim 1, wherein a cylinder of the cylinder-piston unit (7) is connected with a coupling flange (27) with a spacer (26) being interposed, wherein a length (A) of the spacer (26) corresponds to stroke reduction brought about by increased cross section of the cylinder. 5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the respective regions (18) having equal cross sections comprise safety locking means. 6. A device according to claim 1, wherein the respective regions (18) having equal cross sections comprise sensors. 7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the respective regions (18) having equal cross sections comprise safety locking means and sensors. 8. A device according to claim 5, wherein the region (18) containing end-position securing means (20, 21) has a smaller cross section than the other region (19). 9. A device according to claim 6, wherein the region (18) containing end-position securing means (20, 21) has a smaller cross section than the other region (19). 10. A device according to claim 7, wherein the region (18) containing end-position securing means (20, 21) has a smaller cross section than the other region (19). 11. A device according to claim 2, wherein the working volumes (13) of the cylinder-piston unit (7) communicate with each other via a bore (24) of a piston (11) of the cylinder-piston unit (7), and that push-open valves (23) are arranged in said bore (24). 12. A device according to claim 5, wherein the working volumes (13) of the cylinder-piston unit (7) communicate with each other via a bore (24) of a piston (11) of the cylinder-piston unit (7), and that push-open valves (23) are arranged in said bore (24). 13. A device according to claim 6, wherein the working volumes (13) of the cylinder-piston unit (7) communicate with each other via a bore (24) of a piston (11) of the cylinder-piston unit (7), and that push-open valves (23) are arranged in said bore (24). 14. A device according to claim 7, wherein the working volumes (13) of the cylinder-piston unit (7) communicate with each other via a bore (24) of a piston (11) of the cylinder-piston unit (7), and that push-open valves (23) are arranged in said bore (24). 15. A device according to claim 2, wherein a cylinder of the cylinder-piston unit (7) is connected with a coupling flange (27) with a spacer (26) being interposed, wherein a length (A) of the spacer (26) corresponds to stroke reduction brought about by increased cross section of the cylinder. 16. A device according to claim 3, wherein a cylinder of the cylinder-piston unit (7) is connected with a coupling flange (27) with a spacer (26) being interposed, wherein a length (A) of the spacer (26) corresponds to stroke reduction brought about by increased cross section of the cylinder. 17. A device according to claim 5, wherein a cylinder of the cylinder-piston unit (7) is connected with a coupling flange (27) with a spacer (26) being interposed, wherein a length (A) of the spacer (26) corresponds to stroke reduction brought about by increased cross section of the cylinder. 18. A device according to claim 6, wherein a cylinder of the cylinder-piston unit (7) is connected with a coupling flange (27) with a spacer (26) being interposed, wherein a length (A) of the spacer (26) corresponds to stroke reduction brought about by increased cross section of the cylinder. 19. A device according to claim 7, wherein a cylinder of the cylinder-piston unit (7) is connected with a coupling flange (27) with a spacer (26) being interposed, wherein a length (A) of the spacer (26) corresponds to stroke reduction brought about by increased cross section of the cylinder. |
Acylthiols and component thiol compositions as anti-hiv and anti-retroviral agents |
Certain thiol and acylthiol compounds inhibit retrovirus growth by attacking the highly conserved zinc finger regions of essential viral proteins. These compounds, compositions containing them, and methods of using them to treat retroviral infections such as HIV are described. These compounds are also useful for preparation of vaccines comprised of inactivated retroviruses such as HIV, prevention of the transmission of such retroviruses, and detection of retroviral proteins. |
1. A compound of formula (I): K—J—Q—NR1R2 (I) wherein K is selected from the group consisting of K1, K2 and K3, wherein J′ and Q′ designate the attachment points for groups J and Q respectively; A, B, D, and E are each independently selected from the group consisting of CH, N, CR5, CR6, CR7 and CR8, with the proviso that not more than two of A, B, D, and E are nitrogen; R5, R6, R7 and R8 are independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, CF3, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkoxy, optionally substituted aryl, NO2, optionally substituted alkylthio, optionally substituted amino, optionally substituted acylamino, optionally substituted arylamino, optionally substituted acylthio, optionally substituted acyl, optionally substituted acyloxy, hydroxy, mercapto, and optionally substituted thioamido; J is a member selected from the group consisting of (CH2)m—SH, (CH2)m—S—C (Z)—Y—R3, and where m is an integer from 0 to 2; Z is a member selected from the group consisting of O, S, and NR4; Y is a member selected from the group consisting of a bond, O, S, and NR4; T is an optionally substituted alkylene of up to about 4 carbons; R3 is a member selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted arylalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, and optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl; R4 is a member selected from the group consisting of H, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkoxy, optionally substituted aryl, and optionally substituted acyl; R9 is a member selected from the group consisting of H, optionally substituted amino, optionally substituted acyl, optionally substituted amninoacyl, optionally substituted acyloxy, optionally substituted alkoxyacyl, optionally substituted aryloxyacyl, optionally substituted thioamido, hydroxy, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted arylalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, and optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl; Q is a member selected from the group consisting of a bond, optionally substituted alkylene, optionally substituted alkylene-C(O), optionally substituted phenylene, optionally substituted cycloalkylene, optionally substituted alkylcycloalkylene, optionally substituted cycloalkylenealkyl, wherein L1and L2 are members independently selected from the group consisting of a bond and an optionally substituted alkylene chain of up to 4 carbons; R1is a member selected from the group consisting of H, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroalkyl, and optionally substituted heterocycloalkyl; R2 is a member selected from the group consisting of H, hydroxyl, amino, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted arylalkyl, optionally substituted alkylamine, optionally substituted arylamine, optionally substituted alkoxy, optionally substituted acyl, optionally substituted aminoacyl, optionally substituted alkoxyacyl, optionally substituted alkylthioacyl, optionally substituted arylaminoacyl, optionally substituted aryloxyacyl, optionally substituted arylthioacyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroalkyl, optionally substituted heterocycloalkyl and optionally substituted acylamino; or, alternatively, R1 and R2 are optionally linked together to form an optionally substituted ring of up to about seven atoms including the N to which both are attached; and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. 2. The compound of claim 1, wherein K is K1. 3. The compound of claim 1, wherein K is K2. 4. The compound of claim 1, wherein K is K3. 5. The compound of claim 1, wherein D and E are CH. 6. The compound of claim 1, wherein A is CR5. 7. The compound of claim 1, wherein A is CH. 8. The compound of claim 1, wherein Y is a member selected from the group consisting of a bond and NR4. 9. The compound of claim 8, wherein m is 0 and Z is O. 10. The compound of claim 9, wherein R3 is a member of the group consisting of optionally substituted alkyl and optionally substituted aryl. 11. The compound of claim 9, wherein R3 is optionally substituted aryl. 12. The compound of claim 1, wherein R9 is a member selected from the group consisting of H, optionally substituted alkyl, and optionally substituted aryl. 13. The compound of claim 1, wherein R9 is H. 14. The compound of claim 1, wherein Q is optionally substituted alkylene-C(O). 15. The compound of claim 14, wherein the alkylene portion of said optionally substituted alkylene-C(O) comprises a chain of up to about 4 carbon atoms. 16. The compound of claim 2, wherein R1 is H. 17. The compound of claim 16, wherein R2 is a member selected from the group consisting of H, optionally substituted alkyl, and optionally substituted aryl. 18. The compound of claim 16, wherein m is 0 and Z is O. 19. The compound of claim 18, wherein Q is optionally substituted alkylene-C(O). 20. The compound of claim 19, wherein Q is selected from the group consisting of—CH2—C(O)—, —CH(Me)—C(O)—, —CH(CH2OH)—C(O)—, —CH2CH2—C(O)—, —CH (Me)CH2—C(O)— and —CH2CH(Me)—C(O)—. 21. The compound of claim 1, wherein said compound is set forth in FIG. 1. 22. The compound of claim 1, where said compound is of the formula of one of the Templates I-VIII: wherein R10 is selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted alkylene-C(O)—, alkylene, phenylene, cycloalkylene, where L1 and L2 are independently selected from the group consisting of a bond and optionally substituted alkylene; R11 is a member selected from the group consisting of alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, and heteroaryl; at least one of A, B, C and D is N; R 12, R13, R14 and R15 are members independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, alkoxy, alkylamino, arylamino, alkylthio, acyl, acylamino, acyloxy, acylthio, halogen, hydroxy, amino, thioamido, and mercapto; R16, R17 and R18 are members independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, alkoxy, alkylamino, arylamino, alkylthio, acyl, acylamino, acyloxy, acylthio, hydroxy, amino, thioamido, and mercapto; R19 and R20 are members independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, and heteroaryl; X1 is selected from the group consisting of NR21 and S; and Y1 is selected form the group consisting of NR21, O, S, and C(Z1). 23. A composition, said composition comprising a compound of the formula: K—J—Q—NR1R2 (I) wherein K is selected form the group consisting of K1, K2 and K3: wherein A, B, D, and E are each independently selected from the group consisting of CH, N, CR5, CR6, CR7 and CR8, with the proviso that not more than two of A, B, D, and E are nitrogen; J′ and Q′ designate the attachment points for groups J and Q respectively; R5, R6, R7 and R8 are independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, CF3, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkoxy, optionally substituted aryl, NO2, optionally substituted alkylthio, optionally substituted amino, optionally substituted acylamino, optionally substituted arylamino, optionally substituted acylthio, optionally substituted acyl, optionally substituted acyloxy, hydroxy, mercapto, and optionally substituted thioamido; J is a member selected from the group consisting of (CH2)m—SH, (CH2)m—S—C (Z)—Y—R3, and where m is an integer from 0 to 2; Z is a member selected from the group consisting of O, S, and NR4; Y is a member selected from the group consisting of a bond, O, S, and NR4; T is an optionally substituted alkylene of up to about 4 carbons; R3 is a member selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted arylalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, and optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl; R4 is a member selected from the group consisting of H, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkoxy, optionally substituted aryl, and optionally substituted acyl; R9 is a member selected from the group consisting of H, optionally substituted amino, optionally substituted acyl, optionally substituted aminoacyl, optionally substituted acyloxy, optionally substituted alkoxyacyl, optionally substituted aryloxyacyl, optionally substituted thioamido, hydroxy, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted arylalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, and optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl; Q is a member selected from the group consisting of a bond, optionally substituted alkylene, optionally substituted alkylene-C(O), optionally substituted phenylene, optionally substituted cycloalkylene, optionally substituted alkylcycloalkylene, optionally substituted cycloalkylenealkyl, wherein L1 and L2 are members independently selected from the group consisting of a bond and an optionally substituted alkylene chain of up to 4 carbons; R1 is a member selected from the group consisting of H, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroalkyl, and optionally substituted heterocycloalkyl; R2 is a member selected from the group consisting of H, hydroxyl, amino, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted arylalkyl, optionally substituted alkylamine, optionally substituted arylamine, optionally substituted alkoxy, optionally substituted acyl, optionally substituted aminoacyl, optionally substituted alkoxyacyl, optionally substituted alkylthioacyl, optionally substituted arylaminoacyl, optionally substituted aryloxyacyl, optionally substituted arylthioacyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroalkyl, optionally substituted heterocycloalkyl and optionally substituted acylamino; or, alternatively, R1 and R2 are optionally linked together to form an optionally substituted ring of up to about seven atoms including the N to which both are attached; or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof; and an excipient therefor. 24. The composition of claim 23, wherein said excipient includes at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent. 25. The composition of claim 23, further comprising a second anti-retroviral agent. 26. The composition of claim 25, wherein said second anti-retroviral agent is a member selected from the group consisting of a nucleoside analogue, a nucleotide analogue, a reverse transcriptase inhibitor, an integrase inhibitor, a fusion inhibitor and a protease inhibitor. 27. The composition of claim 23, further comprising blood plasma, nutrient media, protein, a pharmaceutical, a cosmetic, a sperm or oocyte preparation, cells, cell cultures, bacteria, viruses, food or drink. 28. A method for dissociating a metal ion from a zinc finger-containing protein, the method comprising contacting said zinc finger-containing protein with a compound of formula (I): K—J—Q—NR1R2 (I) wherein K is selected from the group consisting of K1, K2 and K3: wherein A, B, D, and E are each independently selected from the group consisting of CH, N, CR5, CR6, CR7 and CR8, with the proviso that not more than two of A, B, D, and E are nitrogen; J′ and Q′ designate the attachment points for groups J and Q respectively; R5, R6, R7 and R8 are independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, CF3, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkoxy, optionally substituted aryl, NO2, optionally substituted alkylthio, optionally substituted amino, optionally substituted acylamino, optionally substituted arylamino, optionally substituted acylthio, optionally substituted acyl, optionally substituted acyloxy, hydroxy, mercapto, and optionally substituted thioamido; J is a member selected from the group consisting of (CH2)m—SH, (CH2)m—S—C (Z)—Y—R3, and where m is an integer from 0 to 2; Z is a member selected from the group consisting of O, S, and NR4; Y is a member selected from the group consisting of a bond, O, S, and NR4; T is an optionally substituted alkylene of up to about 4 carbons; R3 is a member selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted arylalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, and optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl; R4 is a member selected from the group consisting of H, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkoxy, optionally substituted aryl, and optionally substituted acyl; R9 is a member selected from the group consisting of H, optionally substituted amino, optionally substituted acyl, optionally substituted aminoacyl, optionally substituted acyloxy, optionally substituted alkoxyacyl, optionally substituted aryloxyacyl, optionally substituted thioamido, hydroxy, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted arylalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, and optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl; Q is a member selected from the group consisting of a bond, optionally substituted alkylene, optionally substituted alkylene-C(O), optionally substituted phenylene, optionally substituted cycloalkylene, optionally substituted alkylcycloalkylene, optionally substituted cycloalkylenealkyl, wherein L1 and L2 are members independently selected from the group consisting of a bond and an optionally substituted alkylene chain of up to 4 carbons; R1 is a member selected from the group consisting of H, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroalkyl, and optionally substituted heterocycloalkyl; R2 is a member selected from the group consisting of H, hydroxyl, amino, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted arylalkyl, optionally substituted alkylamine, optionally substituted arylamine, optionally substituted alkoxy, optionally substituted acyl, optionally substituted aminoacyl, optionally substituted alkoxyacyl, optionally substituted alkylthioacyl, optionally substituted arylaminoacyl, optionally substituted aryloxyacyl, optionally substituted arylthioacyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroalkyl, optionally substituted heterocycloalkyl and optionally substituted acylamino; or, alternatively, R1 and R2 are optionally linked together to form an optionally substituted ring of up to about seven atoms including the N to which both are attached; and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. 29. The method of claim 28, wherein the zinc finger-containing protein is a viral protein. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the viral protein is selected from the group consisting of a nucleocapsid protein, a Gag protein and a Gag-Pol protein. 31. The method of claim 28, wherein the contacting of the protein with the compound is performed in vitro. 32. The method of claim 28, wherein the contacting of the virus with the compound is performed in vivo. 33. The method of claim 31 or claim 32, wherein the protein is derived from a retrovirus selected from the group consisting of an HIV-1, an HIV-2, an SIV, a BIV, an EIAV, a Visna, a CaEV, an HTLV-1, a BLV, an MPMV, an MMTV, an RSV, an MuLV, a FeLV, a BaEV and an SSV retrovirus. 34. The method of claim 33, wherein the retroviral protein is an HIV-1 protein. 35. The method of claim 31 or claim 32, wherein the zinc finger-containing protein is derived from a virus selected from the group consisting of an avian sarcoma retroviral group, a mammalian B-type retroviral group, a human T cell leukemia retroviral group, a bovine leukemia retroviral group, a D-type retroviral group, a murine leukemia-related group and a lentivirus group. 36. The method of claim 28, wherein the zinc finger-containing protein is part of an intact virus. 37. The method of claim 31, further comprising detecting the dissociation of the metal ion from the zinc finger of the zinc finger-containing protein. 38. The method of claim 37, wherein detecting the dissociation of the metal ion is carried out using a method selected from the group consisting of capillary electrophoresis, immunoblotting, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), detecting release of radioactive zinc-65, detecting fluorescence and detecting gel mobility shift. 39. A method for inactivating a virus, the method comprising contacting a virus with a compound of formula (I): K—J—Q—NR1R2 (I) wherein K is selected from the group consisting of K1, K2 and K3: wherein A, B, D, and E are each independently selected from the group consisting of CH, N, CR5, CR6, CR7 and CR8, with the proviso that not more than two of A, B, D, and E are nitrogen; J′ and Q′ designate the attachment points for groups J and Q respectively; R5, R6, R7 and R8 are independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, CF3, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkoxy, optionally substituted aryl, NO2, optionally substituted alkylthio, optionally substituted amino, optionally substituted acylamino, optionally substituted arylamino, optionally substituted acylthio, optionally substituted acyl, optionally substituted acyloxy, hydroxy, mercapto, and optionally substituted thioamido; J is a member selected from the group consisting of (CH2)m—SH, (CH2)m—S—C (Z)—Y—R3, and where m is an integer from 0 to 2; Z is a member selected from the group consisting of O, S, and NR4; Y is a member selected from the group consisting of a bond, O, S, and NR4; T is an optionally substituted alkylene of up to about 4 carbons; R3 is a member selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted arylalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, and optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl; R4 is a member selected from the group consisting of H, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkoxy, optionally substituted aryl, and optionally substituted acyl; R9 is a member selected from the group consisting of H, optionally substituted amino, optionally substituted acyl, optionally substituted aminoacyl, optionally substituted acyloxy, optionally substituted alkoxyacyl, optionally substituted aryloxyacyl, optionally substituted thioamido, hydroxy, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted arylalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, and optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl; Q is a member selected from the group consisting of a bond, optionally substituted alkylene, optionally substituted alkylene-C(O), optionally substituted phenylene, optionally substituted cycloalkylene, optionally substituted alkylcycloalkylene, optionally substituted cycloalkylenealkyl, wherein L1 and L2 are members independently selected from the group consisting of a bond and an optionally substituted alkylene chain of up to 4 carbons; R1 is a member selected from the group consisting of H, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroalkyl, and optionally substituted heterocycloalkyl; R2 is a member selected from the group consisting of H, hydroxyl, amino, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted arylalkyl, optionally substituted alkylamine, optionally substituted arylamine, optionally substituted alkoxy, optionally substituted acyl, optionally substituted aminoacyl, optionally substituted alkoxyacyl, optionally substituted alkylthioacyl, optionally substituted arylaminoacyl, optionally substituted aryloxyacyl, optionally substituted arylthioacyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroalkyl, optionally substituted heterocycloalkyl and optionally substituted acylamino; or, alternatively, R1 and R2 are optionally linked together to form an optionally substituted ring of up to about seven atoms including the N to which both are attached; and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein contacting the virus with said compound inactivates the virus. 40. The method of claim 39, wherein the retrovirus is selected from the group consisting of an HIV-1, an HIV-2, an SIV, a BIV, an EIAV, a Visna, a CaEV, an HTLV-1, a BLV, an MPMV, an MMTV, an RSV, an MuLV, a FeLV, a BaEV and an SSV retrovirus. 41. The method of claim 39, wherein the virus is an HIV-1 retrovirus. 42. The method of claim 39, wherein the virus is selected from the group consisting of a retrovirus derived from an avian sarcoma and leukosis retroviral group, a mammalian B-type retroviral group, a human T cell leukemia and bovine leukemia retroviral group, a D-type retroviral group, a murine leukemia-related group and a lentivirus group. 43. The method of claim 39, wherein the contacting of the virus with the compound is performed in vivo. 44. The method of claim 43, wherein the compound is administered to inhibit the transmission of the virus. 45. The method of claim 43, wherein the compound is administered intra-vaginally or intra-rectally to inhibit the transmission of the virus. 46. The method of claim 43, wherein the compound is administered parenterally, intrathecally, subcutaneously or orally to inhibit the transmission of the virus. 47. The method of claim 43, wherein the compound is administered to a human as a pharmaceutical formulation. 48. The method of claim 43, wherein the compound is administered to an animal as a veterinary pharmaceutical formulation. 49. The method of claim 43, wherein the method further comprises contacting the virus with a second anti-retroviral agent. 50. The method of claim 49, wherein said second anti-retroviral agent is selected from the group consisting of a nucleoside analogue, a nucleotide analogue, a reverse transcriptase inhibitor, an integrase inhibitor, a fusion inhibitor and a protease inhibitor. 51. The method of claim 50, wherein the nucleoside analogue is an AZT, a ddCTP or a ddI. 52. The method of claim 39, wherein the contacting of the virus with the compound is performed on or in a blood product, blood plasma, nutrient media, protein, a pharmaceutical, a cosmetic, a sperm or oocyte preparation, cells, cell cultures, bacteria, viruses, food, drink, implant or prosthesis. 53. The method of claim 39, wherein the contacting of the virus with the compound is performed in vitro. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Viruses, especially the hyper-mutable retroviruses such as HIV, can rapidly become resistant to drugs used to treat the infection. This extreme mutability has allowed HIV to diverge into two major species, HIV-1 and HIV-2, each of which has many types, subtypes and drug-resistant variations. Strategies for coping with the emergence of viral drug-resistant strains include combination drug therapies (see, e.g., Lange (1996) AIDS 10 Supplement 1:S27-S30). Drugs against different viral proteins and drugs against multiple sites on the same protein are commonly used as a strategy to overcome the adaptability of the virus. Combination therapies for retroviruses, using, e.g. protease inhibitors and nucleoside analogues, such as AZT, ddI, ddC and d4T, can become ineffectual. The virus can develop a complete resistance to the drugs in a relatively short period of time (see, e.g., Birch (1998) AIDS 12:680-681; Roberts (1998) AIDS 12:453-460; Yang (1997) Leukemia 11 Supplement 3:89-92; Demeter (1997) J. Acquir. Immune Defic. Syndr. Hum. Retrovirol. 14(2):136-144; Kuritzkes (1996) AIDS 10 Supplement 5:S27-S31). Furthermore, although recent advances in testing HIV-SIV vaccine strategies in monkeys have been reported (see, e.g., Amara et al, (2001) Science 291:1879-1881), no antiretroviral vaccine with proven effectiveness is currently available for use in humans (see, e.g., Haynes (2001) Immunol. Res. 22:263-269; Bolognesi (1998) Nature 391:638-639; Bangham (1997) Lancet 350:1617-1621). The HIV-1-caused AIDS epidemic began about 20 years ago. As of December 2000, the total number of cases of HIV infection and AIDS since the start of the epidemic was estimated to be around 58 million worldwide, which includes 22 million deaths and 36 million people living with HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS-WHO Internet report). Thus, there exists a great need for compounds that are more effective against retroviruses such as HIV-1, especially against varieties of HIV that have developed resistance to current treatments. A “zinc finger” motif is a highly conserved and essential structure found in many viruses, including retroviruses such as HIV. For example, Gag and Gag-Pol proteins in the Retroviridae, except for Spumaviruses, contain a highly conserved zinc finger motif (Cysteine-Cysteine-Histidine-Cysteine: CCHC) within the nucleocapsid p7 (NCp7) protein portion of the polyprotein (see definitions below). Mutations of the chelating residues in the zinc fingers yield a non-infectious virus. The absolute conservation of the metal chelating cysteine and histidine residues along with other residues of the protein, and the participation of NCp7 in essential functions during early and late phases of virus replication, identifies this feature as a particularly appealing antiviral target for hyper-mutable retroviruses, including HIV. Because these zinc fingers are identical in most retroviruses, drugs targeting zinc fingers could provide broad spectrum antivirals that would greatly reduce resistance issues. Various C-nitroso compounds, disulfide-containing compounds and azoic compounds, such as cystamine, thiamine disulfide, disulfiram and azodicarbonamide (ADA) can oxidize zinc finger cysteine thiolates and induce intra- and inter-molecular disulfide cross-linking (see, e.g., McDonnell (1997) J. Med. Chem. 40:1969-1976; Rice (1997) Nature Medicine 3:341-345; Rice (1997) Antimicrob. Agents and Chemotherapy 41: 419-426; Rice (1996) J Med. Chem. 39:3606-3616; Rice (1996) Science 270:1194-1197; Rice (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:9721-9724; Rice (1993) Nature 361:473-475; Henderson, et al. WO 96/09406; Vandevelde (1996) AIDS Res. Hum. Retroviruses 12:567-568). Cysteine thiols in each of the two zinc fingers of HIV are rapidly attacked by reagents such as Cu 2+ , Fe 3+ , C-nitroso compounds, disulfides maleimides, alpha-halogenated ketones and nitric oxide derivatives, with simultaneous loss of the native protein structure. For example, treatment of intact HIV-1 with an oxidizing agent, such as 3-nitrosobenzamide, a C-nitroso compound, induces disulfide linkage of the nucleocapsid protein and inactivates viral infectivity through oxidation of the zinc fingers (Rice (1993) Nature 361:473; Rice (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90:9721-9724). C-nitroso compounds can also inactivate eukaryotic CCHC zinc finger containing poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (Buki (1991) FEBS Letters 290:181). However, these compounds tend to be toxic, have poor solubility and bioavailability, and are quickly reduced and inactivated in biological solutions. It has recently been shown that certain compounds containing acylthio groups interact with the NCp7 zinc fingers via their acylthiol moiety. This interaction involves an acyl transfer from the acylthiol to a target cysteine sulfur atom and does not require an oxidation step as with the above-mentioned compounds (Turpin et al. (1999) J. Med. Chem. 42:67-86; Basrur et al. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275:14890-14897). Various members of this class of acylthiol compounds frequently exhibited acceptable antiviral potency. Pyridinioalkanoyl thioesters (PATEs) exhibited superior anti-HIV-1 activity with minimal cellular toxicity and showed appreciable water solubility. PATEs were shown to preferentially target the NCp7 C-terminal zinc finger when tested against other molecular targets. These compounds thus possessed broad spectrum antiviral activity, particularly against retroviruses such as HIV. Despite the promising activity of the PATE compounds, the compounds of the present invention provide a significant advance in the treatment of viral infections. The PATE compounds are charged species, and as such they are quite hygroscopic. This makes isolation and purification difficult. More importantly, it increases hydrophilicity so much that uptake is inhibited and excretion is accelerated. As a result, those compounds have poor delivery characteristics for oral administration. Furthermore, many compounds of the present invention show improved hydrolytic stability in test systems containing serum, which are used to estimate the in vivo lifetime of compounds to be evaluated as drug candidates. The compounds of the present invention possess broad spectrum antiviral activity like the PATEs. However, the acylthiols and thiols of the present invention are generally neutral species at physiological pH, so they provide better delivery characteristics than the PATE compounds. The acylthiol compounds of the present invention have increased in vivo stability, which allows more efficient delivery of the active acylthiol species to the targeted zinc finger viral proteins. Compounds of the present invention also possess other advantages, such as greater in vivo stability and greater ease of synthesis, isolation, purification, and storage, which make them still more advantageous relative to the PATEs. The compounds of the present invention are thus useful for the prevention and treatment of retroviral infections, for the preparation of inactivated viruses, and for the detection and production of antibodies to inactivated viral proteins. The compounds of the present invention, by virtue of their antiviral activity, are also useful for the manufacture of compositions that can be used to inactivate viruses in vitro or in vivo. These compositions can be used to inactivate viruses to prevent the transmission of a viral infection, to treat a viral infection, or to prepare an inactivated virus as, for example, to prepare a vaccine. They are especially useful for the manufacture of medicaments that can be used to treat mammals infected with viral diseases, particularly retroviral diseases such as, for example, HIV. |
<SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The invention provides compounds, compositions containing such compounds, and methods for using such compounds and compositions for the treatment of viral infections, particularly those caused by retroviruses. These compounds and compositions are also useful to inhibit the transmission of such viruses, to inactivate such viruses on surfaces or in biological tissues or samples, and to detect the presence of zinc finger proteins derived from such viruses. As such, in one embodiment, the present invention provides compounds of formula (I): in-line-formulae description="In-line Formulae" end="lead"? K—J—Q—NR 1 R 2 (I) in-line-formulae description="In-line Formulae" end="tail"? wherein K is selected from the group consisting of K 1 , K 2 and K 3 . In these structures, A, B, D, and E are each independently CH, N, CR 5 , CR 6 , CR 7 or CR 8 , with the proviso that not more than two of A, B, D, and E are nitrogen atoms. J′ and Q′ designate the attachment points for groups J and Q, respectively, which are described below. Thus K can be a benzamide or a pyridinyl carboxamide, and in either case, it bears a sulfur-containing substituent J that is attached either ortho or meta to the carboxamide group. The substituents R 5 , R 6 , R 7 and R 8 are independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, CF 3 , optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkoxy, optionally substituted aryl, NO 2 , optionally substituted alkylthio, optionally substituted amino, optionally substituted acylamino, optionally substituted arylamino, optionally substituted acylthio, optionally substituted acyl, optionally substituted acyloxy, hydroxy, mercapto, and optionally substituted thioamido. In formula (I), J represents a thiol or acylthiol group having the structure (CH 2 ) m —SH, (CH 2 ) m —S—C(Z)—Y—R 3 , or where m is an integer from 0 to 2, and Z is an oxygen atom, sulfur atom, or optionally substituted nitrogen atom (NR 4 ). Y represents a bond, an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, or an optionally substituted nitrogen atom (NR 4 ). T is an optionally substituted alkylene of up to about 6 carbons, which allows formation of rings containing up to about eight atoms. R 3 in formula (I) is an optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted arylalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, or optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl. R 4 is a substituent that may be present on an optional nitrogen atom in an acylthio group. If present, it may be hydrogen, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkoxy, optionally substituted aryl, or optionally substituted acyl. R 9 is a functional group including, but not limited to, hydrogen, optionally substituted amino, optionally substituted acyl, optionally substituted aminoacyl, optionally substituted acyloxy, optionally substituted alkoxyacyl, optionally substituted aryloxyacyl, optionally substituted thioamido, hydroxy, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted arylalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, or optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl. Q is a linking group that may be a bond, optionally substituted alkylene, optionally substituted alkylene-C(O), optionally substituted phenylene, optionally substituted cycloalkylene, optionally substituted alkylcycloalkylene, optionally substituted cycloalkylenealkyl, or a structure chosen from the following substructures: L 1 and L 2 in these substructures are independently selected, and may be a bond or an optionally substituted alkylene chain of up to 4 carbons. R 1 is a functional group including, but not limited to, hydrogen, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroalkyl, or optionally substituted heterocycloalkyl. R 2 can be the same as R 1 or different, and is a group including, but not limited to, hydrogen, hydroxyl, amino, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted arylalkyl, optionally substituted alkylamine, optionally substituted arylamine, optionally substituted alkoxy, optionally substituted acyl, optionally substituted aminoacyl, optionally substituted alkoxyacyl, optionally substituted alkylthioacyl, optionally substituted arylaminoacyl, optionally substituted aryloxyacyl, optionally substituted arylthioacyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl, optionally substituted heteroalkyl, optionally substituted heterocycloalkyl or optionally substituted acylamino. Alternatively, R 1 and R 2 can be optionally linked together to form a ring of up to about seven atoms including the N to which both are attached. This ring may be optionally substituted. Some of the structures described above can include relatively basic groups such as amines or pyridine rings. In those embodiments, the invention also includes pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the compounds described. In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition including at least one compound of the present invention or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. Such compositions may optionally include a second anti-retroviral compound such as, for example, a protease inhibitor, a reverse transcriptase inhibitor, an integrase inhibitor, a fusion inhibitor and an attachment inhibitor. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, methods are provided for treating or preventing viral infections using compounds of formula (I). Pharmaceutical compositions comprising at least one compound of the present invention can be administered by any known method to prevent or treat an infection caused by a virus or retrovirus that is sensitive to the compounds of the present invention. For example, the compound can be administered topically, as to a mucosal surface, e.g., intra-vaginally or intra-rectally, or, as an inhalant, to inhibit the transmission of a virus. Alternatively, the compositions can be administered parenterally (including intravenously), intrathecally, subcutaneously, orally and the like. In alternative aspects, compositions comprising at least one compound of the present invention are administered to a human as a pharmaceutical formulation, or to an animal as a veterinary pharmaceutical formulation. In one aspect, these compositions further comprise a second antiviral agent. The second antiviral agent can be another compound of the present invention, but is preferably a different type of antiviral agent, such as a reverse transcriptase inhibitor, an integrase inhibitor, a fusion inhibitor or a protease inhibitor. The nucleoside analogue can be an AZT, a ddCTP or a ddI, for example, and the fusion inhibitor can be T-20, for example. Because of their antiviral activity, in one embodiment of the present invention, the compounds of the present invention are useful for the manufacture of medicaments. These medicaments include formulations and compositions useful for the treatment of viral diseases affecting mammals, including humans. These medicaments are also useful for inhibiting the transmission of viral diseases from one mammal to another. In another embodiment, the present invention provides methods for dissociating a metal ion from a zinc finger-containing protein, the method comprising the step of contacting the zinc finger with a compound of the present invention. In one aspect, the zinc finger is part of a viral protein, such as a nucleocapsid protein, a Gag protein or a Gag-Pol protein. The invention also provides methods for dissociating a metal ion from a zinc finger-containing protein on an intact virus (e.g., viral particle, virion). The contacting of the virus or viral protein with the compound can be performed in vitro or in vivo. In one aspect, the zinc finger comprises a retroviral protein, e.g., a virus from an avian sarcoma retroviral group, a mammalian B-type retroviral group, a human T cell leukemia retroviral group, a bovine leukemia retroviral group, a D-type retroviral group, a murine leukemia-related group or a lentivirus group. The retroviral protein can be derived from an HIV-1, an HIV-2, an SIV, a BIV, an EIAV, a Visna, a CaEV, an HTLV-1, a BLV, an MPMV, an MMTV, an RSV, an MuLV, a FeLV, a BaEV or an SSV retrovirus. In yet another embodiment, the invention provides a method for detecting the presence of a zinc finger-containing protein, comprising the steps of contacting the zinc finger-containing protein with a compound of the present invention to dissociate a metal ion, usually zinc, and detecting the metal ion or detecting a change caused by its dissociation. In one aspect, detecting the dissociation of the metal ion from the zinc finger can be carried out using a method such as, for example, capillary electrophoresis, immunoblotting, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), detecting release of radioactive zinc-65, detecting fluorescence or detecting a gel mobility shift. The invention further provides a method for inactivating a virus, the method comprising contacting a virus with an effective amount of a composition comprising at least one compound of the present invention, wherein contacting the virus with the compound inactivates the virus. This inactivation can be partial (e.g., an attenuation) or complete. In one aspect, the compound of the present invention dissociates a zinc ion from a polypeptide, e.g., a zinc finger. The virus can be a retrovirus derived from an avian sarcoma or leukosis retroviral group, a mammalian B-type retroviral group, a human T cell leukemia or bovine leukemia retroviral group, a D-type retroviral group, a murine leukemia-related group or a lentivirus group. The retrovirus can be an HIV-2, an SIV, a BIV, an EIAV, a Visna, a CaEV, an HTLV-1, a BLV, an MPMV, an MMTV, an RSV, an MuLV, a FeLV, a BaEV or an SSV retrovirus. The retrovirus can also be an HIV-1 retrovirus. The contacting of the virus with the compound can be performed in vivo. In one aspect, the compound is administered to inhibit the transmission of infectious virus from cell to cell or from individual to individual. In another aspect, the compound is administered to treat an existing viral infection. In alternative aspects, the contacting of the virus with a composition comprising at least one compound of the invention is performed in vitro. The contacting of the virus with the compound or composition can be performed in or on any biological tissue, food, chemical or device, such as a blood product, blood plasma, tissue or organ for transplantation, nutrient media, protein, a pharmaceutical, a cosmetic, a sperm or oocyte preparation, cells, cell cultures, bacteria, viruses, food, drink, implant, prosthesis and the like. The invention further provides an isolated and inactivated virus, wherein the virus is inactivated by a method comprising contacting the virus with a compound of the present invention, wherein contacting the virus with the compound inactivates the virus. The invention provides a vaccine formulation comprising an inactivated virus of the present invention. The inactivated virus can be a retrovirus, e.g., an avian sarcoma retroviral group, a mammalian B-type retroviral group, a human T cell leukemia retroviral group, a bovine leukemia retroviral group, a D-type retroviral group, a murine leukemia-related group or a lentivirus group. The isolated and inactivated virus can be an HIV-2, an SIV, a BIV, an EIAV, a Visna, a CaEV, an HTLV-1, a BLV, an MPMV, an MMTV, an RSV, an MuLV, a FeLV, a BaEV and an SSV retrovirus. The inactivated virus can also be an HIV-1. In certain aspects, the invention provides a method of selecting a compound capable of dissociating a metal ion chelated with a zinc finger of a viral protein, the method comprising: (a) contacting the zinc finger with a compound of the present invention; and (b) detecting the dissociation of the metal ion from the zinc finger of the viral protein. The metal ion can be a zinc ion. The step of detecting the dissociation of the metal ion from the zinc finger can be carried out using a variety of analytical methods such as capillary electrophoresis, immune-blotting, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), detecting release of radioactive zinc-65, detecting fluorescence, detecting gel mobility shift, or combinations of such methods. In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides a kit for selecting a compound capable of dissociating a metal ion from a zinc finger of a protein, e.g., a viral protein, the kit comprising the protein, e.g., a retroviral protein, and instructions for detecting the dissociation of the metal ion from the viral protein, the instructions comprising directions for the selection of a compound of the present invention. In one aspect, a zinc ion is chelated with the zinc finger of the viral protein. In one aspect, the viral protein is incorporated in an intact virus, e.g., a retrovirus. The zinc finger can be derived from a virus, such as an avian sarcoma retroviral group, a mammalian B-type retroviral group, a human T cell leukemia retroviral group, a bovine leukemia retroviral group, a D-type retroviral group, a murine leukemia-related group or a lentivirus group. The zinc finger can be derived from a virus, e.g., an HIV-2, an SIV, a BIV, an EIAV, a Visna, a CaEV, an HTLV-1, a BLV, an MPMV, an MMTV, an RSV, an MuLV, a FeLV, a BaEV, or an SSV retrovirus. The zinc finger can also be derived from an HIV-1 virus. In alternative aspects of the kit of the present invention, the instructions are directed to detecting the dissociation of the metal ion from the protein using capillary electrophoresis, immune-blotting, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), detecting release of radioactive zinc-65, detecting fluorescence or detecting a gel mobility shift. The kit can also be used for the detection of the presence of a zinc finger-containing viral protein. The invention also provides a virucidal composition comprising a compound of the present invention. The virucidal composition can further comprise blood plasma, tissue or organs for transplantation, nutrient media, protein, a pharmaceutical, a cosmetic, a sperm or oocyte preparation, cells, cell cultures, bacteria, viruses, food, drink, implants, prostheses and the like. The present invention provides blood plasma, nutrient media, protein, a pharmaceutical, a cosmetic, a sperm or oocyte preparation, cells, cell cultures, bacteria, viruses, food, drink, implants, prostheses comprising a compound of the present invention. The invention further provides a pharmaceutical formulation comprising a compound of the present invention. The pharmaceutical formulation can further comprise a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, carrier, or diluent, and can also optionally include at least one additional antiviral agent. The invention provides an array or a bead comprising a compound of the present invention. The invention provides a kit for screening for the presence of anti-viral antibodies in a biological fluid comprising a polypeptide or a virion comprising a compound of the present invention. The invention provides a method for detecting the presence of an anti-viral antibody in a biological sample comprising the following steps: (a) providing a polypeptide or a virion comprising a compound of the present invention; (b) providing a biological sample; (c) contacting the biological sample with the polypeptide or virion of step (a); and, (d) detecting the presence of an antibody specifically bound to the polypeptide or virion, thereby detecting the presence of an anti-viral antibody in the biological sample. The biological sample can be any biological fluid, or a fluid comprising a biological material (e.g., from a biopsy sample). The biological fluid can be, e.g., a serum, tear, sputum, saliva, blood, urine, vaginal fluid, or a semen sample. The details of one or more embodiments of the present invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims, and are included in the present invention. All publications, patents and patent applications cited herein are hereby expressly incorporated by reference for all purposes. |
Putter in particular for training purposes |
The invention relates to a putter, in particular for training purposes, comprising a shaft (10) and a club head (4), which has a striking surface (15). According to the invention, the striking surface (15) should be located on a projecting part (14) of (the club head (4), preferably at the end of a ball corridor (36), which is formed by two guide brackets (5, 6). |
1-35 (cancelled): 36. A putter comprising a shaft (10) and a club head having a striking surface (15), the striking surface (15) is on an elevation (14) of the club head (4), guide brackets (5, 6) are secured on the club head (4) and form a ball corridor (36) and an opening (18) in a direction away from the striking surface (15), and includes means for changing the opening (18) for the ball passage by selectable positioning the guide brackets (5, 6). 37. The putter as claimed in claim 36, wherein the guide brackets (5, 6) are bent inward at their respectively front end (17) and form an opening (18) for the ball passage. 38. The putter as claimed in claim 36, wherein the club head (4) has a basic body (35). 39. The putter as claimed in claim 38, wherein the basic body (35) includes a shaft-retaining plate (2) and a damping plate (3) wherein a threaded pin passing through the damping plate, (3). 40. The putter as claimed in claim 38, wherein the basic body (35) forms a striking side (21) against which a striking plate (1) abuts. 41. The putter as claimed in claim 38, wherein the guide brackets (5, 6) engage behind the basic body (35). 42. The putter as claimed in claim 41, wherein projecting up from an end bordering arrangement (24.1, 24.2) of the basic body (35) are unit-spacing bolts (30) which engage in grooves (29) in the guide brackets (5, 6). 43. The putter as claimed in claim 42, wherein a plurality of unit-spacing bolts (30) and grooves (29) are provided. 44. The putter as claimed in claim 36, wherein the guide brackets (5, 6) are spaced apart on side walls (19) of the club head (4), wherein a guide pin (25), provided on one of the side walls and the guide brackets engages in a guide groove (26) provided in the other of the side wall (19) and the guide brackets. 45. The putter as claimed in claim 36, wherein a front half of the guide brackets (5, 6) tapers slightly, on a sliding-surface side (28) thereof in the direction of an the end (17) of the guide brackets. 46. The putter as claimed in claim 36, wherein the striking surface (15) is of rectangular design. 47. The putter as claimed in claim 46, wherein the striking surface (15) is provided on a conical elevation (14) which is part of a striking plate (1). 48. The putter as claimed in claim 47, wherein the striking plate (1) is of circular design and the conical elevation (14) is formed by two mutually opposite, sloping surfaces. 49. The putter as claimed in claim 48, wherein the striking plate (1) has knurling (13). 50. The putter as claimed in claim 40, wherein the striking plate (1) has a threaded bore (12) for accommodating the threaded pin (7). 51. The putter as claimed in claim 50, wherein the threaded pin (7) is located along a longitudinal axis (20) of the club head (4). 52. The putter as claimed in claim 51, wherein a shaft-retaining plate (2) is movably seated on the threaded pin (7) for movement, relative to the axis (20). 53. The putter as claimed in claim 39, wherein an exchangeable damping plate (3) is seated on the threaded pin (7). 54. The putter as claimed in claim 53, wherein a second striking plate is provided. 55. The putter as claimed in claim 54, wherein the second striking plate (8) is similar to the first striking plate (1), but has a smaller striking surface. 56. The putter as claimed in claim 55, wherein the second striking plate (8) is seated on the threaded pin (7) on a side opposite to the first striking plate (1). 57. The putter as claimed in claim 56, wherein the second striking plate (8) secures the guide brackets (5, 6) on the basic body (34). 58. The putter as claimed in claim 40, wherein two direction markings (9, 11) are provided at different heights on the club head (4). 59. The putter as claimed in claim 58, wherein the club head (4) has a shaft (10) which is flattened on one side, wherein the shaft (10) is inserted into a shaft-retaining plate (2) which is arranged in a force-fitting manner on the threaded pin (7) between the striking plate (1, 8) and a damping plate (3). 60. The putter as claimed in claim 59, wherein the shaft (10) is fitted in a force-fitting manner in the shaft-retaining plate (2). 61. The putter as claimed in claim 58, wherein an aiming clip (38) is assigned in a removable manner to the club head (4), the aiming clip (38) has an aiming gap (39) projecting into the ball corridor (36), said gap being aligned with a longitudinal axis (20) and with each direction marking (9) and (11) wherein one direction marking is above the other. 62. A putter comprising a shaft (10) and a club head (4) having a striking surface (15), a rubber cable (43) having one end secured on the shaft (10) by a releasable mount (50), wherein the rubber cable (43) is connected, at an other end, to a ground anchor (45) on the far side of a golf hole (47) which is to be hit with a golf ball, wherein the releasable mount (50) wraps around the shaft (10) with a changeable-length strip (51) which is connected to a tensioning lever (52). 63. The putter as claimed in claim 62, wherein the tensioning lever (52) has a notched surface (55) in the direction of the shaft (10). 64. The putter as claimed in claim 62, wherein the tensioning lever (52) has at least one bore (56) for accommodating a retaining needle (57) for the rubber cable (43). 65. A putter comprising a shaft (10) and a club head (4) having a striking surface (15), wherein secured on the club head (4) is an aiming element (48) which is guided along a cable (43). |
<SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The invention relates to a putter, in particular a practice putter, having a shaft and a club head which has a striking surface, the striking surface being arranged on an elevation of the club head. The game of golf involves trying to use as few strokes as possible between teeing off the ball and playing it into the respectively associated hole. For this purpose, use is made of a series of clubs which satisfy the respective stroke requirements. The final strokes before the ball is holed usually take place from the green, where the ball is already more or less in the vicinity of the hole. In order to span this short distance, use is made of the so-called putter, which has a different configuration from the rest of the golf clubs and which also requires a different striking technique to the other clubs. During putting, the starting direction of the ball is ideally as straight as possible in direct extension of the swing line. In order to ensure this, a number of hitting-moment factors have to be fulfilled, the straight putting movement, the striking-surface position at the hitting moment, the vertical striking angle and the centrality with which the ball is hit by the striking surface forming the basic essentials for a successful putt. Practice equipment or practice putters for such hitting-moment factors are already known. It is thus possible, for example on a practice green, to practice the straight putting movement on a fixed guide rail by the putter being guided as closely as possible along the guide rail during striking practice. The disadvantage here is that it is only possible to practice the straight putting movement and the guide rail means that the ball can only ever be played to the same hole. GB 325 744 A, U.S. Pat. No. 3,384,376 A and U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,253 also disclose putters in which an elevation or a bolt is arranged on the striking surface. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,535 A, U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,675 A and U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,153 A disclose practice putters having a club head with a striking surface which extends over the club-head width and with two non-adjustable guide brackets projecting beyond the club-head sides. Since during execution of the stroke, before it strikes the striking surface, the ball merely has to be located in the ball corridor formed by the guide brackets, which project beyond the club-head sides, in order for it to be possible to hit the ball with the striking surface, the stroke does not differ significantly from that with a putter which is conventionally used in golf. Only a marked deviation from the ideal putting line as a result of the ball coming into contact with the guide bracket is obvious, which, of course, may not be sufficient for comprehensive putting training. For a better aim, U.S. Pat. No. 3,698,093 also discloses a plug-on aiming clip, of which the projecting metal pin should be guided centrally over the ball. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,656 A discloses a means in which the shaft has a mount for connecting a flexible rubber line or the like. The flexible rubber line here extends in the rearward direction, away from the striking surface, rather than in the direction of the hole which is to be sighted. Furthermore, connection to the mount takes place such that the flexible rubber line always keeps the striking surface perpendicular to it. U.S. Pat. No. 5,716,286 discloses an aiming device which is located on a shaft and is connected to a target block via a roll-up cord. When the target block is sighted, the cord extends over the ball. The mount is very complicated and heavy, and so it has a considerable influence on the feel of the player when putting. The object of the invention is to provide a putter, in particular a practice putter, of the type described in the introduction which makes it possible to practice the hitting-moment factors forming the basic essentials for a successful putt, such as the straight putting movement, the striking-surface position at the hitting moment, the vertical striking angle and the centrality with which the ball is hit. |
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