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Apparatus comprising a button and a part adjustable by the button |
In an apparatus (1) having an adjustable adjustment slider (13) and having a second part (9) provided for adjusting the adjustment slider (13), provision is made for at least one coupling counterpart (16) to be present in the adjustment slider (13) and for the second part (9) to have a coupling piece (31) that can be coupled to the coupling counterpart (16) so that, when the second part (9) is not actuated, the coupling piece (31) is uncoupled from the coupling counterpart (16) in the adjustment slider (13) and, by actuating the second part (9), can be coupled to the coupling counterpart (16) to enable the adjustment slider (13) to be adjusted. |
1. An apparatus (1) having at least one adjustment slider (13) displaceably guided along a first path of movement (12), and having at least one second part (9) provided for adjusting the adjustment slider (13), which second part (9) is adjustably guided along a second path of movement (17) and can be actuated and adjusted along the second path of movement (17) by hand, wherein said second part (9) has a coupling piece (31; 72) that is adjustable towards the adjustment slider (13) and can be coupled directly to the adjustment slider (13), and wherein the adjustment slider (13) has at least one coupling counterpart (16; 66; 79) that is configured for direct coupling to the coupling piece (31; 72) of the second part (9), and wherein, when the second part (9) is not actuated, the coupling piece (31; 72) of the second part (9) and the at least one coupling counterpart (16; 66; 79) of the adjustment slider (13) are uncoupled from one another, and wherein, when the second part (9) is actuated, the coupling piece (31; 72) of the second part (9) adjusted towards the adjustment slider (13) as a result of the actuation is directly coupled to a coupling counterpart (16; 66; 76) in the adjustment slider (13), and the adjustment slider (13) can be adjusted along the first path of movement (12) by means of the coupling piece (31; 72) of the second part (9), which coupling piece (31; 72) has been adjusted towards the adjustment slider (13) and directly coupled to the coupling counterpart (16; 66; 79) of the adjustment slider (13). 2. An apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustment slider (13) comprises a plurality of coupling counterparts (16, 66; 79) situated next to one another in the direction of the first path of movement (12), and wherein the adjustable coupling piece (31; 72) of the second part (9) can be directly coupled to each of the coupling counterparts (16; 66; 79) in the adjustment slider (13). 3. An apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein limiting means (40; 82) are provided for limiting the adjusting travel for the second part (9) in the direction of the second path of movement (17), and wherein the adjusting travel for the second part (9) is limited to a fraction of the adjusting travel of the adjustment slider (13) with the help of the limiting means (40; 82), and wherein the adjustment slider (13) can be adjusted over the whole of its total adjusting travel by coupling the coupling piece (31; 72) of the second part (9) successively to the coupling counterparts (16; 66; 79) in the adjustment slider (13) that are situated next to one another and by adjusting the second part (9) a number of times in the direction of the second path of movement (17). 4. An apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein a starting position is defined for the second part (9), and wherein spring means (29) are provided that cooperate with the second part (9) and load the second part (9) in the direction of its starting position. 5. An apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein controllable locking means (41; 51) are provided to lock the adjustment slider (13) against adjustment, which locking means (41; 51) prevent adjustment of the adjustment slider (13) if the coupling piece (31) of the second part (9) and the at least one coupling counterpart (16; 66) in the adjustment slider (13) are uncoupled from one another. 6. An apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the locking means (41; 51) can be controlled by the second part. 7. An apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the locking means (41; 51) can be controlled by the coupling piece (31) of the second part (9). 8. An apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second part (9) is in the form s of a sliding button (9) that can be adjusted along the second path of movement (17), and wherein the coupling piece (31) of the sliding button (9) is formed by a pushbutton-type coupling slider (31) that is held on the sliding button (9) so as to be adjustable transversely to the second path of movement (17). |
DVD and entertainment distribution system and method |
A method for placing advertising on a DVD or comparable format such as “pay per view,” comprising the following steps: determining a demographic criterion for a DVD; choosing an advertisement related to that criterion and affixing it to the DVD; providing an end user with a choice to accept a DVD with advertising or not; downloading a DVD with advertising into the disk such that the advertising is played and cannot be edited. |
1. A method for placing advertising on a DVD, comprising the following steps: determining a demographic criterion for a specific DVD based film; choosing an advertisement related to that criterion and affixing it to the DVD; providing an end user with a choice to accept or not accept the DVD with the advertising; providing the end user who chooses the advertising with the DVD with advertising such that the advertising appears and is shown on the DVD when it is played. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the end user can select the quantity of advertising he is willing to accept. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the advertising comprises a multimedia presentation interposed with the DVD film. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the advertising comprises a pictoral or written message appearing at the bottom of the DVD film when played. 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the advertising comprises a subliminal or direct message implanted within the DVD presentation so as to blend into the storyline of the DVD. 6. A method for placing advertising on a pay per view presentation, comprising the following steps: determining a demographic criterion for a pay per view presentation from a customer for the presentation; choosing an advertisement related to that criterion for affixation to the presentation; providing the end user with a choice to accept the presentation with one of plurality of potential levels of advertising; providing the end user with the presentation with advertising level so selected such that the advertising appears and is shown on the presentation when it is played. 7. A method for placing advertising on a DVD, comprising the following steps: determining a demographic criterion for a DVD from a customer for the DVD; choosing an advertisement related to that criterion for affixation to the DVD; providing the end user with a choice to accept the DVD with one of plurality of potential levels of advertising; providing the end user with the DVD with the advertising level so selected such that the advertising appears and is shown on the DVD when it is played; and providing the end user with printed adverting and coupons contained within the DVD based upon the criterion. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Digital Video Disks (DVDs) have gained great popularity in recent years. By 2005, it is expected that DVDs will fully supplant the VHS market. DVDs provide a much clearer picture than the VHS format. Because of the nature of the DD technology, an opportunity has arisen for DVDs to be issued and sold so as to include non-suppressible advertising. VHS tapes have not fully maximized the concept of advertising. VHS systems and tapes can be easily fast forwarded or edited to avoid advertising and other commercial content. The DVD format provides a much better format for advertisers. The DVD format can be integrated with technology which makes it impossible to block efforts to bypass the advertising. For this reason, there is a market for DVD customers who are prepared to accept advertising in consideration for a greatly reduced price on the DVD. A number of U.S. patents have already published or issued related to DVD technology. Published Application No. 2003/0138240 is directed to a DVD that includes a read-only ROM area in which video is previously recorded, and a readable/writable RAM area. A lender DVD apparatus writes a playback/recording control program in the RAM area of the DVD to be rented. A user DVD apparatus reads the playback/recording control program from the RAM area of the rented DVD. Following the playback/recording control program, the user DVD apparatus receives digital broadcasting, extracts CMs therefrom, and writes the extracted CMs in the RAM area. Then, the user DVD apparatus generates history data indicating how many times and which CM has been played-back, and writes the generated history data in the RAM area. U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,638, to Allen discloses a system for capturing, storing and retrieving movies recorded in a video format and stored in a compressed digital format at a central distribution site. A plurality of remote distribution locations are connected through fiber optic connections to the central distribution site. The remote sites maybe of one of two types: a video retail store or a cable television (CATV) head end. In the case of a video retail store, VHS videotapes, other format videotapes or other video media may be manufactured on-demand in as little as three to five minutes for rental or sell-through. A totally automated manufacturing system is described in which the customers can preview and order movies for rental and sale from video kiosks. The selected movie is then either retrieved from local cache storage or downloaded from the central distribution site for manufacturing onto a blank or reused videotape. One feature of the system is the ability to write a two-hour videotape into a Standard Play (SP) format using a high speed recording device. A parallel compression algorithm based on the MPEG-2 format is used to compress a full-length movie into a movie data file of approximately four gigabytes of storage. The movie data file can be downloaded from the central site to the remote manufacturing site and written onto a standard VHS tape using a parallel decompression engine to write the entire movie at high speeds onto a standard VHS tape in approximately three minutes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,570 is directed to a method and related system which allow for a series of individualized audio segments to be recorded for subsequent, simultaneous insertion into the audio track(s) of a plurality of videotapes loaded into multiple videotape recorders (VTR's), respectively. In one embodiment, each audio segment recorded is uniquely associated with, and inserted into, an audio track of a respective prerecorded videotape such that each of the plurality of videotapes is personalized with its own unique message. A voice recording and data entry station is provided wherein each audio segment to be inserted is independently recorded, digitized, and stored on a data tape with related identifying information associated therewith. Audio segments from the digital data tape are then downloaded in groups into a production control center computer, incorporating software and interface circuitry to control the operation of the VCR's, in order to effect the insertion of each audio message segment into respective videotapes. The production control center may further cause labels to be printed which may subsequently be affixed to particular videotapes. Such labels may identify the ultimate recipient of a particular personalized videotape and the respective videotape within the plurality of VTR's into which that recipients individualized audio segment has been inserted. U.S. Pat. No. 6,574,424, to Dimitri et al discloses a method and apparatus for a randomizer for DVD video. A bit is provided in each Digital Video Disk memory sector header to indicate the type of information contained in the main data portion of the frame. A vector of video clips are stored on the DVD disk and the DVD drive examines the bit to determine whether to play a movie or to employ logic provided by the present invention that allows the DVD drive to determine which included video clip to play instead. The video clips may include cartoons, commercials, movie previews, etc. and the logic employed by the DVD drive allows for random or specific selections to be played at predetermined times, such as displaying a clip during the flipping process of a dual-sided DVD disk. Additionally, the method and apparatus may be applied to DVD disks to determine whether commercials are played before, after or during the movie or the movie is played commercial free. U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0170000 to Iwashita discloses a video playback control apparatus, content playback control apparatus, and method of supplying commercial information. A video data on the main part of a movie, which is long-time video data, is supplied from a DVD that is a disc medium. Plural sets of video data on trailers and commercials of a relatively short playing time are supplied from a distribution center via a subscriber telephone line or the like. A video playback control apparatus selects trailers and commercials in accordance with information on the distributor of the movie, the star actor/actress, the genre, etc., and conditions of the day of week, the time zone, etc., in which the movie is to be played back, and prepares a play schedule while combining the selected trailers and commercials. The whole movie including the selected trailers and commercials are played in accordance with the schedule. U.S. Pat. No. 6,177,931, to Alexander et al., is directed towards systems and methods for displaying and recording control interface with television programs, video, advertising information and program scheduling information. The invention is an improvement over previous Electronic Programming Guides (“EPG”) in that it provides, among other things: Improved viewer interaction capabilities with the EPG; improved viewer control of video recording of future-scheduled programming; improved features to the EPG display and navigation; parental control of the EPG display; improved television program information access by the viewer; improved opportunities for the commercial advertiser to reach the viewer; improved product information access by the viewer; creation of a viewer's profile; utilization of viewer profile information to customize various aspects of the EPG; and utilization of viewer profile information to provide customized presentation of advertising to the viewer. U.S. Pat. No. 6,496,981, to Weistendahl et al is directed towards a system for converting media content for interactive TV use. A system for allowing media content to be used as an interactive media program comprises: (a) media content in the form of successive image display frames indexed in a time sequence; (b) object mapping data specifying the locations of objects appearing in the display of media content which ate to be rendered interactive; (c) linkages provided through an associated interactive media program from the objects specified by the object mapping data to interactive functions to be performed upon selection of the objects in the display; and (d) a user system for operating the interactive media program in conjunction with the display of the media content by selecting an object appearing in an image display frame and performing the interactive function linked thereto. The invention includes an authoring system for generating the object mapping data for the media content. In a preferred interactive TV system, media content, in the form of movies, TV programs, advertising, and the like, can be presented as interactive media programs by transmitting the TV content with object mapping data (“hot spots”) to a set top box connected to a viewer's TV. The TV set top box has a utility stored therein for performing the interactive functions linked to the defined hot spots in the TV content upon user selection. Interactive TV programs can also be presented using a conventional TV set top box and remote control in conjunction with the current analog video content. For example, the analog video content may be transmitted to the viewer on a channel provided by a cable TV company, with the object mapping data and program linkages for interactive functions transmitted in the video blanking intervals (VBI) interleaved with the video frames. U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,253, to Swix et al., is directed to a method and system for providing flexible subscriber VCR control of an interactive media system that limits the consumption of bandwidth capacity, the method comprising establishing a viewing time window during which a subscriber can watch an ordered program, enabling the subscriber to freely pause, rewind, and fast-forward the program so long as the end of the program does not exceed the end of the window, automatically tracking the remaining program running time against the time remaining in the window, deactivating the pause and rewind features if the remaining program running time equals the time remaining in the window, and reactivating the pause and rewind features if the program is fast-forwarded such that the time remaining in the window exceeds the remaining program running time. The system of the present invention is any interactive media system that delivers video streams such as an interactive television system that supports. It would be desirable to provide a DVD system which would enable customers to accept advertising and other premiums in consideration for reduced or lower pricing. It would be further desirable to provide a DVD system in which end user customers could select the level of advertising in return for a lower price. It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a system whereby consumers of DVDs can purchase DVDs atr a reduced price in consideration for the acceptance of advertising. It is still a further object of the invention to provide a DVD advertising platform where advertising can be positioned using a letterbox format. It is still a further object of the invention to provide a DVD and/or pay per view advertising platform in which the advertisements can be edited and incorporated in the presentation or entertainment. It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a DVD and/or pay per view advertising system wherein the type of advertising selected can be based upon Demographical information provided by the customer or by a third party. These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the summary and detailed description which follow. |
<SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>A method for placing advertising on a DVD or other pay per view format, comprising the following steps: determining a demographic criterion for a specific DVD based film; choosing an advertisement related to that criterion and affixing it to the DVD; providing an end user with a choice to accept or not accept the DVD with the advertising; providing the end user who chooses the advertising with the DVD with advertising such that the advertising appears and is shown on the DVD when it is played. In further embodiments, the end user can select the quantity of advertising he is willing to accept. In addition, the may comprise a multimedia presentation interposed with the DVD film, a pictorial or written message appearing at the bottom of the DVD film when played, or a subliminal or direct message implanted within the DVD presentation so as to blend into the storyline of the DVD. In a further embodiment, the invention is a method for placing advertising on a DVD, comprising the following steps: determining a demographic criterion for a DVD from a customer for the DVD; choosing an advertisement related to that criterion for affixation to the DVD; providing the end user with a choice to accept the DVD with one of plurality of potential levels of advertising; providing the end user with the DVD with advertising level so selected such that the advertising appears and is shown on the DVD when it is played. In still yet a further embodiment, the invention is a method for placing advertising on a pay per view film, comprising the following steps: determining a demographic criterion for a pay per view film, from a customer for the film; choosing an advertisement related to that criterion for affixation to the pay per view film; providing the end user with a choice to accept the pay per view film with one of a plurality of potential levels of advertising; providing the end user with the pay per view film with the advertising level so selected such that the advertising appears and is shown on the pay per view film when it is played; and providing the end user with printed advertising and coupons. |
Monitoring system for land-based navigational and landing systems |
The present invention relates to a monitoring system for land-based navigational and landing systems. A monitoring system of this type monitors the functions that are carried out by the navigational and landing system, especially the information that is transmitted to the aircraft. According to the present invention, external interfering influences that are independent of the system are detected and are taken into account in the monitoring. |
1. A monitoring system for land-based navigational and landing systems, in which the functions exercised by a navigational or landing system of this type, especially the transmission and reception of information via the antennae of the system, are continually monitored and evaluated, wherein additional sensors for detecting environmental conditions and events in the area of influence of the navigational and/or landing system are connected to the monitoring system, information from the sensors gathered in this manner being recorded and stored such that this information can be linked to the specific functional sequences of the navigational and landing system that are detected and recorded at the same time. 2. The monitoring system as recited in claim 1, wherein sensors for recording optical, acoustic, electromagnetic, and/or general physical processes, especially weather-related events, are installed. 3. The monitoring system as recited in claim 1 or 2, wherein the operating data and the detected data reflecting the environmental conditions and environmental events of a plurality of navigational and landing systems are transmitted to one central recording and evaluating device. 4. The monitoring system as recited in claim 1, wherein the collected and evaluated data can be displayed on monitors and/or can be used for preestablished, automatic switching processes within the system area. 5. The monitoring system as recited in claim 4, wherein the collected and evaluated data and/or the switching processes that result therefrom are classified and statistically evaluated and can be utilized individually or in predetermined combinations in a tutorial of a central data processing system. 6. The monitoring system as recited in claim 4 or 5, wherein the collected and evaluated data can be collected and linked in time-dependent event sequences. 7. The monitoring system as recited in claim 4 or 5, wherein the collected and evaluated data are classified in accordance with the location of their origin, or detection. 8. The monitoring system as recited in claim 4 or 5, wherein the collected and evaluated data can be linked to generally available information such as the time of day, season, or topography. |
Pump for supplying a gas to a sensor and methods therefor |
A pump for a gas sampling or analyzing system includes a pump body having walls impervious to the gas and an electrical coil within the body. The pump is coupled in series with a gas sensor and a gas volume containing the gas to be sampled or analyzed. By varying the amplitude of either the AC or DC current supplied to the coil, the temperature of the coil and, hence, the temperature of the gas within the pump can be varied, causing the pump to “inhale” upon lowering the temperature of the gas within the pump and “exhale” upon raising the temperature of the gas within the pump, thereby enabling the gas from the gas volume to be drawn periodically into and expelled from the sensor for sampling. |
1. In a system for sampling a gas having a sensor in communication with a volume of the gas and a pump for supplying a sample of the gas from the gas volume to the sensor, said pump including a sealed body impervious to the gas and defining a chamber in communication with the sensor and the gas volume, a heating element within the chamber of the body and a controller connected to said heating element for varying the temperature thereof and thereby control the temperature of the gas within said chamber to draw a sample of the gas from the volume of gas into the sensor in response to lowering the temperature of the heating element. 2. A system according to claim 1 wherein said heating element is an electric element. 3. A system according to claim 2 wherein said controller includes an AC power source. 4. A system according to claim 1 wherein the heat capacitance of the heater element is lower than the heat capacitance of walls defining the sealed body. 5. A system according to claim 1 wherein the heat capacitance of the heater element is at least ten times lower than the heat capacitance of the walls defining the sealed body. 6. A system according to claim 1 wherein the controller controls the temperature of the gas within the chamber to expel gas from the chamber upon raising the temperature of the gas within the chamber and to draw gas into the chamber upon lowering the temperature of the gas within the chamber, walls of the sealed body having a heat capacitance such that the temperature of the walls remains substantially constant as the temperature of the gas within the chamber is raised or lowered. 7. A system according to claim 1 wherein said heating element is an electric element, the heater element comprising a foil of about 12.5 microns or less thick. 8. A system according to claim 1 wherein said controller cyclically raises and lowers the temperature of the gas within the chamber to expel gas from and draw gas into the chamber, respectively, with an interruption in the change of temperature of the gas after the gas temperature is lowered to cease movement of the gas into the chamber. 9. In a system having a sensor in communication with a volume of gas, a method for supplying a sample of the gas to the sensor, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a sealed body impervious to the gas and having a chamber in communication with the sensor; (b) providing a heater element within the chamber and a controller for controlling the heater element to vary the temperature of the gas within the chamber; (c) controlling the temperature of the heater element to vary the temperature of the gas within the chamber; (d) drawing a sample of the gas from the volume of gas into the sensor in response to lowering the temperature of the heating element. 10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the heating element is an electrically activated coil and including supplying either a direct or an alternating current to the coil. 11. A method according to claim 9 including cyclically controlling the temperature of the heater element to vary the temperature of the gas within the chamber to draw gas from the volume of gas into the sensor and expel gas from the sensor. 12. A method according to claim 11 including interrupting the cycle to maintain the temperature of the gas within the chamber substantially constant to afford sufficient time for the sensor to sample the gas drawn into the sensor. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>There are several known systems to detect the presence and measure the concentration of gases, e.g., combustible gases, and vapors (collectively referred to herein as “gases”). In one such system, the gases are detected based on measuring the rate of heat liberation during catalytic combustion. A combustible gas detector detects and measures combustible gases by burning a gas sample on a catalytic sensor. Catalytic combustion occurs in the sensor on a surface of a heated porous substrate, e.g. silica or alumina that has been impregnated with a catalyst. The resulting increase in temperature of the substrate is proportional to the rate of heat generation during the catalytic combustion and is measured electronically by sensing a resistance change of an imbedded resistance temperature detector (RTD). Details of other types of systems are set forth in the above-identified patent application. In the field of gas detection/analysis, forced sampling is functionally preferred in contrast to diffusion-type sampling. In forced sampling systems, however, gas velocity variations around the sensor may provoke false sensor readings Generally, two types of pumps for gas sensors have been utilized. There are mechanical pumps which transform electrical power into mechanical movement to transmit the gas sample. Venturi-type pumps are also utilized and which pumps are more robust and reliable. However, venturi-type pumps require a high-pressure compressed air supply which may not always be available. The problem of reliability is oftentimes shifted from the pump to the air compressor. Generally, reliability and cost-effectiveness requirements cannot be met with existing gas sampling pumps, particularly in light of the requirement for ancillary equipment and the substantial number of moving parts. |
<SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <EOH>In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus and methods for delivering a gas sample from a controlled environment into a gas sampler or detector for determining its chemical analysis or composition which lacks moving parts, is simple in design, does not require substantial maintenance, is inexpensive, reliable and, typically, temperature and corrosion-resistant. To accomplish the foregoing, there is provided, in a system for sampling a gas having a sensor in communication with a volume of the gas, a pump for supplying a sample of the gas from the volume to the sensor; the pump including a sealed body impervious to the gas and defining a chamber in communication with the sensor and the gas volume; a heating element within the chamber of the body and a controller connected to the heating element for varying the temperature thereof and thereby controlling the temperature of the gas within the chamber to draw a sample of the gas from the volume of gas into the sensor in response to lowering the temperature of the heating element. Preferably, the heating element comprises an electric element which can be powered either from an AC or DC power source alike. The ability to choose between AC and DC power may simplify the design and reduce the cost. Additionally, the heat capacitance of the heater element is lower than the heat capacitance of walls defining the sealed body and preferably at least ten times lower. In another aspect, the controller controls the temperature to expel gas from the chamber upon raising the temperature of the gas within the chamber and draws gas into the chamber upon lowering the temperature of the gas within the chamber, with the temperature of the walls of the body defining the chamber remaining substantially constant, e.g. due to natural convection cooling, as the temperature of the gas within the chamber is raised or lowered. Increased heat capacitance of the walls vs. the heater element facilitates this requirement. In a further aspect of the present invention, there is also provided, in a system having a sensor in communication with a volume of gas for supplying a sample of the gas to the sensor, a method including providing a sealed body impervious to the gas and having a chamber in communication with the sensor; providing a heater element within the chamber and a control for controlling the heater element to vary the temperature of the gas within the chamber; controlling the temperature of the heater element to vary the temperature of the gas within the chamber and drawing a sample of the gas from the volume into the sensor in response to lowering the temperature of the heating element. The method may also include cyclically controlling the temperature of the heater element to vary the temperature of the gas within the chamber to draw gas from the volume of gas into the sensor and expel gas from the sensor. |
Reduced weight control stage for a high temperature steam turbine |
The control stage buckets for a steam turbine have airfoils which are hollowed out to form an interior cavity within the airfoil. The cavity opens through the radial inner platform of the bucket and terminates short of the tip of the bucket. The buckets are therefore of reduced weight. This reduced weight causes reduced creep damage in the axially extending dovetails along the rotor rim. |
1. A reduced weight control stage for a steam turbine comprising: a steam turbine bucket having an airfoil, a platform and a first dovetail for attaching the bucket to a generally correspondingly shaped rotor dovetail; said airfoil having an interior cavity extending between said platform to a location adjacent a tip of the airfoil enabling a reduction in the weight of the bucket for reducing creep damage along the rotor dovetail. 2. A control stage according to claim 1 wherein said cavity opens through said platform. 3. A control stage according to claim 1 wherein said cavity terminates short of the tip of the airfoil. 4. A control stage according to claim 3 wherein said cavity opens through said platform. 5. A control stage according to claim 4 including a second dovetail carried by said bucket and spaced in a circumferential direction from said first dovetail, said cavity opening through said platform between said dovetails. 6. A control stage according to claim 1 wherein said cavity has a generally airfoil shape corresponding generally to the external profile of said airfoil. 7. A control stage according to claim 1 wherein said bucket has a weight about 10% less than the weight of an identical bucket formed without said cavity. 8. A control stage according to claim 1 wherein said bucket has a volume about 10% less than the volume of an identical bucket formed without said cavity. 9. A reduced weight control stage for a steam turbine comprising: a rotor having a plurality of dovetails projecting radially outwardly of the rim of the rotor and extending generally axially; a plurality of buckets each having an airfoil, a platform and first and second dovetails projecting radially inwardly of said platform and defining a generally axially extending space therebetween for receiving one of the rotor dovetails; each said airfoil having an interior cavity extending through said platform to a location adjacent a tip of the airfoil enabling a reduction in the weight of the bucket for reducing creep damage along the rotor dovetail between the first and second bucket dovetails. 10. A control stage according to claim 8 wherein said cavity for each said airfoil opens through said platform. 11. A control stage according to claim 8 wherein said cavity for each said airfoil terminates short of said airfoil tip. 12. A control stage according to claim 11 wherein said cavity for each said airfoil opens through said platform. 13. A control stage according to claim 9 wherein each said cavity has a generally airfoil shape corresponding generally to the external profile of said airfoil. 14. A control stage according to claim 13 wherein said cavity for each said airfoil terminates short of said airfoil tip, said cavity for each said airfoil opening through said platform. 15. A control stage according to claim 9 wherein the bucket and rotor are formed of materials wherein the rotor dovetail has reduced creep strength in relation to the creep strength of the bucket. 16. A control stage according to claim 9 wherein the bucket is formed of twelve chrome and the rotor wheel is formed of chrome molly vanadium. 17. A control stage according to claim 9 wherein each said bucket has a weight about 10% less than the weight of an identical bucket formed without said cavity. 18. A control stage according to claim 9 wherein said bucket has a volume about 10% less than the volume of an identical bucket formed without said cavity. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention relates to a control stage for a high temperature steam turbine and particularly relates to buckets of the control stage having internal cavities within the airfoils of the buckets to reduce the weight of the bucket and creep damage in the turbine rotor. The control stage of a steam turbine, i.e., the first stage of the turbine downstream of the control valves and steam inlets, creates unique loading on the control stage buckets. Typically, there are four inlets for admitting steam to the control stage, with a control valve for each inlet. The inlets are generally arranged in quadrants. Consequently, steam is emitted over segments of arcs and is therefore not uniformly applied on the first stage bucket airfoils. Because of this unique non-uniform flow and, hence, loading on the control stage, and over long-term operation at high temperatures, creep damage can and does occur in the turbine rotor, particularly in the coupling between the buckets and the rotor. Typically, the buckets are secured to the rotor by dovetails. For example, the buckets may have first are second dovetails extending in an axial direction. Alternate dovetails on the rotor are received between the first and second bucket dovetails. The remaining rotor dovetails are received between the bucket dovetails of next-adjacent bucket. The rotor is typically formed of a material which does not have the high creep or rupture strength characteristic of the creep or rupture strength of the buckets end, accordingly, creep damage can and does occur about the rotor dovetails. Conventionally, the dovetails of the bucket and rotor are secured to one another by insertion of axially extending crush pins in openings formed in both the bucket and rotor dovetails. Creep strains around the pinholes of the dovetails, particularly in neck regions of the rotor dovetails, have been demonstrated. Accordingly, there is a need to control the loads or stresses in those regions to prevent creep strain from causing cracks to develop in the rotor dovetail. |
<SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <EOH>In accordance with a preferred aspect of the present invention, the airfoil of each bucket is provided with an interior cavity thereby reducing the weight of the bucket and subsequent centrifugal loading on the rotor during operation. More particularly, the reduced weight of the bucket reduces the creep strain on the rotor dovetails during long-term centrifugal and high temperature loading on the turbine rotor. Particularly, the interior cavity of the bucket extends through the bucket platform and substantially throughout the entire length of the airfoil, terminating adjacent the airfoil tip. The cavity is closed adjacent the tip of the airfoil and remains open at the platform. The cavity may have a generally airfoil-shaped interior surface corresponding generally to the external profile of the airfoil with due consideration being given to the necessary strength of the airfoil. The cavity may, however, be otherwise shaped. By reducing the weight of the bucket, the long-term creep damage on the rotor dovetail is minimized or eliminated. In a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a reduced weight control stage for a steam turbine comprising a steam turbine bucket having an airfoil, a platform and a first dovetail for attaching the bucket to a generally correspondingly shaped rotor dovetail, the airfoil having an interior cavity extending between the platform to a location adjacent a tip of the airfoil enabling a reduction in the weight of the bucket for reducing creep damage along the rotor dovetail. In a further preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a reduced weight control stage for a steam turbine comprising a rotor having a plurality of dovetails projecting radially outwardly of the rim of the rotor and extending generally axially, a plurality of buckets each having an airfoil, a platform and first and second dovetails projecting radially inwardly of the platform and defining a generally axially extending space therebetween for receiving one of the rotor dovetails, each airfoil having an interior cavity extending through the platform to a location adjacent a tip of the airfoil enabling a reduction in the weight of the bucket for reducing creep damage along the rotor dovetail between the first and second bucket dovetails. |
Media keying for updateable content distribution |
A method and system for keying media allows for the distribution of updateable content to an end user. The media are any type of processor readable, portable apparatus containing a preinstalled Keying Application and unique Source ID. A particular medium is provided to an end user and the end user runs the Keying Application on a network-connected electronic device, such as a computer or PDA. The Keying Application interacts with a Content Server via the network connection. The end user also interacts with the Content Server via the Keying Application. Through these interactions, the Content Server distributes specific updateable content to the Keying Application, which displays the specific content to the end user. The content may comprise catalog and directory information. |
1. A system for distributing and remotely updating information contained on storage media, wherein the information includes a media identifier and a user accesses the information by connecting the media to an electronic device adapted to connect to a network, the system comprising: at least one content server connected to the network and adapted for automatically creating and updating the information according to a profile associated with the user and for delivering updated information to the electronic device, wherein the profile is generated from factors including the media identifier, a user identity (user ID), a history of transactions involving the user ID, and a history of transactions involving the electronic device; and a keying application installed on the electronic device for selecting the user ID and transmitting the user ID and the media identifier to the content server, wherein the keying application selects the user ID based on the media identifier and other indicia of user identification including a social security number and a mailing address. 2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the factors further include recorded personal and demographic information of the user, wherein the content server and electronic device collect and record the personal and demographic information of the user. 3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the factors further include original source and content of the media, wherein the original source of the media includes vendors, marketers and retailers and wherein the original content of the media may vary according to time and location of original distribution. 4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the factors further include linking data wherein the linking data is obtained by combining a plurality of user records, wherein each of the plurality of user records shares at least one element of common personal information with any other of the plurality of user records. 5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the history of transactions is recorded by the keying application and the content server, and the history of transactions comprises: prior purchases executed using the user ID; prior access of certain portions of the information; absence of prior accesses of certain other portions of the information; and prior searches and requests for different information wherein the searches and requests were initiated by the user. 6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the keying application is stored on the media and automatically starts when the media is connected to the electronic device. 7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the information further includes information organized according to relationships between elements of the information and the system further comprises a browsing application for presenting the elements in the form of a product catalog. 8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the information further includes information organized according to relationships between elements of the information and the system further comprises a browsing application for presenting the elements in the form of a directory. 9. A method for distributing and remotely updating information contained on storage media, wherein the information includes a media identifier and a user accesses the information by connecting the media to an electronic device adapted to connect to a network, the method comprising the steps of: creating original information on a content server and storing the original information on the media, wherein the original information is customized according to time and location of distribution; identifying a user of the media by associating the media identifier with a user ID, wherein the user ID is linked to personal identifying information of the user and the media identifier is associated with the user ID using a keying application; transmitting the user ID and media identifier to the content server to access a profile of the user, wherein the profile is based on factors including: a past history of transactions, demographic information received from the user, and the location of original distribution of the media; and creating updated information and transmitting the updated information to the electronic device. 10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the information further includes information organized according to relationships between elements of the information and the system further comprises a browsing application for presenting the elements in the form of a product catalog. 11. A method according to claim 9, wherein the information further includes information organized according to relationships between elements of the information and the system further comprises a browsing application for presenting the elements in the form of a directory. 12. An electronic catalog comprising a carrier of data, the data being readable and updateable through an electronic device using at least one application, wherein: the carrier comprises a data storage media adapted for storing the data and copies of the at least one application; the data includes information organized according to relationships between elements of the information; the data further includes a listing of the relationships; the at least one application includes a browsing application adapted to receive the listing, provide a user with a browsing interface for navigating the information, search the listing and the information for related elements of the information according to search terms selected by the user, and display selected elements of the information; the at least one application includes a keying application for connecting to at least one update server using a network, transmitting indicators to the at least one update server, the indicators identifying the user and the carrier; and receiving additional and updated elements, the updated elements being generated based on information including the indicators and original content of the data stored on the carrier. 13. An electronic directory comprising a carrier of data, the data being readable and updateable through an electronic device using at least one application, wherein: the carrier comprises a data storage media adapted for storing the data and copies of the at least one application; the data includes information organized according to relationships between elements of the information; the data further includes a listing of the relationships; the at least one application includes a browsing application adapted to receive the listing, provide a user with a browsing interface for navigating the information, search the listing and the information for related elements of the information according to search terms selected by the user, and display selected elements of the information; the at least one application includes a keying application for connecting to at least one update server using a network, transmitting indicators to the at least one update server, the indicators identifying the user and the carrier; and receiving additional and updated elements, the updated elements being generated based on information including the indicators and original content of the data stored on the carrier. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to information distribution. More particularly, the invention relates to the usage of media with content for the distribution of remotely updateable information. 2. Description of the Prior Art The distribution of multimedia content and other data has traditionally been achieved by using media, such as the floppy disk, magnetic tape or compact disc (CD), containing information supplied by the content provider. Typically, the media are pre-recorded with information from the content provider and, after being sent to the end user, the end user views the information by reading the media. The information is meant to be static for the end user, that is, after the information is pre-recorded onto the media, the information is not changed or updated by the content provider. Such change or update would be impractical, as it would require the end user to return the media to the content provider for updating. For instance, a mail-order retail content provider might pre-record a sales catalog onto a CD and send the CD to a consumer. The consumer would then access the CD and shop for items in the retailer's catalog. If the retailer were to update the catalog in any way (e.g., error connection, price update, cancelled inventory, etc.) the consumer's CD would be out of date. For write-once media used for content distribution, such as standard CD and DVD, distributed information cannot be updated. The retailer would have to send the consumer a new CD with the new catalog information. In the case of re-writable media (e.g., floppy disks, CD-RW, key-chain RAM, etc.), the update process is possible. The end user would return the re-writable media to the content provider and the content provider would over-write the old information with new information. However, due to economic constraints, information-containing media are typically distributed in large quantities. It would be impractical, if not impossible, for content providers to update their distributed re-writable media in this manner. With the advent of the Internet and computer networking, data can be “downloaded”; that is, transferred from one computer to another computer over the network. The Internet and related browser applications simplified this process by allowing content to be served anywhere, anytime, by using HTTP (Hyper-Text Transport Protocol). In the early development and use of HTTP, most of the content on the Internet was “static” in that it was not based on a constantly updated information source, such as connected to live database. With the increased use of scripting and web-based database access/query technologies such CFML (Cold Fusion Markup Language), ASP (Active Server Pages), Perl (Practical Extraction and Report Language) PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor), and Java Servlets, the content served from one computer to another over the network can be “live” or “dynamic” in the sense that it can be updated in real-time via a database or other application program on the server. In this way, the end user potentially gets a new or different experience each time they are served content from a particular computer. For instance, a website with the weather forecast might change from hour-to-hour or minute-to-minute. Such information would not be useful if pre-recorded on a fixed media. Therefore, what is needed is a method and system for continually distributing updateable content to an end user using media that contains static information, without requiring the content provider to re-write the media or to provide updated media to the end user. |
<SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>A method and system for keying media allows for the distribution of updateable content to an end user. The media are any type of processor readable, portable apparatus that includes a preinstalled Keying Application and unique Source ID. A particular medium is provided to an end user and the end user runs the Keying Application on a network-connected display device, such as a computer or PDA. The Keying Application interacts with a Content Server via the network connection. The end user also interacts with the Content Server via the Keying Application. Through these interactions, the Content Server distributes specific updateable content to the Keying Application, which displays the specific content to the end user. |
Thermoforming system |
In the case of a thermoforming system, it is provided, for the purpose of changing over the moulds (11, 12) in a station (1) of this system, that one (4) of the two transporting devices (3, 4), for transporting the sheet (7) from one station to the other, can be displaced in the direction of the other transporting device (3), transversely to the conveying direction, in order to create space on one side of the lifting table s (9, 10) so that it is possible for the mould block (11, 12) to be moved out of the station onto a mould-changing arm (13) and, from there, onto a mould-changing carriage (15). |
1. Thermoforming system having at least one station (1, 2, 5) for producing or processing moulded parts which can be produced from a sheet (7), in the case of which the sheet (7) is gripped along the two longitudinal borders by a respective conveying device (3, 4) and can be conveyed through the at least one station, characterized in that at least one of the conveying devices (4) can be transferred, transversely to the conveying direction, from its operating position into a second position, in which it is possible to exchange a mould (11, 12) or arrangement serving for producing or processing the moulded parts, irrespective of the travel or displacement which can be executed by the table (9, 10) supporting the mould (11, 12) or the arrangement, or by some other supporting arrangement. 2. Thermoforming system according to claim 1, characterized in that the conveying device (3, 4) used is a needle chain, roller chain or belt drive or clip chain. 3. Thermoforming system according to claim 1; characterized in that one conveying device (4) can be displaced parallel alongside the second conveying device (3). 4. Thermoforming system according to claim 1 characterized in that a width-adjusting device (16) for the parallel conveying devices (3, 4) is provided for the purpose of displacing the conveying device (4). |
Collapsible headgear |
Headgear which can be formed into a compact unit such as a carrying case comprising a headband portion and a bill portion, the bill portion being comprised of at least two bill sections which are hingedly connected to one another, the bill sections being made of a semi-rigid plastic having a shape in a relaxed position, which maintains the bill sections in an extended position, the bill sections being releasably formable into a substantially flat configuration such that when the headband is collapsed so as to be partially positionable under the bottom side of the first bill section, the collapsed headband will be at least partially disposed between the bottom side of the first bill section and the bottom side of the second bill section. |
1-10. (canceled) 11. Headgear which can be formed into a compact unit for ease of carrying comprising: a headband portion; and a bill portion, said bill portion being comprised of a first bill section having a top side, a bottom side and being attached to said headband, a second bill section having a top side, a bottom side and being hingedly connected to said first bill section, a third bill section having a top side and a bottom side and being hingedly connected to said second bill section, and a fourth bill section having a top side and a bottom side and being hingedly connected to said third bill section, said headband being collapsible so as to be at least partially positionable under said bottom side of said first bill section, said collapsed headband being at least partially disposed between said bottom side of said first bill section and said bottom side of said second bill section when said second bill section is folded to a position wherein said bottom side of said first and second bill sections face each other, said third and fourth bill sections being foldable whereby said bottom side of said fourth section substantially faces said top side of said first bill section, said third section cooperating with said second and fourth sections to form a pocket for said collapsed headband and said first bill section. 12. The headgear of claim 10 further including a head cover attached to said headband. 13. The headgear of claim 12 wherein said head cover is collapsible. 14. The headgear of claim 1 wherein top side of said first section and the bottom side of said fourth section have mating releasably engageable fasteners. 15. The headgear of claim 14 wherein said fasteners comprise hook and loop fasteners. 16. The headgear of claim 10 wherein there is a clip attached to the top side of said second section for attaching said headgear when in a compact unit to a belt or the like. 17. The headgear of claim 10 wherein said headband is adjustable. 18. The headgear of any of claims 10-17 wherein there is a first fabric layer covering the top side of said bill sections and a second fabric layer covering the bottom side of said bill sections, said first and second fabric layers being interconnected at the hinged junctions of said bill sections to form hinges between said hinged sections. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to headgear and, more particularly, to collapsible headgear, especially to collapsible headgear having a bill of protracted length providing enhanced protection from the sun. 2. Description of the Prior Art Spectators at outdoor sporting events and participants in other outdoor activities, such as field sports and maintenance work, could benefit from wearing headgear, such as a cap or a visor, that provides enhanced protection from the sun and other elements of weather and also that can be conveniently folded so as to form its own compact, case for transport and storage. Ideally such a cap or visor would feature a protracted bill that can be folded to form the case and, when unfolded, return the cap to its original shape and appearance. Further, the ideal cap or visor could include other features that protect the wearer from sun and weather. Headgear such as baseball caps, visors, and the like, which can be folded or collapsed into more compact forms are known as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,896,218; 5,450,629; 5,845,339; and 5,903,921, to mention a few. Additionally, headgear, particularly baseball-type hats and visors with extended length or retractable bills are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,945,050; 0,075,898; 5,621,915; 5,689,830; 5,197,150 and D360,972. |
<SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The headgear of the present invention can be formed into a compact unit or case for ease of carrying and generally comprises a headband portion and a bill portion, the latter preferably being of protracted length relative to the bill of a conventional baseball cap or the like. The bill portion, in one embodiment, has at least two bill sections which are hingedly connected to one another. The bill sections are formed of a semi-rigid plastic and have a generally non-planar shape which can be considered a relaxed position wherein the bill section remains in a extended position projecting outwardly from the headband portion. The bill sections are releasably formable into a substantially flat or planar configuration whereby they can be folded around their hinged junctures. The headband is collapsible so as to be at least partially positionable under the bottom side of the first bill section. When the first and second bill sections are formed into a substantially flat configuration and the second bill section is folded to a position where the bottom side of the first and second bill sections face each other, the collapsed headband will be at least partially disposed between the bottom sides of the first and second bill sections. |
River card poker |
A casino game comprising one or more decks of standard playing cards and a layout which designates a first area for placing player cards and a second area composed of a plurality of betting areas The object of the game being to make a good poker hand of five cards being composed of players' individual cards in conjunction with a community card. The preferred game apparatus includes a single deck of standard playing cards and a layout that provides betting areas. |
1. A method of playing a card game comprising the steps of: (a) requiring each player to place an ante wager to participate in a wagering game against the house/bank; and (b) dealing a predetermined number of cards to each player some face up and some face down; (c) dealing a single card face up in a designated area on the table specifically for that player; (d) based on step “c” affording each player the option to place a call wager of equal value to the ante to continue to participate in the wagering game against the house/bank; (e) based on step “d” dealing a single card face up in a designated area on the table specifically for that player; (f) based on step “e” affording each player the option to place a river wager in the amount double that of the original ante to continue to participate in the wagering game against the house/bank; (g) dealing a single community card in a designated area on the table face up specifically for all players to use; (h) paying each winning player against the house/bank even money for the ante wager; (i) paying each winning player the odds displayed by the house pay table for the call bet depending upon the poker rank held by each winning player; and (j) paying each winning player the odds displayed by the house pay table for the river bet depending upon the poker rank held by each winning player. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined number of cards dealt to each player numbers four dealt three cards face down and one card face up specifically for that player. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined number of cards dealt to each player numbers five dealt three cards face down and two cards face up specifically for that player; 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of communal cards dealt is one card dealt face up for all players to use. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the total number of cards dealt to each player numbers six, three cards dealt face down and two cards dealt face up specifically for that player and one communal card for all players. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of communal cards is one, dealt either face up or face down. 7. The method of claim 1, where in the amount of the ante wager is predetermined by house rules. 8. The method of claim 7, where in the amount of the call wager is that of equal value to the ante wager. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the amount of the river wager is that of double the original ante wager. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>The Present invention relates to methods for playing a casino game in the nature of poker using one or more decks of conventional playing cards. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for playing a casino wagering game, which is a variation of Seven Card Stud Poker or Down the River. Poke is a popular game throughout the world. It combines principles of card games known for centuries in Europe but in its present form it is distinctly of American origin There are numerous forms of poker and the main divisions are: Draw Poker, in which all of a player's cards are unknown to his opponents and Stud Poker, in which some of the player's cards are face up and others are face down. Within the above two broad categories numerous variations exist with “Seven Card Stud” being a popular example. In “Seven card Stud” A predetermined player makes an Ante wager and each player is dealt two cards face down and one card face up. Each player must decide to either call the initial ante wager or fold the cards they were dealt and sit out for that hand of play. A second card face up is dealt to each player and another betting round will start with a predetermined player. All players must call the bet or fold the cards they were dealt A third card face up is dealt to each player and another betting round start. Each player must either fold or call the betting wager. A fourth card is dealt face up to each player and another betting round starts with each player either placing the bet or folding the cards. A fifth card is dealt to each player this time being dealt face down bringing the total number of player cards to seven and another betting round starts. Each player must fold or call the betting wager. At this point each player in the game will reveal all seven cards and the dealer determines the highest five-card hand on the table among the players and award that player the money from the players pot. In modern casinos Poker takes on one of three forms: Live or card room Poker where players compete against one another but the games are controlled and supervised by a house dealer who removes a house levy either in the form of a participation fee or as a percentage of winning hands, electronic video machines offering various forms of Poker, and Poker played as a “bankers game” either where the game involves players in contest with the dealer's cards or where the object is for the players to obtain a hand based on hierarchical poker ranking. In both versions of Banker games the house enjoys a favorable advantage based on a pay table that is structured in such a way the pay-offs are not based on the true mathematical odds, or rules of play so structured that the house has a favorable edge. The growth in casinos has prompted the introduction of new games and variations to established games and numerous patents have been granted in this field. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,873 (Perkins) a casino type poker game is disclosed in which the players are playing against a predetermined rank of winning hands (a banked game). Players are dealt two cards face down and a common card is placed in a designated area for all players to use if needed. The player then makes a one unit bet and is afforded an additional card face down. The player now has a five-card poker hand. In order for the player to receive a sixth card from the dealer (face down) the player would have made an insurance bet at the onset of the game before and cards were dealt out to any player. At this point if the player did not make the insurance bet and the player does not have a hand of predetermined qualifying rank the game is over and the player loses. If the player and only if the player makes the insurance bet at the onset of the game, then the player is afforded a sixth card to use to further build the chances of making a five-card wining hand The player must make an additional bet aside from the normal betting structure to use the sixth bonus card. If the player wins, he receives a bonus payment depending on the Poker rank of his hand-Player with a three-card hand, two cards dealt to the specific player and one communal card for all players. The player must then pay for two additional cards at different stages in the game for a total of a five-ard hand. The player can receive a sixth card only if they have played the insurance bet at the onset of the game for an additional wager. If the player did not play the insurance bet the game is over and the player does not receive a sixth card. Various other patents disclose further variations to traditional forms of Poker. (Neal) U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,005 discloses a modification of seven-card stud Poker where players do not compete against one another in the traditional sense of Poker. Each player places an initial wager. The dealer then deals a plurality of cards all cards face up to a selected area in the center of the table. Each player has the option of which one of the hands the dealer has dealt to place a wager on. The dealer then completes the deal by dealing a total number of cards amounting to at least a total of a five-card hand in which a winning hand can be found. Payers are not dealt a specific hand for the individual players, in fact all players can bet on the same poker hand in desired. All cards dealt for the players are communal cards and the players view a partial hand before making their wagers on which hand they feel has the best odds to win. The player may also place a bet if they think no hand will qualify for a pre determined k of winning hand. (Rozzi et al.) U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,489 Discloses a seven and a half poker game where the players compete against the dealer. Play starts by a dealer being chosen among the players by a draw of a playing card. Each player places an ante wager. Each player receives one card face down and the dealer receives one card face up. If anyone has a king of diamonds they must reveal this card to state a winning hand-[f no one has the king of diamonds then play continues by each player examining the card they were dealt and seeing the dealer's card face up. They must now decide to stand or take another card. The player can win by having a face card value greater than the dealer's hand or by the dealer drawing over the seven and a half total. This game is very similar to the game “blackjack” with a modified deck of playing cards. U.S. publication No. 2003/0050106A1 (Lyfoung) Demonstrates a method of playing a three-card poker style game coupled with the game baccarat where each player is dealt two cards face down. The player can choose to make a side wager before said communal card is dealt. The dealer then deals a communal card face up to complete the three-card hand. An additional wager can be made of different value but not to exceed said first wager. Both wagers have different payment odds. U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,553 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,041 (both Jones et a]) discloses variations in which all are collectively referred to as Caribbean Stud™ Poker. In the preferred method of play described in the '553 patent the game commences with each player placing a preliminary bet (“ante”) at a designated location on a table layout. The house dealer deals five cards to each player and to himself, all face down except for one card in the hand of the dealer. Having viewed his hand and assessing his chances, each player can elect to retire from the round at that point (to “fold”) in which event the player forfeits his amount of the ante to the house. The alternative is for he player to make an additional bet—typically prescribed by house rules to be double the amount originally anted—whereupon the dealer reveals his entire hand. Provided that the dealer's hand has a poker value of at least Ace-King, the game progresses with the dealer comparing his hand to that of each pair and paying or collecting bets as appropriate. Poker hands of two pair or better are rewarded by payment of better than even odds on such hand of a winning player. In another variation of five d stud Poker for casino play commonly referred to as “let it ride” is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,081 (breeding). Each player must place down three equal bets, whereupon the dealer deals three cards to each player and to the dealer, but then discards out of play (burns) one of the dealer's three cards, sight unseen, leaving the dealer with only two cards. Alternatively, the dealer may simply deal tee cards down to each player and refrain from dealing himself a third card. At that point, each player must then decide whether to take back the first of the three wagers or else to “let it ride.” The dealer then turn up one of the two communal cards so that each player, now in effect in possession of four cards of the ultimate five-card hand, is put to a decision whelm to withdraw the second bet from the table or to “let it ride”. The third bet is not retrievable when the dealer turns the second of the communal cards play comes to an end, the players show their cards, and all bets still on the table are resolved and distributed according to the poker ranking of each bettor's hand In various of these games the participants are provided the option of discarding some or all of the cards which they were originally dealt. Such option can slow down a game costing it to lose momentum. It is an object of the present invention to provide a casino variation of seven-card stud poker, which allows a player to bet against the house for a predetermined jackpot pay table. While certain novel features of this invention shown and described below are pointed out in the annexed claims, the invention is not intended to be limited to the details specified, since a person of ordinary skill in the relevant are will underhand that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated an in its operation may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. No feature of the invention is critical or essential unless it is expressly stated as being “critical” or “essential.” |
<SOH> BRIEF SUMMARY <EOH>The apparatus of the present invention solves the problems confronted in the art in a simple and straightforward manner. What is provided is a new card game of River Card Poker where players compete against the house for a structured pay table providing the opportunity to increase their wager against the house dung play and a quick revelation of the final game result. River Card Poker is based on the game of poker and comprises an apparatus for playing a casino game wherein elements of skill and chance are blended The apparatus consists of a playing surface/layout (cloth, Table top or game board) and a result selector in the form of a single deck of conventional playing cads, as is commonly used in casinos; the layout being marked out with a first area constituted by at leas two or more areas, in the form of rectangles, circles, squares or other geometric shapes, sided in different areas on the table, such demarcated areas being for the placing of players cards and communal cards numbering from one to seven. A second area on the layout designates betting areas further reception of player's chips. Indicia for different bets, situated in the front of each player, signify the type of wagers the players make in the course of a round of the game. The betting areas may appear in the form of geometric shapes. The method includes one or more players making a wager against the house. The players have the option to continue wagering against the house as the game progresses. If the player's hand is designated winning outcome, the player receives a payoff based on his wager(s) against the house and if the outcome is a losing outcome the player's wagers(s) against the house are lost In River Card Poker the object of the game is to make a good poker hand. In this case the house payout schedule lists a series of poker making with corresponding pay-off and the player is paid accordingly. The game is played on a blackjack style table with a single dealer. One or more decks of standard cards can be used, the preferred embodiment being one. The player opening the betting can be rotated for each game. The game is played with chips/counters of various denomination. In the live table game fob the players each an initial “ante” wagers. The dealer then deals a plurality of cards face down and a plurality of cards face up to each player totaling from one to four initial cards. The dealing may be according to any one of the following formats of table 1: TABLE 1 Format player's cards 1 1 face down, 3 face up 2 2 face down, 2 face up 3 3 face down, 1 face up The player is now afforded the option to make an additional wags of equal value of initial “ante” wager. At this point the player is afforded a five-card poker had. This step in the game may be according to any of the following formats of table 2: TABLE 2 Format Player's cards 1 1 face down, 4 face up 2 2 face down, 3 face up 3 3 face down, 2 face up 4 4 face down, 1 face up The player is now afforded a third and final bet to continue the game. This bet is double the initial “ante” wager. At this point the dealer will deliver a single card fire up in the center of the table as a communal card for all players continuing in the game. This step in the game can be according to any of the following formats in Table 3: TABLE 3 Format Player's cards Communal card 1 1 face down, 4 face up 1 2 2 face down, 3 face up 1 3 3 face down, 2 face up 1 4 4 face down, 1 face up 1 This brings the total number of cards used by all players to six. Each player is afforded their own individual band to place bets on. No player is allowed to participate on any other player's cards. In a preferred embodiment, at the start of each game all players can place bets of equal value in their respective “ante” positions. All “ante” bets are against the house and are for a pre determined pay table of winning hands. Players can be dealt three cards face down and one card face up. At this stage the player has a partial poker hand to make a decision on. If the player chooses to fold the ante bet is surrendered to the house and the player is out for the remainder of the game. If the player chooses to make the “Call” bet which is equal to the “ante” bet and the player is afforded an additional card dealt face up specifically for that player's hand. The player now has a five-card poker hand to view. The player is then afforded the option to continue to play by making the final bet (River Bet) or fold and surrender the “ante” and “call” bets to the house and sit out for the remainder of the game. If the player's decides to make the River” bet, the dealer will deliver one Communal card to a designated area on the table to be used by all players still participating in the game. The players now have six cards to choose from to make the best five-card poker hand Each player having a losing hand that does not qualify for the house pay table odds will lose all bets to the house. Any player having a winning hand by house pay table odds will win even money for the “ante” bet and house odds for the “call” bet and “river” bet. |
High speed combination multi-mode ionization source for mass spectrometers |
The present invention combines ionization modes produced by, for example, electrospray (ESI), atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI), and thermospray for analysis of molecules. Specifically, this invention relates to the creation of a new source apparatus combining APCI and ESI which will interface with existing mass spectrometers, as well as the creation of new mass spectrometers where the present invention would be the ionization source. Furthermore, the present invention relates to an ionization source for a mass spectrometer which features an ion chamber defining an ion path, an electrospray probe for ionizing a sample using electrospray ionization, a corona discharge needle for ionizing a sample using atmospheric pressure chemical ionization, a power supply for applying an electrical potential to one of said electrospray probe and said corona discharge needle, and a solid state switch for directing the electrical potential from the power supply to one of the electrospray probe and said corona discharge needle. |
1-19. (canceled) 20. A mass spectrometer for multimode ion production, comprising: (a) a multimode ionization source, comprising: i. an electrospray ionization source for providing a charged aerosol; ii. an atmospheric pressure ionization source downstream from said electrospray ionization source for further ionizing said charged aerosol; and iii. a conduit adjacent to said atmospheric pressure ionization source and having an orifice for receiving ions from said charged aerosol; wherein the multimode ionization source includes a first electrode and a second electrode, the second electrode assisting in steering ions toward the conduit; and (b) a detector downstream from said multimode ionization source for detecting said ions produced by said multimode ionization source. 21. A multimode ionization source as recited in claim 20, wherein said atmospheric pressure ionization source is an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization source (APCI). 22. The multimode ionization source recited in claim 20, wherein the electrospray ionization source has a longitudinal axis and the conduit has a longitudinal axis and wherein the longitudinal axis of the electrospray ionization source is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the conduit. 23. A method of producing ions using a multimode ionization source, comprising: (a) producing a charged aerosol by electrospray ionization; (b) guiding the charged aerosol downstream using electrodes; (c) ionizing said charged aerosol using a second atmospheric pressure ionization source downstream from the electrodes; and (d) detecting said ions produced from said multimode ionization source. 24. A method as recited in claim 23, wherein said second atmospheric pressure ionization source is an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization source (APCI). 25. A multimode ionization source, comprising: (a) a first atmospheric pressure ionization source for providing a charged aerosol; (b) a second atmospheric pressure ionization source downstream from said first atmospheric pressure ionization source for further ionizing said charged aerosol; and (c) a conduit adjacent to said second atmospheric pressure ionization source and having an orifice for receiving ions from said charged aerosol; wherein the multimode ionization source includes a first electrode and a second electrode, the second electrode assisting in steering ions toward the conduit. 26. A method of producing ions using a multimode ionization source, comprising: (a) producing a charged aerosol by a first atmospheric pressure ionization source; (b) guiding the charged aerosol downstream from the first atmospheric pressure source using electrodes; and (c) ionizing said charged aerosol using a second atmospheric pressure ionization source downstream from the electrodes. 27. A multimode ionization source, comprising: (a) an electrospray ionization source for providing a charged aerosol; (b) an atmospheric pressure ionization source downstream from said electrospray ionization source for further ionizing said charged aerosol; and (c) a conduit adjacent to said atmospheric pressure ionization source and having an orifice for receiving ions from said charged aerosol; wherein the atmospheric pressure ionization source includes an atmospheric pressure photo-ionization source (APPI). 28. A mass spectrometer for multi mode ion production, comprising: (a) a multi mode ionization source, comprising: i. an electrospray ionization source for providing a charged aerosol; ii. an atmospheric pressure ionization source downstream from said electrospray ionization source for further ionizing said charged aerosol; and iii. a conduit adjacent to said atmospheric pressure ionization source and having an orifice for receiving ions from said charged aerosol; wherein the atmospheric pressure ionization source includes an atmospheric pressure photo-ionization source (APCI); and (b) a detector downstream from said multi mode ionization source for detecting said ions produced by said multi mode ionization source. 29. A method of producing ions using a multi mode ionization source, comprising: (a) producing a charged aerosol by electrospray ionization; (b) ionizing said charged aerosol using a second atmospheric pressure ionization source downstream from the electrodes; and (c) detecting said ions produced from said multi mode ionization source; wherein the second atmospheric pressure ionization source includes an atmospheric pressure photoionization source (APPI). |
<SOH> BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION <EOH>Mass spectrometry is an analytical methodology used for qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis of material and mixtures of materials. An analyte, usually an organic, inorganic, biomolecular or biological sample, is broken into electrically charged particles of its constituent parts in an ion source. Next, the analyte particles are separated by the spectrometer based on their respective mass-to-charge ratios. The separated particles are then detected and a mass spectrum of the material is produced. The mass spectrum is analogous to a fingerprint of the sample material being analyzed by providing information about the masses and quantities of various analyte ions that make up the sample. Mass spectrometry can be used, for example, to determine the molecular weights of molecules and molecular fragments within an analyte. In addition, mass spectrometry can be used to identify molecular structures, sub-structures, and components of the analyte based on the fragmentation pattern, which occurs, when the analyte is broken into particles. Mass spectrometry is an effective analytic tool in chemistry, biology, material science, and a number of related fields. Many challenges remain in building a mass spectrometer having high sensitivity, high resolution, high mass accuracy, and efficient sample use. One challenge is to efficiently maximize the ionization of a sample as well as allow a dynamic range of analyte samples to be used. Problems have occurred with various ionization methods creating identifiable differences in mass spectra. For example, the introduction of various solution chemistries during the use of Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS) can cause notable differences in the mass spectra because one or more ions can exist simultaneously in the mass spectrometer source. During electrospray, the liquid is introduced through a metal capillary which carries an extremely high voltage. This environment creates an electrochemistry cell since the resulting spray or plume or jet is a result of the liquid exceeding its rayleigh limits it is drawn towards a counterelectrode. Also, the redox reaction occurring during electrospray produces identifiable differences in the mass spectra such as the adduction of metal ions, M+Na. There are several different methods of ionization which have been developed. Ion sources include, methods su as APCI, ESI, and thermospray. Generally, APCI derives ions by heating the liquid flow and creating an aerosol. It is worth noting that APCI does not exhibit such adduction as described above, but will promote background ionization since it ‘uses’ the solvent as a vehicle to transfer charge to the analyte of interest. For example, hydronium ions are created in a plasma through which the analyte travels to become ionized and often tell-tale products such as M+NH 4 are created if the liquid contains ammonium acetate. ESI creates the aerosol or plume as a product of the excessive charge. Also related to APCI is thermospray. In general, thermospray is APCI without high voltage (HV) and no APCI needle. (See MDS Parma ASMS poster, 2000). In this method, ions escape the aerosol droplets as they are desolvated. Of these sources, electrospray sources are amongst be most successful. Although the basic technique of electrospray was known much earlier, the first practical source designs suitable for organic mass spectrometry appeared in 1984 (see e.g., EP 0123552A). Various improvements to this basic electrospray ion source have been proposed. Bruins et at., (34th Ann. Confr. on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics, Cincinnati, 1986, pp 585-6) and (U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,988) describes a pneumatically assisted electrospray source wherein a coaxial nebulizer fed with an inert gas is used in place of the capillary tube of the basic source to assist in he formation of the aerosol. In practice however, sources of this type are often operated with the capillary tube inclined at an angle to the optical axis of the mass analyzer, usually at about 30°, but still directed towards the orifice. U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,845 discloses an additional heated desolvation stage which operates at a pressure of 0.1-10 torr and is located downstream of the first nozzle. While U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,103,093, 4,977,320 and Lee, Henion, Rapid Commun. in Mass Spectrum. 1992, vol. 6 pp. 727-733, and others, teach the use of a heated inlet capillary tube. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,990 teaches an off-axis alignment of the transfer capillary tube and the nozzle-skimmer system to reduce the number of fast ions and neutrals entering the mass analyzer, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,892 discloses a liquid shield arrangement which minimizes the entry of liquid droplets entering the mass analyzer vacuum system. It has been realized that a major factor in the success of electrospray ionization sources for high-molecular weight samples is that, in contrast with most other ion sources, ionization takes place at atmospheric pressure. Furthermore, ionic and polar compounds ionize by ESI while neutral and weakly-polar compounds typically do not. For this reason, there has been a rival of interest in APCI sources which are also capable of generating stable ions characteristic of high molecular weight, typically <1000 Da, thermally labile species. Such sources are generally similar to electrospray sources except for the ionization mode. APCI preludes a unique method of ionization by a corona discharge (see Yamashit & Fenn, J Phys Chem., 1984). APCI maintains a corona pin at high potential, allowing the APCI to provide a source of electrons, for example, a beta-emitter, typically a Ni foil or a corona discharge (see McKeown, Siegel, American Lab. November 1975 pp. 82-99, and Horning, Carroll et al, Adv. in Mass Spectrom: Biochem. Medicine, 1976 vol. 1 pp. 1-16; Carroll, Dzidic et al, Anal. Chem. 1975 vol. 47 (14) pp. 2369). In early sources, the high-pressure ionization region was separated from the high vacuum region containing the mass analyzer by a diaphragm containing a very small orifice disposed on the optical axis of the analyzer. Later APCI sources developed into incorporating a nozzle-skimmer separator system in place of the diaphragm (see e.g., Kambara et al., Mass Spectroscopy (Japan) 1976 vol. 24 (3) pp. 229-236 and GB patent application 2183902 A). Atmospheric pressure ionization source in particular electrospray and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization, interfaced with mass spectrometers have become widely used for the analysis of compounds. Ion sources which ionize a sample at atmospheric pressure rather than at high vacuum are particularly successful in producing intact thermally labile high-molecular weight ions. Previous attempts have been described that create a dual ESI/APCI ionization source. In particular, the dual source ionization relies on a switching box. This modification allows a user to use a control box and two input BNC (bayonet Neill Concelman) connectors of the instrument to either manually or automatically select the voltage for the ESI and APCI modes. Operation of the dual ESI/APCI requires the adjustment of source voltage. Both the ESI and the APCI modes function simultaneously. The most significant parameter controlling the behavior of the source is the temperature and flow rate of the gas (see Seigel et al, J. AM. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 1998, 1196-1203). |
<SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery that a solid state switch can be used for directing the electrical potential from a power supply to either an electrospray probe or the corona discharge needle(s) creating a multi-mode ionization source. The multi-mode ionization source provides significant advantages over prior ionization sources and techniques. The multi-mode ionization source enables automatic, rapid switching from a first ionization mode to a second ionization mode without compromising results and without requiring modification of the equipment. High-speed switching is provided by the use of a solid-state switching device. Furthermore, due to source design, there is no need to elevate the temperature of the nebulizing gas to effect ionization; the source is capable of rapid switching between techniques without waiting for heating to occur. The multi-mode ionization source allows for optimal techniques and conditions to be applied to a sample during a single run. Thus, the multi-mode ionization source realizes significant savings in cost and time while increasing efficiency. In one embodiment of the invention, an ionization source for a mass spectrometer contains an ion chamber defining an ion path, an electrospray probe for ionizing a sample, and a corona discharge needle for ionizing a sample using atmospheric pressure chemical ionization. The present invention uses a power supply for applying an electrical potential to the electrospray probe or the corona discharge needle that is run by a solid state switch for directing the electrical potential from the power supply. Further disclosed by the present invention is a method of ionizing a sample for analysis by a mass spectrometer. This method may include inducing a sample to a probe; ionizing the sample using a first ionization mode; and then switching to a second ionization mode. In one embodiment the ionization of the sample has a duration of less than one tenth (0.1) of a second. Furthermore, switching or interscan delay can be faster or slower depending on desired speed or fidelity. Also taught by the present invention is a system for ionizing a sample using a multi-mode ionization source. This method may include computer implemented steps such as obtaining information related to the multi-mode ionization source, and ionizing a sample based on the information related to the multi-mode ionization source. A further embodiment of this invention is a system for ionizing a sample using a multi-mode ionization source using a computer. In yet another embodiment, a multi-mode ionization source uses a plurality of ionization modes, and may have an interface for displaying information related to the multi-mode ionization source. Also taught by the present invention is a computer readable medium for allowing, for example, a user to ionize a sample for analysis by a mass spectrometer using a plurality of different ionization modes utilizing instructions for running a multi-mode ionization source in response to information entered into a graphical user interface. Examples of practical applications which will benefit from this invention include creation of fast and accurate sample characterization of pharmaceuticals, organic intermediates, as well as sample libraries produced from combinational chemistry and high throughput biological screening. |
Hand truck/forklift aparatus |
The hand truck/forklift as disclosed in this application is new and useful as an improvement in manually operated lifting trolleys in that it is versatile, fast, safe, practical and user friendly for transporting and lifting loads commonly carried on a hand truck, and with the preferred optional use of an electric hoist and cable actuating assembly lift apparatus overcomes some limitations of use in enclosed environments and (or) raised structurally spanned floors without special provisions for excessive air changes or special structural reinforcements in floor construction as would be required for most power operated lifting trolleys currently available for lifting weights comparable to the lifters body weight or heavier. This lift assembly is versatile in that it may be used is a basic lifting trolley with various optional features which include a mountable base carriage trolley, an extensible mast and cable or chain assemblies, the parallel actuating arm (rotary frame) or the lift actuating electric hoist to lift loads less than or comparable to the lifters body weight. When this lift apparatus is used in this most basic form it lifts loads faster and in some cases safer and efficiently when compared to other manually operated lifting trolleys. The rotary frame of the manually operated lift assembly is preferably adapted with a sleeved punched post assembly at the outer end with a spring loaded caliper and pin assembly operated by a hand controlled lever on the rear frame extension and a sleeved cable to secure the load at selected heights, and to serve as a safeguard for holding the raised load on the lift fork. The optional addition of the parallel lifting arm to the extensible mast even further increases the vertical lifting height and frontal range of the lift apparatus including lifting from depths beyond the level of the loading dock. This invention in either form can also be used as a practical, versatile, convenient, fast and economical supplement to conventional hand trucks and forklifts by transporting and lifting loads onto and from delivery trucks to work counters, shelves, standard hand trucks etc. and stacking loaded pallet units for handling by heavier conventional lifts for improved efficiency in either indoor or outside material handling operations, and yet capable without the optional extensible mast and its actuating rear mounted jack assembly of being manually loaded onto a delivery truck to perform these lifting functions at stops along the truck route. The present lift apparatus is also equipped with an electric hoist significantly reduce the resultant impact of stopping on structurally suspended floors, avoid tilt-over, to maximize the frontal, height and depth range of the lift trolley apparatus and actuate mounting and subsequent dismounting with the use of an electric winch and cable all in succession based on the relative resistance to movement of the lift assembly components in this continuous hoist cable pulling motion with all lift trolley features mounted and by means of the optional use of cables or chains and reverse movement of the lift trolley A-frame and the indirectly attached load fork to dismount the carriage trolley. |
1. A lifting trolley comprising: A comprehensive improvement in a lifting trolley comprising a combination of basic components which include a folding A-frame on wheels supporting a rear frame mounted assembly of interconnected successive activating lever arms with handles and pedals connected to a front frame mounted parallel lift arm by means of a pair of chains which run across cogwheels respectively mounted at the outer top intersection of separate pairs of the frames with a rear mounted triangular prop frames affixed to the rear frame posts and a front frame optionally mounted in a fixed manner to the front frame posts of the basic A-frame or on track mounted trolleys which travel vertically along the front frame or a multiple trolley connected series of extensible mast channels, and having a lift fork attached to the outer rotating vertical members of the front of the parallel arm which is lifted along sleeved punched posts with engaging spring loaded pins which are controlled manually from the rear lever handles by means of the cables all such that when the rear levers are pushed downward the chain assemblies pull the parallel frame upward on a one-to-one ratio or a two-to-one ratio or more when the extensible mast(s) with offsetting cogwheels which is separately actuated by means of a pair of chains preferably connected to a rear frame mounted electric hoist and cable assembly or an optional hydraulic jack assembly which actuate pulling the chains across front and rear mounted wheels mounted at the top of the A-frame assembly which lifts the extensible masts vertically along the front frame channel tracks and the optionally mounted additional masts to achieve variable lifting heights and settings at swift pace, and with ease and assurance that the raised load will not accidentally fall to the floor; 2. a lifting trolley in claim 1 wherein an A frame lift trolley is mounted on a lift carriage with permanently affixed wheels being adaptable to be optionally mounted and dismounted from the base carriage trolley with a shock absorbent tongue to lessen the resultant impact on floors with suspended structural frames when the breaks of the tug vehicle pulling the loaded carriage are applied, and a pair of tracks for trolley wheels and an optional pair of front mounted pivoting ramps which would enable displacement of the without the preferred sleeved post assembly; 3. a lifting trolley in claim 1 wherein the absence of sufficient electrical power or an in-operable motor a lift trolley with a rotating chain of levers is mounted to the rear frame posts of the A-frame assembly with interconnecting cables at lift handles and interchangeably used foot pedals with a pair of chains running up and across cogwheels on an axle connecting the outer upper ends of two rear post frame mounted chain prop frames and with chains running across to cogwheels mounted on the outer upper frame of a pair of front mounted chain prop frames and down to a hook mounted on the outer base corner connection of the pivoting front parallel arm mast which is fixed or mounted to travel along the front channel posts of the A-frame apparatus in such a manner as to offset wheels to maintain maximum operable chain length; 4. an improvement in lifting trolley in claim 1 where-in a chain of levers are pivoted about a central point on the lifts rear frame and connected by means of cables on the outer ends at the connected lift pedals so-as-to actuate lifting of the front mounted trolley mast by means of a pair chains which run across cogwheels at the outer connections of the rear mounted chain prop assembly and across balanced cogwheels placed at the inner connection of the chain prop assembly so-as-to align vertically above the hook pins on the mast and pull the load which travels vertically along the a-frame channel track in the same manner as the extensible mast with a load attached load attached; 5. a lifting trolley in claim 1 where-in a sleeved cable with manual control levers extend from the rear handles the of the lift apparatus to the front outer posts of the rotary frame to spring loaded pins which engage the sleeved post supports so-as-to allow the load on the lift fork to be positioned at select heights and avoid tilt-over and provide a safety mechanism when the control lever is released, and where-in the spring loaded pins are engaged to hold the sleeved post intact when the sleeved posts are elevated beyond their reach when the rotary frame is extended to a height that lifts the posts clear of the floor, 6. a lifting trolley in claim 1 of a chain prop assembly with chain off-setting cogwheels where-in pairs of front and rear triangular arrangements chain prop frame assemblies with cogwheels aligned wit linear centerline of the frames at the upper outer connection on common axles, and chains extend from connection at the lever arms on the rear handle up and over the rear cogwheels to and under aligned offsetting cogwheels at upper A-frame connections near the extensible mast up to and over an aligned pair of cogwheels mounted at fixed points on the upper part of the extensible mast and down to hooks at the base of the lift fork optionally connected to the extensible mast by means of interlocking trolleys, or when the optional parallel frame is used run alternately under a second pair of chain offsetting cogwheel on a common axle and longitudinally aligned near the extensible mast on the inner horizontal connection of the vertically extensible frontal prop frames to and over cogwheels at the outer upper connections of the frontal extensible chain prop frames and down to hooks at the base of the outer parallel arm assemblies to lift the lift fork when a downward force is applied to the rear mounted pivoting lever arms at ratios of 1-to-1 or multiples of 2-to-1 relative to the number of extensible masts with offsetting cogwheels used; 7. a lifting trolley in claim 1 where-in a folding base frame panel connection with end strap connection and a central strap connection are used to allow the horizontally positioned panel to fold at the top of panel end connections onto the a-frame posts while the panel folds correspondingly upward at the central bottom strap connection to result in a folded trolley for the lift trolley in storage and transport modes and requires less space occupation when not in use; 8. an improvement in a lifting trolley in claim 1 wherein a shock absorbent carriage tongue is used to reduce the resultant impact on floors supported by a suspended frame which are not normally designed with consideration for the higher live load requirements for floors of which motorized lift vehicles with break systems are permitted to be used; thereby permitting use of a motorized lift apparatus pulled by a motorized tug to used be used on upper floors of more buildings to lifting and haul heavy loads for increased material handling in such spaces as stock rooms, print shops and spaces used for light manufacturing by securing one end of the shock absorber to the cross member of the lift carriage with a fixed sleeve to allow longitudinal movement, but prevent lateral movement; 9. an improvement in a lift trolley in claim 1 wherein a metal ramps with a heavy gage metal plates are mounted to the front base of the lift carriage with hinges such that when the swivel wheels of the sleeved posts are pulled up the ramp onto the floor of the lift carriage trolley to achieve load distribution on avoid tilt-over the wheel press the angular plates down and elevates the ramp mobility of the lift carriage; 10. an improvement in a lifting trolley wherein a balanced lift cable system which would most often be in more readily available supply as a replacement in some states for the preferred chain means of lifting with the substitution of pulley wheels for cogwheels as described in claims 1, 3 and 4 and the addition of a single or series of parallel bar and cable assemblies to which the lift cable is looped as termination points or about which the lift cable is preferably looped in a continuous run to provide greater take-up when this cable is actuated by means of an electric hoist mounted on the connecting base panel of the A-frame assembly with the cable hook of the hoist attached to the bottom center of the parallel bar assembly with one wheel each at the vertical center of the outer ends of the bars about which the cable is looped to provide greater take-up in lift cable; 11. an improvement in a lift trolley in claim 10 where the standard form of the once commonly used parallel bar with 4 pulley wheels with a transverse cable assembly which terminates at eye bolts at each cable ends to allow for tensional adjustments, and the bar is modified with the addition of side mounted bolts for cable termination or with wheels of the pulley type for a looped cable system or cogwheels to achieve a balanced parallel lift actuating bar to displace the lift mast to which the pair of cables or chains are attached by way of wheels mounted to the upper fixed frame and extensible masts of the lift apparatus; 12. a comprehensive improvement in a lifting trolley where-in an electric hoist with cable and hook is used as a primary means to actuate the three functions of mounting of the lift fork onto a carriage trolley, shifting the lift fork on the carriage trolley and actuating the lift masts of the lift trolley which are used to lift the load fork systematically and automatically in three successive stages with an electric hoist having a hook attached to a cable looped about a series of pulley wheels on metal mounting brackets starting at the first pulley at the base panel of the lift carriage, to a second pulley wheel at the rear extended frame of the lift carriage, back to a third pulley wheel on the upper part of the bracket of the first wheel to a fourth pulley wheel at the bottom center of the parallel bar mounted on the rear channel track posts of the A-frame assembly with trolleys, and back to a fifth pulley wheel mounted on an offset bracket attached to the upper bracket of the second and third pulley wheels, out to a sixth pulley wheel mounted at the end of a triangular frame with four legs which are attached to the base legs of the lift frame and from there to up to ring at the central vertex of a cable suspended from two lever arms with a connecting bar at the outer end near the lever handles to which the hoist cable is hooked all in such an arrangement that when an actuating force of pulling on the hoist cable first causes the wheels of the pair of sleeved posts assemblies which supports the lift fork and is attached to the outer vertical frame of the parallel arm to ascend the pivotal ramps which are mounted to the ends of the carriage trolley frame then move rearward while suppressing the upper metal plate extensions of the pivotal ramps to raise and hold the ramps clear of the floor the and as this rearward motion is stopped at this point the pulling force on the hoist cable transfers to the second stage of limited movement in which the extensible mast is actuated by the force on the balanced parallel bar and the pair of cables looped about pulley traveling along the rear frame and up to and over pairs of pulley wheels mounted at the upper part of the A-frame and down to down to a hooks at the base of the extensible mast to actuate a lifting force on the extensible mast and to simultaneously cause lifting of the lift fork which is being pulled upward by means of the parallel arm mast which pushes the inner post 51 mounted on trolleys 15 up the tracks of channel 50 until the wheels are stopped be means of manually inserting double pronged pins in the tracks to fit above and below the trolley to stop vertical movement or to a fixed metal stop on the track and a subsequent third stage in which the resultant force on the hoist cable is transferred to the lever arms to ultimately actuate lifting of a lift fork by means of a balanced parallel bar and cable assembly running under and across pulley wheels on the cable prop frame assemblies which is mounted on swivel wheeled sleeved posts attached to the outer vertical frame of a parallel arm or directly to a preferred optional extensible mast which travels vertically along the front post frame to systematically and automatically complete the comprehensive three successive stages of movement to achieve maximum load distribution, significantly reduce the resultant impact of stopping on structurally suspended floors, avoid tilt-over, to maximize the frontal, height and depth range of the lift trolley apparatus and actuate mounting and subsequent dismounting with the use of an electric winch and cable all in succession based on the relative resistance to movement of the lift assembly components in a continuous motion with all lift trolley features mounted and by means of the optional use of cables and reverse movement of the lift trolley A-frame and the indirectly attached load fork to dismount the carriage trolley; 13. an improvement in a tilt-up lift trolley in claim 12 with folding metal leg braces such that when an electric winch mounted to a horizontal plate on the front posts of the lift trolley with a cable extending down to and under the front pulley wheel at the front of the folding base panel of the lift mast to a ring or pin mounted at the front end of the lift carriage is set in a pulling motion the A-frame lift trolley with wheels aligned at the center of the tracks of the tilted lift carriage will ascend the tracks to a selected position such that when the front and rear wheels of the A-frame are equally spaced about the rear wheels of the lift carriage trolley the legs of the tilted lift carriage are folded up such that the lift carriage can be lowered to a level plane with relative ease and allow continued movement of the lift trolley toward the front of the carriage trolley in a manner that enables the lift carriage A-frame to mount the carriage trolley from the rear and subsequently cause the wheels of the sleeved posts of the load to dismount the carriage by means of the hinged ramps on the front of the carriage trolley and the rear carriage; 14. an improvement in a tilt-up lift trolley in claim 12 with folding metal leg braces such that when an electric hoist mounted on the folding base panel of the lift trolley with a cable extending down to and under the lower of a series of pulley wheels on a mounting bracket to and around a second pulley wheel at the center of a horizontal connecting plate at the rear of the extended frame of the lift carriage, back to a third pulley wheel on the brackets of the first pulley wheel and up to a ring at the center of the cable balanced horizontal bar which travels along the rear channel frame of the lift apparatus on trolleys is actuated the load bearing front wheels of the front A-frame will be pulled rearward toward to the center of the lift carriage for maximum load distribution and resistance to tilting of the lift carriage with the wheels of the lighter rear A-frame being nearly equidistant from the rear wheels of the lift carriage this lift carriage on which the A-frame lift apparatus is riding may be tilted with legs unfolded and the lifting trolley will descend the tracks and the carriage is dismounted with the least amount of effort, and if the lift carriage is not to be tilted for dismounting the rear wheels of the lift are pulled to removable stops at the rear end of the lift carriage tracks an mounted pulley wheels with lift cable or chain terminations or the preferred looped wheel configurations with remote termination points on the upper rear post frame to actuate lifting of the extensible mast and the simultaneous lifting of the load fork; 15. a comprehensive improvement in a lifting trolley in claim 12 where-in the combination of a base panel mounted electrical hoist with hook and cable and a balanced bar and cable assemblies which are used as an actuating means to lift a simple masts on an A-frame consisting of a parallel frame fixed at the inner base frame connection with a rotating outer end to which the lift fork is attached and operated by means of an optional balanced cable assembly mounted on the horizontal top of the prop frames or optional chain and cogwheel system assemblies which extend across wheels on the propped frame assemblies down to terminate form termination loops on wheels at the ends of second preferred rear frame mounted balanced cable assembly parallel bar which is actuated by the electric hoist with cable and hook attachments at the base of the lift assembly; 16. an improvement in a lifting trolley in claim 1 where-in a substituting chain of levers are use in the event of loss of power in pivotal manner about a central point on the lifts rear frame and connected by means of cables on the outer ends at the connected lift pedals so-as-to actuate lifting of the front mounted trolley mast by means of a balanced cable assembly which runs across cogwheels at the outer connections of the rear mounted chain prop assembly and across balanced cogwheels placed at the inner connection of the chain prop assembly so-as-to align vertically above the hook pins on the mast and pull the load which travels vertically along the a-frame channel track in the same manner as the extensible mast with a load attached load attached with the option to use longer balanced cable assemblies to lift the parallel arm at its outer frame with the lift fork attached; 17. an improvement in a lifting trolley in claim 12 wherein the lift trolley carriage is equipped with a shock absorbent tongue which sleeves within a metal channel welded to a steel tube tongue extension of the carriage trolley on the rear end and the telescoping smaller front end of the shock absorber is double bolted to a trailer hitch ball cover so-as-to reduce the lateral impact of stopping a loaded lift fork on structurally suspended floor slabs and to prevent pivotal movement within the tongue assembly to avoid jack knifing when the lift trolley carriage is pulled by a motorized tug vehicle. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND OF INVENTION <EOH>1. Field of Invention The present invention pertains to manually operated Lifting Trolleys with a preferred option of using a power operated electric hoist when used to supplement lifting operations and transporting loads for short distances having weight comparable to the lift operator's body weight under any spatial condition and lifting light commercial and industrial loads in enclosed spaces with a maximum live load design of 100 pounds per square foot. The basic assembly of the simplest mode of the present lift apparatus lifts a load from the floor to at least the various heights to delivery trucks and work benches and the more complex assembly with electric motors and extensible mast(s) lifts a loads to heights comparable to those of conventional masts with extensible masts, and provides a means of lifting such loads in spaces which are not accessible to conventional power operated lifts where the use of such lifts are restricted because they are either too heavy or too wide, and in some cases environmentally restricted and on floors where use of motorized lifts with brake systems are prohibited by building codes for design reasons having to do with lateral forces. In some cases it is not economically feasible to have multiple or a power operated forklifts for such light loads. The lift trolley of the present invention is new and useful as one which is used to lower the extensible mast for lifting loads from a surface lower than that on which the lift trolley sets. The extensible mast is lowered and raised to a preferred setting height preferably by means of a rear mounted electrically operated hoist and chain or a balanced cable assembly. This lift trolley as disclosed in the original application is adaptable to the conventional application a power operated hydraulic jack and chain or balanced cable assembly only when the lift is used in a well vented or outdoor location. The present invention was conceived as a mobile load handling retractable assembly with an attached rotary mast which was discovered as a result of designing a means of lifting an assembly of hinged connected floor-to-wall-to roof panels for an improvement in U.S. Pat. No. 3,857,211 2. Description of Related Art In regard to previous inventions the Lifting Trolley, U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,139, which is primarily used to lift such loads racks of bread in a bakery is actuated functions by use of the hand held lever principally in the same manner as the present invention accept that it only has only one lever frame lift as opposed to a radial on-folding pivotal assembly of levers which are connected to each at their outer end by means of flexible cables. The lift trolley also feature spring loaded frame latch assemblies which engage to lock the load in at desired heights. As with the present invention the Elevating Truck, U.S. Pat. No. 2,152,849 which is a manually operated lift is effectively designed to lift a load clear of the floor for movement such similar to what is commonly referred to as a common used pallet jack. This lift apparatus has proven to be effective, efficient and safe to use for moving heavy loads across the floor. Another related invention, titled Combined Truck and Jack U.S. Pat. No. 368,833 and perhaps the earliest in this class of art, also features a pivoting ratchet action lever which is connected to a rotary frame by means chains running across a series of cogwheels is capable of lifting a load on a high rotary frame. This lift is apparatus is strong, but is severely limited in terms of speed of operation. Two of the power operated hydraulic lifts referenced above as related art though capable of lifting heavier weights and being self propelled are each functionally similar to the present art in one or more aspects, but they cannot function without use the hydraulic systems they use as actuating mechanisms which primarily restricts them to open spaces. The Self Propelled Unloader, U.S. Pat. No. 3,826,393, like the invention of the present art is designed to shift the center of gravity when loaded to avoid tilting over and therefore it too does not need the counter weights for which most spanned floors of most buildings are not designed to support, but this lift is restricted to outdoor use unless the space in which it is used is especially highly ventilated; which is rare and most often the use of fuel powered engines are not permitted. On the other hand the Material Lift Truck, U.S. Pat. No. 2,940,625, is similar to the present art in that it features a rotary frame on an extensible mast. However, this lift is not capable of shifting the center of gravity when loaded, and therefore cannot function without the additional heavy built-in counter weights which most spanned floors of buildings are not designed to support. This lift apparatus too unlike the present invention must always be operated in an open or specially ventilated environment. It is the object of the present invention as related the other manual lifts is to provide a folding wheel lever assembly operated by use of ones hands and feet to enhance leverage and control by assuring maximum leverage in the initial stage of lifting as opposed to having to exert excess effort relative to body weight and height of the lifter. As with the single lever of the Lifting Trolley the first lever frame of the present invention is set at approximately 90 degrees to the horizontal base plane of the load to be lifted the operator will experience great difficulty in the initial stage of lifting or the final stage of lowering the load. In the absence of a sufficient power source it is the object of this invention to provide additional levers in the folding wheel assembly because without the aid of lower radiated levers it is very difficult to initiate lifting weights comparable to the lifters body weight, and conversely and most importantly one would not be able to maintain leverage of such a load when the load is taken from a raised position requiring less leverage. In the absence of a sufficient power source it is the object of this invention to provide the folding wheel of levers because without the lower levers of assembly the operator would progressively and very rapidly lose of control of the lift apparatus which is likely to result injury to the operator, and anyone else within range of the uncontrolled falling load as well as causing the compounded loss of the load any resulting collateral damage or injury. In the absence of a power source it is the object of this invention to add the rotary chain of levers because the absence the use of additional levers results in progressively rapid rotation of the manually operated lever arms and therefore does not allow the operator to engage the spring loaded latch assembly to stop the rapidly descending load which forces the lever upward, and this rapid Notion would not allow the operator the lift operator to select heights at which he can set the load fork on the lift mast. It is also the preferred object of this invention to provide the added feature of the front and rear mounted chain prop assemblies which enables greater take-up in the 90 degree angle as opposed to the hypotenuse connection which results in less take up when such props are not used. It is the object of the present invention to avoid the use of an extremely long lever frame which the lift operator would literally have to hand walk upward to achieve some leverage if at all. The present invention allows the use of a rotary chain with the length of each lever being equal to or greater than of the corresponding front mounted rotary lift mass to which the lift fork is attached. Proportionately longer levers with respect the length of the front mounted rotary frame of the present invention proportionately increases leverage on the rear lever side. As with the present invention the Elevating Truck lift apparatus has been proven to be effective, efficient and safe to use for moving heavy loads across the floor. However, the lift does not enable one to lift loads to work bench and truck bed heights as can be achieved with the present invention. The use of another hand operated lever arm called the winch is used to wind cable about its axis and thereby lift the load to which the cable is attached on the other end as featured in previously issued U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,702,095, 3,876,039, 3,957, 137, 4,015,686, 4,131,181, 4,987,976 4,546,853 and 4,987,976 are capable of lifting such loads as those lifted by the present art to higher heights, but the rate at which lifting occurs is much slower and presents imminent hazards of personal bodily injury if one loses grip on the lever handle for whatever reason. Even thou most in-door lifting operations are achieved today under most conditions by use of battery powered lifts such as those with various extensible mass assemblies. These battery powered lifts cause no environmental impact, but they are still impractical to use in many indoor locations which have either structural or spatial limitations relative to the weight and width of such lift units respectively. These battery power operated lift tends to be wider than most interior doors in office buildings, convenience stores, kitchens, houses and similar buildings which might have narrow doors and in some cases have floors which are not designed to carry the sustained loads of power operated lifts which require the use of built-in counter weights to avoid tilting over. In the absence of a power source it is the object the present invention to provide a lighter lift apparatus by applying the operators body weight as leverage only during the lifting process with the option to add counter weights to the base of the lift when needed. The present invention avoids the absolute need for counter weights by shifting the load on the front posts of the lift frame assembly to the center of the base carriage when used to prevent tilt-over or enabling the operator to use his body weight to off-set the load. It is object of this invention to provide an optional swivel wheeled narrow mobile platform with a pair channels forming tracks on which the frame of lift assembly moves back-and-forth by means of trolley wheels to achieve leverage and load distribution with heavy bulky mounted loads, and to allow the lift assembly to navigate tight spaces and lifting and lowering loads to relatively lower platform heights. It is the object of this invention to provide an optional vertical trolley mounted extensible mast on the front frame mounted channel track assembly to which a cubical or barrel shaped bulky load is optionally attached using straps. This mast is preferably operated by means of a pair of balanced cable assemblies designed to operate the front and rear pivoting connections of the parallel arm, and is optionally lifted by means of chains attached to levers with the chains running across a rear mounted propped chain/cable assembly as described the present invention. Relative to the present invention there continues to be problems and limitations with previous manually lever operated lifting trolleys with regard mainly to lifting height range, speed of lifting, degrees of difficulty in lifting with regard to lift cable connection points relative to lever length. The problems persist variably with the various current inventions and thereby restrict the use of such lifts in various lifting operations beyond their effective range of use. Even though most of these lifts can be used independently and effectively or as a supplementary device for other lifting mechanisms in a variety of material handling operations their effective use is restricted for lifting loads of 100 to 300 pounds to the height of delivery and transport truck beds and waist high work benches with speed and relative ease. The object of the present invention is to provide a lifting trolley to be used independently and where needed as a supplement to other lifts of greater height and weight lifting capacities to overcome the restrictions which are inherent in previous inventions, and enable lifting of such loads as discussed in the previous paragraph in all spaces accessible to hand trucks effectively and efficiently without difficulty, excessive physical exertion and personal bodily injury to the operator. |
<SOH> SUMMARY OF INVENTION <EOH>The present invention, titled An Improvement in a Hand Truck Forklift Apparatus, is an improvement in a lifting trolley comprising the equivalent of manually actuated levers which are actuated by the preferred means a pair of balanced cable assemblies as newly disclosed in this continuing CIP application or the secondary option of a chain and cogwheel assembly as disclosed in the original application to raise and lower mounted parallel lift arms supported by a folding A-frame on wheels as used in various lifting trolleys of the prior art. This lift is further improved by the preferred option of using a preferred electric motor driven hoist and balanced cable assembly as newly disclosed is this continuing application as a preference over the hydraulic jack as disclosed in the original application as a lift actuating means. The hydraulic jack assembly is only a conventional means of providing secondary option of using the system to lift heavier loads in outdoor conditions. Unlike conventional fork lifts the present lifting trolley is not mounted on a motor driven chassis with a break system as designed in the original application of this continuing application (CIP). All references to such a chassis are abandoned in-as-much-as the intended use of the present lift apparatus is to be used in spaces where such lifts with drive chassis are prohibited by building codes for structural and or environmental reasons as further explained in this application. The lift apparatus of the present art is an improvement in lifting trolleys of the prior art or a combination thereof with the optional addition of a fan of interconnected levers to establish safety, speed of operation and achieve maximum leverage to lift loads. This lifting trolley is a further improvement of those of the prior art or a combination thereof with the addition of an optionally preferred extensible mast which is actuated by means of a rear mounted lift assembly. This lift trolley is an improvement over prior art in that it employs an improved retractable A-frame on a dis-mountable undercarriage to achieve load distribution when mounted and the flexibility of use in terms of maneuvering, handling, transporting and storing the lift trolley when not in use to make it more user friendly. The lifting trolley of the present art embodies a multiplicity of improvements that would have been badly needed by but not envisioned by inventors of those of the prior art to achieve comparable lifting. The lift is further improved for use as a portable user friendly light weight trolley lift assembly to lift loads comparable to the lifters body weight safely and with minimum effort for short distances in both indoor and outside conditions. This versatile lift assembly is also improved by use of an optionally used extensible mast, rear jack assembly and a retractable and dis-mountable base trolley as described herein. This lift trolley when assembled without the optional rear jack and extensible mast assemblies is capable of being lifted onto delivery trucks by one person to be used at stops along the route. The most basic form of this lift assembly in which the optionally mounted rotary lift frame is removed offers less lifting reach, but is most manageable by one person and yet capable of lifting a load vertically up the front channel tracks of the a-frame assembly to the height of a delivery truck bed. This lift is designed to manually lift various light industrial, commercial, light utility, freight, retail deliveries, automotive shop, approved ambulatory and household appliances loads. The present invention is further improved by the use of a pair rear mounted and top frame mounted balanced cable and parallel bars which are actuated by an electric hoist with a series of looped cable patterns which are used to pull balanced parallel bars back and fourth along the frames as illustrated on the drawing and explained in the Description Of The Invention, or by means of a power operated hydraulic jack and chain assembly when the lift is used in a well-vented or outdoor location to lift or lower the front mounted extensible mast to which both the bulky load is directly attached and preferably the rotary frame is attached as described herein using longer chains as required to make up the difference in length relative to the lower platform height. The lifting capacity of the manually operated hand truck/lift assembly is limited directly to the body weight of the operator which serves as the lifting force and counter-weight on the load. The limit of the raised unattended load on the lift fork when supported by the by the sleeved post prop assembly is determined by the size of the counter weight(s) positioned on the base frame of the lift on the opposite side of the rotary mast frame. However, the operator is capable of lifting a weight equal to the operator's weight plus the weight which the operator is capable of lifting from a bent knee position with his back in a vertically upright posture to a vertically straight legged upright posture. This lift apparatus can be used by a person with a back injury to lift a load equaling his or her body weight and this person would not sustain further injury from this effort. The full rotary height of the load on the rotary lift mast can be achieved by successively stepping on the rotating foot bars on the lever side and exerting knee lift pressure while the operators hands are griped to the handles at the end of the lift chain prop assembly on the lever side of the lift. Therefore the size of lift frame posts, chains and the various component assemblies must be designed to lift loads by an operator having the highest combination of both body weight and lift strength, or specific lifts must be designed with load lift limits. Offsetting counter weights must also be sized accordingly when the lift is not counter balanced by shifting the load on a mobile carriage. The maximum load on the rotary lift is greatest when the load on the fork is rotated such that the pivotal frame of the rotary mast frame is in its it's extreme horizontal position. The lever of the manually operated fork lift/hand truck is correspondingly set to align in a horizontal plane with the rotary mast for the greatest leverage. The maximum lift height of the load on the manually operated lift is typically 4 feet six inches. However, this height can be greater if the length of the rotary mast is longer. The use of the electric hoist increases the lifting height in proportion to the length and the number of extensible masts used. The rotary lift mast of the manually operated version of this lift apparatus is always supported at its outer rotary end by use of a sleeved and punched channel assembly on casters which is pin locked at selected heights to hold the forklift tongue at fixed positions when the lever arms are not counter balanced. The base frame assembly for this forklift/hand truck is retractable on an interlocking trolley channel track assembly. The bilateral chain assembly is balanced by axle connected cogwheel assemblies attached to the base frame and to the extensible masts of the forklift/hand truck assemblies. The base frame channels of this lift assembly are of a standard size, but may vary in metals made of aluminum, metal alloys or stainless steel for unit weight and lift strength design variations. These channel frames may be doubled back-to-back for added strength. Larger channels, chains, wheels and trolleys would also be used for units of higher lift capacity. The power actuated lift apparatus as newly introduced in this continuing CIP application is new and useful as a comprehensive improvement in a lifting trolley where-in an electric hoist with cable and hook is used as a primary means to actuate the three functions of mounting of the lift fork onto a carriage trolley, shifting the lift fork on the carriage trolley and actuating the lift masts of the lift trolley which are used to lift the load fork systematically and automatically in three successive stages with balanced cable assemblies to achieve maximum load distribution, significantly reduce the resultant impact of stopping on structurally suspended floors, avoid tilt-over, to maximize the frontal, height and range of the lift trolley apparatus and actuate mounting and subsequent dismounting with the aid of an electric winch and cable all in succession based on the relative resistance to movement of the lift assembly components in a continuous motion with all lift trolley features mounted and by means of the optional use of cables and the use of an electric winch to actuate forward movement of the lift trolley A-frame and enable the indirectly attached load fork to dismount the carriage trolley; The conclusion is that the present invention in its either of it's various modes of assembly is new and useful in that a combination of the features of lifts apparatuses of prior art can not be assembled without the use of several other new features to achieve the same or comparable ends for lifting in an indoor environment on floors not specially designed for motorized lifts. It is also concluded that the lift of the present art will be new and useful as a manual or power operated supplement to heavier motorized lifts in that it allows access to spaces which can not be accessed by conventional lifts because of either ventilation, structural or spatial requirements. It is further concluded that the present invention will not replace but will supplement use of other lift systems of the prior art in a material handling operation. It is ultimately concluded that the present invention will be successful in eliminating many of the back injuries occurring in spaces commonly not served by power operated lifts of the present art for various reasons. |
Gear shifter pen assembly |
A gear shifter pen assembly comprises an upper assembly and a lower assembly. The upper assembly comprises a cartridge-receiving shaft housing and a writing element. The writing element is received in the shaft housing. The lower assembly comprises an inner junction assembly and an outer base assembly. The base assembly comprises a junction-concealing boot and a platform assembly. The junction assembly comprises a universal joint, a shifter-receiving seat, and boot support structure. The boot support structure supports the superior end of the boot and the inferior end of the boot engages the platform assembly, the boot thus concealing the junction assembly. The lower assembly thus holds the upper assembly when the shifter-receiving seat removably receives the upper assembly and the writing element enables a user to write when the upper assembly is removed from the shifter-receiving seat. Further, the universal joint allows the user to selectively position the upper assembly. |
1. A gear shifter pen assembly, the gear shifter pen assembly comprising, in combination: an upper pen-shifter assembly, the upper pen-shifter assembly comprising a shifter handle, a cartridge-receiving shaft housing, and a writing element, the shifter handle comprising a superior hand-receiving surface and an inferior shaft-engaging region, the cartridge-receiving shaft housing comprising a superior handle-engaging end, an inferior socket-engaging end, an shaft-simulative outer shaft surface, and an element-receiving inner shaft surface, the writing element comprising an ink outlet and an ink-retaining body, the ink-retaining body being received in the cartridge-receiving shaft housing in medial adjacency to the inner shaft surface, the ink outlet extending from the inner shaft surface to the outer shaft surface adjacent the inferior socket-engaging end, the inferior shaft-engaging region being removably attached to the superior handle-engaging end; a lower pen-holding boot assembly, the lower pen-holding boot assembly comprising an inner junction assembly and an outer base assembly, the outer base assembly comprising a flexible junction-concealing boot and a platform assembly, the inner junction assembly comprising a universal joint, an element-receiving socket, a universal mount, a universal clamp, a washer support clamp, and a boot support washer, the universal joint comprising a superior socket-engaging end, an inferior mount end, and triaxial orientation means, the triaxial orientation means being spatially located intermediate the superior socket-engaging end and the inferior mount end, the element-receiving socket comprising a superior shifter-receiving end, an inferior joint-engaging end, and an outer socket surface, the inferior joint-engaging end being fixedly attached to the superior socket-engaging end, the universal clamp mounting the inferior mount end to the universal mount, the universal mount being fixedly attached to the platform assembly, the washer support clamp being mounted to the outer socket surface intermediate the superior shifter-receiving end and the inferior joint-engaging end, the boot support washer comprising a socket-receiving aperture, the socket-receiving aperture receiving the element-receiving socket, the washer support clamp supporting the boot support washer intermediate the superior shifter-receiving end and the inferior joint-engaging end, the junction-concealing boot having a superior boot end, an inferior boot end, an inner boot surface, and an outer boot surface, the superior boot end comprising a socket-receiving aperture, the boot support washer supporting the superior boot end, the superior shifter-receiving end extending from the inner boot surface to the outer boot surface through the socket-receiving aperture, the platform assembly comprising a superior platform surface and an inferior platform surface, the inferior boot end engaging the superior platform surface, the inner boot surface defining a junction-assembly-receiving volume, the inferior platform surface being positionable in superior adjacency to a pen assembly-supporting surface, the inferior socket-engaging end being removably received in the superior shifter-receiving end, the triaxial orientation means enabling a user to selectively position the upper pen-shifter assembly when the superior shifter-receiving end removably receives the inferior socket-engaging end, the ink outlet enabling the user to write when the inferior socket-engaging end is removed from the superior shifter-receiving end. 2. The gear shifter pen assembly of claim 1 wherein the platform assembly comprises a boot plate, the boot plate being attached to the superior platform surface adjacent the inferior boot end. 3. The gear shifter pen assembly of claim 1 wherein the inner junction assembly comprises movement-restricting means, the movement restricting means being cooperatively associated with the universal joint for restricting movement thereof. 4. The gear shifter pen assembly of claim 3 wherein the movement-restricting means is defined by a joint-surrounding sleeve, the joint-surrounding sleeve surrounding the triaxial orientation means, the joint-surrounding sleeve having positionable flexibility, the positionable flexibility for enhancing the selective positionability of the upper pen-shifter assembly. 5. The gear shifter pen assembly of claim 1 wherein the upper pen-shifter assembly comprises cartridge-setting means, the cartridge-setting means for preventing movement of the ink-retaining body within the cartridge-receiving shaft housing. 6. The gear shifter pen assembly of claim 1 wherein the platform assembly comprises at least one utility tray, the utility tray being located adjacent the superior platform surface, the utility tray enabling the user to retain articles adjacent the lower pen-holding boot assembly. 7. The gear shifter pen assembly of claim 1 wherein the inferior platform surface comprises a plurality of base-supporting feet, the base-supporting feet for preventing movement of the platform assembly when the user selectively positions the upper pen-shifter assembly. 8. The gear shifter pen assembly of claim 1 wherein the platform assembly comprises dashboard visual effect gadgetry, the dashboard visual effect gadgetry comprising select dash panel accessories, the select dash panel accessories being selected from the group comprising gauges and clocks. 9. A gear shifter pen assembly, the gear shifter pen assembly comprising, in combination: an upper pen-shifter assembly, the upper pen-shifter assembly comprising a shifter handle, a cartridge-receiving shaft housing, and a writing element, the shifter handle comprising a superior hand-receiving surface and an inferior shaft-engaging region, the cartridge-receiving shaft housing comprising a superior handle-engaging end, an inferior socket-engaging end, an outer shaft surface, and an element-receiving inner shaft surface, the writing element comprising an ink outlet and an ink-retaining body, the ink-retaining body being received in the cartridge-receiving shaft housing in medial adjacency to the inner shaft surface, the ink outlet extending from the inner shaft surface to the outer shaft surface adjacent the inferior socket-engaging end, the inferior shaft-engaging region being removably attached to the superior handle-engaging end; a lower pen-holding boot assembly, the lower pen-holding boot assembly comprising an inner junction assembly and an outer base assembly, the outer base assembly comprising a flexible junction-concealing boot and a platform assembly, the inner junction assembly comprising a universal joint, a universal mount, a universal clamp, element-receiving means, and boot support means, the universal joint comprising a superior joint end, an inferior joint end, and triaxial orientation means, the triaxial orientation means being spatially located intermediate the superior joint end and the inferior joint end, the element-receiving means comprising a superior shifter-receiving end, an inferior joint-engaging end, and an outer socket surface, the inferior joint-engaging end being fixedly attached to the superior socket-engaging end, the universal clamp mounting the inferior mount end to the universal mount, the universal mount being fixedly attached to the platform assembly, the boot support means being cooperatively associated with the outer socket surface intermediate the superior shifter-receiving end and the inferior joint-engaging end, the junction-concealing boot comprising a superior boot end, an inferior boot end, an inner boot surface, and an outer boot surface, the superior boot end comprising a socket-receiving aperture, the boot support means supporting the superior boot end, the superior shifter-receiving end extending from the inner boot surface to the outer boot surface through the socket-receiving aperture, the platform assembly comprising a superior platform surface and an inferior platform surface, the. inferior boot end engaging the superior platform surface, the inner boot surface defining a junction-assembly-receiving volume, the inferior platform surface being positionable in superior adjacency to a pen assembly-supporting surface, the inferior socket-engaging end being removably received in the superior shifter-receiving end, the triaxial orientation means enabling a user to selectively position the upper pen-shifter assembly when the superior shifter-receiving end removably receives the inferior socket-engaging end, the ink outlet enabling the user to write when the inferior socket-engaging end is removed from the superior shifter-receiving end. 10. The gear shifter pen assembly of claim 9 wherein the boot support means is defined by a select boot support assembly, the select boot support assembly being selected from the group consisting of a washer support assembly and a ball support assembly, the washer support assembly comprising a washer support clamp and a boot support washer, the washer support clamp being mounted to the outer socket surface intermediate the superior shifter-receiving end and the inferior joint-engaging end, the boot support washer comprising a socket-receiving aperture, the socket-receiving aperture receiving the element-receiving means, the washer support clamp supporting the boot support washer, the boot support washer thus being positioned intermediate the superior shifter-receiving end and the inferior joint-engaging end, the boot support washer supporting the superior boot end, the ball support assembly comprising a boot support sphere, the boot support sphere comprising a superior sphere surface, a substantially vertical polar axis, a north pole, and a south pole, the polar axis extending from the north pole to the south pole, the boot support sphere being fixedly attached to the element-receiving means intermediate the superior shifter-receiving end and the inferior joint-engaging end, the superior sphere surface supporting the superior boot end. 11. The gear shifter pen assembly of claim 10 wherein the element-receiving means is defined by select coupling structure, the select coupling structure being selected from the group consisting of an element-receiving socket and a socket-tube assembly, the socket-tube assembly comprising the element-receiving socket and a housing-receiving tube, the housing-receiving tube comprising a superior tube end, an inferior tube end, an outer tube surface, a housing-receiving inner tube surface, and a medial housing axis, the boot support sphere comprising a tube-receiving tunnel, the tube-receiving tunnel comprising a medial tunnel axis, the medial tunnel axis and the polar axis being collinear, the housing-receiving tube extending through the tube-receiving tunnel, the inferior tube end being received in the element-receiving socket, the medial housing axis being collinear with the medial tunnel axis and the polar axis, the cartridge-receiving shaft housing extending through the housing-receiving tube in medial adjacency to the inner tube surface. 12. The gear shifter pen assembly of claim 9 wherein the platform assembly comprises a boot plate, the boot plate being attached to the superior platform surface adjacent the inferior boot end. 13. The gear shifter pen assembly of claim 9 wherein the inferior platform surface comprises a plurality of base-supporting feet, the base-supporting feet for preventing movement of the platform assembly when the user selectively positions the upper pen-shifter assembly. 14. The gear shifter pen assembly of claim 9 wherein the inner junction assembly comprises movement-restricting means, the movement restricting means being cooperatively associated with the universal joint for restricting movement thereof. 15. The gear shifter pen assembly of claim 9 wherein the platform assembly comprises at least one utility tray, the utility tray being located adjacent superior platform surface, the utility tray enabling the user to retain articles adjacent the lower pen-holding boot assembly. 16. The gear shifter pen assembly of claim 9 wherein the platform assembly comprises dashboard visual effect gadgetry, the dashboard visual effect gadgetry comprising select dash panel accessories, the select dash panel accessories being selected from the group comprising gauges and clocks. 17. A gear shifter pen assembly, the gear shifter pen assembly comprising, in combination: an upper pen-shifter assembly, the upper pen-shifter assembly comprising a cartridge-receiving shaft housing and a writing element, the shaft housing comprising a superior housing end, an inferior housing end, and an element-receiving inner shaft surface, the writing element comprising an ink outlet and an ink-retaining body, the ink-retaining body being received in the shaft housing in medial adjacency to the inner shaft surface, the ink outlet extending from the inner shaft surface to the outer shaft surface adjacent the inferior housing end; a lower pen-holding boot assembly, the lower pen-holding boot assembly comprising an inner junction assembly and an outer base assembly, the outer base assembly comprising a junction-concealing boot and a platform assembly, the inner junction assembly comprising element-receiving means and boot support means, the element-receiving means comprising a superior shifter-receiving end and an inferior platform-engaging end, the inferior platform-engaging end being fixedly attached to the platform assembly, the boot support means being cooperatively associated with the element-receiving means intermediate the superior shifter-receiving end and the inferior platform-engaging end, the junction-concealing boot comprising a superior boot end, an inferior boot end, an inner boot surface, and an outer boot surface, the superior boot end comprising an end-receiving aperture, the boot support means supporting the superior boot end, the superior shifter-receiving end extending from the inner boot surface to the outer boot surface through the end-receiving aperture, the platform assembly comprising a superior platform surface and an inferior platform surface, the inner boot surface defining a junction-assembly-receiving volume, the inferior platform surface being positionable in superior adjacency to a pen assembly-supporting surface, the inferior housing end being removably received by the superior shifter-receiving end, the lower pen-holding boot assembly holding the upper pen-shifter assembly when the superior shifter-receiving end removably receives the inferior housing end, the ink outlet enabling a user to write when the inferior housing end is removed from the superior shifter-receiving end. 18. The gear shifter pen assembly of claim 17 wherein the upper pen-shifter assembly comprises a shifter handle, the shifter handle comprising a superior hand-receiving surface and an inferior shaft-engaging region, the inferior shaft-engaging region being removably attached to the superior housing end. 19. The gear shifter pen assembly of claim 17 wherein the element-receiving means comprises triaxial orientation means, the triaxial orientation means being spatially located intermediate the superior shifter-receiving end and the inferior platform-engaging end, the triaxial orientation means enabling a user to selectively position the upper pen-shifter assembly when the superior shifter-receiving end removably receives the inferior housing end. 20. The gear shifter pen assembly of claim 19 wherein the inner junction assembly comprises movement-restricting means, the movement restricting means being cooperatively associated with the triaxial orientation means for restricting movement thereof. 21. The gear shifter pen assembly of claim 17 wherein the inferior platform surface comprises a plurality of base-supporting feet, the base-supporting feet for preventing movement of the platform assembly when the user selectively positions the upper pen-shifter assembly. 22. The gear shifter pen assembly of claim 17 wherein the platform assembly comprises at least one utility tray, the utility tray being located adjacent the superior platform surface, the utility tray enabling the user to retain articles adjacent the lower pen-holding boot assembly. 23. The gear shifter pen assembly of claim 17 wherein the platform assembly comprises dashboard gadgetry, the dashboard gadgetry comprising select accessories, the select accessories being selected from the group comprising gauges and clocks. 24. A gear shifter pen assembly, the gear shifter pen assembly comprising, in combination: an upper pen-shifter assembly, the upper pen-shifter assembly comprising a cartridge-receiving shaft housing and a writing element, the shaft housing comprising a superior housing end, an inferior housing end, an outer shaft surface, and an element-receiving inner shaft surface, the writing element comprising an ink outlet and an ink-retaining body, the ink-retaining body being received in the shaft housing in medial adjacency to the inner shaft surface, the ink outlet extending from the inner shaft surface to the outer shaft surface adjacent the inferior housing end; a lower pen-holding boot assembly, the lower pen-holding boot assembly comprising element-receiving means, boot support means, and an outer base assembly, the outer base assembly comprising a shifter boot, the shifter boot comprising a superior boot end, an inferior boot end, an inner boot surface, and an outer boot surface, the element-receiving means being cooperatively associated with the superior boot end for removably receiving the inferior housing end, the boot support means supporting the superior boot end in an elevated state relative to the inferior boot end, the inferior housing end being removably received by the element-receiving means, the lower pen-holding boot assembly holding the upper pen-shifter assembly when the element-receiving means removably receives the inferior housing end, the ink outlet enabling a user to write when the inferior housing end is removed from the element-receiving means. 25. The gear shifter pen assembly of claim 24 wherein the outer base assembly comprises a support platform, the inferior boot end engaging the support platform. 26. The gear shifter pen assembly of claim 24 wherein the upper pen-shifter assembly comprises a shifter handle, the shifter handle comprising a superior hand-receiving surface and an inferior shaft-engaging region, the inferior shaft-engaging region being removably attached to the superior housing end. 27. A gear shifter pen assembly, the gear shifter pen assembly comprising, in combination, a shifter handle, a cartridge-receiving shaft housing, and a writing element, the shifter handle comprising a superior hand-receiving surface and an inferior shaft-engaging region, the cartridge-receiving shaft housing comprising a superior housing end, an inferior housing end, an outer shaft surface, and an element-receiving inner shaft surface, the writing element comprising an ink outlet and an ink-retaining body, the ink-retaining body being received in the cartridge-receiving shaft housing in medial adjacency to the inner shaft surface, the ink outlet extending from the inner shaft surface to the outer shaft surface adjacent the inferior housing end, the inferior shaft-engaging region being removably attached to the superior handle-engaging end, the gear shifter pen assembly visually resembling a gear shifter. |
<SOH> FIELD OF THE INVENTION <EOH>The present invention generally relates to a novel pen and pen holder combination. More particularly, the present invention relates to pen and pen holder assembly formed to resemble a vehicular manual transmission gear shifter or gear selector. |
<SOH> SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <EOH>It is thus a primary object of the present invention to provide a novelty pen and pen holder combination designed with automotive enthusiasts in mind. In this regard, it is an object of the present invention to provide a combination pen and pen holder that resembles an automotive or vehicular gear selector or gear shifter assemblage. It is a further object to provide a pen and pen holder combination so that when the writing element or pen portion is stowed, the writing element portion may be manipulated in much the same manner as a gear shifter. When removed from a stowed position, the writing element may be utilized to compose writings as the user may elect. To achieve these and other readily apparent objectives, the present invention essentially provides a gear shifter pen assembly, the gear shifter pen assembly comprising, in combination, an upper pen-shifter assembly and a lower pen-holding boot assembly. The upper pen-shifter assembly essentially comprises a cartridge-receiving shaft housing and a writing element. The shaft housing essentially comprises a superior housing end, an inferior housing end, a shifter-simulative outer shaft surface, and an element-receiving inner shaft surface. The writing element essentially comprises an ink outlet and an ink-retaining body. The ink-retaining body is received in the shaft housing in medial adjacency to the inner shaft surface. The ink outlet extends from the inner shaft surface to the outer shaft surface adjacent the inferior housing end. The lower pen-holding boot assembly essentially comprises an inner junction assembly and an outer base assembly. The outer base assembly essentially comprises a junction-concealing boot and a platform assembly. The inner junction assembly essentially comprises element-receiving means and boot support means. The element-receiving means essentially comprises a superior shifter-receiving end and an inferior platform-engaging end. The inferior platform-engaging end is fixedly attached to the platform assembly. The boot support means are cooperatively associated with the element-receiving means intermediate the superior shifter-receiving end and the inferior platform-engaging end. The junction-concealing boot comprises a superior boot end, an inferior boot end, an inner boot surface, and an outer boot surface. The superior boot end comprises an end-receiving aperture. The boot support means support the superior boot end and the superior shifter-receiving end extends from the inner boot surface to the outer boot surface through the end-receiving aperture. The platform assembly comprises a support platform having a superior platform surface and an inferior platform surface. The inferior platform surface is positionable in superior adjacency to a pen assembly-supporting surface. The inferior housing end is removably received by the superior shifter-receiving end. The lower pen-holding boot assembly holds the upper pen-shifter assembly when the superior shifter-receiving end removably receives the inferior housing end. The ink outlet enables a user to write when the inferior housing end is removed from the superior shifter-receiving end. Other objects of the present invention, as well as particular features, elements, and advantages thereof, will be elucidated in, or apparent from, the following description and the accompanying drawing figures. |
Branched polyalkylene glycols |
The present invention provides a branched polyalkylene glycol wherein three or more single-chain polyalkylene glycols and a group having reactivity with an amino acid side chain, the N-terminal amino group or the C-terminal carboxyl group in a polypeptide or a group convertible into the group having reactivity are bound; and a physiologically active polypeptide modified with the branched polyalkylene glycol. |
1. A branched polyalkylene glycol wherein three or more single-chain polyalkylene glycols and a group having reactivity with an amino acid side chain, the N-terminal amino group or the C-terminal carboxyl group in a polypeptide or a group convertible into the group having reactivity are bound. 2. A branched polyalkylene glycol represented by formula (1): (R1—Mn—X1)mL(X2—X3—R2)q (I) {wherein L represents a group capable of having four or more branches; M represents OCH2CH2, OCH2CH2CH2, OCH(CH3)CH2, (OCH2CH2)r—(OCH2CH2CH2)s (in which r and s, which may be the same or different, each represent an arbitrary positive integer) or (OCH2CH2)ra—[OCH(CH3)CH2]sa (in which ra and sa have the same meanings as the above r and s, respectively); n represents an arbitrary positive integer; m represents an integer of 3 or more; q represents an integer of 1 to 3; R1 represents a hydrogen atom, lower alkyl or lower alkanoyl; R2 represents a group having reactivity with an amino acid side chain, the N-terminal amino group or the C-terminal carboxyl group in a polypeptide or a group convertible into the group having reactivity; X1 represents a bond, O, S, alkylene, O(CH2)ta (in which ta represents an integer of 1 to 8), (CH2)tbO (in which tb has the same meaning as the above ta), NR3 (in which R3 represents a hydrogen atom or lower alkyl), R4—NH—C(═O)—R5 [in which R4 represents a bond, alkylene or O(CH2)tc (in which tc has the same meaning as the above ta) and R5 represents a bond, alkylene or OR5a (in which R5a represents a bond or alkylene)], R6—C(═O)—NH—R7 [in which R6 represents a bond, alkylene or R6aO (in which R6a has the same meaning as the above R5a) and R7 represents a bond, alkylene or (CH2)tdO (in which td has the same meaning as the above ta)], R8—C(═O)—O (in which R8 has the same meaning as the above R5a) or O—C(═O)—R9 (in which R9 has the same meaning as the above R5a); X2 represents a bond, O or (CH2)teO (in which te has the same meaning as the above ta); X3 represents a bond or alkylene; and three or more R1—Mn—X1 's may be the same or different, and when two or three X2—X3-R2's are present (when q is 2 or 3), they may be the same or different}. 3. The branched polyalkylene glycol according to claim 2, wherein q is 1. 4. The branched polyalkylene glycol according to claim 2, wherein m is 3 or 4. 5. The branched polyalkylene glycol according to any of claims 2 to 4, wherein n is 10 to 100,000, and r and s, and ra and sa, which may be the same or different, each represent 1 to 100,000. 6. The branched polyalkylene glycol according to claim 5, wherein R2 is a hydroxyl group, carboxy, formyl, amino, vinylsulfonyl, mercapto, cyano, carbamoyl, halogenated carbonyl, halogenated lower alkyl, isocyanato, isothiocyanato, oxiranyl, lower alkanoyloxy, maleimido, succinimidooxycarbonyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryloxycarbonyl, benzotriazolyloxycarbonyl, phthalim idooxycarbonyl, imidazolylcarbonyl, substituted or unsubstituted lower alkoxycarbonyloxy, substituted or unsubstituted aryloxycarbonyloxy, tresyl, lower alkanoyloxycarbonyl, substituted or unsubstituted aroyloxycarbonyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryldisulfido, or azido. 7. The branched polyalkylene glycol according to claim 6, which has a molecular weight of 500 to 1,000,000. 8. The branched polyalkylene glycol according to claim 7, wherein L is a group selected from the group consisting of a group formed by removing four or more hydrogen atoms from tricine, a group formed by removing four or more hydrogen atoms from shikimic acid, a group formed by removing four or more hydrogen atoms from quinic acid, a group formed by removing four or more hydrogen atoms from erythritol, a group formed by removing four or more hydrogen atoms from pentaerythritol, and a group formed by removing four or more hydrogen atoms from glucose. 9. A chemically modified polypeptide wherein a physiologically active polypeptide or its derivative is modified with at least one branched polyalkylene glycol according to claim 8 directly or through a spacer. 10. The chemically modified polypeptide according to claim 9, wherein the physiologically active polypeptide is an enzyme, a cytokine or a hormone. 11. A pharmaceutical composition comprising the chemically modified polypeptide according to claim 10 and a pharmaceutically acceptable courier. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND ART <EOH>Physiologically active polypeptides are useful as therapeutic agents for specific diseases. However, they are unstable when administered into blood, and a sufficient pharmacological effect can rarely be expected. For instance, physiologically active polypeptides having a molecular weight of less than 60,000 administered into blood are mostly excreted into urine by renal glomerular filtration, and their use as therapeutic agents is not expected to give a significant therapeutic effect and often requires repeated administration. Some other physiologically active polypeptides are degraded by hydrolases and the like existing in blood, thereby losing their physiological activities. Further, some exogenous physiologically active polypeptides have physiological activities effective for the treatment of diseases, but it is known that such exogenous physiologically active polypeptides and physiologically active polypeptides produced by recombinant DNA techniques sometimes induce immunoreaction when administered into blood to cause serious side-effects such as anaphylactic shock owing to the difference in structure between them and endogenous physiologically active polypeptides. In addition, some physiologically active polypeptides have physical properties unsuitable for use as therapeutic agents, e.g. poor solubility. One of the known attempts to solve these problems in using physiologically active polypeptides as therapeutic agents is to chemically bind at least one molecule of an inactive polymer chain to physiologically active polypeptides. In many cases, desirable properties are conferred on the polypeptides or proteins by chemically binding polyalkylene glycols such as polyethylene glycol to them. For example, superoxide dismutase (SOD) modified with polyethylene glycol has a remarkably prolonged half-life in blood and shows a durable action [Pharm. Res. Commun., Vol. 19, p. 287 (1987)]. There is also a report of modification of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) with polyethylene glycol [J. Biochem., Vol. 115, p. 814 (1994)]. Gillian E. Francis, et al. summarized examples of polyethylene glycol-modified polypeptides such as asparaginase, glutaminase, adenosine deaminase and uricase [Pharm. Biotechnol., Vol. 3, Stability of Protein Pharmaceuticals, Part B, p. 235 (1992), Plenum Press, New York]. Further, it is known that modification of physiologically active polypeptides with polyalkylene glycols give effects such as enhancement of thermal stability [Seibutsubutsuri (Biophysics), Vol. 38, p. 208 (1998)] and solubilization in organic solvents [Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun.: BBRC, Vol. 122, p. 845 (1984)]. With regard to the methods for binding polyalkylene glycols to peptides or proteins, it is known to introduce an active ester of carboxylic acid, a maleimido group, a carbonate, cyanuric chloride, a formyl group, an oxiranyl group or the like to an end of a polyalkylene glycol and bind it to an amino group or a thiol group in a polypeptide [Bioconjugate Chem., Vol. 6, p. 150 (1995)]. These techniques include the binding of a polyethylene glycol to a specific amino acid residue in a physiologically active polypeptide, which causes enhancement of stability in blood without impairing the biological activities of the peptide or protein. Examples of the polyethylene glycol modification specific to amino acid residues in physiologically active polypeptides include the binding of a polyethylene glycol to the carboxyl terminus of a growth hormone-releasing factor through norleucine as a spacer [J. Peptide Res., Vol. 49, p. 527 (1997)] and the specific binding of a polyethylene glycol to cysteine introduced to the 3-position of interleukin-2 by recombinant DNA techniques [BIO/TECHNOLOGY, Vol. 8, p. 343 (1990)]. Many of the above polyalkylene glycol-modified polypeptides are obtained by binding of linear polyalkylene glycols. However, it has been found that binding of branched polyalkylene glycols is preferable for obtaining chemically modified polypeptides having a high activity. It is generally known that the durability of a chemically modified polypeptide in blood is increased as the molecular weight of a polyalkylene glycol is higher or the modification ratio higher [J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 263, p. 15064 (1988)], but in some cases, the physiological activity of a physiologically active polypeptide is impaired by raising the modification ratio. This is partly because a specific amino group or thiol group in the physiologically active polypeptide which is necessary for its physiological activity is modified with a chemical modifier. For example, it is known that the physiological activity of interleukin-15 lowers according to the modification ratio [J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 272, p. 2312 (1997)]. On the other hand, it is difficult to synthesize high molecular weight polyalkylene glycols having a uniform molecular weight distribution and a high purity. In the case of monomethoxypolyethylene glycols, for example, contamination with diol components as impurities is known. Accordingly, attempts have been made to prepare high molecular weight modifiers by branching currently available polyalkylene glycols having a narrow molecular weight distribution and a high purity. Such attempts provide chemically modified polypeptides having a high physiological activity with a high durability retained even with a decreased modification ratio. Further, it is considered that a larger part of the surface of molecules of physiologically active polypeptides can be covered with polyalkylene glycols by branching of the polyalkylene glycols. For example, double-chain polyethylene glycol derivatives prepared by using cyanuric chloride as the group having a branched structure are known (Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Applications Nos. 72469/91 and 95200/91). In this case, a methoxypolyethylene glycol having an average molecular weight of 5,000 is utilized, but this compound has the problem of toxicity due to the triazine ring. Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 153088/89 discloses that a chemically modified polypeptide having a high activity can be obtained from a comb-shaped polyethylene glycol which is a copolymer of polyethylene glycol and maleic anhydride at a lower modification ratio compared with a linear polyethylene glycol. However, this compound has many reactive sites for a polypeptide, which causes impairment of the physiological activity of a physiologically active polypeptide, and has an ununiform molecular weight distribution. Also known are a compound having two polyethylene glycol chains through a benzene ring prepared by using cinnamic acid as a material (Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 88822/91) and compounds having two polyethylene glycol chains prepared by using lysine as a material (WO96/21469, U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,575). As illustrated by the above examples, compounds having two polyalkylene glycol chains are known, but those having three or more polyalkylene glycol chains have not been produced. Although U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,575 suggests a three-branched, water-soluble, non-antigenic polymer, it contains no disclosure of the method for producing the three-branched compound or of specific examples and provides no information about the excellent effect of the three-branched compound. There exists a need for a chemically modified polypeptide with improved durability which retains the activity of the physiologically active polypeptide and whose renal glomerular filtration is suppressed. In order to produce the chemically modified polypeptide exhibiting such properties, there is also a need for a modifier with a low toxicity and an improved stability which has an excellent molecular size-increasing effect and a narrow and uniform molecular weight distribution. |
<SOH> BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS <EOH>FIG. 1 shows the blood half-life prolonging effect of chemically modified recombinant human interferon-β when intravenously injected into mice. -▪-: change in the concentration of unmodified rhIFN-β in blood -▴-: change in the concentration of 5TRC(3UA)-rhIFN-β in blood -●-: change in the concentration of PEG 2 Lys-rhIFN-β in blood FIG. 2 shows the blood half-life prolonging effect of chemically modified recombinant human granulocyte-colony stimulating factors when intravenously injected into rats. -▪-: change in the concentration of unmodified rhG-CSF derivative in blood -□-: change in the concentration of unmodified rhG-CSF in blood -▴-: change in the concentration of 5SKA(3UA)-rhG-CSF derivative in blood -Δ-: change in the concentration of 5SKA(3UA)-rhG-CSF in blood -●-: change in the concentration of PEG 2 Lys-rhG-CSF derivative in blood -◯-: change in the concentration of PEG 2 Lys-rhG-CSF in blood detailed-description description="Detailed Description" end="lead"? |
Systems of transferring embryos and managing recipients |
Provided herein are methods of managing embryo transfer programs, for instance bovine embryo transfer programs. Examples of such methods are referred to as “bred recipient transfer” programs, in which embryos (e.g., clonal embryos) are transferred to recipients that have been impregnated. Also provided are methods of enhancing survival of clonal embryos, in which the clonal embryos are transferred to bred recipients, and methods of increasing delivery success rates for cloned animals. Methods of serial transfer of embryos to a recipient, when that recipient returns to heat after an unsuccessful transfer, are provided. Finally, specific methods are provided for cloning male mammals, using diploid differentiated cells taken from a semen sample. |
1. A method of managing a bovine embryo transfer program, comprising: transferring at least one second bovine embryo to at least one bred recipient cow having a first implanted embryo, to produce an implanted and bred recipient cow; evaluating whether the implanted and bred recipient cow maintains at least one implanted embryo; recycling at least one recipient cow that returns to heat into the embryo transfer program; and allowing the at least one implanted and bred recipient cow to reach parturition. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising before transferring at least one second bovine embryo: providing a plurality of transfer recipient cows; breeding the plurality of transfer recipient cows, thereby generating at least one bred recipient cow having a first implanted embryo; and identifying at least one bred recipient cow from the plurality. 3. The method of claim 2, where breeding comprises natural breeding. 4. The method of claim 2, where breeding comprises artificial insemination, impregnation with an in vitro fertilized embryo, or impregnation with a clonal embryo. 5. The method of claim 4, where the in vitro fertilized embryo or the clonal embryo is fresh or frozen. 6. The method of claim 4, where the in vitro fertilized embryo or the clonal embryo is transgenic. 7. The method of claim 1, where the second bovine embryo is a clonal embryo. 8. The method of claim 7, where the clonal embryo is transgenic. 9. The method of claim 8, where the clonal embryo is transgenic for a marker gene. 10. The method of claim 8, where the clonal embryo is transgenic for a functional gene. 11. The method of claim 1, where the second embryo is transferred ipsilateral to the first implanted embryo. 12. The method of claim 1, where the second embryo is transferred contralateral to the first implanted embryo. 13. The method of claim 7, where the clonal embryo is determined to be male prior to transfer. 14. The method of claim 7, where the clonal embryo is determined to be female prior to transfer. 15. The method of claim 4, where the artificial insemination comprises insemination with sexed semen. 16. The method of claim 1, where the first implanted embryo is determined to be male prior to implantation. 17. The method of claim 1, where the first implanted embryo is determined to be female prior to implantation. 18. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining parentage of at least one resultant offspring of at least one implanted and bred recipient cow. 19. A method, comprising: identifying a plurality of bred non-human mammalian recipients, each of which has been impregnated with a first embryo; transferring a single clonal embryo to each of a plurality of the bred non-human mammalian recipients. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the method is a method of enhancing survival of clonal embryos in a non-human mammalian cloning program. 21. The method of claim 19, where the bred recipients have been impregnated by natural breeding. 22. The method of claim 19, where the bred recipients have been impregnated using artificial insemination or implantation of an in vitro fertilized embryo. 23. The method of claim 22, where the in vitro fertilized embryo is fresh or frozen. 24. The method of claim 22, where the in vitro fertilized embryo or the clonal embryo is transgenic. 25. The method of claim 19, where the clonal embryo is transgenic. 26. The method of claim 25, where the clonal embryo is transgenic for a marker gene. 27. The method of claim 25, where the clonal embryo is transgenic for a functional gene. 28. The method of claim 19, where the non-human mammalian recipients are bovine. 29. The method of claim 28, where the clonal embryo is transferred ipsilateral to the first embryo. 30. The method of claim 28, where the clonal embryo is transferred contralateral to the first embryo. 31. The method of claim 19, where the clonal embryo is determined to be male prior to transfer. 32. The method of claim 19, where the clonal embryo is determined to be female prior to transfer. 33. The method of claim 22, where artificial insemination comprises insemination with sexed semen. 34. A method of managing a bovine embryo transfer program, comprising: breeding a plurality of transfer recipient cows, thereby generating at least one bred recipient cow having a first implanted embryo; identifying at least one bred recipient cow from the plurality within about 14 or fewer days of breeding; transferring a second bovine embryo to the at least one bred recipient cow about 6-11 days after heat/estrus to produce an implanted and bred recipient cow; evaluating whether the implanted and bred recipient cow remains pregnant, thereby identifying one or more successfully impregnated recipients; monitoring the one or more successfully impregnated recipients until delivery of at least one offspring; and determining which if any of the offspring arose from the transferred bovine embryo; wherein the second bovine embryo is a clonal embryo. 35. The method of claim 34, where breeding comprises natural breeding. 36. The method of claim 34, where breeding comprises artificial insemination, impregnation with an in vitro fertilized embryo, or impregnation with a clonal embryo. 37. The method of claim 36, where the in vitro fertilized embryo or the clonal embryo is fresh or frozen. 38. The method of claim 36, where the in vitro fertilized embryo or the clonal embryo is transgenic. 39. The method of claim 34, where the clonal embryo is transgenic. 40. The method of claim 34, where the clonal embryo is transgenic for a marker gene. 41. The method of claim 39, where the clonal embryo is transgenic for a functional gene. 42. The method of claim 34, where the second bovine embryo is transferred ipsilateral to the first implanted embryo. 43. The method of claim 34, where the second bovine embryo is transferred contralateral to the first implanted embryo. 44 The method of claim 34, where the clonal embryo is determined to be male prior to transfer. 45. The method of claim 34, where the clonal embryo is determined to be female prior to transfer. 46. The method of claim 36, where the artificial insemination comprises insemination with sexed semen. 47. The method of claim 36, where the first implanted embryo is determined to be male prior to implantation. 48. The method of claim 36, where the first implanted embryo is determined to be female prior to implantation. 49. The method of claim 34, further comprising determining parentage of at least one offspring of at least one implanted and bred recipient cow. 50. The method of claim 34, where identifying at least one bred recipient cow from the plurality within about 14 or fewer days of breeding comprises ultrasound detection of a fetus. 51. A method for bovine embryo transfer, comprising transferring an embryo to a recipient about 21 days after a prior embryo transfer to the recipient, when the recipient returns to heat after the prior embryo transfer to the recipient. 52. The method of claim 51, comprising: transferring a first embryo to a bovine recipient at day about seven counted from estrus; determining if the bovine recipient returns to estrus at about day 21; transferring a second embryo to the bovine recipient at about day 28, if the bovine recipient was determined to return to estrus at about day 21; determining of the bovine recipient returns to estrus at about day 42; and transferring a third embryo to the bovine recipient at about day 49, if the bovine recipient was determined to return to estrus at about day 32. 53. The method of claim 52, wherein the first, second, and/or third embryo is a clonal embryo. 54. The method of claim 53, where the first, second, and third embryos are each clonal embryos. 55. The method of claim 52, further comprising: in at least one bovine recipient that does not return to estrus at 21 or 42 days, implanting a second embryo into the recipient. 56. The method of claim 55, wherein the second embryo is a clonal embryo. 57. A method, comprising: implanting a sexed in vitro fertilized embryo into a female non-human mammal previously impregnated with a clonal embryo of the same sex as the in vitro fertilized embryo; and allowing the female non-human mammal to proceed to parturition. 58. The method of claim 57, where the method is a method of increasing delivery success rate of cloned non-human mammals. 59. The method of claim 57, where the sexed in vitro fertilized embryo was generated using sexed semen. 60. The method of claim 58, where the embryos are female. 61. The method of claim 57, where the embryos are male. 62. The method of claim 57, where the cloned mammals are cattle, pigs, horses, goats, sheep, mice, rats, monkeys, cats, or dogs. 63. The method of claim 59, wherein the cloned mammals are cattle. 64. The method of claim 57, where the mammals are members of a species of wild animals, members of an endangered species, or members of a species of livestock. 65. A method of producing a clone of a male non-human mammal, comprising: isolating from a semen sample from the male non-human mammal a diploid differentiated cell having a nucleus; and using the nucleus from the isolated diploid differentiated cell in a cloning procedure, thereby producing a clone of the male mammal. 66. The method of claim 65, where the semen sample is a frozen or archival semen sample. 67. The method of claim 65, where the male non-human mammal is dead when the clone is produced. 68. The method of claim 65, where the male mammal is a bull, a pig, a horse, a goat, a sheep, a mouse, a rat, a monkey, a cat, or a dog. 69. The method of claim 65, where the male mammal is a captive wild animal or an endangered species. 70. The method of claim 65, where the male mammal is a bull. 71. The method of claim 65, where the cloning procedure comprises nuclear transfer. 72. The method of claim 65, where the differentiated diploid cell is a somatic seminal vesicle cell, a prostate gland cell, a Cowper's gland cell, a Sertoli cell, a white blood cell, a epididymus cell, a urethra cell, or a bladder cell. |
<SOH> BACKGROUND <EOH>The birth of the sheep Dolly in 1996 opened the possibility that adult cells could be reprogrammed to act like fertilized embryos and progress, when transferred to a recipient, to the birth of an exact copy of the adult (Wilmut et al., Nature 385:810-813, 1997). Ashworth et al. ( Nature, 394:329-331, 1998) confirmed the authenticity of Dolly's parentage. For some time after the original report on Dolly, numerous laboratories were unable to repeat the experiment. However, the situation changed. Cibelli et al. ( Science 280: 1256-1258, 1998) reported the birth of several calves that resulted from the cloning of fetal fibroblast cells. Those fibroblasts carried a “marker” transgene, which conferred resistance to neomycin. The eventual and stated goal of that research is the production of transgenic animals. Kato et al. ( Science 282: 2095-2098, 1998) produced eight calves by cloning tumulus cells and oviduct cells. Wells et al. ( Biol. Reprod. 57: 385-393, 1997) produced lambs through cloning of an established cell line using in vivo- and in vitro-produced cytoplasts. A live calf has been cloned from cumulus cells of a 13-year old cow (Wells et al., Biol. Reprod. 60: 996-1005, 1999). Vignon et al. ( Comptes Rendus de I Academie des Sciences Serie III—Sciences de la Vie - Life Sciences. 321: 735-745, 1998) reported two calves produced by nuclear transfer using muscle cells as genetic donors. This group also reported four bovine pregnancies in late gestation. Of these, one originated from a juvenile female skin-cell line and another originated from transgenic fetal skin cells. Zakhartchenko et al. ( Mol. Reprod. Dev. 54: 264-272, 1999) produced only a single calf from an adult mammary gland cell and one calf from an adult skin fibroblast. Using goats, Baguisi et al. ( Nat. Biotech. 17: 456-461, 1999) produced three kids from fetal somatic cells removed from a transgenic 40-day fetus, which was the product of a mating between a normal female goat and a transgenic male goat. In one of the experimental groups, the couplet was made with an enucleated telophase II oocyte and simultaneously reactivated to induce genome reactivation. Zakhartchenko et al. ( J. Reprod. Fertil. 115: 325-331, 1999) also cloned fetal bovine fibroblasts, and then recloned using cells from the resulting morulae. The proportion of couplets developing to blastocysts was significantly improved by the recloning procedure. Another group has reported that a calf had been born from the cloning of skin fibroblast cells (Yang, Transgenic Animal Res. Conf., Tahoe City, Calif., Aug. 14-19, 1999, oral presentation). In most published reports, the actual conception rate was low and the number of recipients was very low. However, Wells, et al. ( Biol. Reprod. 60: 996-1005, 1999) transferred 100 cloned bovine granulosa cells to recipients. Quiescent cultured adult granulosa cells were fused with metaphase II cytoplasts using a “fusion before activation” procedure. The rate of blastocyst formation was 27.5% (+/−2.5%), similar to that reported previously (Zakhartchenko et al., Mol. Reprod. Dev. 54: 264-272, 1999). After transfer, the 100 recipients produced an initial pregnancy rate of 45%, but only ten calves were born (Wells et al., Biol. Reprod. 60: 996-1005, 1999). This is the largest study reported and confirms the consistent calving rate of approximately 10%. Cloning of adult cells in cattle has been plagued by low conception rates, high fetal loss rates, and marginal calf survival. From conventional embryo transfer, to frozen embryo transfer, to in vitro produced embryos, to embryos cloned from embryonic cells, and finally embryos cloned from adult somatic cells, conception rate drops, and fetal loss and neonatal calf loss rises. Fetal loss in reported cloning work is often associated with an abnormal allantois and abnormally formed placentomes. These defects suggest that there is inadequate coordination between fetus and mother, rather than a fundamental defect in the cloned fetal tissue. These major problems with adult cell nuclear transfer (NT) in cattle result in very few of the established pregnancies being maintained beyond sixty days of gestation. In spite of much research, clonal calving rates remain around ten percent. Fetal loss rates and neonatal loss rates are still quite high using the one-step approach. These issues make mass-production of clonal cattle prohibitively expensive; the situation is similar for other animals, livestock and otherwise. Quite aside from the expenses involved in generating clonal animals, the major expense portion of any embryo transfer (ET) program is the cost and maintenance of recipient animals. The embryo transfer industry recognizes that transferring twin embryos to a recipient improves the implantation rate for the recipient, and results in the production of some twins. Transferring twin embryos incrementally decreases the number of recipients, and their associated feed and management costs, needed to produce a given number of offspring. Simultaneously, the ratio of the number of recipients to the number of calves is reduced even further. The combined effect is a substantial increase in the efficiency of the ET program coupled with a reduction in the per offspring cost of the program. Why, therefore, are single embryo transfers the norm in bovine embryo transfer? In the bovine, if the two twins are of different sex, the female will be sterile in almost all cases. If half of the twins are of mixed sex, then approximately half of the females will be sterile. This phenomenon is well known and the females born twin to a bull are called “Freemartins.” It is also well known in the ET industry that cloned embryos are much less viable than conventional embryos produced by super-ovulation and embryo transfer. Therefore, it is common practice to transfer twin, cloned embryos to each recipient when producing cloned calves. This procedure is successful since, when cloning cattle, the sex of the donor tissue (from which the donor cells are extracted) is known. In instances where the sex is not known, for example when using embryonic cells for the donor material, the cells within a single transfer are at least known to be of the same sex. Consequently, when transferring cloned embryos, both embryos are of the same sex and the Freemartin heifer problem does not develop. |
<SOH> SUMMARY <EOH>The inventors have developed systems for increasing the efficiency of mammalian embryo transfer systems, in some embodiments by increasing the survival rate of embryos, in other embodiments by reducing the costs associated with management of the animals in the system. The methods and systems disclosed herein may be applied to the management of recipient animals of any mammal for the transfer of embryos. The present disclosure is particularly directed to methods of managing embryo transfer programs, which methods involve breeding (either naturally or with assisted means) a plurality of transfer recipients, thereby generating at least one bred recipient who is implanted with a first embryo. A bred recipient is then identified from among the group, and a second embryo is transferred (ipsilateral or contralateral the first embryo) to the bred recipient, to produce an implanted bred recipient (which may be carrying two embryos). The implanted bred recipient is then monitored throughout her pregnancy to parturition of the resultant one or two offspring. Optionally, the parentage of the offspring is then determined. In specific examples of such methods, one or more recipients that were bred, but which did not implant a first embryo, are recycled into the system for use immediately or later in another breeding and implanting cycle. Also provided are specific methods of managing a bovine embryo transfer program, which methods involve breeding (either naturally or with assisted means) a plurality of transfer recipient cows, thereby generating at least one bred recipient cow having a first implanted embryo, and identifying at least one bred recipient cow from the plurality within about 14 or fewer days of breeding (e.g., by ultrasound or other means). When a recipient is found to have successfully implanted a first embryo, a second embryo is transferred to that recipient about 6-11 days after heat/estrus to produce an implanted and bred recipient cow, which may be carrying two implanted embryos. These implanted and bred recipients are then evaluated regarding whether the implanted and bred recipient cow remains pregnant, thereby identifying one or more successfully impregnated recipients; the pregnant recipients are then monitored until delivery of at least one offspring. In some examples of such methods, it is further determined which if any of the offspring arose from the transferred bovine embryo. Methods of enhancing survival of clonal embryos in a mammalian cloning program are also provided. Such methods involve identifying a plurality of bred mammalian recipients, each of which has been impregnated with a first embryo; and transferring a single clonal embryo to each of a plurality of the bred mammalian recipients, thereby enhancing the survival of the clonal embryos. In specific embodiments, the sex of first and/or second embryos in such methods is known prior to implantation. Also provided are methods of increasing delivery success rates of cloned mammals, which methods involve implanting a sexed in vitro fertilized embryo into a female mammal previously impregnated with a clonal embryo of the same sex as the in vitro fertilized embryo; and monitoring the pregnancy of the female mammal through parturition. Aspects of the disclosure are also directed to efficient systems for bovine embryo transfer, which systems involve transferring an embryo to a recipient about 21 days after the recipient returns to heat after a prior embryo transfer to that recipient. Such systems can be adapted to other species (other than bovine) by adapting the repeat time for serial transfer of embryos to the recipient, dependent on the length of estrus for that species. The foregoing and other features and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description of several embodiments, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying figures. |
Artificial reef formation to shape sea waves |
A method of forming artificial reefs in which a set of blocks having internal cavities full of air are interconnected in the desired shape of the artificial reef. The blocks of the set float when full of air and the thus defined reef is towed to the location of use, at which time an air valve in the upper region of each block is opened, permitting the air to escape and sew water to enter the block through an opening in a lower region. In this way the set of blocks is sunk to a designated location on the sea bed adjacent a sandy beach, forming the desired reef. Depending on the configurations of the individual blocks and of the overall shape of the reef, the invention permits both the formation of waves suitable for water sports, such as surf, windsurf and the like, and also the making of an otherwise dangerous beach safe for bathers. The reefs formed in accordance with the methods of this invention may be removed by the simultaneous filling of the blocks with compressed air through the valves and respective openings, thus expelling the sea water from the interior of the blocks which will once more rise to the surface of the sea for towing to another location for dismounting or re-use. |
1-5. (canceled) 6. A method for forming an artificial reef for shaping the waves of the sea in which blocks are placed on the sea bed, comprising the steps of: providing a set of at least two blocks, each of the blocks having an internal cavity of sufficient volume to permit the block to float, at least one entry opening with a valve for the passage of air, in an upper region of the block, and at least one opening for the passage of sea water, in a lower region of the block; arranging the set of blocks in an interconnected relationship, with the valves closed, on a surface of the sea, in suitable positions and arrangements above a location on the sea bed designated for receiving the artificial reef; and opening the valves in the blocks to permit the sea water to enter the blocks in a controlled manner through the openings for the passage of sea water, with the air being expelled through the openings for air, wherein the set of blocks sinks to the sea bed, at the designated location, to form the artificial reef. 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of arranging the set of blocks on the surface of the sea above the designated location on the sea bed further comprises forming the floating set of blocks at a first location on the surface of the sea and then towing the set of blocks to another location on the surface of the sea above the designated location. 8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the interconnected relationship of the set of blocks includes the placement of ties between the blocks. 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the ties comprise tie rods interconnecting adjacent blocks. 10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the ties include a steel cable interconnecting all the blocks. 11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the blocks are separated from each other by rows of tires. 12. The method according to claim 6, wherein the set of blocks defines a structure in the configuration of an arrowhead. 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein ends of the set of blocks are interconnected by an element appropriate to maintain the arrowhead configuration. 14. The method according to claim 6, wherein the blocks are formed of concrete. 15. The method according to claim 6, wherein the set of blocks defines a structure in the configuration of an arrowhead; the blocks are separated from each other by rows of tires, the ties include a steel cable interconnecting all the blocks; and the ends of the set of blocks are interconnected by an element appropriate to maintain the arrowhead configuration. 16. A method for removing an artificial reef formed according to the method of claim 1, comprising the steps of: introducing compressed air into the air openings in the blocks, expelling the sea water through the sea water openings so that the blocks float; and towing the set of interconnected blocks to another location. 17. An artificial reef formed according to the method of claim 6. 18. A method for forming an artificial reef comprising: providing a plurality of blocks having an interior cavity; directly connecting the plurality of blocks to each other with ties to form a set of interconnected blocks in an arrowhead configuration, the interconnected blocks being separated from each other by a plurality of tires; towing the interconnected blocks to a reef-formation location; filling the interior cavity of each of the blocks with sea water; and sinking the interconnected blocks to a bottom of the sea at the reef-formation location to form the artificial reef. 19. The method for forming an artificial reef according to claim 18, wherein a shape of the blocks is triangular. 20. The method for forming an artificial reef according to claim 18, wherein the ties comprise steel cables. 22. The method for forming an artificial reef according to claim 18, wherein each of the blocks includes a plurality of openings for the entry and exit of either seawater or air. 23. An artificial reef comprising: a plurality of triangular-shaped blocks interconnected to each other in an arrowhead configuration, each of the blocks comprising: an inner cavity; a plurality of openings for the passage of sea water and air into and out of the cavity, at least one of the openings being controlled by a valve; a plurality of fixing tabs for directly connecting each of the blocks together with tie rods; and a plurality of tires arranged between each of the blocks. 24. The artificial reef according to claim 23, wherein an opening for the entry and exit of air is formed in a face of the triangular-shaped block at an uppermost point of the face; and an opening for the passage of sea water is formed in the face of the triangular-shaped block at a lowest point of the face. 25. The artificial reef according to claim 23, wherein the plurality of blocks is towable. |
Substituted oxazolidinones and their use in the field of blood coagulation |
The invention relates to the field of blood coagulation, more particularly, to novel compounds of general formula (I), to a method for producing said compounds and to their use as active ingredients in medicaments for the prevention and/or the treatment of diseases. |
1. A compound of the formula (I) in which R1 represents (C6-C14)-aryl, 5- to 10-membered heteroaryl having up to three heteroatoms from the group consisting of N, O and S or 5- to 10-membered heterocyclyl having up to three heteroatoms from the group consisting of N, O and S, where the rings may be mono- to trisubstituted, independently of one another, by halogen, (C1-C6)-alkyl, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, (C1-C6)-alkoxycarbonyl, (C1-C6)-alkanoyl, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, trifluoromethylthio, nitro, oxo, carboxyl or cyano, R2 represents a radical —C(O)NR8R9, —N(R10)C(O)R11 or where R8 represents hydrogen, (C1-C6)-alkyl which for its part may be substituted by halogen, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, oxo, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, trifluoromethyl or cyano, (C6-C14)-aryl which for its part may be substituted by halogen, (C1-C6)-alkyl, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, (C1-C6)-alkoxycarbonyl, (C1-C6)-alkanoyl, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, trifluoromethylthio, nitro, carboxyl or cyano, or (C3-C7)-cycloalkyl, and R9 represents (C1-C6)-alkyl which for its part may be substituted by halogen, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, oxo, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, trifluoromethyl or cyano, (C6-C14)-aryl which for its part may be substituted by halogen, (C1-C6)-alkyl, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, (C1-C6)-alkoxycarbonyl, (C1-C6)-alkanoyl, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, trifluoromethylthio, nitro, carboxyl or cyano, or (C3-C7)-cycloalkyl, or R8 and R9 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a 4- to 7-membered heterocycle which may contain up to two further heteroatoms from the group consisting of N, O and S and which may furthermore be mono- to trisubstituted, independently of one another, by halogen, (C1-C6)-alkyl, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, oxo, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, trifluoromethyl or cyano, R10 and R11, independently of one another, represent (C1-C6)-alkyl which for its part may be substituted by halogen, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, oxo, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, trifluoromethyl or cyano, (C6-C14)-aryl which for its part may be substituted by halogen, (C1-C6)-alkyl, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, (C1-C6)-alkoxycarbonyl, (C1-C6)-alkanoyl, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, trifluoromethylthio, nitro, carboxyl or cyano, or (C3-C7)-cycloalkyl, or R10 and R11 together with the N—C(O) group to which they are attached form a 4- to 7-membered heterocycle which may contain up to two further heteroatoms from the group consisting of N, O and S and which may furthermore be mono- to trisubstituted, independently of one another, by halogen, (C1-C6)-alkyl, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, trifluoromethyl or cyano, x represents 0 or 1, R12 and R13 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a 4- to 6-membered heterocycle which may contain a further heteroatom from the group consisting of N, O and S and which may be up to disubstituted, independently of one another, by amino, hydroxyl, halogen, trifluoromethyl, cyano, oxo, mono- or di-(C1-C4)-alkylamino, (C1-C4)-alkoxy, carboxamido, (C1-C4)-alkylcarbonyl or (C3-C5)-cycloalkylcarbonyl, R3, R4, R5 and R6, independently of one another, represent hydrogen, halogen, (C1-C6)-alkyl, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylaminocarbonyl, hydroxyl, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, (C1-C6)-alkanoyl, (C1-C6)-alkanoylamino, trifluoromethyl, carbamoyl, nitro or cyano, and R7 represents hydrogen or (C1-C6)-alkyl, and its salts, hydrates, hydrates of the salts and solvates, but excluding compounds of the general formula (I) in which the radical R1 is an optionally substituted thiophene radical. 2. A compound of the formula (I) as claimed in claim 1, in which R1 represents (C6-C14)-aryl, 5- to 10-membered heteroaryl having one nitrogen or oxygen atom as heteroatom and optionally up to two further heteroatoms from the group consisting of N, O and S or 5- to 10-membered heterocyclyl having up to three heteroatoms from the group consisting of N, O and S, where the rings may be mono- to trisubstituted, independently of one another, by halogen, (C1-C6)-alkyl, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, (C1-C6)-alkoxycarbonyl, (C1-C6)-alkanoyl, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, trifluoromethylthio, nitro, oxo, carboxyl or cyano, R2 represents a radical —C(O)NR8R9, —N(R10)C(O)R11 or where R8 represents hydrogen, (C1-C6)-alkyl which for its part may be substituted by halogen, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, oxo, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, trifluoromethyl or cyano, (C6-C14)-aryl which for its part may be substituted by halogen, (C1-C6)-alkyl, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, (C1-C6)-alkoxycarbonyl, (C1-C6)-alkanoyl, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, trifluoromethylthio, nitro, carboxyl or cyano, or (C3-C7)-cycloalkyl, and R9 represents (C1-C6)-alkyl which for its part may be substituted by halogen, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, oxo, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, trifluoromethyl or cyano, (C6-C14)-aryl which for its part may be substituted by halogen, (C1-C6)-alkyl, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, (C1-C6)-alkoxycarbonyl, (C1-C6)-alkanoyl, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, trifluoromethylthio, nitro, carboxyl or cyano, or (C3-C7)-cycloalkyl, or R8 and R9 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a 4- to 7-membered heterocycle which may contain up to two further heteroatoms from the group consisting of N, O and S and which may furthermore be mono- to trisubstituted, independently of one another, by halogen, (C1-C6)-alkyl, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, oxo, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, trifluoromethyl or cyano, R10 and R11, independently of one another, represent (C1-C6)-alkyl which for its part may be substituted by halogen, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, oxo, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, trifluoromethyl or cyano, (C6-C14)-aryl which for its part may be substituted by halogen, (C1-C6)-alkyl, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, (C1-C6)-alkoxycarbonyl, (C1-C6)-alkanoyl, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, trifluoromethylthio, nitro, carboxyl or cyano, or (C3-C7)-cycloalkyl, or R10 and R11 together with the N—C(O) group to which they are attached form a 4- to 7-membered heterocycle which may contain up to two further heteroatoms from the group consisting of N, O and S and which may furthermore be mono- to trisubstituted, independently of one another, by halogen, (C1-C6)-alkyl, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, trifluoromethyl or cyano, x represents 0 or 1, R12 and R13 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a 4- to 6-membered heterocycle which may contain a further heteroatom from the group consisting of N, O and S and which may be up to disubstituted, independently of one another, by amino, hydroxyl, halogen, trifluoromethyl, cyano, oxo, mono- or di-(C1-C4)-alkylamino, (C1-C4)-alkoxy, carboxamido, (C1-C4)-alkylcarbonyl or (C3-C5)-cycloalkylcarbonyl, R3, R4, R5 and R6, independently of one another, represent hydrogen, halogen, (C1-C6)-alkyl, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylaminocarbonyl, hydroxyl, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, (C1-C6)-alkanoyl, (C1-C6)-alkanoylamino, trifluoromethyl, carbamoyl, nitro or cyano, and R7 represents hydrogen or (C1-C6)-alkyl, and its salts, hydrates, hydrates of the salts and solvates. 3. A compound of the formula (I) as claimed in claim 1, in which R1 represents phenyl, naphthyl, 5- to 8-membered heteroaryl having one nitrogen or oxygen atom as heteroatom and optionally up to two further heteroatoms from the group consisting of N, O and S or 5- to 8-membered heterocyclyl having up to three heteroatoms from the group consisting of N, O and S, where the rings may be mono- to trisubstituted, independently of one another, by halogen, (C1-C6)-alkyl, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, cyano, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy or trifluoromethylthio, R2 represents a radical —C(O)NR8R9, —N(R10)C(O)R11 or, where R8 represents hydrogen, (C1-C4)-alkyl which for its part may be substituted by halogen, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C4)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, oxo, (C1-C4)-alkoxy, trifluoromethyl or cyano or (C3-C7)-cycloalkyl, and R9 represents (C1-C4)-alkyl which for its part may be substituted by halogen, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C4)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, oxo, (C1-C4)-alkoxy, trifluoromethyl or cyano, or (C3-C7)-cycloalkyl, or R8 and R9 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a 4- to 7-membered heterocycle which may contain up to two further heteroatoms from the group consisting of N, O and S and which may furthermore be mono- to trisubstituted, independently of one another, by halogen, (C1-C6)-alkyl, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, oxo, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, trifluoromethyl or cyano, R10 and R11, independently of one another, represent (C1-C6)-alkyl which for its part may be substituted by halogen, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, oxo, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, trifluoromethyl or cyano, or (C3-C7)-cycloalkyl, or R10 and R11 together with the N—C(O) group to which they are attached form a 4- to 7-membered heterocycle which may contain up to two further heteroatoms from the group consisting of N, O and S and which may furthermore be mono- to trisubstituted, independently of one another, by halogen, (C1-C6)-alkyl, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, trifluoromethyl or cyano, x represents 0 or 1, R12 and R13 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a 4- to 6-membered heterocycle which may contain a further heteroatom from the group consisting of N, O and S and which may be monosubstituted by amino, hydroxyl, halogen, trifluoromethyl, cyano, oxo, mono- or di-(C1-C4)-alkylamino, (C1-C4)-alkoxy, carboxamido, (C1-C4)-alkylcarbonyl or (C3-C5)-cycloalkylcarbonyl, R3 and R6, independently of one another, represent hydrogen, halogen, (C1-C6)-alkyl, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, (C1-C6)-alkanoylamino, cyano, trifluoromethyl or nitro, R4 and R5 represent hydrogen, and R7 represents hydrogen or (C1-C4)-alkyl, and its salts, hydrates, hydrates of the salts and solvates. 4. A compound of the formula (I) as claimed in claim 1, in which R1 represents phenyl, furyl, dihydrothienyl, thiazolyl, pyrrolyl or pyridyl, where the rings may be mono- to trisubstituted, independently of one another, by fluorine, chlorine, bromine, (C1-C4)-alkyl, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy or trifluoromethylthio, R2 represents a radical —C(O)NR8R9, —N(R10)C(O)R11 or where R8 and R9, independently of one another, represent (C1-C4)-alkyl which for its part may be substituted by halogen, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C4)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, oxo, (C1-C4)-alkoxy, trifluoromethyl or cyano, or (C3-C7)-cycloalkyl, or R8 and R9 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached represent morpholinyl, pyrrolidinyl, thiomorpholinyl or piperidinyl, where the rings may be mono- or disubstituted by (C1-C4)-alkyl and/or oxo, R10 and R11, independently of one another, represent (C1-C6)-alkyl which for its part may be substituted by halogen, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C6)-alkylamino, hydroxyl, oxo, (C1-C6)-alkoxy, trifluoromethyl or cyano, or (C3-C7)-cycloalkyl, or R10 and R11 together with the N—C(O) group to which they are attached represent morpholinonyl, pyrrolidinonyl, thiomorpholinonyl or piperidinonyl, where the rings may be mono- or disubstituted by (C1-C4)-alkyl, x represents 0 or 1, R12 and R13 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a 5- or 6-membered saturated heterocycle which may contain a further oxygen atom in the ring and which may be monosubstituted by amino or hydroxyl, R3 represents hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, (C1-C4)-alkyl, amino, mono- or di-(C1-C3)-alkylamino, cyano or nitro, R4, R5 and R6 represent hydrogen, and R7 represents hydrogen, and its salts, hydrates, hydrates of the salts and solvates. 5. A process for preparing compounds of the formula (I) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that compounds of the formula (II) in which R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7 are as defined above are reacted with carboxylic acids of the formula (III) in which R1 is as defined above, or else with the corresponding carbonyl halides or else with the corresponding symmetric or mixed carboxylic anhydrides of the carboxylic acids of the formula (III) defined above. 6. A compound of the formula (I) as claimed in claim 1 for the prevention and/or treatment of disorders. 7. A medicament comprising at least one compound of the formula (I) as claimed in claim 1 and at least one further auxiliary. 8. The use of compounds of the formula (I) for preparing a medicament for the prevention and/or treatment of thromboembolic disorders, in particular myocardial infarction, angina pectoris (including unstable angina), reocclusions and restenoses after angioplasty or aortocoronary bypass, cerebro vascular accident, transitory ischemic attacks, peripheral occlusive diseases, pulmonary embolisms or deep vein thromboses. 9. The use of compounds of the formula (I) as claimed in claim 1 for preparing a medicament for the prevention and/or treatment of disseminated intravasal coagulation (DIC). 10. The use of compounds of the formula (I) as claimed in claim 1 for preparing a medicament for the prevention and/or treatment of disorders such as atherosclerosis; arthritis; Alzheimer's disease or cancer. 11. A process for preventing the coagulation of blood in vitro, in particular in banked blood or biological samples containing factor Xa, characterized in that compounds of the general formula (I) as claimed in claim 1 are added. |
Seal for assembling fluid-circuit tubular elements |
The invention relates to an annular seal used for the telescopic mounting of a male end (10) of a first tubular element (1) in a socket (20) of a second tubular element (2). Said seal comprises an elastically-deformable annular body (3) designed to be threaded around the outer surface of the male end (10) and an anchoring lug (4) that only extends over part of the length of the body projecting radially around the latter and designed to be housed in an anchoring groove (25) disposed in the inner surface of the socket. At least one part of the lug (4) is made from a reinforcing material having a hardness greater than that of the body (3). Said seal is characterised in that the reinforcing material is located radially at a distance from the inner surface (32) of the body (3). Use: water supply and disposal networks. |
1. Annular seal intended to be inserted and radially compressed between the outer surface of a male end (10) of a first tubular element (1) and the inner surface of the socket (20) of a second tubular element (2), this seal having an elastically deformable annular seal body (3) designed to be threaded around the outer surface of the male end (10) and an anchoring lug (4) designed to be housed in an anchoring groove (25) disposed in the inner surface of the socket (20), the body (3) being delimited by two axial end surfaces (33, 34) connected by an outer surface (31) and by an inner seal surface (32) and the anchoring lug (4) only extending over a part of the length of the body (3), projecting radially around the outer surface (31) of said body, and at least all of the free outer surface of the lug (4) being made of a reinforcing material having a hardness greater than that of the body (3), which seal is characterized in that the reinforcing material is situated radially away from the inner surface (32) of the seal body (3). 2. Seal according to claim 1, characterized in that the anchoring lug (4) extends axially exclusively between the two axial end surfaces (33, 34) of the body (3), these two end surfaces (33, 34) being free surfaces. 3. Seal according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that all of the lug (4) is made of a reinforcing material having a hardness greater than that of the body (3). 4. Seal according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lug (4) has one part (4A) forming a core, made of the same material as the body (3), and one part (4B) of reinforcement made of a material having a hardness greater than that of the body (3), and which constitutes an envelope-forming part for the lug. 5. Seal according to claim 4, characterized in that the envelope-forming part (4B) has vanes (45). 6. Seal according to claim 5, characterized in that the vanes (45) extend radially into the core-forming part (4A). 7. Seal according to claim 5, characterized in that the vanes (45) are tilted inside the core (4A). 8. Seal according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the reinforcing material having a hardness greater than that of the body (3) also has a melting point greater than that of the body. 9. Seal according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the body (3) is made of an elastomer material or elastomeric polymer. 10. Seal according to any of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the body (3) is made of a material having a hardness within the range of 40° Shore to 60° Shore. 11. Seal according to any of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the reinforcing material, having a hardness greater than that of the body, is a synthetic material. 12. Seal according to claim 11, the synthetic material is a thermoplastic material. 13. Seal according to claim 12, characterized in that the thermoplastic material is a polyamide. 14. Seal according to any of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the body (3) has cells (37). 15. Seal according to claim 14, characterized in that the cells are in the shape of a truncated pyramid. 16. Seal according to claim 15, characterized in that the truncated pyramids have a rhomboidal cross section. 17. Seal according to any of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that one part of the outer surface (31) of the body (3) is a sealing surface. 18. Seal according to any of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the body (3), when it is not subject to exterior stress, has an outer surface (31) of generally cylindrical shape. 19. Seal according to any of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the body (3), when it is not subject to stress, has a conical inner surface (32). 20. Seal according to any of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that the body (3), when it is not subject to stress, has at least one outer conical surface (33, 34). 21. Seal according to claim 20, characterized in that the body (3) has at least an outer surface (33) into which the hollow cells (37) in the body open out. 22. Seal according to any of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that the lug (4) has a longitudinal cross section generally trapezoidal in shape. |
Subsets and Splits