A curved surgical needle and a method for producing the same from a solid sheet of material rather than from coiled wire including the steps of drilling a bore in one edge of the material, grinding an edge opposite the drilled edge to form a sharpened point, curving the material and cutting the material at a point of equal distance between each drilled bored to provide a surgical needle. A suture is then attached to the surgical needle, optionally lubricated, sterilized, and packaged by suitable means known in the art.

Channel-bodied surgical needles and surgical incision members are disclosed having a generally U-shaped cross-sectional body portion and a penetrating tip portion formed on at least one end thereof. Preferably, penetrating tip portions are formed at both ends of the channel-bodied portion. The surgical needle and/or surgical incision member may additionally includes apparatus engagement structure formed adjacent either end of the body portion and engagable with a suitable surgical suturing apparatus. The channel-bodied surgical needle and/or surgical incision member may additionally include securement structure for attachment of a length of suture material thereto. There is also disclosed apparatus for forming a channel-shaped body portion and the suture attachment structure. Additionally, methods for suturing tissue sections, particularly vascular tissue sections, with the channel-bodied surgical needle and the channel-bodied surgical incision members, are disclosed. Also, methods for forming the channel-bodied surgical needle and channel-bodied surgical incision member are disclosed.

A hypodermic needle featuring a multi-beveled point geometry is disclosed. In one embodiment, the multi-beveled point features a primary bevel, a pair of tip bevels, and a pair of middle bevels each intermediate the primary bevel and a respective one of the tip bevels. The primary and middle bevels are provided at angles of inclination, measured between the central axis and a reference plane that are substantially identical. The tip bevels are formed at an angle of inclination respective to the central axis which is not equal to the angle of inclination at which the primary and middle bevels are formed. The resulting five-beveled point geometry contributes to a more continuous bevel face free of abrupt intercepts or transitions between the respective bevel faces, lessening the penetration force required to urge the needle point through skin, flesh, or other material.

A swaging apparatus for attaching sutures to surgical needles includes at least a first die and a second die. The first die has a first member, which includes a first surface, and a second member, which includes a second surface. The second member is movable relative to the first member between an extended position, in which the second surface extends beyond the first surface, and a retracted position, in which the second surface does not extend beyond the first surface. The second die has at least one surface and is movable relative to the first die between a remote position and an adjacent position. When the second die moves relative to the first die from the remote position towards the adjacent position, the second member of the first die is caused to move from the extended position towards the retracted position, and the surfaces of the first and second dies cooperate with one another so as to swage a surgical needle positioned between the first and second dies. The second member of the first die is movable to the retracted position when the second die abuts the first die. In this manner, surgical needles of many different types or sizes can be swaged by the swaging apparatus.

A method and an apparatus is disclosed for forming a one-piece introducer needle having a member portion and a needle portion by introducing a photoresist on a substrate. The temperature of the substrate is increased and then decreased. A photomask is deposited onto a substrate.

A method for manufacturing a surgical needle devoid of a grinding process includes the steps of swaging a needle blank to define a substantially tapered or conical needle end, pressing the tapered needle to form a plurality of intersecting surfaces and forming cutting edges along the lines of intersection of the intersecting sides. The needle may be subjected to an etching process (e.g., an acid bath) to sharpen the cutting edges and/or provide a matte finish on the needle. The needle produced by the novel process is extremely sharp and durable, and exhibits an enhanced retention of sharpness relative to conventional ground needles over periods of prolonged use.

A process for manufacturing a surgical needle incorporates at least one pressing operation which, preferably, in conjunction with a trimming and/or etching process, ultimately forms the sharpened needle end. The grinding operation in the preferred process does not produce the primary sharpened edges of the needle, but, rather is incorporated, in one instance, to reduce excess needle material prior to the pressing operation. Consequently, the amount of flash material generated during pressing is substantially reduced. This feature desirably enhances the subsequent trimming and etching operations, and produces a needle which is extremely sharp, durable and exhibits an improved retention of sharpness over periods of prolonged use.

Surgical needles are produced by immersing a needle possessing a distal end surrounded at least in part by flash material and a body portion in an acid bath according to a predetermined sequence, wherein the distal end of the needle is exposed to the acid bath under conditions sufficient to remove flash material from the distal end of the needle and the body portion of the needle is exposed to the acid bath under conditions sufficient to provide a matte finish on at least a portion of the body portion of the needle.

A process for manufacturing a surgical needle incorporates at least one pressing operation which, preferably, in conjunction with a trimming and/or etching process, ultimately forms the sharpened needle end. The grinding operation in the preferred process does not produce the primary sharpened edges of the needle, but, rather is incorporated, in one instance, to reduce excess needle material prior to the pressing operation. Consequently, the amount of flash material generated during pressing is substantially reduced. This feature desirably enhances the subsequent trimming and etching operations, and produces a needle which is extremely sharp, durable and exhibits an improved retention of sharpness over periods of prolonged use.

A method of mechanically treating alloy metal surgical needles to improve bending strength is disclosed. The needles are curved and reverse-curved in this method to improve bending strength.

In a method of attaching a suture to a needle barrel, a first compression stroke compresses the radially-defined top of the barrel against a suture in the bore of the barrel while restraining the bottom and sides of the barrel against deformation. A second compression stroke compresses the bottom of the barrel against the suture while restraining the sides against deformation. In another method, the top and bottom are compressed concurrently while the sides are restrained against deformation. An apparatus for attaching a suture to a needle barrel includes two die sets, each including a die with a groove therein. In one die set, the groove protects the bottom and sides of the barrel from deformation while the top is compressed. In the other die set, the groove protects the sides of the barrel from deformation while the bottom is compressed.

In a process for producing a microneedle (12) that can be inserted into body tissue in which a needle tip (20) and a preferably capillary collecting channel (14) having a distal inlet for body fluid formed at the needle tip (20) are formed, it is provided that at least part of a preform (38) prefabricated from a flat material is shaped into a tubular structure (22) so that the collecting channel (14) is at least substantially annularly closed in the cross-section in the area of the tubular structure (22).

A method of stress relieving drilled surgical needles is disclosed. At least the metal about a drilled bore hole is heat treated to relieve stress without annealing.

A radial piston pump has a plurality of cylinders within which pistons reciprocally move. Each cylinder is connected to a first port by an inlet passage that has an inlet check valve, and is connected to a second port by an outlet passage that has an outlet check valve. A throttling plate extends across the inlet passages and has a separate aperture associated with each inlet passage. Rotation of the throttling plate varies the degree of alignment of each aperture with the associated inlet passage, thereby forming variable orifices for altering displacement of the pump. Uniquely shaped apertures specifically affect the rate at which the variable orifices close with throttle plate movement, so that the closure rate decreases with increased closure of the variable orifices.

Method of indicating the position of a hydraulically actuated armature, comprising an adjust cylinder for actuating the armature, connected by at least one pressure medium line to an adjustment valve through which the pressure medium line can be switched between pressure-causing forward flow and pressure-less backward flow, wherein the flow through the pressure medium line is converted into a number of electric pulses and the number of pulses reflecting the flow is processed in a program in an indicator unit such that the number of pulses occurring in a predetermined adjustment travel when the flow in the pressure medium line is pressure-less is calculated as being the same adjustment travel as when the pressure medium line is switched to be the pressure line.

The invention relates to a method for constructing a gas-filled double-acting hydraulic cylinder (1) with gas spring action, comprising: —a cylinder sleeve (3) with a cylinder bottom (3a) and cylinder head (3b) —a piston/piston rod assembly (5) a hydraulic fluid seal on the piston (9) —a connection for the head-side chamber (13) to a hydraulic line; —a connection for the bottom-side chamber (15) to a hydraulic line, —a gland (20) with a bore, the gland being attached between the cylinder bottom (3a) and the piston (9), the piston rod (7) extending over the entire stroke of the piston rod through the bore, wherein the gland comprises two seals —(25), one for providing a seal with the cylinder sleeve (3) and one for providing a seal with the piston rod.

A system comprises a first piston comprising a first piston shaft and a first drive pin. A first piston cylinder comprises a first body and a first groove, wherein the first groove defines a first aperture, the first aperture oriented axially along the first body and configured to receive the first drive pin. The first body encloses the first piston and allows the first piston to travel axially within the first piston cylinder. A drive shaft comprises an axis, a drive groove, and a surface, wherein the drive groove forms a continuous channel along the surface and receives the first drive pin. In one embodiment, a first distribution wheel comprises a first face, a second face, a first inlet aperture, and a first outlet aperture. The first distribution wheel couples to the first piston cylinder and to the drive shaft at a first end of the drive shaft, and rotates axially with the drive shaft along the axis of the drive shaft. The first inlet aperture allows hydraulic fluid to pass through the first face and the second face and the first outlet aperture defines a groove on the second face.

The invention relates to a neutral setting apparatus for adjustable hydraulic machines, in particular the adjustment of the neutral position of a servo valve. In particular, the invention relates to servo adjustment devices with mechanically adjustable control pistons, wherein the forces necessary for this can be applied mechanically, electro-magnetically, pneumatically or hydraulically. The invention relates to a neutral setting apparatus of an adjustable hydraulic machine, with a housing in which a mounted input shaft is arranged, to one end of which a torque can be applied for rotating the input shaft about an axis. Thus providing a robust and cost-effective setting mechanism for the neutral position of a servo valve.

The disclosed invention introduces an efficient lifting mechanism for reciprocating vertically a load system, the load consisting of the aggregate weights of a cargo payload in conjunction with “dead weights” of moving parts of the lifting apparatus. The disclosed invention uses a hydro-pneumatic linear actuator to lift the load and a pressurized accumulator, acting as a force intensifier. The pressurized accumulator, acting as a self-contained stored energy source, provides to the actuator adequate power to lift the “dead weights” plus part of the cargo payload. An external power source provides to the actuator adequate power to lift the remainder of the cargo payload. The disclosed invention saves significant amounts of power and energy in applications in which the “dead weights” are sizable compared to the cargo load. The disclosed invention provides also exceptional means for accurate motion control of the cargo payload.

A tandem-type pneumatic brake booster, in particular for hydraulic vehicle brake systems, having a housing comprising a first and a second housing half shell, the interior of which is divided with the aid of a partition into a front and a rear booster chamber, wherein the partition has a centrally arranged, circular cavity, through which a control housing or a cylindrical control housing extension extends, and the partition rests sealingly against the control housing or the control housing extension by a sealing element, having a first and a second movable wall, which respectively subdivide the front and the rear booster chamber into a first low-pressure chamber and a first working chamber and into a second low-pressure chamber and a second working chamber, having at least one connecting conduit between the first working chamber and the second working chamber in order to equalize the pressure between said two working chambers.

The present invention relates to devices and systems that alter intracranial compliance, cerebral blood flow and/or intracranial pressure pulsatility/waveform by oscillating the contraction and expansion of a compressible composition within the cranial or spinal cavities such that they increase intracranial capacity. The contraction and expansion of the compressible composition in the oscillating compliance devices can be due to an individual's intracranial pressure, the result of the expansion and compression of a reservoir which is mediated by the contractility of the heart or driven by a pump gaited to a biorhythm. The invention also relates to methods for protecting an individual's brain from abnormal arterial pulsations and for altering an individual's cerebral blood flow using the devices and systems of the invention. The oscillating compliance devices can be used to treat several diseases and/or conditions characterized by altered/abnormal intracranial compliance, cerebral blood flow and/or intracranial pressure pulsatility/waveform, including hydrocephalus, stroke, dementia and migraine headaches, vasospasms, congestive heart failure, cardiopulmonary bypass or carotid endarterectomy.

A work vehicle includes an engine, an idling stop execution portion, a determination portion, a counting portion, and an idling stop time period adjustment portion. The engine can rotate in a first idling state and a second idling state in which the engine rotates at the number of rotations higher than a prescribed number of rotations. The idling stop execution portion performs an idling stop operation for stopping the engine. The determination portion determines whether or not stop has been made from the second idling state. The counting portion counts the number of times of stop of the engine from the second idling state. An idling stop time period adjustment portion makes a prescribed time period of the second idling state longer than a current time period, when the number of times of stop of the engine is equal to or greater than the prescribed number of times.

An apparatus can include a pressure vessel that defines an interior region that can contain a liquid and/or a gas. A piston is movably disposed within the interior region of the pressure vessel. A divider is fixedly disposed within the interior region of the pressure vessel and divides the interior region into a first interior region on a first side of the divider and a second interior region on a second, opposite side of the divider. The piston is movable between a first position in which fluid having a first pressure is disposed within the first interior region and the first interior region has a volume less than a volume of the second interior region, and a second position in which fluid having a second pressure is disposed within the second interior region and the second interior region has a volume less than a volume of the first interior region.

A hydraulic control system is disclosed for use with a machine. The hydraulic control system may have a pump, a tank, and an actuator. The hydraulic control system may also have at least a first valve configured to control fluid flow between the pump, the tank, a first chamber of the actuator, and a second chamber of the actuator; a second valve fluidly disposed between the second chamber and the tank; and a third valve fluidly disposed between the first and second chambers. The hydraulic control system may further have a controller configured to selectively cause the second valve to block fluid flow from the second chamber of the actuator to the tank, and to selectively cause the third valve to fluidly communicate the first and second chambers of the actuator when the second valve blocks fluid flow from the second chamber of the actuator to the tank.

A hydraulic feed-rate control apparatus pushes out a fluid by a main piston to a reservoir chamber via feed-rate adjustment mechanisms and flow passages and adjusts a feed rate of a reciprocating body; the adjustment mechanisms comprises first and second throttle valves arranged at front ends of a cylinder and adjusting flow rates of the fluid flowing into the flow passages; the main piston comprises an auxiliary piston integrally moving, and opening and closing the second throttle valve; and the auxiliary piston comprises an outer peripheral portion fitted in the second throttle valve and closed, a concave portion formed between a front portion and rear portion of the outer peripheral portion, a circulation hole formed in an inner peripheral portion of the auxiliary piston, rear-portion escape holes communicating the rear portion and the circulation hole, and concave-portion escape holes communicating the concave portion with the circulation hole.

A manual release valve is provided for a electro-hydraulic actuator of the type including a piston movable in a cylinder and defining a piston side chamber and a rod side chamber, the valve threadedly attached to the housing of the actuator and extending at least partially within the fluid housing conduits, the valve moveable from a closed position fully seated in the housing to an open position for fluidly connecting both the piston side chamber and the rod side chamber to the reservoir, the valve further including a pressure relief portion that is operable when the valve is in the closed position for relieving pressure from at least one of the piston side chamber or the rod side chamber.

This disclosure provides for pressure limiting a hydraulic system to a desired pressure value by a particular circuit by controlling and closing the compensator when the desired pressure setting is achieved. Closing the compensator will reduced the pressure head and flow in the circuit resulting in improved efficiency. One illustrated embodiment of the disclosure provides a relief valve in the pilot signal for a compensator. The method relates to limiting the pressure on an open side of the compensator, such that the pressure on the other side closes the compensator thereby limiting the pressure and also flow in the hydraulic circuit. In other words, the pressure on the open side is limited by the relief valve. Thus, the pressure on the other side increases thereby regulating the flow and pressure through the compensator. In another embodiment of the disclosure, instead of reducing the pressure on the open side, the pressure on the closed side is increased, thereby controlling the flow and pressure of the hydraulic circuit. The pressure can be increased by a pump or any other suitable mode.

A cup for an air valve assembly in a positive displacement pneumatic motor includes a cup body, a gas cavity, and a first pilot slot. The cup body is rectilinear and has a sliding face as one side, and the gas cavity is concave and extends into the cup body through the sliding face and terminates within the cup body. The first pilot slot extends from the gas cavity and into the cup body through the sliding face and terminates within the cup body.

A pump assembly having an air motor includes a valve connected to a motive fluid inlet of the air motor. The valve shifts between a first position, in which a flow of motive fluid is directed into a pilot port, through a two way pilot conduit and into a pilot chamber portion, and a second position, in which the flow of motive fluid is inhibited from flowing into the pilot port through the two way pilot conduit and into the pilot chamber portion, and in which fluid in the pilot chamber portion flows out through the two way pilot conduit and is directed by the valve to exhaust. The valve is connected to a programmable logic controller, so that the valve is shifted between the first position and the second position in response to the programmable logic controller.

Valve control device includes a body with a longitudinal axis, a control member housed at least partially in the body in a bottom portion along the longitudinal axis, a piston movable along the longitudinal axis and housed in a portion of the body forming with the piston a control chamber of the piston, an element movable in rotation with respect to the longitudinal axis on a top portion of the body, and sealing means between the movable element and the control chamber in the area of the connection port and/or of the passage.

A brake actuating unit for actuating a motor vehicle braking system of the “brake-by-wire” type having a brake booster. In order to provide a brake actuating unit for actuating a motor vehicle braking system of the “brake-by-wire” type, which on the one hand fulfills the statutory requirements care and which on the other hand is inexpensive to produce, it is proposed according to aspects of the invention, that the brake booster be provided as a travel-controlled brake booster, so that when not in the “brake-by-wire” operating mode the brake pedal is decoupled from feedback forces of the brake actuating unit, and the return force is simulated by the pedal travel simulator even when not in the “brake-by-wire” operating mode.

A hydraulic motor assembly capable of precise control having a housing, a hydraulic mounting surface located in the housing, a cylinder block rotatably disposed on the hydraulic mounting surface, a motor shaft engaged to the cylinder block and supported proximate to a first end, a plurality of cooperating gears located in the housing and rotationally engaged to a second end of the motor shaft, an output shaft rotationally engaged to the plurality of cooperating gears, a speed sensor located proximate to one of the plurality of cooperating gears, wherein the speed sensor transmits a signal indicative of the rotational speed of the one of the plurality of cooperating gears.

An assembly of valve sections includes an inlet section, an outlet section, a working section, and a working section. The working section is a conventional pressure compensated working section. The working section includes a directional control valve, a pressure compensator valve, and a pressure limiter valve. The valves are of integral construction, such that each is an essential part to complete the other. The pressure compensator valve includes a pressure compensator spool movable between an opened position and a closed position in response to a pressure differential across the spool. The pressure limiter valve includes a pressure limiter spool that moves to an open position to change the pressure differential and close the pressure compensator valve when a selected limit pressure is reached.

A hydraulic system is provided, having a pump, operably connected to a motor. It also comprises a controller-driven hydraulic actuator, operably connected to the pump and a hydraulic valve, operable to direct hydraulic fluid to and from either a rod side or a cylinder side of the hydraulic actuator. Rod and cylinder side pressures are pre-defined based on the instantaneous acceleration or deceleration required. Decelerating the hydraulic actuator could involve maintaining the current pressure in the meter-out side of the hydraulic actuator and decreasing the current pressure in the meter-in side by varying the speed of the pump. Deceleration of the hydraulic actuator could also include decreasing pressure on the meter-in side of the hydraulic actuator at a higher rate than on the meter-out side. Acceleration is achieved using a similar approach.

A thin film of a low-thermionic-work-function material is maintained on the cathode of a device for producing a high-current, low-pressure gas discharge by means of sputter deposition from an auxiliary electrode. The auxiliary electrode includes a surface with a low-work-function material, such as thorium, uranium, plutonium or one of the rare earth elements, facing the cathode but at a disposition and electrical potential so as to extract ions from the gas discharge and sputter the low-work-function material onto the cathode. By continuously replenishing the cathode film, high thermionic emissions and ion plasmas can be realized and maintained over extended operating periods.

An electrical discharge machine with automatically replaceable electrodes. The machine includes an electrode holder with a clamp operable to alternately receive and release an electrode, an electrode cartridge containing a plurality of stacked electrodes and a shuttle movable toward and away from the electrode holder. When the shuttle is moved toward the electrode holder, it removes an electrode from the cartridge and moves it into alignment with the electrode holder.

A carbon exchanging system for a carbon-arc weather resistance testing apparatus having a carbon drive system including a reversible motor for automatically moving upper and lower arc producing carbons toward and away from each other along a vertical line for keeping the discharge current and voltage substantially constant. The carbon exchanging system has remotely operable upper and lower carbon chucks for holding the upper and lower carbons, a carbon replacing device having a remotely operable exchanging chuck and a drive for moving the exchanging chuck along a path of movement toward and away from the upper and lower carbon chucks when they are in position on the vertical line, a shifting device for shifting the carbon drive system and the carbon replacing means relative to each other for moving the upper and lower chucks and the exchanging chuck laterally relative to the vertical line, a carbon supply adjacent the path of movement of the exchanging chuck for holding replacement carbons and moving them into position opposite a position of the exchanging chuck along the path, and a moving device for moving the exchanging chuck and the carbon supply relative to each other in a direction toward and away from each other. The system can also include a control device for automatically controlling the operation thereof.

Graphite and/or carbon surfaces are coated with a titanium nitride coating by exposing the substrate to electric arc thermal spray process wherein titanium wire as the source of titanium and nitrogen is used as the propelling (atomizing) gas.

A geared motor actuator having a simplified mechanical structure for driving a closing part, such as a vehicle window, moved as far as at least one end position by an electric motor (MO) via a gear (G), preferably a worm gear. Shortly before the end position is reached, switch-off of the electric motor (MO) is performed in accordance with a control device (ST). The gear (G) is drive-connected to an output driver of the closing part without any damping means. The worm wheel (4) of the worm gear, being a solid, integral component that is preferably injection-molded from plastic, is preferably designed to include the output driver as part of the integral component, and provided with a drive pinion (4.1).

A process of a pixel electrode of a direct-sight type of reflection type liquid-crystal display device is simplified. A pixel electrode 120 of a reflection type liquid-crystal display device is formed of an aluminum film which is formed by sputtering. In forming the aluminum film, moisture is intentionally contained in atmosphere, and also a sample is heated. With this process, aluminum grains grow so that irregularities of μm order is formed on the surface of the aluminum film. The aluminum film thus formed allows the incident light to be irregularly reflected so that it is in a visually white muddy state. This is suitable to the pixel electrode for the reflection type liquid-crystal display device.

The present invention is a serial to parallel data conversion method and device where new serial data are stored within a first n-bit register prior to presentation at an n-bit parallel output. Subsequently, additional data are stored within a second n-bit register while the data stored within the first register are presented at the parallel output. Data storage and data presentation are thereafter alternated, thereby eliminating the problem of setup time seen in prior art.

Methods and devices are disclosed for identifying objects over a surface and for tracking the position of said objects in relation to the sensing surface. The methods include the steps of providing an array of electrodes or coils that generating electromagnetic radiation having a individual characteristic frequencies of oscillation. Objects in proximity to the sensing surface(s) couple electromagnetically to the array of electrodes or coils, which then alters the characteristic frequency of one or more elements in the array. By monitoring the individual frequency shifts among the array elements, one or more objects in proximity to the surface can be sensed and identified. Quantitative identification and enhanced detection of the objects is achieved through the use of electromagnetic markers affixed or embedded in the objects in specified geometric patterns. In addition, a method is presented for scanning the sensing array, through the use of a second layer of electrodes that selectively mask or modulate the sensing field.

A method and a system for supplying power to a microcontroller with a single cell. One embodiment of the present invention discloses incorporation of a power supply pump circuit with the microcontroller and their dynamic interaction. The microcontroller sends its power requirements to the power supply pump circuit and in response, the power supply pump circuit controls the operating voltage with optimal efficiency. The dynamic update of power supply pump circuit results in an efficient use of the power supply pump circuit and thus results in a reduction of the number of dry cell batteries to only a single cell. Incorporation of the microcontroller and power supply pump circuit onto a single chip reduces the pin number requirements as well as the space required on the printed circuit board.

An indirectly heated cathode C1 comprises a heater 1, a double coil 2, a mesh member 3, and a metal oxide 10. An electrical insulating layer 4 is formed on the surface of heater 1. Heater 1 is inserted into and positioned at the inner side of double coil 2. Mesh member 3 is disposed along the length direction of double coil 2 at the outer side of double coil 2. Double coil 2 is grounded by being connected to the ground terminal of heater 1 via a lead rod 7. Metal oxide 10 is held by double coil 2 and disposed to be in contact with mesh member 3. Metal oxide 10 and mesh member 3 are exposed to the outer side of indirectly heated electrode C1 so that the surface of metal oxide 10 and the surface of mesh member 3 make up a discharge surface and mesh member 3 is in contact with the surface part of metal oxide 10.

A bridge for crossing a passage of a navigation channel includes a section in the form of a single span, which may be displaced by vertical translation between a base position spanning the passage, in which the span rests on fixed support sections of the bridge, and a raised position, for opening the passage, and a support structure for the span on displacement of the span, and a drive for lifting the span. The bridge has only one support structure, with the drive, located on one side of the passage to be spanned.

An analog front-end circuit includes an analog processing circuit, an A/D converter, a target register in which a lower limit target value of an input image signal is set, and a calculation circuit. The analog processing circuit includes an offset control circuit which performs offset control based on an offset control value set in an offset control register. The calculation circuit monitors the A/D-converted value in a lower limit value output period when the A/D-converted value corresponding to a lower limit value of an input range is output from the A/D converter, and sets the offset control value that causes the A/D-converted value to become closer to the lower limit target value set in the target register in the offset control register.

An electrode assembly for use in an iontophoresis device for the transcutaneous administration of an active therapeutic species has a base layer of including a linking conductive base material which is consumed (oxidizes or reduces) preferentially to water, a first upper layer of sacrificial material coated on a first portion of the base layer wherein the sacrificial material is consumed preferentially to the linking conductive base material of the base layer. A second upper layer of non-conducting material is coated on a second portion of the base layer, the second upper layer being spaced from the first upper layer, connected by a narrow exposed linking area of the base layer material remaining exposed therebetween. During operation of an associated iontophoresis device, the sacrificial material will be sequentially consumed; the first upper layer will be fully consumed followed by the linking conductive base material of the exposed linking area of the base layer which severs the base layer thereby breaking circuit continuity disabling activity in the device. A visual indicator may be provided allowing a wearer to monitor the state of reaction of the linking area.

an image printing device comprises a transfer roller configured to transfer a printing medium in a transfer direction, a first sensor configured to detect a rotation amount of the transfer roller, a carriage mounted with a printhead. The image printing device further comprises a second sensor mounted to the carriage and configured to detect the printing medium. The image printing device further comprises a reference member disposed at a position opposing to the second sensor and a drive transmission mechanism configured to move the reference member in conjunction with a rotation of the transfer roller. The image printing device determines a position of an origin of the transfer roller based on detection results of the first sensor and the second sensor.

An electrode assembly for use in an iontophoresis device for the transcutaneous administration of an active therapeutic species has a base layer of including a linking conductive base material which is consumed (oxidizes or reduces) preferentially to water, a first upper layer of sacrificial material coated on a first portion of the base layer wherein the sacrificial material is consumed preferentially to the linking conductive base material of the base layer. A second upper layer of non-conducting material is coated on a second portion of the base layer, the second upper layer being spaced from the first upper layer, connected by a narrow exposed linking area of the base layer material remaining exposed therebetween. During operation of an associated iontophoresis device, the sacrificial material will be sequentially consumed; the first upper layer will be fully consumed followed by the linking conductive base material of the exposed linking area of the base layer which severs the base layer thereby breaking circuit continuity disabling activity in the device. A visual indicator may be provided allowing a wearer to monitor the state of reaction of the linking area.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for explicit filtering in ambiguous text entry. The invention provides embodiments including various explicit text entry methodologies, such as 2-key and long pressing. The invention also provides means for matching words in a database using build around methodology, stem locking methodology, word completion methodology, and n-gram searches.