A method of bunch length compression method for a free electron laser (FEL) that avoids parasitic compressions by 1) applying acceleration on the falling portion of the RF waveform, 2) compressing using a positive momentum compaction (R56>0), and 3) compensating for aberration by using nonlinear magnets in the compressor beam line.

In a pattern inspection of a semiconductor circuit, to specify a cause of a process defect, not only a distribution on and across wafer of the number of defects but also more detailed, that is, the fact that how many defects occurred where on the semiconductor pattern is needed to be specified in some cases. Accordingly, the present invention aims to provide an apparatus capable of easily specifying a cause of a process defect based upon a positional relationship of a distribution of defect occurrence frequency and a pattern. The apparatus includes: a charged particle beam optical system for detecting secondary charged particles by irradiating the charged particle beam to the sample; an image processing unit for, based upon a plurality of images to be inspected that are obtained by the secondary charged particles, obtaining an occurrence frequency of defect candidates for each of predetermined regions inside the detected image; and a display unit for displaying the distribution of the occurrence frequency of the defect candidates so that a positional relationship to the pattern is recognized.

A chamber used in an extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus that generates extreme ultraviolet light by irradiating a target material with a laser beam may include a chamber receptacle, a heat shield that is disposed within the chamber receptacle between a predetermined region where the target material turns into plasma and the chamber receptacle and that is configured to absorb heat produced at the predetermined region when the target material turns into plasma, and a support portion configured to attach the heat shield to the chamber receptacle, and further, the support portion may include an absorbing portion configured to absorb stress produced in the heat shield deforming due to the heat, by expanding/contracting in response to the thermal deformation of the heat shield.

A method and apparatus for acquiring data from a mass spectrometer and its transmission to a computer system including a data acquisition engine, a network interface and a throughput optimization module which includes a ring buffer and a protocol stack. A compression engine may be provided between the acquisition engine and the ring buffer. The ring buffer is configured as a number of segments containing portions of memory matching the size of data words from the acquisition engine. When a segment is full of data corresponding to the words, or is partially full and has received data containing an end of scan marker, the number of words in the segment is written into a header word in the segment and the data in that segment are moved to the protocol stack. Subsequent data is received by the next segment in the buffer.

A detection apparatus configured to detect soft X-ray radiation, includes a conversion unit and a circuit unit disposed on a semiconductor substrate. The conversion unit has a plurality of conversion elements that convert the soft X-ray radiation incident on the semiconductor substrate into electric charge. The circuit unit has an amplifier transistor that amplifies and outputs a signal supplied from the conversion unit. A shielding unit is disposed above the circuit unit. The shielding unit blocks the soft X-ray radiation incident on the circuit unit. Preferably, the soft X-ray shielding coefficient of a material that forms the shielding unit is higher than the soft X-ray shielding coefficient of each of aluminum and copper. Alternatively, a material that forms the shielding unit has an atomic number higher than or equal to 70.

Provided is an A/D converter including an input terminal, a reference signal line for supplying a reference signal which changes temporally, a comparator, a correction capacitor connected to an inverting input terminal of the comparator; and an output circuit which outputs digital data corresponding to an analog signal input to the input terminal. In a first state in which a total voltage of a first analog signal and an offset voltage of the comparator is held in the correction capacitor, a second analog signal input to the input terminal is supplied to a non-inverting input terminal of the comparator, and the second analog signal or the total voltage is changed using the reference signal, thereby outputting, from the output circuit, digital data.

Laser light is emitted to a sheet member wound on a forming drum in a range which includes the entire width of the sheet member and distance data on a distance to a reflecting surface is obtained, using a two-dimensional laser sensor which has a detection range along a drum circumferential direction, while moving either the two-dimensional laser sensor or the forming drum in a drum width direction. Further, the positions of width-directional opposite end sections of the sheet member are calculated on the basis of the obtained distance data.

Apparatus for separating ash particles from a flue gas. The apparatus includes a screen that has a plurality of semi-elliptical cylinder surfaces. The semi-elliptical cylinder surfaces having holes through which said flue gas flows and through which the ash particles will not pass. The screen has a single layer for performing the separation in a manner such that the ash particles fall away from the screen and collect outside of the screen. A method of reducing velocity of a flue gas passing through screening apparatus for separating flue gas from ash particles. The method includes replacing a first screen of the screening apparatus with a second screen that has a plurality of semi-elliptical cylinder surfaces.

The inventive technology includes methods and apparatus for the generation and application of segregated catalytic additives for the pre-combustion treatment of carbonaceous fuel and/or feedstocks. The application of such segregated additives results in the reduction of environmentally harmful emissions during combustion as well as gasification processes. Specifically, pre-combustion treatment of carbonaceous materials with the inventive additives results in the reduction of NOx and/or mercury emissions by least 20% and 40% respectively.

An apparatus for processing fly ash comprising a heated refractory-lined vessel having a series of spaced angled rows of swirl-inducing nozzles which cause cyclonic and/or turbulent air flow of the fly ash when introduced in the vessel, thus increasing the residence time of airborne particles. Also disclosed is a method of fly ash beneficiation using the apparatus.

Melters for glass forming apparatuses and glass forming apparatuses comprising the same are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a melter for melting glass batch materials includes a base portion and a rigid exoskeleton rigidly attached to the base portion and comprising a plurality of upright members interconnected with a plurality of cross members defining an exoskeleton interior volume. Connection nodes formed at intersections of the plurality of cross members with upper ends of the plurality of upright members are constrained from movement relative to the base portion in a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction, and a vertical direction. A tank assembly is positioned on the base portion in the exoskeleton interior volume and coupled to the rigid exoskeleton. In some embodiments, the melter has a dynamic resistance greater than 0.3.

An apparatus for synergistically combining a plasma with a comminution means such as a fluid kinetic energy mill (jet mill), preferably in a single reactor and/or in a single process step is provided by the present invention. Within the apparatus of the invention potential energy is converted into kinetic energy and subsequently into angular momentum by means of wave energy, for comminuting, reacting and separation of feed materials. Apparatuss of use of the apparatus in the practice of various processes are also provided by the present invention.

A leading end located in a two-stage entrained-flow bed coal gasifier has a double-walled structure including an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder, and cooling water for cooling the leading end is supplied through an interior of the inner cylinder to cool the leading end and is then returned to a base end through a space formed between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder. The space formed between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder has a smaller channel area than the interior of the inner cylinder, and a swirling flow along a guide formed on an outer circumferential surface of the inner cylinder and a substantially linear flow in a longitudinal direction of the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder are applied to the cooling water returned to the base end through the space formed between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder.

A combustion device in the form of an elevated fixed-grate that includes arcuately shaped solid refractory brick with ribs placed thereunder so as to allow horizontal air flow for fuel combustion. The brick are arranged atop one another in a stacked concentric configuration that forms a central fuel passageway and allows cascading of a fuel pile throughout the combustion stages. The device provides the benefit of proper de-ashing online while distributing the underfire air radially around the fuel pile. The elevated design of the bricks allows the air to be evenly distributed throughout the fuel pile and further allows the isolation of overfire and underfire air. Segregating overfire and underfire air in an evenly distributed manner allows the burner to combust a wide range of fuel moisture contents without modifying the mechanical components of the burner.

A gasification reactor for processing organic waste in batches comprises a primary gasification reactor (62) that includes a primary gasification chamber (18) and a surrounding combustion chamber (19), a secondary gasification chamber (21), a synthesis gas decontamination unit (42) and a combustible gas selector (41). The waste is loaded into the primary gasification chamber through a latched opening and heated from the combustion of a fuel in the combustion chamber (19) to convert the waste to a synthesis gas. The gasification chamber (18) has an intake (20) for introducing pre-heated process air (1) therein. The combustion chamber operates either with a conventional fuel (9) or with the produced synthesis gas (6). The secondary gasification chamber (21) thermally treats the synthesis gas (2) to eliminate tars. The decontamination unit (42) scrubs the synthesis gas of contaminants including particulates and acid gases. The clean synthesis gas (6) is directed to the combustible gas selector (41) which selectively feeds either the combustible fluid (9) or the synthesis gas (6) to the burner (40).

An improved method and apparatus for thermal-to-electric conversion involving relatively hot and cold juxtaposed surfaces separated by a small vacuum gap wherein the cold surface provides an array of single charge carrier converter elements along the surface and the hot surface transfers excitation energy to the opposing cold surface across the gap through Coulomb electrostatic coupling interaction.

A separate connection device (40) intended to be inserted between a metal frame (3), of an electrical component (1), and a metal supporting structure (20) in order to connect, electrically and separately, the frame to the supporting structure. The connection device (40) comprises a metal blade manufactured from spring steel which comprises two self-connecting end areas (45, 46) arranged in separate planes and comprising a set of sharp teeth (47) arranged in order to be embedded within the metal material and formed on a folded section of the metal blade so that the sets of teeth (37, 47) extend in opposite directions and in planes intended to intersect the planes of the frame (3) and of the supporting structure (20) when the connection device is mounted.

A light guide apparatus includes a light guide layer having a top surface and a bottom surface, and a transversely oriented side-end surface that forms an output aperture of the light guide, characterized by an index of refraction, n1, and further characterized by a length dimension in an intended light propagation direction towards the output aperture, where the intended light propagation direction is a z-axis direction of a Cartesian coordinate system; and a plurality of light injection elements disposed in the form of at least one linear strip in at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of the light guide layer, wherein some of the plurality of light injection elements are disposed on one lateral side of the strip and some other of the plurality of light injection elements are disposed on an opposing lateral side of the strip at a rotation angle Δz about the y-axis.

Methods of forming a photovoltaic structures including nanoparticles are disclosed. The method includes electrospray deposition of nanoparticles. The nanoparticles can include TiO2 nanoparticles and quantum dots. In an example, the nanoparticles are formed on a flexible substrate. In various examples, the flexible substrate is light transparent. Photovoltaic structures and apparatus for forming photovoltaic structures are disclosed.

An automatic circle forming apparatus adapted for automatically forming OPP (O-phenylphenol) plastic circles includes a lower equipment cabinet, a first base plate, a transmitting module, an automatic separating module, an automatic tearing film module, a sucking waste mechanism, a displacement module, an automatic forming module and an upper equipment cabinet. The upper equipment cabinet is positioned on the first base plate for installing the transmitting module, the automatic separating module, the automatic tearing film module, the sucking waste mechanism, the displacement module and the automatic forming module therein. The upper equipment cabinet is equipped with a man-machine control interface which connects with and controls the transmitting module, the automatic separating module, the automatic tearing film module, the sucking waste mechanism, the displacement module and the automatic forming module for automatically forming the OPP plastic circles so as to improve operation efficiency and save a human cost.

A continuous multi-layer film includes a support layer having a first film surface, and a hard coat layer, formed on the support layer, having a second film surface, and having a curling tendency in an inward direction. In the decurling method, the multi-layer film is transported. A first transition of the support layer in the multi-layer film being transported into a rubber phase is induced by supplying fluid vapor on the support layer. After supplying the fluid vapor, a second transition of the support layer from the rubber phase into a glass phase is induced. The multi-layer film is transported while a portion of the support layer in the rubber phase is prevented from contacting a solid object. The hard coat layer is formed from a polymer produced from an ultraviolet curable compound, and the support layer is formed from cellulose acylate.

An image recording apparatus includes: a heating section which is located further on the downstream side of a transport pathway than an image recording area, but further on the upstream side of the transport pathway than a transport roller which is rotated by a motor; and a control section which lowers the suction power of a suction section to a medium from a first suction power to a second suction power lower than the first suction power during a recording operation and makes a first torque which is generated at the motor in a period which is during the recording operation and in which the suction power of the suction section is a suction power lower than the first suction power, be lower than a second torque which is generated at the motor during a transport operation.

An apparatus of correcting belt-meandering for a secondary battery is disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes i) upper and lower rollers configured to receive a base material therebetween, wherein the base material comprises positive and negative electrode materials and an insulating material interposed between the electrode materials and ii) a driver portion configured to rotate the upper and lower rollers such that the base material is transferred in a first direction during the rotation. The apparatus may also include i) a support portion configured to support shafts of the driver portion and the upper and lower rollers and ii) a transverse moving mechanism configured to move the support portion in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

In a case where components such as side flaps and crotch portions are arranged on multiple webs which are being conveyed while being arranged side by side in the width direction of the webs, articles in various sizes can be handled easily by a web conveying step of conveying a front waistline web 11A and a back waistline web 11B the webs being arranged side by side in a width direction of the webs, a flap attaching step of attaching side flaps 30 onto the web 11 of the front waistline web 11A or the back waistline web, a web gap changing step of changing a gap between the front waistline web 11A and the back waistline web 11B by a web gap changing mechanism 500 and a crotch member attaching step of attaching a crotch member 20 between the front waistline web 11A and the back waistline web 11B, wherein the web gap changing step is performed between the flap attaching step and the crotch member attaching step.

A feeding apparatus feeds a metal strip with cutaway portions in a conveying direction and includes: a reference plate on which the metal strip is placed and in which a slit is formed; moving bodies that are provided below the reference plate and are moved by driving means parallel to the reference plate in the conveying direction; feed pins that advance into the cutaway portions, are provided on the moving bodies so as to move up and down with respect to the reference plate, and pull the metal strip in the conveying direction when the moving bodies move; and at least one guide portion that contacts a side surface on an opposite side of the metal strip to the cutaway portions and guides conveyance of the metal strip.

A web conveying apparatus that conveys a web, includes: a transverse position displacement detection unit that detects a transverse position displacement of the web; a transverse position correction unit that corrects a transverse position of the web by a guide roller; width detection units that detect a width size in a left-right direction of the web; and a control unit that controls the transverse position correction unit in accordance with the transverse position displacement detected by the transverse position displacement detection unit and performs feedback control to position the web in a target position. The control unit changes a correction amount in the feedback control in accordance with the width size of the web detected by the width detection units.

In a multiple endless belt type band sheet coiling tension applying apparatus in which a coiling tension is applied to slit band sheets a by a frictional force generated by slippage between belt pressing surfaces 4a, 5a and internal belt surfaces 1a of endless belts 1, a friction plate 8 made of a thin metallic sheet having heat conductivity equal to or better than that of the belt pressing units 4a, 5a is detachably installed on a front surface of each of the belt pressing units 4a, 5a.

A recording apparatus includes a recording section configured to jet a liquid, and a transport mechanism configured to transport a recording medium on which an image is recorded by the liquid jetted from the recording section. The transport mechanism includes a guide surface extending linearly and configured to guide one of two lateral ends of the recording medium transported, a driving roller configured to contact with one surface of the recording medium on a side with no image recorded and to transport the recording medium; and a driven spur having at least one spur configured to contact with the other surface of the recording medium on the side with the image recorded so as to nip the recording medium in cooperation with the driving roller, and to rotate along with the transport of the recording medium by the rotation of the driving roller.

There is provided a recording apparatus including a recording section and a transport mechanism, which has a guide surface, a driving roller, and a driven spur. A length X (mm) of a front end surface of the driven spur and an angle Y of the driven spur are configured to be within a first area surrounded by a mathematical expression 1 which is X>0, a mathematical expression 2 which is Y>0, a mathematical expression 3 which is Y=40.1X+1.6, a mathematical expression 4 which is Y=−9.0X+5.6, a mathematical expression 5 which is Y=−12.1X+6.0, and a mathematical expression 6 which is Y=−14.7X+7.1.

Provided is a web guiding apparatus capable of ensuring a smooth operation and durability against a force applied from a web even if the apparatus is used in an environment with airborne paper powder, dust and the like. The web guiding apparatus includes a rocking frame 4 rocking around an axis perpendicular to a reference surface 2s of the base 2, and a support portion 40 supporting movement of the rocking frame 4 with respect to the base 2. The support portion 40 includes a base member 41 provided on the base 2 and having a rolling surface parallel to the reference surface 2s of the base 2, and a roller 46 provided on the rocking frame 4 so as to roll on the rolling surface of the base member 41. The rolling surface of the base member 41 is formed so that an axial direction thereof intersects an arc with a rocking shaft 3 of the rocking frame 4 as a center. A width of the roller 46 is wider than a width of the rolling surface of the base member 41. The roller 46 is provided so as to move along the arc with the rocking shaft 3 of the rocking frame 4 as the center when the rocking frame 4 rocks.

A film transport apparatus includes: an edge sensor that detects a lateral position deviation of a film; a lateral position correction device that corrects a lateral position of the film with a guide roll; a tension sensor that detects tensions applied respectively near left and right ends of the film; and a control unit that executes feedback control such that the lateral position correction device is controlled on the basis of the lateral position deviation detected by the edge sensor so that the film is located at a target position. The control unit changes the feedback control based on a left and right tension difference, which is a difference between the tension applied near the left end of the film and the tension applied near the right end of the film, the tensions being detected by the tension sensor.

A printing apparatus includes: a motor which drives a shaft of a roll body around which a medium is wound, in the feeding direction of the medium; a transport roller which transports the medium fed from the roll body; and a control section which supplies electric power for rotating the roll body to the motor, wherein the electric power that the control section supplies to the motor at the time of the start of the feeding of the medium is larger when the diameter of the medium that is wound around the roll body is R2 (

An accumulating apparatus (4) has an upper arm (51) in which a plurality of upper rollers (511) are arranged, and a lower arm (52) in which a plurality of lower rollers (521) are arranged. An upper gear (61) is fixed to the upper arm and a lower gear (62) is fixed to the lower arm. The upper gear is engaged with the lower gear so that the upper arm and the lower arm are simultaneously moved in opposite directions with respect to a vertical direction. Therefore, when moving the lower arm in the vertical direction, influence of the weight of the lower arm is canceled by the weight of the upper arm, and a force to move the lower arm upward can be reduced. As the result, an air cylinder (63) for changing a distance between the upper arm and the lower arm can be downsized.

A sheet conveyance apparatus includes a conveyance roller pair that has a roller with a uniform diameter in a sheet width direction and that is configured to pinch and convey a sheet, and a guide unit that is provided on an upstream side of the conveyance roller pair and that is configured to regulate a position of an edge of the sheet, wherein the conveyance roller pair conveys the sheet in a state in which the sheet is bended by the guide unit so that on a roller side with a uniform diameter in a sheet width direction, the sheet convexly bends.

An amplifier receives an amplitude signal of a polar modulated signal at a base terminal of a transistor and receives a phase modulated carrier signal of the polar modulated signal at the base terminal of the transistor. The amplifier combines the amplitude signal and the phase modulated signal to produce a full complex waveform at a collector terminal of the transistor.

Parallel/serial conversion is performed on an N (where N is a natural number)-bit first parallel data signal with a first converted clock acquired by multiplying a reference clock by N, and parallel/serial conversion is performed on an (N×K)-bit (where K is a natural number) second parallel data signal with a second converted clock acquired by multiplying the reference clock by N×K.

Techniques and mechanisms for configuring logic to implement a signal modulation. In an embodiment, the logic includes a finite impulse response (FIR) module comprising circuitry. The selection circuitry may be operable to concurrently receive signals from latch circuitry of the FIR module and, based on the signals, to select an input group of the selection circuitry and to output a voltage identifier. In another embodiment, configuration logic is operable to set an operational mode which determines a total number of concurrent input signals, received by the FIR module, which the FIR module will use to select an input group for generating an output representing a voltage level.

A rail-to-rail comparator including a first comparison unit connected to a first terminal and configured to compare differential input signals to differential reference voltages; a second comparison unit connected to a second terminal and configured to compare the differential input signals to the differential reference voltages; and an output unit configured to be driven in response to a clock signal and to generate a complementary output signal according to comparison results of the first and second comparison units.

Methods and apparatus for translating duty cycle information in duty-cycle-modulated signals to higher frequencies or higher data rates. An exemplary duty cycle translator includes a duty cycle evaluator, a high-speed digital counter, and a comparator. The duty cycle evaluator generates a first digital number representing a duty cycle of a low-frequency input duty-cycle-modulated (DCM) signal. The comparator compares the first digital number to a second digital number generated by the high-speed digital counter, and generates, based on the comparison, an output DCM signal having a higher frequency or data rate than the frequency or data rate of the low-frequency input DCM signal but a duty cycle that is substantially the same as the duty cycle of the low-frequency input DCM signal.

The present invention relates to a switched-mode power supply apparatus and a corresponding method. For an effective compensation of non-linearities caused by dead-time and voltage drops in the switching power amplifier of the apparatus, an apparatus is proposed comprising a switching power amplifier (14) for amplifying a signal supplied by an external signal source (11) and for supplying a load voltage and/or load current to a load (15), and a control unit (12; 12b) for controlling the switching of said switching power amplifier based on a timing setting, said control unit being adapted for simulating the behavior of the switching power amplifier by predicting the average load voltage and/or load current for at least two, in particular a plurality of, timing settings for a desired load voltage and/or load current based on state information about the present state of the switching power amplifier.

Provided is a method for transmitting data in a communication or broadcasting system using a linear block code by generating a codeword by encoding input information data bits, interleaving the codeword; outputting modulation signal-constituting bits by bit-mapping the interleaved codeword using a bit-mapping table predetermined depending on a modulation scheme and a coding rate, outputting a modulation signal by modulating the modulation signal-constituting bits and transmitting the modulation signal via a transmit antenna.

An apparatus for coding a signal by means of amplitude shift keying comprises a class E amplifier including a switching transistor, to whose gate is supplied a voltage having an operating frequency for operating the class E amplifier. For achieving an amplitude shift keying in the output signal of the class E amplifier, a circuit for switching the operating frequency of the voltage supplied to the gate of the switching transistor, or the resonance frequency of the class E amplifier, between a first value and a second value is provided and in order to switch a deviation degree between the operating frequency and the resonance frequency between a first value and a second value.

A modulation apparatus for a class D switching amplifier is capable of reducing power consumption of an Electro-Migration Interface (EMI) of an output end and a gate driver end in a zero input signal. The modulation apparatus for a class D switching amplifier includes a control unit for detecting and outputting a control signal which is a common signal component of a first modulation signal modulated by using a first input signal and a second modulation signal modulated by using a second input signal; and is characterized by feedback of a first output signal, a second output signal and a common output signal outputted by using the first modulation signal, the second modulation signal and the control signal through an input of the modulation apparatus.

A circuit breaker is provided which can be filled with a quenching gas and which has two contact arrangements, which can be moved relative to one another and along a longitudinal axis of the circuit breaker. The contact arrangements form a arcing contact system and a rated current contact system connected electrically in parallel with it. One of the contact arrangements includes inner rated current contacts and outer rated current contacts of the rated current contact system, where the inner rated current contacts overhang the outer rated current contacts in the direction of the longitudinal axis, and the outer rated current contacts coaxially surround the inner rated current contacts. The circuit breaker has a high current carrying capability as well as a reliable switching-on and -off behavior, such as during and after the occurrence of a short-circuit current in the circuit breaker.

To provide an electric current switching apparatus having a fixed-side electrode unit and a movable-side electrode unit that are arranged to align central axes thereof with each other and to face each other, in which a movable contact provided in the movable-side electrode unit reciprocates on the central axis to contact or separate from a fixed-side contact provided in the fixed-side electrode unit, thereby switching electric current flowing through these electrode units, the electric current switching apparatus including a plurality of permanent magnets that are provided in at least one of the fixed-side electrode unit and the movable-side electrode unit, that have bodies arranged on the central axis to align magnetizing directions thereof with the central axis, and that are arranged to cause same poles of adjacent ones of the permanent magnets to face each other as if butting with each other.

A switching apparatus includes: a vacuum valve which houses a fixed side electrode fixed to a fixed current-carrying shaft and a movable side electrode fixed to a movable current-carrying shaft coaxially arranged with the fixed current-carrying shaft in face-to-face relation to the fixed side electrode; and a buffering mechanism which is coaxially disposed with the fixed current-carrying shaft on the fixed side of the vacuum valve and reduces a collision load at the time when the movable side electrode is close contact with the fixed side electrode.

An arc extinguishing apparatus for a ring main unit includes: a housing; a plurality of fixed contactor assemblies fixed to be protruded toward the center in the housing and formed by inserting a permanent magnet for arc extinguishing by a magnetic force between a pair of main circuit fixed contacts; a plurality of earthing fixed contactors fixed to be protruded toward the center in the housing and installed to be spaced apart from the fixed contactor assemblies at a predetermined angle; a 3-phases common rotational shaft installed to be rotatable at the center of the housing; and a rotatable movable contactor assembly having a plurality of puffer guide plate sections having openings with a narrow opening width to accelerate the velocity of flow of insulating gas to extinguish arc by blowing it, and rotatable to a circuit closing position, an earthing position, and a circuit opening position.

An apparatus is provided for dispensing a roll of sheet material in severable portions therefrom. The apparatus comprises a housing having a rim portion longitudinally offset from a base portion by a sidewall portion extending therebetween. The base and sidewall portions define a compartment for holding the roll of sheet material, and the sidewall portion includes a longitudinally extended dispensing slot formed therethrough communicating with the compartment. The sidewall portion forms about the dispensing slot at least one tapered edge. A lid is detachably coupled to the rim portion of the housing to enclose the compartment, and includes a bottom surface portion. A pivot structure is formed on at least one of the base and bottom surface portions to pivotally engage an axial end of the roll of sheet material for angular displacement thereon.

The present invention provides an assembly for the preparation of a medical device having a porous coating comprising hydrogen peroxide. Particularly interesting medical devices are catheters (such as urinary catheters), endoscopes, laryngoscopes, tubes for feeding, tubes for drainage, guide wires, condoms, urisheaths, barrier coatings e.g. for gloves, stents and other implants, extra corporeal blood conduits, membranes e.g. for dialysis, blood filters, devices for circulatory assistance, dressings for wound care, and ostomy bags. The coating is in particular a hydrophilic coating formed from cross-linked polyvinylpyrrolidone. In one embodiment, the assembly holds a dry catheter element in one compartment of a package and an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution in another compartment. The solution may also comprise stabilizers, e.g. chelators, and osmolality increasing agents. The catheter for insertion in the urethra is useful for the treatment, alleviation or prophylaxis of microbial infections such as urinary tract infections (UTI).

An apparatus (10) for transporting items includes a base (12), a handle element (16) extending from the base (12), a pair of rollers or wheels (20) mounted to the base (12) and a platform (14) mounted to the base (12) and adapted for movement between a stored condition and an operative position. The platform (14) includes first and second leg elements (24) and a platform support (26) connected to the first and second leg elements (24) and extending therebetween. The platform (14) is dimensioned and adapted to carry an object when in the operative position. The platform support (26) may comprise a flexible material such as a fabric material.