1. A method for exchanging the DC bias network integrated in a programmable electro-mechanical impedance slide screw tuner;
said DC network comprising a DC branch and an RF branch;
and said tuner comprising a test (input) port and an idle (output) port and a slotted airlineslabline between said ports and one or more mobile carriages traveling along the axis of said slabline, each said carriage carrying one or more RF probes insertable vertically into the slot of said slabline;
said DC network being inserted between the test port and the idle port of the tuner and mounted on the center conductor of said slabline;
and whereby said DC branch has two ends, one end being connected to the center conductor of the slabline and the other end to an external power supply;
and whereby said RF branch has two ends and is inserted in series with the center conductor of the slabline;
and whereby said DC branch is inserted between the tuner test port and the RF branch;
and whereby said DC network is exchangeable by disconnecting the DC branch from the center conductor.
2. A tuner as in claim 1 whereby each said metallic RF probeslug is attached to a precise vertical axis, which allows said slug to be inserted into said slabline and create controllable capacitive coupling with the center conductor of said slabline; both said tuner carriages and slugs being controlled remotely by associated gear and electronic control and firmware.
3. A tuner as in claim 1 whereby each said DC bias network separates the RF signal from the DC power and is mounted on the center conductor of said slabline;
and whereby said network can be exchanged by interrupting the connection of the DC branch with the center conductor.
4. DC bias networks for a tuner as in claim 1, comprising an inductive assembly (DC branch) and a DC blocking capacitor assembly (RF branch);
whereby said DC branch comprises at least one inductorcoil and at least one grounded shunt capacitor; said inductor and capacitor being dimensioned to filter out RF signal of a specific frequency range and allowing DC current to flow though;
and whereby said RF branch comprises at least one capacitor dimensioned to block DC current but allow RF signal of a specific frequency range to flow through.
5. A mechanism for dis-connecting and replacing the DC branch of said DC bias network in claim 4 to the center conductor of the slabline of said tuner ensuring low disturbance of the electric field inside the slabline, by attaching the lead of the inductorscoils to the top of the center conductor.
6. A DC bias network as in claim 4 in which said DC branch is made of a conductive cylinder in which the said coil is inserted axially without electrically contacting the cylinder;
whereby the first end of said coil is attached to the center conductor of the slabline;
and whereby the second end of said coil is attached to a grounded feed-through capacitor;
and whereby said second end of said coil is connected to an external DC power supply;
and whereby said conductive cylinder makes perfect galvanic contact with the grounded lateral walls of said slabline.
7. A DC bias network as in claim 4 in which said DC branch is made of a conductive cylinder in which two coils, coil 1 and 2, are inserted axially in series without making electrical contact with the cylinder walls, each coil having two ends, 1 and 2;
and two grounded feed-through capacitors 1 and 2;
whereby end 1 of coil 1 is attached to the center conductor of the slabline;
and whereby end 2 of coil 1 is connected to feed-through capacitor 1;
and whereby end 2 of coil 1 is also connected to end 1 of coil 2;
and whereby end 2 of coil 2 is connected to feed-through capacitor 2;
and whereby said second end of said coil 2 is also connected to an external DC power supply;
and whereby said conductive cylinder makes perfect galvanic contact with the grounded lateral walls of said slabline.
8. A DC branch as in claim 7, whereby
coil 1 is selected for having a high resistance and resonance at high frequencies in the range of the operating frequency;
and coil 2 is selected for having high resistance and resonance at low frequencies, below the range of the operating frequency;
and feed-through capacitor 1 is selected for having low resistance at high frequencies in the range of the operating frequency;
and feed-through capacitor 2 is selected for having low resistance at low frequencies, below the range of the operating frequency.
9. DC bias networks for a tuner as in claim 1 comprising a DC blocking capacitor in line with the center conductor of the slabline, in order to stop DC current from flowing through the idle tuner port towards the load or source impedances connected to said tuner.
10. A DC bias network as in claim 9 in which said DC blocking capacitor is placed between the tuner test port and the tuner carriage closest to the test port.
11. A DC bias network as in claim 9 in which said DC blocking capacitor is placed between the first tuner carriage, closest to the test port, and the second tuner carriage of a multi-carriage tuner.
12. A DC bias network as in claim 9 in which said DC blocking capacitor is placed between the idle tuner port and the last tuner carriage, closest to the idle tuner port.
13. A DC bias arrangement as in claim 9 in which said DC blocking capacitor assembly (DC block) is connected externally to the tuner slabline at said tuner’s idle port.
14. An RF branch as in claim 9 in which said DC blocking capacitor is inserted by cutting the center conductor in two horizontal sections and attaching a chip capacitor in series between the two sections of said conductor.
15. A DC branch as in claim 9 in which said DC blocking capacitor is made by cutting the center conductor in two horizontal sections and drilling a centered hole in one section and machining a cylindrical protrusion in the opposite section of slightly smaller diameter as the corresponding hole in the other section;
and insulating the surface of said protrusion andor inner surface of said hole by depositing a thin dielectric coat, or anodizing, and inserting said protrusion into said hole of the center conductor.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A drug delivery connector comprising:
a housing including an open distal end, an open proximal end and a chamber in fluid communication with the open distal end and the open proximal end, the housing including a distal connection portion and a proximal connection portion for attaching the housing to a container; and
a ball valve disposed within the chamber and forming a releasable seal with the open distal end to prevent fluid flow from the open proximal end to the open distal end, the ball valve movable in a proximal direction to release the releasable seal to permit fluid flow from the open proximal end to the open distal end.
2. The drug delivery connector of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a proximal wall disposed adjacent to the open proximal end, the proximal wall including at least one aperture allowing constant fluid communication between the open proximal end and the chamber.
3. The drug delivery connector of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a distal wall disposed adjacent to the open distal end, the distal wall including a bore having a perimeter, the perimeter configured to contact the ball valve to form a releasable seal between the ball valve and the distal wall.
4. The drug delivery connector of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a structure for forming one or more fluid flow paths around the ball valve selected from one or more of a longitudinal protrusion, a rib, an expanding sidewall and combinations thereof.
5. The drug delivery connector of claim 1, wherein the distal connection portion comprises one of a luer lock fitting or a luer slip fitting.
6. The drug delivery connector of claim 1, wherein the proximal connection portion comprises one of a lure lock fitting or a luer slip fitting.
7. The drug delivery connector of claim 1, wherein the ball valve is moveable in a distal direction to form the releasable seal with the open distal end upon application of a force in the distal direction on the ball valve.
8. The drug delivery connector of claim 7, wherein attachment of a container comprising a fluid to the proximal connection portion causes the fluid to apply the force to the ball valve in the distal direction to move the ball valve in the distal direction to form a releasable seal with the open distal end.
9. The drug delivery connector of claim 8 further comprising an actuator for attachment to the open distal end of the housing, the actuator comprising an open distal end and a projection extending in the proximal direction and including at least one aperture in fluid communication with the open distal end of the actuator and the open distal end of the housing.
10. The drug-delivery connector of claim 9, wherein upon attachment of the actuator to the open distal end of the housing, the projection applies a force on the ball valve in the proximal direction to move the ball valve in the proximal direction.
11. The drug delivery connector of claim 1, wherein the chamber of the housing comprises a retaining ring that inhibits movement of the ball valve in the proximal direction.
12. The drug delivery connector of claim 11, wherein the ball valve is movable in the proximal direction upon application of a pre-determined force on the ball valve in the proximal direction.
13. The drug delivery connector of claim 12 further comprising an actuator for attachment to the open distal end of the housing, the actuator comprising an open distal end and an projection extending proximally and including at least one opening in fluid communication with the aperture at the distal end of the actuator and the open distal end of the housing, wherein attachment of the actuator to the open distal end of the housing causes the projection to apply the minimum force on the ball valve in the proximal direction.
14. A drug delivery connector comprising:
a housing including an open distal end, an open proximal end and a chamber in fluid communication with the open distal end and the open proximal end;
means for attaching the housing to a delivery site comprising an actuator;
means for attaching the housing to a container; and
means for permitting and blocking fluid communication between the container and the delivery site from the open proximal end to the open distal end.
15. The drug delivery connector of claim 14, wherein the means for permitting and blocking fluid communication comprises a ball valve.
16. The drug delivery connector of claim 14, wherein the means for permitting and blocking fluid communication comprises a spring-loaded ball valve.
17. A method of delivering liquid medication to a catheter connector comprising:
attaching an actuator to the catheter connector;
providing a drug delivery connector comprising a housing with an open proximal end and an open distal end and a chamber in fluid communication with the open proximal end and open distal end, the housing including a valve disposed in the chamber for forming a releasable seal with the open distal end;
attaching a tip of a syringe barrel to the open proximal end of a drug delivery connector;
filling the syringe barrel with a pre-determined amount of liquid medication;
filling the chamber of the drug delivery connector with the liquid medication to form a seal between the valve and the open distal end; and
releasing the seal between the valve and the open distal end by attaching the open distal end to the actuator.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the actuator comprises a projection having a length that extends into the chamber and an open path in fluid communication with the catheter connector.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein releasing the seal comprises causing the projection of the actuator to apply a force in a proximal direction to the valve.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein releasing the seal permits the liquid medication to flow from the chamber to the open path.