1. A detection apparatus, comprising:
a sensor that is disposed in an exhaust path of an internal combustion engine through which an exhaust gas flows, includes an attachment element to which particulate matter in the exhaust gas is configured to attach, and is configured to detect a correlation value that is correlated with an amount of particulate matter which is attached to the attachment element;
a heater that is configured to heat the attachment element; and
a control unit that is configured to perform a feedback control of a temperature of the attachment element so as to follow a target temperature while a regeneration process is performed to allow the heater to heat the attachment element so as to burn particulate matter which attaches to the attachment element,
the control unit being configured to:
set the target temperature before a start of the regeneration process so that the target temperature becomes lower, as the correlation value, which is detected by the sensor before the start of the regeneration process, becomes larger; and
set a completion timing of the regeneration process before the start of the regeneration process so that a period of the regeneration process becomes longer, as the correlation value, which is detected by the sensor before the start of the regeneration process, becomes larger.
2. The detection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising
a flow rate sensor that is configured to detect a flow rate of the exhaust gas which flows through the exhaust path, wherein
the control unit is configured to set the completion timing of the regeneration process so that the period of the regeneration process becomes longer, as the flow rate of the exhaust gas detected by the flow rate sensor becomes larger.
3. An engine system, comprising:
an internal combustion engine; and
a detection apparatus including:
a sensor that is disposed in an exhaust path of an internal combustion engine through which an exhaust gas flows, which includes an attachment element to which particulate matter in the exhaust gas attaches, and is configured to detect a correlation value that is correlated with an amount of particulate matter which attaches to the attachment element;
a heater that is configured to heat the attachment element; and
a control unit configured to perform a feedback control of a temperature of the attachment element so as to follow a target temperature while a regeneration process is performed to allow the heater to heat the attachment element so as to burn particulate matter which attaches to the attachment element,
the control unit being configured to:
set the target temperature before a start of the regeneration process so that the target temperature becomes lower, as the correlation value, which is detected by the sensor before the start of the regeneration process, becomes larger; and
set a completion timing of the regeneration process before the start of the regeneration process so that a period of the regeneration process becomes longer, as the correlation value, which is detected by the sensor before the start of the regeneration process, becomes larger.
4. A detection method, comprising:
at a sensor that is disposed in an exhaust path of an internal combustion engine through which an exhaust gas flows, and which includes an attachment element to which particulate matter in the exhaust gas attaches,
detecting a correlation value that is correlated with an amount of particulate matter which attaches to the attachment element;
at a heater, heating the attachment element; and
at a control unit:
performing a feedback control of a temperature of the attachment element so as to follow a target temperature while a regeneration process is performed to allow the heater to heat the attachment element so as to burn particulate matter which attaches to the attachment element;
setting the target temperature before a start of the regeneration process so that the target temperature becomes lower, as the correlation value, which is detected by the sensor before the start of the regeneration process, becomes larger; and
setting a completion timing of the regeneration process before the start of the regeneration process so that a period of the regeneration process becomes longer, as the correlation value, which is detected by the sensor before the start of the regeneration process, becomes larger.
5. The engine system according to claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to:
detect a flow rate of the exhaust gas which flows through the exhaust path, and
set the completion timing of the regeneration process so that the period of the regeneration process becomes longer, as the detected flow rate of the exhaust gas becomes larger.
6. The detection method according to claim 4, further comprising:
at the control unit,
detecting a flow rate of the exhaust gas which flows through the exhaust path; and
setting the completion timing of the regeneration process so that the period of the regeneration process becomes longer, as the detected flow rate of the exhaust gas becomes larger.
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. An apparatus adapted for placing a lead at a target site on an epicardial surface of a heart using a minimally-invasive delivery procedure, the epicardial surface of the heart having a generally convex shape and being surrounded by a pericardial sac, an inner surface of the pericardial sac generally conforming to the epicardial surface and defining a generally concave shape, the apparatus comprising:
an elongated body including a longitudinal axis, a proximal end portion and a distal end portion and defining a lead receiving passageway extending between a proximal inlet and a distal lead outlet for receiving a lead therethrough for contact with the epicardial surface of the heart, the elongated body being sufficiently flexible along the longitudinal axis to conform to the epicardial surface and sufficiently stiff to allow movement of the distal end in at least one plane upon application of a force to the proximal end of the lead body, the elongated body having a length sufficient to enable access to the target site using a sub-xyphoid approach,
wherein the distal end portion includes an upper surface and a lower surface opposed to the upper surface and configured to contact and generally conform to the epicardial surface, the distal lead outlet being located on the lower surface, the distal end portion having a cross-section with a width and a thickness, the width being greater than the thickness, the width and thickness tapering distally along the distal end portion such that the distal end portion has a tapered leading end,
wherein the tapered leading end is adapted to facilitate advancement of the distal end portion through a pericardial space located between the convex epicardial surface and the concave pericardial inner surface, and
wherein the distal end portion further defines a guidewire outlet, the guidewire outlet being smaller than the distal lead outlet, the guidewire outlet providing a pathway from the distal lead outlet to a distal end of the elongated body and being adapted to track the distal end portion on a guidewire along a pathway between the epicardial and pericardial surfaces to the target site.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elongated body between the proximal inlet and the distal outlet of the lead receiving passageway has a length in the range of 10 cm to 40 cm.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elongated body defines a plurality of lumens extending between the proximal inlet and the distal outlet.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the distal end portion of the elongated body is thinner than a more proximal portion of the elongated body.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an elongated guide wire having a proximal end and a distal end and being received within the lead receiving passageway to facilitate lead placement.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elongated body further defines a dedicated guide wire lumen extending between a guide wire inlet and the guide wire outlet, and an elongated guide wire having a proximal end and a distal end and being received within the guide wire lumen.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the proximal inlet of the lead receiving passageway is located between the proximal end portion and distal end portion of the elongated body.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the proximal inlet of the lead receiving passageway is located at the proximal end portion of the elongated body.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a handle located at the proximal end portion of the elongated body.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elongated body further defines a fluid delivery lumen having a proximal opening and a distal opening which is located in proximity to the distal lead outlet, the fluid delivery lumen being in fluid communication with a fluid source at the proximal opening so as to introduce a fluid to a pericardial space.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 further including an endoscope carried by the elongated body having a proximal end and a distal end which is located in proximity to the distal lead outlet, the proximal end of the endoscope being connected to an operator-readable output device so as to view the surface of the heart in proximity to the distal end of the endoscope.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 further including an elongated flexible element having a proximal end and a distal end and being disposed in at least a portion of the elongated body which is configured to be inserted between the pericardial inner surface and the epicardial surface, the element being adapted to retain a desired shape corresponding to a surface of the heart.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the elongated flexible element is a wire carried by the elongated body.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elongated body defines a longitudinal axis and at least a portion of the elongated body is curved relative to the longitudinal axis.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein at least a portion of the elongated body is curved in the range of approximately 10 degrees to 80 degrees.
16. The apparatus of claim 1 further including an elongated sleeve disposed circumferentially relative to the elongated body, the sleeve being adapted to control a curvature of the elongated body relative to a longitudinal axis.
17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the guide wire outlet is a channel formed in the lower surface of the distal end portion.
18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the guide wire outlet is oriented in a direction parallel with a longitudinal axis of the elongated body and the lead outlet is generally oriented in a direction perpendicular with the lower surface.
19. An apparatus adapted for placing a lead at a target site on an epicardial surface of a heart using a minimally-invasive delivery procedure, the epicardial surface of the heart having a generally convex shape and being surrounded by a pericardial sac, an inner surface of the pericardial sac generally conforming to the epicardial surface and defining a generally concave shape, the apparatus comprising: an elongated body including a longitudinal axis, a proximal end portion and a distal end portion and defining a passageway which includes at least one inlet adapted to receive an elongated guide wire and a lead, the distal end portion having a cross-section with a width and a thickness, the width being greater than the thickness, the width and thickness tapering distally along the distal end portion such that the distal end portion has a tapered leading end, the tapered leading end being adapted to facilitate advancement of the distal end portion through a pericardial space located between the convex epicardial surface and the concave pericardial inner surface, the passageway having a lead outlet and a guide wire outlet which is distally located on the elongated body in relation to the lead outlet and non-concentric with the lead outlet, the lead outlet being sufficiently sized to allow passage of the lead for contact with the surface of the heart, the guide wire outlet being sufficiently sized and oriented to allow passage of the guide wire forward of the distal end portion of the elongated body, the guide wire outlet being smaller than the lead outlet to avoid extension of the lead beyond of the distal end portion of the elongated body, wherein the distal end portion includes an upper surface and a lower surface opposed to the upper surface and configured to contact and generally conform to the epicardial surface, and the lead and guide wire outlets are located on the lower surface.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the lead outlet distally tapers to the guide wire outlet.
21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the portion of the elongated body at the guide wire outlet is thinner than a more proximal portion of the elongated body.
22. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the elongated body in proximity to at least one of the lead outlet and guide wire outlet has a non-circular shape.
23. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the elongated body is sufficiently flexible along the longitudinal axis to conform to the epicardial surface.
24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the guide wire outlet is a channel formed in the lower surface of the distal end portion.
25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the guide wire outlet is oriented in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of the elongated body and the lead outlet is generally oriented in a direction perpendicular with the lower surface.