1. A stent deployment system comprising:
an elongated catheter shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;
an expandable member mounted to the catheter shaft near the distal end, the expandable member having a plurality of surface features projecting outwardly therefrom; and
a stent slidably positionable over the expandable member, wherein the surface features allow sliding movement of the stent in a first direction relative to the expandable member and inhibit sliding movement of the stent in a second direction relative to the expandable member.
2. The stent deployment system of claim 1, wherein the first direction is distally and the second direction is proximally.
3. The stent deployment system of claim 1, wherein the surface features comprise flexible and resilient projections.
4. The stent deployment system of claim 3, wherein the projections normally point in a distal direction from the expandable member.
5. The stent deployment system of claim 3, wherein the projections are deflectable so the projections point in a proximal direction from the expandable member.
6. The stent deployment system of claim 3, wherein the projections extend from the expandable member at an angle, the angle being variable by manipulating the expandable member.
7. The stent deployment system of claim 6, wherein the angle is variable by inflation of the expandable member.
8. The stent deployment system of claim 6, wherein the angle is variable by tensioning the expandable member.
9. The stent deployment system of claim 1, wherein the surface features comprise flexible and resilient ribs.
10. The stent deployment system of claim 9, wherein the ribs have a curvature so as to be convex on a proximal side thereof, the curvature being selected to allow distal movement of the stent over the rib.
11. The stent deployment system of claim 10, wherein the ribs have a distal side configured to engage the stent to inhibit proximal movement thereof.
12. The stent deployment system of claim 10, wherein the ribs are deflectable to allow proximal movement of the stent over the rib.
13. The stent deployment system of claim 1, wherein the surface features are configured to engage the stent, further comprising means for varying the degree of engagement of the stent by the surface features.
14. The stent deployment system of claim 1, wherein the stent comprises a plurality of separable segments.
15. A stent deployment system comprising:
an elongated catheter shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;
an expandable member mounted to the catheter shaft near the distal end, the expandable member having an outer surface; and
a stent slidably positionable over the outer surface of the expandable member, wherein the outer surface is configured to allow sliding movement of the stent in a first direction relative to the expandable member and inhibit sliding movement of the stent in a second direction relative to the expandable member.
16. The stent deployment system of claim 15, wherein the first direction is distally and the second direction is proximally.
17. The stent deployment system of claim 15, wherein the outer surface comprises a plurality of projections projecting outwardly therefrom.
18. The stent deployment system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of projections point generally in a distal direction to facilitate movement of the stent distally relative thereto and to inhibit movement of the stent proximally relative thereto.
19. The stent deployment system of claim 18, wherein the projections are resiliently deflectable so as to point generally in a proximal direction.
20. The stent deployment system of claim 17, wherein the projections project at an angle from the outer surface, the angle being variable in response to tension in the outer surface.
21. The stent deployment system of claim 20, wherein the angle is variable in response to inflation of the expandable member.
22. The stent deployment system of claim 15, wherein the outer surface comprises a plurality of ribs configured to engage the stent.
23. The stent deployment system of claim 22, wherein the ribs are convex on a proximal side thereof.
24. The stent deployment system of claim 23, wherein the ribs have a distal side configured to inhibit proximal movement of the stent.
25. The stent deployment system of claim 22, wherein the ribs are deflectable to allow movement of the stent proximally relative thereto.
26. The stent deployment system of claim 15, wherein the stent comprises a plurality of separable segments.
27. A stent deployment system comprising:
an elongated catheter shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;
an expandable member mounted to the catheter shaft near the distal end, the expandable member having a plurality of surface features projecting outwardly therefrom; and
a stent comprising a plurality of separable stent segments slidably positionable over the expandable member, wherein the surface features allow sliding movement of the plurality of stent segments in a first direction relative to the expandable member and inhibit sliding movement of the stent in a second direction relative to the expandable member.
28. The stent deployment system of claim 27, wherein the surface features comprise flexible and resilient projections.
29. The stent deployment system of claim 28, wherein the projections normally point in a distal direction from the expandable member.
30. The stent deployment system of claim 28, wherein the projections are deflectable so the projections point in a proximal direction from the expandable member.
31. The stent deployment system of claim 28, wherein the projections extend from the expandable member at an angle, the angle being variable by manipulating the expandable member.
32. The stent deployment system of claim 31, wherein the angle is variable by inflation of the expandable member.
33. The stent deployment system of claim 31, wherein the angle is variable by tensioning the expandable member.
34. The stent deployment system of claim 27, wherein the surface features comprise flexible and resilient ribs.
35. The stent deployment system of claim 34, wherein the ribs have a curvature so as to be convex on a proximal side thereof, the curvature being selected to allow distal movement of the stent over the rib.
36. The stent deployment system of claim 35, wherein the ribs have a distal side configured to engage the stent to inhibit proximal movement thereof.
37. The stent deployment system of claim 35, wherein the ribs are deflectable to allow proximal movement of the stent over the rib.
38. The stent deployment system of claim 27, wherein the surface features are configured to engage the stent, further comprising means for varying the degree of engagement of the stent by the surface means.
39. The stent deployment system of claim 27, wherein stent length is controlled by expanding a first group of the plurality of separable stent segments while retaining a second group of the plurality of separable stent segments with the elongated catheter shaft.
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 herbicidal composition comprising flumioxazin, saflufenacil, and glyphosate or a salt thereof.
2. The herbicidal composition according to claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of flumioxazin to saflufenacil is from 1:0.02 to 1:30.
3. The herbicidal composition according to claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of flumioxazin to glyphosate or a salt thereof is from 1:0.2 to 1:200 in terms of the weight of glyphosate.
4. The herbicidal composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the salt of glyphosate is a potassium salt, a sodium salt, an isopropylamine salt, a trimesium salt, an ammonium salt, a diammonium salt or a guanidine derivative salt.
5. The herbicidal composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the salt of glyphosate is a potassium salt.
6. A method for controlling weeds, which comprises applying an effective amount of flumioxazin, saflufenacil, and glyphosate or a salt thereof to soil or weeds in a place where the weeds grow or will grow.
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the weight ratio of flumioxazin to saflufenacil is from 1:0.02 to 1:30.
8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the weight ratio of flumioxazin to glyphosate or a salt thereof is within a range from 1:0.2 to 1:200 in terms of the weight of glyphosate.
9. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the salt of glyphosate is a potassium salt, a sodium salt, an isopropylamine salt, a trimesium salt, an ammonium salt, a diammonium salt or a guanidine derivative salt.
10. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the salt of glyphosate is a potassium salt.
11. The method according to claim 6, which is a method for controlling weeds in a soybean field and a corn field.
12. The method according to claim 6, which is a method for controlling weeds in a tree land.