Author: claimsbot

1. A method for retaining an intra-discal material within an annulus fibrosis having a posterior annulus, an inside surface, and an opening, the opening having a lateral and a vertical dimension, comprising the steps of:
inserting a retention device through the opening in the annulus fibrosis, the retention device having length, width, and depth dimensions, the length dimension being longer than the lateral dimension of the opening in the annulus fibrosis, the width dimension being longer than the vertical dimension of the opening in the annulus fibrosis, the retention device comprising a shape memory alloy; and
positioning the retention device against the posterior annulus to rest against annulus fibrosis tissues adjacent the opening on the inside surface of the annulus fibrosis,
wherein a portion of the length dimension rests against annulus fibrosis tissues adjacent the opening and a portion of the width dimension rests against annulus fibrosis tissues adjacent the opening, and
wherein the retention device prevents the escape of intra-discal material through the opening.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the intra-discal material is an artificial disc.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the opening in the annulus fibrosis is surgically formed.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the retention device is a malleable band.

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 gaming system server comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
(a) during a first period of time:
(i) receive data associated with an input at a first gaming device to initiate a play of a game,
(ii) determine a partial game outcome for the initiated play of the game, said determined partial game outcome not being associated with any monetary award during the first period of time, and
(iii) cause the first gaming device to display the determined partial game outcome; and

(b) during a second, subsequent period of time:
(i) receive data associated with an input at a second, different gaming device to request a completion of the determined partial game outcome for the initiated play of the game,
(ii) determine a complete game outcome for the initiated play of the game, said determined complete game outcome based, at least in part, on the determined partial game outcome for the initiated play of the game,
(iii) cause the second gaming device to display the determined complete game outcome,
(iv) determine any monetary awards associated with the determined complete game outcome, wherein:
(A) a credit balance is increasable based on any determined monetary awards associated with the determined complete game outcome,
(B) said credit balance is increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and
(C) said credit balance is decreasable via a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance, and

(v) cause the second gaming device to display any determined monetary awards associated with the determined complete game outcome.
2. The gaming system server of claim 1, wherein the first gaming device is configured to communicate with the at least one processor through an internet.
3. The gaming system server of claim 1, wherein the first gaming device includes a cellular phone.
4. The gaming system server of claim 1, wherein the generation of the partial game outcome occurs in association with an online casino.
5. The gaming system server of claim 1, wherein independent of the determined partial game outcome and independent of the determined complete game outcome, during the first period of time, the initiated play of the game is a wagering game associated with non-monetary credits and during the second period of time, the initiated play of the game is a wagering game associated with monetary credits.
6. The gaming system server of claim 1, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to determine eligibility to complete the determined partial game outcome and if an ineligible determination occurs, not determine any complete game outcomes for the initiated play of the game and not cause the second display device to display any determined complete game outcomes.
7. The gaming system server of claim 1, wherein at least one of the determined complete game outcome for the initiated play of the game and any determined monetary awards associated with the determined complete game outcome are determined in association with the second gaming device.
8. A gaming system server comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
(a) receive data associated with an input of a completion request from a player operating a gaming device to complete at least one partial game outcome that was previously determined for the player, wherein the at least one partial game outcome was obtained by the player through use of a first device different than the gaming device and when the at least one partial game outcome was previously determined, the at least one partial game outcome was not associated with any monetary award,
(b) determine that the player is entitled to at least one complete game outcome associated with a monetary award,
(c) cause the gaming device to display the at least one partial game outcome,
(d) determine, based at least in part on the at least one partial game outcome, at least one complete game outcome,
(e) cause the gaming device to display the determined at least one complete game outcome, and
(f) cause the gaming device to display the monetary award associated with the determined at least one complete game outcome, wherein:
(i) a credit balance is increasable based on the monetary award associated with the determined at least one complete game outcome,
(ii) said credit balance is increasable via
an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and
(iii) said credit balance is decreasable via a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance.
9. The gaming system server of claim 8, wherein the first device is configured to communicate with the at least one processor through an internet.
10. The gaming system server of claim 8, wherein the first device includes a cellular phone.
11. The gaming system server of claim 8, wherein the generation of the partial game outcome occurs in association with an online casino.
12. A gaming system server comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory device which stores a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
(a) during a first period of time:
(i) receive data associated with an input to initiate a play of a game at a first gaming device, said first gaming device being located remote from any gaming establishment,
(ii) determine a partial game outcome for the initiated play of the game, and
(iii) cause the first gaming device to display the determined partial game outcome; and

(b) during a second, subsequent period of time:
(i) receive data associated with an input at a second, different gaming device to request a completion of the generated partial game outcome for the initiated play of the game,
(ii) determine a complete game outcome for the initiated play of the game, said determined complete game outcome based, at least in part, on the determined partial game outcome for the initiated play of the game,
(iii) cause the second gaming device to display the determined complete game outcome,
(iv) determine any awards associated with the determined complete game outcome, wherein:
(A) a credit balance is increasable based on any determined awards associated with the determined complete game outcome,
(B) said credit balance is increasable via an acceptor of a physical item associated with a monetary value, and
(C) said credit balance is decreasable via a cashout device configured to receive an input to cause an initiation of a payout associated with the credit balance, and

(v) cause the second gaming device to display any determined awards associated with the determined complete game outcome.
13. The gaming system server of claim 12, wherein the second gaming device is located at a gaming establishment.
14. The gaming system server of claim 12, wherein the first gaming device is configured to communicate with the at least one processor through an internet.
15. The gaming system server of claim 12, wherein the first gaming device includes a cellular phone.
16. The gaming system server of claim 12, wherein the determination of the partial game outcome occurs in association with an online casino.
17. The gaming system server of claim 12, wherein independent of the determined partial game outcome and independent of the determined complete game outcome, during the first period of time, no monetary awards are associated with the initiated play of the game and during the second period of time, at least one monetary award is associated with the initiated play of the game.
18. The gaming system server of claim 12, wherein independent of the determined partial game outcome and independent of the determined complete game outcome, during the first period of time, the initiated play of the game is a wagering game associated with non-monetary credits and during the second period of time, the initiated play of the game is a wagering game associated with monetary credits.
19. The gaming system server of claim 12, wherein when executed by the at least one processor, the plurality of instructions cause the at least one processor to determine eligibility to complete the determined partial game outcome and if an ineligible determination occurs, not determined any complete game outcomes for the initiated play of the game and not cause the second display device to display any determined complete game outcomes.
20. The gaming system server of claim 12, wherein at least one of the determined complete game outcome for the initiated play of the game and any determined awards associated with the determined complete game outcome are determined in association with the second gaming device.

1. An envelope sheet used when manufacturing an envelope, comprising:
n (where n is an integer of three or more) rectangular component sheets adjacently aligned in an envelope unfolding direction; and
(n\u22121) folding lines for consecutively connecting the n component sheets along the envelope unfolding direction, wherein each folding line consecutively connects adjacent component sheets and extends in an orthogonal direction that is orthogonal to the envelope unfolding direction,
wherein a first component sheet serves as a front sheet or a back sheet of the envelope,
a second component sheet serves as a back sheet or a front sheet of the envelope,
the first component sheet has an openable and closable flap on one end side extending in the envelope unfolding direction,
a first coating part and a second coating part coated with pressure-sensitive adhesive are provided on an envelope inner side and respectively extend along the envelope unfolding direction on fringes of the first component sheet, the second component sheet, and a third component sheet, and
another coating part coated with another adhesive provided on an envelope outer side of the third component sheet for closing the flap, the another coating part extends along the orthogonal direction and contacts the flap but not an adhesive when the envelope sheet is folded along the second folding line,
wherein a first cutout part and a second cutout part extend in the envelope unfolding direction, and are respectively provided on fringes of the third component sheet,
the first coating part and the second coating part on the third component sheet are bonded to a part of the first coating part and a part of the second coating part on the second component sheet when the envelope sheet is folded along the second folding line,
and the first coating part and the second coating part on the first component sheet are bonded to a remaining part of the first coating part and a remaining part of the second coating part on the second component sheet via the first cutout part and the second cutout part on the third component sheet when the envelope sheet is folded along the first folding line.
2. The envelope sheet according to claim 1, wherein a minimum width of each of the first cutout part and the second cutout part in the orthogonal direction is set longer than a length from a side fringe of the third component sheet in the orthogonal direction to an inner side edge of each of the first coating part and the second coating part.
3. The envelope sheet according to claim 2, wherein the first cutout part and the second cutout part of the third component sheet are asymmetric with respect to a centerline in the orthogonal direction.
4. The envelope sheet according to claim 1, wherein a first chamfer and a second chamfer are respectively provided on tips of both side fringes in the orthogonal direction in the first component sheet.
5. An envelope sheet used when manufacturing an envelope, comprising:
n (where n is an integer of three or more) rectangular component sheets adjacently aligned in an envelope unfolding direction; and
(n\u22121) folding lines for consecutively connecting the n component sheets along the envelope unfolding direction, wherein each folding line consecutively connects adjacent component sheets and extends in an orthogonal direction that is orthogonal to the envelope unfolding direction,
wherein a first component sheet serves as a front sheet or a back sheet of the envelope,
a second component sheet serves as a back sheet or a front sheet of the envelope,
the first component sheet has an openable and closable flap on one end side extending in the envelope unfolding direction,
a first coating part and a second coating part coated with pressure-sensitive adhesive are provided on an envelope inner side and respectively extend along the envelope unfolding direction on fringes of the first component sheet, the second component sheet, and a third component sheet, and
another coating part coated with another adhesive provided on an envelope outer side of the third component sheet for closing the flap, the another coating part extends along the orthogonal direction and contacts the flap but not an adhesive when the envelope sheet is folded along the second folding line,
wherein a first cutout part and a second cutout part extend in the envelope unfolding direction, and are respectively provided on fringes of the third component sheet,
and a minimum width of each of a portion of the first cutout part and the second cutout part extending in the orthogonal direction is set longer than a length from each of the fringes of the third component sheet to each edge of the first coating part and the second coating part in the orthogonal direction.
6. The envelope sheet according to claim 1, wherein the another adhesive is a water paste.
7. An envelope used when manufacturing an envelope, comprising:
n (where n is an integer of three or more) rectangular component sheets adjacently aligned in an envelope unfolding direction; and
(n\u22121) folding lines for consecutively connecting the n component sheets along the envelope unfolding direction, wherein each folding line consecutively connects adjacent component sheets and extends in an orthogonal direction that is orthogonal to the envelope unfolding direction,
wherein a first component sheet serves as a front sheet or a back sheet of the envelope,
a second component sheet serves as a back sheet or a front sheet of the envelope,
the first component sheet has an openable and closable flap on one end side extending in the envelope unfolding direction,
a first coating part and a second coating part coated with pressure-sensitive adhesive are provided on an envelope inner side and respectively extend along the envelope unfolding direction on fringes of the first component sheet, the second component sheet, and a third component sheet, and
another coating part coated with another adhesive is provided on an envelope outer side of the third component sheet for closing the flap, the another coating part extends along the orthogonal direction and contacts the flap but not an adhesive when the third component sheet is folded along a folding line, and
wherein a first cutout part and a second cutout part extend in the envelope unfolding direction, and are respectively provided on fringes of the third component sheet.

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 X-ray inspection device comprising:
an X-ray irradiation device for generating an X-ray and irradiating an object to be inspected with the X-ray;
an X-ray detection device for detecting the X-ray radiated from said X-ray irradiation device that passes through said object to be inspected;
a swinging device for holding said object to be inspected on an X-ray path from said X-ray irradiation device to said X-ray detection device and driving said object to be inspected at an arbitrary angle in an arbitrary direction with respect to an X-ray irradiation axis on said X-ray path; and
a control device for controlling driving of said swinging device and said X-ray irradiation device, receiving an input of an X-ray image data from said X-ray detection device and displaying said X-ray image data.
2. The X-ray inspection device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said swinging device has an attachment plane to which said object to be inspected is attached and said attached plane is swung by being rotated around two axes orthogonal to each other.
3 The X-ray inspection device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said control device controls driving of said X-ray detection device, said swinging device and said X-ray irradiation device and displays data on the X-ray image from said X-ray detection device and data on an arbitrary cross section from said X-ray image data.
4. The X-ray inspection device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said control device calculates inner condition of said object to be inspected in comparison with prestored data and has an automatic inspection function of inspecting inner condition of said object to be inspected.
5. The X-ray inspection device in accordance with claim 2, wherein said swinging device rotates around said two axes orthogonal to each other by an X-axis motor and a Y-axis motor, rotation by said X-axis motor is reciprocating motion reciprocating within a predetermined range of rotation angles and rotation by said Y-axis motor performs reciprocating motion of the same cycle within a predetermined range of rotation angles with the phase being shifted from the rotation of said X-axis motor.
6. An X-ray inspection device comprising:
an X-ray irradiation device for generating an X-ray and irradiating an object to be inspected with the X-ray;
an X-ray detection device for detecting the X-ray radiated from said X-ray irradiation device that passes through said object to be inspected;
a swinging device for holding said object to be inspected on an X-ray path from said X-ray irradiation device to said X-ray detection device and driving said object to be inspected at an arbitrary angle in an arbitrary direction with respect to an X-ray irradiation axis on said X-ray path;
a swinging device for X-ray detection for driving said X-ray detection device in the same direction and at the same angle as said object to be inspected driven by said swinging device; and
a control device for controlling driving of said swinging device and said X-ray irradiation device, receiving an input of an X-ray image data from said X-ray detection device and displaying said X-ray image data.
7. The X-ray inspection device in accordance with claim 6, wherein said swinging device has an attachment plane to which said object to be inspected is attached and said swinging device for X-ray detection swings in synchronization with said attachment plane.
8. The X-ray inspection device in accordance with claim 6, wherein said control device controls driving of said X-ray detection device, said swinging device, said swinging device for X-ray detection and said X-ray irradiation device, stops and images said object to be inspected at an arbitrary position and displays data on the X-ray image from said X-ray detection device and data on an arbitrary cross section from said X-ray image data.
9. The X-ray inspection device in accordance with claim 6, wherein said control device calculates inner condition of said object to be inspected in comparison with prestored data and has an automatic inspection function of inspecting inner condition of said object to be inspected.
10. The X-ray inspection device in accordance with claim 7, wherein said swinging device rotates around said two axes orthogonal to each other by an X-axis motor and a Y-axis motor, rotation by said X-axis motor is reciprocating motion reciprocating within a predetermined range of rotation angles and rotation by said Y-axis motor performs reciprocating motion of the same cycle within a predetermined range of rotation angles with the phase being shifted from the rotation of said X-axis motor.
11. An X-ray inspection device comprising:
an X-ray irradiation device for irradiating an X-ray in the vertical direction in a form of cone with an X-ray focus as a vertex at a predetermined irradiation angle;
a holding mechanism for horizontally holding an object to be inspected within an X-ray irradiation range;
a transfer mechanism for object to be inspected for transferring said object to be inspected held by said holding mechanism to an arbitrary position in the horizontal direction within an X-ray irradiation range;
an X-ray detection device having a detection plane for detecting the X-ray that passes through said object to be inspected;
a transfer mechanism for X-ray detection for transferring said X-ray detection device to an arbitrary position on a plain parallel to the plane to which said object to be inspected is transferred;
a motor control device for controlling driving of said transfer mechanism for object to be inspected and said transfer mechanism for X-ray detection in synchronization with each other;
an image processing device for extracting an X-ray image of an arbitrary cross section from the X-ray image formed by said X-ray detection device; and
a display device for displaying said X-ray image formed by said X-ray detection device and said image processing device.
12. The X-ray inspection device in accordance with claim 11, wherein when said transfer mechanism for object to be inspected transfers said object to be inspected within the X-ray irradiation range, said transfer mechanism for object to be inspected and said transfer mechanism for X-ray detection are transferred in synchronization with each other so that a center point of said detection plane of said X-ray detection device is located on a straight line connecting said X-ray focus with a center point of an inspected place of said object to be inspected.
13. The X-ray inspection device in accordance with claim 11, wherein said transfer mechanism for X-ray detection has a Z-axis driving mechanism for X-ray detection for transferring said X-ray detection device in the vertical direction and a magnifying factor of the X-ray image can be changed by changing a ratio between a distance from said X-ray focus to said object to be inspected and a distance from said X-ray focus to said X-ray detection device.
14. The X-ray inspection device in accordance with claim 11, wherein said transfer mechanism for object to be inspected and said transfer mechanism for X-ray detection are rotated on each horizontal plane in synchronization with each other and radiography is performed while a shutter is opened during one rotation in rotation motion.
15. The X-ray inspection device in accordance with claim 11, wherein said transfer mechanism for object to be inspected and said transfer mechanism for X-ray detection are rotated on each horizontal plane in synchronization with each other while stopping by each certain angle and radiography is performed at each stopped position.
16. The X-ray inspection device in accordance with claim 13, wherein when said Z-axis driving mechanism for X-ray detection transfers said transfer mechanism for X-ray detection in the vertical direction, said transfer mechanism for X-ray detection is transferred in synchronization with said Z-axis driving mechanism for X-ray detection so that a center point of said X-ray detection device is located on a straight line connecting said X-ray focus with a center point of an inspected place of said object to be inspected.
17. An X-ray inspection method comprising:
attaching an object to be inspected to a swinging device disposed on an X-ray path from an X-ray irradiation device to an X-ray detection device;
driving said object to be inspected by said swinging device at an arbitrary angle in an arbitrary direction with respect to an X-ray irradiation axis on said X-ray path;
irradiating said object to be inspected with the X-ray radiated from said X-ray irradiation device;
detecting the X-ray that passes through said object to be inspected by said X-ray detection device; and
receiving an input of an X-ray image data from said X-ray detection device and extracting data on an arbitrary cross section from said X-ray image data.
18. The X-ray inspection method in accordance with claim 17, wherein said attachment plane to which said object to be inspected is attached is swung by two axes orthogonal to each other by an X-axis motor and a Y-axis motor, rotation by said X-axis motor is reciprocating motion reciprocating within a predetermined range of rotation angles and rotation by said Y-axis motor performs reciprocating motion of the same cycle within a predetermined range of rotation angles with the phase being shifted from the rotation of said X-axis motor.
19. An X-ray inspection method comprising:
holding an object to be inspected horizontally within an X-ray irradiation range;
transferring said object to be inspected held by said holding mechanism to an arbitrary position in the horizontal direction within an X-ray irradiation range;
transferring said X-ray detection device to an arbitrary position on a plain parallel to the plane to which said object to be inspected is transferred by a transfer mechanism for X-ray detection so that a target point is located at a center of the X-ray image formed by an X-ray detection device in synchronization with the transfer of said object to be inspected;
irradiating an X-ray in the vertical direction in a form of cone with an X-ray focus as a vertex at a predetermined irradiation angle;
detecting the X-ray that passes through said object to be inspected by said X-ray detection device;
in an image processing device, extracting an X-ray image of an arbitrary cross section from the X-ray image formed by said X-ray detection device; and
displaying said X-ray image formed by said X-ray detection device and said image processing device.
20. The X-ray inspection device in accordance with claim 19, wherein when said transfer mechanism for object to be inspected transfers said object to be inspected within the X-ray irradiation range, said transfer mechanism for object to be inspected and said transfer mechanism for X-ray detection are transferred in synchronization with each other so that a center point of said detection plane of said X-ray detection device is located on a straight line connecting said X-ray focus with a center point of an inspected place of said object to be inspected.