Author: claimsbot

1. A connection device for at least one tube end so as to convey a fluid flow, the device comprising a body defining a channel having at least one tube end reception segment, the reception segment being provided with an annular sealing element arranged to surround the tube end while leaving a portion of the tube end projecting from the sealing element towards an end of the segment, the device being characterized in that centering means for the projecting portion are arranged in a zone extending between the outer surface of the projecting portion, a facing surface of the segment, and the sealing element, and in that the centering means include positioning elements that are arranged to co-operate with a surface of the segment and an outer surface of the projecting portion and to define at least one sweeping duct for sweeping the zone, the duct having at least one inlet in the vicinity of which there extends at least one deflector arranged to insert, into the sweeping duct, fluid diverted from the flow traveling through the device, and at least one outlet for returning the fluid that has passed through the sweeping duct back to the flow.
2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the centering means comprise a ring housed in the zone.
3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the ring comprises a band connecting together fins forming the positioning element, the fins projecting from the band firstly axially, and secondly radially both towards the inside and towards the outside.
4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the band has a tubular portion extending along the axis of the channel and a radial annular portion having an outer periphery secured to one end of the annular portion opposite from the sealing element, the annular portion projecting from the tubular portion towards the inside of the band.
5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the deflector is secured to an inner circumference of the annular portion.
6. A device according to claim 3, wherein at least some of the fins are not in contact with the sealing element.
7. A device according to claim 2, including two pipe end reception portions so as to unite the two pipe ends via the body of the device, each reception portion being provided with an annular sealing element and with a centering ring.
8. A device according to claim 7, wherein the centering rings are arranged in such a manner that the deflectors of the rings are angularly offset relative to one another.
9. A device according to claim 2, wherein the ring has at least one outer surface made of a material having bactericidal properties, e.g. silver or copper.
10. A device according to claim 1, wherein the ring has at least an outside surface made of a non-stick material such as polytetrafluoroethylene.
11. A centering ring for centering a tube end in a channel of a device according to any preceding claim 1, the ring comprising positioning elements that are arranged to co-operate with a surface of the channel and an outer surface of the tube and to define at least one sweeping duct having at least one inlet in the vicinity of which there extends at least one deflector arranged to insert, into the sweeping duct, fluid diverted from the flow traveling in the device, and at least one outlet for returning the fluid that has passed through the sweeping duct back to the flow.
12. A ring according to claim 11, including a band connecting together fins forming the positioning elements, the fins projecting from the band both axially and also radially inwards and radially outwards.
13. A ring according to claim 12, wherein the band has a tubular portion extending along the axis of the channel and a radial annular portion having an outer periphery secured to an end of the annular portion that is opposite from the sealing element, the annular portion projecting from the tubular portion towards the inside of the band.
14. A ring according to claim 13, wherein the deflector is secured to an inner circumference of the annular portion.

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 inflatable retention system for an enteral feeding tube having a base deployed outside the human body and an indwelling retainer which is deployed within a lumen of the body by insertion through a stoma from outside the body, the retention system comprising:
a tube having a proximal end, a distal end, an external tube diameter, and tube walls defining a feeding lumen and an inflation lumen; and
an indwelling retainer in the form of an inflatable balloon located on the tube in fluid communication with the inflation lumen, the balloon having thin, flexible walls, a predetermined spheroid shape, a reserve volume having a lower limit that is greater than 0.5 milliliters of a fluid and an upper limit at a transition between a non-distended state and a distended state of the balloon in which a fluid in the balloon is under no pressure, and a predetermined fill volume about 1.01 to about 1.5 times greater than an upper limit of the reserve volume, such that upon inflation with a fluid to pressurize fluid in the balloon, the balloon assumes a stable spheroid shape and exhibits a substantially linear pressure versus volume curve to at least the predetermined fill volume and when the balloon is inflated to a volume that is up to 40% greater than its predetermined fill volume, the balloon remains stable.
2. The inflatable retention system of claim 1, wherein the balloon has a collapsed, non-inflated state such that the tube and the thin, flexible walls of the balloon can pass through an orifice having a diameter not more than about 20 percent greater than the external diameter of the tube.
3. The inflatable retention system of claim 1, wherein the substantially linear pressure versus volume curve corresponds to a fluid pressure in the balloon between 2 to about 9 pounds per square inch (14 to 64 kilopascals).
4. The inflatable retention system of claim 3, wherein the balloon has volumes from about 2 milliliters to about 6 milliliters.
5. The inflatable retention system of claim 1, wherein the wall of the balloon has a thickness of from about 5 micrometers to about 100 micrometers.
6. The inflatable retention system of claim 1, wherein the spheroid shape is an oblate spheroid shape.
7. The inflatable retention system of claim 1, wherein the tube has an external tube diameter of from about 3 mm to about 9 mm and the balloon has a diameter of from about 15 mm to about 30 mm at a major axis of the spheroid when under pressure and wherein the ratio of the said balloon diameter to the external tube diameter is greater than three.
8. The inflatable retention system of claim 1, wherein the tube is formed of a material having an elongation of less than about 100 percent at a load of 300 pounds per square inch.
9. The retention system of claim 1 further comprising:
a base located at the proximal end of the tube, the base defining an opening to the feeding lumen, the base having a first end and a second end;
an inflation valve located on the base, the inflation valve in fluid communication with the balloon through the inflation lumen; and
an indicator located on the base in fluid communication with the balloon, the indicator configured to provide a discrete visual signal that the volume of the balloon is different from a predetermined volume or from a reserve volume.
10. The inflatable retention system of claim 1, wherein the balloon assumes a stable spheroid shape and exhibits a substantially linear pressure versus volume curve to at least the predetermined fill volume and when the balloon is inflated to a volume that is up to 25% greater than its predetermined fill volume, the balloon remains stable.
11. An inflatable retention system for an enteral feeding tube having a base deployed outside the human body and an indwelling retainer which is deployed within a lumen of the body by insertion through a stoma from outside the body, the retention system comprising:
a tube having a proximal end, a distal end, an external tube diameter, and tube walls defining a feeding lumen and an inflation lumen; and
an indwelling retainer in the form of an inflatable balloon located on the tube in fluid communication with the inflation lumen, the balloon having thin, flexible walls, each wall ranging from about 5 micrometers to about 100 micrometers in thickness, and a collapsed, non-inflated state such that the tube and the thin, flexible walls of the balloon can pass through an orifice having a diameter not more than about 20 percent greater than the external diameter of the tube, a predetermined spheroid shape, a reserve volume having a lower limit that is greater than 0.5 milliliters of a fluid and an upper limit at a transition between a non-distended state and a distended state of the balloon in which a fluid in the balloon is under no pressure, and a predetermined fill volume about 1.01 to about 1.5 times greater than an upper limit of the reserve volume, such that upon inflation with a fluid to pressurize fluid in the balloon, the balloon assumes a stable spheroid shape and exhibits a substantially linear pressure versus volume curve to at least the predetermined fill volume and when the balloon is inflated to a volume that is up to 40% greater than its predetermined fill volume, the balloon remains stable.
12. The inflatable retention system of claim 11, wherein the balloon assumes a stable spheroid shape and exhibits a substantially linear pressure versus volume curve to at least the predetermined fill volume and when the balloon is inflated to a volume that is up to 25% greater than its predetermined fill volume, the balloon remains stable.
13. An inflatable retention system for an enteral feeding tube having a base deployed outside the human body and an indwelling retainer which is deployed within a lumen of the body by insertion through a stoma from outside the body, the retention system comprising:
a tube having a proximal end, a distal end, an external tube diameter, and tube walls defining a feeding lumen and an inflation lumen; and
an indwelling retainer in the form of an inflatable balloon located on the tube in fluid communication with the inflation lumen, the balloon having thin, flexible walls, a predetermined spheroid shape, a reserve volume having a lower limit that is greater than 0.5 milliliters of a fluid and an upper limit at a transition between a non-distended state and a distended state of the balloon in which a fluid in the balloon is under no pressure, and a predetermined fill volume that is greater than an upper limit of the reserve volume and corresponds to a fluid pressure in the balloon between 2 to about 9 pounds per square inch (14 to 64 kilopascals), such that upon inflation with a fluid to pressurize fluid in the balloon, the balloon assumes a stable spheroid shape and exhibits a substantially linear pressure versus volume curve to at least the predetermined fill volume.
14. The inflatable retention system of claim 13, wherein the predetermined fill volume corresponds to a fluid pressure in the balloon between 2 to about 7 pounds per square inch (14 to 49 kilopascals).
15. The inflatable retention system of claim 13, wherein the predetermined fill volume corresponds to a fluid pressure in the balloon between 2 to about 5 pounds per square inch (14 to 35 kilopascals).
16. The inflatable retention system of claim 13, wherein the balloon assumes a stable spheroid shape and exhibits a substantially linear pressure versus volume curve to at least the predetermined fill volume and when the balloon is inflated to a volume that is up to 40% greater than its predetermined fill volume, the balloon remains stable.
17. An inflatable retention system for an enteral feeding tube having a base deployed outside the human body and an indwelling retainer which is deployed within a lumen of the body by insertion through a stoma from outside the body, the retention system comprising:
a tube having a proximal end, a distal end, an external tube diameter, and tube walls defining a feeding lumen and an inflation lumen; and
an indwelling retainer in the form of an inflatable balloon located on the tube in fluid communication with the inflation lumen, the balloon having thin, flexible walls, a predetermined spheroid shape, a reserve volume having a lower limit that is greater than 0.5 milliliters of a fluid and an upper limit at a transition between a non-distended state and a distended state of the balloon in which a fluid in the balloon is under no pressure, and a predetermined fill volume that is greater than an upper limit of the reserve volume and is from about 2 milliliters to about 8 milliliters, such that upon inflation with a fluid to pressurize fluid in the balloon, the balloon assumes a stable spheroid shape and exhibits a substantially linear pressure versus volume curve to at least the predetermined fill volume.
18. The inflatable retention system of claim 17, wherein the predetermined fill volume is from about 2 milliliters to about 6 milliliters.
19. The inflatable retention system of claim 17, wherein the predetermined fill volume is from about 2 milliliters to about 5 milliliters.
20. The inflatable retention system of claim 17, wherein the predetermined fill volume is from about 2 milliliters to about 4 milliliters.
21. The inflatable retention system of claim 17, wherein the balloon assumes a stable spheroid shape and exhibits a substantially linear pressure versus volume curve to at least the predetermined fill volume and when the balloon is inflated to a volume that is up to 40% greater than its predetermined fill volume, the balloon remains stable.

1. A method for forming metal lines of a semiconductor device comprising:
forming plugs by providing via-holes in an interlayer dielectric layer formed on a semiconductor substrate and placing a conductive material in the via-holes;
sequentially forming at least two metal layers on the interlayer dielectric layer, the metal layers having a difference in the size of metal grains;
etching an uppermost first metal layer of the at least two metal layers using a photoresist pattern formed on the first metal layer as an etching mask using a first etching gas; and
etching the partially etched first metal layer using a second etching gas.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the metal layers are formed such that the size of the metal grains of the at least two metal layers is gradually reduced at each metal layer such that the uppermost first metal layer has the smallest sized metal grains.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first etching gas comprises a mixture of Cl2 and BCl3.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the first etching gas etches the first metal layer to a thickness of less than about 20% of the entire thickness of the first metal layer.
5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the second etching gas is obtained by mixing N2 and CHF3 with the first etching gas.
6. The method according to claim 5, wherein etching the partially etched first metal layer comprises changing the concentration of N2 and CHF3 in the second etching gas.
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the concentration of N2 and CHF3 in the second etching gas is in a range of approximately 1\u02dc10% of the flow rate of the second etching gas.
8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
etching a second metal layer below the first metal layer using the first etching gas when the first metal layer is etched.
9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:
etching the partially etched second metal layer using the second etching gas.
10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
removing a residual photoresist pattern using an O2 plasma treatment; and
forming a second interlayer dielectric layer on the etched first metal layer.
11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least two metal layers are formed to have metal grains with different sizes by changing the deposition temperature used to form each layer of the at least two metal layers.
12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least two metal layers are formed to have metal grains with different sizes by changing the deposition wattage used to form each layer of the at least two metal layers.
13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least two metal layers are formed to have metal grains with different sizes by changing the deposition gas pressure used to form each layer of the at least two metal layers.
14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least two metal layers comprise aluminum layers.
15. A method for forming metal lines of a semiconductor device comprising:
forming plugs by providing via-holes in an interlayer dielectric layer formed on a semiconductor substrate and providing a conductive material in the via-holes;
sequentially forming at least two metal layers on the interlayer dielectric layer formed with the plugs, the metal layers being formed such that the size of the metal grains of the at least two metal layers is gradually reduced at each metal layer such that an uppermost first metal layer has the smallest sized metal grains;
etching the uppermost first metal layer and a second metal layer below the first metal layer of the at least two metal layers using a photoresist pattern formed on the first metal layer as an etching mask using a first etching gas; and
etching the partially etched first metal layer and second metal layer using a second etching gas.
16. The method according to claim 15, the at least two metal layers are formed to have metal grains with different sizes by changing the deposition temperature used to form each layer of the at least two metal layers.
17. The method according to claim 15, the at least two metal layers are formed to have metal grains with different sizes by changing the deposition wattage used to form each layer of the at least two metal layers.
18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the metal layer forming step sequentially forms the at least two metal layers are formed to have metal grains with different sizes by changing the deposition gas pressure used to form each layer of the at least two metal layers.
19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the at least two metal layers comprise aluminum layers.

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 method of mounting an over-wheel carrier to the frame of a passenger conveyance having a wheel with an axle and two axle ends, comprising the steps of:
providing a rigid container having a bottom portion, a top portion, and a first and a second side portion and further having a wheel well formed in the bottom portion, a lid disposed on the top portion, a handle hingeably connected to the lid, first and second wheels disposed on respective first and second side portions, first and second lower connector members, and a quick release upper connector disposed to connect the container to the conveyance frame at a location above the conveyance wheel;
engaging the first and second lower connector members at attachment points on opposing sides of the conveyance wheel;
rotating the container along the circumference of the conveyance wheel; and
securing the container to the conveyance frame at the quick release upper connector.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing step further comprises providing a positioning wheel disposed on the bottom portion and coplanar with the wheel well, and further comprising a step of positioning the first and second lower connector members by using the positioning wheel.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the positioning step solely uses the positioning wheel as guided by the handle.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the handle is extensible, and further comprising the steps of:
extending the handle prior to the engaging step; and
retracting and stowing the handle after the securing step.