Author: claimsbot

1. A draw-works for raising and lowering a drill head, the draw-works comprising:
a base;
at least three hydraulic cylinders positioned between the first end and the second end of the draw-works, the at least three hydraulic cylinders each comprising a rod and a piston;
a plurality of braces connecting the at least three hydraulic cylinders; and
a carriage mounted to the at least three hydraulic cylinders,

wherein the rod of at least one of the at least three hydraulic cylinders is oriented towards a first end of the draw-works, and the rod of at least another of the at least three hydraulic cylinders is oriented towards a second end of the draw-works, and wherein the drill head is mounted to the carriage.
2. The draw-works of claim 1, wherein the plurality of braces each comprise at least three apertures, and wherein the at least three hydraulic cylinders are positioned through the plurality of braces.
3. The draw-works of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of guide beams, wherein the carriage and the plurality of braces are positioned between the plurality of guide beams.
4. The draw-works of claim 3, wherein each brace of the plurality of braces each comprises a plurality of guide wheels, wherein each of the respective plurality of guide wheels is positioned within a respective plurality of guide beams to allow the braces to move vertically.
5. The draw-works of claim 3, wherein the carriage comprises a plurality of guide wheels, wherein each of the plurality of guide wheels is positioned within a respective plurality of guide beams to allow the carriage to move vertically.
6. The draw-works of claim 1, wherein the rod of the at least one of the at least three hydraulic cylinders supplies hydraulic fluid through a plurality of conduits adapted for communicating hydraulic fluid therethrough.
7. The draw-works of claim 6, wherein the at least one of the at least three hydraulic cylinders is in fluid communication with the remainder of the at least three hydraulic cylinders, and the remainder of the at least three hydraulic cylinders receives hydraulic fluid through the at least one of the at least three hydraulic cylinders.
8. The draw-works of claim 7, wherein a manifold enables fluid communication between the at least three hydraulic cylinders.
9. The draw-works of claim 8, wherein the manifold comprises a first plurality of control valves and a second plurality of control valves, wherein the first plurality of control valves allows a higher flow rate than the second plurality of control valves.
10. The draw-works of claim 8, wherein the manifold comprises a plurality of check valves in communication with the plurality of conduits.
11. The draw-works of claim 1, wherein each of the at least three hydraulic cylinders further comprise a potentiometer for measuring vertical movement of the corresponding rod.
12. The draw-works of claim 1, wherein each of the at least three hydraulic cylinders further comprise a cushion spear.
13. The draw-works of claim 1, wherein the carriage and the drill head are connected through a crown wheel assembly.
14. The draw-works of claim 13, wherein the crown wheel assembly comprises a kevlar belt mounted on a spool, wherein the spool is mounted on the carriage, and wherein the kevlar belt is affixed to the drill head.
15. A method of raising and lowering a drill head mounted on a plurality of hydraulic cylinders, the method comprising:
actuating a first plurality of control valves within a manifold to communicate hydraulic fluid from a pressurized fluid source into at least one central hydraulic cylinder;
actuating a second plurality of control valves within a manifold to prevent fluid communication between the at least one central hydraulic cylinder and at least one outer hydraulic cylinder;
allowing the at least one central hydraulic cylinder to reach a top of stroke;
actuating the second plurality of control valves to allow fluid communication between the at least one central hydraulic cylinder, the at least one outer hydraulic cylinder, and a storage tank;
allowing the at least one outer hydraulic cylinder to reach a top of stroke;
actuating the second plurality of control valves to prevent fluid communication between the pressurized source and the at least one outer hydraulic cylinder;
allowing the at least one outer hydraulic cylinder to retract;
actuating the first plurality of control valves to prevent fluid communication between the pressurized source and the at least one central hydraulic cylinder; and
allowing the at least one central hydraulic cylinder to retract.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of mounting a potentiometer along the plurality of hydraulic cylinders.
17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of actuating a third control valve in fluid communication with a hydraulic accumulator to permit fluid communication between the hydraulic accumulator and the pressurized fluid source.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of actuating the third control valve to permit fluid communication between the hydraulic accumulator and the storage tank.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A positive engagement clutch having a torque input side and a torque output side, the clutch comprising a torque input member arranged on the torque input side, a torque output member arranged on the torque output side, first engagement members, second engagement members, and an actuator, the torque input member and the torque output member being arranged concentrically to rotate on a common axis, one of the torque input member and the torque output member carrying the first engagement members, and the other of the torque input member and the torque output member carrying the second engagement members, the first engagement members being radially movable by the actuator between a projecting and a retracted position, and the second engagement members projecting radially into a gap between the torque input member and the torque output member, the first and second engagement members engaging with each other, when the first engagement members are in the projecting position, to progressively engage the torque input and output members to allow the transmission of torque to the torque output side, and the first and second engagement members being disengaged from each other, when the first engagement members are in the retracted position, to prevent the transmission of torque to the torque output side.
2. A positive engagement clutch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second engagement members are in the form of ball-bearings.
3. A positive engagement clutch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second engagement members are in the form of rollers.
4. A positive engagement clutch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator is in the form of a push-rod element having a frusto-conical portion along which the first engagement members can move to take up the projecting position or the retracted position.
5. A positive engagement clutch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first engagement members are free to move independently of each other.
6. A positive engagement clutch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second engagement members are free to move independently of each other.
7. A positive engagement clutch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first engagement members are carried by the torque output member, and the second engagement members are carried by the torque input member.
8. A positive engagement clutch as claimed in claim 1 in combination with a rotary coupling, the rotary coupling comprising a driving part, a drivable part, a fixed part in which the driving and drivable parts are each rotatable coaxially, and a set of coupling members carried by one of the driving and drivable parts for torque-transmitting engagement with the other, the coupling members being selectively positionable so that, in a first condition, the coupling members are juxtaposed to a primary annular contact surface of either the fixed part or the drivable part and, in a second condition, the coupling members are juxtaposed to a secondary annular contact surface of the driving part, each coupling member being free to move relative to the driving and drivable parts into and out of engagement with the primary and secondary annular contact surfaces, the arrangement being such that, when the coupling members are in the first condition, the application of a first torque on the coupling members causes the coupling members to engage the primary annular contact surface and, when the coupling members are in the second condition, the application of a second torque on the coupling members causes the coupling members to engage the secondary annular contact surface.

1. A system for periodic evaluation and telerehabilitation of a disabled user having a body part, comprising:
a portable processing device; said portable device adapted to be held or attached to said body part of said disabled user;
an animated or virtual reality sequence forming a videogame, said videogame being processed on said portable device to provide directions to said disabled user so as to elicit movements of said body part by said disabled user;
means for capturing exercise data resulting from interaction of said user with said videogame;
means for measuring a baseline of said disabled user based on a subset of the directions to said disabled user that direct said disabled user to move parts of said disabled user’s body;
means for mapping said measured baseline with said videogame for tuning said videogame by adjusting amplification of said means for capturing exercise data to provide mapping between real movement of said disabled user and movement of said avatar during said videogame so that movement of the avatar appears greater than the real movement of said disabled user;
remote clinical server means for receiving said exercise data; and
storing means for storing said exercise data at said remote clinical server, the exercise data including errors and game duration;
exercise scheduler and difficulty setting means for setting a therapy session using said portable device in accordance with said exercise data including errors and game duration, wherein said therapy session controls a length and a difficulty of said videogame being processed on said portable processing device in accordance with said exercise data including errors and game duration.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein a cliniciandoctortherapist can access said therapy session on a web portal to follow a history of a therapy session of said user.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein a cliniciandoctortherapist can access said therapy session and coach a remote said user in real time.
4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
one or more vital sign monitors, said vital sign monitors capturing vital sign data for a vital sign of said disabled user and said remote clinical server means receiving said vital sign data.
5. The system of claim 4 further comprising means for synchronizing said exercise data with said vital sign data at said remote clinical server.
6. The system of claim 5 wherein said portable device includes a sensor to measure body temperature data and said remote clinical server means receiving said body temperature data.
7. The system of claim 6 further comprising watchdog means, said watchdog means interrupting said therapy session if said vital sign data andor said body temperature data, andor duration of play of said videogame in said therapy session exceeds a threshold and further comprising means for notifying an authorizer of said therapy session.
8. The system of claim 4 wherein said portable device includes a removable memory card for storing said exercise data andor said vital sign data.
9. The system of claim 4 further comprising a web portal at said remote clinical server means, said web portal adapted to access said exercise data and said vital sign data.
10. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
watchdog means for monitoring said movements of said disabled user, said watchdog means ensuring that safety of said disabled user is maintained; and
safety means at said remote clinical server, said safety means alerting a clinician or doctor or therapist accessing said remote clinical server when data was not received from said disabled user as prescribed, or when a safety event was detected by said portable device or when a scheduled length of exercise by said interaction of said disabled user with said videogame falls below a preselected threshold.
11. The system of claim 1 wherein said portable device comprises a cell phone.
12. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
means for displaying said videogame to said user.
13. The system of claim 12 wherein said means for displaying said videogame to said user is a video display.
14. The system of claim 12 wherein said means for displaying said videogame to said user is a stereoscopic 3D television and said videogame includes a stereoscopic videogame.
15. The system of claim 14 further comprising stereo glasses adapted to be worn by said disabled user.
16. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for capturing exercise data comprises:
an accelerator andor goniometer.
17. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for capturing exercise data comprises:
a video camera and means for interpreting video data from said video camera.
18. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for capturing exercise data comprises:
an accelerator andor goniometer in combination with a video camera and means for interpreting video data from said video camera.
19. The system of claim 1 wherein said portable device is held in a hand of said disabled user.
20. The system of claim 1 wherein said storing means is a database.
21. The system of claim 1 wherein said exercise data includes one or more of game exercise duration, maximum wrist andor arm extension, velocity of movement, score of videogame, errors, and total exercise time.
22. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of said portable devices, said remote clinical server means receiving said exercise data from said plurality of portable devices wherein said system provides multiplexed rehabilitation to rehabilitate said plurality of users each connected to said remote clinical server means.
23. The system of claim 22 wherein said plurality of disabled users can play independently or against one another during said telerehabilitation.
24. The system of claim 1 wherein said videogame is a sequence of videogames.
25. A method for telerehabilitation comprising the steps of:
holding or coupling a portable computing device to a body part of a disabled user;
executing on said portable computing device an animated or virtual reality sequence forming a videogame to provide directions to the disabled user;
capturing exercise data resulting from movement of said body part upon interaction of said disabled user with said videogame, said exercise data including errors and game duration;
the portable computing device causing an avatar to be displayed, wherein movement of the avatar is related to movement of said body part;
measuring a baseline of the disabled user based on a subset of the directions to the disabled user that direct the disabled user to move parts of the disabled user’s arm;
mapping the measured baseline with the videogame for tuning the videogame by adjusting amplification of captured exercise data to provide mapping between real movement of said disabled user and movement of said avatar during said videogame so that movement of the avatar appears greater than the real movement of said disabled user;
receiving said exercise data at a remote clinical server;
storing said exercise data at said remote clinical server; and
a processor determining a therapy session using said portable computing device by controlling the length, type, and difficulty of said videogame being executed on said portable computing device in accordance with said exercise data including errors and game duration.
26. The method of claim 25 further comprising the steps of:
capturing vital sign data for a vital sign of said disabled user and receiving said vital sign data at said remote clinical server.
27. The method of claim 26 further comprising the step of:
synchronizing said exercise data with said vital sign data at said remote clinical server.

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 mobile IP network system comprising:
a plurality of radio access networks each connected to mobile stations via radio links; and
an IP network to which a home agent node and a plurality of packet nodes each for transferring IP packets destined for one of mobile stations and received from the home agent node to one of said radio access networks are connected,
wherein each of the radio access networks has at least one base station controller and at least one radio base station which is connected to the base station controller to perform radio communications with a plurality of mobile stations, and
wherein each of the base station controllers is connected to the plurality of packet nodes through a network, receives an identifier of a previous packet node from another base station controller when one of the mobile stations moved into a control area of the base station controller from a control area of the another base station controller belonging to another radio access network, and selects either the previous packet node which is communicating IP packets for the moved mobile station with said home agent node or a preliminarily designated specific packet node in accordance with a communication state of the mobile station, thereby to selectively carry out IP packet communication for the moved mobile station between the base station controller and the previous packet node using a previous identifier of a logical connection having been established between the previous packet node and the mobile station or IP packet communication between the base station controller and the specific packet node using an identifier of a new logical connection established between the specific packet node and the moved mobile station, after performing a registration procedure between the moved mobile station and said home agent node, depending on the communication state of the mobile station.
2. A mobile IP network system according to claim 1, wherein each of said base station controllers selects, with respect to the mobile station moved from the control area of said another base station controller to the control area of the base station controller, said previous packet node when the moved mobile station is in a state of communicating IP packets with the previous packet node and requests the previous packet node to communicate IP packets for the moved mobile station with the base station controller.
3. A mobile IP network system according to claim 2, wherein each of said base station controllers has means for monitoring communication packets of the mobile station which has moved from the control area of said another base station controller, thereby to close the communication between the base station controller and the previous packet node, and to establish the new logical connection between the moved mobile station and said specific packet node via the base station controller, upon detecting that data transmission and reception of the moved mobile station is ceased.
4. A mobile IP network system according to claim 1, wherein each of said packet nodes has a foreign agent function for transferring an IP packet received from the home agent node connected to the IP network to any of the base station controllers.
5. A mobile IP network system comprising:
a plurality of radio access networks each connected to mobile stations via radio links; and
an IP network to which a plurality of packet nodes for transferring IP packets are connected,
wherein each of the radio access networks has at least one base station controller and at least one radio base station which is connected to base station controller to perform radio communications with a plurality of mobile stations,
wherein each of the base station controllers, in the radio access network is connected to the plurality of packet nodes through a network, receives an identifier of a previous packet node from another base station control when one of the mobile stations moved into a control area of the base station controller from a control area of the another base station controller, and selects either the previous packet node of a preliminarily designated specific packet node in accordance with a communication state of the moved mobile station, thereby to selectively carry out IP packet communication for the moved mobile stations using a previous identifier of a logical connection having been established between the previous packet node and the moved mobile station or an identifier of a new logical connection established between the specific packet node and the moved mobile station depending on the communication state of the moved mobile station,
wherein each of said base station controllers selects, with respect to the moved mobile station moved from the control area of said another radio access network to the control area of the base station controller, said previous packet node when the moved mobile station is in a state of communicating IP packets with the previous packet node and the requests the previous packet node to communicate IP packets for the mobile station with the base station controller,
wherein each of said base station controllers has means for monitoring communication packets of the moved mobile station which has moved from the control area of said another base station controller, thereby to close the communication between the base station controller and the previous packet node, and to establish the new logical connection between the moved mobile station and said specific packet node via the base station controller, upon detecting that the data transmission and reception of the moved mobile station is ceased, and
wherein said specific packet node has means for notifying to a home agent node of the moved mobile station which is connected to the IP network that the mobile station is in a control area of the specific packet node after setting of the new logical connection for the moved mobile station so that the home agent node having received the notification transfers IP packets, which are destined for the moved mobile station and received thereafter from the IP network, to the specific packet node.
6. A method of switching a connection for communication between a mobile station connected to any of a plurality of radio access networks via a radio link and a plurality of packet nodes connected to an IP network, comprising:
a step of establishing a first logical connection to be used for IP packet communication between a mobile station connected to a first radio access network and a first packet node which is preliminarily related with the first radio access network;
a step of transferring, by said first packet node, IP packets for the mobile station which are received from a home agent node of the mobile station, to the first radio access network using an identifier of the first logical connection;
a step of connecting the mobile station to a second radio access network adjacent to the first radio access network when the mobile station moves into an area of the second radio access network; and
a step of requesting from the second radio access network to the first packet node to communicate IP packets for the mobile station with the second radio access network while maintaining the first logical connection,
wherein IP packets are communicated between the mobile station and the first packet node using the identifier of the first logical connection via the second radio access network without performing a registration procedure between the mobile station and said home agent node until communication of IP packets for the mobile station is ceased.
7. A connection switching method according to claim 6, further comprising:
a step of closing, upon detecting that data transmission and reception ceased, the first logical connection and establishing a new logical connection to be used for IP packet communication between the mobile station and a second packet node via the second radio access network, said second packet node being preliminarily related with the second radio access network.
8. A base station controller for a radio access network for transmitting and receiving an IP packet to and from a packet node which is connected to an IP network and has a foreign agent function for transferring IP packets from a home agent node to mobile stations, comprising:
a first communication interface for connection to a radio base station, a second communication interface for communication with a plurality of packet nodes connected to the IP network, and a control unit connected to the first and second communication interfaces,
wherein the control unit selectively establishes a logical connection to be used for an IP packet communication of a mobile station moved into a control area of the base station controller to established a new logical connection to be used for IP packet communication between the base station and the packet node or to transfer IP packets for the mobile station to the base station controller using a previous identifier of a logical connection having been used when the mobile station was connected to another radio access network, via the second interface;
wherein said control unit has means for selecting, when the mobile station has moved into the control area of the base station controller from said another radio access network, a first packet node which is communicating with the mobile station in the another radio access network, to request the first packet node to transfer IP packets for the mobile station to the base station controller using said previous identifier of the logical connection having been used in the another radio access network;

wherein said control unit comprises:
means for monitoring communication packets for the mobile station which is communicating with said first packet node; and
means for switching a first logical connection having been established between the mobile station and the first packet node to another new logical connection which is established between the mobile station and a second packet node preliminarily related to the base station controller when it is detected by the monitoring means that the transmission of communication packets for the mobile station is stopped;
wherein establishing said another new logical connection after performing a registration procedure between the moved mobile station and said home agent node.
9. A base station controller according to claim 8, wherein said control unit has means for notifying the base station controller in adjacent one of the other radio access networks of identification information of a previous packet node which has been communicating with the mobile station when the mobile station moved out from the control area of the base station controller to a control area of the adjacent radio access network.
10. A base station controller for a radio access network for communicating IP packets with one of packet nodes each of which is connected to an IP network and has a foreign agent function, comprising:
a first communication interface for connection the base station controller to a radio base station, a second communication interface for communication with a plurality of packet nodes connected to the IP network, and a control unit connected to the first and second communication interfaces,
wherein the control unit selectively requests one of the packet nodes selected in accordance with a communication state of a mobile station connected to the radio base station via a radio channel to establish a new logical connection to be used for IP packet communication between the mobile station and the packet node or to transfer IP packets for the mobile station to the base station controller using a previous identifier of a logical connection having been established between a mobile station and the packet node, via the second interface,
wherein said control unit comprises:
means for selecting, when a mobile station has moved into a control area of the base station controller from another radio access network, a first packet node which has been communicating with the moved mobile station in the another radio access network, to request the first packet node to transfer IP packets for the moved mobile station to the base station controller using said previous identifier of the logical connection having been established,
means for monitoring communication packets for the moved mobile station which is communicating with said first packet node, and
means for switching a first logical connection having been established between the moved mobile station and the first packet node to a logical connection which is established between the moved mobile station and a second packet node preliminarily related to the base station controller when it is detected by the monitoring means that the transmission of communication packets for the moved mobile station is stopped, and
wherein said second communication interface is connected to a communication network for connecting the plurality of packet nodes, and said switching means closes the first logical connection by requesting said first packet node to communicate IP packets for said the moved mobile station with the base station controller and establishes said second logical connection by requesting said second packet node to communicate IP packets for the moved mobile station with the base station controller, when said monitoring means detects that the transmission of communication packets has stopped.