Author: claimsbot

1. An ultrafiltration filter for an extracorporeal blood circuit having an input for blood withdrawn from a human patient and a blood output for filtered blood to be infused into the patient, said ultrafiltration filter comprising:
a filter body having a length of at least 20 centimeters (cm) and an interior diameter of no greater than 1.5 cm;
an input at a first end of the body to receive the withdrawn blood;
an output at a second end of the body to discharge the filtered blood;
a filter membrane in the body defining a blood passage through the body, wherein the membrane has an active filter membrane surface area of no greater than 0.2 meters squared (m2) and the filter membrane blocks passage of blood molecules having a molecular weight cut of greater than 60,000 Daltons and a volume of the blood passage in the filter being less than two percent of a cardiac output of the patient, and
an ultrafiltrate output to the body and open to a side of the filter surface area opposite to the blood passage.
2. The filter as in claim 1 wherein the active filter membrane surface area is no greater than 0.1 m2.
3. The filter as in claim 1 wherein the filter membrane surface is an interior surface of a bundle of filter fibers.
4. The filter as in claim 1 wherein the filter fibers have a length of at least 20 centimeters.
5. The filter as in claim 1 wherein the bundle of filter fibers has at least 620 fibers.
6. The filter as in claim 1 wherein the filter body is substantially straight.
7. The filter as in claim 1 wherein the filter membrane comprises hollow fibers and said fibers are arranged in a substantially straight bundle no greater than 1.5 centimeters in diameter.
8. An ultrafiltration filter for an extracorporeal blood circuit having an input for blood withdrawn from a human patient and a blood output for filtered blood to be infused into the patient, said ultrafiltration filter comprising:
a filter body having a length of at least 20 centimeters (cm) and an interior cross-sectional area of no greater than 1.77 cm2;
an input at a first end of the body to receive the withdrawn blood;
an output at a second end of the body to discharge the filtered blood;
a filter membrane in the body defining a blood passage through the body, wherein the membrane has an active filter membrane surface area of no greater than 0.2 meters squared (m2) and the filter membrane blocks passage of blood molecules having a molecular weight cut of greater than 60,000 Daltons and a volume of the blood passage in the filter being less than two percent of a cardiac output of the patient, and
an ultrafiltrate output to the body and open to a side of the filter surface area opposite to the blood passage.
9. The filter as in claim 8 wherein the active filter membrane surface area is no greater than 0.1 m2.
10. The filter as in claim 8 wherein the filter membrane surface is an interior surface of a bundle of filter fibers.
11. The filter as in claim 8 wherein the filter fibers have a length of at least 20 centimeters.
12. The filter as in claim 8 wherein the bundle of filter fibers has at least 620 fibers.
13. The filter as in claim 8 wherein the filter body is substantially straight.
14. The filter as in claim 8 wherein the filter membrane comprises hollow fibers and said fibers are arranged in a substantially straight bundle no greater than 1.5 centimeters in diameter.
15. The filter as in claim 8 wherein the cross-sectional area of the filter body is circular an has a diameter no greater than 1.5 cm.
16. A method for filtering blood comprising:
withdrawing blood from an adult patient;
performing ultrafiltration by filtering the withdrawn blood in a filter having an active filter membrane surface of no greater than 0.2 meters squared (m2) to remove ultrafiltrate from the blood, wherein the filter membrane blocks the passage of blood molecules having a molecular weight of at least 60,000 Daltons, wherein an amount of the removed ultrafiltrate is an effective therapeutic amount for treating a fluid overload condition of the patient;
infusing the ultrafiltrated blood into the adult patient, and
removing the ultrafiltrate with the filtrate pump at a rate no greater than one liter per hour.
17. The method as in claim 16 wherein the ultrafiltrate is removed at a rate determined by a mechanical filtrate pump and said method further comprising concentrating the blood by removal of the ultrafiltrate.
18. A method as in claim 16 wherein the filter membrane blocks passage of blood molecules having a molecular weight of at least 50,000 Daltons.
19. The method as in claim 16 wherein the filter membrane blocks passage of blood molecules having a molecular weight of at least 30,000 Daltons.
20. The method as in claim 16 wherein the filter membrane blocks passage of blood molecules having a molecular weight of 20,000 Daltons.
21. The method for filtering blood comprising:
withdrawing blood from an adult mammalian patient;
performing ultrafiltration by filtering the withdrawn blood in a filter having an active filter membrane surface of no greater than 0.2 meters squared (m2) to remove ultrafiltrate from the blood, wherein the filter membrane inhibits the passage of plasma proteins and an amount of the removed ultrafiltrate is an effective therapeutic amount for treating a fluid overload condition of the patient;
infusing the ultrafiltrated blood into the adult mammalian patient, and
removing the ultrafiltrate with the filtrate pump at a rate no greater than one liter per hour.
22. The method as in claim 21 wherein the ultrafiltrate is removed at a rate determined by a mechanical filtrate pump and said method further comprising concentrating the blood by removal of the ultrafiltrate.
23. The method as in claim 21 wherein the filter membrane blocks passage of blood molecules having a molecular weight of at least 60,000 Daltons.
24. The method as in claim 21 wherein the filter membrane blocks passage of blood molecules having a molecular weight of at least 30,000 Daltons.
25. The method as in claim 21 wherein the filter membrane blocks passage of blood molecules having a molecular weight of 20,000 Daltons.

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 network facsimile machine, comprising:
means for accepting designation information for designating information to be embedded in image data of a transmission original document;
means for presenting the accepted designation information to a remote device and acquiring information as a response; and
means for generating image data in which the acquired information is embedded in the transmission original document.
2. The network facsimile machine according to claim 1, further comprising means for embedding the acquired information as a part of a Transmit Terminal Identifier (TTI) of the transmission original document.
3. The network facsimile machine according to claim 1, further comprising means for embedding the acquired information as a part of a cover page of the transmission original document.
4. The network facsimile machine according to claim 1, further comprising means for selecting at least one piece of information from the acquired information which includes a plurality of information.
5. The network facsimile machine according to claim 4, further comprising means for embedding the selected information as a part of the Transmit Terminal Identifier (TTI) of the transmission original document.
6. The network facsimile machine according to claim 4, further comprising means for embedding the selected information as a part of a cover page of the transmission original document.
7. The network facsimile machine according to claim 1, wherein the remote device is a directory server.
8. The network facsimile machine according to claim 7, further comprising means for retrieving information in accordance with the accepted designation information.
9. A network facsimile machine, comprising:
means for accepting designation information for designating information to be transmitted with image data of an original document;
means for presenting the accepted designation information to a remote device and acquiring information as a response; and
means for transmitting the acquired information with the image data of the original document.
10. The network facsimile machine according to claim 9, further comprising means for transmitting a Transmitting Subscriber Identification (TSI) signal for transmitting the designation information.
11. The network facsimile machine according to claim 10, wherein the remote device is a directory server.
12. The network facsimile machine according to claim 11, further comprising means for retrieving information in accordance with the accepted designation information.
13. A network facsimile communication method, comprising the steps of:
accepting designation information for designating information to be embedded in image data of a transmission original document;
presenting the accepted designation information to a remote device and acquiring information as a response; and
generating image data in which the acquired information is embedded in the transmission original document.
14. The network facsimile communication method according to claim 13, further comprising a step of embedding the acquired information as a part of a Transmit Terminal Identifier (TTI) of the transmission original document.
15. The network facsimile communication method according to claim 13, further comprising a step of embedding the acquired information as a part of a cover page of the transmission original document.
16. The network facsimile communication method according to claim 13, further comprising a step of transmitting the generated image data.
17. The network facsimile communication method according to claim 13, further comprising a step of retrieving information by the remote device in accordance with the accepted designation information.
18. The network facsimile communication method according to claim 17, further comprising a step of selecting at least one piece of information from a plurality of the retrieved information.
19. The network facsimile communication method according to claim 13, further comprising a step of displaying the acquired information.
20. The network facsimile communication method according to claim 19, further comprising a step of stopping the generation of the image data in accordance with a command.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A hold-down for securing first and second support members in a portion of a building to an anchoring device extending from another portion of the building, the hold-down comprising:
a first flange having securement apertures therethrough configured to receive fasteners adapted to secure the first flange to the first support member;
a second flange having securement apertures configured to receive fasteners adapted to secure the second flange to the second support member;
a base connecting the first and second flanges and having an aperture sized and positioned to receive the anchoring device therethrough; and
the first and second flanges configured to be loaded substantially exclusively in tension by the anchoring device.
2. The hold-down of claim 1, wherein the first and second flanges are configured to engage the first and second support members simultaneously with substantially equal loading thereon.
3. The hold-down of claim 2, wherein the securement apertures are arranged in a pattern selected to receive fasteners therethrough to engage the respective first and second support members at a plurality of angles with respect thereto.
4. The hold-down of claim 3, wherein the thickness of the first flange is selected to hold a tensile load imposed by the anchoring device, and the number and size of the securement apertures are selected to distribute the tensile load evenly without operational damage to the flange.
5. The hold-down of claim 3, wherein the fastener is selected from a screw and a nail.
6. The hold-down of claim 5, wherein the size, number, and locations of the securement apertures are selected to resist yielding of the first flange, due to the fasteners proximate the securement apertures and under the forces induced by the tensile load, when the tensile load is insufficient to fail the base and first flange away from the apertures.
7. The hold-down of claim 6, wherein at least one of the securement apertures is further sized and shaped to receive a fastener at any of a plurality of angles with respect thereto.
8. The hold-down of claim 7, wherein the first support member is formed of wood and wherein the securement mechanisms are further configured to facilitate orientation of a fastener therethrough at an angle selected to resist splitting of the first support member.
9. The hold-down of claim 7, further comprising an insert positioned to fit proximate the base to provide additional rigidity to resist deformation of the base.
10. The hold-down of claim 9, wherein the base is formed to have an increased section modulus with respect to the first flange, to resist yielding in bending under the influence of the anchoring device.
11. The hold-down of claim 10, wherein the section modulus is increased by a mechanism selected from increasing the thickness thereof with respect to the first flange, and bending a portion thereof away from a second portion thereof.
12. The hold-down of claim 1, wherein the first flange further comprises two surfaces, opposed to one another and configured to receive the fasteners in directions opposite one another and passing therethrough.
13. The hold-down of claim 1, wherein:
the first flange has a principal surface, having a normal perpendicular thereto and being oriented to fit adjacent the first support member;
the first flange has a second surface oriented at an angle with respect to the principal surface; and
the second surface is configured to receive fasteners therethrough to engage the first support member at an angle with respect to the normal.
14. The hold-down of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the first flange and the number and size of securement apertures are selected to balance the tensile load in the flange due to the tie down, and the tensile load in the securement region of the flange due to the fasteners.
15. The hold-down of claim 1, wherein at least one of the securement apertures is further sized and shaped to receive a fastener at any of a plurality of angles with respect thereto.
16. The hold-down of claim 1, wherein the first support member is formed of wood and wherein the securement mechanisms are further configured to facilitate orientation of a fastener therethrough at an angle selected to resist splitting of the first support member.
17. The hold-down of claim 1, further comprising an insert positioned to fit proximate the base to provide additional rigidity to resist deformation of the base.
18. The hold-down of claim 1, wherein the base is formed to have an increased section modulus with respect to the first flange, to resist yielding in bending under the influence of the anchoring device.
19. A method for anchoring a wall of a building, the method comprising:
providing a hold-down having a first flange, a second flange, and a base having an aperture to admit an anchoring device;
securing the first flange to a first support member;
securing the second flange to a second support member;
admitting the anchoring device through the aperture in the base; and
tightening a fastener on the anchoring device to load the first and second flanges in tension.
20. The method of claim 21, wherein the first and second flanges have with a plurality of securement apertures.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein securing the first and second flanges to the first and second support members, respectively, comprises admitting a securement mechanism through a securement aperture and into the respective support member.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the securement mechanism is admitted from a location that is not co-linear with the first and second support members.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the securement mechanism is selected from the group consisting of a nail, a rivet, a staple, and a screw.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first and second flanges are secured to proximal surfaces of the first and second support members without accessing the distal surfaces of the first or second support members.
25. An apparatus for securing first and second members of a portion of a building
to an anchor extending theretoward from another portion of the building, the
apparatus comprising:
a first flange having an aperture therethrough configured to receive a fastener adapted to secure the first flange to the first member;
a second flange configured to secure to the second member;
a base connecting the first and second flanges and having a penetration sized and positioned to receive the anchor therethrough; and
the first and second flanges configured to be substantially exclusively in tension when supporting loading from the anchor.
26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the base is configured to equally distribute a load applied thereto by the anchor to the first and second flanges by deflecting.
27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the first and second flanges are configured to adjust for nonparallelism between the first and second support members by deflecting.

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 decolorizable electrophotographic toner comprising:
toner particles,
the toner particle comprising:
a binder resin; and
colorant particle which contain an electron donating color developable agent, an electron accepting color developing agent, and a decolorizing temperature control agent, and have a capsule structure coated with an outer shell, wherein
the ratio of an total exposed areas of the colorant particles to the total projected areas of the toner particles calculated on the basis of scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation of the toner is 5.0% or less.
2. The toner according to claim 1, wherein the toner has a volume average particle diameter of 5 to 20 \u03bcm.
3. The toner according to claim 1, wherein the colorant particles have a volume average particle diameter of 0.5 to 5.0 \u03bcm.
4. The toner according to claim 1, wherein the binder resin is a polyester resin.
5. A method for producing a decolorizable electrophotographic toner comprising:
mixing a colorant particle dispersion, a release agent particle dispersion, and a resin particle dispersion, and aggregating the colorant particles, the release agent particles, and the resin particles in the obtained dispersion of the colorant particles, the release agent particles, and the resin particles, thereby producing first aggregates containing the colorant particles and the release agent particles as main components; and
mixing the resin particle dispersion in a dispersion containing the obtained first aggregates, and aggregating the first aggregates and the resin particles in the obtained dispersion of the first aggregates and the resin particles to coat the first aggregates with the resin particles, thereby producing second aggregates, wherein
the amount of the resin particles to be used for producing the first aggregates with respect to the amount of the total resin particles is 15% or less.
6. A method for producing a decolorizable electrophotographic toner comprising:
mixing a colorant particle dispersion, a release agent particle dispersion, and a resin particle dispersion, and aggregating the colorant particles, the release agent particles, and the resin particles in the obtained dispersion of the colorant particles, the release agent particles, and the resin particles, thereby producing first aggregates containing the resin particles as main components; and
mixing the resin particle dispersion in a dispersion containing the obtained first aggregates, and aggregating the first aggregates and the resin particles in the obtained dispersion of the first aggregates and the resin particles to coat the first aggregates with the resin particles, thereby producing second aggregates, wherein
the amount of the resin particles to be used for producing the first aggregates with respect to 100 parts by mass of the resin particles to be used for producing the second aggregates is 100 to 200 parts by mass.
7. A cartridge, comprising the toner according to claim 1.
8. An image forming apparatus, comprising the toner according to claim 1.