Author: claimsbot

1. A feeding device configured to feed a carrier tape, comprising:
a transmission mechanism;
a buffering mechanism having
a slide assembly;
a feeder assembly slidably mounted to, and movable by, the slide assembly; and
an inductor mounted to the slide assembly;
wherein, the carrier tape is received by the transmission mechanism and fed into the feeder assembly;
wherein, the inductor controls the speed of the transmission mechanism.
2. The feeding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
the feeding device further comprises a bracket and a fastening mechanism; and
the fastening mechanism and the buffering mechanism are arranged to either side of the bracket, and the transmission mechanism is arranged between the fastening mechanism and the buffering mechanism.
3. The feeding device as claimed in claim 2, wherein:
the bracket comprises a first column, a second column, a third column, a fourth column, and an electronic control box;
the fastening mechanism is mounted to the first column, the transmission mechanism is mounted to the second column, and the buffering mechanism is mounted to the third column; and
the electronic control box is electrically connected to the transmission mechanism and the buffering mechanism.
4. The feeding device as claimed in claim 3, wherein:
the fastening mechanism comprises a roller, a slide assembly, a rope; a weight member, a slide block, and a pressing wheel; and
the fastening mechanism is configured to press the carrier tape and transfer the carrier tape to the transmission mechanism.
5. The feeding device as claimed in claim 4, wherein:
the roller is mounted to one side of the first column;
the slide assembly is mounted to the first column under the roller;
the rope revolves the roller;
the weight member is connected to one end of the rope;
the slide block is mounted to the slide assembly, and is connected to the other end of the rope; and
the pressing wheel is mounted to the slide block.
6. The feeding device as claimed in claim 3, wherein:
the transmission mechanism comprises a driver, a driving shaft, and a driving wheel;
the driver is mounted to the second column; and
one end of the driving shaft is connected to the driver, and the other end of the driving shaft passes through the driving wheel.
7. The feeding device as claimed in claim 6, wherein:
the electronic control box slows the feeder assembly down to reduce a transferring speed of the carrier tape when the feeder assembly is moved away from the inductor; and
the electronic control box speeds the feeder assembly up to increase a transferring speed of the carrier tape when the feeder assembly is moved toward the inductor.
8. The feeding device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the transmission mechanism further comprises a feeding wheel; and the feeding wheel is mounted under the driver to receive the carrier tape transferred by the driver.
9. The feeding device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the feeding device further comprises a saving assembly, the saving assembly is mounted adjacent to the feeding wheel under the feeder assembly.
10. The feeding device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the saving assembly comprises a plurality of saving wheels, the saving wheels are configured to receive the carrier tape from the feeding wheel and transfer the carrier tape to the feeder assembly.
11. The feeding device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the slid assembly comprises a gear, a guide rail, a connecting rope, a weight member, and a slide block.
12. The feeding device as claimed in claim 11, wherein:
the gear is mounted to one end of the third column;
the guide rail is mounted to the third column under the gear;
the connecting rope revolves the gear; and
the slide block is connected to one end of the connecting rope, and mounted to the guide rail.
13. The feeding device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the feeder assembly is mounted above the saving assembly, and comprises a plurality of feeding wheels, the feeding wheels receives the carrier tape from the saving wheels.
14. The feeding device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the feeding device further comprises a discharging mechanism, the discharging mechanism is mounted to the fourth column.

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 process for the production of at least one ester of fatty acid and glycerin with a high degree of purity, comprising reacting a vegetable or animal oil with an aliphatic monoalcohol containing 1 to 18 carbon atoms, in the presence of at least one catalyst selected from the group consisting of:
a combination of zinc and titanium oxides,
a combination of zinc oxide, titanium oxide and alumina,
a combination of bismuth and titanium oxides, and
a combination of bismuth oxide, titanium oxide and alumina.
2. A process according to claim 1, wherein said aliphatic monoalcohol contains 1 to 12 carbon atoms.
3. A process according to claim 1, wherein said aliphatic monoalcohol contains 1 to 5 carbon atoms.
4. A process according to claim 1, conducted at a temperature of between 150\xb0 C. and 250\xb0 C., under a pressure of less than 100 bar and with excess monoalcohol relative to the oilalcohol stoichiometry.
5. A process according to claim 1, wherein said catalyst is in the form of powder, extrudates or balls.
6. A process according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst has a surface area of 10 to 500 m2g, a pore volume of 0.1 to 1.2 cm3g, and a pore distribution of 0.01 to 0.1 micrometer.
7. A process according to claim 6, wherein the catalyst has a surface area of 30 to 400 m2g and a pore volume of more than 0.2 cm3g.
8. A process according to claim 1, wherein said reacting is conducted intermittently.
9. A process according to claim 1, wherein said reacting is conducted continuously, either in a fixed bed, or with autoclaves and decanters in series.
10. A process according to claim 9, wherein said reacting is conducted in a fixed bed, with a VVH of 0.1 to 3, preferably 0.3 to 2.
11. A process according to claim 1 comprising conducting successively:
an initial transesterification with a conversion of the oil into ester of at least 80-85%;
a first evaporation of excess monoalcohol;
decanting of the glycerin and ester, and recycling said ester into a second stage to undergo a transesterification with a portion of the monoalcohol recovered in the first evaporation;
a second evaporation of the monoalcohol, decanting under cold conditions and separating the glycerin and the ester.
12. A process according to claim 1, wherein the initial oil is an acidic oil, and a preliminary glycerolysis of the free fatty acid with a transesterification catalyst, at a temperature of between 180 and 220\xb0 C., and at a pressure equal to or less than 1 bar.
13. A process according to claim 1, wherein the ester that is obtained is purified by passage over a resin, an earth andor activated carbon.
14. A process according to claim 1, wherein the ester that is obtained is purified either by distillation or by washing with methanolic glycerin to reduce its monoglyceride content.
15. A process according to claim 11, wherein the glycerin that is obtained after the alcohol is evaporated is ultimately purified by passage over a resin, an earth andor activated carbon.
16. A process according to claim 1, wherein to produce an ethyl ester, ethyl alcohol is used in a mixture with a proportion of 1 to 50% methanol.
17. A process according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst corresponds to the formula:
(ZnO)a\u2014(TiO2)byAl2O31\u2212y,

or

ZnaTibO(a+2b)yAl2O31\u2212y,

wherein a has a value of 0.5 to 5, b has a value of 0.5 to 5, and y has a value of 0.005 to 1.
18. A process according to claim 17, wherein in the formula:
(ZnO)a\u2014(TiO2)byAl2O31\u2212y

or in the formula:
ZnaTibO(a+2b)yAl2O31\u2212y,

y has a value of 0.005 to 0.995.
19. A process according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst corresponds to the formula:
(Bi2O3)a\u2014(TiO2)byAl2O31\u2212y,

wherein a has a value of 0.5 to 5, b has a value of 0.5 to 5, and y has a value of 0.005 to 1.
20. A process according to claim 19, wherein in the formula:
(Bi2O3)a\u2014(TiO2)byAl2O31\u2212y,

y has a value of 0.005 to 0.995.

1. A system comprising:
an implantable medical device configured to deliver pacing stimuli to a heart; and
at least one processor configured to:
for a set of at least two pacing vectors, wherein each vector is at least partially defined by a first electrode and a second electrode:
deliver at least one first pacing stimulus at a first specified pacing energy;
determine whether, in response to the delivered at least one first pacing stimulus, a first cardiac depolarization occurred and whether a first phrenic nerve stimulation occurred, the determination using physiological information received in response to the delivered at least one first pacing stimulus;
adjust the pacing stimulus to determine a first pacing threshold value; and
categorize acceptability of the first electrodes of the at least two pacing vectors using information about at least one of the determined first pacing threshold value, whether the first cardiac depolarization occurred, or whether the first phrenic nerve stimulation occurred;

pair one or more respective categorized acceptable first electrodes with one or more respective candidate second electrodes capable of use therewith, and for a particular pairing:
deliver at least one second pacing stimulus at at least one second pacing energy;
determine whether, in response to the delivered at least one second pacing stimulus, a second cardiac depolarization occurred and whether a second phrenic nerve stimulation occurred, the determination using physiological information received in response to the delivered at least one second pacing stimulus; and
categorize the pairings using information about at least one of whether the second cardiac depolarization occurred or whether the second phrenic nerve stimulation occurred;

evaluate the categorized pairings using information about a margin between the second pacing stimulus and the second phrenic nerve stimulation threshold; and
select at least one pairing, based on the evaluation, for use in subsequent ongoing delivery of pacing stimuli.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein, prior to pairing one or more respective categorized acceptable first electrodes with one or more respective candidate second electrodes capable of use therewith, the at least one processor is configured to:
recommend an electrode for pacing based on the categorized acceptability; and
stop further evaluation of electrodes.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of at least two pacing vectors comprises a set of default pacing vectors stored in a memory device, and wherein the set of at least two pacing vectors is less than the total number of pacing vectors available for pacing.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
rank or prioritize the categorized acceptable first electrodes.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first electrode includes a cathode and the second electrode includes an anode.
6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
display, via the user interface, the evaluated categorized pairings, and
wherein the at least one processor configured to select at least one pairing, based on the evaluation, is further configured to:
receive, via the user interface, user input that selects at least one pairing, based on the evaluation.
7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface, wherein the at least one processor configured to select at least one pairing, based on the evaluation, is further configured to:
select, without requiring user intervention, at least one pairing, based on the evaluation.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the implantable medical device comprises the at least one processor.
9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a device external to a patient, wherein the external device comprises the at least one processor.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the external device comprises at least one of a clinician programmer or a pacing system analyzer, and wherein the external device is configured to transmit information indicating the selected at least one pair of first and second electrodes to the implantable medical device.
11. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, upon execution, cause at least one processor to:
for a set of at least two pacing vectors, wherein each vector is at least partially defined by a first electrode and a second electrode:
deliver at least one first pacing stimulus at a first specified pacing energy;
determine whether, in response to the delivered at least one first pacing stimulus, a first cardiac depolarization occurred and whether a first phrenic nerve stimulation occurred, the determination using physiological information received in response to the delivered at least one first pacing stimulus;
adjust the pacing stimulus to determine a first pacing threshold value; and
categorize acceptability of the first electrodes of the at least two pacing vectors using information about at least one of the determined first pacing threshold value, whether the first cardiac depolarization occurred, or whether the first phrenic nerve stimulation occurred;

pair one or more respective categorized acceptable first electrodes with one or more respective candidate second electrodes capable of use therewith, and for a particular pairing:
deliver at least one second pacing stimulus at at least one second pacing energy;
determine whether, in response to the delivered at least one second pacing stimulus, a second cardiac depolarization occurred and whether a second phrenic nerve stimulation occurred, the determination using physiological information received in response to the delivered at least one second pacing stimulus; and
categorize the pairings using information about at least one of whether the second cardiac depolarization occurred or whether the second phrenic nerve stimulation occurred;

evaluate the categorized pairings using information about a margin between the second pacing stimulus and the second phrenic nerve stimulation threshold; and
select at least one pairing, based on the evaluation, for use in subsequent ongoing delivery of pacing stimuli.
12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein, prior to pairing one or more respective categorized acceptable first electrodes with one or more respective candidate second electrodes capable of use therewith, the at least one processor is configured to:
recommend an electrode for pacing based on the categorized acceptability; and
stop further evaluation of electrodes.
13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the set of at least two pacing vectors comprises a set of default pacing vectors stored in a memory device, and wherein the set of at least two pacing vectors is less than the total number of pacing vectors available for pacing.
14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
rank or prioritize the categorized acceptable first electrodes.
15. A method of determining at least one cardiac pacing vector, the method comprising:
for a set of at least two pacing vectors, wherein each vector is at least partially defined by a first electrode and a second electrode:
delivering at least one first pacing stimulus at a first specified pacing energy;
determining whether, in response to the delivering the at least one first pacing stimulus, a first cardiac depolarization occurred and whether a first phrenic nerve stimulation occurred, the determining using physiological information received in response to the delivering the at least one first pacing stimulus; and
adjusting the pacing stimulus to determine a first pacing threshold value;
categorizing acceptability of the first electrodes of the at least two pacing vectors using information about at least one of the determined first pacing threshold value, whether the first cardiac depolarization occurred, or whether the first phrenic nerve stimulation occurred;

pairing one or more respective categorized acceptable first electrodes with one or more respective candidate second electrode capable of use therewith, and for a particular pairing:
delivering at least one second pacing stimulus at at least one second pacing energy;
determining whether, in response to the delivering the at least one second pacing stimulus, a second cardiac depolarization occurred and whether a second phrenic nerve stimulation occurred, the determining using physiological information received in response to the delivering the at least one second pacing stimulus; and
categorizing the pairings using information about at least one of whether the second cardiac depolarization occurred or whether the second phrenic nerve stimulation occurred;

evaluating the categorized pairings using information about a margin between the second pacing stimulus and the second phrenic nerve stimulation threshold; and
selecting at least one pairing, based on the evaluation, for use in subsequent ongoing delivery of pacing stimuli.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:
prior to pairing one or more respective categorized acceptable first electrodes with one or more respective candidate second electrodes capable of use therewith:
recommending an electrode for pacing based on the categorized acceptability; and
stopping further evaluation of electrodes.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein the set of at least two pacing vectors comprises a set of default pacing vectors stored in a memory device, and wherein the set of at least two pacing vectors is less than the total number of pacing vectors available for pacing.
18. The method of claim 15, further comprising ranking or prioritizing the categorized acceptable first electrodes.
19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first electrode includes a cathode and the second electrode includes an anode.
20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:
selecting, without requiring user intervention, at least one pairing, based on the evaluation.

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 treating an acromioclavicular (AC) joint injury, comprising:
forming axially aligned passages through a patient’s clavicle and coracoid process;
passing a fastener having a concave surface through the passages;
positioning the concave surface of the fastener against a top surface of the patient’s clavicle with a long axis of the fastener extending perpendicular to a long axis of the clavicle;
positioning a fastener having a planar profile below the patient’s coracoid process; and
adjusting a suture that couples the fasteners to decrease a distance between the fasteners.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the suture includes a half-hitch knot and adjusting the suture includes pulling on ends of the suture.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising tying a knot in the suture such that the knot is against an outer surface of the planar fastener.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein passing the fastener having a concave surface through the passages comprises pulling on a second suture attached to the concave fastener.
5. A method comprising:
positioning a bone graft in contact with a patient’s glenoid;
forming at least one axially aligned passage through the patient’s glenoid and the bone graft;
passing a first portion of a suture through the passage, wherein a second portion of the suture is coupled to a first fastener;
positioning a surface of the first fastener against a surface of the bone graft opposite a surface of the bone graft in contact with the patient’s glenoid;
positioning a surface of a second fastener against a surface of the glenoid opposite a surface of the glenoid in contact with the bone graft, wherein the second fastener is coupled to a third portion of the suture; and
adjusting the suture such that the first fastener and the second fastener apply pressure between the bone graft and the patient’s glenoid;
wherein the first fastener and the second fastener are not passed through the passage.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the bone graft is at least a portion of the patient’s coracoid process.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein positioning the portion of the patient’s coracoid process in contact with the patient’s glenoid includes positioning the portion of the patient’s coracoid process upright such that a longest dimension of the patient’s coracoid process is oriented substantially orthogonal to the surface of the glenoid in contact with the patient’s coracoid process.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein positioning the portion of the patient’s coracoid process in contact with the patient’s glenoid includes positioning the portion of the patient’s coracoid process laying down such that a longest dimension of the patient’s coracoid process is oriented substantially parallel to the surface of the glenoid in contact with the patient’s coracoid process.
9. The method of claim 5 wherein the first fastener and the second fastener each have a planar profile.
10. The method of claim 5 wherein the first fastener has a planar profile and the second fastener has a curvature along a longitudinal axis of the second fastener, a length of the second fastener along the longitudinal axis being greater than a width of the second fastener along a lateral axis of the second fastener.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the second fastener further has a curvature along a lateral axis of the second fastener.
12. The method of claim 5 wherein:
the second fastener has a circular body with a convex surface and a corresponding, opposite concave surface; and
the second fastener defines two holes for receiving suture and a neck protruding from the concave surface that surrounds the two holes, an outer diameter of the neck being less than or equal to a diameter of the passage through the bone graft.
13. The method of claim 5, further comprising folding the suture upon itself prior to passing through the passage.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the folded suture includes a closed end and wherein coupling a second portion of the suture to the first fastener comprises passing the folded end of the suture through two holes of the first fastener.
15. The method of claim 5, wherein the bone graft is not laterally constrained by the patient’s anatomy.
16. The method of claim 5, wherein the bone graft is maintained in place by constraint consisting essentially of the pressure created by the first and second fasteners between the bone graft and the patient’s glenoid.
17. The method of claim 5, wherein the bone graft is not positioned into contact with the glenoid within a cavity formed within the glenoid.
18. A method comprising:
positioning a bone graft in contact with a patient’s glenoid;
forming two axially aligned passages through the patient’s glenoid and the bone graft;
inserting a bone anchor into each of the two passages in the patient’s glenoid, wherein each bone anchor includes a length of suture that protrudes from the patient’s glenoid when the bone anchor is inserted;
passing a first portion of suture attached to a first of the bone anchors through a first passage in the bone graft after insertion of the first bone anchor into the patient’s glenoid;
passing a second portion of suture attached to a second of the bone anchors through a second passage in the bone graft after insertion of the second bone anchor into the patient’s glenoid;
positioning a surface of a first fastener against an outer surface of the bone graft opposite a surface of the glenoid in contact with the bone graft, wherein the first fastener is coupled to the first portion of suture and the second portion of suture and wherein the first fastener does not extend beneath the outer surface of the bone graft; and
adjusting the suture such that the first fastener applies pressure between the bone graft and the patient’s glenoid.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the first fastener has a curvature along a longitudinal axis of the first fastener and a curvature along a lateral axis of the first fastener, a length of the first fastener along the longitudinal axis being greater than a width of the first fastener along a lateral axis of the first fastener.
20. The method of claim 18 wherein:
a third portion of suture is attached to the first bone anchor and the first fastener;
a fourth portion of suture is attached to the second bone anchor and the first fastener; and
the first, second, third, and fourth portions of suture are tied together to form a half-hitch knot.