1. An apparatus for a vehicle roof, comprising:
a cover;
at least two guide elements that are movably arranged on opposite sides of the cover such that the distance between said at least two guide elements is variable; and
at least two sliding guides fixed to the cover, wherein said at least two sliding guides predefine guide element displacement directions that are different from a cover displacement direction.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the guide element displacement directions of said at least two sliding guides are substantially mirror-symmetrical.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least two guide bars, each guide bar attached to one of said at least two guide elements and received in one of said at least two sliding guides.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein each guide element is connected to its corresponding guide bar by an articulated joint.
5. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:
at least two levers, each lever connected to one of said at least two guide bars; and
a coupling lever supported on the cover and swivelable about a swivel axis, wherein said at least two levers are connected to the coupling lever on opposite sides of the swivel axis.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein articulated joints connect said at least two guide bars to said at least two levers and connect said at least two levers to the coupling lever.
7. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:
at least two toothed racks, each toothed rack disposed on one of said at least two guide bars; and
a gear wheel rotatably supported on the cover, wherein said at least two toothed racks mesh in the gear wheel.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein each toothed rack is integrated with its corresponding guide bar.
9. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:
at least two supplemental sliding guides fixed to the cover, wherein said at least two supplemental sliding guides predefine second guide element displacement directions;
at least two supplemental guide elements; and
at least two supplemental guide bars, each supplemental guide bar attached to one of said at least two supplemental guide elements and received in one of said at least two supplemental sliding guides.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the guide element displacement directions of said at least two sliding guides are substantially mirror-symmetrical and obliquely oriented with respect to the cover displacement direction, and wherein the second displacement directions of said at least two supplemental guide elements are generally perpendicular to the cover displacement direction.
11. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a resilient member mounted on the cover on a limit stop, wherein the resilient member supports said at least two guide bars.
12. A sliding vehicle roof system, comprising:
two guide tracks extending along a vehicle roof, wherein a distance between the guide tracks varies along a length of the guide tracks;
a cover disposed between the guide tracks;
two guide elements that are movably arranged in the two guide tracks on opposite sides of the cover such that the distance between the two guide elements is variable as the distance between the guide tracks varies;
two sliding guides fixed to the cover, wherein the two sliding guides predefine substantially mirror-symmetrical guide element displacement directions that are different from a cover displacement direction; and
two guide bars, each guide bar attached to one of the two guide elements and received in one of the two sliding guides.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the guide tracks are substantially straight.
14. The system of claim 12, wherein the guide tracks are curved.
15. The system of claim 12 wherein each guide element is connected to its corresponding guide bar by an articulated joint.
16. The system of claim 12, further comprising:
two levers, each lever connected to one of said two guide bars; and
a coupling lever supported on the cover and swivelable about a swivel axis, wherein the two levers are connected to the coupling lever on opposite sides of the swivel axis.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein articulated joints connect the two guide bars to the two levers and connect the two levers to the coupling lever.
18. The system of claim 12, further comprising:
two toothed racks, each toothed rack integrated with one of the two guide bars; and
a gear wheel rotatably supported on the cover, wherein the two toothed racks mesh in the gear wheel.
19. The system of claim 12, further comprising:
two supplemental sliding guides fixed to the cover, wherein the two supplemental sliding guides predefine second guide element displacement directions;
two supplemental guide elements; and
two supplemental guide bars, each supplemental guide bar attached to one of the two supplemental guide elements and received in one of the two supplemental sliding guides.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein the guide element displacement directions of the two sliding guides are substantially mirror-symmetrical and obliquely oriented with respect to the cover displacement direction, and wherein the second displacement directions of the two supplemental guide elements are generally perpendicular to the cover displacement direction.
21. The system of claim 12, further comprising a resilient member mounted on the cover on a limit stop, wherein the resilient member supports said at least two guide bars.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-64. (canceled)
65. A cured adhesive complex coacervate produced by the process comprising reacting (a) at least one polyanion comprising a plurality of activated ester groups, and (b) at least one polycation comprising a dendrimer comprising a plurality of amino groups, wherein the amino groups react with the activated ester groups to produce a new covalent bond between the polycation and the polyanion.
66. The adhesive complex coacervate of claim 65, wherein the dendrimer has 3 to 20 arms, wherein each arm comprises an amino group.
67. The adhesive complex coacervate of claim 65, wherein the polyanion comprises (1) two or more sulfate, sulfonate, borate, boronate, phosphonate, or phosphate groups and (2) a plurality of activated ester groups.
68. The adhesive complex coacervate of claim 65, wherein the polyanion comprises a polyphosphate and a plurality of activated ester groups.
69. The adhesive complex coacervate of claim 68, wherein the polyphosphate comprises a polyacrylate comprising one or more pendant phosphate groups.
70. The adhesive complex coacervate of claim 65, wherein the polyanion comprises a polymer comprising at least one fragment comprising the formula X
wherein R4 is hydrogen or an alkyl group;
n is from 1 to 10;
Y is oxygen, sulfur, or NR30, wherein R30 is hydrogen, an alkyl group, or an aryl group;
Z is an activated ester,
or the pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof.
71. The adhesive complex coacervate of claim 70, wherein the polyanion further comprises at least one fragment comprising the formula II
wherein R4 is hydrogen or an alkyl group, and n is from 1 to 10, or the pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof.
72. The adhesive complex coacervate of claim 65, wherein the coacervates further comprises a reinforcing component.
73. The adhesive complex coacervate of claim 65, wherein the coacervate further comprises at least one multivalent cation.
74. The adhesive complex coacervate of claim 73, wherein the multivalent cation comprises one or more divalent cations.
75. The adhesive complex coacervate of claim 65, wherein the coacervate further comprises one or more bioactive agents encapsulated in the coacervate.
76. A cured adhesive complex coacervate produced by the process comprising
(a) providing an adhesive complex coacervate comprising (i) at least one polyanion comprising a plurality of carboxyl groups, and (ii) at least one polycation comprising a dendrimer comprising a plurality of amino groups that can react with the activated ester groups to produce a new covalent bond between the polycation and the polyanion; and
(b) contacting the polyanion with a reagent to convert at least one carboxyl group to an activated ester, wherein an amino group present on the polycation reacts with the activated ester to produce a new covalent bond.
77. A kit comprising (1) at least one polyanion comprising a plurality of activated ester groups, and (2) at least one polycation comprising a dendrimer comprising a plurality of amino groups that can react with the activated ester groups to produce a new covalent bond between the polycation and the polyanion.
78. An adhesive complex coacervate comprising (a) at least one polyanion comprising a plurality of carboxyl groups, and (b) at least one polycation comprising a dendrimer comprising a plurality of amino groups that can react with the activated ester groups to produce a new covalent bond between the polycation and the polyanion.
79. A method for repairing a bone fracture in a subject, comprising (1) contacting the fractured bone with the adhesive complex coacervate of claim 78 and (2) curing the adhesive complex coacervate.
80. A method for adhering a substrate to a bone of a subject comprising (1) contacting the bone with the adhesive complex coacervate of claim 78; (2) applying the substrate to the coated bone; and (3) curing the adhesive complex coacervate.
81. A method for adhering a bone-tissue scaffold to a bone of a subject comprising (1) contacting the bone and tissue with the adhesive complex coacervate of claim 78; (2) applying the bone-tissue scaffold to the bone and tissue; and (3) curing the adhesive complex coacervate.
82. A method to bond a soft tissue scaffold to soft tissue or two soft tissue scaffolds or two soft tissues comprising (1) applying the adhesive complex coacervate of claim 78 to the tissue scaffold andor soft tissue; and (2) curing the adhesive complex coacervate.
83. A method for treating an ocular wound comprising (1) applying to the wound the adhesive complex coacervate of claims 78; and (2) curing the adhesive complex coacervate.
84. A method of closing or sealing a puncture in internal tissue or membrane comprising (1) adhering a patch to the puncture with the adhesive complex coacervate of claims 78; and (2) curing the adhesive complex coacervate.
85. A method for inhibiting blood flow in a blood vessel of a subject comprising (1) introducing the adhesive complex coacervate of claim 78 into the vessel; and (2) optionally curing the adhesive complex coacervate.
86. A method for delivering one or more bioactive agents to a subject comprising administering the cured adhesive complex coacervate of claim 65 to the subject, wherein the bioactive agent is encapsulated in the cured adhesive complex coacervate.
87. A method for delivering one or more bioactive agents to a subject comprising administering the adhesive complex coacervate of claim 78 to the subject, wherein the bioactive agent is encapsulated in the adhesive complex coacervate.