All The Claims

1. A balloon catheter, comprising:
a) an elongated shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and at least a first lumen; and
b) a balloon on a distal shaft section, having an interior in fluid communication with the first lumen, a proximal end, a distal end, a length extending from the proximal to the distal end of the balloon, and having at least a first layer with a first section, and with a second section longitudinally adjacent to the first section and extending at least in part along a central portion of the length of the balloon, the first layer second section being longitudinally compacted by more than the first layer first section, so that in a noninflated configuration prior to inflation of the balloon the second section has a lower porosity than the first section.
2. The balloon catheter of claim 1 wherein the balloon has a proximal skirt section secured to the shaft, a distal skirt section secured to the shaft, an inflatable working section, an inflatable proximal section which inflates to a tapered configuration and which is between the proximal skirt section and the inflatable working section, and an inflatable distal section which inflates to a tapered configuration and which is between the distal skirt section and the inflatable working section, and the second section of the first layer is located at the inflatable working section of the balloon.
3. The balloon catheter of claim 2 wherein the first section of the first layer is located at the inflatable proximal section of the balloon.
4. The balloon catheter of claim 3 wherein the second section of the first layer is longitudinally compacted by more than a section of the first layer located at the inflatable distal section of the balloon.
5. The balloon catheter of claim 4 wherein the sections of the first layer located at the inflatable proximal and distal sections of the balloon are longitudinally compacted by more than sections of the first layer located at the proximal and distal skirt sections of the balloon.
6. The balloon catheter of claim 3 wherein the second section of the first layer has a longitudinal compaction of about 10% to about 60% of the section’s pre-longitudinal compaction length.
7. The balloon catheter of claim 3 wherein the section of the first layer located at the inflatable proximal section has a longitudinal compaction of about 10% to about 40% of the section’s pre-longitudinal compaction length.
8. The balloon catheter of claim 3 wherein the section of the first layer located at the inflatable distal section has a longitudinal compaction of about 10% to about 40% of the section’s pre-longitudinal compaction length.
9. The balloon catheter of claim 3 wherein the sections of the first layer located at the proximal and distal skirt sections each have a longitudinal compaction of about 0% to about 30% of the section’s pre-longitudinal compaction length.
10. The balloon catheter of claim 1 wherein the sections of the first layer located at the proximal and distal skirt sections are not longitudinally compacted.
11. The balloon catheter of claim 3 wherein the inflatable proximal section extending between the proximal skirt section and the working length has an inflated length of about 1 to about 5 mm.
12. The balloon catheter of claim 3 wherein the inflatable distal section extending between the distal skirt section and the working length has an inflated length of about 1 to about 5 mm.
13. The balloon catheter of claim 3 wherein the distal skirt section has a length of about 1 to about 5 mm, and the proximal skirt section has a length of about 1 to about 5 mm.
14. The balloon catheter of claim 2 wherein the second section of the first layer has a porosity about 0 to about 40% lower than a porosity of the sections of the first layer located at the inflatable proximal and distal sections of the balloon.
15. The balloon catheter of claim 2 wherein the second section of the first layer has a lower porosity than the sections of the first layer located at the proximal and distal skirt sections of the balloon.
16. The balloon catheter of claim 2 wherein the sections of the first layer located at the inflatable proximal and distal sections have a lower porosity than the sections of the first layer located at the proximal and distal skirt sections.
17. The balloon catheter of claim 16 wherein the section of the first layer located at the inflatable proximal and distal sections each have a porosity about 10 to about 30% lower than the sections of the first layer located at the proximal and distal skirt sections.
18. The balloon catheter of claim 1 wherein the first layer of the balloon is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, ultra high molecular weight polyolefin, porous polyolefin, and porous polyurethane.
19. The balloon catheter of claim 18 wherein the balloon includes a second layer formed of an elastomeric material, which extends from the proximal skirt section to the distal skirt section, and which is secured to the first layer.
20. A balloon catheter, comprising:
a) an elongated shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and at least a first lumen; and
b) a balloon on a distal shaft section, having an interior in fluid communication with the first lumen, a proximal end, a distal end, and at least a first layer formed of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, the first layer in a noninflated configuration having an inflatable central section between the proximal and distal ends of the balloon with a longitudinal compaction of about 10% to about 60%, an inflatable proximal section proximal to the central section with a longitudinal compaction less than the first layer inflatable central section and which inflates to a tapered configuration, an inflatable distal section distal to the central section with a longitudinal compaction less than the first layer inflatable central section and which inflates to a tapered configuration, a proximal skirt section secured to the shaft, and a distal skirt section secured to the shaft.
21. The balloon catheter of claim 20 wherein the longitudinal compaction of the inflatable proximal section and the inflatable distal section of the first layer is about 10% to about 40%.
22. The balloon catheter of claim 20 wherein the inflatable central section of the first layer has a longitudinal compaction of about 30% to about 50%, and the inflatable proximal and distal sections each have a longitudinal compaction of about 10% to about 20%, and the proximal and distal skirt sections each are not longitudinally compacted.
23. An expandable tubular medical device or component, comprising a tubular body having a proximal end, a distal end, a length extending from the proximal to the distal end, and having at least a first layer formed of a porous polymeric material with a first section, and with a second section longitudinally adjacent to the first section and extending at least in part along a central portion of the length of the tubular body, the second section being longitudinally compacted by more than the first section, so that in a nonexpanded configuration prior to expansion of the tubular body the second section has a lower porosity than the first section.

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 ring illuminator comprising:
a) a light channeling section comprising an input face for optically coupling the light channeling section to a flash unit of a camera for obtaining flash illumination therefrom;
b) a ring section optically coupled to the light channeling section and extending around an aperture for fitting the ring illuminator around a lens of the camera;
wherein the ring section comprising a rear surface comprising a plurality of light redirecting features for redirecting at least a portion of the flash illumination from within the ring section outward from the camera, around the lens of the camera; and
wherein the input face of the light channeling section is parallel to an output face of the flash unit.
2. A ring illuminator according to claim 1 wherein the light redirecting features are selected from a set consisting of grooves, prism structures, and scattering spots.
3. A ring illuminator according to claim 1 wherein the ring illuminator is fabricated as a single piece.
4. A ring illuminator according to claim 1 wherein the light channeling section is separable from the ring section.
5. A ring illuminator according to claim 1 wherein the ring illuminator is a molded plastic unit.
6. An image capture system for obtaining an image of a subject, comprising:
a) a camera comprising a flash unit;
b) a lens attached to the camera;
c) a ring illuminator fitted around the lens, the ring illuminator comprising a light channeling section optically coupled to the flash unit and a ring section optically coupled to the light channeling section and curved about the lens;
wherein a rear surface of the ring section comprises a plurality of light-redirecting features for redirecting a portion of the illumination obtained from the flash unit outward, toward the subject; and
wherein an input face of the light channeling section is substantially parallel to an output face of the flash unit.
7. An image capture system according to claim 6 wherein the ring illuminator is a single piece.
8. An image capture system according to claim 6 wherein the flash unit is a pop-up flash unit.
9. An image capture system according to claim 6 wherein the flash unit is a built-in flash unit.
10. An image capture system according to claim 6 wherein the light redirecting features are selected from a set consisting of grooves, prism structures, indentations, and scattering spots.
11. An image capture system according to claim 6 wherein the ring illuminator is comprised of plastic.
12. An image capture system according to claim 6 wherein a bend radius of said light channeling section substantially preserves total internal reflection.
13. An image capture system according to claim 11 wherein said light channeling section transmits greater than 50 percent of light generated by said flash unit.
14. An image capture system according to claim 6 wherein said light channeling section and said light ring section are comprised of multiple components.
15. An image capture system according to claim 6 wherein the lens is integral to said camera.
16. An image capture system as in claim 6 wherein said light channeling section is comprised of glass.
17. A method for providing ring illumination, comprising:
a) disposing an input face of a light pipe proximate a flash unit of a camera, obtaining flash illumination thereby;
b) routing a portion of the light pipe at least partially around a camera objective lens to redirect at least a portion of the flash illumination around the lens;
c) redirecting a portion of the flash illumination from within said light pipe outward along at least one surface of said portion of said curved light pipe; and
wherein the input face is substantially parallel to an output face of the flash unit.
18. A method as in claim 17 wherein said redirected flash illumination is parallel an axis of said lens.

1. A process for ink-jet printing white pigment ink onto a thermoplastic polymer substrate material, wherein the white pigment ink is a non-aqueous dispersion comprising white pigment particles in a vehicle comprising at least one organic liquid and at least one dispersant for the white pigment.
2. The process of claim 1 wherein the white pigment is titanium dioxide (TiO2).
3. The process of claim 2 wherein the dispersion comprises TiO2 particles having a size of less than about 500 nm.
4. The process of claim 3 wherein the dispersion comprises TiO2 particles within the range of from about 100 nm to about 400 nm.
5. The process of claim 4 wherein the dispersion comprises TiO2 particles within the range of from about 200 nm to about 300 nm.
6. The process of claim 5 wherein the vehicle comprises dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (DPMA) in a concentration of up to about 50% of the total vehicle concentration.
7. The process of claim 6 wherein the DPMA comprises from about 5 to about 50% of the vehicle.
8. The process of claim 6 wherein the DPMA comprises from about 15 to about 45% of the vehicle.
9. A non-aqueous white pigment ink dispersion suitable for ink-jet printing onto a thermoplastic polymer substrate material, wherein the white pigment ink is a non-aqueous dispersion comprising from about 1 part per hundred parts (pph) to about 40 pph white pigment particles in a vehicle comprising at least one organic liquid and at least one dispersant for the white pigment.
10. The dispersion of claim 9 comprising from about 5 part per hundred parts (pph) to about 35 pph of the white pigment particles.
11. The dispersion of claim 10 from about 10 part per hundred parts (pph) to about 30 pph of the white pigment particles.
12. The dispersion of claim 11 wherein the vehicle comprises DPMA in an amount of up to about 50% of the total vehicle concentration.
13. The dispersion of claim 12 wherein the vehicle comprises from about 5% to about 50% DPMA.
14. The dispersion of claim 13 wherein the vehicle comprises from about 15% to about 45% DPMA.
15. The dispersion of claim 14 wherein the white pigment particles comprise TiO2 particles having a size in the range of less than about 500 nm.
16. The dispersion of claim 15 wherein the dispersion comprises TiO2 particles within the range of from about 100 nm to about 400 nm.
17. The dispersion of claim 15 wherein the dispersion comprises TiO2 particles within the range of from about 200 nm to about 300 nm.
18. A laminate article comprising an image-bearing thermoplastic interlayer substrate, wherein the image comprises white pigment particles that have been applied by printing, using an ink jet printing process, white ink dispersion onto at least one surface of the substrate.
19. The laminate of claim 18 wherein the white pigment particles comprise TiO2 particles having a size in the range of less than about 500 nm.
20. The laminate of claim 19 wherein the white pigment particles have a size in the range of from about 100 nm to about 400 nm.
21. The laminate of claim 20 wherein the white pigment particles have a size in the range of from about 200 to about 300 nm.
22. The laminate of claim 21 wherein the thermoplastic interlayer substrate is obtained from a polymer selected from the group consisting of: polyurethanes (PUR); polyesters, polyvinylchlorides (PVC); polyolefins; and polyvinylbutyral (PVB).
23. The laminate of claim 22 wherein the thermoplastic interlayer is a PUR or a PVB polymer.
24. A process for obtaining an image-bearing laminate having a laminate adhesive strength of at least about 1000 psi, the process comprising the steps: ink-jet printing a non-aqueous white pigmented ink onto at least one surface of a thermoplastic interlayer; and laminating the image-bearing interlayer between sheets of a suitable lamination substrate, wherein the white pigment ink is a non-aqueous dispersion comprising white pigment particles in a vehicle comprising at least one organic liquid and at least one dispersant for the white pigment.

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 for preparing a granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides, comprising the following steps:
a slurry forming step: blending a dihydrogen phosphate, a powdered inorganic adsorbent raw material and a setting time regulator in water to form a slurry;
a fixing step: adding sintered magnesia into the slurry, and blending the mixture to form a fixed slurry;
a drying and hardening step: setting the fixed slurry on a disk member, and naturally drying to hardening in a specific temperature range to form a hardened solid material;
a granulation step: smashing the hardened solid material and performing vibration sieving by using a screen, to obtain a granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides containing residual reagents; and
a washing step: washing the granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides containing residual reagents with water, to remove the residual reagents, so as to obtain a granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides.
2. The method for preparing a granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides of claim 1, wherein the dihydrogen phosphate in the slurry formation step is one or a mixture of more than two selected from ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, calcium dihydrogen phosphate and magnesium dihydrogen phosphate.
3. The method for preparing a granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides of claim 1, wherein the percentage weight of the dihydrogen phosphate is in the range of 1 ww % to 15ww %, preferably in the range of 2 ww % to 15ww %, and more preferably in the range of 3 ww % to 8ww %, based on the total weight of the fixed slurry.
4. The method for preparing a granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides of claim 1, wherein the powdered inorganic adsorbent raw material is one or a mixture of more than two selected from natural zeolite, artificial zeolite, titanium phosphate composited ammonium phosphomolybdate, zirconium phosphate composited ammonium phosphomolybdate, tin phosphate composited ammonium phosphosphomolybdate, metallic ferrocyanide, ferricyanide, heteropoly acid salt, ammonium phosphotungstate, zirconium phosphotungstate and zirconium phosphomolybdate, multivalent metallic phosphate, transition metallic oxyhydroxides and transition metallic hydroxides.
5. The method for preparing a granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides of claim 1, wherein the powdered inorganic adsorbent raw material is a metallic ferrocyanide, and the metallic ferrocyanide is one or a mixture of more than two selected from cadmium ferrocyanide, nickel ferrocyanide, copper ferrocyanide, cobalt ferrocyanide and zinc ferrocyanide.
6. The method for preparing a granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides of claim 5, further comprises:
dissolving a ferrocyanide salt hydrate in water to formulate a first solution containing the ferrocyanide salt hydrate at a concentration of 0.01 to 1 molL;
dissolving a soluble metal salt in water to formulate a second solution containing the soluble metal salt at a concentration of 0.01 to 1 molL;
mixing the first solution and the second solution and stifling the mixture to form a slurry-like third solution, and continuously stirring for at least 24 hr at a temperature in the range of 20\xb0 C. to 35\xb0 C.;
subjecting the third solution to centrifugal desorption or pressure filtration to remove residual reagents in the third solution, and then washing with tap water or deionized water, where this washing is performed at least one time or more;
drying at a temperature in the range of 60\xb0 C. to 90\xb0 C. to form a lump-like inorganic adsorbent raw material; and
smashing and powdering the lump-like inorganic adsorbent raw material, so as to complete the preparation.
7. The method for preparing a granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides of claim 6, wherein the ferrocyanide salt hydrate is potassium ferrocyanide or sodium ferrocyanide.
8. The method for preparing a granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides of claim 6, wherein the soluble metal salt is selected to be any of zinc nitrate, zinc sulfate, zinc chloride, zinc formate, zinc acetate, zinc acetylacetone, zinc diethyldithiocarbamate, zinc oleate, zinc stearate, zinc decanoate, zinc laurate, zinc myristate, cadmium nitrate, cadmium sulfate, cadmium chloride, cadmium formate, cadmium acetate, cadmium acetylacetone, cadmium diethyldithiocarbamate, cadmium oleate, cadmium stearate, cadmium decanoate, cadmium laurate, cadmium myristate, cobalt nitrate, cobalt sulfate, cobalt chloride, cobalt formate, cobalt acetate, cobalt acetylacetone, cobalt diethyldithiocarbamate, cobalt oleate, cobalt stearate, cobalt decanoate, cobalt laurate, cobalt myristate, nickel nitrate, nickel sulfate, nickel chloride, nickel formate, nickel acetate, nickel acetylacetone, nickel diethyldithiocarbamate, nickel oleate, nickel stearate, nickel decanoate, nickel laurate, nickel myristate, copper nitrate, copper sulfate, copper chloride, copper formate, copper acetate, copper acetylacetone, copper diethyldithiocarbamate, copper oleate, copper stearate, copper decanoate, copper laurate or copper myristate.
9. The method for preparing a granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides of claim 1, wherein the weight range of the powdered inorganic adsorbent raw material is from 20ww % to 60ww %, preferably from 30ww % to 50ww %, and more preferably from 40ww % to 45ww %, based on the total weight of the fixed slurry of 100ww %.
10. The method for preparing a granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides of claim 1, wherein the setting time regulator is boric acid or borax, or a mixture thereof.
11. The method for preparing a granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides of claim 1, wherein the weight range of the setting time regulator is from 0.01ww % to 0.1ww %, preferably from 0.02ww % to 0.08ww %, and more preferably from 0.03ww % to 0.06ww %, based on the total weight of the fixed slurry of 100ww %.
12. The method for preparing a granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides of claim 1, wherein the weight range of the water is from 10ww % to 40ww %, preferably from 20ww % to 38ww %, and more preferably from 25ww % to 35ww %, based on the total weight of the fixed slurry of 100ww %.
13. The method for preparing a granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides of claim 1, wherein the sintered magnesia is selected to be dead-burned magnesia, or light-burned magnesia, or a mixture thereof.
14. The method for preparing a granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides of claim 1, wherein the weight range of the sintered magnesia is from 10ww % to 40ww %, preferably from 14ww % to 30ww %, and more preferably from 18ww % to 25ww %, based on the total weight of the fixed slurry of 100ww %.
15. The method for preparing a granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides of claim 1, wherein the specific temperature range is 20\xb0 C. to 35\xb0 C.
16. The method for preparing a granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides of claim 1, wherein the surface hardness of the hardened solid material is at least 3H or more, and preferably at least 5H or more.
17. The method for preparing a granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides of claim 1, wherein the particle diameter of the granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides containing residual reagents after vibration sieving is in the range of 0.2 to 3 mm, preferably in the range of 0.5 to 2.5 mm, and more preferably in the range of 1 to 2 mm
18. The method for preparing a granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides of claim 1, wherein the water in the washing step is tap water or deionized water.
19. The method for preparing a granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides of claim 1, wherein the granulated inorganic adsorbent for radionuclides has a adsorption capacity, and the adsorption capacity is in the range of 0.7 to 1.9 meqg, preferably in the range of 0.9 to 1.7 meqg, and more preferably in the range of 1.0 to 1.6 meqg.