Abstract: A blood oxygenation system includes an oxygenator for oxygenating blood and a heat exchanger for regulating blood temperature. The heat exchanger includes a heat exchange coil that provides a flow path for a heat exchange media, the heat exchange coil is configured to define a heat exchange zone, and the oxygenator is disposed in heat transfer relationship with the heat exchange zone in order to transfer heat between the heat exchange coil and the oxygenator. The heat exchange coil may at least partially circumscribe the oxygenator and, preferably, be helically shaped and disposed coaxially over a membrane oxygenator. In one embodiment, single or multiple hollow fiber strands are wound onto a small diameter center core so that the fiber segments provide spiralling helical blood-flow pathways which increase oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange by secondary flow paths.

Abstract: An exhaust gas cleaning device for a motor vehicle is constructed of a honeycomb core body formed by superposing a planar band made of a metal sheet and a corrugated band made from another metal sheet one over the other in a contiguous relationship and then rolling the thus-superposed bands into a multi-layered spiral form with at least one outermost layer thereof being formed of the planar band. The honeycomb core body defines a number of network-patterned axial gas flow passages and is adapted to carry an exhaust gas cleaning catalyst. At least one fin is fixed on an outer peripheral wall of the honeycomb core body.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for collecting liquid analytical samples for examination, particularly whole urine and blood samples, and reproducibly separating them into two or more fractions. A sample is disposed within such an apparatus, then staining with dye or reacting with reagent as necessary without dislodging or disturbing the sample within the apparatus, or the arrangement of the apparatus itself. A sample can be transferred from the apparatus which serves as a preparation zone, to a separate analysis zone. An apparatus is shown of a type utilizing a container and a petter, said petter provided with an upper portion which enables attachment to the container, a lower retainer portion including a peripheral aperture, the non-apertured portion of which enables wedge-fit thereof into the container, and a body portion connecting the upper petter portion and lower retainer portion.

Abstract: An exhaust gas cleaning device is constructed of a honeycomb core body. The honeycomb core body has been formed by superposing a planar band made of a metal sheet and a corrugated band made from another metal sheet one over the other in a contiguous relationship and then rolling the thus-superposed bands into a multi-layered spiral form. The honeycomb core body defines a number of network-patterned axial gas flow passages and is adapted to carry an exhaust gas cleaning catalyst. The honeycomb core body is divided into a central honeycomb core section of a smaller diameter and an outer honeycomb core section of a larger diameter. A separator is interposed between an outer peripheral wall of the central honeycomb core section and an inner peripheral wall of the outer honeycomb core section. The outer honeycomb core section may be divided further into plural honeycomb core sub-sections having different diameters and a additional separator may be interposed between each two adjacent core sub-sections.

Abstract: There is disclosed micro-processor controlled bio-fluid assay apparatus wherein microtitre plates are on carriers having machine readable labels and wherein the samples of bio-fluid and reagent dispensers also preferably carry machine readable labels whereby the micro-processors which controls movement of the plates through the apparatus can verify correct operation thereof. Movement of the plates is effected by a plate carrier transfer mechanism which has the ability to move the plate carriers in any order and in either direction along each of the x,y and z axes.

Abstract: There is provided a core element, especially useful in fabricating an electrically heatable catalytic converter, which element comprises a thin stainless steel strip having an area on at least one surface coated with a masking alloy, especially a nickel-containing brazing alloy, and a contiguous area coated with a refractory metal oxide, e.g., alumina. This structure enables the production of catalytic cores exhibiting minimum voltage drop at the interconnections between foil laminae to be heated electrically.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a dosimeter for detecting gaseous or aerosol substances. The dosimeter contains a collecting reagent in a tubular shell made of a membrane permeable for the substance to be detected. The dosimeter is improved so that also substances which cannot be absorbed by the collecting reagent can be made detectable. The dosimeter includes an outer shell wherein at least one additional inner shell is provided extending coaxially to the outer shell. The two shells conjointly define an intermediate space wherein a conversion reagent is accommodated for converting the substance to be detected into a conversion product. The inner shell defines an inner space wherein the collecting reagent is disposed for collecting the conversion product.

Abstract: An autosampler is provided having a carrier and openings for receiving large diameter vials and moving the same to a sampling station at which a probe can aspirate liquid therefrom. In cases where the volume/height of the liquid is so low as to prevent aspiration, the conventional large diameter vial is not used and instead a sleeve with a smaller volume vial located therein is positioned in the carrier opening which elevates the level of the liquid in the vial rendering it accessible to the probe and capable of being aspirated thereby for subsequent sampling.

Abstract: A catalyst trough containing multiple guide tubes in registry with the tubes of a multi-tube catalytic reactor is utilized to unload catalysts therefrom with maximum dust containment and maximum catalyst recovery. The catalyst recovery trough contains an outlet collar connected to an outlet line and a positive fastening system whereby the trough is fixedly but detachably connected to the tube sheet of the reactor. The guide tubes extend vertically upwardly from the bottom of the trough and are open in the bottom so as to allow the provision of flexible steel rods or "fish tapes", which may or may not be equipped with high-fluid pressure tubes as air-lances for feeding into the tubes of the reactor, which are on center with the guide tubes of the trough. In this manner any catalytic material which is stuck or bridged across the catalytic tubes may be dislodged so as to fall by gravity into the recovery trough and into an outlet line for recovery.

Abstract: A contact lens holding unit constituted by: a container; a cap detachably mounted on the container; a lens holder mounted on the container and extending into the container, the lens holder including at least one lens basket for receiving a contact lens therein for holding the contact lens with the surfaces thereof exposed to the space around the holder, the lens basket being invertible from a concave position in which it holds a lens with the convex side against the lens basket to a convex position in which it pushes the lens out of the basket. The unit can be converted to a lens disinfection unit by the addition of a catalyst block positioned in the container, preferably on the lens holder, whereby when a disinfection solution which is decomposed is placed in the container for disinfecting a lens held in the lens holder, the catalyst block begins decomposition of the solution.

Abstract: An exhaust gas cleaning device is constructed of a honeycomb core body. The honeycomb core body is formed by superposing a planar band made of a metal sheet and a corrugated band made from another metal sheet, one over the other in a contiguous relationship, and then rolling the thus-superposed planar band and corrugated band together into a multilayered spiral form, defines a number of network-patterned axial gas flow passages, and is further processed to carry an exhaust gas cleaning catalyst thereon. The honeycomb core body defines, along the central axis of rolling thereof, an open cylindrical hollow space of a diameter .phi..sub.2 satisfying the following formula: ##EQU1## wherein .phi..sub.1 is the outer diameter of the honeycomb core body, and.phi..sub.2 is the outer diameter of the cylindrical hollow space.In other aspects of the invention, reinforcing cylinders or ribs are disposed to strengthen the overall structure.

Abstract: An inoculation device preferably for use in the testing of a fluid sample such as urine. The device includes a capillary flow system which allows for immediate and contemporaneous inoculation of a plurality of reagent pads forming part of a test substrate. The flow system includes a plurality of nozzles and a support structure which directs flow into the individual reagent pads while avoiding cross-contamination.

Abstract: A blood oxygenator having a defoaming device for separating foam and bubbles from a liquid, such as blood, is disclosed. The defoaming device of the oxygenator is designed for separating air from blood while minimizing blood contact with the antifoam agent used in the device. In a first embodiment, the device includes a reservoir and a filtering material that does not contain any antifoaming agent. This filtering material is positioned in a lower portion of the reservoir to separate foam and bubbles from the liquid. An element containing an antifoaming agent is positioned in the reservoir above the maximum surface fluid level therein and receives the foam and bubbles that rise from the filtering material. Contact of the liquid with the antifoaming agent is substantially avoided. In a second embodiment, an element containing an antifoaming agent is positioned in the reservoir within the fluid therein.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a transdermal patch holder is provided for making possible an ascertaining of drug release rate of a transdermal patch mountable thereon. The holder includes upper and lower spaced-apart aligned annular adapter disc structures forming aligned through-spaces. An upper surface of the lower disc structure has a centrally positioned stepped indentation forming a recess space seatable of the transdermal patch. The lower surface of the upper disc structure has a centrally positioned stepped downwardly-extending projection of slightly lesser cross-section than the cross-section of the recess space and is adapted to downwardly press upon an upper surface of a seated transdermal patch when the upper disc structure is intermittently in a latched state of being latched to the lower disc structure.

Abstract: A catalytic converter for purification of exhaust gas discharged from an automotive internal combustion engine. The catalytic converter is comprised of first and second three-way catalysts disposed in a casing. The first catalyst is located upstream of the second catalyst relative to the stream of exhaust gas in the catalytic converter. Each catalyst is formed therein with many exhaust gas passages through which exhaust gas passes. Each catalyst includes a honeycomb type monolithic ceramic substrate having many cells each defined by walls in the substrate. At least a part of each cell serves as the exhaust gas passage. A wash coating is formed on the surface of the walls in the substrate and contains cerium. Catalytic noble metals are carried by the wash coating.

Abstract: In an exhaust gas cleaning apparatus, at least two honeycomb core bodies each carrying a cleaning catalyst are arranged, with at least one axial space therebetween, in a metal casing having an enlarged-diameter portion. The outer peripheral surfaces of the core bodies are fixed to the inner surface of the casing so that each core body is expandable and contractible axially. The result is that separation between each core body and the casing can be prevented, thus improving the durability. Further, an excellent cleaning performance can be achieved not only due to the heat insulating effect as well as the gas stirring effect by the enlarged-diameter casing portion, but also due to the gas turbulent effect by the inter-body space.

Abstract: The kit includes a U-shaped cooling part containing a coil condenser, various combustion chambers with or without water cooling, burners, sample containers, and separating receivers. Almost all of the parts are made of quartz. The parts are assembled by ground joints. The axes of the combustion part and the cooling and absorption part run parallel to one another and are vertical. In the various combustion apparatus assemblable from the kit, all substances can be burned completely and without trouble. The apparatus can easily be rearranged and optimally suited to each combustion task.

Abstract: A multi-well test plate which includes a base and a plurality of well strips. The well strips are removable from the base and the individual wells of each strip are separable. The wells in each strip are joined by T-shaped connecting members which hold the wells in a flat linear array when the well strips are either held in or removed from the base and the T-shaped members are readily severable to permit easy separation of individual wells.

Abstract: An artificial lung includes a housing having gas inlet and outlet ports, a blood inlet chamber mounted on the upper ends of the housing, a blood outlet chamber mounted on the lower end of the housing, and a plurality of hollow fiber membranes for exchanging a gas, disposed within the housing and having ends opening into the blood inlet chamber and opposite ends opening into the blood outlet chamber. A blood inlet port communicates with the blood inlet chamber and is positioned such that the ratio of the distance from the central axis of the blood inlet chamber to the central axis of the blood inlet port to the inside radius of the blood inlet chamber ranges from 0.25 to 0.95, so that blood introduced from the blood inlet port into the blood inlet chamber will be swirled in one direction.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring or detecting a chemical entity in a liquid sample, the apparatus including a first module operationally connected to a second module, the first module having a flow passage for the sample, the flow passage including a sensor for measuring or detecting the chemical entity and .Iadd.a .Iaddend.pump .[.means.]. for advancing the sample along the flow passage, the second module including .[.means.]. .Iadd.an actuator .Iaddend.for actuating the pump means, and the second module being connected to the first module via .[.connecting means.]. .Iadd.a connector .Iaddend.permitting disconnection of the first and second modules and connection of a replacement first module to the second module.