Abstract: There is provided a a respiratory gas delivery and sampling system, a gas sampling system, a gas sampling interface and a gas sampling tip that may be used to sample exhaled and/or expired gases from a patient, particularly from a patient who is apnoeic and/or who is receiving high flow respiratory therapy. The gas sampling system comprises a respiratory gas monitor in fluid communication with the gas sampling interface, which comprises the gas sampling tip of the invention. The gas sampling interface comprises a gas sampling conduit and the gas sampling tip is located at a free end of the conduit. The gas sampling interface may be configured to allow the gas sampling tip to be selectively positioned at or in the mouth or a nare of the patient's nose.

Abstract: There is disclosed system for oxygenating a patient in relation to anaesthesia using high flow gas delivery. The system has a flow source, and a controller for determining oxygenation requirements of the patient before or during anaesthesia. A method of oxygenating a patient in relation to anaesthesia using high flow gas delivery is also disclosed. The method determines oxygenation requirements of the patient before or during anaesthesia.

Abstract: A respiratory assistance system can provide high flow therapy to patients. The respiratory assistance system can include a patient interface that can deliver a gas flow to a patient and a gas source that can drive the gas flow towards the patient interface at an operating flow rate. The system can include a controller for controlling the operating flow rate of the gas. The controller can apply multiple test flow rate values in a range as the operating flow rate. For each of the test flow rate values, the controller can measure a patient parameter. The controller can determine a new flow rate value based on the measured patient parameters. Patient parameters can include respiration rate, work of breathing, or any other parameters related to the respiratory circuit.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner with a battery unit for powering the vacuum cleaner is provided. The battery unit includes a plurality of serially connected battery cells and battery management electronics operatively coupled to the battery cells. Two enclosures are provided on either side of a central axis of the vacuum cleaner, each enclosure including a portion of the plurality of battery cells, and a portion of the battery management electronics operatively coupled to the respective portion of the plurality of the battery cells. A link strap interconnects the portions of the battery management electronics.

Abstract: A lead anchor (1) to secure a stimulation lead (3) with an internal lead lumen (5), the lead anchor (1) comprising: a first clamp surface (7); a second clamp surface (9) opposed to the first clamp surface (7); and an adjustable fastener (11) to selectively draw the first clamp surface (7) towards the second clamp surface (9) to secure the stimulation lead (3) located between the first clamp surface (7) and the second clamp surface (9), wherein the first clamp surface (7) and the second clamp surface (9) are profiled to apply clamping force (13) to secure the stimulation lead (3) while maintaining an open internal lead lumen (5).

Abstract: It is known to use the leading edge of a film strip to guide the strip through processing apparatus. However, this leading edge may be damaged as the film is loaded into and unloaded out of a camera. Described herein is a film unloading device in which a curved guillotine blade (240) is used to provide a newly cut leading edge by which a film strip can be guided through processing apparatus. The guillotine blade (240) is reciprocated between a rest and an operative position by a motor which operates in one direction only. The blade (240) is mounted on a rotating drum (250) by means of a crank pin (258), the drum being rotated through 180.degree., in the direction indicated by arrow 252, to move the blade (240) from its rest to its operative position and then through a further 180.degree. to move the blade (240) back to its rest position.

Abstract: In some types of processing apparatus, there is a minimum length of film strip which can be processed. To overcome this problem, several film strips may be spliced together to provide the desired length and/or a leader attached to the leading edge of the film strip to guide it through the apparatus for processing. Described herein is a loading device which removes the need for splicing and attachment of leaders to the film strip prior to processing. The device allows a film to be automatically removed from its cassette and loaded into processing apparatus and comprises a housing in which a cassette unloading station (12), a film delivery station (14) connected to processing apparatus, a storage station (16), a film length measuring station (18), a direct film loading station (22), and a cutting station (24) are arranged. Pairs of transport rollers (26, 28) and (30, 32) are provided to transport the film through the device.

Abstract: It is well-known to use grooves to guide photographic material through processing apparatus. However, there is a tendency for debris to accumulate in the bottom of the grooves. Furthermore, the machining operation needed to form such grooves is complicated in particular where bends and changes in direction are required. Described herein is a guiding arrangement in which pairs of parallel plates (20, 22, 24, 26) are used to define a gap (30) through which material (40) is transported. The arrangement comprises an upper plate pair (20, 22) which is arranged to be offset with respect to a lower plate pair (24, 26), the plates in each pair being parallel to one another.

Abstract: In some types of processing apparatus, there is a minimum length of film strip which can be processed. To overcome this problem, several film strips may be spliced together to provide the desired length and/or a leader attached to the leading edge of the film strip to guide it through the apparatus for processing. Described herein is a loading device (10) for photographic processing apparatus which allows a length of film (102) to be unloaded from its cassette (100) in a film unloading station, its length checked at a film length checking station (18), and passed to a storage station (16) prior to being directed to the processing apparatus. Any length of film not exceeding the minimum length requirement for the processing apparatus can be removed from the storage station thereby avoiding film jams because the film is too short to pass from one transport station to another in the processing apparatus.

Abstract: Described herein is a film extraction unit for use in a loading device for photographic processing apparatus. The unit comprises an unloading station (12) into which a film cassette (100) is positioned with the film leader extending therefrom to lie between rollers (26, 28). Roller (26) is a pinch roller which engages with drive roller (28) to transport the film out of its cassette. Drive roller (28) is driven by a motor via a clutch arrangement so that once all the film (102) has been extracted from the cassette (100), the clutch will slip allowing the motor to continue to rotate whilst the drive roller (28) becomes stationary, thereby preventing damage to the film (102).