Abstract: There is provided a method and an apparatus analysing the condition of a liquid conduit system. Data is received from at least one sensor indicative of pressure within the system and then processed to generate an inflexion coded data subset for each sensor. The inflexion coded data is then cycle counted across at least one time period to generate a second data subset for each time period comprising a count of pressure cycles, the amplitude of these pressure cycles and an average pressure. A cumulative pressure-induced stress can then be calculated for each of the at least one time periods using the second data subset.

Abstract: There is provided a method and an apparatus analysing the condition of a liquid conduit system. Data is received from at least one sensor indicative of pressure within the system and then processed to generate an inflexion coded data subset for each sensor. The inflexion coded data is then cycle counted across at least one time period to generate a second data subset for each time period comprising a count of pressure cycles, the amplitude of these pressure cycles and an average pressure. A cumulative pressure-induced stress can then be calculated for each of the at least one time periods using the second data subset.

Abstract: A liquid-flow monitoring device (10) arranged to monitor the flow of liquid in a conduit. The device (10) comprises sampling means (20), processing means (30) and data storage means (40). The sampling means is arranged to receive data substantially continuously from a sensor (12) indicative of at least one variable sensed by the sensor (12) indicative of fluid flow in a conduit and to sample the data to produce a stream of sampled data. The processing means (30) is arranged to process the stream of sampled data to extract at least one sub-sampled stream therefrom, the sub-sampled stream comprising a plurality of data sets, each data set being a statistical subset of the stream of sampled data over a respective data-set period. The data storage means (40) is arranged to store the at least one sub-sampled stream.

Abstract: A water drinking device for pets, includes a cup including a bottom, and a wall extending upwardly from the bottom and defining an inner hollow constructed so that a bottle with water can be received in the inner hollow and held in it and thereafter removed from the inner hollow of the wall for pouring water from the bottle into the inner hollow to allow a pet to drink water from it, and the wall is transversely stretchable and contractible such that when a bottle with a transverse dimension that is greater than a transverse dimension of the inner hollow is inserted into the latter, the wall stretches transversely outwardly, and upon removal of the bottle from the inner hollow the wall contracts back to its initial transverse size, and the wall is also constructed so that the cup is insertable into a cup holder of a vehicle.

Abstract: A gas-tight seal module is incorporated in a trocar system to form a gas-tight seal about an instrument inserted into the cannula of the trocar system. The module incorporates an apertured disc. The aperture in the disc can be stretched to accommodate a seal about an instrument inserted into the cannula. The disc is carried by a flaccid membrane which extends across the module. A pair of rigid washers clamped on opposite sides of the disc are constrained for movement between two parallel spaced surfaces. The disc is thus freely moveable in its own plane to accommodate off-axis movement of the instrument thus avoiding the breakage of the seal with the instrument which would otherwise occur if the disc did not have the same freedom of movement. The disc also acts to clean the surface of the instrument when withdrawn so as to avoid contamination of a flap valve upstream of the disc.

Abstract: A surgical needle holder has the facing surfaces of its jaws lined with memory alloy which is soft enough to distort around a needle when gripped between the jaws. A better grip on the needle is thus achieved. The surfaces of the inserts may be profiled with ribs to allow the alloy to be subject to a greater pressure per square centimeter locally and so more readily deformed.

Abstract: A gas-tight seal module is incorporated in a trocar system to form a gas-tight seal about an instrument inserted into the cannula of the trocar system. The module incorporates an apertured disc. The aperture in the disc can be stretched to accommodate a seal about an instrument inserted into the cannula. The disc is carried by a flaccid membrane which extends across the module. A pair of rigid washers clamped on opposite sides of the disc are constrained for movement between two parallel spaced surfaces. The disc is thus freely moveable in its own plane to accommodate off-axis movement of the instrument thus avoiding the breakage of the seal with the instrument which would otherwise occur if the disc did not have the same freedom of movement. The disc also acts to clean the surface of the instrument when withdrawn so as to avoid contamination of a flap valve upstream of the disc.