Abstract: This invention relates to compositions and methods for preventing oxidation of beneficial agents.

Abstract: Drug delivery systems and kits are provided that release an anesthetic, such as bupivacaine, over a short duration. Methods of administering and preparing such systems are also provided. Drug delivery systems include a short duration gel vehicle and an anesthetic dissolved or dispersed in the gel vehicle. The gel vehicle comprises a low molecular weight bioerodible, biocompatible polymer and a water-immiscible solvent in an amount effective to plasticize the polymer and form a gel with the polymer. In some instances, a component solvent is used along with the water-immiscible solvent. An efficacy ratio, which is one way to measure the efficacy of a delivery system, can be controlled based on, for example, the construction of the gel vehicle to achieve a desired release profile.

Abstract: Injectable depot compositions are provided that include a bioerodible, biocompatible polymer, a solvent having a miscibility in water of less than or equal to 7 wt. % at 25° C., in an amount effective to plasticize the polymer and form a gel therewith, a thixotropic agent, and a beneficial agent. The solvent comprises an aromatic alcohol, an ester of an aromatic acid, an aromatic ketone, or mixtures thereof. The compositions have substantially improved the shear thinning behavior and reduced injection force, rendering the compositions readily implanted beneath a patient's body surface by injection.

Abstract: Injectable depot compositions are provided that include a bioerodible, biocompatible polymer, an aromatic alcohol having miscibility in water of less than or equal to 7 wt. % at 25° C., in an amount effective to plasticize the polymer and form a gel therewith, and a beneficial agent. The composition may additionally contain an ester of an aromatic acid, or an aromatic ketone. The compositions are readily implanted beneath a patient's body surface by injection, as the aromatic alcohol not only facilitates solubilization of the polymer, but also acts as a thixotropic agent, substantially increasing the shear thinning behavior of the composition.

Abstract: In a measuring arrangement for the electrically uncoupled function testing of systems with a current-carrying conductor, an electromechanical transducer in the form of a piezoceramic element is assigned to the conductor. The conductor can be an ignition coil of a vehicle ignition system.

Abstract: An injection molding tool for producing a cage for a linear bearing in which several rolling elements are positioned in the cage in the direction of its longitudinal extent in the assembled state includes two tool halves each provided with protrusions. The protrusions extend into the cavity of the tool during the injection molding process and form a portion of a receiver pocket for receiving a rolling element. To make the injection molding process simple and economical, the protrusions are fixedly connected with the tool halves, with the protrusions being are shaped in such a way that, when acting together, they form holding elements for retaining the rolling elements in the receiver pockets in the cage when the injection molding tool is closed. The holding elements are thus integrated into the basic geometry of the cage.

Abstract: Linear guide assembly comprising at least two guide rails, which are moveable in the longitudinal direction with respect to each other and have prismatic shaped raceways, a plurality of rolling elements guided in a cage, at least one gear wheel for the positive guidance of the cage is connected to the cage, which wheel engages in toothed racks, each of which is connected to a guide rail, the gear wheel comprising a disk, having axial projections distributed around the periphery at least one of the end surfaces and rows of uniformly spaced recesses, into which the projections on the disk can engage.

Abstract: A bearing unit includes a housing provided with a cylindrical bore and a linear bearing positioned within the cylindrical bore. The linear bearing includes a cage in which are arranged a plurality of endless ball rows each defined by a longitudinally extending ball track for load-bearing balls, a longitudinally extending return track for non-load-bearing balls, and deflection tracks connecting ends of the longitudinally extending ball track and the longitudinally extending return track. Each longitudinally extending ball track opens radially outwardly with a track plate being arranged to cover the longitudinally extending ball track for the load-bearing balls. The cylindrical bore of the housing is provided with a plurality of recesses each located in an area of the cylindrical bore facing one axial end of one of the track plates to permit radial deflection of the one axial end of the track plate.

Abstract: Linear guide assembly comprising at least two guide rails, which are movable in the longitudinal direction with respect to each other having similarly shaped raceways, a plurality rolling elements, guided in a cage, at least one gear wheel connected to the cage for the positive guidance of the cage, which wheel engages in toothed racks or the like, each of which is connected to a guide rail, said gear wheel consisting of a disk, having an external circumference which is provided with uniformly distributed axial rolling elements, which project slightly beyond the disk, and wherein said recesses, correspond to the external shape of the rolling elements and into which the rolling elements can engage, are provided equal distances apart directly in the guide rails.

Abstract: A ball bearing for permitting linear movements includes a cage having an inner surface that is adapted to surround a shaft, a plurality of axial guide tracks for receiving load-bearing balls and axial return tracks for receiving non-load-bearing balls. A cover is provided at each end of the cage, with each cover being provided a turn-around track that connect an end of one guide track with an end of an adjoining return track. The guide tracks and the return tracks have a slit extending along the length of the tracks and opening radially inwardly. To enable economical production of the bearing with relatively simple tools and universal use of a single cage for different ball bearings, the lateral guide walls of both the guide tracks and the return tracks possess the same cross-sectional configuration and, in the radial outer area of the cage, are provided with axially extending grooves.

Abstract: A radial seal useful in linear ball bearings and designed to be secured during transportation as well as during operation of the bearing includes an arcuate disk portion having opposite sides. An arcuate projection is provided on each side of the disk portion, at least one of which is axially oriented. The projections are designed to have different diameters. This produces a stepped seating surface along the outside diameter of the radial seal that effects a reliable seating of the radial seal in the linear ball bearing. The radial seal can also be designed with two axially oriented projections disposed at different diameters on one side of the disk portion for projecting into an annular groove on the frontal face of the outer ring of the linear ball bearing. By constructing the projections with circumferential outer faces that slightly diverge in a cone-shaped manner, the projections further inhibit the seal from falling out of the groove.

Abstract: A ball bearing for permitting linear movements includes a cage having an inside surface that is adapted to surround a shaft. The cage also has ball tracks each defined by an axial guide track, an axial return track and two turn-around tracks which connect the ends of the guide track and the return track. The guide and return tracks have a radially inwardly open slit that extends along the lengths of the tracks. The guide tracks are covered by respective ball track plates provided with projections that project into grooves in the cage. To reduce tool and manufacturing costs, ball track plates having the same profile (i.e., identical outside diameters, ball track diameters, plate widths and plate thicknesses) are used for several ball bearing sizes with different bore and outside diameters.

Abstract: A ball bearing for permitting longitudinal movements with respect to a shaft includes a cage provided with at least two longitudinally extending guide tracks having opposite ends that are connected by semicircular turn around tracks. A plurality of balls are positioned in the guide tracks, with balls positioned in one of the guide tracks forming load-bearing balls and balls positioned in another one of the guide tracks forming non-load-bearing balls. The longitudinally extending guide track for the load-bearing balls is provided with a slit that is open radially inwardly for passage of the balls in a direction radially inwardly towards the shaft.

Abstract: A rolling bearing for longitudinal movement has a cage with its inner surface surrounding a shaft. The cage has axially extending races for loaded balls and axially extending return races for unloaded balls, as well as a cover on each of its two ends. Each cover has turn around races connected between the ends of a race and a return race. The races, return races and turn around races have slits extending along the races and open to the shaft. Each turn around race in the covers is bounded by a curved shoulder section on the inner surface of the cage and extending along the turn around race, and a curved inner wall section of the cover extending parallel to the curved shoulder wall section of the cage.

Abstract: A cage for a linear or rotationally guided rolling bearing has two uniformly spaced apart smooth boundary surfaces extending in the rolling direction, the cage having pockets adjacent one another in the rolling direction for receiving at least one rolling body. Each pocket has at least one recess pressed in the immediate vicinity of at least one edge in the opposed surfaces of the cage for the production of a holding groove. The walls of the holding groove closely surround dimensionally decreasing sections of the rolling bodies. Each holding groove is formed on the end of one or more holding tongues extending into the pockets. The recesses of the boundary surfaces are in the form of grooves with constant cross section, are pressed only in the holding tongues, and extend across the entire width of the holding tongues.

Abstract: A linear ball bearing for a carriage in a machine tool has a support with a pair of raceways which oppose a corresponding pair of raceways formed in the carriage. Two endless rows of balls are arranged to circulate in adjacent planes, with the loaded balls rolling between the opposing raceways. One or two rails are fastened to the support for guiding the loaded balls outwardly of the support. The loaded balls of one row mesh in the interstices of the loaded balls of the other row. Each rail has a guiding web for laterally guiding the loaded balls and at least one retaining web for partly encompassing the loaded balls. The longitudinal gaps between the rail and the support have widths less than the ball diameter, thereby blocking the balls from falling out of the support when the bearing is disassembled.

Abstract: A ball bearing for lengthwise movement has a cage sleeve between a shaft and a housing. The cage sleeve has a plurality of circumferentially distributed channels in which a corresponding row of circulating balls is arranged. The balls loaded by the shaft travel in one linear raceway and return unloaded in another linear raceway, the ends of the linear raceways being connected by a pair of reversing raceways. A load-transmitting raceway rail is seated in each of a plurality of openings in the cage sleeve. Each raceway rail has a raceway groove formed by an inner shoulder and an outer shoulder which overlies the linear raceway for loaded balls, a surface portion which overlies the linear raceway for unloaded balls, and a pair of end surfaces which overlie the respective reversing raceways.

Abstract: A method for the production of a guide rail for linear guiding and having a hardened rolling body race groove on opposite sides of the guide rail. In order to minimize production costs and avoid cutting of the race grooves, the race grooves are initially spaced at a distance that is greater or smaller than their finally desired value, by an incremental distance. Grooves are provided centrally in the guide rail between the opposed race grooves, and the race rail is then hardened except in the region of the central grooves. Compression rollers in the race grooves or central grooves are then forced into the guide rail to decrease or increase respectively the distance between the race grooves until the desired distance therebetween is obtained. The method can also be employed when only a single race groove is provided on the rail.

Abstract: A roller, especially a tension roller for a belt drive has a hollow hub supporting a rolling bearing, with a pulley or rotating body supported on the outer ring of the bearing. The hollow hub has at least one closed end, with a mounting hole therethrough to enable mounting to a machine frame. The closed end or bottom of the hub is setback from the adjoining facing end of the hub, by an axially projecting annular rim. The hub may be formed of one part, or of two parts, each having a setback closed bottom.

Abstract: A tension or idler roller for a belt drive system has an outer roller for engaging a belt, an inner support body adapted to be affixed to a machine, and a rolling bearing between the outer roller and the support body. The support body is comprised of a pair of identical cup-shaped elements oriented either with their open ends toward one another or their closed ends toward one another, the shells having an eccentric mounting. The inner ring of the bearing may be a separate element or it may be formed in the shells.