Abstract: An endoscopic instrument with a hollow shank which on the proximal side is provided with a connection part with at least one suction connection and/or rinsing connection, with a coupling part for fixing a working insert. The coupling part is mounted rotatably with respect to the connection part. The endoscopic instrument furthermore includes means for the detachable connection of the coupling part and the connection part, as well as an annular axial seal which is arranged between the connection part and the coupling part.

Abstract: A self-contained sanitary system includes a stand alone bench carrying a toilet with a flush tank for storing a source of flush water. The system further includes a holding tank. The holding tank is removably associated with the toilet and includes a pair of wheels and a retractable handle.

Abstract: An endoscopic instrument, having a shank (2) envisaged for introduction into a body opening (8), has on its outer surface raised parts (10) lying at the corner points of a polygon, so that an essentially linear contact is formed between the shank (2) and the body.

Abstract: A pneumatic-spring wheel-suspension leg for motor vehicles. The leg comprises a bellows (1) that can be rolled up over a jacket (3) and accommodates a pneumatics chamber (9), a hydraulic dashpot inside the bellows or jacket, and a piston rod (5) that travels into and out of the dashpot and is attached axially and resiliently directly or indirectly at one end to the vehicle's chassis. The object is to relieve the dashpot of difficult attenuation tasks when a hard wheel suspension is necessary. The leg accordingly includes another pneumatics chamber (10) and the communication between the two pneumatics chambers can be partly or entirely blocked by a valve.

Abstract: A self-contained sanitary system for a vehicle includes a toilet with a flush tank for storing a source of flush water. The system further includes a spout in fluid communication with the flush tank. The spout has a first open end coupled to the flush tank and a second open end. The spout is coupled for rotation about a generally vertical axis between a stowed position and an access position. The second end is rotatable relative to the first end about a generally horizontal axis between a fill position and a drainage position. The system further includes a bench and a holding tank. The holding tank is removably associated with the toilet and includes a pair of wheels and a retractable handle.

Abstract: The production of pouch-shaped or pot-shaped parts is undertaken in two steps. In the first step, a film located above a die is pressed by a stamp into a cavity that reproduces the part and is subsequently pressed apart in the lower region of the cavity by deformation of the stamp in this region. The device has a rubber-like stamp that expands out on all sides once it has reached the bottom wall of the cavity and causes the film to conform to the shape of the cavity. The stamp is preferably designed in two parts, wherein a stamp insert is guided within a stamp guide and the stamp insert then has at least one deformable region. For removal of the formed film, provision is made that the die can be swung open.

Abstract: The invention concerns an analytical device containing a lancet comprising a lancet needle and a lancet body, the lancet needle being movable relative to the lancet body and the lancet body being composed, at least in the area of the tip of the lancet needle, of an elastic material in which the tip of the lancet needle is embedded, and an analytical test element which is permanently connected to the lancet body. In addition the invention concerns an analytical device containing a lancet comprising a lancet needle and a lancet body which is in the form of a hollow body in the area of the tip of the lancet needle and surrounds the tip of the lancet needle, the lancet needle being movable relative to the lancet body and the hollow body being composed at least partially of an elastic material, and an analytical test element which is permanently connected to the lancet body. Finally the invention concerns a process for manufacturing such an analytical device.

Abstract: A test strip having a small sample-receiving chamber on the order of less than 1 microliter. The inventive test strip includes a reagent layer that extends across the width of the test strip and also extends to the sample-receiving end, such that the edges of the reagent layer are aligned with the side and dose receiving edges of the test strip. The hydrophilic reagent extending to the dosing edge of the strip promotes wicking of the sample into the test strip. The end and side edges of the reagent layer are preferably formed as part of a cutting process that forms individual test strips from a larger web, which results in a smooth and thin reagent layer with a uniform thickness, substantially covering the entire floor of the sample-receiving chamber. The inventive mass production process helps improve the reproducibility of the quantity, location, thickness and other properties of the reagent layer, which in turn improves the accuracy of the test result.

Abstract: This invention relates to test element analysis system for the analytical investigation of body liquids. An evaluation instrument, pertaining to the system, comprises a storage container, where a plurality of test elements is held ready for use, a sample application position, where one test element at a time is brought into contact with the sample, a measuring device for the determination of a measurable variable characteristic for the analysis, and a transport device, by which one test element at a time is taken out of the test element storage container at the take out position and transported to the sample application position.

Abstract: A process and closure arrangement is provided for isolating purified biological material. The process includes placing biological materials in separate lysis vessels, adding lysis liquids to the biological materials in the lysis vessels, and transferring the liquids in the lysis vessels into a matrix unit. The liquids in the matrix vessels of the matrix unit are extracted through outlet openings during which the liquids flow through matrices and the matrix unit is placed on a collecting unit with collecting vessels which are arranged such that at least the outlet openings of the matrix vessels extend into the collecting vessels. The matrix vessels are with elution fluid and elution fluids from the matrix vessels are extracted through their outlet openings during which the elution fluids flow through the matrices and the elution fluids which are enriched with biological material are collected in the collecting vessels.

Abstract: The present invention includes a system for withdrawing body fluids. The system includes a drive unit having a plunger which is moved from a resting position into a lancing position in order to carry out a lancing process and a lancing unit containing a lancet with a needle. The plunger and lancet are coupled together by a form fit in order to carry out a lancing process. The invention additionally concerns a method for temporarily extending a needle from a device for withdrawing body fluid as well as a lancing unit that can be attached to the drive unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a video transmission system that comprises a camera and a base unit. The camera includes a sensor memory adapted to store video data until each line of the video data is sequentially transmitted, a data buffer adapted to receive and store the sequentially transmitted video data until it is completely received at a base unit memory without errors, a data port adapted to receive from the data buffer and transmit to a camera physical transceiver the data buffered video data, a controller adapted to control data flow between the camera and the base unit, and the camera physical transceiver adapted to transfer the data buffered video data to a physical transceiver of the base unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a universal serial bus (USB) display unit comprising a microprocessor with a USB interface, where the USB interface is adapted to receive video data from a first source, and a video decoder adapted to receive other video data from a second source. The USB unit also comprises a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) adapted to process the video data and the other video data, a memory adapted to store the processed video data and the processed other video data, and a display adapted to contemporaneously display the processed video data and the processed other video data. The microprocessor is adapted to transmit the processed other video data to the first source via the USB interface which is adapted to receive audio data from the first source. The USB unit further comprises an audio circuit adapted to provide the audio data via the FPGA, where the video decoder, the audio circuit, the microprocessor, the display, and the memory are operably coupled to the FPGA.

Abstract: The present invention provides a synchronization system comprising a base unit and at least one video camera. The base unit includes a master time-base adapted to set a time period that samples a frame of video data, a memory, and a base unit communications transceiver. The base unit communications transceiver is adapted to transmit a frame synchronization signal to a video camera communications transceiver. The video camera includes an image sensor adapted to store the video data, an exposure control adapted to control an exposure level of the image sensor, and a camera time-base adapted to receive the frame synchronization signal from the video camera communications transceiver. The camera time-base is further adapted to receive the frame synchronization signal, reset its time and initiates its internal timing sequence, transmit signals to the exposure control to control a length of the exposure, and transmit timing signals to the image sensor to read the video data.

Abstract: The present invention provides a digital observation system that comprises a digital camera and a base unit. The digital camera includes a charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor memory, a CCD image sensor, a correlated double sampling (CDS) circuit, and a physical interface. The CCD image sensor memory is adapted to store video data, while the CCD image sensor is adapted to transmit the stored video data in analog RGB color space format native to the CCD image sensor (analog RGB data), where the CCD image sensor comprises the CCD image sensor memory. The CDS circuit is adapted to receive the analog RGB data from the CCD image sensor and convert the analog RGB data into digital RGB data and the physical interface is adapted to receive the digital RGB data and transmit the digital RGB data with reduced operational overhead and increased operational functionality. The base unit includes a base unit physical interface, a base unit programmable logic device (PLD), and a display.

Abstract: The invention relates to a soluble coffee beverage powder, which, upon the addition of water, is capable of forming a coffee beverage having a foamed upper surface. The soluble coffee beverage powder includes a soluble gas containing matrix comprising soluble coffee solids and a soluble filler, with the soluble filler constituting at least about 35% by weight of the dry matter of the matrix in order to increase the volume of the soluble coffee beverage powder incorporating gas. A particular preferred filler is an oligofructose that has a good solubility and which positively influences on the taste of the prepared coffee beverage. The invention also relates a soluble coffee beverage powder providing a black foamed coffee. The invention also provides a process for preparing such a soluble coffee beverage powder.

Abstract: System and process for isolating purified biological materials with a collecting unit which has collecting vessels that are accessible from above with a matrix unit in which matrix vessels are arranged in a holder as well as a closure unit which can be placed on the collecting unit to close the collecting vessel. In addition the invention also concerns a system having a collecting unit, a matrix unit, and a closure unit as well as a lysis unit and a waste unit. Moreover a new closure arrangement is disclosed which is suitable for closing vessels in which there is excess pressure.

Abstract: The invention concerns a lancet system comprising a plurality of essentially needle-shaped lancets, a drive unit which has a drive element which is moved from a resting position into a lancing position in order to carry out a lancing process, a storage area to store the lancets, a withdrawal area to guide at least the tip of the lancet out of the system during the lancing process and a transport unit which can transport lancets from the storage area into the withdrawal area, wherein the drive element is arranged in such a manner that in the withdrawal area it can act on the lancet located there to carry out a lancing process and thus move the lancet from a resting position into a lancing position and wherein the system has a retraction device in the withdrawal area which can interact with the lancet located in the withdrawal area in order to move the lancet after completion of the lancing process from the lancing position into the resting position and it concerns a lancet magazine adapted to the system, a cor

Abstract: The invention concerns lancets with a lancet needle, the tip of the lancet needle being embedded in an elastic material. Furthermore the invention concerns lancets where the tip of the lancet needle is surrounded by a hollow body which partially consists of an elastic material that can be pierced by the tip of the lancet needle during the lancing process and which reseals the tip of the lancet needle in the hollow body when it is retracted. In addition the invention concerns a lancet magazine in which the lancets are accommodated in individual chambers, each chamber having an opening through which the tip of the lancet needle can pass, which is sealed by an elastic material. Finally the invention concerns the use of an elastic material as a component of a lancet or a lancet magazine to maintain the sterility of at least the tip of a lancet needle in the unused state and to hygienically protect at least the tip of a lancet needle in the used state.

Abstract: A pneumatic-spring wheel-suspension leg for motor vehicles. The leg comprises a bellows (1) that can be rolled up over a jacket (3) and accommodates a pneumatics chamber (9), a hydraulic dashpot inside the bellows or jacket, and a piston rod (5) that travels into and out of the dashpot and is attached axially and resiliently directly or indirectly at one end to the vehicle's chassis. The object is to relieve the dashpot of difficult attenuation tasks when a hard wheel suspension is necessary. The leg accordingly includes another pneumatics chamber (10) and the communication between the two pneumatics chambers can be partly or entirely blocked by a valve.