87results about How to "Amount being removed" patented technology

An apparatus, system and method for regulating fluid flow are disclosed. The apparatus includes a flow rate sensor and a valve. The flow rate sensor uses images to estimate flow through a drip chamber and then controls the valve based on the estimated flow rate. The valve comprises a rigid housing disposed around the tube in which fluid flow is being controlled. Increasing the pressure in the housing controls the size of the lumen within the tube by deforming the tube, therefore controlling flow through the tube.

A flow meter includes an image sensor, a coupler, a support member and one or more processors. The coupler is adapted to couple to a drip chamber. The support member is operatively coupled to the coupler. The image sensor has a field of view and is operatively coupled to the support member. The image sensor is positioned to view the drip chamber within the field of view. The processor receives data from the image sensor and is configured to: receive a first image from the image sensor, compare the first image to a second image, and generate a difference image based upon the comparison between the first and second images.

A laser processing apparatus which can suppress the positional fluctuation in light-converging point of laser light during laser processing is provided. On an optical path of laser light L1 connecting a beam expander 34 and a first light-transmitting hole 32 of a lens holder 29 to each other in a laser processing apparatus 20, a stop member 38 including a second light-transmitting hole 39 having the same diameter as that of the first light-transmitting hole 32 is disposed. Hence, the amount of laser light L1 cut by the surrounding part of the first light-transmitting hole 32 can substantially be eliminated, whereby the lens holder 29 can be prevented from being heated upon irradiation with the laser light L1. Also, even when the stop member 38 is heated by the laser light L1 cut by the surrounding part of the second light-transmitting hole 39, heat is prevented from being transmitted from the stop member 38 to the lens holder 29, since the stop member 38 is separated from the lens holder 29. Therefore, the positional fluctuation in light-converging point P1 of the laser light L1 during laser processing can be suppressed to a low level.

A flow meter includes a first image sensor, a background pattern, and at least one processor. The first image sensor has a first field of view and is positioned to view a drip chamber within the first field of view. The background pattern is positioned within the field of view of the first image sensor, and the background pattern includes first and second portions. The processor is operatively coupled to the first image sensor and configured to: receive a first image from the first image sensor, and estimate at least one parameter of liquid within the drip chamber in accordance with a distortion of the background pattern caused by the liquid as indicated by the first image.

An flow meter includes a coupler, a support member, an image sensor, and one or more processors. The coupler is adapted to couple to a drip chamber. The support member is operatively coupled to the coupler. The image sensor has a field of view and is operatively coupled to the support member. The image sensor is positioned to view the drip chamber within its field of view. The one or more processors are operatively coupled to the image sensor to receive data therefrom. The one or more processors (1) receive image data from the image sensor, and (2) determine an existence of a free flow condition by identifying an optical distortion of an area behind the free flow condition within the drip chamber using the received image data.

A system and method for maintaining positions of bones fixed or approximated relative to each other is provided that is ideal for minimizing interference with surrounding viscera in spinal column procedures, although other good application therefor are also disclosed. In the preferred form, a cable anchoring apparatus in the form of a screw member having an elongate shank that is threaded for substantially the full length thereof is employed. An internal driver surface is provided so that the size of the proximate end of the shank can be minimized or maintained consistently sized with respect to the reminder of the shank with no enlarged driver head formed thereat. This allows the amount of bone material that is removed from full insertion of the screw anchor to be minimized, i.e. no countersinking for an enlarged driver head is necessary, thus improving holding power of the cable anchor herein. Further, the full threading of the shank for substantially its entire length enables the screw member to be fully sunk into the bone so that no portions thereof, such as an enlarged screw head, project into the surrounding body cavity in which the bone is located. In the spinal column application, a criss-cross cable pattern is disclosed to better resist torsional forces and keep any decompression devices in place in the gap between adjacent vertebrae.

A method of sorting mined material for subsequent processing to recover valuable material, such as valuable metals, from the mined material is disclosed. The method includes a combination of selective breakage of mined material, for example, by using microwaves and / or high pressure grinding rolls, subsequent size separation, and then particle sorting of a coarse fraction of the separated material based on differential heating and thermal imaging.

An improved method and apparatus is provided as a system to enhance skin appearance and health, in which skin is cleaned (or exfoliated) and conditioned by use of microelements affixed to a base element or hand-held patch. The dimensions of the microelements are controlled so as to remove a certain number of layers of skin cells and to accumulate those skin cells, along with other foreign substances, into areas between the microelements. In addition, a conditioning compound or therapeutic active can be applied to the exfoliated skin to enhance the skin. Moreover, the amount of accumulated skin cells represents a self-limiting maximum quantity that cannot be substantially exceeded regardless of the number of attempts by a user to re-use the microstructure apparatus. Some of the microstructures are designed with very close-packed microelements, which in some cases have flexible substrates.